Aargh, I hate my head! everytime I try to write one of my story, the other or a completely new one pops in my head! so irritating!

Thanks to all who gave suggestions or just reviewed. It was really helpful!

I don't own SW.

Enjoy!

Chapter 6.

Qui-Gon had to watch the whole scene playing before him without being able to do anything. Due to the swirls in the Force, both Dark and Light, he wouldn't be able to keep his 'body' intact. It could even tear his present apart and so making it impossible to return.

His heart ached as he saw his former Padawan and Master fight each other. They had never met before, Qui-Gon knew, and he couldn't stop wondering if thing might have turned out different if he hadn't kept them apart. He had known what influence Dooku had had on Xanatos and hadn't liked the idea of exposing Obi-Wan to the same thing. Dooku had been off planet most of the time, anyway.

Even so, Qui-Gon had never expected Dooku to turn. He felt the bitter of betrayal. Again.

The two duelist parted and Dooku started to talk. Qui-Gon froze as he realized it was about him.

"…it's a shame that in the end, you weren't good enough…" his former Master continued.

Don't fall for it, Qui-Gon thought, as he saw Obi-Wan stiffen. He knew Obi-Wan wouldn't. His former Padawan had never paid much attention to those manipulating ways.

"…maybe he then would have been alive…"

Qui-Gon felt Dooku's sadness through the Force. The Count wasn't faking it. Obi-Wan apparently didn't feel that. And insulting others however, was a far better way to make him react.

"Shut up!" his former Padawan hissed.

Calm down, Padawan. Qui-Gon could feel his anger rising.

The next words of Dooku shocked him.

"…it wasn't Maul, who killed your master, it was you…"

Dooku blamed Obi-Wan for his death. Qui-Gon couldn't believe it, though the Force told him exactly that. He just couldn't.

Dooku continued talking, but Qui-Gon didn't hear it. The guild and anger of Obi-Wan pulled his attention away. Then his Padawan launched himself at the count.

No, Padawan! Qui-Gon yelled in thoughts, but of course it didn't help.

The battle was short though. After a saber lock Obi-Wan disarmed Dooku, who was kneeling on the floor now. He had grown a lot. Qui-Gon had noticed Obi-Wan still could perform form IV, apart from form III he showed in the beginning of the battle. Qui-Gon had a hunch he knew why Obi-Wan had changed styles after his death.

"Are you going to kill me, Grand-Padawan?" Dooku's voice rang through the silent building.

Qui-Gon prayed Obi-Wan wouldn't do it, though not for the sake of Dooku. He would never forgive his old master for this.

"You're not worth it,' the Jedi Master said and turned away.

Qui-Gon feared the worst as Obi-Wan forgot one of the most important rules: never turn your back on an enemy, especially if you aren't sure if he is disarmed.

He could feel the pain through the Force and their bond. It made him wince, but he still couldn't do anything.

Watching the fight between Anakin and Dooku hurt even more. Just because Anakin was doomed to lose. He just couldn't beat the former jedi.

So Qui-Gon wasn't surprised when Anakin, too, was knocked out after his arm was cut off, though the scream tear through him.

He watched as Dooku slowly walked towards the two Jedi. The Sith looked down on them, sighed and rose his lightsaber. The Force had calmed down and Qui-Gon decided it was the best moment to interfere.

"Don't," he calmly said.

The count froze and slowly turned around.

Qui-Gon stepped out the shadows and used the Force to make is appearance brighter.

Dooku blinked a few times.

"I didn't know you were watching, my old Padawan," he said.

"I didn't want you to know. Are you going to kill them?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Will you stop me?" Dooku countered.

"I won't be able to."

Dooku sighed and suddenly he looked like the age he was. "I won't kill them, if you promise me you won't come back to haunt me."

Qui-Gon bowed. "I will not."

Dooku nodded, turned around and strode away. At the entrance he designated the saber, which he still held in his hands. Qui-Gon watched as he threw it back inside and as he left.

His little talk with Dooku had been the same as the ones he had had when still alive. Short, to the point and with no emotion. Dooku hadn't been surprised to see him. He had probably thought he was hallucinating.

Qui-Gon shook his head and turned his attention to the two unconscious Jedi and wondered what to do. They wouldn't wake up soon, so he had to warn somebody. But who?

He was listing all the Jedi in his head as he heard a soft ticking sound. His first thought was a time bomb, but soon he realized that wasn't possible.

The ticking grew louder and Qui-Gon now heard shuffling as well. A shadow appeared in the doorway, becoming larger and larger and spreading on the walls. He was ready to let himself vanish in the Force as the owner of the shadow entered the building.

It was master Yoda. The small Jedi looked around. Then the big eyes focused on Obi-Wan and Anakin. His ears dropped a little as he saw them. He shuffled forward them in an surprisingly quick way, according to the times Qui-Gon had to force himself to walk incredibly slow in order to not let Yoda fall behind.

The small master hadn't noticed him yet, or choose to ignore him. Probably the second. He poked with his stick against Anakin's leg, but the boy didn't respond.

Yoda sighed, then took a comlink from one of his pockets.

"Need a medical team I do," he said and cut of again immediately.

He sighed again.

"Went where Dooku did, hmm?"

Only when he turned his head to look at Qui-Gon, he realized the master wanted him to answer.

"I don't know, Master. He left without telling me."

"Hmm…" Yoda's ears dropped even more. "Then begun the war really has."

Qui-Gon just nodded. They stood silent for a while. Then Qui-Gon spoke up.

"You don't seem surprised."

"Feel you I did, when appear the first time you did. Know I did, see you Padawan first you would. "

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, a little ashamed. "Actually I didn't first go to Obi-Wan. I went to Anakin instead."

Yoda nodded. "Know that I do. Good it was. Stopped using his anger, his hate young Skywalker did. Saved his mother he now has."

Qui-Gon chuckled. "Do you know anything?" he asked.

Yoda smiled as well. "Told me, Padmé has about their trip to Tatooine. Good it was. Worried about his mother, Anakin was. Turn out to be right, it did. Pay attention to his dreams we should do more."

Anakin. The boy had changed so much. He no longer was the innocent boy who had stolen his heart. The anger the council, and Obi-Wan as well, had sensed in had emerged. But Qui-Gon was sure he could still learn to control it. Obi-Wan had as well. The two weren't as different as they thought.

He wondered if it had been different if he himself had trained Anakin. For once his faith in the Force faltered. What if he hadn't died? Would the boy been able to control himself if he hadn't? Maybe. Maybe not. It didn't matter now.

Obi-Wan had done everything in his power to fulfill his final wish. Had given up his own knighthood to train the boy. Even after all Qui-Gon had said. He still hated himself for that. In the end he had done exactly the same Xanatos had done to him. He still remembered that day. He and Obi-Wan had had a fight later. Luckily Anakin hadn't been around at that time.

But even after that, Obi-Wan had loved him. He could still remember the horror in his Padawan's eyes as he held him.. Qui-Gon had accepted it at that time, but Obi-Wan had not. Qui-Gon wondered if he ever had. It was one of the reasons he had asked him to train Anakin. It would give him something to live for.

And it had worked. Obi-Wan had become a man, a Jedi, a Master. He was exactly the Jedi Qui-Gon had expected him to be, probably even more. He couldn't be prouder.

Qui-Gon looked down as he felt something go through his leg. Because his thoughts had wondered of, his solid presence had slowly vanished a little. It was a strange feeling, something going through you, but it didn't hurt. No more poking his legs by Yoda's stick anymore. He smiled, pleased.

Yoda snorted, as if he knew what was going on in his head.

"Come soon, the clones will. Leave you must."

"I will." The ordering around hadn't stopped.

"Come to me you must later. Talk we will. Now go."

Qui-Gon concentrated on the Force around him and let his 'body' disappear. Slowly the Force closed around him again.

SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWS

Obi-Wan didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to open his eyes. His bed was soft and comfortable and he liked just laying there. It was soothing and calm, just like the Force.

There was a very irritating sound, however, that disturbed the silence.

"Master!" a voice rasped through the calmness.

He groaned. Why don't they just leave me alone?

"Master!" He recognized the voice like it was his own. Anakin.

"Master! MASTER!"

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, just to close them immediately again. The surroundings were just to bright. He blinked a few times and slowly his eyes adjusted to the light.

He was laying in a med-center. How surprisingly. Has there been any mission I don't end up in one of those? he thought.

"Master!" His padawan's voice chirped happily. "You're awake!"

"Seems I am," Obi-Wan groaned. He turned his head and was met with large grin.

"Hai, Master."

"Hello, Anakin."

He pushed himself up. Anakin placed cushions in his back so he could sit up and he suppressed the urgent to roll his eyes. He hated it when someone to care of him like that. Though there had been sometimes being cuddled by his master had been quite pleasant…

Anyway, now he didn't like it.

"What happened?" he asked, after Anakin stopped trying to get him in a comfortable place.

His Padawan grinned sheepishly. "Well… eh…After Dooku knocked you out he tried to escape… and I fought him and I… well… he cut my arm off." The boy seemed quite pleased he managed to say it all at once.

"He did what?" Obi-Wan asked, shocked.

"He cut off my arm. Look." Anakin rose his right arm and showed his hand, or the place where his hand should be. Instead there was a mechanical one.

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan's voice was soft.

"I don't mind, Master, really. I can do anything with it." He stretched his fingers a few times. Then stopped, looking a little bit embarrassed.

"And then? I don't assume you managed to defeat Dooku with one hand, did you?" Obi-Wan wouldn't be really surprised if Anakin actually had. His Padawan had done more extraordinary things.

Anakin shook his head. "I was knocked out, too. Yoda came by and saved the day." His face darkened. "Dooku escaped, though."

"How do you know?"

"Qu…Yoda told me." He glanced at Obi-Wan, who had noticed his slip, but decided not to react.

"I should have killed him, then…" he muttered instead, thinking back at the moment he had Dooku at his mercy.

"No, you shouldn't have."

The voice made Obi-Wan jump. Literally. One moment he was laying in bed, the other he was standing next to it with a speed he was surprised by himself, his hand on the place his saber usually was.

"Hush, Obi-Wan, you haven't fully recovered yet."

Obi-Wan blinked a few times before he finally understood what his eyes told him.

"He's real, Master," Anakin said. Obi-Wan kept his gaze at Qui-Gon.

"You were dead," he stated flatly.

Qui-Gon smiled. "I still am. Let's say the Force granted me a way back here temporary."

Obi-Wan reached out with his hand, still not completely believing what he saw. Then suddenly he held his former master in a tight embrace.

He smiled as he remembered his healed wounds. It had been real after all.

"I missed you," he muttered.

"I know, you already told me that," Qui-Gon mumbled back.

Reluctantly Obi-Wan loosened his grip and stepped back. He looked at the face he hadn't seen in over ten years. Well, technically he had seen him back in the prison and before he fell unconscious, he remembered now, but that didn't matter.

The silence was once more broken by Anakin.

"That was so CUTE!" he exclaimed.

Obi-Wan glanced at him, a smile playing around his lips.

"Do you want a hug as well, Ani?" he asked. It had been a long time since he had used Anakin's old nickname.

"Oh, no, no, I've already got one."

Obi-Wan turned back to Qui-Gon again, who looked at them with a fatherly smile on his face.

"How did you come back?"

"I'm not really back, Obi-Wan."

"Back enough for me."

Qui-Gon thought for a moment.

"I somehow didn't vanish completely, because of my connection to the Living Force," he smiled, "and with you."

"Me?"

"You never really accepted the shattering of our bond, did you?"

Obi-Wan looked away, a little ashamed. Why do I feel like a Padawan again? He had never touched the bond he had shared with Qui-Gon after his death. It had been to painful. It had never healed.

"I'm sorry to have forced this upon you," Qui-Gon said softly. "If only I could have trained Anakin myself…"

"It doesn't matter, Master," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Anakin and I have grown quite fond of each other." He smiled while catching his Padawan's gaze. Anakin grinned back, then his expression grew worried.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he said.

Obi-Wan suppressed a groan.

"I'm fine, Anakin… Really."

"He's right, my dear former Padawan. Get into bed," Qui-Gon joined in.

Knowing protesting against the two of them was useless, even with his negotiator-skills, he got back into the bed.

When he was laying, he had to admit it was better that way. His chest had started to rub again.

Of course, Qui-Gon noticed.

"We'd better leave, Anakin and give your old master some rest."

"I'm not nearly as old as you, Qui-Gon!"

Anakin nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We shouldn't exhaust him. See yah."

Qui-Gon smiled. "Bye, Anakin. I will come back, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan shivered as he saw his master vanish and his force-presence disappeared from his senses.

Suddenly tired he closed his eyes.

"Sleep well, Master," he heard Anakin say before the door closed behind him.

He smiled. He was alive. Anakin was alive. Even Qui-Gon had come back. What more could he want?

It's my birthday tomorrow, so a review would be a lovely present^^