The next two days passed very fast and Obi-Wan tried to be busy all time, so that he didn't need to think about Tahl. Qui-Gon visited her every day and only two times. According to his report, she must feel much better now and the fever is gone. But Obi-Wan was not brave enough to visit her too because he was still afraid that she would be angry at him. His Master assured him more than ten times a day that she wouldn't be angry but Obi-Wan couldn't believe him.
Qui-Gon knew that this would happen. When Obi-Wan was convinced that he did something wrong, he expected that everyone would think that too and it was hard for Qui-Gon too tell him the opposite. Obi-Wan trusted him with his life but his ambition not to fail Qui-Gon was strong enough to make the boy believe that Qui-Gon was angry after every little thing he did wrong. No Master noticed this behavior before he accepted him as his apprentice and then Qui-Gon needed some years to discover this kind of behavior. He recognized it but he didn't knew a way how he could avoid such a feeling. No matter what task he gave the boy, Obi-Wan was ambitious enough to make it all right. And Qui-Gon tried to teach him patience over the years. He must admit that Obi-Wan did better after all the years and he accepted his opinion and when he did something wrong. He accepted it and avoided this mistake by the next opportunity.
But Qui-Gon knew that he needed time to handle his thoughts. These two days weren't enough for his student to accept what happened and that it wasn't his fault. They had a conversation about it and he realized that Obi-Wan changed after it. He was more confident and he seemed to believe his Master and that he wasn't angry at him but Tahl had no opportunity to tell him that she wasn't angry too.
The tall Jedi-Master visited her every day but only at the evening and the early night. He spent the morning with his student or with his task, he got from the Council. Often, they gave him a datapad with information he needed to study for his future missions. Information about planets and the life forms on it. Then he could decide, which planet he wanted to choose for the next mission. When he did that task, he usually sat down on the couch in the shared living room, a datapad in one hand and a tea in the other hand. In the back of his mind he created a plan for future years including training missions and other tasks to improve his students abilities.
Most of the time, Obi-Wan sat with him in the living room, on the ground on the little table in front of the couch and did his homework for saber class or other lessons. It was interesting to watch that he worked for class from the early morning to the evening. Only for lunch or dinner he paused and joined his Master but then he wasn't very communicative and only responded when Qui-Gon asked him a specific question. After meal, he continued working and stopped it when Qui-Gon sent him to bed. Most of the time, he felt asleep on the ground or with his head on the couch and when Qui-Gon realized it, he woke him up and led him to his room. He knew that his student did this to avoid a conversation with Tahl but today he would take him to her.
Tahl was in her room again but was still laying in her bed and rest. Bant took care for her and he could see how their relationship grew from minute to minute.
" How is Obi-Wan?" asked Tahl, when Qui-Gon entered her room and brought her some tea. Bant was with Obi-Wan and he helped her with some lesson instructions.
" He is fine..." started Qui-Gon but hesitated when he thought about the last days.
" Something is bothering you, Qui-Gon" said Tahl and layed her hand on his. " What is it?"
" He is restless. He is working every day and he can't sleep over night. He hates it when I come to him over night so I try to ignore it but it breaks my heart to see him suffer."
" Is it still the same problem?" asked Tahl and raised one eyebrow.
Qui-Gon nodded and grabbed her hand with his and stroked it with his thumb.
" Why don't you bring him here?"
" He don't want to" responded Qui-Gon and met her gaze.
" That doesn't matter but when his feelings distract him that much, I want to solve that problem because I'm the source of the problem."
" You're not the source of it" interrupted Qui-Gon her monologue. " The problem are his thoughts. I can take him to you but he need to fight his thoughts by his own."
" He is still a boy, Qui-Gon" murmured Tahl softly. " Sometimes children don't know how to behave. Bring him here. I will wait!"
She gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and Qui-Gon left the room to get Obi-Wan and Bant.
Both were sitting on the ground in the living room and all he could hear was their laughing.
" No, Obi-Wan, that was wrong" laughed Bant and Obi-Wan threw the datapad away.
" That's unnecessary", he said and layed flat on the floor.
" It is important for the lesson tomorrow", Bant continued laughing and reached for the datapad, when Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from doing this. " No, Obi-Wan!" Both started laughing loudly and didn't realize the Jedi-Master in front of them. Qui-Gon smiled on the scene on the floor because he was pleased to see his student that happy without bad thoughts. But they had not much time and so he made a soft noise, so that they realized him. Both startled and looked confused into his eyes and waited for him to say something.
Qui-Gon laughed softly. " Tahl asked me to take you to her. Both!" he said with a strict undertone, when he grabbed Bants hand and lifted her from the ground,
" I'm so sorry, Master Qui-Gon, that we weren't working, when you came in" said Bant but Qui-Gon raised his hand to stop her.
" Don't worry, Bant", he responded, when he grabbed Obi-Wan under his arms and helped him up. " I remember the time, when Tahl and I were behaving the same way!"
Bant smiled and got her back to leave the room for her Master. Obi-Wan said no word, when he followed her out of the room and Qui-Gon rested a hand on his shoulder to send him comforting and reassuring waves through the force.
He knew what his padawan was thinking and he wanted to help him with his emotions.
Before he entered the quartier, Obi-Wan stopped and watched Bant, when she joined Tahl in her bedroom.
" You don't have to be afraid" whispered Qui-Gon. " I'll be with you if you want!"
Obi-Wan nodded but didn't turned his gaze to face his Master. Qui-Gon understood and pushed his student softly into the room.
" Bant, would you be so kind and leave us alone. I need to talk to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon alone" asked Tahl and smiled at her student.
Bant looked confused, maybe she expected that they don't wanted her around them. But Obi-Wan hugged her and whispered something in her ear that made her smile and she left the room with the old sparkle in her eyes.
" What have you said to her?" asked Tahl. " I never understood what I should say when I hurt her with my words."
" Maybe I'll tell you another day" smiled Obi-Wan but his gaze turned serious again.
" Obi-Wan, sit down, please" asked Tahl and sat up in her bed. Slowly, Obi-Wan moved forward and sat down on the other side of the bed. His Master was still behind him and waited for them to talk.
Tahl looked at Qui-Gon and then to Obi-Wan.
" Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon told me that you are afraid that I'm angry at you and my aim is it to talk with you about it because I see that Qui-Gon don't know what to do and I totally don't want you to avoid me."
" It was not my intention to avoid you" started Obi-Wan. " But it's right that I'm afraid becauseā¦it looks like...that...it's my fault that you were in the med-center..."
" And why should it be your fault?" asked Tahl softly to prevent Obi-Wan from feeling stressed.
" Because of the accident", the boy continued.
" The accident wasn't your fault, Obi-Wan" interrupted Qui-Gon his statement.
" But if I had been more careful it would never have happened..."
" It happened and we can't change the past" said Tahl. " You couldn't feel it and you're not a experienced Jedi to sense every danger in your surrounding." Tahl gave Qui-Gon a sharp look. " You were injured too and now were both here. Happy and healthy. Don't worry about it, my dear. Qui-Gon did everything to rescue us."
Qui-Gon smiled and layed an arm around Obi-Wans shoulder.
" You looked so angry when Tahl was in the med-center" murmured Obi-Wan to Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon didn't answer but look at Tahl.
" It was not my intention to give you that feeling, I said that before" said Qui-Gon. " But there is a reason for my behavior and Tahl and I talked about it. We don't want to hide this secret from you because you are very important for me and I'm sure that you will understand it."
Obi-Wan nodded and looked in his Masters eyes. What would his Master hide from him over days?
