Chapter Two: Forgiveness
"Hey."
"Hey yourself." Obi-Wan leaned back in the armchair, sipping at his tea. "How was your night?"
"My sisters came over, harassed me, forced me to leave my desk. It was horrible." Satine was at her desk, idly moving her chair back and forth. "What about you? Did you enjoy the empty apartment?"
"Oh remarkably so - no one snoring, no cold feet or razor-sharp toenails, no one hogging the blankets. I slept better than I have in weeks."
"Mmm. The bags under your eyes says otherwise." Satine gave a soft smile. "They can't tell you not to leave Obi-Wan - that's your decision and yours alone."
"I know, I know…" He looked at the window, watching the heavy lanes of traffic zoom by. The apartment was in a quieter some on Coruscant, though it was still busy. "It's just surreal."
Silence stretched between them. It was strange, after spending six weeks barely a few hundred paces from each other to be now halfway across the Galaxy. His trip in hyperspace hadn't seemed real, though spending the night alone further cemented their impending reality.
"Heard anything from Anakin?"
Obi-Wan took another sip of his tea, pressing his lips together for a bit. "...sort of. I didn't quite realize this, but he and everyone in our - uh - group have dinners about once a month. A potluck type thing. It's at Padmé's tomorrow night."
Satine raised her eyebrows, then gave a soft giggle. He blinked, unsure what she giggling about.
"Ben...you do realize that you were the last person to realize that Padmé and Anakin were married?"
"Shut up."
"Am I allowed to sit on my seat one last time?"
Mace jumped at the voice, earning a cackle from his former padawan. Glaring at her, he turned around and looked at the young man coming towards them. "You just had to wear Kryze colors?"
Obi-Wan smirked, pausing in the middle of the hallway and giving a overly dramatic bow. The style of his clothes were largely the same - a loose tunic, an undertunic, leggings, and boots. However, the tunic was bright blue - Kryze blue - with the leggings a creamish white.
The belt and lightsaber still hung from his waist.
Depa shook her head, breaking away from his arm and heading towards her longtime friend. "I'm happy to see you Obi-Wan."
"As am I," he murmured while straightening and accepting her embrace. He pressed a kiss to her hair before pulling away and looking at the elder Jedi Master. "Care for a hug Mace?"
"Go fuck yourself."
Obi-Wan laughed, and it was amazing to watch the smile reach his eyes. Had that ever happened? Squeezing his friend's shoulder before dropping it, they walked forward.
Mace held out his hand, giving a smile. "It's good to see you again Obi-Wan - despite the circumstances."
"How's the atmosphere?" Obi-Wan muttered once they shook hands.
Depa grimaced, giving a nod to them before heading down the hall and into the Council Chamber. The silence was pregnant.
Mace sighed, shaking his head. "Well...Depa and Adi of course support you. Shaak Ti isn't pleased, but she understands to an extent. Kit...well, let's say Aayla and him have had a few spats over the past few weeks."
"... everyone else?"
"Not that happy. Master Oppo was very adamant against it, as was Eeth and Agen. It's your decision but - " Mace stepped aside when two knights walked by, probably heading from a meeting in the Council room before the Council convened. A scoff left him. "Did you have to suggest Skywalker for the Council?"
Obi-Wan shrugged, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Mace, I do honestly believe he is capable of being on the Council - "
"He doesn't want it Obi-Wan. He told me himself."
"...what?"
"Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan turned, blinking when he saw whom it was. A hand squeezed his shoulder, and he was vaguely aware of being left alone. Clearing his throat, he gave a smile. "Anakin - long time no see."
Anakin tried to smile, folding his arms over his chest. He looked so...tired. "Yeah...when did you get in?"
"Hmm? Oh, last night. Satine has an apartment here, I slept there."
"Oh... Padmé would have let you crash at our place."
"You weren't home?"
Anakin shook his head. "I haven't been home in five weeks - we touched down an hour ago."
"...oh."
It was horribly silent.
There were voices behind Anakin, and they turned to witness several members of the Council coming around the corner. Most of them didn't notice the pair until they were few away.
Plo Koon was one of the first to notice, and broke away to give a warm handshake. His voice was soft. "I'm sorry for your loss, young Obi-Wan. A terrible tradegy."
Obi-Wan tried not to wince, though he managed a smile and nodded. "Thank you, Master Plo."
It was almost comical, being swarmed by Jedi masters and shaking their hands and accepting their well wishes. He realized that very few - besides his friends and a few Masters in their circle - knew the catalyst that caused his retirement. Most probably suspected PTSD and disagreements over how the war was being handled was the reason for his departure.
It was strange, to head into the Council Room and know he probably would only stand here again as a Jedi protector of a planet...or maybe Consort of Mandalore.
He could feel the velvet box in his pocket, weighing down on him.
"At least sit in your seat Obi-Wan," Adi Gallia murmured with an eyeroll. "You're still a member of the Council until this meeting is over."
"He handed in his resignation." Oppo shrunk under her fierce glare.
"Obi-Wan is practically a son to me. I raised him right along Siri and Depa and Luminara and a quarter of the most qualified Jedi we have - he can sit in his damn seat."
Obi-Wan nodded gratefully to the elder Jedi Master and sat down in his chair. It felt so... foreign to sit there.
Mace - sitting in his seat while Anakin read a datapad beside him - looked over. He scanned the room, realized that everyone was there but Master Yoda and closed the door with a flick of his hand. It was a sublte indication that the Grandmaster was not joining them. "Technically Obi-Wan is still part of the Order until the 15th of next month. His pension starts on the 30th, with all health benefits remaining with a small fee each month."
Anakin strode to the center of the room, tucking his hands behind his back. He remained quiet.
"You requested to be a Jedi Watchman Master Kenobi?" Ki-Adi-Mundi's hologram folded his arms over his chest. "It's hardly an easy job."
Obi-Wan leaned back in his seat. "Perhaps - but you are the only one to juggle both a position as a Jedi Watchman and a High General. Surely it would be a easier to protect a system if one did not have the responsibility."
"You're giving the responsibility of that to Skywalker?" Agen Kolar mused. "Is that wise? He's reckless and bold."
"Hey!"
Mace put up his hand to quell the argument. "One thing at a time - though yes, Anakin will take over the Third Systems Army. He already has for nearly three months. Casualties have dropped tremendously, civilian and soldier alike. The amount of missions are more efficient than ever - even though we do go through a few more speeders than before."
Anakin shrugged sheepishly.
"Back to Obi-Wan," Luminara murmured with a smile. "Is it wise to be a protector of a system that we have warred with for centuries?"
"We used to war with Naboo." Everyone's heads swiveled to Anakin. He blinked, glancing at the Council. "What? They practiced chemical warfare on the lower levels of Coruscant - why do you think the first few levels are inhabitable?"
Mace shook his head. "Your random bits of knowledge will save everyone's skins one day - but Master Unduli is right. Is it wise to be protector of a planet that has always wished to destroy us?"
"And to be so close to its ruler?" Saeasee Tiin asked, stroking his chin. "Wouldn't that compromise your concern for the planet?"
Obi-Wan tightened his fingers on the arms of his chair, taking a deep breath and releasing it softly before speaking. "Regardless of the Council's decision to agree to make me a Jedi Watchman - the Council of Clans still needs to agree as well…but regardless of your decision, I am leaving the Order."
He stopped, hesitating, debating whether or not he wanted to - this place is a gossip-mill anyways. Someone will say something soon.
He raised his head, glancing at every Council member before speaking. "The Duchess Satine and I - we suffered an unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage these past few months. I recieved the news about our child over a Holocall, while on Naboo."
Gasps echoed among the assembled. Some of them looked ill. A few rolled their eyes.
Anakin winced, glancing away.
"Masters, I have spent enough time forced to decide between the Council and my own desires...I will not do it again. This loss made me understand that."
Tina: how was the meeting?
Ben: stressful. I have a migraine.
Ben: I'll take one last nap in my Temple apartment before packing, sleep it off
Tina: that sucks - wanna trade screaming Mandalorians for bickering Jedi?
Tina: oh wait - you're about too :)
Ben: you're horrible
Tina: I'm aware 3
Tina: I'm pretty sure I have that migraine medication you use at the apartment
Ben: that stuff costs a fortune even with insurance
Tina: on your salary - just take it once you head back
Ben: yes dear
Anakin held his hands in a placating gesture when he stepped over the threshold. "I didn't come to argue."
"Really?"
He snorted, glancing around the apartment. It'd looked bare when he had moved his belongings earlier in the month but now…
"For a Jedi you have an incredible amount of shit," Anakin muttered while he spun around in the living room. He nearly tripped over a full box of Holos and datapads. "Wait - are those all library - "
"Madame Nu will be terribly smug." Obi-Wan shook his head, folding a quilt into a bin. It had been Qui-Gon's, and he'd be damned if he leave it. "I was convinced I returned them."
"I found some too - she made me do Archive duty."
"No Cad Bane this time?" Obi-Wan smiled at the resounding chuckle, glancing around the apartment. Most of the utensils and cookbooks and odds-and-ends had been gone when he came back. There was his collection of teacups, his prized teapot, and boxes upon boxes of tea.
He'd found the liquor cabinet empty - Anakin must have pitched everything.
The tapestries from the wall - and the blanket he'd folded - were gone, folded into a bin. His clothes had fit in two chests, field notes and records and paper novels in one, his carpentry tools in a different bin. There was a part of him that was sad about leaving the dining set - he'd made it, after all.
Maybe Bant wants it…
"Why'd you come? Is there something of mine you want or -"
"No...no." Anakin rubbed his neck, looking around and smiling when he looked at a burn mark on the wall. "Remember when Ferus and I got into a fight and I sliced the wall?"
"Yeah...Mace had you two on créche duty for a month." Obi-Wan put the lid on the bin, stacking it with the others carefully. There were a few more things left to pack, not much - tolteries mostly, a few trinkets from Anakin's childhood he couldn't beat part with, Holos of friends…
"That was an interesting Council meeting," Obi-Wan muttered. "I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me."
"Yeah, you can say that again." Anakin shook his head. "Is it really that hard to believe I don't want a seat on the Council?"
"A bit - I know you wanted it because you believed the Order needed to become less stagnant...why the change?"
Anakin shrugged, glancing around the apartment. "Life, I suppose. Yeah, life. Don't really want more responsibility than I have - and I'd like to be home every now and then. You know, talk to my wife in person. Maybe even watch a movie with her and neither of us won't fall asleep during it."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "I can understand that all too well - you're happy with your position then?"
"...yeah. I have to rearrange my classes a bit, make the projects more long term...maybe use some database thing to conduct classes online. And I'd like to shift command around, make sure people are getting an appropriate amount of rest and leave. That includes primary command too, I doubt - why the face?"
"Hmm? Nothing - well…" Obi-Wan smiled. "You're a far better general than I ever will be. I never even thought to do any of that."
"...yeah. I know. I was under your command."
He looked at Anakin again, thinking of all the good times they'd shared in this place - bad too.
Anakin glanced at him and sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "...Obi-Wan...what happened... I'm so sorry. I... didn't think that would - "
"It's okay Anakin - no one could have predicted it."
"It was a girl?"
"...yeah. When we were younger...we always talked about having a girl...maybe...maybe someday we will."
Anakin cracked a smile. "You two would be fantastic parents - Korkie and I didn't turn out that bad."
Obi-Wan tried to smile, then shook his head and sat on the couch. He realized he could feel the springs - it'd have to go into recycling before he left. "It...was a shock, that was for sure."
Anakin looked out the window. "You - it was obvious she was pregnant, you couldn't have not known - at the Medical Station, she - she - "
"We...we knew Anakin."
"You - you still went on that damn mission!"
Obi-Wan met his glare, though he did not rise or raise his voice. "Do not think I blame myself Anakin, that I do not regret my actions - I know, I knew I should have stayed with her and - " He swallowed, gaze dropping to the floor. "I should have stayed with Satine - because maybe if I did, things would be different...and you wouldn't be angry at me."
Anakin glanced away, then wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "I thought you were dead - and I had to lead an army and I was so angry and Padmé was sicker than usual and I would have killed you if you hadn't told me you were Hardeen and I wanted too Obi-Wan! I wanted to kill you, even after everything - and you could have told me! Told two people and you tell Cody and - "
Obi-Wan had risen during his padawan's tirade and pacing, crossing the room and gathering him in his arms. Anakin was taller than him, but he didn't care.
Anakin stopped, burying his face in Obi-Wan's shoulder and sobbing. His grip was a little too tight.
"I'm alive," Obi-Wan whispered. He stroked his padawan's hair, feeling his own tears on his face. "I'm sorry."
"I thought I lost you again."
Author's Note: hellooooo
Some funny and some sads and some forgiveness. I don't know about anyone else, but I think Anakin is pretty in-character
ii Digestive Reader ii
