Frustrated by the latest information that he gathered from the bacta tank's sensors, Dr. Kieran swore and stormed from the room, needing to think about another possible treatment option.

Obi-Wan, however, lingered in the room. It had been a week since Anakin had been submerged in the bacta tank, yet nothing had changed. It was as if Anakin was in a semi-permanent limbo.

Relaxing himself, Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to try and access Anakin's thoughts, wondering if Anakin was deliberately keeping himself from healing.

"...Anakin, can you hear me?" Obi-Wan asked telepathically.

There was a momentary silence and then a small gasp, "Master?" the weak voice of Anakin's mind suddenly spoke. "...Where am I?"

"...Anakin, listen to me...You've been in a bacta tank for a week...you're not getting any better and the doctor is at a loss as to why..." Obi-Wan explained. "Why are you stopping yourself from healing? I know you're doing it, there's no other explanation..."

There was a sudden shudder, as if Anakin was trying to shove Obi-Wan from his mind, "I-I'm afraid..." Anakin's quiet voice confessed..."I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what?" Obi-Wan asked. "Anakin, fear is..."

"Obi-Wan...I'm afraid to feel..." Anakin quietly replied. "I don't want to feel..."

There was yet another silence, as Obi-Wan didn't know how to respond.

"...Go ahead, tell me what a horrible person I am...that I'm selfish and arrogant for trying to stop feeling! It's not the Jedi way, I know!" Anakin angrily shouted at Obi-Wan.

"...Anakin, before you can even think about becoming a Jedi again, you have to become a person again," Obi-Wan explained. "You can't become a person again unless you stop numbing yourself to everything...People allow themselves to feel...You must allow yourself to feel..."

"...It hurts to feel...It reminds me of what's gone," Anakin gasped, his voice suddenly weakening.

Obi-Wan sighed, "...Yes, Anakin, it does hurt to feel...but there is no other way to heal," he explained, trying to sound patient. "You will lose so much more if you don't come back..."

There was silence, so Obi-Wan continued, "If you don't stop numbing yourself, you will eventually die...If you die, how is Luke going to manage without a father? How will I manage without a friend?" he asked. "If you die, the future will change drastically...

"Why was I spared? I should have died on Mustafar," Anakin stated. "Why me?"

"...I don't yet know the answer to those questions, Anakin," Obi-Wan admitted, slightly taken aback by Anakin's attitude. "Would Padme want you to give up like this?"

There was suddenly a slight tremor, as if Anakin was tryig, but failing, to express anger, "DON'T talk to me about Padme..." Anakin argued weakly. "I...need HELP...not bad reminders..."

"Anakin, I can't do this for you," Obi-Wan insisted. "I wish I could, but I can't revive you."

"...I will try, Master," Anakin replied, his voice nearly a whisper. "I will try..."

"That is all I ask, Anakin," Obi-Wan stated. "I want you to try your hardest to feel..."

"...If I can, will you help me?" Anakin whispered. "I can't heal alone..."

"I will help you for as long as I can," Obi-Wan promised. "As long as you will let me."

"...My mind is tiring, Master," Anakin stated. "I will try and let myself feel..."

"Rest your mind, Anakin," Obi-Wan instructed. "Allow your heart to save you."

"...I will..." Anakin replied, drifting out of Obi-Wan's mind.

Suddenly, a cry brought Obi-Wan out of his telepathic meditation. He turned from the tank just in time to see Dr. Kieran enter the room with Owen, who was holding a sobbing Luke in his arms.

"Luke's been crying non-stop for the past week," Owen, who looked exhausted, explained to Obi-Wan. "He's not sick, but I thought I'd better bring him here for a checkup anyway. Beru's so tired that she can hardly stand and Derrick swore he'd guard the place with a pop-blaster."

With a sigh, Dr. Kieran looked towards the bacta tank, "Owen, perhaps bring Luke over to the bacta tank and let him see that his father is still alive," he suggested, as if he could sense why Luke had been crying endlessly. "Maybe Luke thinks that his father is dead..."

Giving Dr. Kieran a funny look, Obi-Wan watched as Owen carried Luke over to the bacta tank and allowed the boy to gaze down at his father. Almost immediately upon seeing his father, Luke stopped crying and reached towards the tank, as if he wanted to touch his father.

"Incredible," Owen murmured, relieved that Luke had finally stopped crying.

Although he too thought it incredible, Obi-Wan felt it strange that on multiple instances, Dr. Kieran had acted on instinct, as if he possessed the Force, but he surely couldn't have it..could he?

If Dr. Kieran had the Force, why was he not a Jedi? Obi-Wan quietly wondered.


The next few hours were nothing short of miraculous, as things suddenly started happening.

Much to Owen's shock, as he still had no idea why Luke hadn't cried since he saw Anakin, the readings on the tank's sensors gradually improved.

Dr. Kieran, meanwhile, had sent Tallana out to find a replacement cybernetic arm for Anakin based on the one that was no longer working, as he didn't like to leave the clinic often.

Since her knowledge of prosthetic limbs and where to find them in Mos Eisley seemed to be equal to that of an encyclopedia, it didn't take long for one to be found. Now, until Anakin was ready to have it put on, Tallana spent her time ensuring that it would be a good fit for the young man.

Amazingly, later that afternoon, Dr. Kieran was quite satisfied with the readings and decided to not only pull Anakin from the tank, but also attach the new cybernetic limb to Anakin's arm.

While Owen kept Luke occupied, Obi-Wan helped Dr. Kieran move Anakin from the tank and held his friend still as the doctor attached the new arm, dressed him in a hospital tunic, and attached bacta patches all over Anakin's body to help with continued healing.

Now, while Dr. Kieran went off to talk with Owen about Anakin's recovery, Obi-Wan silently sat beside the bed where Anakin now lay unconscious, supported by a pillow and covered with blankets. As a precaution, Anakin's cybernetic arm was pinned to his chest in a sling.

In watching Anakin rest, Obi-Wan couldn't help but continue to wonder who this Dr. Kieran was and how he managed to have such amazing healing abilities. Normally, one with such powers would be considered a Jedi, but why had Dr. Kieran not been? Obi-Wan wondered.

Unfortunately, as Dr. Kieran was talking with Owen, finding an answer to that question was not currently possible. However, Obi-Wan was very good about being patient to get what he wanted.

While waiting, Obi-Wan had been asked by Owen to look after Luke so that he could talk with the doctor privately, as Luke's presence might motivate Anakin to wake up quicker.

There was silence as Obi-Wan continued to sit there, holding Luke close enough to the bed so that he could touch his father's face if he wanted to.

From what Obi-Wan could sense, Anakin had put himself in a meditative state after their telepathic discussion and was slowly working his way back to consciousness. If it weren't for the fact that he had absolutely no strength, Obi-Wan knew that Anakin would already be awake.

"Mr. Kenobi?" Tallana, who had left Kieran and Owen to talk privately while she checked on Anakin, asked, as she entered the room and saw Obi-Wan and Luke at Anakin's bedside. "Are you doing all right? You've been sitting beside the bed for quite a while now."

Even though he didn't move, for fear of Luke starting to cry again, Obi-Wan smiled, "I'm fine," he replied. "It's truly miraculous that Anakin is doing a lot better in such a short time."

"Oh my, yes, it's truly amazing," Tallana replied, smiling at Obi-Wan as she placed her hand on Anakin's head and face and was relieved to find it at a reasonable temperature. "Doctor Kieran has only been on Tatooine a short time, but he's well known to those whom he's helped."

Obi-Wan sighed wearily, as much as he was enjoying holding Luke and keeping watch over Anakin, the week had been long and as much as it killed him to admit it, he was tired.

"Ben, if you would like, I can sit with Anakin and hold Luke for a while," Tallana, who could clearly see how worn out Obi-Wan had become over the past week. "You look as if you could use a rest."

Before Obi-Wan, who was tempted to admit that he needed rest, could reply, Dr. Kieran walked into the room. Owen had left, deciding to leave Luke for a few days in case Anakin woke up.

"Mr. Kenobi, I think you and I need to have a private conversation," Dr. Kieran said, as he walked over to Anakin's bedside. "Tallana can stay here and keep a watch on both Anakin and Luke."

Having the distinct feeling that he was about to learn more about the mysterious doctor, Obi-Wan passed Luke to Tallana, who lingered beside the bed, and rose from his seat.

"If you'll come with me, we'll talk in my private office," Dr. Kieran stated, as he gestured for Obi-Wan to follow him. "Everything will be fine while we're gone, don't worry."

Fighting the urge to frown, Obi-Wan nodded and followed Dr. Kieran from the room.