“So what brings you in, Padawan Kenobi?” Ana-Rynn asked, finding her
patient trying to look bored as he sat in a chair. The question was a
mere formality. Her well-honed healer senses detected the pain in his
right arm and abdomen before he even entered the room.

“Oh, it´s nothing really. Just a couple of minor burns from a practice
session.”

She smiled. Young warriors – actually, all warriors – liked to pretend
most hardships were nothing really. “I see. But I will need to
actually examine them in order to heal them.”

He nodded and sat on the exam table.

Ana-Rynn raised an eyebrow at him. “Um.… Padawan, you will need to
remove your tunics in order for me to see your injuries.”

Obi-Wan nervously cleared his throat. “Of course.”

She forced back the smile at his obvious anxiety. “I will be back in a
moment.” She turned, walked out of the room, and wandered down the hall
a bit. The young male padawans tended to get this way when they hit a
certain age…a bit awkward and insecure around an older woman, although
the notion that she was old struck her as rather humorous. Of course,
at his age, Ana-Rynn would have thought of someone her age as old,
too….or at least…older. And any woman younger than their own master
made these young men rather nervous.

“All set?” she asked as she re-entered the room. Obi-Wan didn´t respond
as her eyes performed a cursory exam over his bare arms and chest. His
frame was slender but solid, his muscles more clearly defined than many
padawans his age, or older for that matter. “Well, this looks a little
more serious than nothing,” she said as her gaze landed on the angry
burn on his arm. His muscles flinched slightly as her fingers gingerly
touched the skin around the injury. Another injury shouted out to her
as she established a healing bond with him. She looked down to see the
welt on his stomach. “What happened here?”

“Nothing,” Obi-Wan said.

These young men were always a wealth of information. “Lie back,
please.” He hesitantly complied, and she placed her hand above the
bruise that was beginning to form on his stomach. Suddenly she saw his
opponent – a rather notorious padawan – landing a swift kick to
Obi-Wan´s stomach. “Hmm,” she said. “Looks like somebody cheated.”

Obi-Wan simply stared at the ceiling and remained tight-lipped, as they
all did in these situations.

Ana-Rynn placed her other hand underneath the injury and examined the
area below the skin´s surface for any internal damage. His muscles
tremored slightly under her hand, and she was suddenly flooded with his
anxiety….how he wished she hadn´t been working…how he had offered to
wait for Master Sarlin…how he had asked the assisting padawan on duty
not to call her from her office. She re-focused to check for bleeding
or tissue damage, trying to make the process as quick as possible in
order to spare him any further discomfort. She could only imagine how
she would have felt at his age if the healers she visited had been
anything but non-compatible species.

“Well, it appears that the injury is not too serious,” she said,
removing her hands quickly. She tried to be very cognizant of not
embarrassing her patient by causing a reaction that was perfectly
understandable given his age and hormone levels.

“That is good to hear,” he responded, still focusing on the ceiling
tiles.

For a moment she was flattered as she felt him try so hard to keep his
burgeoning desire in check. Men her own age certainly didn´t respond so
quickly to a mere touch of her hand. Then she tucked her foolish pride
away and reminded herself how much older she must seem to him. His
young body was quick to respond to physical stimulus. It was as simple
as that. And this certainly wasn´t the first time this had happened
with a male patient, although she could see why the young female
padawans were so enamored with this one.

“So may I go now?” he asked.

“Not yet,” she said. “The injuries are not serious, but I would like to
clean them up a bit.” She bit down a smile as he took a deep breath.
“I will have Padawan Nevlin take care of that. I assure you, he is
well-skilled in treating these types of injuries.”

“Thank you,” he said, the sound of relief in his voice.

“But I would like you to return tomorrow for a follow-up. Just to be
certain your internal organs are unharmed. I sense no damage, but I
want to be sure. If you experience any unusual discomfort at all, I
want you to return immediately,” she said.

“I will,” Obi-Wan said. “But I am sure everything is fine.”

“Yes. Nevertheless, I will see you tomorrow.” Ana-Rynn turned and
walked out of the room, smiling softly to herself as she felt his hope
that she would somehow be detained tomorrow afternoon.

~*~

Obi-Wan sighed as the warm water massaged his head. He closed his eyes
and relaxed as the water planed down the smooth lines of his stomach and
back. His injuries were little more than minor irritations at this
point. Suddenly, he was re-visited by the sensation of Ana-Rynn´s
fingers skating lightly around his stomach…and the amount of energy he
expended to force his arousal from showing. But here, alone in the
shower, he allowed his control to unwind and felt the ache grow
heavier. In his mind´s eye, he was laying on that table again with her
standing over him. She was gentle…comely…most of all, intimidating.
And he felt like a fool. After all, he was only a padawan…nothing more
than a boy to her. In spite of that, he couldn´t help but wonder…if he
were older, would she be interested…. What would she want….

“Experience,” he snorted quietly, feeling like an idiot yet again. He
opened his eyes and looked down at his eager erection. ::Oh, that´s
it:: he thought sarcastically. ::Just walk in there like this
tomorrow. That will impress her.:: He spit water out of his face and
went about the business of his shower, grabbing the soap and lathering
up his arms.

Hard as he tried to keep his mind focused on the act of cleanliness, his
thoughts wandered to her again. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine
her in a different light…smiling at him, her hair falling down around
her shoulders….he being more mature, more charming….

He mindlessly set the soap down and rubbed the lather over his taught
stomach as he went back to his daydream. Her laughing at his jokes…her
face lighting up like it did for no other when he entered the room…her
watching him during exhibition tournaments, impressed with his older,
stronger self…and he feeling her desire for him, relishing in it, as he
easily wins every round…and certainly no kicks in the gut from smirking
opponents. Her waiting for him later that night…in the garden beyond
the grove of wilcor trees. Without saying a word, she lays down on the
grass before him, the thin fabric of her dress rippling over her body as
a light breeze brushes over her skin. He lowers himself on top of
her…their suddenly naked bodies pressing together…her skin warm and
soft…her body fully reclining…submitting….

Obi-Wan gasped as his fingers lightly encircled his erection. What
would it feel like…being inside her…. He closed his eyes tightly as he
imagined her warmth, his fist tightening around his cock and slowly
stroking his length as he gulped hard to keep the whimpers from echoing
off the shower walls. He imagined what her skin would taste like as his
mouth ravished her breasts…her legs wrapping tightly around him as he
slid into her…her soft moans and pleas…a fantasy based on minimal
experience and an abundance of imagination.

He tried to muffle the insistent moans that rose out of his lungs as he
stroked himself faster, his hips pressing forward to follow the rhythm
of his hand, the muscles in his arm tightening as he created lucid
musings on the wet tightness of her body. He spread his feet a little
farther apart as his body turned, his back leaning against the shower
wall for support as he suddenly imagined himself back on the exam
table…with her on top of him, straddling his body and sliding his cock
inside her. His back arched away from the wall, repeated groans
spilling out of him as his soapy, slippery hand stroked his wet shaft
faster and tighter.

His legs began to shake as they tightened in response to his rising
pleasure, his firm buttocks squeezing as his hips frantically pulsed
forward. His mouth dropped open as he felt the coil about to snap. He
quickly turned again to face the wall, his free arm holding his balance
as he imagined her there with him…gripping desperately at his body as he
fucks her against the wall. He choked down a shout as his orgasm
suddenly flared uncontrollably, hot liquid gushing out onto his hand,
the delicious spasms wracking his body.

His lungs heaved as he fell forward, dropping his head against his
forearm as he still braced himself against the wall, sweat mixing with
the water that continued to cascade down on him. He slowly opened his
droopy eyelids as reality filtered back to him, a reality in which
Qui-Gon will lecture him for dawdling when he should be studying.

~*~

Ana-Rynn gasped as she was startled out of her meditation. Her breath
hitched again as she discovered the source of the disturbance. “Shame
on you,” she said softly to herself as she realized that while wallowing
in her pride earlier, she did not effectively sever her healing bond
with Obi-Wan. Somewhat annoyed with herself for the ridiculous
oversight, and for the consequent inappropriate invasion of his privacy,
she closed her eyes and released the bond…but not before allowing her
ego to momentarily enjoy this young man´s infatuation.

~*~

“These look very well,” Ana-Rynn said to Obi-Wan as he laid on the exam
table again the following afternoon. The burn on his arm was barely
detectable, and the injury on his stomach was only marked by a faint
purple tinge. “Any cramping or pain?” she asked as she lightly pressed
the area.

“No,” he said.

As she pressed on the spot where his skin was most discolored, he gasped
slightly. “And what is this?” she asked as she sensed his discomfort.

“Just a little tender,” he said.

“Hmmm….” Ana-Rynn laid the palm of her right hand over the bruise, the
tips of her fingers pointing toward his navel, her thumb resting against
the waistline of his pants. His skin beneath her hand began to warm as
she sent healing energy to repair the damage to the capillaries and
underlying tissue. As her energy flowed into him, she picked up the
edges of his nervousness. “This should just take a few minutes,” she
said. “I am surprised Padawan Nevlin didn´t take care of this
yesterday.”

“That´s alright. I was a rather impatient…patient,” Obi-Wan said with a
hesitant grin.

“I understand. No one wants to stay at the clinic any longer than
necessary. I can certainly think of better company than a bunch of
killjoy healers,” she joked with a gentle smile.

Obi-Wan´s eyes opened wider, “Oh, I didn´t mean…. I….”

“That´s alright, Padawan,” she said with a light chuckle, “I know what
you meant.” Without thinking, she patted his thigh with her left hand.
It was a reflexive gesture…one of reassurance and comfort. But it had
just the opposite effect. As she continued to heal his injury, she felt
an electric tremor shoot from the pit of his stomach to the edge of her
shoulder. Quickly, but without a fuss, she removed her hand from his
thigh and hid it behind her back. But as she tried to focus on his
injury, she was keenly aware of the mad rush of blood to his groin.
Normally such an occurrence would be purely incidental…a barely
noticeable sidebar in the realm of her perceptions. But due to her slip
up the day before, she was well aware that his reaction was a little
more personal and not just a sensory response. In a split second she
made a decision in order to avoid a truly awkward situation and removed
her hand from his stomach.

“We are finished then?” he asked the moment her hand receded.

“Just about,” she said. It would have been simple to completely heal
his injury and eliminate the swelling, but given the minor nature of it,
ceasing the process seemed to be the most prudent action. “I am going
to give you some xansor oil to-“

“We already have some, “ he spit out.

She nodded slightly. “Well, I am going to give you a small vial
anyway.” She turned to the small cabinet on the wall. “It doesn´t have
a very long shelf life and is rather sensitive to temperature changes.”
She grabbed a small, brown glass bottle from the shelf and turned to him
again to find him already standing up and reaching for his tunic. She
stood directly in front of him, much more aware of his height than she
was before, the increasing heat of his aura palpable even from an arm´s
length away. She held the vial up in front of his face. “I want you to
apply this twice a day until the injury is completely healed.” He
nodded and took the tiny bottle from her hand. She looked into his
eyes…the pupils a darker shade of green now. “Any questions?”

“No,” he said, his voice muffled by the tunic that he swiftly pulled
over his head.

“Very well,” she said and then added her token, “Please return
immediately if you have any problems.” She gave him a brief smile and
then exited the room, leaving him to finish getting dressed.

~*~

Later that evening, after a thankfully uninterrupted meditation,
Ana-Rynn sat quietly in her small bedroom, not feeling quite ready to go
to sleep…but not sure what to do instead. Although her meditation
centered her, she felt a slight restlessness in her body. Her mind was
calm and clear, but her body needed to move. So she stood…and then sat
back down again. Suddenly the words echoed in her head, seeming to have
spontaneously emerged from her subconscious: “You want him, too.” This
incident was not unusual, she had discussions with herself all the
time….but the words themselves threw her off guard.

She stood again and walked into the bathroom, turning on the light, and
positioning herself in front of the mirror. She looked herself in the
eye and said, “He is a boy.” The words sounded empty, though. He was
powerful, a skilled warrior, strong in the Force beyond his years, his
body fully formed, his face angled to its permanent visage. Hardly a
boy. Despite the fact that his life was somewhat sheltered by an
over-protective Master, he was most definitely a man. A young man,
perhaps…and certainly younger than her…but calling him a boy was an easy
way to circumvent the truth.

Ana-Rynn gave her reflection a smirk. “You should play with boys your
own age,” she said. The irony was not lost on her that most men her age
had trouble keeping their eyes - and hands - off younger female
padawans. Such matters were rarely given a second thought. But she was
also well aware of her own opinions regarding these relationships. She
shook her head in frustration. “This is ridiculous.” She switched off
the bathroom light and walked back into the bedroom. She stood there
for a few moments and stared at her bed, knowing full well that she
would be unable to sleep.

She changed out of her sleep clothes into a long-sleeved gown and soft,
flat shoes, her one and only allowable casual outfit within the Temple
walls. She then exited her quarters and decided on a walk in the garden
to clear her head.

The quiet night air was a relief to her busy mind. She wandered a
winding path through a fragrant patch of blooming flowers and then
entered a maze of tall bushes, disappearing…if only for a few minutes.
Her mind wandered off…so much so that she didn´t have any premonition
that she was about to run into-

“Oh, excuse me,” she said, rather startled as a broad, robed chest
suddenly filled her field of vision as she turned a blind corner. She
looked up at the face. “Master Jinn. Good evening.”

“Good evening,” he said. “I didn´t mean to surprise you.”

“That´s alright,” she said as she smiled. “Too much daydreaming, I
suppose.”

His eyes squinted with amusement. “You mean we didn´t beat that out of
you as a padawan?”

Ana-Rynn chuckled softly, “No, I´m afraid not.” She took a step back.
“Well, I will be on my way.”

“Before you go,” Qui-Gon said, “I was wondering if I may have a word
with you.”

“Certainly,” she said, looking around. “Shall we sit?” she asked,
gesturing to a long bench.

“Please,” he said, motioning for her to walk ahead of him.

“How can I be of help?” she asked as they sat down.

His large frame descended next to her. “I think you know what this is
about.”

“Pardon me?”

Qui-Gon´s eyes fixed to hers. “This is about my padawan.”

“Ah, of course,” she said. “Well, he seems to be doing very well. His
injuries were not very serious, although I am concerned about the cause
of them. He is not the first padawan I have seen who has been attacked
in practice sessions in a such a manner.”

Qui-Gon folded his arms and just looked at her.

“I´m sorry, Master Jinn, I should not be questioning your methods for
training your padawan. I was out of line. My apologies,” she said.

Qui-Gon raised his hand, resting his fingers against his chin. “As a
healer, I most certainly value your input. I was not pleased with what
occurred during that session, and if it is happening with great
frequency, this is something that I need to know. However….” His eyes
narrowed in on her, but he made no attempt to read your thoughts. “That
is not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

Qui-Gon let out a quiet sigh and then smiled. “Let´s cut right to the
chase, shall we?”

Ana-Rynn´s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “By all means,” she said
slowly.

“I am aware of your relationship with Obi-Wan.”

“What??”

Qui-Gon´s hand moved from his chin to mid-air. “Now don´t be angry. He
has not told me about this, but let´s just say that he has been
broadcasting very loudly about it.”

“Broadcasting? Master Jinn, I do not understand.”

Qui-Gon´s shoulders straightened. “I am not a man to pry, mind you.
Obi-Wan is obviously quite taken with you. I do not object to this
relationship in principle. In fact, I think it is a good thing. It is
no secret that I have kept him on something of a short leash given
my…past experience. And between the frequency of our missions and his
lessons, he has very little time for socializing. I admit, I worried
that he was living a bit more sheltered than I ever did…. I am happy to
see that he has chosen someone like you to…share himself with. And the
gods know that at your age, I fancied more than one female padawan.
However, the problem is that Obi-Wan seems to be somewhat distracted by
his relationship with you. Not that it isn´t perfectly
understandable…. But…I just….” Qui-Gon chuckled almost nervously and
then continued his rapid fire soliloquy, “As his Master, I believe it is
well within my place to look out for Obi-Wan´s well-being and to express
my wishes to you that you consider the seriousness of his feelings for
you as more than a merely casual endeavor. And also that by being more
open about this relationship, perhaps Obi-Wan won´t be quite so
distracted and feel the need to hide it from me. I cannot imagine when
he finds the time to see you, and if it is the case that he is sneaking
out in the middle of the night, I would prefer that it not continue in
that manner. What I am trying to say, as if I haven´t said enough, is
that I approve of this relationship so long as it does not interfere
with his training.” Qui-Gon finally stopped and took a deep breath,
looking to her for a response.

Ana-Rynn stared back at him. Perfectly stunned and completely
speechless. She felt the heat in her cheeks and the tremor in her
hands. What most surprised her was that she felt guilty without having
actually done anything. “Master Jinn,” she said, enunciating each
syllable, “I can assure you without a doubt that there is not, and never
has been, a relationship between myself and your padawan.” She allowed
the truth of her statement to seep out of her.

Qui-Gon looked at her with thorough shock, his mouth dropping slightly
open. Now he was speechless.

Ana-Rynn was a healer. Well-skilled in delicate matters. Once she
remembered this fact about herself, she spoke again. “Master Jinn, I am
aware of Obi-Wan´s…infatuation, let´s call it. Through the healing
process, I discovered this. It is perfectly natural, really, but I can
assure you that I am not inclined to act upon this information or take
advantage of him in any way.” And it sure sounded good when she said it
out loud.

Qui-Gon cleared his throat. “I…apologize…. I…assumed too much….”

She smiled. “It is alright. I understand. Obi-Wan is very fortunate
that you care so much.”

“It´s just that…he…. His thoughts are rather…vivid,” he said.

She cringed slightly at the inference. “He is a young man with active
hormones. I was privy to one of his…thoughts…during my meditation the
other night. But, again, I assure you it is pure fantasy. Flattering
as it might be, I have absolutely no interest in Obi-Wan,” she said
rather definitively.

Qui-Gon straightened up again and raised an eyebrow. “And what it wrong
with my padawan?”

Realizing she may have been a little too forceful in her declaration,
she began to back-pedal. “Oh, nothing is wrong with him. He is a very
well-mannered, attractive boy who-“

“He is hardly a boy,” Qui-Gon huffed. “Sheltered, perhaps, but no
longer a boy.”

“Well, young man, then,” she said. “I am sure he receives plenty of
attention from his fellow female padawans.”

“Yes, among others,” Qui-Gon said. “So I wonder why he is so
pre-occupied with you.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I haven´t the slightest idea.”

“And you have not given him any inclination of interest on your part?”

Ana-Rynn smiled at Qui-Gon´s fatherly behavior. “If you´re asking me if
I´ve led him on, the answer is no. Our relationship has been purely
professional - healer and patient. I have no interest in him.”

“Why?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you said yourself that he is attractive, well-mannered….”

“Master Jinn, are you trying to…set me up with your padawan?”

Without responding directly to her question, he continued, “And you,
yourself, are a well-mannered, attractive, intelligent, respectable
young woman-“

She casually rubbed her forehead. “Master Jinn, I admit that I am now
thoroughly confused. But what I do know is that your padawan is too
young for me.”

“You are hardly an old woman…as he is hardly a boy,” Qui-Gon said. “I
can think of a handful of knights who pursue padawans, and-“

“And they are all men,” she said.

“Don´t tell me that you subscribe to the old double-standard,” Qui-Gon
said.

What was going on here? “It is different for women. We can argue the
double-standard all we want, but it still exists,” she said.

“That is true,” he said. “But Obi-Wan is very mature for his age.”

She sighed, “He is not even twenty.”

“He is close,” Qui-Gon said, stretching reality a bit.

Ana-Rynn just gave him a sideways glance.

Qui-Gon looked at her with a curious gaze. “I would venture to guess
that there are not even 10 years between you and Obi-Wan.”

“And that is a lot. At his age, it is a lot,” she said.

“And I would also venture to guess that there are more than thirty years
between you and I. Hypothetically speaking, if you and I were in a
relationship, no one would think twice about it,” Qui-Gon said.

If he hadn´t been born a Jedi, he would most likely be selling
something, she thought as she shook her head. “Well, that is another
matter for argument. Master Jinn, why are you doing this?”

“I would simply hope that you wouldn´t write off Obi-Wan simply because
of something as trivial as your ages,” he said.

“It is not trivial. I am a much different person now than I was at
Obi-Wan´s age. He still has much growing up to do. I admit, I
understand why the younger women fancy him so. I also admit that even
five years from now, our age difference would not matter so much. But
at this point, it does.” Ana-Rynn took a breath and then continued,
somewhat hesitantly, “And I think that your padawan would be mortified
if he had the slightest notion we were having this conversation. I
remember having crushes on older knights…and masters, for that matter.
I can only imagine how I would have felt had my master gone to them and
discussed my infatuation.”

“I started this discussion because I was under the impression that you
were having a relationship with Obi-Wan. Had I known the truth, I would
not have mentioned it. I ask that you keep this confidential. I do not
wish to embarrass him,” he said.

“Of course,” she said.

“And please do not patronize him,” Qui-Gon said.

“I would never-“

“I hope not,” he said. “All I ask is that if you truly do not have
feelings for him, that you treat him with the same regard you would
expect of a man in your position. I remember being that age as well.
His feelings are very real even if they are unrequited.”

“I understand that,” she said. “I am not a cavalier woman.”

Qui-Gon gave her a soft smile. “I know. I did not mean to insinuate
otherwise.” He paused for a moment. “Sometimes I fear that I have been
too controlling with Obi-Wan. Now that he is becoming an adult - and
now that I am getting older - I think it is important for him to find
more enjoyment in life. I think about my life at his age….” Qui-Gon´s
face turned wistful…and then he smiled. “Good memories.”

“Have you shared them with him?” she asked.

“Perhaps now is not the best time,” he said.

“Why is that?” she asked. “He has the highest regard for you, and I
think he would be very touched if you shared your memories with him. It
may help him to feel better about his thoughts and feelings. And it may
encourage him to enjoy himself more, as you said.”

Qui-Gon´s eyes focused on hers again. “One of the most beautiful times
of my life was spent with a woman such as yourself. She was several
years older…many more years than you have on Obi-Wan. She taught me
many things, about love, about myself…. It was a precious time…an
experience neither she nor I ever regretted, even when it ended.”

Ana-Rynn felt the pleasant warmth of his recollections dancing in the
air between them. “Tell him.”

Qui-Gon smiled, his past softening his face. “Perhaps I shall.” He
stood. “I have kept you long enough. Good night.”

“Good night,” she said, remaining seated. She watched him walk away and
sat in silence, simply savoring Qui-Gon´s lingering nostalgia.

~*~

Ana-Rynn walked through the doorway of the large exhibition hall and
scanned the room quickly until she found her station. It was a larger
than normal crowd, which always made the higher-ups happy. These
monthly exhibitions were billed as training events, but in reality they
were the Temple´s opportunity to show off to the public…and for the
Masters to show off to each other and to the Council….and, of course,
for the padawans and knights to show off to members of the opposite
sex. She smiled softly at the large civilian female population in
attendance as proof of the allure of the Jedi.

She walked the perimeter of the large hall as she made her way to the
healer station. There were several different areas set up throughout
the room for different levels of competition. As usual, she was
assigned to observe the older padawans compete in light saber
tournaments. Inevitably, there were many injuries in that competition,
and she had proven to be able to heal saber burns with surprising
speed. Not that Ana-Rynn entirely approved of the Temple parading these
warriors around in front of a crowd who seemed to enjoy the scent of
singed flesh…but those were not her decisions to make.

She sat down in front of a large practice ring, her chair positioned
next to the referee. In addition to tending to injuries, she was also
responsible for monitoring the competitors, as they would not always
reveal any serious impairments. She looked down to switch on the small
data pad in her hand in case it was necessary to access anyone´s
records. As she was logging into the system, the referee announced the
match, his voice distorted as it blared over the speakers.

“Round two. Padawan Rikshar and Padawan Kenobi.”

Ana-Rynn´s head popped up immediately. Of course she knew she would
probably have to observe him, but it wasn´t an absolute certainty. She
watched him as he faced the referee, giving a quick glance to her, and
then bowing to the referee. She was relieved to sense no discomfort
coming from him. Only calm and focus.

A cheer rang out from a certain faction of the crowd as the light sabers
ignited. The signal was given, and the ring was nothing but a flash of
blue light…both padawans´ sabers different shades of that color. The
smell of ozone filled the air as the blades crackled and hissed. She
simply watched, keeping her mind out of the mix so as not to cause any
subtle shifts in either padawans´ performance. The match was close,
both men moving quickly and with equal precision….almost equal. A
buzzer sounded as Obi-Wan drove his opponent to the edge of the practice
ring, causing Padawan Rikshar´s heel to touch down on the penalty line.
Obi-Wan´s face remained non-plussed despite his victory…and despite the
squeals of approval from that certain faction of the crowd.

The two padawans bowed to each other and then to the referee. Obi-Wan
then walked in Ana-Rynn´s direction, and she was suddenly aware of his
panting breaths, his damp skin, his scent as he walked past and behind
her. She forced her mind not to linger on the perceptions, deeming them
inappropriate and completely unprofessional. But as her senses shifted
behind her body, she was aware of him standing a few feet away, talking
to Qui-Gon. She closed her eyes quickly, readjusting her focus, and
concentrated on the next match.

Three rounds later, Obi-Wan stood in the ring for the semi-final match.
His opponent was one Baret Nimbor – the very same padawan who caused
Obi-Wan´s previous injuries. Ana-Rynn watched Baret with a close eye…as
did the referee. Unfortunately, Baret had proven to be a skilled
warrior, and the padawan of an influential Master, causing the Council
to overlook some of his more nefarious behavior. His actions were
certainly not the makings of the Dark Side, but he was enough of a bully
to cause some alarm.

The match began with a flurry of movement, Obi-Wan´s blue blade in sharp
contrast to Baret´s red blade. They moved with breathtaking agility as
they attacked and defended with equal strength. The Force buzzed around
the two men as the other activity in the hall gradually fell silent as
all eyes watched their competition, collective gasps and sighs echoing
off the walls as each opponent narrowly avoided the boundaries of the
ring.

Ana-Rynn tried to keep cool control of her subjectivity, silently
rooting for Obi-Wan but making sure she didn´t send the vibration out of
her head. She also locked down the sudden perception of his leggings –
soaked with sweat – clinging to his thighs, her eyes following the
muscles up and up…she squeezed your eyes shut, banishing the thought.
::Young:: she thought. ::Young man. Young.::

Suddenly, in a split-second, Obi-Wan stepped slightly off-balance.
Baret took full advantage of the opening, Force-shoving Obi-Wan even
further off-balance. Obi-Wan´s stumble was barely detectable to the
untrained eye, but Baret was able to push him back enough to cause
Obi-Wan to step on the penalty line. Ana-Rynn felt Obi-Wan´s dismay
rolling off of him as the buzzer sounded. He lowered his saber as the
match was called. Suddenly, Baret brazenly slashed Obi-Wan´s shoulder
with his saber. A portion of the crowd vocalized their disapproval as
Obi-Wan dropped to his knees, grabbing his shoulder.

Qui-Gon rushed forward before Ana-Rynn was even out of her seat. She
could see from the large gash in his tunic that the burn was quite
extensive, and she rushed over to the edge of the ring as Qui-Gon helped
his padawan to his feet.

Ana-Rynn gingerly pulled open the torn fabric to examine the injury.

“It´s not bad,” Obi-Wan gasped.

She heard Qui-Gon huff as Baret was declared the winner of the
competition. Obi-Wan´s disappointment was palpable, but she blocked it
out in order to assess the damage as the smell of burning flesh
assaulted her senses. The gash in his skin was red and blistered from
the top of his left shoulder to his spine.

“Can you move your arm?” she asked.

Obi-Wan moved his left arm up, and she felt his sharp stab of pain as
his body flinched.

“We need to get you to the clinic,” she said.

“But I have qualified for the final round,” he said, gazing up at the
scoreboard.

“You cannot compete with this injury,” she said.

“I will be fine,” he protested. “I have had to fight with worse
injuries. I will report to the clinic as soon as the match is over.”

“Padawan,” she said a little more sternly, “this is not a mission. I
understand that you are capable of fighting if necessary, but this is
not one of those necessary situations. You will come to the clinic with
me now.”

Obi-Wan ignored her order and looked to Qui-Gon, “Master?”

Ana-Rynn spoke before Qui-Gon had the opportunity, “I cannot allow him
to compete in this condition. This wound is very serious. His pain is
quite substantial.”

“I can block the pain,” Obi-Wan said, giving Qui-Gon a pleading look.

“No,” she said. “I will disqualify him from the round.”

“Master,” Obi-Wan said emphatically, “please, don´t let her—“

“Obi-Wan, you will go to the clinic…now,” Qui-Gon said.

“But—“

“No arguments. The healers are here to ensure your safety. An
exhibition is no reason to risk further injury to yourself. I
understand your frustration—“

“He cheated,” Obi-Wan growled under his breath. “The round was called
before he struck me. I just want to—“

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said a little more sternly, “I will not tolerate a
vengeful padawan.”

“Yes, Master,” Obi-Wan said dejectedly.

“Go to the clinic,” Qui-Gon said. “I will address Padawan Nimbor´s
offense.”

Obi-Wan nodded and then turned toward Ana-Rynn. She smiled softly at
him, but he pursed his lips together, tightening his face at her. He
walked quickly ahead, and she scrambled to keep up.

~*~

“Let me help you,” Ana-Rynn said as Obi-Wan winced while attempting to
remove his tunic. He sighed and stood up from the exam table. She
carefully pushed the outer tunic over his injured shoulder and off his
arm, his strong scent causing her to involuntarily shudder. She looked
up quickly into his somewhat confused eyes, he obviously having picked
up her reaction. She looked back down and grabbed the hem of his under
tunic, shutting off all perceptions as she pulled the garment up, baring
a glistening stomach and chest. She pushed the damp tunic up and off
his right arm first, over his head, and then cautiously removed it from
his left arm.

“Sorry,” she said as he gasped slightly as the fabric grazed his wound.

“Sit on the table,” she instructed softly, watching the play of muscles
in his right arm as he pressed himself up. She was shocked at herself,
viewing her patient with such a hungry gaze. And besides, he was too
young. Too young.

Ana-Rynn turned to the cabinet and grabbed her supplies and then walked
to the other side of the exam table. She lightly placed her fingers on
either side of the wound that was turning a darker shade of red and
brown, vicious blisters swelling along the length of it. She sensed
that the tissue underneath was unharmed and free of infection. She
picked up a small can with her left hand, an herbal agent to cool the
burn, and began to spray it.

Obi-Wan yelped as the spray stung his injured flesh, his back muscles
flexing under his smooth, sweat-covered skin. She placed her right hand
at the base of his neck, targeting the irritated nerves and using the
Force to dull them.

“I´m sorry about the pain,” she said. “I should have isolated the
specific nerves first. But I needed to stop the burning as soon as
possible.” She sent more soothing energy into his nervous system. “Is
that better?”

“Yes,” he replied as his muscles visibly relaxed.

She set the can down and then placed her left hand on his shoulder,
concentrating on the burn and carefully sending healing energy to the
tissue just below the surface at the root of the injury. Obi-Wan sat
perfectly still as she healed small sections of the wound, the blisters
reducing and eventually disappearing. As she triggered the regeneration
process of his skin, she applied small amounts of synthetic flesh to
bandage the injury, being careful not to apply too much in order to
minimize the size of the scar.

Finally his skin was smooth again, discolored and tender, but the wound
was completely covered. She then revived his nerves and checked for
pain. “How do you feel?”

“Fine,” he said.

Ana-Rynn smiled to herself and reached forward to place her hand under
his elbow. “I´m going to lift your arm to test your mobility. Please
let me know if the pain is too severe.” She raised his arm to shoulder
level, eyeing her handiwork to make sure the wound stayed sealed. Then
she lifted his arm above his head. “Is this alright?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Any pain?”

“No,” he answered dryly.

She attempted to access his thoughts, but he quickly blocked her. She
sighed. “Padawan, I am trying to help you. If you won´t tell me how
you feel, I have to read it from your thoughts. It is my job. I am
sorry about the tournament, but this would be much easier if you would
cooperate with me.”

Obi-Wan hung his head for a moment and then lifted it again, sitting up
straight and tall. “There is some pain, but it is minor. It is mainly
a dull ache.”

“Alright. Thank you,” she said. She released his arm and gently
touched her fingers to the injury. She ran her fingers along the edges
of it, from his shoulder to the middle of his back, noticing how his
muscles twitched. “Does that hurt?”

“No,” he said, his voice slightly choked.

She then ran her fingers down the length of his spine, checking one last
time for any nerve damage, and then she quickly removed her hand as she
felt him shudder at her touch. This reaction was followed closely by a
wave of desire emanating from him and enveloping her body. She stood,
slightly stunned, with her left hand still resting on his shoulder as
she felt her will being pulled closer to his hungry energy. She looked
up at the side of his face, his expression remaining still but his
shoulders moving with his stuttered breaths. She stayed there, enjoying
his want and his need…and wanting him in return. Upon this realization,
she removed her hands from his body, stepping back suddenly.

“We are finished,” she said. “Be careful with your left arm for the
next several hours.” She circled around the table and stood a
respectable distance from him as she faced him. The rest of her
instructions got stuck in her throat when her eyes meet his. She
quickly regained her bearings. “If you have any problems—“

“Yes, I understand,” he said, standing up. She noticed how his hips
shifted to the side as he stood shirtless, the waistband of his leggings
dipping below his navel…how the muscles of his abdomen shifted and bent
as he reached for his outer tunic, leaving the under tunic laying on the
floor. She swallowed hard as he pulled it around his body and then
fastens it closed.

“I´m sorry about the tournament,” she said. “There will be others.”
Young. He was young. She had to keep reminding herself of that.

He smiled weakly. “Thank you for your help,” he said. Without another
word he strode past her and out of the room.

Ana-Rynn released a long-held breath. She took a couple of steps forward
and bent down to retrieve his discarded tunic. It was still somewhat
damp to the touch, his scent rising insistently from it to convince her
of the awful truth. The years she had on him – and the oh so rational
arguments she made – could do nothing now to ease her craving. He was a
man…fully grown, purely male, and infinitely desirable.

~*~

Part 4

It was now a burden that hung on her…ever since that moment when she
went beyond entertaining the possibility and moved into
want…desire…need. The rational part of her mind chastised her
endlessly, behaving like some infatuated little girl over a young man
several years her junior. Their paths had not crossed but a few times
in the past two weeks, and even then it was a mere recognition of his
proximity. She had not actually spoken to him or even stood face to
face with him since that day in the clinic. But what few spare moments
she had to herself were spent thinking about him…not to mention the
dreams she was having.

And then the unthinkable occurred. Ana-Rynn had been ‘asked´ to
chaperone what the Temple liked to call a diplomatic training event.
Translation: Padawan Party. No one in the Knight corps escaped being
volunteered for these events. She knew her time had been coming because
she had escaped being targeted by the committee for almost two years.
And given her experience at the last ‘event´ she had been volunteered
for, to say that she was not looking forward to it was a gross
understatement.

Not to mention the fact that being designated as a chaperone made her
feel positively ancient. Had it actually been that long since she´d
been an attendee and not a killjoy?

Not that she actually cared if padawans ran off to have sex in the
supply closet…or if she did.

“Stop,” she told her reflection as she stood in her tiny bathroom
dreaming up a few dozen excuses for backing out of her assignment. Sex
in the closet would at least make the time pass faster. Against her
will, a devious smile spread across her face. “Enough out of you,” she
told herself.

~*~

“Are we supposed to mingle or something?”

Ana-Rynn laughed at his question. She turned to Gelsyn Dera, another
happy volunteer, and said, “Isn´t it safer to stay here and hold up the
wall?”

“Well, I suppose you´re right,” he said, nodding his head. “I just
thought maybe we were supposed to keep a closer eye on them in case they
decide to misbehave.”

“Do you care if they misbehave?” she asked, her eyebrow arching up at
him.

Gelsyn shook his head and said slowly, “No. Not really.” His pale blue
eyes scanned the crowd of padawans, all much more relaxed than they were
in their daily rounds. “They look so young, don´t they?”

Ana-Rynn snorted. “Frightening, isn´t it?”

He turned to her and gave her an extremely serious look. “But…we´re not
THAT old.”

She laughed and patted his arm. “Perhaps we should mingle before we are
inclined to throw ourselves off the spire.”

“Good plan,” he said.

~*~

Obi-Wan watched her from across the room. Despite the androgynous Jedi
garments she wore, he couldn´t break his gaze from her. Her aura was
vibrant and seductive. Not to mention the way her tunic gaped slightly
when she moved, revealing the smooth bare skin leading to her shoulder.
Her dark hair was pinned up neatly at the back of her head, but his
imagination endlessly proposed to him what she would look like with it
tumbling down her shoulders.

He had felt the slightest tremors of desire breaking through her calm,
cool exterior when he had been her patient. At least that´s what he
thought she was feeling. Given his lack of experience in these matters,
his confidence in his impressions was wavering the further removed he
was from the experience.

And now as he watched her socialize with her fellow Knights…. Well, she
certainly had never interacted with him like that…not that she had any
reason to. Obi-Wan sighed and resolved to give up the ridiculous idea
that she would ever think of him as more than a patient and a boy. With
that, he turned his attentions back to his friends and a couple young
women who were showing more interest than the woman in his fantasies
ever did.

~*~

Ana-Rynn felt some relief that she hadn´t seen Obi-Wan yet. She wasn´t
sure how she would react if she suddenly ran into him here. Behaving
like a teenage girl was the last thing she wanted to be seen doing. The
relative privacy of the clinic was one thing, but being surrounded by
several other Jedi was a rather risky venture given the more….vivid
imaginings she had entertained of late.

She slowly walked around the room, looking at nothing and no one in
particular and trying to keep herself on the perimeter of the activity.
These older padawans liked being babysat as much as she liked being the
old party crasher. She looked over her shoulder back towards the large
clock on the wall. This night would definitely last forever.

“Oh, excuse me.”

Ana-Rynn stopped suddenly at the sound of the girl´s voice. She turned
her head quickly to see she had just about run over one of her charges.
“No, excuse me,” she said. “I´m terribly sorry, I—“ Words escaped her
as her eyes shifted over slightly and landed on Obi-Wan. She had
stumbled right into his group of friends.

Obi-Wan´s head turned the moment he heard her voice. And he had to
remind himself rather emphatically that he was, indeed, forgetting about
her.

“Hello,” Ana-Rynn said, trying to make it sound like a general greeting
to the entire group….but her eyes remained on him. And suddenly she
felt so completely transparent as nervous desire welled up inside her.
She locked her mind down tight, but there was something about
him….something so strong and so compelling that it took every ounce of
control she had to keep it in check.

There it was again. That slight spike of need shooting out from her.
Obi-Wan was not entirely innocent. He had received enough attention,
solicited or otherwise, from the opposite sex to easily recognize the
sensation of desire. “Hello,” he replied, his throat dry and tight.

Ana-Rynn looked quickly around him, at the younger woman giving her
curious glances. Now she was being ridiculous. The last thing she
could afford was for rumors to be circulating that she was trolling the
party for younger men. “Well,” she said, looking back to Obi-Wan,
“enjoy your evening.” She gave him a polite smile and walked away.

He felt her reluctance as she left. And now he was more confused than
he had ever been.

“You would think,” one of the young women said, “that she could find men
her own age.”

“Well, she is a healer. You know how….willing they are. Maybe she´s
bored,” another said with a laugh.

Obi-Wan turned his head to look at the two women in his company. “Watch
what you say,” he said to them with serious inflection. And then,
following his Master´s advice, he took a deep breath and decided to take
a chance on a long shot.

~*~