Disclaimer: Same as before! I do not own these characters.

Chapter Two: Encounters and Lessons.

Two years later...

Temple life was very different from life on Naaden. He had stopped considering Naaden as "home" but he still considered the memories of his mother and father with fondness. There were all kinds of lessons, with all kinds of Jedi Knights or Jedi Masters. He loved it. No one chastised him for asking questions, no teacher told him was stupid, and everything was so interesting!

Some of the other students had already started to befriend him, such as Bant and Garen. It wasn't paradise, however, as there were some mean classmates. Bruck Chun particularly was a problem. Siri wasn't mean exactly, but she wasn't nice either. That, and she was tough in physical education class!

Sometimes he got really lucky, and got to hear about stories about the Jedi Knight, Qui-Gon Jinn. The few times Qui-Gon was at the temple, his padawan Xanatos would tell the most amazing stories about their missions together. Obi-wan would listen with rapture, glad to hear any news about Qui-Gon.

Most of the stories were filled with boasts of Xanato's feats in battle, but he didn't care as long as Qui-Gon was mentioned. Life wasn't perfect, but it was very, very good. Obi-wan heard the chime that signaled the next class about to start. Oh no! I'm going to be late! When I will learn to live in the present?

Obi-wan was going to be late to class. He was running as fast as his short legs would carry him. Suddenly he tripped over his untied shoelaces and tumbled onto the floor. His face flushed with embarrassment. Another boy the temple, Bruck Chun had started to call him clumsy. Bruck assured him, as the smarter student who knew much more than he did, that clumsy students didn't get picked as padawans. Obi-wan was doomed to be a failure. That wasn't the case, however. Tears of frustration leaked from his eyes. He was always tripping because he hadn't mastered tying his shoelaces. I'm gonna be so late! Master Yoda won't be happy. Bruck Chun can't be right about me. He can't! A familiar sense of calm surrounded him.

Gentle, but calloused hands picked him up. Obi-wan looked up into the serene, caring face of Qui-Gon Jinn. Suddenly shy, Obi-wan looked down at his untied shoes. Out of all of the Jedi Knights in the temple, Qui-Gon was his favorite. Although he had never talked directly to Qui-Gon, he loved hearing the stories Xanatos told others about their missions together. Xanatos still worried Obi-wan, but it was dim feeling now. Qui-Gon's voice brought Obi-wan back to the present moment.

"Are you alright, little one?" Obi-wan nodded quickly. He wasn't physically hurt. "It must be an important lesson for you to move so swiftly."

"Math class with Master Yoda." Obi-wan said solemnly. "I'm late," before Qui-Gon could continue he rushed with the explanation "I'm not clumsy!"

"You would be quicker if your shoes were tied." Qui-Gon seemed to notice Obi-wan's flush of shame. "Ah, you don't know how to tie them yet, do you?" Obi-wan didn't feel so bad at the faint smile of understanding Qui-Gon gave him. "Here, let teach you how." Obi-wan beamed. A lesson from Qui-Gon! And so Obi-wan watched Qui-Gon's hands slowly but surely show him the knot that alluded him for long so. Then Qui-Gon untied his shoe laces and said, "Now you try." Carefully Obi-wan tried to tie his own shoelaces. And for the first time, he got it right!

"Thank you Master Jinn!" He got up eager to go class. Afterwards he could tell his friends Bant and Garen about this important lesson. Before he started to go, Qui-Gon grabbed hold of his shoulders and pushed towards a different path. "If you go the through the Water Gardens, following the path of green stepping stones, you won't be late. It is a shortcut." Obi-wan gave Qui-Gon his biggest, happiest smile. He could feel the pleasure in Qui-Gon as well. Somehow, when he was near Qui-Gon he could feel what the Jedi Knight was feeling. Not that he told anyone that of course. "Now go! You don't want to be any later." Obi-wan raced down the hall, into the Water Gardens, and towards his math class.

Later that evening Obi-wan told his eager audience of Bant and Garen about his lesson with Qui-Gon. His friends seemed very impressed with tale. Bant clapped her hands with glee, and Garen whooped at Obi-wan tied his shoe laces in front of them.

"You're so lucky Obi-wan! Maybe he'll pick you as his padawan," Bant explained eagerly. Garen nodded his head in agreement. Uncertain, Obi-wan shook his head.

"I don't know...Xanatos is impressive. How can he want someone like me after having Xanatos?" Obi-wan felt a little blue at this. He would really like to be Qui-Gon's apprentice, but he knew it was unlikely. Xanatos and Qui-Gon had at least two more years together, and by then Obi-wan wouldn't be ready for him by then. And by the time he would be old enough, Qui-Gon would surely have another apprentice. "The Force will get me the Master I need," he declared.

Bant shook her head slowly. "No, I think Qui-Gon is the one for you. Somehow it will work you for the two of you. That, and Xanatos scares me! I watched him fight Jijn today in the Exhibition Trials and..." Obi-wan nodded his head as the conversation turned from him and Qui-Gon to Xanatos. Something about the older Apprentice worried him. Live in the present Obi-wan. He thought. What happens tomorrow happens.

One year later...

Obi-wan was seven now, and had just had his first lesson with a light saber. Happiness, a tad bit of pride, and joy filled his young frame. The light saber felt right in his hand. It was a weapon of elegance and grace. It helped him fill like a Jedi, not just a mere student. As he headed towards the lunch hall with his friends a looming presence walked up beside him. Mace Windu looked down at him with an unreadable expression. Obi-wan felt a shiver of dread go down his spine. Mace Windu only gave bad news to the younger students. Mentioning with his right hand to his friends that he would catch up, he turned and faced the older Jedi. "Yes, Master Windu?"

"Obi-wan, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you..." Mace coughed a bit before continuing. "Your father passed away earlier this morning. I'm sorry for..." before Mace could finish his sentence Obi-wan felt a pressing wave of chaotic emotions. Sorrow, fear, and a slim undercurrent of rage rolled over him. The feelings were powerful and swept him away. He found himself running down corridors, past gardens, and finally found himself in an unused meditation room. Obi-wan found a small stone bench in the corner of the room and curled up into a small ball under it. The room was chilly. A knot of unhappiness lay in his belly. Tears leaked out of his eyes and he sniffled. Something was wrong, very wrong. He cried until he fell asleep.

Hours later urgent voices woke him up. He recognized the voices, it was Master Yoda and Qui-Gon. He tried to catch what they were saying, but couldn't make out everything. It seemed that Xanatos had something very, very wrong. He didn't understand what Xanatos had done though. Slowly he realized that the feelings of sorrow, fear, and a slender edge of rage were coming from Qui-Gon! Memories bubbled up the surface, he knew that his father was sick and dying.

It shouldn't be a surprise that he was dead. Yes, he was sad, lonely, and lost that his father was gone. In fact, it seemed that Qui-Gon felt similar emotions about Xanatos being gone. Did Xanatos die? What bad thing did he do? He wondered.

Before he could wonder about Xanatos much more, Qui-Gon stormed into the meditation room and sat down on a floor mat. He looked like he was getting ready to meditate when he spotted the tearful Obi-wan. An expression Obi-wan couldn't read flashed briefly across his face. "It looks like I found the missing student." Obi-wan shrunk back a bit; he didn't want Qui-Gon to see him crying. Qui-Gon seemed to take it the wrong way. "No, no, little one. I won't hurt you. You're Obi-wan right?" Obi-wan nodded slightly. Qui-Gon knows my name?

Their eyes meet. Obi-wan saw such sorrow and grief in the eyes, and in his heart he knew Qui-Gon saw the same in his. Obi-wan was struck by a sudden emotion - relief. He understands. I'm not alone. Without an exclamation, Qui-Gon took Obi-wan into his arms and just held him. Obi-wan was reminded of his father and he clutched Qui-Gon's shirt tightly and cried some more. Everything will be alright. He could sense the turmoil in the man holding him, and he sent feelings of gratitude and adoration towards the often distant Jedi. Without realizing it, he started to get very sleepy in Qui-Gon's arms blissfully unaware of the outside world.

Qui-Gon carefully maneuvered through the temple heading towards the dormitory for the youngest students. He had commed Mace Windu, the other Jedi in charge of the youngsters, letting them know he had found the boy. All of the adults had been alerted to the lost boy. Everyone was on the lookout for him. At first, he had been annoyed that in his grief he had to look for a lost child. But once he saw the boy, his anger evaporated. So he took it upon himself to return the boy to his rightful place.

The youngster, Obi-wan, was very small for his age, and very light. He had been amazed at the depth of sorrow in the child's eyes. They had mirrored his own. In place he expected no one to understand, the littlest of one's did. It was outstanding. He almost felt a bond, a kinship with the little student. There was something very familiar about the boy as well. Where had seen the boy before? Qui-Gon shrugged off this feeling. The boy seemed to be struggling for answers, and without realizing what he was doing, the words came out of his mouth.

"I know you lost your father little one. Losing loved ones," Qui-Gon paused the pain of Xanatos stabbing him in the heart as he realized what he was saying "is hard. But remember, you aren't alone. The other students are like your brothers and sisters, and the Jedi Knights and masters like fathers, mothers, aunts and uncles. Although the path of the Jedi is a lonely one, doesn't mean you are always alone. And remember, as hard as it is to go on, the hardest path is often the path most needed to take. Doing the right thing is usually the hard to do." As Qui-Gon said, he realized it was true. He may have lost a padawan he loved like a son, but that doesn't mean he was without support. The words seemed to be what the young one needed to hear.

He was in a temple filled with young students, it shouldn't surprise him that he recognized the boy. Another weird thing, when had been holding the boy, he could have sworn that the boy was sending him reassurance! But that was impossible. Such a thing was only possible between a well bonded Master and padawan. So he shrugged off the feeling that the boy had been in tune with him. "One day," he whispered. "You will be a padawan, and have that bond with a good Jedi Knight. Rest well little Obi-wan." But he knew such a thing would never happen again with him. Never again would he take a padawan after Xanatos. Never again. Without realizing it, Obi-wan had drifted to sleep contently tucked into Qui-Gon's arms.

Next thing Obi-wan knew, he was waking up in his own bed. The memories of the day before came to him. I'm not alone. But Qui-Gon is hurting. But he said that the older Jedi are like family...that means Qui-Gon is like a father! Maybe one day I'll be able to ease his pain. One day, he'll be proud of me. One day, I'll be his padawan. Qui-Gon's words hit home, and Obi-wan would always remember that doing the hardest thing is often the right path to take. Being a good Jedi would be very hard. But then again, going down the path of the Jedi is what he wanted more than anything else.

The next part of the story comes after Jedi Apprentice books 1, 2, 3, and 4.