Anakin was programming in a landing sequence when he felt the disturbance. It was a few hours before he was going to land but, as he had nothing else to do, he figured he would go to work on it anyway. It would only take a few minutes, so he amused himself by figuring out what the precise combination was to get the landing to be as quick and smooth as possible. He was reaching for the toolbox for a hydrospanner when he suddenly found his heart racing. His heart was beating faster and faster, his vision started fading, and his breathes started coming in short pants. No matter how he tried, he could not calm his heart rate or breathing. Before he knew it, he found himself sliding to the floor, his vision going completely black.

He pulled himself up a few seconds later – it couldn't have been that long, the ship had not even logged their new course – and couldn't remember why he had blacked out. It was as if he had awoken from a dream, waking up so suddenly that the dream just vanished. He sat on the floor for a few minutes in a daze and slowly bits and pieces started coming back to him. He had seen Obi-Wan, sleeping in his quarters. Obi-Wan did not move or show any signs of distress, but Anakin had an overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. The room seemed too peaceful. Too perfect and at ease. There didn't seem to be anything out of place, but he couldn't shake that feeling that nagging feeling of something about to happen.

Anakin, for all his determination to be the one to carry out the mission, made his decision in a few seconds. He was immediately up in the pilot's chair, punching in coordinates to take him back to Courscant. He only hoped that he would be in range of the Temple, or be arriving at the Temple, in time to stop whatever he was sensing. Maybe it was nothing. But he couldn't risk taking that chance.

Even by tinkering with the ship's engine (a very risky move for any skilled mechanic, even Anakin Skywalker) the soonest he could arrive on Courscant was three days. He would be in commlink range by the second. In the meantime, the blackouts and nightmares still plagued him. He just wished that they revealed more. The dreams about his mother had been specific. He knew she had been in pain. He knew she was dying. But in the dreams, Obi-Wan appeared fine. He wasn't dying, he wasn't screaming in pain…so why was he having the dreams? He was much to far away to be picking up on Obi-Wan's thoughts, particularly as their bond was dissolved.

As soon as he was in communication range, he contacted the Temple. Mace Windu was less than please.

"Skywalker, have you completed your mission so soon?"

"No, Master. I sensed something was wrong with Obi-Wan."

"Mind your feelings. He is safe in Jedi care, Anakin. We would all sense a danger. No one will be able to enter the Temple without us sensing it. You are letting your feelings control you."

"Yes, Master, but…"

Mace Windu sighed. "A Jedi team will be sent in your place, Skywalker. I will see if Master Eerin and Master Muld are available."

"Thank you, Master Windu. May the Force be with you."

He turned of the commlink.

To Anakin's dismay, he was delayed getting back to Courscant. A gang of pirates had decided to make a stand that stretched for several miles. While Anakin could sense them, he had to plot a course to avoid them. He had not the time nor firepower to win that battle. The distraction cost him almost a full day's time, during which the Force was practically screaming: death and danger. In his dreams, he started to desperately scan around the room. It was the middle of the night, yet some mysterious light was allowing him to see. But nothing was out of place! There was no one in the windows, or by the door, no weapons or creatures crawling around! So why was the Force screaming so desperately at him?

His ship had barely brushed against the surface of the landing platform and Anakin was already leaping out of the cockpit, tearing towards the Jedi Temple. No matter what Mace Windu or any of the other Jedi said, something was not right. They might be confident in their ability to sense direct threats to the Temple, but no one had a closer connection to Obi-Wan. If someone even dared threaten Obi-Wan, Anakin would most likely sense it.

He was tearing through the halls of the Temple. Why were none of the other Jedi awake? Could they not feel what Anakin was sensing? He got to Obi-Wan's quarters and didn't even bother with trying to guess the passcode. His lightsaber made short work of the lock. It look him only a few seconds to understand what his dream meant. Fumbling with his belt, he slipped a breather into his mouth. Obi-Wan's room was being flooded with gas. Obi-Wan was still sleeping peacefully on the bed. With no Force to warn him of the danger…but why couldn't he smell it? The room was filled with the noxious fumes, so powerful it was making Anakin's eyes water. Unless Obi-Wan had lost his sense of smell and hadn't told Anakin….. So with no Force and and having no ability to smell the lethal gasses slowly killing him, he slept on. He was at least still alive – although Anakin had no idea how long he had been exposed to this gas.

Anakin hurriedly picked up Obi-Wan, noting with worry that Obi-Wan did not wake up. Anakin took the breather out of his mouth and slipped it into Obi-Wan's. As soon as they were a good distance from the room, Anakin, choking and gasping for air, pulled out his commlink. It was very difficult not to give Mace Windu a smug, "I told you so." The majority of the Jedi Council was at Obi-Wan's room in minutes. Anakin gave them a very snappy, annoyed brief of what happened and then told them stiffly he was taking Obi-Wan to his own quarters. No one argued with him, not while he was so protectively clutching Obi-Wan in his arms, fiercely guarding him while looking so concerned for him. They were also too focused on who had tried to poison one of their Jedi and how they managed to do so.

By the time Anakin had carried Obi-Wan back to his own quarters, Obi-Wan was awake, if not a bit groggy from sleep.

"Anakin – what? You're supposed to – why are you…?"

Anakin kissed his forehead. "Shhh. I came back. I'm needed here with you, Obi-Wan. I shouldn't have left you. Bant and Garen are going to continue the mission."

"But why – what happened?"

"You – someone tried to kill you, Obi-Wan. They must have known you wouldn't be able to smell or sense the gas and the others wouldn't sense it until it was too late."

"Anakin, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. My pride in the way again. I thought it was an insignificant sense. Clearly I was mistaken. But how did you know to return?"

"I had another vision. Besides, you know I won't let anything happen to you."

"I – Anakin – I – thank you. I know…I don't want to burden you or – or – I don't want to be useless." He felt worthless. He would have laid in bed as he was slowly killed. He knew there was no way he could have avoided it, but all the same. It made him feel so…un-Jedi like. So…beneath the great Hero with No Fear.

Anakin slipped out of his boots and outermost layers of his tunic. He slid into bed next to Obi-Wan, who gladly pressed his back against Anakin's chest, allowing himself to be enfolded in Anakin's arms.

"I'm here for you, Obi-Wan. I'm not going to leave. I'm – I'm sorry I left you to begin with. I should have let another Jedi team take the mission from the start. I wanted to help you the best I could and I just thought that was the best way. I didn't want you to feel like I was your babysitter. I guess I realized you never thought that – you would have just liked the company."

Anakin waited for a response. There was nothing but the gentle breathing and occasional snore. Obi-Wan, at least for now, was finally relaxed, all troubled thoughts in his mind vanished. But while Obi-Wan may be at peace, Anakin was left awake with one trouble thought. The Force, his smell, his ability to taste - those were all gone. Time was running out.

A/N: Abigail, Jenna Zan Arbor is real. I messed around with the timeline a little bit because I don't know where she was or what she was doing between AOTC and ROTS, but she was featured in a few of the younger children's novels, which were really quite good. I would recommend reading them.

Next chapter Obi-Wan loses his voice. :(

GreySilhouette and Abigail, as always, thank you for the reviews! I love hearing your opinions!

So, I started the next chapter in a completely different route, but: Abigail, I hope you don't mind me completely taking your idea for the next chapter. I read your review and I thought it was just fabulous and sweet and romantic and I really wanted to add it to the story. Hope you don't mind! So it might take me an extra day to update it because I have to rewrite!