Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or anything that has to do with it, George Lucas does (Darn it! Oh well but if he ever wants to sell it...)
Summary: AU One year after Attack of the Clones Anakin and his family are on the run from the Empire. As they try to hide on Naboo, problems begin from within as Qui-Gon's health begins to fail.
Warnings: Nothing for this chapter.
Author's Note: This was my first attempt at fanfiction that I started in 1999 and I have rewritten it several times in order for it to tie into the movies a bit better. I just tried to fix some of the spelling, grammar and typing mistakes but bear with me. My CP and dyslexia makes it hard to catch everything.
Chapter 13: Slow ProgressOne week later while Christian was helping Anakin give Qui-Gon his weekly blood transfusion Padme brought Obi-Wan a late breakfast, "Good morning Obi-Wan." She said as she placed the tray on the bedside table as the Jedi struggled to sit up. "Here let me help you." The young woman grabbed several pillows and placed them behind her brother-in-law. Kenobi was well enough for Padme and the children to come in contact with but still was too ill and weak to do much physical activity on his own. "How are you feeling today?" Padme asked when they had succeed in getting Obi-Wan in a position where she could help him eat if he needed it.
"A little better." He said in a labored whisper, for the moment the Jedi only spoke out loud when he absolutely had to but the rest of the time he used the Force.
"Anakin made this tea for you." The young woman said holding a warm mug up to her friend's lips so that he could drink. "He said this was the stuff to have to drink in small sips."
"Force that stuff is terrible." Obi-Wan observed giving Padme a weak smile. "Now I know why Ani always fought me when I had to give it to him when he was sick. Talk about getting a taste of your own medicine."
Padme laughed, "Ani fights anyone with anything when he's sick."
"Aye I know, I think he gets it from Qui-Gon." The Jedi said before turning away from her when he started coughing. "Gods how...much more...of this?" He groaned holding his side.
"I don't know Obi-Wan." The young woman acknowledged sympathetically before continuing in a whisper. "But I hope you get better soon Ryoo, Pooja and I want to help with the plans to celebrate Alban Arthan."
Kenobi chuckled weakly, "I'll do my best." He said before sighing tiredly.
"Would you like some breakfast?" Padme asked reaching for the tray she had brought in.
The Jedi smiled and nodded, "Please."
The young woman smiled back as she handed him some warm oatmeal type substance and kept a hand under the bowl as the young man started to slowly eat it, "Ryoo and Pooja helped me make breakfast this morning, they hope you like it."
Obi-Wan paused in mid-bite and smiled, "Give my compliments to the little ones." He said before raising his voice so that he could be heard outside the room. "Who just happen to be outside the door."
Padme looked over her shoulder when she heard giggling coming from the hallway and smiled when the giggling quickly turned into outright laughter when someone picked them up from behind, "Look what I found." Anakin said as he came in the room with two giggling girls in his arms, upside down. "Upside down nieces." The Padawan laughed as he plopped into one of the chairs that he'd brought from his and Padme's room and sat the girls' right side up in his lap. "Who knew they could come like that."
"Uncle Ani?" Ryoo asked she started playing with her uncle's Padawan Braid, "Why do you have this?"
"This means that I'm still a student of the Jedi Order." Skywalker explained looking at the two children. "When I complete my training under Master Qui-Gon and Master Obi-Wan I'll have it cut off."
"Oh." She said with a sad look on her face. "I wish you could keep it. It's really pretty."
Anakin looked over at his brother and wife, who both burst into outright laughter at the shocked look on the Padawan's face, "I agree Ani." Obi-Wan said with a huge grin. "Your Padawan Braid is very pretty."
"I swear Obi-Wan if you weren't…"
"Watch it Padawan." Kenobi said interrupting his apprentice. "I may be your brother but I'm also your master as well."
The young man gave the other a small smile as he bowed his head in respect, "Yes Master Kenobi."
Obi-Wan just rolled his eyes and smiled.
Two hours later Anakin woke Obi-Wan from a sound nap that was half Healing Trance after he finished with Qui-Gon's blood transfusion, "I can't keep his Glucose level up." The Padawan said as he handed over Kenobi's Datapad. "I've never seen anything like this."
Obi-Wan looked up and sighed, "Neither have I." He said before going back to what the Padawan wanted him to look at. "Is this before or after the transfusion?"
"After." Skywalker said as he took a seat in one of the bedside chairs. "The test before is on the right."
"Blast!" Kenobi said as he called up the previous test. "The transfusion brought up his oxygen level but hardly made a dent in the Glucose level. How is he feeling?"
"Dizzy." Anakin replied before taking the Datapad back. "Is this the disease or the medication?"
"Most likely a bit of both." Obi-Wan said before rubbing his tired eyes. "Ani does your mother-in-law grow Lisse' Root?"
"Yes, she thinks it has a nice fragrance or something like that." The Padawan said. "She keeps some in a jar in the kitchen."
Kenobi brightened up, "Is it dried?" Anakin nodded. "Ah Lady bless Joble Naberrie. Lisse' Root is native to Nir'duin…"
"Wait isn't that one of the plants that Father grew in that little garden he kept in our apartment back at the Temple?" the Padawan said as he began to think like his brother.
"And he used to dry it and put it in the medicinal teas he would give us when we were sick." Obi-Wan said with a smile. "That stuff is so powerful it only took a little to mask the taste.
Skywalker shook his head in excitement, "That stuff is what? 99.9% sugar."
"At least." Obi-Wan said with a smile. "Grind up about one ounce of the root, mix it in two cups hot water, give it to father and then do a retest in about an hour."
"Obi-Wan if you weren't sick I'd kiss you!" Anakin said before running out of the room with a shout of joy.
"Your welcome!" Kenobi called after his retreating brother. Force it's going to be a long winter. He thought before settling back down to finish his nap.
Anakin smiled as he readouts of his father's blood tests. The Lisse' Root worked better then he had originally thought it would and Qui-Gon was able to get up two hours after drinking the concoction that the Padawan had made for him, "Just please take it easy today father." Anakin said as the older man pulled his tunic on.
"Anakin what do you think I'm going to do?" Jinn said with an amused look on his face as he pulled his boots on. "Shovel snow? That's your job."
"Ryoo and Pooja helped me with that this morning." Christian said with a smile as he offered his father a hand in getting to his feet.
"Oh?" Said Qui-Gon. "How did our little ladies handle the shock of seeing a blind man shovel snow?"
Christian smiled, "I thought I heard two bodies hit the snow in a dead faint."
Skywalker tried to stifle a laugh behind a hand when he remembered what he had seen that morning when he and Darred had gone out to retrieve more firewood, "Well from what I saw. Darred was about ready to faint too."
"I forgot you two were out there." Kenobi said as he and the others began walking down the hall. "He he that must have been a sight to see."
"I wish I was conscious at that hour." Qui-Gon said with a tired sigh. "I've been sleeping a lot more then I'd like to."
"Give yourself a break father." Anakin said before sounds of hysterical laughter erupted from the backyard. "Want to go see what we're missing?
Jinn smiled and ruffled Skywalker's hair before going for Kenobi's, "I'd thought you'd never ask."
Padme thought she had seen everything in her years as queen and as a senator but the sight before her proved her wrong. Her dear sweet husband had managed to get his older brother's hackles up earlier and now, fifteen minutes later the Jedi Padawan and the Jedi Knight were rolling in the snow trying their best to pin each other.
"Are those two always so…active?" Joble asked Qui-Gon as her son-in-law managed to break away from his brother and run in the opposite direction while picking up Ryoo and Pooja on the way.
"Oh, wait until Obi-Wan is back on his feet." The Jedi Master said with a smile as he watched Sola, Darred and even Faolan began chasing two of his boys.
"What am I going do?" Inquired a tired voice behind them.
"Obi-Wan what in the name of the Force are you doing out of bed?"
Jinn said as he stood up and helped the ginger haired Jedi settle down on the steps. "You should be resting."
"I needed some fresh air." Kenobi said as he huddled into the larger body of his father.
"Five minutes little one." Qui-Gon said softy before kissing the top of Obi-Wan's head, pleased that his temperature had returned to normal.
"Yes Daddy…" The young man replied in Nir'duinain as he began to drift off, having spent most of his newfound strength to get outside.
