Before - Legends Birthday Musings Obi/Qui A belated birthday fic for Kestrel_Kenobi (Part2 UPDATED 25/1)

Title: Birthday Musings

Authors: Stella_Ripple and obi_webb

Summary: Qui-Gon is recovering from a vacation that had not quite gone to plan (as usual) whilst Obi-Wan enjoys the role of nursemaid and chief worrier!

Keywords: Birthday, cake, sneaking out, resting, caring

Disclaimer: When the sandbox beckons, who are we to resist?

Notes: My wonder co-writer obi_webb and I wrote this for Kes's birthday. Hope you had a great one, sis and enjoy! obi_webb will be posting the second part of this little piece later!




Birthday Musings

Qui-Gon eyed the warden, carefully studying the unrelenting features that were always near his own; lately he had begun to notice a new exhaustion running through them. It was becoming evident enough from the tired slump of the shoulders, and the deepening of the lines around the dropping eyelids that he had only another half hour till the sharp eyes that kept him under constant scrutiny could not help but close.

Careful to keep the smile on his face mild and unassuming, he watched delightedly as the man?s shoulder edged further and further back into the hard-backed chair. He waited until the stern mouth had slowly slipped apart before letting the calculating gleam in his eyes become apparent. Tentatively, he lifted the thin sheets covering himself and proceeded until he had enough height for his stiff legs to sneak over the side of the bed and felt a shiver snake through him as they touched the cool stone. Concentrating all his weight on the balls of his feet, he tried to edge over the side of the mattress until he was sitting straight up with his back to his unsuspecting guard. Pleased to find that the several weeks of confinement hadn?t dented his ability carry out covert missions he stood up quickly, eager to get out while he still could.

A violent creak echoed after him- effectively shattering the silence he had been carefully cultivating.

Qui-Gon froze, willing the Force not to be so cruel as to take away his hard-won freedom. Nervously, he twisted his head, half expecting to be met by a forceful pair of hands intent on clamping him back down to the confines of his four-legged torture chamber. But at the sight behind him, he fought to keep back a huge sigh of relief.

Obi-Wan was still in his chair, just as he had been every time he had looked in the past weeks, but this time the miracle he had been praying for some days now had at last been granted him- his young gaoler was fast asleep.

Too grateful to tempt the Force any longer, Qui-Gon padded out to the door as quickly as he dared, stopping only to grab his shoes. Once outside, he was hit by a brightness that his eyes had long forgotten- and that immediately started them watering- it had been a long time since he had seen anything that was not lit by the dim lamps of the hospital. Blinking rapidly against the new intensity, he waited while the fresh air, another forgotten friend, swept a cool greeting through his clothes. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. It was good to feel life again.

He walked slowly across the village, marveling as he savoured the smell of the fresh blooms wafted over with each new breeze and his ears tingled at the sound of the chirping of new birds, at how quickly nature?s wonders fade from the mind, and delegated to the misty realms of memory in only a few short weeks, leaving him in the grips of a cold reality of blank walls and gleaming tiles, with only the blank-faced doctors for company.

Now his conscience prodded him and he cringed at his own omission. Could he be trying to forget the worried eyes and pinched face that had bent over him every time he had drifted into a lucid state; the reassuring smile that had always been the first thing he woke to every time; the gentle hands that had, of late, been treating him as if he were a fragile piece of Alderaanean glass?

Here he bristled with the irritation he had been struggling to conceal for a few days. If he wasn?t so frustrated at the mother

 

Awwww.....very sweet.

I love Obi-Wan's devotion to his Master.

Excellent job on this!

 

You two know how much I love this - such a beautiful gift.

Wonderfully written - such delightful images.

I'm lucky to have such lovely friends...thank you!

 

Very Nice.

 

Awww how sweet You did an excellent job with all the descriptions.

 

Aaaah, Qui-Gon escaping. He's at his most endearing then.

Happy Birthday!

 

Here he bristled with the irritation he had been struggling to conceal for a few days. If he wasn?t so frustrated at the mother hen- nee Obi-Wan Kenobi- that was his constant companion, he might have admitted to a sneaking sympathy for the one who was usually on the receiving end of the smothering.

Qui-Gon, it's not as easy to be on the receiving end of things, is it?

Can't wait to read the end of this!

Star

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi had NO clue what to do about Qui-Gon's birthday. He wanted to do something special, but every idea he had didn't measure up in his mind.

So he went out for a walk around the village and hoped he would be hit with a sudden bit of inspiration.

This little impromptu vacation has been a welcome break from the seemingly endless number of missions Qui-Gon and he had been on of late. Obi had truly enjoyed his time here, and while he looked forward for his Master to recuperating fully, part of him didn't want to ever leave the beautiful tranquility of this place.

His Master seemed to enjoy the beautiful tranquility as well. Obi already caught him ONCE sneaking out of the hospital to enjoy the great outdoors. At least for another day or so Qui should just be content to enjoy the beautiful tranquility of the hospital bed.

But surely there is something Obi can do to at least make Qui-Gon's birthday from the hospital special. He certainly deserved something special. Something perfect, but Obi-Wan just can't think of the right gift yet.

Obi-Wan walks further into the village, lost in his thoughts.


What could he do to show Qui-Gon how much he meant to him?


"A credit for your thoughts Obi?" Obi hears from behind him.

The voice snaps him back into reality and he turns around.

"Oh, hello Ms. Star!" Obi greets. "I didn't even realize I was as far into town as your house!"

She smiles and chuckles a bit to herself. "Obi, you know you can call me Tana."

Obi's reply is to blush ever so slightly. If Tana notices she doesn't say anything.

Tana Star has been a friend to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon ever since they arrived here for there little vacation. She and her family (which consisted of her husband Jacen, her oldest son Jack, who was 5, and her daughter Winter who was 3) had done everything they could to make the two Jedi feel welcome in their village.

"Would you like to come inside for a bit?" she asks.

Obi-Wan almost says, "I wouldn't want to intrude," but he stops himself. His first inclination is to say something to that effect, because it's true, but he knows what Tana's reaction to it would be. She'd say, "Obi, you wouldn't be intruding at all! Now come on in and at least grab yourself a few cookies!"

Obi knows this, because they've been through the routine a few times already this past week. So instead of the same old song and dance again, Obi changes the routine and says, " Thank you Tana, I'd love to."

Tana smiles at him, visibly pleased with Obi-Wan's reply. "I didn't have to bribe you with cookies this time." she says as she opens the door.

She walks inside and Obi follows in behind her.

Tana's kids see Obi-Wan right away and are quick to greet him. Obi greets them in kind, and they talk a bit. They yet again ask to see his lightsaber.

Tana was a few rooms away, having went into the kitchen but she has a mother's ears and says loudly enough that her kids knows she meant business, "I told you not to bother Obi or Qui-Gon about their lightsabers! They're not toys!"

Tana comes back into the living room and the kids eventually retreat to their respective rooms, but not before they both say good bye to Obi.

"They like you." Tana tells him.

Obi's reply is to yet again blush and yet again, if Tana notices she doesn't say anything.

"So what brought you out this way Obi?" she asks as she sits down on her favorite couch and Obi sits in the chair across from her.

"It's Qui-Gon's birthday today Tana. And I want to do something special for him, but I don't know what yet...." Obi wants to say more, but the words he's looking for escape him.

"You want to do something for him to show how much he means to you and every idea you come up with doesn't seem good enough." Tana says, saying exactly the words Obi was searching for.

"Are you sure you're not a Jedi yourself Tana?" Obi-Wan asks playfully.

Tana just laughs a bit.

"Obi, I know from your brief time you've been here that Qui-Gon is like a father to you. And as a mother I k

 

A wonderful ending to a heart-warming story.

Qui-Gon then notices the cake, and the look on his face and the feelings that Obi can feel coming from his Master right now tell him again that Tana was right. He didn't need to find the perfect gift. The best gift he could possibly give is to show Qui-Gon every day that he is growing up to be the man he raised him to be.

Beautiful.

Thanks again guys!

 

Aw.....gee whiz, sniff. That's just cool. Love it.

 

"Are you asleep yet Master?" Obi asks quietly.

Qui-Gon sits up in his bed. "I had a very good nap, my Padawan. I feel quite rested. I suppose you were right about staying in bed and not overexerting myself. I think it did the trick."

Qui-Gon rolls out of bed and Obi-Wan notices the fresh dirt that was his on Masters boots by the door, but he doesn't say anything.

Good job, Obi-Wan! Don't tell your Master that you caught him on his Birthday!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Star