Brotherhood

Chapter 9 - Broken Survivor

Obi-Wan sits silently on the floor, eyes locked onto Anakin, who is curled into a ball of misery in the corner. He yearns to be able to comfort him, but he doesn't know how he even can. He already got the impression that Anakin doesn't want to talk, so he's tried to respect that and remain silent. Back when he had been assigned to protect Padme – has it really been less than a week? – he had been elated to see Anakin again. Now that he's learned more, part of him selfishly wishes he hadn't.

Saying he's horrified by the revelations would be an understatement. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that Anakin is a slave to the Sith, and he now knows that Anakin is, in fact, the mysterious Jedi killer the Council has been searching for. And, he thinks, that maybe he already knew that on some inner level; he just hadn't wanted to admit it. He touches Anakin through the Force again, bemoaning the changes he can now clearly feel.

While Anakin had been like a sun in the Force when he was young, his Force signature is heavily tainted. Even while he's not actively drawing on the Dark Side, he's so incredibly dim. From what Obi-Wan remembers, he'd been a caring boy, something which doesn't seem to have changed. It's the only thing which hasn't changed, he supposes.

And now, maybe for the first time, he begins to understand his vision. The darkness – it had been Sidious, trying to turn Anakin and crush out whatever light he has in his soul. Obi-Wan refuses to let that happen. Anakin had one of the lightest souls he'd ever seen, and he knows it can't be gone. It's still there, and he'll never give up on him.

The things he saw earlier, some of them will probably haunt him forever. It's tormenting his mind, preventing him from finding calm and rest. He ought to go to sleep soon – Dooku already brought them something to eat and took Anakin's lightsaber, which he'd apparently forgotten to do before. He can't believe that Anakin has been living like this for years. The scars he's caring will take a long time to fade, but Obi-Wan is confident that they will, given time and care.

It's at times like this when he thinks that the Jedi are wrong about attachments. If Anakin didn't care for people so deeply, he would already have been lost. Maybe he can use that to his advantage, to help Anakin come back to the Light Side, if indeed he's ever learned to use it. Somehow, he thinks the times Anakin draws on the Light Side are few and far between.

He doesn't regret choosing to stay here. He had plenty of chances to escape when they were on the shuttle, and he's not certain why Anakin left their lightsabers in a place where Obi-Wan or Ahsoka could easily have gotten ahold of them. If they had, it would have been incredibly easy to overpower Anakin by surprise and take control of the ship to return to Coruscant. He knew it, but he chose not to act on that knowledge when he realized how much Anakin is suffering here.

Ahsoka told him about her meeting with Shmi, how she had asked her to help Anakin. Now, at least, they both understand why, and Obi-Wan is determined to do everything in his power to help. Anakin deserves that and so much more. He can't even imagine the horror and pain at being first rejected by the Jedi only to be given back into slavery to an Order which thrives on death and destruction. That alone would have been enough to scar someone deeply, never mind the years of torture and abuse which followed.

He shifts again, studying Anakin who has yet to move. Across the hall, Ahsoka seems to be lost in her own mind, probably considering, just as he is, everything they just learned. It's given him a completely different view of Anakin, but he won't go so far as to pity him. What he needs, is compassion and understanding, things that Obi-Wan is certainly capable of giving. He knows that, on some inner level, Anakin must trust him – and maybe care for him. His actions have said as much time and again.

The same is true for Ahsoka. It's clear that, after whatever happened between them on Naboo, they have become closer – friends even – but it's unlikely that Anakin would ever accept comfort from someone who he obviously wishes to train. The only choice, other than Dooku, is Obi-Wan, and clearly, there will be plenty of time for that over the coming days, and maybe even weeks, if they'll be staying here until Sidious arrives.