Chapter 2
Qui-gon reached his quarters in record time no doubt. He walked in the door, stopped, looked around, and realized the stupidity of the situation. He had nothing to do! Absolutely nothing. Sitting around here and thinking wasn't an option. Making the mindless decision, Qui-gon turned on his heel and left his quarters. He figured he could walk down to the cafeteria, get a stiff drink. Through the trauma of the last few years, he had done a lot of regrettable, tasteless things. This was just a toast to himself on managing to make the state of affairs even harder to overcome. But he wasn't going to make it to the cafeteria that day. Fate had something else in mind.
Qui-gon would have knocked the child down if he hadn't spoken immediately.
"Hi!" a little voice said. Qui-gon looked down at a little boy, around 5, not even 4 feet tall yet, with huge blue eyes, and an impeccable, broad smile. Qui-gon looked around, wondering why there was a kid on his doorstep, and seeing no one else, sighed with impatience and annoyance that his plans had been interrupted, however small they were.
"Hello." Qui-gon replied curtly, sarcastically even. Perhaps now would be the appropriate time to describe what had become of Qui-gon's character. The compassionate, strong, patient, loving Qui-gon Jinn, who was well known, well liked, and respected, had become a short tempered, stern and avoidable man. He had been the kind of man who wouldn't have harmed a fly, but would have given his life, and taken the life of another, if it meant protecting those he loved.
Now, he'd become sharp and unapproachable because a cute little kid was in his way. In a word, it was disgusting. But, as the youth looked into Qui- gon's eyes the Master felt something, a feeling he hadn't had since before Xantos. It was that sense of peace, of connection. He softly shook his head. No, it couldn't be. He didn't, he could not feel that anymore.
"You dropped your comlink in the hallway," the little boy explained, handing it back to Qui-gon. Qui just stared at the object, looked at the boy, and then took it from him.
"Thank you." Qui-gon mumbled before pushing past the kid to continue down the hallway. He almost started his relay walking again, but his mind was jumbled now, and it slowed him down. He hadn't gone far when he looked down to his left. The young boy was right there, looking at Qui-gon with inquisitive eyes. Qui-gon stopped, looked around, looked at the boy and inquired why he wasn't with the other initiates. The child put his eyes to the floor and muttered:
"I don't fit in. I feel like I'm... different. I don't like it there. Are you going to tell on me?" Qui-gon smiled for the first time in months. It felt foreign. Qui-gon knew what it was like to feel out of place. And that sense of connection was growing so strong, he couldn't ignore it anymore. There was something between him and this child...
"What's your name?" Qui-gon surprised himself by asking. He knelt down to look the little one in the eyes.
"Obi-wan, sir."
"Well, Obi-wan, you shouldn't have snuck out, as I'm sure you did. But if you go back now, I won't tell on you." A wide smile hit the youngster's face. Qui-gon stood up. His smile gone, replaced once more by the stern glare. He kicked himself. What are you doing? He asked himself. Instead of taking back his kind words, he just walked off. The boy watched him walk away with a smile. He had felt something too. Something he had never felt before. He wondered what it was.