I do not own the characters from George Lucas, only the origional characters I've come up with. I also use a lot of lines from the movie when I do a scene, since I AM following the movie with a different character added in.

Vataloni's View

"Anakin... I'm very proud of you," Vataloni gushed, watching him grab his cloak and pace across the exercise room, "You're so lucky to be on the Council!"

"But they won't give me position as Master," he snapped, wringing his cloak together, "It's like they don't trust me or something... I feel... like a burden."

"Don't," she insisted, "They value your advice... You're a very intelligent Jedi, Anakin, even if you are not a Master, yet. You will be soon... One day."

She could tell her words had little effect on the young man, as his face only lightened a little to a weak smile instead of a scowl. She knew he longed to be a Master. He had wanted to break away from Obi-Wan for ages. As grateful and loving as Anakin was towards his Master, Vataloni knew her friend grew weary of the term apprentice.

"Where did Yoda go off to again?" Vataloni inquired, deciding a change of subject would be best for her friend. Anakin sighed, "He's off to the Wookies... The Droid armies are making their move on the Wookie planet, and I think the Clones only just arrived in time."

She nodded and he threw his cloak on over his shoulders, "I have to go... Meeting starts soon. Want to go for drinks with me and Padme later?"

Vataloni smiled, "Drinks? Wow... How formal."

He glared at her and said his good byes, as did she. It was difficult to not feel envious of Anakin. Vataloni wanted to be on the Jedi Council too, and if she was asked she wouldn't make such a fuss about not being a Master yet; she would be honoured just to be there in the presence of some of the greatest Jedi Masters out there. It would be such a treat to be seated in there, listening in on all the choices made and how they would affect the Republic.

'My my my, alone again are we? I guess it's just you and me.'

Vataloni groaned loudly. That voice in her head had been chatting to her for the past two days since she had first heard it, and it was driving her insane. Several times she had asked either Anakin or Obi-Wan, subtly, if they had heard someone speaking to them. Each, however, would frown and say no, and it would invoke a bit of tormenting from the voice in her head.

"Why are you here?" Vataloni whined, picking her up lightsaber and launching an attack-training droid in the air. She ignited her blade and deflected a few shots it fired at her, one almost hitting her shoulder.

'You should really do it with your eyes closed... When you see you enemy it's a bit of a pointless exercise.'

"Stop talking to me," she snapped, "You are very distracting."

She had to dive to the side as the droid's shots increased in speed. She missed a few shots, which ended up making large holes on the mat of the training room floor. Not that it was the first time the room had been destroyed by those training to become Jedi's. Younglings rarely ever deflected their droid and at the end of the day there were smoking holes in the floor and walls, which meant the maintenance droids would be forced to come and clean up.

'Oh come now... I'm sure you can fight with someone speaking to you... Not everyone stays in silence, my Apprentice.'

"I am NOT your apprentice!" Vataloni shrieked, lowering her blade for a split second too long, earning her a burn on her upper arm. She cursed silently, used the Force to turn her training droid off, and levitated it back to its spot of the shelf.

'You'll always be my apprentice... So why don't you just accept the fact and move on with life... Also... treat that arm, it looks infectious, and makes you look weak.'

"Shut up!" she shouted, storming over to the small medi-kit and pulling out some cream, which she applied to her arm gently. The pain instantly disappeared, but there was still a nasty looking sore there.

'Now, now be nice, little one. I was just about to tell you something of your precious Obi-Wan Kenobi...'

Vataloni froze in her dressings, then continued to wrap a bandage around her arm, "Go on."

'Call me Master and I will continue.'

"I don't need to know that badly!"

'Fine. Then I won't tell you... and YOU shall just have to find out on your own...'

Vataloni moaned softly and rolled her eyes, "Do tell me then, Master."

'Good girl. He's leaving. Off to find General Grievous in the Utapau system...'

"How do you know this?"

'I have seen it. He is leaving now... To the docking bay and then he is off... He could die, my small Padawan... Surely you will go give him a good bye kiss, eh?'

She felt her cheeks flush, yet refrained from answering. Throwing her cloak on over herself, Vataloni rushed out the Training Center and made her way towards the docking bays, knowing that was where the Clone Ships loaded. Why didn't he tell her this? Well... If it had only happened now, then perhaps he didn't have time to come tell her. Nevertheless, this was the life of a Jedi... They would leave for long adventures and not return for some time, even years. Vataloni felt her stomach knot.

She pushed through a group of conversing Clone officers, muttering her apologizes for shoving, and spotted Anakin and Obi-Wan chatting casually, Obi-Wan already on one of the bridges out to the large commander ships of the Clone army.

"May the Force be with you," Anakin said warmly, bowing to his Master as Vataloni approached. Obi-Wan smiled, "Good bye old friend... May the Force be with you."

"Master!" Vataloni said loudly, making the pair jump, "Are... are you leaving?"

Anakin bowed to both of them and said he had some business to attend to; his code saying which really meant he was off to see Padme. Vataloni watched him walk off for a moment, then strode on to the bridge after Obi-Wan. It was a bright, lovely day on Courasant, yet inside Vataloni felt dark, "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"I won't be gone long," Obi-Wan stated, his large brown eyes boring onto her face, "If I find Grievous then I shall be able to end this war right then and there. If not, then we shall return and continue to try and track him... I was only just ordered to leave at the meeting... I would have told you."

"Can't I go with you?" Vataloni whispered, moving a little closer to him, "There is nothing for me to do here... I would be best out there-"

"It would be better if you stayed here," Obi-Wan argued, "That way if the Council needs someone for something you'll be the first they go to."

"They have Anakin!" Vataloni fired back, "They will choose him-"

"You are both my apprentices, and will most likely be chosen to work together if something happens while I'm gone," Obi-Wan assured, "It's not a long trip to the Utapau system... Twenty-eight hours by lightspeed. I shall find the General, kill him, and end this war for good."

"But..."

"Vataloni," Obi-Wan pressed, "Please... Please don't do this to me... It's hard enough to leave you behind now, but I need to go so the Council will not suspect us."

"I don't care-"

"Yes you do," he said softly, "You do care. Vataloni I will talk to you once I am finished discussing everything with my captains on board... I will send you a hologram. Don't worry... I will be back soon."

He looked back and forth quickly, but sighed in a defeated manner, "We cannot hug or kiss good bye... Too many people around."

Vataloni felt her heart break slightly at that, but nodded her head, "Of course..."

She took a step back and bowed low, "May the Force be with you, Master."

Before he could finish, she turned back sharply and left, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone on the docking bridge.

'Don't have such a long face, child... He said he would be back.'

Vataloni hated the tone of the voice in her head. It was almost... mocking her. HE was almost mocking her. It was annoying tremendously. Vataloni was sitting alone in her apartment, a hot cup of tea in one hand, and snuggled under a blanket, gazing out the window. She wasn't in the mood to see Anakin and Padme, since watching them being in love would cause her endless jealousy. This wasn't right! This wasn't how a Jedi was meant to be! She knew it. Jedi's weren't supposed to fall in love, since it led to jealousy, anger and hate, but you can't just not fall in love. It isn't planned, it just happens on it's own.

'Plus I personally think he's too old for you... I mean, he's in his thirties... You aren't even twenty yet... Don't you see the age gap?'

"Age doesn't matter," she hissed, taking a sip of her tea, "As long as you each care about each other, then it's fine."

'But does he really actually care for you? He left without so much as a hug...'

"People may have seen us... That would have ruined it for us."

'But it shouldn't matter... Oh Vataloni, this is the price to pay to be a Jedi... Now if you were a Sith, you would be free to love on your own will.'

"Really?"

'Of course. The Sith have always loved...'

"You love yourselves more then others," Vataloni grumbled, setting her tea on the small coffee table and wrapping her arms around her legs, staring out the window at the horrible traffic taking place outside. She was in the middle of her building, which meant she couldn't watch the horizon, but all she would see was the millions of traffic accidents that happened on a daily basis.

'Yes... I suppose we do love ourselves... But imagine. If you and Obi-Wan were Siths... Neither of you would have to hide your affections... Never would you worry about people seeing you being in love.'

"What are you hinting at?" Vataloni inquired, frowning.

'I'm sure you understand my terms... Turn back to the Dark Side! You know it suits you better then this... Jedi business does.'

"No!" Vataloni exploded, pounding her hand against her head, "No! I love being a Jedi as much as I actually love him-"

'Not very much then?'

"So much I think I would die if he never returned."

'I'll hold you to that then...'

"No one's stopping you."

"Vataloni?"

Vataloni shot up and spotted Padme standing in the doorway, a confused look on her face, "Were you just... talking to yourself?"

"Uhh..." Vataloni's mind scrambled for a believable excuse. Padme was too strong to use the Force on to change her minds way of thinking, "No... No... I was... making a mental list... out loud... of... of what I need to do today."

'Nice.'

She glared at herself in the mirror. Her former Master's blood was filled with sarcasm. Perhaps that was why she could be so sharp tongued when it came to dealing with Anakin.

"Oh," Padme said, her voice riddled with disbelief. She took off her cloak and suddenly frowned more at Vataloni, "Have you been crying?"

She had cried once she returned to her apartment at the lack of caring in Obi-Wan's voice about his leaving. Glancing in the mirror again, she noticed her nose was slightly red, her eyes were puffy and her hair was a little bit wild.

"No."

"Well," Padme chuckled, "You have made yourself tea... You were cuddled up under a blanket, and you look like you've been sobbing for ages... I'm a woman, Vataloni, I do notice these things."

Vataloni sighed and decided if she knew about Padme and Anakin, maybe Padme should know about her and Obi-Wan, "Obi-Wan left today..."

"He comes and goes," Padme stated, sitting down on the couch and folding up the blanket Vataloni had discarded. She looked so... glowing. Of course, her pregnancy was coming along well, and Vataloni was pleased to hear everything was all right with the babies, "Vataloni, it's never bothered you before."

She looked at the ground, "Things have... changed between Obi-Wan and I."

'Don't do it you stupid girl... Don't say it.'

"Oh? How have they changed?"

"I... We..." Vataloni stammered, fumbling for the right words and she picked at her nails, "We sort of have what... You and Anakin have..."

'Ugh.'

Padme's eyes widened and motioned for Vataloni to join her on the couch, immediately demanding to know every little detail.