thanks to those who have read & reviewed & continue to do so! here's the next chapter. enjoy!

same warnings & disclaimers apply.

Chapter 5: Just one week

Before fully realizing it, a full week had passed. Katarin was finally starting to fall into a rhythm, and almost enjoy spending her time in the temple. She was beginning to understand some of the more intricate workings of her enemy, and by understanding them better, she could defeat them better.

And so each day, she let herself learn all she could about the Jedi, in hopes of someday using her knowledge against them. Plus, she was in more control over her thoughts and words—having not said anything or let any stray thoughts loose that could give her away. Things were progressing even smoothly than she could have imagined.

Surprisingly enough, she had managed to make 'friends.' She found herself spending the times between training and meditation, with Bant, Temos, Lenia and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, the longer she was around him, was proving to be quite an interest. Of all of them, he was the more knowledgeable and proficient, peeking Katarin's curiosity as she tried to figure out just how equal to her he was.

His somewhat cocky suaveness only seemed to be a front, covering up something much more good and humble natured, gentlemanly and wise. Whatever it was, she had yet to put her finger on it, which suited her. It kept things between them more fast-paced and exciting—it was as though they both were hiding something, and they knew the other one suspected it. Plus even Katarin would admit he was handsome—and something in his eyes always seemed to hold her like a spell. Not that she consciously minded…she attributed it to making him that more interesting and worth her time. 'He's the only one here proving remotely worth it,' she thought haughtily, absentmindedly as the door to a practice room slid open.

But now, all such thoughts had no place in her mind. Her meditation would require the utmost concentration, and even one stray thought could be enough to make her lose all control and ultimately crash to the floor, or hurt herself. Silently, she knelt down on the padded mat, silencing her mind completely, focusing only on the here and now, shielding herself from the outside world.

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Obi-Wan felt this practice room was empty—finally! All the others had been occupied with classes of some kind or another, and it was nice to find a free one. The door slid silently open and Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks. Hunched over on the floor was Katarin…make no mistake. Her brown/red curls were pulled back into a sloppy bun and she knelt on the floor, her head pressed to the ground.

'Force, she's hurt!' Obi-Wan moved towards her when suddenly her hands shot out and braced against the floor. Without a sound, her right leg began to rise into the air, keeping a level distance from the floor. She brought her foot to rest flatly on the ground beside her after sweeping it out in an arc around her kneeling form. The left leg suddenly rose and moved in the same graceful circle before resting beside her. Slowly, and most snakelike Obi-Wan noted, her back straightened, bringing her head upright to where she now sat in a crouching position with her back as straight as a pole. Her arms suddenly arced around her head, and as one she moved them to rest on the floor behind her, her back bending itself in a most graceful arch. Her right leg rose into the air and she froze in place, her eyes tightly shut, her deep even breaths the only sound in the room.

Obi-Wan stood mesmerized. Not only from the control and concentration she was displaying, but also because he saw now that her Jedi robes did nothing for her. He watched her right leg lower gently back to its place and the left one raise slowly into the air before she froze again. He had never thought her to be so fit and while she was not as curvy as other women, she still was gifted with a pleasing-to-look-at, willowy body. She went through more poses and movements all of which had captured Obi-Wan's interest, and soon all thoughts of his workout were forgotten.

He had never before seen the like of what she was doing. It was as if she was stretching, but from the look on her face, it was much more than that. And not all the movements were stretches—his favorite had to have been when she came out of one position by lifting both legs into the air over her head, in a bit of a controlled, slow back-flip, bringing them down into the splits, hovering an inch or so off the ground.

Force, that woman was flexible. Obi-Wan breathed deep, his body starting to betray him the more he watched her—he was a man after all, and seeing this woman move so, was almost too much for him. He shook his head, fighting to regain control of himself—'it's Katarin whom I don't hardly know—I have no feelings for her—should have no feelings for her,' he mentally corrected himself. He turned his attention back to her and noticed her in a sitting position with her legs bent at angles around her, her back straight, head centered squarely on her shoulders. She let her eyes open.

"Obi-Wan!" she said quickly, surprise evident on her face, "hi." She said, for lack of anything better to say. 'Why didn't I sense him there!' Her mind was racing…she could not believe she let herself get that involved in her meditation that she did not even notice his presence.

"Katarin," he simply said, "I didn't mean to interrupt—"

"No, I've just finished," she said almost sheepishly, yet with a dismissive confidence to her voice, "how long were you standing there?" She asked, fighting embarrassment from coloring her cheeks.

"Since you rose from your kneeling position." He openly admitted, knowing she probably knew already.

"You saw the whole thing?" She asked, quickly, effortlessly rising to her feet, a blush clearly spreading across her cheeks for reasons unbeknownst to her. 'This shouldn't matter to me, so why does it!' she thought angrily.

"It was beautiful to watch," he said crossing closer to her, "I've never seen the like of it before. You have poise and control enough that seems to rival that of masters." Thank the force her back was to him! She had bitten her lip to keep a smile from forming and her eyes had shut. He complimented her where her heart lay—in power. And the sincerity in his voice had completely blown her away—never before had she heard the like of it. 'Wait…stop it Katarin!'

"Thank you Obi-Wan," she quickly said, a note of forced indifference to her words, "well I'll let you have the practice room. Sorry for not having done something…or acknowledging your presence…" She felt so stupid for rambling, so quickly she turned to leave.

"But you never did answer my question," Obi-Wan calmly called after her, "what was that you were doing?"

"Meditation through motion," she said, turning back around, "focus on the control and strength of the body, and through that the mind and body become one, with the force as a guide."

"Where did you learn it?"

"It's something I've always done….," she trailed off, "my mother got me started on it—before I was chosen." 'Mother—ha! What mother…?' some dark voice in the back of her mind scoffed.

"Surely not so advanced though…." He asked curiously.

"No—some of the more advanced moves I sort of developed, but there are some that are simpler than the ones you saw," her cheeks started to burn, "that I cannot do. So really, the movements you saw are no measure of my skill."

"I find that hard to believe." His eyes locked with hers. 'What is it with him…or about him?'

"Well, believe what you will—but for some of them, my flexibility is not where it should be, so I require some assistance." She smiled almost sheepishly, voices exploding in the back of her head. 'I just admitted to him I was weak—and that I need help! What is wrong with me! Why to him of all people!'

"Let me help you then." He said, surprising even himself.

"I thank you, but I do not wish to deter you from your exercises." She forced herself to say, for at his words, excitement had started to fill her heart, excitement and certain dread.

"You would not be keeping me," he lightly scolded, "if helping you requires I do anything half as complicated as what you were doing, then I am certain it will count as a workout." He smiled warmly at her, and she found herself unable to find any response. Surprising herself, but deciding to roll with it, she nodded, moving back towards him. 'Am I going to regret this?'

She went and stood in front of him, her back to him as she closed her eyes, sending her focus inward.

"Just do as I say," she simply said, almost silently, a noticeable note of vulnerability to her voice oddly enough. She bent at her waist, leaving her legs straight and extended, resting the palms of her hands against the mat. Slowly she raised her right hand skyward and then her left leg. She looked more like a statue than a person in Obi-Wan's eyes.

"Ok…," 'does she sound nervous,' "place your hands firmly on my stomach or hips—you're going to have to help hold me up, so wherever you find the best grip." Suddenly, inwardly, Obi-Wan blanched. As if his thoughts and body were not tempting to run away with him at it was, he now had to touch her.

Gingerly he wrapped his fingers around her sides, grasping a firm grip on her abdomen. 'Force he's got warm, smooth hands.' Her skin, felt by a few of his fingers from the gap between her pants and shirt, was every bit as soft as he'd thought it to be. 'Focus…focus.' His body was yelling at him to let it all go, but he held his ground, quickly jarred back to the moment by her slow, steady movement.

Gradually she raised her right leg into the air, and quickly Obi-Wan shifted his grip to hold her tight, fighting to ignore the sensation of her moving muscles against him. Simultaneously, her right hand was lowered to the ground.

Easily she shifted her weight to the right hand, slowly raising the left, and lowering her left leg.

It was taking every ounce of concentration within her and more to fight her body's natural reaction to him. After all, he was the only man who had ever held her in such a way. However much Deacon may have wanted the chance, she never gave it to him. Even after knowing him for seventeen years. Yet here she was, after only a week or so, letting Obi-Wan. And force was he awakening every sense within her. She doubted she would have even been able to do the first part of the movement at all had he not been there keeping her from falling.

She held the pose for but a second longer before letting her weight fall into Obi-Wan's arms and rising to stand on her feet, just a few inches from him. Again he could not help but marvel at her…how she did it, how she moved so gracefully…how appealing the movement of her chest from her deep breaths.

"Doesn't seem all that hard…." He suddenly said, a sarcastic tone coloring his voice. She laughed, a playful scoffing to her voice that managed to set his blood on fire.

"You want to try it?" 'What did I say! More physical contact…not what I need!'

"Thought about it…but that would be more embarrassing and an insult to you I would think." She laughed again, instantly looking ashamed as though she had offended him.

"Sorry—I didn't mean to laugh," she corrected, "this meditation through motion does take some practice. Force knows I've fallen a million times, so that shouldn't stop you."

"Thanks, but I have the balance of a bantha at this point." Again Katarin heard herself laugh before she could think to stifle it. "But I might be able to best you in a light saber duel, while you best me at this."

She nodded, as though giving her consent and moved to gather her Jedi robe. She threw it lazily over her shoulder before turning back to face him, looking at him over her lenses.

"Doubtful." The door slid shut behind her. Thank the force she'd left—that smirk of hers had been so wickedly alluring. Had she stayed, surely he would have reacted, only to regret it later. 'Or would I?'

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She couldn't stay any longer. She felt herself being dangerously drawn to him. Absolutely and completely forbidden. The feel of his hands around her waist had affected more than she thought. And that look on his face…enough to make her throw all resolve away if she were any lesser of a woman. His eyes were such worlds all their own, and Katarin found herself more than willing to be lost in them. And yet, she hardly knew him. 'Only one week, and already I am going weak at the knees…,' she thought despondently, sighing.

She knew in her right mind it all meant nothing—there were no feelings between her and Obi-Wan, other than friendship…and not even that really. At least not on her end. It was all a front—and that is all it ever would be. 'What merely happened was a physical reaction…but we are more than just this 'crude matter'—I will not let it mean anything more.'


well there ya have it. review if'n ya want! next chapter will be up next week.