Qui-Gon awoke with a start, lifting his head from against the corridor wall. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the scent of charred plastiglass mixed with the alkaline smell of the chemicals used to finally douse the flames. Recalling the fire and the children�s rescue, Qui-Gon realized he must have fallen asleep near the Healer�s station. Lit only by auxiliary lights, the back corridor was streaked with shadows, silent save for the quiet whir of the ventilation fans. Feeling a small pressure on his leg, he looked down to see the tiny form of Obi-Wan still curled in sleep beside him. Allowing himself a brief smile, he was almost startled by a movement on his left. "Master Qui-Gon?"

His gaze flicked up towards the voice, and gave a quiet chuckle when he saw the speaker�s face. "Charr�a. How pleasant to see you again."

The Healer�s grin flashed white in the darkness. "I thought that was you. I was just helping with the last group of children, and I saw you back here. Don�t you have better things to do than spend your time in the Infirmary?" Her eyes glittered with mirth.

"Keep your voice down," he admonished, indicating Obi-Wan�s sleeping form.

"Obi-Wan? I didn�t even see him over here." She looked behind her, then spoke again. "I think the last of the young ones have been moved already to temporary housing. They�ve got cots set up all over the Temple."

Qui-Gon nodded, stretching slightly to ease the tightness in his neck from sleeping against a wall. "I suppose we should find one of the Teachers; they must be worried about Obi-Wan."

"Teacher Mulania mentioned your rescue. You were quite the hero, from what I heard," she teased. "I think she knows Obi-Wan made it out safely, otherwise she never would have allowed him to stay with you." Charr�a smoothed a thin-boned hand over the small child�s head. "Actually, I heard some of the Teachers saying they�ve already filled the beds in the Apprentice wings. Some of the Jedi Masters have volunteered to take a few children in their chambers, just temporarily."

After years of experience directing negotiations, Qui-Gon knew manipulation when he saw it. "You�re a very funny woman, Charr�a." She threw him a look of mock surprise, but he continued unabated. "I just got back from an exhausting mission, I�ve been singed and gagged with smoke, and I have an 8 am appointment with Yoda for debriefing tomorrow. The last thing I need is a three-year-old for a roommate."

"I thought Jedi weren�t supposed to whine," Charr�a said.

Qui-Gon�s jaw dropped, but he quickly shut it. Weeks with the humorless representatives had left him unprepared for verbal banter. "That�s not whining," he said, "It�s complaining. There�s a distinct difference, if you listen for it."

Charr�a stifled a small yawn; she too had been awake for far too long. "I heard even Mace Windu took one of the children."

"You lie!" Qui-Gon suppressed a laugh, but did not succeed. "Trying to impress the Council, no doubt," he said a bit too loudly, catching himself a moment too late. Awakened by the sound, Obi-Wan�s tiny head lifted slightly, only to fall back on Qui-Gon�s leg.

"Tired," he muttered, rubbing the ash on his face into the fabric of the Jedi�s pants.

Charr�a gave him an accusatory look, and she walked to one of the closets nearby. "Here." She handed him an unused hoverbed. "I�ll contact Mulania to let her know Obi-Wan is staying with you. They�re not having classes for at least a few days, so you don�t have to worry about getting him with his group."

"What?" Qui-Gon pulled the child into his arms as he stood up, reluctantly taking the hoverbed from Charr�a�s persistent hands. "What am I supposed to do with him tomorrow morning? What will Master Yoda think?"

The Healer threw him a playful grin. "I don�t know. Why not bring him along? Yoda�s not afraid of children. In fact, Jinn, Obi-Wan might just be the very thing that keeps you from getting berated in front of the Council."

Qui-Gon sighed, feeling a wave of tiredness sweep through his system. "Why is it that every time I run into you I end up signing myself up for more grief?"

Charr�a draped the blanket over the boy, tucking it in around him as he continued to sleep in Qui-Gon�s arms. "I just have that effect on people." She patted Qui-Gon�s shoulder. "Obi-Wan thinks the world of you. The whole time he was in the Infirmary, he asked for you every day. He must be driving the Teachers insane."

"No wonder I got dirty looks from Mulania."

Charr�a shrugged. "She gives dirty looks to everyone." The Healer hesitated for a moment, then spoke again. "She�s probably just worried about Obi-Wan imprinting on you. It could get in the way of his training later on."

Qui-Gon nodded. He knew full well how quickly the young ones bonded with their teachers; for this reason the Council approved each Master/Padawan match only after intensive consideration. Thinking suddenly of Demeron and his friend�s interest in Obi-Wan, he said quietly, "Perhaps I shouldn�t take Obi-Wan tonight. I don�t want to accidentally disturb the balance of his future Master�s position."

Letting out a pent-up breath, Charr�a seemed to wait a moment before responding. "It may be foolish for me to say anything, Qui-Gon, but I hardly think that any kind deed you direct towards this child will affect him negatively. Mulania has had trouble reaching Obi-Wan, and frankly, I believe she�s jealous of his open-faced hero worship for you."

Qui-Gon processed her words in silence, shifting the small boy in his arms before he spoke. "I appreciate your perspective, Charr�a. At this point it�s probably too late to find him another place to stay. After I meet with Yoda tomorrow, I�ll see where Teacher Mulania would like Obi-Wan to go."

"Good idea." She took a step towards the door, tucking her hands into the deep pockets of her robe. "I honestly don�t believe you�ll do the boy any harm," Charr�a added with a smile, "other than teaching him your bad habits."

He had to repress a laugh. "Bad habits? Surely you�re joking."

Charr�a lifted a palm in a gesture of leave-taking. "All I can say is this: you may be able to consume vast amounts of chocolate late at night, but don�t let him have any. I�m warning you now."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I�ll have everything under control."

***

"More! More!" Obi-Wan cried gleefully, his face painted with sticky brown streaks. His blue eyes shone innocently through the chocolate haze. "More?"

Qui-Gon checked the clock on the wall; it was nearly three in the morning. "I think you�ve had enough sweets for one night, Obi-Wan." His voice was kind, but shot through with weariness. He had forgotten how persuasive children could be, and in his exhausted state he was in no mood to deliberate with a hungry three-year old. Looking at the empty tin of chocolates, he realized too late his negligent attitude towards restricting the child�s snacking would send him reeling into hyperactivity. Using one of the towels that had not yet been unpacked from last mission, he wiped the chestnut smears from the child�s face.

Obi-Wan struggled against the gesture, pulling back. "I�m clean," he pronounced authoritatively, his newly discovered mouth set in a firm line.

"Obi-Wan," he said calmly, "It�s getting very late and little ones need to go to sleep."

"Not tired."

Walking across the room to dim the lighting in his chamber, Qui-Gon indicated his desire for the boy to go to sleep by enforcing darkness. "See? It�s dark. It�s time to sleep."

Obi-Wan looked up, his form made even smaller by the lack of light. "There might be a fire," he whispered, clearly still shaken from the previous day�s events despite his consumption of large quantities of sugar.

"No," Qui-Gon soothed, crossing the floor to gather the child into his arms. "We�re all safe now. You�re safe now. I promise." He placed Obi-Wan on the small hoverbed Charr�a provided. "You need to get some rest. I let you run around for far too long tonight already."

The boy�s eyes still resonated uneasiness. Qui-Gon could feel quivers of fear run through the Force surrounding the child. "Can�t sleep. Bad dreams."

Sending out a gentle Force-wave over Obi-Wan, he placed a hand on Obi-Wan's head. "You won�t have bad dreams tonight. Just sleep. I�ll be here if you need me."

Obi-Wan�s lip trembled, but he nodded bravely. After Qui-Gon tucked the blanket around him, the Jedi picked his way across the debris-strewn floor towards his own sleep couch. Although normally he tended to suffer from mild insomnia, tonight the swells of fatigue running through his body were far too persistent to ignore. Collapsing on his stomach, his robe still reeking of smoke, he barely put forth the effort to remove his boots before descending into the bliss of sleep.

***

A loud thud brought Qui-Gon out of dreams. The thud was followed quickly by a small cry, which was stifled but still made its presence known in a series of choked sobs. "Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon called, his throat thick from slumber.

The child�s voice answered, but only after a sniffled whimper. "I fell."

Qui-Gon was on his feet instantly, his formidable frame bending low to where the boy lay sprawled. "You fell out of bed?"

"I was flying. And then I fell." He sniffed quietly, wiping at his dripping nose with his sleeve.

"Are you all right?" Qui-Gon asked him, already searching Obi-Wan�s signature for injuries.

"I landed on my head," he said painfully, pointing a finger at his temple for emphasis.

His search revealed nothing substantial except a small bruise, and Qui-Gon sighed into the darkness. "I�m sorry you fell. Do you want help getting back into bed?"

The child�s eyes grew wide. "No. That bed is bad. No."

Pursing his lips, Qui-Gon fought back the desire to sleep. "We can lower the hoverbed so you�re closer to the floor. Then you won�t fall."

Obi-Wan shook his head resolutely.

Unused to the diplomatic tactics of reasoning with children, Qui-Gon suddenly felt exceedingly old. Had it been so long since he had interacted with a child? Thinking back, he realized it had been almost many years since taking his last Padawan, and then the boy had been twelve at the time. It reaffirmed for him his lack of ability to deal with children; for him to take another Padawan would be the Council�s greatest mistake.

Obi-Wan�s small voice brought the Jedi out of his musings. "Master?"

Startled at the title, Qui-Gon met the child�s gaze. Obi-Wan righted himself and took the taller man�s hand. "This bed," he proclaimed, leading Qui-Gon back towards his sleep-couch. "We share."

Qui-Gon pushed back loose strands of hair from his vision with his free hand. "Do you promise to go back to sleep if I let you sleep here?"

Obi-Wan nodded deliberately.

"You really will go to sleep?"

"Yes."

The Jedi Master sighed, ashamed to be so maneuvered by a toddler, yet he knew the boy wouldn�t go on the hoverbed again without controversy, and Qui-Gon lacked the strength to bargain at this point. Lifting the child up onto the couch, he then took the outside position, placing Obi-Wan between the wall and himself, lest he have another flying incident.

He closed his eyes, shifting until he got comfortable, and was nearly asleep when the small voice piped up beside him.

"Master Qui-Gon?"

He cracked one eye open. "Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"I�m cold."

With a quiet grunt, Qui-Gon dragged one of the worn blankets from the end of his bed and covered the child. Several moments passed before Obi-Wan spoke again.

"Master Qui-Gon?"

His reply came more slowly. "Yes?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

"I thought you were going to go to sleep."

The boy pushed in closer to Qui-Gon, leaning on his arm. "I am going to sleep. Need a story first, though." He paused before adding pointedly, "The other Teachers tell us stories."

Qui-Gon chuckled in spite of himself. "At three in the morning, she tells you stories?"

Obi-Wan�s face fell, defeated. "No."

Pleased by his honest answer, the Jedi Master decided to entertain the request. "What story do you want to hear?"

His forehead wrinkling as he concentrated on the question, Obi-Wan finally announced, "You."

Puzzled, Qui-Gon asked, "Me? What do you want to know about me?"

"You�re a Knight," Obi-Wan said slowly. "Tell me. Bout that."

Stifling a yawn, Qui-Gon settled back into the pillow. "I was a Padawan to Master Yoda until I took the Jedi Trial."

"What trial?"

Qui-Gon smoothed a hand over the small blonde head beside him. "The trials of Knighthood are different for every Jedi. When your Master feels you have the necessary skills, you take the trial of Knighthood to prove you�re truly ready to be a Jedi Knight."

Obi-Wan�s eyes were large in the dim lighting. "What did you do?"

Qui-Gon took a deep breath, recalling the grueling event with a strange sort of nostalgia. It had been a long time since he�d thought about his Trial. Trying to think of the best way to explain a very complicated situation to the young child, he finally said, "I had to obey my Master."

"Teacher Mulania tells us to obey."

He nodded. "It�s a good rule."

Obi-Wan cocked his head, pulling the blanket closer around him. "You didn�t obey? Your Master was mad?"

Qui-Gon chuckled, picturing Master Yoda angry. Despite the fact when Yoda disapproved of his Padawan�s actions he made life exceedingly miserable for his Padawan, there was something quite hilarious about an irritated three-foot green creature. "No, not mad. But you�re right, I wasn�t always the most obedient Padawan."

Obi-Wan yawned loudly, turning over and poking his head against Qui-Gon�s ribs. "No more story. Tired now."

Ignoring the pressure on his side, the Jedi held back a small laugh at the boy�s fickle moods. Apparently the caffeine high from all the chocolate had worn off, he mused thankfully. Yawning himself, Qui-Gon settled back into the sleep-couch, until a small sound startled him.

"Goodnight, Master Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan murmured, already falling asleep.

As Qui-Gon himself started drifting off into slumber, he realized how long it had been since someone wished him a good-night. He instinctively tucked the blanket around the child, smiling slightly.

"Good night, Obi-Wan."