A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews…I am going to start with chapter 11 and reply to them like we do on the JC boards…but I want to get you all caught up here..so thanks to FF.Net this was not updated as often as I would have liked…but here are the next two chapters…Enjoy--PT

Chapter 7: "The Darkness Within"

Anakin stood outside the room that held the unconscious form of Obi-Wan. He watched as the healers walked back and forth checking readings. He smiled at that thought.

Fools, do they really think they will be able to save him.

Motioning to one of the healers, Anakin waited to move inside.

"When can I see him?" he asked putting as much emotion in his voice as he could.

"You can go in now. Just don't stay too long, he still needs his sleep," the healer said as he walked away, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan alone.

Anakin walked over to Obi-Wan and stared down at his sleeping form. Obi-Wan looked peaceful, but Anakin knew that this was all about to change.

He closed his eyes and focused on Obi-Wan and his thoughts.

Now the real fun will begin.

**

Obi-Wan found himself in a place of peace. He smiled and knew that he would be safe here until his body had healed enough for him to return.

His smile turned into a frown though as he remembered what happened. He remembered Siri attacking him and winning the battle. Then the darkside energy had coursed through him, giving him the power he needed and on a strange level, he craved.

Then he remembered the pain. The pain that caused him to fall to his knees. The pain of losing someone bonded to him through the Force. His other Master using the darkside had bound Siri to him. Sidious had said this was a way to keep them in line.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Obi-Wan felt Sidious amplify the pain of the broken bond by ten fold. As he lay there on the floor trying to rid himself of the pain, he recalled calling out to the one person he never thought he would ask for help again.

Qui-Gon Jinn. And Obi-Wan was even more surprised when Qui-Gon came and helped. He felt the healing power of his former master cascade around him, banishing the evil that wanted to consume him.

He remembered feeling the light of the Force once more. He fell into the healing embrace of the Force and knew then that everything would be just fine. But he soon came to realize this was not the case.

He remembered feeling at peace and safe, when the darkness attacked him once more. He felt Sidious reach through his shields and attack him with Force lighting. He jerked away as he felt his body cry out in pain. He could faintly hear Qui-Gon and the healers telling him to fight it, and fight he did.

But Sidious employed a new trick. Using the darkside, Sidious reached further into Obi-Wan's mind and planted a suggestion that he didn't need to breathe, that his body could live without air.

Obi-Wan fell once again to the ground, unable to breathe. He tried to suck in the much-needed air but found his body wouldn't respond.

He heard Qui-Gon plea once more for him to stay, and he tried, but the pull of the black abyss was too strong. Just as he was about to let up, he felt Sidious release his hold and Obi-Wan was able to breathe once more.

Gasping for air, he heard Sidious tell him, "You are mine forever. Never forget it. I can let you live or die. Next time I won't be so forgiving."

Then he was gone, leaving Obi-Wan alone in his paradise.

Now Obi-Wan was enjoying the peacefulness of paradise. He knew that soon this would all be left behind, and he would have to return to where there was nothing but pain and hate. But he knew he must, for those that he still cared about were counting on him.

No one knew why he had come back and no one could understand how he was alive and not dead.

"I don't even understand it. Why am I here? Why come back to this?"

"Because you are a coward. Only COWARDS give up power to go back to nothing," said a voice from behind.

Obi-Wan spun and, looking behind him, saw Anakin Skywalker. He watched as Anakin slowly began to make his way toward him.

"Why are you here? You are not welcome here. Leave," Obi-Wan snarled as he backed away.

"Now you know I can't do that. Our Master has felt it was necessary I come and remind you what your mission is," Anakin smiled as he quickly lashed out and sent Obi-Wan flying.

Obi-Wan was not prepared for the attack and grunted in pain as he slammed into a nearby tree. He pulled himself to his feet and looked at Anakin.

"You can tell him that I will never join him. His plan has failed. I won't carry it out. I am a Jedi of the light, not of the dark."

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan and burst out laughing. When he was able to calm himself, Anakin said, "Fool. Do you really think the Jedi will take you back? You are tainted. You were brought back to the living by the darkside power. Didn't you find it a little odd that you were able to draw on the darkside power, and not be consumed by it? That is because that dark power is coursing through your veins as we speak and is the only thing keeping you alive."

"You speak nothing but lies. If what you are saying is true, then I should never have been able to step foot in the temple. I would have been cut down right there on the spot," Obi-Wan said with a challenge in his voice.

"You still carry the light. For some reason the light and dark are of equal balance within you. That is why you were of so much interest to him. That fool Qui-Gon. He never knew what he had sitting right under his nose, and he threw it all away for what? I know you broke the bond between him and I, but that won't save him nor you," Anakin said.

"No matter how much Qui-Gon hurt me, I will not allow you to harm him. He is still my Master, and I will protect him no matter what. So you want me to destroy the Jedi, fine. I will. But know this, I will not hurt him," Obi-Wan said as he approached Anakin.

"We shall see. He may not approve. NO, wait, I don't approve. How about I kill him now and let you take the fall? Hmm.. what would be the most painful way for him to go?"

Distraught by Anakin's brazen declarations, Obi-Wan found himself charging his replacement. His unexpected tactic easily brought the Padawan down. Slowly, he choked the life from Anakin, as he saw the only way to save his Master.

Underestimating the former Jedi, Anakin was completely unguarded for the attack. Struggling to free himself, he quickly found he was unable to do so, as Obi-Wan held him in a firm grip. Blackness crept into his vision as he began to lose consciousness.

**

A gasping sound could be heard, as Qui-Gon entered the room. In a moment he quickly assessed the situation as he could sense a dark power emanating from the room. He found his apprentice lying on the floor with his hands clutching at his neck. He also found Obi-Wan sprawled on the floor, with a hand stretched toward Anakin. His quick analytical mind ascertained what was happening.

Qui-Gon rushed to Anakin's side and was about to attempt to reach into his mind to break the hold when he felt a force slam into him sending him forcefully into the wall. As he slide down the wall, he watched as Obi-Wan awoke and released his hold on Anakin before walking over to him.

Qui-Gon saw the hate and anger brewing in his eyes, as he approached Anakin. He knew Obi-Wan was drawing on the darkside power again, and his fear was confirmed when Obi-Wan spoke.

"Now you shall die."