Obi Wan Kenobi sat in his room there at the Jedi Temple doing as promised and writing the pledge letter for his Padawan learner. He had become impressed by the young man, and so had the council - the same council that notoriously rejected him upon their first meeting. But even they had to admit that Anakin had not only shown himself to be a fine peacemaker, in being so patient there on Jalane, but also a fine warrior.

Emotionally, the young man also seemed to have matured - in ending his affair with Senator Amidala for the good of everyone. His sacrifice may not have seemed like much, but Obi Wan understood why it was a big deal.

Suddenly, a presence in the doorway brought him from his thoughts. The Jedi Master knew who it was before he had even turned to look at him. But there was an upset fluttering of nervousness that churched his stomach...

Anakin rocked on his heels, eyes blazing. "I need to speak to you, Master." Again, it was his Jedi training that kept the thread restraint intact.

The young man looked tired -- no, angrier than he had ever seen him. Obi Wan stood, a look of worry on his face. "Sure, Anakin, what do you wish to talk about?"

"Not here," Anakin said.

"Why not here?"

"I will talk to you, but outside of the Temple, Master!" His voice rose to a shout. And his words sounded more like a demand than it did a request. Obi-Wan, who wore only his pants and shirt, slipped into his tunic. WIthout turning around, he muttered. "I'll meet you in the temple orchard - by the gazebo."

Without bothering to reply, Anakin was already on his way. Traces of the darkside were left near the door where Anakin stood. In almost what appeared to be an after thought, Obi Wan grabbed his light saber and clipped it to his belt.

Anakin was brooding again. He paced around a bollop tree in deep thought about Obi Wan's reaction to his demand to meet privately. As though he were so innocent! All that talk about them being brothers were lies. More lies... both he and Padme should suffer. But he would decide her fate later, depending on what Obi Wan told him.

The Jedi Master approached... a serene look on his face. He then looked around, to see if anyone was watching.

"You wanted to meet privately... it something wrong?"

"You know exactly why I asked you to come here," Anakin barked.

"Anakin..." Obi Wan said in a pleading voice. "The last I spoke with you, we parted as friends... as brothers. Not as master and apprentice. What changed?"

"You!"

"Me?"

Anakin unclipped his lightsaber and a long blue beam materialized. The placid look on the master's face turned to one of confusion. "Anakin... what's gotten to you?"

The padawan raced toward his master and hard black boot was introduced to face. Obi Wan landed flat on his rear end and skidded across the grass. He leapt to his feet and shot Anakin a look.

"You're must be possessed by the darkside-- Anakin, talk to me!"

The Jedi Master ignited his light saber - and without a moment to collect himself, he saw that the young man was already charging.

"You're the one who is on the darkside!" Anakin accused.

Anakin swiped at the Jedi Master who deflected the parry with a blow of his own followed by a back hand to his face. A splattering of blood flew out of Anakin's nose.

"You really want to do this?" Obi Wan asked. He raised a hand in the air in a gesture of defeat. "Anakin, I care about you. I don't want to fight."

The padawan charged again, a series of swings attacking, forcing Obi Wan to circle a tree as he deflected the parries. Anakin swung but Obi Wan ducked. The lightsaber cut right through the bark of the tree. The ancient Temple's bollop tree fell sideways then smashed into the ground.

Enough was enough! Obi Wan decided. Anakin swung again, and Obi Wan evaded the swing, and returned one of his own. He then caught the young man by his flesh arm, jammed his foot into Anakin's leg, causing his knee to buckle. The other hand smacked him right across the face. Anakin was so stunned, that he dropped his light saber. Obi Wan jumped on top of him and locked an arm around his neck from behind giving the padawan only so much air to breathe.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, but whatever it is, there must have been a mistake."

Anakin tried to mutter something, and Obi Wan released him -- just enough for him to talk. "You... you were with Padame!" he cried. A vein throbbed in Anakin's head as the mechanical arm tried to pry Obi Wan loose. The master was suprised by how strong the young man was, though not strong enough to defeat his master yet.

"How dare you, accuse me of something you were too weak to avoid! How dare you accuse me of anything untoward with the Senator. Anakin, you have been like the son I never had -- a brother to me. I would never do anything to hurt you."

He rolled on top of Anakin and pressed his arm into his neck, to effort to pin him down.

"She said... the suit was yours."

"What suit?"

Anakin cried -- then screamed "the blue Jedi clothes! They were yours, she said."

"Blue..." Obi Wan muttered, loosening his grip on Anakin. "I did lose a blue Jedi tunic and pants shortly before I went to Kost. Did you ever think to ask that she somehow recovered them?"

Anakin went limp and Obi Wan set him free. "Did you ever think to ask how she came to be in possession of the clothing?" he repeated.

A tear rolled down the side of Anakin's face. "No, master."

"And yet, you turned against me. You destroyed a thousand year old tree. You continue to obsess over Senator Amidala... and worst of all... your anger." Obi Wan shook his head, his voice edged with disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Master."

How many times had he heard that before?

"You accused the council of holding you back. The only thing that has ever held you back, was not your skill - but your anger. Tomorrow, my recommendation to the council will be to keep you in my care. You are not ready to become a Jedi Knight."

In fact, he should be lucky he' is not expelled.

"I know, Master," was all the padawan could say.