Obi's Mom here...many thanks to those who reviewed and many thanks to those who are reading this little story. I hope you will take a moment and review. Please enjoy this next chapter...Telling the Masters! Remember, this story is completely written! I'm posting a chapter a week till done. I hope everyone is enjoying this.

Chapter 7: Telling the Masters

The group ran into the night, laughing and talking, and saying good nights. Slowly they separated into couples and headed for their respective destinations, finally leaving Obi-Wan and Siri standing alone. They silently began to walk toward the house they were staying. Obi-Wan was distressed at the uncomfortable silence that now lay between them, he knew it was all his fault.

He cleared his throat and said, "Siri, I...'

"You kissed me!" Siri swung around, pounding his chest. "You kissed me! How could you do that, after last year, after...everything! What were you thinking? " she looked at him, eyes a swirling pool of anger and emotion. "You couldn't just punch him in the nose or something? You had to blurt out "I love her?"

"Siri, ..I...I'm sorry, I couldn't let him keep bothering you, and he wasn't going to give up, and I was just trying to back him off of you. Those words came out before I could stop them. How was I to know he would demand "proof?" Obi-Wan said miserably,and after a pause, "Was it that terrible?"

"No.." she stopped and seemed to deflate. She looked at him sadly. "It wasn't..at all...it's just...Oh Obi-Wan.." She didn't want to tell him how wonderful it was, how she tingled all over and swooned because she felt so lightheaded and her knees so weak she couldn't stay on her feet. She didn't want him to know how much it had affected her. She couldn't, they couldn't ...

She sighed deeply, turned away from him and started walking down the street again, Obi-Wan following. They knew they loved each other. It wasn't their expression of love, that had been established last year, but they had chosen to put that love away and stay with the Jedi, both of their commitments sure in that respect. It was that kiss. She still felt the tingle on her lips, and a thrill went through her at the thought of it. She thought, "Now we have to get over this!" She glanced at him, and saw how miserable he looked. She knew the kiss had affected him too, she could feel it. How he began to tremble, and how she could feel his heart pounding as they kissed, she knew he was going to have to get over this too. After awhile, she took a deep breath and said ,

" I do understand why you felt you had to do something, and I don't think I can blame you for letting your heart speak the truth, and it did seem to work. I think they will leave us alone now, and we can do our job." She sighed and looked at him, "I don't understand the thinking that there has to be coupling and that girls are the property of boys,...That upset me more than anything. It's so opposite of the temple, "

"I know," Obi-Wan agreed. "At least with them thinking we are "together" it won't be unusual for us to sort of "wander off" if you know what I mean."

Siri looked at him and nodded. "True, they won't think anything of it if we wander off and look for evidence, for instance?"

Obi-Wan nodded, "Thats what I was thinking"

"Are we sure we have the right gang? So far all these kids seem to have on their minds is each other!" Siri said.

"I know, but I have a feeling thats only the surface. Remember, Qui-Gon told us there was a Choolie in the group, so I'm sure we have the right one. If we can get a little deeper, we might find out there's more to it than what we've seen so far. And there's something about Marcus." Obi-Wan said.

"Yeah, he's creepy. You know, punching him in the nose would have felt really good also." Siri laughed, and Obi-Wan with her. He was relieved that the tension between them had lifted somewhat, then he stopped suddenly,

"Oh no." he said.

"What?" Siri turned to him, alarmed.

"Our Masters! We have to tell them what happened." Obi-Wan said.

"Ohh, that's not good," Siri said.

Siri looked at him for a long moment, thinking of asking him why they had to tell them, but then she thought better of it and conceded. "Yes, we'd better tell them everything now and not delay the fireworks."

He took her hand and they silently walked home.

~~~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You WHAT?" Qui-Gon demanded, looking shocked at Obi-Wan. Adi went to Siri and looked at her questioningly.

"I...I...Kissed Siri, Master. I...had to...or felt I had to...This Marcus was trying to press her, and claim her as his, and she told him no, and I felt I had to do something, so I shook the girls off of me.."

"The girls?" Qui-Gon eyebrows shot up.

"Well, yeah, it was like you said this morning, they were bothering me, so,...when I told Marcus to leave her alone, he demanded to know why, and I...the words came out before I could stop them..I said..because I love her" Qui-Gon's eyebrows could not have shot up any higher ..."I didn't know Marcus was going to demand proof, demand that I kiss her...I didn't know what else to do...so I kissed her." Finished, Obi-Wan looked completely miserable. Adi hid a smile.

"So you just kissed her", Qui-Gon repeated. "There was nothing else you could do? ..you couldn't negotiate your way out of it? so you kissed her?"

"Yes, Master" Obi-Wan said, looking so dejected and guilty, Siri decided to come to his defense.

"Master Qui-Gon" Siri interjected. "I was mad too when he first did it, but after he kissed me, they all backed off of us, Marcus even declaring that I belong to Evan and that no one is to bother us again," She shook her head at that, "That idea that a girl "belongs" to a boy in itself made me mad, but it did seem to work. After I got off the floor.."

"Off the floor?" Qui-Gon asked, eyebrows raised again.

"Well, when he kissed me..I ..sort of fainted". Siri blushed deeply at this.

Adi gasped and said "Siri! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Master, It was only for a moment. Obi-Wan helped me up, and then they seemed to accept us as a couple after that, and they've invited us to a gathering at the camping grounds seventh evening after late meal.

"Is this going to result in some real information concerning the mission?" Qui-Gon asked.

"We hope so." Obi-Wan looked at Siri gratefully, and felt his confidence returning. "I was telling Siri that there's something about Marcus thats kind of strange. I don't think they're going to just let us in on their secrets right off, we need to be with them for awhile till they feel they can trust us," Obi-Wan said.

"Hm," Qui-Gon said thoughtfully. There was a long moment of silence, then he said, "Very well, you did what you thought necessary." He looked at both of the teens carefully, " Are you two all right about this?"

"Yes, Master, we talked about it on the way home some, and.. yes, we're okay, and I don't think it will happen again." Obi-Wan glanced at Siri with some regret.

Qui-Gon tried not to smile at that, and Obi-Wan's look to Siri did not go unnoticed, but he couldn't totally hide the twinkle in his eyes. "See that it doesn't" he said, not quite sounding as stern as he had wished to.

"Well, you two have found the right group it appears." Qui-Gon continued after a moment. " Well done, Padawan," he softened his gaze at Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan relaxed. "Get some rest now, we'll talk again tomorrow."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said, "Good night, Master Adi, Siri,"

Both women said good night and Obi-Wan went, relieved, into his and Qui-Gon quarters. Adi walked Siri to their quarters, Siri was telling Adi,

"They treat girls like Property! They made me so mad! He was trying to push me around and force me to kiss him, I was about ready to go Jedi on him, but Obi-Wan stepped in."

Adi said, "I understand, Siri," They went into their quarters where they continued talking a few minutes. Qui-Gon went into the kitchen to get some juice. He soon heard Adi saying "Good night."

She returned to the kitchen where she found Qui-Gon chuckling quietly.

"What is so funny, Qui-Gon, besides practically scaring your poor Padawan to death,"

"He had no choice, so he kissed her.." he chuckled, "Did you see his face when he was telling me? I thought I'd never keep a straight face."

"Why is that funny? They were put in a bad situation, that boy could have hurt Siri, unless she decided to blow their cover. I'm glad she didn't and frankly I'm glad Obi-Wan stepped in when he did, although, after what they went through last year, I'd think you'd be more concerned."

"Oh, they're going to be fine." Qui-Gon said. "Yes, his heart spoke in the moment of challenge, and he kissed her. They were affected by it, I could see it in their eyes, and they'll have to work through it, but they are Jedi, they made their decision last year, and I don't think this will change that. They're too committed, to dedicated. As long as the code is the way it is, they will keep to the code."

"How do you know? Look what they went through last year, when all they did then was acknowledge their love."

"Yes, I know Adi, but..they came to us and told us tonight. That speaks volumes to me of the integrity of their intentions," he said.

Adi thought about it and nodded.."You're right," she said finally. "I will trust them to do the right thing."

"I will, also." he nodded.

"And besides," Qui-Gon said, humor sparking his eyes, "If I had been in that situation with Tahl years ago, I'm sure I would have done the same thing."

Adi looked at him and said, "Qui-Gon!" trying a little unsuccessfully to look shocked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~00~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Obi-Wan lay silently in his bed, a tear slid down his cheek as he remember the softness of her lips against his, how warm and sweet her breath, how wonderful it felt to have his arms tightly around her, to have her arms around him, pressing against him, responding to him, and how it made him feel, and how, now, he would have to chase these memories from his mind, if not from his heart, and try to forget that, once again, if only for a moment, one magic moment, she was his. He would be glad when this mission is over, "We have to be "together" for the next few days, and while doing so remember our commitment to the Jedi," He thought. He silently groaned, thinking, "How are we going to get through the next few days?" He tried to meditate, to release the feelings into the force, and with some success finally drifted off to sleep.