NOTE:

*...*means character thoughts
&....&means telepathic messages

((....)) means my thoughts on whatever-ironically-bad-twist-of-plot-unfolds....lol

WARNING: I may up the rating for this now...b/c of some suggestive dialogue and some.....actions of characters!! BUT NO FEAR!! No smut will be in my writing!

Well now...I'm so sorry I didn't have this chapter up earlier!!! I was on some family vacations (groan...)! I stayed up late writing this chapter just so I could have it out the day after I got back...so...I hope you enjoy!!!!
Thanks bunches for the reviews!

Ch. 12

Livia leaned heavily on a cane for support as she limped toward the room her Master would be waking in soon. They were aboard a medical freighter bound for Coruscant. All bacta was to be used for the more serious cases in the aftermath of battle, meaning Livia's hip injury, as well as injuries sustained in her session with Dooku, would have to wait.

Upon returning from the battle against Dooku, Livia had gone straight to Obi-Wan's side.
Now, finally, she would be able to speak with her Master, not just watch him bob up and down in a tank.

Livia limped into the room to see her Master there, asleep. She hobbled to his bedside, trying unsuccessfully to pull a chair silently under her. She winced as Obi-Wan stirred.

Livia stifled a sigh of relief as Obi-Wan slept on. She settled herself in the chair as comfortably as possible, putting the least amount of pressure on her tightly wrapped, injured hip. Livia leaned her head on the mattress Obi-Wan slept on. She placed her hand in her Master's.

Then, fatigue slowly pulled her eyelids down..............

* * * * * * * * *

Obi-Wan's eyes fluttered open. The room was dimly lit, just enough for him to be able to see what was around him.

He blinked a few times, disoriented.

Livia?!

Where was his Padawan?

His question was answered as his body registered the pressure of someone's hand on his. He looked down to see Livia sleeping soundly, leaning on his bed.

He gently caressed her dark, curly mane of hair, relieved to see her alive and safe. After the initial first wave of relief passed, he began to notice the condition Livia was in.

Obi-Wan pulled the collar of her shirt back to see the red, scarred flesh on her back from being captured by Dooku. This was not new news to him.

Obi-Wan looked down to see Livia's right leg and hip tightly bound. A cane rested against the bed next to her.

"What did they do to you, my little one?" Obi-Wan whispered breathlessly, his heart clenching.

"We fought Dooku together,"a youthfully deep voice answered. Anakin Skywalker stood in the doorway, walking slowly into the room. He walked over and gently pulled a blanket around Livia's shoulders, softly pushing her dark tresses from her face with his remaining hand.

Obi-Wan looked up at Anakin, who stood tall, despite the fact his right arm ended in a bandaged stump.

Qui-Gon entered the room behind Anakin, his serene presence filling the air with a tangible, needed, calm. He put a hand on his Padawan's shoulder in a gesture of proud, fatherly love. "Yes, they did fight Dooku bravely,"he said. A memory triggered in his mind that he had pushed away in the heat of battle at the mention of the fight. The darkness he had sensed through their bond.

Qui-Gon's expressive midnight blue gaze darkened slightly.

Yes, Anakin had fought bravely, but at what cost to himself?

* * * * * * * * *

Livia drug her eyelids open. The room was fully lit around her. She sat up, stifling a groan as she found out in agonizing clarity that her pain medication had worn off.

Then, the meaning of the lights registered.

"Hello, Padawan,"Obi-Wan said, his melodic voice drifting to Livia's ears.

Livia whipped her head around to face her Master, her disheveled curls flying wildly around her face. She threw herself into Obi-Wan's arms, embracing her Master in a relieved, loving hug. Her joy at seeing him coherent overwhelmed even the pain of moving.

Obi-Wan held Livia in his arms for a moment, just as happy to see her safe and conscious as she was to see him. Livia yelped as the overwhelming joy faded into the awareness of intense pain. Obi-Wan gently eased his apprentice's pain. Finally, they let go of each other.

Livia looked around the room, waving in acknowledgment of the other people present. Her dark blue gaze lingered on Anakin for a moment, then she smiled at Qui-Gon.

"Thank you for everything, Master Jinn. Without you, I wouldn't have my Master,"Livia said, finally getting the chance to thank the big Jedi Master.

Qui-Gon gave a slight smile. "It would be a great loss for me, as well as you, if anything had happened to Obi-Wan. A friend in need is something I cannot refuse,"he replied.

Obi-Wan nodded, signaling to Qui-Gon that indeed, they were friends once again. A great weight had lifted between them. The plea for forgiveness had been true, not just desperate in the shadow of death. Obi-Wan could see that. Now, with that out of the way, both men could look towards the future without being plagued by their past.

"We will let you two have some time alone,"Qui-Gon suggested, moving towards the door.

Anakin nodded. Though his heart ached to be with Livia, he knew how much Livia had worried for her Master. He could sense her relief and love. Livia wanted to speak with Obi-Wan.
Anakin followed Qui-Gon from the medical room, leaving his love to speak with her Master.

* * * * * * * * *

Darth Sidious glared angrily at no one in particular. His hatred radiated out from him in waves. Curse those Jedi. This was the second apprentice they had killed........They would pay.

Yes, they would pay.

They would pay dearly. With their blood. With their hearts. And with their Order.

Before he could reap his sweet revenge on the Jedi, he had to go to a Senate meeting called by Padme Amidala.

*I wonder what my pet has to say now?*

The thought of Amidala triggered a small, yet amusing danger sense in his mind. Ah......it has begun. His own creation may try to take in too much power for her own good.

The Supreme Chancellor strode from his office, pulling the mask of calm over his face, hiding any visible trace of being a Sith Lord.

* * * * * * * * * *

Obi-Wan helped his apprentice up to lay on the medical bed beside him. He put an arm around her, cradling her as if she were the 12 year old child he had begun with, not the 18 year old young woman she had become over time.

Livia leaned against her Master's chest, not caring how childish she looked. Nothing mattered except that they were both alive and safe.

"How are you feeling, Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, looking down at her, his gaze holding a fatherly love and concern.

Livia shrugged slightly. "As best as can be expected. Dooku was good...in a bad way,"Livia said, her soft voice holding a sarcastic twinge. After a moment of silence, Livia spoke again. "I was scared when we drew our lightsabers, Master,"she confessed, "I didn't want him to hurt me again........I feel like such a coward," her voice trailed off with shame.

"No, Livvy, you are far from a coward. That fear is natural. You are human, not a machine. Even Jedi get afraid! When we lose those emotions, we become inhuman. Jedi can feel emotions, we just can't let them control us. You did well in letting your fear go. You pushed past it and fought Dooku, though you knew you were outmatched,"Obi-Wan said, hushing any further protest from Livia, "I know one thing, I was terrified when I couldn't help you when Dooku was beating you."

Livia's eyes widened. She had never known her Master to be afraid, yet it was true. She snuggled closer to him as he pulled a blanket over her. Sleep tugged at her eyes as Obi-Wan nudged her with the Force.

" G'night Master," Livia murmured.

"Goodnight, Padawan."

* * * * * * * * *

The Jedi Master Yoda walked slowly down the exit ramp of the ship he had been on. The battle had been long and hard. It had been centuries since he had done something in that fashion. The first thing he wanted to do was rest.

Yoda's commlink beeped. For the first time in 7 centuries, the Jedi Master had to stifle a sigh. Was there no rest in the galaxy?

"Master Yoda, I need you, and a few other Masters if possible, urgently at a Senate meeting right away,"Padme Amidala said over the commlink, her voice suggesting critical circumstances.

"Come with Mace Windu, I will. Just arrived on planet, we did. Following us in a few hours, other Jedi will,"Yoda informed, ending the transmission.

Yoda dialed Mace Windu on his commlink. A few moments later, the other Jedi Master met up with him at the exit ramp. Neither had to speak the thoughts that weighed so heavily on their lips.

This had better be good.

* * * * * * * * *

Qui-Gon looked over at his apprentice. Anakin stood, looking out at the blue sky of hyperspace. It was now or never....

"Anakin, on my way to the hangar bay where you and Dooku fought, I sensed some unpleasant emotions coming through our bond. What was that?"Qui-Gon asked softly.

Anakin turned to face his Master. His calm never slipped. "It was nothing, Master. I got angry, but everything was under control. I hurt no one out of anger,"he said, hardly believing his own words. He had come so close.....
No. That didn't matter. The fact was that he did not kill Dooku out of anger. He had resisted.

Qui-Gon nodded. The only explanation he had was what his Padawan had given him. That would be good enough. Anakin was trustworthy. He believed in his Padawan.

* * * * * * * * *

Livia woke hours later to the sound of the beckon that symbolized their exit from hyperspace.

Obi-Wan was already up and dressed in Jedi robes. He strode over to the bedside where his Padawan was. He helped her up, handing her the cane for her to support herself with.

"Finally, the nightmare is over,"Livia whispered, hardly daring to believe it herself.

Obi-Wan sincerely hoped Livia's words were correct, but he felt differently. Storms brewed in the distance. "I hope so, Padawan, I hope so."

* * * * * * * * *

The Supreme Chancellor stepped up onto his platform in the Senatorial chambers. A strange sense of foreboding swept over him, but he dismissed it.

What could happen?

The Jedi were all but extinct...so they could cause no problems.

The Senate, as well as the Republic was eating out of the palm of his hand.

He had a powerful ally and second in command, who was following his own personal plans to a fault. His ally would 'betray' him exactly as he had foreseen it, but that was nowhere near the present.

Nothing could go wrong.

* * * * * * * * *

Livia limped down the exit ramp of the medical freighter. Obi-Wan kept a constant hand on Livia's arm, supporting her. Behind them, very few Jedi left the medical freighter.

Very few Jedi had left the battlefield at all.

The Jedi that were left hobbled along, most of them injured and going to seek medical attention in the Temple. The fortunate few who came from the battle without major injuries were weighed upon by the constant reminder of looking at their comrades that the Jedi Order was all but brought to it's knees.

One thing was for sure. All of the Jedi were exhausted. Whether injured, or just sore, fatigue pulled at their every move.

The remaining Jedi made their way slowly into the Jedi Temple, seeking the assurance from the appearance of the younger generations that they could go on.

* * * * * * * * *

The soothing sound of waterfalls filled the air of the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Anakin leaned against a tree trunk, wrapping his arms around Livia as he sat. Livia leaned back against Anakin's chest with a sigh of contentment, not caring that her hip was still a little sore, not caring that one of the arms around her was half robotic. Though the cold, golden metal showed, Livia could care less. She was just happy to be in Anakin's arms, regardless as to whether one was artificial.

((sigh...I know, more cheesy romance from Ani...gotta keep them in character!))

"Livvy, for years, we have been the best of friends....and I just realized something. I feel something more for you, Anakin began. Livia opened her mouth to say something, but he gently hushed her.
"Livvy, you make me feel as if I've never seen the sky before, like everything I see is so new, and alive........What I said in the arena was not a desperate fling.
I meant it. I love you, Livia,"Anakin said, his voice dropping to a enticing whisper, "I truly, deeply, love you."

Livia's dark blue eyes widened. "Why, Ani, how poetic,"she whispered, looking up at him.

Anakin gave a slight smile, "Tell me, once you have heard my words, what do you feel for me?"

A seductive grin crossed Livia's face. She turned on her side, leaning her head forward and grabbing Anakin into a passionate, steamy kiss.

After a moment, Livia withdrew. "Does that answer your question?" she asked, her voice a provocative whisper.

Anakin nodded, pulling Livia back into another heart-stopping kiss. The two young lovers sat there, enjoying one another's company till the break of dawn, oblivious and uncaring to the troubles of the galaxy around them.


*********************************************

And indeed, enjoy one another's company, now, they should. When the storms of the galaxy are known to them, the Jedi will be swept away trying to hold the Republic together. ......
In the future/coming chapters............................

Now that the 'tarnished loyalty' is safely out of harms-way and forgiveness is given, explanations is given, as well as an old friendship returned. But can the two reunited friends stay strong through the storms to come?

A Jedi shall know no anger. Nor Hatred. Nor Love.......no love, you say? How can the two new lovers keep their passion a secret? Along the Jedi's future path, will there be a need to hide it?

A Sith is coming with a vengeance, but will his own hatred cloud his vision? Will all he has foreseen come true? Or go to waste as his own creation shows her own cunning in the public eye?

Padme Amidala has her own plans for the galaxy. For the Jedi. For the Sith. For the Republic. For one special Jedi in particular......what happens when that Jedi is tested with the threat of his most valued treasure?

Well, I hope you enjoy! REVIEW PLEASE!
Signing out for now,
Lina Skye