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 15: A Little Light in the Dark

A few weeks later Obi-Wan was on his feet and back to instructing Anakin. He and Qui-Gon still couldn't do a lot of the combat and physical training so Christian took that part over. Sparing with his little brother and taking him on long runs through the gardens; sometimes with Ryoo and Pooja on their backs for the extra challenge.

When he wasn't training or in meditation Anakin was with Padme, sometimes hovering a bit too much for his own good. One day when Skywalker was hovering and his wife was about to deck him Qui-Gon took his youngest son aside and asked for company and help deep into the gardens.

The cold winter air sometimes made it harder for Jinn to keep the chest congestion that came from his illness at bay even though makeshift treatments he was getting was keeping him from getting any worse. Still the toll of the fight the Jedi Master was fighting with his body was beginning to become more obvious. He was nowhere near his full strength anymore and there were days he was so exhausted but so wracked with pain that Obi-Wan and Anakin kept him as drugged as they safely could just so their father could get the sleep that he needed.

"Papa." Anakin asked as he and Qui-Gon walked down a snow-covered path. "What was my mother like… when you knew her?"

Jinn laughed at the first thing that came to mind, "Your mother was a troublemaker." He said with a smile. "Any mischief that went on in the village, she was usually the one who started it."

Skywalker looked up from where he was putting a space blanket on the ground so they could sit on the ground without getting wet, "Really?"

"Of course I was usually right behind her." Qui-Gon said before wincing in pain as Anakin helped him sit. "It figures my knees would start acting up too."

"Let me help you." Skywalker said as he knelt down and placed his still human hand over one of his father's knees. The robotic arm he had to replace the one he lost fighting the Sith Lord Count Dooku was fully functional and the young man could use the Force through it but there were times it really bothered him and he didn't use it to touch people. He normally kept it covered so the skeletal like arm and hand didn't startle his wife's family. They knew he had a prosthetic but had never gotten a good look at it.

"Ani." Jinn said when he noticed what his son was doing. "Use both hands little one. You know you have better control when you do." Anakin slowly moved his prosthetic hand to the Jedi Master's other knee but Qui-Gon surprised him by unstrapping and pulling off the long-sleeved glove that covered his robotic arm and hand and then lovingly giving the hand a squeeze. "You are still Anakin Skywalker and you are still my son. This is a medical tool, nothing else. Like the equipment your brother uses to adapt to being blind."

Skywalker nodded and gave his father a little smile before going back to what he was doing. He used his healing abilities to draw out some of the Jedi Master's discomfort and released into the Living Force around them. "Better?" Anakin asked when he was done.

"Much, thank you Ani." The older man said with a thankful smile.

"Would tapping into the Force like one would do in a Healing Trance help your Asacalare's disease?" Anakin asked as he moved to sit next to his father. Hiding the fact that he was favoring his prosthetic arm a bit. He had banged it in an odd way one day while helping Paddy Accu with the boat and now the hand had trouble closing in a fist all the way. He basically had a broken hand but it was mainly a numb feeling.

"I've been doing that during meditation and it helps a bit." Qui-Gon said before getting a good look at the Padawan's hand. "What in the name of The Lady did you do to your hand?"

"It was damaged a little when the temple fell and I banged it the other day while helping the groundskeeper." Skywalker admitted before letting Qui-Gon take a good look at it and look at his arm. "It doesn't really hurt, it's just numb."

Jinn had a hidden talent for fixing prosthetics and medical equipment so it was usually him that helped Anakin fix spots on his arm that the young man couldn't reach, "I see the problem." The Jedi Master said after looking the parts over. "I'll have to borrow some tools from Mr. Accu but I can fix it." He then gave his son a little slap upside the head. "Quit hiding things Braid boy."

"Like father like son." Skywalker said with a smile before sensing his nieces were coming down the path looking for him and Qui-Gon. "Pooja and Ryoo are coming."

Qui-Gon nodded and smiled, sensing the girls too. He had always had a soft spot for children and was beginning to see and love Pooja and Ryoo like they were his grandnieces, since in a way they were. He had biological family on his home world but rarely got to see them, "We're back here ladies." He called causing a fit of young giggles.

"Master Qui-Gon." Pooja said as she and her sister came running up the path. "There's a doctor here to see you and your mummy has come for a visit. She brought someone with her and he looks a lot like you!"

Jinn looked at Anakin who shrugged, "Maybe Ben wrote them." He said meaning Obi-Wan. The young man stood up before grabbing a hold of his father and pulling the taller man to his feet. "Are you okay papa?" He asked when the Jedi Master was standing since he knew Qui-Gon was often made dizzy by the act of standing up.

"Give me a minute." The older man said before using his son to gather his balance and then took a deep breath.

Skywalker took most of Jinn's weight and sent him healing strength over their bond, "Focus on me." He said as Pooja and Ryoo came over and wrapped their arms around Qui-Gon's waist. "Thank you girls, that's very nice of you." Their uncle said with a smile.

The Jedi Master stood taller when the dizziness had passed and smiled down at the girls before giving them a gentle hug, "Thank you." He said as Anakin gathered up the blanket and it started to snow again. "You two don't have your hats on. So under my cloak with you."

The girls giggled and hurried under Qui-Gon's cloak like baby birds going under wings, "You have pockets in your cloak Master Qui-Gon." Ryoo said as she and Pooja poked their heads out.

"Of course we do." Anakin said as he finished strapping his glove back on. His father had been able to slip it back to him before the girls had found them. "And I think I need to clean mine out."

"You always need to clean your pockets out Ani." Jinn said as he pulled his hood up. "You like your brothers put things in them and then forget that you did."

"Or Padme asks me to hold something and it ends up in one of my pockets." The young man said as they started back towards the house.

"True, that does happen more often then not." Qui-Gon said before Ryoo and Pooja started laughing.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Sola became worried when the two Jedi came in and she didn't see her daughters with them. The girls had poked their heads into Qui-Gon's cloak before they all came in the door and the Jedi Master was so tall that they were completely hidden. Before his sister-in-law could ask Anakin smiled and quietly pointed to his father who then smiled too and gestured to his sides.

Sola smiled back and looked at her sister who was smiling too, "I guess the girls don't want the cookies that their Uncle Obi-Wan and Uncle Christian made with us." Padme said, loud enough for Pooja and Ryoo to hear. "More for us grownups then I guess."

"Don't forget Faolan." Sola said. "We made special doggie cookies for him too."

"Cookies?" The girls asked happily as they came out of hiding. "We want cookies, please."

"Coats and boots off with hands washed and I'll meet you in the kitchen." Sola said with a smile before heading in that direction. Leaving Padme alone with the two men.

Ryoo and Pooja ran off to do as their mother asked while Anakin and Qui-Gon took their cloaks off and hung them up to dry, "Someone wrote my mother?" Jinn asked Padme quietly.

"Obi-Wan did." She replied. "And he asked my mother if there was a doctor that could take a look at you. The niece of one of her best friends is now a doctor specializing in what you have."

That took the Jedi Master off guard considering how rare Asacalare's decease was. "I…" He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. "I don't have the money to pay for treatment."

"She knows her husband was a Jedi Knight killed in action two years ago. She knows of you and your sons and wants to help you at no charge. She has a new treatment and needs a patient. Alice is Sola's age and has been one of our closest friends.

"Who was her husband?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Draco Koru."

Jinn was not the type of man to accept anything without payment so Padme was doing her best to convince him that this was one time it was okay for him to do so. Anakin was the one who knew what might work in order to get his father to do it, "Papa." He said as he moved to stand next to his wife. "Do it for Luke and Leia. We want you to know them and them to know you. Please do this for them."

It worked and the Jedi Master nodded, "All right but I'm still going to string up your brother."

"You will do no such thing Qui-Gon Jinn." An older heavily accented woman's voice said behind Padme and Anakin. Speaking in Qui-Gon's native language. "In fact I should string you up myself for not sending word as soon as you found out you were ill."

Jinn winced, knowing that voice and tone all too well, "Yes mama." He said in Nir'duinain as a woman about thirty years older then him and half his height came around Anakin.

The Jedi Master's mother may have been smaller then him but anyone who looked at the two knew it was from his mother that he got his features. She had the same eyes, hair and strong build as he did. Kara Jinn was the wife of a chieftain, mother of eight children and the high priestess in her village. You didn't mess with her; she messed with you.

Anakin and Padme had slipped out of the room so for the moment Kara and Qui-Gon were alone. The older woman went over and pulled her son into her arms before kissing his forehead, "I watched as Asacalare's decease took my father and I will not watch my son die of it when there is hope for a cure."

"Is there?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. He was in pain, a little frightened and just plain tired.

"Come talk to the doctor." Kara said before taking her son into the common room where everyone was waiting.

A young man about Christian and Obi-Wan's age smiled and got up from where he was sitting on the floor when the two came in, "You look tired uncle." He said in Nir'duinain as he went over and gave the Jedi Master a gentle hug.

"A little." Jinn admitted in the same language to his nearly look-a-like nephew. "Thank you for bringing your grandmother."

"She needed a translator." The young man said before switching to Basic. "And now you're stalling."

A woman with long black hair and dark eyes stood up and came over to the two men before offering her hand to Qui-Gon, "Master Jinn." She said with a smile. "I'm doctor Alice Lawson and I'm very honored to meet you at last. Draco spoke very highly of you and hoped to introduce us to the other one day."

The Jedi Master shook the younger woman's hand, "Draco was a good man and a good friend." He said. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you Master Jinn." Alice said softly. "Why don't we find some place to speak in private? Your son Obi-Wan showed me your records so I have a pretty good idea where to start."

Qui-Gon nodded and took the doctor to his room before shutting the door behind them, "This is between you and me right?" He asked.

"The only way I can and will share anything with your family is if you give me permission to do so." She said as Jinn moved to sit on the bed. "Are you having any new or worsening symptoms?"

"A week ago I ran out of the medications that the healers at the Jedi Temple prescribed me and I can already feel myself starting to get worse. I don't think I have much time left before the final stage hits and may The Lady and the Gods forgive me but I'm scared."

"Let me get my things, I'll do a work up on you and we'll go from there. The fact that you've made it this far with the physical and emotional stress you've been under gives me hope that we got to it just in time."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

While the doctor was in with Qui-Gon the rest of the household did their best to keep busy. Jinn's mother and nephew Liam told Ryoo and Pooja Nir'duinain stories while Darred and Ruwee got a warm fire going in the common room fireplace. Sola and Joble made tea and hot chocolate while the Kenobi twins went to meditate and Padme and Anakin went to take a nap. Wanting to get good solid sleep when they could before Padme went into labor.

Several hours later the Jedi in the house seemed to know something was up so everyone went back into the common room around the time doctor Lawson came out, "I have good news and Qui-Gon has agreed to let me tell you." She said with a smile as the Jedi Master came into the common room too, looking a little better then he had been. "He's an excellent candidate for my latest treatment."

"Unfortunately doctor Lawson has to go back to Theed tonight." Qui-Gon said before looking at Obi-Wan and Anakin. "So you two are going to have to help me through it."

"Of course." Obi-Wan said without hesitation. "What do we need to do?"

"It's an eighteen week course of IV and oral medication and based on what I see I think Qui-Gon has about and eighty percent chance of cure." Alice said. "Every other week you'll give your father an IV treatment while he continues the oral medication throughout the eighteen weeks."

"I admit I'm not looking forward to the side effects but there is medication that I can take that should help." Jinn said before sitting down next to his mother. "And I'm willing to try anything."

"What are the side effects?" Liam asked for his grandmother.

"Nausea, vomiting, aches, pain, chills and fever." The doctor said. "In rare cases there can be nosebleeds and this is going to leave him pretty weak so the less stress and the more rest he can get the better. Qui-Gon may have dizziness and fainting spells too."

"Basically more of what we've been dealing with." Jinn said with a shrug and a smile. "But I'll be alive to complain about it."

Liam snorted to hide a laugh, "My mum says that all the time." He said. "But she uses a less nice word for complain."

"Mayra always did." Qui-Gon said as he thought of his older sister.

"Oh Padme." Alice said with a smile. "I've been asked to take a look at you and Obi-Wan too so I'll get set up for it and an ultrasound in your room then I'll have a look at your stubborn brother-in-law."

"Can Anakin be there and can we do the ultrasound at the end so that everyone can see the twins?" Padme asked.

"Of course." The other woman said before Obi-Wan piped up.

"Who said I was stubborn?" He asked.

"Ben, you really don't want to know the answer to that brother." Christian said dryly. Causing more then one person to laugh.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Later that night after Alice left and after dinner Qui-Gon borrowed some tools from Paddy Accu and cornered Anakin in the common room where he and Christian were showing Pooja and Ryoo how to give Faolan a brushing, "Ani." Jinn said before holding up the tool case when the young man looked over.

Skywalker moved to stand up but Pooja said then said something that made him stop, "Is Master Qui-Gon going to fix your hand Uncle Ani?" She asked with childlike innocence.

"You know about my hand little one?" Anakin asked.

"Mummy and daddy showed us a picture of you." Ryoo said before standing up. "It's here so I'll go get it." The child ran into her grandparents' room and came back out with a frame that held Holopictures. It was a picture taken of him and Padme at a senate function just after the Jedi Padawan had lost his arm and the robotic prosthetic was clearly visible.

Skywalker looked up at his father as the Jedi Master came over to look, "I don't remember this senate function." He admitted in their native language.

Qui-Gon took the picture and pulled up the date on the frame, "This was a month after you and Obi-Wan fought Dooku." He said in the same language. "This must have been when Palpatine completed the manipulation because I've heard when a Dark Side Manipulation is first established the person being manipulated has no memory at all of the time it happened. That memory is literally erased."

The younger man shivered a little at the thought before taking the picture back and handing it back to his niece, "Yes Pooja, Master Qui-Gon is going to help me fix my hand." He said in Basic so the girls would understand.

"Can we help?" Pooja asked hopefully as her sister went to put the picture back.

"I know just the job for you two." Jinn said with a smile before taking the tool case over and setting it on the table before sitting down. "Can one of you get a chair for your uncle?"

Ryoo had come back and heard the request so she went to get a chair from the dining room while Anakin unstrapped the long-sleeved glove and took it off, "Christian can you hold this?" The Padawan asked before tossing the glove over to his brother before sitting down across from their father in the chair Ryoo had brought.

"I need one of you ladies to hold up your uncle's tunic sleeve and one of you to gently open up his hand." Qui-Gon instructed.

"I can't feel anything right now so don't worry about hurting me." Anakin said, as the girls got closer and looked at the prosthetic arm in utter fascination. Skywalker smiled a little as Pooja held up his sleeve and Ryoo gently forced his hand open all the way.

See little one. Qui-Gon said through their bond. They see nothing evil about you and love you for who you are.

It only took a few minutes for Jinn to find the connection that needed to be fixed and told Ryoo to let go of Anakin's hand just before he did, "Ouch." Skywalker said when his father reconnected the wires that gave him feeling in his hand and arm.

"Sorry Ani." Jinn said before having Christian hold the tool he was using while he grabbed another. "Nearly done… there we go. Try moving your arm and hand now."

The Padawan did as he was asked and smiled when he found his arm and hand moved normally and the feeling came back in both, "Pooja could you tap me on the arm honey?" He smiled again as the child did so and gently took Ryoo's hand before squeezing it gently. "What does my hand feel like Ryoo? Is it warm?"

"Yes, it feels warm like your other hand. Is it supposed to be?"

"Exactly." Anakin said before tickling the girls as their parents came in.

"Bedtime girls." Darred said before noticing his brother-in-law's arm. "Wow that's a wonderful looking prosthetic Ani." He went over to take a closer look as his wife started to laugh.

"Darred you and your fascination with robotics…" Sola said with an amused shake of her head.

"I know the feeling." Anakin said with a smile.

"It must be a guy thing." Sola said with a smile back.