When Paths Diverge

Chapter 4: They Do Not Know The Looming Darkness

Meanwhile, aboard the Queen's ship, Anakin Skywalker sat shivering in a corner of the ship's lounge, trying to decide what he should do to keep warm. Everyone else was asleep, and he had been asleep as well, but only for a short while. His troubled dreams had kept him awake . He had come awake to silence but could not make himself move, paralysed by cold and sudden fear.

Jar Jar Binks sat on one side, stretched out on a chair, head back and snoring softly. Nothing could ever keep the Gungan from sleeping. Or eating, for that matter. Anakin smiled briefly. R2 was close by, upright and mostly silent, though he let out occasional beeps, his lights blinking softly. Anakin started into the darkness, willing himself to move, but found himself unable to overcome his sudden inertia. His dreams still haunted him. He kept finding himself thinking of his mother and home, and everything he had left behind when she had told him not to look back.

He missed her so much that it hurt. He had thought it would get better once he was away, but it hadn't. Everything reminded him of her and when he tried to close his eyes, he saw his mother's face looking at him, anxious and worn. Tears came to his eyes unbidden. Maybe he had made a mistake by coming. Maybe he should go home. Except he couldn't now. Maybe not ever.

A small figure slipped in quietly through the door. Anakin looked up just in time to see Obi-Wan walk towards him. His pale face seemed tired and worn as he approached and sat down next to him. Anakin stiffened, trying to stop from crying, but found that he was unable to. "Are you alright, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked him softly.

"I feel so cold," Anakin admitted.

Obi-Wan smiled and removed his robe, wrapping it around Anakin's shoulders. "You're from Tatooine, which is probably the hottest planet in the galaxy, seeing that it has two suns. Space is quite cold compared to that." Anakin nodded, pulling the robe around him tighter.

"You are sad," Anakin said, hesitantly. Obi-Wan looked up, startled.  "Yes," Obi-Wan replied quietly. Anakin thought for a minute. He wanted to ask why, but something inside of him told him not to.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen to me, either," he admitted worriedly. "I don't know if I'll ever see-" He stopped, his throat tightening, the words fading away into silence. He took a deep breath, furrowed his brow, and reached into his pocket. "Here," he said, "I made this for you. I carved it out of a japor snippet. Take it. It will bring you good fortune." He handed Obi-Wan an intricately carved wooden pendant.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. He studied it a moment , then slipped it around his neck.

"It's beautiful, Anakin. I'll treasure it forever." Obi-Wan looked up, and Anakin saw a tear travel down his cheek. "Did I make you sad?" Anakin asked, worried that he had upset his new friend. "No,"Obi-Wan managed to say, " You didn't." Obi-Wan let his hand gently fall on Anakin's shoulder. "Are you alright, Anakin?"

The boy swallowed hard, " I miss--" His voice broke, and the tears sprang into his eyes once more. "You miss your mother," Obi-Wan finished quietly. Anakin nodded, wiping at his face, unable to speak a word.

"I'll do what I can to free you mother,"Obi-Wan murmured. Anakin looked up, shock evident on his small, pale face and tears dripping down his cheeks and wordlessly, he launched himself at Obi-Wan, slinging his arms around Obi-Wan neck in a desperate hug. Obi-Wan drew him against himself and held him close. They stayed that way for some time, with Obi-Wan just holding Anakin, revelling in the bright light that was Anakin and Anakin holding onto Obi-Wan for comfort and for the love he so desperately needed.