The Jedi were dying. Less than half of their number was still fighting; the others were dead or near death. The Jedi were all standing in a ring amidst their fallen comrades and defeated enemies. Hundreds more clones still pressed forward, encircling them. The Jedi still fighting gave orders for the Younglings still in the Temple to evacuate, accepting their time and simply trying to buy time to give them a chance to flee.

Suddenly, the clones stopped. They kept their weapons pointed, poised to fire. One of the commanders walked over to a clone command ship that was making a landing nearby. A hunched, cloaked figure stepped out, crimson blade extended. The remnants of the Jedi Council were torn. Anakin had been correct, there was a Sith Lord on Courscant. And if it was Palpatine…there was another casualty among the Jedi.

"My Lord."

The figure waved his hand. "You will leave the Jedi to me. You and your men are to head to orbit in the Outer Rim until you receive orders."

"Yes, my Lord."

The clones didn't question the order. They marched into the transport, leaving the Jedi free to surge towards the Sith Lord. They were a few feet in front of the hooded figure when the clone ship exploded, sending fiery debris hurtling down, sending the Jedi scattering. When the dust and wreckage had cleared, the Jedi looked up to see the hooded figure toss aside his lightsaber and remove his cloak.

"Skywalker?"

"Where's Obi-Wan?"

"Skywalker!" Mace Windu snapped. "What is going on?"

"Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord. I killed him. The clones are all heading to orbit the Outer Rim until they get further instructions. I was able to get into the command system of the clone ships; they're all set to self-destruct as soon as they go into hyperdrive."

"Done well, you have, Knight Skywalker. Proud you should be."

Anakin bowed in respect, but he had no time to accept the praise. "Where is Obi-Wan?"

"Tend to the injured and respect the fallen, we must. Find him among them, you will."

Which was the polite way of saying Obi-Wan was dead or terribly hurt. Anakin strained himself to try and sense Obi-Wan through the Force. He wasn't dead, that much Anakin was sure, but he couldn't tell more than that. He ran through the masses of the fallen.

Obi-Wan was crumpled in a heap by the stone steps, blood trickling from his arm, leg and scalp. Anakin gathered him in his arms and as quickly as he could without jostling Obi-Wan too much, brought him inside to the Healer's Ward. As soon as he got there and laid Obi-Wan out on one of the beds, he realized there were no Healer's left. Bant was off planet. The other Healer's were dead, injured, or trying to bring the rest of the wounded into the Temple.

"Obi-Wan, come on. Please, you have to be okay. Just stay with me for this, please." Anakin was furiously looking around the room, pulling out bacta and bandages. Anakin ripped the tunic away from the blaster wounds and started feverishly pouring bacta into the wounds. Obi-Wan twitched uncomfortably, his brow marred with sweat. Thankfully, although Obi-Wan's body knew something was wrong, Obi-Wan himself could not feel any pain. Anakin finished applying the bacta and wrapped the injuries in bandages before checking Obi-Wan's head. Thankfully, it just looked like a minor scrape, nothing a little bacta wouldn't immediately heal.

By the time he was finished, Obi-Wan had visibly relaxed and his breathing was normalized. Anakin was still concerned – his head injury could still mean a possible concussion – but there were other Jedi who needed assistance.

The reparation process took awhile. Spare beds were placed in the Healer's Wing to accommodate all the wounded Jedi. The Younglings returned to the Temple. Mace Windu and Yoda were busy in the Senate, trying to establish a new Chancellor and smooth over issues with those that still mistrusted the Jedi. The other Jedi were doing their best to care for the injured. Anakin was always by Obi-Wan's bedside, waiting for any signs of consciousness. After a day without signs of improvement, Anakin contacted Bant with the news. He had been contacting her and Garren periodically with the news of the attack and the status of the Temple.

"I doubt it has anything to do with Arbor's poison, Anakin. His body has shut down temporarily to repair itself. Are his wounds improving with bacta?"

"Yes."

"Then I wouldn't worry about it, Anakin. He should awake in a day or two."

"Have you found anything yet?"

"We're finally gotten the location of where the Twi'leks were sold to. It – it wasn't good, Anakin. I would rather have told you at a better time."

"What is it, Bant?"

"Jenna Zan Arbor is dead. The Twi'lek slaves killed her in their escape. The entire place was burned to the ground, Anakin. There was nothing left. If there was an antidote, it was lost with her."

Anakin willed himself not to cry or slam his fists into the wall in rage.

"Thank you, Master Eerin. May the Force be with you."

He threw his commlink against the wall, watching as its screen cracked. Obi-Wan would spend his entire life trapped in his own mind, away from the outside world, and there was nothing Anakin could to do help. There had to be something left to do….he couldn't just give up, there must be a cure, somewhere, with someone…

"Knight Skywalker! Knight Skywalker!"

A Padawan who had been assisting in the Healer's Wing ran towards him.

"What's wrong?"

"Master Kenobi has woken up, sir. None of us can calm him down. He's going crazy. He hit Master Reeft."

Anakin took off in a sprint. Obi-Wan was sitting up in bed, shaking and flailing, the Force burning with his confusion and fear.

"Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan, it's me. Relax, please!"

Obi-Wan turned his head towards sharply towards Anakin and his heart sank. Obi-Wan's gaze was roaming, clearly unseeing. Anakin carefully walked over and lowered himself on the bed, placing his hands gently on Obi-Wan's waist. Obi-Wan flinched and started to once again lash out.

"Obi-Wan, it's me. It's Anakin. Please, please, just listen to me." He hoped fervently that Obi-Wan could still hear him.

Obi-Wan relaxed and let himself fall back against Anakin, who started to rub his hands across his back. "We did it. The Sith Lord is dead, the Temple is safe…but – but there is no cure, Obi-Wan. Bant and Garren, they – they couldn't find anything. She was dead, her work place burned down…I failed you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan's surge of pride that Anakin killed the Sith Lord was evident. He unsteadily extended a hand to try and find Anakin's own. Anakin understood what he wanted and moved his hand on top of Obi-Wan's, letting Obi-Wan entwine his fingers between Anakin's.

"I'm not going to leave you though, Obi-Wan. Even – even when you can't hear me, just…just know I'll always be here. I will always be holding you and sleeping by your side. I will take care of you. I'm not going to give up on your or the cure, Obi-Wan."

A/N: The next chapter is going to be very, very depressing, just as a warning! I am sorry!