No lateness this time! My document manager is finally working right so I was able to get this one up as soon as I finished it. Thanks for all the reviews on chapter 10.

Disclaimer: All Jedi Apprentice characters are property of Jude Watson, only the plot is mine.

Can Sins Ever Be Forgiven

Chapter 11: Remember Me

Qui-Gon could not find the words to say as Obi-Wan clung to him weeping uncontrollably, his body trembling as he curled himself into a ball. Obi-Wan had taken the life of his friend, a mercy killing to ease the suffering of a mortally wounded boy. That boy, Harvey, the one Qui-Gon had seen in his dreams, twisted and mutilated, bloody and broken, was this what was haunting Obi-Wan? Was this what he was seeing everywhere he turned?

He felt his heart twinge as Obi-Wan tried to speak, chocking on his words as tattered uneven breathes was all that came out. "Shh." He soothed as he ran his fingers through Obi-Wan's wet hair. "You've spoken enough for today, try to rest. I'll be right here when you wake up. I promise, I'll be right here, I won't leave you again." He continued his slow steady strokes until the sobbing became light gasps and then nothing at all. They needed to talk about this but it would be impossible at this moment in time, he needed Obi-Wan coherent and he himself needed time to think and meditate on the subject. He knew that what he said to the boy would have to be sure and steady to have an impact.

The room in which Obi-Wan found himself standing was completely dark save for the beam of light illuminating his withered form. He took several steps forward, the light following him as he did, still nothing could be seen. "Hello?" Obi-Wan asked. He could feel no other presence around him, he knew he was alone. "Is anyone here?" He couldn't help but dry heave as the most horrific stench flooded into his nostrils making his stomach churn. Death, rotting, decaying flesh.

"Promise." The word echoed through Obi-Wan as he managed to gain control over his somersaulting stomach. "Hold each other up."

"I'm sorry." Obi-Wan cried into the nothing that ay before him. "I-I didn't want to do it. But what else could I have done?"

"Promise." Came the echoing voice once more. Obi-Wan froze as Harvey stepped into the light, no blood, no wounds, two bright green sparkling eyes. "Remember me?" He asked as he ran his fingers over his scalp where the gaping wound once was. "This is how I used to be. Want to see me how I am now? Want to see me how I am because of you?"

"No. Harvey please, I'm sorry." Obi-Wan cried as the smooth white skin faded into a mesh of maggot infested flesh and bone. He couldn't hold back the scream as tears came flooding out of his eyes as the putrid stench of death retuned.

"You did this to me. You promised to always be there if I needed you." Harvey took a step forward towards Obi-Wan, several maggots falling away and disappearing into the darkness as he did. "I needed you and you were no where to be found, brother."

"I didn't know, please I would have been there if I had known!" Obi-Wan pleaded as he took a step backwards away from the approaching figure that grew nearer. "I would trade you places if I could. I want to see you smile again, I don't want you to be dead!"

"You mean like this?" Harvey asked as the flesh reappeared on his body as if it had never been gone in the first place. "Does this make you feel better?" He asked in a mock friendly tone.

"Please, Harvey, I just want things to be right again, I don't…"

"You want to make things right again? Too bad, nothing is ever right, nothing will ever be right because you fail at everything you touch. You are like a curse to those around you, soon everyone you know and love will be here with me because you'll fail them too."

Again the flesh melted away and the stench returned. Obi-Wan fell to his knees, sobbing into his palms. "I'm sorry…"

"I'm sorry? I'm sorry?" Harvey laughed. Obi-Wan felt cold dead hands grab his arm, looking up he saw the one green eye leering at him, a long centipede like bug crawling out of the other eye socket and into the blaster wound in his skull. "Is that all you can say? I'm sorry? Well, I'm sorry too, sorry that I trusted you to be there, sorry that I ever considered you my friend, my brother."

"But you asked me to! What was I supposed to do?" Obi-Wan pleaded as he was pulled back up to his feet. "I never wanted it to be this way. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I asked for this! I asked for my friend to shoot me in the head!" Harvey leaned in closer, faces almost touching. Obi-Wan could feel no breath coming from Harvey, only the smell and the tingle of the maggots touching his skin. "I asked for your help and you killed me. Remember what I said, I'll always be with you so long as you remember me. I will always be here to remind you of just how much of a failure you are. I will see to it that your death will be far worse then mine."

Within a split second of those words being uttered, Harvey was gone leaving Obi-Wan alone once more. He sank to the ground, tucking his knees into his chest as he sobbed, the light above him disappeared leaving him in the darkness with only the sound of his tortured cries to keep him company.

It had taken a while but Qui-Gon had eventually found sleep. He lay with Obi-Wan's head resting on his chest listening to he jagged uneven breathes until it lulled him into a dreamless sleep. He awoke to the sound of a blood curdling scream, Obi-Wan lay in a fetal position crying as he held his ears, blood dripping down his neck from where he had imbedded his fingernails into his ears.

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon took a hold of the boy's arms and pulled his hands away. Obi-Wan shot up, eyes wide, cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he screamed, tears falling in torrents down his cheeks. "Obi-Wan, what is it?"

It was obvious from the look in his eyes that he was not awake, and that whatever he had saw in his dream he was absolutely terrified. "I'm sorry, please. I'm sorry." His weak voice trembled out as Qui-Gon drew him into his chest, instinctually rocking him as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Shh. It's over now, we're going home." He tried to sooth the weeping boy though he knew his words were falling on deaf ears. "I'll make this better, I promise. I won't fail you again, I won't, I promise. Just stay with me." After twenty minutes of rocking and soothing the sobbing finally faded into weak labored breathes. "I'll make this better." Qui-Gon fought away the tear that formed in the corner of his eye. "I have to."

Tbc.