Chapter Five

            Han'yaie sighed. "Is there ever a time where you can stay out of trouble, Qui-Gon Jinn?" he asked in exasperation. "First you break out of the healer's wing...again. And now you're back and in worse shape than before."

            Qui-Gon blushed slightly as he sat on the bed holding his wounded leg. "Just lucky I guess."

            Han'yaie sighed. "Well, to make sure that you stay in one place this time, I have permission to put you under for a few days." Before Qui-Gon could get a single word out, the healer focused in the Force and slammed Qui-Gon into an extremely deep healing trance. Qui-Gon had time to give a small sputter, then fell over onto the bed as Han'yaie put him in the healing trance.

            "Get out of that," Han'yaie muttered. He started to walk out of the room to check on his other patients, but paused and grabbed a healer apprentice. "Watch him," he ordered. 

            The apprentice healer stared at the big master and grinned. "Shall I get security in here to watch him with me?"

            Han'yaie nodded and rolled his eyes. "Just for today. I need him under at least 24 full hours. After that, he can be awake if he wakes up." He left to check on Kyran and Jayla who were both in bacta tanks. "Status?"

            The 22 year old apprentice Healer, Anya, sighed deeply. "Not good, Master Han'yaie. Master Josel had broken both legs and his left arm. He had burns on his skin from where something hot had gotten him. Knight Bro'ak nearly didn't make it. We had to get her something to eat and drink or she would've died immediately from dehydration." She sighed and shook her head sadly.

            Han'yaie frowned in concern. "How is she now?" he asked as he stood in front of her tank. A white shift covered her modesty but he could still see plenty of bruises and cuts. One leg was very swollen and so was her side where her ribs were. Bacta usually swelled the places were broken bones were and then healed them.

            Anya bit her lower lip. "She'll make a full recovery, but I'm afraid she might need surgery on that leg."    

            Han'yaie nodded. "And Kyran's legs?" He saw that one was very twisted. "I can see that at least one will need serious surgery. His other and his arm should heal fine on their own with the bacta."

            He checked the chrono. "Let's get Kyran in surgery first and give the bacta more time to heal Jayla since she seems to be the one hanging on for dear life right now. Before Kyran gets taken in, though, I want him to try to communicate with her and let her know that he's here." He knew that sometimes with Jedi just knowing someone was waiting could help them recuperate quicker.

            Anya nodded quickly and then moved to get Kyran out of the tank and into surgery. She toweled him off gently as he came out of the bacta. His eyes fluttered open and he moaned at the pain in his legs as he was placed onto a gurney.

            "Jayla?"

            Anya felt her heart wrench. "No, Master Kyran. It's Healer Anya. Jayla is in the bacta tank. Chief Healer Han'yaie would like for you to reach out to her, actually, to let her know that she's not alone. She...almost didn't make it."

            "So tired…" he mumbled, then yawned as if to prove it to the healer. Weakly, he tried to do as she'd asked him. Jayla?

            Jayla felt someone calling for her in the place where she was hibernating from the pain. She didn't want to leave her comfortable place, afraid that the pain would be too much for her, so she remained where she was and didn't respond.

            Jayla?He called worriedly. Where are you?

            Jayla now recognized the voice as her former master, but she still was afraid to reach out of her peaceful place. Very slowly, she touched his mind but did not say anything.

            Come on back. It's lonely without you,he pleaded, wincing as he moved a little too much and pain shot through him, nearly making him lose his concentration.

            Jayla closed her mind's eye for a moment, torn on what to do. She sighed. Might as well stop being a slave to the dark side with her fear and venture out. Master Kyran?

            Mmmhm. You're not alone, my child.

            Jayla suddenly laughed. He used to say that to her when she was really scared at night. His really bad imitation of a clergyman always made her laugh and forget her fears. She came all the way into her body and didn't even mind the pain. I'm here, Master Kyran.

            Good.Kyran opened his eyes again and sighed. "She'll be alright now," he told the healer...what was her name? Anya, yes that was it.

            Anya smiled down at him. "Thank you, Master Kyran. Now, just relax. When next  you wake, you'll be able to walk perfectly fine again." She placed a soft hand on his forehead and put him in a deep healing trance.

            Kyran sighed softly as he was eased gently into a deep healing trance. His last conscious thought was of Qui-Gon, wondering how his friend was faring after having gotten shot.

            Obi-Wan slept in a chair beside his master's bed. He had been watching his master breathe regularly from the healing trance, and then the events of the day had caught up to him and he had went right to sleep.

           Qui-Gon groaned slightly as he came to the next day. He yawned and stretched as he sat up, blinking sleepily around. He saw Obi-Wan sleeping next to his bed in a chair and smiled slightly. His padawan looked so innocent when he was sleeping.

            A change of his master's presence woke Obi-Wan up and he smiled at seeing his master awake. "Good afternoon, Master," he said sleepily. "How do you feel?"

            Qui-Gon yawned. "Sleepy. A little better though. How about you?"

            Obi-Wan's smile died and he turned away as he shrugged. "I'm fine, Master. Just been worried about you, is all."

            "Obi-Wan," his master said softly. "I know what happened. If you don't feel like talking about it, maybe we should see the soul healers. Would that help?"

            Obi-Wan swiftly turned back around to his master, his eyes blazing. "I'm fine, Master. And even if I wasn't, I'd rather discuss it with you and not some stranger."  Tears gathered in his eyes.

            Qui-Gon sighed deeply and patted Obi-Wan's arm, rubbing it soothingly. "I will be here whenever you are ready to talk, my young one."

            Obi-Wan nodded mutely, then stood. "I was asked to let Chief Healer Han'yaie know when you awoke so he could check on you. I'll be back." So saying, he disappeared out of the door.

            Qui-Gon shook his head sadly as Obi-Wan left. They would have a lot to discuss later.

            Ten minutes later, Obi-Wan slid into the room with the chief healer right behind him. "Qui-Gon, nice to see you awake and still where I put you," Han'yaie remarked. "How are you feeling right now?"

            Qui-Gon rolled his eyes slightly at that. "Some better. More tired than anything else."

            Han'yaie nodded. "Well, now that Kyran is recovering from his surgery yesterday we have room to let you dip in a bacta tank for a few hours. That should heal that blaster bolt wound nicely."

            Qui-Gon frowned slightly and glanced at his bandaged wound. "Are you sure that's necessary?"

            Han'yaie raised an eyebrow. "If it were healed by now with that trance I put you in, then no. But I can feel the inflammation settling in and I need to you be a good little Jedi Master and go dip in the tank." He crossed his arms. Obi-Wan smothered a giggle.

            Qui-Gon glared at Obi-Wan. "Something funny?" He turned again to the chief healer. "I'm sure that's unnecessary. I don't feel like tasting bacta on my breath."

            Han'yaie glared at Qui-Gon and did not say a word, letting silence reign in the room for a few minutes.

            Qui-Gon scowled and crossed his arms over his chest looking in that moment like an upset padawan.

            Han'yaie scowled back and called for his padawan through their bond. As prearranged, O'shon came running...with two other Healers and strong synthrope. "You will either do it by will or by force, Qui-Gon," Han'yaie warned.

            Qui-Gon smothered a laugh at the padawan who came running in with rope. "Alright, I see I can't fight all of you at the moment with a wounded leg. For shame, Han'yaie, picking on a wounded man." He grinned.

            Han'yaie smiled and relaxed his arms. "It's the only way to win against you, Qui-Gon," he joked. "Now, let us get you a repulsorchair and then you'll be taken to the bacta tanks."

            Qui-Gon nodded slightly and sighed. He hated bacta tanks, but he knew it was necessary to heal his leg. Despite what he told Han'yaie, it hurt and he wanted it healed.

            Obi-Wan smiled at him. "Perhaps...to help you pass the time in there...you could...counsel me, Master. I seem to be...having a rough time with...what I had to do," he said haltingly.  He had rethought his decision to not speak about what was troubling him.

            Qui-Gon smiled gently at Obi-Wan. "I think we can manage that."

            Jayla sighed as she was toweled off. Finally, after four days, she was allowed to stay out of the bacta tank. Already, Masters Kyran and Qui-Gon had been healed and let go and she had been stuck here. She shrugged into a robe and then heard a whistle. Grinning, she glanced down, pleasantly surprised to see Kyran, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon walk into the room. "Hi!" She greeted as she carefully walked down the steps from the bacta tank.  

            "Jayla," Qui-Gon greeted. "Nice to see you up and about again."

            Jayla surprised him by hugging him. "It's nice to be up and about again." She then hugged Obi-Wan and Kyran. "I wanted to thank you all for coming after me." She searched their faces. "Where's Master Devin?"

            "We were glad to do what we could. Devin is at a Council meeting, he'll be here as soon as he's finished. He wanted to see you," Kyran informed her.

            Jayla nodded, her blonde hair hanging limply from the bacta on her shoulders. Just then, Devin came running into the room. Jayla couldn't help but laugh.

            "Sorry I'm a few minutes late. Did you miss me?" He grinned.

            Jayla shook her head. "Do I ever?"

            Devin made a face. "So nice to be loved around here."

            Jayla just laughed and gave him a huge hug too. She took a step back and seriously studied their faces. These were her friends. They had risked their lives to come save her. How could she not love them as brothers? And one, she thought smiling, as a father?

            Kyran frowned, wondering what she was thinking. "Something wrong?"

            Jayla shook herself out of her deep thoughts and smiled. "Not for me," she replied. "I was just wondering who was going to take me out to dinner at that really extravagant place two blocks from here, and who was going to foot the bill." She laughed at their horrified expressions. "Just kidding!"

THE END