A little later than I wanted, but still proud of myself. This chapter mostly deals with Obi-Wan learning about Anakin and Padmé's marriage.

Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! It's always nice to see people enjoy the things you write.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Padmé nodded for what she felt was the tenth time this morning. Her husband stood before her on their personal docking platform, much the same as the night before. This time however, he was leaving for an entirely different reason: to ask his master here. She wasn't sure she could place the emotion on his face. He looked halfway between mortified and excited.

"Yes, Anakin, I'm sure. We don't have too long before this baby is born. I want your mind to be easy when that happens."

Anakin sighed, his chest tight with the realization than Obi-Wan could just as easily tell the council as he was to keep their secret. His master was not a liar, and he was very strict when it came to the Jedi's rules. Though he trusted Obi-Wan with most everything, he wasn't sure he was ready to face the repercussions of this particular secret. He regretted nothing about his marriage to Padmé, yet explaining himself to Obi-Wan wasn't something he was looking forward to.

Then again, as he searched himself last night, he knew Obi-Wan could help them. Even if the Jedi council found out about he and Padmé, they would not turn them aside if the future of their child was threatened. They would expel Anakin with little thought, but they would still help. That steeled his resolve a bit. Though they shunned him, they would not jeopardize the life of his wife.

Anakin found his trust in his masters strengthened a bit. After all, none other could help him with this. Palpatine could talk his fears down, yet he could never help him save Padmé. The Chancellor could only give words, the Jedi gave hope. He had realized this as he had woken.

"Alright. I'm.. glad we've made this decision. Soon, we won't have to hide anymore."

Her gentle smile caught his breath. It felt odd to be on the opposite side of the coin; he was now the one questioning fading away from the life they lived on Coruscant. The many, many times he had asked her to do exactly what they were wanting to do now came back to him. Anakin knew he'd be gone in moments if he could be positive his wife would be alright on Naboo.

R2 whistled from behind him, the little droid already situated in his socket. They had tried to tell the droid that Anakin was coming right back, yet R2 had rolled passed them whirring offended, yet assuring, noises. It was if R2 knew his masters needed support with this.

"I'd better go. You know how impatient Obi-Wan gets if I make him wait," he reached for her, and she stepped into his arms. He hugged her tightly, the fear of losing her still darkening his thoughts. The distinct need to touch her one more time, before others were told, consumed him. Something inside of him whispered, telling him how the Jedi would take her from him. Yet, as her warmth calmed him, he was reminded that the Jedi had never consciously taken anything from him he wasn't willing to give.

They were pretty stingy with giving, however. The council room rang quite hollow when the person occupying a seat didn't hold the title of master.

Before the stirrings of stale anger could begin, he backed away from her.

"I'll be back soon."

Padmé inclined her head, and he remained rooted in his spot before her for just a moment. Conflict swam in his eyes, still caught in between fear of losing everything and the shining hope that the Jedi could help him.

"Everything's going to be fine, Anakin."

The words helped push him towards his starfighter, and inevitably closer to two forking paths.

As the five spires of the Temple came into view, Anakin finally took a moment for himself. Everything he loved about his life could change today. The threat he felt from the Jedi was absurd even to himself, yet he could not help himself. They had already shown a subtle distaste for his presence on the council. They had asked him to commit treason, and to betray a friend. The longer he thought about it, the more he believed that his love for Padmé wasn't half as monumental as what the Jedi had requested him to do. They served the Senate, after all, and Palpatine was at the head of that Senate.

It eluded him completely. Then again, he thought, maybe because it eluded him was why he was not trusted to be a master.

R2 beeped happily as the hangar doors opened to admit them. Anakin didn't particularly share the droid's enthusiasm. He brought the Eta-2 down gently amongst the other vessels, some Jedi, some not. Temple workers milled about, paying little attention to the lone Jedi exiting his fighter.

"Stay here, R2, I'll be back as soon as I can," he waited for the droid's affirmative and then reached out with his senses. His master seemed to still be in his quarters, so he headed that way. The hallways of the Temple were relatively empty, a testament to the many, many Jedi out fighting in the war. Gone were the days where the Temple bustled with activity. Now, it stood dead and quiet, awaiting the time when people gifted in the Force would pack its halls again. The Force was patient, and this building had stood for millenia. Anakin sincerely hoped it would stand another.

He passed a few people on his way, all of them greeting him. Never before had he seen the confused looks on their faces, unsure of whether to still call him "Knight Skywalker". Anakin shared their sentiment.

The closer he got to Obi-Wan's quarters, the stronger his master's presence became. It comforted him, even through the haze of fear. Finally, he was before the door. It felt like walking up to the pathway to doom. He swallowed and knocked.

Almost immediately, the door slid open and there stood his master.

"Whatever this is must be very important for you to actually show up on time."

Oh, it was certainly important; it was the most important thing in his life.

"Good morning to you, too, master," Anakin watched Obi-Wan grin slightly.

"Indeed. Come in."

Anakin hesitated, something inside of him clamoring for him to turn back, to go back home. Another part urged him, and this part, the part so deeply entwined with his wife, pushed him forward and he passed through Obi-Wan's door.

Always so barren, Jedi quarters were. Anakin looked around, and he knew why he adored Padmé's apartment more so than he ever had his room here. There was nothing here. No testament of a single Jedi's personality or character. Obi-Wan didn't seem bothered. Anakin recalled commenting upon the subject as a padawan, so many years ago. His master had shrugged and told him the Jedi were one entity. In the grand scheme of things, a Jedi did not have a separate personality or character. It had bothered Anakin then, and it still rang wrong to him now.

"So. What is this great piece of information that it couldn't wait until this afternoon?" Obi-Wan had apparently been going over the soundness of his lightsaber, for he had it unclipped from his belt and in his hand.

Anakin was suddenly horribly unsure of what to say. He wanted to wait until Padmé was with them before he divulged anything significant. The longer the silence dragged on, the higher Obi-Wan's brow rose.

"Anakin, is everything alright?"

This seemed to get the younger Jedi's attention.

"Actually, master. No. Everything is not alright."

The look of deep concern that flashed across Obi-Wan's features did not go unnoticed by his former padawan.

"What is it? What's happened?"

Anakin heaved a great sigh, "I can't tell you here."

Obi-Wan looked perplexed, as if the notion of information unable to be divulged in the Temple, of all places, was utterly foreign to him. Anakin supposed it was.

"I'd like to ask you to come with me, please. There's someone you and I need to speak to, together. I can't confide in you until they are present, too."

A long silence stretched between them, and the two Jedi stared at one another. One with fear and anxiety flashing in his eyes, the other a blank slate. Anakin had the sudden feeling that Obi-Wan would not agree to this.

"Please, master.. Please."

The hollow pain that filled the plea surprised Obi-Wan, as did the realization that Anakin did not beg for things.

The precipice stood between them. Obi-Wan only had to cross it. He watched Anakin quietly, seeing the deep distress on the other man's face. Now, Obi-Wan wouldn't call himself stupid, and neither would anyone else. He had a slight idea what this was about. They had stood together, Master and Knight, on many ships and through countless battles during this dreadful war. Obi-Wan always felt inside that Anakin's heart was elsewhere, kept safe. He had never bothered to think on the matter deeper, both out of respect for his friend, and the fear that one day, Anakin would go too far with his feelings. Obi-Wan had kept it separated from himself, and allowed himself to not think upon it.

Now, it reared up before them like an impending tidal wave. Obi-Wan finally sighed. Anakin was his dearest friend. He had raised the boy through the years, and he was unendingly proud of the Jedi Knight that stood before him now. The least he could do for Anakin was listen to what he had to say.

"Alright, Anakin. I'll go with you, and help if I can."

Obi-Wan watched his former padawan closely. The only emotion he could describe that came over Anakin's face was unending relief.

The trip from Obi-Wan's quarters back to his starfighter he only remembered as a haze. His master had followed behind him quietly, leaving both of them to their own thoughts. Anakin could not recall with clarity the exact things he had mulled over. The only thing that had pierced the fog was his gratitude that Obi-Wan was willing to at least listen.

Obi-Wan kept his mind clear, even when they had lifted off from the hangar and turned their Eta-2s towards 500 Republica. The huge building was a stone's throw from the Jedi Temple, and it loomed ominously above everything else around it.

The landing platform they wheeled around was very familiar to Obi-Wan, and he sensed rather than saw Padmé. Hope lingered that they needed him for something unimportant. It began to fade when they pulled alongside the platform.

Anakin practically fled his fighter, and Padmé drew up beside him. They shared a particularly poignant look; Obi-Wan only had to see it to know. Of course, there were many looks just like this one in the past. Now, however, Obi-Wan allowed himself to think upon it instead of pushing it aside. He watched Padmé break eye contact with Anakin, and she moved towards him as he stepped on to the hard floor of her apartment.

"Thank you for coming."

He supposed they expected him to report them immediately. Indeed, it's what he should do. But he had come here with an open mind, and he intended to leave with one later. So, Obi-Wan inclined his head and followed them into the sitting room.

"Please sit down."

"Thank you," he sat opposite of them. Now that Obi-Wan was actually focusing on their mannerisms, their love was painfully obvious. They were painfully synchronizes, and Anakin moved around her like she could break at any moment. Obi-Wan supposed she technically would. He was suddenly struck that Anakin both hid this so well from others, and that he managed to fight this awful war thousands of parsecs away while Padmé remained here. Of course, they only loved one another. He didn't yet fathom that Anakin was actually the father, of course. Perhaps that was what this was about. In that case, his help would be sorely limited.

"Master, I don't exactly know how to explain this, but I suppose I should start from the beginning. Do you remember the attempts on Padmé's life, just before the battle on Geonosis?"

"Of course. The Clone Wars began during that time."

Anakin nodded, "And do you recall the council sent me away to guard the senator on Naboo?"

"They thought that was best."

Indeed, to the two sitting in front of him.

"I fell in love with her on that mission."

Obi-Wan said nothing, so Anakin continued on.

"And she with me. How the rest of that time went, you're already aware. However, what you don't know is when the council sent us back to Naboo again, I asked Padmé to marry me."

This did get a response from his master. Obi-Wan stared at him with blank shock on his face; it was an expression Anakin was not used to, and it unnerved him. Finally, Obi-Wan blinked and slid his eyes to Padmé.

"I said yes. I've been Padmé Naberrie Skywalker for three years now."

To hear her say that to another person, even if it was only Obi-Wan, caused Anakin's heart to swell with pride. He took her hand and gripped it, thankful once more that she had chosen him to be her husband.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, looked dumbfounded. He seemed to be having trouble grasping the fact that his former padawan and the Senator of Naboo were married. Married and.. He looked to Padmé sharply. She was astute, as always, and answered his question without it having to be asked.

"He is the father of my child."

Oh.

Well, Obi-Wan wasn't often proved wrong. He felt like they had reached out and smacked him across the face. He had not realized how far their relationship had been taken. Certainly, he knew they were taken with one another, but never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined how deeply they were connected. It suddenly made an unbelievable amount of sense; the way they looked at one another when he and Anakin arrived back from the war, the way Anakin was a million miles away unless they were in the heat of battle. Anakin was also always careful to shield his emotions when Padmé was around. She, too, seemed so blank when Obi-Wan happened to be around the two of them.

He felt a bit hurt that they had neglected to trust him with this.

They seemed to be giving him a moment with his thoughts, and finally Obi-Wan let out a deep breath.

"That's.. unexpected."

They kept their faces devoid of emotion, and Obi-Wan thought they must be wary of his response.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

Anakin suddenly looked pained. This was the look he had been wearing since the day after they had rescued the Chancellor. It had disappeared in brief spells today, and Obi-Wan felt a little sorry to see it back. He was so used to Anakin's brash side.

"Do you remember the dreams Anakin used to have about his mother?" Padmé looked to her husband briefly.

"Yes, they caused him great anxiety."

Obi-Wan didn't particularly want to speak of the terrible dreams. However, the more he thought of it, the more the look on Anakin's face mirrored the way he had looked back then.

"Yes. He has had more dreams."

"They're about Padmé," Anakin looked to his master then, who kept his expression neutral. "My dreams tell me she will die."

"Die? Is she in danger again?"

"Not from a bounty hunter. I dream she dies in child birth."

"Are there any health concerns?" He directed this question to Padmé.

"No, none. I've kept a very strong eye on my health, especially when Anakin is away."

Obi-Wan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. If there weren't any signs that Padmé was having difficulties, then why would Anakin have these dreams? No, not why. Dreams were dreams, and Anakin had to know that.

"Sometimes, we have to remember very clearly that dreams are just-"

"Don't say that," Anakin's voice had the slightest edge of anger.

"I'm sorry, Anakin, but it's true. A Jedi will occasionally have dreams, just like any normal person. It doesn't mean they are an omen, or a premonition, it just means you're a human being."

"They feel exactly like the ones I had before, master. I waited to act upon them, and it cost me dearly. I won't have this happen to Padmé, I won't allow it."

Anakin stood abruptly. He needed movement. Padmé remained seated, looking up at him with worry reflected in her brown eyes. He hated to see her worry; she only deserved the best.

"Anakin."

Obi-Wan's quiet request for his attention dragged his focus away from his wife.

"You have to be very careful with premonitions. Especially of people close to you getting hurt, or of you yourself. You could fight and fight to save Padmé from something that only occurs because you are fighting. You could very well kill her yourself by trying to prevent what you have seen."

"I would never hurt Padmé."

"True. However, your actions could tip the scales, so to speak, towards the very thing you're trying to stop. Remember your lessons and calm down. Think about this like a Jedi, and not like a husband."

Anakin stopped pacing, and he knew inside of himself that Obi-Wan was right. Yoda himself had said something along the same lines in his meditation room. The future was cloudy, the council did not trust their visions anymore. The only thing preventing Anakin from letting this go was the horrible reality that he had been right once before. He could not live if this dream was right, too.

"I know. Gods, I know," he rubbed his eyes tiredly, the spike of depression threatening to return with the full force of its misery. "I've been so angry at the council for many reasons, yet this is the biggest. I need to research this further, to see if other Masters have ever had this happen to them."

"You are not a master."

Anakin slowly removed his hand from his face, ready to be angry at his master for reminding him. However, Obi-Wan rose and came towards him, stalling his feelings.

"But I am," Obi-Wan reached out and gripped his younger friend's shoulder, just like he had on so many occasions before, when Anakin had flashed small bits of his vulnerability. He couldn't help but smile slightly both at the man before him, and his wife, who watched the two Jedi with her own secret smile.

"I will help you with this, Anakin. You are a beloved friend, I could not turn my back upon the two of you with a clear conscious."

Anakin looked completely shell shocked, and he could not seem to bring himself to believe that Obi-Wan had actually offered to assist them with this.

"But.. the council. You report to them."

Obi-Wan gave a slight shrug, "I don't necessarily have to lie to them. If they don't ask the right questions, that is. Besides, you report to them, as well. They're no more aware of you and Padmé than I was."

The way they both stared at him amused Obi-Wan greatly. So, they both had believed he would let the council know right away. Indeed, this was not a normal course of action for himself. Yet, the longer he lived with Anakin under his wing, the more he was reminded that his friend did not go by the rules. He broke them every single day in combat, and yet he remained a good person. Obi-Wan sincerely knew that Padmé was everything good and bright in Anakin's world. He could not crush that. The Republic needed both of them.

"However, I will say that I will not condone keeping this secret much further than the birth of your child. The council has to be told, sooner or later."

Anakin sank down beside Padmé, who immediately took his hand again. Her husband seemed incapable of words, but she was immeasurably glad he had mustered up the courage to tell his master. She knew Obi-Wan would do right by them, and she was privately satisfied that Anakin now had someone else other than Palpatine he was absolutely sure he could rely upon.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. I can't describe to you the depth of my gratitude," her eyes practically shone with it.

"Of course. I will do anything I can to see you two through this."

"Thank you, master," Anakin finally seemed to be able to speak. Obi-Wan inclined his head.

"You should have told me sooner, my friend. Now, I must return to the Temple. Master Yoda asked to see me before the meeting later today. You are coming to that aren't you?"

The way Obi-Wan asked brought a snort from Anakin, and pieces of his personality erased by torment began to glue back together.

The forking path grew shorter and more narrow.