#Bail Organa is carrying Obi Wan Kenobi on his back

[ohsweetzombiecthulhu]

Just gonna... Leave this here... For a moment.

*shifty eyes*

[dameronology]

angel eyes (obi-wan)

summary: after order 66, obi-wan kenobi tried his very best to move on from you. it would be a shame if you were to ruin that. (obviously based on the abba song) - 2.8k words

warnings: language, kind of emotional infedelity?? and also angst. no kenobi spoilers tho.

it's 4.11am and i have been writing this for six hours. and truth be told i think i could do more with it but even more truther be tolder i am too sleep deprived to argue with myself. enjoy.

-jazz

Your relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi had died with the Jedi Order.

The end of your relationship had been beautifully in sync with the start of your relationship, in the sense that it had been out of necessity and a little for your own soundness of mind. It was clear from the start that Kenobi was essential in your life if you wanted to stay sane. He was grounded and smart, which was a beautiful contrast to your haywire, rebellious ways. So you became friends. And then you found that being friends wasn't really an option, because you loved him and couldn't really live without him. You hadn't expected to find the love of your life in the very place that forbade such a thing, but you would come to learn that the universe wasn't really fair. Still though, it hadn't felt completely and entirely cruel when Obi-Wan affirmed that he felt the same way about you. Thus, triggering the beginning of the most intensely passionate and beautiful five years of your life.

Obi-Wan wasn't a man who did things by halves. In fact, he did them tenfold or he didn't do them at all. That meant that he absolutely carried you through the worst of times and the best of times. He made you feel things you hadn't thought possible: like heaven was right there in the Jedi Temple. Sneaking around and lying to the Council got a little difficult at times, but all it took was one look at him and you knew in your soul that it was worth it. All those whispered conversations of leaving the Order together and having a future, a real future, were the only thing that got you through the war. They'd been nothing but a fantasy at the time.

You still remembered how it felt to see him after Order 66. The comms systems had fallen completely and you had no clue if he was alive. It was too hard to concentrate and reach out over the Force. Those hours had been gruelling.

You'd seen Obi-Wan for the first time aboard Bail Organa's ship. You'd never seen him move so quickly; he took you up in his arms, pulled you into chest and just held you for a moment. Neither of you said anything. Neither of you had to. Amongst the grief and loss, you felt a sense of relief. It was hard to say you'd lost everything when you still had him.

At least you thought. Because by that point, it was beyond dangerous for two Jedi to stay together. There was a galaxy wide manhunt for every remaining knight but especially Obi-Wan. His leading part in this entire thing basically put a target on his back and that was enough danger for one person, let alone two. The Empire would have struck gold if they found you together.

Your only option - and the only way to survive - was to go your separate ways. It hurt. It hurt a lot. Mostly because a small part of you had hoped that those silly fantasies about a future together might finally pay off now that the Order was gone. But, like I said: the universe was cruel. Far crueller than you ever expected it to be.

The only thing that kept you going after your separation was his promise to you.

"I'll never love anyone the way I love you."

Obi-Wan was to go to Tatooine and you were to go Alderaan. Your names would be wiped from the records; you'd be given new identities, new stories, new everything. You owed Bail Organa your life for offering to help you out.

Saying goodbye hurt you in a way you couldn't quite explain. The first few weeks without him were even worst: you could no longer reach out to him when your nightmares sank in during the late hours. There were no blue eyes to open up to; no-one to say sweetheart, don't be stupid every time you were about to make an irrational decision. It was like you were two parts of a whole and now Obi-Wan was gone, the logical part of your mind had gone completely.

Maybe that was why you fell into bounty hunting. The danger and adrenaline wasn't that far off from your days as a Jedi. It paid well and no-one hunting the Jedi would ever think to look in the dingy bars and cantinas of downtown Alderaan. It worked in a way you hadn't expected. Not enough to make you feel as whole as you had at the Temple with Obi-Wan, but just enough so that you could feel yourself moving on.

Obi-Wan's words rung through your brain every night for the next five years. I'll never love anyone the way I love you.

Time passed and you had flings here and there; a few dates that a mutual friend set you up, a brief dalliance with a fellow bounty hunter, yada, yada, yada. None it counted for anything. It was all a desperate attempt to find a connection again. There came a point where it felt like your ability to love another person lived and died with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Five years after the fall of the Galactic Republic, you took a job in Tatooine. There was a complete disconnect in your mind between the desert planet and Obi-Wan living there. Hell, you didn't know if he was still there. You didn't even know if he was still alive. It had been a good two years since you’d had any updates from him. The Organas had made a point of updating you at first, but that had faded along with your contact with them. Reminders of your former life weren’t what you needed anymore. 

Tatooine was dry. It was dusty and it was sandy and it was fucking dry. There was no guarantee that the quarry you were after was even there. Mos Eisley wasn’t exactly a small spaceport; it was packed with different shops and stalls and clustered with people. That made it the least ideal place to try and hunt someone down. 

You elbowed your way through the crowds in the main square, eyes peeled for the quarry. Your hood was up around your head - half to protect you from the sun, but also half to hide your face. There had been whispers over the last few weeks of an Empire presence here. Even though Jabba the Hutt apparently ruled the place, it wasn’t completely unheard of for the Imps to be sniffing around everywhere. 

Hooking a right, you turned the corner from the main square and into one of the smaller streets. You almost instantly collided with a girl; you let out an oof! as you fell on your ass, a cloud of dust evaporating around your form as you hit the ground. She took a step back and held out her hand. 

“I am so sorry!” she exclaimed.

“No, it’s my fault-”

“- oh, darling. Are you running into people again?”

You froze. You actually fucking froze. That was a voice you would have recognised anywhere - even more so because he’d said that phrase to you a thousand times before. It was always oh darling, are you running into people again? or how did you not see the wall, my love? or just…something about how fucking clumsy you were. Obi-Wan had found it endearing.

You heard his voice and then his face came into view. He didn’t look that different - his hair was a little longer and his beard more jagged, but his blue eyes caught yours and immediately you knew it was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Undeniable and in the flesh. Calling another person sweetheart. He took a step towards her and put an arm on her waist, hand resting on her hip. That was how he used to hold you. Fucking ouch. 

He hadn’t noticed you. Not yet. 

“Oh hush, Ben,” she smiled, and then looked back at you. “I am genuinely sorry. You’re not hurt, are you?”

Not physically. Haha. 

“No, not at all,” you cleared your throat. 

Obi-Wan glanced from the girl and towards you - then you shared the same look. It was like seeing a ghost from his past. Actually, you were a ghost from his past. He’d tried so hard for so long to shove you to the back of his mind and move on. It was only in the last few years that he’d succeeded. He should have known that you were going to turn up out of nowhere and blow everything apart. You’d done it once before. Why not again? 

He didn’t know what to say. That was ironic, because he’d spent hours laying awake at night thinking about the speech he would give you if you ever turned up again. It was gone now. And so it seemed had his ability to speak. 

Neither of you knew how to play it. Did you pretend you were strangers, for the sake of the girl in front of you? The girl, who in your opinion, looked at him a little too much like you used to. With some kind of admiration and hope. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi hung the stars in the sky and wrote out the constellations just for you. To her, it seemed he was Ben. You didn’t who the fuck Ben was. Moreso, you didn’t know who the fuck this girl was. 

“Ben, is it?” you asked. Okay, you were going with playing dumb. “Are you guys locals?”

“I am!” the girl piped up. “Born and raised, sadly. Ben here moved to the port a few years ago. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

“I’m…here on business,” you trailed off. “I’m just looking for a hotel, actually. It’s getting dark and I don’t fancy staying on my ship all night. If you guys could just give me directions, I’ll be on my way and-”

You didn’t want to be on your way. You had a thousand questions to ask; some about Kenobi, some about the relationship he seemingly had with this girl. Neither of those things were your business. Your relationship with him had ended half a decade ago. It was just that promise of I’ll never love anyone like I love you that rang through your head. It would have been easier to believe he didn’t look at her the same fucking way he once looked at you. 

“The hotels here are extortionate,” she said. “Ben has a spare room. He’s always letting travellers crash there. I’m sure he won’t mind if you stay the night.”

Spoiler alert: he did mind. And you minded too. You minded even more than his name was seemingly Ben now. You knew it mostly for safety, so that the Imps couldn’t find him, but he was always Obi-Wan in your mind. Nothing would ever change that. 

“It’s okay,” you insisted. “I really don’t mind paying. Besides, I’m just a stranger and-”

“- nonsense!” she cut you off. “You don’t seem like an axe murderer.”

To Obi-Wan, you were arguably much worse than an axe murderer. 

“Uh,” he stuttered. He couldn’t say no - the girl clearly had him wrapped around her finger. “I don’t see why not.”

You gave him a look that said think, Kenobi. Think of a single fucking reason. 

Still, he had nothing.

“Great,” you murmured.

The girl leant down and picked up the bags that you’d dropped earlier. She was nice. Too nice. Not only did that make it harder to dislike her, but it made you think that things between them must have been boring. Your entire relationship with Obi-Wan had been built on the fact that you were chaotic as fuck and he was the calm one. You’d ruined his life in the best way. 

—

You spent the rest of the afternoon traipsing after the couple through the Mos Eisley markets. They were together - you could decipher that much. The girl seemed grabbier than him but you couldn’t decipher if it was always that way, or if Obi-Wan was just playing it down because you were there. 

It killed both of you not being able to talk about the things you needed, or to say the things you needed to. There was so much unspoken tension in the air and it was a surprise that his lover hadn’t picked up on it. She seemed completely clueless, from the minute she invited you to stay in his spare room, to the minute she kissed him goodbye and retired back to her own house for the night.

That left you and Kenobi in his converted cave, sat in silence until the door slammed shut and you both jumped into action. Naturally, you were the first to speak. 

“What the fuck is going on?” 

“I could ask you the same,” Obi-Wan shot back. “What are you doing here?”

“I wasn’t lying earlier when I said I was on business,” you said. “I followed a bounty here. I didn’t expect to run into you. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if you were alive.”

“I am - just about,” he murmured. “I could say the same for you.”

“I wouldn’t call this just about,” you replied, glancing around. “Obi-Wan, who is Ben?”

“Ben is the name I took upon arriving here,” he explained. “Obi-Wan Kenobi is no more. He’s dead. He had to die.”

“He’s not dead,” you shook your head. “I’m looking right at him, aren’t I?”

“Not quite.”

“Oh, don’t give me that,” you scoffed. “I recognised you straight away. I can see it in your eyes - the way you look around when you think you see danger, that inquisitive glance towards the crowds, the way you hold yourself. You can change your name all you want but nothing will change the fact that you are Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“You haven’t changed one bit.”

“You have, though,” you muttered. “With your new house, and job, and girlfriend-”

“- don’t be like that,” Obi-Wan cut you off. “I had to make a life for myself here. I didn’t know what I’d see you again-”

“- I’m not being like anything,” you rolled your eyes. “I just…do you remember that last promise you made to me before we broke up?”

He nodded. “Clear as day. I promised you that I would never love someone as much as I love you - and I’ve kept that promise.”

“I don’t think you have,” you shook your head. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. You love her. I’m not fucking blind.”

Obi-Wan stood up and crossed the room to where you were standing. It felt weird to be near you again. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug you; it’s what he’d been craving for yours. Not just someone’s touch, but your touch. You’d been a pillar in his life and now that you were gone, he’d felt everything crumbling down to the very core. 

“Maybe some part of me was just hoping that you’d wait for me,” you murmured. “I know it’s ridiculous. I just think that you might be the very best thing that ever happened to me and even when you’re gone, I’m still foolish enough to cling onto hope.”

“It was circumstantial,” he began. “She lives three doors down. We met and we got on and it made sense for us to start dating. You can see that my life here is a little lacklustre. I thought it might bring excitement.”

“Did it?”

Obi shook his head. “Not in the slightest. She’s nice but she doesn’t get me the way you did. I don’t think anyone ever will - so I might look at her with affection but I can assure you that I will never love anyone the way I love you.”

Love. In the present tense. Not the past. The Jedi were in the past. The Republic was in the past. Everything was in the past. But seemingly, not his love for you, nor your love for him. It might have been dormant for a while but it was bright as day now you were together. 

“I’ve spent the last five years chasing a feeling that I can only get with you,” he continued. “Whatever mixture of stress, excitement and terror that may be.”

“Me too,” you said. “Moving on is hard.”

“It is insufferable,” Obi-Wan replied. He took your hands, thumbs ghosting over the back of your palm. “But you have to understand, my love, that moving on is sometimes not a choice so much it is a necessity.”

“I know,” you murmured. “It’s still not safe for us to be together, is it?”

“It’s not,” he confirmed. “And even if it was, what we had is no more. I will undoubtedly take your love with me into the future but our relationship belongs in the past.”

“Right,” you nodded. “Right person, wrong time, I guess.”

“No, not at all - you’re the right person. All the time.”

tags: @hellotherekenobi @frampuccino @currentlysobbingtofortiesmusic

[just-dreaming-marvel]

The Bond Between Us ~ 43

THE BOND BETWEEN US MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 3,210ish

Summary: Obi-Wan confronts Anakin as you are receiving care. Padme gives birth to the twins. Yoda gives you your final assignment.

Notes: heartbreaking angst. Good luck. Reactions are very much welcome.

While you were unconscious, you were caught up in the Force. Snippets of the fight Obi-Wan and Anakin were sharing filled your senses.

“I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire.”

“Your new Empire?”

“Don’t make me kill you.”

“Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy!”

“If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy.”

“Only a Sith deals in absolutes… I will do what I must.”

“You will try. As Y/N did and failed.”

“I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you.”

“I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over.”

“Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!”

“From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!”

“Then you are lost!”

“It’s over, Anakin! I have the high ground!”

“You underestimate my power!”

“You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!”

“I hate you!”

“You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!”

The pain that you were feeling, coming from both Anakin and Obi-Wan, was causing you to groan and cry out. It was almost unbearable. You writhed on the stretcher, wishing for the pain to end. The pain was heavy on your chest, making it hard for you to breathe. Tears fell freely from your closed eyes, you having no energy to stop them.

“Obi-Wan!” You cried out, almost breathlessly. “Obi-Wan!”

“Master Kenobi is on his way,” Bail said, coming to your side. “We just received word. He will be here soon.”

All you could give in response was a pathetic excuse for a nod. You had failed to notice, as you were so out of it, that Yoda was with you. He had failed to stop the Emperor, disappointing even himself. You had also been taken to a hidden base on a nearby moon. Yoda winced as he felt another onslaught of your pain. He sighed as he went away to meditate.

~~~

Obi-Wan sat in silence, hand over his mouth as C-3PO piloted the Naboo ship to the coordinates Senator Organa had sent. In his mind, the Jedi Master relived the fight that had just occurred. Padme was laying unconscious in the back. He had threatened to break Obi-Wan when she asked about Anakin. He was thankful that she quickly lost consciousness before he could give her an answer. Obi-Wan hated the idea of Anakin’s child growing up without a father, but he knew that you wouldn’t let Padme raise the child on her own. You would insist on going with Padme and wherever you went, Obi-Wan would follow.

It took far too long for Obi-Wan’s liking to arrive at the hidden base. As the ship landed, Obi-Wan scooped Padme up in his arms. The ramp began to lower and he rushed down it, with C-3PO and R2D2 behind him. Bail raced forward to meet them.

“We’ll take her to the medical center,” Bail said. “Quickly.”

Obi-Wan hurried to the medical center, with Bail leading the way. As soon as they were in the medical center, Padme was taken into a room next to yours to be checked over. Obi-Wan, now not carrying Padme, turned to Bail.

“Where is Y/N?” He asked.

“She’s in the next room,” Bail responded. “She’s been in extreme amounts of pain and asking for you.”

Obi-Wan gave a nod before racing to the next room. The medical personnel had finally gotten you into a calm state, with little pain. You were still in your robes as they had simply worked around them to patch up the injuries. Obi-Wan hurried to your side and took your hand.

“I’m here, little star,” he said, bringing your hand up to kiss your knuckles. “I’m here.”

“Obi-Wan…” you whispered, eyes fluttering open to look at him. You could see what the last few hours at down to him, worn him out to the core. “Did you…” He nodded as he swallowed down her emotions. You could sense Padme in the Force around you. Something was wrong. “Padme…”

“They are checking on her now.”

“I want to see.”

“You need to rest.”

“I need to see her… please, Obi… we need to be there for each other.”

Obi-Wan understood what you meant, though was concerned for your own health. With a resigned sigh, he found the wheelchair in the room, picked you up, and gently placed you in it. As he rolled you out into the hallway, you saw Bail, Yoda, R2, and C-3PO watching Padme be taken care of through the glass windows. Obi-Wan pushed you up to the window that aligned with Padme’s face. You held your trembling hand out to the glass and close your eyes. You could feel her slipping away like something was slowly sucking her life force from her. You opened your eyes again when you heard the medical droid come out to update the group.

“Medically, she’s completely healthy,” the medical droid stated. “For reasons we can’t explain, we are losing her.”

“She’s dying?” Obi-Wan questioned, shocked.

“We don’t know why. She has lost the will to live. We need to operate quickly if we are to save the babies.”

“Babies?” Bail repeated.

“She’s carrying twins.”

You didn’t even try to stop the tears from falling. Those twin babies were your family and they were about to lose both their mother and father in the same night. Obi-Wan walked over to you. One of his hands found your shoulder as he looked in at Padme.

“Those babies deserve better than this,” you whispered. “I want to be in there with her during the procedure.”

“Of course,” Obi-Wan replied softly.

~~~

Much to Obi-Wan’s disappointment, you insisted on standing up during Padme’s operation. Obi-Wan had tried to fight you on it but the determined look in your eye told him that he didn’t stand a chance. You would stand at the side of the woman you consider your sister as she gave birth to your brother’s babies. Obi-Wan stood on the opposite side of the table from you, both of you holding one of her hands. 

Padme whimpered and sobbed through the operation. You struggled to hold in your emotion, but you pushed through for the sake of Padme. When the first baby began crying, Padme got a few moments of relief.

“It’s a boy,” the medical droid announced, passing the baby to Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan gently held the newborn, bending down to give Padme a better view. Padme reached up to caress the baby.

“Luke,” she rasped. “Oh, Luke.”

Quickly, Padme began whimpering and sobbing again as the medical droid worked to deliver the next baby. Obi-Wan kept ahold of Luke as you kept ahold of Padme’s hand. She gripped your hand tightly as she shouted in pain.

“You’re so close, Padme,” you tried to comfort her. “You’re almost done.”

The next baby cried and the medical droid announced it to be a girl. Padme let go of your hand so that you could take the newborn baby girl in your arms.

“It’s a girl,” Obi-Wan repeated, seeing how exhausted Padme was.

“Leia,” Padme breathed out. You felt a sudden shift in Padme’s Force signature. She was slipping faster now. “Obi-Wan…” Padme was breathing heavily as she spoke. “There’s good in him… I know… I know there’s… still—“

With a final pull, Padme’s signature was ripped away, leaving her lifeless on the stretcher. The babies began crying along with you as Obi-Wan tried to hold in his emotions. Needing the babies to be checked over, two medical droids came and took them from you and Obi-Wan. Once Obi-Wan’s arms were free he rushed around the stretcher to catch you from collapsing to the ground. You clung to him as you sobbed, feeling the weight of the losses crash down on you. Obi-Wan cradled your head close to him as he rested his against yours and slowly rocked you both. Tears fell from Obi-Wan’s eyes and onto your head as you continued to cry in his embrace.

~~~

With the babies asleep, Bail had Padme’s body loaded onto his ship. They needed to take the body to Naboo for a proper funeral. You helped load the babies into the ship before meeting Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail in the conference room on board. You sat beside Obi-Wan, reaching over to grip his hand.

“Hidden, safe the children must be kept,” Yoda stated.

“We must take them somewhere where the Sith will not sense their presence.”

“Hmm. Split up they should be.”

“Look at where it got us last time,” you commented. “I don’t think splitting them up is wise.”

“Easily sensed together, the children would be. Protection from the Sith, this is about, nothing more.”

“My wife and I will take the girl,” Bail offered. “We’ve always talked of adopting a baby girl.” He looked at you, knowing that these babies were your family. “She will be loved with us.”

“And what of the boy?” Obi-Wan asked.

“To Tatooine,” Yoda responded. “To his family send him.”

“I am their family,” you said, getting emotional.

“We will take the child to Tatooine and watch over him,” Obi-Wan told Yoda. 

“Until the time is right, disappear we will.” Obi-Wan, Bail, and yourself stood up, bowing to Yoda. “Y/N, wait a moment.” 

Obi-Wan looked at you, quietly questioning if you would like him to stay. You shook your head and gave his hand a squeeze. You watched him and Bail leave the room before sitting back down.

“Yes, Master?” You asked. 

“Go with Obi-Wan, you cannot,” Yoda stated, firm and direct.

“What? Why not?”

“Must not tell Obi-Wan what I am to tell you… Alive, Anakin is.” You thought you were going to stop breathing. Though, it made sense. You had yet to feel his death in the Force. “Darth Vader he is. Will not stop until he finds you and Obi-Wan.” 

“And because we’re twins—”

“Sense you easily, he can.”

“And if I was with Obi-Wan, he would find Luke.”

“Correct, you are. Sever the bond you share, you must.”

Tears filled your eyes quickly. “I… I can’t do that, Master Yoda… Our bond is much stronger than before. Severing it could kill him.”

“Survive, Obi-Wan will. You have no choice. Say goodbye, quickly you must.”

“Master, please don’t ask this of me.” Tears trailed down your cheeks. “Anything but this… I’ve already lost too much. I can’t lose him too.”

Yoda sighed. “A fear of loss, your bond has created. Ignored your relationship, I have due to the strength and light that comes from your bond. But for the safety of the future of the Jedi, you must sever your bond and run.”

You swallowed thickly, knowing that what Yoda was saying was the truth. “I will do what I must.”

“The Chosen One, you are. Bring balance to the Force, you will someday.”

“Master… have you ever thought that both Anakin and I are the Chosen One? The Chosen One is said to bring balance to the Force. Don’t we do that by one of us in the dark and one in the light?”

“Hmmm. The truth you speak, my former Padawan. Meditate on that in isolation I will.” 

The old Master gave you a look that you were sure was the most sentimental look you had ever seen from him. Almost like he was sad to have to ask this of you.

“Miss you, my Padawan, I will,” he told you honestly.

You pressed out a smile for him as you went over and hugged him briefly. “I will miss you too, Master.”

“Proud, am I, of the Jedi and woman you have become. Now, go. A hard goodbye you still have to make.”

~~~

You were with the babies when Obi-Wan found you. He leaned against the doorway as you held both of the twins. Your back was to him, but Obi-Wan had been able to feel something was wrong, more than just the situation already, since your private conversation with Master Yoda.

“Little star,” he called, stepping into the room, clearly concerned.

You pressed your eyes closed, knowing it was time to say goodbye. To break your heart… to break his. You gave each baby a kiss on the forehead before slowly setting the twins down in their individual beds and turning to face Obi-Wan. His brows immediately scrunched in concern as he stepped closer to you.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“I… I am afraid that I can’t come with you to Tatooine,” you said. Your voice was small, nervous almost. Obi-Wan went to say something but you quickly spoke before he could. “It’s not safe. With the strength of our bond, they will be able to sense us—find us. It would put Luke in danger and if he is the future of the Jedi, I cannot allow that.”

“No.” Obi-Wan shook his head and he grabbed your wrists and held your hands up to his chest. “We are stronger together.”

“Not in this case, Obi… I wish things were different. But you need to let me go. I will distract anyone from searching for you or the twins.”

“The Jedi Order is no more… We can be together freely while we watch over Luke.” You shook your head, unable to speak as the emotions in the room grew. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and rested his forehead against yours. “I can feel you are keeping something from me, little star… please, let me help you…”

“I cannot… I wish I could… but for the safety of the twins—for the safety of you… you must let me go.”

“I will not ever let you go... Stay with me. We can find a way.”

“This is more than just about us, Obi. These twins are the future of the Jedi—my family—and they must be protected. I am doing my part by separating myself from them…” You quickly came up with an excuse that wasn’t a lie, unable to tell him about Anakin being alive. “Palpatine is still alive and will search for both of us, especially me since I could still fulfill the prophecy of the Chosen One. I cannot be near one of the twins when they come after me.”

Obi-Wan knew that your point was valid. But the thought of never seeing you again threatened to kill him. “I cannot do this without you.” The great General’s voice was full of more emotion—more heartbreak than you were sure it ever had been.

You pulled your head away from Obi-Wan’s and cupped his cheek. You looked him in the eye, seeing tears form in them. “Yes, you can.” You pushed all the confidence into your bond as you could, trying to make this easier on you both. “You are the great Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. You have fought countless battles, been tortured, watched your own Master die in your arms, and so much more. I have watched you in awe at the strength you carry… I know that you can do this because you will not let Padme or myself or… or Anakin down… I love you, Obi-Wan. I will love you until long after this galaxy implodes on itself. I am doing this because I love you. And…. And if you love me just as much as I believe you do, you will let me go.”

Tears streamed down Obi-Wan’s face as he desperately brought you in for a kiss. Your signatures bound together deeper than ever before—and for possibly the last time— as you both pulled each other closer; your hands at his neck and his gripping your waist. His tongue begged for entrance into your mouth and your lips willingly split further for him. Tears began trailing down your face, causing the kiss to become watery and salty. Not that either of you would allow that to stop you. Your hearts were beating in time, both threatening to break because the two of you knew that once you separated, you would leave. 

You could feel Obi-Wan’s signature begging you to stay. And if you kissed him like this for any longer, you knew you would. So, ripping out your own heart, you pulled away from him. The only sounds that filled your ears for a few long moments were the sounds of you and Obi-Wan panting and your hearts breaking. You couldn’t get yourself to make eye contact, fearing again that you would fail to do what you needed to.

“Close your eyes, Obi, please,” you begged, voice breaking. “I cannot do this if you don’t.” 

Obi-Wan took a long look at you, your head bowed to avoid seeing his face. He took in the war-torn and bloody clothes that hung from your form. He hated that he didn’t know how much of that blood was yours. The hands Obi-Wan had on your waist tightened their grip as he continued to study you. You looked beaten and almost broken as you refused to look at him. Yet you were still his little star. Ever shining brightly at the center of his galaxy. The most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. He took a deep breath, eyes running over you one last time to engrave your image to his memory forever, before doing what you had asked of him.

“Okay,” he whispered, voice once strong and powerful now completely broken. “They’re closed.”

You looked back up to confirm that his eyes were indeed shut. Obi-Wan’s hands were still tightly gripping your waist, trying to still keep you there with him. You swallowed back a hard sob as you peeled his hands off of you and brought them up to your lips. Tears spilled onto his large, rough hands as you kissed the palms of them. Savoring every second you could. Slowly, you brought his hands down to his sides and let go. You unclipped your lightsaber from your belt next, pushing it into one of his hands before leaning in and kissing him briefly, one last time. 

“I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“I love you, Y/N Skywalker.”

Tears continued down your face as you slowly separated from him further. The babies began crying in the background, sensing the thick emotions that were swirling in the Force around them. You allowed yourself one more look at the man you loved; the man whom you had given your whole being to. Stifling a sob, you ran out, heading straight for your ship.

Obi-Wan fell to his knees, clutching your lightsaber against his chest with one hand as his other gripped the ring hanging from his neck. His wails added to those of the newborn twins, who cried louder once you were out of the room. Obi-Wan’s cries worsened when he felt your signature disappear into hyperspace.

next chapter >

TAGLIST IS CLOSED - Taglist Information

[anxiouspineapple99]

Wahoo!! I was so excited for this event (:< Pairing : Cody x Obi-Wan prompts: "I feel your absence in everything that I do alone, in every place I go without you" and "it was inevitable but I regretted it every step of the way" creature: force ghost Obi-Wan here is a little snippet of the fic, but u can read the whole thing over on my ao3 by clicking this link

It was as if time itself had stopped. CC-2224 stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the impossible apparition in front of him. The smile lines on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s face had deepened over the years, a stark contrast to CC-2224’s unchanging face. Once upon a time, he too would have grown old, but the empire had taken many things from him. This had included his ability to die of old age, it seemed. CC-2224 had simply stopped aging, doomed to an eternity of servitude in the Empire.

Hello there, my dear, Obi-Wan’s voice sounded impossibly clear. Despite the blue glow that surrounded him, CC-2224 felt that he could reach out and actually touch the former General. That if he touched him, he would feel the warmth of his skin.

Except Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. Darth Vader had seen to it himself this time; there would be no room for failure. No room for CC-2224 to kark up and let the traitor go again.

Even then, all those years ago on Utapau, CC-2224 had known that he hadn’t truly killed General Kenobi. He had send a probe droid to check, but they had found no corpse. He had wanted to go down to investigate, search the site for Kenobi’s corpse, but another voice deep inside had stopped him. He had walked away from the planet and had reported that General Kenobi was dead. His programming shouldn’t have allowed such a slip up. He should have told the Emperor that he had carried out the order, but that no confirmation of a body had been found.

That failure, the guilt of not being a good soldier, it had followed CC-2224 wherever he went. It crept up whenever he least expected it. A voice as dark as night gripped him when he slept, whispering that it knew of his failure. The voice whispered that it knew of his treachery. The shame and the fear that dripped down his back hot and wet, it had CC-2224 constantly glancing over his shoulder. Some days CC-2224 was certain that it was written all over his face that he had lied.

The thing in his brain had tried to get CC-2224 to go down to maintenance. To admit that he was faulty. Something else, something much more human than CC-2224 himself could ever be had told him to shut up.

In the end it hadn’t mattered. Obi-Wan Kenobi had refused to hide. When the daughter of imperial senator Bail Organa was taken, Obi-Wan Kenobi rose from the dark. When the news reached Darth Vader, and by extension CC-2224, something had broken deep within him. When they took CC-2224 to maintenance for failing to report he had never truly killed the traitor, they had had to drag him there. He had fought to get free, had bitten off the ear of one of the tech labs. The fighting only worsened the punishment and for his insubordination CC-2224 had one of his limbs taken from him.

Late at night CC-2224 would stare at the ceiling as hot white pain shot through where his arm had once been. Now, in its place, there was a shiny black prosthetic; a robotic arm that did not register pain signals. CC-2224 still felt the pain anyway.

[sithskywalkerr]

when we forget the infection, will we remember the lesson?

Summary: In a tense rescue mission, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Luke infiltrate an Imperial fortress to save Princess Leia. They encounter Keyti, who, despite working for the Empire, helps them escape from Vader, who suddenly goes on a rampage. The group successfully escapes, with the addition of an injured Reva and Keyti. Back in Alderaan, Padmé reveals to Leia and Luke that their father is Anakin Skywalker, now known as Vader. Series: The Flowers Never Bloom Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Reva Sevander, Original Sith Character, Original Imperial Character Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, minor character death, blood, slight gore Ships: Anidala Word Count: 8.2k words A/N: holy shit, a back to back post ?! you could say the plot infected my brain at this point. however, it's no surprise, i love zomboi ... look at that word count ... again, i'm not the best with action, so apologies for a bulk of this chapter literally being hell in a hand-basket for Leia. (she'll be fine tho, shhhhh) also, again to fill in gaps and stuff, i'm slapping my OCs in because i can and it's my fic, i can do what i want. Amara and Keyti are only two of many, but we'll see if i have use for my other ones. i hope they're received well. read here on ao3

5 BBY

"Luke, please, come back. It’s not safe!” Padme’s voice carried on the wind quickly, and the blond popped his head up and replied,” Coming, Mom!” Even if Leia had been the one to lure the two of them out, he was more than willing to hide the discovery from their mother. Once again, they had found the gory remnants of a corpse from a few infected lurking on the edge of the Alderaanian capitol. If she found out, then they would have had to probably relocate again until it was safe again, and they were both finally happy about settling down in one place again.

Leia was hidden behind an enormous, moss-covered, bolder, crouching while she carefully used a stick to observe the decay from the insects, head tilting as she made a soft sound of confusion. “It looks like it isn’t breaking down like it should… That’s weird.”

“C'mon, we have to go back. Mom might come over if we don’t … she doesn’t want us out so close to the edge.” Luke lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, watching as Padmé motioned him closer.  Looking up at her brother, Leia frowned,” Fine. Only because she wouldn’t want us to see.” As if it were the fifteen-year-old’s first corpse to witness rotting. “Go distract Mom so I can sneak over without her knowing about the body.”

“She’s going to know eventually,” Luke said with a sigh, shaking his head before moving to make his way over to Padmé. I hate being a distraction. He made his way through the small wild field and heat, sweat beginning to stick his blond hair to his forehead and neck while he returned to his mother’s side. “Sorry, Mom. Thought I saw something out there.”

“Leave the adventuring to the rangers. It’s still too dangerous with the new spikes of infection.” Padmé smiled softly, brushing his shoulders off while he shrugged, “I would have been okay. C’mon, it’s too hot out.” He motioned to her to the palace’s entryway, and she opted to go inside first. Luke glanced back to see his sister pop her head up from the boulder before making her way over swiftly through the grass and wild flowers.

Leia soon made her way in, sighing with relief at the feeling of the fans working to cool the palace they had called home. Bail and Breha had been nothing but kind to them, but the twins were beginning to ask questions now—some that Padmé didn’t want to answer, especially regarding their father. Still, there was only so much she could get away with the older the twins had become, and Padmé was beginning to suspect the time for the truth would come earlier than she would have preferred. Unlike Obi-Wan’s selective omission, she wanted to tell them he was alive, but they had grown up knowing what the Empire had put the planet through. The days were hotter, and more climates became unstable and uninhabitable from the overuse of farming for ore and minerals. She simply didn’t know how to explain what had happened to Anakin as she led them to the room where their tutor awaited them to begin their studies for the day.

Even if education was something to keep them distracted, Padmé utilized the free time to figure out her husband’s whereabouts, significantly after Ahsoka had returned with the news. 

Rain pounded on the marble and gold of the palace while Alderaan slept, but Padmé was wide awake. It had been four months since Ahsoka had left to locate Vader, and each day that passed only began to wither the little hope Padmé had for her return. She turned from the balcony as her door opened, a limping and bandaged Ahsoka making her way in before the former Senator ran to her side to help her sit down with eyes filling with concern.

“Ahsoka? What happened?” Her hand gently held the vitiligo-marked cheek of her husband’s former apprentice  in worry as exhaustion threatened to crush Ahsoka’s body.

“It is him, and I barely managed to escape him. He isn’t the same, Padmé. I tried to tell him to come with me, to come here, but he refused to accept you were alive … He kept mentioning how he’s reached out to you through the years but has never felt your signature. I don’t know what’s happened with him, but he’s not the Anakin we knew. He nearly killed me.”

Padme’s heart began to sink. If he was so irrational with Ahsoka, how would he be with her? Shoving that idea away, she only pulled Ahsoka closer. “I’m relieved you made it back. You need to rest, and thank you for going for me. Now, we can prepare a better plan to bring him back.”

“I don’t believe we can,” Ahsoka said, welcoming the support, letting her aching body relax while closing her eyes. “He won’t listen. He cannot be reasoned with this time.”

“Only because Palpatine has done something to him … rest for now. Okay?”

Shaking the memory from her mind, Padmé continued to her room, entering the ample, luxurious space before she sat at her vanity with her datapad. Getting to the news, like in her usual routine, she began to scan reports for any mention of her husband, but it was as if he was still a ghost — even as Vader. Why would the Emperor keep such a prominent, fear-inducing figure out of the spotlight? There had to be a reason for it; now, she was determined to figure it out herself.

Pausing at the last article, she tapped on the headline: LORD VADER VISITS NEW TREATMENT FACILITY FOR THE INFECTED IN CORUSCANT. She had read it many times before, knowing it virtually by heart, but the press of a Sith Lord paying a bi-annual inspection to a treatment facility for this seemed far beneath him. Unless it was for treatment … or something else entirely. She hit a link to the facility’s site, offering care for in-house care of loved ones who became infected, her brows furrowing as she looked at the data provided. It seemed to be going well for a facility that still couldn’t administer a cure, but there were beginning to be whispers of one being produced. Though currently, those were just rumors. Nothing substantial, but if it was being made … then the Emperor planned to treat the population to gain more land. If that happened, people would be unwilling to part from the “savior” they had desired for so long. Kark. She made notes on paper, not trusting any devices produced after the leaked scandal from the new Senator from Naboo.

After documents from his datapad had been released to help the Rebels, he had suddenly disappeared, but everyone knew what happened. The Empire was not above spying on its citizens and politicians to keep the rigidly enforced order on the planet they had been destroying. If the warnings weren’t heeded, one would find a personal invitation to Mustafar’s plains. If that was declined … it was well-known by news footage afterward that you would have better mercy within Fortress Vader than refusing.

“Breaking news now from Naboo, the Senator’s home has been hit by a horrific attack from the infected as a new wave surges through the planet. Officials in Naboo cite that at least three or four of the Diseased had made their way into the villa before slaughtering the Senator, his wife, his children Paxen, age 9, and Riael, age 3, as well as their newborn. Forensics suggest the Senator tried to defend them, but it was to no avail when his throat was crushed by a substantial amount of force. Officials believe this new wave of the infected could have 15x the strength as the original wave we experienced over fifteen years ago.” While reading off her monitor, the reporter held no fear or emotion, but the nervous tick in her hands told Padmé otherwise. She didn’t believe the story she was reading but couldn’t indicate it to the audience otherwise. Not if she wanted to keep her job and life.

Pausing at a photo posted on the facility’s site, she carefully zoomed in on the familiar figure of her husband. The half mask was on, obscuring his nose, mouth, and jaw from easily being identified, but she could still see the hint of the scar on his right eye. His eyes were unreadable, void of emotion, while they seemed to match the lava of Mustafar now. Her heart ached deeply, studying the rough skin and healed gash on his head that she had assumed happened from the plume on Kuat. Under the scarring and changes, she could still see the familiar features she had loved so deeply.

I will bring you home again. I promise, even if it’s the last thing I do.

Chasing Rebels wasn’t something that Vader had particularly wanted to be used for, but he brought the best results, which pleased the Emperor. It kept the rebellion’s likelihood at an all-time low and kept him fed and alive. Though, that was the least of his worries. The longer the years had stretched, the more he found it challenging to remember what he had been experiencing. More blackouts in his memory were occurring, and Sidious grew impatient with the lapse in memory.

“I need you to remember so we can appropriately eradicate the hopes of a rebellion,” the Emperor watched his apprentice closely. Vader stayed and knelt down, eyes on the ground in submission, before finally lifting his head.

“I can only remember a battle beginning once again in Geonosis, but then I remember my legion finding me miles from base.” 

“Then perhaps it’s time for another medical examination; you often fail to give me details.” The Emperor accused then,” And I’m beginning to believe that it’s on purpose, my apprentice. Must I remind you what happens when you try to defy my orders?” He enjoyed seeing how the broad frame of his ever-loyal dog tensed, knowing well that the lapse in memory was due to the inhibitor chip. The clones had no memory of it from long ago, but by now, they had been eradicated mainly by Vader’s insatiable rampage when his chip was engaged. Problems were easily solved while keeping his apprentice in line and unable to overthrow him. A plan so perfect that he nearly wanted to celebrate its success. Yet, he knew better than to prematurely celebrate - especially knowing that the Senator was still alive. Continuing, he feigned concern:” It is nearly time for you to have one anyway to ensure the system is operating as it should and to see how the virus has changed within you. Go to the medical wing and have a droid look at your vitals. We cannot change the world if you cannot be part of it.”

Vader chose ignorance. He always did. Anakin knew for a long time that the Sith were constantly suffering towards each other to achieve that higher power - total control. It kept him alive this long, but he occasionally wondered what it would have been if he hadn’t. Would Padmé have survived? If he continued to get caught up in “what ifs,” then he wouldn’t be able to focus on the present, and that wasn’t what was needed. No, now he needed to go to the medical wing as instructed. Moving through the halls of the Senate Office Building, Vader’s large frame caused the various personnel and Senators to move from his path immediately as his steady, mechanical breathing echoed off the walls. Arriving at the medical wing, he entered the practically empty room as a med-droid greeted his familiar presence. “Lord Vader, the Emperor has informed us of a check-up concerning your cognition.”

“I do not have time to waste on foolish testing. Make it quick.” He moved to one of the beds, sitting while the droid came closer to shut the curtain around them.

Scanning over his file, the droid removed the mask carefully, noting the cushioned seal around it was beginning to degrade from constant use. Another test to perform, indeed, if he was using it so much, that could be an issue with his lungs. Then, the Emperor ordered an experiment to improve his memory. However, they had to wait for his arrival for that. Placing the file and mask down, the droid conducted a scan with the sensitive sensors in its eyes, humming softly. “Your cybernetics are due for a needed upgrade, but your lungs and skin are in better health than the previous check-up. Regeneration from the virus aids healing, but utilizing aids is still suggested to accelerate the healing. Your mask shows signs of deterioration on the seal - a replacement is advised. The mask is not crucial to your health unless in harsh environmental conditions such as high altitude or extreme temperatures.” 

Yellow eyes stared blankly at the black droid as it moved closer, shining a light into his eyes.” Has your vision improved with the regeneration?” He only gave a slight nod of confirmation, making an irritated sound when the light was shone into the other eye.

“Enough.”

Moving from his eyes, the droid inspected the injury to his cheek, carefully testing the muscle and skin. His teeth needed better care, but all seemed to be in order. Clicking it off, the droid inspected his ears, noting the freshly healed skin from notches around the top and side of both ears. “What caused the damage to your helix?”

“Some foolishly brave infected, I surmise, when I was feeding once.”

Carefully inspecting the inner ear, the droid was pleased to see no damage compared to the previous check-up before moving back,” please, remove your armor so I can check on the condition of your skin.”

He only removed the layers enough to expose his chest port and gnarled skin. The droid carefully inspects the port’s controls while Vader sits there, feeling like a trapped sand mouse. Years of constant medical check ins and experiments had begun to test his patience with anything relating to his health. Pausing when the comms lit up, the droid answered it to see the familiar hooded figure of Sidious.

“How is the health of my apprentice?”

“Acceptable. Vitals are within normal levels. His treatment and regeneration have been aiding in the healing process since the fire fifteen years ago.” 

Fifteen years ago … how had the time passed that quickly? Vader began to adjust his armor, already irritated that so much time was wasted when he could have been more useful elsewhere.

The Emperor hummed softly, nodding while thinking momentarily. He couldn’t have Vader suspicious of his plans after all,” Lord Vader, I have heard that the Third Sister has captured Leia. Currently, she has ended up in custody in Fortress Inquisitorius in Nur. I want you to personally go and ensure that any information she could know about the Rebellion is obtained. We will have to see how well your cognition holds up after this. However, our cameras will be able to fill in any holes you have in your memory.”

Vader suppressed a displeased groan he wanted to let out at the mention of the Inquisitors. Any time he divulged his time towards the group, it was clear how incompetent they were, which would make his report to the Emperor less than ideal. Still, he stood again after his armor was in order, making his way closer to where the Emperor could see him on the screen,” it will be done. Even if we must persuade her.” Reaching forwards, a gloved hand flicked off the communication before he made his way to the docking port for his departure to Nur. There were more pressing issues for the Empire, but now he must babysit a teenager for Rebellion information?

Leia was trying to remain calm and quiet as she lay on the cold, metal “bed” (if she even wanted to call it that) in her holding cell. She had concealed Luke from being captured when they began to break into an Imperial office that was stationed in Alderaan, and she was more than sure that he had alerted their mom about her capture. She didn’t know anything the Rebellion was doing, but no one would listen. Well, maybe she knew a few bases, but she would rather die than disclose that to anyone else but a Rebel. Even then, all she had to do was survive and eventually be rescued somehow. Besides, she had seen Luke throw a tracking beacon from his "adventure pack" onto the ship once she had been taken. This once, only this once, she would admit that he was right about that stupid bag.

She paused her thinking when the door slid open to show Reva. Her dark eyes narrowed at the teenager while entering as the lights dimly reflected on her black Gundark leather-made uniform. “This is the ‘key’ of the Rebellion? She’s just a child.” 

Reva knew, though, not to underestimate even a teenager, and certainly not Leia. However, she hoped that the capture would lead to a negotiation between the Empire and Alderaan, which would lead to the planet’s unification. Moving closer to the brunette, Leia’s eyes glanced over her,” And you’re too young for an Inquisitor.”

Reva's brow twitched in irritation, pulling a small knife out to press against the Princess's throat," why were you trying to break into the office?"

"I'm not telling you anything while you have a blade to my skin."

Pulling back, the Inquisitor frowned deeply, turning as the door opened to show a corporal.

Amara poked her head in, her voice soft while glancing at Leia. “Apologies for the interruption, Third Sister, but communications were just received. Lord Vader is on the way.” 

Reva turned to look at her, glancing back at Leia. There is no doubt this is about her. Perhaps she is more useful than I realize. Still, it is better for Lord Vader to deal with the brat. “Estimated arrival?”

“Within an hour. He’s coming from Coruscant.” Amara looked to the tablet, her dark brown hair pulled into a tight bun, not a hair displaced, while her honey eyes scanned the information. “Afterwards, I have been reassigned with him to the Gahenn Plains.”

Leia feigned boredom, staring at the ceiling while Reva exited, but she kept listening to them until the door closed, preventing her from eavesdropping. She had heard how Ahsoka had been searching for Vader and returned injured, but if they knew where he would be … then that was a different story. All she had to do was escape … somehow. 

Reva walked through the cellblock, arms behind her, as she considered the news from Corporal Berklau. “Perhaps a promotion is in your future if you’re being relocated to Vader’s home.”

“I refuse to get my hopes up, but I’ve heard I will not be the only one venturing to Mustafar permanently. Lady Keyti is coming along as well.”

Bristling, Reva suppressed her anger while glancing over to the Corporal,” She is?” That lying piece of bantha fodder.

“Yes, Lord Vader told her after speaking with me. I think it could be good for her. She’s restless, not having a place to call home. Sho-Torun certainly hasn’t been welcoming either for her aristocratic duties.”

“I do not understand what he sees in her. She follows him around like a lost hound, and her duties are rarely fulfilled.” 

“She is skilled with lightsabers,” Amara pointed out,” as well as social situations … something that can be utilized. As for her title, she's had many attempts on her life. Regardless, do you have a plan for the princess, though?” She pointed back towards Leia’s cell, and Reva's gaze turned over her.

“I do, but if Lord Vader is on his way, he may try to extract any information from her. I will go to the medical droids to see if they have any serums I can give to slow her cognition.”

“If you wait until he’s arrived, it will only irritate him,” the Corporal suggested, pausing while facing the Inquisitor more. “The serum should be the last resort, as should any bodily harm. If anything is done to her, it may cause further sparks of Rebellion and Alderaan’s continued refusal to join the Empire.”

Reva’s brows raised blankly at Amara’s suggestion, her arms moving to fold beneath her chest. “It's bold for you to offer suggestions to me, Corporal Beklau … but you are right this time. If I try to speak with the Princess, she will not turn over any information for her break in.”

“Then perhaps send in Lady Keyti.” Amara saw Reva’s frown deepen before she explained,” She doesn’t know her, and Keyti has been able to get information out of some people in alliance with the Rebellion. She may be able to get something from her.”

“She will have thirty minutes to try to get anything and will report to Lord Vader upon his arrival.” The Inquisitor said sharply, making her way to locate the Grand Inquisitor as she left Amara behind while her boots clicked on the floor.

Amara gave a slight nod, suppressing a triumphant smile. “Of course, I will find you when the time is up.” Moving towards the training rooms, she suppressed her momentary excitement, knowing how pleased Keyti would be to be included in the little project, especially since Lord Vader was coming.

Getting into the ample space, she watched as the vitiligo-marked warrior slashed her sabers through training droids, graceful as if it were a dance. Her black and white twists were bundled up into a large bun, and for once, her jewelry wasn’t on while she trained. Sweat glistened on her skin, and once catching sight of Amara, she paused while her curiosity piqued. Switching the red blades off, she secured them onto her belt, making her way closer,” can’t be good news if you’ve come.”

“No, for once, it is good, my Lady. Lord Vader is coming and will be here in … forty-five minutes,” she said while checking her watch as Keyti’s yellowed eyes widened with the news.

“He is, hmm? Well, I guess that’s enough time to freshen up.”

“Normally, but we have a new prisoner - Princess Leia from Alderaan. Reva has requested thirty minutes to see if you can obtain information before his arrival.”

Keyti frowned, hands resting on her waist,” Of course, she has … Very well, I’ll just have to towel off then.”

“I don’t think that would matter. I’ll take you to Leia’s cell,” Amara paused to straighten out her jacket, and Keyti only groaned, causing her to look back up.

“If he comments about how sweaty I am, I’m going to kill Reva,” moving to the side, Keyti got a towel dampened by a water fountain briefly before beginning to wipe her skin down in annoyance over the tattoos she had gotten to show her devotion to the Sith. While she wasn’t official due to the Rule of Two, she was valuable to the Empire, which could not be ignored. A warrior of her own strength, even if she didn’t have a strong connection with the Force that impressed Vader more often than he wanted to admit. “Do we know anything about this Princess?”

“She was caught breaking into an Imperial station in Alderaan. She is the daughter of Bail and Breha Organa, so there is leverage in our favor. Part of why I believe she was brought here. If we go about this wrong, then Alderaan’s acceptance to join the Empire will be eliminated. We need their resources and technology to continue our usual operations within the East.”

Nodding, Keyti hummed softly, thinking,” It’s a delicate situation. Though, I am also sure that the Organas will be doing everything in their power to get her back to them … perhaps we can utilize that more than we know.” Tossing the towel into the bin for laundry, she came closer while looking down to her friend,” Lead the way, Corporal.”

Amara straightened up, nodding while leaving the training area to lead Keyti back to the cell. “Not much is known about the Princess herself. She makes public appearances, but she hardly has done diplomatic things. It’s almost like she barely exists. However, we confiscated a blaster and comlink while trying to sneak into an Imperial office.”

“Perhaps that’s something to look into then. I’m sure Leia’s existence has been mostly hidden for a reason,” Keyti frowned a moment, following her as their steps echoed off the obsidian walls. She glanced out of the large windows, watching the dark, murky waters while various aquatic animals swam by. “I can retrieve something useful before Lord Vader’s arrival.” Hopefully.

Though she knew it was possible she may come up empty-handed, she could only hope that he wouldn’t be angered by it. Once the door had opened again, Keyti saw Leia standing on the uncovered bed, brow arching as the teenager tried to pry the panel to the vents before stopping when realizing she wasn't alone. 

Turning, Leia watched her, curious to see her tattoos, while the warrior entered the cell, shutting the door behind herself again. “Princess.” She dipped her head slightly in respect before making eye contact with her. “I have a few questions I would like you to answer.”

Leia lifted her head, thin brows furrowing as she glanced over while settling back onto the cold metal. “I won’t tell you anything, I have nothing to tell.”

Moving closer, Keyti let out a slow, soft hum,” If you have nothing to tell, then why would you say you won’t tell me anything? Regardless, Princess, I want to know one thing. Why is a child like you carrying a blaster on your hip?”

“The world is cruel, and a girl needs to protect herself from it,” Leia said simply as Keyti nodded momentarily. 

“Yes, the world is cruel, especially to little girls, but not much can be protected for those girls who willingly try to break into an office, especially an Imperial one. With this comes my second question: What was so important about breaking into the office? Do not bother to lie about it either, Princess; we have you recorded in your attempt.”

“I wanted to see reports over friends of mine that had gone missing,” she lied, spilling from her lips as she kept her gaze steady upon Keyti. “Many of them have vanished when they haven’t been infected. I do not believe that is a crime punishable enough for kidnapping.” 

“No, it isn’t, but you’re useful to my boss. What do you know of Lord Vader?” 

Leia’s blood turned cold then, like the familiar haunting cold that threatened the nape of her neck, causing the hairs to stand on end. Of course, he would be on his way. “Why is he wasting his time with something beneath him? I’m sure the Emperor’s right hand has more important things than a fifteen-year-old … I hope he would.” 

Keyti let out a soft laugh, then said,” Yes, he does, but he has his motives and orders—for the Empire. Only the Empire.” Her features grew solemn as her yellowed eyes met Leia’s brown. “Nothing more.” Nothing disgraceful.  

The Princess still couldn’t shake the building fear, eyes narrowing while she watched her. “The Empire feeds into various criminal activities. Forgive me if I do not trust what you’re saying.” 

“I don’t agree with it either, but Lord Vader has no interest in them. He will arrive soon, and if you answer my questions, you won’t have to face him. You just need to be honest, Princess Leia.”

Luke had immediately gotten Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on a rescue mission after Bail and Breha were updated to what had happened, and he may or may not have stowaway on the Imperial ship that Ahsoka and Obi-Wan stole before landing. The codes gave them entryway, and Imperial uniforms helped them to blend in, carefully making their way through the dark halls to locate the holding cells. Following at a distance, Luke ducked behind some crates as droids moved past, silent as he watched Obi-Wan and Ahsoka having to seperate before making his way carefully through the halls. Blue eyes widened as he saw Keyti exit when her allotted time was up while a smug Reva walked with her at the lack of key information given by the aristocrat. Though, Keyti was smarter than that, and she would only divulge it to Vader, after all. Reva didn’t need to know what she had been told by the Princess.

The door shut behind them as Luke stayed hidden, slowing his breath as the two walked down the hall and away from the cells. She has to be in there. He reached out in the Force, calling for his sister. 

Confused by the interaction with Keyti, Leia straightened when she sensed the familiar prodding from her brother. Do not tell me you’re here.

You needed help. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are here too.

Alarm surged through Leia’s body, eyes widening as she moved closer to the door to peek out the window to see her brother soon spotting her. Shaking her head, she looked around as the Force suddenly shifted as a cold, dark presence began to haunt the edges of Luke’s familiar warmth.

Leave. Now, Vader is coming, and it’s not safe. You need to find Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

Moving to the door, Luke looked over the controls as he ignore her warning, glancing around while trying to fiddle with it and try to trick it into unlocking. He jumped when he heard Obi-Wan say his name, looking up with widened eyes as the Jedi suppressed a sigh at realizing Luke had followed them while making his way closer. He peered at Leia through the window, and knew that they only  had a limited amount of time while Ahsoka disabled the alarms.

“Okay, Obi-Wan, it should be disengaged now, but I just heard on the com I stole that Vader’s arrived.” 

Lifting the comlink up, he spoke quietly,” then let’s not linger for longer than we must. Make your way to the holding cells.” He moved Luke back while he ignited his lightsaber, plunging the blue blade into the controls which short circuited the system, causing the door to open. 

Leia immediately moved out, clinging onto Luke tightly as she looked up to Obi-Wan,” we need to leave now.” Her gaze lifted as the lights started to flicker throughout the fortress, holding onto Luke’s arm tighter as he started to put her behind himself. 

“I have a bad feeling about this…” 

“Follow me,” Obi-Wan instructed while turning off his lightsaber for the time being, making his way back the way he had come. Carefully guiding them out of sight of Imperial officers, he kept his saber hid up his sleeve, pausing as he felt the haunting cold beginning to chill the air.

Leia was quiet, eyes wide as she saw Luke’s exhale before she tested it with her own, feeling the temperature drop before screams and shouts echoed through the halls.

Keyti was trying to run through the chaos, protecting herself from Vader, who had begun a rampage shortly after sensing someone had infiltrated the Fortress. She watched in horror as he crushed the head of a sergeant, eyes wide, as he began to make his way towards Reva. The Inquisitor only ignited her lightsabers, standing her ground while her gaze darkened. 

What the kark had happened to him? Shaking her head, Keyti made her own escape, knowing that, eventually, he would be stable again. Maybe he was just hungry; that usually seemed to happen, but she needed to flee. The lights flickered overhead again while air chilled more through the level, and it wasn’t until she saw the four trying to escape that it made sense. Of course, a Jedi would have been alerted to Leia's disappearance.

Leia stiffened when Keyti spotted them, her eyes wide before looking back towards the carnage before she motioned them to go the other way. She may have worked for the Empire and been under Vader’s orders, but she refused to willingly let anyone die like that. She saw Reva’s body slamming through some storage crates, bolting down the hall when Vader's attention was suddenly turned onto her. 

Obi-Wan braced himself, igniting his saber as Keyti approached while putting her hands up,” Save it, Jedi. Unless you want to be the next meal, you need to leave. He’s coming this way.”

Ahsoka put the twins behind herself, eyes narrowing as she glanced Keyti up and down.” How can we trust you?” Her eyes moved past her to see Vader’s prominent figure at the end of the hall, and the lights flickered and started to shut down along the hall.

Keyti turned to face him, getting her red sabers lit and ready.” You can keep arguing, or you can leave. No one deserves this death. Especially children.” Flowers started to bloom between the cracks in the metal, and Keyti’s eyes searched the darkness for any sign of him as Obi-Wan opted to guide Ahsoka and the twins away.

“Get them out, Ahsoka. I will help her leave. I’ll meet you back in Alderaan.”

Luke and Leia began to immediately protest, but Ahsoka only pushed them through the other end of the hall, glancing back to see Obi-Wan light his saber while standing beside Keyti as the hall went completely black.

“I’m not very strong in the Force,” she warned him, glancing over to him as their blades lit them in a soft purple as she pressed her arm against his better for grounding. “Especially compared to him.” 

“This has happened before?”

“Many times, and each one is violent and filled with corpses.”

“He doesn’t recognize anyone?”

“No. At least, not to my knowledge,” she looked down as the flowers crept closer to them, her breath visible as the hair stood up on her neck and arms. “He may recognize you, though. Whomever you are to him.”

"Unfortunately, that would be a long story we may not live long enough for."

Ahsoka guided the twins through the Fortress, eyes widening at the carnage her former master had left behind. Bones had been crushed as if they were the sweetened Endor nuts she enjoyed, and blood was everywhere. It dripped from the walls and ceiling as she carefully moved Luke away from stepping on a corpse that had been torn open. “Careful.”  Luke shook his head,” I don’t care about that, look!” He pointed to a stalled ship, looking back to Leia and Ahsoka,” I could get that back online, but I’m not leaving without Obi-Wan.”

“If you’re able to do it fast,” she looked back when she heard a shout, brows furrowing as she heard Anakin’s name from Obi-Wan. “Go, hide yourselves on the ship and I will bring him back.” Once she knew they were inside, she ran the way they had come to assist Obi-Wan, unaware that a dazed Reva was beginning to wake as ringing stung in her ears while she sat up slowly.

Skywalker, you karking idiot. Staggering to her feet, she looked around, vision unfocused and double as she saw Ahsoka running towards the hell. It was as if she couldn’t escape the ghosts of the Temple, blinking as she staggered across the floor to try to reach the ship.

Leia dragged Luke up into the ship, starting to help him as Ahsoka ran through the halls, skidding to a stop as she saw Keyti and Obi-Wan fighting to keep Vader back. 

Keyti moved her way in front of the Jedi, using the blade to make him back away while a low, guttural growl escaped his throat. Obi-Wan used the Force to move her away from Vader in time, and then used the energy to leap back a few meters to gain more ground before starting to run.

Reva slowly moved along, head pounding as she lifted a gloved hand to feel at her temple before seeing the bright crimson. Looking up, she made a low sound as Keyti grasped onto her arm after holstering one of her sabers, dragging her along while she stumbled as Vader pursued Obi-Wan before the women. She glanced back, noticing that Obi-Wan seemed to be the main prey to be hunted, brows furrowing at the rage she could feel radiating from the Sith.

His eyes glowed in the dark while fingers dug into the metal, using his strength to close the distance before grabbing onto the Jedi’s ankle, yanking him down. Obi-Wan turned, swiftly using the blade to sever the cybernetics in his arms when his former padawan attempted to still drag the Jedi towards himself. Obi-Wan lifted a freed leg, bashing his heel into the side of his face with a wince at the sound that escaped before moving away in the window of opportunity. Stumbling to his feet, he made his way closer to Ahsoka as she motioned him to follow him," I found a ship."

Reva was still dazed as Keyti dragged her along, staggering and tripping on debris with a cry of pain. Vader’s attention shifted to her with the cry, low chitters escaping his throat as he forced himself upright. Arms or not, he would get his meal as the hunger burned within his belly while his thoughts were mostly simplified like most of the infected experienced. Until he had sensed Obi-Wan's Force signature.

Obi-Wan looked ahead as a ship began to move towards them, Luke grinning excitedly in the cockpit. Ahsoka let out a weak laugh, glancing to Obi-Wan,” Luke got it started up. He really is like his father.” 

“When his father isn’t starved,” Obi-Wan moved back to get Reva and Keyti pushed up the ramp, Leia grabbing onto their arms to pull them into the central area of the cargo ship. Ahsoka used the Force to leap onto it while Obi-Wan glanced back to see Vader still pursuing them while growling as he charged forward after getting himself fully upright. His heart began to break at the sight before he leaped and grabbed onto the edge of the ramp, eyes wide as he grabbed the edge with widened eyes. Ahsoka ran over, fingers digging into his robes to hoist him inside after Leia hit the button to close the ramp, breaths labored as Keyti tended to Reva’s head.

“Thank you…”

Ahsoka looked over to her,” You saved us. Now, we’re even.” Moving past them, she shooed Luke away from the controls, and Obi-Wan made his way to the front, voice soft,” At least we escaped.” Glancing back to Reva and Keyti, he looked to Ahsoka,” Get to Fralideja so we can get her medical attention. Keep her awake back there.” Landing further within the Mustafar region may not have been the most brilliant idea for the Jedi. Still, he would risk it if it got Reva the attention she needed immediately.

Keyti’s now blue eyes lifted, looking over to the Jedi with a nod as she worked on doing what she could for the Inquisitor. After she ensured Reva was in good care, she would make her way back towards Nur, then she could pull the footage herself before others did. 

Padmé paced anxiously around her room, glancing to the clock as she bit her lower lip. They should be back by now. Where are my children? Where is Obi-Wan and Ahsoka? Her head lifted as Breha knocked softly on the door,” we just recieved communication from Obi-Wan, they will be landing in ten minutes. Luke and Leia are safe.” Relief washed over her as she let out a soft cry of joy, thank the heavens.

Breha came over, softly rubbing her back as she reassured her. “Obi-Wan said he must speak with you, though … about Anakin.” 

“Is he dead?” Her head lifted, watery eyes widening,” spare me the moments of questioning.”

“No, he isn’t dead … but he is the one that attacked everyone … Imperial or Rebel.”

“He’s infected, it’s a cognitive failure, but I know there is still good in him, Breha.” Her voice was shaky as she sat on the ottoman, hands beginning to tremble as she carefully wiped her face. “I’m happy they’re alive.”

Once it was close to landing, Padmé made her way out to the docking area, never more relieved to see an Imperial cargo ship than that moment.

Obi-Wan carefully got it landed, glancing over to Ahsoka,” at least we have a warm welcome.”

“She would throw a celebration if she could,” she got herself unbuckled, getting the ramp set back down which only caused the twins to zoom out immediately to their mother when they could. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan exited, still shaken by the encounter, yet there was still something that haunted Ahsoka. Why had Vader hesitated within the hall when Keyti and Obi-Wan stood up to him?

Robes glided over the carnage as Sidious made his way through the Fortress, quiet when he finally came upon his apprentice blacked out on the floor near a bloated corpse. Yellowed eyes scanned around, taking stock of the dozens of mutilated Imperial personnel before he harshly kicked at Vader’s leg. Waking with a start, eyes snapped open with a low, animalistic growl before eyes lifted up to his Master before he stopped. His mind was foggy, lagging as he used the Force to get himself upright once again.

“I see once again this has ended in failure, my apprentice. The Princess has escaped.”

“It happened again,” his eyes closed as his head ached from the exertion, the Fortress eerily silent now as he made a low sound in his throat at the pain in his skull.

“Come. I have plans for Alderaan. We will launch an invasion to secure the resources and begin to unite more of the countries under the Empire.”

Vader got to his feet carefully, inspecting the damage to the cybernetics to see the evenly cut metal. His brow muscles furrowed as the Emperor motioned to his own ship. “We will return you to Mustafar. Perhaps meditation and repairs will help you remember what had happened.”

Hiding a grimace, Vader silently made his way into the dark ship, ignoring the crimson guards while getting himself seated to the side. His body ached, and his memory was black again, unable to remember past landing to meet with Keyti about the Princess. Momentarily, he hoped that she was able to escape the carnage. Shoving it aside, he began to place himself into a meditative state for the time being while the ship started its way to the lava-laden plains of Mustafar’s expansive region towards the Gahenn Plains. 

The Force had hinted at what had happened, soft whispers, but it was still vague shapes and memories trying to desperately come together. The hall had grown cold in his rampage, flowers creeping along the floor and walls before withering as he stepped closer to three lights. No, lightsabers. Two red, one blue. Obi-Wan’s Force signature had been burned into his memory from the previous years, and there was no doubt that he had been there this time. Most likely to rescue the Princess, Ahsoka’s pain burned in her signature upon seeing what her former Master had become.

His eyes opened again, and he stared ahead at the various mechanics in the wall as he could feel the shifting in the ship once the landing sequence was initialized. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. She had found her way back, but why she was helping with the Princess was another mystery—one he certainly wanted to uncover himself. The Princess had to be more than what she was for both of them to defend her so willingly, even when the odds were against them. 

Upon their arrival at his castle, Vader’s cybernetics were removed before he was placed into a bacta tank, silent as he closed his eyes while floating. Reaching out through the Force, he found Keyti, and he was momentarily surprised to see glimpses of her at Fortress Inquisitorus once again as she responded.

You’re back, My Lord. Are you harmed?

What are you doing at the fortress? He ignored her worry, brows furrowing as the pain in his head started to ebb away.

Reviewing security footage of your latest attack. Settling down on the chair, Keyti’s brows furrowed as she noticed the Emperor’s ship returning to the docking bay on a monitor. With no time to spare, she started to download the footage onto a drive. She knew there wasn’t enough time to destroy the cameras or the footage afterward, but at least Vader would see the truth.

Vader sensed her sudden unease and fear, and he prodded, appreciating the footage?

No, your Master is here. I’m downloading the data before making my way to Mustafar as designated.

He will notify me of the events. There is no reason for you to steal the footage.

This is my second time seeing this happen, and after the first time, there were few answers after you met with him. Forgive me if I do not trust him. The system signaled the download was complete, and Keyti tore the drive from the port, tucking it into her chest binding before making her way out.

As he is the Emperor, your loyalty to him should not waiver, the warning came from Vader, but Keyti knew better. She knew far better than she could explain now as she slunk through the halls, carefully overstepping corpses of various personnel and Inquisitors. She paused when she heard the familiar voice of the Emperor, knowing well that she wasn’t skilled enough to hide herself within the force as she staggered out.

“Your Majesty, it isn’t safe here,” she feigned pain before leaning on some cargo crates, the Emperor watching her closely for a moment.

“Oh ... I have not seen you in a long time, my child. You were here during the attack?”

He motioned a guard to help her, and the crimson-clad shape moved closer, supporting her up while she nodded. “I was. I barely managed to hide in time, and I know a few others were able to leave. I know my assignment was to go to Fortress Vader, and I am ready to continue that assignment.”

She gave a soft bow of her head of respect to the Emperor who only hummed softly,” good. If you believe you can carry your duties on after surviving this horrific attack, then perhaps you are more useful than I realized. Come, we will go to Vader now.” 

Worry only began to pool in Padmé’s belly as the twins gave their account of what had happened, but Leia shook her head at Ahsoka’s distrust of Keyti. “If she didn’t want to help, she wouldn’t have. She knew that something was wrong with Vader, and she willingly chose to save everyone.” Looking up to her mother, her brows furrowed,” she left herself behind to get the Inquisitor medical aid, but mentioned something about returning to Vader.” 

Padmé glanced between Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, settling back in her chair,” people don’t save others without reason. Do we know her name?”

Obi-Wan shook his head,” no, and we didn’t tell her ours, but of course, she knew who Leia was.”

Luke spoke up then, glancing between the adults,” her name is Keyti. Reva is the Inquisitor. They both said their name at some point during the journey to Fralideja and when Reva was getting off of the ramp.”

Looking to Luke, Leia gave a smug grin at his observations while he offhandedly mentioned,” Keyti’s eyes were originally yellow, but when she was leaving, they were bright blue.”

Padmé gave a soft hum of thought,” did you hear anything else? Either of you?”

“Vader frequents the Gahenn Plains,” Leia spoke up then,” another Imperial had mentioned she was assigned to there.”

Padmé, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan exchanged a look then, while Padmé only wanted to make her way to the fortress and drag her husband back with her. She knew that she couldn’t, not when the Emperor would be there to undoubtledly check on his apprentice’s health. Taking a slow breath, she nodded,” good work, the both of you.”

“Why is Vader so important, Mom?” Luke asked then, brows furrowed as he glanced to his sister momentarily as Padme’s shoulders fell. She couldn’t keep it hidden from them anymore, not when they encountered him directly and could understand why they are in hiding.

“He’s your father. That’s why I’ve been wanting to keep updated on his wherabouts, and eventually try to bring him home.”

Leia frowned,” you said our father died.”

“I did, because I didn’t know how to explain it to four year olds,” Padmé gave a weakened smile,” but now you know the truth. I’m sorry for keeping it from you for so long.”

“So, Vader really is our dad," Luke trailed off, looking between his mother and Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded momentarily as he straightened up,” before he turned to the dark side after becoming infected. What happened is for him to explain once we bring him back.” Looking up to Padmé, his voice grew quieter,” if we even can.”

“There is still good in him, Obi-Wan. He’s reached out to me. I know he’s still there.” She said softly as Ahsoka only watched the twins begin to process the new information.

Ahsoka looked up to her then, voice weak," I don't know if we can, Padmé. He hasn't responded well to being near Obi-Wan, and he nearly killed me."

"He hasn't seen that I'm alive. That might change everything."

[linasofia]

Starflowers

Relationship: Obi-Wan Kenobi x OC Eliise

Fandom: Star Wars

Summary: Obi-Wan travels to Alderaan for a diplomatic meeting but on the way he meets someone he could not have foreseen.

Words: 4,1K

Warnings: 18+

A/N: My first attempt to write for this fandom. This fic is vaguely inspired by the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series and takes place approximately ten years after the massacre that followed Order 66.

Thanks @legolasbadass & @lathalea for your support! 💙💙

The old cargo ship slowly made its way down to the landing dock and Obi-Wan grasped the handle on his seat harder. It had been a very long time since he last set foot on Alderaan, or anywhere except the endless sandy landscape of Tatooine. Hiding from the never-resting evil, in the harsh world of the Outer Rim, had made him a suspicious man. Over time he lost contact with the Force and struggled to accept that the life of the Jedi was no longer his. He was lonely, trusted nobody, and very rarely visited one of the few friends from the past who knew he was still alive. Drawing attention to himself was not something he wanted and he knew he took a risk every time he left the relatively safe hiding place out in the desert. But when Bail Organa unexpectedly pleaded for his help in a complicated and highly sensitive matter, Obi-Wan found it impossible to reject him. Deep down, he knew that he could not hide from his destiny. Dressed in worn clothes, and with the only weapon he owned hidden underneath, he boarded the cargo ship, which would take him to his destination.

Alderaan was just as beautiful as he remembered. Its snowy peaks and green forests, together with the great Cloudshape Falls, could all be seen clearly from the sky. When Obi-Wan finally stood on the ground and breathed the fresh and almost crispy air, so very different from the warm desert air his lungs had grown used to, he felt a small tingle in the skin on his face. He did not remove his large hood—it provided him shelter from curious eyes—before he started the long walk from the dock to the Royal Palace. He didn’t want to be seen more than necessary so he avoided the usual and more formal way of arriving at the Mountain Palace.

The path Obi-Wan chose led him along the outline of the forest and over open fields. Alderaan's sun moved gracefully over the sky as he walked and when the shadows grew longer and the light became more golden, he finally saw the city of Aldera and the Royal Palace. An unwelcome wave of insecurity washed over him. He was not the strong Jedi he used to be. When Bail reached out to him, Obi-Wan had tried to explain that, but his old friend wanted him to come nevertheless. With the sun hanging low over the palace, its towers and spires sparkled like rare stones coming from deep within the snow-capped mountains towering behind the palace.

Obi-Wan looked at the vast expanse of the lake in front of him. The Palace and part of the city overlooked its blue waters and he would have to walk around the lake since no transport could be seen. What he would give for a bath or shower right now. The water was glittering and appeared almost turquoise when it reflected the sky. A memory stirred in him, something about the lake being very deep and not as warm as it was easy to believe. He smiled to himself; Queen Breha had told him that many years ago, when he first came to visit Alderaan. It felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, time had not yet created small valleys around his eyes, and his hairline had not begun to move higher on his forehead. Obi-Wan was not vain, he was still too much of a Jedi for that; it was just an impartial reflection on the passage of time. Lost in old memories, his feet carried him almost to the shore of the lake before he noticed that another person was kneeling by the water. A woman, dark-haired, with her hair braided and wrapped around her head into a crown, was washing her hands in the clear water. Next to her lay a large bouquet of starflowers. She had not seen him yet and for a second he thought about leaving unseen, but as he took another step, a branch broke under his weight. The sound made the woman turn to him. At first, he could read fear in her eyes and she had every right to think the worst of him. He knew he was not very presentable-looking in his worn clothes, with an unkempt beard and dirty hands. He held up his hands in a gesture he hoped signaled that he had no foul intentions, showing the traces of his long journey.

”I’m sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just need to wash my hands and face.”

She gave him a careful smile, held her guard up, but nodded. It made sense.

”It’s ok. I was lost in my own thoughts; it’s not your fault I didn’t hear you coming this way.”

Obi-Wan kneeled beside her, keeping a respectful distance. The water was indeed colder than it looked, but it felt heavenly as he patted his face with his wet palms. He could feel the woman watching him.

”It would be easier to clean your face if you removed your hood,” she said with a small laugh in her voice. Apparently, she had decided that he was no threat to her. He considered her words. She was right of course and he really needed to freshen up a little before he met his hosts. With two hands he grabbed the hood and pulled it back. Then he lowered his hands to the water, formed them into a bowl and splashed the cold water over his face. He gave a pleased sigh. Another splash of water on his neck and it ran in a chilling stream down under his tunic. He continued to clean himself up as much as he could and when done, he stretched his back and stood up. So did she.

The woman met his gaze and when she looked back at him he could swear he felt the ground move under him. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were of a rare blue color, the same color as the starflowers she held in her hand. She looked at him with interest, like she was mapping his face in her memory, and for a second she glanced at his lips, before she averted her eyes with a shy smile. For the first time in ages, Obi-Wan struggled to find words. He wanted to compliment her, but had no words for it. So instead he asked for the only thing he could think of: her name.

”Eliise.” When she spoke, she met his gaze again and Obi-Wan felt the overwhelming feeling of helplessness, for the gravity in her eyes was beyond anything he had experienced before. As a Master Jedi, he had never allowed himself to indulge in any activity that could make him lose focus on the path he had taken, but now, as he stared into the depth of Eliise’s starflower-colored eyes, he felt something.

”Eliise,” he repeated and her name felt strangely right when it rolled off his tongue. She smiled innocently at him but Obi-Wan did not miss the way her eyes shifted slightly when he said her name.

”You are not from here, if I'm not mistaken?”

”No, I’m not. I’m only here for a short visit at… a friend’s place.” Obi-Wan stopped himself before he said too much. He just met the woman, there was no need to tell her that he was a personal guest of Bail Organa, highly respected senator of Alderaan and his wife, Queen Breha.

”I see,” she said with a badly hidden disappointed look in her expressive eyes. Then, as though a thought just appeared in her mind, she gave him a faint smile again. ”Aldera is my home, it’s all I have ever known. I have never traveled beyond our borders. I am a free woman, but the right opportunity has never appeared.”

Obi-Wan thought he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. Maybe it was the thought of missed opportunities, lost moments of adventures or the feeling of being stuck in the same place that clouded her eyes for a second. ”I’m sorry, I talk too much,” she then added and Obi-Wan wondered what she really wanted to say. He thought of walking away, to ignore the unfamiliar feeling that spread in his chest and the increasing drumming of his heart, but he found himself unable to turn his back on her.

”Perhaps you want some company on the way back, may I escort you?” he offered with what he hoped was a comforting smile. ”It is my humble opinion that you don’t talk too much. In fact, I would like to hear more, if the thought doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”

She smiled warmly back at him. ”I will gladly accept your company.”

The road gradually changed the closer they came to the palace and nature gave room to the city of Aldera. Eliise talked about her life in the city, about places she liked, where one could find the best meals, for a reasonable payment, and where art and music could be enjoyed. It did not take long before her hand brushed repeatedly against his as they walked closer to each other. It was an innocent touch but he sensed there was something else in the air, something unspoken happened as they continued their unhurried walk. Obi-Wan spoke very little about himself, skillfully steered her away from any personal subjects and answered only questions regarding his thoughts and taste in different things. He liked her soft feminine voice, its melody was charming and he wanted the conversation to last longer when she suddenly stopped outside a small two-floored house. She nodded at the house. ”This is where I live, on the second floor. The old man I rent from is a kind man and for a few extra credits, he asks no questions about my personal life.” She lowered her voice to a whisper as she leaned closer to him. ”You have not even told me your name, but here I am, ready to invite you to my home. I have never done this before, please tell me that I’m crazy, but something about you makes me feel so relaxed and yet so… curious.”

Her eyes, this time filled with a longing he was not sure he could live up to, made him hesitate. Speechless, he looked back at her, her directness came as a surprise and once again he was unable to find the right words. She shifted and waited while the inner struggle tore Obi-Wan between wanting to follow her inside and the fear of doing something he, or both of them, would regret later. There was no doubt in her eyes, no room for misunderstanding. He briefly thought about the meeting he was supposed to attend the following day, as an adviser in a very sensitive situation. He knew that Bail would not be at his disposal on this particular evening, for the senator told him so during their last contact. It mattered little if he arrived later that night, as long as he was in place for breakfast. An embarrassed look fell over Eliise’s face. ”I’m sorry, I assumed too much.” She took a step to the side and Obi-Wan could see how she inhaled deeply. ”Thank you for your company. I wish you a pleasant stay in Aldera.” Her voice sounded weirdly neutral and the change in her body language finally caused him to react.

“You can call me Ben,” he said softly, but without making a move to stop her.

She watched him for a moment, like she was weighing his words and the meaning of them on a scale. He could tell that his own insecurity made her hesitate. She probably thought he was only mildly interested in her, but Obi-Wan's problem lay not in his level of interest. The lost connection with the Force had made him doubt himself in all the ways a man possibly can. Intimcity was never something he thought about, but now, as Eliise looked at him with a new hope in her beautiful eyes, he felt both tempted and frightened.

”Ben,” she tried his name. ”Would you like to come inside? I have refreshments, and fruit if you want.” Obi-Wan swallowed hard. What she offered sounded innocent but the afternoon sun made her skin glow and he caught himself thinking of how it would feel to run his fingertips over her cheek. He nodded slowly.

Eliise’s home was small but pretty, just like the woman living there. The feminine touch in tiny details made the place very personal. She liked the color blue, Obi-Wan noticed as he looked around the main room. A tray with cold drinks stood on a small table and she lifted a glass and offered him one. He was thirsty and drank greedily. Before he could put the glass back on the tray, she took the glass from him, her fingers gently caressing his as they met. ”Thank you,” he mumbled, unable to think of anything but her sensual lips as she put her own glass to her mouth and drank. As she swallowed the cold drink in a series of small sips, he watched her throat’s movements. Heat spread in the lower parts of his body at the sight of her drinking and he briefly questioned if what he felt was normal. He was, of course, well aware of the strong attraction two people could build, and he was not inexperienced in the matter. His doubts were only directed to his own abilities, it had been a long time since he touched a woman. Too long, he thought as she took a step closer to him.

Her lips were soft against his, she tasted sweet, like newly collected berries, and when she finally ran her small hands through the hair on his neck, he wrapped his arms around her. It made her moan softly against his lips and she deepened the kiss. Her tongue met his and when her body asked him to dance, he followed her blindly. Lost in his lust for her, he didn’t protest when she unclasped his cloak. It fell to the floor and revealed his tunic, and the belt where his only protection was attached. Too late he realized that she instantly recognized the item. Eliise stared at him in disbelief. ”Have I invited a Jedi, or maybe a Bounty Hunter with a taste for robbing his objects, to my bed?”

Obi-Wan looked back at her, she demanded the truth but there was no judgement in her eyes. He sighed. ”I’m no Bounty Hunter.”

Her eyes widened. ”I can’t believe it. We are always told that the Jedis are almost extinct.”

”Almost,” Obi-Wan echoed.

Eliise pressed herself tightly against him again. ”It makes no difference for me. I still want you to be here.” Her smile was genuine and inviting and Obi-Wan covered her lips with his. It didn’t matter that she knew, he could not turn back now. Her dress joined his cloak on the floor and the sight of her naked body made him groan quietly. Her skin had been kissed by the sun on many occasions and her body looked stronger than he had expected. With trembling hands he started to remove his belt and the tunic. When he came to his trousers, he hesitated. As though Eliise could sense it, she placed her hand over his and squeezed it. The heat from her body transferred to him and with gentle hands she helped him out of his last piece of clothes. Then she took his hand and led him to her bed. When she pulled him down with her on the soft pillows, he marveled at how comfortable she made him feel, but the feeling of self-doubt simultaneously spread rapidly in his body.

”Eliise.” Obi-Wan whispered, like he was afraid to scare her away. He felt so strong and weak at the same time and he needed to speak his mind. ”I…I’m not the man I once was. I’m not sure I can give you what you desire.”

She gave him a reassuring smile. ”Are you trying to tell me it’s been a while?”

”A very long time,” he answered honestly. ”Please, don’t expect too much from me. I am nothing but a simple man.” He avoided her gaze in a sudden feeling of embarrassment.

”Ben,” she said softly and with a hand on his bearded cheek she turned his face so she could look him in the eyes again. ”I wanted you here before I knew you were a Jedi, that has not changed,” she purred. ”I don’t expect more, in any way, because of who you are. Please believe me.” She sealed her words with a series of tender kisses. Then her kisses became more heated and soon she pulled herself on top of him. She straddled him, captured him between her slender thighs and leaned forward to continue kissing him. Obi-Wan ran his hands along her back, caressed the softness of her hips and groaned when she arched her back, causing her to push her lower body closer to his growing hardness. At least that part of his body was not completely broken.

Eliise moved slowly over him and he could feel the feminine heat from the peak between her thighs as she softly grinded against his smooth skin. Obi-Wan moaned at the contact and held her tighter. But she didn’t want to be held still, she was eager in his embrace and knew what she wanted. While her starflower-colored eyes looked like the sun itself shone in them, she adjusted her hips so the top of his shaft pressed against her slick opening. He could feel her need as she moved and for a second Obi-Wan was afraid he would not be able to control the wave of heat welling up in his body. Pure lust sang in his veins and he saw the same need in her eyes, when the burning desire for her exploded under his skin. He trembled, unprepared for the storm of emotions her naked body evoked. Eliise seemed unafraid of the feelings she set free and without a word she opened up to him like one of her starflowers opened its petals to the sun. With a soft moan, she sank down over him and his fingers gripped harshly at the softness of her hips. She hissed his name and a surprised smile graced her beautiful face as he could feel her body’s desperate attempt to adjust to him. Buried deep inside her, he was allowed to feel it all and the sensation made him expectantly caress her thighs. Her slickness coated him and when she tentatively rocked her hips against him, he saw stars.

Her hair fell down from its braided creation and dark locks danced around her face in sync with her body’s movements. Obi-Wan looked up at her and the sight of her visual pleasure together with the steady rocking of her body was almost too much for him. Eliise seemed to know her body well, for she easily found the right angle and rhythm, and then used them to chase what she wanted. Soon her breathing became ragged and she increased the friction between them. Obi-Wan felt her clench hard around his length but fought his first instinct to follow her. He was not done with her yet. When she shattered over him, he pulled her close and held her trembling body to his chest. As her breathing finally slowed down, she looked at him and met his lips in a sweet kiss. Obi-Wan ran his hand through her now loose hair and it felt like exclusive threads of silk against his palm.

With little effort he rolled her over and covered her body with his. His shaft was throbbing and hard as the finest beskar, but he took his time with her and savored the moment. Obi-Wan rested his hands on either side of Eliise’s head and watched her intensively as he slowly entered her again. A lovely whimper fell from her lips when she once again was stretched around his girth. Her starflower-colored eyes appeared to be rounder when he drove himself deep into her tightness and she grabbed his upper arms as he began to thrust against her. Obi-Wan’s initial self-doubt was lost somewhere between her pleading moans and the steady pace he set. His nature’s instinct was stronger than his mind and his body remembered exactly what it was required to do. As he watched Eliise’s fascinating reactions to the movement of his hips, he became aware of all the small details that exposed her pleasure and he wanted to remember them. The noises she made, the way her fingernails scratched his shoulders when he hit her most sensitive spot and how her eyes burned with need as he lowered himself to place heated kisses on her neck.

Eliise was close, he could feel her body tense in anticipation and this time he wanted to follow her all the way. With his blood boiling in his vein, Obi-Wan focused all his efforts on the movement he quickly learned gave her the greatest pleasure. When her moans eventually turned to a cry, and the sound of his name filled the room, he let go. Long years of tension lifted from his chest as he gave her all he had. The feeling of relief was more intense than he remembered. He collapsed over her, heavily panting, and when she finally released him from her tight hug, he rolled down on his back beside her. He pulled her closer to him and came to rest with her head on his arm. With his free hand he caressed her soft skin and she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. She was warm and smelled of flowers, even now after their lusty moment.

They rested in silence. Eliise absently played with the hair on his chest and he liked the feeling of her fingers slowly moving over his skin. No words were needed between them and when the room finally grew darker, Obi-Wan reluctantly broke the silence. ”I really should get going. I was expected to arrive much earlier, but now it’s time for me to continue my walk, alone.”

Eliise looked at him with sadness in her eyes. ”I understand,” she then said. ”You can’t let the senator wait?”

”How did you..?” Obi-Wan went silent, he had said too much.

”I did not. But when a Jedi suddenly shows up on Alderaan, he is not here to visit some old friend. Maybe, if that friend also happens to be of great importance. And you just confirmed it.”

Obi-Wan sighed. He was a fool, like so many other men trapped under the spell of a beautiful woman.

”Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” She smiled at him again and patted his arm. ”Perhaps you should get yourself ready.”

They rose from the bed and got their clothes on faster than Obi-Wan preferred. He wouldn’t have minded staying longer but it was getting late and he was on a mission. And he needed to sleep after the long trip if he was going to be the best he could the following day. Bail deserved nothing but the best. He believed in Obi-Wan, he always had, even now, when not even Obi-Wan believed in himself. But as he looked into Eliise’s eyes for what he assumed was the final time, he realized that he was a changed man. His back was a little straighter, he held his head a little higher. Somehow she managed to give him something he could not have found on his own. Gratitude filled his heart and he leaned in to give her a final kiss. He had nothing else to offer her. No promises nor words of comfort. When he reached for the handle to her door, she suddenly placed one of her small delicate hands on his arm. ”Wait!”

She was gone for only a short moment and when she returned she held a blue flower in her hand. Most of its long stalk was removed, only the flower remained. She placed it in his hand. ”Take this, maybe it will keep you safe. Maybe you will look at it and think of me.” He placed the little starflower in his hidden pocket and it made her smile at him one final time. Then Eliise hugged him and Obi-Wan briefly closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He would forever remember her scent.

When he stepped out on the street, Obi-Wan pulled his hood up and made sure his cloak covered the only evidence of who he really was. To his surprise the lightsaber felt less heavy now. He looked up at the dark sky where thousands of stars created beautiful patterns. For the first time ever, they made him think of flowers on a meadow. He smiled to himself. Eliise smelled like starflowers.

Did you like it? Please like, comment or/and reblog! ❤️

@lathalea @fizzyxcustard @legolasbadass @middleearthpixie @i-did-not-mean-to @enchantzz @xxbyimm @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @kibleedibleedoo

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[alons-ycreeper]

(The Solitary Clone got me to revisit the last installment of my Clone²AU and rewrite it. Here are parts [1] and [2]. Enjoy!)

- Order 66 went out but Cody was able to fight it off for just a little while, long enough to hide Omega and stumble away far enough to stun himself with his own blaster as he feels his control slipping. When he wakes up next, it's been 2 months since the Temple raid and his daughter is not where he left her.

- Cody had been contemplating going AWOL since he gained his own consciousness again. Then he finds out Crosshair is alive and holds out a little longer. Seeing and fighting beside Crosshair again makes Cody have hope, but then younger clone crushes that hope when he brings up the Jedi. Cody wonders if Crosshair even remembers Omega.

- After being captured by Rampart, Cody is quietly transported back to Kamino. Now two decades older than when he started but chronologically only half of that, the former commander spends his days on Timira City on his forsaken homeworld training imperial cadets. He thinks they're worthless yet they've attached themselves to him and the nat-born CO he's been given is a creep that puts Cody in uncomfortable situations.

- The Third Sister requests for him specifically. She's going hunting—hunting for Kenobi. Her chase leads them to Daiyu. To add insult to injury it's rumored that Kenobi has been seen with a child who may very well be Force-sensitive. Cody wants to have hope so badly but even if he just finds the old master he'll feel some small peace.

- He finds Kenobi along with a little girl who shares Cody's face. They see him and freeze. Kenobi's eyes know him instantly, pushing the girl behind him. Many things pass through the clone's head only to end up saying "You need to hide." They're running as fast as they can. Kenobi's hand gripped tightly in his while Cody carries Omega and she clings to his unless stormtrooper pauldron. The Third Sister jumps down from the rooftops, saber blazing bright red. Cody is too focused on how they're going to get out of there that he doesn't register Obi-Wan talking to someone on his commlink. Then suddenly the Havoc Marauder is in front of them but he has no time to question it because the young Inquisitor is right behind them and she's pissed.

- Coming face to face with the Bad Batch after a decade of not seeing each other is awkward. They don't know if they can trust Cody or not but Omega ultimately makes the decision for them. She wants to know her father and she's letting anyone take him away again. The Batch reassure her that they never intended to get rid of Cody but his chip is a danger to both them and himself. (Hunter makes a comment about already losing one brother protect Omega and Obi-Wan and how they're not willing to lose another. Cody notices that Crosshair still isn't with the group.) Tech searches for the nearest Rebel base and heads for Jabiim.

- Once on Jabiim, Kawlan Roken talks with Ben about Omega and Cody. "That's really his daughter you've been raising?" "Yes." "Will they be going through the Path?" "No. I can protect us." "You sure about that?" "I already lost him once I'm not losing him again." Ben knows Roken is just trying to make sure he's got a clear head about what he's doing, but Ben had already up his mind the moment he saw Cody standing at the other end of that alleyway.

- When the Imperial cadets heard their commander had been stolen by a Jedi they rally and volunteer to aid the Third Sister in her hunt for Kenobi. They vow to bring their commander home.

- Vader has other plans for the commander. Ones that involve watching Kenobi beg for mercy as takes the last bit of his light from the galaxy. But before he can do that he must extract vital information from the clone regarding the whereabouts of his beloved captain.

- Meanwhile on Tatooine, Rex sits in the dark of his and the twins' bedroom. Luke and Leia are fast asleep as he watches a holo message from Bail Organa. The Alderaan senator has been kind enough to send updates on Ahsoka whenever he can. It eases Rex just a little knowing his first kid was somewhere safe in this horrifying galaxy.

(This is where I'm ending it because I've got nothing else.)

[mceproductions]

Best of 2022 TV Shows #15: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)

For years people have wondered what else could be out there for Star Wars to give the treatment of a miniseries.

This year we got one as we get a mindset of Obi Wan Kenobi in between the man who began his exile on Tatooine as the Jedi who lost everything, and the hermit who began to show the much larger world to a young farm boy.

Ewan McGregor returns to a role many called the best part of the prequel trilogy as while he maintains watch over Luke while getting the ire of Owen Lars he ends up being called back into the game by on old friend.

Bail Organa unexpectedly has his young daughter Leia taken by inquisitors led by Reva, all the while attracting the attention of someone who was thought by obi-wan to be gone.

Darth Vader portrayed once again by James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen.

While nobody expected the focus to be on the other Skywalker, Ewan does carry this all the way up to the finale in which he lets go of his guilt over losing Anakin once and for all.

Though some parts, flashback notably were bad this was entirely enjoyable all the way through.

And if this is the final time, we see Ewan McGregor as the famed Jedi he did give it a great capstone.

SUM 22: Ewan McGregor returns to close the book on one of Star Wars best players. Final scene with him and Hayden Christensen was nearly flawless.

[ao3feed-obikin]

Old Attachments

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40545852 by girlwithapen109 AU where Satine Kryze was not killed in the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan, freed of old burdens after his duel with Darth Vader, returns to the transport vessel carrying Leia Organa. He finishes his mission and escorts her safely back to Alderaan where Obi-Wan runs into a woman he never expected to see again after going into exile. The story begins right after Vader and Obi-Wan's duel in the Kenobi series. Words: 903, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Leia Organa, Bail Organa, Breha Organa, Kawlan Roken, Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader, Satine Kryze Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Leia Organa Additional Tags: Lost Love read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/40545852

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

woah! was that BAIL ORGANA walking down main street? i heard they’re not actually from ivy cove but come from STAR WARS. they’re 67and live in GLEN OAK HEIGHTS but watch out because they can be DISHONEST + STUBBORN but are actually KIND + INTELLIGENT. despite them HAVING memories, you’ll always think of FATHER OF THE REBELLION, FIGHTING FOR WHAT’S RIGHT EVEN IF FIGHTING ALONE, HARD BEING THE SURVIVOR, SAVING EVERYONE BUT YOURSELF, CONFIDENCE THAT COULD KILL when imagining them.

A Long Time Ago...

Born into a lesser noble family on Alderaan, no one had expected anything to happen in the man's life. Least until he and the princess married. They soon found a system where she ruled their planet, whilst he acted as the senator in the Republic. For a long time their system worked, until war broke out in the galaxy. Bail always did what he could to try and ensure the best outcome for the citizens of all planets. An annoyance for Palpatine, as he was often seen as the voice of reason within the Senate, though overall his actions had little effect on his grand plan. The war ended, the Jedi committed treason, and the Empire took over. But having gone to the Jedi Temple that night, and then finding Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bail had seen the other side of the story. The night ended with his close friend dying in child birth. He'd have taken both children, but knowing better than to argue with Yoda about Force matters, he adopted only Leia. For nineteen years, it seemed that he had carried on in much the same way. A loyal senator, even if sometimes he was an annoyance to the Emperor. However it wasn't quite as simple as that. Knowing that none of this was right, he had built a rebellion within the galaxy, fighting back against the Empire. Whilst he didn't really believe he'd survive the Empire, what he hadn't expected to happen was the Death Star. It had been a high concern, but he had believed the core planets were safe. That was until he saw the Death Star above Alderaan, and soon oblivion.

Ivy Cove

Without knowing, Bail and Breha had found each other again here. Living a relatively quiet life. That was until memories came back, with all of his returning. For now, he is trying to understand what happened to his home, whilst offering support where he can. More to be added, fake family open.

[jate-kara]

“You know me.”

The blaster’s leveled at his heart; the barrel drives into his chest. The air between them is so still Obi-Wan thinks that, if he breathes just a little harder, if he speaks just a little louder, it might shatter.

The trooper’s clad in glistening midnight armor. A kama hangs about his waist. A leather pauldron sits on his left shoulder. His face is concealed by his helmet, but it doesn’t matter. The man has always been distinct in the Force; subdued as his signature might be now, that hasn’t changed.

Separated by star systems or side-by-side: he knows Cody.

“You know me,” Obi-Wan repeats, barely a whisper. The blaster doesn’t waver –but it doesn’t discharge, either. Cody's grip trembles.

“Traitor,” Cody grits out. His voice is gravelly. It’s not the voice filter. He adjusts his hold on his blaster. His finger twitches – and stops. “Jedi.”

The word is pained and broken, like he’s speaking through shards of glass. Obi-Wan aches, distantly and impossibly, to pull him close. To soothe him through. It’s a fool’s dream: something he thought of on his worst days, when he couldn’t make himself get out of bed and all he could do was stare at the blank ceiling back on Tatooine. He closed his eyes and he told himself that Cody was there, curled up beside him. That they’d found each other, after the war. That he woke to Cody tracing his jaw with a gentle touch. That he blinked awake from a heavy sleep to Cody’s warm brown eyes, dancing with mischief and maybe – when he deluded himself enough – love. He felt the lie sitting heavy in his chest when the suns rose.

And he let himself lie again.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan whispers. “Yours.”

Cody’s breath hitches. The blaster trembles. In one motion, he shifts it to a one-handed grip, then reaches up and rips his helmet away.

Even in the gloom of the abandoned Republic base, this graveyard of ghosts and memories, Obi-Wan can make out his face. His hair is shaved close to his skull. There are thin white streaks zigzagging through the dark fuzz on his scalp: jagged like lightning. The thin shaft of moonlight streaming through the cracked wall dances across his features. Plays across new scars. Some of them are from blades. Some from blasters.

Some could only have been made by a lightsaber.

Cody’s throat bobs. “Jedi,” he says again, and this time the word carries more reverence than curse.

The blaster dips, just a degree. Obi-Wan holds his hands up and makes himself wait. Bail Organa told him about the chips in the first months after the order buried the Republic. Told him that they weren���t meant to last long. Told him that the Empire was phasing out most of the clones.

But not Cody. Ten years in Imperial service.

Ten years alone.

Cody’s eyes are wild, wide and unfocused. His breath comes in labored gasps. “Kenobi,” he croaks. His voice cracks. He tries to lift the blaster, but it’s as if the end has been affixed with a lead weight. The barrel drops even further, swinging in an arc until the weapon hangs uselessly at his side. His shoulders slump. A strangled sob escapes him, cracking the cool night air and Obi-Wan’s heart all at once.

For a moment, they’re still.

Obi-Wan dares to reach out – to take hold of the blaster – to pull it away. The weapon falls to the ground between them.

And Cody falls with it.

--

[cienie-isengardu]

The OBI-WAN KENOBI TV series just debuted so here are some of my thoughts. Obviously, spoilers ahead:

🗡So far, it wasn’t bad, worked better than the Book of Boba Fett premiere episode for me but still it didn’t knock me down with any special emotions. The fact that the old, prequel cast came back for this project is my main motivation to watch it in the first place thus I won’t give up watching the next episode(s) until I see Hayden as Anakin/Vader. That is my current (and only one) resolution in that matter.

🗡Does Disney even care for its own canon? Grand Inquisitor’s death seems to contradict that. And that is really irking. 

🗡I don’t get Third Sister’s plan. She came to the conclusion that Obi-Wan is gonna save Bail’s little girl because once they were close friends / comrades. Okay. But wouldn’t it be actually smarter to keep eye on Bail and dunno, eavesdrop and track him, and then follow the man once he left Alderaan? That way Organa would lead her straight to the Jedi. Instead there is some complicated trap in the middle of the city and other Inquisitors getting in the way. Dunno, this part felt a bit weird. 

🗡Okay, generally speaking Third Sister seems like an interesting and cool looking character, especially with the unexplained yet connection to Anakin Skywalker. But also funny how other Inquisitors kept the violence under control (to the minimum) while she is like I’ll murder this man and this and everyone bla bla bla. 

🗡I get that Star Wars likes to emphasis the special relationship between child and father (and oh boy, the single father Din Djarin is pretty popular these days, isn’t he?) and okay, Leia was always Bail’s apple of the eye sure, but it would be fucking nice to see more about Leia and Breha’s relationship. I’m disappointed about this one, ‘cause it feels like Breha is the strict parent tired of Leia’s constant antics while Bail is the supportive one and you know, special.

🗡I also don’t understand Kenobi’s work, I mean, no one is angry that he is stealing the food? No one really noticed? I kinda thought it was gonna be an issue at some point, but nope? Not to mention they work in the open air, in the desert and leave the meat (?) just like that as soon as the work is over? Who the hell is wasting food in the desert like that?

🗡Owen Lars though, I like him and his guts. I guess his and Obi-Wan relationship is gonna be a pretty interesting part of the series. I hope so.

🗡Obi-Wan buried his lightsaber with Anakin’s one, that was the most emotional part for me so far. Some good symbolism to think about. But then, later he carried the lightsaber just like that, in an easily visible place, by the waist? Wearing a typical Jedi cloak? In times of purges? Eh. It's hard to call it a disguise.

🗡I’m also not sure how I feel about the fact that Obi-Wan left Tatooine and had adventure somewhere else. Dunno. I always thought he stayed there for twenty years, coming in terms with his trauma and watching Luke. I get the show needed an “action” plot but dunno, I could just watch Obi dwelling on the past and remember the missions / war experiences shared with Anakin and his character (psyche)  being explored that way. Do I make sense? 

🗡And the last but not least important let down. The veteran clone trooper begging for support. I guess it was supposed to be an emotional and heart-breaking moment, two veterans broken by Order 66, the “executioner” and victim of that day. A scene to put Obi-Wan in a good light for sure by him showing empathy for a clone and so on. But it did not work for me. For one, the marking similar to 501st Legion - maybe chosen to give a hint about Anakin? - irks me because I can’t imagine Vader not caring for his legion (the only one part of the army just his at that moment). Like yeah, his empathy is questionable right now, but come on, Vader’s Fist doesn’t come out of nowhere (oh, how I miss Legends sources about 501st clones’ personal loyalty to Darth Lord). And even if that wasn’t the 501st trooper, why would the Empire even allow veterans to be, you know, useless, when the man is still capable of fighting? I mean, only 10 years passed between Order 66 and now, so the clone was 23 years old (doubled as 46) and still could be part of the army. And yeah, the new wave of soldiers were natural born and all, but clone veterans were kept in the rank as long as they were useful or either died in the line of duty. In Legends, Cody served at least up to 19 BBY–1 BBY (The Force Unleashed), which is way past his prime. The unnamed clone does not look to have any serious injury (or did I miss it?) and mental health was hardly the concern of the Empire and it is really weird to think the imperials would let the clone retire from the army for whatever reason. Even weirder is that the clone kept his armor that is provided by the military and by logic, is military equipment. So there is no reason to allow retired clones to keep it? The Empire doesn't care for its soldiers, sure, so why let (“not useful anymore”) clone to take something that he does not even own in the first place? That scene just doesn’t work for me and I’m gonna admit, it was a bit confusing. Did the Empire suddenly give clones a chance to get out of the army instead of exploiting them to their last breath, as they used to do in Legends?

[halfagonyandhope]

when the skies catch fire │ch. 7

ch. 1 (x); ch. 2 (x); ch. 3 (x); ch. 4 (x); ch. 5 (x); ch. 6 (x)

She follows him through the halls as rays of sunlight dance between them, reflecting off of early morning commuting ships outside. They head to the Temple’s entrance to await Padmé.

Instead, they find her already there.

The senator is deep in discussion with Anakin Skywalker, the latter’s back turned to the approaching pair. Satine can hear the sound of their terse whispers, though she can’t make out the words. Padmé’s eyes flash, and her jaw tightens - and Satine does not envy Anakin’s position. Whatever it is they’re quarreling about, Satine knows, Anakin will not win this debate.

Anakin storms off, brushing past Padmé, seemingly oblivious to Satine and Obi-Wan. He doesn’t turn around as they step to meet the senator. Padmé gives Obi-Wan a loaded look.

“Master Kenobi,” she says. “Once we spoke of a tenuous thread.”

Satine glances at Obi-Wan, who says, “I’m guessing it is tenuous no longer?” He folds his arms over his chest, and his robes rustle with the movement.

Padmé turns slightly and looks down the now-empty hall. “The thread is no longer,” she murmurs, and Satine doesn’t have to understand their code to know what message she’s sending.

Satine feels Obi-Wan tense beside her. “As we predicted.” He sighs. “But not as we’d hoped.” He turns to Satine. “Padmé will explain further - I must speak with Anakin.” He touches her elbow lightly, and then he’s gone - the wind whispering with her robes long after he’s disappeared from sight.

Satine focuses on her friend. Out of view of the Jedi, her shoulders drop. Satine wonders how much weight she’s been carrying on them lately. Far too much, she suspects. “Come,” says Satine, guiding Padmé forward. “Let us talk.”

---

Padmé wastes no time after Satine closes the door to her quarters. “Anakin’s been offered a seat on the High Council,” she says lowly. “He’s to be the Chancellor’s representative.”

Satine blinks. Then she laughs. “How convenient that there is a vacancy to fill.”

“The Chancellor has never needed a representative to the Jedi Council before.” 

“The Chancellor has never held such power before,” says Satine. “Of course he would use this opportunity to gain insights into the Council’s inner workings.”

Padmé grimaces. “I told Anakin as much.”

“Ah,” says Satine, rolling her eyes. “He clearly took that well if that conversation earlier is anything to go on.”

“I may also have suggested that the Jedi only allowed such an appointment so that they, too, could benefit from the arrangement. So, no, he did not take well to being called a spy.” She sighs. “But if Anakin honestly could not see the nuance of the situation…”

“Padmé, he needed to hear it. Whether or not he will listen is up to him.”

Padmé leans against the door. “Oh, he will listen. But only to the Chancellor, not to me - and not to the Council. He thinks they have been keeping secrets from him. His relationship with them has long been tenuous at best.”

Satine steps toward her friend. “The thread you mentioned earlier?”

Padmé nods. “I care for Anakin…” She amends her words as Satine’s eyes narrow. “I love Anakin, but I cannot trust him. Not now, not after his support of giving more emergency powers to the Chancellor, and not after this. I would call it treason, but I think technically it is I who is the traitor.”

“Depends on the point of view,” says Satine. She makes an effort to keep her tone soft. “But, Padmé, is it really love if you cannot trust him?”

Her friend’s eyes are wide, and she shakes her head. “Do not ask me to answer that.”

Satine takes a step back, her palms raised in truce. “I was just asking. I did not expect an answer.” She sighs. “You know there is one Jedi you can trust, do you not?”

Padmé nods, and Satine knows she is thinking of Obi-Wan. “I know,” she says.

A beat passes. Then - 

“Bail Organa,” Padmé murmurs. “We can trust him as well. And there are others. I do not know their identities as of yet, but they stand with us. We have not been able to meet as a group, but working on policy to protect Mandalore will give us cover to do so. It is...unwise to gather in person to speak of such things.” 

It’s clever, Satine agrees, using these strategy sessions for Mandalore as a chance to plant the seeds of…whatever this is. A rebellion?

“As long as strategizing for Mandalore is not relegated solely to cover.” There is caution in her words.

Padmé grabs Satine’s hand. “We will liberate Mandalore and the Republic. Your cause gives us cover, and we will deliver for you. I promise.”

A soft trilling cuts through the silence, and Padmé shifts her elaborate robes to reach for her comlink. “Get the Duchess offworld,” urges the steady voice that Satine immediately recognizes as Organa’s. She stops breathing.

The comlink begins to play another voice, this one also familiar to Satine.

“Satine Kryze has fled Mandalore.”

“Almec,” murmurs Satine, holding Padmé’s gaze.

“She knows she has failed - failed as a duchess, and as a peacekeeper. Her pacifism could not save her people; rather, she KILLED them. She brought famine and poverty, not prosperity, to Mandalore. Neutrality was a death sentence to the New Mandalorians, just as it was to Pre Vizsla, who she unceremoniously assassinated before she fled.”

And suddenly it’s cold, far too cold, as if the very cells of her skin have frozen. She can’t move. She can only listen.

“Under Satine Kryze’s rule, our culture was buried. Our armor was melted down, our language forbidden. She exiled our relatives and forbade us from defending ourselves when foreigners arrived to take advantage of our weaknesses. For we have many, and they are all because of Satine Kryze, the genocidaire - ”

Padmé shuts off the call, already in the process of making another. “Anakin,” she breathes. “We need to get Satine away from Coruscant. She’s just been publicly accused of genocide in a speech by Almec, and the Senate has jurisdiction to try intergalactic crimes.”

There’s no sign of his prior anger in his voice when he replies, “We’ll be right there.”

The call ends, and there is static.

[kckenobi]

Ooh, how about “Can you stay awake for me?” with Obi-wan, Mace, and Yoda? I love their trio dynamic!

“Can you stay awake for me?”

Mace didn’t know what he was expecting. But it certainly wasn’t this.

He and Yoda met them in the landing platform. Padmé had commed when she was within range again to let them know that Senator Organa and Obi-Wan were hurt, and needed medical attention immediately—even after the clone medics onboard had treated them. But still, Mace didn’t expect to see Master Kenobi being carried off the ship in the arms of a clone trooper. His head bobbed loosely against the clone’s breastplate, as if he were cargo to be unloaded from a supply run.

Not the greatest Jedi among us.

And then suddenly everything was happening at once—Bail Organa stumbling as he trailed behind the medics, Padmé grabbing his arm but Organa pulling away so he could catch up to Obi-Wan, as if terrified to leave him alone. Master Yoda murmuring sadly and his own connection with the Force telling him something is wrong something is wrong something is—

“Senator,” Mace said, wanting to reach out and grab Organa by the shoulder but too afraid to hurt him more. “What the hell happened?”

Bali’s eyes were dark and weary. “Exactly, Master Windu—hell happened.”

—

The procession through the Temple felt eerily like a funeral march. When they reached the Halls of Healing, and Organa had been waved to his own room, the clone medic gently deposited Obi-Wan on a cot and Vokara Che and the others rushed forward, silent and forlorn.

“Clear the room,” she said.

Mace, Yoda, and the clone medics froze.

“Masters,” Master Che said, more sharply this time.

“No.”

All four heads swiveled to the bed. It was Obi-Wan’s voice.

“Let them stay. Please,” he rasped. He was so frail and fragile, his body barely lifted the sheets. “The light side…radiates off of them. Helps fight the dark.”

“The dark?” Master Che said. She whirled to Yoda and Mace. “Masters, what was the nature of this mission?”

“That information is classified.”

“Nothing is classified when it is relevant to the health and well-being of my patients. Now, Masters, I’ll ask again—what was the nature of this mission?”

Mace and Yoda exchanged a glance. Yoda nodded.

“Master Kenobi and Senator Organa investigated a planet called Zigoola,” he said. “A Sith planet.”

“A Sith—“

“We don’t know much more than that. But the dark side—“

“Is with him, yes, I feel it. Masters,” she said, then exhaled. “This will take more than medical treatment. I need to probe his mind.”

Mace’s eyebrows went up. “Master Che, I’ll admit I’m no healer. But shouldn’t the priority be Master Kenobi’s physical recovery before mental?”

“If his mind still carries traces of Sith evil,” Vokara Che said, “I cannot use a healing crystal. The darkness will reject it. And Master Kenobi will die.”

And for that, Mace had no argument.

She prepped him for the work. Obi-Wan was conscious, but barely—his eyes were opened but glazed over, his body limp, his face half obscured by blood and bruises so bad Mace was tempted to look away. My dear friend, he thought, what happened to you?

“For this exercise,” Vokara Che said some time later, “he’ll need to be awake. It will take some action on his part as well as mine. Ours.” She looked at Mace and Yoda. “Your resolve and energy will play a part in supporting his, if you are willing.”

“Willing we always are, Master,” Yoda said.

And so she began.

The issue, as it turned out, was not supporting Obi-Wan’s resolve. It was keeping him awake.

“Obi-Wan,” Yoda said. “Stay with us, you must.”

“Anakin?”

Yoda and Mace met eyes. “No, Master Kenobi. Skywalker isn’t here.”

Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut. “Where?”

“A mission,” Mace said softly, still watching Yoda. “A mission on which you sent him. Remember?”

Vokara Che was levitating now with the healing crystal, and suddenly Obi-Wan cried out. His head dropped back to the pillows.

The only way Mace knew he hadn’t left them was the way Obi-Wan was squeezing his hand.

When his eyes fluttered back open again, he looked lost. “Master?”

“Here, we are. Safe, you are. Protected by the light.”

Obi-Wan’s hand moved suddenly, from under the sheets. It slid across the cot as if searching for something—and then Mace found himself reaching forward too, catching it. Here, we are.

“On Zigoola, there was no light,” Obi-Wan said softly. “I was alone.”

“Alone you are not,” Yoda said. “And never have you been.”

Obi-Wan didn’t answer. His eyes fluttered closed again.

“Obi-Wan,” Mace said. “Can you stay awake for me?”

His head moved just slightly. “So tired.”

“And you can rest soon,” Mace replied. “But right now, Master Che needs you to be alert. So she can help you.”

“I don’t feel well.”

“I know. So stay awake with me,” he said, “and the sooner you’ll start to feel better.”

Master Che’s eyes were closed as she moved the healing crystal. The Force rippled around them all.

When at last Vokara Che set down the healing crystal and opened her eyes, they were all exhausted. The Force dripped with lingering traces of something deep and dark and wholly sinister, and Mace’s heart clenched for the pain his friend must have—and still—endured.

“Now,” Vokara Che said, “he can really heal. Or at least, he can begin to.”

“Masters.”

Obi-Wan was reaching out again. Mace and Yoda each found one of his hands. Yoda patted it lightly. And while Obi-Wan seemed to be searching for words, he didn’t find any—his eyes were too watery.

“Rest, Obi-Wan,” Mace said. “And let the healers take care of you.”

He nodded. Wiped a bloody, dirtied hand across his eyes to dry them.

Yoda smiled. “Alone, you never are.”

—

from these whump prompts

[nanagoswife]

I Failed Everyone. I Failed You.

(^^these are related to the fic^^)

HAPPY MAY 4TH EVERYONE

In celebration, I decided to write this random idea I had literally just last night (right before I wrote it. I wasn't even planning to write last night 😅) Anyways, I thought we could use some Obi, even if he isn't going through entirely good times. With me, I had to end it on a lighter note so sad Obi doesn't necessarily last the whole time.

Pushing this aside, happy May 4th everyone.

May the force be with you, always.

- - -

Summary: After Order 66, Obi-Wan has to go and deal with Anakin. Taking place after the duel, he comes to you for support but, as the next hours go on, you're the one needing comfort.

W/C: 2.2k

Warnings: Mention of flame boy, mention of mass death, character death, angst, Obi being a sad boy

The threatening shades of red and orange accented by the black, soot covered ground would’ve frightened him in any other situation. Even the locals had an unwelcoming presence as they floated over the molten lava, gathering Maker knows what.

Now, though, he was more focused on a different fear that had come true. The order was destroyed, his friends turned on him, he failed Anakin. Obi-Wan Kenobi had failed one of the people he strove to do only good for.

Instead of his true duty, he had just battled his closest friend. His brother. His son. The one other he cared and watched over not because his master had told him so, but because he felt inclined to. There had been something in Anakin that peaked something inside of him that drew him to Anakin.

What good was he if he failed everyone he ever loved? First, Qui-Gon, then so many others. Even people who had just been there that fought by his side or died to save him. Then there was this current moment. He had failed to see how the war was a fool’s game. The person leading it was really on the enemy side and let his true colours show in a drastic change.

Obi-Wan had failed. He had even failed you. Compared to you, Obi-wan knew so much more about what was truly going on. Had he seen how overly fond the Chancellor was for Anakin, even you were suspicious. Yet, he didn’t act on it soon enough.

Due to this, you were caught up in Anakin’s tirade before it turned into the battle he had endured. You had come with Obi-Wan hoping that you could talk him back. Anakin always did have a strong connection with you. He had told Obi-Wan at a point that he looked to you as a mother figure, a role model.

It almost worked, too. It was almost as if something snapped in Anakin as you tried to step closer. All you wanted to do was embrace him and tell him how it would all be okay even after what happened with Padmé moments before. That’s not how he saw it. So, he had used the force and threw you against the ship, rendering you unconscious.

Being protective of both you and Padmé, Obi-Wan tried a last ditch effort to try and talk Anakin down. Despite being known as the ‘Negotiator’, his negotiating skills greatly lacked compared to yours. He had failed your mission to bring him back to the light.

With everything, it led to him watching as he was burned alive, almost pleading for help. Instead of listening, he turned away, unable to watch.

The image was sure to haunt the rest of his days as he walked back to the platform with Anakin’s lightsaber. Before this had all happened, he was able to check to make sure both you and Padmé were still alive. Thank the stars that you both were. He could only hope the baby was alright.

When it came to you, he was relieved to know that the one person he loved most dearly was alright, considering. You would’ve been the last straw had Anakin killed you.

Even in this time of pain and grief, he couldn’t help but be amused at the thought of how, not only did Anakin see both you and him as parental figures, but the two of you had really been together the whole time. Whether Anakin knew or not, the two of you raised him like your own because both of you knew that you couldn’t actually have a child of your own. So, Anakin played that role.

That was why you were so adamant on trying to talk him out of it. Unlike Obi-Wan, you refused to raise a hand to Anakin. Obi-Wan wouldn’t have either, had he not almost killed you and his own wife who carried his child. It repulsed him.

As he neared the platform, fear filled him at thinking something may have happened while he was gone. Did clone troopers arrive and find you here? He didn’t want to think about it, partially because, at this point, he would just give himself up to it.

Stepping up the platform, intense relief overtook him when he saw you with your back turned to him. You only turned when both R2-D2 and C-3PO had greeted him.

He didn’t need to say a word for you to know what happened. Why else would he be carrying the lightsaber? Although you hated that it happened, you couldn’t blame Obi-Wan at all. His pained expression showed how heavily it weighed on him.

Obi-Wan didn’t stop when the droids met him. Instead, he kept his path to you until he was in your arms. The tears that he had just wiped away now mixed with the ash on his face once again as he buried himself into your neck. One of your hands easily held the back of his head while the other gently rubbed his back.

As you held him, your own tears filled your eyes. You were unable to bring Anakin back. You had lost the closest thing you had to a son to the dark.

“I’m so sorry,” Obi-Wan said, barely coherent through his cries. “I-I failed him. I failed you.” Just his voice wrenched your heart as his pain was so prominent.

His words pained you in a way that they never have before. In your mind, he didn’t fail you or Anakin. You were just as much to blame. As was everything else in and around your lives. That wasn’t what he needed to hear, though.

“Shh, it’s alright,” you said quietly into his ear. To further comfort him, you traced delicate circles in his hair. “You didn’t fail me and you definitely didn’t fail Anakin. There’s no way we could’ve known that this is what was going to happen.”

“But-”

You cut him off, “No,” you said firmly but stayed soft so you could comfort him further. “You taught him well. The rest were his decisions. We couldn’t force his path, Obi.”

Carefully, you moved his head so that you could look him in the eyes, cupping his cheeks with your hands. The usual soft, caring blue was now dimmed with pain and grief. Although that’s how you felt, you tried to remain strong on the outside. He didn’t need how you felt added to his own emotions.

“Come on,” you said gently, “Padmé is inside. We need to get her into medical care.”

Slowly, Obi-Wan nodded and you led him inside by the hand that didn’t carry the lightsaber. When you walked in, you left Obi-Wan by Padmé’s side as you went to pilot the ship off this dreary planet.

-

“Twins?” you exclaimed when you heard the news. You, Yoda, and Obi-Wan all glanced at the other when the medical droid told you this.

“Go. By Senator Amidala’s side, you should be,” Yoda told you when you had looked worriedly at your friend. The fact that she was dying hadn’t quite settled in just yet. Instead of voicing this, you nodded to Master Yoda and quickly made your way to Padmé’s side.

Out of pure instinct, you grabbed her hand.

“Y/N,” she said weakly.

“Shh, save your strength. You’re about to have a couple little ones making themselves known,” you said with a slight chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood. To your relief, she let out her own laugh.

The rest of it was all a blur. Padmé’s tight grip on your hand was merely a reminder that you were still here. It was a reminder that these may be the last few moments you get to spend with her.

At a point, you had looked up to where Obi-Wan was watching from the other side of the glass. Trying to be brave, he offered a small smile in comfort. It did help a bit before your attention was drug back to the situation as the grip on your hand was tightened.

Once both Luke and Leia were born, Obi-Wan joined the room and held Luke as you held Leia.

When you looked down, Padmé was smiling at the two babies that the two of you held. Then it fell. “There’s good in him,” she whispered, breathing deeply. “I know… I know there’s… still…” and she faded.

Obi-Wan looked as desolate as you felt. Other than the two of you, there was no one else. Sure, there was Yoda, but relationships with him weren’t as deep as with everyone you’ve lost today. Now, you and Obi-Wan were left with the children of your closest friends.

-

Later, after your discussion with Yoda and Bail Organa about what would happen with the children, you were watching the twins in the nursery through the glass wall. So many thoughts were running through your mind, the most prominent being what would happen with you and Obi-Wan.

During the meeting, the relationship you had with Obi-Wan no longer needed to be hidden. Even though Yoda already had known for years, he was open to what the two of you had to say. This was all to lead up to the point that the two of you would take Luke to his family on Tatooine and, together, you would watch from a distance.

Your thoughts now were about how the two of you would stay hidden with this duty. You thought about how this all would affect the next days, months, stars, maybe years. Would this plague both of you for the rest of your days? Would this draw you apart? Would it bring the two of you closer? Would you finally start the family the two of you wanted?

“Darling?” Your racing mind was interrupted as you heard the familiar voice. Turning to it, you saw Obi-Wan’s worried gaze. This time, it wasn’t because of everything else that had happened. It was a worry for you. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, quite…” you trailed off as you looked back to the two newborns.

Seeing your gaze, he immediately knew what you were probably thinking. He stepped up to you and pulled you into his embrace as he placed a kiss to the top of your head. What you needed was comfort, and that’s exactly what he was going to do.

“Don’t worry, Darling. This won’t pull us apart, I promise,” he said reassuringly.

As he held you, an idea popped up in his head. It was something he continually thought about, but never was able to do. There was so much that he could finally act on that was once held back due to the code. Now, he could tell you and ask you everything he wanted to for so many years. Especially with this idea now.

“Y/N, darling?” He moved slightly back so that he could look into your eyes. The troubled look that he saw in your eyes earlier was now dimmed down and was replaced with the usual fondness he loved to see. “To prove this, I want to ask you something.”

Confusion suddenly took you over. What could he ask that would prove to you that nothing would happen? That is until he started to sink downwards. He kept going until he was kneeling, looking up at you and held one of your hands in his. The whole time, he didn’t remove his eyes from yours.

“This has been something that I’ve wanted to ask for so long. I haven’t been able to before, but now I can. Y/N, will you marry me?”

Overwhelming happiness threw every thought from everything from the last twenty-four standard hours. It was the first time you truly smiled for days, maybe even weeks. It rendered you speechless as this was a day you thought you’d never get. Eagerly, you nodded your head before pulling him up to kiss him. The first time you would share a kiss without the fear of others catching you.

“I love you, Obi. So much,” you said, resting your forehead against his.

“I love you too.” Obi-Wan lifted a hand to your cheek and traced small circles with his thumb. Although the reasons that made this moment possible were horrible, he basked in this small thing that helped both of you forget. This was well needed for now. “Maybe we could finally start the family we’ve always fantasized about,” he said while bringing his lips to your forehead.

You pulled your head away, but didn’t move away from his hold. “Really?”

“Really. Those dreams can finally be a reality.”

Without any more hesitation, you kissed him once again. There will be much to overcome, but you’ll have each other to work through it. You’ll have the other to comfort the other. Eventually, you’ll have another that will make you want to be better.

Then, you knew that Obi-Wan hadn’t failed you and you hadn’t failed Obi-Wan. Even though you both lost your closest friends, and you may have failed so many, you hadn’t failed each other. And in this blissful moment, that’s all that matters.

@stardancerluv @where-fantasy-meets-reality @jaydenwoo @madmax2003 @hopeladybug

If you want to join a taglist, message me or send in an ask. I'll eventually get something set up, but this is the only couple ways for now 😅

[nevertheless-moving]

Suicidal Misunderstanding XXIII

Part I - - - - - - - - - Part XX - - - - Part XXI - - - - Part XXII

Star Wars Time Travel AU #27

The office was quiet but for the occasional shuffling of flimsi and tapping of datapads.

Bail Organa and Mon Mothma pointedly did not exchange a glance behind Padme’s back.

Senator Mothma set down her pad and broke the silence. “Padme...are you alright?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine Mon, let’s just go over the bill,” Padme responded stiffly.

Mothma hesitated. “That’s not the only reason I asked you here, Padme.”

Padme stood, chair scraping gratingly. “I see; I’ve already had the Chancellor pry me today in an attempt to exploit my ‘connections’ to the Jedi—as though they’re droids and not flesh-and-blood people who any average person could strike a friendship with—but I had thought better of you two; I suppose my faith was—”

“That’s not what I meant—” Mon pleaded.

“We’re concerned about you,” Bail insisted gently. “You don’t have to tell us anything about the Jedi that you don’t feel comfortable doing so.”

Padme paused, then reluctantly sat back down.

“My apologies,” she muttured. “It’s been...a long day. I’ve been asked by the Chancellor for help in breaking some news that...I’d rather not.”

The senators waited patiently for Padme to collect her thoughts. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “General Kenobi has suffered from...force...I really don’t think there’s a way of saying this that doesn’t sound bad.”

“I had heard rumors that he was missing at meetings the last few days...has something serious happened?” Bail asked, concerned.

Padme shuddered. “This office is...”

“It’s clean,” Mothma confirmed quietly. “I have it checked independently anytime I’m gone for more then 15 minutes, with random deep-scans.”

“Would you mind...”

Mon nodded and the three waited in silence until the Chandurllian senator’s pad trilled the all-clear.

“Master Kenobi tried to kill himself earlier this week,” Padme confessed lowly. Mon straightened up in a sudden locking of knees and elbows, face drawn into tight lines. Bail’s hands flew to his mouth, tears forming.

“Knight Skywalker got to him in time, and he was in a coma until this morning when he apparently ‘ranted about ending the one’s responsible for the war’ and then vanished, along with Anakin.”

Mon grew very pale and Bail moved both hands from his mouth to his eyes.

“Fuck,” he said softly. “Just...fuck.”

Padme nodded in agreement and Mon inhaled deeply.

Bail rubbed way tears and straightened up resolutely. “How can we help?” he asked Padme. “How does the Chancellor want to handle releasing the news?”

She smiled weakly. “He’s leaving the exact wording up to me, but wants to make the announcement during the next full Senate gathering.”

“What!” Mon half-shouted, shocked. “There’ll be a riot! Surely a bulletin—even a press conference would be better for encouraging a moderate reaction—people will be shouting before he’s through the first sentence!”

“I know,” Padme agreed with a grimace. “But he wants ‘transparency.’“

“He wants panic,” Bail fumed.

“I’m trying to decide if it would better or worse to include the part about suicide,” Padme said bitterly. “Mental health breakdown and disappearance of the Republic’s highest General doesn’t leave much room for confidence or privacy.”

Mon clutched Padme’s hand in support. “I’ll have a PR team on standby. We can prepare resources for anyone who has questions, avoid conspiracy theories from spinning out. I already had a project on the backburner to put together own set of holoclips of the Jedi working towards peace—a counter to the ‘warmongering’ narrative, so to speak. It should be easy enough to adapt.”

“The Chancellor’s going to turn this into another military spending bill,” Bail predicted grimly. “We’ll make sure there’s a proviso in there to provide actual support for the Jedi in the field; I’ll make sure to get a legal team on viper in the grass duty as soon as the responses start coming out.”

“Thank you,” Padme said, gripping Mon’s hand over-tightly in return. She turned to the Alderannian senator. “I’m sorry Bail, I know you two are close.”

Bail exhaled slowly. “This war...I’ve seen Obi-Wan survive so much, and everytime he pulls off the impossible...”

“He’s rewarded with another burden on his shoulders,” Padme finished sympathetically. “Yes, I’ve been watching the same thing happen to Anakin. It’s—if the separatist movement hadn’t resolved into such a democratic and humanitarian nightmare—”

“You should go home and get some rest, Padme,” Mon urged. “It’s late, and the we’re all going to need to be sharp tomorrow. Who knows, maybe some new information will materialize before the afternoon.”

“Why Mon, that’s almost optimistic of you,” Bail remarked dryly.

Mon flashed him a wry grin, looking at Padme out of the corner of her eye. “Well. She did say Anakin with AWOL—”

“Oh do be quiet,” Padme huffed.

Despite the ever growing desire for sleep, it was another long hour before the Senator from Naboo departed. The pair were just turning to their seats after escorting Padme out when Bail let out a startled yelp; Mon instinctively kicked at the sudden small green blur.

Fortunately, when you’re green and the height of most humanoid’s knees, you become quite experienced at avoiding such reflexive 

“Master Yoda! What are you doing here? How did you even get in?” Senator Mothma staggered backwards, reverting to defensiveness to cover up her embarrassment at attempting to punt the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.

“Has his ways, a Jedi does,” Yoda replied mysteriously. Mon Mothma nodded seriously as Bail restrained himself from rolling his eyes. He had spent far too much time around Obi-Wan for deliberate Jedi vagueness to hold much weight. 

“Can I—May I offer you a seat?” Mon asked, quickly recovering her diplomatic grace. “I’m afraid that you’ve just missed Senator Amidala, but I’m sure she would be eager to return; I understand she’s...concerned for Master Kenobi.”

The wizened Master shook his head, ears flopping as he hopped onto Padme’s recently vacated chair, standing on the cusioned seat as the two senators’ settled down. The sight should, perhaps, have been comical. But the weight of his gaze...Bail held his breath. Perhaps Jedi mystique did still have some affect on him.

“Come to speak with the two of you, I did. Missed Mistress Amidala, I have, I know. Deliberate, this was.”

Mon and Bail frowned, exchanging a slow look of pointed disapproval. Bail spoke hesitantly but with touch of reproach. “I’m certain she would prefer to be here, regardless of the news—Padme has suffered for her public defense of the Jedi, I should hope that that friendship is returned, especially in hard times”

Yoda’s ears drooped. “A great Jedi, she would have made, in another life. Vibrant, she is in the Force. Loud to a Jedi, regardless of sensitivity. But needed now, quiet is.” 

Yoda’s gaze pierced Bail and he warmed inexplicably. “Quiet the two of you are. Brilliant, wide but in the Force...” Yoda broke the gaze, growing contemplative.

“Unique in the force, each soul is. That can be read, rare is the mind. More difficult to discern, currents, intentions, manner, it is with some, it is with you. And now, Quiet we need.”

The two settled back, uneasily flattered. “Master Yoda—it’s an honor of course, to be considered an individual worthy of confidence, but why exactly do you have need of quiet minds? Of us?” Senator Mothma asked finally.

The diminutive Master sagged. “By actions you would do, trust you have earned. But always in motion, the future is. A heavy burden, to carry, I must ask you. Without cause, I would not ask. But once tell you this I do—” 

To the politicians shock Master Yoda’s simmed to glisten with unshed tears. “—Guarantee your safety I cannot.”

The air hung warm and heavy for a timeless moment and a chill ran up both their spines. But neither were individuals particularly given to indesicion in the face of looming danger. 

“How can we help?” Mon asked, the words echoing over far more than an hour. 

“We know something is wrong with Obi-Wan,” Bail added softly. “Whatever we can do to right it—Obi-Wan is a friend, the Jedi are our allies, and the Republic is our duty.”

Mon nodded firmly.

Yoda stared at them each in turn, eyes searching and ancient.

“Working with the Separatists, the Chancellor is,” he said bluntly. “Evidence of this, we have, but not proof. Controlling, the Separatists, the Chancellor is. Evidence of this we have also, but not proof. The truth it is.”

“Evidence?” Bail parroted hoarsely, mentally assembling his own grim circumstantial coronation even as his understanding of the conversation’s direction fell apart.

The Jedi Master drew two small glittering objects from his pocket—a datachip and a microslide. 

“In the brain of a trooper, this we found.” he said gravely. “In the brain of all clones, this lies. Orders, it contains. Evil, is it. Free will, it can control. Decode it we have. To the Chancellor, tied these orders are.”

“Force,” Mon murmured in horror, responding automatically. “He already controls the public, and the courts—”

“And over half the senate,” Bail added bitterly.

“A Sith, he is,” Yoda continued with a sigh. “A Sith he has always been. A return to an Empire, he aims.”

There was a long heady pause as the two grappled with the return of the ancient boogeyman of the Republic and the repeated derailing of their night’s direction. 

“Fuck,” Senator Mothma said delicately, thinking wistfully of two hours ago when she had planned on confronting Padme yet again on her relationship with a young Jedi.

“Said the same, did we.”

The Alderannian Senator rubbed his temples, trying to come to terms with consecutive massive shocks from the already unexpected conversation. “Is Obi-Wan alright?” he asked eventually.

The small Elder hummed thoughtfully in reply. Bail tensed.

“No and yes. Suffer much, he has. Broken he is, but not shattered. A plan he has. His idea to include you, it is. The bravest man in the galaxy, he called you.” Yoda said, offering Senator Organa a sad smile.

Bail leaned back, stunned. “Me? But—why me?” he asked bewildered.

“Know not, I do,” the Jedi said with a shrug. “Seen the future, he has. A future where saved his life, you did. Saved my life. Saved something too precious to name, you did. Matters little, it does. A future that must not come to pass, it is, even as learn from it. we do.”

“...I think you’re going to have to explain that somewhat,” Mon replied sternly as Bail’s head spun.

Yoda nodded and the three settled in for a sleepless night of planning treason.

Part XXIV