Notes: Here there be *possible* implied slash. I've asked both those who like slash and hate slash to read this story - and both sides said they liked it, so I think it's safe for all. I think it is a case of you see what you want to see (as this seems to be true with most of what I write).

Feedback: *waves hand* you will click reply on your email. Did it work? Ah, well, dang it. He he, wanna write me back anyway? :-)
Disclaimer: Um, I won them playing sabbacc? Didn't think so. Dang it. Okay, great George, they are yours. But I like the way we play with them better at times. Meesa maka no monies.

Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi had been dispatched to help negotiate a treaty between two warring divisions on the planet of Ooliea. Hostilities had cooled, and it had been hoped that a lasting peace might be possible. Much was left to be done, but Qui-Gon felt sure that the treaty they had organized would work.

The negotiations completed, Qui-Gon had left Obi-Wan to collect their belongings while he spoke with the Ooliean Ambassador one last time before they were to leave.

The blast seemed to spark out of no where, sending waves of emotion through the Force as the physical waves rocked the land. The meeting interrupted, both Qui-Gon and the Ambassador raced from the formal discussion room to seek out the source of the disturbance.

Rounding a corner, Qui-Gon was faced with a sight that forced him to pause, if only for an instant. The building where he had left Obi-Wan only moments before had been reduced to smouldering rubble.

Faced with the chaos and destruction, Qui-Gon inhaled sharply and his eyes widened. Obi-Wan. The thought was mere reaction, as much a cry within the shocked Master as a call to his student.

Already walking into what remained of the building, he pressed, Answer me, my Padawan. I need to know if you are safe.

The rumbling of the ground had stopped long before the dust settled out of the air. Reaching out with the Force, Qui-Gon sought to find the ripples of energy that he knew to be Obi-Wan.

I'm here, Master, a faint voice replied through their connection.

Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan struggling against his pain, replying, I'm coming to find you, Obi-Wan. Don't move.

No.

Qui-Gon shook his head, pushing onward. Obi-Wan?

The pain in their connection waned, leading Qui-Gon to believe that Obi-Wan was focusing a healing Force within himself. Your duty is to the other victims first, Master. I must not come first simply because I am your student. You taught me this.

Jedi first, Qui-Gon sighed inaudibly.

Jedi first, Obi-Wan repeated. I'll be waiting, Master.

Hearing the cries of those trapped, Qui-Gon accepted the logic in his Padawan's assertions. I will find you.

He could feel the acceptance and trust that Obi-Wan directed at him. I know.

Knowing his duty was to all life, as Obi-Wan had been wise to remind him, he painfully forced himself to not seek through the rubble specifically for Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon was peripherally aware of several other brave individuals also searching the building for survivors and victims.

It was obvious to Qui-Gon in that moment that the unrest he and his Padawan had been sent to disarm wasn't as cooled as it had appeared. That or one remaining remnant of the unease between the fighting factions was accidentally detonated.

Finding a young woman, covered in the rubble, Qui-Gon carefully freed her from a large beam, sought to calm her with the Force. Cautious of the shifting debris, he hurried to carry her out of the building. Once he had handed his burden over to a medic, Qui-Gon again ventured inside the crumbling building.

Closing his eyes, he shut out the sounds of the area, instead focusing through the Force. Tendrils of energy wound through the debris, brushing against a fleeting life force. Qui-Gon worked his way carefully through the unstable structure, maintaining a connection with the next injured person.

After finding and helping to stabilize several additional victims, Qui-Gon allowed himself to slow down long enough to specifically reach out for Obi-Wan. Instead of the reassuring presence he had felt just a few moments before, he was met only with a faint shimmer in the Force.

The concern that he had dutifully pushed down surged in his chest and the elder Jedi quickly began searching for any sign of his apprentice. Medi-beds were scattered around the area, holding the forms of those who survived the attack, and the covered bodies of those who weren't as fortunate.

Qui-Gon relied more on the Force than his other senses as he searched for Obi-Wan. Seeing one of the men who had been leading the search, Qui-Gon pointed toward a back section of the building. "Has anyone checked back there?"

The man shook his head. "It's too unstable. A quick scan was done, there's no indication of anyone being trapped there."

Qui-Gon turned his attention from the dirty worker back to the rubble. Unstable or not, the Force was guiding him there. The connection to Obi-Wan, which had enabled him to rescue those others that were trapped without guilt, had faded. Taking a deep breath, Qui-Gon headed into the building, ignoring the warnings of the other workers.

As he pressed further into the building, the flooring quaked uneasily beneath his feet, and rubble shifted around him. Wisps of dust slid from uneven surfaces and clogged the very air he sought to breathe.

Pushing his own exhaustion aside, Qui-Gon immersed himself in the Force. Streaks of light filtered in from outside, illuminating the shadowed darkness. Qui-Gon ignored all else but what remained of the bond he held with Obi-Wan, fighting at the nervousness that longed to fill him.

So focused was he on seeking out Obi-Wan, he almost missed the sudden slide of debris beneath his feet. Reaching out with the Force, Qui-Gon stilled the unsteady floor and continued forward. It was a moment later that he saw his Padawan, lying unconscious under a large slab of what was once a part of the wall.

Qui-Gon hurried to Obi-Wan's side and kneeled down next to him.

"Obi-Wan?" he called out, brushing his hand over the young man's forehead.

The injured Jedi didn't stir, and Qui-Gon stilled his hand on Obi-Wan's forehead. He used the Force to feel Obi-Wan's injuries, sensing the damage that his Padawan had manage to shield from him through their link.

Again ignoring his own exhausted physical state, weary from both the exertion of removing the victims and healing them as best he could, Qui-Gon wrapped his headstrong apprentice with a wave of healing. He then closed his eyes briefly before carefully using the Force to lift the heavy object from him.

Pushing his control of the Force to its limits, Qui-Gon hurried, carrying Obi-Wan through the rubble as fast as was safe. He clutched him to his chest, Obi-Wan's spiky hair brushing against his face.

Obi-Wan? Qui-Gon attempted to reach him through their link, alternating between assuring him that he would be fine and pleading with him to hold on. Working around a fallen beam, Qui-Gon divided his attention between the building and Obi-Wan.

Stay with me, Padawan. You're too stubborn to give up on me now.

Walking out into the daylight, Qui-Gon squinted against the harsh light. Finding a free medi-bed, he attentively placed Obi-Wan onto the yielding surface.

"We can take him from here, Sir," a medic said, activating the medi-bed.

Qui-Gon nodded to the medic, but remained at Obi-Wan's side, connected through their link, as they slowly made their way to the crowded medical facility. Qui-Gon's tired gaze didn't leave his Apprentice. He continued to concentrate a blanket of healing around him, although it was considerably weakened by the toll of the day's events.

Moments later, two medical droids were examining Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon felt a hand on his arm. "Ambassador," he said politely before turning his attention back to Obi-Wan. Mentally, he was already examining the events that had transpired.

A fresh wave of guilt assailed the Jedi as the ambassador spoke. "You've done all you can, Master Jedi," he replied. "You must rest as well."

Qui-Gon shook his head, not paying attention to the fine dust that shook free from his hair. He couldn't tear his eyes from Obi-Wan as he continued to speak with the ambassador. "My duty now is to my Padawan. Not myself."

"As it should be," the ambassador agreed with a nod, hesitantly placing a hand on the suffering man's shoulder. "However, how much good will you be for him if you collapse on your feet?"

"Thank you for your concern, Ambassador. I will be fine," Qui-Gon insisted, briefly meeting his eyes.

The ambassador nodded and removed his hand. "I have arranged for new quarters for you, for the duration of your stay with us, Master Jedi. When you are ready, one of my aides will direct you."

"Our thanks, Ambassador," Qui-Gon responded. It was only natural to speak both for himself and Obi-Wan. He refused to consider the alternative; the price for any failure of his would not be paid by his Padawan. Although Qui-Gon spoke to the Ambassador, his attention remained focused solely on Obi-Wan.

With a final glance at Qui-Gon and a nod, the Ambassador took his leave to attend to the many additional duties the destruction had caused.

Staying as near to Obi-Wan as the medics would allow, Qui-Gon dropped into a meditative pose. He sought to use the Force to balm both his weary body and spirit. Through his meditation, Qui-Gon was connected to Obi-Wan, able to observe his condition without being physically present.

Qui-Gon had not been paying attention to the passage of time as he meditated. The logic of duty was battling with the emotion of protecting Obi-Wan as he meditated, and he found no easy answers. During this time, separated from that most important to him, he struggled to center himself. He would be of little use in aiding Obi-Wan's healing if he himself was unbalanced - as he was very close to being.

Qui-Gon trusted in the Force to alert him to any change in Obi-Wan; however, the change that indeed occurred was not what he had anticipated. It was, instead, an outcome he had not allowed himself to ponder. It was Qui-Gon Jinn's single greatest fear.

Qui-Gon was meditating, looking almost as if he had fallen asleep while sitting. In an instant, any certainty in the future was ripped away from him.

When his head jerked up, a nurse walking nearby startled at the sudden motion. "Sir?" he asked, looking at the stricken look on Qui-Gon's face with concern. The Jedi's eyes were wide with shock, his face pale.

Not hearing him, Qui-Gon stood quickly and hurried toward the room where he had last felt Obi-Wan through the Force. The empty place in the Force where Obi-Wan had been drew him toward it like a beacon. Walking around a corner, Qui-Gon saw one of the medic droids hovering next to Obi-Wan.

Briefly, Qui-Gon's heart and mind conflicted. He could see his apprentice, but he could not feel him. The reassuring presence that had been a part of him for so many years was suddenly missing, and Qui-Gon felt as if a cold hand had reached into his soul and ripped part of it out of him.

Pushing the droid out of the way, Qui-Gon rushed to Obi-Wan's side. Placing a hand on Obi-Wan's chest, he felt for the familiar pulse that should beat there - only to find it missing. The heartbeat that was true to only one was absent. Looking up, he saw the youthful features, smooth and lax. Unsure, shaking fingers reached out to run lightly along his cheek.

He blinked, his heart not wanting to accept what his senses were telling him. Clutching his fists in the sheets that covered Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon felt a surge in the Force all around him as a scream tore from his throat.

"No," he said, shaking his head in defiance. "I won't let you leave, Obi-Wan. NO!"

***

"Master! Wake up, please." Obi-Wan had felt his Master's distress, even through sleep. Sitting next to Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan pulled the sleeping Jedi into his arms, and sought to comfort him.

Obi-Wan held Qui-Gon close, reaching out to assure him both with his touch and through the Force. It had been two months since his narrow escape on Ooliea. In that time, Obi-Wan had used the Force to deal with both the physical and emotional effects of his extremely close call with death.

His Master, he had come to realize, had denied any emotions. Instead Qui-Gon had focused on the necessities that needed dealt with. His Master was ever the professional.

After leaving Ooliea, they had returned directly to Coruscant. Still weak, and something of a mystery to the Jedi healers, Obi-Wan had been separated from Qui-Gon. While he had been recovering, Qui-Gon was a constant presence, always near whenever he should need him. However, Obi-Wan could feel the blocks that his Master formed between them, the distance that was forming as Qui-Gon pulled away.

Before decorum had allowed him an opportunity to find out why Qui-Gon had distanced himself from him, Qui-Gon had been called away. Obi-Wan had remained on Coruscant, having needed for some time to complete several training tests as soon as he was healed.

Their first night together since Qui-Gon's return, the two Jedi had fallen asleep quickly. Obi-Wan was content to once again be with his Master. It wasn't long before he discovered the dreams.

Running his hands through Qui-Gon's sweat-soaked hair, Obi-Wan whispered, "I'm here, Master."

The voice cut through the fog in Qui-Gon's brain, pulling him away from the gruesome scene. Gasping for breath, Qui-Gon opened his eyes and struggled to focus on the face that hovered near his.

"Obi-Wan?" he asked, his voice rough with unshed emotion.

"Yes, Master," the concerned young man replied.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. As a Jedi Master he knew how to control his dreams, instead of letting them control him. He looked up into Obi-Wan's concerned eyes and tried to smile. "I'm sorry I woke you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Don't be," he replied, reaching out through the Force as he brushed his fingertips across Qui-Gon's forehead. He knew without question what was distressing his Master. "It did happen, Master," he sought to reassure him, "but you saved me."

Qui-Gon raised a hand and gently cupped Obi-Wan's cheek. "The Force saved you, Obi-Wan. Not I."

Obi-Wan took Qui-Gon's hand and moved it over his heart, feeling the pulse that beat there. "Does it matter?" Brushing his mind with the Force, Obi-Wan added You didn't fail me, Master.

Rarely seen emotions swirled in Qui-Gon's eyes for Obi-Wan to see. "You didn't fail me," he added aloud, his voice a whisper as soft as his touch on Qui-Gon's cheek.

Qui-Gon could feel the waves of comfort that Obi-Wan was layering over him, and smiled at his Padawan's concern. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," he replied. Raising a hand to his cheek, Qui-Gon was embarrassed to find the moist trails of tears on his cheeks from the nightmare.

Obi-Wan realized his Master's discomfort, and stilled Qui-Gon's hand with his own. Leaning forward, Obi-Wan kissed Qui-Gon's cheek softly, erasing the faint tear marks. He then wiped away the marks from the other cheek with his thumb.

"You have nothing to feel badly about, Master," Obi-Wan insisted once he pulled back to look in Qui-Gon's eyes.

Qui-Gon nodded. "I am forever grateful you are here to remind me, Obi-Wan. More than you can know."

"As am I," Obi-Wan replied. A moment later, Obi-Wan continued, "You should rest, Master."

"And what of you, young Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked with a hint of humor in his eyes that Obi-Wan realized he had not seen in quite some time. "Shall you rest, or watch over me?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "I shall do what my heart tells me to do, Master."

Qui-Gon pulled Obi-Wan down next to him on the bed so that they rested next to one another with just their arms touching - each seeking reassurance from the mere presence of the other.

"Do that, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon murmured with the hint of a smile.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said, very much taking comfort from Qui-Gon's renewed presence in his life. Qui-Gon closed his eyes, and felt the familiar tendrils of sleep reaching for him, and the consoling pattern of Obi-Wan's heartbeat echoing in his ears.

End