After their dance had concluded, Anakin stood behind the booth in which Obi-Wan and Padmé sat, his head bobbing up and down to the beat of the next song.
Obi-Wan turned his solemn regard from his irritating padawan to the young woman seated across from him. She was warm from the exertion of her dancing. He could tell that from the slight perspiration across her forehead.
She was also hungry.
And he had no idea how he knew that.
She hadn't mentioned it..hadn't even hinted at it.
Perhaps he was just assuming she was based upon the fact that they hadn't eaten anything, and he was starving himself.
He was about to suggest to that they leave to go find an open diner when the young woman from Aratech approached their table, appearing quite excited.
"ANAKIN!" Her blue eyes danced with anticipation as she yelled out over the noise. "YOU'VE GOT TO COME WITH ME. SANDERS IS OUTSIDE WITH THE NEW 74-Z TURBO! COME ON!"
Before Obi-Wan could stop him, his padawan quickly followed the young woman across the floor and out the door.
He then glanced back to Padmé, expecting to see anger or at least frustration on her face, but instead, he felt a calming wave of acceptance, slight humor, and happiness that was apparently coming from her.
And once again…he was at a loss as to how he could possibly know what she was feeling.
Maybe it was what he had drunk earlier. Certain types of brandy sometimes played havoc with midichlorians. That had to be it. Maybe his Force sense was off.
Determined to save the evening from further disaster, Obi-Wan leaned forward to address his company. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE AND GO FIND SOMETHING TO EAT?"
A bright smile lit the young senator's features. "I'D LOVE TO." She responded above the commotion and rose to take Obi-Wan's offered arm.
Secretly, she was hoping they could steal away before Anakin discovered they had left. It was cruel of her to think that way, but it was obvious that Anakin had other things on his mind. And besides, it was a perfect chance for her to be alone with Obi-Wan.
They had almost made it to the club exit before Anakin made his appearance.
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" The youth yelled.
Obi-Wan responded with a nod of his head toward the door and with a grimace of disappointment, Anakin turned to follow.
Once outside, Obi-Wan turned to his apprentice. "We're taking Padmé to find something to eat."
"That's okay." Padmé interrupted while withdrawing her arm slowly from Obi-Wan's. "I would really prefer to go home now."
If the scowl on his Master's face was any indication as to the success of their evening, Anakin knew that he was in for it when they got home, although he honestly couldn't figure out why. KRASH was the most wizzin' place in Coruscant! What girl wouldn't love to be brought here on a date?
Sometimes, he just didn't understand his Master.
The firm, "I'll drive," were the only words that Obi-Wan spoke until they reached Padmé's apartment several minutes later.
Upon escorting the young senator up to her doorway, Obi-Wan honestly expected her to brush off his apprentice with a curt goodbye and wouldn't have been surprised if she had backed out this Shidoki thing altogether. So, he was completely shocked when she turned to face Anakin and reached up and placed a light kiss to his cheek. From the look on his padawan's face, Anakin was just as surprised.
And suddenly, all he felt was sick. As soon as Padmé's lips met Anakin's face, Obi-Wan felt a churning deep within his stomach, strong enough to make his shoulders shudder and his face pinch.
"Goodnight Anakin. Goodnight Obi-Wan." Padmé spoke softly before she turned, entered her apartment and closed the door.
The look of shock on Anakin's face soon turned to concern at the discomfort revealed by his Master.
"Master? Are you all right?"
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and blew it out slowly between pursed lips. "I am now. I don't know what that was. I should know better than to drink on an empty stomach. Come on. Let's go find somewhere to grab a bite to eat."
"Hey! I know this great place down on the second level…." Anakin began before Obi-Wan turned on him abruptly with a single digit pointing at the youth's face.
"I'm picking the place, Anakin." He stated firmly. "In fact…you are not allowed to choose anywhere we go….ever again!"
"But Master…" Anakin whined as the turbolift doors slid shut.
Inside Padmé's apartment, the senator walked up to a sleeping Dormé who had apparently dozed off on the sofa while waiting for her to come home. Her movements around the apartment must have awakened the young lady, because as Padmé lay her coat across a chair, she heard a soft voice.
"Well? How did it go?"
Padmé sat down across from the young woman, took off her shoes and began to rub her aching feet. "Anakin took us to this place called KRASH."
"Wow. I hear that's the hottest club in Coruscant. Did you enjoy it?"
"Not really." Padmé admitted. "It was too crowded, and the music was way too loud."
Dormé didn't look surprised. She knew her employer well, and Padmé's idea of a perfect date consisted more of a quiet evening at home curled up on the couch with a hot cup of kaffe and a decent holovid.
"What about Obi-Wan?"
"He was more miserable than I was. But you should have seen Anakin. He had a great time." Padmé laughed softly at the memories of the evening.
"If your date was so terrible, why are you laughing?" Dormé asked, as she rose to put away Padmé's coat.
"Because." Padmé sat back and threw her arms over her head, looking dreamily up toward the ceiling. "I was with Obi-Wan."
"Oh yes. I suppose that would make anything better." Dormé teased, to which Padmé replied with a large grin.
The young senator then sat up and abruptly changed the subject. "Do we have anything to eat? I'm starved!"
An hour later, another turbolift door opened and two Jedi walked out, the taller, yet younger one continuing to complain about his Master's obvious lack of knowledge on the nightlife of Coruscant.
"I'm telling you, Master. KRASH is the place to be! Didn't you see how crowded it was? If she didn't have a good time, then it's probably your fault."
Obi-Wan continued walking toward their quarters, "How in the galaxy, can you say that tonight's complete disaster was my fault?"
"Because," Anakin's continued courageously. "Sometimes, you act as old as Master Yoda."
Just as those words issued out of his padawan's mouth, Obi-Wan felt the presence of a being strong in the Force, and upon turning the corner, saw Master Yoda himself standing in front of their doorway.
"Been out, I see."
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan grinned as he felt Anakin nervously shuffling his feet next to him.
"Hello, M…Master Yoda." The youth stammered.
"A Shidoki date this was?" The green Jedi asked as both claws gripped the handle of his gimerstick, his eyes looking toward the apprentice.
"Yes, Master." Anakin answered. "We took Padmé to a club on the first level."
Just for an instant, Obi-Wan saw a flash of confusion cross Yoda's face. He couldn't ever remember seeing Yoda confused and couldn't begin to understand it. "Senator Amidala?" Yoda turned his eyes on Obi-Wan.
"Yes, Master. She is Anakin's bondmatch."
"Hmmm." Yoda replied and Obi-Wan returned the look with a suspicious eye.
"Master, if you don't mind my asking. Why are you here?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Waiting for you two, I was."
"Would you like to come in?" Obi-Wan offered as he gestured toward the door.
"No. Time, I have not. Came to inform you that present at your padawan's preliminary ceremony, I cannot be."
"We're sorry to hear that." Obi-Wan replied genuinely. He had hoped that Yoda would be performing the ceremony.
"Master Windu, stand in for me, he will."
"You'll be there for the final ceremony though, won't you Master Yoda?" It was Anakin who questioned the ancient Jedi.
A rare grin snaked across the small being's face as he turned and made his way slowly down the hall. "Miss that for all the galaxy, I would not."