The hypnotizing effects of the passing stars caused Padmé to lose her focus and her train of thought. Her eyes slowly drifted shut and her thoughts soon turned inward, dwelling on the other half of her soul just a few feet away although painfully beyond her reach.
A brief whisper suddenly tickled along her senses.
/Padmé.../
It was not the first time she had heard Obi-Wan's voice in her silence. Its presence soothed her irritation and settled a warmth within her consciousness.
/I'm here./ She sent back to him. She received a wave of emotion in return that stunned her with its depth.
/I need you./
/I know love. I know./ Her thoughts were sent in an effort to ease the bittersweet ache that she felt pulsating through their bond, realizing now that Obi-Wan was suffering just as much as she was.
/I have to see you...I need to touch you./
/How? The Jedi Masters are too vigilant. They are watching our every move./
Their mental exchange was silent as Padmé waited patiently for his reply.
/Be watchful, Padmé. I'll think of something./
/I love you./
/And I love you. We'll be together soon. I promise./
Padmé felt his presence withdraw from her mind. Although the communication had not erased her pain, it had eased it somewhat. Now, with the completeabsence of him, the bond began to demand union once more, sending a pulsatingneed throughout her body that began somewhere near her throat and radiated to her toes, and it was getting worse the longer they were kept apart.
Padmé sat quiet and still in the same chair for over an hour, unwilling to distract herself and miss Obi-Wan's call. She had quickly learned that in order to experience communication through the bond, she had to completely quiet her mind and relax her body.
Although the chair was beginning to become uncomfortable, her patience soon paid off. A smile creased her worried expression as she recieved Obi-Wan's message. She rose from her chair and immediately passed from her private quarters into the room where Healer T'Pal sat guarding the exit.
An amphibious eye twitched up in response to her motion toward the door.
"If you'll excuse me, Healer T'Pal. I need to visit the 'fresher."
"Of course, Your Higness. Allow me to accompany you."
"That won't be necessary."
Her words obviously had no effect. As Padmé moved out the door, Healer T'Pal was following closely behind her. She was near panic as she approached the bathing quarters down the passageway. If Obi-Wan was where he said he would be, they would surely be caught. She could see Master Windu now, and could just see the outline of one side of Obi-Wan's body moving slowly behind the bigger Jedi.
Padmé was about to safely retreat and return to her quarters, when she caught sight of Obi-Wan making a slight gesture with his hand. Suddenly, the ship's alarms began blaring and Master Windu started running down the passageway toward the bridge.
Healer T'Pal was distracted enough to move out of his way, her eyes following Mace as he ran toward the bridge. When the healer turned back around, Obi-Wan was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't you need to check on the problem?" Padmé asked the Jedi Healer.
"I am no pilot or mechanic. I would not be of any help. Master Windu can handle it." Her long scaly hand motioned Padmé once more down the hall.
They reached the facility door. Padmé held her breath and Healer T'Pal entered the small room and scanned it thoroughly, even moving to check the sonic unit. She smiled at Padmé gently and then motioned for her to enter.
Padmé was beginning to worry that the Jedi Healer was going to accompany her inside, but T'Pal merely backed out of the way and shut the door, thankfully giving Padmé her privacy.
Padmé spun around, not sure where Obi-Wan was hiding, but knowing he was in the room. She opened a metallic cabinet as quietly as she could. It was empty. She moved to the sonic unit and flung open the door. He wasn't there. She was about to give up, when a gentle caress eased across the back of her neck, a familiar mouth teasing and tantalizing her throat, followed by teasing nips of soft lips. She turned into Obi-Wan's embrace.
"How did you?"
Padmé quieted immediately upon seeing Obi-Wan's finger cross his lips, hushing her. She followed his eyes upward to the ceiling and marveled as she realized how quickly he had had to move to hide himself amongst the ducts and pipes there.
Obi-Wan moved them into the sonic unit away from the entrance, and hopefully away from T'Pal's monitoring.
"Oh, Obi-Wan." Her words were an echoed whisper inside the plastisteel cubicle. She sent the rest of her words along the bond as she quickly found her mouth being busy with better things other than speaking.
/That was close./ She gasped as Obi-Wan's hands quickly moved underneath the bodice of her gown to caress her bare back. Her own hands were pushing aside his tunics to run her fingers along his chest. The need to touch each other's bare skin was overwhelming.
/Obi-Wan, what are we going to do/ His mouth was once more devouring her own.
/We're going to be together. No matter what. That's the only thing we can do./
Knowing they were in danger and had precious little time left, Padmé moved her hands quickly over his chest and back, absorbing the sensation of his skin on her fingertips, hoping it would satisfy the bond at least until they reached Coruscant. They could not risk another meeting like this.
/Where is Master Yoda/
/Meditating./ Obi-Wan's own hands were busy moving over her still clothed ribcage, moving up to caress the swell of her breasts above the bodice of her velvet gown.
A groan escaped him as he forced himself to physically remove his hands from her body, pulling his mouth from hers. They both gasped for air, and a moan of protest escaped Padmé as the sudden chill from the lack of contact ran through her.
"We have to go back."
Padmé nodded, unable to stop the single tear that slid slowly down her face.
Obi-Wan smiled at her gently, placed a quick kiss to her cheek to stop the coursing tear, and then another quick kiss to her lips before she moved out of the sonic unit.
Padmé ran some water in the sink, dabbed her face with a towel and moved toward the door. She glanced back toward the sonic shower and met Obi-Wan's gaze. She placed a kiss to her fingertips and gently gestured her hand toward him. He smiled warmly in return and then she turned, opened the door and once more followed Healer T'Pal back to her quarters.