THE SITH WHO LOVES ME

BELOVED ENEMY

Author: by Ilaria
Timeframe: Prequel trilogy, AU
Characters: Obi-Wan, Anakin, Qui-Gon, Palpatine, others.
Genre: Romance, general, angst.
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Anakin. SLASH.
Rating: NC-17
Summary: This is the story of Anakin Skywalker's relationship with Darth Umbras, Darth Plagueis' second apprentice-- a former, unchosen Jedi initiate the Sith Lord found on Bandoneer...

Prologue

The = Sith Lord was dying.

He k= new there was no chance for him. His apprentice’s lightsabre had pierced = his spine and it was only his total control on the Force that allowed him to ke= ep his nerves working—but it would not last for long.<= /i>

He no longer felt his legs and arms and his whole concentration was focused on keeping his heart beating, his lungs breathing, his brain working.

He d= id all of that in the hope his apprentice would come to find him still alive.=

No, = not Darth Sidious, the man who had just struck him down. His other apprentice, Darth Umbras. The young man he had trained hidden away from Sidious, when he had decided to break the rule Darth Bane had created millennia before, the = one claiming there could be only two Sith, a master and an apprentice.

It h= ad been a hazard, of course, but the Sith Lord could not pass over the possibi= lity of training the extremely gifted boy the Jedi had so foolishly cast away and condemned to a life as a farmer on Bandomeer. A boy full anger and desperate for love and approval.

Leav= ing him on Bandomeer would have been a waste of talent, and the Sith Lord hated waste. He had taken the distraught boy under his wings and trained him—and he had never regretted his choice.

The = boy had become a powerful Sith and would one day surpass Darth Sidious’ p= ower. However, contrary to his treacherous first apprentice, Darth Umbras was completely, totally loyal to his master. He would do everything for him, not out of fear, but because he cared.

Beca= use he loved.

The = great Darth Bane would probably consider it a fault, but the dying Sith Lord had never cared, for he too had come to love the boy. He had found relaxing to = be able to lower his guard in his presence, safe in the awareness he could trust Darth Umbras. <= /p>

He h= ad trusted his apprentice so much, that he had revealed him all of his knowledge, even those things he had not taught to Sidious for fear that once his apprentice= knew them, he would have killed him.

That= had always been a common problem for the Sith. The masters had never trusted th= eir apprentices enough to pass to them all of their knowledge and thus each new generation had to begin anew, with the result that many a teaching had been lost forever.

The = Sith Lord had decided to change this unspoken rule and passed everything he knew= to his second apprentice, to the boy he loved as a son and now hoped to see one last time, before he closed his eyes forever.

He h= eard steps come closer. Someone was running toward him. Darth Umbras! He could s= ense the vibrant presence in the Force approach him…a moment more, and then gentle arms surrounded his unfeeling body, raising his torso and head up.

R= 20;Master?” A pain-filled cultured voice murmured, and the Sith Lord tried to smile. It felt good to know he would be missed and mourned.

R= 20;My apprentice…” he rasped.

R= 20;Who did this to you, Master?”

R= 20;You know…who has been…”

Dart= h Umbras nodded, and his eyes, slowly turned to yellow from blue-grey as his anger a= nd hatred echoed in the Force and the dark side coursed in him.

R= 20;Sidious…” he spat, and he clenched one fist, as if he was imagining strangling the ol= der man.

R= 20;Yes…just as you had foreseen…”

Darth Umbras’ eyes turned sad. “Why did you not allow me to stay near you? I could have protected you, Master.”

The = Sith Lord weakly shook his head. “You are not yet strong enough to face him—but you will be.” His eyes blazed yellow as his voice became more urgent and impassioned. “Train, Lord Umbras. Read my writings…study…gain knowledge…grow powerful…and ruin Darth Sidious’ plans. There can be only one Sith master…and it = has to be you. Grow powerful, son…and avenge me.”=

The = young man nodded. “I will, Master…father.”

R= 20;Good…”

The = Sith Lord smiled a last time, then his expression stilled as his eyes glazed ove= r.

Thus passed Darth Plagueis The Wise, but his legacy would live on in the young m= an who even now rocked his cooling body and cried for the loss of the only man= who had loved him and had had faith in him.

-----

My name is Anakin Skywalker.

I am a Jedi Knight of the Republic.

The press knows me as “The Hero With No Fear”, while my fellow Jedi claim I am the “Chosen One” a= nnounced in an ancient prophecy, the being born to bring balance to the Force.<= /o:p>

They say only the Chosen One could have conquered = the last of the Sith as I did, taming him so much so that he has renounced his = dark ways for me.

Personally, I think they have it all wrong. I was the one conquered— not= by the dark side, as many feared in the beginning, but by love. Or maybe, love= has conquered both of us, and it brought us back to the light.

I am now going to tell you more about the man whose Sith name is Darth Umbras, but is simply Obi-Wan…Love…for me.

The man that had – and has – such a de= ep impact on my life, even if, until a year ago, our meetings could be counted= on the fingers of only one hand.

I

The first time we met I was only a child.

It was during what it would be later called the Na= boo Crisis. In those days I was a boy of nine, scared, cold and lonely.

Born in slavery on Tatooine, I had just been freed= and taken away from that dust ball by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

He had been the first to believe I was the Chosen = One and somehow managed to buy my freedom from Watto, the spare parts dealer th= at owned both me and my mother.

I had been thrilled to discover Qui-Gon thought I could become a Jedi, but some – a lot – of my excitement had disappeared when I had learned my mother could not come with me.=

It was very hard for me to leave her behind, but I found comfort in the friendship with Padmé—a friendship that m= any years later would turn into love…but I am going too far ahead.

Back then Padmè was a girl slightly older t= han me, very gentle and kind. I thought her to be a handmaiden of Queen Amidala, the ruler of Naboo, until the moment she revealed to us to be the real quee= n.

She was as young and scared as me, worried and concerned about the fate of her people and yet she found the time to comfor= t me as I missed my mother.

She was an angel. My angel, and it was because of her and the critical situation her planet was = in that Qui-Gon and I found ourselves on Naboo the day Darth Umbras revealed himself for the first time.

-----

It h= appened after the Battle Of Naboo—you can read all the details about it in the archives, thus I won’t repeat them here.

I had just piloted back my starfighter to the Royal Palace Hangar and was surrounded by a crowd of happy pilots.

They were cheering and praising me, hugging me and thanking me for destroying the Trade Federation droid control ship. I enjoy= ed their attention, but I could not shake the sensation that Qui-Gon was in danger.

The last time I had seen him, he was about to fight against the most scary being I had ever seen, a red-black tattooed Zabrak. = That being, that the Jedi master reputed to be a Sith, had first attacked us on Tatooine and then had reappeared on Naboo. I could not help but feel worried for Qui-Gon and, even if common sense told me there was little I could do f= or him against such a monster, I felt I had to find him. Now.

So I somehow managed to free myself from the cheer= ing pilots and ran along the hangar, letting my instincts lead me to where Qui-= Gon was.

I rushed by catwalks and a long corridor blocked by time-regulated laser beams, and finally reached the Palace melting pit. Once there I skidded to an halt, as I watched wide eyed to the scene unfolding in front of me.

Qui-Gon was sitting against one of the metallic wa= lls, but it was clear he was not there by his will. His face was covered by sweat and he was grimacing with pain. His lightsabre hilt was several feet away f= rom him and by how his legs were sprawled I had the impression he had been just slammed against that wall.

Qui-Gon was not alone. In the centre of the room, = near the melting pit, two men were fighting, both brandishing red lightsabres. O= ne was the Zabrak that had attacked us, while the other was covered by a dark = robe that made difficult to see what was hidden beneath the fabric.

I could only see this fighter was smaller than the Zabrak, but very fast and quick on his feet.

The fight went on for a long while as I watched, o= pen mouthed. Qui-Gon knew I was there, and I was aware that I should have gone = to him to see if he was all right, but I was simply too mesmerized by what I w= as seeing.

I did not know back then that only the Sith used r= ed ‘sabres. I simply thought another Jedi had come to Qui-Gon’s re= scue and was now engaging our enemy in a duel.

It was only when the hooded man managed to disarm – in the literal sense of the word – the Zabrak, that I realized things were not as I had thought.

After the newcomer cut the Zabrak’s arms jus= t under the elbows, he raised a gloved hand and closed it in a fist.

Almost immediately, the red-black monster started breathing harshly. He tried to bring his amputated arms to his neck, as if = he was trying to free himself by something that bothered his breathing.

The other man twisted his wrist and the Zabrak fel= l on his knees and then to the ground, where he contorted, clearly in pain.=

“Stop it!” Qui-Gon shouted. “You cannot choke him like this! He is powerless, it has no sense to torture him!”

The hooded man turned to look at him and nodded. “You are right, Jedi.” He said with a low, accented voice. He opened his hand and the Zabrak stopped writhing on the floor-- but the reli= ef he must have felt lasted only a moment. A few seconds later, before Qui-Gon could say anything, the stranger used the Force to throw the wounded man do= wn the pit.

I could not help but gasp, shocked. It was now cle= ar to me the man was not a Jedi. My fear increased when he started walking in = Qui-Gon’s direction and I could see his eyes.

They were as yellow as the Zabrak’s and their sight made me cry out. The man looked briefly at me and I had to fight the desire to flee—but I did not. Despite everything I had seen, I was morbidly fascinated by that man. He was dangerous, I could feel it, but also mesmerizing, his power and strength almost palpable.

The man stopped near Qui-Gon and went down on a kn= ee, reaching out with his hand to take the Jedi’s chin in a not-too-gentle grip. He tilted Qui-Gon’s head up and looked at him, as if he was studying him.

When he spoke, his voice was filled with sarcasm. “The great Master Jinn…I never thought I would see you again.&#= 8221;

My ears perked up. So Qui-Gon knew the man? Uncari= ng of the danger, I took a couple of steps inside the room, wanting to see bet= ter what would happen next.

Qui-Gon’s eyes widened slightly as he asked, “Have we already met?”

“Oh yes…many years ago. At that time I= was the one hopeless and powerless—and you destroyed my life without thin= king twice.” The yellow eyes beneath the hood flashed dangerously. “= Tell me, Master Jinn, should I do the same to you?” The gloved hand let go= of Qui-Gon’s chin to move behind his neck, near his nape. “Should I crush this vertebrae and leave you completely paralyzed? Or maybe I could u= se the Force to blind you—what do you think? Tell me, Master Jinn, shoul= d I do it?”

Qui-Gon was speechless. I guess he was frantically wondering who that man was, and what he had done to him to cause such hate.=

“No answer Jinn? Well, then, I think I will = go for the first option. I hope you like to stay in bed because you will never leave it once I am done with you…” The hand on Qui-Gon’s = neck tightened and I saw the Jedi master grit his teeth in pain.

It was then I felt I had to do something. Qui-Gon = was the only Jedi that believed in me, I could not let that man harm him so bad= ly.

Thus I left my place and ran toward the hooded man, throwing all my weight against him. I managed to unbalance him, and he land= ed on the ground on his back, as I pummelled his chest with my fists.

“Get away Master Qui-Gon, Sir!” I crie= d, but he did not obey.

“Stop it Anakin!” he shouted instead. “My leg is broken, I cannot escape. You must leave now! Go away befor= e he grabs you-”

It was too late. Once the man recovered from my surprise attack, he had no trouble in restraining me. He rose to his knees = and brusquely hauled me up, before holding me still in front of him.

His hood had fallen off during the fight, and thus= I was able to see his face for the first time. I was surprised by it. Somehow= I had imagined a man so cruel would have as a scary face as the Zabrak’s, b= ut it was not so.

He was young, probably in his mid-twenties. His ha= ir were short cropped and spiky, and looked to be reddish brown. He was clean = shaved and his features were nice, almost kind. But his eyes…his eyes were so scary.

And yet, yet I did not hesitate in talking to him.=

“Please, Sir, don’t hurt him.”

The man tilted his head. “Is he your master, boy?”

I looked briefly at Qui-Gon. “Not yet. But I hope he will be. He has been very kind to me…”

The young man’s brow arched. “He is? I= am surprised. Well boy, I will do as you ask— I just hope for your sake = he won’t shatter your dreams as he did with mine.”

Qui-Gon gasped and I opened my mouth to ask the man what had happened between them, but I did not dare to do so, afraid the man= may not like my prying in his life.

//Do= n’t be afraid young one. I won’t hurt you,// a voice—the man’s voice – said in my mind, as a strange, soothing sensation pervaded me= .

I looked at him, amazed, and my mouth opened in surprise when I noticed his eyes were no longer yellow, but blue-grey. They were beautiful, and made his face look even kinder.

Then he let go of me and stood up. He spared no gl= ance to Qui-Gon, but looked at me as he pulled his hood back on his head. <= /o:p>

I heard steps approach us and I turned around to s= ee who was coming. It was Padmé, followed by several guards. I waved at= her and turned back to face Qui-Gon and the man.

The Jedi master was still sitting near the wall—but there was no trace of the stranger.

----= -

A couple of days later I overheard a conversation between Master Qui-Gon and Master Windu that shed some light on the stranger’s identity.

We were still on Naboo, where Qui-Gon was recoveri= ng from the multiple fractures he had suffered when the Zabrak had slammed him against the wall.

It was late in the evening, and I was supposed to = be asleep, but I was too excited for the victory parade I would attend the next day. Everything was so new for me, and I was eager to spend some time with Padmé.

Sleep was not arriving that night and so, when I h= eard two voices come from the living room, I could not resist. I slipped out of = bed and walked near the door, opening it just a tiny bit.

“So, Qui-Gon, who do you think that man was?= ” Master Windu asked, sitting on a plush armchair.

Qui-Gon, who was standing, walked toward the high window that overlooked the gardens and answered. “Who do you think he was? I think he was a Sith, and despite the fact I cannot remember having e= ver seen him, we must have already met. He knew me, and clearly held a grudge against me.”

I wondered silently what a Sith was, and promised myself I would ask Master Qui-Gon.

“So we have just witnessed a Sith apprentice killing his master? Was it the reason behind the duel in the melting pit? B= ecause it works like that with them.” Master Windu asked, as he too walked to stand by the window.

Qui-Gon crossed his newly healed arms. “I don’t think so. The Zabrak was young—too young to have had an apprentice. Also, I sensed his surprise when the other man attacked him. I believe the Zabrak didn’t know who the attacker was.”

“So what? The Sith are always two, no more, = no less. If this man was not a Sith, what was he? Or was he the Sith while the Zabrak was not?”

Qui-Gon widened his arms. “I cannot answer y= our questions, but I can tell you the young man was much stronger in the Force = than the Zabrak, and he held his anger in check while fighting…or dealing = with me.”

“Held his anger in check?! Qui-Gon, he wante= d to break your neck!”

“Yes, but he didn’t hurt Anakin when t= he boy threw himself against him. He could have killed him with a snap of his fingers, but he didn’t.”

I gulped and swallowed hard, for I had not realize= d the situation had been that dangerous.

“You are right. It’s really strange ho= w he behaved with the boy.” Master Windu was silent for a while, then he added, “Do you think it is because Skywalker is the Chosen One? Becau= se he can beat or at least tame the Sith?”

“I don’t know, Mace. I can only tell y= ou he was gentler with Anakin and I believe his eyes turned blue while talking wi= th the him.”

I could no longer resist being silent. I had to sp= eak!

I opened the door fully and entered the living roo= m. “That’s true, Qui-Gon, Sir. They turned blue-grey…”= The two Jedi faced me, staring sharply at me, especially Master Windu. I swallo= wed and went on. “They turned blue-grey and gentle as he looked at me…and I knew he was not going to hurt me.”

“How did you know?” Master Windu asked= .

“He told me. In my mind,” I added almo= st in an afterthought.

“What?!”

“I heard his voice in my head, Qui-Gon, Sir,= and a sensation like a caress…Is it bad?” I murmured, unwilling to = hear that pleasurable feeling had been wrong.

“No, Anakin, no. Thank you for telling us, b= ut now it is better you return to bed. Tomorrow it will be a long day.”<= o:p>

“All right. Good night, Sir.” I turned around and returned to my room, but I did not completely close the door, fo= r I felt there was more I needed to listen to.

“He mind-talked with Anakin,” Qui-Gon said. “Only Force users sharing a bond can do it, and he was near the= boy for only a few minutes.”

“An instantaneous bond. Incredible—and dangerous. Qui-Gon, you are right, the boy must be trained. He is too power= ful, and we cannot risk this man, whatever he is, putting his hands over him. I = will convince Yoda and the rest of the Council, and you will create a Master/Pad= awan bond with Anakin as soon as possible.”

“All right.”

----= -

And thus it was decided I would become a Padawan learner.

My training started in earnest, because there was = so much I had to learn—and so much I had to forget. Jedi are usually tra= ined in the Temple from early infancy, while I had lived a completely different life up to that moment.

I will not bore you with a detailed account of my training for it is not the topic of this story. You just need to know I fou= nd it very difficult to learn how to meditate and how to release in the Force my emotions in general and my attachment to my mother in particular.

Master Qui-Gon was good to me, patient but firm, b= ut he, like all the other Jedi, had been raised in the Temple and could not understand how lost and alone I felt.

I had been taken away from everything I knew and l= oved and thrust into a completely different reality, where no one seemed to understand what I was passing.

Or so I thought.

One day, about one year after my arrival at the Temple, I was in = the Room of the Thousand Fountains trying to meditate. I thought to be alone, but th= en I spotted a boy watching me.

He was slightly older than me, and he looked famil= iar, although he was not dressed as a padawan nor as an initiate.

He kept watching me and after a while I realized he was crying. I lowered my shields a bit, and felt his pain echo in the Force, but I could not understand the reason.

So I stood up from my kneeling position and walked= to him. “Can I do something for you?” I asked. “Are you hurt?”

The boy shook his head, brushing away his tears.

“Must I call your master? I sense there is something wrong and if I can’t help you, maybe your master will.̶= 1;

“I have no master,” the boy murmured, almost choking, “nor I ever will. Nobody chose me; I will leave for t= he Agricorps this evening.”

Up to that day I had not known that an initiate ha= d to be chosen as padawan by a master before his or her thirteenth birthday. I h= ad not known that the not chosen were sent away from the Temple, to work with the Agricorps and = become farmers.

I must admit it shocked me badly. I knew first hand what it meant to lose the only life one knows and my heart could not help b= ut go with that boy—and all those other initiates that had never found a master.

It was only then I realized how lucky I had been a= nd how much the Jedi had bent the rules for me. It was a humbling experience, = and it made me work harder than before in order to repay the trust bestowed on = me.

However, the image of that broken down boy did not= leave me. I had been shocked by his cruel fate and something inside me pushed me = to know how many others had suffered his same destiny.

I don’t really know if the idea of searching= the archives was truly spontaneous, or if the Force was leading me, but whatever the case, it was during those searches that I discovered the identity of the man Qui-Gon and I had encountered on Naboo.

About two years had passed since our brief meeting, but if I closed my eyes, I could still feel the touch of his mind on mine.<= o:p>

I had never forgotten him and thus I almost jumped when my gaze fell on the holopic of a ginger-haired boy with a cleft on his= chin and serious blue-grey eyes.

The Force almost shrieked around me as I observed = the picture and read the data on his file, starting from his name. <= /span>

Obi-Wan Kenobi.&n= bsp;

Born on Aldeeran, he had been taken to the Temple as a six m= onth old, and there he had remained until he had been sent to the Agricorps, two days after his thirteenth birthday.

I copied the files on my datapad and that very evening, after dinner, I showed them to Qui-Gon.

“It is him, Master,” I said, pointing = at the holopic. “The man we met on Naboo.” Qui-Gon took the datapad and sat on his favourite chair as I went on. “I am sure of it. I made some researches on Bandomeer, the planet where Kenobi was sent after leaving the Temple, and they reported he disappeared from there a few days after his arrival. The authorities searched for him, but to no avail. He had vanished.”=

Qui-Gon nodded pensively, still staring at the picture. “I remember him now. He was a gifted initiate, but there was= a lot of anger inside him. Master Yoda wanted me to take him as my padawan, b= ut I refused.”

“Because of Xanatos?”

Qui-Gon raised his head to look at me. “You = know of him?”

“Yes. I- I took the liberty to check your records, Master. I wanted to know more about you.”<= /p>

He smiled. “I see. Well Anakin, yes, it was because of Xanatos. I didn’t want to risk losing another apprentice to the dark side. So I refused to obey Yoda—and the Force. I was on the = same ship that took young Kenobi to Bandomeer, but I didn’t talk or have a= ny contact with him during the journey.” Qui-Gon put down the datapad, a= nd his eyes took a far away look. “That’s why he knew me and was so angry with me. The reason he wanted to make me suffer—as I caused him to.”

I nodded. “I think so too. But he didn’= ;t…Forgive me Master, but don’t you think it is a bit strange he stopped? From w= hat I have learned Sith are vengeful, ruthless, without compassion.”=

“Perhaps he stopped because you asked him to spare me.”

My eyes widened. I remembered I had indeed asked Kenobi to spare Qui-Gon, but why should he have listened to me?<= /span>

My master stood up and patted my shoulder. “= You did a great job in finding this, Padawan. I will show it to the Council. I = am sure they will be pleased you discovered the Sith’s identity.”<= o:p>

I nodded, but felt no elation inside me. All I cou= ld feel was compassion and solidarity with the serious-looking boy that was st= ill staring at me from that fourteen year old picture.

It was then, as I kept on looking at that face, th= at I knew with absolute certainty I would meet Obi-Wan Kenobi again.

II

We met for the second time on Geonosis.=

That planet is now sadly famous because it was the= re that the first battle of the war between the Republic and the Separatists t= ook place.

As for myself, I have mixed feelings and memories about Geonosis. On one side, it was where I lost my right arm to Dooku̵= 7;s blade. On the other, it is the place where Padmé declared her love f= or me and where I met Obi-Wan again. He has always been Obi-Wan for me, even w= hen he wanted to be called by his Sith name, Darth Umbras.

Geonosis stirs another painful memory for me…because the death of my mother had happened only a few days before Padmé and I landed on that planet after receiving a call for help fr= om my master.

You see, in the days immediately preceding the beginning of the war, Padmé, now the appointed Senator of Naboo, had been victim of several life attempts. Qui-Gon and I had been assigned to protect her and discover who was the instigator of the attempted murders.

I fell in love with Padmé almost at first glance. She was still the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but now I looked and reacted to her as a man, not as the child I had been when we had= met ten years before.

I knew, of course, that what I was feeling for her was forbidden by th= e Jedi Code, but I ignored it. Being near Padmé was intoxicating and wonder= ful and I could not bring myself to renounce it.

She tried to keep me at bay for a while, claiming a relationship between us would ruin our lives, but I sensed it was only a ma= tter of time before she would capitulate and be mine.

We were in a villa on Naboo when I first revealed = my feelings to Padmé; we had been sent there to hide as Qui-Gon chased = the man who had tried to kill my love back on Coruscant.

I had been ordered to stay there until the Council decided otherwise, but while I was there I started experiencing terrible nightmares about my mother. In truth I had already had them on Coruscant, b= ut now they became more detailed and frightening.

In my dreams I saw my mother suffer and then die a= nd after a while I could no longer bear it. I asked Padmé for permissio= n to travel to Tatooine to ascertain my mother’s condition—and she g= ave it to me. More, she put her personal cruiser at my disposal, and went with = me there.

Unfortunately, I arrived too late.

By the time I discovered where my mother lived, she had already been captured and killed by the Tusken raiders and the only thi= ng I could do was kneel on her tomb and cry.

Padmé was at my side during my whole ordeal, and her love, understanding and good sense prevented me from committing the mistake of giving into the hatred I felt for the Sand People.

We were still on Tatooine when we received Qui-Gon’s message, with the request of retransmitting it to the Counc= il on Coruscant. We did so, but when we saw the transmission ended with Qui-Gon being attacked by a destroyer, we agreed we could not wait for the Council = to go to my master’s rescue. Thus Padmé and I decided to travel to Geonosis to help Qui-Gon.

I can honestly admit it was not much of a rescue. Padmé and I were captured by Dooku and sentenced to death along with= my master.

We were chained to three poles inside an arena, as three ferocious beasts were unleashed against us.

We somehow managed to free ourselves and escape the beasts, but we could have never saved our lives without the help of a Jedi rescue party led by Mace Windu first and by the arrival of Master Yoda and = the Clone Army later.

At the sight of the Republican Army Dooku and the other Separatist leaders tried to flee. Qui-Gon and I chased the Count, hop= ing to capture him and thus put an end to the war before it really began.<= /o:p>

We were able to corner Dooku inside a hangar and a battle started between us.

That lightsabre duel was not exactly the highest p= oint of my career as swordsman. I was too impetuous that day, too careless and t= oo arrogant, and I paid for my mistakes with the loss of my right arm.

As I laid on the hangar floor, my whole body burni= ng and aching because of the blue lightening Dooku had attacked me with, I thought= my life would end soon. I was unable to move and

Qui-Gon was on the floor near me, wounded in the b= ody and the heart by the man that had been his master, watching with pained eye= s as Dooku came closer, ready to finish us.

I remember Dooku raise his lightsabre to strike us when, suddenly, he was hit, square in the chest, by a bout of blue lighteni= ng like the ones he had invested me with. They came from the rear of the hangar and slammed Dooku back against a shuttle parked nearby.

Steps echoed in the ensuing silence, coming closer= to us. I painfully managed to turn my head, just in time to see a black-clad figure emerge from the shadows.

My mind and my heart recognized the man at once, e= ven if his face was hidden and I had not been near him in ten years.=

There was something in the newcomer compelling me = to lower my shields and reach out with my mind toward him. It was like a song,= a lull, calling for me, and I think I would have answer the call had not Qui-= Gon sensed what was going to happen.

“No, Padawan!” he hissed sharply, and = it was enough to broke the spell cast over me. I snapped out of my trance-like state to see Dooku rise on his feet and take a few step back.

The older man was looking at his attacker, squinti= ng his eyes to see the face still hidden by the dark hood.

“Who are you?” Dooku demanded, as he called his lightsabre to his hand using the Force.

“My name has no importance,” the man I knew was Obi-Wan Kenobi answered. “You just need to know I am your en= emy, Darth Tyranus.”

Dooku’s eyes widened slightly. “How do= you know my name?” he asked as he and his attacker started to circle each other.

Kenobi laughed, an unpleasant sound. “I know many things, Tyranus, about you and your master, things the Jedi here would= be delighted to hear. Should I tell them?”

Dooku leapt in the air and landed behind Kenobi, b= ut the younger man was quick in turning and igniting his lightsabre and deflec= ted the blow aimed to his back.

A heated duel started and I must admit that, had t= he circumstances been different, I would have enjoyed watching it. Dooku had b= een one of the Jedi Order’s greatest swordsmen and Kenobi was incredibly skilled and blazing fast.

They fought with everything they had, using the Fo= rce to threw objects against each other and I could sense the dark side gather around them as the duel progressed. It was both scary and thrilling to sense that dark energy whirl so close.

After a while it became clear Dooku was tiring and losing ground. Kenobi was younger and, even if he had not Dooku’s experience, he was getting the upper hand.

It was then the older man did something surprising= : he raised one hand and used the Force to make the roof of the cave above me and Qui-Gon collapse.

I said it was surprising because it would have been more logical if Dooku had made the ceiling over Kenobi crumble. I mean, why should have the younger man cared for what happened to two Jedi?=

But he cared for us, and somehow Dooku knew it and used it to his advantage. As Kenobi stopped fighting to stop the rocks from falling over us, Dooku took the chance to escape. He ran toward his ship and boarded it, and was out of the hangar even before Kenobi managed to throw a= ll the rocks out of the way.

An unnatural silence settled over the cave, broken only by my hurried breathing. The pain in my body and amputated arm had increased now that the adrenaline had worn off, and I felt like I was burni= ng alive.

Kenobi stood still for a while, looking at the sky, then he clipped his ‘sabre to his belt and walked toward us.

He knelt in front of me and pushed back his hood.<= o:p>

I still remember that the very first thought that crossed my mind when I saw his face was “How handsome he is!”

Yes, I know, it was not what one would expect given the situation I was in, but that it was.

He had matured physically since the first time I h= ad seen him. His hair was slightly longer and well combed, and he had grown a well-trimmed, soft-looking beard. His features were masculine, strong and v= ery distinguished. He looked more like a teacher than a Sith!

His eyes, that had been yellow during his fight wi= th Dooku, turned blue as he looked at me, just as it had happened ten years ag= o.

He stared at me in silence, sparing not a glance at Qui-Gon, then he reached out with a gloved hand and tried to touch my foreh= ead.

Reacting out of instinct, I pulled my head back, acutely aware of how powerless I was.

//Do= n’t be afraid,// he said in my mind, his soft, calm voice = like a caress before he reached out again.

This time I allowed him to touch me and as soon as= his hand posed on my brow, all the pain I was feeling in my body and arm disappeared, while a cool, soothing sensation coursed along my nerves, numb= ing them.

As I wondered idly how he had done it, I saw his b= row furrow in concentration and his jaw tense.

It took me a while to understand he was taking my = pain inside him, experiencing it in my place, and when I did, my mouth opened in stunned realization.

Why was he doing this for me? I was a Jedi, he was= a Sith-- we were enemies. So why was he helping me?

I did not have the time to formulate my question, = for he stood up and pulled up his hood.

“I must go; your friends are coming,” = he said, looking down at me, before he turned and started walking toward the b= ack of the hangar.

Since my body no longer hurt so much, I used my go= od arm to push myself to sitting position and called. “Wait Obi-Wan! Don’t go!”

His back tensed and he seemed to freeze mid-step. = He then turned his head over his shoulder and said calmly, “Obi-Wan Keno= bi no longer exists. My name is Darth Umbras.”

Thus speaking, he resumed his walk and disappeared among the shadows just as Padmé and Master Yoda made their entry inside the hangar.=

----= -

A few days after the battle of Geonosis, Mace Windu came to visit Qui-Gon and me in our rooms.

We were both recovering from our injuries, and by = the time Windu arrived I was already tinkering with my new prosthetic arm to improve its functionality.

As his usual, the korum master did not mince words= . He had not come to see how we were, but to interrogate us about our meeting wi= th Dooku and Darth Umbras. He had already read our report, but he wanted to know mor= e.

“So,” he said, sitting down on a chair, “he is really former initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“Yes, he indirectly confirmed it when he said his name is now Darth Umbras,” Qui-Gon answered.

“And there is no doubt he too is a Sith, as Dooku and his master,” Master Windu mused.

“Exactly. There are three Sith. Some time al= ong the way, a Dark Lord must have broken the “only two” rule and t= aken two apprentices.”

“Just as we guessed ten years ago. But where does it leave us? Are they really in war against each other or was this fig= ht only an elaborate ruse?”

Qui-Gon folded his arms over his chest before answering. “I think they are really one against the other. It looks l= ike Darth Umbras is informed of what Dooku and his master are doing, but not vi= ce versa. If we take for granted that Dooku’s master is the same one of = the Zabrak killed ten years ago, we can postulate Darth Umbras is trying to ruin this other Sith’s plans.”

Mace Windu nodded, pensive. Then his eyes turned to stare at me. “What did the Sith do to you when it touched your brow? = Did he mind talk with you again?” he asked, almost accusingly.=

“Yes, but it was only a line. As for what he= did to me, he gave me some relief = from my pain.” I tilted my chin in defiance.

“What?”

“He took my pain inside himself and sent a soothing sensation in me, as if he was numbing my nerves a bit.”=

Master Windu turned to look at Qui-Gon. “Did= you know it?” My master nodded. “And tell, me why should he have do= ne something like that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know—but he did. He made me feel better, and it lasted even after our contact was broken.”

“I don’t like this,” Mace Windu muttered and I almost rolled my eyes. The man never liked anything—especially if it had something to do with me. “I don’t like this Sith’s interest in Skywalker and how pliable the boy is…”

My eyes narrowed. Was he implying something? I sta= red hard at him, ready to protest, when Windu spoke again.

“As soon as your arm is fine, you will escort Senator Amidala back to Naboo and this time you will stay there until the Council does see fit to call you back. Is that clear, Skywalker?”

I nodded, as inside myself the prospect of spending several days near Padmé won over the resentment I felt for the mistr= ust I had sensed in the Council leader. It was not the first time Windu had tre= ated me so—and it was not going to be the last either.

----= -

Padmé and I left for Naboo four days after = that conversation. We returned to the villa by the lake and it was there, on the same terrace where we had first kissed, that we married.<= /p>

It was a secret wedding, with no other witnesses b= ut our droids, Artoo and Threepio. It was a bit sad not to be able to share th= is day with Padmé’s family or Qui-Gon, but we were aware we had to keep it secret. I even wiped the memory of the wedding from the mind of the holy man who had performed the ceremony.

Yet, despite all of our precautions, somebody knew= of the marriage.

That very evening, I left Padmé asleep in o= ur bed and went to the com unit to check if some message had arrived while my = wife and I had been...engaged in pleasurable activities.

There was only one message, coming from an unknown source. I opened it absent-mindedly, thinking is was some kind of commercial advertising, only to jump on the chair when I read it.

It was quite short, but to the point:

Congratulations to you and the Senator.=

D.U.

There was no mistaking about who D.U. was, and that realization made me shiver—but I could not say if I was scared or thrilled he knew.

Despite everything, despite knowing he was a Sith = and that deception was his way, I sensed I could trust Darth Umbras.=

I knew Obi-Wan would not betray me with the same certainness I knew we would meet again.

Soon.

III

My third encounter with Obi-Wan was the one that s= et the course of our future relationship.

It happened a few months after Geonosis, when Qui-= Gon and I were sent to take over Muunilinst, the home world of the Intergalactic Banking Clan, one of the founders of the CIS.

The war was not yet still well spread as it would later be, and the Council and the Senate hoped that by cutting their money supply we would be able to bring Dooku and his allies to ask for a truce. <= o:p>

My master and I had travelled to Muunilinst with a battalion of clones and had separated once we arrived. Qui-Gon had taken the command of the land forces, while I was given the task to create a blockade around the planet, to make sure no ship escaped.

I was determinate to do my job well, and everything was going smoothly, until a starfighter exited from hyperspace very close t= o my position. It was black, with no identification marks but two gold stripes on the flanks. I had a never seen before this design, and it would prove to be blazing fast.

However it was not the craft that caught my attention—it was its pilot.

The Force was strong in him, in a familiar way. I = knew who it was even before I heard a voice speak in my mind.<= /p>

//I = have heard you are quite a good pilot, Skywalker. Let’s see if it is really true.//

The black starfighter sprinted forward, breaking t= he blockade and I could not resist the challenge just issued.

I ordered my second in command to stay where he was and threw myself in pursue.

You are probably thinking it was not a brilliant m= ove on my part, but I desperately wanted to make another contact with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I wanted to talk with him alone and ask explanatio= ns about the bond existing between us. I wanted to know how had he discovered = my marriage and why he had taken my pain away on Geonosis. <= /p>

The chase lasted a long time. He was a damn good p= ilot and it was not easy for me to stay behind him as zigzagged between the Clones’ starfighters or between the buildings down on Muunilinst surf= ace.

Qui-Gon became soon aware I had abandoned my posit= ion, but I ignored his order to drop the pursue and continued as before.

I chased Obi-Wan even when he left the Muunilinst system and followed him to one of the moons of Yavin, where he managed to disappear from my sensors.

Disappointed and angry, I landed on the moon surfa= ce and let the Force guide me. I could sense he was somehow near, perhaps hidi= ng in the ancient temple that rose between the luxuriant vegetation that cover= ed the planet.

‘Sabre in hand, I entered the temple, but I = made only a few steps before something hard landed on my head and everything went black.

-----

I woke up finding myself prisoner and cut off from= the Force. My upper clothes had been removed and I was chained, with my arms ra= ised high over my head and my legs fixed to the ground.

The position was uncomfortable, especially for my shoulders, but it was not my greatest concern.

My whole attention was on the man sitting a few fe= et in front on me, with his right leg crossed over his left. He was not wearin= g his usual black robe and I could see his dark tunics, pants and boots were very similar to my own.

Obi-Wan was turning my lightsabre hilt in his hand= s, but he was looking at me, his eyes a strange blend of gold and blue-grey.

“You should be more careful, Skywalker,̶= 1; he said after a while, “or your impetuosity will be your downfall.= 221;

I glared at him, not liking to be reminded it was = all my fault that I had ended up where I was.

“What do you want?” I snarled, as I shifted my weight in an attempt to relieve the strain to my arms. I was not really scared of my predicament—at least not yet.

Obi-Wan put my ‘sabre hilt on the table near= his chair and stood up, his movements both powerful and graceful, and came to s= tand in front of me.

It was only then I realized he was a good ten centimetres shorter than me. I was also much broader than him, yet I knew t= hat Chosen One or not he could have killed me with a twist of his wrist.

“I am curious about you, Skywalker. You are = not the average Jedi. You were admitted in the order very late; you let your emotions drive you—and you are married.” He smiled, showing his white teeth, and his eyes flashed. “I like it.”

“How did you know I married?” I asked remembering his message.

He shook his shoulders. “I foresaw it. I hav= e foreseen many things about you, Skywalker, more than you would like to know.”<= o:p>

I narrowed my eyes. “What things? Tell me!”

He chuckled. “I won’t. I didn’t = take you here to talk about that.” He circled me and came to stand behind = me, as I tried to twist my torso and head enough to keep him in my sight. =

I did not like not to see what he was doing, it ma= de me feel vulnerable, especially now that I could not rely on the Force to al= ert me of any possible danger.

“You don’t like to feel powerless, uh?” he asked from behind my back.

“Do you?” I retorted.

“No. I like to be in control of everything, = just like you. Long ago the Jedi took away everything I knew and loved, leaving = me powerless and with no control over my life. I am sure you knew these sensat= ions well when you were a slave.”

I nodded, seeing no point in denying the truth.

“I was certain of it.” Obi-Wan moved b= ack in front of me. “We are similar, Skywalker, more than you know.”= ; He tilted his head and looked straight into my eyes. “Will you become my apprentice?”

“What?! No!” I exclaimed, stunned. I h= ad expected everything, but not that!

“You wish to remain a Jedi? Do you know what would happen should your Council discover you are married? It would not take much to inform them: an anonymous message and some holopics of your oh-so-romantic ceremony by the lake and your career would be over. Not to mention that should those pics reach the tabloids, your wife would surely l= ose her position in the Senate due to the ensuing scandal…”

“You won’t do it!” I growled, pulling savagely at the chains.

Obi-Wan laughed. “Such a passion you have!” he exclaimed, then his tone dropped, becoming silky. “Te= ll me, are you as passionate in the bedroom too?” He left me no time to answer and continued. “Yes, I bet you are. Your wife is a fortunate w= oman—but I hope she likes to share.”

My eyes widened at his last words, but before I co= uld ask what he meant, his gloved hand rose and caressed my chest, brushing aga= inst my nipples.

“What- what are you doing?” I stammere= d.

“Don’t you like it? Are you a ladies m= an only? I thought the same about myself, but there is something about you that makes me want to explore other ways.”

His burning glance swept over me and while a part = of me wanted to squirm in discomfort, I also felt a thrilled shiver course alo= ng my spine as a strange sensation settled deep in my belly.=

“No words, Skywalker?” Obi-Wan laughed again, then removed his gloves and threw them on the table. His hands were strong, the fingers long and finely shaped, warm and surprisingly gentle wh= en they touched my chest again.

“Very nice,” he murmured, seeming fascinated by the contrast between his pale skin and my tanned one. “= You are so smooth, yet hard. I’ve never guessed a man would feel like this.”

He caressed my belly, then slid his hands up to fi= nger my nipples and I could not stop my body’s instinctive reaction—I arched my back to press more firmly against his palms.

I was surprised, even shocked by my reaction. I had never been attracted by men and the mere idea of having one touching me like that would have been enough to make me shudder in disgust. Yet, I liked the feel of those confident hands on my skin. I liked it a lot, and wanted it to continue.

However my complacent mood disappeared when Obi-Wan pulled my head down and pressed his lips against mine. I forgot how pleasur= able his hands were and remembered I was chained, cut off from the Force, and th= at a man, a Sith, was touching me in a way only my wife had the right to.

So, when I felt his tongue pry open my lips and sn= eak inside my mouth, I decided I had had enough of it. I bit him—hard.

Obi-Wan struggled to get free, then struck me with= a violent back-handed blow that made my head reel and my teeth clash.

“You should have not done it,” he snar= led, wiping away the blood from his mouth as his eyes turned completely yellow a= nd I felt his anger slam against my shields.

He called a vibroblade to his hand using the Force= and walked behind me. The sight of his eyes and the blade made me realize the terrible danger I was in.

I pulled again at the chains, but I only managed to chaff the skin of my left wrist and tear the glove covering my right one.

I turned my head and with the corner of my eye saw Obi-Wan raise the vibroblade. Gritting my teeth I waited for the pain that would come—but it did not.

I felt the cold metal caress my skin as he slid th= e flat side of the blade down my back, past my trousers waistband. Then he twisted= his wrist, changed the angle and I heard a tearing sound.

There was a moment of stillness before my cut legg= ings and underwear fell to pool around my boots, leaving me naked and exposed.

Obi-Wan circled me again, studying me with voracio= us eyes, before he dropped the vibroblade and reached out to grab my penis and balls in a not too gentle grip.

I gasped in discomfort and tried to step back, but= he tightened his hold, squeezing me to the point of pain.

“You should have not bitten me, Skywalker. I would have made this pleasurable for you. Now instead, I will just take wha= t I want.”

I think all the blood left my face when I realized what he meant.

He was going to rape me.

Horror and sheer terror closed over me and he sens= ed it, laughing out aloud, an unpleasant, malicious sound that added to my fea= r. “Yes…now you realize how foolish you have been, boy.”

He stepped again behind me and put a hand on my buttocks. I stepped forward, trying to escape him, but the chains at my ank= les and the strong arm that he wrapped around my belly blocked me.

“Don’t do this,” I murmured, whe= n I felt his fingers slid along the crack of my ass to touch me where no one, n= ot even Padmé, had ever touched me.

He ignored me, and I felt the tip of his index fin= ger press against my opening.

“Don’t do this, please,” I begge= d, stiffening under his touch.

“Why not?” he asked, putting more pres= sure against my thigh muscles, until the tip of his finger slipped inside.<= /o:p>

I gritted my teeth in pain. “Because if you = do it, I will hate you for the rest of my life.”

“And why should this concern me?” he a= sked with a seemingly bored tone, but his finger stopped its progress inside me.=

“Because you will lose this connection that = exists between us.”

“There is no connection!” he growled.<= o:p>

“No? Then why are we able to speak mentally = as only bonded pairs can do? Why did you spare Qui-Gon after I asked you to do= so? Why did you take my pain inside of you on Geonosis? I know you did, donR= 17;t try to deny it…I saw it on your face.”

Obi-Wan made an unarticulated growl and removed his finger from me. He stalked back in front of me and stared at me, his eyes yellow and red rimmed, his nostrils flaring, his fists clenching and unclenching.

He was furious, I could see that, but I could not = say if he was angry with me or himself.

I sustained his glance without blinking an eye unt= il, suddenly, he turned around, showing his back to me. He gestured with one ha= nd, and the chains holding me snapped open. I had to brace myself to stay upwar= d as my arms collapsed and my connection with Force was restored.

“You are free to go,” Obi-Wan said wit= hout turning, his voice low and emotionless.

It was then something unexpected happened. I should have obeyed him, grabbed my lightsabre and ran away. I should have felt ang= er for how he had treated and tormented me. Maybe I should have even tried to capture him.

Instead, the sight of his slumped shoulders and bo= wed head filled me with the desire to comfort and soothe him.=

Without bothering to cover myself, I took three st= eps forward and put my hands on his shoulders.

Obi-Wan tensed, but he did not try to get free of = my hold. Instead he allowed me to turn him around and to tilt his head up, so = that we could look at each other.

His eyes were now completely blue-grey, with no hi= nt of yellow in them. They were full of confusion and of a need I doubt he was able to recognize.

I stared at them for a while and then, before I kn= ew what I was doing, I bent my head and kissed him.

I felt him startle, before he cautiously opened his lips and allowed me entry to his mouth.

I tasted him thoroughly, and he let me, soft and pliable as Padmé—but it did not last for long.

Suddenly his hands rose to cup my head and he imme= rsed himself in the kiss, quickly taking it over, with that domineering attitude that suited him more than the subdued one.

My hands took hold of his tunic and I pulled him closer as our kiss became more and more passionate.

My sex filled with blood and I shivered when I felt his answering hardness press against my thighs. I should have been scared by it, but instead I was overwhelmed by lust.

I slid my hands down his chest and fumbled with buckles and fastening as I tried to bare him to my hungry eyes as I was alr= eady bare to his equally voracious gaze.

When Obi-Wan was finally as naked as I was, I look= ed at him and sucked my breath in.

His chest was slender but muscled, and covered by = fine hair. His skin was fair, but devoid of blemishes. His belly was flat and st= rong and his sex was long and thick, the tip already leaking pre-cum.=

His body was taut with coiled energy, like a Mandalorian tiger ready to spring, and an unknown thrill coursed in me, mak= ing my member twitch.

I had never wanted a male before and I knew that in any other situation I would be frightened and enraged to see a man’s = eyes stare at me as if I were a piece of meat—but not now. Not with Obi-Wa= n.

Without speaking, I bowed down and removed my boots and the trousers still hanging from them. When it was done I knelt on the f= loor and stretched out on my back, opening my arms…welcoming him.

Obi-Wan stood hovering over me for a moment, then = he too got rid of his boots and pants and lowered himself atop of me, very gen= tly.

We kissed again and I ran my hands along his back,= enjoying the feel of hard muscles flexing beneath smooth skin, as he explored my che= st and sides.

The heat between us grew quickly as we kissed and caressed, and I thought it would consume us if we did not bring the thing to the next level.

I arched my back, grinding my hips against Obi-Wan’s as he thrust down against me. The action caused our bellies= to press more against each other, trapping our erections and causing such a wonderful friction that I could not help but cry out with pleasure. Obi-Wan instead threw his head back, the corded muscles of his neck standing out.

We repeated the same movement and this time is was= his turn to cry out.

“Oh…oh…Skywalker…” he groaned, his fingers tightening their grip on my upper arms.

“Anakin…call me Anakin… Obi-Wan.”

He gritted his teeth as he continued with his rock= ing motion. “That’s not my name…”

“It is…for me you will always be Obi-Wan…”

His movements stilled for a moment, but I did not = feel like complaining, because, when I looked up at him, I saw he was smiling an= d I understood he liked to be called so.

Then he lowered his head, braced on his forearms a= nd started moving again, more purposefully and powerfully.

I embraced his back, wrapped my legs around his hi= ps and rocked against him in counterpoint to his moves.

We were perfect together, as if we had done it many times. Our members slid together on my belly, the leaking pre-cum adding to= the sweet friction and I simply knew it was too good to last much longer.<= /o:p>

Our movements grew frantic, desperate, his panting breath fanning my neck as my groans filled his ears, until the end arrived.=

I threw my head back and arched so violently I rai= sed both of us off the floor, while his roar of triumph echoed in the room and = I moaned aloud as my orgasm seemed endless.

Then it was over, and we both slumped back on the floor. We were too exhausted to move, and I fell asleep with Obi-Wan’s body still atop of mine.

----= -

I cannot say for how long I slept, but I was alone when I woke up.

I was still lying on the floor, but I realized wit= h a start that Obi-Wan had not only covered me with my robe, but he had also cleaned me. There was no evidence of my seed or his on my belly, chest, leg= s or genitals—and it saddened me. I had wanted to taste him and to keep his smell over me for as long as possible.

A wave of disappointment crushed over me. This was= not how I had wanted to wake up after such a mind-blowing orgasm. I did not tru= ly know how I had wanted to wake up, but being alone was not among the options= .

I stood up on sore, not too steady legs and looked around. The room was empty but for the table and the armchair. My clothes w= ere folded on the back of the chair, while my sabre was on the table along with= a piece of old fashioned paper. I picked it up and read the note written with= an elegant hand.

It has been a pleasure to meet you, Anakin Skywalk= er. Thank you.

It was signed OWK, not DU as his previous missive = and somehow it filled my heart with warmth.

Retrieving my belt, I folded the paper and stored = it in one of the water-proof pouches. Then I started dressing, idly wondering = what I would say to Qui-Gon should he demand a report or ask what had happened t= o my trousers

IV

The following months were very hard for me and for= the Jedi in general.

The war raged and spread and the strain of fighting and seeing friends die started taking its toll.

I was knighted, a goal I had worked hard to reach,= and while I was obviously proud of having finally accomplished it, I was also s= ad because it caused the separation between me and Qui-Gon.

In the beginning I was quite thrilled to be on my = own and to be finally invested with the greater responsibilities Chancellor Palpatine kept on saying I deserved due to my talents. But as time passed a= nd the battles became more bloody and cruel, I started missing my master’= ;s presence by my side.

Qui-Gon has always been like a father to me, and no matter how I sometimes resented his advice and lectures, it had always been= a comfort to know he was near. To look at him for approval. To know I was not alone in that hell, that someone was aware of what I was passing.

I received some messages from Padmè, and th= ey always managed to brighten my day, but we could never be totally open with = each other, for fear someone may intercept our transmissions.<= /p>

I did not dare burden her with my most private and soulful considerations about the war also because, deep inside, I felt guil= ty for how I had betrayed her on Yavin Four—and by how I kept betraying = her when I pleasured myself at night thinking of Obi-Wan and how good it had fe= lt to be with him.

Yes, that encounter was never far away from my min= d. I could not – and more importantly I did not want to – forget it,= and it was both a source of guilt and pleasure for me.

Guilt, because I loved Padmé, I knew I did,= and yet I had betrayed her, willingly and enjoyed every moment of it.

Pleasure, because I had never experienced such int= ense orgasm, not even with Padmé. The pleasure had been absolute and I cr= aved it, longing to experience it again. I wanted to be with Obi-Wan again.=

The last thought, of course, only managed to make = me feel more guilty. I loved my Angel and yet I wanted to be with another pers= on. I told myself it was unnatural. I told myself how hurt Padmé would b= e if she knew. I told myself it was plainly wrong, but no matter how I tried, I could not banish my longing, and the sense of rightness and completeness I = had felt in Obi-Wan’s arms.

How could something that had felt so right be so wrong?

My longing increased when I began to show more interest in the reports I received from other battlefronts and learned that= a mysterious black starfighter had often been spotted in the quadrant where I= was stationed.

It seemed that every time the starfighter was seen, something strange happened to the Separatist army in the area. In one occas= ion the droid control ship exploded without an apparent cause. Another time, a factory of droids was destroyed when a nearby dam collapsed and the water invaded the underground building. I had lost count of how many times the CIS war machines failed to perform, as if they had been sabotaged.

I read the reports, but I never answered the quest= ions the other Jedi started asking about the mysterious pilot. I had never revea= led to Qui-Gon or anybody else what had happened on Yavin and thus nobody knew Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Umbras, was behind all those strange “incidents”.

I was aware that all those actions were not made to help the Jedi but only to ruin Dooku’s plans, but still they helped o= ur cause and I did not want to see him hampered in some way.=

I also must say I hoped Obi-Wan would choose to co= me in my help too—and he did, although not in the way I had wished for.<= o:p>

I began receiving transmissions from him. His mess= ages were always short and never made a reference to Yavin. Usually, he passed me information about the Separatists bases, outposts, droids factories and the like. On more than one occasion, he also inquired about my health, about ho= w my campaigns were going.

I can now fully admit that part of my success in t= he Clone Wars was due to him and his always correct information.

However, no matter how I enjoyed the praises of the Council, Palpatine and the press for my good job, I longed to read other th= ings in Obi-Wan’s messages. I longed to see him again.

So one day, I gathered my courage and replied to o= ne of his communications.

I wo= uld like to meet you again—that’s all I wrot= e.

I sent the message, then prepared to wait for an answer that seemed to never arrive. Finally one day, after I had just been informed the Council had granted me a month leave, I received a transmissio= n I had so wished to get.

Two days from now. Rekam Spaceport.

Warehouse 17. The code of the door is 45rg768jk. <= o:p>

OWK

I read the note again and again, swallowing hard as warmth spread in my body and face. Then, even before I realized what I was doing, my fingers moved on the keyboard and typed three words.

I’ll be there.

----= -

When two days later I walked inside warehouse 17, I didn’t know what I could expect—but I knew what I was hoping fo= r.

The place looked empty when I arrived, but I could sense Obi-Wan was near, and when he finally stepped out from the shadows, my heart started running.

He stopped in front of me and tilted his head as h= e studied me. My hair had grown since my knighting, and I now sported a scar near my right eye.

Obi-Wan raised his hand and traced the still redde= ned mark with a delicate finger and I closed my eyes, shuddering with pleasure = at the feel of his skin on mine.

What was it with me? I was happily married. I love= d my wife and yet there I was, trembling in need as I was touched by a man…= ;a Sith…an enemy.

Obi-Wan kept caressing my face, unhurried, gentle, kind and I basked in his touch as my desire grew until it became overwhelmi= ng.

“Take me,” I whispered in the quiet ro= om.

Obi-Wan’s caressing fingers stilled and he looked surprised at me.

“What?”

“Take me…make love to me.”<= /o:p>

His blue eyes blazed, and a hint of yellow appeare= d. “Are you serious? Do you really want it? Because, be warned, if we st= art this I won’t stop.”

“I know. Yes, I am serious. I am sure. I want you,” I said, my voice steady despite the trepidation I was already feeling.

He nodded. “Follow me.”

He led me into a small, clean room and indicated t= he bed standing in its centre. “Strip down and lie on the mattress.̶= 1;

It sounded like an order and I swallowed hard. This was not how I had wanted it. I had hoped for some kisses – heck, a lo= t of kisses! – and caresses, not for this cold ordering around.=

However, I was resolute not to back away. So I stripped and reclined on the bed, making a conscious effort to relax and sp= read my legs.

Obi-Wan towered over me, his eyes studying me hung= rily and my desire returned under that burning gaze. My sex hardened and the sig= ht spurred my lover, yes he was so, to action.

He quickly discarded his own clothes and climbed in bed with me. He crawled over me on his hands and knees, looking as fiery and dangerous as the Mandalorian tiger I had compared him to in the past, his erection arched against his belly.

I closed my eyes and willed myself to spread my le= gs even more, offering myself to him.

Obi-Wan chuckled and put his hands on the outside = of my tights, encouraging me to close my legs.

“I will take you, Anakin, but later, ”= he murmured, before lowering atop of me and claiming my lips with his own.

The feel of his mouth over mine made my heart surg= e. He was not just going to take me—he was going to love me, just as I h= ad wanted and needed.

We kissed for a long while, writhing against each other, as our hands explored the landscapes of our bodies.

Obi-Wan covered my chest and belly with kisses, li= cks and bites, as I arched and moaned, totally pliable under his touch.

When I was with Padmé, I was always the one= in charge, taking the lead, seducing her, making sure she was well satisfied before thinking about my needs. It had always been so. But with Obi-Wan it = was, and is, different. I like to lay back and let him be in control. It is thrilling and exciting to put myself in the hands of someone I trust and ye= t I know to be dangerous. It is a pleasure Padmé can’t give me.

Slowly but surely his mouth moved down my torso un= til his lips touched my sex. I cried out and bucked, and my legs fell open.

Obi-Wan kissed and licked my shaft, slowly, tentatively, as if he was experimenting, as his hand moved between my thigh= s, until he found my opening.

The previous time he had touched me there, he had = been brusque, but that day he was gentle, considerate, and I discovered with surprise his finger was slippery, oiled. Where had the lubricant come from?=

Obi-Wan laughed softly, clearly pleased with himse= lf and my reaction. “I am a firm believer of always being prepared, Anak= in,” he explained.

I smiled, then moaned when his finger slipped insi= de me.

I fully admit it was not a very pleasurable sensat= ion. It was uncomfortable and I started worrying what would happen when that sma= ll finger would be replaced by the large, hot erection he was pressing against= my leg.

I moaned more loudly when a second finger was adde= d, and I clenched my muscles, trying to expel those invading digits.

Obi-Wan stilled his hand and lowered his head, tak= ing my deflating hardness in his mouth and sucking at it as he swirled his tong= ue around the crown.

The pleasure went straight to my brain and I cried out, not even noticing, as the maddening torture continued, when the fingers inside me became three.

Then, just as I was getting used to them, Obi-Wan removed his fingers from me, and let my shaft slip from his mouth.

“Are you ready?” he asked.<= /span>

I nodded. I was as ready as I could expect to be, = and I tried not to tense when I felt the head of Obi-Wan’s penis press ag= ainst me. But it was not easy. It hurt and the only thing I wanted to do was to b= lock out the hard length trying to enter me.

“Relax,” Obi-Wan murmured, his eyes cl= osed and his face set in concentration. His hair was plastered to his brow and h= is body shone with sweat, making me realize how hard it was for him not to just ram inside of me.

The head of his penis finally slipped in, but the = pain became so acute I lost my erection and whimpered aloud.

I had wanted it, asked for it, but I had not expec= ted to be so painful…and then I felt a touch on my brow and suddenly the = pain was gone.

I opened my eyes and saw Obi-Wan grimace: as he had done on Geonosis, he was taking away my pain, experiencing it in my behalf.=

I watched, almost withholding my breath, as he kept pressing inside me until I felt the weight of his balls against my buttocks= . Somehow the idea I had managed to take him to the hilt excited me and my erection returned.

My renewed arousal probably helped with my discomf= ort because Obi-Wan’s face relaxed, as if the pain he was experiencing was lessening.

After a while he started moving, thrusting gently = and then more vigorously as my body relaxed and opened to him. He shifted his weight, changing the angle of the penetration and an odd but nice sensation rippled into my belly when he hit something inside me.

He did it again and the sensation returned, strong= er.

“Oh…oh... Obi-Wan…” I moan= ed.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes…oh yes…do it again…” I panted, arching my back to meet his thrust.

It was only then, when he was sure I was enjoying myself did he remove his hand from my brow.

There was still some pain, but it was drowned out = by the pleasure I was feeling, which increased even more when Obi-Wan wrapped = his hand around my erection and stroked it in time with his thrusts.=

My moans grew louder and more frequent and I dug my fingers into the muscles of his back, bruising his skin, as I rushed toward= my climax.

I cried out as my seed splashed on my belly a few seconds before Obi-Wan threw back his head and stilled, as his own orgasm claimed him.

Then it was over. Obi-Wan reached again for my brow before he pulled out of me and I smiled gratefully at him, too dazzled to wonder how a Sith could be so caring and selfless.

He then collapsed at my side and I made the effort= to pull him into my arms and intertwine my legs with his. I could feel my exhaustion closing in, but I was resolute not to wake alone another time.

----= -

I woke up hours later to the feel of something warm and wet brushing against my skin.

Opening my eyes I was it Obi-Wan. He was sitting, already dressed, by my side and he was cleaning me with a towel. Still slee= py, I murmured, “Why are you so caring? Why did you take my pain away?= 221;

He arched an eyebrow. “Would you prefer me c= old and selfish? Would you want me to hurt you?”

“Of course not. But I thought Sith enjoyed c= ausing pain…”

He looked at me intently for a while, then nodded. “That’s true and be sure I relish in my enemies’ sufferin= g, but my master trained me to be a different kind of Sith, one capable of real care.”

“How so?”

“My Master, Darth Plagueis, was a wise man. = He believed that the usual mistrust and deception between masters and apprenti= ces was detrimental for the Sith, for each new master has to start anew in gain= ing the knowledge his own master has not shared with him.”

I nodded in understanding. “So your master a= cted differently with you?”

“Yes. He raised me with trust and love, shar= ing everything he knew with me, even those things he had not revealed to his ot= her apprentice.” He looked down at me and continued. “This is how I plan to train my own apprentice. “

“You still want me to join you…”= I murmured.

He nodded vigorously. “I have wanted you sin= ce you were a child, but I was too young to be a master. But now Anakin- now we can put an end to his war, free the galaxy from Tyranus and Sidious, take control of the Republic and be together always, as master and apprentice an= d as lovers…”

Obi-Wan’s eyes flashed with passion and enthusiasm but I shook my head.

“I can’t, Obi-Wan. I am a Jedi, and I = am married. I love my wife, and she would never forgive me if I went against t= he Republic. I-I could never do this to her or Qui-Gon.”

“Then why did you ask to see me? Why did you come here today? You knew what would happen! You asked for it. So what?R= 21; He was getting angry, his eyes turning yellow.

I sat up on the mattress, ignoring my soreness. “I didn’t mean to raise false hopes in you. It’s just I c= ould not stop thinking about what had happened on Yavin—and I wanted it again.”

“Then join me!” Obi-Wan exclaimed, reaching out with his hand. “Join me, become my apprentice and you wi= ll have it every time you wish! We will rule the galaxy together and I will gi= ve you everything you want.”

His voice was persuading, and sincere, his eyes mesmerizing and his face open as he waited for my answer.=

The idea of joining him, to have him as my lover w= as tempting, very much so, but not enough to make me reach out to take his outstretched hand. I was a Jedi. I loved Padmé. There was no way I c= ould betray her, Qui-Gon and the order anymore than I had already done.

“I can’t,” I answered, lowering = my head.

The mattress shifted as Obi-Wan stood up. I straightened, looking at him, afraid of what I would see.=

“I understand,” he snarled as he stood= by the bed, looking furious. “Well, since I am nothing more than a good = fuck, I am done with you, Skywalker.” He whirled around and left the bedroo= m.

I rushed out of the bed and I reached him midway to the front door, grabbing him by an arm.

“Stop Obi-Wan, don’t go!”

He turned around and used the Force to slam me aga= inst the closest wall. My breath was knocked out by the impact and I could do nothing but watch as he stalked over me, one fist raised, as he was ready to strike me.

“Don’t call me that! I am Darth Umbras, Jedi! Remember it when the war is over and Sidious and Tyranus will be dead. Then the time will come for the Republic and the Jedi to pay for all the he= lp I have given you during the war. You know, Skywalker, my name, Umbras, means shadows. I am a creature of the darkness and in the shadows I live and work= . My net of contacts and allies is deep and extended and one day…” h= is yellow eyes blazed with a malicious, dang= erous light, “I will rise to take what’s mine and you will regret not joining me today.”

Speaking so, he bolted from the warehouse, leaving= me behind, broken hearted and really scared, for I had sensed the absolute tru= th of his words.

V

From that day on, I lost all contact with Obi-Wan.=

There were no more inquiries about my health and no more information about the Separatists bases or droid factories. And, of course, there were no more invitations to meet him somewhere.

I should have been pleased by it. I had been playi= ng with the fire, dwelling with a Sith, betraying my wife, for too long. I sho= uld have been relieved he no longer had an interest in me. But I was not.<= /o:p>

I missed him and kept on thinking about him, even = when I was with Padmé. I could not help but remember his eyes when he had asked me to become his apprentice and his lover.

Love= r…that was the problem. There had be more than sex between us. There had been love too, no matter how improbable it had been for such a feeling to develop bet= ween us.

I think I started loving him on Geonosis, from the moment he took my pain away. That’s why I felt so badly when it looked like he was going to rape me on Yavin.

Yes, I had loved him – still did – and= yet I had rejected him, because Padmé and the Jedi had a prior claim over me.

I hope you will realize it took me a lot of time to understand what was going on inside me and come to the conclusions I just exposed. I have never been good at meditation and self-analysis. I was not myself for many months, during which I had to dodge Padmé’s worries, Qui-Gon’s concerns and Chancellor Palpatine’s interest. All of them had sensed something was wrong, but I could not tell the truth = of what was bothering me to any of them.

In an attempt to forget my pain, I threw all of my= self into my duty, winning many battles for the Republic. But they were hollow victories that no longer filled my heart with pride for long.

Also, my continued success had a downside. Since I= was doing so well, I was sent to resolve all the most critical situations, with= the result I ended up spending seven whole months fighting in the Outer Rim wit= hout a single break. Force only knew how much longer I would have had to remain there had General Grievous not attacked Coruscant and kidnapped Palpatine.<= o:p>

Qui-Gon and I were among the Jedi recalled to Coruscant to attempt to rescue the Chancellor. We managed to land on Grievous’ ship and find Palpatine, but Dooku was on board too and a d= uel followed.

Qui-Gon was rendered unconscious by Dooku, but I h= eld my ground and contrary to what had happened on Geonosis, it was my turn to teach him how painful it was to lose a limb.

I cut both of his hands—but it did not end there. Spurred by Palpatine, I beheaded Dooku, despite the fact that he was defenceless and powerless.

The Chancellor was quick to justify me, but I could not shake the feeling that I had committed a very wrong thing.

Palpatine said I acted out of revenge, and that it= was quite natural, but I knew the Jedi did not seek revenge, only justice. I had behaved like a Sith…li= ke Dooku…like Obi-Wan.

Despite my inner turmoil, my concern over my actio= ns was soon forgotten when my dear Padmé informed me I was going to bec= ome a father.

The news took me by surprise, but filled me with j= oy. I have always liked children and the idea that Padmé and I would soon have a baby blew me away. My wife was concerned about what we would do next, but I was confident we would find a solution that would allow us to be a fa= mily without me having to leave the Jedi or she her position.<= /p>

However my joy was short lasted. Soon after learni= ng of Padmé’s pregnancy I started having dreams about her dying in childbirth.

In the beginning they were nebulous and confused, = but as time passed they became more detailed and sharp, all too similar to thos= e I had had about my mother’s death. They scared me so much I soon dreaded falling asleep.

Padmé, of course, realized quickly there was something wrong and asked me to talk about the dreams with Qui-Gon. I told = her I would, but I never did, because I knew my former master was suspicious ab= out the nature of my relationship with my wife.

So I went to visit with Master Yoda but his advice= , to let go of everything I was afraid to lose, was impossible for me to follow.=

Worried and disappointed, I talked with the only person I felt comfortable enough to tell everything to—Chancellor Palpatine.

He listened intently to my words, and was understanding and supportive as usual. His concern seemed genuine and he promised me Padmé would have the best possible medical care when her time came.

I thanked him, but still I felt it was not enough = to reassure me. I kept on pacing in the Chancellor’s office as he looked= at me, pensive.

Then after a while he said something that made my = head spin. “You know Anakin, with the right knowledge you could insure your wife’s wellbeing during the labour, in a way not even the best doctor could do.”

I stopped my pacing and turned to face him. “How?”

“With the Force, of course.” A smile. “Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The

Wise?”

I started shaking my head when something in my mem= ory stirred. I had already heard that name once… it was the name of Obi-Wan’s master! How could Palpatine know it?

“No,” I answered, giving all my attent= ion to the Chancellor.

“I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi wo= uld tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians= to create life ... he had such knowledge of the dark side that he could even k= eep the ones he cared about from dying.”

I swallowed hard. “He could actually save pe= ople from death?” I could not help but ask.

“The dark side of the Force is a pathway to = many abilities some consider to be unnatural,” Palpatine answered.

“What happened to him?”

“He became so powerful . . . the only thing = he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his appren= tice killed him.” The Chancellor smiled briefly, “Plagueis never saw= it coming. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself.”= ;

“Is it possible to learn this power?” I could not help but ask.

“Not from a Jedi,” was the dry answer.=

Shortly afterward I returned to the Temple, lost in thought. Palpatine̵= 7;s story had confused and unsettled me.

How was it possible he knew Obi-Wan’s master’s name? Or was that legend about another Sith called Darth Plagueis?

I wished to be still in contact with Obi-Wan, so to ask him—but more than a year had passed since our last meeting and I = no longer even knew if he was still alive.

Thinking about him added longing and sadness to my confusion, and I decided not to think more about Palpatine’s tale, especially because I was a bit upset by the way the Chancellor had recently started talking about the Jedi. He was getting overtly critical of the Orde= r, something I did not like. I found it unfair, given all the sacrifices the J= edi were doing for the Republic and the losses we were suffering.

However, my resolution to stay away from the Chancellor and thus show him my disapproval was shaken very soon.

Two nights later I dreamed again of Padmé’s death, and the dream gained even more details, now sho= wing Qui-Gon at her side, urging her to hold on as she sobbed and screamed.=

Desperation assaulted me. I was not completely sur= e my Angel was going to die, but if she did, I would lose all the people I had loved: my mother, Padmé, Obi-Wan.

Obsessed by that thought and unable to cope with t= he anguish it caused, I decided to ask Palpatine’s help. It was then he revealed himself for what he was: Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord we had been = searching for years!

I had been sent to the Chancellor on official busi= ness by Master Windu, carrying the news Qui-Gon had finally engaged General Grie= vous on Utapau.

“We can only hope that Master Jinn is up to = the challenge,” Palpatine commented. “He is no longer young.”=

“I should be there with him,” I commen= ted, feeling a bit guilty, because I had feigned to be sick in order to be left = on Coruscant and thus stay near Padmé.

“Oh don’t worry, son, I am sure he will manage. Tell me, how is your wife?”

“She is well, but my dreams are getting more= and more detailed. I am sure these are visions…and I feel so powerless.”

“That’s because there are things about= the Force the Jedi are not telling you.”

I turned to face him sharply as we walked in the hallway of his office, “What?”

Palpatine shook his head. “I have been tryin= g to tell you this for a long time, Anakin. They don't trust you. They see your future. They know your power will be too strong to control. They don’t want you to gain too much knowledge. Anakin, you must break through the fog= of lies the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you to know the subtleti= es of the Force.”

“How do you know the ways of the Force?̶= 1; I asked, feeling a shiver run along my spine.

“My mentor taught me everything about the Fo= rce . . . even the nature of the dark side.”

We stopped walking and I looked at him wild eyed. “You know the dark side?!?”

“Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view= of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrac= e a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. They fear you. In time they will destroy you. Let me train you.”

I stared at him, mouth agape, almost too stunned to react.

“I won't be a pawn in your political game. T= he Jedi are my family,” I finally managed to say.

Palpatine smiled gently and shook his head, “= ;Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death.”

“What did you say?”<= /p>

“Use my knowledge, I beg you . . .”

“You're a Sith Lord!” I exclaimed. The Sith Lord that had killed Obi-Wan’s master and was behind the war. The Sith Lord that, like Obi-Wan wanted me to be his apprentice. But at least my former lover had been honest and had stated his wishes and identity clearly, while Palpatine had been deceiving me for years…

I ignited my lightsaber and turned it toward the Chancellor.

“Are you going to kill me?” he asked.<= o:p>

“I would certainly like to,” I muttere= d, thinking about all the people that had died because of the war he and Dooku= had orchestrated.

“I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger,” Palpatine hissed, and the pleas= ure on his face made me relent. I did not want to give him any satisfaction.

I relaxed, switched off my weapon, and marched to = the door. “I am going to turn you over to the Jedi Council,” I threatened him.

“Of course you should. But are you ready to condemn Padmé to death? Because, be sure, no Jedi will help you to s= ave her.” He smiled, “Join me Anakin, know the power of the dark si= de. Learn the power to save your wife.”

I gritted my teeth, trying to control my rising an= ger. “I will quickly discover the truth of all this,” I growled, gla= ring at him, before I walked away.

As I rushed back to the Temple= , my mind was full of doubts and questions. No matter how much I tried, I cou= ld not banish Palpatine’s words.

He had probably only tried to turn me against the Council, but what if there was some truth in his affirmations? What if he w= as really the only one able to save Padmé? Was it only a lie to drag me= to his side? Or was it the truth?

These and other questions were still haunting me w= hen I arrived at the Temple landing platform.

It was early evening, and Masters Windu, Fisto, Ko= lar and Tiin were preparing to board a gunship.

“Master Windu,” I shouted as I ran acr= oss the hangar. “I must talk to you.”

“What is it, Skywalker? We are in a hurry. We have just received word that Qui-Gon has destroyed General Grievous. We are on our way to make su= re the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate.”

“He won’t give up his power. I have ju= st learned a terrible truth. I think Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord.= 221;

“The Sith Lord?” Windu stopped cold.

“Yes. The one we have been looking for.̶= 1;

“How do you know this?”

“He knows the ways of the Force. He has been trained to use the dark side.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then our worst fears have been realized. We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to survive.” Master Windu star= ted to move away, but I blocked his path.

“Master, the Chancellor is very powerful. You will need my help if you are going to arrest him.” =

“For your own good, stay out of this affair.= I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgement.” His voice was as hard as his gaze, and completely unmoving.

“I must go, Master,” I insisted. I cou= ld not let them go there and kill Palpatine, not before knowing for sure if the Chancellor’s words about the power of the dark side were true or fals= e. Padmé’s life could depend on it.

“No. If what you told me is true, you will h= ave gained my trust, but for now remain here.” Mace Windu had always been my stro= ngest opponent, and he still was. Even now he did not trust me.

My heart and face fell. “Yes, Master,”= I capitulated.

“Wait for us in the Council Chamber until we return.”

“Yes, Master.”

I watched him run to the ship where the other Mast= ers were waiting, and they took off at once, leaving me behind with my heart fu= ll of worries and barely controlled emotions.

I went to the Council Chamber has I had been order= ed too and stared out of the tall windows, trying to meditate, but it was usel= ess. I could only see the tower where Padmé lived, the slight blurred by = my tears.

She was all it was left to me, and I knew I could = not even think to a life without her.

Palpatine’s voice kept on intruding my thoug= hts “You do know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving= her will be lost” followed by a vision of Padmé screaming and dyin= g.

The struggle inside me increased. I wanted to go to the Senate Building that I could see from the window and prevent the Masters from killing Palpatine, but I knew that Padmé would want me to do what was right for the Republic-- no matter the personal cost.

In the end my fear won over my sense of duty and I left the Council Chamber in a rush, running to the hangar, jumping on the f= irst speeder I found.

When I arrived at the Senate Building, I went straight to the Chancellor’s Office and was welcomed by the lifeless bodies of masters Fisto, Kolar and Tiin.

Mace Windu was still alive, and had cornered Palpa= tine against a wall, near the big window that overlooked = Galactic City and whose transpirsteel had been shattered in thousands of pieces.

“Oh Anakin, help me!” Palpatine called= as soon as I stepped inside the room. “He wants to kill me!”<= /o:p>

“That’s not true, Anakin, and you know= it. Jedi do not kill in cold blood. ” Mace Windu answered, throwing me a brief glance, before facing Palpatine again. “You are under arrest, My Lord. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain con= trol of the Republic is over . . . you have lost.”

“No! No! You will die!” Palpatine screamed, raising his hands. Lightning bolts erupted from his finger tips, = as it had been with Dooku and Obi-Wan. Mace Windu deflected them with his lightsabre, and they hit the Sith square in his chest.

Palpatine was pushed back against the window and t= hrew me a pleading glance. “See, he is killing me, Anakin. Help me son…” He looked so defeated and defenceless I took a step forwa= rd.

“He's a traitor, Anakin!” Mace Windu exclaimed and I snapped out of the almost trance Palpatine’s sorrowful eyes had cast over me. “Don’t feel pity for him! We must stop h= im!”

The Chancellor shook his head, “Come to your senses, boy. Don’t let him kill me. I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him.R= 21;

I paled. Padmé. I had to help him for Padmé. I had to save him for her. There was no other solution…I was about to unclip my lightsabre when a voice spoke from behind my back.

A familiar, beloved voice I had thought I would ne= ver hear again.

Obi-Wan.

“Don't listen to him, Anakin. Darth Plagueis never shared that secret with him—and Sidious killed him because of it.”

Obi-Wan’s voice was calm, matter of fact, but when I turned around to face him his eyes were yellow, and burning with his hate for Palpatine.

I bit my lower lip, uncertain Was Obi-Wan telling = the truth or was he stopping me because he wanted the other Sith’s death?=

He looked at me calmly and simply said, “I h= ave never lied or deceived you, Anakin—and you know it. Can you say the s= ame of him?”

I bowed my head in defeat, as his words sank in. I= was aware Obi-Wan had never lied to me and that meant that if Palpatine did not know Plagueis’ secret, then Padmé was condemned, because nobody would be able to save her.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stop my tears, = but a loud thud made me open them again.

Palpatine, who had looked so powerless only a few moments before, had freed himself from the corner where Mace Windu had push= ed him and had used the Force to slam the master against the opposite wall.

“Die Jedi, die!” He screamed in a malicious tone as blue lightening sprang from his fingertips directed toward the fallen Jedi—but Obi-Wan stepped between the two men and caught the energy bolts with his hands.

Palpatine, growled with rage and asked, “Who= are you? What do you want?”

“Have you not already guessed? Really, Darth Sidious, you disappoint me,” Obi-Wan answered with an ironic tone, be= fore he added, “My name is Darth Umbras and I want to kill you, of course.”

“You are the who attacked Tyranus!” Palpatine eyed him speculatively. “You are Darth Plagueis’ other apprentice.” A pause as the older Sith’s brow furrowed. “= The dark side is powerful in you, but tainted by compassion and caring…I = bet you were a Jedi once. Join me, become my apprentice and you will become a t= rue Sith. I am sure our master would approve of it.”

Obi-Wan smirked. “I don’t think so. His last words to me were about you. He asked me to avenge him—and I will!” He made a sudden move with his hand and sent Palpatine crashing against his desk.

The older Sith regained his footing quickly and attacked again with his blue lightening.

Obi-Wan blocked them, but this time the attack was longer and probably more powerful.

Beads of sweat appeared on my former lover’s brow and I saw him grit his teeth.

“I must help him,” I said to Mace Wind= u, but he shook his head and grabbed my upper arm not too gently.

“No, it’s too dangerous. Maybe with so= me help from the Force they will end up killing each, and the Sith will be defeated for good.”

I turned to look at him, stricken. How could he say so? Obi-Wan had saved him from Sidious’ attack and that was the way W= indu repaid him?

I returned to watch the fight. Sidious was still a= ttacking, snarling and laughing evilly, while Obi-Wan seemed frozen, his arms slightly outstretched, his legs planted to the floor to brace him against the energy investing him. I saw him pull back his arms, slowly, like springs being compressed. And then, just as a spring, he released his coiled energy and a ball of blue energy left his hands and slammed against Sidious.<= /span>

The Sith Lord lost his balance and took several st= eps backward, teetering dangerously near the crashed window.<= /p>

I saw Obi-Wan smile in triumph before he made anot= her movement and sent a new ball of energy against Palpatine.=

The older man was hit squarely in the chest and the strength of the blow flung him out of the window. His eyes widened for a mo= ment in stunned surprise before he fell down in Coruscant’s heavy traffic.=

I rushed to the window and looked down, just in ti= me to see Sidious’ body being pierced by a sharp energy power point.

I turned around grinning, but my smile disappeared when I noticed Obi-Wan had gone down on his knees and was now panting harsh= ly. Evidently the fight had been even harder than I thought.<= /p>

My concern transformed in horror when I saw Mace W= indu step behind Obi-Wan and ignite his lightsabre.

Without thinking I powered my own lightsabre and stepped between the two men.

“I won’t let you kill him, Master,R= 21; I growled, deadly serious.

“He is a Sith, Anakin. He is dangerous. He m= ust be destroyed. This is the only way to insure the Dark Lords won’t rise again.”

I shook my head. “No. I can’t let you = do it. I-I love him, Master, and I can’t allow you to harm him in any way.”

Mace Windu was startled by my admission. “You love him? Skywalker, you are a Jedi! You cannot love!”

“But I do! I love my wife and I love him!= 221;

“Wife? What the Force have you done, boy? Yo= u will be expelled by the Order!”

“So be it, Master. I will leave but I will f= ight you if you try to get closer to him.”

Windu and I stared at each other for a long while, caught in a silent battle of wills, until he finally powered off his sword.= I waited a few moments more before doing the same. Then, without taking my ey= es off the Jedi master, I knelt near Obi-Wan and put an arm around his shoulde= rs.

He raised his head to look at me, and his eyes were blue-grey when he asked softly, “You really love me?” There was wonder in his tone, and I smiled.

“Yes, I do,” I replied, brushing back = his sweaty hair from his brow.

He started smiling back when his expression sudden= ly froze. “Something is wrong with Senator Amidala,” he said.=

“What?!” I exclaimed as I felt all my blood leave my face.

As if on cue, my comlink beeped.=

“Skywalker,” I answered.

“Master Anakin? It’s Threepio. Master Anakin, Miss Padmé has been taken to the hospital. She collapsed, Ma= ster and there was blood and I did not know what to…I am sorry Master…”

The more he talked to me, the more my guts twisted with terror.

“Where is she?” I inquired.

“Oh dear, I didn’t tell you? Captain T= ypho took her to the Coruscant= Central Hospital. They-”

Threepio was still talking as I exited the room and ran toward my speeder. I was barely aware Obi-Wan and Mace were following m= e, because the only sound I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears and Threepio’s voice telling me Padmé had collapsed.

The speeder was big enough for the three of us, an= d I think I broke all the rules regulating Coruscant traffic in my haste to rea= ch the hospital as soon as possible.

Once I arrived I jumped down before the speeder had even completely stopped and burst inside the atrium.

“Where is Senator Amidala?” I demanded= to the nurse at the reception.

“Who?” she asked, paying me little attention

“Senator Amidala!” I snarled. “My wife!”

“Calm down, Skywalker,” Mace Windu interjected from my behind my back, “This is not an appropriate way to behave for a Jedi.”

I turned to throw him a murderous glance, as Obi-W= an stepped forward.

“Tell us where the Senator is,” he ord= ered waving his hand.

“The Senator has been taken in to emergency surgery,” the nurse answered, in a flat tone.

“Where?” Obi-Wan gestured again with h= is hand.

“Surgery room 14, first floor…hey, you cannot go there!”

But it was too late, because we were already runni= ng toward the nearest lift. When the door opened I charged along the corridor, skidding to a halt when I saw Captain Typho and Dormé pacing back and forth in front of a closed door.

They both moved toward me when they recognized me,= but before we could utter a single word, the door of the surgery room opened an= d a doctor came out.

He walked toward Typho and shook his head. “= I am sorry. We did what we could but the haemorrhage was too extensive. We were = able to save the children, but Senator Amidala died.”

The doctor walked away as my legs gave out and I crumbled to the floor, devoid of energy…devoid of life.

My Padmé…my Angel was dead.

Once more I had not been able to save who I loved…and I was again alone…alone with children to raise…alone with this big bleeding hole in my heart. Tears fell from = my eyes as I hugged my bent knees in an effort to control myself and not lash = out in desperation.

People moved around me and I felt someone kneel at= my side and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. I knew it was Obi-Wan, but I did= not acknowledge him, not even when his fingers caressed my wet cheek.

He stood up, and I was actually grateful he had go= ne away, because it seemed indecent to be comforted by the man I had betrayed = my dead wife with.

Then, suddenly, the silence in the room was broken= by a loud commotion.

“Hey, where are you going?”=

“You cannot go inside!!”

“Stop!”

I heard hurried steps and muffled thuds and raisin= g my head I saw Windu, Typho and a doctor, lying on the floor. Obi-Wan was nowhe= re in sight, but the door of the surgery room was slowly closing.

Standing on shaky legs, I burst inside the room, o= nly to stop near the threshold.

Several doctors were near the opposite wall, pinned there by the Force, while Obi-Wan was standing beside the operating table. = He had pulled back the sheet covering Padmé’s corpse.<= /span>

She looked asleep, but the grey pallor of her skin= and the stillness of her chest told a different, tragic story.

Obi-Wan put both his hands on her brow and closed = his eyes in concentration.

“What are you doing?” one of the docto= rs asked, outraged, and I used the Force to silence him, as a wild, impossible hope grew in my heart.

Obi-Wan has said Darth Plagueis had not passed all= of his knowledge to Sidious…but maybe he had to his younger apprentice…the man he had loved and trusted.

I sensed the Force gather around Obi-Wan and I felt him give directions to it…and to the midichlorians inside Padmé= ;.

I withheld my breath and watched mesmerized as Obi-Wan’s face contracted in a grimace and sweat bathed his brow.

Then the silence in the room was broken by a gasp = and a bout of coughing, as Padmé’s body spasmed and the only monit= or still attached to her burst to life, showing an increasingly strong heartbe= at.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and removed his hands.

“She is all yours, doctors,” he whispe= red to the shocked healers standing near wall. “The haemorrhage has been stopped but she still needs help.”

As for myself, I was crying again, this time out of joy.

Padmé was alive! Obi-Wan had saved her!

I was about to run to embrace him, when he stagger= ed, took some steps backward and fell.

“Obi-Wan!” I cried, rushing to kneel a= t his side and supporting his back with my arms.

“Obi-Wan,” I repeated, worried by how = pale he looked and by the tremors shaking him.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. “She lives…” he whispered.

“Yes,” I nodded with a smile.

“Good…”

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked, hugging him more tightly.

“Commanding the midichlorians requires…much energy…too much. My Master…taught me how to= do it…but also told me…not to do it…too dangerous…I was also…tired from…the battle… ”

“When why you did so?” I almost cried.=

“For you…to make you happy…I love you…” Obi-Wan smiled weakly, and closed his eyes. He went limp = in my arms and his head lolled against my chest.

“No…” I murmured, as new tears f= ell from my eyes. I had wanted Padmé to live, but not at this price. Nev= er at this price.

Someone knelt by my side and raising my eyes I saw= it was Windu.

“You wanted to kill him,” I babbled, “You said he was evil…and yet he sacrificed his life for Padmé…”

Mace Windu did not answer but touched Obi-Wan̵= 7;s brow.

“It’s not time to recriminate, Skywalk= er. He is still alive, but his essence is fading quickly. You can still save hi= m if you want.”

“How?”

“Plunge into his mind, search for his inner = core and tie him to you. If your love is real, you won’t regret the bond y= ou will create. If you have doubts, instead, don’t do nothing, for once = such bond is established, there is no way to break it.”<= /p>

I looked at the korun master and nodded. There was= no doubt in me in that moment—I had never felt surer of something.<= /o:p>

“Do it now Skywalker, I will keep you anchored,” Windu urged me.

I nodded again and closed my eyes in concentration= . I lowered my shields and entered Obi-Wan’s mind, pursuing his fading essence until I caught up with him.

//An= akin,// he murmured, his mind voice weak and slurred. //What are you doing here?//

//I = have come to bring you back,// I answered, reaching out towa= rd him, but he skidded away.

//Wh= y?//

//Be= cause I can’t let you die. I need you.//

//You don’t need me. You have your wife and children.//

//In= stead I do. The past year was pure hell. I missed you so much, my beloved Sith. My beloved enemy. Come back with me, let me fuse our essences together,// I reached out again.

//Th= e Jedi won’t allow us to be together…they will kill me or lock me away= .//

//Th= ey won’t do it if you are my bondmate. Even now Master Windu is acting as my anchor.= //

//He certainly has something in mind,// Obi-Wan commented, suspicious.

//Pr= obably, but I won’t allow him to hurt you in any way, Love. Trust me, Obi-Wan= .//

//Tr= ust does not come easily for me…//

//I understand. But how can we love each other if we there is no trust between us?//

A long moment of silence, then Obi-Wan nodded. //You are right, Anakin. I do trust you…//

//Th= en come, Love. Let me help you.//

Obi-Wan’s essence moved toward me and opened fully to mine, as I did the same. We joined and an unbreakable tie formed between us as I lent him the strength he needed to resurface to life. We al= so explored each other’s mind and memories, until I felt a sharp tug and Mace Windu’s deep voice said, //That’s enough, Skywalker. You saved him. Now come back.//

//Ye= s, Anakin, go,// Obi-Wan echoed, his mind voice now strong= and clear.

//All right.//

I let go of his mind and returned inside myself, acutely aware of the bond tying me to Obi-Wan. I smiled as I opened my eyes= and resurfaced to life.

EPILOGUE

All of this happened exactly one year ago, so you = can say today is quite an important day, and we will throw a big celebration.

Today is Luke and Leia’s first Naming Day, t= he first anniversary of Obi-Wan’s and my bonding, of Padmé’s return to live and of Palpatine’s death.

This past year has not been exactly easy, because there were a lot of issues needing to be resolved.

First of all I had to face the Council and be judg= ed for my breaking of the Code. I had to respond to my marriage to Padmé and my bonding to Obi-Wan.

I can sincerely say I expected to be expelled, but things went differently. I was just censored and reprimanded, and in all probability I will never be allowed to take a padawan learner, which is not that bad since I already have my two children to raise.

I have no doubt the Council’s decision was influenced by my popularity with the press—they did not want to have = to explain why the Hero With No Fear had been expelled -- and, more importantly, by my bond = with Obi-Wan.

Keeping me a Jedi, keeping me in the Temple allows the Council to keep me an= d my Sith companion always under their eyes. That was also the reason they creat= ed a large apartment inside the Tem= ple to house all my family, but I did not complain because the place is really beautiful and the Jedi’s supervision has been discreet.

As for Obi-Wan himself, the Council decreed that s= ince he is soul bonded to a Jedi – to the Chosen One himself – it is safe enough to say I am able to control him. Whic= h I do, but not in the way they expected.

I have not conquered the darkness in Obi-Wan and I think I never will. I have just balanced it with the light of my—our-- love. I did not subdue him as some Jedi believe; I have just tamed him, but only because he wants to be tamed by me.

Obi-Wan has not rejected his Sith ways. He is stil= l a Dark Lord and his manifestations of anger can be quite frightening. Yet I k= now he won’t hurt anybody during them.

He is prone to irritation and ready to strike, but= it takes just a look on my part to calm him down.

He often starts elaborating plans to take over the Republic, plans that are chilling in their geniality and details. He says t= hat with my popularity with the press and the Clone Army, Padmé’s political skill and his power with the dark side, the three of us could eas= ily take control of the Senate. He says he would be easy for him to manipulate = and control enough senators to make them name me Supreme Commander of the armies and to have Padmè become the new Supreme Chancellor. Then he would m= ake sure those offices became permanent. However it takes just a shocked glance from me or Padmé to make him raise his hands in mock surrender and exclaim, “All right, all right, it was just an idea.”

He resents the Jedi, but helps them to chase the a= rmy of dark Force users Sidious had been training. Just two days ago he capture= d a man named Malorum, who, according to Palpatine’s notes, should have become an inquisitor in the empire the Sith Lord wanted to establish. =

He claims the Jedi should be conquered and crushed= by the Sith, but in the nights, in our bed, I am the only Jedi he wants to con= quer and crush beneath his weight.

He often says I would make a wonderful Sith apprentice, but he knows I will never agree to be one, and I am aware he won’t never choose another person as his apprentice.

Qui-Gon, Mace Windu and Yoda are quite baffled by Obi-Wan. They simply cannot understand how it is possible a Dark Lord can c= are so much that he is willing to let the Sith die out of love.

As for myself, I cannot help but wonder what Darth Plagueis would think of this new development… somehow I don’t t= hink he had expected something like this!

You are probably curious about my life with both a wife and a bondmate. Well, I can tell you it is a bit strange, but that we = are all quite happy.

Padmé was understandingly surprised when I = told her of Obi-Wan. I was not easy for to hear I had committed adultery with hi= m, but I have managed to make her see loving Obi-Wan does not make me love her less. I love both of them equally, but in different ways.

My wife finally accepted the situation, out of love for me and also because she know she owns her life and the chance to see our children grow to Obi-Wan. I also think the fact my bondmate is a man made easier for her to live with the knowledge he can give me something she can’t.

As I said before, we all live together and I do my best to share my time equally between my bondmate and my wife.

It is not always easy, but it is well worth the effort. The love that binds me to Obi-Wan and Padmé is pure and true= and able to bear the ups and downs all relationships undergo.=

But now it is really time to finish my tale; I hear steps coming my way and I know it is Obi-Wan. I can sense his powerful aura= and perceive the desire running in him.

He knows I am aware of him and he is sending images along our bond…hot, tantalizing images.

It looks like my bondmate has already decided how = we will celebrate our anniversary—making love in our large bathtub, taki= ng full advantage of the fact that Padmé and the twins are not home.

So I hope you will forgive me now if I leave you, = but all my attention is now diverted to Obi-Wan, who just turned the corner of = the corridor.

He is bare-chested and barefooted, and his right h= and is slowly unbuckling his belt.

His eyes are smouldering and slightly yellow, lovi= ng and predatory at the same time, as he looks at me and the rest of the world ceases to exist...you included, my patient readers. You included...

THE END