"Stop flashing that silly grin, smug," Siri Tachi yelled across the treatment room. The Padawan healer cleaning up Obi-Wan's forehead wound snickered.
"I'm sorry I just can't help it," twenty-year old Obi-Wan replied refusing to wipe the maddening smile off his face. "This is the second time I've saved your life."
"The pain meds must have made you delirious! I thought I rescued you," Siri glared. "Ouch," she said to Jedi healer Winna who was applying bacta to her cuts and bruises. Master Winna smiled apologetically at her, bandaging up the last wound she walked over to Obi-Wan to make sure his arm was set properly in a sling.
"The bone-knitters will itch a little, but other than that you won't feel a thing."
Obi-Wan nodded, it wasn't the first time he had broken a bone and was accustomed to the treatment for it. Winna then proceeded outside to the waiting room to inform the two Jedi Masters that their respective Padawans were to spend the night in the infirmary.
The room in which they were recuperating in turned out to be extremely boring. Obi-Wan was certain he had counted the number of tiles on the floor at least ten times.
"Hey," he called out to the other occupant of the room.
"What? A muffled reply could be heard.
"You asleep?" he asked.
"Would I be talking to you if I were asleep?" Siri answered sarcastically.
Obi-Wan chuckled as he gingerly lowered himself to the floor. He winced as he jostled his arm a little. Calling a chair to him with the Force, he sat down beside Siri's bed. "Master Qui-Gon would be quite annoyed if he found out I used the Force to do that," he muttered, causing Siri to laugh.
He helped Siri prop the up her pillows so she could lean comfortably on them.
"Nice mess we got ourselves into huh?" she asked.
"It's not that bad, we'll be out of here by tomorrow, and heal in a day or two... We'll be back being keepers of the peace in no time," Obi-Wan said laughingly.
"So let's settle it," Siri said.
"Settle what?" Obi-Wan asked a frown on his face.
Siri reached out a hand and gently caressed his forehead, "Don't do that you'll stretch your stitches."
Obi-Wan smiled, he had always found her touch to be soothing. They liked to bicker and tease or at least pretend to bicker, but those close to them knew that Obi-Wan and Siri had grown from childhood rivals to best of friends.
"Who saved who," Siri continued, letting her hand linger on his face for a little longer than she knew she should have.
"Come on, you're still at it?" he asked amused. "Well let's see, you were surrounded by a group of attack droids while Qui-Gon and Adi were busy saving the children, I felt your distress and -- "
"I wasn't in distress, I merely thought that it would be good if you were there beside me, we work well together, you know that, and before I knew it you were the klutz-in-shinning-armor trying to take out too many droids at the same time -- "
"Excuse me, klutz?" Obi-Wan asked in his mock annoyed tone. "I was so intent on deflecting a blaster shot that would have got you for sure that I didn't notice the step in the way."
"And I caught you just in time or you would have fallen to your death down those stairs," Siri pointed out.
"Well apparently you didn't do a very good job I still fell and ended up with a broken arm, but thank you anyway young one," Obi-Wan teased ruffling her hair.
"Better than a broken neck," she smiled back," And I'm only two years younger than you, so stop calling me young one." Siri scowled.
There was an uncomfortable silence when they both noticed that Obi-Wan was absent-mindedly rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, has he held it in his palm.
"You know, that cry for help I felt -- "Obi-Wan started slowly.
"Thought. It was a thought of you," Siri stated, giving him that don't-argue-with-me look.
Obi-Wan smiled, "Ok thought... " he continued feeling his heart start to race, "It was more than a thought, it was like a bond through the Force, not like the one I have with Qui-Gon, it's a connection. It makes us click, like I don't need to think, I know what you're going to do next, with Qui-Gon it took time for me to learn that but with you, it's just there."
"I know," Siri's blue eyes stared back into his blue-green. "I've been feeling it too. It's a bond I have only with you, I'm not sure when or how but like you said, it's just there. Even when we're on separate missions, I feel it."
"I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I find myself missing you when I'm away from you. You're not just my best friend, I feel more than friendship for you..." Obi -Wan swallowed, knowing that if she didn't feel the same, he would risk their friendship.
Siri found herself almost smiling with relief. It had been awhile since she realized she was in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi. She had harbored the thought in her heart and hoped that she would not make it too obvious when she was around him.
"If it's more than friendship you feel, then, what is it Obi-Wan?" Siri asked wanting to be certain. What she felt from the bond they shared warmed her heart, and she knew the answer before he articulated it.
Obi-Wan smiled as he felt her affirmation through the bond, "That I love you, and I've known this for as long as I can remember, but was too scared to let you know."
"So that's what that funny feeling I felt through our bond for the past few years was. You were trying to shield it from me but you weren't very successful were you?" she teased.
"Speak for yourself; I know y ou've been hiding it too." Obi-Wan paused then drew her into a warm kiss, daring her to kiss him back. She answered with a passionate kiss and that was how they remained for long while.
Obi-Wan pulled back, smiling. "I guess breaking my arm was worth it afterall!"
Siri blushed.
Obi-Wan grew seriuos, "I know we're not allowed, not at least until we're Knighted but who knows where our missions will take us, and when we can be together again..." he paused taking her hand in his. "I want you to be mine always, want us to be together always. Siri Tachi I pledge my life to you, will you be my life-mate?"
Siri did all she could to keep her tears from falling, "I'm sorry this is very un-Siri-like behavior..." she smiled as Obi-Wan laughed. "Of course, I would love to be your life-mate..." she took his hand in hers and continued, "Obi-Wan Kenobi I pledge my life to you and I love you."
"And I love you too ," Obi-Wan whispered back.
The two Padawans sealed their promise to each other with a kiss.
DISCLAIMER: All recognizable Star Wars characters and places are the exclusive property of George Lucas. I'm just borrowing them and taking them for a spin.