Hello all! I apologize for the wait; fan fiction was giving me enough error messages to drive me up the wall. To say that I was frustrated was an understatement, and so I finally just gave up and waited out a day. But here it is now! Enjoy!

Chapter Five: Resolution

Anakin could sense his master coming before he saw him. There was no mistaking the familiar bright presence approaching. Anakin's anxiety skyrocketed.

He waited until his master had entered the waiting room, and then he rose to his feet. The healer beside him rose as well. Anakin didn't know why he was there, when both Obi-Wan and he had already been briefed, but the healer had assured him that it as more of a medical supervision precaution than a matter of guardianship. But to Anakin, it was still embarrassing all the same. He was being picked up as if he was a youngling. Though he had assured the healers multiple times that he would keep rigorous activity to a minimum, they had come along anyway. So much for his pride.

Obi-Wan headed right over to them. His face was almost completely unreadable, and when he reached them, he folded his arms over his chest and looked expectantly at the healer.

"All cleared, Master Kenobi."

"Thank you, Master."

Obi-Wan waited until the healer had given a curt smile and exited to turn his attention to Anakin. Anakin almost immediately flinched. Obi-Wan's eyes had that uncanny ability to see right through him, and right now his gaze made Anakin uncomfortable.

"Well, Padawan," he began once they were alone. His arms were folded tightly across his chest. "There's much to explain."

Anakin gave a short nod, finding it was difficult to look his master in the eye.

Obi-Wan's gaze did not falter as he looked at Anakin expectantly, though sternly. "We can talk when we get back to the dormitories," he granted him. When Anakin dipped his head in assent, he nodded to Anakin's ankle. "Can you walk on it?"

Anakin nodded again, and when Obi-Wan had studied his response to confirm that his apparent lifelessness was not stemming from hidden pain, they turned from the Halls of Healing.

"It was difficult explaining this to the Council." Obi-Wan broke the silence once they had entered Anakin's room. "The masters were not happy with my lack of understanding of the situation."

It was obvious that Obi-Wan expected an immediate explanation. Anakin nodded once more, but it was apparent to both that his continued silence was only delaying the inevitable.

Obi-Wan seemed to sigh in resignation. "Please explain, Anakin, because I find myself almost at a loss for words." His arms folded over his chest.

It was the moment of truth. "I'm sorry, Master," Anakin began. He worked to steel his emotions; it would help neither if he were to become agitated. Then, Obi-Wan would be even less willing to listen. He took a breath. "I left the Temple and was involved in a crash."

Obi-Wan nodded calmly, but the upward twitch of his eyebrows revealed that he was not wholly surprised. "What type of a crash, Padawan?" He was not fooled by Anakin's ambiguity.

"I was racing."

"Racing on the streets of Coruscant?"

"No," Anakin quickly corrected. Obi-Wan's tone sounded incredulous, and Anakin didn't need his master to believe he was more reckless than he already was. "It- it was a track. Swoop bike racing."

Obi-Wan merely blinked. It was apparent he was waiting for Anakin to continue.

"There… there were some complications with the engine."

"And you crashed?"

"I had to jump off."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up. There was a long pause, in which Obi-Wan seemed to be drinking in his words. "How far were you from the ground?"

Anakin shook his head. "Not far."

"The healers said your ribs were broken in multiple places."

Anakin bit back a wince. "I hit the wall before the ground," he told Obi-Wan.

"Mmm." Obi-Wan was not happy, but he seemed content with that answer. "How did you get back?"

"I walked."

"You walked."

It probably sounded ridiculous to Obi-Wan, but Anakin had had little other choice. Besides, he could barely remember the night as it was. His mind had been clouded in judgment. Probably due to the concussion.

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan gave a reluctant nod. There was a pause of silence. "You didn't inform me of this after the fact."

Anakin glanced downward. "I- uh..."

"Were you trying to hide it from me?"

Anakin let out a huff of air. He had, but he felt ridiculously stupid now. He mumbled something indiscernible.

"Louder, Anakin."

"Yes, Master," he mumbled.

"Why." It was spoken like a statement, but Anakin knew Obi-Wan was demanding an explanation. It was amazing how his voice and features could remain so level.

Anakin glanced at the foreboding figure before him. He was at the height of his master, and had been for the past year or so, and yet he felt like a youngling under Obi-Wan's gaze. "…I- I thought you would get mad."

"That you were injured."

"…That I disobeyed your wishes and left the Temple."

"I see."

Another pause.

"And did you do it out of spite?"

Anakin hesitated to answer. He was growing increasingly uncomfortable, and his ankle was beginning to feel sore again. The healers had mentioned it needed rest, after all.

Obi-Wan seemed to notice his shifting and realized at once that he was in discomfort. His lips hardened.

"Come, Padawan," he said. The guiding touch on his back led Anakin to one of the sparse benches in the dormitory room. Anakin took his seat heavily. The relief was tangible, but Anakin tried not to show his exhaustion too readily on his face.

"You are well aware of the rule discouraging travel outside the Temple," Obi-Wan began again after a few moments of silence. He seemed to be taking a different approach, something less confrontational.

Feeling a blush spread across his cheeks, Anakin nodded after an uncomfortable pause.

"Why did you do it?"

"…I… needed some space." Anakin was feeling extremely self-conscious under his master's intense scrutiny. "I was angry. I needed to get away from the masters and other padawans."

"Because you were frustrated at them."

"Yes, Master."

"Why is that?"

Anakin shook his head. He didn't want to get into this. Not now.

"Anakin."

He sighed in frustration. "They don't listen. They don't understand."

Obi-Wan's lips twitched downward, cynicism deep in the lines of his mouth. "I see," was his only reply.

After the moment of silence stretched on, Anakin's self-consciousness quickly evaporated under his discomfort. He let out a frustrated huff of air. "I'm going to be punished?"

"I never mentioned a punishment, Padawan."

"But you're going to give me one."

"What makes you think that?"

"You're upset."

Obi-Wan seemed slightly taken aback at Anakin's assessment. "You think I'm upset."

"Why wouldn't you be? I disobeyed the Temple's rules and lied to cover it up."

Obi-Wan gave him a stern look. "I'm not upset about that, young one."

It really didn't matter to Anakin. Obi-Wan always found the pickiest things to become upset about. And Anakin was not about to pick his hope up from the lower levels. It was inevitable that he would still be punished. "But you are upset."

"I'm upset that you tried to cover up something as significant as this," he replied to Anakin. His arms returned to his chest, and he seemed to ignore Anakin's surprise. "I don't know why you would choose to do so, but it upsets me that you choose to undergo such physical pain in order to avoid discovery."

"To avoid confrontation or argument," Anakin corrected sharply. "You criticize me enough for getting into trouble already."

"You could have considered that before you left."

"I didn't know it would end like this, did I?"

Obi-Wan was silent in reply. It was not a resigned silence; the arch of his brow told Anakin that he was not about to surrender his opinion. Not yet.

"Well?" Anakin prompted him after yet another awkward silence. "What's my punishment? Meditation every day? Crèche duty?"

"We can't very well do lightsaber practice," Obi-Wan pointed out cynically.

And that was that. Anakin held in a sigh. Obi-Wan was way too upset for it to end up any way but badly for Anakin. "Is it up to the Council, then?"

"Is what up to the Council?"

"My punishment."

Obi-Wan fixed him with a curious look. "I'm not going to tell the Council."

"What?"

"I'm not going to tell the Council, Anakin."

"But… why?"

"Would you prefer I do?"

"No! No."

An eyebrow rose. "Very well, then."

Anakin could not believe it. "But… why?"

"The Council does not need to get involved in all matters. They do not have to know the full story, and they certainly have better things to do than worry after the whereabouts of one padawan."

"…But I broke the rules."

"And I can handle it perfectly well," replied Obi-Wan. "The Council does not need to get involved."

Trying to push through his confusion, Anakin replied, "I thought you always consulted the Council, Master."

"Not in all matters, Padawan," was the reply. When Anakin glanced up, he thought he caught the faint glimmer of humor in Obi-Wan's eye.

"So why aren't you punishing me?"

"I never said that, young one," Obi-Wan said.

"So I still get meditation."

"Every day."

"For how long?"

"A month."

Anakin groaned.

"You don't have anything better to do, Anakin. Not until that ankle is better."

"It'll be better sooner than a month."

"Nice try, young one."

"…Can I at least have breaks?"

"Maybe."

"Can I choose my own meditation exercises? Master Yoda showed us-"

"Maybe."

"How about telekinesis practice?"

"Maybe."

"Do I get time to sleep in?"

An eyebrow rose. "No."

"But my ankle needs to-"

"Nice try."

Well, it was a nice try. Anakin gave a silent sigh, and although he knew he was being punished, he felt somewhat lighter, as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Perhaps it was the knowledge that it hadn't turned out as badly as he had expected, or perhaps it was because he was finally becoming used to the idea.

Or perhaps it was the knowledge that Obi-Wan had not turned him in after all. That, if anything, was refreshing to him. And it gave him room to hope. Perhaps his master was trying to help after all. Maybe, just maybe, his master had a hint of empathy.

"When are we starting?"

"Now."

It was going to be a long day. He could feel it. As Anakin and Obi-Wan made their way into the shared area between their rooms, he could feel his energy level plummeting. His emotions must have showed right through him.

"It won't be so bad, Padawan," Obi-Wan told him. "When I was your age, I used to do meditation every day."

"Things haven't changed since then, Master."

"Do you do your meditation every day?"

"Well… no."

"Then stop complaining."

Anakin took a seat beside his master on the floor. Obi-Wan was already closing his eyes, sitting in a cross-legged position. Suddenly, just as Anakin was about to follow his lead, a pillow flopped down in front of Anakin. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, confused. It was obvious that Obi-Wan had directed it there, but for what purpose Anakin was unsure.

Without opening his eyes, Obi-Wan answered sternly, "Don't shuffle too much. And keep that ankle elevated."

"Yes, Master." He moved to prop up his leg.

"Now, immerse yourself deep in the Force…"

Just wanted to say thanks so much to all who reviewed, especially to froovygirl, Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay, , Pam, Kungfukittykat, GL30, Alwayspretty, skygawker, Karis, and any other reviewers. Your support is brilliant - you all are the best! Please review, and feel free to check out my page for updates/progress reports on future stories.