A/N: Legolas Thranduilion well, here's the next chapter.
Jedi Angel001 Warning! The story also contains no memory wipe.
IWannaLightsaber Thanks! I hope, you'll also like the next chapter.
Obi-Wan's instincts were faster than his thoughts; however, he fully understood that this heroic action, perhaps, was the last one in his short life. Later he admitted it was too foolish—to attack the Sith only with his bare hands. Anyway, Vader wasn't expecting it and just tried to stop the strange visitor.
"Hey, what are you doing? I even don't know you!" Skywalker cried, obviously offended by Kenobi's actions. Now it was a surprise for Obi-Wan, but he was sure the Sith were capable of anything. He was furious and even didn't notice that Anakin didn't resist or ignite his lightsaber (surely, a new one, with red blade), but only tried to defend himself.
"Don't know?" Obi-Wan growled and finally knocked him off his feet and nailed to the floor. Shifting, he took out his lightsaber and moved it near Anakin's face. "And now?" Kenobi hissed. "I have enough time to kill you before somebody will come. I'm sorry, I didn't so earlier!"
"Obi-Wan? Master?" there was pure astonishment in Anakin's voice, but Obi-Wan knew that all the Sith were good actors… Palpatine, for example, have been pulling the wool over Jedi eyes for many years.
Kenobi painfully punched his former Apprentice in the jaw.
"So, you haven't expected to see me here, have you?" he asked, once again kicking the young man lying on the floor.
"No, I haven't! Auch! Obi-Wan, let me go, please, I'll explain everything, really!"
"Let you go?" One more punch. "I will not do the same mistake again."
Suddenly Obi-Wan felt such anger and hatred that the Sith themselves, possibly, would envy him. It's just… there was an opportunity to take revenge, though it's not a Jedi way. But the Jedi didn't exist now, destroyed by Darth Vader, who was lying on the dusty floor. Kenobi had never expected their encounter like this; he supposed it would be a duel with only one stay alive… but not this… pathetic man in front of him. If there was somebody else, Obi-Wan would never hurt unarmed enemy or he was no better then the Sith.
Burning Temple, bodies of the dead Jedi, 'I hate you!' on Mustafar…
Time for mercy had gone. Obi-Wan raised his lightsaber—
"Obi-Wan," Vader spoke hoarsely. "I'm really very sorry for my disappearance, but I had my own reasons! Why are you treating me like a traitor? You always didn't care, did you?" he cried with sudden anger.
Unexpectedly, he slipped out and stroke Kenobi on the belly. The latter had to release his grip on the lightsaber and tried to catch breath.
"What the hell are you doing here? How have you discovered it? He told you, right?" Anakin pulled Obi-Wan's lightsaber, using the Force, took it, but yet didn't activate it. "Why can't you live me alone? Alone?"
"What do you mean, 'alone'?" Obi-Wan asked, wincing from pain and despair. "After all you have done?" he tried to get free of Anakin's iron grip, who was holding his throat effortlessly with his right hand, stronger than it was some years ago. Kenobi automatically caught his left arm, covered with black thin leather of the glove, trying to throw Anakin off him. Something was wrong…
"Your arm! It's real!" Obi-Wan cried, suddenly stopping the resistance. It's impossible! He remembered perfectly as he had severed it—that wasn't a thing one could mess with. Artificial limb just couldn't be so… real. Vader couldn't grow a new one, right?
"Yes…" Anakin paused, loosening hold on Obi-Wan's throat. "Why?"
Finally, Obi-Wan understood that he (or the world around him) had gone insane. Well, maybe it's an artificial arm, but surely Vader couldn't forget what he, his former Master, had done to him on Mustafar.
"Master, are you crazy?" Darth Vader asked rather sympathetically, completely releasing the hold.
"Don't know." Kenobi murmured honestly.
Why should he be surprised? So much had happened: the Sith, betrayal of the former Padawan, conversations with dead Master… and now, Darth Vader, healthier then he should be, but with amnesia… Why not? The cellar began to whirl and Obi-Wan lost his consciousness.
"So, what will you say now, Padawan mine?" Qui-Gon was sitting in his favourite armchair, cross-legged, with a cup of hot herbal tea in his hands and stared at Obi-Wan curiously.
"Oh no, you, again!" Obi-Wan said, groaning. The surroundings were real, but quite blurred at the same time. It was like a dream, when you're sleeping and you're aware of it. Obi-Wan concentrated his will on getting out of it.
"When you finally will listen to me? My death is not a cause to ignore me!—" Soon the image of Jinn was replaced by the darkness.
Kenobi thought it was a strange dream, but still very real. He thought that he would open his eyes and see the smiling face of his mentor, who'd try to wake up his Apprentice. He thought that Jinn would say what a sleepy Padawan he had… He certainly would be surprised when Obi-Wan would tell him about his dream! Perhaps, Qui-Gon would say that too much holovideo was bad for the young mind. Kenobi tried to stretch himself, but discovered that he couldn't. Most likely, he tangled in the blankets during his sleep… He yawned and discontentedly opened his eyes. There was no blanket problem: his hands were simply tied. Anakin was standing in the doorway, observing him. There was pity or, maybe, surprise upon his face. Besides, he wasn't wearing his glove on the left hand. It's real. Judging by the appearance, at least.
"U-m-m… morning, Master! I hope I didn't hurt you too painfully. I didn't want to, I swear," he said confusedly. "But you started this!"
Obi-Wan managed to hide a smile, but then burst out laughing. It's just great to gone mad. Was it his imagination or he finally had been caught and drugged? Of course, in reality, he was lying in the cell, hallucinating. Why did they need it? Wanted to show the others how pathetic the Jedi could be or needed the information Obi-Wan would never say willingly, maybe. He once had heard that it's possible to create the alternative universe in one's mind. So, now he's sure he had run away, had been living on Bareeon and met his former Apprentice and in the reality…
In fact, all seemed so real. What was their exact purpose? And when would it stop? Obi-Wan supposed there were two possible ways: even if the dose of the drug was quite strong, it would last for about five hours. If they decided to use something more powerful without a pause—two or three days. At all.
"Master?" Anakin's voice sounded with worry. Like a cruel joke. Maybe, Obi-Wan's mind imagined the former Apprentice when he hadn't been the Sith, unconsciously, picturing him with only one artificial limb—Dooku's legacy? Or they wanted him to see it like this?
The laughter ended very unexpectedly: Kenobi was wet and Anakin was holding the empty cup in his hand. It helped.
"Obi-Wan, it seemed like the only way for me. I don't want to change anything."
"I'm not interested in this, really." And what else should he say? Anyway, it's strange to hear such words from Darth Vader. Maybe, his subconsciousness wanted to see the Sith repentant?
"I don't believe you," Anakin shook his head. "Then why are you here? I will not return in the Temple!" Skywalker said firmly. "And I'll do everything to—"
"Where do you want to return?" Obi-Wan asked tiredly. "Don't you remember what you have done? Maybe, you will also say you haven't killed the Younglings, will you? And let me go!"
Anakin froze, remembering his misdeeds. Of course, the Chosen One wasn't a model Padawan or Knight. He often missed his classes, played pranks even on Masters, ignored direct orders and this last trick…
"Obi-Wan! If I killed younglings, I would surely know about it, right? I will untie you—very slowly—and you will tell me, what're you doing here and what do you want, okay?"
"Is this really Anakin who has been knighted recently?" Obi-Wan wondered. "A hallucination." There was no explaining to it. Thirst of revenge changed into desperation.
Anakin did as he promised and then quickly stepped away—just in case.
"So, you don't imagine what you can do," Obi-Wan concluded gloomily and stood up. He reached one of the pouches on his belt, took out a chip and handed it to Anakin. "Here, look at this." Silently, he passed though confused Skywalker and left the house. It was dark, to all appearances, he was unconscious for some hours.
Obi-Wan sat on the footstep and took a meditation pose. Maybe, it would help him to get warm. Though… what's the difference—most likely, there was cold and wet in his cell, so he felt chilly now.
Obi-Wan stared at the stars, wondering, what really was going on.
He didn't know himself, why he had kept this record, made by cameras of the destroyed Temple. Maybe, as a reminder… Interesting, the chip presented in this hallucination, too. Anyway, it'd be nice to see how his consciousness would imagine Knight Anakin, who discovered his future.
"Obi-Wan?" the familiar voice. When he finally would let him be?
"It won't be better without you," Obi-Wan murmured and tightly hold his head in the hands. To be honest, if he still wasn't insane, soon he certainly would be. Was the voice of Qui-Gon a part of this vision/hallucination? Or Jinn managed to penetrate it? Could Obi-Wan trust anybody? He even didn't consider the present as a reality—if he would meet Darth Vader, he would be dead.
"What do you want?" Kenobi yelled, releasing his anger. "With a life like this, I meet you very soon, we'll speak then!"
"I don't think so." Qui-Gon answered thoughtfully. "And stop making lame guesses. Listen to the Force."
Obi-Wan sighed and entered the deep meditation state. It just couldn't be worse.