Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice. Working on it. Isn't looking good.

A/N: Yeah just so you guys know I'm not really going to focus on the whole "we're both guys" thing at all. It would be too complicated to focus on that and on the nemesis thing, so I'm just going to focus on this attraction being inappropriate because of their history. Let's just use the train of thought that the Star Wars galaxy is supposed to be more advanced then ours, so let's say they're more open-minded and homosexuality/bisexuality isn't something that they even notice as that different.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SLASH DON'T READ THIS FIC!

Chapter 2

"Can you feel it crush you does it seem to bring the worst in you out
There's no running away from these things that hold you down
Do they complicate you because they make you feel like this
of all the colors that you shine this is surely not your best

But you should know these colors that you're shining are
Surely not the best... Colors that you shine"

-Crossfade

Obi-Wan

Obi-Wan felt as if someone had slammed his head through a duracrete wall. There was a slow thumping in his temples, and he controlled his breathing to help his body get used to it. He started to open his eyes slowly; the room wasn't bright so it didn't cause him any pain. He ran his tongue across his teeth, relieved that they were all there, and started checking for other signs of pain. His wrists were cuffed together so he couldn't move them. There was a burning pain on his left arm from where Xanatos's lightsaber had caught him, but the pain was ebbing and he realized that the wound had already been attended to. The only thing left was his sprained ankle, and he couldn't do much about that.

"I see you're awake."

If Obi-Wan wasn't a Jedi he would have jumped at the sound of Xanatos's voice. He pulled himself into a sitting position but didn't try to rise. He wouldn't get up if he couldn't stay up, Xanatos would not see him fall again.

The walls and floor were completely bare; the only light came from a small orb on the ceiling. The orb only cast light in the center of the room, creating eerie dark corners in the room and shadows across Xanatos's handsome face. There was a small door behind Xanatos and the chair he was sitting on, and that was all.

"Did you have a nice nap?" the dark Jedi asked with a smirk.

Obi-Wan glared at him. "Where are we?"

Xanatos smiled. "On my ship. It's actually quite a beautiful piece of machinery, but I'm sorry to say that you will be able to see very little of it."

"What a shame," mumbled Obi-Wan. "Where is this ship headed?"

Xanatos smiled at him like a child. "Now if I told you, it would ruin the surprise."

Obi-Wan shivered. Maybe he didn't want to know what horrible planet they were going to.

A red light flickered on the wall and Obi-Wan glanced at it in surprise. There was a tiny box mounted in the room's upper right-hand corner.

Xanatos's teeth gleamed in the darkness. "It's a life-form sensor," he explained. "It tells me whether there is a living being in this room or not. If you leave, I'll know."

Not a problem there, no matter how many times Obi-Wan scanned the room no plan would come to him about how to escape. He would just have to be patient, and hope that the force would bring him an idea.

"Don't look so worried little Jedi," Xanatos said, leaning back in his chair. "I'm sure your loving master is trying to figure out where we've gone at this exact moment."

Fear suddenly traveled up Obi-Wan's spine. "So that's what's happening. You want Qui-Gon to find us. I'm bait."

"Like a gizka on a malia hunt," Xanatos said with a nearly psychotic smile. He then bent down so he was eye level with Obi-Wan. "And then I'm going to kill you, right in front of him. He too will see the most important person in his life die."

Xanatos stood up abruptly and turned around, so close that Obi-Wan felt the material of the dark Jedi's cloak brush his cheek.

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Qui-Gon

Qui-Gon's heart stopped beating as he reread the note.

I have something you want…

It's not possible. This can't be happening. He's dead!

If you ever want to see him again…

But did you see him die? A mocking voice came from Qui-Gon's head.

You'll have to catch me

Qui-Gon didn't see anything around him as he headed for the council room. He needed to find Xanatos. He needed to find Obi-Wan, and only the council could help him. He didn't even bother asking for permission before entering. Luckily, the council was in session. Inside was a Jedi Knight that Qui-Gon didn't know, and at the moment didn't care to know.

"Something's happened," Qui-Gon explained before anyone on the council could protest to the intrusion. "Xanatos is alive. He's taken Obi-Wan somewhere."

A few whispers ran through the council, but Mace Windu and Yoda remained impassive.

"Bad news indeed, this is," Yoda nodded thoughtfully. "But already speaking with a Jedi, the council is. Speak with you of this tragedy when done, we will."

"I don't know how much time Obi-Wan has!" said Qui-Gon quickly.

"A few moments can be spared," Master Windu said sternly. "Wait outside and calm yourself, perhaps it will give you a chance to think of where they might have gone."

Qui-Gon turned on his heel and exited the room without another word. He knew that further argue would only make it worse, and he also knew that Obi-Wan's kidnapping was not the worst thing happening in the galaxy. It just felt like it.

The walls of the temple were smooth and cool to the touch, but Qui-Gon barely noticed as he laid his palms against them, supporting his weight and breathing deeply.

I need to find serenity. If I'm not calm, then I can't help Obi-Wan.

He shifted his weight so that his back was leaning against the wall. Xanatos is alive, I can except that, he silently told himself. Now I need to figure out how he's still alive, where he's taken Obi-Wan, and what exactly he wants.

Xanatos desire for revenge was obvious, and Qui-Gon knew that taking Obi-Wan was simply a way for him to lash out at Qui-Gon. That didn't change how much danger Obi-Wan could be in.

If he's still alive…

The thought was cast away as quickly as it came. Obi-Wan was still alive. He was still alive because he had to be alive. After the woman that Qui-Gon loved, Tahl, was killed the grief had overwhelmed him. Obi-Wan was the closest thing to a son that Qui-Gon had or would ever have, how would he deal with losing him?

I'll never have to find out, he told himself. I'm going to save him, he'll be fine.

Qui-Gon took another deep breath and released it, focusing his mind on Xanatos and the note he kept safely tucked away. The note was left, so Xanatos wants to be found. That was a key factor in this scenario. The durasheet professing Qui-Gon's worst nightmare was more than a taunt, it was a clue. It was meant to help him, but how?

The door to the council room swished open and the young Jedi Knight stepped out. He glanced at Qui-Gon apologetically. "I hope you find you're padawan, may the force be with you."

Qui-Gon nodded at the young knight and entered the council room.

"Inform us of the situation with Obi-Wan, you may," said Yoda softly.

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Obi-Wan

There are many places in the galaxy with less then savory menus, but this was beyond disgusting. Obi-Wan crinkled his nose as he stared at the gooey brick of… something. It was squishy, colorless, and didn't even have an odor. Obi-Wan assumed that it was tasteless as well, but he wasn't going to test the theory.

He sighed and glanced at his fork (1). Maybe in a few days he'd be hungry enough to eat the brick, but right now he had every intention of passing. He dropped the fork and it clanged against the metal tray.

The fork's clanging rang through his head and he looked at the utensil with new appreciation. The guards would come to collect the tray, he would have to give them that, but would they notice a missing fork? Would his plan even work?

Deciding that he had to risk it, Obi-Wan hid the fork inside his tunic and laid down, his heart racing.

He didn't have to wait long before the door slid open and a tall man dressed in a simple dark tunic with a vibroblade strapped to his belt entered the room. "Evening," the guard said mockingly. "I see you didn't eat. Not good enough for you, eh? You know what I think…"

Obi-Wan never got a chance to hear what the guard thought, because at the moment he flipped his body around while yanking the fork out of his tunic and stabbed it through the front of the guard's foot. The guard started to howl but Obi-Wan jumped to his feet and covered the man's mouth with one hand, snatching his vibroblade with the other. He pressed the weapon to the guard's throat.

"Not a word," he whispered.

The guard nodded, suddenly very calm. Obi-Wan grabbed the vibrocuffs from the guard's belt and hooked the man's hands behind his back. He then ripped a strip of cloth from his tunic and used it as a gag. "Sorry," he whispered. "But I have to get out of here." Xanatos had a sensor in the room to check for living beings, but not Obi-Wan specifically. As long as someone was alive in the room, the alarm would not go off.

Before leaving he considered switching clothing with the guard, but the man was much larger then him. Obi-Wan checked the guard for a comlink but didn't find one. He kept the vibroblade with him just in case and slid out the door, cringing slightly from the pain in his sprained ankle. He glanced up and down the hallway. There was no one around.

He took a deep breath and closed the door before carefully treading through the hallways of the dark Jedi's ship.

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(1): I don't actually know what kind of utensils (forks, knives, spoons) they use in Star Wars, I never really paid attention and I couldn't find any information, so I just used the most common. Sorry if this breaks the canon.

MyFictionalAnnihilation: Thanks, I'm happy that you liked it. Here's your update.

Curt Kenobi: Yeah the only Star Wars slash I like is Xan/Obi, or at least I haven't seen any other slash that I liked. I was inspired to write the story while listening to the Clash "Tainted Love," so that's what I decided to name it. As for Xanatos's plans, you shall see.

Rian Sage: Thanks for reading! There's definitely more, sorry it took so long to get the new chapter up!

Staryday: Was that Japanese? I don't know Japanese, but thanks for reading! I'm glad you liked it!

A/N: I have the outline for the most part completely done except for the ending. There are two possibly endings, pretty much the same except for one difference that I wanted to get your guys' opinions on: Should Obi-Wan tell Qui-Gon what happened between him and Xanatos? Also, we didn't get to see much of Xanatos in the books. He was talked about a lot and we got to see him in battle, but we don't know much about the workings of his mind, so I'm taking a lot of liberty with his character in this fic. I'm going to try to keep him as close to the canon as I can. Xanatos might say some kind of shocking things in this fic as well, just to warn you, because to me Xanatos always seem rather… unstable mentally. Once again please review and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.