A/N - A follow up of sorts to the last chapter, title pretty much explains it all, enjoy!

Dooku's Request

Obi-Wan glanced down at his data-pad and groaned inwardly at what he saw, he had performed terribly on another astro-physics assignment which of course meant he would be surely getting another earful from Qui-Gon later. No matter how much work he put into the subject he always fell short of others, one of those others being Garen Muln who rather-annoyingly was busy literally jumping with joy over his stellar results.

"Master Piello says if I keep this up he will enrol me into advanced classes next semester." Garen grinned like a cheshire cat as he and his friends walked out and away from their last class.

"That's great Garen." Obi-Wan muttered dejectedly, not managing to allow his pleasure for his friend shine through over his own disappointing results.

"Did you not do so great again?" Garen whirled to ask his friend genuine compassion and pity shining through which only served to increase Obi-Wan's own embarrassment.

"See for yourself." Obi-Wan mumbled as he pushed the incriminating data pad into his friend's arms.

Bant reached over to look at the results also believing Obi-Wan to be melodramatic. He spied her grimace even though she attempted to hide it which only proved that he wasn't being a drama queen about the affair. Garen whistled and raised his brows over the results, rendering him oddly speechless.

"What am I gonna do?" Obi-Wan exasperatedly asked his friends who looked as stumped as he, at least they weren't rubbing it in his face. They could always see when something meant so much to Obi-Wan and that he would be honestly offended by mocking.

"I could help you study if you want Obe's." Garen offered the data pad back and smiled slightly at his friend, wanting the gravitas mood to be lifted.

Obi-Wan sighed as he was handed back the proof of his failure, he did not like to burden others with his own problems but he was not so proud that he ignored the fact he needed help. Garen was a natural at this stuff after all.

"Thanks Garen, I would really appreciate that."

"Anytime Obi."

The two boy's grinned at one another as they felt part of the weight being lifted off of Obi-Wan's shoulders, they headed back off towards the residence area of the temple again.

Obi-Wan clasped his friend round the shoulders and thanked the force he was blessed with such people in his life, when it truly mattered he knew these people would always be there for him. Garen, Bant, Tahl, Siri, his Master…

Thinking back to Qui-Gon had Obi-Wan's anxiety rise a notch, he would still have to tell his Master of the results and sit through silent disappointment for some time. Qui-Gon would always say he wasn't disappointed of course but how could he not be? Obi-Wan sometimes felt he was trying too hard to live up to his Master's name, that perhaps the aspirations were futile. Of course he would try all the same even with the knowledge that there really wasn't such a thing as trying, only to do or do not.

"You worried about what your Master's gonna say?" Garen knew Obi-Wan better than most, they had literally grown up together so were beyond close. If Obi-Wan was honest his childhood friend was perhaps the only person in the entire galaxy who knew him completely, all of their secrets were shared and burdens shouldered. So of course Garen would see what was bothering his friend in a heartbeat.

"Yes… Mathematics is for droids…" Obi-Wan complained bitterly.

Garen chuckled at the common joke which only make Obi-Wan wish his Master would see the brighter side also, it was not as if Obi-Wan hadn't studied for the test's and assignments, he had. It just never seemed to click in his brain properly.

"You'll get it no time with Garen's help." Bant added helpfully.

Obi-Wan and Garen smiled at their mon calamari friend who had until now kept silent on the topic, Bant was usually the quiet one out of the trio though. She would calmly stand back and watch as the boy's wrestled fiercely or got caught in some heated debate. Obi-Wan recognised why, she never wanted to take sides and they loved her for it.

Obi-Wan went to utter his thanks again to his friends for their help and their quest to raise his spirits, the words got caught in his throat however as he spotted the reason which had his friends so quiet all of a sudden. The trio had actually come to a stop as they recognised who had just joined their corridor even if it were from afar. The silver haired man locked eyes with Obi-Wan, looked right at him through him even. The stare had Obi-Wan on edge immediately and sent shivers through his body, there was something in the man's gaze which was not right.

A second later the man scowled, pivoted and stormed off in the opposite direction leaving Obi-Wan and his friends truly speechless but mostly confused. Obi-Wan could feel the anger coiling around the man as he lost sight of him again, the wake he left was tremendous however Obi-Wan had never really seen somebody with such a force signature.

He could feel the burning gazes of his friend's bore into the nape of his neck as the trio remained silent and still, they had evidently noticed who the center of the newcomer's attention had been, Obi-Wan.

"What was all that about?" Garen whispered urgently as more Jedi filled the corridors again, forcing the trio to stumble forwards on their previous heading.

Obi-Wan thought through all of his previous encounters with Master's just to make sure he hadn't missed anything, he had not. Obi-Wan had never met the man before yet he had just received a rather cold and aggressive greeting. Obi-Wan couldn't understand it what had he done?

"I don't know Garen." Obi-Wan answered honestly, his voice shaking a little.

What could have made the Jedi Master so angry? Obi-Wan deduced he must have done something to upset the man whether he remembered it or not. Qui-Gon would certainly not be pleased…

"Was that Master Dooku?" Bant's timid voice broke through Obi-Wan's perilous musings.

It was then he realised they had reached the point in their journey where they would have to part ways, he turned to Garen to see if he had recognised the man also. The both of them had seen images of various Jedi Master's in their out of hours research and Dooku had been one of them. Obi-Wan had never seen the revered Master in the flesh, only read about his famous missions and of course knew that the man was Qui-Gon's Master. Obi-Wan was part of the Jedi Master's lineage.

The thought sparked another, was that why the man scowled and turned away? He had recognised who had come after him and was not impressed, more than not impressed the Jedi had been visibly angry. Obi-Wan had always wondered why Qui-Gon had not introduced the pair of them, perhaps the reason was quite simply that his Master was embarrassed of him. His recent test scores certainly backed up the theory. Obi-Wan would not blame Qui-Gon if that was the case he could in no way stand up to his Master's standards let alone Dooku's. It would just be nice to know.

Obi-Wan looked up to his friends again and noted their worried expressions, it was then he caught on to the fact that he still hadn't answered Bant and that he had been uncharacteristically quiet.

"Sorry Bant." He began quickly attempting to reassure his friends by grinning albeit meekly, "Yes I believe that was."

His friends didn't say anything further, they both knew neither of them could say anything to derail Obi-Wan's self-destructive thoughts now, not after what just happened. Whatever the explanation it was certainly not good.

Obi-Wan made the decision to brave heading home to Qui-Gon, he would ask the Jedi Master directly about Dooku and live with the answers even if it turned out to be his worst fears. Obi-Wan had never wanted to let his Master down but perhaps he had done so inadvertently. He bid goodbye to his friends, promising to come to them if he needed their company and started to head back to his and Qui-Gon's shared quarters.

No matter how hard Obi-Wan tried he could not pick up his miserable mood, even to greet his Master with. The more he thought about the encounter the worse he became, Obi-Wan realised he was brooding. No wonder Qui-Gon always admonished the act, it only led to the thoughts spinning round his head to double the effect of what had already happened.

Obi-Wan eventually reached their quarters and sighed heavily before walking in, he could feel his Master inside and identified the man to be in a pleasant mood. That pleasant mood would not last for long once Obi-Wan instigated this conversation, but he knew he had to do it, he had to know.

Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan coming long before his Padawan made it to the front door, he could sense the boy's brooding from miles away. He sighed as once again Obi-Wan had not heeded his advice over the matter, when left to his own thoughts his Padawan had usually blown any minor problem into something far bigger. It was up to Qui-Gon to then talk calmly and rationally to his Padawan until the boy realised how blown out of proportion his musings were, it was a full time job honestly. The stray thought brought a smile to Qui-Gon's face as he continued on with food preparation, he could feel Obi-Wan outside of the apartment now and it seemed the boy was on fine form.

True to form Obi-Wan dragged himself into the room slowly, meekly glancing up from the floor to meet Qui-Gon's greeting gaze. Qui-Gon stopped what he was doing immediately as he really looked at his apprentice, this wasn't the usual bad test result he could feel it. This was something else entirely that had rattled Obi-Wan immensely, now it was Qui-Gon's turn to frown.

"Obi-Wan what is it?" His attempt to keep the anxiety out of his tone did not work in the slightest but Obi-Wan was far too occupied with the floor again to notice.

"I saw Master Dooku today." His Padawan muttered dejectedly.

Qui-Gon slammed the knife down upon the side rather too aggressively which caused his Padawan to flinch in response, he was livid. Qui-Gon had forbid his Master to talk to Obi-Wan and he had meant it, how dare the man go back on his word like that? Qui-Gon attempted to calm his rapidly building emotions as he realised Obi-Wan was feeling them, it was doing the pair of them more harm than good and Dooku had already done enough in the first place.

"Did he approach you?" Qui-Gon attempted to ask the question as calmly as he could, he noted his hands were clenching the sideboard so hard his knuckles had turned white.

Obi-Wan shook his head silently which had Qui-Gon release a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding, perhaps his Master hadn't gone back on his word entirely the fact still remained however that something must have rattled Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan lifted his gaze to stare directly into his Master's eyes as he asked a question which almost had Qui-Gon stumble in shock, had him so off his guard that perhaps he thought he had imagined the query all together.

"Are you embarrassed of me Master?"

Qui-Gon blinked twice in quick succession as the question truly left him utterly speechless, he would never have been able to guess what his Padawan had just asked, in his own mind it was unthinkable. He realised absently Obi-Wan was still waiting patiently on an answer, deadly serious still over his belief in the affirmative of the question. How could his Padawan think such a thing?

"No Obi-Wan never." Qui-Gon dropped all of his preparation tools and moved to his Padawan's side, noting the slight trembling in the boy's legs. "Why ever would you think such a thing Padawan?"

Again with the distant look, Obi-Wan gazed upon the floor again and sighed, most likely thinking back on the reason why he was asking such a question. Qui-Gon was truly worried that his word had not been enough to avert Obi-Wan's mind, he had obviously put some thought into the absurdity for the roots to be so deep-set in his mind. Qui-Gon mused that perhaps he hadn't praised his Padawan as much as he should have done, perhaps that plus whatever had Obi-Wan caught up on this had made the ill conceived notion add up in his own mind.

Eventually Obi-Wan answered although he kept his gaze to the floor and spoke with no emotion, all of the vibrant life and passion which would usually be there was just gone.

"Master Dooku saw me, he looked straight at me and then he just turned and was gone. He was scowling Master, I could feel his disappointment from where I was standing." His head whipped up, almost angrily as he addressed Qui-Gon again. "Why have you never introduced us if not for embarrassment?"

Qui-Gon sighed miserably over the news, Obi-Wan would have mis-read Dooku's disappointment to be aimed at him. Clearly the man was angry and resentful over Qui-Gon's impeachment. Obi-Wan was shaking visibly now and even had the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes, Qui-Gon could see now why the roots had taken hold in his Padawan's mind, it all added up in some convoluted way.

He steered the Padawan towards the cushions and sat him down before he lost his battle with gravity, the boy was still valiantly fighting with the oncoming tears which had Qui-Gon nearly lose all of his battles over emotions also. He was so blasted angry with his Master right now, Dooku as always did not think of what his actions would do to others so Obi-Wan had born the brunt of it.

"You have it the wrong way round Padawan." Qui-Gon started when they were both seated. "I am not embarrassed of you, I am embarrassed of him."

Obi-Wan's eyes bulged and his mouth appeared to hit the floor as it hung open agape, it was not often Qui-Gon rendered the boy utterly speechless. It was a shame he couldn't make a joke about it really but matters were far too precarious and serious.

"But he was your Master?" Obi-Wan finally found his words only stuttering slightly, young mind utterly befuddled as to how Qui-Gon could utter such disrespect for his own Master.

"He is…" Qui-Gon struggled with a diplomatic word to use, realising that this man was still a revered Jedi Master and not wanting to stain the image too much. "… a unique Jedi."

Obi-Wan was smart and perceptive for his age so the attempted aversion was noted and understood completely, in this case unique was not a good thing. Obi-Wan frowned over the revelations as everything he had ever read about the famed Jedi Master was called into question, the problem with text and mission reports however were that they were biased to a point of view mostly written by Dooku himself. Qui-Gon knew the real Dooku, had been witness to it for years.

"I don't mean to dis-respect him Obi-Wan, he put a lot of work into training me." Qui-Gon thought back on his own Padawan years as he began to try and explain the unthinkable to Obi-Wan. "The truth is not many know him as I do, know what he is capable of."

The way Qui-Gon used the word had Obi-Wan shiver, he had caught onto the meaning immediately and Qui-Gon wondered if perhaps he too had sensed something in their short interlude, had seen a tiny slither of the darkness that lay within.

Qui-Gon watched silently as the cogs in Obi-Wan's brain turned, as his brilliant mind connected dots quicker than Qui-Gon ever had as a child, he would say it again this boy had a very tactical mind.

"You asked him to stay away from me." It was neither a question or an opinion, Obi-Wan knew it to be fact before the words ever left his lips.

"I did. He requested a meeting between the two of you and I refused." He didn't let on to more of the tale, not wanting to burden Obi-Wan with the repercussions of it.

"That day when you met me after training…" Obi-Wan pondered as all of the facts connected, Qui-Gon marvelled at just how fast his Padawan's mind worked.

"He ambushed me when I was watching over your training." Qui-Gon confirmed. "Safe to say he was not pleased when I refused him, that would be why he scowled earlier. He would have been remembering our last encounter and the fact I denied him access to you."

Obi-Wan pondered some more and Qui-Gon was elated when the tears that had been forming were wiped away, his Padawan had been proven wrong over his deepest worries.

"Why?"

Qui-gon was surprised at the loaded question, he had never thought Obi-Wan would question his judgment. As he stared at his Padawan who now could have passed off as a Jedi Master with the way he was composing himself Qui-Gon realised he would not reprimand Obi-Wan for questioning him, he deserved to know.

"Master Dooku would not be beneficial to your training, in fact I would go as far to say he would hamper it at present. He has rather extreme views on the political landscape and skirts rather too closely to the dark with his studies of the dark side."

Obi-Wan's eyes grew as wide as saucers when Qui-Gon mentioned the dark side, this was precisely why he didn't want his young Padawan mixing with someone like that at such a tender age. Obi-Wan was at the point in his life when everything was in front of him, he could truly be anything so quite rightly Qui-Gon did not want a volatile persona like Dooku brought into the mix.

"Does the Council know?"

Qui-Gon felt shame creep up the back of his neck as he prepared to answer Obi-Wan truthfully, no-one truly knew Dooku as Qui-Gon did.

"Not everything…"

Obi-Wan looked away shocked at the revelation, quick mind realising a lot of the events must have happened when Qui-Gon was as young as he.

"Master Dooku is an exceedingly cold man, he does not trust over the fear of betrayal and because of it he is lonely. He condemns compassion and sentiment believing the emotions weak, trust me Obi-Wan he calls my compassion a failing of his teaching. No good would come out of you meeting him now."

Qui-Gon thought back to the worst memories with Dooku, he had witnessed his Master on the brink of falling when they had chased down a childhood friend of Dooku's who had betrayed him, Lorian Nod. Qui-Gon would never forget the fear in the man's eyes as he realised as Qui-Gon had that Dooku was going to kill him in cold blood. Qui-Gon had only just got through to his Master that day…

He would also never forget what his Master had told him before they parted ways as Master and apprentice, he had warned Qui-Gon fiercely over compassion and told him not to truly trust anyone over the fear of being burned. It had always made Qui-Gon pity the man more when he realised just how truly lonely he must feel, how isolated he had become.

"How could you stand it?" Obi-Wan asked quietly, child-like eyes wide and in disbelief over the tale.

"Oh, it wasn't all bad." Qui-Gon allowed himself to smile genuinely as he realised truly it hadn't all been that way, he and Dooku had good memories also and Qui-Gon knew for a fact that he was the closest that Dooku had got to someone since the friend who had betrayed him.

When Qui-Gon looked back at Obi-Wan he saw now that his Padawan understood his decision to shield him from Dooku, it was for his future.

"Xanatos met with him didn't he?" Again with the quick and perceptive mind.

Qui-Gon nodded as he shut away the painful memories. "All the time Padawan."

They both sat there in silence, contemplating as the sun distantly set, casting eerie shadows around their cosy quarters. The pair almost got too lost in their own thoughts before Obi-Wan broke the pensive quiet.

"Thank you for explaining Master, I trust your judgement on this."

Qui-Gon smiled at his Padawan and marvelled at just how old he looked in the new light, he was handling the situation far better than Qui-Gon had ever imagined. Perhaps he was being over-protective of his Padawan, reasonably the boy could handle Dooku after all. Qui-Gon was not willing to find out though, not when there was so much at stake.

"Do you think there will be a time when I am ready to meet him?" Obi-Wan queried seriously. Qui-Gon kept the automatic thought that followed quietly to himself, whether Obi-Wan was ever ready or not Qui-Gon did not think he ever could be.

Qui-Gon should not have been surprised by the request really. Obi-Wan was a curious fellow and Dooku was an intriguing man even with all of his faults.

"Perhaps when you have passed your trials and been knighted young one." Qui-Gon ruffled the Padawan's hair playfully which elicited a high-pitch giggle, he did not want to wish away Obi-Wan's youth in the slightest. As much as he wished for it, he and Obi-Wan would not remain the same age nor would they remain Master and Padawan forever, Qui-Gon dreaded the day where he would have to let his apprentice go, it would certainly be with a heavy heart.

Obi-Wan looked serious again as he contemplated the answer, formulating his own in the process.

"I would like that Master, with you there of course." Obi-Wan grinned again before more pressing matters had his attention again, a grumbling stomach.

Qui-Gon chuckled as his apprentice leapt towards the preparations that Qui-Gon had abandoned and picked up where his Master left off. He thought back to Obi-Wan's last thought as he watched his Padawan prepare their meal. Would it truly be a good thing for Obi-Wan and Dooku to meet when they were both older?

He mused that with Obi-Wan's trials passed the young man's ability to handle himself against Dooku would not be in question, he wasn't completely sure if it was now, truly it was his own anxiety and worry which was stopping this at present. He tried to imagine the three of them sitting down just to talk and was pleasantly surprised with the feeling of it, strangely it felt like an odd sort of family gathering. There was the usual debate of course, Dooku strongly advocating his opinions over the republic and Senate however instead of just Qui-Gon advocating the Jedi and democracy his Padawan was there too.

Obi-Wan was just as fierce as Dooku was but for the opposite side, a formidable opponent. Obi-Wan was an expert in debates just as Dooku, he had his quick and tactical mind to thank for that. Qui-Gon imagined more meetings and witnessed a bond forming between the trio, not only that he actually imagined his old Master laughing. Miraculously Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were joyous too, enjoying a lively debate as equals and Qui-Gon realised that perhaps his Padawan was right. It would do him good to be part of different viewpoints in the future after all, Dooku was a pessimist entirely but Qui-Gon had to admit his Master had seen more of the galaxy than he and Obi-Wan combined. He had more reason to think and see things the way he did, more than once in their own apprenticeship Dooku's callousness had actually ended up saving them.

He told Obi-Wan and Tahl that there was more to the man that lay on the surface, their was a growing darkness which worried Qui-Gon to this day, his Master had so far managed to keep a lid on it but who knew when it would be unleashed? What he shamefully hadn't told them though was that there was an equal hidden side to his Master which nobody had ever seen, underneath everything there was good there and Qui-Gon would go far as to say love. It was the true reason why he had been able to brave it all as a Padawan, that small hope that every now and again he would see what his Master could have been, what he had the potential to be and Qui-Gon would sit through the bad if it meant that he could help his Master be happy. He couldn't stand it to think that nobody ever saw what lay beneath, perhaps Obi-Wan could too and Dooku could be the better for it.

Perhaps it was more of a question of what was good for his old Master rather than what was good for them, Qui-Gon had always pitied Dooku for being so lonely. Maybe he didn't have to be.

As Qui-Gon thought over all of this he came to a rather shocking realisation, one he hadn't thought to even consider.

"I think I would like that too Padawan."

Obi-Wan started as he heard the unexpected response, he flashed a brilliant smile as the picture of the three of them conversing traversed their bond, as equals.

Qui-Gon watched as his Padawan continued on with the cooking and allowed a wide grin to spread across his face as he thought of the future, of how good it would feel for the three of them to get to know one another when the dangers of youth had passed, when Obi-Wan and he could stand side by side as brothers of the order.

For now however he would do as he always had, live in the present moment and simply enjoy Obi-Wan's Padawan years.

A/N - Not sure what the next tale will be but as always as soon as I have written it I will post it :)

Until next time...