Certainty

Following Directions

No betas, therefore, all the mistakes are mine.
See chapter one for disclaimers.

He knows he should wait, but he cannot. He must see Anakin for himself. He moves to the edge of the bed and carefully tests his stability. His thighs ache, his knees wobble, but he doesn't fall. Obi-Wan takes his time moving down the hall. Once again he relies on his instincts to navigate, driven by his need to see that Anakin is okay. He feels himself drawn to one room. He enters and finds his friend lying quietly on a bed. It is a dual occupant room like Obi-Wan's, but also like Obi-Wan's there is no roommate. They are alone. Obi-Wan crosses to Anakin's bedside. Anakin is taller than Obi-Wan, significantly so, but right now Obi-Wan cannot help but think how small and vulnerable Anakin looks now. Anakin wears an oxygen mask that covers his mouth and nose and he reeks of the sickly sweet smell of Bacta. The horrible burns are gone. All that remains are numerous pink splotches on is pale skin, echoes of the seriousness of his injury, but those too will heal in time. Cautiously, Obi-Wan brushes an errant curl out of Anakin's face.

"Anakin, can you hear me? Anakin?" Obi-Wan asks softly as he gives him a gentle shake, but Anakin makes no sound or indication of stirring. Obi-Wan tries again this time his voice a little louder.

"Anakin, please wake-up."

"You're supposed to resting," a voice says from behind. Obi-Wan turns to find himself starring at another young healer, this one a Togruta male. The healer places his data pad on a nearby counter and lightly grabs Obi-Wan's upper arm.

"Come with me, Master Kenobi," he says as he tries to lead him off. Obi-Wan snatches his arm out of the young healer's grasp.

"I'm not going anywhere," Obi-Wan snaps, his voice much louder and his anger far more evident than he intends. The healer steps back awkwardly clearly startled at the Jedi Master's outburst.

"That will be quite enough, Master Kenobi," Master Che says flatly as she steps into the room and stands behind the young healer. She places a hand on the healer's shoulder and gives him a slight nod. The healer bows his head graciously and leaves the room as swiftly as his legs will carry him.

"Tell me, how long before he wakes from the sedatives?" Obi-Wan demands. Vokara Che crosses her arms over her chest, one eyebrow raised in clear defiance of Obi-Wan's order for her to speak. Obi-Wan glares at her for a few seconds before realizing the futility of his challenge. His shoulders slump as he closes his eyes and takes in a slow, deep breath.

"Forgive me, Master Vokara," he says contritely, his voice returning to its normal volume. At this change, Vokara nods her approval and steps to Anakin's bedside directly across from Obi-Wan.

"When will the sedatives wear off?" he asks again, this time calmly. Vokara stares at Obi-Wan for several seconds as if she is debating something with herself.

"Master Skywalker has not been given any sedatives," she answers finally. Obi-Wan's brow wrinkles. He looks from Vokara to Anakin and back to Vokara, an unspoken question hanging on his lips.

"Master Skywalker is in a coma," she says, answering the question that Obi-Wan could not ask.

"When... when will he wake-up?" Obi-Wan asks, his voice scarcely more than a whisper. Vokara sighs heavily and shakes her head.

"We do not know if he will ever wake," she replies sadly. Obi-Wan lifts Anakin's right hand, now gloved to hide the metal, and holds it delicately between his own.