This story is a sequel to another one of my stories. If you have not read it: STOP RIGHT HERE!! Do NOT read this story unless you have read Of Names I Have Many, Of Names I Have One. Skipping the first story will just confuse you completely; it is not worth the extra comprhension by skipping a step. So, read the first story, then this. Don't forget to Read and Review: Or there WILL be beatings!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!
Many years ago, a young Jedi Knight was rushing through the condensed streets of Curoscant, only to come face to face with a beautiful woman. Shmi Skywalker. They had fallen in love instantly, going on many dates and enjoying each other's company. Not even a full year later, they had married and begun to start a family. Together, their love made two lovely children. The eldest, Obi-wan, the youngest being Anakin. They both assumed the last names Skywalker-Jinn, and started their lives in the path of a Jedi.
Over the years, the family had grown closer, Elana and Count Dooku included, and had gotten used to the fact that Qui-Gon wouldn't always be their. But they never thought that anything that would happen in the near future, would occur to them. For they thought that they were blessed people. How wrong they were……..
Qui-Gon was very happy today. For today he was going home to his beautiful wife Shmi, his eldest boy Obi-wan, and the newest addition to the family, Anakin. He smiled as he saw the shape of Coracuant's landing pad at the Temple came into view, and the shapes of his family. He thought back to the time he had met Shmi in the bustling city and fell for her the moment he'd saw her. And she had felt the same. That was the day that had changed them forever. They had been married off, only to welcome their first born into the world not long after. Years had passed and Obi-wan Skywalker soon had a baby brother to keep him busy, Anakin. (Now, in the world as it was today, the children of a married couple took the names of the mother first, and put hyphenated by their father's name. Just to stop the confusion, they were just called by first name and their first last name. Not confusing at all.)
Today wasn't only a special day because he was coming home after a very long mission, but also because today was little Anakin's third Life Day. He chuckled softly as he saw Anakin holding Shmi's hand, bouncing up and down with excitement. Today was the day that his daddy came home. Today was the day that he was a year older. Shmi looked down at the small boy and nodded her permission. Qui-Gon put his bag down and caught the child as he ran into his father's arms. Qui-Gon picked him up and held him close, before twirling the boy around in the air. He set the child down on his own feet, only to watch him stumble around from the dizziness. He was about to fall down, when Obi-wan caught him and held him steady.
Anakin tilted his head back to look at his brother, "Tanks Opi-wan."
Obi-wan smiled, "No problem."
Obi-wan then hugged his father and picked up his bags, "It's good to have you back dad."
"It's good to be back, son."
He then walked towards his waiting wife, who he took in his arms and began to kiss. Anakin buried his face into Obi-wan's tunic in disgust.
"Ucki!!!"
Obi-wan laughed and shouldered his father's field pack, and led Anakin past their parents. They stood to the side of them, Anakin's face still buried in Obi-wan's tunic, and Obi-wan suddenly found an interest in his baby brother's hair. He threaded his fingers through it and toyed with it's length. Anakin had begun his training as a Jedi long ago, but it wasn't customary for him to spike his hair until he got a Master to train him. He was getting there though, a few more months and he would have a braid and spiked hair. All of the people at the temple, especially the females, were marveled by this small child. Yup, he's going to be a ladies man, my baby brother, Obi-wan thought to himself.
"Are dey done yet, Opi-wan?" Anakin asked, the question broke up their parents and emitted them into a fit of laughter.
"Yes, they're done Ani."
Anakin exhaled, "Are you gonna be here for a while, daddy?"
Qui-Gon looked at his youngest boy, "I don't know Ani, I honestly don't know. But I'll try and be around a lot more from now on, that's all I can promise you."
Anakin nodded and hugged onto his father once more.
"Now, isn't their a Life Day we have to celebrate today?" Qui-Gon asked playfully.
Anakin looked up at his father, eyes wide, "Wad are we gonna do, daddy?"
Qui-Gon walked into the living room from the kitchen and saw that Anakin was curled up on the couch, deep asleep. He smiled, he had had fun at the Life Day celebration. Yan Dooku came over to celebrate as well, and was still here as a matter of fact, in the spare room. There was the cake that he'd helped his mother bake and 'Opi-wan' playing pin the tail on the donkey with him. He had collapsed a long time ago, and Obi-wan had gone to bed awhile earlier. Qui-Gon smile grew as he picked up his child and carried him up the stairs to his room. He opened the door and turned on the light, stepping into the room for the first time in three months. This mission was the longest one he'd had since Anakin's birth. He pulled the covers of the bed back with the Force and gently laid his pride and joy on the soft cushion. He then tucked him in and gently kissed his forehead goodnight. He left the door open just a crack and the light turned off, and stared at his son for one last moment.
"Good night, Ani. I love you."
He was about to turn away when he heard the words, "Daddy, love you more."
"Well, we're out of milk. Great, I'll have to go to the store." Obi-wan said.
Anakin was sitting at the table, fully dressed and everything, waiting for cereal.
"Can I go too, Benjie?"
Obi-wan smiled, Obi-wan had many nicknames, most everyone either called him Obi-wan or Ben though. Anakin was only three years old and had problems pronouncing things, and always called him 'Opi-wan' or 'Benjie'.
"Alright, you can come with."
Anakin ran to get his shoes on when he bumped into his dad.
"And where do you think you're going mister?"
Anakin smiled, "Benjie's taking me to da stor to get milk!"
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes, Anything would get this child of his excited.
"I'll see you later then."
Anakin bobbed his head up and down excitedly, and ran towards Obi-wan's direction and they left out of the back door.
The Skywalker household got a call around two hours later, by the police. Obi-wan was in the ambulance with a severe concussion, and Anakin was missing. They all rushed down to the hospital and stayed in the waiting room while the doctor was with Obi-wan. The doctor soon greeted them and told him the room number Obi-wan was in and that he was asleep. Shmi was hysterical and Qui-Gon suggested to that she go home and get to sleep.
"Honey, with Anakin missing and Obi-wan hurt, I can't do that. I….I couldn't possibly…my boys."
Qui-Gon stood firm, "The Jedi are searching for Anakin. I'll stay here with Ben until he wakes up. When he does, I'll call you, I promise."
She reluctantly nodded and she fallowed a Jedi escort out of the hospital and into a taxi. Qui-Gon then went into Obi-wan's room and waited fro the longest hours of his life.
When Obi-wan finally stirred, he woke his father in the processes.
"Dad, what happened? Where's Anakin? Is he alright?"
Tears streaked down Qui-Gon's face as he told Obi-wan the his baby brother was missing.
Obi-wan broke down into sobs, "It's all my fault. It's all my fault. I was buy….buying the milk and he went to the….the back of the…store to look at a comic…comic book. I heard someone struggling and turned….to see a rack fall….fall over. The next…thing I know….I got…got hit from….from behind….and Anakin….Anakin's gone."
Qui-Gon came closer to his son and pulled him into a lazy embrace, trying to sooth him.
"We'll find him. It's alright, he'll be fine. You tried your best, that's all I could ask you to do."
They just didn't know that they would have to wait eleven years for it to happen.