**Edited after some advice from SerendipityAEY - thanks so much!
The next morning, Obi-Wan woke to a new job assignment on his comlink, and he knew Skylin had been pulling strings. Today, instead of garbage or cleaning duty, he was assigned to assist in the crèche.
The group of six-year-olds he had been allocated were young enough not to be affected by the campaign against him. Their regular carer had been called away urgently, and he was left with a small list of activities to complete each day. The group had completed the list before lunchtime, and when Skylin visited the crèche during her break she found him cramped into a mini-sized chair at a mini-sized table, assisting with a craft project.
He got to his feet when he saw her and she grinned, looking over him. "You look like you've had a severe glitter-based allergic reaction."
Obi-Wan looked down at the paste and sparkles all over his sleeves and pants with amusement. "Yes, that's true, but I would still like to see you do better."
She laughed and, a little awkwardly, held up a small bag of food. "Um… I brought some lunch. You deserve it after last night. Er... I think you get a break about now?"
"Oh," Obi-Wan said, surprised. "Thankyou. Yes, I'm just waiting for the meditation teacher to arrive… Er, the kitchen is just through there."
"Right." Skylin put on a smile and refrained from cringing as she crossed to the side door into the small break room. She hoped he wasn't angry about last night.
She unpacked the rolls from her bag and sat down, flicking the HoloNet news on while she waited.
She watched it with half her focus, the other half listening to the noise of the children while they packed up their craft materials and then disappeared down the corridor with their other teacher.
Obi-Wan came into the kitchen a moment later and smiled at her as he sat down.
"I… suspect you're responsible for getting me this job. I must thank you. It's a little messy, but much less unpleasant than the others."
Skylin shook her head to disregard the thanks, and passed him the roll she'd brought. They sat in somewhat awkward silence for a minute or two, chewing and watching the news as a pretense.
"These are nice sandwiches…" Obi-Wan finally spoke up. "I remember having something similar on a mission to Malastare a few years ago… Where did you get them?"
"Actually, it's a secret," Skylin replied, holding back a grin.
Obi-Wan leaned in closer. "I promise I won't tell," he said seriously.
"Well, it's a cheap place I used a lot when I was a student. Couldn't afford anything much, but I could get a decent meal there. If I tell too many people, they'll get popular and their price will go up."
Obi-Wan sat back with a frown and swallowed his mouthful. "The Temple didn't support you financially while you were studying?"
"No…" Skylin shook her head. "For all the specialist Jedi professions, the rules are… Well, they're different."
"How so?"
"The idea is that you need the full university experience – once they start limiting what you can do, there's always the risk that you'll miss out on an important aspect of your education, or that you might feel the need to put your Jedi responsibilities above your learning. So I was allowed to live more like a civilian rather than a Jedi."
"Is that so?" Obi-Wan chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "So… Did you make many friends at university?"
"Yeah, of course. I still keep in contact with some of them."
"I've found that it's hard to make civilian friends, as a Jedi."
Skylin shrugged. "It's not that hard. If you try."
"I suppose…" He focused on his roll and said, "So… How about boyfriends?" He asked the question in a neutral voice, but she noticed a piece of hair fell out of place, across his forehead.
"Well, obviously I couldn't tell a council member details like that," she smirked. "You'll dob me in."
"I would not," Obi-Wan replied with composure. "Besides, I thought you said rules were different for specialists, such as yourself."
"Mm," she finished her lunch and leaned back in the chair, unscrewing the lid of her bottle of water. "It's sort of a don't ask, don't tell policy. I may have had a … err, liaison or two…"
Obi-Wan made no response to this but continued to focus intensely on the remainder of his meal. "Were they … ahem … human?"
Skylin clapped a hand to her mouth to prevent water spraying out as she laughed. "Of course human!" she exclaimed once she swallowed her mouthful. She laughed as Obi-Wan's face grew very slightly coloured. "Err… Why do you ask?"
Obi-Wan shrugged awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I just thought, perhaps-"
He cut off as they both looked up to the Holo Screen at the mention of Obi-Wan's name. It was a news report.
"Shocking new evidence has come to light regarding the unscrupulous history of Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, former hero of the Republic. His character has been called in to question this week after information from an anonymous source has revealed that Kenobi in fact left the Jedi Order early on in his career, and only returned under an extended probation. His reasons for leaving at that time included a desire to aid a terrorist organisation and to pursue a relationship with a woman. In a similar vein, this morning a Coruscanti woman has come forward in a campaign against the Jedi Temple, demanding family provision payments. She claims Jedi Kenobi is the father of her child, and she says she has the DNA evidence to prove it."
The shot cut to a trashy-looking woman holding a baby with blue eyes and auburn hair. "He visited me regularly last year. He promised he would look after me, but I've tried to contact him, and…" she broke down into tears.
Skylin turned to Obi-Wan. All the colour had drained out of his face, and she could feel anger building in her stomach. "What is this shit?" she asked, pointing at the screen. "Is this true?"
"No," he said vehemently. "I've never seen that woman before."
Skylin gave a burst of harsh laughter. "Yeah, I'm sure. That's what all the Jedi pigs say. Do you know how often I have to deal with family maintenance claims like this? At least once a month. Male Jedi like you seem to think it's their right to go around using women like this. Let me guess – you never realised there could be a problem."
"Skylin, I-"
"Don't interrupt me," she cut him off sharply, getting to her feet to pace the room. "Do you know what I had to deal with just a few weeks ago? A Jedi Knight, male, who had been consistently mind tricking a woman for three months so that she would sleep with him whenever he wanted. And do you know what my job was? To use Republic money to pay her out to stay quiet. Oh, and also to pay for the abortion and treatment for STDs."
Obi-Wan's hand had come up to his face. He wasn't faking his shock. "What happened to the Knight?"
"Since he was a Council favourite? Shit all. What did you think?"
Obi-Wan didn't reply. His expression was pained.
"That baby looks just like you," Skylin said angrily. The picture was plastered across the screen now, and she flicked it off with an aggressive motion.
"Skylin." Obi-Wan focused his clear blue eyes on her, and spoke steadily. "Please believe me. I didn't do it."
She sighed. "Well… What about this stuff about leaving the Jedi?"
"That… that's somewhat true."
"Somewhat true?"
Obi-Wan ran a hand through his hair restlessly. "When I was a Padawan, 14 I think, I got so wrapped up in a mission helping a faction in a civil dispute that I refused to return to the Temple with my Master when he wanted to leave early. I didn't intend to leave the Jedi… I was just trying to help."
"Right. So part of the story is true, but the bit about the woman isn't?"
"Yes."
Sighing, Skylin leaned against the table, her arms crossed. She knew she was being a little irrational – Obi-Wan wasn't that kind of man. Still, unless it was disproved… "We have to act quickly."
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Can't you see the gears turning? If this claim is taken seriously, and the Jedi Council make an issue of it, what do you think will happen to you?"
Obi-Wan's expression darkened. "If the Council believes it… Or pretends to believe it… I won't be getting the option of a payout."
"Right."
He hesitated, and asked reservedly, "You think they would expel me?"
"Without a second thought. That is, if you don't agree to whatever alternative they give you – and I can promise you it won't be a pleasant one. We have to defuse this now, before they start getting leverage on it."
"Alright…" he got to his feet, and spread his hands. "What can I do?"
"Nothing," Skylin said dismissively. "Just stay out of trouble. I'll handle this."
Skylin's head was reeling. It was four thirty am, the next morning, and she'd barely stopped since leaving Obi-Wan in the crèche yesterday. First, and most important, she'd had to track down the true identity of the baby, locate its medical records and obtain its DNA identification, taken at birth in the hospital. That information was meant to be publicly available, but she knew from experience how many loopholes there were. Evidently, her adversaries had not got on to them fast enough. She had been very lucky. Next, she had to travel halfway across the planet to meet the only independent medical examiner who would see her on such short notice. He compared the information to Obi-Wan's, and confirmed that the two were not, in fact, related. That, at least, had allayed a little bit of the heavy, ill feeling in her stomach.
After that, she had to find a judge (after hours) who would hear her ex parte defamation claim and grant a media injunction, which she then had to organise to be delivered by registered hardcopy to all the major journalist corporations. She leaned against the courier's speeder to finish signing the documents, and waited wearily while he sorted out the bill. It was still completely dark, and deserted and cold out here in the square in front of the courts. She pulled out her comlink and sent a text to Obi-Wan impulsively, hoping it woke him up. She had to admit to herself that she probably wouldn't have gone to this much effort for just any Jedi - and it definitely didn't have anything to do with how she felt slightly guilty for not believing him at first. Still, she reasoned, if she was awake, he ought to be as well.
It was perhaps fifteen minutes later when she settled the bill with Republic taxpayer money, which gave her some amusement. The courier sped off, and she tugged her robe around herself, shouldered her bag, and started back towards the Temple. Less than half way back, she met Obi-Wan coming in the opposite direction.
He was fully dressed, completely awake and alert. She stopped in her tracks and waited for him to reach her, looking him up and down, slightly dumbfounded.
"You were awake?"
"I don't sleep," he replied flatly.
Skylin narrowed her eyes at him shrewdly. "Kenobi, you're a big liar," she accused, and then sighed. "I was really hoping to wake you up and annoy you."
"Perhaps another time," he said with half a smile, and then leaned in to speak in a lower voice. "Ah – I haven't been summoned to the Council yet, so I'm hoping you've had some success?"
"Yeah, yeah. You don't have to worry anymore. I saved your arse. I think you owe me breakfast."
"Of course." With a smile, he drew a small paper bag out of a pocket and handed it to her. It was faintly steaming in the cold air. "I picked this up on the way."
Skylin took it hesitantly. "Really?" It smelled amazing.
Obi-Wan just shrugged, and turned to walk beside her back to the Temple. She demolished the pastry and started explaining to him the difficulties of her night's work, but after a few minutes he paused in his tracks, listening.
"What is it?" she asked, looking around.
"We should get out of sight... quickly." With no more warning, he grabbed her around the waist and tugged her sideways towards a narrow alleyway, and just in time - around the next corner, she saw the first white armored foot emerge.
They edged backwards further, into the deep darkness of the alley, until Obi-Wan's back hit the wall and Skylin's hit his hard chest, and they remained there frozen while the squadron of clone troops marched past, an endless stream of white passing by the mouth of the alley. Obi-Wan's hand lingered around Skylin's waist, holding her against him, and he breathed an explanation against her ear: "I passed some on the way here. They're enforcing a new curfew in this district - arresting almost everyone they met."
"Then I'm glad you met me first," she whispered. It probably wasn't necessary for them to stay frozen still - the darkness down here was initially impenetrable. But she didn't really want to move away.
Finally, the flow of troops ended. Skylin took a deep breath in relief, and turned to face Obi-Wan. He didn't release his hold on her, keeping her close to him as she turned. She looked up into his face.
"All clear," she smiled.
"Wait a little bit," he murmured. "Let them get some distance..." he trailed off as he lifted his other hand to her cheek, running a finger along a strand of hair, his eyes darting down to her lips. Skylin remained perfectly still. She knew she shouldn't allow this, but she couldn't convince herself to move to stop it. She was paralysed by the feelings - her chest against his, warm and hard; his arm holding her close; his big blue eyes so intent on her, as though there was nothing else in the whole world that he cared about.
He tilted his head, grasped her more tightly around the waist and brought his lips to hers - feather-soft, the lightest of grazes, the brush of hair above her top lip, then he paused, hesitant, unsure. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly and swallowed hard. He took a breath in.
"Please, show me."
Skylin hesitated. Why? she wanted to ask - because of me, really? Or because you just want to satisfy your new curiosity? There was no point asking - he didn't know, himself. She could see it in his eyes now. He was on the verge of a world he'd never known before. She hadn't wanted to corrupt him, but now it was done. She kissed him properly, and hoped it would mean more to him than an experiment, an experience for its own sake.
She kissed him deeper and ran her hands through his hair. She parted her lips a little more, and he copied. She sucked on his bottom lip, and he tried it on her straight away. He was learning like a sponge, and was suddenly no longer hesitant and uncertain. She felt, with some surprise, his hands run down her back, lower and lower, then over her arse. Excitement flared in her stomach, and she grabbed his tunic front and spun him around until his calves hit the ledge of a low external ventilation unit on the other wall of the alley. Taking advantage of his surprise, she pushed him until he sat, then she straddled him and shoved him onto his back. He flopped backwards, still too overwhelmed to react, and she grasped his wrists and pinned them both above his head with one hand, running her other hand down his side, over his chest and stomach, tugging at his clothes. He tried to capture her mouth again while she hovered above him, her hands pinning him down, but now she was too distracted by the hard bulge beneath her to respond to his lips, and she rocked her hips forward to grind against him... His eyes flew open and he exhaled as though he'd been punched - and she hesitated. What was she doing?
Crashing back to reality, she stopped and scrambled off him, back to her feet, crossing her arms tightly, looking down at him. She'd left him disarrayed and gasping, his tunics all messed up, his hair over his face, his chest heaving, his cheeks darkened. Her heart was sinking fast. He'd just wanted to kiss, not... that.
Obi-Wan sat up slowly, and pushed his hair back. "I... don't understand."
She took a step backwards and leaned against the opposite wall, composing herself. She didn't reply straight away. She had to be utterly clear now, or she would definitely regret it.
"I... I want you to understand what you're asking," she said. "There's only so many ways this can go... Have you really thought it through? Once you start down this path, you can't go back." She paused to wince at the connotations. "What I mean is... What if you don't like it? What if you end up hating me for it? I don't want to lose you as a friend." She sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken it so far."
Obi-Wan digested this for a moment, staring at her shoes. His hair slid forward over his eyes again. Finally he spoke. "No." He looked up at her. "Don't apologise." He got to his feet and took a moment to straighten his clothes. "You're right - I wasn't thinking with my head. This wasn't the right time, or place." Stepping closer, he took both her hands gently in his. "I don't want to lose you either. I really like you, Skylin."
She met his eyes, and found that intensity back in them, the one that made it so hard to look away... or to think.
"I know you think I'm naive and that I have no idea what I'm doing-" he continued, and she tried to interrupt him there, but he forged ahead. "Well, it's true. But I've never felt like this before, and... I want to be with you, if you're..." he paused and then continued in a careful tone, "If I haven't interpreted our interactions entirely wrong."
Skylin tried to restrain the smile that was growing over her face, but it was no good. This was exactly what she'd been hoping to hear him say - so much that it made her throat close up slightly. She didn't really care that he didn't know what he was doing, that it was probably only by accident that he'd managed to deliver the most earnest romantic speech she'd ever been subjected to in her life.
She nodded, and squeezed out a hoarse, "Okay."
Hope you're enjoying what is probably the only grown-up-but-virgin!Obi fics in existence :p
Please R&R any comments at all, this is the first time I've tried to do more than just skim over the descriptive romance stuff, so would appreciate some feedback. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, especially since the fandom is a little dead atm! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon :)
