A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I had a good feeling when writing the last chapter. I just love writing for Xanatos. He's so manipulative. I might start fast-forwarding a bit in the story, but I thought for this chapter, I'll just stay in the time zone. Maybe next chapter I'll jump ahead a bit. If you guys have any suggestions, I'm open to anything. Suggestions always help me brainstorm. You guys are probably getting annoyed at me writing this blurb, so shall we continue!
Chapter 8
PartnersObi-Wan leaned against the ceramic wall, allowing the hot water to wash away the grim and soap while warming his bones. The humming of the ship's thrusters along with the massaging cascade was relaxing Obi-Wan to the put his eyes started to drift closed.
"A nice long sleep would be very nice," thought the boy as he reluctantly shut off the shower. Sighing, Obi-Wan stepped out of the refresher and started to dry himself off only to stop and look at his reflection in the mirror. The person that stared back at Obi-Wan had a tired look about his face, a face too old for a 13 year old.
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan muttered out loud, "Come on, Obi-Wan, pull yourself together. You're gonna need every ounce of brain power and wit to make sure Xanatos stays true to the deal." "Yeah right, that will be the day when Yoda speaks in a normal manner."
Pulling out his new clothes, Obi-Wan studied the dark colors. The dark blue turtleneck sweater fitted over his slim form and covered the bruises from the collar. Since the cloth was thin, Obi-Wan slid the black fleece coat over it, hanging loosely over black jeans and boots. Gazing at himself in the mirror, the boy couldn't help but grin. For a 13 year old, he looked very stylish, giving himself a needed boost in confidence.
"Maybe this new life won't be such a bad thing after all," thought Obi-Wan, as he brushed his almost dried hair and headed towards the lobby.
Sitting in a booth, with dinner laid out before him was Xanatos. The man had not changed clothes but did tie his shoulder length hair back. Glancing up at his arrived companion, Xanatos spoke, "You look much better."
Obi-Wan bowed slightly, "Thank you for the clothes."
"No need to thank me, Obi-Wan. What is yours is mine to a certain extent," smiled Xanatos.
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes as he walked over and sat across from Xanatos, "What do you mean?"
Xanatos pushed a paper across the table. "This legal document declares that I Xanatos Crion is your guardian. It does not state that I am adopting you, but describes how we'll be living together and that if you ever get in trouble or decide to go to school, I am the person they need to ask permission from. Also," Xanatos grinned, "If anything were to happen to me, you shall inherit everything I own and run OffWorld Mining Company."
Reading the document for the third time, Obi-Wan didn't find any lies in Xanatos' explanation. "What if I don't sign this?"
"Then you will have nowhere to live, no source of income and finding the Saterin knowledge will be much harder."
Obi-Wan glared at Xanatos, "You had this document the whole time! You KNEW I would join you."
Xanatos laughed, "So what if I knew that you would have no other choice but to come with me; I didn't violate your little deal. You clearly stated that as long as I taught you how to control the Dark Side and don't mock your 'Jediness,' you would stay with me. Well, this little document does not fall under any of those terms."
Obi-Wan's eyes widen slightly. Xanatos had pinned him in a corner when the boy thought that he might actually be on the same playing field maybe a little higher than the Dark Jedi. Looking down once again at the document, he watched as Xanatos placed a pen in front of him.
"Now here are my terms, Obi-Wan. You agree and we'll seal this little partnership. You don't agree, I'll drop you off at the next planet and you can find your own way to live in this galaxy."
Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, glared at Xanatos and quickly signed the document. Feeling as if he just sold his soul to the Devil, Obi-Wan picked at his food for the rest of the dinner while Xanatos looked over mining proposals.
Later that night, Obi-Wan was stretched out on his cot, staring up at the ceiling. The slightly vibrations that came from the engines helped eased the tension in his muscles. Xanatos had played him like a harp and left him like a fool. He would have to watch the man even more carefully. But how was he supposed to do that if he wanted to focus solely on gaining the knowledge of his ancestors?
Frustrated, Obi-Wan rolled onto his stomach and yelled quietly in the pillow. He was such an idiot, a childish boy who thought that the galaxy was fair. Xanatos' parting words echoed in his mind, "It's better that it was me that made you feel like an idiot, Obi-Wan, because if it wasn't, in the real galaxy you would be dead." Tears began leak out of the boy's eyes. Wallowing in self-guilt, Obi-Wan slowly fell asleep.
Xanatos leaned over to the side of his bed and looked at the clock. 2:35 AM. Shaking his head, Xanatos was about to go to sleep when another more painful scream pulse ran through his mind. Growling, Xanatos searched his mind for the source, but it was answered in the next second when Obi-Wan's screams echoed down the hall.
Grabbing his robe, Xanatos ran down to Obi-Wan's room and palmed it open. Rushing to the boy's side, the older man grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him.
"Obi-Wan, wake up!"
"NO! ANAKIN! RUN! DON'T HURT THEM, PLEASE THEY'RE ONLY CHIL—"
"KENOBI!" This time using the Force directed through their bond, Xanatos once again tried to calm down the boy. For the brief millisecond that Xanatos touched Obi-Wan's mind, he caught a glimpse of a young man who wore Jedi robes but his blue eyes shimmered in hate and soon turned yellow. When the image passed, Xanatos felt himself shaken to the core. Whoever that man was, he was extremely powerful…and deadly.
"Sith," the word barely whispered past Xanatos' lips.
"Xanatos."
Xanatos looked down at Obi-Wan's face tinted with sweat and tears. The boy looked scared to death and his eyes showed like he had just lost everything in the world. Gently, and cautiously, touching the bond, Xanatos found an immense quantity of fear radiating off of the boy, along with a touch of self-guilt from earlier this evening.
Sighing to bid himself time to center himself, Xanatos spoke, "You need to learn not to fear so much. It is probably how these visions of yours are stronger than the average visions. You need to let go of your fears or at least control them."
Obi-Wan's feeble voice had returned to its' strong self, "And how do I do that?"
"By facing them and realizing what they are, so when you do confront them again, you won't be scared…uncertain."
Obi-Wan nodded and turned to his side, so he face Xanatos. "Xanatos…"
Xanatos could sense what the boy wanted, but since they had just met and the boy still regarded him as an enemy, Obi-Wan didn't further his sentence. But, Xanatos felt the fear of being alone again and need for someone to be by his bedside. Like a little kid not wanting his mother to leave him just in case the monsters under the bed came out, Obi-Wan wanted any type of company—even Xanatos'—to help ease his fear of the nightmarish visions.
Xanatos nodded, "I'll stay." Rising up softly from the bed, Xanatos sat in the large lounge chair and stared at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan studied Xanatos, trying to figure out the mystery man before him. However, exhaustion from his time in the mining facility, his escape and now the vision allowed for a dreamless sleep to encompass the boy. Xanatos watched as Obi-Wan finally fell asleep, before returning back to his room. Lying on his bed, the Dark Jedi found that he could no longer sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, those yellow/red eyes of the Sith/Jedi stared back at him. No wonder Obi-Wan was screaming, no wonder his fear was great, no wonder…Xanatos smiled. No wonder the Dark Side seeped into the boy's mind whenever it got a chance. If the visions kept going like they did, Obi-Wan's fear would soon turn to anger and every Jedi initiate knew where that path lead.
"Let's see if you can keep your end of the bargain Obi-Wan," mocked Xanatos out-loud, as his mind finally found some peace and sleep beckoned him to the darkness.
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A/N: Well there ya go! Sorry this chapter was a little short, but I promise to make the next one a little longer. Just in case it was a little vague, the vision Obi-Wan saw was when Anakin killed all those children in EP III. I crying so hard… Reviews are always welcomed and the next chapter hopefully will not take too long to write. Until then, May the Force be with you.