Title: I Will Always Love You
Author: Laheara
Timing: Obi-Wan is 15
Rating: G
Spoilers: JA books
Summary: Some quiet time, reflection and fun with Qui and Obi. Obi-Wan gets some comfort time with Qui-Gon at home.
Disclaimers: I don't own Obi or Qui, Mr. Lucas does. I just play for fun and love of his creation he gave to us. :)
*************
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had arrived at the Temple late. The transport that was to pick them up on Alderaan was delayed for 8 hours and didn't get to the diplomatic building for them until almost three in the morning on that world.
Therefore, Obi-Wan felt very tired since the peace talks were long and boring and he just wanted a bed and pillow. Qui-Gon was even feeling drained. After doing a few hundred of these things in his life, they begin to get boring. He noticed Obi-Wan was less then thrilled during the talks and excused him to go get them packed, as they would be leaving for Coruscant in a few hours.
Then the wait for 8 hours and the long flight back to Coruscant. Obi-Wan was barely awake when they arrived at the Temple and his Master took pity on the boys forlorn state. Instead of waking him, he had the pilot land at a docking bay only 2 levels down from their quarters. He had carried the exhausted boy to his room and put him to bed. Qui-Gon did owe the boy since he had covered for the Master when he was late getting to one of the peace talks because he himself had fallen asleep.
Qui-Gon pulled the covers up to the boys shoulders and turned off the lights. While walking to the door, he felt a wave of the Force come from his sleeping apprentice. It was worry and sorrow mixed with exhaustion.
Qui-Gon stopped at the door and turned back around to look at his Padawan. He thought back to the last time the two had and entire day of fun. Reconnecting their bond and relaxing while enjoying each others presence. He had to admit, he had noticed Obi-Wan seemed less energetic and full of life then he normally was. Perhaps this life of constant missions and dull talks had worn him down.
Usually Obi-Wan was excited to watch the descent to Coruscant and see the Temple rise up out of the immense cityscape of Galactic City. He sometimes tried to look in the windows of the Council chambers if they flew by that tower. Once he’d seen Yoda and waved, even knowing the small master couldn’t see him. This time he had only looked out the window once and was more interested in flipping his braid over and over in his fingers.
Before leaving the room Qui-Gon brushed against Obi-Wan mind and calmed his dreams. The boy wriggled under the covers further and fell into a deep dreamless sleep, like a drop into a pond of still water. He would feel better in the morning.
The Master walked over the comm and checked the schedule they had been keeping for the past few months. To his surprised he saw that there hadn't been more then a day of rest in three months. No wonder Obi-Wan was so tired and, ‘out of spunk’, as Reeft called it.
Reminded of the boy, Qui-Gon considered asking Bant and Garen if they would mind keeping Obi-Wan busy for a while. But upon checking the Temple records, he saw that Bant and her Master were on Malastare and Garen and his Master were on another part of Coruscant helping the Senate. Qui-Gon knew that Reeft would be unreachable, as he and his Master rarely came home.
"Well I guess it's up to me this time," Qui-Gon said quietly to himself. Knowing that Yoda would still be wake at this hour he contacted the small master and asked him to clear their schedule for the next two days. He would pay Obi-Wan back for his patience and loyalty by giving him two whole days to do whatever he pleased.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Obi-Wan awoke as skytaxi passed to close to the Temple making a barely audible 'woosh' that no one would notice but someone with Jedi honed scenes.
The young fifteen year-old rolled over and looked up at the crono on his nightstand. To his surprise it was almost ten in the morning. His master usually woke him at seven or eight for early morning training before breakfast. A hint of worry passed over the boy as he reached out to the Force to check on his mentor.
However, to his pleasure, he felt the same calm aura he was so familiar with. His master was in the next room relaxing, reading up on happenings here at home. Sensing no reason to hurry Obi-Wan leaned back against his pillow and closed his eyes again.
He remained there for another twenty minutes or so, comfortable with the serenity that the Temple radiated, the safety of his master being near by, and the warmth of his bed. Everytime he went to Alderaan he left with cold feet, he didn't know why, but now they were toasty and warm.
Sensing his master knew he was awake now, he sent a cheerful "good morning" over their bond and smiled when he received a love filled reply. Finally deciding it was time to drag his lazy hide out of bed, he got up, took some fresh clothes from his closet, and quietly walked into the refresher, so as not to disturb his master. When he had showered and changed his entered their living room for the first time that day.
Giving a small yawn he walked over to the couch next to his master's chair, infront of a large picture window overlooking Galactic City, and sat down. His master smiled at him and passed a piece of fruit from a plate near him.
"Did you sleep well?" the man ask when he was almost finished the piece.
"Yes Master, very well. The best in weeks. Might I assume you had something to do with that?" Obi-Wan smiled over the skin of the piece of fruit he'd just finished and was licking the juice off.
Qui-Gon smiled at the sight next to him and also with notice that his apprentice had picked up on his masters signature in the boys mind that past night. "Yes, I may have had something to do with that. You approve I trust?"
Obi-Wan placed the skin on the discard plate on the short but long five legged wooden table in front of him and stretched out full length, his feet going under the table, before answering. "Oh no, I don't mind at all. I wish you'd have done that a couple weeks ago. Then I might not have this many knots," the boy answered while rubbed a hand in a circular motion on the back of his neck.
Qui-Gon put the data pad down and stood, walked over to the couch and sat down next to his Padawan. "Turn your back to me, I think I can help that," his soft smooth voice was barely more then a whisper.
Obeying, Obi-Wan turned around and pulled his legs up and crossing his ankles in front of himself. He felt his Padawan braid being pushed over his shoulder and winced in momentary pain, then he almost melted. Qui-Gon's first spot was the huge knot that had been hurting ever since he came out this morning. It hurt for a few seconds while his master eased the skin with his expert fingers. Then the pain receded and he felt firm but gentle hands on his neck and back. Oh Force, it felt good. He closed his eyes and just let master's graceful hands do their magic on his skin. Being Force sensitive Qui-Gon could feel, from Obi-Wan, just where every sore spot was and cared for them all individually until Obi-Wan totally relaxed and was leaning heavy on his masters hands.
After a few minutes of that Obi-Wan wouldn't have known if a herd of Banthas were to stamped through the room. The young man was feeling totally comfortable and then he felt his master stop and allow him to lean against him. Being a fifteen year-old apprentice, he would never have allowed this kind of thing under normal circumstances. But this was different, they had been on trying and sometimes dangerous missions for months now. With all that they hadn't had any time to themselves to just talk or... anything for that matter. It felt good just to lay against his masters shoulder and relax in their home at the Temple where they'd both grown up. It was times like this that Obi-Wan really felt the bond strengthen and he realized that this must be what family feels like.
Qui-Gon *was* like a father to him. He cared for him when he was sick or injured, he talked with him when he was scared or confused. He let him cry on his shoulder when a mission went so wrong that crying was all he could do. He took him to fun places here on Coruscant to relax, he stayed in his room until he was a sleep other times, and they laughed together at funny memories or pictures or vids. Qui-Gon even spent time with Obi-Wan's friends. There really was nothing they kept from each other. It was all so open, so peaceful, so in balance, so ... perfect. Just like families Obi-Wan had seen on other worlds. Obi-Wan knew who his birth family was and talked to them from time to time. And he did feel a special connection when he was around them. But he didn't feel the same as when he was around his master. The bond of blood was strong, but the bond of love was even stronger. There was so much they shared that Obi-Wan couldn't tell his family because his life was so different from theirs. He knew he would always be welcome with the Lars, but his true home was the Temple, and always would be. And his family was Qui-Gon.
As Obi-Wan rested against his master, Qui-Gon gently stroked the boy ginger hair, then rested his cheek on the boys forehead. These next two days were going to be great, even if Obi-Wan didn't know about them yet.
End part 1
After a good long time relaxing on the couch in their quarters, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went down to the cafeteria to get a real meal. Obi-Wan saw some of his other friends from classes and the went to talk to them while Qui-Gon spoke with Mace Windu and some other masters.
When their eyes met they both excused themselves and went to get some food. Obi-Wan was always a great one for getting just about one of everything on display. Qui-Gon thought to himself it was good to see the boy eating so well again, he had lost a lot of weight in the last few months. Mace had even noticed it and asked saying that they both looked like they weren't taking very good care of themselves. Qui-Gon made a note to get some exercise today too.
They sat down at a table in the area reserved for masters and padawans and started to eat. Qui-Gon watched with bemusement the way Obi-Wan attacked his food. The master himself, just ate as his usual rate. 'But come to think of it, that is Obi-Wan's usual rate,' the man smiled as he thought.
Obi-Wan noticed the playful smile on his master's face and slowed down a moment, "What is so funny Master?"
Qui-Gon looked up and shook his head slightly displaying a perfectly innocent look on his face. "Nothing at all, why do you ask?" Qui-Gon replied desperately trying to stifle a laugh.
Then Obi-Wan got the image of himself from just a few moments ago over the bond, and cracked up laughing. "Is that really what I look like? You must be ashamed to take me out in public," the boy smiled mischievously.
Qui-Gon couldn't help but laugh at the pure deviousness of the boys look and attitude he could feel in the Force. "Well there have been a few times when I've had to use the Force to... distract... some diplomats from seeing your... particular eating style," he said nodding at the boys plate, impressing even himself by not laughing at that comment.
Obi-Wan's smile turned to a hurt look at the statement. Then he remembered his master would never say anything to hurt his feelings on purpose. He checked the bond again and got an image of 'to-good-for-everyone' ambassador being distracted and going on to complain about another dignitary. Then, after an instant, he sensed his masters amusement and started laughing again with a cute little smirk and an amazing glitter in his eyes that pure Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon was taken aback at that particular look. He tried to remembered the last time he'd seen it, but it was so long. That twinkle and look of innocence he was seeing now was one of the things that had drawn him to Obi-Wan in the first place. He remembered doing everything he could to see that look when they bonded after the Melida/Daan and Telos disasters. Over the last two years he had let that part of his life to slip by, he wasn't being the caring mentor, to Obi-Wan, he wanted to be. The fact he couldn't remember the last time he saw that glorious expression was a strong fact against him.
Obi-Wan had gone straight to eating again after the smirk and didn't notice the changed look on his masters face until now. He looked up and saw Qui-Gon deep in thought and a feeling of sadness along the bond. He pushed inside deeper and saw what his master was remembering.
Obi-Wan quickly placed his fork on the napkin beside his plate and put his small hand in his masters much bigger one and squeezed. The sudden contact broke the master from his thoughts and he looked first at the hand on his then hesitantly into the face of the boy it belonged to and saw complete love and denial there as Obi-Wan slightly shook his head keeping eyes contact.
"It's not true master. Making me laugh isn't the only way you show that you love me. I see it everyday in your eyes, and in the way you protect me on dangerous missions. The way you go out of your way to be sure I'm safe, by keeping me close to you at all times. I feel your love everytime I touch your mind and feel you thinking of me. You haven't let that part of our relationship slip past, if anything, you've made it ever stronger," Obi-Wan didn’t care who else in the room heard him, he meant every word he said.
Qui-Gon could feel the tears come to his eyes as his son told him how he knew the man cared for him. He knew it deep down in his heart, but hearing it always made it seem so much more real and tangible. He flipped his hand over and clasped Obi-Wan's hand palm to palm and squeezed it back firmly but tenderly.
"I'm glad you feel that way. I just don't want to loose the way we connected early on. I'd not felt anything like that in a very long time, long before Xanatos. You reopened a part of my mind and heart I thought was lost forever. I don't want that part of you to be covered because of anything I do or don't do to bring it out. You are so very special to me, I want you to always know that," Qui-Gon could see the reaction in Obi-Wan now as well.
A huge smile came over the boys face and his touched his masters mind, "I've always known even when you thought you'd rejected me. There was always something there in your presence that was screaming at me that you didn't mean it, that you still cared. That's why I went with you to Telos, I knew you didn't want to go alone and you needed me."
Qui-Gon gave a small chuckle, looked down to contain himself and then back into the boys eyes. "I'm glad you knew, even if I couldn't tell you myself. I never meant to hurt you during those weeks, I know I'll never make it up to you that I did. But hearing, and feeling, you say that... makes it all much easier to live with."
Obi-Wan remembered how he felt after returning home and then how he felt when Qui-Gon took him back after the events on Telos. "I hurt you in the first place, you had every right to want to hurt me in return," Obi-Wan said matter-of-factly. Then changing his expression back to the caring one, he added, "But even still, that part of you was telling me it would all work out and you'd never let anything happen to me. Even when you didn't know you still cared, I did. That's what gave me the strength to get through those weeks until we were one again. You don't have anything to be sorry for, I never held it against you in the first place and I never stopped loving you."
Now neither of them cared if the was public place or not. There were only a small group of masters and eight or ten students there anyway. Obi-Wan scooted over to the chair next to Qui-Gon and they hugged and Qui-Gon whispered, "I don't deserve you." Obi-Wan just smiled against his master and deepened the embrace.
At the Masters table Mace smiled to himself as he saw and felt the love between his friend and the boy. It was SO good to see Qui-Gon happy after so long. Yoda was right, as usual, they were always meant to be together.
End part 2
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