Declaimer: Jade belongs to me anybody else you see probably belong to Mr. Lucas which I thank for Star Wars or the Jedi apprentice books. This also covers my first chapter of this story. Thank you and enjoy
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I managed to sleep for a few hours before the pain of my injures became too much to bear. I slowly got up from my bed making sure not to bend to far. I hobbled out and just as I reached the hallway I heard the distance sound of children coming out of their classes. Many of the voices sounded familour; to the children I had known in my years being at the temple and the retreat. They came running toward me screaming out my name.
" You are alive, we thought the worst" one of the children said.
"Yes we all did" a husky voice said in the crowd of children.
The kids parted to show the owner of the voice, it was Consen.
I couldn't help but see that Consen had a kind but worried smile on his face.
" How are you doing Jade?" he asked
" As well as can be accepted" I said trying to smile
He let out a little chuckle. " If you need anything just ask"
" I will"
The children scattered as Mace Windu approached.
"Bye Jade" a kid said as they disappeared in their classrooms.
Consen looked over to the Master and with him not looking I gave him a quick hug.
"Thank you," I said he turned toward me gave me a quick smile hugged me back then we released
The Master Jedi approached us we both bowed in respect.
"Pardon me master, Jade, I must go back to class" Consen said as he bowed again and left.
Master Mace came closer and put a arm around me
" How are you feeling Jade?" he asked
"A little bit better Master"
" Good " he said as he released my shoulders
" I just want to say how proud I am of you and Obi-wan, for everything"
" Thank you Master, is there a way I could see him?" I asked
" I am afraid he is pretty bad even though you had been the main target we found that Obi-wan injuries were more extensive then yours"
" But he lost consciousness"
"Yes but that doesn't mean they stopped beating him Jade"
" I realize that but if he was so bad then who had carried me all that way before the creature got me? I though it was him"
" I do not know Jade? Just know that you both shared pain that you shouldn't have," he said his voice becoming soft from its usual roughness
I placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, he smiled back.
" Let us check you both out first then you may see him"
I nodded and he escorted me back to my room.
Master/Healer San May stood at my doorway
" I was waiting for you to come back, Mace you said she would be here"
" Well…." Mace stammered
" I can't keep still for long my body wouldn't let me," I said smiling at her
She smiled back " you are just like your…" she stopped as Mace gave her a look
" Never mind " she said " come sit and I will check on you so that we can see your friend, Mace could you please leave us" he nodded and exited.
I suddenly felt a little unstable and nearly stumbled but luckily she caught me " it will be alright" she said as she helped me to the bed. I felt very dizzy and lightheaded. She laid me back on the bed letting my head rest on the pillow. She checked my pulse " you will be fine you just have some head trauma it will pass as you heal, you will just have to be careful"
She went over my injuries, checking everything over twice I was feeling tired as my head started swimming again. She saw me drift and shook me awake
"You must not close your eyes your concussion is still weakening you and you must not let it control you, I want you to get up and go to your friend"
But my body wouldn't listen and I slowly started to drift again. She shook me again and pulled me up slowly and off the bed. She handed me a glass of a strange liquid and told me to drink it. I did as I was told and I immediately snapped back.
"That should help for a while, the rest is up to you" I felt goosebumps go up my spine. I stood up straight with a bit of help and had the Masters shoulder to balance myself.
" Come now you can see Obi-wan I will check on him and then you two can talk" she said softly I nodded and we walked to the room next door.
The Master knocked on the door, Master Plo who was still watching over Obi, answered the door and showed us in and to obi. Obi-wan was lying there in his bed looking really uncomfortable, his teeth were clenched as if trying to sleep and forgetting the pain. The Master Plo escorted me to his chair as the Master walked up closer to Obi-wan. Master Plo, after I sat down, took my hand and held it while the Master woke up Obi-wan. The pain in Obi-wans eyes as he was awakened killed me. I looked over to Master Plo who too, had the same look of pain for the boy was in his eyes. He looked back at me and squeezed my hand,
" You two didn't deserve this " he said then he let go of my hand and exited.
I looked back over to the Master, who was still looking over Obi-wan. After checking his reflexes and movement and his overall comfort, she gave him the same nasty fluid as me. Told him the same line as she told me, then patted him lightly on the shoulder and got up. She then walked over to me and knelt down in front of me.
" I will be back to check on you both later" I nodded and she got up "no funny business you two, oh by the way Obi-wan, a friend wants to see you soon"
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a humanoid boy walked in
" Never mind he's here" she then turned to the boy
" You may stay a short while then I want these two to talk by themselves"
" Yes Master" he said. The Master left and closed the door.
He then faced me and gave me a scowl
" So you're the one who almost got Obi killed"
"It wasn't my intension," I pleaded
" I am sure," he snapped back
Obi-wan who had been sitting up on his bed looked at the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder
" its not her fault the council told us not to tell where they were"
"Yeah but they were just going to question her, if she had been by herself and you hadn't been around, you would have been fine"
" Yes but then it would have been someone else in my position instead of me"
" Your right, but I still don't like her or her father whose fault this also is, if they hadn't know him this wouldn't have happened"
" You leave my father out of this, this raid had nothing to do with him, it had to do with money and power" I was starting to get worked up.
" If there is anyone to blame for this is the Council trusting those stupid new knights and thinking that we would be safe in this place with out their protection"
I took a deep breath, which caused me great pain, but it was either that or no air.
The boy looked at me then Obi-wan. "Well, um, I guess I'll see you later Obi, I hope you both have a swift recovery" he cleared his throat the left the room.
I looked at obi-wan "I am sorry about my outburst to your friend"
" Oh don't worry she is just a little protective of me "
" That's nice to have"
"Yeah but then you have the pains of living here"
" You mean like… what's his name"
" You mean Bruck, besides your friend Consen yeah"
" Consen is not really my friend more like a bully with a crush"
" Hmm"
" Hmm what? At least I am not called Oafy-wan"
" Hey!" he said trying to laugh then I heard his laugh die as he held his ribs and coughed.
" Are you ok?"
" As well as I can be" he said smiling.
I smiles back. I didn't know what to say except "sorry for…. This " I said trying to apologize for everything but only acknowledging the room.
"It's not you fault"
" Yes it is," I said slowly getting up from the chair and wrapping my arms around myself.
" Come here" he said patting a spot on the side of his bed
" You sure you want-"
"Sit down for force sake" his voice now a little louder.
I sat down as he commanded
" Now you just said, to my friend and to me and yourself, that you are not to blame and it was true, no w stop it or I will clabber you" he left a small smile escape his lips at the end, showing the little bit of sarcasm and irony that came with the situation. I smiled back
" Ok then let talk about some thing a little more pleasant shall we" he said looking into my face, his blue green eyes staring down into mine, I think I almost blushed, all I could was nod my head.
I am not sure at the time how long we had talked. I wasn't thinking of time but of his company and his stories. I felt for him " are you ok we can stop if you would like I don't want to wear you out" I said once in the entire time.
He smiled at me" your not wearing me out"
After talking a while about the process of picking Padawan, I felt a presence outside the door then they entered it was the Master/Healer.
" Ok you two it's time to rest"
"How long have we been here?" Obi asked
" Well you have been talking for hours now, we didn't want to separate you while you getting along so well" she smiled at us
"I will give you time to say goodnight then I want Jade outside" she stepped out.
We looked at each other. I got the courage to lean over and hug him. Then I got up but I feel I may have gotten up too quickly. Before I could get away from his bed he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. I sat back down and stared at him. He then pulled me into a huge hug, the hardest he could accomplish at the time, and I hugged him back almost as strong. I got up again Obi still grasping onto my hand. He pulled it close to his lips and kissed it. I blushed, as did he, he pulled it away him his lips and just held it for a while. He released and I headed out the door.
" Goodnight Obi"
" Night Jade"
I then walked out and went to my room. The day was gone but I did not miss it. I could then sleep and dream of what could be.
The next morning after having an actual goodnights rest and being checked over again by the Master, I went back to Obi's room for another chat. We did this for a few more days. Healing together as friends and comrades. Even though Obi-wan was still recuperating after I was almost finished I was still with him the Masters had allowed me to stay and keep him company. Obi-wans other friends came to see him but they were often very short visits .All my friends came to see me as well. Consen was the only person who I saw every moment he was not busy. The one person who I didn't see was Qui-gon.
He was my rock, my support. One of the reasons I was still in the Jedi order was because of him. On an attempted escape from my temple cell he caught me out in the hall. He then sat me down and talked to me not as a Jedi master but as my father. He begged me to stay telling me that even though it wasn't an easy life it was a good life and that I deserved the best. He also expressed his need for me to be there. He said that I was his only family and child and that he loved me and hated to lose me to the world the Jedi tried hard to fight against he knew that if I left problems would follow. For my gifts were not of ancient prophecy but of a power between the light and dark of the force, that only few had. There were few in the entire galaxy let alone the temple. I didn't know of any and he never told me who did for it was not his matter, only I was his matter. I knew he loved me even though he didn't show it. I don't think the council let him and I don't think they showed it to him as he grew up either. After the failure with his second apprentice my father fell more into despair. I was always there for him as much as I could but it was too soon and we never really talked about it that kind of distanced us further then ever before.
I couldn't complain really because I had Obi-wan, my friends and the Masters company but even with that the gap left by my father absence remain and killed me from the inside out.
" He will be here I know he will be he care for you too much" Master Mace said to me once while I guess I looked more down then usual.
" Thank you Master"
Before I knew it thought it was two weeks before the group of apprentice looking masters would come and grace us with their presence. The thirteen year olds were the most nervous knowing that this would be one of their last chances of becoming padawans. It had been a few weeks before that the council had told Obi and myself that we were well enough to return to our study and resume the preparation for the "Padawan picks" as my friends and I called it. A few random Masters looking for an apprentice after either moving from a higher status of knight or Master. It wasn't a big thing but the Master was not always in pairs or groups, some even came separately.
Anyway in that time as well my friends and I were to turn the age of thirteen. Obi and myself almost shared the same birthday but he was the day before mine. Consen and Ruby had had their birthdays the week before. Master Plo tried to comfort me, telling that Qui-gon would come and everything would go as it should but with no success.
The day came closer and I got more worried. Would father show? Or would he hide from the past no one knew. The Council tired to find but with no luck even they were getting worried and that was a rarity in itself. Qui- gon was in a good hiding space and wasn't about to move until he was ready. I knew as others did who knew him well that when he came back he would try to be better for not just us but hopefully for himself.
All the Padawans were nervous; awaiting your destiny is hard! Ha ha. It scares you to your very soul, at least that's what Ruby told us, as all she did was mediate all day, everyday, and sometimes she even forgot to eat. The other person I was worried about was Obi, he looked so forlorn and sad but he wouldn't let anyone near him. As the day came closer the temple grew more silent as it did on these of events. The silence of anticipation, the silence of dread, the fear of acceptance, and the fear of unworthiness swam over us. In other word we were just plain scared.
TBC
Soon I hope
