CHAPTER 12
The only way…

The Jedi had lost a few of their own when they attacked both Bespin and Kessel. Many Clones were killed along many other soldiers. Massif armies of droids protected both hideouts. Obi-Wan could not be sensed anywhere in the galaxy. Anakin sat alone in the commons, meditating and trying to calm his tortured mind and heart. The bond was still there but he couldn't tell where exactly his former master was. Every time he tried to speak with Obi-Wan he wouldn't get a response, but he could sense a brief flicker of pain from him. Nothing made sense anymore. The door opened and Padmé walked in the living room.

"How are you doing?" She gently asked while sitting next to him on the couch.

"I'm not quite sure how I should feel, Padmé." He lowered his head. "How can I believe what Masters Yoda and Windu have told me?"

"Maybe…"

"No!" Anakin stood suddenly. "Obi-Wan hated and despised the Sith! They killed Master Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan swore to never let the Dark Side cloud his judgement again!" Then there was silence. Anakin looked out the window, watching the night traffic dance in the Coruscant sky.

"Lets be rational, Ani." Padmé stood up also and walked over to the Jedi. "There has to be reason."

"Then what is it?" Anakin sighed.

"Maybe Palpatine offered him something." This answer made him scoff.

"Obi-Wan doesn't care for material things. He's a Jedi."

"Not anything material, but maybe they had a deal of some sort. Maybe he thought by falling to the Dark Side that Palpatine would free you?" Padmé sought for Anakin's eyes. "Maybe he tried to save you…" Anakin turned to look at her.

"He wouldn't do that."

"Think Anakin. What is the one thing Obi-Wan would sacrifice everything for? The one thing that could make him go behind the Counsel's back?" Anakin slumped down on the couch, resting against it. Padmé followed and stared right into his eyes, making sure he looked back at her. "Ani… he would do anything for you."

"Sidious, what is our next move?" Grievous sat at the long conference table next to his Lord. "Are we still going to go forth with the invasion of the Temple?"

"The small army of battle droids was the perfect diversion to get to Skywalker and lure his former master on our side. But now that Skywalker has escaped, we must concentrate on that for the moment. He is the only person who will be able to pull Vader back into the light of the Force". Sidious sneered. "Is the order ready?"

"Over 200,000 units are ready to attack Coruscant when we will tell them to." Grievous coughed and wheezed. "The Jedi will never expect this massif droid army to attack theirs." Suddenly the door slid open and Darth Vader slowly walked in, bowing at both Grievous and Sidious.

"I have checked on our troops, master. They are ready for any attack from the Republic." Vader pulled down the hood of his robe down. The once brown Jedi robe had been replaced with a black one. His Jedi tunic had been replaced also, now eerily resembling Darth Maul's.

"Good my apprentice. The Republic is searching the galaxy frantically along with the Jedi to find us." Sidious grinned. "They are in for a big surprise. Even their army of Wookies are no match for our Storm Troopers." Sidious turned towards General Grievous. "General, I want you to check on our allies on the Mustafar System. Make sure their army is ready and tell them to make their way here." Grievous bowed.

"As you wish, Lord Sidious." He exited the conference room, leaving the Sith alone with his new apprentice.

"Is there anything I can do for you, master?" Sidious turned towards Vader.

"Not for the moment."

"Are we going to attack the Temple?" Sidious walked closer to him.

"I think it would be best. But don't worry, I will make sure Skywalker is pushed away from the battle so he won't be harmed. Trust me."

"I will trust you when you help me save Anakin. That is the only reason I am agreeing to be trained by you. My loyalty will always be with the Jedi." This admission from his apprentice didn't surprise the Sith. It was expected actually. It would take time to poison his mind against his Jedi family.

"And I understand. You have been raised to despise the Sith and I won't try to turn you against them. I must warn you that with me you will find out all about the hidden agenda of the Republic. It will shatter your faith in the Jedi."

"I won't believe you until I see it with my own eyes." Vader pulled back his hood over his head, the shadows hiding his face partially. "I agreed to stop all those who get in your way, but I won't kill any Jedi." Silently, the former Jedi Knight walked out of the room.

Luminara Unduli walked the Temple halls. The Mirilian was troubled about this sudden fall of her good friend Obi-Wan. She and her Padawan had survived the deadly battle on Geonosis, unlike many of their counter parts. As the treaded silently, she came across a figure leaning against a window railing, looking out at the night sky. Immediately she thought about leaving this person alone with his thoughts but the man turned around and saw her.

"Master Luminara." Anakin smiled softly, bowing to her.

"I didn't want to disturb you in your thoughts, Master Anakin."

"Oh it's alright…" Luminara approached the younger Knight and stood beside him, also leaning against the railing. "Do you believe what the Counsel said about Master Obi-Wan?"

"Obi-Wan is a good friend and I've known him all my life." Her eyes turned away from those of Anakin. "He is a very wise man, Anakin. I'm sure there is much more to this then we know."

"Chancellor Naberrie and I seem to think that…" Luminara waited for Anakin to continue.

"Think what?" He breathed in.

"We think that he may have bargained for my life." Master Unduli looked back at the man she was standing next to. "What do you think?"

"I was actually thinking about it earlier. I know for sure that Obi-Wan would sacrifice everything to keep you safe."

"So you're saying…"

"I think you are right." Anakin smiled but vaguely. He was glad Luminara had great faith in Obi-Wan, but knowing he was the cause for his spiral down into darkness showered him with guilt. Luminara must have caught on to his thoughts; she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault. We both know you would have done the same for him… and he knows that too." With a soft smile, she walked away.

Anakin stayed there long after Luminara had left him. Again he tried to pull his thoughts away from the days events, but they kept ripping through his mind. That's when he decided to try and contact Obi-Wan one last time through their bond.

"Obi-Wan… please answer me…" Eyes closed, Anakin let his mind drift into the galaxy, searching for his old master. "Master… where are you? Tell me you're safe…"

"I'm safe, Anakin…" Anakin almost fell back when he heard the soft voice of his mentor speak in his mind.

"Master! Where are you? What's going on? The Counsel says…"

"Trust me… It's the only way…" A brief shot of anguish could be sensed, not only from the sound of Obi-Wan's voice but also through the bond they had created.

"The only way to what? What's wrong?" Silence lingered for a moment before Obi-Wan spoke again.

"I… I can't tell you…" Anakin didn't realise there were tears falling down his cheeks.

"Master if falling to the Dark Side has something to do about me then…"

"I said I couldn't tell you… all I can say is that I am safe…" And then there was nothing. He tried calling for Obi-Wan again but with no success. Heavily, Anakin leaned against the opposite wall and slid down to the floor. The young Knight buried his face in his hands and cried.

In the Outer-Rim, another man cried while leaning against a wall. Fighting to stay in the light no matter how dark life appeared. He was hurting the boy he considered his own and could easily sense the sorrow around the young Skywalker. He knew Anakin was crying and it made more tears fall down his blue ones. One hand was brought up to his face, pressing against his temples while the other tightly gripped the new Lightsaber in his belt. He felt like lashing out on Sidious, kill the last living Sith while he slept but he knew he couldn't. Sidious knew how to save Anakin from death and he needed to know. He resisted the urge to slaughter his dark lord and his grip loosened. Lifting his eyes to the sky, he spoke out loud.

"I'm sorry Anakin… I need to do this."

Sorry it took a while before I posted this but I was in the middle of moving! Hope you liked it! Shoutout to iloveobiwanmore! Thanks for your inspiration! Read her fics.. they rock!