Finally, a nice long chappie which you all have clamored for! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, they are all Lucas', so don't sue me, please!

Obi-Wan was drifting aimlessly in his dreams, when suddenly he was jolted out by someone opening a door and kicking him in the side. He groaned.

"What did you do that for?" he mumbled, not fully awake. A blurry image of a man stood up before him. The man retaliated by kicking Obi-Wan even harder in the side. Now Obi-Wan was fully awake, and conscious of the pain. He grunted.

"Hello, Obi-Wan. I see we meet again!"

"Xanatos," he spit bitterly. "Trying to make mine and my Master's lives a living hell again?"

"Well, why not?" Xanatos laughed. "He always thought highly of me, you know, before he dumped me on Telos and left me there."

"It's because you turned to the dark side!" Obi-Wan yelled, hoping that someone would hear him. "Because you did so, it broke his heart!"

"Ah," Xanatos said, shaking his finger at Obi-Wan, "but he has not told you the full story, has he? If I remember, he's too cold and uncaring to let you get close to him, much less tell you about me."

"But-but he did tell me the entire story!" Obi-Wan sputtered. "You were tempted by your dad's riches and helped him. Then he struck down your dad and you fought him, which completed your turn to the dark side. That's all."

"I'm surprised he actually told you that," Xanatos sneered. "He didn't care about you afterwards, especially since he's been finding fault with you almost all the time. I mean, look at Tahl. You'd think he'd be happy you got him, but no, he just ripped you up and ordered you to come back with him. I'm glad you decided to stay here; it'll be easier to punish my former Master. Of course, if you'd turn to the dark side…" His voice trailed off, hoping that Obi-Wan would take the hint and join him.

"No, Xanatos," Obi-Wan replied wearily. "I will not go against the person who's taken care of me and has been my father all along."

"Even if he's totally crashed that? Even if he's cold and rips you up for every mistake you make? Obi-Wan, you're terribly naïve. Let me give you some…persuasion." With that, his face twisted into a terrible, mask radiating with hate, and swung his lightsaber towards Obi-Wan's midsection.

Mace and Qui-Gon were searching in the old, abandoned part of the city when they heard a muffled yell.

"That sounds like Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon exclaimed, rushing over to a particularly run-down building.

"And it sounds like he's in trouble," Mace added grimly, unclipping his lightsaber but not igniting it…yet. "Let's get him out of there, Qui!" Together, they burst through the rotted door and followed the sound of voices, which wasn't hard, since they were raised. Finding the source, they ignited their lightsabers, and broke down the door.

"Obi-Wan!" Mace exclaimed as he parried Xanatos' strike. "How are you?"

"Fine, Master Windu," Obi-Wan winced as Mace picked him up while Qui-Gon battled Xanatos, ensuing that Xanatos escaped and Qui-Gon rushed over to Obi-Wan, who was held in Mace's arms.

"Obi-Wan – "

"He's not hurt that bad, Qui, but hurt bad enough," Mace said, cradling Obi-Wan's body gently. "Let's get him back on our ship, and then we can worry about what to do next."

"What? Mace, I can't!"

"Qui, you will!"

"But-but it's not his fault that he stayed behind. It was more my fault than anything!"

"Qui, I'm sorry, but the Council has contacted me, and we have decided to put Obi-Wan on probation. They'll meet with you once we arrive to give you the finer details, and I'll stay with Obi-Wan while he's at the medcenter. Besides all those bruises, he's malnourished and tired, and needs to sleep and heal. Please, please don't argue with them, just this once, okay? I'll give Obi-Wan the details while you're gone anyways; it'll be easier on him. Just, please obey the Council, okay Qui?"

"Whatever you say, Mace."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. "Oh good, we're here. I'll get Obi-Wan while you set down the ship, okay?"

"Why – "

"Because you need to go right away to be on time for your meeting with the Council. By the way, they've sent another team to help Melida/Daan, with whatever we've missed and to be around for a couple days. Nield is grateful for all that we're doing. Now I'll go get Obi." He turned around and strode towards the room where Obi-Wan was resting. He was concerned, as he opened the door and looked in. The kid had not eaten, and from the looks of it, had not slept well either. He would have given the kid a Force-suggestion, but he didn't know whether that would've been smart or not.

"Hello, Obi."

"Good morning, Master Windu," the kid said and bowed respectively.

"We will be landing in a couple moments. Would you like to join us now or wait until we have landed?" The boy hesitated.

"I'll come now."

"Are you sure, Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Master Windu," the boy insisted, starting for the door only to stumble half-way there.

"Here," Mace lent his shoulder to Obi-Wan. "How about I support you while you walk there?"

"Yes Master Windu." Together, they went down the hall, at Obi-Wan's pace.

"Obi-Wan, why don't you eat?"

"I'm not hungry, Master Windu."

"Are you sure, Obi-Wan?

"Yes."

"You're going to the healers' wing once we land, so we'll go straight there."

"The healers' wing?"

""Yes, Obi-Wan, you need to be healed of your bruises and cuts, and need to sleep and eat." If I can't make you eat, maybe they can, he thought humorously.

"Why-" Qui began.

"Disobeyed the rules, your Padawan did," Master Yoda said in his gravelly voice.

"Yes, but-"

"He will have six month probation period," Depa Billaba cut in smoothly.

"Yes, but-"

"Must we explain it all over again?" Eeth Koth asked, massaging his temples.

"No, but – "

"Good," Depa interrupted once more. "Now you may leave and collect your Padawan from the healing center." She smiled slightly. "If Mace hasn't already, you can explain everything to him."

"Yes, but – "

"Good," Yoda interrupted him once more. "Go, and may the Force be with you."

"Hello again, Obi-Wan," Mace said brightly as he saw Obi-Wan's eyes open up to focus on the Korun Council Master. "I see you've finally woken up."

"What did the healer say?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice sounding calm and strange to even his own ears.

"He said that you could now go back and stay with Qui-Gon, providing that you eat enough each day and rest enough." He handed the kid a datapad. "Here's for your probation, okay? It's pretty simple." Seeing his former Padawan, Depa Billaba, stop outside Obi-Wan's room and motion to him, he added gently. "I'd explain it all now, but I'm being paged." Smiling at Obi-Wan, he patted his shoulder. "Get some rest now. Qui-Gon should be coming soon." Upon coming to Depa, he asked in a low voice, "So how did Qui take it?" She sighed.

"Not that well, but he would've done worse had you not talked to him earlier." She motioned for him to come outside Obi-Wan's room. Once they were out of earshot, she said in a low voice, "So, have you decided yet? Will you take on Obi-Wan as your Padawan?" Mace sighed.

"Right now, I'm not sure, but if Qui refuses to take him back on, I think I will." A determined look came over his face. "Yoda said many times that Obi-Wan is important to the Jedi, and I believe him. I will not let Qui-Gon Jinn, the galaxy's biggest fool, mess it all up. Besides," here he grinned at his former Padawan, "I think I'm beginning to get attached to Obi-Wan myself." She grinned back.

"Good luck on getting him back from Qui-Gon," she whispered, and then looked at the wall chrono. "Oops! I'd better get going if I'm going to be on time for I'm teaching younglings today."

"Good luck," Mace grinned. "You'll need it."

"I suppose I will, if they're anything like what you and Qui-Gon were at their age." She grinned playfully at him.

"I'm wounded."

"Well, see you later, and by the stars, here comes Qui-Gon!" she ducked Mace's swooping hand. "I'm going, I'm going, sheesh." She stepped aside respectfully for Qui-Gon as he entered the healing center, bowed to Mace, winked at him and quickly left.

"What was that about?" Qui-Gon asked suspiciously.

"Oh, just some friendly talk between us," Mace said airily. Once they arrived to Obi-Wan's room, he said in a low voice, "I was going to explain it all to Obi-Wan, but then I got interrupted, so I'll leave you to it. Have fun!" He nodded at Obi-Wan, who nodded back to him. The cheery and almost hyper Councilor walked off. Qui-Gon sighed, then turned to Obi-Wan, who was smiling slightly.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Sure," Obi-Wan said, getting up gingerly. "I'm ready."

"Good." With that, they said good-bye to the healers and walked out of the doors to their quarters.

For the next few months, all was well. Obi-Wan was following the rules of his probation as perfectly as he could do so, and the Temple was quiet. That is, until one night, near the end of Obi-Wan's six months, when a dark-robed silent figure snuck through the hallways, heading towards Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's quarters, watching and waiting for the perfect time to exact his revenge upon his former teacher.

Obi-Wan woke up early and made breakfast. He kept it simple so that he could study before class; he had a physics test today and wanted to do his best at it. He was out the door and down the hallway, missing Qui-Gon by seconds, since he wanted to avoid the silent treatment his former Master would give him. As he went towards the gardens, he stiffened suddenly and rested his hand on his lightsaber. He swung around, barely blocking the attacker's downward swing. He groaned.

"Not you again, Xanatos."

"Good to see you again, Kenobi," the familiar man sneered, charging again with his red lightsaber. Soon, they were fighting fierce, the heat of the battle growing thick. Red and blue clashed time and time again, throwing sparks all around.

/Hey, Master/ Obi-Wan called through the bond he and Qui-Gon had shared. However, no one seemed to hear him. He realized that Qui-Gon had almost totally destroyed the bond they had shared. Reaching out with the Force, he yelled silently /Hey, is anyone there to help me? Help me, please! I'm fighting with Xanatos here, one of the deadliest guys out there. I'm tiring fast. Please, someone help! /

Mace had finished his breakfast with his former Padawan, and now the two were walking down the hallways, enjoying the silence before the younglings' mad rush to class. Suddenly, Mace felt a plea come filtering in through his shields: /Help me, please! / Startled, he looked around, but there was no one there. Depa looked at him curiously.

"What?" he asked. Suddenly, the Force swirled around him, warning him of danger. He glanced, startled, at Depa, who said grimly, "I feel it too." Together, they rushed for the gardens, for that was where the source seemed to generate from. He ignited his lightsaber; Depa quickly following suit, as they saw Obi-Wan fighting Xanatos.

"Obi-Wan is doing a good job, holding his own," Depa said, grinning.

"Yes, but I think that me must intervene now," Mace said, running up to the fight, Depa following faithfully. "Xanatos!" he yelled. "Stop it. It's Qui-Gon you want, so why do you fight him?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Obi-Wan being covered by Depa, and Qui-Gon running up to see what caused the commotion. Once Qui-Gon saw Xanatos, he went forward to duel; his face all set and grim. Mace stepped back to join Depa, who was checking over Obi-Wan, whom was shivering but not badly hurt, minus a couple bruises here and there. He pulled away.

"Can't rest," he mumbled. "Must help my Master, gotta help him. Defeating Xanatos is our top priority. Must…I must help!"

"Obi-Wan," Depa cried, but he had already gone off to help his Master. Staring after him, she felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"May the Force be with you," she whispered, feeling Mace grip her shoulder.

"He'll be fine," Mace assured her. Depa wished she could believe that.

If only she could.

"Ah," Xanatos sneered as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan started towards him. "I think I'm going to have fun here. Obi-Wan," he addressed the younger of the two, "good luck on defeating Bruck!"

"Hello, Oafy-Wan," Bruck taunted, shooting himself at Obi, forcing the latter to step back a bit. "I see you can't even hold your lightsaber right! Can't you do anything right?" he imitated Qui-Gon's voice. "No wonder he got rid of you; you were too much of a burden on him!" Coolly, Qui-Gon stepped forward and distracted Bruck, which was enough for Obi-Wan to disarm him. Seething, he ran forward – onto the edge of Obi-Wan's lightsaber. For a moment, time stood still as Bruck looked down at the lightsaber piercing his middle. Then, he laughed, a chilling laugh that made Obi-Wan shiver even more. Slowly, he dropped off the end of the glowing blue lightsaber and dropped to the floor, barely making any noise.

Bruck Chun was dead.

"Hah!" exclaimed Xanatos, stepping forward to slash at Qui-Gon's chest. "My apprentice may be dead, but now you will die!" He made his move, only for a blur to pass between him and Qui-Gon. It dropped to the floor. It was Obi-Wan, and he had gotten stabbed in the middle. It hurt like nuts, but he was not hurt too badly. Without thinking, Qui-Gon drove himself towards Xanatos, driving the latter up against the wall. Xanatos looked worried, but only for a moment. Within seconds, he, too, was dead – pierced by his own lightsaber and Qui-Gon's at the same time. Breathing heavily, he turned to look at Obi-Wan. Suddenly, guilt pierced him for being so cruel and indifferent to the poor boy. Before he could say or do anything, however, healers started to pour on in. Once they got his former Padawan, he saw Obi-Wan look at him and mouth the words I'm sorry. He felt himself falling…falling…falling, until he hit something very hard, and everything went black.

Obi-Wan woke up to find himself in the healers' wing…again. He looked over to see Qui-Gon waking up on the bed next to him.

"Qui-Gon?!" he asked incredulously. "You weren't hurt at all during the fight, so why are you here?"

"Concussion," he said simply. There was silence.

"Oh."

"Obi-Wan, I know I've been a terrible master to you…"

Here it comes, he thought. Perhaps he'll finally admit his mistakes, and maybe even take me back on as his apprentice.

"…and I also know how much I've hurt you. Therefore, I…"

Please, he begged silently.

"…will not take you on as a Padawan again." The silence seemed to be falling around Obi-Wan, taking him and wrapping him so tight that he would suffocate soon, like an anaconda squeezes its prey. He saw Qui-Gon look at him wearily; he just looked down at his knees. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan, but I don't want you to get hurt again, nor do I want myself to get hurt again." Silence reigned supreme once more.

"Goodbye, Obi-Wan. I can only hope that you will have a better Master or be sent to the Agri-Corps."

Goodbye. "Of course," Obi-Wan said stiffly, leaning against the pillows, hoping that he would fall asleep and not wake up…ever. Maybe then he would feel better. He turned on his side, away from Qui-Gon, and stared at the wall, wishing for sleep to come and whisk him away so no one could see him cry.

Moments later, he fell asleep.

Awww, poor Obi! Hope he gets better soon! Please review, and tbc...