Author's note/.../ is Force communication.

Chapter 2

Two healers, one a full-fledged Jedi, and the other a Padawan Healer, examined Allysia. She knew the Padawan was her best friend, Elena Solo, and for that, she was grateful. She felt safer knowing that her best friend would help take care of her. A tear rolled down her cheek and she felt Elena gently wipe it away.

Elena could feel her friend's torment and wished with everything she had that she could take it away, but she knew she couldn't. She turned to her master as if asking permission to tell Allysia about the procedures they'd performed on her while she'd slept. Healer L'ant nodded, and Elena turned to her friend.

"We did a full examination and everything's been cleaned out of your body," she began. "We still have Xanatos' blood sample on file so we can match the semen by his midichlorian count just to confirm that he did this to you." She blushed as she went on. "You probably shouldn't have sexual relations for about two to three weeks to give your body a chance to heal from the trauma."

Allysia nodded. She knew her friend meant well and was just doing her duty as a Padawan Healer, but she really didn't have to include that last bit of instruction. When Xanatos took her, she'd been a virgin and now she was sure no man would want her. Even the Jedi Master who'd found her had probably been repulsed when he'd seen the blood spatter on her legs and the floor. So having no sexual relations wouldn't be a problem for her.

Elena could feel her friend's torment and as soon as her master left, she sat down at Allysia's bedside and took her hand. "Lysia, what happened on Telos was not your fault," she said. "Xanatos was a sick man, and he's the only one to blame. I only wished I'd been there to push him into the pool of acid myself for what he did to you."

Allysia squeezed her friend's hand. "As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Lena, I don't think you mean that."

"Last night, I would've echoed your sentiments as well," a soft, cultured male voice said. Both girls looked up to see a Jedi Master standing by the curtain. Allysia had to admit the man was handsome, with long brown hair, just barely tinged with grey, deep blue eyes and a well-kept beard that seemed to suit him. She instinctively knew that this was the Jedi Master who'd rescued her from Telos IV. "I'm Qui-Gon Jinn," he said. "As I said, I would've echoed Padawan Solo's sentiments, but wanting to kill Xanatos would have done more harm than good. He can't hurt anyone ever again, and that's the only consolation we can have."

"Thank you, Master Jinn." Allysia smiled wanly. "I probably didn't get a chance to thank you for helping me on Telos. I was too busy trying to hit you and your Padawan. Forgive me."

"Considering what you'd been through, I didn't blame you." The older man smiled. "You're going to recover from this; that's thanks enough for me, and there's nothing to forgive."

Elena sensed there were things that Master Jinn wanted to talk with Allysia about privately so she stood up. "I should probably go find my master. There are some assignments I have to finish. I'll be back to check on you later, Lysia." Patting her friend's arm, she hurried out, leaving the curtain open. Qui-Gon didn't hesitate to take her place in the chair at Allysia's bedside.

"If anything, I'm here to ask forgiveness from you," he said. "Xanatos was my apprentice, and I keep wondering what I could've done to keep him from slipping to the darkside."

Allysia reached out to pat his hand comfortingly. "What happened wasn't your fault. I'm sure you were a good teacher and mentor, and you couldn't see this coming. I can see you're a good mentor, especially with the way you look after Obi-Wan." She smiled. "You may have put me to sleep on Telos, but I was drifting in and out on the skiff back to Coruscant."

The older master smiled down at her. "I think you need to take some of your own advice, Padawan. What he did to you wasn't your fault." He tentatively reached out to caress her forehead. She found herself leaning into his comforting touch, and felt slightly lethargic at the soothing waves he was sending her through the Force.

"Hey, if you're gonna do that, please don't put me to sleep for another three days this time," she joked. "I've probably got assignments and jobs piling up even as we speak."

He laughed. "Don't think about that, young one," he admonished gently. "You should concentrate on resting and getting your strength back." He sent her a gentler sleep suggestion through the Force, one that would ensure a light, restful nap this time. Once he was sure she was sleeping peacefully, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and tucked the covers around her as if she was a young initiate.

As he left the cubicle, he wondered what was coming over him. He'd barely met the girl, yet he found himself wanting to spend more time with her and help with her recovery. What are you thinking Jinn, he berated himself. You have Tahl, and Allysia's recovering from what Xanatos did to her. Besides, she's young enough to be your daughter.

The weeks passed and soon Allysia was recovered enough to go back to her normal duties and routines with her master. Even though she'd been assured that she could take it easy for the first few days since her release from the Healer's wing, she wanted to keep herself busy. "It's quite refreshing to be back here and NOT be a patient," she'd told Elena.

There was only one change to her routine, and it seemed so normal she didn't mind it. She found herself meeting Qui-Gon and Tahl for the noon meals almost every day. Sometimes they would be joined by Qui-Gon and Tahl's apprentices, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bant Eerin; and other times, Elena would join them.

The only reminder of her ordeal was the test results that came back, confirming that Xanatos had raped her. The same midichlorians in his blood sample from years before had been present in the semen he'd left inside her. Her only consolation was that he was dead and he couldn't hurt anyone else.

Ten weeks after her ordeal, Allysia had started feeling ill, having odd stomach cramps, losing her appetite, even when she shared the noon meal with Qui-Gon and Tahl as usual. She assured them that she was probably fighting a bug and she'd be okay. However, as the days passed, she continued to fail, not eating anything and unable to keep anything down when she did. Finally her master, Healer Jade, and Elena insisted she be checked out by a healer the following day, the soonest she could get in.

That evening, she could barely make it out of the Healer's wing and was unable to make it the rest of the way to her quarters. Qui-Gon and his former mentor, Count Yan Dooku, found her sitting down on the floor, her face resting against her raised knees.

"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked, crouching down beside her. She raised her head at his voice, tear tracks on her cheeks. He didn't hesitate in lifting her up in his arms, planning to take her back to her own quarters. He turned back to apologize to Dooku and that's when he saw the puddle of blood Allysia had been sitting in.

Dooku also saw the puddle and began to lead his former apprentice back to the Healer's wing. As they went, Allysia was whimpering in pain. /Do it!/ Dooku said sternly through their old training bond. Qui-Gon nodded and sent her a sleep suggestion through the Force. The two men hurried to the Healer's wing. There was no time to waste.