Sorry about the delay- I've now gone back to Uni so work is picking up again. At least it isn't too bad yet so I can post this for you guys. Thanks for being patient with the nasty cliffhanger I left you last time! :P

Disclaimer: See other chapters. I don't own anything :/

Enjoy!

Chapter 12- Sacrifice

Time seemed to slow down as the faint message registered in Obi-Wan's battered mind. He was unaware of the scream of anguish and pain that ripped itself from his throat as the mental words, the last words his Master would ever say to him filtered through the breaking bond. He could feel it trembling and shaking, like a room in the throw of a powerful earthquake, already crumbling and twisting.

/No, no, no, no! This is not happening! Please Master! /

The Force wailed in agreed protest as the Padawan shook his head in denial, fingers desperately trying to find a pulse at the older Jedi's neck as the tears began to form, slipping down his cheeks as he broke down, unable to prevent the outpouring of grief. He was too late…too late…it was over. Nothing moved beneath his fingertips, no breath warmed his cheek and Obi-Wan could feel the despair and grief threatening to overwhelm him as his body trembled in shock. The pain echoing through the Force was almost too much to bear.

"NO! Master you are not going to die!" Obi-Wan said through clenched teeth. "Please…come back…I have finished training…you're meant to teach me! You can't die here!"

His Master needed energy, needed strength to kick start the healing process and bring him back from the brink of death. The only available Force energy was Obi-Wan's. He could only hope it would work. Placing his hands directly over his Master's heart, Obi-Wan gathered as much of the scattered Force as he could do and pushed it all into his Master. His own energy too flowed through the crumbling bond, stabilising it and forcing its way into his Master's body. There was no way Obi-Wan was going to let Qui-Gon die on his watch.

Live Master!

"Breathe! Damn you please breathe!" Obi-Wan ordered shakily as he continued shoving as much healing energy as he could into his Master. He could feel his own body, hurt as it already was weakening rapidly, but the fear, grief and terror kept him going. He knew the regulations against doing this, he was endangering his own life for the slightest hope he could save his Master's.

Live!

His Master would live. Qui-Gon couldn't die. Not here. Not now. Not whilst Obi-Wan had something to say about it. Qui-Gon had so much more to give, so much more to teach. It was not going to end here in some dingy warehouse light years from Coruscant. Obi-Wan had come here to save his Master. That was what he was going to do. There was not much more energy he could spare, some corner of the Padawan's brain absentmindedly noticed. His body was shaking like a leaf in the wind but his resolve stayed resolute, even as parts of the Padawan began to shut down. He didn't care. That didn't matter to Obi-Wan. Without thought to the consequences, he pushed through his power threshold, taking from his very life force now, one thought only in his mind.

Qui-Gon would live.

Please!

The smallest, shuddering breath caught Obi-Wan's immediate attention as Qui-Gon's chest suddenly rose and fell a fraction beneath his hand. Joy threatening to overwhelm him, Obi-Wan reached up jerkily, forcing his bone-tired muscles to work and felt for a pulse again. The faintest, most lethargic beat fluttered against Obi-Wan's fingers and tears slipped from his stinging, red tinged eyes again, as his whole body shook with fatigue and shock. Never had he expended so much Force power before. He was utterly drained. But it was enough. It was enough. As Qui-Gon's chest inflated again of its own accord, Obi-Wan slumped back onto his knees, just content to watch his Master breathing. He was not dead. Qui-Gon was not dead.

"You will…live… Master… live," Obi-Wan repeated softly as he pushed the last bit of his energy into his Master. His vision was tunnelling, going grey at the edges as he did so. An odd humming noise had started in his ears and ever so slowly, Obi-Wan felt his body slip sideways, falling to the cold, damp floor of the warehouse, lying twisted at his Master's side as the last vestiges of energy left his body.

Qui-Gon was going to live. Obi-Wan had made sure of that.

Even at the cost of his own life.

When Qui-Gon broke through the darkness of unconsciousness, the only thought floating about his very foggy brain was that he had been very foolish indeed to do so. Pain radiated through his body at such an intensity he wished he had remained in the dark and oblivious to all of it. Everything hurt…he was not even sure what everything was…but it hurt. Slowly, he blinked and even that hurt. His breathing shallow, the Jedi Master blinked hazily once more, his vision still blurry as he struggled through the cloying shroud of pain and utter weariness. He had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. His brain was of no help whatsoever. It felt as though he had been pulverised by a herd of banthas. Make that several herds…

Whatever he was lying on (Qui-Gon had so far worked out he was flat on his back) was uncomfortable, hard and damp beneath him as his fingers on his right hand twitched, slowly scrapping across concrete. What about the other side? A shot of alarm laced through Qui-Gon's mind. He couldn't feel his left fingers. Scrap that: he could feel his left arm. Feeling the uncontrollable panic welling up, Qui-Gon fought against the panic, breathing slowly. Carefully, he turned his neck ever so slightly to look at the left side of his body. In a quiet hiss of relief he noticed his left arm was thankfully still attached. A second later, the Master decided he'd rather not have looked at all, as his arm lay in a definitely broken position, make that multiple breaks, leaving him feel nauseous at the sight.

Groaning softly, the Jedi Master attempted to focus. He'd had worse than this surely? Vague memories and flashes were slowly filtering back into the forefront of his mind and involuntarily, his body jolted sympathetically as it remembered the pain and torture it had undergone. The pain notched up another level, making Qui-Gon's head swim and vision tunnel suddenly.

Torture…Sony-Da…trap…Obi-Wan!

Where was his Padawan? The thought that was most important was now shouting through his mind as he struggled to understand what was going on. Obi-Wan! Some niggling feeling deep within the Master told him something was very wrong. His confused mind was calling for his Padawan but there was no response.

/ …Obi-Wan…? /

Silence.

He was tired…so tired…but he had to know. Had to know where his Padawan was. It would be easy just to sink back into the unconsciousness that was seductively beckoning him but Qui-Gon clung to consciousness with the abounding stubbornness he was reputed to have. /…Obi-Wan…where are…Padawan? / Just thinking hurt, but he had to know. What if Obi-Wan was in a worse situation?

There was no reply, no sign from the elusive Padawan. All Qui-Gon could hear was the great whoosh of the cooling fans above, high up in the power plant. And the faint drip, drip, drip of water and the quiet clinking of metallic chains. From his position on his back, Qui-Gon could barely see anything. Ever so slowly, he tilted his head the other way facing his right.

Beside him, crumpled and face down, was the form of a boy. The form Qui-Gon knew he would recognize anywhere.

"O-Obi-" Qui-Gon tried to croak, his voice catching on the words, his raw throat unable to process the name. Why wasn't Obi-Wan moving? Why wasn't Obi-Wan awake? The thoughts clamoured in the Master's confused and exhausted mind as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

Where was Sony-Da? The Dark Master- was he still lurking about somewhere? Qui-Gon felt utterly useless. He couldn't defend himself in such a position- let alone protect his Padawan. They were both helpless and that thought tormented the Qui-Gon.

He couldn't even move to see if Obi-Wan was alright. In vain his right arm twitched, trying to reach out to the boy, painstakingly slowly moving to touch Obi-Wan's head which was nearest. The pain nearly overwhelmed Qui-Gon, his lungs heaving with the effort and heart thudding heavily in his battered chest. He stretched as far as he could and his arm fell short even as he forced himself to extend further. The gap between them felt like light years, not less than half a metre.

A sense of failure, despair and anger flitted through the Jedi Master, before a few seconds later unconsciousness reared again, sucking him back under into a world of nothingness whether he wanted it or not.

There was a voice, calling him. Something cool was tapping his face. There were words also, but he could not make head or tail of them. More than one voice- talking to each other, two…three…four, they just blurred into a buzzing noise. They sounded urgent though, it was persistent and vaguely annoying. He wondered what was wrong.

Qui-Gon groaned.

The voices around him became excited.

"Yes…responsive…alright…now!" the words were detached as Qui-Gon's brain failed to keep up with the rush of speaking above his head as he dazedly forced his eyes open, his eyelids feeling as though they had lead weights attached.

"Qui…alright….got…here…" a face loomed into view, bending over to peer at the Jedi Master. Qui-Gon blinked. The person had three heads he thought absentmindedly, as his eyelids slid shut of their own accord. The now annoying tapping of the face returned. "No….awake…nearly…ok?"

A sudden sharp pricking sensation stung Qui-Gon's right arm and his eyes flicked quickly to the person kneeling on his right, checking a hypo-syringe before disposing of it safely. The healer gave the Jedi Master a smile and quick thumbs up, noticing Qui-Gon was too confused to understand words at the moment.

"Qui-Gon!"

That was a voice the Master recognized as he struggled to keep himself conscious. A dark face appeared by his side, dressed in familiar robes, lightsaber swinging from his belt. Qui-Gon knew who it was. Somewhere in the depths of his mind he knew this person, if only he could think clearly…

"Ma-" Qui-Gon rasped- unable to say the name.

Mace Windu nodded. "It's ok," he calmed his friend. He turned and shouted something to the group of medics approaching with a hover-stretcher. "Qui- keep awake- for now," he instructed. "We'll have you out of here in no time."

Qui-Gon nodded. Suddenly, a seizing panic overtook him and forgetting his injuries, he very foolishly tried to sit up. Pain flared everywhere and several voices all around him blurred, as they talked rapidly in alarm to each other. Restraining hands caught his shoulders, keeping him immobile.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon gasped, forcing the name out as the world span. It was the only thing of importance. He had to know- not later, not in a while- now. Where was Obi-Wan? Was he safe? Was he even alive? That thought made the Jedi's heart lurch. "Obi-Wan?" he tried again.

Mace was saying something that Qui-Gon couldn't quite understand, but the nagging feeling of his Padawan's whereabouts continued to frustrate the Master.

"Sedate…make….worse…now!"

Another pinprick later and Qui-Gon felt his body go limp as his eyes rolled shut. The last sensation he remembered was being lifted up onto the hovo-stretcher and a scanner beeping beside his ear. He was getting sick of this darkness.

"Vitals….improving…looks….be…soon," a calm voice said somewhere to his right.

"Glad…hear…I am," a gravelly voice replied.

Qui-Gon knew that voice, even as he struggled back into the land of the conscious. He would recognize it anywhere. Yoda…Yoda was here… wherever here was after all. His body was being very uncooperative as he tried to pry his very heavy eyelids open and look around.

"Know you are awake I do, Qui-Gon. Rest you must," Master Yoda's voice was clearer now and a lot closer. Qui-Gon felt his body relax- into a soft bed. The confusion must have shown on his face as he struggled to work out where he was. He had been here the last time he had awoken.

"In the Healers' Wing you are. Returned to Coruscant both you and your Padawan have been." Yoda explained gently.

With a herculean effort, Qui-Gon forced his eyes open, eyes immediately swimming as the light assaulted his sensitive retinas that had been accustomed to the dark for so long. A cooling, three fingered clawed hand gently rested upon his forehead and the pain ebbed back as Qui-Gon blinked, cursing his streaming eyes.

A healer was standing next to him, surveying various charts and readings from Qui-Gon's bedside. She smiled at the Master; gently raising the bed slightly to Qui-Gon was lying at an angle and could look around the room a little more easily.

Mercifully, the lights were then lowered and Qui-Gon was able to squint at his surroundings. True to the wizened Master's words, Qui-Gon was indeed in a bed, in what looked like the Healers' Wing on Coruscant. How had he managed to get back to Coruscant? Then he froze suddenly. It was wrong, wrong, he couldn't be- this was still one of the torture tricks of Sony-Da, it wasn't real!

"No, no!" Qui-Gon muttered helplessly as his body tried to move away.

"Real this is Qui-Gon," Yoda's voice was calm, steady and filled with power, pushing back Qui-Gon's doubts. "Reach out with the Force you must. Real I am- know this you do."

Qui-Gon felt his heart racing as he gingerly reached out with the Force. Honesty, familiarity and Light radiated back at him from the small, green master perched at his bedside. "Master…Yoda…" he managed, a wave of tiredness sweeping over him.

"How is he?" a new voice said, from somewhere near the door.

"Confused he is. Believed this all to be a trick," Yoda welcomed the intruder, which turned out to be Mace Windu approaching the bed, a look of concern etched on his usually serene features. "Told him I did that he is safe now."

"Welcome back Qui-Gon," Mace said, squeezing his friend's good shoulder lightly. "It was touch and go there for a while but I'm relieved to see you awake. The Healers say you'll make a full recovery in time."

Qui-Gon nodded, mouth very dry. "Where's…where's…"

"Obi-Wan?" Mace finished quietly. He shared a look with Master Yoda, unable to say anything.

Weak and lethargic as he was, Qui-Gon caught the look and his insides froze. Something was wrong, very wrong. Qui-Gon had felt that niggling feeling before and had been unable to respond to it. Unable to do anything to help his Padawan, to do what a Master should have been able to do.

"Tell…me," he demanded. He had to know.

Mace didn't look happy, his mouth was drawn in a thin line as he surveyed his injured friend. "He's…Qui-Gon… it's not looking good." The dark skinned master pinched the bridge of his nose. "Y'Chiryō's doing his best- you know he will do everything he can."

"What's…wrong with…him?" This was not good. Qui-Gon would have launched himself off the bed, never mind that his body felt like a three ton lead weight, had it not been for Master Yoda resting one finger on his shoulder and effectively keeping him on the bed, despite the younger Master's struggles. Master Jinn would not be going anywhere any time soon.

"Qui-Gon calm down!"

"No- Mace! What's… happened- what's…wrong with him? Tell me!" Qui-Gon pleaded, his throat still feeling raw as Mace wordlessly passed him a glass of water, insisting that he drink first.

"When we found him next to you Qui, he was already in a coma. We couldn't understand it. He had a few superficial injuries, burns and a head injury and a nasty laceration across the side of his chest but they were almost nothing compared to yours. With the injuries you had…you should have died- but we found you alive on the catwalk. So much Force energy was surrounding you and in you keeping you alive…we could only come to one conclusion…"

"No…." the word left Qui-Gon in a quiet gasp as the gravity of the situation sank in.

"Pushed all his Force power into you, your Padawan did," Master Yoda said solemnly. "Disregarded his own safety to save his Master's life, he did."

Obi-Wan had given him the last vestiges of his Force Power, pushing everything he had into his Master just to keep him breathing and his heart beating- an extremely dangerous, reckless and foolish thing to do, in Qui-Gon's mind. "No! He…can't of- I told him to leave!" Qui-Gon gasped. "Take me… to him!" He had to see his Padawan. Needed to see Obi-Wan. No one was going to stop him.

"Qui-Gon you're not well-"

"I have to see him!" Qui-Gon argued back. "How bad…?"

"He's not responding to anything the healers are doing for him," Mace said as gently as he could.

Qui-Gon shook his head desperately. "There must be…something they can do!" He could not, would not let Obi-Wan sacrifice himself like that for him. It was not his duty to do so. Not his place, not his…Qui-Gon could now feel real tears pricking in the corners of his eyes as his chest heaved and he struggled to understand.

"Mace…he's not…he isn't…"

"I'm so sorry my friend. He hasn't much time."

Yoda's ears slowly lowered, as his hand curled around his gimmer stick more tightly than usual as it lay across his small lap. The grief and despair was tangible in the air and in the Force. Other Force-sensitive beings close to the infirmary were suddenly overwhelmed by the sadness that spiked in the Force.

Qui-Gon's heart skipped a beat and the monitors beside him began to protest as his body reacted violently to the bad news. Healers immediately appeared at the commotion the monitors were making; ushering Mace and Master Yoda respectively back as they examined the unresponsive, heartbroken Jedi Master lying on the bed.

Such sadness and angst :( Sorry...

Review?

AldabaranFox