CHAPTER EIGHT:
Time…Truth…Lie…Hate

Ten Months Later

"I'm coming home," I say exuberantly to my wife and year and half old daughter. Finally, I am going home. Too long, I've been here, too long between visits to my wife. It would have been so much easier if she could have staid here, but her position on the senate did not allow her to, and the secrecy of the mission here did not allow for me to travel often. But now I am going home.

"Oh, Obi-Wan, I thought you would be on Aurora forever," Padmé's holograph form replies hoarsely.

"Daddy!" Leia laughs clapping her hands, her curls bouncing her image strains for me arms out, I wish I could take her, hold her.

"Yeah, baby, Daddy's coming home," I feel a sudden lump in my throat.

"When can we expect you?"

"A few days at most, I have a few little things I need to finalize and then I will be heading out."

"Wonderful! …Anakin is coming back to Coruscant too, did you know that?"

"Yes, I did. The council has been keeping him busy the last few months before we tell him…" I pause, I had not intended on telling her this right now. I wanted to wait till I got home; the council and I have been working on this for a good while.

"Before you tell him what?" she demands, even being a projected glare, it stings just as badly as if she were standing in front of me.

"Not now, love, when I get home there will be so much to discuss," I scramble to placate her for the moment.

"Don't do this Obi-Wan, don't hide things from me."

I sigh heavily, "Anakin and I have been assigned to lead the campaign in the Far Reaches. We are will be leaving three days after arriving…"

Her face pales and her expression falls. There is more…I am telling him of our marriage before we go. It has been decided; the council is backing my decision. I would tell her of that now, but I don't want her upset further. I need to handle Anakin on my own first; I need to talk to him man to man. I just hope the chance arises peacefully.

"I understand you need to go where you are needed," she lifts her head and squares her shoulders, her tears disappearing her iron will taking their place.

I want to apologize, I want to tell her that what I need is to stay with her, but we both know Leia needs us more. She needs a peaceful galaxy to grow up in; she needs assurance, not question.

"I'll see you both soon," I nod waiting for her to nod because I know she'll start to cry again if she speaks. So she nods and I break transmission.

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On a dark night on a nearly deserted landing pad on the far side of Coruscant a Jedi fighter bearing red markings starts to land. In the shadows a woman and her child wait to greet the returning hero, but unbeknownst, another watches too.

Anakin stands motionless feet planted firmly on the concrete his fists clasped in anger and a bit of fear behind his back. He stares at the landing ship with un buffered hatred.

He knows that if his worst fears are true they will be proven tonight. Could it be as Palpatine suggested, as he himself has speculated; that his Master is doing the very things he instructed his pupil not to do?

Could it be that Padmé Amidala, the woman he fell in love with, the woman who claimed to be his never failing ally is truly an imposter…a mere actress putting on a show of support, carrying on just to be near Obi-Wan?

Oh, the thought and fears that twist in the troubled man's mind.

Anakin's heartbeat quickens then stops as a man he knows without a doubt to be his Master climbs from the fighter.

He waits in anguished stillness, the seconds ticking by like a slow steady drip. He waits studying the surrounding shadows for movement. In what feels like an hour but in truth is just moments that man's waiting is rewarded.

From the murky darkness, a hooded person with an unidentifiable bundle rushes to Obi-Wan. Anakin knows, knows what he knew deep down long ago—he has been betrayed.

Still he waits perhaps in disbelief or maybe just to make certain. He wants undeniable truth. If it be the latter all doubt is swept away as the couple meets—Anakin flinches when they make contact—then in the heat of the moment the hood of the woman's robe falls back and there he sees, there he has his proof, as he watches Padmé kissing Obi-Wan with no reserve…their little girl between them.

Anakin falls to his knees throat closing, air becoming thin and unsupportive. First, he feels hurt and weak…but quickly rage builds and threatens to burst from him. He is furious and his emotions have been tipped irrevocably toward the dark side. A piece of him withers and retracts from the light.

His first instinct is to rage from his hiding place and engage his Master, to shout and rebuke, to challenge and perhaps even destroy; but a voice of reason sneaks in, a voice of a trusted friend…the only one now.

"Calculate, my dear boy, take every advantage the situation offers. Never act without thought always know your enemy's weakness, know what will hurt them the most and then act."

So, Anakin decides to do just that. He will wait and he will setup these two so they will endure the greatest amount of pain possible. He will betray, he will cripple, and he will extract from them the same amount of agony and level of betrayal they gave him. He will destroy them.

The Jedi ways be damned.

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"Kenobi," he answers groggily rolling from the bed and fumbling with his communicator.

My heart stops, he's never been called in the middle of the night before…and he's just gotten home.

I watch the muscles across his bare back tense and flex as he heads out of the room. It's not good, whatever it is, I feel his anxiousness flux in our heart force.

Leia is awake; I see her wiggling in her crib, but not fussing.

"How's my girl…You should be asleep angel," I pick her up, she is clutching the brown teddy bear dressed in a replica of Obi-Wan's robes…he gave her the bear for her first birthday, telling her that whenever he was gone she could look at the bear and always know that her Daddy loved his LeiaBear. I want to cry every time I see it, for it is always in her arms.

"Daddy…" she sighs tiredly, laying her head on my shoulder. I hear Obi-Wan's hushed conversation, though I can't make out the words. I rock her gently, "Yeah, baby…Daddy," I kiss her cheek.

I walk down the hall towards the terrace. The soft trickle of the fountain is soothing; the net curtains are down to create airy walls between us and the eyes of the city. I navigate till I reach the center of the terrace garden.

He is sitting on the settee head in his hands. I pause, breathing deeply. Walking to him, I place a hand on his shoulder; he doesn't look up but gives a nod for me to sit.

"The Chancellor has been kidnapped. He's being held on a ship just beyond the planets atmosphere," he turns to meet my eyes, "Anakin and I are to leave immediately."

I can only nod, my throat hoarse and tongue silent. The chancellor hostage? This mission will be so unbelievably dangerous.

"Something is on the brink, I feel it building, and it'll reach its peak soon. Padmé I don't know what is happening…the Force is so cloudy…" his body quakes and his voice wavers. "I want you and Leia to go to Naboo."

I stiffen and find my voice, "No," I shake my head.

His eyes turn from me and a muscle flinches in his jaw but his shoulders fall a bit in resignation, as if he knew his request would be denied.

"I can't, you fight on the front lines to end this war and I fight the way I know how, with politics. I will not walk away while you still fight! I will fight …I am fighting," I cry impassioned tears breaking lose.

"Okay…" he puts his arm around his daughter and me, "but I had to ask," he stops eyes on Leia, "but I want Leia to go, at least for now."

I nod, it is one thing to put ourselves in danger but quite another to put our daughter in it.

"I've got to get ready," he pulls away, but it seems to take a lot for him to do so.

I watch him leave and it's then I feel the panic set it, I feel the flood gates open…maybe his fear I feel too for now I am terrified.

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"We've got troops in the air right now; they are there to get you to the Chancellor. The Force be with you," Master Windu meets me as I prepare to enter my fighter.

I nod fitting my head set. He returns the gesture and gives two quick slaps against the wing and steps back talking to an aide that has come to his side.

"Ready Artoo?"

"Dweep, beep bo."

"Excellent! …Copy Anakin?" I start the fighter ready to lift off.

"Yes Master," his voice is like acid. I haven't seen him since my return, the first time was just moments ago and at that, it was just a quick nod as he seemed to come from thin air and head to his fighter.

"Is everything okay Anakin?"

"Yes, Master."

Well you could have fooled me. I swear I can't get a hold on him anymore…we are going to have to have a long talk before I tell him the news that will infuriate him more. Now is certainly not the time to get into that discussion.

"Alright then, you follow my lead. Let's get it started," I say dryly and I lift from the pad.

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If I stand still for any amount of time, I know I will end up at the window hoping in vain for any sign of my husband. I know that if I should still for just a moment every mind numbing fear and doubt will attack and I will go crazy. So instead I'll pack.

"Are you excited? You are going to go see Uncle Paddy!" I fake enthusiasm and tickle Leia then head for the closet.

"Uncle Paddy!" she giggles, clapping her hands knees buckling up and down as she hangs onto the bed, jumping without her feet ever leaving the floor.

"Yeah, baby," I laugh as she ambles her way over to me and sitting with a thud at my feet, stretching her arms to me, "Up!" she demands.

I laugh, she looks just like her dad…those blue eyes that can make anyone do anything, that almost frown that comes over her while she is concentrating. She has that one curl that falls across her forehead no matter what…only difference is that this curl is brown not blond like the one that falls across the forehead of her father.

"Come on Princess, lets take a nap," I pluck her up and bounce her on my hip as we head to the bed.

"No, nap!" now I know her scowl is just like Obi-Wan's. We're going to be in trouble when she's older because I think she has my stubbornness…and her fathers. I should say rather, that whoever the lucky man is that falls in love with her is going to be in trouble, she is going to a stubborn one that's for sure.

She's so much like her father…and yet she has a part of me too. But then again she is her own person…she is Leia Kenobi, a frown like her fathers, hair like mine and a future of her very one, that not even Master Yoda can see.

"Come on angel, just a little while," I smooth back her still down soft hair and cradle her, she tries not yawn but isn't successful. It only takes minutes for her eyes to droop and for her to fall asleep.

Obi-Wan is out there somewhere…"…come home soon my love, we're waiting for you," I whisper as much in my heart as to the empty air.

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"This time we do it together," I eye Anakin as Count Dooku comes into view.

"I was going to say the same thing."

It was a trap, this whole thing feels wrong. I don't like it! The chancellor is here, Dooku is here…that same uneasy feeling I had at home is returning. Something is charging the air here…if I had a little longer I might be able to pin it down. The Chancellor…and Anakin? Something bigger seems to be passing between these two…what is going on!

"My powers have doubled since the last time we met Count Dooku," Anakin is verging on something…I don't like this.

"Good. Twice the pride, double the fall."

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Chancellor Palpatine watches with great enjoyment as Anakin gives into his anger. He felt it as soon as the young Jedi and his Master entered the room; the pent up anger hung on Anakin like an encompassing shadow. "He knows! He knows, finally the truth, the deception…the betrayal he truly knows now….It's all coming together, perfectly."

The puzzle pieces so carefully arranged by the chancellor are starting to come together to create a picture perfect world of domination. The Force in all its glorious lightness can not stop the darkness that is creeping into the young man's soul. No goodness in the galaxy can heal the broken friendship between Master and Pupil, not when the pupil's soul is as black as space. The Chancellor was banking on that, thriving on that, feeding off that. It's coming together…just to fall apart, and Palpatine couldn't be happier.

"Kill him Anakin…your anger and hate makes you strong…kill him now Anakin…do it!" Palpatine hisses, his anxiousness to have his bidding done has his voice harsh…not at all what he had planned.

"Come on Anakin…he is too dangerous to be left alive," he changes tactics carefully, letting weakness slip into his voice.

"I…" Anakin hesitates. He looks into the Count's terror stricken eyes and for a moment his Master's voice, full of teaching, echoes in his mind. Instantly his top lip pulls back in anger, his Master the hypocrite, the liar and the deceiver. No longer…no longer! He will not be prey to the two-facedness.

Count Dooku's body falls limply to the floor, life drained.

"Well done Anakin…you've freed me and the galaxy from that man's madness," Palpatine wheezes feigning weakness yet again.

"Let's get out here," Anakin replies unwilling to speak of his actions at the moment. He acted in complete defiance of his Jedi Training; he just took the first step. He grunts in disgust not at his actions, but at his Master who lays helplessly pinned under a piece of fallen walkway.

"For all your preaching Master, you are the one depending on me now," he thinks with disdain. Half tempted to leave him, to let him suffer his death alone, even more tempted when Palpatine suggests that very thing, yet he rescues Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will feel the full rage of Anakin Skywalker when he dies. He will know the agony, the betrayal; he will know pain before he dies. He will not die under a piece of debris, Anakin seethes.

"His fate will be the same as ours…"

The Chancellor nods, expecting this and curiously glad for it. As long as Obi-Wan is still alive Anakin will grow more hateful, more vengeful and he will become evil.

Yes, the Chancellor's plan is coming along wonderfully.

The Force grows cold as the light grows dimmer inside Anakin Skywalkers' soul.

AN: I am steadily moving towards the big hoopla…and have made it to the time line of ROTS! Waa hoo! I am keeping the main events intact for the most part though things change a bit here and there, the big events will mostly remain the same.

Seems like there was something else I was going to say…but I can't think what…oh well I hope you enjoy! Oh a quick tid bit, this installment of the series is right now, at chapter eight, is longer the entire installment of 'Human' and is less then a 1,000 words behind being longer then 'Life', LOL anyway… Lots of Love –RaeAnne

amber75: Yeah, Obi-Wan…Lusty Obi-Wan…Obi-Wan with those to die for blue eyes and smile…Obi-Wan awww….Gosh I wish Jedi were real…LOL

and thank you for reviewing Play It Again! I so appreciate it!

SuP3R G1R: I am so glad you'll keep reading! I wish I could answers your question, truly I do…but I am trying truly I am….LOL

lazy.kender: Ohhh viruses are bad, I am sorry.

Oh, I couldn't have said it better my self, Anakin the deranged idiot! If that isn't the truth, I don't what is! I feel for the slimy, egotistical, arrogant, self absorbed, evil little maggot too…gosh darn it! LOL

TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: Ya know I've really thought about, I guess I do threaten to kick, stomp, or otherwise engage that bodily appendage quit a lot…LOL I guess it just my first reaction LOL I have a red belt in TaeKwonDo and when ever I feel irritated I want to kick something LOL

Yeah, well telling Anakin anything at this point could very hazardous to their health…good thing Palpatine got himself kidnapped for a distraction…LOL

LJP: LOL Would you believe I actually contemplated that! I seriously had this alternate plot line in my head that had Anna seducing Obi and then her having Luke! I never really seriously considered, because I have too much respect for Obi-Wan and the thought of falling prey to such vile things I just couldn't bare. Besides I liked having Anna being the true friend…though I agree a good old chick fight could have been fun…

mrs. skywalker: thank you! Inspiration…hmm, I am not sure where it comes from…half the time I am not sure I am inspired but just get lucky with some of most the time inane ramblings…LOL I am glad you liked it! Thank so much for reviewing!

sarahhillary39: Thank you! Masks are very bad…I was thoroughly creeped out during the end of ROTS when the mask was coming down, and Anakin was freaking…I was pushed against my seat trying to get away from it too…scary! I also never liked in the one of the original three, though I can't remember for sure, which episode it was sure (isn't that terrible! LOL) I think it was number four, anyway when Vader is in his egg chamber thing, that machine vice that puts on his helmet, and you see his head…eww! Gives me the willies still…Sorry rambling again…LOL Thanks for the review!

sassy-satine: Thank you, thank you…and thank you for your review of Play It Again!

Yeah, I worried about Leia too…I really struggled on whether or not to make Anna a double crosser, but ultimately I decided against it, not sure why, but I just didn't have the heart to hurt Obi-Wan and Padmé…at least not that way. LOL

Yeah I would have liked to keep the couple together…I tried truly I did, I just couldn't think of a reason or way to hide a senator…now when the mission is on absolute need to know…and senate need not know…but at least I reunited them quickly…right? LOL

Thanks again:-)

zan189: I know, it's the water thing again…I love water…now a cave behind a waterfall…with Obi-Wan…tell me your imagination did just plant itself firmly in the oh so wonderful (but bad!) proverbial gutter! LOL

Yes, yes, I did promise a baby Luke, he's coming…I am actually playing off of the reasons you mention in you review of my story Play It Again (which by the way…THANK YOU). I found it so odd that when Luke asks Leia toward the end of six if she remember her mother and she said yes why then in ROTS didn't Leia even see her mother? It totally baffled me, so it is for that reason I had Obi-Wan and Padmé have Leia first and why I am waiting for Luke to come around.

More Bass…there's a thought. I hadn't really thought about him being a Lando like character, but your right he is LOL. I hadn't planned a big roll for him…though I don't know…

Corny romance, of that I write aplenty LOL I am a romantic at heart, no matter how I try not to be LOL

Lehcar Sundance: LOL I have only played chubby bunnies once myself…the game grossed me out. I played it at a youth group meeting a few years back, there was such competition it baffled me. I am a pretty competitive person by nature…I will go out of way to beat just about anyone, it is a flaw, I know…LOL But I just couldn't bring myself to do it more then once…I think it was for much the same reason I can't do watermelon seed spitting contests…. Anyway back to the subject….

I would have liked to keep Padmé with Obi-Wan but I thought since the mission was top secret and here being away from the Senate so long would be a bit suspicious…
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