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Maul dreamt.

During his years of exile, his dreams had crashed and shrieked through his mind, fraught with anger and hatred. Visions of revenge and fire bled into his waking hours, and he'd howl at their appearance, unsure if he wanted his visions to cease or persist. Since Mother Talzin and Savage had restored his mind, his dreams had acquired a new focus, revenge and anger now tempered with clarity. The shrieks no longer haunted him, giving way to whispers of chains as beautiful darkness crept through his unconscious.

Such whispers beckoned to him now, sharp warning lacing through their message. Maul stirred in his sleep, expecting his old visions of Kenobi to appear. Yet the figure that slowly appeared before him wore dark robes as opposed to Kenobi's cream-colored tunics, with spindly fingers curling from the edges of his sleeve. A fresh chill went through Maul's body.

Master.

The dark figure paid him no mind, engrossed in conversation with an unseen man. Dooku, Maul's mind supplied as a wave of anger rolled through him. His old master hadn't waited for him, had proceeded with the glorious plan that master and apprentice had carefully hatched so long ago. But he was no longer Sidious' apprentice any longer, was he? Discarded, broken. He now stood on the precipice of a galaxy in ruins, a prospect Maul had so relished when he had thought he'd rule such ruins, not crawl through them like an insect.

I am not an insect. I am not a puppet. I am not an apprentice. I WILL NOT LIVE MY LIFE IN CHAINS.

Maul's eyes snapped open, taking in his surroundings. He was lying on a cot in a bare room blocked with a humming force shield. Various monitors blinked around him, though he noted the Jedi had not seen fit to equip him with new limbs. Shifting as much as he could, Maul cast his gaze to the other side of his cell where Savage lay unconscious. A brief flutter of relief touched Maul, feeling rather surprised at the reaction. He'd pushed aside such weak emotions in his quest for vengeance, but his brother had slowly chiseled away at his reservations. Savage had been the one to find him after all, giving him a new life when no other being in the galaxy would have deigned to spit at him.

A flash of a smile, An affectionate tug at his horns.

Come brother, Savage laughed, you'll miss the sunset. And Feral will finish your food. Maul laughed, high and carefree as he chased the sun.

Maul snarled as he pushed the memory away, a testament of his weakness. Why should he care who he was before he became Sith, before Sidious took him as an apprentice? Before he stole you, the voice whispered. Before he twisted you, betrayed you, renounced you, abandoned you-

Groaning, Maul shut his eyes, refusing to think on the matter any longer. With the beeps of his cell and the soft breaths from Savage settling in his ears, he drifted back into an uneasy sleep.

Rage. Unbridled rage, red sand, screams from every direction, they had to pay, they all had to pay-

Bolting awake, Anakin gasped as the nightmarish memory faded. His sleep tunic was damp with sweat and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he blinked at the darkness around him.

We're still on the ship. We're on our way to Coruscant.

Trying to ground himself in the soft vibrations of the ship and the course threads of his blanket, Anakin nearly missed the quick footsteps that hurried to his bed.

"Anakin? Are you all right?"

Anakin jerked his head toward Obi-Wan who stood next to his bedside with concern alight in his eyes. He nodded slowly, still trying to wrest his breathing into control. "I'm fine. Just a nightmare," he said, avoiding Obi-Wan's eyes.

Obi-Wan sighed, moving to sit on the edge of Anakin's bed. Despite the lingering remnants of his nightmare, Anakin smiled. There had been many times he'd wished his master would stay with him during one of his foul moods or nightmares, only to have the older man retreat. He understood his master had simply wanted to give him space, but he appreciated the ease with which Obi-Wan now approached him about his feelings, without Anakin needing to ask.

"Perhaps you could tell me about it?" suggested Obi-Wan gently, placing a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I could make tea."

"You can't solve the galaxy's problems with tea, Master," said Anakin rolling his eyes, though his tone held no reproach.

"Maybe not," said Obi-Wan, raising an eyebrow, "But perhaps I can solve yours, hm?" He rose, offering a hand to Anakin, who took it without hesitation. They made their way to the ship's small kitchenette, and Anakin looked on wordlessly as Obi-Wan prepared the tea. The simple act of watching his master gracefully make the tea always calmed him far more than the actual beverage itself did, no matter what Obi-Wan said about tea's healing properties. By the time Obi-Wan set the two steaming cups on the table, Anakin's heart rate had slowed and tendrils of sleepiness had begun to poke at him again.

Sipping his tea, Obi-Wan allowed Anakin a moment with his thoughts before deciding to try again. "So, this dream of yours," he started slowly, "Would you mind telling me what it was about?"

Anakin mindlessly stroked the rim of his tea cup, shame creeping through him. "Nothing you don't already know about," he muttered sadly. "It was about the Tuskens again. What happened on Tatooine." He refused to look at Obi-Wan, fixating his gaze on his steam rising in front him.

Obi-Wan nodded, taking another sip of his tea. "Anakin," he started, brow furrowing when his young friend continued to avoid his gaze. "Anakin," he said more insistently, "Please look at me." He gave Anakin a gentle smile when Anakin dragged his eyes to meet his own, disturbed at the self-loathing he could feel prickling their bond. "I thought we had spoken about this. You are a good man, a good man who did a horrible thing and who has suffered tremendously because of it. It was a crime that sprang from a litany of other abuses. It does not excuse what you did," he told Anakin earnestly, "but neither is it healthy for you to feel such hatred for yourself. It helps neither you nor those you have hurt." He reached out to grip Anakin's hand. "I certainly don't feel that way about you. I told you we would figure it out after the war. And I will help you."

Anakin sniffed, gripping Obi-Wan's hand like it was a lifeline as tears started to trickle down his face. "It's just- all this talk about changing the Order, staying a Jedi even with all these attachments. I don't really deserve it, Obi-Wan," he said looking at his master desperately. "Who am I to suggest that things should be different when I've kriffed up so many other things? When so much darkness already lives inside me?"

"Could you not say the same things about me?" said Obi-Wan looking at Anakin sadly. "You forget that when I came close to the dark, it was your light that saved me."

"That's different," said Anakin, frowning. "You were under incredible pressure- "

"And you were not?" said Obi-Wan raising an eyebrow at Anakin.

"How do you know I won't do it again?" demanded Anakin, despair exploding through their bond as he looked Obi-Wan straight in the eye. "How do you know the Jedi weren't wrong when I first came to the Temple, that it was a mistake to train someone as dangerous as me?" He scoffed, looking back down at the table. "Lets face it, we all know I'm a lousy Chosen One."

"Anakin," said Obi-Wan, stroking a thumb over his friend's hand, "Healing is not linear, nor is redemption. You've made mistakes before, and I have no doubt you'll make more-"

"Don't I know it," Anakin muttered.

"- but that does not make you dangerous, or a terrible Chosen One or-or whatever is going through your mind. It simply makes you human. It makes you a child of the Force, with all its light and darkness. Look at you now," he said smiling at his friend, "Before you would have locked yourself in room and sulked and refused to talk to me for days-"

"I don't sulk," said Anakin sulkily.

"And yet here you are. You are reflecting, you are listening to advice, and you are making change within yourself. No amount of galactic healing can occur unless you find healing within yourself first."

Warmth rushed through their bond, easily banishing the self-doubt and shame that had grabbed foothold there. Anakin closed his eyes, allowing his master's words and affection sink into him, and sent his own rush of love back to Obi-Wan, grateful for the man's steady presence. Obi-Wan was right, he knew he was, but to let go of the jaded perception he had of himself was going to prove a monumental task, even for the Chosen One.

But he knew, with the deepest certainty he had ever felt, that Obi-Wan would help him through it.

As he carefully lowered the ship on the Temple's landing platform, Anakin glanced curiously over at Obi-Wan. The man had the same serene exposition he always wore on his face, but Anakin could feel small sparks of something tingling along their bond.

Anakin gaped at Obi-Wan, before a small grin threatened to break through his features. "Are you anxious about talking to Windu?"

"Master Windu is my esteemed colleague," said Obi-Wan primly. "I would be nothing but glad to confer with him about recent events."

"He's gonna chew you about your rogue mission, huh?"

Obi-Wan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Probably."

"There, there, Master," Anakin said with the most innocent expression he could muster. "Just remember that this will be cake compared to when he finds out you're engaged. I'll start planning the funeral then."

"Have you forgotten that you have not only already married, but have been hiding the fact for the entire war?" grumbled Obi-Wan as they made their way to the ramp.

Anakin shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I'd already destroyed all of Windu's hopes and dreams for me years ago."

"He's got a point there," muttered Ahsoka as the trio made their way down the ramp, where Master Windu himself stood arm-crossed awaiting their arrival.

"Master," said Obi-Wan as the Jedi bowed to each other. "I thank you for the kind reception."

"'Kind' only because we're in public, Kenobi," said Mace, looking unimpressed at the trio. "And because throwing you three off the roof of the Temple would be bad for morale."

Thank the Force for small favors, smirked Anakin through their bond as Obi-Wan fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Of course, Master Windu," said Obi-Wan unfazed. "I assume the Council will want our report as soon as possible?"

"We were hoping to debrief as soon as you returned, but we are still waiting for a few Council members to become available." Mace sighed, looking like he hadn't slept for a few days. "And Chancellor Palpatine has requested Skywalker's presence as soon as he was able. You can return your borrowed ship," he said, glowering at Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, "while Skywalker meets with the Chancellor. We'll reconvene in a few hours."

Obi-Wan bowed. "Of course, Master."

"Please try to refrain from wreaking havoc until we meet," said Mace sternly as the three Jedi looked on with innocent expressions. "Or at least keep it to minimum," he said darkly as he turned back to the Temple.

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka exchanged amused looks as they parted to accomplish their respective tasks, Anakin quickly fetching a speeder to make his way to Palpatine's office. He had to wait only a minute or two before the Chancellor threw the doors open, a grandfatherly smile plastered on his face.

"Anakin, my dear boy!" he said, inviting the young Jedi over to the couches. "I cannot begin to tell you how relieved I am to see you."

Anakin smiled back. "I can't imagine why."

"I was quite worried," continued Palpatine, sitting back in his chair. "I had commed the Council to see if you'd be available for an assignment, and they told me you were incapacitated. I do hope nothing too serious happened."

"Just a mission that went a little awry," reassured Anakin. He was tempted to tell Palpatine the full details of what had occurred with Maul, but a strange instinct held him back. Anakin blinked, unsure of what had triggered the feeling, but deciding to trust it anyway. "Obi-Wan and Ahsoka pulled me out of trouble just in time," he said instead. "Nothing to worry about."

"Are you quite sure, my boy?" said Palpatine, concern coloring his features. "I know you mentioned Master Kenobi has been rather difficult to work with lately. It must have been a stressful mission."

A swell of anger roared within Anakin at Palpatine's criticism before he tamped it down. The Chancellor had only been working off of previous conversations he'd had with Anakin, after all, especially in the wake of the Rako Hardeen mess. He took a deep breath before answering, "No, Obi-Wan's been really great actually. I think we've managed to work through some stuff."

Palpatine's eyes seemed to narrow in anger for just an instant, before his face smoothed over again. Anakin blinked, figuring he must have imagined it. The Chancellor had just been worried about him, that's all.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that Anakin," said Palpatine in a pleasant tone. "I just know that Master Kenobi is quite devoted to the Order. I know it's none of my concern, but I just worry that he doesn't pay you the proper trust and respect you deserve. You are no longer his padawan after all."

Obi-Wan's the most trustworthy man I've ever met! Anakin nearly snapped before reigning in his tongue. Where was all this anger coming from? The Chancellor was his friend. He was just trying to help, Anakin told himself, though he could feel himself becoming uneasy with the direction the conversation was taking."I think… I may have been a little unfair with my old master," answered Anakin at last, forcing a smile onto his face. "The war is changing so many things. I need as many people on my side as I can."

"Yes, I understand," said Palpatine placing a hand on Anakin's forearm. "And I hope you will always count as one of those on your side."

"Of course, Your Excellency," said Anakin quickly. They spoke only a little longer, the conversation turning toward various matters on the war before Anakin eventually announced his need to return to the Temple. As he piloted the speeder back, Anakin found himself breathing deeply, trying hard to shake off the strange sensation of unease he had felt since he'd left Palpatine's office.

Maybe he'd lay off on the visits to the Chancellor for now.