Chapter Three

The Jedi was utterly stunned, for a moment believing his senses were playing tricks on him. The bounty hunter, trapped against Obi-Wan's chest, was beginning to sob with a gut-wrenching severity that bordered on alarming.

Bane was actually breaking down and crying, practically like a child. The Jedi could have never imagined the bounty hunter had been so wounded by Obi-Wan's actions. To be honest, he hadn't believed Bane had the capacity to show such deep emotions.

A flash of shame heated his face. Clearly, Bane was capable of a great range of emotions, and it was Obi-Wan's own arrogance that prevented him from seeing it. If Obi-Wan had been mindful of what Bane had been trying to tell him, had paid attention to Bane's emotions and responded with understanding instead of condescension, Bane wouldn't have been pushed this far.

Cornering Obi-Wan, subduing him, immobilizing him – this had been Bane's way of trying to get Obi-Wan to listen. And he had refused to do so. He had refused to hear what the Duros was telling him until it had almost been too late.

Uncomfortable with completely immobilizing the bounty hunter while he was weeping, Obi-Wan slightly loosened his grip. He didn't think Bane was going to attack him – nothing from his radiating emotions indicated he still wanted to end Obi-Wan's life. His murderous rage had been extinguished in a black torrent of grief.

Sensing the lack of hard pressure around him, the bounty hunter immediately scrambled away from Obi-Wan – though he did not go far. He landed on the carpet and crawled less than a meter before curling in on himself. Bane wrapped his tattered, grimy attire around his thin frame, his blood-red eyes now glistened with moisture as he stared at Obi-Wan with a mixture of misery and burning hatred.

Another occurrence Obi-Wan could have never imagined – that look actually hurt.

"Bane…" Obi-Wan began, and the Duros shook his head. He trembled like a frightened animal, and while he had stopped openly sobbing, his emotions broadcast the suffering he was still experiencing so strongly that Obi-Wan could not help but feel it himself. The intensity of Bane's feelings was breaking down the Jedi's own trained defenses that kept such emotions at bay.

"Bane," the Jedi repeated gently as he moved closer to the bounty hunter's hunched form, his eyes never leaving the oval orbs as they glared at him.

"Don't," Bane warned, an urgency to his voice as it cracked harshly.

Obi-Wan ignored the unspoken threat in his voice and deliberately wrapped an arm around Bane's narrow shoulders. The Duros attempted to shove him back, snarling "Back off, Kenobi!", but Obi-Wan pulled him into an embrace, holding his trembling frame within the circle of his arms.

Bane responded by attempting to beat his fists against Obi-Wan's chest, but with the Jedi firmly pinning him in place, he could do little more than struggle ineffectually. Unable to cause him physical pain, Bane snarled, "I hate you. Do you hear me, Kenobi? I hate you!"

Obi-Wan didn't immediately respond to the venomous proclamations, but he felt his heart give a small lurch. It was not the words themselves that disturbed him, but rather the intensity in each syllable. The conviction of Bane's words could not be denied.

But then, Bane surprised the Jedi by clutching the front of his robes, pressing his face into Obi-Wan's chest with a fierce desperation, as if all hope was lost. His bony frame gave in to the embrace, and Bane stopped fighting to escape as he wept so hard that Obi-Wan was worried he would break.

"It's all right," Obi-Wan spoke with perfect calmness as he held the shaking bounty hunter. The Jedi ignored the training that mandated he set aside all emotions and attachments. Instead, he embraced the serene, peaceful qualities of the light side of the Force, and attempted to impart them onto the trembling Duros that clutched at him like a drowning man. "Everything is going to be all right."

Obi-Wan could feel the poignant anguish begin to slowly drain from Bane, as if venom was being extracted from his heart, and he held onto the Jedi as the intensity of his emotions shook his body. Neither one was likely accustomed to seeking solace by physical means, but Bane's need for comfort was so great it didn't seem to matter.

As Obi-Wan half-cradled Bane against his chest, his arms wrapped firmly around his shoulders, he had to wonder how his betrayal had wounded the bounty hunter so deeply. Thinking back to his time on Coruscant, Nal Hutta, Serenno, and Naboo, Obi-Wan had thought Bane had gone from dislike, to hate, to barely tolerating the Jedi.

It was true they had spent a lot of time together – over a month of traveling while being stuck on a rustbucket that had so many problems his former Padawan would have felt right at home. Bane had turned out to be a surprisingly adept mechanic, and Obi-Wan had kept him company while he worked to keep the ship in one piece. They didn't have extensive conversations, per se, or share any personal information. They had remained mostly silent in each other's presence, but it hadn't been strained or awkward. It had become almost… comfortable.

It had never occurred to Obi-Wan that Bane would have formed a bond with Rako Hardeen, his false persona. But clearly that was what had taken place, as the severity of Bane's reaction to Obi-Wan's deceit was closer to that of Anakin's and Satine's. Bane's misery did not stem from a person who was his hated enemy.

What was he supposed to do with this information? How was he supposed to reconcile the fact that a villainous mercenary, someone who had killed Jedi in cold-blood, felt… what? Comradery? Affection? How did Bane truthfully feel about him, now that the Rako Hardeen he knew and Obi-Wan were the same person?

And how the hell was he supposed to feel about Bane? The bounty hunter had ambushed and assaulted him. He had allied with the Separatists and the Sith on multiple occasions. He should view the man as an enemy combatant, and shut the book right there. End of story.

Instead, Obi-Wan found himself slowly stroking the Duros along his back, a gesture that felt so natural he hadn't realized he was doing it. Bane's sobs had quieted into staggered, hitched breaths, and while his body no longer trembled with racking grief, it still pressed against Obi-Wan closely. It was almost as if he craved the physical contact, leaving Obi-Wan to wonder if Bane had ever been held like this. If Bane had ever had pleasant physical contact at all.

The thought left Obi-Wan feeling mildly saddened. The Jedi were discouraged from overt displays of affection, especially of the physical variety. They were closed-off, aloof, and held those they were supposed to protect at a distance. It was something Obi-Wan had accepted long ago, and rarely spared a thought for what it truly meant. How it truly affected the Jedi to be so… isolated.

Perhaps that was why Obi-Wan found himself not only offering comfort in the embrace, but receiving it as well. It was not an unpleasant sensation, having his arm held firmly around the Duros' shoulder with the other rubbing his back. Having Bane press his face against the flat of his chest, his long, bony fingers curled around the edges of his robes. It was… actually quite nice.

"I should have listened to you, Bane," Obi-Wan began to admit, highly aware of the way Bane's sharp edges pressed into him. He seemed to be all skin, bone, and taut muscle – a veritable twig waiting to snap. "I should have listened. Because you were right."

Obi-Wan felt Bane relax the slightest amount, though he was still a bundle of sharp points and hard angles.

"I did what was necessary in order to complete my mission. That, I won't apologize for." Bane tensed again and Obi-Wan found himself gently stroking the back of Bane's head, though the coarse fabric of the hood blocked his fingers from making contact with actual flesh. "But that doesn't mean I acted appropriately at all times. It doesn't mean I wasn't… wrong."

Bane slightly shifted but said nothing, his breathing returning to something that resembled normalcy. It was progress.

"You did save my life, and on more than one occasion. You did put your trust in me. And I tossed it away, as if it was meaningless." Bane shuddered and Obi-Wan gave him a small, encouraging squeeze. It was astonishing how normal it was becoming, the act of physically consoling Bane. Stranger still that Bane was allowing him to do so, and had not tried to reject his offers of comfort since the initial physical contact.

"I said some callous things to you on Naboo."

Spending so much time with you was no reward either, Obi-Wan had retorted after Bane had expressed his suspicions and dislike for the fictitious persona of Hardeen after his true identity had been revealed. The Jedi hadn't caught it then, but in his mind's eye, he saw it clearly now. The look of utter betrayal on Bane's face. The deep wound inflicted by Obi-Wan rapidly masked by outrage and fury as Bane threatened to end the Jedi's life. It had been the only time Obi-Wan had ever seen the Duros lose his composure, straining at the clone trooper holding his arms as he viciously gnashed his sharp teeth.

Instead of feeling shame for having allowed Bane to believe he had been an ally, instead of trying to understand the bounty hunter's point of view, Obi-Wan had heartlessly remarked, Such a pleasant fellow… as Bane had been taken away in bindings.

It was little wonder Bane hated him as much as he did.

"I was unkind to you."

"You were an ass," Bane replied, his voice muffled by the cloth of Obi-Wan's robes, drawing an unexpected chuckle from the Jedi.

"That I was," Obi-Wan conceded, and he felt the Duros relax a few more of his strained muscles. "I was careless and thoughtless. Your actions showed how you live by a moral code. I chose to ignore the honorable qualities you possess because I did not want to see them. It's… much easier to dismiss someone if you see them as nothing more than a villain."

Obi-Wan felt Bane stir at his words. He took a deep breath and asked for the thing he hoped to receive, but never truly expected to. He knew what the answer would be, but in order to start moving forward with his life, he had to make the attempt.

"Bane… Can you forgive me?"

The Duros finally pulled away from Obi-Wan, who reluctantly relinquished his hold on Bane's shoulders, but only far enough to look him full in the face. One eyebrow ridge was raised higher than the other, and the Jedi realized that Bane's monochromatic eyes weren't as unexpressive as had always believed.

"Dhat depends..." Bane drawled as his red eyes narrowed, though the corner of his mouth tugged into something almost resembling… a smile? "How much cash you got onya?"

The question was met with an impressive stretch of silence.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I never kid when it comes to credits."

"You want me to pay, actual currency, for your forgiveness?"

"What's deh problem?" Bane questioned as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's someting I can hold in my hand. It's useful, Kenobi."

"Oh for the love of-"

"If you don't want my forgiveness, I'm more dhan happy to oblige."

Obi-Wan glared with full force at the bounty hunter, who seemed to be quite pleased with himself. The Jedi was not completely effective at stifling his own expression of amusement, though his beard helped hide its traitorous existence. After experiencing Bane almost literally falling apart in his arms, Obi-Wan couldn't help but experience relief from Bane's characteristic greed.

"Hypothetically speaking…" the Jedi began, raising one eyebrow as he appraised the bounty hunter and his tattered appearance.

"Yes, Kenobi?" The half-smirk faded from Bane's face as he no doubt expected some duplicitous act from the Jedi. After all, Obi-Wan's deceit had been the reason for that night's confrontation.

"How much would this forgiveness cost me?" Obi-Wan inquired smoothly, causing the bounty hunter to blink once.

"Well…" Bane drawled after a few seconds of intensely studying Obi-Wan's face. "You can pay for my ride outta town, for starters."

"That's fair."

"Maybe enough for some new supplies."

"…Fine."

"I also need to replenish all my gear, my weapon's cache, my stock of explosives-"

"Don't push it."

Bane smirked and Obi-Wan couldn't stop the grin that spread across his own face. There was something uniquely tangible about that moment, as if he could feel a bond forming between them. Bounty hunter and Jedi, formerly enemies, now something difficult to describe. It was a moment of connection, of recognition, and of acknowledgement of the general unbelievable and surreal qualities of the last hour.

It was, unequivocally, one of the strangest nights in Obi-Wan's life.

Obi-Wan broke the intense eye contact first, clearing his throat as he reached down to his belt buckle. Bane followed his movements closely as Obi-Wan popped open one of his various belt pouches, and after several seconds of rummaging, Obi-Wan pulled a credit chip from his pocket. The Jedi returned his gaze to the bounty hunter, and offered him the flat card.

"Credits, as requested."

Bane eyed him suspiciously, as if expecting Obi-Wan to snatch back his hand and laugh at him for believing the Jedi would actually seek his forgiveness and aid a wanted criminal.

Obi-Wan merely waited with the chip extended, his expression patient as he remained cool under the bounty hunter's hard scrutiny.

Finally, after a long moment of strained silence, Bane snatched the credit chip out of Obi-Wan's hand, causing the Jedi to raise his eyebrow.

The Duros now focused his gaze on the currency in his hand, his expression less than pleased. "No ingots?"

"That chip contains the full allowance I was given by the Council for this trip. There are enough credits to get you where you need to go." Obi-Wan gave him a smooth grin as he remarked, "Try not to spend it all in one place."

The bounty hunter did not return the expression of humor. Instead, he continued to stare down at the credit chip as if to question its authenticity. Or perhaps, he was questioning the authenticity of its previous owner.

"It's clean, if that's what you're concerned about," Obi-Wan added, realizing he had already given Bane a plethora of reasons not to trust him, especially when handing him a physical object that could possibly be tracked.

Bane did not respond, but he did pocket the credit chip deep within his cloak. Obi-Wan had little doubt the bounty hunter would cash out the chip as quickly as he could, using physical currency that wouldn't be traced.

Frankly, Obi-Wan didn't blame him at all. That was the sort of behavior that had allowed Bane to survive for as long as he had. But the Jedi still felt the stir of regret in his chest.

Once Bane was satisfied the currency was secured, he raised his head to stare cautiously up at Obi-Wan, his lips set into a thin line as he fidgeted, as if their close proximity only now bothered him.

"How much time are ya gonna give me?"

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to respond, only to shut it again. It was a good question, one that hadn't crossed his mind.

What was he supposed to do with the bounty hunter? Obviously, he wasn't going to haul Bane off to prison after holding him sobbing in his arms moments earlier. The idea of it was… perverse.

But his duties as a Jedi Knight and General of the Republic Army demanded he hold the bounty hunter accountable for his actions and arrest him.

Obi-Wan found his thoughts inevitably turning to his old master. Qui-Gon Jinn would have found a solution that bent the rules but also kept his honor as a Jedi intact.

What would my master do in this situation?

He barely asked the question in his mind before Obi-Wan had the answer. The answer was, of course, borderline treason, which was exactly why Qui-Gon would have approved of it.

May the Council never find out about this, or Windu will surely have my head.

"I have one more day left with the Senator. The Council has yet to inform me of any prison breakouts," Obi-Wan remarked as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. It did not escape his notice how intently the bounty hunter watched his fingers as they moved.

"Should they choose to make me aware of your status as a fugitive, I may look into the matter." He removed his hand from his beard as he half-smiled at the bounty hunter, whose eyes had narrowed into red slits. "Until then, I have many other matters to attend to and I honestly can't be bothered to chase down every outlaw in the galaxy."

The look Bane gave him now was not the first Obi-Wan had seen. It was the same expression that had greeted Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Master Windu as they had entered the interrogation room aboard the Resolute, one after another, hardened gazes fixed on the cuffed Duros. He had narrowed his eyes into slits, his lips pressed into a thin line, one eyebrow raised as the clever mind behind those eyes attempted to perceive what danger would come and how he could avoid it.

It was a look that Obi-Wan hoped to never see again, as it twisted something inside that felt too close to Guilt.

"Bane, I swear, on my oath as a…" Obi-Wan stopped short as the Duros narrowed his eyes dangerously. Obviously, his word as a Jedi was about as valuable to Bane as a steaming pile of ronto dung.

"I swear this is not a trick. I swear it on my life." Bane's eyes slightly widened, and Obi-Wan took this as a promising sign. "That may not be worth much to you, but it has value to me."

The bounty hunter watched him for a long, silent moment, before closing his eyes and slightly shaking his head.

"Fine. I believe ya, Kenobi. No need to get all dramatic."

Bane rose to his feet, pulling his rumpled cloak closed around his body as he stared down at the Jedi.

Obi-Wan was about to stand as well when a blue hand entered his field of vision. The Jedi paused, staring at the proffered hand and past it to the bounty hunter. Unbidden, a memory came to the forefront of his mind: Obi-Wan, as Rako Hardeen, extending a hand of assistance to Bane as he climbed with some difficulty from one of the tunnel openings in the death-trap known as the Box.

Bane had stared at the hand with a lip curled in disgust, slapping it away before hauling himself from the hole. The moment had been a peek into Bane's psyche. He neither wanted nor needed aid from another living soul. He was, and always would be, alone.

Only now, the hand that reached out to Obi-Wan Kenobi indicated that maybe this was no longer the truth.

Obi-Wan grasped Bane's hand firmly in his, and allowed the Duros to help pull him to his feet.

The bounty hunter released his hand almost immediately, pulling it within his cloak as if he did not want their contact to linger. Obi-Wan felt almost saddened by Bane's sudden aversion to being near the Jedi, but he could understand and respect it.

Bane watched Obi-Wan for another moment, his body language uncertain, as if he were caught in the middle of an internal dispute. His lips slightly parted, revealing the fangs underneath, but he remained silent. The Jedi waited for him to speak, but he closed his mouth and turned away from Obi-Wan, striding briskly away as he approached the wall of paneled windows.

Inexplicably, Obi-Wan felt his heart beat harder as he realized, with a flush of panic, that the bounty hunter was leaving. He knew Bane had to depart, obviously, but the situation still felt… unfinished.

"Bane?" Obi-Wan called out to him, limping down the steps from the raised part of the room to the lowered portion before halting.

"Mmm?" the bounty hunter hummed in question, turning only his head back to stare back with crimson eyes.

"I don't…" Obi-Wan began and faltered, unsure of what he was going to say. What he needed to say.

Do not overthink it. Speak your words from the heart, and they will lead you true, the old, familiar voice of his master spoke with an unseen smile.

"I don't understand why you live the life you do," Obi-Wan began again, hoping his words would come across as sincere to the distrustful bounty hunter. "I don't know what happened in your past to make you behave as though you are without honor and principles. I don't know why you let others use you when you have the potential to be… so much more."

Obi-Wan couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Bane take a sharp breath as he watched the Jedi, still as a statue.

"But I do know one thing. I know you're a good man. You may not let anyone see it, but it's there. And for what it's worth, I'm glad I know that now."

Bane didn't say anything for a moment, though he did turn to fully face the Jedi, the expression on his face entirely unreadable. They stared at each other for another lingering moment, until Bane blinked and displayed his characteristic half-smirk and drawled, "You shoulda sweet-talked me like this earlier, Kenobi. Woulda saved me the trouble of havin' to beat some sense into ya."

Obi-Wan gave a low chuckle, relieved that Bane hadn't dismissed or mocked his awkwardly-delivered but heartfelt admission. Perhaps he had gotten through to the bounty hunter. He had meant every word he had spoken.

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it," Obi-Wan added with a crooked grin, unable to help but engage in playful ribbing with the bounty hunter.

"Oh, I did. Thoroughly," Bane replied, his half-cocked smirk now spreading across his entire face. It was an incredible transformation to see a genuine smile on the Duros' visage rather than a scowl or a bitter frown.

"Yer not half-bad, Kenobi," Bane added with a tone that was improperly flirtatious.

"Don't let anyone hear you say that," Obi-Wan teased as he watched the bounty hunter turn and approach one of the wall-length window panels.

"I ain't worried about anybody findin' out what happened here." Bane pulled open the window pane he must have jerried open earlier, answering Obi-Wan's question of how Bane was able to enter his room undetected. "Even if you talked, no one would believe ya."

"No, they wouldn't," Obi-Wan agreed, one hand returning to stroke his beard – a habit he had picked up for when he was feeling anxious or thoughtful. But his hand stopped mid stroke, and his eyes suddenly hardened as his lips formed into a scowl.

"Bane…"

The bounty hunter turned back again, this time with an eyebrow raised at the Jedi's tone of voice – reproachful and indignant.

"I think you're forgetting something," Obi-Wan responded with folded arms, his glare attempting to be menacing but only came across as petulant.

"Whaddya want, Kenobi? A kiss?" Bane hissed the last word with far too much perverse enjoyment.

"My lightsaber," the Jedi responded curtly, returning Bane's crooked grin with a smoldering look as he held out his hand in expectation.

Bane heaved a full sigh, as if Obi-Wan tediousness were the greatest burden he had ever experienced. He stepped back from the window, and with a small twirl of his tattered cloak, approached a small bureau against the nearby wall, opening the top drawer to pull out the Jedi's weapon.

"Yer precious lightsaber is right here." The bounty hunter held the hilt in the palm of his hand, gently bobbing it up and down as if testing its weight. "So, how much is it worth to you?"

"Cad Bane, if you do not hand over that lightsaber right now, so help me, I will-"

"Don't get yer knickers in a bunch," the Duros interjected with a tilt of his head as he appraised the man in front of him. "Or… whatever you Jedi wear under dhose robes," Bane chuckled unapologetically. The bounty hunter tossed the hilt to the Jedi Master, who easily caught it in one hand, quickly examining it to make sure nothing had been removed or broken.

"You fluster too easy, Kenobi," Bane taunted smoothly as he approached the window he had opened previously, his rough cloak stirring in the night breeze.

"I imagine it's a quality you bring out in many people," Obi-Wan returned with some of his usual sass, more comfortable with back-and-forth banter now that he had his lightsaber in hand. Not because he expected Bane to attack him again, but of all the many protocols he had willfully broken tonight, losing his lightsaber was not one he wished to be added on the list of infractions.

"Only you, Jedi. Only you."

With one boot on the windowsill, poised for the jump he was about to take, Bane paused. He turned his hooded head to stare back at the Jedi, the corner of his lips pulling into a close-mouthed grin.

"Don't dhink we're squared on dhat torture business. You want my forgiveness for dhat…" Bane's grin widened as he winked at the Jedi. "It'll cost you. Triple my rate."

Before Obi-Wan could respond (he hadn't the faintest idea how he would do so, anyway), Bane leapt from the window in a show of grace that bordered on showmanship. By the time Obi-Wan had limped to the window and peered out, Bane had disappeared into the night. Not even the glow of his ankle-rockets could be differentiated among the glitter and dazzle of the city as they covered the horizon like a flickering ocean of lights.

The Jedi Master rested one hand against the side of the window frame, running his fingers through his hair as his grin widened under his beard. What a strange night.

What a strange man.


After cleaning up and tending to his wounds in the gaudy, ornate bathroom, Obi-Wan stared at the dimly lit room that resembled not so much a bedroom as it did a war zone.

Obi-Wan's own body reflected the battle that had taken place there. His facial wounds were less egregious than he had anticipated from the amount of bleeding they had caused, but he knew his face would turn startling colors for the next few days. The welts and bruises along his sides and abdomen were beginning to show, and the ugly finger-shaped marks around his neck were going to be difficult to hide.

The Jedi Master sighed with complete and utter exhaustion as he wondered how he was going to explain the mess to the Senator in the morning. Or justify his injuries to the Council when he returned to Coruscant.

For the moment, Obi-Wan just couldn't give a damn.

Having removed his torn and bloodied robes in the bathroom, Obi-Wan cleared the bedspread of glass with a wave of his hand and crawled under the covers to groan emphatically as his battered body practically melted into the cushioned surface.

He could use the emergency supply of bacta he always kept in a belt pouch, but Obi-Wan decided against it as soon as the thought crossed his mind. Bacta was always in short-supply due to the war, and he would not waste it on wounds that were not life-threatening.

There was also a large part of him that wanted to heal in the slower, more natural way. Some discomfort to act as a reminder of where hubris had led him would not be remiss. And as much as his body ached and panged, the night could have ended on a worse note.

As it stood, Obi-Wan's heart felt lighter, and the Guilt which had shadowed his footsteps had fled into the night. Perhaps everything would turn out all right.

There was still a wide swath of destruction in Obi-Wan's wake – that hadn't changed. What had changed was his awareness of its existence. There were still many wounds to heal. Broken trust to rebuild. Strained relationships to repair. It would take time and constant effort to make amends for what Obi-Wan had started on that warm night when he had crossed paths with the real Rako Hardeen.

But it was a start.


Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I felt like a giant weight was lifted from my heart after I wrote this, and I can only hope you feel the same way after reading it. I adore writing Bane and Obi, and you will see more of them in the future - either as a continuation of this story or as part of my main Star Wars OC fic (which does not crossover with this tale). That means all the vital therapy that's taken place here has not happened in my main story, which should create for some interesting situations.

Always and forever thank you to CaptainMazzic on Tumblr who is my beta reader and has created fan art both for the cover and the final chapter. PLEASE check him out on Tumblr if you haven't already - his artwork is quite beautiful and poignant (plus you get to see Obi-Wan embracing Bane and who doesn't love that?).

Until we meet again, my friends, may the Force be with you. Always.