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

AN: Writing this one was tough going, since I think I wrote myself into a corner…how to continue? Hehehe. Thanks to all for the comments and, honestly, I am amazed that so many people like this story. Hope this chapter is to your liking as well! Read and review:-)

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Chapter 7

"Master, forgive me, but why in the world do we need to continue to hone our skills when nothing will harm us on Naboo?" Anakin glared back at his master, knowing full well the answer.

Obi-Wan sighed and answered Anakin the same way he had for the past few weeks. "We do not know if anything will harm us on Naboo. It is dangerous to assume anything." Obi-Wan had increased the number of training sessions over the past few weeks. He attempted to place his urgent need to keep up his skills on the unease that seemed to have settled into every corner of the palace. But, as the Force would have it, he tried to keep busy for completely different reasons. "Now, I think that is enough sparring for now. It is almost time for the mid-day meal."

Anakin smiled briefly. "Thank you Master." Anakin quickly left the chamber under the watchful eyes of his Master.

Obi-Wan walked over to one of the many windows in the training room and looked outside. Luckily, the view was peaceful enough to calm Obi-Wan somewhat and help him regain his composure. As he stared outside, his mind began to wander, almost stopping automatically at someone's long brown hair blowing in the breezes of Naboo, someone leading him to a secluded stream in the forest, someone wading into the water, someone turning that gorgeous head and smiling an invitation. Obi-Wan closed his eyes as he realized where his daydreams had taken him. I cannot think of her that way! Knowing that the mid-day meal would not start until he arrived, he filed away the forbidden daydream and steadied himself. As of late, those daydreams unnerved him because they seemed so real. Sighing, he turned away from the window and began the trek up to the hall for the meal.

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Khalee walked with her sister as far as the hall, all the while locked in an argument with her sister. "Padme, I told you already why. I'm not hungry."

Padme stared at her sister as they halted in front of the hall. She had trouble remembering a time, before these past few weeks, that her sister had ever said that. "Khalee, you have to eat something…besides, there's always interesting conversation."

Khalee was becoming increasingly annoyed with her sister's persistence. Normally, she would have been warmed at her sister's concern, but this argument had occurred every day for the past few weeks. "I will eat when I'm hungry." That toneless way in which Khalee said that statement signaled the end of the argument. Sighing, Padme gave her sister a kiss on the cheek, turned, and walked into the dining hall.

Thankful that she had gotten off yet again, Khalee made for the training room at the other end of the palace. Walking carefully and trying to keep to the shadows, she was also on the lookout for anyone who would notice her trek to a rarely-used room. For the past few weeks, Khalee had been using the mid-day meal hour to tone her muscles with some exercises Maani made her memorize. No matter how hard she tried to exercise the feeling out, she continued to have a strange feeling, as though there was something she was missing. It had nothing to do with misplacing something, but a piece of information she was missing.

As she approached the hallway leading to the training room, she felt a presence walking towards her out of the training room. Scrambling to behind a column, she hid, trying to appear as small and inconsequential as a speck of dust. Or rather, she was trying to hide from the man who was walking this way. Khalee had found herself daydreaming at odd times- like in a meeting with the Queen's advisors or during conferences between the Queen and the delegation on Coruscant. Ironically, her daydreams all involved the same man and secret meetings around the palace.

As he came closer, Khalee slowed her breathing and her heartbeat, asking the Force to let him pass her without becoming curious. Knowing the coast was clear, she slipped out from behind the column and dashed down the hallway as quietly as she could. As she entered the training room, a huge smile broke out on her face. She could feel the energy that had just been expended in here by the Jedi and his apprentice. The energy gave her a boost and she readily jumped into stretching her sore muscles.

After stretching, she retrieved a wooden pole from the wall and then walked back to the center of the room. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she held out the pole in front of her, the customary pose for the beginning of this exercise. Snapping her eyes open, she began her workout, twirling the pole and slicing through the air as if to ward of an attacker. Jumping, spinning, kicking through the air, all the while thrusting, twirling, and slicing the pole at her imaginary attacker, she ran through the exercise, her mind becoming focused on nothing but those intricate steps. Sweat began to dribble down her neck and back, but she ignored it. Smiling, she guessed that thirty minutes had passed since she started. With a final thrust, she ended her workout. Panting and dripping with sweat, she again held out the pole in front of her and closed her eyes, calming her breathing and heart rate.

"Now what I want to know is how Maani taught you all of that if she can barely move herself."

Completely taken off guard, Khalee whipped around with the wooden pole in hand to see a smiling Jedi knight leaning against the doorframe. Looking embarrassed at the thought of being caught practicing Jedi moves, she stared at Obi-Wan.

"How long have you been standing there?" Khalee asked calmly, but with eyes that were shooting daggers at him. She could not believe that she had been caught by the one person she did not want to see right then. It was one think wander into the room during his training session. It was something else entirely to use Jedi exercises herself.

Obi-Wan pushed away from the frame and strode over to the pile of poles lying on the floor. Bending over, he picked one up, knowing that he was causing Khalee to lose her delicate façade of calm. Turning around, he strode back to the center of the room and stopped about five feet from her. "Long enough."

Khalee continued to stare at Obi-Wan as though he had grown three heads. What made it worse was that he continued to smile as though he found something amusing. She should have been more observant of her surroundings, but she had become so caught up in the exercise, freeing herself more in those fluid movements than she had been able to in many weeks. Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she accepted that she had been caught, something she had expected to happen since she came back to Naboo.

Obi-Wan watched Khalee bow her head, knowing that she was thinking over her next course of action. If she turned and walked out of the room, she would be accepting defeat, something he didn't think she would be able to do unless it was warranted. If she stayed, well, he didn't know what would happen. Knowing that he wanted her to stay, Obi-Wan attempted to pester her just enough to challenge him. Be careful. You have no idea what she is capable of, he told himself. "I returned when I realized that there was someone running down the hallway after I left. I'm afraid my curiosity won out, although I seem to have missed the mid-day meal watching you."

Khalee opened her eyes and looked at him. "Well, I can hardly say I'm sorry you've missed the meal. You Jedi have too much of a cushy life. I might have just been doing you a favor by keeping you away from food. That mid-section of yours is beginning to look more rounded." Khalee smirked as she began to circle, knowing that she was teasing Obi-Wan, wanting him to make the first move. She had made up her mind in the small amount of time she had closed her eyes that the Force wanted them to spar. She couldn't say it didn't give her any pleasure whatsoever to have the chance to be near him. Quite the opposite, actually…

Obi-Wan was shocked that she had chosen this course of action. "Well, I must say, I never expected you to stoop to such levels. But I have to say, I enjoyed watching you. You are quite graceful, if a little undisciplined in your moves." Obi-Wan smiled, mimicking her movements around the room.

"Undisciplined, am I? I shall take that as a complement coming from the man with such an unpredictable Padawan." Khalee grinned, knowing that her comment had hit its make as she saw the smile leave Obi-Wan's fuzzy, handsome face.

Obi-Wan let the adrenaline course through his body as he spun his pole and made his move to attack Khalee. The two were locked in heated combat for some time, each making attack moves and having them expertly blocked. Obi-Wan waited with the patience of a true Jedi for an opening to end the fray that had begun to evaporate his patience with Khalee's skill. When he saw that she had begun to tire, her reflexes slightly slower and her breath coming more rapidly, he made his move. He went towards her, twirling his pole and slicing it to make her block his attack above her head so he could knock her feet out from underneath her. Once he heard the whoosh of air leaving her lungs and the thunk of her head hitting the floor, Obi-Wan held his pole to her throat.

Khalee stared up at Obi-Wan, who had knelt next to her and was holding his pole across her throat. He was so close, she could feel his breath tickling her face. Panting, Khalee admitted defeat by dropping her pole, causing Obi-Wan to sit back on his haunches, catching his own breath.

"Khalee, I have to admit, I never expected you to be so skilled. I thought it was just something you picked up by watching Jedi practice." Obi-Wan wiped his brow and continued watching Khalee lie on the floor catching her breath.

Khalee sat up slowly and placed her hands behind her. She looked at Obi-Wan with a face of complete calm. "If you honestly think that I'm one to just watch something be executed and not want to know every exact movement, then you have not been as observant as I thought you to be."

Bowing his head at her acknowledging her statement, Obi-Wan stood up and offered his hands to help her from the floor. Grabbing them, Khalee was launched to her feet, but didn't want to let go of his strong hands. She raised her head slowly and saw Obi-Wan's blue eyes inches from her own, piercing into her soul with a look of desperate longing. With her heartbeat rapidly accelerating, she breathed frantically. "Can I have my hands back?"

Obi-Wan stepped away from Khalee and dropped her hands faster than if he had been holding a red hot coal. He had been inches from her, gazing into her eyes, realizing that he would probably give almost anything for just one kiss from those full, beautiful lips. He looked down at his own hands, realizing that they were still tingling from the touch of Khalee's.

Khalee looked at Obi-Wan, who was observing his hands with an intensity that bordered on manic. Frowning, she stepped closer, wanting to figure out what had disturbed him. Against her own will, she had begun to care about the Jedi knight. "Obi-Wan…"

Obi-Wan looked up from his hands and saw that Khalee had moved to within an arm's length of him. He dropped his hands to his side, knowing that this might curb the sudden temptation to take her in his arms. Not trusting himself to speak, Obi-Wan bowed at Khalee and walked briskly from the room, leaving a confused Khalee behind.

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That evening, Khalee and Padme elected to have dinner in the apartment, mainly because they rarely had time to spend together. Sitting at the table across from one another, with the succulent food in front of them, the trails of the day seemed to melt away.

Khalee looked at the table and saw many of her favorite dishes from childhood. She remembered sitting in the kitchen for hours while she watched her mother cook and slip her a taste of whatever she was making. She looked at her sister and smiled. "I'm honored that you remembered all the foods I like, Padme. While the banquets with the Queen have been exquisite, I fear I have missed all of this the most." Khalee began to fill her plate with a nut and berry salad that was always good after a long day in the sun, roasted meat that was so tender it fell off the bones, some vegetables she didn't remember the name of but the smell was tantalizingly familiar, and some fresh baked bread.

"I have to admit, I think I have missed all of this as much as you have." Padme had filled her plate just as much as Khalee and grinned with glee after she tasted the first bite of some mashed tubers. "It isn't often that I can cook for myself. I rather like having company to share it with." Padme smiled at her sister across the table, seeing the pure joy in Khalee's eyes and face. The two proceeded to eat in silence, musing on the occurrences of the day and knowing that silence was needed.

"Now Padme," Khalee began as she pushed her plate away from her and sat back in her chair. "I know you made dessert, because I can smell it from here, but can we wait a bit before having some. I am stuffed!" Padme laughed and pushed herself away from the table. "How about some conversation? We rarely have time to talk it seems and I'm sure we'll work up an appetite."

Nodding her head in agreement, Khalee followed her sister into the parlor where some glasses of wine were waiting for them. Sitting down and taking a sip of the wine, Khalee relaxed a little more. "How were your meetings today?"

Sitting back, Padme observed her sister. "They were okay, if not a little taxing. There's always some crisis in the Federation that we are afraid will reach Naboo and cause trouble. There is definite unrest and the Queen is worried that the people of Naboo will become panicked." Padme took a sip of wine, giving her sister a chance to interject.

"There is always unrest in the Federation." Khalee looked pained as she thought out her next words. Seeing this, Padme leaned a placed a hand on her sister's knee in encouragement. "You seem troubled by that statement alone, Khalee."

Smiling softly, Khalee knew what she could and could not say to her sister. "Well, there are people in this galaxy, I feel, that hold high positions of power and have hidden agendas. There are times when I worry that the quest for power will corrupt those who have a good heart. But, that isn't really my area to worry about, is it? The Jedi Council are supposedly the ones who protect the good."

"Where does all of this come from!" Padme asked of her sister, looking concerned and fearful of what her next words would be. Padme greatly admired her sister's strength and knew that she had a better grasp on the situation than she was letting on.

Khalee grabbed her sister's hand and held it. "Being around Jedi for so many years tend to give one a unique perspective on our universe. I meant no insinuation against the Jedi Council. I just feel that there are…some things…that they have missed."

Squeezing her sister's hand, Khalee stood up and walked towards the fireplace. She leaned against it and stared at the floor for some time, gathering her thoughts. When she saw her sister move to stand up, she knew she needed to answer the question she had left floating in the air. "There is a dark and cruel force out there. I can feel it creeping in, covering the empty corners of all our lives, snatching bits of happiness from us. I am genuinely afraid that there is no one to stop it."

Padme sat back against the cushions of the chair. She had no idea that her sister was so deeply concerned over the state of the galaxy. Indeed, there had been several cultures over the past few months that had mysteriously become unresponsive to the Senate's communications, but that had always been attributed to the signal being reflected in space. Padme was deep in thought when Khalee sat down next to her. She was drawn out of her reflection on the state of the Senate when her sister touched her hand.

Khalee looked anxiously at her sister. "I apologize for disturbing you, Padme. I suppose that I have become more sensitive to the universe around me after living with Maani for so long."

Padme smiled a gentle smile at her sister and stood up. "It is good to have you back. I had forgotten how easily you could bring my attention to the little things." Khalee smiled up at her sister, who she saw clearly as a mature woman for the first time. Khalee stood up and grinned at her sister. "I don't know about you, but I could use some dessert right about now."

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The next day, Khalee awoke to a dark room. She knew that dawn was slowly coming upon them and she wanted to meditate during the sunrise. With Maani, she found that this had always brought new clarity to troubled thoughts. Quietly, she pulled on a light dress and her slippers and left the apartment, making sure that she was as silent as possible so as not to wake her sister. She and Padme had been up until the wee hours of the morning talking. Khalee told Padme stories about what she had seen and heard when she was away. Hearing Padme's laughter was a wonderful antidote to the gloom that had slipped over them because of their after dinner conversation.

Khalee made her way to the courtyard, glancing up at the sky to see the black of night changing to deep purple. She smiled as her feet took her to a spot in the center of the courtyard where the fountain was concealed. Reaching the fountain, Khalee sat on the edge, removed her slippers, and tucked her feet under her. Khalee was just becoming relaxed enough to let her mind wander over all the thoughts the Force wanted her to work out when she was drawn abruptly out by a cough. Khalee opened her eyes and saw that a certain Jedi knight had found her again in clearly a Jedi exercise.

Rapidly becoming annoyed with the Jedi knight for staring at her with that smile, Khalee looked into Obi-Wan's eyes. "Was there something I could help you with, Master Jedi?" Khalee spoke calmly, but her eyes betrayed the reserved nature of her pose. She had retained the traditional mediation pose, partly because she was comfortable and partly because she wanted to show him that she would not be bullied.

Khalee's eyes were shooting daggers at Obi-Wan, and he could do nothing but chuckle at the current situation. "My lady, I find that watching the sun rise calms my nerves and allows me to be better prepared for the day ahead." Obi-Wan walked over to the fountain and sat down next to Khalee. He turned his head to look at her. "I was merely startled that someone else was here." Obi-Wan enjoyed the solitude of the hidden fountain, and found that it often had the ability to bring his thoughts into sharp clarity.

Khalee looked away from Obi-Wan and towards the sky, where it was gradually changing from deep blue to lighter pinks and purples. Calming her rapid pulse, she turned back to Obi-Wan. "Not many people know about this location. It's too far for the dignitaries to walk and I'm sure they would get lost on the way back if they ever did find it." She smiled at Obi-Wan, suddenly at ease with the situation. She felt comforted in the realization that he would not betray the peaceful location with anyone.

Obi-Wan was mesmerized by the kind smile that was now on Khalee's lips. Turning towards her, he continued to look into her eyes. "I found this fountain several nights ago during one of my many nighttime wanderings throughout the palace. It was more able to lull me to sleep than anything I've ever experienced before. It seems to have almost…magical…powers."

"It does. Although, most fountains or bodies of water calm me and allow my mind to work over whatever ideas or facts are bothering me. I think water in general is magical." Khalee realized she was in serious danger of losing all common sense and falling into his eyes, which were fast becoming liquid pools of emotion. Looking down at her hands in her lap, she attempted to regain her composure.

"Obi-Wan…I don't think I ever told you…thank you." Khalee looked back up at Obi-Wan, noticing that he seemed to have moved closer than a few moments before.

Obi-Wan's hand moved towards her face against his mind. He knew he should not become so familiar with her, but she was completely irresistible. He placed his hand against her cheek and gently caressed her chin with his thumb. Leaning forward, he kissed Khalee at the corner of her mouth, as softly as the flutter of a butterfly's wings. Feeling his heartbeat rapidly increase, he hesitated a moment to give her a chance to pull away. When she did not resist, Obi-Wan began a more thorough examination of Khalee's beautiful lips with his own.

Khalee was shocked and yet pleasantly surprised that he had kissed her. She then saw herself as if she was outside her body place one hand behind his head. Who knew a Jedi would be so good at kissing? As the kissing became more passionate, Khalee felt torn between completely letting herself go and giving in to the feelings now coursing through her body and pushing him away. If I continue, I fear I will become nothing more than just another trophy on his wall, someone he conquered. Realizing that she would never appreciate being discarded as if garbage at the end of the day, she wedged her hands in between them and pushed on Obi-Wan's chest.

"We cannot do this," Khalee panted as she attempted to disregard the loss she was now feeling as he dropped his arms from around her. Standing up, ignoring the shooting pain in her feet as they began to wake up, she turned around to see Obi-Wan looking up at her with a mixture of disbelief, passion, and anger. "I'm sorry…"

Obi-Wan had never seen someone leave him faster. Was it something he did? He had incredibly enjoyed kissing her and holding her in his arms for that brief moment. Annoyed at himself for letting his feelings for Khalee take over, he turned to the fountain and splashed the cold water on his face, hoping it would cool his growing ardor. He could still taste her lips and smell her, a mixture of wildflowers and a spring shower. Closing his eyes as the water dripped from his face, he tried to calm his speeding heart, but all he saw was brown eyes dark with passion and brown hair floating in the breeze. Damn my starving male senses!

Drying his face on his robe, Obi-Wan turned and saw that the sun had risen and now decorated the high clouds with a rainbow of colors. Sighing, he stood and wound his way through the courtyard back to his quarters to attempt a cold shower.

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Khalee made it back to her sister's apartment just before her sister woke up. Grateful for the silence that greeted her, Khalee closed her bedroom door and flopped down onto the bed. She was incredibly shaken by what had happened. Never in a million years would she have imagined herself becoming involved with a Jedi. She knew what they were like- a woman in every port, so to speak.

Khalee stared at the ceiling, sorting her confused thoughts. She knew that he would never speak a word to anyone about what happened. Part of her wished she could forget it happened. But then, part of her was overjoyed and extremely excited. She had never met someone who could infuriate her and make her thoughts become muddled all at once. Well, I'll just have to go on as though nothing has happened. Smirking, Khalee stood up to change her dress. Looking in the mirror, she saw herself as a woman for the first time. Closing her eyes, she asked the Force to grant her the strength for the day ahead. It would not be easy, especially if she was faced with that rogue of a Jedi knight. At least he's a good kisser…