Author's Note:
Thanks, Falcona. :) I'm glad you like them, and I won't be mean to Dan forever, don't worry! (Re. joke: If you don't get it by chapter 15 or whatever I'll e-mail it)
More Anakin-Tahiri stuff. No, uh… [cough] but they do get into a… lovers' quarrel… I suppose is the best way to put it, but it's nothing worse than I've done already. I know, this is probably more of a PG story than PG-13, but better to overrate than underrate it, is my take on it.
Enjoy! :)

Chapter Twelve

"Ummmmh."
She tossed and fidgeted, eyes closed tight against the red invading her eyelids, to no avail. With a small yawn, Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila swung out of bed, shielding her eyes from the bright light of sunrise coming in one of the two adjoining wall-windows. Again, she wondered where Anakin'd gotten the money for this opulently furnished hotel suite.
She mussed the soft, thick carpet with her toes. Warm and fluffy, it was a nice change from walkways and tile floors and grass and…
Well, she did prefer going barefoot.
Another yawn.
Tahiri pulled on a snug plush bathrobe Anakin'd got her. The garnet robe complimented her eyes, he fondly claimed.
The nineteen-year-old Jedi curiously examined her eyes in the vanity mirror. Hm. Their green was flecked with yellow and hazel. She'd never noticed that, before.
She'd never noticed her form, before, either. These past nights she'd been made acutely aware how lovely her svelte body was—and that from a man's perspective.
Tahiri felt a blush creep over her cheeks. She'd recently recut her hair in the shoulder-length layering she'd done after escaping the Yuuzhan Vong. A subconscious recognition of Anakin's returned presence in the Force, she now realized.
Thinking of whom… She leaned over the bed, punching her new husband in the ribs. "Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up."
"Uhhhh," groaned Anakin, turning away and pulling the covers over his head.
"Oh no, you don't. I'm hungry." Yanking the blankets from his grip, she got on her knees over him. "C'mon!" Her fingers found his sides, just under his ribs.
"Hey…" he complained sleepily, half laughing from her tickling. "Cut that out…"
"Get up, lazy boy. Time for breakfast!" Seeing his eyes crack open, she grinned at him.
A mischievous quirk came to Anakin's lips, and she felt him laugh in her mind. She stopped her tickling, her head cocked to the side.
Anakin toppled her over, the two of them landing hard on the floor.
"Ow!" she snapped from beneath him, bopping him. "What if I'm pregnant, you knucklehead?"
He stiffened, scrambling off her. His widened blue eyes watched her worriedly as he helped her up. "You think…?"
She frowned sourly. "Maybe."
At his guilty face, she couldn't help herself and broke into a laugh. "Oh, Anakin. Use your head. It's only been a week. I couldn't know, yet."
"But you still could be?"
She shrugged carelessly. "Hmph. What's for breakfast?"
"Room service?" he suggested, voice muffled. His tousled blond head appeared over his Jedi tunic's top.
Tahiri stood in her robe, arms crossed as she eyed him, projecting her displeasure over their bond. "Again?"
"Don't you like it?"
"First time, yes; next few, okay. After a week running? I'd like something besides a flavored muffin, thanks."
Eyes narrowed thoughtfully at her, Anakin stopped, his hands ready to buckle his utility belt. He looked down, then back at her. Shaking his head, he went to the tiny closet, taking off his Jedi clothing. He tossed something on the bed. "Put that on."
She eyed it doubtfully. "What is it?"
"For me?"
Tahiri warily lifted it, scrutinizing the… dress. "I wear this, no shoes."
Anakin sighed, holding something for himself in his hands. "No shoes."

• • •

Tahiri kept half an eye on Anakin's embarrassment as she gobbled breakfast.
Putting her empty plate aside, she daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin. Determinedly she folded it and put it beside her plate. Only then did she meet her husband's awkward gaze.
"I was hungry."
"I'll say."
She stood a bit clumsily. She never wore dresses, and this tight green thing was tough to move in. Strapless, it was basically a tube of some shiny dark green fabric that stopped midway down her thigh.
Tahiri wondered crossly why Anakin kept wanting her to wear these weird clothes. Well, the bathrobe was all right, but couldn't she just stick to her Jedi tunic? It was a whole lot more comfortable than this, at least.
"Would you like any of our Jedi friends to find you, right now?" Anakin didn't even look at her as he paid the cashier.
"What'd be wrong with that?"
His blue eyes narrowed at her. "Remember when that tribe of Ewoks danced in your head?"
"And you wanted me to clear it to get in a hibernation trance? That was only our first kiss. 'Course I remember it."
"Remember Corran's first question after he'd gotten a good look at us?"
Tahiri snorted. " 'Should I have left you two unchaperoned?' You got so red."
Anakin smiled tightly. "I don't feel like anyone seeing what we've been doing now."
Her cheeks burned. "I can see Jaina giving me a lecture on when someone's dead, they're dead."
"I can see all our friends doing that, but that's beside the point. I have something I have to take care of before I try to convince everybody who I am."
"Oh?"
Anakin nodded. "More of a favor, really."
"What kind of favor?"
"The, uh, delicate kind."
"Oh." Tahiri didn't like this. "In other words, a you-can't-come-Tahiri-'cause-you'll-botch-everything kind of favor."
Anakin's uneasy silence told her she was right.
She scowled, tugging her dress. It was too tight, this was too soon, she was too tired—
Uh-oh. Her stomach bothered her, too.
"Aw, Sith!" she swore.
Her friend looked at her in surprise. "Tahiri?"
She shook her head, angry at herself. If Anakin knew what she was having symptoms for, he'd definitely leave her behind.
"Nothing." That's probably true, anyway. It's not as though I've gotten much sleep lately.
Anakin gave her a knowing glance. "I'm not that stupid, Tahiri. You're angry. I can feel it."
"You were going to leave me behind," she accused with a hurt, narrowed gaze.
"I was planning on it," he admitted. "It would make it easier for all us dead folks if a certain Jedi who knows we're not insane was there to greet us."
"But if you're there, first—"
"Too late. Grandfather and I opened this ship shop under pseudonyms, and Calrissian's found and likes him. That means Anakin Skywalker's gonna be here soon, with high ship credentials as 'Dan Stanley'.
"Dan Stanley?" Tahiri felt herself blanch.
Anakin's gaze grew worried as he took her arm. "What?"
"Oops," she whispered. "I asked Lando to have my ship repaired, and he mentioned getting Stanley do it. Your grandfather's probably—"
Tahiri bit her lip. She'd been about to say 'already here,' but that wasn't such a good idea.
Not if she wanted more time with her best friend.
They stood facing each other on a busy street, she glaring and he calm but unyielding.
Anakin sighed. "I'm leaving tonight."
"Morning."
For the first time, Tahiri was glad for wearing something other than her Jedi robes. Nondescript and full-sleeved, they wouldn't have helped.
With this strapless, formfitting tube, however…
Tahiri smiled alluringly at her husband, leaning forward just a bit…
The unexpected eyeful of cleavage was too much for poor Anakin. He crimsoned from the neck up and feverishly glanced away. "Tahiri!" he protested. "That's indecent!"
She kept the tempting smile on her lips. "Is it?"
He stiffened, turning away. Abruptly he grabbed her to him, kissing her hard. "Morning," he gritted. "But you stay."
"I can come if you leave tonight?"
"No."
She deflated.
"I was just making sure you understood."
Anakin eyed her warily as they strolled down one of Mon Calamari's floating city's walkways. "No more foul play."
Tahiri pretended to be shocked. "Foul play? What are you talking about?" She punched his arm. "You got this for me."
"I wasn't expecting you to use it to… persuade me."
She laughed lightly, eyes twinkling. "What did you expect me to do? Persuade Jacen?"
"Why, you—" she dodged his swing "—you wench!" His laugh belied his words, but Tahiri still felt stung.
Her playful mood swiftly turned angry. "Excuse me. Maybe you'd prefer Alema, tonight!" she snapped.
Her reference to the pretty Twi'lek shocked Anakin—apparently he'd never realized what Jedi Rar's flirting had been for.
Yelling young voices filled the street.

Author's Note:
Review for the next chapter, please! :)