Well, I'm taking advantage of the fact that this is the end of the weekend and I have no homework because I'm a good little nerd who gets it all out of the way before doing anything else, that I just couldn't help but be good to you all by wiritng yet another suspensful chapter. This is chapter 22, where I have been focusing specifically upon Cody, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka and their new motives for their upcoming actions and the bonds they share with those they know well. Readers, I give you chapter 22! Enjoy!

Chapter 22. Bonds.

Commander Cody sat slumped against the wall of the Republic gunship that was transporting him and his remaining troops back to the Negotiator. Many of his men had been slaughtered in the previous battle in which he nearly witnessed his general being massacred before his eyes by Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla.

His mind raced with the only desire to save Kenobi from the monster and nothing else as he vividly remembered himself snatching his blaster from his holster and, as he dashed forward, he had grabbed a fellow clones blaster with his left hand and began firing desperate and rapid shots towards his adversary, praying that one would sear its way through him.

In those short moments after he'd saved his commanding officer, he stared into Kenobi's eyes and saw the gratefulness shining in his stormy orbs as well as regret.

He recognized the regret. He'd never known for his general to be prone to anger. He'd always seen him as a calm and collected person. But his angry outburst a few days ago had worried him. Now he was even more worried at the fact that his general and friend hadn't returned ever since the battle. Yes he understood that he had undergone an operation to staunch the internal bleeding and try and cauterize his mid-section slash, yet he'd have expected him out and with them right now, ready to depart with them to the battle cruiser and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

Yet something at the back of his mind was nagging him. A small tug constantly brought him out of his thoughts and annoyed him mildly. His brow creased as he sought to banish the nagging thought to go back and confirm that Kenobi was all right for himself. He was a Jedi and, above that, his superior. The last thing he would want would be to see his squad leader desert his post and defy orders just to see to his care. He was a soldier and he would do what his duty required of him.

But what if he wasn't? His general had been acting strange ever since he'd arrived on the battlefield, a perplexed expression across his face, and his determination stronger than ever, although it seemed more focused on protecting one sole purpose rather than everyone else. Not that his general would disregard others for one. Right?

His brow creased further, eyes narrowing slightly as he thought intensely on his next course of action. The natural concern, which, as a clone, he was surprised he felt anything such as this at all, was enough to sway him and make his final decision.

'I'm not leaving him alone. As his comrade it's my duty to have his back in all dire situations,'

"Turn the ship around," the words had slid from his mouth so easily, causing the other remaining troopers around him to seize whatever conversations they were holding and turn to face him.

"I'm sorry, Sir?" One trooper, a familiar trooper, Waxer, asked bewildered.

Waxer had fought along with him and Kenobi's legion when liberating the innocent Twi'leks of Ryloth, along with fellow clone Boil. The two had gone off on their own adventure and had returned with a small Twi'lek girl who constantly called them 'Nera'.

It was at the end of that mission, that after the two clones had bade their farewells to the small Twi'lek that he overheard Kenobi informing the two that 'Nera' had in fact meant brother. Did he see Kenobi as more than just a friend or his general?

Cody didn't regard the questioning looks he was being thrown at all. "Turn the ship around."

Waxer along with the other troops looked confused, but he heeded his commanding officers words with no refusal or questions asked and pushed himself from his seat, heading towards the cock pit and sticking his head through the open doorway.

Cody could hear the faint muffle of Waxer's words ordering the pilot to turn, who apparently gave no questioning and did as instructed by the shift in the hull that he felt mere seconds after.

Cody held onto his sense of duty to go and locate his general. Whatever 'bond' he believed he had somehow formed with the Jedi, he was determined to locate him. Something urged him to locate the older man quickly.

'General, whatever this is you're going into, I've got your back.'

And he was intending to always have his back.

He was panting heavily, hands on knees, body arched forwards, chest heaving every morsel of air his lungs could take as if they were collapsing inside of him.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had been running for as long as he could count, which had in fact been practically non-stop for hours. He'd trekked over tremendous and cracked walls, scaled sides of buildings to leap across roofs, and darting left and right, in and out of numerous, dark and narrow alley ways to evade the Death Watch patrols that scoured the cities constantly like hordes of vicious and starving Trandoshans. Vizsla was dying to locate him and the others. So long as they did not locate them at the warehouse or were distracted from the others presence there, they would be fine.

He desperately wanted to risk revealing himself so that they were only focused on him, but in his current condition, it just wasn't possible for him to take on all of them.

And here he was in barely no better condition than what he was a few days ago about to go head first into the lion's den.

He shook his dishevelled head and ran a calloused hand across his face before scorching his eyes across the vast city that bustled with life, despite the time of night it was.

The silver moon shone across his form, stretching his tall shadow ominously across the roof top, and his eyes lit up with electrical flashes of intense blue. His emotions were intensifying on those he cared for and those he wished to vanquish. Realising that Anakin could sense his thoughts and feelings through their still strong, if not frequently used, training bond, Obi-Wan raised his shields and secured them tightly across his entire mind to keep him out. 'I can't allow you to get involved, my old padawan.'

His eyes locking onto the palace where he was sure Vizsla would be completely unaware of his movements, he leapt with the true air and gracefulness of a Jedi Master and vaulted over walls from roof to roof with an unknown speed and dexterity, his movements fast paced and fluent with the guidance of the Force flowing through his entire being.

"Remember, don't let the darkness consume you, Obi-Wan," The deep voice of Qui-Gon Jinn reverberated inside his mind, soothing him of his turmoil thoughts. "Don't dwell on your negative feelings; hate, anger, loathing. The darkness can only have you if you let it. Never forget that. Never!"

Heeding those valuable words his Master had told him all those long (or was it short?) years ago, he leapt across another roof, his body stretching outwards across the night sky and moon, slicing the air cleanly, brushing through his hair and clothes as he dashed forwards into the night, his body morphing into nothingness as the dark arms of the night engulfed him.

Anakin Skywalker rose from his seat, resting his mug of café on the wooden crate, and turned to leave his padawan and comrades in their conversation. They seemed engulfed in it, bickering and laughing merrily. It brought some console to him to know that even in some darkest of times and places there could always be a light found within.

His steps soft and soundless, he turned around the corner of crates, expecting to see his Master either resting peacefully or musing to himself about how helpless he felt laying around and not being able to do anything.

Instead, he was met with an empty bed and the discarded lightsaber and tunics laid out for him gone.

Shock and minute anger welled inside of Anakin. He'd half expected his former mentor to come and join them once he felt ready, instead he had steadfastly decided to leave. This he concluded by the back door that was slightly ajar.

His whole body began shaking with anger as he clenched his mechanical hand into a tight fist.

He closed his eyes to try a mantra that would sooth him, only for it to work in some effect. As his eyes slid shut and he began tapping into the Force, he was instantly bombarded with the thoughts and images of his Master's last moments in this area before he foolishly left.

"What am I supposed to do?"

'Jedi do not dwell on the 'if' or 'what' Live in the here and now.'

'If I stay, there's a possibility that what I saw may never happen, yet Vizsla could discover our location by spies and siege the hideout, savagely murdering us all. But if I go maybe I can supress this entire vision and stop what I saw from coming true.'

Obi-Wan was rising from his bed and dressing, smoothing the fresh, new outfit over him and clipping his lightsaber to his belt.

Anakin did not fail to notice the weakness still present in his former mentor as he wobbled unsteadily on his legs. Then he watched in horror, as if he were there at that very moment, as his friend abandoned them whilst he went to his fate that yet, unbeknownst to him, awaited.

The Force was not yet finished with revealing everything to Anakin, for it then revealed what had spurred Obi-Wan to suddenly depart.

A ferocious battle taking place inside the throne room. He and Ahsoka skilfully deflecting blaster fire back at their opponents and swiftly cutting down those who dare approach them at such a close proximity.

The flash of Obi-Wan and the duchess flaring past them and towards a wall. The pause between the two of them as they gazed at each other, and then the desperate tug again as he led her towards cover.

The seize of fire as the battle came to a stalemate, and then the only hum of a single lightsaber and the quick footsteps as his best friend proceeded to savagely cut down Vizsla.

Then he saw himself fling his Master like a rag doll towards the wall, hearing the sickening crack of concrete as he careened into it.

And to his utter horror did he then watch as his best friend's eyes swirled from their stormy sea grey to a sickening and fiery yellow, as he then leapt with animosity towards him, lightsaber aimed straight for his heart as he brought it back to slash at his chest, as he himself grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it, ready to do what he must to contain his Master.

Anakin was forcefully pulled back from the visions the Force had sent him as the bright white light blinded him.

'Master,' He asked silently through his old training bond with him, only to be rewarded with a steadfast silence. 'What have you done? What are you doing?'

He collapsed heavily on his knees, head cradled in his hands as he panted heavily, trying desperately to remain strong and control the tears that were flooding his sapphire eyes and flowing down his tanned cheeks.

"Master?" A familiar and feminine voice called out to him. He stretched out to find Ahsoka's presence behind him.

The togrutan padawan had been standing behind him through the whole duration of the vision, and through it all she had called his name several times, the concern for his well-being evident through her aura as he remained oblivious to all around him.

His voice shaking, he spoke softly, "Ahsoka."

The hitch of her breath followed shortly by her hurried footsteps, and she was on her knees beside him, her arms wrapping around his slim and well-toned form, hugging him loosely as his body convulsed in shudders.

"It's Obi-Wan," he whispered, his self-control shattering into pieces like glass. "He's… he's gone after Vizsla."

"What did you see, Master?"

Anakin hesitated. He didn't like to inform those of what he saw. Every time he saw something, it was always horrific and unbearable to watch, so unbearable that he couldn't dare watch it again, unless it broke his sanity.

Anakin was one who despised weakness, and he'd do whatever it took to not allow it to show. He was the Chosen One. He had to remain strong despite how heavy the burden the Jedi had insisted was upon him since his birth. And that meant to him that he did not need help.

One fault was that he had very rarely, if not never, received it, and so in turn he never asked.

"I saw… terrible things."

"Master…"

His shaggy head shot up then. "We have to stop him," he said defiantly, forcing his voice to the steely determination he always held, though his shock, worry and horror could not stop the shaking. "We have to stop him before he does something he'll regret."

"Obi-Wan?" Ahsoka asked, her own worry for the Jedi Master now emanating through her voice. "Should we tell the others?"

Anakin shook his head slowly. "No. We can't afford them to be killed in what I saw. If Obi-Wan goes through with what I saw, he'll regret it for the rest of his life."

The Master and Padawan pair remained kneeling on the solid floor, their worrisome and fearful eyes locked intensely on the open and slowly swinging door at the far end of the warehouse.

Oh dear. Can Anakin help prevent too what he saw? Or will it all blow up in their faces? STay tuned for the next chapter I plan to have up very soon for the up-coming Easter holidays and find out! Please press that pretty blue button below and leave a review. Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top? I'll give you all cakes and blue milk if you do! :D