A/N This series has grown and grown, so I have gone to my profile to list the fics in chronological order. I am also in the process of adding to the summaries of the fics where they fall in the series. Seriously I keep getting more and more ideas for this series, I think I am up to about 27 fics and ideas for this series.
Cody leaned against one of the massive concreate pillars that marked the doorway into the Temple creche. As he leaned his shoulder against the pillar, his arms were crossed over his chest and he looked at the scene in front of him with a soft smile. The play area of the creche was where the wide doors divided the Temple corridor from the creche, from where he leaned, he could see smaller versions of the Temple corridors that led to the creche refectory, the different creche clan dormitories and the Junior and Senior Initiate dormitories. It was something he recently learned, was that the Initiate dorms were housed within the creche as the Initiates were expected to help care for the Jedi younglings, the beginnings of learning to care for all beings. Cody was drawn from his thoughts at the sound of high-pitched giggling and chuckled to himself, sat on the floor, surrounded on all sides by younglings, was his husband Obi-Wan.
A Mon Calamari youngling flung Obi-Wan's brown outer robe up by the end and hid himself under the robe. Obi-Wan's ocean blue eyes glinted with mirth as he looked around the gathered younglings with mock surprise. "Now, where could Noma have gotten to?" he asked as he rubbed a hand over his beard.
The gathered younglings attempted to hide their laughter behind their hands, three of them sat themselves on Obi-Wan's lap. They leaned back against Obi-Wan's chest, looking up at the Jedi Master in awe, as if they couldn't believe their hero was sat on the floor with them. Anakin had told Cody and Obi-Wan that the story of how Obi-Wan defeated the Sith Lord had been told to the younglings and Initiates, and the youngsters had all started to view Obi-Wan as the hero of the Jedi Order. Much to Obi-Wan's embarrassment and Cody's delight. To Cody, Obi-Wan deserved heaps of praise for all that he had done during the Clone Wars and after, including ending the war.
The small lump behind Obi-Wan's back wiggled a little as Noma got himself comfortable. Obi-Wan smirked as he slowly began to lean backwards, the three younglings on his lap held steady in his grasp. A small squeak emitted from the lump and Noma wriggled himself out from beneath Obi-Wan's robe. "Master Obi! You're squishing me!" protested Noma with a giggle.
Obi-Wan sat up straight and rested a hand on Noma's hairless head. "Oh, so I was, but at least I've found you now!"
Noma giggled and leaned forward to hug Obi-Wan, the other younglings all decided this was a great idea and all jumped onto the older Jedi to smother him with hugs. Obi-Wan allowed himself to be pushed onto his back with a loud laugh, turning his head so he could meet Cody's gaze.
Cody continued to lean against the pillar with a grin, taking in the comforting sight. During the war he had never allowed himself to dream of the future in detail, he would hang on tightly to Obi-Wan's promise of seeing the galaxy in peace. But he had never truly believed that he would be free, he was a clone, and therefore not considered a sentient being by the Senate. Now, however, he was a free being. He had married the man he loved the month before and whenever Obi-Wan was going to visit the creche, Cody always came along. The sight of his husband with a group of younglings never failed to make him fall in love even more.
"Younglings! Its time for lunch!" called a soft voice. Cody turned and noticed a human girl who was around the age of twelve, and therefore a Senior Initiate. She had black hair that glistened darker than the depths of the galaxy, soft chocolate brown eyes and her skin was a soft honey colour. Without any further prompting, the group of younglings abandoned Obi-Wan on the floor and ran towards the Initiate who directed a smile at them all, then they followed the girl towards the creche refectory. Cody turned to Obi-Wan expecting to hear a self-deprecating joke about how lunch was better company than him. However, Cody noticed his husband watching the Initiate herding the younglings down the corridor, an unreadable look on his face.
So, Cody walked towards his husband, his footsteps making quiet sounds as he stepped across the wooden floor. He then crouched in front of Obi-Wan and tilted his husband's face up so they could look each other in the eye. "Cyare? What's wrong?"
Obi-Wan shook his head slightly, keeping Cody's fingers under his chin. "Nothing. Actually, it's a good thing," replied Obi-Wan with a smile. Through their life bond, Cody felt Obi-Wan's happiness and a small amount of glee.
"You going to tell me or am I going to have to guess?" he teased as he ran a thumb over Obi-Wan's beard.
"The Force just told me I have just met my next Padawan," grinned Obi-Wan. Cody smiled in return and noticed how happy his husband looked. Due to conversations with Obi-Wan, Anakin, Quinlan and Mace, it had become clear to Cody that his husband loved to teach, partly why he spent every free moment he had with the younglings and Initiates. If Cody was honest with himself, he had been waiting for Obi-Wan to find his next Padawan.
"Anakin will be pleased. He has still been bugging you about giving him a Padawan-sibling," commented Cody.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, "yes he will be happy."
Cody then helped pull Obi-Wan to his feet and pressed a chaste kiss to his husband's lips. "And I know you will be happy to have a Padawan again."
"I will," smiled Obi-Wan his eyes bright with happiness. He leaned forward to press his forehead against Cody's. "I love you cyare."
"I love you Ob'ika," murmured Cody in response. "Shall we go and get some lunch of our own?"
Obi-Wan nodded and then reached out and held Cody's hand, lacing their fingers together, as they walked out of the creche. They chatted amongst themselves as they smiled and nodded at Jedi and clones who passed them, they had almost reached the refectory when Cody was pulled to a stop when Obi-Wan froze in place. Cody frowned as he turned so he was stood in front of his husband, "cyare?"
Cody frowned in concern when he noticed Obi-Wan's usual vibrant eyes were glazed over as he stared out at nothing and his breathing became so shallow Cody had to strain his ears to hear if Obi-Wan was still breathing. Cody shivered, it was as if Obi-Wan was looking through him, with the hand still clasped with his husband's, he gently squeezed Obi-Wan's hand and with his free hand he rested it against Obi-Wan's cheek. He waited patiently, recognising the signs of Obi-Wan having a vison. While Obi-Wan's visions mostly came when he was asleep, Obi-Wan told him that sometimes he did get some when he was awake. But when the minutes ticked by, Cody grew more concerned. He had never witnessed Obi-Wan having a vision longer than five minutes, it was nearer fifteen now. He reached through the life bond, but Obi-Wan's end of the bond, rather than being a comforting light, was just blank. Cody looked around him desperately, knowing somehow, he needed help.
Thankfully, as Cody turned to his right, he spotted Echo and Fives walking towards him. "Echo! Fives! I need you to get Qui-Gon here now!" he ordered. He watched as the Domino twins took in Obi-Wan standing stiffly like a statue and Cody's own worry, before they were turning and running back towards the refectory.
"He's just finishing lunch!" called Fives over his shoulder.
"We'll get him!" added Echo.
Cody turned back to his husband and ran his thumb under Obi-Wan's eye, "come back to me cyare," he murmured. His heart pounded as he waited for Qui-Gon, the longer Obi-Wan was unresponsive, the more Cody was concerned that something was seriously wrong. A simple vision couldn't do this, could it? Suddenly, Obi-Wan's chest jerked as he took gasping breaths, deep breaths as if he was running. But his feet remained rooted to the spot, his posture stiff and eyes still empty. "Obi-Wan?" Cody called for his husband.
"Cody!" he turned and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Qui-Gon running towards him. The older Jedi's grey hair and brown robe billowing out behind him. Qui-Gon skidded to a stop beside Cody, "how long?" asked Qui-Gon.
"Nearly twenty minutes," responded Cody.
Qui-Gon just nodded and then turned to Obi-Wan. He placed his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders and began rubbing his hands over the other Jedi's shoulders. "Obi-Wan. Padawan you need to come back to us," he murmured soothingly, his deep voice seemingly to rumble in the air. Cody was distantly aware of Echo and Fives keeping nosy brothers at bay and directing them to walk in a different direction, Cody smiled to himself silently thanking the twins for their actions. He didn't want Obi-Wan's vision to circuit the clones' gossip mill.
Obi-Wan twitched at Qui-Gon's voice, but nothing else happened. Cody's heartrate picked up as he tried to push back the panic threatening to overwhelm him. "Do not worry Cody," soothed Qui-Gon comfortingly. "Once Obi-Wan has been drawn back, the worst he will suffer from is exhaustion." Cody nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. He watched as Qui-Gon closed his eyes and Cody guessed the older man was trying to communicate with Obi-Wan through their training bond. "Come back to me Obi-Wan. Padawan let your vision pass through you, don't let it control you. Ben, my child come back to me."
Obi-Wan blinked his eyes and opened them wide as he sucked in a harsh gasping breath. He coughed as the air hit the back of his throat and he let himself fall forwards so he leaned against Cody and Qui-Gon's fronts. Cody wrapped one hand around Obi-Wan's waist and began to run his other hand through the copper strands of his cyare's hair. "Ugh," groaned Obi-Wan, "well that was unpleasant."
Qui-Gon winced in sympathy and rubbed a hand up and down Obi-Wan's back. "Just take slow and steady breaths Ben."
Cody looked at Qui-Gon in confusion, "Ben?"
"Hmm," hummed Obi-Wan from where he was pressing his head against Cody's chest. "Obi-Wan is Stewjoni for Ben." Cody nodded, but was still admittedly confused as to why Qui-Gon called Obi-Wan the Basic version of his name.
Qui-Gon smiled in response to Cody's confusion. "When Obi-Wan was thirteen, we had a mission where we had to go undercover as father and son. I had forgotten to prepare a name for Obi-Wan, so when I was asked what my son's name was, Obi-Wan thankfully came to my rescue and introduced himself as Ben. He then later explained to me where he came up with the name Ben so quickly. Obi-Wan had a long vision, like this one, on the mission and I found then, that calling him Ben helped to draw him out of the vision."
"Ah," nodded Cody. "Seems to still work then."
Obi-Wan pushed himself back to a standing position and held his hands onto Cody's shoulders to help keep himself upright. "We're not supposed to have favourite missions, but that mission is one of my favourites."
"Why that one Padawan?" asked Qui-Gon, one of his eyebrows raised in question. "I don't recall anything exciting happening. If I recall correctly, at the time, you complained nothing happened at all."
Obi-Wan smirked, "are you forgetting how Feemor introduced himself?"
Qui-Gon's bark of laughter caught Cody by surprise. He had only recently been introduced to Obi-Wan's older brother-Padawan, and had to admit Feemor was a little strange. Their meeting a good example of that. "What did he do?" asked Cody.
Qui-Gon's midnight blue eyes glinted with amusement, "I'll leave you to embarrass your older brother," he commented lightly to Obi-Wan.
"Thank you, it is my favourite past time," grinned Obi-Wan. Mischief bringing his blue eyes back to life. "Feemor had to come on the mission with us, and he was distracted at a market stall. I was stood next to him and noticed a pretty young woman walking towards us, in the Force I could tell she wanted to meet Feemor. So, I gained Qui-Gon's attention through the bond," said Obi-Wan with a grin.
"Didn't think to assist your brother," commented Qui-Gon with a fond roll of his eyes.
"What else are little brother's for?" teased Obi-Wan. He then turned back to Cody to finish the story. "So, when the young woman asked Feemor what his name was. My dear older brother-Padawan was distracted and forgot to use his undercover name. As he turned to respond, he was further distracted by the woman's beauty and gasped out the name 'Fee-Fee'" laughed Obi-Wan.
Cody laughed and shook his head. "How long was the mission?"
Qui-Gon grinned, "one month."
Cody laughed harder, his laughter turning into a cackle when Obi-Wan added. "He did go by Fee-Fee for the entire mission." Cody looked at his husband and noticed him beginning to sway on his feet.
"Come on, lets get you home so you can lie down," he commented. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement and let Cody begin to lead him away from the refectory and towards their shared quarters. Qui-Gon walked with them, so Obi-Wan was supported on both sides. As they passed Echo and Fives, Cody directed a thankful smile at his little brothers. The twins nodded and smiled in response before they walked back down the corridor, towards wherever they were heading before Cody sent them for Qui-Gon.
The next morning, Cody and Obi-Wan had been called to meet the Council for a mission. They needed them to meet the Commerce Guild on Felucia due to the Guild wanting to re-join the Republic after the defeat of the Separatists in the Clone Wars. As much as Cody did not want to return to Felucia, he admitted that for such a serious mission, who better for the Council to send than their own Negotiator?
As Cody and Obi-Wan listened to the Council, as the gathered Masters informed them what their mission was going to entail. Cody was slightly distracted by the small spike of concern he felt down the life bond, he turned his head slightly and took in the frown on his husband's face. Once the Council let them go, and they left the Council room, beginning to head towards the Temple's hanger, Cody leaned into his husband's space. "What's wrong?" Cody asked as he reached out to hold Obi-Wan's hand.
"I have a bad feeling about this mission," Obi-Wan frowned, as he pulled his lower lip into his mouth and began to bite it.
"Stop that," commented Cody as he pulled Obi-Wan to a stop. He nodded when Obi-Wan stopped biting on his lower lip. "Is this to do with the vision you had yesterday?"
Obi-Wan nodded, his shoulders stiff as he stared down at his feet. "I don't know exactly what is going to happen. But someone there does not want us to help the Commerce Guild re-join the Republic under peaceful negotiations."
"We'll be careful and watch each other's backs, just like we have always done," Cody stated as he rested a hand on Obi-Wan's neck. His husband smiled at him and Cody found himself unwilling to just carry on walking, so he pulled Obi-Wan into a deep kiss. "We'll be alright," he murmured in Obi-Wan's space. He smiled when he observed Obi-Wan begin to relax. Even without a vision warning of danger, Cody shared his husband's unease with the mission. After three years at war together, Cody knew better than to ignore when Obi-Wan had a bad feeling. Cody clenched his free hand into a fist, his fingers twitching for his blaster, he silently dared any of the Guild to threaten his cyare. If anyone did, it would be the last thing they ever did. That was a promise.
Obi-Wan sat back in the co-pilot seat and watched as Cody prepared them for hyperspace. He tried to contain the emotions swirling inside of him, trying to prevent the life bond from broadcasting any of the emotions to Cody. He sat back and watched as the stars scattered light across his husband's face, usually whenever Obi-Wan observed this sight, his breath would be stolen and he would fall even more in love with Cody, but this time all he could think about was his vision. All he could hear ringing in his ears was Cody's desperate words. The words he was yet to say.
As Obi-Wan reflected on his vision, he knew with certainty it was like his vision from twenty-four years ago. Like his vision regarding Rialni and the mudslide, this vision wasn't giving him warning to change the outcome of events. It was a warning to prepare.
"…Obi-Wan watch yourself, I don't need the Force to know the Guild is planning something…"
"…Cyare! What have they done to you?! Obi-Wan answer me!..."
"…I'm warning you. If you touch him, I will end you…"
"…Rex you had better keep me away from them before I rip them to shreds…"
"…Don't stand there projecting innocence! I know you did something to my Jedi. To my husband…"
A/N The reference of the vision regarding Rialni and the mudslide is about the fic I'm only brave when I have to be.
This should have one more chapter, but I don't know when it will be updated because I know where I want the story to end, I just don't know how to get there.