Bound

Grave Concerns

Some spoilers from Jedi Apprentice.
No betas, therefore the mistakes are all mine.
See chapter one for disclaimers.

Qui-Gon's mouth was as dry as the vast emptiness of the Dune Sea of Tatooine, but whether the arid state of his mouth was due to his injuries or Obi-Wan's whispered, yet definitive statement he did not know. But he did know one thing.

Obi-Wan would not help him.

That's what the boy had said through a voice roughened with tears. Despite his apparent grief and regret over the refusal to help, Obi-Wan's certainty that he would not help was obvious to Qui-Gon even without the Force. The Force. It was gone from him, truly and completely. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and tried to swallow around the hard lump in his throat. He was unable to produce the necessary saliva and the attempt drew from him a series of dry, rasping coughs that caused the boy to look his way. Qui-Gon managed to steady his breathing and, though it remained painful and labored, he was able to relax enough to erase the immediate frisson of concern he had seen on Obi-Wan's face. He would have to rely on his ability to read the boy's expressions and body language, a skill he had honed through years of diplomatic service, but was now wielded feebly in the shadow of his Force blindness.

Force blind. Just like Obi-Wan.

Probably dying. Just like Obi-Wan.

Then again, Obi-Wan had not seemed like he was dying when Qui-Gon found him. The child seemed tired and afraid, yes, but he did not show the same... exhaustion, the same... distance and despair the master had witnessed in the medical ward. The energy he shared with the boy must have helped some. Qui-Gon had hoped it would, but at the time he had no way to be certain and then after he had done so... Qui-Gon had assumed that his own fatigue was a result of his expenditure, but perhaps it wasn't. Qui-Gon's brow tensed as he pondered things left previously unexplored due to the exigency of the situation. He had a bit of time now, pinned and injured as he was to think his way through his most recent events and hopefully gain some insight that could at least save Obi-Wan if not himself.

Was it possible that Qui-Gon had contracted the same illness as Obi-Wan? Perhaps even from Obi-Wan? But what of Obi-Wan's seemingly improved condition? Did Qui-Gon's energy sharing merely mask the disease, ease it, cure it, or did he do something far worse. Spread it.

Qui-Gon shook his head mentally arguing with himself. No, Obi-Wan was better, not cured, not whole, but better he was certain of it even if he couldn't search the Force for the truth of it. Qui-Gon of course knew that the Force was still there, still around him and within him, but to be cut off from its warmth, its whispers, its warnings...

Its warnings.

Qui-Gon's eyes widened in sudden revelation. He turned his expectant gaze on the boy. Obi-Wan was still sitting not far from him, his lit saber held loosely in the boy's hand, the boy's head down, eyes staring holes into the ground.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon called and slowly eyes nearly gray under the green light rose to meet his. He used his free hand to wave the child closer. Obi-Wan reluctantly obeyed. Qui-Gon took a moment to gather his thoughts. This would not be an easy conversation, but if his theory were right...

"Obi-Wan," he repeated and the boy edged a little closer.

"Yes, Master Jinn?"

"You knew this was going to happen?"

"What?" Obi-Wan exclaimed suddenly, his grip on the master's lightsaber faltering throwing them both into darkness. He fumbled for a few moments with the hilt before curving his fingers around it, realizing at least on some level each motion was just to delay the inevitable moment when he would have to look into the Master Jedi's eyes, when he would have to answer the man's questions.