Mace sat heavily in his chair; Kenobi shook slightly in front of him. He was so afraid, so apprehensive for Padme's safety and more.

Guilty…ashamed. Not off his Padawan, of himself, of how far he had let the boy slip.

"Tell me general Kenobi, what is the meaning of your relationship with Senator Amidala?" The breath caught in his throat and for a moment Obi-Wan didn't think he could answer the question; he was so tired of hiding, so tired of hiding how he felt. And for what, all hiding his feelings had ever done is made his life a misery.
"Not yet. Not without her here. It wouldn't be fair. I have to go check on her first…can we talk later…" The blue eyes darted under Mace's gaze and around the room.

"If you feel it is necessary. Two hours General, I am afraid that all I can give you."

Obi-Wan ran a hand across his bearded chin, feeling blood on one side he quickly dropped it rather than aggravate the wound. "It will be enough."

Dorme' fussed over Padme' too much for her liking. "Leave me alone. I need to have some…I need to be alone." She rested her head on her hand and smiled sadly. "I am sorry, but I am tired and need to rest, he'll need me to speak at the hearing. I did not mean to snap."
Dorme' handed Padme' a silk dressing gown and took the hand that rose to greet it in the air, "He is a good man Padme', I trust him with you…for once don't worry about duty. Be happy. And if it takes a Jedi to do that then so be it." She smiled, her almost identical features were framed by a squarer jaw line.

"And if that SOB Skywalker comes back, I put my micro-blaster in the drawer here" Tapping the draw with a knuckle she released her hand and her features hardened, "You shoot to kill…cause if you don't I will."

Padme' nodded nervously, pushing her friend slightly toward the door, "Go on, and leave me for a while, go into the town."
Dorme' heard the rapping tap against the doorframe & before Padme' could stop her she had walked to the door and yanked the door open, opening her mouth to give whoever had the cheek to come bug her mistress a whole load of hell.
"Master…Kenobi? Err. I have to go" Dorme' pushed passed and out into the corridor, leaving the door ajar so Kenobi could go in.

"Padme'?" The heavy door creaked as he pushed it aside and saw the woman at her vanity, looking deep within her reflection. She was far too blank for his liking, walking quickly to her side he felt her jump under his palm as it laid on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I had to leave you."

"Padme' shuddered slightly and stood, not realizing how close she would be once stood to the Jedi.

"I know. I'm sorry too. Anakin was right, I tempted you. I really am a common who-"Obi-Wan felt anger well, how dare Anakin make her feel this way. And now she really believed it and that scared him, and so grabbing her to him he did the only thing he could, pressing his lips gently to hers. He felt her tongue roll onto his lips and then felt his desire grow. Breaking away, he muttered huskily, "Don't…we have to spend some time together before my…before my hearing."

Padme' felt his hands drop and ran her own across his beard, feeling a deep wound she pushed him off. "What is this…?" Turning his head to profile she inspected the injury, "You shouldda got this looked at"

"I didn't have time, it's fine. It's you we should be worried about, I was so scared, I shouldda taken care of you better"

"And who's gonna take care of you? Huh, almighty Jedi that you are, who'll take care of you?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, typical of her to think of someone else after all that had happened. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

"Such action forbid I did not, disapprove only, I do." Yoda's croaking voice was crackled deeply by the communication system but the message rang clear.
"He wanted to ask our permission to marry, to-the-book to the last."

"The last? Presume you do, Kenobi's career over is?"
Back to the same old argument, Windu didn't agree with Yoda's complacency, it led to mistakes that were easily avoidable.

"You know he has broken one of the main precepts!"
"Hmm, so bad this is not… long I have believed that repressing emotion, unhealthy it is…to the dark side often it can lead."

"However, he willingly disobeyed the Code-"
"-Deep consultation I shall take, meditation will reveal the answer" The older Master shut off the communication before Windu could back chat. Sighing as he leaned backwards in his seat. He knew, already, what he would rule….

Obi-Wan let out a gasp as a razor blade moved gently over his wounds, hair falling to the stone floor. A few moments later he felt warm water run down his back and Padme' began washing off his wounds, wetting his hair and washing away the grime the struggle with Anakin had allowed to collect in it.

"Padme' you don't have to…"
"Hush. You're nearly done now anyway." She took a long time cleaning his hair and then dried his back and neck, applying bacta strips to the areas Anakin had been able to attack. She noticed him quiver under her touch and felt his breath as it inhaled and exhaled on her skin.

"There…you look good as new." Wrapping the towel she held over his shoulder she looked him over, freshly shaven and clean. It was the old Obi-Wan she knew.

A grin spread over his lips at her inspection and quickly he grabbed her round the waist and threw her over his shoulder, laughing merrily as she swatted at his back. After holding her up for a while he dropped her, pulling his robe top back over his chest Padme' almost told him not to.

"Shall we go then?" The Senator walked over and, taking a chaste kiss from his lips, sighed darkly.

"I suppose, Obi-Wan-"The man leant back and looked into her eyes, scared by the fear he found there.

"Yes my darling?"

She paused for a minute, and then asked the question that weighed heavy on her heart. "It'll all be alright, won't it?" Padme' had never asked anyone for reassurance or support before, so assured of herself and not wishing to weigh others down.

The smile that responded was false, "Of course it will, I know It will be." It was the first lie he had ever told her, and he hated it. But he would not strike fear in her either. "Though we best hurry if we are to be on time" Taking his time he dressed in his formal robes and tidied himself, trying hard not to let on how scared he was, trying hard to seem assured of their success.

Master Yoda pointed his cane at Windu, a blue line erupting from the hologram.

"Hurt him you shall not, allow this you shall. Council Master you may be, but rule supreme you shall not. My words heed, Knight Kenobi is our most valuable asset, loosing him I will not allow. Grant his request you must."

"You are all agreed?" Accusing eyes looked out into the council room and when they nodded, some more grudgingly than others, he too nodded.

"Fine, they may wed. But he shall not be relinquished of his duties. In fact he will be expected to meet them no matter what, they take priority." A small knock on the door broke the conversation up and Mace bellowed to the guests "Come"

As they entered, seating themselves side by side in front of him, Mace saw something he had never seen. Love.

The saturnine brow unburied and he read the mandate with neither anger nor happiness, "Your request has been granted by majority rule. The Council asks that you complete the ceremony and return to active duty within the coming fortnight. You are expected to continue your duties without acceptations. May the force be with you"
Ignoring the council master's presence Kenobi turned and pressed his lips to Padme's, he had it all.