Since I have finally admitted to myself that the only reason this story gest so much attention is because my friend Fathom asked me to finish it, I have decided to stop dedicating every chapter to her and just dedicate the whole story to her to simplify things. I am hoping to get some of my other stories updated soon since I have a job with a lot of downtime to write now, but we will see. I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter.

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5 years later

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Obi-Wan knew the moment he walked in the front door that something was wrong. Qui-Gon was sitting on the living room floor, meditating. Not that there was anything wrong with meditating, since Qui-Gon was particularly fond of making sure he was always in touch with the living force, saying it helped him with his work with the animals and his peace overall. He was constantly trying to instill that love into Obi-Wan, but Obi had always been a little too prone to excitement and movement to focus as well as his father would have liked, and meditating was a chore for him.

Meditation at this time in the afternoon, however, was unusual. Usually Qui-Gon had a snack waiting for Obi-Wan, eager to hear about his day while the boy relaxed. Obi-Wan was immediately worried. He quietly set down his bag and removed his jacket and shoes before padding into the living room. Qui-Gon did not open his eyes. "Sit down, son." He said, and Obi-Wan obeyed.

The silence was too much for him after a few moments of trying to find his center to meditate. "Dad, I don't know what the teacher told you, but I didn't start the fight..." He blurted out finally, but was silenced by a wave of the former Jedi's hand.

Qui-Gon sighed and opened his eyes, focusing in on his sometimes wayward son. "You've been fighting again, Obi-Wan?" He asked, disappointment evident in his tone. He saw Obi's face fall, and if he had been in a lighter mood, he would have laughed as he saw the realization dawn on his son's face that he had just given away something Qui-Gon hadn't known.

"I..." Obi-Wan visibly searched for an answer that would get him out of the hot water he could sense closing in. "I...He started it!" He finally said. Qui-Gon sighed. Obi-Wan immediately pressed forward, sensing his father's disappointment. "Dad, he called us Jedi rejects. He told me you only adopted me because you felt you had to. He said if I was a slave it must have been because my mother was a whore and had to sell me and my sister, and I should be glad that anyone gave a gundark dropping enough to take me in, that I was weak and would have died otherwise. I tried to walk away, father, but he and his friends started pushing me around and...I just couldn't help it, I tried to push them away with the force, but I overdid it." He panted after getting all that out.

Qui-Gon was left slightly breathless at Obi-Wan's explosion. "How did they know you were once a slave, Obi-Wan, and that I was once a Jedi?" He asked, wondering why Obi-Wan would expose himself to ridicule by telling people that.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I didn't, dad. It's a small city. Everyone knows." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, dad. I didn't mean to." He said, hanging his head.

Qui-Gon laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "I know you didn't. I'm sorry you've been having to go through that, I wish you had told me. That must be very hard to deal with." He said softly.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "It's ok. I can deal with it usually because I know it's not true. It was just when I couldn't get away that it got hard." He admitted.

Qui-Gon smiled. "I am proud of you for trying. You must be more careful in controlling your anger, though. Your powers will not be understood here." He explained. Obi-Wan's face hardened a bit into what Qui-Gon referred to as Obi's "I've heard this speech a thousand times," look. "I'm not lecturing, Obi. I'm just reminding. You already know that. We can't afford to be a problem on any planet because we reflect an image on the Jedi with what we do, whether we are actually called that or not. There is no denying the power the force has blessed us with." He finished, and Obi-Wan's facial expression changed before he nodded his understanding.

Obi-Wan cocked his head as he remembered what had caused his unease. "If I wasn't the problem, dad, what's wrong?" He asked, thinking back to Qui-Gon's midday meditation.

Qui-Gon sighed. "Obi-Wan, how would you feel about leaving the planet for awhile, going on a...well, not a vacation, but a change of pace, perhaps?" He asked, and Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. He sighed. "I got a call today, Obi-Wan. From Coruscant." Immediately he could feel Obi-Wan's aura get tense with worry, and he squeezed his son's shoulder. "Don't worry, Obi-Wan. Everything will be all right."

"No, it won't!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "They want you to come back, don't they! They want you to give me up!" The boy pulled away slightly, his blue eyes full of worry and hurt.

Qui-Gon immediately felt guilty. Why hadn't he known that Obi-Wan was carrying this fear of abandonment still? Hadn't he reassured him enough with his love? He assumed it had more to do with the boy's past than his own treatment, but it still hurt to hear. "Obi-Wan, that is not what they want. If it had been, I wouldn't have even considered going there. You are my son, Obi-Wan, and I cannot just 'give you up'." He assured the boy.

Obi-Wan eyes glistened with tears the teenager was too proud to shed. "All right, dad." He said quietly. "Then what did they want?" He asked, his youthful curiosity making itself known.

Qui-Gon ran a hand through his hair, idly wondering what had become of his hair tie, but the thought fleeted away as his mind went to more important matters. "Obi-Wan, I need to tell you something. When I was still a Jedi, before I met you, I trained two padawans. The first died on a mission gone awry when she was only 16. The second, however...the second turned to the dark side just before he was to be knighted." Obi-Wan gasped, having heard warnings of the dark side and the terrible things it could do to a force sensitive if they gave in. "He was 23. I should have killed him when he drew his 'saber on me. The dark side had consumed him and there was nothing left of the boy I loved. When I disarmed him, I should have ended his life." Qui-Gon looked away for a moment. "I didn't, though. I couldn't. Even though I knew I couldn't save him, I couldn't make myself perform the killing blow. He escaped, and I have not heard from him since. No one has." He looked Obi-Wan straight into the eye. "Until now."

Qui-Gon stood and walked towards the open window, gazing out into the natural beauty that pulsed with the living force. "He has re-emerged at the Jedi Temple, seeking vengeance. He has already killed a few Jedi, and almost killed an entire turbo-lift full of small children, and the Jedi have been unable to capture him. Xanatos is smart. He always has been. He has a back door prepared at all times. Few understand the way he thinks, and so they have been unable to stop him." Qui-Gon turned back to his son. "Hence why they called me. They need me, Obi-Wan. I am the only one, as they put it, that knows how Xanatos operates and can guess his next move before he does it. It is my fault that he is still alive to cause this chaos and destruction, Obi-Wan, and I must help them before any other people are hurt. I hope you can understand that." He finished.

Obi-Wan nodded silently. "I don't think compassion is a weakness, father. You loved Xanatos, I can see why you could not kill him then." The boy could see the older man starting to protest, and did not pause. "I understand why you must go, though. Shall I stay here?" He asked, not really liking the idea, but understanding if his father needed to go alone.

"Certainly not." Qui-Gon said. "If I go back to help them, I am taking you with me. I will not hide my son away as if I am ashamed of him." He gave Obi-Wan a large hug, ignoring the youth's protests, since he knew they were only half-hearted. The relief Obi-Wan felt was coming through the force in waves. He pulled back and smiled. "Now go pack."

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I sincerely hoped this chapter was good, and I am sorry for the abrupt change of pace, but the main plot of the story takes place at this point. I will see you guys at the next update, review so that will come faster! After all, I have like 6 stories to work on...Give me an excuse to work on this one. :D