And I'm back! No, I wasn't dead, no, I am not giving up this fic and yes, I still plan on finishing it! :D Pardon me, guys, finals have been rough in me and I've kept away from any distractions lately ;) I'm super duper glad to post this new chapter for you! I know I've left you on a little cliffhanger last time and I apologize it took longer than usual!
Thank you to all of you who left me reviews and who pressed Follow/Favourite in the meantime! You know how much I appreciate all the support!
Don't be afraid to let me know what you think of this chapter! Lots of kisses and I'll try to upload the next chapter in the next week! (since I'm on vacation now, hahaha!) xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Enjoy!
Over. It was over. All his life, his hopes, his fears, his dreams, over. He tried to scream, tried to call for someone, but nothing was to hear. He tried to move, but nothing in his body would respond. Blackness and nothingness surrounded him and hugged him like a comforting blanket, soothing his fears and slowly putting him to his last rest. Finally at peace. Finally one with the Force.
The Force… Obi-Wan could almost feel himself smile. The Force, it was… beautiful. More than he had ever imagined. He could feel it more than ever, embracing his every cell and his soul. It was a better feeling than bathing in hot, lavender scented water after being kept away from a shower for months. Better than seeing the sun after years of darkness. Better than life itself…
The first thing Obi-wan thought about when he realized he was dead was that he could actually realize it. He could not see or feel his body, but he was just… there, present in this netherland of darkness. He had always thought that being one with the Force would be nothing more than just rest, both physically and mentally. But for some reasons, his mind was racing with thoughts he could not seem to understand himself. It was like a vortex of memories with the most important ones of his life standing out. Powerless to change anything, the Jedi Master just stood there and watched as a vivid show of memories flashed before his eyes.
First, there were two pairs of eyes on him, looking down at him with gentle smiles, a man and a woman. Both were very familiar to him, but he knew that he had never actually met the couple before. Curious, he felt himself frown and reach for them, like a unconscious part of him was calling for them, craving for their company. Seconds later, he could hear the sound of a baby cooing in the background and the man smiled broadly to him with tears in his eyes. "Welcome to the world, Obi-Wan..."
The memory quickly faded to be replaced by another. They were now in some sort of dining room, the environment a little blurred around them. A woman was standing in a corner of the room, looking through the window with saddened eyes. Instantly, even though he didn't seem to know the woman personally, Obi-Wan felt the urgent desire to go and bring her in his arms, to comfort her. It was only when he heard the voice of a man behind him that he turned around. Indeed, a man was sitting at a table and was looking at the woman with authority but with kind eyes. Looking at him more closely, Obi-Wan recognized the Jedi Tunics on the man's shoulders. "Miss Kenobi," the man began, "Your son has an incredible talent and potential we can hardly find in the galaxy. We have to start his training now, or his potential might be wasted."
Slowly, the woman turned around to face the Jedi and shook her head, a single tear running down her cheek. "He's only two years old..." She sobbed, while hanging on a nearby piece of furniture as her knees became week. She then turned to face the space just beside the table; a man was standing there, laying himself against the rock wall and staring in front of him, his eyes empty. The woman stepped closer to him and he took her in his arms. "Please, don't let him take our son away..." She cried out in his neck with a muffled voice. Still staring into nothing, the man sighed heavily and brushed her hair with his fingers. "We have to, honey… We have to…The Jedi… They have legal custody…" He replied in a tight voice.
Then Obi-Wan understood. The couple he was looking at were his parents, which would probably explain why they felt so familiar to him. If he wasn't dead, he could swear his heart would be racing. He had never truly met his parents before and, for most of his life, could not recall a single image of them. And there they were, crying and broken in front of him because his younger version of himself would be taken to the Jedi Temple to start its training. Gently, he stepped closer to them to get a better look. His father was a little taller than him with the same wheat coloured hair he had. When the woman in his father's arms turned around to grab a tissue, he smiled sadly. She looked so tough, yet so delicate. When her gaze crossed his, he realized that his mother had gave him her eyes. He murmured a small 'thank you' to them before the memory faded again with the sound of a woman screaming and a baby crying heavily.
The darkness around him was quickly replaced by another memory. This time, he found himself in the round room where Master Yoda used to taught at the Temple. Looking around him, he found himself surrounded by younglings who manipulated their training sabers for the first time, looking at the blades in awe. Looking down at his hands, Obi-Wan realized that his own saber was still powered down. Taking a deep breath, he ignited the blue blade and felt the overwhelming joy he had felt at the time fill his heart…
And then there was Qui-Gon. If he would have been able to, Obi-Wan would have gasped as the images of his former Master appeared before him. It was not a specific memory, but Obi-Wan could hear his former Master's soft voice whisper gently to him, making Obi-Wan close his eyes and sigh. "I will do what I must, Obi-Wan… Careful, young one, I sense a deep disturbance in the Force… You've been a good apprentice, Obi-Wan, I foresee that you will become a great Jedi Knight… Too late, promise me to train the boy… Train him..."
Pained to see and feel those memories hit him back again, Obi-Wan tried to stay away from them and was happy to see that another memory seemed to fill his mind. Qui-Gon was there again, out of breath and half lying on the ground. He then lifted one hand and pointed to his left and Obi-Wan noticed for the first time the small boy standing not to far from them. "Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi." The tall Jedi said before the small boy looked at him with wide eyes. "Wow! You're a Jedi too?!" The little boy asked before shaking his hand, "Nice to meet you!"
Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle to himself in front of little Anakin, who had gave him so much trouble over the years. And yet, it was all worth it. He would do the experience again a thousand time within changing anything.
The decors changed again. This time, he found himself within his quarters with a still Padawan Anakin by his side. Just by looking at the young teenager, he instantly knew when this happened; they had just came back from one of their rough missions and Anakin had felt out of the blue for quite some time. In the rush of the mission, he had killed for the first time. When the boy had realized it on the battlefield, he had froze and Obi-Wan had had to turn around and shake him out of his trance. Fortunately, Anakin had snapped out before an explosion blew everything around them about five seconds later. As soon as they were back at the Temple, Obi-Wan was able to feel that killing had deeply affected Anakin. He had been sitting on the couch, completely silent, staring right in front of him. Obi-Wan could feel himself sit right beside the young man and press a comforting hand in his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, Anakin… You saved countless of lives today. Concentrate on that." He heard himself say.
He then watched as the younger version of Anakin just pressed his head against his shoulder as a small tear rolled of his cheek. "I know we're not allowed to say it but… I love you, Master..." He said in a tight voice.
Obi-Wan could feel himself sigh as he remembered how he had pondered for several seconds whether or not he should say it back. Of course he had always loved his Padawan. "I love you, too." He heard himself whisper as he took Anakin in his arms to comfort him.
And then the environment changed again and he found himself in a large field of flowers. He instantly recognized them; Meila's home-world. He wished he could take a good breath of the fresh air, but sadly he couldn't. He was wondering if he was breathing at all… And there she was, just like the first time he had seen her. Sleeping just behind a large bush of white petal flowers, wrapped in one of her cream coloured simple dress. Obi-Wan could almost feel his heart jump and his cheeks turn violently red as he admired a very young version of his sweetheart as she slept peacefully in front of him. Tempted, he felt his younger version sit beside her and replace a stubborn blonde lock on the side of her beautiful face.
"Well, we don't see many Jedi around here lately..." She suddenly whispered, making his younger self jump out of his skin.
"Oh Force..." He heard himself say, "I'm terribly sorry, I-I didn't wish to disturb..."
He heard her chuckle as she opened his eyes, exposing them to him for the first time. "Geez, relax! I thought you Jedi were more composed than that!" She laughed, pushing herself in a sitting position beside him.
Obi-Wan felt himself blush. "You could say that..."
And then he felt his hand being taken and placed in the middle of her chest. Surprised, he looked at her with wide eyes as he felt her gentle heartbeat against his palm. He felt himself blush even more if that was even possible. "Hi, I'm Meila." She said to him with a smile.
Obi-Wan swallowed heavily as his own heartbeat bumped in his ears. He knew it was not his own, but the one belonging to his younger self. Still, his deceased heart could almost come back to life right now if it could…
To his disappointment, the decor changed again in a vortex of colours. But this time, it wasn't a memory that flashed before his eyes. In fact, he found himself standing in the very room in the Halls of Healing at the Temple where he took his last breath. Looking down, he was surprised to see that he could see himself when he couldn't seconds ago. The air was cold around him and the room plunged in darkness.
And then he saw it. His broken body, lying on the surgery bed in the middle of the room. Even if they had changed his clothes, he still found himself incredibly pale and he was glad the lower half of his body was hidden under the blanket. He could still remember quite clearly the large speeder crashing on him and crushing almost every bone he had below his belt. It has been a long time since the last time he had felt so much pain at once. Stepping closer to his corpse, he sighed heavily. "You don't look so good..." He whispered to it with a sad chuckle.
He stayed there for several minute looking down at his own body before he heard the door being open. Curious, he lifted his eyes and gasped; his sweetheart was entering the room walking towards his body with a devastated expression. When the spotlight lit her face, Obi-Wan felt his heart break. Her eyes were red from crying and tears still poured down from them. Her shoulders were hang down and she looked like she fought for standing alone. Obi-Wan pressed a hand on his mouth as a small sob escaped him. Suddenly, his own grief hit him dead on; he had lost his sweet Meila. Soon, he would probably travel to the other side, become one with the Force and he would lose her forever.
His sweet Meila stepped closer to him and he could see her frail body tremble as another sob took control of it. "Oh Obi," She cried, "Why did you leave us now..."
Obi-Wan shook his head and tried to touch her, but his hand just passed through her skin. His heart beating violently and his throat tight, he retracted his hand. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart…" He said in a choked voice, "I didn't mean to…"
Of course, she didn't hear him. Instead, she bent down and pressed a kiss to his lips. Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan brushed his fingers against his own lips thinking how he would never feel hers against them again. Remembering Yoda had said that the bond might function beyond the grave, he desperately tried to reach for the woman, opening the bond with all his will, but he found his side to be shut down. There was no way he could reach for his sweetheart. Devastated, he watched helpless as his poor Meila laid her head on his chest and cried her heart out.
"I had the same reaction when I died, too, you know…"
Surprised, Obi-Wan turned around to face Qui-Gon, who was standing tall and proud in a corner of the room. "Master…" He whispered as the taller man walked to stand beside him.
Qui-Gon gave him a small smile and walked closer to his former Padawan. "Trust me, Obi-Wan. I know it is hard at first, but you will quickly learn to watch over her, guide her and be present for her when she needs it." The tall Jedi stated as he watched over Obi-Wan's dead body.
But Obi-Wan was too devastated to consider his former Master's words. The pain of losing his sweetheart was burning him alive. "I thought…" He began, before taking a deep breath trying to control his senses, "I thought the bond would allow us to communicate after death…"
Qui-Gon looked at him and offered him a confident smile. "It will, Obi-Wan. But since you're dead, she will have to open the connection for you to be able to reach her. I'm sorry." He said before placing a soft hand on the younger Jedi's shoulder.
Obi-Wan took a long, shaking breath as longing tears started to flow down his cheek. As much as he missed his sweetheart right now, Qui-Gon hand's on his shoulder released a little bit of the tension in his body. Force, he had missed Qui-Gon dearly. Under the man's touch, he could almost feel himself come back to his younger self, when he was still a Padawan, full of dreams and fears dying to be discovered. Looking down at the hand pressing reassuringly on his shoulder, he chose not to fight the urge and turned around to wrap his arms around the taller man's torso. Qui-Gon was the closest thing he ever had to a father, after all… "I'm sorry, I failed you, Master…" He started, hanging on the older man for dear life. "I failed Anakin, I failed Meila, I…"
"On the contrary, my dear Padawan." Qui-Gon replied while closing his arms around his old friend. "I'm very proud of you and you became an ever greater Jedi that I could ever hope you could be."
They stayed like that for several minutes, the only sounds they could hear were their own breaths and Meila's desperate sobs behind them. For the moment, Obi-Wan allowed himself to relax against his Master's chest. As much as he wanted to turn around and reach for his sweetheart and as much as her sobs brook his heart into tiny pieces, he knew there was nothing more to be done. To look at her right now, especially since she was devastated like that and even more knowing that it was because of him would only bring him more pain that he could bare. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on the last memory he had of her when she had smiled to him in the speeder, telling him reassuringly that everything would be alright. And now he was dead. Oh, Meila…
But suddenly, his eyes snapped open as he felt a small thug in his bond with his sweetheart. His heart throbbing, he slowly relieved himself from his Master's arms and turned around to face his corpse again. There it was again, the thug, a small knock on the wall blocking his mind from the living world. Looking at Meila, he noticed that she had placed a hand on his body's forehead and her eyes were not closed because of tears, but because she was focusing very hardly…
When Obi-Wan felt a third push in his mind, he snapped out of his trance and quickly walked to the bed, frankly searching for a way to reach the woman he loved. "She's opening the bond, Master…" He whispered, getting frustrated as nothing seemed to change on his side. "What should I do?!" He then shouted, panic starting to rise in his heart. For Force sake, if he had an opportunity to reach his sweetheart, he would not miss it for the entire world.
Qui-Gon just stood in his place and looked at him with a side smile. "Listen to the Living Force, Obi-Wan. It will tell you what you need to do." He simply replied.
Nodding, Obi-Wan quickly closed his eyes and listened. He had never doubted his Master's teachings and he felt like he was on a right path. As he felt the Force embrace him completely, he made sure to analyze every single detail it could give him. Something was not right… The Force wouldn't let him pass to the other side… It rejected him… He didn't belong there…
Opening his eyes, he shot an alarmed look at his Master. "I have to go back."
Qui-Gon, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Obi-Wan? I was sent here to help you make a peaceful passage and now you're telling me you want to go back?" He asked with a hint of doubt.
Obi-Wan stayed silent for several seconds, reaching through the Force again and again. "Yes." He finally answered. "I'm sure. I need to go back. My path isn't over, yet."
Qui-Gon wasn't moving. "I can promise you one thing, Obi-Wan. If you go back, it will not be easy."
"I don't care!" Obi-Wan shout back, determined. "There are still people who need me. The Force is telling me I don't belong here! I must go back!" He declared as he felt yet another pull on his side of the bond.
The taller Jedi in front of him chuckled softly and gave him a smile. "You grew, Obi-Wan. You're not the innocent and impatient Padawan I once knew. I trust your judgment, young one. If you feel that this is your true path, I won't stand in your way. Only the Force can show us the right choices. To ignore it would be foolhardy." He said while stepping closer to his former Padawan and placing a hand on his cheek. "Good luck, Obi-Wan. Remember that I will always be there when you need it."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes to appreciate the gentle caress his former Master was offering him and sighed. One part of his heart urged him to reconsider, to stay with the only man he could call his father. But he was meant to be elsewhere. He would complete his mission, whatever it would throw at him. "Thank you, Master…"
Around them, the decors started to blur, the colours of the room swirling around them with no specific path. Uncertain, Obi-Wan looked up at his former Master, but his worries were calmed when the taller man gave him a reassuring nod. Slowly, he felt himself becoming heavier and heavier and his consciousness slipping from his grasp again. Tiredness started to take over his limps and he had to fight the urge of closing his eyes and surrender to much needed slumber.
"One more thing." Gui-Gon said, his voice echoing, distant as his own image started to disappear. "You might not remember this conversation when you'll wake up. May the Force be with you."
"Master…" Obi-Wan mumbled before he felt his body fall in an numb state, darkness overwhelming him as he fell asleep to the sound of an echocardiogram beeping to life.
Master Luminara looked over at the heart monitor in complete shock. The same monitor that had flashed red in emergency about ten minutes ago as Obi-Wan's pulse had became completely flat. As the life of the Jedi Master had left his body, his soul becoming one with the Force. She had searched desperately to bring him back, reaching in the deepest parts of his mind hoping to find a lost part of his soul in order to bring him back to them. She had found nothing, Obi-Wan's body lying in front of her like an empty shell. She was just about to sign his official death certificate.
And there he was now, incredibly weak but definitely alive beside Meila who was looking at her in pure confusion mixed with a new wave of hope. Luminara shook her head. In all her experience in the Halls of Healing at the Temple and on the battlefield as well, she could say with confidence that she was witnessing a true miracle. One question repeated over and over in her head: …How?!
Instantly, her Healer's instincts kicked in and she fastly reached for the nearby oxygen mask and put in on the Jedi Master's face. His left lung was still badly damaged and could still not bring him the proper amount of oxygen he needed to survive. As soon as it was fixed, she look at the entrance door and shouted for her assistants to come in and help. She had already lost Obi-Wan once, she refused to lose him a second time. "Kory! Siara! Surgery room 4, now!" She yelled, hoping to be heard behind the closed doors.
Not even fifteen seconds later, the five assistants she had been working with ten minutes ago rushed in the room with confused looks all over their faces; they have never been called so drastically in a room containing a corpse before. But of course, as soon as they heard the heart monitor beeping faintly, they rushed to Luminara's side and quickly stripped Obi-Wan out of his clothes to prepare him to resume the surgery. Siara pressed another syringe of anesthesia into his shoulder as Bobea placed another pouch of blood into a transfusion in his arm. Kirey and Kal had ran to the supply room to get the necessary and Kory assisted Luminara in placing all the machinery around them. If only they could fix his lung and his liver, they would be able to finally do some work on his legs and, hopefully, plunge him into a bacta tank that would most likely do the rest.
As the healers quickly worked around around her, Meila felt it best to let go of the man she loved and back away to leave them the necessary place to work on the Jedi. But as soon as she let go of the Jedi's hand, Luminara stopped her with her eyes wide. "No, please! Stay with him! Even though my mind wants me to believe this was a miracle, my logic tells me that it might be related to you and your bond with him. Do whatever you can to keep him with us!" She explained quickly as Obi-Wan was skillfully prepared for yet another surgery.
Nodding and a little nauseous from all the quick movements around her, Meila managed to place herself in a spot that wouldn't interfere with the Healer' work and held to Obi-Wan's hand tightly. Once again, she opened the bond as strong as she could and reach for the man desperately. He was there, there was no question about that, but he was lost. Where he wandered right now, there was no pain, no fear. She could feel that his mind was pondering wether or not it should come back, but it was not completely gone yet. Taking a deep breath, she sent gentle thoughts into his mind, hope to calm his conscience and encourage him to come back to them. "Obi… You're safe. You're alive. I love you, please, please come back to me…" She tried first.
There was a small step in their direction, but it was quickly washed away. Wherever Obi-Wan was at the moment, he was too afraid and in too much pain to come back. Worried, Meila looked over at Luminara, who managed to give her a smile even though both of her hands were massively occupied. "It might take some time before he comes completely back. Please, just make sure he doesn't travel to the other side, and we'll manage…" She said, paying a particular attention to the Jedi's vital signs, which were almost to low to keep him alive. It was almost unbelievable.
Sighing, Meila kissed the top of Obi-Wan's fingers and plunged deep into their bond, sending soothing words to him. In the meantime, as the healers finally were able to suture the Jedi's liver, Kory also looked at Obi-Wan's vital signs and winced at the numbers he found. He could not believe they belonged to a living person, it simply was impossible. Yet, the Jedi was breathing and his heart was beating… "Master, shouldn't we send him into deep healing?" He asked as a rush of adrenaline washed over him.
Luminara shook her head as she started to skillfully reconstruct his lung. "We can't afford to send him in deep healing, he's too unstable!" She said, then turned to Siara, who was controlling the oxygen machine. "Bring it to 80% concentration, we'll put all the chances on our side…"
"Concentrating at 80%…" Siara repeated, turning a specific button on the machine.
Luminara then faced Bobea, who was waiting for orders. "Inject the pressure liquid in the lower area of the lung, he'll need multiple synthetic skins placed and we can't do it with blood all over the place…"
Bobea quickly grabbed a syringe and placed it in the target area. "Injecting in three, two, one…"
Finally, Luminara looked at her left. "Kal, prepare a plate and multiple forceps. As soon as this lung is done, we will remove the bone pieces in his legs. Kirey, alert the orthopaedic department that we'll need several synthetic bones and that we'll send the patterns as soon as we can!"
"Yes, Master!" Kirey said before leaving the room.
They all jumped in horror as Obi-Wan vital's dropped to zero again and all the machines flashed red in emergency, but Luminara was quick enough to grab a powerful healing Crystal and as soon as the yellow light flashed brightly in the room, his heart was beating faintly again. "False alarm. Let's continue." Luminara declared as they all went back to work.
Meila felt dizzy. Her heart had jumped from her chest when she had heard the machines buzz loudly again. Sighing heavily as she heard Luminara declare the false alarm, she placed Obi-Wan's hand into both of her own and prayed for the best as tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Ahsoka has been Anakin's apprentice ever since she was eleven years old. She probably knew the man more than she was really to admit. She had seen him happy, sad, angry, calm. She had seen him go through his roller coaster that were his emotions. After all, the man was renown for his powerful reactions…
But in all those times, she had never seen him this depressed. As her own tears fell from her eyes, she kneeled in front of her former Master as he cried with all his will with his face hidden in his knees. Obi-Wan was dead. Of course, he had already passed through the same kind of grief the time his former Master had faked his death, but at the time he had known that something wasn't right. His high sense of doubt over the situation had kept him from truly mourning his Master. But this time, there was no undercover mission, no fake identity, nothing. He had felt his brother's pain and he had felt him leave, becoming one with the Force. This time, Obi-Wan was truly gone. And he hadn't had the chance to say goodbye…
Anakin let out another painful cry as the realization that he lost his dear brother forever hit him hard. Jedi weren't suppose to suffer like that, especially not from the lost of one of their colleagues. But this was Obi-Wan… Even if he wanted to, he didn't think he could bear to detach himself completely from the man. At the moment, the fact that Obi-Wan might be able to join him through their bond even in the grave was at the complete back of his mind. His heart was hurting too painfully to be able to process rational thoughts.
Ahsoka wanted to so something, reach for her former Master and help in any way she could. But when she reached for him through the Force, she knew there was nothing she could do to soothe his pain. Obi-Wan was the dearest person in the galaxy in Anakin's eyes and now he was gone. Sighing heavily, she only placed a reassuring hand on the weeping Jedi's arm and whispered. "I'm really sorry, Anakin…"
But she could only look up in confusion as Anakin's sobs suddenly stopped, his body freezing and his eyes wide. He stayed like that for several seconds before a huge smile built on his features and he started to laugh with good heart, making his former Padawan raise an eyebrow in confusion. "What could possibly be so funny?!" She asked in complete disbelief as Anakin brushed his tears away.
"The bond…" He answered with a still tight voice. "Obi-Wan… He's alive…. He's alive!"
Ahsoka was stuck dumb. "Excuse me?!" She asked, her eyes wide.
Anakin was quickly back on his feet. "I swear, he was gone, but now- he's alive, he- he came back! I must see him!" He said so quickly that his former Padawan had troubles understanding him.
Ahsoka closed her eyes and reached in the Force and could only see that Anakin was right. Obi-Wan's Force signature was back with them. He heart thumping in joy, she smiled. "You're right! He's alive!" She whispered, but when she opened her eyes again, Anakin was already rushing back to the Halls of Healing. Surprised, she started running after him. "Hey, wait up!"
The door to the Halls of Healing opened to violently that no one in the office had had the time to realize that Anakin Skywalker was there. Alerted, the Healers standing in the large hallway looked at the Jedi Master with wide eyes as Anakin literally stormed into them, trying to bypass the security door leading to the surgery rooms. Of of the Master Healer, Vodkara Che, took him by the shoulder to shake some sense into the man. "And exactly where do you think you'Re going young man?" She asked with authority.
Anakin didn't even look at her, his eyes were glued to the security door as he tried to push Vodkara Che away. "My Master… I must see my Master…" He mumbled while other Healers came to calm the man down.
Vodkara Che's gaze softened at Anakin's request. The young man had always been present when his stubborn and reckless Master was injured. Many times, she had gads to deal with him while the man was being healed. "Your Master is in good hands, Anakin. Master Unduli is working on him right now and I cannot allow you in the room yet. So please, be quiet and wait patiently until we have other news." She told him, the end of her sentence sounding more like an order than anything else.
Suddenly seeming to snap out of his trance, Anakin blinked and looked down at the Healer in front of him. "Yes… Yes, of course, Master…" He whispered while backing away.
Vodkara Che brought the stressed young man to a nearby chair and pressed her hands on his broad shoulders. "I know you're very worried about Master Kenobi, Anakin, but you must let us do our job. I promise we'll do anything in our power to save his life."
Anakin simply nodded and took a deep breath. For Obi-Wan, he would wait eternity if he had too.
The surgery took a total of 11 hours. Exhausted, Luminara officially declared the surgery as a success and requested a bacta tank to be prepared. His lung was fully reconstructed, his liver was weakened, but repaired, his spine had been put back in place and his lower body had been reconstructed with the help of synthetic bones. During this time, they had lost Obi-Wan four times, his heart suddenly stopping when no one expected it. Thankfully, the powerful healing crystal brought him back every time and now the Jedi Master was 'technically' out of danger. While Luminara ordered a droid to dean the room, she made a mental note to find an excuse for using so many of those precious crystals…
Her assistants had been dismissed for the night. From now on, the rest of his wounds and his newly treated ones could only be dealt with in the bacta tank. There nothing more she could do to help his case.
Sighing heavily, she took a last look on the board showing the Jedi Master's vitals. If his heart wasn't beating right now, the numbers would be low enough to declare Obi-Wan clinically dead. But yet, he was breathing and his heart still beating. It was almost unbelievable. In order to assure a peaceful transition between the surgical bed and the bacta tank, she pressed a hand to the Jedi's forehead and sent him in a powerful healing trance. "There, Master Kenobi. You did well." She whispered as she opened her eyes again.
Her glance went to the woman still sitting close to the Jedi Master. Still holding his hand, she looked incredibly tired, but relaxed. Smiling to herself, Luminara went to the other side of the bed in order to press a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "How are you, my dear?" She asked in a soft tone.
Meila blinked and couldn't help a yawn. The last 12 hours had been one hell of a ride for her and her heart was screaming for some relief. Sighing, she bent down to place a gentle kiss on Obi-Wan's cheek. "I'm fine." She simply stated, "I'm just very glad he's back with us."
Luminara could tell only from the woman's voice tone that she was extremely tired. With reasons; she had been able to maintain her bond open for several hours at a time. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan was still very unstable, especially since his vital signs were so low. If his survival was indeed due to his bond with the woman, Luminara would need Meila by his side until she could safely declare that the Jedi was completely out of danger. Looking at his body, comparable to a repaired broken artifact covered in bandages, she felt like they were still far from that achievement. "If you don't mind, I'm going to send you into a deep sleep trance for an hour. I would prefer to wait until you're recovered before placing him in the tank. We need to keep your connection as open as possible and it won't be easy to reanimate him if his heart stops in the bacta…"
Meila looked at the Master Healer and nodded. Usually, she would refuse this kind of treatment and argue that she could fall asleep by herself, but she knew that the trance would be more effective in less time. Luminara brought another bed close to the surgery table and Meila installed herself in it, waiting for instructions. Luminara placed the pillow so the woman would be comfortable and prepared herself to send her into the trance. "Now, close your eyes and don't fight it, you will wake up by yourself in an hour. Don't stop holding his hand, I can feel in the Force that it reassures him greatly to feel you by his side. I will monitor a droid to check for any unusual activity. Ready?"
Meila smiled and closed her eyes, her fingers giving Obi-Wan's hand a gentle squeeze. "Ready." She said before she felt a hand pressing against her forehead and she was sent into a deep slumber.
As soon as the woman was sleeping and the droid put in place, Luminara finally allowed herself to relax. This must have been the most difficult surgery she had to do all her life. The worst part is, they didn't know in what kind of state Obi-Wan would wake up. Even though she had been able to completely reconstruct his spine, his legs were so badly damaged that his recovery would be long and it might even get a while before he would be to walk again. Just knowing that, Luminars knew that recovery would be hard on Obi-Wan. The man was always so independent and hated to rely on others… He may be able to get through it physically, but spiritually would be another story. One thing was reassuring her, though; his head had been basically intact went he came in. This put away all scenarios of him waking up as a vegetable and it deeply reassured her. Yes, the Jedi Temple's medical treatments were the best in the entire galaxy, but it still had its limits…
When she passed the security door to walk into the hallway, her personal space was quickly invaded by Anakin Skywalker, who was asking several questions about his Master's state. Pushing him back slightly, she offered him a smile. "Don't worry, Anakin. I'm confident your Master will be able to recover." She said, making it clear that the man still wasn't authorized to go see his Master.
At first, Anakin let out a frustrating sigh, but calmed down automatically, not wanting to be thrown out of the Healing Halls by Vodkara Che. Still, he looked at Luminara with questions in his eyes. "Obi-Wan… He-he was gone… What happened?"
Luminara lowered her eyes and sighed. "I don't know, Anakin. Even right now, I don't understand. Your Master is clinically dead as we speak with his vital sings as low as they could possibly be and yet he's still alive. I still don't know how to explain it. One thing I know for sure, is that Order 74 might have saved his life."
Since he still had difficulties to believe what was happening, Anakin closed his eyes and reached with all his will for his Master through the Force, still expecting to feel the man disappeared within the netherlands of the Force itself, but sighed in comfort as the faded, yet very reassuring presence of Obi-Wan manifested itself in his mind. It was very weak, though, barely hanging by a thread. Anakin tried to hold on to it, but the presence was so small it felt more like a ghost than anything else. "Ugh... " Anakin groaned, "It's like trying to grab steam with my bare hands... He's so weak... "
At his words, Luminara frowned and rubbed her chin in deep thoughts. "If Obi-Wan was brought back to us with Meila's help, maybe... Maybe you could be useful to us after all, Anakin... "
He looked at her like she was offering him water after a long straining voyage in the desert. "Really? How?" He asked, hopeful, before something suddenly occupied his mind. "Kriff! I forgot I had to report to the Council!"
Luminara chuckled at the young Master's outburst but quickly found tin his dilemma of his an opportunity. "Go make your official report, Anakin. While you are there, I want you to explain to the Council exactly what happened with Master Kenobi. One of my assistant will give you a full written report. Please, keep your connection with Obi-Wan as open as possible. It might just be the second spark he needs to come back completely to this side... "
Anakin went to protest, but backed up. He knew there was nothing more he could do for his Master right now, so there was no point in making a fuss. "Alright." He simply said before shooting a last look at the security door and leaving.
When Meila woke up from the induce slumber, she automatically noticed the large tank that had been placed beside the bed where the Jedi she loved was still lying. It was filled with thick, red glowing liquid which she automatically assumed was bacta, plunging the rest of the room in a red hue. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she stretched a little on the mattress and sat up, surprise to feel how actually refreshed she felt after a single hour. It was as if she had slept for more than 14 hours straight.
She only noticed Luminara seconds after, standing beside the large tank and punching some sort of code in a machine close to it. When the Master Healer noticed she was awake, she let go of the tank and smiled at her. "Slept well I assume?" She asked.
Meila chuckled and slipped out of the bed, standing beside Obi-Wan and passing a gentle hand through his hair. "Surprisingly well..." She answered, "Thank you."
Luminara nodded with a gentle smile. "Good. Fortunately for us, Obi-Wan stayed stable for the last hour, which means we should be able to put him in the tank safely. I'll remove his clothes…"
Meila looked up to the Master Healer and placed a hand on Obi-Wan's chest. "Please, let me assist you… I may not have you abilities in healing but if I could help in any way…" She pleaded, looking deep into the other woman's eyes.
Luminara seemed to hesitate for a moment; outsiders were already usually forbidden in this part of the Temple. But her glaze softened when she saw - and felt - Meila's honesty through the Force. The woman only wanted to help in any way she could, which was, to Luminara's eyes, very honourable. Relaxing, she pointed to the unconscious Jedi on the bed, "By all means. I'll finish preparing the tank. Just make sure not to place too much pressure on his lower body." She said, turning around and walking to the tank.
Taking a deep breath, Meila gently untied the knock keeping Obi-Wan's healing robes together, the soft white fabric falling loose under her fingertips. Afraid of what she would see under the layers, she swallowed and push them aside, revealing a chest decorated with fresh scars. It was incredible to know how those marks were completely opened not even 18 hours before. Even if it disgusted her on some points, she had to admit that in this particular case, technology did its job well. Taking a deep breath, she went on to strip Obi-Wan from the rest of the white tunic, putting careful attention when it came to his legs. His legs… Looking at them, Meila doubted Luminara's beliefs that the Jedi would be able to walk again. Even though the blood was gone and the bones mostly replaced, they still looked oddly fragile.
Her eyes glued to the burnt skin under her fingers, Meila risked a question she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. "How… How could he possibly walk again?" She asked, her voice suddenly sounding tiny in the large room.
Luminara pressed one last button one the large, complicated panel on the side of the large tank and turned to her, letting out a little sigh. "Well, you see… The problem is not coming from the legs, but from his spine. I was able to save most of his bone marrow, enough for him to be able to use his limbs properly. As for the legs, they will take time to heal. The bacta might do wonders to the skin and wounds, but he'll have to work to get to his full strength again." She explained as she started to place a leather belt around the Jedi's torso.
Meila lowered her eyes to the floor. Deep in her heart, she knew that Obi-Wan hated to depends on others. She only hoped he would be able to swallow his pride for a little time to give his body a proper healing process. "I see…"
She watched with interest as Luminara quickly removed the oxygen mask from her lover's face to replace it by a tube in his mouth before lifting him with the Force off the medical bed. Slowly, his body flew into the bacta, rope attached to the belt around his body keeping it stable in the red liquid. When everything was in place, Luminara punched another code in the panel and the tank closed itself with a metal sound, sealing the Jedi's body inside. The Master Healer than turned to the woman standing beside her and offered her a soft smile. "And now, we wait."
Meila had her gaze straight on the large tank. "How long?"
"As long as it needs to be. Please, keep your bond with him as opened as possible. There's not much I can do if we lose him again right now." The healer responded.
The two women stayed silent for several minute as Obi-Wan bathed in the healing liquid. When she found the silence too heavy, Luminara turned to face the blond woman. "You've impressed me earlier, dear…" She said with a confident smile.
Meila, on the other hand, didn't seem to understand where that praise was coming from. "Impressed? What exactly do you mean?"
Luminara looked back at the tank, thoughtful. "Let's just say that I found you incredibly… calm for this kind of situation when you came in."
Meila laughed a little and smiled. "Oh, believe me… I was anything but calm at that moment…"
Luminara chuckled under her breath. "I can imagine, but it's not what I truly meant… When Obi-Wan came back to us, I asked you to stay in the room with us to keep his connection open. In another scenario, I would have thrown you out on the spot. You were there the whole time as I operated on him… There was blood everywhere, gore once in a while and sights that would scare even my most skilled assistants and yet… You looked at it as it it didn't even bothered you. Like I said, I'm impressed."
Meila smiled at Luminara's words as sweet memories came back in her mind. "My mother was a healer back when I was younger. The only healer in our clan. I've seen more than I'm willing to admit when it comes to injuries or sickness and I used to assist her now and then…" She explained, then took a deep breath and looked up at Obi-Wan in the tank. "That how I met Obi in the first place. His Master had been injured on my home planet, so our people brought him to my mother. Obi-Wan looked so lost… like a child how was afraid to lose his father…"
Luminara nodded. "I remember Qui-Gon quite well. Obi-Wan used to follow him like a dog to its master. Every Padawan does…"
And then there was another silence. Meila made sure to keep her end of the bond as open as possible, sending her lover sweet words and unconditional love through it, always making sure the man was staying on the good side of life. After seeing him dead, pale and rigid on the bed several hours before, she refused to let him go a second time. She simply could not bear it. Not now that he was back.
It took another several hours before the tank emitted a sound to alert them Obi-Wan was ready to be taken out. Luminara careful removed him from the liquid and placed him back on the freshly changed bed, removing the tube in his mouth to place the oxygen mask back on his face. The Master Healer then gave a towel to Meila and the two women started to dry the Jedi's skin, removing any stubborn liquid residue on his pale body. Just like Luminara had predicted, Obi-Wan, even though still pale, looked so much better. His scars had lost their swelling and were now completely healed. The red and the black had disappeared completely from the burnt skin, leaving a refreshed, smooth skin at its place. Even his legs looked a lot more stable and strong. Laying on the bed before them, he looked more like a peacefully sleeping Jedi than an injured one, and Meila definitely breathed better. Sharing a smile, the two women careful placed him in a clean white tunic, the soft fabric protecting his scars from any external damage. The worst had passed. Even in spirit, they both could feel, Luminara through the Force itself and Meila through their bond, that the Jedi had closed the door to death, keeping it away from him. Obi-Wan was safe now.
As she placed a thick cover on the Jedi to keep him warm, Luminara noticed Meila gently rubbing her back. The poor woman was physically exhausted and it showed. Of course, the sleep trance she had sent the woman on earlier had helped, but the trance would never replace a good night of sleep and the woman's body was probably reminding it to her. Understanding the struggle, Luminara pressed a button at the end of the bed and within seconds it became at least twice as large as it was usually, Obi-Wan now lying on the right side of it. Surprised by the sudden move of the bed, Meila looked at her with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"
Luminara went to grab another cover in a small storage not far. "The Force doesn't choose a specific race when it flows around an individual. Anyone can be born Force sensitive and there are maybe more than a thousand different species among us, coming in all shape and sizes. The bed in here must be ready to accommodate our Jedi, whatever size they come in. I didn't do it earlier because Obi-Wan was still too weak to lie beside someone, but now he will be fine. Install yourself beside him and have a nap, I promise it will do you good."
Meila looked at Obi-Wan and back at her, uncertainty painted all over her face. "Are… Are you sure? I don't want to risk anything, I may hurt him, I-"
Luminara stepped closer to her and pressed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be fine, dear. You need to sleep and he needs you, now more than ever. Please…" She requested, pointing to the empty place beside the Jedi.
Meila hesitated at first, but nodded and smiled. Installing herself beside Obi-Wan, she carefully snuggled close to his body and let Luminara cover her up with a cover. The Master healer looked exhausted as well. "I'll let you alone with him for a couple of hours, now. If anything abnormal happens, my assistants are seconds away and they will be alerted quickly enough to intervene. Thank you so much for your help, it definitely saved his life tonight." She said, before excusing herself and leaving the room. Meila knew that the woman needed her rest also.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Meila looked down at Obi-Wan, who laid barely centimetres from her. She could feel his body heat radiating against her own and it felt more than reassuring. Carefully, she snuggled closer to him, her chest touching his right side and her right arm laying gently on his chest. Obi-Wan's body stirred a little and his face turned slightly to the right to rest in the crook of her neck. Letting out a small sigh, she placed tender kisses on his forehead and closed her eyes, ravishing in the feeling of her arm slowly going up and down with Obi-Wan's breathing. Looking down at him, she smiled and whispered, "I love you so much, Obi… So, so much…" Before she took his left hand in hers and fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke up, they were in the exact same position and she fought the urge to just close her eyes and fall asleep again. She was so comfortable, back with Obi-Wan in her arms. As if he had heard her, Obi-Wan stirred and snuggled closer to her, his hand pressing softly against hers. Meila instantly pressed back against his palm, letting him know that she would always be there for him and sending all the love she could down the bond. She tried to reach for him, but his side was still dormant.
She jumped out of her skin several minutes later when the hand she was holding let go and went directly to his face. Looking down, she noticed a frown on the Jedi's features as he tried to remove the imposing oxygen mask on his mouth. Taken aback from this sudden move, the shushed him and took away his hand since he still needed the oxygen. Obi-Wan groaned, but didn't fight back, placing his hand back on his chest.
Several minutes later, Luminara came back in the room to check the data on the machines plugged on Obi-Wan and his vital signs. When she looked back at them, she was smiling. "We can take the mask off. His lungs are now capable of functioning by themselves, that's probably why he tried to remove it earlier."
As soon as the mask was removed from his face, Obi-Wan took a deep breath and sighed deeply, his face still hidden in the crook of Meila's neck. It was already a huge improvement coming from the Jedi, especially since his lung had been badly damaged not 24 hours before. Luminara then went to another room and came back with a tall glass of water, placing it on the table closest to Meila. "I expect him to wake up within the next hours. Keep this with you, he'll need it when he'll wake up."
It took another two hours and Obi-Wan was slowly coming back to consciousness; his body was stirring once in a while and Meila could feel his side of the bond starting to wake up, confused but conscious. And finally, after all those hours of constant work, Obi-Wan finally opened his eyes.
He blinked several time and looked around him with a frown, as if he tried to replaced exactly where he was and why. It was to be expected, every person coming out of a coma would be confused like this. Luminara took a nearby small flashlight to check his vital signs. "Welcome back, Master Kenobi. You gave us quite a scare…" She said as she flashed the light into his eyes to check his reaction.
The Jedi flinched under the sudden bright light attacking his sight. He tried to turn his head to avoid it, but luckily for him, Luminara had already found the information she needed. His irises were responding quickly. The Jedi cleared his throat and groaned again. "Luminara…" He croaked in a dry voice, his eyes slightly unfocused.
Remembering the glass of water, Meila reached on the other side and took it, quickly placing at the Jedi's lips. Craving for it, Obi-Wan drank it gladly, the cold liquid making wonder in his throat. When he finished it, Meila placed the glass back on the table and grabbed his hand in hers again. "There, better?" She asked in a soft voice.
Obi-Wan's head turned towards her, a smile forming on his lips. "Sweetheart…" He said, his voice loaded with love and comfort.
"I'm here, Obi. Always." She responded placing a kiss on his cheek.
He sighed, blinked again and rubbed his eyes with the tips of his fingers. "I… heard you…" He said with a week voice.
Meila froze in confusion. "…What?"
Again, Obi-Wan rubbed his eyes. "The bond… I… I could hear you calling for me. That's… That's how I made it through… Thank you… I love you… So much…"
Meila felt her throat tightened and couldn't respond. Instead, she placed a soft kiss against the Jedi lips. They were finally reunited. She had thought she had lost him, but now he was back with them. Meila thanked the Force with all her will as small tears rolled on her cheeks.
Obi-Wan, on the other hand, frowned and rubbed his forehead and his eyes again. "Luminara…" He called, his voice still weak, "Is… Is there something on my face?"
Both women looked at each other with looks of pure confusion. What could he possibly mean by that? "No, Master Kenobi… there's nothing on your face, why are you asking?"
Obi-Wan stayed silent for several seconds, staring at the ceiling with a frown. Meila could feel her heart pound madly in her chest as she waited for the Jedi to answer the question. What was happening?!
"I… I can't see…"
AN: I know, I know, I'm a horrible human being for making him suffer so much. Muhahahaaa
See you all in the next chapter, kisses xoxoxoxoxxox