Title: Skin Deep, Soul Deep
By: Iaga
Rated: G
Series: A Life Less Ordinary, a subdivision of Knight Moves
Summary: Yet another visit to the Healers yields a pain in more
ways than one for Obi-Wan
Category: Ficlet, POV, AU
Archive: Sith Chicks, SWAL, AllMaulFic, my site
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/theglobe
Feedback: Is always welcome! Iaga@cliffhanger.com


"Back again, I see."

Jedi Healer Maede raked a quick, assessing gaze over both of us;
I could feel her reaching out along the Force as well, trying to
discern whose injuries were the worst, and she ended up going to
Maul first. He was leaning heavily on Aren, who was also carrying
the boot Maul had managed to pry off before his ankle started to
swell. The boy is a student in one of his classes who regards him
with blatant hero worship, and I think if Aren weren't already a
Padawan, he'd try to get Maul to choose him as an apprentice. I
tease Maul about it mercilessly, of course. It's the only thing
I've found so far that embarrasses him, and I'm not about to let
it go.

I would have helped him hobble to the Med level myself, but I
couldn't--I had to be helped myself by a Master who had been in
the practice room at the time, watching our little exhibition.
For some reason, crowds tend to gather when Maul and I practice
unless we retreat to one of the smaller, private rooms. But as
energetic as our sessions get, those rooms are too restrictive,
so it's either constrict our movement or put up with being
watched. We choose the spectators as the lesser of two
evils--unless, like today, they all bear witness to our mutual
defeat.

The Master assisting me had helped me limp over to the nearest
examining table, given me a hearty thump on the back that was
probably meant to be comforting but merely served to make my
already bruised ribs ache anew, then left us. Maede didn't invite
Maul to sit down, though. Instead, she moved to kneel in front of
him so he was obliged to keep relying on Aren's help, which I
knew was annoying him. His expression was calm as usual, but his
mouth was thinned into a hard line, and he avoided Aren's and my
eyes--a sure sign he was uncomfortable. He's too independent to
like relying on anyone, even when it's necessary. A quick,
mischievous glance from Maede to me let me know the maneuver
wasn't an accident on her part, and I winked at her in
acknowledgment. She knew us both too well, but considering how
often we were in here having to be patched up, that wasn't
surprising.

Holding her hand over his ankle without touching it, she
announced, "It's just sprained badly, not broken." She glanced up
at Maul, her expression sardonic. "Which one of you was showing
off this time?" Suddenly she turned her head and skewered *me*
with a look. "Or was it both of you?"

Maul just looked at her and said nothing, his face perfectly
blank, but I shrugged and answered honestly. "Both."

"Uh-huh." She turned her attention on his ankle again, brushing
her fingertips over the bare skin, and even at this distance, I
could feel the healing energies flowing. "Whoever thought to
remove his boot so quickly did well. We might've had to cut it
off otherwise."

"I have sustained injuries of this type before." Maul spoke for
the first time since our arrival, sounding slightly affronted.

"I know..." Maede's voice sounded as if it was coming from far
away, and I knew that meant she was immersed in the healing.
"Your bones told me."

"Well, at least you saved your boot," I said helpfully, earning a
Look from Maul.

He was no more pleased to be here--again--than I was. We'd both
protested being brought, insisting we could walk off the
injuries.

Until we tried to walk.

"Stay off it for the rest of the day." Maede rose to her feet
slowly, looking up to make eye contact with Maul, her tone
no-nonsense. "No exertion for the next three days--that means no
sparring and no practicing with your classes," she added, and I
saw his grim expression turn grimmer.

Then it was my turn, and she rested her hand on my knee, that
slight touch flooding almost my whole leg with Force-warmth.

"Wrenched, but not dislocated." She glanced at me, then turned
her attention back to my injured knee. "You were lucky."

Again I shrugged. "We get a little carried away sometimes--as you
know," I said with a grin, and she shook her head, smiling even
through her disapproval.

"You're the best in the Temple, and you're equally matched," she
said. "That's the problem. You both need someone better than you
are to provide a challenge. Until then, you're just going to keep
battering yourselves bloody trying to one-up each other."

I didn't answer; I couldn't. There was only one Jedi who I knew
could have fit that description. I felt an old, familiar ache
that had nothing to do with the physical damage my body had taken
as I thought of all the practice sessions we'd shared and how
he'd constantly pushed me to my limits and beyond to help me
become the skilled warrior I am now.

"There." Maede patted my leg gently and took my arm, helping me
to my feet. "Stand on it and see how it feels."

The pain in my knee was gone. The pain in my heart... there was
nothing she could do about that.

"I'm fine," I answered tersely.

Maul gave me a questioning look, but I ignored it for the moment.

"You need to stay off it for the rest of the day as well," she
instructed. "Don't push too hard for the next day or two. If you
see any fluid build-up, come back immediately, all right?"

I agreed dutifully and thanked her, and she waved dismissively.
"Just don't let me see either of you in here for... say, at least
a week." She lifted one eyebrow and crossed her arms on her
chest. "Think you can manage that?"

"Maybe," I replied, mustering enough good humor to return her
teasing.

"I'm beginning to think I ought to move in with you," she said as
we slowly made our way to the door. "It'll make things more
convenient for me since I seem to have become your personal
healer anyway."

I nodded in agreement because it was easier than trying to offer
any rebuttal.  She could heal my knee, but the one who could have
healed the ache in my heart had been dead for almost two years.

Some pain, no healer can touch.  Some pain, you just don't get
over.

/Master, I miss you./  I sent it into the Force, knowing there
would be no reply, as there had never been any reply.  From the
look in Maul's eyes, I knew I had some explaining to do once we
hit home.