One Path Chapter 25--What Matters
Title: What Matters
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: She turned away from the window to face Obi Wan, and he was struck by how incongruous the bright golden sunlight of Naboo seemed at this moment. It flowed around her, making her ethereal, quite literally painful to look at.
Rating: PG
Length: Around 2000 words
Category:Angst/Drama
Pairings/Charaters: Obidala
A/N: One Path Chapter 25. Set during the first year of an alternate Clone Wars era. In case of confusion, the fighting on Kashyyyk is not the Battle of Kashyyyk that takes place during RotS.
What Matters
"There are alternatives to fighting," Padme said sharply. She turned away from the window to face Obi Wan, and he was struck by how incongruous the bright golden sunlight of Naboo seemed at this moment. It flowed around her, making her ethereal, quite literally painful to look at. She wore a loose, billowing white gown that didn't quite hide her pregnancy any longer, and the light of the sun ignited a molten halo around her.
"Yes, and as often as we can, we find them, Padme," he reminded her, blinking to clear the illusion. Her parents were out for the day, leaving them alone in the house, but neither of them wanted a shouting match--not when he was about to leave again.
"And that's it?" she asked, tossing her head in frustration. He had spent the majority of the last six months on the front lines--with Bail, with the Jedi, even occasionally with Mace and Anakin--while she tried fruitlessly to remain the voice of reason, to still the cries for bloodshed in the Senate. There was no end in sight. He had been home twice--for a night or two each time--and then called away again. Now, with Separatist backing, the Transdoshans had blockaded Kashyyyk. The move was seen as a possible precursor to invasion, and Bail and Obi Wan were accompanying the Wookiee Senator Yarua on a final attempt at peaceful resolution. If it failed, however, the Senate had authorized Obi Wan to end the blockade by force.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked helplessly. "Do you want me to resign my commission?"
"I want you to stay here," she told him, fighting to keep her voice even as her anger broke. She crossed the room to lay her hands on the sides of his face, and her eyes filled with tears as she continued, "I want you to be here when your child is born. But it doesn’t matter what I want or what you want. And I love you because you understand that."
Obi Wan closed his eyes, letting his forehead come to rest against hers. "If I can be here, you know I will."
She nodded, closing her own eyes against the burn of tears. "It's still five months away. The war could be over by then," she attempted.
He gave a nod of agreement. "Let's hope so."
"You'd better go," she reminded him.
He responded with a kiss that was at once fierce and tender, and she clung to him with profound desperation. Both were conscious that, despite his promises, this could well be the last time they saw each other. He all but crushed her in his arms, letting every detail of the embrace burn into his mind. Then he buried his face in her neck for a long moment before he finally drew back.
"I'll--" he started, his voice breaking on the familiar phrase.
Padme pulled him back and pressed her cheek to his, then whispered close to his ear, "I'll talk to you later…Your Highness."
Despite the gravity of the moment, Obi Wan laughed. He squeezed her tightly and turned to press his lips against the corner of her eye. "I love you."
"I love you too. Always have," she promised.
He smiled, slipping his hand gently onto her womb. Then he slowly knelt and replaced the hand with his lips. Padme smiled through her tears, bringing her own hand up to smooth the back of his hair with her fingers.
"And I love you. Take care of your mother while I'm gone," he murmured.
***
Mace Windu strode out of the Chancellor's office at a fast clip. Anakin stayed behind him, carefully silent. The Padawan knew that his Master was as close to angry as he would allow himself to be, but although he understood Windu's reasons, he couldn't help but feel the Chancellor had a point. It bothered him greatly that the Council was always so quick to dismiss Palpatine's concerns about Obi Wan. They had been wrong about Dooku--and Obi Wan had deceived all of them for years.
Suddenly, the Master spun around, one eyebrow arched pointedly. "You have something to say, Anakin?"
The Padawan halted, eyes widening. Taken aback, he said nothing for a moment, but quickly gathered his wits. If Master Windu wouldn't listen to Palaptine, maybe he would listen to another Jedi. "Master, Chancellor Palpatine is right. Obi Wan himself taught me that attachment clouds judgment and interferes with a Jedi's ability to discern the will of the Force. There have been several attempts on Padme's life already, and when her pregnancy becomes public knowledge, there are sure to be more. He made no secret about not wanting to go to Kashyyyk."
"Would you want to leave your pregnant wife?" Windu asked calmly.
"No, Master. But that's what makes him dangerous," Anakin quickly replied.
"The Jedi Code is meant to be a guideline, Anakin, not the means by which we convict those who choose not to follow it. General Kenobi's actions have not shown him to be in any danger of falling to the Dark Side. He has been your friend and mentor for years. You do him a disservice," Mace said flatly.
Anakin bit his lip, both surprised and shamed by the strength of the rebuke. He knew Windu was right--Obi Wan had taught him that, too--and Obi Wan had been like a father to him. Shouldn't he be the first to defend the former Jedi now?
"Yes, Master, I apologize," he said with a bow.
"Perhaps it's not me that you should be apologizing to," Windu replied, turning again to continue down the hall.
***
"Obi Wan."
He paused on his way to the bridge, turning to allow Bail to catch up. The senator sprinted to close the distance between them, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "How's Padme?"
"Well, she's not happy," related Obi Wan as he continued walking.
"Can you blame her?" Bail asked.
"No, I can't," Obi Wan shook his head. "I don't like leaving her this way. Not when Nute Gunray's still determined to see her killed."
"And she's pregnant," Bail finished the thought.
Obi Wan nodded silently.
Bail said nothing for a while, but Obi Wan could easily tell what the other man was thinking. His own wife, Breha, had difficulty both conceiving and carrying to term. She had lost their first child early in her pregnancy. They had recently discovered that she was pregnant again, and if either husband should be unwilling to leave his wife, it was Bail.
"There's still a chance we can end the war quickly. The sooner we do, the sooner we can get back to them," Bail said finally.
"Let's hope so," Obi Wan replied for the second time that day.
***
"Don't worry about Master Obi Wan, Mistress Padme," Threepio consoled as the droid tottered along beside Padme in her family's garden. "He is quite able to take care of himself, and knowing that there is a child soon to be born is always a powerful motivation for human fathers to keep themselves safe."
"Thank you, Threepio," Padme managed a smile. She glanced over her shoulder to watch Artoo navigate the flowerbeds behind them, and her eyes widened at the sight of a familiar robed figure by the treeline. She spun around, calling excitedly, "Ani!"
The Padawan jogged up to her, grinning widely. She pulled him into a tight hug, then stepped back to look him over. For a moment, there was a cacophony of greetings as Threepio began to exclaim over the arrival of his maker and Artoo jostled for the Padawan's notice. Anakin laughed, doing his best to give attention to both droids, while Padme looked on with a fond smile.
Finally, she asked, "What are you doing here? Is Master Windu with you?"
His expression became decidedly embarrassed. "Well, no, not exactly."
"He doesn't know where you are?" asked Padme, though she knew the answer.
"Well--no," he admitted.
"Anakin!" she scolded.
"But he is the reason I'm here," the young man offered hopefully.
"What do you mean?" Padme frowned.
"He sort of said some things to me yesterday," Anakin explained, looking around with a comical mix of eagerness and apprehension. "I was hoping…is Obi Wan here?"
Padme sighed sadly as she understood the reason for the unexpected visit. "No, I'm sorry, he isn't. He left yesterday."
"Oh," he glanced at the ground between them.
There was a brief, awkward silence, then Padme bridged the gap with a bright smile. "But you're here now. Tell me what's going on. We heard that you and Master Windu were caught in a raid."
"It turned out okay," Anakin smiled back. "Master Windu is quite a warrior. I have to admit, he's teaching me a lot."
"So you're getting along all right? How's your training going?" Padme questioned.
"He's…a lot to get used to," Anakin shrugged with a bit of discomfort.
Padme's smile softened, and she rested a hand on his arm. "Obi Wan misses you, too."
"Really?" he searched her face uncertainly.
"Of course," she promised.
He nodded, finally seeming satisfied, and then looked down again. When he met her eyes again, he offered a hesitant smile of his own. "What about you? Are you well, Padme? Are you…happy?"
"I'm very happy, Ani," she replied, but there was a sudden tightness in her throat, and she turned away, beginning to walk again.
"Don't worry," Anakin said, quietly taking her arm as he followed. "Master--I mean, Obi Wan can take care of himself."
"So Threepio assures me," Padme said with a faint smile. "It's just…"
"Just what?" he prompted.
"It just seems as though there's never any time. Things weren't supposed to be this way--we wanted to find a place of our own before I got pregnant, but I've hardly seen him--"
Anakin tensed suddenly. "Down!"
"What?"
He didn't waste time repeating the order, just dropped to the ground, pulling her with him as he fell into the soft earth. Padme felt a rush of air over her back, and Anakin sprang up again, lightsaber in hand. He ran forward, his blue blade arcing to intercept a strange cylindrical droid with a menacing needle that protruded from one end. He sliced it cleanly in two, then spun back to face her while Threepio let out a stunned cry.
"Oh! Oh--my goodness!" the droid exclaimed. "Oh, Master Ani, you've saved us all!"
"It wasn't after you, Threepio," the Jedi said as he bent to help Padme up. His hands moved worriedly to her shoulders, and he ran his eyes over her, searching for signs of injury. "Are you all right?"
"I think so," she nodded shakily.
***
Obi Wan stood with his arms crossed in front of the holoprojector, listening in disbelief. Typho had immediately moved Padme back to Coruscant, where she was now secluded in her apartment. Anakin had escorted them back and still remained there, hovering silently in the background, but it was to the security officer that the General now directed his attention.
"How did a hunter droid get through security, Captain?" he asked.
"I have no excuse, sir," came the response. "But I promise you, we will find out."
Obi Wan accepted that with a glower. "Do so quickly, Captain."
"You have my word, General Kenobi," he said with a bow.
"Wait a minute," Padme interrupted. "Are you actually going along with this? Obi Wan, you know I can't be stuck here like this!"
"Would you rather endanger your family? The baby?" he asked firmly, his tone clearly leaving no room for argument.
"Of course not!" Padme exclaimed.
"It will only be until I get back," he promised more gently.
"And when will that be?" she sighed.
"Soon--" he glanced over his shoulder as the ship rocked with the impact of a blaster cannon. "Report!"
"They're firing on us, sir," the clone helmsman replied.
"I can see that," Obi Wan said dryly. "Can you get us out of here?"
"Negative, General, hyperdrive's been damaged," came the quick reply. "Sir, we're gonna need that com line, I'm sorry."
He sighed. "I have to go, Padme. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride. Anakin."
The Padawan stepped forward. "Yes, M…sorry."
"I'm glad you're there," Obi Wan told him, smiling a little at the slip.
"I will keep her safe, General," Anakin bowed.
"I know you will."
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: She turned away from the window to face Obi Wan, and he was struck by how incongruous the bright golden sunlight of Naboo seemed at this moment. It flowed around her, making her ethereal, quite literally painful to look at.
Rating: PG
Length: Around 2000 words
Category:Angst/Drama
Pairings/Charaters: Obidala
A/N: One Path Chapter 25. Set during the first year of an alternate Clone Wars era. In case of confusion, the fighting on Kashyyyk is not the Battle of Kashyyyk that takes place during RotS.
What Matters
"There are alternatives to fighting," Padme said sharply. She turned away from the window to face Obi Wan, and he was struck by how incongruous the bright golden sunlight of Naboo seemed at this moment. It flowed around her, making her ethereal, quite literally painful to look at. She wore a loose, billowing white gown that didn't quite hide her pregnancy any longer, and the light of the sun ignited a molten halo around her.
"Yes, and as often as we can, we find them, Padme," he reminded her, blinking to clear the illusion. Her parents were out for the day, leaving them alone in the house, but neither of them wanted a shouting match--not when he was about to leave again.
"And that's it?" she asked, tossing her head in frustration. He had spent the majority of the last six months on the front lines--with Bail, with the Jedi, even occasionally with Mace and Anakin--while she tried fruitlessly to remain the voice of reason, to still the cries for bloodshed in the Senate. There was no end in sight. He had been home twice--for a night or two each time--and then called away again. Now, with Separatist backing, the Transdoshans had blockaded Kashyyyk. The move was seen as a possible precursor to invasion, and Bail and Obi Wan were accompanying the Wookiee Senator Yarua on a final attempt at peaceful resolution. If it failed, however, the Senate had authorized Obi Wan to end the blockade by force.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked helplessly. "Do you want me to resign my commission?"
"I want you to stay here," she told him, fighting to keep her voice even as her anger broke. She crossed the room to lay her hands on the sides of his face, and her eyes filled with tears as she continued, "I want you to be here when your child is born. But it doesn’t matter what I want or what you want. And I love you because you understand that."
Obi Wan closed his eyes, letting his forehead come to rest against hers. "If I can be here, you know I will."
She nodded, closing her own eyes against the burn of tears. "It's still five months away. The war could be over by then," she attempted.
He gave a nod of agreement. "Let's hope so."
"You'd better go," she reminded him.
He responded with a kiss that was at once fierce and tender, and she clung to him with profound desperation. Both were conscious that, despite his promises, this could well be the last time they saw each other. He all but crushed her in his arms, letting every detail of the embrace burn into his mind. Then he buried his face in her neck for a long moment before he finally drew back.
"I'll--" he started, his voice breaking on the familiar phrase.
Padme pulled him back and pressed her cheek to his, then whispered close to his ear, "I'll talk to you later…Your Highness."
Despite the gravity of the moment, Obi Wan laughed. He squeezed her tightly and turned to press his lips against the corner of her eye. "I love you."
"I love you too. Always have," she promised.
He smiled, slipping his hand gently onto her womb. Then he slowly knelt and replaced the hand with his lips. Padme smiled through her tears, bringing her own hand up to smooth the back of his hair with her fingers.
"And I love you. Take care of your mother while I'm gone," he murmured.
***
Mace Windu strode out of the Chancellor's office at a fast clip. Anakin stayed behind him, carefully silent. The Padawan knew that his Master was as close to angry as he would allow himself to be, but although he understood Windu's reasons, he couldn't help but feel the Chancellor had a point. It bothered him greatly that the Council was always so quick to dismiss Palpatine's concerns about Obi Wan. They had been wrong about Dooku--and Obi Wan had deceived all of them for years.
Suddenly, the Master spun around, one eyebrow arched pointedly. "You have something to say, Anakin?"
The Padawan halted, eyes widening. Taken aback, he said nothing for a moment, but quickly gathered his wits. If Master Windu wouldn't listen to Palaptine, maybe he would listen to another Jedi. "Master, Chancellor Palpatine is right. Obi Wan himself taught me that attachment clouds judgment and interferes with a Jedi's ability to discern the will of the Force. There have been several attempts on Padme's life already, and when her pregnancy becomes public knowledge, there are sure to be more. He made no secret about not wanting to go to Kashyyyk."
"Would you want to leave your pregnant wife?" Windu asked calmly.
"No, Master. But that's what makes him dangerous," Anakin quickly replied.
"The Jedi Code is meant to be a guideline, Anakin, not the means by which we convict those who choose not to follow it. General Kenobi's actions have not shown him to be in any danger of falling to the Dark Side. He has been your friend and mentor for years. You do him a disservice," Mace said flatly.
Anakin bit his lip, both surprised and shamed by the strength of the rebuke. He knew Windu was right--Obi Wan had taught him that, too--and Obi Wan had been like a father to him. Shouldn't he be the first to defend the former Jedi now?
"Yes, Master, I apologize," he said with a bow.
"Perhaps it's not me that you should be apologizing to," Windu replied, turning again to continue down the hall.
***
"Obi Wan."
He paused on his way to the bridge, turning to allow Bail to catch up. The senator sprinted to close the distance between them, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "How's Padme?"
"Well, she's not happy," related Obi Wan as he continued walking.
"Can you blame her?" Bail asked.
"No, I can't," Obi Wan shook his head. "I don't like leaving her this way. Not when Nute Gunray's still determined to see her killed."
"And she's pregnant," Bail finished the thought.
Obi Wan nodded silently.
Bail said nothing for a while, but Obi Wan could easily tell what the other man was thinking. His own wife, Breha, had difficulty both conceiving and carrying to term. She had lost their first child early in her pregnancy. They had recently discovered that she was pregnant again, and if either husband should be unwilling to leave his wife, it was Bail.
"There's still a chance we can end the war quickly. The sooner we do, the sooner we can get back to them," Bail said finally.
"Let's hope so," Obi Wan replied for the second time that day.
***
"Don't worry about Master Obi Wan, Mistress Padme," Threepio consoled as the droid tottered along beside Padme in her family's garden. "He is quite able to take care of himself, and knowing that there is a child soon to be born is always a powerful motivation for human fathers to keep themselves safe."
"Thank you, Threepio," Padme managed a smile. She glanced over her shoulder to watch Artoo navigate the flowerbeds behind them, and her eyes widened at the sight of a familiar robed figure by the treeline. She spun around, calling excitedly, "Ani!"
The Padawan jogged up to her, grinning widely. She pulled him into a tight hug, then stepped back to look him over. For a moment, there was a cacophony of greetings as Threepio began to exclaim over the arrival of his maker and Artoo jostled for the Padawan's notice. Anakin laughed, doing his best to give attention to both droids, while Padme looked on with a fond smile.
Finally, she asked, "What are you doing here? Is Master Windu with you?"
His expression became decidedly embarrassed. "Well, no, not exactly."
"He doesn't know where you are?" asked Padme, though she knew the answer.
"Well--no," he admitted.
"Anakin!" she scolded.
"But he is the reason I'm here," the young man offered hopefully.
"What do you mean?" Padme frowned.
"He sort of said some things to me yesterday," Anakin explained, looking around with a comical mix of eagerness and apprehension. "I was hoping…is Obi Wan here?"
Padme sighed sadly as she understood the reason for the unexpected visit. "No, I'm sorry, he isn't. He left yesterday."
"Oh," he glanced at the ground between them.
There was a brief, awkward silence, then Padme bridged the gap with a bright smile. "But you're here now. Tell me what's going on. We heard that you and Master Windu were caught in a raid."
"It turned out okay," Anakin smiled back. "Master Windu is quite a warrior. I have to admit, he's teaching me a lot."
"So you're getting along all right? How's your training going?" Padme questioned.
"He's…a lot to get used to," Anakin shrugged with a bit of discomfort.
Padme's smile softened, and she rested a hand on his arm. "Obi Wan misses you, too."
"Really?" he searched her face uncertainly.
"Of course," she promised.
He nodded, finally seeming satisfied, and then looked down again. When he met her eyes again, he offered a hesitant smile of his own. "What about you? Are you well, Padme? Are you…happy?"
"I'm very happy, Ani," she replied, but there was a sudden tightness in her throat, and she turned away, beginning to walk again.
"Don't worry," Anakin said, quietly taking her arm as he followed. "Master--I mean, Obi Wan can take care of himself."
"So Threepio assures me," Padme said with a faint smile. "It's just…"
"Just what?" he prompted.
"It just seems as though there's never any time. Things weren't supposed to be this way--we wanted to find a place of our own before I got pregnant, but I've hardly seen him--"
Anakin tensed suddenly. "Down!"
"What?"
He didn't waste time repeating the order, just dropped to the ground, pulling her with him as he fell into the soft earth. Padme felt a rush of air over her back, and Anakin sprang up again, lightsaber in hand. He ran forward, his blue blade arcing to intercept a strange cylindrical droid with a menacing needle that protruded from one end. He sliced it cleanly in two, then spun back to face her while Threepio let out a stunned cry.
"Oh! Oh--my goodness!" the droid exclaimed. "Oh, Master Ani, you've saved us all!"
"It wasn't after you, Threepio," the Jedi said as he bent to help Padme up. His hands moved worriedly to her shoulders, and he ran his eyes over her, searching for signs of injury. "Are you all right?"
"I think so," she nodded shakily.
***
Obi Wan stood with his arms crossed in front of the holoprojector, listening in disbelief. Typho had immediately moved Padme back to Coruscant, where she was now secluded in her apartment. Anakin had escorted them back and still remained there, hovering silently in the background, but it was to the security officer that the General now directed his attention.
"How did a hunter droid get through security, Captain?" he asked.
"I have no excuse, sir," came the response. "But I promise you, we will find out."
Obi Wan accepted that with a glower. "Do so quickly, Captain."
"You have my word, General Kenobi," he said with a bow.
"Wait a minute," Padme interrupted. "Are you actually going along with this? Obi Wan, you know I can't be stuck here like this!"
"Would you rather endanger your family? The baby?" he asked firmly, his tone clearly leaving no room for argument.
"Of course not!" Padme exclaimed.
"It will only be until I get back," he promised more gently.
"And when will that be?" she sighed.
"Soon--" he glanced over his shoulder as the ship rocked with the impact of a blaster cannon. "Report!"
"They're firing on us, sir," the clone helmsman replied.
"I can see that," Obi Wan said dryly. "Can you get us out of here?"
"Negative, General, hyperdrive's been damaged," came the quick reply. "Sir, we're gonna need that com line, I'm sorry."
He sighed. "I have to go, Padme. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride. Anakin."
The Padawan stepped forward. "Yes, M…sorry."
"I'm glad you're there," Obi Wan told him, smiling a little at the slip.
"I will keep her safe, General," Anakin bowed.
"I know you will."