Title: Crossing the Lines

Summary: Obi-wan Kenobi knows revenge is wrong, but after what his Master has done to him, it's worth it, isn't it?  Especially since Qui-gon betrayed him.  Pg-13 for violence.

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns Star Wars and the whole Universe of it.

Acknowledgments: Jesus, Padawan Nik-ka, Galahan, Redtailhawk, Ginger Ninja, Ivy, Debbie (thanks for chasing me to do this)

Archiving: if you want it, email me first.  :)

a/n: sorry for late post, as was pointed out to me by someone, 'two weeks' was 6 months ago.

Chapter 8:

The lightsabre blades crashed against each other.

Blue against green.

Apprentice… against Master.

Kelyl ducked out of the way, using the time Obi-wan had bought for him to steer clear of Qui-gon's blade.  He could see the anger, the hatred, the frustration, the pain in the big Jedi's eyes.  Qui-gon could not believe that he had lost Obi-wan.  Kelyl took a few steps backwards away from the duelling Jedi.

Qui-gon felt his own anger towards Kelyl.  Kelyl, who had deceived Obi-wan, led him down the dark side, down the path of revenge.  He twisted around to face the mercenary.

Anger.

Qui-gon stopped. 

Hatred.

He could not hate.  He was a Jedi.  There could be no space in his mind for retribution, for payback.  He could only have peace.

Qui-gon took a deep breath, centering his thoughts.  Then, he turned, away from Kelyl, to face his own apprentice.

Obi-wan watched Qui-gon turn back to face him.  Anger and hatred rose in him.  Qui-gon had left him for dead.  Had not bothered to come back and rescue him.  And now, Obi-wan knew, he had the right to leave Qui-gon for dead.  It was the only way.  Qui-gon must learn, he must know what it felt like to be betrayed, to be left behind.

I will kill him, Obi-wan smiled to himself, and he will be sorry.

It seemed like a dark wellspring of power had been opened up within him.  Obi-wan tapped into it instinctively.  The darkness filled him, fuelled him.  Strangely, it felt good.  Revenge, it seemed, felt good to him.  He raised the brilliant blue blade, locked eyes with Qui-gon, and leapt forward.

Qui-gon deflected Obi-wan's first swing easily.  As he drew on the Force for strength and its power, he was stunned by the darkness that seemed to come from his apprentice.  A darkness that should not ever have been there.

Qui-gon felt his heart being wrenched into two as Obi-wan landed, spun around and thrust the blade at him.  Obi-wan had fallen to the dark side.  And he was powerful. 

For a moment, Qui-gon began to panic, something he had not done for so long.  But then, he dragged his mind away from the fear, and back to logic.  He could bring Obi-wan back.  He would.  He could apologise, heal the huge rift that had opened up between him and his apprentice.  Everything could return back to normal.  That was all he wished for as he raised his green blade to meet the blue one.

"Obi-wan, I'm sorry.  Forgive me."

Obi-wan Kenobi heard the words, but he refused to listen to them.  Qui-gon was liar, a traitor.  Nothing he said was what he really meant.  Obi-wan pulled his lightsabre away from Qui-gon's, and twisted around to deliver another blow.

Kelyl Tanner leaned against the wall, watching the two Jedi.  He saw the anger in Obi-wan's eyes – more anger than hate – and the compassion in Qui-gon's.  Obi-wan was ready to destroy, Qui-gon would do anything to bring things back to the way they used to be.  Did Obi-wan really want to kill Qui-gon?  Kelyl's eyes narrowed as he recalled a conversation with the Padawan…

"What does a Jedi Master do?" Kelyl leaned back into the chair, watching Obi-wan check his lightsabre.  Kelyl knew the answer, but he had other intentions.

Obi-wan looked up at the mercenary, "He's a mentor, mostly, I would suppose and…" Obi-wan paused.

"And?"

Obi-wan turned away from Kelyl's piercing gaze, "He's like a father."

"What about Qui-gon?"

"I used to believe he was like a father to me.  Until he betrayed me, and left me behind."

Kelyl could tell Obi-wan was troubled.  Obi-wan had loved Qui-gon as a father, and the Jedi Master had betrayed him.  "And now?"

There was a long silence, before Obi-wan answered softly, "Now I don't know.  I hate him, I must.  I want to make him pay.  But…"

Kelyl raised an eyebrow, still watching Obi-wan.

"Sith," Obi-wan's voice nearly broke.  He took a deep breath, steadied himself, "When he spoke to me that day, I felt as though…as though I wanted just to run back to him, and let him be like my father again.  I know that's stupid," Obi-wan finally looked up at Kelyl, "but sometimes I find myself hoping."

"If you take the path of revenge, there will be no more hope."

"I know.  And I know that even now, there is no more hope.  Qui-gon betrayed me.  Nothing can change that," Obi-wan paused yet again, "When you killed Takir, it didn't change anything, did it?"

Kelyl sighed, "It didn't change anything she did, but it sure as anything made me feel better," Kelyl grinned, but some of it was forced, "Now I have a death penalty on my head, for killing a Jedi.  But I can live with that."

"I suppose I could too."

"Sith," Kelyl swore under his breath.  "You couldn't."  Kelyl knew Obi-wan could never live the hard life he himself had chosen.  Obi-wan was still too innocent.  He still believed in the fact that Good could always win Evil.  And, whether he liked it or not, he still loved his Master.  Buried under all that hatred, anger, pain. 

Kelyl had known it, for a very long time.  He had tried to help Obi-wan, the best way he could.  Kelyl knew there were other ways, there had to be, but he had taken this one, the path of revenge.  And look where it has led me, the mercenary mused.  An innocent, naive boy – he hadn't even grown up fully then – who had killed a Jedi in cold blood, now forced to always be on the run.  He had grown up too fast, too soon, thrust into a hard, difficult world.  Face it, Kelyl told himself, Obi-wan could never take it.  His future lies with the very person he's trying to kill.  And I was partly responsible for making him hate…

He picked up the transmitter and keyed in a few numbers.

­Qui-gon watched Obi-wan raise his lightsabre again, preparing for another attack.  Qui-gon tried to gather all his thoughts and focus, but he knew he was too distracted.  It should never have come to this, the Jedi Master knew, I should never have had to fight him.  Just then, Obi-wan attacked with startling ferocity.  Suddenly caught off guard, Qui-gon barely deflected the blow.  He staggered backwards, trying to recover his balance as quickly as possible.  Obi-wan kicked out, and Qui-gon fell.  His lightsabre flew out of his hand, landing with a clatter on the floor.  The tip of Obi-wan's blue blade hovered centimetres away from his throat.  Qui-gon froze, fear in his eyes.  Fear, not of dying, but for his apprentice.

Obi-wan stared down at his Master.  No, his former Master.  Obi-wan could feel his own anger, his own pain at being left behind.  I hate him.  I hate him for leaving me behind and for never trusting me with responsibility.  He never cared for me. 

"Obi-wan," Qui-gon locked eyes with Obi-wan.  "Obi-wan, I'm sorry.  Please, forgive me."  There was no more fear in his eyes anymore, just certainty, hope.  Qui-gon wasn't begging for his life.

"You left me behind.  You betrayed me.  You deserve this," Obi-wan's eyes narrowed.  Somehow, he didn't really want to kill Qui-gon.  Now that he had the chance, he didn't want to.  But he had to.  Qui-gon had to know how much it had hurt, had to pay for all that he had done.  Revenge is the only way.

"Obi-wan…"

Obi-wan turned at the sound, his lightsabre blade still centimetres away from Qui-gon's throat.

"Don't do this," Kelyl's bright blue eyes met Obi-wan's.

"Why?  Why shouldn't I?" Obi-wan's voice was cold, hard.  The blade leaned in closer to the Jedi Master's neck.

"It won't work."

"It is the only way.  How could he have left me and not pay for it…" his words were starting to sound hollow and empty, even to himself.

"Watch out!" Kelyl ducked just as he heard the whine of a blaster.

Through the Force, Obi-wan felt the blaster bolt coming, headed straight for him.  The instinctive reaction would have been to dodge, but Obi-wan knew the bolt would hit Qui-gon.  Without thinking, Obi-wan flicked his lightsabre off and stood his ground.

The blaster bolt slammed into his stomach.  Obi-wan doubled over in pain.

thanks for reading and all the reviews, I really appreciate it.  I'm working on the next chapter, have to get it done before school starts.  That should be up in a week, sorry for the huge delay =)

                                                                                    - wild horse