A/n: Enjoy! Thank you for reading my story.

Disclaimer: don't own any of the characters.

Getting Even

"Get in," Obi-Wan forced Anakin past the threshold that leaded to their premises, "and sit down," he walked in after him closing the door behind him. Anakin walked through the kitchen and entered the living room flopping down on the main couch with an angry expression on his face. Obi-Wan entered the room next.

"This is the last time," he said with a stern expression.

"It wasn't me-"

"It's never you Anakin!" the young master let his hands rest on his hips, "you haven't been here a full year and everybody knows you're trouble. How do you explain that?" he stared as the boy innocently shrugged his shoulders.

"The nerve!" Obi-Wan held his forehead having difficulty believing what new hoax his young mischievous apprentice had now pulled off.

"I thought he'd understand," said Anakin in his sweet little voice.

"Why would he understand?" Obi-Wan frowned, "there is no reason your meditation teacher should know huttese Anakin. You had no need to speak back to him like that in front of everybody especially if you had nothing good to say!" he added. Anakin stared at his master then his eyes traveled to his feet on the ground.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry is not enough this time," the mentor crossed his arms on his chest, "why is it everything I tell you comes in one ear and leaves right out the other?" the boy's shattered look and innocent expression made Obi-Wan look away. He didn't want to soften. Anakin deserved a more severe punishment. It was the fourth time in eight months they had visited master Windu for disciplinary issues. For Anakin it didn't seem like much. For Obi-Wan Kenobi it was more than enough.

"You will come straight home after Order lessons from now on-"

"But-"

"I don't want to hear it," Obi-Wan cut off, "light-saber training will be earlier in the morning and you can add two more hours to your afternoon meditation practice-"

"Not more-"

"You've earned it. You need to contemplate over the course of your actions. Excellence is pivotal to the Jedi mind padawan. Your ill-behavior will not be tolerated," repetitive knocking on the door attracted Obi-Wan's attention.

"Get cleaned up. This schedule starts today," he walked towards the entrance of the headquarters.

"You have some explaining to do," the meditation teacher, a Zebrak from the planet of Iridonia, was enraged.

"Sarjo I am terribly sorry…" Obi-Wan's voice indistinct, Anakin narrowed his eyes at his master then looked ahead of him still angry. What in the world was he going to do with four hours of meditation? Meditating an hour longer than he should have had been hard enough now he had to add two more hours!? It was maddening!

"Get cleaned up Anakin," the boy heard his master say again. He obediently followed orders…

A Shower, Dinner and a Few Completed Lessons Later…

Anakin stood outside on the balcony his short legs spread the width of his shoulders with his arms crossed on his back. He tried closing his eyes but couldn't help his mind drifting off to a plan that would help him escape the dreadful meditation castigation. He hated meditating mostly because his mind was always someplace else and it was extremely difficult to keep focused on absolutely nothing at all. His master always said meditation helped ease the troubled mind and brought inner peace to the self. He also said it developed concentration skills. Right. Whatever that meant…

Anakin closed one eye. A pod racer rushed through the view of the balcony making him open both eyes wide. The boy stared at the sky. There were pods gathered on a single spot looking as if about to begin a race. An idea suddenly came to mind.

"R2?" he called at the empty headquarters his master having just left to meet with Master Yoda at the tower for the Council of First Knowledge. R2 came to view the buttons on the front part of his armaments blinking.

"Let's go for a ride…"

"…yes master" Obi-Wan, seated across master Yoda, put his hands together and closed his eyes losing himself in his thoughts. Following Qui-Gon's death both Jedi got together twice a week in order for Obi-Wan to learn and perfect his skills as a Jedi Master. Being one of the youngest Jedi Masters in the history of the Jedi wasn't exactly a dream to live; he knew he had much work to do. Members of the council were all much older than he was. It took them that long to complete their training. It took them that long to prepare for the task of teaching a young one the ways of the force. Obi-Wan had to grow old without being young. Though there came a time he believed he wasn't ready for the task master Yoda never doubted he was. Being a Jedi Master required great intellect above all and though he lacked experience the young master was knowledgeable unlike any Jedi his age.

"Hmmm," Yoda grumbled, "in trouble again your padawan is," he said. Obi-Wan felt his cheeks grow hot. He wasn't intending on letting Yoda know. The whole thing was embarrassing enough.

"Yes master," he said self-conscious, "he has been disciplined," he informed. Yoda sighed.

"Troubled young Skywalker is," he said.

"With all due respect, my master," Obi-Wan spoke, "troubled is the last he seems," he said making Yoda smile.

"Patience master Kenobi. He will learn…"

"Yes R2," Anakin walked through a line of parked race pods all belonging to the Jedi Order. As he so often found himself doing R2 was attempting to talk Anakin out of breaking the rules…again.

"I know I'm not supposed to," Anakin spoke again, "but you know how boring meditation is. Besides we'll be done before he comes back," Anakin turned towards his chosen vehicle. It was a yellow ship with white stripes incredibly like a regular car only with no wheels and the shinny motor compound sticking out the back.

"Come on let's go" he turned to R2. R2 wasn't moving. "What's wrong?" Anakin asked with furrowed brows. R2 started beeping uncontrollably making him roll his piercing blue eyes.

"Come on R2. I can't win if you don't come with me," he said. R2 wouldn't budge. "It's gonna be a lot of fun. You wanna miss that? I don't think so," Anakin tried being persuasive. R2 seemed to be thinking about it.

"I'll say I dragged you into it if we get in trouble. How about it?" asked Anakin. There was no need to say more. R2 was engaging to secure the ship in no time…

The race was almost started when Anakin arrived at the scene.

"Sorry kid," said a dug from the planet of Malastare apparently taking account for all the contestants, "you're out of luck."

"Please sir," pleaded Anakin R2 beeping beside him to total a whole whining orchestra the two of them. The dug gave it some thought.

"What will you bet?" he asked. Anakin looked at R2 uncertain.

"I don't have any-"

"Say," the dug interrupted with a hiss, "that's a nice pod," he mentioned. Anakin widened his eyes.

"This," he patted the race pod "this isn't my pod," he informed. The dug narrowed his eyes at him.

"Well then…you're not competing in my race," he turned his back on them.

"W-wait," Anakin called in a rush, "alright. I'll bet the race pod," he said. The dug smiled pleased.

"That's more like it. Better get in place. Starts in three…two…one…"

"Speak to your padawan you must, Obi-Wan," suggested master Yoda as the pair left the tower where the Council of First Knowledge met on regular basis. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I will master. He's a good learner when he's not involved in mischief. I just can't understand why he sticks to this unruly behavior," he said. Yoda grumbled.

"We've practiced resilience today. Practice it yourself you should," he suggested.

"Oh I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities," said Obi-Wan too sure of this fact. At the corner of the long hall they were walking through appeared no other than Ki-Adi-Mundi a very tall member of the Jedi council looking more or less like a man with pale skin and a very lengthy body including his head.

"Hello," he greeted, "your pupil is doing wonderfully master Kenobi," he complimented. Obi-Wan furrowed his brows.

"Sorry. I'm not sure I understand," he said puzzled.

"Why the race of course!" Ki-Adi sounded most excited. Obi-Wan, however, was not.

"Oh the race, yes," he faked a smile; "would you excuse me?" he walked past him leaving both masters to themselves now.

"Have I said something wrong?" he asked. Yoda shook his head silent….

Anakin had just started the third and final lap. He could hear the crowd momentarily as he swept past them in the space pod he had borrowed from the Jedi Order. They looked like a blur of all sorts of colors from his seat but his eyes couldn't ponder on them too long for he had to focus on the road so not to make a mistake and end up losing his ship along with his pride. He was riding in first place at the moment but if there was one thing he had learned from pod races, especially unofficial ones, was that all drivers knew of hidden passages and they only used them in the final lap. He had to keep an eye on those not just to learn the roads but also to make sure he stayed ahead no matter what.

As he drove through what could be considered an aerial highway, dodging cars here and cutting cars there, he realized no one yet had managed to get ahead of him. The race pod was faster than he had considered. He could see the end-line ahead, not so distant now, and the feeling he was going to win washed over him like rain. A speed racer appeared out of nowhere behind him making spluttering noises in protest because Anakin was too far from him. Anakin sped up a little bit. The blurs that were people becoming rays of light now, he held his breath. Loud cheering took over the site which could only mean one thing. He had won.

Anakin stopped abruptly. Taking off his helmet he stood from his seat. This was the second time he had been able to finish a race, not only that, but he had won it too.

"We did it R2!" the boy jumped excited. As he turned in circles to wave at all the entities applauding them he spotted the one person he never thought would be here. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin ceased jumping. He took a seat never breaking eye contact with his master.

"I know," he said out loud as R2 bleeped in frenzy, "yes, I remember," he said again for R2 wanted to make sure he remembered their deal in case they were busted. Obi-Wan looked disappointed enough to make Anakin feel as if it had been the whole council standing there with him. The young master turned away and disappeared through the crowds of creatures. Anakin swallowed hard. He felt his face warmer than usual and a tingling sensation stung deep in his chest. It was shame.

"Let's go," he powered the ship and drove away from glory, without his price, and completely dejected. A dark cloud took over his thoughts. What if his master had had it? What if his master decided he wasn't going to take it anymore? What if the council decided they had had enough and they all agreed to send him home? His dream of becoming a Jedi, he put it at risk, all for a stupid race, all for disobeying his master, the one and only person he felt genuinely looked out for his best interest. That was really stupid Anakin didn't fail to mention it to himself as him and R2 sped off towards the place they now knew as home…

Anakin walked in the headquarters his stare fixed on the marble-tiled floor. The kitchen light was off and so was the living room light, he noticed, as he walked further inside. There was only one place he knew to go to find his master though he really didn't want to go. His heart beating as if it wanted to burst out of his chest Anakin walked slow heavy steps towards Obi-Wan's bedroom preparing himself for the one and only thing he considered worse than a death sentence: the end of his Jedi training.

"Come in," Obi-Wan called following Anakin's knocks on his bedroom door. The boy walked inside his bright blue eyes still plastered on the marble floor as he closed the door behind him.

"Sit down," Obi-Wan's voice was calm and soothing which made Anakin look up momentarily. His eyes, however, had a certain fire burning within them which made Anakin look down again. Finally reaching his master's bed he sat on it very quiet. A minute or two passed by in silence Obi-Wan thinking of what to say and Anakin playing with his fingers nervously. Holding his chin with one hand, his other arm resting across his chest, the young master decided to speak.

"I have no words, Anakin," he threw his hands in the air, "I'm speechless," he sighed heavily. Anakin swallowed yet said nothing. Just earlier today apologizing had made his master grow angrier than he had been. Sorry was the only card he could play at this moment. He decided, for the better of the conversation, using it would be a terrible idea.

"I've told you numerously that the course of your actions reflects upon us both," Obi-Wan spoke again, "what you did is uncalled for. You deliberately disobeyed my orders. I can't even begin to describe how disappointed I am," he said his eyes falling upon Anakin's now shriveled figure. Anakin dared to look up at him.

"You will have to explain yourself to the council young one," said Obi-Wan still looking quite upset. Anakin's expression changed from guilty to fearful. Explaining himself to the Jedi council in other words meant the final verdict rested with the members of the council not with his master. This in all meant exclusion from the Jedi Order was now more plausible than ever.

"Yes master," Anakin heard himself reply softly. His master's silence was an indication that they were done talking.

"Straight to bed from here," said Obi-Wan never turning from the window in his bedroom to look at Anakin one last time. Anakin hung his head and exited the room. Breathing profoundly he headed to his room.

At half past midnight Obi-Wan was still turning in bed. He rolled one last time so his chest was facing the ceiling and opened his eyes wide letting out a breath. This whole thing with Anakin felt like it was more than he could handle. He was honored to have been given the opportunity to fulfill his master's dying wish but couldn't help thinking lowly of himself as a teacher. Anakin broke the rules every now and again which obviously reflected upon his lessoning or lack thereof. But what else could he do? Apprehension didn't seem to work. Taking him up to the council seemed secondary to him. Extra hours of meditation seemed to have the latest effect on him. What else could he do? At this exact moment the door to his room became wide open. The shadow was that of a boy he knew all too well.

"Master?" called Anakin from the door.

"Yes Anakin," said Obi-Wan in a tired tone. Anakin sniffled.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked into the darkness.

"I was never mad at you," said Obi-Wan seating up in bed.

"So you won't mind if I sleep with you?" asked the boy innocently. Obi-Wan yawned shortly.

"Come on," he said his bed sheets and comforter rustling as he re-positioned himself so Anakin could fit in his full-sized bed. Anakin jumped onto the bed his figure so small there was more bed than him.

"Master?" he called soon after getting settled.

"Yes Anakin," said Obi-Wan staring at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry," Anakin pulled up his card now. Obi-Wan sighed.

"I know you are," he said. "Where did you learn to fly like that?" he tried to locate his padawan's face through the night.

"Watto let me compete all the time," said Anakin.

"It's mad," the young master spoke with a tone that clearly declared he thought the form was more than dangerous. Anakin smirked to himself.

"What about you? I never see you flying," he commented.

"I hate flying," confessed Obi-Wan, "I can never enjoy it," he said. Anakin's bright blue eyes were apparent even through the dark.

"Well I wanna be the best Jedi pilot in the galaxy," the boy said. Obi-Wan sighed.

"Don't mind me. I won't beat you to it," he said tiredly making Anakin chuckle. They closed their eyes at the same time.

"Jedi pilots are also disciplined," Obi-Wan mentioned casually. Anakin self-evaluated himself rather quick.

"I can be disciplined," he said. Obi-Wan's eyes shot open.

"Disciplined means staying regimented all the time not just when you feel like it. Means following every rule not only the ones you find easy to follow," he explained.

"I won't break the rules again," Anakin yawned, "promise," he added finally. Obi-Wan smirked to himself.

"You can tell that to the council tomorrow," he whispered, "master Windu will be pleased to hear it, I'm sure," he added calmly. Anakin stood speechless.

"We're still going?" he asked quietly.

"That remains to be seen," said Obi-Wan. How he loved to play with the child's mind. Maybe having a rascal for a Padawan wasn't so bad after all…

"Good night," he dismissed himself feeling Anakin snuggle up against him still pensive.

"Is there a chance I don't have to go?" asked Anakin now worried.

"It strictly depends on your behavior," he said. Maybe he'd tell him they weren't really going to the council in the morning. Right now it was hard not to enjoy. For all the wrong he had done, he surely deserved it. Payback was sweet…getting even was priceless.

The End. I guess this means I'm alive. It's been a while. Those of you that came here solely to see what is to become of "Fame II" please go to my profile. The rest of you, thank you for reading and please review. It's all I ask.