From: Katrinka Thanks: To everyone who sent the lovely comments. it made me feel much better! There will be a sequel to this story, but that's for later! ********** Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan's spirit crying out to him. He could see his Padawan, unconscious in the fountain. Qui-Gon ran to the fountain and looked into the water. Obi-Wan was at the bottom of the fountain, unmoving. Without hesitating, Qui-Gon dove into the fountain. He picked up Obi-Wan in his arms and t ook him out of the water, amazed by the lightness of his Padawan. He set Obi-Wan gently on the floor. He wasn't breathing. His heart wasn't beating. He pulled Obi-Wan's head back, and began CPR on him. //Don't die!// Qui-Gon repeated like a chant, as he resuscitated his apprentice. Time rolled to a standstill as he tried to gather the Force around him, to have the Force cure the young man. Obi-Wan began to cough. "It's all right. You're safe." Qui-Gon stroked the young man's hair. //Master, why didn't you let me die?// //I love you too much to let you die,// he confessed. //How can you love me? I betrayed you,// Obi-Wan asked. //Not now, my beloved. Don't think about the past.// ************** Obi-Wan was surprised by the care that his former Master was giving him. His chest hurt, though he had no idea why. He lay on a pallet that Qui-Gon had put together on the floor of the kitchen. It was warm here. His former Master came into the kitchen, carrying some herbs. He separated them, then threw some into a pot of boiling water. "How are you feeling?" Qui-Gon asked. "Better." He tried to sit up. There was a sharp pain in his chest and he sank back down to the floor. "What's wrong?" "Nothing," he lied. "You're in pain," Qui-Gon said. "I think I hurt myself when I fainted." Obi-Wan looked away from his former Master. "I had a flashback. It made me pass out." "I could heal you," Qui-Gon offered. "I deserve my pain," Obi-Wan murmured. "Of course you do." Qui-Gon spooned some of the liquid out of the pot into a bowl. He put a cloth in the bowl, then walked over to him. He sat down, and began to wipe Obi-Wan's face with it. "What is this?" Obi-Wan asked. "It's something my mother always made when I had a fever." "I didn't know I had a fever." "You do." Qui-Gon was so gentle that Obi-Wan wanted to cry. //How can he be so kind to me? I betrayed him.// *********** //Why can't he trust me enough to let me help him?// Qui-Gon thought. His former Padawan's pain shimmered around him like a rainbow. Obi-Wan tried to accept the pain like he had been taught but pain wouldn't leave him. Now, Obi-Wan had a high fever. Qui-Gon unfastened the younger man's tunics, opening them up so that he could try to cool his body off. There was a large bruise on his chest. Qui-Gon's heart sank. Broken ribs. He had caused this injury. Qui-Gon dunked the cloth back into the bowl, then began to swab Obi-Wan's chest. Obi-Wan doubled up in pain when Qui-Gon touched the bruise. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." //I let my concentration slip. I will accept this pain,// Obi-Wan telepathed. //You're ill!// //I deserve this pain.// //Don't say that.// Qui-Gon reached out, wiping off his Padawan's face. There were tears in Obi-Wan's eyes. "How can you stand to touch me?" "Why wouldn't I touch you?" "You know that I betrayed you." Obi-Wan looked away from him. "Xanatos knows everything about us. If I had been stronger, I might have been able to free you." "You remember what happened?" Qui-Gon asked. "I remember everything," Obi-Wan admitted. "Everything?" "He raped me. He made you watch. I feel so filthy!" Tears poured down the Padawan's face. "Now I know why you don't want me. You can't forgive me for being with someone else. I don't blame you, I can't forgive myself." "A part of me died when I saw your attack." Qui-Gon reached out, caressing Obi-Wan's cheek. "I don't blame you for what happened." Obi-Wan was now sobbing openly. Qui-Gon lay on the floor and very carefully took his Padawan into his arms. "How can you stand to touch me?. I cheated on you!" "That isn't why I rejected you. It was because of my weakness." It hurt to admit this. "I wasn't able to h elp you when you needed it. I should have been stronger." "You were injured!" Obi-Wan gasped. "What happened to me wasn't your fault, it was mine!" "You should have escaped when you had the chance." "I had to try to rescue you!" "I wasn't worth the pain you went through." "If I hadn't given in, you would have been killed. I wouldn't have forgiven myself." "You would have been alive," Qui-Gon pointed out. "It wouldn't be much of a life without you." Obi-Wan looked into his eyes. "You're half of my soul. If I had left without you, I would have betrayed myself." Qui-Gon realized the wisdom of his Padawan's words. Obi-Wan meant what he said. "You are in danger being near me. Xanatos tortured you because of me." "Isn't that the chance I take being your Padawan?" "I can't risk you." "I am a Jedi. Part of my life is risk, whether you're a part of it or not." "Let me try and heal you," Qui-Gon asked. "You must be healed if you are going to fight Xanatos." Obi-Wan took Qui-Gon's hand and laid it across his chest. "Heal me, Master." *************** Obi-Wan had fallen asleep during the healing. When he woke, the pain in his chest was gone. Qui-Gon was still beside him. He saw the gray in his Master's temples for the first time. He was aging. The man had, in his love for him, risked hiding himself away forever. All in the cause of the greater good. Obi-Wan could feel through the Vaar that his Master still did not want the Master/Apprentice relationship. "How are you feeling?" Qui-Gon's eyes were concerned. "Much better." He sat up and was surprised when Qui-Gon helped him. Then he felt something, a s hifting in the Dark Force. Xanatos' mind reached out and touched his. He kept the bond open just long enough to find out where Xanatos was, then he shut down his mind. "Did you feel anything?" Qui-Gon asked. "Xanatos. He's on this planet." Obi-Wan tried to center himself. "I think if we work together, we can defeat him," Qui-Gon said. "Our Vaar is strong enough." "What about the mindbond with Xanatos?" "He will try to use it against you." "I won't let him," Obi-Wan vowed. "The mindrape made him know you. There is a drawback. You now know him." "How do I know him?" "If you searched your mind, you would realize that he gave you a part of him." "I don't want to think about that." Obi-Wan closed his eyes. "Windu taught me to block things like that out." "Those things can help you defeat Xanatos," Qui-Gon pointed out. "You can't spend your life on the run from him." "I know that." "Fear leads to the Dark Side." "I have the Dark Side within me." Obi-Wan looked away. "I am now evil." "You can fight it! Do you want it gone?" "Yes, I do." "Being evil is a choice! You have to choose which side you want to be on!" "I want to be rid of the darkness," Obi-Wan admitted. ******************** "Don't be afraid," Qui-Gon told him. They waited inside the temple for Xanatos. "He will come here. The darkness is strong in him." "Let him come." "He will profane the temple with his evil!" "No, Obi-Wan, he won't." Qui-Gon's voice was quiet. "There was a reason I choose this place. It is full of the Light Side of the Force." "But Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan began to object. "Remember your teachings. Even if there is a bit of light, it will weaken the darkness." "So he will be weak if we fight outside." "If we can draw him into the temple." "Then he will lose most of his powers!" Obi-Wan guessed. "Right you are." Qui-Gon smiled. //Obi-Wan, I know you're in there!// he heard Xanatos say. //If you want me so much, come get me!// Obi-Wan challenged. Qui-Gon's hand touched his shoulder, supporting. There was no need for words through the Vaar. //You are part of the Dark Side now!// //If I am so much of the Dark Side, how can I find peace in this temple?// Obi-Wan could feel where Xanatos was; he had come into the Temple from above. He perched above them o n the balcony. The man was planning to jump down to them in surprise. Obi-Wan turned, and turned on his lightsaber. At the same time, Qui-Gon did, too. Xanatos jumped down. He was holding the lightsaber that he had been working on when Obi-Wan was a captive. "Qui-Gon, give me Obi-Wan." "I do not own Obi-Wan. He goes where he wants to," Qui-Gon said. "Why do you think I would go anywhere with someone so evil?" Obi-Wan asked. Xanatos turned on his lightsaber. It was a frightening sight, the two sides of the lightsaber turning on at the same time. He charged at the two Jedi. Obi-Wan opened himself fully to the Vaar. The two Jedi now worked as one. Any time Xanatos parried, one of the Jedi was able to fight back. Xanatos was good, very good at fighting. The two Jedi were just a little bit better. Xanatos waved a hand, and pieces of the ceiling started raining down on them. They moved sideways, which made Xanatos move forwards. Qui-Gon waved his hand, and more of the ceiling came down. Xanatos stopped concentrating on the fight, and started working on the ceiling. Obi-Wan looked at a statue. It was very large. He concentrated, and the statue flew across the path, s mashing into Xanatos. The enemy fell to the ground, unconscious, his lightsaber under him. Obi-Wan could hear the sizzle of flesh. Qui-Gon turned his former Padawan over and turned off the lightsaber. Then he went outside and threw the lightsaber off the cliff. It landed against the rocks and shattered. "What are we going to do with him?" Obi-Wan asked. "There is a room in this temple. It was built to contain the Sith." Qui-Gon looked down to Xanatos. "It will fit him." "Will he be able to get out?" Obi-Wan asked concerned. "There is only one way to get out of the room. That is to embrace the Light Side." Qui-Gon picked up the unconscious enemy, and walked into the temple. ********************* Obi-Wan knew he wasn't supposed to disturb Qui-Gon when he was meditating, but he had to talk to him. He sat on the ground beside the older man. "Qui-Gon." Qui-Gon opened his eyes and looked down to the younger man. "I am meditating." "I am sorry to disturb you." Obi-Wan looked away. "My transport is leaving this evening. As you said, I must go." "Do you have an aircar?" "Yes, Master...I mean Qui-Gon." A smile tugged at Qui-Gon's lips. "I think I like Master better." Obi-Wan tried to fight down his heart soaring. "You want me back?" "I can't live my life without you. I was wrong to leave you," Qui-Gon admitted. "What made you change your mind?" "When we fought Xanatos, I realized that our bond made us stronger." "Together we are stronger then apart," Obi-Wan said. "One soul, two bodies." Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "I am leaving the choice to you. Can you take back a Master who deserted you?" "My place is with you." Obi-Wan reached his hand behind Qui-Gon's head, pulling him down, opening himself to the kiss. Qui-Gon pulled himself away from Obi-Wan. "You're still healing. Later, beloved." Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed with his lover. "Yes, Master." "I think it's about time we get off this planet. Do you think your transport ship needs a new crew member?" "They always need more help." "Can your transport get us to Coruscant?" "It works out of Coruscant." Qui-Gon got up. "Then let's gather our things, and leave." **************** "Have you thought of how you're going to talk the Council into letting you resume your training?" Q ui-Gon lay across the bed, his head propped up with pillows. They were in their shared quarters on the transport. Obi-Wan sat down on the bed with his Master; he could feel Qui-Gon's arm around his shoulder. "I lied. I never left the Jedi." "Why did you lie?" The fingers caressed his shoulder. "I was afraid you would send me back if you knew the truth," Obi-Wan confessed. "You would have, wouldn't you?" "On the first transport." Qui-Gon smiled. It felt good to be back with Qui-Gon, but it wasn't in the way Obi-Wan had expected. They were now friends, nothing more. Qui-Gon had insisted that they only be friends until Obi-Wan had completely recovered from his trauma. Suddenly, a shiver of coldness ran down Obi-Wan's back. In his mind, he heard Xanatos voice. //Did you really think your jail could hold me?// //You're free!// Obi-Wan thought. //Of course I am free! The next time we meet, I will have my revenge!// Obi-Wan closed his mind to Xanatos. He looked up to Qui-Gon. "Master, Xanatos is free." Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed. "Is he on this ship?" Obi-Wan thought for a moment. "No, he's not." "Then we have time." "Xanatos will come for revenge," Obi-Wan said. "Are you going to return me to Windu?" "Our strength lies in our togetherness. With our Vaar we can defeat him once and for all," Qui-Gon promised. --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Special offer from The Science Fiction Book ClubŪ! Take 5 Star WarsŪ books for just $1, with membership. Many choices! Go to http://www.onelist.com/ad/doubleday6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Master & Apprentice Archive: http://www.valdemar.net/ma/warn.html