Author's Note: Sorry about ending the last chapter on a cliffhanger. Hopefully this chapter offers a satisfying resolution. The principle of "true from a certain point of view" principle gets used a lot here. If you pay close attention, you'll notice that nothing Obi-Wan says to the Council is technically a lie, LOL.

Chapter 7: The Vote

The Jedi Council fell silent. Anakin stood still with his shoulders raised and his hands clasped behind him.

Yoda tilted his head to stare at Obi-Wan. The rest of the Council followed his gaze. "Knew of his intention, did you?"

"No," said the baffled Jedi. "I had no idea. In fact, I'd like a word with him about this, in private." Obi-Wan darted forward and grabbed Anakin's bicep.

"Perhaps you can talk some sense into the boy," said Windu, extinguishing his lightsabre. "In the meantime, the Council will discuss what to do with him."

Anakin bit his lip to hide his grimace. He was not a boy anymore, especially not now that he'd been knighted.

He huffed as his former master dragged him out of the chamber. Once they were in the hallway with the door fully shut behind them, Obi-Wan threw off his hood and pinned Anakin against the durasteel wall. "What were you thinking?" he yelled. "How could you tell me you weren't interested in me and then ask the Council to let us marry?"

Anakin's heart raced. Obi-Wan had never quivered with such fury, but after how unconcerned he'd acted in the meditation chamber, it was reassuring to know he cared. "I told you how I'd react if you did the asking, but you didn't. I did. So, what I told you was true, from a certain point of view."

"A certain point of view? That's your excuse for misleading me?"

"I had no choice," said Anakin. "Your plan wouldn't have worked. You wanted the Council to think letting us marry was their safest option, but they wouldn't have bought it. They're afraid of ... whatever it is we have."

"What makes you say that?"

"They could've asked the Changeling to turn into anyone, but they chose you. They wanted to test my devotion to you."

"It could've been Tasha's idea."

"Tasha?"

Obi-Wan sniggered but kept a tight grip on Anakin's arm. "I see, you didn't bother to learn the Changeling's name."

"Of course not, she doesn't matter."

"To a Jedi, every being matters."

"Especially the ones who compliment you," said Anakin, his brow furrowed.

"That bothers you?" said Obi-Wan, with a cheeky snigger. "I'm all yours, if you want me."

"You are … growing on me." Even more so now that Obi-Wan's passionate side had re-emerged. "But don't get too excited, I'm not ready to marry you, not yet."

"Then why'd you tell the Council you were?"

"To protect you. This way, if we ever do get married, you can blame me for it — tell them I was hopelessly obsessed with you and would've gone crazy if you didn't agree to it." Obi-Wan's cheeks reddened. Had he voiced a fantasy of his?

"Do you really want them to see you that way?"

"They already do," said Anakin. "From the moment I came here, they thought my attachments were too strong, but they haven't expelled me yet. You were right, the prophecy gives me leverage. That's why our marriage must be my idea, not yours."

"But you could've told me that. You didn't need to break my heart."

"You'd never have followed my plan if I gave you the choice. You hate taking risks and you didn't seem too heartbroken earlier."

"I'm a Jedi, Anakin. We let go of what we can't have. Would you prefer it if I'd thrown a tantrum and insisted you marry me against your wishes?"

Anakin couldn't admit the answer was yes. "I'd have welcomed some feeling," he said. The Jedi Master's desires tethered his former student to the light. They needed to be strong.

Obi-Wan sighed as he let go of Anakin. "And I'd welcome your trust."

The door to the Council Chamber flew open. Windu stepped out. "How did it go?" he asked Obi-Wan. "Did you convince him not to pursue you?"

"No, he won't be talked out of it." That was also true from a certain point of view. "He's a stubborn man."

"We were afraid of that. Come along then." Obi-Wan strode to the door. Anakin tried to follow, but Windu held out his hand. "Not you," he said.

Anakin crossed his arms. "Why not?"

"You're not on the Council," said Windu. "You have no say in our decision."

"But it will affect him," said Obi-Wan. "Whatever it is, it's best he hears the reasons for it. I'll keep him quiet."

"Can you? You're no longer his teacher."

"No, but I am someone he wants to impress. Aren't I, Anakin?"

"Of course," he said, with a bounciness that hopefully didn't sound too rehearsed. "I'll do anything for you."

Windu frowned. Good. That meant he bought it and Obi-Wan was beyond suspicion. "Fine, let's get this over with," he said.

They entered the Chamber, which now had its curtains pulled back to let in the last rays of Coruscant's sun. The orange glow looked eerier than the pure darkness had. The Council members were in their regular seats, hoods lowered and lightsabres away.

No one spoke until Windu had taken his place at the head of the chamber. "Skywalker has forced us to make a choice," he said. "Allow him to betray the Code or give up our greatest weapon against the Sith."

"I'm a person, not a weapon," said Anakin.

Obi-Wan shot him a stern glare, as if he hadn't helped him realise this. "We'll address you when we're ready," he said, "Be patient for once."

His coldness was part of the plan, but did he have to be so convincing? Had the Council underestimated his acting abilities when they hired Tasha?

Yoda turned to face Windu. "Assume you do, that Skywalker is the Chosen One. Refer to another, the prophecy could."

"That's unlikely," said Obi-Wan. "Anakin is the only being to have been born of the Force."

"The only one we know of," said Mundi.

"Yes, but until we find another who fits the description, he's all we have, and the dark side is growing stronger thanks to the war. We need him."

"We could keep you apart," said Windu. "If you lived on opposite sides of the Temple and were assigned separate missions, he'd pose less of a threat."

Anakin clenched his fist. "And what do you think I'll do, exactly?"

Obi-Wan raised a finger to his lips to silence him, before addressing Windu. "With all due respect, I'd rather avoid such drastic measures. He and I are an effective team. Separating us would compromise the war effort, but there might be another way."

"A suggestion you have?" asked Yoda.

Obi-Wan huffed with what Anakin hoped was fake exasperation. "I'll have to compromise with him. Let him be with me for a time so he can work out his true desires."

"You expect him to lose interest once he gets his way?"

"Most young men do." It wasn't an answer, but the Council would confuse it for one.

"That is a serious sacrifice to make," said the usually quiet Ti from the back of the chamber. "Are you sure you can handle it?" Her lekku twitched with curiosity.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "As I stated earlier, I'm willing to give my life for the Jedi Order. Giving my body for it is trivial by comparison."

"But how can you be sure," asked Windu, "that giving into Skywalker's desires won't strengthen them?"

Obi-Wan chuckled with a warmth that melted Anakin's heart. "He asked for permission to marry me, Master. His desires can't get any stronger than that, can they?"

Anakin covered his smile with his mechanical hand. He'd been right to exaggerate his attraction to Obi-Wan, who was taking full advantage of the opportunity he'd created for him. His plan — now their plan — was working perfectly.

Yoda pursed his lips. "Beyond your control, Skywalker's feelings are, Obi-Wan. But influence you, they can. Careful you must be or suffer his fate you will."

"And what fate is that?" asked Anakin, unable to resist interrupting. "Being in love? Spending your life with someone who cares for you more than anything? I wouldn't call that suffering, would you?" Yoda glared at him, as if unable to imagine a worse destiny.

"There's no chance I'll fall for him," said Obi-Wan. He was right. He couldn't fall in love a second time. "He was my Padawan." True, but irrelevant.

"And what of the other Padawans?" asked Billaba, who sat cross-legged on Ti's left. "If they learn you and Skywalker are in a relationship, they'll want that liberty for themselves."

Yoda nodded. "If violated the Code is, weaker it'll be in the minds of our students. Preserve it, we must — or risk destroying the Order."

"Which is why we'll keep our ... activities secret," said Obi-Wan, "won't we, Anakin?"

"If that's our only option," he said, pouting. Why reveal their relationship to the Council if they'd have to hide it from the rest of the Jedi? Then again, he'd achieved his most crucial goal — protecting Obi-Wan's reputation. If only Tasha hadn't taken off with her credits. Anakin would've loved to watch her excitement fade as she realised her crush wouldn't be joining her in the lower districts after all.

Windu sighed. "Then we'll leave the decision to a vote. Will we allow Skywalker to be with his former master in private, so he can overcome his attraction? Or do we keep them separated? I, for one, favour the second option." Of course, he did. He'd suggested it. "Master Yoda, what do you advise?" Predictably, he voted the same way.

One by one, the Jedi Masters stated their positions. Billaba, Gallia and Even Piell voted to keep them apart, but Ti disagreed, as did Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Saesee Tiin and Eeth Koth. They argued that defeating the Sith and ending the Clone War was, for the moment, more important than strict adherence to the Code. If Anakin still had feelings for his former master after the fighting was over, they could be dealt with then.

When Windu asked Obi-Wan to cast his vote, the newest Council member raised an eyebrow. "Surely my opinion doesn't count. I have a conflict of interest." He must've preferred to avoid appearing too enthusiastic about his plan or maybe he disliked deceiving his fellow Jedi. Either way, Mundi was left with the tie-breaking vote.

"We cannot allow the Code to be broken lightly," said the Cerean, "but if we don't defeat the Sith, there soon will be no Jedi left to follow it. If Skywalker is the Chosen One, we must not risk losing his allegiance. I vote in favour of Obi-Wan's plan. It is our least dangerous option."

"Then we've reached a decision, though not an uncontroversial one," said Windu, in a stern tone, though his disapproval couldn't override the six-to-five vote against his plan. For once, Anakin didn't mind the Council's democratic deliberating. "We'll allow Skywalker to … experiment ... with his former master, on the condition that he not reveal the arrangement to anyone outside this room."

"I won't," said Anakin though he'd have to make an exception for Padme or she'd expect him to marry her. Would she be disappointed? Or did she realise it was the only way to keep both her and Obi-Wan safe?

Yoda glared at him with suspicion. "And any … intimate behaviour" — Anakin held back his laughter at the way Yoda struggled with the words — "you must keep private."

Anakin nodded, though he was tempted to grab Obi-Wan and make out with him right in front of Yoda so he could watch his jaw drop in horror. Did his former master's lips taste as good as they looked?

Windu declared the meeting over and Anakin turned to leave. Obi-Wan reached for his arm as he passed him, but the young Jedi took his instead, maintaining his image as their relationship's initiator.

They walked out together and — once out of sight of the Council — threw their arms around each other. Obi-Wan's cheek was warm against Anakin's and his silky hair tickled his nose.

"We did it," said Obi-Wan, when they finally let go of each other. "They believed us. I can't wait to make you get sick of me."

"That won't take long, Master," said Anakin, chuckling.

"Obi-Wan, call me Obi-Wan."

Anakin's eyes widened. He'd been looking forward to this day for over a decade. "Obi-Wan," he said, "Did you want to bore me tonight?"

His former master laughed. "No, you've had a challenging day. You should head to bed. I'll let you have tomorrow to yourself too. You've earned it. Then, if it's alright with you, we'll meet the following day, at dawn."

Though he wasn't doing the asking, Anakin's stomach fluttered. "It's a date." Their eyes met. They exchanged nervous, yet wide, grins.

"I'll wait for you in the meditation gardens behind the Temple," said Obi-Wan. He took Anakin's synthetic hand and kissed his knuckles chastely. The old-fashioned gesture sent ripples through his sensory wires, assuring him he was loved and accepted — or at least his body was. He'd worry about the rest later. For now, he had a good feeling about this.

As the Sith Lord approached his personal quarters, the pair of 501st Legion troopers guarding its entrance, inclined their heads. As always, the captive was in her place. Four months had passed since Padme's latest attempt to flee him. He had been right not to conceal an explosive transmitter inside her. Unlike his admirals, his soldiers could be relied on, and, despite her insistence to the contrary, she was no slave.

He entered to find the former Imperial Senator seated on the bench across from the viewscreen that dominated the back wall of the cabin. She rested her delicate hands on her thighs, which were pressed together beneath the silk gown that clung to her slender ribcage. The japor snipper still rested against her bosom. She wore it every day without exception.

Unlike Obi-Wan, she had not allowed herself to wither as she aged. The elegant curls framing her faintly wrinkled face were a rich brown, rich enough even for his optical sensors to appreciate. Every four weeks, she applied a rare chromomite to maintain their colour — a task she did not perform to please the Rebels seeking to steal her from him. She was no imbecile. She must have known her allies stood no chance against the Empire's finest soldiers.

If she truly despised him, she would despair over her lengthy imprisonment, which began three years ago once her services in the disbanded Senate were no longer required. But she did not. She had preserved both her beauty and her calm demeanour, because no matter how regularly she insisted otherwise, she desired him.

He had removed the external obstacles to their union, including Obi-Wan. Now only her stubbornness remained. She could not admit that she adored her captor's true form, in all its brutal glory. He did not fault her. He too had once found it ... unsettling.

He reached into the Force to switch on the viewscreen, with a private snigger at the thought of Obi-Wan's reaction. The Jedi Master had never stopped chastising his husband for enjoying his abilities. His need for control was evident from the beginning of their courtship. Why hadn't he seen it?

As if in answer to his question, a newly knighted Anakin flashed onto the viewscreen, replacing the static noise. He sat on his austere bed, his vulnerable flesh legs spread wide, and stared into the high definition holocamera he had installed in his astromech unit.

Anakin addressed Padme, explaining that while he loved her, he had chosen to be with Obi-Wan. "You're a brilliant woman," he said. "You see the best in others. I'll always admire that about you, but after what happened on Tatooine, I've realised I can't have that. I may not always appreciate my master's — I mean my former master's …" He held out his severed Padawan braid and waved it around like an idiotic child. "... discipline, but the galaxy needs a hero, and I can't be that without his help."

The present-day Padme gazed at the screen with a forlorn expression. "You've watched this recording before, several times" she said. "It's almost as if you miss him."

The Sith Lord scowled. "No, Obi-Wan shackled my power. I'm relieved to be rid of him."

For the first time in four months, a slight smile formed on Padme's lips. "I meant Anakin." She glanced up and down her captor's unyielding form, checking for a reaction, but received none. "It's okay, I miss him too. I loved him, so did Obi-Wan."

"You couldn't have. Anakin Skywalker never existed." The man in the recording was denying his true self. Had it not been for his idiocy, the Sith Lord would be far stronger. He could not understand why the young Jedi had chosen Obi-Wan's oppression over the exhilarating power that beckoned to him. "He was a lie I created to appease my old master and a complete fool."

"That he was," said Padme, her expression stern.

"I know how this must sound," the recorded voice continued. "Like I'm letting Obi-Wan decide my destiny, but don't feel too sorry for me. This is my choice, Padme. I want to be the Jedi he thinks I am. He can make me into that if I let him. He's a good man, kind, dependable, not quite as handsome as me, but he's close." His sapphire eyes still haunted the Sith Lord's dreams. "He'll take good care of me. I could've ended up with worse." Anakin chuckled. His unshielded face split into a naïve, yet wide, grin.

Padme bowed her head, as if in mourning. "He seemed happy though."

The Sith Lord's mechanised chest burned with rage. That man's fleeting joy had cost him his and he despised him for it. Yes, despised him. The nauseating memories of his romance with Obi-Wan may have weakened his hatred for him, but his hatred for Anakin remained firm.

He feasted on it, letting it consume his thoughts, power his limbs and infuse his oxygen-starved heart with the strength to keep beating. He not only craved the dark side. He needed it. Even if his body did not rely on it, the mental anguish of having to suppress his true nature would destroy him. But it did not matter. The power was his — forever. Not even Obi-Wan's sweetest kiss could take it from him.

Anakin had tasted the dark side's power but refused it. Why? Could he have preferred his former master's affection? As if in answer to that question, the man on the screen leered suggestively. "I'll be seeing him tomorrow," he said. "Now that I'm not his student we can finally … have fun together." He would obtain only six years of pleasure from Obi-Wan, less given their extensive involvement in the Clones Wars. How could such fleeting sensations compare to the thrill of bending the entire galaxy to his will?

Anakin leaned forward to switch off the holocamera and vanished, leaving behind a blank screen. In its top left corner, a miniscule prompt appeared, requesting a seventeen-digit passcode. The secret recordings did not affect the Sith Lord the way they once did. Instead, they fuelled his anger at their subjects — a far more worthy purpose.

"Leave me," he said to Padme, mustering the cold, commanding tone he usually reserved for disobedient admirals. With Obi-Wan dead, no other living being had viewed the footage and the Sith Lord intended to keep it that way.

Padme rose to her feet with a knowing smirk. "Yes, Lord Vader, though I must ask, if Obi-Wan truly meant to ruin you, wouldn't he have leaked his…" She gagged as her captor clutched her throat through the Force to mute her ignorant words. He had no wish to hear them now. She gulped, then straightened herself and proceeded to her sleeping chamber.

The Sith Lord entered the passcode into the viewscreen's console, then strode to the bench to view the sensitive footage.

Why had Obi-Wan kept his copies to himself? He did not appear in the first recording, so it could not have been shame alone that prevented him from distributing it. Did the Jedi assume his estranged husband would one day return to him, begging for forgiveness? For all his self-proclaimed humbleness, it would not be unlike him to expect such an absurd ending to their woeful tale. Oh, how wrong he had been.

Fun fact, when I was writing the part where the Jedi Council votes on what to do about Anakin and Obi-Wan, I went through Wookiepedia's list of Council members at the time and assessed how each of them would vote. It ended up working out to be a six-to-five votes in Anakin and Obi-Wan's favour (if Obi-Wan abstained) which was exactly what I wanted. How convenient :) I thought for sure they'd have to persuade / manipulate one of the Council members, but based on how their personalities were described I decided that six of them would be compassionate / relaxed / attachment-prone enough to allow them to be together. So maybe this really could've happened in canon :)