After the meeting, Obi-Wan left without a word to anyone. He wasn't much for talking anymore, having spent almost a decade on an uninhabited planet. Qui-Gon had looked after him with what almost seemed to be desperation in his eyes, but Obi-Wan had just walked on.

That had been surprisingly hard to do, as Obi-Wan had never quite forgiven his former master for abandoning him. But the grief in apparent in Qui-Gon's face was hard to miss as Obi-Wan left the room.

He sighed inwardly. He should have never come back, back to a place that held so many memories, those good and bad. He saw now what he could have been, and what he could have done. The prime years of his life wasted on a barren, forgotten world. So many possibilities had been open to him, either as a Jedi or something... else. During those long years on Dagobah, he had often thought what his life would have been if he had not been sent to the Jedi. As he had told Anakin earlier, his mother had been a senatorial aide, so perhaps he himself would have gone into politics.

Obi-Wan tried to clear these thoughts from his head, as thoughts about what could have been were detrimental to his mind's health. Unfortunately, the images of things that never were kept coming to mind. A wife, children, grandchildren... Such things were not given to him in this life, and Obi-Wan could only pray that they would come to him in the next.

Even as his attention resided in his thoughts, his legs kept walking, driving him to a spot he had so treasured in his childhood: the waterfalls. He and his Mon Calamari friend, Bant, had spent many an hour there, playing in the cool waters. He hoped that visiting this spot would help to calm his mind.

The air in the room was heavy with mist from the waterfalls, creating a false image of the outdoors. Obi-Wan breathed it in, allowing his tense muscles to relax. In the near distance, he could hear the pound of the waterfall as its waters crashed upon the rocks below.

As he drew closer, he became aware of someone else's presence. He tried to identify them with his considerable mental powers, but to his surprise, their identity evaded him. Now intrigued, he drew closer, without a sound, trying to catch a glimpse of his unknown neighbour.

A gasp came to his lips, which he quickly silenced. The other person was Bant! She had just emerged from the water, her gills breathing in the fresh air. Bant had obviously changed in the years; she was taller and more confident than he remembered. But she was still Bant.

He shifted his weight abruptly, and the motion caused a twig to snap under his foot. He cringed, and hoped that she had not heard.

She had though, and in a moment, she had her lightsaber at her side and was approaching carefully the trees which Obi-Wan was hiding. He told himself to run, but knew that that would be in vain.

The branches of the trees parted back, and he saw Bant's face appear among them, right in front of him. Her features were rigid in concentration and wariness as she approached him. But then, something shifted in her eyes, and recognition dawned upon her. Her lips curled back in a gasp, and she took an instinctual step backwards.

"Obi-Wan?" she whispered, her voice as light as the wind.

He could only nod in return, at a loss for words.

She moved forwards then, and for the second time in one day, he was enveloped in a hug. He returned it, wrapping his arms around her and breathing in, smelling the familiar scent of the water upon her. They stood like this for some time, both lost in in the past.

Obi-Wan and Bant both let go at the same time, demonstrating that the bond they once shared as friends was still somewhat there. She gazed into his eyes, and unconsciously ran her hand down the side of face, using her webbed-fingers to trace a long scar. Pain was evident in her eyes, even as she seemed to look past him.

"What happened to you?" she whispered.

His blue-grey eyes reflected more than he could ever say. She saw there pain, solitude, anger and grief. The enthusiastic, caring and joyful young boy she had once known was long gone, disappeared into the deep jungles of a far-off planet. No, the Obi-Wan Kenobi she had once known was gone, and only the remains lived on.

Part of her cried out at this injustice done to him, and another just quietly accepted it. People did make mistakes, but this was one that should have never been allowed to happen. A powerful and talented young Jedi had been, in essence, killed. This brought great sorrow to her heart.

Obi-Wan offered a small, sad smile. He reached out and touched her shoulder, then turned around noiselessly and walked away, away from his childhood friend. She could only look after his receding back, and silently cry out to the injustice of it all.

*_______________________*

Anakin's uneasiness about Kenobi's situation did not dissipate as the day went on. If anything, it seemed to grown, enveloping Anakin into a constant state of worry. Master Qui-Gon was no help to him in this matter, as Qui-Gon was equally nervous and saddened.

The bench outside the Council chambers was hard underneath him, as he struggled to keep from squirming. He had not been permitted to enter, so he had opted to wait outside.

After what seemed an eternity, the tall doors to the Chambers opened. Obi-Wan Kenobi, still unworldly calm, strode out, his long ponytail swishing behind him. Anakin made no move to approach him, as the former Jedi looked deep in thought. The Council members followed a few moments later; then, finally, Qui-Gon emerged.

The older man looked taxed and worn; his face was creased in lines of pain. Anakin stood and moved over to him, but Qui-Gon did not speak. They both walked down the corridor like that, Anakin waiting for his Master to speak.

"We are going to investigate the blackmailing of King Renon." Qui-Gon stated abruptly. "Obi-Wan Kenobi will be aiding us."

With that, Qui-Gon escaped back into his shell of silence. Anakin still had questions, but was unsure if he should ask them. He decided, after a moment's time, that he should ask now, and not be confused later.

"Then why do you look sorrowful?" Anakin asked quietly, his young face showing the innocence and confusion that only a child can have.

His master was pensive a moment, then replied to his Padawan's inquiry. "Because, Anakin, he has not forgiven me, and I still feel as if I failed him. The pain is horrible, and I only hope that this mission will help close the rift between us."

Qui-Gon's answer had helped to dismiss some off the apprehensions that Anakin had, but had also created more. His master was torn by his devotion to the Order and to Anakin and his former Padawan's pain. Unlike his master, though, Anakin did not think that this mission would serve to repair the rift between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. It would probably only awaken past problems and feelings.

Meanwhile, Anakin was also feeling the tension of this mission. It was also straining Qui-Gon's and Anakin's relationship. In the end, Anakin wasn't worried about the rift between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, but rather the one rapidly growing between him and his Master.

He feared that when he returned from the mission, he may not have a master.

*A/N: Okay, I'm going to address something mention by Leap of Fate here. It isn't bad or anything, and I certainly appreciated her comments, but I still would like to explain it.

My chapters are quite short compared to most people's, but that's just the way I write them. I don't have many opportunities to write, so I try to get the best I can in. I also like to update frequently, which also restricts the length of my chapters.

Anyways, I just thought that I should explain that, and there you have it! Thanks for reading my story so far, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

~Eleia*