A/N: And here we are! The second chapter. First off, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. I tried to respond to all of them, but if I missed you, please don't take it personally. I don't have internet at home...actually don't really have a working computer at home...and the only time I can upload is when I snag my sister's laptop at my parents' house. So when I respond, I'm responding on my phone. Which is a bit of a pain. Also, thank you to everyone who has subscribed to me and/or favorited this story. If you're reading and you haven't reviewed, I would love it if you'd drop me a line. Tell me what you like about everything. Or, if need be, what you don't like. Everyone feel free to give me ideas. While I have this series planned out until the end of 'Revenge of the Sith', not every little detail is set in stone. So if you have an idea, speak up! I'd love to hear it! And, if you don't mind spoilers, I'll be completely willing to tell you how I can work it in. Or the reason I can't, if that's the case.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Trust me. There will be a couple of Original Characters mentioned here. One is Usaki, who belongs to a friend of mine and has awesome stories written about her in his Star Wars universe. Thank you again for letting me play with your creation! The other is Corana Lin, a Jedi of my own creation who will figure largely into things later on.

So we continue right where the last chapter 'faded out'.

*********************Strengthening Bonds - Chapter 2

The Force was something Obi-Wan had once struggled to understand. His early training in the area of meditation had been a source of frustration to both him and Master Yoda. Try as he might, he could not understand what it was Yoda was asking of him. It wasn't until the age of seven, when Jedi Master Corana Lin volunteered to work with him during her own free time, that he finally had his eyes opened.

"You're trying too hard," she had told him after their first few minutes together. His irritation must have shown on his face because she had merely smiled her gentle smile and taken his small hand in her own. "Obi-Wan, can you force me to do anything? Can you force Master Yoda or Master Windu to do something?" When he shook his head, she asked another question. "And why is that?"

"A true Jedi does not force his will upon someone else," he had responded with the innocence of a youngling who had yet to learn about the slightly grey area of Jedi mind tricks. Corana, all too aware that he would eventually understand the line Jedi were sometimes forced to walk, had only nodded in approval.

"And so it is with the Force, Obi-Wan. You are trying to make it flow through you. You should not try to do so. Bending the Force to your will could be quite dangerous. Relax, Obi-Wan. Close your eyes." He obeyed her and, keeping his hand in her own, she helped him gently push open the door that he had been trying to force his way into for so many months.

That was the first day he had truly been aware of the Force flowing through him. And he had developed such a symbiotic relationship with it so quickly that even Master Yoda had been caught off guard. Now, as he let the sensations of the Force sweep over and through him, he very easily felt the slight discord when he sought guidance concerning Padme. Yes, something was very, very wrong with his friend. It was incredibly rare these days for him to feel any kind of disturbance when he meditated. Obi-Wan's concern only grew with this development and he felt that the Force was trying to help him understand what he must do. For some reason, however, the answer remained just out of reach. He sighed slightly when he became dimly aware that Siri had returned and was patiently waiting for him. Knowing she wouldn't mind, he spent a little more time in meditation, attempting to both seek guidance in regards to Padme and gain a bit more patience for his upcoming conversation with Siri.

It seemed like only moments had gone by when he stepped back into the main living area. In reality, it had been over an hour. Siri sat on the sofa, her eyes regarding him with warm affection, mingled with regret and a small hint of concern. He took a seat next to her, enfolding her hand within his, and they stayed that way for several minutes until Siri finally felt the urge to speak.

"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan," she said softly. "I don't know why I have so much trouble with my feelings regarding Usaki. It's so odd, when I think about it. If someone were to ask me to give them the name of a Jedi they could trust implicitly, Usaki would be among the first."

"Trusting her as a Jedi and trusting her as a woman are two different things, Siri," he responded. "It's the second one you have troubles with. I suppose it's only natural. But I must tell you that I feel it is also a reflection on the trust you have in me. I love you, Siri. I would never betray you. I'm not sure what I have to do in order to make you believe that."

She leaned over, placing her head on his shoulder. Obi-Wan breathed in the scent of her hair, which served to calm him even further. He placed a kiss on her head and then rested his cheek against it, reveling in the peace he was always able to find when they were together, no matter what earlier circumstances had been.

"I know you love me," she finally said. "And I love you so very much. I've…I've spoken to Master Gallia. About my feelings regarding Usaki."

Obi-Wan felt his eyebrows climb. He was surprised that Siri had finally spoken to her master about the situation. She had avoided doing just that because she wanted to focus on passing her upcoming trials to become a Knight. Obi-Wan had told her several times that it was useless to try hiding it from Master Gallia, but Siri had taken a stubborn stance on the subject and Obi-Wan finally let it go.

"What did she say?" he inquired.

"She didn't say very much, but I could tell she was disappointed in me. That almost hurts worse than anything else that's happened because of all this. I have the feeling that my Jedi Trials are going to be postponed, which is what I was afraid of."

Well, he wasn't thrilled to hear THAT. It meant more waiting before they could have their betrothal officially recognized by the Jedi Council, which meant more waiting before they could finally start their life together. Still…

"I'm glad you finally confided in her."

Her head came up and she regarded him thoughtfully for several moments.

"The odd thing is…I'm glad I did, too. I didn't realize it until I actually spoke to her, but you were right. It was hurting me to keep something from her. I've never done something like that before and I just didn't realize how much I wanted to tell her."

She saw the knowing look on his face and her eyes narrowed.

"You're insufferable," she growled. Obi-Wan laughed and captured her lips with his own before she could say anything more. When they finally parted, she hit him on the shoulder playfully and muttered, "I'll do my best to endure a life at your side."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Obi-Wan retorted.

Siri smiled and sighed contentedly as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in closer to his side. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, happy to just be sharing the silence with the woman he loved. He let himself drift, dreaming of what their life would be like together. Certainly never boring. But then he'd never expected it to be. Obi-Wan felt himself reaching into the Force, picking out every little nuance in the atmosphere which surrounded them. Siri's vibrant presence nearly shocked him with it's intensity, which was normal in moments like this one. Free from any tension or discord around her, Siri's joy in the Force was always boundless. She never did anything by halves and her Force signature reflected that part of her personality.

It was very easy for him to feel when her mood had changed. There was a shift in the air around them and Obi-Wan opened his eyes. He realized that her gaze had fallen upon his holopad, which was resting on a chair across from them.

"Something was bothering you when I got here," Siri spoke softly. "Something other than our argument. I felt your distress the moment I walked in, but I set it aside so we could talk. Does it have anything to do with that holopad?"

"Yes, it does."

She sat up straight, her eyes bright with curiousity.

"Is it anything I could help you with?" she inquired. He smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair back behind her ear.

"I could certainly use your opinion." She nodded for him to continue. "I received a message from Padme. It seems she's been very busy with the anniversary of the victory over the Trade Federation. Her message was fairly typical, telling me about the various aspects of the day. And then it got…well, why don't you read it for yourself?"

Obi-Wan retrieved the holopad and handed it to her. He watched as the emotions he had felt upon his own face played across the delicate features of Siri. By the time she reached the end, he saw that she also felt distress over Padme's situation.

"She sounds lonely," Siri said softly. "Very lonely. And very lost."

Well, he had picked up on lost. But lonely? She was surrounded by people who cared a great deal about her. Siri spoke again as though she had heard his thoughts. And perhaps she had.

"There are different kinds of loneliness, Obi-Wan. In my opinion, this is the worst kind. People surround you at every turn. You know they love you. You know they would do anything for you. But, for some reason, you don't feel that you can confide in them. I think it's perfectly natural that she would turn to you. Aside from the fact that you've been friends for over a year now, she obviously thinks of you as the only person who wouldn't have an ulterior motive in giving her advice."

Obi-Wan frowned thoughtfully. He hadn't looked at it in those terms.

"If you think about it, she's probably right," Siri continued. "Those in the palace would want her to run for a second term. From what she's said of her family in the past, I imagine they're eager for her to get out of the public eye. At least for a while. No matter how hard they tried to be neutral, they would have underlying desires of their own. Whereas you…well, you provide an outsider's opinion."

He nodded, understanding Siri's point. Apparently, she felt that she had said enough. While he continued to give the matter some thought, she watched him in silence.

Sighing deeply, he pondered the path of the young queen. The tone of her letter had him very concerned. She sounded almost desperate, a word he had never thought to use in conjunction with Padme. The strength he had seen in her from the very beginning of their friendship was nowhere to be found, sapped away by the guilt she seemed incapable of shaking. For her own well-being, he should write to her immediately and tell her she was making the right choice. She should leave politics, even if it was only temporary, and focus on herself.

And yet…

"Yes. I sense it, too," Siri confirmed his thoughts.

"She would be making a mistake if she left the political arena now. I don't know why, but…" he trailed off, irritated with his inability to come up with a concrete reason. Siri took his hand again and squeezed it.

"Aren't you usually the one reminding me that the Force doesn't always reveal a reason? That sometimes things simply are?"

"She'll want a reason. You know that," he sighed in defeat. "And I have none to give her."

Siri pursed her lips together and thought over her next words carefully. She had to phrase it just right or Obi-Wan would reject the idea immediately.

"Perhaps if you could give her advice in person…it might help," she paused as he gave her a suspicious look. "I understand that Master Dahn has had to withdraw from the mediation mission on Chommell Minor. Rumor has it that Master Jinn needs another Jedi to accompany him and Anakin on the mission. The Council hasn't assigned anyone as of yet…"

"No."

Clearly, she hadn't considered her words carefully enough.

"Obi-Wan, you know he's wanted to return to Naboo ever since the Blockade so he can thank Queen Amidala personally for the care he received in Theed. And Anakin is always talking about seeing her again. Not to mention the fact that you told me just yesterday about how you were eager to provide assistance on more diplomatic missions so you could eventually conduct one yourself."

He glared at her and stood up, as if putting distance between the two of them would make her words untrue. She was right, of course. He was Qui-Gon's former apprentice, he wanted and needed to gain more experience on missions before he was ready to take one on his own shoulders, and they were highly likely to stop on Naboo. Three very good reasons to offer his services to the Council. At the moment, he didn't want to consider any of them.

Although he and Qui-Gon had long since repaired the damage done to their relationship when Qui-Gon rather unceremoniously declared he would take Anakin as his apprentice, there was still a part of Obi-Wan that deeply resented his former master's almost casual dismissal. He understood the reasoning and even agreed with it up to a point. The two of them had spoken at length about the situation, Qui-Gon had apologized for his hurtful actions, Obi-Wan had assured him that he was forgiven…the matter seemed closed.

There was another issue at hand, though. Obi-Wan loved Anakin very much. In fact, it hadn't taken very long for him to form a bond with Ani at all. He was a bright, curious boy with a sweet nature and open, loving heart. Of course he had his flaws. Everyone did. The problem was that Obi-Wan wasn't at all sure Qui-Gon saw the flaws of his padawan in quite the same way everyone else did. That is to say, Obi-Wan wasn't sure Qui-Gon saw them at all.

"Your jealousy over their relationship should not come into the equation right now, Kenobi. You know that all too well."

Ah, brutal honesty AND he was being addressed by his last name only. Both indications that his love was losing her patience with him. He didn't blame her. Although he did wish that she wouldn't be so blatant about reading his thoughts.

'You shouldn't be so blatant about broadcasting them. It isn't as if I've reached into your mind without permission.'

Her reply along their bond further signaled her irritation. Obi-Wan shook his head, determined to keep their conversation at a spoken level.

"I don't know if I'll be able to hold my tongue if I feel Anakin needs discipline. To chastise him when Qui-Gon won't…it would be ill advised, not to mention out of line."

Siri rose and walked over without hesitation, placing her arms around his waist as she came up behind him. One of his hands instantly covered her own, as if he could draw more reassurance from her through the contact. They stood like that for several minutes, letting the silence envelop them. Siri immediately knew when he had finally come to a decision, but she refrained from saying anything until she heard him sigh in resignation.

"They're supposed to leave for the mission in three days, Obi-Wan. Perhaps it would be best for you to speak to Master Yoda right away."

Obi-Wan shook his head and turned around, never breaking the circle of Siri's arms. His own arms pulled her closer and he kissed the top of her head lightly when it came to rest next to his chin.

"Why do you think my advice to her will be taken any better in person than it would be in a message?"

"You're stalling," she accused him playfully.

"No, I truly want to know."

She pulled away from him slightly, looking him squarely in the eyes as she gave him an answer.

"Because your presence is soothing to anyone and everyone you come in contact with. Because she clearly needs more than simple words on a holopad to reassure her at this point. Because actually being with her will help you read her own emotions better. Because the Force might lead you to see a solution once you spend some time with her. Because-."

Obi-Wan delicately placed his index finger against Siri's lips and she smiled.

"But I wasn't done, yet."

His response was a soft kiss that quickly took a rather passionate turn. After a few moments, he sensed the definite need to end things before he was unable to stop them. Reluctantly he pulled away from her, trying to ignore the small sound of protest that escaped from her lips.

"Obi-Wan," her voice was almost a moan and he clenched his jaw as he fought against the desire tearing through him. Regaining his equilibrium, his eyes met hers in a battle of wills.

"Siri."

It was only her name. But the tone in which it was said communicated volumes. She closed her eyes and then took a deep breath. In a few seconds, she opened them up again and smiled.

"I'm sorry. I know we promised each other. It's just…so very hard."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and was amused to see her flush a deep red.

"Difficult," she corrected. "I meant difficult."

"Yes. Of course you did."

"Shut up."

His eyes sparkled as he leaned in and gave her a very quick kiss. She smiled in response.

"I'm going to talk to Master Yoda," he announced. "You're welcome to stay here, if you want. I don't know how long this will take, though."

"I think it's best if I go home. You're far too tempting, Knight Kenobi."

"I would say the same about you," he responded as they walked out the door together. Despite the fact that she was headed in the opposite direction he needed to go to get to Yoda, he walked her to the quarters she shared with Master Gallia on the level just below his own. Outside her door, she gave him a very chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Good luck, Obi-Wan. If I can offer one more piece of advice…?"

He nodded for her to go on.

"If you're approved to go on the mission, write to Padme as soon as possible to let her know. I think it's safe to say that she's never felt so lonely or desperate in her entire life. Just knowing that you'll be there soon might help raise her spirits."

"I'll write her as soon as I receive word," he promised. "Good night, Siri."

"Good night, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan turned and began to make his way towards Yoda's quarters. As he went, he found himself searching for any other way to help Padme. Words could not describe how much he did not want to accompany Qui-Gon and Anakin on a mission. Perhaps he should at least try to send a message instead…

"Please help me, Obi-Wan. I don't know who else to turn to."

The ending words of her message floated through his head, the sound of her voice giving them extra weight and urgency. She needed him. She needed his friendship and his presence, just as Siri had said. Quickening his pace, Obi-Wan arrived at the door to Yoda's quarters in record time.

***************Naboo

Padme hadn't gotten any sleep at all last night. Instead, she had spent the entire night berating herself for putting her insane thoughts into written word and burdening Obi-Wan with everything. As though he didn't have enough to worry about on his own. She was certain that, in one fell swoop, she had managed to completely wreck the friendship that had been such an unexpected source of happiness and comfort to her over the past year.

So when she had dismissed Sabe for the night and made a pretense of going to bed like she was actually going to sleep at some point, Padme's first thought was for the holopad she had hidden under her pillow. Seeing the message from Obi-Wan, her heart began to pound so forcefully that she was sure Sabe could hear the sound from where she was finishing everything up in the outer rooms. Hesitantly, she opened it up.

At first glance, she wasn't surprised by its brevity. After all, she told herself, it didn't take very many words to say 'You're absolutely insane and I can't even begin to understand how we became friends in the first place.' When she actually read the message, however, she felt an actual smile spread across her face. Practically leaping out of the bed, she ran across the room and flung the door open. The urge to share her news was too strong to keep quiet until the morning.

"He's coming!" she announced without preamble.

Sabe stared at Padme, shocked at the sudden transformation in her friend. Her face, although still far too drawn for someone her age, actually had color to it. Her mouth, apparently, hadn't quite forgotten how to form a smile. And there was even a small spark of fire in the brown eyes that had been so vacant and listless for more days than Sabe cared to count.

"Who's coming?" she inquired, glancing at the holopad the queen held in her hand.

"Obi-Wan is coming to visit. With Master Qui-Gon. And Anakin. They'll be here in a week."

Sabe smiled, now seeing the reason for Padme's sudden excitement. She had been privy to some of the back and forth between Queen and Jedi over the past year. Sabe had watched the friendship develop and was thrilled that her friend had someone she could confide in that wasn't a part of the political world. It was something Sabe had always thought Padme needed.

'Never more than now,' she thought to herself. All Padme's momentary excitement couldn't hide the fact that underneath the flushed face of happiness was a complexion so pale Sabe wasn't even sure her queen needed makeup anymore. And all her sudden flurries of activity only served to emphasize the fact that her nightgown hung far too loosely on her already small frame. Sabe frowned, almost certain that her friend was thinner now than she had been only last week.

'No, never more than now,' she repeated to herself as she took advantage of Padme's liveliness to suggest a celebratory late night snack. If she could get her to eat anything, Sabe would consider it a great success.

*************************TBC

A/N: I'm trying to do this story with a mix of Obi-Wan's point of view and Padme's. It's been difficult to strike a balance in the early chapters, so Obi-Wan has kind of dominated. For some reason, I find it easier to deal with him. I'm not sure why. As for Siri, please understand that I know virtually nothing about her character. I know basics from the EU, but I've never read anything with her in it. So her personality probably isn't like in the books and stuff. I just decided to make her into my own character as far as that goes.