Chapter Three

Obi-Wan placed the meager dinner dishes in the strainer to dry, glancing out the window that faced the cliff outside of his home. It would be dusk soon and he found himself excited as well as dreading it at the same time.

A night's lack of sleep had done little to ease his mind. Following Qui-Gon's departure the prior evening, he ended up either standing or sitting up the entire night contemplating his many choices. He had many questions that he could not find answers to.

"There are many paths…" his Master had said. In his thinking, Obi-Wan had obviously chosen the wrong path before.

How would he know which was the right one?

What would stop him from being wrong again?

Would his intrusion make things better or worse?

"It couldn't much worse than this." He mumbled as he kicked at the sand that inevitably piled upon his front doorstep on a daily basis and made his way to the cliff's edge.

Even with the advantage of hindsight, he wasn't exactly sure at which point in time would be the most opportunistic -- where he would have the most positive impact. So much had gone wrong. Could he alone make it right?

Throughout the day in his struggle for guidance in the matter, the Force seemed adamant only about one thing – apparently the key to changing the past.

Anakin Skywalker.

Somehow, Obi-Wan had to stop him from turning to the Dark Side. It was his turn that started this whole mess. He had been the one to lead the destruction of the Jedi Temple and the entire Jedi Order.

Being his Master, Obi-Wan had been the biggest influence on Anakin's life. When was it that his influence had failed?

Anakin had always been somewhat rebellious, Obi-Wan recalled. But Master Yoda had been quick to remind him that when he, himself was a padawan, he was much the same. Independent, stubborn, sometimes too outspoken for his own good. He had just thought it was part of growing up. Typical teenage behavior. Now, he wasn't so sure that's all it was.

Obi-Wan looked out across the horizon as the the first colorful changes of the night sky began to appear. It was too late for second guesses. Now was the time to make up his mind.

It seemed to Obi-Wan that the first sign of Anakin's struggle with his committment to the Jedi occurred on Geonosis, during the beginning of the Clone Wars. It was obvious to him now that he looked back upon it. The boy was being pulled between his duty to the Jedi and his feelings for Padmé.

Maybe he should have taken the time to discuss the 'no attachment' rule more in depth and not just demand his padawan's obedience, threatening expulsion from the Order.

But there had been little time for talk. They had fought with Dooku, following which Anakin entered rehab for his prosthetic arm. After that, his apprentice had escorted Padmé back to Naboo for safekeeping.

And then it became clear. He should have never left him alone after his rehab. The boy was obviously in a weakened state, both in spirit and body. He had found the comfort and support he needed in her arms and after his Master's verbal chastisement on board the Republic gunship, Obi-Wan didn't blame him. He hadn't been very understanding or supportive.

He would go back to that time and talk some sense into the young man, reaffirm his dedication to the Jedi and perhaps save his arm as well.

His mind made up, Obi-Wan focused up and into the horizon, kneeling down upon the rocky outcropping. He stretched his mind out into the Force and allowed himself to lapse into a deep trance. The blue thread lacing its way across the darkening sky leapt toward him in a wave until it came down upon him, encircling his body and wrapping itself loosely about him, transporting him back to Geonosis, to a gunship loaded with clone troopers and Jedi.

"Master? Are you all right?"

Obi-Wan opened his eyes to see Anakin's young and determined face, the padawan braid trailing onto his shoulder. A slight grin appeared on the Jedi Master. It was good to see Anakin again this way. The grin disappeared quickly however as Anakin shot him a strange look and the gravity of the situation hit home.

He glanced about the ship which was barrelling its way toward the hangar where Dooku would make his escape. Anakin's face was tight with restrained aggression and frustration and Padmé was nowhere to be seen.

She had fallen from the ship when it had been struck by blaster fire and Anakin had wanted to go after her, but he had stopped him.

A little later than he had wanted to arrive, but at least he was here. Perhaps there was time to repair any of the damage he had already done with his inconsiderate statements.

What had he said? "You will be expelled from the Jedi Order! Come to your senses..." The words came back to him rapidly and in his memory seemed toecho about the ship's hold. He frowned as the inconsiderate nature of those words stung him.

No time for talking about it now, they had reached Dooku's secret hangar.

Knowing now how powerful with the Dark Side Dooku had become, Obi-Wan was more wary in their fight, determined to protect himself and Anakin.

But the struggle to remember what had actually occurred and what was occurring now conflicted in his mind and along with the intensity of the battle, Obi-Wan lost his concentration and ended up exactly where he had before, with Anakin lying against his leg, dismembered and unconscious.

The rest of the scene became a blur as Yoda appeared and Dooku escaped.

Obi-Wan hissed in frustration. A lot of good this had done!

He quickly tamped down his frustration. He still had time to make a difference.

As soon as Anakin stood up, he looked for Padmé running across the hangar and intercepted her immediately before she could reach Anakin.

"He'll be fine." He excused her with a brush of his hand. "We need to get him to a medic as soon as possible." He then put his arm around his wounded apprentice, practically shoving aside the Naboo senator as he limped toward the exit.

The next day, he found himself sitting once more in the rehab unit back on Coruscant, watching over Anakin's prosthetic training. He had adapted to the robotic arm quickly without any infection or side effects, just as before. But unlike before, when Yoda came and requested that Anakin escort Padmé back to Naboo to keep her safe for a few more days, he would refuse to allow it. He would take her himself.

"I will give my report to the Council and then I will leave. I insist upon it." Obi-Wan said to the speechless and somewhat stunned Council Member. "Anakin needs to stay and rest. He's still recuperating. I'll take the senator to Naboo and return in a few days."

Confident and grinning, two hours later, he strode aboard the private transport that would be taking Senator Amidala back to the Naboo Lake Country, unaware of the fury that awaited him.