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The ship pulled into Coruscant and into the Jedi Temple hangars. Anakin and Sarah quickly left separately, trying to avoid any further conversation with Yoda or Obi-Wan. The two older Jedi slowly made their way to the Council Chambers, where Mace Windu was waiting.
Obi-Wan and Yoda told Mace what had happened with Dooku, and the Jedi Master simply nodded. Finally he spoke again, and he said, "Someone must escort Senator Amidala back to Naboo, Coruscant is still unsafe for her. Perhaps we should send your Padawans, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan sighed, "I do not think that is a good idea, Master."
"Obi-Wan, we are short on Jedi now, and I feel that we will continue to be stretched as long as this war is continuing."
Yoda turned his large eyes to Obi-Wan. "Send young Skywalker, we will. Some time apart, good it will be for your Padawans." Obi-Wan acquiesced with a nod.
Yoda continued to look at him, "In the meantime, talk to your other Padawan you should," he said.
Mace Windu looked between the two Jedi. His gift for seeing shatterpoints felt clouded. The war, the dark side, this new unspoken but obvious development between Obi-Wan's Padawans...they were all obscuring his sense of what would soon come to pass.
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It did not take long for Anakin to find Sarah. He found her on the spot by the lake where she would often sit. Where they had ran together all those years ago. He sat down next to her, but did not speak. She looked at him, and he took her hand, lacing their fingers together.
"I can't believe we are at war," she said.
"I don't want to think about the war," said Anakin, "I just want to think about us."
He grinned, and she reluctantly returned the smile. She opened her mouth to say something, but Anakin's comlink buzzed, and he answered. He was immediately called to the Council Chambers. He looked earnestly at her, not wanting to leave, but she said, "Go."
He gave her a quick kiss before standing and taking off quickly to the Council, leaving her staring out at the quiet waters, lost in her own thoughts.
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Anakin exited the Council Chambers a short while later, having been briefed only by Yoda and Mace Windu. He was to leave immediately and escort Padme home to Naboo. The Masters had told him to leave right away, but he wanted to say goodbye to Sarah first, only, she was nowhere to be found.
He knew that he could not linger any longer so he sighed and took off to pick up the Senator.
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Sarah stood in the shadows of the Temple's columns until she saw Anakin run past to the hangars. She had had a feeling that he would be sent away, and she had not wanted to say a difficult goodbye. She sighed as she walked back to the Temple, thinking that she might meditate a bit in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
She had just settled down and was beginning to sink into a meditative state, when she felt another presence behind her. She opened her eyes and saw Obi-Wan standing there. She felt her cheeks redden slightly, the memory of what had happened earlier on the ship still fresh in her mind.
Obi-Wan pretended not to notice and sat down next to her. There was a long silence, as both tried to think of something to say. Obi-Wan let the words come to him and he said, "Sarah. I want to discuss what has happened."
She looked at him, "Master, I am eighteen. You really do not need to address a conversation as though I am a first year initiate. I'm old enough to recognize and admit that I have done wrong."
Obi-Wan sighed heavily. "I do not want you to think that love is wrong. That would be the gravest mistake on my part that I could make."
She closed her eyes for a second, trying to gather all of her jumbled thoughts. Obi-Wan smiled, "Forgive me, Padawan. I admit that there are times when I still see you and Anakin as though you are ten years old. It always comes as a shock to me when I realize how far you both have come." He paused, "but you both still have so much to learn."
"I know that it is not the Jedi way to be in love, to have attachments," she said quietly.
"You're right Padawan. It is not the Jedi way. But it is the human way. That funny feeling in your stomach when you see them, the passion of a kiss...the pain when you are not close to them."
Sarah looked up at him in surprise, and he gave her a small smile. "I remember those feelings all to well. I would be a fool and a liar to sit here and tell you that I have never loved someone, as Master Yoda so painfully reminded me of earlier." He instinctively rubbed his still aching shins as he said this.
"I am confused, Master," was all that she could seem to say. "I never thought that I would...stray so far from the Code. But here I am."
Obi-Wan grinned, "Oh, my Padawan. If only you knew some of the things that I have done in my time." He looked at her firmly, "Jedi aren't perfect, Sarah. We all must understand that. You and Anakin are close to Knighthood, but you have to remember that there is still much that you both must learn."
"You can't just stop loving someone," she said.
"No," said Obi-Wan sadly, remembering, "you cannot. But it isn't about love Padawan, it is about duty. You must accept your duty, the path that you have chosen."
Obi-Wan looked at her, "I admit to you, that I have strayed more than once from my duty, that I have loved, but I made the decision for myself, that I would bury those feelings and continue on with my life as a Jedi. The woman that I loved vowed to do the same."
She rubbed her eyes, "But -"
"But it feels so amazing," Obi-Wan said empathetically, "that fluttering in your stomach when you see him. That feeling in your heart when you kiss him."
She blushed again slightly. He smiled, "I know what it feels like. I still know what it feels like at times when I pass by her in the Temple."
"Siri?" Sarah asked, already knowing the answer.
Obi-Wan gave a tiny nod, "We both agreed that we would abandon love and remain on the path of the Jedi. It has never once been easy, but we both knew that it was the right thing to do."
Sarah nodded. He put a hand on her shoulder, "Sarah, you have always been a much wiser Jedi than I am, or ever will be for that matter. I know how you feel right now, but you must not just listen to your heart, but also to your mind. I do not know what else I can tell you."
She did not look at him. She simply stared at one of the fountains, listening to the softly trickling water and trying to sort out her confusion. She sighed, "I understand Master."
"This war will change many things," said Obi-Wan, "It is only in time that time will reveal itself."
He rose and for the second time that day, she was left alone, doubts and worry slowly seeping into her heart, straight through her weakening shields.
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A/N: Urgh, I apologize for my long absence. I've had this chapter written for about a week, but I was unable to upload because I used song lyrics in another fic that I had written, and I guess that's not allowed. Anyway, I'm back now, and I do apologize greatly for the delay. Thanks for reading!