Qui-Gon stayed with his student for the rest of the day. Obi-Wan woke up very often, but he was still too confused to communicate with Qui-Gon. After same hours, Mace sent Qui-Gon to get some food, because the Jedi-Master looked very thin and weak. Mace Windu himself was really tired, but he kept staying awake and watched over the young Padawan. The fever was gone and he slept without disturbing dreams. A healer joined them every third hour to check on their patients.
The last hour, when Qui-Gon was out, the healer checked on Obi-Wans leg and changed the bandage. The wound looked very good and there was no more infection, so Obi-Wan needed no infusion anymore.
Mace received a sheet of paper with advices, although Qui-Gon wasn't there. He also gained the medicine, which should avoid a fever or a second infection. Obi-Wan should stay in bed, most of the time, and avoid walking without his leg completely healed. Sleep would be the best medicine, called the doctor.
Tahl was still asleep after those days, but the healer assured him that she would be fine. They only needed some test with the her new organs and she would need some training, when she'll wake up and after that she would be able to spread the full potential of her body.
When Qui-Gon came back, Mace gave him the instruction and excused himself but he needed to leave now because of a council meeting.
It was late at the evening, when the healer permitted him to take his student out of the med-center. Without waking Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon grabbed his clothes and carried them into their quarters. Then he walked into the med-center again to wake his student. In the door he stopped. His gaze wandered to Tahl and he grabbed her hand. He was so happy that Obi-Wan was healthy, but he felt guilty because he wanted to leave her alone in the infirmary. On the other hand, she was unconscious and if she would wake up, they would inform him immediately. Nevertheless, he seemed to betray her.
" You can go and take care for your student" called the healer behind him. " We'll take care of her and call for you if something happens."
" I know, but it feels wrong to go" murmured Qui-Gon and stroked her hand softly.
" Sometimes we need to do what is expected from us instead of what we think that is right" continued the healer. " You have two opportunities: Staying here and sitting with an unconscious woman or leaving and taking care of your fully awake student. For me, it's not a hard decision. And got the information that there is another problem, you left out for the last days..."
Qui-Gon frowned. " What do you mean?"
" I mean the little Mon Calamari girl, who is your students best friend and Tahls Padawan!"
" I forgot Bant" called Qui-Gon loud enough to effect the awakening of his student. Obi-Wan moved under the sheets and groaned silently. Immediately, Qui-Gon jumped on his feet.
Obi-Wan blinked and focused his Master, who stood in front of him. " What happened?", he whispered tiredly.
Qui-Gon caressed through the short hair and smiled reassuringly. " You need to wake up for some minutes. I'll bring you into our quarters."
" I can leave the med-center?" asked Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon nodded. " Take your time and try to stand up. I'll help you!"
The healer analyzed the situation and left the room. Obi-Wan sat up slowly and grabbed Qui-Gons hand, who helped him to stand up. The boy tilted lightly and he needed to support his student. He wrapped one arm around his waist and led him out of the room.
" Master, I have a question" murmured Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon knew what he wanted to ask.
" Later, Obi-Wan", he replied. " Not here!"
Obi-Wan understood and followed his Master out of the med-center, through the Jedi-Temple, into their quarters. Qui-Gon led his student into his bedroom and helped him into his bed. Obi-Wan asked him for another sleep tunic because he already felt uncomfortable with the old one, which he wore for some days and during the feverish nights. Qui-Gon opened his wardrobe and gave him a new tunic, afterwards left the room to gave him some minutes to change his clothes and made him some tea as well. When he brought the tea to Obi-Wan, his student rested in his bed and seemed very tired.
" Here, I made you some tea for a better sleep" said Qui-Gon and put the cup on the table.
" Can I ask you my question, Master?" asked the boy.
" Of course, Obi-Wan."
" What happened with Tahl? I saw her in my room in the med-center...and what is with Bant?"
Qui-Gon sighed. " Tahl is fine. They removed her damaged organs and replace some new one. She only need some time to recover and some training advices. I must confess, that I forgot Bant. She was out of my mind for the last days but I'm sure that another Jedi-Master took care of her. The Jedi-Council would not let her alone while her Master is in the infirmary. Master Windu stayed with me the whole time to check on you and Tahl..."
" I know" interrupted Obi-Wan thoughtfully. " I sensed his force signature in my mind. I heard him calling for me and he guided me through the fog. I can say that, if he wouldn't have do this, I wouldn't be here."
Qui-Gon smiled without any emotion but deep in his mind he decided that he needed to talk to Mace when Obi-Wan was asleep.
" Go to sleep, Padawan", he said and caressed Obi-Wans cheek. When he stood up, Obi-Wans voice made him hesitate.
" And don't bother yourself with Bant" said Obi-Wan. " She can handle her life for herself."
Qui-Gon didn't turn around but smiled on this statement, then he left the room. He took his comlink and called for Mace Windu and asked him for a meeting. Mace responded immediately and committed to Qui-Gons suggestion. Now Qui-Gon had some minutes for himself and he decided to visit someone,who needed him now.
Bants room was only some doors away, so he passed it and knocked. A surprised Bant opened the door and couldn't say a word.
" Master Qui-Gon" she called loudly.
" May I come in, Bant?" asked Qui-Gon and waited for her commitment.
Bant stepped away and let him in. " Did you hear something from my Master?"
Qui-Gon sat down on her bed and looked at her confused. " Nobody informed you?"
Bant looked confused too. " About what? The last thing I heard was that she was on New Apsolon on an undercover mission."
Qui-Gon took a deep breath. He hadn't planned to be the one to explain the situation. Firstly, he needed to collect his thoughts.
" Bant, please sit down and listen to me" he started. " This will be very hard for you but you need to know that everything is alright now."
Bant nodded and sat down next to him.
" It is right that Tahl was on a mission on New Apsolon but this mission went totally wrong and Tahl was kidnapped and tortured..."
While he was talking, Bants breathing fastened and he could hear her heartbeat. Her facial expressions were emotionless but he sensed her feelings through her eyes.
" Obi-Wan and I went to New Apsolon to find her but Obi-Wan got hurt during the mission and I needed to leave him behind to safe your Master. When I found her, she was very weak and she needed medical care but when I went back to the settlement where I left Obi-Wan, I was confronted with the consequences of my leaving. Obi-Wans wound got infected and Obi-Wan was seriously ill. I called the Council and they sent me a ship to bring them back to Coruscant. During the trip, Tahl was unconscious the whole time but Obi-Wan was with me until we reached the planet. Then he felt unconscious too. I brought them into the med-center and we stayed there for maybe three or four days, I don't know the real dates, sorry. Master Windu stayed with me the whole time so I was convinced that he informed you and sent you another Jedi-Master to take care of you.
The healers checked for your Master and realized that her organs were destroyed so they needed to remove them and replace some new. Now she is still in the med-center but she is on the right way.
Obi-Wan instead felt into a feverish state and was expected to die but he made it through the illness and is now back in our quarters."
When he stopped, he gave Bant some time to think about everything what happened.
" But I assure you that I would have inform you if I had known that nobody talked to you" he added.
Bant nodded. " Thank you, for telling me", she said numb. " So my Master is still in the med-center? Can I visit her?"
" Of course, you can" replied Qui-Gon. " But she is still unconscious. I'll come with you but I need to talk with Master Windu first. May you can wait for me?"
" Can I go to Obi-Wan while your gone?"
Qui-Gon nodded and they left the room together. While Bant entered their quarters, Qui-Gon went to the room of a thousand fountains and waited for Mace to arrive.
He embraced the Jedi-Master deeply when he joined him. Mace was too confused to say something. Never before, Qui-Gon and he hugged each other. He was a Council-Member and a serious Jedi-Master. He wasn't allowed to act informal.
" Thank you, Mace" whispered Qui-Gon and released him.
" For what?" asked Mace confused.
" Obi-Wan told me from your little trip into his mind. If I wouldn't known you better, I would believe that it was some of his feverish dreams but the fact, that we talked about it before you did, convinced me from the opposite."
" You were asleep and so I decided to do it for you!"
" Thank you" said Qui-Gon again. " This means a lot for me!"
" Everything is ok" responded Mace. " How is Obi-Wan?"
" He is sleeping right now and Bant is with him."
" You met Bant?"
" Yes and I was very confused that you hide those information and didn't told her what happened..."
" It was the best decision" told Mace. " I talked with Yoda and he agreed with my idea. You were stressed with the fact that Tahl and Obi-Wan were expected to die and you wouldn't have needed another little girl with the same problem. But instead of you, she never could have hide it from us and this would have stressed you more and more. You bothered yourself enough."
" Well, she was not very happy about it when I told her but she want to visit Tahl after our conversation" said Qui-Gon.
" Alright, do with when it helps her to deal with this and I'm sure that everything will be fine in some days. Now I need to leave again but Master Yoda asked for a meeting with some Council-Members."
Qui-Gon nodded and left the room too to join Bant and Obi-Wan. The Mon Calamari sat on Obi-Wans bed and read on a datapad. When Qui-Gon entered the room, she lifted her head and put his finger on her mouth. Obi-Wan was still asleep deeply and breathed strong and calmly.
" Everything alright?" whispered Bant and took the datapad aside.
" Yes, everything is fine" said Qui-Gon nervously. " Do you want to visit Tahl?"
Bant nodded delight but hesitated with a look on Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room. " Obi-Wan will be ok" he assured her. " We leave him only for some minutes." This statement seemed to calm her down and she followed the Jedi-Master to the med-center.