Chapter Seven
As Obi-Wan went rushing out to find his Master, he felt along their bond and came up against shock, fear then frustration and anger. More worried than he had ever been about his Master, Obi-Wan hurried off in the direction his Master's signature was and found he was heading towards the infirmary. It only made him panic and rush more. When he got to the infirmary he saw Master Yoda standing outside one of the med bays with Master Windu and a couple of other Council members. Oh this can't be good Obi-Wan thought and rushed up to them, forgetting all decorum.
"Master Yoda, Master Windu, where is my Master? Is he in there? What's wrong with him," Obi-Wan managed to get out in a rushed breath, stopping short when Mace stood in his way.
"In the infirmary you're Master is, injured he is not. Calm yourself, Padawan, along your bond feel, tell you the truth it will," Yoda said calmly trying to ease the distraught Padawan's mind.
Obi-Wan felt along their bond and he found Yoda to be right. His Master was not injured but there was something different about him.
"Please Masters, why is Master Qui-Gon in the infirmary if he is not injured?"
"Obi-wan, I think we need to sit down," Mace said not looking forward to telling him that Xanatos was back.
Oh this is definitely not good. When ever someone told you to sit down there was always bad news that came along with it. But he sat down like they wanted and waited for them to speak. The other two Council members left and Yoda stood near the med room. Mace sat down next to Obi-Wan and looked into his eyes and Obi-Wan didn't like the look there , but his Master had always told him he needed to learn more patience so he sat there waiting.
"Obi-Wan, Xanatos showed up tonight on the front steps of the temple seriously injured. You're Master found him and brought him to the healers. You probably felt a lot of what he was feeling, but I can assure you it was only feelings towards Xanatos, he was not injured at all," Mace said noticing how Obi-Wan's hands shook.
"Is… is Xanatos going to be alright?" Obi-Wan asked not out of worry for him just for his Master.
"We don't know yet. He was beaten up pretty bad, but I'm sure Qui-Gon will fill you in on everything that has happened."
"Oh okay, um, can I see my Master," Obi-Wan asked looking first at Mace then Yoda.
Both Mace and Yoda looked at one another, considering it. It's not that they didn't want him to see his Master; they just didn't want him in the same room as Xanatos. Even though the boy had been beaten severely they still weren't sure on the circumstances. If he was still evil they didn't want to put Obi-Wan in harms way. But they didn't have to answer because at that moment Qui-Gon came out of the room looking wearier than Obi-Wan had ever seen him.
He looked up to find his Padawan looking at him with such fear he held out his arms and Obi-Wan ran into his embrace. Yoda nodded to Mace and they walked off to leave them alone. Mace turned around and looked Qui-Gon in the eyes relaying that he would be there for him if he needed him. Qui-Gon nodded gratefully then went back to hugging his Obi-Wan. After a moment Qui-Gon steered Obi-Wan to the seats outside the infirmary.
"Are you alright, Master?" Obi-Wan asked looking him all over.
"Yes Padawan, I'm fine, just weary." Qui-Gon smiled down into his apprentice's face, hating he had worried him so much. "How did you know I was at the infirmary?"
"I just followed along our bond," Obi-Wan said not looking at his Master.
"Obi-Wan, what is wrong?" Qui-Gon asked placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"When I first felt the disturbance in the force I knew it had something to do with you so I rushed back to our quarters and found you missing. I didn't know what had happened but I kept feeling things along our bond. Fear, shock, pain, anger and it scared me. I thought you were hurt and I wanted to find you as quick as possible. I know Xanatos is in the infirmary. Did he hurt you, Master?" Obi-Wan asked angrily, cursing his predecessor.
"Calm down, Obi-Wan, he didn't hurt me. Those feelings you felt were all mine at finding him in that condition on the front steps. I wasn't allowed to bring him into the temple, but luckily Yoda arrived and gave permission."
Qui-Gon was still angered at the callous attitude of the Council but it vanished as he saw the look in his Padawan's face. Qui-Gon drew Obi-Wan into a hug hating the fact he had hurt him.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan for letting my emotions stray along our bond; I didn't want you to feel any of that."
"What happened to him, Master?"
"I don't know, Obi-Wan, but I'm going to find out and that is where I need your patience and trust. I will be sitting in with him until he is well and I can find out what happened, and try and see if he really is sorry and wants to come back."
"I can help you, Master. I can sit with him when you get tired, or just to relieve you," Obi-Wan said wanting to help him in any way.
"No!!... I mean no, Obi-Wan. I don't want you in the same room as him," Qui-Gon said forcefully.
"But why not, Master? I promise I will behave, I just want to help you," Obi-Wan pleaded.
"Padawan, listen to me, I could never forgive myself if I was wrong and something happened to you because of me. At the moment I don't want to take that risk. If anything happened to you because of him………"
Qui-Gon couldn't finish the sentence. Just thinking about Obi-Wan being hurt or worse because of Xanatos had him feeling sick. No, until he found out Xanatos's true intentions - Obi-Wan was going no-where near him.
"But Master, what if he is lying? He will try and kill you; I need to be there in case he tries. If anything happened to you because I wasn't there I would never forgive myself."
Qui-Gon saw the fear in Obi-Wan's eyes and hated himself for putting it there. He understood Obi-Wan's reasoning but he could not chance it, even if it was only a slight chance that Xanatos was lying.
"Nothing will happen to me, I promise. He can't hurt me anymore, Obi-Wan. I just need to see if I can give him some peace in his life, I owe it to him whether you believe it or not. Please Obi-Wan, do as I say, I need your support in this," Qui-Gon said his eyes searching Obi-Wan's pleading with him.
"If that's what you really want, I promise I will do it you're way. I love you, Master," Obi-Wan said hugging him.
"And I love you to Obi-Wan. Now I think you should get back to our quarters and get some much needed sleep, you still have classes tomorrow," Qui-Gon said hugging him fiercely to him.
"I thought we were going on a mission tomorrow?"
"Due to Xanatos arriving Master Yoda has taken us off it and is going to send another team. I'm sorry, Obi-Wan, I didn't want this situation to disrupt us," Qui-Gon said sadly.
"It's alright, Master, as long as you're happy that's all that counts," Obi-Wan told him smiling.
"You're too good to me." Qui-Gon ruffled his spiky hair smiling down at him. "Okay off you go; I will see you tomorrow and bring you an update,"
Qui-Gon watched his Apprentice walk off, again wondering what he had done to deserve him. Turning around he walked back into the room and sat down next to Xanatos's bed looking at the tubes and wires coming out of his body. Staring at him Qui-Gon hoped he was right in doing this because if he was wrong all hell could break loose.
The next morning, Obi-Wan woke up to find his Master's bed hadn't been slept in. It wasn't a surprise but he had hoped to find him there. That way it would have all been a bad dream. Getting his breakfast he sat down to eat it when the door chime rang. Obi-Wan wondered who it could be at this time in the morning and opened the door to find Matt, Bant, Garen and Tara standing outside.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
"What? You're not going to ask us in?" Garen asked swiping at him.
"Oh sure, sorry," Obi-Wan said sheepishly stepping aside.
"So you have had breakfast then?" Matt asked looking down at Obi-Wan's half eaten breakfast.
"A little, though I'm not too hungry this morning," Obi-Wan said slumping down onto the couch.
"Are you alright, Obi-Wan?" Tara asked sitting next to him.
"Yeah … hey not that I don't appreciate you guys coming over but what's up?"
"Well we were at breakfast and we heard a lot of the other Padawan's talking and we thought you might need us," Bant said hugging him.
"You mean it's around the temple already?" Obi-Wan asked groaning knowing exactly what she was talking about.
"If you mean that you're Master's ex-Padawan/turned dark boy has returned? Yup, doesn't take long in the temple grape vine," Matt said sympathetically.
"Great," Obi-wan sighed.
"A lot of rumours are already going around about why he is here," Garen told him.
"Great that's all I need." Obi-Wan felt angry at everyone talking about what they didn't understand. ""Its no-ones business what's going on and I wish they would shut their mouths."
"Obi-Wan, don't worry it will go away soon, rumours don't stay around too long," Tara told him.
"Oh I would say this one is a doozy and won't be going away for awhile."
"Well then you will just ignore it all. Come on, Obi, you know that as long as you and you're Master know the truth then stuff anyone else," Bant said, hating gossip.
"You're right of course, Bant. Thanks you guys, glad to have you around," Obi-Wan said gratefully.
"Well who else can I beat so easily at sabre practice? I gotta keep you around, Kenobi," Matt said grinning as he took off out the door with the rest of them after him.
Walking to class, Obi-Wan could feel eyes upon him, some he felt with sympathy some with interest. The others surrounded him protectively and he felt a warm glow surround him knowing his friends were there for him. But on the other hand he was a little upset that he hadn't seen his Master that morning. Shrugging it off he continued on to class and hoped he would hear from him soon.
Near to lunch he still hadn't heard from his Master and was getting worried and a little pissed off. Sure Xanatos needed him right now and he understood that, but couldn't he even take five minutes to say hi to his own Padawan and ask how his day was going? Scowling he continued with his class work when he felt an elbow nudge him and looked up irritated to see Tara standing beside him.
"I hope that look isn't for me?" Tara said watching his expression go from irritated to embarrassed.
"Oh sorry, Tara … no that wasn't for you. I was just thinking that's all."
Tara could see something was bothering Obi-Wan and it didn't take much to know what it was. She wished she could take his mind of his worries.
"So who has irritated you?" Tara asked holding out her hand for the empty vile he was holding tightly.
"Oh it's nothing, I was just wondering about something that's all."
"Obi, you know you can talk to me. I know this thing with your Master must be so upsetting. I don't know what I would do if my Master's ex dark side Padawan came back," Tara said looking horrified at the thought.
"I know; it's just that my Master hasn't even taken the time to contact me through our bond."
Obi-Wan looked that miserable Tara wanted to hug him to her. But that wasn't going to fix the problem, and for just a second Tara cursed Qui-Gon for being so insensitive. But as her own Master had told on numerous occasions unless you know exactly what the situation was don't assume.
"But Obi-Wan, you don't know what is happening at the moment. Maybe he is indisposed and can't contact you. I mean didn't you tell me he said he didn't know how long he would be indisposed for? And didn't he ask you to be patient with him? All I'm saying is that he loves you, Obi-wan no matter what is going on right now and you should give him the space to do what he has to do. Have you thought of contacting him yourself through the bond?"
"No, I was going to but I didn't want to disturb him."
"Obi, you wouldn't be disturbing him. Maybe that's what he needs? For you to contact him, steady him a bit, that way you can be there for him and keep a close eye on him," Tara said smiling.
"You know you're right. I'm so dense sometimes thank you, Tara I really appreciate this."
On impulse Obi-Wan leant forward and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before realizing what he had done. Obi-Wan felt himself go bright red and dropped his head down quickly concentrating on what he was doing.
"Anytime Obi, you know that," Tara said surprised at first but very much pleased that he did, going red herself.
"Well it is about time stud. I was afraid I was going to have to show you how to start," Matt said smirking coming up behind them.
"In your dreams, Matt. I didn't realise you'd reached puberty yet." Obi-Wan said smirking back.
"Oh you wish, Obi-Wan you wish," Matt said grinning back when the both of them looked up to see Master Eearl looking over at them frowning.
"I think we'd better get back to the lesson before Master Eearl decides we need extra classes," Tara said shaking her head at the two macho Padawan's as she got back to her own work, smiling like never before .
TBC.......
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