Chapter Twelve - A Frightening Consequence
Two days later, Obi-Wan rose with the sun and left his bedchamber. He was surprised to find the common room empty. Padmé was usually awake and practicing Kabon by the time he got up. High time she decided to get more rest, he decided. A lie-in will do her some good, and she was so tired yesterday. He asked Threepio to heat water for both of them, poured a cup of tea for himself, and settled himself in the parlor to continue a book.
He loved reading there, letting the morning sun warm him and wake him up. Obi-Wan smiled as he let his mind wander, using the Force to manipulate the floating flecks of dust that glowed in the sunlight. But when his awareness expanded to check on Padmé, he grew worried. She was still somewhere between awake and asleep. Eyebrows knitted, he walked to her door and knocked quietly. "M'Lady?" No answer.
Obi-Wan opened the door into darkness. Padmé lay on her side, eyes half-open. As the sound of his step, she smiled. "Ani?" she murmured. Her breathing sounded harsh.
Obi-Wan's blood ran cold. Venturing into the chamber, he said again, "M'Lady?" Agitated, Padmé shook her head. The Jedi reached out to take her hand; it was damp. Alarmed, he clapped his other hand to her forehead. Her brow was burning and sweaty. "How –" he began to wonder, and then stopped. Fool, keeping her out all night in winter! Are you insane?
He rushed to Padmé's commstation, activated it, and sent an urgent message to Master Alanna. She's sick. Please come quickly.
After he sent the message, Kenobi returned to Padmé's bedchamber and waited for the healers to arrive. He was on the verge of panic as his charge coughed and breathed raggedly. For the third time in his life, Obi-Wan yearned for his Force aptitude to be in healing, not in the arts of war. Some self-healing for battle injuries was all he knew, trances that would accelerate the healing process, but caring for illness in another person was beyond his education. All Obi-Wan could do was prop Padmé into a sitting position on her bed and fidget, frightened, nearby.
*
"Are you insane?" asked Master Alanna, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Even though she was twenty centimeters shorter than he, Obi-Wan felt as though she could squash him underneath her boot. "You take a pregnant woman out into the countryside, with one cover, and keep her there till sunup?"
Obi-Wan had been wearing a path in his bedchamber carpet since the healers arrived. Now Master Alanna stood in his doorway, eyes crackling with lilac lightning.
"We didn't intend to stay out all night," he began.
"She isn't meant to leave this property at all," shouted the Jedi Master. "You're supposed to be protecting her, Kenobi. Not going out at all hours to stargaze!"
"You can't expect me or her to stay caged in here for –" he began again.
"Master," came Yung's call from Padmé's chamber. Obi-Wan's eyes blazed with fear.
Breathing like an animal through gritted teeth, Master Olau pinned the Knight with a fierce look. "I'm not finished with you yet," she snarled. Obi-Wan's knees gave out under the onslaught of her ire, and he crumpled onto his bed.
Absently, Obi-Wan wondered how Olau and his knight-master could have been as close as they were, with her being famous among the Jedi for her temperament and sharp tongue. Then again, Master Qui-Gon's sense of humor had also been famous among the Jedi, almost as famous as his penchant for insubordination. He had always left Obi-Wan in awe of his ability to laugh off Alanna's snarly remarks, and love her all the more for them.
Twenty minutes later, both healers appeared again, looking worn. Master Alanna flicked an angry look into Obi-Wan's bedchamber, but passed without further comment. He almost wished she would yell at him again, though there was nothing she could say that was worse than what he'd already said to himself.
The Padawan did enter. Without any of her previous uncertainty, she slumped down onto his bed, next to him. "One of us will be here at all times until she gets better. She's going to be all right, Master Obi-Wan."
He sensed a telltale twang when she spoke. "You're lying," he muttered.
Lula sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Pneumonia is a nasty business, but we've caught it early. She's young and healthy in every other way, so we're certain that she'll recover. We just need to make sure that once her fever breaks, she doesn't relapse." Moanilula stood and focused her amber-brown eyes on his grey, red-rimmed ones. "Hey. She's going to be okay. And so are the twins."
Oh, Chaos, the twins, thought Obi-Wan as the young woman left his chamber. Her last words left him feeling worse, not better. He sank his head into his hands in misery. Qui-Gon, Anakin, and now Padmé and her babies. Is there anyone I've loved who hasn't died?
*
There were a few days of worrying over the babies' survival, but the healers were as good as their word. Obi-Wan gave up the use of his bed to whichever healer was in residence at the moment. Even though it was inside the ysalamir bubble, he slept on the floor in the third bedchamber, which Padmé had been planning to use as a nursery. Obi-Wan was frightened that it would not be used for its intended purpose. He doubted that he would be sleeping well, even if the absence of the Force wasn't so uncomfortable.
Master Alanna stayed in a temper for days and banned him from Padmé's chamber for as long as she was sick. Obi-Wan tired of her violet eyes glaring at him wherever he went, so he began to spend more time outside, working the garden as the earth thawed and spring approached. Obi-Wan understood her vehement stance against attachment, especially considering her closeness to his own knight-master, but he rationalized his feelings by reminding himself that Master Yoda had sent him here. Padmé was a dear friend. He had a right to worry.
Yung was kinder, although Kenobi sensed that it was due somehow to how she felt about him, rather than how he felt about Padmé. He didn't spare enough thought to care about that. Obi-Wan was just grateful that the Padawan let him sit with their charge while she rested from her duties.
Padmé did get better, though she remained weak and aching for some time. The few times that she was queasy, Obi-Wan helped her to the refresher and held her hair back so that she could...do...what she needed to. Between the Knight and the droids, Padmé and the healers had everything they needed, whether it was a clean basin by the bed, fresh linens, or clean handkerchiefs.
Other than these small tasks, there was nothing that Obi-Wan could do except rejoice as Padmé slowly regained her strength.
*
Author's Notes: Hey there, as always, thanks for reading!
Elu-Leen - Yeah, Ewan's singin' sure turns me into Jello.
Just one thing: the kiss between Obi and Padmé. I am not sure I was ready for it. I thought it would be a while until the two of them kissed, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Any first kiss between these two would have to have a catalyst to prod them together. And I wanted it to be a fatherly-husband-type impulse, rather than a lover-type thing, since it's Obi-the-Jedi-Code-Devotee. (Though he's very much alone right now, what with his people being slaughtered and all that…I think that contributed to it, too.)
Princess-Kinky - Thanks very much!
r77skywalker - Thank you, too! So nice to have a new reader. Here you go!
