*2*

Cadi had managed to sneak out of the Hutt's suite without any problems. Now she slipped through the door into the darkened hotel room, wanting nothing more than a hot bath and sleep as peacefully as she could manage.

"Hey," a gentle whisper and an even gentler hand took her wrist. Obi-Wan stood up and embraced her. At first she went rigid, but she could not resist melting into his comforting warmth. "How was it?" he asked softly.

She sighed, an answer that explained it much better than any words could have. He soothingly rubbed her back and kissed her temples. "I've never been with anyone else but you," she whispered at last, shuddering a bit.

"How much longer do you think it's going to take?" he tried not to think about what she'd said.

"Judging from that, maybe another few days," she sniffled sharply, another shiver coursing through her. Obi realized she felt unusually cold, even frail.

"Cadi, is there something you're not telling me?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," she replied, "I'm just not feeling that great right now." She freed herself of him, making her way to the refresher, "I need a hot shower that's all."

"Okay," Obi gave up and sat down on his bed. For a moment he eyed his Padawan, sleeping like a log in the second bed. Then he undressed and began to fiddle with the controls for the electric blanket; he figured a heated bed might cure Cadi of her shivers.

He waited for a long time, but she did not come. Growing nervous, Obi got up to see what was going on. He padded across the room to the 'fresher. The water was still running, and he sensed that she was conscious. Tentatively he pulled back the glass door of the shower.

Now Cadi had always been pale, but as he gazed upon the figure huddling in the corner, hugging her knees tightly, her skin seemed almost transparent.

"Cadi, what's wrong?" he sat down on the rim of the tub, checking the temperature of the water. It rained down upon her, weighing down her silken black hair and leaving droplets from head to toe.

"I'm okay," she assured him, her voice hoarse. Again he caught that minimal flicker, that dimming of her bioluminescent eyes. Something was going on inside her, and she wasn't telling him about it. He wondered if she even realized it herself.

"You've been in here a long time-"

"I can't understand that kind of love- if that's even what it deserves to be called," she said, staring into space. "It was so crude- so- animalistic," she went on.

"I hate the fact that you have to go through this," he admitted openly.

"It's like there wasn't supposed to be any emotion involved," her eyes narrowed in concentration, "but our love- it's always as mental as it is physical- maybe since he wasn't a Jedi-"

"No," he corrected gently, "non-Force sensitive couples usually have a mental connection as well. He wanted you for one reason, and one reason only," he added bitterly, tasting the jealousy of his words. To distract himself he shut the water off and helped her up, wrapping their blanket around her soaking form.

"I just don't understand," she said again, her eyes finding his. She watched intently as they melded from his usual crystalline blue into a stormy gray. She leaned against him and took in the manly yet babyish smell she found so much comfort in. He scooped her up and carried her to the bed they would be sharing.

"Cadi," he tried again, "is there something you need to tell me?"

"Yes," she replied, "I need to tell you to relax, I love you and get some sleep," she eased herself down into the warm mattress.

Sighing, Obi got comfortable beside her. She was keeping something from him, something he couldn't sense enough of to discover on his own. He could only hope it wasn't serious.

***

Well it didn't take just another few days for Cadi to gain the necessary level of access into the working of the Hutts' operations. It took a full week. Days passed the same way as the first. Cadi would sneak out from the Hutt's suite as soon as it was asleep, meeting up with Obi and Anakin at the hotel room. Anakin didn't see much of her, he was always asleep by the time she returned, and gone in the morning when he woke.

But one night came, and Cadi did not come back to the hotel. Obi stayed up all night waiting for her. He couldn't call her on the comlink for danger of bringing the Hutt's awareness to an outside party. And so all he could do was wait.

Cadi, meanwhile, had been found unconscious in the Hutt's suite, who begrudgingly sought her medical attention. She came to early enough for any diagnosis to be made, so she claimed food poisoning. The Hutt allowed her the day to recover, under the condition that she return to him that evening.

***

Cadi had expected Anakin to be awake, but she hadn't expected him to be right at the door.

"Hi Master Cadi," he greeted nonchalantly, even before the door finished opening.

"Ani!" she should have been used to his early perceptions by now, but it still surprised her every time, "Good to see you," she said honestly.

"Master's in the 'fresher," he told her plainly, plunking down on the bed.

"Oh, that's alright," she replied half-heartedly, "I think I'll just go straight to bed."

No sooner had she slipped behind the changing doors did Obi-Wan emerge from the 'fresher, toweling off his somewhat longish hair and a second one wrapped around his waist.

"What's up? I heard voices," he asked Anakin.

"Cadi's back," he responded. The rough toweling motion halted abruptly.

"Really?" Obi said slowly, straightening, "Where is she?"

"Changing," Anakin shrugged carelessly, only remotely aware of his Master's shift in mood.

"Is she now," he said, mostly to himself. He began to dig out his credit cards, "Anakin, why don't you go out and buy us all some breakfast?" he dangled the card in front of the boy's face. He received a skeptic look.

"Why should I? We can just have room service bring something up."

"Because I'm asking you to, go on!" he booted the lad off the bed and out the door, shoving the credit card into the pocket of his tunic.

Eventually Anakin made himself scarce. Obi padded barefoot across the room to the tiny changing chamber and slapped the panel. He found Cadi in a simple white bathrobe, just getting ready to leave.

"Hey love," she whispered and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. It was in that instant that Obi felt the first true, cold stab of jealousy go through him.

"Where were you last night?" he let her pass, his forever-changing eyes following her to the bed.

"I- um- I couldn't leave," she stammered, "he didn't go to sleep until a couple hours ago." She smoothed the sheets, not looking at him, and began to make herself comfortable.

"You're lying," he accused, "you don't have to lie to me," he added more sensitively, sitting beside her. She turned to avoid his gaze. He walked around to the other side of the bed so she was forced to look at him. "Tell me what's the matter," he pleaded.

She regarded him with tired eyes. Cadi marveled at the body that he'd never let get out of shape. Every rippling muscle, every taut tendon was just as defined as it had been ten, even fifteen years ago. She wondered how he was so naturally void of age. "Nothing," she answered at last, "nothing's wrong. It's been a long night, I need some sleep." She knew he wouldn't accept the answer, but she could not tell him the truth. Slowly Obi leaned down to rest against her; he peered at her intently.

"I don't want you to sleep with him," he said gravely, "it's killing you."

She sat up abruptly, "You promised me," she accused, "you promised you wouldn't get jealous."

"Cadi, please-" he began.

"I have to," she insisted, "for the sake of the mission."

"Forget the mission!" he retorted impulsively, "Let's leave this place, right now!"

"Obi," she admonished, "no. Not when I'm this close to getting the information we need."

"It's not worth it, Cadi," he said quietly.

"I'm going, Kenobi," she said finally. Obi opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment the door slid open and Anakin strolled in. Cadi tossed the blankets over her head and put herself in a trance.

Anakin paused with his buy in his hands, glancing between his Master and the lump beneath the sheets. Obi-Wan did not look happy, "Did I miss something?" he asked cautiously.

"Nothing of your concern," his Master bit out. Then he stopped himself, sighed heavily, and reached for the bags, "Sorry. What did you buy?"

"Good stuff," Anakin elaborated, a smug smile on his face. Obi opened the bag-

"Donuts?" he said incredulously.

"Well it's not like you gave me a grocery list," the Padawan replied, somewhat miffed.

Obi dug one of the sticky-sweet pastries out and downed it, "Wise choice," he said with a chocolate grin. Anakin beamed, leave it to his Master…

"Will Cadi be joining us?" he asked spontaneously. He saw Obi-Wan's face go sour.

"She needs her rest," he replied, as void of emotion as possible.

"Snooze you lose," the boy said matter-of-factly as he swiped out a donut for himself.