Disclaimer: all main characters (except Khalee) are owned by Lucasfilms. I just borrowed them for a bit.

AN: Thanks to those of you that gave me reviews! I like them…..hehehehe. No seriously, I really appreciate them. Yeah, and sorry it's taken so long to get up another chapter. Major writer's block coupled with bad weather in Florida (the understatement of the year) has limited my creativity. So, enjoy! To everyone else reading this, READ AND REVIEW!!!! J/K! No seriously, do it!

Chapter 4

Khalee continued to be in amazement over the sheer size of Padme's apartment. Her apartment had two bedrooms, an office, a huge kitchen, a dining room, and a main meeting room. It was laid out wonderfully as well. The main hallway led straight back to the meeting room, which had many windows to look out over the capital. Along the main hallway there were three intricately carved wooden doors. The door on the left was Padme's bedroom, complete with a bathroom and a well-organized dressing room. The first door on the right was the guest bedroom, which was very much the same as Padme's but a little smaller. The second door on the right was Padme's office, which remained locked most of the time. From the main room, there was a small hallway to the left that led to the kitchen and the dining room.

"Padme, your apartment is wonderful. It definitely fits you." Khalee glowed with pride for her sister. She knew how much Padme had sacrificed to get to where she now was, although she wouldn't admit it.

Padme smiled. "Thank you. So, we have so much to catch up on! What have you been up to? Did you enjoy….well…..I don't exactly know where you were. But that's okay. What did you do there? Who…"

"Padme, slow down!" Khalee chuckled as she chose a seat close to the fireplace in the meeting room. "It was nice. Maani, the woman I was staying with, was extremely kind to me. I didn't miss much…except for you and Papa. I studied many things while I was there…different cultures, government, and the like."

"What was your favorite?"

Always the inquisitive little sister. "I liked many things. It's hard to pick just one. Okay, enough about me, what about you? How's the Senate?"

Padme's smile turned to a frown instantly. "It's been better. I fear that there is something or someone out there that wants to harm me. I've seen it a few times in the way I'm treated. As always, there are arguments when delegates disagree, but other than that, it hasn't been too bad."

Wow. This topic needs some investigation…but another time, Khalee thought as she looked into her sister's troubled eyes. "What do you think of Anakin, Master Obi-Wan's apprentice?"

Padme turned her face downward, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "He's a good friend. I've known him for a while. Why do you ask?" "It's okay Padme, nothing's happened. I just have a feeling about the two of you." Khalee said with a small smirk at her sister's obvious infatuation with the young Jedi.

The doorbell rang at that moment, preventing any further investigation into just how close Padme and Anakin were. Padme went to answer the door and saw Master Obi-Wan on the other side. She greeted him with kindness. "Good evening, Master Jedi. Please come in."

"Good evening, Senator. Unfortunately, I cannot stay," Obi-Wan explained as he followed Padme into the meeting room. He glanced at the fireplace to see Khalee standing by it, looking stoic yet again. "Good evening, my lady."

"Good evening, Master Obi-Wan." Khalee turned around quickly to survey the fireplace. The sudden quickening of her heart was not supposed to happen. She closed her eyes to compose her senses and her mind. "So, what brings you to our doorstep?" Khalee intoned as she slowly walked towards the windows in the room.

"I was asked by Queen Bancharra to escort the two of you to dinner. I hope this is acceptable?" Obi-Wan continued to observe the closed manner of Khalee as he directed the statement to both women in the room. What is it about her I can't shake?

"That will be most acceptable, Master Jedi." Padme answered graciously. "Is it possible for us to have a few moments to prepare?" "Of course, my lady. I will be waiting outside the front door of your apartment."

Obi-Wan turned to leave, but as he was leaving, he felt the eyes of the one woman who always seemed cold and unfeeling following him to the door. He turned around to address the women once again. "Dinner will be served in 20 minutes. I hope that is sufficient." His eyes caught Khalee's and he felt the sudden need to leave the apartment in haste as he saw the softness in her eyes.

Even though the front door had shut, Khalee's gaze lingered on the door as though she could see through it to the man who could make her forget her training with once word. Padme watched her sister as she continued to stare at the door. Well, isn't that interesting?

"Come, we don't have much time." Padme grabbed her elder sister's hand and led her to her room as a plan was forming in her head. We could all do with a little love these days.

Khalee noticed the devilish smirk on her sister's face and knew that she was not thinking safe thoughts. In the rush of getting ready in a hurry, the smirk became more pronounced until Khalee was ready to burst in annoyance. "Padme, what are you planning in that big head of yours?"

"Hurry up! We'll be late to dinner!" Padme rushed to the front door and opened it, knowing that avoiding the question would irk her sister, but her plan was bound to be good for everyone…including herself.

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Khalee walked through the courtyard not seeing where her feet were taking her. She was too caught up in her own musings over what had transpired at dinner to care at the moment. I can't believe the audacity of Padme to try that!

From the first moment she stepped into that hallway before dinner, she knew what Padme had been planning. She knew that Padme thought she fancied Obi-Wan which is SO not true! and wanted to try and make them like each other. Well, that was a disaster waiting to happen. Padme orchestrated it so that she sat across the table from her sister and got to watch Khalee's and Obi-Wan's reactions to each other. Khalee had been trying to be diplomatic, but her irritation had burned a hole through her well-built wall. I was doing extremely well until Padme asked that stupid question. Oh yes, the question that had caused dessert to be cut short.

--The discussions on trade routes and the unrest of several planets had begun to die out so Padme thought she would spice things up a bit. Khalee had seen the question coming but could do nothing to stop it.

--"So tell me Master Obi-Wan, are you married?" Padme sat there while watching most of the people around the table choke on their dessert either from shock or from trying to stop laughing. Khalee looked calm and collected, but in her eyes, Padme knew her sister was mortified.

--Obi-Wan chuckled. "My lady, the Jedi have a strict code about marriage. We aren't allowed to get married." "Well, are you currently involved with anyone?"

--The edges of Khalee's vision began to blur as the irritation she had tried to keep in check all evening made huge cracks in her defenses. Obi-Wan's answer was the beginning of the end.

--"Once again, my lady, the Jedi have a code about becoming 'involved' as you put it. We are not allowed to engage in romantic interaction of any kind. The Jedi believe when we put ourselves above the needs of others, we lose our ability to help."

--"Oh, my mistake. I though you were allowed to love." "There are many different forms of love, my lady." Obi-Wan felt the explosion before it happened, as did Anakin, who was seated next to him. They both pushed away from the table as it split in two, causing the dessert of every person at dinner to end up in his/her lap.

Khalee was jerked out of the preceding memory when she realized she had come to a fountain. She sat down on the edge and placed her hands in the cool water. After the catastrophe at dinner, she had not bothered to go back to Padme's to change her clothes. She had excused herself immediately and bolted from the dining hall, leaving everyone present wondering what had caused her to exit that fast. She walked outside to the courtyard and stood there for several minutes in a calming trance, attempting to get her emotions under control. She was pulled out of the trance when she heard the dinner guests walking though the halls on the way back to their rooms.

Khalee pulled her hands out of the water and let them drip dry as she turned her head upward and stared at the stars. She knew it was her fault. She knew that Padme was worried about her and that her mother was berating her father for the outburst, saying that Khalee hadn't had enough training.

Maani, can you hear me? I need your guidance.

Yes, my child, I hear you. I see that you are in turmoil. What happened?

Part of Khalee's training had involved creating a mental link between herself and her master so that in times of distress Maani was with her. Khalee explained what happened at dinner, but was surprised at the response she got.

My dear, everything will be fine. Your sister loves you and is sorry about what happened. She feels it is her fault. Forgive her, my child.

Yes master. Thank you.

Khalee was soothed by Maani's words but not by her reaction. The laughing lilt in her voice spoke worlds of what Maani made of the situation. It was just an accident.

Obi-Wan stood watching Khalee at the fountain for some time, wondering where she was. She was so lost in herself throughout her trek through the courtyard that she didn't notice him following her. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Khalee was beautiful and when she was lost in herself, it made him want to forget things…

Khalee glanced over her shoulder and saw the Jedi knight watching her. She stood up quickly and turned to address him….but he beat her to the punch.

"My lady, I didn't mean to startle you." Obi-Wan took a small step forward so that he could speak quietly her so as not to alert anyone else to their presence. He instinctively knew that she wouldn't want to be interrupted by the guards that had been sent out to search for her.

Khalee marveled at the light in the Jedi master's eyes. "It's okay. I must admit, I was a little lost in my thoughts." "You do realize that you've been out her for several hours? Your sister sent me to find you. She's very worried about you."

Obi-Wan watched as Khalee turned her back to him and sighed at the fountain. She was perfect in her simplicity. He noticed that she had adorned simple yet elegant clothing for the evening with her hair pulled back in a knot at the base of her neck. The wind had picked up that night and had freed some curly tendrils from the knot, making them dance in the moonlight. When Obi-Wan realized the direction his thoughts were taking, he berated himself for forgetting where he was. You must not think about her this way!

Khalee turned back around to see Obi-Wan staring at the ground. She felt the waves of annoyance coming from him and knew that he had becoming lost in his own thoughts. At that instance he looked back up and into her eyes. "Well, Master Obi-Wan, I think I should go now. Padme needs to see me and know I'm not mad at her." A simple nod was the only reaction she got from him. She walked toward him and in an attempt to sidle past, tripped over a loose stone. Fortunately for the both of them, he caught her and saved them both from tumbling over onto the ground. Unfortunately for the both of them, the closeness that had been caused by him saving her made breaths and hearts quicken.

Khalee pushed herself away from Obi-Wan and out of the strong arms that surrounded her for an instance. "I must get going," she said breathlessly.

Obi-Wan watched her race up the steps out of the courtyard and into the palace. For the life of him, he couldn't tear his eyes away. In a sullen mood, he followed in her wake, mentally preparing himself to face his Padawan when he returned to his quarters. There are times when I wish the Force would just let me be a man!