Chapter Three

"Padme!" Obi-Wan raced back to the hallway near the meditation chambers. He turned back toward the third floor lobby and couldn't see her. Racing through the room, his motions were abruptly halted by the stern countenace of Master Mace Windu. The solemn expression on the older Jedi's face was soon melted into a broad smile. The Jedi Master shook his head and pointed toward the turbolift on the opposite side of the lobby just as the doors were beginning to shut.

"Padme!" Obi-Wan rushed to them just as they shut, but with a swipe of his hand, he Force opened them. Padme stood inside the lift, arms crossed, glaring at him. He quickly entered the lift, allowing the doors to shut behind him, reached over and pressed a button, stopping the lift from moving.

"I can't believe you thought...that...Anakin...and I...Obi-Wan! How could y..." her words were muffled beyond recognition as Obi-wan's mouth quickly and forcefully claimed hers. He deepened the kiss and Padme almost lost all of her resistance.

Three and a half weeks. Force, she had missed him. She melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the passionate kiss with her own.

Obi-Wan ignored the stab of pain from his swollen lip, determined to apologize the best way he knew how. It seemed to be working.

Suddenly, a pair of firm hands shoved him violently away. I guess it isn't working after all.

"Obi-Wan! How dare you think that I would have an affair with Anakin!"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Yes darling, I trust you. It's not you. It's...him."

"What? You don't trust your own padawan? Your own apprentice?" She was trying her best to be angry, but his use of the word 'darling' was crumbling her resolve, and those eyes. What was it about his eyes?

"I guess not. I thought that maybe he had used the Force somehow to convince you.."

"Obi-Wan. I'm not stupid. Mind tricks only work on the simple minded. Everyone knows that."

"Yes dear."

It was getting harder and harder to stay mad at him.

"I came here to talk to him about Dorme! He loves Dorme now, did you know that?"

"Yes dear."

He was now standing very close to her, gazing down into her eyes, and his hands were coming around to caress her back.

"Do you...did you... Oh forget it."

It was Padme who reached up and grabbed Obi-wan by the sides of his face and pulled him down to meet her lips, pressing herself intimately up against him. A sudden jolt from him caused her to pull away.

"What?" She then noticed the rapidly appearing bruise underneath his moustache along his upper lip. "Did he hit you?"

"Yes. But I deserved it, don't you think?"

"Yes dear." Padme drew him into her embrace and placed kisses along his lower neck. "I've missed you."

"I missed you. I love you."

"Let's go home."

Obi-wan punched the lift control once more, lowering them to the main lobby. Upon exiting the lift, they were met with a very aggravated looking Jedi Master Mundi.

"Who's been holding up the damn elevator?"