A Trick of the Light

by Black Stormraven

Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them... Inspired by one of the sketches on Dave Filoni's "thank you" blog post.

This is a long note, so please bear with me. I want you guys to understand why I wrote this fic.

Earlier this week Dave Filoni posted a blog entry thanking fans of The Clone Wars for their continued support throughout the years and even when the show was cancelled (thanks, Disney).

The second sketch is what got my attention. First of all, QUINLAN EFFIN' VOS WAS COMING BACK! F;KGNMFKLNGKLFNM

Secondly, I couldn't quite tell who it was he was carrying. Then it hit me like a ton of rotten fish: it's Asajj Ventress.

Anyone who follows my Tumblr (or my account here, hurrhurrhurr) knows that she's my favorite. She means so much to me for a lot of reasons and it really breaks my heart that she doesn't get enough love in the fandom or from writers in general (she's only appeared in three EU novels with mentions in a few others).

Anyway, my heart shattered when I realized that it was her Vos was carrying. Along with a tweet from last year's Celebration about her storyline getting "more dramatic", I came very close to sobbing for a good two days. I couldn't believe that after all the development Filoni and crew had given her, all the hell she went through to finally leave the Sith and become a (relatively) neutral character with the potential for good that they would just kill her off.

Then it hit me. It was close to midnight on the 11th when I literally sat up in bed and said "I CAN FIX IT!" I knew how to fix the ache in my chest that had been put there by the implied fate of a fictional character (again, please don't make fun).

So for four days I've been writing my own version of how the event in that sketch came to be and the aftermath. I finally finished it tonight and I feel so relieved that it's done. I refuse to believe my baby girl is going to be killed off anytime soon after all the work that went into turning her into a realistic, three dimensional character. Even if it does happen in the Maul miniseries coming out in the spring, I won't believe it until I see it happen on-screen...and even then no. I haven't spent the past year building and tweaking my headcanon for her for nothing (esp. since no one "official" seemed willing/able to freakin' DO IT).

So yeah. It's done, and I'm tweeting it to Filoni telling him no need to thank me for fixing the story behind that sketch. I don't even care if he even sees it, let alone acknowledges it. I just want to get it all out of my system and be done with it.

Now that that's done with, ONWARD!

---

The Force shifted. It was so sudden yet subtle Obi-Wan found himself pitching forward out of his meditation. It took him a few moments to come back to himself and remember where he was; he felt as if he'd stepped off a cliff and was still falling. An unpleasant weight had formed in his gut, only lightening when he calmed his breathing. He looked up when the sound of a ship landing on the Temple roof interrupted the silence of his quarters. What was going on?

A nudge from the Force told him to meet the ship. Something was wrong. The closer he got to the landing pad the more insistent that single thought became until it pounded through his veins and in his head. A few others had beat him to the pad, including Yoda and Aayla Secura. A figure was coming down the ship's ramp, moving slowly and deliberately as if it had to think about each step. It was carrying something, too. Perhaps that was the reason for the care it took...

Obi-Wan felt his mind go numb as he saw what the figure, that turned out to be a very disheveled Quinlan Vos, was holding. Something popped in his chest as he more clearly saw the torn clothing, the deathly pale skin streaked with blood and dirt, the limpness of her limbs, the ragged, cauterized hole that punctured her chest. His feet moved him in front of Vos, but he couldn't bring his gaze up to meet the Kiffar's. His eyes were fixed on the lifeless face of the woman in his arms. He tried to say something, anything, but his tongue felt leaden in his mouth. Even if it would cooperate his lungs refused to supply the air needed to form words.

"Quin, what happened?" Thankfully Aayla was able to ask what Obi-Wan couldn't. She was at her former Master's side with a look of concern and disbelief on her youthful face.

Vos didn't look at her. He didn't look at anyone. "Maul." Obi-Wan's head snapped up at that name. "My cover was blown. Sidious sent Maul after me." The heaviness in his voice deepened when he finally turned his head, looking down at the woman he held with as much care as he could manage in his present state of mind. "She held him off when he had me dead to rights. Said she was making a bad habit of saving Jedi. We fought Maul together..." He had to take a moment to clear his throat. "She said she was making a bad habit of fighting him with a Jedi, too." Obi-Wan recalled the time she had saved him from the monstrous brothers. In the back of his mind he wondered if she and Vos had fought together as fluidly as she had with him... "But we weren't good enough. She told me to run. Forced me to, actually." His hand tightened on her unmoving shoulder. "The last thing I saw was Maul running her through with his lightsaber."

Again Obi-Wan felt his very soul freeze. Three times she had aided Jedi in their times of need when she could have simply walked away, twice involving Maul. That thing that had popped in his chest earlier did so again, this time becoming a physical pain. "The assassin sacrificed herself for you?" Aayla asked softly, her voice coated with incredulity.

"Ex-assassin." Obi-Wan's own voice sounded foreign and strange even to his ears. He paid no attention to the looks the others sent him. "She...forsook that life." He trailed off when even thinking about it became too hard.

Vos looked at him as if seeing his comrade in a new light. Obi-Wan didn't see it (his eyes were still riveted to Asajj's face, at the way the fading sunlight tinged her soiled skin a soft red), but a gentle look of understanding, a sudden epiphany crossed Vos's face for a blip of an instant. In that moment, he knew, even if Obi-Wan didn't. "I went back for her," he continued. "It didn't...feel right to leave her there. She deserved better than being left to rot."

A thoughtful 'hmmm' drifted up to the Jedi from around their knees. "Right you were to bring her here," Yoda said softly. "Many crimes against the Republic she had committed in service to the Sith. But the ultimate sacrifice for you, a stranger, she made." That wizened head nodded once as if affirming some great decision. "A proper burial, she shall have. Honor her sacrifice and her return to the Light we will."

The weight that had settled in Obi-Wan's stomach became heavier and colder until it felt as if his insides had turned to solid ice. This isn't real, he thought as he watched Asajj's body being laid on a repulsor sled. She wasn't fighting back. She wasn't resisting in the slightest. This is just a bad dream. He continued watching until the sled, flanked by Vos, Aayla, and two other Jedi, disappeared inside the Temple. Even then the hope that she would come running out, lightsabers flashing, wouldn't leave him alone.

"Master Obi-Wan." He snapped back to the present at the sound of Yoda's voice. "A word with you, I would like." He was already hobbling away into the Temple before Obi-Wan could respond. He had no choice but to follow on numb legs.

The shadows of Yoda's chambers seemed to echo Obi-Wan's feelings at the moment. He was normally a little unsettled by the pressing gloom, but now he welcomed it. Yoda bade him to sit as he clambered onto a round cushion himself. The Grand Master didn't speak for a long time. He simply observed Obi-Wan. When he did break the near-oppressive silence his voice seemed...heavy. Almost mournful. "A most unfortunate development this news is, mmm?"

Obi-Wan felt his head move up and down. It was as if he were somehow outside his body and something else was controlling it. "Yes, Master."

Yoda tilted his head. "So few words you have?"

"What is there to say, Master?" In truth, he didn't think he couldn't give voice to the thoughts swirling in his head. Not without embarrassing himself in front of the old Master. Or admitting something about himself he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Complicated, your relationship with Ventress was. Believed there was still Light in her, you always did. And now, nothing to say have you?"

Obi-Wan noted how there was no accusation in Yoda's words or tone, no disappointment or mocking. It shamed him a bit to have thought there would have been. "I...believe I am still...processing everything. The loss of life in such a way is always tragic-"

"No," Yoda snapped abruptly, his gimer stick hitting the floor sharply. Obi-Wan jumped. "Recite memorized lessons, do not. Speak freely and truly, young Obi-Wan. Not from the teachings of the Jedi. From your heart."

Is this some kind of test? What other explanation could there be? But how could he say the things he'd refused to even identify? Was that the test? Forcing him to admit those things? He stayed silent for what felt like hours. His thoughts were still so chaotic he didn't know where to begin.

Yoda helped him. "What felt you when Master Vos emerged from his ship with Ventress?"

A pang shot through the younger Jedi. "I felt...nothing. I mean...a void." And now it was back, a hollow feeling in his chest that only expanded as he talked. "I felt as if I were walking in a dream, one I've felt before and never wish to experience again."

Yoda 'hmm'd. "Felt that when Master Qui-Gon died, did you?"

Obi-Wan bowed his head slightly. "Yes."

"And what feel you now?"

He paused for a moment. He needed to make absolutely sure he was feeling what he thought he was. "Pain." The word caught in his throat unexpectedly and almost made him choke. Or was it the stabbing sensation between his ribs that caused that? "Unspeakable pain."

"Mmmm. More complex for your former enemy, your feelings are." Obi-Wan tensed. Was he really so transparent? "Heartbreak, that pain you feel is."

Those six words hit him harder than a blaster bolt. Yes, his heart had been broken when Qui-Gon had died. But that had been a natural reaction. Qui-Gon had been his mentor, his surrogate father for the majority of his life. Of course he'd been heartbroken.

He couldn't feel that way for Ventress. He didn't know her that well, and the times he had interacted with her had been less than companionable. Well, except for when she had saved him from Maul and Savage. And her prickly demeanor had given way (sort of) to a (slightly) softer side he'd never known she possessed when they'd made their escape. He'd been surprised when he'd found himself back on Coruscant after that encounter wishing he'd tried a little harder to get her to open up to him more. Then he'd heard how she had helped Ahsoka, albeit reluctantly, when the Order had turned its back on her. His respect for the former assassin had grown then. And now she had given her life to save another Jedi.

That hard truth made his chest constrict as he recalled her lifeless face, her body limp and empty in Vos's arms. His eyes stung. His lungs burned. This couldn't be heartbreak. Yoda was wrong about few things, but this was one of them. He was sure of it.

"Think me wrong, do you?" Yoda looked at him knowingly, as if he'd been reading his mind. It was a bit unnerving. "Look inside, young Obi-Wan. Deny the truth, do not. No sin it is to feel sorrow. But to deny it invites further pain." He hopped down from his perch and slowly made his way to the door. Obi-Wan merely sat, dumbfounded. "At dawn her funeral will be. Bid farewell to Ventress before then, you should. Good for you it will be."

Obi-Wan took the tiny Master's advice after sundown. His hood concealed his face from any prying eyes; he didn't feel like being questioned on his destination right now. Or on anything else. He needed to see her body one more time, had to convince himself that she was truly dead; a miniscule part of his traitorous brain still stubbornly held to the idea that it was all some kind of ruse put together by her, possibly with the help of Vos, to escape Maul and infiltrate the Temple for some reason.

That was more like her. That was sensible. Now he just needed to confirm it one way or the other.

The crypt deep in the bowels of the Temple had always had an air of profundity that made it seem a holy place. Jedi across a thousand years of history were laid to rest here, the majority of them unknown to Obi-Wan except through tales from the Archives, but there were more than a few friends here as well. He spared a thought for them, then returned his focus to his mission.

It wasn't difficult since the stone table at the center of the vast room now had a new occupant. His heart sank once again at the sight.

A shroud covered her from head to foot, symbolically protecting her body from the non-existent elements until the time came for her to burn. Obi-Wan hesitated when he reached out to her covered head. A deep breath steadied his hand as his fingers closed around the edge of the cloth. Freshly cleaned, pale skin painted with dark purple designs was revealed as he pulled it away. He dropped it when he reached her bare shoulders; per custom (and, he suspected, respect), her battered and shredded clothing had been discarded. Besides, he had no desire to see the wound on her chest that had ended her life. He'd seen too many of those on too many people, innocent and not.

Her face was just as he always remembered, but without the fire he'd come to expect, and even like. Exotic with its curious combination of curves and angles, sharp, intelligent, a canvas for a myriad of emotions that she felt so deeply. There was a kind of peace on her features that he'd never seen before, however. Her eyes and mouth were relaxed, long lashes brushing her high cheeks. She almost looked as if she were merely sleeping.

But one gentle probe through the Force shattered that illusion. There was nothing there. She was gone.

Obi-Wan's hand moved of its own accord to touch her cheek. He must have been more unsettled than he thought; there seemed to still be a bit of warmth to her skin. A sad smile turned up the corners of his mouth. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he needed to say even if she wasn't there to hear it. But he knew if he opened his mouth his lungs would seize up and the tears he'd finally admitted he'd been holding back would fall. Instead he simply bowed his head, his palms on the cold stone supporting his weight, and thought, I'm sorry, my darling. I'm so sorry, Asajj.

Heavy silence settled over and around him. It became stifling. He couldn't breathe. But he couldn't leave. His feet had rooted to the ground and refused to budge.

"This is usually the part in the fairy tale where the knight wakes the dead with a kiss, isn't it?"

For what felt like the thousandth time that day, time froze. Thought stopped. Even his heart stopped for a couple of beats.

This was it. It had finally happened. His mind had finally snapped under the strain of the war and now he was having auditory hallucinations.

Still, something made him lift his head. Asajj's face was unchanged...wait. Was it his wishful thinking or were her lips turned up in a tiny smile? Had they been like that before? Was that a draft moving the shroud across her chest?

What sorcery was moving her eyelids?

Hooded silver eyes found his. And smiled.

Air rushed back into his body. His heart started beating again until it pounded almost painfully against his ribs. He didn't dare hope that this was real. But a touch on the back of his hand certainly felt real. He tore his eyes from her face to see what it was...and felt his hand shake in response. Those slender, deadly fingers he'd come to know so well touched his skin with an almost timid gentleness. He looked back up at her face and saw that her eyes were now fully open and her mouth had curved into her customary smirk. Pressing his luck, he lifted a hand to her cheek. "Asajj?"

That smirk grew into a full smile. "So glad you remember my name, my dear."

One moment he was staring blankly down into her oddly beautiful face in wonder. The next he had his arms around her in an embrace so tight he was sure he would cut off his circulation. But he didn't care about that.

Asajj was alive!

A pained groan startled him into releasing her, worry etching itself into his expression. Asajj winced as she pressed a hand to her chest, right where Maul's lightsaber had pierced her flesh. "Sorry," Obi-Wan said hurriedly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't give yourself a heart attack, Kenobi," she said through a deep breath. "I've been worse, believe it or not."

A pang shot through him at that; despite everything she had done, every atrocity she had committed in Dooku's service, he still hated to think of her in pain. His hands stayed on her arms, half to reassure himself that this was real, that her warm flesh beneath his palms was real, and half to offer whatever comfort she might need or want.

"H-How...I felt you...I mean, you were gone. I felt for you in the Force and there was nothing..." He trailed off when he saw her smirking.

"That's a trick I've always liked. Force cloaking. The Sith are masters at it. A combination of that and a healing trance I learned with the Nightsisters does wonders for mimicking death." Only now did she seem to notice where she was. She glanced around with a look of wary disdain. "Cheerful place."

"You're in the Jedi crypt below the Temple," he explained, noticing her flinch. "Quinlan Vos brought you here when-" He cut himself off. Despite the developments, he couldn't bring himself to think of her as dead.

Genuine confusion shone in her mercurial eyes when she met his again. "Why did he do that?"

Obi-Wan looked down, grasping both of her hands with his. "You sacrificed yourself to save him. He thought you deserved better than being left wherever you were." He watched his thumbs stroke across her fingers. "I have to agree."

Asajj watched him for a long moment. He seemed...legitimately upset. That puzzled her. Was it because of his Jedi tendency to have compassion for all life no matter how wretched, or was it-

No. There was no 'or'. He didn't care about her beyond that. Their one-time partnership had been a lifetime ago and over and done with as soon as they'd made it to the nearest planet. Her apparent death hadn't changed the fact that they were still...not quite enemies, but certainly not friends.

So why was he down here, alone, doing a perfect imitation of mourning over her motionless body? She my have had no illusions about the extent of his concern for her, but she knew for a fact it wasn't because he was sorry he wasn't the one to run her through. He was too noble a Jedi, too noble a man to have such petty thoughts.

She shook her head. The movement caused the cloth that had been draped around her to fall from under her arms where she'd tucked it after Obi-Wan had released her from his embrace. She caught it, but not before noticing how her visitor colored and glanced away. Although she was still sore from the confrontation with Maul and the hours she'd spent in the healing trance, she couldn't help but send him a playful smile.

"If you'd wanted to get me undressed, there are easier ways than having me fake my death, my dear."

Obi-Wan's blush deepened. "That's not..."

Asajj couldn't help but chuckle. He was always fun to tease. "Calm down, Kenobi. Just hand me my clothes." She saw how his eyes danced as if surprised. She groaned when she realized why. "Let me guess. They threw them out already." Obi-Wan nodded. "Perfect," she sighed irritably.

An idea, admittedly a wild, possibly offensive one, popped into his head. Anakin would certainly think he'd gone insane, but he would never know. "Come with me," he said gently, standing and holding out a hand to the still-annoyed woman wrapping the rest of the shroud around herself. "I think I know where you can borrow some."

Asajj looked at his hand as if it were a serpent that might bite her. What was he up to? "You're not going to hand me over to the Council, are you?"

He had the grace to look mildly offended for a moment, but that was quickly replaced with a twinkle of amusement. "Would I go through the trouble of a ruse if I were?"

A dramatic sigh was her first response. "I suppose not." His hand was warm when it closed around hers, the gentle strength in his fingers making her heart beat just a little bit faster. Not that she would ever admit it. "I swear, your chivalry will be your undoing, Kenobi."

That got a true smile out of him. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear."

The room swayed when she put her feet on the floor and tried to stand. The aftereffects of her healing trance hadn't worn off yet and her sense of balance suffered for it. Thankfully, Obi-Wan's arms were there to steady her until her vision leveled out and the pins and needles in her legs faded. She pushed away when she realized how she was leaning into him. Being less than a breath away from death hadn't changed the fact that she still viewed touch as something to be exploited or used to cause pain. She didn't see his sad smile as his hands left her.

The Temple halls were eerily silent as they carefully made their way up into the main part of the ziggurat. They'd yet to encounter any insomniac Jedi, but Asajj preferred to remain close to the shadows just in case. Obi-Wan didn't object. In fact, he took point and signaled to her when he was sure their path was clear.

A nondescript door, just like all the others they'd passed, was their destination. Obi-Wan let her pass through first, then followed and silently closed it behind him. The room was small, almost claustrophobic, but Asajj had been in tighter spots. Figuratively and literally.

"They may be a bit on the small side," Obi-Wan said as he opened a panel on the wall to reveal a sparsely filled closet of sorts. "But there should be at least one thing that will fit."

Surprise registered on her face as she looked at the clothes. He really did intend to find her something to wear. Why she was surprised, she didn't really know. He'd never been anything but honest with her before (well, aside from his oft annoying sarcasm), so why would he change that now. Resorting back to her comfort zone, Asajj fell back to her teasing as she stepped towards the minimal wardrobe. Her fingers skimmed across the fabrics almost lazily, as if she had all the time in the world. "Not bad. Never thought you had the legs to wear something like this, though."

Obi-Wan tilted his head at her. "Wha-oh." His confusion gave way to a smile that lit up his face and a short laugh that made her stomach tingle. "Good to know you haven't lost your quick tongue, Asajj."

"I assure you, my dear, that's something not even death will change." And then she let go of the shroud that had covered her from armpit to ankle. Obi-Wan quickly turned his back to her, but not before a quiet, startled gasp reached her ears. She couldn't help but smirk. She'd never been ashamed of her body, never been shy about nudity in general. But apparently the self-imposed repression of the Jedi went even deeper than she thought.

Besides, it was nice to know she could still surprise the unflappable General Kenobi.

"So, care to explain whose closet I'm raiding?"

"Ahsoka's." Her hand stopped. "I don't think she'd mind."

"Ah. Explains the drab color scheme." She resumed her perusal, shaking off the sudden unease that had temporarily settled in her chest. "Whatever happened to Skywalker's little pet? Last I heard she was facing some pretty serious charges from you people."

He flinched; Asajj caught it in her peripheral while she held up a plain brown dress to her torso. "Ahsoka...left the Order." His voice was low and heavy. She almost felt sorry for him. "Master Yoda...asked her to come back after Barriss confessed to the bombing, but she refused."

"Oh." Asajj carefully stepped into the garment, pressing one hand against the wall when her leg almost refused to support her weight. These aftereffects better wear off soon. "Well, good for her. Why would she want to stay among people who turned their backs on her so easily."

Although it was the truth, her words still hit Obi-Wan in the wrong place. "It wasn't that simple, Asajj." There was more bite to his voice than he intended, so he took a breath and purposefully softened his next words. "It was wrong, what the Council did, but given the evidence stacked against her-"

"So you're defending them even though they were wrong. You seem to make a habit of that."

A sound of frustration cut through the air. "I'm starting to think I should have left you in the crypt," he muttered.

A brief flash of something akin to hurt knifed in her breast. She shoved it aside and reached around to zip up the back of the dress. "Then you wouldn't be having such a fun time, Obi-Wan." She bit down a noise of pain when the stretch of her arms pulled at her still-tender wounds.

"Your idea of fun and mine seem to be very different."

She rolled her eyes, simultaneously giving up on closing the dress. "Blah blah blah. Now make yourself useful and help me out here."

"What do you-" Obi-Wan fell silent as he turned on instinct. Asajj had her back to him, an expanse of pale flesh left exposed by the open edges of the borrowed dress. He unconsciously admired the muscle beneath the skin, the way they rippled with every tiny movement. A warrior's form. Beautiful.

That admiration was quickly drowned out by horror as he registered the scars that cut across her skin.

Some were fresher, apparently earned during her latest meeting with Maul, dark and painful looking. But others were older, and deeper. Pearled with age, some smooth, some still slightly corded, all of them with stories of pain, torture, and agony. Obi-Wan found himself reaching out to them, as if he could discern each scar's origin if he touched them.

"Any day now," an impatient voice hissed.

Obi-Wan shook his head clear of the direction his thoughts had turned. Now wasn't the time for pity or sympathy. He made sure he didn't touch her bare skin as he took hold of the zipper and pulled it up. The material resisted a bit as he reached the middle of her shoulder blades, but a subtle shift of Asajj's shoulders allowed the zipper to pass to the edge of the neckline. She stepped away from him to pull on a pair of too-small boots and adjust the short dress a bit more.

"Hmm, like you said. A little tight, but it'll do."

She was too preoccupied with smoothing the material down her sides and over her thighs, tugging it down when it tried to ride up, to see how Obi-Wan was observing her every movement. It was more than a bit jarring to see Ahsoka's clothes on someone else, especially Asajj Ventress. But there was a small part of him that couldn't help but appreciate how the dress hugged every curve of her body in a most enticing way.

Asajj felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck rise up. A familiar paranoia sent a tingle down her spine as she felt eyes staring at her. She quickly looked up to see Obi-Wan just as quickly turn his head. It was hard to tell in the dark, but she could have sworn his face and neck colored. She honestly didn't know how to feel about that.

"So," he said softly, clearing his throat and still not looking at her. "Where will you go now?"

She hadn't given that much thought. She hadn't thought much past just waking up, actually. "I don't know." The air had become thick and suffocating. She never was very good at having serious talks with Jedi, let alone this one. "I was thinking I'd stay here. Just tell everyone I'm a ghost and they'd leave me alone." She kept her face blank as Obi-Wan turned to her with a look of shocked disbelief. "I'm joking, Kenobi."

He smiled that smile again, the one that he always made when he allowed himself to stop taking things too seriously or stop hiding behind snarky quips. She liked that smile, much as she was loath to admit it.

"There's not many places I can go now, to be honest." Asajj crossed her arms under her chest, flexing her back when the tightness of the dress restricted the movement. "Sidious, Dooku, Maul, the Jedi. They all think I'm dead. How's it going to look if I show up on their holofeeds alive and well? For the most part." The heaviness of the thought made her turn her gaze out the window. As much as she hated Coruscant's top side and what it represented, the sight of the endless black sky above helped her feel not so trapped.

Obi-Wan caught himself staring again. Not at her body this time. At the expression on her face. He'd never seen her look so lost, yet unconcerned. The paradox was confusing, beautiful, and evoked in him a strong desire to help her yet again. "What about Corellia?" he offered suddenly. "Have you ever caused a scene there?"

Asajj gave a small smile at the lightness in his voice. "Not that I recall."

"It's large enough and busy enough that you'd go unnoticed...provided you don't stir up any trouble."

"Then why go at all?" she mock-pouted.

He grinned. "I know how you love to draw attention to yourself. I can take you there, if you like."

She nodded her smooth head to one side. "Saves me having to stowaway on a freighter."

Obi-Wan held out a hand, Asajj taking it without hesitation. Curious how that gesture was starting to feel more natural the more it occurred. "Then let's go."

The trip to the hangar where his starfighter waited silently was even more nerve-wracking than that from the crypt, but they made it without passing a soul. The Force is with us tonight, Obi-Wan thought gratefully. Settling into the double seats, he powered up the craft without conscious thought; the protocol and series of startup sequences were as familiar to him as breathing. The next moment they were streaking out of the hangar, the Temple growing smaller and smaller as they left Coruscant's gravity well for the vacuum of open space. Even as he guided the fighter into its hyperspace ring Asajj didn't dare speak. In the back of her mind was the feeling that if she opened her mouth they'd be intercepted and everything would fall apart.

Only when the pinpoints of distant stars became long beams of light as they jumped into hyperspace did she allow herself to breathe.

"What do you think you'll do on Corellia, my darling?"

The sound of his voice seemed to boom as if amplified through a hundred speakers in the confines of the fighter. She thought about his question for a long moment, then shrugged. "Not a clue. Guess I'll just have to see where fate takes me."

He fell silent, but his mind still buzzed. There was still so much he wanted to say to her before they parted. He didn't want this to be a repeat of their time in that pod after escaping Maul and Oppress. But how to make it different?

For her part, Asajj was only slightly less confused by everything that had happened in the last few hours. She still didn't know why she saved Quinlan Vos from Maul. Nor why he had taken her to the Temple as if she deserved some honor for what she'd done (as if she'd accept anything from the Jedi Order in the first place). Nor why Obi-Wan had looked at her in the crypt as if the sun had just returned to his life when she had opened her eyes. But what really threw her for a loop was her reaction to him.

Throughout the course of the war they'd always flirted during their battles. It had just seemed natural. Before her conscience had decided to show itself again, she'd always mocked her victims with vicious playfulness. It had been fun. Only Obi-Wan had ever played along. She'd still hated him on principle, of course, but their encounters had eventually become something she'd actually started looking forward to.

As time went on, she found her pet names for him shift from condescending to more than a little genuine. She doubted the same was true from his side, but she couldn't deny that somewhere along the way her grudging respect for her enemy had grown to some kind of twisted affection. She'd come to realize that was why she had saved him from Maul and Savage. Well, that and she'd had a bit of a problem with someone else killing him. Still did, actually.

Asajj realized she'd been staring at the back of his during her entire introspection. She blinked twice before straightening her spine. Unknown to her, she wasn't the only one who wanted this trip to be different from the one their last one.

"What are you going to tell the Jedi when they see there's no body to bury in the crypt?" Her voice was low as she forced her conflicting emotions down.

Obi-Wan's responding exhale suddenly seemed too intimate in the close quarters, a fact that went unnoticed by him. "I'm not sure. There were only a few of us that know you were down there."

Asajj could practically hear the gears turning in his head. It amused her to no end to see him without an explanation or a gameplan. She leaned forward until her arms rested on the back of his seat. "Well, you could always tell them it was some kind of Dark Sith magic. They're gullible enough to buy that, right?"

He chuckled. He'd learned long ago to not take offense when she insulted the Jedi. It had become more of an endearing habit than anything personal for him. "I'm sure I can make that work."

Silence settled over them once again. This time Asajj wasn't sure she liked it so much. "Let me ask you something, and I want a serious answer. Why do you keep insisting on helping me?"

Obi-Wan felt his back go stiff. It was a simple question. It was the answer that was complicated, however. He opened his mouth, then closed it when he realized what he was about to say would only sound like a robotic recitation at best, or a lie at worst. Asajj stayed quiet while he struggled to find the right words. "I suppose," he started slowly, "I hate to think of someone living in pain when they don't have to. And," he turned as far in his seat as he could, momentarily startled when he saw how close her face was to his, "I always felt there was more to you than what you showed."

Asajj stared at him. She shouldn't have been so shocked by his admission, but there it was, lodged in her chest right next to her ongoing puzzlement regarding this Jedi. "What if you'd been wrong?" she asked softly. She was almost afraid of the answer.

"But I wasn't." She didn't know whether to take the small smile he offered as an assurance or an insult. "Believe it or not, I knew what you were going through. I understood where all of that pain and rage came from. And...I just wanted to try to help you move past it."

Asajj leaned back and crossed her arms. A scowl was settling on her face. "What would a Jedi know of rage? You people don't feel anything."

Obi-Wan sighed. "That's where you're wrong, Asajj. The Jedi may be taught how to contain our feelings, but I assure you we are just as susceptible to them as anyone." She wasn't looking at him and her brow had furrowed in what he recognized as mounting irritation racing towards righteous fury. He hesitated for a beat, then knew exactly how to cut that anger off. "Would you believe that I nearly fell to the Dark Side, not once, but twice?"

That got her attention. Disbelief colored her face before sliding back into feigned indifference. "I don't believe you. You don't have a Dark bone in your body."

"I wish that were true." He knew this was going to hurt. Reliving certain memories still caused him pain. But if it would help Asajj feel a little less alone, then he'd endure it without complaint. "The first time was when I was still very young. I had left the Order to be with Cerasi, a girl I'd met while on a mission with Qui-Gon." He ignored her derisive snort. "She was killed shortly after. It was the first time I'd seen someone I cared about die and I couldn't control my sorrow. Thankfully Master Qui-Gon had stayed close by and helped bring me back to myself before I could fall too far."

Asajj wanted to say something but found herself too shocked by the revelation. One thing he knew about Obi-Wan: he was a terrible liar. She'd know if he were making this up. "And the other time?" she whispered.

Obi-Wan winced as the images of Maul's lightsaber piercing Qui-Gon's body, his Master's eyes closing for the last time, flooded his mind. "When my Master was killed." That was all he could say. It still hurt too much.

Asajj didn't think it was possible to be any more floored, but he had just proved her wrong. He knew what it was like to lose the closest thing to a father he'd ever known. And he'd felt rage towards the killer. But he had been able to keep from drowning in grief, whereas she'd never been taught how to control her emotions so well; there had never been time to learn anything but combat in her youth. Ky had always told herthat he would teach her, but his death had come before those lessons could commence.

The half-smile that curved up one side of her mouth was more out of self-deprecation than actual mockery; she would never make fun of something so deeply personal. "Looks like we're not so different after all, then," she muttered.

Obi-Wan looked up at her, his mind firmly back in the present. "Does that distress you?"

Her smile widened. "Not as much as it would have before. And besides, it's nice to know you're not such a perfect Jedi."

Gentle laughter filled the tiny space along with an oddly comforting air of contentment. For her part, Asajj was more than a little surprised at having found a sort of kindred spirit in Obi-Wan. Who would have thought she would develop such a connection with the man she'd once hated more than anyone?

Obi-Wan was just as surprised as she was, unknown to her. But he had no time to ponder the new development when the beep of the controls cut through the air. "Looks like we're entering Corellian space," he said with only a hint of disappointment. He had been half hoping the trip would be a little longer. He didn't see Asajj's less-than-enthusiastic expression at the news.

Amid the thousands of other ships, large, small, and everything in between, a single starfighter went ignored by everyone except the lone air control droid that directed its landing. Two nondescript figures climbing down from the cockpit didn't attract any attention whatsoever from the milling crowds. A little perception distortion with the help of the Force didn't hurt their chances of going unnoticed either.

Jedi and 'resurrected' assassin strolled casually along an immaculate silver wall; neither was in any hurry despite the bustle of the beings around them. The main exit loomed before them, the bright afternoon Corellian sun shining down on the tightly packed buildings and spacescrapers to drown out the neon and fluorescent lights that beckoned tourists and gamblers indoors. Asajj stopped and crossed her arms. "Looks like this is goodbye. Again." She'd never admit it, but she couldn't quite hide the melancholy in her voice.

"So it seems." Obi-Wan observed her profile for a moment, then shrugged off his cloak. He grinned when she tried to step back as he settled the heavy fabric on her shoulders. "In case it gets cold," was the only explanation he offered.

Asajj pretended indifference, but in reality she quite liked the warmth around her...and the scent. "Whatever makes you feel better, Kenobi." Still, she turned towards him and gave a tiny smile. "For what it's worth, thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything." She glanced down to her feet, momentarily surprised by the foreign boots that she had forgotten about. "For this. For never giving up on me even when I did. For being your usual infuriating, chivalrous self."

A genuine smile lit up his face at that. On a whim, he gently took one of her hands in his, curling his fingers around hers. Had her hands always been so deceptively delicate? Mild surprise swam in her expressive eyes at the gesture. "You are very welcome, Asajj." Then he pressed his lips into the back of her hand.

A sharp breath was the only reaction she could muster. It felt as if a spark had jumped from his mouth to her skin and ignited every nerve in her arm. Was he doing that on purpose? He pulled back, and she found herself wanting him not to. Well, if this is the last chance I'll get... "Uh uh, Kenobi," she muttered quickly. "I want that fairy tale."

Obi-Wan had no time to contemplate her words before his breath was stolen in a wave of heat. Her hands gripped the back of his head and pulled him towards her demanding lips. His body froze in shock before giving way to the fire that had sparked in his chest and spread throughout his limbs. Rather than pushing her away, his arms instinctively rose to wrap around her slender form. Had she always been so supple and warm? The press of her chest against his and the weight of her tongue slipping between his lips chased the question from his mind until the only thing left was her.

Meanwhile, the knot of uncertainty that had formed in Asajj's gut slowly unwound itself as she realized he wasn't going to push her away. She leaned further into him until there wasn't a single millimeter of space between them. His heat surrounded her, filled her from her mouth to her toes. His breath poured into her lungs until it became difficult to tell where his began and hers ended. She'd almost forgotten the euphoria that came with such intimate contact; perhaps she'd just been waiting for the right moment...with the right person. Who would have thought that person would end up being Kenobi?

Obi-Wan's voice was low and thick when he finally managed to form words. "I thought you said it was the knight who did the kissing."

Asajj smiled, the fingers of one hand delving into his hair at the back of his neck. "Well, I wasn't going to wait around for you to work up the nerve to do it." A sense of finality settled over her as she realized that time was short. If he didn't return to the Temple soon, the Jedi would come looking for him. And she would much rather be on the opposite side of the planet when they did. "I guess this is goodbye for real then."

Obi-Wan found himself unwilling to let her go just yet. The feel of her under his hands, despite the barrier of his cloak, was too...soothing; that was the right word. One hand came up to cup her jaw. He was fascinated with how her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly at the touch. How long had it been since she'd been touched with anything but the intent to cause harm? "Will we meet again, Asajj?"

Stars, I hope so, was her first thought. But she wouldn't tell him that. Instead, she said, "Of course, my dear. You have to pay me back for this." The slow sweep of her thumb over his lips left no doubt as to what she meant. "And besides, you know you'd get bored without me around."

"I can't argue that," he laughed. He sobered quickly, however. "Take this however you like, but-" he pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered his next words directly into her ear "-may the Force always be with you in everything you do."

A pleasant tingle that had nothing to do with anything physical and everything to do with the sincerity and affection in his voice shot through Asajj's chest. Her arms tightened around him. "Don't do anything stupid out there, Obi-Wan." She pulled back to look him in the eye; she wanted him to know she was dead serious. "If you do, I will find you, and I assure you I won't be such pleasant company."

Obi-Wan sighed, not out of frustration this time. This time, her ferocity was most endearing. "I would hate to disappoint you, my sweet." A press of his lips into her forehead and he stepped back. "Stay safe."

One side of her mouth turned up in a half-smile as a hand touched his cheek. "Don't I always?"

Goodbye, my love. That's what they said without saying it, without admitting that's what they were saying. Over time they would realize that they're relationship had never been cut and dry. That they were more closely linked than they'd ever thought. That the Force still had designs for both of them together.

But for now, all that mattered was the lingering touch of their fingers as Asajj stepped away. Obi-Wan watched her raise the hood of his cloak over her head. He watched until she disappeared in the bright Corellian day, reborn into the light in more ways than one. He allowed himself one selfish thought before making his way back to the docking bay where he'd landed his starfighter: he hoped beyond hope that once peace was restored to the galaxy, he would indeed be able to pay Asajj back for that kiss.