At the Stroke of Midnight

MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't leave us hanging! Please give us a post!!!

 

I agree. MORE!

 

Yes! She stabbed the horrible reptile! Grrrr! Go get him, Jemmy! He'll need more than bandages by the time Qui-Gon catches up with him...

 

Man!! She stabbed him in the wrong spot!

Jemmiah, girl, if you've got only a small knife you gotta aim for something small and vital. The throat is good, kidneys work too, though it takes longer, an eye is always a good choice.

 

Ohh I really like this story. Way to go Jemmiah, except she should have gone for his scaly neck.

 

Yeah, I agree with Leona. I have the nasty feeling that it will only make Rufus even more annoyed. And he's not a nice person when he's annoyed.

Not that he was ever nice to start with...

Must have more!!!

 

nice i like, hmmmm obi is unconsious on the ground. . . I'd say

 

Daphne, that was brilliant! I was only away for one day and I end up reading loads of marvelous posts!

Jemmy, don't give in!! After all, you've still got a pair of teeth.......

 

Alright, since my readers seem to be ravenous, I will post a short one now, and assuming my laptop is working and the inflight movie is hideous, another later - say in *checks watch* five or six hours.

At the stroke of midnight - part twelve (1/2)

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

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Qui-Gon gripped his lightsaber tightly as he came down the side of the building. Only the force kept his anger in check for the view certainly did not. He could see his padawan kneeling on the rocks in the courtyard below, a guard stationed behind him - blaster raised.

The thump beside him foretold of Alex's successful jump down. Only ten feet of height and a yard of distance seperated the two Jedi from where they needed to be. It might well have been a galaxy.

Tightening his grip on the blaster, the guard smirked. The squeeze of the trigger was slow - he wanted to draw out every moment, the bragging rights that went with the killing of a Jedi were to be savored. Smiling, he heard the sound of his blaster - and he saw a beam of light where the barrel of his weapon should be. Then he saw nothing.

Alex stepped back from the remining guard. Cuffing his to the rail just inside the door guaranteed the man would stay out of trouble. Returning to the courtyard, he saw Qui-Gon standing over two bodies, the Force evidenced only one life force between them, and for a moment he had a horrible vision of life for Qui-Gon if they had been too late. The moan from the young Jedi silenced his worries.

Qui-Gon knelt quickly at his apprentice's side, rocking him gently in his arms. "Obi-Wan? Padawan? Can you hear me?"

Alex felt the chill in the air as Obi-Wan's lids lifted to half mast, and the rasp in his lungs as the young man forced out the words. "Jemmiah..... Rufus has Jemmiah......" Alex might never know what images Master and Padawan shared, but the words, the thoughts, they did the impossible. Qui-Gon told Alex to take Obi-Wan back to the hovercar. He had some business to take care of.

Gingerly wrapping the padawan in the Force, Alex backtracked until the car was in sight. Once the boy was settled into the backseat, the Master slumped forward a bit from exhaustion. Meri's arms settled across his shoulders as Corrine hovered over the yung man. Brushing his hair back from his face, she bent forward and kissed him, murmering, "You'll be alright." Both Jedi caught the look of betrayal on her face as Obi-Wan's only answer was a pained word.

"Jemmy."

 

Oh Rufus, you're for it now!! Go get him Qui-Gon!!!!!!!!

Although I have to say I'd be nice if Jemmy had a share in her destiny.....

 

Oh, Rufus, you are sooooo Toast!!

 

Is it very horrible of me to hope that the inflight movie was awful!!!

Oh, Obi. You've done it now boy! If the medics don't kill you then Corrine surely will!

 

Just for the record, the inflight movie is Austin Powers: The Spy who shagged me - with subtitles, so right now I'm slouching in my seat and playing with my laptop.... I hate flying.

At the stroke of midnight - part twelve (2/2)

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

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Jemmiah kept her head high as her nemesis stalked her from across the room. While she had no particular aversion to just letting him kill her and get it over with, giving him the satisfaction was something she was loathe to do. She watched carefully as he drew the blade from his side and bound it tightly with a shirt laying on the floor. The look in his eyes seemed to harden as he regarded the blood - his blood - that she had spilled.

He raised the blaster and closed the distance and Jemmiah could almost feel the fight slip away from her. He could not miss at this range, and she wasn't all that certain she wanted to die. *You do have people out there. Hang on for them.* *Who? Obi-Wan? You killed him. Why bother?* Rufus was mere inches from her face and the barrel of the blaster was pressed against her breastbone when the tears again sprang to her eyes. Before the taunt on his tongue could escape, the grate of breaking wood could be heard behind them.

Rufus turned, half in anger, half in fear. The leer disappeared, leaving on his face the confidant look of one who knows he can win. "Fine, come closer. Front row seat for you Jedi when I kill her."

Qui-Gon stopped, reaching out with his empty hand, his saber never waverd as the blaster was ripped from the man's hand by the Force. Seeing her chance, Jemmiah lunged for the lamp on the bedside table and swung it like a club at his head. The shattering sound and the gurgle of blood startled even the Jedi. Crossing the room in long strides he joined Jemmiah, placing a hand around her shoulders as he hooked his weapon onto his belt.

Her eyes misted with reality as Qui-Gon used his comm to call for planetary patrol units to *deal* with this kidnapper. Drawing her into a comforting embrace, Qui-Gon brushed her hair away from her face and tried to probe her with the force, it was almost more painful than reaching out to Obi-Wan. Jemmiah's emotions were so raw and unshielded he withdrew - not learning anything of value. "It will be alright Tangles. Just tell me what happened."

Jemmiah turned her face up, taking in the familiar protective features. "I... I'm sorry Master Jinn. I didn't mean to!"

"Didn't mean to do what? You haven't done anything wrong."

"I killed him! It's all my fault!"

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid you haven't managed to kill Mr. Meridan." The wry tone of voice was unappreciated however, and as the partol unit entered the room, Qui-Gon made no effort to pry Jemmiah's clenched fists from his tunics. Only after they left, did Qui-Gon finally learn the reason for her distress.

"How could I have killed him?!?"

Half way to the transport, Qui-Gon heard her exclamation again, and dropped to one knee in front of her. "Jemmiah, you haven't killed anyone."

Unable to meet his eyes, she wondered if he'd ever talk to her once he knew. Gritting her teeth, she murmered, "yes, I did. I killed Obi-Wan."

The stab the words brought to his heart was painful, even though he could feel his apprentice, still in pain, but safe now, and only yards away. Pulling Jemmiah into his arms, he whispered "He's safe, Tangles. It will all be okay."

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Now don't get any ideas, this story isn't close to being done yet, but I thought it would be nice to leave you on a happy note for a change.

 

'Not close to being done' is always something we like to hear when reading a good story, right guys?

Now I don't suppose we could wheedle another post out of you...??? *G*

 

Yes, I like a nice happy not-ending!

Sniff.

Corinne will mince the pair of them!

 

This needs to go right back up to the top!

 

Please don't leave us in suspense for too long. Will Jemmy and Obi get back together, or will they be thwarted by the Valorum family?!

 

Happy is definately good!!!!!! (And I'm glad it was Jemmy who nailed him!!)

And we're estatic there's more to come!!! (Turning cartwheels at the thought..)

 

nice daphne, nice

 

ok up

 

He he! One thing that Jemmy knows that Corinne doesn't is Obi's love of snacking. All she has to do is visit him in his hospital bed armed with a bag of doughnuts and Corinne won't stand a chance!

Back to the top with you, I say!

 

Hey! Where's the next post?! you can't just leave it like that and tell us it's not over yet!!

 

Sorry for the wait, but I was sort of tied up today. Here's the next part. I have decided to be generous and post part fourteen tomorrow.

At the stroke of midnight - part thirteen

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

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Jemmiah allowed herself to be dragged away and submitted to the poking and prodding of the Healer's at the Temple. That was the first sign that her mind was somewhere else. The second was when she docily allowed Meri to lead her to the Jedi's quarters and order her out of her gown and into a pair of blue pants and a white tunic.

"Jemmy?"

No answer.

"Jemmy?"

Silence.

Walking up to her friend, Meri reached out and knocked lightly on the other girl's forhead. "Hey! Anyone home in there?"

"Do you think he'll hate me?"

Stepping back, startled by both Jemmiah responding to her, and by the response itself, Meri collected herself. "Only one way to find out. Think An-Paj is done with him?"

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Alex gritted his teeth. Restraining a frightened and worried young woman was proving more challenging than he thought. Restraining a frightened and worried Jedi Master, was almost enough to turn him to the Darkside. He might have been run over right then and there by the pair of them if Jemmiah and Meri hadn't snuck through the door.

Qui-Gon was distracted from his worry about Obi-Wan by his worry for Jemmiah. She stepped into the arms he extended to her. She was past tears now, but wanting to feel safe was still foremost in her mind. She longed to see Ben, her Ben, but for now, Qui-Gon could play father and protect her all he wanted - they could both worry about denying it later. Finally finding her voice, she let herself speak.

"Where is he?"

Puzzled, Qui-Gon pulled away for a second. Finally understanding what he thought she wanted, he replied. "The Chancellor returned to his quarters. He said he would send a car for you when you were ready to leave."

Hurt and abandonment flowed from her ever so slightly at that, but Jemmiah shook her head. "No, Obi-Wan."

The hurt in her eyes mirrored his own, and it took a few moments before Qui-Gon could trust his voice to remain steady and calm. "The healers have him now. They tell me it doesn't look promising."

Jemmiah swallowed hard before she asked. She didn't want to know, but she had to know. "How bad?"

This time, he couldn't keep his voice from cracking as he drew her into a tigher embrace. "They think he may die."

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The groggy haze had been fully abandoned the moment they threw him in his cell. Rufus Meridan did not lose, and he did not spend his days in a Republic prison - and yet, he had, and he did - thanks to those blasted Jedi. Again.

His bitterness had cemented itself the moment he heard the charges. Kidnapping. Assault. Corruption. Vice. But no murder charge. *All that and that Jedi Brat is still alive?* Rufus had been incredulous. The boy should have died, and he had every intention of finding some way to finish what he started. *Then the girl.... the girl will understand. She cost me everything, and I do pay back my debts.*

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"It's nice up here, isn't it?"

"I suppose you've seen it often enough."

Pause.

"Do you miss living here, Jem? Do you miss him?"

Corrine could here the deep breath her friend took before answering. "He saved my life. He and Master Jinn saved my life. And then we were best friends. Then he was my boyfriend, but still my best friend, and then...."

"And then he was your lover...." The hurt tone in Corrine's voice could have been heard by even the densest individual, but Jemmiah didn't respond.

The silence hung between them, awkward, dark, and the two young woman stood, side-by-side on the balcony of the Jedi Temple and gazed out over Coruscant. The sun, once high above their heads sank low on the horizon, the glaze of the artificial atmosphere making the sun dance. And still there was silence.

As the half the sun lowered itself into