Chapter 20 – The Road Ahead
"You've been in a coma for over half a year. "
He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing and had to remind himself to keep breathing. No panicking, like he promised. Still, it didn't do much to keep the heart monitor down, so sooner or later the head healer entered the room to pester him.
Master Che approached the trio and threw the younger ones a look. „Skywalker, Tano, out, now", she said sharply, motioning for the exit.
Slowly, both released themselves from Obi-Wan's arms, much to his dismay. "Come on, Master Che, I've just woken up", he tried to object, but his hoarse voice wasn't really convincing nor authoritarian.
"And I want to keep it that way", the woman answered, ushering the duo out before closing the door after them. "Now that you're conscious enough, we need to run some tests."
Obi-Wan groaned and let his head flop back against the pillows. How much he hated medical exams. "No running away this time, I guess", the jedi master grumbled.
The healer snorted and lifted an eyebrow. "Sorry to bring it to you, but I think I wouldn't even need to hurry to catch up with you."
"Now you're hurting my feelings", he exaggerated dramatically with a hint of sarcasm, "but yes, you're right." His eyes traced down to his mangled leg somewhere underneath the blanket. He wondered if he would ever regain full usage of it again. Or at least get rid of the constant pain.
As she started her procedure, she shone a light into his eyes and tested his perception, both visually and tactile. "You can deem yourself lucky", Master Che then began, while examining his hand, which trembled rather viciously, "I didn't think you would be in such a good condition after your long coma. There are some serious tremors in your hands though, we have to test if it's neurologically caused or just by fatigue."
She then set it back down cautiously and leaned on the bed's railing, giving him a pressed smile. "Your body had shut down for a long time. I want you to be aware of that you won't be able to walk or do real physical activities for the next few months as there simply isn't much muscle left. Also, you might encounter memory loss. It seems that you remember most things for now, but it can happen that you forgot other things you haven't noticed yet."
Obi-Wan just nodded shortly, exhaustion now written clearly on his face. "I see."
It was a lot to take in. He couldn't really afford to worry, but he did it anyway. What if he wouldn't get back up on his feet? Or forgot something important? Would he be left alone? He knew that Anakin and Ahsoka couldn't stay on Coruscant forever. Not as long the war was raging. Was there even a place inside the order for a jedi master who maybe couldn't return to active duty?
Master Che seemed to pick up his thoughts and asked gently: "Honestly, Obi-Wan. How are you feeling?"
The jedi master let his eyes drift over her but then let them settle on the ceiling. He knew that there was no point in denying the truth, he would have to stay here either way.
"Not good", he admitted bluntly, "Everything hurts. Especially my head, I can't think straight. And the Force… it feels strange. Muddled. Like my grasp on it is twisted and strained." Obi-Wan didn't want to talk about his inner feelings, at least not right now.
The Twi'lek smiled sympathetically. "I'm afraid that's to be expected after battling off a Sith lord twice. You never cease to amaze me. Maybe if it eases your mind… our shadows haven't found a trace of Dooku again. Perhaps you managed to get rid of him efficiently."
"I don't think so", Obi-Wan mumbled, gaze still fixed above him, "I would have felt if he had died then. He's hiding somewhere and is licking his wounds."
"Wounds he might not recover from."
"Even a crippled Sith lord is still a kriffing Sith lord", he grumbled absently. Dooku's words still lingered on his mind. They wanted Anakin. It didn't get easier now that they knew that the master was looming somewhere on Coruscant. He wouldn't let the Sith snatch his apprentice away from right under his eyes. "Did they find something on the Sith on Coruscant?"
The healer shook her head. "No, they didn't. But you should focus on healing for now. We're going to need you at full strength when the time comes."
Obi-Wan made a disgruntled noise. He wasn't looking forward to face another Sith. The dark Side had taken enough from him for a life time.
"I'm going to set you up for physical therapy. You should try to catch some sleep, you'll need it. And we'll figure things out, you're not alone in this." As Obi-Wan looked at her, he was met with a genuine smile. She started to rummage through her coat pocket before she pulled something out.
A commlink. Placing it inside his hand and curling his fingers around it, the master healer spoke further. "You should call her. Whenever you feel up to it, of course. Take your time."
Obi-Wan stared at her before he finally understood what she meant. He looked down to the commlink in his hand, then back to her. "You know", the jedi master simply stated.
Vokara chuckled. "I do. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me. She really is an incredible woman. I've only met her once for now, but I can tell that she cares deeply for you, Obi-Wan."
'And vise versa', he thought silently, clutching the device a little tighter. "Thank you, Master Che."
The woman tipped her head a little. "I'll leave you to it then. But also remember to rest. Skywalker and Tano will be back soon and I guess your former padawan has some news on his own he wants to share with you." Having said that, she left the room. As the door clicked shut, the jedi master was left alone with his thoughts again.
Obi-Wan didn't knew what to make of Master Che's last words, but didn't really care either. He would find out soon enough. Right now, other things occupied his mind. How was he going to tell Satine? He didn't want to scare her to death after all this time if he just called miraculously. Thinking about it, he decided that he needed a few hours to collect his thoughts. It was also way past midnight on Mandalore, so he didn't want to wake her now. Obi-Wan knew that Satine wasn't getting much sleep since the Death Watch incident. He hoped that things had settled a little at Sundari and that she was alright. What do you even say after half a year of absence? Was everything the same between them?
His head started to hurt even more. Obi-Wan would lie if he said now that he wasn't tired. Not having enough strength to actually put the commlink on the nightstand next to his bed, he just let it rest next to his hand. It wasn't that much later that his eyes drifted shut and he succumbed to sleep.
Ahsoka knew that her master was distracted. Since they had been literally thrown out of the healer's wing this morning, Anakin had started pacing inside their quarters. She was pretty sure that even the younglings in the creche could feel him projecting through the Force.
At some time, Ahsoka had taken it up to herself to make some lunch. And as cooking wasn't really a trait inherited through their lineage, she set for something simple. Nerf nuggets with buckwheat noodles. A meal neither Master Kenobi nor Master Skywalker managed to burn yet. Still she had to give them some credit as they both had improved over the years. Nevertheless, that didn't mean that they weren't terrible cooks.
Placing the destined food on the plates, she took it to the table in the living room and tried to rouse her master's attention. The man was standing on the balcony, completely oblivious to his surroundings.
"Master?" Ahsoka approached him from the door, but her presence wasn't acknowledged at all. She tried again with a little more strength, supported from the Force. "Anakin!"
This finally earned her some reaction. Snapping out of his trance, her master swirled around and met her eyes.
"Ahsoka, sorry… I didn't hear you." He still sounded distant to her, but she let it slip for the moment.
"Uhh, it's alright master. I just wanted to tell you that I've made something to eat." She pointed to the set table. "Everything okay with you?"
Anakin looked over the city skyline once more, eyebrows furrowing. "Can't you feel it?"
The padawan was slowly getting suspicious and more confused. "Feeling what?"
"The Force, 'Soka. The Darkness. It's starting to make me sick. This whole city seems to be drenched."
"You're feeling the Sith lord", she mumbled, as it dawned on her. For her, it was only her master's bright light that was emitting in the Force, no trace of darkness.
He turned to her and nodded. "It unnerves me that this monster is still lurking around here. I worry about Padme, my children… all of us. Obi-Wan said that the Sith are after me, what if they try to take my kids? I can't sit around and do nothing." She could feel his anger slowly bubbling up, both of his hands clenching at his sides.
Not quite knowing how to handle her angry master, Ahsoka tried to give her advice. "Maybe you should try to talk about that with Master Kenobi. Perhaps he can help you."
Anakin let his shoulders sag and sighed. "I know I should. It just feels wrong to burden him with that after he just woke up. Stars, he must be so confused about all this. I can't imagine how it must feel like to wake up and such a long time has passed." He looked through the windows into their apartment. At the begin of his training with Ahsoka he had wished silently that all three of them would get to live together. Even though he always denied it, he had been glad when his master had helped him out in guiding Ahsoka. The day Obi-Wan had moved out into his new quarters, it caused the drift between them to open up even more. Anakin was lucky that Obi-Wan was such a forgiving person in the end. "Let's get inside. Before the food gets cold."
He took Ahsoka by her shoulder and guided her back inside, closing the door behind him.
They sat in silence while they ate. Anakin planned to visit Padme later and then check in with Obi-Wan again. He still had to tell him officially about the children. His mind couldn't picture his friend's reaction at all. The knight just hoped that he still got to leave with his head attached after their conversation.
Anakin studied Ahsoka for a second. The girl was still shoveling in her food. With all the distraction, he actually managed to forget to make them something to eat. What a great master he was. The master should look out for the padawan and not the other way around. If he didn't even manage to accomplish the easy task to care for an almost grown-up teenager, then how was he supposed to be a father to twins? He was definitely in way over his head.