Okay, I know, technically three chapters in one day. I'm amazing, right? Lol, not really. BUT I felt like I owed you guys one (two) for missing yesterday's update and for posting the wrong chapter besides. Some notes of importance: I still need a beta, you just have to pm me; Mondays are my new official update days, unless something happens, in which case I will tell you; also, this is one of my longest chapters so far, and I'm really proud of it. Thank you so much to all the followers of this story! Please R 'n R, and enjoy!

When he woke up it was to find himself curled against the warm side of his master. If this had been his first life then he would have been mortified, but as it was he could only find it in himself to be grateful and relieved; it had not all been a dream.

"How are you feeling, Padawan?"

The rich baritone rumbled through its chest cavity and into Obi's body reminding him of mother felinoid he had seen once, long ago, purring to comfort her kits. This struck him as amusing, and he couldn't help the grin that stole over his features.

"I take it that means better?" Qui-Gon's voice was lightly amused if bewildered at what his Padawan found so funny.

"I think so," said student replied. He opened his eyes and met his master's with a grin. "I was just thinking that your voice reminded me of a mother felinoid soothing her kits, what with how it vibrates through your bones."

Qui-Gon chuckled, further relaxing Obi-Wan. "I shall have to remember that the next time you become too tense."

All of a sudden Obi wanted to cry again, this time for homesickness. Oh, how he had missed this camaraderie with his master, that bond that had been so cruelly severed on Naboo. The father-son relationship they had fought so hard to build that had crumbled so spectacularly upon the elder's burning desire to train the Chosen One. And, quite unexpectedly, Obi-Wan was hit with all the feelings of hurt and betrayal he had long thought released.

"Obi-Wan?"

He sat up and turned his back, wiping away the tears that were falling. "It is nothing. I am just-overwhelmed."

A hand rested between his shoulder blades, and the hurt both intensified and lessened-until he was hit with a thought. I can change this. I can keep Qui-Gon from making the same mistake. His heart lightened, and he all but leapt from his master's bed with a smile on his face. "I am fine now, thank you, Master. What is the plan for today?"

For a moment he thought he saw hurt flash across Qui-Gon's face, but it was quickly mollified with the question and sight of a beaming Padawan. "I was thinking that the choice was up to you. There are no missions we should be preparing for, so normally you would be attending your classes instead, but since you've already passed them I'm sure, perhaps you would simply like to stay here with me all day?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "Is there nothing you wanted to do today?"

Qui-Gon grinned sardonically. "I think the rest of the world can wait one day while you settle back into it, young one." Then it was his turn to frown, and he seemed almost hesitant as he asked, "Or...Are you? Young?"

With a start Obi realized he had only relayed the bare minimum to all three masters, sticking to the fact he had time travelled and a few details about them he would never have known otherwise; not once had he divulged any specific events or details of his own life. Now, however, he thought back to his secluded years on Tatooine, mentally tallying up all the years he had been there.

Upon seeing the pensive set of his brow Qui-Gon frowned and said, "If you would rather not think about it than that is alright; I do not require an answer that may be difficult-"

"No, it's fine," he rushed to assure, "it's just that I, well, for a while I kind of stopped counting, and some if my time was lost to...extenuating circumstances." Three months directly after the Clone Wars and many strewn throughout due to being captured multiple times, he added in his mind somewhat sarcastically.

The frown deepened. "How much time?"

Obi-Wan for some reason grew sheepish, as if he was being silently chastised by his master (I shouldn't even feel this way because I've been a master for many more years than he was mine), and replied, "Ah, well, I'd estimate around two decades..."

Qui's eyebrows rose, his face falling into his version of 'Oh'-and Obi-Wan would have been a fool to miss the slight horror glinting in the crystal blue eyes, so he rushed on, "So that would make me, not counting the 15 years I am in this reality, somewhere between 53 and 60 years old."

Dead silence.

"...Um, master?"

No reply, just two eyes wide with shock fixed on his face.

A bit more tentatively, "...Qui-Gon?"

The other male's fugue suddenly broke, his next words coming out choked. "60?"

"Well, closer to 55, I'm sure."

Finally his master's eyes focused on him completely, expression completely serious. "Obi-Wan, I'm 45."

And finally, after all of it, what he had just said hit home: mentally, if not physically, Obi-Wan Kenobi was an entire decade older than his master-at least.

Feeling very, very small he said in a voice that was no more than a tiny, terrified, squeaking rasp, "I think I'd like to stay here today."

He was met with no opposition.

For the majority of the day Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon meditated, trying to reconcile themselves with all they had learned in the last 24 hours. When dinner time rolled around both rose from their respective places and trudged into the kitchen where their meal consisted of the usual teas (Red for Obi-Wan and some home blend for Qui-Gon) and a meal that the younger (older?) Jedi threw together. When he sat down across from Qui-Gon and looked down at his plate he felt a lump form in his throat and an uncomfortable feeling clenched in his gut.

"Are you alright, Obi-Wan?"

He shook his head hesitantly; the food before him was exactly what he had eaten for 20 years on Tatooine while he waited for Luke to come into his Destiny. "I'm sorry," he explained a little raspily pushing his plate a safe distance from him. "It's just-This is all I ate for 20 years before I di-before I ended up here." That was right: he hadn't told anyone that he had died before waking up here. Perhaps it was best to keep that to himself...

Now Qui-Gon gazed at him almost pityingly. "There is no need for apologies. Would you like to go to Dexter's?"

Obi-Wan found he like that idea very much.

Upon arriving back at the temple (now feeling full and as if he hadn't eaten so extravagantly in years-which he really hadn't) he and Qui-Gon ran into Yoda and Mace conversing quietly as they walked down the halls to the sleeping quarters.

"Ah, Master Qui-Gon and Padawan Kenobi," Mace greeted. "We were just discussing you both."

"You were, were you? And may I ask why?"

Mace and Yoda both grew somber expressions, and immediately Qui-Gon grew concerned for the well-being of his Padawan, especially after all that had happened. "Mace? What is it? What were you discussing?"

A shared look between brown and green eyes, and then, "Padawan Kenobi's future in the Order."

Obi-Wan felt his blood run cold though many years of training prevented him from outwardly expressing his insecurities. To the others there was no change in his demeanor at all.

Qui-Gon himself froze in place. "What?" His voice was just as icy as his eyes.

Mace seemed to realize his mistake almost instantly, and his eyes grew wide as he hastened to reassure his friend and said friend's Padawan learner. "No, not like that! I meant to say we were discussing whether he should remain your apprentice-"

"You wish to give him to some other master?!"

"No! Qui-Gon-"

The argument was stopped with a particularly loud tap of a very familiar gimmer stick; the two friends stepped back from where they had faced off moments before. "Ridiculous, this is," Yoda chastised even as he seemed to fight an amused grin. "Over reacting, you are, Master Jinn. Trying to say, Mace is, that perhaps a Knight Kenobi should be."

The frozen feeling morphed into one of unease in Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon was simply stunned. "A Knight? He is barely past his 15th..." He trailed off, his conversation that morning coming once more to the forefront of his mind. He swallowed and shot Obi-Wan a side glance. "Forgive me, Master Yoda," he continued, subdued. "Whatever you think is best."

This garnered him strange looks from Mace and Yoda. "Alright, are you?"

The maverick glanced again at Kenobi, hesitating to say anything.

Obi-Wan came to his rescue. He stepped forward smoothly, face serene and tone calm. "What my master is trying to say is that I am in fact approximately 55 years of age-at least, that is, mentally."

Instead of showing great shock at this revelation the Head Master and Grand Master both hummed thoughtfully and shared a meaningful look. "That would explain the sudden increase of control in your Force signature," Mace commented. When the boy in question simply looked at him questioningly he explained, "Ever since you woke up your mind has been closed off to all probes. Master Yoda noticed a faint bond form in the back of his mind around the same time you woke up on the training salle floor, and after being in the same room as yourself for an extended period he managed to conclude that the bond was a master/apprentice bond-with you. However, it is...dormant, perhaps only accessible from your end. I am sure that if Qui-Gon were to check he would find that his own bond with you is not active on your end, too."

Qui-Gon nodded after a moment, his face beginning to express his confusion and concern. "But what does this mean?"

Obi-Wan swallowed dryly but answered "In my past life, in order to fully protect my mind, I established very strong barriers. No one but those I allowed or initiated contact with could gain access to my Force signature or any bonds I may have had. It is possible that this carried over. Until I open myself up along the bonds again they will remain semi-dormant, and even then I have gained much self-control; I can choose whether to let in thought or impressions and can send my own thoughts or impressions without completely opening the bond." He grimaced in memory. "My Padawan and I found it tiresome, but it was very certainly necessary..." Long-past images of infiltration missions with Anakin flitted through his mind, memories of many tedious hours spent sitting close together in cramped, darkened corners or air conduits as they waited for their target or the all-clear from Rex and Cody...

A strange, empty feeling in his chest made itself known accompanied by a slight pressure behind his eyes as he thought of his lost friends. So long it had been...

"Obi-Wan?"

He snapped his head up to look at his master, suddenly aware that his vision was just slightly blurry. "Forgive me," he managed stiffly, blinking away the haze and shaking to clear the longing lodged in his heart. "It's simply that many years have passed since then, and I-well, I have lost many friends in my life."

"See them again, will you not? A fresh start, this is," Yoda reminded him.

At this Obi-Wan realized that there was no reason for him to feel so down; he actually had less time to wait to meet some of his friends than he had lived since their deaths. All melancholy lifted, and he felt his shoulders straighten. "You are right, of course, Master Yoda." He dipped his head in thanks. "You have reminded me that all I have lost can now be regained-and perhaps be made more certain. I now have something more to look forward to." More than saving my master's life.

Mace chuckled. "This truly is the strangest thing I have ever encountered," he grinned shaking his head. "A time travelling Padawan? Who isn't even really a Padawan, it turns out." Another chuckle, this time joined in with Obi-Wan's own.

"Trust me, no one is more shocked than I."

"Indeed." After a moment Mace turned serious once more. "This brings us back to what we were primarily discussing. Padawan Kenobi, because you have doubtless passed your trials in your past life it was our thought that, if you agreed, you might be graduated to the level of Jedi Knight."

He thought about it, then shook his head. "As much as I appreciate the offer, and as many benefits as could be gained through this, I do not believe this to be the correct course of action at this time. I have only told you four of my...situation, and I would like to keep it that way. A 15-year-old being raised to a Knight? It is unheard of, and I do not wish to bring evidence of the circumstances to any unfavorable light. What happened to me is the will of the Force, not some Dark trick. No, for now I think I shall remain my master's Padawan and go with him on missions."

"And what of classes?"

A shrug, then a sly grin and blue-green eyes that brightened with mischief. "Who knows: perhaps we shall be gone too often for me to actually attend."

Yoda hummed once more. "Acceptable, this is. Missions, you may go on. Secret, your presence will be when here at the temple you are." He nodded, then began walking away. Mace bowed to them both, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon responded in kind.

When Mace and Yoda were a considerable distance away Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "Come, Obi-Wan. Let us retire for the night."

"That sounds most acceptable, Qui-Gon. Most acceptable indeed."