The Way Things Are Now: Getting Through It
By: Alyssa
Disclaimer: I don't own Obi-Wan or any of the Star Wars characters
Summary: Obi-Wan angst. He is trying to escape the fighting ring, and at the same time Qui-Gon has come in to save him.
Comes after Book 16 of the Jedi Apprentice series, A Call to Vengeance

Obi-Wan could hear Safiya softly crying behind him. His teachings and his feeling warred against each other. He knew that in getting farther away he could better their survival, but he could also tell that Safiya, and himself, was tired and needed to rest.

"Come on, let's sit down." Obi-Wan suggested as he helped Safiya towards the wall of a building. She slumped against it, clutching her wounded shoulder with her free arm. She continued to cry softly, and Obi-Wan didn't know what to do. He examined his own wound, and determined that it wasn't that bad. He pulled out a shirt that Safiya had packed in the bag, and ripped two long strips from it. He used one to bind his arm, then turned towards Safiya.
"Let me see your shoulder." He said softly as he kneeled in front of her. She wasn't listening to him, and she continued to grip her shoulder. Obi-Wan wondered anxiously if she was in shock, and slowly peeled her hand away himself. With the wound exposed, he was relieved to find it only a little worse than his own. He lifted her arm gently and then tied the strip of clothe on.

With that motion, Safiya turned towards him, tears still falling down her cheeks.
"The Zones are the gang that killed Setne." She said before an onslaught of choking sobs. She was taking quick breathes, trying to calm herself to talk, but her pain brought on more sobs and Obi-Wan realized she was hyperventilating.
"Safiya, it's ok, they're gone. OK?" He asked her gently. She shook her head, and readied to talk again.
"I promised myself, that I would kill them all… or… at least die trying…." Her sobs started again, and her whole body shook. Obi-Wan pulled her forward slightly to give her a comforting hug.
"It's ok. Safiya." He whispered.
"No, I couldn't do it. I froze. I couldn't do what I'd promised Setne."

~~~

"He was here, Mace, I know it. He got into some sort of a fight, but ran away before I could get to him. He must have thought I was someone else." Qui-Gon said. It was hard for him to believe; that Obi-Wan would feel the need to run from him.
"I'll leave to meet up with you right now." Mace answered. Qui-Gon was about to turn off his comlink, when Mace continued. "Yoda may have gotten a lead on Mirko. He had reason to believe that he was at a bar near your position. May the force be with you, Qui-Gon."
"May the force be with you." Qui-Gon replied. Qui-Gon sat in the motionless land speeder. They had followed the alley until it spilled into the main road again. Once they were there, Qui-Gon could not be sure which way Obi-Wan had gone. Then it hit him like a sledge hammer to the head.

He could still see Obi-Wan explaining it as if it was yesterday. A couple of years ago, while on one of their missions, Obi-Wan told Qui-Gon that he had a pattern of escape when he was running. With a beaming smile, he had said that whenever he was trying to lost someone he would follow this pattern, so even if he forgot the landmarks in his excitement or fear, he could still find his way back. He always went: left, left, straight, right, straight, left, right, left, straight, straight, right, right. This pattern factored in every turn, even an alley (assuming it went through).

Qui-Gon almost hit himself for not remembering sooner. He yelled at the driver in front to turn left.

~~~

A/N
Sorry that it has been so long. As always, I wrote this all today. But anywho, by overwhelming demand, Obi-Wan and Safiya will remain friends (I must admit, I am glad. I'm not good at portraying love). Now, as always, I really REALLY really need your suggestions. I hope you've liked this.
Thanks!