Anakin hadn't managed to meditate, or even sleep, so when he had to get up and act like a general the next morning, he wasn't in the best shape. It didn't really help that everyone kept congratulating him on killing Dooku. It wasn't that he was upset over killing the Sith Lord, but everything else…

He sighed and took another drink of caff. He really wasn't in the mood for this, for all that it was just debriefs and explanations. Rex glanced over at him. "You don't look so good sir," he said.

Anakin sighed. It was just Rex and Cody with him right now, and he allowed himself to rest his head on the table for a moment. "Long night," he said. "I couldn't sleep."

"Sir, we can handle this," Cody said.

"I know," Anakin said. "But I need to do something other than stare at the bulkheads trying not to think."

Rex paused. "Sir… what happened? You and General Kenobi were barely holding it together when we left that temple, everyone noticed, and we haven't even seen General Kenobi since last night."

Anakin winced. "We got separated in the temple, and I had to face off against Dooku alone. Obi-Wan managed to get to us just as I killed Dooku."

"Something else happened," Cody said. "Or neither of you would be this out of sorts."

Anakin snorted. No, they wouldn't be. But he couldn't tell them, not yet. He could wait.

"It's nothing, Cody," Anakin said.

"With all due respect, sir, that's poodoo," Rex said.

Anakin winced. He could feel Ahsoka approaching. "Not now," he said. "Maybe- maybe later, after Obi-Wan and I have a chance to talk."

The two clones nodded, though neither looked happy. Anakin wasn't happy either, but there was nothing that would make him tell anyone what had happened, not now.

"Master," Ahsoka poked her head in. "You turned off your comm, and Master Obi-Wan wanted to talk to you."

Anakin froze, just for an instant, but it was enough for the others to notice. He quickly nodded. "His quarters?" he asked.

"I think so," Ahsoka said. "Master, I need…"

"You can walk with me down there, Snips," Anakin said. He might be dealing with issues, but Ahsoka was his Padawan, and she still needed him. He wasn't going to let her down, no matter what.

"Master, who was that… hologram?" she asked as they headed down. "And why did he want you to bring me back there?" she shivered at the last word.

Anakin looked down at her. His Padawan, who he would make sure to never place in the situation he was in. "He was a ghost, Padawan," he said. "He was a Sith Lord, once, and when he died, rather than surrender to the Force, he tied himself to that Sith Temple. He was insane, Ahsoka. He thought…" Anakin shook his head. "Never mind that," he said. "The man was Sith, and insane. Let's leave it at that."

"Sith can do that?" she asked, shocked.

"Some of them, if they're powerful enough," Anakin said. "We don't know how. Luckily, most, if they do it, are stuck in a place that's strong in the Dark Side. Like that temple."

Ahsoka nodded. "So why…?"

"He was insane, that's all," Anakin said. "Steeped in Darkness for so long, it's not surprising."

He stopped outside Obi-Wan's door. "Don't worry about it, Snips," he said.

"But Master!" she protested.

He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "Exactly, Snips," he said. "Let me worry about it. I'm your master, and it's my job to worry about things like that."

She didn't look convinced, but Anakin didn't have any other words to convince her. "Go on," he said. "Obi-Wan and I need to talk about my fight with Dooku."

Obi-Wan chose that moment to open the door and eye them both. He looked like he'd had about as restful a night as Anakin had. "Come in, Anakin," he said.

Anakin followed him in and waited for Obi-Wan to close and lock the door. "Have a seat," Obi-Wan said.

"Master," Anakin started as he sat on the single chair. He paused, and couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan paused for a moment, and sat on the bunk. "I could feel you last night," he said. "And first things first- you are not Sith."

"But… I can feel it, Master. You feel different. And if I concentrate, I can feel the difference in myself."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I've been doing some thinking. That… that feeling, the Sith think it means that someone is a Sith Lord, but it's a mark of defeating a Sith. You defeated a Sith, Anakin. Of course that's going to make a difference."

Anakin eyed Obi-Wan. "You don't believe that," he said.

Obi-Wan deflated. "No," he admitted after a moment. "But I was hoping you would."

Anakin couldn't help but smile. "Still acting like my Master," he said. His smile faded. "What does this mean for us?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I will tell you this, Anakin- you are not like Dooku. You might have that new twist to your Force sense, and maybe it's from some Sith ritual, but you are not like him."

Anakin looked down. "I could be," he muttered. "I know I could be."

Obi-Wan looked down. "Yes, you could be," he admitted. "You have darkness in you, Anakin. I won't deny it. But you aren't like him. You fight it. That's the important thing. And, Anakin… I could be too. All Jedi could be. But we fight it."

Anakin looked at him. "Then what are you worried about?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't know if I can put it into words," he said.

"Try?" Anakin asked. "Please?"

Obi-Wan looked to the side. "What does this mean for us?" he asked. "I've been trying to figure that out. And do we tell anyone else? The rest of the Council, for example?"

Anakin winced. "They'd just use it as another thing against me. Another reason not to trust me."

Obi-Wan winced in response. "I hope they'd be more reasonable," he said, though he didn't really sound convincing.

Anakin knew the majority of the High Council didn't trust him- Obi-Wan was the only exception- he just wasn't aware that Obi-Wan had realized how bad it was.

"What else?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan frowned as he looked up. "It's… I know it's been over a decade since I killed Maul, but the way the guardian talked about it, it's been making me think."

"Did I slip, when I killed him?" Anakin asked. "Is that why the guardian thinks I'm a Sith Lord?"

Obi-Wan jolted. "Yes, exactly," he said. "And… what about other Sith Ghosts? Or other Sith objects? Would they think I was Sith? Am I really Sith?"

Anakin slumped. It didn't make sense, but it made him feel better to know he wasn't the only one feeling this way.