Title: Into Another Day
Author: Layren
Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, others
Summary: Sometimes destiny has a way of working out the things it must.
Timeline: Does not follow the Jedi Apprentice series. Qui-Gon is 20. Obi-Wan is five. This is Massively AU. If you do not like that sort of thing, then do us both a favor and do not read further.
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns all. No money for Laurie.
Author's Note: The time difference in age here is on purpose. This story is based on an idea I had. How might Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's relationship have been different if Obi-Wan had known Qui-Gon before the events with Xanatos, back when he was a young knight? How would that have changed their relationship? How would that have an affect on things later in the future? This is in response to the Dear Diary 2008 Challenge on Enjoy! Feedback is welcome!

Entry One:

Kyran bought this journal for me, so I might as well humor him and actually use this. I've never been much for journal writing but perhaps it will be useful. Writing is good therapy, or at least the givers of this diary claimed. Yesterday I was knighted. It was also my twentieth birthday. I endured a good deal of ribbing from Sian and Kyran. Kyran said something about this journal keeping me busy with all the spare time I would have now.

Spare time.

I'm not convinced such a thing exists, myself. They are both knights, so perhaps they know differently.

Maybe.

Sian wasn't helping my case by agreeing with Kyran, rather loudly, I might add. His gift was a stylus to write in this journal. I tried to tell them that I would be busy with missions and would have no time to write, but my remarks fell on deaf ears.

The gifts they gave weren't all they conspired over either.

They threw me a surprise party.

Now normally in Jedi tradition we spend birthdays quietly in meditation, musing over our lives and the ways the Force has led us to now and knighthood is celebrated between one or two close friends, possibly going out for a fun afternoon. Something different always happens when you have the friends I do though.

You can count on it.

Attendees at my party this year were tortured, er, regaled by a loud rendition of a song that Sian and Kyran had written themselves. It was called "A Knight's Birthday" and sung by all of them, but with Sian and Kyran leading the way as the loudest singers.

Those two make even the hardest of hearing ears bleed with their noise. The song might've been good, otherwise, I wouldn't know. My ears are still ringing.

This was quite a gathering, and evidently my friends are good at keeping secrets from me. Better than I am about such. Tahl, Sian, Kyran, Shane, Master Yoda, and even Master Dooku were there.

Master Dooku supplied the cake from one of Coruscant's finest bakeries. The man has excellent taste, I must admit. My master has always been the type to enjoy the finer things in life. Ever since I have known him, he has been like that.

It didn't take us long to devour the cake.

I had leftovers, but they've been eaten already. I was hungry and it was available. I'm a growing young man.

Pity though.

I had been looking forward to having some for breakfast tomorrow.

I really should know better than to leave cake lying around.

Alas, maybe I'll remember and learn my lesson and be better prepared next year.

After the party, I examined the gifts they gave more closely. The stylus I'm pleased to say has impeccable balance and a soft ergonomic cushion for its grip. It's the most comfortable one I have ever used.

Not that I would ever tell Sian.

I'd never hear the end of it.