Just as the orange light of the Coruscant sun began emerging over the horizon, Anakin felt Obi-Wan's Force presence begin to stir from its deep slumber. He gently nudged Ahsoka awake, and within a minute was able to feel her strength pouring into Obi-Wan as well.

Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes for the first time since Dooku had been torturing him. He blinked and looked into the eyes of his former apprentice.

"Anakin," he whispered, his throat dry. "Why did you let me drink so much last night?"

Anakin smiled. "Master, it was two for one last night at the Cantina. You just couldn't be stopped."

Obi-Wan grinned at the joke. "Actually, the way I'm feeling, a stiff drink might just be the thing I need right now." His humor faded as the past events began to dawn on him. "How's your arm? Are the younglings on Coruscant? How did you find me? Where's Aayla? What of Koriba?"

"That, Master Kenobi, is none of your concern at the moment," said Master Healer Vokara Ché as she glided into the room. She had undoubtedly sensed Obi-Wan's return to consciousness from her office. "For now, all you need to focus on is healing. You may no longer be in critical condition, but your injuries are extensive."

"Yeah, Obi-Wan," added Anakin. "You really did a number on yourself this time."

Obi-Wan blushed. "Did I?" he said embarrassed and looking down at the casts and bandages that adorned his entire body.

"Indeed, you did," said Master Vokara Ché. "So rest up and call if you need anything when you wake up."

Before Obi-Wan could protest, the Master Healer placed a head on his forehead and sent him into a deep Healing slumber.

Then she turned her sharp gaze on Anakin and Ahsoka. "Now out with you two. Padawan, you need medical attention and rest, report to the front desk. Skywalker, you need rest and you can see Master Kenobi later tonight if you wish. I expect he'll have other visitors."

Grudgingly, Anakin left the room, ushering Ahsoka to seek medical attention as he did. He made sure that her cuts and scrapes and bruises were minor before they both headed to their living quarters to get some rest.

"He'll be Ok, now, Master," said Ahsoka suddenly as they ascended the Jedi Temple levels to the dormitories.

"Yes, Snips," replied Anakin. "He made it this time. Now get some rest, young one, I'll wake you for supper."

After he saw Ahsoka to her room, he sought his own, pondering the words that he had just said to his Padawan. He made it… this time. But there would be a next time. And there would even be a time for Padmé and maybe a time for Ahsoka too. No, he thought ferociously to himself, I will become powerful enough to prevent it. One day I will rewrite all the rules of the Living Force.

Obi-Wan did not fully awake again until the next morning. And when he did, he found a pair of bright yellow eyes gleaming at him from a chair in the corner. He recognized those eyes at once.

"Princess, it's good to see you again, young one. Are you well?"

"I am, Master. Much better than you it would seem. I am so very sorry you were hurt badly, but grateful for your sacrifice. Master Aayla was able to bring my siblings and me to Coruscant safely," she replied, quite eloquently for a six-year-old.

"Princess, I can assure you that the sacrifice I made was no greater than the one that your mother and father make everyday as leaders and protectors of your noble people," he said tenderly.

"Thank you, Master. And Master? With, respect I'm not 'Princess' anymore, I'm a Padawan."

Obi-Wan looked at her appraisingly and felt the Force energies radiating from her. "So you are, Padawan," he said brightly. "And who are you Padawan to?"

"That would be me," said the tall Twi'lek woman who had just entered the room holding three cups of tea.

"Aayla," breathed Obi-Wan, elated and proud that she had taken another Padawan. "It is so good to see you. Congratulations on your new apprentice. I am so happy for you."

"I appreciate it, Obi-Wan. I have you to thank for giving me to courage to do so again after all these years."

The three shared a cup of tea and an hour of conversation as the sunlight bathed the room in a warm orange glow. Aayla spoke of how after the air strike and after confirmation that the Princes and Princess would return to Koriba unscathed, the King and Queen rallied their armies against the remaining droids in the royal city. After an almost bloodless battle, the Separatists were completely expelled from the planet. As to Dooku's whereabouts, she could not say.

They departed around midday, leaving Obi-Wan in good spirits despite the large amount of pain he was in. The afternoon brought more visitors including Luminara Unduli, Mace Windu, Ahsoka, Ki-Adi-Mundi, some of the students from his class, and his beloved Satine Kryze, Duchess of Mandalore. Even Master Yoda stopped by for a visit, but as a result of Obi-Wan's exhaustion and Yoda's sleep suggestion, it was an abbreviated one.

Anakin returned for a visit later that night. The two embarked on a valiant attempt to break Obi-Wan out of the Healer's Wing, but it was thwarted by none other than Master Vokara Ché herself. She was unable to hide her annoyance with the two men, but conceded to allowing Obi-Wan to check out of the Healer's Wing on the morrow. Both Master Ché and Anakin agreed that Obi-Wan would stay with his former apprentice for another week or so, while he was still recovering.

This gave Obi-Wan and Anakin time to mull over the events that unfolded on Koriba.

"How do you think the Separatists were able to cloak that massive factory from us, Obi-Wan?" asked Anakin as they ate supper on the fourth night. "I mean, even Yoda didn't know about it!"

"I wish I knew," said Obi-Wan trying to cut his tauntaun meat with one hand. His right shoulder was still immobilized so that his ghastly spear wound could properly heal. "It would seem that the Separatists are becoming experts on the subject."

Anakin looked up and saw him struggling with the tough meat, trying to use both a knife and fork at the same time with one hand. "Obi-Wan give me your plate. You could just ask you know. You don't have to always be so stubborn. You look like I did back on Koriba."

Obi-Wan was not expecting Anakin to mention his own injury that he had sustained. "I've been meaning to ask you about your injury, but wanted to do so privately. How is your arm truly, Anakin?" asked Obi-Wan, giving Anakin a searching and concerned look.

Anakin took a long sip of joga fruit wine and flexed the fingers on his artificial arm in front the both of them. He had made a sleek leather glove to replace the last one, as the new one needed to be longer to conceal the entire length of the silver aperture. "Truthfully Obi-Wan, it's good. I know Jedi have always feared loss of limb because it would mean loss of midichlorians, but I can make the Force flow through it just as strongly as it once did my human arm. Sometimes I think it even flows better now." Anakin chuckled. "Maybe I should just get all of my limbs replaced with machinery," he laughed sarcastically.

"Anakin,'" said Obi-Wan appalled. "That's not funny."

"Obi-Wan, I was only joking," Anakin assured him as he pushed the plate of neatly cut up meat back to his Master across the table. "Of course I don't wish I was half machine, I just want you to realize that I'm fine, and now keener than ever to be the greatest Jedi the Order has ever known. Plus, I'm not the one who was impaled and then fell twenty stories."

"It was only fourteen, and I certainly look much better than I did four days ago don't I?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Definitely, but after that incident on Koriba, I've never seen you look worse," replied Anakin taking another sip of wine. "Frankly, Old Man, you looked like you'd be drinking your meals for the rest of your life. And that shoulder! A womp rat could have jumped through it without touching the sides!"

Obi-Wan scowled. "Oh don't be so dramatic. I've seen you in a few compromising positions as well, Padawan. Besides, I'm healing up just fine. I'll be fit in time for our next mission."

"Just keep telling yourself that, Obi-Wan," replied Anakin. "You need to take it slow. We'll start with council meetings and work our way up to briefings. Then once you get your casts removed, Master Ché said you can try light exercise."

"Sounds invigorating," said Obi-Wan frowning. He wished his body would just heal already. Even these past four days were torturous.

After they had finished supper, Anakin helped Obi-Wan wash up and lay down in the spare bed in his antechamber. It was a slow process, but Obi-Wan was gaining some of his energy and dexterity back.

Anakin washed up too and lay down on his own large bed.

"Goodnight, Master," he said to Obi-Wan before drifting to sleep.

"Goodnight Padawan. Thank you," responded Obi-Wan.

…

"Oh and Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

"That's three you owe me now."

Obi-Wan scowled in the darkness. "Do shut up, Anakin."