Obi-Wan's POV

Vale's passed out like a light; I want to snort at the sight behind me. I'm sitting beside Qui-Gon while we fly toward the planet Dantooine. It doesn't have a large population like Coruscant, where we live most of the time. Our Master debriefed us that our mission is to befriend the capital and have them join the Republic. We're mostly here for visual learning than actually helping befriend them. By the looks of Vale, I assume she thinks that means it's a vacation. She laying on the floor with her bag as a pillow asleep.

It didn't take half an hour of flying for her to decide to take a nap. I understand she probably doesn't need to learn much about conversing with adults in politics, which is why she's not as attentive to this mission as usual. She lived in the castle on Naboo since she was born, plus having a father who's an advisor. So she doesn't really need help on how to talk to royal and council figures. All she really needs is information or a summary of figures to converse on their level. Which she got in the debriefing for this mission that just so happened to be before we took off into space.

I can hear her snoring in the back. The position she's in is not helping her breathing. Qui-Gon seems to not worried, but that's also because he has complete faith in her. Vale's an outstanding warrior, quick with the force and great with people. But I know how she is by herself; reckless, clumsy, and mischievous. Qui-Gon's seen a few of those moments, but I'm quick to defend and justify Vale, so her place in the Jedi isn't compromised. I sense my Master's thankful for that, since he can't always be there to help her fix her mistakes.

"Why don't you wake up, V?" Qui-Gon speaks up, causing me to glance away from her and leave my thoughts behind. He nods to the back while pressing a few buttons on the dash, "We'll be landing soon."

I nod before standing up and striding toward her laying form. Kneeling beside her, I nudge her shoulder lightly. When she doesn't budge, I hold her shoulder firmer than before and shake her. The next thing I see is her gasping and thrusting her fist at me. Vale punches me smack on the cheek. Falling back, groaning in pain and surprise, I hear her blurt out in horror.

"Oh, lord... I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan. Don't you know not to be that close when someone sleeping- Whoa- What's happening?"

We slide to one side of the ship as it turns drastically. Trying to sit up as I slide, I see her wide eyes glance around the ship. She's completely awake now with an utterly confused expression. Holding my cheek that I'm sure is red at the moment, I watch her flip backwards from the jolt of the ship. Using the hand that's not holding my cheek, I grab her shirt and tug her toward me so she doesn't keep spinning. Her back hits my chest, and she grunts from the force. Snaking my arm around her waist, I feel my back slam into the metal wall.

I feel her flinch in my grasp as the ship jolts again, but after the ship rocks it steadies. After a moment, I look around and notice the ship shutting down, letting me know we finally landed. Sighing, I relax my body behind hers and rub my cheek to ease the discomfort. A second later, Qui-Gon steps into the room and peers around until his eyes find us. I see guilt in his eyes from not warning us about how bad his landing was going to be. Looking to Vale, I find her hair sticking out awkwardly and her clothes sitting on her body weirdly. I know half my face looks pink as I try to catch my breath.

"My apologies for the landing." Qui-Gon speaks up and grabs our bags from where they slid to, "Are you both alright?"

"Yea, we are." Vale announces while stand up from my arms and fixing her clothes, "A warning would've been nice, though..."

"Obi-Wan... Are you hurt?" He speaks up while staring at my face in concern, "Did you hit something?"

"Someone punched me when they woke up." I sigh while sliding up the wall to stand. "I'm fine, though. She doesn't hit very hard anyway-"

"I was asleep." Vale folds her arms, irritated, while suggesting with a challenging brow, "Let me punch you again and then tell me I don't hit very hard."

"Vale." Qui-Gon says her name in warning while opening up the hatch to exit the ship. I tilt my head at her with an unamused look. Rolling her eyes and following him, she mumbles in a light tone, "I was only joking..."

~That Night~

"You're unbelievable, really."

"I told you it was an accident!" Vale snaps while tossing her bag onto the small cott, "How was I supposed to know?"

"Oh, I don't know... By looking at the thing?" I blurt out while setting my bag on another small cott beside hers. "Who would see that beast and think to ride it?"

"Me. Obviously."

Vale grumbles while opening up her bag on her bed, frustrated. Glancing at her, I shake my head; feels as if I always do that around her lately. The ambassador of the Capital had been showing us around the courtyard when Vale saw a closed fence. The Capital has a beast they unleash when intruders break in.

Vale saw the creature and had the brilliant idea to climb over the fence and ride it while our master was talking to the ambassador. She ended up getting chased by the creature and jumping over the fence. The beast was sprinting her way and broke the fence apart as she jumped over it.

We spent the rest of the afternoon chasing after it and locking it back up. By the time we rebuilt the fence with the beast inside, everyone agreed to rest for the night and continue their discussion tomorrow. Making us a day behind in our mission.

Qui-Gon has said little to us about what happened, but apologized to the ambassador and give him excuses about Vale's behavior. Which I find rather embarrassing since we all almost died today because of her. Over something as small as that.

"You need to think before you do things, Vale." I think out loud as I take off my shoes in the shared room for the night. Qui-Gon has his own across from us. Setting my shoes beside my bed, I suggest as Qui-Gon should have, "Just because you have ideas doesn't make the ideas intelligent. You're going to end up getting band from the Jedi Order-"

"Then so be it." She spits out dramatically, and I can sense she's tired of my attitude toward her today. "Let them kick me out. I'm tired of this, anyway."

"You... You don't mean that."

I mumble while peering up from my shoes and watching her. She's staring at her clothes inside her bag. Vale has a sorrow yet conflicted expression as she pulls out her clothes for tonight. As if she senses me watching her, she glances my way before going back to facing her clothes and stating defeated.

"I do. You, of all people, know I'm not great at having self-control... Or any control, for that matter. Might as well accept it."

"V, that's no way a Jedi should think."

"Why not?" She groans at me while kicking off her shoes and waving her hands, "You remind me everyday they could expel me. We both know it will happen one day. Honestly, Obi-Wan... It's better to think it will happen than to be shocked when it does."

"Quit it," I stand up and walk towards her with anger bubbling up, "Our Master and I help you consistently to prevent you from getting thrown out-"

"Why? Why, Obi-Wan? Look at me!" She shouts with wide eyes, as she waves her hands at her dirt covered attire. Turning to face me, she points her finger while walking toward me. "Look at me, I'm covered it dirt and that beast's shit. I'm pathetic. If they don't kick me out, then they are the real idiots here."

"Listen to yourself, V." I speak up louder than before. "Everyone has gone through failure like you and they've learned from it. You will too-"

"Not you." Vale snorts while smiling at me sarcastically, "You are the most upstanding perfectionist Padawan the Council has ever seen. So don't tell me what it's like to fail." Waving a hand my way and turning her back to me, Vale comments in disgust. "You couldn't possibly understand how I feel everyday training beside the perfect Padawan."

I frown at her and glance away from her. I can feel her anger and defeat around her surrounding force. Perhaps I pushed her too far today, but I only did so to help her, but I guess I didn't handle it the best way. Peering back to her, I see her expression has changed into sorrow from my lack of response.

Sensing she needs some type of answer from me, I sigh and brush my hand through my hair, knowing I just need to tell her the truth. For years, I've been hiding my past, but now I see Vale needs to hear it for her own understanding of why Qui-Gon and I try to keep her in the Jedi Order. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I mumble while staring at the ground in regret.

"They almost dismissed me from the Jedi Order."

"You?" Vale's expression turns into surprise, and her posture stiffens from my confession. "Why?"

"I wasn't as strong as the rest of my class... Master Yoda gave me extra training in the force for that reason before Qui-Gon became my Master. I was close to being transferred to one farm that provides the Jedi Order food." I state while keeping my eyes to the floor, not wanting to meet her gaze, "If I hadn't gotten extra help, I wouldn't be here, Vale. That's why I will always help you. I don't want what almost happened to me, happen to you."

"Obi-Wan..." I hear her speak up as she sits down beside me, "Why didn't tell me before?"

"I didn't want you to doubt my help... But that's the reason I try so hard. I work harder than any Padawan you know, because I'm not as strong as most. I can't afford to make mistakes you make." Turning to meet her eyes, I whisper, "You're stronger than I ever was at your age, V. Than anyone I've seen at your age." Taking her hand on the bed beside me, I turn to face her and confess. "Qui-Gon saw something in you the day we met. I saw it too. Most people can't do what you can with the force without training. You may be clumsy and make mistakes, but the force is strong with you. So don't just give up hope... Because you'll be giving up on us too."

I catch her eyes and see understanding in them. Looking away from me, she sighs and pulls away her hand in mine. I've never held her hand before, only when saving her skin, but I feel as if I'm saving her faith by holding it now. Watching her stand up, I run my fingers through my hair as she grabs her night attire. Vale heads to our restroom with her clothes, but before she leaves the room, she pauses and mumbles under her breath.

"I hope you're right about me."

~Two Days Later~

"Vale?"

"Close your mouth." Vale suggests with a shit-eating grin, "You're going to catch flies."

I shut my mouth and glance at our Master, who is facing away with a smirk. We're in the ballroom in Datoonie's castle, celebrating their allegiance to the Republic. It's our last day here, and the Ambassador threw together a celebration in the capital. The entire capital's citizens have already arrived along with the Ambassador himself. Every man and woman dress nicely for the ball, nothing elegant but dress up nonetheless. It appears they gave Vale a dress for the event, yet nothing for us.

She's wearing a faded yellow dress that ends at her knees and matching slippers. The dress's sleeves are to her elbows and have a bow at the ends. It's a little tight around her chest and for the first time I see curves of her body. Her hair is in a low bun with a matching bow. Grinning at both of us, Vale strides to stand in front of us in the ballroom. When she's a foot away, she slowly spins to show off the dress while pointing out.

"One of the ambassador's daughters asked to dress me for tonight."

"I see that." Qui-Gon smiles down at her as quests walk past us to the dance floor. We've both been standing on the side watching the lively capital when she appeared into the room. Raising his eyebrow, he adds in a questioning tone, "And your light saber is-"

"Strapped to my thigh, under the dress." Vale smirks while setting her hands on her hips proudly. "She gave me the idea-"

"V! V! There you are!" A girl her age comes running up to her breathlessly. Grabbing her arm, the girl glances at me and our Master before mustering up a nervous smile. "May I take Vale from you for a moment? The ceremonial dance is about to start."

"I see why not," Qui-Gon answers while nodding to the dance floor, "Enjoy yourselves, ladies."

I watch both of the girls giggle excitedly, causing my expression to go stunned. Vale always has a knack for making friends anywhere. Not once did I see this girl and suddenly she's a new close friend of Vale's? I have to admit though, V's always been good at making friends in politics settings, so of course she made one with the Ambassador's daughter somehow. I secretly believe it's because Vale can talk like one of them, but be amusing while doing so. Something I've never been good with, but I'm not a young cute girl either.

"Let's go." Vale announces excitedly to the girl just as she takes my hand and pulls at it. Frowning at her hand, I try to get her to let go but she keeps a firm grip on my me. Tugging me with her and the girl, I panic and state in a low whisper to Vale, "I don't know the ceremony dance."

"It's easy, I promise. Come on."

She declares while dragging me onto the floor as people stand side by side in a line. Glancing back at Qui-Gon, I find him watching us in amusement and at that moment I realize he lets Vale get away with anything if it's funny to him. Just like Yoda. She lets go of my hand once I'm between two guys and runs with the girl to the other line of girls. Peering around the people, I notice them looking at the person in front of them, making me do the same.

That's when the girl and Vale let go of each other. They stand beside one another with Vale in across from me. She stares at me excitedly and nods at me encouragingly. I bet she used to do this a lot on Naboo with Padme. There's no other reason for her to know the dance or to want to do it. When I hear the music start, I abruptly feel my heart drop. The men and woman in line walk toward each other, forcing me to do the same.

"Lift your right hand." Vale whispers as we reach each other, and as if under a spell, I lift my hand. She sets hers against mine in the air before adding with a small charmed smile, "Now, spin slowly."

"I wish you didn't rope me into this." I mumble out as I glance around and see the other men spinning with us. Rolling her eyes, Vale comments with a sly smirk, "It's fun, Kenobi. Lighten up, have you ever experience fun before? Spin away."

Just as I'm told, I spin away and see a line form again of woman and men. The next second, every other woman walks around the girl beside them. Seeing Vale do so, I walk around a man and catch her grinning at how I caught on to this part of the dance. The people who didn't walk around someone then walk halfway to meet their partner and lift hands before spinning around each other.

When they spin away, I take note it must be my turn to walk forward. I watch a man walk around me with their partner across from them doing the same. The moment I see Vale take a step forward, I do the same and meet her in the middle.

"I have fun memories, Vale." I answer her last question while raising my hand and spinning with her, "Dancing is just not included in those memories."

"Or me, for that matter."

Vale teases while catching my gaze. Hiding a smile, she spins back to the line of the woman. Spinning back to the line of men, I can't help but keep my eyes connected to hers. I feel a slight disrespected she doesn't think we have any fun memories together.

As couple meet one another and lift hands, memories of us in training and missions flash my mind. All in which I consider a good time with her. When the couples spin away and walk around us, I am quick to step forward and meet her in the middle again.

"I'll have you know I have plenty of fun moments with you." I blurt out as our hands touch again, "I just don't mention them during the moments because I'm..." We stop spinning around each other and before we spin away I say with all seriousness, "Savoring it."

Her smile drops slightly before spinning away. Her eyes continue to rest on me with each turn. When we come back to our line, I notice no one walking around the one beside them. The next second I hear the music shift and everyone walks to meet their partners. When I reach Vale, I notice pinkness in her cheek as she whispers.

"H- Hold my waist."

Resting my hand on her hip, I sense her directing us in a slow spin even though, as the man, I should do that myself. As we spin, I feel Vale's hand on my hip. Glancing down at her petite hand, I feel heat rush to my face. When I look up at her, I find her watching me with enjoyment. Hearing her giggle quietly, I blurt out with a frown.

"You're… Mocking me."

"No. Not mocking..." She shakes her head and offers me a toothy smile, "Just… Savoring."