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Over an hour had passed since the incident in the park. Sari was still out cold from the stun blast-- courtesy of Jaik Rafe. Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in a chair next to the bed where she lay, watching intently for any sign of her waking. He could sense through the Force that she was not in any danger from the shot, but until she opened her eyes, his heart was tied in a knot.
He kept rehearsing in his mind what he would say when she did regain consciousness. She would be angry, most definitely, but also probably quite devastated at the loss of the children. Well, he was ready for either response.
The past hour had not gone to waste. His bag was packed. He had already booked passage on a ship that would take him to a space station known to be a switch point for many slave traders. As soon as she was awake and able to go home, he would leave and begin his search for her students. He had promised they would be safe, and he was bound and determined to find them and bring them home. Even though he knew it bordered on the dark side, he almost hoped to run into Jaik and repay the 'kindness' Rafe had offered to Sari and himself.
Obi-Wan studied the sleeping woman on his bed. How was it possible that she had carved a niche in his heart and soul in such a short time? When he saw Rafe shoot her, he felt as if he himself had been shot. The anger had completely engulfed him until he found that she was only stunned. Even so, some of the anger remained and propelled the Jedi forward. He would not fail her again.
"... mmmm..." A small moan sounded and startled Obi-Wan. His heart leaped with joy and relief. Sari's eyes struggled to open, and her hand moved to her forehead. After a few more waking moans, she opened her eyes and tried to figure out where she was. Obi-Wan moved from the chair to the bed and helped her sit up.
"What?--- Where am I?" she asked, still a little disoriented. Obi-Wan held her hand gently.
"You're in my hotel room. You were shot. Do you remember?"
She shook her head in an attempt to jump-start her memory. It apparently worked because her eyes widened and she tried to jump up from the bed.
"The children!!! Where are they?!" Obi-Wan gently pushed her back down.
He had been ready for this only moments before, but now, looking into her panic-stricken eyes, he was speechless. Sari desperately searched his face and found her answer in his eyes.
"They're gone, aren't they?" she said sadly, already knowing the truth. The Jedi nodded. She gazed down at her lap in silence. Obi-Wan could tell she was deep in thought because the expression on her face went from sadness to anger in no time at all. Suddenly, her face rose to meet his.
"Where were you?!" she asked angrily. "You said you would be right there the whole time, so how did this happen?" By the time she got out the last few words, her voice was trembling, and tears were beginning to well in her eyes. He couldn't bear to see her cry and took her hands in his.
"I am so sorry, Sari." He glanced down in shame before continuing. "Jaik came to my room this morning. He told me there had been a change in plans, and before I knew it, he had stunned me and locked me in the closet." He pointed to the fallen door and cracked frame on the other side of the room. "I eventually escaped, but...," his eyes fell again, "...but it was too late."
Sari looked at Obi-Wan and knew in her heart that she trusted every word he said. She could tell he was already placing all blame upon himself.
"Jaik," she stated with contempt. "Humph! What a fool I was. He shot me, too." Obi-Wan looked back up into her face and found compassion there accompanied by a sweet smile. "How could someone be so deceitful and mean? He saw those children everyday. They trusted him.... I trusted him. You know, he meant to kill me, Obi-Wan."
She was so hurt, and he couldn't stand to see it. He reached up and tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek, then leaned over and kissed the same spot. He sat back and wondered what he should do or say next but didn't have to wonder for long.
Sari sprung from the bed and put her hands on her hips. "So what do we do now?" she asked. Obi-Wan stood then and shook his head.
"Oh, no!" he began. "WE are not doing anything. I am going to look for them, while YOU are staying right here." He maneuvered her into the chair and tried to retain control of the situation. "I already have a lead on where to look first, and my ship leaves in just a few hours."
She popped back up out of the chair with fire in her eyes. "If you think that I am sitting around here while my children are who knows where and you're off trying to find them, well, then,... you are..... very..... wrong... Jedi Kenobi." His formal name was added for emphasis, and she hoped it made her appear more determined and capable.
"Sari, I can't put you in harm's way again. If Jaik did mean to kill you, then maybe next time--," he stopped, unable to speak the words, so she finished for him.
"What? Maybe next time he will?" Sari grabbed his hand. "Look, I appreciate your concern for my safety. I'm quite flattered by it, really," she said as a light blush colored her cheeks. "But the lives of those twenty terrified little people mean more to me than my own. I've got to do something, Obi-Wan. Please let me come with you."
How could he deny her anything? Those big blue eyes of hers melted his staunch Jedi resolve in no time at all. The hold she was taking on him should have frightened him, but strangely it delighted him instead.
"I can handle it... and I won't get in your way.... I promise." She kept trying to convince him, and as she spoke, she unconsciously kept squeezing his hand. Obi-Wan stifled a grin. "What would I do if I stayed here? I have no students to teach."
He knew she meant no harm in her remark, but it stabbed into his guilty conscience anyway.
"I shouldn't let you," he stated. "The council will never approve." His weakening defense became apparent, and Sari made one more attempt.
"Two heads are better than one, they say."
"All right," he said after a deep breath. "You can come,--- but only if you listen and follow my instructions. I know how teachers like to give orders--- not take them--- but it's for your own good."
Sari nodded her head eagerly, then threw her arms around Obi-Wan in a tight embrace. "You won't be sorry," she promised and ,without thinking, planted a big kiss on his lips. Pulling back, she noticed the look of surprise on his face. "Oh.... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--"
"No," he interjected. The look of surprise was gone and replaced by something different. "Don't be sorry. I'm not." Putting his arms around her waist, he drew her back to him and slowly leaned in to place a very warm and very long kiss on her mouth. A little groan of ecstasy escaped as she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. Their lips parted ever so slightly and the kisses continued, one beginning as soon as another ended.
The feel of his tender lips and strong hands around her waist made Sari feel rather light headed. It had been a long time since she had felt like this-- or had she ever felt exactly like this?
Obi-Wan broke from her lips and moved his gentle assault to her neck. Her breaths were rapid now and all nerves were awake and highly sensitive to his every touch.
"Is... is this some kind of... Jedi mind trick?" she managed to ask in a husky voice. He chuckled lightly in her ear and then whispered.
"Not unless you are a Jedi, too." He looked up at her and smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. "You must be working some kind of magic on me, Sari, because you're all I've been able to think about ever since I arrived on this planet."
Now she was the one wearing a look of surprise. "Really?" she asked, keeping her arms around him.
"Really," he answered. Looking into her eyes, he almost forgot about his mission. Part of him wanted to just stay right where he was--- in her arms. The man in him could think of a hundred things they could do right there... things he had never done before. However, reality reared its sobering head and snapped him out of his lover's trance.
"Sari, we have to get going if we're to catch our ship on time." It wasn't exactly what she was expecting next, and she frowned for just a second before realizing he was right.
"Right," she said as she slid her hands back down his chest to hang at her sides. As much as she hated to stop, the children were more important than her personal pleasure-- at least for now.
"We'll stop by your apartment so you can pack a few things and then head to the spaceport."
"I suppose I should call school and tell them I'll be gone for a while."
"No!" Obi-Wan snapped, much to her surprise. "I still think someone else at the school is involved. Right now they think you're dead, which might work to our advantage, so tell no one."
Sari nodded obediently, feeling with each passing moment that maybe she was getting in over her head. Obi-Wan sensed her apprehension and lightly ran the back of his hand down her cheek.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Sari. You mean too much to me."
Then he softly kissed her again before leading her out the door.
After gathering a few things from her apartment, Sari and Obi-Wan headed for the spaceport. Few words passed between them on the way, but then few words were needed. Their changed relationship was entering a new kind of understanding, although neither knew where it would all end up.
Obi-Wan kept her close, either holding her hand as they strode through the spaceport or protectively putting an arm around her as they rode the turbo lift to their dock. It was new for both of them. She was used to being by herself--- self-reliant to the hilt. He was used to protecting others, but never had his heart been so involved. The two exchanged countless stolen looks and smiles, and Obi even brought her hand to his lips for a sweet kiss several times. One elderly woman even asked if they were newlyweds.
Sari giggled and glanced at a blushing Obi-Wan. He caught her gaze and a mischievous flare sparkled in his eyes.
"Why, yes... yes we are," he replied to the old woman, wrapping an arm around his 'bride' and pulling her to him for a quick kiss on the cheek. Sari couldn't believe what he had just said.
"Ah, yes," the woman sighed. "I remember when I was just married. Young love is such bliss."
"Yes, yes it is," Obi continued with a sly wink.
"Are you headed on your honeymoon?"
"How could you tell?" Sari responded before the Jedi had a chance. She squeezed herself up against him in a hug, ran a hand over his chest, and felt him take in a quick breath at her touch. //Two can play at this game!// she thought to herself.
The old woman smiled. "You can always tell when two people are in love. It just radiates from their very souls. You two are very lucky to have found each other in this day and age, what with all the violence and anger out there. We've got to hang onto the good in our lives with all our might!" She was very passionate as she spoke to the twosome, and suddenly they both sobered. What she said was right.
Obi-Wan looked back at Sari. She was most certainly a 'good thing', and he wanted nothing more than to hold onto her, no matter what the cost.
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