1 Note: This is mush, mush, MUSH the whole short way through. Thank you all
once again for boosting my confidence with those lovely reviews. They've
really encouraged me to want to post more on this site and I hope to do so
and read more fic from all of you soon.
2
3 Catharsis: 7
Weariness had entwined itself deeply within Obi-Wan's bones and he felt so overly exhausted that he thought he might sleep for days without waking.
He smiled faintly, letting Qui-Gon ease him down onto the cot in the tiny resting compartment.
"What's so amusing, Padawan?" Qui-Gon removed the youth's boots and stowed them under the bed.
"I'm just looking forward to sleeping. Not sure when I might want to wake up."
Qui-Gon looked askance at his apprentice, unfastening the dirty tunic. "I'd say you could take your time-but the ride back to Coruscant is only a few hours and the healers are going to want to have a look at you as soon as we get there."
"Oh," Obi-Wan said dispiritedly. "I forgot." He turned doleful eyes on his Master. "Do you think they'll keep me for very long?"
"Perhaps only a few days." Qui-Gon inspected the red welts on the Padawan's back, thinning his lips at the cruel marks. He sat back and caught Obi- Wan's eye. "Does your chest still hurt?"
The teen hesitated only a second before affirming the question with a nod.
Qui-Gon slumped forward, dropping for a moment his stern and collected countenance, and braced his elbows on his knees.
"Do you think something is broken?" he inquired quietly, reaching out to gently prod the bruises.
"Ow!" Obi-Wan shrank back with a scowl. "Maybe."
Qui-Gon's answering chuckle was jaded and soft, and he leaned back in his seat. He regarded his Padawan seriously for a moment.
The teen forced himself not to squirm under the stare and met it soberly. "Master?"
Qui-Gon gestured at the cot. "Lie down, Obi-Wan."
The boy obeyed, stiffly lowering himself down to the flimsy mattress. Immediately, the effects of relaxing onto the cot seeped through him and he groaned. The tenseness seemed to flee his muscles, leave his over wrought body. He knew he had stretched his boundaries that day; broken his limits. While part of him recognized the danger in that, for he knew he would be paying back with an abundance of aches for weeks to come, he could not help the smug sense of satisfaction that arose each time he thought of the seven hour trek to the Mienke Sector and the brief, yet vital, part he had played in their escape.
Even as the horrors that had been inflicted upon him just over the past few days were still painfully fresh in his mind and on his body, Obi-Wan's fears had been put to rest. Qui-Gon still respected him, loved, -wanted- him. The older man had trusted him to carry out his plan and he had done so. He realized that his physical injuries were merely set backs and his early notions of failure could, in fact, be seen as lessons to learn from, albeit severe ones.
But wasn't that what Qui-Gon was always telling him, anyway?
~"Life is one long learning experience, Padawan; a series of tests. Whether you pass or fail them is unimportant. You must only remember to retain the knowledge you gain from these tests and use it in the future."~
Obi-Wan had learned quite a few things, especially about himself. He looked up at his Master expectantly.
"Padawan," Qui-Gon said, covering Obi-Wan with the thick expanse of a warm and heavy blanket, "I need you to know how sorry I am that this happened to you-that I was unable to detect Shahn's presence soon enough in either case." He spoke gravely and Obi-Wan let him continue uninterrupted.
"But I also need you to know this. I understand if this does not mean much to you, Obi-Wan, but I am so proud of you. You have accomplished so much in less than two days-" He spread his palms outward in a gesture of helplessness, though Obi-Wan knew his Master was anything but. "It truly amazes me."
Obi-Wan fairly beamed up at the man.
"It means the galaxy to me, Master, and I don't blame you for a thing."
Qui-Gon touched the boy's brow briefly in an act of fondess and smiled deeply, his eyes sparkling in the artificial light.
"Get rest, now, my Obi-Wan, and I'll wake you in when we arrive."
The End
2
3 Catharsis: 7
Weariness had entwined itself deeply within Obi-Wan's bones and he felt so overly exhausted that he thought he might sleep for days without waking.
He smiled faintly, letting Qui-Gon ease him down onto the cot in the tiny resting compartment.
"What's so amusing, Padawan?" Qui-Gon removed the youth's boots and stowed them under the bed.
"I'm just looking forward to sleeping. Not sure when I might want to wake up."
Qui-Gon looked askance at his apprentice, unfastening the dirty tunic. "I'd say you could take your time-but the ride back to Coruscant is only a few hours and the healers are going to want to have a look at you as soon as we get there."
"Oh," Obi-Wan said dispiritedly. "I forgot." He turned doleful eyes on his Master. "Do you think they'll keep me for very long?"
"Perhaps only a few days." Qui-Gon inspected the red welts on the Padawan's back, thinning his lips at the cruel marks. He sat back and caught Obi- Wan's eye. "Does your chest still hurt?"
The teen hesitated only a second before affirming the question with a nod.
Qui-Gon slumped forward, dropping for a moment his stern and collected countenance, and braced his elbows on his knees.
"Do you think something is broken?" he inquired quietly, reaching out to gently prod the bruises.
"Ow!" Obi-Wan shrank back with a scowl. "Maybe."
Qui-Gon's answering chuckle was jaded and soft, and he leaned back in his seat. He regarded his Padawan seriously for a moment.
The teen forced himself not to squirm under the stare and met it soberly. "Master?"
Qui-Gon gestured at the cot. "Lie down, Obi-Wan."
The boy obeyed, stiffly lowering himself down to the flimsy mattress. Immediately, the effects of relaxing onto the cot seeped through him and he groaned. The tenseness seemed to flee his muscles, leave his over wrought body. He knew he had stretched his boundaries that day; broken his limits. While part of him recognized the danger in that, for he knew he would be paying back with an abundance of aches for weeks to come, he could not help the smug sense of satisfaction that arose each time he thought of the seven hour trek to the Mienke Sector and the brief, yet vital, part he had played in their escape.
Even as the horrors that had been inflicted upon him just over the past few days were still painfully fresh in his mind and on his body, Obi-Wan's fears had been put to rest. Qui-Gon still respected him, loved, -wanted- him. The older man had trusted him to carry out his plan and he had done so. He realized that his physical injuries were merely set backs and his early notions of failure could, in fact, be seen as lessons to learn from, albeit severe ones.
But wasn't that what Qui-Gon was always telling him, anyway?
~"Life is one long learning experience, Padawan; a series of tests. Whether you pass or fail them is unimportant. You must only remember to retain the knowledge you gain from these tests and use it in the future."~
Obi-Wan had learned quite a few things, especially about himself. He looked up at his Master expectantly.
"Padawan," Qui-Gon said, covering Obi-Wan with the thick expanse of a warm and heavy blanket, "I need you to know how sorry I am that this happened to you-that I was unable to detect Shahn's presence soon enough in either case." He spoke gravely and Obi-Wan let him continue uninterrupted.
"But I also need you to know this. I understand if this does not mean much to you, Obi-Wan, but I am so proud of you. You have accomplished so much in less than two days-" He spread his palms outward in a gesture of helplessness, though Obi-Wan knew his Master was anything but. "It truly amazes me."
Obi-Wan fairly beamed up at the man.
"It means the galaxy to me, Master, and I don't blame you for a thing."
Qui-Gon touched the boy's brow briefly in an act of fondess and smiled deeply, his eyes sparkling in the artificial light.
"Get rest, now, my Obi-Wan, and I'll wake you in when we arrive."
The End
