Title: An Unexpected Companion

Author: Katieelessar

Rating: K

Time Period: JA, Obi-Wan's 16 though it doesn't matter to the story

Characters: Obi-Wan and a soggy puppy

Genre: General, POV

Summary: Obi-Wan finds a way to amuse himself when waiting on bureaucrats. One shot, fluff.

Author's Note: My first Star Wars fic! Well published on at least. This little plot bunny came hopping along one day and I just had to pick it up and take it home with me. It's short, fluffy and pointless. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimers: Star Wars and all of the wonderful characters inside belong to George Lucas. I only lark about with them.

Obi-Wan:

As the last signs of the suns disappeared from view I let out a large and rather, un-Jedi like sigh. My last rays of warmth had vanished without so much as a wave of goodbye and I was now left to stand against the wall of the cold building with biting air swirling around me. The outlying buildings did nothing to hinder the bitter drafts of air that flew down from the depths of space above. I shivered violently and wrapped myself in my cloak more snuggly. I had been standing out in this miserable street for the past two hours. Two long hours of sitting, standing, pacing, peering and finally, sighing.

Qui-Gon, I thought undoubtedly, was just as uncomfortable in the small building surrounded by equally worried delegates, trying to work out the last raiding attack that had taken place on the outskirts of the town. None were harmed—the Jedi seemed more relieved than the delegates, fancy that—but the attack was too close for comfort.

However, because of the planet's annoying social laws that concerned those particularly of my age, I had been sent out of the meeting and asked not to dawdle off in case something happened guarding as they so lavishly put it. I huffed. Guard against what? The part of town they had chosen to have their meeting in was not only the dirtiest, but the dankest, coldest and most squalid place in the whole city. Why it was even without shelter for the sad apprentice who were kept outside waiting.

I leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. Scrunching myself up in a tight ball, I was able to fend off the weather's harsher blasts of air but it did little to avail me from biting knives of heavier gusts. I shivered. Why did this 'secret' meeting have to be so far away from the warm halls of the palace? Why in a small, one roomed shack that could barely fit the chairs let alone the massive delegates who sat inside? Why in a place without any food for a ravenous Jedi? Why on the coldest day this planet had to offer? Why! I pressed by forehead to my knees and pulled my chilled limbs closer around me.

I knew Qui-Gon was just as anxious as myself to be rid of these hindering delegates, and be able to go out to the sight of the raid and search and help. Hundreds had been injured to near demise, and yet the government was taking its usual languid precautions to make sure there was no danger upon themselves before into action. I grimaced disdainfully and swallowed down the brewing words of my annoyance that would usually instigate hours of mediation if Qui-Gon were around. It was hard to resist though. My patience was withering and if the meeting didn't wrap up soon, I don't desire to think of what drastic events might follow.

Then the sky, unflustered by my threats, opened up and sheets of icy water came pouring down into my unsheltered lane. I groaned and stood, looking around for any means of protection besides my thoroughly soaked cloak. There was none to be found. I looked out onto the street and saw the numbers of passing people quickly dwindle until mere sprinting figures were left in the emptiness. They had the right thought in their heads, I thought remorsefully and began to pace, for the moment, I would gladly switch out of the role of Jedi apprentice to follow them into the warm buildings around me.

Three hours of waiting—not to mention rain—were beginning to bog me down.

Suddenly a small whine caught my unguarded attention and I turned around, hand on lightsaber, to the noise. The alleyway was empty. Only a solid wall and cans of garbage met my eyes. I sighed. It wasn't that I wanted any action, it was that if something remotely blood pumping didn't pass me by soon I would surely find my own. I was about to continue my pacing when another whine sounded through the turmoil of rain. This time, when I turned I was more curious than alert. Something was clearly here.

I walked down the muddied lane to the heavily mattered durasteel bins and looked between them. Nothing. I looked up at the wall. Nothing. I looked up even higher, at the buildings around me. Nothing. I furrowed my brow. If Qui-Gon had seen me, he would have commented that I would get early wrinkles in my forehead from all of the heavy frowning I was doing at the moment. I rolled my eyes as if he had said it. At least I didn't have wrinkles, I thought grinning. I'll save that retort for later.

But now, returning to the task at hand I looked around once more before reluctantly recommencing my pacing. But then, again, the pitiful whine sounded. With a sudden jolt, I realized I had not checked inside of the bins and quickly ran over to pry open one of the lids. Immediately I was met with a smell of soggy garbage and quickly shut it. I'm certain broken droid parts and half eaten bantha were not making that insistent whine. The second one was just as revolting, if not worse and I do not care to go into the details with the items that were in there. Then, the last and largest bin showed me what I was looking for.

The durasteel bin was relatively clean and empty, save for a small, shivering lump sitting on the bottom. I gasped. A partially dry animal looked up at me with pitiful eyes and whined again. I was dumbfounded. How did this small creature find its way into this bin with the lid tightly shut? I felt disgusted with the answer. How cruel of someone to leave this poor animal locked away in a garbage bin as if it belonged among the trash.

With a tentative hand, I reached out to the animal, wary if it was dangerous or sickly. Both proved to be quite false quickly. The young furball backtracked with a whine and curled itself away from my hand. I paused and let it dangle there, hoping that it would understand I would not harm it. How pitiful, I thought. How a simple act of kindness could frighten this tiny creature.

Very slowly, a small nose poked out of the fur and came forward. I held my hand very steadily as it brushed its cold nose against it, smelling for danger. When it was satisfied, a pink tongue flickered out and licked—quite thoroughly—the back of my hand. I smiled and inched my fingers forward. This time, the curious animal didn't flinch. Instead, it came forward and allowed me to lightly pet its head.

The fur was dirty and slightly tangled under my frozen fingers but the animal felt quite alive, if not cold. I realized that this pup was shivering just as violently as I was and without another thought, I pulled it out of the bin and nestled it between my folded arms and chest. For a moment, I thought the tiny pup would disappear in the folds of my cloak but its curious head popped up and stared around, clearly dumbfounded at this new warmth. For a moment I thought it would jump out of my arms back into the empty bin but, to my surprise, it dug itself deeper against my chest and halted, contented. I smiled.

'What are you doing out here, little one? All alone?' The nose nudged my arm. I smiled wider, glad that I had been able to help this poor thing. The animal, as poor and frail as it was, offered some warmth to my chest and I did not feel as cold. The rain continued to drive on, but with something to look after, time slithered by more rapidly.

Holding the pup with one hand, I turned over the bin and sat down on my makeshift seat. Leaning against the wall again, I turned myself to my new companion.

'How on earth did you find your way into there?' I said and two beady eyes poked out of my brown cloak to stare at me. I petted the black fur and continued to speak.

'Trying to find a way out of this storm? Well, you were smart to find some shelter.' The eyes continued to stare at me and I allowed a smile to creep onto my face again.

'Are you hungry?' I asked and amusingly, the animal fidgeted and appeared to nod. Before I could stir, it struggled out of my arms and nosed its way through my cloak to my belt. It was not so consequential that it had immediately found my package of protein tablets. Now that it had found its little discovery, the black eyes met mine again and that same whine sounded from its mouth.

'Protein tablets? You won't want those. They're only for Jedi when we go stupidly forget to bring some real food with us.' But Force, the little thing was so skinny. Even a meager piece of food would do it wonders. It looked like it had been brought back halfway from death.

Sighing, I placed the drying animal in the crook of my arm and opened the small vial of chalk like tablets. The rain immediately turned the light beige color to a dark brown and I grimaced even more disdainfully. The sodden lump took the very disgusting appearance of something I would rather not describe. But when I held it out to the ravenous animal it all but inhaled the food without so much as a grimace. I was pleased to see some brightness return to the dull, tired eyes and handed it another one.

After consuming the rest of the tablets and feeling quite tired, the contented creature settled deeply into my arms and stilled. I leaned back against the wall and felt just as contented more or less. The warmth of the bundle was a pleasure but the rain still drove on and on, relentlessly.

I needed to do something to keep my mind off of things. Patience is so hard to find in silence.

'Your canister was a very cleverly found,' I began and looked up at the black sky. 'But I'm afraid I wouldn't fit.' I continued with a growing smile. 'Now that's saying a lot. It's so easy for me to find spots to hide from my master when he's chasing me or when I'm about to get into trouble.' I smiled at some rather, interesting instances. 'Yes, Master Qui-Gon is not the young man he thought he was. Why, one time he actually got stuck. Stuck, little one! I had fled from the scene but I later heard it had taken him nearly ten minutes to pull himself out of that one. And was I ever in trouble.'

I continued to amuse the warming pup until I ran out of stories and even then, I began to make up a few. Another hour passed by and darkness wholly descended. I was very comforted and slightly drowsy when the door to the building finally opened and bright light poured out into the dark alleyway.

I jolted out of my light doze and blinked furiously from the harsh light. Once able to register where exactly I was and who exactly was standing in the doorway, waiting for me, I had the time to notice that the rain had stopped and stars had peeked through the clouds. I was satisfied to find out that I had been able to find some way to distract myself from madness. The time had passes quicker because of it.

I stood up, holding onto the sleeping pup—whom I decidedly named to name little Rogue in the honor of his secret hiding spot and frisky little attitude—and smiled when I saw my master appear.

'Good Evening, Master.' I said cheerfully and he seemed startled by my mood. He had thought that he would be meeting a rather upset and wet apprentice waiting for him and instead, found a contented one with a small Rogue in his arms.

'Hello, Obi-Wan. Are you alright?' He pulled me into the building and shut the door. The room was empty now, chairs scattered about and lamps shining light around just as randomly. I walked under one of the heating vents and grinned at my master.

'I'm fine. How did the meeting go, Master?'

'Favorably…' Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed as he noticed the bundle in my arms for the first time. 'What's that you have there, my apprentice?'

'Oh this,' I said and unraveled the long folds of my cloak to show him an awake and dry Rogue. 'This is my companion from the streets. We were quite lonely and cold, you see, so we decided that spending the passing minutes together would be much easier. Little Rogue,' I said to the pup and he looked up at me. 'This is my master, Qui-Gon Jinn, the one I've been telling you stories about.'

I looked up to a bemused smile on my master's face.

'And, Master.' I said formally. 'This is my companion, little Rogue.'

'A pleasure to meet you, Rogue. And how did this little one acquire such a…ah, curious name.'

I explained to him the rather exciting story of finding this lone pup on the bottom of a garbage bin which, consequently, became our seat for the next hour. Qui-Gon smiled and touched the top of Rogue's head.

'A very suiting name, my Padawan.' The corner of my mouth tugged into a smile as he continued.

'I'm glad you two found a way to pass the time, but Obi-Wan.' He looked at me seriously. 'You know you cannot keep him.'

'I know,' I said casually and bent down to let the little dog fall out of my arm onto the carpet. It sat at my feet and stared up at us with large, pondering eyes. 'I saw a small shelter on our way into town. I was planning on taking him there tomorrow. With your permission of course, Master?' I gave him an expectant look that said there was no arguing. I wonder where I picked it up from.

He bent down to regard the tiny creature. 'What do you say, little Rogue?' The pup wagged his tail vigorously and trotted over to Qui-Gon's outstretched palm to lick it and the man chuckled 'Alright, Obi-Wan, but he sleeps in your bed tonight.'

He picked up the vigorous pup and looked at me remorsefully.

'I'm sorry you had to stand out there all this time, Padawan. I promise I'll make it up to you som--.'

I waved my hand. 'Don't worry about it, Master. It wasn't so bad and I did a lot of thinking.'

'Oh,' He said and raised an eyebrow as we walked out of the building. 'And what did you figure out?'

I chuckled. 'That four hours of waiting in the cold rain can make even the most overfed apprentice's ravenous!'

Qui-Gon joined my chuckled as he handed me little Rogue and threw an arm around my shoulders.

'Now, what about these stories you've been telling our small friend…?'

End

A/N: I hope you can forgive that the name isn't very witty or charming, but I hope you enjoyed! Leave me any note (constructive would be wonderful) if you liked or didn't like. Thank you all!