Before - Legends Aftermath [Fic Gift for The1stJediPrincess] (Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, Garen Muln)

Title: Aftermath
Author: @CmdrMitthrawnuruodo
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Timeframe: 1 year after Qui-Gon takes Obi-wan as his padawan
Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi-wan, Garen Muln, Dooku
Summary: Qui-Gon is recovering from being rescued and Obi-wan frets.
Author Notes: For The1stJediPrincess, for Fic Gift challenge. The background setting of this story was originally going to be the story, but I couldn't figure out how to get The1stJediPrincess requirements into the plot. So I figure, hey why not do the aftermath of such an adventure, should be plenty of hurt/comfort going on then. Right? So yeah, after three plots and a dozen start attempts, I finally came up with this. Unfortunately I do not read the JA series, so I do not know Garen except what wookieepedia says and somehow Dooku managed to worm his way into the story. Enjoy everyone

I would like a story in Before with:

1. An "old school" hurt/comfort story

2. Someone crying

3. A happy/hopeful ending

I do not want: anyone dying (close is okay)

Characters: Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Garen"

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Aftermath

“Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.”
– Corrie Ten Boom


It was suppose to have been a simple reconnaissance mission for a murder investigation involving two Senators, one having been brutally murdered by the other. What was suppose to have been simple turned into something incredibly complicated that Qui-Gon was certain it would have won a Golden Galactic Award with the entertainment industry for Best Holo had it been made into a holovid. He was suppose to have only observed a meeting between the assassins and their benefactor and what he found out had surprised him so much that he hadn't noticed the danger to himself.

Now he lay in the Healing Ward of the Jedi Temple recovering from his misadventure in which he had to be rescued not only by his new padawan, but by his old master as well. He wasn't sure which he smarted from the more. Being rescued by Obi-wan whom he has only trained for about a year or being rescued by Dooku whom he hadn't spoken to for years until recently. In fact, it was Dooku who had gotten him into the mess he found himself in. If it hadn't been for his former Master getting involved without telling him, Qui-Gon was certain he wouldn't have been captured and interrogated by the murderers.

Sporting a broken nose and arm, bruises and cuts in places he didn't know could hurt so much, Qui-Gon wished for the oblivion of sedatives and a bath in a bacta tank. He would have been granted at least the first, except his padawan currently fretted over him and seemed more worried that he would not wake up if he was put under. He could not blame the boy though. When Obi-wan and Dooku had found him, he was half conscious and probably looked like he had been put through a meat grinder.

He certainly felt like it.

“Obi-wan,” called another boy, an Initiate that had once posed as Obi-wan to thwart his former padawan, Xanatos, in a plot to destroy the Temple, and who became fast friends with Obi-wan. “I'm certain Master Jinn doesn't need to be watched like a hawkbat by you. He's in good hands, so I doubt he will do anything that will inconvenience everyone.”

“I certainly would not want to inconvenience anyone at all with an untimely departure,” commented the Jedi Master a little nasally and amused. His nose, although reset by a Healer, was still swollen and wore a blue cast to keep it from re-breaking. It left him with the inability to speak clearly.

“I'm not henpecking, Garen,” protested the fourteen year old boy. He was worried and being reminded at how close he almost lost his master after having just gained him not a year ago, Obi-wan was determined to see to it that Qui-Gon healed up right and was back on his feet soon. “Besides, it is a Padawan's duty to make sure his master is well and cared for.”

“But not to the point where you annoy him to death.”

“I'm not...”

“Enough you two.” Qui-Gon gave them both looks that he wouldn't have them arguing over how to care for him. “I appreciate the concern and willingness to see to it that I'm comfortable, but until I've had my bacta bath, there is little you can do for me Obi-wan. You've done enough already by seeing to it that I survived. Now, I do believe that is Healer Ioyna coming to take me away for my bacta treatment. You boys behave and Obi-wan...”

“Yes, Master?”

“Try not to worry yourself sick while I'm out.” The Jedi Master gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on his shoulder with his good arm. Obi-wan nodded solemnly and stepped away from the medical bed when the elderly Ioyna approached. He would have helped his master out of the bed except the Healer seemed to have it all under control. Kenobi followed after them to make sure Qui-Gon was safely secured in the tank and asleep before he allowed himself to relax a little.

“Padawan Kenobi, Initiate Muln,” Madame Ioyna turned to them once Qui-Gon was out like a light. “You two do not have to stay. I will let you know if there are any complications with his treatment.”

“Complications?” Obi-wan asked, his blue eyes flickering between Ioyna and his master. “What kind of complications?”

The Jedi healer expression was impassive but the two boys could sense that there was something wrong that neither of them had been told about by either the healers or by Qui-Gon. “You need not worry. He is in good hands.” With that said she walked out without answering Obi-wan's concern, which did not reassure the padawan one bit.

“I'm certain its nothing, Obi-wan.” Garen stepped next to him as Kenobi stood in front of his master's bacta tank. The padawan placed a hand on the plexiglass and reached out to the bond he shared with the man and only found it feeling numb, suppressed. He wondered if it were the drugs or if Qui-Gon had subconsciously closed the link to spare his apprentice of whatever the Healer was concerned about.

“You didn't see him when Master Dooku and I first found him,” Obi-wan snapped, tired of being told that everything would be fine. Everything wasn't fine. He almost lost his master and he felt like he was on the verge of still losing him. After all he had been through to get Qui-Gon as his master, Kenobi was determined to keep him. Force be damned was he going to allow a bunch of thugs and a corrupt politician prevent him from becoming a Jedi Knight under Qui-Gon's tutelage. “They almost killed him. I almost lost him.”

The last was said quietly.

Garen shifted on his feet restlessly, uncertain how best to comfort his friend and convey to him that everything would be alright. The boy placed a hand on Obi-wan's shoulder. “He's tough. It'll take more than what he's been through for you to get rid of him. He gave Kenobi an awkward grin along with his attempt to lighten the mood and cheer the padawan up.

“I don't want to get rid of him, Garen.” Muln rolled his eyes at the older boy and it took the padawan a moment to realize what his friend was trying to do. “Oh... right.”

“Come on,” Garen took him by the arm and turned him away from the unconscious and healing Jedi Master. “Lets go to the training sally and spar a bit while he heals.”

“I don't know...” Obi-wan pulled his arm out of the Initiate's grip. “I feel I should stay.”

“And the Force feels you will end up in here if you do. I'm certain it would be hilarious to the other masters that Master Jinn allowed his padawan to die from worry.” Garen grabbed the older boy by the arm again and pulled him away from Qui-Gon's bacta tank. “Madame Ioyna said she'll let us know if anything happens. Now come on, Obi-wan Kenobi. I will tell Master Jinn that you were afraid to face an Initiate in a sparring match.”

“You wouldn't.”

“I would and you know it.”

“Fine, lets go.” Garen rolled his eyes and followed his friend out of the Healer's Ward.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

It was probably a good thing that Garen had managed to get Obi-wan out of the Healer's Ward for a while. For what happened a couple hours later would have been made a lot more complicated with a worried padawan getting in the way. They were in their third match when both of them felt it in the Force. Something was happening elsewhere in the Temple and immediately Obi-wan had searched across the training bond just to be certain. What he had felt sent him racing back to the Healer's Ward without even bothering to hook his lightsaber back to his utility belt.

Both boys found themselves trying to get in to see Qui-Gon but none of the Healers or their padawans would tell them anything or allow them into the bacta room. Obi-wan paced in the hallway and asked anyone who was a healer if they knew anything. They didn't see or hear from Madame Ioyna and learned, at least, that she was in surgery with a patient. That knowledge alone did not help calm Obi-wan.

After an hour, Garen managed to get Obi-wan to sit down on a bench and the padawan buried his head in his hands. “I'm going to lose him, aren't I?” He looked up at his friend, tears brimming in his eyes at the thought of losing his master so soon. “I... I cannot feel him across the bond. It's weak... closed.”

“But you can feel him, right?” the younger boy asked. “I mean, he's still here isn't he?”

Obi-wan paused thoughtfully before closing his eyes and stretching out into the Force. He may not be able to feel his master along the bond they shared, but Garen was right. He could still feel Qui-Gon's presence, but it was weakened.

“Yes, I can sense him, sorta.”

“Hey who is that?” Garen gestured over to a tall Jedi Master who was speaking to one of the Healers in the doorway of another room that just opened. Obi-wan looked and was surprised to see the older Jedi here. He remembered Dooku staying long enough to see to it that his master was taken care of and then had quickly departed.

“That's Master Dooku. I thought he didn't care,” Obi-wan whispered and then hurried over in the hopes that the older Jedi knew something and would tell him. “Master Dooku!”

The graying master turned slightly to face the person who had called out to him. His usual stern expression dropping briefly in sympathy when he recognized the padawan of his padawan. “Thank you, Claine. Keep me informed of any changes. Padawan Kenobi, Initiate,” he said at last to the young boys once the healer had left to take care of other duties. “I take it you felt it, Obi-wan?”

“Yes.” Obi-wan glanced around the older master to take a look behind him and into the room that he had come from with the other healer. What he saw had him moving but a firm grip on his shoulder by the taller master kept him from entering the room. “Let me go!”

“You will do him little good by rushing in there full of emotion, boy.” Dooku chided and waited for the padawan to gather his composure before letting go of him.

“What happened?” Garen asked from behind Obi-wan, equally as worried and fearful for Qui-Gon but better at hiding it at the moment. Perhaps it was because Qui-Gon was not his master and therefore did not have the same connection as Obi-wan had.

“There was a... complication,” Dooku began to explain once he was certain he had Kenobi's attention and that the boy would not run into the room. “He started bleeding internally from a ruptured artery. The machinery caught the changes in his vitals and I alerted the healers in time. He just got out of surgery.”

Obi-wan dreaded asking how he was but then he noticed what Dooku had said. He had been there when it happened. “You were there?”

“Yes. I was checking up on him.” Dooku quirked a brow at the disbelief he heard in the boy's voice. “Why is that surprising to you?”

“You left.”

“Ah. I suppose that would give the wrong impression.” He smiled warmly and glanced into the room the object of their conversation was currently residing in. “I made sure he was cared for before leaving to give my report, which you have yet to submit to the Council.”

“I've been um... preoccupied.” Obi-wan reddened a little for his negligence of duties. The Jedi Master patted him on the shoulder and stepped aside to give him access to the room. Obi-wan didn't hesitate to enter and he and Garen stepped past the taller Jedi.

“Understandably, considering the nature of the distraction. Obi-wan,” Dooku waited for the Padawan to face him again.

Obi-wan was torn between stopping to see what Dooku wanted and going to his master's side as he lay there quietly in a bed, hooked up to a transfusion machine and sleeping peacefully. “Yes, Master?”

“He will be fine.” For some reason Obi-wan believed the older master and that made it all the easier to return to his master and quietly watch over him. The fear of losing him no longer gripping at his heart.

END

 

Obi-Wan is a worrier, and it was nice to have Dook there being so concerned. Nice touch.

 

A great story with all the characters just as they are in the JA series

 

This was very well done. Sometimes just three words from one certain person can be the greatest comfort.

 

Indeed, Obi-wan is. Dooku demanded to be there. His excuse was that he's been badly portrayed by the Sith Authors, Darth Lucerno and Darth Watson, concerning Qui-Gon and felt the need to rectify that. *whispers* Truth be told, he just wanted attention, the silly Sith that he is.

Whew! I was so worried about Garen Muln. I'm glad he turned out alright after all.

Thank you. Very much so and Dooku seemed to be the right choice for it.