Okay, so a lot of you who reviewed said you wanted a major setback in this chapter. And so that is what shall happen! Seriously sorry for the delay; writer's block, you know?
The-writer1988: I will definitely put your suggestion in later, thanks for the feedback!
Anakin had never seen a Healer cry before. First time for everything, he supposed.
Obi-Wan's long-time friend and Healer Bant Eerin was waiting for them when the Jedi arrived at the Temple, two gravistrechers floating next to her. Anakin was thankful the temple hangar was empty this time of night; their small group would have made quite a commotion.
Ki-Adi-Mundi had already set the clone down on one stretcher and was talking solemnly with Master Eerin, who looked more and more worried by the second. As he drew closer, Anakin saw Bant quickly wipe away a tear and place a webbed hand over her mouth. Bant glanced over at the approaching knight and gasped, all thoughts of the Jedi Master next to her forgotten.
"Obi?" she whispered softly as Anakin laid his Master down on the second stretcher. Anakin and Ki exchanged glances as the Healer gently brushed back a lock of hair from her best friend's bruised face. The two Jedi sensed they weren't needed anymore and began walking towards the main hall, though Anakin went a bit reluctantly. The Jedi Master saw the look of hesitation and placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder.
"You did well, Skywalker. Master Kenobi owes you his life, as well as the clone trooper. Well done."
Anakin blinked, unused to such praise from a Master. He offered a weak smile, "I couldn't have rescued him without your help, Master. Thank you."
Master Mundi nodded as they ambled down silent halls, their footsteps clattering against the stone floors. The two men walked slowly in silence for a few moments until Ki-Adi caught his companion glance back towards the hangar bay.
"Your Master will be fine, Skywalker. You know the Healers will take good care of him." He chided softly. Anakin nodded absently, turning his head behind him once more.
"Still…he might have a bad reaction if I'm not there…maybe I should go and stay near…?"
"Skywalker," Ki-Adi said sharply as he stepped in front of the younger Knight, "Master Kenobi will be just fine without you watching over him for a few hours. The Healers have some of the best technology and medical supplies in the galaxy, and will do everything they can to help him. You can visit when the Healers assess his condition; for now, go get some rest. You have certainly earned it. I or the Healers will contact you if you are needed or if you are allowed to see him. Understand?"
Anakin sighed, "Yes, Master," bowing respectfully as he did. The knight strode off towards the entrance hall; he was too restless to sleep in his quarters tonight, and he knew someone who could use a little good news right now…
"Anakin!"
Padme smiled joyfully as her husband walked through the door to her apartment, looking tired and stressed but happy. Anakin quickly swept her into an embrace as he reached her desk, literally sweeping his wife off her feet. Padme shrieked as Anakin lifted her into the air, laughing as she clutched his shoulders. When he put her down, thought, Padme smacked her husband's arm and tried to look angry.
"Where were you last night?" she demanded as they both plopped on an overly-plush couch, "You were supposed to come over!"
Anakin shrugged, "Oh, you know, the usual. A little lightsaber practice, a council meeting, rescuing Obi-Wan, some meditating. Same old, same old." He grinned, waiting for Padme's reaction. His wife's eyes widened considerably and she gasped.
"You did not!" she gaped at him open mouthed as he nodded, "Oh, Ani, that's wonderful! How is he?"
Padme regretted asking the moment a dark look crossed Anakin's face.
"Not…not well, Padme, he's…he's pretty hurt." Anakin struggled to get the words out, memories of his bruised and battered Master floating back to him. Padme scooted closer, lightly stroking his hand.
"Want to tell me about it?"
No, he didn't. He didn't want anyone else to know what had happened, wanted to keep the man's dignity intact. But this was Padme—she's known Obi-Wan for just as long as Anakin did, if not more by a few days. Anakin sighed and began to recount his tale, stopping every now and then to take a few deep breaths. He told Padme everything; the explosion, his nightmares, no one believing him, his fear that he would be too late, the horror he felt at the first sight of Obi-Wan back in the cell, how awful the wounds looked when he'd cleaned and bandaged them. By the time he was finished, he wife's eyes were sparkling with tears. She quickly wiped them away and gave him a watery smile.
"I'm glad he's back, now. Anakin, you did magnificent, saving your Master like that. Do you know who…mistreated him?" Padme asked carefully, not wanting to upset her husband.
Too late. Anakin's eyes darkened with a cold fury she'd never seen before. "Yes. That monster Asajj Ventress."
Padme's hand unconsciously floated up to the long scar over Anakin's eye; a gift from the same woman when they'd fought before. Gently, Padme turned Anakin's face toward hers. Once their eyes met, she smiled warmly and kissed him. Anakin wrapped his arms around her, smiling dreamily as they separated.
"You said the Healers would call you if you were needed, so let's get you rested up first. You'll be no good to Obi-Wan half dead with exhaustion." Padme teased. Anakin made a sour face.
"Now you sound like Master Mundi—hey!" Anakin protested as Padme shoved him off with a disgusted look, "What did I do?"
"You just completely killed the mood." She giggled as Anakin chased after her, slamming the door to their room as they ran in.
Beep, beep, beep.
Anakin groaned as his tired mind fuzzily registered the annoying sound of his comlink going off. Grumbling to himself, he turned over and dragged a pillow over his ears to keep out the noise. His plan didn't work; leave it to Padme to expect him to take a call in the middle of the night. His wife gently shook his shoulder.
"Anakin," she murmured, "Your comlink is ringing."
"Unh. I'll call 'em back."
"It could be important."
"They'll leave a message."
"Do I need to do everything around here?"
"Who's the one who hasn't slept for two days here?"
Padme sighed in defeat. "I'll check the message then."
Anakin smiled and snuggled deeper into his pillow. He shot up in bed a moment later.
The Healers will contact you if you are needed…
Kriff.
Anakin tried to quell the rising sense of panic and foreboding he felt boiling in his stomach. Calm down, Skywalker, he mentally admonished himself, it could be anything. The council could just want a report, or…or maybe you have a lightsaber class to teach, or…
His heart sank as Padme dashed into the room, clutching his comlink so hard her knuckles were as white as her blood-drained face.
"That was the Healer's Ward," she said shakily, "They need you down there immediately. Something's wrong with Obi-Wan."
Anakin never flew out of bed so fast before.
He was pretty sure there would be some mentions of his actions in the next council meeting he went to.
The trip to the Healer's Ward was all a big blur to Anakin; he could remember running down the halls, nearly mowing down padawans and younglings in his wake and once almost tripping over Master Yoda (an easy mistake made by many a Jedi before). He barely saw the concerned looks on the few, nameless faces he passed, barely felt their concern in the Force. If a Healer needed you now, it could mean whoever you were close to was moments from dying and you needed to say goodbye, or perhaps you had the information that could mean life or death. Unfortunately, Anakin had been in both situations before.
Before he knew it, the knight was in front of the large white doors of the Healer's Ward and inside the sterile reception area that smelled to much like bacta and other medicines for his taste. Anakin rushed over to the small group of people in the center, recognizing Bant among the two other Healers.
"What's wrong?" Anakin demanded before Bant had a chance to speak, "Is he okay? What's going on?"
Bant placed her webbed hands on his arms, "Anakin, calm down. I'll explain everything in a moment, but just answer this; on the ship, did you give Obi-Wan any bacta?"
"Um…yeah, a lot."
"How much?"
"Uh, maybe about half a container?" Seeing the stricken look on Bant's face, Anakin immediately started to defend himself. "He was hurt, what was I supposed to do?!"
Bant didn't answer; instead, she put a few rushed notes into her datapad, murmured something to a tall green-skinned Rodian Master who hastily sped off, and exchanged concerned glances with the small padawan next to her. Only then did she sit Anakin down in a hard plastic reception chair.
"What is going on?" Anakin demanded, hands nervously bunching the fabric of his tunic.
Bant placed her hands over his. "Anakin, just calm down. Everything should be okay."
He barely caught her words, his mind hung up on should be. "What do you mean "should be"? Is my Master okay or not?!"
Bant anxiously wrought her hands. "Anakin…," she took a deep breath, "You know some of the things that happened to Obi when he was…away, yes?"
Anakin nodded slowly; he knew more than just some things.
"We were doing a scan of his…erm…insides…and we found something peculiar. We found out that while he was held captive, Obi-Wan was forced to eat these little creatures called muscle maggots." Her voice cracked, "Muscle maggots are little insects that once ingested, will begin to literally eat their host from the inside out."
Anakin felt the world shift under his feet as he felt the sudden urge to use the 'fresher. "So…are…are they…active?" he could barely get the words out, panic beginning to set in.
"That's the problem. Somehow, by some Force miracle, Obi-Wan managed to kill them with the Force. Or so he thought. The maggots merely went into a sort of hibernation period. They probably could have gone undetected for years, except they react to bacta."
Anakin paled.
"When you used the bacta on that ship, it entered his bloodstream like it'd supposed to, but it also woke up the maggots." Bant's great silver eyes were filled with tears by then, "Healer Selara should be starting surgery to remove them any second, and if everything goes well, we'll put Obi on antibiotics to remove any poisons or venom they might have carried."
"Is…will it work?" Anakin asked in a voice barely more than a whisper. Bant slowly shook her head.
"We don't know."
It was all he could do to drop his head into his hands and sob.
Bum bum BUMM! Cliffhanger! Lol, obviously Obi survives, because I hate it when he dies in stories. But there is the setback you asked for, maybe a few side affects of you make a specific request for one. I have a funny scene planned out for next time, and once again, so sorry for the delay! Eighth grade is killing me!
Review, fav and follow! And Happy Holidays! (Why do I always update near a holiday?) ^_^