Obi-Wan woke slowly, fearfully, hoping there would be no pain. His memory was spotty after the droid had pulled his arms so hard, although he did remember Toman twisting his knee and the look of pleasure on his face from the obscene sounding pops that came from it. At least his arm moved now, when he raised it to look at where the droid had gripped his wrist; he'd tried once to get away, after the droid had released his wrists, but movement had been impossible. He couldn't see any marks, but he would have sworn he'd felt the skin tear. His knee didn't feel too bad any more, but who knew why that was. He thought he remembered seeing his Master - Master Jinn, he corrected himself - but....
"You are still my Padawan," a voice said, and he started almost violently, turning frightened eyes to find his Master sitting in a chair by the medical couch, looking haggard. "They did not cast you out."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath, willing his heart to slow. "But Master Yoda said...." He realized that he wasn't as calm as he would have liked; there was still fear in his voice.
Qui-Gon's mouth twisted a little before straightening again. "It was a ruse," he said, his voice too controlled. "Your flight had to be real, and so did my reaction."
Obi-Wan's head spun, and he relaxed back into his pillow. Slowly, it came together; Qui-Gon's anger the morning when they'd told the Council it had been Toman who'd directed Obi-Wan's hands, and then his statement that the Council wanted to use him as bait. His own amazement that the Council hadn't noticed the dark Force questing after him in their own Chambers. They hadn't asked and they'd done it anyway. "Did it work?" he asked faintly.
"They discovered that he was getting in through a side door, one that has only electronic supervision. He has some skill with computers, and convinced that sentry that he was still allowed into the Temple. It was the door you left by," he added. "Toman was waiting just outside the Council doors and simply followed you when you ran."
"So he knew what was going on?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes." Qui-Gon gave him a weary smile. "He was waiting for this, but he didn't expect to be caught."
"They caught him?"
"Yes," he said shortly, and Obi-Wan knew he shouldn't ask any more questions, at least not about that. It effectively shut him up.
Qui-Gon sighed softly, and his expression eased. "His punishment is being determined now."
"It did nothing the last time," Obi-Wan protested bitterly.
"That will change," Qui-Gon said flatly, and sat up in his chair. "I have been remiss. How are you feeling?"
"Like I was the candy at a Tumerian fair pulled-candy booth. That's the second time someone's tried to pull my arms off in less than two weeks." He meant it to be a joke, but it took a while before a relieved smile crossed his Master's face.
"You're fine, if you can joke about it," Qui-Gon said. "How's your knee."
That wiped the smile from Obi-Wan's face. "Why did he do that?" It sounded plaintive, even a little whiney, and he sighed, cleared his throat, and tried again. "What made him twist my knee again?"
"Remember what I told you about Di'ona?"
Obi-Wan nodded, his heart seizing in his chest. She'd tried to kill him, had pulled her lightsaber against him here in the Temple, all because of a vision she'd had. He still wasn't sure she hadn't been right. The things she'd done were not taken lightly. Carefully, he reinforced his shielding; no reason to let Master Jinn find out about that. "That she felt I should not pass my trials."
Qui-Gon snorted. "Among other things, yes. I believe that was just the beginning. He wanted to cause you as much pain as he could before he killed you - or at least maimed you past all repair."
"Revenge?" Obi-Wan asked faintly, and realized he was rubbing his knee. He made his hand stop in spite of the slight twinge he felt.
"For what?"
"For... whatever happened to him?"
Qui-Gon half-smiled. "Possibly," he said. Silence followed his words, but then Obi-Wan propped himself up on his elbows.
"How did you know?"
Qui-Gon looked at him, curious. "Know what?"
"That I didn't know if I was still your Padawan?"
His Master smiled indulgently. "You project still, if you aren't careful. You were thinking rather loudly."
Obi-Wan blushed. "Oh."
The door opened to admit Theela, who paused and regarded them both with a mixture of exasperation and relief. "Now, Master Jinn," she told him firmly. "You can see that your Padawan is all right."
"Yes, I can," he said. "Is he free to go?"
The Hjem stared at him, then slowly shook her head, disbelief on her features. "Unbelievable," she muttered. "No, Master Jinn, but you are. Go get some sleep. He will be sleeping for the rest of the day as it is."
Obi-Wan relaxed into the pillow. "I will?" he asked.
Theela turned her gaze on him. "How's your knee?"
He'd managed to divert his Master, but there was no way he was going to be able to turn Theela's attention. "It hurts a little."
"Of course it does. It was strained in a way it wasn't supposed to be. That is why you are going to spend the rest of the afternoon asleep. If you're asleep, you won't aggravate it." She scowled. "Or me," she added firmly, and turned to Qui-Gon. "You...."
Something, his Master's expression or something else he couldn't see, made her stop, because she sighed. "Very well." She turned to Obi-Wan. "This compulsion will be light, but stay asleep as long as you want to."
He nodded and obediently closed his eyes; before he fell asleep, he heard Theela say firmly, "Now it's your turn. Go back to your quarters and rest."
When he woke again, Qui-Gon sat in the same chair he'd been in, reading something on a datapad. He looked up after a moment, and Obi-Wan had to admit that his Master looked much better. "Good morning," the Master said with a smile. "You took Theela at her word, I see."
"Morning?" Obi-Wan echoed, and sat up. Reaching his hands out to either side, he indulged in a stretch that pulled muscles in his back almost until they ached.
"Morning," Qui-Gon repeated, and gestured to the table, bringing it closer with the Force. "I brought you breakfast." When uncovered, the smell of the fried Maran-atha eggs and sausage made his mouth water. A cup of juice stood just beyond. Without a second thought, Obi-Wan tucked in, devouring what his Master had brought. When he'd finished, he looked up again. Qui-Gon was leaned back in his chair, lips pressed firmly together, mirth sparkling in his eyes. "Did you breathe, Padawan?" he asked.
Obi-Wan blushed and looked down.
Qui-Gon laughed. "I'll get Theela. She said if you cleared your plate, you were ready to leave." He left the room.
Obi-Wan hopped down from the sleep couch, glad that there was no resultant twinge in his knee. It seemed to have healed again. He opened the compartment that held his normal clothes and was taking them out when the door opened again.
Theela scowled at him. "I did not say you could go yet, Padawan Kenobi," she said firmly.
Still holding his things, he got back onto the sleep couch. "Yes, Master," he said, unrepentant.
"You knee is feeling better?"
"Yes, Master," he repeated. "It didn't even twinge when I got up."
She regarded him in silence for a moment. "Very well. Dress, and you can go." She turned away, shaking her head. "The things these two put me through," she muttered as she left.
Obi-Wan was pulling on his boot when Qui-Gon returned, and the Padawan straightened slowly. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said, and couldn't help but smile. It was such a relief to say the words and to know they were for his Master.
Qui-Gon smiled back. "Then let's go."
Obi-Wan saw no one he knew on their way back to their quarters. He was glad, hoping to get his hair cut before he did see a friend.
When they reached their quarters, Qui-Gon stopped Obi-Wan when he would have gone into his own room. "You have doubts," he said gently.
Obi-Wan stared at him. "Doubts, Master?" he nearly choked. "About what?"
Qui-Gon nodded and indicated that he sit down. "You believe Di'ona may have been right."
Obi-Wan sank into one of the chairs near the couch, stunned. He'd tried to keep that from his Master, the insecurity he'd been living with since Qui-Gon had apprenticed him. "Y-yes, Master," he stuttered.
"Why?"
"Sh-she must have had some idea that it would happen," Obi-Wan started. "I mean, visions do come true, and who's to say that..." He trailed off, his fear, worry, and a familiar panic beginning to gather in his mind again. He didn't want to destroy the Jedi! He wanted to become one.
"Obi-Wan, the Force gives glimpses of the future often, usually to those strong in its Unifying nature. Di'ona may have been one of those, I don't know. But there is a problem with that. Do you see it?"
"Always in motion the future is," Obi-Wan said softly, through the lump in his throat.
"Exactly. The glimpses may or may not come true, simply because something changes, possibly something we have no control over. The Living aspect of the Force guides us now. Perhaps we don't know why, and sometimes we never know why." He smiled wryly at Obi-Wan. "We have to have faith that the Force will not lead us wrong."
"But what if she was right?" Obi-Wan demanded, his voice shrill. "What if..."
"Obi-Wan."
His Master's voice cut through the hysteria, and he calmed a little.
Qui-Gon watched him a minute, then took a deep breath. "I'm sure that the Temple rumor mill has not lessened any since I was your age. So you know that I did not want another Padawan."
Obi-Wan nodded jerkily, still trying to get back into control.
"If I had not accepted you as Padawan, you would now be with the Agri-Corps or elsewhere, both because you are too old, and because you were repudiated three times."
Obi-Wan nodded again, more in control.
The Master closed his eyes. "I was about to ask Yoda for another mission," he said, and looked straight at his Padawan. "I had gone to the Council that morning with that in mind. I was determined to remain without a Padawan, but... Having you there, innocent of all wrong doing and so hopeful, was more than I could take, and I needed to get away. I opened my mouth to ask - and could not speak."
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "You couldn't say anything?"
"Not a word." His mouth twisted slightly. "Yoda simply waited, and gestured to silence any of the other Council members who wanted to speak. I stood there for a long time, trying to figure out what the Force wanted of me, and to be honest, hoping you were not it. Finally, I opened my mouth again, and the words just came out. I told them I wished to take you as my Padawan." Qui-Gon sighed and leaned back. "While I don't know if Di'ona's vision will come true, I don't believe it will. Because if it were a true vision, Obi-Wan, do you think that the Force would have been so insistent that you become my Padawan?"
Obi-Wan stared at him, eyes wide, too stunned to think of an answer.
Qui-Gon chuckled. "I am glad I did, that I followed the will of the Force, because it knew what I needed better than I did - which is as it should be. Think on that, Padawan mine. And don't worry so much. It will happen as the Force wills it."
Slowly, Obi-Wan recovered, and then he smiled as well. "Yes, Master."
Qui-Gon nodded. "Good. Now, let's see if we can't get you looking a little more like the Padawan you are. And you need to finish your lightsaber."
"Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan went to retrieve his lightsaber, awash with relief. Slowly, that relief gave way to the rightness of what he was doing, and he felt the last core of fear fade away. No matter what Di'ona thought, what she'd seen, he was where he was supposed to be.
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