Title:Love's Roses
Author(s): Obimom
Timeframe: JQ era
Characters: Obi-Wan, Siri T., Ferus, Anakin
Genre: Drama & Romance
Summary: When Siri is seriously injured in an explosion, Obi-Wan finds out what his heart already knows, with a little help from a rose bush.
Once again, many thanks to Valairy Scot for the beta. It is so much appreciated.
The Song: The Man Who Can't Be Moved, by The Script
Song exerpt:
I'm not broke, I'm just a broken hearted man
I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do?
How can I move on when I'm still in love with you?
Love's Roses
Obi-Wan Kenobi stood by Siri's bed side in the med ward, fingering the flower he had plucked from the flowering bush in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. He had been in the garden earlier, while Siri was still in surgery.
They had been on a mission only a few hours from Coruscant investigating reports of threats from an out world corporation.
It was supposed to be relatively easy. A company on Tannus had been receiving threats from someone off planet. They didn't seem to be serious threats, but did warrant investigation. The Padawans had looked forward to being home in time to keep their dinner plans with friends.
Anakin and Ferus were there to help, observe and learn. Obi-Wan and Siri were to do the main investigation. Anakin had asked Obi-Wan why Jedi were even needed here. Obi-Wan had explained that since the threats were coming from off planet, it was an intergalactic crime and therefore became a Senate concern, whose standard procedure was to ask for Jedi help in investigations of this sort.
Easy. Except it wasn't. There had been an explosion.
Their simple investigation had crumbled along with the building they were still inside of. Fortunately there were only a few workers in the building when it happened, the rest had left already.
Obi-Wan had slowly risen to his feet first, dusting himself and throwing aside pieces of the building and equipment. He ignored the soreness in his body, and wiped away the trickle of blood running down his face as he helped the Padawans up and checked them over quickly. Anakin had some cuts and bruises, including a black eye, but he was okay. Obi-Wan sighed in relief. Ferus's wrist was swelling, but otherwise he was basically the same as Anakin. They had looked around for Siri - but didn't see her.
Obi-Wan and Ferus exchanged glances. Fear tried to grip them, but they pushed it aside and helped pull the other victims out of the rubble as they searched for her.
Emergency help was soon there and they got the rest of the victims out and tended to them. There were two with minor injuries, three seriously injured and one dead.
But still no Siri.
Obi-Wan noticed Ferus watch as the the dead victim was carried out. He saw the desperate look in his eyes. Ferus looked at Obi-Wan, his face now twisted in worry and looked as if he might break down.
"I - I tried to feel her with our bond, Master Obi-Wan, and I - I can't feel her." His voice broke as he looked to Obi-Wan for council, for what to do next.
Obi-Wan, who felt like Ferus looked, tried to console him.
"We'll find her." he said, his voice broken and worried, but determined. Ferus nodded and swallowed back his fear.
They searched frantically, tossing debris aside and using the force to move the heavier pieces. Obi-Wan finally felt her life force, but it was very faint. He went to the area he felt her and they finally found her under a pile of rubble; broken, bleeding and barely alive.
Obi-Wan felt for vital signs, his face full of anguish and his eyes moist with tears. With a trembling hand he stroked her cheek and sent her healing force waves, but she did not respond .
Ferus, fighting for Jedi calm against the fear and grief that threatened to overwhelm him, knelt next to Obi-Wan. He looked at Siri, his face sticken. His voice quivered as he muttered, "Master." Obi-Wan had placed his hand on Ferus's shoulder trying to comfort him, but he had little comfort himself.
Obi-Wan suddenly felt a warning in the force. The boys looked at him with alarm: they felt it too. The building rumbled dangerously. They knew time was short, they had to get out of there. The med workers stopped and looked up, feeling the rumbling of the building and began more quickly to get the rest of the injured out of the building. Obi-Wan looked at the padawans. They understood, and ran to help.
One med worker approached Obi-Wan, reaching out to extricate her.
Obi-Wan held his hand up. "No," he shouted over the noise and confusion. "I am a Jedi, I know how to safely remove victims."
The worker nodded and carefully moved some of the debris aside as Obi-Wan worked.
Obi-Wan carefully extricated her crumpled body. She was so still, so pale, and blood covered so much of her body, but Obi-Wan could still feel a faint life force. It seemed to be getting weaker though, and Obi-Wan knew he had to hurry.
He brushed a hand over her forehead and whispered, "Stay with me, Siri, I've got you."
He slowly and tenderly lifted her and using the force to hold her immobile to avoid aggravating her injuries, he carried her outside and to a med worker, who immediately began working on her. He was preparing to take her to the local med center, but Obi-Wan stopped him. He knew the closest med center was small and understaffed. He thought they should use their resources for their own victims. They weren't that far from Coruscant and the Temple healers and could get there fairly quickly, especially with Anakin flying. He spoke to the med worker, saying that if she could be stabilized, he could get her to their own healers. He assured him that they had some medical equipment on board their ship. The med worker agreed, and followed them to their transport, Anakin and Ferus behind them.
They heard a crash but did not look back. They knew the building had crumbled to the ground. Fortunately all the med workers and victims had been safely removed.
Obi-Wan carefully placed Siri's near lifeless body on the bed in the transport med unit. The med worker went right to work as Obi-Wan turned to the boys. Both of them were covered with blood, sweat, grime and tears and their tunics were torn and filthy. He knew he must look the same. He told Anakin to set a course for Coruscant, and get there as fast as safely and legally possible. Anakin jumped to obey and Ferus, whose wrist had been wrapped by the healers, joined him.
While the med worker fought to stabilize her enough for the trip, Obi-Wan contacted the temple. Yoda, who took his call, agreed that Siri should be home. He promised the healing team would be there waiting, and they would immediately send another Jedi team to take over the mission.
Obi-Wan returned to the med bay in the ship where the healer turned to him and said, "I've done all I can. Just get her home."
Obi-Wan nodded and thanked him. He left, and Anakin piloted the ship home. Obi-Wan and Ferus, who had come back to the med bay after they were in hyperspace, stayed with Siri.
As they approached the Temple Landing pad, Obi-Wan saw, as promised, the healing team standing by ready to take Siri.
The healers were doing everything they could, but could not guarantee she would make it. Obi-Wan's heart broke at that news.
Several hours had passed as Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ferus waited in the little waiting area near the surgery room.
Yoda had stopped by once to ask about Siri. Obi-Wan stood and moved away from the padawans and spoke quietly to him. Yoda, with ears drooped, looked at Obi-Wan with large, sad eyes and patted his knee. He nodded and turned away, then turned back and said quietly, "Faith, you must have, Obi-Wan. Willing, you must be to let go, if the force wills it." He turned again and left them. Obi-Wan returned to his seat next to the Padawans, deeply troubled by Yoda's words.
They had sat side by side, outwardly at peace, but inward thoughts churned with worry for Siri and awareness of how long they had been there. Anakin looked at the Chrono on the wall, sure that another hour had passed since he last looked at it. It had only been fifteen minutes. He sighed. Every foot step on the other side of the door, every time someone came out with an urgent task three heads turned, anxiously looking for any news. They received none, only a nod of the head and a sympathetic smile as the assistant scurried by them and then moments later returned with whatever had been requested. The door shut again with a firm click, shutting out the three worried Jedi, leaving them to their own anxious thoughts.
Obi-Wan saw the fatigue on the two padawans' faces and finally sent the two young men to their quarters.
Anakin had retorted, "Master, you need to rest also!"
Worry had colored the impudent tone in his voice. Obi-Wan's raised eyebrows and firmly set jaw spoke as firmly as words: He would not move.
But he had moved, finally, to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, to his and Siri's favorite place.
He lowered himself tiredly onto the stone bench next to the little pond and the Terranian Rose Bush that grew next to it. The bush was relatively small with large blue green leaves and almost always had roses blooming.
They came here whenever they had a moment in between missions, after the days' duties were done. They enjoyed this little out of the way place where they were seldom disturbed by others.
The roses that bloomed on the bush were Siri's favorite flowers, a delicate rose with layers of blue, gray and light green petals. She had often told Obi-Wan how much they reminded her of his eyes. The iris of the flower reminded him of her eyes, a bright blue center that was revealed when the flower was fully in bloom. The rose bush seemed to respond to them when they were near, the roses seemed to bloom more, and reach out to them when they sat together on the stone bench. After a lengthy mission, the bush would have few roses, but after a few visits by Obi-Wan and Siri, the bush would be in full bloom again. They always found that curious and amusing, and considered it "their bush".
They had a special relationship, Obi-Wan and Siri. They loved each other, but could not openly admit to it as lovers, outside the temple could, because of the code which forbade attachment, which being interpreted many years ago by the Jedi Councils of their time, included personal love and marriage. So they found other ways to express their love: in deep friendship, an occasional kiss and a once in a while snuggle, dinners together, sparring, teasing, little mementos to one another, and this very special place by the Terranian Rose bush.
They had never allowed their affection to interfere with Jedi duties, and Obi-Wan had once quipped with an impish grin, "We're not breaking the code, we're just...bending it a little."
Both understood that the reality of their duties could and in reality had separated them for long periods of time, and one of them could at any time die in the performance of their duties. They had accepted that reality, but now Obi-Wan wondered if he had truly understood it. The possibility of losing Siri now was almost more than he could bear. His heart ached at the thought of never having her by his side with their Padawans on missions again, of never hearing her laugh, or even hear her mocking tone when she teased him. He slid painfully off the bench and crouched on his knees beside the bush and with aching heart and trembling fingers reached out for one of the blooms.
He lightly stroked the delicate petals of a rose as tears began to form in his eyes.
"Please don't leave me Siri." His heartbroken plea reached only the bush. "Don't break my heart like this, I don't think I can take it. How will I go on without you if you leave me?"
He heart twisted in grief, he bent over, crossed his body with one arm and with the other covered his face as tears ran down his cheeks. He sat like that for several minutes. Then he finally brushed his tears away as he realized that Yoda was right. As a Jedi, he had to control his heart and do what the code commanded. As heart wrenching and painful as it would be, he had to let her go otherwise he would be no good to his Padawan, Ferus or the order. He would have let attachment rule him. If the worst happened, he had to be ready to face it.
With a heavy heart he deeply sighed and had just settled himself to meditate and release his emotions when he heard a rustling of leaves. He looked up and was surprised to find the Turranian Rose bush trembling and tiny silver beads of moisture forming on the blooms.
It was as if the bush were weeping for him!
His eyes wide and mouth open in amazement, tears still wet on his eyelashes, he reached out with the force and was amazed at how strong in the living force this bush was. He thought to himself, "Qui-Gon would have loved this bush."
A bloom seemed to reach out to him, and he sensed it was offering itself. He reached out to it, fingered it gently and then grasped the stem and carefully plucked the rose from the bush and held it to his heart. A tear fell unbidden from his eye and landed on the delicate petals he held. He watched fascinated as his tear slid silently into the iris of the bloom. The rose seemed to quiver slightly in his hand. He took a deep breath, and gazed again at the quivering bush.
"I'll give it to her," he had said softly. He felt a slight soft breeze hit his face. There was warmth and comfort in it. A self - conscious smirk broke out on his face. Although his heart still ached with grief and worry for Siri, he felt a little better. He shook his head at himself and wondered if he might be a little too distraught and what would Qui-Gon think if he saw this.
He tucked the bloom into the inner pocket of his robe and stood to leave when he saw something in the pond. A small ripple broke the still water and cast shimmering light about as he reached in and picked it up. He felt the cool wetness drip down his arm as he retrieved the item and looked at it. It was a flat, smooth shiny gray stone about the size of his palm. He turned it over in his hand thoughtfully, then put it in his pocket.
He had gone back into the waiting room where shortly thereafter, the doors opened and they wheeled Siri into recovery.
"We can't be sure yet, Obi-Wan, but we think we were successful."
A relieved smile had lit his face as he nodded gratefully. "May I see her?"
"As soon as we have her settled, you can go in. She'll be sleeping though, are you sure you don't want to rest?"
"I'll wait," Obi-Wan had said. He then contacted Ferus and Anakin and told them the news, and waited.
When he was finally allowed in, he slowly entered the room and dismay pierced his heart at what he saw. She was heavily bandaged from head to foot, a cast was on one leg, and wires were coming out of different places and attached to monitors.
Now as he stood by her bed, fingering the flower, he looked around for something to put it in.
He found a little vase and some water, put the rose in it and set it on the little table next to her bed, then sat down next to her and took her one unbandaged hand.
He kissed her hand and chuckled softly. "Look at you. Usually I'm the one in that position and you're sitting by my bed." He reached up, brushed her cheek gently and whispered wistfully, "How I wish that were the case now."
He settled back into his chair, listened to the beeps and watched the soft rise and fall of her breathing and was comforted by it. He finally fell asleep still holding her hand. When he awoke a little later he found her hand was no longer in his,but instead had grasped the rose he had brought and held it against her heart. He smiled, bent over her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips and whispered, "I love you, Siri." The rose slightly trembled in her hand.
Four weeks later, Obi-Wan gently lead Siri into the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and took her to their bench. He helped her out of the hover chair and settled her on the bench. He made sure she was comfortable, then lowered himself next to her. Her face was almost healed from the cuts and bruises, most of the bandages were gone and her leg was in a smaller cast, but Obi-Wan thought he had never seen anyone so lovely.
The healers said she would make a full recovery, but it would take some time in rehabilitation for her to return to full health and activity. Obi-Wan had sought permission from the Council to take over Ferus's training until she could return to it herself. They denied his request siting the fact he has his hands full with Anakin. Adi Gallia agreed to take over his training temporarily until Siri could resume her responsibilities. This worked fine for the two of them and they visited Siri daily with stories of his progress.
Siri smiled when she saw the blooms and they trembled and seemed to reach for her, petals opening in gladness.
"Why, they seem almost happy to see me!" She observed.
Obi-Wan grinned. "I think they are. I was at a little shop a couple weeks ago, and I saw a bush like this one in their shop. The owner told me that the Terran Rose is called a Lover's Rose by the Terranians. These bushes respond to emotions, especially love. Terranians often use them to test the reality of their love for one another because the roses will reach for them and open in blooms when real love is present. They come in different colors too. Isn't is interesting that this bush has colors that remind us of each other?"
"Yes, very." She was delighted as she observed the blooms as they seemed to stretch and open for them. "I never really paid that much attention to it before, but I think they've done this every time we've been here."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, and I wonder why?" he said, his eyes glinting with affectionate humor.
Siri stretched out her hand and touched the nearest bloom. It quivered at her touch. She looked at Obi-Wan in amazement. "It's like they're alive!"
"They are. They're very strong in the living force. They remind me of Zenoma Sekot, the planet Anakin and I went to a few years ago, while you were still undercover. Everything was alive there, you could feel the living force so strongly and the way the planet's trees and plants responded to Anakin and me is similar to the way this bush responds to us. I almost wonder if this bush didn't originate there."
"Hm, but this bush responds mainly to love," Siri said thoughtfully.
"And that is what makes this kind of bush special," he said, then he smiled. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if Qui-Gon found this bush somewhere in his travels and brought it here." He smiled fondly at the thought of his former master.
"Yes, and it sounds just like him, too," Siri said with a soft laugh. "Tell me, why were you at that little shop?"
Obi-Wan paused, then answered, "I have something for you."
He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a little package, gift wrapped with white paper and a little blue bow.
"For me?" she said, her eyes wide in surprise as she reached out. He placed it in her hand.
"Open it." Obi-Wan said, a smile played around the corners of his mouth as he watched her, waiting for her response.
She opened the little package and gasped in surprise. Her eyes lit up and she looked up into Obi-Wan's face, his blue/gray eyes crinkled as he grinned in delight.
"It's beautiful." she said as she lifted out a gray smooth stone. It was very roughly heart shaped, some chipped out and angled not quite right, but it looked enough like a heart. The surface was smooth to the touch and had writing on it.
"I borrowed tools from maintenance and carved the heart shape myself. Sorry it's not very good." He ducked his head a little, smiling shyly, his eyes twinkling at her.
Siri glanced at him and felt her heart melting at how totally and utterly charming he looked at that moment. She held the stone in her hand and said with a lump in her throat, "It's perfect."
"I took it to the little shop I told you about and had them engrave it. Read it." he said softly. His cheeks flushed a little as she turned the stone and began to read.
One side was engraved." To Siri. with love. Obi-Wan." She smiled and turned it over. It read, "The code may have my obedience, but you will always have my heart."
"Oh, Obi-Wan," She gasped as tears rimmed her eyes.
He put an arm tenderly around her waist, looked into her blue eyes and said softly, "I mean every word of it. And in this regard, I will never be moved."
Siri looked into his earnest, open face and his wide, sparkling eyes and put her arms around his neck in a hug. His other arm wrapped around her as his lips brushed hers softly and then he kissed her gently. She responded to his kiss with one of her own, her hand coming up and brushing his beard softly. They ended the kiss and he pressed his forehead against hers as they turned as one and gazed again at the Terranian Rose Bush.
They smiled as the bush quivered in pleasure and more roses bloomed.
The End