Author's Note: My author's thanks will be at the bottom. You will have to forgive my Yoda, I can't quite write like him even if I can hear him speaking.

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Senator Palpatine followed after Supreme Chancellor Valorum, listening to him speak about some kind of treaty or other. Occasionally he would nod his head but it was apparent that his attention was elsewhere. Not to mention, it was never that difficult to fake any interest in what the Chancellor had to say, he rarely had anything of interest to say. The man was nothing more than a puppet in a politician's game.

"What do you think, Palpatine?"

"Of course, I see what you mean, Chancellor. It is a tricky situation but I am sure that we shall figure out something. Master Plo-Koon, what is wrong?" he asked, seeing the Jedi Master hurrying along the hallway.

The Jedi paused for a moment, bowing to them before giving the answer he knew was required of him. There was no point in causing a disturbance in the city unless there was a reason to. "The Jedi Council is having an emergency meeting. Other than that, I cannot say."

"It sounds serious," Valorum observed, looking faintly concerned. "I hope that nothing is wrong that cannot be fixed easily. For as you are aware, we of the senate depend upon the Jedi's earnest endeavors to help keep the peace in this, our great Republic. We shall not keep you any longer, Master Plo-Koon."

"Thank you, Chancellor." The Jedi dashed off.

The Chancellor resumed his earlier train of discussion, after seeing him turn the corner leaving his companions brimming with curiosity-and Palpatine burning with frustration. In truth, though he hid it well, his thoughts echoed theirs. What could be so bad that it would cause a dignified Jedi to run?

Upon entering one of the larger chambers in the Jedi Temple, Plo-Koon took a seat between Masters Windu and Shaak Ti. She inclined her head gracefully, acknowledging him. It was not a seat he felt comfortable taking but the other chairs were taken.

In the back, framed by the large windows, stood the younglings. Padawans and their Masters waited, standing in front of them. On every face, though carefully concealed, was nervous fear. It was apparent that all, no matter their level of experience, could feel the menace in the Force. Something was not right. In fact, something was very wrong.

And the chill of doubt and fear crept up their spines.

Master Yoda cleared his throat, bringing their attention to where he stood in the center of the room. "Called this meeting, we have to discuss a disturbance in the Force. Child of ours is lost to us."

"Where is Master Jinn?" Master Shaak Ti whispered to Plo-Koon, echoing the thoughts in his own mind. "Should he not be here? I thought that I had seen him earlier."

"I don't think so," he slowly replied, aware that Master Windu had looked at them, an eyebrow raised in question. It would not be hard to discern his thoughts, even if he hadn't been a Jedi. Clearing his throat, he said. "We were wondering where Master Jinn was. Is he away?"

Mace shook his head, wondering how he could've been so lost in this that he had failed to notice when his friend had not shown up. "He shouldn't be. There was no mission that he would've taken without our knowing of it. Was he not called along with the rest of the Jedi?"

"Retrieve him, Master Halycon should," Yoda replied, his voice serene. But the way his ears flattened revealed his discontent and worry. Mace could clearly see that Yoda was disturbed by a new thought that had come to him. In truth, so was he. What if it wasn't a Padawan that was taken away from them by this mysterious power, but a Master? "Padawan should be left behind. Not needed is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

This struck the Masters who had been ordered to bring their Padawans with them as odd. Exchanging glances, one of the masters nodded, recognizing that they wished her to take the initiative. "Excuse me," Master Luminara Unduli asked, waiting until the wizened Jedi Master looked at her, nodding that she had his permission to speak. "Why shouldn't Padawan Kenobi be here? After all, our own Padawans are with us."

"Trouble we face now, is Obi-Wan's," Yoda said gravely. Facing the window, he stared out at the slowly darkening sky. His shoulders slumped under the weight of the burden now placed upon his shoulders and he slowly moved to his chair, sitting down gingerly. "Say more on this, I will not. When Master Jinn joins us, talk of this we will."

Master Halycon bowed and went out the door, hurrying down the hallway towards the stairs that would take him to the Jedi living quarters. He wondered why he had been asked to go when any of the others would have been just as suitable.

So absorbed in his thoughts was he that he failed to notice the dark figure hiding off to the right, the intense gaze staring into the semi-opened doors of the room. Turning, the figure faded away into the shadows, silently following after the Jedi Knight.

Mace studied him shrewdly, wishing not for the first time in his life that he could read Yoda's mind. It would certainly help him in this situation for he desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. What if their new worries were proven true? Was it wise to bring such an uncertain power into their midst without proper preparation?

Yoda looked at him, meeting his gaze evenly. It was clear that the old master knew what was in his thoughts and that he shared them. But Yoda made it clear that they had to face it head on. Avoiding the problem would not help them now. This was one time when he knew that action was required over discretion. They could ill afford to misstep when so much was at stake.

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"Well, I think I should introduce myself." He got up and sat down beside her, ignoring her slight jump. With a gentle, but firm touch, he removed her hand from the braid. "But first of all, this is a Padawan braid, not a toy. You should not play with it. It is a symbol of who you are, the level of training that you are at. And secondly, I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Master?" she repeated, staring at him in confusion. Almost instinctively, her hand went to play with the braid, but his knowing look stopped her. "I'm a slave? Your slave? Is that why you were so mad at me? I mean, him?"

"What? Oh, no. I am a Master of the Jedi arts. You are my student," he explained. Seeing the question in her eyes, he elaborated. "What that means is that I teach you how to use the Force. Like all other Force sensitive beings, you have been taken out of the world and brought here for training in the Jedi arts. As for the Living Force, it is energy that surrounds us and allows us to access it in ways that…how do I explain this"?

"Magic?" she tried to help him out. This time it was he who gave her the questioning look. "Uhm…magic is the ability to do stuff that other people can't, like lift stuff up into the air. Or hide a pimple and blow the power out of the neighborhood by accident. Or the one that really got me into trouble, restoring the soul of a vampire."

"What's a vampire?"

Willow looked at him, her mouth hanging open slightly, askance. This was new-and unexpected. "You're kidding, right? I mean, everyone knows what vampires are."

"Not everybody," he corrected gently. "I do not. And please do not gape at me like that. It is impolite."

Blinking for a moment, she tilted her head and tried to think of something to say. Haltingly she spoke as she tried to recall anything Giles might have said to them when he explained what a vampire was. But it wasn't easy for it was also a part of the culture she had grown up in, though she knew how true the mythology of the vampire was.

"Mythologically speaking, a vampire is a creature of pure evil. But, as I have learned, they are not myths. Nor are they entirely evil, though they are creatures capable of immense darkness. They are demons, if you will. An unholy and unnatural creature that drinks blood to survive and cannot survive in the light of the day. They are immortal."

"Immortal? They live forever?" He shelved the reference about demons aside for the moment. Right now, he didn't think he could deal with information about another group of beings until he was sure he understood vampires.

"Not exactly, but close enough," she agreed before going on. "A Master vampire is extremely difficult to kill, fledglings are easier. Mostly, one has to stake them through the heart."

"And the difference between a Master Vampire and a Fledgling?" he asked, intrigued despite the revulsion that filled him at the thought of what she was describing to him.

The sharp rap on the door turned their attention towards it and he got up, opening it to see Master Halycon. "Is something wrong?" he asked, putting himself right in the line of sight of the Jedi Master. For some reason that he couldn't explain, he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of letting anyone look at his Padawan.

Even if it was a Master he had known and worked with for many years.

"Yes," Halycon said, giving up his attempts to see into the room with a good-natured sigh. Of the two, Qui-Gon had always been a taller and slightly more muscular man. "The Jedi Council has called a meeting in which all Jedi are to attend. They have asked me to bring you to them, since you did not see fit to present yourself."

Qui-Gon resisted the urge to run a frustrated hand over his face.

This was news he could do without. The last thing he needed right now was for the Council to stick their noses into his business before he was ready to present Willow to them.

And she was far from ready to meet them, especially in light of what she had revealed of her life. "I am in the middle of teaching my Padawan something in relation to our next mission. Can it not wait until we are ready?"

"The Council wishes to see you," he said firmly, though it was apologetic. "Yoda specifically told me to bring you. Not Obi-Wan."

Releasing a sigh, Qui-Gon nodded. "Very well. Give me a moment." Closing the door, he went into his room and pulled out a data pad. Walking over to the couch, he handed it to her, amused when her eyes lit up. "I take it that you know what this is."

"A hand held computer that stores all kinds of information and is also a way to keep your work organized," she guessed, looking back up at him. "Also called a palm pilot." Accepting it, she studied it intently. Now that it was in her hands, she could see that, while it was similar to a palm pilot, it was of a much more sophisticated design.

"We call it a data pad," he informed her. "But you are quite correct about the purpose behind it."

Flushing with happiness at his words, she looked back down at it. Though she wanted to keep a hold of it for it reminded her of home, she tried to hand it back to him. "What am I supposed to do with it?" she asked when he didn't accept it. She also felt that it would be best to concentrate on one of the matters before them.

"Study the Jedi Code first," he sat down and showed her how to work it. It didn't surprise him that she didn't need that much tutelage. There was a natural confidence towards her actions as she held it. "Once you have done that, I want you to study the members of the Jedi Council and the races they come from. I would not be far from mistaken if I were to guess that your home world only has humans on it, would I?"

"We usually call those who are not humans demons," she sheepishly said, restlessly shifting the data pad from hand to hand.

"That is the second time you have used that word. What does it mean?" he started to ask, and then stopped himself. "As much as I think I should press you, I really need to meet with the Council. They have a tendency to be rather uptight about their time."

"Yeah," she said, "I've got some experience with those kind of people."

"Really?" he asked, shaking himself once again. "Sorry. As fascinating as this is, I actually have to go."

"I'll be here when you get back," she shrugged. "It's not like I can go anywhere right now anyway."

Giving her a curious look, he rose to his feet. "If you have any questions, keep them in mind. I will be back as soon as they let me go. I do not think this will be a long meeting but I hesitate to say that with any authority. The kitchen is over there and the 'fresher…Willow, are you listening to me?"

"Hmmmm," she looked up, feeling a slightly irritated gaze resting upon her.

"That answers my question," he sighed. "I will be back soon. The kitchen is over there while the fresher is beside your room."

"Fresher? My room?"

"I told you that you were not a slave. As you are my Padawan, you are my responsibility. You have your own room," he walked over and opened the door to it. "And this is the fresher. Please, try not to use all the hot water this time. I do like to relax after my meetings with the Council. All right?"

Glancing in as he moved to the next door, she could see that it was very neat and sparsely decorated. It doesn't look all that appealing, she thought, nor very personal. But she didn't say it aloud, though she knew that her thoughts probably showed on her face. "All right," she agreed, still unsure about what the fresher was exactly.

Then it hit her.

The fresher had to be the bathroom. Eyes wide with panic, she tried to keep her panic down to a minimum. But it was hard when she realized that she would have to actually figure out how to use this body to relieve her more pressing needs.

She knew the basics of how the male human body worked, she had studied medical texts when young, but really, this was more than reading up on something. This was actually a new need that would become part of her daily routine, part of who she was. It was a frightening thought.

Oh, goddess, she started to hyperventilate as another vaguely horrifying thought occurred to her. What about showering? I don't think I can wash this body without looking down there. What am I going to do? I can't not shower, after a few days, I'll stink something fierce. Not to mention, it would be rather uncomfortable.

But I can't wash myself, not down there. I mean, this isn't even my body. I shouldn't be staring at someone else's body like that. Why am I thinking like this? I shouldn't even be in this body.

A slight sting on her face snapped her mind to the present and she stared at him, hurt shining in the changeling eyes. "What was that for?" she asked, her hand rising to cover the spot.

"You were panicking and when one panics, slapping is usually the best way to restore calm. What is wrong?"

"What could possibly be wrong?" she cracked, laughing slightly. "I'm stuck in some strange guy's body in a world I don't know a thing about. And, to top that little piece of wonder off, I don't even know this guy. But not knowing this guy doesn't really matter when you realize that I'm going to have to see it in a very naked light. Naked, as in WITHOUT CLOTHES ON."

Qui-Gon was torn between laughter and tears of frustration. Finally, he decided that humor was probably the best way to handle her 'problem', not that he would ever let her know. Right now, the last thing she needed was to feel as though he were mocking her. He had a feeling that she wouldn't take kindly to it, seeing as how she was dealing with a very stressful situation.

Still, it took effort to keep the smile off his face. "If it's any consolation, think about how Obi-Wan must feel being in your body. I'm sure that he feels the same way you do, just as confused and just as scared. He will not be offended if you do see him…in that light," Qui-Gon settled for those words. "He would know that it was not your fault this happened."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that," she muttered, finally putting into words one of her fears.

"Master Jinn!" Halycon called through the door, getting tired of waiting for him to join him. He could feel, even if Qui-Gon chose to ignore it, the weight of the Council's impatience with them. It utterly amazed him that the other man could so easily ignore the strong feelings that permeated throughout the entire Jedi Temple. "The Council is waiting."

"All right," he sighed and rose. "We will talk about later, this I promise you."

Willow nodded, rubbing her cheek absently before turning her attention back to the data pad. If nothing else, it would keep her mind occupied and off of the reality of her physical condition.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.
"There is now ignorance, there is knowledge.
"There is no passion, there is serenity.
"There is no death, there is the Force."

"This is the stupidest thing I have ever read," she muttered as the door opened and he walked out.

Though he had clearly heard her and knew what she was referring to, Qui-Gon thought it best to let it go for now. There were other things that she was going to read that would provoke that reaction. Why trouble her with them right now?

Besides, he had prolonged this meeting with the Council long enough. He needed to see what they wanted so that he could best prepare Willow for what was to come.

End, Part 4.

Author's Thanks:

TortureofPersephone, thanks. She did, in Joss' world.

DragonStar, that's what I was afraid of. But I was even more afraid that the confusion would be greater if I were to say something like "Obi-Wan cleared her throat and brought their attention to her," because we know that Obi-wan is a guy. So I'm glad that I can leave them in their 'proper' gender. As for the bathroom, I did address her side of things b/c I can easily see my own reaction to it. I'm not sure I'll do the same for him, though pms may come into play at some point. Poor Obi-Wan.

Unseen Moon, you didn't offend me. I was just joking. Sorry that I caused you to worry that it had. I would've written to you before but RL is a pain in the behind. I'm glad that your enjoying this story, I'm enjoying writing it.

Damia - Queen of the Gypsi's, Willow and the Council. Boy, that's quite a thought, Yoda' reaction to her. He'd probably react to her behavior in affectionate dismay. He's probably never met anyone quite like her in all of his nearly 900 years-and there she is, trying to hug him. Do you think Mace would find it amusing? I think he'd be more likely to watch her suspiciously.

Nice to know that you won't mind the he/she part of it. It is so much easier to write b/c that's what I see in my head. Did that make any sense?

Village-Mystic, glad you did. Boy, that mini-Jack has gotten a life of his own, though I thought a lot of fans were upset by his continued existence. If my muse has anything to say about it, she may be doing more than just standing in for Obi. Poor kid. It's not just the Council that plans to have her do some studying and hard work…I hadn't thought about Obi not being from the GFFA (galaxy far, far away) and being from Earth. Interesting thought. I'm not sure what's going on with him there, though I know that he's gonna give a shot at being Willow for a while.

Woohoo! Giles involvement. Obi definitely will need Giles to stay close (though not like that, I'd hate for her to come home and find herself involved. Think of the discomfort to all of them, the angst. Oh, great. Back muse. Down muse. Good muse.). I like the thought of Willow with Giles, something to do with the fact that she admitted that she had a crush on him. As long as I enjoy it, it will keep coming, which is promising.

Amber Penglass, Thanks! Well, I'm finding my voice coming to me easier now that I've got a direction to go in. Does he? He is younger but he's also dealing with the loss of something he's had all his life-and he's got to deal with female hormones on top of it all. Man, I really don't know how I'm gonna handle him if Will has her period while he's in her body. (Which is a distinct possibility.)

Banner, one of my worries was how to make everyone act realistically to the situation without going overboard, I'm glad that it works out. Faith, I think, is the only one who would speak up the way she did. IMHO, Buffy probably still feels guilty for thinking that Willow was the one who was killing those people after returning from England, so I don't think she would say anything. Yup, our Willow fell pretty far and will be tempted to fall again. But Qui-Gon will be there for her, he's gonna be a mentor and teacher to her, as will others.

If you don't mind my asking a question, have you reviewed any of my other stories? Your name sounds familiar.