Chapter Nineteen

Qui-Gon gazed out at the passing cityscape of Coruscant as the speederbus made its way towards the Jedi Temple. Even this late at night the city-wide planet bustled with activity, its majestic kilometer high spires and dazzling lights a dramatic backdrop to the affairs of the billions of sentient beings who lived on it.

He turned away from the window and glanced at Aalea who had drifted off to sleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Obi-Wan sat across from him, his legs stretched out in front of him, his boots crossed at the ankles. He was awake but stared quietly out the window. He had been silent during their ride and Qui-Gon saw he was half-asleep.

He supposed he should not have let them drink so much wine, but he hadn't seen any harm in it and it had been Obi-Wan's birthday dinner after all. And as Qui-Gon thought about the dinner, he found himself thinking about Cian.

For a moment, when they had been alone in her bedroom and he had looked down into her dark gray eyes, he had felt something stir inside him. Something he had not felt in a long time. And she had looked so incredibly lovely.

A corner of his mouth curled up. She had filled out some since he'd last seen her, but in a way that drew a man's eyes to those parts of a woman that were the most delightful to look upon.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes as he brought to mind how she had looked. That gown she'd been wearing had called attention to her softly rounded hips and beautiful full breasts.

A surge of heat pulsed through him. He shook his head, opened his eyes and took a deep breath, quickly focusing on a meditation that would subdue the currents of desire that were swirling through his blood. Cian was going to be married and any chance Qui-Gon had had her with was now past. He would have to remember that.

The speederbus stopped and Aalea and Obi-Wan both woke up. The driver asked Qui-Gon if he needed help getting the two inside, but Qui-Gon thanked him and assured him he could handle it.

He took both of them by the arms and walked them into the Temple. Since it was late the corridors had been largely empty.

Qui-Gon pressed open the door to Obi-Wan's quarters. He had decided to drop Obi-Wan off first, then take Aalea to her quarters. As Qui-Gon entered, he steered Aalea to the settee in the common area. She sat slowly. He then led Obi-Wan into his sleep room.

As the young Jedi looked over at his bed, a wide smile spread across his face. Without a word he collapsed on it and fell asleep.

Qui-Gon frowned. He picked up the holovid disk which had slipped from Obi-Wan's hand and laid it on a shelf. He then leaned over and removed Obi-Wan's robe and boots. He pulled the coverlet over him and brushed his hand across his hair.

Sleep well, Obi-Wan. And happy birthday. He turned and went back into the common area.

Aalea had disappeared.

Qui-Gon walked around to the front of the settee. She was lying on it, her knees pulled up to her chest, her robe wrapped snugly around her. She was asleep.

Qui-Gon sighed. He knelt down and picked her up. She nestled her head into his shoulder, but didn't wake.

He carried her to her quarters. He slid open the door and took her into her sleep room, laying her gently on the bed. As with Obi-Wan, he removed only her robe and boots. As he was pulling the coverlet over her, she woke up.

"Master," she said smiling. "Where am I?"

"You're in your quarters in the Temple."

"Is Master Ke-Ondra here?"

"No, Aalea, he's not here. He's in the Healers' wing, remember?"

She pushed herself up to a sitting position. Qui-Gon sighed. He had hoped to leave before she awoke.

"I miss him," she said softly.

"You must have faith Master Ke-Ondra will recover." Yet even as Qui-Gon spoke the words he knew how hollow they sounded. Ke-Ondra had remained in serious condition ever since he and Obi-Wan had brought him back from Faronta. Chances for a full recovery were slim.

"What if he doesn't recover?" Aalea cried. "I'll no longer have a master. I'll have to leave the Order, won't I?"

Qui-Gon sat next to her on the bed.

"Of course not. At least not right away. You'll have an entire year in which to find someone to take you as their padawan. But, let's not talk of that. Ke-Ondra will recover. I understand you've been visiting him everyday."

Aalea leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Yes, I have," she said softly. "It's so hard seeing him like that. Paralyzed." She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so lonely without him."

Qui-Gon put his arm around her.

"You're not alone, Aalea. I will always be here for you."

"I wish you were my master," she said. "Not because of what happened to Master Ke-Ondra, of course," she added quickly. "I know how lucky I was to have someone like him pick me as their padawan. But, I wanted so much to be your padawan, too. For as long as I could remember. And then you chose him," and her voice hardened slightly.

"Aalea, you mustn't talk that way about Obi-Wan. It's not his fault I chose him."

"Obi-Wan." She sniffed disdainfully. "He thinks he's the very model of the perfect Jedi." She made a dismissive gesture. "And why you would choose someone who likes that awful 'Scarlet Baron of Corellia' trilogy is beyond me, Master."

Qui-Gon laughed softly. Aalea slipped her arms about his waist and snuggled deeper against his shoulder. A faint alarm went off in his head.

"I would like for you and Obi-Wan to try and be friends," he said.

"We can try," Aalea said and Qui-Gon suspected trying was about all he was going to get from her for the time being.

Qui-Gon moved slightly.

"It's late, Aalea. You should get some rest."

Aalea's arms tightened about his waist. She looked up at him and he was again struck by how beautiful she had become.

"Master?" she said softly. Qui-Gon noted her voice was slightly slurred.

"Yes, Aalea?"

"I love you."

"And I love you," he said automatically, as he had ever since she was a child, but the alarms in his head wailed when he saw the expression which blossomed on her face.

"You do?" she said breathlessly, her arms sliding up and around his neck.

"Of course, Aalea, you know---" but before Qui-Gon could finish, Aalea lifted her face up to his and kissed him.

For a moment, Qui-Gon couldn't believe what was happening. Aalea's arms tightened about his neck and he could feel her heart beating wildly against him. And, as she pressed her lips urgently onto his, the alarms in his head screamed. He quickly pulled away from her.

She stared back at him, her eyes wide. Gently, Qui-Gon drew her arms from about his neck.

Realization of what she had done dawned on her face.

"Oh, Master!" she cried. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me."

"It's all right, Aalea. It's over now."

She lifted her hands to her face. "What must you think of me!"

"I think nothing of you, Aalea, except that you are a very lovely young woman."

"I didn't mean---. I'm so sorry----" Tears brimmed in her eyes.

Qui-Gon was troubled at how distraught she was becoming.

"Aalea, don't upset yourself. It's all right."

"You're not angry with me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course not. Now, lay down and go to sleep."

Aalea laid down, but he could see the distress in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"We'll talk later. Get some rest," he said.

Aalea nodded. Tears glistened on her cheeks. Qui-Gon was tempted to wipe them away, as he had done when she was a child, but something told him not to. He got up from the bed.

"Good night, Aalea."

"Good night, Master."

Qui-Gon turned and left. When the door slid closed behind him, he stood for a moment and took a deep breath. Although he had not let Aalea see it, her kiss had upset him greatly. He needed to talk with someone about it. Cian. Yes, she was the closet thing Aalea had to a mother. He would discuss this with her tomorrow. Maybe she could help him understand what had just happened and what he should do about it.

To be continued....