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fanfic-obsessed · 7 months ago

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Time Given and Taken

This one is another time travel fix-it, also somewhat AU even beyond the time travel. Our time travelers are Obi Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody, both from after their own deaths. Let’s even put it after the Empire falls.

They have reunited and through Force Shenanigans are sent back to five years before the Clone wars start (dealers choice if they chose to go back or just found themselves back in time), they land specifically on Ord Mantel, their bodies have been reformed at peak age and physical fitness (Late 20’s), there is not chip in Cody’s head and his aging has been slowed to match Obi Wan’s force assisted aging (Look if the Force has to build their bodies anyway it might as well get the best results possible); but we’ll get back to them in a moment.

Now The Force did have to make some preparations for them, as it could not have two versions of the same soul existing in this universe at the same time. Thus, in this universe,during the Naboo crisis Padawan Obi Wan Kenobi died in place of his Master Qui Gon Jinn. Jinn was still struck by Maul and Obi Wan did still bisect the Sith, but then the Padawan used a nearly unknown healing technique to heal Qui Gon at the expense of his own life. Padawan Obi Wan’s last words to his master were ‘You said the boy needed to be trained, now you can’. He was mourned by everyone who knew him.

That same year Unit CC-2224 was decanted stillborn, which happened at about the same rate of stillborns/miscarriages in natborn births. The Kaminoans did the typical cursory exam to make sure there was not a larger issue, and found that there had been a small difference in the nutrients in CC-2224’s growth pod that resulted in the stillbirth. No one knew to mourn the being he would have been at all.

Having Qui Gon Jinn as a master did not actually make things better, or easier, for Anakin; though it also could be argued that it did not make things significantly worse either. It was different though. Though Qui Gon had more experience than Obi Wan would have in the original timeline, there were other issues now at play. And Anakin was growing up in the blinding light of the memory of Obi Wan Kenobi, the perfect Jedi padawan who killed a Sith then died to save someone. He was also growing up in the shadow of Xanatos, the talented, powerful former padawan that Fell and died a decade ago. This is offset, just a bit, by Feemor coming back, telling Qui Gon that he could kriff off with his repudiation and installed himself as Anakin’s Padawan brother (“like I should have with little Obi Wan”). It is made worse by Anakin overhearing the wrong parts of a few conversations that heavily implied Obi Wan died because he felt he had little left to live for (Because Obi Wan was being replaced by Anakin)

It is likely that, left alone, growing up with the ghost (in tha he haunted the narrative, not that he was actually there) of Obi Wan would have made Anakin resentful of his dead padawan brother. However Palpatine, who he still had frequent private meetings with (look no one was suspicious of this happening the first time around, Qui Gon would likely not have felt it was suspicious either), never met any potential resentment that he could not turn to his advantage. Instead of letting resentment grow for Obi Wan, Palpatine instead leaned into this saintly memory of a young man Anakin only spent a little time with (a lot of, ‘I’m sure young Obi Wan would not have treated you like that’), something similar to what he supposedly did with Qui Gon in canon. Basically polishing the image of Obi Wan Kenobi in Anakin’s head until the dead Padawan could do no wrong. Palpatine could have eventually used the memory of Obi Wan to further separate Anakin from the Jedi (“The Jedi let Obi Wan Die/Got Obi Wan Killed because he was the last good Jedi” kind of rhetoric).

Had the dead man stayed dead.

With that established we step back to 5 years before the Clone wars were due to break out, Ord Mantel, where Cody and Obi Wan find themselves appearing, young bodies, old minds, and a small amount of the local currency (not enough to destabilize the economy, but enough to start gambling with). They quickly, and quietly, win enough money to buy a small cruiser (taking care to keep their individual ins small enough not to catch the attention of anyone), just big enough for the two of them.

Then they make their way to Kamino.

They very deliberately decide not to go to the Jedi just yet. There are a number of reasons. Some are trauma based (the last time Obi Wan was Coruscant he was walking through the ruins of the temple and finding the bodies of children; the last time Cody was on Coruscant he was deserting the empire after Desix). Some are for practicality(Coruscant is Palapatines domain already; They do not realize that their alternate selves are dead here and do not want to run into Knight Obi Wan). But the main reason comes from the fact that Order 66 caused two genocides, Jedi and Clone. They both reasoned that, while focusing on preventing the Jedi genocide (Going to the Jedi, killing Palpatine) would not necessarily prevent the Clones from being abused, used, and trapped by the chips, Freeing the Clones would, by the very nature of what happened, prevent the Jedi from being killed.

So they go to Kamino. Talk their way into Tipoca City and to speak with Jango Fett. First they help Jango remove his head from his ass and realize exactly what he did (effectively selling his genetic children into slavery to destroy a culture for revenge he was clinging to in order to keep from facing his culpability in what happened-Not only were the Jedi lied to at Galidraan, Jango shot first; he escalated things and it backfired on him). It took a few days (and included bringing Jango and Boba down to one of the creche rooms holding the clones the same physical age as Boba, putting Boba in clone uniform and asking Jango to try and pick him from the crowd. Jango promptly had a panic attack when he was face to face with 200ish Boba’s and unable to look away from the reality of what he was doing).

SIDE NOTE: Has anyone else noticed the parallel between Jango Fett and Maul. Both were obsessed with getting revenge for situations where they suffered from being in the instigator and losing. Essentially they fucked around, found out, and decided to get revenge, and it cost them everything they had left.

Once Cody and Obi Wan actually got through to Jango, they told him everything. Being from the future, what Project Knightfall actually did, Cody talking about what it was like under the control of the chips, of never realizing why he betrayed his Jedi general or was willing to hunt down Force users, of waking up after the chip was removed and realizing exactly what he had done, Of the brothers he had lost to suicide, due to the horror of what had happened. They talked about the Empire and what it did to Mandalore.

The three of them decided what to do next.

Jango, looking at himself realistically for the first time in a decade, realizes quickly that he should not take the mantle of Mand’alor again. He was too young the first time, but had been growing into the role. Had Galidraan not happened, he likely would have been a good leader, but it did and the years of slavery (with its exposure to Spice) plus the trauma from Galidraan made their mark. Jango would, however, throw his support behind Cody as Mand’alor (Cody made sure it was clear that Jango would also be throwing in his support behind Obi Wan as Cody’s Jedi husband, alternately Cody and Obi Wan would share the Mand’alor title. Jango was fine with that).

It is also decided, after much debate, that they would also inform the Kaminoans of the fate of their species in the original timeline (destroyed as soon as they could be) and get their cooperation. There had been consideration for simply taking Kamino, or Tipoca city, but it was decided that it was simply more work than it was worth. It took two months (during which Obi Wan and Cody functioned as additional trainers for the Cadets) before they were ready to present the truth to Lama Su. Thankfully they had enough working knowledge of things they should not, and were able to get enough proof of what they had to say, that they were able to convince Lama Su that aligning with the Sith would doom the Kaminoans; an if there was one thing the Kaminoan valued more than profit, it was their own survival.

The Clone project, overall, was at a point where communication between the project and the Sith was infrequent at best (so that attention was not drawn to a seemingly empty patch of space too early), so Tyranus did not have cause to notice that Kamino started ghosting him (It should be noted that they also kept cashing his checks, ostensibly so that he would not notice anything wrong).

With the Kaminoans on their side now, Cody, Obi Wan, and Jango got to work. There were a few trainers that did need to be killed outright (Priest and Reau, whom Cody got to kill during one of the cage fights they were arranging-which forever endeared him to the Clone cadets, especially the batch he would have belong to in another life, who were around 10 years old developmentally, who found themselves drawn to Cody, the trainer that looked so much like Jango Fett that he could have been a clone himself), and a few that asked to be paid so they could leave (and were paid extras so that Obi Wan could remove the details of what as going on from their mind, for safety reasons), but most were willing to follow Cody and Obi Wan as soon as it was clear that Jango has sworn himself to them (non sexually and non romantically, Jango is very AroAce, and very Sex/Romance repulsed).

The next step is starting to remove the already embedded chips, which went quickly with the help of the Kaminoans, and partially demilitarizing the education of the cadets. While they would be Mandalorians (as a warrior culture there is a certain level of military in their education) the cadets training would no longer be solely focused on being soldiers and nothing else. The Kaminoans also keep cloning (Technically the original order was for 1 million clones for the Jedi, they may be taking Tyranus’s money and ghosting him, but they would fulfill their contract-It was decided by the Kaminoan Council that Obi Wan qualified as ‘Jedi’ for the purposes of the contract, so giving him the clones is really fulfilling their written contract)

Cody and Obi Wan, with the council from the remaining trainers and Jango, decided that they would spend the years between their arrival and one year before the Clone Wars was due to start on Kamino, still largely out of contact with the wider galaxy. In that time they develop their own culture (their own version of ‘how to be mandalorian’ built in part from the remaining True Mandalorians, the clone culture Cody brought from the previous timeline mixing with the ever evolving clone culture of the current timeline-which quickly became different from how Cody remembered it, Part of the Jedi traditions that Obi Wan brought with him from the previous timeline-some of which he may or may not remember correctly due to trauma and the length of time he spent repressing those memories). They also worked over talking points on how to unite their faction with the New Mandalorians, including going over what traditions/parts of their culture they would be willing to relinquish as a compromise and what parts they absolutely will not. On Jango’s occasional trips out into the wider galaxy, to take jobs, he makes a point to get as close to Keldabe as he can to get a feel for the New Mandalorian as a faction (Obi Wan has inside knowledge, but it may be early or outdated is all kinda colored with ‘Satine died in my arms and it was my fault’). There was also a concerted effort to discreetly acquire enough ships for everyone.

So we are one year before the Clone Wars were due to erupt. Palpatine is on Coruscant waiting for the perfect opportunity to enact his plan, believing that he had a handy clone army at the ready for the war he has been fanning. Tyranus, who has still not realized he has not spoken to Kamino in about 4 years, is quietly building his forces with the droid armies about 4 months from being completed.

The Newer True Mandalorians (The name suggestion was from Rex’s-He still picked the same name and was adopted by Codywan along with Fox and Ponds, batch; the name is being workshopped) leave Kamino for Concord Dawn. They take with them a treaty between them and the Kaminoans that includes mutual protection, a live and let live clause, a few NDA’s about the Kamnoan’s gene manipulation process, and a decent trade agreement where the Kaminoans provide genetic research and the clones provide free advertising for the success of the Kaminoans cloning process.

Basically out of nowhere, as far as the galaxy is concerned, the True Mandalorians reemerge after being all but wiped out almost 20 years prior, and in far greater numbers than they had before. Numbers that sharply spike, as outcasts from the New Mandalorians and Death Watch, plus other remnants of the True Mandalorians flock to their banner. These are great enough numbers that when they reach out to discuss a treaty, and a possible merger for factions, with the New Mandalorians, the New Mandalorians actually take it seriously.

This faction, the entire galaxy is surprised to learn, is being led by someone who looks an awful lot like Jango Fett, but is clearly not since Jango Fett is standing next to him (by this point Cody and Jango call ach brother, further confusing the issue) and a red haired man going by the name of Obi Wan Kenobi, who clearly is, or was, a Jedi.

Tyranus and Sidious, realizing that Jango Fett showing up anywhere with a massive amount of being might be contrary to their plans, try to contact Kamino. Kamino doesn’t answer and their ‘we’re busy, don’t call us we’ll call you’ message included a virus that made it so they cannot find or contact Kamino again.

The heads of the New Mandalorian Government arrange to meet with the heads of the Newer True Mandalorians, including Cody and Obi Wan. Satine recognizes Obi Wan. It is at this point that they find out this timeline’s Obi Wan has been dead for almost a decade. They had known that this timeline’s Cody was never born, but had never thought to check on Obi Wan.

The negotiations between the New Mandalorans and the Newer True Mandalorians lasts months, but eventually is hammered out between them, along with a new government structure. Cody and Obi Wan would jointly preside over a council made up equally of New Mandalorians and Newer True Mandalorian (and, should Death Watch want to actually come in from the cold, Death Watch representative, but the faction would have to swear to the agreed upon laws and to follow the joint Mand’alor’s- Satine insisted). While Obi Wan and Cody would have the final say in most cases, if at least 90% of the council agreed they were wrong there was a veto power that could be used. Membership on the council is decided by the faction in question, and if a new faction splits off and gets to a certain size (Generally enough people to populate a medium sized planet) that faction will also be able to put representatives on the council.

Meanwhile in the Republic the reappearance of the True Mandalorians (it doesn’t matter that they have a new name as far the Republic is concerned) has derailed 90% of Palpatine's plans (he does not have time to grow another army, even if he could get in contact with Kamino again and he cannot start the war without an army). The news that the Red Headed leader of the reemerged faction appeared to be Presumed Dead Obi Wan Kenobi, famed in song and story and all but sainted in Anakin Skywalker's head, derailed 90% of the rest.

Padawan Anakin Skywalker, upon hearing that Obi Wan Kenobi might be alive, vanished from Coruscant. Just took off for Concord Dawn to potentially rescue his hero, or avenge him if it was someone else pretending to be him. Or something like that, Anakin was not thinking at all beyond that he needed to see Obi Wan, the man he knew for maybe a week when he was nine. He also left prematurely, had he waited six more hours he and his master Qui Gon Jinn would have been assigned to investigate the identity of the presumed Obi Wan.

Qui Gon did not know where Anakin was headed until he reached Concord Dawn (Anakin left a note that he was going radio silent to work on some course work he was behind in, so Qui Gon left him off the mission-This Qui Gon is just a little oblivious) and was promptly led to a holding cell by some of the Mandos (I kind of want it to be Waxer and Boil, or one of the Alpha’s) who gestured at Anakin inside, glowering like a bristly wet cat, going ‘is this yours?’

I Imagine this ‘reunion’ is weird and awkward from every angle. Like this Obi Wan remembers holding Qui Gon as he died, raising Anakin, Anakin’s Fall, everything of the original timeline. But this Qui Gon held his Padawan as he died (which hold the residual guilt of surviving, plus the guilt of Obi Wan dying to save his life), has added the normal rosy shine to his memories of his padawan (gloss over the bad times to focus on the good times). This Anakin has few actual memories of Obi Wan, but a massive case of hero worship. possibly to the point of Obi Wan being akin to a deity to Anakin, so massively unhealthy(Which Qui Gon also realizes for the first time) but in a way that is difficult to break. Palaptine inadvertently created the Cult of Obi Wan, with one cult member and brainwashed him so well that he fucked up his own plans. Now that there is a living Obi Wan, it is everyone's problem. Cody is prickly with both of them, because he remembers the things Obi Wan, his husband, told him about his Padawanship AND remembers both Reckless General Skywalker and Darth Vader.

I am not sure how much they actually tell the Jedi, but they definitely tell them that Obi Wan and Coy are from a different timeline, and no they can’t go back. Just so that they do not start thinking that Padawan Obi Wan somehow faked his death (they are just a little concerned how Anakin would react).

Eventually Cody gets to kill Palpatine, as a treat.

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totallyunidentified · 7 days ago

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Finally Home

Word count: 3433

After years of searching Cody finds Obi Wan…or does he?

This has taken me months to finish and I don’t even know if I fully like it but here we go. I love codywan and they are endgame and I miss them and that’s all.

In all the years that he had been searching, Cody had never once thought that it would end like this. Under twin suns on a desert planet that he truly should have known to check first. After the Death Star had been destroyed it became a little easier to travel, the Empire losing so many men meant that their control relaxed more as you got further from the inner core worlds. The spaceport on Tatooine was a bustling hive of different species and creatures all just trying to get through the day. Cody looks for a place to rest for a moment, it was a long and tiring journey to get to Tatooine. He knew he could have stayed with Rex, Wolffe, and the rest of the rebels for a little longer but he knew that it was time to finish his search. He passes shop after shop before stopping at a little tea shop down an alley. It looked a little dusty, maybe even a little sketchy but appearances aren't everything. The tea shop is the first in a series of stops in what seems to be another wild goose chase. No one will give Cody an answer—without credits of course. Credits that Cody was in short supply of. He asks day after day until finally, someone tells him. There had been a Kenobi on Tatooine. “Had” being the key word. Cody had missed him by mere weeks.

“You must mean Old Ben, the human guy with a Coruscanti accent? Always wearing these heavy robes till the day he left with that Skywalker kid and two droids,” said one of the locals. Cody had not wanted to believe the next farmer he asked when the man had said that old Ben had never returned. If he was honest he had begun to lose hope anyway. After 17 years or so of searching one has to give up sometime right? Cody hadn’t, he had known he'd find Obi-Wan somewhere someday. Technically, he had, he was just too late.

The farmer he had spoken to was kind enough to drive him out to where “Ole Ben Kenobi” had lived for a small fee of course. The house is on an overhang looking out over the sands of Tatooine. An outpost with unobstructed views, the high ground. The farmer leaves him at the base looking up at the several flights of stairs. Cody groans knowing that this is not going to feel good tomorrow. Walking into the humble home that Obi-wan had kept for himself, Cody quickly gets a sense of how he had been living. There was a fine layer of dust over everything, it had been a while since the owner was home.

As he walks through the doorway, he notices a mirror behind the door and stops for a moment to study the man in the reflection. He realizes that even if he had found Obi-Wan, he might not have recognized the bearded and slightly longer-haired clone he had become, the wrinkles across his face didn’t suit someone who wasn’t even 34 yet. Cody notices a cloak haphazardly lying on the floor of a closet doorway. He can't help but chuckle as he is reminded of all the times he had picked up Obi-Wan’s cloaks before.

“General! It appears you lost something again!” Cody grins beneath his helmet as he watches his Jedi pause and whips his head around searching for his robe.“My dear I never lost it, you knew where it was the whole time did you not?” Obi-Wan flashes that smile that makes Cody’s heart skip a couple of beats. The smile that he is sure that if anyone fighting just looked at for more than a second, could end the war. “Really? Guess I can add robe collector to my official job description then.” “Oh no, nothing so menial as that you must not forget to add lightsaber collector to your resume also.” Obi-wan jests and despite the dirt covering his face, Cody swears that he has never seen someone so beautiful. “Maybe I could turn this into a part-time gig, the other Generals must lose their things all the time.” “I’m afraid not, dearest Cody. I fear I shall have to keep your particular skills to myself.” Obi-Wan takes the robe from Cody with a wink, their fingers brushing ever so slightly, and even through his gloves, Cody can feel the connection.

Cody smiles at the memory, groaning as he picks up the cloak. He carefully hangs the robe up in the closet, cleaning up after Obi-Wan once again. The Jedi had become a bit eccentric in his old age, the messy house a polar opposite to his former quarters at the Jedi Temple and on the cruiser where his room had been kept tidy. Just from where he stands at the front of the house he sees this is no longer the case. Obi-Wan had other things on his mind.

He moves further into the house, the clutter coming just short of disarray, He sees glimpses of the man he loves as he moves further in. Little details about the life that he should have been a part of. Tables stained with rings, little dents in the walls, scuff marks on the floors, proof that this house had been a home. The kitchen is difficult, there are scratches on the floor under the table and chairs. There are marks on the countertops and water stains near the sink. This kitchen had been lived in. Cody looks for some kind of food, something to help with at least some of the empty feelings. Looking through the cabinets he opens one and is overwhelmed by the scents that almost attack him. Throwing him back into yet another memory.

Obi-Wan had said it would be easy to find the droid. It should have been but the damn thing ran into a marketplace.

Undercover, Obi-Wan and Cody were in disguise, playing the couple who were simply at the market, searching for tea. While Obi-Wan was comfortable wearing a simple slightly worn-down robe, Cody was without his armor. The loose civilian shirt and pants have no weight nor the protection that his armor provided and he was only allowed a blaster on his hip. As they got ready Cody reminded Obi-Wan,

“Sir—I have the most recognizable face in the galaxy, how are we going to be inconspicuous?”

“You see my wonderful Cody. I did think of that. I grabbed this for you.”

Obi-wan brings his hand out of his robes holding—a hood? Cody can't exactly see what it is before Obi-Wan steps closer and puts the fabric around Cody’s head creating a hood.

“Genius as always sir—but this doesn't cover my face. It Isn't much of a disguise.”

Obi-wan takes the end of the fabric holding it up and across the bottom half of Cody’s face. Only his dark brown eyes can be seen.

“It is if you do this” Obi wan says grinning as he secures the fabric. They realize seemingly at the same time how close they are standing. Obi-Wan’s hand was still over Cody's shoulder and their faces were inches apart. He feels as if he is frozen in time as he stands close to Obi-Wan. For a moment he can imagine that this is real, that they truly were a couple simply out at the market for essentials. If they were, would they hold hands? Would they stand this close comfortably? Without care if they were allowed this one piece of sunshine in the darkness of a war?

Would Cody’s teasing about the endless tea that Obi-Wan collects end in a kiss on the cheek instead of a polite chuckle? These thoughts are all destined to be dreams, never reality. Cody clears his throat and looks out of the alley they had been hiding in. Now disguised as the couple–the pair continue down through the market. Eyes roaming the stands and crowds of people. Obi-Wan walks beside him, his arm hooked on Cody’s own.

“Wouldn't want to lose you”, Obi-Wan explains with a satisfied smile as Cody is glad that the redhead can't see the blush hidden by his mask. Surrounded by people and creatures from around the galaxy there are so many things to see, hear, and smell. Passing shop after shop the pair come upon a shop filled to the brim with different colored boxes and tins full of herbs and different teas. Cody looks over at Obi-Wan who is already grinning at him.

“Sir we don't have the time-” He tries to start but he is practically dragged into the tea shop by the Jedi general.

“Come now Cody, there is always time for tea. We haven't collected one for this mission have we?”

“No sir we haven’t,” Cody says, shaking his head but smiling. Obi-wan immediately begins to pursue the store, moving and investigating pile after pile of tea. Cody watches as Obi-Wan meticulously chooses a type of Deychin tea, one that is both of their favorites. They pay the attendant and Obi-Wan grabs Cody’s hand this time.

“Just to stay together,” Obi-wan reassures him. Cody wishes that he wasn't wearing gloves, cursing them the whole time they continue through the market. He wishes he had listened. That they had stayed together.

The cabinet Cody had opened contained one of every tea that Obi-Wan and Cody had collected over their years on different planets. Cody’s favorites remained untouched as if waiting for someone to appreciate them. He wonders if they are even good anymore. They had to be nearly two decades old by now. Yet, Obi-Wan had kept them. Simultaneously comforting and a little disquieting the scents come with the memories of times long gone, missions long finished. Obi-Wan had saved them, hoping that Cody would find him and that they'd be able to drink the tea together.

The stains on the counters, and dishes in the sink, just are further signs of the life that had occupied the house. Standing in the middle of the space, Cody can imagine himself finding Obi-Wan preparing tea and wrapping his arms around his waist to pull him in for an impromptu dance in the kitchen, their foreheads together no care in the galaxy but for the man in front of him. Again these would remain dreams wishes for a time that had passed without the chance to arrive in the first place.

From the kitchen Cody ventures into the bedroom, unlike the barren quarters he had held on The Negotiator, there are shelves of books and a small cot against the wall. Cody inspects the bookshelves, wanting more of an understanding of who the man he had loved became. Cody remembered how Obi-Wan had preferred using flimsi, claiming the datapads could hurt his eyes if used excessively. Upon closer inspection, one of the books on the shelf sits at an odd angle and Cody pushes it in; he hears a mechanical noise and takes his blaster out aiming it at the newly revealed shelf in the wall that holds several more books that Obi-Wan had not wanted found. Cody grabs one recognizing the little notebook Obi-Wan had carried around for most of the war.

It had been a harsh battle, scars would marr the landscape and soldiers alike for years to come. Cody finished talking to a group of shinies still shaken after their first fight before noticing a figure sitting under a tree alone. He nods to the troopers dismissing them with a hand to a shoulder, a handshake, and a salute as he tells them to get some rest. As he gets closer he realizes that Obi-Wan is asleep, a notebook just about to fall out of his hand.

Cody picks up the notebook, his heart sinking as he recognizes the names within. After every battle, Obi-Wan, his sweet kind hearted general, wrote every fallen vod’s name. No matter how long they had been with the 212th, every single man they lost was in one of the many journals Obi-Wan had filled out. Name after name filled the pages, even from the battles that Obi-Wan wasn't with them for. He flips back several pages looking for a specific name. Cody had entered it himself after they had left that hellhole of a planet. Umbara had taken up almost half a notebook.

Waxer had always helped Obi-Wan remember and gather the names of the journals. Now, the men all knew to bring the names straight to Obi-Wan or Cody, sometimes they even passed the journal around so the men could enter their brother's names themselves. Remembering their brothers who had marched on. Immortalizing those who marched forward. If you asked Cody, the ones who marched on weren't the ones who had fallen. It is the ones left living who have fallen behind. The ones left who wished that they could just march with their brothers again. The ones who stayed were cursed to hear their lost brother’s voice every day and yet they'd never hear them laugh again. Many had never had the chance to hold a photo of their brothers who marched on but would always see their faces. Cody looks past the journal smiling softly at his general asleep against the tree. He grabs the pen that Obi-Wan had been using and sits next to the sleeping Jedi. Setting his helmet beside him, He continues the list from where Obi-Wan had left off, two heavy pages later his own eyes start to droop as he yawns and settles back against the tree. He closes the notebook, sets it beside himself, and slowly lets himself relax enough to fall asleep next to Obi-wan. He startles awake when He feels Obi-Wan’s head rest on his shoulder. Looking at the clones who had also congregated around the pair leaning against their trees or their brothers he hoped none had noticed. His face burns with a blush as he looks down at Obi’s peaceful face he shrugs it's not like his brothers are oblivious, they often tease Cody about his affection for Obi-Wan anyway. Letting his head lean against Obi-Wan’s, Cody accepts his fate and falls back asleep.

Cody picks up the notebook sitting on top of the shelf, it’s the least used of the batch but it’s still about a third of the way full. He recognizes the names in this book as those of the Jedi, young and old. Names that Obi-Wan had grown up with, the names from the stories of Obi-Wan’s childhood. Stories told over fires and late nights over holo tables. He remembers the first name that Obi-Wan had put into the very first notebook, the name of his fallen master, now joined by his Jedi brethren.

The pages went on and on, as he flipped through the pages there were more spots where it seemed that a tear had fallen and landed on the page. He reaches the end and his heart stutters reading the names Ahsoka, Padme, Anakin, and Rex.

The last name is several blank pages later like Obi-Wan had wanted to give the name its own space. His name sits in the middle of the page, Cody. Alone, even in remembrance. His heart sinks seeing the stains surrounding the name.

The paper is warped around his name, evidence of the sorrow Obi-Wan had felt writing it down. Turning to another page he almost drops the notebook when he sees a letter addressed to him. His hands shake as he holds the notebook and as he reads, tears already begin to fall leaving identical marks to the ones his partner had left.

Dearest Cody, I don't believe that you will ever read this but on the odd chance you do, I have probably moved on. Not a day has passed that I haven't thought of you. From the second the suns rise to the minute the moon sets my thoughts are of you. I haven't felt your presence since that day on Utapau, perhaps whatever it was that caused the clones to turn and take you from me also blocked your presence from the force. I hope that should you ever find this, that you understand I never blamed you. I only wish that we could have had more time. I often wonder why the force would have brought us together just to tear us apart. I often try to find solace in the fact that you wouldn’t be alone. While I lost my family, you would always have your brothers. While we have been separated I have found solace in the fact that I will always have you. The memories we shared could never be erased from my mind, nor could they grow foggy with time as I regularly revisit them to see your face. I treasure the time we had together and only wish that we could have had more. I do hope that someday you find my humble dwelling, not home–not yet, not without you. For you know what they say, dearest Cody, home is where your heart is, but my heart was never here. I never said it aloud but just know I thought it every day, I love you, Cody. I think from the very first time we met. I continue to live and shall end my days with the hope I shall see you again, be it in this life or next. All my love, Obi Wan Kenobi

Cody can't help but stare at the letter for several more minutes. Re-reading and analyzing every single word on the paper. Throughout reading the letter, many of the warped places on the page were joined by twin marks right beside them. Cody had been mourned. That should bring some comfort, shouldn't it?

It doesn't. He hadn't been there. This house wasn't his, the chair on the front porch sat empty beside its partner. If he closes his eyes he can imagine what could have been, mornings beginning with tea out on the porch waiting for the pitter-patter of little feet to shatter the quiet of a peaceful sunrise. Cody knows Obi-Wan was good with kids, he raised Anakin and practically raised Ahsoka, if everything had gone the way it should have, would that have even been in the picture? Cody had never allowed himself to wonder. They would have adopted, of course, found children who needed a home.

After finishing the letter and replacing it in the wall with the others, He doesn't spend long in the bedroom; the sight of the robes still in the closet and the single wilted sunflower on the bedside table promise nothing but more tears.

Stepping back into the main room, the house now fully explored, Cody stands alone. Not an uncommon occurrence, but now the feeling is greater than ever. He had missed his chance at life. The years he had been given were short and most had been spent searching for what could never be found. However as he looks around the house that still sits in slight disarray he realizes that whatever the next years will bring, Obi-Wan has made him a home. Albeit unknowingly he had prepared this space that felt lived in and loved and cared for and now Cody will live just as Obi-Wan did, alone but with the knowledge that his partner had left him a haven. Away from the galaxy and the fight, no need to search any longer, for Obi-Wan is not lost and neither is Cody.

Now done with his search and feeling more at peace than he had in well his entire life, Cody makes his way back to the front of the house with a cup of tea in each hand. He sets one down next to a pot holding a newly blooming sunflower, reflecting the rays of the suns finally setting. Still holding the other, He sits in the rocking chair on the left looking out upon the planes of desert sand. He puts his hand on the armrest of the other chair and for one fleeting moment, he feels another hand on top of his. As he closes his eyes and finally relaxes, he does not know about the blue figure beside him that tells him "Welcome home dearest."

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