Surgery

Petro awoke on the ground of the temple garden. He slowly stood up and observed his surroundings but there was nobody, not a single jedi. And it was quiet, too quiet. The last thing he could remember was Katooni next to him, holding his hand.

Maybe he was dead already.

'Not exactly.'

Petro jumped to his feet, turned around and wanted to activate his lightsaber, but it didn't hang on his belt. A male jedi with long brown hair and a beard stood in front of him.

'There's no use of lightsabers here.'

'Where am I?'

'You're standing between life and death.'

'WHAT? That's not possible. I thought it was a simple surgery.'

The man did not answer, he just circled him.

'Petro, visions are haunting you. Strong forces are trying to gain control over you. But you must resist. For your friends, the galaxy and your master. Destinies depend on your decisions, young one.'

'What are you talking about?'

It was quite obvious Petro felt uncomfortable speaking about this issue.

'You know quite well what I mean.'

'But why am I having all those visions about-about killing everybody I love? That doesn't make sense!'

'I know that you're frustrated, but you'll figure out your role in all this eventually. You must resist though! Have faith in the force and in yourself.'

The jedi master vanished and left a confused padawan behind.
Suddenly the peaceful atmosphere changed. The temple caved in and everything around him was darkened.
The dark voice spoke to him again but this time the cloaked man wasn't there in person.

'I will let you live this time. But I demand a service in return. Not now, later. I will let you know.'

Before Petro could shout in protest his eyelids got heavy and he drifted back into a restless sleep.

Anakin had woken up a couple of hours ago. He was trying to convince a jedi healer that he was well enough to walk around and see his padawan.

'Master Skywalker, please lie back on the bed again. You are not in the condition for walking around yet.'

'I really don't care about my condition. It's my padawan's wellbeing I'm concerned about.'

'Anakin, do what she tells you.'
Obi-Wan ordered slightly annoyed.

The jedi healer was relieved when she saw Master Kenobi standing on the doorway.

'Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't leave the room.'

She nodded and left.

'You're still behaving like a padawan.'

'Please spare me. Just tell me how he is doing.'

'Honestly he barely made it. There had been...complications.'

Anakin wanted to jump off his bed, ignoring the pain in his abdomen but Obi-Wan pushed him back.

'Anakin, he's alright. Calm down.'

'How can I? I've almost lost my padawan.! Again...'

'Anakin, we already talked about this. Ahsoka made a decision. A decision you have to respect.'

'I still don't get it! After everything we've been through... and now I'm losing Petro, too.'

'Petro will be fine! He hasn't woken up yet but Master Che said he probably will do so in the next hours.'

Anakin calmed down a little by this information.

'Why were there complications? He seemed fine except for the sudden bleeding.'

'They don't know for sure. All that matters is that he survived. And thanks to you he has a functional liver now. Katooni said she'll stay over night. You should get some rest, Anakin. I see you in the morning.'

Obi-Wan let out the part about Petro's near death intentionally. He knew his former padawan would go crazy.

'See you, master.'

Later that evening another visiter came by to see Anakin.

'Padmé, it's so good to see you.'

'Anakin, you're alright.' She went over to her husband and kissed him passionately.

'I was looking after Petro before I came to you. He's sleeping. Katooni is with him.'

'I still can't believe we've nearly lost him.'

'Me neither. But everything is alright now. You don't have to worry about anything other than your recovery.'

She removed Anakin's sheets and carefully stroke over his dressed wound.
Anakin pulled her onto the bed into his arms.

'Stay with me for some hours.' He whispered into her ear.

'Ani, I can't. What if a jedi healer comes in?'

'They won't check on me till morning. Trust me, they never do.'

Convinced by this she rested her head on his shoulder. He pulled her closer to him and they fell asleep, close together.

The next morning Anakin visited Petro who had woken up some hours ago. Katooni was sleeping peacefully in a chair next to his bed, her head resting on Petro's arm. Anakin spoke quietly for not waking her up.

'Hey, it's good to see that you are okay. How are you feeling?'

'As good as possible after almost dying.'

'I see it needs more for you to lose your humour.'

'A lot more.' Petro suqeezed his master's hand.

'Thank you. I wouldn't be alive anymore without you.'

Anakin placed the free hand on his padawan's head.

'I'm just glad you're alive. Padmé said she'd visit you after her meeting.'

'I'm looking forward to her visit. I missed her so much. Master?'

'Yeah?'

'What do you think? Will I be able to start training again next week?'

Anakin chuckled at his padawan's ambition.

'Patience. We'll be back on the battlefield soon enough.'

'I hope so! I have been here for a day now and I'm nearly considering suicide as my last way out of this!'

'I can bring you your study stuff if you want to.' Anakin offered mockingly.

'Yeah that would be just GREAT!'

'Get some rest. The more you rest the sooner you'll get better.'

'Alright. See you later, master.'

'See you later.'

Anakin leaned over his padawan and placed his forehead against Petro's. They remained in that position for several seconds, both happy that Petro had survived, before Anakin left the room.

Petro wanted to tell his master about his latest dream. He wanted answers and he didn't know how to get them. But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to share this with anyone right now. It was so important to him what his friends and family thought about him. Everything would change if they knew what was happening to him over the years. They surely wouldn't fully trust him anymore. He just wanted it all to go away. Why the dark side kept lurking over his head all the time was a mystery to him. But the strangest thing of all was that it kind of made him stronger on the battlefield. It was a strength no one else had in the ranks of the Jedi. It made him unique, it made him dangerous. And he kind of liked it a little bit as well if he was completely honest with himself.