Title: Home Leave
Author: Cheshire Cat
Spoilers: yes for JA books
Summary: just a short conversation between Q/O
Rating: G
Timing: a few months after Qui-Gon accepts Obi-Wan as his Padawan
Feedback: yes please
Archive: yes, just tell me where
"Master," Obi-Wan began, unsure of himself. "You know how you said you found the rock you gave me on your home planet?"
"Hmm," Qui-Gon looked up from the data pad. "What? Oh, right. The rock. Yes, I found it in the River Of Light on my home planet when I was about your age."
"Do you go back a lot?"
"Back? To the river? Or to my home planet?"
"The planet."
"Yes, I do. I try to go back at least once a year. My mother is still living and I have a brother and a sister who each have families there now."
"Oh." Obi-Wan fell silent for a few minutes. Qui-Gon regarded his young Padawan curiously. The boy had only been his Apprentice for a few months, and he had never asked Qui-Gon about his family before now. The Jedi Master wondered vaguely if Obi-Wan was just curious, or if he had a motive to his questioning. Obi-Wan continued to stare at his boots. Qui-Gon pretended to go back to studying the data pad, saying casually, "Why did you want to know?"
"No reason," Obi-Wan said, a little too quickly.
/He's hiding something/ Qui-Gon thought to himself. /But what?/
"Obi-Wan, my family is very important to me. There is a mid-winter festival on my home planet and I try to visit each year at this time. If I am away on an important mission, I try to visit as soon afterwards as I can. Does this answer your question sufficiently?"
Obi-Wan squirmed. "No, not really."
"Oh, well, in that case, maybe you'd best tell me what you want to know. I can't answer a question you haven't yet asked."
"I was just wondering something. It's not important."
"Padawan, something is bothering you. Out with it."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. Qui-Gon had this affect on him sometimes. The thirteen year old boy didn't know how to phrase anything and when he tried, he often came out of the conversation feeling worse than when he went in.
Throwing caution to the wind, he blurted, "What'll you do with me when you're gone?"
/So that's what's been bothering him!/ Qui-Gon thought triumphantly.
Aloud he said, "My absence will allow you to visit with your own family, should you choose it. That's what," he paused briefly, closing his eyes to block out the pain. "That's what Xanatos always did when I went home."
"Oh, okay." Obi-Wan sounded slightly disappointed, Qui-Gon noticed.
"I would have thought you'd be happy to have a chance to visit your family," Qui-Gon stated.
"Oh, I'd like to see them and all, but…" He broke off. Qui-Gon nodded for him to continue.
Obi-Wan took another deep breath. "I wanted them to meet you."
For once, the Jedi Master was caught off guard. His Padawan stood before him, eyes focused firmly on his boots, blushing furiously. Qui-Gon was touched. This was something Xanatos would never even have suggested. True, Qui-Gon had met Crion when Xanatos was just a baby - in fact, it had been Qui-Gon who brought the child to the Jedi Temple for training. But, the Master reflected, even if he had not met Crion, the only reason Xanatos would have suggested a meeting was to show off his heritage. Obi-Wan did not want Qui-Gon to meet his parents - he wanted his parents to meet Qui-Gon.
"I would enjoy meeting your family, Obi-Wan." He paused, considering something. "I hope you would do me the similar honor of meeting mine."
He watched with amusement as Obi-Wan's eyes got very wide. "You mean it? Really?"
Qui-Gon grinned. "Yes, really. Next time I meet with Master Yoda, I'll be sure to put in a request for some Home Leave - for both of us."
The End.
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