Now

Obi-Wan feels cold. Everything around him feels like he is drowning in the vastness of open space. He struggles to breathe, despite the air being there; he knows the area around him is warm, but the cold of his body makes the warmth not feel like enough. He can't see anything even though his eyes are open and straining to see anything.

He hears himself cough, ragged and terribly hoarse, but at least he can hear it.

"Easy. Here." A voice speaks from beside Obi-Wan making him jump. He hasn't heard anyone else near him or even sensed it.

Before he knows it, something is getting pressed to his mouth and poured in. Obi-Wan tries to fight it until he feels the liquid splash across his dry tongue and he tastes the flavorless yet distinguishable liquid. It takes all his power not to chug the whole bottle.

"Very slow," his helper instructs, "you don't want to overdo it and make yourself sick."

After drinking the water carefully, and rubbing his shaking hands down his face and over his eyes, he feels a bit more together. He clears his throat and says, "who are you?"

"You don't recognize me?" The man asks, sounding hurt.

"I can't see you," Obi-Wan says, trying to hide his concern but failing. Everything around him is so dim and blurry that he can merely see shapes and nothing more.

"Oh, your sight will come back. It's just the post-carbonite sickness." The shape of the stranger shrugs.

"What a relief," Obi-Wan replies, but whether it's sarcastic or sincere he isn't sure.

A particularly harsh shiver shoots down Obi-Wans spine and he grips his arms over his chest. "Why is it so cold?" He doesn't know much about carbon-freezing but surely it's not natural to feel as cold as he does now.

"You've been frozen. Cold comes with the territory. Your body is also going into shock so it's going to get worse—"

"Worse?" Obi-Wan chokes.

"—before it gets better. Luckily, I came prepared."

There is some rustling beside him and suddenly a sharp pain in his neck. "Ow," Obi-Wan gasps and tries to move away but his arm is held in place. A moment later, he is released.

"That will help with the sickness."

"A warning would be nice." But even as he says it, he can feel the injection working its magic; his shivering subsides and his limbs don't feel like jelly.

"We need to move." His companion stands up and pulls Obi-Wan with him. His knees give out and Obi-Wan stumbles into his helper before being rightened once more. He can stand, just not without a little help. The stranger has to support Obi-Wan by the waist to get him walking.

They rush... somewhere. Obi-Wan struggles along with only this person as his guide and physical support.

"You still haven't answered my question," Obi-Wan accuses when they round another corner. His eyesight is either slowly improving or they're in a brightly lit hall. He can't tell.

"Which one?"

"Who are you?"

They suddenly come to a halt as alarms begin to sound all around them and the white hall transitions into a red hall.

"Are we on a ship?"

"You could say that. We need to move faster. Can you walk on your own yet?" Instead of waiting for an answer the stranger releases him, and Obi-Wan is surprised he doesn't sway.

Apparently, this is good enough. "Perfect, come on." He grabs Obi-Wans wrist and pulls him into a sprint. Obi-Wan nearly falls the first few steps because the added pressure of running hurts muscles he didn't even realize he has. That isn't what makes it difficult, though, as he is able to keep up with his companion just fine, the difficult part is running blind.

They turn a corner and come to a halt making Obi-Wan stumble yet again and catch himself on his guide. Obi-Wan is pushed flush against the wall with a hand to the chest and he takes the hint. Don't move, stay quiet.

Obi-Wan utilizes this moment to squeeze his eyes shut and reopen them again hoping it will help restore some of his vision. He blinks rapidly a few times and attempts to focus on a point across from him. The harder he looks, the more his eyes strain and a migraine forms, but if he squints and focuses hard enough he can make out details within shapes instead of just big blobs.

Progress.

"Okay," his partner whispers and escorts him by the arm once more.

"What's going on, exactly?" Obi-Wan finds himself asking.

"Isn't that obvious? I'm getting you out of here." They stop again. A blur of black and white run past them in synchronized steps before the pair continue on.

They don't make it far before Obi-Wan stumbles to a halt and is getting pulled in the other direction with his companion cursing to himself.

"You there! Stop!"

"Oh, badbadbad." And something about the voice is familiar but Obi-Wan doesn't get the chance to think on it because he is trying not to get shot at.

They come around another corner just to stop abruptly. Obi-Wan lands into the mans back with an oomph and falls to the ground.

Now they're surrounded. He can tell that much from the blur of movement in front of them and the sounds behind them. When all movement stops, the alarms turn off and the lights shift from red to white once more.

"Well, well, look who it is. I have to say, I've been waiting for the day I'd have you back in my clutches again, Mr. Dameron."

"Wow, you know, you're like the second person to say that to me today," says Obi-Wans companion, Mr. Dameron.

"Can't imagine it was a sincere sentiment." A jerk of his head, and more movement of black and white around them. Obi-Wan is pulled to his feet and his arms are brought in front of him and cuffed in place. He imagines the same happening to Damerons.

"Uh. That's rude. Ow! Hey! Watch it, buddy." Dameron jerks in place as the stormtrooper clasps his hands together.

"I can assure you Lord Vader won't be so kind once he arrives."

"'Course not. I've stolen away his favorite trophy."

"Stolen?" The man scoffs. "You haven't even made it to the main hangar. Lock them up."

"Oh come on," Dameron grumbles as they're manhandled down the hall. "You didn't even ask who the first person was!"

"I don't care."

At this, Obi-Wan nearly feels Damerons smile. "You will," he says lowly.

When they're shoved into a cell, hands still bound, Obi-Wan can see the grate his face smacks into. He sits up and can't see much else. Once the door is shut, he finds his companion pulling himself up and sitting himself against the wall. Obi-Wan mimics the same on the other side.

The cell is a dim white, which, much to his surprise, is rather helpful on the eyes as it lessens the pain in his head and helps him focus better.

"Is this really part of the plan?"

"Of course."

Something in his voice makes Obi-Wan frown.

"Who was the second person?"

He doesn't reply.

"There wasn't a second person. You were bluffing."

Dameron shrugs. "It worked. Did you see his face?"

Obi-Wan purses his lips and the man amends, "oh, right. Well, you should've seen it. I scared him."

"But you do have a plan to get us out of here, right?"

"Of course."

Obi-Wan isn't reassured.

He must've fallen asleep because he jolts his eyes open to the sound of the doors opening and three blurs of color walk in. Two of them stand on either side of the door, the other sets down two items before all of them take their leave.

Dameron sits forward a moment later and examines the items. "What is it?" Obi-Wan wonders.

"Water," he says and drinks from his.

"Wait, what if it's--"

"It's not. They're waiting for Vader. They would be killed for killing us before he gets here."

He hands the other cup to Obi-Wan and he takes a cautious sip. The liquid overloads his mouth with cool sensations before he gulps the rest of it down.

"Slowly," Dameron insists for the second time that day. "You don't want to make yourself sick. You've been under a long time."

"How long?"

The man hesitates. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Obi-Wan tries to recall any memories he has of before getting frozen, and his head absolutely throbs. He openly winces.

"It's alright," Dameron says. "Once your senses return and you get proper nutrition, your memories should return."

Obi-Wan ignores how he says should and not will.

"How do you know so much about this?"

"I had to start doing research after the first year," he says casually.

"First year of what?"

He pauses again, and the air somehow feels thicker than it did before he asked.

"The first year of you being gone."

The pair are silent, the weight of those words settling over Obi-Wan and something akin to dread washes over him.

"How long was I under?" And this time the words hold just as much weight. A lot can happen in just a year, and the way he said that really makes Obi-Wan fear his answer.

When he doesn't say anything, Obi-Wan starts to panic. "How long, Mr. Dameron?"

The man winces. "Eesh, don't call me that. The names Arrin."

Obi-Wan waits.

This time when Mr--Arrin--speaks it's with a deep rooted sadness and exhaustion that makes Obi-Wan sick.

"You've been gone ten years."

As if waiting for the confirmation, Obi-Wans stomach churns and he turns to the side and throws up.

When he is upright again, his stomach doesn't feel any better and the room is spinning. "I don't remember anything."

"What do you remember?"

Obi-Wan frowns. "I know my name. I know basic facts, like reading--I think. I can recite systems and planet locations. I know about the Rebellion and the Empire. I think I know something about Jedi--" Obi-Wan breaks off as a splitting pain shoots through his head. He gasps and grips his forehead.

"I can't remember anything else," he says when the pain subsides.

"That's okay," Arrin says but they both know it's anything but. "I'd rather you not cause more damage by injuring yourself further."

"More damage?"

Arrin doesn't reply.

"I shouldn't have lost this much memory?" Obi-Wan will never admit how high-pitch his voice sounds in that moment.

Arrin doesn't respond for a long time until, "we weren't sure what to expect. No one in history has been under for that long of a time period and survived."

Obi-Wan is silent while he processes that information, one part in particular standing out the most. "We?"

He could feel the disbelief on Arrins face.

"Right, you don't remember anything. Literally."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Silence.

"You should rest, it'll help get your strength back."

"Ten years isn't long enough?"

Arrin scoffs. "Carbon-hibernation has a very different effect than normal slumber. Rest."

Obi-Wan does.

--

It's dark and cold, he feels alone and restless. Something has happened, something very detrimental and he can't figure out what it is, but the urgency to fix it is there. A flash of blue eyes, a giddy smile. Fear, anger, flashes of red, modulated breathing--

Obi-Wan gasps awake, he jerks up enough to lean on his elbow. He fell asleep on his side, and they're still trapped inside the cell. Arrin is there, and Obi-Wan can see him as clear as ever. He looks older than Obi-Wan imagined. He has tan skin, dark hair and eyes, has a light stubble across his jaw. Frown lines are apparent between his brows and on this forehead, he must only be a few years older than Obi-Wan himself. His body is built, yet lean, and he's wearing a familiar orange jumpsuit with the sleeves tied around his waist. Pilot, his mind supplies.

"My sight is back," Obi-Wan comments.

Arrin looks pleased. "That's good. The sleeping has helped." He doesn't ask the question Obi-Wan knows is on the tip of his tongue.

"I don't recognize you," he addresses anyway.

Arrins face falls and he gives a tight smile. "One step at a time. At least you can see."

Obi-Wan nods.

--

It's some time later that Arrin falls asleep. Obi-Wan is content despite their current situation. There is something hopeful about being out of the carbonite, something he still has to do although he can't seem to remember what, but he knows it's possible and that is what gets him to slowly sip at the rest of his water. Sleep helped, and water made him sick earlier, but he needs it for his strength.

Hours could have passed, Obi-Wan can't tell. It's when he gets an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach that he kicks Arrins boot with his own. Arrin startles awake and blinks over at Obi-Wan.

"I think something--"

The white lights turn red, an alarm blares on repeat, blasters can be heard outside.

"--is wrong."

Arrin is up instantly. "This is it."

Obi-Wan stands with him, and is relieved to find that he still can, albeit a little weakly.

The doors swish open, and there stands a large Wookiee and a kid that looks to be in his twenties.

"Hey, kid!" Arrin greets cheerfully. Said 'kid' rolls his eyes as he steps inside to hug him. He turns to Obi-Wan afterwards, and pulls him into a tight embrace as well.

"Ben," he says when he pulls away, hands resting on his shoulders. Who's Ben? "It's true what they say about carbon-freezing, you haven't aged a day." He grins, big chestnut eyes alight with boyish glee. "Azel is going to be so happy to see you."

"Han," Arrin grabs his shoulder. "He doesn't remember anything."

Han frowns and looks between Arrin and Obi-Wan.

"What?"

"His memory is gone, for now that is. It's a side effect of the carbon sickness. I'm gonna have Mitty look him over when we get back to base."

The kid looks back to Obi-Wan, devastation overcoming his joy. "Really?"

Obi-Wan shrugs apologetically and Han looks defeated. Obi-Wan starts to worry it will become a trend when meeting the people of his past.

Shouts can be heard from outside the cell and blasting ensues. The Wookiee, who was keeping guard at the door, roars and starts shooting back. Han pulls out a blaster and joins him only to jump behind the frame to dodge a blast. He's quick to shoot back, and after several blasts and a moment of silence, he turns to them, "we need to go."

The four of them rush down the hall to the control center at the end of the detention block. Obi-Wan thinks he should be disturbed by the dead armored guards littering the area but he isn't. He makes it a point not to think about it.

Arrin snatches a belt and thigh holster from a chair and puts them on. He unholsters the blaster and inspects it before deeming its worthy and moving towards the elevator.

"Shouldn't I have one of those?" Obi-Wan blurts. Han and the Wookiee also have a blaster, he is currently the only one unarmed. He doesn't like the idea of relying on others to defend him when he is perfectly capable of defending himself.

Wait, am I?

Arrin looks incredulous but Han looks around the floor and picks up a stormtroopers blaster from beneath its body. He hands it to him with a smile.

"Just make sure we're clear before you shoot," Arrin sighs and presses the button for the elevator.

Obi-Wan frowns at his back. I know how to shoot, his head argues. Are you sure? Another part asks.

Obi-Wan dangles the blaster in front of him. It's heavier than he thought it might be, or maybe his limbs are still weak from being under. He adjusts it in his grip and points it outwards to demonstrate that he is worthy of holding a blaster.

"No! No, not like that." Han is instantly in front of him and turning the blaster around. Now the long side is facing outward.

"Oh," Obi-Wan breathes.

"This is the trigger. This is where the blast comes from." He points to all the different parts of the blaster. "You don't want that part facing you."

"Or any of us," Arrin mumbles just as the elevator arrives.

Han gives Obi-Wan a million credit smile. Obi-Wan struggles to share his nonchalance.

The elevator takes them down several floors and they step out to a three-way intersection free of stormtroopers. Arrin leads them straight and to the left. This hall is empty as well.

"This feels wrong," Obi-Wan comments. "Where are all the reinforcements?"

They turn around another corner and into a hangar housing a massive gray ship, surrounded by hundreds of the black and white soldiers.

"Oh, you just had to say it, didn't you?"

"There they are! Blast them!"

The Wookiee howls and the four of them run back the way they came.

"What are the chances that wasn't our way out of here?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Not very good," Arrin says over his shoulder.

They rush into an empty conference room and close the door, locking it in place.

"Have you gotten ahold of K2?" Arrin asks the Wookiee.

The Wookiee replies something that makes Arrin grumble, "Cassian is going to have my head if anything happens to that droid. Try him again."

The Wookiee pulls out a comlink and plays around with it for a moment before--

"Millenium Falcon to Operation Terrible, come in."

The Wookiee growls. Arrin scoffs.

The Wookiee says something back that yields, "what do you mean? I've been trying to get ahold of you!"

"Chewie!" Han yells, and the Wookiee--Chewie--dares to look innocent. "Don't you know how to work the volume on that thing?"

The two go back and forth while Arrin snatches the com away. "K2 we're trapped just outside the hangar. I need you to draw attention away from the Falcon."

"That's why I've been trying to get a hold of you. I've found the security control room for this quadrant of the station. I'm running out of excuses to keep the guards out of this room. One of them already mumbled something about doing a full reconfiguration wipe later."

Arrin shakes his head. "Just get everyone as far away as you can. Tell us when to move."

"On it."

"You have a droid on the inside?" Obi-Wan asks.

"In a way."

"He's a reprogrammed imperial droid," Han says now that he and Chewie have stopped bickering.

"Makes things easier when you need to get around an Imperial base unnoticed," Arrin adds in.

"Like right now?"

"Exactly like right now."

"Stormtroopers have been relocated. You're clear to move."

"Meet us back at the ship," Arrin tells him and switches the com off.

Without further prompt, the four of them leave the room. Chewie and Han take the lead while Arrin takes the back, sandwiching Obi-Wan between them all. They make it through the corridors without being seen until they reach the turn that leads them to the hangar. That's when Chewie stops abruptly, making the three of them all run into the back of him. Han starts grumbling something but Chewie smacks his furry hand over his mouth.

That's when they hear stormtrooper stomps, and they watch as two large rows of stormtroopers march past them from the hangar, heading in the opposite direction with their backs to them.

"Yes, that way. They went that way." Obi-Wan didn't even notice the large steel gray droid come from the adjacent corridor. The stormtroopers don't pay them any mind as they turn the corner and continue their hurried movements away from them.

When they're out of sight, the imperial droid approaches them. "Just wait until Cassian hears about this."

"Not now, K2." Arrin grumbles. "Is it clear?"

K2 steps forward a few paces and peaks into the hangar. "All clear," he says.

The five of them run towards a massive looking ship that could have come straight from a junkyard. He decides not to question it.

"There's my baby," Han says.

"We don't have much time. The tractor beam is down but it won't take long for them to realize why."

They're in the ship now, Arrin is closing the hatch behind them. Han and Chewie rushed to the cockpit, Obi-Wan finds himself following and taking a seat in one of the copilot chairs. Arrin comes to sit next to him.

They're starting the flight checks when they see a large group of stormtroopers enter the hangar and immediately start blasting. The ship rocks and jerks with each blast.

"Chewie! The shields!"

With a grumble Chewie hits a button and the ship stops taking damage.

"Get us into space!" Han exclaims.

"We're gonna have to fight our way out of this." Arrin turns to Obi-Wan. "Think you can shoot?"

Obi-Wan blinks at him. "What?"

"Never mind. Han let K2 take over."

"No way am I letting that droid--"

"Excuse me?" K2 chims in. Obi-Wan didn't notice him standing in the cockpit hallway.

Han grumbles something and then stands up. He and Arrin rush out of the cockpit and K2 takes Hans seat. They get the ship airborne and soon they're in open space.

"We have fighters incoming," K2 informs.

"We got 'em!" Arrins voice comes through an intercom. He can hear it echo from somewhere in the ship.

The roar of the TIE fighters are loud as they whistle by, but they're even louder when they're blown to bits. Arrin and Han cheer through the intercom and it comes from somewhere in the ship.

"Nice shot, kid!"

"I'm not a kid."

The ship swerves, Chewie growls, and K2 responds, "there are too many of them to fly perfectly straight!"

Chewie replies.

"You think you can do better? Then by all means."

K2 releases the handles and the ship jerks. More explosions can be heard but it's nothing compared to the loud growl of Chewie, and Arrin exclaiming profanities through the intercom.

"Pull it together up there! They're deploying the whole fleet! Get us into hyperspace!"

"The calculations are only at 68% accuracy. If we jump now--"

The ship jerks to the side again. TIEs are weaving in front of the ship and then out of sight.

Obi-Wan hates flying. He knows this, and it is further confirmed now.

"Just do it, K2!"

"Preparing for lightspeed jump," he says. A TIE flies in front of them again.

Obi-Wan grips the sides of his chair, blaster forgotten on the floor by his feet. He really hates flying.

"Calculations made. Making the jump in 3, 2, 1..."

The stars become a blur around them, Obi-Wan is thrust back in his seat, and then silence. They didn't hit a rogue TIE as they jumped, they're safe.

Han and Arrin join them a moment later.

"We kriffing did it," Han says. He smiles down at Obi-Wan.

"I have to call the base." Arrin says and excuses himself.

"Best two out of three?" K2 offers to Chewie. He mumbles something and then the two of them are exiting the room.

At Obi-Wans questioning frown, Han fills in, "Holochess. Chewie is unbeatable, but K2 still tries."

Obi-Wan blinks and stares at Han overlooking the controls. "You called me Ben."

Han turns. "What?"

"Before. When you came into the cell. Why did you call me Ben?"

Han looks away, but not before Obi-Wan catches the sad expression. "I suppose you wouldn't remember. It's what you were going by when you lived on Tatooine."

A false name? Living on a desert planet? Why would he do such a thing?

"I can't remember anything," Obi-Wan says more to himself than Han. "How did you and I meet?"

"Ten years ago. You and Azel saved me from slave traders."

"Who is Azel?"

Just then, Arrin reenters the cockpit in time to cut Han off before he can answer. "She's no one. You don't need to worry about her right now." Arrin shoots a glare at Han who turned to face him when he entered. Han scowls at him and rolls his eyes before going back to the controls.

"Where are we going?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Yavin IV. It's a Rebel base. You'll be safe there."

Obi-Wan blinks. "Safe from the Empire?"

Arrin nods. "You should rest. It'll be awhile before we arrive and the medicine will wear off soon."

As if triggered, Obi-Wans shoulders sag and he feels his body weighing him down like the artificial gravity increased strength by double.

"I'll help him," Han volunteers. The kid is in front of him and helping him to his feet before Obi-Wan can protest that he's fine. He stumbles, and Han has to grip his arm to keep him upright.

"Come on, old man, I thought you were a Jedi."

Jedi.

They walk past K2 and Chewie arguing over holographic monsters on a table and then they're in a dark room and Obi-Wan is falling sideways onto a cot. He feels cold again but the way his tunics are sticking to his body say otherwise. He thinks the pillow should feel cold but instead it feels warm like it's been slept on. Somewhere he registers that isn't the case and his body is reacting to the sickness again.

"They will take care of you on the base. You'll feel better and begin to remember us."

It sounds more like Han is trying to convince himself more than Obi-Wan but he can't seem to care. His eyes are drooping and his limbs feel weak.

He doesn't see Han leave, but the room is dark and silent. Or are his eyes closed?

The last thing he pictures before falling unconscious are a pair of blue eyes and a wave of dirty blonde hair.

--

A/N:

!!! I think it's important to review this really quick !!!

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS STORY:

Obi-Wan was ~33

Azel ~20

Anakin/Vader ~30 (yeah, I'll address how Obi-Wan was able to train Anakin at such a young age. This is an AU, I'm taking liberties and changing things up)

Arrin ~20

Han ~11

Luke/Leia ~7

NOW:

Obi-Wan is physically ~33, given the time jump if he wasn't frozen he would be ~44 but this is fiction and we're going to pretend carbon-freezing works like the Marvel universe where Bucky and Cap basically didn't age because they were frozen. So he is now pretty much the same age as Azel and Arrin.

Azel ~30

Arrin ~30

Anakin/Vader ~40

Han ~21 (we're going to pretend like Solo didn't happen here. I still picture Harrison Ford even though technically Han was in his late twenties in A New Hope. Yeah, I messed with Hans age too)

Luke/Leia ~17 (just as they are in A New Hope)

Hopefully that will clear some things up moving forward. Please don't be put off by the time jump!! There is a method to my madness, I promise it will be worth it. Every other chapter will be a Then versus Now theme. Obi-Wan is Now (odd chapters) and Azel is Then (even chapters). Eventually the two will match up and everything will make sense. Just hang in there with me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MORE THAN 30K READS I CAN'T BELIEVE IT YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!! I LOVE ALL OF YOU SO MUCH!!