Chapter 24 – Dreams
Three weeks later
"You're doing good."
Anakin leaned against the door frame from one of the rehabilitation rooms and smiled. He watched as Obi-Wan finished his walking exercise with the help of the physiologist. Despite it only being a few weeks since they started training, his master was improving every day. The healers had equipped him with some sort of bracers for his hands, which were merely more than a pair of gloves. Either way, they did their job. Obi-Wan's hands had stopped trembling a lot and he was finally able to perform some more precise tasks. Sadly, the healers couldn't tell when he would be able to use his hands without the support again.
Only time would tell.
The bigger problem was to relearn to walk again. They were working on that every day, but as Obi-Wan's knee constantly gave out underneath him due to the previous injury, it was almost impossible to walk without his back bent into one direction.
Anakin had observed his master over the past weeks and had come up with an idea to help. He even talked with Master Che about it and she gave her consent on his plan. Obi-Wan just didn't know of it yet.
The jedi master had flopped down on one of the benches near the walls and stretched his legs cautiously with a grimace. "Not good enough I suppose", he grumbled with exhaustion, "I still can't manage even a few steps on my own."
"Still it's progress", Anakin said as he finally entered the room and approached his friend on the bench. The trainer silently waved his good bye and left the two alone.
"I'm tired of hearing this, to be honest", Obi-Wan admitted and leaned his head against the wall, "everyone keeps telling me this and yet I see no difference from the start."
"Come on, Obi-Wan. Your mood is almost as bad as Master Nu's." He nudged the man slightly in the shoulder.
His friend gave him an exasperated look. "She's just in a bad mood when you're around, Anakin."
"That's not true", he chuckled sheepishly. It wasn't his fault that the shelves in the archives where too high to reach the books without the use of the Force, wasn't it? Well, okay. Maybe he might have knocked one or two shelves over in the progress. 'Still no need to release her inner dragon on me', Anakin mused.
Obi-Wan just shook his head and concealed his grin only half-heartedly. Apparently, he remembered the incident as well. "What are you even doing here, anyway? I thought you were training together with Ahsoka."
"Oh, we did. But then she remembered that she forgot to write her essay for one of her classes till tomorrow."
"Sounds familiar. She's coming after you."
"The difference is that I hadn't remembered to write my essay until the begin of the course."
"You mean you forgot on purpose", Obi-Wan pointed out, "I always told you to do your homework but you still managed to evade them."
Anakin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatsoever. About the reason why I'm here", he started grinning, "I have a little surprise for you."
His master lifted an eyebrow. "A surprise?"
"Yes, a surprise, master. Come on, I'll show you."
"Please don't let it be a droid", Obi-Wan mumbled with a sigh and held his hand up.
"Will you help me for a second?", he asked and motioned at the wheelchair in the corner with a nudge with his chin.
"Sure." Anakin securely grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him up into a standing position. Obi-Wan swayed on his feet as his strength betrayed him again but Anakin's grip kept him from stumbling. They slowly made their way over to the wheelchair. His master had decided against a hover chair but rather for a traditional chair with wheels. He told him that it at least helped him to train his arms a little this way. The other point was that his master just wasn't a fan of all this high tech technology. Obi-Wan hadn't told him that openly but he knew the man well enough to guess his reasons.
After Obi-Wan had situated himself, he looked at him expectantly. "Shall we?"
Anakin nodded and started leading the way. "It's in my workshop."
"I swear if it's a…", he heard his master grumble behind him as he pushed himself forward with the wheelchair.
"It's not a droid, master. Calm down." He turned to Obi-Wan while strolling on, "and I didn't blew up every droid a build."
"Still enough for my lifetime if you ask me."
"Sure, old man."
"Careful, Anakin."
"Just telling the truth."
He felt Obi-Wan's eyes bore into the back of his head. "You'll regret saying that, I promise you that."
"I'm trembling with fear", Anakin exclaimed mockingly and threw his hands up in a played gesture of shock.
In this moment, the knight didn't knew that he would find his chairs replaced with the plastoid ones in the morning.
And he would never find out how Obi-Wan managed to persuade the quartermaster into not returning his original furniture.
Master of Trolling, indeed.
They made their way over to his small room near the hangar. As they entered, Anakin quickly swept some scattered metal parts up from the floor to make a passage for Obi-Wan. Maybe he should have thought about tidying up beforehand.
Scattered around the walls were a few droids and unfinished star ship models he still hadn't managed to finish yet. At the begin of the war he actually build a model of the Negotiator and gave it to Obi-Wan for his life day. He knew that the ship was still sitting on one of the shelves in Obi-Wan's living room.
Still, somehow that one filled him with sorrow because it had been the last thing he gave to his master before their relationship began to tear apart more and more.
Anakin quickly stowed that thought away and focused on the object of matter on the work bench before him. He sat down on the stool in front of the table and motioned for Obi-Wan to come closer.
"Here. Can you take off your brace?"
Obi-Wan frowned and looked at him in confusion. "My brace?", he asked, his eyes ghosting down towards his knee. "Why?"
A wide grin spreading on his face, he grabbed the thing from the bench and held it with his hands. "I built you a better one. It's motorized. If everything functions as it should, you may be able to almost walk normal again as soon as the muscles in your legs return."
His masters eyes went wide as he looked at the new brace. "Wow… Anakin, that's- that's incredible. Thank you."
"You can thank me if it works. Now come on, let's try it out."
The old brace was quickly removed and Anakin started to carefully adjust the new one. "It's going to put a little pressure on your leg, just tell me if it hurts or something, okay?"
Obi-Wan just nodded and watched as his former padawan fiddled with it. "How does it work?"
Anakin raised an eyebrow but kept on fiddling with the brace. It was unusual that his master showed interest in mechanics. "Well, it works like a kind of exoskeleton", he searched for words to explain it understandable, "the brace is overriding your knee joint, so the weakened bone doesn't has to carry your weight anymore. The difference to your old one is, that through the attached motors it tracks your movement and adjusts to every step you make."
With a last tug he finished adjusting it. "Now it should fit you. Does anything hurt or feel numb?", Anakin asked while he looked at Obi-Wan who was still studying the brace around his leg with fascination.
"It feels good, Anakin", he was met with blue-grey eyes which for once were filled with happiness, "really, thank you."
The knight smiled, at least he could give something back to his master. He had taken his presence for granted for far to long.
"Do you want to try to stand with it?"
Obi-Wan thought about it for a moment. "But just shortly. I'm afraid that I'm still exhausted from the therapy."
Anakin helped him up again. His master was still leaning heavily on him, but that was to be expected as the strength was still missing. Still, he could already see that Obi-Wan was standing a little straighter then before. As they took a small step forward, the soft surring of the motors was to be heard.
"It seems that it works, Anakin", Obi-Wan said, "I'm again impressed by your mechanical skills."
"Thanks, master", Anakin was filled with pride, finally he did something right. Since their talk a few weeks ago, they had somehow danced around the subject of Qui-Gon again and again. Neither of them wanted to talk about it, afraid to hurt the other.
The jedi master slowly sat back down in his wheelchair and glanced at the chrono on the wall. "I think I should get back to the healing halls or Master Che will start to hunt me down again. She would never let me leave if it comes to that."
"Sure, master. I'll accompany you there", Anakin laughed. Both men left his workshop and made their way through the temple.
The walked without talking until Obi-Wan addressed him again. "How is Padme?"
He still wasn't used to his master knowing. Even though he should be, Anakin knew that deep down. Obi-Wan had been nothing but honest with him lately.
"She's doing good. I'm still worried though."
He heard Obi-Wan stopping behind him. "Worried about what, Anakin? She's healthy, isn't she?"
'Trust him'. The Force whispered inside his head. The knight sighed and turned around to face his master. "I've been having dreams… of Padme dying in childbirth."
"Since when do you have these dreams?", his friend asked concerned.
Anakin shrugged with his shoulders. "Dunno, I think they started a few months ago."
Obi-Wan hummed and furrowed his brows in thought. "Have you talked to the doctors? Concerning hers' and the children's health?"
"Yeah, they said they were doing fine and they aren't expecting complications."
He watched as his master's face scrunched up and the man seemed to think about something. "I can practically see the gears turning inside your head, Obi-Wan. What's on your mind?"
The frown still not leaving his face, the jedi master looked up at him. "It's just a hunch but I have a feeling that these aren't normal visions. More like they're induced by something."
"I don't think I can follow, master."
"Think about it, Anakin. Half a year ago, we find out that there's a Sith lord here on Coruscant who is trying to get to you. First by attempting to get rid of me and now in making you think that Padme's life is in danger. At least for me, the Force is feeling incredible dark like I have never experienced before. Someone, most likely our Sith lord, is planting these visions inside your head on purpose, Anakin."
The knight swallowed heavily and crossed his arms. There was truth in Obi-Wans's words, he could feel it. Still that didn't keep him from worrying.
"What should I do then?"
"Maybe you should leave for some time. Stay with Padme, at least until the children are born. Make sure she's okay. And be wary of your surroundings."
"And what should I tell the council about my sudden leave? Me and Ahsoka were due to move back out onto the battle fields. Also, I don't like the idea of Ahsoka going alone or with another jedi other than you or Master Koon."
"Then disguise it as a mission. Everyone knows that you two are close. And as the Sith lord seems to attack especially people who are close to you, it is only logically to set up a protection for senator Amidala."
"But why should they send me for this? They already said that I'm one of their most valued generals. I doubt they will spare me for this."
"Because Padme doesn't trust anybody. She will request a jedi she knows. That would be me or you. I'm not cleared for missions yet, so that task would fall on you."
Anakin sighed. "I hope you're right. And what about Ahsoka?"
"Don't worry about the council, if they make trouble, I'll handle it. Your padawan could stay with me if she wants to", Obi-Wan proposed, "Master Che said that she might release me under the condition that I return for regular checkups, keep up with my training and I'm not alone all the time, in case something happens."
Thinking about it, the knight really liked the idea. Ahsoka would be safe at the temple together with his master and he could make sure his family was alright. "That would be great. Thanks, Obi-Wan."
The jedi master smiled shortly and began to push himself forward again. "Then let's get going, you have a lot to prepare I think."
The duo made their way back to the healing halls, where a disgruntled Master Che was already waiting for the jedi master. "Kenobi, I see you've finally returned."
Before the man could open his mouth to defend himself, Anakin spoke up. "It's my fault that we're late. I wanted to give him the new brace."
Her eyes cast down to the contraption around Obi-Wan's leg. "I see", she sounded actually impressed, "good work, Skywalker." Her gaze swept back up to them then. "I'll give the two of you a pass for today. But if it happens again", the Twi'lek turned to the jedi master with a pointed look, "I may have to rethink about releasing you again."
Obi-Wan held up his hands in surrender. "It won't happen again", he said with a grin.
"I'll hold it up to you." With that the head healer went back to her work, leaving the two jedi for themselves.
Anakin trailed behind his friend as they entered his room. "I can't believe you just lied to Master Che", he chuckled.
"What?", the jedi master huffed as he heaved himself from the chair onto his bed, "do you prefer that I'm honest with her? 'It will happen again and again, Master Che. As soon as one of us is out of that door, we won't return'."
"I want a holo of that face."
"Careful what you wish for, Anakin. I think that will haunt you even more than Master Nu", Obi-Wan laughed.
He smiled on that thought and leaned over the railing on the foot of the bed. "I actually almost forgot to ask you something."
"Ask me what?"
"What's your plan with Satine now? I know you two are talking regularly."
"You know that you're a bold one, hm?", Obi-Wan snorted humorously, "but yes, you're right. She actually is going to visit in a few weeks."
"So?", Anakin asked innocently, "are you going to do it then?"
"I'll see."
The knight's eyes widened. "You'll see? Come on, Obi-Wan. That lady has been waiting for so long now."
His master's eyes narrowed a little and Anakin was sure he felt a little anger which faded again quickly. "I know, Anakin", Obi-Wan sighed, "but when I'm doing it I want to do it properly. Which means I at least want to be able to stand and walk on my own."
'Oh.' Anakin mentally slapped himself. Now he felt bad for pushing his friend. Of course, the man was right, it wasn't every day that you make a proposal to the woman you want to spend your life with.
"Sorry. I haven't thought about that. I just wanted the two of you to be happy."
He spoke with complete honesty, every time Obi-Wan looked at Satine, Anakin saw that shining eyes he knew he got as well when he was with Padme.
"I know. Maybe you shouldn't let your wife wait any longer. It's not like I'm running away anytime soon."
The knight swallowed. Obi-Wan was closing himself off again. He shouldn't have mentioned the proposal. How stupid of him. After such an ordeal those things weren't the first one's you would think about.
"Will you be alright?", he asked then.
"I'll be fine", Obi-Wan's smile didn't really reach his eyes, "don't worry about me. Now get yourself moving before the council crosses your plans."
"Sure, Obi-Wan", he tapped on the railing in front of him shortly but then pushed himself backwards. "See you."
With that he left his friend's room and went to prepare himself. He thought about his talk with Obi-Wan. The Force had become dark, Anakin could feel that now. The Sith lord. Planted visions. So many things were swirling inside his head.
Anakin couldn't really discern what was real anymore.