Hello all! I have decided to rewrite this piece. I've started over, but the premise is very much so the same. I hope you enjoy the adventures of Obi-Wan and Anakin along with their new masters :) Remember to R&R!

Prologue

Obi-Wan sat cross legged in the gardens, hidden in what he thought was a secret clearing, surrounded by the tallest, leafiest plants he could find. He inhaled slowly, just like Master Tru had taught him and focused on centering himself. If he couldn't manage this basic meditation exercise, how could he expect to become a Jedi? The sudden thought of not ever becoming a Jedi knight spiked his anxiety and he struggled to release it into the force.

A twig snapped. Obi-Wan spun around and stared, wide eyed, at the giant boots on the ground. He looked up and up and up.

"Hello, young one." A deep baritone voice greeted him. It sounded warm and kind and reminded Obi-Wan of home. The force hummed between them, flowing like the falls in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

Obi-Wan scrambled up and bowed at the tall Jedi master. "H-hello, Master..."

"Jinn, Qui-Gon Jinn." The man smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Obi-Wan cocked his head to the side. He could sense that the man carried a profound amount of sadness in him. It seemed like all of the heaviness in the world were settled upon his shoulders. "Hello, Master Jinn," he said.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, initiate..."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi." Obi-Wan offered him a small smile. "And you didn't disturb me."

He liked this man's force presence, he decided. It felt safe, even if it were a bit sad. "I can share this space with you."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. I usually come here to meditate. I'm a bit surprised to find another person here. Not many people know of it."

"I found it by accident one day. I like how hidden away it is."

Qui-Gon nodded and sank to his knees beside the boy. "Well, I appreciate you sharing the space with me. How old are you?"

"I'm six years old. We learned a new meditation technique today. I'm just practicing it," Obi-Wan said.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're practicing your new skills. Determination and hard work will get you far, young one." Qui-Gon turned away from Obi-Wan and closed his eyes. The force pooled around him and siphoned away some of the sadness that Obi-Wan had sensed from before.

Obi-Wan watched him meditate for a few seconds, awed by how easily and quickly he'd found his center. He then closed his eyes and attempted to do the same thing. His mind swirled with thoughts and worries. Clearing it seemed impossible. After several minutes of silently struggling with grasping at the force, he sighed, stood up, and walked away from the meditating master.

Qui-Gon was surprised to find the young initiate sitting in the center of the clearing a few days later. It was clear that meditation was a struggle for Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon couldn't help but smile at the eyes pinched shut and lips screwed in concentration. Qui-Gon had to admit, the child was quite adorable, much like one other child he had trained—the one that had fallen to darkness. Qui-Gon shook his head. He needed to let go.

Obi-Wan sighed, his face crestfallen at his latest attempt at meditation. "Hello there," Qui-Gon said.

The boy spun around and craned his neck back so that he could peer up at Qui-Gon. "Master Jinn!" He grinned.

Qui-Gon quirked a brow at the joy radiating off the boy at seeing him. Obi-Wan really did also need to work on his shields. But then again, he was only six. "Meditating again?" Qui-Gon asked, sitting beside the boy.

Obi-Wan chewed on his lip in contemplation before shaking his head. "I'm no good at it. I've been practicing every day, but I just...can't."

"Meditation, just like everything else, takes time."

Obi-Wan frowned before nodding, "Kind of like sadness. It goes away with time."

Qui-Gon wasn't sure how to respond to that. Obi-Wan was much more perceptive to his feelings than he'd thought. Perhaps, he was the one who needed to learn to shield himself better. "Yes, Obi-Wan. Kind of like that. You just have to keep working at it," Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan nodded and closed his eyes again. Qui-Gon sank into his meditation, but felt himself distracted by the struggle emanating from the boy. There was so much anxiety rolling off the child. Don't do it, Qui-Gon. Don't help him. You are not his master. In the end, however, he found that he could not ignore the struggling boy.

He reached out and tapped on Obi-Wan's arm. Something stirred in his chest when the child blinked up at him with his clear cerulean eyes. "Allow me to guide you, young one. Clear your mind." Qui-Gon lowered his shields and reached towards the young boy's mind, surprised by how pure and peaceful it was. "Close your eyes and follow my lead."

Obi-Wan dove headlong towards Qui-Gon's signature, following him as he led him towards his center. They sat, basking in the force, warmed by it. Qui-Gon felt the ache of his loss slowly slip away from him as this child, unknowingly led him deeper into the force.

When finally, the child stirred, his young body unable to remain still any longer, Qui-Gon found himself disappointed that their shared meditation had come to an end. Obi-Wan rubbed at his eyes before turning to Qui-Gon and giving him a crooked smile. "You seem happier, now," he said.

Qui-Gon nodded in agreement. His heart felt much lighter than it had in months. He gazed down at the young boy. He was indeed a special youngling. "And you meditated for..." he glanced down at the chrono on his wrist and his eyes widened. "Oh dear, your creche master is not going to be happy about this."

"What?" Obi-Wan leaned over, resting against Qui-Gon. "Oh..." His stomach grumbled as if on cue. "I'm very late for dinner."

"It's nearly your bedtime, Obi-Wan."

"But I'm hungry," Obi-Wan gazed up at him with his wide, imploring cerulean eyes, looking very much like an adorable akk pup. "I'm going to have to go to sleep hungry?"

Qui-Gon chuckled at the innocence of the question. The child was indeed very cute. "Now we can't have that. Let me comm your creche master because he is no doubt worried about you, then we can go to the refectory and have dinner." Qui-Gon said. "I am feeling quite hungry myself."

They walked side by side towards the refectory. Qui-Gon was relieved to find it mostly empty. They heaped their plates with food and then sat down at an empty table. "I've never eaten here without my friends before..." Obi-Wan said, swinging his legs and heaping a spoonful of mashed tubers into his mouth. "Or Master Tru...which I guess makes sense. One time we were allowed to and Garen and I ended up giving Bruck something he was allergic to and he had to go to the healers."

"On purpose?" Qui-Gon quirked a brow.

Obi-Wan bit his lip and nodded guiltily. "Bruck isn't very nice. He's always hitting us when the masters aren't looking. I was just trying to get him to stop, but I know now that it was very wrong to do so. Revenge is not the Jedi way."

Qui-Gon nodded, impressed by the reflection and remorse rolling off of a child so young. "I imagine that you got into quite a bit of trouble?"

Obi-Wan nodded, his lips pursed into a thin line. "Lots."

"Well, I assume you learned your lesson." Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest, looking every bit like a disappointed jedi master.

"I did." Obi-Wan nodded violently, his giant cerulean eyes looking up in earnest.

"Then let's eat and discuss something else." Qui-Gon smiled. "You learned your lesson, young one. There's no reason to dwell on the past. Focus on the present."

Obi-Wan nodded, smiling timidly up at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon shared a few stories from his missions with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan chattered on and on about his life in the creche, what he was learning, and who his friends were. He and Garen sounded like terrors, but the innocence of the child was something Qui-Gon appreciated and enjoyed the company of.

By the end of the night, Qui-Gon found himself carrying a half asleep youngling in his arms back to the creche. "You must be the most amazing Jedi ever..." Obi-Wan mumbled into Qui-Gon's neck. "And the tallest...well, Master Mundi is pretty tall...but I bet the strongest...and smartest..."

Qui-Gon chuckled, "Sleep, little one."

He handed Obi-Wan off to Tru Loni when he reached the creche. "Sorry for getting him back to you so late. I ran into him at the gardens. We meditated together and lost track of time. I figured I should feed him before returning him to you, and now here we are."

"Oh, Obi-Wan, he is one of the most determined children I know." Tru sighed. "But it was nice to have him not wreaking havoc tonight."

"With Garen?" At Tru's questioning gaze, Qui-Gon added, "He mentioned that he gets into trouble a lot with that one."

"Yes, those two...and Anakin, they'll be the death of me. I swear. Well, have a good night, and do come relieve me of this one if you ever feel the need to have another meditation partner." Troon said, turning away to put the boy to bed.

Qui-Gon nodded, feeling something bright budding in the back of his mind. It was the beginning of a bond, he realized. And he wasn't sure whether to be frightened by it or not.