Obi-Wan got to class just as Master Naem-Raol was finishing a review on proper use of pronouns. Obi-Wan handed him his excuse note and went quietly to his seat beside Garen. The teacher wrapped up his lecture and assigned an editing packet. Obi-Wan looked over it and was relieved to see that it was nothing new. Finishing his assignment quickly, Obi-Wan pulled out his History homework. The multiple-choice questions weren't hard, and he finished it and started on the small amount of Mathematics and Navigation work he had left. These assignments took more time, but they only got homework in Math about once a week, and they usually had some time to work on it in class, so he finished all but one page before class ended. "Where were you?" Garen began questioning Obi-Wan as soon as they left class. They both had Chemistry next, but the class was right down the hall, so they weren't worried about making it in the ten minutes allotted. "I ran into Bruck in the hall. We traded insults for a while and then he attacked me. Master Windu, who I'm staying with while Qui-Gon's away on a mission, found us, and he took me back to our quarters to fix my lip up." Garen grinned. "You got Bruck worse than he got you, right?" The rivalry Obi-Wan had with Bruck had expanded years ago to include all of Obi-Wan's friends, and Garen disliked Bruck almost as much as Obi-Wan did. "I didn't hit him, but I sidestepped and he went flying into a wall. His nose was bleeding pretty badly." Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. It hadn't been worth the trouble he knew he was in, but it had definitely been funny. Garen laughed, and the two boys walked to Chemistry together. Obi-Wan noticed that Bruck, who was in their Chemistry class, didn't show up, but other than that the class was relatively uneventful. A pair near Garen and him accidentally added double the oxygen to their mixture, resulting in a small explosion, but nobody was hurt, and nothing else happened for the rest of class. At lunch, the two boys grabbed trays and sat down at a table with a few classmates. At the next table over, Bruck's friends whispered amongst themselves, glaring at Obi-Wan periodically. "So how's Bant?" Garen had been gone when Bant had fallen ill, and though Obi-Wan had commed him a few times and sent him letters with updates on their friend's health, he hadn't been able to go visit her yet. "She's doing better. We actually talked for a while yesterday. The healer's say she'll probably be out in a week or two." Obi-Wan grinned. They had, for a while, been almost positive she was going to die. "Have you heard anything about Reeft? They left almost two months ago!" Garen shook his head somberly. "Nobody has. I'm beginning to think something's wrong. I had my Master ask the Council if they knew anything, and all they said was the mission was top secret. You know how the Council talks." Obi-Wan frowned. "That probably means they have no idea. I'll ask Mace about it tonight." He had almost forgotten that he was staying with a senior Council member, who probably had more idea what was going on than just about anyone else. "Why are you staying with Master Windu? Your Master never leaves you behind. Even if he did, you're fifteen for crying out loud. Does he really think you need a babysitter?" Garen punched him on the shoulder jokingly, but Obi-Wan didn't laugh. "I'm grounded. My Master didn't take me because.... well, I think he's going to drop me." Garen winced. He hadn't meant to upset his friend. "You've got to be joking. You guys are one of the closest teams in the Order. I've heard my Master talking to other Masters about how you 'saved Qui-Gon from himself'. If you hadn't come along when you did, he'd never have gotten over that thing with Xanatos. What did you do that could possibly be that bad?" "I've been spending every spare moment with Bant." Garen nodded. "Well my Master said he wasn't going to let me unless I promised to get all of my homework done. I wasn't getting home until visiting hours ended at eight, and at that point I was too tired to get my homework done. I tried, but I always wound up going to bed before I finished. I told my Master I was getting everything done, and he believed me. Then Master Knoels sent a note home telling him I wasn't doing my work. I hid the note, hoping my Master wouldn't find out about it. Master Knoels called the next day, and Qui-Gon found out everything." He put his head in his hands as he finished, wondering what Garen would say. "You think he's going to drop you over that? I've done worse. Remember that time I went to the concert with Reeft while you were off planet and we managed to get drunk and wind up in jail? I got arrested! My Master was furious, but he didn't drop me. What makes you think Qui-Gon will drop you, especially considering what you were going through at the time?" Garen was confused. He had met Obi-Wan's Master several times, and he knew he was far from unreasonable. He couldn't believe he would have Obi-Wan dismissed from the Order over homework. "He got really mad. He said he was too angry to deal with me, and the next thing I knew, he was telling me to pack up, because he was leaving and I was staying. Why else would he leave me behind?" Obi-Wan was positive he was going to be dropped. No amount of logical reasoning was going to convince him otherwise. "Have you stopped to think that maybe he left you behind because he knew you wouldn't want to leave? If this hadn't happened, would you have gone quietly, knowing that Bant was still in the hospital?" It seemed obvious to Garen, but it hadn't occurred to Obi-Wan yet. "There've been times when I didn't want to go before, but he's always brought me, even if he had to literally drag me. If I couldn't go somewhere, he turned down the mission. Every time. Until now, that is." Garen tried again. "Maybe he figures you're older now and mature enough to be left alone." Obi- Wan snorted. "Then why did he leave me with a babysitter?" Garen had nothing to say to that. "Come on, let's go or we're going to be late to History." Obi-Wan wanted to get there early to turn in all of his missing assignments. He also had some math homework he still needed to finish that he was hoping to get to during History. Dumping their trays in the cleaning receptacles, the two boys headed to Galactic History. "Master Knoels?" Obi-Wan's voice was hesitant. He wondered if the Master was angry with him for not turning in so much homework. "Yes Obi-Wan? Do you need something?" Master Knoels looked up from the papers he was grading and smiled. Up until lately, Obi-Wan had always been a model student, and, understanding the circumstances, he was able to forgive the recent lapse in behavior. "I've got the assignments I haven't been getting done." Obi-Wan held out a stack of datasheets. "Oh, which ones?" Master Knoels was pleased that the boy had begun working on the assignments he had missed, especially considering how tired he still looked. "All of them. I'm sorry I haven't been doing my assignments or paying attention in class, and I promise to improve." Obi-Wan looked up shyly, still uncertain as to whether or not the Master was angry with him. "I understand you've been going through a lot lately. I only called your Master because I was worried about you. How's Bant?" Bant was in his Coruscant History class, the class for the age level below Obi-Wan's group, and he had always rather liked the sweet Mon Calamari girl. "She's doing pretty well. When I was with her yesterday, she seemed to have more energy, and we even talked for a while. The healers expect her to be well enough to go home soon." Obi-Wan smiled. He had been so worried for his friend, and knowing she was out of danger was a great relief. The class began to fill the room then, and he headed to his seat. The first part of the class was a lecture, and Obi-Wan diligently took notes, determined to be a model student. Master Knoels then passed out their homework, giving them the last twenty minutes to get started. Obi-Wan pulled out his math homework then, and he was putting the finishing touches on his chart as the bell rang. The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Obi-Wan turned in his missing assignments to his Math teacher, who told him not to worry about them, and that she had planned on simply excusing him from them given that his best friend had been on the brink of death. When classes ended, Obi-Wan headed straight for Mace's quarters, arriving there only five minutes after the end of math. Mace was waiting for him. "You should probably get started on your homework. I know you're going to have your hands full with all of the assignments you're missing in History. What other homework haven't you turned in?" Mace didn't sound judgmental, just curious, and Obi-Wan smiled as he answered. "I was missing some things in Math too. I got everything done this morning though. All I've got tonight is a math worksheet and part of a history packet." Mace smiled. He was glad to see Obi-Wan had taken the initiative to do all of his missing work without being told to, and he knew that Qui- Gon was going to be very pleased with his Padawan's work. "Well get to work then, and we'll go visit Bant as soon as you're done." Obi-Wan headed to his room, where he began work on his Math homework, knowing that the conversions they were learning wouldn't take him very long. In the living room, Mace sat down with a cup of tea and a book, but found himself unable to concentrate. Qui-Gon had said he was going to call right after classes ended, so that he could talk to Obi-Wan and set everything straight regarding his disappointment in his Padawan's actions and the boy's punishment. He hated the idea that Obi-Wan seemed to be scared of him. He also wanted to talk to the boy about his fight earlier in the day with Bruck. Although the boy hadn't started the fight or even fought back, he had still lost his temper with Bruck, which was an issue that needed to be addressed. Mace tried to focus on his reading for another half an hour before giving it up as useless and putting it down. He got up from the couch and crossed the room to the comm. station, where he punched in Qui- Gon's number. There was no answer. Assuming that Qui-Gon was in the middle of something important and had turned his comm. link off, Mace resolved to call him again as soon as they got back from visiting Bant. Obi-Wan finished his homework a few minutes later and walked into the common room. "I'm done!" He announced triumphantly. It was the first time in over a month that he had gotten all of his homework done the night it was assigned. He had almost forgotten what it felt like not to have undone work hanging over his head. "Let's go then." The two headed out the door and down the hall to the healers wing. They walked to the lift a few meters away from the door of Mace's quarters, and Obi-Wan pushed the up button. The lift doors opened, revealing Knight Oela, Bruck's Master. "Well, well. If it isn't Obi-Wan Kenobi. Tell me Kenobi, what gives you the right to beat up my Bruck for no reason? You broke his nose." Obi-Wan stiffened. "I didn't beat him up Knight Oela. He broke his own nose." Mace fought back a smile. She wasn't going to take that one well. "He broke his own nose?! Mace, you really need to talk to this boy's Master. Not only is he beating up younger students for fun, he's lying about it and trying to convince their Masters they did it themselves!" She looked scandalized. "I meant no disrespect Master Oela. What I meant was Bruck broke his nose when he lunged at me. I sidestepped and he hit the wall. He then proceeded to split my lip while I tried to get him off of me. I didn't hit him. Even if I'd wanted too, he was bleeding on me too hard and I couldn't see a thing." Obi-Wan did his best to look contrite. He knew Knight Oela would never believe that Bruck had been at fault, but that wasn't his problem. His problem was whether or not Master Qui-Gon believed it had been Bruck's fault. "Of course. My Padawan, unlike some apprentices I know, is a caring, considerate young man. He would never attack someone, no matter what they said to him." Obi-Wan laughed, but quickly covered it with a cough. Knight Oela rolled her eyes in exasperation and got off the lift. One floor later, Mace and Obi-Wan did the same. "Don't let her get to you Obi-Wan. She just can't accept that her precious Padawan could have done something wrong." Mace gave Obi-Wan a comforting smile, and after a moment the boy smiled back. They reached the healer's ward and walked inside. "Hello Master Mace. Obi-Wan, you're late. You usually get here about an hour ago." The nurse at the reception desk smiled. Both of them had spent practically all of their free time in the healer's ward since Bant had been admitted a month before. The two walked back to Bant's room, where the girl sat, raised up in bed, watching a holo. "Master! Obi-Wan! How are you doing?" Both men smiled. She sounded much better than she had the day before. If she kept improving at the rate she was, she would be coming home in a couple of days. "We're both doing fine little one. How about I leave you two alone to talk for awhile?" Mace gave her a meaningful look, which Bant read easily. Something was wrong with Obi-Wan. As if she hadn't picked up on it the second the two men entered her room. She hadn't known Obi-Wan her entire life for nothing. She could read her friend like a book, and she had seen his distress despite his calm, happy expression. Mace walked out, leaving the two teenagers alone. "What's wrong?" Bant wasted no time getting down to business. Something was eating at her best friend and she wanted to know what. "Everything!" Obi-Wan collapsed heavily into the chair beside Bant's bed. "I think Master Qui-Gon is going to drop me, and I got into a fight with Bruck this morning." Bant placed a gentle hand on her friends shoulder. "Tell me." "You know I've been coming here every day and staying until closing, right?" Bant nodded. "Well, when I would get home, I'd be too tired to do my homework. I tried, but it seemed like I could never get it all done. I told my Master I was anyway. Every night. I'd promised him I'd get it all done, even if I came to visit you every evening, and I couldn't tell him I hadn't been able to. Then Master Knoels sent a note home. I was terrified. If I gave Qui-Gon the note, he would know I hadn't been doing my work and that I'd lied to him. I hid it in my backpack, and figured that was the end of it. It wasn't. He called the next day, and told my Master everything. I don't think I've ever seen him so mad." Obi-Wan put his head in his hands and started to cry. "He sent me to my room and the next thing I knew he was telling me to pack. He's away on a mission, but he left me here with Mace. He didn't even say goodbye!" Obi-Wan's sobs intensified, and the two sat there for a moment, Obi-Wan sobbing and Bant rubbing circles on his back, as if that could possibly help him. "I'm sure your Master isn't going to dump you. You should talk to him." Obi-Wan looked at her as if she'd gone insane. "Talk to him? Are you insane? What do you expect me to say? I know you're furious with me and I've screwed everything up and don't deserve to be a Jedi anymore, but please don't drop me?" Bant shook her head. "Tell him you're sorry, and that you're afraid he's going to get rid of you. Just see what he says." Her voice was commanding, and Obi-Wan felt inclined to obey. This way at least he would know, once and for all, exactly where he stood. "Now, what's this about a fight with Bruck?" Obi-Wan sighed heavily before answering. "I took the shortcut to History, and I ran into him in an empty corridor. He started taunting me, and I lost my temper and started arguing with him. The next thing I knew, he was jumping at me. I sidestepped, and he went flying and broke his nose. The next thing I knew, we were rolling around on the floor, and he was hitting me. I didn't hit him, I swear I didn't! I was too afraid of getting into more trouble with Qui-Gon. Your Master found us, and Bruck blamed the whole thing on me. I told Mace my side of the story once my lip had stopped bleeding, and I think he believed me. He called Master Qui-Gon, but I'd already gone to History by then." He looked up as he finished his story, trying to gauge her reaction. Her expression was one of amusement and fond exasperation. "Obi-Wan! You know better than to let him get to you." He opened his mouth to argue, to point out that he hadn't lost control, but she held up a hand and he fell silent. "You may not have hit him, but you did lose your temper. I can tell right now just from looking at you. You have got to learn not to let him get under your skin! One of these days, you're going to get into an argument with someone and it's going to cost you your life. When will you grow up?" Obi-Wan bristled at this comment. "I'm two years older than you!" He yelled, his voice full of anger. "That is exactly what I was talking about! You have got to learn how to control your temper." Bant's voice remained even, but he could tell she was upset. "You're not my Master. I don't need a lecture from you. I'm in enough trouble with him already. I don't need to listen to it from you too." There was anger in his voice, but for the most part he was hurt. He had expected Bant to take his side, not lecture him on self-control. He stood up to storm out. "I don't have to take this." "Obi." Bant's voice was soft, but something compelled him to pause. "I'm sorry. It's just...I worry about you sometimes. You get mad so easily, and one day you could get hurt. I don't want that. Can't you see? If I yell at you, it's because I hope you'll remember it the next time you get into a fight. And you do need a lecture from me. Your Master has said the same exact things time and time again, and they don't seem to be getting through. Maybe, just maybe you'll remember it when I say it. Get mad and storm off if you want, but remember I say what I say because I care." He turned around. The look on his face was so sad, so hurt it almost broke her heart. "I'm sorry too Bant. I try, I really do. The thing is, no matter what I do, he gets to me. Every time. No matter how hard I try. I just can't keep him from getting under my skin. Some Jedi I make, I can't even keep from getting into fights here at the Temple. No wonder Qui-Gon's getting rid of me." Something about Obi-Wan broke then. His shoulders slumped in defeat, and he fell to his knees, sobbing. Bant was on her feet and across the room in an instant. The healer's had cleared her to get out of bed, as long as she didn't do anything strenuous, news she had meant to surprise Obi-Wan with when he came to visit that day. It didn't matter though. She would have gone to him anyway. Once she reached her friend, she dropped to her knees beside him and hugged him. Something in Obi-Wan recognized that, humiliating as it might be, he needed Bant at that moment, and he clung to her, sobbing on her shoulder, for about five minutes. When his tears had finally quieted, he looked up, startled. "Bant, you shouldn't be out of bed. You're to weak." She shushed him quietly, smiling. "The healers cleared to get out of bed, as long as I didn't do anything strenuous. I wanted to go on a walk today, if you felt up to it." Obi-Wan grinned. "You're allowed out of bed again? That's great! You must really be getting better. I wish we could go on a walk today, but I'm grounded. My Master said I could come visit you for half an hour every day, but no more, and I don't think we really have time." She looked taken aback. "Half an hour? Obi, you've been here an hour already. If you're staying with my Master, I know he wouldn't have let you stay extra." Obi-Wan looked shocked. "Are you sure? That can't be right! Oh, I'm so dead." Bant shook her head. "Go talk to Master Mace, I'm sure the chrono is wrong or something." Obi- Wan stood up, before offering a hand to help Bant to her feet, and she, recognizing the gesture was simply a display of gentlemanly manners and not a hint that she was weak, took it. As soon as Bant was safely in her hospital bed, Obi-Wan left the room to seek out Mace.