Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there everyone, I know that it has been a while but I assure you that I have not abandoned this fic. My life has just recently taken a turn for the busy. I am about to start a period of more down time though so updates should be more frequent baring any unforseen events of course. As promised, here is Chapter 4. Have fun!
While Anakin was hurrying to the Temple, Obi-Wan was standing outside of their quarters and wishing desperately that he had a cup of coffee. Apparently he was not the only one for he saw several of the Council members pass by with various expressions of tiredness and annoyance at being called in at four in the morning.
Obi-Wan nodded politely to all of them as they passed not expecting any conversation. It was far, far too early for that until it was absolutely necessary. However, Mace Windu surprised him by coming up and standing next to him.
"It is very good to see you in these halls again Obi-Wan," Windu said with a small smile.
"Yes, it is good to be home," Obi-Wan said with a strained smile. Ever since he had taken on Anakin as his Padawan learner his relationship with his former Master's best friend had become strained at best.
"Walk with me to the Council room?" Windu asked although it was more of a statement.
"I am sorry Master Windu, I cannot. I am waiting for," Obi-Wan started to say but was cut off by Windu.
"Ah don't say it. You are waiting for Skywalker," he said with a scowl. "Where is he now? Somewhere in the lower depths of Coruscant basking in the fame this war has brought him?" Windu said disgustedly.
Obi-Wan scowled and glared at Windu. "Anakin takes no pleasure from his fame Master. Like everyone else, all he wishes is for this Force forsaken war to be over so that we can all go back to living our lives the way we were meant to."
"Sure he doesn't," Windu said sarcastically. "If he doesn't take such pleasure from his fame, just where is your former Padawan then?"
"He is getting us some coffee from the mess hall," Obi-Wan said icily while inwardly hoping that Anakin would show up with coffee in hand.
It appeared that the Force was with him because not two seconds later Anakin walked in with two steaming cups of coffee. "Here you go Master, one steaming cup of hot coffee with milk."
"Thank you Anakin," Obi-Wan said with a pointed look towards Windu who was still scowling.
Being ever observant, Anakin noticed the tension between the two Master's and hastily intervened. "I am sorry Master Windu. Had I know you were coming with us I would have brought you a cup as well."
"That is not necessary Skywalker. I'll be on my way now. I'll see you in a few minutes," he said before stalking off.
Anakin looked back at Windu's retreating form and then to his former Master. "What was all that about?"
"It's nothing Anakin. Just Mace Windu being Mace Windu," Obi-Wan said shaking his head regretfully. He did miss the relationship he had had with the man but Anakin was far more important to him. Given the choice to do things all over again he still would have chosen Anakin.
Anakin looked at though he didn't believe him but said nothing and instead sipped at his own coffee. "Shall we head to the Council room them Master?"
"I suppose we should," Obi-Wan said distastefully. "And how many times have I told you to call me Obi-Wan?"
Anakin smirked. "Far too many times to count Ma...I mean Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh. Anakin was always able to make him laugh and feel better no matter what the circumstances. "Let us go see what the dear Council wants from us this time."
Anakin laughed as well and together the best friends and brothers walked to the Council room.
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Upon entering the Council room, Anakin and Obi-Wan were met with some disapproving glares while others yet wore distracted frowns and barely acknowledged the two friends.
Since Anakin had first walked into the Jedi temple the Council had been divided about his training. Some had welcomed him with open arms while others made it their business to make life even harder for the then Padawan learner. That hostility was still very much visible even though Anakin had proved himself many times over and had become a successful Knight.
"Master, why do I get a bad feeling about this?"> Anakin said through their bond.
Whatever it is they want from us, I do not think it is going to be good,"> Obi-Wan agreed as he and Anakin politely bowed.
"Grave tidings brings this morning," Yoda said with his head bowed.
"General Grievous and Count Dooku have taken Chancellor Palpatine hostage and have a fleet of warships headed for Coruscant as we speak," Windu said."
"Need you to rescue the Chancellor we do," Yoda said gravely.
"Take great care, however. I sense a trap is to be sprung. Count Dooku may very well be where the Chancellor is and will be waiting for you," Windu warned.
"Dooku alive we want," Yoda said. "The key he is to his Master's identity."
Anakin and Obi-Wan nodded seriously. "Master, may I ask how Grievous got past the Chancellor's security?" Obi-Wan said.
"Slaughtered the Red Guards were," Yoda said sadly at the waste of life.
"Go now and may be the Force be with you," Master Windu said.
Anakin and Obi-Wan bowed and hurried out of the room. "Anakin, contact Padme and let her know what is going on. She will have to be the voice of reason in the Senate during this crisis," Obi-Wan said hurriedly.
"Agreed Master," Anakin said grimly. While it was true over the past three years he and Padme had become less certain of the Chancellor's policies, he was still a good man who didn't deserve to be in the hands of Grievous and Dooku. Padme would be able to keep a cool head and keep things in order until the Chancellor had been rescued.
"Wait," Obi-Wan said just as Anakin had pulled out his comm unit. "Let us go to her apartment in person. The less people who know what is going on the better. Something about this situation doesn't sit right with me," he said with a frown.
Anakin frowned and reached out into the Force. Now that he was aware of it, something indeed was not right. Besides, it would be a relief to see Padme before he left on the highly dangerous rescue mission. To say that she would not be pleased with him if he went off without telling her would the understatement of the year.
"Let us hurry. The longer the Chancellor is the hands of those two mad men the worse things will be for us," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin nodded in agreement as they quickly climbed into his speeder. "Hold on," he said with a grin as Obi-Wan climbed in with a face.
"Force save me," was all Obi-Wan had time to say before Anakin kicked the speeder into high gear and took off for Padme's apartment.
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While Anakin and Obi-Wan were in transit to the apartment, Padme was pacing around anxiously. She knew that Anakin wouldn't approve of her not going back to sleep but the emergency call for him to report to the Council had unnerved her far more than she had first though. For the Council to call him and Obi-Wan in the early hours of the morning right after being debriefed the night before, something serious had to be going on.
Just as she was debating whether or not to get dressed despite Anakin's wishes she heard his speeder pull up making her glad she hadn't. If Anakin had found her wide awake and dressed he would not be pleased.
"Angel?" she heard him call. "I'm with Obi-Wan, are you decent?" he asked from the living room.
"Come on in," she said as she hastily covering herself with a robe. Obi-Wan was family but that didn't mean she wanted him to see her in some of her most intimate apparel!
Anakin and Obi-Wan walked in with Obi-Wan trying not to stare at Padme's obviously bulging stomach.
Padme couldn't help but laugh and walked over to Obi-Wan and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Why Obi-Wan, one would think that you have never seen a pregnant woman."
Obi-Wan blushed bright red much to Anakin and Padme's amusement. "I have but never one expecting my Padawan's child."
"I would hope not!" Padme said with a laugh until she noticed the grim expressions on their faces. "Something bad did happen didn't it? That's why the Council called you in so early."
Obi-Wan nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so Padme. Grievous and Dooku have captured the Chancellor. I'm afraid that you and your close associates are going to have to be the voice of reason while Anakin and I mount a rescue mission.
Padme gasped and covered her mouth in horror. While she was becoming more and more distrustful of the Chancellor's policies he did not deserve to be captured by those two fiendish villains. No one did. "It's going to be dangerous isn't it?" she stated more than asked.
"Yes," Anakin said grimly. "Exceptionally so, which is one of the reason we stopped by," he said pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Oh Ani, be careful," Padme said trying not to let her emotions run away with her. "That goes for you as well Obi-Wan," she said shaking a finger at him. "Don't you believe for one moment that I don't know that you're just as reckless as my husband here. He had to have learned if from someone after all."
"Yes milady," Obi-Wan said with a deep bow. Padme was truly frightening when she wanted to be normally, let alone when with child. No sane man ever crossed a pregnant woman, not even a Jedi Master.
"Good," Padme said before rounding on her husband. "As for you Ani, you take good care of yourself and Obi-Wan, understood? We have a youngling on it's way who is going to desperately need you."
"I'll take good care of myself and Obi-Wan Padme, I promise. With any luck we'll be able to end this war by tonight and then we can all go back to living our lives the way they were before this retched war," Anakin said seriously.
"And you take care of yourself and your baby Padme," Obi-Wan said.
"I will," she said giving one last hug to Obi-Wan before pulling Anakin into an all encompassing hug and hungry kiss. "Hurry back," she whispered.
Anakin gave her a sad smile as he and Obi-Wan walked out the door to possibly fight in the last battle of the Clone Wars.
"May the Force protect them for no one else can," Padme whispered.
TBC