"How in the Force did you manage to take on five Padawans?" Qui-Gon asked as he sat heavily on the couch in Demeron and Rai's apartment.

"I didn't have them all at once, my friend." Demeron laughed. "Would you like some tea?" He asked as he walked to the kitchen.

"That would be wonderful." He rubbed his temples wearily. "I thought my missions for the council could be taxing." he commented with a grin.

"I take it the classes are not going well?" Demeron asked as he returned with tea and sweeteners.

"No, it isn't that they aren't going well exactly. It's just well, the fifth level Padawans aren't too bad, though honestly I don't think there is an original thought among the lot of them. It's the little ones. I haven't dealt with children in groups since I was a senior Padawan and we had to teach classes. Even then I only did it for a term and not with such young children. I can't think of enough things to tell them not to do." Qui-Gon shook his head. "If only the fifth years had their imagination."

"Have you thought about asking for an assistant, someone to help you with the little ones?" The older Jedi sipped his tea in thought for a moment. "The whole reason you are here is to help you recover from the," he cleared his throat and smiled slightly. "Incident."

Qui-Gon smiled ruefully fully expecting his friends to throw that back at him for years to come. "It has been a thought, though I don't know who's even available. It seems as though there are more children now than there have been in the past."

Demeron paused, obviously considering his words. "You could ask Bel-San. He has had quite a bit of practice with the younger children and I believe he is only teaching one class this term for the older children. You two always did work well together." Again Demeron smiled lightly, obviously thinking of some of the stunts the two Jedi had pulled in their Padawan days.

"Yes, well. That's a good thought, if they will let us work together in any sort of professional capacity. The last time we mentioned such a thing I think the Council had a collective apoplexy. Still, it might not be a bad idea. I'm supposed to meet with him later today; we were going to have dinner the day before, but there was that incident with the turbolift." Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Yes, I had heard about that, Obi-Wan said it was very exciting." Demeron laughed.

"Hm, he didn't seem all that excited. In fact, I recall him complaining on at least six different occasions that he was bored." He paused considering his next words carefully. "I didn't know that you spoke with him." He was not jealous, that was not the emotion he was feeling. Obi-Wan was free to talk with any of the Masters who approached him.

"I try to meet with him and a few of the others once a week when Rai and I are here. I think by the time his year are ready to be chosen, I will be ready to take on another Padawan." Demeron paused and looked at Qui-Gon carefully.

"Good, I know you have been thinking about it." Qui-Gon could think of nothing else to say.

"Yes, Obi-Wan seems to think you have the most wonderful voice. I didn't know you sang, Qui-Gon." The older man shot him an amused glance.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, he knew associating with the child would be the ruin of his reputation. "I had to think of something to keep him occupied. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep up a conversation with a frightened four year old who doesn't feel particularly chatty?"

"I think you have a soft spot for the boy. You seem to run into him quite frequently for not being in the Temple all that often." Again Demeron had that careful look in his eyes, one that Qui-Gon did not particularly appreciate.

"I really think you are reading into this too much, my friend. It is coincidence that we are thrown together so often, nothing more. I didn't even think he would remember when I came back to the Temple the last time." Qui-Gon checked his chrono. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some things I need to take care of before I meet with Bel-San later. I hope you don't mind." Qui-Gon stood, as did Demeron.

"Not at all, let me know when you are free again. It is so rare that we can see you more than once a year." The older man bowed slightly.

"Of course, tell Rai I am sorry to have missed her," Qui-Gon said with true regret; he couldn't seem to get the two of them in the same room.

***

"So, I see you made it on time. How did you find the turbolifts, no trouble or did you take the stairs?" Bel-San asked as Qui-Gon walked into the Meditation Garden.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "You know, I don't have to take this from you. People are waiting in lines to make clever comments about my life during the last month who are far more interesting to look at than you," he said with a grin and seated himself next to his old friend near the small stream.

"Yes, but none so clever as I," Bel-San commented loftily. "Seriously. How do you manage these things. I mean the last time you were stuck in one of those it was intentional, you remember? I helped you rig the system so you could have a few moments alone in the dark with, what was her name?" He paused and looked at Qui-Gon who was not going to offer an answer. "It doesn't matter, anyway, I hardly think it would be nearly as much fun with a four year old."

"You have no idea. Don't misunderstand me, Obi-Wan is a wonderful child, but he is so easily distractible." Qui-Gon thought about the games he had tried to play with the child. He had started three different ones only for Obi-Wan to lose interest within minutes.

"He's four, Qui-Gon. That's the way four-year-olds work. And really, Obi-Wan is far more focused than a lot of other children in his year." Bel-San absently ran his hands through his hair, brushing it back from his face.

"So would you say you are a good judge of how to deal with children?" Qui-Gon asked, keeping the smile from his face. His old friend had walked perfectly into helping him.

"That is why I am one of the Teachers here," he replied, flashing an endearing grin.

"I thought it was just because Yoda doesn't trust you to leave the Temple," Qui-Gon responded in mock-surprise.

"Oh, you are so funny. Your talents are being wasted as a Jedi, Jinn. You should be on the comedy circuit. I'm sure someone, somewhere would find you amusing. . .to look at if nothing else." He grinned at his friend unrepentantly.

"Nice. So, since you are so good with the children, and I hear you are only teaching one class this term--"

"Oh, no. Stop right there. You are not talking me into anything, Master Jinn. I have quite enough to do on my own, thank you very much," Bel-San said, shaking his head and holding out his hands.

"It isn't like you would have to do all that much. Really, I promise. If you could just sit in on a couple of the classes, tell me what I am doing wrong. The kids are wearing me out. I am supposed to be resting, but I am more tired than I am during most missions."

"Why don't you get Mace to help you?" he asked, looking for an excuse.

"Mace is too busy trying to impress the Council. He is running so many projects for them it is surprising that he surfaces for air." Qui-Gon knew the other man was weakening. For all of Bel-San's posturing, it had usually been Qui-Gon who had talked his friend into the things they had pulled. He knew when he was close to winning the other man over. "Please, I really need some help here. I'll owe you," he added, knowing it would be the bait to catch him.

Bel-San's eyebrows rose and he looked at Qui-Gon speculatively. "Really? Anything?"

Qui-Gon paused, he knew that tone of voice and knew that the other man already had something lined up. Still he really needed the other man's help. "Anything," he agreed.

Bel-San broke into a wicked smile. "Thank you Qui-Gon, you know I have been looking for weeks for someone to help me run the Creche year five trip to the Temple on Destricore,"

Qui-Gon stared at the other man speechlessly for a few moments. He'd thought he had pulled one on his friend. It obviously had been far too long since he had gone up against Bel-San, he'd forgotten how devious the other man could be. "I would, of course, be happy to help." He said distantly through the Teacher's laughter. "Now, all I need from you is to get me through the rest of the term."

Bel-San was about to reply when he was cut off by the opening of the door to the Garden and a group of children filing in. He waved at the Jedi who was leading them before turning his attention back to Qui-Gon.

"I am sure I will be able to help. Let me know when you want me to sit in on your classes and I will see what I can do." He grinned. "It was the year five Padawans you were having problems with, right?"

"Yes, that was exactly it. I just don't know what to do with a group of Padawans who are too intimidated by me to misbehave or not do their work, or throw things with the Force at their classmates," Qui-Gon replied sarcastically.

"Careful. Sarcasm leads to humor, humor leads to laughter, laughter leads to, " he paused dramatically. "Fun."

"Make fun of my master you should not," Qui-Gon replied indignantly in his best imitation of Yoda's voice.

Bel-San laughed. "You always could do that better than any of us, Jinn."

"That is because I lived with the little troll for thirteen years," Qui-Gon said, a fond smile on his face.

Suddenly, there was a crash and a cry from one of the children on the other side of the garden. Qui-Gon and Bel-San were on their feet immediately and quickly made their way across the Garden to the center of the disturbance.

The Teacher Bel-San had waved to was holding a small Gerkarian boy in his arms who was wailing inconsolably. He looked up as they approached and relief washed over his face.

"Bel-San, can you please watch the children, I have to take Beijlis to the Healers right now." He spoke quickly, already walking to the exit.

"Go ahead, Nirsitol. We can watch the kids till you come back for them." He waved the other man away and looked at the groups of children that surrounded them, their faces anxious with worry. "Hi there, I am Teacher Bel-San, this is Master Qui-Gon, we are going to be watching you for a little while until Teacher Nirsitol comes back, okay? If you need anything, just come and find one of us." He spoke gently, capturing the gaze of each of the children. They nodded solemnly and began to break away in groups and pairs to continue whatever they had been doing before.

"Always an adventure," Bel-San commented.

Qui-Gon made a noncommittal sound. "Who was the Teacher?" he asked, not being able to place the man.

"That is Nirsitol, he's a good guy, really sweet, great with the kids. However, he tends to be a little, flighty. He's kind of nervous, gets tongue tied easily, that's why we leave him with the smaller ones; he seems to connect with them really well." Bel-San shrugged and looked around at the children, scanning for potentially dangerous situations. "Look, there's your boy." He pointed to the stream where Obi-Wan and Bant were laying on their stomachs with their faces hanging out over the water, looking at the surface.

"He isn't my boy, Bel-San," Qui-Gon protested. It seemed that a lot of people were misreading his relationship with the child today.

"Well in any case, I think we should go check out what he is doing before he ends up head first in the water." Bel-San walked over to the two Jedi children and knelt beside Bant.

"Hi, Bant, Obi-Wan. What are you looking at?" Bel-San asked as he leaned out over the water.

"Bant is showing me the fish," Obi-Wan said, not taking his eyes off the water.

"I can't see them." Bel-San admitted as he leaned close to the stream.

"That's cause you have to lay on the ground," Obi-Wan pronounced with some authority.

"Oh." The Teacher then proceeded to lay down on the ground next to Bant and look into the stream again. "Oh, I see them. That is very clever of you, Bant. Do you like the fish?" he asked the small girl.

She nodded but did not speak.

"She's kinda shy." Obi-Wan looked up for the first time. "Master Qui-Gon," he said, his face breaking into a smile. "Do you want see the fish?" he asked hopefully.

Qui-Gon returned the smile and knelt next to the boy. He leaned over the water but could see nothing. He shook his head. "I don't see them."

Obi-Wan looked at him as though he were missing the point entirely. "That's cause you aren't laying down. You have to get real close."

"Yes, Qui-Gon, you have to lay down," Bel-San said with a smirk in his direction.

Qui-Gon looked at the hopeful face of the young boy and knew he had no choice. He flattened himself out on the ground and looked into the water. There, just below the surface, he could see slim, nearly transparent shapes swimming.

"Do you know what kind of fish they are?" he asked the children.

"Um, Bra-, Brake-, um. What are they called?" Obi-Wan asked the Calamarian girl beside him.

"Brakestalars. You can see through them," she said quietly, glancing at him quickly.

He nodded seriously as though she had imparted some great information.

"Children! Children!" A voice echoed through the Garden. Qui-Gon recognized it as Nirsitol's. He stood from his place on the ground and absently noted his mud covered tunic.

Obi-Wan smiled at him brightly. "You're dirty."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. I don't think I would have caught that if you hadn't said something. I may have walked into a meeting with the Council if you hadn't warned me," he said seriously.

The little boy laughed obviously amused at the thought of the dirty Jedi meeting with the Council. "I have to go now. Bye." He turned to leave and took a few steps before turning back. "Master Qui-Gon?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan?"

"Are you coming to by birthday party next week? I'm going to be five." He turned his head slightly to the side and shielded his eyes from the sun.

"I'd be honored to come to your party Obi-Wan," he said, surprising himself with the knowledge that he actually would be.

Obi-Wan flashed him a brilliant smile and ran off to join the other children.

Qui-Gon watched the boy for a moment before turning his attention to his friend. Bel-San wore a speculative expression.

"What?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Nothing." He shook his head. "What do you say we get cleaned up and see what they have in the dining hall tonight?"

"Sounds like a plan," Qui-Gon said, following the other man from the Garden. He thought briefly of the sight the two of them would make, one tall, the other shorter, both with long hair and covered in mud. He laughed suddenly.

Bel-San looked at him questioningly.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I was just thinking how good it is to be home."