AN: Sorry about the delay. This chapter is the first of the two I'm sure many of you have been waiting for. Read and review, please be gentle because I don't write a lot of stuff like this, especially next chapter. Enjoy! May the Force Be With You!

Disclaimer: It belongs to George Lucas, and I'm almost positive he wouldn't approve of what I'm doing with them.

CHAPTER 16

The two women admired their handiwork in the full length mirror. Padmé, gowned in royal blue with gold shoes, her hair in soft curls, looked simply stunning. Charlie touched one of the curls softly.

"Anakin is going to lose his mind, when he sees you, Padmé." Charlie said.

Padmé giggled. "So unbecoming of a Jedi." she replied, clearly happy and excited.

"What do you think?" Charlie asked. "Can I make Obi-Wan waver from the light?"

Charlie wore an emerald gown, showing off more cleavage than she thought she ever had in her life. Her equally emerald eyes smoldered, and her lips were dark red, a result of Padmé expertise. She tapped the toe of her black shoes in the floor, admiring the magic Padmé had worked on he hair. It was somewhat constrained in a crown braid, the rest of it in magically soft waves down her back. It was quite long; she hadn't cut it for a while now. In a rather daring move for her, she'd left her marks uncovered. The people attending the ball already knew who she was, and hopefully they'd have enough restraint not to question her.

"I think we'll be the Belle's of the ball, Charlie." Padmé said. "If I do say so myself, I did fantastic work on you." She giggled.

Charlie turned and gave her a hug. "You most certainly did Padmé. Thank you." she said.

Padmé returned the hug.

"Now, we must leave, the ball fully starts soon!" the senator replied brightly.

Charlie turned from the mirror, debating on what she'd take with her. She had no purse, and nothing to cary her lightsaber in. She'd strapped a knife to the outside of her right thigh; that would have to do. She hated leaving so unarmed, but the ball was somewhere in the temple, so she felt somewhat more.

"Very well, Padmé, let us depart. Keep watch, R4, and remember to shut down when I return." she said to the ever-loyal droid, which beeped good-naturedly. If the night went as she hoped, she didn't want to droid to be watching when she returned, hopefully with Obi-Wan.

She gave R4 a pat of the head, happy with the galaxy at this moment. Padmé drew her out of her reverie by hooking their arms together, and the pair left, the door swooshing shut behind them.

Obi-Wan was no where to be found. The thought had haunted Charlie all night. When they'd arrived, she and Padmé had been pulled in opposite directions by Ki-Adi Mundi and other senators respectively. She'd said goodbye to the senator, and allowed herself to be pulled into her duties as a highly visible partner of the temple. She'd loyally made her rounds, enjoyed the food, and was now trying to enjoy the music, but the lack of her supposed dancing partner was making it very hard.

"Where is he?" Charlie thought for the hundredth time. She was standing at the edge of the room, trying to be inconspicuous, not wanting to attract unwanted attention.

And then she felt it. A warmth through the force, like the lovely nudge of a hand.

Obi-Wan was in the hall, Charlie knew. Now to find him.

She turned, placing the glass of Kenvionan wine she'd been nursing down on a nearby table.

And then she saw him. There.

Stars did he look handsome. Upon closer inspection, tired and harried, but so very handsome.

"He cleans up nice." Charlie thought to herself.

Obi-Wan's beard was trimmed close, his hair had grown out enough to be rakishly long. As she watched, he ran a hand through it, mussing it up very much to her liking. He was dressed as he normally was, in full Jedi regalia, though the tunic might've been different. Right then, she didn't care very much.

Charlie started walking over to him, and when his eyes met hers for the first time in weeks, she felt the normal jolt she did.

She grinned to herself at the feeling, but kept on walking.

"Obi-Wan!" she said when they got near enough.

He looked for a split second as if he would hug her, but he pulled himself back a moment later. Charlie held herself back as well, wondering what caused his change of heart. A hint came in the form of Mace Windu walking towards them. She gave Obi-Wan a brief smile, both thankful and apologetic, before turning to greet the master.

"General Kenobi, it is good to see you back in one piece." Windu said after the trio had bowed to one another.

Obi-Wan's voice washed over her like a warm rain.

"I agree, Master Windu." he replied, wryly. "I was gone too long this time."

The trio made small talk until Windu excused himself, much to Charlie's relief. He had apparently come over only for the sake of appearances. She turned to face Obi-Wan, grinning slyly.

She realized now that perhaps a hug would be too forward. Only Padmé and Anakin knew of the extent of their relationship.

Obi-Wan's pinky brushed her's, and she savored the contact.

"We can't," he said, "not here." He sounded regretful, though clearly understood Charlie's plight.

"Never fear though, darling. I have a plan." he said. "For now, may I have a dance?" He bowed, holding out his hand. She took it, grinning like a fool, and together they walked onto the dance floor.

This was torture. Sweet, sweet torture. Obi-Wan and Charlie had been split up multiple times by guests looking to dance with Jedi Master or the mysterious newcomer. Each time, they'd eventually make it back to one another, but to be able to touch him, to look at him, and be forced to not do anything else was torture.

"Obi-Wan." Charlie said into his ear, trying to convey what she felt without using the force for fear she give away all her feelings.

"Obi-Wan, we need to get out of here." Charlie pulled back, admiring the way his eyes went dark. There was that look again; intense, passionate, full of desire all for her. He nodded.

"I agree." he said, his voice low. "You leave now, say your goodbyes. I'll follow you out shortly. There's an alcove out the door, to the left about a hundred yards. I'll meet you there." The desire in his voice washed over her, heightening her own. She bowed to him as if she were saying good night, and departed the dance floor.

It took her ages to escape the hall entirely. Everyone wanted to say their goodbyes, or at least that's what it felt like to Charlie. But eventually escape she did, and she moved as quickly as she could to the alcove that Obi-Wan had mentioned.

She pressed her head to the cool wall, willing herself to keep control of her force shields, emotions, and desire. She didn't know how long she stood there, forehead pressed to the wall. In her mini trance, she completely missed Obi-Wan's approach.

There was a hand on her shoulder, suddenly, turning her and pressing her back into the wall. Before she could react, Obi-Wan's lips were on hers, running all coherent thought out of her head. He kept it gentle, allowing them both to get reacquainted.

He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, silently asking for permission. Charlie opened her mouth to his tongue, tangling them together and granting permission. She moaned into his mouth, absolutely on fire. His lips left hers then, moving down the column of her neck, his whiskers tickling and teeth nipping lightly. She arched into him, bringing their lower halves into rough contact, feeling the heat even through the layers of fabric. She couldn't stop, couldn't get enough of this man. Charlie was barely holding it together, feeling the need to connect to him through the force, and barely stopping herself.

He pulled back from her, leaving to breathe and to press their foreheads together and say "Hello."

He grinned roguishly at her, and she grinned back.

"Hello Obi-Wan." she replied.

He kissed her again, with more urgency this time. There was a note of… something needy in the second kiss. He kept it restrained, whatever it was, but she could feel it through the force. She pulled back the second time around, desperately needing a breath again.

"It's been too long, Obi-Wan." Charlie whispered, breathing in deeply and smelling the musk that was distinctly Obi-Wan.

He closed his eyes.

"Yes, this time it has." he said. "It is good to be home, after being led on a wampa chase around half the damn outer rim looking for one kriffing planet…"

He trailed off and sighed. "This last mission took more out of me than I care to admit." He looked at her again, the look in his eyes melting her heart.

She hugged him tightly, arms thrown around his neck, wanting to comfort him and simultaneously needing him near, and breathed in deep again. He smelled fantastic, especially for someone who'd not been near running water for quite some time.

"Mmmmm, Obi-Wan, you smell so good." Charlie mumbled in his ear.

"Yes," he whispered, "a good shower was quite in order when Anakin and I arrived back here. However, I can still be thoroughly filthy if the situation should require it."

His hot breath caressed her ear, and she felt a bolt of lust shoot through her at his words. A moaned slipped through her lips, quite without her permission, and he practically growled in response.

He pulled back, the desire back in his dark eyes. He attacked her neck then, saying "Those noises you make, the way you smell, the way you taste, Force butit drives me insane."

He punctuated each little bit with a kiss, working his way down her neck. She moaned again, head thrown back, eyes closed in rapture.

"I thought of you every day, Charlotte." Obi-Wan's voice was beyond rough now. "And every damn night you slipped into my head, taunting me with pleasure denied until I could return. Do you have any idea what you do to me, what you make me think, what I want to do to you?"

Charlie moaned, louder this time, as Obi-Wan kissed down in between her breasts, teasing, nipping, licking. This was once again going somewhere fast, and the little alcove was, once again, not the place.

"Obi-Wan," she said, forcing the words out in a low tone. "Obi-Wan, we can't do this here. Someone will catch us." But the end of her statement was lost in yet another moan as he captured her lips yet again, tongue slipping into her mouth.

But he seemed to recognize the truth in her words, for he pulled back, albeit slowly.

"You're right, darling." he replied, pushing off of her completely. She felt the sudden loss of contact like a physical blow, but not for long, as he picked her up bridal style, and set off down the hall.

Charlie decided on the way that she just had to tease him. Perhaps this was a result of the lack of firing in her neurons, but the glorious idea occurred to her, and wouldn't leave, so she acted on it.

Using the force to be certain there was no one too close in front or behind them, she wrapped her arms around Obi-Wan's neck and kissed him full on the mouth. That brought him to a full and sudden stop, and she pulled back giggling. His lips chased hers, intent, but she moved her head too far back.

He opened his eyes, and she could feel the frustration and pure desire (Stars above, the desire) through the force. His eyes were a dark blue, and he pinned her with his gaze.

"You are a true test of my control, darling." he said, a clear warning not to push too far buried in the statement. So, of course, as soon as he started moving again, Charlie reached a hand down, just below where her ass rested, to feel the hardness she knew rested there.

Obi-Wan's reaction was priceless. He stopped again, just keeping from tripping, and quickly moved over to one of the walls. Pushing his forehead against it, Charlie was trapped between his chest and the cool wall. He hissed as she explored with her hand, loving the war happening on his face. She decided testing his control was one of her new favorite activities.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, begging her silently to stop, but with no real force behind it.

"Darling, if you don't stop I will take you right here, and we both know how that would end." His honesty sent another wave of desire through her limbs, and she removed her hand, making no attempt whatsoever at looking contrite.

He started moving yet again, and she let him get almost to her door before completely removing the walls around her force signature, and bathing Obi-Wan in the full extent of her desire and the thoughts of what she wanted to do to him and what she wanted him to do to her.

Before she even had time to blink, she was back on her feet, back against the wall, lips trapped in his once more. He kissed her fiercely, with the same urgency she had felt before, but now without the restraint. She moaned again, reveling in his loss of control. He grabbed her hips, apparently needing the friction of their lower halves together as much as she did.

"You have…" Obi-Wan started, but was interrupted by the need to kiss her, "no idea…" kiss, "how that shatters my control, how it consumes my defenses. I want to ravage you." The last sentence was said in a growl that made Charlie suddenly wish they were inside already.

She reached around for the panel that would open her door, hoping R4 had followed directions and powered off for the night. She used what little leverage she had against Obi-Wan, and slowly, they made it into her room, the door swooshing shut behind them.