For some reason, she had decided to take a tour past the Temple this sunny day. No specific reason came to her mind as she asked someone to drive her and no questions were asked in return. Perhaps people thought she would like to meet up with some old friends, now that she was back on Coruscant.

It was almost nine years since she had battled alongside the Jedi on her home-planet of Naboo. Nine long years spent dealing with nothing but politics, either as a Queen or a Senator. She was living her dream and she knew it.

Still, a small voice kept whispering in her head that she was missing something. That some part of her dream had still not come true and she had no idea what that part might be. Therefore, she usually ignored the thought.

As they flew across Coruscant, it once again struck her how different this place was to her home. And still she would probably call this her home, just like all other Senators. If the debates and wars came to a critical point, she would be needed here to find a diplomatic solution, even though her heart would scream at her to turn her back on this and get back to her family.

She sighed and leaned back in the seat, allowing her brown hair to shape a halo around her head. As she thought about it, she had not really talked to someone who wasn't a part of the political elite for a long time, except for her own family. Though during all dinners with them, politics was the usual topic. For her, other parts of life seemed to have diminished.

"Miss Amidala, are you alright?" the driver asked. Padmé Amidala woke up from her thoughts and straightened up.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you", she said and smiled. The Temple was right ahead now and somehow, she felt really nervous. What was she going to say? She doubted that visitors that did not relate to the Jedi Order were usual, and no doubt politicians like herself were banned among those walls.

She was just about to ask the driver to turn around when she spotted a familiar figure walking out through the front doors. Sure, he was a bit older and instead of the clean, shaven face with the short hair that she remembered, this man had a beard and hair that almost reached his shoulders, partly in a tuft. Padmé was just about to step out of the speeder and greet her old friend when he was joined by another Jedi. A female one.

Padmé froze in the speeder, studying the pair as they walked closer without paying any attention to her. She was blond, a little shorter than him, but of about the same age. They were smiling and talking and seemed like they were best friends. Padmé wondered who the woman might be and was once again ready to step out of the speeder and greet the pair when she saw how their fingers momentarily grabbed each other, a silent and almost invincible sign of love.

Feelings started to boil inside the young Senator as she asked the driver to take her back to the Senate at once. During the ride back her mind flashed with images of the pair. How was it possible that someone as serious as Obi-Wan Kenobi could betray his order by openly showing his love to someone? Alright, it had not been that obvious, but she had seen it. She had seen it!

He was in love, he was happy, he had someone to care for. How could he possibly miss her?

Silent tears started to fall from her eyes as she once again saw the image of the happy couple in her mind. If Obi-Wan was ready to betray the order, could he not have chosen someone else? Not someone who was beautiful, who was a Jedi… why could he not have chosen a Senator?

She gasped at the thought. Was she trying to tell herself that she was in love with him? That she, the strong Senator, was in love with a Jedi? She quickly shook her head. No, it could not be. She could not be that stupid.

But silently she started to doubt those words.

"Master, there's a message for you!" Anakin shouted. Obi-Wan nodded to himself and pulled off his coat.

"Who is it from?" he asked. Anakin looked out through the door of his room.

"Someone in the Senate, they said it was quite urgent."

Obi-Wan groaned. This was why he liked Siri so much, why he loved her; she was not a politician. Those people were so complicated that not even the cleverest Jedi could understand what they were talking about.

"Alright, how is your training going?" Obi-Wan asked as he walked over to the receiver to listen to the full message.

"I'm done", Anakin answered and jumped off his bed, where he'd been playing with a few balls, using the Force. "I'll go and meet up with some of the others!"

The door slammed shut behind the 18 years old Padawan as he rushed away from everything that might mean more school. Obi-Wan sighed and turned on the message, coded so that only he was able to listen to it. No doubt Anakin had tried to turn it on several times.

"Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are asked to join the Senator of Naboo for dinner, as she wishes to discuss some important matters with you. Be at the Senate by 19.00."

The message ended with the usual tone and Obi-Wan found himself staring at the device. The Senator of Naboo? What would she have to talk with him about? The last time he had been in touch with anyone on Naboo was during the blockade, nine years ago.

Though, Anakin would be out all night, and Siri had her own stuff to tend to. Why not spend this already lonely evening with a couple of politicians?

Therefore he found himself outside the Senate at the right time. A familiar face showed up in the elevator, though the man was a lot older than he remembered.

"Captain Panaka?" he said and walked over to the man.

"Master Kenobi, great to see you alive", the Captain said. "I am here to escort you to the Senator."

"I thought you were a guard of the Queen, not the Senator", Obi-Wan said as the elevator brought them higher up in the building where all the apartments were. Panaka laughed silently.

"I am, yes, but the Queen is very concerned about her Senator in these days, with the Separatist-movement growing bigger every day. Our Senator is very keen on keeping things diplomatic and to not use violence to fight back, which makes her an enemy of many."

"Sounds like a wise Senator", Obi-Wan said.

"Oh, believe me, she is", Panaka answered and opened up the doors of the elevator. They were standing in the apartment belonging to the Senator of Naboo.

"This way, Master Kenobi", Panaka said and showed him into the large living-room. Obi-Wan stopped in the doorway, staring at the young Senator.

"Master Kenobi", she said with a smile and rose. He bowed slightly, trying to get his thoughts back in order.

"Senator Amidala."

The next moment she hugged him.

"I have missed you, and Anakin", she said. "Come and sit down, we have lots to talk about."

"I will leave you in the hands of Master Kenobi and go back to my post, Senator Amidala", Panaka said. Obi-Wan blinked. He was going to be alone with Padmé Amidala during the evening?

"Do so, Captain", Padmé said and smiled again, leading Obi-Wan to the table. Trying to look like it was nothing, like he was used to this kind of treatment, Obi-Wan sat down opposite her.

"So", he began, "you are a Senator now?"

"Yes", she answered with another smile. He hadn't thought of how lovely she looked when she smiled for years, not since the celebration on Naboo.

"I found that I was unable to turn down the offer when it was given to me", she continued. "And now I found myself busy all day and sleeping restlessly at night."

"Sounds like you should be taking a day or two off", Obi-Wan said.

"This is my way of doing that, by catching up with old friends", Padmé answered and took a bite from a juicy fruit. He couldn't help noticing the drop that fell down from the corner of her mouth and found himself wanting to lean forward and remove it for her.

"What about you, then?" she asked, waking him up again.

"Oh, just the usual Jedi work", he said. "Bringing peace to different worlds, training Anakin…"

"Is Anakin your apprentice or what you call it?" Padmé asked.

"Yes, he is my Padawan", Obi-Wan answered with a sigh. "Stubborn, eager to learn everything, but impatient, and he is always trying to make me annoyed."

"Sounds like him", Padmé said with a soft laugh. Obi-Wan tried to concentrate on the food. 'Blasts, what is wrong with you?' he thought. 'You have Siri, do not try to fall for Padmé. She's a politician, remember!'

Still, as the evening progressed, he found himself enjoying the Senator's company. They were sharing all kinds of stories, telling each other what had happened since they last parted. She loved hearing about the far away worlds that he had travelled to and he found that he loved telling her about it. He could never tell Siri about other worlds in this way, as she had often visited them as well or had studied them for a long time. Padmé was educated in other worlds, yes, but she had barely had time to visit any others than Coruscant, Tatooine and her home-planet of Naboo. He could describe things so detailed that she could see it with her own eyes and she still would not get bored. She would urge him to continue.

"You have been visiting so many interesting places", she said as they sat down on one of the couches. "I'll never get to see them myself."

She sounded sad, but smiled as she looked at him.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan."

"For what?"

"For telling me all this", she answered. "For making me see things like you saw them, when you were there. It's amazing."

The next moment she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He froze and watched her slowly pull back.

"I'm sorry, I should not have done that", she said and looked away.

"Why, what's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked. When Padmé turned back to him, he noticed that she had started to cry.

"You already have someone, Obi-Wan", she said, her voice trembling. "I saw you two together earlier today, outside the Temple."

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise.

"You saw me with Siri?"

"Whoever she was, yes, I saw you. And… I was angry. I was angry and sad and frustrated that she… she was able to… to be with you. To talk to you, to be your friend, to be… your lover… while I can not."

"Hold on…"

Padmé rose and took a few steps away from him.

"I'm sorry, I should not have given in to such feelings", she said. "Obi-Wan, you're a Jedi and I'm a Senator… we can never be more than friends and I know that now. Thank you for coming to me this evening, but I must now ask you to leave and go back where you belong."

She turned away. He sprung to his feet and grabbed her from behind.

"Padmé", he whispered in her ear. "Don't make me go."

He could feel her soft skin burning against his lips as he placed a soft kiss on her collarbone.

"Obi-Wan", she whispered and leaned back against his shoulder. He continued to kiss her on her neck, then below her ear. A silent gasp told him that he had found a good spot.

"Don't make me go", he whispered again. She turned around so that she was able to face him and grabbed his head, forcing him down so that he could kiss her properly.

"I won't", Padmé whispered as she released him. "I will never let you go away from me."