A/N Hello! Welcome to the final chapter of A Certain Point of View. Sorry this is late. I'd hoped to get this up last week, but I was hit with a truly ridiculous amount of homework. But it's here now. I hope you all have enjoyed this story.

Disclaimer: It should be clear by now that I do not own Star Wars.

Re-acclimating him to the Jedi Order was going to be no easy feat.

Despite their dislike of the Jedi Master, the Skywalker family was more than happy to offer their assistance to Padme. Anakin especially offered his support with such enthusiasm that it made his brother laugh and mutter something in his ear that made the younger boy's face turn red. The young queen had tactfully ignored the brotherly teasing, simply smiling and asking what they were thinking of.

"I could do the Boonta Race!" Anakin suggested. Shmi's face paled a bit at that suggestion, and Obi-Wan didn't look much better, though he placed a comforting hand on his mother's shoulder.

"Boonta Race?" Padme repeated, looking distinctly alarmed at the elder Skywalkers' reactions to their youngest's suggestion.

"Pod Racing," Obi-Wan informed her reluctantly, making Qui-Gon blink in surprise. "Watto used to enter me in the Races when I was younger. I placed third a few timed and second once. About a year ago, Watto decided that I'd gotten too big and was slowing the Pod down, so he switched to Ani."

Qui-Gon frowned thoughtfully. He could understand Obi-Wan's being able to survive Pod Racing, what with his Force ability, but Anakin? Perhaps there was more than just one Force user in the family.

"I hate you two being in those races," Shmi was protesting. "Beings die in every race, and Boonta Eve is the worst! I die every time Watto makes one of you enter."

"But Mom, I love it," Anakin protested. "A lot more than Obi did," he added. "I've never even thrown up."

Obi-Wan sighed at what seemed like an old argument. "Honestly, Anakin, I did not throw up due to motion sickness. It was the concussion."

Shmi's face tightened at the reminder, and she pulled Obi-Wan closer to her until his head rested on her shoulder.

"Your not helping, Obi-Wan," Anakin hissed at his older brother.

The redhead shrugged as he wrapped his arms around their mother. "I wasn't trying to. I hate you being in the Pod Races too, Anakin. You forget that I spent years being entered in those blasted things. Do you think I like watching you do something that has broken nearly half the bones in my body at one point or another?" He squeezed his mother apologetically as she flinched at the reminder. "You've only been in four races so far, and you have already broken your arm and your collar bone, and there is never any guarantee that Watto will be willing to pay for Bacta Treatments."

Padme looked faintly nauseated as she took in Obi-Wan's words. "There's no reason for you to risk your life for us, Anakin. Our mission isn't yours."

"But I can help!" Anakin argued. "And that means I should. Isn't that what you tell us, Mom? That the biggest problem in this Galaxy is that no-one helps each other? And that Obi-Wan and I should always do what we can when we get the chance?"

Shmi closed her eyes and sighed in defeat. Obi-Wan, looking equally as upset, looked at her. "He has a point, Mom," he admitted unwillingly. "I don't like it, but Ani is their only chance. It's important that you get to where you're going, isn't it?" he asked their guests.

Padme looked like she wanted to argue, but couldn't find the words. Qui-Gon spoke up instead. "Yes, it is. Countless people could die if we do not complete our mission."

Padme gave the man an angry look, which he ignored. It was a good thing she didn't realize that he already knew her secret. As such, there was little she could do to stop him from pulling rank on her.

Shmi sighed, "Very well." Qui-Gon felt a faint stirring of guilt as he saw the defeated expression on her face. It must be a terrible feeling, to be a mother unable to protect your children.

The woman, keeping one arm around Obi-Wan, reached over to pull Anakin onto her lap. Seeming to relax at the feeling of both her children safe in her arms, the woman nodded. "Anakin will help you. I suppose, he was meant to help you. I may not feel the Force like my sons do, but I can tell when it's time to stop fighting it."

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The next day was a flurry of activity as the Skywalker brothers worked to get Anakin's homemade Pod in working order, Qui-Gon pitched in where he could, and Padme worked to keep Jar Jar from accidentally killing himself or anyone else.

"You should be proud of your sons," Qui-Gon told Shmi as they watched Anakin and Obi-Wan work. "They give with no thought of reward."
"They know nothing of greed," Shmi answered, her tone neutral. "They deserve better than lives of slavery, but that is what they were given. It is just the way of things."

"They are special," Qui-Gon remarked. He knew she was aware of the boys' Force sensitivity. "I suppose Obi-Wan trained Anakin in the Way of the Force?"

"As much as he could," Shmi replied with a shrug. "Apparently Ani is quite strong. Even Obi, with as little training as he had, could tell that much. He taught his brother as much as he knew, and the rest they have figured out on their own. Obi and Ani have had a special bond ever since the day Ani was born. They can do wonderful things together, my sons." Qui-Gon could hear the pride in the mother's voice as she spoke.

"Anakin is indeed quite powerful," Qui-Gon agreed, shying away slightly from the topic of Obi-Wan's Attachments. "If you don't mind me asking, who was his father?"

Shmi's face went carefully blank. "I do not wish to talk about it, Master Jedi," she replied stiffly.

Qui-Gon nodded and backed off, taking the hint. "My apologies, Madame. I did not mean to bring up painful memories."

Shmi gave him a curt nod and turned to call her sons in for midday meal. Qui-Gon did not approach her again.

SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSW

That night, Qui-Gon chatted with Anakin as he cleaned a cut on the boy's arm. Anakin was still wary of him, but his childish curiosity kept him talking and asking questions. This worked well for the Jedi, as he managed to sneak a sample of Anakin's blood to check his midi-chlorian levels. He would have to return to the ship in order to run the test, but he would be able to do that before the race the next morning.

As Anakin was called to bed by his mother, Qui-Gon safely stashed the blood sample in his robe pocket. As he looked up, he saw Obi-Wan watching him from the doorway, his face and Force Presence unreadable. The teenager eyed the Jedi with narrowed blue eyes for a few moments before following his mother and brother inside and closing the door.

Qui-Gon couldn't help but feel like Obi-Wan trying to tell him something with that action.

SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW

The next day dawned as bright as all Tatooine mornings, the twin suns seeming to bake the sands almost instantly. Qui-Gon regarded the two slave boys as he pulled himself up onto his rented eopie. He'd run Anakin's midi-chlorian levels, and the results had been astounding. He knew now that he needed to take both boys back to the Temple with him. With levels that high, Anakin could easily be the prophesied Chosen One, the being to bring Balance back to the Force. And if that were indeed the case, the boy needed to be trained, and he needed to start as soon as possible.

Once they arrived at the Pod Race track, Qui-Gon set out to find Watto. The Toydarian was at the betting counter, placing a bet on the current favorite, Sebulba.

"You don't believe that Anakin will win?" he asked the being mildly.

"Eh," Watto shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I have got great faith in the little boy, but he's not quite up to his brother's standard yet, and Obi never managed to win first."

"Besides," he continued, a sly look on his face, "I'll already get the winnings if my little boy wins the race, so why not add a few others, huh?"

"Then, I don't suppose you would like to make this a little more interesting?" Qui-Gon baited. "If Anakin wins, I get him and Obi-Wan."

Watto snorted derisively. "Not going to happen."

"Just the younger one then," Qui-Gon amended, fighting back his guilt at once again abandoning Obi-Wan.

"No deal!" Watto spat at him. "My boy already told me about your tricks, Jedi! Obi-Wan realized that you were playing us, and came to warn me not to make any more bets with you! I can't take back the ones I already made, but I'm not losing anything else to you!" Watto shook his head at the human and flew away, muttering to himself about cheating Jedi.

Qui-Gon was shocked. Obi-Wan had told Watto about him? Why the kriff would he do that?!

Silently stewing, Qui-Gon made his way back to where the Skywalkers and Padme were waiting for the start of the race. Padme was talking to Anakin, whose eyes were shining with excitement; and Shmi, who was clinging to her youngest son's shoulders like it would cause her physical pain when she finally had to let go.

Obi-Wan wasn't with them. Scanning the area, Qui-Gon caught sight of the young man standing next his brother's Pod, apparently keeping watch over it.

"What are you trying to do!" Qui-Gon demanded as he approached the boy.

Obi-Wan raised a ginger colored brow at him. "I'm guarding Anakin's Pod," he replied calmly. "Cheating and sabotage are time-honored traditions in Pod Racing."

"I mean, what were you doing when you told Watto that I was a Jedi?" Qui-Gon had to force himself to keep his voice quiet.

"I saw the look on your face when you were talking to Anakin last night," Obi-Wan replied. His voice remained level as he spoke to the irate Jedi. "And I saw you steal a sample of his blood. I know you were going to try to buy my little brother, and I wasn't about to let that happen."

"You mean free him," Qui-Gon corrected haughty.

"No, I mean buy him," Obi-Wan repeated. "You want him as your own, as property of the Jedi. I saw the moment when you decided that you wanted Ani more than you wanted me, when you realized he would be worth more to you. I won't let you have him any more than I was going to let you take me."

"The Jedi don't own anyone!" Qui-Gon snapped. "We are peacekeepers, not slavers."

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly. "The Jedi are blind to their own station. You are just as much of a slave as I am, the only difference is that my Master is honest about it. You may not have explosives in your body, but you are trapped by the fact that you have nowhere else to go. You are forbidden to cultivate meaningful relationships, or finding new ways to live. They control you by keeping you reliant upon them, and they don't even realize it themselves."

Qui-Gon remained silent, shocked by the accusations being thrown at him by the former Initiate. It was clear that he believed every word he was saying.

Obi-Wan continued. "My life may not be ideal, but at least I have my family. I can love my mother and my brother, and allow them to love me in return. I have the possibility of freedom, for myself and for my family. We will gain it one day, I am certain of that. And then, perhaps I will fall in love and marry. I hope to be a husband and father one day, and spend my life surrounded by 'Attachments'. As one of the Jedi, these things would be forbidden to me."

"I am more free now than a Jedi could ever achieve. And my brother and I are not going to give that up." With that final statement, Obi-Wan turned to watch Anakin approach. He smiled at his brother, helping him up into the Pod and whispering a few last minute words of advice.

Qui-Gon watched silently. There wasn't anymore to say.

SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW

Anakin won the race, the first human ever to do so. As such, he'd also broken the record previously held by Obi-Wan, a fact that the younger brother was infinitely proud of.

Obi-Wan couldn't care less about a record. He was just glad his little brother made it out in one piece.

He was also glad that Qui-Gon Jinn had gotten what he needed so that he could leave. Obi-Wan didn't bear a grudge against the Jedi, but he had been getting really tired of the man's self-righteous attitude and attempts to break apart Obi-Wan's family. Frankly, he was glad to see the back of the man.

He was sad to see Padme and Artoo leave, though. He knew Anakin felt the same, judging how the younger boy had climbed into his bed with him rather than sleep in his own on the other side of their small room.

Oh, well, Obi-Wan thought, tucking the sleeping Anakin's head comfortably under his chin. That is just the way of things.

He pressed his face into soft blond hair and closed his eyes. It had been a busy few days, and he needed his sleep.

After all, there would be work to get done tomorrow.

A/N Well, there you go. My first completed story. Did you like it?

BUT HEY! If you enjoyed this story, let me know. I have ideas for a prequel and a sequel (Star Wars Style, baby ;P ). So if people are interested in reading those, I'd be willing to write them.

Just so you know, the prequel would be about Obi-Wan's journey from the Jedi to being Shmi's son, and would fill in all of those blanks up to meeting Qui-Gon again. The sequel is about them gaining their freedom and includes Cliegg Lars and Owen. If your interested, let me know in a ..,

REVIEW! (or PM, I suppose. Either works.)