Title: Poison's Relief
Author: Mlinyaia
Disclaimer: Nope they don't belong to me.
Chapter 7
Obi-Wan slowly began to awake from the blackness surrounding him. He let out a short hiss as he felt a dull ache travel up through his body. He opened his eyes cautiously, blinking abrubtly as the bright light of the room he was in. He took a few moments to observe his surroundings. There were a number of tubes in his arms, liquid trickling down them to join his bloodstream. Behind him he could hear a monitor beeping, he lay there letting the constant beep distract him from the pain he was begining to feel.
"Oh Obi-Wan!" Relief flooded into Qui-Gon's voice at the sight of his now awoken Padawan.
"M-master?" He didn't recognise his own trembling voice and tears started to fall down his soft, pale cheeks. A large hand cupped his chin and a strong thumb wiped the warm tears off of his cheek smoothly.
"It's ok Obi-Wan, I'm here."
"Why d-does it hurt?" He replied feebly.
"Obi-Wan, the paralysis drug the Healers gave you to take the pain away caused a few unexpected problems. They are trying to find a new method for treating the pain for you."
"What went wrong? W-why can't it work?" This news was a cue for the long held back fear within Obi-Wan's emotions to burst forward. Tears fell more frequently.
"Padawan, because you couldn't feel your body your brain didn't know that there was an infection inside it causing damage to your body. It overtook your system and caused serious problems the fever raged and the toxins built up." Qui-Gon paused a moment to calm his emotions, he was scared of losing Obi-Wan.
"What is it Master? W-What happened?" There was a faint hint of concern etched in his voice.
"We nearly lost you Padawan. Sleep now you've had a stressful few days." He sent a small sleep suggestion to his already semi-asleep padawan. He waited and watched as the door to Obi-Wan's room opened and one of the Temple Healers entered.
"Hello Qui-Gon, how are you? Good I hope. Right now its been nearly a week since the accident and with the healing trances you have been doing your leg should be fully healed by now." The Healer walked over to Qui-Gon, pulling two low stools along with her she sat one one and propped Qui-Gon's plasticasted leg up on the other one. She pulled out a small saw like piece of aparatus and began to cut along the sealed edge of the cast. She cracked it open and started to flex the Jedi Masters muscles to warm them up and get them used to the mobility again. Satisfied that the bone had indeed reformed she stood up and moved the stools and cast out of the way.
"You will still need to use the cane for today probably just until your muscles and bones are used to bearing all of your weight again but it should be as good as new by tomorrow evening at the latest." She walked towards the door and exited leaving Qui-Gon alone in the pristine white room, where a sleeping Obi-Wan lay.
Sending calming thoughts to Obi-Wan through their bond to ensure a restful and much needed sleep for the boy, Qui-Gon stood up, now with just the cane to hinder him and walked out of the room. Oh Obi-Wan, I nearly lost you, what are we going to do? At this thought Qui-Gon was reminded of Xanatos. But this is different. Obi-Wan didn't purposely try to leave me, why I am reminding myself of Xanatos? Obi-Wan wouldn't leave me, yes he nearly died and his life would be in essence gone to me but he would become one with the Force. That is not the same as the betrayal his predecessor performed. Emotionally drained from all of the worry Qui-Gon broke down into tears uncharicteristically for him, as images assaulted him from his past, and ones showing Obi-Wan suffering in the Healing Wing.
Qui-Gon was not sure how long he had been huddled in the corridor in a state of despair. He was roused from it when he heard footsteps along the corridor. He listened and waited as the footsteps stopped next to him. Uncovering his face and looking upwards he saw the powerful figure of Mace Windu standing above him looking down on him concerned.
"Qui-Gon, what's happened? Is it Obi-Wan? Is he ok?" The concern was evident in his voice although it was masked with his sense of authority that came from being a council memeber. He crouched down and placed a hand on his friends arm. "Come now."
Qui-Gon rose and let himself be led to his room. He palmed the door open and settled himself down on the old couch. Mace joined him.
"What's wrong Qui-Gon?" he asked gently.
"It's nothing Mace, I guess I was just tired. I've kept my emotions about all of this locked tightly inside me. When I thought I was going to lose Obi-Wan it reminded me of Xanatos and how I have lost him. I don't know what I would do if i was to lose another Padawan."
"Xanatos fell to the Dark Side, it is not the same as losing a Padawan to death. Although the grief afterward would be similar you would have to remember that Obi-Wan would have become one with the Force, he would become the Light."
"Thank you Mace. Obi-Wan is so scared at the moment, I can feel his fear and anger at his condition being transferred through our bond. I know he will not turn but there is a lot of built up emotions to be dealt with there. I am also concerned, how will he be able to continue his training?"
"I do not know Qui-Gon, it may be that he cannot become a Knight, he may have to find a more suitable job within the Temple that will fit around any care that he would need for the future. This event has affected many people, it is an unfortunate event and I can only hope but find a way of helping him. What are they doing for him now?"
"He is on the strongest pain medication they can administer but it is only taking away a little of the pain, he is still in silent agony trying to carry on with his life where he left it."
"You have to admire his spirit, it seems nothing can stop young Kenobi."
Mace sighed, "And to think that one of the original Healers treating him was going to give up!"
Shocked Qui-Gon stood abruptly as if someone had jabbed him in the back with an electrojabber, he let out a hiss as he jarred his newly healed knee and abruptly sat back down. "What do you mean Mace?"
"One of the healers asked me if i wished for the treatment to be given to Obi-Wan to isolate the poison. It seems that they would have given Obi-Wan the option to not have treatment and die!"
"Thats appalling isn't part of being a Healer to try and heal someone! What were they thinking!"
"I don't know friend but lets hope we don't find out what the reasons were for this sugestion. You are tired and emotionally drained Qui-Gon, you need to rest, I will leave now and I expect you to sleep. Do not let you thoughts be stuck in the past, what has happened has happened. This is not your fault. Goodbye." Mace walked out of the room leaving Qui-Gon to sleep. Something dark is stirring here, something is going to happen and I can't help but think that I have played a part in this event somehow. He walked along the corridor away from Qui-Gon's apartment towards his own, a sense of unease inside him that would cause a restless sleep.
Sorry again for the long wait, don't really have an excuse just haven't had time to update it. Thanks to Agi, Geri K and Susie for the wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoyed this, not as much of an evil cliffhanger like last time. Will update more now that its summer and I have a week of a camping holiday to think it through, its getting nearer to the end now though so yeah not much more to go, just wait and see!
