Anakin walked slowly beside his Master, grinning from ear to ear as he caught Obi-Wan checking his reflection in the transparisteel windows of the buildings of Coco Town. Beard neatly trimmed, boots cleaned and shined, he was the perfect picture of a Jedi Master; decked out in all his formal regalia. He had put on his newest tunics and cloak, and had even used some of the cologne that Master Yoda had given him two Winter Solstice celebrations ago.
If things weren't going to turn out as badly as Anakin thought, he would be so excited for his Master. Instead, he was finding himself nervous. Almost as nervous as Obi-Wan appeared to be.
Dexter's Diner was within sight when the older Jedi abruptly stopped.
"What is it?" Anakin asked. "Is there a disturbance in the Force or something?" The young apprentice searched out with his mind, but sensed nothing.
"I wish." Was his Master's surprising reply. Obi-Wan chuckled in a nervous manner, bringing his hand up over his mouth and running through his beard, before he spun on his heel and started moving in the opposite direction, away from their destination. "I don't think I can do this." He mumbled, picking up his pace.
Anakin grinned and shook his head in disbelief. He caught ahold of Obi-Wan's sleeve before he moved too far away. "Sure you can. We've faced countless situations much more tense than this. Remember the coronation ceremony on Sardis IV? The one where you were required to perform an erotic dance in front of the Queen and her court?"
"Without music as well, don't forget." Obi-Wan recalled.
"That's right." Anakin smiled broadly as he remembered his Master performing the twelfth kata – an exercise for advanced lightsaber techniques. Even though it wasn't an actual dance, the Royal Council of Sardis had no idea and the Queen was very impressed.
"You handled that very well. Much better than I would have." The young man assured him.
"This is different." Obi-Wan argued, still facing away from the diner. "Those were strangers."
"So is this woman." Anakin reminded him.
"Not really. True, we haven't actually met in person, but I feel I know her. I truly know her." Obi-Wan replied quietly, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
'More than you think, Master' was on Anakin's tongue, but he bit back the words. "Then what's the problem?"
"I'm not sure. I really want this to work."
"Well, you're not going to find out if it will unless you get in there." Anakin stated firmly, twirling his Master around by a grip on his upper arm, and gently urging him toward the diner. Obi-Wan hesitantly followed at the pace of a space slug.
"How are you going to know which one she is?" The young apprentice asked as they neared the diner, which glowed with neon lighting on the outside, customers moving in and out of the sliding doors as well as several droid waitresses rolling about inside. It was a busy place.
"She'll be holding a book." Obi-Wan replied simply, his curiosity getting the best of him as he began to peer through the establishment's many windows.
"A book of poetry?" The youth rolled his eyes. "That figures."
Obi-Wan shot him a glare of suspicion. "How did you know that?"
"Huh?"
"That it's a book of poetry." Obi-Wan replied, his eyes narrowing.
"Because," The apprentice's mind worked frantically. "You let me read one of her letters."
"Oh, yeah. I did." Obi-Wan answered back, apparently satisified that his padawan hadn't been snooping around again before turning back toward the window.
Anakin let out a huge sigh of relief before joining his master in the visual search. He immediately found Padmé seated alone in the right rear corner of the restaurant, a thick novel on the table in front of her.
"Master." Anakin said suddenly, grabbing Obi-Wan firmly by the shoulders and rotating him away from the window. "Just remember what you told me. It doesn't matter what she looks like or who she is. You believe the Force has brought you together. Right?"
"Right." Obi-Wan replied, lengthening the word in suspicion as he was manually turned back around and pointed in the direction toward the back of the diner. Seated in a corner booth was an elegantly dressed young woman with long, dark brown hair. At least she had a pleasant figure, from what he could tell, and he had always liked brunettes. So far, so good. He recognized the book of Shimona poetry in front of her and sighed in relief. It was her. Now if she would only raise her head.
And then she did.
Obi-Wan stumbled back from the window. "No." He said aloud, his mind reeling. This was impossible! How could this have happened? How could he not have known it was her he was speaking with all this time?
But then the words Anakin had said tumbled back into his brain and hit him with stark realization.
"You knew." He stared at his apprentice whose eyes went wide as he took a step back.
"Not until yesterday, Master. Honest."
"Why didn't you say something?" Obi-Wan spat out as he began walking away from the diner at a rapid pace.
Anakin glanced back to Padmé in the diner and then followed after his Master.
"Where do you think you're going? You can't just leave her in there by herself -- stand her up like that." Obi-Wan kept walking. "Give her a chance, Master."
"No, Anakin." Obi-Wan stopped and turned to face his apprentice. "You don't understand. I already did and it didn't work out."
Anakin looked befuddled for a second. "Are you talking about Naboo? That was over seven years ago, Master. Don't you think maybe she's changed, just a little?"
Maybe, Obi-Wan decided, looking back toward the diner. "All right." He finally conceded. "I'll go in and talk to her. You get to your laserball match. I'll meet you there as soon as I can."
"Take your time. I'll see you later." Anakin replied, watching worriedly as his Master headed for the restaurant.
But Obi-Wan had a feeling that he would be joining Anakin back at the Temple much more sooner than later.