Chapter 5 Qui-Gon crossed his arms over his chest, his lower lip turned down, pouting. Han'yaie, the Chief Healer, had just informed him that he would have to stay in the Healer's wing for another week, to make sure the broken bones in his ribs had completely healed* Masster. *he whined* I don't think this is necessary........ A week is far too long...
Dooku shot his padawan a stern glance. "If Master Han'yaie thinks it is necessary, then we are to obey him, Padawan. Just think of it as a way to get out of your classes."
*Qui-Gon scowled.* That's not comforting. I can think of a dozen more things I could do that are more entertaining to get out of class. *he pushes his braid behind his ear.*
Dooku merely smiled and asked pointedly, "Can you move and bend without wincing, hissing in pain and soreness, or making some sort of comment?"
Qui-Gon frowned at his master and then tried to sit up in bed. He gasped and paled a shade. He sighed, beaten.* No master...
"Then you will obey the Healer," Dooku said, grinning openly. He glanced around...and lost his grin as he saw the other large room's occupant. Quieter, he added, "And you can continue to keep Lana company."
*Qui-Gon gasped as he saw Lana on a bed in the same room. He tried to get up and go to her... she was unconscious and hooked to several machines, but he stopped. Pain flooded through him as he tried to move...
Dooku laid a gentle but restraining hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "She's in the same room and will be for the remainder of the time that she is here, padawan. You know as well as I that Healers are supposed to place injured Jedi at the top of their agenda. She will be better off if she is not discovered while she's here. When you feel better, you can go see her. For now...." He glanced up as the door opened and Kyran entered with the skin of his face that had been slashed still slightly pink from his bacta treatment.
Qui-Gon sighed deeply.* Yes Master. *he settled himself back against his pillows, wincing as torn muscles and broken bones protested with every move he made. He looked up to see his best friend Kyran enter the room* hi.
: Kyran smiled tiredly. "Hey, how you doing? I was actually surprised to see that you hadn't made your getaway yet."
Qui-Gon scowled* Sore subject. They've decided to keep me for another week.
Kyran glanced over at Lana's bed and directed his next question to Dooku. "And how long on Lana? Any word?"
Dooku shook his head. "Chief Healer Han'yaie says that only time will tell about Lana. We'll have to wait."
Kyran glanced down and muttered, "I hate waiting."

Kyran watched Lana's chest rise up and then sink back down. Her eyelids had not moved in a week. Today Qui-Gon was allowed to go back to his quarters and Lana would be left in the room alone. He knew his friend had been talking to her while they were left alone together, though Lana had not woken or showed signs of waking. The Healers had patched up her chest and dunked her in the bacta tank once every two days for about four hours. The wound was almost healed but Lana's unconsciousness stayed with eerie persistence. No, he corrected himself. Not unconsciousness. Coma.
Qui-Gon stepped inside the door of the room he'd been in for nearly two weeks straight. Eager as he was to leave, there was somebody else still there who needed his help more than he needed to be out thus he came back with his friend Kyran to keep the vigil with him over the girl who'd saved his life. Lana? Wasn't that her name? Yes, that was it. "Hi," he said quietly to his friend..
Kyran turned around. "Hi," he said just as quietly. He pushed a chair toward his friend. "You ready to leave?"
Qui-Gon nodded quietly. "Yes...but..." He glanced at Lana in the bed sadly. "She saved my life...and I have no idea why."
Kyran smiled a little. "She's got a good heart, and a full past."
Qui-Gon looked at him curiously. "How do you know?"
"It's just...a feeling I have with her," Kyran said slowly. He glanced at the sleeping Lana and then back at Qui-Gon. "Have you spoken with Han'yaie about her lately?"
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. Not since a few days ago."
Kyran sighed. "Han'yaie says that when she was shot, the trauma and the pressure pushed against a nerve ending into her brain, causing her to go into a coma. She should wake when she heals enough for the pressure to go down."
Qui-Gon winced. "Think she'll wake soon?"
Kyran sighed. He opened his mouth but before he could answer, a stirring in the Force caught his attention and he turned back toward Lana to see her eyelids fluttering.
Qui-Gon blinked and saw her open her eyes. He grinned. "Well I suppose that's answered."
Lana slowly opened her eyes, everything being blurry at first. She did not know where she was and felt a deep, sharp ache in the center of her chest. Frightened, she made a small noise in the back of her throat.
Kyran took her hand gently and tried to send her calming waves through the Force. "Lana?"
Qui-Gon peered over Kyran's shoulder.
Lana's vision cleared slowly and the first person she saw was Kyran, his face full of concern. Still pulling out of the blackness she had been in, she found herself smiling. "Hello," she said groggily.
Kyran smiled in relief at seeing her smile. He stroked her cheek tenderly. "How are you feeling? Any better?"
Lana tried to smile again. In a hoarse voice she whispered, "Like a herd of banthas stampeded on my chest. What happened?"
Kyran's face grew serious. "You were shot in the chest. It was deep. Then you had an infection and nearly died. We weren't sure you were going to make it."
Lana coughed lightly, feeling the pull in her chest. Her voice still weak, she asked, "How long have I been here? And where is 'here'?"
Kyran arched a brow. "You've been here about three weeks. And here is the Healer's wing of the Jedi Temple--you've been a roommate of Qui-Gon's for quite sometime."
Lana smiled up at Qui-Gon and reached weakly for his hand. "How are you?" She asked, meaning it more than just a status of his physical condition.
Qui-Gon half smiled. "In a lot of trouble...but other than that I'm alright."
Lana sobered. "Your birthday...."
Qui-Gon looked away and shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore."
Lana saw Kyran hide a smile and stopped herself from asking the questions she had. "Qui-Gon, could you get the healer for me please?"
Qui-Gon, sighed a bit, grateful that Lana had woken and headed out to find the Healer. Guilt about her situation ate at him and he knew he should never have left the Temple without permission. Once he'd been healed he'd been grounded for the next two weeks. He grimaced and turned a corner and found one of the healer apprentices to relay the message to Healer Han'yaie.
Lana turned to Kyran as soon as Qui-Gon left. Although she was lying down, still not fully recovered, and weak, she still put steel into her voice as she asked, "Okay, so what's this about his birthday?"
Kyran grinned slightly then sighed. "We didn't forget his birthday. We were planning a party and didn't want him to know, so we just acted like everything was normal, but I think things went a bit too far."
Lana understood in a flash. She groaned and then clutched at her sore chest. She gasped for a moment to recover her air. When she could speak again, she gave a short chuckle. "Oh no! So why haven't you done anything for him now?"
Kyran grinned slightly. "Because one of his guests was still in the healer's wing." He arched a brow at her. "You saved his life. We couldn't hold it without you."
Lana smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad I didn't miss it."
Kyran frowned and stared at her, his gaze narrowed and he sat on the edge of her bed. "Why did you help him?"
She gazed at him a moment. She knew she didn't have to tell him, but since her life was officially over the way she knew it since helping the young Jedi, she decided to be honest with him. "My brother, Jep, was a Jedi. He died in the line of duty one day while with his master. Qui-Gon came, bound and half-dead, and I knew I couldn't let him die. I couldn't do anything about Jep, but I could do something about Qui-Gon."
Kyran nodded slowly, then frowned, his brow furrowing slightly. "Jep? Not Jep Marks was it?"
She narrowed her eyes slightly. In a guarded tone, she said, "Yes. Why?"
Kyran smiled a bit. "I knew Jep. Not well, but I did know him. He was a padawan of Master W'go wasn't he?"
Her thoughts were scattered. "I...can't quite recall...but yes, I think so." She shifted to place weight on her elbow to lift herself up slightly.
Kyran rose from his position on the edge of her bed and scooted down to help her, his lips accidentally brushing her cheek as he bent down to help her sit up.
Lana felt his soft lips against her cheek and blushed, allowing him to help her adjust her position so she was sitting upright instead of laying down. She kept her head down, her frayed braids dangling in front of her eyes to shield her from his gaze. She cleared her throat, not sure what to say, when she was spared with the entrance of Qui-Gon and a healer.
Qui-Gon looked away having seen Kyran kiss Lana. He cleared his throat pointedly at Kyran. "I have to go. Master Dooku says I have more lessons to complete if I want to get any sleep tonight." He sighed.
Kyran flashed an embarrassed grin at his friend. "Then you better get to it, then. I'll drop by later and see how you're doing."
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "You're a lot of help." Grumbling, he headed back to his room to study.
Lana looked curiously at the healer. Pointedly ignoring Kyran now, she asked, "When can I leave?"
Han'yaie smiled in relief seeing the young lady awake as he stood behind the apprentice healer. "You have three more bacta treatments left...then you'll be free to go."
Lana made a face. "I'll be tasting bacta for months." She brought her head up. "So...three days, right?"
The Chief Healer nodded. "Indeed. You had a very bad infection. We are very glad you pulled through."
Lana smiled. "Me too." She finally looked back over at Kyran, dismissing the accidental kiss from her mind. "Any chance you can get me a holonet hook up in here?"

Qui-Gon stared at his homework, and sighed deeply. He hated being grounded, but knew he deserved it and all the work. His master had told him to meet him for a workout in another hour. Sighing deeply, he began to work some more. He wasn't in the mood for working out.

Lana stretched her legs. It felt good to stand. Too bad she had the unpleasant, sour taste of bacta in her mouth. She smiled over at Kyran and Master Dooku. "I'm ready."
Kyran smirked. "Good. Then we should be well hidden before Qui-Gon ever gets done working."

Qui-Gon sighed deeply as he stared at the clock. It was almost time for him to go train. He wondered why his master hadn't come back to get him like he said he would yet.
Dooku smiled the entire way back to the quarters that he shared with Qui-Gon. It had been gladdening to see Lana up and about again. He cleared his throat as he stood outside their door and wiped the grin from his face. Calmly, he strode through the door. He almost laughed when he saw Qui-Gon's head bent over his studies. "Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon didn't look up, nearly finished with the last problem of his math assignment. "Yes Master?"
Dooku held out a strip of cloth he held. "Come here, Padawan. I have a different lesson for you to learn today in your training exercises."
Qui-Gon sighed deeply and looked up at the blindfold in his master's hand. He hated the blindfold test, but knew it would do no good to argue. He obediently put down his books. "Yes, Master."
Dooku silently blindfolded his apprentice then stepped back from him. "Reach out with the Force and follow me." He turned on his heel and strode out the door.
Qui-Gon sighed and followed his master using his force senses to see. He frowned as they turned down a corridor that didn't lead to a training room. "Master, this isn't the way to the gym."
Dooku sharpened his voice when he spoke, though he was laughing inside. "Hush, Padawan. This exercise is for you to learn by being quiet."
Qui-Gon fell silent, remembering the rebuke his Master had given him in front of Yoda about not opening his mouth every time he had a comment. He bit his lip, determined to keep silent from now on.
Dooku wanted to burst out laughing as he sensed the flow of his padawan's thoughts. Well, at least he had learned. He opened a door and stood aside. "Proceed me inside please, Qui-Gon," he instructed.
Qui-Gon obediently led the way into the room, keeping his protests to himself, wishing his master would let him take off the blindfold, hating finding his way around in the dark.
Dooku let Qui-Gon get halfway into the middle of the cafeteria room before ordering him to stop. "Now you can remove your blindfold."
Qui-Gon sighed and took off his blindfold and frowned at finding himself still in the dark. "Master this isn't funny. It's still dark in here."
"Prepare for your lesson for the day, Padawan," Dooku said smiling openly now. He switched on the light...and all of Qui-Gon's friends, including Lana now that she was released from the Healer's wing, shouted, "SURPRISE! Happy Birthday, Qui-Gon!"
Qui-Gon stood rooted to the spot, shock flooding him at all the streamers, balloons and presents that decorated the room. He blinked back tears as he stared at all the happy faces, unable to say a word. They didn't forget?
Dooku sensed his thoughts. "We never forgot, Padawan, not even on the day of your birthday. Perhaps we carried our ruse a little too far." He draped an arm around Qui-Gon's shoulders. "We were going to do it as soon as you recovered, but Lana was not able to join us so we waited. Hope you aren't disappointed."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Of course I'm not Master. I just.don't know what to say..."
Lana strolled up to him. "Hiya, kid," she greeted, hands on her leather-bound hips, long braids dangling. "You gonna walk over to the cake so we can all have some or what?" She shot him an impish grin.
Qui-Gon's jaw dropped staring at her outfit. He remembered her being gorgeous, but he saw for the first time just how pretty she was. She took his stunned silence and gawking for compliance and dragged him over to an enormous birthday cake.
There, on the frosted sugar, was a picture of Qui-Gon with his lightsaber lit. In big, gooey letters were the words "Happy Birthday...Finally...Qui-Gon". Lana shoved him at the cake. "Go ahead. I'm starved for something besides bacta and small, bite-sized foods."
Qui-Gon grinned and cut a rather large slice for himself and then sat down to savor it happily. He was healed. He had friends who cared about him and everything else was alright with the universe.

Lana wiped the last bit of frosting from her fingers and slipped out the door. She had intended to leave silently, but a male voice stopped her as she walked down the corridor. Sighing, she turned around.
Qui-Gon jogged over to Lana, having disentangled himself from the well-wishers and wiped frosting off his face. "Lana?"
She gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Yes, Qui-Gon?" She was anxious to leave these wide halls.
Qui-Gon frowned a bit knowing he had more frosting on his face--Kyran had tried to smear a piece of cake on his cheek--but right now he didn't care. "Where are you going?"
Lana sighed. "I gotta go, kid." She leaned forward and whispered, "I don't belong here." She didn't add that she didn't really belong anywhere anymore, figuring that it should stay unsaid.
Qui-Gon frowned deeply at her, concerned for her welfare. "But where will you go?"
She shrugged. "Don't know, yet. I'm figuring I'll figure it out soon."
Qui-Gon fumbled in the pocket of his robes and took out all of his spare credits and a list of contacts he'd been meaning to give her and pressed them into her hand, silencing her protests, putting a finger over her full lips. "Don't say no. My master and I know several people who're looking for smart people who can get the job done right." He half-smiled. "Just tell them I know you."
Lana was touched. She knew she should refuse--throw the credits on the ground and run or something--but something within her merely stared at Qui-Gon for a moment before she pocketed what he gave her. She flashed him a grin. "Thanks, Qui-Gon. When I get settled, I'll contact you to let you know where I can be found. We'll keep in touch."
Qui-Gon grabbed a piece of flimsiplast and hurriedly wrote down his address at the Temple and folded it up and handed it to her. "Promise?"
Lana nodded. "Promise." She grinned at him once more and then sauntered down the halls, whistling. She was going to be legit now. She owed it to Qui-Gon...and to Jep.

Qui-Gon came back to his room after the party and bent his head back obediently over his studies once more, presents from his friends piled around his room, wondering how Lana was and what she was doing.
Dooku walked into the room and saw his padawan once again over his studies. Immediately, a warning bell rang in his mind. His padawan usually would be investigating his new presents but here he was, back to the studies again. "Qui-Gon, what's the matter?" He asked, sitting across from him.
Qui-Gon shrugged slightly and continued working on his assignment. "I have a deadline to meet for this project you assigned and I'm not finished with it...and Lana left." He sighed. "I hope she's alright."
Dooku leaned back slightly in his chair. So that was his padawan's concern. "I know she left shortly after your presents were opened," he shot him a pointed glance, "and that you talked to her. What did she say?"
Qui-Gon sighed. "She said she didn't belong anywhere."

Dooku folded his arms. "Well, technically, she doesn't anymore with how she turned her back on her fringe friends to save you and she's not Force sensitive. Even if she were, she'd be too old to train. So what did you say to her?"
Qui-Gon looked away at those words, hot tears filling his eyes but he tried his best to hide them. "That doesn't mean she doesn't belong Master. I gave her all of my credits and a list of contacts who need help. She promised she would be legit from now on."
Dooku was stunned. "You...gave...her...all.of...But you had been saving those for a year! You wanted to get the newest sketchbook and paint set! You gave..." His voice failed him for a moment, and then he noticed the stricken expression on Qui-Gon's face. "That was a very unselfish thing you did, Qui-Gon. I'm proud of you."
Qui-Gon looked away. "You shouldn't be. I nearly got her killed." He buried his head in his hands and cried, the stress of the past few weeks and the shock finally taking their toll slammed into him that he nearly got an innocent person killed.
Dooku draped an arm around Qui-Gon. "Something my master told me once was to never dwell on the past or the mistakes that we have there," he said kindly. "He told me that only by learning from those mistakes can we avoid them in the future and so therefore gain wisdom. What's done is done, Qui- Gon. Yes, you nearly got Lana killed by your behavior...but she is alive and well, and also a better person because of it. Sometimes things work out for strange reasons. Perhaps this was all to get Lana back on the right track with the law since her brother's death." He hadn't meant to let it slip what Kyran had told him about her brother but it had just come out. He winced for a second but knew that he could not take back his words. He could only hope Qui-Gon was too preoccupied with his grief to notice what he had said.
Qui-Gon sniffled a bit as his Master hugged him gently. He dried his tears knowing he'd done all he could to help his friend. He sighed deeply. "The will of the Force..." He shook his head. "Master, when you think you're beginning to understand the Force, you find out how ignorant of it you truly are." He sighed deeply and took out the rock that Lana had given him. It was a beautiful thing, blue and black with deep veins of red running through it. He felt his hands warm just by touching it.
The Force flowed through him, touching him, touching the rock, and he felt more acutely than ever how he fit into the whole plan of the universe as a Jedi--a protector of others and a warrior for justice when needed. He did not know what the future held but he knew that, for that moment, he was content. He only hoped Lana was keeping to her promise. He would know soon when she contacted him. Smiling, he put the rock in his pocket and put down his pen. He had a lot of presents to dive into and he wasn't going to waste the opportunity.

Don't miss the next story in this exciting series, soon to come out: Endurance- Shadows of Light