DISLCAIMER: see chapter one

A/N: Wow, I just wanted to say how excited I am about the response to this story, thank you guys!

CHAPTER FIVE

"Have you ever seen grass so green?" she laughs running through the sandy strip of beach to lush vividly green grass on the island.

"No, I don't think I have," I love her childlike exuberance.

"Come on Obi-Wan, let's run, carefree like children," she waves to me and as I finally heave the 'classic' boat, ashore.

"Milady, I have just rowed you to this island and you now you are going persist in sprinting across it?" I laugh sitting on the side of said boat.

"Come on, please? Imagine we have been shipwrecked on this exotic unknown world and we have to find a place to hide from evil space pirates!" she is so alive, it amazes me, her fire spreads through her.

She comes towards me, grabbing my hand proceeding to pull me up.

She like so many times before astonishes me. I want to feel free; I want to forget for just a few minutes my worries, perhaps even my training. Running with this wild, child like sprite in the tall grass undoes something in me, something that had been tied too tight, for far too long.

"Scream, Obi-Wan! Just scream and release it all," she pants as we come to the edge of a cliff, looking down on calm blue water.

"Padme," I cough my lungs constricting as they beg for air.

"Just do it, it's easy…" she breathes in deep and releases a cry like I've never heard from her before.

I bend slightly resting my hands on my knees breathing in, I look to the water and for a second I see my Master's reflection in the depths. I flash back to the last time someone cried out with as much power as Padme just did…it was I.Itwas when Qui-Gon was stuck by Darth Maul and I was separated by a force wall…I can't do this, I can't forget, I can't put it away. The things I care about are taken away…emotion gets in the way; I am not supposed to care…

"I can't," I shake my head straightening and head away from the cliff.

"Obi-Wan, what's wrong?" she follows grabbing my arm.

"I wish I could do this, I tried, I really did, but I am a Jedi, simple as that, I can't leave behind everything," I grunt sitting lamely in the grass.

"Look at me," she instructs kneeling in front of me.

I can't, I am vulnerable when she penetrates my soul with her eyes, and she does every time.

"Obi-Wan…" she finds my eyes by lifting my chin with her soft touch.

"Padme, I'm not the perfect Jedi everyone thinks I am! I still struggle with resentment toward my Master, I am sometimes jealous of my own Padawan who despite myself I have come to love like a son…I am questioning the Code, the very core of what I am…I am nothing like you think I am," I ramble finding that I am broken, it's all out, and I can't bare to see the disappointment in her face. I burry my head in my hands, feeing like a coward.

I can only hear my thudding pulse; I can only feel the scratchy materiel of my robe.

"You are exactly what I've always known you to be…" her voice is like soft clouds wrapping around me.

"You are perfect in my eyes Obi-Wan, not because of your Jedi skills but because you are compassionate, you are caring, you are honest and good, you are gentle, strong, capable… and not afraid to admit you are human," she whispers in my ear.

I feel a tremor run down me as she places her hand on my arm. I bring my head up and she smiles, "You are a great Jedi and you will become even greater with time…you are human Obi-Wan, don't forget that…" she is so quiet and gentle as she leans in putting her forehead against mine.

She feels so good I can't pull away, I can't move. Why does it have to be like this? Why do I have to desire the thing I'm not supposed to have?

"Obi-Wan, I believe in you…"

Tears spring to my eyes, I haven't cried since Qui-Gon died. How does she know exactly what to say? How does she know that's all I ever wanted…all I ever wanted was for someone to believe in me. I fight off another tremor that climbs my spin. Her touch, her voice, her belief…she moves me in ways the Force has never.

"Padme…I'm not supposed to…" I struggled with words as I break our touch, the tears drying before they have a chance to fall.

"Not supposed to what?" she looks to the ground.

"I'm not supposed to love," I state with disgust.

"But you do—?" she breathes with awe.

"I do…more then you know, more then I should," it's my turn to reach out. I run a hand down the side of her face committing to memory every sensation that her every feature creates in me.

She whimpers, leaning into my hand, "Obi-Wan…tell me, what do you love?"

"Oh Padme, I love you," my admittance feels like release. I am shaking so much my head throbs from the motion. I close my eyes letting my mind burn this image into my memory.

"You do?" her voice is soft, quiet, gentle contrasting to her question which to me is earth shaking.

I open my eyes and for the first time, in a long time, see clearly.

I take the sides of her face, rubbing my thumbs over her cheeks, "Yes I do," I kiss her forehead, her eyes then her cheeks where tears have escaped creating light salty paths for me to trail with feather light kisses. I smile when I see her tremble as I pull away.

"I love you too, you know," she opens her eyes.

"Aww, I hoped…thought you might," I lean forward my intention to do what I have been fighting to do…kiss her.

She doesn't hesitate, only tilts her face to meet mine. Her lips are so much softer then I imagined, sweeter then golden honey, she tastes like a rain laden pear…like a cool rain drop…wait that is a rain drop…

"It's raining…we should get inside," I mumble against her mouth.

"Nonsense, I love the rain…" she smiles wrapping her arms around my neck. I grin not believing this happening.

"I think I'm beginning to like it too," I steal her lips again. She giggles and I pull her close.

She moulds against me, the rain drenching us, I kiss her harder, my desire building. I can't get enough of her, I can't satisfy my hunger. I tug her lip, nipping it softly, she moans.

"I love you," she gasps as we pull away begging for air.

I meet her desire filled eyes, too long we've waited. I take her hands pulling her back, trailing kisses along her neck, jaw line, behind her ear…it's there I find her weakness.

"Obi-Wannnn" she moans drawing out my name like a sigh. I find this amusing, and arousing. I take full advantage of the situation. I trace the soft skin behind her ear with the tip of my tongue, loving the feeling of her turning pliant in my arms.

She then surprises me, pulling away, she stands, dress clinging to her, rain loosening her luminous waves of hair.

"Come get me," she laughs richly her eyes beckoning; her cheeks flushed, and lips full.

It takes me a minute to regain my equilibrium, so I just stare at her, her playful yet challenging gaze.

"Come on!" she gives me a frustrated hands on hip gesture then starts to sprint though the slick grass, rain still pelting.

I watch her run, stopping to twirl now and again, I love this woman. Standing I follow her.

She sees me coming and shrieks with laughter as she picks up her speed. I find my release, I find my freedom. I've found love and claimed it, love born pure. Don't ask me how, but she has been able to do something that the Order, mediation…time has not been able to do…heal me.

I reach her quickly, my arms circle and hold her.

"You got me," she smiles reaching up with a hand that I thought I, had pinned against my chest and brushes away a few errant stands of hair that have fallen across my forehead.

"I do, and I can promise I do not intend on letting you go," I vow kissing her ardently.

In the rain, we stand kissing, loving, and soaking up the water falling from the sky. If we are sky and water then…our love is like the rain; born from the sky, originally from the water of the earth, renewed and let down from the clouds, open up the sky and let the love pour out…I'm ready.

"I don't want to go in yet…" she smiles arching an eyebrow tugging my hand as we stand on the mainland shore.

"It's getting chilly out, and we're still wet," I sigh feeling the argument weakening by the second.

"Let's build a fire, it's our time," she nods to the nearly set suns.

I smile resistance fading completely, "All right lets get wood."

She nods and in a short time, we have a small but roaring fire of drift wood.

I sit against a large log, Padme in my arms, head perfectly tucked under my chin. I am still awed to be holding her.

"Thank you for this; it has been a truly perfect day."

She shifts closer, "My pleasure milady" I kiss her hair.

She pulls away slightly turning to look into my face, "Why do you keep calling me that?" she asks tipping her chin; I know that if she were able she would put her hands on her hips.

"Habit…because every time I do I truly claim you as mine, Childish I suppose but it was my secret way of letting you know you were mine, even if I was the only one that knew it," I laugh for some reason feeling extremely foolish for just admitting that.

"Then in that case I like it…I like the thought of being yours…of you being mine."

My heart stops and I finally for the first time since kissing her think of the consequences, the obstacles…the reality of this. She is not mine, I can't be hers…I am betraying my Order, my padawan. These realizations rock me. She must sense it, because she pulls back her eyes searching mine.

"Shh not now," I put a finger to her lips as she starts to speak.

If this is all I get, if this day of holding, loving, kissing is what I am allotted, I'll take it.

I pull her close, holding her tightly.

The flames flicker and dance, time passes. I love her, I am losing her.

By the time I walk her back to her room I have settled myself, focused my mind.

"Good night Ob-Wan," she barely gets the words out, tears falling. I've hurt her… she knows, she knows this is it.

"I'm sorry Padme…I'm so sorry—I didn't mean to hurt you," I scramble, all the Jedi training in the galaxy can not prepare a man for the battle he goes through every time a woman cries.

"Shh, now, I'm not sorry, not even a little bit. I don't have a single regret. I knew you were a Jedi when you kissed me and I know you still are, as you stand before me. Remember when you me about a day lived perfect? You told me that one day lived perfect could be relived a thousand times over?" she puts on a brave front, biting her lip.

"Well this is my day lived perfect. This day I'll hold in my heart and revisit it every time I long for you…which is always," she laughs, her laughter quickly becoming tears again.

I fold her in my arms once more kissing her hair. "As I long for you in every moment of every day. We'll meet in these perfect memories…I love you milady, don't forget," I pull away while I still can, I walk away while my legs can still carry me, I will say my goodbye while my heart is still able to beat.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, always wonderful :-)

SuP3R G1R: He is the best, no doubt ;-)

TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: Thank you so much for the review! I have tried to making falling in love reasonable which is, in and of its self so very not, so I've settled for at least plausible :-) Thank you so much for reading!

mrs. skywalker: No words of poetry, just little 'ole me lol, I am glad you like them though, love is so hard to describe, and trying to rationalize it to a Jedi? Huh, I am surprised I could string two sentences together :-) Sydney, Ewan…I am there! One question though…do you think his wife would mind?

Aiska Kenobi: Thank you! I was a bit worried about the Paddy/Obi-Wan conversation I thought that it might have been a little on the gushy side (though personally I was pleased with it, then again I am cotton candy kind of gal…all sugar no substance grin, though not all the time)

sassy-satine: There are so many Obidala's and I am dying! I love them but I haven't been able to ready ANY! It's terrible but when I am in the middle of a story I don't read any of that story's particular genre, it throws me off so bad (not to mention I don't have the time LoL), but I can not wait to sink my teeth into them when I am finished! Power to the Obidala writers! Thank you so much for your get well wishes, I am feeling better now (so glad since the movie is only days away!).
I am so glad that everyone seemed to like the conversation with Paddy…I just fell in love with the idea of him being a former Jedi, the status just opened up all sorts of possibilities… but I am getting ahead of myself (grin)
Obi-Wan resist Padme? I think not :-)