This time I have TWO new (but short) chapters for you! Because you reviewed so kindly :) THANKS!
TamsynDell: Qui-Gon knows Anakin just wanted to help. In his fury he was very unfair but he didn't mean it of course.
Jedi Knight 13: Thank you very much for the nice compliment. I'm very proud ;-) I'm glad you liked the moment between Anakin and Obi-Wan. You're absolutely right, the Jedi really need someone like Qui-Gon because else they would probably do nothing but meditate… He keeps the old Order alive.
Geir K: Thanks! I agree, it helped Qui-Gon to hear Anakin talk to Obi-Wan. He saw that Anakin still treated him as if he were alive and could hear everything. In a way, this helped Qui-Gon to accept the fact that Obi-Wan is unconscious and might perhaps never wake up again. But Qui-Gon knows now that this unconscious person is still the Obi-Wan he loves and that this will not change, and as long as Obi-Wan seems to be peaceful or happy, Qui-Gon is able to accept it.
Dark Austral: Don't be sad, he'll wake up. Soon. Very soon. ;-)
At first, Obi-Wan was slightly confused when he was suddenly able to bend his index finger again. Successively he tried the other fingers as well and they responded bit by bit. He tried to remember. He had been on that horrible starfighter and had defended himself against that madman with the four vibro-blades. Then he had lost balance and had fallen. He had fallen for a very, very long time. In the process he had lost his lightsabre. That was too bad! And after that? He only remembered a glaring, throbbing pain. The devil of agony. He shivered at the mere memory of that cruel pain. He had feigned death in order that no one would harm him any longer. But they had done so all the same. They had yelled and had hurt his helpless body still more. Then the voice had come and had saved him from his agony. When he had heard the voice he had decided in favour of life. Now Obi-Wan resolved it was time to open his eyes again. The first thing which met his eye was his beloved X-Wing 67A. Oh, good, he was at home. Next moment someone squealed "Obi-Wan!!!" and something landed on top of him and crushed him. He tried desperately to get up again but it was pointless. He got hair inside his mouth and spat and gasped for breath. In addition to that a long braid flew around his face. Hey, wait, that's my Padawan-braid… Anakin?
"Anakin, are you trying to kill me?!" he uttered with difficulty.
"Oh thank you, thank you for waking up!" Anakin cheered. "I have to tell Qui-Gon immediately!"
Finally, Anakin let go of him and stormed out of the room. Obi-Wan heard him shout "Master!!! Qui-Gon!!!" Something stirred inside of him when he heard Anakin shout like this. There was something in his voice… It was the voice. Obi-Wan was dead certain, he would have recognized it among thousands. How strange… Anakin?
Obi-Wan sat up in bed and was just about to get up when the door of his room burst open and Qui-Gon rushed in, Anakin on his heels.
"Obi-Wan – you – you – "
Horrified Obi-Wan backed away but Qui-Gon flung himself on Obi-Wan as Anakin had done before, and hugged him very tightly such that all the breath was squeezed out of him.
"Master – help!" With all his strength Obi-Wan pushed Qui-Gon back a little. Fortunately Qui-Gon let go of him then. "Argh." Obi-Wan glared at both of them. "Are you trying to choke me or what's all of this supposed to mean?"
"See?" Anakin grinned at Qui-Gon. "He's back to normal. I told you so."
"Anakin." There was a distinct warning in Qui-Gon's voice. Surprised Obi-Wan looked from Anakin to Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon used to call the boy "Ani" or "Padawan". "Anakin" meant he was really angry at him. And that happened very, very rarely. Normally, Qui-Gon overlooked all of Anakin's faults and his pranks. He was truly besotted with the boy. But the way he was glaring at Anakin now… and the way Anakin's grin vanished at once and made way for a frightened and…guilty (?) expression…
Obviously I missed something…
"That nothing worse happened", Qui-Gon continued strictly, "does not mean – wait", he paused and gave Obi-Wan a penetrating glance. "Obi-Wan, do you still…? What's your name?"
Obi-Wan could not control himself any longer. He burst into loud laughing. He still did not know exactly what was going on but it was fun nevertheless. Qui-Gon, however, cast him a worried look. "Obi-Wan, what's wrong?" he asked urgently.
Obi-Wan caught Anakin's eye. The boy grinned shyly at him, though he took care Qui-Gon did not notice it. Obi-Wan pulled himself together because he realized Qui-Gon was worrying deeply about him. "I'm fine, really. I'm in brilliant form and I remember everything: My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi and I'm a Jedi-Knight. You are Qui-Gon Jinn and you were my Master. That's Anakin Skywalker, your present Padawan. Besides, I didn't laugh because I'm insane but because you asked a really stupid question."
"Did I?"
"Yes, you did", Anakin interfered. "You asked: Obi-Wan, what's your name?"
"I see." Smiling, Qui-Gon stroked his beard. "I guess it was a pretty stupid question."
"Yeah", Obi-Wan and Anakin agreed simultaneously. Only now did Obi-Wan notice how exhausted Qui-Gon and Anakin looked. They had dark circles around their eyes and hollow cheeks. "I think I should move out of the bed", Obi-Wan said. "Thanks for letting me sleep here, Anakin." He got up but all of a sudden Qui-Gon and Anakin started shouting (that he was "mad" and that he must remain lying) and shooed him back to bed.
"And you call me insane?" he said incredulously while trying to free himself from Qui-Gon's grip, who pinned him to the bed.
"Obi-Wan, you need to recover", Qui-Gon said mildly but authoritatively.
What nonsense! He had recovered long enough, hadn't he? He felt lively and well rested and he just did not get why Qui-Gon made such a fuss about it and handled him with kid gloves. He told Qui-Gon that: "I've really slept long enough."
"You were unconscious", Qui-Gon explained patiently.
"Whatever, but I feel recovered."
"You will stay in bed", Qui-Gon said in a tone which did not tolerate contradiction.
Obi-Wan let himself fall back into the cushions exasperatedly. "Ok, ok, I will stay in bed. But then please enlighten me what's going on."
"Alright. You've been unconscious for three weeks."
"Ah." Obi-Wan tried to hide his surprise. He had reckoned rather with three days. "What became of my mission on Kanaanda?" He should not have mentioned this because Qui-Gon got terribly overexcited again.
"What became of it? Mace Windu finished it. One of the best Masters! And he had his hands full! What does the Council think of sending a young Knight there on his own! And why didn't you tell me?"
"Oh…" That did not sound good. Qui-Gon seemed to be outraged about it. Obi-Wan cast a sidelong glance at Anakin. The boy shrugged sympathetically. "I got the assignment unexpectedly", he said not very convincingly "and I had to leave immediately. If I'd had the time, I would have sought your advice before." The assignment had been unexpected and he had not had much time but that was only half the truth. To be honest, he had been surprised himself when he had got that assignment. Kanaanda was notorious. He had not agreed to go on the mission without worry and he had known Qui-Gon was going to be anything but enthused. Nevertheless, he had been proud of the fact that the Council entrusted him with such a difficult task and naturally he did not want to be considered a coward. He had had no choice but to go on the mission. And to be honest: Everything had gone off smoothly. Who could have reckoned with that guy doing such a suicidal stunt and attacking Obi-Wan onboard his starfighter? Obi-Wan could tell Qui-Gon was not satisfied with his answer, so he detracted from it by asking Anakin: "Have you been to Ilum in the meantime and do you have your own lightsabre now?"
Anakin started to answer but Qui-Gon cut him off. "There was no time for such business."
"Because I'm afraid I lost my lightsabre and so I need a new one. I thought we could go there together." Not so long ago Qui-Gon would have been thrilled by Obi-Wan's suggestion – the fact that Obi-Wan was willing to spend time together with Anakin. Today it did not help to conciliate Qui-Gon, though. Anakin, on the other hand, was completely rapt.
"Oh yes, let's do this! When are we going there, Qui-Gon?"
"Before we go anywhere it would be appropriate you apologized."
Anakin shrank under Qui-Gon's severe gaze. "Sorry", he mumbled.
"Er – what for?" Obi-Wan asked, completely taken by surprise. He could picture dozens of things Anakin had to apologize for, but nothing which would make Qui-Gon that angry at Anakin. I really must have missed something. Anakin was shamefaced and remained silent, so Qui-Gon spoke again.
"It would be better if you learn of it in case there are any after-effects. Anakin was obviously under the impression he could help you like that, so he secretly entered your head – your mind – to do there…whatever."
Obi-Wan's hand went involuntarily to his head. He had expected something of the sort but that Anakin had been inside his mind… "I see. What did my head look like from the inside?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin in order to ease the whole situation.
"Pretty chaotic." Anakin giggled at his own words.
"Anakin, that's not funny!" Qui-Gon snapped at his Padawan. "Anything could have happened! Just because nothing happened, you mustn't believe you did a heroic deed!"
"Qui-Gon, let's forget about it, ok?" Obi-Wan appeased. "I'm still alive and I'm really fine. Who knows if I'd be still alive without Anakin's help. I guess I should be grateful you picked him up on Tatooine."
"But it could have gone horribly wrong", Qui-Gon insisted.
Obi-Wan smiled a tad. "Since when is the what-if important? The present is the most important moment and at the present I'm fine. And I'm sure Anakin has learned his lesson."
"Yes, I did", Anakin confirmed quickly.
"Right", Obi-Wan said, "then I suggest you two rest a bit. You seem quite exhausted to me – physically and mentally. I would like to give this bed back but I'm afraid you're not going to allow it."
"That's absolutely right", Qui-Gon retorted strictly but he was smiling.