Title: For Just This Moment

Author: Jedikma

Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi
Timeframe: pre-TPM to ANH
Genre: Vignette/Romance

A/N: All the talk on the Obi-Wan Siri Index about Obi-Wan, Siri, and sex spawned this bunny. However, I borrowed the challenge idea from the Obi-Wan workshop challenge thread (#1: In one post, show Obi-Wan doing the same activity at different ages and show how his perspectives on it differ as he matures) for the format of the story.

A/N2: The first section of the story is a missing scene that takes place in the first half of the book Secrets of the Jedi. The middle section of the story takes place immediately following JQ #8 The Changing of the Guard. The third section was all my idea. :D

Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply.

For Just This Moment

Obi-Wan and Siri followed the pilot of the sublight cruiser onto her moderate-sized sleek ship.

"You kids are welcome to any empty seats you can find," she said. Then added with a smile, "which shouldn't be too hard. I don't have too many passengers on this voyage."

She was a petite middle-aged humanoid female; dressed in a simple tan jumpsuit and the lines on her face belied a sometimes-difficult existence. She eyed the two teens curiously, shook her head and smiled. "You're awfully young," she commented as she turned and walked towards the cockpit of her ship.

Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged glances at her comment. He sensed Siri bristle slightly at the woman's words. He reached over and took her hand.

"We're not kids!" she muttered.

"Come on, Siri. We can sit back here, out of the way." He pointed to a long cushioned seat that was out of view of any other curious eyes.

Siri followed him and after he scooted onto the seat she moved in next to him. He gave her a shy smile, which she returned and understood as an invitation to close the body space between them. Warmth flushed through Obi-Wan, but he wasn't sure if it was from her body heat or his own reaction to her close proximity.

"Do you think she could see it?" Siri asked. "How we feel about each other? Was that what she meant?"

Obi-Wan shrugged and put his arm around Siri's waist. "Maybe. I guess we could look obvious." He could feel the color rise in his face. The feelings they now admitted to each other were so new, so raw. As Jedi they weren't supposed to entertain these feelings and they both seemed, at the moment, to be unable to hide them.

"We better figure out how to control what we feel, Obi-Wan, or it will become obvious to other people as well. People we can't let know."

There it was again, the pain that came with the idea of deception. Of lying to everyone he knew, especially his own Master. He pushed the feeling back. "Right now, we don't need to worry about that. What we probably should do is get some rest. It won't take too long to get to Rondai-Two and we need to be refreshed when we get there."

She glanced at him, her blue eyes soft. The edges of her mouth turned up slightly. "You're right. I am so tired. It's not easy crash landing a doomed ship and surviving it."

Leaning her head on his shoulder and molding her body against him, they stretched out on the seat to get more comfortable. He leaned his cheek against her forehead and took in her fresh scent. Her still damp hair brushing against his neck.

Just holding her in his arms, Obi-Wan felt his pulse quicken. He could sense the same feelings in Siri, too, and it only compounded his own. "For just this moment, Siri, lets just not think about being Jedi. Just us and what we feel."

Siri reached up and took his padawan braid between her fingers. As she trailed her fingers down the woven locks of hair, she moved her face so that her lips were close to his. "For just this moment, Obi-Wan," she whispered in response.

Her warm breath caressing his cheek, her lips so close, Obi-Wan pressed his own to hers. Her lips were so soft, but even more they were welcoming, returning his kiss. He tightened his arms around her and kissed her with less reserve, gently opening her mouth with his lips, brushing his tongue against hers. The hand that had held his braid moved behind his neck and her fingers ran gently through the short hair on the back of his head.

Obi-Wan brushed against her mind through the Force and she lowered her shields. The intimacy of the experience was all at once exciting, overwhelming and even a little scary and with her shields down he knew Siri felt exactly as he did. Their lips parted and both released a deep breath. Siri's arms went around him as she snuggled her face into his neck. He closed his eyes as he moved his hands soothingly up her back.

If only this moment could last forever…

Siri was pacing again.

It didn't help matters that they were confined on the ship, tracking notorious criminals for days and getting nowhere. They had only finished part of their mission, in which they, along with their padawans, had taken on the identities of a gang of thieves. It was a strange adventure, one that forced them to take on personalities quite different from their own. Personalities that stirred something hidden deep within them, secret feelings that were continually threatening to bubble to the surface.

"Obi-Wan, if you go over those charts one more time, I swear, I'm going to scream!" Her frustrations were finally winning out and the awkwardness of the outburst in front of Ferus and Anakin added to Obi-Wan's discomfort.

Obi-Wan exchanged glances with the teens and he sensed they, too, suddenly felt uneasy, looking to him to take care of the situation. "Ferus, Anakin, why don't you go up front for awhile."

The padawans didn't need to be asked twice, they gratefully jumped up from their seats and headed out the galley door, closing it behind them.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

Siri was still pacing. "I'm not a padawan, Master Kenobi," she said irritably. "You don't have to lecture me on my outburst. Can't a Jedi have a bit of frustration now and then?"

"I have no intention of lecturing you, Siri." He faced her and folded his arms across his chest. "Furthermore I know better than to even try. If you want to talk or if you want to continue pacing, either is fine with me. I just know that the padawans didn't want to stay and witness your irritability."

Siri stood still and let out a deep sigh. "I apologize, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan uncrossed his arms. "I know it's been difficult continually running into dead ends. Believe it or not, I'm frustrated, as well."

"I know and I'm sorry."

There was a pause as their eyes met in a prolonged glance. Something more was just under the surface.

"Is there something you want to talk about, Siri?"

Her full lips turned up into a quirky smile, as she shook her head. "No." A pause. "Yes." Then a strange turn in the conversation. "Do you suppose they are lovers?"

Obi-Wan was caught by surprise and yet intrigued at the same time. "Slam and Valadon? Certainly there is plenty to indicate it would be true. Although, if I were Slam, I would certainly not let Valadon out of my sight with the clothes she wears and the way she flirts with other men." The last thought rolled of his tongue before he could stop himself.

The smile on Siri's face widened and her entire body relaxed and became more fluid, more feminine. "Then you think Slam is the jealous type?" The tone of her voice had a touch of sultriness to it.

"It would be unwise in their line of business for him to be jealous. It certainly would hinder their success. But if they were lovers, I don't know how he could avoid jealousy altogether."

Siri sauntered towards him, slowly closing the gap between them.

"And what about her? She would be unwise to let such a charming, handsome man out of her sight, as well."

But they were no longer talking about Slam and Valadon; they were talking about their own personas of the thieves.

Soon she stood directly in front of him, her eyes glowing a deep sapphire that hinted of secret passions and desires. Obi-Wan was mesmerized; he neither encouraged nor discouraged her advances. For the moment he allowed her the persona of Valadon, for the moment he resumed the persona of Slam.

Siri put her hands on his tunic-covered chest and slid them up around his neck, her fingers entwining in his shoulder length mane. "I would much rather play the flirt for you," she whispered.

Her lips were soft against his, her mouth warm and inviting. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him, one hand sliding up her back until it touched the tips of her silky blonde hair. She emitted a barely audible moan as she brushed against his mind through the Force. He lowered his shields at her invitation and deepened the kiss.

It was not like the last kiss they shared so many years ago, they were no longer shy kids. It was full and wanting. Siri was a beautiful voluptuous woman and he never lost his desire for her, no matter how hard he pushed the feelings away. He loved her still and through the Force he knew his feelings were still reciprocated, no matter who she pretended to be.

As she pulled away from him, he saw the color of her eyes change from a passionate deep blue to the soft color he remembered from so long ago. "For just this moment," she said, as her fingers stroked the soft hairs of his beard.

If only this moment could last forever….

It was insufferably hot and miserable.

Obi-Wan had spent countless days already attempting to make the hovel livable. He was determined to get the work done and he hated to stop and rest.

But his stubbornness finally caught up with him and he collapsed under the heat of the twin sons, delirious.

All he could feel was turmoil and pain, whether it was physical or emotional. His mind drifted in an out. "Please, let this be the end. Force, I want to be with all those I love," he muttered.

"Obi-Wan, you stubborn gundark, don't you know that all those that you love are with you now?" Her sweet voice was music to his ears.

"Siri, it's you." Though he couldn't seem to see her. "Then I am dead?"

She laughed, a lovely sound. "No, Obi-Wan. You aren't dead. It is not your time."

"But you are here and I know you are dead. You died in my arms," he answered sadly.

"I'm here because I told you I would always be with you and it seems that once again you need me to save your sorry behind." Her tone was light and teasing.

He felt something wet touch his lips. Water, a precious commodity on this Force forsaken planet. His mouth became moistened with it and a few cool drops fell onto his cheeks. He was vaguely aware of her helping him inside his hut and to his sleep couch.

"Are you here to stay?"

"Only in your heart, if you'll have me there."

Her figure was surrounded by a hazy aura and he reached up to grab her arm. "Please, don't leave me, Siri."

She leaned into him and her blue eyes came into focus. With one hand, she pushed back the hair away from his forehead and he could feel the coolness of her touch. "For just this moment, Obi-Wan, I'm here."

She leaned over him until her lips met his dry cracked ones. Obi-Wan knew it couldn't be pleasant to kiss him like this, but she didn't seem to care. Her lips were cool and invigorating. They seemed to push back into him the life that threatened to pass from him. He knew he couldn't be dreaming. The taste and smell was the Siri he remembered and he could feel her through the Force as well. He calmed to her very touch.

When she pulled away he saw the sparkle in the depths of her eyes he knew so well.

"You must rest now, Obi-wan. You have to keep your strength to continue on with your duty."

Peaceful sleep washed over him as he was comforted by her presence.

If only this moment could last forever….