It's not the Force, but his own instincts, honed by years at Qui-Gon's side across the Outer Rim, the three long years of the Clone Wars, and ten years of looking over his shoulder, keeping his head down, trying to stay out of the Empire's way, that tell Ben someone else has entered the gardens, but he sees no reason to break his meditation. Though he's not having much success; the Force remains closed off to him, no stronger now than it was when he was first pulled out of the pool.

But then there's a shattering sound, and Ben's eyes open, his senses immediately on high alert. Across the gardens, a potted plant seems to have been smashed, but there's no immediate sign of...

"Anakin."

Obi-Wan meets his former Padawan's eyes across the gardens, and the sight of him is like a blade through his heart. Anakin looks...young. Like he and Obi-Wan just said goodbye to each other on that landing pad before Utapau yesterday. For a moment, there's a surge of hope that maybe Palpatine's damage can be undone, for Anakin at least. Maybe he doesn't have to be lost inside the monster of Darth Vader.

All that gone in an instant when he sees the scowl, that look of hatred that is burned into Obi-Wan's memory, and he realizes he should be thinking of a different time, and a different landing pad. Not saying goodbye on Coruscant. But meeting again on Mustafar.

Too late. Again, he's too late, and Anakin Skywalker is already dead.

"Hello...Darth."