Somedayyoullbegone

Title: Someday You'll Be Gone
Author: Ginger Ninja
Archive: Email me.
Time Frame: Obi is 14 in this story.
Feedback: Yup!

Angst. Nothing but angst. Sorry, I'm in a mood... =|

Dedicated, forever to my close friends Dara, Tessa, Laura and Jess and everyone who ever gave nice feedback. =) This is for you.

**Tissue warning**

*****

Obi-Wan looked at the people standing against the walls of his home. They all had sympathetic expressions. He looked around and didn't see his Master anywhere. He saw plenty of his possessions though: a book left open on the chair, a datapad with a half finished report written on it, a steaming mug of coffee. All looked as if they hadn't recently been abandoned by Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan looked back up at the sympathetic faces surrounding him. He looked towards his Master's room.

"No Obi-Wan," a voice from the sea of faces said. "He's not in there."

Obi-Wan's voice was unsteady with barely restrained emotions. "Well then where is he?"

"Obi-Wan..."

"No! No he has to be somewhere!"

Obi-Wan ran out of his home, away from all the faces. No, Qui-Gon was here somewhere. The gardens maybe? Or perhaps the training rooms? Maybe he was visiting Tahl or Master Windu.

But Qui-Gon was nowhere to be found. Obi-Wan fell to his knees, not caring that he was in the middle of a bustling hallway in the temple. His Master was gone and he would never see him again. It was as if someone had ripped out his soul and only returned part of it. The pain was unbearable.

The boy sobbed and sobbed but no one stopped to comfort him.

*****

Obi-Wan awoke suddenly, his breath taken from him.

/Just a dream/ he told himself. /Just a nightmare, nothing more./ His relief was overwhelming.

Tears rolled down his cheeks and Obi-Wan cried quietly. If it was just a dream, why was it affecting him so badly?

His Master, gone forever. It had not been a pleasant dream. Obi-Wan sobbed a little harder. No! No Qui-Gon would never die, he couldn't! He was Qui-Gon Jinn, one of the greatest Jedi Masters of recent times. Such a man could never die!

But in his heart Obi-Wan knew this wasn't so and the realisation of that made Obi-Wan sob even harder. He drew his knees up to his chest, hugging himself tightly as quiet sobs wracked his body.

"Master!" he wailed in anguish then buried his tear stained face in his arms.

*****

Qui-Gon awoke, jolted out of a peaceful slumber for an as of yet unknown reason. Glancing at the glowing chrono on his cabinet, Qui-Gon discovered it was a very, very early hour of the morning.

He could feel raw, unshielded sorrow flooding through the bond he shared with Obi-Wan. Worried now, Qui-Gon got off his sleepcouch, grabbed his robe and went to Obi-Wan's bedroom. The boy was the cause of his sudden awakening.

Qui-Gon was even more worried when he found his Padawan hugging his knees and crying forlornly. "Obi-Wan?" he called to his Padawan, hurrying to the bed.

Obi-Wan looked up at Qui-Gon and flew into his Master's arms, sobbing great heaving tears. Qui-Gon pulled the boy into his lap and held him tight while rubbing his back soothingly.

"Hush little one hush," Qui-Gon soothed. "I'm here now, I'm here."

"Please don't leave me," Obi-Wan begged, clutching his Master's robe tightly. "Please don't ever leave me alone."

"Obi-Wan I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. I won't leave you," Qui-Gon reassured, confused at the boy's outburst.

Obi-Wan turned his tearstained face to Qui-Gon. "I know you aren't going anywhere just yet," he said quietly. "But someday you'll be gone."

And the tears came harder and faster. Qui-Gon looked at his Padawan in shock. This was not the kind of thinking the boy should be doing. Such thinking was terribly painful, even if there was a truth within it.

"Obi-Wan focus on the here and now, I'm still here and I'm not *that* old so I doubt I'll be going anywhere for many years just yet," Qui-Gon tipped Obi-Wan's chin so their eyes met. "And even when I do pass on..." Obi-Wan tried to look away but Qui-Gon wouldn't allow him to. "And even when I do go young one, I will always be with you." Qui-Gon placed his hand on Obi-Wan's heart. "I will always be there."

"I know Master," Obi-Wan said quietly. "I'll live each day as it comes and be thankful that I'll be at your side."

Obi-Wan fell into his Master's embrace and cried a little more, his whole body trembling. After a little while he began to calm down and sleep tugged at him. Qui-Gon could feel his Padawan's drowsiness increasing so he lifted the boy up. Knowing Obi-Wan wouldn't sleep if left alone, Qui-Gon carried him into his own chamber and placed the now sleeping boy on the large bed. Qui-Gon laid down next to him, pulling the covers over the two of them.

Obi-Wan rolled over and curled up instinctively at his Master's side, feeling warm and protected there. His Master may not be able to offer this sort of comfort forever but Obi-Wan knew Qui-Gon would never truly be gone.

And the pair slept peacefully, neither one disturbed by painful dreams for the rest of the night.

**Eleven years later**

Obi-Wan held the limp form of his Master tight, sobbing for all he was worth. This was it, the day Obi-Wan had always dreaded had finally come.

//Obi-Wan remember.//

Obi-Wan's head snapped up and he looked at Qui-Gon's face, half expecting his Master to open his eyes and give him a lecture. It didn't happen and Obi-Wan's head fell back against Qui-Gon's still chest.

//Obi-Wan I'll always be with you, remember.//

A warmth spread through Obi-Wan's chest, emanating from his heart. His jaw hung open slightly and his eyes widened with pure joy. Tears splashed down his face.

//I remember Master. I'll never forget.// Obi-Wan hugged the body of the only man he deemed worthy of being called father. //I'll never forget.//

And the warmth continued to spread.

***The End***