Following your suggestion, I am starting the Odyssey over with this one.

My running commentary ...

- He knew she was there, but he had lost the art of conversation as well as the concept of time, so he said nothing, and she, impressed by a grown-up who knew how to be silent, said nothing either. -

Exquisite. In tone and texture reminds me of Saint Exupery’s Little Prince.

*

This just brought tears to my eyes:

- His life, everything, was completely out of his hands, and yet at the same time he was the key, the one unifying knot that bound all these threads of fate together. -

This is so true of all of us, actually, whatever our lives and fates may be.

*

The family time with Bail, Obi and Leia: just enough detail to make it seem familiar and homey, yet also so filled with the unspoken sorrows. Wow.

*

The NUANCES of language that you use when describing the interactions between these two men. So subtle and telling. Beautiful. I am a heterosexual woman, yet find relationships between men, especially as you have created them here, to be deeply moving and beautiful.

*

- Obi-Wan submitted to the caress, waiting for Bail to speak, but when he realized Bail was going to say nothing, demand nothing of him, was content merely to have him here, Obi-Wan's resistance crumbled. He could have withstood an assault, accusations, demands, but this gentle acceptance wore him down. He realized he made a rotten lover. "I'm sorry," he whispered, still avoiding Bail's eyes.

His apology sparked genuine surprise. "For what?"

"This can't be the reunion you imagined."

More silence as Bail contemplated. "No," he confessed. "But at least it's real." Obi-Wan angrily shook his head, jerking away from Bail's touch, and Bail felt a surge of irritation at Obi-Wan's never-ending guilt, but he calmed himself, releasing his anger as easily as it had arisen.

"Do you remember that game we used to play?" he asked. "Where we would imagine our lives if you were not a Jedi and I were not a senator? We were going to run away to...Caamas, was it?"

Obi-Wan looked across the room, still avoiding Bail, but remembering. "Ithor."

"Yes, Ithor, for the sacred forest," Bail agreed. "And I was going to be a lawyer, and you would teach martial arts, I believe. And we would live happily ever after, worrying about no one but ourselves."

Obi-Wan twisted the sheet in his hands. "I remember."

"We loved that game, but it was never more than a fantasy, Ben. All we've ever had were these stolen moments. Really, even if there were still a Republic and a Jedi Order, nothing would be much different from now for us. I might see you a little more often, but we still wouldn't be able to live together." He raised his hand once more to Obi-Wan's cheek, turning his face toward him. "This is all we've ever had."

Obi-Wan leaned his cheek into Bail's palm, the tender touch melting through his defenses. Tears pressed up in his throat. He wanted to give in to them, but he could not, not yet, because he knew when he did it would be horrible. He wanted Bail to love him for a little while longer.

Sensing Obi-Wan's despair, Bail gently prompted, "Tell me, Ben. Let me give you what comfort I can. It's why you came here, isn't it?"

"You don't know what you're asking," Obi-Wan protested hoarsely.

"You've borne so much. Let me bear it, too." -

OMG! The feeling in this.

*

- "Listen to me. We are all culpable for the Republic's demise. Ordinary citizens like me, we'd come to rely too much on the Jedi, expecting them to do the work of peace and justice for us. We even scorned them for it, for taking care of our dirty work while we allowed ourselves to be lulled into complacency by Palpatine's lies. Yes, even me! It was the Jedi who paid the price for our folly. Now the responsibility once more lies with us, with ordinary citizens, to bring the Republic back. It is our responsibility now to protect the Jedi." -

Oh, wow! Tell it, Bail!

*

- "Don't leave me, Ben," Bail whispered against his neck. "I could not bear it if you did. You must stay."

And Obi-Wan, accustomed to a lifetime of service, obeyed. -

Another OMG!

*

- This cheered Leia up, since she had made a number of significant improvements to Shadowcliff in her life in the form of piled rocks, pressed flowers, and collected beetle shells, interesting twigs, and other natural treasures. If Uncle Ben hadn't been to Shadowcliff in her lifetime, then it was just as if he'd never been there at all. -

Wow.

And then juxtapose it to this:

- Obi-Wan was reassured to discover that the house had changed little since he had last been there. The scores of family pictures that lined the walls had been updated, the odd piece of furniture or rug replaced, the array of books, games, and knick-knacks had been added to, but in essentials it was the same, and Obi-Wan had to struggle to hold back a sudden flow of tears. Finally here was one place he knew from the old days that had not changed. The sounds and sights and scents were all familiar. He could almost imagine he had traveled back to a time when he had been happy, when there was a Republic, when the Temple still stood on Coruscant, and Anakin was still a bright-eyed child. And even farther back, when Obi-Wan was still a Padawan himself, the first time he had visited Shadowcliff while on a brief vacation to Alderaan, when he and Bail had been lovers for only a year. He could imagine that when he left Shadowcliff he would return to Qui-Gon at the Temple on Coruscant, waiting for him with their next assignment.

He knew it wasn't true. None of those people or places existed anymore, at least not as he had known them. But for now he wanted to pretend. -

The contrast of the inner lives. Stunning.

*

The entire passage between Bail and Obi-wan on the first night at Shadowcliff – so rich and deep with meaning and emotion.

- At last he answered, "That's it, then? The collected wisdom of a lifetime: we go on because our hearts keep beating, and there is no justice."

"No, there is no justice," Obi-Wan gently replied. "But we still have to choose sides." -

Profound truth, beautifully put. For me, this is what writing is all about. Truth, set like a gem, in a thing we call ‘fiction’.

*

- In a time that always was, and never will be -

You had me sobbing with that.

*

I love how you have interwoven the moments of domesticity with those of incredible emotion. It makes both – the domesticity and the emotion – shine forth with beauty and meaning.

*

- "Papa? What about me?" Leia asked as Bail reluctantly broke off the kiss.

"Oh, Leelee, I love you, too."

"No," she protested, holding her arms up to Obi-Wan. "I mean I love Uncle Ben, too."

Obi-Wan laughed and caught her up in his arms. She gave him a wet kiss as she was sandwiched between the two men. They stood laughing, arms around each other, foreheads touching. Yes, there was suffering, there was grief, there might even be guilt. But for now at least, the three of them were together, and in this moment, life was good. -

Ok, you got me again! You seriously need to hand out tissues with this.

*

Obi and Leia and the gutting of the fish.

Obi-Wan’s memories of the afternoon with Bail and 9-year-old Anakin in the high meadow with the pond.

VSOP indeed.

*

- He folded his arms around Obi-Wan, burying himself in his kiss. There were no barriers between them now, no secrets, no recriminations, no private guilt. Obi-Wan was his Jedi, and he was Obi-Wan's Prince. All was as it should be.

Their kiss deepened, intensified, as Bail pressed against Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan wanted to surrender himself completely, for it had been far too long, but something nagged at the edge of his consciousness, something very familiar...and curious. He broke off the kiss, twisting his mouth to Bail's ear before Bail could protest, and whispered softly, "We have an audience."

Bail froze, entirely unwilling to turn away. For the first time in ten years he regretted fatherhood. He pressed a quick kiss to Obi-Wan's lips, then turned his head toward his daughter, who was watching them with rapt attention. Too rapt. How embarrassing. "Leelee," he began, but he got no farther, even if he had known what to say, because Leia took this as her cue to propel herself from her chair and wedge herself into the very narrow space between the two of them, wrapping her arms around their necks. … It was patently clear that Leia approved with all her heart, even seemed to view herself as having a rightful place in their love. -

How I wish that our society actually did teach children this way about how precious and right love is. For that alone I thank you for writing this.

*

- But when at last it came, after a day spent in happy celebration and simple joy, it was all that the phrase "making love" implied. They took their time, discovering the changes that ten years had wrought on each other's bodies, known more intimately than their own. Laughter and silence, ease and abandon, tenderness and passion, urgency and a sense that they had all the time in the world. Live in the moment. Such had been Qui-Gon’s mantra. This moment was sacred, and it would last for all eternity. -

You have woven an incredibly rich and delicate union of opposites here in the way that it was Qui-Gon who brought these two together, yet subtly kept them apart (in certain soul places) and yet brings them together still. Just beautiful. This entire world that you have created is so lovingly wrought. Exquisite.

*

The end. What can I say about the end? You tied the threads together to trace the way through the labyrinth to “A New Hope”. The gift to Leia of her mother’s story, the giving to Bail of knowledge of where to find Obi-Wan - when it was time. The circles within circles of Tatooine and Alderaan. Qui-Gon’s stone cleaved in half, until they should be rejoined to live happily ever after -

- In a time that always was, and never will be -

Batter my heart indeed.

Beautiful

This story was absolutley amazing! I had never given thought to the pairing, but wow... It was extremly well written! Great job!

This one was awesome!

Wow... sad and bittersweet stuff...

I was crying.

Thank you.

That was an amazing story. You did an incredible job describing Obi-Wan anguish and the love between him and Bail. I loved it!

Too bad nothing worked right. It was a sad story.

I admired how spunky Leia was.

That was an excallent story. Is there going to be a sequal? Or is this story supose to fit in to the Star Wars movies? Anyway, great job! I hope to see more stories of your's.

Excellent job...really. It's almost too sad to think about what will end up happening. :)

Patience! Rest assured, there will be mush, and while the story can't exactly end happily ever after (we all know what happens in A New Hope, after all), nevertheless it ends on a note of hope. Thanks for all the kind reviews!

I've been reading, but decided to wait for more before posting. You've created quite a dismal future for our Obi-Wan. Why did he really go to Bail if he wasnt going to let him in? Why does Bail feel it necessary to lie to Obi-Wan? Its quite an interesting scenario you've laid out. Its a little depressing for me, i like angst as much as the next person, but this is ANGST! There must be more coming right? He didnt just go to Bail cuz he needed a good F*ck right? Lets give Obi a little redemption here and have a little escape into happiness before he has to go back to that dustball. Oh, and while i'm still going on here, how about a nice tender love scene? These are not complaints by the way, i hope you dont take them as such. I just love the character of Obi-Wan (who doesnt, i know) and it kind of sucks to see him like this, but it makes it all worth while if there is some mush/fluff to follow. Again, only my opinion.

Your stories are all so emotional...very beautiful in their own way. Excellent job as always. :)

This is so sad, but great at the same time! Please post more. I look for you story at the top of the page.

Usually, I don't like Slash stuff, but this is just so beautifully done. obi-wan must have suffered through such pain like that alone. It's sad for all them!