Crimes Between Us

Chapter Nine

Rating: PG-13

He was there again when I awoke. Same cheek, lips, nose, and hair, huddling over

me as though I was a precious gem he was assigned to protect. For some reason, I

did it again, reached out and brushed my fingers over the face, just to be sure.

He laughed again.

"Perhaps your take of reality will begin to clear as you heal."

I frowned, blinking several times as items loomed then faded from view. I still

couldn't see all that well. I held the hand up in front of my face and could see it

clearly, my eyes traveling down my arm where I took in the fading bruises and

bandaged wrists. I touched the white gauze tentatively, then pulled my hand back

and dropped it onto my torso.

Pain shot through me like a thousand bolts of lightning. I yelped, loud.

"You're hurt," Obi-Wan informed me, and I bit back a smart remark that sat on

my tongue. It was obvious that I was hurt.

Instead of replying, I looked down at my midsection, lifting my shirt and only seeing

a large white bandage from my ribcage to my belly button. Pulling back the covers I

revealed bandaged thighs and a bandaged right calf. I didn't bother to hide my

undress, even though I only wore the shirt that covered my top, and panties on the

bottom.

*Somebody* had dressed me this way. I guessed that somebody was the somebody that

was seeing me now. So what difference did it make?

"I'm really hurt," I muttered, surprised at all the bandages.

Obi-Wan nodded solemnly and put a hand on my hip, causing me to arch an

eyebrow in my surprise. It wasn't a sexual gesture so much as a comforting one, so

the Jedi Padawan either didn't notice, or ignored it.

"You will heal well," he informed me. "We've given you the best bacta treatment

and healing ointments from the Jedi Temple. You should have few visible scars."

"Qui-Gon--"

The name was off my lips before I could stop it, my mouth once again working faster

than my brain. I wondered about the Jedi, was he healed? He'd come so valiantly to

my rescue even after I'd run off while he was still in plight. I was selfish, he was not.

I was starting to see a pattern here.

"My Master has gone back out to aid the other Jedi in battle--" Obi-Wan said

gently, moving his hand from my hip to my forehead. He sensed an agitation in me, I

could tell. He was trying to calm me.

I struggled to sit up. "He's okay...?" My words trailed off and I realized they made

no sense but I didn't care. I was sure that nothing could happen to him until I

thanked him for the rescue.

The thought pierced my brain and I realized that I was still mad at the younger Jedi.

Pushing those thoughts aside for the moment, knowing I'd regret it if I didn't thank

him, I reached my arms out and encircled them around Obi-Wan's neck, pulling him

down into an awkward hug.

He kept his hands on the mattress, holding his weight off my injured body as I

fiercely gripped his neck. "Thank you," I whispered. "Thank you for rescuing me

and Furry."

Obi-Wan seemed dazed when I let him back up but he regained himself quickly.

"Kalla, I--"

I shook my head. We couldn't have that talk, not now. I wasn't in my right mind,

and there was a battle waging outside. Instead, I slipped a finger to his lips and held

it there. "Another time," I said, finally being the wiser of the two.

**

When I awoke for the third time, the ache in my head pounded a little bit less, and

the ache in my body was virtually gone. Opening my eyes, easily this time, I found

that I could also see.

Qui-Gon was there, dozing slightly in the chair that Obi-Wan had been in earlier. I

felt a wave of relief wash over me at the sight of him, knowing he had made it

through the battles on Correlia. The slight hum beneath me made me first think we

were in flight, but when I heard a slight banging coming from the rear of the plane, I

realized we still had not launched. I wanted to get as far from Correlia as quickly as

possible but not before knowing if my dear friend Adro was okay. Somehow--I had

to know.

Sighing restlessly, I reached a hand out and brushed Qui-Gon's knee with the tip of

my fingers. I felt a sharp bolt of pain as I did so but bit it back in a wince,

determined not to cry out in front of the Jedi Master.

"Kalla."

His voice was low and smooth, just like I knew it would be. I loved his voice. I

didn't know who couldn't love his voice. It made me want to believe everything he

told me.

"Master Qui-Gon--" I breathed, smiling at the handsome older man. "I'm sorry to

wake you."

He smiled back, reaching up with a large hand and brushing my forehead. "Obi-

Wan told me you were asking for me. I wanted to be here when you awoke. I just

didn't think it would be an extended wait."

He laughed good naturedly to show me that he wasn't angry at the delay. I only had

one thing on my mind, though, and I frowned before I asked.

"Master Qui-Gon, I have a favor to ask you," I began, feeling slightly

uncomfortable in his piercing stare. He was probably just studying me to make sure

I wasn't in pain, or tapping into my mind to try to figure out what I was thinking, as

he tended to do from time to time. I swallowed down my discomfort and forced

myself to continue.

"When I first got back to Correlia with Furry, I stayed with a friend of mine, Adro

Bathic. The government troopers located me there. Furry and I got away but--"

Qui-Gon furrowed his brow. "Your friend was hurt?"

"I--I don't know, I hope not--" I stammered, looking nervously around the medi

wing of the ship. I felt the rudders shudder beneath the plane and knew that Furry

was quickly readying us for take-off. Obi-Wan was probably in the cockpit as we

spoke, keying in the coordinates. I realized I'd better act fast.

"Qui-Gon, I need you to go check on my friend. I can't leave Correlia without

knowing if he's okay. It's my fault he was in any danger at all to begin with--"

The Jedi held out his hand, an amused smile crossing his face. He nodded slightly as

he stood. "I will go," he said smoothly, his voice not betraying any amount of

annoyance or nuisance.

I relayed Adro's address, my voice sounding more frightened than I'd intended it

to. Sending Qui-Gon to ensure my friend was alright had seemed like a good idea at

first, until the possibility that he would return with news of another sort came

crashing in on me. If something had happened to that sweet boy because of me, I did

not know if I could ever forgive myself.

Indeed, there was only one way to find out.

*Indeed there is.* I heard the low voice in my mind and snapped my head up in

surprise. Qui-Gon was smiling at me. He'd touched my mind and responded back to

me. I was shocked, until I felt a warmth flow through me, completely unsolicited but

entirely welcome. He was calming me.

*Rest, sweet girl. I will be here when you wake again.*

It was my last conscious thought before I drifted off into cherished slumber.

**