Body Chapter 8 ---

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The trek through the forests of Shreeana was harsh and discouraging to Arella. Although she was in decent physical condition, she wasn't used to braving the outside elements for such an extended period of time---- and in uncomfortable, designer boots, no less.

Obi-Wan was out in front, clearing the way of any dense underbrush or other obstacles with a quick, skillful swathe of his light saber. They had been so busy working their way through the forest that neither had worried about making much conversation. Several times he had helped Arella over uneven ground, and she had lost count of how many times he had asked if she was all right to go on. He really was quite sweet, Arella admitted to herself as he swung her up in his arms and gently hefted her over a fallen tree trunk. //.... and very strong,// her mind added silently as she offered a quiet thank you.

However, the thoughts she kept having about him were actually very disturbing to her. Only the day before she had been resigned to seeing him as a dull, uninteresting, fairly plain nuisance that was standing in the way between her and a life of carefree fun. Now, after seeing him take control of their desperate situation and save her from a very possible death, something inside her was changing.

The problem was, she didn't know if she liked the change.

//I don't really like him,// she tried to tell herself. //... do I?//

Shaking the thought of the young Jedi out of her mind, she could no longer deny the throbbing of her shoulder and the returning ache in her ankle. Even though she didn't want to appear weak in front of him, she felt she might collapse if she didn't rest for a while.

"Can we rest for a while?" she asked plopping down on a nearby tree stump. "I mean, I'm not a machine, you know!" she added, trying to sound irritated. If she could make herself mad at him or cause him to get mad at her, it would be much easier to put him out of her mind.

He stopped and clipped his saber to his belt. "Sure. No problem. I'm getting hungry anyway. How about you?" He crouched down just a small distance from her and began pulling some of their meager food supplies out of a bag.

"Of course I'm hungry!" she snapped, noting the shocked look on his face. "I haven't eaten anything since the transport yesterday." //Do I really sound as annoying as I think I do?// she thought. Part of her didn't feel right being rude to him on purpose, but if she didn't do it she might really make a fool of her soon-to-be lovesick self.

"Yes, ma'am!" he said, offering a mock militaristic salute to her before handing over a nutrient bar. She jerked it out of his hand with a disgusted look on her face and immediately began unwrapping it. He snorted and shook his head. Just when he thought she might be okay, she started acting unbearable again. He'd never understand the female species. "You're welcome," he finally said, hoping she'd get the message.

She swallowed the bite in her mouth and glared back at him. "Oh, yeah.... thanks."

He stood back up and walked away from her with an irritated look on his face. It looked as if her plan was working..... much to her dismay.

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After they had traveled as far as Arella could go on her ankle, they found a small clearing and set up camp for the night.

"Are you cold?" he asked her from across their small fire.

"Why, whatever gave you that idea?" she replied sarcastically through chattering teeth. Since the sun had begun to set, the temperature had dropped by twenty degrees at least, she estimated, and her thin clothing wasn't doing much to keep out the cold.

Obi-Wan heaved a big sigh and rolled his eyes. "Don't you EVER give it a rest? You have to be tired of coming up with a comeback to everything I say."

She looked off as if in deep thought then turned back to face him. "No. Not really." Obi-Wan just shook his head. She was impossible, but she was cold. He could tell even without using any Jedi senses.

"You know, shimmer silk may be quite fashionable, but it's not going to keep you warm tonight. Here," he said standing, "take my cloak." He untied it and placed it gently around Arella's shoulders. She was speechless at his gesture of chivalry, especially after how rotten she'd been to him on more than one occasion.

"Thank you," she muttered humbly glancing up into his kind face. //Blast it!// she silently exclaimed. He was just too real, and she couldn't stop seeing him in this different light. "Won't you be cold without it?"

"Nah. I'll be fine. Besides, it'll give me a chance to practice regulating my body temperature."

Obi-Wan sat back down by their small fire and began taking stock of what was in their pack. Arella watched him inconspicuously and couldn't seem to take her eyes away from him. He was trying to organize their meager supplies. No thanks to her, they didn't have much to bring with them from the speeder. She watched his strong hands as he worked. They weren't perfectly manicured like her father's and most of the other men she was usually around. No, they were real men's hands, callused by hard work, and Arella found herself wondering what it would feel like to be touched by them.

//What are you doing?!// she screamed at herself silently. Her face began to heat up and she quickly looked away embarrassed by her thoughts. // I CANNOT be attracted to him! No way, no how!// After calming down, her gaze drifted right back to him, this time focusing on his face.

"Well, we've got enough for perhaps one more day out here," he announced, his face pursed into his familiar, serious frown. "However, we're going to have to find more supplies soon somehow."

//Are his eyes green or blue?// she questioned herself, not realizing that she was staring right at him. Not noticing a thing, Obi-Wan continued talking, pointing off to his left, informing her of which way they would go next. Arella watched his mouth intently as each word formed on his lips and flowed out like a beautiful, musical sound. She hadn't paid much attention to his voice before, but now found his accent was rather intoxicating.

Obi-Wan had been explaining their next move when he realized she wasn't even listening to him. Instead she was staring at him, and he suddenly felt very self-conscious. //Is something in my teeth?// He spun around away from her and did a quick check.

When he turned, Arella jolted and realized she had been staring. //Oh, great!//

Finding nothing wrong, Obi-Wan turned back around to see Arella busying herself trying to find a comfortable place to spread her bedroll. //What is going on with her?// he wondered.

"You're being awfully quiet. Are you okay?" he asked. He knew that being stranded in the wilderness was a far cry from her usual pampered lifestyle, and she had reminded him of that fact all day long.

"Just giving you a break, Jedi Kenobi. I figured you were due one." Arella glanced back at him and offered a sincere smile. She didn't know if she could continue this false charade any longer. "Look, I'm very sorry about all the trouble I've caused you. I've not been very nice since day one, and yet you've continued to be patient and kind. I guess I'm not used to that." She looked down at the ground shyly.

Obi-Wan was silent. //Well, now... that's different!// he thought, unable to believe this was the same spoiled brat from only moments before.

"But don't let it go to your head, Jedi," she quickly added as she once again busied herself.

Obi grinned. He knew the apology must have been difficult for her. He knew enough about her now to know that she wasn't as bad as she wanted everyone to believe. She used sarcasm to keep people at a distance and her heart guarded against the possibility of getting hurt. He chuckled then replied, "Thank you.... I think."

Arella felt so vulnerable having opened up just that little bit, and the feeling was a bit unnerving. Being lost in the wilderness, knowing someone wanted her dead and that her parents hadn't respected her enough to warn her was close to pushing her over the edge. It wouldn't take much more. Frustrated, she began to wrestle unsuccessfully with the buckle on her bedroll and felt the tears welling in her eyes. Finally, the dam broke, and the hot tears streamed down her face as she began to sob.

In the blink of an eye, Obi-Wan was at her side. He couldn't bare to see a woman cry. Tenderly, he embraced her, and she buried her face in his chest.

"There, there," he assured her as he stroked her long, blonde hair. "It's going to be all right. We'll get out of this mess soon. I promise."

Looking up at him, she fought to speak through her sobs. "This... this is all my fault.... all of it. We wouldn't be in this predicament if it wasn't for me and my ..... my stupidity! No wonder my father thinks I need a ..... a ..... baby-sitter!"

That word again! He was beginning to hate it with a passion.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, taking her face in his hands and forcing her to look at him. "It is not your fault, and I am NOT your.... your baby-sitter!" He spat the word out with contempt. "I am here to protect you, and that's what I'm going to do. We're going to be fine. Now....., enough tears," he said softly as he wiped each of her tearstained cheeks with his thumbs.

To her, the feel of his hands on her was instantly soothing and stimulating at the same time. She sighed deeply and gazed intently into his eyes. Neither looked away for several seconds, yet it seemed they knelt there for an eternity.

//Kiss me!// her whole being cried out to him. //Kiss me now!//

Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat. //Kiss me? Where did that come from?// In the heat of this moment, he couldn't be sure if it was his thought or hers, and looking deeply into her rich, brown eyes, it really didn't matter to him where the thought came from---- only that it was there, urging him to act.

His hand tenderly caressed her cheek and moved to push a strand of her hair back behind her ear. //Soft as silk,// he thought, his breath becoming more rapid as she trembled beneath his touch. Her lips parted slightly, and he could tell that she wanted to be kissed as much as he wanted to kiss her. Blood was coursing through his veins, his heart pounding wildly in his ears. He felt his body leaning in toward hers, and she stretched up to meet him with her eyes slowly closing in anticipation.

//What am I doing?!// he suddenly thought. //I can't do this!// He looked at her, so ready to be taken and felt a twinge of guilt. He had been assigned to protect her, not take advantage of her. Gently, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and sat back on his heels.

Arella's eyes shot open, and a look of confusion mixed with disappointment shone on her face. She didn't understand his sudden rejection.

Obi-Wan jumped up and declared, "I'm... I'm going to find some more firewood... so that our fire doesn't go out during the night." Then he quickly turned and disappeared into the night leaving a bewildered Arella staring after him.

"You're such a fool, Arella," she mumbled to herself. Inside her mind, all of her insecurities surfaced and blazed full strength. //Why should he want you after how awful you've been to him?! He probably thinks you're such a child-- and a jerk. // Another tear fell down her cheek.

"I could just run away right now and be out of his life forever," she announced. Then she considered all the work it would be to go off alone and decided to stay... for the time being anyway. After all, she WAS really tired.

Instead, she finished positioning her bedroll, their only one, and laid down. The sun was completely gone, and the stars and the fire were the only light. She wrapped Obi-Wan's cloak tightly around her and tried to get comfortable. Eventually, she found a somewhat restful position, but her mind immediately drifted right back to the Jedi and their 'almost' kiss. It didn't help matters that she could smell his spicy scent on the cloak and the feelings he had roused came flooding back. Finally, however, the fatigue of her body caught up with her mind and she drifted off to sleep and to dreams of what had 'almost' happened.