TITLE: Second Chances

AUTHOR: MysteriousRaven13

Summary: A vignette on Xanatos and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

This is my response to an Obi-Wan Workshop 'Sock' Challenge on the Jedi Council Forum . Posted under the sock 'Master Jello Kenobi'.

Disclaimer: Characters are either owned by George Lucas or Jude Watson. I just borrowed them to play with for a while.

Something was wrong. He could sense it through the Force, yet he didn't know where it was coming from. It was as if this ominous sensation was taunting him, staying just out of his reach.

Suddenly, he saw her. Cerasi. She jumped up and out of the underground tunnel from beneath the fountain. He yelled out her name, but she didn't hear him. She ran to the center of the town where her father, Wehutti, and her best friend, Nield, stood arguing with one another.

That's when he saw it. A dark and angry shadow of something up on the roof of a nearby building. He could make out the outline of what appeared to be a weapon of some sort aimed at Cerasi's back. He shouted out a warning that went unheard.

He opened his mouth to scream out to Cerasi, but it was as if the Force wanted to punish him by taking away his ability to speak. He was too late. A shot was heard and mere seconds later Cerasi crumpled to the hard and dirty ground in shock and pain. Finally, as if the Force decided that he had suffered long enough, he was able to scream out her name as he ran to her lifeless body.

He fell to his knees as he scooped her into his arms as tears streamed down his face. "Cerasi, please don't leave me." Anger and sadness fought for dominance in his soul, with darkness nipping at his heels.

Cerasi slowly opened her eyes and glanced at Obi-Wan in pain and anger as he wiped away the blood the left a trail from the corner of her mouth. "This is your all your fault, Jedi. You betrayed us."

Obi-Wan reeled back as if she had physically slapped him. He felt his heart slowly began to break as his friend starred back at him with disdain. "What...what are you...you saying, Cerasi? I've done nothing to betray you or Nield. You two are my friends... my only family now." His voice broke as he gave into more tears. Tears for Cerasi's impending death and tears for whatever wrongs he had done to his new family, the Young.

Cerasi coughed up more blood before she was able to speak again. "You betrayed us. You betrayed the Jedi. You've betrayed everyone, including Master Qui-Gon Jinn. You are no Jedi. You allowed Mawat to kill me. Now, I will kill you, betrayer!"

Obi-Wan had no time to defend himself as Cerasi pointed a blaster at his heart and pulled the trigger. "Noooooo-."

"Padawan, wake up."

Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi jerked awake from his meditation pose searching for the gaping blaster wound on his chest. He found nothing. "I'm s-s-sorry, Master. I d-did not mean t-to disturb f-from your meditation."

Master Xanatos deCrion knelt down next to Obi-Wan. "You didn't, Padawan. I finished my meditations some time ago. I was just about to prepare some tea when you yelled out." He pulled Obi-Wan into his arms as he rubbed his back. He realized that Obi-Wan was too old for him to be doing this, coddling him as if he were a child, instead of the twenty-five-year-old young man that he was. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Obi-Wan sniffed his nose and rubbed his eyes as he leaned into his master's safe embrace. "I ran into...into-." His voice broke, not allowing him to finish his statement.

A small flare of anger welled up in Xanatos as he finished the statement for him. "-Master Jinn." Xanatos has dealt with his own issues that he had had with Master Qui-Gon Jinn for some time now. But it was another thing when it concerned his own padawan of eleven years, one that he loved as if he were his own flesh and blood. He had not been able to forgive Jinn for hurting Obi-Wan so many years ago after the Melida/Daan incident. And the council didn't help when they sent him and his golden child and padawan – the suppose 'Chosen One' – Anakin Skywalker, along on the mission. Obi-Wan was so close to being knighted and he didn't need the distraction of Jinn and his 'holier-than-thou' attitude.

"Yes, master. I ran into him in the galley when I went to grab some fruit. I know it's been eleven years since I last saw him, but I just was not ready to deal with it then." Obi-Wan's sad sea-green eyes peeked up at Xanatos through long black eyelashes. "Was that wrong of me, Master?"

Obi-Wan could see the love and pride that Xanatos had for him in his eyes. In their time together, Xanatos had never once made him feel insecure about who he was as a Jedi or as a person. He made him feel like he belonged and he loved Xanatos as if he were his father. He had been forever grateful that Xanatos wanted him as his padawan after he got back from Melida/Daan.

"No, padawan, it wasn't wrong. He hurt you and that is going to take time to heal. But I will be there for you when you are ready to go talk to him. But I sense that wasn't what you were dreaming about."

"I dreamed of Cerasi and her death. But it was different this time. She blamed me for her getting shot, and for betraying the Jedi and Master Jinn."

Xanatos gently grabbed Obi-Wan's chin forcing Obi to look up at him. "Obi- Wan. You have never betrayed anyone. Especially Jinn. I have never seen anyone give as much to the Force as you do and expect nothing in return. You gave me a second chance and I have been eternally grateful for that. I have never regretted taking you as my padawan. And if I were to die today, I would have no regrets. Do you know why?"

Obi-Wan's eyes unashamedly glistened with tears. "Because you love me?"

"Yes, because I love you. But I would have no regrets, because you have already become the young man that I often had visions about. I raised a young boy and here he sits before me as a young man. A young man who is ready to become a Knight." Xanatos held up his hand, silencing Obi-Wan. "I know you are ready to take that next step and the council has agreed with me. Once we arrive back to the Temple, you will leave for your trials."

"Master, I do not know what to say."

"Say nothing, padawan. Now, we will be landing on Naboo in a couple of hours. I want you to rest or meditate while I go talk to Queen Amidala and Master Jinn. I sense something dark awaiting us and we must be prepared." Xanatos ruffled Obi-Wan's hair as he stood up and walked towards the opened door. He smiled at Obi-wan before closing the door behind him.

Obi-Wan whispered "I love you, Master", knowing that he would hear him and began to meditate. He knew in his heart that he was ready to be a Knight, he just wasn't ready to leave his master's side.