Dreaming through the noise.

From the moment Obi-Wan retrieved Anakin from Qui-Gon’s quarters to spend the day together (a monthly promised he kept when on Coruscant and off duty), he’d known Anakin had wanted to ask him something.

That was the last question Obi-Wan expected.

Obi-Wan set aside the gentle chastisement that Jedi did not “date” as the outside world did.

“Why do you ask that?”

Anakin’s eyes grew wide. “Ummmm.”

“Anakin?”

“It’s just…. Master Qui-Gon and Knight Rolene have been eating dinner together a lot. And Master Qui-Gon usually eats in a big group of Knights and Masters or alone with Master Windu when you’re not around and I just thought—I don’t know.”

“Master Qui-Gon is free to spend his time with whomever he wishes,” Obi-Wan said. He knew Knight Rolene. 15 years Obi-Wan’s senior, he was a friend of Qui-Gon’s and one of his former star pupils in a series of diplomacy and negotiation courses Qui-Gon taught.

Anakin frowned. “I guess so.”

They continued their walk toward the public gardens. Anakin soon caught onto another topic, but Obi-Wan kept returning to Anakin’s question. It caused something to clench and coil in his belly as he thought back over his last few layovers on Coruscant. They had been short and Qui-Gon had been brief with him. Obi-Wan chalked it up to his reticent master’s usual sick-but-healing moods; his recovery from the incident on Naboo was slow. Yet, something in the back of his head—a tiny, niggling thought that he’d been loathe to pay attention to—connected with another.
( Read On )