Clutching My Cure

Disclaimer: They belong to others. Except Eitan. He's all mine. :)


Chapter Forty-Three


Eitan caught the rumored whispers early on, his legs eating up ground as he hurried toward the Temple’s main entrance. He tried to convince himself that the reports were untrue, a mere misunderstanding. It wasn’t until he spotted Master Windu staring out one of the tinted windows overlooking the courtyard that he was forced to accept that what he’d been told was indeed true. The dark skinned Jedi didn’t bother turning to face him before speaking.

“Close you eyes Master Delano, and tell me what you feel.”

Eitan hesitated before doing as instructed. It took only a few seconds before he felt the strong hiccup in the Force currents that filled the Temple. “What is it?”

“That is the younglings struggling with their fear,” Mace went on to explain. “It was bad enough when they began to hear rumors that the fallen Jedi they’d been told stories about was standing right outside the front doors. It only worsened when they began to feel the Darkside he is doing nothing to shield.”

Moving to stand next to the Jedi Master, Eitan looked out the window for himself. His heart sank when he immediately spotted the dark cloaked figure that stood eerily still at the end of the courtyard facing their direction. It was easy to see, even from that distance, that the figure was enraged and seething with emotion.

“I’m sorry, Master Windu. I never imagined that he’d come so near the Temple.”

Mace shot him a disbelieving glance. “You know him better than anyone. I find it difficult to believe you could so badly underestimate how territorial he feels toward young Kenobi.”

Eitan didn’t bother trying to defend himself. The reprimand was forgotten when both Jedi felt the dizzying shift in the Force as cloying tendrils of Darkside energies made lightening quick probs. Xanatos was searching for a weakness, a fact which made Eitan and Mace turn grim expressions toward one another.

“I don’t know if even you can stop him at this stage Eitan, but you must try. We can not allow him to lay siege to the Temple and the Judicial authorities will no doubt soon learn of his presence here. He’s done enough in the past to warrant being arrested.”

“I’ll take care of this,” Eitan stated with firm resolve before marching off to confront his friend.

Exiting the main entrance, he paused in the doorway and took a moment to peruse the dark figure. It was no surprise that it had come down to this, he’d known the instant he’d agreed to accompany Obi-Wan into the Temple that Xanatos would be unhappy. Both with the situation, and the part Eitan played in it. The most he could hope for was that he could play on the fallen Jedi’s genuine love for Kenobi.

Descending the stone steps that lead to the end of the courtyard, he was only a meter away when Xanatos struck out. His friend’s hand came up with blinding speed and blasted Eitan with a powerful Force surge. The impact sent him crashing to his back with a loud grunt of pain. Winded and more than a little agitated, he gingerly sat up and shot Xanatos a burning glare.

“What in blazes was that for?”

Springing forward, his black cloak fluttering around him like great wings, Xanatos landed next to his prone friend with feline grace. Hands reached down to grasp the front of the Jedi’s tunics, hauling him to his feet with enviable ease. Pressing their faces close, Xanatos’s voice was frigid as his lips pulled back from his teeth in a snarl.

“I asked you to keep an eye on him, not turn him over to the Jedi.”

“It was his wish to come, Xan. With Bruck and Garen both away on missions he asked me to escort him.” Eitan’s own hands wrapped around the ones that still held a death grip on the neckline of his tunic. “You told me yourself that Obi-Wan has issues he needs to work out before the two of you can ever hope to establish a serious relationship. What better place to face them than where it all began?”

Deep blue eyes shifted over his shoulder to stare at the Temple. “I don’t like the thought of him being in there. No doubt they’re already working to brainwash him against me.”

Eitan sighed at the dramatic claim. “Obi-Wan was always close to Master Yoda. If anyone can help him find his feet again, it will be him.”

Those eyes once again shifted to bore into him. “We both know just how fond the little green troll was of me. Who’s to say he wouldn’t find great pleasure in taking away something else I care about?”

“You aren’t thinking rationally right now, Xan. I understand the reason behind this siege you’ve laid over the last few weeks, but that’s what drove him here. He was being smothered and fled to the one place he knew you would never be able to reach him.” Eitan pressed on when he felt a slight lessening of the Dark energies. “You need to give him this time; prove to him that you’re willing to wait.”

“And what do I do in the meantime?”

The corners of Eitan’s lips twitched. “You practice patience and prepare for the future. You’re one lucky guy deCrion, to have someone like Obi-Wan to love.”

He regretted the words the instant they left his mouth. The subtle narrowing of his friend’s eyes had him tossing up his strongest shields, but it was too late. A chilling mask settled over pale, handsome features, the dark head pressing close enough for their lips to brush. The purr that rumbled deep in Xanatos’ throat raised the tiny hairs on Eitan’s arms.

“What have you been up to my friend? Sampling some forbidden fruit?” A tongue snaked out to lightly swipe at Eitan’s sealed lips. “I can still taste him on you.”

There had been only a few times during the course of their friendship when Eitan had truly feared Xanatos unpredictable temper. This was one of those times. The former Jedi had always been on the selfish side, viewing both objects and people he cared about with the same levels of possessiveness. The fact that he was head over heels in love with Obi-Wan only made the situation that more volatile.

Careful to paste a sheepish grin on his face, he offered the unvarnished truth. “It was just a simple kiss. I knew at the time I shouldn’t have done it but my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see what had both you and Chun all worked up.”

Xanatos nuzzled his face in Eitan’s neck. “And did you discover what you were looking for?”

“Yes. Obi-Wan is an amazing young man, delectable.”

Pulling back to study his friend, Xanatos preened as if the compliment had been paid to him, and not his lover. He was an individual who wanted the best and finest of everything, seeing them as an extension of himself. Even the person he chose to share his life with.

“How is he?” The genuine concern that colored what was intended as a casual question had Eitan fighting not to grin.

“Considering everything he’s having to deal with, amazingly well. Master Yoda feels the next few days are the most crucial to his recovery.”

Xanatos once again grew rigid, eyes narrowing to mere slits. “Days? Are you telling me that he plans to come back here again?”

“Well yes.” Eitan hesitated before relaying the rest of the bad news to his friend. “Actually, he’s accepted the Council’s offer to remain here for a few days.”

“No.”

“Xan. He’ll be watching to see how you react to this. This is important to him so what do you imagine he wants from you right now?”

An internal battle was being waged before his eyes as Xanatos fought against his natural instincts. Eitan knew the fallen Jedi well enough to know that everything within Xanatos was screaming for him to storm the Temple and toss Obi-Wan over his shoulder if need be in order to get him as far away from the influence of the Jedi as possible.

Xanatos’s tortured gaze once again turned toward the Temple. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a shadowed figure staring out at him from a window high up in the building. Even from a distance he knew exactly who it was and it settled the matter of what his decision would be.

“Tell him.. Tell him that I hope he finds what he’s looking for and once he does, I’ll be waiting.”

Waiting for Eitan’s nod of understanding, Xanatos spun on his heel and fled the vicinity of the Jedi Temple as fast as he could.