A/N: The name of the part comes from the song " Crawling" off the Hybrid Theory CD by Linkin Park. I'm sure you've all heard of them. I can't tell you who wrote it b/c I don't have the CD booklet with me, but know I don't have their permission. And yes, if you've guessed, I love rock music, and yes, I do a lot of songfics, and yes, I do use lyrics for part titles. I just wanted to let you know.

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Long author notes again! Anyhow, thanks again, and to clear things up, the flashbacks come at random, you know? Just to show what has happened before? And they are of before…whatever before it, cause all of you don't know and have no fear, it WILL be explained in later chapters. I promise. I have six more chapters written, and I'm still not done! And for those of you reading Decadence…sigh. Go check the author's note I have. Thank you.

Many thanks to my sister Akila who read this chapter (I'm sorry you guys-she knows most of what's going to happen next, because she's read the rest of the chapters because she's my twin!) and sort of beta read it. Well, she pointed out mistakes! Please go read her Behind Enemy Lines fic, The Sorrow in the World Cannot Add Up to Now. It's a really good fic! And if you like WWE, read Cry At the World, which is AU. THANKS, SIS!

Sorry for the long note! I'm proud of this chapter and I hope you enjoy it. Mostly an action part!

~Blazer~

July 17, 2002

BREATHE

PART SIX:

THIS LACK OF SELF-CONTROL I FEAR IS NEVER ENDING

The pain was growing.

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth. His side ached, his arms burned, his bad leg throbbed. His chest felt tight as he started to wheeze, struggling to take in a decent breath. He knew then that he had been fighting for at least forty-five minutes. It could be as long as one hour. His endurance was high, but this was too much. This was far too much.

Where was everybody? Why couldn't they help him? He didn't dare reach for his commlink. He had been going at a tremendously slow jog for the last ten minutes, deflecting bolts as they droids began to chase him. They were a long way off, but still, it was a narrow hall he was in, and they were gaining as he started to lag. Soon he would have to stop.

The Force buzzed around him, guiding his hands as he zigzagged across the hall. The shots were being fired one after another. But no matter how strong he was in the Force, his weakened state dimmed his connection. It still aided him, but he was growing slower and his arms were growing heavier. His ragged wheezes came in short gasps. He wanted to just fall down and rest. He almost considered that. He didn't fear death. He wouldn't like this form of death, but if it eased the pain, it might be worth it.

Suddenly he spotted a stairwell, and he realized he was back in the throne room at the back. He hugged the wall as he slowed to a walk. The wall would end suddenly, he knew, and would turn into the banister of the stairwell. The shots grew more persistent, but he knew if he ducked behind the corner and ran at a full sprint up the stairs, he would distance himself greatly between the fighters and have time to comm for help.

Gathering his strength, he turned sharply around the corner and onto the bottom step of the stairs. He tucked his lightsaber onto his belt and sprinted, as fast as his tired body would allow. He was lucky the stairs only had two flights of twenty-five steps each. He didn't stop when he reached the second floor of the palace. Instead, he continued to sprint down the hall until he came to an open door. He ducked inside and shut the door as quietly as he could.

He leaned down, his hands on his knees. He could feel the sweat dripping from his hair onto the carpet. He collapsed down to the ground, trying to control his breathing. He put his knees up and stuck his head between them, his breathing slowing as he grasped the Force. But now he didn't know if he would be able to get up.

Using his right arm, he peeled off his commlink. He punched a frequency. "Kikerio?" he gasped, his voice harsh and breathless.

"Obi-Wan, where are you?" He could hear the deep concern in her voice.

"What's happened?" he asked instead.

"We're still keeping the droids at bay. None have entered the palace-"

"I've been fighting droids in the palace for at least the last half-hour. They're now in the throne room. I think they're coming up to the second floor." He stopped and erupted into coughs, his throat and tongue parched.

"General, are you all right? We've lost five guards, and sixteen are injured. I sent someone to gather more forces. The Naboo Reserve Army is assembling."

"Can you send up someone to help me?" Obi-Wan knew he sounded weak, but he knew he would be overcome if no one helped him.

"Where are you?" Kikerio asked immediately.

"Second floor," he said, glancing around. "In Sio Bibble's office. "

"I'll send a force up immediately. Are you injured?"

"Just exhausted. How's everyone holding out?"

"We're not as exhausted as you, General, believe me."

"The Queen?"

"I thought she was with you." There was panic in the Lieutenant's voice. Obi-Wan heard shouts behind her.

"I had to lead some maids out when the droids attacked. I haven't seen her." He hesitated. "I left her with the two Jedi."

"Oh, that's good, then. I have the Master's frequency. I'll call him."

"If you can't reach him, call the safe-hold. She'll be there. "

"Yes, sir."

"Thanks, Lieu-"

Suddenly, a blaster slammed through the door and continued on, blasting through the window. Obi-Wan jumped up. "Send the force, now, Lieutenant! I can't last much longer!" Obi-Wan didn't bother to put his commlink back on his belt. He dropped it and grabbed his lightsaber as he backed up towards the window.

More shots fired as the droids knocked the door open. They knew he was here. He deflected the shots, and they knocked and killed the droids that fired them. Still blocking shots, Obi-Wan kicked out his left leg and knocked out what was left of the window.

Now that the droids knew where he was, they started to pour in. Obi-Wan began to wheeze again.

All he needed were a few seconds…

He held out his hand and the droids flew back into one another, knocking three rows over. It had worked the first time, and it worked now, buying Obi-Wan precious seconds.

Obi-Wan backed up, took a breath, then ran and jumped out the window headlong, tucking his legs in so he could roll.

An array of shots suddenly fired, then stilled. Obi-Wan screamed in pain as a shot sank into his upper arm. He dropped the lightsaber, but his other hand reached out and grabbed it. His roll was forgotten as he tumbled out the window and started to slide down the roof.

Somehow, he forced the pain in so it was numb. His blood cascaded down his arm and onto the tile of the roof. He kicked out with his feet and dug his heel into the crevices of the roof, looking for anything that would slow his slide. He reached back with his right arm, the uninjured one, and grabbed at the slits between the tiles. He had let go of his lightsaber, and he watched it clatter down the roof and fall off the edge. He found a hold and hung on, forcing his heel into a slit.

He could hear the droids running into the room. He had to move somehow. He was on the second floor, and the roof of the first floor was forty feet down. He could make that jump if he got to the edge without sliding off.

Shaking, he stretched out as far as he dared and dug his heel into a slit a bit further down. He let go of the slit his right hand clutched in a death grip.

At that second, shots began to rain down upon Obi-Wan. He didn't think. He threw himself forward, his arm screaming fury. He ducked into a forward roll that sent him over the edge, head first. He turned the fall into a somersault that took him to the roof of the first floor. He landed on his back and started a wild slide over towards the edge.

Obi-Wan twisted frantically, struggling to roll. His energy seemed zapped, and his back groaned from the impact of hitting the roof. He got himself sideways and fell off the edge, his body spinning. His eyes widened when he realized the ground the fifty feet down. Twisting, he somehow managed to come into an awkward somersault, struggling to get close to the wall at the same time, aware of the shots being fired from the second floor that were hitting the ground.

He tried to land his somersault, but his arms now seemed lifeless. He fell chest first. He realized then that there was no avoiding the collision. He would have to take the impact and hope he wouldn't die. He had used rolls and somersaults immensely for the last minute. If he timed this just right, he would again use a forward roll, and maybe live to tell about it.

He gathered the Force around him to slow his fall. He knew it wouldn't stop him enough to save him, but it slowed him enough to get his plan straight. He put his right arm out in front of him as he threw his weight onto his chest so that his head was now slightly closer to the ground than his torso and legs. His left arm hung at his side, useless. Again, he gathered the Force around him, this time to soften his impact. The rest would be up to him.

The ground was coming up quickly. He gulped and said one last prayer.

At five feet from the ground, he threw his right hand forward so it hit the ground first. The shock rippled up his body and made his injured shoulder scream. He took the pain in stride, having no time to think of it. He was now in almost a handstand position. He forced all his weight to fall backwards so that his legs flipped over his head. He used the momentum to come into a weak roll. His body shook from the impact, but he sensed just bruises and cuts, maybe even a sprained ankle or neck. He collapsed on the ground, stomach up.

He made a weak attempt to rise, but his body would not follow his mind. He painfully twisted his neck and saw his lightsaber a few feet away. Ever so slowly, he reached out his hand and with the last of his strength, called the weapon to him. He linked it to his belt painfully.

Then he gave up all fight and just lay, breathing.

~*~*~*~

Qui-Gon had to carry the man who had been trapped under the wall of rubble from the hospital wing. All of the other could walk, although because of whatever injury that had put them in the hospital wing in the first place they were slow. The man who had been under the rubble appeared to have a broken ankle, but Qui-Gon couldn't tell.

When Sola stepped from the hole Qui-Gon had made in the wall, Padme had run up and the sisters had hugged for an entire minute. For the first time, Qui-Gon saw Queen Padme Amidala cry. They were tears of relief, but they were still tears. He was happy that Sola were safe. He knew Amidala would have been devastated if she had been injured.

Qui-Gon was also pleased that Anakin was taking his job seriously. He trailed Amidala closely, his blue saber flashing. Yes, the Chosen One was actually showing he was the Chosen One.

"Now, Your Majesty, we are heading to the safe-hold," Qui-Gon said. He bobbed his head in the direction of the forest. " We have attended out business here, so we'll leave now. "

Amidala broke away from Sola and peered at Qui-Gon. "Obi-Wan needs help. He's been alone now for at least twenty minutes. "

Qui-Gon gave a sigh of frustration. So they now were back on the subject of the Last One. How Qui-Gon loathed that subject.

"Like I said, he should be all right," Qui-Gon said.

Sola caught Qui-Gon's urgency and could see the danger her sister was in. "Sis, Obi-Wan's a big boy. He can take care of himself, believe me. He's creative. He's be fine."

Amidala blew out a breath. "That's what worries me. He'll try to act brave and wind up getting killed. It takes forever to find a good General around this place." She gave a half-grin. "And it takes forever to find a good friend."

Qui-Gon couldn't believe what he was hearing. Obi-Wan was not a good friend. He was a back stabber. Qui-Gon knew that first hand. Again he wondered what had changed Obi-Wan. Again he wondered if Obi-Wan was actually a murderer, and was using Amidala's trust for his own purposes. However, for the time being, Qui-Gon could not voice his suspicions, not with Obi-Wan so close to the Queen.

"Sis, please." Sola's voice pleaded. "Padme. You need to be safe. Obi-Wan would want that and you know it as well as I do. He would want you to be safe. Besides, I'm sure he's with Lieutenant Kikerio right now, fighting the droids."

Amidala closed her eyes. She counted under her breath. Qui-Gon had no idea what she was doing, but he had a feeling she had given in. Her sister's words had reached her. He could tell that. He smiled gratefully at Sola, who shrugged. Finally, Amidala opened her eyes, and he could see the guilt clearly. "All right. We'll head to the safe-hold."

~*~*~*~

It took about twenty minutes to reach the large hut in the woods. Amidala led the way of their little group. She walked proudly, although she often glanced back towards the palace. They could still faintly hear the blaster bolts once they entered the hut.

The hold was nice, with a small stove and lots of cots. There was a large table in the center of the room. A kitchen stood in a corner, and two bookshelves lined the walls. Qui-Gon gently deposited the injured man on the cot nearest to the stove. Sola was starting it up, and another woman was gathering food to feed the injured.

Amidala glanced around, despair clear on her features. " I can't plan here by myself," she muttered. She turned to regard Qui-Gon. "I am safe here, Master Jedi. I ask you now to return to the palace and return to me my General. "

Qui-Gon bit his lip. "Your Majesty-"

"Or will I have to do it?" Her voice was ragged and full of desperation. "I am about to call my guards back, Master Jedi. I will let Nakor take the palace as long as everyone is out of there. The Naboo Army is meeting right now. I will go back to the palace to find Obi-Wan. "

Qui-Gon sighed in resignation. He turned to Anakin. "I want you to go outside and keep watch. Keep the Queen safe. If you sense even the tiniest chance of danger, get the Queen somewhere safe. Anywhere safe will do. Don't contact me, Anakin. If we're somehow captured and they confiscate my commlink, they'll be able to trace the call here. The most important thing to keep the Queen safe. Do you understand me, Padawan?"

Anakin seemed excited at this amount of trust his Master was bestowing upon him. He nodded eagerly. "Yes, of course, Master. Don't worry."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I trust you, Anakin. Be careful."

He turned and left.

~*~*~*~

It was growing darker and colder. Qui-Gon became increasingly aware of those facts as he battled through the brush and mud. Naboo was too cold, he decided as he slugged his cloak on. He held his deactivated lightsaber out in front of him, ready to fire it up any second.

He was not a native of Naboo; therefore he had trouble finding the palace. He knew he could have found it very easily if he tried harder, but he was stalling. The more time it took the better. Maybe Obi-Wan would be dead when he got there.

Now, wait.

Qui-Gon stabbed at himself. He was a Jedi. Obi-Wan was not worth giving up all his morals. Jedi did not want others to die. Qui-Gon sighed, picking up his pace. He was a Jedi Master. Obi-Wan needed help and he would get it. He didn't deserve help, but he would get it.

Whither he deserved death or not.

~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan couldn't feel his arm anymore.

The cold started to creep through his bones. His arm was a hot throb. His neck hurt whenever he moved it. His ankle had started to swell, and it hurt when he breathed deeply. He did a span of his of his body and found he had twisted his ankle, sprained his neck, had a slash on his forehead from when he dove out the window, and cracked a couple of ribs. There were also the numerous cuts and the bruises. He didn't think of those.

He shivered. He had no idea how long he laid on the ground, just staring at the sky. He drifted in and out of consciousness for a while until he mentally slapped himself and forced himself to pull himself into a sitting position.

Standing up was a completely different subject. He couldn't seem to get enough energy to move his legs. No matter how hard he tried, they wouldn't move. He closed his eyes and tried to call the Force to him, but his injuries made it hard to grasp a handle on. He breathed harshly, closing his eyes when the pain got too bad.

Suddenly he heard a sound from behind him. He heard the metallic steps of droids as they clinked on the hard pavement. He swore. This area wasn't used that much, and no droids had attacked it, hence there were no guards around. He cursed his luck. He had fallen into a deserted place that offered no help. It had to be an act of fate.

Obi-Wan used his right arm to push himself against the palace wall. He would have to fight these droids. If he were lucky, there wouldn't be that many.

Not that he had been lucky before.

He quietly took out his blaster.

~*~*~*~

Qui-Gon hissed as pain drove through his shoulder. It felt like a blaster wound. He spun around, lightsaber glowing, searching for his enemy. He was met with the hoots of the forest. He did a complete circle before he realized he was alone. Confused, he deactivated his saber and concentrated on the flash of intense pain.

He held his arm and examined it. There was nothing. There was no pain anymore, either. It had been a quick flash on then nothing. It puzzled him. He searched through the Force and was astonished to feel the pain grow again. He tore the pain away and searched for the cause. And was infuriated when he found it. The anger that soared through him when he found the source surprised and scared him at the same time.

It was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was injured, and unintentionally had sent the pain away in the Force and through their shattered bond, Qui-Gon had felt it. He cursed himself. He should have realized from the beginning that Obi-Wan would turn out bad. He was respected for his great strength and knowledge of the Force, but he had not been able to sense the boy he had chose for a Padawan would turn out to be a…monster.

So now Qui-Gon knew that Obi-Wan was injured. That made his job harder when he found the man.

Angered, he continued on.

~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan recalled he had dropped his commlink on the floor of Sio Bibble's office. He frowned. If only he had that now and could contact someone…

~*~*~*~

Qui-Gon's commlink blinked. He answered it as he continued walking.

"Master Jedi?" Qui-Gon grunted an affirmative. "This is Lieutenant Kikerio Tekra. General Kenobi told me he left the Queen in your care. I wish to know if you have delivered her safely to the safe-hold."

Qui-Gon grunted another affirmative. "Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi? The Queen wants to know where he is. Is he with you?"

She didn't answer him for a few moments. "General Kenobi was trapped in Senator Bibble's office. I sent guards up there to help him ten minutes ago. I haven't heard a word since. "

Qui-Gon sighed. "Where is Senator Bibble's office?"

~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan heard the shouts from above him. He guessed the droids did too, because they paused. Obi-Wan scooted towards a large bush and used it to conceal himself partly. He watched the droids as the leader activated his comm unit. He heard it talk in Basic. He hoped the droids would be called back so he wouldn't have to fight them.

After a minute the droid waved him arm forward, and they continued to walk their intended path. He counted thirty.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself into a hunch.

The droids were in front of the bush. He had no doubt one of them would see him. Now he had the element of surprise on his side.

He fired.

~*~*~*~

Qui-Gon was not pleased with the fact he had go into the palace. He used a broken window to enter. He sensed all the droids were on the second floor. He ran to the throne room and continued up the stairs at a dead sprint, hearing the shouts of humans and the hums of blasters.

He erupted onto the second floor very much in the same way his former apprentice had. He saw a battle going on down a corridor and he did not slow, activating his lightsaber. He heard some yell out, and droids turned to him. He grimly realized that was the door that led to Sio Bibble's office. Obi-Wan should be in there.

He continued his run as the droids started to fire at him. He blocked and dodged the shots and leapt into the fray. He whirled and ducked and took out three droids. He crouched down and rolled past the droids, successfully evading them. He rolled into the room and uncurled.

The guards were winning, although six of them were injured and two dead. Qui-Gon glanced around the room, searching for Obi-Wan. He was surprised when he didn't see the former Jedi fighting along side his comrades. He searched the room as he continued to wipe out droid after droid. His eyes fell to the smashed window. He fringed an injury and collapsed into a corner where the injured lay.

"Where's General Kenobi?" he asked one whose arm was bleeding.

The woman was well trained and answered immediately. "He wasn't here when we arrived. " She nodded towards the window. "That window was knocked out when we got here. It was knocked out from inside. By the looks of it, it appears to have been blasted out. I think maybe he's out that way, but we haven't been able to send anyone out to check."

Qui-Gon nodded his thanks and stood. He easily fought his way to the window, taking out droids as he moved along. He could see now that the guards would win. They didn't need him. He peered out the window and instantly knew by the glass and blood that this was the way Obi-Wan had gone.

Qui-Gon knew it would take longer if he ran all the way out of the palace and came around. He didn't want to leave Anakin alone for too long. Quickly, he gripped the top of the window and swung himself out gracefully, turning his swing into a roll. He rolled down the roof and uncurled himself in time to grasp the edge of the roof. He glanced down, and let go.

He hit the roof of the first floor and stood on it cautiously. Using the Force to keep himself steady, he walked slowly towards the edge of the roof. He heard the metallic clink of droids and stopped, waiting. The shots that came from the second floor seemed to stop the droids too, because he could no longer hear them.

For a few moments, he heard the droid speak, although he wasn't paying attention to what they were saying. Then he heard them start to move on. It was in his best interest to avoid them. Judging by the wetness of the blood, he could tell Obi-Wan wouldn't be too far away. He would be able to follow the trail Obi-Wan would probably leave and find him.

Suddenly he heard a shots scream out. He almost fell over in surprise but he steadied himself. He knew the shots were coming from below him. He carefully walked over to the edge and balanced himself. He peeked over the edge and a second before he saw the person who was being fired upon he knew who it was.

Obi-Wan!

Qui-Gon thought for a split second before he launched himself over the edge in a somersault, activating his lightsaber. It hummed, alerting the droids to his presence. Some veered off of Obi-Wan and came after the Jedi.

Qui-Gon was all ready coming forward to slash at some droids before he landed. He neatly sliced three heads off in a row and moved towards the other one, kicking off the arm of one and slashing with his saber to bring its head off.

The small break was all Obi-Wan needed. He threw himself to his feet, firing as he went. He hit a couple of droids and destroyed them easily. He threw his blaster down. A second later his lightsaber came to life. He battled with his right hand, the left useless. He couldn't move that fast, but they were droids and it didn't really matter. He knocked five out in a matter of moments.

One had a vibro-blade, though, and he wasn't fast enough to dodge the slash as it came his way. It cut him cleanly on his right thigh. He paid no heed to the pain and sliced the droid's head off its shoulders. His breathing was ragged again and his whole body began to throb. He began to move slower as dizziness began to attack him.

Qui-Gon had all ready killed more than half of the droids. He used the Force to slam the remaining droids onto the ground. He deactivated his lightsaber, hardly sweating.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, switched off his saber and clutched his left arm. He stumbled back into the palace wall, yelping as he collapsed into it. He dropped his saber and slid to the ground slowly, gasping and gritting his teeth against the pain.

Qui-Gon watched the young man. He strangely felt no anger. Even better, he felt a twinge of concern. His own feelings had betrayed him, and he didn't like it in the least. Nevertheless, he gave into them and his honor as a Jedi. He stepped over towards Obi-Wan and crouched in front of him, his long robes brushing the man's feet.

"Can you walk?" he asked. His voice seemed dead and emotionless.

Still gasping, Obi-Wan just stared.

"What happened?" he said, nodding to Obi-Wan's bloody arm. Obi-Wan just looked at him, his eyes almost glazed. Qui-Gon examined Obi-Wan arm. His entire arm was soaked in his blood. Qui-Gon grimly remembered the blood he had seen on both roofs. He glanced behind him and saw blood spattered on the floor.

He groaned.

Obi-Wan would be no help to him now.

~*~*~*~

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