Title: Together
Author: Keyla Kenobi - [email protected] (changed my e-mail adress.
The other one is completely dead! Don't know what happend)
Rating: I don't really know, I think it would be better to say that it's
PG...
Archive: Sure, just e-mail me!
Disclaimer: The boys belong to George Lucas, I don't make money with this,
I just use them for the MUSH!
Warning: There is a loving and parental relationship between Obi and Qui,
there is no slash so if you don't like that, don't read any further.
Summary: this is 'I Found You' sequeal. Qui is taking Obi as his Padawan
Beta-Read by Aida (The best Beta-reader!!!! Thanx!!)
/ personal thoughts / // metal link //
Authors note: this would be half an AU, cuz it's no the way is described
on JA books, but it has parts from them.
Check out also my other fic if you want:
Grumpy Tummy, A very Important Prescene In My Life, A Rainy Day, Fear,
Teaching and Learning and I Found You.
****
Together
"Why you have to go?" a small, sad voice asked, breaking the night's silence
of the Creche sleeping quarters.
"I need to, little one. I have to go on a very long mission."
Thin light strands filtered through the many gaps of the slotted windows,
enabling Qui-Gon to see the large and sorrowful blue eyes. He realized that
there was no way he was going to deceive the boy; the child knew that he was
lying. Obi-Wan *knew* that Qui-Gon was not planning to return from this
mission. He saw the small child's chin quivering as he turned away from
Qui-Gon. The Master bent down and gently brushed a silent tear running down a
soft, chubby cheek. "Don't cry, Obi-Wan. We'll see each other again."
Another lie. Qui-Gon had no guarantee that he would ever return to the
Temple, but he needed to reassure the little boy's sad and aching soul.
"I sowwy...," Obi-Wan said miserably.
Qui-Gon froze. "Sorry? Sorry, for what, little one?"
"You are' leavin', an' it's my fou't," the small six-year-old whispered in a
strangled voice.
"No!" he said quickly, as he kneeled and placed both his hands on the small
shoulders. "No, it's not your fault, Obi-Wan!"
"Then why are you leavin'?" the pleading innocent eyes met the elder Jedi's,
searching for an answer.
Qui-Gon was once again at a loss for words. He didn't have an answer. Why was
he leaving? It sounded so logical when he first thought about it. But now,
facing the child, this child who had in such a short time had become the most
important person in his life, his reason for leaving sounded like the most
stupid excuse in the whole damn galaxy! But, as it was, Qui-Gon was unable to
retreat.
Obi-Wan kept staring into Qui-Gon's eyes, desperately looking for an answer.
But he was unable to read anything written in Quigee's eyes, and he was
unable to feel anything through their bond. He didn't want Quigee to go and
leave him alone! He had already lost his Mom, he didn't want to lose...his
Dad.
Qui-Gon took a very deep breath and finally spoke. "It's hard to explain,
Obi-Wan, but I need to go." The situation was tearing the Master's soul
apart. He really needed to get out of there. He was about to say good-bye
and leave as quickly as possible, when Obi-Wan turned and began searching for
something under the blankets. When the boy found what he was searching for,
he quickly turned and presented it to Qui-Gon. The elder Jedi hesitated a
moment before taking the item from the small outstretched hands. He looked
at it carefully, then at Obi-Wan. Surprise was clearly written in his deep
blue eyes.
"He's good company if you fil' lonely," Obi-Wan answered, sniffling at the
unspoken question.
Qui-Gon struggled for words. Obi-Wan had just given him his favorite bear,
Blarto.
Obi-Wan looked up solemnly at the Jedi Master. "Bu' he's af'aid of dark, so
at nite you have to keep 'im close to you," the boy's small hands stroked the
bear as he finished.
Qui-Gon nervously cleared his throat and said huskily, "B-but, aren't you
going to miss him?"
Obi-Wan shook his head without hesitation, "No, he's with you. He'll be okay."
The Master completely marveled at the boy's answer. The trust showing in
those simple words was incredible. Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon was leaving
forever, but the unconditional trust and love that had always amazed the
Master was still there. He could feel it clearly as it sang through their
bond.
/Why do you have to do this so difficult, little one?/
The Master looked down at the toy as tears glistened in his eyes, and was
very grateful that the room's darkness prevented Obi-Wan from seeing them.
Or, at least, that was what he believed. He was caught by surprise as he
felt a warm, chubby hand gently brush away the tears that were quietly
flowing down his face. He breathed in a shaky breath as the child's gentle
tenderness touched his heart.
Obi-Wan had never seen Quigee cry before. Actually, he didn't recall ever
seeing any adult cry at all. The boy had always thought that it was
impossible for adults to cry; only little kids cried. But it appeared that he
was mistaken.
Qui-Gon's breath hitched as he looked at the small being before him. One of
the light strands was resting gently on the child's face, making his moist
blue eyes sparkle.
"I'm gonna miss you, Quigge," the child whispered softly as he embraced
Qui-Gon's neck tightly.
The Master gently returned the gesture as he began rubbing the small back
until every last sob inside Obi-Wan had been set free.
/I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry my little Obi-Wan,/ the Master thought
miserably, as he listened to the young child softly crying on his shoulder.
Why was he doing all this? Why was he doing this to Obi-Wan? The big Jedi
could hear every part of his being screaming at him, telling him not to
leave. But now, it was too late. He had accepted the mission, and had
already arranged for his possessions to be moved to that far-away planet. But
he never thought it was going to be this heartbreaking!
He had heard Obi-Wan cry before, but this time it was different. *He* was
making him cry. *He* was responsible for the child's distress. And it was too
much for Qui-Gon's sensitive soul to take. Pulling back from the embrace, and
holding the sobbing child at arm's length, he whispered, "Don't be sad, my
little son, we will see each other again. I promise."
/Yeah, like you promised to always take care of him and never leave him
alone. Right?/, a small voice inside his head taunted him.
/That's exactly what I'm doing,/ he answered back, /Taking care of him./
- 7 years later -
The tall hooded figure watched as drops of rain fell from the awning of the
long gallery located alongside the Jedi Temple's gardens. This place held so
many memories, and he noticed that it hadn't changed since the last time he
had visited. Only the trees and plants were bigger, older, much fuller. He
sighed as the simple plants and trees reminded him of someone special in the
Temple. Someone that must have gone through the same growing process.
/He must be around thirteen by now./
But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a small sound. He looked around
but saw no one. Frowning, he waited silently, patiently waiting to hear the
sound again. Nothing. /I'm sure it's my imagination./ But deep inside
something told him there was something familiar about that noise, as if he
had heard it once before.
Dismissing the matter, he turned to watch the pouring rain, when he heard the
noise again. But this time is was clearer. Was that a...whimper? He allowed
his senses to guide him towards the source. But, when he arrived, he wished
he hadn't.
In a large mud puddle, lay a form that appeared to belong to a student. The
student was sprawled, face down, in the brown, wet ooze. He was covered with
mud and bleeding as his bruised body shivered in the cold. His clothes were
ragged and torn, and stained more brown than white.
The tall hooded figure approached quickly and knelt beside the injured young
man. As he took a closer look, he saw that the mud had settled into two deep
cuts on the young man's left leg. And though the student's face was almost
completely covered in mud, the Master could see a steady stream of blood
coming from a corner of the boy's mouth. This was not an accident. Someone
had done this on purpose. But why? Why so much violence on such a small boy?
Pushing his thoughts aside, he gently brushed the mud away as he carefully
lifted the young man's head, and carefully attempted to wake him.
"Wake up, little one."
Clearly in a daze, the young man thought he could discern a soothing voice
cutting through the loud shrieking in his ears. No! The Padawans again! The
boy's injured body began to thrash weakly in an attempt to escape from the
strong hands that were holding him down. But he stilled when he again heard
the voice, this time speaking clearly, "Shh, don't worry. I'm not going to
hurt you."
The student reluctantly ceased his struggling, but Qui-Gon could sense he
hadn't completely earned the boy's trust. He was about to speak again when he
heard the boy in his arms groan painfully, and saw one of the young man's
hands moved to the side of his torso and held it along his side.
"It hurts here?" Qui-Gon asked as he gently but firmly placed his hand on the
boy's smaller one. He concentrated as he sent healing Force waves to dampen
the pain. Soon, he saw the boy's features slowly relax, and noted that his
breathing had slowed down to normal. With a visible effort, the young man
opened his eyes.
As the pair of blue-green eyes fluttered opened, Qui-Gon was overcome by a
strong wave of familiarity that almost made him lose balance. The strange
familiar feeling increased as the pain-filled eyes looked at him in fear.
Suddenly, Qui-Gon saw the scared expression change to a confused one. The
Master watched as the young man tried to force his mouth to open as if to
speak, but then a sharp wave of searing pain washed over him, causing the
battered body to double over. Qui-Gon wasted no time in scooping the limp
form in his large arms and headed straight in the direction of the Healer's
wing.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Obi-Wan lay comfortably on a small bed inside a darkened room, the majority
of his injuries dressed in bacta patches. It had been a close call. The
wounds that the two Padawans had inflicted on him had been severe. Along
with two broken ribs, he had sustained many deep bruises and sharp cuts. But
what had worried the healers the most was a large puncture in his lungs, a
result of one of the broken ribs.
The shadow of a tall Jedi sat in a chair by the bed, his eye's carefully
watching the young man as he slept. Despite his stoicness, a mixture of awe
and worry could clearly be seen in his deep blue eyes. The boy he had saved
was Obi-Wan Kenobi. The same little boy he had considered as his own son,
and who he had abandoned for a mission seven years ago.
This explained the feeling of familiarity when the boy had opened his eyes.
And it also explained why he alone could hear Obi-Wan's barely audible
whimpers.
/I shouldn't be here. What if he recognize me? What am I going to tell him?/
Qui-Gon's haunted mind raced with questions as he continued to contemplate
the young man in his peaceful sleep. Obi-Wan's face twitched slightly as he
dreamt. Qui-Gon allowed himself to smile.
Even though this Obi-Wan looked older, asleep as he was, he looked for the
whole world like that small child, that fragile and beautiful child so many
years ago. Qui-Gon's hand gently smoothed at Obi-Wan's spiky hair. But the
soft movement was enough to make the young man stir. He actually appeared to
be considering the act of waking up. The Master chuckled at himself as he
remembered Obi-Wan's reluctance for waking. Finally, the boy's eyes opened.
Then, as if a he had seen a ghost, he sat straight up, his eyes wide with fear.
"Shh," he heard someone near him, "It's okay now. You're safe."
Obi-Wan couldn't see who the speaker was, but as soon as the voice stopped he
felt a strong but gentle hand pushing him back on the pillows. His breathing
began quickening, causing him to wince at the pain in his chest. The
uncertainty of not knowing where he was, or if he was still at the mercy of
the two Padawans made him reach for the edge of the bed.
"Calm down, little one, or you're going to hurt yourself," the soft, soothing
voice told him.
After a few moments, Obi-Wan was finally able to control his erratic
breathing. He turned towards the direction of the soothing voice.
"How are you feeling now, Obi-Wan?"
The person knew his name? Obi-Wan again tried to see who was with him, but
the darkness of the room and his blurry vision were not helping. He answered
hesitatingly, "B-better, I think...."
Hearing the hesitation in the small voice, Qui-Gon realized that Obi-Wan had
no idea of who he was or where they were. Suppressing the urge to smack his
head, he turned to a small lamp on the night table, switched it on, and
illuminated a small section of the room. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan, I should have
presented myself. I'm..."
"Master Jinn!" the boy exclaimed excitedly. What was Master *Qui-Gon Jinn*
doing here with *him*?!
"Oh, then you know about me?" Qui-Gon asked with a hint of amusement.
"Yes," the young man answered, still a bit surprised, but smiling shyly,
"You're very famous round here. I heard lots of stories about you, Master
Jinn."
Qui-Gon laughed. "Thank you. But you can call me Qui-Gon," he added as he
ruffled the boy's hair gently. He was relieved when the boy grin at him a
bit more confidence. Qui-Gon had heard stories about himself, and most of
the ones he'd heard hadn't portrayed him as a hero. Specially if Master Yoda
was the storyteller.
After a short pause, Jinn leaned forward and asked, "Obi-Wan, can you tell
what happened back there in the Gardens?"
Obi-Wan's smile disappeared. He had no wish to relive his bad experience, but
he had been expecting the question. At least it was coming from Master
Qui-Gon and, for some strange reason, he didn't feel uncomfortable with him.
He felt like...at home.
Reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes, my friend Bant and I were walking through the
Gardens when two Padawans appeared. I've been having problems with them.
They are friends of a boy who I think hates me. So, every time they see me,
they say something to insult me. But this time, they tried to hurt Bant and
when I tried to stop them," his voice trailed off as he recalled the
incident.
Qui-Gon could again feel the emotions he felt coming from the gardens when he
had found the boy. The pain, the frustration, the anger, the fear.
"I know it was wrong to fight with them, but I got scared when they tried to
hurt Bant, and I couldn't help myself!" but then he added quietly, "Sometimes
I think I can't do anything right."
Qui-Gon stood and sat on the bed, facing the distressed young man, taking
took the small hand in his.
He, himself, had had a very hard time controlling his own emotions. He had
just wanted to go after the Padawans and show them what a furious Jedi
Master looked like! But he knew that wasn't the way to fix things up. At
least for now, he could only reassure Obi-Wan that he was safe, that no one
would harm him here, and that he had done nothing wrong.
"Don't say that, Obi-Wan, it's not true. I saw your friend Bant minutes ago
and she was completely all right. She's fine, thanks to you"
Obi-Wan looked up at the Master, amazed. He was expecting some kind of
lecture for getting into a fight, he wasn't expecting Qui-Gon's understanding.
"Of course I understand, Obi-Wan. I'm sure that those Padawans began the
fight and that you were only trying to defend your friend," Jinn replied,
easing the boy's hair backwards as he smiled down at him.
Obi-Wan was completely stunned. This surely was NOT Master Qui-Gon Jinn! Or
at least, it wasn't anything what he heard about him! Other than this,
Obi-Wan couldn't believe that this was the first Master who hadn't blamed him
for fighting. Many times he had wondered if his looks were menacing enough
as to make almost every Master believe that he always initiated the fights.
But, this Master's voice was so soothing, so calming and comforting. Obi-Wan
could feel his fears vanishing and his eyes closed with fatigue and relief.
He was so very tired...
Qui-Gon noticed as the boy slowly sank into sleep and began to send him
soothing Force waves to help him heal. Obi-Wan gratefully fell into a deep
slumber feeling comfort in the presence of Master Jinn. Soon, he was sound
asleep. Qui-Gon contemplated the boy one more time, as he sank deep in
thought. He then stood and headed for the door, a firm determination on his
adult features. He was going to fix everything.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Author: Keyla Kenobi - [email protected] (changed my e-mail adress.
The other one is completely dead! Don't know what happend)
Rating: I don't really know, I think it would be better to say that it's
PG...
Archive: Sure, just e-mail me!
Disclaimer: The boys belong to George Lucas, I don't make money with this,
I just use them for the MUSH!
Warning: There is a loving and parental relationship between Obi and Qui,
there is no slash so if you don't like that, don't read any further.
Summary: this is 'I Found You' sequeal. Qui is taking Obi as his Padawan
Beta-Read by Aida (The best Beta-reader!!!! Thanx!!)
/ personal thoughts / // metal link //
Authors note: this would be half an AU, cuz it's no the way is described
on JA books, but it has parts from them.
Check out also my other fic if you want:
Grumpy Tummy, A very Important Prescene In My Life, A Rainy Day, Fear,
Teaching and Learning and I Found You.
****
Together
"Why you have to go?" a small, sad voice asked, breaking the night's silence
of the Creche sleeping quarters.
"I need to, little one. I have to go on a very long mission."
Thin light strands filtered through the many gaps of the slotted windows,
enabling Qui-Gon to see the large and sorrowful blue eyes. He realized that
there was no way he was going to deceive the boy; the child knew that he was
lying. Obi-Wan *knew* that Qui-Gon was not planning to return from this
mission. He saw the small child's chin quivering as he turned away from
Qui-Gon. The Master bent down and gently brushed a silent tear running down a
soft, chubby cheek. "Don't cry, Obi-Wan. We'll see each other again."
Another lie. Qui-Gon had no guarantee that he would ever return to the
Temple, but he needed to reassure the little boy's sad and aching soul.
"I sowwy...," Obi-Wan said miserably.
Qui-Gon froze. "Sorry? Sorry, for what, little one?"
"You are' leavin', an' it's my fou't," the small six-year-old whispered in a
strangled voice.
"No!" he said quickly, as he kneeled and placed both his hands on the small
shoulders. "No, it's not your fault, Obi-Wan!"
"Then why are you leavin'?" the pleading innocent eyes met the elder Jedi's,
searching for an answer.
Qui-Gon was once again at a loss for words. He didn't have an answer. Why was
he leaving? It sounded so logical when he first thought about it. But now,
facing the child, this child who had in such a short time had become the most
important person in his life, his reason for leaving sounded like the most
stupid excuse in the whole damn galaxy! But, as it was, Qui-Gon was unable to
retreat.
Obi-Wan kept staring into Qui-Gon's eyes, desperately looking for an answer.
But he was unable to read anything written in Quigee's eyes, and he was
unable to feel anything through their bond. He didn't want Quigee to go and
leave him alone! He had already lost his Mom, he didn't want to lose...his
Dad.
Qui-Gon took a very deep breath and finally spoke. "It's hard to explain,
Obi-Wan, but I need to go." The situation was tearing the Master's soul
apart. He really needed to get out of there. He was about to say good-bye
and leave as quickly as possible, when Obi-Wan turned and began searching for
something under the blankets. When the boy found what he was searching for,
he quickly turned and presented it to Qui-Gon. The elder Jedi hesitated a
moment before taking the item from the small outstretched hands. He looked
at it carefully, then at Obi-Wan. Surprise was clearly written in his deep
blue eyes.
"He's good company if you fil' lonely," Obi-Wan answered, sniffling at the
unspoken question.
Qui-Gon struggled for words. Obi-Wan had just given him his favorite bear,
Blarto.
Obi-Wan looked up solemnly at the Jedi Master. "Bu' he's af'aid of dark, so
at nite you have to keep 'im close to you," the boy's small hands stroked the
bear as he finished.
Qui-Gon nervously cleared his throat and said huskily, "B-but, aren't you
going to miss him?"
Obi-Wan shook his head without hesitation, "No, he's with you. He'll be okay."
The Master completely marveled at the boy's answer. The trust showing in
those simple words was incredible. Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon was leaving
forever, but the unconditional trust and love that had always amazed the
Master was still there. He could feel it clearly as it sang through their
bond.
/Why do you have to do this so difficult, little one?/
The Master looked down at the toy as tears glistened in his eyes, and was
very grateful that the room's darkness prevented Obi-Wan from seeing them.
Or, at least, that was what he believed. He was caught by surprise as he
felt a warm, chubby hand gently brush away the tears that were quietly
flowing down his face. He breathed in a shaky breath as the child's gentle
tenderness touched his heart.
Obi-Wan had never seen Quigee cry before. Actually, he didn't recall ever
seeing any adult cry at all. The boy had always thought that it was
impossible for adults to cry; only little kids cried. But it appeared that he
was mistaken.
Qui-Gon's breath hitched as he looked at the small being before him. One of
the light strands was resting gently on the child's face, making his moist
blue eyes sparkle.
"I'm gonna miss you, Quigge," the child whispered softly as he embraced
Qui-Gon's neck tightly.
The Master gently returned the gesture as he began rubbing the small back
until every last sob inside Obi-Wan had been set free.
/I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry my little Obi-Wan,/ the Master thought
miserably, as he listened to the young child softly crying on his shoulder.
Why was he doing all this? Why was he doing this to Obi-Wan? The big Jedi
could hear every part of his being screaming at him, telling him not to
leave. But now, it was too late. He had accepted the mission, and had
already arranged for his possessions to be moved to that far-away planet. But
he never thought it was going to be this heartbreaking!
He had heard Obi-Wan cry before, but this time it was different. *He* was
making him cry. *He* was responsible for the child's distress. And it was too
much for Qui-Gon's sensitive soul to take. Pulling back from the embrace, and
holding the sobbing child at arm's length, he whispered, "Don't be sad, my
little son, we will see each other again. I promise."
/Yeah, like you promised to always take care of him and never leave him
alone. Right?/, a small voice inside his head taunted him.
/That's exactly what I'm doing,/ he answered back, /Taking care of him./
- 7 years later -
The tall hooded figure watched as drops of rain fell from the awning of the
long gallery located alongside the Jedi Temple's gardens. This place held so
many memories, and he noticed that it hadn't changed since the last time he
had visited. Only the trees and plants were bigger, older, much fuller. He
sighed as the simple plants and trees reminded him of someone special in the
Temple. Someone that must have gone through the same growing process.
/He must be around thirteen by now./
But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a small sound. He looked around
but saw no one. Frowning, he waited silently, patiently waiting to hear the
sound again. Nothing. /I'm sure it's my imagination./ But deep inside
something told him there was something familiar about that noise, as if he
had heard it once before.
Dismissing the matter, he turned to watch the pouring rain, when he heard the
noise again. But this time is was clearer. Was that a...whimper? He allowed
his senses to guide him towards the source. But, when he arrived, he wished
he hadn't.
In a large mud puddle, lay a form that appeared to belong to a student. The
student was sprawled, face down, in the brown, wet ooze. He was covered with
mud and bleeding as his bruised body shivered in the cold. His clothes were
ragged and torn, and stained more brown than white.
The tall hooded figure approached quickly and knelt beside the injured young
man. As he took a closer look, he saw that the mud had settled into two deep
cuts on the young man's left leg. And though the student's face was almost
completely covered in mud, the Master could see a steady stream of blood
coming from a corner of the boy's mouth. This was not an accident. Someone
had done this on purpose. But why? Why so much violence on such a small boy?
Pushing his thoughts aside, he gently brushed the mud away as he carefully
lifted the young man's head, and carefully attempted to wake him.
"Wake up, little one."
Clearly in a daze, the young man thought he could discern a soothing voice
cutting through the loud shrieking in his ears. No! The Padawans again! The
boy's injured body began to thrash weakly in an attempt to escape from the
strong hands that were holding him down. But he stilled when he again heard
the voice, this time speaking clearly, "Shh, don't worry. I'm not going to
hurt you."
The student reluctantly ceased his struggling, but Qui-Gon could sense he
hadn't completely earned the boy's trust. He was about to speak again when he
heard the boy in his arms groan painfully, and saw one of the young man's
hands moved to the side of his torso and held it along his side.
"It hurts here?" Qui-Gon asked as he gently but firmly placed his hand on the
boy's smaller one. He concentrated as he sent healing Force waves to dampen
the pain. Soon, he saw the boy's features slowly relax, and noted that his
breathing had slowed down to normal. With a visible effort, the young man
opened his eyes.
As the pair of blue-green eyes fluttered opened, Qui-Gon was overcome by a
strong wave of familiarity that almost made him lose balance. The strange
familiar feeling increased as the pain-filled eyes looked at him in fear.
Suddenly, Qui-Gon saw the scared expression change to a confused one. The
Master watched as the young man tried to force his mouth to open as if to
speak, but then a sharp wave of searing pain washed over him, causing the
battered body to double over. Qui-Gon wasted no time in scooping the limp
form in his large arms and headed straight in the direction of the Healer's
wing.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Obi-Wan lay comfortably on a small bed inside a darkened room, the majority
of his injuries dressed in bacta patches. It had been a close call. The
wounds that the two Padawans had inflicted on him had been severe. Along
with two broken ribs, he had sustained many deep bruises and sharp cuts. But
what had worried the healers the most was a large puncture in his lungs, a
result of one of the broken ribs.
The shadow of a tall Jedi sat in a chair by the bed, his eye's carefully
watching the young man as he slept. Despite his stoicness, a mixture of awe
and worry could clearly be seen in his deep blue eyes. The boy he had saved
was Obi-Wan Kenobi. The same little boy he had considered as his own son,
and who he had abandoned for a mission seven years ago.
This explained the feeling of familiarity when the boy had opened his eyes.
And it also explained why he alone could hear Obi-Wan's barely audible
whimpers.
/I shouldn't be here. What if he recognize me? What am I going to tell him?/
Qui-Gon's haunted mind raced with questions as he continued to contemplate
the young man in his peaceful sleep. Obi-Wan's face twitched slightly as he
dreamt. Qui-Gon allowed himself to smile.
Even though this Obi-Wan looked older, asleep as he was, he looked for the
whole world like that small child, that fragile and beautiful child so many
years ago. Qui-Gon's hand gently smoothed at Obi-Wan's spiky hair. But the
soft movement was enough to make the young man stir. He actually appeared to
be considering the act of waking up. The Master chuckled at himself as he
remembered Obi-Wan's reluctance for waking. Finally, the boy's eyes opened.
Then, as if a he had seen a ghost, he sat straight up, his eyes wide with fear.
"Shh," he heard someone near him, "It's okay now. You're safe."
Obi-Wan couldn't see who the speaker was, but as soon as the voice stopped he
felt a strong but gentle hand pushing him back on the pillows. His breathing
began quickening, causing him to wince at the pain in his chest. The
uncertainty of not knowing where he was, or if he was still at the mercy of
the two Padawans made him reach for the edge of the bed.
"Calm down, little one, or you're going to hurt yourself," the soft, soothing
voice told him.
After a few moments, Obi-Wan was finally able to control his erratic
breathing. He turned towards the direction of the soothing voice.
"How are you feeling now, Obi-Wan?"
The person knew his name? Obi-Wan again tried to see who was with him, but
the darkness of the room and his blurry vision were not helping. He answered
hesitatingly, "B-better, I think...."
Hearing the hesitation in the small voice, Qui-Gon realized that Obi-Wan had
no idea of who he was or where they were. Suppressing the urge to smack his
head, he turned to a small lamp on the night table, switched it on, and
illuminated a small section of the room. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan, I should have
presented myself. I'm..."
"Master Jinn!" the boy exclaimed excitedly. What was Master *Qui-Gon Jinn*
doing here with *him*?!
"Oh, then you know about me?" Qui-Gon asked with a hint of amusement.
"Yes," the young man answered, still a bit surprised, but smiling shyly,
"You're very famous round here. I heard lots of stories about you, Master
Jinn."
Qui-Gon laughed. "Thank you. But you can call me Qui-Gon," he added as he
ruffled the boy's hair gently. He was relieved when the boy grin at him a
bit more confidence. Qui-Gon had heard stories about himself, and most of
the ones he'd heard hadn't portrayed him as a hero. Specially if Master Yoda
was the storyteller.
After a short pause, Jinn leaned forward and asked, "Obi-Wan, can you tell
what happened back there in the Gardens?"
Obi-Wan's smile disappeared. He had no wish to relive his bad experience, but
he had been expecting the question. At least it was coming from Master
Qui-Gon and, for some strange reason, he didn't feel uncomfortable with him.
He felt like...at home.
Reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes, my friend Bant and I were walking through the
Gardens when two Padawans appeared. I've been having problems with them.
They are friends of a boy who I think hates me. So, every time they see me,
they say something to insult me. But this time, they tried to hurt Bant and
when I tried to stop them," his voice trailed off as he recalled the
incident.
Qui-Gon could again feel the emotions he felt coming from the gardens when he
had found the boy. The pain, the frustration, the anger, the fear.
"I know it was wrong to fight with them, but I got scared when they tried to
hurt Bant, and I couldn't help myself!" but then he added quietly, "Sometimes
I think I can't do anything right."
Qui-Gon stood and sat on the bed, facing the distressed young man, taking
took the small hand in his.
He, himself, had had a very hard time controlling his own emotions. He had
just wanted to go after the Padawans and show them what a furious Jedi
Master looked like! But he knew that wasn't the way to fix things up. At
least for now, he could only reassure Obi-Wan that he was safe, that no one
would harm him here, and that he had done nothing wrong.
"Don't say that, Obi-Wan, it's not true. I saw your friend Bant minutes ago
and she was completely all right. She's fine, thanks to you"
Obi-Wan looked up at the Master, amazed. He was expecting some kind of
lecture for getting into a fight, he wasn't expecting Qui-Gon's understanding.
"Of course I understand, Obi-Wan. I'm sure that those Padawans began the
fight and that you were only trying to defend your friend," Jinn replied,
easing the boy's hair backwards as he smiled down at him.
Obi-Wan was completely stunned. This surely was NOT Master Qui-Gon Jinn! Or
at least, it wasn't anything what he heard about him! Other than this,
Obi-Wan couldn't believe that this was the first Master who hadn't blamed him
for fighting. Many times he had wondered if his looks were menacing enough
as to make almost every Master believe that he always initiated the fights.
But, this Master's voice was so soothing, so calming and comforting. Obi-Wan
could feel his fears vanishing and his eyes closed with fatigue and relief.
He was so very tired...
Qui-Gon noticed as the boy slowly sank into sleep and began to send him
soothing Force waves to help him heal. Obi-Wan gratefully fell into a deep
slumber feeling comfort in the presence of Master Jinn. Soon, he was sound
asleep. Qui-Gon contemplated the boy one more time, as he sank deep in
thought. He then stood and headed for the door, a firm determination on his
adult features. He was going to fix everything.
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