Obi-Wan reached up on his toes to touch the chime for the door to Slade's new apartment. Waiting in the hall impatiently for his friend to answer, Obi-Wan pulled at a loose thread on his tunic and bounced slightly in place. It wasn't like Slade to take so long in answering the door.

After a moment, Obi-Wan jumped up to hit the chime again and pressed his ear against the door to listen for sounds of movement from inside. When he heard nothing, Obi-Wan took a step back from the door and looked at it, his head tilted to one side as he considered the problem. He knew Slade was home, he'd just talked with him that morning and he said he would be home. Slade wouldn't lie to him about that kind of thing. He also figured his friend wouldn't mind if he just came in. Maybe Slade was busy.

Or maybe he was hurt. Obi-Wan sucked in a gasp of breath as he palmed the release from the door. It was unlocked, which meant Slade had to be home.

Obi-Wan took a step inside the darkened apartment. "Slade? Are you home?" He walked through the entry corridor and out into the main common room to find Slade asleep on the couch. "Master Rian? Are you here?" Slade had said his master was home, but it didn't make sense for Master Rian not to answer the door.

When he heard no response, he crept closer to his friend. Obi-Wan reached out a hand and touched Slade's arm, which was peeking out from beneath a blanket. Slade's scales seemed very hot. He moved his hand from Slade's arm to his forehead like he had seen his master do for him when he didn't feel good. Obi-Wan frowned. His friend's scales felt even hotter there.

"Slade?" Obi-Wan whispered next to the older boy's ear. "Are you okay?"

Purple eyes fluttered open and Slade focused his gaze on Obi-Wan. "Hi, Obi-Wan." His voice sounded cracked and dry, and his eyes were not as purple as they normally were. Even his scales didn't seem to have their normal shine, looking more like durasteel than silver.

"Are you okay?" Obi-Wan asked again.

Slade offered him a weak smile and shifted under his blankets. "I'm fine, I just have some sort of flu. My master said I would be fine in a couple days, that it wasn't anything serious." Slade broke off with a cough before lying back on the couch.

"Oh, well, if he said so." Obi-Wan looked around the apartment. "Where is your master? Did he go out to get stuff for you?"

With a shrug, Slade ran a hand over his face. "I don't know, I guess. He just said he had some stuff to do and that he would be back later, that I shouldn't go anywhere. I forgot that you were coming over." Slade sighed. "I don't think I'll be able to play today, Obi-Wan, I think I just want to take a nap."

"Oh, well," Obi-Wan tugged on the edge of Slade's blanket. He didn't want to leave his friend alone when he was sick, but he didn't know what to do. "Do, um, do you need anything? Can I get you something?" He remembered his master got stuff for him the last time he was sick, and Teacher Bel-San had gotten stuff for his master when he was sick. Usually it was soup and tea. Maybe he could make that.

Slade shook his head. "I just want to sleep."

"No, you shouldn't sleep until you've had some tea. It will make you feel better. It always works that way." Obi-Wan stepped back and headed for the kitchen. "Hold on, I'll get it for you."

As Obi-Wan stepped into Slade's kitchen he could hear Slade from the other room. "You don't have to do that, Obi-Wan. I'm fine."

"Yes I do, it will make you feel better. I'll make the tea and then you can sleep." Obi-Wan pulled out one of the chairs from the table and dragged it over to the cabinets on the far wall. Climbing up onto the chair, he began opening doors, trying to find a tea kettle like the one his master used. When he couldn't find anything that looked the same, Obi-Wan pulled out a normal pot and set it on the counter.

"How come you don't have a thing to make tea?" Obi-Wan called out to the other room before he remembered Slade was trying to sleep.

It took a moment for his friend to answer and when he did he sounded very sleepy. "Oh, um, my master doesn't really like tea. He drinks this other stuff that isn't as good but he says it helps him stay awake in the mornings."

With another frown at the strange habits of Slade's master, Obi-Wan filled the pot with water almost to the edge before he put it on the heating unit. Then he turned it on and went to look for a small case of tea like the one they kept in his apartment. When he had gone through all the cupboards and couldn't find anything, Obi-Wan stood in the middle of the kitchen with his hands on his hips. "Slade, where's your tea?"

There was an even longer pause than the last time before Slade answered. "Um, we don't have any. Tea, that is. I already told you."

"Oh, but," Obi-Wan scoffed. "You drink tea, I've seen you. How come you don't have any for you?"

"My master said he didn't like the way it smelled so he doesn't get it for me." Slade's voice didn't sound very good. If only Obi-Wan could make the tea, he knew it would help.

"Well, maybe I could order some from Provisions and they could have it sent here," Obi-Wan said as he walked back out into the main room to stand next to Slade.

His friend shrugged weakly. "It doesn't matter, Obi-Wan. I just need some sleep, not tea. That's what my master said. I'm sure if i needed something else he would get if for me." Slade closed his eyes and a moment later, Obi-Wan knew he was asleep.

Obi-Wan stared at Slade for just another second before he turned to the portable comlink that was on the low table. He was only supposed to use them in case of emergencies, but this seemed like one to him. Slade needed tea. He flicked on the comlink and called Provisions.

"Can I help?"

"Um, yes, um," Obi-Wan paused. "This is Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Rian's apartment needs tea. Could you please send some now?"

There was a long silence on the other end. "Padawan Kenobi, I think Master Rian is the one who should be making these requests. When you have his permission, we'll see what we can do."

"But--"

"No, Padawan." The voice on the other end was suddenly very serious, and using that tone that his master sometimes used when he wasn't going to change his mind no matter what Obi-Wan did. "Have a nice day."

"Bye." Obi-Wan ended the connection and stared at the comlink. There had to be a way to get tea. Maybe his master could call Provisions and get them to send tea. Switching on the small device again, he waited for his master to answer.

"Master Jinn."

Obi-Wan smiled at the official sounding tone to his master's voice. "Hi master."

"Obi-Wan, is something wrong?"

"No, well, I mean kind of. We need tea, and there isn't any and Provisions won't let me order any without Master Rian's permission, so I thought it would call you and you could order it for Slade's apartment." Obi-Wan looked down at Slade, who had begun to mutter in his sleep. He didn't look very good at all. "It's really important."

"Why doesn't Master Rian order it himself? Does he know you're using the comlink?"

"Um, he can't because he isn't here. Slade's sick and he needs tea and they don't have any." Suddenly, Obi-Wan looked up into the kitchen. "Oh, the water's boiling. I have to go." Obi-Wan ended the connection and ran into the kitchen.

***

Qui-Gon stared at the dead comlink in his hand for only a second before he was on his feet and out the door, running through the halls at top speed. He didn't know exactly what was happening in Slade's apartment, but he didn't like the sound of it at all. And if Rian really wasn't there, it was no place for two padawans to be unsupervised. Especially if one of them was sick and the other, well, accident prone.

Ignoring the stares he received as he ran, Qui-Gon vaguely acknowledged the looks thrown in his direction as he passed. He knew it would only be a matter of minutes before the rumor mills were at full speed. He could almost see the headline for the next Temple Newsletter: Jedi Decorum in a Downward Spiral, with his picture underneath. There would probably even be a few quotes from some of the older inhabitants of the Temple who would swear that back in their day, a Jedi never would have even thought of running through the halls.

Qui-Gon's boots skidded on the slick surface of the polished Temple floors as he came to a halt outside of Slade's apartment. Without any sort of warning, Qui-Gon opened the door and rushed inside. Hurrying down the entry corridor, Qui-Gon stepped out into the low lighting of the common room to see Slade asleep on the couch, looking as though he had seen better days.

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon called as he knelt beside Slade. He knew his padawan was close and not in any danger or pain, so he decided to focus on his padawan's friend. As he brushed a hand over the boy's forehead, Qui-Gon looked at the young padawan in concern. He was very warm and his Force signature was off. He belonged with the Healers.

Qui-Gon heard some rattling sounds in the kitchen before Obi-Wan responded. "Master. How come you're here?" the small boy asked with a confused expression as he came out of the kitchen. "Did you bring tea?"

"No, I didn't. Obi-Wan, where is Master Rian?" Maybe the younger Jedi had simply gone out to get something for Slade. It was what Qui-Gon hoped.

With a shrug, Obi-Wan came over to stand next to him. "I don't know. Slade said he went out. Um, I think Slade's really sick." The boy bit his lip and looked up at Qui-Gon, the worry evident in his young eyes. "Can you help him?"

Qui-Gon gave him a tight smile and patted Obi-Wan's back. "I'm going to try." He turned his attention back to the sleeping boy. "Slade? Can you hear me?"

The boy stirred and opened bleary, clouded eyes. "Master Jinn? When did you get here?"

"Just now. Slade can you answer a couple questions for me?" He waited for the boy to nod and noticed it took him a moment to understand his question. "Where is Master Rian?"

"He, uh, said he had some things to do. I don't really remember but he'll be back later."

Qui-Gon took a breath and tried to focus on the boy and not his anger, which was slowly beginning to develop. "Do you know when?"

Slade stared at him blankly for a long moment before shaking his head. "I don't know, he said later."

"How do you feel?" Qui-Gon touched a hand to Slade's chest and tried to get a clearer reading through the Force of what might be wrong with him. Something was definitely off, but he couldn't quite place it.

Slade shook his head. "Everything hurts, and I'm tired. Can I go back to sleep now?"

Qui-Gon sat back on his heels and thought for a moment. He could take Slade back with them to their apartment, but he didn't know what was wrong with the boy and didn't want him to get any worse. The best thing for Slade was to put him in the care of the Healers. "I need you to stay awake just a little longer for me, okay Slade? I'm going to take you to the Healers. They'll be able to make you feel better."

Then, the boy who had seemed so weak just a moment before sat up and gripped his arm. "No, you can't take me there. I'm not supposed to leave the apartment. Master said I'd be in trouble if I left while he was gone."

Qui-Gon sent a calming wave of the Force. "It's okay, everything's all right, Slade. It's okay for you to leave the apartment if you're with me. You won�t get into any trouble. I promise." He waited for Slade to calm down before looking at Obi-Wan. "Is everything turned off in the kitchen?" He thought the lecture about household appliances could wait until later. At Obi-Wan's nod, Qui-Gon stood and picked Slade up into his arms. The boy was quite a bit heavier than Obi-Wan and his tail made carrying him a very different experience, but he knew Slade didn't have the strength to make it to the Healers on his own.

"Come on, Obi-Wan. You can get the doors for us."

***

Qui-Gon hummed the tune of one of Obi-Wan's favorite songs quietly as they sat beside Slade in the Infirmary. Obi-Wan was curled up in his lap, his head resting against Qui-Gon's chest and he was almost asleep. The other padawan was stretched out on one of the beds and hooked up to several machines that cataloged his life signs. It was not a comforting picture especially to a six-year-old, which was why he was humming, but he didn't want to leave Slade alone in the Infirmary. It was a scary place for a nine-year-old as well.

At the sound of footsteps, Qui-Gon turned his head and glanced up at Romi. The young man had lost his padawan braid and was a full Knight now, though a Healer. He'd been the one to help Slade when Qui-Gon had first brought him in.

"Any news?" Qui-Gon asked softly so as not to disturb either of the Padawans. Romi nodded as he checked Slade's monitors. "He has a variant case of Sperial flu. It�s not normally dangerous, but it can be hard on little ones, especially if it goes untreated. In humans it runs its course in about a day or so and isn't too bad, considering. But with Slade's particular species it can get a little more complicated. It's a very good thing you brought him in when you did, Master Jinn. I don't know why he wasn't brought in sooner." Romi looked to him for an explanation.

"His master had other matters to attend to." He tried to keep the bitterness and sarcasm out of his voice, but he knew he'd failed miserably.

Romi brushed a hand over Slade's forehead as the boy stirred before turning back to Qui-Gon. "Who's his master? Someone new, I take it?"

"Rian," Qui-Gon said shortly, releasing his emotions to the Force. Obi-Wan had just settled down; he didn't want to disturb the boy through his turbulent emotions if he could help it.

"Ah."

Qui-Gon looked up sharply. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Romi shrugged. "I don't know him personally, but he was a year mate of mine, we took the Trials about the same time. He's a good enough guy, but he tends to be a little"--Romi looked up as though searching for the right word--"Self-absorbed. Where is he?"

"No one knows." Qui-Gon looked down at Slade. "So, he'll be all right? How long do you think he'll need to stay here?"

Romi nodded. "He's going to be fine; we caught it in time. He just needs some rest. As for how long, normally I would say just overnight, but with his situation as it is with his master, I don't know that I'd feel comfortable leaving him in the care of someone who--"

"Someone who what?"

Qui-Gon and Romi turned at the sound of the question to find Rian striding toward him, his face set with determination and anger.

"Well?"

"Someone who kept their padawan like this for who knows how long without treatment. I won't release him to you until I know he'll receive the proper care." Romi straitened imperceptibly and stared the Jedi Knight down.

"Are you saying I can't take care of my padawan?" Rian took a step forward.

Romi regarded him calmly, not intimidated in the least. "I should think the answer would be obvious as a Master not his own had to bring him in for treatment. And I would ask you to lower your voice. There are sick individuals here who need their rest, not you yelling."

Rian swung his gaze to Qui-Gon. "I would take it kindly if you would mind your own business. You have your own padawan to take care of and considering how poorly you did with the last one, maybe you should be more concerned--"

Qui-Gon stood calmly. "I don't think you want to finish that, Knight Rian. It is not me we are discussing here. You have a seriously ill padawan, who will be fine, since you asked. Perhaps you should concern yourself with that matter." He turned to the Healer. "I have some other matters to attend to, Romi. You will call if there is any change?"

"Of course, Charr'a is on duty after me and between the two of us, we'll make sure nothing happens to this little guy." His eyes flickered briefly to Rian and Qui-Gon received the message. Between the two Healers, Slade would not only recover, but he wouldn't be left alone in the Infirmary nor would he be released to Rian until it was certain the Knight could handle him.

"Thank you." He nodded to Romi and swept his gaze over Rian before turning to Slade and running a hand over the boy's head. "Get better," he whispered before leaving.

***

"Masters, please--" Qui-Gon couldn't believe they weren't listening to him.

"Master Jinn," Master Helav said evenly. "We appreciate your concern, but really, if we followed up on every accusation, nothing would get done. You yourself would be brought in for questioning on a weekly basis."

Qui-Gon shook his head. He'd come to the two members of the Council who were in charge of padawan assignments and supervision in hopes they would do something about the situation with Rian. He'd found out from Payter that Rian hadn't been attending the new master's class regularly and there had been a few other complaints made about him as well.

"It isn't the same thing. He left his padawan sick and alone to go off and do, whatever it was he was doing. How can you possibly ignore that?"

"And where exactly is your padawan now, Master Jinn?" Master Junial asked sweetly.

Qui-Gon turned to look at the small woman. "My padawan is currently in the care of Jedi Knight Payter and Padawan Kerge. But this isn't about me, this is about--"

Helav held up a hand. Qui-Gon was getting terribly tired of being cut off. "Master Jinn, as I've said, we appreciate your concern and we will take the matter under advisement, but at this time we don't feel the need to intervene. It is very difficult being a new master and we all make mistakes. If we removed a padawan from his master's care for a single oversight, no padawans would ever get trained. We are watching the situation."

"Good day, Master Jinn. May the Force be with you." Junial nodded serenely and the two Council members turned their attention away from Qui-Gon entirely.

Standing quietly, Qui-Gon inclined his head slightly and walked from the room without saying a word. There were times when he hated dealing with the Council, especially certain members of the Council and those two were the ones he normally ran afoul of. He couldn't believe they were going to ignore this. Slade could have become seriously ill. Rian had no business being a Master.

Qui-Gon stalked through the halls, his attention focused solely within as he tried to think of another solution to the problem. He could try to bring the matter before the entire Council, but he knew that without further proof they would defer to Helav and Junial. He needed something more, but for Slade�s sake, he didn't want to have to come to them with more proof, because more proof meant Slade would have to bear the brunt of more inept behavior.

Slade was Obi-Wan's best friend and Qui-Gon had grown to like the boy as well. He didn't want anything to happen to Slade, and he felt that if the boy stayed in his current position, something would happen. He just wanted Slade to be safe and with a good master who would be able to bring out all the potential he saw in the young boy.

Qui-Gon paused in the middle of a hallway to realize he had arrived at Payter's. He couldn't even remember the walk to the apartment. Pressing the chime for the door, he waited for his friend to answer.

"I take it the meeting didn't go well?" Payter asked as he motioned for Qui-Gon to enter.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "They think I'm overreacting."

Payter swore. "I don't believe those two. What exactly do they need for proof?" He blew out a breath and headed for the back of the apartment where the bedrooms were. "I've been hearing things about them recently, that they haven't been doing their jobs. I don't know...it's nothing distinct, and nothing anyone can work with, but it's there all the same. I don't like this, Qui-Gon. Not at all."

Payter ducked into his room and motioned for Qui-Gon to follow. As they entered, Payter spoke softly over his shoulder. "Obi-Wan was tired so I put him in here. Kerge had been studying for an exam he had at the end of the week and I thought this would be better."

"He's sleeping?" Qui-Gon stepped around Payter and knelt beside the bed. Reaching out, he rubbed Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Obi-Wan? It's time to go home now."

Obi-Wan seemed less responsive than usual and Qui-Gon picked the small boy up and headed back out into the common room.

"He's a little warm. I hope he isn't getting sick." Qui-Gon looked over at Payter in concern.

"I hear it's going around. Luckily Kerge has managed to steer clear of it."

Qui-Gon gave the other man a slight smile. "Is there anything you don't hear?"

"Not much."

"Master?" Kerge came out of his room carrying a datapad. "I'm having trouble with this, can you help me?"

Payter gave his padawan a grin and waved him over. "Sure, though I don't know that I'll be all that much help. Bel-San pretty much got all of us through that course when we were padawans."

"Common Elements of Indigenous Cultures?" Qui-Gon asked with a grimace.

"The very same."

Qui-Gon adjusted Obi-Wan on his shoulder, surprised the boy had not awakened. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Good night. Thanks for watching Obi-Wan."

"No problem. I keep an eye out for our friend see if I can't come up with something a little more substantial."

Qui-Gon nodded and left apartment. As he walked through the halls, Qui-Gon turned his attention to Obi-Wan. The boy seemed warmer than usual and his extreme tiredness concerned him. He checked along their bond and found an odd sense of something wrong, one that he recognized. Qui-Gon changed his direction to the Healers.

It was Charr'a who greeted him this time when he entered the Infirmary. She took Obi-Wan from him without a word and settled the still sleeping boy on one of the beds.

"Twice in one day?" She shook her head as she ran an instrument over Obi-Wan. "It's not much of a surprise though, half the Temple has been in here over the past couple days. Nothing like a nice flu to really knock the place down."

"I think it's the same thing Slade had. It feels the same." Qui-Gon stepped nearer and placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder as the boy began to stir.

Charr'a took a small sample of Obi-Wan's blood and snapped it into her datareader. She checked the instrument after a moment and looked up at Qui-Gon. "You're right, he has Sperial flu. I'll give him something to keep his immune system up but he'll be fine. He has a very mild case of it and he'll be feeling better by this time tomorrow. Take him home, keep him warm and comfortable and he should be fine." Charr'a listed off her instructions as she prepped an injection and delivered it efficiently. Her tone spoke of many repetitions of the same speech and Qui-Gon wondered just how many Jedi had come through the Infirmary in the past several days.

"Thank you, Charr'a," Qui-Gon said with a smile as he lifted Obi-Wan off the bed. The boy was finally beginning to stir and seemed more than a little put out to be with the Healers. "I'll get out of here before this gets any worse."

Charr'a simply nodded before heading off to her next patient.

***

Obi-Wan shifted again, this time kneeing Qui-Gon in the ribs. "Obi-Wan, please." He took a breath and tried not to sound too irritated at the boy who had been wriggling and shifting for the past half an hour. He'd agreed to let Obi-Wan sleep with him, but now he wasn't sure that was such a good idea.

Obi-Wan stilled. "I'm sorry," ge whispered in the darkness. "It just hurts."

"Oh, Little One. I'm sorry." Qui-Gon reached out and ran a hand over Obi-Wan's short hair. He sent a wave of the Force to the boy to help block out pain and relax him.

"I don't like being sick," Obi-Wan said and he moved closer, settling comfortably against Qui-Gon's side.

"I know, but you'll be better soon. By tomorrow, Healer Charr'a said."

Sighing, Obi-Wan pulled the blanket closer around him. "Will Slade be better by tomorrow?"

"I think it's going to take Slade a few more days to get better, but he will," Qui-Gon said carefully. He wasn't sure how much he wanted Obi-Wan to know was going on; he didn't want to think what the boy would try to do with the help of his friends if he thought that Slade had a bad master.

"Master, how come Master Rian left Slade alone today?"

Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around his padawan and pulled him close. He knew the boy wouldn't give up the topic easily. "I don't know, Obi-Wan. I don't think he knew how sick Slade was. I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose." He was certain of that; he'd felt no malice on Rian's part.

Obi-Wan was silent for a long time and Qui-Gon thought the boy had finally fallen asleep when he shifted and spoke again.

"Master?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"Will you sing to me?"

Qui-Gon smiled in the darkness as he heard Obi-Wan yawn. "I think it's the least I can do for my poor sick padawan. What do you want to hear? The Silly Bantha?" He pulled the covers up around Obi-Wan, reflexively checking for a fever.

"No, um, the other one, the um lullaby one."

"All right. You just relax, close your eyes." He brushed his fingers softly over Obi-Wan's sleepy eyes. "And I'll sing for you. And before you know it, it will be tomorrow and you'll start to feel better."

Obi-Wan nodded as Qui-Gon began to sing the first verse of the soft, calming song he'd first heard in the Creche. One of his own Creche masters had used it to help him sleep one night when he wasn't feeling well and it seemed appropriate to pass it along to Obi-Wan now.

After only a few moments, Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan drift off into an uneasy sleep. He kept singing however, knowing the boy could still hear the sound of his voice even if it wasn't in a conscious state. He finished the song, letting the last note echo in the dark room until he knew Obi-Wan would sleep the night through.