When You Come Home

-31-

"Hello?" Anakin paced in slow circle, keeping the tiny lights of the camp in sight. He glanced at the screen of his phone, making sure he had dialled the right number. The grass was soft and moist under his feet as he continued pacing. The moon no longer shone over the park, hiding behind the clouds in shame of Anakin's late-night excursion. The chilly wind slapped his bare arms and scolded him for leaving camp without his jacket. He had left camp in a temper to cool down, but he hadn't been hoping to lose body heat so much as pent-up frustration. Still, he couldn't go back. Not yet, not ever? Not yet.

"Hi?" the croaky voice of one Anakin could never forget said. He sounded as confused and tired as Anakin felt. "Who is this?"

"It's Anakin," the boy responded impatiently. "This had better be Rako's number because I need to talk. It's about Maul."

"Maul?" He suddenly sounded awake. "What about him?"

"Can we talk in person?" Anakin asked, running a hand through his hair as he scanned the shadows. "I don't think I'm safe here."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said quickly. "Meet me in front of Duchess Kryze's palace. I'll take you to a good spot from there."

"Okay, see you in five," he ended the call numbly, slipping his phone into his pocket. Had he just arranged a meeting with his brother who had abandoned him three years ago?

He walked through the park, trying to focus. He needed to get to the bottom of this business with Maul. That was why he had made the meeting. He needed answers, and Obi-Wan was the person who held them.

He stepped through a loose hedge, heading down the quiet street and towards the beacon of light that was the palace. He suddenly realized how unsafe this could be. He trusted Obi-Wan without a doubt, but he didn't even know Rako Hardeen. What if his brother had changed? What if he wasn't the gentle and kind boy he had once known? How did he know about Maul? Surely he wasn't working for him. But what if his "good spot" was somewhere Maul knew, too? He could be walking right into a trap — alone, what was more.

He paused at the edge of the shadow, hesitating to take that next step. Maybe he should call Ahsoka. But he couldn't trust her, either. She had kept her real identity from him the whole time he had known her. What about Cody? Maybe he should ask for his help? No, Cody would want nothing to do with him unless he apologized first, and he wasn't ready to do that yet. He wanted to apologize in person, and at camp, preferably.

He was on his own, then.

He squared his shoulders and went to step forwards when a voice hissed behind him.

"Hero!"

He spun around, eyes wildly checking the darkness surrounding him. Behind every boxy bush or in every raised garden could be sheltering a predator. Perhaps Maul had come back ....

But no.

This person had called him "Hero."

Only one person knew that name, and his name was "Negotiator."

"Rako?" Anakin whispered, sneaking towards the voice. "Where are you?"

"I'm over here!" A hand waved from behind a bonsai tree, and two bright blue eyes appeared. "Come with me, and we'll talk."

Anakin swallowed his fears and followed Obi-Wan as he led past the palace, through the gardens, beyond the royal grounds, and straight into the cold openness of the streets. Obi-Wan was keeping a quick pace despite the pain he must have been in. Anakin tried not to rush ahead of him, especially when his limp became more prominent. He couldn't stop himself from constantly checking behind them, though. In every shrub and behind every fence, he was sure he could see Maul, watching, waiting. He had found Anakin once. He could — and would — do it again. Next time, though, Anakin would be ready.