Pawn of Darkness

Chapter 5

Wan Wan tried to stretch his leg without disturbing the beautiful woman in his arms. Her legs were draped across his and her head rested on his chest. He looked down at the sleeping form and let his hand drift lazily through her hair. A worried frown distorted his otherwise youthful face. Headaches, she had said. He sent out a tiny tendril of the force and probed the very edges of her unconsciousness. He felt nothing out of place and decided to delve a bit deeper. He wanted to know what was wrong with her. He wanted to help her. As he continued to probe dark images began to fill his mind. Images of death and destruction. Images of suffering and pain. He didn't feel like they were directly caused by Arianna but she was connected to them somehow. Darkness and fear filled every image thame tme to him. Blasters and detonators. And always the darkness, blacker than black, terror and hatred. Possessiveness, jealousy and loathing. The elusive thing that he felt the force trying to tell him, screamed at him now lou louder than before.
He jerked up as he finally managed to pull himself away from her. His chest heaved and sweat poured off his forehead. Only her soft moan and movement from beside him reminded him she was there. He turned terrified eyes on her. Obi Obi-Wan ? " she said, touching his arm. " What is it ? What's wrong ? "
" I... I don't know really. " he whispered, sitting up completely and putting his head in his hands.
" Are you all right ? Should I get Qui-Gon ? "
" No, " he answered after a moment. " I'm fine. Just tell me what that was. "
" What was ? " she asked, then her face changed and she stared at him with penetrating eyes. " You saw them. " she whispered. " You saw my dreams. "
" I didn't mean to. I just wanted to see if I could help with your headache. I was worried about you. " he said, defending himself.
She leaped from the bed, grabbed her discarded gown and leveled him with a shocked expression. " You probed me ? After I specifically asked you not to ? "
" I just wanted to help. " he repeated, standing and takiis pis pants from the floor.
" I don't want your help. I don't need to be rescued. " she answered, nearly yelling. Her eyes dropped to the floor and a sad expression crossed her face. " I thought I could trust you. "
He reached out and touched her hand lightly. " You can trust me. I want to help you. "
" I think you should leave. " she said, turning away from him. " Just go. "
Obi-Wan paused for a moment, fighting against his instinct to hold her.
" I can't just go. " he said, finally. " I can't, not after what happened. The things I saw, they were horrible. If you are having dreams like this and these headaches, you need help. You should see the healers at the Temple. "
She spun around so quickly he almost jumped away from her. Her face was distorted and angry. She hardly looked like the same person.
" You think you Jedi can just ride in here after five years and fix everything. You think your mighty Temple can solve any problem. You are self-important, arrogant fools. " her voice sounded foreign to him and the hatred in her eyes made him wince. " I want nothing more to do with your righteous order or your silly little Temple. Now go. Both of you go now. "
Her heated gaze fell to the door and Obi-Wan turned to see Qui-Gon standing in the doorway.
He stepped into the room with his shoulders back and an air of confidence about him.
" What is going on here ? " he asked, his voice quiet, controlled.
" I made a mistake. " Obi-Wan answered almost as quietly, he was eternally grateful they were both clothed again.
" You have no idea how much of a mistake you made. " Arianna spat at him.
" Obi-Wan what did you do ? " Qui-Gon leveled him with a dark stare.
" I tried to probe her while she was asleep. She had a headache and I was just trying to help her. " he explained quickly.
" I am very sorry, Anna. " Qui-Gon said.
Obi-Wan saw the anger in her falter for a moment at hearing her nickname. Then he turned back to Qui-Gon.
" My Padawan has apparently overstepped his bounds. " he took a second to take in the younger man's state of undress. " In many ways. " he added. " I am very sorry. I think perhaps we should go now. "
Qui-Gon glared at him with powerful blue eyes. Obi-Wan felt the heat from them where he stood. He brushed past the older man and hurried to the living room where he sat about dressing hastily.
Once dressed he went to the stairwell where Qui-Gon and Arianna were saying rather hurried good-byes. She glanced at him briefly, but never said a word.
Before he knew what was happening really, he was powering the ship and getting himself ready for a very uncomfortable ride home.