Obi-Wan walked into the council chambers and sat down in his chair as he glanced at Mace Windu and Yoda. Grievous was attacking Mandalore and Satine had called him earlier for help. Mandalore was still a neutral system, this did involve the separatists. It did allow the Republic to get involved. "I hear Grievous is attacking Mandalore again, I request to have Anakin come with me."

"Indisposed Skywalker is," Yoda answered with a frown as Mace glanced at Yoda in confusion. "Take Tano with you, you will."

"I don't understand, Master," Obi-Wan spoke with confusion. "What do you mean by unavailable? Is there something going on with Anakin I should know about?"

"At his discretion, it must be," Yoda answered with a frown. "Force him to tell you, you should not."

"Yes master," Obi-Wan agreed with a frown as he studied Yoda. What did Yoda know that he didn't about his former padawan learner? What secret could Anakin possibly hide from him? Maybe he could pry the information out of Ahsoka? He was fairly certain the two were fairly close. "We shall leave at once, Master. The Republic is sending in a small task Force to deal with Grievous directly."

"Good luck, Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you," Mace said with a frown as he stared at Yoda with a confused expression. Every time he asked for Anakin, it had never been denied before. That only raised his suspicions that Yoda knew something about Anakin that he didn't.

Obi-Wan knocked on the door to Padme's door. He hoped she was here, he sensed something was off in the Force but he could not quite figure out why. The door opened up as a teen looked at him with a frown. "Who are you, young one?"

"Depends on who you are," the teen answered as Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Who are you and how do you know the residence?"

"Who is at the door, Ben" Padme questioned as she walked up to the door. "Obi-Wan, how good to see you, won't you come in?"

"Thank you, Padme," Obi-Wan entered the apartment as Anakin walked out of the bedroom then stopped dead in his tracks.

"No droids in there, I think you're being paranoid, Padme," Anakin quickly spoke as he walked to the couch and sat down. "Obi-Wan, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, my former padawan learner," Obi-Wan answered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just how close are you and Padme and please be honest. I noticed a lot of things in your friendship that does not add up. Sometimes it's almost like your married."

Anakin glanced at Padme as she nodded her head. He turned his attention back to Obi-Wan releasing a frustrated sigh. "Padme and I married at the beginning of the Clone Wars and Yoda does know."

"And he didn't say anything?" Obi-Wan questioned with a frown as Anakin nodded.

"He said it was destined by the Force and he could not interfere," Anakin explained with a frown. "If you don't believe me, you can ask him directly. Why are you here?"

"Grievous is attacking Mandalore and I was hoping you would like to join me?" Obi-Wan explained with a frown. He glanced at Ben and an older woman standing beside the teen. He turned his attention back to Anakin. "What's really going on? I can sense a big disturbance in the Force."

"Obi-Wan, I can't go," Anakin answered with a frown. "I'm needed here. Grievous attacking Mandalore is attempting to distract me from tracking down Dooku who is currently planetside."

"How do you know that for sure?" Obi-Wan questioned with suspicion in his tone as Anakin glanced at the older woman who nodded in agreement. "Who are you?"

"Leia Skywalker," Leia answered honestly as Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "And Dooku has my twin brother Luke, this is Luke's son Ben Skywalker."

"That's my name," Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin with a frown. "What's going on, Anakin?"

"Luke and Leia are my twin children from the future and Ben is my grandson," Anakin answered honestly as Obi-Wan felt the shock rush through him. "Luke named Ben after you."

"Okay," Obi-Wan sat down on the couch as he glanced at Anakin. "How do you plan to track down Dooku?"

"Ventress knows where he lives while planetside, I'm paying her to show me where he is," Anakin answered honestly. "Grievous attacking Mandalore is attempting to draw me away from finding Luke. That much I can sense."

"Ahsoka and I have been assigned to go to Mandalore, maybe we can convince Grievous you're with us when you're not," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry, have you met Grievous? He's not that dumb," Anakin pointed out with a sarcastic tone. "He'll know it's a rouse."

"Well, what about a foolproof idea?" Obi-Wan questioned with a slight smile. "Remember the time I faked my death and changed my appearance?"

"I'm not going to ask you to do that for me," Anakin spoke with a frown. "And you really don't have the time, shouldn't you be leaving?"

"Yes, I'll do my best to convince Grievous you're with me," Obi-Wan spoke with a weary smile. "I would do anything for you, Anakin."

"Thanks, Obi-Wan, good luck," Anakin gave an appreciative smile as Obi-Wan walked towards the door.

"So Aunt Leia gets her sarcastic tongue from you, doesn't she grandpa?" Ben questioned causing Obi-Wan to chuckle.

"I told you not to call me that," Anakin spoke in a teasing tone. "It makes me feel old."

"This is the only time I ever get to address you as such," Ben pointed out with a frown. "Let me enjoy it."

Obi-Wan wondered if they never had a chance to meet Anakin, does this mean something happens to him before Ben is born? No time to dwell on that now, Mandalore needed help.

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin questioned causing Obi-Wan to turn around. "What if I told Palpatine directly that I'm going with you?"

Obi-Wan gave an appreciative smile and nodded in agreement. This would give them a slight edge over Palpatine's plan.

Luke paced back and forth as he waited for Dooku to return. He was hoping Anakin had enough sense not to fall for Grievous's ploy and stay planetside and let someone else handle the distraction. He never did take the man to be that gullible or naive. But he didn't know the younger one well enough. Obi-Wan did say Anakin was a cunning warrior in his time.

There had to be a way out of here besides that door, but several minutes of searching turned up nothing. Not even a single tool to use. It was almost like they had prepared this room ahead of time for him. He sat back down on the floor into a meditating pose. He closed his eyes and slowly released his frustration into the Force. He had to remain calm.

Luke followed the flow of the Force as visions took place in front of his eyes. Leia was talking with a younger Anakin and by the look on his father's face, she was chewing him out. The one thing he warned her never to do. Maybe this would prevent Anakin from falling to the dark side, but what impact would that have on the future?

The visions shifted again, this time Luke and Leia as babies being held by Anakin and Padme. Was it possible they would be raised by them this time? He opened his eyes as the vision faded. Maybe just maybe they would be a family this time. He would know his father and not spend his young adulthood fighting against him unknowingly.

Luke stood up as the door opened and Dooku walked through with a pleased smile causing him to frown. "So did Anakin leave?"

"He left with the fleet half an hour ago," Dooku reported with a wide grin. "Just as Palpatine predicted."

Or maybe that's what they wanted you to think, or so Luke hoped it was a rouse on Obi-Wan's part. Maybe Anakin came clean to Obi-Wan about everything. One could only hope. "I can't believe he left. What does that mean for me?"

"You'll see," Dooku answered as he left a plate of food on the floor. "For now, here is something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry by now."

"Thanks," Luke felt a little grateful, at the same time he wondered if Dooku had orders not to starve him from Palpatine. Why get Anakin angry with Palpatine? It might be a bit too late for that he reflected sadly. "I know Palpatine is behind the war, first chance I get. I'm going to lop his head off."

"We shall see about that."

Anakin opened the door and allowed Ventress to enter, he was ready to agree to her terms and Padme finally secured the funds to pay her. Padme entered the main living area and sat down beside Leia who was sitting on the couch. Between Leia and Padme's resourcefulness, they were able to secure the pardon for Ventress and the funds. Leia was a lot like Padme in many ways causing him to smile grimly to himself. He hoped Luke was a little more like him. "Welcome to our home, Ventress."

"Our home?" Ventress questioned in curiosity as she looked at Padme with a small grin. "So you and the senator? Isn't it forbidden for a Jedi to marry?"

"It's destined by the Force," Anakin explained with a slight smile. "Why don't you join us for dinner and we can come up with a plan on how to follow Dooku without him knowing it."

"I would not want to impose," Ventress answered as Padme handed over the promised funds as Leia and Ben stood up and watched her with curious expressions. "And who are you young one?"

"The reason Anakin has to follow Dooku," Ben answered honestly. "Dooku has my father. Are you willing to help? I can sense the Force is strong with you. Stay for dinner."

"I'm willing to help you get your father back," Ventress answered with a smile. "If Padme is all right, I will stay for dinner."

"There is more than enough to go around," Padme answered with a smile. "You would be more than welcome to stay and it will give me a chance to get to know you better."

"Sounds delightful."

Anakin handed cups of tea out as Padme brought out a light evening snack causing him to smile. He was happy and more relaxed now that the marriage was slowly coming out in the open and they didn't need to hide it anymore. He glanced at Leia as he handed her a cup. "We'll find out where Dooku has Luke holed up tomorrow."

"I have faith you will," Leia answered with a smile as she glanced at Ben. His head was leaning against the couch and his eyes were half closed and red. "You look tired, Ben. Why don't you go to bed."

"It's been a long day," Ben admitted with a frown. "Yoda ran me through the mill today. Sleep sounds good right now."

"Good night, Ben," Padme spoke with a soft smile.

"Goodnight everyone one," Ben stood up, grabbed a few snacks off the tray and retreated into the spare bedroom as Leia sipped her tea.

Anakin sat down on the couch as Padme leaned her head against his shoulder. "Well, we need a new plan after we rescue Luke. The marriage is just about out in the open now."

"That's not a bad thing, Ani," Padme spoke with a slight smile. "I know you love Naboo. Why don't we just go back to my home planet?"

"I would love to live on Naboo," Anakin agreed with a smile as Leia watched him with curiosity. "Growing up on a desert world, it wasn't a walk in the park. Living on a living planet with waterfalls, forests, and lakes. It's the perfect place to live."

Leia nodded in agreement as she placed her cup down on the coffee table. "Anakin, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure Leia, what do you want to know about me?" Anakin questioned in curiosity.

"You started out as a slave?" Leia questioned as Anakin nodded. "How did you get your freedom?"

"The day I won the pod race, is the day I won my freedom. A Jedi Master made a bet with my master," Anakin answered honestly. "I've struggled to put that part of my life behind me. I don't have siblings, or at the time I didn't."

"How did Owen become your brother?" Leia questioned as Anakin gave a soft smile.

"Claig Lars, Owen's father bought and freed my mother, then he married her," Anakin explained with a saddened smile. "Owen is my stepbrother."

Anakin and Leia chatted into the night causing him to realize that Leia didn't know much about him, and next to nothing about Padme. Falling to the dark side was not an option. He wanted his children to know their heritage and who Padme was and the type of influence she had as her time as a senator.

Ahsoka stood beside Obi-Wan as he issued out orders, they had agreed to try and keep an illusion that Anakin was with them. She was unsure on how long they could keep it going for, eventually, Grievous was bound to notice and send word back to Palpatine that Anakin was still on Coruscant. She hoped Anakin found his son in time before that could take place.

Or maybe Anakin would accidentally give himself away, which was a high possibility. She glanced at Rex as he stood off to the side helping Cody come up with a plan of attack.

One thing was for certain, she did sense this was a trick to keep Anakin from looking for Luke. They were aboard Anakin's flagship, she hoped that was convincing enough. Obi-Wan's flagship was in hyperspace formation with Defender two.

It felt right to take both flagships, Anakin had made contact with Palpatine lying to the man about leaving with the fleet. That would buy him some amount of time but how much?

"Commander Tano, we're getting ready to leave hyperspace," a Lieutenant reported.

"Very good, Lieutenant, keep your distance from the planet until we have issued out the plan of attack," Ahsoka commanded as the Lieutenant acknowledged her. She glanced at Obi-Wan with a frown. "How long do you think it will take before Grievous realizes Anakin isn't with us?"

"Long enough for Anakin to track down Luke," Obi-Wan answered. "We need to keep the illusion going for as long as we can."

"I hope this works," Ahsoka muttered under her breath. "Captain Rex, debrief the troops. We attack at sunrise."

"Yes Commander."

Luke stood up as Palpatine entered the small living area causing him to frown. He kept his guard up not being able to trust a word out of his mouth. He hoped for Anakin's sake he would come to figure out where he was. "What do you want?"

"To have a chat Grand Master Skywalker," Palpatine answered with a wide grin. "I want to know how much you know about me and what plans I have."

For real? Luke thought sourly, he was kidnapped to keep him from talking. "I know everything and what you are. And what plans you have for my father."

Palpatine raised his hands as Force lightning leaped from his hands as Luke raised his hands to deflect the attack. He defused the lightning as Palpatine intensified the attack. He wasn't sure how long he could keep deflecting the attack from Palpatine.

To be continued

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