A/N If you are all enjoying Qui-Gon's character, I will soon have a new story up, called Jinxing Jinn in which the story is told from Qui-Gon's POV, be on the lookout for it, and for those of you who love Obi-Wan and Anakin and the like check out my original trilogy...the Destiny Trilogy containing Different Destiny, Twist of Fate, and the unpublished Choice of the Chosen

Release

After weeks in the medcenter, Tyrone Dooku was finally being released. He knew he wasn't a good patient, he hated being sick or injured. Tyrone loved to learn, and he believed knowledge was the key to everything, the key to breaking the chains of society, the key to peace. Qui-Gon, Master Yoda, Master Thame, and practically every member of the Council had been to visit him at least once. Tyrone had even heard that Nioman had been by to visit him. Qui-Gon had told him how the padawan had come to visit, insisted on seeing Aelynn, his healer. Probably just worried about getting into trouble, Tyrone thought disdainfully, it wasn't as if he cared if Tyrone lived or died. Tyrone was glad to be back into his Jedi attire, he thought, as he fastened his cloak around his neck, looking every bit of the proper Jedi that he was. Even Padawans Windu and Bulq had been to visit him. Mace had laughed and joked with him reminding him of the bet he had lost and how he owed both him and Padawan Bulq lunch. Tyrone put his feet into his boots, and though he still had bouts of weakness he was much stronger than he had been weeks ago, at least he wouldn't faint as he had at the funeral.

Tyrone's padawan was brought to him, as it was Tyrone's job to finish his training and he wasn't even close. Aelynn showed up with a smile as she handed him a familiar curved cylinder object. It was his lightsaber. "Here's your saber Dooku," she snipped professionally as she tossed it to Tyrone who easily caught it with the Force and ignited the emerald blade, staring down at the green hue for a moment, before disengaging the energy and clipping it to his belt. "I better not see any saber wounds coming through for a long time, ya hear me?"

"I hear you, Aelynn," Tyrone said with a half-smirk, half smile on his face, he had grown to tolerate the Fosh, even enjoy a few jokes between them. "And I didn't intend on this one."

"Take it easy, Knight Dooku, and look after the padawan for me."

"You have my word, on that Aelynn as long as I'm with him, no harm will come to Qui-Gon Jinn."

"I'll take your word for that, I know Jedi are men and women of their word, and Qui-Gon is unique," she commented. She frowned, and then after a beat, she added, "I like him." Qui-Gon nodded, and picked up his satchel, which Qui-Gon had brought him so he could keep up his appearance, as well as a datapad to keep up on the latest events in the Temple. Tyrone had had many visitors and he was eager not only to get away from the medcenter but from the privy eyes of all those that had looked at him with pity. Tyrone's stomach growled and he looked down at his padawan who was suddenly at his side, having appeared while Tyrone got his stuff together.

"I'm hungry, Master," he commented. "And if that's any indication so are you," he said with an impish smile.

"Well then, let's find Senior Padawans Windu and Bulq, it seems I owe them lunch, and I'll even let you pick the spot," Tyrone said as they headed past the medward and toward their quarters. Tyrone past many Jedi who gave him looks of pity. Tyrone was tired of the pity and the sympathy though he knew some of it was that he had had to deal with Aelynn, she wasn't as bad as he had originally thought though he doubted they would ever be friends. Tyrone smiled as they entered their quarters and Tyrone went to empty his bag and put his things away.

Qui-Gon stood in their living quarters turning on the HoloNet. Tyrone looked around his sleeping quarters, they were as neat as ever, and everything seemed in place, but he sensed a presence in their quarters. One that didn't belong. Tyrone closed his eyes and focused on the presence. He recognized the presence, it was familiar to him. He went into the sleeping quarters and the presence was stronger. Someone had been in these quarters other than Qui-Gon. Of course, he expected Jedi to check on Qui-Gon while he was indisposed but this was not a member of the Council, but rather a padawan, and not just any padawan but Padawan Nioman Dokoora, the very padawan who was interested in antagonizing the Council. The very padawan who had caused his injury to begin with. This intrusion would not be forgotten, but would be dealt with in time. "Let's go find Padawans Bulq and Windu," Tyrone told him, as he smiled brushing away thoughts of Nioman.

"What about Padawan Dokoora?" Qui-Gon asked. "He is by far the most interesting padawan at the Temple," Qui-Gon explained to him, "I know where he moved to!" he stated excitedly, "He moved the day after the funeral, and he has a new master now!"

Tyrone couldn't believe the impossible position his padawan had put him in, and he wondered just how he was going to weasel out of this one as Qui-Gon looked up at him expectantly, hope shining in his eyes. Tyrone wanted to say yes just to keep that light shining at him, but he just couldn't. He was already going to be paying for four meals, but it was more than that to invite Nioman to lunch and be sitting across from the very man that had put him in this position would be torture, even though Tyrone had covered up for them he didn't want to expose Qui-Gon to any hostility, to any darkness that might exist between the two men. "Qui-Gon," Tyrone started with a sigh, "Padawan Dokoora has just lost his master, I don't know if he would be up for lunch with us."

"He's not as bad as he seems, and he didn't seem that sad when he came to visit," Qui-Gon gushed.

"As you get older and learn more about the Force, you will realize just what emotions flow through people, he may have been hiding his emotions, and he probably had mental shields up that you couldn't block, or penetrate, but soon you will be able to. Your training has only just begun," Tyrone commented, "And you can read me because I'm your master but in time you will be able to read more Jedi."

"But Master, I think he liked me," Qui-Gon said and Tyrone laughed heartily.

"I doubt you have come into contact with anyone that doesn't. Even Aelynn admitted as much to me, and she has a hard time with most of the Jedi. I've never seen anything like it," Tyrone admitted.

"I like Aelynn," Qui-Gon whispered, "I think she's cute," he admitted. Tyrone frowned, was he padawan developing feeling for the Fosh? He hoped he didn't need to have the talk about attachments with his padawan so soon but then again was Tyrone not attached to his padawan? Was it not normal to care for your padawan? Tyrone shook his head as they headed for the quarters of Master Saa and Padawan Windu. The quarters opened moments after he appeared and Tyrone saw a room not much different than the one he shared with Qui-Gon. Padwans Mace Windu and Sora Bulq were inside playing a game of sabaac.

"Padawan Mace Windu, Padawan Sora Bulq, my padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn," he introduced as they stepped inside toward the living quarters, which was just a small round table with two chairs placed across from one another, it made it ideal for the game they were engaged in. Tyrone couldn't help but look around even as the quarters were nearly identical to his own.

"Well, looks like I win," Sora said as he put down his cards. "Read 'em and weep, Mace," he said to his friend. "Hello Qui-Gon, how do you like have Tyrone for a master?"

"Master Dooku is great!" Qui-Gon gushed, "I couldn't be happier with another master," he said and then froze as he bowed respectfully, "I apologize Padawan Bulq for my bluntness and offer my condolences on the death of your master." Tyrone suppressed a laugh, it seemed Qui-Gon had two moods, excited and serious, he thought.

"It's fine, I'm still a Jedi, and I have a new master now," Sora explained, "I'm guessing you learned your manners from Tyrone here."

"Of course, Padawan Bulq."

"Qui-Gon, call me Sora," Sora responded as he turned to Mace, "I assume our new buddy here is ready to pay up," he added, "So should I let you pay or Tyrone?"

"Well as Tyrone is the Jedi Knight, and I'm just a padawanis Nioman," Mace said with a smile, "He can be quick to anger but he's always been a good friend, he just has issues with the Council," Mace said. "He was always close to Master Doliq," Mace explained, "And her death on Tartania hit him pretty hard."

"So you were all on Tartania with Master Dooku?" asked Qui-Gon.

"Yes, we were," Mace continued to answer as Tyrone reflected on the changes in his padawan. "Your own master is a very aspiring leader, even when things looked bleak, Tyrone followed the Jedi way, that's not always easy to do,"

"Really, Master Tyrone?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Well, if Mace says so then I guess that's true, the mission isn't one I care to remember, Qui-Gon," Tyrone said a little gruffly, "Have you ever had ice cream?" Tyrone asked Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon shook his head.

"No, what is it, Master?"

"It's a real treat," Tyrone said mischievously as he ordered a special one for Qui-Gon and a plain vanilla one for him, and it seemed Mace and Sora liked strawberry. Tyrone watched in silence as a chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry was brought out. Qui-Gon took one bite before a smile broke out on his face and he began shoveling the ice cream down his throat, "Not too fast padawan!" Tyrone said and moments later Qui-Gon froze and Tyrone let out a chuckle. "Ice cream headache, you have to eat slowly, padawan. Come along, gentlemen," he said to Sora and Mace, as they walked out enjoying the scenery. Tyrone felt at peace, more at peace than he had felt since the mission to Tartania, he was surrounded by friends, and his own padawan, what could possible go wrong? He had a long future ahead of him, one that would include his new friends, he could see himself as friends with these Jedi, especially Mace Windu, he could see a future in which they were all friends, and Jedi, in which they were on the Council together.