Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.1.1

Author's Note: This is the actual start of the story. The other two arcs of Season 4 are additions that I will reference and work on as I go. Go ahead and start here!!!

Obi-Wan sat down to meditate in his quarters after a week-long mission in the Outer Core, not necessarily tired but definitely glad to be back at the Temple. The clones could get quite loud and rambunctious, especially when he needed peace and quiet to meditate.

He crossed his legs and retreated into his mind into the Force. Almost instantly, his breathing slowed and his heartbeat returned to its resting rate. His mind cleared, and he saw himself seated on the large pillow that cushioned him from the hard floor. As he focused, he decided to dive into the Force flowing in and out of the Temple. He hadn't been home in a few days so it made sense to reconnect with his surroundings.

It was late in the night, and not many people were awake. Younglings, who were restless, moved about in their sleep. Their Force signatures were spontaneous and weak, but always present. Always new and innocent. Filled with innocence, slowly draining from them as they got older.

Padawans, who had already started to lose their innocence, were normally asleep at this hour save for the occasional night owl. They were tired due to lessons and missions and from their own adolescence. Obi-Wan forced himself to pass over the absence of a particular Padawan and moved through the rest of the Temple.

Jedi Knights were still up at the moment. Some of them had retired to their quarters early to prepare for the next day, but there were things to do at this hour, things that couldn't be done with Padawans and Younglings present. They were spaced throughout the Temple, each to their own task for the evening.

Jedi Masters were always up this late if they were well and not away on a mission. There were many tasks they would accomplish, much like the Knights, but there was no pattern, no framework, no telling what they did in their own time.

The biggest difference between Knights and Masters was the difference in the strengths of the signatures. Master Yoda, of course, has the strongest Force signature. At any given time, Obi-Wan, and anyone else for that matter, could tell the general direction of where Master Yoda was unless he concealed his presence. Younglings tended to get uneasy if they noticed a substantial absence of his calming signature though, so it did not happen all that often.

Obi-Wan felt all of this and more, but he knew that he had responsibility for the lack of a certain presence, a normally very strong and distinct presence. Anakin. Not only was he unable to be felt, but Obi-Wan suspected that he wasn't even in the Temple.

He tried to feel where he was, but he could not feel Anakin within the walls of the building. Obi-Wan expanded his sight outside the Temple, very thinly, but enough to sense the Chosen One easily. He found his apprentice in the Senate Building, as he normally did.

Retreating from his meditation, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked out the window, which conveniently faced said building. Anakin, if not in the Temple or on a mission, could almost always be found in the legislative headquarters. He never said what he did there, but whether called or not he seemed to be there more and more often. Anakin had never said as much to prove it, but Obi-Wan thought he knew why he left so often. He was almost sure of it.

Ever since his and Anakin's talk by the fire on their mission recently, Obi-Wan had thought of it many times. His words rang in the Jedi Master's ear, over and over again.

...I miss her, okay? Is that what you wanted me to say? I still don't understand how she could have left the Order...She's a Jedi, she belongs with us! She's one of us...What choice did we give her? The moment there was any suspicions about her loyalty, the Council turned their back on her...How would you feel if I turned into a major disappointment?...You took me under your wing and practically raised me. I'm your Padawan, just like Ahsoka was mine. How well would you sleep knowing that I failed you?