Okay, hi! I just thought I'd explain that this story is the second part in a seven story series (so far). It's only five parts long so after this there are only two parts left. The next three stories in the series are pretty short and lead up to the sixth story which is 15 parts long. So, I'll be posting those stories here along with my other, stand alone stories. I'll probably start posting the stand-alone stories soon, so if you're reading this please look out for them. =D Thanks!

~ Part Three: Most Difficult Decision ~

Obi-Wan:

Qui-Gon can't die! was the one coherent thought that wracked my brain, over and over again until I thought I would die my despair was so great. However, through the darkness of my grief and denial I heard my Master's calm reassuring words come to me.

You are a Jedi. You will focus. You will reach your calm center. Do not tamp down the fear. Do not let it grip you. If you let it move through you, it will leave you. Breathe… Cast away your doubt. Let the Force flow through you. His voice was so gentle and I could hear it so clearly. Almost as if he was awake and helping me calm my panic.

I took a deep breath and reached out to the Force – felt it flow around and through me until finally I was able to release my emotions completely into it. For a few moments – perhaps even minutes – I basked in the warmth of its certainly. I let its light assure me that everything would happen as it was intended to happen. With a now steady hand I wiped away the last of my tears and opened my eyes.

The fear was still there but I would not let it control me. I would accept it. I couldn't let myself lose control again; I had to help Qui-Gon. He needed me. "You are very wise, Master," I spoke softly, my voice steady although extremely quiet, "even now you continue to teach me things. I am honored to be your Padawan and I would be honored to continue this journey together. Please continue to fight. I am here, I won't leave you. Please come back to me."

I closed my eyes once again and this time I reached out through our bond. It was strange to feel only a sense of coldness when before I had always been able to touch my Master's mind.

Reaching out into him as far as I dared I tried to break through the cold cloud that hung about him. Master? I sent to him gently, can you hear me, Master?

Qui-Gon didn't answer me, not in words anyway, but I felt a warm pulse in the darkness…a tendril of the Force reaching out to me. With a small smile on my lips I caught the pulse and prepared to send it back to my Master, but then it was gone.

Master?

This time there was no answer, just a shiver in the cold cloud, but I knew that Qui-Gon could hear me and that knowledge gave me reason to hope. Please fight, Master, I found myself pleading through our bond, just hold on until the healers can help you. I am here with you. I will not leave you. Just hold on for me, Master. Just hold on.

Sending Qui-Gon one last wave of warmth and light I slowly withdrew from his mind. Instantly I became aware of the others in the room. I could sense Master Yoda and Master Alida. There were others as well – most likely Soul Healers – but I did not know them by name.

Slowly I opened my eyes and regretfully released Qui-Gon's hand. Rising to my feet I turned around to face Master Yoda and gave him a small respectful bow.

"Obi-Wan," Yoda greeted me in his gravelly voice, "Reach Qui-Gon, did you not?"

I nodded slightly. "I can't really feel him, but when I tried to speak to him through our bond he sent me a wave of warmth. He did not speak to me, but I know he heard me."

"Grave his condition is, have much time we do not," his voice was gentle and regretful. "Unfortunate it is, that you should experience such a thing when weak your bond still is."

I did not respond and only nodded my head to show I had heard him.

"Reach him through the Force, I will," the diminutive Master said, slowly walking until we has standing beside the chairs by Qui-Gon's bed.

Complete silence filled the room as Yoda closed his eyes and we felt him reach out with the Force. I sensed everyone else watching Yoda but my eyes were riveted on my Master, as if he would somehow wake up and ask why he was here.

As the seconds ticked on into minutes everyone realized something was wrong and I began to fear that Qui-Gon was losing his battle.

"Reach him, I could not," Yoda said with a sigh, "too weakly is he linked to his body." The small Master turned and looked up at me, "Reach him you still can, help him find his way you must for lost he is."

Yoda fell silent and then, much to my surprise and disappointment, left the room without saying a word more. The two Soul Healers followed him out.

I opened my mouth to protest but Master Healer Alida's hand on my shoulder stopped me, "Master Yoda is going to speak with the Soul Healers and tell them how you can save your Master. They will return shortly, do not worry."

My mind came to a halt. Both her and Yoda had now mentioned that I could save my Master. "Master Alida," I started, confused, "how is it that I can save Qui-Gon?"

She smiled, "Master Yoda told us that he doesn't know exactly why Master Jinn collapsed but that, as we suspected, he somehow lost part of his connection to his body when he tried to lose himself, and his pain, in the Force. Since then Qui-Gon has been fighting to come back, but he is lost, so to speak, in the enormity of the Force. He needs someone to guide him back to his body. Using your bond you can do that and right now Yoda is explaining to the Soul Healers how they will guide you through the process."

I nodded, a flame of hope suddenly burning to life within me. Maybe I could save my Master! It did not matter that Yoda was not a healer. He was the wisest Jedi that lived and I could do nothing but trust his judgment in this and all matters.

I smiled with joy for the first time since coming to the Healers' Ward this morning, suddenly confident that Qui-Gon would make it. I would do whatever it took to get him back. "Thank you," I said softly as I fell back into my chair and once more clasped Qui-Gon's hand in both of mine.

Again I reached out to him through our bond and slowly entered his mind, Master, I said joyously, they're going to show me how to help you, please hang on for me.

A ripple of warmth reached me through our bond, much smaller than the last time but it was enough for me. I had confidence I could bring my Master back. I would prove myself worthy of him.

"Obi-Wan," a voice startled me out of my thoughts and I quickly withdrew back into my own mind and turned around to face the two Soul Healers.

"Hello," I said softly.

The Soul Healers – a man and a woman – smiled at me in return. "Obi-Wan," the man spoke again, "my name is Neall and this is Della. Yoda has explained to us how we are to lead you through bringing your Master back, but there is something we need for you to do first."

I nodded, "Yes, what is it?"

The healers looked at each other and then back at me, "Even though Qui-Gon's spirit is slipping further into the Force even as we speak, we feel that it is necessary that you are rested when we attempt this. You are tired now, it is clearly evident on your face, and if we went through with this now there would be a good chance that you would find yourself in the same predicament as your Master."

"No," I said, shaking my head, "I am ready now. If we wait too long then Qui-Gon might be too far gone."

"And if we attempt this now, you'll both become one with the Force. Go to your quarters, Obi-Wan, and rest for a couples hours. Once you have slept you will feel more energized and you can come back here."

"I told Qui-Gon that I wouldn't leave him," I protested, "he's my Master, I can't go home now."

"Think about it this way," Della said, speaking for the first time, "would Qui-Gon rather that you sentence yourself to an early death or that you return to your quarters, rest, and then come back and help him find his way home?"

I sighed. They were right. "You'll stay with him? And contact me if anything changes?"

They nodded instantly, "Of course we will, now go on home."

I nodded, looked at my Master's form for a few moments, and then turned and left the room without looking back.

I sat on my bed for almost five minutes, just staring at the intertwined fingers of my hands. This place just felt so empty without Qui-Gon that I found it difficult to let myself sleep. It felt so wrong to be here without him. My determination doubled and tripled in the space of a second – I had to save him, there simply was no other option.

I looked around my room. Force, had it only been this morning that I had found Qui-Gon unconscious? It seemed like an eternity ago. With a long sigh I let myself fall back on my bed and cleared my mind. I was surprised as to how tired I actually was, even though all I had done was sit at my Master's bedside, and sleep claimed me quickly.

As soon as I awoke I practically jumped up out of my bed and all but ran back to the Healers' Ward, anxious to have Qui-Gon back with me. I knew something was wrong. Even before I had fully entered the room to catch sight of Master Yoda's drooped ears and the sadness on all of the healers' faces, I could feel trouble in the air.

"What is it? What happened?" I asked anxiously, trying to push past the wall of healers only to be held back. "He isn't–"

"Only a little weaker than when you left him Qui-Gon is. Worry about him we do not," Yoda said, stomping his gimmer stick lightly on the floor as an indication for me to kneel.

Without hesitation I approached Yoda and dropped to my knees before him. In this position we were of the same height. "Obi-Wan, bad news of your family I have. Regret to inform you I do that dying your father is."

My father was dying? I was so shocked that for what must have been at least a minute I just stared at Yoda, unable to form words. "Wh-what…happened?"

"Know the details I do not, only know that need a blood transfusion he does or survive the day he will not."

Dying? How could this be? I had exchanged mail with my parents just a month ago and he had been completely healthy. "A blood transfusion?" I echoed distantly, a sick fear beginning to grow in my heart.

"Brought him to Couruscant your family has so that see expert doctors he may."

"My father's here?"

"In a hospital nearby he is according to your brother."

My eyes widened at this. "You spoke to Owen?"

"Here at the Temple he is."

I had thought that nothing could shock me more than the news that my father was dying – I was wrong. "Owen is here at the Temple?"

"Said that I did." Yoda said, his voice growing subtly gentler.

"Why?"

Yoda let out a long sigh and his ears fell until the tips were almost touching the sides of his head, "Came to tell us he did that give a blood transfusion to your father you must."

The small fear that had been growing in my heart suddenly caught flame to envelop me as I realized what was happening. "Why me?" I asked, "Can't Owen do it?"

"An extremely rare blood type your father has, as do you. Only one that can reach him in time you are."

I swallowed. Oh Force, I wasn't going to have to choose between saving my father and Qui-Gon…was I? "How long does he have?"

"If blood transfusion he does not receive then die by tonight he will." Yoda paused and answered my next question before I even asked it, "intricate procedure it is, leave within the half-hour you must if save him you intend to. Qui-Gon fares no better, if help him you do not, then survive the night he won't."

"Is there enough time for me to help my Master and then go to the hospital to perform the blood transfusion for my father?" I asked, taking a deep breath to control my newly-racing heart. I already knew the answer to my question and the answer nearly terrified me.

"Regret to tell you I do, that time to help Qui-Gon there is not if choose to save your father you do. Weaker by the minute he grows."

"And they're sure that there's no one with my blood type close enough to save my father?" I asked, not caring that my voice had an almost frantic note to it.

"Checked all possible donors the hospital has, no one near enough there is."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Am I the only one that can help Qui-Gon? You're the most powerful Jedi," my voice was becoming frantic, "can't you help him find his way?"

"Bond Qui-Gon and I do not have, reach him I cannot."

"And what of his Master? Surely his Master must still have a bond with him? Is he here at the Temple?"

"Killed on a mission two years ago Master Daec-Mar was, help us he cannot."

My heart froze and my breath caught. Master Daec-Mar was Qui-Gon's Master? It couldn't be! It wasn't possible… No. No. No wonder the Council had warned me against telling Qui-Gon… Now it all made sense... I had never understood what he wanted with me before…but now it all made sense.

"Obi-Wan?" Yoda interrupted my thoughts, obviously sensing my despair.

I shook my head and forced myself to push those thoughts away. There would be another time to think of those things. Right now there were more important things at stake. "There's nothing we can do?"

"Very sorry I am, but choose between Qui-Gon and your father you must. Help you with this decision I cannot. Search within your heart to find the answer you must. Very little time you have."

Yoda's words hit me like a ton of brinks and I suddenly felt like the weight of the world was resting on my shoulders, crushing me mercilessly. How could I be asked to make this decision? How could I be asked to save one life and sacrifice the other? How was I supposed to decide? How could I choose between my father – the man who I owed my existence to – and Qui-Gon – a man that I had grown to admire and care deeply for in such a short amount of time?

I couldn't choose between the lives of two people. I couldn't be responsible for the one that died. I wouldn't be able to live with the knowledge that one of them had died because I chose to save the other.

Slowly, numb with shock and disbelief, I rose to my feet and went to look at Qui-Gon's now deathly pale face. He was counting on me – how could I let him down after everything I had already done to him? I told him that I would help him, how could I turn back now? How could I just let him die?

Just an hour ago I had been thrilled that Qui-Gon could be saved. Now things were more complicated. It wasn't just him – my father was counting on me too. How could I save Qui-Gon and sentence my father to death? What of my mother and brother? They were counting on me too. They were a family – could I really destroy them?

I looked around the room to find everyone staring at me – Yoda and the six healers were all waiting for a decision. "Please," I said softly, "could you leave us alone? I need some time to think."

The six healers immediately filed out of the room, nodding their understanding and compassion. Only Yoda lingered long enough to say, "Whatever you decide, blame you we will not," before he too, left.

Once I was alone with my Master I slumped down into the chair by his bed and held my head in my hands. This wasn't fair! It wasn't supposed to happen like this! Why would the Force put me in such a situation? I was only thirteen, I wasn't supposed to have to make decisions like this!

No matter what I did, I'd be hurting someone and would always feel guilty about the life I had let slip away. If I let my father die then I'd be hurting my mother and brother, but if I let Qui-Gon die I would be hurting all of his friends. What would Tahl say? Or Yoda? Yoda was extremely fond of Qui-Gon. He said he wouldn't blame me but he could have just been trying to make me feel better.

"Oh, Master, please tell me what to do," I murmured into the stillness of the room but no one answered me. I was alone in this decision. No one could help me. This was the most difficult decision I had ever had to make – even more difficult than choosing to stay on Melida/Daan – and I was alone. There was no one here to guide me, no one to lead me towards the correct decision.

My braid fell forward from behind my ear – brushing my face and hanging close to my eyes. Annoyed, I reached out to tuck it back in place when a warm ripple of energy ran through me and once more I heard Qui-Gon's comforting words inside my head.

We will have to endure many hardships, Obi-Wan, and sometimes I will not be with you. During those times it is important to remember that the braid represents our bond and that even if the braid is broken, or I am not at your side, I am always in your heart.

I ran the tightly woven braid through my fingers and observed how closely the three strands of hair were intertwined. When Qui-Gon had braided my hair I had felt happy, yes, but more than that I had felt loved and at home with myself and my Master. That simple act of caring – that of winding three strands of hair together – had filled me with a deep sense of contentment and I had sensed that even through his troubled thoughts, Qui-Gon had been content as well.

I released my braid and instead took Qui-Gon's hand in my own. I had to remember what he told me. Even though he was unconscious he was still with me and I had to take comfort in that.

What would Qui-Gon want me to do? I knew the answer to the question before I even finished asking it. He would want me to do what the Force was telling me to do. As calmly as I could I reached out to center myself on the Force and let its beauty and light wash over and through me. In its knowledge I sought the answers to my dilemma and trusted my findings. It wasn't Qui-Gon's time to die, this had been an accident. I had to save him. My heart and the Force were telling me it was so.

I remembered how I had felt when I had found Qui-Gon on the floor, unconscious. I had been mortified, worried, scared, panicked, and so many other things. When Yoda told me that my father was dying…I had just felt surprised.

I swallowed, startled to suddenly realize that I cared for Qui-Gon more than my father. I barely knew my father and I had been through so much with my Master in such a short amount of time. I felt guilty at this realization, but knew there was nothing I could do to change my feelings or what the Force was telling me to do. This decision would haunt me forever but I knew what I had to do.

"Master Yoda?" I said, hurriedly emerging from Qui-Gon's room, "Where is my brother?"

"In the meditation gardens your brother waits," Yoda answered gravely.

I bowed briefly, "Thank you, Master Yoda," and then charged out of the room to find Owen. It wouldn't be easy to tell him that I was choosing Qui-Gon over our father but it would be worse if I had someone else tell him instead. He deserved to hear it from me.

The meditation gardens were beautiful but I found I had little time to appreciate them for my eyes were riveted to my brother. It had been almost five years since I had seen Owen and I was surprised as to how much we looked like each other. His hair was much longer than mine but his face and eyes bore the same features mine did. He was only two years younger than me but he looked much older, almost as if he were my age.

"Owen," I greeted him softly, trying to control the speed with which my heart was beating.

"Obi-Wan," he said, a huge grin spreading out over his face, "I knew you would come. Come on, we have to leave quickly, I have a transport waiting."

I took a deep breath. I had to say this now or I would never get it out. "Owen," I started, my voice amazingly steady, "I…I'm not going with you."

The smile rapidly faded and my brother's blue-green eyes were filled with a deep confusion, but no anger – not yet. "What do you mean?"

I knew that he would not take this kindly, but I couldn't lie to him. "Qui-Gon – my Master – is sick, I…I have to stay here and save him. H-he won't survive the night if I don't help him now." Force, the words sounded hollow and meaningless even to me.

My father was the reason I was alive and I was going to let him die to save my Master. How could Qui-Gon, a man who had rejected me and hurt me, mean more to me than my own father? Yet I knew that Qui-Gon had changed, and he could make me so happy with just a single word of praise and…and I cared for him so deeply. But my father would die because of this. I would be the reason he died. He would pass away because of the choice I was making, the choice I had already made. I would never be able to forgive myself for this. Force, I prayed, please forgive me.

"What about our father? He won't survive the night either!" Owen yelled at me. I could feel his anger hitting me in waves and I involuntarily flinched. I was hurting my brother and my mother. My father was depending on me…and I had chosen someone not even related to me instead. In truth, blood was no thicker than water. Not for me. It should have been, but it wasn't.

"I-I know, Owen, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry to do this to you and our mother, b-but I have to. It's not Qui-Gon's time to die and–" and what? How could I tell him that it was our father's time to die and why would he believe me? "And I have to save him," I settled on saying.

"You have to save our father!"

I shook my head sadly. If I was doing the will of the Force than why did it feel like I was a traitor? "I can't Owen, I'm sorry."

For a few minutes Owen just stared at me in complete shock and loathing but then, as if realizing I wouldn't change my mind, he finally turned to leave. "You're choosing some Jedi Master – a stranger – over our father. You're a traitor, Obi-Wan. Don't ever call on us again. We aren't your family anymore. They are." The words were practically spat in my face and true to my brother's intent they hit their mark.

I was a traitor. What else could I be though? With either decision I was faced with I would have been a traitor to someone. By choosing Qui-Gon I was a traitor to my family and if I had chosen my father then I would have been a traitor to Qui-Gon, the Force, and myself. I sighed. Why did things have to be so complicated?

My stomach and chest felt tight and my heat was spinning slightly. Someone would die because of me today. I had killed people in battle but this…this was different. This wasn't supposed to happen. I had never been responsible for someone's life before. How was I supposed to deal with this? How as I supposed to come to terms with what I had done? I had turned my back on my family when they needed me the most…I had refused them the help they needed. Force, would they ever forgive me? Would I ever forgive myself?

I waited until after my brother had left the gardens and slowly make my way back to the Healers' Ward. I knew I had done the right thing but I still felt like I had betrayed my family.

TBC...