In the Darkness of Night

Word count: 748

Genre: Angst, Friendship

Characters: Luminara Unduli, Obi Wan Kenobi

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Celine Dion/Il Divo; they belong to their respective owners.

AN: A little vignette I thought up while doing my NaNoWriMo. Thought it was a bit mushy, though. Originally was an idea for a ficlet challenge between me and my Padawan, but then when I plotted it out, to get ready, decided it was too short to make it to 1,500. Songfic to 'I Believe in You' duet by Celine Dion and Il Divo.

Dedicated to Ani, o Padawan o' mine.

Lonely ~the path you have chosen~
A restless road~ no turning back~
One day you~ will find your light again~
Don't you know~
Don't let go be strong~

Follow your heart~
Let your love~ lead through the darkness~
Back to a place you once knew~
I believe~ I believe~ I believe in you~
Follow your dreams~
Be yourself~ an angel of kindness~
There's nothing that you cannot do~
I believe~ I believe~ I believe in you~

She was so peaceful. Just lying there, free from the turmoil that haunted her daily. He wished he could do more. He wished he'd been there when she needed him. He couldn't count how many times she'd supported him when he'd begun to give up, yet to could add up, on one hand, the number of time's he'd been there for her.

Her Padawan's death had shocked her, nearly killed her. Sometimes he missed her apprentice as much as he hated her for causing this. 'Why?' he had once asked her. She had responded, her eyes heavy with sadness. 'Because we are Jedi. This is our life. Our sacrifice.' She'd turned away, unable to say any more. Sometimes he hated this life as much as he knew he shouldn't.

There is no chaos, there is harmony

There was always war. Everywhere he looked, he saw it. Even inside his sleeping friend, a lost war still raged on. There was no peace. Ever. What they called peace would only last for a short while, as a moment of calm in the eye of a never ending storm.

There is no emotion; there is peace

He reached out his hand and stroked away a dark, errant strand of hair from her face. This was one of the few times he could watch her like this, without the brave, courageous mask she wore daily to keep up others' hopes. They had no idea how broken she was inside, no idea of just how shattered her heart was. But he knew.

Her face was relaxed, for once, hair tousled like a child's. Her hand gripped his tightly, firmly, as she slept, as if seeking reassurance, afraid to let go. He could feel rough parts on her hand, calluses from years of using a lightsaber. He squeezed back, gently, without letting go. He wanted her to stay asleep, free from the horrors of reality.

There is no passion; there is serenity

He gazed out the small window in her quarters. The moon shone, bright and full, awashing him with its light. Silvery, unending..

A stray moonbeam slipped its was over and rested on her, giving her an angelic appearance. He blinked, shifting in surprise. She woke, stirring, eyes blinking open in her sleepy haze. "Obi Wan?" she murmured, looking at him.

"Hush.. I'm here," he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Don't worry. Go back to sleep." She glanced around, suddenly guilty. "I shouldn't have kept you. You need to sleep. I'm sorry-" she was cut off as he placed a finger on her lips. "Hush. It's fine. If you want, I can sleep in-" his breath caught in his throat, stopping him from saying 'Padawan's room'. "I can sleep in the spare room. That way, you can just call if you need anything."

He rose, gathering his clock with him. She tugged on his robe with her hand, making him look down at her. "Stay with me?" she asked, hesitating. He could feel loneliness, an aching wave of despair wash over her in the Force. Nodding, and smiling just slightly, he dropped his cloak and over-robe onto the chair he'd been sitting on. Underneath, he was wearing his pyjamas, ready for sleeping, but before he got into bed, she'd commed him, asking him to come over. He'd found her there, crying her heart out, saying she couldn't stand the war anymore. He'd stayed.

He walked around the bed, and slipped in next to her, holding her close. She rested her head near his, breathing in deeply. He stroked her hair, feeling her sliding towards the dark, deep, painless void of sleep once more.

There is no death; there is the Force.

We are Jedi. This is our sacrifice.

Reviews much welcome. No ficlets till December until I get at least 7 reviews on this! There.. I said it. You heard it. So go! Press the little button underneath this!