Gotta say, I always have a hard time writing romance (which is odd, because I'm pretty sure it's one of the most popular types of fanfic out there)...but hey, let's see how much of this I can write without cringing back and trying to re-write everything. XD

Enjoy!

Chapter Five. Wasn't There Before

"Oof!"

"Girl, watch where you're going! Don't you know who this is?"

Caleb watched as Kira stood up, rubbing the back of her neck with a puzzled frown. She looked over at Caleb from behind the guard's shoulder, asking, "What are you talking about? Of course I know who this is – I'm his friend!" She looked up at the guard suspiciously. "But who are you? Where's the other guards?"

"They've been replaced. Strict orders from the acting king."

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Caleb?" she called. "What's going on?"

The guard in front of Caleb shot him a look – and though it was furtive, the boy caught a shake of a head. Caleb squared his jaw. Then, pushing past his detail, he grabbed Kira's wrist and said defiantly, "Kira's my friend. If you want to get rid of her, then you'll have to get rid of me, too."

xXx

"I don't usually leave the asylum in the middle of the night," Sanjay heard the man sitting in front of him say. He looked over the tankard of beer he had sitting in his hand – and watched him carefully. From what Sanjay had heard, Count Dukoo was a dangerous man who shouldn't be meddled with, even if he ran a house full of lunatics. And Sanjay had underestimated Dukoo – the man of the asylum certainly lived up to his expectations in the stories.

With a sharp, stern, white beard and almost yellowing eyes, Dukoo looked like a copy of one of those villains that Sanjay used to hear of from when he was a boy. (Then again, he never really paid too much attention to them in the first place.)

"But you said that you would make this meeting worthwhile," Dukoo added, his voice taking on a dangerous tone. Sanjay braced on a smile. Confidence, he thought to himself, is key. After digging around, Sanjay threw a heavy pouch of coins on the table. Dukoo took it without expression – and took up a coin with a small smirk. "I'm only just listening," the old man said coolly.

"It's like this," Sanjay said in a low voice. He leaned in towards Dukoo, adding, "I've got my heart set on marrying Kira Narro-Kenobi – only she needs a little…" He searched for the right word. Then, after a pause, he said, "Persuasion."

Sanjay heard a chuckle from Lux beside him. "She turned him down flat," he laughed. Sanjay's hand instinctively shot out, knocking Lux's tankard into his face.

"Everyone knows her father is a lunatic," Sanjay explained angrily. "He was in here just a few nights ago, raving about a beast in a castle."

Dukoo lifted his eyebrows. "As much as I dislike him, I'll agree to this – Obi-Wan Kenobi is harmless. He is anything but insane," he responded, still unruffled by Sanjay's tone. Feeling even more annoyed, Sanjay slammed a fist down on the table. "The point is," he said, "that Kira would do anything to keep him from being hurt – that might include being locked up."

There was another laugh from Lux. "Oh, yes," he agreed enthusiastically. "She'd even marry him!" He jabbed a thumb in Sanjay's direction. Sanjay only had to lift his hand to quiet Lux down.

"So you want me to throw her father into the asylum unless she agrees to marry you…" Dukoo murmured, rubbing a coin in between his fingers. Sanjay nodded, crossing his arms. The man sitting across from him took his time to respond. Still tossing the coin between his hands, Dukoo said quietly, "That is despicable." He looked up, an odd glint in his eyes. "But I must say, it's a kind of despicable that I might just be interested in."

Just a few hours later the agreement was come upon, Sanjay and Lux quietly made their way up to the Kenobi's home. Only before they had gotten up, Obi-Wan himself had just left, bearing a few papers and a satchel. ("If no one else is going to bother helping, I'll do it myself," Obi-Wan was murmuring to himself. "I'll find her – that's all there is to it!")

So when Sanjay crashed through the home, he came to an empty sight.

"Oh, well," he heard Lux say behind him. "I guess it's not going to work after all."

Whirling around, Sanjay grabbed Lux by the scruff of the collar and dragged him out of the house. "They have to come back some time," he growled at the boy. "And when they do, we'll be ready for them." Stomping down the porch, Sanjay dropped Lux into the snow. He ignored the small "oof!" the boy uttered – and the older man ordered, "Lux, don't move from that spot until they come back!"

xXx

Kanan wasn't exactly sure what had changed between Kira and himself – except maybe that meals together weren't as filled with resentment or annoyance towards each other. If anything, there seemed to be a mutual understanding between the two.

And then it was just occasionally walking into each other in the halls – usually with Kira awkwardly pretending to be concentrating on something else (though Kanan supposed that one could be so obsessed with stone statues for so long), and then the man found himself sheepishly side-stepping every time he and Kira would come across each other.

"Tsk, tsk," Anakin said at last, unable to take it anymore. "Master, I hate to disrupt whatever you might have in plan for Kira – but the rose will wilt. We are running out of time."

"I know, I know," Kanan grimaced. "But we haven't gotten anywhere – is this it? Just a quick –"

"You tried to save her life, she saved yours…" Anakin shook his head. "I don't get it. This is what usually brings people closer together." He turned to Ahsoka, asking, "Am I right, or am I right?" The duster rolled her eyes. "It's not that simple," she emphasized. "Remember that Kira is still a prisoner. And she and Kanan didn't exactly get off on the right foot."

"True, true."

Kanan groaned. "I'm right here, you two."

"We know," Ahsoka and Anakin chorused.

"Remind me to get better servants."

"A-ha! But you can't, which leads us back to the point on us turning back into humans again…which, oh, by the way, goes back to the rose! Which is dying! And if you don't get together with Kira soon, then there won't be any better servants to get, now will there?" Anakin asked triumphantly, waving his lit-wicks frantically. Kanan shot the candlestick a glare. "I'm just pointing out the obvious," Anakin huffed.

Kanan sat down in his armchair. He started to poke at his bandages – before realizing that that was probably a bad idea, especially since his claws were so sharp – and then he asked, "What would you suggest?"

"Take her somewhere nice," Anakin automatically suggested.

"Oh, yes, Anakin, because that is definitely an option. Have you forgotten about the part that we're all stuck in the castle?" Ahsoka asked, her voice oozing with sarcasm. The candlestick shrugged his shoulders. "I'm trying," Anakin replied. "Which is more than I can say from you."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Looking down at Kanan, she asked, "Do you know anything Kira likes? Hobbies? Interests? Something that might cheer her up? I would think that you should start treating her more like…an acquaintance instead of a prisoner. That might help matters along." Kanan lifted his hands helplessly. "I've tried in the first place, don't you remember?" he asked.

"Yes, but after, you shouted at her bedroom door and chased her out the castle, and…"

"Anakin, do me a favor and shut up."

"Yes, Master."

Ahsoka sighed. "Well, I suppose we'll try to find any actual interests Kira might have – that way, you can formulate some sort of plan – that doesn't involve chasing her out the castle."

"You're never going to let me forget about that, are you?"

If Ahsoka still had arms, Kanan figured the duster would have crossed them or put them on her non-existent hips. "Well," Ahsoka replied, "you haven't exactly apologized to Kira for it. I would think that's when we drop the topic. But as of now, you two have only made a little bit of progress."

Suddenly, Kanan heard a bright laugh from outside his window. He exchanged bewildered looks with Anakin and Ahsoka and with them, he walked over to the source of the noise. For a few moments, he couldn't see anything – but then he looked down, and saw Kira running around the snow with Artoo.

And then Kira looked up to meet eyes with Kanan for a second – no, a second would be being generous.

It was more like half a second.

Ahsoka was right. Kanan still had his work cut out for him.

"Wait a minute!" Anakin suddenly cried out. "The library! Kira looked excited when I mentioned a library – then again, that might have been just her faking an expression to go to the West Wing…but…" Looking up at Kanan, the candlestick grinned. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

xXx

"So…was I right, or was I right? The master isn't bad once you get to know him, right?" Cadena's usual sing-song voice filled up Kira's bedroom. As the girl carefully changed into a fresh dress, she replied as patiently as she could, "I'm not admitting you're right – and if you count going from ignoring me to grudgingly acknowledging my presence, then yes, I suppose I'm beginning to get to know him."

"You're hopeless," Cadena sighed dramatically.

"No, I'm being honest. There's a difference," Kira responded with a small smile. She turned around and straightened out her dress. "And I still don't understand what the purpose of this, anyways. I've eaten with Kanan before. Why should this experience be any different?" She looked up at Cadena for an answer, though the wardrobe only pressed her lips together, as though trying to contain a secret. "You'll see," was only what the wardrobe managed. Kira sighed. "When I find out what it is, I'm going to hound you forever about why you've kept it from me," she grumbled under her breath as she started to walk out of the bedroom.

"Nice chatting with you, too!"

Kira grinned and closed the doors behind herself. She looked down the long, waiting hallway – and shaking her head, she walked down to eat lunch with Kanan.

xXx

"I take it you like being…outdoors?"

Kira looked up, unsure how to respond. Kanan was watching her intently – maybe curiously (?) – and with a shrug, he added, "I noticed you outside."

Oh. Right.

I saw you, too, Kira thought, but she didn't bother saying that aloud. (Besides, how awkward would that sound?) She cleared her throat and responded, "I actually don't like being outdoors too much. I suppose it's enjoyable…it really is, but I always preferred being indoors on most days." She shifted her food around her plate. Then, feeling even more sheepish about the obvious hole in their conversation, Kira supplied, "But I used to admire some of the…the features of each season. With some – people." She finished that last part of her statement haltingly.

People, Kira thought to herself, looking down at her food. What people, exactly? Certainly not the villagers, nor anyone else. The only person I took walks with was Obi-Wan, and to think that I would mention him here in front of Kanan.

And though Kira was beginning to see that Kanan's outburst had been just that – an outburst, Kira still wasn't willing to push him over the edge. This brought Kira to another question – in her books, the princes (not that Kanan could ever be Kira's prince, that is) were always described as calm, sensitive (but not too sensitive), and heroic figures, who always wore capes and funny-looking hats and sang when they found their true princesses.

And enchanted or not, Kira thought, watching Kanan tiredly, I can't honestly imagine Kanan singing about finding a true princess. Or wearing a cape or a funny-looking hat.

Kira knew that once upon a time, she met someone who was a prince. She couldn't quite recall all of the details – except little bits and pieces, and sometimes things that Obi-Wan would remind her every once in a while. "His name was Caleb," Kira would always say to herself, just to start off Obi-Wan's discussion. "And he liked to play games that included hide-and-seek and racing. And I always won."

That was probably all Kira remembered about her childhood friend. Sometimes, she would think he had striking, green-blue eyes – other times, she was sure they were just plain blue. On certain days, Kira could think she remembered dark hair, usually cropped short. And sometimes she would remember a boy whining – although Kira wasn't sure if that was Caleb's voice or just another figment of her imagination.

Kira wondered what happened to that Caleb boy, and if he was perhaps thinking about her. Or maybe he forgot about her entirely – that's what always happened with princes with childhood friends who were separated from them. They always forgot each other, and just when something dramatic was about to happen – the prince was in danger, the girl was about to marry someone else, etc. – one of them would show up just on time.

"You've gone quiet," Kanan suddenly said.

Kira's head jerked up. "Hm?" she murmured. She blinked a few times, and nodding her head, she said calmly, "Apologies. I was thinking." Kanan lifted his eyebrows (were those eyebrows?) and replied almost in an amused tone, "Well, that's obvious enough."

So he knows how to use sarcasm, Kira thought to herself. Not knowing what else to say, she shrugged her shoulders again and responded simply, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Scooting his plate forward, Kanan stood up. "Come, if you're finished," he said quietly, walking over to the door. "I've decided to show you something." Kira frowned. She looked over at Padmé, who had been sitting very quietly by the windowsill. When the teapot remained to look as passive as ever, Kira sighed and followed Kanan out. It seems that everyone is in the mood to be mysterious today, Kira figured grumpily.

"Where are we going?" Kira asked aloud once she and Kanan were out in the hallway.

"You'll see."

Well, I suppose I should have seen that coming, Kira thought, though none too happily.

Still, she allowed Kanan to lead her down the hallways – until he said softly, "Close your eyes."

Instantly, suspicion jolted through Kira. "Why?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"You'll see," Kanan replied, and though his face remained expressionless, there was a definite air of tentativeness around him. Kira bit back a sigh. Then, dropping her arms, she closed her eyes and murmured, "Fine. They're closed." She felt something move in front of her – she assumed it was Kanan waving his hands – and then, in a slightly deeper voice, Kanan said, "Alright – follow me. Walk a few steps forward."

"You're not going to make me roll down the stairs, are you?" Kira asked, stepping forth. "Because we're just beginning to get to know each other – that'd be a terrible way to ruin everything."

There was a pause – and for a second, Kira wondered if her joke had gone too far. Maybe Kanan only laughed at his own jokes. Which would have been depressing.

"Ruin what-everything?" Kanan asked at last.

"Ruin every-this. Whatever we've established," Kira responded.

"Whatever we've established – that included wolves?"

"Yes, the wolves." Kira replied. She sighed. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"We aren't even halfway there yet!"

"Oh, so it's far away?" Kira asked, feeling her eyebrows lift. She heard a small laugh – or maybe a chuckle. It was too light to be a chuckle, but there was a coarseness underneath it that couldn't quite be qualified as a laugh. But a laugh is a laugh is a laugh – and Kira didn't quite know how else she could describe it. Letting out a small sigh, Kira took a few more steps forward, though they were hesitant and shaky all the same. After a while, Kira complained, "I keep feeling like I'm about to smash into a wall of some sort."

"You won't – I wouldn't do that to you," Kanan replied. "It'd completely destroy the purpose of what I'm about to show you. You'd need your eyes and your head." Almost exactly when Kanan said those words, Kira felt her body being smashed against something cold and hard. Crying out, she felt herself tumble backward – and being clumsily grabbed a large hand. Kanan's hand, definitely.

Only it wasn't exactly graceful or romantic or spontaneous – rather, it was clumsy and uncomfortable and it was mostly filled with people (mostly Kanan) mumbling, "Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope…" And Kira pretended not to hear Kanan's mumbles, though it was still rather loud. At one point, Kira was sure her hands flew up to keep Kanan from possibly dropping her – but then, he did what every prince in Kira's books never did –

He dropped her.

There was a stunned silence – and though Kira's eyes were still closed, she could imagine what Kanan's face must have been like. You know, these sorts of scenes are supposed to have some sort of magical, fairytale moment exchanged, she thought to herself as she stood up from the floor. Only I'm fairly certain now that this is nothing at all like how this was supposed to be in my head.

"Er…sorry," Kanan said at last, the embarrassment evident in his voice. "I didn't mean to – I mean, I thought I could catch you, but you slipped and –"

"It's fine," Kira replied quickly, feeling heat rush up to her face – though it was more for him than for herself. And for him, she was beginning to feel sorry for making Kanan feel embarrassed. "Although, next time, I would prefer if you didn't have me crash into a wall. Just a preference for next time." She was relieved to hear a small laugh from Kanan, glad that he wasn't embarrassed enough to joke about it.

"Yes, well – back to following me," Kanan grunted, but the laugh still evident in his voice.

A/N - And for my fellow Americans, happy fourth of July! Anyone looking forward to fireworks? Or barbecues? Or long, historical documentaries with the dramatic music on the history channel? (That wasn't a dig at historical documentaries. I actually really, really like them to the point that I would watch some on YouTube just because I'm bored. Ah, how my history teachers would beam down at me in pride...)

But going back on the topic of the story, I just wanted to poke fun at the cliché, stereotypical situation of girl-falls-accidentally-into-boy's-arms-and-everything-is-awkward-and-they-instantly-fall-in-love. Because let's be real; if any of us tripped over our own feet and crashed into someone, it would be horribly embarrassing and we'd all fall down into a messy heap unless the person catching you was strong or something. And I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of the male partner in a relationship trying to be all cool and suave and then end up being the dorkiest of the dorks. *points at Kanan* You. Dork. King. (Nah, I already labeled Anakin as my Dork King, but for this story, I'll make an exception. XD)

Reviews are always great! Constructive criticism is okay, but flames are not!