Thanks to all the reviewers, individual responses later.  (sorry, only a bit of time to post as of now)

It took several hours of social niceties, but Obi-Wan was finally able to escape from Bant's quarters and return to the apartments he shared with his Master. Upon entering the darkened rooms, he made his way immediately to his bedroom, not even noticing the slumped form on the couch that was slightly snoring. Entering his room, he shut and locked the door, before immediately switching to his nightclothes and settling down to sleep. Before closing his eyes, he completed his final daily task. Strengthening his shields to the strongest possible density, he finally surrendered to the black abyss of sleep.

*********************************************

I wanted to sleep. I needed to sleep. I like sleeping. But I really, really hate the nightmares…

*********************************************

After Obi-Wan left, his friends remained behind in Bant's room to discuss the night's events. "He didn't say anything!" Siri sighed. "I thought the whole point of this was to get him to talk."

"Well you can't exactly expect him to just blurt out what his problem is when we all gang up on him like that," N'erak argued. "I told you this wasn't going to work."

"It wasn't like you had a better suggestion," Garen commented, as he stood up from the couch and began to gather the empty plates and dirty forks from the cake they had all consumed.

"No, I didn't have a better idea," N'erak admitted. "And I am glad that we at least tried to do something," he added as he rose to his feet and moved to help Garen.

Entering from the kitchen where he had been "storing" the rest of the cake, Reeft spoke up. "Since this didn't work, what are we going to do?"

"We could always just tie him up and refuse to let him leave until he told us," Siri suggested. "Or we could always try to use the Force on him."

"Siri!" the other four chorused, each shooting her an incredulous look.

"What? Does anyone have a better idea," she growled. "It's obvious that there is something wrong with Obi-Wan, and that no one else is doing anything about it. As his friends, it is up to us to help him, regardless of whether or not he wants it."

*********************************************

The dream started differently than the other ones. It was almost pleasant at first. N'erak, Bant and I were shopping in the business district area of Coruscant. We each had a few bags, and were having a good time. I'm not sure why we were shopping, or even really what we were shopping for, but it was kind of nice. And that's when all hell broke loose.

We had just entered the shop when the gunman burst through the still open doorway. He drew his blaster and was firing before we could even react. I'm not sure why the Force didn't warn us, but looking back at it, I wonder if maybe the Force didn't really care about what happened either. Regardless, none of us had the chance to draw our 'sabers until the gunman had already gotten off several shots. I can still feel the searing pain as one of the first blasts hit me in the abdomen, and though it wasn't imminently fatal, it still hurt like heck.

The shopkeeper had a blaster behind the counter and he drew it, firing and killing the gunman instantly. I really don't understand why we didn't do anything, since we are Jedi, but in my dream it all made sense somehow. Anyway, the gunman was dead, the shopkeeper wanted nothing to do with us, and Bant was insisting that we had to get back to the Temple in time for dinner. I tried to tell her and N'erak that I was injured, but they both just ignored me. I didn't know what to do, so I simply tightened my sash over the wound to stop the bleeding, gathered up my packages and followed them back through the bustling Coruscanti streets.

We made it to the Temple and I tried again to tell Bant and N'erak that I needed to go to the Healer's. N'erak told me that Master Jinn was waiting for me, and that I had better not waste anymore of his time or he might not want me as a Padawan anymore. I'm not even sure that he heard me tell him I was injured, or noticed the blood that was slowly seeping from the wound.

I once again simply followed my friends as they led me to the Commissary where my Master was waiting. Master Jinn took one look at me and told me to go back to our quarters, and that he would be right behind me. I was so relieved that someone finally noticed that I was injured, and that I was slowly dying. I went back to our apartments and sat on the sofa waiting for my Master to come home. I sat and waited for what felt like forever before he finally showed up.

"Obi-Wan," he said, in that horribly formal tone he always adopts when I am in trouble, "I am very disappointed in you. You went out with your friends, and you didn't bother to tell me where you were going."

"I'm sorry Mast…" I began, only to be cut-off and left speechless by his next remark.

"How did you know that I didn't need something from the Market too?" he asked. I couldn't believe he was reprimanding me for forgetting to ask him if he needed something from the Market! Wasn't he worried about me? Didn't he care that I was slowing bleeding to death in front of him?

"Go to your room, Padawan. We will discuss this in the morning after I have gotten some rest," my Master continued, immediately turning his back on me and entering his own bedroom. I simply sat on the couch and stared after him, my hand held tightly over the bloody wound, trying to hold myself together long enough to survive.

*********************************************

Qui-Gon hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep when he was awakened by the sounds of sobbing from his apprentice's room. "Obi-Wan?" he called out, automatically reaching for the bond to try to ascertain the cause of his Padawan's distress. When he came in contact with the Titanium shielding, he didn't even hesitate in jumping from the couch and racing to the bedroom door. "Padawan?" he called again as the locked door failed to open at his approach. When no response was forthcoming, the Jedi Master reached out to the Force and used it to override the lock code and open the bedroom door.

Swiftly crossing the darkened room to the bed, Qui-Gon gasped as he took in his apprentice's appearance. Obi-Wan lay in the middle of the bed, the sheets and blankets tangled around his shivering form. Tear tracks crossed his face, and he was curled into a ball with his arms crossed over his stomach as if he were in pain. He was obviously still asleep, but the nightmare seemed to be over. Deciding to wake his apprentice, regardless of whether or not the dream was finished, the Master sat gently on the edge of the bed and began to softly stroke his Padawan's back.

"Obi-Wan, wake up son. It's only a dream," he chanted softly as he tried to sooth the cramped muscles in his apprentice's back. "It's okay Padawan, just open your eyes and come back to me."

He continued the increasingly nonsensical soothing for several moments before Obi-Wan's eyelids finally fluttered open, and the stormy gray gaze fell upon his own. "Mahsster?" the Padawan asked, his accent deepened by his exhaustion.

"Yes, it's me Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon responded, still gently rubbing his apprentice's back. "You've had a bad dream. Do you think you can talk about it?"

"I'm sorry to wake you Master," Obi-Wan answered, uncurling his body and sitting up in the tangled bedding. "It was just a silly dream, and everyone knows that all dreams pass in time."

"It seemed like a bit more than a silly dream," the Master commented, as he drew his hand back. "Perhaps talking about it will make you feel better."

"It was nothing Master," the Padawan stressed again. "I don't want to disturb you anymore tonight. Thank you for waking me though."

"You did not disturb me, Obi-Wan. I am your Master, and it is my duty and pleasure to always be there for you, even if it is only for a bad dream. I wish you would talk to me about it though," Qui-Gon sighed. When Obi-Wan only lowered his head and made no comment, the Master rose from the edge of the bed and made his way over to the doorway. "We will talk about this more in the morning, Padawan," he stated in his formal voice. "Until then, I hope you rest well."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan whispered, just before the door slid shut again on the darkened bedroom.