one night in coruscant || obikin

21

I suddenly heard a shout to my left, and my head snapped over to look for it.

I raced down the hall, and barreled into the room where the shout had come from- the Duchess' room.

I raced in, and screamed out, but my hearing had gone again.

Satine was crumpled on the ground, in the center of the room, a saber wound in her abdomen.

-

I cried out as I dropped to my knees.

Oh force, not his again please...

But her pulse was still gone.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, the sadness rushing back to me.

I had loved her so dearly... and her death in my arms- and at my expense- had broken me.

Now, here I sat once more, cradling her limp body.

Hoping, maybe, the force might bring her back- but knowing this could not happen.

-

It was a dagger in the heart, holding her here, close to me again.

But still, I lingered, staying with her for some strange reason as my heart- which I had carefully wound up and tucked away over the years- unraveled onto the floor.

Minutes passed and all I heard was my heart, beating irregularly in my head.

After brushing the hair from her face, I noticed her eyes were... completely white.

-

It scared me, and I dropped her.

As her head hit the ground, I heard a sickening cracking noise... not dissimilar to the one I had heard a few days prior when I killed a sith...

I stood, backing away as my breaths fumbled over each other in my throat.

The door slid open behind me and I stumbled out, squeezing shut my eyes to block her breathless body from my brain.

-

Standing now, in the hall, I realized I was back in Cerra's house.

I looked to my left, to my right, and to my left again.

Hands fidgeting, I jumped at the slightest sounds; all was paranoia.

And Anakin's door was ajar.

-

No. He will be fine. You will go in, and he will be asleep- he will be ok...

-

Shutting my eyes and steeling myself, I ignored the dropping feeling in my stomach.

After pushing open the door, I entered the room; sensed immediately that nothing, in fact, was ok.

Eyes opening slowly, another guttural shout reverberated from my throat as I witnessed a half-dead Ventress holding Anakin- still alive- by the neck.

Her saber hung perilously inches away from his chest as he struggled for his breaths.

-

Desperately, I tried to run to him, but she held me back with the force.

The heat of the saber pulled sweat from his paled skin.

His eyes begged me, pleaded with me, and I watched, screaming as she oh so slowly carved bits of flesh out of my Anakin, my everything.

He screamed, and I knew he was begging me to help him- to do something, but I could only watch.

Agony flowed through our bond, his blood was on my hands, my feet, everywhere.

-

She relinquished, and Anakin writhed in her hands.

Agony, pure and hot, tainted the room and smelled of burned metal.

She sheathed her saber, and used the force to pull me forward.

I fought with everything I had, but still my feet slid across the floor, stopping inches away from Anakin.

-

Ventress paced, placing her saber in my hands.

I could not move.. she was in control, and my finger pressed the switch.

-

He gasped, betrayal, hurt, agony filling the room.

I roared, screaming, watching the desprate face of the boy I loved as I wounded him.

She made me hurt him, again, and again, and again as he screamed and writhed.

She stopped as our screams reduced to sobs, smiling horribly before throwing Anakin at me.

I caught him, and we fell to the floor, his body in my arms.

I held his pale, bloodied face in my hands as my tears mixed with his blood.

-

Ventress' course, rough, disembodied voice echoed in my head as I looked up, rage in my eyes, and noticed her neck was broken.

"You- took- everything- from me.... so I took yours!!!"

-

She laughed as Anakin's breathing grew irregular, his hand reached up, touched my cheek, his blood smearing crimson across my face, and his ocean eyes which I treasured so much defocused, glazing over.

He stopped breathing.

His pulse was gone.

Anakin was gone.

I whimpered, pulling him close to me.

I kissed his forehead, tasting the iron of his blood.

The silence stretched, and I whispered with a wavering voice.

-

"Anakin?"

-

He stared at the sky.

-

"No, stop that, this isn't funny, Anakin." I pulled him closer to me, holding him as though if I were to hold on tight enough, he wouldn't slip away from me.

-

My heart fractured, and I pulled his clammy hand to my lips, kissing his knuckles as tears seeped from my eyes.

-

"Ani... please.."

-

We remained.

-

"D-don't go, don't leave me- I- " All was silent.

When at last I looked for him, he was gone in the force.

I breathed rapidly, shaking his shoulders as if all I needed to do was wake him up as I used to when he was a Padawan.

"Anakin... Anakin... ANAKIN- no, no no no... NO!!!"

-

-

-

And all of the sudden.. I was awake-truly awake- in my bedroom, breathing quite heavily, the image of my broken padawan seared forever into my mind.