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The transport Obi-Wan had been traveling in landed gently in front of the Temple entrance. Knights and Padawans cleared the way and stared expectantly towards the ship, as Obi-Wan Kenobi strolled down the ramp, Xanatos grudgingly in his grasp. Beside him, was Senator Smith in all her senatorial glory that could rival Amidala herself.

Mace Windu stepped forward, extending a hand and greeting the Jedi. In slight confusion, he narrowed his eyes at the sight of Qui-Gon Jinn's former Padawan. "Knight Kenobi… I see you've been busy. I thought it was jusy your Master who picked up strays?"

A small scowl crossed the Knight's features, as he shoved Xanatos towards Mace.

"I trust you will briefing us on your journey there and back," Mace said, eyeing the senator.

Obi-Wan plastered a fake smile on his face to cover up his exhaustion and want to dump Xanatos into custody so he could head for his quarters. "Yes, of course, Master."

"I'll take Xanatos. Cin Drallig wants to see you." Windu grabbed the Dark Jedi's wrists and sharply pulled him forward. "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."

"And you as well, Master," Obi-Wan replied quietly. What in the galaxy could Cin Drallig want? Couldn't it wait?

Upon entering the Temple, there stood Cin Drallig, watching expectantly and somewhat annoyed. He spotted Obi-Wan and immediately crossed the distance between them. "Kenobi?"

"You wanted to see me, Master?"

"Your apprentice hasn't been to any of his classes since you've been gone."

Obi-Wan blinked a couple of times, before bringing up his hand to lightly stroke his beard. "Is he at our quarters?"

"I have no idea. I went there and he wouldn't answer."

"I don't understand. This isn't like him." His features lightly twisted into a mask of worry. Quickly, he set his gaze down the pathway to the lift. "I must go to him."

"If you don't mind, I will be accompanying you."

"Of course," Obi-Wan replied hesitantly. He eyed Cin curiously, trying to get hints at what his attentions are.

As Obi-Wan keyed in the code to his quarters, Drallig crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. He felt a dark presence floating about the area. Absently, he wondered if Obi-Wan felt it too. He stole a glance at Kenobi's face, which was still perfectly stoic. The door hissed open and they stepped cautiously inside.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called out, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He trudged around the room, until coming to the couch facing the holonet. "Oh Force, Anakin!"

"Kenobi?"

Cin sauntered over and glanced down at the unconscious teenager, slumping heavily over the table. Eyes widened, he watched as Obi-Wan pushed Anakin back and stroked a gentle hand across his cheek, before bringing two fingers down to his neck.

"He's still alive." Tenderly, he brought a palm up to the boy's forehead, expecting the skin to be hot under his touch. Instead, he was met with a chilling cold that sent shivers up his spine. The Dark Side swirled violently around the area, swallowing up any light floating gently about.

"Master, why is the dark present?" Obi-Wan questioned, worry crossing his features. He brought a rough hand to brush back his hair; a nervous gesture.

"It's coming from your Padawan."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, but was cut short by Cin holding a hand up, halting any words.

"No, he is not Dark. Rather, its eating up your Padawan. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but he needs to get to a healer. Now." Drallig emphasized the last word by pointing his finger to the floor.

Obi-Wan nodded solemnly, before gently picking up the Padawan and swinging him over his shoulder.

The air smelled of Bacta and sanitizer, as Obi-Wan sat in the lobby of the Halls of Healing. His features were relaxed into a faraway glare. The chilling cold of darkness lingered in his conscience, staying put in the deepest corners of his mind. Impatiently, he threw one leg over the other and finally gave into the temptation to bury his face into his hands.

Who cares about the Jedi and their "no attachments"? At this point, all he wanted was the news his Padawan would be okay.

After a few long moments, he removed his head from his hands and glanced around. Healers and their Padawans bustled about the area with various folders and medical supplies. Simple plants with purple leaves flanked the counter, where a Twi'lek Healer was seated. The floor was a glassy marble, light bouncing off in shiny reflections.

And at last, a sweet female voice cut through the air, bidding him to follow her. Quickly, he sprang out of his chair and hurriedly followed her through the many halls of basic white doors and various machines. She abruptly stopped in front of a room numbered '24' and keyed in the access code. Smoothly, the door hissed open, revealing Anakin sprawled out on the medical sleep couch, hooked up to many tubes and IVs.

He crossed the distance between himself and the sleep couch, and seated himself down onto the wooden chair next to it. Looking up, he saw the Healer gazing upon him with sympathy. Something was horribly wrong.

"Knight Kenobi, I regret to inform you that Anakin has been succumbed to the darkness and can not be pulled back out."

Horribly wrong indeed.

Obi-Wan furrowed his brows incredulously. "Have you tried?"

"Well, yes. This has happened before. Only someone as close as blood can help him. That's why the lucky ones with a blood relative at the Temple survive. " Her lips flattened into a sad smile, reflecting pity for him. "I'm truly sorry. Funny, it's always the ones so attuned to the Force who fall prey to it."

Obi-Wan bit back his voice for a minute, out of fear it would break.

"I-I wish I could give you better news. He is a good boy."

"Let me try. Please." Obi-Wan gently grasped his Padawan's hand, feeling the chill radiating off of his being.

A hand touched his shoulder, and he felt her sympathetic smile on him. "I advise against it, but you may try." Slowly, she turned and left the room, the door hissing shut behind her.

Obi-Wan had never known what Anakin was to him. He knew they were closer than Master and Student, so he had always categorized them as friends. Best friends perhaps. But seeing the limp body that was his Padawan, he felt a heaviness weighing down on his chest, as if he lost him, a part of himself would be lost as well.

Before he could stop himself, he put his other hand on top of his own, which was already grasping the boy's cold one.

They had their fights, their disagreements. But they also had their smiles and laughter. Inside jokes and secrets neither would tell a soul.

Moisture threatened to leak out from his glossy eyes, causing Obi-Wan to tilt his head back a little, stopping a tear from forming. He felt pain ripping at his very being, pain he hadn't felt since his own Master had slipped from the realm of the living. And honestly, he didn't know how much more he could take.

The last thing his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn had entrusted him with was slipping into the shadows of death. He practically felt the failure rising up inside. I'm sorry, Master. You trusted me with something so special, and I messed up.

So suddenly, he reached a hand towards the boy's cheek, tenderly stroking it, and whispered a desperate plea. "Please, Little Brother… please wake up.."