Anakin arrived in no time at all, bursting in upon the citizens in the tiny
warehouse. "Where is Ken?" he demanded of one of them, a man only a few
years older than Anakin himself. "In-in his office!" Anakin threw the man
down, running in haste toward his master.
He shoved the door, but it did not move. Calling on the Force, the door
burst open. What Anakin saw terrified him. Qui-Gon lay in the leader's lap,
obviously knocked out.
"What have you done to him??" Anakin screamed, drawing his lightsaber. He
charged at Obi-Wan, who drew his vibroblade swiftly. Realizing that the
weapon would not be able to hold its own against a lightsaber, Obi-Wan
reluctantly drew his former master's lightsaber.
The boy charged at Obi-Wan with the power drawn in from his intense anger
and fear. Anakin was amazed to see the leader pull Qui-Gon's lightsaber out
of his master's belt, but this sudden turn of events did not change things
in the slightest. Anakin was mad, and nothing would get in his way.
Anakin struck Obi-Wan's lightsaber in an anguished attack, while the former
apprentice maintained his maddening calm. Obi-Wan knew that he was terribly
out of practice, but once the lightsaber was in his hand, the Force flowed
and nothing had left him.
Qui-Gon woke to find Ken- Obi-Wan - and Anakin in a fierce lightsaber duel. Obi-Wan moved more swiftly than the Jedi, and in a matter of seconds, had made two critical hits on Anakin's person. The boy's shoulder and thigh erupted in pain as he collapsed to the ground. Qui-Gon felt a flash of pride for Obi-Wan, at the warrior he had become, before feeling his Padawan's hurt and anger. Obi-Wan powered down his lightsaber and leaned down toward Anakin, sending the force to help him calm down and offering him a hand to stand up. Anakin could not stand, so Obi-Wan picked him up, gently laying him down on the sleep-couch. Qui-Gon could feel Anakin's pain before the boy passed out. Obi-Wan checked the boy's breathing before coming toward Qui-Gon. He was surprised to find him awake. "How long have you been awake?" Obi-Wan asked before sitting down next to the Jedi Master. "Long enough," said Qui-Gon, as he stood to look upon Anakin. Obi-Wan expected Qui-Gon to be furious, but he felt no waves of anger radiating from his former master. Qui-Gon felt the younger man probe his mind, searching for anger, no doubt. But Qui-Gon was not angry. Not at all. Qui-Gon gazed at the man as he truly was. Obi-Wan was strong; he was good. Worn out and exhausted, to be sure, but his love persisted. Qui-Gon had never felt so happy to feel Obi-Wan's goodness. Dropping all pretenses, he dropped to his knees. "Obi-Wan." The name was rough and hard on his tongue. Qui-Gon saw the younger man shake visibly. He imagined that Obi-Wan had not been called by that name for a long, long time. "You didn't really think that I was never going to find out, did you?" "You wouldn't have found out if you hadn't been spying on me," Obi-Wan pointed out. He still hadn't looked up at his former master. "Would you have liked it better that way, Obi-Wan? Would you have wanted me to leave without ever knowing you were here?" "No," Obi-Wan admitted. The younger man finally looked up at Qui-Gon, and the Jedi Master saw a hint of the fifteen-year-old boy he had left on Melida/Daan all those many years ago. How much heartbreak Qui-Gon had suffered at the hands of his former Padawan. And how much hate he felt for himself. For many years, Qui-Gon had taken the blame entirely. He despised himself. Qui-Gon felt that he would never recover, and he knew that he would never see Obi-Wan again. And yet, here he was, seventeen years later. Qui-Gon ran his hand over Obi- Wan's ginger hair. Obi-Wan looked up to find tears running down Qui-Gon's face.
Qui-Gon woke to find Ken- Obi-Wan - and Anakin in a fierce lightsaber duel. Obi-Wan moved more swiftly than the Jedi, and in a matter of seconds, had made two critical hits on Anakin's person. The boy's shoulder and thigh erupted in pain as he collapsed to the ground. Qui-Gon felt a flash of pride for Obi-Wan, at the warrior he had become, before feeling his Padawan's hurt and anger. Obi-Wan powered down his lightsaber and leaned down toward Anakin, sending the force to help him calm down and offering him a hand to stand up. Anakin could not stand, so Obi-Wan picked him up, gently laying him down on the sleep-couch. Qui-Gon could feel Anakin's pain before the boy passed out. Obi-Wan checked the boy's breathing before coming toward Qui-Gon. He was surprised to find him awake. "How long have you been awake?" Obi-Wan asked before sitting down next to the Jedi Master. "Long enough," said Qui-Gon, as he stood to look upon Anakin. Obi-Wan expected Qui-Gon to be furious, but he felt no waves of anger radiating from his former master. Qui-Gon felt the younger man probe his mind, searching for anger, no doubt. But Qui-Gon was not angry. Not at all. Qui-Gon gazed at the man as he truly was. Obi-Wan was strong; he was good. Worn out and exhausted, to be sure, but his love persisted. Qui-Gon had never felt so happy to feel Obi-Wan's goodness. Dropping all pretenses, he dropped to his knees. "Obi-Wan." The name was rough and hard on his tongue. Qui-Gon saw the younger man shake visibly. He imagined that Obi-Wan had not been called by that name for a long, long time. "You didn't really think that I was never going to find out, did you?" "You wouldn't have found out if you hadn't been spying on me," Obi-Wan pointed out. He still hadn't looked up at his former master. "Would you have liked it better that way, Obi-Wan? Would you have wanted me to leave without ever knowing you were here?" "No," Obi-Wan admitted. The younger man finally looked up at Qui-Gon, and the Jedi Master saw a hint of the fifteen-year-old boy he had left on Melida/Daan all those many years ago. How much heartbreak Qui-Gon had suffered at the hands of his former Padawan. And how much hate he felt for himself. For many years, Qui-Gon had taken the blame entirely. He despised himself. Qui-Gon felt that he would never recover, and he knew that he would never see Obi-Wan again. And yet, here he was, seventeen years later. Qui-Gon ran his hand over Obi- Wan's ginger hair. Obi-Wan looked up to find tears running down Qui-Gon's face.