Title: There is the Force

Author: Jedikma

Timeframe: 2 years pre AtoC

Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Siri Tachi, Anakin Skywalker, Ferus Olin, and other familiar Jedi characters.

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Summary: Basically this is an Obi-Wan and Siri love story and their love and faith are put to the test. This is not AU.

Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply. I don't own anything; George Lucas or Jude Watson created these fabulous characters I love to play with.

A/N: Before I go any further I MUST Thank Obaona for beta'ing this story for me. I had this crazy idea and she waded through it all. Her help inspired me to make this story as good as I possibly could. I also want to thank ewan's girl for reading the rough draft and also encouraging me to post this story. They both have written a lot of great stories of their own so if they leave me a signed review, you can click on their links to enjoy more great fan fiction.

A/N 2: I actually wrote this first chapter more than two months ago and intended to leave it as a one-post story. However, I got the infamous visit from the evil plot bunny and it nearly killed me, so I wrote like a woman possessed until I finished the story. Although it is written, I still have to polish up the later chapters. There are nine chapters in all. I am staying in cannon for this story, so it will not end up happily. However, that truly does depend on your point of view.

I do hope you like it. Please read and review.

Chapter 1: Unconventional Circumstances

Two of the Noharan moons were high and full in the sky and a third was on the rise, bringing a beautiful shimmering brightness to the deep night hours. Soft winds danced across the planet, gently caressing its surface and all who stood upon it, while lush smells of fragrant vegetation filled the air. Rhythmic sounds of tiny creatures created a natural music that was soothing to the ear. The whole planet was a beautiful world, but tucked away in a quiet oasis it took on a setting close to paradise.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi had left the government palace where they had been staying to enjoy the magic of the night in the small lagoon-like area that had been pointed out to Obi-Wan when they first arrived on Nohar. They were supposed to be on the planet mediating negotiations, but neither of them could understand why they were really needed. The Townships of this small world seemed to be working out their differences without any problems and certainly without any real need of the Jedi.

Earlier that evening, once the meetings had ended, Obi-Wan asked Siri if she would join him and come to the lagoon. The friends agreed it would be nice to have some time alone, so they left their Padawans in their quarters and slipped out unnoticed well after dark.

When they arrived at the small very private oasis, they were not only greeted by its visual beauty, but they could also sense a strong pull in the Force as well. The area was full of life and its loveliness touched them deep within. It was rare to find such a place of perfection to while away the time in. Immediately, they stripped off their Jedi cloaks and tunics to their undergarments and plunged into the pool.

The water was relaxing and warm. A soft breeze floated across the surface, making tiny ripples in the pond and Siri bathed and played in the water with delight as she manipulated the liquid with the Force. She and Obi-Wan had already been there for over an hour and she was still not ready to leave. Her skin was definitely wrinkling, but she didn't care. Obi-Wan had gotten out and was sitting on the soft sandy edge of the pool, watching her. Though Siri had her back to him, she was aware of his gaze and was wondering what had him so enamored of what she was doing.

"Are you going to spend all night watching me or are you going to come back in?" She finally glanced around at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, I was just enjoying the way you make the water fountain up in various places." Obi-Wan let out a long sigh. "It's just so relaxing out here. I can't remember when the last time was that I enjoyed peace like this. I think everything here has me mesmerized."

Siri turned to face Obi-Wan and dipped down into the water until it covered her shoulders. Then, using the Force, she gently blew across the surface of the water towards Obi-Wan and tiny droplets wafted over him. He smiled at her as he stretched out his arms to capture the mist.

"I'm going to have a hard time leaving here that's for sure," Siri said, as she smiled back at him.

Obi-Wan put his arms around his bent knees and looked up into the sky. The sight of the triple moons caught his interest. "Look, Siri, that third moon is almost aligned with the others and it is as full as they are, too."

When Siri looked up she noticed the light of the third moon creeping across the lagoon, bringing with it a luminous shine.

She heard a small gasp leave Obi-Wan. "Siri, you're starting to glow!"

Siri looked down at the wet camisole that was clinging to her body and noticed layers of light starting to peel off her arms and chest. She looked up to see the light sweep towards Obi-wan like a wave and noticed that light was starting to emanate from his bare chest and arms as well. "Me! Look at you! You're glowing, too, Obi-Wan!"

"I've never seen anything like this before," Obi-Wan stated as he looked down and watched the light draw over him.

Siri came out of the water and sat next to him. She grinned as she too watched the light dance across them. "Maybe this is what Master Yoda means when he says, 'luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.'"

Obi-Wan laughed as he reached out towards Siri's shoulder to touch it. His fingers seemed to disappear up to his knuckles into the light that was rippling off of her and she squirmed slightly under the touch.

"Are you ticklish?" he asked.

"No. It just feels strange," she replied as she pulled back. Then she reached out towards him to touch his shoulder and watched, as her fingers seemed to disappear in the waves of light. She felt a soft sucking pull when she pulled her fingers back away from him. He squirmed under her touch.

"You're ticklish!' she grinned.

"No. It's like you said, it just feels strange."

They reached out towards each other again and let their fingers disappear into the light. They were drawn to the tactile sensations that the auras were producing. Siri laid her hands flat on Obi-Wan's chest and watched as the light bled over them. The soft sucking sensation made the palms of her hands tingle and caused her to catch her breath. Siri giggled as Obi-Wan put his hands gently around her waist and they disappeared under the light. Fascinated, they continued to play like children under a spell, touching and squirming until they found themselves rolling on the bank laughing and trying to catch their breath.

Soon Siri found herself gently pinned under Obi-Wan and she was staring into his blue gray eyes. Both were trying to regain a calm breathing pattern, but the atmosphere was bearing down on them heavily and breathing had become difficult. Siri then noticed a look of concern in Obi-Wan's eyes. "What is it?" she questioned trying to pull some air into her lungs.

"Oh, Siri," a look of bewilderment crossed over his face, "we have to release the energy."

As the meaning of what he was saying registered in her mind, she became horrified. "Oh no...no, no! You can't mean what I think you mean, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we don't have to release anything!"

"You're right...you're right." His voice sounded desperate as he tried to find his calm center. "We just need to separate, carefully." With that Obi-Wan attempted to move away from Siri and she began to wiggle out from under him. As they moved further apart from each other, however, they each found that breathing became more and more difficult until it started to reach the point that it felt as though their chests were going to be crushed. Obi-Wan instinctively grabbed for Siri and pulled her back to him. Once again she was gently pinned under him.

"What do you suggest, Master Tachi?" Obi-Wan asked as he looked into her sparkling blue eyes and sucked in some air.

"Do you suppose if we just stay like this the atmosphere will eventually let up?" she asked hopefully.

Obi-Wan just tilted his eyebrows at her in a 'What do you think?' gesture. "I have a feeling the Living Force on this planet is looking for a sacrifice and we're it. One way or another."

For a moment there was an uncomfortable silence between the two friends.

Siri let out deep breath. "We'll laugh about this later...I hope," she said, trying to lighten the situation.

"Siri, we're Jedi. We have had to get out of worse situations than this. In the scheme of things, this isn't so bad. Really. All we have to do is cooperate just like any other mission."

"See what I mean about the humor in this situation? We are about to engage in a most intimate act between two beings and you have it totally analyzed and narrowed down into terms of a mission."

"Fine, Siri, I didn't exactly brush up on romance before coming to this planet but, if you like, we can choose to enjoy what we have to do and stop fighting it. It may make the breathing easier."

Siri closed her eyes momentarily and took a deep breath. She sensed Obi- Wan doing the same thing. It wasn't going to do any good to make the situation more difficult or uncomfortable than it already was. There wasn't anyone to blame for this predicament and she could sense Obi-Wan's terrible uneasiness about the whole thing, too.

When Siri opened her eyes, she saw Obi-Wan looking at her in concern. He moved his cheek next to hers and whispered into her ear. "I will try to make this as pleasant as possible, Siri." He reached up and touched her face with his hand as he leaned in to kiss her. At the very brush of his lips against hers she could feel the heaviness in the atmosphere arch away from them.

It wasn't that being with Obi-Wan was an unpleasant idea. It was just...awkward. After all, they were friends. Long time friends, once rivals. They had to work together, to see each other at the Temple. Being involved like this was difficult. Then, of course, there was the Code.

Damn!

Siri's hand moved up to touch his bearded cheek and she kissed him back. The kiss deepened. She began to relax under his touch and she sensed him relaxing as well. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes one more time to be sure she was getting easier with the idea. She grinned at him. "This could only happen to us. We get ourselves into the strangest situations."

Obi-Wan touched his forehead to hers and chuckled quietly. "We are becoming notorious." Obi-Wan closed his eyes and spoke again. "Siri, I do care for you deeply, you know."

"I feel the same way about you, Obi-Wan. I just didn't quite picture this for us, if you know what I mean."

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean, but I wouldn't want to be here in this unconventional circumstance with anyone else but you."

The sincere tone in Obi-Wan's voice brought a pleased smile to Siri's face and she reached up and kissed him on the lips. Obi-Wan deepened the kiss and warm feelings passed between the two friends. As they slowly began the process of moving beyond just kissing, Siri softened further under Obi- Wan's caresses. His touch was incredibly gentle and smooth and naturally produced pleasant sensations that Siri was not accustomed to indulging in. She tried to anticipate his moves and respond by retuning his caresses in kind and she could sense he was also delighting in these unfamiliar touches.

Siri felt Obi-Wan reach out to her through the Force and blanket her in his emotions. She let down her shields and reached out to him with her own feelings. Together they found themselves advancing in perfect cooperation, and then Obi-Wan made a move that her body was anticipating, even desiring, but it caught her by surprise just the same and she sucked in her breath. Deep within he had tapped into feelings of joy, happiness, wonder and love.

There it was, love. The strong sentiment they both had tried to hold away from each other before now. It seemed to swell and it began to balloon when she felt Obi-Wan match the very same feelings within him to hers. The physical pleasures of their union became secondary to the emotional joys they were experiencing and though Siri could feel the energy being released into the atmosphere around them, it was the sensation of spiritually soaring with Obi-Wan that caused her heart to skip a beat, her body to arch, and her breath to catch in her lungs.

In the end, it was clear, that from a certain point of view, they had bonded.

When they returned to their physical boundaries, Siri could feel tears of joy on her cheeks and she saw the same on Obi-Wan's face. He nuzzled his cheek against hers and whispered into her ear. "You are so beautiful, Siri."

Siri pressed her face into his and whispered back. "You are a gift, Obi- Wan."

Together they collapsed into each other's arms onto the soft ground. Using the Force, Obi-Wan called his discarded cloak to his hand and he draped it over the two of them as he continued to hold Siri close.

They listened to the sounds of the night as a quiet understanding passed between them. Finally, Siri spoke, "What are we going to do now, Obi-Wan?"

"What can we do Siri? We will have to leave here soon and return to being Jedi and all the rules that go with that. It isn't as though we planned this or sought it out. For a moment I even thought you would choose being crushed to death over a union with me. We've done nothing more than survive another mission."

"But we will never be the same."

"No, that's true. Clearly our relationship has changed. I don't suppose there is much we can do about that, but we can control these feelings just as we control our other emotions. Outwardly we can make sure no one will notice a change. Inwardly we can treasure what we have and keep it between us."

Siri hugged him close as she nodded in understanding of what he said. "I suppose it is up to us to see this as a blessing or a curse. I would rather view it as a blessing and adjust to it, rather than live with any resentment or bitterness."

Obi-Wan ran his hand through her still damp hair and smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that, Siri. It won't be so bad and maybe when we're old and we retire, we can be together then."

Siri began to laugh softly and then her laughter began to build.

Obi-Wan looked at her with a grin. "What?"

"This whole situation is so unbelievable, Obi-Wan. I have never heard a line as bad as 'we have to release the energy' before and talk about pressure."

"Funny, Siri!" But Obi-Wan couldn't help but share in her mirth. Besides, a good sense of humor would probably be the best way to face what their future would bring.

Tbc