Thank you everybody who reviewed on the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jedi Apprentice, it belongs to Jude Watson.

Can Sins Ever Be Forgiven

Chapter 2: Messenger

Another sleepless night. Obi-Wan was past the point of exhaustion, he lay on his back staring at the hand crafted model ships fly around in circles. He stood beneath them. Today the council would meet and discuss whether or not Obi-Wan was to be held accountable for Bruck's death. He stared at the bloody young man in the corner of his room, they used to be friends but that was before the blood and the ever staring green eye.

Harvey was his name. They met on Milidia Daan he was close to Obi-Wan's age the two had clicked instantly when they met. Harvey's jovial personality was a welcome change from the despair that was constant amongst the other children. Always with a smile that spread over his face to his bright green eyes, yes he had once had two eyes. Now only one remained, dim and weak. So alive, and now here he stood bloody, silent, and dead.

Obi-Wan refused to think about that moment in which Harvey's last breath had been breathed in his ear. He refused to think of his death all together. If he was so dead, how could he be standing there in the corner?

He hated being around people, even Bant his best friend. He felt like he was losing his mind and he didn't want anybody to see it go. Most days he either spent locked in his quarters or in the training rooms. At first he did everything he could to ignore Harvey thinking that maybe he'd go away, but it has been well over a month and he was still here. Still watching every move Obi-Wan made like a sentinel always present never changing.

The room suddenly felt cold, the air itself seemed to thicken making it hard for his lungs to take in the oxygen they needed. Obi-Wan swung his legs over the side of the sleep couch clutching his chest as he looked over at Harvey. He needed some fresh air, a walk, perhaps a walk would do him some good. The Council didn't meet until later in the morning so he figured he'd have plenty of time to take a stroll around Coruscant. The planet is one big city teaming with life from all races, Obi-Wan hoped that maybe being around all that life would help him regain his own, but did he deserve to have it back.

Breathing deeply as he stepped into the early morning sunlight Obi-Wan Kenobi closed his eyes to take in all the sounds of his new surroundings, the hum of cloud cars and transport ships and the chatter of passers-by as they continued past the young boy. His cerulean eyes snapped open as Harvey bloody form presented himself in his mind. Taking one more deep breath he started to walk amidst his fellow pedestrians.

He had no particular destination in mind so he simply went in the direction in which his feet carried him. Past stores and dinners and shops of all sorts, then down a few levels where he had never been before. He didn't know why he had went down there but he felt drawn to, like someone calling to him.

His pace slowed as he walked past a dark alley, he felt a sudden trimmer in the Force, like a chill running up his spin. Glancing over at Harvey who stood near the opening of the alley he reached for his lightsaber, but his hand landed on his side no lightsaber was there. Had he forgotten it?

Distracted by his missing weapon he didn't feel the foreboding presence coming up behind him. He tried to struggle as a hand clasped over his mouth but the grip was far too strong for him to break. He thrashed and kicked and fought to get free as he was dragged into the alley but to no avail. His head hit the hard concrete with a painful thud as he was thrown to the ground. Immediately getting back up he charged at his attacker only to be thrown back down, he was far too weak from lack of sleep and not eating to do any real damage.

In the dim light he could see the dark cloaked figure standing above him. He could feel the waves if the dark side emanating from him, Obi-Wan could feel the fear rising within him, he knew that in his condition he couldn't defend himself against this man, forcing the fear down he gritted his teeth and stared up at the looming figure. "Who are you? What do you want?"

A sinister laugh came from beneath the cloak. "One question at a time young Jedi." He spat the last word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

That voice, Obi-Wan knew that voice. But how? Hadn't they defeated him? "Xanatos?"

"You are a bright one, aren't you?" Again came the laugh as he pulled Obi-Wan roughly to his feet. "I want you to deliver a message for me."

"I'm no delivery boy, find someone else." Obi-Wan spat back at him as he pulled against the grip.

"No, you'll do just fine." He slammed Obi-Wan hard against the building to his right. Pain shot through him as he felt his skull crack against the concrete. He slid down, dizziness overwhelming him as Xanatos's boot contacted with his rib cage. "I want you to tell Qui-Gon that he has a choice to make." Obi-Wan tried to block the fist that was coming towards his face, his vision was blurred still from the dizziness he couldn't tell which one of them was the real one until it came crashing down breaking his nose.

"Either he surrenders himself to me or I take away something that he holds dear." Again came the fists and the boots striking Obi-Wan over and over again. "He will pay for what he has done to me or you will pay his debt with your life. And don't think it will be quick. Oh, no. You will suffer."

Consciousness began to slip away from the boy as the beating finally stopped. He laid one his back blood pooling around him, Harvey stood silently watching just over Xanatos's shoulder as he knelt down and put his face close to Obi-Wan's. "You see, the choice is simple his old apprentice or his new one." As quickly as he appeared he was gone again leaving the two broken bloody boys alone as the darkness swallowed Obi-Wan into sweet release of unconsciousness.

Tbc