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[neverjedi]

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[justasmallfry]

It all came out of Anakin in a rush. "It's mom. Watto got mad 'cause I dropped some droid parts and made a mess and mom said it was her fault so he wouldn't get mad at me. But he hurt her. And she needs help!"

[neverjedi]

That is more than enough information for Obi-Wan to feel not just Anakin's urgency but his own. He pivots, picks Anakin bodily up and runs toward their quarters. No force assistance (except perhaps in helping him hold Anakin's weight), but as fast as he can move without that.

He uses the Force to open the door, puts Anakin on the floor as soon as they're inside and makes a beeline straight for Shmi.

He isn't letting her die. It just simply is not going to happen.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin didn't object to being picked up if it meant they would get back to his mom faster. He even missed where Obi-Wan used the Force to open the door, his mind was so preoccupied.

One down on the floor, Anakin watched on just long enough to see that Obi-Wan was helping his mom, and then he back into the wall and crouched down, holding his knees. He didn't try to stop his crying.

When Obi-Wan finally comes back for him, he asks in a small voice, "Is mom going to be alright?"

[neverjedi]

He sits down on the floor beside Anakin, and pulls the boy into his lap in an open display of affection that he never would have been allowed as a Jedi. He even stroked the fine, blonde hair a little bit in a show of just pure, familial, comfort.

"She's gonna be fine," he promises. "She probably won't wake up before morning, and she'll have some bruises but she's okay now."

[justasmallfry]

His mom treated him like this, and Obi-Wan was kind to him when he had no reason to be. Anakin knew that sometimes slaves could be mean. Sebulba was a former slave and he got out and now has slaves himself. But Obi-Wan was always kind.

Anakin sat there a while, he felt awful for what had happen because of what he'd done. That his mom was going to be okay was a major relief, but he still knew none of this would have happened if he's been more careful.

"It's my fault."

[neverjedi]

Sebulba was most definitely not kind and not just because he owned slaves himself, but that was neither here nor there.

He kept stroking Anakin's hair, feeling the complicated mix of emotions -relief and guilt.

"You didn't hurt your mom, Anakin. Making a mess shouldn't get anyone hurt."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin was quiet for a little while thinking about that. It sounded logical, but it butted against a lifetime of dealing with Watto's mood swings that made Anakin learn to walk on eggshells... when he remembered to. And he never seemed to remember to do that enough. And he'd been using the Force. Obi-Wan had told him to be careful.

"I was using the Force... to put droid parts away. And I messed up and dropped the part and it knocked over other parts and made the mess. And that's why Watto was mad. If I didn't do that, Watto wouldn't have been mad."

[neverjedi]

The thought of Watto catching Anakin using the Force scared the hell out of Obi-Wan. He did not want to see this kid in a collar - or worse - because someone realized what he was capable of.

It made him hold his breath for a little bit, until he could stop his heart racing.

"You do need to be careful with using the Force," he murmured. "It isn't safe for you to, because if you get caught you - or someone else - will get hurt. That doesn't mean using it is wrong. It just means that the people around you are wrong - and mean, and cruel. So be careful to protect people, but never, ever, think using it is wrong."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin was quiet again. He'd stopped crying now.

How could he not be afraid of using the Force now? He didn't want to get anyone hurt, especially not his mom or Obi-Wan.

"Maybe I could just... not use it to move things. Watto couldn't see me using it to work on droids and ship parts. Or when I'm flying." If he just used it in a way no one could see, no one would get hurt.

[neverjedi]

It was sad, but the whole situation was sad. "That's what I do. And if no one knows, you can help people with what you can do, too. It'll get easier as you get older and more practice."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin didn't think this was fair. It made him hate Watto and the other masters more. But his desire to never see his mom hurt again outweighed his anger at the situation.

"Do I need to do anything for mom?"

[neverjedi]

Obi-Wan is pretty damn mad about it, too. He isn't about to chastise Anakin for that. He kisses the top of Anakin's head and gives him a brief hug. "No. She needs to sleep tonight and we should let her. She should eat tomorrow when she wakes up, though."

If he could help the bruises heal faster without her noticing he would, but otherwise those visible remarks were superficial and not dangerous.

"You should eat tonight."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin nodded and asked, "Are you gonna stay for dinner?"

[neverjedi]

"I am going to stay all night to make sure you eat and you and your mom stay safe. I'll leave once she's awake and had something to eat in the morning."

He let Anakin go and gave him a very gentle push. "Come help me put food together, please."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin got up when prompted. He felt better knowing that his mom would be okay and that Obi-Wan would stay the night to keep helping.

This just made him all the more resolved to figure out how to find their slave chips.

“Okay,” he didn’t sound his usually bright and happy self, but he sounded at least sure of what was going on.

“After dinner I can show you how far along Threepio is.”

[neverjedi]

Overall, Obi-Wan was pretty good at staying out of trouble - even with an owner as volatile as Sebulba. Not perfect, he certainly got his share of being physically rebuked and just plain used as a punching bag. He did, however, usually manage to avoid anything bad enough to be a problem - or anything that was overly visible.

No one was good enough to avoid indefinitely. Not even Obi-Wan and particularly not with that particular owner.

He didn't want to alarm anyone, least of all Anakin and Shmi, but the need for help overrode that. He was badly sunburned, dehydrated, one eye was swollen nearly shut and his lower face was a mask of dried blood from his nose and split lip. His ribs on one side were absolutely black and blue, making breathing hell.

He still knocked politely at the door and waited for an answer.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin was working in the kitchen area with his mother, making food, when they heard the knock at the door. The raps were polite, but they echoed oddly in Anakin’s ears, like time had slowed down and they pierced right to his heart.

It all felt… wrong.

His hands were clean, while his mother’s were covered in flour.

He nodded when she asked him to get the door.

Answering the door didn’t feel wrong, in fact, Anakin felt an overwhelming panic that he should open that door as fast as possible, but every step towards the door something was telling him things were very, very wrong.

When he opened the door, he saw exactly what was wrong.

“Mom!” he shouted back.

Shmi rushed to the door in an instant, what flour she couldn’t wipe off ignored, and helped Obi-Wan inside and to the bed.

“Anakin,” she said, much more calmly than he felt. “Get some rags and one of our rationed bottles of water.”

And while Anakin did that, Shmi started questioning Obi-Wan about what happened, what needed to be addressed.

[neverjedi]

"It looks a lot worse than it is," he said, steadily. How much that was actually saying, was debatable given how bad it looked. Still the truth, though.

He closed his eyes for a moment, took some deep breaths and did not bother to explain what had happened since it didn't really matter, anyway. "I can get cleaned up later, but I really need water; I'm sorry." There was a ration situation, he'd be as sparing as he could but he was both burned and dehydrated and far more than broken ribs and even bad bruises or worse, that was the threat that could be deadly here. Those were the things he couldn't try to use the Force to correct.

"And some company would be a good idea for a little while." Company meaning he thought Anakin could help, maybe, but he wasn't explaining that just trying to talk and breathe. He didn't have to try for calm, though. He was actually calm.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin rushed up with the bottle and rag.

"He can have the whole bottle, right mom?" Anakin was already handing both over.

"Of course he can," and she looked pointedly at Obi-Wan. "Whatever you need is ours to give, really."

And she looked back at Anakin before Obi-Wan could try to argue. "Ani, go get the air cooling unit." It was solar powered and salvaged from many different parts so it was weak at best, but Obi-Wan was sunburned on all parts they could see and dehydrated and probably dangerously close to heat stroke.

"Okay," Anakin said and rushed off to his room to drag out an air cooling unit.

She didn't like just leaving the blood, but if it wasn't the worst then it's what they had to do. They had a limited supply of water, no med kit. She could wash and mend his clothes when ready, provide some food when it was done cooking. But as slaves, they had very little to give.

"Drink slowly, you'll upset your stomach."

"Here?" Anakin had dragged out the unit and placed it close to the bed. When Shmi nodded, he turned it on.

And then Shmi asked, "Is there anything else we can get you?"

[neverjedi]

Limited supply of water was why he was leaving the blood. He could get rid of it without the water when his skin could stand more scrubbing or, more likely, sonics. For now he was just going to have to look gruesome.

He opened the water and took a couple of slow drinks so he didn't upset his stomach and resisted the urge to recoil from the cooler air. It was just the result of his burned skin being so hot and would feel good very shortly. That it wasn't powerful worked in his benefit for now, though.

"Thank you," he said, sincerely and quietly, but with some strain showing. "I can... take care of the worst of this myself, but I need somewhere safe and I would much rather not be alone while I do so. I need someone to wake me if someone comes looking for me, and before they find me."

[justasmallfry]

Shmi and Anakin understood all too well what Obi-Wan wanted. And it was really, besides the water, the best thing they could do for him.

Shmi nodded and said, "I'll be in the kitchen. I'll keep an eye on the door." And then she stood to return to making dinner.

Anakin had been completely diverted from making food. Which was saying a lot.

He stayed by Obi-Wan, chewing on his lip. He really wanted to help but he didn't know what else he could do.

[neverjedi]

He gave Shmi a slightly long look and equally slight nod. It was meant as more thanks, which he could only help she understood.

Once she was gone and Anakin was still standing there, looking - very young, actually, he held his hand out. "Come here." He wanted to explain what he was doing before he did it; he didn't want to scare Anakin.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin had seen enough in his life by now that he wasn't afraid of blood or injuries. But he wasn't afraid he might hurt Obi-Wan more. So his approach was cautious.

"Is there something I can do to help you?"

[neverjedi]

"Maybe. But first I want to explain a couple of things so it doesn't seem so strange. Then we can figure out how you can help." If he Anakin still wanted to. "Sit down beside me while I drink some more water, please."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin pulled himself up on the bed to sit by Obi-Wan. He really wished he could do something, but so far in their lessons Anakin hadn't been able to do any healing. He hated feeling useless like this, when someone he cared about was hurt.

"Do you want more water? You can have mine if you need it."