Chapter Five

If Obi-Wan Kenobi was distressed by the news of his Master's imminent departure, he did not show it. Most padawans in his situation would have protested the change, at the very least asked the Council to reconsider their decision. Kenobi, though, stood silently and nodded when asked if he understood what this meant for his training.

"Difficult this choice was," Yoda said solemnly. His mood was more somber than ever, and Qui-Gon wondered if Yoda was attached to the boy. From the outside they did not seem particularly close, but the bonds involved in teaching a padawan were strong and only matured over time. One such as Master Yoda was not immune to the weight of them. "Easy to reach, a solution was not."

It was an understatement. Qui-Gon was nearly convinced Anakin would refuse his assignment even knowing it would bring the censure of the Council. Qui-Gon did regret, in hindsight, the multitude of times when he protested a decision or questioned a task given by the Council while in front of Anakin. In the end Anakin did do his duty, and that was all that mattered.

"When I return, I know not. Necessary it is for a new master to take over your training."

Kenobi's eyes quickly fell on Qui-Gon. The meaning of the gesture was not missed; no doubt the child assumed Qui-Gon's presence at the meeting meant he was the one to take over. In reality Qui-Gon was attending because Anakin could not; his health still did not permit him to leave his rooms. He was supposed to act on behalf of Anakin and report back any news.

"I apologize for his absence, but Skywalker is still a bit under the weather," Qui-Gon explained, figuring they should get a move on things if he wanted to eat anytime soon.

Kenobi's brow furrowed in confusion. "I do not understand?" It was the first time he had spoken. His voice was quiet and lilting, but also deep with the evidence of puberty. He was well-spoken, but Qui-Gon was unsurprised

"I am here in place of him. He expresses his regrets that he could not meet you today."

"Your new master, he is," Yoda said. Something about the way in which he spoke, or perhaps the way he leaned forward to catch Kenobi's gaze, seemed pleased.

"I see." He clearly did not. If anything, he looked more confused than before.

To have the Hero With No Fear as his new master was just the beginning for Kenobi. Anakin had no training experience. He was constantly sent on the most dangerous missions to achieve the most significant outcomes. He was also Kenobi's reluctant rival, if you looked at it in that light. Kenobi was smart to puzzle at the choice. They were not about to tell him, however, that Anakin was only being assigned because there was no one else.

"When he is well, he will seek you out and begin your training." At the look of worry on Kenobi's face, Qui-Gon hastened to add, "It shouldn't be long. He is recovering quite nicely." Anakin was impatient more than he was actually recovered. Yet another thing they could not say.

"Gone, I will be, before Skywalker completely heals. Ill-timed my leaving is. Be helped it cannot."

"I am certain I can take care until Master Skywalker is ready for me."

"You will have to," Qui-Gon said. "But I'm sure you'll be fine."

---

"Yoda left an hour ago," Qui-Gon said, leaning against Anakin's bedroom doorframe.

Anakin was sitting on the edge of his bed, hunched painfully over his dinner tray. "I thought he didn't leave for another two days?"

"Anakin, please refrain from eating and speaking at the same time, it's disgusting."

His chiding didn't take; Anakin only looked up from his plate and grinned broadly. "You're imagining things," he said, swallowing quickly. "Have you eaten?"

"No. I was planning to after I left the Council, but I ended up here instead."

"Pull up a chair and help me finish this gruel." He pushed a fork towards the other side of the tray.

"What an enticing offer. I'm hungry enough to take you up on it." Qui-Gon stood from his bent stance against the door and joined Anakin after dragging his usual seat over. "Oh, this is gruel," he laughed, eyeing a minced meat of some kind. It was coated in a thick, dark sauce.

"There's some acid-beet left, I think. I've mostly demolished the dust-corn bread and pear fruit." As if to emphasize, Anakin cut a huge slice of pear, stabbed it with his fork, swallowed it with little chewing, and washed it down with a particularly nasty protein drink served to help his energy and strength. He shuddered at his mouthful but forged on, finishing off the pear.

"Maybe I'll wait." Qui-Gon picked at the acid-beet, not daring to eat it; it didn't look all that appetizing, especially when plated next to the mystery meat.

"Fair enough." Anakin set down his fork and chewed thoughtfully for a moment before he spoke. "You're supposed to tell me about the meeting."

"First you have to tell me how you're doing."

Their routine—Anakin demanded news, and Qui-Gon wouldn't indulge him until he heard what the medical staff was saying, or what small task Anakin had painfully accomplished that day.

"I did some mild stretching, and I managed to evade the sponge-bath by standing up long enough to use the 'fresher. Of course, all of it was so taxing—" he glowered down at his plate "—I ended up taking a two hour nap."

"That's not so bad."

"I wanted to watch the HoloNet, though! There was a report on—"

"I meant what you did today. You made some progress."

"Not much," Anakin glumly refuted. "Not nearly enough."

"You know what they said. You'll be bedridden for another week or so, and then you'll have the conditioning exercises for a month. This will pass, Anakin, as all things do." Gently, he laid his hand over Anakin's. While Anakin did not pull away, his reaction was less than warm.

"Don't get philosophical with me, Qui-Gon. There's only so much of that I can take. I know I'll recover, but in the meantime I have to lie here, in pain and idle. Do you have any idea what that can do to a person?" In contrast to the strength of the words, Anakin's voice was quiet, meek. His head was bowed, his hands shaking. Hard to say whether it was from the pain or the indignity. Since being taken from slavery on Tatootine, Anakin very much hated helplessness and the loss of control.

"You've already made much progress. When I arrived, you could never have sat up like this for five minutes, let alone stood to use the 'fresher. Then you foolishly walked to my quarters, setting your recovery back by at least a week—"

Anakin had looked up when Qui-Gon started to reprimand him, eyes guilty and worn with fatigue. "I know. I know already. I'm not going to do it again, not until I've been cleared. There's no need to remind me." I'm an adult remained unspoken, though Qui-Gon sensed it was within Anakin's mind. He was an adult and a Jedi Knight, perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Some things were simply learned (or unlearned) with age. Qui-Gon would have to let go of the perpetual need to instruct, and allow Anakin to live and learn his own lessons.

Reconciling years of having Anakin as his padawan against the reality of a grown Jedi Knight was difficult. They had not seen each other much since Anakin's ceremony, and Qui-Gon knew their distance hadn't helped. He was late in starting to learn the new dynamics of their bond.

"I should let you rest." Qui-Gon sighed heavily, finally withdrawing his hand from atop Anakin's.

"Not before you tell me about the meeting with the Council," Anakin insisted.

"I'm sorry, I forgot. Kenobi did not seem aggrieved by Yoda's leaving, nor by his having to accept a new master indefinitely. You should have no problems there."

"But?"

"But nothing. He is a good student, a good padawan for you to train. I imagine you will work well together."

"He didn't seem 'aggrieved' by learning I'm his new Master?" Anakin sounded doubtful.

"Not particularly. He seemed… perplexed, curious. Not upset."

Anakin snorted. With one hand, he pushed aside the tray of food. Normally he would have used the Force, but his strength was so diminished it was best to save the skill in case he really needed it. "Who can blame him? This isn't exactly the best idea the Council has ever had."

"We all must make decisions that sometimes do not seem favorable, Anakin. Or perhaps we make decisions that hurt us in the end." He thought briefly of sending Anakin to Bandomeer; so rational initially, so perilous in retrospect. "It is part of life."

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Betas: Catrina and Trey. So much thanks I can't even express it.

Thank you all for waiting during my Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince induced writer's block.