Vale's P.O.V.

"I'm going to miss you, darling."

"I'm going to miss you too... And this place." I mumble while relaxing in his arms. "It feels like home now."

Obi-Wan and are at the beach on the Spira island we've lived on for years now. I'm going on a mission in a week without Kenobi or Skywalker. It should only be two week's trip but it's the first once since we've arrived in Spira.

My back is laying against Obi-Wan's chest with his arms wrapped around me. We're both in our bathing suits and Anakin's in this hut reading his chapters for the day. My fingers skim Obi-Wan's hands on my stomach.

Watching the sun setting, I smile, enjoying the feeling of Obi-Wan holding me close. I lean the back of my head into the crook of his and let out a breath. I feel him kiss the side of my head then before mumbling into my ear.

"Not to me, V..."

I frown at his words before turning my head to look up at him. He's expression's relaxed as he meets my gaze. Moving in his grasp more, I bring up my hand to brush through his long hair I love so much.

"Spira doesn't feel like home to you?" I question curiously, while leaning my head on his shoulder and twisting a strand of his hair on my finger. He offers me an amused smile before kissing my nose teasingly, saying. "Not in the slightest."

"How come?"

"Because I have you... You're more of a home than this place."

I let out a grin at his cute words while looking into his sea-blue eyes. His smile brightens as if he knew his answer would make me giddy. Bitting my bottom lip, I bring my lips closer to his and whisper.

"I change my mind. Spira doesn't feel like home. You do."

"You're a long way from home... Little Lady."

My mind drops the memory I'm thinking when hearing a familiar rusty voice beside me. I'm leaning on the bar counter, as if I don't have a care in the world. My eyes don't bother acknowledging my favorite blue Duros bounty hunter; I only casually take a sip of my cocktail and mumble.

"Oh, baby... You know I'm anything but little."

I keep looking at the game on the screen as if I keep up with the sport known as Z-Slam. Feeling the bounty hunter lean closely beside me on the bar, I let a small smirk cross my lips. Finishing my drink, I nod to the bartender, silently telling him to give me another.

I'm in the system known as Bakura, trying tracking the man who just so happens to be standing beside me. Me and my squadron followed a certain bounty hunter here after putting a locator chip on his ship. I'm in a local bar knowing he'd get word I'm here and come looking for me.

This Bounty has a sense of pride in his work and doesn't take it lightly when he's being tracked. Which is exactly how I knew he'd meet me here without an invitation. No bounty hunter in the galaxy likes word to get around that Valera Palpatine is on his trail; it's bad for employment.

"What brings you here? I know you Naboolians like the finer things." The bounty hunter whispers just as I feel the end of a blaster skim my side. "Oh... Don't tell me you missed me?"

"Most guys would consider it an honor to have me miss them."

I tease, before finally turning to look at him. Cad Dune tilts his head at me with his gaze meeting mine. Smirking with sarcasm amusement, Cad moves his toothpick to the other side of his mouth.

"Not men like me... We consider you missing us as a threat, Darlin'." He mumbles with his eyes ranking over my body. "No matter how adorable you look in your little Republic get up."

Since the battle on Geonosis, I've become many things for the Jedi Order. I've gotten the rank of Master and I'm now on the Jedi Council, though I'm never there anymore. The Council understands I can't just drop everything for a meeting, so I allowed Master Yoda and Windu to speak on my behalf when I'm gone.

When I'm with the Clone Army, I'm known as a General, but I rarely go to war. They have given me the title for when I need to go on a battlefield, so no Clone questions my authority. I've only been in a battle once since Geonosis and it was because no one else could come to their aid.

My prime role is my obligations as a Jedi Shadow. I seek and destroy any sign of the dark side of the Force. We had many Jedi shadows in the Jedi Order as a primary weapon against the dark side until the Clone Wars began.

A lot had died in the Battle of Geonosis and the rest of them became Generals for the Clone Army. However, because I'm on the Council and they believe me to be the chosen one, they made my primary title as a Jedi Shadow. After my history with Sith Lords, my pure intentions for the Jedi Order, and my skill set; no one had a problem with me becoming a Jedi Shadow.

The Jedi Shadow is a Jedi tasked with infiltrating dark side groups and cults to expose them to justice. So I'm on the search for the location of Darth Sidious and Count Dooku. There are others like General Grevious and Count's apprentice, but my long-term aim is to snuff out Darth Sidious.

Which is why I'm here at this run down bar on Bakura tracking my favorite Bounty Hunter. He was paid for a job by Darth Sidious and I plan on using him to track down the Sith Lord's location. I have a clone unit purposely to blend into a crowd to help me. Actually, they should be lingering around outside this bar, waiting for my cue.

"Why... Thank you." While looking at myself, I mumble. I smile and pretend to be flattered. "I always knew you had good taste."

I'm wearing dark grey tight pants with my usual black knee-high boots. I have a black belt on with my light saber clipped on. The shirt I'm wearing is forest green with a low v-line and it ends just above my belly button.

I have on a pearl necklace around my neck and my black leather jacket has the Republic symbol in red on one shoulder. My blond hair is just below my chin, so I did nothing fancy to it but brush it. I have three scars around face that have healed over; one on my neck, one on my jaw, and another on my cheek.

"Regardless..."

Cad mumbles under his breath while taking something out of his pocket with his free hand. He sets my locator chip that was on his ship on the counter. I feel my nerves go up, knowing that's all I have to track him down. Cad slams his fist on top of it, breaking the locator chip, while saying.

"I can't have you following my shadow any longer."

"Maybe you shouldn't have taken a job from Darth Sidious, then?" I joke just as the bartender hands me my drink. Turning so my back is leaning on the counter, I graze my hand on his cowboy hat while suggesting. "... But, I'm sure next time you see your separatists buddies, they'll be understanding about how I could track you down to Bakura."

"We both know that would be bad for business if they find out."

Cad Bane grunts out while sticking his blaster higher up my waist. Smiling at him, I knock back my second drink and turn to face him completely. I then tilt my head, pretending to be sad before mumbling in a low voice.

"It's alright, baby. You won't get to see them a next time, anyway."

With that said, I flick my fingers, and he gets thrown back into the wall with the force. Letting out a laugh, I slowly walk toward him as he jumps up from the ground. I take out my saber and activate it just as he raises his blaster at me.

A few people in the bar quickly run out, knowing this is not their fight. Others stay seated watching us, curious to see what happens. The servers duck down, running into the kitchen.

Cad glances at me with a relaxed expression as I swing my saber slowly, getting closer to him. I watch him press a button on his arm and I smirk, sensing he's signalling his crew. Tilting my head and raising my eyebrows, I blurt out innocently.

"Your gang wouldn't be waiting outside... Just like mine are, would they?"

Cad smirks at me, silently telling me he's not worried in the slightest. The moment his smirk drops, he shoots above me, breaking a light from above. He sprints toward the exit, trying to stop me from cornering him.

I use the force to stop the light from hitting me and toss it at him. The light hits Cad's back just before he reaches the front door and he falls to the ground. I walk toward him just as he turns around on his back. Our eyes meet just as he lifts an arm towards me.

"Sorry, little darlin'..." Smirking at me, he says in a flirting, rusty accent. "I'm going to have to cut our date short."

With that said, a torch goes off from his wrist and I force myself to flip back from getting burned with fire. Instead of me getting lit on fire, the chairs and table around him get caught on fire. Smoke fills the room just as I watch the door open and he runs out.

Growling, hoping my clones outside are ready for him, I watch the door he just open catch on fire. Within the second, half of the bar is on fire and I force myself to back up as the flames get bigger. Glancing at the kitchen door, I sprint in that direction.

Entering the kitchen, I watch servers run out of an exit. I follow them out and sprint around the building to the front door.

When I reach the front of the building, I see one of my men, Lell, on the ground bleeding. Another clone, known as Gitt, is passed out a few feet away from him. Five other clones are shooting at a topless speeder with Cad Bane's crew.

I see one girl bleeding in the arm and a guy with a cut on his head. However, his crew looks better than mine does. Lifting my arm, I use the force to stop their speeder.

A few of his team panics at the sight they're not moving. My team sprints toward them, shooting in their direction. Using all my strength to hold his speeder still, I see Cad smirk, not even bothered by my squadron.

A second later, the bar we just left blows up in flames and I get knocked back from the explosion, losing my focus. Falling on the ground with smoke filling the street, I push myself up to kneel and see Cad Dune flying off. Groaning in frustration, I glance around and find one clone, Cruli, burned now from the explosion.

Three of my unit's wounded out of seven. When I feel something burning me, I look to my leg and see a little flame on my pants. Panicking, I pat the flame to die on my pants while mumbling to myself.

"Shit, shit, shit..."

"General, the locater chip isn't responding and Cruli, Gitt, and Lell are down."

The lieutenant, Merc, informs me while running up to me. Sighing in defeat, I stand up straight when the fire on my leg's put out. I glance around, seeing the rest of my team going to aid Cruli, Gitt, and Lell. Nodding to the Lieutenant, I suggest tiredly.

"Get the wounded on this ship. We'll leave for a base immediately-"

"General, you're going to let him get away?" Merc questions in surprise, knowing I try my very best to not prolong a mission for anything. Patting his shoulder, I turn to the clones, picking up the wounded and explain. "You're only as good as you team is... Half our unit is down. We'll catch him next time."

"What if we don't find him again?"

"Merc, please." I smirk while walking toward our wounded. "Cad Bane likes me too much not to take an opportunity to see me. Our paths will cross again."

Merc and I walk in the direction we landed our ship, with our team carrying our wounded. Knowing I need to report this, I make a mental note to contact Windu or Yoda. However, I know they're going to suggest my team coming back to Coruscant.

They always do when I message them, but they never argue with me when I say we don't need to. Windu and Yoda respect my wishes to stay out in the field, but always remind me it's okay to have a few days of rest. Regardless if I need time to rest, I don't want to run into certain things or people on Coruscant.

There's people I haven't spoken to in months and I don't intend on talking to soon. It makes my situation much easier and keeps me clearheaded from not seeing them. It's because I haven't seen them, I'm still standing after all this time has gone by.

Obi-Wan's P.O.V.

"Darling, you can't just take..."

I try to get the words out but stop from unable to hold in my laughter. I watch Vale, with a goofy smile on her face, take my bed sheets off me. She wraps them around her naked body and leaves me on the bed with nothing to cover myself.

"You don't need them. You are your own personal heater." Vale teases while sticking out her tongue. Her eyes dart down my body, admiring me before turning around and commenting. "Plus, I like a view when I make coffee."

I feel a blush come to my cheeks at her comment before watching her drag the white sheet into the kitchen with her. It's a normal morning on Spira, Anakin's running his daily trails while Vale and I get just one more hour in bed. For once, she offered to make us a pot of coffee, but I know why.

She's in too good of a mood from last night. Though, I have to admit; I pulled out all the stops yesterday. Candle light dinner, make a soap filled bath for us and made love to her until three in the morning.

I know when I do my manly duties right by when Vale gets up excited for the day or can't bother to wake herself up for breakfast. There's no in-between with her after a night together. Watching her set up a pot, I glance at the time before sitting up in my bed.

When I hear her humming, I smirk and glance back at her. She's lightly swinging her hips to her hums as she gets two mugs. I listen to her for a moment and I realize what song she's singing in her head.

Standing up, I saunter towards her in the kitchen. Her back is to me when I wrap my arms around her waist. I hear her giggle at the feelings of my hands on her before going back into humming the song stuck in her head.

"Bitches come and go, brah..." I whisper in her ear while swaying my hips with hers. Thinking of the night we sang this song as Padawan, I groan and pull her into my chest, finishing the one line we know from that song. "... But you know I stay."

I don't have to look at her to know she's grinning ear to ear at remembering the memory. Kissing her neck, I grab the sheet around her and tug that out of her grasp. Chuckling when I hear her gasp in surprise, I toss the sheet behind me and turn her around in my arms.

She's bitting her bottom lip when her eyes come up to mine. Brushing her hands up my chest, they come to rest in my hair. I don't know what it is about my hair, but she adores it just as much as she adores food. Getting on her tiptoes, she pecks my lips while whispering in a soft singing tone.

"Bitches come and go, brah..."

"... But you know I stay." I finish as she leans into my body and sways her hips against mine. Groaning, I nip her cheek and tease playfully. "Keep it up and I'm throwing you back onto my bed."

"Promise?"

"I'll do you one better. I pinky promise you."

"Promise me, Snips."

"I'll do you one better, Master. I pinky promise you."

I overhear my old padawan, Anakin, and his new padawan, Ahsoka, vowing to each other. We landed on the planet of Felucia to stop the Separatists' blockade and fleet. It's obvious Anakin and Ahsoka had a tough time breaking through the blockade around the system.

However, they were able to do it so my troops can land on Felucia to help the citizens take back their planet. Glancing in their direction, I see them making up for whatever problem they had between each other with the blockade.

I have to admit, Ahsoka is a little spitfire. It's exactly what Anakin needs as a Padawan. It gives him a taste of what Vale and I had to deal with when he was my padawan. Ahsoka even reminds me of Vale at times, but I try to ignore it.

I haven't talked or seen Vale in almost a year. Vale's the only Jedi Shadow in the Jedi Order now. It's a very demanding position when you're the only one doing it. No one in the Jedi Order sees her anymore because of it, but I sense it's not the duty that's keeping her away from the Jedi Temple.

I get the feeling Vale purposely tries her best not to stop at the Temple because of me and Anakin. However, she has duties as a member of the council and should be present as frequently as possible. She doesn't even come to the meeting as a hologram.

Windu and Yoda will always speak on her behalf or have a personal meeting with her and inform the council. It irks me because I know she's doing it just so she doesn't see me. Of course, though, Vale will be Vale and the Jedi Order will allow it for Vale.

If anyone could get away with it on the council, it would be her. I will defend Vale helps the occasional Jedi in trouble, but never me or Anakin. Plus, I know she gets around to her council duties, just not in the traditional way.

She still should try to be a traditional member of the council. I sense Yoda and Windu let her for a reason, but I don't understand it. There's something the two of them aren't telling the rest of us, but I'll respect like I've always respected their judgment.

When I see Ahsoka and Anakin walking towards Commander Cody, I sigh and turn the opposite way. I know Anakin wants Ahsoka to meet Vale. He's asked on several occasions for Vale to come with us on a mission. Though, it always gets shot down by the council.

I won't say this last year has been easy without her. There are moments where I wanted to call her; out of resentment that she doesn't come to see us anymore, regret at how we left things, or yearning to just hear her voice again. Though I stop myself every time, knowing nothing good would come out of it.

If she wanted to talk to me, she would have already. To this day, I still feel a little resentment to Vale about how she wanted us to leave things. It's like she had given up on us without a fighting chance.

I want to ask her about that day but I don't even know how to word it. Even after all this time, I still miss her by my side, her making jokes, having my back in any situation and everything in between. None the less, I will stay standing strong no matter how much time has passed without her.