CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"What recommend you?"
Healer T'Pal studied Obi-Wan for a minute or two before hesitantly replying to Master Yoda. "I believe that the therapy should proceed with the presence of the Queen. Since she is so reticent, I may be able to access the bond more successfully while they are in each other's presence and it is more strong."
Yoda nodded his head in agreement.
"With her permission, of course. A bond elimination can only take place with the complete agreement and understanding of the parties involved."
"Agree, she shall. If in love with young Kenobi she is, the importance of removing this bond she must see. Bring her in."
Padmé was ushered into the room beginning to glow with the rising Nubian sunlight pouring through the numerous arched windows. She met Yoda's gaze with a glare. They had obviously asked her in here to test the bond, to see if it still existed.
Her frowning glare moved from Yoda, to T'Pal, but once meeting the weary gray-green eyes of Obi-Wan, she couldn't hold back the smile that brightened her entire face. He returned her smile with one just as brilliant.
It was at first a dull prick to her heart, and then the pulling began, growing steadily until she was drawn to kneel in a similar posture in front of him. When she would have run her fingers through his hair, beyond her own willpower, Healer T'Pal stopped her.
"You will not be allowed to touch. We only need your assistance."
"Assistance?"
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, finding himself not able to bear the look upon her face.
"The bond still exists. We need your assistance to proceed with its removal."
Padmé looked back to Obi-Wan, confusion and questions flashing across her mind. She had felt his despair, and then right before they asked her to come into the room, had felt a small glimmer of hope. Now the hope began to rise in her as well.
If they were asking her to help do something that would only cause Obi-Wan pain -- they could forget it.
"I will not cooperate." She saw a momentary flash of a smile on Obi-Wan's face.
Yoda was immediately by her side. "Deny Obi-Wan a future as a Jedi, would you? All that he has accomplished, take away from him? Love him you do. Obvious to all. Selfish, love is not."
"What do you know about love?" The words came out more bitter than she had intended, but she did not wish to take them back.
Obi-Wan sat silent, empowering her with his own feelings and determination through his gaze and along their bond.
"A Jedi, the entire universe do they love. Protect them, guide them, serve them. The best kind of love, this is. Sacrifice, duty, honor, committment -- the best kind of love, these things are. Take that all away from him, will you? Go against the will of the Force you do."
Padmé could care less about the will of the Force. In her eyes, all that mattered was Obi-Wan. But, some of Yoda's words began to ring true. She was not ignorant of the sacrifices of a Jedi. Taken into the Temple as small children, even infants sometimes, their entire lives were devoted to the Jedi Order. Years of training, physically and mentally. Obi-Wan had endured it all magnificently.
A small smirk then lit her face, which Obi-Wan had trouble reading. But her emotions were clear to him. Resignment. She had listened to Yoda and she was resigned to give in. He couldn't allow it. He didn't care what the outcome was, he just knew he could not let Padmé or the bond escape him.
Padmé took a deep breath and sighed it out slowly as she gazed into the green-graydepths directly across from her. No. She couldn't do this to Obi-Wan. Yoda was correct. Obi-Wan was a Jedi Knight. She did not have the right to take that away from him.
"All right. You may proceed."
Healer T'Pal's shoulders slumped from the relieved tension in the room.
Padmé looked to Obi-Wan, hoping for the best, but mostly feeling utterly, totally defeated.
She heard the healer's voice telling her to relax and clear her mind. It was then that a whisper of a thought flittered across.
/Don't let go./
She opened her eyes to see Obi-Wan's closed tightly. She closed her own once more and concentrated, and she heard the voice again. It was soft, cultured, and masculine, and belonged to no one other than Obi-Wan.
/I love you. Don't let go./
Focusing all of her energy inward, Padmé formed the thought in her mind, hoping that it would be received by the intended party.
/I have to./
/Don't let go./
/I'm sorry Obi-Wan./
/Don't...let...go.../
The words once more whispered along her senses right before she felt the presence of Healer T'Pal enter into her concsciousness.
An hour later, Padmé gasped as a new presence joined them. Master Yoda. With much less gentleness, he began to probe and prod the bond. She let out a slight gasp at the intensity of it, and then it was over. Both Yoda and the Healer had retreated and she was quickly left to her own thoughts -- thoughts which were quickly becoming quite dismayed.
Had they succeeded? Did the bond still exist?