Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan playing quietly on the floor of the common room. The boy had picked up on his mood last night and had been particularly quiet all morning. He thought he should probably do something or say something to make sure Obi-Wan understood what was happening, but he himself didn't know.
So instead, they had spent the morning together and Qui-Gon had tried not to let his worry over his former master travel along his bond with the boy. Still, Obi-Wan was more perceptive than any six year old had the right to be and he had been reserved even in his play, as he was now flying a pair of ships quietly through the air.
"Are you hungry, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked. Obi-Wan had refused to eat anything when he woke that morning. He had not even been able to convince the boy to drink a glass of juice and that had been several hours ago, and he had not had much luck with lunch either.
Obi-Wan looked up at him, his ships frozen in mid-flight. His small, elfin face scrunched up in thought as though Qui-Gon had asked him a much more difficult question. Finally he shrugged. "I guess." He carefully placed the models on the floor and stood.
Qui-Gon couldn't help the small smile that overtook him. Obi-Wan always looked as though he were facing some great test whenever he tried to cook for them. Privately, he thought Obi-Wan did it because it was expected of him.
Qui-Gon stood and held out a hand to his Padawan. When the small boy's hand slipped into his, he led the way to the kitchen. "We'll see if I can't manage to come up with something edible." He picked Obi-Wan up and placed him on the counter near the sink. Obi-Wan was very interested in what Qui-Gon did in the kitchen and he'd found the best way to avoid the endless stream of questions was to make sure the boy could see what was being done.
He quickly made a simple dinner for them both and fielded Obi-Wan's questions about the way the kitchen worked well. In truth he didn't know all that much about the various things the kitchen came equipped with, but fortunately, neither did Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon was thinking about how he could get information out of anyone on the Council or the Infirmary about Yoda when a loud clatter caught his attention. He turned to look at Obi-Wan, thinking the boy had been playing with his food again and dropped something, his mouth opened to speak. When he saw his Padawan, however, he stood quickly and was at his side in a moment.
Obi-Wan's eyes had a glassy, almost vacant look and his fork was laying on the ground next to his chair. Qui-Gon reached out with his hand to touch the boy and found his skin cold to the touch and along their bond, Obi-Wan seemed almost absent.
"Obi-Wan?" He asked, pressing his fingers against the boy's neck to feel for his pulse. When he got no response, he tried again. :Obi-Wan?: he asked along their bond.
Then, Obi-Wan seemed to come back to himself. The small boy turned large, blue eyes to Qui-Gon and began to cry.
Qui-Gon pulled Obi-Wan from the chair and carried him into the other room while his small frame shook against his shoulder. He settled quickly on the couch, his hold still tight on the boy as Obi-Wan clutched at him. He held Obi-Wan as he cried, murmuring unintelligible words to try and soothe him.
When he had calmed finally, Qui-Gon lifted his chin and looked into the watery blue eyes. "What happened, Little One?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't know," he said miserably. He seemed more frightened by the fact that Qui-Gon didn't know what was happening either.
"Can you tell me exactly what you remember?" He tried again, the same question from a different angle.
"I was eating, then I saw something that wasn't there. It was like my dreams but I wasn't sleeping." Obi-Wan buried his face against Qui-Gon's shoulder again.
Qui-Gon let out a slow breath and ran a hand over Obi-Wan's back, rocking him slowly. "Has this ever happened before, Little One?" He needed to be very careful, he didn't want to frighten the boy any further, but he needed information.
Obi-Wan shook his head.
"When you've talked with La'Re about the dreams you have sometimes, did she ever say that sometime you might have this happen?"
Obi-Wan started to shake his head then stopped. "Um, maybe, I don't remember."
"Okay, that's fine Obi-Wan. This isn't anything to be afraid of, this is just a special trait you have in the force. I know it's kind of scary right now, but once you understand what's happening, it won't be anymore, I promise." He continued to rub Obi-Wan's back and the boy seemed a little calmer. "Can you tell me what you saw?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No."
"Why not?"
The small boy shook his head again. "I don't want to."
Qui-Gon looked at the top of Obi-Wan's head. He didn't know what to do next; whatever Obi-Wan had seen obviously upset him, but he wouldn't talk. "I think it might help if you talked about it."
Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Could you talk about it with someone else?"
Obi-Wan hesitated. "Maybe."
Nodding, Qui-Gon smooth the boy's hair. "I'll contact La'Re and see if we can't make an appointment for you to see her. How does that sound?"
The small boy said nothing but nodded.
"Don't worry, Obi-Wan. Everything is going to be okay." He hoped it was true.
***
Obi-Wan was up long before his Master, but he pretended to be asleep. Actually, he hadn't slept at all the last night, he was too afraid of what he would see if he went to sleep. What he had seen so far was already bad enough.
Just as the sun was beginning to come into the room, his master came in just like always to get him up. His master seemed different than normal though; he was quieter and he didn't make any comments about Obi-Wan's room being too dirty. They went through their morning routine like normal, but it was too quiet and Obi-wan knew something was going to happen that day. He didn't know what it was or when it would happen, but he knew something would happen and it was making him feel sick.
They were just headed to the door when his master stumbled a little. Obi-Wan looked up and knew something bad had happened. His master looked about as sick as he felt and he sat heavily in a nearby chair.
Approaching him hesitantly, Obi-Wan reached out and placed a hand on his master's knee. As soon as they touched, Obi-Wan could feel all of his master's emotions and there were a lot of them. Some he didn't understand but the most obvious were sadness and shock.
"Master?" he asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
His master looked at him for a moment before he seemed to recognize what he was seeing. His master stood quickly and picked him up. "We need to go," he said as he walked out of the door. His long strides covered the ground more quickly than they would have if Obi-Wan had been walking.
Within moments, Obi-Wan recognized where they were going and he grew more worried. They were headed to the Infirmary, which only ever meant bad things. He'd hoped the things he'd seen the day before hadn't been real, but now he wasn't sure they weren't.
They walked in the door and were met by Healer Charr'a. She looked very sad and reached out to stop them as his master tried to carry them further into the Infirmary.
"I'm sorry Qui-Gon. We tried everything we could..."
"No! I don't believe that. Where is he?"
Obi-Wan looked between his master and the Healer, to entirely understanding what was going on.
Healer Charr'a seemed to pick up on his discomfort and reached arms out to take him from his master. Obi-Wan gripped his master tighter and his master in turn held him closer. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew he didn't want to be taken away from his master.
"Qui-Gon-"
"Where is he?" His master repeated more firmly in a tone he had never used with Obi-Wan.
Charr'a looked pained. "You know what's happened to him, Qui-Gon. You wouldn't be here otherwise. You know there is no body."
They were talking about Master Yoda. What he had seen yesterday was true. Obi-Wan hugged closer to his master, letting his face rest against his master's neck and began to cry.
***
Obi-Wan sat close to his master on the couch in their apartment. They'd come back after speaking with Charr'a. The news was beginning to spread through the Temple and already people had called or stopped by to see how his master was doing.
Obi-Wan was worried. He'd never seen his master so upset. He just sat on the couch and looked at the wall, sometimes he looked at the ceiling, but that was all. At lunchtime, his master had tried to make him a sandwich but put peanut butter and mustard on the same bread and he hadn't been able to eat it, not that he'd been hungry anyway.
The door to the apartment chimed and Obi-Wan looked at his master. He didn't; seem to notice the sound so Obi-Wan got up and answered the door. Master Mace stood on the other side, looking very concerned.
"Obi-Wan, is your master here?" he asked, looking past Obi-Wan.
"I don't think he wants to talk right now. Um, maybe you could come back later." He knew Master Mace was his master's friend, but his master didn't seem to want anyone around.
"It's all right, Obi-Wan. He'll want to see me." Master Mace placed a hand on his head and moved past him before Obi-Wan could do anything.
"Qui-Gon, how are you?"
"Mace," his master said shortly, not looking at him.
"Okay, I know you don't want to see me right now, but there is something I have to say I think you will want to hear."
"I'm not really interested in anything you have to say, Mace. I didn't get to see him before he died because you wouldn't let me. Now I don't see how anything you have to say could possibly interest me." His master's voice was very quiet and very calm, but his words made the other Jedi Master flinch.
"I know you're upset but--"
"I don't think you know at all how I'm feeling. Your master is still alive and I don't think that if he died, you would care enough to feel what I'm feeling. So just don't."
Master Mace drew a deep breath and Obi-Wan could tell he was trying not to get angry. "Listen, I really think you want to hear what I have to say. If you could just put aside your anger for a moment--"
His master stood suddenly and Obi-Wan saw Master Mace take a step back. "Oh, I should just set aside my anger, should I? How easy that should be, that's what we do as Jedi, after all. We release our emotions to the Force and go about our daily lives, because that's what good little Jedi do. You know what I think of that, Mace? I think we are breeding generations of unfeeling men and women who do their job and nothing more because they can't feel anymore. It's disgusting and I would much rather feel everything I am right now than pretend it isn't there, so I'm not going to put my anger aside and you"--he thrust a finger at Master Mace's chest--"are going to get out of my apartment right now, or I will put you out."
"Damnit, Qui-Gon. I'm trying to be helpful here." Master Mace stood his ground, the two of them facing off against each other until Obi-Wan's master took hold of the other man's arm and pushed him to the door.
"Goodbye, Mace." He pushed the man out into the hallway and shut the door in his face. Once they were alone again, his master leaned up against the door and closed his eyes for a long time before he looked at Obi-Wan.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Little One. You don't have to hide over there behind the chair, I'm not angry with you." His master knelt on the floor and held out his arms.
Obi-Wan didn't hesitate as he left the place he had chosen to ride out the confrontation. His master gathered him into his arms and hugged him tightly and for a long time they didn't speak. Finally, his master released him.
"Are you all right, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan nodded, even though he didn't really feel okay. He felt scared and worried and tired and sick all at the same time but he didn't want his master to worry. His master was already worried about enough without him to add.
"Why don't you go get ready for bed? You don't have to go to bed just yet, but you can get ready." His master said, waving vaguely to the part of the apartment that held their bedrooms.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said, even though he had not had dinner yet and he had no intention of sleeping. Bad things happened when he slept and he didn't want to have the same kind of dreams he'd been having again.
Obi-Wan went to his room and changed into his favorite pair of pajamas, the ones with the ships and lightsabers on it and the feet sewn into the fabric of the pants before brushing his teeth. When he was done, he walked back to the common room and climbed up on the couch next to his master. His master wrapped an arm around him and held him close as they sat in silence for a long time. Despite his best efforts, Obi-Wan's head jerked forward for the third time as he battled sleep.
His master finally seemed to notice he was sleepy and picked him up and carried him to his room. Obi-Wan didn't know why his master was carrying him all over the Temple today, but it seemed to make him feel better, so he didn't say anything even though he was big enough to walk by himself.
After tucking him into bed, his master sat on the edge of his bed. "Do you want me to sing to you?"
Obi-Wan blinked, his master never asked to sing, Obi-Wan always had to make him. Shaking his head Obi-Wan yawned. "No, Master. I don't need a song tonight."
"Oh, okay, Obi-Wan. Sleep well." His master stood and turned on his fish light before turning off the main light and leaving the room.
He didn't remember falling asleep, but he must have because when he opened his eyes, it was to darkness; his fish light had burned out. Obi-Wan pulled his blankets up to his chin and stared at the darkness of his room and listened for any sounds of something wrong. He wasn't sure what had woken him, but he felt as though it had been for a reason.
The sounds of the apartment were muted, as it was late and there were few sounds in the first place. He was finally familiar with the sounds and how they were different from the Cr�che sounds. Something was different, though. Taking his stuffed Wookie in hand and all of his courage, Obi-Wan slipped out of his bed in the darkness and crept through the dark room and hallway.
He checked his master's room first, and his fear grew as he found the room empty. He walked slowly into the common room and finally found his master. The man lay slumped on the couch, unmoving but awake staring at the frozen image of the small hologram of Master Yoda that was imprinted in the gift Obi-Wan had given to his master on his birthday.
Obi-Wan turned away. He didn't think his master wanted him to see him that way. Obi-Wan crept back to his room, making as little noise as he knew how and crawled back into his now cold bed. He pulled his comlink from his bedside desk and held the small object closely in his hand for a long time. He wasn't supposed to use the comlink for anyone but his master and one or two others unless it was an emergency. It seemed like an emergency to him, though.
He flicked on the small device in his hand and held it close to his mouth.
"Bel-San." Came the sound over the communication device.
Obi-Wan froze, suddenly unsure whether he was doing the right thing.
"Hello, is someone there?" Teacher Bel-San's voice came over the comlink again.
"Teacher Bel-San, can you help my master please?" Obi-Wan whispered over the comlink quickly before shutting it off and huddling beneath the blankets.
***
Bel-San stared at his comlink for only a second before he jumped out of his bed and ran from his room at top speed. He enhanced his speed with the Force, something he was not particularly good at but could do when pressed. He was feeling particularly pressed now.
He ran through the empty corridors of the Temple, his bare feet slapping against the cold tiles and his breath laboring in his chest, but his thoughts were focused on one goal. He needed to get to Qui-Gon as quickly as possible.
When he reached Qui-Gon's apartment, Bel-San didn't even bother to chime the door. Instead he hit the override and ran in, expecting the worst. What he found wasn't the worst, but it wasn't exactly good either.
Qui-Gon was lying on his couch and hadn't even moved when he'd burst through the door. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping or eating, and if he knew his friend it was likely both those thoughts were true. Bel-San scanned the room for Obi-Wan but could not see the boy at all.
Bel-San took a breath and walked over to his friend, kneeling beside the couch. He placed a hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder, waiting for the other man to recognize him. It took a few moments, but eventually his friend looked up.
"Bel-San?" Qui-Gon sat up slowly and looked around. "When did you get here?"
"Just now. I got something of a frantic call from your padawan. He seems to think you need some help and I have to say I agree with him." Bel-San spoke quietly, gently.
"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon looked around. "Is he all right?"
"I don't know I haven't seen him yet. Shall we go together?" Bel-San stood and offered a hand to his friend, leading him back to the small boy's room.
Bel-San turned up the lighting just a little, so they could see Obi-Wan but not hurt the boy's eyes.
"Obi-Wan, are you all right? Did you have another dream?" Qui-Gon moved to the boy's bedside.
"No."
"Did you call Bel-San?" Bel-San was impressed with the way Qui-Gon had managed to pull himself together to help Obi-Wan. He still wasn't fully functional, but he was better than when he was on his own.
"Yes," Obi-Wan whispered. "I was worried about you."
"Oh, Obi-Wan, you don't have to worry about me. It's very late, you should be sleeping." Qui-Gon straightened the boy's blankets.
"No!"
"Obi-Wan?"
"I don't want to have more dreams," he said quietly, clutching his wookie to him tightly. It seemed neither the master nor the padawan were handling the situation well.
"Obi-Wan, why didn't you tell me?" The voice Qui-Gon used was soft and held no accusation.
"You were sad."
Bel-San saw Qui-Gon's shoulders slump forward. "You're my padawan, Obi-Wan. I'm supposed to worry about you and help you, no matter what I'm doing. I can help you sleep so you don't have dreams. How about that?"
The boy hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay."
Bel-San stepped forward. "I'll wait for you in the common room." He felt as though the two should have a few private moments.
Bel-San straightened the common room, placing dishes in the kitchen and stacking data chips on Qui-Gon's desk before he took a seat. He waited for nearly a quarter of an hour before Qui-Gon finally joined him.
"You look like--"
Qui-Gon held up a hand. "I'm sure. Thank you for coming. I didn't see how upset he was." He sighed running his hands over his face. "Why didn't I see?"
"Because you're tired and you probably haven't eaten and you're grieving. It's perfectly normal, and I'd have to say your handling it better than I thought. I will be staying for a couple of days though, just to make sure you both are sleeping and eating." Bel-San paused, remembering how he'd wanted to do nothing more than sleep when his own master had died. "It will get better. I know you don't want to hear that right now, but it will."
"It's just so hard," Qui-Gon admitted, his head falling against the couch and his voice hoarse with emotion.
Qui-Gon's head shot up. "What?"
Bel-San looked at him for a moment. "What what?"
"What did you say about poison?"
"I thought you'd heard. . .it's all over the Temple, Qui-Gon. Yoda didn't just die, he was murdered."
TBC