TO YOU
(A Qui-Gon and Tahl romance in short installments)
by ardavenport
/\\v/\\v/\\ We Return /\\v/\\v/\\
The medical people are still there, they and their machines and droids. They have just reconfigured themselves into a portable unit around Qui-Gon for the trip back to Coruscant.
Mace Windu came to New Apsolon to salvage the mission as much as it could be. The people I had come to help betrayed me for nothing more than political power. But I have no feelings left for them. Everything is for Qui-Gon now.
I take my seat in the ship's cabin. Bant, my Padawan, sits next to me. Mace Windu brought her with him. She has waited with me, with Obi-Wan, for the many days while Qui-Gon breathed until the doctors accepted that he would continue to do so and could be moved. We will finally return to Coruscant.
Bant is silent next to me, but I can feel her caring. She has remained silent, waiting for me. She has such patience. A Jedi's patience and a Jedi's heart. I never had such patience at her age. I offer smiles and kind words to her; she sees my concern for Qui-Gon, but the girl is too young to know how deep it goes. Bant and Obi-Wan are friends and they speak softly to each other away where I cannot hear the words. Most of the time. I leave them to comfort each other.
Behind us, I sense Qui-Gon, only half-aware in the medical cocoon they have wrapped around him, but he stubbornly still lives. I want to touch him, but we are belted in for the transition. But I know he can sense that I am near. Others have noted this as well. His heart would always beat stronger when I touched him. I told them it was the Force. But he never responded so strongly to Obi-Wan.
The ship jolts into hyperspace.