Qui-Gon studied the woman seated across the chess board from him, smiling at her intense concentration. Ilishia and Qui-Gon were constantly mocked by their fellow Jedi for being so in love with the old-fashioned and out-dated game of chess, but both Jedi found that the simple premise of chess gave them infinitely more room to explore their strategic prowess than the more complicated board games which were now at the height of fashion.

Ilishia's concentration was total as she studied the board, chewing absently on her lower lip as was her habit. Even though Qui-Gon and Ilishia made a habit of playing chess every evening that they were both in residence in the Temple, she attacked each game as if it were her first -- and possibly her last.

Although they'd been playing against each other for almost twenty-five years now, they never seemed to tire of the competition, or the companionship. It had been ten years since they had last shared a bed, and yet Qui-Gon knew that Ilishia was still the love of his life -- even if she didn't seem to feel the same way.

"Stop staring at me," Ilishia said absently, not looking up from the board. "You know it throws me off."

"Why else would I be doing it," Qui-Gon responded with a smile. "I need to distract you somehow, and you know every trick I have."

"You still manage to win half of our games," Ilishia responded, reaching out a hand to pick up one of her knights.

She dropped it with a gasp, however, a faint flush coming to her cheeks.

"Oh, dear," Qui-Gon murmured, reinforcing his mental shielding. "The children seem to be at it again."

"Do they ever," Ilishia responded, shifting in her chair. The faint crease between her eyebrows told Qui-Gon that she was trying to block her Padawan out of her head. She picked up her piece, only to drop it again with a sharper gasp and a deeper blush.

"Having problems?" Qui-Gon asked slyly, ignoring the frustrated glare that Ilishia threw him. Obi-Wan and Dania, Ilishia's Padawn, had been having their little trysts for several months now, and Qui-Gon had been mostly successful in blocking his Padawan's more urgent feelings out of his mind. Ilishia, however, was a Jedi Healer with strong Empathy, and Dania bid fair to be the strongest Empath in Jedi history -- which made it much more difficult for Ilishia to keep her Padawan's desires locked firmly away. "I thought you were finally learning how to keep Ilishia separate from you."

"It's different this time," Ilishia snapped, the little furrow appearing between her eyes again -- eyes that suddenly widened as her mouth dropped open.

"What?" Qui-Gon asked, a little worried. Instead of responding, Ilishia grabbed Qui-Gon's hand in her own and opened her mind to him.

"What in the name of all that's holy is he doing to her?" Qui-Gon gasped, dropping Ilishia's hand quickly and shifting uncomfortably in his chair. The brief wave of desire that he had felt coming from Dania through Ilishia had been overwhelming enough to evoke a very immediate response in Qui-Gon.

"Your Padawan is a sly one," Ilishia said with a faint smile. "He's convinced her to share her pleasure with him, I would guess. Only she seems to be a little weak on focusing her projecting -- I'm going to have to talk to her about that." Ilishia closed her eyes and rubbed the side of her head. "We can hardly have her projecting all over the place now, can we?"

"Care to finish the game?" Qui-Gon asked with a wide grin. Ilishia blinked and looked at the board as if she had forgotten it was there.

"I hardly think it's fair," she responded, shifting again in her chair. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you set your Padawan up to this just so I would be too distracted to play."

"Would I do something like that?" Qui-Gon asked, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. Ilishia fought to suppress the feelings that rose up in her when she met those eyes -- the feelings she'd been suppressing for the last ten years.

"I wouldn't--" Ilishia broke off with a gasp, throwing herself to her feet and beginning to walk. "On second thought, maybe you should leave."

"Would a walk help?" Qui-Gon asked, fighting to hide a smile. "We could go somewhere that isn't as close to the two. It might dampen the effects."

"I don't think so," Ilishia responded, continuing to pace. Her face was flaming now, and her breathing a little erratic. "I don't know where your Padawan learned it, but whatever he's doing to Dania is obviously skillful enough that she's lost control over her shielding. I don't think she's keeping anything away from me right now." Ilishia moved over to the window, pressing her warm forehead into the cool glass.

"Are you sure?" Qui-Gon asked, standing to move towards Ilishia. "If nothing else, walking might clear your head."

"I don't think there's anything that could clear my head right now," Ilishia responded lightly. "Except maybe ripping your clothes off and having my way with you."

"That might be interesting," Qui-Gon's voice murmured in her ear, making her jump. She spun around only to find herself pressed up against the window, his all too familiar body cutting off her escape route.

"Qui-Gon, I thought we agreed..." she said faintly, breaking off as one of his hands came up to caress her face.

"Ten years ago," he said softly.

"It was better for the children," Ilishia gasped out, trying to ignore the way her body was straining for his touch. "We can't let our relationship affect them...distract them..."

Qui-Gon's chuckle was warm. "We were worried that our affections for one another would leak over to our Padawans, Shia. I don't think we have to worry about that anymore. It's been ten years since they were thirteen year olds just discovering their sexuality. And as for distractions..." His hand moved down to her neck, brushing hair away and gently stroking the back of her head. "I think they are past the point where we would distract them. We need to worry about them distracting us."

"That's what it is, isn't it?" Ilishia said softly. "Obi-Wan's desire is leaking over to you."

"No," Qui-Gon responded, moving his mouth down to brush against Ilishia's forehead. "It's my desire. The same desire I've had since we were seventeen. The same desire I've been hiding for the last ten years." His mouth trailed down the side of her cheek, tasting skin that had been forbidden him for so many years.

Ilishia groaned, sensations overwhelming her. Dania's wild projections, still gaining in strength, coupled with the touch of her lovers hands and mouth on her body -- it was a wonder she was still standing.

I can take care of that, said the familiar voice in her head, passion-laden and eager. She barely knew what was happening, knew only that his arms were around her, that she was moving...

...the reality of the bed rushed up to meet her as he tossed her towards it, lowering her the last few inches with the help of the Force, his hands already busy trying to divest her of her boots. She moaned again, wanting to feel him touching her.

Minds that had been intertwined for decades picked up where they had left off. They knew each other's bodies and souls so well that it was amazing that they were still two different people. Even as the thought occurred to her, Qui-Gon was there, moving up the bed to grasp her face between his hands as he lowered his eager mouth to hers. His tongue teased at her lips, seeking permission to proceed -- permission that she gave willingly, opening her mouth and inhaling the scent of him.

As her tongue entwined with his, Ilishia's hands crept around his back, feeling the hardened muscles of his arms and shoulders. Her hands crept downward, pulling anxiously on his tunic, trying to discard the clothing that was between her hands and his skin.

Qui-Gon's mouth drifted away from hers, down her chin and neck, heading for the spot that he knew drove her crazy. However, before he could reach it Shia threw her head back and moaned, fingers grasping at the bedsheets.

Qui-Gon raised his head to look at her, raising one eyebrow. "The children are still at it?" he asked, amused.

"I don't know what your Padawan is doing to mine," Ilishia growled, rolling over suddenly and shoving Qui-Gon down, "But you're going to pay the price." She moved to straddle him, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

"I'm at your disposal," Qui-Gon whispered, large hands sliding up her legs to her hips and clasping her waist. "Just do me one favor."

"What?" Ilishia groaned, her fingers beginning to undo his shirt, ripping one of the buttons off in her haste. The short bursts of passion coming from Dania had stopped, only to be replaced with a constant wave of mindless desire that was building slowly -- and fair bidding to drive Ilishia crazy.

Let's take this lesson from the children, Qui-Gon's thought whispered across her mind. You've got a great deal more control than your Padawan...

...not right now I don't...

...and could probably keep your projecting closed off to only me.

Instead of responding, Ilishia opened her mind, letting the pleasure echoing from Dania wash over Qui-Gon before adding her own to it, making him groan. Before she knew what was happening Ilishia found herself on her back again, Qui-Gon's large hands tearing at her loose shirt in an effort to remove it. His mouth found hers again, seeking and passionate, demanding that she respond.

Hands found flesh as Ilishia's shirt was tossed aside, Qui-Gon's mouth trailing down to engulf one nipple in its warmth. Ilishia built the strongest shields she could around herself and Qui-Gon, only then beginning to project wildly, letting her feelings swirl around him. Qui-Gon, in turn, lowered his mental shields letting her feel what he felt, wishing he had enough Empathy to project his feelings back at her.

It's enough, he heard Ilishia say, even her mental voice sounding breathless. Oh, gods...Qui-Gon...please . . .

Qui-Gon's mouth moved to her other breast, lips and teeth teasing the incredibly sensitive skin around her nipple as his hands started to creep lower. His large fingers surprisingly nimble, Qui-Gon began teasing the fastenings on her pants open, his mouth following his hands down her body, trailing kisses along her leg as he eased the fabric over her hips and down her legs. The pants soon joined her shirt in the corner of the room, and Qui-Gon pulled back to admire his handiwork.

Ilishia's breath was coming in ragged gasps as she forced her eyes open, fingers still clenched into fists and gripping the bedsheets. Every inch of her cried out to feel his touch again.

Not fair, Ilishia protested as Qui-Gon continued to simply look at her, laying naked on his bed. You're still fully dressed.

Would you like me to change that? The promise in his voice was silky as his eyes burned into Ilishia's skull. She nodded, enthralled as his hands began to move down, unbuttoning the last few buttons on his shirt and letting it slide slowly off of his shoulders, making Ilishia groan.

Perched on the edge of the bed as he was, Qui-Gon found it impossible to keep his balance when Ilishia pounced on him, tipping him sideways and off of the bed and landing them both on the floor, arms and legs entangled.

"Don't you ever tease me like that again," Ilishia growled, squirming around until she managed to pin him underneath her. Her hands tightened on his shoulders as she leaned down to bite his chin softly -- something that never failed to illicit a groan from the large man. Now was no exception, and his hands tightened on her waist as he let out a soft moan, tipping his head back to give her access to the sensitive skin under his jaw.

Ilishia trailed her hands down his shoulders to where his hands rested on her hips. She pulled one hand away, cradling it in her two smaller hands.

"I'll never forget the day we first made love," Ilishia said softly, tracing a finger over the rough calluses on Qui-Gon's hands. "I had been dreaming of feeling these hands on me for years --" Ilishia broke off with a wide grin. "Me and all of the other female Padawans in the Temple. Your hands were probably the biggest daydream fodder of that decade. I remember we used to talk about it at night, wondering how hands this strong would feel . . ." Ilishia trailed off, delighted to see that Qui-Gon was blushing.

"I still think you're exaggerating," Qui-Gon said, obviously embarrassed.

"Just ask Mace sometime," Ilishia responded, lifting his hand to her mouth and beginning to trail kisses softly across the palm and up each finger. "He was eavesdropping on one of our conversations once. We caught him because he dropped something when he heard what we were talking about. I think he was jealous that we weren't all obsessed with him." Her mouth continued down his wrist, kissing and nibbling it's way up his arm to his shoulder.

"Enough of you were, if I recall correctly," Qui-Gon responded. Whatever else he was going to say was lost in a moan as her teeth began to nibble lightly along his jawline, making him squirm.

"I never was," Ilishia responded, lifting her face to start in on the other side of his neck. "I fell in love with you when I was fifteen, and I had to help my Master heal you." Ilishia's mouth was beginning to trail down his body now, words coming between lingering kisses and love bites. Her tongue found one of his nipples, making him groan loudly, large hands coming up to cup her head and tangle in her long hair.

Gently removing his hands from her hair, Ilishia continued to slide down Qui-Gon's body, slowly undoing the fastener on his pants and beginning to slide them over his hips, trailing kisses across his flat stomach and down one hip to his thigh.

"Gods, Shia, hurry up," Qui-Gon groaned as she moved his pants down one inch at a time. Raising her flushed face she met his eyes, her own sparkling with mischief.

"Blame your Padawan," she said huskily, trailing her fingers up over his hip to caress his stomach and chest. "I'm going to make you feel the same way he's making Dania feel." She bent down to go to work on his pants again, but never got the chance. In one movement of rippling muscles Qui-Gon was on his feet, Ilishia caught up in one arm as if she weighed nothing.

"No," Qui-Gon growled in her ear as he kicked his pants off, hauling Ilishia towards the bed. "I'm going to make you feel like Dania's feeling." Ilishia found herself staring up at Qui-Gon, his face predatory and his eyes gleaming. His hands were suddenly everywhere -- touching, tickling, stroking . . . where his hands went his mouth soon followed, leaving burning lines of sensation down Ilishia's body, making her project her pleasure wildly into his head.

Suddenly the world dropped out from under Ilishia, and she moaned loudly, throwing back her head and trying to catch her breath -- trying to block out the overwhelming tangle of emotions suddenly bombarding her from her Padawan.

Shia? Qui-Gon's voice came to her in her head.

Oh gods . . . she's -- Dania is . . .

Ilishia's body began to shake as she moaned again, hands grasping for Qui-Gon and pulling him down.

Now! she howled in his mind, her need so overwhelming and all-encompassing that Qui-Gon couldn't refuse her. Twining his mind with hers he sank into her embrace, moaning as her legs clamped around his hips, drawing him closer.

Intertwined as their minds were, Qui-Gon couldn't help but pick up echoes of Dania's passion as it pounded against Ilishia. As he began to move inside her, Ilishia began to send her feelings back at Qui-Gon, wrapping his mind in a blanket of passion and desire, chasing him in an upward spiral of need and fulfillment.

Qui-Gon wanted to draw out the exquisite pleasure, but the passion buffeting him from all sides was too much to hold out against. When Ilishia's voice rose in a throaty moan which could or could not have been his name, Qui-Gon followed her into ecstasy, crying out and burying his face in her hair.

It was a long while before either of them spoke. Qui-Gon had shifted to the side before collapsing, leaving him sprawled out over the bed with Ilishia half on top of him, their legs and arms so tangled that they looked like one creature.

"That was worth waiting ten years for," Ilishia mumbled, pressing herself closer to Qui-Gon and nuzzling her face into his soft hair.

"As long as we don't have to wait another ten for a repeat performance," Qui-Gon responded, shifting Ilishia until she lay more comfortably in the circle of his arms. Snagging a blanket that had been kicked onto the floor, Qui-Gon spread it out over them, tucking the side gently under Ilishia.

"I just hope your Padawan got an echo of that," Ilishia said as she slipped off into sleep. "It would serve him right."

Qui-Gon smiled, closing his eyes and joining her.

DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of fiction written in appreciation of Star Wars; to promote the franchise and to keep it alive. All characters and settings original to Star Wars are copyright to Lucasfilm, Ltd. The rest is copyright to the author.