This story starts an 'epic' of sorts that I've been working on forever. I'm still in the process of editing, but have finished reviewing the first 10 pages, so I thought I'd go ahead and get it started posting. Other parts will come as I finish editing.

Note for all you Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fans out there, those two characters are NOT main characters in this story. They show up first quarter of the story and have some influence, but thereafter, it's a story with two original Jedi that I've created and had fun with. All the writing I've done has led me to create these two that have been a long time coming. (And they be showing up again in future stories.) So for any of my regular readers, I hope you'll stick with me through the end on this one, even though it's not really a Qui-Gon of Obi-Wan based fic.

So, here goes!

Title: Belong

Author: Obi the Kid

Rating: PG

Summary: Pre-TPM. Non-slash. A master takes on the training of an emotionally torn padawan.

My Website: .com/movies/obithekid/

Disclaimer: The characters and venue of Star Wars are copyrighted to Lucas Films Limited. I make no profit from the writing or distribution of this story. The characters of T'narr Kresson, Jaythen Talari and a few others in this story are mine, except for the whole Jedi part of them.

Belong

"Take a break, Jaythen. I've been summoned to see Master Yoda. I won't be long. You have free time until I return."

Jaythen Talari made an awkward bow towards his master. His focus was so much on making the bow correct that it was unbalanced, and he had to take a hop to the right to maintain himself. His master's grey eyes smiled before he hurried off to meet with the elder Council member. Jaythen didn't know what to do while he waited. Free time meant he could do whatever he wished, within the rules of course, but he didn't know any of the other padawans in the gym and most were older. With a glance around, he spotted an empty bench on the far wall. He watched the other students practicing. Some were very advanced. Others worked to perfect the weaknesses in their sparring and tumbling skills. The practice arena hummed with the sound of training sabers. Blue and green flashed and clashed and melded together. Jaythen found it fascinating, but he was also envious. He wondered if he'd ever find the same smoothness with a saber that so many of the trainees seemed to possess. That oneness that a Jedi must have with his weapon in order to protect and defend himself and so many others.

Lost in thought, he was startled by a voice next to him.

"Hi."

Turning, he saw a teenaged apprentice with short ginger hair looking at him. He returned the greeting and bowed his head.

The older boy snorted a laugh. "Bowing is only for masters. I saw you sparring."

Jaythen immediately lowered his head. "Oh, you did? I'm not very good right now."

"You'll get better. You looked nervous is all."

"I was. I am."

"I'm Ob-Wan."

The name was familiar. "I'm Jaythen. My master is T'narr Kresson."

"Really?" Obi-Wan was shocked to hear of Kresson's taking of an apprentice. He was well known throughout the temple as excelling in solo missions and having many times turned down the opportunity of training a padawan.

"Yes," the younger Jedi said, noting Obi-Wan's surprised expression. "It's only been a month though. I guess that's why I'm so nervous."

"It's natural. You're his first apprentice, and you're very young."

"I'm eight."

"I started my training very late. I was almost thirteen when Master Qui-Gon took me as a padawan."

Upon hearing the name, Jaythen knew immediately why Obi-Wan's name was familiar. Qui-Gon Jinn was a name that all apprentices knew. He was often a name invoked by Master Yoda when teaching younglings about the living force. He was an intimidating figure, even by name only.

Obi-Wan noted the reaction to Qui-Gon's name and grinned. "The stories about him are somewhat exaggerated."

"I don't know if my master and are meant to be paired," Jaythen suddenly blurted out without warning. "I feel awkward around him. I'm not sure what to do or say."

"Master Qui-Gon and I went through an entire year like that."

Jaythen shrugged and was then taken aback by his own next remark. "I don't think I'm ready to be an apprentice, Obi-Wan." His emerald green eyes completely serious in their expression.

"What?"

"I'm…I'm sorry. I don't even know you or why I'm telling you this. I should go. Thank you for talking to me." On the other side of the gym, he saw Master T'narr return and hurried over.

Obi-Wan's puzzled appearance was the cause for curiosity by Qui-Gon when the older Jedi sat down next to him. "Padawan. Who was that?"

"Master Kresson's apprentice." Obi-Wan knew that would catch Qui-Gon off guard. And it did.

"His what?"

"It's true. That's Jaythen. He said they've been together a month, and he's not sure he's ready to be an apprentice. He's very nervous, Master. And…something else. I felt something from him. A sadness or a fear. Something from his past perhaps."

"Obi-Wan you shouldn't be…"

"I didn't invade, Master. It was out there. You would have felt it too."

The pair stood and watched young Jaythen looking up at T'narr for instruction. The master was patient, but it wasn't difficult to see how unbalanced they were together. Qui-Gon put a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and directed him out of the gym. "Never thought I'd see the day when T'narr would take an apprentice."

"Do you know him well, Master?"

"We've spoken a few times. Casual friends, I guess you could say. He's a little younger than I am. We had two missions together during my days between Xanatos and you. Nothing extreme. He could have controlled the missions alone actually. He specializes in handling tense situations with words. He reads people better than anyone I've ever seen. Which makes his pairing with young Jaythen all the more confusing. He's never seemed to need anyone. I thought he'd be on his own forever."

"Maybe he got lonely," the younger of the pair said matter-of-factly.

Qui-Gon smiled as they left the sparring gym and gave Obi-Wan's shoulder a firm squeeze. "Maybe so. Go get cleaned up, we're visiting Dex this evening for dinner. Cafeteria food is wearing on me. I need something fattening and unhealthy."

"I like the sound of that, Master. But I wish the Council would send us out soon. It does get a little monotonous being in the temple for an extended period."

"Patience, Obi-Wan. Patience."

~*~

As usual, Dex's Diner was alive with activity, but he always had a seat for his old friend Qui-Gon Jinn. He swallowed the Jedi in an enormous hug and an earth shattering slap on the back. Obi-Wan prepared himself for the same, flinching at the enthusiasm, but always appreciating Dex's joy for life and friends.

As they ate, Qui-Gon glanced around the small establishment. His eyes caught the unmistakable black hair and ear feathers of T'narr Kresson. There was no sign of his apprentice however. Excusing himself from Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon walked over to the other Jedi's table. "May I join you?"

T'narr looked up. His black hair contrasting his grey eyes. He wore his hair in a single thick braid down his back. A feather secured behind each ear; white on the left and gray on the right. The way of his people, he would tell those who asked. Also native to his home world Kembar Lune were the tribal paintings that covered most of his body. Only his face and palms visibly held no markings. T'narr was soft spoken and intent in his listening. Never was a word or a meaning missed. Never was an emotion overlooked.

He glanced up at the voice. "Qui-Gon! It's good to see you. Please, sit. Where's your apprentice?"

"Oh, we have a table over there. He's probably taking advantage of my absence to order every sugar filled dessert on the menu. And I saw today that you have taken an apprentice. He's not with you this evening?"

"I did. Jaythen. No, he said he wasn't feeling well. Dex is grabbing a take-away meal for me. I'm not here long. I told Jaythen about this place, but he seemed nervous about visiting. He's nervous a lot."

"Obi-Wan mentioned that. He met Jaythen today in the sparring gym. They talked for a while."

"He's a good boy, Qui-Gon. Just not sure if I'm suited for this master stuff. Or for him. He may need more help than I can give him." He paused before realizing that he'd begun to burden his fellow Jedi with his problems. "Sorry, you don't need to hear about this."

There was a feeling that T'narr wanted to talk and just needed an outlet. Qui-Gon knew they were no more than informal friends, but as Obi-Wan had said about Jaythen, there was something here that was easy to read, so Jinn carefully pushed forward. "I was surprised to see you'd taken an apprentice. You've been so successful on your own for so long. What changed?"

"I was approached by Master Yoda. Jaythen had some…trauma issues when he was younger. Yoda thinks he's emotionally scarred. And the Council was on the verge of ending his training and probably sending him to the agricorps. Not sure why I agreed to this really. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not built for being a master. I'm so used to working alone and only having to look after me." Emotions swelled inside of T'narr. They conflicted with one another, each taking its turn as the dominant. He was as confused as his apprentice. "I just…when Yoda asked me to observe him, I felt something. It was very brief, but it was there. Though I don't even know what it was. Maybe I just felt sorry for him. Qui-Gon, you and I have worked together on a few times, but even you are aware of how well I can read people. I can't read Jaythen like that. There's a wall there I can't climb. He tries so hard, but we are out of sort with each other. I think I may have made a mistake in agreeing to his training. Perhaps I should speak with Master Yoda tomorrow."

Silence fell over the two Jedi as Qui-Gon tried to think of a way to change T'narr's mind. "Obi-Wan and I started off badly. Took us a year almost to figure each other out. I had more doubts than you can imagine. But he's sixteen now. We kept at it, and each gave a little. We worked it out. Perhaps Jaythen needs the same chance?"

"I don't know," T'narr remarked as Dex's waitress dropped off a white container with his food order. "I just don't know."

Qui-Gon knew it was not his place to push anymore than he already had. If they'd been close friends for years, he would probably have the nerve to question T'narr's decision, but he had no right to intrude where he didn't belong. "Well, I see that Obi-Wan has inhaled another pala cake. I'd better stop him before he explodes." He stood. "I don't mean to interfere in private matters, T'narr."

"Actually I appreciate that you are concerned. Thank you. I probably should think about this before I make any rash decisions. Any decision I make has to be what is best for me and for Jaythen. He needs someone. I do know that. I'm just not sure if that someone is me."

"Why don't you bring him to the gym tomorrow evening around seven. Obi-Wan's been sparring with his friend Taj this week since we've not been assigned a mission. Might be good for Jaythen if he's with a smaller group. Could help him focus better."

T'narr nodded. "That might do us both good. And if you're available to talk…"

"Obi-Wan and Taj can work with him while you and I talk, if you'd like."

"That might be helpful, Qui-Gon. Thank you." He stood. "I should get back to Jaythen now and make sure he's well. Before the food gets cold. See you tomorrow evening then?"

Qui-Gon bid him goodbye with a slight nod and returned to his own apprentice, who was now positioned with the side of his face laying flat on the table. He was groaning and holding his stomach.

"Problem, Padawan?"

"Too many pala cakes. But I beat Taj's record."

"You torture yourself to eat more cakes than Taj?"

"Yes, Master."

"How many did you eat?"

"Nine."

"Obi-Wan."

"I feel sick, Master."

"You've earned this one. Let's pay the tab and get home. I've got a job for you and Taj tomorrow evening. Come on."

Obi-Wan moaned and groaned the entire way home, threw up in the toilet and then fell into bed. The pain though was worth the record.

~*~

"Don't think about the moves, Jaythen. Just flow with them. I think you're concerned with how accurate they are rather than working with the force and letting it happen." Obi-Wan nodded for the younger apprentice to come at him again. "Loosen your hands. Don't strangle the hilt. See how white your knuckles are?"

Jaythen gnawed on his bottom lip anxiously as Obi-Wan spoke. Then, looking at his hands, he saw what the other was talking about. The normally medium brown skin of his hands was shades lighter. He'd claimed a death grip on the saber hilt. "I never noticed that. I guess I'm worried that I might mess up."

"You will mess up. But that's normal. I still mess up. Even Master Qui-Gon messes up. Well, not often, but he does. He'll never admit it though," he finished with a wink. "I've been in your shoes. I was so worried about doing things wrong, and worried that my master would be disappointed in me for mistakes, that I ended up being a flurry of mistakes."

Swinging his saber around again, Jaythen loosened his mind and body. It made a difference. He almost scored a point on the older padawan.

"That was great, Jaythen! You caught me off guard. Feels different, doesn't it?"

"Yes," he replied stepping close to his new friend and lowering his voice. "But why couldn't Master T'narr show me those things that you just did?"

"He's never had an apprentice. Maybe he's not sure how it all works. Maybe he's afraid to push. Maybe, like you, he's trying so hard at doing things exactly the right way, that he's not seeing your nerves and concerns. I'm guessing, but he seems like a good person. Master Qui-Gon holds him in great respect. Even the best of Jedi aren't perfect though." Obi-Wan watched the boy absorb what he was saying, pleased that Qui-Gon had trusted him enough to allow him to work with a younger apprentice. And secretly he felt a little proud of himself for how he was dealing with the situation. True he wasn't yet seventeen, but to an insecure eight year old like Jaythen, relating to a fellow apprentice was sometimes easier than relating to an older master Jedi. "You want to try again?"

The younger learner smiled. His short black hair was soaked with sweat, but he was enjoying Obi-Wan's company and instruction. Their sabers clashed and another mock battle was initiated.

On the other side of the gym, Qui-Gon stood with T'narr watching the pair. "He's loosened up. I can feel it. Obi-Wan's good with him, Qui-Gon. A natural teacher. You should be proud."

"Obi-Wan can be a handful, and has his issues, but he's maturing into an excellent Jedi. He seems to have found a way to ease Jaythen's mind a bit."

T'narr sighed. "A responsibility that should be mine. I shouldn't need another apprentice to break through to my own apprentice."

"You're trying too hard, T'narr," Qui-Gon said bluntly. "Just like Jaythen is. You saw how tense he was. Look at him now. He reverts back to it, but then catches himself, and it becomes much easier after that. You're doing the same thing. I can feel it surrounding you. Tension. Anxiety. You worry you will do something to hurt him emotionally. I remember you mentioned something about him being traumatized when he was younger. I suspect that's what has you concerned. Emotionally, he's not completely stable. That scares you."

Thinking about Qui-Gon's words, T'narr wanted to disagree with them, but he found that he couldn't. Unlike the Council and some other Jedi, he was an emotional person. He could not hide that. But he'd learned how to accept and deal with his emotions in his own way. Dealing with Jaythen's was an entirely different game. The boy had issues in his past. How big of an influence they would be on his future was the mystery. T'narr wasn't certain how to deal with those issues, and it lead to exactly what Qui-Gon had said. Tension and anxiety that influenced the way he'd been relating to and training his student. He looked at Qui-Gon and sighed. "Jaythen can probably see that exact same thing in me that you see, can't he?"

"I'm not too certain. He has his own anxieties." The next question, Qui-Gon asked carefully. Walking in the emotional path of others was not his normal routine, but feeling that he and T'narr had connected enough in these last couple of hours, he decided it was for the best to not leave it unasked. "I want to ask, and if I'm getting too personal, just tell me to back off. What…"

"You are curious about the traumas he's been through?"

Qui-Gon nodded.

"There were three. And I've not really asked Jaythen about them. I guess I'm afraid to, not knowing what his reaction might be." T'narr took a deep breath, while at the same time grinning towards his apprentice who'd almost scored another point on Obi-Wan. "The Jedi didn't take him until he was two years old. His parents didn't let him go. They were killed by raiders when he was two. Killed in front of him, from what I understand. Yoda says he remembers the day and the events. As he's gotten older, the force has made his memory of that time more graphic and detailed." Qui-Gon grimaced slightly as T'narr continued. "The second trauma was two years ago when another boy in his class, Jaythen's closest friend, Kele – his only friend really - died unexpectedly in his sleep after bumping his head several days earlier. The head trauma didn't materialize until it was too late. Jaythen was the one who tried to wake him the next morning, before understanding that his friend was dead. Then the third event was last year, he was seven. You remember the fire in the crèche? The crèche master that was killed, Valree. That was Jaythen's assigned caretaker. He'd been with her since coming to the temple, and she was so important in his dealing with Kele's death. Then he watched her die." He paused briefly, took a deep breath, then finished. "That's what I'm afraid of Qui-Gon. I'm afraid of his past and what it means to his future."

There was silence between them lasting moments. Both sets of eyes rested on the two padawans in the middle of the gym. They'd given up sparring and were practicing force-aided somersaults. Obi-Wan's best friend, Taj had come in a few minutes prior and wasted no time joining the others. "He seems a natural at making friends."

"He has no friends his own age. Since Valree died, he's isolated himself from his age-mates. I spoke to Healer Terran. He says that emotionally Jaythen is not as emotionally mature as he probably should be. But also that it's normal considering what he's been through. He's also small for his age and as you can see. And thin too. Not much appetite since I've known him, though he did eat what I bought him from Dex's last night."

"If he could resist Dex's food, then I'd say there was definitely something wrong with him," Qui-Gon said lightheartedly

"Very true," T'narr said with a slight smile. "But you can see my problem. It's not him. It's me. He's polite. Eager to please. He listens intently and learns fast. He truly wants to do the best that he can. And I'm seeing right now that under that tension-filled shell, he's genuinely happy." The bench behind them was empty and T'narr took a seat, letting his head fall into his hands. "I still don't know what to do, Qui-Gon. Is it best for the both of us that I stick with this and train him? Or would he be better with a master who is more…emotionally qualified?"

"Let me ask you this. Are there other masters who might want to take him on? I'm wondering why Yoda asked you to train him."

The dark-haired Jedi lifted his head, and shook a 'no' in response. "I'm almost certain that I'm his only chance. And it was a decision made by Yoda alone, without the approval of the rest of the Council." T'narr closed his eyes, beginning to feel overwhelmed.

Qui-Gon placed a supporting hand on the man's shoulder. "Tell me what you think."

"He would be devastated if he had to leave the Jedi and go to the agricorps. Being a Jedi is all he knows. But he'd go. And he'd work hard. That's just what he is." The boy in question, still working with Obi-Wan, was a blurry figure now to the master. T'narr blinked rapidly. "This is what I'm talking about. How do I handle the emotions of an eight year old traumatized boy?"

"Just the way you are," Qui-Gon said. "You need to share this part of you with him. You need to share your fears with him. He needs to share them with you. I've been through difficult years with my students. I lost the emotional battle with my first apprentice Xanatos because he shut me off. I almost lost Obi-Wan because I shut him off. It wasn't until we both shared our fears and our issues, that we began making progress and moving forward. Your situation is different, but similar. He wants to please you, T'narr. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. I can hear it under his uncertain words. Most importantly, I can feel it around him."

A small voice broke their discussion. "Are you all right, Master?" Jaythen had felt something in the force coming from his teacher and had hurried over. The boy's green eyes were filled with concern.

T'narr didn't know why, but he let out a small laugh and looked directly at his apprentice. His apprentice. Then he smiled through an escaped tear. "I'm all right, Jaythen. Thank you for your concern."

"You look sad, Master."

"Not sad, just…a little anxious is all."

"Me too. I'm anxious all the time!" Jaythen surprised himself with the admittance. He'd never told his master something so personal, although he suspected T'narr could feel those nerves coming from him. It wasn't easy for a boy of his age to hide such things. What surprised him even more was that he felt a little better by saying that to his teacher. It was almost as if a weight, one of many still weighing him down, had been lifted from his shoulders.

Qui-Gon found himself grinning. He'd just seen the first step on a very long path. He patted T'narr on the knee. "I think your decision was just decided."

"I think so too." He turned his full attention back to Jaythen. "Why don't you enjoy yourself for a bit longer before we call it a night."

"Yes, Master," Jaythen beamed, happy to have more time with Obi-Wan and Taj. "Thank you." He bounded away and fell back into the somersaulting game.

Another deep breath. There had been a lot of those recently, T'narr thought. Certainly more to come. "Thank you, Qui-Gon. I think Jaythen and I need to talk."

"Yes. And ask Terran about a healer named Risha Yarr. She's part of that emotional trauma team that's been so successful. She's not officially a healer, but she's very good at what she does. Obi-Wan and Taj were involved in helping her get a young padawan out of an abusive relationship. That same padawan is now part of the trauma team and under Yarr's continued care. He's doing quite well from what I gather. That was a bit over two years ago. Might be a good person for Jaythen to know." Qui-Gon then motioned towards Obi-Wan to wrap up the session.

Jaythen said goodbye to his new friends before returning to his teacher. "I really like them, Master. They don't treat me like there is something wrong with me, like my age-mates do. And they're fun."

"They treat you that way, because there is nothing wrong with you, Padawan." It was the first time T'narr had actually used the affectionate term 'padawan' towards his new learner. It was a term that had scared him because it would mean the beginning of an emotional bond with the boy. That fear was less now. Not gone. Certainly not gone. But it was time for him to take his place as Jaythen's master. It was time for him to accept that emotional bond.

The moniker made Jaythen smile. He chewed on his bottom lip to try and stop the tears. He'd never been comfortable with how easily he could become emotional. As an eight years old Jedi, he thought maybe he was too old to cry. Some of his crèche-mates often teased him about it. But seeing the evidence of the tears on T'narr's face earlier…well, it made him not so certain that one could ever be too old to cry. It made him a little less sensitive about it, at least for the moment.

In response, T'narr put an arm around the small shoulders and they made their way home.

~*~

When they arrived in their quarters, Jaythen was quick to get cleaned up with a hot refreshing shower. It was late enough afterwards, and he was worn out from the exhausting training session. He asked his master if he could turn in for the night. T'narr nodded and wished him a good rest. But something nagged at the older Jedi. The nagging was the talk he wanted to have with Jaythen. He should wait until tomorrow, until the boy was well rested. Waiting however did not appear to be an option and T'narr mentally berated himself for it. It was unlike him to suddenly lose the ability to remain patient about something – about anything. The ability to wait things out was one of his most potent qualities as a Jedi. He'd waited out some of the most infamous rulers in the galaxy when it came to negotiations. Yet, now he couldn't wait a few hours to speak with an eight year old child.

Opened Jaythen's bedroom door an hour later, he knocked on the side wall. There was no surprise that his learner was still awake as he'd already sensed it. Seems neither of them could completely settle this evening.

The light from outside the room cascaded gently onto the bed where Jaythen lay, tucked in, but wide awake. "Yes, Master?"

"Jaythen, we need to talk." T'narr ushered himself in, and raised the lights in the room to a dim brightness that was easy on the eyes. "I wanted to wait until tomorrow, but I find that I'm unable to do that."

"I have trouble with patience too sometimes, Master."

T'narr exhaled a half laugh under his breath. "Normally patience is not a problem for me. This time though it seems impossible." The edge of the bed sank slightly under his weight as he made himself comfortable. "I need to be completely honest with you, Jaythen. I've not been sure about this relationship. I've not been sure about us. When Master Yoda told me about you, well…I hesitated greatly before I agreed. And he told me that if I didn't feel this would work, that he would allow me to discontinue your training."

The words made the young Jedi cringe. The word 'agricorps' had never really left his thoughts in the last month. He knew that T'narr Kresson was about to let him go. And as quickly as that, his emotions began welling to the surface. Eyes glassed over and all he could do is nod and try not to cry.

Realizing what his words had sounded like, T'narr worked quickly to correct them upon seeing the reaction. "Oh, no no no, Jaythen. This is good news. I'm sorry. I didn't start this right. I'm not giving you up. I…sorry. I'm not good at this."

Jaythen's eyes cleared some. "You mean you do want to be my master? I won't have to go to the agricorps?"

"Jaythen, I do many things well. I've brought peace to planets. I've stopped interplanetary war. I've forced violent leaders to come together and talk without fighting. But this whole master thing. Training one so young, sharing my life with you…it's difficult. Maybe the most difficult thing I've ever done. One would think I could handle a boy your age, right?"

The boy smiled and shrugged against his pillow.

"Truthfully, I'm nervous about your past. Yoda told me what you've been through. And I've reasoned that I'm not the correct person to help you deal with such things. I'm used to me. At my age, suddenly having a tiny shadow following me and teetering on my ever word or action – it's intense just thinking about it. But after seeing you with Obi-Wan, talking with Qui-Gon, and finally understanding that you are just as scared as I am, I think I'm ready to take on this on - if you'll have me."

In response, Jaythen pushed his blanket off and threw his arms around T'narr's neck in a fierce hug.

"I'll take that as a yes then?"

"Yes, Master," came the boy's muffled reply. Then he let go. "I'm really scared too, Master. Just like you said. I don't think I know everything I should at my age. And I have trouble sometimes…I get upset fast sometimes. My age-mates used to tease me when I cried. They…they weren't very nice to me." He sat back against the headboard. "I won't let you down, though Master T'narr. I won't. I'll try hard and work hard. Just…don't die, okay?"

That last part came as a shock, though it shouldn't have. Everyone Jaythen had loved - everyone that meant something to him so far in his young life had died. More than anything T'narr wanted to promise him that he'd never die. But he knew he could not. Truth would be one of the bases of their relationship. "I wish I could promise that, Jaythen. But you know as Jedi we risk our lives. Some missions are dangerous. But if you and I are strong together and look after each other, I think I'll have a long life as your teacher."

It was enough to satisfy the young nerves. "I like that, Master. Sometimes I think about my parents. I remember them, even though I was very young. I remember how they died. They died to save me. And Kele, we had such fun together, but then he was gone, and I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to him. And then Master Valree, she saved so many of us, but we couldn't get back to save her in time. I wasn't strong enough to pull her out of the fire. I tried. I grabbed her hand and pulled. She was screaming. I reached for the force, but I didn't have any control. It got so hot that I had to let go of her. She was still screaming. I couldn't save her." Absently he wiped his eyes. "I loved her very much. She looked after me since I came to the temple. She loved me. And she died. Just like my parents. Just like Kele. Some nights I wake up thinking about all of them. I wake up crying. The nightmares scare me."

T'narr turned his head to the ceiling and swallowed several deep breaths. Indeed this was going to be the most difficult thing he'd ever taken on in his long and distinguished career. But as he'd told Qui-Gon, this was a good boy. He deserved a chance to be a Jedi no matter what the emotional hardships they might have to weather together. "You let me know when the nightmares come all right? Maybe I can help keep them away."

"Okay, Master. Master, Obi-Wan told me about a friend of his who helps people like me. He's fifteen years old and has overcome a lot of things. Maybe I can talk to him?"

Funny, T'narr thought, an adult Jedi would never admit what Jaythen just did. Would never so freely ask for help from someone he didn't know. T'narr marveled at the wonder of childhood. In areas where adults were too proud or too stubborn to reach out, this boy was willingly seeking help. "You will make me proud to be your master, Jaythen. Yes, of course you can talk to him. I'll speak with Healer Terran tomorrow and see if we can't set something up soon."

"Thank you, Master. I want to get better. I don't like thinking about these bad things all the time. As much as I loved Kele, and my parents and Master Valree, I'm old enough now that I need to find myself."

"You do, but don't ever feel wrong about thinking of them, or even crying for them. They were your family. They were important to you."

"Are your parents alive, Master?"

"They are. My people have a long life span. It's not unusual for us to live 150 or more years. And many of those years are healthy ones. I visit them whenever I can."

"I'd like to meet them."

T'narr was feeling prouder by the moment. "I'd like for you to meet them. We will do that. In fact, I might talk to Yoda about it. Perhaps as part of our learning together, he might allow me a short leave of absence. If so, I can take you to my home world of Kembar Lune."

Jaythen was eager in agreeing. Since coming to the temple, he'd never been beyond its walls. Just the idea of leaving for another planet was exciting and scary at the same time.

"I will speak to Yoda. Tomorrow. After I talk to Terran. You need time before we begin missions. And leaving Courscant can be frightening. It's best if your first time away is someplace peaceful, where you can learn and we can get used to each other. Yes, this is a good idea. I'm glad I thought of it."

The boy laughed. Though they'd been together for almost a month now, he'd never seen so much of his master. They'd never talked so much. They'd never shared so much. He never could have believed that things between them could change so drastically in less than twenty-four hours. But he liked the direction and was happy to be seeing the type of person his teacher really was.

"You laugh, but I do have good ideas now and then. I just usually don't get to share them with anyone. Until now." He then became serious. "Jaythen, I can't promise that this path will be easy. You and I have a lot to learn about this new relationship, and about the issues we both bring. I'm ready though. I know that now. We can make this work. We will make this work. So, you get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

Jaythen slid back into his bed and accepted his master tucking the blanket around him. When T'narr leaned down and placed his temple against that of the child, he held it for a moment. "Rest well, Padawan." Then the older Jedi dimmed the lights and slid the bedroom door shut, leaving his apprentice to succumb to a much needed sleep.

END OF PART 1 - tbc…