Chapter 3 – Welcome To Paradise

Qui-Gon stared at the young man who stood just inside the doorway in complete astonishment. After what seemed like the most anguishing night of his life, wondering what had become of his padawan, hoping against hope that some how Obi-Wan had survived the fall from the top of the skyscraper, his protégé had suddenly walked into the apartment like he had just been out for a walk. The Jedi Master moved from across the common room to the door in a matter of a few long strides. He reached out and grasped his Padawan's shoulder while he hooked two fingers of his other hand under Obi-Wan's chin and lifted the boys face, giving him a quick once over to check for any injuries that he might have sustained from the fall. But remarkably, the young man looked to be completely unmarred.

He let his hands drop from Obi-Wan and just looked at him for a few long moments, at a loss at what to do or think. Relief was coursing through him at the sight of his padawan unharmed but at the same time he was utterly baffled at how this could be possible. "Padawan…" his left hand drifted to his belt and unclipped Obi-Wan's lightsaber from it. He had picked it up from where the boy had placed it down on the roof. "I believe you left this."

Obi-Wan seemed to be in a slight daze as his gaze moved around the room. He tentatively reached out to the lightsaber Qui-Gon was offering. "Thank you, Master." He said as his fingers curled around the handle of the weapon and he took it from the older man. A slow smile began to form on his lips.

Adi walked over to the two and stood next to Qui-Gon. "Padawan Kenobi, you can't begin understand what a relief it is for all of us to see you alive and well. Considering the circumstances of your accident we expected to find you injured or worse."

Obi-Wan's gaze moved from his master over to the woman who stood beside him. He didn't speak for a moment appearing to be at a loss for words. "I…I'm just lucky I suppose, Master Gallia. The Force took favor on me this time."

"Obviously." Adi looked upon him with a scrutinizing gaze. Something about this didn't feel right to her. "Of course you'll be expected to go before the council and give a detailed account of what happened and where you have been—"

Qui-Gon broke in before the council member could finish, "Adi, can't that wait until later? The boy fell from hundreds of stories up and has been missing the entire night. He should see a healer" While he showed no exterior wounds, Qui-Gon wanted to be certain that there were also no internal ones as well.

Adi's gaze moved to Qui-Gon. She should have reprimanded him for interrupting her but she couldn't bring herself to do so. She and her padawan had been with Qui-Gon while they all waited for word on Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon had been a complete wreck and now that his padawan was back, the last thing he would allow is for the boy to be bombarded with demands for an explanation on what happened. "Alright, master Jinn, take him to a healer but he will come before the council tomorrow." She looked back at Siri. "Come Padawan. It's been a long night." She moved towards the door and pressed her palm against the panel to open it then stepped outside and waited for Siri.

Siri stood up from the couch she was seated in and began to make her way to the door. Her eyes met with Obi-Wan's as she walked closer to him. For a second she thought there was something different in his eyes. Of course they were the same greenish, bluish, gray she remembered but there was something lacking in them. She tried to look deeper to try and decipher what it was but he must had noticed her probing because his gaze became stony and she was unable to read him. Taking the hint, she diverted her gaze, walked past him and went out into the hall with her Master.

***

Master Xanatos Crion sat by his unconscious Padawan's bedside, awaiting for the boy to regain consciousness after his head first fall off the side of the bed. He had been worried for Obi-Wan when he had heard that the boy had been found lying at the side of the road. How exactly the boy had gotten there no one could tell him. All he was told that an anonymous source had sent a message to the temple that the boy could be found there. He had hoped that when the boy woke up he would be able to shed some light on what had happened but that hope had faded when he had entered the room and Obi-Wan looked as though he was seeing a ghost. His concerned for the boy deepened as Obi-Wan began to ramble that he was Master Jinn's padawan. "Why would he say that? It's been three years since Qui-Gon's passing. I know denial is common when a loved one has died but I never thought Obi-Wan would let himself slip so far into that delusion."

The question had been directed to Master Healer Terah who was currently checking over young Kenobi to make sure he hadn't aggravated any of his previous injuries from his fall from the bed. "I'm not exactly sure, Master Crion. I'm not a mind healer but maybe with the trauma and emotional stress his mind blocked off all the unpleasant things from the past three years and he doesn't remember Qui-Gon dying."

"Like amnesia?" Xanatos inquired.

Terah shrugged then her attention was then focused on the young man laying in the bed. He was starting to come to. "Master…" Obi-Wan groaned softly. Xanatos reached out and gently placed his hand over the boys forehead. It seemed to ease Obi-Wan's distress somewhat. "I had the oddest dream…" He opened his eyes and looked to his side where Xanatos sat.

When Obi-Wan focused on the figure at his bedside and recognized the person to be Xanatos, his eyes widened and he began to scoot away from the man again. Terah went to the boys other side to prevent another fall. "Now Padawan Kenobi, I'm getting pretty tired of having to dragging your unconscious form back on this bed. Please try and not get hurt for a few hours at least."

Obi-Wan stopped struggling but kept his distance from the Jedi Master sitting to his side. Though his facial expression was impassive, he was hurt by Obi-Wan behavior toward him. He had tried to help this boy deal with the death of his master these past years. The Jedi Master had thought that they had started developing a bond but now it looked like he was mistaken.

"If his condition is some sort of grief educed amnesia there is little I can do for him." Terah stated with regret. "Physically there is nothing wrong with him besides a bump on the head and a few scraps. You can take him home. It may actually help him to be surrounded by familiar things."

Xanatos' gaze moved from the boy in the bed to the woman standing behind him. He nodded as he straightened from the chair he had been occupying. "Thank you for all your help, Master Healer." He looked back at the boy. The two gazes met and held for a long moment before Xanatos spoke again. "We're going home, Padawan."

Usually the young man would follow but he didn't move. "I assure you, Obi-Wan I mean no harm to you." Xanatos said trying to reason with the stubborn youth. He watched as the boy tried to decide whether he could trust him or not. Obi-Wan looked back at Healer Terah who nodded an affirmative to Xanatos' statement.

Though he still looked wary, Obi-Wan slide off the ward be, wavering slightly on his feet, then followed Xanatos out of the room.

The dwellings in the wing of the Jedi Temple where the Master/Padawan teams were housed all had the same general format. Each small apartment had a common room, a kitchenette, two bedrooms and a fresher. Because of this Obi-Wan was able to easily find his room and go directly into it after he and Xanatos arrived to their home from the healers. He needed some time alone to try and figure out this situation that he had suddenly found himself in.

He stood in the middle of the room now, his gaze moving over the interior of the small space, taking in the details. The place was barren of any sort of personal affects. It was almost like no one occupied the room. The sleep couch was neatly made in a military-like fashion, the covers of the bed tight enough it looked as though a person could bounce coins off it. The desk pushed against the wall had no clutter on it. His curiosity got the better of him and he stepped forward and opened a few of the draws of the desk. In a way it felt like he was intruding on another's privacy but then again this was "his" room. There were a few data-cards and data-pads in the draws. Mission briefings and research most likely. He closed the draws to the desk and moved over to the closet, his need to find something to help him figure out what was going on. The door to the closet slide open and revealed several fresh tunics neatly aligned and waiting to be used. He pushed them aside and looked towards the back of the closet.

Tucked away in a corner were three slightly dust covered boxes. Obi-Wan reached back and dragged the boxes out of the back of the closet and into the center of the room. He took a seat on the edge of the neatly made bed as he opened up the box nearest to him. Inside the box laid his old training saber from his initiate days in the temple, back when he was still waiting for a master to come and take him on as a padawan leaner. Along with the training saber were most of the other items he had accumulated as a child growing up in the temple, including a stuffed Wookie that he had since he was in the crèche. He held the toy for a moment, allowing himself to reminisce about a simpler time in his life.

He placed the items back in the box from which they came and he moved to the next container. Inside this box was everything that had something to do with Qui-Gon, whether it be a holo-picture or a gift his Master had given him over the years. He wondered why these items had been thrown into a box and shoved into the back of the closet. If Qui-Gon was truly dead, he would have taken comfort in these reminders of the great man that his Master was and the memories they brought up.

As he sifted through the items in the box, he came to a personal data-pad. He took the data-pad from the box and turned it on. It was a journal that dated back to about four years. He felt a spike of excitement go through him. This could be what would help him figure out just what was going on. He slide further onto the bed and laid down, his body still a little achy from earlier. He went to the first entry in the journal and began to read.

***

Qui-Gon and his padawan started back towards their quarters, leaving behind the Healer's Ward and a very bewildered Master Healer. After Qui-Gon had related the story of Obi-Wan going over the railing of the roof to her and with all her medical background, Terah could no comprehend how this young man could walk into her Ward and not have scratch on him. Se repeatedly questioned Obi-Wan on the subject but each time he managed to dodge the question or Qui-Gon would defend him. Telling the Master Healer that the council wouldn't appreciate it if Obi-Wan conveyed his tail to someone other then them first. Realizing that she wasn't going to get any of the answers she wanted and having no real reason to keep Obi-Wan in the Ward any longer, she dismissed him and Qui-Gon.

When they reached their home, Obi-Wan turned to his Master and stated, "It's been a long night, Master. I'm going to retire to my room and rest." Qui-Gon nodded in agreement and Obi-Wan turned from the man and went to his room.

Once the door closed with a hushed swish behind him, Obi-Wan leaned against the door and let his head fall back. A soft chuckle started in his throat then it evolved into a full gleeful laugh. He couldn't believe it. That crazy son of a bantha that called himself a scientist had actually pulled it off. He was home. After three long years of grief and guilt he could finally have some peace.

He pushed himself away from the wall and looked around his new room. It was much different then the room he had in his own universe. This one had much more character to it. After Qui-Gon's death and Master Crion had taken up his training, he had to move his room from Qui-Gon's quarters to his new Master's. He just never bothered to unpack anything but the essentials. He didn't see a point for the other stuff. In a way it had better helped him focus on his training. He was three times a better Jedi then he had ever been and he was grateful for that. His abilities would come in handy should anything threaten his plan. Like Siri for instance. When she had walked past him, he knew that she had caught something in his eyes that gave him away. He had quickly ratified his mistake but if Siri decided to look deeper into the matter, he would have no choice but to deal with her.

He moved over to the bed and laid down, wariness filling his body. It had indeed been a long night. He wondered how the other Obi-Wan was doing in his new world. A part of him wondered what Master Crion was doing now. The man had been his Master for three years now. He had helped Obi-Wan through his lowest times and had a genuine want to help him but no amount of Mind Healer sessions or heart-to-heart talks or any other poodoo like that could help Obi-Wan get past Qui-Gon's death. He had to do this. For his own sanity.