Author's Note: See Ch 1 for story info. Thanks so much for the enthusiastic reviews!! Much appreciated. More coming soon.


One year earlier

Obi-Wan stood outside his Master's bedroom trying to calm his racing heart. He had made a decision. They couldn't go on with this distance between them. He cared too much for his Master to allow them to grow apart. He could forgive the dismissal and the dying words that spoke nothing of love or pride. He could forgive it all because it didn't really matter now. Qui-Gon was alive, still recovering, but alive. He wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for the bond that they shared. He always knew that their bond was more than just the average training bond all Padawans had with their Masters. This was different. It was as if their very lives were joined along this bond. So Obi-Wan used this to his advantage as his Master slowly bleed in his arms. He gathered all the strength he had in him and sent it through the bond to his Master. The healing energy saved his Master but left Obi-Wan weak and unconscious. The palace guards had found them later and brought them to the healers.

When they arrived at Coruscant, Qui-Gon was put into a heavy healing trance. Obi-Wan insisted on staying with him day and night until he woke up. He pushed all the guilt and pain he felt from his Master's actions aside and focused on making sure Qui-Gon recovered. He would talk to him during the day and tell him what was going on in the Temple and how Anakin was doing in the crèche. Anakin would come visit and keep up endless chatter about all the new things he had experienced while at the Temple.

Obi-Wan could not find it in himself to hate the boy. Anakin practically sang with the Force. He knew the boy would be trained now. It was too dangerous to leave that kind of power untrained. He knew Qui-Gon would take Anakin as his Padawan when he was well enough. His request for Obi-Wan to train the boy was made when he thought there was no hope for him to live. Now, though, he would be able to continue the Jinn legacy with a worthy Padawan.

It was a month before Qui-Gon finally awoke. Obi-Wan saw the first flutter of his eyes as his master returned to consciousness. His heart swelled when he saw the blue of his eyes. He could feel the bond sing between them as his Master took sight of his apprentice. But that joy was soon replaced with intense worry and dread. Obi-Wan tried to calm him, thinking that he was confused from being under for so long. But when Qui- Gon finally voiced his worry it was not about his condition or his apprentice. After a month of sedation, and recovery from a near-fatal injury that Obi-Wan had saved him from, the only worry Qui-Gon had was for the golden haired boy that was now contently playing in the crèche.

Obi-Wan tried to mask his pain with a forced smile. He assured his Master that Anakin was fine and that he was with the other initiates in the crèche. Qui-Gon, though, was not content with Obi-Wan's quiet assurances. He insisted that he see the boy for himself. So Obi-Wan, like the dutiful Padawan that he was, went to get Anakin. He brought the boy back to the healing center and watched as his master's face spread into a smile that could light the darkest cave. He watched as Anakin snuggled against Qui-Gon and rattled on about the new things he had learned. As he watched this scene his heart broke a little.

He visited Qui-Gon until he was released from the care of the healers. He would tell him about how the other Master's wished him well and hoped to see him soon. He smiled when Qui-Gon would tell him about Anakin and the child's amazing ability to learn. It seemed he had already mastered some of the early lessons and was moving on to more advanced initiate training.

Obi-Wan told his master that the Council had decreed the battle with the Sith to be his trials, and that he was now a Jedi Knight. All that was left was a simple ceremony where his braid would be removed and the training bond released. His Master simply smiled and told him that he always knew Obi-Wan would do well. When his Master moved back to his rooms, he knew that he couldn't go on with the distance between them. He decided to speak to him before his trials, he hoped to reestablish the bond they had before.

That is what brought him to his master's door, trying to calm his scattered nerves. He knew that he had to do this. It was the only way to bridge the gap that had grown between them. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Qui-Gon meant to be lying in his bed under strict orders from the healers to get some rest. He seemed to have gotten enough of that in the healer's ward, so he was sitting up going over some reports.

"I was wondering if I might speak to you Master," Obi-Wan said in a quiet yet determined voice.

"Of course, Obi-Wan, I was just going over Anakin's reports from his teachers. It seems that he is doing very well. His ability is quite astounding."

"He seems to be progressing very well, Master."

"Better than anyone expected, I think. He will make a great Jedi some day."

Obi-Wan remained silent at that. He wasn't sure he could trust himself to speak. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn't want it to seem clouded with jealousy and anger towards Anakin.

"There was something you wanted to speak to me about?" Qui-Gon asked in the calm manner he used when people interrupted him and he wanted nothing more than to get back to his work.

"Yes, Master. I…" he stopped, unsure what he was going to say now that Qui-Gon was in front of him. He had gone through so many versions of this conversation, but they all seemed inadequate for what he wanted to tell his Master. He had finally come to the conclusion to drop his shields and allow Qui-Gon to see his true feelings. But something had to be said first. He needed to put something into words before he dropped this on his unsuspecting master.

"My knighting ceremony is scheduled for the day after tomorrow," he continued, "and I wanted to discuss something with you before I lost the chance."

Qui-Gon simply waited for him to continue with whatever it was his apprentice was getting to.

"Master…I…We seem to have grown apart since Naboo and the battle with the Sith. At first I thought that it was simply the stress of the mission and then your injuries, but you have gotten better and still this distance continues. I know that I will be a Knight soon, and our bond will be severed, we will both move on. You will train your new Padawan and…well I guess I just wanted us to, if nothing more, to have peace between us. I know that I am not what you wanted in a Padawan, and I am sorry for my failure, but…I simply cannot loose you my Master…"

Obi-Wan began to carefully remove the tense shields he had erected around his mind. He pealed pack the layers and allowed his mind to open for his master. He would be completely open when he admitted his feelings to Qui-Gon. He would not hide a single thought from his master. And so he dropped all his shields except for the final shield that concealed his heart's desire, and said what he had been waiting to say since Qui-Gon had chosen him as his Padawan.

"I love you, Qui-Gon", and with that he let the final shield fall. So, with his shields down he was not guarded against the emotions that crowded his senses. All he felt was deep feelings of pity, disgust, and anger. It was too much for him. He fell to his knees and tried to block out all the emotions that he felt surrounding him. There was a soft hand on his shoulder, stroking. A soft voice was whispering reassurances into his ear. But he didn't notice any of it. All he could sense was the emotion pouring out of Qui-Gon.

"Shh, relax my Obi," Qui-Gon soothed, "everything will be fine." He continued to hold Obi-Wan as he considered what had just happened. His Obi- Wan loved him. He felt the love pouring out of the boy when Obi-Wan dropped his shields. The emotion had overwhelmed him. He never knew that his apprentice felt so strongly about him. He never realized how much the child's mind practically glowed with the grace of the Force. This wasn't the somber Obi-Wan he knew. The Obi-Wan he knew was reserved and devoted only to the Jedi order. He never knew that Obi-Wan could hold such love. It was his own fault that he didn't see the wonderful gift the Force had granted him. He had suppressed the boy, pushing his love aside, thinking that all his padawan felt for him was mindless hero worship. He realized the pain that he had caused Obi-Wan by rejecting him for another apprentice. This realization filled him with guilt and anger. He was completely disgusted with himself for throwing away Obi-Wan. He practically severed their bond because of his obsession with the Chosen One. His Obi-Wan had suffered through it silently, ever mindful of his Master. He heart clenched as he thought of all that Obi-Wan had endured because of his thoughtless Master.

"My Obi, what have I done to you," Qui-Gon whispered.

Obi-Wan had finally gotten control of himself and was aware that his Master was on the floor cradling him. He was disgusted with himself for acting like a pathetic child in front of his Master. He restored his shields ever tighter than they were before, and looked up into Qui-Gon's eyes.

"Master, perhaps you should get back into bed. You need your rest if you wish to get your strength back.", he said, looking at a point just past Qui-Gon's head, as he pulled himself out of Qui-Gon's arms and stood up.

Qui-Gon looked up at him with an expression that Obi-Wan could not read. Qui-Gon tried to reach Obi-Wan through the bond, but Obi-Wan had closed up so tightly that the bond was practically non-existent. He had to reassure his Padawan. He had to tell him that the emotions he felt were not directed at him, but at Qui-Gon himself. He stood up and faced Obi-Wan, ready to confess to the boy. But when he looked into the vacant dead blue eyes, words would not come. So he stood, frozen, and watched as Obi-Wan took one final look at Qui-Gon and walked out the room. He never turned back.

Two days later Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stood in front of a crowd of Jedi knights listening as Yoda gave the ritual blessing given at every Knighting ceremony. Qui-Gon walked up to Obi-Wan and looked at the boy's face. Obi-Wan would not meet his eyes. He simply stared past him as Qui-Gon took his braid in his hand. He held the smooth braid and rubbed his fingers along its length, remembering all that it encompassed. He took the blade and held it at the base of the hair. With a swift move of his hand, he cut the braid. Obi-Wan showed no sign of noticing the loss, he face was completely vacant. Qui-Gon tried to sense the boy, but it was as if an expanse of ocean existed between him and Obi-Wan. He had made himself an island, completely cut off from any other mind.

Qui-Gon reached into his mind and grasped the bond that he shared with Obi- Wan. There was very little of the bond left, only a gossamer thread of what once existed. He surrounded the bond with as much love and pride as he could, and slowly separated himself from Obi-Wan. He watched the boy's face the whole time. He features remained impassive, cold. And that was the end of their partnership. Obi-Wan was knighted and free to do as he pleased, without his aged Master.

Obi-Wan stayed in his room after his knighting, only coming out for food and to use the fresher. Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan walked around their quarters like a ghost. He only spoke when Qui-Gon would address him, and never looked his former Master in the eyes. It killed him to see him in such misery, but he didn't feel he had any right to express his love after all that he had done to Obi-Wan. It was best that they go there separate ways. Obi-Wan deserved more than a Master that couldn't see what was right in front of his face.

Only on week after his knighting, Obi-Wan requested his first mission and was sent to oversee a diplomatic ceremony on Dantooine. The mission was simple and should have only taken a few days. But Obi-Wan did not return after that mission, or the next. As the days wore on, Qui-Gon focused on the training of his new apprentice and put Obi-Wan out of his mind. Obi-Wan continued to go on mission after mission, never stopping for fear that he would have to think about why he was running and what he was running from.