Chapter 6

Obi-Wan was feeling the pain in his heart strengthen as he navigated his speeder through the traffic on Coruscant. He didn't breathe easier until he was at the Jedi temple and even then, he was finding it harder to breathe. Sure enough, Anakin Skywalker was waiting for him outside on the temple steps, much to his relief.

When Anakin saw the Sith Knight, his heart dropped to the bottom of his feet. Healer Maia had been right; Obi-Wan had been affected by Jeela's bond stupor, although she hadn't yet slipped into the coma that was common for such a bond stupor. If she had, he would've passed out en route to the temple. But, judging by the older man's seemingly bad pains, it wouldn't be long and they were running out of time.

"How is she?" Obi-Wan gasped as he let the younger Jedi Knight help him inside the temple and down the corridor to Jeela's apartment in the women's wing.

"She's been drifting in and out," Anakin told him. "She needs you. Even though she's fighting it, she does need you, and I think she loves you."

Obi-Wan nodded, the younger man's words troubling him more than he was willing to admit. He was only here so they could complete their bond and save her life. He wasn't planning on spilling declarations of love to her. That would be submission, and a Sith does NOT submit, ever.

Anakin could practically hear his thoughts and shook his head. He could never imagine himself in the Sith Order. They seemed to turn their Knights into cynical beings, where a Sith Padawan learner's only reward for a job well done on a mission was the absence of a beating. Anakin had done his research on the Sith Order when the bond between Obi-Wan and Jeela had first established itself. Jeela was the gentlest, most loving, and compassionate soul he'd ever known, and it was probably why they were best friends. And Obi-Wan Kenobi was the complete opposite of her, cynical, hard-nosed when it came to missions, and sometimes harsh. And those were his good qualities.

The two of them finally came to Jeela's apartment, and Anakin unlocked the door, helping the Sith Knight inside and to the bedroom. The sight broke his heart every time.

His best friend was barely clinging to consciousness, her eyes fluttering closed and then forcing themselves open, finally closing when she saw the Sith Knight with him.

"I'll take it from here," Obi-Wan said in a harsh whisper to Anakin, yet every one of the younger man's instincts were screaming within him to not leave Jeela alone with this sarcastic, harsh man.

"Anakin," he heard Qui-Gon whisper in his mind. "He's the only one who can save her. Let him do it."

Reluctantly, Anakin slipped out of the room as Obi-Wan began to undress. He stripped down to his undershorts and slipped into bed with her. No sense in frightening her at the beginning, he thought, easing her into his arms, content to hold her close to start with.

Jeela felt her strength returning and she opened her eyes, especially when she felt warm flesh pressed against hers. She was in someone's arms, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself looking into a pair of blue gray eyes. Her first instinct was to get out of bed, away from this man, this Sith Knight.

"You can try," he said cynically. "Although I doubt you'd get very far. You're weak from denying this bond between us. If we don't complete it, you'll die, and so will I."

"So your being here is out of duty," she said, her voice laced with a touch of bitterness as she sat up in bed. "If I am going to defy the Jedi Code, I should at least do it with someone who isn't with me just out of a sense of duty." She turned away, tears stinging her eyes. It would be a cold day on Mustafar before she'd let him see her cry. However, in doing so, she accidentally let her shields down, not realizing that Obi-Wan was about to see inside her mind and soul.

He saw the fear of giving her heart to a Sith Knight, as well as the regret of letting him risk his life to save hers back on Geonosis. She thinks she's to blame for our bond, he thought.

"Jeela," he said, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder. "It takes two to make a bond such as ours. All right, three if you include the Force. Everything that happened between us was the will of the Force; you must know this. It was why you were wounded on Geonosis. It was so we could start to establish this bond. Your grievous wound was the only way.

"I can't promise that our bond and our lives will be happy every after. We are practically strangers and we have to mate and be together for the rest of our lives. I can't say it will be easy being with me, but I'm sure it goes both ways. But if it saves your life, I'm willing to do it. You're too young, and too beautiful, to have your life snuffed out."

During his speech, Jeela had felt his hand gently caressing her shoulder, soothing; wanting to make her feel better about this situation they were in. She finally turned to face him and was surprised to see the tenderness in his eyes. Suddenly he was cupping her face in his hand and before she knew what was happening, he lowered his lips gently to hers.

The kiss started out gentle, tender, but then the bond demanded more from them, and Obi-Wan moved to deepen the kiss. Jeela opened her mouth to his gentle, prodding tongue.

Gradually, their arms slid around each other as Obi-Wan gently eased back down on her bed, deftly taking her hair down from the knot she had it in.

"So beautiful," he murmured as he looked down at her, kissing her again, his hands wandering under her spaghetti strapped sleep tank top. He broke the kiss just long enough to pull it over her head.

Gradually, they began to explore each other with touches and kisses, learning where to give the other pleasure. Jeela arched up to give the older man more access to her breasts as she felt him massaging the two sensitive mounds of flesh. She reached up to feel the hardness of his chest, taking in his beauty, and then her hands ventured to his back, feeling the muscles stretch beneath her hands. She also felt scar tissue beneath her fingers and looked up at him in question. She had her suspicions, and all she needed was confirmation.

He nodded and she understood, her heart aching with compassion. She kissed him this time, her heart speaking for her. It didn't take long for him to kiss her back and let their bond take over.

Pleasure spiraled throughout her body.

It was time, and she was ready.

He slowly removed his undershorts and tenderly drew her close, gently parting her thighs so he could rest between them. "Forgive me if I hurt you," he whispered. "It's not my intention." She nodded and he began to enter her slowly, feeling her tight softness envelope him until he found himself approaching the barrier keeping her a virgin. He looked down at her, unsure. She nodded and he thrust forward, breaching her. Jeela cried out softly in pain, tears rolling down her cheeks. He stopped when he was finally sheathed inside her completely and leaned down to kiss her tears away, holding still until she was ready for him to go on.

After a few moments, the pain subsided and she nodded to him. He began to move inside her with slow measured thrusts, wanting to make this good for her. Yet, the bond demanded more. Gradually she fell into his rhythm and they were soon moving as one.

"Obi-Wan…" she gasped, her eyes locking with his. It was in that moment that their souls fused together. They were no longer two souls, but one. One could not survive without the other. Suddenly, she felt the pressure building within her and she moved faster against him, which spurred him on and he was soon pounding in her, needing release as much as she did.

They both exploded in a stunning climax that fused their souls further and joined their hearts.

Jeela went limp beneath him, trying to get her breath back, her body trembling. After a few moments, Obi-Wan carefully eased himself out of her warmth and rolled onto his side, bringing her with him to cuddle her close. Neither of them spoke; they didn't need to. As it was, she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Sleep, Jeela," he said softly, pressing a kiss to her lips, and then to her eyelids. She smiled and drifted to sleep in his arms. He soon followed suit, knowing that the Sith and Jedi Masters would be wanting to talk to them soon enough to find out what had happened between them.