-Always There For You
~ By Beth C
Summary: Have you ever felt like someone has always been there for you but you never knew it?
Rating: PG
Feedback: You bet – Trekie386@aol.com I need more every day.
Disclaimer: The greatest Jedi ever created belong to George Lucas. I just borrowed them and gave their history a slight twist. Some people just belong together from the beginning.
Author's Note: There will be spoilers for Jedi Apprentice books 1 & 2 by the time this is done.
****************************
The doors to the Jedi Temple opened and the new arrivals stepped inside, their precious bundle carefully protected from the noxious air that was part of life on Coruscant. They were greeted by three members of the Jedi Council; Mace Windu, Yaddle, and Yoda. The bundle was brought forth and unwrapped to show an infant, barely 5 months old, his bright aquamarine eyes taking in the new faces.
"Strong in the Force, this one is." Yaddle was the first to break the silence.
The Master that had found the child nodded. "Yes, he is. A very high midi chlorian count too, for one his age."
"How high?" Master Windu asked, his bald head wrinkling up in a frown.
"Over five thousand."
Yoda reached out one wrinkled finger to touch the child's fuzz of cinnamon hair. "Yes. Meant to be here, this one was." The baby reached up and grabbed on to the finger tightly. "Strong physically as well."
While Yoda extracted his finger from the child's iron grasp, Mace was busy making the arrangements. "Take him to the crèche. Master Karin will tend to his care. He must be hungry after the long trip."
"Yes, Master." The Jedi answered while wrapping the baby back up in the blanket.
Yoda waved a hand in dismissal. "Keep you we will not. Meet with the Council later, you will."
A slight bow. "Yes, Master." He nodded to Mace and Yaddle, then stepped down the long hallway towards the room that housed the youngest Jedis in the Temple.
*****
Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn was meditating in the Room of a Thousand Fountains when he felt a disturbance in the Force. He brought himself back to awareness and slowly stood, working the kinks out of his legs. He had been sitting for over six hours, trying to find his calm center. The last mission had ended badly, his Padawan Xanatos had not reacted well to the failure. The boy was still new at being trained, and tended to react emotionally at times.
Qui-Gon reached out with his Force sense to try to pick up what had caused the disturbance. He could sense nothing other than a general unease. There shouldn't be any unrest at the Temple, nothing that would warrant an alert to bring him out of his meditations.
Frowning slightly, he exited the room and nearly ran over one of the elder Masters carrying a very young child towards the crèche. "Pardon me." Qui-Gon excused himself.
"No problem, Master Jinn." The other Jedi spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb the small bundle he was carrying.
Qui-Gon nodded toward the baby. "Is this the one you found?" He could already feel that the infant was Force-sensitive, and had heard that a new arrival was expected in today.
"Yes, Master Jinn." He held the baby up for the younger Jedi to examine. Qui-Gon barely got a glimpse of skin before an explosion rocked the very hallway they were standing in. He automatically reached for his lightsaber, but before he could grab it, he found himself with an armful of infant.
"It's the classrooms." The senior Master was speaking. "You take him to the crèche, I'll go see what is going on."
The words were barely spoken before the fire alarms starting blaring to evacuate. Left with an armful of now wriggling and fussing infant, Qui-Gon started to protest, but the other Jedi had already turned and ran back the way he had come. Qui-Gon could now see thick smoke billowing out of one of the rooms.
He struggled to understand what was happening, who had turned off the safeties in the chemistry lab? The baby in his arms now was wailing loudly, protesting the fact that not only was his nap interrupted, but the air was rapidly becoming unbreatheable.
Left with no other option, he turned from the source of the smoke and headed down the long hallway, keeping the face of his small charge covered with the blanket. He found the lifts at the end of the hall were out of commission. When the fire alarms had gone off, the lifts were automatically halted.
Sighing, he turned to the stairs. The crèche was only two levels down, and he could use a good walk. As he entered the stairwell he felt his comlink buzz at his belt. Shifting the fussing baby to one shoulder, he claimed the vibrating instrument and held it to his lips. "Yes, Xanatos?"
"Master, what is going on?" The new Padawan exclaimed. "I was told to leave my room immediately."
Qui-Gon sighed. Xanatos was not taking his lessons on controlling his emotions very well, they were very audible over the link. "It's just an explosion, Padawan. Something happened in the chemistry labs. Your evacuation is just a precaution." He made his voice sound stern. "Now follow the orders you were given. I'll be along shortly."
"Yes, Master." His voice was now contrite. "Sorry, Master." He signed off with a click.
Qui-Gon replaced the comlink back on his belt, and took the baby down off his shoulder. "At least you aren't as trying as he is." He unwrapped the squirming child and took his first good look at the baby. Tears were leaking out of the small eyes, making the color seem more green than blue at this moment. Qui-Gon lifted one finger up to wipe them away. "Now, now," he soothed. "You are going to be just fine." He looked into those troubled eyes deeply and he could feel the intelligence just waiting to be tapped.
The baby calmed immediately, and reached one hand up to touch the face in front of him, his tiny fingers brushing against the lightly bearded face. He made a small sound of contentment.
"See? It will all be fine." Qui-Gon whispered, and couldn't resist placing a kiss on the top of the small head. As his lips made contact, he felt a small whisper in the back of his mind. A thousand thoughts rushed through his brain faster than he could process them, but he did get a swift glimpse of a few of them. Some were dark, others light, most of them had him in them, and a few had nothing but a ginger-colored head of hair. A very long Padawan braid. Small hands welding a blue lightsaber.
And a lightly accented voice saying, *Yes, Master.*
In a heartbeat they were gone, it had been that quick, but it was enough to make the Master pull up and look down at his young charge. "I wonder what that was all about?"
The baby continued to gurgle, his fear now evaporated. His eyes still hadn't left the Jedi's face. Something in this man that was holding him made him feel safer than he had ever felt before. He didn't want to look away, not even for an instant.
Qui-Gon bundled the baby back up and continued his trek down the stairs. There was just something special about this baby. He could feel it through the Force. He would have to check on this one later, just to see what kind of child he grew up to be. Arriving at last on the level with the crèche, he opened the door and went to drop the baby off.
With luck, he could get back upstairs quickly and help with those that were in more need of his help than this one. He quickly explained what had happened to the Knight in charge and with a final kiss, he left the baby in good care. In the brief time he had the baby, he felt a small attachment to it, and was almost reluctant to let this one go.
"You be brave, young man." He told the baby. "The Force will be with you. Always." The last look he had was those intense eyes, watching as he turned and left the crèche, almost disappointed to see him go.
*****
~ By Beth C
Summary: Have you ever felt like someone has always been there for you but you never knew it?
Rating: PG
Feedback: You bet – Trekie386@aol.com I need more every day.
Disclaimer: The greatest Jedi ever created belong to George Lucas. I just borrowed them and gave their history a slight twist. Some people just belong together from the beginning.
Author's Note: There will be spoilers for Jedi Apprentice books 1 & 2 by the time this is done.
****************************
The doors to the Jedi Temple opened and the new arrivals stepped inside, their precious bundle carefully protected from the noxious air that was part of life on Coruscant. They were greeted by three members of the Jedi Council; Mace Windu, Yaddle, and Yoda. The bundle was brought forth and unwrapped to show an infant, barely 5 months old, his bright aquamarine eyes taking in the new faces.
"Strong in the Force, this one is." Yaddle was the first to break the silence.
The Master that had found the child nodded. "Yes, he is. A very high midi chlorian count too, for one his age."
"How high?" Master Windu asked, his bald head wrinkling up in a frown.
"Over five thousand."
Yoda reached out one wrinkled finger to touch the child's fuzz of cinnamon hair. "Yes. Meant to be here, this one was." The baby reached up and grabbed on to the finger tightly. "Strong physically as well."
While Yoda extracted his finger from the child's iron grasp, Mace was busy making the arrangements. "Take him to the crèche. Master Karin will tend to his care. He must be hungry after the long trip."
"Yes, Master." The Jedi answered while wrapping the baby back up in the blanket.
Yoda waved a hand in dismissal. "Keep you we will not. Meet with the Council later, you will."
A slight bow. "Yes, Master." He nodded to Mace and Yaddle, then stepped down the long hallway towards the room that housed the youngest Jedis in the Temple.
*****
Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn was meditating in the Room of a Thousand Fountains when he felt a disturbance in the Force. He brought himself back to awareness and slowly stood, working the kinks out of his legs. He had been sitting for over six hours, trying to find his calm center. The last mission had ended badly, his Padawan Xanatos had not reacted well to the failure. The boy was still new at being trained, and tended to react emotionally at times.
Qui-Gon reached out with his Force sense to try to pick up what had caused the disturbance. He could sense nothing other than a general unease. There shouldn't be any unrest at the Temple, nothing that would warrant an alert to bring him out of his meditations.
Frowning slightly, he exited the room and nearly ran over one of the elder Masters carrying a very young child towards the crèche. "Pardon me." Qui-Gon excused himself.
"No problem, Master Jinn." The other Jedi spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb the small bundle he was carrying.
Qui-Gon nodded toward the baby. "Is this the one you found?" He could already feel that the infant was Force-sensitive, and had heard that a new arrival was expected in today.
"Yes, Master Jinn." He held the baby up for the younger Jedi to examine. Qui-Gon barely got a glimpse of skin before an explosion rocked the very hallway they were standing in. He automatically reached for his lightsaber, but before he could grab it, he found himself with an armful of infant.
"It's the classrooms." The senior Master was speaking. "You take him to the crèche, I'll go see what is going on."
The words were barely spoken before the fire alarms starting blaring to evacuate. Left with an armful of now wriggling and fussing infant, Qui-Gon started to protest, but the other Jedi had already turned and ran back the way he had come. Qui-Gon could now see thick smoke billowing out of one of the rooms.
He struggled to understand what was happening, who had turned off the safeties in the chemistry lab? The baby in his arms now was wailing loudly, protesting the fact that not only was his nap interrupted, but the air was rapidly becoming unbreatheable.
Left with no other option, he turned from the source of the smoke and headed down the long hallway, keeping the face of his small charge covered with the blanket. He found the lifts at the end of the hall were out of commission. When the fire alarms had gone off, the lifts were automatically halted.
Sighing, he turned to the stairs. The crèche was only two levels down, and he could use a good walk. As he entered the stairwell he felt his comlink buzz at his belt. Shifting the fussing baby to one shoulder, he claimed the vibrating instrument and held it to his lips. "Yes, Xanatos?"
"Master, what is going on?" The new Padawan exclaimed. "I was told to leave my room immediately."
Qui-Gon sighed. Xanatos was not taking his lessons on controlling his emotions very well, they were very audible over the link. "It's just an explosion, Padawan. Something happened in the chemistry labs. Your evacuation is just a precaution." He made his voice sound stern. "Now follow the orders you were given. I'll be along shortly."
"Yes, Master." His voice was now contrite. "Sorry, Master." He signed off with a click.
Qui-Gon replaced the comlink back on his belt, and took the baby down off his shoulder. "At least you aren't as trying as he is." He unwrapped the squirming child and took his first good look at the baby. Tears were leaking out of the small eyes, making the color seem more green than blue at this moment. Qui-Gon lifted one finger up to wipe them away. "Now, now," he soothed. "You are going to be just fine." He looked into those troubled eyes deeply and he could feel the intelligence just waiting to be tapped.
The baby calmed immediately, and reached one hand up to touch the face in front of him, his tiny fingers brushing against the lightly bearded face. He made a small sound of contentment.
"See? It will all be fine." Qui-Gon whispered, and couldn't resist placing a kiss on the top of the small head. As his lips made contact, he felt a small whisper in the back of his mind. A thousand thoughts rushed through his brain faster than he could process them, but he did get a swift glimpse of a few of them. Some were dark, others light, most of them had him in them, and a few had nothing but a ginger-colored head of hair. A very long Padawan braid. Small hands welding a blue lightsaber.
And a lightly accented voice saying, *Yes, Master.*
In a heartbeat they were gone, it had been that quick, but it was enough to make the Master pull up and look down at his young charge. "I wonder what that was all about?"
The baby continued to gurgle, his fear now evaporated. His eyes still hadn't left the Jedi's face. Something in this man that was holding him made him feel safer than he had ever felt before. He didn't want to look away, not even for an instant.
Qui-Gon bundled the baby back up and continued his trek down the stairs. There was just something special about this baby. He could feel it through the Force. He would have to check on this one later, just to see what kind of child he grew up to be. Arriving at last on the level with the crèche, he opened the door and went to drop the baby off.
With luck, he could get back upstairs quickly and help with those that were in more need of his help than this one. He quickly explained what had happened to the Knight in charge and with a final kiss, he left the baby in good care. In the brief time he had the baby, he felt a small attachment to it, and was almost reluctant to let this one go.
"You be brave, young man." He told the baby. "The Force will be with you. Always." The last look he had was those intense eyes, watching as he turned and left the crèche, almost disappointed to see him go.
*****