Title: Hidden Shadows Seeking Light
Rating: I wish I knew. I am putting it at PG-13 just because I don't know any better and would rather err on the safe side.
Genre: Drama/Mild Angst
Summary: The sequel to Broken Promises and New Beginnings it begins immediately following the ending of the previous story. Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Anakin are on their way to Tiress. The governmental leaders of the planet requested the Jinn/Kenobi team to aid in settling the conflict on their planet as well as to work towards reestablishing peace and stability. They must also try to locate whoever is responsible for the assassination of the Vice Commander of the planet and the kidnappers of the Commander's daughter. There are darker forces at work here that the Jedi are not yet aware of. As if they didn't have enough to do Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon must also work to put their relationship back together following the events of BPNB. Will their fragile attempt to reconcile withstand the pressures of a mission and the desire of a dark lord to possess the Chosen One? Can Obi- Wan trust someone who has abandoned him before? If forced to choose again which Padawan would Qui-Gon select? What if their very lives depended upon his choice?
Feedback: I would love to get feedback on this story. I would appreciate it if everyone would put down their flame throwers though because this is only my second time out and I know I made mistakes on the first story and have no doubt I will make many on this one. I need constructive criticism so that I will get better not mean comments that will only serve to make me cry. I thank each and every one of the readers who take the time to review this story. I love fan fiction and hope to write stories that can entertain others as much as their stories have entertained me.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. They are, were and will always belong to Mr. George Lucas creator of an amazing universe. Not only does this story contain elements of the universe that Mr. Lucas created but also the Alternate Universe (AU) found in a wonderful story called An Untimely Frost by CYNICAL21. I thank Cynical21 for allowing me to reference her work. If you haven't read her story you are really missing out on something wonderful. You will need a big box of tissues though so keep those handy. Also I want to thank Shannon for sparking my imagination with her wonderful story Going Home it is a must read!!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Just to a little guide as to what things mean:
/-/ Bond thought //-// Private thought "-" Speaking aloud
*****************************************************************
As Obi-Wan made his way to the center of the make shift sparring circle he found himself considering Anakin's obvious anger towards him. Could the boy have felt threatened by his past relationship with Master Jinn? Could he still just be angry over what he no doubt had over heard Obi-Wan say to his Master in the cockpit the night before? It seemed like there was more to it than that. It appeared to run much deeper than a mere flare of displeasure over a sparring match or verbal confrontation. Obi-Wan sent a silent thank you out into the Force that he wasn't a Master. Qui-Gon would have to sort all of that out. He didn't have to worry about Anakin at least not now. The time would come on Tiress when he would need to assist in keeping the barely trained boy safe, but until then he would just leave the training to Qui-Gon. The Master had managed to help Obi-Wan learn to control his emotions he felt confident that he would do the same for Anakin.
Bowing to Qui-Gon he ignited his saber feeling almost overtaken by a deep sense of nostalgia. Slowly they began to move together parry, thrust, parry, spin, twist gradually speeding up until movements came without thought. Years of moving together, understanding each other's strengths and weaknesses, and understanding each other's personal battle style aided each man as he pushed the other to his peak performance.
They were each living in the moment deep in concentration. It was a scene that had played out between them through twelve years of training. They had always enjoyed sparring with one another. It had been the one place where Qui-Gon had first started to allow his pride in his padawan's ability to show. It had also been the first place that Obi-Wan had been able to sense the shift in their relationship toward the latter years of his training as they had begun to form a friendship that he had hoped would last a lifetime.
Their movements looked and felt natural. A thrust here and block there, parry, jump, lunge, over and over they mirrored each other. Obi-Wan felt the thrill of their match as he watched the intensity of it play across the other man's face. He was suddenly lost back at the Temple in the training salle. Surrounded by the sounds of other students battling their masters, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had battled until both men had been exhausted and drenched in perspiration. They would outlast all the other matches and would usually conclude their match in front of the audience of those who had fallen before them.
He relaxed into the Force and allowed it to move within and around him. He felt it mingle with the signature of his Master and smiled at the familiar sense of the other man. Before he even realized what he was doing he was reaching for the other man's mind. The bond flared to life.
/Your protecting much better to your left than you did before./ He heard Qui-Gon's voice fill his mind. He reeled at the sound of it. He had crossed a line he had had no intention of crossing. So lost in their past he had lost sight of the present. He noticed the shocked expression on Qui-Gon's face as well. Before either of them could acknowledge what had just happened they both found their minds flooded by pain and darkness.
Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon immediately pull back from the bond as Obi-Wan scrambled to do the same. Once he had ended the link he felt the wave of darkness and pain lessen. Opening his eyes for the first time since the wave had hit him he noticed that Qui-Gon was now crumpled on the floor rocking slightly holding his head in his hands. Obi-Wan quickly realized that the pain that he had felt had been coming from his ex-Master's mind. He wondered if he had caused it by inadvertently opening the dormant bond.
Obi-Wan raced to Qui-Gon's side trying to discover how to comfort the man. Qui-Gon reached out desperately for him. He clawed at Obi-Wan's tunic lowering the man's head until he could whisper into his ear. Obi-Wan could hear the ragged breaths coming faster and faster as the pain threatened to overtake the man.
"Anakin." The word was rasped with concern and urgency. "It's coming from Anakin."
Obi-Wan's relief that he had not brought this upon Qui-Gon was short lived as his thoughts turned to the young boy. Surely Master Jinn was wrong. How could so much pain and darkness come from one so young? The wave had been enough to level a Master what could it have done to one so young?
Obi-Wan fought his desire to stay with the man he had once loved like a Father in order to follow the command he had just been given. Falling back to his years of training he clung to the obedience the older man had instilled in him. He gave the man's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he leapt to his feet and raced to the cabin where Anakin had been meditating.
**********************************
Upon entering the cabin he found Anakin unconscious on the floor. From the positioning of his body he had apparently been meditating when he too had been overwhelmed by whatever had launched the attack. Obi-Wan took a steadying breath as he knelt by the boy checking his life signs. To his relief Anakin's vitals were strong but he was unconscious and didn't seem to be responsive to any command that Obi-Wan gave him. Obi-Wan knew that he would not be able to reach into Anakin's mind, but he could obviously still enter Qui-Gon's. Not knowing what else to do he lifted the boy unto a bunk and pulled a blanket over his limp body. He then quickly made his way back to his Master. His own mind reeled as he tried to think of how he could possibly help Qui-Gon and Anakin.
Qui-Gon was still conscious though in capacitated on the floor where Obi- Wan had left him. Obi-Wan knelt beside his body and lifted the man until his head was resting against Obi-Wan's chest. Steeling himself for the chance of a renewed wave of pain and darkness Obi-Wan raised his hands and placed them on either side of his ex-Master's head. Little by little he began to enter the other man's thoughts. He felt Qui-Gon throw his remaining strength towards him as a warning trying to protect him against whatever it was that was attacking him.
Obi-Wan was touched that the man would be concerned for his safety in light of the pain that the man was experiencing. His heart twisted as he fought a sudden memory of the man by his sick bed in the infirmary stroking his head following one of their missions. In spite of how things had ended between them there had been moments of tenderness. Somehow the thought only served to deepen the knight's pain offering him no comfort. Pushing the past behind him Obi-Wan refocused his attention on helping his ex- Master.
Reinforcing his shields he dove deeper. Qui-Gon continued to ward off the knight, but Obi-Wan easily pushed the man's attempts aside.
/Master. I must do this. Anakin is unconscious. I cannot reach into his mind so I must try to locate what this is from within yours. This will go much better if you don't resist me. Trust me. Try to relax all will be well./ Using the other man's soothing words Obi-Wan recognized the mental smile that Qui-Gon managed.
Sinking deeper past fracturing shields, he saw the bond that Qui-Gon had with Anakin in vivid clarity. It was the source of the man's distress. It immediately became apparent that the attack had not been against the Master but instead had been against the Padawan. Qui-Gon's pain was coming from the bond. Obi-Wan suppressed his rising concern for Anakin's well being and ran a hand along the bond sending soothing light and healing into the frayed and enflamed strands. He worked to place a temporary block in the bond. It was his hope that if Qui-Gon had a moment of relief he would know better how to help himself and his padawan. Obi-Wan proceeded with care. He had no desire to permanently damage the fragile bond that had been growing between Qui-Gon and the boy.
After nearly half an hour of work Obi-Wan managed to install the temporary block and heal the fraying strands enough for Qui-Gon to help in solving the mystery. Drenched in perspiration he opened his sea green eyes and met a deep blue gaze filled with concern and fatigue. He knew Qui-Gon lacked the strength to speak so he wasn't surprised when he heard the familiar voice in his mind once more.
/How is Anakin?/ Qui-Gon asked as he joined Obi-Wan in trying to heal more strands of the bond.
/Physically he is fine but he is unconscious. Mentally he is unresponsive./ Obi-Wan wasn't trying to alarm the weakened Master but he had to be truthful.
/I have to get to him./ The urgency in Qui-Gon's voice heightened Obi-Wan's own sense of apprehension.
/What is this?/ Obi-Wan asked using his light to push as much darkness as possible from the other man's mind. Qui-Gon felt the calm reassuring presence of his beloved Obi-Wan fill him. He relaxed into it. The knight was surrounded by so much light that it flooded every corner on his thoughts. The pain began to ease dramatically. Together they had begun removing fragments of the temporary block.
Qui-Gon had missed the younger man's presence in his mind. He allowed himself a moment of selfish indulgence as he just basked for a moment in the warmth, strength and quickness of the other being's thoughts. He felt tears sting his eyes. He wanted to believe that they were merely a manifestation of the pain but knew better. Once again a wave of regret filled him. He noted the sudden shift in Obi-Wan. He could tell that even though the knight had been careful to keep his distance and would never intrude on his personal thoughts that he had picked up on the fluctuation in the older man's emotions.
Qui-Gon immediately released his regret into the Force. He had no intention of further burdening his friend with any more of his regrets and remorse. They were making progress and even though he had lost something precious and irreplaceable he would settle for what he could have and accept it for the gift that it was. He considered for a moment the work that Obi-Wan had accomplished on his own over the last hour. It was very impressive. The knight had come up with a perfect solution to an overwhelming and formidable problem. No doubt the knight's quick thinking had saved him and hopefully had been enough to save his young padawan as well.
/Excellent job my Padawan./ Qui-Gon said without thinking. He didn't notice Obi-Wan slightly stiffen beside him. /As we lower the block we must send the same light you used to free me into Anakin./
/Yes Master Jinn./ Obi-Wan was careful not to slip up again. He now realized that he had been referring to him as his Master. He felt a moment of betrayal towards Yoda but refused to dwell on it knowing that the task before him would require all of his energy and he had very little left after all he had done to free Qui-Gon. Taking a deep breath he linked his mind once more with Qui-Gon's and began flooding the now stable bond with light.
For over an hour the two men worked side by side making their way into the bond beating back the waves of darkness that were consuming the boy. Finally satisfied with their progress, they both stood and made their way to the cabin where the boy lay still in his bunk exactly as Obi-Wan had left him. Together they placed their hands upon the boy. Drawing in the Force, they set out to complete the final stages of ridding the boy of this attack.
There remained a corner of Anakin's mind that refused to relinquish its hold on the darkness. Obi-Wan found this concerning and curious. He made his way over to the area and discovered a small box sitting open. It seemed to be the source of much of the darkness still bouncing within the boy's mind. Obi-Wan examined the object for a moment. Had the being that had attacked Anakin brought this into his mind or had it always been here. As he looked closer he could see familiar thoughts. He saw images that could have only come from the boy's memory. Sighing deeply he realized that the box had been here for some time and had not been brought in as a weapon. Obi-Wan wasn't sure which prospect filled him with more trepidation.
He glanced over at Qui-Gon and found the master totally immersed in efforts aimed at reassuring the frightened boy. Not wanting to interrupt the man, Obi-Wan took it upon himself to close the lid of the box. Its effect was immediate. The darkness dispersed and began dissipating. Qui-Gon glanced about in shock wondering what Obi-Wan had done in order to end the attack so suddenly. Seeing the young knight staring down at something Qui-Gon couldn't quite make out, the master turned from his efforts at reassurance to see what Obi-Wan had found. As if sensing his Master's intentions Anakin chose that moment to wake.
Obi-Wan felt the boy thrust him from his mind. He opened his eyes realizing that the force of the expulsion had carried him physically across the room and into the hull. He had heard the thud from his impact against the wall of the cabin. He felt the air forced from his lungs as he immediately gathered the Force around him in the event of a second attack. Opening his eyes he saw the Qui-Gon had not received this same treatment though he was staring at the knight with a look of concern. Obi-Wan gave him a reassuring smile which freed the man to turn his attention to the boy once more.
Obi-Wan wanted to believe that it had been some basic instinct that had caused the boy to react this way to his presence but knew better. From the look upon the Master's face now it was apparent that Qui-Gon believed it to be an instinctual reaction only. Obi-Wan clenched his jaw realizing that Anakin had somehow brought a part of this on himself. He wondered if the boy would now confess to what it is that Obi-Wan had found or if he would instead force the knight to reveal his secret.
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin rose from his bunk. Qui-Gon encouraged the boy to remain lying down until he regained his strength. Anakin refused glancing about the room in confusion. He seemed to be looking for someone. His eyes finally settled on Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was startled by the sheer look of hate that the boy turned on him. He furrowed his brow wondering why the boy would have such a violent reaction to his presence in his mind and now be staring at him with murderous hate. In a split second it all made sense. Obi-Wan knew. Anakin had no intention of revealing his tampering with the darkness to his Master. Now Obi-Wan knew his secret. He had closed the box. The box had been a part of the boy's mind. It was filled with dark emotions.
The knight realized that Anakin was very strong if he had been able to hide such dark emotions from his Master. Obi-Wan continued to meet the boy's gaze. It was a game of chicken each wondering which would blink first. Obi-wan knew it would be difficult to convince Qui-Gon of what he had found especially in light of the fragility of their new relationship. It would be best if Anakin confessed it himself. He would give the boy the opportunity to do so, but if he failed then Obi-Wan would have no choice but to relay what he knew to the Master. Anakin's look was smug and it appeared to Obi-Wan that the boy was actually trying to intimidate him. He allowed a knowing smile to curl his lips as well. Two could play this game, but only one would win. It was in that moment that Qui-Gon cleared his throat and Anakin blinked.
Obi-Wan met Qui-Gon's gaze and held it for a moment. He could sense that now was not the time to push the issue of the box. Seeing that the Master had things in hand and no doubt wanted to discuss all that occurred with the young boy, Obi-Wan rose and made his way out of the cabin. Perhaps he had been wrong in reading Anakin's expression. Perhaps the boy would open up to his Master now that the knight was out of the room. Obi-Wan could remember many times in his training when he had wanted to confide in his Master without any audience around to judge his mistakes or observations. He would be hopeful that the boy would do the right thing. He didn't want to think about the conversation he would have with Qui-Gon if Anakin chose to remain silent.
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I had more ready but the last part needed more serious tweaking so I decided to go ahead and post what was ready. I figured a little now is better than more much later. I really want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. They have kept me at my keyboard, brow furrowed but a smile on my face. They truly do keep me motivated. Just knowing someone is reading my work still blows my mind. I had some questions about the Adi/Obi thing and of course since this is a sequel that part of Obi's life will continue on. Hopefully you will see more of that next post. For those of you who don't like that pairing try to tolerate it. I can't help where my imagination wants to play. Let me know what you think but please be constructive. One review mentioned varying my sentence structure and I am working on that. Hopefully with more time it will come more naturally. Thanks again for the support.
Rating: I wish I knew. I am putting it at PG-13 just because I don't know any better and would rather err on the safe side.
Genre: Drama/Mild Angst
Summary: The sequel to Broken Promises and New Beginnings it begins immediately following the ending of the previous story. Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Anakin are on their way to Tiress. The governmental leaders of the planet requested the Jinn/Kenobi team to aid in settling the conflict on their planet as well as to work towards reestablishing peace and stability. They must also try to locate whoever is responsible for the assassination of the Vice Commander of the planet and the kidnappers of the Commander's daughter. There are darker forces at work here that the Jedi are not yet aware of. As if they didn't have enough to do Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon must also work to put their relationship back together following the events of BPNB. Will their fragile attempt to reconcile withstand the pressures of a mission and the desire of a dark lord to possess the Chosen One? Can Obi- Wan trust someone who has abandoned him before? If forced to choose again which Padawan would Qui-Gon select? What if their very lives depended upon his choice?
Feedback: I would love to get feedback on this story. I would appreciate it if everyone would put down their flame throwers though because this is only my second time out and I know I made mistakes on the first story and have no doubt I will make many on this one. I need constructive criticism so that I will get better not mean comments that will only serve to make me cry. I thank each and every one of the readers who take the time to review this story. I love fan fiction and hope to write stories that can entertain others as much as their stories have entertained me.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story. They are, were and will always belong to Mr. George Lucas creator of an amazing universe. Not only does this story contain elements of the universe that Mr. Lucas created but also the Alternate Universe (AU) found in a wonderful story called An Untimely Frost by CYNICAL21. I thank Cynical21 for allowing me to reference her work. If you haven't read her story you are really missing out on something wonderful. You will need a big box of tissues though so keep those handy. Also I want to thank Shannon for sparking my imagination with her wonderful story Going Home it is a must read!!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Just to a little guide as to what things mean:
/-/ Bond thought //-// Private thought "-" Speaking aloud
*****************************************************************
As Obi-Wan made his way to the center of the make shift sparring circle he found himself considering Anakin's obvious anger towards him. Could the boy have felt threatened by his past relationship with Master Jinn? Could he still just be angry over what he no doubt had over heard Obi-Wan say to his Master in the cockpit the night before? It seemed like there was more to it than that. It appeared to run much deeper than a mere flare of displeasure over a sparring match or verbal confrontation. Obi-Wan sent a silent thank you out into the Force that he wasn't a Master. Qui-Gon would have to sort all of that out. He didn't have to worry about Anakin at least not now. The time would come on Tiress when he would need to assist in keeping the barely trained boy safe, but until then he would just leave the training to Qui-Gon. The Master had managed to help Obi-Wan learn to control his emotions he felt confident that he would do the same for Anakin.
Bowing to Qui-Gon he ignited his saber feeling almost overtaken by a deep sense of nostalgia. Slowly they began to move together parry, thrust, parry, spin, twist gradually speeding up until movements came without thought. Years of moving together, understanding each other's strengths and weaknesses, and understanding each other's personal battle style aided each man as he pushed the other to his peak performance.
They were each living in the moment deep in concentration. It was a scene that had played out between them through twelve years of training. They had always enjoyed sparring with one another. It had been the one place where Qui-Gon had first started to allow his pride in his padawan's ability to show. It had also been the first place that Obi-Wan had been able to sense the shift in their relationship toward the latter years of his training as they had begun to form a friendship that he had hoped would last a lifetime.
Their movements looked and felt natural. A thrust here and block there, parry, jump, lunge, over and over they mirrored each other. Obi-Wan felt the thrill of their match as he watched the intensity of it play across the other man's face. He was suddenly lost back at the Temple in the training salle. Surrounded by the sounds of other students battling their masters, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had battled until both men had been exhausted and drenched in perspiration. They would outlast all the other matches and would usually conclude their match in front of the audience of those who had fallen before them.
He relaxed into the Force and allowed it to move within and around him. He felt it mingle with the signature of his Master and smiled at the familiar sense of the other man. Before he even realized what he was doing he was reaching for the other man's mind. The bond flared to life.
/Your protecting much better to your left than you did before./ He heard Qui-Gon's voice fill his mind. He reeled at the sound of it. He had crossed a line he had had no intention of crossing. So lost in their past he had lost sight of the present. He noticed the shocked expression on Qui-Gon's face as well. Before either of them could acknowledge what had just happened they both found their minds flooded by pain and darkness.
Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon immediately pull back from the bond as Obi-Wan scrambled to do the same. Once he had ended the link he felt the wave of darkness and pain lessen. Opening his eyes for the first time since the wave had hit him he noticed that Qui-Gon was now crumpled on the floor rocking slightly holding his head in his hands. Obi-Wan quickly realized that the pain that he had felt had been coming from his ex-Master's mind. He wondered if he had caused it by inadvertently opening the dormant bond.
Obi-Wan raced to Qui-Gon's side trying to discover how to comfort the man. Qui-Gon reached out desperately for him. He clawed at Obi-Wan's tunic lowering the man's head until he could whisper into his ear. Obi-Wan could hear the ragged breaths coming faster and faster as the pain threatened to overtake the man.
"Anakin." The word was rasped with concern and urgency. "It's coming from Anakin."
Obi-Wan's relief that he had not brought this upon Qui-Gon was short lived as his thoughts turned to the young boy. Surely Master Jinn was wrong. How could so much pain and darkness come from one so young? The wave had been enough to level a Master what could it have done to one so young?
Obi-Wan fought his desire to stay with the man he had once loved like a Father in order to follow the command he had just been given. Falling back to his years of training he clung to the obedience the older man had instilled in him. He gave the man's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he leapt to his feet and raced to the cabin where Anakin had been meditating.
**********************************
Upon entering the cabin he found Anakin unconscious on the floor. From the positioning of his body he had apparently been meditating when he too had been overwhelmed by whatever had launched the attack. Obi-Wan took a steadying breath as he knelt by the boy checking his life signs. To his relief Anakin's vitals were strong but he was unconscious and didn't seem to be responsive to any command that Obi-Wan gave him. Obi-Wan knew that he would not be able to reach into Anakin's mind, but he could obviously still enter Qui-Gon's. Not knowing what else to do he lifted the boy unto a bunk and pulled a blanket over his limp body. He then quickly made his way back to his Master. His own mind reeled as he tried to think of how he could possibly help Qui-Gon and Anakin.
Qui-Gon was still conscious though in capacitated on the floor where Obi- Wan had left him. Obi-Wan knelt beside his body and lifted the man until his head was resting against Obi-Wan's chest. Steeling himself for the chance of a renewed wave of pain and darkness Obi-Wan raised his hands and placed them on either side of his ex-Master's head. Little by little he began to enter the other man's thoughts. He felt Qui-Gon throw his remaining strength towards him as a warning trying to protect him against whatever it was that was attacking him.
Obi-Wan was touched that the man would be concerned for his safety in light of the pain that the man was experiencing. His heart twisted as he fought a sudden memory of the man by his sick bed in the infirmary stroking his head following one of their missions. In spite of how things had ended between them there had been moments of tenderness. Somehow the thought only served to deepen the knight's pain offering him no comfort. Pushing the past behind him Obi-Wan refocused his attention on helping his ex- Master.
Reinforcing his shields he dove deeper. Qui-Gon continued to ward off the knight, but Obi-Wan easily pushed the man's attempts aside.
/Master. I must do this. Anakin is unconscious. I cannot reach into his mind so I must try to locate what this is from within yours. This will go much better if you don't resist me. Trust me. Try to relax all will be well./ Using the other man's soothing words Obi-Wan recognized the mental smile that Qui-Gon managed.
Sinking deeper past fracturing shields, he saw the bond that Qui-Gon had with Anakin in vivid clarity. It was the source of the man's distress. It immediately became apparent that the attack had not been against the Master but instead had been against the Padawan. Qui-Gon's pain was coming from the bond. Obi-Wan suppressed his rising concern for Anakin's well being and ran a hand along the bond sending soothing light and healing into the frayed and enflamed strands. He worked to place a temporary block in the bond. It was his hope that if Qui-Gon had a moment of relief he would know better how to help himself and his padawan. Obi-Wan proceeded with care. He had no desire to permanently damage the fragile bond that had been growing between Qui-Gon and the boy.
After nearly half an hour of work Obi-Wan managed to install the temporary block and heal the fraying strands enough for Qui-Gon to help in solving the mystery. Drenched in perspiration he opened his sea green eyes and met a deep blue gaze filled with concern and fatigue. He knew Qui-Gon lacked the strength to speak so he wasn't surprised when he heard the familiar voice in his mind once more.
/How is Anakin?/ Qui-Gon asked as he joined Obi-Wan in trying to heal more strands of the bond.
/Physically he is fine but he is unconscious. Mentally he is unresponsive./ Obi-Wan wasn't trying to alarm the weakened Master but he had to be truthful.
/I have to get to him./ The urgency in Qui-Gon's voice heightened Obi-Wan's own sense of apprehension.
/What is this?/ Obi-Wan asked using his light to push as much darkness as possible from the other man's mind. Qui-Gon felt the calm reassuring presence of his beloved Obi-Wan fill him. He relaxed into it. The knight was surrounded by so much light that it flooded every corner on his thoughts. The pain began to ease dramatically. Together they had begun removing fragments of the temporary block.
Qui-Gon had missed the younger man's presence in his mind. He allowed himself a moment of selfish indulgence as he just basked for a moment in the warmth, strength and quickness of the other being's thoughts. He felt tears sting his eyes. He wanted to believe that they were merely a manifestation of the pain but knew better. Once again a wave of regret filled him. He noted the sudden shift in Obi-Wan. He could tell that even though the knight had been careful to keep his distance and would never intrude on his personal thoughts that he had picked up on the fluctuation in the older man's emotions.
Qui-Gon immediately released his regret into the Force. He had no intention of further burdening his friend with any more of his regrets and remorse. They were making progress and even though he had lost something precious and irreplaceable he would settle for what he could have and accept it for the gift that it was. He considered for a moment the work that Obi-Wan had accomplished on his own over the last hour. It was very impressive. The knight had come up with a perfect solution to an overwhelming and formidable problem. No doubt the knight's quick thinking had saved him and hopefully had been enough to save his young padawan as well.
/Excellent job my Padawan./ Qui-Gon said without thinking. He didn't notice Obi-Wan slightly stiffen beside him. /As we lower the block we must send the same light you used to free me into Anakin./
/Yes Master Jinn./ Obi-Wan was careful not to slip up again. He now realized that he had been referring to him as his Master. He felt a moment of betrayal towards Yoda but refused to dwell on it knowing that the task before him would require all of his energy and he had very little left after all he had done to free Qui-Gon. Taking a deep breath he linked his mind once more with Qui-Gon's and began flooding the now stable bond with light.
For over an hour the two men worked side by side making their way into the bond beating back the waves of darkness that were consuming the boy. Finally satisfied with their progress, they both stood and made their way to the cabin where the boy lay still in his bunk exactly as Obi-Wan had left him. Together they placed their hands upon the boy. Drawing in the Force, they set out to complete the final stages of ridding the boy of this attack.
There remained a corner of Anakin's mind that refused to relinquish its hold on the darkness. Obi-Wan found this concerning and curious. He made his way over to the area and discovered a small box sitting open. It seemed to be the source of much of the darkness still bouncing within the boy's mind. Obi-Wan examined the object for a moment. Had the being that had attacked Anakin brought this into his mind or had it always been here. As he looked closer he could see familiar thoughts. He saw images that could have only come from the boy's memory. Sighing deeply he realized that the box had been here for some time and had not been brought in as a weapon. Obi-Wan wasn't sure which prospect filled him with more trepidation.
He glanced over at Qui-Gon and found the master totally immersed in efforts aimed at reassuring the frightened boy. Not wanting to interrupt the man, Obi-Wan took it upon himself to close the lid of the box. Its effect was immediate. The darkness dispersed and began dissipating. Qui-Gon glanced about in shock wondering what Obi-Wan had done in order to end the attack so suddenly. Seeing the young knight staring down at something Qui-Gon couldn't quite make out, the master turned from his efforts at reassurance to see what Obi-Wan had found. As if sensing his Master's intentions Anakin chose that moment to wake.
Obi-Wan felt the boy thrust him from his mind. He opened his eyes realizing that the force of the expulsion had carried him physically across the room and into the hull. He had heard the thud from his impact against the wall of the cabin. He felt the air forced from his lungs as he immediately gathered the Force around him in the event of a second attack. Opening his eyes he saw the Qui-Gon had not received this same treatment though he was staring at the knight with a look of concern. Obi-Wan gave him a reassuring smile which freed the man to turn his attention to the boy once more.
Obi-Wan wanted to believe that it had been some basic instinct that had caused the boy to react this way to his presence but knew better. From the look upon the Master's face now it was apparent that Qui-Gon believed it to be an instinctual reaction only. Obi-Wan clenched his jaw realizing that Anakin had somehow brought a part of this on himself. He wondered if the boy would now confess to what it is that Obi-Wan had found or if he would instead force the knight to reveal his secret.
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin rose from his bunk. Qui-Gon encouraged the boy to remain lying down until he regained his strength. Anakin refused glancing about the room in confusion. He seemed to be looking for someone. His eyes finally settled on Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was startled by the sheer look of hate that the boy turned on him. He furrowed his brow wondering why the boy would have such a violent reaction to his presence in his mind and now be staring at him with murderous hate. In a split second it all made sense. Obi-Wan knew. Anakin had no intention of revealing his tampering with the darkness to his Master. Now Obi-Wan knew his secret. He had closed the box. The box had been a part of the boy's mind. It was filled with dark emotions.
The knight realized that Anakin was very strong if he had been able to hide such dark emotions from his Master. Obi-Wan continued to meet the boy's gaze. It was a game of chicken each wondering which would blink first. Obi-wan knew it would be difficult to convince Qui-Gon of what he had found especially in light of the fragility of their new relationship. It would be best if Anakin confessed it himself. He would give the boy the opportunity to do so, but if he failed then Obi-Wan would have no choice but to relay what he knew to the Master. Anakin's look was smug and it appeared to Obi-Wan that the boy was actually trying to intimidate him. He allowed a knowing smile to curl his lips as well. Two could play this game, but only one would win. It was in that moment that Qui-Gon cleared his throat and Anakin blinked.
Obi-Wan met Qui-Gon's gaze and held it for a moment. He could sense that now was not the time to push the issue of the box. Seeing that the Master had things in hand and no doubt wanted to discuss all that occurred with the young boy, Obi-Wan rose and made his way out of the cabin. Perhaps he had been wrong in reading Anakin's expression. Perhaps the boy would open up to his Master now that the knight was out of the room. Obi-Wan could remember many times in his training when he had wanted to confide in his Master without any audience around to judge his mistakes or observations. He would be hopeful that the boy would do the right thing. He didn't want to think about the conversation he would have with Qui-Gon if Anakin chose to remain silent.
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I had more ready but the last part needed more serious tweaking so I decided to go ahead and post what was ready. I figured a little now is better than more much later. I really want to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. They have kept me at my keyboard, brow furrowed but a smile on my face. They truly do keep me motivated. Just knowing someone is reading my work still blows my mind. I had some questions about the Adi/Obi thing and of course since this is a sequel that part of Obi's life will continue on. Hopefully you will see more of that next post. For those of you who don't like that pairing try to tolerate it. I can't help where my imagination wants to play. Let me know what you think but please be constructive. One review mentioned varying my sentence structure and I am working on that. Hopefully with more time it will come more naturally. Thanks again for the support.
