Before - Legends Same Time Next Year--the official thread for all Qui-Gon/Noela stories--Updated 1/30

That was so much better to read without all those darn question marks. It was very cute. I loved the "Just when I think you are perfect you show me you are a Man", comment. Very, very funny.

 

"There is something going on with those young men and I don?t like it. I don?t like having you around them.?

Noela looked up from rummaging around in the food packs for some ingredient she wanted for their dinner. It had been a long full day of cave exploration and with the exception of her constant need to wander into places he had to get her out of, it had gone pretty well, but she was starving and was sure he was. She frowned at the camp of rowdy young men that she had vowed to ignore so she could enjoy her holiday.

?I hadn?t been noticing them in particular. They can?t be doing that much other than being boys.?

Qui-Gon sat abruptly with a ?hrmph?, ?you never notice these things. I spend more time keeping you out of the reach of undesirable company than I should have to.?

Noela handed him a plate, ?I think the company I choose is pretty respectable, present company perhaps being the grumpy exception.? She grinned at him, softening the words.

The mother of the family carefully began to approach Noela and Qui-Gon, looking as if she feared interrupting private moments. ?I was wondering, well my husband is worried, you see.?

Noela and Qui-Gon waited patiently for her to finish her thought, but she seemed nervous.

That didn?t stop Noela from getting a mischievous grin on her face and coaxing, ?it is quite all right, please continue. He doesn?t bite...much.?

The woman looked with surprise from one to the other and noted Qui-Gon?s serene expression. Noela was quite aware that his growing sense of humorous payback would set in and she would pay for that remark later.

?Really don?t mind me, teasing him is a full time job. What can we do for you______?? Noela asked gently.

?Well it is the hour that human females can use the hot springs in that room over there.? The woman pointed to a door way just beyond the camp of the young men.

?I had noticed that. I actually was hoping for a bit of a bath to clean myself off.? Noela responded.

?J?m that is not such a good idea.? Qui-Gon was shaking his head.

?That is what my husband thought too. He is worried about those boys and he was hoping that you might be willing to come with me and my daughter so that we could be a group and that you sir, would help him keep watch to see that we were undisturbed.? The woman explained in a rush.

Noela looked to him hopefully, but he would only shake his head and repeat, ?I know that baths are pratically a religion for you Noe, but I don?t think it would be a good idea.?

He could only laugh inwardly as the time to remind him that she gave in the night before on the sleeping arrangements was now. Since he was well aware that they would have the same discussion that evening, he would then be further behind in the delicate balance of Noela getting her way around him, in a distressingly sweet manner of course, especially if he didn't give in now. She was giving him ?that look? guaranteed to get about anything she wanted out of him.

With a dramatic sigh he dropped a kiss to her forehead, ?You win. Go take your bath. In the meantime I will indulge in the treat of having a logical discussion with a male, since such an event will be rare on this trip.?

She rolled her eyes at him as she dropped into the tent to get her bathing items that he noted as he found them in her pack before they left, that she wouldn?t ever leave without.

~~~~

Taden Jollack was a good man Qui-Gon mused. When he realized that Qui-Gon was a Jedi he had numerous questions about the mechanics of the light saber. Good questions that would never have occurred to Noela of course, but even with all of that his time with her was short enough, her more emotive way of thinking was a precious thing to him.

His attention was brought up abruptly by the question, ?I didn?t know that Jedi could, well, you are here with a woman.? The question was delicately phrased.

?It isn?t like that at all." Qui-Gon shook his head to emphasis the point. "We aren?t allowed attachments such as you and your wife has. Still I am rather a stubborn kn

 

I like the contrast of the lifestyles and the explanations.

 

Oh no! I hope nothing bad happens to Noela...

 

I look forward to seeing Noela standing up for herself. I think it would be fun to have her bea able to handle the trouble with out much help from Qui-Gon. I would be good to see her relived to see him there, but still able to handle it well. What will happen, I guess I get to wait and see.

 

As Qui-Gon and Taden Jollack rushed to the doorway, his wife and little girl came running out. The woman fell with relief into her husband?s arms and gave a breathless explanation, ?that awful boy came when we were in the hot spring and he started to take our clothing. Noela wouldn?t let him get too close, at least long enough for me to get Lisé and myself out. She is in there still stuck behind a rock, throwing stones at him as fast as she can.?

Qui-Gon shook his head to himself, trying not to smile. He well knew that she was lethal with her aim from years of being an avid fan of zoneball. He had played a few times with her and her sisters, young Mere probably the most rabid of the group as to what teams the family could cheer for. For women that had an affinity for doors, furniture and walls, they were amazingly adept when on a zoneball court.

Taden looked in surprise at the reaction.

?If what I think is happening in there at least for the moment, I feel more worried for the young man than I do Noela. Go take your family to your tent. I believe the problem will be resolved here very quickly.? Taden nodded in agreement, and coaxed his wife, who was clearly reluctant to leaving the scene, back to their camp.

Qui-Gon entered the room with the hot springs, the living force crackling brightly around him. Noela was in a precarious situation but not one that she couldn?t handle given enough time for her to be able to talk her way out of it.

He moved quietly into the shadows relieved to find that while Taden?s wife was correct that he had some items of Noela?s outer clothing she was safely wrapped in a robe and crouched behind a large boulder that stood between the pool of heated water and the wall. He could see that she had a large stone in her hand.

?If you come any closer I will hit you with this and I have more where this came from.? Qui-Gon had no doubt she would be able to carry through with her threat. He again felt that twinge of sympathy knowing exactly what her throws felt like if they hit a body part.

The boy looked nervously knowing he didn?t have time for a fight, and wasn?t sure what he had actually wanted in the first place

?I just wanted to talk.? His voice had reached that whine particular to young men his age that had never been forcefully told ?no? anytime in their life.

?Then talk. I certainly welcome that to anything else.?

Qui-Gon stood waiting. If her way would work he would wait. It was always preferable to a physical fight.

?I am not bad. You might even like me,? the boy coaxed.

?I might,? agreed Noela amicably.

?No one ever takes the time to get to know me. Girls never do.? He looked at Noela again, the feelings wafting off him beginning to disturb Qui-Gon again.

?You?re real pretty,? He whispered. ?Why are you with a guy that won?t appreciate you for who you are??

?You mean Qui-Gon? He does appreciate me. He has been my friend for a very long time.? Noela affirmed with a shake of her head.

?He won?t ever put you ahead of being a Jedi. I have heard about them. I would never do that.?

?I am sure you have fine qualities,? she agreed again, ?You are very young. You should find a girl your age.?

It was a miscalculation on her part, albeit an understandable one, but the boy was agitated again, ?see girls just don?t want to give me a chance.? He began to walk closer to Noela who hefted the rock up once again.

Qui-Gon stepped from the shadows, ?I thought I made a suggestion that you get some sleep and stop bothering others.?

The young man, angry and frustrated turned to Qui-Gon. ?You again; well you came just in time. She was beginning to see she won?t need you.?

?Is she? I am not sure that was exactly what she said the last few minutes, but if you say then it must be so.? Noela was only rolling her eyes at him. Somehow he never had to look; he could just feel the expression. He watched as she started to crawl out of her safe place, but kept his attention on the youth that now had a knife drawn.

He could only shake his head. This b

 

I should have known. Noela can take care of herself. So, the cave is Force blocking? I can see that being handy in your story.

Wonderful update!

 

YES! You used the Shindig moment so well! Looking forward to more!

 

Very fun! I knew Noela would be able to handle this well. I like the tie in with the Caves, that is a wonderful explaination for what you have going in BST!

 

Princess_of_Naboo: Yeah.. she can take care of herself a good deal of the time. That can only be good Yes.. a force blocking cavern.. could be helpful!

Darthishtar: Yup the shindig scene. I don't think one from the "Heart of Gold" would work so well......

Araxie: I am glad you enjoyed it

 

Okay all. This has been a huge weekend of talk about where all this story is going. Ish will have more, because the direction is her baby.. but this is little shot of Liam having to deal with the Aftermath.

He does it in his usual style, humor and grace.. and a little bubbles and water

This is a warning this might be a bit warmer than PG so read at your own risk. Not tons, but enough for some

Title: The Only Way for a Good Fight


~~~~

?The bubble bath is a great idea sweetheart. Crying your eyes out without talking to me first is not.?

Noela sat up with a gasp before remembering where she was at. She grabbed the curtain held back from the side of the tub, holding it in front of her. ?What may I ask are you doing here and how did you get in?? With her other hand she furiously wiped at her eyes, only causing bubbles to further impede her vision and making her feel even more gauche than she ever thought possible.

Liam calmly planted his lanky frame on the side of the tub, causing Noela?s color to continue its tour through every shade of julaberry-red known to man. He reached for the soft face cloth from its perch on the opposite wall, and began to wipe her face as tenderly as if she had been a child.

?You weren?t answering my calls. Then you left a rather terse message that expressed I should have a nice life and good luck with my new relationship with Shahla. I resorted to less than fair tactics and called Tani and Ciel who were more than willing to tell me your security code, and what this is about since you didn?t think to stop and tell me.? He touched her nose, smiling lovingly at her rather rueful expression. ?I can forgive you this time, but we have some serious issues to talk about Noe.?

?We can?t talk here. In case you missed it I am taking a bath.?

?Oh, I didn?t miss it. In fact I couldn?t have planned this better if I had tried, my darling.? He got up and started to take off his outer coat.

?We can talk when I am dressed Liam. Take your coat and wait for me in the living area.? She ordered, sounding far calmer than she was feeling.

?No.?

?No? I am not talking in here.? She said, her alarm growing ever more persistent when he began to work at his boots.

?Well I think of it this way Noe. You could have stopped and talked to me on the set while you were dressed and in keeping with how mature, logical and careful we have both been so far in our relationship. Or we can talk here, because I seriously think you really won?t be going anywhere, and besides it follows my mother?s excellent advice on how we should do things to make sure we fight fair in the future.?

?Your mother? What does she have to do with you barging into my bathroom uninvited while I am bathing? Would she approve of this?? Noela was sputtering, unsure where to look now that Liam was down to just his pants. Her eyes were searching vainly for a way out, regretting that the rack with her towel and robe were well past his reach.

?Yes, my parents apparently had a wonderful rule for disagreements during their marriage. I didn?t know as a child of course, but she shared it with me after meeting you a couple of weeks ago. Have you ever thought there was a reason for the timing of everything that happens in life Noe?? Noela was now looking in any other direction but where he was getting into her tub. ?My mother told me that during their marriage they only would fight naked.?

She couldn?t stop her jaw from dropping at that announcement. She regained a minimal sense of balance, while he placidly smiled at her sitting opposite in her sunken tub. ?We aren?t married.? Mentally she began to kick herself for such a lukewarm response, but her shocked mind wasn?t functioning enough for brilliant retort.

?No, we aren?t married, but when I told you I loved you a few weeks ago, I meant it. I haven?t stopped thinking about that moment, or wanting to say it to you every minute of every day. I thought you believed me. Apparently that wasn?t enough or I have done something so that you don?t trust m

 

Awww...perfect, if strange, setting and conversation.

 

You already know that I really enjoyed this part of the story. For one thing, I don't think there is woman out there that doesn't need reassurance that they are the only woman in a man's heart at sometime or another. I often have wondered how spouse's deal with their partners roles on many of the movies that are out there. I would think it would be difficult emotionally. I love Liam's attempt to show Noela that she is the only one for him.

I know where you got the idea for the fighting Naked, I think it is a great application for this setting and you are so brave to do it here. Kudo's to you!

 

Where'd you come up with the fighting naked line?

Great update! Nice little humorous misunderstanding.

School is going well. I've had my first test in each class (the last two weeks have been crazy) and am so far making As.

 

Ish: not too strange when we consider that Liam is just sort of a "look at the situation and deal with it as it stands" Kinda guy.

Araxie: I know you know the reference of course. We loved it since you first found it. Who knew we Mormon's could be so fun? Yes every woman needs to know, and Noela's self confidence that has been a simmer for a few years. She could handle about anything but that sore place. She will have been living with the knowledge that "she just didn't measure up" until Liam shows her firmly that there isn't a thing wrong, and as I see it will absolutely want to soak herself up in that kind of caring.

Princess_of_Naboo: Araxie found it months ago on an LDS blog about how to manage fighting when you are married. Needless to say we loved it.

I am glad he classes are going well.

 

Until Noela, he'd thought that showers were, on the whole, a good thing. They were cleansing, good after a workout or at the end of a long day and a wonderful place to work out relationship problems or every day frustrations.

Not that the bathtub hadn't provided that. In fact, Noela seemed to take the counsel to fight naked very seriously and would always be willing to talk if he was willing to talk to her across a mound of strangely-scented bubbles.

It was, however, common knowledge in their household that a shower was something decidedly more ominous. Even Emarli, too observant at the age of two, would hug his leg and mutter something about "Mami mad" when he came through the door when Noela was using up all the hot water.

Tonight seemed to be one of those times and he immediately ran through a checklist. Their anniversary wasn't for another three weeks, elections weren't coming up for another five months, her birthday had been six days ago...

It might have been something he did or it could be completely unrelated. Either way, he would have to see it through. A sensible, self-preserving person would have steered clear and waited for Noela to come out, having let her anger go down the drain with the water. Unfortunately, he was neither sensible nor self-preserving. Besides, Ryma had Emarli well in hand and it would be a worthwile venture to nip this in the bud.

Out of courtesy, he knocked and got a prompt response: "NO!"

"I'm coming in," he said as if he hadn't heard her.

"I'm going to sic Qui-Gon on you," she threatened. "He made you promise you'd treat me well and this doesn't count!"

I'm sure he'll come all the way from Felucia just to tell me to mind my own business, but until he gets here, I'm going to follow another one of his pieces of advice: I'm going to do what I feel is right.

The room was full of steam, but he could make out Noela in the shower as always. She would usually be scrubbing viciously at her scalp because she liked the sting. It envigorated and awakened her.

Tonight, though, she was slumped against the wall, her arms dangling at her sides and her head bowed forward.

"No," she repeated, just as loudly. "What part of that do you not understand?"

"Probably the 'n'," he conceded.

"That explains everything," she muttered. "Now that we've come to an understanding, will you please get out?"

At least she was taking a diplomatic approach. "No."

Her hand twisted the handle behind her and the water shut off abruptly, leaving only the disconsolate dripping behind.

"I don't want to talk about it," she snapped.

"As long as you tell me what it you don't want to talk about, I'll be perfectly happy," he lied.

"I went to the doctor again," she said bluntly.

He should have asked which doctor, but from the posture, she had either heard of a terminal illness or had gone to the fertility specialist.

"What did he say?"

"The usual," she said flatly.

Who knew that they could both lie so unconvincingly.

"The usual doesn't bother you this much...usually," he responded.

The water came on again. It was a bad sign. He would have crossed the room and turned it off again, but he sat on the toilet instead.

"We're not as young as we once were," he said, "though you seem to be the exception to the rule."

She shook her head slightly, but instead of being a curt dismissal, it was one of those amusedly disgusted moves that meant she was at least responding.

"Not according to our helpful physician," she retorted.

"Then we'll find a different one," he suggested.

"Like the last four?"

He hated this as much as she and she certainly had a point.

"I don't think I can do this any more," she explained, "and he doesn't think I should, either."

He grimaced. "Because of the complications?" he asked.

She shrugged slightly. "I wasn't young when we first tried," she reminded, "and now I'm venerable."

He hated to think exactly how venerable she thought she was. She was hardly as past her prime as she thought, bu

 

ohhh, Ish, that was so sweet/sad, especially the last line

I hope she can have another baby...how many has she got now? and there's no IVF in the SW universe?

 

Never fear Palpy... at somepoint just as they let go and decide to go with the flow their family gets larger In the meantime Liam as usual is a doll.

He seemed really worried Qui-Gon would deal with him.....

 

Great addition Ish. Loved the two thoughts of Qui-Gon, particularly the "Do what feels right". I like the bit with the Infertility. Not every treatment works for every woman. That is much of the Agony. Failure after Failure and the "being torn wanting more children or should I just stop trying". Either way the heart grieves for the lost desire.

 

palpyisgod2--Thanks, palps. And read Noelie's stuff. She has a set of twins after this. She only has one at this time because her first, a daughter named Mere, died five hours after birth. Glad you liked the last line.

Noelie--Liam is always a doll when written by his two biggest fans. LOL, I'm not sure he was so much worried as amused that it might happen.

Araxie--Thanks, Araxie! I liked using the "Do what feels right" thing. Yes, there are individual challenges for every type.

 

?Senator, there is a young man asking if you have time for an appointment. I indicated you were busy but he asked if I would personally request you see him.? Aika looked uncharacteristically nervous however, for such a request.

Noela looked up from her desk that as usual was a mass of data pads and hard copy documents. ?Oh, did he say what he needed?? She asked somewhat absently as she searched through the mounds to find the exact phrase she needed for her work.

?Not exactly, ?was the whispered response.

It wasn?t so much what she said but how she said it that turned the blood in Noela?s veins cold. ?This young man wouldn?t happen to be 15 or 16ish, and rather more Jedi than not would he??

Aika nodded miserably.

Noela stood, and put her hand comfortingly on her aide?s arm. ?Aika it is all right. Obi-Wan is not his Master. Send him in.?

She less calm than her outward appearance would indicate to anyone else. Obi-Wan coming to see her at her offices could only mean that the Council had raised her last refusal and upped the ante so to speak.

With a grace that was exceptional for a man five years older, let alone a boy of his age he entered the room. He was turning out absolutely beautiful. In a moment of rare sympathy for Qui-Gon, she felt for how difficult it must be to keep this boy from those that would distract him from his chosen path.

She banished the fleeting feeling of commiseration and plastered her best Senator-About-Town smile on her face and reached her hand out to him.

Obi-wan looked at the slim, outstretched hand, and took it and then looked down into Noela?s eyes. Had it really been so long that he was now taller than she was?

?It has been a long time. You are so mature I am not sure I would have recognized you if we had just bumped in some walk way. It is the most amazing thing Obi-Wan.? He watched as she shook her head in consternation.

She had always been able to reduce him to a crumbling mass of jelly. It wasn?t something he was proud of remembering, his first reaction to her, but even now he could feel the warmth of the memory of his first older woman crush. He hoped it was not wrong to be glad that Master Jinn was not with him on this mission; his first solo mission.

?You haven?t changed at all Noela.? He stammered, mentally kicking himself for his gaucheness.

?Nonsense, Obi-Wan, but good to hear anyway,? she paused before uttering what they both knew was an exaggeration of ignorance. She knew why he came. He could see it.

?The council asked that I come, and just request one more time for your help.?

She laughed as she went to the other side of her desk to sit. ?Master Yoda just won?t let it go, will he? It is better this way. They just have to continue to reassign. I am not refusing Jedi help after all. I have just expressed my preference to not have a specific Jedi assigned my work.?

?No, but they feel, and I agree that you were an effective team.?

She nodded, slowly considering in that way he had seen diplomats seem to consider an idea that they had already discarded. Well then. He would just persuade. It was why they sent him.

?Obi-Wan please tell Master?? She started to protest.

?Noela I am not going to accept no for an answer.?

Her face was a picture of confused and frustrated humor. ?What if that is the only answer I have? I am sure you are only here with the same old arguments, and my counter is that I still can?t see where my wishes are damaging the galaxy.?

?What about closer to home, like right here in Coruscant??He countered.

?I am still not sure how it hurts Coruscant.? She returned. The words were still couched in such tones and terms he felt comfortable trying.

He looked down at his hands, the deep flush he was feeling sure to be showing on his cheeks. ?Well not Coruscant, but someone specifically that misses you. There is a person that admires you and all that you have accomplished, how easy you made it for him to talk to you. He isn?t sure how much his opinion counts but you are one of the loveliest, kindest p

 

Lovely... Obi is so wunderbar. We definitely need to write the backstory...

 

"Probably the 'n'," he conceded.

I just loved that line for some reason.

Very nice take on how Noela felt trying to get pregnant and failing.



I really loved the Obi-Wan and Noela connection. It's so easy to forget that Obi-Wan is close to her too in this part of the timeline. I'm a touch confused as to why Noela was trying to not work with Qui-Gon though.

 

Ish: yes we do need to get to the back story....especially since Princess_of_Naboo is a little confused.

Princess_of_Naboo: yes they did get close in a rather short time. The rest of the story will become clear. It probably wasn't fair to throw this out there, but Ish threw out the challenge so I could make a proper apology.

 

besides you risk having the rest of the male Jedi population Attached to you if you continue to have others assigned to you, and we donâ??t have that many females to work with you.â?? He pleaded earnestly.

Loved that line.

I enjoyed the whole conversation. The council is already using Obi-Wan as their go between pawn that causes problems in the future. I feel sorry for both Noela and Obi-Wan, neither of them deserve this. Too bad Obi-Wan wasn't a knight already then he could work with her alone.