Okay, well here we go, the last chapter for this story is finally here. So sorry for the long wait though, school has just had it in for me. Anyway, without further adieu, chapter 24.
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Anakin knelt down next to Obi wan, his brother was silently weeping on the floor. His body shook slightly, the events of the past months weighing heavily on his friends conscience.
"Hey, Obi wan, you have no idea how happy I am that you're alive. When I felt our bond snap, I thought, I mean I really thought you were dead. The Jedi couldn't function without you, we really fell apart without your skills. You kind of complete the order Obi wan, everything shut down without you."
Obi wan, shuddered, Anakin's words sinking in past his shattered shields. "The Jedi did fine without me Anakin, in fact, they wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me. You forget, it's my fault half the order is dead." Anakin shot up, his hand planted firmly on his brothers shoulder.
"No Obi wan, you can't honestly believe that. You heard Bane for yourself, you didn't know who or what you were. He took your memories away, it wasn't you who attacked the Jedi, but Banes Sith apprentice Severous. Obi wan..." Obi wan stared down at the ground.
Anakin let out a sigh, he could feel the darkside still fighting for a hold in Obi wan. Focusing himself deep within the force, Anakin took a deep breath and pulled the tendrils of light around him.
Ahsoka, Mace and Yoda gasped as the felt the lightside of the force gather and pulse, it had been a long time since the force felt light. Anakin put both his hands on Obi wan's shoulders, he felt the tense muscles underneath them and sent a soft plea through the force.
Obi wan heard it, and trusting his brother to help him, let the tentative force presence enter his fragile mind. Anakin, sunken deep in the force, stepped into the unknown territory. He gasped when he felt the darkness slink away, trying to hide from the light of the force.
Anakin almost cried when he saw pieces of memories flit across Obi wan's mind. He got angry when he felt the guilt and remorse Obi wan felt, it wasn't his fault. Taking in a deep breath, Anakin expelled his dark thoughts, he needed to be pure for this.
Anakin drew the force around him, then abruptly pushed the light outwards with all the strength he could muster. He opened his eyes as he heard his best friend gasp in pain, then grabbed him when he almost fell forward. Anakin helped his brother to stand, all the darkness that had lingered around Obi wan was gone, wiped away with pure light.
Anakin turned his brother around, and had to keep down the tears that threatened to cascade down his face. His friend, his brother was not the Obi wan he knew. This man looked shattered and lost, the sorrow etched into his face, and the scar lining the left side of his face. Obi wan looked absolutely defeated.
The Obi wan he knew was strong, full of life and strong willed. His Master could never be broken, not for all the torture in the world. The old Obi wan was gone, and Anakin hated the Sith for that. He reached out and held Obi wan's chin up so that the man would look at him.
"Obi wan, look at me. You have been wronged in the worst way possible, you have been used to carru out evil against your wishes. But that's just it, it wasn't you, it wasn't Obi wan Kenobi. It was Severous, not you Obi wan, don't let the guilt consume you." Obi wan looked up, his once pure blue eyes now containing yellow specks throughout the irises, the mark of him being a pawn of the darkside.
"You don't get it Anakin, I'm a murderer, I planned the attack on the temple, I planned Shili and so many more. I've killed so many innocent people that I will never wash the blood off my hands. I'm no Jedi Anakin, I left that behind when I fell."
Anakin sighed, "Obi wan, you are a Jedi, you were a Jedi and will always be a Jedi. What happened to you was unfair, you were targeted from the start, and when Felucia happened, that must be when they took you. If any one is to blame, then it is me. I shouldve searched for you, but I left, believing that you couldn't have survived. It's my fault Obi wan, I left you to the Sith."
Obi wan's head had sagged during the lecture, but shot up when Anakin took the blame. "It was not your fault Anakin, how could you prevent something you had no power over. You believed what I had told you about the creature, you weren't to know I survived. How could you blame yourself when..."
Obi wan stopped mid sentence, his own words sinking in, he looked at Anakin, and saw his former Padawan smile with knowledge. "Then why do you blame yourself Obi wan, when you had no control over Bane." Obi wan looked down again, seemingly lost in his jumbled thoughts.
"I, I don't know what to say Anakin. I am still responsible for my actions, I must be held acountable. I..." Anakin couldn't take it anymore. His brother whom he had mourned and missed, was standing here, broken and guilty, but alive. He stepped forward and enveloped him in a bear hug. "You have no idea how much I missed you Master, please, don't leave me now. I know you feel guilty but you shouldn't, it's not your fault."
Obi wan naturally hugged Anakin back, tears spilling down his face. "He didn't deserve this affection, not after what he had done. Before he could push Anakin away, Ahsoka had run towards them, her young faced smeared with tears. She cried into Obi wans shoulder, whispering over and over again how scared she was, how mad she was at losing him.
Obi wan used his free hand to smoothe a pattern on Ahsoka's back, the guilt slowly ebbing away as the knowledge of his Padawan and grand padawan made him think. Mace had also walked forward and grabbed Obi wan in a hug, nearly crushing the smaller Master. Yoda stared at the group, then hobbled forward and tugged at Obi wan's tunic.
"Long way to go, you have. But walk it with you, we will, if allow us you do." Obi wan looked at the grand master. The Jedi he had ever lasting respect for, and bowed to his level. "Forgive me Master, I have failed as a Jedi." Yoda used his lightsaber as a stick and whacked the hilt against Obi wan's leg.
"Failed us not, you have. But us it is, who has failed you." Obi wan looked up, and saw tears in the tiny Masters eyes. "Not knowing what else to do, Obi wan grabbed Master Yoda and held him, he cried into the small masters cloak and clung to him as if he would disappear.
"I tried Master, I really did. But they were to strong, I tried to stay in the light, but I failed. I'm so sorry." Yoda, soothed the Jedi, by rubbing his back as he would a child. "Come young one, return to the temple we must, for healing you will need. Not in body, but in soul."
Yoda used a piece from his tunic to wipe away Obi wan's eyes. Obi wan nodded, accepting the fact that he would need to return to the temple. Anakin, Ahsoka and Mace, stood behind him as he stood up. The force flared again as one of it's vessels accepted it back into its life.
"I ready to return home Masters, if you will have me"
"The battlefield had cleared, Masters and Knights had assisted the injured and had left on the remaining transports. One gunship remained, its doors open to the Jedi ready to board.
"Have you back, Obi wan we welcome you back with open arms. This thing that happened, we'll get past it. I will be ther, I will help you when you need it, cause the Jedi, we need you." Obi wan stared at Mace, then at Anakin and Ahsoka as they chorused the replies.
Obi wan blinked once, the force humming with his choice. "Then let's head home, I've missed the temple."
All four Jedi walked into the gunship, the force singing in the light. Obi wan looked over the battle field, by now, a bettalion of clones had arrive to ready the fallen Jedi for the ceremony. Obi wan released a deep breath, his body and mind exhausted. He looked up into Anakin's and Ahsoka's eyes as they each lay a hand on his arm.
"It's going to be alright now Obi wan, you're coming home. Where you belong." Obi wan felt light, a feeling of hope fluttered in his stomach and a small smile tugged on his lips. "You know, I might just keep this look, the whole beard thing has worn off."
Unable to keep a straight face, all for Jedi laughed, a sound that echoed through the force, lifting the shattered remains of Obi wan. It will be a long journey, he thought, but I have my family yo help me. He glanced once more at the three Jedi beside him, he may have a chance to do right after all.
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Darth Sidious sat behind the desk in his office, the events on Korriban playiing out in his mind. Smiling to himself, Sidious let out a soft chuckle. "I warned you master, Kenobi would be playing with fire. As for my plans, they will continue, Anakin will be mine. Kenobi might as well, after all, once touched by the dark, you will forever be marked by it.
Yes, Kenobi had not had the opportunity to discover his true identity. But he must be careful, Kenobi is powerful, he has seen that himself. Sidious laughed again, yes he thought, the Jedi will still fall, and this time, Skywalker would be the one to do it.
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A/N: so there you have it, finito at last. Thanks to all me reviewers and followers and favouriteers. You guys rock and have inspired me to continue this story to the end. I hope you guys liked it. Please R and R, so I know what to do in my next stories. Thanks again to all of you guys. May the force be with you, always.
