| Title: I Will Always Love You (PART TWO) Author: Laheara *************** After a good long time relaxing on the couch in their quarters, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went down to the cafeteria to get a real meal. Obi-Wan saw some of his other friends from classes and the went to talk to them while Qui-Gon spoke with Mace Windu and some other masters. When their eyes met they both excused themselves and went to get some food. Obi-Wan was always a great one for getting just about one of everything on display. Qui-Gon thought to himself it was good to see the boy eating so well again, he had lost a lot of weight in the last few months. Mace had even noticed it and asked saying that they both looked like they weren't taking very good care of themselves. Qui-Gon made a note to get some exercise today too. They sat down at a table in the area reserved for masters and padawans and started to eat. Qui-Gon watched with bemusement the way Obi-Wan attacked his food. The master himself, just ate as his usual rate. 'But come to think of it, that is Obi-Wan's usual rate,' the man smiled as he thought. Obi-Wan noticed the playful smile on his master's face and slowed down a moment, "What is so funny Master?" Qui-Gon looked up and shook his head slightly displaying a perfectly innocent look on his face. "Nothing at all, why do you ask?" Qui-Gon replied desperately trying to stifle a laugh. Then Obi-Wan got the image of himself from just a few moments ago over the bond, and cracked up laughing. "Is that really what I look like? You must be ashamed to take me out in public," the boy smiled mischievously. Qui-Gon couldn't help but laugh at the pure deviousness of the boys look and attitude he could feel in the Force. "Well there have been a few times when I've had to use the Force to... distract... some diplomats from seeing your... particular eating style," he said nodding at the boys plate, impressing even himself by not laughing at that comment. Obi-Wan's smile turned to a hurt look at the statement. Then he remembered his master would never say anything to hurt his feelings on purpose. He checked the bond again and got an image of 'to-good-for-everyone' ambassador being distracted and going on to complain about another dignitary. Then, after an instant, he sensed his masters amusement and started laughing again with a cute little smirk and an amazing glitter in his eyes that pure Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon was taken aback at that particular look. He tried to remembered the last time he'd seen it, but it was so long. That twinkle and look of innocence he was seeing now was one of the things that had drawn him to Obi-Wan in the first place. He remembered doing everything he could to see that look when they bonded after the Melida/Daan and Telos disasters. Over the last two years he had let that part of his life to slip by, he wasn't being the caring mentor, to Obi-Wan, he wanted to be. The fact he couldn't remember the last time he saw that glorious expression was a strong fact against him. Obi-Wan had gone straight to eating again after the smirk and didn't notice the changed look on his masters face until now. He looked up and saw Qui-Gon deep in thought and a feeling of sadness along the bond. He pushed inside deeper and saw what his master was remembering. Obi-Wan quickly placed his fork on the napkin beside his plate and put his small hand in his masters much bigger one and squeezed. The sudden contact broke the master from his thoughts and he looked first at the hand on his then hesitantly into the face of the boy it belonged to and saw complete love and denial there as Obi-Wan slightly shook his head keeping eyes contact. "It's not true master. Making me laugh isn't the only way you show that you love me. I see it everyday in your eyes, and in the way you protect me on dangerous missions. The way you go out of your way to be sure I'm safe, by keeping me close to you at all times. I feel your love everytime I touch your mind and feel you thinking of me. You haven't let that part of our relationship slip past, if anything, you've made it ever stronger," Obi-Wan didn�t care who else in the room heard him, he meant every word he said. Qui-Gon could feel the tears come to his eyes as his son told him how he knew the man cared for him. He knew it deep down in his heart, but hearing it always made it seem so much more real and tangible. He flipped his hand over and clasped Obi-Wan's hand palm to palm and squeezed it back firmly but tenderly. "I'm glad you feel that way. I just don't want to loose the way we connected early on. I'd not felt anything like that in a very long time, long before Xanatos. You reopened a part of my mind and heart I thought was lost forever. I don't want that part of you to be covered because of anything I do or don't do to bring it out. You are so very special to me, I want you to always know that," Qui-Gon could see the reaction in Obi-Wan now as well. A huge smile came over the boys face and his touched his masters mind, "I've always known even when you thought you'd rejected me. There was always something there in your presence that was screaming at me that you didn't mean it, that you still cared. That's why I went with you to Telos, I knew you didn't want to go alone and you needed me." Qui-Gon gave a small chuckle, looked down to contain himself and then back into the boys eyes. "I'm glad you knew, even if I couldn't tell you myself. I never meant to hurt you during those weeks, I know I'll never make it up to you that I did. But hearing, and feeling, you say that... makes it all much easier to live with." Obi-Wan remembered how he felt after returning home and then how he felt when Qui-Gon took him back after the events on Telos. "I hurt you in the first place, you had every right to want to hurt me in return," Obi-Wan said matter-of-factly. Then changing his expression back to the caring one, he added, "But even still, that part of you was telling me it would all work out and you'd never let anything happen to me. Even when you didn't know you still cared, I did. That's what gave me the strength to get through those weeks until we were one again. You don't have anything to be sorry for, I never held it against you in the first place and I never stopped loving you." Now neither of them cared if the was public place or not. There were only a small group of masters and eight or ten students there anyway. Obi-Wan scooted over to the chair next to Qui-Gon and they hugged and Qui-Gon whispered, "I don't deserve you." Obi-Wan just smiled against his master and deepened the embrace. At the Masters table Mace smiled to himself as he saw and felt the love between his friend and the boy. It was SO good to see Qui-Gon happy after so long. Yoda was right, as usual, they were always meant to be together. ***End Part Two*** |
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