Chapter 3: Bury the Hatchet
Everyone knew of his distaste of medical facilities, nevertheless Obi-Wan was craving for the blasted cast to finally come off. It had been three weeks now since he had his run-in with Grievous. Which led him again to the temples' halls of healing. He was sitting in one of the examination rooms while a medical droid was cutting away the cast with mechanical precision. Number two on his list of things he distasted where definitely droids. Obi-Wan couldn't bring himself to trust them, not when a razor-sharp blade was cutting merely millimeters above his skin right now. Maybe it had something to do with his former padawans' tendency to tinker with every mechanical part he could find and unintentionally turning it into a full-fledged killing machine in the process. Thinking about his friend, the jedi made a face, Anakins' rejection still hurt.
With a small thud the cast finally came off. Obi-Wan leaned forward on the bed to examine the leg. It was marred with scars around the knee where the medics had to perform the surgery. The bruises bloomed in all their beauty, their colors varying from yellow, to purple to nearly black. A few seconds later the door to the room swooshed open and Master Che entered. Obi-Wan knew the Twi'lek healer since he had been admitted to the creche. She always had that air of authority but at the same time was always gentle with her patients. 'At least when you're following her orders,' the jedi master mused to himself, remembering the past times when he was left in the healers' care.
"Obi-Wan, I see you actually didn't skip the appointment with the healers for once." Master Che pulled a chair over and sat down in front of him.
He had to roll his eyes in response and gave a small smile. "Hello to you too, Master Che."
The Twi'lek chuckled. "I see at least your charm wasn't damaged. Let' take a look at your leg, shall we?" Gently she lifted the leg off the bed, Obi-Wan hissed a little as she touched a particular nasty bruise. Before continuing, she shot him a look of sympathy.
"Can you try to bend your knee for me, please?"
Grimacing as he did so, Master Che started to examine his leg again.
"I`ll be honest with you, Obi-Wan, you`ll not be able to walk on this leg without support, let alone pull off one of your fancy stunts."
"Blast." That wasn't the answer he had hoped for.
"Language, Master Kenobi." Vokara huffed a little but turned serious again. "I think we should fit you with a permanent brace."
Obi-Wan put his head in his hands and slumped. "Is there really no other way? How am I supposed to fulfil my duty when I can`t even walk properly?"
"I´m sorry but the bone was crushed beyond repair, we did the best we can to knit it back together. Grievous got you good this time." Obi-Wan winced as the memory of the general crushing his leg with his metal claw returned. She then lifted his head up by putting her hand lightly under his chin. "You know this is not the end, right?"
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "Humor me."
Having a lot of serious answers on her mind, she rather decided to play the game as Obi-Wan had just tossed her the ball. She smirked.
"If Master Yoda can fight while using a kriffing gimer stick, I´m sure you can still fight as well."
"Is it now my place to remind you of your use of language?" Obi-Wan laughed and his eyes lit up a little. "Am I now allowed to whack people on their shins as well?"
"Don´t try it." It was relieving to have some playful banter. Master Che chuckled and said: "I think we should get you on your feet again."
"No time to waste".
After an hour Master Kenobi left the healing halls with a brace fitted to his leg. While his knee joint was being held upright now, walking without supporting himself on crutches was impossible. It was a long way of recovery and he would have to get used to the brace as it was now a part of him, even if he didn't like to admit it. He still had to use crutches for a while due to the lack of muscle and to keep the tension off from the bone.
Hopping down the corridor, he stopped for a moment and looked out the large window to take in the sight of the skyline of Coruscant. The sun had begun to set, tinting the huge buildings in a dark orange color. 'Was Anakin with Padme right now?', he mused. The poor boy still had no idea that he knew about them and that seemed to drive a wedge between himself and his friend.
"You know, I could use a little help right now, Master. I wish you were here." Obi-Wan looked up to the sky as if he was waiting for an answer.
"You´re doing fine, Master." He flinched at that voice.
"Anakin."
He actually didn´t mean to startle his old friend and master as he silently approached. Somehow the thought had never crossed his mind that Obi-Wan was struggling with the loss of Master Qui-Gon. Maybe he should have listened for once... read the signs that were always there. It was a shame that his padawan had been the one to knock some sense back into him. He was such a fool for calling his master a heartless and non-caring man. While still trying to process the abrupt loss of his mentor and father figure, Obi-Wan had reached out to him, had taken him in and tried the best he could to teach him. And he had always swatted away that hand, believing it was all because of a promise being made. Somehow Anakin began to understand why his master kept his distance when it came to attachment. It was not because of the jedi code but the fear of losing the ones you love. Again.
Anakin had never known his masters´ friends personally but still the names remained. Bant. Garen. Tahl. Qui-Gon. All long gone, leaving a crack in Obi-Wans´ soul behind.
"Look, I´m so sorry about the things I said to you. I was just so- so angry about not being able to help. You didn´t deserve that, I know it´s not your fault. I-"
"I understand and I´m sorry."
"Wait, what?!" Anakin had expected a lot of answers but not an apology.
"I said I´m sorry."
"I understood you quite well, master... but why? All I did was criticizing you and let you feel my anger. So… why the kriff are YOU apologizing?!"
Obi-Wan turned his gaze from the skyline and looked directly at Anakin, revealing his facial injury. His former padawan winced at that sight and he seemed worried. The ginger continued: "Because it was my task as your guardian to know about your background and your mother as well. And I failed at that."
"You couldn´t have known, I never told you...", Anakin looked to the floor and then again at his master, "can you forgive me...? I know it´s a lot to ask and I understand if you refuse after everything I did..."
Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan hopped over to his friend so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "Anakin, I would never let you down, you´re my brother, in all but blood. I was afraid that you would never speak to me again or even look at me."
Just as these words had left his mouth, Anakin threw his arms around him nearly toppling him over. Anakin let his head flop down on his shoulder and he started sobbing. It was that moment Obi-Wan saw that young little boy from Tatooine he took in all these years ago again. "Oh Anakin..." He tried to return the hug what turned out a little difficult while still leaning on the crutches.
"Let´s get you back to your apartment, shall we? I think your padawan might be getting worried about you otherwise."
"Master, before we go I- I need to tell you something." Anakin let go of him and seemed to be on edge.
"What is it?", Obi-Wan queried, holding Anakins´ gaze.
"I´m- I´m married with Padme...since the beginning of the Clone Wars..."
Obi-Wan tried really hard to keep himself together but failed miserably. He couldn´t stop himself from laughing.
"Anakin, how blind do you think I am? You two are pretty obvious with your relationship."
Anakin looked like a gungan whose tongue had been knotted.
"You knew the whole time?! Why didn´t you say anything? Or tell the council?"
"Why should I? You´re clearly happy with her so I had no reason to destroy that on purpose."
"But you´re always the perfect jedi... and you´re on the council."
Sighing Obi-Wan turned Anakin a weary look. "I´m far from perfect. You know that. And just because I´m on the council doesn´t mean I have to tell them everything. I just wish that you could trust me one day. You know, I would have loved to see you two getting married, must have been a wonderful ceremony on Naboo."
Having said that Obi-Wan started limping down the corridor. "Come now, padawan mine."
Anakin was too overwhelmed to even consider to complain about his masters´ way to address him. After a moment he followed him. Something inside his mind told him that he knew so little about his best friend and mentor. He decided it was time to change that.
They made their way to the apartment at a slow pace. Exhaustion was becoming clearly visible on Obi-Wans´ face and pain laced through his force signature.
"Are you okay, master?"
His masters´ head snapped up as if he wasn´t really paying attention to his surroundings. That made Anakin even more worried. He seemed to have trouble with hearing.
"Actually, no Anakin, I´m not okay", Obi-Wan admitted which was unusual for him, "if I´m being honest, my leg hurts like hell."
For the first time since the start of their conversation Anakin laid eyes on the injured leg. It was held upright by a brace made out of metal. Around the thigh and above the calf were padded claps adjusted, furthermore there were hinges on both sides of the knee to keep some mobility.
"Should I call for the healers?", Anakin asked.
Despite trembling slightly Obi-Wan shook his head. "I´m afraid the pain is a permanent side effect of my injury. Master Che told me though that it should get better some time."
"So... this is permanent?" He gestured at the leg.
"It is."
"Kriff."
Obi-Wan only snorted in response, he was too tired to reprimand his former padawan.
By the time they reached Anakins´ and Ahsokas´ apartment it was costing all of Obi-Wans strength to keep himself on his feet.
Anakin seemed to notice. "Obi-Wan, with all due respect, but you don´t look like you would make the way to your apartment. You should stay with us for the night, I´m sure Ahsoka doesn´t mind."
Always the stubborn gundark, Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Thank you, Anakin, but I think I can manage." His room was just two stories up at the masters´ floor.
Anakin knew that his friend wasn´t easy to convince so he tried a different approach.
"Then at least let me accompany you to your room."
Sighing in defeat, Obi-Wan agreed. "Then let´s get going."
It was morally reprehensible to deceive him like that but right now Anakin only cared for his masters´ wellbeing. Even when that meant to wind his way into Obi-Wans mind without him noticing. It twanged Anakins´ nerves that it was relatively easy to pull the mind trick on him right now. 'He must be really exhausted right now', he mused to himself. For every other jedi his masters´ barriers might have been still insurmountable, but he wasn´t the Chosen One for nothing. Still something told him that Obi-Wan might have his head when he found out eventually.
Anakin slowly poured some of his strength into their bond and tried to ease some of his masters´ pain.
They rode the elevator to the destined floor in silence and made their approach to Obi-Wans´ room.
Before using the biopad on the door to let himself in, Obi-Wan turned to his friend.
"Thank you for accompanying me."
"You´re welcome, master. Rest well." With that Anakin made his retreat. But before he reached the elevator his masters' voice stopped him.
"Oh, and Anakin?"
"Yes?"
"Don´t think I didn´t notice that you pulled a mind trick on me. You won´t get away with that easy." For an outsider he might have sound serious but Anakin could hear that slight undertone of humor.
"But revenge isn´t the jedi way", he teased.
"I think I can make an exception for you, my friend." Despite the exhaustion Obi-Wans´ eyes glistered with mischief. He then turned towards the door, laid his hand on the bioscanner and entered his quarters.
As the door slid shut, Anakin was left standing in the hallway. "You know two can always play that game, master", he smirked, before leaving to his apartment.