Qui-Gon
slowly rubbed his hand through the others unbraided hair, letting his
Force healing sink into the other in an attempt to sooth the pain he
could feel even through the painkillers the spa healers had given
Ben.

Ben had fought well, he had kept
the mando’a security team on civilian
protection detail and he had taken most of the Dusk Riders alive
even, to be taken away by the security corps and
questioned.

And then he had promptly
collapsed, his strained body taking the toll until he could no longer
move on wards. Happily by
then Qui-Gon could and had taken over while Ben rested and was seen
to by the healers.

He
had taken his duty as Jedi first and then his love for Ben second
though he had disliked it. But Ben had been in good hands until a
transport home could be arranged.

When it had been clear that no
others then the ones already on would
enter the shuttle back to Coruscant, he had gently coaxed Ben to lay
down on the seats with his head in Qui-Gon’s lap, letting him rest,
both their robes covering his frame.

Still he could see the other man
shivering, a mix of pain and coldness.

“I meet you in the dark…”
Qui-Gon sang softly, resting his free hand on Ben’s shoulder while
rubbing slowly. “You lit me up, you made me feel as if I was
enough…” He continued softly singing to Ben, feeling the other
man shift to peek up at him with those faded green of his.

Ben was smiling at him.

And Qui-Gon didn’t think he’d
ever seen someone as beautiful as Ben at that moment. Conventionally
Ben may not be pretty, old, worn and
wrinkled as he was.
But Ben’s light was more then Qui-Gon would ever need and he
reached out through those tattered shields with a questioning touch
that was instantly returned with a soft tenderness and acceptance, a
pair bond seamlessly connecting as if only waiting for them to take
the steps.

()()()()()
“Attacked you
both were?” Yoda’s ears were twitching hard, frowning at them as
Ben leaned into Qui-Gon’s side, faint trembling going through his
legs as he struggled to remain upright.

“Yes but I wasn’t their
primary target. Ben was.” Qui-Gon shifted his arm to keep Ben up.
“They did however incapacitate me, Force suppressor and a heavy
dose of it, it numbed me down to reduce movement and I struggled to
purge it from my body.”

“Did
the local security protect you then?” Mace questioned, leaning
forward with a small frown.

“No. Ben did.” Qui-Gon
squeezed the others waist carefully. “He…used both my own
lightsaber and his own.” There
was an unsaid ‘and that’s why he’s like this now.’ in his
words that the council members caught on.

Obi-Wan however was staring at
Ben in awe.

It took Qui-Gon a few moments to
realize why. Ben was Obi-Wan’s future and so far all Ben had seemed
like was a broken if wise
man. To know that Ben could fight, could fight several at once even
like this and lead was
doing wonders for the younger versions confidence.

‘Yes Obi-Wan, you became
something great, you can still become great.’ Qui-Gon
sent along their bond.
Ben’s appearance had changed several things, one of them were how
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan interacted.

There was more…familiarity
with it.

There had been trust for a long
time despite what they had done to each other, the way Qui-Gon had
treated his young padawan. But
Qui-Gon had come to realize that between the respect his Obi-Wan had
for him, there was a healthy dose of love too, not the same kind of
love Ben now had for him but if Qui-Gon was asked to describe it,
he’d say Obi-Wan cared for him like a father.

And Qui-Gon cared for the young
man like his child.

And that made him horrified over
all the things he had put Obi-Wan through.

But things would be different
now.
The future would be different.

He would not die before he saw
his padawan become the knight he knew the man was capable of being.

“Disturbing
this is. Attack a Jedi master on a peaceful mission on a peaceful
planet…hmm.” Yoda’s ears were twitching.

Ben looked up and focused on
Yoda. “They want us gone. They want us dead. The line of Bane want
our destruction.” He murmured quietly before looking up at Qui-Gon
and stepping from the mans arms towards the Grandmaster of the order.

Slowly he knelt down in front of
the master’s chair and took his hand. “Qui-Gon’s bond has made
me stronger. I’ll show you what I can but if I go to far it may
break the rest of me. I may be able to show two more what the future
holds.” He offered in his quiet but serious voice. “But
I warn now, what you will see, may break you as much as it broke me
living it.”

Yoda returned his stare before
slowly nodding and looking around the room. “Two. Two you will
show. Any volunteers?” Mace instantly stood and Qui-Gon moved to
place a hand on Ben’s shoulder, giving Yoda a challenging
look back.

“My mental prowess is quite
well, regardless of what we see.” Depa offered quietly from her
spot though she didn’t stand. “If the future is as dark as Ben
indicates, then perhaps whoever is shown should be able to build
strong mental walls to handle it?” She looked around the room.

“We’re all going to see it
eventually.” Plo murmured. “But
I agree with Depa as Ben’s walls are fragile even with Qui-Gon’s
support, we do not want to
damage him now that he has done such progress.”

“Depa, Yoda and Qui-Gon then.”
Mace sat back down and Depa stood instead, moving to Ben’s side and
kneeling down on his left side, gently taking his free hand and
lacing their fingers together with a gentle smile to the man.

Ben
didn’t smile back, only gave her a sad stare. “Heavy burdens are
not to smile of Depa. I’m sorry…” And then he dragged them into
his consciousness.

There were several tattered
memories they passed. A green planet under attack by droids, Obi-Wan
locked behind ray shields as Qui-Gon died, the pyre and
how the memories sharply focused on a white haired man that looked
faintly familiar to Qui-Gon and
then it moved beyond what they could recognizance as Obi-Wan.

This was an older man, someone
who had not yet broken but was struggling. Copper haired beard and
hair, raising a padawan, being tortured, becoming stronger and
stronger, the style of flight becoming the soresu, pride in the
padawan.

And then it got ever darker, the
tattered memories showing a galaxy thrown into chaos and suffering,
men in armor lead by Jedi’s. Death on so many planets. The
white haired man once again in focus, interacting with Ben’s
padawan. Suspicion flared in Qui-Gon’s mind that he felt echoed by
Depa and Yoda.

And they they found darkness.

“Beyond this point lies what
finally broke me.” Qui-Gon head snapped around to find Ben standing
by what looked like a door though not of any design Qui-Gon was
familiar with. Ben looked haggered even in his own mind as he watched
them.

“If you truly feel like you can
handle it, all you have to do is step through here. But…you know
now a little from the tattered memories we passed.” Ben shifted. “I
would not blame you if any of you or all of you left now.”

Qui-Gon walked to Ben and took
his hands. “If you think this can change the future then
I will see it Ben.” He squeezed then slowly and Ben stared at him
before looking at the others. “…You will see the temple burn. I’m
so sorry.”

He stepped back and the door
opened as Ben faded out of view.

Yoda moved past Qui-Gon. “Hrmm,
to see it he does not wish to. Understand him I do. Go alone we
must.”

Depa took a deep breath,
collecting her own shields before moving with the grandmaster,
Qui-Gon following up the rear.

They promptly walked into a
bloodbath.

Their temple, their home.

Covered in dead. The men from
Ben’s memory in armor and Jedi’s of all ages. Bile climbed to the
back of Qui-Gon’s throat as he stared around and then he heard a
noise, eyes widening as Ben suddenly appeared in the great hall, the
mans eyes still deep green as he looked around in horror before he
knelt down to check on one of the fallen Jedi’s. Yoda was not far
behind him.

“…Not
even younglings survived.” This time Qui-Gon couldn’t help but
gag as he now saw how young these Jedi were, tiny stubs of braids
hanging below ears, yet to be decorated with achievements. He heard
Depa take a choked sob.

The
scene abruptly shifted and Qui-Gon felt as if Ben was hiding
something as they arrived in the middle of a conversation. “To
fight this Lord Sidious strong enough you are not.” Yoda in the
memories said to Ben.

“He’s like my brother. I can
not do it.”

A broken look was starting to
appear on Ben’s face as before the memories shifted abruptly again,
Ben sitting on the bunk of a ship, his tunic and tabard scorched and
holed by fire and Qui-Gon desperately wished to reach out and comfort
him as it was clear much
time had passed since the temple.

Ben suddenly gasped and grasped
his chest, eyes wide as he wobbled of the bed and
onto his knees. “Yoda…”
He gasped before shuddering and turning his face into the bunk
spread, his entire body shaking. “No…” Ben’s
shoulders shook as he let grief take him, unrestrained sobs escaping
the man as he broke right in front of them.

And then they were back in the
Council chamber.

Qui-Gon shook before he stumbled
and fell backwards on his ass, taking a gasping breath of air. He
covered a warm cheek with one of his hands, feeling moisture and when
he looked up a worried Obi-Wan was by his side, his padawan’s wide
green eyes taking in the effect of the memories they had been shown.

He struggled to swallow and then
looked back, seeing Depa in Mace arms, the former master trying his
best to comfort a hysterically crying former padawan. “Not even the
younglings Mace…” She mumbled into his chest.

Yoda’s eyes were closed but
tears were running out from under the closed lids. “…The senator we saw.
A sith he is.”

“Yes…I never saw his master.”
Ben whispered. “He comes from Naboo. I don’t know what evidence
exists. But he was a sith before I was a Jedi. Darth Sidious. Who
took my padawan…and corrupted him…until I had to fight him.”

“You were all alone. You were
really ALL alone. The only survivor of the order.” Depa whispered
and Qui-Gon saw Mace tense.

They had speculated that Ben’s
memories may have been distorted but with this they knew. The
council, the masters, knights, padawans, initiates and even corps
member. All of them slaughtered in the temple and logically
slaughtered
beyond it.

“…I can’t do it again.
Please…I can not survive the order leaving again.” Ben continued
to whisper. “Please.”