Obi-Wan's skin felt as if he had been dipped in boiling water. The air on the planet felt as if it would have melted his skin, but alas, it hadn't. The flow of lava had swelled, and if he did not abandon the suspended piece of debris on which he found himself, he surely would perish. But it was not only the lava that had threatened to cut his life short.

In the events that would follow, his life might as well have been cut short. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. He force jumped to higher ground when the opportunity presented itself, and there he stared down at his former padawan. He had never seen Anakin's face so full of hate, and Obi-Wan had been there for all the years of Anakin's tempestuous youth.

He urged Anakin not to follow him. Every part of him pleaded with Anakin. He did not want to strike him down, for to do so would be to cut out a part of himself. As his friend force jumped, and followed, Obi-Wan struck the fateful blow, leaving Anakin dangerously close to the molten lava.

"You were the chosen one!" Obi-Wan bellowed, fighting back his tears. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness."

Anakin's eyes burned with rage. "I hate you!"

"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you." There was that word. Love. A word which carried such controversy with the Jedi, and yet still Obi-Wan had come to love the boy as his own brother.

Anakin's clothing had caught fire, leaving him to writhe in agony. Obi-Wan couldn't look any longer. Unable to end Anakin's life, he turned, and decided that if it was the will of the force that Anakin die, it would not be because he killed him, lying there on the ground. He grabbed Anakin's light saber… He began walking away… He had finally allowed himself to cry, when suddenly Miriam's voice echoed in his ear…

"Ben?" Miri called from somewhere, far away. She kept calling him, pulling him closer back into reality. Her hand was rested on the side of his face. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and saw the clearly shaken girl, whose face was still heavy with sleep herself.

"Ben, it's only a dream." Her thumb brushed away tears that had fallen in his sleep. "You're here. You're with me."

Obi-Wan took a calming breath, finally taking inventory of his feelings. He had been dreaming about Anakin. It was a fever dream. He was ill, and Miri was taking care of him. He was not on Mustafar. He was in bed. Miri's presence immediately began to put him at ease.

"What was I saying?"

"You kept saying the name Anakin," Miri kissed the spot where a tear had streaked his cheek.

"I did…" Obi-Wan sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair.

Miri had risen from bed, and hastily poured another cup of the liron root tea. "Here." She handed him the cup, and he dutifully drank from it.

"I know what fever dreams can be like," Miri said, taking the empty cup with a knowing glance. When she returned the cup to its place on the table, she returned to bed, and laid back down beside him. Some time passed between them before either spoke.

"You don't have to tell me anything."

"I'm not sure you would want to know such things." Obi-Wan pulled Miri to himself, leaning his head against hers as she settled into the crook of his arm. "I'm not sure you're really aware of how pure you are."

"Pure?" Miri looked up at him in surprise. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Could he be referring to what she thought he was? She fumbled to find her words. "How can you…? I mean, how in the world would you come to such a conclusion?"

Obi-Wan took in a large breath. "When I'm around you, it's just a feeling. You have such a goodness about you, I scarcely believe it. I would hate to have you burdened with such tragic tales."

"Ben," Miri placed a hand on his chest, closing her eyes and relishing in the feeling of his skin against hers. "In case you don't remember, I was recently beaten to a bloody pulp. I think I have seen my fair share of tragedy."

Obi-Wan pressed his lips to the top of Miri's head. "Even so. I want to spare you from as much as I can. There are things that are my burden to carry. Unloading them on such a soul would be a crime."

"I think you would be surprised by what I can endure."

Obi-Wan smiled into her hair. "I know."

Neither of them said another word, and soon they were back asleep, safely in each other's arms.

The morning came a few hours after Obi-Wan had awoken in the middle of reliving the worst moment of his life. Miri had risen before Obi-Wan, and was brewing more tea out of the remaining roots. He felt infinitely better, no doubt thanks to the liron root tea, and certainly to Miri's vigilant care. He sat up, and was about to stand, when he realized it was morning… and that brought on a certain biological reaction to increased blood flow. Suddenly he wasn't in such a rush to stand, so he sat with his sheet drawn about his waist. He smiled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he watched Miri thoughtfully go about her task.

What he wouldn't have given to pull her back into bed to take advantage of the situation in which he found himself. He imagined her, straddling him as he sat there, kissing her deeply… he had to stop himself as these images came to his mind, as it definitely wasn't helping. Within a moment, he was able to stand, and walked to Miri, who jumped when he touched the small of her back.

"Oh!" she turned and smiled at him. "You're up. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to you." Obi-Wan leaned his head down, and gave her a chaste kiss.

Miri melted into the kiss, and sighed in contentment. She pulled back to speak. "You're still to take it easy, do you understand? Bed rest."

"Alright, alright…" Obi-Wan kissed her cheek, and sat at the nearby table. He watched as Miri twisted her messy bed hair into a low bun, and secured it with a strip of leather ribbon. He could get used to seeing this every morning… "Leaving me, are you?"

Miri frowned. "I have to. I'm sure my father is just beside himself to begin with; I had better come back this morning as promised."

"If you must…" Obi-Wan smiled. He couldn't hardly wipe that smile from his face the rest of the morning. Miri left fairly soon after that, but not before telling him to stay in bed, or at the very least stay seated, and to drink the tea, no matter what.

Obi-Wan stood outside, still shirtless, towering above Miri as she was about to get into her hover car to return to Mos Eisley.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I've got that double shift today, and you are absolutely not to leave this hut, or you'll have to answer to me."

Obi-Wan flashed a cheshire grin down at Miri, and tilted his head down. "Maybe that wouldn't be so bad." Miri giggled as Obi-Wan kissed her, causing him to grow slightly hard again, and this time it wasn't from sleep.

Miri pulled into the back alley of her apartment at a decent enough hour. She rushed into her apartment, not expecting her father to be seated at the table, waiting for her. She stopped in her tracks, and the smile, which had been plastered on her face since leaving the Dune Sea, disappeared.

"Oh, dad, you didn't stay up the whole night, did you?" Miri approached her father.

"No," Lee said in a sigh. "I did, however, want to be here when you came home. I'm a father, and I worry."

"I know, dad. I'm sorry, I just couldn't leave him like that. Sand Sickness can turn into Red Fever if left untreated." She sat beside her father, who was drinking tea. He poured her a cup.

"You're such a caring person, Miri. You care with your whole heart. If people didn't know you, they might think what you did last night was something completely different."

Miri's forehead scrunched up in frustration. "Dad, only you and Bastien now. Unless there was a newsletter about it, I think I'm fairly safe from making the gossip column."

"Yes, Bastien and I."

Miri sipped at her tea, mulling over the statement. "Well… you know I'm not like that. You can't be concerned about what Bastien thinks."

"Oh, but I am, Miri. I had to assure him you were just such a selfless person that you would do that for anyone."

Miri grew anxious. "Why would you have to do that?"

Lee removed his spectacles, and rubbed his eyes. "You're twenty-one, Miri. You're a lovely girl. Men are sure to notice this, as I am positive Ben Kenobi has… but unless you weren't aware, most of your peers have left Tatooine."

Miri's breath started to pick up. She repeated herself. "Why would you have to worry about what Bastien thinks?"

Lee looked at his daughter in pity and sorrow. "I worry about you, Miri. Once this mess with the Hutts is behind us, and I am old enough to retire… With your mother gone, there's no one left to care for you."

"Papa, I can care for myself." Miri's eyes were ablaze with confusion.

Lee stood, and looked at his daughter. "All I'm asking is… Keep an open mind."

"Father, in case you hadn't noticed," Miri flattened her hands on the table. "Ben and I are growing closer. I care for him, and I know he feels the same."

Lee nodded his acknowledgment. "I am aware of this, dear, but… You still know so little of this man. Just keep him at a distance. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate your concern, father, but I am perfectly content with how things are progressing with Ben. He is a good man." She could feel her anger bubbling up. She willed herself to calm down.

"Alright, dear, alright." Lee stroked the side of his daughter's head, and kissed her hair. "All I asked was for you to keep an open mind, is all. I cannot control your actions. But just know that there are young men out there who would be happy to have you."

Young men like Bastien Miri thought. Her father left the apartment to meet his apprentice at the stall, who had opened for him that morning. She sat in silent anger, chastising herself for not seeing it sooner. She knew her father would never arrange and force a marriage on her, but her father also clearly did not approve of Ben Kenobi's attentions. She felt betrayed. She felt like she was being treated like a child. Putting Ben's teachings to good use, Miri forced herself to meditate in her room before the start of her shift in a few hours.

With luck, the feeling of anger had passed, and she felt a sense of clarity. Her father was playing the concerned parent, but with time, Miri was sure that he would come to see her Ben for the wonderful man that he truly was. She continued to practice her meditative breathing until, a few hours into her first shift at the cantina, the only thought in her head was the serenity that accompanied her thoughts of her teacher.