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Author: Siobhan
Rating: G
Summary: Pre-TPM, non-slash. Obi and Qui are trapped in an earthquake - angst day fic (1/30/01)
Archive: Please ask me first. Telly you know you can have it!
Feedback: Sure why the heck not, right Tracy?!
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story, i own none of the people, places or things in this story. I have simply borrowed them for a little bit of angst. Star Wars and its universe belong to George Lucas.
Notes: Everything between // is Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon talking through their bond. Thanks to the TPM Ramblers for keeping me writing!
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He fought down the claustrophobic feelings that were threatening to overcome him again. It was so dark. How many times does one have to be trapped in the dark before they develop a fear of it - for him it was too late. Desperately he calmed his breathing, exhaling slowly. But the same fit of coughing caught him again as he tried to inhale, the dust and debris in the air hung thick where he was trapped leaving a nasty metallic taste in his mouth. The dirt and soot filled his nose and he was sure his lungs were saturated with the dust by the way his cough sounded deeply and hard in his chest.
Trying to move as little as possible the young Jedi slowly repositioned himself against the rock and plastisteel wall behind him. Sharp edges of the broken building pressed uncomfortably into his back. His boots sounded loudly as they scrapped slowly across the debris-ridden floor dragging through the grit that covered the cold stone where he sat. His injured leg had begun to throb from the abuse it had taken and he was having a hard time damping down the pain. With a sigh he closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall.
"Padawan?"
"No shhh..., it's okay." Mentally he berated himself, he had been trying not to disturb the man he was cradling in his arms. He reached out blindly with his free hand using the force to guide him and touched the feverish head near his chest. The darkness was complete and not even the slightest amount of light gave way the form that lay so still beside him. Gently he pressed the mans face into his tunic and spoke softly, the sound of his voice through his chest lulling the other back into sleep.
It had been hours since the earthquake. He wondered briefly if they would ever be found.
* * * * * * * * *
Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi had gone down into the lower levels of the temple early that morning. They had a few days off before their next assignment and the Master had promised his young charge that he would show him the special rooms where ancient Jedi had long ago begun cultivating a rare form of moss. The lichen type growth grew on the walls of underground caverns and in certain light took on a beautiful range of colors and texture. So the Jedi had grown the moss in the lower levels of the temple where the plastisteel building had been built on top of the granite rock that comprised some of the lower levels. Huge caverns had been hewn in the rock face and the plant life had been placed in patterns and colors along the cave walls to form a mural of the life and history of the Jedi. The effect was spectacular but the rooms were infrequently visited. The moss, not a hardy plant, was susceptible to the slightest rise or drop in temperature and moisture. Human bodies and respiration had caused parts of the biomural to degrade over the years and steps were being taken to restore the damaged areas.
On this morning the two Jedi had been allowed special permission to view the living murals and had ventured into the lower recesses alone to walk the caverns and see the progress being made on the work of art.
Obi-Wan had been excited. He had heard about the living murals for years when he was young but had always believed that it was simply a myth, until he brought it up one day to his Master. To his surprise Qui-Gon had obtained rare permission to view the murals.
They spent hours in the labyrinth of caves walking the old stone paths and viewing the gently glowing pictograms of the Jedi and the history that far predated them. It had been a nice idea, a good opportunity to spend time alone, away from others and the council, away from the sometimes hectic pace of the temple. Obi-Wan almost hated to leave as they turned to ascend from the lowest of the caves, some of the first that had ever been created and were now still in the restoration phase. Despite the obvious degradation of the plant, the piece he was looking at was beautiful, a female Jedi warrior in combat with a sith lord. He turned to ask his Master who the Jedi was when Qui-Gon motioned quickly holding his hand up for silence and cocked his head as though listening to something that Obi-Wan could not hear.
"Do you hear that rumb..." The words had never finished leaving the older Jedi's lips when the entire cave shook and a sound like grinding rock cut out every other noise. The walls of the cave seemed to compress and Obi-Wan was thrown to the ground as the ceiling gave way above them and darkness once again became his world.
He didn't know how long he had lain there unconscious. When he awoke there was no light, no sound. At first he wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. Touching his face with his hand he realized that he could see nothing and panic had flared through him. It must have been his unshielded fear that awoke his Master. A soft groan somewhere to his right brought him back to his senses.
"Master?" A fit of coughing overtook him as he tried to speak, choking on the dirt and dust in his mouth and nose. He groped wildly in the dark inching his way over and around sharp jagged pieces of rock and plastisteel. The panic and adrenalin in his system overrode his sense of pain as he tried to locate the older Jedi. The floor was littered with debris. His hand brushed cloth and he froze. "Master?" Moving more slowly and deliberately he pulled himself next to the place where his teacher lay. His head began to hurt and his right leg wasn't doing much better as awareness of his condition set in. He rested his hands on his leg and slowly straightened it out. The pain brought bright points of light before his eyes as he squeezed them tightly shut and he groaned involuntarily. He had either broken his leg or fractured it. Either way he would be limited in his use of it. Drawing on the force he calmed himself as best he could.
"Master. Qui-Gon." His hands awkwardly traced out the form of the other, his fingers gingerly touching the older man’s face, working up into his hair. It was matted and wet on one side and he jerked his hand quickly back, hissing sharply as he realized the teacher's hair was wet with blood. A small moan stopped him from obsessing on the possibilities and he forced himself to retouch the wound on his master's head. Superficial, his mind kept crying out, superficial. The cut felt superficial, he would have a nasty scar but it wasn't life threatening.
A strong hand caught his own stilling his shaking.
"It's not bad Padawan." The sound of his Masters voice caught Obi-Wan off guard and he couldn't help the tears that tracked down his face.
"You're okay?"
"Not quite young one." The lightness in his tone did not hide the pain he was feeling.
"Where?" Obi-Wan moved closer and pulled his hands out of Qui-Gon's grip. It was then that he realized his Master was pinned beneath a column of rock. His hands hit the hard cold stone as he moved them slowly down the older Jedi's body and his mind froze.
"Master?"
"It was an earthquake I believe Obi-Wan."
"Yes Master," his voice was patient but his fear was getting the best of him. "I understand that. But we need to get you out from under this column."
A sigh filtered through the small enclosure they were trapped in. "I know." The older Jedi paused, his weariness and hesitancy scaring the young man. Obi-Wan reached out and touched his Masters hand. "I'm afraid I can't help you much Padawan. It's taking all my energy to stay awake right now."
The apprentice swallowed hard and gripped the hand in his own a little tighter. "It's alright Master, I can do this. Just relax and let me help you."
The young Jedi stiffly pushed himself up, using the wall behind him to brace against, careful of his leg as it protested every movement. Almost in a standing position Obi-Wan's head hit something solid. His mind raced and fear closed his world in as the realization hit him that the room they were in had entirely collapsed and they were shielded in a pocket of debris. The darkness around him swirled and his vision fogged, he couldn't calm his breathing as thoughts and memories of imprisonment and helplessness raced through his mind severing his connection with the force and shattering the calm he had worked to build around him.
Qui-Gon felt his Padawan loose his grip on the force, he felt the fear build up in him and overwhelm the young Jedi and he saw the scenes of terror rip through the students unshielded mind; fragments of memories of being locked in a small room no help - no light, trapped underground in the darkness a tunnel with an unseen pursuer - no light. No light...no light, the words reverberated in the darkness of his apprentice’s mind. As he felt the young man descend into panic he reached over his head and touched Obi-Wan wrapping his fingers around the youths ankle as the Padawan dropped back to the floor, sliding down against the rough stone wall to left of where Qui-Gon lay.
"Obi-Wan." He could sense the others presence and even with the lack of light he knew what his eyes would be seeing. The slight sounds were familiar to him. The young Jedi had curled into a ball and was rocking himself quietly his eyes pressed tightly shut.
"...dark..."
"Yes Padawan I know it's dark."
The sounds of shifting stone and the low groan of counterbalance as the makeshift room around them settled even more were surreal in the darkness.
Finally he was rewarded with a response. "The ceiling is five feet above your head Master." Spoken softly, without emotion, the words hung in the thick air. Qui-Gon nodded and patted the boot next to his head. His fingers were immediately caught in the shaking ones of his apprentice.
"It reminds me of when I was trapped - trapped in that hothouse, when I was trapped in the access way below Coruscant. Trapped by others and unable to find you. Trapped in that cave on Trellos and I couldn't feel you. Every time it was so dark, and every time I was alone." The lostness and pain in his voice revealed more than his thoughts. Qui-Gon had to reach him and reach him soon or they would both be lost. He hated the fact that he could not help his Padawan so he reached out to him the only way he could.
Gently squeezing the smaller hand in his own he spoke softly to the scared student. "Yes, but you aren't alone now. I am right here with you. And we will get through this together." He stopped and held his breath as a wave of pain swept through him, the cold and darkness was beginning to affect him as well. He was getting more tired and it was harder to hold onto consciousness. He tightened the shields in his mind and refocused on the young man beside him. "Obi-Wan," He reached up and touched the student's arm, "Close your eyes."
"Master, now is not the time for a lesson."
"Do as I tell you Padawan." He waited for a moment as the youth gave in and complied with his teachers request, nodding his head as he obeyed. "Now center on the force."
Again only a nod. Though he could not see the movement in the dark, Qui-Gon could feel his apprentice as he reconnected with the lifeforce that swirled around them, within them, even in the depths and darkness of this place.
"Good." The word a whisper brought a smile to the young mans face. "Tell me Obi-Wan what color is the force?"
A short bark of laughter caught the older Jedi off guard. "There are so many colors Master and how does one describe the color warm?" The jovial sarcasm lightened the severity of their situation and Qui-Gon laughed slightly.
"So young one it's not dark where you are?"
Again a soft laugh reached his ears but it was choked off almost instantly with a gasp. A sense of realization swept through their bond and the fingers holding a death grip on his hand relaxed.
"No Master. No it's not dark where I am."
Qui-Gon nodded in answer smiling. "Now Padawan, hold onto the Force and open your eyes."
Taking a deep breath and steeling himself Obi-Wan did as he was told. And was amazed to see ever so dimly, the shapes of jagged pieces of debris and warped steel in the small alcove they were sheltered in. Overhead he could see the layers of collapsed metal and rock, the beams and edges of stone that had caught on each other and supported their small room. He clearly saw the shape of his Master beside him and the large column that lay across his thighs pinning him to the ground. A spark of relief flooded him as he also saw the means of moving the piece of stone off of the older Jedi.
Shifting away from the other Obi-Wan moved into a corner of their rock prison and grasped a long broken shaft of ornamental iron, wedged beneath a crack in the false rock wall before him. He hefted the long metal bar in his hands, recognizing it as a piece of the railing erected in the lower cavern to keep would be explorers from straying from the designated paths.
He limped back to where his Master lay and placed the tip of the bar beneath the rock column. Leaning heavily on the metal rod he leaned back down near Qui-Gon.
"Master I am going to move the rock off of you now. It may hurt."
"I know. I'll be alright." He could see Qui-Gon smile blindly up at him towards the sound where his voice was coming from. The older Jedi relaxed breathing deeply and nodded.
Obi-Wan refocused his attention on the column, he leaned his weight into the bar and at the same time grasped the force wrapping it around the rock and using it to lift the stone off of the trapped man. It moved slowly at first, awkwardly, he didn't dare loose his concentration and drop it now until it was well away from his Master. With a final burst of the force he pushed the column against the far wall, it slid down the stone and came to rest on the ground yards from where they were.
As the weight had been lifted from Qui-Gon feeling had returned. Pain burned through his awareness as the blood that was once constricted began to flow and the injuries to his lower body began to scream through his nervous system. He sucked his breath in through gritted teeth intent on not crying out but it was too much and the intensity swallowed him pulling him into a darkness that even the force could not free him from.
Obi-Wan moved quickly back to his Masters side. Careful of his own damaged leg he sat gingerly sat down behind the man and lifted him carefully into his arms. Conscious not to jar the injured Master he moved him into a sitting position and scooted underneath him. With his right leg to the outside of Qui-Gon's body he settled the unconscious man in his lap
Shifting his master into the crook of his arm he touched the man's face, it was cold clammy. He was in shock. Obi-Wan shrugged out of his robe and draped it over the form lying in his lap, rubbing his hands briskly on his Master's arms to warm him with the friction. Resting his chin on Qui-Gon's head he began to talk softly to the unconscious Master. The breath of his soft words stirred the long strands of hair beneath his chin and he smoothed them out of the way. His fingers brushed the open cut on his Masters head and he chided himself for forgetting about the others wounds. He shifted slightly, grasping the edge of his tunic in his hands and ripped a length of cloth from the bottom of it. Taking the cloth he gently wrapped it around Qui-Gon's head tucking the loose ends back into the length of fabric to hold the makeshift bandage in place.
He fought down the claustrophobic feelings that were threatening to overcome him again. It was so dark. His forced aided vision was slowly leaving as his own body began to give in to the cold and shock. How many times does one have to be trapped in the dark before they develop a fear of it - for him it was too late. Desperately he calmed his breathing, exhaling slowly. But the same fit of coughing caught him again as he tried to inhale, the dust and debris in the air hung thick where he was trapped leaving a nasty metallic taste in his mouth. The dirt and soot filled his nose and he was sure his lungs were filled with the dust by the way his cough sounded deeply and hard in his chest.
Trying to move as little as possible the young Jedi slowly repositioned himself against the rock and plastisteel wall behind him. Sharp edges of the broken building pressed uncomfortably into his back. His boots sounded loudly as they scrapped slowly across the debris-ridden floor dragging through the grit that covered the cold stone where he sat.
"Padawan?"
"No shhh...", it's okay. Mentally he berated himself, he had been trying not to disturb the man he was cradling in his arms. He reached out blindly with his free hand using the force to guide him and touched the feverish head near his chest. The darkness was complete and not even the slightest amount of light gave way the form that lay so still beside him. Gently he pressed the mans face into his tunic and spoke softly, the sound of his voice through his chest lulling the other back into sleep.
It had been hours since the earthquake. He wondered briefly if they would ever be found. Worry edged into his thoughts gnawing at the back of his mind unrelenting and constant. How long would it take someone to find them. Surely someone remembered where they were.
"Mace.."
The words were whispered into the small cavern.
"Master?"
"Mace knows. He'll be looking for us."
"Yes Master." Obi-Wan wrapped his arms tightly around Qui-Gon's chest and held him against him. The weakened state of the older Jedi frightened him. Laying his head next to his Master's he spoke quietly into his ear. "I need you to stay awake now. You're in shock."
His Masters hand weakly tapped his own. "s'alright Obi-Wan. Will be alright."
"Yes I know." He swallowed hard and continued. "Do you remember when I had Rumalian fever and you wouldn't let me sleep?" When he got no immediate response he gently shook the body in his arms. "Do you remember Master?" His voice was light and he forced a smile even though fear swept through his heart.
A short chuckle ending in a congested cough sounded from the older Jedi. "I do." A deep tired breath. "You were such a brat."
Obi-Wan laughed lightly.
"Complained and cried the whole time."
"Well I felt awful and you wouldn't leave me alone."
"I couldn't. You know that."
"Yes and I do - now. Although at the time I couldn't figure out what your problem was."
Another cough, he was sure it had been meant to be a laugh, "And your point young one?"
"Well I intend to return the favor." He lay his head atop the one resting against his chest. "So...what shall we talk about."
"Too tired to talk my Padawan."
"If you don't stay awake Master I will be forced to go to extremes." He laughed.
A soft snort of derision met him, "And what did you have in mind?"
"Oh I don't know. How many times have you held me down and tickled me till I wet my pants or couldn't breathe and hyperventilated? I think I owe you."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me. Just fall asleep once and you'll see."
A shiver ran through the Master and his breathing faltered.
"Master!" No response. "Don't do this."
"Still here my Obi-Wan. But not for long I am afraid."
"You said yourself that Master Windu was coming for us, you must hold on." Obi-Wan wrapped the force tighter around the form of his master willing the life into him and denying him access to rest. "Stay with me."
Obi-Wan's eyes were closed tightly as he concentrated on pouring the living force into the damaged body in his arms.
"It's getting lighter." The softly whispered words were slurred and Qui-Gon stirred lightly in his arms.
"No Master, don't give up." Tears, unbidden slid softly down his cheeks.
"No," a deep sigh. "No Obi-Wan...not giving up. Rescued." The last word was breathed with relief.
Finally the meaning sunk into the stunned mind of the apprentice, his eyes snapped open to be met with a shower of dirt and debris as the ceiling above them cracked open and light came pouring through.
"Qui-Gon! Obi-Wan! Are you down there?! Are you alright?" The voice of Mace Windu cut through the darkness of their surroundings.
"Yes Master Windu! And no, no we are not all right. Master Qui-Gon is hurt badly, a column fell on him."
Soft murmuring voices floated down into the room where they sat. Moments later a bright light shown into the Padawan's face causing him to flinch and look away. Out of instinct he shielded his Masters eyes with a hand from the brightness and turned slightly back into it.
"We are right here." He called up to his rescuers. "Do you have the healers with you?"
"Yes we are getting them right now."
"What happened to the Temple?" He called back into the light that was now shifting through the cavern. He saw Maces upper body as he leaned through the hole in the ceiling searching through the wreckage of the small alcove they had been resting in.
The beam of light brush across the lower half of his Master and he winced catching his breath in a hiss. Qui-Gon's left leg had a compound fracture and added to the internal injuries that Obi-Wan knew he must have they had little time to spare.
"Hurry Master Windu."
"We are Obi-Wan. We have to be careful here. The earthquake took out almost all of the lower caverns. The temple and the topside areas had little or no damage. Most of the structure was reinforced but these lower areas took the brunt of the shifting and they didn't fare so well. We found an easy way to get down to the both of you or else it would have taken much longer to locate you. If we move too fast here we are going to end up in your laps. Now hang on both of you." The light and Mace disappeared and Obi-Wan was left again in complete darkness his eyes swirling with afterimages from the flashlight that had scoured their cave.
Fear leapt at him once more and as he tried to recenter himself a familiar voice whispered to him.
//Obi-Wan//
//Master?//
//It's really not dark. Remember that. And remember that I am here with you//
//Yes Master//
He could still hear the movement overheard and he could feel his Master breathing deeply in his arms. Out of strength, out of will, he lay his head atop the older Jedi's and let go. This time when the darkness took him, he wasn't afraid and he wasn't alone.
* * * * * * * * *
The soft whir and hum of machinery brought the Padawan back to consciousness. There was a dull ache in his leg like the half forgotten reminder of something far more serious and the smell of bacta wafted through the warm air around him.
He breathed in deeply and pressed back into the softness beneath him. His memory was fogged and snatches of quiet conversations around him flitted in and out of his awareness. Slowly he tried to recall where he was and why his mind was so sluggish. It felt good not to know and he just wanted to relax. He hoped Qui-Gon wouldn't mind too much if he slept in just this once.
Qui-Gon. His brain caught on the words.
"Master!" He shot up into a sitting position with a shout and was immediately sorry that he had. His head swam dizzyingly and he thought he might actually blackout. With a moan he cradled his head in his hands as he tried to remain upright. Tubes running to the back of his left hand made movement hard and startled him.
"Padawan Kenobi!" Hands grabbed his shoulders and pressed him back down gently but firmly. One hand reached behind his head and cradled it as he was lowered back on to the pillows beneath him. "You need to rest. Your Master will be all right, but you have just been released from the bacta tank yourself. Another stunt like that and Healer Collran will have to sedate you." The reprimand was spoken quietly but firmly.
"No. No more drugs." That was why he felt so disconnected and sick. "My Master, how is my Master?"
Opening his eyes he tried to focus on the face above his.
"I've already told you..." The apprentice healers response was cut off mid sentence as the man was pushed aside and a smiling dark face swam into view.
Obi-Wan scrunched up his face, blinking several times, trying to focus on the newcomer. His efforts were met with laughter that the young Jedi immediately recognized.
"Do I really look that bad?" The deep voice of Mace Windu boomed softly in the small medbay.
"Actually you do." Obi-Wan laughed as he blinked once more, the fog and fuzziness beginning to leave as the medications in his system wore off, "And there is more than one of you." He smiled up at his Masters long time friend. "How is Master Qui-Gon?" He asked again, the seriousness returning to his voice and eyes.
"He really will be okay Obi-Wan."
"Yes, and I know and that's what everyone is saying." With clarity, he pierced the older Jedi with a sharp pleading stare, "But how is he?"
Mace sighed and sat down next to the bed Obi-Wan lay in. "Well he's better than you." He teased lightly. He ran one large hand over his face and behind his neck worrying at the tense spots between his shoulders. "It's a good thing we found you when we did. He was in pretty bad shape. You two had been down there for a few hours."
"It was hard to tell how long."
The monitors over his bed beeped softly in the background. The silence comfortable between the two.
"Where is he now?" The words were soft and Obi-Wan hadn't moved, his eyes riveted to the ceiling as he searched along the bond he shared with his Master.
"Still in the bacta tank." Mace glanced over at the boy who let his gaze fall to the Council Member. "No." The Jedi looked away. After a few moments he glanced back to see the young apprentice still staring at him.
"No. Obi-Wan, they'll never let me take you to him." He looked away again. This time the silence grew uncomfortable. Mace stood up quickly, "There isn't anything you can do."
"And you really believe that?"
"Do you know how much trouble I could get into?"
"So block the memory from their minds you're a Jedi!"
"Obi-Wan!"
"Okay I'm sorry. I didn't mean that but please Master Windu, let me go sit with him." Obi-Wan stared the other down. "I feel better," He tried, a small smile tugging at his lips his face the perfect look of innocence and begging.
"Brat." Mace turned to look out the door quickly trying to locate the healers and see if he could get away with it. "Where'd you learn that one, your Master teach you that!?" He moved to the side of the bed and helped the young Jedi into a sitting position, "You should be ashamed of yourself perfecting that pathetic pleading stare like that." Smiling, Obi-Wan swung his legs over the bed and Mace helped him walk to the wheel chair sitting near the door. "What I don't do for the two of you. So help me if I get busted for this you and your Master both will owe me big time."
"It's a deal!" Obi-Wan smiled brilliantly up at him.
"Yeah that's what you both always tell me." Shaking his head and muttering to himself about stupid ideas, Mace leaned out the door way of the small med room, seeing no one, he wheeled the youth down the corridor to the left until they reached the bacta treatment room. A few droids moved slowly about the tanks, no sign of healers or Jedi anywhere. He passed his hand over the locking mechanism and it opened with a slight woosh. Warm air released into the cold sterile corridors. He pulled the wheelchair in after him and headed to the far corner of the room. The lights had been dimmed and the equipment hummed a soft steady thrum that could be felt throughout ones entire body.
As much as he hated the bacta tanks and the entire healers wing, Obi-Wan had learned to love to sit in this room in the silence and warmth of the bay and let the continual thrum of the machines lull him to sleep when he was sick. Mace moved a medical bed next to the tank that held Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan reached out and pressed his hand against the cool glass his palm leaving a moisture imprint on the tanks face. He sent waves of the force to the man floating in the green substance, waves of peace, of safety and love.
Mace hooked his hands under the youths arms and helped him to stand, his broken leg still needed supporting and he was not going to let the young jedi injure himself again. He helped the apprentice up onto the med-bed and turned the cot so Obi-Wan was facing the tank that held Qui-Gon.
With a smile Obi-Wan relaxed back onto the pillows piled up behind his head. His eyes grew heavy but his heart was happy, content now that he had seen for himself the fact that his Master was indeed on the mend.
Mace moved silently back through the room and leaned against the cool metal frame of the doorway giving the Jedi space and privacy. It had been a long day with a good ending and it could have ended so much worse. Almost had too, he reminisced. He watched as the apprentice talked softly to his Master, sleep slowly catching up with his body and mind. The contented smile on the young mans face slowly was mirrored on the dark Jedi's. Nodding to himself he turned to leave as Obi-Wan fell back to sleep his hand falling away from the glass of the tank and coming to rest near his face. A deep sigh moved him slightly as sleep reclaimed the young man and Mace decided it was time for him to leave.
And turning to leave he ran straight into the smaller form of Healer Collran. The man stood just behind him, the door having been opened sometime earlier without Mace's noticing. The Healer glared at the tall Council Member. Swallowing hard the Jedi Master forced a smile onto his face and tried to affect a look of innocence.
"Out!"
"Now listen Collran..."
"What were you thinking?"
"Why does everyone ask me that?"
The healer brushed past him and stopped inside the room. Mace set his hand gently on the others shoulder.
"Why don't you just let him stay for awhile. You know he sleeps better in here and as long as you have him separated from that Master of his, he'll only give you grief."
The smaller man shrugged off Mace's hand and with a gruff nod simply left the bay.
Laughing to himself and swearing vengeance on both his sleeping friends he edged the door shut.
"Take care you guys."
But before he could leave a small voice answered, "Thank you Master Windu. I owe you one."
"Yes you do my friend. Yes you do." With a smile he moved off down the hall and Obi-Wan resettled himself, replacing his hand on the glass in front of him and filling the bond he shared with his Master with thoughts of peace and health.
The end.