"It's just for a couple of hours."

"And you can't take her with you because…."

"Because she's three. C'mon, Jinn, we're friends. Friends do each other favors. I'll owe you one."

"You certainly will, Legera. Is there some particular reason you can't leave her with a ward? If I am not mistaken, there is a service for Masters attending official events."

Kaal Legera sighed. He should have known that Qui-Gon would make a fuss. "She is three years old."

"Yes, I believe you said that already."

"She requires…personal attention," Kaal added hesitantly.

Qui-Gon chuckled, "Oh, you're really sweetening the pot."

"She likes you, Jinn."

Qui-Gon sighed. "Alright, alright. But only for a couple of hours." If nothing else, he'd have a favor to call in the next time he actually wanted to go out as an adult.

Kaal broke into a grin. "Great! Thanks, Jinn. I will bring her around in time for the evening meal."

"Wait, I have to feed her, too?"

Kaal chuckled. "What would you have me do, let her go hungry? She likes to eat. Don't worry about it. Then it's just a bath and straight to bed."

"A bath?" Qui-Gon furrowed his brow. "You didn't say anything about a bath."

Kaal gave Qui-Gon an accusatory glare. "You do bathe the boy, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Qui-Gon responded a little too defensively.

"Good," Kaal said. "Just toss her in there with him, and you're done with it."

"Together?" Qui-Gon responded.

Kaal laughed at his friend's offended expression. "Jinn, they're three years old. If they're bathing together when they're sixteen, then I give you full license for moral outrage."

Qui-Gon shook his head in defeat. "Fine, fine. Bring her by."

"Good man," Kaal responded. He stifled another laugh as Qui-Gon absent-mindedly wandered down the hall mumbling under his breath.

The door chime sounded promptly at the eighteenth hour.

"They're here! They're here!" The little bouncing bundle of energy scampered to the door.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon called out probably a little too harshly. The little boy turned quickly to face his Master, stumbling over his own feet in the process.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon continued with a calmer tone. "Return to your studies until you are excused." "Studies" was a loose term, of course, but it was the best word Qui-Gon could think of.

The boy hung his head and replied quietly, "Yes, Master." His tiny feet plodded unhappily back to the large pillow where he had been sitting. He picked up a book, looked back at Qui-Gon, and then sat down.

Qui-Gon eyed him for a moment and then walked to the door. He opened it and prepared to say a word of greeting to Kaal Legera when a cherubic voice peeped out, "Hello, Master Ki-Gon."

He crouched down to address his tiny guest. Qui-Gon smiled. He couldn't help himself. She looked as angelic as her voice with her large, sweet brown eyes and pile of loose, chocolate colored curls atop her head. "Hello, little one."

She scrunched her face and responded. "My name is Elira Faen."

He chuckled, "Yes, I know your name, of course. It is a lovely name."

Elira tried to peek around his large frame. "Where is Obi-Wan?"

"He is inside studying. Would you like to come in?"

She played with her fingers and gave him a wide-eyed nod.

"Very well, please come in." He stood and moved aside. She bolted inside the apartment, her curls bobbing as she scurried toward her playmate. Qui-Gon then turned to Kaal. "Where are her shoes?"

Kaal shrugged. "She didn't want to wear them."

Qui-Gon cocked his head. "So why didn't you just put them on her? You are bigger than she is."

Kaal just smiled. "Aahh…well, I pick my battles."

"And what are you going to do about that hair of hers?"

Kaal sighed. "Jinn, I'm running late. Here," he said handing a large bag to Qui-Gon.

"What's this?"

"Oh, just a few things. Pajamas, books, games, toys-"

"I have books," Qui-Gon said with a huff.

Kaal just snorted. "And don't let her go to bed without her pooky."

"Her what?"

Kaal roughly unzipped the bag and pulled out a large stuffed toy that looked like a cross between a Wookie and a Hutt. "Pooky," Kaal said definitively.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "You are far too indulgent with the child."

"Pooky!" Elira ran back to the door and held her arms up high above her head, bouncing up and down a little.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Kaal said with a smile.

"Buh-bye, Master," Elira said and then continued to bounce with her hands held high. "Pooky! Pooky!"

"Wait," Qui-Gon called down the hall. "You said a couple hours." He made a face as Kaal waved silently with his back to him. Then he gazed down at the sprite, no taller than his knee, who sprang up and down. Then he looked to the unidentifiable beast in his hand. "Later," he said to her. "First we eat."

"POOKY!"

Qui-Gon had learned enough in his life as a Jedi Master to know that there were only two things that posed a real threat to his welfare. One was a Sith. The other was a hungry three year-old. He dropped his arm, and the toy was snatched from his hand.

"Thank you, Master Ki-Gon," Elira replied, her voice now sweet and innocent.

"I wanna see," Obi-Wan finally piped up.

Elira shook her head.

"Let me see," Obi-Wan said a little more emphatically, and he grabbed onto Pooky's head.

"No! MINE!"

"I just wanna see!" Obi-Wan began to wrestle for Pooky, an unfair match to be sure given his size advantage over the tiny Elira.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, not so much scolding but pleading. "Leave Pooky to Elira." Qui-Gon could hardly believe he was even calling the thing by name. "It is her toy."

"But Master, I just wanna see it," Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon rubbed his temple. "Obi-Wan, I said-"

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan hung his head and stood quietly before Qui-Gon while Elira cuddled Pooky victoriously.

"Now, go read a book until dinner is ready," Qui-Gon said.

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan obediently trundled over to his reading spot.

Qui-Gon turned and smiled, proud of his obedient Obi-Wan. As he took a few steps forward, his teeth were rattled by a shriek that could wake the dead. He turned to see Elira laying flat on her back with a red face and mouth wide open…and then another shriek followed by a gush of tears springing from her eyes. Obi-Wan was grasping Pooky in his right hand, examining his prize. A split second later, Obi-Wan realized Qui-Gon was watching him. He dropped Pooky like a hot coal and raced back to his pillow and buried his nose in a book.

Qui-Gon glared disapprovingly at Obi-Wan as he strode over to scoop up the defeated Elira. "Obi-Wan!"

The boy barely peeked up from his book. "I didn't do anything."

Qui-Gon checked Elira for any real injuries aside from emotional distress. She buried her face in his tunic and sobbed a cry of unthinkable horror. "Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said in a warning tone.

"I didn't do anything," Obi-Wan repeated again.

Elira raised her head and sputtered between sobs. "Yes he did! He…he pushed me down!" She heaved a couple of times before she could find the strength to continue. "He stole Pooky!" And then the tears resumed.

Qui-Gon bent down to retrieve Pooky from the floor. He held it up as Elira clung to his tunic. "Elira, Pooky is just fine. See?" Kaal would never, ever hear the end of this.

Elira looked over her shoulder and reached out quickly to grab Pooky and hug him close. "Thank you, Master Ki-Gon," she pouted.

Qui-Gon set her down and said, "You're welcome." Then he turned to Obi-Wan. "Come here," he ordered.

"But Master-"

"I said, come here."

Obi-Wan walked slowly to his Master, his head still hanging low. Before Qui-Gon could reprimand him, Obi-Wan said, "I'm sorry for taking Pooky, Elira."

Elira put her hands on her hips, still clutching Pooky in one hand. "Don't ever touch him again," she said with impressive authority.

"I won't," Obi-Wan moped.

Elira tapped her finger to her cheek in a most thoughtful manner. Then she held out Pooky to him. "But you can play with him now if you want."

Obi-Wan took Pooky and held him at arm's length, eyeing the beast up and down. Then Elira scurried over to her bag of treasures. "Want to play a game?" she asked with an excited shrill in her voice.

"Yeah!" Obi-Wan plunked Pooky down on the floor and raced over to Elira as she tossed toys and books all over the tidy floor.

Qui-Gon just stood and watched, slightly annoyed but mostly befuddled.

Qui-Gon jumped as water splashed all over his tunic. He turned to see Elira dumping a freighter-load of toys into the bathtub. "Wait. What are you doing?" he asked.

"Bath toys," she squeaked.

Qui-Gon looked at her silently.

She slapped her hands to her naked hips. "Doesn't Obi-Wan have bath toys, Master Ki-Gon?" she asked accusingly, her head bobbing as she spoke.

"No," Obi-Wan pouted before his Master could answer.

Qui-Gon held the expression of someone eating bitter fruit. "Get in," he gestured, turning off the water. Elira and Obi-Wan politely climbed into the tub. Elira proceeded to explain to Obi-Wan the precise purpose of each and every bath toy. Obi-Wan stared in wonder at the assortment of fun floating around him.

Qui-Gon pulled up his sleeves and reached for the soap. He began to vigorously scrub down Obi-Wan who sat silently but not altogether comfortably. Obi-Wan scrunched his eyes and mouth shut as Qui-Gon poured water over the boy's head for a rinse off. Obi-Wan sputtered and reached out, his hands opening and closing eagerly in a request for a towel. Qui-Gon handed it to him, and Obi-Wan dried the water and remaining soap from his face. Obi-Wan rubbed his eyes to find clear vision again and then picked an interesting looking toy.

"There," Qui-Gon said, "now your turn."

Elira shook her head and backed up as far as she could.

"Come now, little one," Qui-Gon said. "Let's get you cleaned up."

She shook her head again. "You don't do it right." A scowl began to form on Qui-Gon's face. Elira reached out her hand for the soap. "I do it myself."

He handed her the large bar of soap, and she promptly dropped it in the water. Qui-Gon leaned in. "Now see, you dropped it."

Elira shoved her tiny hand in his face. "I got some." She rubbed her hand on her tummy and moved the large washcloth around in imprecise circles on her skin. She then raised the washcloth to her head and pulled it along her hair as the water trickled down her face. Qui-Gon brought the towel in to wipe the faint hints of soap from her forehead. She dropped the cloth back into the water and announced, "All done."

"Yes, that will do, I suppose," Qui-Gon said. He watched the two children play quietly for a moment. Then he turned his head at the sound of the vidphone. He looked back to Obi-Wan and Elira, perfect models of good behavior that they were. "Will you be alright in here for a moment?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said.

Elira looked to Qui-Gon and nodded quietly. Satisfied, Qui-Gon stood and walked out to answer the vidphone. It was Mace Windu.

"I hear you're babysitting tonight, my friend," Mace said with a grin.

"News travels fast," Qui-Gon responded.

"So how are things going?"

"Did Kaal put you up to this? I suppose he told you to check on me," Qui-Gon charged.

Mace chuckled, "No, no…just curious, that's all."

"Well, you may report to the entire Temple that all is going well. Obi-Wan and Elira are taking a bath at the moment."

Mace's face turned serious, and he raised one eyebrow. "You left them alone in the bathtub?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

Before Mace could answer, two loud squeals erupted from the other side of the room. Qui-Gon turned to see two tiny, naked, very wet bodies racing across his carpeted floor. Uninhibited giggles erupted between the two as they chased each other around the apartment, trailing water and soap behind them. Qui-Gon froze in abject horror.

"Well, I see you have everything under control," Mace chuckled. "Good night."

Qui-Gon turned and growled at the vidphone and then chased after the children, who each took off in separate directions. "Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon yelled as he chased after him.

"Run, Obi-Wan! Run!" Elira squealed. "Run from the monster!"

Obi-Wan took off, running in circles around the apartment, his tiny body easily slipping between tight spots that Qui-Gon had to stumble around. Qui-Gon strode quickly after him, annoyed at the gleeful noises coming from the boy. Finally, Qui-Gon cornered him and scooped him up with one arm. Obi-Wan continued to giggle hysterically as Qui-Gon took off after Elira. She screamed and ran from him and then crawled under a table.

"Elira, come out from under there, now!" Qui-Gon still held the wiggling Obi-Wan under his arm and stood over the table. Finally at his breaking point, he flipped the table over and grabbed Elira around the waist. She kicked her feet but continued to laugh at his desperate attempt to be firm. "Elira, enough!" His voice was loud enough to shock the two into sudden silence. Their eyes grew wide as he clutched them both tightly to his body. Not wanting to walk straight into another tearful display, Qui-Gon set them both down on the floor.

Obi-Wan immediately bowed his head and said, "Sorry, Master."

Qui-Gon sighed. "Go. Get yourselves ready for bed." They scampered into the bathroom. Qui-Gon looked around his once orderly world. He dropped down to the sofa and rubbed his aching head. He then stared at the chrono on the wall. It had been three hours since Kaal left and still no sign of him. "You're going to really owe me one, Legera," he grumbled. Qui-Gon leaned back on the sofa and rested his eyes…just for a moment.

Kaal Legera prepared himself for Qui-Gon's third degree as he approached the apartment two hours late. He rang the door chime and stiffened his shoulders. No answer. He waited a few moments and rang the chime again. Finally, he keyed in the entry code. He and Qui-Gon were friends and shared such information for convenience sake. As he walked into the apartment, he swallowed down a chuckle at the sight. Books and toys scattered from one end to the other…towels tossed haphazardly over tables. And the most amusing scene of all. Qui-Gon, completely dead to the world and sprawled out on the sofa with two tiny creatures in pajamas, one boy and one girl, sweetly cuddled on his chest…mouths open, cheeks squished against the massive body beneath them. They rose and fell with every breath he took, their quiet little snores barely audible over Qui-Gon's respiration. Kaal smiled, knowing he'd hear all about until the end of time, and turned to go back to his own apartment for the night.