Disclaimer

Series: The Elements Series

Archive: M_A, SWAL

Category: AU, drama, angst, hurt/comfort

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Pyrophobes and volcano-phobes, beware. There is some rather graphic imagery ahead, drawn from the dregs of my own most primal terror. Also, this story contains words. Stuff happens in it. If this is a problem, bail out now. ;-) I've warned for everything *I* think might be disturbing, but who am I to judge? I've already had one complaint for squicking a beta over something that doesn't even actually happen in the story! Argh! At this rate I'm going to end up in a rubber room, straitjacketed, writing on the walls using a wax crayon between my toes!

Spoilers: Jedi Apprentice 1 and 2

Summary: Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi try to uncover the cause of a serious shortage in lightsaber crystals while coping with their relationship difficulties. Fourth (and last after all, alas!) in the Elements Series.

Feedback: Yes, please. Positive responses, calm, reasoned constructive criticism, and non-flame comments welcome.

Acknowledgments: To Wren, Kaly, Maygra, Torch, Destina Fortunato, and LadyBD for feedback and suggestions, and to LapisLaz for being my geological consultant and invaluable final beta reader and constant plot adviser. Special thanks to Calysta Rose for gifting me with a print of Suzi Lovett's "Beloved Padawan," which has done much to inspire the completion of this story. :) Lastly, belated but special recognition goes out to Muse on IRC, who provided the vital and timely encouragement that originally set this whole series in motion.

Dedication: To all the shamefully unanswered feedbackers out there. This one is especially for *you,* with my apologies and gratitude.

Notes: George Lucas has stated that the Force is polarized in four ways: Light and Dark side energies, and Living and Unifying energies. In this series I distinguish between Living and Unifying Force as two types of energy that are used in different ways and for different purposes.

Disclaimer: George, I admit that you own the boys, but if you were REALLY in control of them, they wouldn't spend so much time whispering in my ear and goading me on to write this stuff. I only do what they tell me to; making a profit isn't one of their commands.

**"Fire" will make much more sense if you read it after reading Parts I -III of the Elements Series: "Water," "Earth," and "Air."**