Qui-Gon nearly stalked through the halls of the Jedi Temple. He didn't want to think about the meeting he had just come from or the anger he felt. Instead he paced through the silent hallways, not heeding his direction. His steps slowed as he reached an area that was familiar, only to shake his head and continue on.

Bel-San wasn't here; it was easy to forget that sometimes.

When he came to one of the cross-sections of the hallways, Qui-Gon paused before making a decision. He needed to talk to someone and most of his closest friends were off-planet at the moment. Payter was around somewhere, but working somewhat undercover for the Temple at the moment and couldn't really be disturbed. Even Mace had been sent on a mission off-planet.

When he reached his destination, he paused outside the door for a moment, suddenly unsure if he was making the right decision. It was his own problem after all and he didn't really need to burden others with it. It would be nice to talk with someone about what had happened with Obi-Wan, but at the same time he wasn't certain that it was necessarily something he wanted to put out for public interest.

The door slid open without warning, taking the decision out of his hands. "Master. Are you going to stand out there all day, or are you going to come in? Hovering in-between is impolite. You taught me that."

Qui-Gon offered his former padawan a slight smile before entering her apartment. The rooms were about the same size as the ones he shared with Obi-Wan, though her distinctive touch was evident throughout. "Alla, how have you been? You're last mission went well, I hear."

"Keeping tabs on me?" The young woman grinned as she led him into the kitchen. The room was bright and open, much like Alla herself, and had a small window along the far wall with a magnificent view of Coruscant's city-scape.

Qui-Gon shrugged. "I always have. You've done such good things over the years, Alla." He reached out and briefly tugged at the lock of hair that used to be her padawan braid.

"Thank you, I had a very good master. I was just about to make tea, would you like some?"

"That would be...welcome."

Alla wandered around her kitchen for a moment, gathering the things she needed and set the water to boil before turning her attention back to Qui-Gon. "You're upset. Would you like to talk?"

Drawing a breath, Qui-Gon ran a hand over his face and stared off into nothing for a moment. "I don't even know where to begin."

"The beginning is usually the best place, master."

Chuckling at his own advice from the mouth of his former padawan, Qui-Gon shook his head. "It's Obi-Wan."

"I thought it might be something like that."

Qui-Gon tilted his head to one side and looked at Alla for a moment. "You know, it's really bizarre talking to a former padawan about the trouble I'm having with a current one."

"Who better to talk to than one you've already gone through it with? Come on, what happened?" As the water boiled, Alla drew it off the heater and poured it into the waiting mugs.

As the steam from the heated water rose from the two cups, Qui-Gon ordered his thoughts and tried to distance himself from them. "Last night Obi-Wan came home from Slade's with a lightsaber burn."

Alla gasped and set aside the sweetener she had been mixing into the mugs. "Is he all right? Did...was it Slade that hurt him?" Disbelief and concern colored her tone.

"He'll be fine, and it wasn't Slade. It was Slade's lightsaber, but Obi-Wan did it to himself. He was playing with Slade's lightsaber and it slipped. Alla, you should have seen his arm. One inch and he could have cut it off; he could have killed himself or Slade. I thought he understood he's not supposed to play with them, that they aren't toys. I thought I made it clear." He took his tea with a not quite steady hand and sipped at it for a moment. "I don't know what to do to get through to him, I still think that he might try something like this again and if he, I can't..." He gestured abruptly with his mug and splashed the hot liquid onto his hand.

Alla removed the mug from his hand gently and pulled him into a hug without a word. Resisting for only a moment, Qui-Gon finally relaxed into her hold and rested his cheek against the top of her head. It didn't solve anything or answer any of his questions, but he felt at least a little better.

"I think everything will be all right, Master. Obi-Wan is a smart boy and there is nothing like a little unexpected pain to really drive home a lesson." She paused and drew back. "And if you'll take a moment to remember, I did something very similar when I was a padawan as well."

"Oh," Qui-Gon reached for his tea again, feeling a little more calm. "I'd forgotten about that completely. I can't believe I'd forgotten, it seemed like such a huge problem at the time."

Alla smiled. "Yes, well you weren't the one who had to use a practice saber for a month when all the other padawans could use their real blades and I'm quite sure it wasn't you who spend the next three months scrubbing rocks in all the Gardens on the thirtieth level. I think it's something we all go through, sort of a rite of passage. I know most of my friends did sort of the same thing at one point or another; it's just that most of us have a master a little closer by when it does to keep things under control."

"Yes, well, it would have been nice if Slade's master had been a little more present. I know I shouldn't blame him, Obi-Wan is my padawan and my responsibility, but I can't help but wonder if Rian couldn't have done something to prevent it." He shook his head, remembering the fruitless conversation he'd had with the young Jedi. Rian had insisted that he had done everything he could given the situation and had insinuated that perhaps the fault lay with Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan was his padawan after all.

"I don't know, it's very hard to watch them all the time. I know there are times when I just have to trust Keleran that she isn't doing anything that she shouldn't. I peek in on her through our bond to check, but there are times when I just can't watch over her every move. I'm sure Slade's master feels bad enough about the whole thing." Alla picked up her mug and sat at the table in the warmly lit kitchen.

Hesitating for only a moment, Qui-Gon joined her and nodded. "You're right, you're right, of course. It's just..."

"I know. He's still little and you want to protect him and watch out for him all the time. But the truth is you can't, as much as you want to, it's just not possible." Alla reached across the table and clasped his hand in her own. "He'll be fine, master. Will you?"

He took a moment to answer, truly considering her question. "I think so."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, each enjoying the other's company. Finally, Alla grinned at him. "So what sort of punishment did you devise for your young and misguided padawan?"

"Oh, as soon as his arm is better he's going to join the ranks of countless other padawans and discover the joys of scrubbing rocks."

***

Obi-Wan raised his hand in the air, waving it wildly. "Padawan Kerge. I need help." When the older boy turned and acknowledged him, Obi-Wan let his hand drop and turned to Slade who sat next to him and laughed quietly.

As the dark haired boy approached them, Obi-Wan put on a face of confusion and pointed to his project. "I don't understand. Can you show me again?"

Kerge sighed and glanced at Slade who had matched Obi-Wan's expression. "You two aren't funny, you know,� he growled at them quietly, casting a glance over his shoulder for the Teacher. "This isn't my idea. You know, you'll have to do it too when you get older."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Padawan Kerge. We don't understand how to do this. You need to help us," Slade said, nudging Obi-Wan with a foot under the table and out of view of the older boy.

"Look, you don't want me to tell your masters about this, do you?"

"Why would you do that? We just need help. Don't you want to help us, Padawan Kerge?" Obi-Wan tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. The game wouldn't work if they actually laughed at Kerge.

"Hey, I hear you two are already in enough trouble as it is, you don't need any more added to it. Master's had me scrubbing rocks already and I can tell you it isn't any fun. I'd watch myself if I were you." Kerge muttered as he began assembling the pieces of their project in the right order.

Obi-Wan stopped laughing and looked at Kerge carefully. "How did you know?" He didn't think anyone would know how bad he'd been.

Kerge sighed. "Your master and my master are friends, remember? How do you think, the Jedi Newsletter? You two should know better. What were you thinking? You don't play with lightsabers."

Obi-Wan slammed a hand down on the table. "I wasn't playing. I was practicing." No one understood.

Kerge raised an eyebrow at him and Obi-Wan released a breath, calming himself down. "That's why we have practice sabers, Obi-Wan. That's why we have masters." He turned his attention to Slade. "And you, what were you thinking? He's six, Slade. He shouldn't have a real lightsaber for years yet."

"I know, I just thought--"

"I don't think you did." Kerge leaned close to them both, his voice dangerously quiet. "I thought he was your friend, Slade. Do you know what could have happened?"

"I'm not a baby," Obi-Wan hissed at them. He hated it when people talked about him like he wasn't there when he was. It made him feel little and he hated that.

Kerge swung eyes on him that were more than a little angry. "Oh really? If you weren't a baby, what were you doing playing with a lightsaber?"

Heaving out a breath, Obi-Wan barely restrained himself from standing and facing off against the older boy. "I told you I was practicing."

"Not very well, apparently."

"What do you care anyway?"

Kerge took a breath and stood. "Because you're my friends. I have to go help the other kids now."

Obi-Wan and Slade sat in silence for a long moment, watching Kerge move across the room and field more questions along the way. The older boy was very obviously ignoring them and after a moment Obi-Wan looked over at Slade.

"Maybe I should apologize."

The silver-scaled boy nodded. "Maybe we both should."

A sigh escaped Obi-Wan and he propped his head in his hands on the table. "That's all I've been doing since yesterday. Master's still really mad, he's mad right now."

Slade looked at him curiously. "How can you tell?"

"I just can. With our bond." Obi-Wan shrugged.

"Oh. Do you, do you think your master is mad at me too? You don't think he wouldn't let us be friends anymore do you? I mean after the thing with the ship, how I helped sneak you on board and now this..."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "He wouldn't do that. Would he? I mean, it was an accident." Obi-Wan looked at Slade before shaking his head again. "No, he wouldn't do that." But he wasn't entirely sure, he'd been really bad and his master did say he had a punishment for him.

The rest of the class went by so slowly, Obi-Wan thought he would die. Kerge refused to look at them again and he and Slade had nothing to do but work on their project, which was much easier than the ones they normally had. They'd already set it up and made it work before taking it apart and calling Kerge over the first time, and then the older boy had put the whole thing together for them again. They didn't have anything to do to take Obi-Wan's mind off of what his master had planned for him.

"All right, that's all for today. I'll see you all again tomorrow, be sure you have your supplies for our next project. And remember to thank Padawan Kerge for his help today." Their Teacher smiled at them all and it was all Obi-Wan could do not to run from the classroom back to his apartment.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Slade," he said as they broke apart in the hallway to head for different sections of the Temple.

"Okay, Obi-Wan. I hope everything is okay with your master."

"Me too."

***

"What do you want? I just fed you. You're as bad as Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon looked down at Jes, who had tangled herself between his legs and was purring loudly. "All right, but just this once. Don't think this is going to be a habit." Qui-Gon leaned down and fed her a small strip of meat, which he had taken from the food he was preparing for their dinner.

He felt somewhat better after his talk with Alla this afternoon, calmer if nothing else. There was really nothing like talking with a former padawan to really put things in perspective. He couldn't believe he had forgotten the small things Alla had done to get herself into trouble. As most masters, he tended to gloss over the bad and think only of the good times, especially now that he had a new padawan and all he could think of was how good Alla had been.

An afternoon with the young woman had done quite a bit to change his views. She had been far from a perfect padawan, especially for a first time master. He felt that now, with his years of experience as both a master and a Jedi he should be better able to handle these sorts of things.

The sound of the door sliding open reached the kitchen and Jes took off at full speed towards the common room to meet Obi-Wan. He could hear his padawan greet the small animal, though not as enthusiastically as he was accustomed to.

"Hi, master," Obi-Wan said, hovering at the edge of the kitchen. He held Jes in his arms, her small nose pressed against his neck to smell all the exciting places he had been that day.

"Obi-Wan. How was your day?"

"Okay." The boy sat at the table and propped his head up in his hands as Jes hopped up onto the table.

Qui-Gon pointed a finger at the small grey animal. "Get off of there, you know better." The small cat just blinked at him and he was forced to go take her off the table. Once Jes was safely on the floor, Qui-Gon ran a hand through Obi-Wan's hair. "Is everything all right, Obi-Wan?"

His padawan sighed and glanced up at him briefly before turning his eyes back to the surface of the table. "Are you going to make Slade stop being my friend?"

Turning the heat down on the stove with the Force, Qui-Gon took a seat next to his padawan. "I wouldn't do that, Obi-Wan. Where did you get an idea like that?"

"I don't know. You said you had a punishment for me, and me and Slade always get into trouble. I just thought, that maybe you would stop us being friends." Obi-Wan still did not lift his eyes from the table.

"First of all, it's Slade and I, not me and Slade. But that isn't the point. The point it that I wouldn't keep you from your friends just because you get into trouble. If master Yoda had done that, I wouldn't have any friends at all. You just need to be more careful and think about the things you do." He paused and lifted Obi-Wan's chin so the boy would meet his eyes. "All right?" He waited for an affirmative nod. "As for your punishment, as soon as your arm is better you will be cleaning rocks in the Tranquillity Garden down the hall. Until I get tired. Understood?"

"Yes, Master."

"All right, now go get cleaned up for dinner."

***

Obi-Wan poked his head around the corner to look into the common room. His master was talking to someone on the message screen, but he couldn't tell who. He crept out into the room hesitantly.

"Master?"

His master turned. "What's wrong, Little One?"

"I can't sleep."

His master turned and held out his arms to Obi-Wan, who took the opportunity and scrambled up onto the couch and settled in against his master's chest.

"Shouldn't that kid be asleep?"

Obi-Wan turned at the sound of the voice and saw Teacher Bel-San on the message screen, only he looked funny. "Teacher Bel-San! How come you're dressed like that?"

The Teacher shrugged. "It helps me blend in with the locals and do the research I need to do." His long hair was pulled back and threaded through with bright ribbons and beads and his clothes were of the same bright colors. They didn't seem like they would protect him very well against the weather.

"Aren't you cold?" Obi-Wan asked.

With a laugh, Bel-San pulled at some of his clothing. "No, Obi-Wan. It's very warm here, you'd like it. So you're master tells me you have a new friend in the apartment?"

Obi-Wan nodded and looked around for Jes, who was curled up in a ball on the back of the couch, sleeping. "Yep, she's little and we found her in the park."

"Just be careful, Obi-Wan. Your master has a habit of picking up stray animals."

"You're my friend, aren't you?" His master asked Teacher Bel-San over Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Funny. We all thought he'd gotten over that years ago, but you may have just reopened that door. Don't be surprised if you wake up one morning with an apartment full of stray animals and no place for you or your master to sit."

Obi-Wan looked up at his master in concern, but his master just shook his head. "Don't worry, Little One. If we decide to take on any more pets, we can just keep them in Bel-San's apartment."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Obi-Wan looked between the two, wondering if they had finished. "Teacher Bel-San? When are you coming home?"

The Teacher smiled at him broadly. "I'm not really sure, Obi-Wan. I still have some really important things to do here and I don't want to leave before I've done all I can. It may be a while, but I'll try and contact all of you when I can."

"Oh." Obi-Wan yawned around his next words and had to repeat them. "Okay, but I think you should come back soon. Everyone misses you."

"That's nice to know, Obi-Wan. Listen, guys, I have to go now. Besides, I hear it's well past time for padawans to be asleep. I'll call again when I get a chance, okay?"

Obi-Wan nodded through another yawn.

"All right, Bel-San. Take care," his master said with a wave before turning off the monitor and standing with Obi-wan still in his arms. "Do you think you can sleep now?"

With a nod, Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around his master's neck and held on tightly as he carried him back to bed. "I'm sorry, master."

"I know you are, Obi-Wan. I know."