Anakin met them at the ramp of the ship.

The second he saw Anakin, Obi-Wan felt his heart leap up into his throat, and then plummet to his feet. Anakin wasn't going to like this…he had thought he had killed Ventress multiple times, and he had thought they were rid of her when they had handed her over to the Separatists. Anakin had long harbored an enmity for Asajj that Obi-Wan had sought to quell, but he was certain that bringing Ventress back into the picture wasn't going to improve Anakin's view of her. And he could not let him find out about their relationship. Much as he cared about Anakin, that simply wouldn't do.

"What is she doing here?"

The venom in Anakin's voice truly stung. Obi-Wan flinched slightly, and subconsciously drew Ventress closer. "She's hurt," he said tersely. "The Sith betrayed her, and they were going to kill her. I was the only person she knew who wouldn't hurt her, and so, she called me here."

"How?!"

Obi-Wan ignored the disrespect in Anakin's voice, instead dodging the question. "Anakin, we will talk about this once I get her in some bacta. I can't risk re-breaking her re-broken bones. We can discuss this later, when I'm certain she is stabile."

Anakin looked rather peeved, but stood aside and allowed Obi-Wan and Barriss to pass. Obi-Wan immediately took a left, heading to the back of the ship, towards the medical wing. Barriss already had the bacta tank set up, and she didn't even bother to change Ventress's clothes as she lowered her into the tank. Ventress clung to the side of the tank long enough for Barriss to pass her an oxygen mask, and then, she simply let go. She floated in the bacta, fumbling with the mask before it was secured and she could relax. Obi-Wan felt relief flood his heart as Ventress drifted off to sleep; she was safe. Finally. And now, she could begin her long recovery process. It was going to take quite a bit to get her to bounce back from this, he knew. Even if she put on a brave face, he doubted she was really feeling alright inside. But now, not only did Ventress have to heal, he had to mend the breach in his and Anakin's relationship. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders firmly. It was time to face the beast.

Anakin was waiting for him right outside the door to the room.

"Well?" he snapped.

"Watch your tone with me," Obi-Wan returned shortly. He decided that taking an authoritative position might cow Anakin into submission: at least for a little while. "I will not tolerate disrespect. And, on that note, your display on the ramp will not be tolerated, either."

"Master, surely even you can see that something's wrong here! How did she call you to her?"

"Anakin, watch it-"

"How did she call you?"

"That's none of your business!"

"How did she call you?"

"It's not important for you to know-"

"How did she call you?!"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me-!"

"Obi-Wan!"

Obi-Wan whipped around at the sound of a female voice calling him, startled. He saw a tall, rather imposing Togruta standing there, and immediately felt sheepish. He didn't realize before now just how scary those horns really were when Shaak Ti was angry enough. "Master Ti, I apologize-" he started, but she cut him off.

"The two of you," she snapped. "Anakin, don't you dare disrespect your master that way. Obi-Wan, it is important how she managed to communicate with you, and you will tell us. Although Anakin, it is past your position to so rudely demand such information from Master Kenobi, as said information may be confidential. Now, if you please?"

Anakin left the hallway, mumbling horribly about something or the other. Obi-Wan gave Shaak Ti a grateful glance, and then spared a fleeting look after Anakin. The young man fairly stomped down the hallway, looking rather pissed off. Obi-Wan felt the smallest bit bad for him; he probably felt left out, replaced. Still, was it too much to ask for a little bit of maturity from him?

"Focus, Obi-Wan," Shaak Ti said softly. "I need to know how Ventress was able to contact you, and only you. Obviously, that was what had happened to you when you sent Anakin to get me. Because, if she was Force-projecting, the rest of us would have been affected. Well, Obi-Wan. Let's have it."

Obi-Wan sighed. He couldn't really say this without implying that the connection between the two of them was mutual…but he couldn't lie, either. It was like before, when Shaak Ti had asked him. Now, there was no running away. He could always try the classic Anakin move: "Oh, look, a distraction!" and then just take off. No…no, the more he ran from this, the more it was going to chase him. He had to stop and fight. "She formed a connection with me when she was being held at the Temple," Obi-Wan finally gasped out in a rush. "I was the only one who she thought held sympathy for her, I don't know. But I guess she got a little deeper into my heart than I initially realized-"

"It's fine," Shaak Ti said, cutting him off yet again. "As long as this feeling is not mutual. But I warn you, Obi-Wan: sever this bond with her. Do it as soon as she's back on her feet. She can trust you, you can be friends: but not that close. Cut her off from you; it's dangerous. What would have happened if that had happened in the middle of a battlefield? Just…don't take the chance, alright?" She offered him a kind smile, trying to show him that she only said it because she cared, and then added, "Come on. Mace, Agen, and the others are holding up Sidious, but they need us. I came back to get you. Keep Anakin away; he's been feeling a little gray lately."

Obi-Wan nodded numbly, watching Shaak Ti walk away. He wished he could tell her: he wished he could just spill it all out. But he knew he couldn't. She would, of course, hand it all over to the Council, of which she was a part, and that would be that. He couldn't afford to do that to Ventress, either. That would be cruel. Without thinking, his feet carried him after Shaak Ti, back towards the savage battle he knew was taking place inside the Sith temple. As soon as he entered again, the dark side practically seized his throat and choked him; he could sense not one, but two dark lords now, battling furiously against the Jedi remaining in the temple. Agen was growing weaker by the moment; Yoda's age was beginning to catch up with him. Shaak Ti raced ahead, blue lightsaber blazing, diving right back into the fight weaving its way across the main hallway. Obi-Wan's own blue blade leapt to his hand, and he, too, entered the fight as soon as he could.

Adi Gallia fell back, her feet swept out from under her by a Force-shove by Dooku. Obi-Wan leapt in over her, blocking what would have been a killing blow from reaching the Jedi woman. He jumped over her, forcing Dooku back as Adi pushed herself to her feet and went after Obi-Wan and Dooku. They knew they had to separate the Sith lords: together, they were simply far too powerful. As if the temple wasn't enough of a disadvantage for the Jedi. Agen disengaged from Sidious, instead moving to attack the weaker target. "Whoever uses Djem So, get over here!" he barked. "He's Makashi!"

"I'll take him," Shaak Ti smoothly proclaimed, sliding right into Agen's spot. Agen returned to Sidious, although staying close to the edges of the battle and simply focusing on re-directing the Sith lord when he tried to escape nearer to his apprentice. Shaak Ti was using her own Makashi against Dooku's Makashi, occasionally throwing in an acrobatic Ataru move. Ataru, however, was quickly thwarted by Dooku, and so, Shaak Ti remained close to the ground. Adi had returned to Sidious, seeing as her Shien was better used against Sidious. He utilized Ataru, which was answered by Soresu; he used Makashi, which was countered by Shien and Djem So. He moved to Vaapad, to which Mace Windu responded equally. His Shii-Cho to Allie's Makashi. Sidious, for all his skill, could not gain an edge on the Jedi. Whenever he switched forms, which suited him so well before, there was always someone there to answer to whatever that form's weakness was. He was getting tired of playing this game. Sidious reverted to Soresu, the most defensive of all forms. There wasn't much of a counter to that, except time and bearing the fight: and having very little offensive capabilities. He had already been fighting for what felt like hours; the duel seemed to stretch on for an eternity, and they were all showing it.

Sidious's age was beginning to catch up with him. He no longer even tried to go for Ataru; there were too many of them to begin with, and it was simply too taxing. His Makashi wasn't taking the brunt of most of the blows being laid. Vaapad was being easily countered by Mace Windu; it made sense, the man was its creator. Adi's step was starting to slow, and her sweeps were no longer as swift and vigorous. Kit's grin was starting to fade. Allie was having more and more trouble keeping up with the flashing bar of red light that was Sidious's blade. Yoda's age, too, was slowing him now, and the old troll was no longer leaping as high.

Dooku's Makashi was finally beginning to fail him. Shaak Ti, a younger combatant than he, and Obi-Wan combined were definitely hurting him. His arms bore the slashes from Shaak Ti's almost spiteful strikes, and from Obi-Wan's returning of his own strikes. Obi-Wan seemed to be there just to irritate him. But, for all he was fading, Shaak Ti and Obi-Wan seemed to be doing alright. Maybe he was just getting old, Dooku decided. And he didn't take kindly to it.

His lightsaber was suddenly chopped in half.

Dooku simply stood for a moment, watching the destroyed remains of his lightsaber clatter to the floor. He knew it was over. Two armed Jedi against one unarmed Sith? No. It wasn't happening. Dooku held up his hands as Shaak Ti's blue blade brushed his throat, the unpleasant tingling and burning that accompanied it accented by his choked swallow. "Alright," he said, recognizing that he was done for. "I surrender."

Obi-Wan instantly moved in, and arrested the Count. Shaak Ti took the opportunity to get her breath back, and draw on the Force a bit to calm the howling in her lungs and the stinging in her muscles. As Obi-Wan led Dooku away in stun cuffs, she couldn't help but feel some measure of relief. One down, one to go.

And Sidious wasn't taking this lying down.

An enraged yowl pierced the air as Sidious saw his disciple defeated, and he unleashed a terrifying array of Force-lightning at the one responsible. Shaak Ti easily caught the Force lightning in her bare hand, the only free one, and sent it arching back towards Sidious. Sidious unleashed another barrage, and the rest of the masters moved in to attack. Sidious howled one last time, lightning flowing from his every pore, and then, he seemed to explode.

And then, he was gone.

Shaak Ti shrugged, and deactivated her lightsaber. "We got one of them, and Ventress is turning," she said lightly, walking away. "I'd say it was a good day. Get that hair on the floor to DNA, please?"

"It's mine," Agen mumbled, bending over and picking up the chunk of long, black hair on the floor. "Sorry. He got it when I spun around, my foot heading for his face."

Shaak Ti shook her head. "Better safe than sorry. Just run it on the ship. In the mean time, I believe we have to get back to Coruscant."

Mace nodded, and deactivated his saber, as well. "Grievous fled," he said to Shaak Ti, "while you were with Obi-Wan. He took a back way out. But he's a whole lot easier to find than Sidious. I really am disappointed we lost him."

"We'll find him again," Shaak Ti said. "But, for now, let's just be thankful we all have our lives, and all of our limbs and organs."

Allie nodded. "Well, we better get back," she said softly, clipping her lightsaber to her belt. "Where's Anakin?"

"On the ship," Obi-Wan said. "And let me tell you, he was not happy to see Miss Ventress again."

Yoda gave a small harrumph. "Well, not happy he may be, but learn to deal with it, he must," he said, Force-calling his walking stick to his hand. "Now, come, come, you," he continued, heading for the ship. "Greet our guest, I must. Assure her she will not be harmed, I will."

"I think she knows that already," Kit said, sounding perfectly sincere. "I mean, Obi-Wan's around, isn't he?"

"Okay, that's enough," Shaak Ti snapped, grabbing Kit's arm and fairly dragging him from the temple. She pushed him onto the ship ahead of her, and maneuvered him into the passenger section of the large craft that had brought along. Allie, Adi, and Agen were all close behind, with Mace, Yoda, and Obi-Wan following.

"Well, Obi-Wan," Mace was saying, "That was some rescue. Although, some advance notice might have been nice."

Obi-Wan smiled softly. "I apologize, Master Windu," he said politely. "But I feared I didn't have time to gather enough Jedi to lead an all-out assault on the Sith-"

"Hmph. Still spoken with one of us, you should have," Yoda grumbled. Obi-Wan smiled, but humored Yoda.

"Of course, Master Yoda. You may be assured you have my humblest apologies."

Yoda's gimer stick tapped eerily on the loading ramp as he limped up the steel platform. He immediately hung a right, and head for the infirmary. Barriss Offee was right outside, and stood up from her chair as soon as she saw Yoda walk through the door.

"Master Yoda, welcome back," she said. "Is everyone alright?"

"Fine, we all are," Yoda said. "Superficial and requiring no treatment, any injuries were. Here to speak with Ventress, we are."

"Of course." Barriss stepped aside, allowing them access to Ventress's room. "But, she may be asleep." Yoda shook his head, and entered. Mace and Obi-Wan followed along behind him, hanging back slightly once in the room. Obi-Wan felt Ventress's presence grow wary, despite her outward appearance of sleep, and sent her calming reassurances in the Force.

Don't worry, darling: it's just me. Master Windu and Master Yoda are here, too. They just want to talk to you, if you're up to it.

Can you tell them I'm asleep?

'Fraid not. They've probably sensed you, and know you're awake already.

Ventress slowly opened her eyes, taking in a deep breath through the oxygen mask on her face. Yoda's ears uncurled slightly at the tips, and pricked up a little. "Awake, you are, Ventress?"

Ventress nodded slowly, pushing herself to the top of the tank. Her head breached the top; she hooked her arms over the side, and pulled the oxygen mask away from her nose and mouth. "I'm staying in here," she mumbled. "But you can talk to me."

And that's more progress than I ever could have prayed for, Obi-Wan thought to himself. I just hope she'll be as receptive of them as she was of me.

A/N: Little long, but it's not like you mind. :D Review, please!