Disclaimer: I'm only going to say it once. I sadly don't own Star Wars, Lucasfilm or Disney.

Friday, 03:45 am; Unknown place

The bindings were cutting deep gashes in his wrists. He felt some blood trickle onto is fingers, making them slippery and hard to move. No matter how hard he struggled the metal was unyielding. The cuffs glinted in the light cast from the single window that was set so high up the wall it might as well have been in the ceiling, and as Anakin craned his neck awkwardly to see the cuffs he noted the durasteel plating on them. Not going to break easily. After a moment he gave up, turning back to face the wall in front of him. He'd been there so long he could barely remember what a good nerf burger tasted like. His mouth watered, thinking of Dex's food at the cantina. Memories flooded unbidden into his mind. His Master had taken him there for their first meal together as Master and Padawan. Even faced with a selection of foods, from Coruscant and Naboo, Alderaan and Cantonica, Anakin still chose the food his mom used to make for him. It reminded him of home. They could only get it occasionally, it cost a lot of credits they didn't have. But she always managed to get some for his birthday (or 'Lifeday' as the Jedi called it). And when Obi-Wan had taken him there and introduced him to Dex he was feeling so homesick. And it was all so new. The lights and speeders and Jedi customs. He'd never have dreamed in a million years there was an actual water shower in the Jedi Temple. It was so nice, he could feel the water running down his skin and washing the sand out his hair, finally ridding it of the grit that always seemed there, even after a sonic shower on Tatooine. His mother would make him have one of them everyday after he was at Watto's, insisting he was dirty even though all he ever did was tamper with some droid parts in the shed, trying to see if he could snatch one for Threepio. Anakin wondered how she was doing.

He lowered his head, chin hitting his chest with a dull thud. Surely Obi-Wan would tell her if something happened. Wouldn't he? Stars, he missed her. He missed her so much. But at the moment he wanted Obi-Wan. His mother wouldn't be able to get him out. Obi-Wan could. And Anakin wanted nothing more than to be out of the dark, damp room in which he was imprisoned. It had felt like days, but it couldn't have been more than a few hours since he'd first been shoved roughly into the room. His voice was hoarse from yelling, a pain seared through his throat and his lips were so dry. Food. Water. Please, Anakin thought, just bring me some water. Minutes passed as Anakin stared blankly at the wall. Tears formed at the corner of his eyes. The wall was pitch black, no markings, not anything he could look at. It was almost as if he were blindfolded, but he would have felt the fabric. Shivering, Anakin craned his neck around again, straining to look through the gloom. There were two walls both sides of him that stretched a couple of meters back, just about enough room for him to park a speeder. Then the back wall. It was just as colourless as the rest of room, but for the door. There was a silvery-gray door in the center of it. Anakin felt his heart pound. He was so scared. He didn't like small spaces at the best of times, let alone when he was trapped with no one around. If Obi-Wan was there it would be better. He'd settle for anyone actually. But Obi-Wan was preferred. He let Anakin have his own space and never crowded him, even when they were practicing the different forms in training and they needed to use close hand-to-hand combat he was as gentle as possible. Anakin just didn't like the idea of being trapped, enclosed. He needed to be able to run and jump, fly in his ship. Not be smothered. The walls were too close to him, his hands bound by the cuffs behind his back. The chair he was sitting in was hard and seemed to be melded to the floor. Feeling a tightness in his neck yet again, Anakin turned to face the wall. He couldn't take it any longer. There was just nothing to do. Force, he wouldn't care if his captors came back at this point, it would give him something to- Force! The Force! Anakin could've slapped himself it was so obvious. Trying to relax into his chair, he forced back the turmoil in his mind. All his fears he locked away in the back of his mind and he did his best to ignore the pit of terror in his stomach. Anakin gave a quick sigh, broadened his senses and...

Nothing. Just a blank emptiness. No light, no dark. No lifeforms, no bubbling thoughts from anyone. Just silence. Oh stars, please no Anakin thought. His breath was quickening now. Gasping, he reached out again. Nothing. He couldn't reach the Force. Please no! Struggling fruitlessly against his bonds, Anakin frantically opened his mind, letting all thoughts drift away apart from his current problems. He needed a way out. Please. Please! Desperate, he tried one last time.

Obi-Wan! Please help! I'm stuck and I can't get out!

No one. He felt a long their bond, waiting to feel the familiar presence. Waiting to no avail. There was nothing. Kriff! Anakin thought. It was as if the Force had abandoned him. Leaving him behind to suffer. Please! Help! Let me out! There was just to much confusion. Anakin groaned and lowered his head until it touched his knees. There was so much to comprehend, and the walls were too close, and he couldn't breathe and - Stars I can't breathe.

Ican'tbreatheIcan'tbreatheIcan'tbreatheIcan'tbreatheIcan'tbreatheIcan'tbreathe.

Suddenly his head slammed back into the chair. Someone had his short hair in their hands and was holding him backwards, their grip rough. Anakin suppressed a sharp yell of pain. However, he was grateful, as the harsh treatment seemed to ward of the panic attack. At least for now. Now he was left staring at the ceiling again, which was just as boring as the rest of the room. Except this time his view was partially obscured by a figure. A human male. Like Anakin. Older, perhaps thirty-forty ish, with brown hair and grey eyes. Anakin remembered what Obi-Wan told him, try to remember details. They could be the difference between success or victory. So Anakin tried to store all the details into his memory. The man was tall and looked strong. Much stronger than Anakin with his spindly frame and teenage body. There was a shade along his jawline, a stubble. The brown hair was unkempt and messy. His (enemy?) captor seemed to be studying him. Analysing him almost. Next Anakin looked to his waist. He wasn't armed, he just had loose fitting trousers that were held up by a brown belt. He had to suppress a laugh. His shirt was greased stained and ripped down one side. Anakin had to take the blame for the rip, that was probably him. This was his kidnapper? It was almost comedic.

If it weren't for the look in his eyes.

Anakin felt like the man hated him. And hated him with a passion. But as far as he could tell they'd never met. So Anakin swallowed his last doubts and put on his cocky persona. The person he truly believed he was. 'The Hero With No Fear', who would fight for justice and not back down.

"Good evening to you too!" Anakin said, a smug smile gracing his features. "Or is it morning?" Blood was trickling down his head from when he'd been hit earlier, but he ignored it, focusing instead on his captor. "I'm hoping you do a breakfast service, because I would die for some fruit right now."

His captor growled and struck Anakin in the face. Ouch. That was painful. His head rung, echoes bouncing back and forth between his ears. He felt the partially healed blow on his face start to bleed again. Early he'd been hit heavily, which had knocked him to the floor and into a puddle. His cloak had soaked through, and Anakin was glad that it had been removed. At the moment he was just in his beige underclothing, with the black boots Obi-Wan got him a while ago. It made him feel vulnerable though, being without his lightsaber and just a thin cloth covering him. It was cold in the basement and he wished there was something to throw over his clothing to stop the sporadic shivers. Slowly Anakin opened his eyes after the blow. The man had moved in front of him now and was looking straight into his eyes. A silence stretched between them for a moment. Then the man backed away. Anakin looked on, confused. Did he know what he was doing? Where were the threats, bodyguards, blasters to his head? I think I've been watching too many Holo-Dramas. If he was quite honest he'd never been kidnapped before (that time on Flaxim didn't count) and had no idea how it worked. The strange actions of his captor were making him nervous. I'll be fine. He probably wants money. Or something. I can bargain with him and get out of here. Or my Master will come get me. Or someone else. Yoda? Windu? Anakin shook the thought out of his head. Windu always looked at him distrustfully. Anakin was angry with him anyways, over the past two weeks Windu had got him in trouble twice with the Council, first for fighting with another Padawan and two days ago for using the force 'inappropriately'. That was the first time he was ever actually yelled at by-

Anakin flinched back as far as he could in the chair as he felt a hand on his chin. Once again he missed the Force, he would've sensed it coming. His thoughts wouldn't be so jumbled. The hand was cool on his chin, calloused and hard, most likely from holding a blaster. Anakin found his head being tilted upwards towards the light from the window. The man was too close. Anakin jerked away, attempting to get as far away from the hand as possible. All it resulted in was it tightening around his chin. Anakin wriggled his arms, his hands writhing in the cuffs, straining to get out. His struggling worsened the cuts on his wrists and left him feeling weak and tired. He slumped down into his chair, giving up. After a minute the man let go, and Anakin looked up. What on earth was that? he wondered.

The man was now just looking at him. Anakin stared back, his chin tilted forwards to show how he wasn't fazed by anything at all. Even though he was. His thoughts were all jumbled, his heart pumping and he had a pit in his stomach. Something just felt off about the man, though he was unarmed and not exactly striking an imposing figure, unlike most other enemies Anakin had met on his missions with his Master, his stance suggested he'd like nothing more than to hurt Anakin. Or kill him. Anakin let out a shiver and broke eye contact. Ominous silence hung between them both. Better break the tension. Just as he was about to open his mouth, a gravely sound filled the room.

"You are Anakin Skywalker?"

Anakin's head jerked back to look at the man. The tone of his voice suggested he was... mocking him.

"Sorry to not be up to your standards." he retorted, looking up with as much defiance as he could muster.

"You're a lot younger than I was told." His voice was low and hoarse, as if he had a cold. Anakin was shocked into silence. Someone had given out information about him? The Jedi always kept information secure in the archives. That's one thing Anakin hated, the fact the general public had almost no idea who or what the Jedi were involved with. They were always just broadcasted to the news channels as 'the peacekeepers'. It didn't seem fair. But how did this man know his age? Most of the public knew he was Anakin Skywalker after a news leak when he was seventeen saying he was the Chosen One, but all other information had thankfully been kept under wraps. Obi-Wan had pled with the Council, saying it would mess up Anakin's training. It was in fact more for Anakin's peace of mind, some privacy. But this man obviously knew somehow. Which meant there was a leak at the Temple. Storing the information for later, he refocused and put his mind to coming up with a retort.

"You're a lot less prepared than most people who've kidnapped me." Anakin lied. Better to pretend he had experience.

"Touché."

The man moved backwards, behind Anakin, then moved out the door. It shut behind him with a clang that hurt Anakin's already throbbing head. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he relaxed into his chair. It seemed he'd be left alone again. Not that he really wanted to be alone, but he'd settle for it if he got away from the strange man. It was so weird. At first he was given the impression that the man hated him, and wanted to kill him, or cause him as much pain as possible. But then he'd changed and seemed to soften. And he'd left? Why did he come in then? Nothing made sense and Anakin's head was to muddled from the blow. He decided to refocus and see what was going on with his Force abilities. It felt as if a wet blanket had settled over his heart, smothering him and making him feel weak to his bones. It also made him feel cold, not being able to feel the millions of people who live on Coruscant. No matter how hard he strained he couldn't reach the Force, couldn't access his bond with Obi-Wan, or his telepathy, or anything, it was like the Force had abandoned him. Obi-Wan told him about devices called Force inhibitors, devices that dampened access to the Force. But they couldn't stop it completely. Maybe if I try hard I can bypass it. He stretched his mind out, desperately gripping onto any form of life he could find. However they all slipped through his fingers, silvery ghosts rather than the bright lifeforms he was used to. A frustrated growl tore through his lips hurting his already sore throat. It was annoying. Anakin wasn't very patient. And expected results quickly.

One last try.

He took a deep breath, holding it in his lungs then releasing it, a calming method that was taught to all Padawans at the Temple. Broadening his senses, his mind stretching out in all directions out like tree branches, he gave it one last attempt. And...

Movement. In the edge of his vision he felt a grey figure in the Force, a grey that could only symbolise a non-Force sensitive. Anakin was sweating now, completely limp in his seat from the effort. To bypass Force inhibitors was no small feat, and being a Padawan Anakin didn't have a full grasp on his Force abilities yet. This meant that his mind could only reach out so far. After a moment the presence moved in his mind, shifting further away. Anakin clung onto it desperately, the corners of his eyes going dark as he started to lose his grip on consciousness. If there was someway he could send a message to this person maybe they'd be able to get help. In training Master Mundi had said that it was possible to reach out to almost anyone if your midichlorian count was high enough. And although Anakin didn't know his count, he'd heard the Council members talk about it. It must be high enough. I can do this. Anakin steeled himself. Ready. Then broadcasted his thoughts in a stream towards the figure. Hello?

Unimaginable pain ripped through his body, like electricity was running through his veins. His muscles contracted as he felt a fire attack them savagely. Anakin was vaguely aware of himself screaming, the sound bouncing around the room. His head was pounding, it felt as if a sledgehammer was being hit on the back of his head every second. The tears were a waterfall on his face, his resolve to remain strong crumbling as he thrashed in the seat to escape the intensity of the attack. His limbs felt like jagged claws or sharp bits of scrap metal were being run down them, cutting all the way into the bone. It was more pain than he'd felt in his whole life combined, worse than anything. Anakin wanted nothing more to escape. Death would be better than this. As sudden as it started, it stopped.

Left panting and hunched over in his chair, Anakin sobbed. He cried for the pain, for the fact that he was alone and the fact he was trapped. The tears ran down his face in a torrent, dripping onto his thin Padawan robe. Gasping for air, he choked as he held back more tears. Anakin wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. His throat throbbed as he silently held back his tears to avoid gaining the attention of his captor. His brain felt even more fuzzy now, tinges of black dancing around the corners of his eyes waiting to drag him back into unconsciousness. Anakin barely was holding himself upright. The strain of even reaching into the Force had almost knocked him out, let alone the pain that he'd felt almost immediately after. Was that the Force inhibitors? He pondered as he slowly felt himself lose his grip on awareness. All he could see black, with white spots dancing in his vision. He shut his eyes. Giving up. If his captor was going to keep him there for a long period of time he might as well be as energised as he could. As he drifted off, he sent one last plea to Obi-Wan. Help me.

A few miles away, in the Jedi Temple, a man collapsed.

A/N: Hi! This is my first posted fan fiction. A review would make my day!