This chapter is the reason the story has a T rating. Sensitive and squeamish beware. I don't think it's too bad, but I definitely wouldn't read it to a little kid.
TW: blood, hospitals, description of wounds.
"Skywalker, a word?" Mace Windu says, stepping out of his office.
"Okay." Anakin gets up and hands the kids to Ahsoka.
"I'll be back," he says, brushing a hand over Luke's hair, then he follows Windu into his office.
Windy gets right to the point. He presses a button and a recording plays.
"You're no cop,"
"No, but I am Anakin Skywalker."
There's the sound of a scuffle and talking.
Windu stops the recording. "What did you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like, I was telling him my name."
Windu sighs and glares at Anakin from across the desk. "Why did he stop after you told him?"
"I'm the hero without fear," Anakin responds sarcastically.
"Cut it out Skywalker. Stop being difficult and answer my questions."
"Fine, he's so afraid of me because he's a low level Separatist operative that escaped from prison a few weeks ago."
Windu pauses at that and checks his records. Sure enough the man had recently escaped from prison.
"That is confidential information, how do you know that?
"Educated guess. A few weeks ago there was a prison out break then these two guys start trailing me on rotation. At first I thought I was paranoid, but it was too frequent. Then the same men come and hold my sister and kids at gunpoint."
"What makes you think their Separatists?"
"The man reacted to my name with fear, didn't he?"
Mace pauses. "As would anyone spoken to like that with a gun pointed at them."
"You wanted an explanation, you got one. Despite how many times I've reported that the Separatists are still at large and in our very government you continually ignore it. One day it's going to catch up to you."
"Is that a threat, Skywalker?
"Nope, just a fact, now if you'll excuse me, I've got some kids who need me."
Time to take this into my own hands it seems. Anakin pulls out his phone and dials a number.
"Skywalker?"
"Hey Rex, it's been a while."
"Could say the same thing about you brother."
"Yeah, uh listen I have a lead, you up for a job?"
"Anything."
"Padme's been abducted and-"
"And you want to do some under the radar investigation."
"Yep. We'll need Fives, Echo and Kix."
"I'll see what I can do. Where we meeting, General?"
"You know I don't… never mind. Location two."
"Copy that.
Thanks Rex."
"We're going to get them this time."
"We will, Captain."
"Captain!"
Rex looks over to Echo. "Yes?"
"Sir...Rex," Echos voice cracks, "We found him."
Rex doesn't believe him right away. It's been to long, there's no way...
"Show me."
Echo pulls up a computer and shows him files and images.
"It's a three hour flight and two hour march from the estimated safe drop point."
"Tell the men to gear up."
Rex smiles under his helmet. "Let's go get our General back."
Rex blasts down the door and slips into the room, guns drawn taking point, Fives and Echo covering him. Rex freezes when his light shines over him.
The door he says to Fives and Echo. They try to argue but Rex shakes his head.
They shouldn't have to see more than they have to.
Rex slowly walks forward towards his commander, his general...his friend. He knew the Separatists treated prisoners poorly, but this-
What he sees is sickening.
Anakin is laying on the floor in a heap as if he had been thrown. A bloody shirt is laying at his feet in shreds, torso and back covered in lacerations and burns. And his arm...
Rex makes a strangled noise.
Anakin's arm from shoulder to elbow is covered in deep wounds and burns. Below his elbow is...nothing, bone jutting out half an inch, completely exposed. This happened recently, probably right before the base was abandoned.
Rex is glad he hasn't had anything to eat today.
When he gets closer Rex can feel the heat radiating off Anakin's skin. He has no idea how Anakin is alive, and if he doesn't get help soon he probably won't be for much longer.
"Kix, I need you over here now!" He shouts over his com, dropping to his knees beside Anakin.
Kix comes rushing into the room and stops. He's treated many badly wounded soldiers, but never had he seen anything like this. He gasps when he realizes who it is. General Skywalker, lying in his own blood, strips of fabric… no wait, that's not fabric, it's… flesh and muscle laying at his feet. Kix looks away from the surrounding scene and focuses in on his patient.
"Fives, Echo, find a stretcher, we're going to need an immediate medical evac!"
"Already called in, Sir."
Kix makes quick work caring for the wounds he can, administering pain meds, but he doubts they do anything. Fives and Echo come in carrying the stretcher. Echo drops his end of the stretcher, yanks off his helmet, and throws up. Fives slowly lowers his side of the stretcher and stands there frozen, staring at the wall in front of him.
Rex and Kix lift him onto the stretcher slowly, trying not to jostle him. Anakin whimpers but makes no other sound. Rex looks down at his gloves, covered in blood.
Anakin's eyes open a slit.
"Rex?" He rasps, his voice is hardly there, and definitely does not sound like him.
"We're getting you out of here."
"Sh'n av come."
"Then you shouldn't have left."
Anakin's eyes fall closed and he doesn't make another sound.
Find something to cover him, Kix orders. Echo dashes out of the room.
"Is he..."
"No, I just don't want any shinies seein' him."
"I'm no shiny," Rex whispers, "and I think this is…" He peters off, having no words to convey his horror at what has been done to the general.
Obi wan sits, hands in his hair, staring at his computer.
Three weeks, it's been three weeks since the war ended, and still nothing. The phone rings and he picks it up robotically.
"Kenobi"
"Medic Kix of the 501st." The man makes a choking sound. "Anakin Skywalker has been found, he's being life flighted to the Coruscant Halls of Healing as we speak."
Obi-Wan covers his mouth. He hardly hears anything else the speaker is saying, if he says anything at all.
Obi-Wan has been waiting for two days, two days of surgery. He doesn't even know if Anakin's alive. A nurse comes out.
"Skywalker?" Obi-Wan shoots up.
"Relation?"
"Brother."
The nurse nods. "Come with me."
Obi-Wan follows the nurse silently into an office. "Wait here, Dr Che will be with you shortly."
A tall stern looking woman walks into the room and shakes Obi-Wan's hand. "Dr. Vokara Che."
Obi-Wan just politely dips his head, not sure what to say, not really sure if he'd be able to say anything anyways.
Dr. Che goes behind the desk and then drops into the chair. And it's only then that Obi-Wan notices the dark shadows under her eyes.
"Anakin Skywalker is still in critical condition, but he has made it through surgery, which is a miracle. The fact that he made it here alive at all is a miracle in and of itself," She says in an accented voice.
"As of right now there is a 68% chance that he will live. Very high given his situation."
Obi-Wan finally is able to make his mouth move.
"His injuries?"
Dr. Che hesitates. "As you know his injuries are quite extensive. Dehydration, Malnutrition, possible infection. We had to flush multiple unknown chemicals from his system before surgery. Moving to physical wounds...Among burns and lacerations all over his body, his left shoulder had been dislocated, five broken ribs, left lung collapsed..."
All Obi-Wan can do is sit and listen and try to remember to keep breathing.
"A concussion...And his right arm has been amputated from the elbow down."
Obi-Wan lets out an involuntary gasp.
"Was this for medical reasons or..."
"Anakin came to us with his arm recently amputated, and the medic that first treated him stated that he was found missing it already."
All Obi-Wan can do is nod and listen to Dr. Che.
"When can I see him?"
"We will be monitoring him closely for the next two days, watching for infection and his vitals. If he survives the initial 48 hours, we can discuss visitation."
If he survives. If. 68% that's 42% chance that Anakin will die.
"I know that this is too much for anyone to take," Dr. Che says her voice compassionate. "Go home, rest. We will notify you if anything changes but it doesn't help to sit around here for two days, taking up space."
"Thank you Dr. Che."
Obi-Wan drives home in a fog. He gets home and only remembers Ahsoka until after he's collapsed on couch.
He calls Quinlan Vos.
"Obi-Wan! Any news?"
"Anakin just came out of surgery a few hours ago, I just got home."
Quin can hear the grief and pain in his friend's voice. "Kahleen and I can keep Ahsoka one more night and we'll drop her off tomorrow morning."
"Thank you."
"Sleep my friend, I will see you tomorrow."
Quin hangs up and Obi-Wan drops his phone onto the couch. He buries his face in his hands.
He didn't cry like this, even when they found out Anakin was MIA. Him being alive, in so much pain, and not knowing if he's even going to live through the next few days is so much worse that not knowing. Being able to hope that he's alive and imprisoned somewhere, but otherwise fine, was simpler. This is so much worse.
They took him out of a medically induced coma a few days ago, Obi-Wan sits at his bedside, watching him sleep. He's covered in bandages, his face is pale and dark shadows are under his eyes.
Anakin squints against the fluorescent lights. He's tenses expecting yelling or pain, but nothing happens. He opens his eyes fully, and looks around the room. He's surrounded by technology and there's a soft beeping. He shifts his gaze and sees a ginger haired man slumped in a chair, asleep.
"Obi-Wan?" He croaks, unsure of what he's seeing is real.
Obi-Wan jerks awake and his gaze settles on Anakin.
"Anakin. You're awake!"
Anakin looks around, confused.
"Where?" His voice is raspy, hardly a whisper.
"You're in the hospital. You're safe," Obi-Wans voice cracks.
"'M home?"
"Yes, you're home." Obi-Wan takes Anakin's hand, but Anakin flinches and jerks away, crying out in pain at the movement.
Obi-Wan quickly withdraws and a nurse comes in. When she sees Anakin is awake, she shoos Obi-Wan out and begins asking Anakin basic questions.
"Can you tell me your name?"
Anakin looks at the nurse warily, his mind racing with panic. Obi-Wan is here, he said he was safe. But she's asking questions, he doesn't know where he is. All he knows is everything hurts, he's being pumped with drugs, and someone is asking questions.
It's a trap.
He ignores her. She frowns and writes a note.
Separatists. Interrogation. Resist.
"I'll notify Doctor Che you're awake."
It's a trick. It's not real. All there is is pain.
Dr. Che comes in minutes later. She examines the young man in front of her. He examines her right back. She looks into his blue eyes...all she sees is fear.
"My nurse tells me you don't seem to respond to questions. Do you know where you are?"
When he doesn't respond and he just continues to eye her warily, she continues as if he had answered.
"You are in the Coursant Halls of Healing. One of the best medical centers in the country. My name is Dr. Vokara Che, I oversaw your surgery and I will continue to oversee your recovery."
Recovery? Surgery?
"What did you do to me spepratist Scum?" He growls, and due to the damage to his vocal chords, the effect is quite terrifying.
"I have healed you to my best abilities to ensure a safe recovery. I am not a separatist. In fact, the war is over, with a Republic Victory. She hesitates. Though considering how many war veterans I have treated, I'm not sure I would consider this a victory."
He still looks at her with caution but she can see him relax slightly, and, she smiles inwardly, a spark of hope.
"I'm...safe?" He asks as if the concept of safety is unbelievable.
Her heart breaks for this young man, far too young to have fought in a war.
"Yes, you are safe. After I've run a few tests you can see your family."
He allows her to do her job, though he flinches occasionally and his heartrate is a little high. She completes her tests.
"I'll have your family sent in."
Ahsoka jumps on the balls of her feet, unable to stand still let alone sit.
"Ahsoka, he's alright."
She just nods. She won't believe it until she can see him.
A nurse comes over to them. "He's ready to see you now."
The nurse leads them down a hall and to a door. Ahsoka is about to head in when Obi-Wan stops her with a hand on her shoulder, she turns around and scowls at him.
"Ahsoka, you need to be calm."
"I know."
"He has been very badly injured and-"
She sighs. "I know Obi-Wan." And she turns and walks into the room before he can finish.
"This is not going to end well," he says, then follows.
Ahsoka stands at the side of the bed. The man in front of her does not look like Anakin. His cheeks are sunken and his hair is long, there are dark shadows beneath his eyes and bandages covering his left arm, resting on top of the sheet. But she knows it's him, he's still got the scar above his left eye.
His eyes flutter open. "'Soka?"
"Hey Skyguy. I...I missed you," She whispers.
A small smile whispers across his face.
"I missed you too Snips." His voice is gravelly, like he's used it too much.
"Can I hug you?"
Anakin pauses then reaches his arm out, shifting over, "C'mere."
Ahsoka sits on the bed and carefully rests her head on his shoulder, mindful of the IV in his arm.
Anakin wraps his arm around her. That's how Obi-Wan finds them when he walks in.
A/N
Mwah haha. Ahsoka doesn't know he's missing half his arm yet.