Chapter Three: Reunion of Kindred Souls

Author's Note: I like this chapter... I really do... the thought of a young, sexy Qui-Gon... *purr* Thanks to my reviewers. You make me happy!

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Miles away, a small ship landed outside the city. Its ramp lowered, and a young man stepped out. His brown hair was in the beginning stages of growing out from a short cut, and it stood on end when he ran his hand through it as he took off his hood to see better. His sharp blue eyes darted around. He was back. "Thank you," he called over his shoulder to the pilot.

"Want me to wait?"

"Yes, if you don't mind. I should be back soon." He walked down the ramp, looking around. It was still dark on the desert planet, and he breathed in the cool night air. Lorista. He hadn't been here in so long.

Still, he felt as if he had never left. His feet carried him almost automatically to the store. He knew she wouldn't be there at this time, but he needed to know if she still worked there. A fat Vinnian was just opening the door. "We're not open," he growled as the young man approached.

It wasn't Que-Kay, he noticed. "Do you have a girl named Jaydn working for you?"

The creature studied him suspiciously. "Who's asking?"

"A friend."

He snorted. "She doesn't have any friends."

The young man smiled. "So she is working here."

The comment brought a frown to the creature's face and he growled a response, "She won't be alive long enough to tell about it. She's been sneaking around, working for others, and she'll pay for it when she gets back, the thieving little..."

"Thank you for your time." He turned abruptly away. He didn't have time to wait around and talk to the thickheaded alien.

He snarled. "Go away, you bother me."

His next stop was her house, but she was nowhere to be found. He wondered where she could be... Dark Canyon. She must still go there. He went back to the ship, got his speeder, then headed out into the desert.
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Jaydn heard the noise of the speeder before she saw it. But she didn't look up, didn't care who it was. Lack-Re had probably sent someone to look for her. She got up and went to hide in her cave. No one would find her there. As she passed the boulder she and Qui-Gon had raced to, she touched it. "Beat you," she said to nobody in particular. The motor stopped, and she heard nothing for a while. She cautiously crept back and looked out from behind a rock, blaster in hand.

There was a man staring out across the canyon. His dark hair stuck up in spots, and he wore a dark robe. Almost like a Jedi robe…

He turned suddenly and looked directly at her. She gasped, and the blaster fell to the ground. Qui-Gon. She would recognize his face anywhere, no matter what change the years had brought. Leaping up, she rushed towards him. He grinned widely, caught her up, and held her against him with one arm around her waist. "Jaydn! I can't believe it's you!"

"I thought you'd never come back!" She ran her fingers over his face and through his hair, as if making sure it was really him. Once again, he had changed. He was a man now, with the beginnings of a beard on his chin. He was stronger and taller even than before, and she barely recognized him, except for his face. That had never changed.

He let her back down on the ground, then took her face in a hand, looking into her eyes. "What's wrong?"

She tried to look away, but his eyes held her. "I'll tell you later."

"Fine." He put a hand on the small of her back, knowing she would pull away from the pain. "I was gone too long."

"I'm fine. It's nothing, really. Just a few scratches."

"Don't lie to me, Jaydn."

Her brown eyes were troubled. "I can't go back. He'll kill me this time."

"I won't let him. I'm going to free you, like I promised."

The words were like water to a parched tongue, something she had waited so long to hear. But... it was still impossible. She shook her head. "It's too late. Besides, you wouldn't have enough money. I barely have any left, so it wouldn't help much."

"You keep your money, and don't worry about it."

Stubbornly, she argued with him. "No, I insist."

He half-smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Come on, let's go." He helped her onto the speeder, then got on in front of her. "Hold on." She wrapped her arms around his waist as he started the engine, and within minutes they stopped in front of the store.

Lack-Re lumbered out and stepped forward to grab Jaydn. Qui-Gon stepped in front of her in a protective gesture. The Vinnian growled, and pulled out a small bag of credits, thrusting it towards him. "Here's for bringing her back, boy."

"I'm not bringing her back. I've come to buy her freedom."

"I don't think so. You wouldn't have enough."

The Jedi waved his hand in a casual semi-circle in front of the alien's eyes. "It will be enough."

A glaze seemed to come over the Vinnian's eyes. "It will be enough," he repeated. Jaydn stared. She had never known a Jedi could do that.

Qui-Gon held out a bag of money. "Now deactivate the tracking device inside her." Another wave.

"Of course, I will deactivate the tracking device." Lack-Re tucked the bag into his belt and pulled Jaydn inside. She tried hard not to giggle. Minutes later, she ran outside and jumped into Qui-Gon's arms.

"I'm free!" she exclaimed. He fell backwards, landing in the dust with her on top of him. She laughed long and loud, and his deep laugh joined hers. Then they both fell silent as their eyes met. Their faces were just inches apart, and before either knew what was happening, their lips had met in a gentle kiss.

Jaydn gasped, pulling back momentarily. Qui-Gon flushed scarlet. "Jade, I'm sorry..."

She put a finger to his lips. "Don't speak. Just... let me... see something..." She closed her eyes and bent her head towards his. When she kissed him, it was soft and sweet, like the finest sugar. She paused, smiling at him. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand on the back of the head to pull her close for another kiss. This time his whole body seemed to be on fire as their bodies entwined there in the Lorista sand. Jade broke the kiss, smiling down at him. He reached up to caress her face, then gave her another quick kiss. He rolled her off of him then stood, helping her up.

Neither knew quite what to say. Their relationship had just reached a level that neither of them had expected. Finally, Qui-Gon grinned. "Race you to Dark Canyon!" He took off running.

"Hey!" Jaydn exclaimed, then raced after him. She quickly realized it would take a lot to catch him. His training had made him stronger and swifter than he ever had been. But she wasn't about to let him win. Her bare feet pounded against the ground as she ran, her long hair blowing behind her.

I'm free. The thought gave her wings, and she suddenly found an extra burst of speed, soaring past Qui-Gon. She tagged the boulder just seconds before he caught up to her. "Beat you," she panted. They collapsed against the rock, both out of breath. She glanced at him. "I thought Jedi weren't supposed to get tired so easily."

"Who's tired?" he gasped. "Not me."

"Then I'll race you back to the village."

He raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead... I'll be right behind you... honest."

She smiled and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close. She glanced up at him after a moment. "Do you remember the last thing I said to you before you left?"

Qui-Gon looked surprised at the question. "Of course."

"I meant it."

"I know."

A slight smile turned up the corners of her lips. "I still do."

"I know." He stroked her long hair as she lay in his arms, thinking about how much she had changed. She was so serious now, even when she was happy. Strange as that may sound, it was true. Her smile hid something... some hurt that she kept inside. He had been gone too long; he knew it now. "I love you too, you know."

Her answer was a blissful sigh. She was content now. Content to have him back... to be free... and to have someone that truly loved her. She knew that he wouldn't play with her heart. The thought that he loved her made her smile, but it didn't last long. She may be content, but she still wasn't happy. She didn't know if she would ever be truly happy. There was a darkness inside her that burned like a spark of a flame... a small pit of anger at what her life had been. Being a slave had taken her life and her spirit. It had worn her down to almost nothing. It was hard to come back from that.

She glanced at the young man holding her. But maybe she could... with help. "Tell me," she whispered. "Tell me about your life." She closed her eyes, letting his calm, quiet voice soothe her. He talked of strange and far-off lands, of the different people he had encountered and fought alongside his Master. He told of the ceremony where he had become a Jedi Knight, and of his hopes to take on a Padawan of his own one day and fight evil across the galaxy.

His tale sounded like a dream to Jaydn. She had never seen worlds full of lush vegetation, and though she had encountered many species, most were the scum of their existence and barely worth meeting. "Now you," he prodded.

"I've lived," she said simply. "Nothing more." She gazed skyward. "But I have dreamed." Her eyes glazed over slightly. "I want to do what you have done. To be a Jedi Knight and get away from this place. To do everything that you have done." She shook her head. "But it's just a dream."

"It can be more."

She reached up to touch his cheek. "Silly," she admonished. "It can't be. I can't be a Jedi. I don't have..." she struggled for the words.

"Force-sensitivity?" She nodded. "Yes you do, Jade. My Master saw it, but he didn't want to tell you. He wished to follow the code and not allow you to be trained. But you are Force-sensitive."

She turned to face him. "But what can I do? I'm too old. We both know that. No one would train me."

"I would."

She smiled genuinely. "Don't you think you should have an apprentice a bit younger than you... and one who would actually obey you?"

Qui-Gon leaned forward to kiss her gently. "Good point." He paused to reflect. "I have a friend... Drew Farley. He's a Jedi Master I met on Coruscant. He can help us."

"How?"

A smile crossed his face, one that meant mischief. "Drew has a... reputation for defying the Council and doing whatever he wants." He gazed deep into her eyes. "Do you want to try it?"

Her face lit up. "Of course! When can we leave?"

"How about now? I have a transport waiting."

She hugged him tightly. "Now would be perfect." They walked back to Jaydn's hut and she gathered up her things. She pulled out her bag of credits and pressed it into his hand. "Take it."

He shook his head, trying to give it back. "Jade, I can't."

"You saved me, Qui-Gon. In more ways than you'll ever know." She bit her lip, thinking of how he had almost been too late to save her. But she couldn't tell him that. What would he think of her? "Please."

Her eyes were pleading, and he finally accepted the money- her life savings. Though it was a pitiful amount, he knew what it meant to her. Taking her by the hand, he led her outside. There she paused, glancing back once more. Anger welled up in her eyes and she spit on the ground in front of the threshold.

Qui-Gon watched this with something close to fear. He felt her anger and frustration. It rolled off her in waves. Something inside warned that she would need to learn to control it... or one day it would control her. He shook off the feeling. Jaydn had a right to be angry, he told himself. It would pass.

Night was falling now, and they hurried to where Qui-Gon had left the speeder in front of Lack-Re's shop. He got on, with Jaydn straddling the seat in front of him. His arms encircled her and she leaned back against his strong chest. They sped off to where the ship waited.

By the time they got there, Jaydn was leaning back against him, fighting off sleep. He carefully got off the speeder, one arm wrapped around her. She reached out to him, putting her arms around his neck, and he hefted her slender frame into his arms. Dauntun, the pilot, hurried out. "Glad to see you back, sir." The man was tall and burly, but had the look of someone who wouldn't hurt a Boscan fruitrat. He brought the speeder up the ramp.

Qui-Gon followed, carrying the dozing girl. "Sorry it took so long, Dauntun."

"No problem." They made their way toward the front of the ship. "On to Coruscant, then?"

He nodded. "On to Coruscant." Now Jaydn's life would finally begin.

END CHAPTER THREE