Chapter 20 - Recovering

Author's Note: This fic is over two-thirds complete. :) Just wondering. How many people are reading this fic anyway? xP

~ Amina Gila

It's later that evening when the palace is starting to settle down for the night, and the twins have already headed off to bed, that Anakin runs into Obi-Wan again. Though technically, it was Obi-Wan who came to find him.

"Anakin," he begins, hovering close to him. There's a certain amount of worry and regret on his face, even if it's an unfamiliar one.

"Why?" Anakin asks, "Why didn't you tell me? We were on the same mission." It doesn't make sense unless there's more he hasn't been told about. Or unless it was an oversight, but it's hardly a minor one that could just be brushed off. It could've blown the entire mission.

"The Council was adamant that as few people as possible should know I was undercover, especially given my position now. Away from Coruscant, many people would jump at the chance to... take out the Grandmaster," Obi-Wan replies.

That, there's no question of, but that still doesn't explain the rest. "I know," he confirms, "But I would not have spoken to anyone else about it." There wouldn't have been a reason to. His side throbs again, remembering that moment.

"It was an oversight," he answers, after a pause, "I didn't have the chance to tell you when you showed up, and I couldn't risk blowing my cover in the middle of the mission."

For a moment, Anakin wonders if it has anything to do with how it sometimes seems like Obi-Wan tries to keep Anakin away from him. It's not something he really does anymore, because of the little time they even have together, but when they were younger... it often felt like he did. Perhaps to avoid indulging in their attachment any more than he already did. Anakin can understand that part, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

Anakin nods, forcing himself to meet Obi-Wan's gaze, hard as it is right now. "I... understand."

"I am... sorry for how that went down, Anakin," his former master adds, a genuine regret on his face. He reaches out, lightly touching his shoulder. "How... is it?"

The it being the injury that Obi-Wan gave him in the first place when they ran into each other.

He tracked down the bounty hunters near a bar, the typical kind of place they usually hang out. There were other people around when the fight had broken out.

Anakin didn't realize who Hardeen was until it was a moment too late. They were fighting and Hardeen was fighting too well for just a typical bounty hunter, but Anakin had still been winning, until...

He was trying to call his lightsaber back to him, and it... he doesn't even know what happened, exactly, but the blade activated, and it stabbed him. It wasn't that deep, or that bad, but it still... happened.

He'd realized the same moment it was Obi-Wan who did it, even if it wasn't intentional. That doesn't mean he can just shake the moment from mind.

"It's alright," Anakin replies, anyway, looking away. He can feel his former master's obvious guilt over that. "It wasn't that deep."

"We made a misjudgment," Obi-Wan admits, "I should have told you that I was going on the mission. It was an oversight, and you were hurt because of it." He is genuinely regretful, of course. Anakin knows that, and he's grateful for it, and that does help – definitely – but he's still... hurt by it. Obi-Wan hurt him, despite it being entirely unintentional.

He never imagined that was even something that could... happen. Not physically. (Obi-Wan used to hurt him with words constantly.)

For a moment, it makes Anakin think of all the questions Luke has about the Jedi way of life. His son is going to keep pressing about it, most likely, and... Anakin can't tell him what happened. It would be entirely counterproductive, because he'd be furious at both the Jedi and Obi-Wan for it. Not that Anakin would be any less so if he were in Luke's place, so he can entirely understand it, but that... would not help this situation.

"The mission went better than it could have," Anakin says, finally, "That is what matters."

Obi-Wan nods. "But I will ensure something of this nature doesn't happen again."

It's more than enough that it happened once. Anakin has no question of that. He wishes he could shake it from mind, but... that will take time.

**w**

Anakin's decision not to say anything about what happened lasts until the next morning when Leia surprise-hugs him, and he isn't able to suppress the near yelp that escapes him.

She pulls back, confused and worried. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt in the fight?"

Luke is frowning too now, watching him speculatively.

"When I was chasing the bounty hunters before, the fight did not go well," Anakin tries to reassure her.

"But you seem... upset about more than that," Luke objects, "Is it about the mission, or Umbara, or... what?"

He'll have to give them answers. They have every right to know, but he doesn't want them needlessly upset with Obi-Wan over what happened.

"There was more to the mission than I was able to speak of to anyone," Anakin answers, at length, "But the Council left me out of much of it, and... it could have cost the mission."

"What?" Luke yelps, expression darkening. He gets upset so easily now – that never used to be true. The war has changed him. It's either that, or being apart from Leia, and that reminds him jarringly of Mortis. It's not something Anakin likes thinking about.

"Why would they do that?" Leia demands.

"They said it was merely an oversight," Anakin replies.

"But this isn't the first time they've done things like this, is it?" Luke objects, crossing his arms.

"No, but to this extent, it is." They've never trusted him, especially not now in some ways, and he doesn't understand why. Yes, he broke the Code for the twins, but that's never impacted his ability to carry out his duties as a Jedi.

"But they still have, like they don't trust you or something," Luke says, practically reading his mind. He's... always fast to notice those things.

"They don't. I do not know if they ever have. I... have never understood why," Anakin admits.

"That doesn't make sense. You've been one of them for decades," Leia protests.

"They're afraid of his power," Luke blurts, scowling.

Anakin's gaze jumps to him. That's... he's wondered that too, but he didn't expect to hear it from his son. The only one who's said things like that is Palpatine. "Why do you... believe that?"

"Seems obvious," he replies, "You're the best of them and you always have been, but they refuse to see it even now. You might be different, but they're the ones who keep it that way, after so many years."

He's not entirely wrong, even if Anakin prefers not to think about it. He realized from the time he was a padawan that he would never fit in, no matter how much he tried. It's just a fact of life now. His children and the clones – who he admittedly cares about in a similar way – have given him a different focus and a sense of belonging he hasn't felt since his mother, really.

"How could they overlook something as simple as this?" Leia agrees.

Anakin sighs. "I do not understand either. But I know they... try. That is what matters."

"That they're trying to help the galaxy doesn't excuse when they hurt their own members," Luke argues, fiercely.

If they were just sacrificing him for the greater good, he would understand. But that's not really what this is. It's a tension that he's been sharply re-reminded of, much as he doesn't want to dwell on it.

That Umbara was only a week ago isn't helping, even if it's not directly related to this issue. He's worried about the path the Order is on now. The darkness he sees in so many is only growing – even Obi-Wan himself.

"I will always be different than them," Anakin answers, at length, "No other Jedi has seen outside the Order. They do not understand what life is like beyond that, and it is not fair to judge them for that." Even if, with the work they do, he thinks it's something they really ought to be paying more attention to.

"Maybe not," Leia concedes grudgingly, "But I... don't understand."

"Doesn't make it right," Luke grumbles.

"Come," Anakin advises, finally, "Your mother is likely waiting for us already." They decided they'd have the morning meal together as a family, something they've pretty much never had the time for. Leia doesn't have any prior engagements right now, so it's a good chance to just be.

He doesn't want to spend the whole time brooding about how he wishes things could be better than they are, no matter how true it is.

**w**

Luke can't shake the conversation with Anakin from mind anyway, even that night. The more time goes on, the more he can't help feeling like the Jedi really have always treated Anakin like their slave, even if he doesn't see it himself. Though, Luke thinks he does on some level at least, even if he doesn't want to speak of it.

"I don't know what to do," he says, when he finishes the story to Palpatine. At least he understands and sympathizes, and most of all... can actually offer advice. Leia understands obviously, but she doesn't know what to do any more than Luke does.

"Right now, there is nothing you can do," Palpatine replies, as they make through the halls of the palace, to where the banquet will be held tonight. The guests haven't started arriving inside, yet. "But someday, that might change."

"How could it?"

"Time changes everything," Palpatine assures, "We can only hope someday there will be a time it becomes easier to make the galaxy a better place."

He doesn't honestly see that happening, unless something extreme happens, and the thought of what that might have to entail is... unnerving. Unsettling.

Predictably, it's right then that they reach the banquet hall, the doors sliding open to reveal none other than Ventress sitting at the head of the table.

"Nice of you to finally show up," she drawls, standing, "I've been wondering how long it would take."

What's she doing here?!

"Ventress," Luke hisses, eyes narrowed as he draws his lightsaber. He barely manages to activate his comm before MagnaGuards emerge from the darkness behind him, activating electrostaffs.

This is not good. All of this was to protect Palpatine, and now they're alone in here, and –

His blade clashes with the first electrostaff, and he spins to block the other one before it can hit him.

But there's still two others in here, and they immediately go for Palpatine. One of the electrostaffs hits him in the side, electricity pulsing through him. Luke pulls back with a yelp, hurling it across the room, and dodging the other's blow, bisecting it. Before the fallen one can attack him, he lashes out, crushing it.

He will not let them hurt Palpatine. Maybe this isn't how he's supposed to use the Force, but he's not a Jedi. He's about to lunge at the others when Ventress jumps for him.

"Not so fast," she drawls, though there's a certain anger burning in her eyes that he doesn't really get. It's not like she has a reason to be personally angry at him, unlike he does for Maul.

Luke blocks her twin blades, shoving her back. He fought her once on Tatooine and Reva had to save his life. He's grown a lot, but he has no doubt that she's still more skilled. He'll have to be careful, especially when there's two other MagnaGuards still here.

"Wouldn't have expected Skywalker to leave his foal here all alone," she mocks, kicking him back.

He reorients himself, jumping at her head. She dodges, but barely. He dives at her again, instantly. "He's coming. And you'll regret coming here."

"Not if I finish you off first," she mocks, "Even us Sith wouldn't leave our child to face such a threat all alone."

Is that it? She's upset that Merrin was very minorly injured in her fight with them? That same logic would give Luke very legitimate reason to kill Maul for what he did to Anakin – not that he doesn't already want to. He wants to make that Sith pay for everything he's done.

Luke doesn't bother to reply, just throws himself into the fight again. They aren't really getting anywhere, though, aside from smashing everything on the table and destroying the chairs.

The MagnaGuards are still shoving Palpatine for the exit, and something inside Luke just snaps for a moment. He throws Ventress back, wrapping the Force around the droids and crushing. They're reduced to hunks of metal on the floor in an instant, an instant almost too slow because Ventress' blade is swinging for his head.

He dodges, landing on his back as he tries to roll out of the way, dropping his own blade. No, this is not how it's going to end.

"Drowning in your anger isn't the Jedi way, is it?" Ventress mocks, nearly taking off his head again.

"Good thing I'm not a Jedi," Luke retorts, shoving her back.

She retreats a few steps, under the intensity of the blows. And he can't help thinking that she's not wrong. The power that's coursing through him right now as he draws on the anger he's been barely controlling since this morning – technically, it's been building for years now – is far stronger than when he draws on the Force mostly from a state of calm.

It reminds him, for a moment, of something that happened many years ago.

"I wanna be like Daddy," Luke pouts. He was only about five at the time – Anakin had been demonstrating how well he could use the Force. And somehow in all that, Luke and Leia had convinced him to demonstrate that by picking up them with the Force.

"Haven't you asked him to teach you the Force?" Palpatine asks.

"Yes! But it's not working fast enough!"

"I am not acquainted with the ways of the Force the way the Jedi are –"

"What does kwainted mean?" Luke repeats, scrunching up his face.

"Acquainted," he repeats, looking amused, "But as I was saying, not everyone may use it the same way, easiest. Have you tried using your emotions to make it work better?"

"Daddy says I need to be calm, but then I get annoyed, and then it doesn't work," he replies.

"Let it give you focus," he suggests, and Luke had... tried that. It actually worked, far more easily. He'd been gleeful about that and showed it off to Anakin. His father had told him again that that wasn't how he ought to use the Force, but even if Luke tried to do it the Jedi way after that, there was a part of him that never really stopped using emotions to fuel it.

And there's also a definitely childish part of him that now doesn't want to stop, simply because it violates what the Jedi always claim, and he's so upset with them right now. Almost irrationally so, but the more he thinks about it or talks about it – after his long rant to Palpatine, anyway – the more annoyed he gets.

He hurls Ventress back again, and she's about to lunge at him, when the door suddenly bursts open, Anakin and Obi-Wan sprinting into the room. Ventress picks up several chairs, throwing them at them, before she runs for the exit.

They give chase, but she's already scrambling in a ship and blasting off before they can stop her.

"I should have known the plan went deeper than they let on," Obi-Wan says, in his still awful, contorted voice that nearly makes Luke cringe every time he hears it.

"How'd she even get on planet?" He doesn't like the thought of all these Separatists being able to sneak onto Naboo so easily.

"I do not know, but I sensed there was still darkness here," Anakin replies, "But if they were willing to go this far, it may not be the last time there is an attack directly against the Chancellor."

Luke really doesn't want to think about what that's going to mean. Everyone will have to be ready.

But the more he thinks of Palpatine's words only right before the fight, the more he can't help thinking something huge is about to change, even if... not yet. The war has to end eventually, but the question is who wins and then what?

All Luke knows is that he has an inexplicable but very, very distinct bad feeling.

**w**

"Look out!" Anakin calls, as he and Luke streak through the Cato Neimoidian sky in their fighters. "Incoming missiles!"

The war leading right to a planet that's technically the heart of Separatist territory even though they claimed to be neutral until recently wasn't a surprise. Though he never likes when there's this much fighting over civilian areas – there's many towns far down below them. Not that there's anything any of them can do now expect take down all the droids swarming them.

"No problem!" Luke calls back, as Anakin spins his own fighter out of the way.

Except then, the missiles collide in front of them in a flare of smoke, releasing a swarm of buzz droids. He accelerates immediately, diving out of their reach, barely in time.

"Uhh... Think I spoke too soon," his son yelps.

"You have buzz droids?" Anakin calls back, twisting around to get a look at his fighter. They're swarming all over the top, and... This is not good.

"Yeah," Luke replies, before some of them go flying. He must've Force-shoved them. "What about you?"

"All clear," he replies, "You need to get on the ground." He can already see the fighter trailing smoke; the damage is going too far to stop.

There's a strange staticky noise on the other end of the line suddenly, and Anakin feels his bond with Luke go dark, like he's unconscious.

Trying to stay calm is hard, but it's not the first time Luke has been in danger. It used to be hard with Ahsoka, too, back when she was still his padawan, though it's always been different with Luke.

The fighter is hurtling for the edge of a nearby ridge far too quickly, and he'll have to pull him out. Pushing open his fighter and balancing precariously on the edge, Anakin jumps over to one of Luke's wings. Buzz droids are swarming around on the bottom side; he can hear them cutting through the metal. No wonder the fighter is failing.

Forcing the top open, he pulls an unconscious Luke out, jumping to safety right before the fighter goes over the edge.

Anakin immediately moves to check over his condition. It doesn't look serious from the outside, just badly bruised from how hard he hit his head. He... could have a concussion, though. He'll have to see how aware he is when returning to consciousness.

Luke finally stirs, reaching up to touch his head with a quiet groan.

"How is it?" Anakin asks, frowning.

He blinks again, pulling his hand away with a wince. "It – Wait, what's going on? How did I get out here?"

"Your fighter crashed," Anakin replies, "I got you out."

"Right," he mutters, slowly maneuvering into a sitting position. Whether the obvious wince is just from the obvious pounding headache he has, or actual damage, Anakin isn't entirely sure.

That's why he already sent for Kix, who shows up only minutes later. Many of the clones were already landing on the ground.

"Another fighter crash?" Kix asks dryly as he approaches, crouching next to Luke.

"Hey, it rarely happens!" his son protests.

"Thankfully," Kix replies. He's pretty much always cheerful, even when he's being very stubborn about someone taking care of their health. "The risk of permanent brain damage from these crashes is high."

"That sure makes me feel better," Luke mutters.

"How's it looking?" Anakin asks.

"Nothing serious," Kix concludes, finally, "But I would advise rest until the headache fades."

"Then we'd better finish up here," Anakin says, standing and glancing around. He'd send Luke somewhere safer, but there's no way to do that right now. "We shouldn't keep you any longer. I'm sure there's others waiting for you."

It always... hurts, after every battle to see how many of the clones are gone. He remembers as many of them as he can, and they're... He'd adopt all of them if he could, give them the kind of life they actually deserve. It feels like to everyone else they're nothing more than numbers, instead of child soldiers – slaves – senselessly lost in the war. And it... bothers him constantly how they are all slaves. They don't have say in anything. They can't choose to leave.

Kix is just about to leave when Anakin's comm suddenly beeps, and it's... Obi-Wan calling? A direct call to him from the Council in the middle of battle could only mean something serious. From the tense look on his former master's face, and the way his emotions are fluxing wildly, it must be something bad. "Are you in the middle of anything?" he asks. "We need you back on Coruscant immediately."

"I am. What has happened?"

"Someone bombed the Temple hangar. We need your assistance in finding the terrorist," he explains.

Anakin feels momentarily frozen.

What?!

How could that –

"What?!" Luke yelps, eyes going wide.

"How could someone have successfully bombed the Temple?"

"That's what we're trying to determine," Obi-Wan answers, shortly, "And we need you return immediately."

"We'll be back as soon as possible, Master," Anakin assures. They have to. Though he'll have to make sure the battle here is stabilized first. He's not going to abandon his men to die. And he's definitely not going to let them be under another Jedi's control. Not after Umbara.

"This sounds... serious, sir," Kix says, gravely, "I didn't know it was possible for someone to get past the Jedi's defenses in such a way."

"How is that possible?!" Luke agrees.

He shakes his head. The news still feels unreal. It probably won't until he sees it. The Temple is his home, the one place they're always supposed to be safe. And more than that, it's the center of... everything the Jedi value. That someone would actually go so far as to attack it – "I don't know, but we will find answers."

"You think the clankers were able to get to Coruscant again?" Kix asks. It had happened once before, and they'd blown out the power grid, but that wasn't anything major. It had totally disrupted the peace talks that were about to happen, though, so Anakin can't help thinking it was too conveniently timed.

"Droids couldn't have done it," Anakin objects, after a pause, "They have to have sent a person."

"And no one sensed the intrusion?" Luke presses, frowning.

It's a good point, one that has unsettling implications. "Either this bomb was sent in on a droid or someone who didn't know what they were doing, or... there must be an infiltrator. Perhaps one of the Temple workers." Or at least, that's what Anakin can hope, because after Krell, he... doesn't know what to think anymore. It's too unsettling to dwell on.

They head back to the cruiser right away. Rex hasn't left for the surface yet, and the word of it what happened has unsurprisingly already started to spread in the time it took them to fly back up there.

"We must leave," Anakin tells him. He'd consider leaving Luke to help them, just in case, if he weren't already injured and supposed to be on bed rest. "Rex, can you handle the rest of this on your own?"

"Yes, sir," he confirms, "You already took out the worst of the clankers' blockade. Don't worry about us, sir. We'll be fine."

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Anakin promises. Though for some reason, he has a bad feeling about this. He doesn't think it's going to go smoothly at all, and... the clones will probably be long done before he gets back. He can't say why he has the feeling, but he's almost certain something is going to go wrong.

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