"They're all clear, General," Helix told him, handing Obi-Wan the datapad to sign so it was in print that all six Jedi younglings had been checked over by a medical officer. "Nothing more than some bumps and bruises."
"Thank you, Helix," Obi-Wan said sincerely, appreciating that caring for half a dozen children was not in his job description. It was by no means an easy task either. "I'll make sure Master Che knows."
"They're all up to date with their vaccinations now too," Helix added, taking back the datapad once Obi-Wan was finished, "The only person I haven't seen is Commander Tano. Any idea when she'll be stopping by?"
Obi-Wan was tempted to roll his eyes. It was no surprise that the Togruta hadn't visited the medbay in the three hours since they rescued her and the younglings.
"I'm afraid she takes after her Master in that regard," he sighed, sharing a knowing look with Helix. Anakin was always a terrible patient, especially when the medic-on-call wasn't from the 501st. Kix and Coric had learnt how to blackmail and manipulate him into receiving treatment, but other medics- understandably- weren't so confident.
"I'll see her shortly?" Helix said, lifting an eyebrow cautiously.
"I'll make sure of it," Obi-Wan promised, already getting his commlink out.
"What about these ankle-biters?" Helix nodded to the pile of sleeping younglings, so exhausted by their ordeal that they practically collapsed onto the worn sofa in the medbay office.
"They'll stay out of trouble for a while," Obi-Wan assured, looking at the group of children fondly. The Council had been calling him often with regards to their wellbeing. As much as the Order preached resisting attachment, they really did care for their young. "If they do get rowdy, I'm sure Cody can watch them."
The Commander was the first person he called on departing the medbay in search of Ahsoka, "Cody, come in."
It didn't take long for him to reply, "Go ahead, General."
"I'm looking for Ahsoka," Obi-Wan said, turning in the general direction of the mess hall. He figured he would start his search there. "She hasn't visited Helix yet. I was wondering if you've seen her?"
There was a short pause, "I thought she was with you, sir?"
"I haven't seen her since the hanger," Obi-Wan admitted, worry creeping into his voice.
"Do you want me to ask around? Maybe one of the guys has seen her?"
Obi-Wan stepped inside the mess. Ahsoka could usually stand out in a crowd of clones but there was no sight of orange skin or white and blue montrals in the busy canteen. He sighed, "I'll have a look. You might be getting called to Helix's aid to watch the little ones."
He could almost hear his Commander groan, but he hid it well, "Yes, sir. Cody out."
Obi-Wan smiled tightly to himself, taking the next turn to head towards the officer barracks. Ahsoka was no doubt as tired as the younglings and might've snuck into his quarters to get some rest- it wouldn't be the first time.
Though she saw the Resolute as her second home away from the Temple, Ahsoka often found unfamiliar starships disorientating, especially with her montrals being so sensitive. It wasn't entirely unlike her to find a quiet spot to hide away in instead of socialising with the men.
The closer he got, the heavier the dread felt in his stomach. Obi-Wan should've insisted that Ahsoka went straight to medical when they departed in the hanger. Hondo had certainly been leering at her before they managed to at last send him on his way. The Jedi knew what men like Hondo believed about young females of Ahsoka's species.
Anakin would never forgive him if his Padawan arrived at the Temple with any untreated trauma from her time in captivity.
Unlocking the door to his quarters, Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief to see the sheets of his bunk crumbled as they covered a small body. Ahsoka's boots stuck out from underneath the mattress, her lightsabers on the table.
He kept his steps light, not wanting to startle her. If she didn't have any visible injuries, he'd rather she rested before seeing Helix. How long had it been since she last ate? Judging by the fact that she was fully dressed, she hadn't bothered to shower yet.
"Ahsoka?" He took a knee next to the bunk, shaking her shoulder gently, "Wake up, my dear."
She turned over, blinking- too slowly- until her dull eyes focused on him. "Master Kenobi?"
She was lethargic, her voice slurring. Obi-Wan's heart rate picked up as he took her wrist, pressing two fingers to her pulse point. It was slow for someone so young.
"We should let Helix have a look at you, little one. Come along."
When he tried to pull her upright, Ahsoka groaned in pain, rolling away from him. Obi-Wan reached into the Force, looking for the cause of her discomfort when his eyes narrowed in the darkness. There was a dark bruise on the back of her lekku, a laceration nearly as long as his palm crisscrossing through the stripes.
Panic clawed up his throat. How long had she been asleep? Helix might just kill him.
"Ahsoka." He said sternly, "I suspect you have a head injury. We need to go to the medbay."
Not getting any response, Obi-Wan stood up. He hated having to resort to brute force, but he knew Helix wouldn't want to abandon the medbay and its six rather young occupants, nor could he treat Ahsoka's injuries on his own. He had never been trained in dealing with lekku, and from how much Anakin had complained about what he'd learnt to accommodate his Padawan, they were rather complicated.
He attached her lightsabers to his belt, then took Ahsoka's hands, drawing her up. The Togruta wobbled- unlike herself but normal when dealing with trauma to the montrals- and crashed into his chest. Obi-Wan held her tight, cradling her for a moment to whisper over her head, "I'm sorry, little one."
Helix already had a cot lined with clean sheets by the time he arrived. Obi-Wan had resorted to carrying Ahsoka the entire way, which she had initially tried to protest before giving in. The Jedi was relieved to see that the younglings had left, taken by Cody to go on a tour of the bridge. Obi-Wan figured that Ahsoka wouldn't want the younglings who looked up to her with pure admiration to see her like this.
"Yeah, that's nasty," Helix grunted, getting a brief look at the back of Ahsoka's head as he helped Obi-Wan lower her gently onto the cot. "Lekku are sensitive."
"I don't know how I didn't notice it in the hanger," Obi-Wan said, already imagining the conversation he would need to have with Anakin later. The Knight was never restrained when it came to his student's health and wellbeing.
"You had those other kids to keep an eye on, General, it's understandable," Helix stepped around the cot to see Ahsoka's face, pulling on a pair of latex gloves, "Commander Tano?"
Her eyes were closed, exhaustion drawn across her features, but she managed to give a responsive murmur.
"Are you in any pain?" He asked, drawing a torch from his belt and flicking it between her eyes once they opened. Ahsoka didn't flinch away, her pupils reacting normally.
"Just uncomfortable," she murmured.
Helix moved again to look at the back of her head. In the bright lights of the medbay, the laceration was clearer. Obi-Wan could see the jagged edges, indicating that it wasn't a knife wound.
"How did this happen, Commander?" Helix asked, not quite touching the broken flesh. It looked shallow, the sensitive tissue of her lek visible and weeping, thankfully not bleeding.
"Grievous," Ahsoka supplied, gasping hard and arching her back when Helix traced the bruise around the cut with his finger.
"Sorry, kid," he said quietly, drawing back. Her shoulders tensed at the playful nickname, one that men from her own Legion had used commonly, even Captain Rex.
Obi-Wan's chest burned as Ahsoka squeezed her eyes shut, obviously attempting to keep her tears at bay. He was suddenly glad that he hadn't prodded at the wound earlier, as he knew Helix's touch was gentle, but it still caused pain.
"Oh, dear one," he said softly, stepping closer.
"I've never dealt with this sort of injury," Helix admitted, speaking only to Obi-Wan as he turned to his table of equipment. "I can flush it clean and administer something for the discomfort, but I'll have to call Kix or Coric if I need to stitch it."
"Don't," Ahsoka managed through gritted teeth, "They're on leave."
Obi-Wan placed his hand over her brow, trying to soothe her. Some of the tension left her body as he flooded their bond with comfort and relaxation. "They won't mind, little one."
"Please," she pleaded, blinking at him through half-lidded eyes, "I- I was fine for this long, wasn't I?"
Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing her cheekbone with his thumb, "You're just as bad as your Master."
"Respectfully, sir," Helix cleared his throat, "If the Commander stays here to be monitored, has a full meal and allows me to insert an IV for hydration, I see no reason why the more experienced Jedi Healers can't patch her up once we arrive on Coruscant."
Obi-Wan glanced down at his former Padawan's student. Ahsoka hated the Halls of Healing as much as any other member of her lineage, but it was a reasonable compromise. The Healers could put her in an unmedicated trance to heal her lekku, and Helix was right in saying they would be more suited for the job.
"Ahsoka?" He asked, giving the choice to her.
"Okay," she took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself, "Okay."
"Good girl," Obi-Wan breathed, giving Helix a nod to start setting up the IV. Without Anakin present, Ahsoka's guardianship naturally fell to him. He would have to call her Master soon though, preferably before they arrived on Coruscant.
She didn't even flinch as the needle was pushed into the back of her hand, thanking Helix numbly as he brought her a cup of caf at her request. Obi-Wan promised the medic he would go to the mess to get her some food as soon as he had contacted Anakin.
"Do you want to speak to your Master, or do you want me to?" He offered; the frequency already dialled on his commlink.
"You can," Ahsoka said, trying to get as comfortable as she could on the stiff cot without jostling her head too much. Helix had wrapped it loosely; entirely unsure what sort of dressing would be least abrasive to the sensitive flesh. Even with his efforts, Ahsoka still looked miserable. "I don't want to deal with his fussing."
Obi-Wan looked at her, "I'm not being too overbearing, am I?"
"No," she pouted, "I just… I've spent the better part of a week looking after six younglings on my own, getting their crystals, defending them from pirates and fighting Grievous. I don't really like being suddenly treated like a kid again after all that."
His gaze turned sad, "I'm sorry, Ahsoka."
"Don't be," she shook her head, "It's stupid."
"It's not," he touched her hand- the one without an IV taped to the back. "You did a good job; you deserve recognition from the Council for what you did."
She huffed, "I ended up needing rescuing and now I'm in a medbay. I don't exactly deserve high praises."
"Ahsoka," he leaned down so she had to stop avoiding his eyes, "I see a lot of myself in you and Anakin. Right now, it's like I'm looking in the mirror of a Padawan terrified of not feeling worthy, a student who forgets that they are still learning. Do you know how many times Anakin got himself into difficult predicaments during his Apprenticeship?"
"A lot," she murmured before sighing heavily, "It's different, Master. When you and Anakin were Padawans, there wasn't a war going on. You didn't have to lead men into battle and deal with lightsaber-wielding super droids. Nobody got hurt when you made mistakes- there weren't so many people counting on you."
"Ahsoka," he stopped her, "You're right. Times now are different from how they used to be, which is why there is so much pressure on you. It's also why Anakin and I worry so much- because we know that you're capable, but we know you are also young. There is no shame in having people look out for you."
"I know," she said softly, "I'm grateful for you and Master Skywalker, I am. It's just… I never wanted to need someone."
"I was very much like you when I was young, Ahsoka, and Anakin was too," he told her, "It takes a lot of courage to admit that you need help every now and then. Can you promise me that you won't be so hard on yourself?"
She sighed, "I'll try, Master."
"Do or do not," he reminded her, patting her shoulder as he straightened to leave. Landing procedures would begin in less than an hour, and she still needed to eat a full meal before getting transferred from the ship's medbay to the Halls of Healing. "You're becoming a great Jedi, Ahsoka. Never doubt that."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," she bowed her head, seemingly more at peace with herself. Obi-Wan hoped she would take what he said on board. Self-doubt was chronic in his lineage, and he hated seeing his youngest Padawan struggling.
Anakin was waiting for them on the landing platform, amongst other Jedi eager to see the return of the younglings. Obi-Wan escorted them, staying close to Ahsoka's side as they walked down the ramp, lest she fell.
After some food and a nap (closely monitored by Helix, naturally), she was much more chipper. The younglings were in awe of the injury to her lek, which surprised Ahsoka, but she answered their curious questions with honesty.
Even after reassuring Anakin before they arrived that his Padawan would make a full recovery, the Knight was next to Ahsoka the moment her feet were on solid ground. He scanned his Padawan from head to toe, "You okay, Snips?"
"I'm okay," she promised, "Master Obi-Wan looked after me- he made sure I didn't sneak out of the medbay."
He was glad to see her snippiness was back, even as he rolled his eyes, "And I'll pass the responsibility of getting you seen by Master Che to Anakin. Yes, Ahsoka?"
"Yes, Master," she smiled, bowing politely as he went to speak with Master Yoda.
He cast a look over his shoulder, catching sight of Anakin touching Ahsoka's shoulder, a proud smile on his lips as he spoke to her. Admiration and pride swirled around the duo. Obi-Wan could hardly contain his smile.
His lineage was going to be just fine, as long as they had each other.
