Chapter 2: Schism


The night before had been calm and uneventful for Obi-Wan as he kept his word to take full responsibility of keeping watch on the senator while Anakin slept. Padme came to greet both of her protectors as she crept from the comfort of her room, dressed in a lavish nightgown.

Master Kenobi, being attuned to Anakin's presence for so long, could sense the younger man starting to awaken. He looked down and seen Anakin's weight shifting on the sofa. A pleased smile came to his lips upon noticing that his Padawan's eyes had fluttered open.

"Is it morning already?" groaned the younger man as he rubbed his heavy eyes.

"Yes it is, Anakin. How did you sleep?" Kenobi replied.

Anakin snuggled against Obi-Wan's waist and hummed in his throat. "Well. Thank you Master. No nightmares." He smiled and propped himself on his elbows to kiss Obi-Wan's chin when he noticed Padme sitting on the other side of the sofa, with a pleased look on her face. Anakin immediately backed off and came to sit up, feeling somewhat crunched in between Obi-Wan and Padme.

"Morning Ani." she smiled.

"Good morning, Padme." he replied, stifling a yawn. Anakin shifted his legs from off of Padme's lap and came to plant his feet on the floor as his body leaned back into the sofa. It was then, as he stretched himself out, that Obi-Wan excused himself from the couch, roused by the sudden vibration at his waist.

Anakin, concerned, hurried to his feet. "Master, where are you going?"

"My apologies, Anakin – but I must take this." Obi-Wan replied while reaching into one of the pouches on his belt for his comlink. His eyes met Padme's before he excused himself from the living room.

Just outside of Padme's residence, Obi-Wan kept his voice low as he answered the transmission. It was from Master Windu. " The Council wishes to speak with you and Knight Skywalker immediately. There's been a development regarding the assassination attempt on Senator Amidala."

Obi-Wan nodded, his free hand pensively stroking his beard. "Yes, Master. I will be there immediately; Anakin is currently busy protecting the senator."

"Very well. And Master Kenobi, you would wise to remind young Skywalker that he is not to leave his post until further notice. No exceptions."

"Yes, Master. Kenobi out." Obi-Wan replied, but even he wasn't convinced that Anakin wouldn't try to do something reckless while he kept watch over the Nabooian senator. A vague smile curved the Jedi Master's lips at the thought. Anything less, he mused to himself while stuffing his comlink back into a pouch, wouldn't be Anakin.

Obi-Wan returned with his hands tucked into the baggy sleeves of his cloak and stepped forward, looking rather stoic. Anakin was sitting on the couch, but Padme was no where to be found.

Anakin stood again; he was standing in front of his Master in no less than three great strides. Obi-Wan pulled him aside. "Anakin. Where is Senator Amidala? Something has come up."

"She's retreated to her quarters, Master. Something?" Anakin asked, feeling dumbfounded and confused.

His confusion seemed to rouse a smile from Obi-Wan. "Yes, Anakin. I am needed at the Council. Something has come up regarding her assassin. You will serve as Padme's escort for the time being; I will take care of the investigation. You are not to leave your post under any circumstance, understand?"

Anakin merely nodded. "Yes, Master."

And so it was decided, just like that. The swift turn of events had boggled Anakin's mind. Instead of accompanying his Master in the investigation like he planned, he was now assigned to being Padme's escort around the city. It was enough to make him protest. And he would have done so, if not for his determination to not let down his Master. He craved so much more than this. He craved the thrill of a mission, and the testing of his skills. But most of all, he craved the familiar company of his Master. But now, they would be apart. If only Anakin had a way to slow or even stop time from flowing. That way, he would never have to be away from his Master.

As he prepared to leave Padme's residence for the Temple, Obi-Wan felt the familiar tug of Anakin's hand against his robes, pulling at him.

"Please Master...don't go." he said with a pained look in his eyes. He felt like a child again, leaving the side of his mother for the first time. And while her words of urging her son to be brave had helped in the past, they were all but silent now. Anakin felt vulnerable. But he didn't care if Padme was only a few steps away behind closed doors. All his pain and fear held behind his grip on Obi-Wan's cloak.

"I will return, Anakin. I promise." he whispered and nearly kissed his former apprentice on the lips before restraining himself. Anakin nodded and took a few steps back to watch his Master turn his back to him and make his way to the door.

Within moments, Obi-Wan was no more.


Obi-Wan had been gone for nearly half the day already. Most likely, he was already to Naboo and meeting with the Queen about Padme's assassin by now. Or, Anakin could only hope his Master's trip had gone that smoothly. Though, he knew he could never confide in Padme about how much Kenobi meant to him, how much he was worrying about his safety. Their bond had became more than just Master and Apprentice. It ran much deeper than that and while Anakin didn't notice it earlier, having been in the company of Obi-Wan, right now he wished he would have been aware of the bond they shared. Padme could never understand such complex matters, even if she was an intelligent soul.

"Are you okay, Anakin?" asked Padme as they sat quietly in her apartment watching the flow of Coruscanti traffic outside.

Skywalker stood to rid himself of his cloak and sat back down. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. So...what's been happening with you since we seen each other last? With the way the war has been going, I can probably guess." Anakin asked, attempting to remain nonchalant. He shook his head with embarrassment. He never thought of himself to be a captivating conversationalist. In fact, when it came down to it, he was quite shy and let his Master do most of the talking – there was a reason why Obi-Wan was known as The Negotiator and he The Hero With No Fear.

"Well, after the unification of my people and the Gungans, my second term as Queen came to an end; I'd served the maximum number of terms. After that, I decided to serve as a representative for my people. The Galactic Senate seemed like the best place to do that; I've served in the senate for five years now."

Anakin smiled faintly in an attempt to look interested, but his mind was in another dimension, one where he and Obi-Wan could be together without having to worry about violating the Jedi Code.

"Anakin?" he heard Padme ask on the fringe of his consciousness. "Anakin, are you all right?"

The Jedi Knight snapped out of his trance, looking confused. "Huh?"

Padme placed a concerned hand on the sleeve of his tunic. "Are you all right?" she repeated.

Anakin straightened himself out. "Yes. I'm fine." he feigned, clearing his throat. "Please, continue."

They talked for the next several hours before Padme was called back for another meeting with Chancellor Palpatine; Anakin welcomed the respite and returned to the Jedi Temple. He sat alone in his quarters, meditating, trying to reach his Master for some comfort. Talking with Obi-Wan would ease his pain, it always did. At least that was one thing he could trust in. With the Force humming around him, Anakin felt the presence of his Master, reaching out to him from Naboo.

/Anakin...you are not well?/

"No, Master. Your absence has left a painful scar on my heart. I...I miss you."

Then, as if Obi-Wan was sitting right next to him, Anakin felt warm suddenly, wrapped in something strong and unyielding. /Do not worry, my Ani. I am with you. Can you feel it?/ Obi-Wan asked, the sheer tone of his voice warming Anakin to the bone.

"I can. Master...don't go. Stay with me a little longer," pleaded the younger man as he tried to reach out and hold Obi-Wan in his arms as they linger there within the dimension of their Bond. His head suddenly felt weighed down with the gentle pressing of a phantom touch against his hair.

/I will never be very far away from you, dear one. We are bonded by the Force./

Anakin fell asleep some moments later.


He found himself in a different room a few hours later. Night had fallen over the planet-wide city, many lights filling the sky like stars. Anakin sat up and shook his head of its fog. He allowed his eyes to adjust accordingly to the darkness around him, but didn't proceed to move from the bunk he was on. What happened? Was he truly awake? Dreaming? And where was Obi-Wan? I hope he's all right..., Anakin thought to himself as he felt his bare feet touch the floor.

"I am..." said an accented voice from the infinite darkness. Anakin tried to squint for a clear view of whatever was replying to him, but the room's perpetual darkness kept him from doing so.

The Knight's heartbeat quickened as he became a little uneasy. "Who's there?" he called to the darkness.

The darkness suddenly shifted and looked to be stepping forward.

"Search your feelings..." said the wraith.

Anakin closed his eyes, his intuition guiding him. Then, as he came to open his eyes, "Obi-Wan..." he said, breathless. The room suddenly lit up. Obi-Wan was standing directly in front of his former Padawan, looking down upon him.

"I've returned, my Ani." said Anakin's former Master as he came to sit next to him on his bunk. Anakin, overcome with emotion, engulfed Obi- Wan's lips in heated pleasure, soon feeling the warmth and comfort of his Master's hands upon his chest.

Obi-Wan allowed his actions to speak for him, his lips and tongue licking and nibbling at Anakin's ear. Then, his hands found their way underneath the many layers of Anakin's thick robes until feeling nothing but the smoothness of his chest beneath his fingertips. Skywalker purred with urgency, and eclipsed his Master's hand with the cold metallic fingers of his mechno-hand. Together, they traced along the fine contours of Anakin's chest while Obi-Wan's other hand had began pealing away the many layers of fabric covering his lover's toned body. Then, he allowed his tongue to lap at one side of Anakin's strong neck all the way down to his collar bone, grazing with his teeth. Anakin hissed through his clenched teeth, his hips involuntarily buckling, blood pounding in his ears.

"Obi-Wan...Master, please..." he whispered, feeling his throat constrict. Kenobi laid him down on his bunk, having removed his leather tabard and dark brown robes. He was getting closer to the core in which he wanted to taste... Likewise, Anakin also managed to remove some of his Master's robes, inching closer to his flesh. Intensely, they ceased the moving of their hands and gazed into each others eyes...

It was all a dream... Nothing but a fantasy his mind had conjured up in order to quiet his pain. Anakin awoke to find himself alone, a prisoner of the darkness. The sun was setting and with it, his dreams of Obi-Wan. But it felt so real, Anakin told himself as he came to sit up on his bed. Master...you were here. I felt you. Surely I cannot be wrong...or can I? Anakin searched his mind and his feelings for the answer. But with his mind clouded and unable to clear itself of the fog, he could not see clearly and came up with no answers to his question.

He closed his eyes for a moment as he stood by his window, a painted canvas of lights and the warmth of the setting sun in front of him. Calm, beautiful silence. How it eased him so. Had he been dreaming? Was it a vision of things to come? Or, perhaps it was merely a stimulant for the pain that ached within him. He could never remember having never been apart from his Master; and the few times he was, Obi-Wan stayed in contact with him through comm link. Now, however, Kenobi was nowhere to be found. And Anakin could only hope that all was well. Sighing, the younger man turned his back to the window, unsure of what to do next.

It's funny how time changes people. I can remember when you first took me on as your Padawan. The first time you braided my hair - my Padawan braid was so short, that you cut off yours and tied half of it to my braid, making it look longer and not so pitiful looking. Anakin heard himself laugh as he recalled the fond memory. `It will grow in time, Anakin.' You said that to me after I asked about it and looked at myself in the mirror. I can remember not wanting to wait for it to grow. I wanted one just like yours...

`You will have one in time, my Padawan. Until then, the modification will do just fine.' You were good at verbally calming my impatience. You reminded me of Qui-Gon and deep down inside - though you would never tell me outright - I think you wanted to make him proud and train me just as good as he trained you...

Anakin continued his walk from his quarters toward the Temple's meditation chambers, continuing to reflect on the early days when he was a mere child.

I can remember when I had to build my own lightsaber. I was fourteen. And you were feeling more and more like the father I never had. When I returned from the Ilum trial with the crystals needed for my saber, and successfully built it, I never seen you so proud of me in your life. I'll never forget that look of fatherly pride you had on your face. That's when my opinions about your demeanor began to change. You seemed so serious all the time, so focused on the moment. But after that day, you seemed to open up to me and become more than just my Master. You were becoming an object of my affection...

Anakin suddenly stopped a few feet short of the meditation chamber doorway, and turned his head toward the darkening horizon and noticed how the rising moon and sky seemed to be in perfect balance with one another.

I can say that now. But back then, I didn't have a clue about the strange feelings that would flicker in my heart from time to time. But now that I'm older, I understand what those feelings meant and why they came out of nowhere. I understand it now. It's because I love you, and not just in a familiar way, but a romantic one. And if the Council were to find out about this we would surely be separated forever. But I cannot hide my feelings anymore. Master, I love you and will risk it all to be with you...

Anakin returned his attention to the double doors in front of him and walked inside of the meditation chamber, a garden-like place filled with waterfalls and fountains and flowers. Obi-Wan knew how much Anakin loved them so. And one day, he'd once proclaimed, he would take Anakin to a place where only the bluest, clearest of waterfalls and the most elegant of flowers caressed the earth and converged to create a paradise unlike any he'd ever seen before. But it seemed like some far off dawn, a sliver of a future that was still uncertain. But it was enough to keep the young man running. Anakin sat on a flat rock surrounded by a bed of purple flowers, cross-legged, and began to meditate.

/Anakin...I love you./ said a voice through the Force.

/Master?/

/I heard everything you said. Do forgive me for intruding but I overheard your thoughts while I was trying to contact you. Hope you don't mind./

Anakin smiled despite his focus. /I can't keep anything hidden from you can I? Always on the prowl./

/Anakin...just because I'm not there with you in person, doesn't mean I'm not there. I can feel you. And I am there with you. All you have to do is quiet your mind and you'll find me...waiting for you./

It was much easier said than done. Anakin scoffed a little, wishing that were so. /But how can I quiet my mind, knowing that there is so much division inside of me, Master? I love you, yet I can't help but feel as if I'm turning my back on the Order in the process./

/You must let go of your divisions, Anakin, and focus on the moment. If our love is the will of the Force, we will have nothing to fear – the Council cannot deny the will of the Force. All they can do is accept it./

/The Council doesn't trust me, Master – has never trusted me – I fear they will use that against me - against us – regardless if our love is the will of the Force or not./

/Then I will leave with you, Anakin. You are far more precious to me than any single entity or cause. And if the Council refuses to see the good in you, then perhaps you and I are fighting for the wrong entity./

Suddenly, Anakin felt a brief puff of wind tussle his braid and then, a feeling of lips pressed against his cheek, and moving towards his lips. /Master...don't go. I need you./ he breathed, feeling his body tingling. His lips were then claimed in a phantom kiss - a kiss from his Master.

/I must, my Ani. I will return to you, I promise./

And soon afterward, Obi-Wan's presence was no longer felt by Anakin. He was alone again. Just him and the void that threatened to swallow him whole.

Brushing himself off, the conflicted Jedi Knight came to stand, his hands clenching into tight fists. Quickly, he ran down what seemed like an endless corridor of the Temple, not having a pre-determined course set in his mind. He would let his feelings and the Force guide him.

The Force would bring he and Obi-Wan together.