Fallen Angels
Chapter 7
Chapter 7, Post 1
Saché wrapped her arms around herself as she stalked down the hallway. She turned briefly back to her apartment - maybe Rabé was right. She didn't know what it was like to have a family or be responsible enough to take care of a family ...Saché stopped herself and then turned back around, only to fall as she collided with...she didn't really know who.
She moaned, muttering a Nubian curse and then was shocked when he held out his hand to her and helped her up. Saché brushed herself off, not bothering to thank the stranger and continued down the hallway.
"Um, you're welcome," he said.
Saché mumbled something to herself and then stopped in place, recognizing the voice. She turned, staring at Anakin as he stood there. "You! I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here."
Anakin frowned. "Um, I can come back later if now's a bad time..."
"Oh no, you're not leaving, Anakin Skywalker!" Saché warned, grabbing his arm and pulling him back inside the apartment, much to Rabé's surprise.
"Saché, what are you doing? Anakin?"
"He's here now, so he can set matters straight and this debate can finally end," Saché said and pushed him forward.
Anakin turned to look at Saché. "What debate? What are you two talking about?"
"Padmé and her carrying your children," Rabé said. Anakin looked down, embarrassed. "She's on leave now from the Senate but you have talk to her. The only way to avoid a scandal is for her to step down, but we both know she's not entirely convinced."
"Rabé thinks Padmé made a bad decision, but I think if the both of you have been able to hide your secret marriage from everyone, including the Council, everything will be fine and work out." Saché said.
"Wait a minute," Anakin interrupted, "how do you two even know about that!"
"I had a hunch," Rabé said. "You either need to go the Council and tell them before Padmé leaves the Senate or wait until they hear it from the Holo News."
Anakin moaned, "I'm not doing anything. If Padmé leaves the Senate, she leaves, but there won't be backlash. She's already served the Republic enough," he said and looked at Saché and Rabé, "and the both of you don't say anything to Sabé or Obi-Wan." The women were quiet as he left but as soon as the door closed and he was gone, Saché and Rabé started arguing again.
"Anakin, you're late," Obi-Wan scolded his former Padawan has he finally joined him in front of the Council Chambers. Anakin didn't say anything to him as they both entered. Master Yoda was talking with Master Windu, and then once they noticed them, stopped talking and greeted them. "Masters."
"Obi-Wan, you and Anakin are to go to Eol Sha in the Cauldron Nebula. There's a group of refugees there who are evacuating the planet because it so no longer safe. You are to transport them to their neighboring planet since it is much safer there. Estimated population is 5,000."
Yoda eyed Anakin. "Ready for this task, are you?"
"Yes, Master."
"I think Master Yoda is wondering if you can take orders from me, Anakin," Obi-Wan joked, and grinned. "We will do as you ask, Masters." Obi-Wan and Anakin bowed and left the chamber. In the lobby, Obi-Wan looked curiously at Anakin. "I need to talk to Sabé first and let her know about the assignment, and then we can leave."
"Another mission?" Sabé asked. "You're going to miss Mara's birthday -- I planned a big celebration for her. Rabé and Saché are coming by with presents -- I know, you have to go. I don't have to say it, but I will, please be safe. I know you'll be back -- and I'll be waiting for you. Mara and I will be waiting for you. I love you," Sabé finished and then put down her comlink on the counter and turned back to her cooking.
Rabé came into the room, carrying two bags of presents and a small birthday hat. "I just want you to know, these presents are not only from Saché and I, but the other girls too. And Devon and Mia sent some too, they should be here…" Rabé stopped talking, sensing how quiet it had become and looked at her friend. "Not a mission on Mara's birthday? How can he miss it? His daughter is going to be 7 years old!"
"It can't be helped. Master Yoda and Master Windu sent him and Anakin to rescue a group of refugees on a dying planet -- that is something that cannot wait because of a birthday party," she said, and continued cutting vegetables.
"This doesn't bother you?"
Sabé dropped her knife on the cutting board, glaring at her. "Of course it bothers me, but it's something I've always lived with and accepted the seven years I have been married to Obi-Wan. He's a Jedi, his job is to help people...what can I do? Complain he isn't home enough with us? That would be selfish, Rabé, and I can't afford to be selfish." Sabé picked up the knife and continued cutting as Rabé put the gifts in the closet.
"So, she'll be seven years old?" Anakin asked as he ran through the systems check. Obi-Wan turned to him slightly and looked at his former apprentice. He'd always been present for all of Mara's birthdays; he remembered taking out a day to spend time with Sabé when Mara turned one. Anakin had been in his teens, but he still made a special appearance and shared cake with them and gave Mara a little bracelet. Sabé thought she was too young to have jewelry, but it was still a nice gesture.
Obi-Wan remembered, later after Mara had taken all of her presents into her room to play with, and Anakin was inside with her, he helped Sabé clean up in the kitchen. It wasn't a big party -- he stayed up with Mara before she went to bed, talking to her about the day's events even though she wouldn't remember them. This would be the first birthday Mara would be able old enough to remember, but, Ben realized, she would also remember that he wasn't there with her.
"Yes, seven years-old," Obi-Wan said, looking away from him.
Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan briefly. He could tell it pained him he wasn't going to be there for her. "Mara's known from a young age about our lives, Obi-Wan ...She'll understand."
"Of course, she'll understand," he said.
"Do you remember Mara's 3rd birthday?" Anakin asked. "Master Yoda, Master Windu and other members of the Jedi Council decided to throw a surprise party for Mara because Sabé was so busy with her classes. She almost forgot about her birthday, and then one day, when she picked up Mara and brought her home. When Sabé turned on the lights, Master Yoda and the other Jedi Masters shouted happy birthday and Sabé nearly had a heart attack on the spot. Master Luminara baked cake and served it, and Master Yoda's only request was to dance with Mara for her first birthday dance."
Obi-Wan chuckled, looking at him. "She was absolutely horrified of dancing with him. Sabé hadn't taught her how to dance so Master Yoda kept on stepping on her toes, until Mara decided she didn't want to dance anymore so she walked away from him and went straight to the presents."
Both men laughed and when the laughter died down, Obi-Wan looked thoughtfully at Anakin and smiled. "Thank you, Anakin."
tbc
Chapter 7, Post 2
"Where is he?" Sabé cried as she met Mace and Master Yoda in the Healer's Ward. As soon as Obi-Wan landed, Saché came to her and told her he had returned. Sabé didn't stay to listen to anything she said, and instructed her to stay in the apartment and watch Mara. If she had stayed, Saché could have told her that since his arrival, her husband had changed. His attitude was different - that he seemed distant and aged… "Can I see him?"
"He left," Aiska said from behind. "He said he needed time to himself. I don't know where he went."
Sabé frowned, sighed and looked to Master Windu. Mace tried to smile encouragingly but Sabé knew he was trying to spare her. "When he is ready, m'lady, he will come to you."
He'd been gone for months, and although she knew they were somewhere in the inner rim, she barely had contact with him. It was normal the first four months, and everyday she expected to hear from him, it was several wasted hours sitting in front of the holo vid.
She tried to talk to the Jedi Council on several occasions but it seemed every time she went to schedule a meeting, they were busy. When she was able to talk to one of them, they would assure her he was safe. And she believed them for a time. Then, one day, she stopped worrying about his call and when she felt alone, she began to feel something wasn't right. Maybe, Sabé realized, maybe he was dead and she was wasting her time waiting for him to call. But she also knew, because of the bond she shared with him, if he were dead, she would have felt it.
Then, after months of no contact, he had come back home to her. The moment his ship landed, Sabé rushed to the healer's ward and then was shocked to find he had left already. Sabé sighed as she shut the door behind her. She thought he would wait in the Healer's ward for her, but he wasn't there. He'd left already. They'd been separated for so long…
"Why doesn't he want to see me?" Sabé cried to herself.
She walked into the living room where several of Mara's holo pads were scattered on the couch. Sabé went over to pick them up and then stopped, and went instead to the bedroom. He sat there on the bed, his robe tossed on the dresser table. Sabé cried and ran to her husband, kissing him all over and then stopped when she realized he never once kissed her back or even touched her.
"Ben? Ben, what's wrong?"
He looked at her briefly, almost disgusted, and stood up, pacing the room. "I need to be alone." He whispered as his back was turned to her.
Sabé sighed and looked down at her hands. "Ben, I've missed you. If you're mad because I never called you, it was because I was waiting for you to call me."
"I'm not mad at you."
"Something is obviously bothering you," she said, and then remembered his robe was on the dresser. It wasn't even neatly folded – his robe was always neatly folded. "Something happened on your mission, didn't it?"
"Please Sabé, I need to be alone. I need to meditate."
Sabé frowned and then rose forcefully, realizing he was pushing her away. Why, she didn't know. He said he wasn't angry with her so that only left the mission. Something happened while he was gone and he was burying his feelings. "No! I will not leave, Ben. I have been alone for thirteen months – I believed at one point you were dead and the Council wanted to spare me the truth. Mara never asked when you were coming home but I know she wandered. Every night you weren't beside me reminded me that you were out there on some planet wishing you could be here with me." Sabé cried. "But you're home now and I don't have to worry anymore. We have been apart too long, Ben, and I have this feeling if I leave now the connection we had before, will keep on dying until it is nothing. I don't want that, and I you don't want that either."
Obi-Wan shook his head as he began to cry. Sabé's eyes softened as she sat down beside him, hugging him. "Ben?"
"I did miss you, Sabé. I missed you," he whispered in her ear as he embraced her. "I couldn't contact you because…because all of your communications had been knocked out and we were too far out from the inner rim to send a message to Coruscant. But I did miss you, love. I missed you so much."
Sabé smiled and kissed his cheek, and then felt him brush her hair aside and kissed her neck…
Sabé smiled to herself as she rolled over on the bed and smelled her husband's scent on the pillow, and then frowned as she felt an empty space next to her. She opened her eyes, scanning the room for him and spotted his robe, this time neatly folded on a chair and then saw him kneeling on the floor, meditating. He didn't leave after all. Sabé stood up from the bed and grabbed a robe, walking quietly around him. As she made it to the door, Obi-Wan moved slightly and asked her to come back. She smiled and walked over to him, kneeling beside him on the floor.
She fidgeted, unsure what to ask him about the mission. Finally, Obi-Wan spoke. "I'm sorry about dismissing you before...so much has happened, changed. I needed time to think. Things are different now."
Sabé looked at him seriously. "What happened on your mission? Where's Anakin? I didn't see him when I came to see you in the medical ward…Is he okay, or is he going to join you later?" Obi-Wan sighed and rose from the floor, pacing the room. Sabé stood up too and came up behind him, hugging him. "Whatever happened, Ben, you can tell me. I promise I won't say anything if you don't want me to."
"I know you won't," he whispered, and sighed heavily. Ben stopped and turned to Sabé. For the first time, Sabé saw that he hadn't slept in days. He looked tired and somehow, he seemed older too. "Anakin's dead." Sabé felt her breath catch in her throat as he continued. "There was a fight and he slipped ...I tried to save him but I couldn't."
"You were fighting against the Separatists?"
"We were fighting each other. He challenged me. I didn't want to fight him but he was so consumed by the Dark side. He wouldn't listen to me, Sabé. We were fighting atop a volcano and he slipped and fell into the fire."
Sabé gasped and suddenly felt ill. She turned away from him, biting down on her lip as she fought against herself not to break down. "I'll wake up Mara," she said finally and went to her room. Ben heard Mara moan because her blissful sleep had been interrupted and then Sabé grab as many clothes as possible for wherever they were going. Sabé dressed Mara quickly and then lead her outside to the main room.
Not surprisingly, Mara ran to Obi-Wan, hugging his legs. Ben smiled and knelt down so he was eye level with her. He tucked strands of red hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry to wake you princess, but you have to leave with Mommy. You and Mommy will be going on a trip, and you need to leave now."
Mara frowned, sensing her father's sad feelings. "What kind of a trip? A vacation?"
"No, not a vacation. You and Mommy will be going to Alderaan," he said. Sabé frowned, confused by this new development. If Anakin was dead and Obi-Wan had returned safely to her, why did she and Mara have to leave? Obi-Wan glanced at her and smiled hopefully, promising to explain, and then he looked to Mara again. "You've never been there before, but it's so beautiful. Waterfalls so clear you can see through them, and the Alderaanian Palace is so big - like a maze - but you need to stay with Mommy and do what she says," Obi-Wan said.
"Are you coming with us, Daddy?"
Obi-Wan smiled sourly. "I hope to join you both later, but there is business I need to take care of first. No more questions now." He kissed Mara's forehead and then turned to Sabé. She sighed and then leaned forward, embracing him. For some reason, she felt as if it was the last time she would ever see him again.
"Sabé, you will see me again. This isn't goodbye."
Sabé closed her eyes, tears stinging her cheeks. "Then why do I feel like this is goodbye forever, Ben? I love you. I don't want to leave you to fight alone."
"Sabé, Padmé needs me. Anakin never told me, but after Geonosis, he and Padmé married in secret, and now she's pregnant. I have one last duty, a duty to Padmé and her children."
Sabé nodded. "Then I'm staying. Ben, Padmé is my friend. My first and last duty has always been her. I owe her that."
"Why do you owe her?"
"Because," she smiled, "she was the one responsible for bringing us together."
Obi-Wan bent down and kissed her. "At least take Mara. I can't worry about her safety when I have to worry about the well being of Padmé's children. Please, Sabé?"
"I'll take her to stay with Rabé and Saché, but I'm coming back, and you better not leave without me, Ben Kenobi. Padmé needs me too."
"Daddy...?" Mara cried. Ben smiled, kneeled down again and kissed Mara's cheek. "I'm scared. Don't leave us, Daddy. Please don't leave us," she said and hugged his neck.
"Mara, I will see you again. We'll be together, I promise, princess. I love you."
"I love you Daddy," Mara whispered and kissed his cheek.
"I love you princess," Obi-Wan breathed. "I will always love you."
Mara hugged him again and then left his arms, holding Sabé's hand. Sabé in turn hugged Obi-Wan and kissed him passionately. "I'll see you soon. Don't leave without me," she paused and smiled sourly. "I'm sorry about Anakin, but no matter what you think, Ben, it wasn't your fault. May the Force be with you."
tbc
Chapter 7, Post 3
Saché looked at Sabé in confusion as she stood there with Mara, bags packed. Sabé tapped Mara's hand and they both entered the apartment, Saché closing the door behind them, locking it. Rabé was on the couch, following the news. No one was physically reporting what was happening but it was clear from the arrival of clone troopers, declaring new orders from Senator Palpatine. It had already started. The dark days Sabé and Obi-Wan had feared for so long, were finally here.
Sabé looked to Saché. "I need you to take care of Mara. Padmé's in trouble, or she will be. Anakin, he' s..." Rabé stopped looking at the holovid and glanced at Sabé as she continued. "He's dead. I can't tell you all of the details right now; there isn't much time. I just need you both to take care of Mara. Ben and I will try to contact Padmé and get her to leave Coruscant as soon as possible."
Rabé nodded. "Of course, we'll look after Mara."
Sabé smiled and then stepped forward, hugging both women. Rabé and Saché exchanged worried glances as Sabé moved away from them, and knelt down before Mara. "Mara, you have to stay with aunts Rabé and Saché now. I'll be back later to get you, but I need you to stay with them and do what they say." Sabé removed a strand of red hair from her eyes and smiled. "I know it's confusing now but please, be good. And don't question."
Mara nodded, hugging Sabé in turn. Sabé smiled, holding onto her daughter. She realized this might be the last time she would be able to hold her close like this. She could be killed or captured along with Obi-Wan, but the fate of the Republic depended on her survival and Padmé's. Finally, Sabé let go of Mara. She looked to Rabé and Saché one last time and then left the apartment.
Sabé sighed heavily; so much was changing quickly. Anakin had chosen the Dark Side before he died, dueling with his former Master. She had been worried about Anakin before he and Obi-Wan left on this past mission. He was elusive and refused to let anyone look out for him. Now that Sabé thought about that moment, he looked worn and tired. She remembered his eyes were darker, his attitude was aggressive and he barely spoke, but Sabé knew something in him had changed. The Dark Side had consumed him and he was hiding it from everyone around him.
She quickened her pace down the hallway, and then stopped momentarily, and ran faster to the apartment. When she reached the apartment and entered the main room, it was empty. Sabé ran to the bedroom. His robes and lightsaber were gone. Sabé began to panic frantically and then calmed when she saw a holopad on the dresser, and picked it up.
It read: iDear Sabé,
I'm sorry. I couldn't wait for you. Please understand, my love, time cannot be wasted. Even if Anakin is gone, Padmé is still in danger -- I have to go now. I know you probably don't understand why I made the decision, but trust me, I love you and this is for your safety. I promise I will come back for you and Mara when I can. Until then, goodbye, my love.
Ben/i
Sabé dropped the holopad onto the dresser and wandered aimlessly from the bedroom and went to the main room, sitting quietly on the couch. She sat there for a long time, her brain trying to process what had happened. Ben had left without her and Mara. He promised he wouldn't leave until she got back. He promised. How could he leave?
"He promised," Sabé whispered. "He promised he wouldn't leave without me...How could he...Ben, she was my duty, Padmé needed me...Ben, what have you done? How could you leave me here? You promised you wouldn't...Mara and I, what are we supposed to do ...without you? I can't protect her on my own ...I don't know how to train her to be a Jedi...Ben, what am I going to do...You...Why did you leave me...why didn't you wait for me..."
Sabé stopped rambling and then ran over the holo counsel. She stood there, trying to remember his call number, and then input it into the computer and waited. Sabé blinked, her eyes already red with tears as she looked at him. "I need your help."
Sabé fidgeted as she waited there for the Senator to meet with her. She didn't know where else to turn, Obi-Wan had abandoned her ...Abandoned? Was that the right word for it? Sabé knew he left her and promised he would come back. His leaving without her had caught her off guard, but she was sure it wasn't his decision. He didn't abandon her. He promised he would return and get her when it was safe to come back...but how long was would that be?
It couldn't be two or three days, Coruscant would be very different by then. So much could change in that amount of time...
As Sabé's mind continued to drift again, she barely noticed Bail Organa sitting in front of her on the couch. Bail sighed, feeling sorry for her. When she called earlier, still visibly panicked Obi-Wan had left, Bail could see her sanity begin to crumble. Finally, he asserted himself, sat straight, focusing on her. "Sabé?" he said.
She hmm'd, blinked and then looked at him and smiled to herself, embarrassed she didn't see him. "Oh, Bail."
"Sabé, what happened?"
Sabé sat still, trying to recall the last conversation she had with her husband and then replayed the moments after she left the apartment and then came back, and found that letter on the dresser. Bail smiled sympathetically. "It's all right, Sabé. It's all right," he paused and patted her shoulder. "If he promised he'd come back, he will."
"Yes," she said absent-mindedly.
"My handmaiden told me you had your bags packed, ready to leave ...where were you going?"
Sabé returned to consciousness, this time more focused. "Obi-Wan came back from his mission, and he said, he dueled with Anakin and he fell..."
Bail stopped her. "But Obi-Wan didn't tell you why he had to leave or where he was going?"
"He said he had to talk with Padmé because she was Anakin's wife," Sabé remembered, and then became panicked again. "Padmé, Padmé, I need to get to Padmé! She needs me," Sabé cried, rising slowly from her seat but Bail blocked her way. "She needs me." she repeated.
"If Obi-Wan went to see Padmé and took her off Coruscant, she's probably safe from harm," Bail advised. "Now listen, because you are still here, you and Mara are in deeper danger. People will be looking for Obi-Wan and will come and look for you, because they'd think you'd know where he was. Sabé, do you understand what I'm saying?"
Sabé nodded and Bail continued, "Coruscant isn't safe anymore. My people could try and hide you underground but I don't think that would be a safe option either. You can't stay on Coruscant --" Bail leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin and then smiled, calling his handmaiden. He talked quietly with her and then she left the room.
"Where am I going?" Sabé asked.
"You need to get Mara. My handmaidens will find you when the arrangements for your departure are complete."
Sabé stood up from the chair and walked silently to the door. Unknown to her, a second handmaiden shadowed behind her.
"Mama," Mara cried and ran to Sabé as she scooped her up and hugged her. Rabé and Saché exchanged worried glances and then Rabé approached her as Sabé let down Mara.
"Sabé, what happened?"
Sabé looked at Saché. "I have to leave with Mara immediately. Coruscant is no longer safe."
Rabé crossed her arms, alarmed by this sudden change. First, she and Saché agreed to look after Mara while Sabé went with Obi-Wan to talk to Padmé, and now --- now, she didn't know what was going on at all. "Did you decide this with Ben?"
"No, he decided himself that it would be a waste of time to wait for Mara and I, so he left with Padmé. He took her --- I don't know where. But they're gone. So Mara and I have to leave before it becomes unsafe for us, too."
Rabé uncrossed her arms. She could see the consequences she had foreseen when Padmé revealed to her and Saché that she was pregnant. But Rabé felt it was more than that, something else had changed but didn't want to press the matter. "Then we're going with you," she declared. "If Obi-Wan thought Padmé was in trouble, I refuse to let you and Mara go it alone without someone to watch over you two."
"I can't ask you to go with me."
The former handmaiden smirked, already gesturing to Saché to pack their things. "We're not asking."
Tbc