Before - Legends Mist of Dawn: The Stone of Faith ~*UPDATED 8/22*~

Obi!!!! My poor little Obi!!! Xani, I love you, but I am going to have to hurt you so bad for hurting Obi!!!! That was an action filled post, and I really enjoyed it! Oh, btw, I just love Terry! In a survey in the Writer's Forum, I listed Terry as my favorite OC. Just though I'd tell you. I love Xani in the picture also! Poor Obi though. UP!

 

Jess~ Hey where is this OC poll thing you were talking about? I'd like to check it out! I love Xani too, so just wait until later on in the story... I think you'll like it!


Now on to the post!

 

?Hey kid, wake up!? Obi-Wan struggled to get to the surface of the darkness. As he slowly woke up, pain from every part of his body flooded into his awareness. Every muscle and bone screamed for help as he finally opened his eyes. Expecting to be blinded by light, he was surprised when he registered darkness. Well not total darkness, but enough so he could keep his eyes open without causing a headache.

He glanced around the room, not moving his head because of the headache. It was a rather large room, lavishly decorated in deep burgundy colored furniture. The bed he was laying on was very large, large enough to hold four people, and it was covered in a wine colored spread. All in all, the room was definitely not what he would expect for a holding cell, where Xanatos would have usually put him.

?Thank the stars. I thought you were gone for good.? Obi-Wan turned his head slowly towards the voice, and wasn?t surprised to see Xanatos there. But there was a nagging in the back of his head, not a warning, but the force was trying to tell him something.

?What do you want Xanatos?? Obi-Wan had given up trying to come up with witty things to say to him, they always got him a beating.

?Do you know me somehow? Cause I sure as hell don?t know you.? Xanatos sat down on the bed next to him. He was dressed different now, in a tight black shirt and fitted gray pants. His hair was still the same raven black, but instead of reaching his shoulders, it was cut short, and gelled in the front, like Terry?s.

Obi-Wan stored all this into his head to think about later. He attempted to sit up, and was rewarded with a flood of new pain from his broken ribs. He gasped out loud, and then immediately held his breath for the mocking laughter he was sure would follow. None did, instead, he felt hands on his back, helping him into sitting position, leaning against the pillows.

?Careful now, I don?t need you dying on me again.? Xanatos said as he leaned back to where he had been originally sitting. ?So how did you know my name??

Obi-Wan was confused. It must have been the drug still in his system of something. Xanatos was acting very strange, almost like a different person. He didn?t answer the other man, instead he closed his eyes, and started a healing trance. He heard Xanatos sigh and felt his weight leave the bed, he ignored both and sank deeper into the healing waves of the force.

?At least let me help you.? the voice floated through the force, reaching Obi-Wan. He jerked back into awareness and glared up at Xanatos, who was leaning over him with his hands hovering above his head and chest.

?Leave me alone Xanatos. Haven?t you already ?helped? me enough. Oh I get it, you just want me better so you can torture me again right? Well I can heal myself, I don?t need your help.? Obi-Wan snapped at the older man and watched as Xanatos? face seemed to wilt. It almost looked like he was going to cry.

?What the heck is wrong with him?? Obi-Wan thought to himself as he watched the retreating form close the door behind him. Baffled by Xanatos? behavior, he had trouble getting back into his meditation, and so he just laid on the bed, trying to put together the puzzle with the few pieces he had.



Edit~ Sorry bout the name mispelling... my word always changes it to the form without the a in the middle!

 

Wow, wasn't expecting something like that!! Hmmm, very interesting. Nice twist! I like it!

?Do you know me somehow? Cause I sure as hell don?t know you.? Xantos sat down on the bed next to him. He was dressed different now, in a tight black shirt and fitted gray pants. His hair was still the same raven black, but instead of reaching his shoulders, it was cut short, and gelled in the front, like Terry?s.

Erm, DROOL!!!! Obi-Wan snapped at the older man and watched as Xantos? face seemed to wilt. It almost looked like he was going to cry. Awwwww. Xani!! That was an awesome! update. I can't wait for more now!! Oh, btw, just telling you. Erm, you spelt Xanatos wrong in that post. Just telling you. Do you think in your next post you can add a nice, detailed description of Obi-Wan please, so I can "ogle" at them both? [face_pleading]

Oh yeah, it wasn't a polll or anything. It was just a survey writers thing in the Writer's forum. They had a bunch of questions, and one of them was "Who is your favorite OC."

 

I'll see what I can do about the Obi desccription, but I already have the next post ready...

Well thanks for making Terry your fav! It makes us both feel special!

Here's the next segment!

 

Obi-Wan turned his head to watch Xanatos as the other man stretched. Xanatos had not attempted to talk to him after the last time, which was over two days ago. And Obi-Wan hadn?t minded the silence. But the dark Jedi?s actions were confusing. First off, he didn?t act like himself at all. There were no taunts or cruel jokes, which had Obi-Wan off balance. This man was acting almost, nice? ?No that can?t be? he thought to himself, ?Xanatos is the worst kind of person. He doesn?t have a compassionate bone in his body.?

Xanatos stood up and began a kata. The forms seemed to flow around him. Obi-Wan reached into the Force, and was stunned to realize the man was drawing on it to help him, but not the dark side, but the light side! No dark Jedi could use the light side, it burned them. Obi-Wan was baffled, and it obviously showed on his face, because Xanatos stopped his exercises when he glanced up.

?Are you okay?? His voice was concerned, giving him another piece of the puzzle. Xanatos stepped towards him, and Obi-Wan shrank back from him out of habit. Xanatos saw this and stopped where he was, a flash of hurt crossed his handsome features. Obi-Wan felt a thread of regret at his actions move through his heart. He didn?t know what was going on, but he hated to make someone feel hurt.

?I?m fine. Can I ask you a few questions?? Obi-Wan decided to try something new. Xanatos crossed over to the bed, and sat on the edge, careful not to venture into Obi-Wan?s personal space.

?Sure, but will you tell me your name?? Xanatos let a small smile cross his face. Introductions had not been on the younger man?s mind these past few days.

Obi-Wan himself was again surprised at the situation. If Xanatos really didn?t know his name... what game was the man playing at? Obi-Wan shock his head and grinned back at the man. If Xanatos wanted to play this game, he would too. ?I?m Obi-Wan Kenobi.?

Xanatos? eyes seemed to dull, as he rolled the name around in his head. He had heard the name before, where though? He was brought back to the present as Obi-Wan shifted to sit up straighter, a grimace crossed his face as his ribs protested the movement. Xanatos moved to help him rearrange the pillows so he was comfortable.

Obi-Wan sighed and opened his mouth to speak, when Xanatos interrupted him. ?I remember now! You were the child Qui-Gon and I brought back from D?ni, after the negotiations there.? Xanatos smile lit the room, filling it with his happiness at remembering who the young man was. Obi-Wan on the other hand was even more confused. Qui-Gon and Xanatos had brought him to the temple? Why hadn?t his master told him?

?Why did you turn Xanatos? What was so tempting about the dark side?? Obi-Wan decided to go straight to the heart of the matter. He watched as Xanatos? facial expressions went from startled, to shocked and then to sadness. Obi-Wan had to stop himself from putting his hand on the man?s shoulder to comfort him. He had to remind himself that this was an act. Xanatos raised his eyes to Obi-Wan?s face, and took a deep breath.

?What are you talking about?? The one sentence conveyed so much confusion, it leaked past Obi-Wan?s shields, confusing the younger man also.

?You hurt Qui-Gon so much when you turned. He almost killed himself with his grief! And you just sit here, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened!? Obi-Wan didn?t know where the anger had come from, and he had no control over it. It flowed from him in the form of hateful words that tore into the older man?s heart. Seeing this Obi-Wan?s anger shriveled and died. He was ashamed of his outburst, and doubly confused by the way Xantos was reacting to it. The other man had grown pale, and he was staring at Obi-Wan with such a look, that Obi-Wan had to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. ?I?m sorry, I shouldn't have lost control like that. It?s unbecoming of a Jedi.? Obi-Wan lowered his gaze to stare at his hands which had settled back in his lap.

?I don?t understand. You?re saying that I turned to the dark side, but I haven?t becaus

 

Hmmmm, why did the servant give/have the river stone?? Is it... is the sevant Terry in diguise? Great post! What the heck is going on, though? And I love Xani like this. And poor confused Obi. Heehee

 

Xanatos sat in the empty room, meditating. It was all he usually did during the day, meditate and practice his katas. But then Obi-Wan had been thrust into his boring life, and everything had changed. First the boy ignored him, overcome in anger. When he tried to help the boy, he was told to go away. Then the confusion that seemed to invade both their minds. What was the boy talking about when he said he had betrayed Qui-Gon?

Being stuck in this lonely prison was torture, but now with questions floating around, it seemed as if the old days had been heaven. The force swirled around him, giving him no answers. He sighed as he sunk deeper into the calm of the force.

~~~~


?Ah, so nice of you to join me.? The voice brought Obi-Wan?s head up. His eyes locked onto Xanatos? cold blue ones. This was the Xanatos he knew and hated. He had it pretty much figured out now. He just had to get confirmation.

?So what are you Xanatos? Wait, you?re not Xanatos at all are you? You?re just a cloned version of someone who was loved and treasured. Something you?ll never be!? Obi-Wan?s words struck the dark man to the core. Anger seemed to explode around the room as Xanatos stood up from his chair. It was the desired effect, and it proved that this man was nothing like the one who was supposably still sitting back in his cell.

?You don?t know the half of it boy. Qui-Gon Jinn can?t save you this time. All those other times we?ve faced off, I was playing around. Otherwise you?d be dead.? Xanatos lashed out, striking the young man on the head. Obi-Wan clenched his teeth against the pain, as his face swung to the side with the force of he blow.

?Is that all you?ve got Xanatos? I?ve seen girls who can hit harder!? Obi-Wan knew he was egging his enemy on, but it was the only way to get the answers he needed. Again he was rewarded, this time with a kick in the chest. His already broken ribs screamed in agony. He doubled over, trying to suck in air. He lungs refused to work, and he was left gasping.

Xanatos sneered down at the kneeling figure. ?You?ll never learn boy.? The older man kicked him again, laughing at the moan that followed.

Obi-Wan concentrated on controlling the pain enough, so he could talk. ?Why did you pick Xanatos and Qui-Gon to be tortured? Why kidnap Xanatos?? Obi-Wan said through white lips. The pain was slowly lessening, allowing him to breath easier. He watched as Xanatos paced the room.

?My master had me made for one purpose only. To exact revenge on Qui-Gon Jinn. My existence was a bleak one, and i grew up knowing only hate for this man.
When I first found out I had a ?twin,? I was horrified to know that he loved the man I hated. So I set out on my first mission, to kidnap my original. It would cause Qui-Gon much pain, pain that would eventually lead to death.? Xanatos stopped his pacing to glare at Obi-Wan, who had managed to sit up, with the help of the nearby wall. ?Why do you ask Jedi whelp??

Obi-Wan considered his next words carefully. ?How did you get a sample of Xanatos? DNA?? He had to find out the how and why, so everything would finally make sense to him.

?I don?t know! Nor do I care.? Xanatos waved a hand towards a mirror, and the door to the room opened. ?I grow weary of this conversation. I have better things to do with my time than discuss my life with you. Ghias here will see to your needs.? A wicked gleam in the Dark Jedi's eyes warned Obi-Wan that the next few hours might not be very pleasant. ?Enjoy your stay.? This last was said with a smile, and Xanatos left, his cloak swirling behind him.

?Shall we begin?? Obi-Wan looked back to Ghias and shivered when he caught the cold stare. He fingered the stone in his pocket, hidden from those cold eyes. He hoped he lived through this, so Qui-Gon might know that his beloved Xanatos was still of the light.

~~~~

?Masters.? Terry bowed in greeting to the somber faces that filled the screen.

?Greetings Knight Krenwar. News have you of the mission?? Yoda?s wizened face dominated the screen. Terry gazed into the

 

Uppity!

 

New post later tonight if anyone's interested...

 

hmmm maybe another post will bring some people back?

 

Obi-Wan was trying to dispel the fear that was creeping into his mind. Ghias had locked Obi-Wan?s wrists into chains that were hanging from the ceiling. The apprentice was barely standing on his toes, his body was swaying slightly with each breath. Ghias had turned his back to Obi-Wan, and was fiddling with some machine that was resting against the far wall.

A strange humming filled the air, and Obi-Wan jumped as something cold splashed down on him. He looked up, only to get a face full of frigid water. A gap in the ceiling could be seen as the water poured out of the hole. Obi-Wan felt a chill go through him as the water continued to soak his tunics and pants, the chill grew into a tremor as Ghias walked towards him with something in his hands. They looked like paddles...with fur? Yep, furry paddles. Obi-Wan briefly wondered if the man was going to tickle him to death. The thought faded as the humming sound grew more distinct. Ghias raised the paddles towards Obi-Wan, his eyes filled with a maniacal glee.

Obi-Wan never had a chance to even consider what those paddles might do to him. The instant they touched his chest, the world seemed to dissolve into hell. Electric currents ran along his body where it was wet with the water. The jolts caused his body to spasm and jerk with each one.

Ghias finally took the paddles away from his chest, and turned a dial on the handles. Obi-Wan?s vision was filled with swirls of different colors, and his breath came in short gasps. He no longer felt his broken ribs, because his body was still spasming with the aftershocks of the electricity.

As his vision cleared to a hazy fog, he was able to distinguish Ghias as the man once more approached him.

?What do you want?? Obi-Wan managed to get out. He couldn?t figure out why he was being tortured if no questions were being asked.

?Only to give you pain.? Ghias said as he moved closer. Obi-Wan tried to ease the weight off his shoulders, they were going numb from the weight of his body. But the way he was stretched, he could barely do anything.

?But why, what have I done to you?? Obi-Wan said as he struggled to deal with the pain that was starting to come back. The initial shocks were wearing off, and the broken ribs were again demanding attention.

?You?ve done nothing to me, but if my master wishes this, then so do I.? Ghias' simple way of looking at things was infuriating. Xantos had such loyal slaves, slaves that had no feelings. The man raised the paddles again, and brought them to Obi-Wan?s chest.

Obi-Wan?s body started jerking in his chains, causing him to swing back and forth wildly. Blood ran down his lip as he bit through it to hold back his screams. He had no respite, because Ghias again turned the handle and brought the power up another notch. Obi-Wan broke his silence, letting loose an agonized scream as the electric currents ran down his body.

Ghias smiled as he listened to the screams that were echoing off the walls of the cell. The boy had a beautiful voice, one made for screaming. Hopefully the whole building could hear them, that way Xantos would have all his prisoners fearful of him.

Obi-Wan barely registered when Ghias had stopped shocking him. His body was still shaking and swinging in his chains. He no longer felt his arms and ribs. Everything was numb. The only thing he could feel was the coldness that was setting in. The kind where he wanted to curl up and die. He couldn?t help the tears that flowed down his face. They were bitter tears, ones he cried because he had failed. Everything his master had taught him, everything the Jedi stood for, he had not upheld. He had let his screams fill the air, and he had begged with Ghias to end his life. He had ignored all the teachings of the force. He deserved to die.

He wished he would die, his zest for living had faded along with the warmth of the room. He barely noticed the heat that was creeping through the thin fabric of his shirt, in his pocket, near his heart. The heat grew until it was painful, and he glanced down to his shirt.

 

I'm reading!! (At least as much as I can)

Just thought I should let you know...

_PSK_

 

Thanks Padme! You're my only reader!

Glad you're trying to keep up!

 

[face_shocked] HEY!!! When did you post??? I honestly did not even see you post...

Anyways, WOW! I never would have expected the thing with Xani!!! And also, poor poor Obi. You can make it through, boy! I know you can!

 

Jess~ It's nice to see you're still around!

Next post in a few!

 

Qui-Gon glanced up from the view screen, watching Terry as he walked into the room. The young knight looked exhausted. The first planet they had landed on, was a disappointment, they didn?t find Xanatos, or Obi-Wan. So they had stayed up all night researching planets that might seem welcoming to Xanatos.

Terry sat down next to him, sighing as he ran a hand over his eyes. ?Have you found anything yet?? Qui-Gon shook his head. Obi-Wan could be force knows where, and they were stuck sitting in a transport. He was about to vent his frustration, when a beeping interrupted him. He exchanged a look with Terry, and reached over the console to press the communication button.

?Well hello again Master!? came the bright cheery voice. Static filled the air as the connection was distorted. As it came back in, the voice?s image came into focus as well. ?Have you missed me?? Xantos? asked as he smiled.

?Where is Obi-Wan?? Terry couldn?t contain himself. His concern for his friend overwhelmed him, making him desperate. Qui-Gon put a restraining hand on the knight?s shoulder, signaling him to remain silent.

?Xanatos what do you want?? Qui-Gon?s voice was steady, belying the worry he felt for his apprentice?s life.

?What I want Master, is for you to understand where I stand. For you to feel the same pain of losing a loved one as I did.? Xanatos had grown quiet, his face was blank. ?What I want Master, is for you to suffer!? His anger overtook him, making his voice tremble. Xanatos quickly recovered and laughed at the expression on Terry?s face. ?You think me mad? You are correct, and I am mad enough to tell you where to find your apprentice.?

Terry sat back in his seat, thinking about the situation. Qui-Gon leaned towards the screen. ?Where is he??

?Go to the planet where the waters have grown almost extinct, and find the only flowing water source. There you will find your apprentice. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. You?d better hurry, one of my men has grown quite attached to him as a playmate. He?s a big fellow, and Obi-Wan is only a boy. There?s no telling what accidents might occur.?

Xanatos gave them a feral grin and the transmission cut abruptly. Qui-Gon sat back in his chair, his mind already going over the puzzle of the location of the planet. Terry had moved over to the nav unit and was looking through the files for desert planets.

?Qui-Gon, the only planet near here is Tatooine. Do you think he?d go for such a well known planet?? Terry said.

?Yes, he would. Xanatos likes the excitement of being out in the open, trying to get away with something. Set course for Tatooine. I?ll contact the council and tell them what has happened.?

Terry grabbed Qui-Gon?s arm as the master walked by. ?Obi-Wan will be all right won?t he?? Qui-Gon looked down at the younger man, and nodded. Obi-Wan would be all right. He didn?t know what he would do if he wasn?t.



~~~~~



Xanatos sat quietly, listening for any sounds that might filter through from the hallway outside his room. Obi-Wan had been gone a long time, too long. Something dark was growing in the force, and Xanatos had a feeling it was centered around what was happening to his young friend.

He sighed in frustration. He was always doing the same thing, he?d been doing the same thing for the past six or so years! Just sitting and waiting. Never had he been outside his rooms, never had he encountered any living person until a few hours ago, when the servant had come for Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan. The child that was filled with light. The boy was special, never before had the D?ni people reported a force sensitive child. His master and he were sent to investigate the occurrence, and had ended up bringing the bundle of joy back to the temple. Xanatos had visited the child once or twice during their stay at the temple, but frequent missions caused him to lose contact, and eventually forget the child. Now Obi-Wan was thrust back into his life, disrupting his boring life.

Xanatos was still sorting out the different things Obi-Wan had said to him. Abo

 

[face_shocked] Geez!! You can't even let Obi-Wan take a bath without being in danger!!! Great post, and I like how Xani is acting in this one. I hope Terry and Qui find Obi soon, though.

 

Jess~ Obi is a danger magnet, I can't help but torture him, cause then it means I get to nurse him back to health... hehe in other words, take advantage of him while he's unable to protect himself!!!!!

More here right now, sorry bout the wait!

 

Qui-Gon shaded his eyes from the sun as he stared out into the desert. He scanned the horizon, looking for the closet settlement. The intense heat rolled over him, making him long for the cooler air inside the ship. Qui-Gon turned at the sound of footsteps, and watched Terry as he came down the ramp.

?The nearest town is about 5 clicks north, not too long of a haul.? Terry said as he tossed a pack over his shoulder. He handed Qui-Gon his and waited as the older man put his on. ?We?ll find him.? Qui-Gon nodded to him, turned towards the north and started walking.

Terry closed the hatch of the ship and locked it. He turned around to find Qui-Gon hadn?t waited. He had to jog to catch up with him. Terry followed the master, allowing his thoughts to turn to other problems like how in the seven hells of Barab they would find Obi-Wan... and Terry wondered if Obi-Wan was ok.



~~~~~

Xanatos finished folding the freshly dried clothes, when the force screamed a warning to him. He immediately jumped up, ready for anything. When nothing seemed to jump out at him, he cautiously walked towards the fresher to check on Obi-Wan. As he walked the warning bells urged him to go faster, his walk turned into a jog, then quickly into a wild sprint.

He slammed he door open, and he came to a halt upon the sight that was before him. Obi-Wan was slumped under the water, his body deathly still. No bubbles rose from his nose or mouth.

Xanatos was shaken out of his shocked state, and he dove towards the tub, splashing water everywhere. He grabbed the unconscious form and dragged him out of the tub, laying him gently on the tile floor. Xanatos leaned close to the young man?s face, looking for any signs of life. A slack face and blue lips where the only thing that stared back at him.

Xanatos pinched Obi-Wan?s nose closed and breathed into his mouth. He sat back and placed his hands on his chest, pushing down eight times, trying to force Obi-Wan?s heart to beat for itself. He forced more air into the younger man?s lungs, silently praying to the force to save his life.

~~~~~

Qui-Gon sighed as he was again turned away with a door to the face. Terry hid a smile behind his hand, silently laughing at the Master?s attempt at getting information.

?Here let me try at the next house.? He suggested, patting Qui-Gon on the back. Qui-Gon scowled at the knight.

?Are you suggesting that I am not capable of obtaining the information?? Qui-Gon growled at the younger man. Terry just shrugged and walked towards the next house.

?No, I?m just trying to make things go along faster, for Obi-Wan?s sake.? Terry hated making Qui-Gon feel guilty, but it was for the good of everyone. It definitely brought Qui-Gon back the the grim situation. Terry knocked on the door, waiting for it to open. When it did, he was greeted by a tall women, wearing long skirts and a long sleeved tunic. ?Excuse me ma?am, I don?t mean to intrude. But I was wondering if you could help me out.? Terry saw something peek out from behind the women?s skirts, no, not something, someone. A little boy, with a dirty cherubic face was peering up at him, but when he was Terry looking back, he quickly hid back underneath his mother?s skirts.

?I?d be glad to help in any way I can.? The women?s voice was pleasant, and Terry glanced back up to her, smiling. She invited him in, and he asked her if his companion would be welcome as well. She quickly agreed and gestured for the two to venture inside. Terry turned to tell Qui-Gon, but the man had disappeared. Terry just shrugged his shoulders, knowing Qui-Gon would show back up when he was done.

~~~~~

Xanatos placed his hands onto of Obi-Wan?s chest. He had been doing CPR for the past seven minutes, and Obi-Wan still had yet to show signs of life. Xanatos was almost to the point of giving up, when Obi-Wan started coughing, and spitting up water. Xanatos quickly turned the young man over on his side, allowing him to cough up the water without chocking on it again. Obi-Wan grabbed his arms, looking for someone to

 

oooh, they can rescue two for the price of one!

 

Awwwww, Obi and Xani!! Xani was being so kind... And Terry just rocks. Poor Obi, though. And I see what you mean when you say Obi is a danger magnet. [face_shocked] How is he almost going to die in the next post? Great job on this!

 

sorry to keep y'all waiting so long! I finally graduated!!!! Here's an update in celebration!

 

Qui-Gon walked past stands of food and jewelry and continued on towards the darker section of town. Something was urging him on, and he was content to let things play out for the moment. Terry would be a while, and maybe going around by himself, he could gain useful information concerning Obi-Wan.

The thought of Obi-Wan almost brought tears to his eyes. He had let his enemy, Xanatos, get away with kidnapping his apprentice. His beloved ?son? had been taken from him in less than a heartbeat, and there was nothing he could do about it... yet.

After Terry finished at the last house, he was sure they would have the information they needed to continue their search. But right now the Force was urging him on towards what looked like a garage. As he got closer, he could hear the sound of tools hitting the ground and soft cursing.

Qui-Gon chuckled at what was said and walked through the open door. No one was in sight, but the string of curses continued.

?An overstuffed poodoo brain?? Qui-Gon called out to the person under the pile of metal.

?Sith!? muttered the voice, followed by a thump. Qui-Gon winced as he listened to the invisible struggle. Feet finally appeared from underneath the metal, followed by a small torso and finally a head of shaggy blonde hair. ?Who are you?? the boy asked.

Qui-Gon his his surprise upon finally seeing the mysterious person?s face. It was a boy who looked like he was eight years old at the most. A greasy face stared up at him suspiciously. Qui-Gon smiled and crouched down next to the little boy, staring right back at him.

?My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, and might I ask yours??

The boy shifted on his feet, debating whether or not to share his name with a complete stranger. ?My name?s Anakin.?

Qui-Gon smiled and held out his hand to the boy. Anakin slowly fitted his smaller hand inside the large palm, and smiled as his tiny one was engulfed by Qui-Gon?s.

?Nice to meet you Anakin. If you don?t mind me asking, aren?t you a little young to be out so late by yourself?? Qui-Gon asked Anakin.

?I?m seven!? Anakin said defensively. ?I?m old enough for anything!? The boy crossed his arms in front of his chest, staring up at the tall man, daring him to say he was too young.

Qui-Gon sighed. Anakin reminded him so much of Obi-Wan it was frightening. He tried to think of a diplomatic response. ?I?m sure you are. What are you working on?? Qui-Gon patted the hunk of metal that Anakin had been buried under.

?This is my pod racer!? Anakin said, his chest puffing up with pride.

Qui-Gon looked back at the metal, thinking it looked nothing like any pod racer he?d ever seen.

?You were with that other man, at my house earlier.? Anakin stated, bringing Qui-Gon?s attention back to him. Anakin started to put away his tools as Qui-Gon stepped closer. Qui-Gon looked closely at the young face, comparing it to the one he remembered seeing earlier. It was definitely the same kid, only dirtier. The grease from earlier was spread out over his entire face now, after he rubbed his fingers across his forehead, not to mention the sections of hair coated in muck and sand, making it stand up in clumps.

?Yes I was. If you?re finished here, would you help me get back to your house? I wasn?t paying attention to where I was going, and I?m afraid I?ll get lost.? Qui-Gon wasn?t really concerned about getting back to the house, he just wanted to make sure that Anakin would get home safely.

Anakin closed the toolbox and placed it underneath a bench.

?Sure.? Anakin said as he wiped his hands on his pants, leaving stains down the front. Qui-Gon went out through the doorway and waited for Anakin to lock the door. Together they walked side by side, back towards the house.

 

hmmmm, another familiar face appears.