Time to Heal

Summary: After coming across his key to the past, Ben Kenobi finds himself longing for a time when everything was better. What the former jedi knight finds is the worst time period of Qui-Gon Jinn's life. AU. Some things you will notice are different, like Luke having C3PO since he was young.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars it's all my main man George Lucas's doing...damn...anyway this is only for entertainment purposes. No money is being made.

Series: None

Author: Steph aka Datakenobi05

The Beginning

The sun seemed to triple in size during the afternoon hours and the little shade that was provided in the desert was home to many unpleasant creatures. Ben Kenobi sat in the entryway of his small shelter and watched as young Luke Skywalker and his droid C3PO searched for rocks. The young boy was curious about everything he came across and now he 'collected' the different rocks he found while on his many walks away from home.

Luke was seven years old and resembled his father, no matter how his sweet personality made him all Amidala. His mother Padme was very beautiful. Ben shook his head, all the pain Anakin put Padme though caused her to lose her daughter and Luke's twin sister.

"Den! Hi!"

The older man turned around and watched as the boy ran to him.

"Hello Luke, how are you on this fine day?"

"Hot and sweaty."

Ben smiled and took the boy's shoulder in his hand. Feeling the force radiate off the young one he ushered him inside.

"Why are you out this far away from your family?" Ben asked, getting Luke some water.

"Well, me and 3PO went rock hunting. We found some great looking rocks, you want to see them?" The boy asked hopefully.

"I would love to see them."

Ben watched with a sad look on his face as Luke went to get his rocks. It had been a long time but he still remembered his youth. He had ran around in the temple gardens under the watchful eye of his master.

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"Ben, it's too high!" Luke called as he tried to reach a beautiful rock that sat on a ledge just out of the young boy's reach. After Luke had showed Ben all of his rocks so far, the young boy had pleaded for the older man to help him find some more.

"I'll get it for you Luke, don't hurt yourself."

Luke nodded and moved aside while Ben reached up and closed his fingers around the rock.

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"Obi-Wan Kenobi!"

Ben whirled around so fast he almost lost his balance. There, standing not two feet away from him was Qui-Gon Jinn.

"Yes Master?"

Ben could see the relief on the master's face as his young apprentice walked around the corner. The breath Ben was trying to take was lost as he looked upon a seven-year-old version of himself.

"Obi-Wan I thought I told you to stay close to me."

The young boy flinched at the words but he held back the pain. Ben remembered this incident all too well.

"I'm sorry master. There was a.."

"I don't want to hear your excuses. Now, let us go back, we have a meeting with the council."

"Yes Master."

Ben wanted to call out. He wanted to run into his master's arms and tell him how much he missed him and how sorry he was. He couldn't move.

Giving up on trying to move his feet Ben connected fully with the force. Qui-Gon knew he was there, in fact, he was clearly visible. As he watched master and apprentice walk through the congested streets Ben saw Qui-Gon look over his shoulder then take Obi-Wan's hand.

The rock fell from Ben's hand.

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"Ben, are you okay?"

Ben, or Obi-Wan Kenobi as he once was, opened his eyes.

"Qui-Gon?"

"No Ben, it's me, Luke."

He opened his eyes fully and sat up. "What happened?"

Luke shrugged then picked up the rock. "I don't know, you got the rock down for me then you fell. I got really scared. Did you hurt yourself?"

Ben thought about it for a minute, trying to pinpoint any pain or discomfort he felt. Finally he shook his head.

"No, I'm alright. How long have I been on the ground?"

"Umm, not too long."

Ben nodded then stood, walking to his house. He distinctly heard Luke say good-bye before he felt two small hands grab his robe.

"Did you want to keep it? It's pretty."

Ben went to take the rock but stopped. "Will you put it on my shelf?"

Luke nodded; proud he got to do something helpful.

After getting another drink of water and a pat on the head from Ben, Luke left.

The former jedi knight and army general Obi-Wan Kenobi looked at his hands then up to the small rock. It sat on the shelf where Luke placed it, and it would stay there for many years.

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Ten Years Later

Ben had watched Luke grow over the years and now it was reaching the point when the young Skywalker would become an adult.

"Seventeen is a very important age so I hear."

"Come on Ben, you were seventeen once. Right?"

The old man smiled.

"I suppose so. Not that I remember. I don't even remember my own birthday."

Luke's smile fell slightly as he became more serious.

"Didn't your parents celebrate?" Then he got that all too familiar gleam in his eye that his father had. "Or didn't they have celebrations back in the day before droids?"

A small smile crept on Ben's face.

"I didn't have parents."

Luke's smile fell completely. "Why not? Where they killed?"

Ben shrugged his shoulders.

"I wouldn't know. Luke, it's time to tell you a few things about my past." He said without missing a beat.

The young boy sat up and watched his with interest.

"When I was very young, not even a year old, I was taken by people called jedi."

Luke shuddered; he had heard terrible stories about jedi. They were people who could use magic and manipulate it to their advantage. They would kill people with out raising a finger. Surely Ben wasn't one of these monsters.

"No Luke, they were not the devils people make them out to be. They were the exact opposite. Jedi were keepers of the peace, and they were called upon to protect the most prestigious people in the galaxy. Your father was a jedi, as was I."

Luke became even more interested at the mention of his father. His aunt and uncle never talk about him and when he was younger the only thing Ben had told him was that his father's name was Anakin Skywalker and he was killed by Darth Vader.

"You see, the jedi were ranked by experience. When the order was destroyed I was a master and your father was a knight. A jedi is truly so when he finishes his apprenticeship. Your father, Anakin, was my apprentice and I his master. I thought I did the best I could; now I'm not so sure."

"Why are the jedi looked down upon then? Why are such horror stories told about them?" Luke asked watching the struggle within the other man.

"About twenty years ago a man named Palpatine ordered the beginning of the Clone Wars and asked for jedi aid. We helped. Three years later that same man ruled jedi as enemies of the Republic. We were outnumbered greatly of cource. During that time your father fell. I had to watch as my closest friends died all around me. Eventually it was just me and Master Yoda."

Luke was silent and Ben paused to let the story sink in.

"What about your master? Did he die in the Clone Wars?"

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The red energy wall stood before him refusing to let Obi-Wan through. The young jedi tried to find his center but the force was pounding in his ears.

He watched, helpless, as Qui-Gon hesitated; the sith paused. More blocking and attacking from both happened in rapid succession. Qui-Gon was pushed back, Obi-Wan saw it before it happened.

The jedi master was impaled by the blood red sword.

"Noo!"

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Ben closed his eyes and shook his head, he hadn't thought of that memory for many years.

"No Luke. He died before that. In my arms."

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Having defeated the sith Obi-Wan ran to his master's lifeless form. Throwing Qui-Gon's lightsaber aside he picked up his head and cradled it close.

"It's too late."

Those words cut Obi-Wan straight through his heart.

"No!"

"Obi-Wan, promise me you will train the boy."

"Yes Master."

"He is the chosen one, he will bring balance." Obi-Wan nodded his head. He would have left the order if that was what Qui-Gon asked of him.

"Train him."

At his mentor's last words Obi-Wan let go of the shields holding his emotions. The small room filled with the jedi's hate, hurt, pain, and fear.

Qui-Gon Jinn was dead.

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When Luke had gone, Ben spotted the small rock that had caused him the greatest pain he had ever felt, no matter how short. Perhaps he could prolong the time he spent in the past. Maybe he could stay long enough to talk to his fallen master. He would get the chance to make things right, to finally be able to let go of his troubled past.

"No." He said to himself before getting into bed and pulling the thin sheep over his frail body.

"I won't put myself through that again."

The temptation would break the jedi demeanor and Ben Kenobi would find himself in his paradise.

TBC

Let me know what you think of this new story. More up soon.