Hello, Readers! I am DONE with school! Whoo hoo! I receive my B.S. in Forensic Accounting on Jan. 4. I now will have the time to get this story completed. I can't thank you enough for your patience with me, and for sticking with the story! Enjoy the latest chapter...

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Padme came back to herself to find her husband leaning against the tree, as though deflated, with tears flowing down his handsome face. The sight broke her heart, but it obviously had needed to be said. Qui-Gon Jinn had been built up in Obi-Wan's mind to be some kind of paragon of virtue – infallible, endlessly compassionate, longsuffering in his dealings with his ever so fallible padawan – perfect...Everything he had ever thought about his master and about himself had been altered by the Force Itself. Padme quickly moved in to hug him.

Obi-Wan hugged his wife tightly. "I never...I always thought I had a balanced view of Qui-Gon. I had always insisted to others that I knew he had been a flawed human being. But I guess that deep down, I really didn't. I remember how frustrated my friends used to get when I made that assertion, and then promptly continued to defend Qui-Gon's every action. Especially Garen." Obi-Wan's voice was wistful and his eyes sad. "He was ever one of my most fervent supporters, and a vocal critic of Qui-Gon's." He laughed softly. "The interactions between Garen and my master were neutral at best and downright frosty at worst."

Padme settled herself next to Obi-Wan, resting her head on his shoulder. "You haven't spoken much of Garen."

"It was too hard to speak about him. The Clone Wars cost me many friends, but none so dear to me as Garen. It was a huge loss to all of us – Bant, Reeft, and me. We were jokingly referred to as the 'Fearsome Foursome.'" Obi-Wan smiled in fond memory. "Garen was my friend from the time we were toddlers in the Creshe together. Though he was slightly younger than me, he always took on the role of the older brother. He was fiercely protective of me, loyal – and as a typical older brother does – teased me mercilessly at times."

Padme smiled at the description. "He sounds like a wonderful friend."

"He was. The best. The tension between Garen and Qui-Gon started after events surrounding a planet called Malida/Daan when I was thirteen years old."

"Yes, Yoda told me about it."

Raising an eyebrow, Obi-Wan looked down at his wife. "Yoda sure told you a lot."

"Yes, he did – at my request."

"Then I don't need to bore you with the details. Though Garen was young, he had the deep conviction that Qui-Gon should not have left me on that planet."

"He was right!" Padme frowned deeply. "You were a young boy who should never have been left alone in a war zone!"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Qui-Gon thought I had betrayed him as Xanatos did, and he needed to get Tahl to the Temple for medical care."

Padme sat up so she could look Obi-Wan in the eye. "Would you have left Anakin in those same circumstances?"

Obi-Wan knew his answer without having to really think about it. "No, never." He sighed heavily. "There were times when Anakin got too caught up in the cause of one side of a dispute. I came close to tying him up and gagging him a time or two, but I would have never left him."

Padme nodded. "Exactly." She settled back to rest against Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Actually, Garen wasn't the only one who was, shall we say, hostile to Qui-Gon after that. So was Bant. Reeft was just too affable and easygoing to ever hold a grudge. Bant and Garen, though, never forgot what happened on Malida/Daan. And as the years passed, they saw more things that they felt were evidence of Qui-Gon's ill treatment of me. Even years after Qui-Gon's death, their feelings for him never warmed."

"They loved you." That was explanation enough as far as Padme was concerned.

"Yes, they did." Obi-Wan still felt an ache in heart over the loss of his dearest friends. "As I loved them."

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"Don't go, Daddy!" Obi-Wan's two-year-old daughter clung to his neck, tears streaming down her face.

Leaving was proving more difficult this second time around. Obi-Wan wasn't just saying goodbye to Padme this time, but his three weeping children also. The distress flowing through his bonds with Luke, Leia, and little Garen was enough to break his heart. "I have to go, Princess. But I'll be back soon. I promise." He placed a kiss on Leia's wet cheek, then signaled to Jobal.

Jobal came a pried her granddaughter's arms from Obi-Wan's neck. "Your daddy won't be gone very long, Leia love." She continued to croon to the sniffling girl as Obi-Wan swept Luke into his arms.

"Bye, my Luke." Obi-Wan wiped the tears from his son's face. "I'll be back soon. Be good for Mommy, okay?" His son nodded bravely, obviously trying hard not to cry anymore. He kissed his son's cheek, and then handed him over to Ruwee.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath before turning to Padme, who was holding little Garen. Having just celebrated his first birthday, Garen was too young to understand what was really going on. His tears were caused by the turmoil he could sense through the Force from his siblings. Garen was not as strong in the Force as Luke or Leia – might have even been only borderline qualified to be Temple trained had the old Order still existed. The bonds with his siblings and his father, however, were strong.

Padme kept back her tears by sheer force of will. She didn't want to upset her children anymore than they already were. "Please be careful." Her one free hand stroking down the side of her husband's face, Padme's eyes yet again sought to memorize his features.

"I promise I will, my love." Obi-Wan leaned down to kiss his wife tenderly before heading up the ramp to the ship. He didn't so much as glance back. Looking again at his distraught family might break his resolve to leave. R2D2 had again insisted on going, and was already on board prepping the ship for departure. "Ready, R2?"

R2 beeped his affirmation. Obi-Wan hit the button that would open the docking bay doors. "Okay, let's go." He was anxious to get underway and get back as quickly as possible. Padme's pregnancy was seven months along, and he wanted to be back in plenty of time to welcome his new child. He expected the trip to take no more than a couple of weeks, since he had no activities in mind other than purchasing supplies this time. Obi-Wan put in quick request to the Force for a quick, uneventful, problem-free trip.

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Sidious slammed the data pad down on his desk. He had just received the latest report from Dr. Tizell. All natural phenomena in known space that could possibly be used to mask Force presence had been studied and visited, and still no sign of Obi-Wan had been found. It was like he had completely disappeared from the galaxy again.

Turning his chair towards the view of the Coruscant nightscape, Sidious turned thoughtful. If nothing had been found in known space, then perhaps it was time to expand the search to the unmapped outer reaches. Rage rose again at the prospect. It was a daunting prospect, even for a Sith! The known galaxy was basically a large oval shape. In which direction should he begin his search? What kind of resources would it take to conduct such a search?

The Empire, vast though it was, did not have endless resources. And the Imperials were still in the process of pulling planets throughout the galaxy under their umbrella of authority. There were still planets in the Mid-Rim that had yet to be subdued, much less the Outer Rim! Could he really afford to use those much-needed resources in that kind of search in order to find Obi-Wan, when his grip on the galaxy was not yet sure and complete?

Grabbing a nearby figurine, Sidious hurled it into the far wall with a snarl. No matter what path his search for Obi-Wan took, he was stymied! He reigned in his temper slowly, and then leaned back in his chair. "There has to be some way to find you, Obi-Wan." Sidious was beginning to feel that his answers had to lie in the Force alone. He had been honing his abilities to delve into the Force and search for a specific Force signature, even with shields intact.

Sidious had gone back through his Force encounters with Obi-Wan, memorizing every nuance – every shift in the Force, every detail about Obi-Wan's shields. It would reap benefits. It HAD to! Persistence and precision would win him his prize. It was only a matter of time! Feeling surer of the inevitability of Obi-Wan's capture, Sidious closed his eyes and sunk down into the Force.

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"It's good to see you again, Bail." Obi-Wan warmly shook the senator's hand. They were meeting at their usual rendezvous spot.

"It's good to see you too, Obi-Wan. How are everyone doing back home?"

"Quite well, actually. Padme has loved having her family with her, and they have settled in admirably."

"Luke and Leia?"

"Growing much too fast. They are two bundles of energy and Force power. Yoda and I have already begun basic training in Force usage. And..." Obi-Wan gave Bail a radiant smile. "we have another son, Garen, who just turned one."

"That's fantastic!" Bail impulsively hugged Obi-Wan. "I'm so happy for you!" He stepped back and gave his friend an ironic smile. "I'd love to see pictures of your children. I don't see how they could be anything but beautiful, considering their parents. I mean, talk about hitting the genetic jackpot!"

"Bail!"

"Well, it's true." Bail laughed at his friend's embarrassment. "Next time you make a supply trip, I want to see pictures of all three of them."

"Actually, the next time I'll have to bring pictures of all four of them."

Bail raised an eyebrow at that. "Four?"

Obi-Wan's radiant smile was back. "Yes. We have another one on the way. He or she will make an appearance in a couple of months."

"Wow! I mean, it's just...Wow!" Bail wasn't often at a loss for words, but he was now. He and his wife, Breha, had never been able to conceive. He felt a bit of envy at how easily and frequently Obi-Wan and Padme were able to conceive. That feeling was promptly followed by guilt. With everything those two had been through, especially Obi-Wan, who was he to begrudge them anything?

"I know. It can be a bit overwhelming when you really think about it." Obi-Wan sat down in the pilot's seat of his ship, gesturing for Bail to take the other. "Out of the ashes of such destruction and loss, the Force has blessed me and Padme greatly. I almost feel..."

"Don't you dare say it, Obi-Wan," Bail interjected. "Don't you dare say you feel guilty for being happy! If anyone in this galaxy deserves blessings and happiness in abundance, it's you!"

A bit taken aback at his friend's vehemence, Obi-Wan sat back and stared thoughtfully at his friend. He then smiled sheepishly and softly said, "You know me too well."

Bail just rolled his eyes. "One doesn't have to know you very long to understand that guilt is a rather frequent companion of yours. And for those who care about you, it's a rather annoying habit."

"I'll take that into consideration."

Bail just snorted. "Uh huh." Obi-Wan had been this way since he had first met him as an eighteen-year-old padawan. "How many children do you and Padme plan on having, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I don't mind at all. I told Padme that I would let her decide. She said that she wants the Force to decide. She wants as many children as the Force is willing to bestow upon us."

"That's wonderful, Obi-Wan. Truly." Bail took his friend's hand in his. "It seems to me that the Force has appointed you father of the new Jedi Order – literally and figuratively."

Obi-Wan bit back the automatic protest forming in his mind. Could that be the destiny everyone seemed to see for him? Could the Force actually want HIM to form and lead the new Jedi Order? The rightness he now felt in the Force warred with his feelings of unworthiness at the daunting task.

Bail could see that Obi-Wan was weighing his words, and could also see the conflict in his eyes at being given such a monumental task. Frankly, Bail could think of no better Jedi, no better person, for the job than Obi-Wan. However, there were other things to focus on right now. He pulled a pouch out of his pocket. "This should be more than enough to cover the supply list you sent me."

"Thank you, Bail." Obi-Wan took the pouch with a small sigh. "I can't really express to you how grateful I am for your help – for placing your life on the lines for us time and again."

"And I will happily continue to do so without hesitation, my friend."