Amy: Sorry, but you must learn the virtue of patience! As the author i would suggest that you meditate on this! (Obi-Wan and Amy-san conspire together how to chuck Roz off a cliff). [Obi: Patience training my arse!]

Moi: Thanks for your concern! Families fine at the moment, i guess time will tell if we get out unscathed.

Culf: You too need to learn patience my child!! [Culf: Muttermutterstupidauthormuttermutter. Grumblegrumblewhodoesshethinksheisgrumblegrumble? Roz: What? Culf: *innocent grin showing canines* Nothing!] Do you still want a story or did you just want the position of 100th reviewer?

Remnants: Sorry, i forgot to answer your review! I actually thought that you were one of the people that i'd lost 1/2way through the story. It's nice to know you're still there! *blushes* Surely, my story isn't that good. I do not think so! Thanks for your concern about my family. I'm sure they'll be fine.....hopefully! Anyway, keep reading and review if you want.

Amber: Aww, thanks! *blushes even harder* No, there is NO WAY that i'm a professional!! I'd like to get some of my stuff published but that'll never happen! Caleb is so believable he makes me feel sick.

And now the ending that everyone has been waiting for! After reading your reviews and considering the options I went ahead with what i already had planned. Enjoy.

****

When you knew that it was over

Were you suddenly aware

That the autumn leaves were turning

To the colour of his hair?

- The Windmills Of Your Mind

****

No one had noticed him yet and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.

The bolt erupted from the blaster just as Obi-Wan shoved Billy out of the way.

Time slowed down.

Obi-Wan could see everything. He could see the air parting as the bold slid past, he could see the Caleb's expression, he could feel Billy on the ground beside him, he could feel the wind in his hair, he could hear his clothes flapping in it. He could hear the quiet chorus of birds in the air above him and in the trees around him. He could hear the scream of the blaster bolt, the hum of the lightsaber as it cut through the frigid air. He could hear Billy's screams and River's yells. He felt, rather then saw, the strange, tall man face him. He could sense fear heavy in the air.

(Fear? Fear for me. Why? I don't know him). The bolt was closer now, he could see the minute energy lines racing across it, he could see the Caleb's triumphant sneer.

(I'm going to die………..and I don't care).

He looked down at Billy, whose hand was reaching for him. Slowly – too slowly. Obi-Wan smiled gently at the desperately futile gesture and turned his head towards the heavens. (The stars look more beautiful then ever ton----)

Time returned to its normal pace.

There was a thud.

****

Qui-Gon was at the rear of the party, reflecting the dozens of blaster bolts aimed at them. His lightsaber was just a blur of green as it scorched through the air at an incredible speed, returning the blots to its senders. Many of them accurately hit their senders, bringing them down.

The older man allowed himself a small smile, despite the apparent desperate circumstances. The guards were falling freely now, the ones left standing were having their confidence and courage ripped to shreds. The fight would be over soon. The bolts were already slowing down and Qui-Gon's speed went from frenzy to almost relaxed.

They would be out of here soon. Very soon, all four of them would be on a ship heading towards safe Coruscant. Finally, him and Obi-Wan would be able to sit down and talk. It still hurt Qui-Gon to know that Obi-Wan had no idea who he was but maybe over time his memory would slowly return. Who knows? (The force works in mysterious ways) Qui-Gon reminded himself while almost lazily deflecting a blaster bolt to hit its sender 10 metres away.

The fight was over. The last couple of men had seen the power of the Jedi and hadn't liked what they saw. They bravely sent a couple of blaster bolts as a farewell present, then retreated. Qui-Gon with his hearing at maximum could hear the whine of swoop bikes being accelerated away as hard and as fast as possible. He allowed himself a wide smile and deactivated his lightsaber. The blade was halfway down when the Force started screaming.

Time slowed.

Caleb stepped out of the bushes and pointed the blaster straight at Billy. In a split second, Qui-Gon realised that the man must have been quietly stalking them the whole time. Qui-Gon could see his finger tighten on the trigger and in a split second he re-activated his lightsaber.

But he was too late.

Just as the man pulled the trigger and the blast bolt had begun it's deadly journey, Qui-Gon's lightsaber had fully ignited but he was too far away. He watched helplessly as the bolt inched it's way to Billy. Suddenly, it wasn't Billy who was in the way – it was Obi-Wan.

(NO! Oh Force!! Please NO!)

Qui-Gon's emotions ran rampant with fear taking the lead. Obi-Wan had shoved Billy out of the way. And there was nothing he could do to save his apprentice. River was also too far away and Billy and Obi-Wan were unarmed.

He saw Obi-Wan give Billy a smile and then time returned to it's normal pace.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was lying crumpled on the ground.

****

River gave a snarl and in a split second Caleb was lying dead with a blaster wound through his abdomen.

Billy was in hysterics, desperately trying to shake Obi-Wan back into life. River swiftly ran to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in an effort to calm her down, and to stop her from injuring the young boy further. He could feel her shoulders shaking with each sob that racked her small body and he tightened his warm embrace around her.

Qui-Gon had watched the scene with horror, his body immobilised with the drastic change of events in such a small time. His senses rushed back into him and sprinted to the group, dropping to his knees beside the small body lying on the ground.

"No! This can't be happening. Obi-Wan, you can't be, you just can't be….." Qui-Gon could not force himself to utter the dreaded word. He placed his trembling hands just above the blaster wound and frantically tried to heal him.

Even as he tried he knew it was hopeless. Obi-Wan was dying, and dying rapidly. His life force was depleting swiftly and the energy that Qui-Gon poured into his Padawan's body just drained back out. The blaster bolt had smashed its way through the boy's delicate ribcage, disintegrating bone, burning away muscle and tissue and collapsing the boy's lungs.

Obi-Wan wasn't breathing, there was no way that he could. The boy's face was deathly pale, almost translucent. Qui-Gon could feel the thread that held the boy alive, dwindling and waning. The blood flowing from his open wound was slowing down, nearly stopping.

(Dead men don't bleed). Qui-Gon could feel each beat of Obi-Wan's heart, and they were becoming slower, fainter and more irregular.

Qui-Gon was helplessly begging, his hands trying to stem the flow of blood, trying frantically to heal, trying to do anything. "No. Obi-Wan you can't go. You can't leave! I just found you, you have no idea what would happen to me if you left. I won't lose you, I can't lose you. I can't lose you after all this time, I just found you. Don't go, please, don't go."

The older man pleaded, knowing that it was no use. "It's my fault. It's my entire fault. I never told you how much I loved you, I never told you how proud I was of you. I'm just a foolish old man Obi-Wan. I love you Obi-Wan Kenobi. I love you!. If you leave like this, it will destroy me.

You will be a great Jedi, and I will be there to present you at the ceremony. I will cut your braid off and present you with it. You will become a fantastic Knight and even a greater Master.

If it wasn't for you, I'd probably be dead. You saved me after Xanatos. I said I'd never trust again, but you helped me trust. I love you Obi-Wan. You are my son and I love you. Please don't go, don't leave me." Qui-Gon laid his head on Obi-Wan's chest. Qui-Gon's eyes were overflowing with tears and the salty liquid mixed freely with Obi-Wan's lifeblood as it ran.

River hugged Billy closer as she flailed to try and get closer to her dying friend. "Obi-Wan Kenobi! I made a promise and you are NOT going to make me break it!! Don't make me break it. Don't force me to break it. Don't make..me.....break.....it!"

River's eyes were misting up and fat tears were rolling down his cheeks as he watched the scene from the outside. He was the outsider and although he had only known Obi-Wan personally for around 5 days, the boy had gotten to him. (He means the world to Qui-Gon, this will destroy him). But there was nothing he could do. There was nothing that any of them could do.

The boy was dying and no one could save him.

****

Obi-Wan's mind was reeling. He knew he was dying, he could feel his body shutting down. His lungs were on fire but the pain was slowly receding with every passing second. (So, this is dying.) His body was trying to sustain itself; it was doing everything it could to keep the boy alive.

His total respiratory and digestive system collapsed. Obi-Wan gave a slight twitch as the pain struck him. His nervous system followed suit and all nerves shutdown. His body was silent, there was no pain. His body frantically searched for other switches to turn off, to conserve power. Everything internal shutdown and lastly Obi-Wan's body turned to his mind. All natural shields came crashing down and suddenly Obi-Wan knew.

Obi-Wan knew who he was.

Memories washed over him, consuming him in his last precious seconds of life. The wall that had been keeping his memories apart had collapsed.

Obi-Wan's complete life flashed past.

He saw himself as a child, his mother and father surrounding him. For some reason they were fuzzy, only thing distinct about them was their shape – denoting that they were human. He saw his brother…..Owen. He had a brother. His name was Owen. He saw himself being taken to a big building. The Temple. In Coruscant. Coruscant was a complete city. The whole planet was a city. It was big. He remembered being scared, being homesick. He remembered missing his family but that feeling faded. The temple was his home and the teachers his family. He remembered being taught. Taught to be a Jedi. Peace over anger. Honour over hate. Strength over fear. The Dark Side and the Light Side. Do or do not, there is no try. The Force. He wanted to be a Jedi. A Jedi Padawan. He remembered being teased by Bruck. Oafy-Wan. He felt pain, humiliation and fear. Fear? Fear of rejection, fear of not accomplishing his dream. 13th Birthday – dreaded. He remembered being sent to Agri-corps aboard the ship called………Monument. He had been beaten by a…….Hutt. Xanatos……..slavery. Xanatos had made him a slave. He had been a slave before. He remembered a tall man. Long brown hair. A face devoid of emotion. Bandomeer – the man had accepted him. The man was called….Qui-Gon Jinn. Teacher. Mentor. Father. He had given him a rock. From the River Of Light. He had friends at the Temple. Bant, Garen, Reeft. They had gone to Phindar. He had been captured, memory erased.

Obi-Wans more recent life flashed past.

Billy and slavery. Starvation and malnutrition. Beatings. Escape, juanks. Interrogation – pain. Intense pain. Caleb. Humiliation, mental anguish. Ankles, crippled. Sands and dehydration. Hope crumbling. Giving up. Dying from within. Master returned – saved. Escape, forest, guards, shooting, fighting, shot. Dying.

Which brought him to where he was now. Dying.

Obi-Wan tried to open his eyes. It was taking immense effort, but he had look upon the face of his master, his father, before he died. Even though it was half blocked by a head, the light that shown into the boy's pupils was too bright. His body didn't have the energy to compensate and Obi-Wan's eyes remained hugely dilated. The head that was blocking his view of the stars was Qui-Gons and the boy could tell that something was bothering him.

(Of course something's bothering him, I'm dying aren't I?)

Obi-Wan allowed himself a mental smile and with a trembling arm lifted his hand up and gently touched the older man's tear-stained face.

Qui-Gon started and stared into Obi-Wan's face. The boy's eyes were focused on him but they were rapidly becoming glazed and hazy.

"Obi-Wan! Stay with me! Stay with me!" Qui-Gon frantically grabbed the boy's smaller hand and gave it a squeeze, willing Obi-Wan to squeeze it back.

(Sorry master. But I can't stay. Too tired….)Obi-Wan's thoughts trailed off as he concentrated fiercely, gathering all his remaining energy for his last moments. He forced his mouth to speak, his jaw feeling leaden and his tongue unresponsive.

"I-I know you." His voice was breathless and soft, Qui-Gon had to lean forward to hear it.

"Obi-Wan! Save your strength! You'll need it for the healing process! Don't talk, just save your stre----" Qui-Gon was cut off.

"N-need to! N-n-need to tell you. I-I remember you. I r-r-remember……everything. Y-you…..are m-my…..master. M-master Qui-Gon J-jinn." Obi-Wan spoke haltingly and watched his master's face. Qui-Gon's face crumpled and more tears rolled down his face as Obi-Wan spoke his name. He didn't speak it like a foreign word, but spoke it naturally – as if he knew it all his life.

"Oh, Obi-W---" Qui-Gon was once again interrupted by the soft squeeze on his hand.

"I-I-I……know who I a-a-am." He slowly turned his head to look at Billy's teary face, "I…..a-am Obi-Wan Kenobi, P-Padawan…..to M-master Q-Qui-Gon Jinn. M-mentor…….teacher…….a-a-and father." Obi-Wan turned back to Qui-Gon, his strength failing with each passing second.

He had one last thing to do.

To conserve as much strength as possible he closed his eyes and relaxed. Qui-Gon became frantic, shouting his Padawan's name and squeezing the unresponsive hand, trying to receive a reaction, any reaction.

(Concentrate, concentrate). Obi-Wan hadn't done this in over 10 months, but he knew how. Now, he knew how. Ironically, now that he knew who he was and all his memories had returned, he was going to die. A smile slowly traced across his lips and although he was dying, he didn't feel sad. If anything, he felt happy. In fact, he felt the happiest he had been in the last 10 months. He had found his family, he had found his father, all his memories had returned and he knew who he was. Unfortunately, he was also dying but you had to take the good with the bad.

(You win some, you lose some.)

Obi-Wan gingerly touched the mental bond, long disused between Master and Padawan. Feeling his life-power weaken dramatically, he threw everything he had into this last task.

Qui-Gon gasped as he felt Obi-Wan's aura flicker ominously once, then disappear completely. Simultaneously, he felt the boy access their long silent bond and send a single message before disappearing into the swirling, grey pool of limbo.

[I love you.]

Qui-Gon's face crumpled, "No! Obi-Wan!!!" He gathered the body up into his arms and cradled the boy's limp head against his chest.

For the first time since Xanatos the almighty Qui-Gon Jinn broke down and cried like a little child.

****

You know the happiest day of my life,

I swear the happiest day of my life

Was the day that I died.

Can you fel the cold tonight?

It sets in but it's all right,

Darkness falls I'm letting go.

All alone……

But I feel fine.

- The Day That I Die (Good Charlotte)