Author's Note: Hey SW peers. Thanks for all your reviews. Here's the next chapter.
Aftermath -- Chapter Two
----
Unsteadily, I pushed off from my examing bed and leaned onto my new crutches. I began to walk in a small circle around the bed. My steps were slow and short, but it beat having vegetation wrapped around my legs.
Healer Cleye nodded. "You know that usually we would recommend a hoverchair, but I'd like to have you strengthen your legs as much as possible."
"I agree," I nodded. "I'll be anxious to return to sparring soon."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Ready to go?"
"More than you can imagine."
---
We decided that I would spend the night at Obi-Wan's quarters instead of mine. Obi-Wan had already been back on Corusant for a day, and it would give Ferus our quarters all to himself. The walk from the Healers' to the apartments was a myriad of friends we hadn't seen in months, or even years. Jedi were celebrating in every corner of the Temple. The Sith had been destroyed, and the Republic was to be restored to its former glory. Many of the Order's mandates were being changed or altered, to grow along with what was being hailed as the New Republic.
Obi-Wan and I finally arrived back in his quarters. Anakin was in the process of moving fully to Senator Amidala, his wife's, apartment.
"Padme has no idea how much junk Anakin had accumulated," Obi-Was mused as he pushed one of the many boxes filled with spare droid parts out of our way.
I laughed. "Is he over there tonight?"
"Yes," he said. He scratched his beard. "It'll be odd for him to live there from now on."
I sighed. I knew how much Obi-Wan would miss Anakin. We were alone for the first time since our conversation in the Healers'. I sensed that Obi-Wan definitely wanted to talk, and as he fumbled around for kaffe, I knew that he felt as nervous as I did. I left him in his kitchen and walked over to his couch. I sat down and tried to calm myself with no avail. I gently kicked each leg out in front of me over and over. It took me a few seconds to realize that Obi-Wan had sat down with me, focused on my legs.
His words came tumbling out like a waterfall. "I want to know what happened. And don't tell me that those are the only injuries."
I suddenly felt like a small child. Of course I knew that we were going to talk about it -- but I had no idea how. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around me and pulled me toward him. I looked up into his face. He looked as scared as I did.
"Siri, I know it must have been bad. But please let me help."
I rested my head on his shoulder. He gently ran his fingers over my forehead and through my hair. Tears began to spill onto his tunic. They turned into a complete torrent as I continued to cling to him. I threw my arms around his neck and held him tighter.
He kissed my cheek. "I'm sorry, Siri... you need to sleep. I'm sorry that I upset you," he said softly.
"No," I said suddenly. "I need to get it out. Please."
"All right, then." I felt our bond pulsating with trust and support. He mentally urged me on. He let go of me, and I sat up straight. I wringed my hands.
"It was only a day after we got to Sullust. Windu had told us to be careful, because the natives were extremely against our involvement in the war. They had made threats against everyone, they wanted us off the planet. I was out scouting, and I got separated from the group. I didn't panic, I wasn't worried. But I knew something wasn't right. I could feel someone behind me. There were two of them, and they came out of nowhere. I started to scream, but they had something, a rock, maybe, I don't know. I was knocked out."
I took a deep breath. "I only remember waking up in some cell. I couldn't see a thing. Someone... someone started slapping my face. I'd been in this kind of trouble before, right? But I felt so different."
I started biting my lip. "They didn't ask me anything. They would just disappear, and I'd hear them yelling at each other. Then, finally, one of the women asked my name. I didn't say anything. She told me... she told me that the natives didn't want the war on their planet. I knew that. I knew their people were dying in all the destruction... they couldn't help it, we couldn't help it. We wanted to help them, but we couldn't. She told me that they were going to make an example out of me, so that we'd all leave."
I slowed down enough to feel Obi-Wan's Force signature brushing my mind gently. "She, oh... Force. She told me that if I told them where our camps were set up, they wouldn't hurt me." I snorted. "Yeah, right. As though I'd give up my friends for negotiations that weren't even true. I still wasn't saying anything. She was carrying something with her. I couldn't see what it was, but she was pulling something out of it. It was a rag. I assumed that she was just going to make me pass out." Obi-Wan gripped my arm slightly tighter. "It was some kind of acid. She just... sprinkled it on me at first. I started screaming. Then there was more, and more, and then, more on my legs..." I stopped again, concentrating on the unsteady breaths I was taking. "I was in so much pain. I couldn't stop screaming. I didn't notice that she left, and two of the guards came in. They -- they ripped off my shirt, and grabbed at my pants--"
"Oh, kriffing SITH."
Obi-Wan's voice was a choked whisper. I didn't hear him at first. I looked up. Tears were streaming down his face. I gently reached my hand to his face and cupped his cheekbone. I wiped away moisture clinging to his eyelashes. His eyes were shut, as though in pain.
"Siri, they -- raped you."
"Yes."
"Force." His voice was pained. "Oh, Force, Siri-- I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Siri..." He pulled me into a tight embrace. We held on to each other for what seemed like lifespans of the entire galaxy.
Five minutes later, I was falling to sleep in his bed with his arms embracing me. Obi-Wan rubbed my back as I fell into a deep sleep that I hadn't experienced in months. I knew I wouldn't have nightmares, and I noted that his bed was very comfortable.