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"Tell me about her." Anakin plopped down into his overstuffed chair, the most comfortable thing in his tiny dwelling, and looked expectantly at his master and friend. Obi-Wan Kenobi worked to arrange his makeshift bed on Anakin's couch, hoping to show that he didn't want to have this conversation.
"I've already told you about her."
Anakin's brow wrinkled. "No you haven't... not really. You've only told me what you want me to know."
"Which is as it should be."
"Oh, no! Not this time. I know there's more to you guys than you've told me, and now I want you to spill it all. Hey, I can handle it. I'm a big boy now." Obi-Wan chuckled at his padawan's manipulation and hoped that he would use his persuasive powers for the light side only. Still, the young master stayed silent in contemplation.
"I mean, it's so obvious to anyone who looks at you two that you're nuts about each other. Even the council could tell."
Obi-Wan snapped his head up and looked as if he'd just received the biggest shock of his life. "Yeah, they could tell, too, Obi-Wan, so you may as well tell me the whole story."
Obi-Wan tried to play down his feelings and went back to folding his sheet. "There's really nothing to tell, Anakin. Sari is a wonderful person in every way. She cares about others and has a purpose in her life. She's intelligent, witty, brave----"
"And pretty," Anakin added waiting for a reaction from his master.
"Yes," Obi-Wan blushed, careful to avoid his padawan's gaze, "yes, she is.... very beautiful."
"And you like her, and she likes you, so what's the problem? You're both adults, right?"
"If only it were so simple," Obi sighed, "but it's not. I've made a vow to be a Jedi and to train you. It would be selfish to toss aside my responsibilities and leave a job unfinished."
Anakin was surprisingly quiet, yet his master could see that he was organizing all of the information into something he was himself just beginning to understand. Life as a Jedi was simple, yet extremely complicated.
"So then if you decided to have a relationship with Sari, would that mean that you couldn't train me anymore?" Anakin's emotions were conflicting. He desperately wanted Obi-Wan to finish training him to be a Jedi. However, in his heart, he wanted his friend to have a little happiness for himself. If the two couldn't go together, he wasn't sure which option he would prefer.
"Most likely that would be the outcome." Obi-Wan looked at his padawan with love in his eyes. He could sense Anakin's feeling of injustice... or was that his own?
"I don't understand why you would have to choose like that. It doesn't seem fair."
"Fairness has nothing to do with it, Anakin.... nothing at all."
Anakin sensed that his friend was finished talking for now, so he bid him goodnight and retired to his own bedroom. Somehow he felt like this was all his fault, and it was up to him to fix it.
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She could *see* the light even with her eyes closed. Its warmth played across her face, teasing her to open her eyes, but she fought against it. Bed was so comfortable. She rolled over burrowing deeper into the pillow, immersing herself in its feel and smell--- the smell of---- HIM!
Sari sat bolt upright, her heart pounding wildly, as she searched the room. She was in 'his' bed, and she didn't remember getting there. In fact, the last thing she remembered was sitting on the couch talking, drinking a cup of kaffe, and that was it. She quickly flung back the covers and heaved a sigh of relief..... she was still in her clothes from yesterday, so she hadn't done anything she couldn't remember.
//Too bad,// something in her muttered. "Whoa! Where did that come from?"
After getting a quick shower, she felt even better. She even found herself humming a little song as she combed out her hair and slipped on her clothes. Then she realized she was thinking about the dream she had dreamed overnight and got a bit embarrassed. Most certainly she could not stay here in his bed any longer than she had to. Being around him was .... unsettling to her heart.
Opening the refresher door, she gasped in shock.
"Good morning," Obi-Wan said with a smile while she tried to catch her breath. "Did I startle you?" His warm eyes looked blue this morning and the little cleft in his chin drew her gaze to his mouth... and then his lips. Visions of her dream popped back into her mind, and she felt herself begin to heat up.
"Why whatever gave you that idea?" she replied with a nonchalant grin as she pushed past him into the bedroom.
"How did you sleep?" he questioned. //Better than me, I hope.// His night had been filled with dreams-- some good and some not so good.
"Like a baby. It's the best I've slept in quite some time." She paused from making the bed and glanced over at him. "Thank you for 'whatever' you did. I needed it."
"Me?" he feigned surprise as he moved to the other side to offer a hand with the housekeeping. "I didn't..... well, okay, maybe just a little..." he drifted off knowing he'd been found out. He tried to change the subject. "Can I interest you in a tour of the temple? It's quite impressive..... and educational," he added with a mocking regal tone.
"Well, then, as a professional educator, how could I refuse such a wonderful learning experience?"
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They started in the dining hall where he gave her a behind the scenes look at the kitchen facilities, and they picked up a few snacks to go. Many of the Jedi were pitching in and helping with the work. Then they roamed through the housing wings where all of the Jedi lived. Next it was on to the classrooms. Sari's eyes lit up when she saw the young children, and Obi knew she must have been missing her own students tremendously. For a teacher to be denied the opportunity to teach was like taking the Force away from a Jedi..... almost criminal. Maybe he could do something about that.
Next he showed her the meditation chambers and physical training rooms where many pairs of Jedi were practicing with their sabers and doing other exercises to strengthen their bodies. After that, they moved on to the creche, or nursery as Sari called it. This was where infant and toddler Jedi were cared for until old enough to begin more organized schooling and training.
"Some of them are so little," Sari exclaimed, her face pressed against the glass. "It seems kind of sad that they're taken away from their families when they are so young. I don't think I could ever give my child up, Force powers or no. I just couldn't do it."
Obi-Wan studied her as she continued to look into the main creche room. Her bottom lip began to quiver, and a tear streamed down her face. He reached out to wipe it away, and this time she didn't flinch at his touch.
//How could his mother have given him up?// she wondered as she gazed into those eyes.
"We do what we must," he stated softly. Then he turned and began walking away. "Come with me. We're not finished with the grand tour yet." He offered his arm and she willingly accepted. "There are still a couple of places I want you to see."
The minute the door swished open, Sari felt right at home. Inside this room were thousands upon thousands of ancient books, datacards, and various memory crystals that held countless centuries of knowledge and literature from hundreds of cultures. It took her breath away.
"A library.....This is amazing!" she finally declared.
"I thought you might like it," Obi-Wan added, quite pleased with himself. "One could spend his whole life reading all that is housed here, and not even come close to scratching the surface of all the knowledge it contains. It is quite humbling."
"Yes, it is," Sari agreed, already perusing whatever was within reach. "You know, I love books. I always have. My brothers used to make fun of me for reading so much, but didn't care. I learned so much that way." Obi-Wan watched her in wonder as she seemed to disappear into her own little world. He was happy to be able to offer her this gift.
"You know, you may use the library any time you wish for as long as you're here."
She set down the holocron she had been studying and glanced over at the handsome Jedi. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. I appreciate that very much. You certainly do know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" she joked. By the look on his face, she could tell that he didn't quite take it that way.
"Sari, I never meant it to be a bribe of any kind. I only---"
"I was only kidding!" she laughed. Obi-Wan loved the sound of her laughter. It was like the sweetest music he had ever heard... feminine, but contagious at the same time. And the fact that she laughed often even in the midst of discouraging times spoke to his soul and he couldn't help but laugh, too.
"Now what about this last place you were going to show me? Not that anything could top this," she said motioning around with her arms.
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"Okay, now close your eyes and don't open them until I say to."
Sari giggled at Obi-Wan's playfulness. "Alright."
She had seen the huge door right in front of them, but had no idea what might lie behind it. He took her hand and began leading her slowly forward making sure she wouldn't trip. The swooshing sound of the door sounded in Sari's ears, and as soon as she took a few more steps in, she could feel a fine mist moistening the air all around them.
"Obi-Wan, I'm getting wet!" she declared, wrinkling her nose, forcing her eyes to stay closed.
"Just a few... more.... steps and then.... there! Okay. Open your eyes."
Sari opened her eyes and softly gasped. They were standing in the middle of a huge room that was filled wall to wall with hundreds and hundreds of lovely water fountains of every shape, size, and style. Plants and trees of just as many varieties were growing everywhere she looked, and for a moment she forgot she was inside a building on a world that had no natural habitat left to speak of.
"What is this place?" she finally asked in awe.
"This is the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Do you like it?" he inquired. He hoped she liked it. It was one of his favorite places in the galaxy.
"I love it! It's beautiful!"
"I thought you might. It's even more lovely at night when it's all lit up with lights of every color you can imagine." He sighed deeply as Sari studied his face.
"Would you bring me back to see it one evening?" she asked before thinking. //What are you doing, Sari?!// she scolded herself. //Making dates is not going to help the situation.// He looked at her and smiled.
"I would love to," he replied. Although neither had mentioned a word about their 'situation', he could feel that something was happening again. She was irresistible to him.
He held out his arm once more and they strolled all throughout the magnificent room. Sari hadn't noticed until they started walking that they were not the only ones there. Some Jedi were sitting quietly by the pools of water deep in meditation. Others were studying the plants, and some were just walking and relaxing like Sari and her Jedi escort. Everyone they passed greeted them, bowing to Obi-Wan, and he bowed back. They all seemed to sincerely respect Obi-Wan, Sari noticed, and she felt herself puff up with pride to be with him.
After about an hour more of talking and walking through the temple, they headed back to his quarters, her arm still wrapped around his. The conversation made sure to steer clear of anything 'touchy', so they mostly made small talk. However, it didn't make much of a difference what they talked about. She could already feel herself falling for him all over again, not that it was unexpected. She had never really gotten over him the first time. Right now she didn't want to worry about the future; she just wanted to enjoy the moment.
Obi-Wan's comm link beeped, and he stopped to answer it with his free hand, his other hand slipping into Sari's. Without thinking, she squeezed it firmly, not wanting to let go.
"Master, there's someone waiting to see you back at your room... a Miss Lon from the prosecutor's office."
Obi-Wan's face knitted into a frown. "Thank you, Anakin. I'm on my way back right now." His hand dropped from Sari's, and the spell was broken.
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