[for Qui-Gon]

[claire_fraser]

The clinic was orderly and quiet, my lastest attempt at luring stray penicillin spores was resting innocently on a shelf, and my shift was almost done. I finished my notes on my most recent patients (including a detailed drawing of the splint I had put on James Lennox's hand), closed my casebook, and stashed it in the bottom of my medicine box. I

Comments

[forcefelt]

In truth, Qui-Gon had chosen the beach for similar reasons. Solitude seemed preferable to company just now, with so many separate but related stresses weighing heavy upon his manner and upon his mood. Xanatos had succeeded in placing himself foremost in Qui-Gon's thoughts, to his considerable if not unexpected irritation, and his worry on that front had somewhat overwhelmed his other worries about Obi-Wan's suggestions on teaching, Anakin and his extended family, and the purpose of the IPD

[claire_fraser]

Had thinking about him conjured him up? I half-turned in Qui-Gon's direction, though I didn't dare meet his eyes until I had composed my thoughts - he was far too perceptive, even if he often seemed to keep his thoughts to himself. Your face is like an open book, Sassenach, Jamie had said on more than one occasion. Every thought ye have is written across it plain as day for all to see.

"I'm off-duty," I said with a little shrug. "You aren't interrupting." He was interrupting, in a way, but perhaps it was a good thing he had; I was not sure I wanted my thoughts to continue down the path they'd started.

[forcefelt]

Despite her words, her tone suggested he might have chosen a better time--or perhaps he might have been someone else, instead. He took a moment to struggle with and defeat his immediate impulse toward contrariness, and decided to be brief.

"Interrupting your solitude does count as interruption, I think," he murmured, "but I dare not contradict you." His lips curved just a bit at one corner of his mouth, despite himself. He drew a breath, and the thought of Xanatos was quite sufficient to dampen his good spirits again. "Unfortunately I must warn you to be wary of someone...a...former apprentice of mine." He lowered his head a bit, looking out toward the sea, still uncomfortable with that particularly shameful confession.

[claire_fraser]

I had not known that Qui-Gon had more than one apprentice. He had told me of Obi-Wan, and had showed me Obi-Wan's padawan braid that he had found here on the island, but I somehow doubted that it was Obi-Wan he was warning me about. Hoping my face wouldn't give me away, I turned the rest of the way around to face Qui-Gon, curious. He looked distinctly uncomfortable, as if the subject of this former apprentice was one he would rather avoid. "Tell me," I said, moving a little closer to hear better over the surf.