The Winding Path

Rating: T+
Summary: Healing from any condition never takes a straight path.
Disclaimer: All cannon characters are owned by the Great Flanneled One, and now Disney. All others are mine. I make no money off this.
Note: This is a sequel to Consequences
Timeline: 39BBY

Speech: " "
Training Bond communications: /
Internal thoughts: italics

Chapter Ten

Setting foot back in the apartment, Qui-Gon let out a sigh. This place had always been a haven for him and Obi-Wan after their more daunting missions. Now it was filled with confusion, and what also felt was growing anger. The confusion was expected, the anger he wasn't so sure about. The chrono on the wall let him know that Obi-Wan's time with Master Numa was at an end for the day and was most likely on his way back. Only when he glanced over to the comm unit did he notice that there had been a message delivered some time earlier. He didn't receive messages all that often. Even with Obi-Wan's connection with Eira the messages didn't increase all that much. In fact it felt as if things really hadn't changed at all.

Shrugging, he went over and with a wave of his hand, activated the playback portion. "Hello Master Jinn," Tomas' voice came from the small speaker. He didn't sound overly grieved, which meant his daughter was still fine. "I know you're wondering why I am reaching out to you so late in the evening. I have something to tell you and wanted you to know before word got out. Eira has reached her majority and has expressed her wish to move, at least temporarily to Coruscant, which isn't all that surprising considering. I can't tell you how worried I actually am because she's still so young and very impressionable. When you have the time I would like to discuss with you my thoughts on this before she speaks to your Padawan."

Luckily the message was already finished when Qui-Gon sensed Obi-Wan's approach. He came into the apartment and dumped his cloak and lightsaber on an available chair then sat down with a sigh.

"Tired?"

"Yes. Younglings are exhausting."

Qui-Gon moved away from the comm and into the kitchen where he prepared some sapir for both of them. Obi-Wan appeared in the room as soon as its smell wafted into the larger room. "I suspect that is the reason why its the young adults that care for their little ones. They have the energy. It's easier with a padawan because they're older."

Obi-Wan gave him a snort then retrieved one of the cups with the now steaming liquid in it. Cradling the the small ceramic bowl in his hands, he blew over the water to cool it down to a drinkable temperature. "A Mirialan girl keeps following me around." He looked up, "Her name is Akilza."

"Be careful," Qui-Gon gave him an amused smile. "The Mirialan's don't take too kindly to having other races as being a master to their Force sensitive younglings."

"What do you mean?"

"If there is a Mirialan master without a padawan, they're almost compelled to take another Mirialan to train if there is an initiate that's ready."

"Oh," Obi-Wan shrugged before heading back into the common room.

Qui-Gon eventually followed him, "As long as there's one of the same race. If there's not, then they're more open to other races."

Obi-Wan actually rolled his eyes. "You're acting as if you don't want me to take her as my padawan learner. I can't because she's only about two standard."

"Good," Qui-Gon mumbled into his own cup but smiled as he sat back down. In ten years she could easily be your padawan.

As soon as Obi-Wan was finished with his tea, he put the cup back into the wash basin in the kitchen and then headed into his sleeping room. The sight made Qui-Gon realize he had to contact Tomas, and soon. With him alone for the moment he knew it was the only time he could get this done. After putting his cup next to Obi-Wan's he retrieved his personal comm and headed into his own sleeping chamber. For now there needed to be at least some privacy.

Taking the call he received earlier, he reversed the direction. It was only at that point he realized that from what Tomas mentioned in his message was probably in the middle of the night in Artwe.

"Hello? Who is this?" Tomas' distracted voice came from the small speaker.

"Tomas, I'm sorry to bother you at what is probably a late hour. This is Master Jinn. You tried to contact me earlier in the day concerning your daughter."

"What? Oh yes, that." He sighed, "Like I mentioned, I am worried about her. She may be considered an adult but…. From what I saw Jedi are not as impressionable at even a young age."

"They can be. We're just like anyone else, except we have a heaver burden to bear than most sentients."

"I understand all too well. I've been trying to make her realize that being a leader is just as big a burden as being a Jedi."

For a moment Qui-Gon felt as if this was a parent to parent discussion. He shook his head. "Then maybe she will be better off than you realize once she's out on her own. Letting go is the hardest thing to do."

"Experience, Master Jinn?"

"Maybe," Qui-Gon left it at that. He knew letting go of Obi-Wan would be beyond difficult, but he would stick it through. It was his job to train the next generation, and if Obi-Wan passed his Trials then he would be finished. Being in his mid fifties, he knew he wouldn't take another padawan learner. Obi-Wan will be his last.

"I get it." There was a pause, "I also wanted to ask you, which it's probably not viable, is if there'd be any way to keep an eye on her. When she moves, which she told me earlier that it is her goal, I will make sure that she's in an apartment that has good security. She will also be bringing one of our servants along with our own security."

"I'm not sure if that will even be possible. My padawan will be in training, and no telling what the High Council will want me to do."

There was a sigh."At least I tried."

"Wait," Qui-Gon raised a hand even though he knew Tomas couldn't see it. "There are some things I can do."

Tomas yawned. "And like you mentioned earlier, yes, it's very late. It's more like early morning here."

"Forgive me for waking you up."

"Don't worry about it. I would prefer hearing from you at this time than from my daughter. Calls in the middle of the night coming from a child is never a good sign."

"No, I would think not." And with that the call was disconnected. "This will be interesting," he muttered as he came back into the common room. The door to the balcony was open and he could hear the sound of vehicles flying by. Casting out his senses he felt Obi-Wan in that general direction. At this point he wasn't sure if he should tell Obi-Wan about his future complications, for Eira moving to the same planet would complicate matters immensely, or not. And then there was the council. Nothing had been stated, at least by him. And he hadn't been called before the body concerning Obi-Wan actions, at least not since Rama. Then again, maybe he should let him know.

"Padawan?" he called just as he reached the door.

Obi-Wan jumped and dropped what he had in his hands, it was a stylus and pad of flimsi. "S-sorry, Master," he reached down to retrieve the objects before any were lost.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Qui-Gon backed up, letting Obi-Wan come back inside. Once the door closed, the sounds from the outside stopped.

"It's not…that. I…I didn't…know you were there."

"Your sensitivity will come back soon enough, don't worry about that."

"Sometimes it feels like it won't." Obi-Wan shook his head. He sat down on the couch with a sigh.

"You have to have trust in the Force." Qui-Gon pursed his lips, "I did receive a message from the Viceroy of Marlote earlier while you were still with the younglings."

Obi-Wan's head shot up, his eyes wide. "What was it about?"

"I want you to understand this, Padawan. Your training and your duty as a Jedi takes precedence over everything." Only when it looked as if Obi-Wan agreed with him, did he continue, "The Viceroy wanted me, and most likely you, to know that with his daughter now at her majority, she is wanting to move here to Coruscant."

"Really?"

Qui-Gon frowned. "Padawan, I need your promise that you will focus all your attention on your training. Plus you promised this back on Vasda."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Of course I will. I am a Jedi."

This time Qui-Gon gave him a knowing look. "Who has a growing attachment."

"It hasn't distracted me."

"Yet. With your motor skills about to the level they were before the electrocution, it hasn't been much of an issue. Once you begin official training, things could be much different."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath.

It wasn't that long before Obi-Wan was released from his physical therapist and he could begin training once again. His time with the speech therapist had gone from every other day, to now once a week. A marked improvement. And then there were the classes he had fallen behind during his recovery. To help him catch up he had a personal tutor come by every day. With all these things going on, after the evening dinner he would crawl into his bed and fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.

Today Obi-Wan was in one of the small dojos working through the easiest of the katas, the ones that the initiates first learned once out of the creche. He had his memories of doing the movements, but his muscles didn't have it. Dropping his slightly trembling hands he let out a hard breath. "I thought I…knew this." His cheek twitched.

Qui-Gon stood off to the side, watching the obviously sloppy movements. "Don't worry Padawan, it will come back sooner than you realize."

"Was…I," Obi-Wan began the first kata again, "always this sloppy?"

"I have no idea. You would have to ask either Masters Drallig, or Yoda."

Obi-Wan tripped over his feet and he collapsed to the floor, his lightsaber immediately shut off.

"Padawan," Qui-Gon took several quick steps and knelt down. "Are you all right?"

Sitting up Obi-Wan stretched his legs out and moved his feet around. "I…think so." He ran a hand through his short hair and sighed.

"Good." Qui-Gon stood up and reached a hand down to help Obi-Wan back to his feet.

As soon as he was up, he turned around and went to bend down to reach his lightsaber, but then though he should be able to call for it. He opened his hand and concentrated, but nothing happened. Letting out another sigh, he knelt down and picked it up.

"I've said this before, it will come soon enough, Padawan."

"Maybe not," Obi-Wan muttered again. He looked down when he felt Qui-Gon's displeasure through the training bond. Just as he turned to answer, he saw Master Yoda sitting on the floor and off to the side, watching him closely.

"We've done enough training for the day, Padawan. Go get cleaned up and I'll meet you back in the apartment."

Obi-Wan glanced over to Qui-Gon, who was now watching Yoda. "Yes, Master." He wasn't quite sure what was going on, and it bothered him. Instead of using the showers connected with the dojos, he went back to the apartment and waited for what would possibly be his future with the Jedi

Qui-Gon turned his full attention to Yoda once they were alone. Eventually he moved over to the small master and sat down next to him.

"Improving well, Padawan Kenobi is," Yoda nodded, a sleepy look on his face.

"Yes, he has." Qui-Gon couldn't help but smile. "He's made incredible progress all around. I still have to help with meditations, but that's only normal."

Yoda took his gimmer stick and laid it across his lap. "And his connection with the Force?"

"I'm not sure what to think about that." Qui-Gon flexed his hands and then relaxed them. "He shows no sign of being able to touch it. I can also tell it's beginning to bother him, which isn't all that surprising."

"Hmmm…."

"It's also bothering me to an extent. Though I try not to let Obi-Wan know." Leaning forward, he took his lightsaber and balanced it in his hands, then set it on the floor.

"Something else, there is, you have not mentioned. Hmmm?"

Qui-Gon sat up and narrowed his eyes, "I'm not sure what you mean, Master."

"Force bond, I know about."

"Yes, that." Qui-Gon looked over to the side, not entirely sure how he should even address it. "I haven't mentioned it because Obi-Wan is still recovering. From what I can gather, it happened while we were on Vasda while he was poisoned. He needed the energy, and it created a bond between him and Marlote's princess." He turned back to Yoda, "Is it possible for something of this magnitude to be unraveled?"

"Depends, it does on what has or hasn't been done."

It took a moment before Qui-Gon realized what Yoda was implying. He only hoped nothing had happened between the two, or the bond would be permanent.

TBC...