Mel broke it the silence this time, though hesitantly. It had been a good silence, one that had made her almost his equal (or that he thought her so). That was something she was going to remember for a long time, as it meant loads. She did not idolize him, exactly, but he was everything she hoped to be. "Shouldn't we… tell her this? Before…"

"Tell her he killed his last lover? Before she gets in too deep?" He asked, and she nodded in response. "No, god no." This last sentence was a half-yell, startling her.

She recoiled slightly, as that was the harshest tone of voice he had ever used with her.

He did not apologize, though perhaps he should have. For a moment, he could have sworn she'd looked afraid… "That's the worst thing you could do right now. It's one thing, if she thinks she can save him and you show her he can't be saved. But to bring this up… all you'll give her is pain. She might not even believe you. Its no secret you dislike him, don't like the idea of her with him. She'll think you're jealous… Besides, do you really want to see what comes to her face at that news? For all you know, she'll side with him. She might even be happy, after all if Padmé were alive she wouldn't have him. Could you live with that? She has to know he's a murderer by now, and she's made her peace with that. Do you want to know on what terms?" He sighed, and looked at her sadly. "I know this is hard for you. But you have to just let it go. You can't do anything from here on out except for make things worse, and I know it sucks." She moved to say something, and he cut her off. He wasn't finished monologuing. "They say that a bad love is the worst thing in the world. I disagree, its having to watch a bad love run its course, having to hold your tongue as someone you love self-destructs… I'll tell you this though. I'm not entirely convinced there is a God. But I'm damn certain there's a hell." His twisted half-smile seemed bitter, and self-pitying. He'd run the gamut in sale emotion for her, ripped scabs off some old wounds and let them bleed for her inspection, and all that was felt was a resigned emptiness. "All you can do is try not to dwell on how little you know, how little difference you can make… or else you'll go mad." His smile regained a touch of the usual Obi-wan. "But in your case, that's not much of problem, is it?"

She laughed a little, more than that quip deserved, because it was a welcome relief from the seriousness. They would not talk of this again, not for some time, but she would not forget. Rather, she would think it over, and watch her friend. Watch, and wait.

- - -

Mm. Was Katie's first coherent thought, followed by Oh. Oh, indeed. It was the oddest feeling, to realize she'd done something that was so wrong, on so many levels, but she'd enjoyed doing so much… Leaning over the side of the bed, she expected to find her clothing strewn across the floor. But Anakin (whose side of the bed was still warm) had rather thoughtfully folded them into a neat pile.

Dressing, she felt better then she had for a long stretch of mornings. There was a pleasant ache to her midsection, and for the first time in a long while, she hadn't woken upto that dreadful paradox. Something she needed, that she wasn't supposed to need, and she wasn't supposed to ask for. But that was over now, for better or for worse. For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. She added in her mind, with a bit of a smile to herself.

She found him in the other room, (waiting for her?) eating what looked like lunch. Had she really slept that long? Of course, she added blushing mentally; they hadn't exactly gotten to sleep very early, had they?

He smiled at her. It was a peculiar smile, soft but satisfied, protecting but possessive, almost prideful, something of a conquest in there… it was very much the morning-after smile, and it spoke volumes more than he would ever have put into words. But there was no mercy in those eyes, however gently they looked her over, none at all. And the thought that she could, and did, like it sent some not-so unwelcome shivers down her back.

It was difficult, sitting there and watching him, not to find herself falling in love with him all over again. The way he moved, he talked, even the way he looked at her… She tried to convince herself that it was all afterglow, newly found hormones talking… all the same, when he held out his arms to hold her, she nearly swooned.

He could not deny a similar feeling, though hardly to that extent. He'd had plenty of time to love her before he'd told her, and so watching her was nothing new. Though he did find himself wondering how he'd ever gotten her to come to him…

Arms about her waist, mouth where her neck met her collarbone, he could not deny that it would have been a highly satisfying forever. "Thank you," he murmured instead, not in the habit of emotional confessions of any sort.

She arched her back against him, in the throes of a highly delightful shiver. "For what?"

"The best night I've had in a long time."