This story takes place roughly five months before "The Phantom Menace."

TITLE: Time and Tides.

Wine, lilting music and a balcony under the stars. Everything you could think of to create the perfect evening. A chance to laugh, dance and reminisce over times past…

And look to the future.

Qui-Gon surveyed the scene as an amused spectator, watching as the young padawans chatted freely on the dance floor. Many a glass of punch was spilled onto the table linen as Simeon Cates asked Yaddle for a dance.

The height difference is horrendous, thought Jinn, realizing how much the dark haired padawan had shot up in the last few years. He was taller than Obi-Wan now…

Out on the balcony his own padawan could be seen in ardent conversation with his girlfriend of many years standing. Qui-Gon permitted himself a smile.

Ever the romantic, padawan

Obi-Wan bristled.

Master!

Qui-Gon took the hint and returned to observing once more.

"What's the matter?" Jemmiah asked as she looked at the annoyance on Obi-Wan's features.

"N-nothing." He hastily reassured her. "Just an eavesdropper."

"Qui-Gon." Grinned the Corellian. "Naughty old master! What's he got to say for himself?"

Obi-Wan stroked her cheek.

"If you must know, he called me a romantic."

"Well you are." Jemmiah circled his back with her right arm. "What's wrong with that?"

"Absolutely nothing." Kenobi replied raising his glass to her.

She reciprocated by putting her glass to her lips and then knocking the red wine back in one go.

"Careful with that stuff." Obi-Wan frowned. "You know the effect the red Alderaani wines have on you."

"I know." She said wickedly.

"I'll have to carry you home." The smile started to form.

"I know."

"I'll have to put you to bed." His blue eyes flashed.

"I was counting on it!"

Obi-Wan put his glass down on the table and made a grab for her.

"Minx!" He started to tickle her.

"Ben, you'll crush my dress!" She said, looking far from despondent with the situation.

"Take it off, I don't mind." He leered.

"Disgraceful." Jemmy tutted as she allowed herself to be pulled back into a gentle hug. "I don't know where you get these sick fancies of yours. Unless it's from Master Jinn."

"I don't think so!" Obi-Wan shook his head. "There are times when my master gives the impression of never having been young or in love."

"What about Sal-Fina?" Jemmiah couldn't resist saying.

"I said in love, not brain dead."

He rested his chin on her shoulder as they both took in the view of the moon shining high over the sea, the waves lapping gently against the distant rocks.

"I hope Sula Leishu gets married frequently." Jemmy closed her eyes, feeling his breath on the side of her face.

"I'm not sure her husband will see it that way."

Obi-Wan cast his mind back to his days in the crèche. Sula had been one of the few initiates he had been very friendly with when he had been a young boy. She'd even shared her contraband chocolate bar with him, an act that he still remembered with fondness to this day. The sandy haired girl had been claimed as a padawan extremely early in life by one of the knights and he'd hardly seen anything of her since.

And yet she'd invited him.

"Will she leave the order, do you think?" Jemmiah asked amidst a yawn.

"I think so." He nodded. "I suppose that's one of the downsides to marrying outside the temple." Obi-Wan turned her to face him and held her at arms length. "But we can't help who we fall in love with, can we?"

"No." she smiled. "I suppose not."

Obi-Wan kissed her gently on the forehead.

"I can't believe it's my birthday in a weeks time." His forehead creased slightly at the thought. "I'm going to be twenty five. Where did the time go?"

"You spent most of it getting drunk in Cantinas." Jemmy wrinkled her nose. "More to the point, what shall I get you as a present? Tricky one…"

She made a pretence of thought.

"I know! There's this little quarry on Florizan that sells the most amazing rocks you've ver seen in your life…" Jemmiah squealed as he made another tickling attack on her person. "OK, If you don't want a rock, what the heck do you want?"

He suddenly went very silent.

"I want you." He said.

Jemmiah's smile remained but lost some of it's burning brightness.

"Ben, we've been through this before. And look what happened…"

"I know." He nodded, recalling those two dark months of estrangement. Even now the memory left a bitter taste. "I won't let that happen again."

"Yes, and neither will I." Jemmy promised with a quick kiss of his lips. "Ben, I'm not ready for marriage…and I'm not sure I ever will be. Maybe one day. " She added.

Obi-Wan was surprised.

"Was that a no or a maybe?" He asked warily.

"Was that another proposal or were you testing the water?" Jemmiah replied after a moment had passed.

"Testing the water." He said.

Jemmy stared into those vivid eyes, nearly backtracking on her answer.

"It was a maybe." She answered. "Eventually."

"Then I'll take that as a step in the right direction." Kenobi ran his fingers through her hair. "I'll wear you down eventually. You'll agree one day." He smiled.

She looked at him.

"Dance with me." She said.

Obi-Wan started to lead her back to the dance floor and was surprised when Jemmiah started to hang back on his arm.

"No, not in there." She gazed at him wistfully. "Out here. Just the two of us."

The padawan nodded, placing his hands on her waist.

"This isn't dancing." Jemmiah puzzled. "You're just standing there shuffling from side to side."

"The slower I move the better I can see you."

"You ARE a romantic." She buried her face in his chest. "But I like it."

Obi-Wan chuckled.

"I like your hair." He said.

"I like yours." She teased.

"There's nothing different about my hair, as you well know."

"True," Jemmy agreed with a flash of her eyelashes, "but this is the bit that I like."

She fingered his braid carefully.

"Why?" He asked with a frown.

"So I can do this." She said, wrapping her fingers round the thin rope of hair and pulling him gradually towards her.

Qui-Gon continued to watch them from amidst the crowd of celebrating Jedi and close friends of the happy couple. Suddenly he felt very old. When he was Obi-Wan's age, sixty seemed so very far away, and yet father time had caught up with without him truly realizing it.

Where would they all be in a year's time?

Most eyes were turned towards the newly weds as they took center stage to address their well-wishers, but Qui-Gon kept his gaze firmly attuned to the young couple that danced alone on the balcony.

Let them be happy, he thought.

Then whatever the future brings, I can be happy too.