Chapter 5

Anakin sat in his quarters, staring down at the datapad in his hands, not even reading it. Obi-wan stood in front of him, arms crossed.

"We need to take, Anakin," Obi-Wan said crossly.

"Go ahead, master," Anakin said gloomily, not bothering to look up.

"Anakin, I know you're hurting, but you need to do something! You can't just sit here for the rest of your life! You've refused all my offers to spar, you haven't even left the temple in days which is unusually for you at least. I'm trying to do what i can, but you need to open up to me, you need to let me in and let go."

"I'm doing the best I can," Anakin snapped. "Maybe if the council let me back out..."

"Anakin, we've talked about this, you're not ready."

"Yes I am! You aren't even giving me a chance!"

"You can't even accept an invite to spar and you expect the council to throw in front of an army of droids?"

"Yes!"

"They're not going to do that Anakin!" Obi-Wan sighed. "When you're ready to talk, come and find me."

Anakin flopped backwards, not responding, and not even watching as Obi-Wan left.

Obi-Wan sat beside Siri in front of the lake. It was the middle of the afternoon, and the whole lake room was deserted, younglings and padawans in class, and the masters meditating or studying in the archives. the masters who weren't on the battle field. Siri studied Obi-Wan's face. She could tell he was tired.

"Your talk with Anakin didn't go to well then?" she asked.

"No," Obi-Wan sighed. "Honestly Siri, I don't know what to do with him! he won't let me in."

"He just needs time. Remember how Qui-Gon felt? He was about ten times worse then Anakin, take it from someone who saw him before you returned to the temple."

Obi-Wan sighed again. "I still wonder what possessed me to do that, I wasn't in the same situation as Ahsoka so I had no excuse for my actions."

"I can't say that I know the answer to that any better then you," Siri said, "but I do know you wouldn't be the jedi today if you hadn't gone through that trial."

"What would I do without you Siri?"

"Probably have gotten yourself killed ages ago," Siri answered smartly.

"Siri Tachi! That is not funny."

"True, " Siri admitted. " Sometimes I wish we could be normal jedi and just go on the usual missions. No kidnapping, no slavers, no pirates, no bombs..."

"If we were you'd be bored out of your mind after one mission like that," Obi-Wan remarked.

"So,, have you heard anything back about the report you sen tot the chancellor concerning Mandalore?" Siri asked.

"No, but that's no surprise. I don't think he's had time present it since the trial. I'm expecting to hear back soon."

"Do you think you'll get sent out to Mandalore?"

"I hope so," Obi-Wan admitted. "I need to be the one to go."

"I agree," Siri said. "You should be the one to go, you know it better then anyone else. You should go, with me of course."

"Siri," Obi-Wan protested. "Why do you have to come with me?"

"It's been a while since we've gone on a mission together. And if maul is still there, him and that rotten brother..." Siri trailed off, her face dark.

"Siri, you're not coming so you can avenge your master, Adi wouldn't want that."

"No, I know. Avenging her would just be a bonus. Would you want to leave Anakin behind?"

"If he still is closed off and in this mood that he's in, I won't have much choice."

Obi-Wan sighed once more. Anakin thought he felt bad, he was forgetting something. Obi-Wan had gone on more missions with Anakin and Ahsoka then he had ever gone on with any one else, except possibly Siri. He was just as hurt by his decision as Anakin. He didn't know whether Ahsoka would return or not, but he did know he regretted Anakin finding out about Obi-Wan's short absence from the order. he hadn't wanted to give him anymore hope then what he'd had already in case it would be crushed. He didn't want Anakin to be crushed at the same time as Obi-wan would be. Because what he didn't want Anakin to know above all else, was that Obi-Wan hoped just as much as Anakin that Ahsoka would come back.

Anakin was walking down the halls headed for cafeteria. He didn't like cooking in his own quarters anymore, not anymore. He was staring ahead, not watching anything else, so he didn't see the door to his left open until he felt someone bump into his side. he looked down at a youngling.

"Sorry, Master Skywalker," Petro said, stepping back quickly.

"That's alright, Petro," Anakin said, forcing a small smile.

"I'm... I'm sorry to here about Padawan Tano," petro said quickly. "She was real nice to us younglings, me and my friends really liked her, and I guess you could say she was a friend to us..." Anakin recalled that Petro had been one of the younglings Ahsoka had taken to Ilum. What had Ahsoka said? Petro is impulsive, but extremely loyal. He's strong willed, and determined. He was the one who lead all the other younglings to rescue me from Hondo. Anakin looked at the youngling with more respect.

"I'm sorry too," he said. "Ahsoka told me a lot about you, all good."

Petro grinned at Anakin, then his face grew solemn.

"Do you think she'll come back?" Petro asked. Anakin thought for a minute about to say.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"She will," Petro said firmly. "She's a jedi."

Petro turned to run off, but Anakin stopped him.

"Petro," he called, "may the Force be with you."

Petro smiled, and bowed to Anakin. "And with you Master Skywalker," he said.

TBC