This has to be the third Star Wars Fanfic I've started, and I feel awful for not finishing the others, but I had to write this one! And no, I am not abandoning the other stories. I will continue to write them.

Anywho, as you've probably read, it's an Obi-adventure fic! I do hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it, but I guess we'll see, hm?

~Veiled~

It was dark and he was in pain, but he didn't know why. He couldn't make sense of anything!. All he knew was that he was in danger and that he needed to run, or he would never make it.

And so, Obi-Wan ran. He ran as if his life depended on it, but everywhere he turned, his senses would scream danger.

They were closing in on him.

He had nowhere left to run.

Spinning around in circles, Obi-Wan frantically searched for any means of escape. Breathing heavily, heart pounding, Obi-Wan found that he was surrounded by the creeps he'd been trying to outrun.

Force!

Oh Force!

Now what was he to do?

Sadly, Obi-Wan wasn't given time to come up with a plan when one of the strange enemies encircling him stalked forward.

No, stalked was the wrong word to use.

Hovered. The near-transparent creature hovered towards him, one hand outstretched. It was murmuring a strange, but dark, incantation, and the moment it's hand touched him, Obi-Wan was chilled to the bone.

He was frozen.

He couldn't move. What was this?!

The Padawan fought with all his might to escape, but found that he couldn't. He was stuck, and not even the Force could help him.

"Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan could have cried out from relief upon hearing his Master's voice. His Master was nearby. He would save him.

"Obi-Wan? Padawan?"

Obi-Wan tried to answer his call, but found that he couldn't move a muscle. Not one sound escaped from him. His eyes widened in horror. What had those vile creatures done to him?!

"Padawan?"

The ground suddenly quaked beneath his feet.

Master!

Out of desperation, Obi-Wan used the bond linking him to his Master in the hopes that Qui-Gon would be able to save him. He clung to the bond like it was his lifeline, never once relinquishing his hold.

"Padawan?" Came his Master's voice, brimming with concern, and the ground shook again. "Obi-Wan, you need to wake up."

Wake up? Obi-Wan thought incredulously. What did his Master mean, Wake up? He wasn't asleep!

Or…

Obi-Wan's eyes slid shut. He was trapped in the throes of another nightmare, wasn't he?

"Obi-Wan? Wake up, Padawan."

The ground trembled, and Obi-Wan recognized it as Qui-Gon trying to shake him awake. He battled against the nightmare's hold of him, fighting to gain consciousness in an attempt to escape from the wretched dream.

It wasn't long before he could feel himself pulling through.

"That's it, Padawan." Qui-Gon encouraged, helping Obi-Wan along. "Open your eyes, Obi-Wan."

With what felt like a great effort, Obi-Wan hazily parted tightly closed lids, allowing his Master to see the familiar, yet terror-filled, watery-blue orbs.

"M...ostuh?" Obi-Wan groggily murmured, his voice heavily coated with sleep. There was also an undercurrent of fear that Qui-Gon caught onto, and the Jedi Master soothingly ran a hand through Obi-Wan's hair. It was growing longer, Qui-Gon distantly thought to himself. The long, extended, missions the Council had been sending them on prevented them from getting Obi-Wan's hair cut, but Qui-Gon found that he preferred Obi-Wan's hair this way rather than the hideous Padawan cut Obi-Wan loathed to get.

"Thank the Force you're awake, Obi-Wan. You've had a rather rough week, Padawan." Qui-Gon softly told his apprentice, gently resting the back of his hand against his Padawan's forehead. He was warm, but not too warm, thank the Force. Qui-Gon most certainly did not want to take another trip down to the Healers if he could help it.

"Wha…?" Obi-Wan blinked, his mind still half-asleep. "Where..?"

"You don't remember?" Qui-Gon concernedly asked. At the confusion he could see dancing in Obi-Wan's eyes, Qui-Gon explained, "We were sent to Tyrlri to oversee the elections taking place. During our time in Tyrlri, there was an outbreak of the Rhydlion Flu. Do you remember?"

Recognition flickered in those watery-blue orbs, and Obi-Wan slurred, "I cau' i'...didn' I?" Why didn't that surprise him? He always had the worst of luck when he and his Master were sent on missions. Even the easiest of missions turned out to be the worst for poor Obi-Wan. He just couldn't catch a break, could he?

Qui-Gon sympathetically nodded, repressing the urge to cringe when a painful coughing fit seized his weak apprentice.

Once finished, Obi-Wan cracked open one eye, silently demanding for Qui-Gon to continue.

Qui-Gon did. "Well, the elections took place with no trouble, surprisingly enough, and we were allowed to leave Tyrlri. Not even halfway through our journey to Coruscant did you succumb to the Rhydlion Flu. Which reminds me,"

And there was that reprimanding tone Obi-Wan had come to recognize so well. Oh dear...He'd known it was a bad idea! He'd known! But of course, Obi-Wan being Obi-Wan, didn't say anything to his Master! Now, he was paying the price.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were feeling ill during the elections, Obi-Wan? I did notice you were growing rather pale and distorted, but you kept insisting that you were fine."

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. He couldn't even remember half of the mission.

"I dunno...Didn' wanna...bothuh...you...I gueff…" He managed to say, his stuffy nose making it difficult to pronounce his words correctly. Anytime Obi-Wan became sick, Qui-Gon had noticed, his Stewjon accent would become more pronounced. Every word Obi-Wan would speak would be heavily coated with the accent, making it somewhat difficult for Qui-Gon to understand what his Padawan was saying.

Qui-Gon, upon hearing his Padawan's answer, sighed heavily. "Obi-Wan, I thought we agreed that if you were ever troubled, no matter what the issue is, that you would come to me. Wasn't that the deal we struck?"

Ever since Obi-Wan's return from Melida/Daan, Qui-Gon had made more of an effort to understand and get to know his Padawan. He had come to accept, after those lonely months Obi-Wan was absent from his side, that Obi-Wan wasn't Xanatos. How he could have ever compared a child of light, that was Obi-Wan, to that man was beyond Qui-Gon. It had been because of him that there journey had had a rather rough start.

"Sorry...Mostah." Obi-Wan apologized, resembling a kicked puppy as he stared, forlornly, at his bed covers.

"Now, now, none of that." Qui-Gon chided, shaking his head at Obi-Wan's behavior. "How do you feel?"

"Like I'f been wun ovuh by uh bunt ov banfas…" Obi-Wan muttered honestly, to which Qui-Gon translated as, 'Like I've been run over by a bunch of banthas.'

"Well, the Healers claim that you should recover soon- if," Qui-Gon said, emphasizing the last word, "You take some time to rest and relax. I've taken the liberty to com your teachers and explain to them that you will be unable to attend their classes for the next week."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened in horror.

"Wha?! Cunt mif claffiz! Mostah!"

Qui-Gon quirked an eyebrow, having expected this reaction, sternly raising a finger and poking Obi-Wan's chest. "No, Obi-Wan. You are still too weak and ill. And besides, the Rhydlion Flu is contagious, so, it would be dangerous to allow you to go to class and risk other fellow Padawans catching it. Force knows their Masters wouldn't want to go through what I had to."

Seeing Obi-Wan in pain was always difficult for Qui-Gon. Knowing that he couldn't do anything to appease him was even worse. He did use the Force to lessen the pain, but it wasn't much. Obi-Wan was still in so much pain it hurt Qui-Gon to see it.

"Sorry…" Obi-Wan apologized, and Qui-Gon rolled his eyes.

"Padawan, quit apologizing for things you had no control over." Thinking over what he'd just said, Qui-Gon corrected himself, "Actually, this could have all been prevented had you told me you were feeling unwell. Now, since you are sick, I must leave on a mission without my diligent Padawan by my side." He sighed in a forlorn manner.

"Mishun?" Obi-Wan repeated, piercing his Master with a worried gaze. "Wifou' me?"

"Sadly." Qui-Gon replied, comfortingly placing a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "The Council firmly believe that I'm the only Jedi suited for this mission, and so, they've asked that I leave this morning."

This piece of information caused Obi-Wan to look even more downtrodden and nervous. He had a bad feeling about this. The nightmares he'd been suffering from all revolved around his Master. Though he could never understand, or ever remember, what they were about, he knew that they had something to do with Qui-Gon. His Master would be in danger on his mission and Obi-Wan would be too far away to help!

"Mostah...Yuu can' go."

"But I have to, Obi-Wan. This mission requires immediate attention and is too delicate for other Masters to handle, supposedly." Qui-Gon apologetically graced his apprentice with a smile. "Hopefully, it doesn't take long."

Seeing that there was more Obi-Wan wished to tell him, Qui-Gon patiently waited for his Padawan to speak.

He remained silent.

"Obi-Wan? Is something troubling you?" Qui-Gon decided to ask, recognizing the hesitant look gracing Obi-Wan's youthful features.

His Padawan worried his lower lip, wondering whether or not he should tell him about the nightmares and the bad feeling he'd been experiencing, but decided against it. It wouldn't do to trouble his Master over such trivial matters. The nightmares were probably just that. Nightmares. His feelings were probably created by the nightmares.

Deciding that that was what it was, Obi-Wan returned his attention to his Master.

"Nufin, Mastah."

Qui-Gon wasn't convinced, but he let it slide, knowing that if his Padawan was troubled, he would approach him later.

"If you say so. Anyway," He began, glancing over at the chrono in Obi-Wan's room, "I have to leave now." Reaching over, Qui-Gon tugged on Obi-Wan's Padawan Braid, effectively catching Obi-Wan's attention. "Tahl promised me that she would look after you, so if you need anything, contact her."

Obi-Wan obediently nodded, though he was still upset that his Master would have to leave without him.

"I shouldn't be gone for too long- a few months or so."

"Munfs?!" Obi-Wan incredulously repeated, his voice cracking from the shrill tone he'd used, and Qui-Gon quickly went to reassure his Padawan.

"I meant a few days, Obi-Wan, not months." He corrected himself, and Obi-Wan relaxed.

"Good."

Qui-Gon goodnaturedly huffed, ruffling Obi-Wan's hair, smirking at the indignant glare his Padawan shot him. "Don't trust that I am capable enough to fend for myself, Padawan-mine?"

"Yuu alwiz wun intuh twouble, Mostah." Obi-Wan pointedly told his Master. "Zat's vy yuu need me."

"Is that so?" Qui-Gon questioned, raising another eyebrow at his sick Padawan. Obi-Wan sharply nodded.

"Yis."

"Hmph. Impudent child. I don't think I should have any trouble on this mission, but now that I've said that…" He'd probably just jinxed himself, didn't he? "Well, I truly must go. Be sure to get as much rest as you can, Obi-Wan. I want to return to a healthier Padawan and Tahl will make sure to keep me updated." He warned Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan recognized what he was telling him. Should he do anything he shouldn't be doing, Obi-Wan would get in trouble with his Master upon his return.

If his Master returned…

Almost immediately, Obi-Wan banished the morbid thought. His Master would return. Safely. He would trust that the Force would keep Qui-Gon safe.

"C'n I a' leaf see yuu off?" Obi-Wan asked him, and Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Better that you not strain yourself too much, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon advised him. Obi-Wan didn't like that answer.

"May fuh Fowce be wif yuu, Mastah." Obi-Wan reluctantly said to his Master, and Qui-Gon acknowledged the statement.

"And you, Padawan-mine. Force knows what trouble you could stir up while I'm gone." Vacating his seat on the edge of Obi-Wan's bed, Qui-Gon made sure that Obi-Wan was comfortable before taking his leave.

With his hand hovering over the button that would open Obi-Wan's bedroom door, Qui-Gon turned to look at his Padawan, a troubled look crossing over his features. "Obi-Wan," He started to say, trailing off when he felt a brief disturbance in the Force. Hearing his name, Obi-Wan met his Master's gaze, curious to know what his Master wanted to say. "Be careful, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon found himself saying, and he suddenly had the urge to stay and make sure that his Padawan would be safe during his recovery. The Force hummed, telling Qui-Gon that something was going to happen, and whatever it was, it involved his Padawan.

As usual.

As much as he didn't want to, Qui-Gon had to leave. He would trust Tahl to keep Obi-Wan safe. He knew Tahl viewed Obi-Wan as one of her own, the same way Qui-Gon had started Obi-Wan as more than just a Padawan. Tahl would do anything to protect Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon knew he would do the same.

Obi-Wan tilted his head, wondering why his Master was telling him to be careful. He wasn't going anywhere, obviously. What was there to be careful of? Not getting even more ill?

"I mean it, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon sternly said, waving a finger in his direction, "Don't do anything too strenuous and whatever you do, tread forward with caution."

"Yis, Mastuh." Obi-Wan replied, toying with the edge of his covers. He didn't understand, yet, what his Master was telling him, but he soon would. To Obi-Wan, he was loathing the fact that he would be bedridden for sometime. And that entire time would be spent worrying for his Master.

"I will com at least twice a day to keep you updated, Obi-Wan. Don't worry, and get some rest." Watching Obi-Wan for a moment longer, Qui-Gon bid his Padawan goodbye and left the room. Picking up his travelling bag, Qui-Gon shouldered the pack and left his quarters, pausing for a moment just outside the door.

The Force was thrumming, troubling Qui-Gon. Perhaps he should also ask Mace to keep an eye out for Obi-Wan…

~Veiled~

There you have it. First chapter done. I hope it was interesting :)