A/N: Another chappie for YOOOOOU...hope you like it. I might not be posting so much now because all my assignments/exams etc. are coming up, and I get home at about 10:30 because of the musical. But I'll update whenever possible.
Only SIX days until RotS comes out!

Chapter Seven: Confessions

"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" an angry voice rang out.

Obi-Wan stepped out of the speeder onto the docking bay of the Senate apartment building and watched an incensed Jovarii stalk up to him, her apprentice hurrying along behind her.

"What were you thinking?" Jovarii exploded when she reached him.

Beside him, Anakin exchanged glances with Tsena.

"Master, Anakin and I will go upstairs to check on the Senator," Tsena said, jerking her head in the direction of Padmé's apartment. Jovarii nodded impatiently and waved the Padawans away, turning her full focus to Obi-Wan.

He raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking that the droid was a clue as to who the assassin might be."

"Who the assassin is? It was my job to discover the identity of the assassin, not yours! You were requested to protect the Senator, not investigate!" she snapped.

"Jovarii, calm down. I was closest to the window, and the first one in the room. If you had been in my position, I would have let you go after the droid yourself," Obi-Wan replied calmly, though slightly bewildered at her extreme reaction. "Why are you so upset?"

"You could have died!" she blazed, glaring at him. She'd almost had a heart attack when she saw him leap out the window. "You could have been smashed into a building! You could have lost your grip and plummeted to certain mortality!"

"Why are you taking such a sudden interest in my safety?" He was taken aback by his usually in-control friend exploding into a panicked mess.

She stared at him in disbelief, as if she could not comprehend what he was saying.

"Why? Why?" All of her pent-up emotions bubbled within her until she could no longer see reason. Her worry anger and love blinded her to consequence. "This is why, you idiot!"

And she pulled his head towards her and kissed him.

Obi-Wan was stunned. Shell-shocked. He couldn't move. And he found, to his amazement, that he was enjoying the sensation of her lips against his, this closeness to a woman he rarely understood. This woman he had known more than half his life. This beautiful, fiery woman he…

Jovarii broke from the kiss and rested her forehead against his, her hand still on the back of his neck, her whole body tingling.

"See?" she whispered, her eyes staring vulnerably into his. "That's why." I love you.

For a moment he stood there, frozen. Then his thoughts cleared and he freed himself from her, shaking his head.

"To love is forbidden," he said.

"You think I don't know that?" she retorted, tears forming in her eyes. She was shaken, shocked at herself for daring to express herself in such a way. And yet, even though she knew it was wrong, part of her wanted desperately to throw aside the rules and just love him.

He looked at her, his face solemn. "We can't do this. We can't be in love. It's not possible."

She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it as his words sank in.

"We?" she whispered incredulously, stepping closer. "You…you feel the same way?"

She searched his face, eyes wide. He looked away. That was all the answer she needed.

"Then why shouldn't we love each other? What is so wrong with it?" she asked him emotionally, the romantic, irrational part of her taking over. "No-one needs to know."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "We have a duty to the Jedi. The Code forbids it."

She looked down, searching her mind for some reason that might change his opinion. She took a deep breath.

"What about Qui-Gon and Tahl?" She looked back up at him, and saw surprise and a trace of pain in his eyes at the mention of his old Master. "They loved each other. They accepted it, and were happy together. They were in love, but they didn't violate the Code or give up the Jedi. That could be us, Obi-Wan." She was almost pleading.

"And what about when Tahl died?" he said quietly, his calm expression giving way to pain. "Qui-Gon almost turned to the Dark Side, he was so consumed by anger. I couldn't let that happen to you, Jovarii. And I couldn't give up the Order."

Tears spilled from her eyes. She knew he was right – she had thought about the same thing. She just didn't want to admit it, and finally extinguish her faint hope of being with Obi-Wan.

He reached out and touched her cheek, wiping her tears away. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing desperately that he would change his mind and let them be together. When she opened her eyes, she was astonished to see that there were tears in his eyes too.

"I wish there were another way, but there isn't," he whispered simply, then gathered her close. She wept silently into his robes, crying for the dream she had held for a few brief moments, now shattered.

"I don't' want to lose you, I love you too much. I can't lose you!" she half-sobbed, angry with herself for letting down her shields and allowing herself to be so vulnerable.

He pushed her away gently and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her misty grey eyes.

"You will never lose me. I will always care for you," and love you, he added silently. "But we – us – can never be."

Slowly she nodded, her tears finally stilled. She had caught the words Obi-Wan had not spoken. She understood – but it didn't make it hurt any less.

He bent and gently kissed her, savouring the moment he knew would probably never happen again. Then he turned and slowly walked away, blinking quickly to suppress the tears stinging his eyes.

Jovarii watched him go, feeling oddly both sad and content. Their commitment to the Jedi Order forbade a relationship from being born. But she knew he loved her, and she loved him. That would have to be enough.

Anakin could sense that Tsena was troubled.

"Tsena, what's wrong?" he asked as they reached the turbolift doors.

She pressed the button, then turned to him. She looked into his blue eyes, her own shining with tears.

"I was worried about you," she confessed, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "You know I'm brilliant, I didn't come to any harm," he added with his usual cocky grin.

She gave a small smile, but sobered up quickly. "That's not it. I have perfect confidence in your abilities," she told him as the lift doors slid open and they stepped inside. Nobody else was inside, so she felt comfortable enough to confide in him. "I've just been having these awful…" she trailed off.

"Dreams?" Anakin supplied gently.

She nodded and shuddered slightly as she remembered her dream.

"I see you in danger, and I'm only just able to save you." She decided to omit the fact that she herself died to save him. No need to make him worry as well. "That's why I was worried. I don't think my dream was just a dream, and when you took off after Obi-Wan, I wasn't with you. I couldn't have helped you if you needed me."

"Tsena," Anakin said, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. "You don't have to worry about me. You can't be with me on every mission. And I'll always be fine – we've both handled dangerous situations alone before."

"You're right," she sighed. She looked up at him and smiled. "How do you always know what to say?"

"What can I say? I have a gift," Anakin grinned.

She laughed, and he tilted her chin up.

"Of course, sometimes words aren't necessary…" Anakin murmured and touched his lips to hers.

A moment later, the turbolift doors slid open and the two broke apart. They smiled at each other for a second, then walked into the apartment, stepping apart to feign indifference. It was time to hide their feelings and do their duty.