A/N thank you to Katieelessar, jedi71, and Alley Parker for your very kind reviews. Thanks to you, this story will continue. Enjoy the new chapter (and R&R.)

Obi-Wan groaned loudly and buried his head in his hands. "Bad day?" asked a voice from the corner suddenly. The Jedi started and pulled out his lightsaber, but when a small head peeked out of the shadows, he saw it was only Anakin.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Obi-Wan.

"Definitely a bad day," replied Anakin cheerfully. He stepped out of the corner and sat down on the edge of Obi-Wan's table, looking up at the older Jedi expectantly. "Want to talk about it?"

"What?" said Obi-Wan, completely confused. He had hardly spoken to this boy for five years, and now the youngling was acting as if they were best friends, and had been all that time.

Anakin shrugged. "That's what Master Qui-Gon always says whenever I'm in a bad mood or something. He says it helps to share your problems, but I just think it's because it's so hard talking about it in the first place that you end up not worrying about what was worrying you, because you're so busy worrying about something else. Does that make any sense?"

"No," said Obi-Wan grumpily, then regretted being so harsh. However, Anakin didn't seem to care, simply shrugging and saying, "I never do."

"Look, do you-," began the older Jedi, but Ani interrupted him.

"I just learned a new way to attack with a lightsaber. Wanna see?"

Before Obi-Wan had a chance to answer, the boy began jumping around, waving his weapon wildly, although Obi-Wan recognized it as something Qui-Gon had taught him when he had been Anakin's age. He hadn't been this eager to show random strangers, though.

"Anakin!" he exclaimed suddenly as one of the Padawan's jumps brought him precariously close to breaking the table he had just evacuated.

"What?" demanded the younger Jedi. "It's only a practice lightsaber, see?" he slashed at Obi-Wan several times, smiling up at him when the lightsaber passed through without leaving the slightest cut.

"I know," retorted Obi-Wan, embarrassed that he hadn't realized that. "You were just about to start knocking things over on your own. Just because the lightsaber can't do damage, doesn't mean you can't."

"I was not," Anakin shot back, knowing he hadn't been anywhere near damaging anything. "I'm a lot better with this stuff than you seem to think!"

"Well, this stuff is a lot harder than you seem to think, youngling, and even the best Jedi trip when they're in unfamiliar territory."

"I'm not a youngling," snapped the Padawan, but before Obi-Wan had a chance to retort, an amused voice from the doorway commented, "You're youngling enough to have to go back home when you're told, Anakin."

"Master!" exclaimed the pair in the room, although Obi-Wan kicked himself for calling him that. After five years, he still couldn't get used to Qui-Gon not being his master.

"Master Jinn," he said instead. "It's… good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, little one," answered Qui-Gon with a smile.

Anakin glanced back and forth between the two uncomfortable Jedi, and quickly tried to remedy the situation. "I didn't mean to disobey you, Master," he explained. Qui-Gon glanced down at him, waiting for him to finish. "I just… got distracted."

The older Jedi smiled and said teasingly, "When don't you, Anakin?"

"Sorry."

"Do you ever learn?" asked Qui-Gon, his eyes never losing their teasing nature, but his tone exasperated.

"I am trying, Master."

"Why do I have the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" the man said gruffly. The other Jedi, a Padawan of about eighteen or nineteen, gave him a pleading look.

"Don't say that, Master. You're the closest thing I have to a father."

"Then why don't you ever listen to me," his master asked exasperatedly. The boy's face turned rueful.

"I am trying, Master."

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon's face was concerned as he looked at his former apprentice.

"I'm fine," said the Jedi quickly, then kicked himself for being so obvious. "You know, I'm really busy today, so I should probably start on the… stuff I'm supposed to be doing. It's been really nice; we should do this again sometime. Goodbye."

Both of the others turned to leave, but not before Obi-Wan saw on their faces that while they heard what he had said, they didn't understand.

Sorry if that was short, I've just realized where the plot was going to go, and that realization shocked me so much I couldn't write anymore. Well, I've written the beginning, and I know the end. Maybe I'll actually figure out how I'm going to get there this time. Please review. The button's right there!