Obi-wan would be lying if he said that he didn't jump out of his skin when Rex did everything but kick down the door as he entered the room.
"General!" Rex panted and put his hands on his knees as he took in deep breathes before saying breathlessly, "You need to come with me, right now, like immediately." Obi-wan exchanged glances with Ahsoka, the two of them raising an eyebrow at his behavior.
"Very well, led the way Captain Rex." Obi-wan calmly motioned for Rex to lead the way. His attempt was ignored when Rex grabbed Obi-wan by his shoulders and looked into his eyes.
"No Obi-wan, you need to run." Although he was surprised by Rex's urgency, he nodded his head. Quickly taking off after Rex after he left the room, sprinting. Ahsoka and Obi-wan exchanged looks as they caught up with Rex. They didn't fail to notice the way Rex was leading them to the med bay, or the way there were clones who were whispering as they passed by.
They slid to a stop right outside the med bay, where there was already a small group of clones talking right outside the room. Before they entered the room, Rex turned to them.
"Before we go in," he took a deep breath, "I have to let you know that he doesn't remember anything, he doesn't even remember his own name." Obi-wan frowned at that, he knew that the prisoner had been found and taken to the med bay, but he didn't understand why Rex was having such an extreme reaction.
"Ok, but I don't see what's the big deal Rex." Rex pursed his lips for a little bit before stepping to the side, motioning for the two of them to enter the med bay.
"It would be better if you saw it for yourself." Obi-wan frowned at that but still entered the med bay with Ahsoka, their eyes zoning in on the only person that was in there.
It felt like all of the air left his lungs. Like someone had just sucked all of the air out of his lungs, leaving him breathless.
Anakin was curled up in the medical bed. His right arm cushioning his head, his left arm draped over his side with an IV in the crook of his elbow. He looked tired and half starved, his skin was pale, looking nothing like the healthy tan he had months before. But his chest was moving up and down with each breath, the heart monitor beeping in a steady rhythm.
Before he knew it, his hand was hovering above Anakin's arm. He saw Anakin die, he felt him die. There was no way it was really Anakin who was laying there. But, he couldn't help but notice that the body in front of him had the same messy hair, the same scar down his face, the same prosthetic hand.
A strangled sob made him look over at Ahsoka. She had her hand over her mouth as she stared down at Anakin's hand, his hand was loosely curled around something.
"It's really him," her voice was quiet and shaky, her hands trembling as she gently uncurled his fingers to reveal a blue Khyber crystal and the beaded lanyards she had made for him. There was no way he could have those if he wasn't their best friend. The lanyards were homemade, making it impossible for there to be an exact copy of both of them, and Obi-wan would recognize Anakin's Khyber crystal anywhere.
Anakin let out a small huff in his sleep before curling into a tighter ball, his hand closing around the small items before pulling them closer to him, unconsciously protecting them.
"The General is suffering minor injuries and amnesia," Kix was standing at the foot of the bed, startling Ahsoka and Obi-wan. Kix gave them a sad smile before continuing," he's under weight, but a few months of consistent meals will fix that. He also seems to have a force suppressant chip in his upper arm, "well that would explain why either one of them couldn't sense him, or why they couldn't reestablish their bond with him. "I'll remove it once he wakes up. I sedated him, he won't wake up for a few more minutes." Ahsoka gave him a watery smile, Obi-wan was still having a little of a hard time believing that it was still Anakin.
"Kix, is…is it really him?" he got a firm nod.
"Yes, his DNA matches what we have on file, this is undoubtedly Anakin Skywalker." Obi-wans eyes finally welled up as he let his heart truly believed that his brother was back.
Obi-wan gently ran his hand through Anakin's hair, it was tangled and dirty. He let out a strangled laugh, getting an odd look from Kix and Ahsoka.
"This padawan of mine," Obi-wan ran his thumb over Anakin's cheek, feeling the warmth it was emanating," I should have known he was too stubborn to die like that. He's going to be so mad."
And for the first time in almost eight months.
Ahsoka laughed.
"It's okay Á̴̡̨̛͔̰̞̼̹̳̼̬͇͎̰̦̦̈͆̊̿̂̓̏̓̆̏̉̚͜l̷͕͓̯͕̏̅̔͒͂͒́̉̔͛̒͝j̶̡̞͉͚̦̩̺̘̗̖̲̹͔̑̈́̾̃̒͜i̴̢̭͍̰̘̥̟̖̙̰̰̟̊̎̀l̵̢̹͖̪̗̠̟̮̺̟̰̹͖̟̓̊ş̮̤͕̰̀̍̍͜͝ͅḳ̼̟̗͚͜d̶̼̟̹̘̂̀͗̔̋̓̀̾̄̐͑͝," O̵̠͍͖͓̮̾͑͗̇̔̈́̀̀̂w̵̥̥̺̳̟͎̳̘͈͎̰̮̠͐̀̐̉̊͗̽̈͘͜ͅͅě̵̹̳̻̈̍͂̇͋͒̽-̴̣͔̯͉̜͈̟̰̥̪̰̱̲͇̂̈́̑͊͛̌͋̋́̿͒͘͝ã̡̢͙͚̥̣̤̜͕͇͍̣̙͍̘̫͌̈̏̒́̇̋͌͑͠s̳̺̯̣͍̜͖̣̯̱̹̖̀͋̅͂d̷̨͚̻͙͕̾́̆̾͌̐͂͝ reached up and ruffled his hair," you're my bacoke kaae whoka, as well."
"And what about me Ṃ̙̺̳̻͉s̨̡̛̥͈̟͓͖͚̰̜̼̜̃̂̈́̾̈͜͝͠d̵͈̰͎̤̙̻̲̱͉̩̻͔̼̗͋̍̈́̑̀͑̇̇̋́̀́͝f̴̧̯̞̥̫̼̜̮̥͔̠̘̋́̃͊̂e̶̢͔̱̙̫̻͚̊̐̐̈́̄͆͒͑̓̊͂̍̅́̕͜͠͠ͅw̵͚͉̺̤̼̪̲͎̲͖͂͛͑̈́͑͆͛̍͛͝?"
"Yes Á͉͔̣̻̥̜͖̭̞͔͖̃̽̍͘s̴̢̥̙̩͔̭̫̹̗̻̭͉̹̖̝̜̍͜ḯ̴̡̨͎̘͇͓̫̩͋̚ͅf̴̬͈͚͇̭̞̩̻̟̼̳̯̗͉͕̼̓́̋̀̑̾̉̽̍̕͘͜͝ę̶͚̀̀͐̈́̊̋̒̓̋̚͘h̵͖͈̥̱̹̽̂̉̀͛̓̌̃̕͘ͅ, you're my bacoke kaae whokena." Although it was clear Á͉͔̣̻̥̜͖̭̞͔͖̃̽̍͘s̴̢̥̙̩͔̭̫̹̗̻̭͉̹̖̝̜̍͜ḯ̴̡̨͎̘͇͓̫̩͋̚ͅf̴̬͈͚͇̭̞̩̻̟̼̳̯̗͉͕̼̓́̋̀̑̾̉̽̍̕͘͜͝ę̶͚̀̀͐̈́̊̋̒̓̋̚͘h̵͖͈̥̱̹̽̂̉̀͛̓̌̃̕͘ͅ didn't know what he just said, she whooped in excitement. Which made Á̴̡̨̛͔̰̞̼̹̳̼̬͇͎̰̦̦̈͆̊̿̂̓̏̓̆̏̉̚͜l̷͕͓̯͕̏̅̔͒͂͒́̉̔͛̒͝j̶̡̞͉͚̦̩̺̘̗̖̲̹͔̑̈́̾̃̒͜i̴̢̭͍̰̘̥̟̖̙̰̰̟̊̎̀l̵̢̹͖̪̗̠̟̮̺̟̰̹͖̟̓̊ş̮̤͕̰̀̍̍͜͝ͅḳ̼̟̗͚͜d̶̼̟̹̘̂̀͗̔̋̓̀̾̄̐͑͝ realize something if O̵̠͍͖͓̮̾͑͗̇̔̈́̀̀̂w̵̥̥̺̳̟͎̳̘͈͎̰̮̠͐̀̐̉̊͗̽̈͘͜ͅͅě̵̹̳̻̈̍͂̇͋͒̽-̴̣͔̯͉̜͈̟̰̥̪̰̱̲͇̂̈́̑͊͛̌͋̋́̿͒͘͝ã̡̢͙͚̥̣̤̜͕͇͍̣̙͍̘̫͌̈̏̒́̇̋͌͑͠s̳̺̯̣͍̜͖̣̯̱̹̖̀͋̅͂d̷̨͚̻͙͕̾́̆̾͌̐͂͝ knew how to say beloved little brother and sister in the Hutt language…
"O̵̠͍͖͓̮̾͑͗̇̔̈́̀̀̂w̵̥̥̺̳̟͎̳̘͈͎̰̮̠͐̀̐̉̊͗̽̈͘͜ͅͅě̵̹̳̻̈̍͂̇͋͒̽-̴̣͔̯͉̜͈̟̰̥̪̰̱̲͇̂̈́̑͊͛̌͋̋́̿͒͘͝ã̡̢͙͚̥̣̤̜͕͇͍̣̙͍̘̫͌̈̏̒́̇̋͌͑͠s̳̺̯̣͍̜͖̣̯̱̹̖̀͋̅͂d̷̨͚̻͙͕̾́̆̾͌̐͂͝! You just wanted to embarrass me!" Even though they couldn't understand him, they understood his feelings of indignation.
"I don't know what you're talking about." The grin on his face said otherwise. Á̴̡̨̛͔̰̞̼̹̳̼̬͇͎̰̦̦̈͆̊̿̂̓̏̓̆̏̉̚͜l̷͕͓̯͕̏̅̔͒͂͒́̉̔͛̒͝j̶̡̞͉͚̦̩̺̘̗̖̲̹͔̑̈́̾̃̒͜i̴̢̭͍̰̘̥̟̖̙̰̰̟̊̎̀l̵̢̹͖̪̗̠̟̮̺̟̰̹͖̟̓̊ş̮̤͕̰̀̍̍͜͝ͅḳ̼̟̗͚͜d̶̼̟̹̘̂̀͗̔̋̓̀̾̄̐͑͝ sighed, letting his blush fade away.
"You're lucky I love you."
"Yes, I know, I love you too." Á̴̡̨̛͔̰̞̼̹̳̼̬͇͎̰̦̦̈͆̊̿̂̓̏̓̆̏̉̚͜l̷͕͓̯͕̏̅̔͒͂͒́̉̔͛̒͝j̶̡̞͉͚̦̩̺̘̗̖̲̹͔̑̈́̾̃̒͜i̴̢̭͍̰̘̥̟̖̙̰̰̟̊̎̀l̵̢̹͖̪̗̠̟̮̺̟̰̹͖̟̓̊ş̮̤͕̰̀̍̍͜͝ͅḳ̼̟̗͚͜d̶̼̟̹̘̂̀͗̔̋̓̀̾̄̐͑͝ let out a strangled squeak when O̵̠͍͖͓̮̾͑͗̇̔̈́̀̀̂w̵̥̥̺̳̟͎̳̘͈͎̰̮̠͐̀̐̉̊͗̽̈͘͜ͅͅě̵̹̳̻̈̍͂̇͋͒̽-̴̣͔̯͉̜͈̟̰̥̪̰̱̲͇̂̈́̑͊͛̌͋̋́̿͒͘͝ã̡̢͙͚̥̣̤̜͕͇͍̣̙͍̘̫͌̈̏̒́̇̋͌͑͠s̳̺̯̣͍̜͖̣̯̱̹̖̀͋̅͂d̷̨͚̻͙͕̾́̆̾͌̐͂͝ answered in Huttenese and his face turned red all over again.
"O̵̠͍͖͓̮̾͑͗̇̔̈́̀̀̂w̵̥̥̺̳̟͎̳̘͈͎̰̮̠͐̀̐̉̊͗̽̈͘͜ͅͅě̵̹̳̻̈̍͂̇͋͒̽-̴̣͔̯͉̜͈̟̰̥̪̰̱̲͇̂̈́̑͊͛̌͋̋́̿͒͘͝ã̡̢͙͚̥̣̤̜͕͇͍̣̙͍̘̫͌̈̏̒́̇̋͌͑͠s̳̺̯̣͍̜͖̣̯̱̹̖̀͋̅͂d̷̨͚̻͙͕̾́̆̾͌̐͂͝!"
Even though he was embarrassed, he couldn't stop that warm feeling in his chest for a really long time.
The first thing he noticed would be the lack of pain when he woke up, and then he noticed the weight that was on his left hand, he could hear someone shuffling around next to him. He slowly opened his eyes, his eyes straining at the sudden light.
"Anakin?" he ignored the call, he had no idea what an Anakin was anyway. He slowly sat up in the bed, absentmindedly noticing the way his arm ached, he felt bad when he realized that the weight in his hand was the weight of someone else's head, and that him moving around had waken them up.
"Sorry," his voice was raspy, he rubbed his eye with one hand, a flash of auburn out of the corner of his eyes made him stop and turn. Staring at the man who was staring back with his blue eyes. He stared a little bit longer before the mans facial features clicked and he realized who he was staring at.
"Its you!" his sudden shout started the bearded man, the man remained stiff even as he grabbed his shoulders. He realized what he was doing and let go to the man with his hands up.
"Sorry, I got too excited, it's just I see you in my dreams all the time, oh! Have you seen a teenage girl?" he felt something brush against his mind and he shivered in response before continuing," she has this weird white and blue headdress with some beads hanging off and blue eyes and orange skin?" the man just stared at him as he continued to ask questions.
"What about a man with a short buzz cut with blonde hair?" the bearded man just stared at him, his eyebrows high in disbelief and surprise. Something about the man made him feel bashful. He ducked his head with a slight blush.
"Sorry, I-I didn't mean to freak you out." He heard a chuckle before feeling a hand ruffle his hair before falling away.
"No, its okay, my name is Obi-wan Kenobi," there was a tinge of sadness in the man's voice as he introduced himself, but he still took the answer to heart, trying his best to remember Obi-wans name," and I believe she is the one you're looking for." Obi-wan motioned to his left, making him look over to the left. His mouth quirked up in a smile when he realized that it really was the girl he had been seeing in his dreams. The girl returned his smile before introducing herself.
"My name is Ahsoka Tano." Just like Obi-wans voice, her voice was tinged with sadness. He nodded along, committing her name to memory.
He let out a sigh of relief before freaking out again.
His heart lept into his throat as he realized that his crystal and beads were nowhere to be seen. He patted himself before trying to find it on the bed,
"Is this what you're looking for?" Ahsoka held out the beads and the crystal, he smiled and gave her a nod, she gently tipped her hand, making his precious belongings fall into his hand. He sighed and held them close to him.
"Thank you." He bowed his head slightly in gratitude. Ahsoka smiled back before slowly saying.
"Soooo, it looks like those things are pretty important to you." He smiled at that.
"You can say that," he opened up his hand and pushed the items around his hand," honestly, they helped me keep going while I was stuck in there. I found them in this weird hidden compartment in my boot," Ahsoka rose her eyebrows in surprise, making him smile again," I know, weird right? But I could tell that they were special. Not to mention I really like them." Ahsoka's smile widened.
He cocked his head to the side as he felt something brush against his mind again, that empty feeling that he's had for the past few months finally filling back up, helping him feel a little bit more complete.
"Anakin?" he looked back down at his belongings, "Anakin?" Obi-wan nudged his side, making him turn to the man.
"Yeah?"
"Anakin? Do you recognize that name?" he tilted his head to the side while thinking about the question.
"Nope." He looked so sad at his answer.
"Anakin. Your name is Anakin Skywalker." Anakin fell silent at that for about 30 seconds before saying.
"I thought I would have a cooler name to be honest." Obi-wan and Ahsoka stared at him for a few seconds before the two of them started laughing, much to Anakin's confusion.
"Oh my," Obi-wan broke down into chuckles as Ahsoka took over.
"That is such an Anakin thing to say!" Anakin just stared at the two of them, feeling very confused as they kept on laughing.
"…Thanks?" he wasn't sure why they were laughing so hard.
But he wasn't going to complain.