If Hate Leads to Suffering... | Obi Wan Kenobi

Act II. x

Xaela had to quickly snatch the lightsaber out of Luke's chubby hands before he turned it on. She would curse Anakin for leaving it around, but instead she picked up the baby and walked into the next room where Obi-Wan was playing with Leia.

"I swear, Anakin's going to kill his own child." Xaela placed the weapon on a high counter and walked to the couch where Obi-Wan and Leia sat.

"See, that would never happen with me." Obi-Wan said. "I don't have a lightsaber anymore."

Xaela rolled her eyes and took a seat on the ground, leaning against the couch and let Luke crawl on the floor.

"I said I was sorry." She stuck her tongue out at him. "And anyway, I don't remember you fighting Palpatine."

"I turned on the turbine." He defended.

"Oh, great Jedi Master Kenobi defeated the Sith Lord by turning on a fan!" Xaela exaggerated, throwing her hands up in the air so that Luke would laugh.

His laughs turned into screams, which triggered Leia and soon they had two babies laughing and screaming, the Two Jedi frantically trying to calm them down so they wouldn't wake up their parents. But Xaela and Obi-Wan's struggling just made the babies giggle more.

Eventually, Obi-Wan just brought Leia onto the floor with Luke and sat down beside Xaela, the two kids staring at the other like they hadn't spent every minute with each other since they were born. Xaela took a sigh, noticing that neither Padme nor Anakin left their room, meaning that they were still asleep.

"I can't wait until they wake up." She leaned her head against Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I love these kids but they are so much work."

"Perhaps you would feel different if it was your child." Obi-Wan said and Xaela groaned.

"Oh, don't tell me I'm pregnant!" She said and Obi-Wan just laughed.

"If you were, I don't think I would be the one to tell you." Obi-Wan looked down at Luke, who was trying to climb him.

Xaela watched Leia, who discovered the coffee table.

"I think if we were to ever have a kid, I would want one at a time."

"If?" Obi-Wan stared at Luke, who had managed to get onto his lap and start reaching for his beard.

"Don't act like you've thought of having kids." Xaela chuckled and got off his shoulder to reach for Leia when her head got too close to the corner of the table. Then she raised an eyebrow at him. "Have you?"

Xaela had never thought of having children. Growing up as a Jedi, it was never an option - even when she fell in love with Obi-Wan, kids weren't even a thought. It just wasn't how she was raised, and it made her a bit sad that she never got to experience something like wanting a baby.

She knew Obi-Wan was good with kids. He helped his Master in her Initiate clam, and he had suggested she train her own group of Younglings.

"It's never been a prominent thing in my mind." He assured her, noticing her change of expression.

Then Luke managed to use Obi-Wan to steadily hold himself eye level with the man, and the Jedi stared back at the baby.

"You sure you want one?" Xaela couldn't help but giggle. "Cause it looks like you're going to fight a ten month old."

"If I am, he started it." Luke sat back down on Obi-Wan's lap.

Xaela laughed slightly and focused on Leia. The four of them played on their own for a bit, Xaela getting snacks after a while, and the babies wearing more than they ate. Obi-Wan went to go get a rag and Xaela cleaning them up as her significant other watched her with a smile on his face.

When Anakin and Padme finally woke up, they looked better than they had for a week, and were so thankful to Xaela and Obi-Wan for watching the children for a while. After refusing to stay for dinner, the two of them went back to their own apartment, promising to see them next week with Ashoka. Xaela collapsed on the couch as soon as she walked in.

"What would you like to eat, darling?" Obi-Wan asked and Xaela just mumbled an 'anything'. "Leather shoes and socks it is then."

Xaela groaned, annoyed when he did that and lifted her head. She threw a pillow under her chin to rest on and looked at her man.

"I'm not that hungry, anything you want is fine by me." She said but Obi-Wan shook his head.

"We'll wait until you're hungry and then you can decide." He moved her legs off the couch, forcing Xaela to sit up as he took the spot next to her.

"You of all people should know I'm not a decisive person." She laid her head in his lap and he immediately began playing with her hair, which was for once out of it's braid.

"It's one of the things I love about you." He said.

"I hope it's not at the top of the list." Xaela closed her eyes and Obi-Wan chuckled.

After a few minutes, Xaela started to fall asleep, only to be woken up when he spoke again.

"Do you remember when we were caught by the Council?"

Xaela didn't like thinking about the Order. Waking up in those chambers only to find the Jedi next to extinct in a matter of hours was something she had nightmares about. But yes, she did remember that day.

"Why do you ask?"

"Do you remember what you asked after? About love and hate?"

Xaela tried to remember. It was about the Attachment rule they had.

"If hate leads to suffering, what does love lead to, I think." Xaela responded.

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Well I finally have an answer." He said and Xaela sat up to face him.

"What is it?" She asked and he had a teasing smile on his face, like he knew and she didn't.

"Ask me." He said, and Xaela nearly rolled her eyes.

"If hate leads to suffering, what does love lead to?" She complied.

He leaned into her, his smile growing more serious.

"Love led me to you."