Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I really appreciate your patience in my long absence! I wanted to give you another chapter before I start up with my classes again, which is the 7th. You all are the best for hanging in here with me! One of you asked what degree I'm pursuing, and that is Forensic Accounting. I'm the staff accountant for a small company right now. Sometime in the future, I hope to become a Certified Fraud Examiner and help bring fraudsters to justice. Without further ado...
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Obi-Wan found Yoda in his usual place – the garden. "Master, Leia has used the Force for the first time!"
Yoda could feel Obi-Wan practically buzzing with excitement. "Looking forward, you are, to teaching again?"
"Yes, I am." Obi-Wan sat down next to the diminutive Master. "I didn't think I would ever enjoy teaching again."
"Good at it, you always were." Yoda patted Obi-Wan's knee in reassurance. "Have the feeling, I do, that want anyone else to teach her, she would not." Amusement lit the ancient, wise eyes.
"We will both teach her and Luke," Obi-Wan said firmly.
"Shown signs yet of using the Force, has Luke?"
"No, but I'm sure he will soon. He's even stronger in the Force than Leia. I just think he's more reserved than Leia, more hesitant to try something new."
Yoda chuckled. "Yes, reserved and hesitant Leia is not."
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Obi-Wan smiled as he watched Padme bounce six-month-old Garen on her knee. He was squealing with delight. Leia was in her usual position of occupying his lap. She was playing with one of her dolls, drinking occasionally from her sipper-cup. His eyes moved to his other son, who was playing on the floor with his grandfather. He had not missed the furtive glances Luke had sent his direction.
Obi-Wan felt a stab of guilt. He had not spent as much time with Luke as he would have wished lately. A lot of time was spent helping with little Garen, and Leia…his little princess would gladly occupy his every waking minute if he let her. His decision made, he lifted Leia off his lap, kissed her temple, and moved toward Luke.
"Want Daddy!"
Obi-Wan looked down to see his daughter attached to his leg. "Leia, honey, I'm going to spend some time with Luke. You've had lots of time with me, now it is Luke's turn."
"Me play with you and Luke." Leia looked up at her daddy pleadingly.
How was he supposed to say 'no' to those puppy dog eyes? His little Leia knew how to pluck at his heartstrings like a pro. Luckily, his mother-in-law stepped in and pried the little girl's arms from her father's leg.
Jobal picked up her granddaughter and swung her around, trying to distract her. "Come on, Leia love. Let's go get a snack, alright?" She quickly took the pouting girl out of the room.
Padme watched the whole scene with bemusement. Little Leia had attached herself, literally and figuratively, to Obi-Wan ever since she had gained the ability to move around on her own. She didn't seem to think 'her daddy' should give her brothers the time of day. It was a tug of war between siblings, and poor Obi-Wan was the rope. Though, more often than not, Leia won the battle. Luke was too sweet-natured and reserved to openly fight his twin for the affections of their father.
Bemusement fading, Padme watched as Obi-Wan went over to Luke and asked if he would like to go play, just the two of them. Her heart clenched at the joyous smile that broke out on her oldest son's face as he flung himself into his father's arms. Her own happy smile broke free as she watched her husband carry Luke out of the room, kissing his head affectionately.
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"Daddy?" Luke looked up at his father, big blue eyes seeking acknowledgement as he held up his educational toy.
Obi-Wan smiled at his son, who had managed to put every shape in its proper hole. "That's very good, Luke." He affectionately tussled the blonde hair. The look on his son's face took him back to his own childhood, though as a young teenager. He had been just as desperate to gain acknowledgment and praise from Qui-Gon. He certainly didn't want Luke starving for any scrap of praise he could gain the way he had as a boy.
Obi-Wan vowed, then and there, that Luke would never doubt his affection or his pride in his son's accomplishments. Of course, he had made that same vow about Anakin once upon a time. But he'd had to temper his open praise and affection for Anakin more and more as the boy had grown older and more arrogant. It had been a stressful balancing act that he fervently wished to never face again.
"Play flying?"
The request brought Obi-Wan out of his reflection. "Anything you want, Little One." He took the starfighter Luke handed him and proceeded to engage him in mock firefight. A smile tugged at his lips. This was actually his preferred method of flight.
After a while of this, Luke backed up and knelt facing his father. He placed his fighter in the palm of his hand and closed his eyes.
Obi-Wan held his breath as he waited. He could sense the gentle eddies of the Force begin to move around his son. The fighter then lifted up to hover over Luke's hand. The boy bit his lower lip in concentration as the fighter slowly made its way to Obi-Wan.
Holding his hand out, Obi-Wan observed as the fighter glided his direction and settled gently on his palm. He could only gape at Luke in wonder. He had never before seen any toddler with that kind of control.
The little boy opened his eyes to gauge his father's reaction, but he didn't quite know what the man's expression meant. He had never seen it before. He tucked his head and shyly looked up at his father through his lashes.
"Luke, that was…that was amazing!" A brilliant, high-wattage smile broke out on Obi-Wan's face. He pulled his son up into his arms and kissed his cheek. "Let's go get Master Yoda and show him what you can do."
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"Hmm, powerful Luke is. Much control, he has for one so young." Yoda set down his cup of tea. Obi-Wan sat in the other chair in Yoda's room, sipping at his own tea.
"I know. I can't really get over it! I wonder if Anakin was like that we he was a toddler."
"Different, Anakin's situation was. Live amongst two powerful Force users, Luke and Leia do. A strong bond, they have shared with you almost since birth. Help, that may have in their case."
Obi-Wan stroked his chin, thoughtfully. "I suppose so. Luke could grow up to be almost as powerful as Anakin. If Sidious ever found out about him…" He didn't really want to complete that horrible thought.
Yoda studied his young companion. "Second choice, I think he would still remain."
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan leaned forward. "If Sidious thought he could have the Chosen One's son, he would drop all intentions toward me in a second."
"Disagree, I do." Deep down, Yoda knew that Sidious was beyond just wanting another apprentice. He knew the Sith was obsessed with having one person in particular fill that role.
Obi-Wan was taken aback by the certainty in the aged Master's voice. Why would the Sith want him when he could have a young, more malleable, more powerful Force-user? A slight shudder moved through him as he remembered the emperor's words to him, 'You can't hide forever, Obi-Wan. You are MINE!'
Too in tune with Obi-Wan to not sense his unease, Yoda discerned that he was probably remembering his last encounter with the Sith Master. He prayed Obi-Wan would never have to remember the time Sidious had held him captive all those years before – that the walls holding those memories back would never be breeched.
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Silence. The silence in the Force was deafening. It was infuriatingly, maddeningly QUIET. The silence in the room was suddenly broken by the sound of small, glass statue hitting the wall. Sidious turned to the view out of his Coruscant office, chest heaving in his temper tantrum.
Every day it was the same. He would delve into the Force for hours at a time, only to find the same stillness. Where in the blazing Sith Hells could Obi-Wan be? How was it possible for the man to be so completely shielded from him for so long?
The empire's search for a heavily-shielded base had been fruitless thus far. It was like Obi-Wan had disappeared from the known galaxy. He wasn't dead. Sidious knew that he would feel Obi-Wan enter the Force, no matter where he was. No…he was hiding. He was hiding in a place that could mask his Force presence. If it wasn't a man-made shield, then it had to be some kind of natural phenomenon.
Sidious thumbed the call button on his desk. "Get Dr. Tizell on the com."
"Yes, my Lord."
He sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin. Dr. Tizell was a brilliant scientist on his Imperial staff, and slightly Force-sensitive. The emperor leaned forward as his com beeped.
"You wished to speak with me, my Lord?"
"Yes. I need you to do some research for me. Find out if there is any kind of natural phenomenon that can shield or mask a person's presence in the Force. The search for an energy-based shield has been futile. Kenobi must be hiding someplace where there is a natural shield. I want it found. I want HIM found."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Do not fail me, Dr. Tizell."
"I…I won't, my Lord."
Clicking off the com, Sidious glanced at his holonet screen. He turned it on and opened up his favorite file – the file that contained an archive of news stories and pictures of the galaxy's famed Negotiator. He stopped on one news story in particular, clicking on the icon to watch the feed. It was a short interview done the day Obi-Wan had created a huge media sensation by showing up at the senate building freshly shaved.
Sidious couldn't help but chuckle as the young General tried to diplomatically answer questions about his appearance. Obi-Wan had been so embarrassed, not to mention horrified, by the media frenzy his looks had garnered that morning.
"Ah, Obi-Wan. Some day soon, that ability of yours to mesmerize and enchant will be MINE. You will bring planets under my power without having to even ignite your lightsaber." He smiled maliciously. "Soon, my Obi-Wan, soon…"
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Obi-Wan joined Padme beside Garen's crib, gazing down at his eight-month-old sleeping son. "He's getting so big," he whispered.
Padme smiled as she slipped an arm around her husband's waist. "They grow too fast."
"It won't be long before Luke and Leia enter the 'Terrible Twos.'"
"Let's hope they're not too terrible." Padme chuckled as she pulled Obi-Wan away from the crib. "It would make it more difficult in taking care of our fourth child."
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement before her words actually sunk in. He stopped suddenly, a joyous light entering his eyes. "Fourth?"
Padme flashed her husband a brilliant smile. "Fourth."