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Summary: Just before AotC. Anakin chooses to act on his dreams about his mother... but not in the way you might guess.

Chapter 1

Anakin woke gasping and lathered in sweat. The Force was writhing with disquiet carried over from his dream. His every sense was screaming at him.

Mom's in danger!

He rolled out of bed and padded out onto the balcony, sending a quick probe into the Force to see if Obi-Wan was still asleep.

By some miracle, he was.

Anakin heaved a sigh as the cool night air washed over his bare torso. Planting his legs apart, he stood steadily and gazed at the lights of Coruscant.

This was the third night he'd had the same dream. Mom is in danger. He knew it was a message from the Force, and he would have to act on it before the dream would cease plaguing him.

But what could he do? The Council would never let him go; Jedi weren't supposed to have attachments.

Anakin felt a stab of bitterness. If any other Jedi had a dream that someone was in danger, the Council would send them to help. It would be considered the will of the Force, the dream a signal...

But the bitterness lessened as an idea struck him. That just might work...

Turning back into the apartment, Anakin headed towards the holoterminal.

"Padawan Skywalker." Mace Windu's voice was even and measured – and gave away none of the curiosity he was feeling. "You requested an audience with the Council."

When he had re-entered the apartment the night before, Anakin had sent a message to the Council Chamber. An automated response had told him to be at the Chamber door at dawn.

He hadn't woken Obi-Wan. 'I can do this myself.'

Anakin bowed. "Yes, Masters." He could feel his stomach fluttering with nervousness. He was surrounded by twelve preeminent Masters of the Jedi Order, all of them experts in the ways of the Force, each of them renowned for their perfect 'Jedi calm'.

But today, the merest echoes of curiosity resonated off each one in the Force.

And it wasn't helping Anakin to calm down in the slightest.

He straightened and fixed his eyes on the ground in front of Master Yoda's chair. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak. "Masters, for the past few nights, I have been having dreams."

There was no sound. Anakin could feel all twelve sets of eyes on him. He felt a little foolish, and wished he'd thought to phrase it better. But it was said, and now he could only continue. "Actually, it's the same dream every night." He hesitated before continuing. "They're about my mother." He glanced up at Yoda and Windu, expecting to see disapproval on both their faces. But there was only the blank facade of Jedi calm.

Anakin wasn't sure which he would have preferred.

He closed his eyes before he spoke again. "Masters, she's in pain, in danger, I know it!" The desperation in his voice rang through the chamber.

"And you wish to go to her?" Windu asked. There was the disapproval Anakin had been expecting, plain in the Master's voice.

With a sigh, Anakin bowed his head and gazed once more at the floor. "No, Master."

The ripple of shock that whipped around the chamber was more obvious this time – but it was undercut once more with disapproval. Anakin sensed it, and knew what it signified. He sighed again, resignedly.

"Well, yes, Master. More than anything, I want to go to her." He looked up, and this time met Windu's gaze. The dark-skinned Master found himself taken-aback by the pain in Anakin's eyes. "But I know it won't be permitted."

Once more, a ripple of surprise circled the room. Skywalker was not raging against the Code, not lashing out in rebellion. He was clearly unhappy with the situation, but he had accepted the way things must be. Was he maturing?

Anakin let his eyes fall to the floor again. "Masters, I'd like to request that you send someone to Tatooine." He didn't dare look up. He had to get his request out, before he lost his nerve. "The dreams won't stop until I know something is being done about them. But if I know there is a Knight going to check on Mom, they should stop." Finally, he looked up, finishing in a rush. "I'll give them all the help they need – information about Tatooine, about Mom and Watto, about the dreams – everything I can give them. Just, please, act on this!"

The Force swirled around Anakin, emphasizing the desperation he was already revealing in his voice, his eyes, his posture.

For a few seconds, there was silence. Anakin closed his eyes once more. He felt like he had run a marathon. He took in a deep, shuddering breath. He had said his piece; it was out of his control now...

"Discuss this we must, Padawan Skywalker." Yoda spoke softly, as if wary of startling the young Jedi. "Await our decision outside you will."

Anakin nodded. "Yes, Master." He bowed once more. "Thank you for your time, Masters." The words and actions came automatically – they were expected of a Jedi. Then Anakin turned and fled.

Obi-Wan stared at the figure crumpled against the wall opposite the door to the Council Chamber.

He had awoken that morning to find a hastily scribbled note:

Gone to Council Chamber. A.

Now, here he found his Padawan. He had drawn his knees up to his chest, and buried his face in them. His arms were wrapped around his knees. His whole body shook with silent sobs. It was a pitiful image.

Obi-Wan moved slowly forward until he reached Anakin. Then he knelt in front of him. "Anakin?" he asked gently, reaching out to clasp one of the boy's shaking hands. Anakin looked up, startled, eyes wide and red-rimmed. "What happened? What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, deeply worried.

Anakin closed his eyes and explained, about his dreams and about his plea to the Council. Obi-Wan could sense the tension in his apprentice as he spoke. But he couldn't fathom why... why Anakin couldn't have told him...

"Anakin, I didn't know you having dreams." He spoke very softly, trying to sooth his padawan, his son. "You should have told me," he reproved gently. He couldn't help feeling a little hurt. Didn't Anakin trust him?

Anakin only nodded. "I know, Master. But I didn't... I didn't want you to think I couldn't handle it."

Obi-Wan, still holding Anakin's hand, shook his head gently. "There's nothing wrong with sharing your problems, Anakin. And asking for help won't make you seem weak." He gave his still-shaky apprentice a serious look. "Anakin, you know that you can always talk to me, don't you? About anything?" He moved his hands to Anakin's shoulders. "I would do anything for you, Anakin," he pledged.

Anakin smiled. It was tentative, but it was still a smile. "I know, Master. Thank-you."

Obi-Wan returned the smile. Anakin's words were genuine. He pulled the boy into a hug, sensing that that was what Anakin needed. True enough, he felt the tension leave him.

Pulling back, he looked at Anakin. Of particular concern to him were the red-rimmed blue eyes. "You just asked the Council to send someone to your mother," he prompted. Anakin nodded, unsure of what his Master was getting at. "Why were you crying?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

After a moment's confusion, Anakin understood what Obi-Wan was really asking. Why was he crying, when he had begun to put a plan in motion, when something would soon be happening? He shook his head. "I don't know if I've done the right thing," he told Obi-Wan quietly.

Obi-Wan nodded. For a short time, the two just sat together, Anakin taking comfort from Obi-Wan's presence. Eventually, Anakin took a shuddering breath. "Master," he began quietly, "could we meditate?"

Obi-Wan smiled at his Padawan. "Of course, Anakin." Together, they shifted into positions of meditation, and settled into the Force.

As the doors to the Council Chamber reopened, Anakin steeled himself. Obi-Wan had agreed to remain outside, at Anakin's request. He wanted to do this himself, and Obi-Wan respected that.

Anakin strode to the centre of the room. He bowed to the Council, then waited patiently for one of them to speak. His patience was silently marked.

Yoda was the one to speak. "Decided we have, a Knight and Padawan team to send."

Anakin's eyes widened with surprise and delight, but he did not speak. He sensed that it was not yet his turn.

Yoda gave the slightest nod, as if applauding Anakin's decision. "Join us now, the selected Knight will," he continued.

The door swung open once more, and in strode –

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Anakin's jaw dropped. He spun to face Yoda. There was a definite twinkle in the diminutive Master's eyes, though his face was expressionless.

Windu then spoke. "Your transport leaves at noon. Knight Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker will brief you on your mission."

Anakin bowed deeply. "Thank you, Masters!" he said jubilantly.

"Dismissed, you are," Yoda informed the pair. "Prepare you must."