nose-dive⇒obi-wan

II: Chapter 8

"Dooku!" Ranah shouted storming in, Anakin and Obi-Wan behind her. "I must say I wasn't suspecting you to turn on me that quickly, apprentice." he said stepping forward. She cringed, she could sense the confusion Obi-Wan and Anakin emitted. "I am not  your apprentice anymore. How many times do I have to tell you that?" she said narrowing her eyes.  "You made her your what? You're going to pay for corrupting her and for all the Jedi you've killed today Dooku!" Anakin shouted, outraged. "Approach this slowly. All three of us can take him together." Obi-Wan warned. "I'll take him now!" he yelled charging after him. "No, Anakin no!" Obi-Wan called after him. Anakin ran to face Count Dooku, only to be struck down by the lightning that sprung from Dooku's fingertips. "Anakin!" Ranah exclaimed running to check if he was okay. The Jedi payed no attention to the words Count Dooku and Obi-Wan exchanged, she was too preoccupied with Anakin. "You're alright." she assured and Ani sat up "Yes, I know don't treat me like a child." he frowned. "Dooku is dangerous man." she insisted. "You would know being his apprentice and all." he glared at her. "Anakin I-" the girl began to explain. His eyes wandered past her, "Master." Anakin said frantically, getting up and preventing Count Dooku from ending Obi-Wan's life. Ranah now rushed over to Obi-Wan. "Are you alright?" she asked, pushing the hair out of his face. She couldn't restrain herself. "Yes, Yes, I'll be fine. Go help Anakin." the Jedi looked back at Anakin who seemed to be struggling with fight. "I'll explain everything that's happened later." she promised. As the redhead stood, Anakin came flying back into Obi-Wan. She looked at the two of them, knowing she had to stop Dooku. "Apprentice, be smart about this. I know what makes you tick. I know how to easily defeat you." he chided. "Then do it." she challenged then charged at Dooku. Her green lightsaber collided with his red one. "You could be so powerful if you just retreat to the darkness." he attempted to persuade. "You made me miserable." she retorted, attempting to strike him. With Ranah's arms up, Dooku brought his lightsaber down upon her skin slashing it across her stomach. She yelped in pain, landing near Obi-Wan and Anakin. "I'm sorry" she muttered. The pain was becoming overwhelming. How badly had he harmed her? Obi-Wan crawled over to her, now the one to brush her hair away "Sh, Sh it's okay, stay with me please." he whispered. She opened her mouth to speak, her mind racing with things to say, but it all went black. 

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She awoke to the familiar sound of various beeping machines. 'Medical Bay'  she thought. Ranah didn't want to open her eyes, she was afraid of what she might learn when she did.  She debated with herself for a long time, but knew she couldn't lay there pretending to be asleep forever. Her eyes slowly opened,and she looked around to find herself alone. Now that she was awake she wanted to speak with the council immediately, she had to tell them about Palpatine. She grew tired of the beeping and removed the device monitoring her vitals. The Jedi stood, wincing as she did. Ranah ignored the pain and began searching for something to wear other than a hospital gown. Pain seared through her body, but she was determined. The girl pulled out every drawer and opened every cabinet only to find nothing. She sighed, plopping back down on the hospital bed waiting for something to happen.

Ranah couldn't tell how much time had passed until she heard the door open. She was eager to have a visitor until she actually saw who it was. "Palpatine." she muttered, feeling as if all the breath had been knocked out her. "Hello Ranah." he said, and she tried to back as far away as she could. The Chancellor pulled up a chair. "I will not hurt you, we just need to chat." The girl nodded hesitantly. "I do not want to harm you, Obi-Wan, or Anakin. I have unfinished business here. I would like for you to keep quiet." he requested. "Are you crazy? I need to tell the Council!" she snapped. "If you speak a word to anyone, you and your loved ones will suffer a fate worse than you can imagine." he tried to reason. "Not if you're dead. The Council will stop you. I must regain their trust." she insisted. "You will not tell anyone." he persisted. Ranah felt strange, she trusted Palpatine's word, this was a safe thing she could keep to herself. "I will not tell anyone." she said slowly with a nod. "If you are asked how you found Dooku you will say one of his men recruited you on Dantooine." he said again. The redhead trusted this "I will tell them one of Dooku's men recruited me on Dantooine." she repeated. "Very, good. Thank you for meeting with me." The Chancellor stood, and left the room. The Jedi sat on the bed, scratching her head in confusion.

She grew bored, there was not even a window in her room. With nothing better to do, Ranah lay down on the bed and let herself fall asleep. It was not a peaceful sleep. She had nightmares of her mother, the Padawan she tried to harm, the civilians she killed, the Geonosians she slaughtered, and her training with Dooku. It was like a special hell just for her. She wished to just reach out and knock some sense into herself. How could she have done these heartless things? It wasn't soon enough until she jerked awake. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed into her hands. It all felt hopeless, was there any way Ranah could mend things with everyone now? The Jedi didn't know if Anakin and Obi-Wan were okay. Perhaps she wasn't even living and this was the torturous afterlife the girl felt she deserved. 

Relief came at the sound of a door opening. Ranah looked up her eyes red and puffy, it was Obi-Wan. As much as it pained her, she launched herself out of the bed and hugged him. She didn't care if the Jedi Master hated her, he was okay and alive. The redhead never felt happier to see her former master. "You're okay." she smiled. "How are you doing?" he asked the corners of his lips tugging slightly upward. "Better now." the girl confessed. Obi-Wan shook his head. "You know Ranah I never thought you to be the cloying damsel in distress." "Because I'm not. I'm just happy to see you up in walking and not in a body bag. Let me have my moment." she smiled. "Well I can say the same to you." he admitted. "How's Anakin?" she inquired. "Just fine, he has a metal arm and everything." Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly. "That's great news, but I have to sit down. That was a lot, physically." she said sitting down on the bed and Obi-Wan in the chair Palpatine formerly resided in. "So will you explain what happened? Because if I remember correctly, I told you to wait for me to help you. I mean your strategy worked, I no longer sense conflict, but it wasn't a very smart method." Obi-Wan spoke. Ranah looked down sheepishly. "I let it consume me. I acted irrationally. It is important to understand the dark, but I don't think becoming apprentice to a sith was the way to go about studying it." she sighed. "I agree, but how did you even find Dooku?" Obi-Wan questioned. "When I was on Dantooine, one of of his men found me and persuaded me it was the only thing to do." she said without hesitation. "And you went to Dantooine to clear your mind?" he checked. "Yes." she confirmed. "I'm glad you're better." Obi-Wan said truthfully. "Me too, but I think there's something else we need to talk about.." The Jedi trailed off. Obi-Wan looked at her smugly "Oh when you confessed your undying love for me?" he teased. Ranah looked up, a smile coming to her face "It didn't happen like that at all!" she protested. "There's nothing to discuss. I think you and I both know we feel the same way." he pointed out. "That's a huge relief." the girl chuckled in agreement. "I think now that you've conquered this obstacle, we can finally be in a steady relationship, and follow the Code to some extent." Obi-Wan said simply. "I think I can work with that." Ranah grinned.  

"Now kiss me, and not just as a distraction." 

And so she did.

A/N: Alright, there's going to be one more chapter in part II. It will probably be much shorter, but there's one more coming then onto part III. Thanks for reading, and voting and commenting homies.