Chapter Text
Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, and many clone troops were aboard the Resolute, returning to Coruscant from a mission to liberate an Outer Rim planet. It had been tiring and the Generals and their troops were either relaxing or sleeping.
Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in his chamber aboard the cruiser, meditating. He would often do this after a mission.
Drifting in the Force, he perused the passengers of the ship. There were clones, each individual in the Force, laughing, training, and eating. Then there were the officers and staff of the cruiser, diligently doing their part to get them home. Obi-Wan then floated over to Ahsoka, Anakin's Togruta padawan. She too was trying to meditate. He gave her a little nudge in the right direction and received a warm Thank you. Then, Obi -Wan's senses found Anakin. Fear, anger, loss. There was something wrong there... Anakin was dreaming.
Obi-Wan stood up and walked calmly to Anakin's room and used the Force to disengage the lock. Obi-Wan walked in, closed the door behind him, then went up to Anakin. He was thrashing and moaning in his sleep. Whatever he was dreaming was torturing him.
"Mom, no! Please..." Anakin muttered,
Oh, he's dreaming of his mother's death...he never told me what exactly happened that night.
Obi-Wan put a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Anakin, it's only a dream. Wake up!"
Anakin didn't hear him. Obi-Wan tried again with the same lack or response. Eventually, Obi-Wan sunk into the Force and reached out to Anakin. Instead of waking Anakin, Obi-Wan got sucked into the dream.
A younger Anakin Skywalker, complete with padawan braid, cradled a beaten and brutalized Shmi Skywalker. Shmi stroked Anakin's face and spoke quietly.
"I...love..." before she could finish her sentence, her head lolled back and her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. She was dead.
Anakin raised his head, so much anger and hate in his eyes that Obi-Wan recoiled. Anakin closed his mother's eyes and rose to his feet. He walked to the entrance of the tent and beheaded the guard. Obi-Wan watched in helpless horror as his former padawan massacred the entire settlement without mercy, drawing heavily on the Dark. The rage never left Anakin's eyes as he killed every single Tusken Raider in the village.
Obi-Wan drew back and sucked in a sharp breath. He stood in silence, watching as Anakin's eyes opened, registered his reaction and promptly turned away. When Obi-Wan looked, he saw that his friend was shaking with sobs. It took a lot to make the vaunted Anakin Skywalker cry. A pang of guilt stirred in Obi-Wan. He sat down on the bed next to Anakin and rubbed Anakin's back.
Finally, Anakin turned towards him, his face slick with tears. "I didn't tell you because I was afraid of this...you could never understand killing what had killed what you loved best." Anakin said, burying his face in the pillow.
Obi-Wan sighed. "On that, Anakin, you are wrong. I do understand. I've done it."
Anakin sat up, intrigued but still wary.
"I never told you what happened the night Qui-Gon died." Obi-Wan began. "Probably, because I didn't want you to know... Qui-Gon and I were fighting the Sith when we were separated by ray shields. Before I could help him, the Sith had stabbed him. When the shields deactivated I attacked the Sith mercilessly. I was so angry and afraid that I made a mistake. The Sith disarmed me and pushed my into the reactor shaft. I would have fallen to my death had I not caught hold of a bulkhead. The Sith decided to toy with me so I used the Force to grab Qui-Gon's lightsaber and I used my aggressive feelings to launch me out of the shaft. Then, I cut the Sith in half. A painful way to die. Once the Sith was dead, I went over to Qui-Gon, who was still barely alive. I promised him I would train you. He died in my arms." Obi-Wan closed his eyes remembering. He could feel Anakin's gaze upon him. Unexpectedly, he felt a hand on his knee. When he opened his eyes, Anakin was smiling weakly. They held each other's gaze and shared a look of acceptance.
Some secret were better off shared between people close. With burdens they hadn't known they were carrying off their shoulders, the two almost-brothers fell asleep to untroubled dreams.