Pawn of Darkness

Chapter 7

Voices, she was sure she heard voices as she took one step after another. With the slight remodeling that had been done, she actually had a door now, so the voices were muffled but there were definitely people talking in her apartment. Maybe Talius just had the communication center on watching the news, she told herself.
She pulled the keys from the black bag she carried slung over her shoulder and started to unlock the door before she realized it was already unlocked. Turning the knob in her hand, her breath caught. There was that voice again. A slow smile spread across her face. She should have known he would be here. She pushed the door opened slowly and looked around.
He was sitting beside Talius at the bar, both men with drinks in their hands talking about whatever war the Republic was fighting now. His uniform jacket was tossed haphazardly on the back of his stool. Now he wore a white shirt that fit snugly to the hard muscles of his chest and disappeared into a pair of form fitting black pants. Shiny, black boots covered his legs from the calf down.
" Now this is the kind of thing a girl likes waiting for her when she gets off work. " she said, from the doorway. Both of them turned to her in the same instant. Obi-Wan looked more relaxed now. His shoulders slumped slightly and the hard lines of his face were gone, replaced with a strain that appeared almost at the point of exhaustion. Dark circles shadowed his eyes and he no longer carried the youthfulness she remembered.
He stood and crossed to her in two long strides. " I wasn't sure you remembered me but I figured I'd take a chance. " he told her.
Her arms moved around him of their own volition. She felt him start for a second then pull her against him in a friendly embrace.
" You have done well for yourself, General Kenobi. " she smiled, pulling away and holding him at arms length.
" A lot has happened since the last time we met. " he agreed. " But you haven't changed a bit. "
He granted her a hypnotizing smile and she felt her knees give a little.
" How are you, Anna ? " he asked, regarding her carefully.
" I've been good, but I've missed you. " she answered, then aware of what she said, added quickly, " and Master Jinn. Where is he now ? "
A shadow crossed his face, something painful and sad. She knew instantly what it meant.
" Oh, no. " she breathed, tears welling in her eyes. " How long ago ? "
" Twelve years. " he whispered. " Not even three months after we were here. "
She pulled him to her again and held him. " You must have been devastated. "
" I was. " he answered, into her hair.
" I am so sorry. I know what he meant to you. "
" As much as he meant to you. "
She heard movement behind him, remembered Talius sitting at the bar and pulled away from him reluctantly.
" I take it you two have already met. " she smiled.
" Yes, we have. General Kenobi was just telling me about the war. " Talius answered.
She almost laughed at the sound. " General Kenobi. " she muttered quietly.
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at her and smiled brightly.
" I hadn't realized there was a war. " she admitted. " We don't hear a lot of current news around here. "
His shoulders slumped slightly as if talking about the war just made him more tired. " The Imperial Senate. " he sighed. " They have come dangerously close to defeating the Republic. We are just hanging on by our fingernails. There are even rumors that they are hunting Jedi now. Trying to rid the Republic of its last bit of strength. "
He strode back to the bar and retrieved his drink. She listened intently as she made herself a drink and sat across from him while he told her of several battles he had been through. The pain evident in his eyes when he mentioned causalities.
It was almost impossible to believe that this man was the same boy who stood completely petrified in her living room when she kissed him.
I am not the same boy. His voice rang in her head.
Talius stood and wiped his hands on the legs of his pants in a way he had a habit of doing. It was one of the things about the man that drove her crazy.
" I see you have a lot of catching up to do. So I will leave you to it. " he announced, stretching his hand out to Obi-Wan.
He took it and they shook briefly. " It was nice meeting you. "
" Nice meeting you, too. I am delighted that I got the chance to meet a General in the Republic army and a Jedi as well. It has been an eventful night. " he told him quickly before hastily retreating out the door.
" Nice guy. A little on the nervous side, but still pretty nice. " Obi-Wan commented off-handedly as soon as the door shut behind him.
" He isn't usually that high strung. He was obviously completely awestruck by you. " Anna smiled.
" I hate that I have that affect on some people. Like I'm some kind of celebrity or something. " he scoffed.
" We don't see many Jedi Knights around these parts, much less Generals. "
He gave her a self important smile and set up straighter in his chair. " That's Jedi Master, thank you very much. "
A shocked expression covered her face. " You're kidding. You can't be. You're so young. How could you have possibly made Master ? "
" That is a long story for another time perhaps. " he answered, letting his shoulders slump again.
" You look tired. " she said, reaching out and touching his hand softly.
" I am. " he smiled weakly. " We all are. "
" I insist that you stay here with me. "
He moved his hand from hers and sat back on his stool. " I'm not sure Talius would like that. Isn't he your boyfriend ? " She was almost certain she detected a hint of jealousy in his voice.
" He is a friend. We don't have a serious relationship. " she answered, clearly not wanting to discuss Talius.
" Have you told him this ? I don't think he knows. He seems quite taken with you. "
" I know. I keep telling him that I don't want a serious relationship, but he just doesn't seem to get it. He believes I need looking after I think. " she explained.
He reached for her hand this time and held it tightly. A very serious expression covering his handsome face. " I'm glad to know he's here. It's worried me greatly over the years, thinkin you you so isolated. I'm happy you have someone. "
Slightly taken aback, she smiled and tried her best not to let the shakiness she was feeling flow into her voice. " You have thought of me over the years ? " she asked.
He stood from his stool and moved beside her. " More times than you can image. " he whispered, looking down into her eyes.
" I have to admit I have thought of you many times as well. " she answered.
He crouched beside her, his knees touching hers and took both her hands in his. " I can't explain why I feel so drawn to you, but it is like I left apart of myself here when I left that night. "