Anakin was eight months gone when a sudden crisis arose on Ansion and Obi-Wan had to leave in hurry to resolve it.
"I cannot understand why it has to be you," Anakin exclaimed as he followed his mate around the apartment as Obi-Wan prepared his travelling pack. "Didn't you tell me a few days ago you had taken a period of half leave just to avoid being sent on mission during the last month of pregnancy?"
"Yes, I did, but this is a special occurrence, Anakin," Obi-Wan explained patiently as he folded his clothes. "Qui-Gon and I mediated a dispute on Ansion before the war, and now the planet ruler has asked for our help again. Qui-Gon, unfortunately, is no longer here to help, but I am, and it's my duty as Jedi to do so."
"I know," Anakin murmured. He had always been aware that Obi-Wan was foremost a Jedi and that his service to the Republic had to come before their relationship, and he had never complained when his lover had left on a mission. However, this time, Anakin felt uneasy. He did not want Obi-Wan to leave him.
The older man sensed his discomfort and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Don't worry, young one. It will be over soon. You won't even notice I am gone."
"That's impossible," he pouted. It was only a few months since they had started sleeping together regularly and Anakin was now used to having Obi-Wan in his arms or to being held by him, he was sure he won't sleep well until his mate returned.
"Now, come on, Anakin, smile for me. You won't be alone. Shmi will come to visit, and Bant will check on you every day. And, of course, the little one will be always with you."
As if on clue, the baby rolled, and Anakin's forced smile became real.
"All right," he said.
"Good." Obi-Wan smiled back, then embraced and kissed the younger man. "Now I must go; my transport leaves in twenty minutes."
"I will walk you to the hangar."
"No need. It's pretty cold today and you know better than me your body is still not used to it. There is no reason for you to risk catching a cold now."
Anakin nodded, seeing the wisdom behind Obi-Wan's words, and after a last kiss, he watched his mate walk away, leaving him alone and uneasy.
Obi-Wan had been gone for six days when Anakin was invested by a wave of pain that made him almost double over and left him breathless.
He was returning home after a walk in the Temple Gardens and had to put a hand against the wall to steady himself as the pain slowly disappeared.
Straightening, Anakin thought the pain had been his own or his child's, so he concentrated inward, as Obi-Wan had taught him, and tried to check both their conditions. Anakin felt right, the pain completely gone, and his son was asleep and all right.
So, from where had come that pain?
Then realization struck him.
Obi-Wan!
The pain had come from Obi-Wan!
Without losing time, Anakin turned on his heels and walked as fast as he could to the Healer's Ward. Bant was on duty that morning, and he knew she could ran all the necessary queries to discover if Obi-Wan was all right Anakin could never do without first asking and receiving permission from the Council.
A few minutes later, Anakin burst in the Healer's Ward with such an impetus the healers present turned around to look at him, some worried because of his hurried arrival, other scolding because of his lack of manners.
Anakin did not care for them, his eyes locked on Bant's approaching form.
"Bant, Obi-Wan-"
"Calm down, Anakin, you are broadcasting your emotions too strongly and disturbing the patients," the Mon Calamari told him, posing her hands on his shoulders. "Now breathe slowly and try to calm your thoughts."
Anakin did as he was instructed, until Bant was satisfied. "Now tell me what brought you charging here."
"Obi-Wan…I am afraid he is hurt. I was invested by a terrible pain a few moments ago and it didn't come from me or the baby. It must come from Obi-Wan!" Anakin agitation increased again as he saw Bant nod.
"Yes, it probably came from him, even so I will check you just to be sure. Anakin… Obi-Wan has been wounded on Ansion, and he is currently hospitalized there. We are going to send a ship to transport him back on Coruscant."
"I want to pilot it," Anakin exclaimed, ready to bolt from the room, but Bant stopped him, her hold on his shoulders stronger than expected.
"No, Anakin, I cannot allow you to fly. You are too far along, and already too stressed and upset as it is. You will have to stay here, with me, as we wait for Obi-Wan." Bant softened her orders with a small smile.
Anakin nodded, biting his lip. She was right of course, but it was not going to make the wait easier. "Is-is Obi-Wan wounded very seriously?"
"He has a massive chest trauma. He has been operated on to repair the damage, but there was a post-surgery haemorrhage." Bant swallowed hard and her eyes betrayed her anguish. "I received a call a few moments ago— he has slipped into a coma, Anakin."
"No…" he whispered, as his eyes filled with tears and his body started trembling, "No…"
"Shh, Anakin," Bant soothed him, wrapping her arms around him to keep him steady. She called another healer to help her, and soon Anakin felt himself being lowered onto a stretcher, his boots removed, and his belt unbuckled. Bant brushed back his hair, then pressed something metallic against his neck.
The last thing Anakin heard before the sedative acted and sleep claimed him was Bant's voice saying, "All will be fine, Anakin. Obi-Wan will be all right, I promise you."
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When Anakin woke up, it was to the sound of a steady beeping. Still sleepy, he reached out with his arm to switch off the annoying alarm, but his hand met only empty air.
Frowning, he rolled on his side and opened his eyes. It was then he realized he was not in his bedroom, and that the noise did not come from his alarm chrono. It came from the monitors set by the headboard of the nearby bed.
The bed where Obi-Wan was lying.
Memories returned in a rush and Anakin remembered everything had happened…when? How much time had passed since Bant had put him to sleep? Rising to a sitting position, he swung his legs down the mattress and stood up, padding barefoot to the other bed.
Anakin felt a lump constrict his throat as he saw how pale and fragile Obi-Wan looked. He touched the unconscious man's hands with his own as he stared at his bandaged chest.
The door of the room slid open, but Anakin did not raise his eyes from the face he was staring at.
"He looks so still," he whispered as Bant stopped by his side, "as if he isn't really here. And he looks so small." Anakin shook his head. "I have always known he is shorter, and more slender than me, but somehow the strength of his personality made him look bigger then he is. Now, instead…"
"Don't talk like that, Anakin. Don't use the past tense. The new surgery to repair the internal damages we performed here went perfectly well. His body now just needs rest to recuperate. He will wake up soon," Bant said, looking at him with serious eyes.
"It will never be too soon for me."
"I understand. Now, why don't you sit down as I go to fetch you something to eat? I know you well enough you won't move from here until he wakes up." Anakin nodded, his jaws stubbornly set. "That's why I had him Obi-Wan put in the same room with you."
Bant patted his back before leaving, as Anakin sat down by his mate's bedside.
He took Obi-Wan's hand in his own, squeezed it and murmured, "Wake up soon, love, Qui-Tor and I need you."