darkforcerising | OPEN POST

In theory, the idea sounded... well, it was bad either way. They were desperate, they thought ‘the enemy of my enemy is maybe a friend.’ Or at least a loosely associated ally. In practice, it turned out that Maul was just a stabby son of a bitch who didn’t care who was on the end of his blade as long as it wasn’t him.

The mission had started out successfully. While Anakin didn’t feel the draw of the using the Dark Side, he could not deny that having an unabashed Dark Side user was useful when clearing a Destroyer of its occupants. He didn’t feel any remorse for anyone that died at the end of Maul’s blade.

They’d hit the communications room first, then the systematically worked their way outwardly until the last Stormtrooper was felled.

Now, on the bridge, it was just a matter of dealing with the payment.

In good faith, he’d deactivated his lightsaber, and it almost looked like this operation would be a success.

Anakin should have known it wouldn’t be that simple.

When he turned to Maul, the Zabarrak’s blade was still bright, traitorous red.

“Thank you for the help, but I’m taking what what’s mine!”

Anakin spared the briefest of glance for Obi-Wan and reignited his blade to meet Maul’s.

All he can think in that moment is that he is not going to watch this play out again. That he has seen this scene with everyone he has ever loved, and that it is always Maul on the other end of that red saber and he is not doing it again.

Except, in the end, that is exactly what happens.

He can't get in, easily, not in time and not with the speed this is happening. He watches that red blade sink into Anakin with a kind of ... numb inevitability and what seems like slow motion all the way through Anakin falling.

That same cool, calm, detatchment carries him through his brief, furious fight with Maul. Plenty of force use, no negative emotion just the sense that he is... playing out a part that must be played, and watching himself do so from a distance.

That breaks the moment his blade slices through Maul's neck (he has learned a thing or two). He deactivates his saber and runs for Anakin before Maul's head hits the ground, slides under him and gets his hands - both of them - on Anakin, immediately. One behind his neck, the other on the side of his face.

There was blinding pain and then: nothing. Anakin didn't even feel it when he hit the ground. And he was slow to realize where he was compared to a short few seconds before. As he slipped into shock, everything was muddled after that.

If we was more with it, he would have enjoyed Obi-Wan's victory over Maul. Later, he would be very disappointed that he missed it.

With time being mushy from his perception, the next thing he was aware of was Obi-Wan's hands on him.

Vaguely he was aware that he was still breathing, and that it didn't hurt - nothing hurt. Which should have scared him, but fear was really so far from his thoughts just then.

"Obi-Wan," his voice sounded far away to him. "Did you get him?"

"Shut up, Anakin."

It was said without anger. There was no anger in him, certainly no hate, but there was plenty of fear. Fear that that was still secondary (extremely secondary) to determination.

"Stay awake, keep breathing, don't talk."

He was not going to have any last minute emotional declarations. He was going to, this time, change the end. His presence flowed through Anakin, awareness of his physical body, finding where the damage was and what was most urgent.

Then he really sank into Anakin, every single bit of his awareness, his attention, his energy, and started fucking well healing. Subtle, tiny, work that required so much focus and energy that there was just - nothing else.

Nothing else including any hesitation in using the Force, or awareness that what he was doing was as much an act of Pure Light as anything could ever be.

He should have found that rude - or at least pretended that it was rude. He didn't, it was very hard to care right now.

"How can I stay awake if I can't talk?" Okay, he could care a little bit, enough to bicker back.

If he had any feeling, he might be aware of what Obi-Wan was doing to him, but his grasp of reality was flimsy.

And because of that, plus what seemed to him to be a long passage of time, he was thinking about how Obi-Wan must not be handling this well.

"It's gonna be okay, Obi-Wan." He really wanted to squeeze Obi-Wan's hand to reassure him, but his hand was sluggish and difficult to move.

"Fine, then talk."

He could feel Anakin trying to move though and it made what he was trying to do so, so much harder. Because bleeding wasn't an issue but all the damage - particularly spinal damage- very much was and the spinal and nerve stuff was so delicate....

"But stop trying to move. You're making it harder. Just breathe. Talk. Think about Luke and Leia."

He was also not loving the distraction. He just needed to get this done - done enough - to be able to get Anakin somewhat stabilized and out of there.

Anakin did stop trying to move his hand, but he couldn't stop talking.

"Luke and Leia will be fine... I want you to be okay."

"Everyone is going to be okay."

He was quieter, but that was because he was slightly less frantic, and was having some success at getting some things put back together. It was actually more difficult for engaging in a conversation himself, but if he could just get Anakin close enough to get him out of here-

He was getting there.

"We have this, Anakin. It's going to be okay."

...he was crying. Not realizing that he was, but he was.

In another time, another life, Anakin had been here with another person loved trying desperately to save him. Tears had been spilt then, too.

Obi-Wan didn't want him to move, physically, but he could still touch him. Without thinking, he reached into the Force, and weak as it was, he still tried to brush away Obi-Wan's tears.

He felt the brush against his face and it made him realize that he was crying, but he didn't waste any time or attention in trying to stop - or do much else. He simply accepted that he was, and worked.

Once he had Anakin put back together enough that he was fairly sure he could be moved at all, Obi-Wan sent a brush of deep warmth and love toward Anakin, but it was carried on the same wave that pushed Anakin's consciousness down and back, sending him not just to sleep but to deep, deep sleep.

He wouldn't risk Anakin feeling pain when he was moved.

He made sure he had his weapon, Anakin's, and after a moment Maul's all tucked away, picked Anakin up and carried him back toward the Maverick. This particular Star Destroyer could wait, getting Anakin back could not. He stayed in contact with Anakin the entire trip toward Alderaan, deeply physically and psychically twined up in him to make sure he fucking well stayed stable, and doing what additional healing he could.

By the time Anakin was handed over to professionals and in Bacta-

Obi-Wan was just about cross-eyed himself from exhaustion.

He didn't want to leave Anakin though, so he didn't. He just sat in a chair and watched the tank that Anakin was suspended in - and waited on Bail.

Bail was both surprised and yet not when he received the message that his assistance was required. Jedi seemed to have a penchant for getting injured. Maybe it was because the last few times it had been Obi-Wan getting hurt, but Bail was surprised it was Anakin this time.

A medical ship was sent out first and he followed when he'd wrapped up his matters on Coruscant.

He found Obi-Wan next to the Bacta tank.

"How is he doing?" He'd read a brief report, but maybe things had changed since reading it while enroute.

He was sprawled in that chair and sprawled further and deeper as Bail walked in. He rolled his head to the side, along the back of the chair, to look at Bail.

"Unless something goes very unexpectedly wrong, he should survive. Anything more, we'll need to assess after Bacta has had some time to work."

"Considering what the report I read said, that is impressive," Bail said. He didn't have nearly as much experience with injuries as former war generals did, but he'd seen enough, knew enough from reading reports, to understand the severity of Anakin's injuries.

"It's moments like this that Jedi seem invincible."

"I wish we were." He'd be a lot less worried about Anakin, if that were the case. "He'll be in there for a while, but he is impressive - and stubborn."

Still not invincible though. "I'm sorry that we keep relying on you this heavily. I know you have enough to do without us distracting you."

"The price of masterminding a rebellion," Bail said. Though he did wonder if things would have been much quieter for him if Obi-Wan had stayed a hermit on Tatooine.

"Forgive what this may imply, but do you need medical attention?" The report didn't say if Obi-Wan needed it, but the man looked like death had dropped him in that chair.

Quieter, yes, though possibly less effective.

Obi-Wan might have preferred staying a hermit on Tatooine, though only if he could keep Anakin. That... might defeat the purpose of hermiting though.

"Hm?" He lifted one eyebrow wearily. "I'm not injured or ill, no. Just tired, and I suppose I could do with a refresher and change of clothing."

Also food and sleep but fuck did he not want to leave Anakin.

"You know, this ship is not that large. If you go use the refresher and change and eat," yes, he noticed that need too, "You can still get back here in case you're needed."

"I know." He didn't want to. "How are Breha and Leia?"

...He would work up to it, probably. Probably even soon. He knew he would know if there was a problem, but.

Just... but.

Bail inwardly sighed. What could you do with a stubborn Jedi?

"They are doing fine... I could stay, here, while you go get food," Bail offered.

"No. When I go to find food I am taking you with me." Why? Don't ask him to spell that out, he doesn't have the mental capacity to do so well. He gripped the arms of his chair and leveraged himself to sitting upright, paused there and then made himself get to his feet.

Awareness of Anakin in the force - not that ANakin's presence was very clear at the moment - would continue.

"Of course." Bail didn't need to hear Obi-Wan explain why the man wanted his company.

"I'll show you the way to the mess," Bail said, already turning towards the door.

"I think it might be far more kind to everyone involved if you didn't take me to the mess while I'm a mess. It won't take me long to clean up with a sonic refresher if you can point me to one of those."

Then he could go to get food. With Bail.

"I will show you the way to quarters you can use while you're here." This would not be a quick trip for Obi-Wan and Anakin.

They were going to be here for long enough that he didn't object to being assigned quarters though odds of him for using those quarters for more than getting clean and catching his clothing were slim to none.

At least until Anakin was at least on the road to recovery.

"That's fine," he agreed, and ... stood but did not make any attempt to head toward the door first. He was going to follow, dammit.

Bail took the lead and showed Obi-Wan to the quarters assigned to him.

"There is an observation room just up the corridor, I will wait there for you. Take all the time you need."

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