The Force acted like a vacuum, drawing all of Anakin's anguish into its grasp. The screams of his past were muffled, silenced, and he found himself in an almost trance-like state, kneeling on the floor, his hands covering his face.

'How long?' he wondered, his thoughts swirling in the quiet emptiness. 'How long has it been since I couldn't contain all these emotions?'

'Should I even consider this an illusion? It would be more rational to think I've reverted to my teenage body. Stuttering, screaming, none of these emotions should be present.'

'It's as if I hardly had a personality. I'm just a ball of anger.'

He groaned inwardly, fighting the urge to physically punish himself, then remembered that Obi-Wan was still present.

How had Obi-Wan dealt with him all those years? Anakin could hardly stand himself.

His self-loathing had always been so potent that it seemed to spill out onto others. When someone would point out his flaws, it felt like they were driving knives into wounds he'd already inflicted on himself. He was aware of his shortcomings but would push away anyone who tried to help him overcome them. He'd berate himself in private but argue that he had no such flaw when someone else brought it up. Palpatine had exploited this side of him, stoking the flames of injustice he felt at the Jedi's perceived wrongs.

How could he have been so foolish as to rely on others for solutions? Why hadn't he found his own way?

This time, Anakin was vaguely aware of his temper rising, and he noticed the sound of clinking glass trembling with each shuddering breath.

Obi-Wan approached cautiously, sensing the storm within Anakin.

Anakin's eyes darted everywhere but never met Obi-Wan's gaze. When the broken glass shook again, Obi-Wan couldn't hold back any longer.

"Anakin, stop!" he exclaimed.

Anakin heard him but did not fully understand what he said.

Soon enough, many Jedi came rushing in to resolve the incident. Bursting through the door, they asked, "Master Kenobi, what happened? Is Skywalker all right?"

They're here to kill me.

Anakin, starting to spiral, was startled by their presence, and the glass pieces hurtled in their direction. However, upon reaching their target, they bounced off harmlessly, creating only a small tinkling sound.

They wouldn't do it, the code won't allow them.

Anakin didn't make even the slightest gesture to send the glass flying.

It all happened so quickly that neither Obi-Wan nor the other Jedi had time to react. They found it strange, but they were relieved that none of them sensed malice through the Force.

"I'll advise that you let me handle this," Obi-Wan said, although he wasn't entirely sure of himself. But Anakin was his Padawan, and that made it his responsibility.

They understood that Obi-Wan possessed the skills to defend himself and that staying any longer might only worsen the situation. Soon after, the healers arrived, and the other jedi retreated out the door.

Meanwhile, Anakin continued to clutch his head, his trembling hands limiting his field of vision.

This isn't real.

His surroundings blurred into a chaotic mess as his mind raced with a tumultuous mix of past and present memories. He struggled to process the overwhelming flood of thoughts, trying to make sense of what lay ahead. Should he base his predictions on his knowledge of reality or cling to the hope of a more favorable outcome in the realm of his dreams? The lines between the two were becoming increasingly blurred as he grappled with the uncertain path that stretched before him.

I already messed up.

As the healers arrived, Obi-Wan held his hand out, signaling them to halt in their tracks. He harbored uncertainty about whether it would be safe for them to approach any closer to Anakin in his current state. Obi-Wan knelt down in front of Anakin, his expression filled with concern as he observed the young Jedi's unfocused gaze.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked gently, his voice laced with worry.

Anakin flinched, momentarily pulled from the depths of his inner turmoil. Although his vision remained blurred, he keenly sensed the overwhelming presence of a dozen people tensely standing behind him. Panic surged within him, and he instinctively believed the worst was unfolding. The shattered pieces of glass began to rise again.

As Obi-Wan tried to provide solace to Anakin, he shifted his approach from using his voice alone to utilizing the Force to calm his troubled apprentice. His eyes remained fixed on Anakin's, even though the young Jedi's gaze darted around, refusing to settle on him.

With a tone carrying a subtle, hypnotic quality, Obi-Wan gently inquired, "What's troubling you?"

As Obi-Wan's soothing voice and Force presence began to flood Anakin's senses.

This is real.

The young Jedi's trembling hands slowly lowered from his head. His breathing steadied, and the shards of glass that had hovered in the air gently floated back to the ground.

Anakin's unfocused eyes gradually found their way to Obi-Wan's, and he blinked as if awakening from a daze. The overwhelming presence of the onlookers behind him seemed to fade into the background as he focused on his master's caring gaze.

"I... I don't know," Anakin replied, his voice still shaky but showing signs of returning to normal.

As the healers cautiously approached, Anakin's anxiousness intensified. The conflicting thoughts swirled within him, and he couldn't shake the sense of dread that had crept in. It was as if a voice inside him was trying to sow doubt.

They're here to kill you. He betrayed you. Again.

Obi-Wan noticed the shift in Anakin's focus and made another attempt to soothe him. "That's alright, I can help you figure it out," he reassured.

But there was another voice that surfaced, relentless in its accusations.

No, he's never betrayed you. You betrayed him.

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aaa I forgot to post sorry qwq hope yall like the longer chapters