Chapter Text
Qui-Gon stood there in shocked horror as Obi-Wan’s body was pierced by Maul’s lightsaber through his chest where his heart was. He saw he was too late in the emptiness of Obi-Wan’s eyes. Qui-Gon howled in fury as well as grief as Maul ripped his lightsaber out of Obi-Wan’s lifeless body, letting it fall unceremoniously to the ground. Qui-Gon let his anger and grief call to the dark side as he attacks Maul causing the Zabrak to stare at him with wide shocked eyes as Qui-Gon’s blow were quick as well as savage. Qui-Gon did not grief the loss of the light side as his lightsaber started to bleed red and his eyes turned gold, the light had taken his padawan from him. Didn’t the light side give Yoda council to send them to Naboo. Didn’t the light side encourage Obi-Wan to attack Maul alone while Qui-Gon was still stuck two forcefield behind Obi-Wan. Wasn’t it the Jedi Council, the representatives of the light side of the force, who ordered them to face this monster alone.
Tears streamed down Qui-Gon’s face as he continued his vicious onslaught causing Maul to look at him with panicked worried eyes as he lost more ground in the fight. Once Qui-Gon had cornered Maul against the ventilation hole in the floor, he quickly cut Maul dual lightsaber in two, rendering it utterly useless. Maul made a silent plea for mercy as the furious with grief Qui-Gon lifted his lightsaber over his head. Qui-Gon wanted to laugh as this pathetic creature begged for mercy after he had stolen Qui-Gon’s beloved padawan from him. He just snarled furiously again as he brought the lightsaber down vertically, cutting the Zabrak in half and force pushed Maul into the hole before the two halves could separate. Qui-Gon did not look back as he turned around with slow tired movements before clipping his lightsaber to his belt as he slowly made his way over to Obi-Wan’s body.
A broken sob tore out of Qui-Gon’s throat as he fell to his knees next to Obi-Wan before he gently closed Obi-Wan’s lifeless staring eyes. Qui-Gon howled out his sobs as he gather Obi-Wan to him, cradling his padawan’s broken body to him gently as he bowed over it in utter grief. Qui-Gon had a sudden hopeful thought as something his old master had said to him once gave him hope. Qui-Gon stood up slowly as well as unsteadily with Obi-Wan’s body before hurrying out of the room towards the hanger. He could put Obi-Wan’s body in stasus to prevent deterioration and maybe, just maybe Dooku could give him back his Obi-Wan. Tears of grief still ran down Qui-Gon’s face as hope filled his heart next to the darkness. Qui-Gon stole the first ship he could find that had a stasus pod in it and set off with co-ordinates for Seronno.
Dooku rushed to the docking port near his castle as one of his people had reported that Qui-Gon had arrived unannounced and requested an urgent audience with him. Dooku’s heart broke at the grief stricken broken expression Qui-Gon has as well as the defeated slump of his former padawan’s shoulders. “What happened, Qui-Gon? Where’s Obi-Wan?” asked Dooku with a concerned frown as he gestured back his security droids and sudden realization hit him as a single tear ran down Qui-Gon’s face as his eyes grew more haunted. “He died… A sith… I brought… I brought his body… I hoped… Please tell me you can… Please…” begged Qui-Gon with a sad hollow desperate tone of voice as he looked into Dooku’s eyes with utter desperation as his former master stopped a few feet away from him. Dooku was shocked for only a second when he saw that Qui-Gon’s eyes have turned sith gold but understood why as he felt the dark side cling to Qui-Gon’s grief stricken anger.
“I will not ask you the details of his death now but you will tell me later. I cannot bring the dead back to life but I think I might be able to give you a second chance with him in a way. But you have to do something for me in return.” stated Dooku with a sad understanding smile as he knew he would also have been grief stricken if his padawan died before being knighted. Dooku had wanted Qui-Gon to leave the Jedi long ago and now he has the opportunity to. He might not know the details yet but he knew the council was somehow responsible for Obi-Wan’s death and he hated them even more for the pain they have caused his former padawan but a part of him was glad Obi-Wan had died rather than his Qui-Gon. Dooku left the revered Jedi order when he saw what they really were, a cult that didn’t care for their members while they served a corrupted republic and used the light side of the force as an excuse to lord their power over others
“Fine… What do you want in return… for giving me back Obi-Wan…” asked Qui-Gon in an empty hollow tone as well as a grief stricken expression. “I want nothing from you in return, except for you to leave the Jedi order. I will even pay you handsomely for it with the condition that you and Obi-Wan visit me at least four times a years. How do a hundred thousand republic credits a year sound?” replied Dooku with a sad kind smile as he gestured some medical droids closer. “Fine… What do need of me… How…” started Qui-Gon tiredly before trailing off with a tired sigh as Dooku slowly walked nearer to him. “Just Obi-Wan’s body. Just leave the rest to me, my dear Qui-Gon.” replied Dooku as he gently drew Qui-Gon into a hug and braced himself as Qui-Gon slumped into his embrace as Qui-Gon let out a broken sob as he buried his face in Dooku’s shoulder. Dooku just nodded at the droid and they took it as consent to board the ship to recover Obi-Wan’s body.
Two month later Qui-Gon leaves Dooku’s ship alongside his former master as they walked out into a storm on a landing pad on Kamino. Qui-Gon pulled the hood of his cloak more firmly around his face and kept a hand on it to stop the wind from blowing it off his face. He followed Dooku to where a Kaminoan waited inside a locked sealed door that opened at their approach. “Good day, Count Dooku and companion.” greeted the Kaminoan as she gave them a slight bow and a warm smile in greeting. “Good day, Taun We. Is the item ready for collection?” asked Dooku with a warm smile in return as he threw back his hood and Qui-Gon nodded in greeting as he did the same. “It is. Please follow me.” answered Taun We with a deeper bow as she led them down hallways. Dooku gestured with a stern warm smile for Qui-Gon to go first and followed once Qui-Gon was a step ahead of Dooku.
Soon Qui-Gon did not know what to say or how to react as he was in a room standing in front of a hover cradle holding a baby a week or two old. The child had Obi-Wan eyes with auburn hair so light that it was almost strawberry blond and the child was staring up at Qui-Gon with wide curious eyes. “Ho-How…” asked Qui-Gon with tears in his eyes as he picked up the babe reverently with tears in his eyes and smiled warmly as the child gurgled with a smile. “We cloned a new living being from the genetic material Count Dooku sent us. As per Count Dooku’s instructions we only increased the aging process until the child will reach the age of one of your years. After that the clone will age as you do, Master Jinn.” stated a Kaminoan scientist in a lab coat causing Qui-Gon to look at Dooku with shocked astonish eyes. “I told you that I could not bring Obi-Wan back to life but I could give you a second chance to be with him. This child is an exact genetic copy of your former padawan. In essence you are holding an infant Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon.” stated Dooku with a warm understanding smile as tears escaped Qui-Gon’s eyes before Qui-Gon looked down at the infant again with awed disbelief.
“He is not the Obi-Wan you lost, my dear former padawan. But in all but life experience he is your Obi-Wan. I am giving you a second chance to raise him.” soothed Dooku with an understanding smile as he put a comforting hand on Qui-Gon’s shoulder. “Th-Thank you…” managed Qui-Gon with a faint grateful smile as looked at his master again for a few seconds before looking down at the infant who was tugging at Qui-Gon’s long hair with curiosity. “Hey there, little one… Your name is Obi-Wan Kenobi… I am you Mast-… Father… And I will not lose you again…” promised Qui-Gon brokenly with a watery smile down at the infant as tears continued to run freely down his cheeks. He laughed as his former master chuckled when one of his tear plopped onto the infants face causing Obi-Wan to whine and wriggle in irritation. Qui-Gon soothed and shushed the infant while rocking him as Obi-Wan let out a small cry. “You are welcome, Qui-Gon. I do not know what I would have done if I have ever lost you.” replied Dooku with a warm understanding smile as he gently traced a finger over at a now quite yet grumpy looking infant Obi-Wan’s cheek.