Found A New Padawan

Healing Old Wounds

I hope you guys are excited! Next up: healing and talks!

Ikoe shot up off the bed with a gasp, breathing heavily as she looked around the room in a panic. As she calmed down, she finally realized her arm was burning in pain. The nerve endings fired off white-hot pain through her arm. She clutched the arm close, the newly attached metal freezing compared to the burning she felt.

She could only gasp, unable to make any other sound as her fingers dug into the skin while her metal hand curled into a fist. She curled in further on herself. Feeling a hand brushing her shoulder, she jerked back with a cry, her mind flashing back to her nightmare. "Ikoe, it's ok. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you," they spoke and Ikoe hesitantly looked over to see Obi-Wan sitting at her bedside and swallowed the lump in her throat before glancing down at her arm, wincing once more in pain. She awkwardly shuffled over to him and relaxed into his arms when he pulled her close. "Want to talk about it?" he asked softly and felt her shrug in response. "It's alright if you don't. But if you ever do, I'm here," he whispered and she nodded understanding even as she tucked her head under his chin.

"I was back there," she whispered hoarsely after a moment and felt Obi-Wan's arms tighten around her. "Ahsoka....her eyes were normal and....she laughed as she cut off my arm," she whispered, her voice cracking at the end as she gripped Obi-Wan's shirt with her right hand. "I...I know she wouldn't....but..." she added and felt Obi-Wan nod with a sad hum.

"I know, dear, I know. The mind can play cruel tricks when something terrible happens. It's awful that she's the one who took your arm, but in time, your mind will realize that she was under compulsion. If she knew, she would no doubt apologize nonstop for what she did," he whispered, his tone knowing.

"Yeah...I don't want her to know though....it would...it would kill her to know she did that while under the Son's control," Ikoe whispered, curling her arm around Obi-Wan's back to clutch his shirt while her left arm was held to her chest.

"Yes, and one day, your mind will finally be able to recognize that it was the Son that caused this. Had we never been summoned, she never would have cut off your hand," he assured, feeling her nod under him once more.

"Could you stay?" she asked softly, her eyes flicking all around the room and toward the door that led into the Halls of Healing.

"Of course," he whispered before shifting to be on her bed when it became apparent she wasn't going to let go. He pulled her blanket over her shoulders before wrapping his arm around her while his other ran his fingers through her hair. He recalled seeing the Creche Masters doing similar things when he was a youngling when someone had a nightmare in the Creche.

"Thank you," she croaked out as she slowly relaxed in his arms. He started humming softly under his breath, smiling softly when he felt her curl in close as she slowly drifted off.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Obi-Wan breathed out softly, glancing up at the ceiling. "I promise I'll do my best to protect you better." Holding his padawan close, Obi-Wan slowly drifted off himself, confident that he wasn't needed at the moment by anyone.

XXXXXX

She was thankful for Hevy and Echo. They stayed by her side as she got used to having a metal arm. Fives had gone on a mission with Anakin and the 501st to be able to ask Anakin for any tips when the pain became too much for her. Hevy knew what she needed to hear when it became too much.

She hated that he understood her pain.

She was glad she had someone who understood her pain.

She knew she could turn to Anakin, but the man needed to focus on the war. But it's also been years since he lost his arm. He probably doesn't remember the first few days well anymore. But Hevy understood since it was only a few months since he lost his leg. He still had a month of physical therapy before he'd be cleared. But she was going to be out of the fight for a month so they had each other.