Morning came. Anakin tried to slip out of bed, but Obi-Wan held onto him greedily.
"Father, I... have to... get ready for... school!" Anakin said as he failed to free himself from Obi-Wan's embrace.
"Not just yet," he murmured, planting lazy kisses in Anakin's hair.
Anakin smiled as he turned to face him. "I'll be late," he pointed out, though not really caring.
Obi-Wan adjusted his hold on Anakin and closed his eyes, preparing to go back to sleep. "Yes," he told him, "You will."
"Since when are you okay with me being late for school?"
Obi-Wan looked at him and said seriously, "Since your English teacher thought he could lay a hand on you."
"Oh."
Obi-Wan offered him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, Anakin. You won't have to be anywhere near that man anymore."
Anakin pondered over whatever Obi-Wan had planned. "I can't just skip English every day," he retorted.
"Obviously," Obi-Wan said, sarcasm in the roll of his tongue. "Rex is going to do something about it."
"What is he going to do?" Anakin asked, a little anxious as his thoughts dipped into darkness.
"I don't know yet. Now will you just sleep in with me? You'll use up all our extra time if you keep talking..." He closed his eyes again.
Anakin rolled his eyes and tucked his nose into Obi-Wan's sleeve.
Obi-Wan drove Anakin to school after snoozing with him for half an hour. Ahsoka greeted him in the hallway.
"I missed you in English," she said.
"Missed you too," he said, smiling just at the sight of her.
Ahsoka dodged someone who was heading the other direction and then caught up to Anakin again. "Did you sleep in or something?"
Anakin laughed slightly. "Yeah, but it's a little more complicated than that."
"Don't bother being mysterious with me," Ahsoka replied, "I won't fall for it."
"Snips, I'm not trying to get you to fall for anything. The thing is, I might be changing English classes, and—" he shook his head, "Maybe you should, too. I'd hate for you to be stuck with Maul and Savage."
"Oh," Ahsoka said, her head downcast. She looked at a banner strung up at the end of the hallway, then looked up at Anakin with light in her eyes. "Well, in that case, how do you feel about going to Homecoming with me?"
They were closer to the banner now and Anakin gave it a thorough examination. It looked like it was hand painted on blue paper and an excessive amount of silver glitter had been used to make the words Homecoming Dance unmissable.
"I've never been to a school dance before," he replied.
Ahsoka scoffed. "You've been missing out!"
"Have I, now?"
"Yes! It's so fun to dress up and dance with friends and sing cheesy songs. Will you go with me?"
Anakin dropped his teasing attitude and gave her a real smile. "I'll go with you."
Ahsoka cheered and waved goodbye to him as she turned the corner to get to her next class.
It had been a few days since Cody came to work, so Rex didn't feel too nervous venturing into his office to search the police records. He wondered, vaguely, if something important was actually keeping Cody as he slid open a drawer of a filing cabinet. Seeing him drunk and disgustingly honest made Rex doubt that. He found the set of files labeled for last names beginning with C and read them to himself. "Cab… Childs… Clarke, Cleary, Cliff, Clovis—" He grinned and pulled out Clovis' file. He opened the yellow folder and balked at the contents. Just an old copy of a parking ticket. Rex closed the folder and opened it again, and still, only the ticket greeted him. He threw the file on the desk and exclaimed, "Why do we even keep those?"
A few knocks on the open door of the Sheriff's office stole his attention.
"Is this a bad time?" Padmé asked.
Rex straightened up and cleared his throat. "Uh, no. Come in, Miss Kenobi."
Padmé took a seat, saying, "Please, call me Padmé."
"Padmé," Rex said as he sat behind Cody's desk, "I assume you're here as our new secretary?"
"That's correct," she replied, longing for her time as a senator.
Rex thought for a moment, then asked, "Is it also correct that you were involved with Rush Clovis?"
Padmé did her best to hide her indignance. "I don't see how that's relevant."
"Because, if so," Rex said, leaning towards her, "I can offer you a better position, and you can help your family in the process."
Padmé scrutinized him, then asked, "What do you have in mind?"
They found Clovis in the town library after school let out.
"Are you sure we shouldn't wait until he's in a more public place?" Padmé whispered.
Rex looked around. "No," he replied, "No one will doubt what these oldies have to say. And there's a few students here." He pointed in their direction.
"Alright," Padmé agreed, "Here goes nothing."
She left her position behind the bookshelf and strode up to Clovis. He was browsing the historical section. Padmé crossed her arms and said, "Rush."
Clovis jumped slightly, turned to her, and put the book he'd been holding back on the shelf. "Padmé," he said with mock pleasure, "What a sight for sore eyes you are."
"Not such a great compliment from the man who's attracted to children."
His face contorted into an ugly grimace and he hissed, "I am no such thing!"
Padmé raised her eyebrows, and her voice by just a fraction. "How so, my sweet?"
Clovis realized his outburst and composed himself, instead devising how to get underneath Padmé's skin. He replied simply, "I'm only giving Anakin what he wants. It's so obvious, Padmé, the poor boy likes older men—and he's taken a shine to me."
Padmé could have slapped him. She retorted, "If that were the case, Anakin would have already been done with you. You ought to know how teenage boys are."
"Ah, but Anakin isn't like other boys," Clovis said, "You know he came to my house after school a few days ago—of his own free will—and he didn't complain to you then, did he?"
Padmé was fuming. "If you did something to him—" she started.
He waved a dismissive hand. "I can assure you, I didn't. He got spooked by something. Probably when I took my shirt off."
Righteous fury swelled within Padmé, but she remembered the goal before she could raise a hand against him. "You are the most revolting man I have ever known," she said.
He reached out to touch her, taunting, "Did you really know me, Padmé?"
She spun around and walked towards the center of the library, and Clovis followed. "I know the truth, now, Rush," Padmé announced, "You used me to get to my baby brother." A few heads turned towards them from within the bookshelves and Clovis noticed.
"Be quiet!" he insisted.
Padmé placed herself by the table of teenagers Rex pointed out earlier and demanded, "How many other students have you lured into your house, hm? Into your bedroom?"
"Shut your mouth," ordered Clovis, holding out a finger at her.
Someone pulled out their phone.
"I'll spill all your secrets if it means saving an innocent from your disgusting, dirty hands—"
Clovis raised his hand in the air to strike her, yelling, "I said, shut your mouth, you stupid whore!"
Rex seized his wrist before Clovis could hurt Padmé. It took a second to register with Clovis as his arm refused to budge.
"What have we here?" Rex said, a firm grip still on Clovis. "Sure looks like you were going to hit your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend," Clovis growled.
"Ex, then," he revised, pulling handcuffs from his belt, "You're coming with me."
Clovis protested, saying, "I didn't touch her!"
Rex secured the handcuffs on each of his wrists and then asked one of the students for his phone. The Gungan handed over the device reluctantly and Rex found the video of the scene soon enough. Another had pulled Padmé to the side and was asking if she was alright.
She nodded and said, "I'm perfect now, thank you."
Rex held up the phone and told Clovis, "This is all the evidence I need." Clovis was furious. Rex winked at Padmé as he walked Clovis out of the library.
Padmé waved goodbye just as Clovis turned to scowl at her.
Rex dropped off Clovis at the police station and decided to tell Obi-Wan right away. He drove out to the motel and took the stairs eagerly.
Obi-Wan opened the door after familiar chimes rang throughout the house. His eyes registered Cody for a second before realizing it was Rex.
"I have good news," Rex said, grinning.
Obi-Wan let him in and asked, "Would you like something to drink?"
Rex settled on the couch in the family room and answered, "No, thank you. You're going to want to hear this."
Obi-Wan sat next to him. "Tell me," he said.
Rex told him how he had Clovis in custody, but left out the part about offering Padmé a job as an officer if she helped catch him. Everything had gone according to plan, but Rex knew Obi-Wan would see it differently. "There's no way Clovis won't be fired," Rex said, his voice full of enthusiasm.
Obi-Wan sighed with relief, thankful for Anakin's ensured safety. "Oh, Rex, I could kiss you!"
Rex had the strangest feeling in his stomach, something impossible, like butterflies, and he frowned because he hadn't dated a woman in ages, much less felt a kind touch, and Obi-Wan was most certainly not a woman, yet here he was, looking at him like he was some kind of savior.
Rex leaned towards Obi-Wan, ever so slowly, but Obi-Wan didn't shrink away. He leaned in, too, eyes flicking between Rex's and the man's lips. A second more and he'd have them...
A skull-shattering blast of music broke into the room and the two jumped apart, Obi-Wan's eyes searching rapidly for the source when his sight fell on Anakin. He was standing by the record player, arms crossed, expression hard. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. He said firmly, "Anakin."
Anakin glared at him. Rex glanced at Obi-Wan, unsure of what to do.
"Go to your room, Anakin," Obi-Wan ordered.
"So you two can fuck each other's brains out? I don't think so."
Obi-Wan rose to his feet. "You will go to your room."
Anakin stood his ground. "No," he said.
Obi-Wan walked towards him, menacingly quiet and calm. "Go to your room, Anakin," he whispered, "and I will meet you up there." There was something underneath the words that Anakin found tempting. He moved away slowly, lips still fiercely bent at the corners. He went up the stairs, watching Rex and Obi-Wan for as long as he had a window of vision. He went to his room and shut the door behind him.
Obi-Wan turned to Rex and said, "I'm so sorry. Would you mind staying here a moment?"
Rex nodded, still half in shock.
Obi-Wan thanked him and took the stairs one at a time. He opened the door to Anakin's room and locked it behind him.
"So you and Rex are a thing now?" Anakin accused.
"Turn around, Anakin," came Obi-Wan's low voice.
Anakin continued, "Because I'm not okay with this. He's Cody's brother! And not only that, he's his twin brother! Why would you want him? How are you okay with this?"
"I said, turn around, Anakin!"
Anakin's anger left and he looked a little scared. "No," he said again, backing away just slightly.
Obi-Wan strode up to him and spun him around with a hand on his shoulder, then used both hands to push Anakin face down on the bed. Anakin struggled but Obi-Wan put more of his weight on him, his elbow starting to dig into Anakin's back. Anakin stopped moving and peeked back at Obi-Wan, his eyes wild under his unruly hair. Obi-Wan lifted up Anakin's tunic, synthleather tabards and all, and pinned it in place with his arm across the middle of Anakin's back. "What are you doing?" Anakin asked, his voice trying to convey outrage but only bleeding fear. Obi-Wan leaned down by Anakin's ear and whispered, "Naughty boys get spanked."
Anakin's eyes went wide and he shouted, "No!"
Obi-Wan placed his free hand at the small of Anakin's back, fingers curling just enough to pinch the boy's waistband. Anakin pictured his pants being pulled all the way down, exposing his ass to Obi-Wan's scrutiny and discipline. He squirmed and repeated, "No! Father, please!"
Obi-Wan gave Anakin a firm shove between his shoulder blades, and Anakin's cries were muffled against the blankets as Obi-Wan said, "Don't make this harder than it has to be, Anakin." His hand returned to Anakin's waistband.
Anakin turned his head to the side, murmuring, "Please, please, please, please, please! Father, don't!" Real tears slid down his cheeks. Obi-Wan raised his hand in the air within Anakin's peripheral vision. "Please!" Anakin gripped the sheets with both hands, knuckles white, waiting for a smack that didn't come. His face un-scrunched little by little, and he moved minutely to look back at his father. Obi-Wan smoothed Anakin's clothes back into place, never having pulled down his pants, and without bringing a heavy hand down on him. He let go of Anakin and the boy didn't know what to think.
Obi-Wan sat beside him on the bed and waited for Anakin to meet his eyes. Anakin couldn't. He smeared his sleeve across his face and then rubbed his eyes with the other one, but the tears wouldn't stop and Anakin stopped trying to support himself with shaky arms and just buried his face in the blankets.
"What you're feeling now," Obi-Wan spoke softly, "is how I feel whenever you think I'm interested in someone and throw a fit about it."
Anakin mumbled something.
"I can't understand you like that," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin raised a tearstained face and repeated, "Aren't you?"
Obi-Wan huffed. "Honey, I don't know. We just had a moment. But that's not the point."
An awful sob escaped Anakin's throat and he blubbered, "I'm sorry-y-y… I didn't wah-ant to embarrass you…"
Obi-Wan shifted so he was in the middle of Anakin's bed, back to the headboard, legs stretched out with some space between them. "Come here," Obi-Wan said, and held out his arms.
Anakin crawled into his embrace despite every negative thing he felt towards him. Obi-Wan held him tight, drawing his knees in slightly to better envelop Anakin. "I'm sorry, too," he said, pressing a kiss to Anakin's hair, "Shh, don't cry anymore." He wiped Anakin's face as they met each other's gaze. Obi-Wan tried to smile and told him, "You know, I've never spanked you. Not even when you were little."
Anakin hid his face against Obi-Wan's shoulder and Obi-Wan hugged him again.
"Oh, Anakin, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to humiliate you. It's just… You didn't talk to me for a week after that date with Cody. What was I supposed to do?"
Anakin wrung his hands in Obi-Wan's robes, raised his head just enough to sniffle, and then returned to his hiding spot. Obi-Wan smelled like a combination of his usual and everything Anakin had added, the result a little like rain-weathered leather.
"Anakin, please look at me." He sounded so sad. Anakin tried to dry off Obi-Wan's shoulder before giving him his full attention.
Obi-Wan caressed his cheeks and said, "I will never love anyone more than I love you. Whatever happens. Whoever I meet. That's never going to change."
Anakin threw his arms around Obi-Wan's neck and hugged him back, his features absorbed with relief and hope. They stayed like that until Anakin's breathing matched Obi-Wan's.
Quietly, Obi-Wan said, "I want you to apologize to Rex."
"But—" Anakin started.
"No buts," Obi-Wan replied, and his hand wandered down Anakin's back as he smiled, and Anakin wondered if he hadn't said No butts just as Obi-Wan moved to stand up. He had Anakin wash his face and then went back downstairs with him. Rex was staring at a cup of tea on the table. His attention snapped to Obi-Wan and Anakin somewhat belatedly and he stood from his spot on the couch to meet them halfway.
"Rex," said Anakin, his voice a little croaky, "I'm sorry for what I did. And said."
"Oh, uh. Don't worry about it, kid." With a halfhearted smile he added, "I don't think any of us really expected… whatever was going to happen, so I get it." Anakin nodded, lips pulling into a smile for about a second before he lost the will to keep it. Rex looked to Obi-Wan and told him, "I better get going."
Obi-Wan thought they would have talked first. Maybe he needed more time. Obi-Wan and Anakin both thought that was a poor sign. But maybe caution is what Obi-Wan needed to adopt now, too. "Okay," he responded, "Thanks for all your help."
"I'm happy to do it," Rex said, and walked out the door a little stiffly.
Obi-Wan moved to return to the couch, fingers massaging his temples after he lied down. Anakin joined him quietly, feeling empty after all that crying. He didn't comment on how That went well or congratulate himself on a job well done. Instead he curled against Obi-Wan's side and just held onto him, vaguely considering if Rex might not be such a bad idea while Rex was probably considering acting like nothing happened at all. Obi-Wan ran through the events in his head once or twice before Anakin fell asleep.
Obi-Wan dozed off and woke up again to find Anakin still in his arms. Something felt… off. He got up carefully, Anakin's eyes fluttering open for a moment and then shutting again. Obi-Wan left Anakin on the couch as he walked about the room. He ventured into the dining room, and finding nothing amiss, padded into the kitchen next.
There was something blinking on the kitchen table. Obi-Wan stepped towards it cautiously, then leaned over to get a closer look. Someone slammed his head into the surface of the table. Pain overwhelmed him as he felt cool metal close around his wrist. The same clicking sound repeated in his ears as the other handcuff locked around a bar of the table.
Obi-Wan realized his situation as his vision cleared. Bent over the table, hand chained in place. His free hand rushed to his belt.
"Looking for this?"
Cody moved where Obi-Wan could see him, holding up the lightsaber triumphantly.
Obi-Wan stretched out his hand, but Cody strode out of view before Obi-Wan could pull the lightsaber from his grip.
"You should stay on your guard, Jedi. Sleeping in the middle of the day…" Cody shook his head.
"Anakin!" shouted Obi-Wan.
Anakin's eyes flew open.
Cody whacked Obi-Wan over the head with the lightsaber. "You're going to regret that, Obi-Wan."
Anakin ran into the kitchen empty-handed, his lightsaber missing from his robe. Cody buried his hand in Obi-Wan's hair, smirking at Anakin's rage.
"Don't touch him!" Anakin yelled.
"Try and stop me," provoked Cody.
"Anakin, don't!"
Anakin ignored Obi-Wan and charged Cody.
Cody side-stepped and shoved Anakin into the kitchen cabinets. Obi-Wan shouted as Anakin fell to the tile. Anakin shook his head and got back up. "Is that all you got?" he taunted.
"Just run, Anakin!" pleaded Obi-Wan.
Cody closed the distance between them and Anakin sent him into the counter with the Force. Cody's body crumpled over, unconscious.
Obi-Wan couldn't breathe right. "Keys," he said, "The keys, Anakin."
Anakin went through Cody's pockets and pulled out the key to the handcuffs. He knelt by Obi-Wan and fumbled to get the key in the lock. Obi-Wan set his forehead against the table and tried to relax.
"Ah!"
Obi-Wan looked up desperately to find Cody awake and pinning Anakin's hand to the floor with his boot. Cody bent over, took the key from his hand, and knocked out Anakin with one swift kick.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan cried.
Cody put the key in his pocket and faced Obi-Wan. "Stupid kid," grumbled Cody, "If he would just let me tell you what I want, we could have had this over with."
"I know what you want," Obi-Wan said, trying to hide the tremble in his voice.
Cody picked up something from the floor and moved behind Obi-Wan. "Well, you're not wrong. But, believe it or not, Obi-Wan, you're not so attractive when you're moaning your son's name over and over."
"Anakin…" he called. Anakin didn't stir.
Cody leaned over Obi-Wan, pressing their bodies close together, and held the blinking device out in front of them. "This is a recorder, Obi-Wan. I want your confession."
Obi-Wan attempted to shake him off, but Cody held him in place. Obi-Wan said, "What confession?"
"You know," Cody replied, "You might as well have already told me. You can do it again."
"A coerced confession can't be used in court," Obi-Wan countered.
Cody ran his hand along Obi-Wan's side. "Maybe that's the case in other places, but here," he paused, slipping his hand underneath Obi-Wan's waistband, "I told Rex what I did to you. And has he done anything about it? No."
Obi-Wan kicked him, shouting, "I don't believe that!"
Cody recovered and returned to his position behind Obi-Wan, grabbing a fistful of his hair and tugging his head to the side. "I saw my dear brother leave your house," he said, "You've put your trust in the wrong man. Again."
Obi-Wan felt his lungs turn into rocks. "Cody—"
"Confess now, or I'll force it out of you," he threatened.
"What is the point?" cried Obi-Wan. "You want me behind bars? You want to tear apart my family? What did I ever do to you?"
"Hey, there's no reason to get upset. This is the point. If I have your confession, we won't ever struggle like this again. Anakin can't get in the way. You'll come when I call." Cody kissed his ear, whispering, "And you will come."
Obi-Wan tried to clear his mind of its endless panic. "That is… absolutely… a reason to get upset," he said, taking in deep breaths.
Cody released Obi-Wan's hair and clutched a rigid hand to the side of his head. His face twisted in pain and he almost doubled over. Obi-Wan watched with wide eyes, glanced at Anakin, and saw he was still unconscious. Cody stood up straight suddenly and said, "I'm getting impatient!" He put the recorder by Obi-Wan's mouth. "Confess!"
The sound of a blaster firing pierced the air and the sparking bolt crashed into Cody's chest.
Obi-Wan watched him fly backwards and fall over after his back met the kitchen sink. Obi-Wan turned to look in the direction it came from, his heart skipping when he saw who it was. "Padmé!"
Padmé ran to his side and pulled strands of hair away from the blood drying on his forehead. "Are you alright?" she asked calmly.
Obi-Wan didn't have an answer for her. He replied, "Get the key, in his pocket. Hurry!"
Padmé retrieved the key, undid the handcuffs, and put them on Cody. "It was only set to stun," she said.
Obi-Wan paid no mind as he knelt over Anakin. He put his hand underneath Anakin's head and caressed his cheek with the other. "Wake up, Anakin," he urged, "It's me. You're safe now—we're all safe now. Anakin, please, wake up!"
Padmé made sure Cody was still breathing, and that he couldn't go anywhere while she turned her attention to Obi-Wan and Anakin. "What happened?" she asked, more worry in her voice now.
Obi-Wan cradled Anakin in his arms as he called his name again and again. Anakin came back foggily, his eyes unwilling to focus. "Father," he murmured.
Obi-Wan smiled as tears slid down his cheeks. He kissed Anakin's bleeding lips, and his cheek, and then his shoulder as he held Anakin closer.
"Why are you crying?" Anakin asked quietly.
"I think we should take him to the hospital," Padmé said, "You look like you need it, too."
Obi-Wan ran his thumb over the thin trail of blood on Anakin's chin. Anakin's vision went dark again.
"I'm calling Rex," declared Padmé as she stood up. She muttered to herself, "Officer in training and I already shot someone."
"You'll have to catch me up," Obi-Wan said, now comprehending the fact that Padmé made such a precise shot. He rose to his feet with Anakin in his arms.
"I will, I promise," she said, picking up the phone on the wall. After a few seconds, she said, "Uh, yes, it's Padmé. We have a bit of a situation at the Kenobi residence. You'll find the Sheriff handcuffed to the pipe of our kitchen sink."
Obi-Wan made his way to the front door slowly, careful to avoid bumping into anything with Anakin's limp form.
"Yes, you heard me right. I'm sorry, but I'll have to explain later." Padmé hung up the phone and grabbed her purse. "Let's go," she told Obi-Wan.
They left the house and got in Padmé's car and sped away.
Obi-Wan tried to wake Anakin again as Padmé drove them to the hospital. Anakin was draped across the backseat, his upper body supported by Obi-Wan's arm around him.
"Anakin," he called, "Come back to me. Show me you're alright."
Anakin groaned. "Stop yelling," he muttered.
Obi-Wan brushed the hair away from Anakin's face repeatedly and said, "Can you open your eyes for me?"
Anakin blinked a few times and gazed up at Obi-Wan. "Your head," he said, and reached up to touch where Obi-Wan had connected with the table.
Obi-Wan took his hand gently before Anakin could. "Do you remember what happened?"
Anakin's brows furrowed and he looked like the embodiment of unease. "No. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, my sweet Anakin," Obi-Wan said, and left it at that.
"Tell me what happened," Anakin insisted. Then he looked around. "Where are we?"
"Padmé's car," Obi-Wan replied, "Don't you recognize it?"
Anakin grew scared and curled against Obi-Wan.
"Let him rest," Padmé advised, "He's just confused."
Obi-Wan ran his fingers through Anakin's hair and along his back, partially for the comfort it brought to himself. "Are we there yet?" he asked.
"A few minutes and we will be." Padmé glanced back at the two of them. "Are you okay?" she asked Obi-Wan, the smallest doubt behind the words.
"Yes."
"Because it looked like…" She changed her mind. "After you get checked out, you have to tell me the truth. Whatever that was, it clearly wasn't random."
Obi-Wan nodded and focused on Anakin again. His eyes were squeezed shut, but he was awake. "It's okay, Anakin," he murmured, "I've got you."
Padmé parked the car in front of the emergency room and helped Anakin out of the backseat. He wasn't steady on his feet. Obi-Wan followed nervously, and attempted to stay with Anakin as a room opened up.
With Anakin leaning on her, Padmé said, "I'll take care of him. You need your own doctor right now."
Obi-Wan watched in despair as Padmé walked away with Anakin. A nurse came to lead him to a room and Obi-Wan tried to channel some simple aspects of meditation they'd taught him years ago.
"Can you tell me your name?"
"Anakin Kenobi."
"And my name?"
Anakin squinted at his name tag. "Doctor Windu."
"Very good. How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Four," Anakin said. Dr. Windu and Padmé exchanged glances.
"Alright, Anakin, it seems you may be experiencing vision problems after all. Let's try this. Think of a word you're likely to remember in a few minutes. Got one?"
Anakin thought a moment. "Motel," he said.
"Okay." Dr. Windu did several more tests to check his senses and his response time. Then he asked, "What was the word you thought of earlier?"
Anakin wracked his brain but he couldn't remember. It made his head ache.
Dr. Windu asked Padmé if Anakin had been playing a sport when the injury occurred. "Kids come in here all the time with concussions," he explained, "It may seem very serious at first, but recovery is likely under supervision and modified behavior."
Padmé listened intently to everything Dr. Windu said Anakin should and shouldn't do, then asked, "Will he be alright if we take him home now?"
"I believe so. Rest is the most important thing, but if you wake him up every few hours, you can make sure his symptoms aren't worsening." Dr. Windu turned to Anakin. "No more sports for you," he said lightheartedly.
Anakin just nodded drowsily.
"Bring him back if something seems wrong," Dr. Windu said seriously.
Padmé thanked him and led Anakin to the waiting room. Obi-Wan joined them a few minutes later, all cleaned up and bandaged. "How is he?" Obi-Wan asked.
"He'll be fine," Padmé replied. "What about you?"
"Just a few bumps." Obi-Wan was aching to hold Anakin again. "My poor baby," he said, tucking a finger under Anakin's chin. Anakin looked at him and mustered a smile.
Padmé cleared her throat and said, "We should go home. Anakin needs rest."
Obi-Wan agreed. They climbed into Padmé's car and went home, Anakin huddling against Obi-Wan the entire time. He carried Anakin inside.
"Let me look after him," Padmé insisted, "You're exhausting yourself with all this fussing."
"I can do it," Obi-Wan said, taking Anakin up the stairs.
"Obi-Wan!"
He stopped at the top of the stairs and faced Padmé.
She said, "The doctor told me exactly what he needs. Don't you trust me?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "Of course I do."
Padmé walked past them and into Anakin's room, where she pulled back the covers of his bed. Obi-Wan followed and set Anakin down on the bed, frowning at his sleeping face. Padmé tucked him in. She said, "I'll come get you if Anakin needs you. Now go rest." Obi-Wan obeyed, reluctantly. Padmé pulled a chair alongside Anakin's bed and picked up a book.
Obi-Wan dragged himself out of bed after a few hours and swallowed some painkillers. The sun had just dipped below the horizon and Obi-Wan found himself strangely hungry. He was about to go downstairs when he heard Padmé talking to Anakin.
"Do you remember what happened?"
"I think so," Anakin said, then realized, "Cody was going to hurt Father!"
"Obi-Wan is fine," Padmé soothed, "He's resting, like you."
Anakin relaxed. "I can't remember everything."
"It'll come back to you. The doctor said you shouldn't have any strenuous mental or physical activity for a while. Do you know what that means?"
"No, what?"
"No school for a few days."
"Yessss," Anakin cheered quietly.
"You can go back to sleep now," Padmé said, smiling fondly.
Obi-Wan smiled, too, and made his way to the kitchen. He frowned at the state of it. The table was out of alignment and needed to be cleaned, while the cabinet under the sink was still wide open, and Rex had neglected to pick up Cody's little recording device. Its red light was still blinking, although dimly. Obi-Wan took a dirty pan from the sink and smashed the recorder into bits.
"What are you doing?" Padmé interrupted.
Obi-Wan stopped abruptly and put the pan back in the sink. He ran a hand through his hair. "Just, uh, taking care of something."
Padmé quirked an eyebrow at him and stepped into the kitchen. She asked, "Did you want something to eat? I'm starving."
"Yes," Obi-Wan said, sitting down hesitantly. "Thank you, Padmé."
"It's no problem," she replied, "I'm just going to heat something up on the stove."
"I mean, for everything," Obi-Wan clarified, "Thank you."
Padmé picked a few cans out of the cupboard and set them on the counter. She turned around and looked at Obi-Wan. He carried an air of worry again.
Padmé stepped closer to him and pulled him against her chest. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around her. "I know you're doing your best," Padmé said.
"Bad things keep happening," he mumbled.
Padmé smoothed his hair before letting go of him and working on their dinner. After a few minutes, she set a bowl of soup on the table for each of them, then insisted, "Tell me everything."
Obi-Wan's eyes were drawn to the spot of blood on the table as he thought about it all. "The man who used to own the motel—General Grievous—as you've so often heard, tried to kill me the night after we moved in."
"What? You told me—"
"I know, Padmé, and I'm sorry. This is what happened. Somehow he knew I was a Jedi, and other than that I can't determine a motive, whether it was bloodlust or revenge for his house or psychosis, but he broke in and attempted to kill me. He said he would kill Anakin. And he had four lightsabers, one for each arm."
"So he was a Sith Lord."
"I have no idea. The lightsabers were blue and green. If that meant something to him, I don't know."
Padmé realized what was coming next and tried to prepare herself. "You killed him," she said.
"I had to," he asserted, then lowered his voice. "Anakin helped me get the upper hand. But it wouldn't have lasted, I know it. The man was barely human… If he was even human to begin with."
She countered, "If it was self-defense, why didn't you go to the police?"
Obi-Wan sipped on a spoonful of soup before answering, "I acted on impulse."
"Instead of common sense?"
He set his spoon down with a clink. "You weren't there," he said, "You didn't see how many times I stabbed him."
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," she joked.
"Padmé, this is no time—" He stopped himself as she let some of her true feelings show. By the Force, she can be just like her mother, Obi-Wan thought. He continued, "I met Sheriff Cody the day after. Anakin was annoyed, but I kind of liked him."
"Wait a minute. You and the Sheriff?"
Obi-Wan nodded gravely.
"The same man I shot today?"
Obi-Wan's frown intensified.
"You and… him?"
"Force's sake, Padmé, is it so hard to comprehend?"
"Sorry, I'm just so used to seeing you with a woman by your side." She offered him an understanding smile.
Obi-Wan stood up so he could pour himself some water. He said, "Cody was charming and attractive and smart. More importantly, he seemed to genuinely care about me, and Anakin, too. The man you shot..." Obi-Wan moved to sit down again. "He's not the same. He resents Anakin, he's violent, he'll do anything to hold power over me. Something is wrong with him."
"There's something wrong with anyone who raises a hand against another person," Padmé said.
Obi-Wan smiled sadly for a second, then replied, "I think there's something wrong with his mind. I saw him hold his head like this," Obi-Wan demonstrated, "and then… I don't know." He shook his head.
"Some people are just bad," Padmé replied. Obi-Wan stared down at his soup. "But maybe you're right," she finished. "Either way, stay away from him. And buy some new locks for this place."
Obi-Wan nodded, and they ate the rest of their dinner in silence. Padmé stood and poured the remainder of what she had made into another bowl and told Obi-Wan, "I'm going to bring this to Anakin. Hopefully he's hungry."
"Thank you, Padmé," he said again.
Padmé was happy to feel needed. It was always too rare of a feeling around Obi-Wan. "Goodnight," she said, a small smile upon her lips.
"Goodnight."
She left to give Anakin his soup. Obi-Wan did what he could to clean up the kitchen and then went back to bed.
Obi-Wan's first thought in the morning was Anakin. He jumped out of bed and rushed to the door between their rooms, then made himself take a breath before knocking.
Padmé's voice ushered him in.
Obi-Wan entered and saw Anakin sitting up in bed. Padmé occupied the chair next to him, her eyes dark from lack of sleep. Anakin turned to Obi-Wan and smiled, then wore a look of concern as he noticed the bandage on Obi-Wan's forehead. Obi-Wan sat on the edge of his bed and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"My head hurts," he said, "Does yours?"
Obi-Wan touched the bandage Anakin was looking at and said, "Not really, but I should probably change this."
"I have to go to work," Padmé said, "Rex wants an explanation."
"You never did say how you were promoted from secretary to officer," Obi-Wan responded.
"Later," she said, "And don't worry, I'll only tell him what I saw." She moved to leave the room, then turned around and added, "Don't let Anakin do anything too… Anakin."
Anakin crossed his arms. Padmé laughed slightly and went to get ready.
Obi-Wan turned his attention to Anakin again. "Are you hungry?" he asked, reaching out to stroke Anakin's face.
"That feels nice," Anakin said, closing his eyes contentedly. "No, I'm not hungry."
Obi-Wan continued touching him and asked, "Can I get something for you?"
Anakin thought. "Some painkillers?"
"Sure." Obi-Wan went to his room and shook two pills into the palm of his hand. He went back to Anakin's room and saw him getting out of bed. "Whoa, where are you going?"
Anakin frowned at him. "Am I not allowed to leave my bed?"
"Well…" Obi-Wan handed him the painkillers. "You can, but I'd prefer it if you took more time to rest."
Anakin sighed and got back in bed. He picked up the glass of water on his nightstand and swallowed the painkillers. Obi-Wan sat in Padmé's chair. Anakin fidgeted a bit, then asked, "Help me remember what happened yesterday."
"Do you remember Rex coming over?"
Anakin avoided his gaze. "Yes," he said quietly.
"Rex came to tell me he arrested Rush Clovis."
"Oh," Anakin said, then he smiled a little, "How embarrassing for him."
Obi-Wan hummed. "You and I ended up napping, and when I woke up, Cody was there."
Anakin's good-humored expression left.
"He handcuffed me to the table. You tried to stop him."
Anakin's eyes shined. "Did I stop him? Father, please tell me I stopped him."
Obi-Wan wanted to cry at the anguish in his voice. "Padmé did. Cody didn't get a confession from me, or anything else. But not before he gave you a concussion."
Anakin nodded in understanding.
"I'm sorry, Anakin."
Anakin looked at him in surprise, then took his hand and gave it a warm squeeze. "You are always telling me how I shouldn't blame myself for things that happen to us. Now you need to hear it yourself." Anakin pulled him closer and whispered, "It's not your fault, Father."
Obi-Wan felt so warm in his heart that he didn't know what to say. He kissed Anakin's forehead and decided to make breakfast. As he stood by the door, he asked, "Are you sure you aren't hungry?"
"I'm sure," Anakin said, a small smile on his face.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Obi-Wan promised.
"Okay."
Obi-Wan ate and went back upstairs, veering off to the bathroom when he remembered to change his bandage. He peeled it off in front of the mirror, pleased when the skin underneath didn't look too gruesome. He cleaned the wound carefully, disliking the tenderness of the surrounding skin, and secured a fresh bandage in place. He ran his fingers through his hair, finding the bump on the back of his head had gone down. He brushed his hair, and his teeth as a second thought, removing the stubborn smell of caf from his mouth before returning to Anakin's room.
It looked like Anakin had nodded off, but as soon as Obi-Wan walked in he opened his eyes and sat up in his bed again. "So," he started, "Are we doing anything today?"
"Just resting," Obi-Wan replied, taking his seat next to Anakin.
"We could watch a movie on your laptop," Anakin suggested.
"No, darling, you have to give your mind time to recover."
"What about one we've already seen?"
Obi-Wan shook his head.
Anakin bit his lip, thinking. "Can you read to me?"
"No."
"Can Elan come over?"
"No."
"Ahsoka?"
Obi-Wan answered "no" as Anakin huffed. After a few seconds, he said, "There must be something we can do while I'm confined to my bed." He fought the upward curl of his lips.
"You can sleep," Obi-Wan replied, "I will watch over you."
Anakin sighed with exaggerated melancholy. He lowered himself flat against the mattress and turned on his side, away from Obi-Wan, his hand balled up in the blankets. Obi-Wan resisted the urge to touch him. His hair just barely spilled off his head and onto his pillow, where the curls looked softer than feathers, and the blankets draped over Anakin's lower half only, his back facing Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan admired the slope of his shoulders. "I'm hot," Anakin groaned, interrupting Obi-Wan's observations.
Obi-Wan rose to his feet, saying, "I'll turn on the fan for you."
Anakin threw off the covers as Obi-Wan went to flip the switch, then stripped off his pants and belt and tunics, tossing all of yesterday's clothes on the floor by his bed. He decided that even his undershirt was too much. Obi-Wan turned around as Anakin was taking off the shirt and chastised, "Anakin!"
Anakin grinned in relief as cool air caressed his naked skin. "That's much better," he said, teasing, "I think I'd take off my underwear, too, if you weren't here."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and moved to sit beside him as he tried to keep himself from staring.
A couple minutes passed of Anakin lying on his bed nonchalantly and Obi-Wan pretending to nap. Anakin scratched an itch on his arm, and then his collarbone. Obi-Wan opened his eyes at the sound. "My skin is dry," Anakin told him, "Will you get me some lotion?"
"Of course." Obi-Wan went to the bathroom and returned with a scent he hoped Anakin would like. He started to hand the bottle to Anakin and the boy pushed it back into his hands. "Do it for me?" he asked.
"Anakin, you're fully capable of doing it yourself," Obi-Wan said, finding the idea way too tempting.
"But I'm supposed to rest, you said it yourself."
Obi-Wan looked into his blue eyes and surrendered. "Where do you want it?"
Anakin glanced at himself as if to determine what was necessary and then answered, "Everywhere."
Obi-Wan swallowed and said, "Alright," as if to assure himself that it was alright. He walked to the end of the bed and squirted some lotion into the palm of his hand and started with Anakin's feet. He worked the lotion into his skin, massaging the bottom of Anakin's foot every few seconds. Anakin tried with all his might not to be ticklish. Obi-Wan picked up his other foot, glancing briefly at Anakin's red face. Anakin couldn't take it anymore.
The air trapped inside Anakin's mouth came out in a funny, "Pffffffttt!" He burst into laughter, and Obi-Wan looked mad for a second before continuing his work on Anakin's foot. It was pure agony.
"I take it back!" Anakin shrieked, "Everywhere but the feet!"
Obi-Wan set his foot down and said, "You are so spoiled."
Anakin relaxed, his head rolling to the side to look at Obi-Wan. "And who is responsible for that?"
Obi-Wan squeezed more lotion out of the bottle and began rubbing it into Anakin's calf. "I am," he replied, sighing, though it sounded a little wistful. His hands slowed as he spoke to Anakin, fingers working the muscle. "When your mother and I had you, we promised to give you the best life possible. In Tatooine, that meant keeping everyone fed, and sheltered, and safe." Obi-Wan's hands migrated to Anakin's knee, and his lower thigh after. Anakin's heart beat a little faster in his chest. "It was simple," Obi-Wan said, running out of lotion to spread. He put more in his palm and rubbed it into Anakin's other leg, which Anakin extended for a moment, until Obi-Wan reached his knee, and when he set his foot against the mattress the leg of his boxers slipped down enough to make Anakin wonder if Obi-Wan would continue lotioning all the exposed skin or halt at a certain point. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan slowed his travel but didn't leave what was visible to him dry. Anakin wished his hand would slip under his boxers…
"In Naboo, I thought I could offer you more," he continued, moving to the side of the bed so he could massage Anakin's hand. "Beautiful green hills to play in. A city so serene that it blended in with the landscape. More water in a single lake than you'd ever seen in the desert." Anakin smiled at the memory as Obi-Wan smoothed lotion into his right arm, then his left. "I know all this moving has been hard for you. But after Ventress…"
"It wasn't the same," Anakin said for him.
Obi-Wan nodded sadly before drizzling more lotion on Anakin's stomach. Anakin shivered and protested, "That's cold!" and Obi-Wan laughed. "You asked for this," Obi-Wan reminded him. He laid his hand across Anakin's stomach gently and moved his hand in circles across the soft skin and said, "I was sure that moving here would be better." He smoothed his hand over Anakin's ribs. Anakin took a deep breath. "So naively sure," Obi-Wan went on, "I thought a small town buried in the woods couldn't hurt us." His fingers ghosted across Anakin's chest, just barely brushing against a nipple. "With this creaky old house and a motel where we could be nice hosts to nice people…" He pushed his thumbs into the muscle of Anakin's shoulders briefly before touching his collarbones with the pads of his fingers. Then he put his hand flat against Anakin's chest and slid it upwards until it was around Anakin's neck. Anakin tilted his head back slightly, watching Obi-Wan with wide eyes. His fingers moved up and down, careful not to grip too tightly, and his eyes seemed so intense Anakin thought he'd see right through him. Obi-Wan's brows furrowed as he squeezed with his thumb and two fingers on either side of his neck. "Are you alright, my darling?" he asked, now meeting Anakin's eyes, "Your pulse is so high."
Anakin rose up and grabbed Obi-Wan, swiftly pulling him down against him. He wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan's back, under his arms, so tight that Obi-Wan brought his legs up onto the bed to get more comfortable. Anakin wrapped his legs around him too. He buried his fingers in Obi-Wan's hair, met his eyes and murmured, "I just love you so much."
Obi-Wan brushed the hair out of Anakin's eyes and smiled. "I love you, too, Anakin."
Anakin's composure broke and he hugged Obi-Wan with his whole body.
"I'm not going anywhere," Obi-Wan soothed. He kissed Anakin's cheek, and Anakin loosened his grip enough for Obi-Wan to dip his head into the curve of Anakin's neck and send a series of bearded kisses to a single spot. Anakin giggled, then looked at Obi-Wan seriously as the man left his neck.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Anakin's gaze dropped to Obi-Wan's lips and he frowned as he looked away.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan called, his body warm against Anakin's. "I'd do anything for you."
"I know," bemoaned Anakin.
Obi-Wan slipped his arms around him. "Don't sound so sad," Obi-Wan told him, "It's a good thing."
Anakin's voice wavered. "Not when you're saying it to someone as awful as me."
Obi-Wan's lips parted and he begged, "Why would you say something like that?"
"I can't control my thoughts," Anakin cried.
Obi-Wan freed one arm to sweep his fingers across Anakin's cheek and along his jaw in an echoing motion. "Are you having bad thoughts?"
Anakin's lips quivered and he said, "No, no, not like that."
"Are you sure you aren't depressed?" Obi-Wan asked softly. "You cry so often, and I don't mean for you to hide your feelings, but I wonder sometimes if there's something more to it." Anakin shook his head, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Okay," Obi-Wan said hesitantly, "What thoughts are you having?"
"Thoughts about you," he blubbered.
"Me?" Obi-Wan questioned. "What about me?"
Anakin didn't know how to tell him. He ran his fingers along Obi-Wan's shoulders. "I had this dream… about being with you…"
Obi-Wan remembered.
"And now I think about you more and more." He let go of Obi-Wan and covered his face, tears slipping past his closed eyes. "I'm so awful, you must hate me!"
Obi-Wan sat up and pulled Anakin's hands away from his eyes, then pulled him into his arms. Anakin pushed him away but Obi-Wan held him steadfast. "Listen to me, Anakin," Obi-Wan said firmly, "You are not attracted to me."
"I just told you—"
"No, listen. You're not awful, and I don't hate you. This is completely normal."
"W-what?"
"You're getting older, and you're developing sexually. It can be confusing. You're just confused."
"Father—"
"Remember when you told me you liked boys?"
Anakin took a breath. "Boys and girls," he mumbled.
"See?" Obi-Wan gazed at him steadily, not disgusted or angry, the opposite of how Anakin imagined he would be. Obi-Wan said, "We understand ourselves better over time. You and I are only human—instinctual in some ways. So you might notice my body from time to time. It doesn't make you bad, or sick."
"It doesn't?"
"No! I'm telling you, people mostly dream about being with their parents, their masters, their friends. It doesn't make sense, it's just how we are."
Anakin wiped his eyes, and Obi-Wan smiled at him. "It's all a matter of choice, Anakin. Whatever crazy impulses you have, and believe me, I have them too—you can just look right at them and say, that's stupid!"
Anakin laughed.
Obi-Wan hugged him, saying, "You have nothing to worry about. And you can come to me with questions, even if it seems awkward."
Anakin laughed again, the sound slightly choked as he visualized asking him every odd thing that had come to mind.
"Please, go easy on yourself," Obi-Wan advised, "You've just had a head injury."
"I'll try," Anakin replied, leaning in to Obi-Wan. The warmth of his body and the rumble of his voice had made Anakin feel comfortable again. Obi-Wan just held him close.
"I think my head hurts again," Anakin said.
"Rest," Obi-Wan said, and let go of him. "You'll feel better." Anakin lied down as Obi-Wan gathered the blankets Anakin had thrown aside. He tucked them in around Anakin and noticed that the boy's eyes were already closed. His eyelashes looked even softer than his hair.
"Sweet dreams," Obi-Wan whispered, wearing the look of a man carrying the knowledge of his certain doom.