A/N

Legolas Thranduilion Thanks for being our constant reader! You are an absolute God/Goddess! Well, it's always nice to read something pleasant about ourselves, but just… We're just the Sith)

Violet Starrider Greetings, you're welcome!

MissCHSparkles

Forgive me for saying this but it doesn't sound like english is your first lanugage. It's just the way they speak isn't contrusted the way we'd say it.

How have you guessed? Have you read our profile, haven't you? Well, we know that we have a lot of mistakes, so we've found a beta reader and the next chapter will be fine, we hope.

gurnius Haven't seen you for ages. Missed a lot. Explain everything later. 'Count' means nothing, just like a nickname.

Dooku came into the kitchen with sincere curiosity.

"Padawan abuse, Jinn, huh?" he asked, looking at them as at some alien pathetic life forms. "If so, I'm not surprised that two previous ones haven't got acclimatized. Beside, a nice tea set you have here. Is it from Naboo?" He was attentively inspecting cups on the shelf.

Qui-Gon was still holding his former Padawan by the collar in one hand and raised another one, his tunic in a mess.

"Padawan abuse? And is there anything about Jedi Masters abuse?" he said angrily, completely ignoring the second part.

Obi-Wan, catching a moment, when Jinn released his hold, freed himself and got on the safe distance, slightly behind Dooku's back. The latter looked at him surprisingly, but said nothing.

"Well, considering circumstances, he is on the loser side, not you. Don't you want to take pity on him? And considering some height difference… the fight was unequal." Kenobi bended his head and looked at Jinn very reproachfully.

"Loser side? By the way, he bit me several times and kicked in… ah, never mind." Qui-Gon winced. "Not to mention a broken plate." Despite his words, Jinn almost completely calmed down and was neatly adjusting his tunic.

"If not this, you would hurt me!" Obi-Wan said for the first time from Dooku's arrival. He also came out from Jedi Master's broad back, noting that a not so phantom menace disappeared.

Dooku smirked.

"And what are you doing here, Master Dooku?" Qui-Gon asked, at the same time trying to clean the mess and removing the broken shards from the floor. "Do you want just to visit your former Padawan or anything important has happened?"

Qui-Gon and Dooku barely visited each other for near thirty years after Jinn's apprenticeship had ended and he had been knighted. Even during Qui-Gon's Padawan years their relationships were quite official and cold.

"The Council assigned me a new Padawan. They also said that I'll find him in your quarters. I assume that I can teach you nothing, though it's still a vexed question, I think… And young Kenobi fits well."

"Are you my new Master?" Obi-Wan asked stupidly and moved back to Qui-Gon. Jinn automatically put a hand on his shoulder as if he wanted to protect the boy. He didn't tell more about his Apprentice years, but as Obi-Wan understood, Dooku was quite a strict and cool Master.

"It's obvious! If you were not so occupied, you could possibly check your comlinks for new messages. I'm sure, the Council have send you something! And, Qui-Gon, why this surprising look at your face? As I know, you willingly rejected your Padawan, so he needs a new Master now. I don't know, why they decided to chose my candidature, surely, I didn't ask them! I'm not so happy about it, but I don't have a habit to argue with them. Are you still standing here? Go and take your things! I don't want to waste all the day here. We have things to do, Padawan."

Obi-Wan went to take his bag.

Kenobi had already gathered all his possessions and now he was staring at the ship model, attached to the wall.

Then, the door creaked and Jinn came in. He leaned on the jamb and was about to say something, but paused. Finally, he collected his thoughts and said:

"It recalled me, how I've gathered my things before my Knighting ceremony. I still have a lot of memories of it."

"I think I'll have twice as much of such memories." Obi-Wan answered sadly, avoiding an eye contact. He came to the wall and took the model of the ship, which he had built, when he had been a youngling and was desired to be someone's Padawan.

"I think so. Listen to me, Obi-Wan. You're a very bright boy and you will be a good Jedi, I'm sure. But obviously, the Force doesn't want to put us together. Dooku is a strict, but fair Master, he will teach you a lot. I — I just want to wish you good luck."

"Master… Jinn, I'm really sorry about what's happened. I suppose, you're right and I'm very sorry to be such a problem to you. And… I'm sorry that I kicked you."

"No need to be sorry, Obi-Wan. I behaved rather foolishly, too. I didn't want to harm you. And I really didn't know that they were going to make Dooku your new Master. I hope that you two will get well."

"You said… Never mind. May I leave this model to you? As a memory?"

"I don't think it's a good idea. You can bring it to the crèche or… well, leave it here, I'll think out something."

"I suppose, they are too young for it." Obi-Wan answered with a trembling voice.

"I don't think that Dooku will like it." Qui-Gon said suddenly, with sympathy. "But the choice is yours. We make choices and then we pay the price. I'm sorry that all of that has happened, too."

Obi-Wan answered nothing, just took the bag in one hand and the model in another, bowed and went into the common room.

Dooku impatiently rose from the armchair, nodded to Qui-Gon and, not looking at his new Padawan as he knew Obi-Wan was following him, headed to the door