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A few days later, Obi-Wan dragged himself out of bed and to the fresher. As he moved under the hot, flowing water, he thought about Devin and James. Their reunion with their parents had been very moving. And just like he thought, they had decided to wait out the war on Coruscant. In a surprising move, one of the senators from Naylon had offered the father a job as his aide. Obi-Wan already missed the presence of the two boys.

Obi-Wan sighed as he leaned his forehead against the shower wall. He was going to miss this whole experience – this little taste of what it would be like to have a family and a somewhat ordinary life. Never before had he regretted his choice to be a Jedi. He still didn't. But now he truly understood the extent of the sacrifice required. There was just one more couple to be interviewed for Kira's adoption. Obi-Wan knew that he would probably be sent back out into the field within a week. He was not looking forward to saying goodbye to Padme. She had become such an important part of his life.

When Obi-Wan emerged from the fresher, he saw that Padme already had breakfast started. "Good morning."

Padme greeted him with a smile. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry if I woke you up. I was going to let you sleep in."

"Sensing you're not nearby is enough to bring me out of a sound sleep anymore." What Padme was going to do once Obi-Wan was gone was another issue!

Surprised, Obi-Wan didn't say anything. What was there to say to that? They both knew there weren't going to be many more mornings like this. He took her hand and pulled her into an embrace. He couldn't help it. Holding her eased the growing ache in his heart.

Padme melted into Obi-Wan's embrace. She wanted to memorize everything about him while she still could – the feel of his arms around her, his wonderful scent, his beautiful smile…absolutely everything! "I guess that settles it. Wherever you're going, I'm going with you."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Shall I smuggle you in my luggage?"

"If that's what it takes." Padme reluctantly left his arms as the timer went off for the muffins.

Obi-Wan inhaled deeply. "You know, you've become quite the able cook."

Padme raised her eyebrow at that. "That's certainly a switch from your initial remarks about my cooking."

Pasting on an innocent look, Obi-Wan said, "What remarks?"

Padme placed her hands on her hips. "You can be quite infuriating at times."

"Can I?"

"Yes, you can. When you feign ignorance like that, and especially when you follow behind me and re-clean what I've just cleaned."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I already apologized for that, didn't I? It's a habit that's been ingrained in me from living with Anakin all these years!"

"Last time I looked in the mirror, I didn't resemble Anakin in the slightest. And I'm certainly not a slob like he is!" Padme wasn't really angry, but she did thoroughly enjoy these verbal sparring matches with Obi-Wan.

"Hey, I've made it a point to reign myself in where that is concerned."

"That?" Padme couldn't stop her smile. "Can't you even name it? It's called being fastidious or a neat-freak or, dare I say it, anal."

"I am NOT anal!"

Padme dissolved into laughter. "Has anyone ever told you that you're cute when you're angry?"

"Cute?" Obi-Wan sniffed. "Jedi are not cute."

"You are." Padme gave Obi-Wan a quick peck on the lips. "I'm going to go wake up Kira." She knew she was pushing a bit at the limits they had set for themselves, but she just couldn't help it. All too soon, this time with Obi-Wan would just be a treasured memory. She was already dreading goodbye.

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Kira looked up from her muffin at Obi-Wan. "Why can't you and Padme adopt me?"

Obi-Wan glanced at Padme. He'd had a feeling this question was coming. "Kira, honey, we can't. I'm a Jedi. Jedi are not allowed to marry and we're not allowed to have children." He couldn't help but notice the pained look on Padme's face.

"You and Padme aren't married?"

Obi-Wan was a bit startled by the question. "Um, no, we're not. We're just friends."

Padme felt like a knife was being twisted in her heart, but she put on a smile for Kira's sake. "You deserve two parents who will be there for you all the time. Both Obi-Wan and I are very busy. And Obi-Wan is sent away on long missions quite often."

Obi-Wan took hold of Kira's hand. Underneath the table, he took hold of Padme's as well. "Please believe me when I say that I wish we could adopt you, that I wish things could be different." He glanced meaningfully over at Padme. "But I do promise that I will visit you whenever I can."

Kira brightened at that. "Really? You too, Padme?"

"Yes, me too." Padme gripped Obi-Wan's hand as though her life depended on it. The finality of everything was becoming stifling. She felt a warm pulsing crawl up her arm and flow through her body, relaxing her. Padme looked gratefully at Obi-Wan. In his eyes, she saw his concern and a reflection of her own sadness.

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Padme paced around the living area of her apartment. She'd been home for two days now – her agitation growing by the hour. She hadn't slept a wink since leaving the Temple. She missed Obi-Wan so much it hurt. And he hadn't even left Coruscant yet! What was she going to be like when he was in the Outer Rim? As he had promised Anakin, Obi-Wan had requested to join him on Fembrak. The rest of the Council had agreed. This was it – the day she had been dreading for so long. Obi-Wan would be leaving in just a few hours.

Padme paused in her pacing and then ran out to the landing platform. She could sense that Obi-Wan was coming. How that was possible, she couldn't say. She watched as a speeder pulled out of the lanes of traffic and gracefully swooped down towards her. Padme went back inside and waited for him, her heart thumping in her chest.

As soon as Obi-Wan walked into the apartment, he found himself wrapped in Padme's arms. He returned her hug fiercely, kissing the top of her head. "I've missed you." It had only been two days since she left, and it had felt like there was a gaping hole in his heart. Never before had his apartment felt so empty or so cold.

"I've missed you, too." Being in Obi-Wan's arms felt so right. THIS was home.

Obi-Wan pulled away enough to look at Padme. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

"No. I'm going to have to re-learn how to sleep without you near me."

Obi-Wan sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Let's go sit down." He laced his fingers through hers and drew her over to the sofa.

"Do you have any idea how long you'll be gone?"

"I'm sure it will be at least a few months."

Padme glumly nodded her head. "Please keep in touch. I know it won't be easy for you, with Anakin around all the time. But when you are alone, maybe before you go to sleep…"

"I will keep in touch. I promise." Obi-Wan knew they were walking a fine line here. But as hard as these last two days had been without Padme, he didn't think he could bear not being able to at least talk with her while he was away.

Padme held both of Obi-Wan's hands. "Promise me you'll come back to me."

Obi-Wan looked solemnly into Padme's eyes. "You know I can't do that."

"Then promise me you'll do everything in your power to come back to me."

Smiling softly, Obi-Wan agreed. "I promise." He really wanted to get this goodbye over with as quickly as possible. It would just be too painful for both of them to draw it out. He was about to get up when Padme's voice stopped him.

"Obi-Wan, I can't…" Padme's voice started to quiver. She took a deep, steadying breath. "I can't even begin to tell you what my time with you at the Temple has meant to me."

"You don't have to." Obi-Wan kissed both of her hands. "It meant just as much to me." The pain in his heart was expanding at an alarming rate. He reached out to the Force and let it flow through him, bringing the pain back to a tolerable level. Obi-Wan directed some of it to Padme to help with what was to come. "I better get going." He pulled her up with him.

Padme held Obi-Wan tightly and allowed her tears to flow. It was really happening. He was really leaving her. She could no longer contain the wrenching sobs crawling up her throat. She knew this was going to be painful, but this was close to unbearable! Why? Why was this so painful?

"Oh, my dear Padme." Obi-Wan smoothed her hair and sent more calming waves from the Force. Just a few short months ago, he never would have pictured himself in this moment. It was truly amazing, the twists and turns life could throw one's way. "How I wish I could permanently dry your tears and take away all of your pain."

Padme sniffed as she looked up into Obi-Wan's face. His normally warm, sparkling blue eyes were haunted with his own pain. He kept his emotions under control – like a true Jedi Master. But she could read his eyes like a book. The saying 'the eyes are the window into a person's soul' was never more true than with Obi-Wan Kenobi. They held so much depth, so much expression. He was telling her everything with his eyes that he could not say with his mouth.

Obi-Wan studied Padme's face as he wiped away the moisture. He wanted her beautiful features emblazoned on his memory. He leaned down to deposit a gentle goodbye kiss.

While Obi-Wan gently dried her cheeks, Padme took the opportunity to study his features one last time. When would she see that beautiful face in person again? Her breath caught in her throat as his face moved towards her in what seemed like slow motion. It was the sweetest, most exquisite, and yet the saddest kiss she had ever shared with anyone.

Obi-Wan reluctantly pulled away from Padme. He ran his hand down the side of her face and kissed the end of her nose. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Obi-Wan turned and walked to his speeder without looking back. If he looked back, he might do something really stupid. He hopped into his speeder and quickly took off into the busy lanes of traffic.

Padme put her fingers to her lips, as though to hold the sensation of Obi-Wan's lips on hers. She numbly walked to her bedroom and threw herself on the bed. The tears started yet again. Padme couldn't believe she still had tears left to cry. She had never cried so much in her entire life! She sincerely hoped that this wasn't just a taste of what was to come.

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Mace and Yoda rode with Obi-Wan on the gunship to see him off. Mace noticed that his friend was unusually subdued. He had the feeling that it had something to do with Padme. Mace put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "It's going to be kind of weird not having you at the Temple everyday."

Obi-Wan smiled over at his friend. "Indeed. Who are you going to tease while I'm away?"

"Tease you via hololink, Mace can." Humor sparkled in Yoda's eyes.

Mace rubbed his hands together eagerly. "That's right! All is not lost!"

"Great." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I should have known you'd encourage him."

"Keep you on your toes, we must." Yoda was glad to sense the lift in Obi-Wan's mood. He knew that the goodbye with Padme must have been a hard one.

Obi-Wan got ready to depart as the gunship came to a halt. "I will notify you upon my arrival at Fembrak."

Mace shook Obi-Wan's hand warmly. "Take care, my friend. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Mace."

Obi-Wan knelt in front of Yoda. "Goodbye, Master." He looked down, not really knowing how to form the words he wanted to say. He wanted to thank him for the faith he had in him, for the words he had said to Padme. But as he looked up, he could see that Yoda already knew. There was no need for words. "May the Force be with you, Master."

Yoda placed his clawed hand on Obi-Wan's. "May the Force be with you, young one."

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That evening, Padme looked up at the knock on her bedroom door.

"Milady?" The voice of her handmaiden, Dorme, filtered through from the other side.

Padme wiped at her face and made a half-hearted attempt to straighten her hair as she approached the door. She opened it to find Dorme holding a package.

"This came for you, Milady." Dorme took in her friend's haggard look. "Are you okay, Padme?"

"I'll be fine, Dorme, thank you." She closed the door and moved back over to the bed. She sat down and opened up the small box. Inside was a note and a holodisk. Want this, I thought you might. –Master Yoda. Padme clicked on the holodisk to find a picture of her and Obi-Wan setting the table together that first night they'd had Mace and Yoda over for dinner. The next one was of them and the children. Her heart lightened and a smile graced her face as she flipped through picture after picture of her time at the Temple. Why that wonderful little troll…