Wishful Thinking

~~~~~~~~~

Aura wished she were anywhere but here.

It was supposed to be her day off, but she'd known, somehow, that she'd be called in. Everyone seemed to be coming down with the flu, and she'd figured it would only be a matter of time before one of her colleagues went down for the count.

Of course it would have to be the only day she'd managed to get off this week.

And of course they'd need her to cover a boring press conference.

It couldn't be anything exciting, like the newest celebrity to hit town, or even a feature type piece on the fact that hundreds of Jedi were meeting in town for the week. That was the true story, although no one really knew what they were meeting about.

So instead of sitting in a room full of potentially sinful eye-candy, she found herself crowded against the back wall of a meeting room at city hall, waiting for Senator Palpatine to grace the reporters and photographers with his presence.

Gods, why her? What did her boss have against her? Why couldn't he have broken another reporter from a story to cover this?

She sighed as she answered herself.

Because it was a boring press conference and the reporters were hard at work on other stories. The only reason she was there was because when a Senator called a press conference, you were there.

No matter what it was about.

Aura tried to find a more comfortable position, motioning to her cameraman Doug to get a clear shot of the podium. She sighed and shifted positions again as she looked at the clock and noted the Senator was running late.

Just great.

One of the reportedly most powerful men in the galaxy couldn't even arrive on time for his own press conference.

So much for getting home in time to watch her favorite soap.

Suddenly the door flew open and several tall figures entered the room.

Aura turned her attention to the front of the room as an imposing figure approached the podium. For some reason, a sense of foreboding came over her as the Senator's strangely bright eyes seemed to connect with hers for a moment.

It wasn't a nice feeling.

Pushing the feeling aside, she found her attention caught by the three tall men standing slightly behind the podium.

Her eyes ran over the two taller men, noting they seemed well built, but nothing about them really caught her eye.

She sighed, wondering why there couldn't be one piece of eye candy among them. Anything to keep her mind occupied while the Senator droned on.

As she thought the words, she turned her attention to the third, shorter man, standing just behind the other two.

Her breathing stopped as her eyes connected with the most brilliant pair of bluish-green ones she'd ever seen.

She swallowed as she noted the wavy red gold hair that framed those eyes, and a face that was almost too beautiful for words. Her eyes skimmed down the lithe body, clad all in black, from his billowy shirt to the tight pants that hugged his hips and strong legs.

Dear lord, the man was gorgeous!

She shook herself quickly, hoping her mouth wasn't on the floor as she outrightly stared at him.

She couldn't tear her eyes away.

~~~ Actually, your jaw isn't quite touching the floor, but it's close. ~~~

Aura started as the soft voice whispered through her head.

A sudden sense of someone laughing filled her mind as she turned her attention towards the man she'd been ogling. He was now staring intently at her from behind the Senator, an amused, knowing look in his bright eyes.

Suddenly, the glint of something silver at his waist caught her eye.

Oh Gods, the man was a Jedi.

And Jedi could read minds.

She cursed, realizing she should have realized who they were the moment they walked in.

After all, only Jedi would be guarding someone as important as Senator Palpatine.

Unfortunately her brain had been on other things at the time.

And they certainly hadn't been on noting the lightsaber at his belt or his sense of Jedi calm and control.

After all, she was only human.

~~~ Rightly so. And really, I find it's rather easy to loose control, if one wants to. ~~~

She felt herself blush to the roots of her hair as the thought touched her mind, and the Jedi sent her a sly smile.

Part of her wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet.

But a larger part was starting to get annoyed that he was doing all the mind reading, and making her feel like a stumbling idiot.

She was a TV news producer/part time reporter for Gods sake and she should be the one intimidating the sexy Jedi!

~~~ Intimidation? That sounds like fun. I'd like to see you try. ~~~

Forcing her breathing to slow, she focused her gaze directly on his, wondering if she could speak to him mentally as well.

Focusing her eyes on his, she concentrated on composing a reply in her head.

~~ I just bet you would. And don't think you wouldn't bend to my will. ~~

She watched as the Jedi stifled a smile.

~~~ I might enjoy bending to your will. ~~~

Obviously this mind communication thing worked.

~~~ Of course it does. Do you think I'd have started it if I thought you couldn't respond? What fun would there be in that? ~~~

She felt a tingle rush down her spine as the Jedi sent her a bone-melting grin along with the thought.

Dear Gods, the man's mouth should have been declared a lethal weapon!

~~~ I like the sound of that. Would you be willing to submit to some 'target' practice? ~~~

She stifled a gasp as she felt his gaze subtly slide down her body.

As his gaze lingered on her legs, she suddenly felt self-conscious as she realized she was wearing a rather shorter skirt than normal.

Not on purpose, but she hadn't exactly had a lot of time to pick an outfit after being woken from slumber and told to get to City Hall on the double.

~~~ I'm glad. You have beautiful legs. ~~~

She fought down another blush as his heated gaze slowly moved back up her body, lingering on her chest, before focusing intently on her lips.

Aura felt her body catch fire from that simple glance, and wondered only that she hadn't melted into a puddle of goo yet.

~~~ You could always melt on me. ~~~

The thought this time was accompanied by a feather light brush of what felt like fingers across her steadily tightening nipples. The touch continued down her body, invisible fingers lingering slightly as they brushed past her thighs and then across her now extremely wet center.

Gods, what was this Jedi doing to her and why was she letting him?

~~~ Because it's exactly what you've been dreaming about for weeks. ~~~

She suddenly focused all her attention his way, wondering how in the world he had figured out how sexually frustrated she'd been the past few months.

She'd finally broken it off with her louse of an ex, but once he was out of the picture, she'd realized there was something she was going to miss, even if it wasn't him.

Sex.

Hot, steamy, sweaty, sometimes daringly rough sex.

Not that it had been great sex, in fact, it had been rather pathetic to tell the truth, but still, it was at least something.

And right now, something was better than nothing.

~~~ Very good philosophy. I think 'something' could be arranged, and I guarantee, you won't be thinking about that jerk for long. ~~~

She blushed again, the words sending another thrill down her spine.

She gasped in surprise as she suddenly felt an invisible set of lips brush across her ear.

~~~ I know what you're thinking. I know what you want. And I'm going to give it to you. ~~~

She swallowed hard as she fought to keep her eyes open, leaning back against the wall and hoping no one would notice she barely had the strength to stand up.

This boring meeting was suddenly getting a lot more exciting.

~~~ Good. Listening to Palpatine is enough to put anyone to sleep. Of course, sleep is the last thing on my mind at the moment. ~~~

She gulped as his eyes burned a path down her body, wondering only that the rest of the room couldn't sense the inner dialogue they were having.

~~~ I don't think they could handle it. It might shock them to death. ~~~

~~ Wouldn't that be a story? At least it'd be something interesting to report from this event ~~

She smiled as she sent the thought at him, watching as he tried to hide his smile.

~~~ I think I'd much prefer the sight of you trying to remain in control and quiet as I ravish you in a room full of people. ~~~

Dear God.

She closed her eyes as those lips moved from her ear to her neck, brushing invisible kisses across her skin, moving closer and closer towards her lips, but not claiming them as she so desperately wanted him too.

~~~ Patience is a virtue. Remember that. ~~~

Her eyes flew open to meet his satisfied glare as the lips suddenly disappeared.

Gods damn it!

There was only so much her sex-starved body could take!

She could tell he was pleased with the fact he'd gotten her all hot and bothered.

Well two could play at that game.

Summoning up all her strength and courage, ignoring the part of her that realized this was extremely stupid, she focused her eyes directly on him and sent a thought of her own.

She let her mind go, picturing herself striding to the front of the room, grabbing him and pressing him back against the wall, thrusting her tongue into his mouth and running her hands ran across his body, lingering over his chest and on the appendage she could feel hardening against her hand.

She smiled as she opened her eyes and watched him jolt as he tried to steady himself from the power of her thought.

Turnabout was fun.

She jumped as she suddenly heard a real voice in her ear.

"You ready to go?" her photographer Doug whispered. "I've got enough stuff so we can get out here," he finished, sending her a smile.

Aura looked from him to the Jedi, realizing suddenly that leaving early was the last thing she wanted to do.

Knowing he'd think she was nuts after all her protests about covering this press conference, she pushed her doubts aside and whispered a reply.

"We'd better stay, just in case the Senator is saving some big revelation for last," she replied, ignoring the strange look he sent her way.

She breathed a sigh of relief as Doug shrugged and returned to his camera.

Taking a deep breath, she turned her attention back to the Jedi, who was watching her avidly.

~~~ Suddenly not finding this press conference so boring my dear? ~~~

She sent him a sly smile as she shot a thought back at him.

~~ Actually, I'm feeling quite invigorated for some strange reason. Is it hot in here or is it just me? ~~

She knew she was getting daring, but something inside her was pushing her to let go. To indulge in this harmless yet stimulating flirtation across a crowded room.

After all, no one could tell what she was thinking. Right?

~~~ Except for me. And that's a good thing. And you are definitely hot. Can't you sense what you're doing to me? ~~~

Aura simply smiled, throwing caution to the winds as she let her gaze sweep over his body, admiring the
breadth of his chest and the strength she could see in the shape of his arms. His torso was lean and muscled, a strong chest tapering into strong thighs and powerful legs. She smiled as she felt his arousal surge in her mind as she let her gaze linger below his waist.

~~~ Like what you see? ~~~

She smiled and licked her lips.

~~ Very much. I'd like to see more. A lot more. ~~

She felt her body tingle as she sent the thought, watching his eyes darken.

~~~ How much more? ~~~

She felt her heart stutter at the intent look in his eyes. She was shocked to find desire blazing in their depths.

Desire for her.

A woman he'd only seen across a crowded room.

A woman he didn't even know.

~~~ But I do know you. I know your thoughts and your desires. I know what you want. So how much more do you want to see? ~~~

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, wondering if she could do this.

Her head rose, realizing she had nothing to lose.

Besides, her body seemed to have a mind of its own.

Taking a deep breath, she sent her next thought at him with all the power she could muster.

~~ All of you. Naked and writhing underneath me. Pounding into my body as you take me hard and fast against whatever wall is closest. I want to hear you scream my name as you lose yourself inside me, as I clench and tighten around you, drawing you deeper into my heat. ~~

She opened her eyes, cheeks flushed at the ferocity of those laviscious thoughts, only to lose her breath as his eyes flashed and his hands clenched into fists at his side.

For a few moments, he remained silent inside her head and she wondered if it was too much.

Had she taken things too far?

~~~ Not far enough my dear. Not nearly far enough. ~~~

She gulped as she read the intent in his eyes, her body trembling at the desire she could read there.

Just as she gathered up enough to strength to send a reply, she heard the room break into applause.

Dragging her gaze from his she noted that the Senator had finished his speech and was now descending from the podium. She watched as the three Jedi turned and followed him from the room.

A sense of depression overcame her at the thought the lovely mental foreplay was over.

~~~ It's only just begun my dear. It's only just begun. ~~~

She jumped as the thought whispered across her mind as the Jedi followed his charge out the door, not looking back.

Her knees buckled as her mind was suddenly assaulted with the feel of lips, hands and fingers
moving frantically over her body.

Gods the man knew where to touch her to make her melt!

And it was all through her mind!

She gasped as she felt those phantom fingers brush quickly across her center, before disappearing altogether.

She knew she was about to swoon, noting the concern on Doug's face as he rushed towards her. She waved him off, muttering something about the heat, hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions.

A few moments and several concerned glances later, she managed to get herself under control and gathered up her things.

As she left the room, she suddenly realized she hadn't heard a word of what the Senator had said.

Thank Gods for videotape!

Muttering to herself about what in the world she was going to make of the story, she headed back towards the news van, wondering if she'd ever see the Jedi again.

Deep inside, something told her she would

She ignored Doug's concerned expression as she settled back into the passenger seat, wearing a stupid smile.

Oh yes, something told her this was far from over.
*********

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

Aura sighed as she tried to make sense of what the Senator was saying. Something about uniting to fight a great evil and become triumphant. But she couldn't concentrate because, thanks to her photographer, every shot of the senator had the Jedi in it. She kept getting distracted as she remembered the feel of phantom fingers against her skin and the teasing tone of voice stirring her into a frenzy.

Gods, how pathetic was she?

"Having a little trouble concentrating Aura?"

She sighed as she shot Doug an evil look.

"It's just that this is so boring! I mean, how am I supposed to make a speech interesting? This was probably the most boring press conference I've ever been to," she moaned as she rubbed her forehead.

"Really? I could have sworn something or maybe someone, caught your attention," Doug replied slyly, ignoring another evil look as he walked off smiling to himself.

Aura sighed as she turned back to the computer and forced herself to ignore the brilliant greenish blue eyes that kept snagging her attention.
*********
Twenty minutes later the story was finished and a half an hour later it was airing on the 6pm news. Aura found herself watching the show in the newsroom with her fellow co-workers.

"Not bad Aura, it's not everyone who can make something coherent out of a Senator's ramblings," her friend Dalia offered as the other reporters and producers chimed in with their comments.

"One has to do what one has to do," Aura muttered, hardly hearing those around her as she let her Jedi capture her attention again.

Who was he?

Gods, she wanted to know!

After all, one did not almost have mental sex with some stranger.

Although at the moment, it looked like that was exactly what she'd done.

~~~ This is far from over. We haven't even begun. ~~~

The Jedi's words lingered in her mind as she let herself imagine him searching her out, pounding down her door, demanding that she come away with him and submit to all kinds of wonderful and decadent pleasures.

"Damn, that Jedi guarding the Senator is one hot property."

The snide voice made Aura jump, startling her out of her pleasant revelry. She forced a smile for the short blonde that suddenly appeared at her side.

"You know, I was concentrating on other things at the time Chandel," Aura muttered, figuring it wasn't exactly a lie.

She had been concentrating on other things.

Namely how to keep control of herself while the Jedi's seductive words ravaged her mind.

"Well if it had been me, I 'd have found a way to get the Jedi's name and get a one on one interview with the senator," Chandel sniffed as Aura tried to hold her temper.

"I'm sure you would have Chandel, I have no doubt you would have gotten up close and personal with the Jedi and the Senator," a fellow reporter shot back.

Chandel sniffed and sent the reporter an evil look as she flounced back towards her desk.

"She's just jealous that you got to be in the same room with the Senator. You know how she gets when she's around powerful men," Dalia offered as Aura laughed.

Everyone knew that Chandel would do whatever it took to get ahead. Whether it was ethical or not. Hell, most of the newsroom knew she was sleeping with their boss. Not that Chandel had done much to keep it a secret.

"It doesn't bother me, I'm used to her attitude," Aura replied with a smile as she focused her attention back on the TV.

Well, Chandel was right about one thing.

The Jedi was definitely one hot property.

She blushed as she remembered some of his 'heated' words, and what they'd done to her body.

Another producer's comment brought her back to the present with a start, noting most of the women and a few of the men in the room had their eyes focused on the man standing behind the Senator.

"Aura, you should have found out just who that Jedi was, he's got such penetrating eyes, I'd love to have them focused completely on me," another producer muttered.

"How'd you keep your attention on the Senator Aura? I'd have been trying to entice the lovely Jedi instead," a female reporter whispered.

Aura simply shrugged and concentrated on keeping her composure.

If only they knew what she'd been doing during that speech!

"Hey Aura, here's the press release on the Senator's press conference, I forgot I had it, you can put it back in the files," Doug offered as he dropped a folded piece of paper on her desk and headed for the door.

"Thanks Doug, see you tomorrow," Aura called, missing her photographer's small smile as he slipped out the door. Sighing, she unfolded the paper and skimmed it quickly as she headed for the assignment desk.

She stopped dead in her tracks, crashing into the producer who'd stepped in front of her as one name jumped off the paper.

General Obi-Wan Kenobi.

She blinked and looked at the press release again, thinking she'd read the copy wrong.

There was no way the most revered, worshipped and extremely reclusive General in the galaxy could have been at that press conference!

She wracked her brain as she tried to remember if there had been another important presence she'd missed.

It was possible, after all, she had been completely focused on her Jedi.

For a moment, a strange feeling washed over her.

General Kenobi was a Jedi.

Shaking her head, forcing down her apprehension, she tried to convince herself that her Jedi was not the famous General. After all, why would such an important figure be guarding a Senator?

Of course Jedi often guarded important figures, it was standard practice considering they were the best warriors in the galaxy.

But her Jedi couldn't have been the General, could he?

No. It just wasn't possible.

Somehow, she'd missed seeing the General, probably because her attention had been elsewhere.

Thank God no one had seen this release other than Doug.

If they found out she'd missed an opportunity to get the reclusive General on tape, they'd have crucified her. She winced as she thought of the field day Chandel would have had with that little piece of information.

Still, she wondered how she could have missed him, after all, he was supposed to be this commanding presence that demanded attention and respect from all around him.

He obviously had nothing on her Jedi however.

She smiled as she remembered the feel of his words in her mind and his phantom touches on her body

There was no way they could be one and the same. It was too farfetched for even her.

She convinced herself that she was worrying about nothing as she handed the paper to the assignment desk manager, smiling slightly as he offered her congratulations on her story.

Then she headed back to her desk, letting her mind wander back to the most pleasant aspects of the afternoon.

Namely, one greenish-blue eyed Jedi who had the power to make her knees weak with a few mental touches and seductive words.

She wondered if he'd find her.

They hadn't exchanged names, but after all he was a Jedi. They surely had their ways. And after all, he'd been the one to leave it on the unfinished note.

And God's knew she wanted to finish things!

The thought of the Jedi doing everything he'd whispered to her sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

She cursed herself as a reporter's laugh brought her back to the present.

She was spending far too much time thinking about the Jedi.

She should just chalk it up to one enjoyable afternoon and leave it at that.

It just couldn't happen, things didn't work like that in her life.

But oh how she wished they would! How she wished he'd suddenly appear at her home, demanding they pick up where they'd left off.

Gods she was pathetic!

"Aura, you heading home now?"

She came back to the present as she heard her friends calling to her. Shoving thoughts of the distracting Jedi from her mind, she headed out the door, determined to forget about the afternoon's strange encounter.
***********
Two days later, Aura found herself still unable to get the Jedi out of her mind.

She'd find herself distracted in the middle of doing some task, imagining his beautiful eyes sweeping over her naked body, making her writhe with pleasure. She'd hear his voice everywhere, seductively whispering exactly what he'd like to do to her.

The worst however were the nights.

She'd end up having the steamiest dreams about her Jedi, and wake in a state of extreme frustration, aching to have the mysterious man next to her in bed, doing all kinds of exotic and wonderful things to her body.

She was truly losing it.

This was not healthy.

She knew it, but was helpless to stop it. It was stupid to think the Jedi would make more of the encounter, he'd been amusing himself and that was all. She'd never see him again. It was reality and she had to accept it.

But oh, how her mind and body rebelled at accepting it!

"Geesh Aura, you've been in another world the past two days, snap out of it or the boss is going to can you!"

Dalia's hissed whisper brought her mind back to the present. She started, struggling to concentrate on her show, knowing her co-worker was right. Their boss wasn't one to stand for idleness or daydreaming, and he had no qualms about making that known. Or what he'd do to those caught slacking off on the job.

She sighed as she turned her attention back to her show, forcing her mind to block out all images of the handsome Jedi.

She'd just succeeded in pushing the man from her mind for a few moments when her boss flew into the room, his hair nearly standing on end, a sure sign he was excited about something.

"All right people, listen up!" he snapped as the entire room came to attention. The man never got this excited unless it was something big. Aura felt her curiosity peaked as she watched him pace the newsroom as he talked.

"You're not going to believe this, hell, I don't believe it myself. In fact, if I hadn't talked to the man myself, I'd think it was a stupid joke being played on us by the competition," the man rambled haphazardly. Aura sighed, knowing it would take him a few more sentences to get to the point. She hoped it was fast, she had work to do.

"What I'm saying here is that we've got a unique opportunity before us. A chance to score a major coup against the competition and make a name for ourselves in the process. Opportunities like this don't come around every day, especially not to us," he continued, ignoring the restless movement from the others in the room.

"What opportunities?" one of the reporters asked quietly, risking the man's rage at being interrupted.

Surprisingly he only smiled and nodded.

"I got a call today, from General Obi-Wan Kenobi," he began, smiling at the gasps of shock that ran through the room.

Aura's breath caught in her throat at his words.

She tried to force down the weird feeling she was getting as she realized the subject of the General had come up twice in her life over the past few days.

"The very reclusive and hard to interview General, to my shock and surprise, called to offer our station an exclusive, in depth interview while he's stationed here for a few days!" he finished, smiling at the shock wave that ran around the room at the announcement.

"Exclusive and in depth? When? Where? Why us?"

Aura let the questions fly around her, trying to get a fix on the strange feeling plaguing her. Something about this wasn't right.

She just couldn't figure out what.

Their boss hushed the excited chatter with a hand movement as he continued.

"I'm not finished," he started again, a gleam in his eyes. "The General said he'd only give this interview to us, on several conditions. One, that whatever he says is off the record, stays that way. Two, the interview will require the interviewee spending several days aboard his ship, working closely and intently with him, learning about his job and seeing how he runs things.

The third and final condition is that a certain person here at the station conduct the interview. That was his most adamant condition, one he told me that if it was not granted, the interview wouldn't happen," the man finished with a contemplative look.

Aura swallowed hard, wondering just exactly who the General had requested.

"He had to have meant me, after all, I am the investigative reporter! Who else would the General want to get up close and personal with?"

Aura and the rest of the room turned at Chandel's obnoxious voice.

"Actually Chandel, the General didn't ask for you."

Aura and the rest of the room went silent at the words, turning their attention back to their boss, shocked at his sheepish tone.

"What? But I'm the investigative reporter, he must have been mistaken," Chandel shot back, a look of confusion on her face. Aura wished she could feel sorry for the woman, but couldn't find it in herself to.

"Chandel, he didn't ask for you. Get over it," he offered frankly, shutting the woman up effectively with the words.

The rest of the newsroom remained silent, no one quite sure what to make of the situation.

"So who does the General want?" one of the producers asked quietly.

"Actually, he asked for Aura," came the reply.

Aura knew she'd heard him wrong.

She'd had to.

"Aura? But, but, she' a producer! She' not a reporter! I mean, sure she's done a few stories here and there, but she's not on-air material! And how in the world does the General know who she is?"

Aura heard none of Chandel's shocked ramblings.

Her brain could only focus on one thing at a time.

General Kenobi wanted her to do this exclusive interview.

Chandel was right, how the hell did he know who she was?

What in the world could have inspired him to make this crazy offer?

"Well Aura, you're set to meet him tomorrow morning at 10. You and Doug will spend the next two days with him, getting the story and the scoop of the century."

Aura barely heard her boss as she was still trying to figure out what was going on.

"Don't look so stunned Aura, this is a big deal, the chance of a lifetime," Doug whispered to her as she turned to face him, panic in her eyes.

"But, but, why me?" was all she managed to get out in a strangled voice, drawing all attention to her.

"I don't know why you Aura, but I wasn't going to ask him for a lot of details. He said he wanted you, and you're going. I suggest you spend tonight researching and getting things together. He's expecting you and Doug tomorrow morning," her boss finished, smiling at her from across the room.

"But, what about my show," Aura began, only to be cut off by his raised hand.

"Kendra can cover the 6 for a few days, we'll make it work. This is the best opportunity to ever come our way Aura. I trust you won't disappoint us," he finished, smiling benignly at her before leaving the room.

Aura could feel the headache coming on as her colleagues began to descend, wanting to know if she knew anything about what had just happened. She managed to deflect most of the questions, honestly not having a clue as to why the General would have asked for her to do an interview.

Gods, what she wouldn't do for a little mental stimulation from her Jedi right now.

The thought sent the blood rushing from her face.

The General was a Jedi.

The General had supposedly been at that press conference with Senator Palpatine.

It was almost too impossible to be believed.

There was no way her Jedi could have been the General.

Absolutely no way in hell.

Generals did not engage in mental foreplay with strange women.

At least no Generals that she knew of.

Not that she knew any really, however.

"Come on Aura, you've got some research to do before tomorrow if you want to be in top form to interview the General," one of her friends said as Aura came back to the present.

"Not that she'd know what to do to prepare," Chandel huffed loudly from three desks down. Aura chose to ignore her mutterings, knowing she had more important things to think about at the moment.

"Yeah, I guess I do need to prepare. But first, I've got to finish the 6," she muttered in reply as she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She could analyze things and worry about them later.
************
Two hours later a very tired and very stressed Aura was gathering her things, trying to figure out what she needed to know before going into tomorrow's interview. She was also fighting the feeling of impending doom settling over her system.

This was just too much of a coincidence.

Could the Jedi have mentioned something to the General about her?

That was the only explanation she could come up with.

Jedi certainly knew each other, and somehow, the Jedi she'd been so fascinated with must have told the General he'd seen her at the press conference or something.

That had to be the explanation, because there just wasn't any other option.

At least not that she wanted to think about at the moment.

"Good luck tomorrow Aura, you're going to do great. And hey, just think of it this way, you're one of the lucky few who actually gets to get down and dirty with one of the most revered men of our time," Dalia offered as the two of them gathered their things.

"Right, now if I could only figure out why he asked for me," she muttered in response, getting a smile from her friend.

"Who cares? This is the chance of a lifetime girl! Take it and run! It could certainly get you out of this place. Might even get you started towards your dreams of doing documentaries," came the reply.

Aura tried to smile, realizing her friend was right. This could be the chance of a lifetime. She would be stupid to think otherwise.

"I know what you mean, I guess we'll find out won't we," she replied as she headed for the door.

"Hey, if nothing else, just remember the expression on Chandel's face. That was worth it all," Dalia called as Aura laughed and nodded.

Calling out good-byes, she headed for her car, trying to force down the feeling of impending disaster looming foremost in her mind.

Once again, she found herself wishing her Jedi would somehow find her. At least it would take her mind off the General. Heck, she could probably pump him for information on the General as well. That would be the best way to find out more about the man she was supposed to interview.

But that was far fetched. He might have gotten her this interview for some unknown reason, but that was all. He was probably long gone, and she just a glimmer of a memory in his mind.

The depressing thought soured her mood a bit as she pulled into her driveway. She found herself stupidly hoping a dark clad figure would be waiting on her porch, somehow having tracked her down. She sighed as the porch turned up empty.

She was losing it.

Big time.

She couldn't afford to spend all this time thinking about and hoping to be ravished by a Jedi she'd seen and mentally talked to for about 10 minutes. It was insane. Besides, she had a huge interview to plan for and she needed to concentrate.

But all throughout the night as she researched General Kenobi, what little information there was on him, and absolutely no pictures, of course, she found herself wishing for the presence of her mysterious Jedi.

Finally giving up on research about 10:30, she ran a bath, deciding to pamper herself so she'd look her best for the General. As she soaked in the soothing bubbles, she let her mind wander, trying to push all thoughts of the coming day from her mind.

She found her brain instead filled with images of greenish-blue eyes, staring intently into hers, felt phantom fingers and lips caressing her body as she writhed against him, heard his deep voice whispering seductively each and every detail of what he wanted to do to her. Heard her voice, then his, as they brought each other to complete, ecstatic fulfillment.

The feelings swamping her were almost too much to bear.

Aura came back to herself to find the bathwater had cooled, but her body was on fire. Moaning at her wayward and overactive imagination, she forced herself to move before she turned into a prune.

A sexually frustrated prune at that.

With a sigh, she slipped on her nightshirt and wearily climbed into bed. She figured it would take forever to fall asleep, but surprisingly, despite the sexual tension pervading her body and her worry about the coming interview, she found herself almost immediately drifting off.

A sleep filled with dreams of a greenish-blue eyed Jedi and a mysterious figure wearing a General's uniform.
*********

~~~~~~~~~~

"So you ready for this Aura?"

Aura smiled slightly as Doug grabbed the camera from the truck and followed her towards the massive ship that sat in the middle of the docking bay. Having never really been so close to a military ship, she found it fascinating to see the hustle and bustle going on around her.

Her eyes took in everything, while her mind tried to ignore the fact that in just a few moments, she'd be meeting one of the most respected and famous figures in the galaxy.

Talk about nerves.

"Don't look so worried. I don't think he bites, from what I hear, he's actually quite shy," Doug offered with another smile as Aura sent him a sarcastic look.

"That's the least of my worries at the moment," she muttered as she noted an official looking droid headed their way.

"Aura Preston?" the droid asked as she nodded.

"I'm Aura, this is my photographer Doug," she offered as the droid motioned with his arm.

"The General is expecting you, follow me please."

Taking a deep breath, Aura followed the spindly looking creature up the ramp and onto the ship. She forced down her growing apprehension and nervousness as they made their way through what seemed like endless halls.

She took in everything around her, noting the people and machines seemed to be running smoothly in a set pattern, an air of calm somehow strange, but expected in the center of such a busy operation.

"Right this way," the droid motioned as it led Aura and Doug through a door off to the right.

Aura smiled as she entered the room and found an attractive older woman sitting behind a small desk. The woman looked up at their entrance, smiling at the droid.

"So I see you found them, that will be all," she said in a pleasant voice as the droid nodded and left the room.

"You must be Aura and Doug," she began as they nodded. The woman smiled as she reached for the phone.

"The General is expecting you," she offered, speaking quietly into the phone before hanging up.

"He wishes to meet Aura first, alone," the secretary said with a slight smile.

Aura felt the butterflies flutter furiously in her stomach as she looked questioningly at the woman. This couldn't be good, why would he want to see her alone? Besides, she was counting on Doug's presence to ease her nervousness.

The woman simply shrugged and smiled.

"I don't question the General's orders, I just deliver them. He wants to see you alone first," she offered as Doug simply nodded and settled into a chair.

"Knock 'em dead kid, don't let him mentally intimidate you," Doug offered with a slight smile and a wink.

"Right, thanks a lot," she muttered as she straightened her suit jacket and took a deep breath before walking towards the door to the left of the secretary's desk.

Sending a quick prayer for courage towards the heavens, she opened the door and stepped into the office.

The d�cor was surprisingly simple for one so revered. Although being that it was on a warship, elaborate was probably not a concern.

She felt a strange sort of energy as she turned her gaze to the imposing metal desk that sat near the back of the room. It was gray steel, and very utilitarian, but somehow served to make the office seem even more formal.

The neutral tones and lack of any personal items like pictures or plants also served to give the office an air of starkness.

It was a room meant to be neat, quiet and clean.

An office meant to intimidate the hell out of someone.

It was working.

She felt the butterflies stirring in her stomach again as her gaze moved to the chair situated directly behind the desk. Its high leather back was facing her, hiding its occupant from her view. Something about that sent another dose of nervousness shooting through her veins.

Obviously, the General was sitting in the chair, his back to her. He probably hadn't heard her come in. She wondered if she should clear her throat or something to make him aware of her presence.

"Actually, I knew the moment you entered the docking bay."

Aura froze.

The voice sent a shiver of recognition down her spine.

She felt her entire world stop as the chair slowly swiveled around, bringing its occupant into her view.

But she didn't need to see his face to recognize the lightly amused expression shining in those familiar greenish-blue eyes.

Eyes that had been haunting her dreams.

"You, you," was all she managed to get out, for once in her life words deserting her. She simply was too stunned to utter a word.

"You can't really be that surprised, surely you've put two and two together and come up with four," the General offered in an amused voice, watching her carefully as she struggled to find her composure.

"Yeah, but I convinced myself they equaled five," she finally managed to mutter, surprised to hear a rich burst of laughter erupt from the man in front of her.

The sound sent a shiver down her spine. The General's laugh was deep and sexy, almost as if you could drown in it. There was also a hint of something dangerous in it, something that spoke of wildness that was barely kept in check.

It was a fascinating and captivating laugh.

She wanted to hear it again.

Even if it was laughing at her stupidity for not connecting the dots in her mind.

"You should not underestimate yourself my dear, there is a lot you don't give yourself credit for."

Aura stared at him in silence, still trying to find some words to express what she was feeling.

Dear Gods.

She'd engaged in mental sex, of a kind, with THE General Kenobi.

What must he think of her?

"Actually, I'm thinking you look even better when you're flustered," he replied softly, watching as a blush immediately rose to her cheeks.

Aura tried to get control of her raging emotions.

Despite the shock of realizing her Jedi and the General were one and the same, she now had to deal with the fact that the man she'd been illicitly fantasizing about for two days was the reclusive and revered General Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The man she was going to have to spend several days with, in close quarters with, trying to be professional with while getting to know him intimately.

The thought sent twin shivers of fear and desire tingling down her spine.

What had she done to deserve this?

She wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

~~~ Who knows, this might be more fun than you think. ~~~

The mental touch startled her as she focused again on the General's amused eyes.

He really was a beautiful man.

"Thank you, you're quite stunning yourself, even though you're uncommonly silent," he offered in vocal reply to her thought.

Aura blushed again, realizing she had to get her emotions under wraps.

He was a professional as was she.

She had a job to do, and she refused to let her personal feelings cloud her judgment.

"Okay, despite the awkwardness I'm feeling about our previous meeting, I'm willing to put that behind us and start fresh, do you agree?" she offered, gathering all the bravado she could muster as she looked into his eyes.

The General simply smiled.

"Whatever you feel most comfortable with."

The images that sprang to her mind at his words were definitely not professional.

She could tell the General knew that by the way his smile turned just a shade deeper, a sexy twist appearing at the corner of his lips.

Aura swallowed hard as she gingerly settled into the seat he motioned for her to take as he steepled his hands and watched her. She forced her body not to react to his intense gaze, knowing she'd never be able to get through this if she let him get to her.

Finally, when she felt composed enough, she asked the first question that came to mind.

"Why me?"

The smile on the General's face never faded as he shrugged.

"I told you, this was far from over, don't you remember?" he stated quietly, as Aura fought down another blush at the innuendo in his words.

Aura watched the amusement sparkle in his eyes and knew he was completely aware of everything she was feeling, from the sexual frustration down to the embarrassment of realizing who he really was.

"Don't be embarrassed. I have been meaning to do an interview with the media, and after our little 'discussion' the other day, I figured it should be someone I already knew, so to speak, to open my life to," he stated softly, watching as Aura's eyes widened as he continued.

"Besides, I'm getting tired of the reclusive and revered General title. I'm really just an ordinary man, I don't see why people make such a big deal out of what I do," he offered in a wry voice.

Aura looked at him in surprise as she formulated an answer.

"Maybe it's because you're so reclusive. You never give interviews, there are no pictures of you on record or much information for that matter. Basically, you're a mystery, and that appeals to people," she offered, surprised to hear the General sigh as he turned to gaze out the window.

"There is so much people do not know about me, so many things I've done that are far from noble, so many failures," he whispered, almost to himself.

Aura watched him curiously, wondering what he meant. The powerful, confident man seated before her did not look like someone who could fail.

"Oh but I can Aura, and those failures could prove to have deadly consequences," he offered quietly.

Aura was intrigued.

She didn't even mind the fact that he was reading her thoughts. After all, there wasn't much she could hide from him.

She forced her mind to get back on track as the General turned to her, a serious look on his face.

"There are more than a few reasons I requested you for this interview, and I look forward to revealing all of them to you, but on one condition," he offered in a solemn tone.

Intrigued, Aura nodded at him to continue.

"We are going to learn a lot of things about each other in the next few days, and while I'm willing to open myself up to that, to you," he paused, putting emphasis on the last few words, bringing another blush to her cheeks, before continuing.

"There are some things I might tell you, things you might discover, that in no way, shape or form must be reported or broadcast. Lives could depend on it, the future could depend on it. Do you understand?"

Aura felt the seriousness of his words, and a slight shiver slid down her spine as she realized he would broke no argument on this condition.

But she felt professionally compelled to offer one none the less.

"I can understand your not wanting to have the world know everything about you and what you do, but the people do have a right to know what goes on, especially with their government," she began, watching as his eyes flashed.

"Contrary to the media's belief, there are some things the public is better off not knowing. If you had seen some of the things I have, you'd understand," he retorted.

"Point," Aura replied, leaning forward as she tried to make him understand what she was saying.

"I haven't seen half the things you probably have, and I know I wouldn't want to. But pardon my bluntness, and to quote a favorite film of mine, the people have a strange way of deciding what is or is not their business," she finished, hoping he understood.

The General sighed as he met her earnest look with one of his own.

"Since we aren't going to agree on this point, I propose a compromise," he offered.

Aura sat up straighter as she titled her head towards him, waiting for him to continue.

"We'll discuss what you want to print and I must read your script before you air it. I will allow you some leeway, but on some matters, especially dealing with military issues, I must insist on your silence," he offered, waiting for her reaction.

Aura felt a slight flutter of annoyance at the fact his 'compromise' seemed to lean very much in his favor.

But maybe she could work that to her advantage.

"How about if I try to respect your wishes, and talk to you about what I wish to say. In the end, I won't report anything that could jeopardize government security or operations, but I insist on telling whatever I think the people should know," she replied, meeting his stare with one of her own.

The General remained silent for a few moments, contemplating her words. Finally, he sighed and nodded.

"You have a deal," he replied, watching as Aura relaxed back into her seat.

"Thank you, and I promise General Kenobi, I will try to make this as painless as possible on you," she offered with a cheeky smile.

~~~ I sincerely hope you do. Although you causing me pain is not exactly what I have in mind for the next few days. ~~~

Aura blushed to the roots of her hair and fought off a shiver at his mental touch. She struggled to compose herself as he continued in a steady voice, seeming unaffected by her reaction.

"Good. That said and understood, I think we can begin the formal part of this interview. I think it's going to be an experience neither you nor I will ever forget," he replied, smiling as he pushed a button and told his secretary to send Doug in.

Aura gasped as she felt a light brush of phantom fingers across her cheek and against her lips as the door opened and Doug walked in, looking amused. The General simply winked at her before standing to greet their newest guest.

Aura took that moment to try and regain her composure. Something in the General's final words had her body humming.

Not a good idea when she was supposed to be in control and act professional.

This was going to be harder than she'd thought.

But she'd do it. After all, she was a professional journalist.

Somehow, she'd push these decadent thoughts of what she could do to General Obi Wan Kenobi on that desk of his from her mind and concentrate on getting the interview of a lifetime.

~~~ You know, I'm more than willing to explore any decadent thoughts you might have about me and my desk. Just imagine the possibilities of being inseparable for the next two days. And there's plenty of other furniture on this ship. ~~~

Aura forced herself to remain calm, even thought she could feel the waves of desire sweeping through her body.

She felt her resolve stiffen as she caught the wink the General sent her way before turning to talk to Doug about setting up his camera.

This was going to be a hellish form of heaven.

She only hoped she could survive.
*********
Ten minutes later found Aura feeling a little better, thanks in part to Doug's presence. At least with a third person in the room, and a colleague at that, it didn't seem so intimate.

Not that being intimate was a bad thing, but it really was the principal of the matter.

"So Aura, how do you want to work this?" Doug asked, smiling as he watched her start as if jolted by his words.

"Ummm, well, why don't we start by doing a simple interview. Get some sound and then we can figure out how we're going to get the rest of the video. Do you have any suggestions General?"

Aura was pleased her voice sounded confident and sure as she fell back into the familiar routine of doing an interview. It may have been a while, but her reporter's training was coming back.

"That sounds like a good start, and please, call me Obi-Wan. I don't know if I can handle being called 'General' for the length of time we're going to be together. It sounds so formal for people who are going to be working intimately together for the next few days," he replied, sending a sly smile her way.

Aura forced her breathing to remain normal, knowing that she needed to concentrate on what he was saying.

Not what his smile did to her insides.

"Okay then, Obi-Wan, let's start at the beginning," she replied, liking the sound of his name on her lips as she settled into her seat.
***********
Twenty minutes later Aura was immersed in the tale he was telling.

While he'd glanced over his early childhood, he had told her something about his master, the revered Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, and their past together, up until his untimely death years back. However, Obi Wan was reluctant to say more about that part of his life, just that his master had died bravely, in battle with a Sith Lord.

He was also reluctant to talk about his own Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. In fact, all he would say was that 'something' had happened and Anakin had died. She was extremely curious, but knew she must respect his wishes.

She also found herself fascinated with his life now, and his duties as a General. She had never realized how much responsibility he assumed each day, how many lives rested in his hands. It was awe inspiring in one way, frightening in another.

"So I guess that brings us to the present. I'm now a General fighting in a war I just hope we can win,"
Obi-Wan finished with a sigh, rubbing his forehead as if in pain.

Aura felt for him.

Being a General was nowhere near the idealistic job she'd envisioned.

"We've got more than enough to put together a great piece on the basics of what you do, now I'm hoping that we can use the next few days to follow you around and actually see you in action. Then we can mix the two together, if that's all right with you General," Doug offered, getting a smile in reply.

"That is more than all right with me, this really wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be," Obi-Wan murmured reflectively.

Aura sighed, now even more curious about the man before her. He was without a doubt the most fascinating, compelling, devastatingly attractive man she'd ever met.

~~~ Why thank you. But you've only see the surface. Wait until I grant you full disclosure. ~~~

Aura jumped slightly as the words insinuated themselves into her head, forcing down a blush, noting Doug was watching her with a slight smile.

Obi-Wan for his part had a slight smile on his face, revealing no discomposure what so ever.

"Well, we should probably leave you to get some work done, if you don't mind getting someone to show us to our quarters," she replied brightly, ignoring the strange smile Obi-Wan sent her way.

"With pleasure, although if you want Aura, you might stick around and watch me work. You know, sort of get a feel for what I do. It's quite complicated really and I find it best understood when one observes it," Obi-Wan offered with a gleam only she could detect in his eyes.

Before she could reply, Doug spoke up.

"That sounds great! I'm going to explore the ship, with your permission General, and get some shots of the crew at work. You and Aura can get better acquainted then," he offered, shooting Aura a wink and smile as he slipped out of the room.

Obi-Wan watched him go, turning to smile at Aura when they were finally alone.

"So we're finally alone my dear, what ever shall we do?" he offered with a wicked smile as he stood and stretched.

Aura forced herself to remember to breathe as she watched him, the stretch outlining every well-developed muscle in his body. From his arms, to his chest, to his thighs and legs. There was no doubt about it, the man was a perfect specimen of his gender.

"You know, if you keep thinking those things, we're not going to get much work done in the next few days," he offered dryly as Aura jumped.

"What do you expect? I mean, it's not exactly like I can just forget the other day," she muttered, hearing him laugh as he moved around the desk to stand before her.

Neither can I," he murmured leaning down until he was only inches from her face, his brilliant eyes staring intently into hers, his breath a whisper across her lips.

Aura knew she'd forgotten how to breath as his seductive words and his appealing scent enveloped her. She felt a little dizzy as a wave of intense desire swept over her, forcing her eyelids to flutter and her hands to clench into fists at her sides to stop from reaching for him. Mustering up all the courage she could, she forced herself to try and speak rationally.

"While you know I want to get to know you, that way, more than anything, it wouldn't be professional," she managed, proud her voice sounded somewhat normal.

Obi-Wan smiled as he pulled back slowly.

"Of course, we don't want to compromise your 'journalistic' integrity," he murmured with a devilish smile.

"Or your reputation," she whispered in reply, feeling her heartbeat slow at the intense look in his eyes as she gazed up at him.

Obi-Wan sighed as he stepped back, the smile returning to his face.

"We shall see what happens. After all, there are plenty of ways to get to know one another without compromising our integrity," he replied, slipping back around to settle into his chair with a slight smile.

Aura jumped as she felt a phantom kiss pressed against her neck. The slumberous look in Obi-Wan's eyes as he stared at her neck was nearly her undoing.

~~~ Plenty of ways to compromise both our integrities my dear. Plenty of ways. ~~~

Aura drew in a deep breath and wondered if she could handle learning them.

Taking another deep breath, she forced her body to calm, putting reason before desire as she turned her attention back to her job.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way, why don't you tell me a little about what you're doing right now," she managed, proud her voice wasn't nearly as breathy as she'd thought.

She got a wry smile in return.

For the next few minutes he explained the reports he was going over, and what he must do before the day was through. After all was said and done, the two settled into a somewhat comfortable silence, Aura working on a first draft of her script and Obi-Wan working on paperwork.
*************

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

Twenty minutes later Aura was almost halfway done with the outline of her� piece and she just knew it was going to be incredible. The excitement of getting a good story was pumping through her veins. It was times like these when she missed being a reporter. But she was one for the next few days, with a very intriguing subject.

Said subject at the time was talking on the phone with someone or another about getting some kind of parts for the ship before it took off later that
week.

The experience of watching him in action, dealing with crew, staff and officials on and off, even in such a short span of time was incredible. He
exuded a presence that was extremely forceful and powerful but not pushy.

He somehow managed to get things done, without seeming to be a tyrant. Something Aura knew was a major asset.

And the level of respect those around him seemed to have for him was awe inspiring. She knew his crew and his friends would do anything for this man.

It was a rather overwhelming image to try and put into words.

She winced as she craned her neck to work out a sudden kink. She'd forgotten what sitting in one place for too long while typing on a computer could do to one's neck.

Before she could utter a moan at the sharp pain, she felt the light touch of phantom fingers on her neck. Her head shot up to look at Obi-Wan from her position in the chair in front of his desk. He was paying no attention to her, seemingly engaged in an animate phone conversation with someone.

~~~ A little tense are we? Let me see if I can help. ~~~

She jumped as the words whispered through her head. She looked at him again, this time to find him staring directly at her with a small smile while he carried on his conversation.

She bit back a moan as his strong fingers worked the tension and kinks from her tense muscles, the feel of his fingers against her skin soothing and
exciting at the same time.

She gasped as those fingers moved down her back, kneading and stroking as they went, pushing her forward in her chair. Her eyes fluttered closed as she let the soothing motions stroke away her tension and worry. It felt wonderful, even if it was just a thought.

~~~ That's it. Just relax and I'll do whatever I can to ease the pain. Your skin is so soft, but I can feel it burn at my touch. ~~~

Aura whimpered as the phantom fingers slid to the small of her back, kneading the muscles there until she felt like jelly. Her body was flushed and heated, illicit fantasies playing out behind her closed eyelids.

Obi-Wan's husky laughter in her head made her eyes shoot open.

"Feeling better? I believe you must be if your thoughts are anything to judge by," he murmured, obviously having ended his phone conversation some time ago.

Aura blushed as she realized he probably had a good idea of her very unprofessional thoughts.

This time his laughter resounded through the room instead of just her head.

"Anytime you want to make good on those thoughts and desires, feel free," he offered, winking at her as he stood and stretched, the phantom fingers
trailing up her back and brushing across her neck before disappearing.

Aura fought down a moan as the fingers left, wishing they'd continue what they were doing.

Wishing he'd do a whole lot more.

Husky laughter again filled the room.

"Would you care to join me for dinner? There's a small restaurant just outside the docking bay and I could use some food," he offered with a smile.

Aura knew it would be extremely foolish to have dinner with him, realizing that things could fast get out of control.

But something inside her urged her to give in and simply enjoy a dinner with a man who intrigued her more with each second that passed.

Besides, she was a professional and she could keep her baser instincts in check.

It wouldn't be easy, but it could be done.

"We'll just see about that my dear," he murmured as her head shot up.

He was looking at her with an intense gaze that made her knees weak and her bones turn to jelly.

It was criminal what those eyes could do to a woman.

~~~ But I'd gladly go to jail if it meant I could train them on you. ~~~

She gulped as she gathered her things together, forcing herself not to look him in the eye.

What was she getting herself in to?

Then again, what did she have to lose?

Taking a deep breath, Aura nodded and reached for the offered hand. The electric jolt that shot up her arm at the touch of skin on skin made her
shiver.

Obi-Wan too looked as if he'd been started by the same jolt.

"This truly will be an unforgettable few days," he murmured, a strange look in his eyes as he slipped her hand through his arm and led her from the
office.

Aura swallowed hard and prayed for the strength to survive the next few days without throwing herself at him.

Shivering with anticipation she let him lead her away, not sure where they were going from here, but more than willing to find out.
***********
The small pub Obi-Wan took her to was half full as they entered, the scents wafting from the kitchen making Aura's stomach rumble quite audibly.

"Hungry are we?" Obi-Wan asked with a smile as Aura nodded.

"I didn't eat much this morning and now I'm starving," she replied, feeling her insides quiver as he graced her with another bone melting smile.

"Then by all means, let's get you fed. I don't want you dropping from exhaustion. At least, not just yet," he finished in a sexy whisper.

Aura felt her heart stop at the look in his eyes.

Dear Lord, how was she supposed to resist him?

He was the most attractive, compelling man she'd ever met.

Not to mention that her admiration for him only deepened as she learned more about the sacrifices he made daily fighting a war that might never end.

"You're painting me noble again," he sighed as he settled her into a chair, letting his hands lightly brush across her back as he moved to the other side
of the table.

She caught her breath at the light touch, trying to concentrate on what she was saying.

"It's kind of tough not to think of you as noble after what you told me in our interview," she offered frankly, watching as he sighed.

"That's something I was worried about. While I knew I wanted you to do this interview, I really hoped you would still feel as comfortable with me, see me as you seemed to at the Senator's press conference the other day," he offered wryly.

"Comfortable? As in comfortable enough to professionally interview you, then engage in mental foreplay with you?" she asked in amusement.

"Exactly," he replied with a slight smile. "If you think I'm this noble, heroic General, you might develop certain expectations about me, and what I
do," he murmured suggestively, emphasizing the last few words.

Aura stared at him shrewdly for a moment, wondering how to answer his subtle challenge.

"Whatever expectations I have about you General Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'm sure you'll surpass every one of them," she answered softly.

"In more ways than one Aura," came the soft reply as he locked those blue-green eyes on hers.

They continued to stare into each other's eyes until the waitress arrived to take their order.

Aura used the short reprieve to drag her eyes away from the man who was slowly beginning to permeate every fiber of her being.

Whatever was between them was so strong, it scared her in some ways.

~~~ Don't be afraid of what's between us Aura. Everything happens for a reason. The fun is in trying to figure it out. ~~~

She smiled slightly at him as he answered her thought.

Oh what fun they could have trying to figure out what was between them!

~~~ That's the spirit. I like your thinking my dear. ~~~

~~ I like my thinking myself. Yours I'm not too sure of. ~~

Her thought earned her another deep laugh that made her shiver.

The man was too compelling for his own good.

And hers.

Telling her mind to get out of the gutter, at least for the moment, she set about trying to learn more about the handsome man seated across from her.

This time, for her own personal reasons.

To her surprise, Obi-Wan seemed willing to talk about normal things, like what he did in his spare time, what type of music he listened to, what he did for fun. To her surprise, they shared many of the same interests and hobbies.

It was strange to think of this man enjoying the same things she did.

"Why is it strange? I am just a normal man after all, with the exception of the Jedi and the General thing," he offered with a shrug as he sipped his
drink.

"Yeah, pretty little exceptions," she answered wryly as she grabbed a carrot from their basket of wings and began munching on it.

"Even General's need to relax, we're only human, most of us," he amended as Aura burst into laughter.

"That I believe," she replied, noting how relaxed he seemed. She decided to test the waters a little, feeling a bit more daring than normal by the ease
of their conversation.

"So, was that you 'relaxing' the other day at the Senator's press conference?" she asked almost hesitantly, wondering what she was doing. She
did not need to get into this. But something inside her wouldn't remain quiet. She wanted to know.

"No, that was me discovering an intriguing woman standing across the room and deciding to get to know her better. It was pure pleasure. The last thing I felt was relaxed," he replied in a low voice, his eyes focused on hers.

Aura swallowed hard as she read the growing desire in those bluish-green orbs. Her throat suddenly went dry and she reached for her water, downing the cooling liquid in several gulps.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to cool off her rapidly heating body.

"So, tell me about life as a child. What was Obi-Wan Kenobi like when he was younger?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

Obi-Wan smiled slightly, completely aware of her diversion tactic, but willing to play along for the moment.

"There's really not a lot to tell, I did not have a very long childhood since I began my Jedi training so early," he began, fleshing out a little more of
what he'd told her earlier.

As she listened, Aura found herself becoming more and more fascinated with the man sitting across from her. At times he seemed like an eager little boy describing something he enjoyed, at others like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

She also found herself opening up to him as well, telling him things about growing up with a sister and brother in a rather exasperating but loving
family.

She thought she caught a note of wistfulness in his glance as she mentioned how close her family was. She'd learned he had a brother, but all he would say was that they were not close. She felt sorry for him, knowing how important her family had been to her.

"Don't feel sorry for me, as I grew and trained in the Jedi arts, Qui-Gon and my fellow Jedi became my friends and family and they were all I needed," he offered quietly as their food finally arrived.

"Yes, but it's not the same," she murmured quietly as he watched her for a moment, then simply nodded before sending her a wide smile.

"Enough of this depressing talk, tell me something interesting about yourself. Something no one else knows," he managed as he helped himself to a
handful of French fries from the basket sitting between them.

"I don't really know what you want to hear, my life is pretty much an open book," Aura managed around a mouthful of the chicken sandwich she'd ordered.

"Come now, there certainly must be something about Aura Preston that no one knows. Something, some secret you carry deep within you that you've told no one," he whispered conspiratorially, leaning across the table and offering her a French fry.

Aura felt her breathing grow shallow as he lifted the fry to her lips. Looking straight into his eyes, she nibbled at the morsel, drawing it slowly
into her mouth just barely brushing his fingers with her lips while his eyes burned into hers.

She barely tasted the food.

Her heart was pounding too fast to enjoy it.

"What is your deepest, darkest secret Aura," he whispered again, leaning slightly closer, his eyes locked on hers.

She swallowed hard, wondering exactly what to tell the compelling man sitting across from her.

"Tell me, you know you want to," he whispered, his fingers lifting another French fry to her lips.

She kept her gaze on his, feeling daring as she took the offered bite, this time wrapping her lips around his fingers and brushing her tongue against
them before drawing back to swallow. She felt a tremor of arousal go through her body as his eyes darkened and his breathing caught.

Gods, those eyes staring into hers were doing strange things to her body and her inhibitions. She suddenly felt a desire to tell this man everything about herself. Things she couldn't even admit to her best friends.

"You can trust me, this is you and me now. Not the General and a reporter, this is Aura and Obi-Wan, getting to know each other. You're safe, so tell me," he whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Aura decided to trust him with a least one of her secrets. How could she not with those hypnotic eyes burning into hers?

"You have to promise not to laugh, and you can't tell anyone because if you do, my credibility as a journalist will probably be shot," she managed,
seeing she had his attention.

"Your secrets are safe with me Aura, trust me," he replied as he sipped his beer, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Well, I write novels," she began, halting him as he opened his mouth to speak. "Romance novels to be more exact," she managed to get out, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

"Romance novels? You mean the ones with all the swooning women and airbrushed men on their covers?" he asked curiously, popping another fry into his mouth while he waited.

She blushed.

She couldn't believe she was going to tell him this.

"Actually, they're a little more risqu� than your average romance novels," she began, but he cut her off.

"What's wrong with that? You're a writer with a romantic heart, so you write romantic stories about fictional characters, big deal," he offered, feeding her another fry.

She sighed as she lowered her gaze while she chewed thoughtfully, trying to figure out how to say this.

"Actually, let's just say they're not stories people who are faint of heart, or under 18 should read," she finished, taking another bite of her sandwich,
keeping her eyes locked on her plate.

"Ahhh, you mean what are commonly known as 'bodice rippers'," Obi-Wan offered matter of factly.

Aura stared at him wide eyed as he continued to eat, seemingly unaffected by her words.

"Actually, I prefer to call them erotic novels," she began, but was cut off again.

"They're called 'bodice rippers' for a reason, and I find myself intrigued that you, the consummate professional journalist, writes them. I assume you
use a pseudonym?" he offered with a sly smile, making her wonder just exactly how he knew so much about erotic novels.

"Yes I do. And if you ever mention this to anyone, I will personally cut you in half with your lightsaber," she muttered as Obi-Wan laughed.

"Now that I would pay money to see, you wielding a lightsaber," he mused, ignoring the irritated look she sent his way.

"As I was saying," Aura continued with a huff, "If it got out that I wrote these type of novels, my career as a hard news journalist would be over. And while I can't deny I'd rather spend my days writing trashy novels, they don't pay the rent, at least not yet," she muttered under her breath.

"I can see it now," Obi-Wan mused as he waved a fry in the air. "Nightly news producer has secret life as erotic novelist. All the dreams and erotic
desires she can't show at work come out at night when she's alone. Tune in at 11 to see exactly what those dreams and desires are," he teased as she frowned at him.

"It's not funny!" she hissed, looking around to see if anyone had noticed his loud outburst. "It could cost me my job," she whispered, watching as his eyes softened.

"If you're so worried about someone finding out, why do you put yourself at risk by writing?" he asked curiously.

Aura sighed, knowing it was a reasonable question.

She just wished she had an answer.

"I don't know," she finally replied as she picked at her food. "I guess they're an escape from the hard, cold reality I live in every day," she
finished simply as Obi-Wan nodded.

"You want someplace to go to where you can be erotically free, be desired, be loved as you truly wish to be, deep down inside," he murmured in a low voice, causing her breath to catch.

Aura swallowed as she realized he'd just hit the nail on the head.

"You might be right," she offered with a sigh. "But how do you know so much about me? About what I want, what I desire," she finished softly, wondering how he'd reply.

"Because I know you, and lest you forget, I've been on the receiving end of some of those baser instincts of yours," he teased in a sexy voice as she
blushed.

"You're not going to let me forget that, are you," she muttered as he laughed.

"Not a chance. I can still hear you voice in my head, whispering what you wanted me to do to you, right there in front of the Senator and God knows who else," he began, only to be stopped by Aura's harsh whisper.

"Obi-Wan! Please, we're in a public place! Think of your reputation if not mine, people would be shocked to hear us talking like this," she hissed as he smiled and reached for her hand, brushing a lingering kiss across her sensitive skin.

The touch caused her to tremble as her breathing turned shallow.

"Oh, how I would like to read one of your bodice rippers. I can only imagine the fantasy scenes you write," he whispered, keeping hold of her hand.

Aura sighed as she searched for words.

"You really would want to read something like that? I mean, you are a man, and forgive me for stereotyping, but you don't strike me as a 'bodice ripper' type of guy, at least in your reading choices," she amended with a blush as she heard his low laughter.

"I told you, there are things about me you're going to find out that may shock you. Does it shock you that I might want to read about your deepest,
darkest fantasies and desires?" he asked curiously as he waited for her reaction.

Aura wasn't sure how to respond.

"You really don't find it shocking or degrading that I write erotic novels?" she asked curiously as his low laughter sent another shiver down her spine.

"Why should I find it shocking? After all, you are a talented writer. And don't forget, you were just as active a participant in our little mental
discussion the other day as I was. You were quite creative actually, once you relaxed and let me inside," he offered, twisting the emphasis on his final
words.

Aura closed her eyes for a moment as the vivid image of him pounding into her came to the front of her mind.

She bit back the moan the vision brought on.

Obi-Wan's laughter filled the air around her.

"See, definitely a mind capable of writing naughty words," he whispered softly, going silent as the waitress approached.

Aura forced herself to get a grip as she pushed the fantasies to the back of her head. She was not supposed to be thinking about him like this. He was a professional interview and she was determined to treat him like one.

~~~ Oh Aura, we're so much more than that. You know it. I know it. The question now becomes what do we do about it without compromising our ethics? ~~~

The thought sent a shiver of desire down her spine as she imaged plenty of things she could do to him, professional ethics or not. Most of them involved getting him flat on his back, sans clothing, and totally under her command.

His sharply indrawn breath told her he was reading her thoughts loud and clear.

"What are we going to do about this?" he suddenly asked, causing Aura to stop chewing and meet his gaze.

"I don't know, I honestly don't know," she replied in a whisper, trying not to gasp as she felt his hand cover hers where it rested on the table.

The feel of his skin against hers sent a jolt through her body. She tried to remember to breathe as his thumb gently began stroking the soft skin of her
palm.

"Either do I. It's not a feeling I'm exactly comfortable with," Obi-Wan responded honestly, his thumb continuing to move in hypnotic circles against
her skin.

Aura tried to remember to breathe as she lost herself once again in his eyes.

The two continued to stare into each other's eyes, oblivious to everything else around them.

Obi-Wan finally released her hand as the waitress appeared with the check, his fingers skimming lightly over her palm once more before withdrawing.

As he reached for the bill, he waved off Aura's attempt to reach for her wallet.

"It's on me. You are my guest for the next two days and I intend to treat you extremely well," he drawled, sending her a wink as he handed the waitress the right amount of credits.

~~ That's what I'm worried about. Just exactly how well I want you to treat me. ~~

Obi-Wan laughed as he easily read her thought.

~~~ Trust me, you won't be disappointed. ~~~

The words were followed by a phantom kiss that left her knees weak.

Aura knew she must look a fool, staring stupidly into his beautiful eyes, feeling him kiss her, even though he remained seated an arms length away from her.

~~~ Go with it Aura. Feel it. Enjoy it. Respond to it. ~~~

She bit back a moan as she felt the kiss deepen, his tongue brushing against her lips, begging for entrance. With a small sigh, she parted them, moaning softly as she felt him deepen the kiss, sweeping his tongue around her mouth, drawing her deeper into him.

It was almost surreal, to be staring deeply into his eyes across a table, while he was mentally kissing her senseless. She fought to keep her eyes
open, knowing they were in a public place. It wouldn't do to melt into a puddle right here and now.

However it was getting increasingly hard not to moan out loud as his lips thoroughly ravished hers, even if it was only in her mind.

Then, as suddenly as the kiss had started, it ended.

She whimpered slightly at the loss of his lips on hers.

Obi-Wan was watching her with a slumberous look in his eyes, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he too struggled for breath.

No words were needed.

The kiss, phantom though it might have been, had said it all.

Aura knew she was in danger of getting in way over her head. Her body was humming and buzzing, a desire like she'd never known zinging through her system. If his thoughts could bring her to this state, lord only knew what the reality of his touch would bring.

She had to think about this. It was all moving too fast. She was here to interview him for a story, not jump his bones. She had to remember that.

She watched Obi-Wan smile as he caught the drift of her thoughts.

"You cannot fight what the Force means to be," he whispered softly.

She sighed, finding no words to reply.

"Come now, I believe you need some time to think things through. And you need a good night's sleep," he murmured as he rose from his chair and moved over to help her from her seat.

~~ But how I wish I could share the night with you. ~~

The thought was almost unbidden as it came to her head. She felt more than saw Obi-Wan stiffen.

~~~ You are not ready for that yet. When the time is right, we will not be able to deny what we feel. What is meant to be will be. The time is coming though. It is inevitable. ~~~

Aura sighed as she let him help her to her feet. Her emotions were starting to get the best of her and she was truly a mess.

They were both quiet as they walked back towards the ship, lost in their own thoughts, but Aura could feel Obi-Wan's gentle mental touch in her mind. She knew he would give her all the time she needed to figure things out.

Unfortunately, there wasn't all that much time, since he was due to ship out in several days.

She sighed, almost reluctant to leave him as they reached the room she would be staying in. She turned to face him, noting his eyes had turned a stormy teal color.

"You will be all right tonight?" he whispered, leaning in much closer than was proper.

Aura could only nod, his presence again stealing words and breath from her body.

She gasped lightly as he reached out and stroked a finger across her cheek, letting it brush lightly over her lips. She knew they had to be careful, they were in a very public hallway after all.

But she really didn't seem to care at the moment.

"Sleep well," he whispered.

"You too," was all Aura could get out as she stared into his eyes. She nearly moaned when he slowly pulled back, as reluctant as she to leave.

"Good night Aura," he whispered as she somehow found the dexterity to slide open the door without breaking his gaze.

"Good night Obi-Wan," she managed, finally turning and slipping inside the room before she did something really stupid.

As the door slid shut, she sank back against the cool metal, hoping it would cool the fire raging through her body.

She gasped as she felt phantom lips suddenly capture hers in a passionate kiss that nearly brought her to her knees. She couldn't hold back a moan as the mental image of the General pressing her against the door and ravishing her formed in her mind. Her body cried out to him, wishing with everything in her that the image would become real.

Just as before, the kiss was suddenly ended.

~~~ Soon my dear. Very soon. Pleasant dreams. ~~~

The mental words and a final parting brush of lips across hers sent her sinking to the floor, curling up into a small ball as she let the waves of
desire slowly recede from her body.

This was going to be a hell of a lot harder than she'd thought.

Sighing, body still on fire from his kiss, she slowly rose and headed for bed.

She was going to need whatever sleep she could get to survive another day with Obi-Wan.

She only wondered how long it would be before they both crossed the line from professional to personal.

And what scared her most was the definite knowledge that the line would be crossed.

The only question was when.

Sighing, she sank to the bed and closed her eyes, knowing sleep would be hard in coming that night.
*********

~~~~~~~~~~

Aura sighed to herself as she listened to yet another report on the status of the waste and garbage recycling process on the ship. It was probably the most boring briefing she'd been to yet today.

And she'd been to plenty.

And the day wasn't even half over.

"Real exciting life your General leads," Doug whispered from his position next to her at the back of the room.

Aura shot him an annoyed glance as she focused her attention on the General, who seemed to be listening intently to whatever was being said. She wondered how he stood these boring meetings, day after day after day.

~~~ Actually, one becomes used to them. I've learned to block out everything except what is really important. ~~~

Aura jumped as Obi Wan's words registered in her mind. He'd been doing that infrequently throughout the three meetings she'd been in with him so far and it always caught her by surprise.

It amazed her that he could concentrate on two things at once.

She settled back into her seat, wondering how much longer the meeting would be. It wasn't going to be hard to spend little time on detailing the meetings the General sat through daily.

One sentence should be enough.

Satisfied she'd absorbed enough of the General's 'meeting behavior', she let her mind instead dwell on the picture he made sitting calmly at the head of the table.

He really did present a commanding presence.

Dressed completely in black, his attention seemingly focused entirely on the speaker of the moment, he appeared completely in command of everything around him.

She felt a slight shiver of desire slide down her spine as she wondered what would happen if he let go of that control, even for just a moment. The images that bombarded her mind had her forcing down a blush and a moan.

Aura jumped in surprise, dragged out of her lustful fantasies as she felt the light brush of invisible fingers across her neck.

She swallowed hard as she felt those phantom fingers begin to stroke the nape of her neck, kneading gently at the muscles there and across to her
shoulders.

She shot a surprised glance towards Obi-Wan, but wasn't surprised to see his attention focused on the woman speaking about some other maintenance matter.

She sank back in her chair as his fingers slowly moved to her collarbone, brushing lightly against the hollow of her throat, then lower. His touch was
so light, almost skimming her skin, but it was enough to make her bite her lip to stifle the small cry she felt building in her throat.

She could barely contain another moan as she felt those skillful fingers slip down to brush the skin at the edge of her V-neck shirt. They teased along the edges, dipping slightly under the material, then withdrawing quickly.

She bit her lip as she focused all her attention on keeping a straight face, even though she wanted to howl at the desire and frustration sweeping over
her body. His fingers continued to tease her sensitive skin, until she thought she'd go crazy from the sensation.

Aura sent him a sharp look as she suddenly felt his fingers slide down to the front clasp of her bra. Obi-Wan's face was completely bland, his attention focused on the young man speaking next to him.

How in the world could he stay so focused when she was ready to jump him right then and there, in front of the entire damn room?

She thought she heard sensual laughter in her head, but all thought was suddenly and completely obliterated as she felt those wonderful fingers
deftly unclasp her bra.

She jumped slightly, looking down to make sure this really was only happening in her mind.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief to see she looked entirely put together
on the outside.

The relief was short lived however as she felt him begin to roll her sensitive nipples between his fingers.
She bit her lip to stifle the moan as her over sensitized skin responded enthusiastically to his touch. His fingers were working magic on her heated
flesh, drawing her deeper and deeper into the web of desire he was weaving completely in her mind.

It felt so incredibly real!

It was also becoming incredibly noticeable.

She clenched her hands into fists at her side, pulling the jacket she wore closed so those around her wouldn't notice the two sharp points jutting
against the thin material of her shirt.

She felt an electric tingle shoot straight to her center as she noted Obi-Wan's amused gaze, and for just a moment, the flash of desire burning in
them.

She nearly moaned out loud as she suddenly felt a hard kiss planted on her lips. Her world went dizzy as the emotion swamped her as the invisible lips ravished her mouth while his fingers continued to tug and tease her taunt nipples.

She was so focused the sensations coursing through her body, she almost missed the question the General suddenly shot at her.

"Ms. Preston, being that you are an outside observer, having heard this debate, what are your thoughts on the waste disposal system?"

She gulped as his authoritative voice flowed over her already sensitized skin.

It took a moment for her to realize he, and the rest of the room, were expecting an answer.

What in the world was she supposed to say about the waste management system?

Especially since she hadn't heard a word of the entire meeting, thanks completely to the man standing at the front of the room, wearing a very
satisfied smile.

Somehow, she managed to stumble through an answer, praying she didn't sound as rattled as she felt. She thanked God she could vaguely remember a story Dalia had once done on waste and sewer systems in the city. She only hoped it in some way, shape or form related to the conversation.

Obviously it satisfied those around her for the discussion soon turned to
other topics.

As the attention finally shifted from her, she shot Obi-Wan an evil look.

She was going to make him pay for this one!

~~~ I can't wait to see what you have in mind. ~~~

She gasped under her breath as the thought was sent with another brush of fingers across her aching breasts.

When she shot him another glare, he only smiled calmly and proceeded to focus his attention on the young man now addressing the assembled group.

Taking a deep breath, Aura forced her body to relax, knowing she needed to appear calm and collected if she were going to get through this meeting without giving her aroused state away.

And not be caught off guard again by Obi-Wan's obvious attempts to fluster her.

As she focused her attention back to the topic at hand, she scribbled notes on her notepad, hoping she'd end up with something worth reporting.

But deep inside her mind, she found herself plotting ways to make him pay for his actions.

And if the seductive smile he sent her way just then was any indicator, he was perfectly willing to pay up.
*************
Two hours later found Aura and Doug finishing up interviews with the crew and others who worked closely with the general. Both were pleased at the sound they'd gotten, and were avidly discussing how to put everything together.

Aura smiled as the ideas flowed through her brain. It was a welcome change after the boring meetings she'd started the day out in.

Of course, she had had those lovely distractions.

She sighed, forcing her mind back onto her work, knowing that she was getting carried away. Something she couldn't afford to do if she were going to remain professional.

She might want Obi-Wan Kenobi with everything in her being, but she was not going to do anything about it.

She couldn't.

This was business, not pleasure, and no matter how much she wanted them to, the two didn't mix.

They couldn't mix.

She could also jeopardize both their careers if she actually gave into the desire that simmered on a slow burn just beneath the surface of her skin.

But oh how she wanted to give into her desire!

"Do you both require anything more? I know it hasn't been the most exciting day, but you wanted to know what I do, and you've seen it."

Aura jumped as Obi-Wan suddenly appeared at her side, wearing a friendly smile as he looked questioningly from her to Doug.

"I think we're good, I'm just going to get a few more shots of the crew and I should be done," Doug replied with a smile as he began gathering his gear.

"Good. Feel free to roam the ship as you will. We're making final preparations for our departure tomorrow, so I suspect you'll find things in a
heightened state of activity for the next few hours," the General replied as Doug nodded.

"Sounds good. Aura, you want to come with me?" he asked, sending her a knowing smile.

She gulped as Obi-Wan smiled at her.

"Actually Doug, I think you can handle it on your own, you know what we need to make this piece sing, we can get together later and figure out what all we've got," she began, only to notice Doug blushing.

"Um, actually Aura, I promised several of the crew I'd go have a late dinner with them," he offered sheepishly. "But I can change plans if you want to go over the stuff tonight."

Aura cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Don't worry about it Doug. I trust you. Go have dinner with your friends and we'll talk on the ride back to the station tomorrow. Have fun," she replied, sending him a smile.

"Thanks Aura, I'll talk to you tomorrow then. Don't have too much fun tonight," he offered in a sly tone, then with a wink, disappeared down the
hallway.

Aura sighed as she watched him go, mustering up all the control she could as she prepared herself to turn and meet Obi-Wan's amused gaze.

"Doug seemed to think you're going to have fun tonight, I wonder what he could have meant," Obi-Wan offered in a seductive voice, moving slightly
closer to her.

Aura swallowed as she felt the heat from his body radiating against her skin.

"Um, actually, I really had just planned to settle in and try to write this piece," she began, trailing off as he smiled into her eyes.

"How boring. I must insist you have dinner with me. I can certainly provide you with much more amusing company that your computer," he offered
suggestively.

She caught her breath, trying to form a coherent sentence.

"Besides, it is our final night together, and I'd rather hoped you might spend it with me," he offered, sending her a sensual look.

Gods the man knew how to use his eyes to make a woman melt!

With a sigh, she gave in to the inevitable.

"All right," she whispered, seeing his smile widen as he stepped away from her.

"Be ready in about an hour. I'll come for you then," he replied, turning and striding down the hallway without a backward glance.

Aura watched him go, wondering what he had planned.

She gasped as she suddenly felt her body pinned to the wall by an invisible force as warm lips took hers.

Closing her eyes, she gave a small moan as his lips ravished hers, unable to move or breathe.

~~~ This is only the beginning. ~~~

Just as suddenly as it had happened, Aura felt herself released. She sank to the floor, her entire body trembling with unfulfilled desire and want.

What was she getting herself into?

Forcing her shaky legs to support her weight, she slowly made her way back to her room, trying to figure out what to do about the impossible situation she was in.

She only hoped there was an answer.

She didn't want to think of the alternative.
******
Three hours later Aura was wondering if it wasn't worth it to forget every journalistic ethic she'd ever learned and simply jump the General's bones.

She swallowed hard as she looked at his handsome face in the flickering candlelight of the intimate restaurant he'd taken her to. The gentle glow
seemed to paint his face with shadows, making him look all the more intriguing.

He was, hands down, the sexiest man she'd ever met in her life.

"See something you like?"

She jumped as Obi-Wan's low voice penetrated the sensual daze she was in. Forcing her mind to focus, she simply smiled and shrugged.

"I was just thinking that in this light you look even more mysterious," she replied, watching as his eyes darkened slightly.

"There's really not much mystery about me," Obi-Wan offered with a slight shrug as he sipped his drink. "What you see is what you get, in most cases," he offered with a devilish wink.

Aura smiled at him before replying.

"I'm not so sure about that," she offered, watching as his eyes turned curious.

"Meaning what?" he asked as he focused his gaze on hers.

"Well, you're this powerful, respected, at times feared leader. But you hardly ever talk about your past, or what you did to get here," she began
carefully, not wanting to offend him.

Obi-Wan sighed and his eyes turned distant.

"The past is best left there. Too many future events depend on that," he whispered softly, almost to himself.

Intrigued, Aura decided to push a little more.

"You keep talking about these 'future events', what about your past could be so terrible that you're worried it will damage the future?"

Obi-Wan's gaze flashed back to hers, something strange in their depths.

"Are you asking for your story, or for yourself?" he suddenly asked in a low voice, his eyes serious as they locked on hers.

Aura returned his gaze, willing him to see she wanted to know about Obi-Wan Kenobi the man, not the General.

For herself.

"For me," she whispered softly, reaching out to lay her hand over his. She felt a flutter of desire flow through her body as he turned his hand over and linked their fingers together, lightly stroking her palm.

He continued to stare at her for a few moments before replying.

"I was a young boy when I was apprenticed to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. While he trained me, we traveled around the galaxy on various missions for the Jedi Council. One of those missions took us to Naboo where we ended up setting off a chain of events that would alter the future of the Republic."

Aura listened in fascination as Obi-Wan told the story of the Jedi's first meeting with Anakin Skywalker and the events that followed.

As he talked, Aura noted his eyes changed color as his emotions fluctuated. She sensed he was still shaken by the events he was telling her. Almost as if the pain were still fresh.

She sat up straighter as Obi-Wan's voice suddenly deepened, sounding almost choked up as he spoke.

"My Padawan was always anxious to learn the ways of the force, perhaps too anxious. And I perhaps too cocky in my abilities as his teacher. If I had only noticed his preoccupation with the darker side of the force, perhaps I could have prevented the tragedy that followed," he trailed off on a whisper, a look of pain and despair filling his beautiful eyes.

Aura felt her own heart ache for him as she watched his struggle for control. She tightened her grip on his hand, stroking it gently, willing him whatever comfort and support he seemed to need.

She caught her breath as he sent her a sad smile.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, knowing she probably didn't want to know at all.

He sighed and focused his attention on some spot behind her as he spoke.

"Anakin met up with a very powerful Sith Lord named Darth Vader. The two fought and Anakin was killed," he whispered hoarsely, his eyes shimmering with remembered pain.

Aura simply tightened her hand on his, remaining silent, knowing he needed to finish his story.

"It was a dark time for the Republic. Corruption and greed were already beginning to prevail and Darth Vader became one of the most powerful forces behind it. The few remaining Jedi went into hiding, or were hidden for their own safety," he trailed off again, obviously remembering another painful memory.

"But you escaped, and became a General," she offered quietly, as Obi-Wan suddenly seemed to return to the present.

He sighed as he refocused his gaze on her.

"Much good it did me. I might be able to lead an army, but I wasn't capable of saving my own Padawan," he whispered harshly, his eyes turning fiery again.

"But you tried, and that's what matters," Aura stated softly, tightening her grip on his hand as he shot her a sad look. "You might not have been able to save one person, but you've saved so many lives. I'm not saying that makes it worth it, but you have to see the good in what you do, what you're fighting for," she finished with fervor.

Obi-Wan stared at her, confusion and pain still obvious in his beautiful eyes.

"But my folly, my loss of Anakin and the emergence of Vader, has led to most of that suffering. It is my duty as a General and a Jedi, to right that
wrong. Even though I know I will never be able to," he whispered, his eyes shifting from hers again.

Aura sighed, not sure what to say, knowing this was a weight he would bear forever.

"I don't know what to tell you, but I do know one thing," she offered slowly, sensing she had his full attention. She squeezed his hand as she continued.

"No matter how much guilt you bear inside, no matter how bad you feel about your past mistakes, I know you did what you did for the greater good. I might not have known you for that long, but I know you'll do whatever it takes to keep the galaxy and those you love safe now. And that is more than anyone can ask, even of a Jedi," she finished on a whisper.

She wondered what he was thinking as he stared intently into her eyes.

She began to feel slightly uncomfortable as he remained silent, wondering if she'd offended him by speaking too freely.

She caught her breath as he suddenly raised her hand to his lips, planting a long kiss on the soft skin of her palm. Her heart began to beat faster as he then placed her palm against his cheek and held it there, never breaking her gaze.

"Do you know how remarkable you are Aura Preston?" he whispered, his eyes suddenly turning luminous.

Aura swallowed, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks as his words swept over her.

"I wouldn't go that far, but I try," she tried to joke, her smile fading as he placed another heated kiss on her palm.

"No one has ever made me feel like you do. I felt it the instant I met your eyes across that room during Palpatine's speech," he replied, stroking her
hand as he stared into her eyes.

She gulped as his heartfelt words swept over her already sensitized skin. She couldn't believe he was saying these things to her.

She'd only known him for a little more than two days.

He really knew nothing about her or her life in general.

She knew only the barest details about him.

But deep inside, what scared her the most, was that she believed him.

Because she felt the same.

"Obi-Wan," she began, only to be cut off by another kiss pressed to her palm, this time the slight brush of his tongue sending a shiver down her spine.

"I know we haven't known each other that long, I know there's still so much more to find out about each other, but I can't help how I feel," he whispered.

Aura looked deep into his eyes as she tried to find a reply.

"I know. I feel it too," was all she managed as she saw something spark in his eyes.

She gasped as she suddenly felt the phantom pressure of his lips on hers.

It was the strangest sensation. To be sitting across from him, staring deeply into his eyes, while in her mind, he was kissing her senseless.

She forced her eyes to remain open, focused on his as the kiss deepened. She could see Obi-Wan's chest rising and falling rapidly, and knew he was as affected as she.

She nearly moaned out loud as his lips suddenly disappeared.

"I wish beyond all things that I could do that in person," he whispered hoarsely, between quick breaths.

Aura fought a tough battle with herself as she looked into his eyes.

"I wish that too, but you know we can't, because of our jobs and who we are," she finally managed to reply, trying to convey with her eyes how much she wished things could be different.

Obi-Wan simply sighed and tightened his grip on her hand.

"I know, it would be very bad for both of us if we were to be found out. But Gods Aura, how I want you," he managed in a strained voice.

Her heart leapt to her throat as his words flowed over her like a sensual wave. The desire burning in his eyes she knew was matched by the flame in
hers.

Everything inside her was screaming she throw cautions and her career to the wind and lean over and kiss him desperately.

But despite it all, the risks were too great.

She knew Obi-Wan sensed her thoughts as his hand tightened on hers.

"What are we going to do?" he asked as she looked hopelessly at him.

"I don't know," she whispered in despair.

He sighed as he reluctantly released her hand and reached for the check. Placing the correct amount of credits on the table, he rose and moved to help
her from her chair.

Remaining silent, the two left the restaurant, walking slowly down the street, breathing in the soft night air and the scent of each other.

Aura swallowed in the darkness as she felt his arm slip around her shoulders. She knew it was so dark that no one would pay any attention to them, and she took advantage of it, snuggling against his side.

Obi-Wan pulled her tightly to him as they walked in silence, their steps
slowing as they neared the hanger.

As they stepped through the door, Obi-Wan reluctantly slipped his arm from her shoulders, sending her a sad smile.

Nodding to the few remaining guards on duty, they entered the ship and made their way down the mostly empty passageways.

Aura was trying not to think that in just a few hours, she must say good-bye to the man who'd captured her heart and her soul in such a brief period of time.

It was so unfair!

She knew Obi-Wan could sense her rising despair at leaving him, the look he sent her more telling than a thousand words.

She was also fighting her desire to throw him against the wall and press her body fully against his. His scent tantalized her senses, making her fingers
itch to touch his bare skin, to plant kisses across his chest and then lower.

She heard the sharp exhale of his breath as her thoughts became clear to him.

~~~ How I want that too Aura. To feel your lips against my skin, to feel my hands on your body. To hear you cry out my name as you fall into oblivion. ~~~

Aura's knees buckled as the thought wove itself into her mind. She thanked the gods they'd reached her doorway as she leaned against the wall for
support.

She managed to drag her gaze up to his, gasping as she read the near frantic desire reflected there.

~~ What are we going to do? I don't think I can stand not being with you. Touching you. Hearing you scream my name as I do everything you've dreamed I'll do to your body. ~~

Obi-Wan let her hear his moan inside her head as he reached to brush a strand of hair from her face.

For a moment, he simply gazed into her eyes, as if he were debating something.

Then he smiled.

"I think I have the answer," he whispered, a devilish look shining through the passion still burning clearly in his bluish-green eyes.

"Don't keep me waiting," she managed, short of breath as he brushed a finger across her lips.

"Go lay down on your bed. Get comfortable. Relax. In about 10 minutes, I'll show you," he whispered softly.

Aura simply nodded, lost in his eyes, trusting he knew what he was doing.

Obi-Wan smiled into her eyes as he raised her hand to his lips and placed another deep kiss to the sensitive skin.

She was surprised she found the strength to remain standing as he shot her a look so hot it could have melted the steel wall behind her.

"Don't keep me waiting," he mimicked, smiling as he strode down the hall without a backward glance.

Aura watched him until he disappeared around the corner.

Finding the strength from somewhere deep inside, she managed to move into the room, locking the door behind her. Moving slowly, she finally made it to the bed and sank onto it in a boneless heap.

She sighed as she let her body relax, despite the anticipation thrumming through her veins as she remembered his heated eyes and the feel of his warm lips against the skin of her hand.

She shuddered in delight as she imagined what Obi-Wan might have in mind.

Somehow, she knew this would be a night she'd never forget.
***********

~~~~~~~~~~~

Aura sighed as she relaxed against the soft pillows on the bed.

She'd taken Obi-Wan's advice and gotten comfortable, changing into the soft nightshirt she'd brought along. It wasn't the sexiest piece of clothing she owned, but then again, she hadn't anticipated needing anything sexy while on the job.

Besides, this was the most comfortable piece of clothing she owned.

However tonight, the material seemed extremely abrasive against her sensitized skin.

Her body was still humming from the brush of Obi-Wan's lips against her hand. The spot tingled as she lifted that hand to her cheek, surprised not to see a burn mark marring the skin..

She could still see his eyes smoldering into hers as his lips lingered there just a bit longer than was proper.

As she lifted her arm, the soft cotton of the nightshirt stretched across her skin, rubbing against the sensitive tips of her breasts. The sensation sent
twin bolts of desire straight to her center.

Almost without thinking, Aura slid her hands across her breasts, hoping to ease the ache building there as her mind began to spin fantasies of just how Obi-Wan's lips would feel on her bare skin.

The erotic image of him suckling her breasts as his eyes burned into hers made her give a small moan and shift restlessly against the soft blankets on
the bed. The ache rising in her body was swiftly overpowering all rational thought.

She managed to glance over at the clock by the bed, noting only 9 minutes had passed since Obi-Wan had left her.

What was he doing?

More importantly, what was he planning on doing to her?

As she let her mind wander to what her General might have planned, her hands almost unconsciously began running up and down her body, stroking lightly across her breasts and down her stomach, building the ache by slow increments.

Gods how she wished they could simply forget about their jobs and ethics and give into the passion ready to burst into flames each time they looked at each other!

Her mind filled with images of straddling him, running her hands down his chest, raking her nails lightly across his skin, feeling him arch beneath her
and moan. She heard his breathing grow rapid as she rubbed her center against his growing desire, loving the way his hands pulled her hard against him as he pushed up against her frantically.

She could feel his lips pressed against hers, reveled in the way his tongue swept inside her mouth to tangle with hers, tasting the rich, deep flavor
that was uniquely his.

~~~ No fair, you're starting without me. ~~~

Aura gasped at the sudden intrusion of his sensual words in her mind. She shuddered as his desire washed over her, even as she struggled to concentrate on his voice, wondering where he was.

She cast a quick glance at the clock.

~~ You said 10 minutes. By my count, it's been 12. ~~

She felt his deep chuckle wash over her body, making her shiver with anticipation.

~~~ However am I going to make it up to you? ~~~

She gasped as invisible lips suddenly captured hers, exactly as she'd so recently imagined. His tongue took possession of her willing mouth, tangling
with hers as she whimpered against him.

She moaned out loud as she felt strong arms close around her, knowing it was all in her mind, but here, away from everyone, she let it become real.

~~~ That's it love. I might not be there with you physically, but in our minds, we are closer than we could ever be in body alone. ~~~

She sighed as his lips moved down to her throat, nipping and suckling the tender skin, lingering on her pulse point as she shuddered against him.

Gods, it all felt so real!

How could he be doing this to her, simply with his mind?

~~ What are you doing to me? ~~

She barely had the strength to think the thought, but she managed to, despite the waves of pleasure swamping her body.

~~~ Just relax and let me in. If I must let you go tomorrow before physically touching you, I want to leave with the image of you coming apart beneath me in my mind. ~~~

She shuddered as she felt invisible but oh so warm hands slide under her nightshirt, skimming along the sensitive skin of her sides and stomach,
slowly creeping higher.

She whimpered as she felt the hands bypass her breasts and continue up to her shoulders, drawing out the ache swiftly spreading through her body.

~~~ Take off your shirt for me love. I want to see you. ~~~

She obeyed his mental command without thinking, wanting the abrasive material as far away from her skin and his roving hands as possible. With a quick move, the nightshirt was pulled over her head and thrown across the room.

She cried out as she felt his hands suddenly cup her breasts, stroking and squeezing them gently as his mental voice floated through her mind.

~~~ So beautiful. So sensitive to my touch. ~~~

She arched her body against his hands, whimpering as she felt him pluck gently at her nipples, drawing them into hard, tight peaks. She mustered all
the strength she could into her next thought.

~~ Your mouth on me. Please. ~~

She was rewarded with a mental groan, echoed by her own soft cry as she felt his mouth close around one aching breast. Her back rose sharply from the bed as in her mind, she wrapped her arms around his head, drawing him even closer.

~~~ That's it love. Imagine what you're doing to me. Let me see how you want me to touch you. Let me see how you want to touch me. ~~~

With a small cry, she concentrated on letting him feel the desire coursing through her body. She imagined running her fingers through his hair as she
stroked them across the back of his neck. She could literally feel the short hairs brushing against her hand, hearing his moan as her nails scraped the
sensitive skin at his nape.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, picturing him actually there beside her in the bed.

~~~ I am there with you love. Picture me stretched out next to you, holding you tightly against my body. Feel how much I desire you. ~~~

Aura gasped as she felt a strong body suddenly pressed against hers, the evidence of his desire obvious as it pressed against her thigh.

She wasn't going to open her eyes.

She wasn't going to question how he was doing this.

All she was going to do was feel.

She couldn't hold back a moan as she felt his lips trail from her breasts down to her stomach as he slid his body down her side. Her whimpers increased as his fingers trailed a path up her legs, lingering as they reached her inner thighs.

She held her breath as he stroked the sensitive skin, carefully avoiding the one place she wanted to feel him most.

~~ Please Obi-Wan. Touch me. Feel how much I want you. ~~

Her thought was met with a deep mental moan as his fingers finally brushed through her wiry curls and began to stroke the most sensitive part of her.

Her hips arched off the bed as one finger slid inside, stroking her in a quick rhythm that had her gasping and whimpering his name as she arched to
meet each thrust.

~~~ Gods you're so ready for me. You feel so good. I want to be inside you. ~~~

She moaned as the thought brought to mind the mental image of him pounding into her, crying out her name with each thrust.

But not just yet.

She wanted to drive him as crazy as he was driving her.

She needed to.

Mustering up all her strength, she saw herself pushing his hands away, rolling so she was straddling him, much as she had imagined earlier.

She could tell the move surprised and delighted him from the way his body arched against hers.

This might be all in her mind, but it felt real enough, and that was all that mattered.

~~~ You catch on quick love. Now catch onto me. ~~~

Aura smiled at the mental touch, noting the strain in his words as he struggled to remain in control.

She smiled in triumph, now giving herself free reign to touch him wherever she wanted.

She started at his shoulders, easily able to visualize the strong, toned muscles under her hands as she caressed them lightly, enjoying the feeling of
his hard flesh against hers.

She then slid her hands lower, raking her nails across his chest, eliciting a moan from deep in his throat. She nearly moaned herself as she raked one nail over his small male nipple, delighting in his gasp as she felt it harden as his hips pushed up into hers.

~~ Like that, do you? ~~

His response was the tightening of hands on her hips, drawing her against his rock hard desire.

~~~ Please Aura, touch me. I need to feel your hands on me. ~~~

Whimpering at the desire in his thought, she let her hands roam across his stomach, stroking the soft skin and dipping her finger into his belly button.
She sighed as she heard a tortured moan echo in her head.

Taking a deep breath, she finally slid her hands lower, slipping them easily beneath the elastic at his waist.

She could feel his body tighten and hear his sharp gasp reverberate in her mind as she cupped him in her palm. She began to stroke him slowly, enjoying the feel of his warm flesh beneath her palm.

She gasped, feeling his hips arch against her hands faster and faster, as he grew harder with each thrust.

~~~ Yes love. Just like that. Gods you feel wonderful! ~~~

Her desire grew as she felt his body tense beneath hers. She increased her pace, as he shuddered against her.

She gasped as she suddenly felt him pull her hands away and with a quick move, rolled her onto her back.

~~~ Enough! I need to be inside you now Aura. ~~~

She moaned, barely capable of mustering a reply as she felt his hardness pressed against her center.

~~ Now. Inside me. I want you Obi-Wan. ~~

Her mental cry echoed his as he finally thrust home.

Aura felt her world stop as she felt him pulsing inside her, filling her completely.

Nothing had ever felt this good.

Nothing had ever felt this right.

But she needed more.

~~ More. Please. ~~

With that thought, she felt him begin to move. Slow and gentle at first, letting her get used to the feel of him inside her.

Moaning, she arched against him, hearing his guttural cry as he began to thrust harder, his hands clamped on her hips, pulling her tightly to him.

Aura let herself go, feeling nothing but the incredible sensation of him inside her.

~~~ Open your eyes. Look at me. See me taking you. ~~~

She was powerless to resist his mental command.

With a Herculean effort, she dragged her heavy lids open, her breath catching as she found herself gazing into his blazing bluish-green eyes.

She didn't even stop to wonder how it could be possible.

She simply felt.

And in feeling, lost herself in his penetrating gaze.

~~~ Let go love. Let me feel you around me. Let go. Let me in. ~~~

His sensual words wrapped tightly around her as she felt everything come together in one crystal clear moment.

She gasped as he suddenly switched the angle of his thrusts, hitting that one spot inside her guaranteed to send her soaring over the edge.

She screamed as the waves of ecstasy crashed over her, his mind wrapped tightly around hers, letting her feel and experience his passion as well as
her own.

It was the most incredible experience of her life.

She heard Obi-Wan's hoarse shout of her name echo through her mind as he tensed, then released himself into her willing body as he fully released his thoughts into her mind.

The passionate desire flooding her mind and body stole her breath and her voice.

All she could do was feel.

For the moment, it was more than enough.

For endless moments, she clenched her muscles around him, reveling in the feel of his body hard on hers as he shuddered with his own release. When she finally felt his tremors stop, she pulled him down to her, kissing him gently on the lips as he pulled away to roll to her side, wrapping her in his arms.

She knew she'd never felt anything more perfect in her life.

Even if it had only been in her mind.

She gasped as her eyes suddenly fluttered open, realizing she was lying sprawled across her very lonely bed.

Very naked.

Very satisfied.

Very sated.

But still alone.

She felt a sudden sense of sadness mix with her contentment as she realized it had only been a dream.

He hadn't really been here with her, touching her, loving her.

~~~ But I was love. Look inside yourself, you know I was with you. I will always be with you. ~~~

She sighed as his soft words swept over her tired body, relaxing back into the strong phantom arms that closed tightly around her.

Anything that felt this real couldn't possibly be a dream.

~~~ It isn't. Believe me love, it isn't. Now rest. I won't leave you. ~~~

The feeling of warmth and security surrounding her was all encompassing.

And she was so deliciously tired.

~~~ Sleep love. I'm here. Sleep. ~~~

~~ Don't leave me. ~~

~~~ I won't. I promise. Sleep. ~~~

His drowsy voice whispered across her mind as she snuggled against him, letting her head fall to rest lightly against his chest, feeling the steady
beat of his heart against her cheek.

If it was only in her mind, she was damn well going to savor it.

Feeling content for the first time in days, she let herself fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, wrapped safe and secure in his arms.
************

~~~~~~~~~

Aura moaned as the alarm went off, it's incessant beeping drawing her out of the loveliest dream.

She stretched, smiling as she felt her muscles protest, her body still feeling the after effects of a long night of lovemaking.

Her eyes shot open at the thought.

She hadn't dreamed it, had she?

Her sore muscles seemed to prove it had been real, but then again, it had all been in her mind, hadn't it?

She closed her eyes, whimpering as she remembered the feel of Obi-Wan, pounding into her body, bringing her to a peak she'd never known before.

How had he made it feel so real? So wonderful?

What happened now?

She sighed, feeling a tremor of apprehension as she realized she had no idea what to say or how to act around him today.

Not that she'd be around him for long, his ship was leaving within the next few hours.

The ache in her chest grew as she suddenly realized how much she'd miss him.

Miss his smile.

Miss his compassion.

Miss the way he could tease her to infuriation, then soothe her with a look.

Miss the way he could make her scream his name as she gave all her inhibitions over to him.

Miss any chance they could have of actually physically engaging in the lustful activities their minds had so recently indulged in.

She blushed as she remembered his whispered words and caresses, all designed to make her forget herself, and any control she might have had.

He'd succeeded beyond her wildest expectations.

And it had all been done mentally.

Which, in a way, solved the problems associated with having a professional relationship.

After all, it wasn't like they'd physically slept together. They'd acted out their passions mentally.

She could live with that, professionally.

But personally, she wanted nothing more than to track him down this morning and proceed to see if he was as mind blowing physically as he was mentally.

The soft knock on her door startled her into moving. Wincing at the tenderness between her legs, she reached for the nightshirt lying on the
floor, slipping it over her head and padding to the door.

She opened it to find a smiling young woman, carrying a tray of food.

"Ms. Preston? The General sent this for you. He said you'd be needing something nourishing and restoring before starting the day," the woman
offered with a smile.

Aura fought down a blush as she took the tray, thanking the woman as she closed the door.

Setting the tray down on the small table next to the bed, she smiled to see a full breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and a steaming carafe of coffee.

Her stomach rumbled as the delicious odors wafted to her nose, reminding her that she had worked up quite an appetite the night before.

She couldn't help but smile at the fact Obi-Wan was thinking of her.

He was certainly feeding all her appetites.

The smile faded as she looked at the clock, realizing she had only a half an hour to eat and get ready before she and Doug were scheduled to leave.

She sighed as she made quick work of the food, then headed for the refresher, wondering how she was going to face him this morning.

As she stood fixing her hair several minutes later, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd even mention last night. After all, his mind would certainly
be occupied with the last minute preparations for his departure.

A hollow feeling settled in her stomach as she looked in the mirror.

Could she face him and pretend nothing had happened?

But more importantly, could she forget him?

The thought brought tears to her eyes.

She might only have known him for a week, but she knew she didn't want to say good-bye to him. She wanted to explore where whatever it was they had together was going.

After this interview was done.

When they weren't bound by professionalism and ethics.

When they were just a man and a woman, attracted to each other, wanting to learn more about each other.

As she looked long and hard at herself in the mirror, she admitted the one thing she'd been trying to ignore since she'd met his eyes across that
conference room.

She was falling in love with him.

No matter how foolish, how stupid, how absolutely insane it might seem to fall for someone you'd known less than a week, she'd gone and done it.

Oh Gods.

What did she do now?

More importantly, how did Obi-Wan feel about everything?

He'd certainly seemed interested in pursuing something last night. And he had opened up to her about his past, told her things she knew he hadn't told anyone else.

Not to mention the mind blowing mental sex.

* I will be with you always. *

His words echoed in her head.

Had he meant them?

She sighed as a soft knock on her door brought her back to the present. Shoving down her see-sawing emotions, she took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face as she slid the door open.

Her breath caught as she found herself staring into the most beautiful pair of bluish-green eyes she'd ever seen.

"May I come in?"

She swallowed hard and nodded, unsure what to say now that the moment had arrived.

Obi-Wan strode into the room, turning to look at her as the door slid shut.

Aura's heart started pounding as she watched his eyes sweep over her body, lingering here and there, the heat in those orbs growing.

She swallowed as she met his gaze full on, giving him her own once over, letting him see the heat in her eyes as well.

For what seemed like hours, they simply stared at each other, neither saying a word.

Finally, Aura felt nerves get the best of her, knowing she had to say something.

"So, are you ready to ship out?"

She cursed herself for saying something so mundane, surprised when Obi-Wan nodded.

"I think most things are taken care of. But there are a few things I'd like to resolve before you go," he stated seriously.

She fought down the dread creeping through her system as she watched his eyes turn slightly darker. She just knew this was going to be something she didn't want to hear.

"For instance, last night," he began, only to stop as she cut him off, unwilling to let him say the words she didn't want to hear. Better she get
them out before him.

"I understand. We simply got caught up in the heat of the moment. We both revealed some emotional things to each other, and the fallout was inevitable. I know you have a job to do, a job that takes you to the ends of the galaxy regularly. I don't expect anything, even after last night," she whispered, heart aching at the words.

When he remained silent, she finally mustered the courage to look up at him, wondering what he was thinking.

"Did last night mean so little to you then?" he asked in a solemn whisper.

How she wanted to play it off as the 'heat of the moment' reaction!

Especially since she knew he didn't, couldn't want any relationship from her. He was a Jedi, a General, and the welfare of the people came before his personal life.

But the seriousness of his question, and the burning desire she read in his eyes as he waited for her response left her no other choice than to tell the
truth.

"Last night meant everything to me. I've never felt that way before, and I know I never will again," she whispered, letting her gaze fall, unable to
look him in the eye.

She jumped as she suddenly felt warm fingers lifting her chin.

For a moment, she was sure they were phantom fingers, until she looked directly up into Obi-Wan's eyes.

"Last night was incredible. I shall never forget the way you came apart underneath me, nor the sound of your voice, crying out my name in ecstasy,"
he whispered, his breath brushing across her skin, sending a wave of goose bumps down her arm.

"Either will I," she managed to whisper, unable to draw away from his gaze.For several minutes, they stayed that way, close enough to touch, but keeping that slight barrier of distance to maintain some semblance of control.

"What do you want Aura?" he whispered softly, leaning in to whisper the words across her ear, still not touching her.

She shuddered, trying to form a sentence despite the desire racing through her body. As she debated what to say, she finally opted for the easiest out.

Honesty.

What did she have to lose?

"I want more time to get to know you, to figure you out, to get to know the innermost workings of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi, the General and most
importantly, the man," she whispered, feeling him sigh against her ear.

He pulled back slightly, so he was gazing directly into her eyes.

"I want that too. More than you could ever imagine. But the dangers that knowledge brings, the dangers a relationship brings," he whispered, his eyes
going unfocused again, the fear in his voice evident.

Aura sensed there was more to this than he was telling her.

"What dangers? You mean to our careers? After I'm done with this piece, we'll be free to get to know each other better, no professional ethics since I won't be interviewing you," she began, only to hear him sigh and lean his forehead against hers.

She sighed, closing her eyes at the contact of his skin on hers.

It was more incredible than she'd ever dreamed.

"There are grave dangers approaching the entire galaxy, dangers I may be helpless to prevent. Especially dangers to those I care for. They are at the
greatest risk, because they are my weaknesses, and weaknesses can be exploited and hurt," he whispered, sounding almost in agony.

Suddenly, a glimmer of comprehension struck Aura.

"This has to do with the Sith Lord, Darth Vader, doesn't it? The one who killed your Padawan," she murmured gently, feeling him withdraw to gaze
deeply into her eyes.

For a moment, she thought he'd deny her words, but the pain shining in his eyes told her she'd hit upon the truth.

"You're afraid he'll seek revenge on you, and those you love. That's why you're so worried about exploring any type of a relationship with me, or
anyone for that matter," she trailed off.

Suddenly, the reason for his 'reclusive' reputation was clear.

"He is truly evil Aura, so evil it sickens me. The things he has already done to family and friends, not to mention millions of others across the galaxy,"
he whispered, turning and striding away from her, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Aura felt her heart ache for him, sensing he was being torn apart by his fears and emotions.

"I understand your fears, but you can't let them rule you. As a Jedi, you should know that. As you told me last night, that fear can be turned against
you," she whispered softly, staying where she was, sensing he needed to process this on his own.

"I have failed so many people Aura. While I know I've saved thousands more lives, I can't help but think the ones I've lost could undo all the good I've ever tried to do. And the thought of losing any more people I care about, people I love, it's too hard to bear," he whispered, the agony in his voice breaking Aura's heart.

She remained silent a few moments, trying to figure out the right words to
say.

Finally, realizing there were none, she moved towards him, stopping a hairsbreadth away from his rigid back. Reaching out one hand, she placed it
gently on his shoulder, squeezing lightly, letting him know she was there if he needed her.

She wanted to understand, in fact, part of her did understand his reservations.

Another part wanted to tell him to wake up and realize she could take care of herself.

She started when one of his hands suddenly reached up to cover hers, his grip tightening as a sigh wracked his body.

"I know you can take care of yourself, but against Vader, I fear you wouldn't stand a chance. I don't know if even I would," he whispered.

Aura felt a strange sensation sweep over her. Almost as if someone had walked over her grave.

Or his.

"You never know until you try. And lord willing, neither of us will have to," she replied, hoping her words penetrated his defenses.

"But I can't guarantee you that. If we were to get involved in a relationship, if it were to become common knowledge how much I care for you,"
he whispered softly, still unable to face her.

Aura swallowed, barely comprehending anything but his last words.

"I care for you too Obi-Wan, more than I ever have for anyone," she whispered, pressing her hand against his where it rested on his shoulder.

With a slow move, Obi-Wan turned, never letting go of her hand. She caught her breath as he pulled her close to him, staring deeply into her eyes. His own were ablaze with a passion that took her breath away.

"Gods, what are you doing to me Aura?" he whispered, unable to stop his fingers from cupping her face, gently stroking her cheeks as his breath
wafted across her lips.

Aura fought for words as she felt herself getting lost in those beautiful eyes.

"I don't know. But you're doing the same thing to me. And I want more," she managed, knowing she was laying it all on the line, but unable to lie to him.

Obi-Wan groaned as he rested his forehead against hers.

Aura shuddered as his breath became shorter as his hands continued to stroke along her cheeks and chin.

"It is too dangerous. I won't let you put yourself into such a dangerous position. Already by association with me, you are at risk," he whispered, his
lips breathing the words across her forehead, sending shivers down her spine.

She sighed as she tried to form a reply.

"I work in a dangerous business. Every story we do on the underworld or against a politician or a Senator for that matter puts us at risk. I'm used
to dealing with it. I'll be careful. We'll be careful," she whispered, amazed to find herself so determined to get him to agree with her.

He smiled against her forehead, his hands reaching to cup her neck, drawing her gaze to his.

"You are so incredibly optimistic it's scary. And dangerous. I worry about you," he whispered, leaning in even closer, just barely touching her lips
with his.

"Don't worry about me. It will be all right. Just say we can explore whatever it is we've got here. Because I don't want to give it, or you up. Not even if it means I have to be extra careful going home at night," she breathed, giving into temptation and letting her arms wrap around his neck.

His low moan vibrated against her skin.

"How am I supposed to resist you?" he whispered, inching even closer to her lips.

"Don't even try," she breathed back, closing the final gap and bringing her lips to his.

With a moan, she let herself dissolve into a puddle of warm goo as his lips moved frantically over hers, pouring all the pent up passion into this one,
incredible kiss.

She knew a kiss was as far as it could go between them, at least for the moment.

So she might as well make the most of the moment.

Moaning low in her throat, she tightened her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as her tongue stroked his. She shuddered as his hands ran up and down her back, pulling her tightly against him.

For what seemed like hours, they remained locked in that kiss.

Finally, desperately needing to breathe, they pulled apart, arms still holding each other tightly, gazes locked.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?" Obi-Wan whispered as he again leaned his forehead against hers.

"Probably about the same amount of time I have," she replied breathlessly, still shaking from the power of his kiss.

"Gods, I wish we had more time," he whispered against her hair as he pulled her tightly into his arms.

"When are you coming back?" Aura whispered against his throat, reveling in the feel of being in his arms at last.

"I don't know. It could be weeks, even months, one never can tell with these missions," he replied with a sigh.

"I'll be here. If you want me to be," she answered, feeling her heart stop as she waited for his reply.

She knew she'd just taken a huge risk, but she'd go insane if she didn't get things straight between them.

She needed to know if he wanted to see this thing through to the end.

She caught her breath as Obi-Wan pulled back to meet her gaze. Cupping her cheek, he kissed her gently, letting her feel all his conflicted emotions.

"I want you to be here," he replied when he finally pulled back.

She saw by the look in his eyes that he meant it.

Her heart suddenly started beating again.

She sighed in contentment as he pulled her to him again, burying his head in her hair and breathing her in.

She wrapped her arms around his back, holding him tightly, never wanting to let him go.

Obi-Wan suddenly tensed against her as his comlink sputtered to life.

Pulling away from her, he muttered a terse reply to whomever had called him, then turned back to her.

"I must go," he whispered, trying to convey with his eyes everything they hadn't been able to say.

Aura let her eyes reflect the same emotions sweeping through her.

"I'll walk you out," she replied, getting a smile in reply.

Taking a deep breath, she followed him to the door, heart aching at knowing he was leaving her, but rejoicing that he would come back. She gasped in surprise as he suddenly whirled around and pulled her into his arms as they reached the door.

She felt her knees weaken and sagged against him as he again kissed her passionately.

When he finally pulled away, he cupped her cheeks, looking deep into her eyes.

"It won't be easy. And I won't blame you if you aren't waiting when I get back," he began, but she cut him off by placing a finger against his lips.

"I'll be waiting. Just make sure you come back to me," she whispered, smiling as his eyes sparked with desire and something else.

"I promise Aura. I will return. And then, I will truly show you all I couldn't last night," he replied, a sparkle in his eyes.

"I can't wait," she breathed, sighing as he pulled her into one more frantic
kiss.

Finally parting, Obi-Wan reached out to straighten her hair.

Remaining silent, he opened the door and proceeded her from the room.

Aura walked by his side, simply content to bask in his presence, not knowing when she'd feel it again.

As they reached the ramp that led down to the docking bay, Aura noted Doug and several other staff members waving to her cheerfully. She fought down the impending sadness she could feel at knowing the moment of good-bye had arrived.

Turning to look into Obi-Wan's eyes, she held out her hand.

"Thank you so much General Kenobi. I will make sure you get a copy of the piece. I think it's going to turn out very well," she managed, glad to note
her voice was cool and proper.

Her eyes however told a different story.

"It was my pleasure. I hope to see you again," he replied formally, his eyes sending her a totally different message.

~~~ Be safe. Be careful. I can't stress that enough. ~~~

Aura smiled at the words in her mind.

~~ You too. Don't take any stupid chances while trying to be a hero. ~~

He smiled into her eyes.

~~~ Think of me often. And of what I will do to you when I return. ~~~

She fought down a blush at his words, hearing Doug calling her name.

~~ And what I will do to you. ~~

His eyes flashed as she felt a gentle brush of fingers across her cheeks.

~~~ May the Force be with you Aura. ~~~

~~ And with you Obi-Wan. ~~

Smiling, he sent her a mental kiss as she took a deep breath and walked away from him, determined to keep her emotions in check.

As she reached Doug, she heard the ramp slowly rising. Turning, she caught one final look from the General's eyes before the ramp hid him from view.

Her heart felt a sudden ache as she realized she might never see him again.

~~~ You will. I will be with you always Aura. Always. ~~~

She smiled as she fought down a lump in her throat, hoping Doug didn't notice her watery eyes.

~~ As I will be with you Obi-Wan. Always. ~~

She felt another kiss brushed against her lips, along with a tingle as he sent some serious mental stimulation surging through her body.

Sending him her own mental kiss, she stepped back, watching quietly as the huge ship levitated, turned, then slowly moved out of the hangar. She watched the ship slowly gain speed, becoming smaller and smaller as it disappeared into the skies above.

She knew her heart went with the man in command of it.

"Aura, hey Aura, you ready?"

Doug's voice jolted her from her mental thoughts. She turned, forcing back the tears and giving her photographer a smile.

"I'm coming," she replied, following him back towards the news van, his words echoing in her mind.

~~~ I will be with you always. ~~~

She smiled as she let the mental caress linger in her mind, knowing her General would return to her.

It was definitely something to look forward to.

 

SaraC

 

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