And miles to go before I sleep

Thanks for all the lovely reviews! This next chapter is for all of you. =)

Chapter 4:

A few days later, Obi-Wan was still confined to his room at the Healers. To his bed, even. His muscles had atrophied from his long bed rest and he was just beginning the long process of physical therapy to strengthen his muscles. Even now, to his frustration, the walk to the fresher was a struggle, and that was for someone who had had to deal with arthritis constantly during the waning years of his first life.

As he finished up at the fresher and washed at the sink, he stared at the mirror again. Obi-Wan had never been much for vanity, but even now the sight of his younger face still gave him a shock. There were no wrinkles on his face, and his hair was auburn again instead of the grey, although instead of the mullet he sported at this age before, his hair was now cropped short.

The only people he had seen since the first day had been his main Healers, as well as a mind Healer – whose visit went about as well as could be expected. Which was to say, not helpful at all. In fact, his current predicament was actually the fault of the mind Healer, since he had recommended that Obi-Wan be kept from current events so long as his amnesia persisted, since it might be traumatic. So the Healers had imposed a ban on all visitors as well as the holonet, and Obi-Wan could not research on the circumstances leading to his coma and Anakin's fate.

Returning to his room, he assumed a meditative pose by the window. Obi-Wan used to hate meditating when he was an Initiate, and later, a Padawan. Immediately after Qui-Gon's death, though, meditating became a necessity to help him come to terms with the loss. Afterwards, Anakin's apprenticeship was such a trial sometimes, for all the joy it did bring him, that meditating became something he looked forward to for the peace and clarity it brought him. During the long years hiding at Tatooine, there had been scarcely anything to do but meditate on his sins and mistakes, and it became a comfort to reach for the Force and know that even as everything fell apart around him, the all-encompassing energy field had not forsaken him. It was during those lonely years in the desert when he had somewhat anthropomorphized the Force, ascribing it emotions and moods and talking to it as if it were a person.

This whole week, it had felt like the Force was in a very playful mood, dancing around him in a manner it never had before. Yet, it had also been frustratingly silent, despite his pleas for answers. There was something odd about this reality he had woken up in, not even counting the weirdness with Anakin, but he could not put a finger on it. He had meditated for days, but given that the Force had taken to being particularly elusive right now, he was still no closer to figuring it out.

It was clear that Anakin was not his Padawan here, which should have been obvious to him from the start, since hehad been in a coma for years. Anakin had probably been reassigned to another Master. However, when Obi-Wan reached out to the Force presences of the Jedi within the Temple, he could not find Anakin's.

Perhaps Anakin was on a mission with his other Master. Or at least, Obi-Wan hoped that was what happened and he hadn't been sent to the Agricorps, or worse, left the Jedi. If Anakin was found by Sidious before Obi-Wan could get to him, all would be lost.

Obi-Wan really didn't want to meet Vader again. He would give everything in his power to prevent that future from happening here.

And while on the topic of Sidious… He had to find a way to expose Palpatine as the Sith Lord and to capture or kill him. The Sith Lord was very powerful in the Force though, defeating four of the best duelists of the Order, and later on, Master Yoda himself. To go against him without a well thought out plan would be suicide.

The production of the clones, with the deadly Order 66 to kill all Jedi programmed within them, was likely already underway, so he could not stop that, but perhaps that might still be a way to change or abolish it.

The Clone Wars – which if events proceed in the same manner would start in just a couple of years. It would be good if he could somehow prevent the Clone Wars from happening in this timeline. Obi-Wan had watched, both from the frontline and on the Council, as the war had tore and taken from the Order until the Jedi were but shadows of their former peacekeeping selves.

There were so many tangled threads to unravel.

Obi-Wan was not so arrogant as to think that he could resolve all these himself, knowledge of the future or not. I need help. Please. He pleaded of the Force.

The answer came in the form of a rhythmic taping of a gimer stick on the floor, a sound instantly recognizable to any Jedi. Coming out of his meditation, Obi-Wan felt great affection and relief to see a much younger and energetic Yoda peering up at him. The ancient Master, no doubt prompted by the Force itself, had come to seek Obi-Wan out.

"Master Yoda." He inclined his head in a respectful bow, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "It is good to see you. I'm surprised they actually allowed me visitors."

"Allowed visitors, you still are not. Saw me as I walked past, Healer Che did not. Too short I am," Yoda chortled.

As usual, when Yoda joked about his (lack of) height, one was never sure whether to laugh or politely protest that 'size was not everything'. Obi-Wan chose to ignore it. "I'm honored that you braved Healer Che's wrath to visit me."

Yoda settled down in a similar meditative pose opposite him. "Glad to see you return to us, I am. Missed, you have been, by a great many." Yoda then studied him closely for a moment. "Hmmm. But different, you are. Older, wiser, sadder. Things to tell me, you have?"

"Yes Master Yoda. What I am about to tell you might sound completely impossible, but the Force tells me it is true. I ask you to please suspend your disbelief and let me complete my story first."

"Lived for more than 800 years I have, seen many impossible things I have, shock me so easily you will not."

Obi-Wan inclined his head in acknowledgement. He then proceeded to tell Yoda an abridged version of the life he lived before. The discovery of the Chosen One, the return of the Sith, Qui-Gon's death. Anakin's apprenticeship. The start of the Clone Wars.

Here he felt a nudge from the Force (how convenient of it to finally speak up now) and knew he should not speak of the specifics of the Clone Wars and identities of the Sith Lords for now. There would be a time and place for that later, the Force told him.

"The Jedi became Generals and Commanders of the Grand Army of the Republic and we led most of the campaigns in the Clone Wars. However, events were manipulated by the Sith, and we were betrayed and declared traitors. Most of us were executed, though some of us escaped and went into hiding. I was one of those who escaped, however eventually I was killed by one of the Sith. Instead of joining with the Force though, I found myself back here in the Jedi Temple, in what was my past."

Yoda had listened through his entire monologue, his expression thoughtful but not interrupting until the end of his story.

"Hmmm. Given me much to think about, you have, Master Kenobi. Impossible, this should be. But believe your story, I do. Incredible gift from the Force you have been given. Yet, happened differently from what you described, events did here. In a coma you had been, for almost eight years."

"Eight years. That would have been…" Obi-Wan trailed off, realizing there was only one mission of note that happened eight years ago.

The Trade Federation blockage of Naboo, where he once lost a Master, gained a Knighthood, and acquired a Padawan.

It was Yoda's turn to give Obi-Wan a description of this reality's version of the mission that changed Obi-Wan's life irrevocably.

It turned out that during the battle with the Sith, Obi-Wan was the one who was stabbed fatally, not Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had to continue with the battle alone and eventually killed the Sith. Obi-Wan's body somehow miraculously survived his injuries. However, Obi-Wan himself slipped into a coma and his spirit disappeared so deep within the Force that he would not wake up, despite many attempts at calling him through the Force. As the years passed, hopes dwindled that he would ever wake up. Obi-Wan had been knighted in absentia while Qui-Gon took Anakin as his Padawan learner.

Obi-Wan felt sheer relief upon hearing this version of events, relaxing back against the wall. Here was a new reality where Qui-Gon lived to train Anakin, and Obi-Wan knew he would be the perfect Master for Anakin. Surely there would be no chance for Anakin to fall in this life. Best of all, Obi-Wan was here now, with knowledge of the Sith's machinations from his previous life, and together with Yoda, the Council, and Qui-Gon, they would prevent the fall of the Jedi this time.

This explained the oddities in this timeline. His long coma, Garen and Bant's insistence that he never had a Padawan, and Anakin's missing Force presence in the Temple. Qui-Gon was one of the best negotiators of the Order, and as his Padawan Obi-Wan had very little downtime at the Temple. It was likely the same case with Anakin.

However, Bant also said that the Jedi had suffered a great loss over what happened with Qui-Gon. At that time he assumed she was referring to Qui-Gon's death, but since that couldn't be the case here…

His eyes flew to Yoda in shock, and dawning comprehension. Yoda's ears were drooping and he looked sorrowful.

Obi-Wan had a really bad feeling about this.

"Disagreed often with the Council, Qui-Gon did, over his Padawan's training. Left the Jedi Order, he had a few years ago, becoming one of the Lost Twenty One, and taking young Skywalker with him. On Serenno now with his old Master Count Dooku, who had left the Jedi before Qui-Gon. Beyond the reach of the Jedi, they all are now."

End chapter 4

Author's notes: Virtual kudos to those of you who guessed correctly! Qui-Gon survived and left the Order, taking Anakin with him, though I don't think anyone expected Dooku to lend them an opportunistic hand. Hope you all enjoyed this twist!

It has always been my belief that if Obi-Wan died while Qui-Gon lived, Qui-Gon would eventually leave the Jedi with Anakin in tow. The ties that bound him to the Jedi were all gone – Tahl, Obi-Wan and Dooku, and he was already getting increasingly disillusioned with the Jedi Council in TPM. Their harsh treatment and lack of trust in Anakin would quite possibly be the final straw for him. So this story is my means of exploring the consequences of such a choice, combined with the Star Wars time travel story I always wanted to write.

As always, please read and review, I'd be delighted to hear any suggestions, thanks!