Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan hugged his bag to his chest as he sat on his bed.

He didn't want to be a farmer. The Force said he was meant for far more than that. He was supposed to be a Jedi Knight.

And even if he wasn't, Obi-Wan couldn't see how he'd ever succeed as a farmer. He wasn't that good with plants, and he was far more suited to the Unifying Force. 

He didn't understand what happened. He wasn't supposed to be sent away before his thirteenth birthday. Most new Corps recruits started their training in the Temple to help the transition. 

He didn't understand why he was the exception. Was his temper really that bad?

Obi-Wan rubbed his eyes. 

He could have gone out and caused trouble but Obi-Wan didn't have it in him. He already missed home. 

He missed everyone. 

Obi-Wan wondered if he should have talked to some of the adults about being sent away, but he thought it was better this way.

He got all the comfort he needed from his friends. He didn't need another lecture on accepting the Force's will (but why was this the Force's will? The Force seemed sadder and sadder as time passed), on reigning in his temper to be a proper Jedi, and on how he could still become a Knight from the Corps.

Sure it was possible, but it was so so difficult since he had to keep up with the Corps duties and get the attention of a master and keep up with studies and somehow catch up with padawan lessons if he was ever taken on as a padawan, and he knew the statistics. It was low. Not impossible, but unlikely.

And AgriCorps had the lowest stats on those who were taken on as padawans. 

Obi-Wan was doomed. He would never be a knight and he didn't understand why.

Maybe he would have said something to an adult to get those answers if he believed he'd get something other than yet another lecture. 

It wasn't as if they couldn't have talked to him. They would have all seen the transfer orders just like he did. 

Obi-Wan flinched as the ship finally touched down. This was it. He was starting his life as a member of the AgriCorps.

He stepped off the ship and looked around. After a moment he sighed. Of course they couldn't send someone to meet him. They were dreadfully understaffed.

He pulled out his transfer orders, looking for instructions on what to do once his ship arrived.

There.

He made a face. Ugh, he had to visit an office and talk to people. He couldn't just spot someone with the right sign and go to them, no he had to find some office here and introduce himself.

Obi-Wan sighed and started looking.

After a while he found the office. He knocked on the door.

When told to enter, he did so, looking around curiously.

The office was clearly an office for a scientist. Messy notes dominated the space. There didn't seem to be much paperwork getting done.

The scientist looked up and did a double take. 

Obi-Wan swallowed. The sight of a large Devaronian in a lab coat was surprisingly intimidating.

He wondered why this was the office he was supposed to go to, but he'd double and triple checked. The name matched. Strangely, the office gave him a bad feeling. Obi-Wan ignored every instinct that told him to turn around and never enter and to just find his way back to the Temple. He wasn't going to continue being a screw up. He had to go with what he was told.

"Um, hi. I'm Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, here to join the AgriCorps?" he shifted nervously.

"Ah, yes! We've been expecting you. How about some tea and then we'll go over some things?"

Obi-Wan nodded anxiously. "Tea sounds good." He sat down in a chair and kept clutching his bag. He stared at the floor until the tea appeared in the one clear space of the desk.

As he started drinking the tea, the scientist asked him several questions. Home planet, birth date, how long he had been with the Jedi, and so on.

Obi-Wan answered them all. They didn't seem too out of place. Aside from all the answers being on his file. He knew some people just liked to hear it for themselves or at least confirm it that way.

He set the teacup down when he finished it and yawned.

"Sorry..."

"Quite alright, Obi-Wan. It's a long trip here. I'm just going to finish up some paperwork, and then we can get started."

Obi-Wan nodded and went back to staring at the floor. He was exhausted enough to start nodding off. He fought sleep as long as he could, not wanting to make a bad first impression.

But in the end he fell asleep. 

.

Obi-Wan woke up slowly, groggy. His head felt full of cotton, his mouth tasted weird. He didn't really want to wake up.

He shifted, trying to get more comfortable, and that was when he realized that something was very, very wrong.

Obi-Wan was naked and strapped down to a table. 

"Our little lab rat has finally woken. I can't believe forging those papers actually worked to get us a little Jedi."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to protest, but the collar around his neck zapped him. 

"No, we don't want to hear you talk. Unfortunately, gagging you is a bad idea, but that doesn't mean we can't encourage you to stay quiet with that collar."

Obi-Wan looked around frantically. He was in a lab. He couldn't feel the Force. 

He was trapped. 

"Now, the more you fight, the worse these experiments will be. We already injected you with our first experiment, little lab rat. Now, let's see if it works."

Obi-Wan cried out when he was stabbed in the stomach. He squirmed as the sword came out. 

To his surprise, the pain started fading quickly.

"Did you get that?" the scientist asked those recording the data excitedly.

"We did!" 

"The healing serum works!"

"We'll need to check his blood to see if it changed anything, if it has, then I think we can consider it long lasting, if not permanent."

Obi-Wan did not like the way they were talking about him as if he wasn't there. He ignored the blood draw, too busy thinking about how he had healed almost immediately. About how they were calling him a lab rat.

Was that his life now? That of a lab rat?

Obi-Wan found himself quietly crying as they carried on some further experiments, to be sure that the healing serum worked on different types of injuries, and that it had spread throughout his body.

Burns were far more painful than he expected. 

They removed one of his pinkie toes.

"It healed over but didn't regenerate," one scientist reported. "We'll have to work on that."

"Well, we can't succeed at everything. We're doing more than enough for now, that serum will keep us funded as long as we want. Once we perfect it, we'll be able to do anything."

Obi-Wan started tuning them out, as they were still testing how well different parts of the body healed up.

After cracking his skull, they put him in for a full body scan to see if there were any permanent effects. 

There were none. 

Finally, the pain stopped. 

They removed Obi-Wan from the restraints and brought him to his room. They left him there.

Obi-Wan sat down, shaking, staring at his hands. Some of those wounds should have killed him. Instead, he couldn't find a single trace of what they did to him, save for his missing pinkie toe. 

Obi-Wan tried to remain calm, but it was a losing battle. 

He ended up curled up on the bed for a while.

Once he calmed down he sat up and started exploring the room.

It was... weird. Not what he expected for a prisoner.

The bathroom was good, there was a decent bathtub and shower, plus a sonic shower. Plenty of space at the mirror, and fully stocked supplies. 

Obi-Wan left the bathroom to explore his bedroom. There was a window. It even opened. But if he put any part of himself more than a six inches out of the window, he got a bad shock that lasted until he brought his hand back in. He supposed that if he really wanted he could endure the pain since he didn't have to worry about the damage anymore, but... He didn't want to risk it. 

His bed wasn't terrible.

There was a bookshelf full of books. A desk full of study supplies. Some exercise equipment. Games and puzzles, and even some crafts. 

In fact, the whole bedroom seemed almost like a normal child's bedroom. 

It was very strange. 

A noise at the door drew his attention. 

Food was pushed in. 

Obi-Wan walked over and peered at it. It seemed okay. 

But if it wasn't, he didn't really have a choice. He needed to eat to live, so he had to accept whatever they gave him. 

Obi-Wan went over to the mini fridge and opened it. He blinked. Snacks and drinks. Okay then.

He took out a drink and went back to his lunch. This whole thing was weird.

.

Over the next few days, Obi-Wan learned the routine. Most of the day in the lab being experimented on, the rest of the time, alone and isolated in his room as he tried to find any way to stave off the boredom. 

The experiments were painful. It was a relief to get to go back to his room when they were over. Though the nice versus pain was quite a bit of whiplash most of the time. 

Eventually, they found a way to regenerate limbs. 

The worst was the day they tested it. They chopped his arm off.

It hurt, so much more than Obi-Wan had imagined, and he had been in a lot of pain over the course of the experiments up to that point.

Regrowing the limb felt weird. And it was kind of painful. It took longer than healing wounds, but eventually, he had his arm back. That was a relief. No more missing toes besides the two already gone on one foot and one on the other. 

The excitement had them leaving Obi-Wan alone for a few days.

He spent the whole time on edge and wary. They had never skipped a day, as they rotated who had what days off, so there was always some experiment that needed doing.

He was brought back to the lab and informed that now that he could heal easily, even from missing limbs, it was time to up the experiments.

As Obi-Wan expected, it was painful. 

He didn't notice the passage of time as the experiments continued. 

He turned fourteen, then fifteen. 

On his sixteenth birthday, they tried once more to attach wings to his back. 

The problem they had been facing was that the wings needed to share his DNA for it to work. They thought that once the healing serum was throughout the wings, they would be like an extension of Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan was relieved each time the experiment failed, even after they determined the ideal size for wings.

But on his sixteenth birthday, they attached the wings with careful precision. 

Then they waited.

Obi-Wan lay on his stomach, quiet, mute. He had learned in the first six months they didn't want to hear him talk. He didn't talk to himself either. It had been more than a year since he had done more than yell or scream in pain. 

"Sit up." 

Obi-Wan waited until the last of the straps was undone to sit up. 

To his horror, the wings didn't just stay on, but he could feel them. 

He didn't like the way the feathers were in his face, and the wings folded down against his back.

Obi-Wan quietly panicked, breathing hard as the scientists exclaimed and celebrated around him. He didn't want to have wings. That was just another way they could hurt him.

Once they were done celebrating, they made requests to see what Obi-Wan could do with the wings. 

Then he was led to a large gym.

He started by gliding.

...that actually felt pretty great. 

Then he tried flying. It took a while to figure it out but then he was zooming around the gym while the scientists went wild once more.

Obi-Wan returned to the ground when he felt a shock from the collar. Obedience was more of a reflex than anything. He barely even felt the pain from the collar anymore after all he had been through.

A month later, they moved him into a bigger bedroom with a bathroom that had room for his wings. 

He continued to get regular time to fly in the gym after that.

Two months after his wings were attached and became a part of him, they chopped one off.

Obi-Wan screamed. That hurt worse than any other limb he had lost. 

A few minutes later, the scientists cheered and excitedly took notes as it was confirmed that the wing was growing back.

Obi-Wan just laid on his stomach breathing because it felt even weirder. He was still adjusting to having wings at all, so feeling one regenerate was insane.

He wondered when they would be done with the wings. When being a lab rat would turn into something else. At least they only focused on one type of experiment at a time.

But it felt like the experiments with the wings were coming to an end. 

So what was next for him, the lab rat? 

.

Obi-Wan was pretty sure he was in his twenties. 

He had his routine down. He always meditated in the morning before eating breakfast. It had taken a few years to get back to the habit, but he had needed something to do, and he was struggling with his emotions again.

It was both easier and harder without the Force to guide him. But he also felt like he made a lot more progress now that he was older and more capable of understanding his emotions.

After breakfast, it was experiment time. This usually lasted until an hour before dinner. He didn't usually get lunch. Sometimes the experiments would last longer, sometimes they'd be shorter. 

For an hour after dinner, he was brought to the gym where he could stretch his wings and get out some pent up energy. Then, for another hour, he would go swimming. 

Swimming had turned into an enjoyable activity he needed to do. They had found a way to modify genetics with that of other species to give desirable traits. 

They had started with Nautolan gills. This came with a side effect of changing his skin a bit, and giving him some retractable webbing between his toes and fingers, as apparently that was a genetic trait that could not be separated from the gills.

Obi-Wan wasn't complaining. It made swimming easier, once he got used to it. But it was still another modification he did not want.

They did have to figure out something to make his wings more waterproof, though.

After swimming, Obi-Wan would go back to his room and clean up as much as necessary, and then occupy himself until he was tired enough to sleep.

Sometimes the experiments required things to go out of routine. Obi-Wan went with it. He knew better than to protest. He hadn't spoken in years.

Sometimes Obi-Wan stood in the mirror to stare at the gills above and behind his ears. To stare at the wings permanently attached to his back. To look at his smooth skin. No scars. Most of his childhood scars were gone, after burns healed over them.

When he did so, he thought about how unnatural he was. How he really was just a lab rat.

After the Nautolan genes, they added Kiffar for the climbing ability, better than most near human species. Then they added Togruta for some predator instincts and strengths. 

They hadn't spliced in any more genes, yet. Obi-Wan expected it was just a matter of time. 

At the moment, the experiment was with giving him retractable claws. They were pretty painful experiments, but each one brought them closer and closer to the answer.

Over the years, Obi-Wan had faced several singular experiments. Seeing how he held up with allergies- the answer? He was still allergic, but the reaction healed before it could even fully show, even the worst reaction would have no chance to kill him.

He'd been exposed to several diseases, and apparently that had helped with a cure in a few cases, and where it didn't it helped them understand the disease based on how Obi-Wan's body reacted before it chased the disease away.

Obi-Wan just suffered in silence. As long as he wasn't contagious, it didn't matter.

The worst experiment was when they decided to test radiation on his healing serum.

The healing serum worked, but he was in pain for months, until the last of the radiation was gone. Until the healing serum had repaired all the genes that had been destroyed by the radiation. Apparently it was more effective than they expected, they had thought he’d be battling the radiation for years not months.

Obi-Wan had decided that radiation was the most painful thing he had ever experienced, and he was very glad that they had found safe ways to handle anything that was irradiated because he wouldn't wish such a painful life or death on anyone.

All in all, in his twenties, Obi-Wan had long since resigned himself to a long string of experiments that would change him forever, and to never actually interacting with another person. 

Then... things changed.

Obi-Wan had retractable claws. His eyesight had been improved, as had his hearing. He still wasn't sure when or how that happened, but it had. 

One thing he never mentioned was that whatever they did with Kiffar genetics, it did not keep the climbing ability separate, no, the Kiffar psychometry came with it. As did this weird sensation like he needed more touch. It felt like his healing serum worked harder after that, but if it was slower, no one noticed. 

When things changed, he was unprepared. Suddenly, he wasn't a lab rat for most of a day, no, he was dragged into the gym for some sort of training regimen.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that they were training him for something. 

It took him months to realize that they were training him to be an assassin. When they ordered him to kill an intern who had turned out to be a spy.

Obi-Wan hesitated. The shock from his collar got more intense until it was at the highest level, and then the trainer threatened to chop a wing off. 

Obi-Wan gave in, and felt horrible after. He took several showers and fell asleep curled up in the bathtub, sobbing. 

That was when he decided he had to get out. He still didn't know how to escape. They had closed up all the gaps he could think of to use. 

But he knew he couldn't stay and become an assassin. Being a lab rat was enough, but killing people on order?

No. That wasn't Obi-Wan's way. That wasn't the Jedi way. 

Obi-Wan had to get out.

It took him several days to find the right combination of opportunities. The first thing he did was find a way to remove the collar. Without the collar, they wouldn't have any way to bring him back.

Obi-Wan made it to find a ship to get off the planet, hiding his wings carefully, and making sure his other features were hidden well. 

It was very overwhelming to be among people again, especially with his heightened senses and readjusting to being able to feel the Force. 

He was careful, but they were able to catch him and bring him back.

Obi-Wan fought back for the first time. He'd barely even fought back when he was thirteen, but now he had to. He couldn't let them win.

He came to regret it. They had tranquilizers tailored to his healing serum that would knock him out long enough to bring him back and make sure he could not escape again.

They tortured him for a week. They took away some of his entertainment. They did the bare minimum of what they had been doing. They isolated him, no one even looking at him, for weeks, no flying or swimming, even.

Obi-Wan was a wreck by the time they came back and asked him if he was ready to behave.

He cried but resumed his training shakily, not sure what else he could do. 

All he had known for over ten years was the lab and his room. If he had stayed with the Jedi Order, he could even be a Knight by now. 

Instead he was a lab rat, covered in modifications, training to be an assassin, a weapon for those that created him. 

Obi-Wan didn't know what to do. The more he followed their orders, the further from being a Jedi he got. He couldn't just pretend that meditating was enough anymore.

.

Quinlan was alone on his ship. He was used to being alone. He had already been over his mission many times. He knew exactly his plan.

As such, his mind wandered. 

Inevitably he turned to his childhood with bittersweet memories. 

He missed his best friend. He missed Obi-Wan. 

But when Obi-Wan was about to turn thirteen, he got the orders to go away to a planet to join the AgriCorps.

It had seemed weird to Quinlan at the time, but it wasn't totally out of the realm of things the Jedi Order did with the Corps. 

And Obi-Wan had been getting in a lot of trouble because of his inability to hold his temper. Not that the adults really understood just how far he was being pushed to unleash that temper. 

Obi-Wan had been devastated by the orders and told all his friends. They'd said their goodbyes. 

And then Obi-Wan was gone. 

Only for his crechemaster to not know where he'd gone. No one but Quinlan and his friends knew about the orders. 

Everyone assumed Obi-Wan had run away after the latest in a series of bad (and sometimes public) rejections. 

Quinlan had seen the orders. None of them knew how to fake those. 

Tholme listened to him and investigated, eventually finding the orders in the system. 

This led to a big investigation, but it was too late. 

There was no sign of Obi-Wan after he got off the ship. 

He was gone.

Everyone hoped that once Obi-Wan realized the orders were false, he ran off and found his own way in the galaxy. 

They couldn't find anything at the office he was supposed to go to, as it was totally emptied, and had been empty for years, according to the officials.

There was no other leads, so all they could do was make sure it never happened again. They started with security, then moved onto better protocols, and then, how they handled initiates that were having trouble finding a master but didn't feel they belonged with the Corps. 

After all, it shouldn't have been so easy for an initiate to be tricked. 

Quinlan sighed. He hoped Obi-Wan was out there, happy. 

There was no telling what had happened all those years ago. 

If Quinlan had just said something before Obi-Wan left... 

It was a long time ago. It wasn't Quinlan's fault. 

So why did it keep coming back to him? Obi-Wan had to be happy, he just wasn't choosing to get back in contact with his friends, with those he had grown up with.

Quinlan got off the ship. He had a mission to do. He let out a breath. Time to stop dwelling and let go. Again.

.

Quinlan shook his head in disgust at the reports he was flipping through. 

The suspicions were right. Unethical, insane, and they were looking to use the one they started with as a weapon. He was the only one to survive every experiment, everyone died eventually.

He saved the reports. Time to check out the subject designated only as "lab rat".

Quinlan hated missions like this. They showed the worst of the galaxy, and he had to be stealthy and undercover. He was good at it, so he did it so others didn't have to. But he never enjoyed it. 

He liked investigations. He liked working to find Sith artifacts. He didn't like the isolation, or temptation. He didn't like acting unlike himself for so long, treading the line of what it meant to be a Jedi and what was necessary to pass.

Quinlan double checked the room he needed to get to and then set off across the facility. At least it was nighttime. Meant no one would be around to see him.

He found the room. He entered the code.

There was the "lab rat" sleeping on the bed, long ginger hair and large wings on his back. No signs of scars, but there were the retractable claws, flexing in and out as he slept. The gills along his temple. It all looked so unnatural.

Quinlan let out a breath and shook his shoulder. 

The victim of all the testing startled awake, eyes flying open as he sat up.

Quinlan stepped back and held up his hands. "Hey." He prepared to try to convince him that he was safe and willing to get him out.

The victim stared at him with haunted eyes, looking him up and down, lingering on the tattoos on his face. He stopped at the lightsaber Quinlan had made sure was visible, then shot back up to his face.

"Quin?" Obi-Wan whispered shakily.

Quinlan's eyes widened and it clicked. The date they acquired their 'lab rat'. His age at the time. The ginger hair, the blue eyes, why the falsified papers. They had lured a Jedi initiate to them on purpose, wanting to take advantage of whatever the Force had to offer. 

"Obi?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

Quinlan moved closer, heart aching. This is what had happened to Obi-Wan all those years ago. He had been suffering, alone, and now there was no going back.

Obi-Wan hugged him tightly, crying. "What are you doing here?"

"Investigating. I saw the reports about you and wanted to see if you wanted to help me and get out of here."

"Please get me out of here," Obi-Wan whispered. 

Quinlan nodded. "Of course. I have everything I need to bring back for my report, we can talk on the way out. Anything you want to bring?" He removed everything keeping Obi-Wan there, remembering where the trackers were from the files.

Obi-Wan gasped. "It's... it's been a while since I've had those off."

"I know." Quinlan didn’t mention his short lived escape attempt.

"Right..." Obi-Wan stood up. "We should bring some of my clothes so that I don't just have this for clothes that fit my wings. My wings can hide under a cloak, but they're too big for shirts."

"Got it."

"I don't think I want anything else here. They were just trying to give me 'enrichment' like any good lab rat."

"I'm sorry." 

They collected the clothes.

Obi-Wan followed Quinlan out, hardly daring to believe that this wasn't a dream. It couldn't be real. 

Quinlan was glad he had planned this out thoroughly. After reading through everything they had done to their lab rat, to Obi-Wan , he didn't want to take any chances on what they would do to him if they had caught him. 

They made it onto the ship.

Obi-Wan sat in the co-pilot seat and watched the ground fall away, until they were in space and he could see the whole planet. And then all there was was stars. 

Quinlan set autopilot for Coruscant. 

"Now what?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Do you want to sleep?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. 

"Alright. If you're ready to talk about what happened, I can record it. Or we can talk about other things. I'm afraid I don't have much to do besides work on my report and sleep for the return trip."

"Oh... that's fine. Um. I guess we can talk about it. What do you need?"

"We'll start with introducing ourselves for the record, and then I can ask the questions, if you prefer?"

Obi-Wan swallowed, then nodded again. 

Quinlan smiled. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll turn it on now." He turned it on and set it between them. "Knight Quinlan Vos, shadow, interviewing Future Solutions Lab victim..." He looked at Obi-Wan expectantly.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi." 

Quinlan smiled. "How about we start with how you ended up with Future Solutions Lab?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "After receiving orders to go to the AgriCorps, I followed the directions to an office. I answered all the questions about my identity. Thought it was a little weird, since they should have my file, but answered anyway. They gave me tea at the start, and before long I was unable to stay awake." He looked down. 

"When I woke up, I couldn't feel the Force, and I was strapped down to a table. They'd already injected me with the healing serum they were testing. They stabbed me... and it healed quickly. Everything they did to me healed up. The only thing that did not was the pinkie toe they removed, as they wanted it to regenerate rather than just heal over. They took two more toes over the following weeks before the fourth toe regrew."

Quinlan took his hand and squeezed it, all sympathetic and worried and concerned. 

It was reassuring. 

"Can you remember anything else?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Not really. I was in shock, everything they did hurt until it healed up. Losing a limb and regrowing it was weird and a bit painful, too. They talked about me, over my body, like I wasn't there. I was just a lab rat to them, not a person. They didn't really say much to me. I just know they thought a Jedi would be the best candidate to help them hone their experiments but I don't know why." 

Quinlan nodded. "What happened after?"

"They took me to a bedroom that was actually like a kid's bedroom, with toys and books, and paints and such. I spent most of my day with the experiments, and the rest of the time in there, just trying to deal with what happened and entertain myself."

"What was the next experiment?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and told him. 

They got through everything. 

Quinlan turned off the recording and hugged him. "You went through so much... I'm impressed we got through it all in one go."

"What?"

"Most of the time in interviews like that, people break down so we have to pause for them to recover, but you didn't. You can cry, if you need to, Obes."

Feeling safe in Quinlan's arms, the uncomfortable itch fading into a pleasant buzz, knowing he was out of there and he never had to go back, with everything fresh on his mind, Obi-Wan started sobbing.

Quinlan wanted to rub his back, but the wings were a bit of an obstacle. He settled for running his hand through Obi-Wan's hair, feeling guilty.

If he had just said something to Master Tholme about Obi-Wan's orders... This never would have happened. Obi-Wan would never have gone through the torture of having his body changed against his will, treated as less than a person. 

Quinlan let go of his feelings to focus on Obi-Wan. He hummed as he focused on making his Force presence as soothing as possible. 

Obi-Wan eventually calmed down, leaning on Quinlan.

"Why are we on the floor?"

"Easier for me to comfort you that way."

"Oh. Why are you guilty?"

Quinlan blinked. "What?"

Obi-Wan pointed to where Quinlan's hand was holding his. "You're feeling guilty and hiding it in the Force."

"Obes... how do you know that?"

Obi-Wan looked away. "Oh, right. I never mentioned it to them, not like they asked me questions like that anyway... when they gave me Kiffar climbing... psychometry came with." 

"Oh, Obi... that must have been a lot to deal with, considering you were stuck with mad scientists."

"It was." Obi-Wan whispered. "But I learned to deal, eventually. Why are you guilty?"

Quinlan sighed. If Obi-Wan was feeling his guilt through psychometry, there was no escaping it. "Why don't I tell you what happened after you left, okay?"

Obi-Wan blinked, and nodded. 

"You never told anyone that you were going anywhere. They never saw the orders. But we all did. At first the masters all thought you had enough of all the rejections and ran away. I convinced Master Tholme to look into it because there was no way you created those orders, you weren't tech savvy enough. He found them. They were falsified. Someone hacked the system. By the time they arrived at the office you were sent to, the office was cleared out. Everyone swore that it hadn't been occupied for years, so it was concluded that you realized that you'd been tricked, and probably felt betrayed, so you ran off to live a new life." 

"...I wasn't being sent away?"

Quinlan shook his head. "There was going to be a test or something when you turned thirteen to see if you were-are truly meant to be a Knight, or which path you should take. I'm not clear on what it entails, since I never had to take it and those that do don't talk about it, apparently it's deeply personal."

"Oh..."

"Don't feel dumb, Obi. None of us knew. That's one thing they're doing differently, it's now very clear what will happen. Most initiates don't even try to ask masters to take them on anymore, even desperate. There's a few exceptions, but what we saw growing up? It's not there anymore. But we had no reason to mention it to adults, not really. We should have. But we didn't. I should have talked to Master Tholme about it when he asked me what was wrong before you even left. If I'd said something then..."

"Oh. That's why you feel guilty." 

Quinlan nodded. 

"I get it. I don't blame you though. Lots of things happened to make it go down, and really, I don't know what they would have done if I hadn't fallen for it. Maybe it was for the best, so that they didn't target a whole group of initiates on a trip or something."

"Well, you're not wrong. I did see notes from them speculating on that, but they never followed through."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I don't blame you. Stop feeling guilty." 

"I will try." Quinlan sighed. He jumped when he got a message. He checked it. He was being asked for an update or his report.

He typed back that he wasn't in the right headspace for a report yet, so he would send the interview over for now and get on that later.

Then he sent over the recording and went back to cuddling.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I missed you. I missed everyone." 

"I missed you too, we all did. I'm glad I found you."

"Me too. They wanted me to be an assassin. I couldn't kill but they just keep hurting me and not much can kill me. Not even radiation." 

"I know, I saw those files. I'm sorry."

They stayed on the floor until it was time to land. 

Quinlan turned to Obi-Wan and saw that he was shaking. He slid a hand behind Obi-Wan's neck. 

Obi-Wan turned to look at him, surprised by how comforting the gesture was when coupled with psychometry. He leaned in on the hand, still enjoying soaking in any positive touch he could.

Quinlan smiled. "Kiffar trick. Good for comforting and calming. Obes, you ready?"

"I... It's been what, eleven years, Quin?"

"Eleven years," Quinlan agreed quietly. 

"I have been through hell since then. I have lost myself. I have wings, and so much else about me that is just so, so wrong."

"I know. Do you want to go to the Council first, or to the Healing Halls?"

"Why the Healing Halls?" Obi-Wan tilted his head, puzzled.

"They'll need your records updated, and you need a mind healer."

"I do? Why? I'm not a Jedi?"

"Yes, you are, Obes. You really think with how they left there wouldn't be a place for you if you came back? And it's not even like you stayed away willingly. At the least they'll want you to have the chance to heal and figure out what you want to do, considering..." Quinlan gestured.

Obi-Wan grimaced. "Right. I can't live a normal life, I'll have to hide so many things."

"You will. It's up to you though. After what you have been through, it wouldn't be selfish to pick yourself, okay?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "I think... I think I want to get seeing the Council over with first."

"Alright." Quinlan started for the door, then paused. "Obi? When you got the psychometry and the climbing... did you get a buzzing feeling in your skin?"

"Yeah, it's usually really painful but it's not been that bad since you're hugging me." 

"Oh, Obes... I'm so sorry. You must be so touch starved. We'll have to cuddle, or find you someone to cuddle if you don't want to cuddle with me."

"Huh?" Obi-Wan blinked.

"That's what I feel when I don't get enough touch, Obes. That's why I get so clingy and cuddly. It seems it doesn't affect the healing serum, but for me, being touch starved can mean I don't heal at all if it's bad enough."

"...things did start healing slower after," Obi-Wan whispered. "Something hadn't felt right and... oh no, Quin, every time you were asked to try to stay in your own bed at night, just this once?"

"Actually not that bad, because Kiffar do encourage younglings after the age of about two to start learning how to start learning to sleep alone, but most don't fully master it until their teens or even twenties."

"Oh... but it explains so much."

Quinlan nodded. "And I'm sorry you understand it. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

Obi-Wan nodded, and then he sighed. "We should get going... we can keep talking about it later."

"We can," Quinlan agreed. "Let's go." He was relieved to see that no one was there to greet him. Not even Aayla, the initiate he was planning to take on as his padawan soon. 

Obi-Wan stayed near Quinlan, wings covered by a cloak and hair covering his gills. 

Quinlan gave him a smile from time to time, ignoring all the stares.

Obi-Wan couldn't believe how grown up Quinlan was. He had turned into a Jedi Knight. He was so confident. 

But Obi-Wan still felt like that broken thirteen year old who had just become a lab rat.

Quinlan led him into the Council room after getting confirmation they could enter. 

Obi-Wan couldn't bring himself to look up at all the masters. 

Quinlan clasped his hands behind him and started his report. He could tell they hadn't clued in on who Obi-Wan was. 

Only Mace had, and that was because he was the one Quinlan sent the interview to. 

Obi-Wan jumped slightly when he felt comfort and calm from a familiar Force presence. Mace Windu. 

He answered with a tentative greeting. 

He nearly cried at the clear welcome back he got in return. 

"Once I had the information I just gave you the bare bones of, I looked up their one surviving 'lab rat' and found his room. I woke him up to see if he was willing to talk, and if he wanted me to get him out of there. He did, and I recorded an interview on the return trip." 

"Does he have a name?" Ki-Adi asked. 

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan responded quietly, bracing himself for at least some negative responses. 

He was not prepared for the overwhelming sense of love and support, the relief that he had come back, and the horror of what he had been through.

Obi-Wan sank to the floor, crying. 

Quinlan knelt down with him, offering quiet comfort and support. 

Yoda reached Obi-Wan first, and rather than do anything he might normally do, he hugged Obi-Wan briefly before stepping back and smacking Quinlan with his stick.

"Led with that, you should have," he scolded. 

"Sorry, I wasn't certain anyone would let me get through the report if I did."

"Most likely not," Mace said, with quiet amusement in the Force.

Obi-Wan cried from all the affection and love and support he was getting. 

At some point, he lost the cloak, and no one was bothered by his gills or his cloak, and no one even commented on his eyes being just a little different. 

He was home.

Once that sunk in, it took him a long time to calm down. 

When he did, he was still surrounded by the Council, each offering comfort in their usual way.

It was the best feeling.

"What happens now?" he asked quietly, wondering how he ended up in Plo's lap, but leaning back into his comfort anyway.

"Now, you heal," Plo said gently. "We'll set you up with mind healers, and start seeing where you are with your education. In a few months, maybe a year, we'll see what your path will be."

"I've... I've never stopped feeling like I'm meant to be a Jedi Knight," Obi-Wan responded quietly, not looking up to meet anyone's eyes. He still couldn't quite believe that things had happened wrong before.

"Then we will start your training, take turns between the Council. Once we have determined the best path forward, you may end up with one Jedi master, or you may not," Mace responded. "Regardless, your time as a padawan will be an unusual one."

Obi-Wan nodded quietly. "I can live with that."

"Good."

There was more conversation on the details, they asked him more about his time as a lab rat, and Quinlan had some insights as they talked.

Then Obi-Wan went to the healers, where Mace went and ensured that Obi-Wan would get the privacy he deserved, and healers that would not treat him poorly.

Vokara promised to pick out a team of healers for Obi-Wan, so that the chances of there not being one available for him was slim, and if they weren't, one was to be called immediately.

Obi-Wan relaxed a bit once he was informed.

Vokara was very nice and gentle with him while getting an idea of a baseline for him.

He admitted to everything that was done to him, including the side effects of the extra genes. Particularly the psychometry. 

Almost immediately after, he went to meet with the mind healer in charge of the former prisoner division, meant to help people process times where they were held captive in situations that were not exactly slavery. 

Obi-Wan was nervous, but laid out the bare bones of his experience.

The mind healer made some notes and consulted the files on the mind healers in the division before suggesting the mind healer he thought would help Obi-Wan the most.

Obi-Wan accepted, and an appointment was made for the next day.

He was given his own apartment, and Mace went over how everything worked with him.

It would be far different from how it used to be, and he wasn't ready to face other people yet, especially those he knew in the creche.

He would be able to take it at his own pace though, with the goal that once he started his full training, he would be able to connect with other Jedi. 

There was still what would be told to the Jedi Order, and what the Senate would know.

Obi-Wan would rather no one know at all, but keeping what happened to him secret, when it was so hard to hide the wings and gills, well, that wouldn't work out well for them.

He knew that. It was still hard to acknowledge that he was going to be known as the lab rat to those who had access to the reports. 

But... he was home. He had a chance to be a Jedi Knight.

That night, Obi-Wan got ready for bed, just happy to be away from the lab.

No more experiments. No more training to kill people.

It was almost too good to believe. If he could not feel the Force, he would be scared to wake up to find it was just a dream.

There was a knock at the door.

Obi-Wan checked before opening to let Quinlan in. 

Quinlan was already in pajamas.

"Um..."

"Come on, Obes, you got the Kiffar need for touch, remember? Cuddling at night helps it the most." 

"Oh. You don't mind?"

Quinlan gave him a look. "I love cuddling, you know that, and I kind of owe you for cuddling me almost every night for years without a fuss when everyone else complained or refused."

"...Oh. Right. I'd forgotten." 

Quinlan hugged him. "Still having a hard time adjusting?"

"How can you tell?"

"Pretty obvious. It's okay, you're safe. You're home."

Obi-Wan nodded, leaning in, and closing his eyes. 

He was not terribly surprised when he started crying. Again. It would be nice when the tears finally stopped coming.

Quinlan chatted with him about more things Obi-Wan had missed, about how Quinlan was preparing to take on a padawan when the initiate he knew he would train turned eleven, and how Quinlan was faring with his own missions.

Eventually, they went to bed and fell asleep, Quinlan hugging Obi-Wan tightly, and Obi-Wan's wings wrapped around them.

It was the best sleep Obi-Wan had gotten in years. 

Even better, when he got up and started preparing for the day, the itchy feeling that made him want to peel his skin off was gone.

Curiously, Obi-Wan purposefully made a cut on his skin.

It healed up at the rate it had before he had gotten the Kiffar genes. 

Huh. So the need for touch did slow his healing down, but not enough to actually kill him. Good to know.

Obi-Wan was pleased with the breakfast that Quinlan prepared for him.

"Do you have plans for breakfast? I was wondering if you'd want to join me and Tholme? Or is that too soon?"

Obi-Wan bit his lip, uncertain. Then he nodded. "Yeah, I think... I think that will be good. Mace," and wasn't it weird that none of the Council wanted him to call them master outside of professional situations? "wants to release a statement about me soon, to let everyone know about the modifications and... I'm a bit nervous. But... Tholme probably isn't one I want to find out that way."

"Alright. What are your plans for today?"

"I'm going to go to a mind healer this morning, hopefully they'll be my permanent mind healer, and in the afternoon, Plo wants to go over how I ended up with those fake orders, why I believed them and the rest of you didn't say anything until it was too late, and what's been done to fix that. He mentioned we might go to the creche once we're done..." 

Quinlan nodded, catching that Obi-Wan wanted to see their old crechemaster. "She felt really guilty when no one could find you. She feels like it's her fault that you didn't go to her with the orders, even to inform her, let alone seek comfort."

"Oh. I'm pretty sure I was thinking that I was going to be on my own and couldn't rely on people if I was going to the AgriCorps, not the way I was used to, so what was the point in telling her, especially since I was sure she had received a notice anyway..."

"Oh... so you also thought she would bring it up first, didn't you?"

Obi-Wan nodded. He finished his food. "It's starting to sink in. You got me out. Thank you, Quin."

"No problem, Obes. I'm just happy that you're alive. You do what's best for you from now on, okay? Don't worry about me or anyone else. You've done enough living to another's whims."

Obi-Wan nodded, smiling slightly.

.

Obi-Wan was tense for the mind healing appointment, but the mind healer just gave him an easel and some paints and told him to paint and they would discuss the expectations of mind healing. 

It would be based on what he wanted. Yes, eventually, Obi-Wan had to get out of his comfort zone if he wanted any chance of improvement, but that would be done at his pace. He needed to feel secure first. Outside of what was necessary, no one wanted to push him too hard when so much had been out of his control before.

Obi-Wan nearly cried again. He admitted to worries about fitting in and how others viewed him because of his modifications. He was not fully human anymore, he was a strange mix of things that wouldn't even make sense if he had species as his parents.

The mind healer talked him through his anxiety, and then complemented him on his ability to let go after processing.

Obi-Wan relaxed a bit, and told him about how meditating was the only way to feel like a Jedi, so he tried to meditate once or twice a day, but it never felt like enough.

They talked more about that, and then time was up.

Obi-Wan was surprised, but he had painted a picture of space, and he felt quite a bit better than he had when he entered. 

He agreed to two appointments a week for a month, then if all was going well, one a week, then hopefully after a year he would be down to one a month, but that was a long way off, and it might not be possible.

After the appointment, Obi-Wan was at loose ends until lunchtime, where he took a deep breath and double checked Quinlan's directions for getting to his rooms.

Time to meet another Jedi who knew him when he was an initiate.

He was incredibly nervous, but all the Jedi so far had been nice, so he told himself he was being silly, that there was no reason to doubt the Jedi who trained Quinlan, and it was better to just get it over with anyway.

.

Quinlan was still preparing lunch when Tholme arrived. 

"Hey, Master," he greeted without pausing what he was doing.

"Hello, Padawan. Lunch looks good. I heard you caused a bit of chaos when you returned from your mission?"

Quinlan nodded, sighing. "Remember the suspicions around the things Future Solutions Lab is marketing? The rumors that they had a lab rat they were testing it all on?"

Tholme nodded. "Is that what you were investigating? What did you find?"

"The rumors were true, and the reality is far worse than the picture they painted," Quinlan explained grimly. "The chaos was from the person I brought back with me, the one person who's survived all experiments over the last decade, since he was thirteen."

"I see..." Tholme said slowly. "Is he going to be okay?"

"I think so. Going to be rough, though with all the modifications in the name of science." Quinlan sighed, then smiled. "But he's coming to lunch, so you can see for yourself what he's like."

Tholme raised an eyebrow. That was unusual.

There was a tentative knock on the door as Quinlan finished putting everything on the table.

Quinlan lit up, beaming as he bounded for the door.

That was interesting.

He flung open the door. "Obes!" 

Tholme set his juice down before he could spill it. No wonder Quinlan was so happy, no wonder there was chaos when Quinlan returned. 

Quinlan pulled Obi-Wan in.

Obi-Wan greeted Tholme shyly, reaching out with the Force at the same time.

Tholme met him with joy and relief to see him.

Obi-Wan relaxed and let down his hood before taking off his cloak. 

Gills. Wings. 

Tholme carefully did not react and just gave Obi-Wan another smile as he sat down.

Obi-Wan relaxed.

Quinlan started chattering, and Obi-Wan listened as he ate.

Tholme chatted as well, keeping an eye on Obi-Wan. 

The mystery of what had happened to Obi-Wan was now solved, and Tholme regretted just what it had done to Obi-Wan. 

He used to be a vibrant youngling, full of fire and potential. Now he was quiet, cautious, like a candle flame easily blown out. His potential was there, but buried. 

But he was alive, and he was a completely broken mess like many would have been after what he went through. 

Obi-Wan shared some of the plans that had been made, and told Quinlan that he liked the mind healer, so they had made more appointments. 

Then Quinlan nudged Obi-Wan and said he could tell Tholme more, if he wanted, Quinlan trusted Tholme with that stuff. 

Tholme wondered why Quinlan was pushing Obi-Wan to tell him.

Once he learned that in the process of giving him some of the Kiffar's natural climbing ability, they had managed to give him psychometry and the Kiffar need for touch, he wanted to go track those scientists down and teach them a lesson. It was rare something made Tholme that angry.

He then wondered how Obi-Wan was healing without touch.

Obi-Wan then casually picked up a knife and stabbed his own hand. When he removed the knife, his hand healed almost immediately.

"I can't die, even before Quin and I cuddled all last night, I healed fast enough to prevent everything but instant death. Radiation is very painful, would not recommend that."

Quinlan grimaced. "How are you not messed up after radiation?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Radiation messes with the genes, but the healthy cells are usually the ones fighting the damaged ones, so that heals up eventually. Takes a long time, though. Still surprised even that wasn't a death sentence. Didn't even mess with my brain."

Quinlan made an alarmed sound but otherwise didn't do much.

Obi-Wan noted the time and said he had to meet Plo. He gave Quinlan a hug on the way out.

Tholme turned to Quinlan. "Mind healer appointment?"

"Yeah. Moved it to twice a month instead of once to process. I've been a bit of a wreck since he said my name and I realized just who their 'lab rat' is."

Tholme drew him into a hug. "I don't blame you. You found him in a place no one expected to... and he's been through so much."

Quinlan let himself cry. "If I had just come to you as soon as he showed me the orders, this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have fallen for their trap, he wouldn't have suffered so much."

"Oh, Quin... you still blame yourself?"

Quinlan sniffled. "I know I shouldn't, I wasn't even fifteen yet, of course I wouldn't handle it well but... he went missing and maybe he'd run away but now we know he was suffering and they wanted to use him as a weapon and it's all my fault." 

"It's not your fault. It's the rest of us. We failed you, we failed Obi-Wan. None of you thought to mention it to an adult until he was gone, and that should have been your first thought. We failed Obi-Wan for making him think that he was alone, and I failed you by never quite believing you about how bad the bullying was, I know that's affected how much you trust me with things you should trust me with."

"Oh... yeah. I guess." Quinlan sighed. "I don't like seeing him like this, but... I missed him, and he's not that different and... I don't know. It's just a lot of feelings right now that I need to get straight, but you know me. I do best when I can rant at someone."

"Of course. No shame in that. Let me know if you need anything."

"Of course, Master."

.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath in and let it out. It had been three days. Shaak had already tested his eyesight and checked for anything else transferred over from togruta genes. The answer was yes, eating food raw, sharper teeth, and faster reflexes.

They had tested his flying and started discussing what to do with his wings, and how he wanted to appear to others.

Quinlan had helped the Kiffar climbing test. 

Now it was just onto the Nautolan. Which meant Kit, apparently. 

Kit, who Obi-Wan knew before. Kit was a padawan who helped out with their pranks sometimes. He was six years older than Obi-Wan, almost a Knight when Obi-Wan became a lab rat.

Obi-Wan couldn't decide if it was better or worse that he knew Kit before.

They were at one of the private pools, waiting for Kit to join them.

Obi-Wan was sitting on the edge, feet dangling. He was looking forward to the swimming, but he wasn't really looking forward to seeing what Kit's reaction would be. 

It was interesting that the Council already trusted Kit with stuff like this, though.

The door opened and Kit entered. 

Shaak smiled at him. "Hello, Kit."

"Hello, Shaak," he greeted with his own smile. "What is the secret with this test?"

"There was a person genetically modified with genes from other species, typically with one modification in mind, but with the Kiffar and Togruta genes, more things carried over."

Kit stared at her. "Genetically modified?" he repeated in disbelief. Then he saw the wings. "Oh, wow."

"Please be nice, Kit. He is still adjusting to being safe."

"Right." Kit let out a breath and went to the person he was testing. "Hello."

Obi-Wan looked up and greeted him in the Force. "Hey, Kit."

Kit sat down as soon as he recognized the Force presence. "Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. That's me."

Kit hugged him, relieved to know that Obi-Wan was alive, that he had come back to the Jedi Order, but he was also horrified by what Obi-Wan had gone through. There was always something different about knowing people he cared about, or even people knew at all before had gone through something so awful. 

Obi-Wan sniffled and leaned in, grateful for the comfort from an old friend.

Kit rubbed his back, noting the gills on Obi-Wan's head, exactly where a Nautolan would have them. 

"Ready to swim?" He asked when Obi-Wan seemed calmer.

Obi-Wan nodded. He was already in swimwear.

"Then let's swim." Kit pushed off the ground into the water. 

Obi-Wan followed, staying underwater and not holding his breath. There was no need to. As soon as his gills hit the water, they started working.

Kit was watching and waiting. "How do you feel?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "This feels normal to me. They had me swim almost every day after the success." It was still weird being able to talk underwater, knowing the sound would travel.

"I see... well, let's see what you can do and talk about what may or may not have changed besides that. How are your wings?"

"That was the hardest part, learning to keep them tucked in for swimming, they're not very useful when swimming."

"Ah, of course. No issues doing that?"

"It just took some practice and learning not to flare them when startled underwater."

"Makes sense. Obi?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry we were not there for you, that you had to suffer."

"I swear everyone is apologizing to me. Starting with Quin... he's the one who found me."

"I bet he was relieved."

"I think he was more horrified than relieved, but he's been great. Can't believe how grown up he is... you too."

"You've grown up too."

"I don't feel like it, but at least I was allowed to do things... I'm not as far behind in most subjects as I could be. Still looking like five years to being a Knight... but the Council seems pretty confident I can do it."

"Of course you can, Obi. You spent ten years with those experiments. You have come out far stronger and better than anyone could have guessed. Not many would survive with their sanity intact."

"I know... my mind healer has said as much. Just hard to believe after everything."

"I am certain it will work out, Obi. What do you want to do?"

"Aren't you supposed to be testing me?"

Kit shrugged. "I've never met someone who suddenly had gills. I don't know where to begin, so let's see what you can do."

Obi-Wan nodded hesitantly and started swimming laps.

Kit watched for a bit then suggested a game.

That was the best idea. 

Obi-Wan started relaxing and having fun. He also started showing off more, giving Kit a better idea on what he could do.

Kit paid attention and eventually a few questions after noticing some interesting movements led him to the side effects of the gills. 

Obi-Wan had webs that appeared between his fingers and toes when he was in the water long enough. 

His skin was a bit more waterproof than a human’s but it wasn’t quite the texture of a Nautolan’s.

Unlike any human, he actually could tell wet from dry without using other contextual clues such as temperature. 

And he could sense things underwater but he couldn't quite put it into words, and it wasn't the same as he still had hair rather than the Nautolan headtails.

At the end, Kit promised to teach Obi-Wan more tricks and help him figure out what he could do. 

Quinlan was waiting for Obi-Wan when he got back from the test, with comfort food.

Obi-Wan leaned on him, grateful that Quinlan was so determined to be there for him as he adjusted to being in the Temple. Helping Obi-Wan get what he needed as he started slowly making connections with others once more, though Obi-Wan hadn't really reached out to anyone yet.

Obi-Wan was still amazed by how wonderful cuddling felt, and how much nicer he felt in general. He hadn't realized how touch starved he was until he started getting touch all the time and learning what it was like to be normal.

After all the tests were done, Obi-Wan started training.

At first, he was uncertain, still having trouble believing it was real. 

But after he finally got to go on his first mission... Obi-Wan could believe it was real. 

He was a Jedi. He was working towards becoming a Knight. 

.

Once he was certain that Obi-Wan was good] Quinlan took on his first padawan, Aayla Secura. Obi-Wan was always welcome to ask for cuddling.

When Obi-Wan was Knighted, he was relieved. 

He had made it to Knight, after all.

By then, he was in his late twenties, and the whole Temple knew about him.

Outside of the Jedi Order, his rescue had been reported alongside the modifications.

But it wasn't widely known. It was on record, the news even ran a story on it not long after it first became public, though not every news article included his name.

Obi-Wan kept the modifications as secret as he could on missions, so that he could avoid having to explain why he was so 'weird'.

And then he would go home, and see the people he was close to, especially Quinlan and Aayla.

He adored Quinlan. At first he thought it was just infatuation because Quinlan was the one who rescued him.

But his mind healer helped him work through the feelings, and he realized he'd started to get a crush on his best friend before he had been kidnapped. The rescue and Quinlan's patience had reignited it.

Obi-Wan didn't say a word. At first, it was because he wanted to be more mentally stable before confessing feelings and potentially getting into a relationship.

Later, by the time he was a knight, it was because he worried that Quinlan didn't see him like that.

Quinlan had always been so patient, so kind. He never pushed Obi-Wan too hard. He was perfect.

It was hard to believe that Quinlan could have feelings for him. 

And... Obi-Wan's mental health was more stable, but he wasn't sure it would ever be at normal, calm levels.

So Obi-Wan concentrated on being a good friend, on helping Quinlan with Aayla when he needed help, on helping their friends with their padawans, and just being the best Jedi he could be.

When he was thirty two, he spotted a fiery togruta initiate who was learning fast, but was impulsive, and her attitude reminded him of himself at that age. 

For the first time, he considered taking on a padawan. 

He didn't tell his friends about it, but he did talk to his mind healer. As he meditated on it and worked through his feelings, he acknowledged his fears about failing as he had not been a traditional padawan. 

But... she felt right as his padawan. He wanted the chance to raise a padawans like his friends were doing. He enjoyed teaching them, even when he was still uncertain about his place as a Jedi. 

He'd been home for a bit more than seven years, a Knight for three. 

He talked to the Council masters he was closest to after they all pitched in to help him train. 

Mace, Plo, Ki-Adi, and Shaak, they all encouraged him to take on a padawan. They thought he was ready, and of course, it was usually best to listen to the Force. 

Obi-Wan prepared by finally moving into his own quarters, thankfully there was a free one right next to Quinlan's. 

Then he double checked all the usual padawan requirements, and the additional notes for togruta. 

Only then did he seek out his potential padawan. 

Ahsoka agreed immediately, eyes shining with awe.

...apparently the initiates all admired him because he was a good Jedi and a good teacher and he had overcome so much with the modifications and...

Obi-Wan's head spun. The initiates wanted him as a master. They wanted him to train them. 

Ahsoka was thrilled to be the initiate he picked.

Obi-Wan put his shock to the side to finalize everything about taking on a padawan. 

He invited his friends and their padawans, if they had one (most did), to dinner at his place that night. 

As he made dinner and Ahsoka settled in and then volunteered to help him... Obi-Wan thought about it. 

He had become a Jedi Knight that initiates were hoping to take them on. 

He wasn't sure how that happened, but it was a sign of how far he had come from the initiate that had too much of a temper, had been dismissed so much that he didn't even question false orders. He was glad those errors had been corrected so no initiate would fall for it like he did. 

Obi-Wan also knew that he actually was on track to attain the rank of master in the next few years. All the work he had put into catching up, to prove he was a Jedi, into his mental health, all those years of meditating without having access to the Force... They had all helped him grow as a Jedi, and he was master level in several areas. If he applied for testing he probably would pass, but Obi-Wan wasn't ready quite yet. He wanted to make sure he could handle teaching a padawan first. 

He only had Ahsoka for one day, but he loved her so much. She was so eager to prove herself, so eager to learn everything even though she had just become a padawan. 

It reminded Obi-Wan of what he might have been like if things had been different. 

When his friends arrived, Obi-Wan surprised them all by introducing Ahsoka as his padawan. They were delighted for him.

Ahsoka was a bit overwhelmed by the padawans, from Aayla the oldest who was eighteen, to Barriss the youngest who was fourteen. 

It still didn't take long before she was relaxing and having fun. 

Obi-Wan watched fondly. 

Quinlan watched Obi-Wan with Ahsoka. He was so good with her. Obi-Wan had come so far since Quinlan had gotten him out of that lab. 

Quinlan loved him. He had loved him for years, and watching Obi-Wan relax and start gaining confidence... 

It was amazing. The fact Obi-Wan had decided to take on a padawan was huge.

Quinlan hoped the best for him. He wished they could date.

Quinlan wasn't going to ruin things by tossing feelings into it. 

Obi-Wan saw him as his best friend. That was enough.