Thank you toCountess Jackman, trinabelle (you should have READ it first! but ok, whatever), and adelyte (thanked you already buttercowluvr) for your kind reviews! here is the third chapter for your enjoyment! also, apologies if my OCs are mary sue-ish, first fic after all.

Chapter Three: Bonding

"Mmm, sunjee tarts," said Anakin as he and Tsena set their trays down on a table in the cafeteria. Their Masters sat with them a moment later, Obi-Wan informing Jovarii on the particulars of his and Anakin's mission on Ansion.

Anakin quickly demolished his lunch, then eyed Tsena's sunjee tart, sitting almost teasingly on her tray. She followed his gaze then shook her head slowly, a small smile playing at her lips.

"No, Anakin, you are not getting my dessert," she told him.

"We'll see about that," he replied with a mischievous smile. Before she could do anything to protect the pastry, he had used the Force to pull it into his grasp.

"Anakin!" she protested, laughing. She began throwing pieces of food at him. He easily caught them all in his free hand and dropped them onto his empty tray. Finally, he put her hands up in surrender, still holding the tart.

"Okay, okay! I give up. You can have it," he laughed. Just before he handed it over, he took a quick bite and grinned at her. She laughed again and shook her head, then looked down at her tray.

"Here – if you're still hungry you can eat some of mine," she offered, pushing her tray towards him. He smiled at her and they resumed eating.

Beside them, their Masters were conversing amiably – or as amiably as they could, considering Jovarii's delight in the sarcastic.

"You don't mean to say that you actually tried reasoning with those ruffians?" she exclaimed, her face alive with amusement.

"Of course I did," Obi-Wan replied evenly. "And it was working quite well."

"Until?" Jovarii prompted.

Obi-Wan gave her a wry smile. "Until one of them attacked me with a vibroblade."

"See?" she said triumphantly. "Peaceful negotiations aren't always the answer."

"Obviously not where you are concerned, Jovarii," he stated dryly.

She grinned her wicked grin at him. "What can I say? I thrive on excitement."

He snorted and took a bite out of his pastry, leaving a large crumb in his beard.

Jovarii saw it and sniggered. "Kenobi, why can't you just keep clean?" she asked with mock dismay.

Puzzled, he frowned. "What?"

She rolled her eyes, then reached out and flicked the crumb from his beard. She pushed aside the tingling sensations that flowed through her fingers when she touched him. Now is not the time, she silently berated herself.

"You, my friend, eat like a Dug," she said, smirking.

"Then you must eat like a Hutt," he shot back, a smirk of his own on his face.

She raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Well done, Kenobi. Excellent comeback," she congratulated him. "This is why an argument with you is better than one with Tsena – she just smiles at me!"

Obi-Wan glanced at Tsena and laughed. The girl was sharing her lunch with Anakin and listening seriously to the young man's chatter.

"She certainly is good-natured – and generous," Obi-Wan commented.

Jovarii looked proudly at her Padawan. "Yes, she is," she agreed. "Gentle too. So reluctant to harm anyone in any way."

"Anakin, come back here with that or I'll fry you in guntaab oil!" Tsena exclaimed, laughing, as she ran after him through the corridors of the Temple. He was in a particularly mischievous mood, and had dashed off with her lightsaber.

They raced down the corridors, Anakin weaving in and out of a group of children, and skirting narrowly around other Knights and Masters who watched him pass in surprise, amusement or disapproval. Tsena paused to breathlessly apologise to each person she passed, and by the time she had reached the training rooms, Anakin was far ahead of her. She saw him dart into one of the rooms. Ha! No escape now, Anakin, she thought.

She dashed into the room and saw him grinning In the middle of the room, waving her lightsaber teasingly in front of him. She burst forward and tackled him to the ground, laughing all the way. They tumbled over and over, Anakin still holding the weapon out of reach. He managed to pin her down and grinned at her.

"That was an unusually bold and undignified move for you, Tsena," he teased as she squirmed and struggled to get free. "But now you're going to pay."

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

Slowly, he nodded – and began tickling her mercilessly.

Tsena tried to fend him off and failed miserably. She laughed until tears ran down her cheeks. She could hardly remember the last time she'd had this much fun – so she allowed herself to shed her calm and give in to the joy that Anakin was bringing her.

Jovarii strode down the hall with Obi-Wan in pursuit of their Padawans. She had no problem with the two running off, but Obi-Wan had insisted they follow them. She reached the room before him, and peered in. When she peered in and saw the two young Jedi, she had to slap a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. She could see her usually dignified, composed and calm Padawan wriggling on the floor, laughing her head off with tears on her face, while playful Anakin tickled her. Jovarii had not seen Tsena this exuberant in months, and it made her laugh out loud.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, had a different reaction. He came up behind Jovarii and looked in over her shoulder. She tensed slightly at his close proximity – his familiar scent was making her feel light-headed. He frowned when he saw the two friends. Jovarii could feel the disapproval radiating from him. He made a move to enter the training room, but she threw her arm out to stop him, catching him in the chest. He looked at her in surprise, his brow furrowed.

"Kenobi, let them have their fun," she advised him. "I know Tsena has been lonely and missing her friends, especially Anakin. I haven't seen her laugh that much in months. And I'm sure Anakin has been missing his friends too."

Obi-Wan glanced again at his Padawan, who had flopped on the floor next to Tsena and relinquished her lightsaber, now talking and chuckling with her quietly.

"You're right," he admitted with a small sigh. "He has been lonely."

"I'm always right," Jovarii declared, taking the Jedi by the arm and steering him back down the corridor. "So we are going to give them time to bond and enjoy each others' company."

"I suppose we could do the same," Obi-Wan suggested. "I have not really spent much time with you this past year."

"Oh yes, I'm sure that hearing about my wanderings around the Temple will be great enjoyment for you," she remarked sarcastically.

"Who mentioned enjoyment?" he quipped.

"As your punishment for such a comment, I have no choice but to force you to listen to me drone about the intricate architecture of the Archives," she informed him with a wicked smile.

The two of them continued their good-natured argument down the corridors.

The Temple was a place of reflection and seriousness – but for this week, to these two Master-Padawan teams, it was a place for bonding.

Anakin sat up and Tsena sat in front of him, between his legs. He took her wrists and used the Force to call some small metal spheres into her hands. He sent them spinning into the air, and used her hands to pretend to juggle them, looping them about. She laughed and relaxed her hands, allowing him to wave them around.

"Anakin?" she asked.

"Mmm?"

"Are you still dreaming about your mother?"

There was a pause. "Yes."

"They're getting worse, aren't they?" It was more of a statement than a question, and Anakin knew she already knew the answer, so he kept silent.

"It's okay, I understand," she said. He stopped juggling and let go of her wrists to take the levitating spheres out of the air. He sent them back across the room, and wrapped his arms around Tsena's waist. She leaned back and placed her hands over his. She knew that he was thinking about his mother, and that he needed comforting whenever he did so. He understood the gesture, and gently squeezed her in thanks.

They sat like that for a while, Anakin thinking about his mother and Tsena happy to just be there for him. After a while, she spoke again.

"Anakin?"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever steal my lightsaber again."

And the two of them burst into laughter.