Qui-Gon whistled happily to himself as he walked down a temple hallway.

The audience with the Jedi Council had better than he'd hoped. Obi-Wan sensed his Master's good mood and smiled. He was happy too, but it had nothing to do with the Council. Kya, the girl he was seeing, had promised him a 'home-cooked meal' if he returned from his latest adventure alive.

She worried about him when he and Qui-Gon were gone. Obi-Wan was beginning to realize he liked to be worried about. He had turned twenty a few months ago and was only starting to understand the effect he seemed to have on young women.

Qui-Gon smiled slightly. He could tell his Padawan was thinking about Kya. In truth, Qui-Gon was pleased with the boy's taste. Kya was the daughter of a minor Senate official. She had met his Apprentice at a party thrown in the Jedi's honor after the successful completion of some mission or other. Qui-Gon had forgotten the particulars, but he liked Kya. He enjoyed her ready wit, the way she could make his oft-times too serious Apprentice laugh. Qui-Gon liked the way she laughed at his jokes, however bad they might be. He enjoyed her cooking too, which was the primary reason he'd given her the access code to their quarters, although if asked, he would have protested that he'd given it to her so she could water his plants and feed the small fish he kept. Her sense of decorum and daughterly devotion was always in place and Qui-Gon saw to it that she was home by 22:00. Which is not to say she and his Padawan did not have a physical relationship. They did indeed. But watchful eyes from all quarters made them vigilant. Qui-Gon did not begrudge his Apprentice this; he had been twenty once – too long ago for his liking, but that was by the way.

The aromatic smells of her cooking wafted into the halls. Master and Padawan shared a smile. Obi-Wan felt his mouth begin to water in anticipation. Together they walked into the little apartment they shared.

"We're home!" Called Obi-Wan.

Laughing, a pretty young woman with short strawberry-blonde hair emerged from the kitchen. She was wearing a spotted apron, her hands covered with flour. Obi-Wan caught her up in an embrace. He lifted her up and swung her around, kissing her. After a minute, she pulled back. Whacking him playfully on the shoulder she said, "Put me down, dear heart. I still have to say hello to your Master."

Obi-Wan set her gently on the ground and she was in turn lifted up by Qui-Gon. She looked short standing next to Obi-Wan. Next to the Master, she looked like a little elf. He hugged her tightly. She kissed his bearded cheek before being set down again. Qui-Gon realized suddenly that he would be more than pleased if she chose to marry his Apprentice. He looked on Obi-Wan as a son and he would not mind in the slightest if Kya consented to be his daughter-in-law.

After Qui-Gon set her down, the three of them settled on the couches.  Kya snuggled under Obi-Wan's arm. She stayed there for a few minutes, listening to the men tell her of their latest adventures. She gasped at all the appropriate moments and laughed even more when Obi-Wan told her of some cross-cultural misunderstanding that had nearly caused a galactic incident. When Kya judged a lull in the story she rose, saying, "I must attend to supper. I'm sure you'll want to wash up before you eat."

The Jedi got the hint and disappeared into their respective bedrooms to change. Qui-Gon purposefully took about 10 minutes longer than necessary so that his Apprentice and Kya could have some privacy.

**

Dinner, as usual when Kya cooked for them, was excellent. After weeks of hard rations and cafeteria-style meals, both Jedi were extraordinarily complimentary of the young woman's culinary skills. The poultry had been deliciously spiced and the soup was creamy and delectable. The fruit cobbler she presented at dessert was sweet and pleasantly tart.

Qui-Gon offered to do the dishes at the end of the meal. Obi-Wan shot him a thankful glance.

"Master, I'd like to take Kya on a tour of the Temple gardens. Have we your leave to do so?"

Qui-Gon knew full well the Kya had seen the Temple gardens many times, but he winked at his Apprentice knowingly. Obi-Wan blushed.

"Of course Padawan. Be mindful of the time, however. Remember that Kya must be home by 22:00. We diffuse Senate scandals, Obi-Wan, we don't create them."

"Yes Master," the younger man replied with a faint smile. Kya shot

Qui-Gon a grin and a wink, then taking his Padawan's hand firmly in her own, led the way into the hall.

The two young people strode along the balconies and walkways of the Temple in the aimless fashion only achieved by two people in love. Kya stood on one such spanning bridge, overlooking the chaos of the city-planet.  She snuggled into the crook of Obi-Wan's arm, he settled his chin on top of her head and they both regarded the moving transports, carrying countless thousands of beings.

"Makes one feel rather insignificant," Kya commented with a sigh. "There are so many beings here, each one thinking that his or her struggle foremost in the galaxy. But we're all wrong. The galaxy would keep right on running itself if this person lost his business or that one's children died in a fire. Sometimes I wonder why we do anything at all."

"How can you say that?" Obi-Wan protested. "I refuse to believe that. We are all part of a great web, a great tapestry of life. Each thread is equally important. You are that important. To me. I mean-" He began to stammer. She shifted in his embrace, turning, silencing him with a kiss.

Obi-Wan had no idea how long they remained thus. He was oblivious to all else, even Qui-Gon's mental summons. So when the Jedi Master coughed politely, both were started. Kya blushed prettily, turning away and wiping her mouth demurly. Obi-Wan floundered for an explanation, but Qui-Gon stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"Come on, Padawan, Kya. We don't want to be late." The Jedi Master's tone was curt, but not harsh. Kya knew he wasn't really angry with them.

If anything, she thought he was slightly amused.

**

The time Master and Padawan spent on Coruscant went by quickly.  Obi-Wan knew that his time on the city-planet was scarce and his spent most of his free-time with Kya. Both of them were at an age when they needed the reassurance that the other cared about them. Obi-Wan cherished his time with the young woman. She would come over in the afternoons, water Qui-Gon's planets and start dinner so that by the time Master and Padawan returned from their daily workout, showered and changed, they could all eat together. The routine of domesticity appealed to Qui-Gon. He had decided that his Apprentice needed some semblance of a regular life – the Jedi's nomadic lifestyle was taking its toll on the younger man. Besides, he admitted to himself with a slight smile, he could use time with the girl as an incentive to make Obi-Wan work harder.

**

One afternoon, Kya stood in Qui-Gon's kitchen, kneeding dough and singing softly to herself. The door to the apartment slid open with a slight hiss. With a glance at the chrono on the wall, Kya frowned. It was too early for 'her boys' to be home. Dusting her hands on her apron, she walked out into the main living area. Her frown deepened when her eyes fell upon Bruck. She knew Obi-Wan's feelings regarding the young man. Only a few weeks younger than Obi-Wan, the two had been fierce rivals for more than a decade. Publicly the two Apprentices were civil to one another, if only because their Master's required them to be. Privately they fought like crazed Wookies. Kya knew the Qui-Gon had taken his Padawan to task repeatedly for coming home with a fresh bruise or lightsabre burn.

"Hello Bruck. What can I do for you?" Kya forced her voice to remain calm.

"Nothing. In fact, I came to do something for you," the young man replied smugly.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I figured you could use a real man."

"Excuse me?" Kya tried not to choke.

"I heard that Oafy's been trying to bed you. I thought you might want to know what's it's like with someone not as clumsy."

"Get out." Kya's voice was flat and dangerous.

"I don't think so," Bruck replied, starting towards her. The apartment only had one exit, the door into the main hall, and Bruck was blocking it.

Kya ran back into the kitchen, grabbing a big knife. She turned to face him, knife in hand. She felt invisible fingers on her arm, twisting it. She maintained her grip on the knife until her wrist was about to break. 

Crying aloud, Kya released the knife. It clattered to the floor and Bruck kicked it out of the way with a booted foot. She tried to skitter around him, only to find him already there, blocking her way again.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pushed her harshly to the kitchen floor. Her fingernails raked at his face, leaving claw marks. Bruck merely laughed at her, although the scratches hurt.

Kya had no training in the Force, she had an average midi-chlorian count, but she had listened to Qui-Gon often enough to know that each person had a distinctive signature, a pattern they left in the Force. Closing her mind to the physical plane, she forced her concentration inward, seeking the two people she knew could save her.

**

The Jedi Master and his Padawan were headed home. They had been sparing in one of the gymnasiums on a lower level. They were chatting about inconsequential events, stopping to say hello to friends and colleagues when they felt a disturbance in the Force. Master and Padawan shared a quizical glance. Usually the Temple was filled with positive energies.

Qui-Gon sensed something very Dark and wrong and he knew by the expression on Obi-Wan's face that the boy felt it too.

"Kya," both of them said at once. Without further conversation, the two sprinted for their quarters.

**

Qui-Gon slapped the entry pad and the door hissed open. He could hear Kya's screams. He saw Bruck, fumbling with the drawstring on his trousers, positioned suggestively over Kya, whose skirt he was pushing up at the same time. Without a word, he kicked Bruck in the ribcage as hard as he could.

The younger man sailed off her, landing in a heap on the ground.

Wordlessly, Kya reached imploringly for Obi-Wan, who went immediately to her side. He held her as she wept into his shoulder. 

Bruck, for whom the balance of power had shifted, suddenly found himself on the wrong end of a lightsabre. His own flew to his hand, and he staggered to his feet, ignoring the broken ribs Qui-Gon had just given him.

Qui-Gon was weary from his workout, and he was nearing sixty, but he was still the finest swordsman in the galaxy – and the young man before him had tried to rape the woman he thought of as his daughter. It was but the work of a few moments and Bruck's body fell to the floor, his head tumbling away in the opposite direction. Qui-Gon closed his eyes, seeking inner peace, extinguished his lightsabre, and took a deep breath.

Although a deep purple bruise was forming on Kya's cheek, and a few more were forming under her clothing, Bruck's original purpose was unachieved.

She still clung, sobbing, to Obi-Wan, but her tears were beginning to subside. Under normal circumstances, Qui-Gon did not use his Jedi Mind Trick on his friends. But this was far from normal. He knelt next to his Apprentice, put his hand on Kya's forehead and spoke a single word. "Relax."

She sank back in Obi-Wan's arms, her breathing slowed and he laid her gently on the ground, pillowing her head on his cloak.

"Obi-Wan, I need you to contact the Council immediately. Ask them to come here right away."

Obi-Wan looked at his Master. Qui-Gon seemed to have aged years in a few moments' time. He nodded, pulling his Comm-link from his pocket.

**

When Kya awoke she was disoriented. The smell of disinfectant was strong and the walls were painted white. She realized after a few moments that she must be in some medical bay. She tried to sit up, but found gentle hands pushing her back. "You need to rest, love." The words were Obi-Wan's. She looked at him.

She spoke one word. "Bruck?"

"He's dead. He won't be hurting you ever again."

"Did he…?" She left it hanging.

"No, he didn't. You are undefiled."

She smiled at that. "Did Qui-Gon kill him?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied.

"Good." The word was so vindictive that Obi-Wan flinched.

Kya continued, "Was the Council angry? With Qui-Gon, I mean."

"Not really. He admitted that he was angry, but Bruck drew his lightsabre too. He was not defenseless. His Master is pretty shaken up about the whole thing, though. He said he knew Bruck had been acting strangely lately, but put it down to stress. No one ever figured that he'd turned."