Rating PG
Disclaimer: The characters and venue of Star Wars belongs to Lucas Films Limited. I receive no profit from this story or its distribution.

Qui-Gon turned and watched as Obi-Wan began to back toward the vehicle. He couldn't let him leave like this! If he got away now, Qui-Gon wasn't sure he would be able to find him again. If he had no memory of his master, he probably wouldn't hang around for Qui-Gon to catch back up to him. But what could he do? He didn't want to use the force since Obi-Wan had accused him of trying to use mind control. He also knew if he rushed the apprentice either Obi-Wan would hurt himself trying to get away--or he could hurt Qui-Gon with the light saber.<I.I'VE i away!

"Wait. Before you go can't I try to show you that I don't intend you any harm?"

"How? By playing games with my head again?"

"No. I'm not using that to control your mind, just to try to talk to you."

"Is that why you give commands through it--like trying to calm me down."

Qui-Gon took a deep sigh. This was harder than he thought it was going to be. "But I know a lot about you. I can tell you things about yourself."

Obi-Wan smirked, "Yeah, that would prove it since I can't remember anything about myself."

"You don't remember anything at all? What happened to you?"

Silently Obi-Wan cursed himself. That was foolish to let him know any weakness. Now the apprentice would really have to be on his guard. He imagined the character would probably try to tell him anything to win his trust. "It doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

"Look, I don't have time for this."

Do something! "Wait. Just one minute. Look at your clothing. Haven't you noticed that we are dressed similarly?"

The apprentice looked down at his garments. He really hadn't thought much about them--except the time he had removed them to sit in the stream. He had wondered about the strange garb then. He regarded the man's outfit. It was similar! Almost the same. Even down to the dark hooded robes they both wore. This shook Obi-Wan. He awoke to a world where nothing was familiar and now here was something that seemed to hint of his life. He was so sure the pursuer was his enemy--now to find that there appeared to be some kind of link between them.

Wait Obi-Wan told himself. Don't fall into it so fast. Think he commanded himself. Is there another explanation? Don't be deceived just because you want to find out about yourself.

"Also, that weapon in your hands." Qui-Gon slowed detached the light saber from his belt. "Look. The same kind of weapon. Here you can see for yourself." Qui-Gon placed the saber on a rock and backed away so that Obi-Wan would feel free to approach it.

The apprentice hobbled over to the rock, still watching Qui-Gon. Slowly he picked up the Jedi weapon and gaped at it with wide eyes. He activated the switch on the side of the tube and watched the luminous green blade spring from the crystal. His mouth fell open as the coincidences began to be too many to be just coincidences.

"The power that you call mind control...you can do it too. I helped teach you. Try it. Relax and reach out with your mind. You can detect what I am thinking. Direct your mind toward mine. Please...try it."

Obi-Wan just stood and stared at the older man. This was all happening too fast for him to comprehend. He was confused. He didn't know what to do or to think.

"Please, Padawan." Qui-Gon hoped the endearing name would touch something in Obi-Wan's mind. "Try it. It will help you understand. It will help you remember."

The last sentence brought the reaction Qui-Gon had hoped for. He had dangled the bait--to remember. That's what Obi-Wan wanted more than anything, to remember. If he could just get the apprentice to reach out to his mind. Obi-Wan's arms fell to his sides as he visibly relaxed. Qui-Gon could feel the hesitation. Obi-Wan started to concentrate and then paused, and again.

"It's alright," the master said in the most soothing tone he could. "It's alright, Padawan. Just try it. It'll be OK."

Obi-Wan stiffened and resisted. Qui-Gon could feel it. The confusion and the fear were fighting with the apprentice's desire to remember. The master tried not to let his growing frustration show. This was shaky ground he was treading indeed. He couldn't afford to make a mistake.

"Obi-Wan, I told you one time that the most important thing for you to learn was how to control your fear. If you can't control it, then it will control you. Do you remember that?" Qui-Gon watched for any sign that he had struck a familiar chord with his apprentice. "It's true even now. I know you must be afraid...not being able to remember. That's frightening. But if you let that fear rule you then you pass up your chance to be able to remember." He waited a moment to allow Obi-Wan to think about his words then tried again. "Just try it. If nothing happens or if you aren't convinced then I will stand back and let you take the speeder. But if you try and it works...if it helps you to remember...then isn't it worth facing that fear?"

Obi-Wan's brow wrinkled into furrows as he struggled with the words and his fear. Fear...there was something familiar about that. Something about learning to control his fear...and...frustration. Fear and frustration. Something from a long time ago. Some reason he once hated and admired the same man because of fear and frustration.

Qui-Gon was aware of what was going through his apprentice's mind. He had hit the right memory. Obi-Wan's frustration at being passed over as a padawan because of his struggle with controlling his fear. It was a deep-seated memory. A deep-seated frustration. The master remembered and knew he had finally touched something that Obi-Wan was able to remember also. "Do you want to remember? Or do you want to be afraid?" he said quietly.

Obi-Wan's head snapped up and there was anger in his stormy blue eyes. "I'm not afraid!" he rasped. Thus saying it, he felt prodded to prove it. So he took in a short breath and let it out and began to relax.

Qui-Gon tried not to smile...but he knew he had succeeded in coaxing the padawan to try to contact the Force. He relaxed and opened his mind so that Obi-Wan would have no trouble reaching it. He could feel the apprentice tentatively stretching out...could feel his amazement at what was happening to him. Just a little more, Padawan, just a little more. He could sense when the gap had been bridged and Obi-Wan had touched his mind. However, as soon as the link had closed, Obi-Wan immediately withdrew. Qui-Gon opened his eyes to find his learner staring wide-eyed at him. And still there was fear coming from him.

"Obi-Wan, what's wrong. I thought you wanted to remember. I thought you weren't afraid." Though the words were taunting, he said them gently. Qui-Gon was trying to straddle that fine line between provoking him and encouraging him.

The apprentice said nothing but looked away. He stammered but said nothing. Confusion and fear were filling his mind. This was not going as well as Qui-Gon had hoped. He had to calm the young man or he was going to be scared off.

"This may be puzzling to you. It may seem unnatural. But you were born with a special power, a special gift that not everyone has. This gift may be your only chance to remember. Won't you try once more? Don't concentrate on the fear. Concentrate on what you feel when you reach out to me."

There was hesitation in the padawan's demeanor. He thought about the words. A special power, a special gift. That sounded so much better than fear and frustration. He didn't like what he felt inside when he thought about the fear and frustration. The creases disappeared from his face as he again relaxed. This time he closed his eyes too. That didn't escape Qui-Gon's notice. He must trust me to take his eyes off me Qui-Gon relaxed also and prepared himself for what he knew he had to do when Obi-Wan reached out to him again.

Slowly and haltingly the padawan stretched out again. Qui-Gon could sense everything so much more clearly--the fear, the hesitation, the pain that wracked his body. He knew that Obi-Wan was trying harder this time. He remained passive and allowed the padawan to come to him. When he felt the link close he immediately began to think encouraging and calming thoughts. He could sense Obi-Wan's desire to withdraw. But he focused on staying relaxed and focused and just allowed the apprentice a while to become comfortable with what was happening. As soon as he could sense the apprehension decrease somewhat, Qui-Gon began recalling positive and pleasant memories of Obi-Wan's life. He knew that even though amnesia is a result of a physical injury, the recall of memories does not depend on physical healing. This would be strictly a psychological and emotional healing. Also, amnesia is a totally unpredictable malady. Some people never regain memories, some partial memory, and others more complete recall. The right prompt might trigger Obi-Wan's mind. That's what the master was hoping for. That's what he concentrated on. Finding the right memory, the right experience or the right feeling that might activate recall.

As he ran through this exercise, he could feel the padawan beginning to relax and accept what Qui-Gon was sending him. He was pleased; if Obi-Wan fought him, there would be little chance of helping him remember. He was searching for a memory with very strong emotional attachments. Did he dare? Should he recall something so unpleasant to the padawan? It had worked earlier. That was a situation that had deeply affected Obi-Wan and had shaped his entire life. Yes--it was worth a try.

Qui-Gon recalled his earliest memories of Obi-Wan. What he had been told about him. How he had been passed over by other masters because of his trouble controlling his fear. The whisperings in the halls of the Jedi temple. Qui-Gon's own hesitation at taking Obi-Wan as his padawan learner.

He could feel the anger and frustration build in Obi-Wan at the memories. Yes, he did remember that about himself. There was something he was able to recall. Qui-Gon kept feeding the fire--concentrating on that stormy time in the apprentice's life. Obi-Wan was fighting him. He tried to draw away but Qui-Gon kept at it...remembering, reliving, reminding. He didn't let up; no matter how much Obi-Wan resisted him.

Finally all the resistance gave way in a single second. Qui-Gon heard a loud sob and opened his eyes in time to see his padawan collapse to his knees. He ran over and gathered him into his arms and held him while sobs racked the bruised and battered apprentice.

"It's all right now," he whispered. "It's all right. I'm right here. It's over now."

Some minutes later, Obi-Wan had expended his hurt and the weeping began to subside. He pulled away from Qui-Gon and with a pain-filled voice said, "You deliberately did that. You forced me to relive that."

"Yes, Padawan," Qui-Gon said quietly, "But it helped you to remember."

So filled with torment had he been over the bitter memories that Obi-Wan hadn't become aware yet that his other memories had returned to him as well. He looked at Qui-Gon in wonder.

"I'm sorry that I had to do that to you, Obi-Wan, but I needed a memory with strong emotions to try to jolt your brain to remember. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh, Master, how could I not forgive you for helping me?"

"We need to get you back to the colony and medical attention."

****

"Well again you are," Yoda said, more of a question than a statement. Three weeks later he knew the physical injuries were healing, but he wondered about the other damage the experience had caused.

"Yes, Master Yoda."

"So you have regained your memory?" Master Windu quizzed.

"For the most part, yes. There are still things I don't quite recall. Mostly recent things. I still don't remember the accident. The healers say that is to be expected. Recovery from amnesia is rarely complete and usually the events closer to the accident are the ones recalled last, if at all."

"However," Qui-Gon interjected, "We have been able to piece together some of what happened after talking with the colonies on Jastin." He nodded for Obi-Wan to pick up the narrative.

"Apparently I had some type of engine trouble with my transport. I put down at one of the Baroon colonies. They were unable to provide the parts I needed. So they loaned me a speeder to check the Loard colony for parts. I still don't know how I crashed the speeder," Obi-Wan shrugged. "They have looked over the remains. There could have been a mechanical failure, but that is uncertain."

"Hmmm," Yoda muttered. "Tried have you to help him recall?" he questioned the apprentice's master.

"Yes, Master Yoda. The healers say in time the memory may return...or it may not. I suppose we'll have to be content with having a padawan who is whole physically, even if he never remembers," Qui-Gon grinned at Obi-Wan. The relief and affection were evident in his voice.

****