Obi-Wan was back on Mandalore, standing in front of Darth Maul and the Death Watch, with his love, Satine, imprisoned by their cruelty.
"Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you and your Duchess." With an almost casual gesture, Maul had her in a Force Choke. Obi-Wan felt the anger rise within him, burning hot like fire in his bones.
"You should have chosen the Dark side, Master Jedi," Maul hissed, slowly but surely moving towards him, Satine still in his grip. "Your emotions betray you. Your fear and...yes, your anger. Let your anger deepen your hatred!"
"Don't...listen to him, Obi!" Satine gasped desperately, her hands clawing at her throat.
"Quiet." Maul ordered with a wave of his hand. Obi-Wan stared at the floor, unable to look Satine in the eye, as he felt his heart begin to throb with a pain far worse than any wound he'd sustained so far. Satine shouldn't be there. This was between him and Maul, she shouldn't have been dragged into this! But Obi-Wan was a soldier. He never gave up, even when all seemed hopeless.
"You can kill me, but you'll never destroy me," he said slowly, listening to his love's words though he could not look at her. He knew what he believed in though. "It takes strength to resist the Dark Side," he raised his head in bold defiance, fighting to free himself from the guards. "Only the weak embrace it." The anger rose even higher inside, demanding he let it in. Out of sheer stubbornness, he rejected its plea.
For a brief, comical moment, Maul looked surprised, but then slipped back into the role of the tempter, never easing his grip on Satine.
"It is more powerful than you know."
"And those who oppose it are more powerful than you'll ever be," he stared Maul right in the eye, playing his best card, the one he knew would affect him. But he played it out of anger, as if that could soothe Maul's own fury. "I know where you're from. I've been to your village," his eyes blazed with blue fire as Maul turned away from him. "I know the decision to join the Dark Side wasn't yours. The Night sisters made that decision for you."
"Silence!" Maul snapped, whipping round to face him, striding closer towards him. "You think you know me? It was I who languished for years thinking of nothing but you," he pointed the dark saber at him, pure fury in every movement, every word of his voice. "Thinking of nothing but this moment," he swept his arm out, indicating the still struggling Satine. "The perfect tool for my vengeance is in front of us," Maul continued, now moving back, away from him. "I never planned on killing you, but I will make you share my pain."
He extended a hand towards Satine, cutting off the last of her air. Obi-Wan ran to help her, but was quickly beaten down by the guards standing just behind him.
It happened so quickly.
Maul ignited his dark saber, raising it as he brought Satine forward with the Force, the blade impaling her right through the stomach, keeping her held up so he could see. Obi-Wan could only watch as she struggled, a gut-wrenching horror rending his heart and soul in two, writhing within him until that was all he could feel. Maul dropped her, letting her fall to the ground, and Obi-Wan was by her side in an instant.
"Satine!" his voice cracked on her name as he gathered her up into his arms, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Satine gasped, and he felt pain and fury slicing through him like a blade through butter. It felt like he was being torn apart from within, slow and agonising. The last spark of innocence, the last of the light, was dying in his arms.
"Remember, my dear Obi-Wan," she reached up to rest her hand against his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as he fought back the tears. "I've loved you always. I always will." Her eyes closed, her body going limp in his arms. He'd never even told her he loved her too. He'd failed.
Obi-Wan woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, his chest tight and heavy as he struggled to calm down. It took him a while to remember where he was. Talia's house. The panic faded from his mind as he focused on his breathing, clearing his mind the way he usually did before meditation. He kept still, focusing on the Force as he felt it flow within him like water, soothing him in the same way Talia's presence did, a balm for his wounded heart. She felt so familiar, almost like he'd met her before, but he was certain he'd remember if he had. She wasn't the sort of person who would be easy to forget.
"Oh, I was expecting Talia." He had hoped her presence would bring some relief to his troubled mind, as the shadows of the Dark Side continued to encroach upon his thoughts. But, instead, he found Zoe in the kitchen.
"Something wrong with me, Kenobi?" Zoe pouted mockingly, taking a swig of her hot chocolate. Obi-Wan tried to hide his unease, mustering a faint smile.
"No, I just...Theo told me she doesn't sleep. I am concerned about her. All of you, actually, are you okay?" He turned to look at her, his frown deepening. All of them had been through a lot, after all, and none could sleep properly.
Zoe shrugged. "We will be once it's over."
There was an awkward pause, as Obi-Wan set about making his tea and Zoe continued to drink her hot chocolate. Silence settled between them, tinged with a hint of tension.
"Your earpieces should be finished tomorrow. Theo's been working overtime." Zoe awkwardly patted him on the arm in an attempt to lighten the mood. Obi-Wan managed a half-hearted smile in return.
"Thanks."
Another silence enveloped them. Obi-Wan sat down at the table with a sigh, taking a sip from his mug of tea, aware of Zoe watching him, analysing him.
"You smell of alcohol."
"I'm well aware."
"Drinking with Talia again?" Zoe smirked at him in a way that made him feel nervous. As if she knew something he didn't. Uneasiness settled like a heavy stone in the pit of his stomach.
"Is that a rhetorical question?" he deflected, trying to maintain his composure.
"I mean, it's quite obvious. She can be charming sometimes."
"Yes, she can." Obi-Wan said softly, in all seriousness, sipping his tea. Zoe crossed her arms over her chest, her smirk only growing.
"You like her, don't you?" Zoe's words hung in the air, a direct challenge.
Obi-Wan looked down at his tea, avoiding her gaze. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean, Kenobi."
He was painfully aware of that feeling of anxiety gnawing away at him. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't like it.
There was no fooling her about this. But Obi-Wan tried anyway.
"No, I don't."
"You're blushing."
"You're blind."
"You're in denial."
"No, I'm not," he insisted with a sigh, taking a larger swig of his tea to ease the headache that had started in his temples. "It's getting late."
Obi-Wan silently wished that the dimmed kitchen lights would conceal the tell tale redness of his face. He yearned for a distraction, someone or something to divert the conversation that had taken an uncomfortable turn.
"Master."
Thankfully for Obi-Wan, Anakin burst through the door with a little strut to his walk. Obi-Wan mentally sent a prayer of huge gratitude to the Force for his interruption.
"Anakin."
Zoe smirked and moved away from Obi-Wan, sensing that this conversation was going to be important.
Anakin glanced between Obi-Wan and Zoe. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked, a hint of contrition in his voice.
"No, Anakin. It's good that you're here."
Thank goodness, Obi-Wan thought. Now Anakin had interrupted Zoe's questioning. Anakin looked doubtful, so Obi-Wan asked what he was doing there.
"I came here to apologise, master," Anakin bowed his head. "I did not think about my behaviour, and I hurt you."
"I'm not the one you need to apologise to." Obi-Wan pointed out, sipping at his tea. He inclined his head towards where Zoe was sitting on the counter, her hands wrapped around her mug of hot chocolate. Had she said anything sassy in that moment, he was pretty sure they'd never have got along. Luckily, she did not, though Obi-Wan sensed that she'd bit her tongue on a particularly brutal remark.
"I am sorry. It was wrong of me to question your friend."
"My mother," Zoe corrected him. "I'm sorry for shoving you." Obi-Wan doubted this, but he kept his mouth shut. She and Anakin continued to talk for a while, eventually drifting out of the kitchen, presumably on their way up to bed. Obi-Wan waited until they were gone before quickly comming Yoda.
"The mission going, how is?" the grandmaster asked through his commlink
"It could be better," he sighed, taking a sip of his tea. "Our new companions are difficult to get along with, according to Anakin."
"Hm. And you?"
"Zoe's talented, but passive."
"Talented? What do you mean?" Obi-Wan imagined Yoda was drinking tea as well. It made him smile to himself, in spite of everything going on.
"The Force runs through Zoe, similar to Anakin," he explained. "But it seems like she doesn't realise it."
There was a pause, the only sound being the soft clinking of his mug.
"Pity she wasn't with us, then. And her twin?"
"Theo is obsessed with food to the point of it being annoying." The boy was pleasant enough, but he didn't seem to have much interest in anything else, except his technology. And women, according to what Talia had told him.
"And Talia?"
Obi-Wan could have sworn he heard some amusement in Yoda's voice as he asked that question. He thought it over before replying, slowly.
"A beautiful and intriguing woman."
"Interesting, she is, indeed," Yoda agreed. "And strong, to resist the Dark side. But trust her, you do not. Hm?"
"I've only known her for two days. I don't exactly trust her with my life yet." In spite of that nagging feeling that he knew her from somewhere.
"Trust that she is serious about the mission, you must, then."
"I do. Although she ran off on her own today."
This time, Yoda really did giggle at his words.
"Give her less headaches, you should."
"Oh, I'll be sure to add that to my list of Jedi responsibilities, Master Yoda: Headache Management Specialist." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.
"Used to working alone, she is," the Grandmaster pointed out. "Patience, Master Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan grinned wryly, finally finishing off his tea.
"That's the sort of thing you'd say to Anakin."
"Alike to the student, the master can be."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, his grin turning into a playful smirk.
"Ah, so you're saying I'm starting to resemble Anakin in more ways than one. Should I be worried, Master Yoda? Perhaps I should start practicing my brooding and dramatic entrances."
"Feel sorry for Talia, I do, then."
Obi-Wan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and adopting a mockingly sympathetic expression.
"Oh, don't worry, Master Yoda. I'm sure Talia can handle the burden of dealing with both Anakin and me. After all, she's proven herself to be quite resilient so far. Perhaps it's just my irresistible charm that she finds hard to withstand."
Once again, the Grandmaster giggled.
"Resilient, she may be, but your charm, Obi-Wan, is not something the galaxy is known to tremble before. A Jedi's duty is to be a beacon of wisdom, not a source of amusement, young Kenobi. Do well to remember that, you will."