Chapter Three: A Question Without an Answer
It's been three days since our heroes were admitted to the Royal Theed Hospital. Ahsoka Tano and her men continue to improve, though they did lose two young clones to the after-effects of the deadly Blue Shadow Virus. Meanwhile, Senator Amidala's life hangs in the balance, with her husband Anakin Skywalker forced to make a tough decision...tell her family and expose their marriage to them, or hope for the best?
"Mmm...have any three of hearts?"
Ahsoka peered at her cards, then blinked the black spots dancing in her vision before shaking her head. "Nope."
"Damn it." Rex pulled a card from the deck, tucking it into his collection.
"What about two of spades?"
"Kid - how are you winning at this?"
Ahsoka laughed while he reached over the card table between them, only to cough hard. She grimaced, dropping her cards in her lap and coughing into the crook of her elbow. The IV in her opposite arm twitched at the motion, her chest and throat unbelievably sore.
Rex dropped the card had requested on the table and leaned back, pulling the blanket around his shoulders closer. "You okay?"
She shrugged when the fit was over, spitting phlegm into the basin by her bed.
"At least you two are breathing."
Ahsoka craned her neck - and tried not to wince at the stiff muscles - when doors of the Intensive Care Unit whooshed open, expecting a nurse and grinning when she saw whom it was. Gathering her cards from her lap, she whispered in a hoarse chirp, "Hi Master Kenobi."
Obi-Wan chuckled, folding his cloak tighter around him while he walked, Cody at his heels. "Rex - you shouldn't corrupt the youth by teaching card games."
"He will respectfully decline that order, General." Cody managed a smirk at the glare his brother shot him, and sat on the bed. "He inherited the reckless gene."
"I believe all Mandalorians have that gene," Obi-Wan murmured wryly. He put a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, his brow creasing. "How are you feeling, Ahsoka?"
"Like I'm about to cough my lungs up any moment."
"Better then sir." Rex dropped his cards on the card table between their beds, and shivered, trying to pull his blanket tighter around him. "I heard a few of the shinies didn't make it."
Obi-Wan sighed, dropping his hand from Ahsoka's shoulder and folding his arms over his chest. The hospital team had separated the afflicted into twos, putting them into Intensive Care Units that were designed to become an operating theater within a moment's notice. But even with all the precautions…
"You two are alive, Captain. We must count our wins, not our losses."
Cody and Rex glanced at each other.
"What about Senator Amidala?" Ahsoka asked, clearing her throat between words. "I haven't seen Anakin or her -"
"Master Skywalker...well, I - I'll try to find him. Senator Amidala and her team requested he stay behind while you and the clones are transported back to Coruscant in four days time. The Queen is requesting various testing before the Senator can leave the atmosphere."
"Meaning we'll be cleared?" Rex asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "We might still be contagious."
"Oh I agree - but the Virus appears to be exiting your system. Besides," Obi-Wan managed to grin. "The Republic needs the 501st back in action."
Rex chuckled, then held a fist to his chest and grimaced. "I might have to take a few sick days sir."
"Duly noted."
Anakin had slept in many, many places. Well in all honesty, he didn't sleep much anyway. One had to sleep with one eye open on Tatooine - never knew what to expect, what might happen.
The Jedi healers had issued him sleep-aids at a young age, tried deep breathing techniques - nothing helped much.
Four hours a night without a night terror was a luxury.
The war had made it worse.
Sighing, Anakin rolled over on the small, stiff couch and stared at the bed in the center of the room. The hospital staff hadn't exactly wanted him to sleep in the room but…
Well, who could deny the General Skywalker? The poster boy of the Republic army? Whom just happened to be married to their beloved Senator?
Had it been under different circumstances, it might have been hilarious to watch the team of doctors and nurses be threatened and sworn to secrecy by Sabé - oh thank goodness for her. Currently the beloved handmaiden was taking much needed rest in her apartment in the Theed Royal Palace. She kept trying to convince him to contact the Naberrie's...they deserved to know what was happening...
Anakin glanced at the bed again, feeling tears in his eyes.
There was a mess of wires snaking out from her blankets, machines bleeping in the silence, an oxygen mask fitted over his nose and mouth.
He watched her chest rise and fall, then rose into a sitting position carefully and buried his head in his hands.
He'd never been the type to pray...but right now...
Anakin turned his head, listening to his neck crack painfully. There was a small shrine to the Goddess on the window, the glass statute gleaming in the moonlight. For some reason, it looked like…Shmi.
"What do I do Mom?" he whispered, staring at the statue. "I couldn't save you...and now Padmé...I cannot lose her...we haven't even been married a year…"
He gave a shaky breath, tears falling down his face. "We wanted to live on Naboo when the war ended...raise a family...I wanted to name one of our daughter's after you...Force, Obi-Wan will be so disappointed...did you know he gave up his relationship with Duchess Kryze to be my master?"
A rough laugh escaped him. "He never told me that though...Duchess Kryze told me when Padmé and I visited Sundari a month ago. Then three weeks ago we went on a mission...Master Tachi died in his arms...Mom, I don't know how he's even still functioning."
The hospital was quiet at night. There were nurses and loved ones of patients here and there, giving double-takes while he walked down the halls. He didn't ever sleep much in hospitals.
He never slept well on this planet anyways.
Obi-Wan rubbed a crink in his neck while he walked, deciding to make a detour into the cafeteria and buy a cup of tea. He ignored the fact that he hadn't eaten a decent meal in at least a week.
He did not get far.
"Anakin?"
The young knight turned from the window he had been staring out of, gaze unfocused for a moment before he gave a tired smile. "Master."
"You're not my Padawan anymore." Obi-Wan walked closer, keeping his voice low. He glanced briefly into the room to his right, where he could sense Padmé Amidala in her drug induced...coma. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Obi-Wan?"
Anakin managed a rough laugh, his eyes bloodshot and voice hoarse. "Old habits die hard."
"Mmm." Obi-Wan joined him at the window, watching the owls flit around outside. It amazed him, how much beauty and life could exist on a planet. He could nearly enjoy it...if he suppressed all the memories the planet held and focused on just this moment.
"How's the Senator?"
Wrong question. Anakin winced before he could stop himself, though the speed in which he recovered his mistake was impressive. He gave a shrug, leaning - well slumping really - against the wall. "She's...okay. The Virus hit her a bit harder than everyone else."
"Well Togrutas due have exceptionally strong immune systems - and our men are conditioned too -"
"I know."
Obi-Wan pressed his lips together, looking back out the window. He watched an owl swoop down and snatch a mouse from the grass. It was morbid, the two of them watching the mouse be killed and swallowed in one gulp.
We're all being swallowed by this war.
"Are you prepared for the worst Anakin?"
"How's Ahsoka doing?"
"Anakin."
"Master."
Obi-Wan put a hand on his former padawan's shoulder, forcing eye contact. "I'm serious."
"So am I - I feel like a terrible master - I haven't seen Ahsoka in days."
"Anakin... what's going -"
Anakin shrugged him away, taking a step back and glaring at him. "Nothing is wrong Obi-Wan. Drop it okay?"
Obi-Wan frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "...Ahsoka and your men are doing well. They're keeping everyone under observation for six days, then allowing the Medi Corps to transfer everyone back to the Jedi Temple for further observation."
"Padmé is staying here."
He raised his eyebrows, but before he could press any further -
Anakin glanced at his comlink when it chirped, and gave a grim smile. "If you'll excuse me Master Kenobi."
"Of course Anakin." He watched the young man walk away, wondering why the hell he saw the name 'Naberrie' briefly on the screen.
Author's note: hello there ;)
I'm quite enjoying writing this fic - it's interesting, trying to get the characterization of our lovelies in season one. Especially Obi-Wan. My God man. Seriously. xD
It's always been my personal headcanon that Padmé and Satine were friends long before the Clone Wars, and thus Anakin knew her well before the Mandalorian arc (and was thus being a little shit during the entire arc because he could and it made him laugh to watch Obi-Wan squirm). Odd headcanon but oh well ;)
ii Digestive Reader ii