A/N: Good evening!

With a long delay, I've finally arrived with the next instalment of "Underneath". Unfortunately, I won't be able to update soon – I'm having exams, and my writing time is cut practically to null. But I won't abandon this story, I promise!

Another bad news – this chapter hasn't been beta-read yet – apparently, my wonderful beta Ani-maniac494 is having some troubles, and she hasn't sent ne the chapters back yet. I'll post the beta-ed version of the chapter as soon as Maniac sends it back to me. 

Enjoy!

Chapter One

He is me

It was pitch dark; only lights of occasional speeders and neon glows of the night city lit the apartment. On shaking feet, Obi-Wan got up and headed to a mirror. He couldn't believe in what had happened, he refused to believe in it…

A young man with dishevelled blonde hair stared at him bewilderedly, his brilliant blue eyes widened in silent shock. Obi-Wan was looking at Anakin.

He was Anakin.

The complete stillness ruled over the room, and Obi-Wan could hear his heart – Anakin's heart – pounding wildly in his chest. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, he fell on his knees, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. A hazy reflection of his brother stared at him from the mirror – the one of a young and healthy man.

Nothing had happened yet.

He hadn't asked Anakin to betray his "friend" yet.

Padmé was still alive, smiling peacefully in her sleep.

Darth Vader didn't exist yet.

He hadn't left his brother burn to death yet …

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. The air smelled fresh and alive. The was no sand, no choking darkness, no voices screaming in pain, no phantom whispers of passed Jedi…He felt the Force embracing him in a familiar gentle manner, but the connection was much intenser than before. It was as if he were a tiny glowing particle carried by the magnificent stream. He could hear whispers of the wind, listen to the rustling of the leaves in the forest far away, he could see the world around him shimmering in all colours of the rainbow.

He was in Chosen One's body, and he wasn't merely a Force-sensitive being, he was a part of the Force…

A gentle stirring caught his attention.

Padmé.

Obi-Wan wasn't ready yet to face her, nor could he act like Anakin in front of her. What if she … wanted to kiss him?

Feeling slight panic overtaking him at this thought, Obi-Wan hurried to pick up parts of Anakin's clothing, scattered all over the floor.

He needed to find Anakin, and he had a very shrewd idea where he could be.

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Obi-Wan entered the code into his quarters in the Jedi Temple. Immediately, the door moved aside, inviting him in. The last time was in his quarters had been right before his Utapau mission, when he had talked to Anakin for the last time…If he had only known then-

Obi-Wan shook his head, brushing the sad thoughts off, and stepped over the threshold.

Anakin lay sprawled on the bed, his eyes shut tightly, his lips muttering something Obi-Wan couldn't comprehend. Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan approached, feeling of guilt twisting his stomach as images of his brother's hatred-filled eyes pierced his mind. Would Anakin want to avenge him after what had happened between them?

"Anakin," Obi-Wan called softly, shaking his shoulder. It was strange seeing himself from the side.

Anakin didn't show any reaction, but his muttering intensified. Obi-Wan leaned closer, and tried again. Something was wrong…

"Anakin, wake up!"

The bearded man turned aside, and, pulling the pillow over his head, continued muttering something that sounded like I'm dreaming, this is a nightmare, this is only a nightmare…

Maybe, it was only a dream. Maybe, he would wake up and find himself in his dusty hut again.

With a sigh, Obi-Wan yanked the pillow away from his grip and made Anakin – himself – look at him. His eyelids were closed tightly, something that both relieved and scared Obi-Wan. What was hiding behind those closed eyes? Was it venomous yellow, full of inhuman hatred – the gaze would haunt Obi-Wan for the rest of his life?

"This is not a nightmare," he said firmly. "Anakin, we need to talk."

But what did they have to talk about? What would he say to his friend? He couldn't merely say something like: "Anakin, I'm sorry for mutilating you and hiding your children from you. It was for your best."

The closed eyes flattered open, and familiar grey eyes stared in him in shock. Grey, not yellow…

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin choked out, scratching his chin and dishevelling the beard.

Involuntarily, Obi-Wan cringed and gripped him by the arms, taking them away from the beard. "Yes, this is me," he said quietly.

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin repeated incredulously, his eyes flaring up with anger. Was it because he remembered? Because he hated him now? He had a good reason for it…

"Anakin, do you rem-"

"Obi-Wan, get out of my body!" Anakin barked loudly.

Slightly stunned, Obi-Wan stared blankly at him. A random thought that his beard needed combing crossed his mind. "What?" he asked, taken aback.

"Get out of my body," Anakin repeated slowly, his face swelling with anger.

Obi-Wan chuckled unhappily. "I'd love to," he said truthfully. "But I don't know how."

Anakin took a deep, calming breath and rested his face in his hands. "I'm sorry, Master," he said in a steadier voice. "Of course, it's not your doing."

Master…Anakin called him Master…

"Anakin, what do you remember?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice trembling.

Anakin shrugged. "Not much," he said off-handily. "I had a weird nightmare, then I woke up like this."

Doesn't he remember?

"What kind of nightmare?" Obi-Wan breathed out, a tiny flicker of hope blossoming in his heart.

"There are just incoherent flashes of it," Anakin said vaguely. "A horrible black-suited man, more machine than a man. A feeling of cold that crept under my skin, into the bones…"

He shuddered and run his hands through his hair. "It's good that it was only a dream."

No, Anakin, it wasn't a dream, Obi-Wan thought sadly. You saw your future.

"Sometimes, dreams can be only dreams," Obi-Wan said, toying with the blanket absent-mindedly with his right hand. It didn't obey him as a real hand would have.

Grey eyes glittered oddly, but no reply came.

"What should we do about our situation?" Anakin asked quietly. "As far as I know, nothing similar had ever happened yet. The Council would start investigating it, and they might take us into custody-"

His voice trailed away, and he looked aside. Obi-Wan sensed waves of cold fear emanating from him through the Force. What did Anakin fear so much? It wasn't a custody interrogation; it was something much bigger he was afraid of…

"I think we should pretend being each other for a while until we're able to switch back," Obi-Wan suggested. He was also worried what the Council's reaction would be if they found out that Anakin would become a Sith and slaughter nearly the whole Order. They might do something that would push Anakin to that path again. Obi-Wan couldn't let it happen, simply because he couldn't lose Anakin two times in a row.

"Today you'll join the Council, Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said, corners of his mouth twitching in a smile.

"Are you proud of your former apprentice, Master Kenobi?" Obi-Wan asked apprehensively, the pained look on Anakin's face after he had been asked to spy on Palpatine, swimming in his mind.

Anakin's gaze was opaque. "Are you proud of yourself, Knight Skywalker?"

Obi-Wan averted his eyes. Heavy, uncomfortable silence hung between them. It was so still that Obi-Wan could hear the noises of the complicated mechanisms of the prosthesis. The arm felt so heavy, so foreign, so … hostile. And he condemned Anakin to living for the rest of his life in that horrible suit, with no flesh limbs… It was not living, it was existing. Whose life was more broken after Mustafar? Obi-Wan had lost only his sanity, but Anakin had lost everything – his love, his child, his body and his soul. And it was his fault.

"Padmé must know," a quiet voice pierced through the silence.

"Why?" Obi-Wan asked evenly, probing the ground. "You're just acquaintances. Why should she know?"

Will he tell me?

Anakin threw him a dirty look. "You woke up next to her. You should have figured out that we are more than just friends."

Obi-Wan kept silent.

"Padmé is my wife," Anakin said coolly. "We have been married for three years. And now she's pregnant with my child."

Wife? Obi-Wan drew a ragged breath, rubbing his face with his gloved hand. Anakin was married. He had always known that there was more to Anakin's and Padmé's relationship than met the eye, and her pregnancy was a proof. Waking up next to her only hours ago was another insight into their relationship, a more vivid one than Obi-Wan would have wanted. But he could have never expected that the two of them were involved so seriously. Marriage was a sacred bond; it was a tie that connected two people for all eternity, something that went against all principles of the Code.

Anakin is a married man. It seemed only months ago when a little boy with curious blue eyes came running into his apartment because he had seen rain for the first time. Obi-Wan still remembered the little boy who gazed awe-struck at the magnificent halls of the Jedi Temple. Where was this boy now? He grew up, lost his innocence and died…

"I wouldn't be too happy if you acted in front of her as though you were me," Anakin continued.

"Wouldn't want to," Obi-Wan muttered vaguely, snapping to the present.

The sky outside started to colour in streaks of pale blue, and the first shy sun rays came out. The morning has come, and the beginning of their troubles with it.

"We have to get ready for the meeting," Obi-Wan said earnestly, springing to his feet. Despite the dire situation, he felt his body surging with adrenaline so violently that Obi-Wan was afraid that he would burst.

Grudgingly, Anakin climbed out of the bed, holding his back – a gesture Obi-Wan was too familiar with.

"Getting old, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked gleefully, thinking of all times when Anakin teased him about his age.

"Just wait till I get my body back," Anakin grumbled darkly, glancing up at him.

Obi-Wan sniggered softly and patted Anakin on his head. It felt good be finally able to look down at his former Padawan, even if they had to switch bodies for it.

"Just wait," Anakin repeated menacingly, sending a famous Skywalker threatening glare at him. It didn't work in his new body.

"Get ready for the session," Obi-Wan said cheerfully, heading for the exit. Anakin scowled at him, but went to the drawer.

A warm, long-forgotten feeling spread in Obi-Wan. It was not often that Obi-Wan won a teasing match against his former Padawan, and days spent at Tatooine made the distant memories turn into transparent dreams. Then a thought crossed his mind, making him freeze at the spot with panic.

"Anakin, please…don't shave off the beard," Obi-Wan muttered, already at the door step.

A familiar bubbling laughter was the only response to his request. Obi-Wan had a very bad feeling about it…