There's a lack of stories about Anakin, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon where Qui-Gon has survived Naboo and assorted evil Sith. Of course, being the angst lover that I am, I can't pass up the opportunity to focus on all the Obi/Qui/Ani dynamics. Poor Obi-Wan, he's been put through so much...so more torture can't really hurt right? xD

And for all of you who are used to my...questionable...ages, Qui-Gon is TPM age, Obi-Wan is AOTC age (minus that fuzzy furry beard thing) and Anakin is about 18.

This is going to contain some serious Anakin hating, little brat. No doubt he'll get nicer though, I have a thing for redemption...but he'll be punished first!! evil cackle

And yes, I like suspense, I like to keep you guessing...is that very mean? XD

This is quite different for me writing this, I'm taking a different angle...

Present

The stillness of the room pressed down on Qui-Gon, the quiet steady beep of the machine sounding in the corner as he gazed down on his old padawan. Obi-Wan's chest rose and fell steadily, aided by the tubes running from beside the bed, his eyes still under closed eyelids.

1 month before

Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose and shoved the hair out of his face. Anakin muttered in his sleep and flung his arm out fiercely. Obi-Wan bit back a yelp as a heavy backhand landed on his shoulder. Delicately edging his shoulder out from under it, Obi-Wan shuffled sideways and let Anakin's arm fall with a thump onto the ground. Obi-Wan slowly let his tense muscles relax and exhaled slowly, then a loud snore sounded right behind his head. This time Obi-Wan did yelp and rolled hurriedly to the left, groaning in pain as he collided with Anakin's arm again. Qui-Gon snuffled uncomfortably and fumbled his hand for a non-existent blanket, instead his fingers grasped Obi-Wan's tunic. Obi-Wan suddenly felt himself yanked determinedly across the ground with Qui-Gon's fingers all too close to his neck, there was a heavy sigh as a head was buried into Obi-Wan's cringing neck. Qui-Gon snored loudly. With a struggle, Obi-wan freed his hand and glanced at his glowing watch. 2am. He breathed a sigh of relief.

'Alright, Qui-Gon, Anakin, wake up. It's our watch.'

Both Jedi muttered in annoyance, Qui-Gon's fingers tightened around Obi-Wan's collar, the younger Jedi choked.

'An-Anakin,' Obi-Wan stretched his arm backwards and smacked violently on Anakin's side, 'Anakin, help,' he wheezed.

With a groan Anakin blinked sleepily, eyes focusing sharply as he took in his choking master.

'Oi, Qui-Gon,' Anakin sat up and lightly slapped Qui-Gon's head, 'stop killing my Master.'

Qui-Gon snarled in his sleep and released his fingers with a snap, Obi-Wan took in a deep breath and nudged Qui-Gon with his booted foot. Slowly Qui-Gon's dark blue eyes opened and he yawned widely, struggling up to a sit.

'Well,' Obi-Wan rubbed his neck, 'that didn't go to bad this time. I was only choked, that's got to be an improvement.'

'Oh,' Qui-Gon leant his large frame forward and cracked his back loudly, 'did I strangle you again?'

'At least it wasn't Anakin whispering in my ear again,' Obi-Wan said dryly, flashing an amused glance at his padawan, 'that was a rather nasty surprise last time.'

Anakin shot him a withering look. Obi-Wan exchanged a quiet smile with Qui-Gon out the corner of his eye.

'Nothing has happened on these watches anyway,' Anakin crawled forward and fixed bored eyes on the nearby building. The wind blew lightly over him in the night air, ruffling his hair slightly. With a bored sigh he flopped his head down onto the concrete slab he was lying on and dangled one hand idly over the edge.

'Yes, my impatient Padawan, but something might,' with a sigh, Obi-Wan reached forward and tugged at Anakin's foot, 'and please,' Obi-Wan studiously refused to look at the edge, 'will you not go so close to the edge?'

The three Jedi were stationed on top of a 4 story building in Coruscant's more upmarket area.. Below them was the glowing lights of various restaurants, the sounds of transports zooming along the air roads. Anakin was lying with his head half of the edge of the building, his disinterested face periodically illuminated by the lights of speeders and roving spotlights. Obi-Wan sat several feet back in the shadows, his back pressed firmly against a concrete pillar and one white knuckled hand holding tightly to a metal ring in the ground. Qui-Gon lay on his back on the cold grey concrete, hands folded under his head and eyes idly fixed on the above sky.

'What are we supposed to do if we see them anyway?' Anakin asked, not changing his position, 'leap off the top of the building?'

'I believe that was the general idea,' with a reluctant groan, Obi-Wan inched away from the protection of the pillar and towards the edge. He peered cautiously over the edge, a brightly coloured speeder whizzed past several metres down with a loud whoosh, with a nauseous moan Obi-Wan hurriedly withdrew his head. Unfazed, Anakin keep his eyes on the lower building.

'How about I watch with Anakin?' Qui-Gon suggested firmly, rising up off the ground to shuffle up next to his friend. 'You go and sit a bit further back.'

Obi-Wan nodded weakly and inched backwards.

'How are we supposed to know them if we see them? They could be anyone.'

'We're looking for anyone connected with the Temple, anyone who has any knowledge of Jedi matters,' Qui-Gon carefully watched the restaurant in question. 'We know someone is giving information away.'

'Well how does the Council know the person's going to this restaurant?'

'Careful, Anakin,' Qui-Gon said dryly, 'any more questions and we'll start to think it's you.'

SWSWSWSWSW

'Anakin seemed a bit-' Qui-Gon paused, a light frown on his face as he settled himself on the couch next to Obi-Wan.

'Argumentative? Arrogant?' Obi-Wan sighed wearily, pressing one hand briefly to his temple, opening his eyes he flashed Qui-Gon a brief smile, 'he'll be fine tomorrow.'

Qui-Gon observed as his friend closed his tired blue eyes with a low exhale, after several minutes the muscles in Obi-Wan's face relaxed and his head flopped slowly sideways. Dark ginger hair dropped across his forehead as his head sank into the soft cushioning of the couch, Qui-Gon's frown deepened as a few strands of grey slid into view. The last few years had taken a heavy toll on his friend, lines appearing on his gold tinted face and a crease forming between frequently furrowed eyebrows. Only in sleep did Obi-Wan look at peace. However, even now there was a slightly unhealthy tinge to Obi-Wan's normally tanned face and a pinched look. Qui-Gon pulled his gaze away from the sleeping Jedi, his own eyes already starting to blur with sleep.

'Stop looking at me,' Obi-Wan muttered without opening his eyes, 'you're giving me nightmares.'

Present

Qui-Gon pulled the blanket higher over Obi-Wan, tucking it gently over his limp arms.

'How's he doing?' Qui-Gon felt the presence of the Healer behind him, turning his head he asked the older women quietly. She didn't reply immediately, instead coming over to scan over the various bruises and bandages.

'We'll just to wait,' she said comfortingly, gently patting Qui-Gon's shoulder on her way out.

3 weeks and 2 days before

'Who do you think it might be?' Obi-Wan sat crossed-legged on the top of the building again, silhouetted in the dark night. He was marginally closer to the edge, however one hand was still wrapped around the metal ring.

'I'm not sure,' Qui-Gon was the one focused on the restaurants, 'it could be anyone.'

'Even a Jedi?'

The sounds of voices and speeders drifted up to them as neither spoke.

'It could be,' Qui-Gon said eventually, a heavy weight in his deep voice.

'Who would betray us?'

'People will do anything for money, power.'

'This is putting Jedi lives in danger though,' Obi-Wan scanned his eyes over their surroundings once again, '2 teams have already been killed. Who would sell information like that? They were killed instantly, Qui-Gon, the minute they arrived on the that planet, they were waiting for them,' there was a depressed note in Obi-Wan's voice.

'Would a Jedi do that?' Qui-Gon voiced the unspoken question, 'I don't know, Obi-Wan, I don't know. That's why we're here watching. Although,' his voice took on a slightly lighter tone, 'I don't know why the Council assigned this to us.'

'Why not?'

Qui-Gon pulled his eyes away from the flow of people, letting them rove obviously over Obi-Wan's clenched jaw, white knuckled grip and the tight grasp of the anchoring metal ring. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked away again.

'I'm overcoming my difficulties, Qui-Gon Jinn,' Obi-Wan said stiffly, a small reluctant smile playing about his mouth.

'Where's Anakin?'

'It's his night off,' Obi-Wan sobered immediately, 'I think he's out with friends.'

'Padme?'

Obi-Wan chuckled humorlessly at Qui-Gon's instant response, 'Your Force perception is strong, Knight Jinn.'

'How long?'

'Too long,' he answered tiredly, 'weeks now.'

'Are you going to talk to him?'

'Mm,' his boots scraped against the concrete as Obi-Wan gingerly uncurled his legs, 'I've tried, but I can't help but hope he'll somehow get over it.'

'He's not though?'

'No,' Obi-Wan agreed in resignation. 'Is it my fault though? I must have done something wrong for him to ignore the Code like that, I think maybe I wasn't meant to be a Master.' A sigh escaped his lips as he rested his ginger head back against the pillar, one hand absently toying with his sleeve.

'He'll come round eventually,' Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly, 'it's just his age.'

Obi-Wan snorted, 'Was I that argumentative?'

'No, but you weren't all that normal,' there was a light tease in the older man's voice.

'Thanks, but Bant's never had this trouble with Esther.'

Mm,' Qui-Gon groaned and pushed himself up off his stomach, 'but Esther's a few years younger isn't she?'

'Oh I don't know,' Obi-Wan burst out in exasperation, 'but why doesn't he tell me anything anymore? I see him at breakfast, the occasional training and our only conversation is strictly Jedi, otherwise it ends with an argument. I don't think he has any trust in me.'

'You're making me glad I had you as my padawan,' Qui-Gon smiled lightly at his friend, affection in his eyes.

'Thanks,' Obi-Wan muttered, flashing him a return smile.

And no lurking! Lurkers will be...looks for nearby object...hit over the head with my Sea World sticky tape holder!