Disclaimer: All characters belong to George Lucas. I'm only borrowing them
for some fun!

Author Notes: I'm making this into an Obi/Padme series. It started with the
story "Meeting Again" (available at
http://www.dreamwater.net/sydsvaughn/obiwan.html and on ff.net) and now
branches off from there. This is an AU take on the movie.

Spoilers now

For Ep II

If you haven't seen it

Don't read this!!

It assumes the assassination attempt did NOT take place (yet). Instead,
Obi-Wan and Anakin both went to Naboo with Padme to protect her. (Which means
we haven't yet gotten to meet Jango, Boba or the long necked eerily voiced
Caminans')

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Padme sighed as she stood gazing over the azure waters of the seemingly
endless lake. The soft evening light cast the world in a hazy glow, making
everything seem to shimmer with a touch of gold.

Overall, the peaceful setting should have soothed and calmed.

Instead, she found herself worried, frustrated and unable to do anything
about either emotion.

The causes were currently engaged in a lightsaber battle in the field below
the balcony on which she stood.

Her gaze softened as she watched Anakin and Obi-Wan move in perfect
counterpart to each other, seeming to anticipate the others move before it
was even made. There was a strange sort of grace to the fight, the skill of
the blows, the hum of the lightsabers, the crackling clash when they
connected, the way the muscles in Obi-Wan's back moved and shifted as he
blocked Anakin's blow…

She cursed as the last though entered her mind, distracting her in delightful
ways.

She couldn't deny she'd been thinking thoughts like that ever since she'd
laid eyes on the Jedi Master two days ago.

After that first sleepless night, she'd told herself to put these foolish
feelings behind her. The Jedi were here to protect her, to find her assassin.
Not to mention she had important business to worry about with the Senate vote
looming.

But when it had been decided that she, Obi-Wan and Anakin must wait on Naboo
until the vote neared, or her assassin made another attempt on her life,
she'd resigned herself to the inevitable.

Truth be told, she'd found herself looking forward to several days spent in
the company of two such handsome men, away from the worries and problems her
life in the Senate brought.

However, two days later, she found herself more frustrated than she'd ever
been in her life.

First off, Anakin was making romantic advances towards her almost constantly.
He was always talking about his 'longing' and how she 'tormented' him. While
he could be extremely sweet at times, there were other times when she found
him almost dark and desperate.

The strength of his emotions for her scared her a little, even though she'd
done her best to make him see she was not interested, could not be
interested, using duty and their positions to discourage him. Anakin however
never seemed to take the hint.

So she found herself finding ways to avoid being alone with him, resorting to
almost devious tactics to avoid the eager young padawan. That alone created
an added level of stress she did not need or want.

But while she found herself trying to avoid the padawan, she found herself
anxiously seeking out his master.

For the past few nights, she and Obi-Wan had spent several hours discussing
the current situation of the Republic and what needed to be done to restore
order. Despite the political tone to the conversations, she had found herself
intrigued by his views and thoughts.

Not to mention the way his eyes sparked with passion as he talked about the
Jedi and their duty to keep the peace. He truly believed in what he did, and
obviously held its principals sacred and dear.

Which was all well and good, but frustrating as hell when one was considering
a possible romantic entanglement with him.

She knew it was stupid, utterly foolish and definitely impossible considering
all she knew of the Jedi and the Master protecting her. Considering the
almost obsessive love his padawan seemed to hold for her, which could prove
dangerous if not dealt with soon.

But no matter how hard Anakin might try to woo her, he could never inspire in
her the feelings a simple look from his master could.

But Obi-Wan was so much more reserved, quiet and non-assuming than his eager
apprentice. Other than their few conversations, he had made no other effort
to talk with her on a level other than protector and protectee.

But his eyes.

She shivered as she remembered catching his gaze at various points in time
over the past few days, when he thought it went unnoticed. She couldn't deny
the spark that shot through her when she found him staring at her, his eyes
so dark and unrevealing, but so steady in their perusal of her.

She often wondered what he was thinking, wondering if it was about her and
praying it might be more than a friendly thought. She couldn't say why she
was so intrigued with him, why the sight of him was merely enough to send her
into a fluster.

Maybe it was because he was so understanding, so kind, so intelligent when
they talked.

Maybe it was the way he dealt with Anakin's temperamental moods in a calming,
soothing manner, never showing the frustration she knew he must feel.

Maybe it was the shiver that ran down her spine when she imagined how that
beard would feel against her skin, how those lips would feel pressed to hers,
how her body would melt into his as he crushed her in his embrace.

And it was those thoughts that could get her into trouble.

The past two nights had been incredibly long, filled with fevered dreams of a
man she knew she could not have.

Dreams that he came to her in the dark of night, when Anakin was deeply
sleeping with no chance of awakening. Dreams where Obi-Wan slid into bed next
to her and captured her lips with a passion that stole her breath as she
twined her arms around his neck and twined her tongue with his.

Dreams in which his hands roamed freely over her body, learning all her most
sensitive spots, what made her moan in pleasure and writhe with passion.
Dreams where he allowed her free reign to touch him, learning the angles and
contours that haunted her dreams and inspired her fantasies.

Dreams in which he professed his love to her, as he joined their bodies,
hearts and souls in the most perfect way imaginable. Dreams in which their
passion so carried them away that they were uncaring as their voices rang out
in ecstasy as they slid over the edge of oblivion.

Dreams that she awoke fevered and panting from, aroused to an unbearable
level, wondering only that he could not sense her passion and desire for him.

Dreams that if she could not control them could prove deadly should Anakin
ever sense them.

But still she dreamt of Obi-Wan, found herself watching him at every
opportunity, found herself seeking him out for no other reason than to hear
his voice speak her name.

She was dazed and distracted, frustrated and upset that she could not seem to
control these feelings. She had always been so rational and thoughtful,
putting her people and her duty above all else.

Until Obi-Wan Kenobi had walked back into her life and stirred up emotions
she never knew she had.

Emotions she wished she knew if he returned.

"Padme! Padme, watch this!"

She started as she heard Anakin's eager voice calling to her across the yard,
coming back to the present with a sharp thud.

She forced a smile to her now flushed face, hoping her thoughts weren't
obvious as she watched Anakin do a back-flip to easily fend off his master's
blow. She couldn't help but laugh as she saw Obi-Wan's small smile as he
quickly flipped back and caught his padawan off guard, bringing the
lightsaber to his throat.

"Patience my young padawan will always yield more that immediate aggression,"
he offered in a calm voice.

Padme laughed as she heard Anakin grumble a response as Obi-Wan withdrew,
turning to bow quickly towards her.

She felt her breath catch as their eyes caught.

She swallowed hard as she saw those brilliant blue orbs darken and spark with
something she couldn't name, but that sent a delightful chill down her spine.
She could not pull her gaze from his, seeming to lose herself in the depths
of his eyes, emotions she wasn't sure he was aware of revealing swimming in
them.

"Padme!"

She jerked her gaze from Obi-Wan's as she heard Anakin's slightly annoyed
voice calling to her.

"What is it Ani?" she asked, knowing he hated when she called him that, but
unable to do anything else.

"We're done training for the day, so come for a walk with me, it would do you
good to wander and get away from the confines of the house," he called,
giving her what she knew he hoped was a winning smile.

She felt her heart fall, knowing she had no reason to refuse his walk,
knowing he had a point, but not wanting to be alone with him, for fear of
what he might say or do. Which frustrated her even more because usually
nothing scared her and the fact that this young Jedi could was unsettling.

"Padawan, I don't believe any of us should wander far. It is growing dark and
we cannot protect her as well out in the open as we could inside."

Obi-Wan's calm voice was like a balm to her soul.

She turned a grateful gaze his way, listening half-heartedly as Anakin began
to argue, familiar by now with their disagreements. They seemed to have them
often, troubling little exchanges that only served to show her Anakin's
impulsiveness which was in direct counterpart to his master's patience.

But, tonight, Obi-Wan had sensed her discomfort and had allowed her a way out
of it.

Although she had a feeling it would only strain his relationship with his
padawan even further. She frowned to herself, part of her feeling guilty at
being part of the reason a wedge was being driven between them, but a larger
part of her was simply relieved she would not have to deal with Anakin's
advances tonight.

But, she ought to make an effort to do something to appease the situation and
keep Anakin's temper reigned.

And she might get to spend some time with the master Jedi in the process.

"Why don't you both come inside and I'll have some dessert prepared," she
offered, smiling as Anakin's eyes lit up and Obi-Wan's laughter filled the
air.

"Senator, you could not have tempted him more than to offer him dessert,"
Obi-Wan called to her with a smile as Anakin took off running.

She watched the young man as he disappeared into the house, smiling as she
noted Obi-Wan's fond gaze followed him as well.

Until he turned and once again gazed up at her, his eyes locking on hers.

Once more she felt her lips go dry and her heart begin to pound as she noted
the intense expression in those beautiful blue depths. The bolt of emotion
that suddenly slammed through her almost made her stumble in surprise, the
strength of the feeling almost too much to bear.

~~~ Why are you surprised Padme? ~~~

She jumped as his soft voice resounded in her mind, her eyes flying wide open
as she looked at him.

She was not surprised she could hear him, they had communicated thus several
times over the past few days. She was surprised however that Anakin could not
hear them.

~~~ His mind is too clouded with thoughts of you to hear our conversation. It
is an all too dangerous and common sensation in present company ~~~

She started at his words as his eyes seemed to deepen with a passion that
took her breath away.

Could he possibly be feeling the attraction, the desire that seemed to haunt
her all the time now? Could he possibly be longing for her the way she longed
for him? Imagine the things she wanted to do to him and he to her?

~~~ Do not tempt me Padme ~~~

She clutched the rail harder as she suddenly found her mind flooded with
images of the two of them, entwined together on the soft grass, exchanging
passionate kisses and caresses under the glow of moonlight.

She stifled a small moan as the images and sensations swept over her, her
eyes fluttering shut as she let the pictures play in her mind, adding to and
embellishing them as well, hoping he was reading her mind as she seemed to be
reading his.

She could have sworn she heard a small groan as her eyes fluttered open
again, only to nearly be incinerated in the heat burning in those blue depths.

She felt her throat go dry as they continued to gaze at each other,
expressing with their minds all their bodies wanted to do. She was amazed yet
relieved he seemed to feel this same attraction, a spark of worry growing
alongside the passion, realizing how dangerous this situation could become.

But she would embrace that danger willingly if it meant any chance of acting
out those midnight fantasies that she could only hope, from his mental
thoughts, he shared.

"Padme, where is that dessert?"

She wrenched her gaze from his as Anakin's excited voice called to her from
the hall.

Her heart was pounding, her face flushed, her body aroused to a fever pitch,
all from a few words and an intense gaze from the Jedi master watching her
from below.

Turning back for one last look at him, she found his turbulent gaze still
locked on hers, heating her body even more.

Turning quickly away, she forced those emotions down, burying them deep in
her mind as she moved towards Anakin, praying she could keep her thoughts
concealed from his probing mind.

But she was determined to get Obi-Wan alone later that night and have a talk
about what they'd just mentally pictured. Her body shivered in anticipation
at the thought of how this night might end.

"Padme, I'm hungry!"

Forcing a smile to her face, her emotions stored tightly away for the moment,
she turned to meet Anakin's adoring gaze as he appeared beside her.

As she took his offered arm, she shot a quick look back, feeling her heart
sink as she noted Obi-Wan had disappeared. Sighing, she allowed a beaming
Anakin to lead her inside, hoping she could keep these new emotions hidden
from the man beside her.

~~~~~~~~

To Be Continued ...