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Qui-Gon and his first apprentice meet again, rediscovering and exploring emotions they avoided during her training.

Li'wa sighed, combing her hands through her waist length auburn hair. As the ship prepared for landing she leaned against the shuddering bulkhead, gazing out at the Coruscant skyline. Cruisers, transports and government vessels of all kinds littered the designated routes as usual, whirling from lane to lane as they reached their destinations against a vivid backdrop of iridescent reds and pinks.

"By the Force, it's good to be back. Feels like it's been years," she muttered.

Time and again missions had taken her from home. Rarely did she spend more than a single night here. Just enough time to report to the Council and receive another right on its heels. She would enjoy relaxing for a change, spending some time with old friends and acquaintances.

Training to be a Jedi is not an easy challenge.

The words of a former Master echoed in her mind and she smiled.

"Sith, being a Jedi is not an easy challenge, Jinn."

She had learned much as a Jedi Knight, including that many of her old Master's teachings could be interpreted many ways, depending greatly on a person's point of view. Since she had passed her trials, her braid cut off by the very man she hoped to see again this time, she had discovered a great deal more about Qui-Gon. His stern lectures and quiet, contemplative soul could give way to deeper more intellectual, intense conversation if you caught him in the right mood or if you tossed him a more tempting bait.

After she earned her knighthood she had found under Master Jinn's tranquillity there burned a fire capable of consuming all he touched should he lose control and release it. Only once in her thirteen years as his Padawan and in the subsequent ten as a fully trained Knight had she seen his temper flare.

Her first mission as a Knight without her Master had failed miserably, causing many deaths, innocent and guilty alike. The Council sent Qui-Gon to bring her back and prevent her from wreaking more havoc from succumbing to the dark side. They selected him because he knew her best, knew how to bring her back from self-destruction.

Young, foolish, hard headed and rebellious, she had grown up to adopt her Master's defiance. However, she translated it into everything she did, rather than Qui-Gon's way of employing it solely when necessary for others' benefit. When he broke through her rage to make her aware of her actions, she had turned to self-castigation.

To calm her, to break her from her self-imposed depression, he had let slip a bit of his carefully guarded control. He shook her, forced his way into her mind, and healed her. She would be forever indebted to him, not only for teaching her the ways of the Force, but also for being there for her, for being her friend.

"Even if he drives me insane sometimes!" She gave soft, rueful laugh, her thin lips curved in a wry smile.

A sudden chill filled the room, making her wrap her cloak closer. Dreadful images of death flooded her mind. Her eyes fluttered shut, but though the scenes fled her mind, the desolate feelings remained.

Her eyes flitted to the sharp spires jutting atop the Coruscant skyline. Her destination. The Jedi Temple.

The engines slowed and the ship began its descent onto the private landing platform the Republic Senate had given the Jedi permission to use. Once down, the landing ramp extended, and the pilot, a large Wookie, ducked beneath the cockpit overhang. He addressed Li'wa in his native language with an apologetic shrug for any delay.

"Thank you," Li'wa stood and bowed deeply. "I appreciate your haste in returning me home."

"Roawwaaarrrhhh," the Wookie responded with a wave farewell before he returned to his seat.

After she shouldered her pack, she turned and strode down the landing ramp, finding the platform was empty as usual. Rarely did anyone greet her when she returned from a mission. With a final look at her previous transport, the ramp hissed shut.

The ship's takeoff hid the sound of the platform elevator's doors sliding open. When she turned around, an unmistakable large, cloaked form stood silhouetted in the artificial light. Like iron filings to a magnet, she moved toward him a slow grin dawning on her face. Quickly, she quickly suppressed it, adopting the stern, unemotional gaze so prevalent among Jedi.

Determined not to appear overly eager, she forced an even, deliberate pace. He didn't move, simply waited patiently. Despite the short distance, it took too long to cross the platform. It didn't matter how well-trained and prepared she was, her breathing sped up and deepened once she stood directly in front of him.

A slight breeze moved over the platform, ruffling her hair, sending wisps in every direction. She felt less uncomfortable at seeing it had the same effect on his hair. A chuckle escaped her, knowing how neat he strove to keep the long, silky mass.

"It's good to see you again," he greeted, his calm, deep, always-so-proper voice at odds with his warm smile. His kind blue eyes held shadows, as if they had not closed in a long time. Well, of course not, he had a relatively new Padawan, a teenage boy who was probably keeping him up at all hours with all kinds of questions.

"Always so proper, Master?" She allowed a grin, a hint of defiance creeping into her voice.

He snorted. "You know me."

"Yes, I do. Some would say better than a lover or a wife." She stepped closer to invade his personal space, if a Jedi could be said to have one.

"Perhaps. You did eat, sleep and wake with me for thirteen years of your life." Again, a calm and even tone.

"And you were so happy to be rid of me!" She laughed, coming so close she had to crane her neck to look into his eyes despite her own, not insignificant height.

A hint of emotion passed through his eyes, but was gone before she could examine more closely. She shivered, but not with cold. The look heated her body like a raging fire, then disappeared behind his impassive Jedi countenance. Before she could say anything, his long arms enveloped her shoulders, drawing her into a tight embrace.

"It's good to have you home, Li'wa. You've been missed."

Initially, she stiffened, then sighed and melted into his embrace. A long time had elapsed since she had accepted anyone's embrace. In her previous painful experience it didn't pay to allow others so close. A natural defensive posture she had kept most of the reasons for from Qui-Gon.

"Just as are you when I am here and you are not." She took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet musk scent she always associated with him.

Emboldened, she did something that had been her habit when she was his young Padawan and for a short time after becoming a Knight. Sliding her fingers beneath the neck of his under tunic, she pushed it away to expose the junction of his neck and shoulder. Just enough to press her lips to the soft skin at the base of his collarbone. She smiled at his sharp intake of breath. Rarely did her touch cause such a reaction.

"You've spent too much time away. You're not used to a woman's touch," she whispered before pulling away and looking into his veiled eyes.

"Yes, I have spent too much time away, but I am not accustomed to such an intimate touch from you." Though he maintained his calm voice, she detected a slight edge to it missing before.

"Why, Master Jinn! This has always been my customary greeting when we meet." She feigned indignation. "You should know that by now."

"I think I've forgotten. It's been so long." He seemed genuinely contrite at his suspicions.

She hid her grin, sliding her arms around his waist to hold him closer. The ground beneath their feet rumbled, rolling her even deeper into his arms. He held her for several seconds, his cloak wrapped almost completely around her, shielding them from the cool evening breeze. These tremors did not disturb either of them, as the inhabitants of Coruscant knew these disturbances for the planet core's natural reaction to internal changes.

Suddenly he pulled away to pull his cloak tightly around himself. His gaze swept over her body and clung for a moment to her breasts, confirming what she knew he had felt against his own chest. Even in her loose fitting Jedi garb, Li'wa knew her nipples stood out. Close as they had been, she knew they had pressed against him, which he had undoubtedly noticed. She flushed, feeling her the heat spread throughout her body. His eyes lifted to her own immediately.

"Make your report to the Council," he said, his voice tight for a moment. Then he relaxed, as though he had made a decision. "Obi-Wan and I are here for the next several days before we have to leave. I look forward to catching up on old times."

He bent to kiss her cheek, lingering there a bit longer than a friend normally would. She shuddered at the touch of his cool lips against her heated flesh. Instead of drawing away, he paused to rub his lips against her cheek. Li'wa bit back a gasp, not certain where this would lead, but before she could speak, Qui-Gon turned on his heel. Without a backward look he stepped into the elevator, disappearing behind the door as it closed.

"You'll pay for that Master Jinn," she promised under her breath. Her eyes sparkled with frustration as she waited for the lift to return. When it did, she hurried in, the doors hissing shut behind her, blocking out the noise of the bustling city below and leaving her alone for a short while with her speculations and plans.

"Have another assignment for you in a few days, we will," Yoda informed her as Li'wa stood in the center of the Council circle.

"Yes, Master." She hid a smile, suspecting the feeling the diminutive Jedi Master deliberately sent her on dangerous trips in hopes she would not return.

*Never do that, would I.* Yoda's protest rang in her thoughts.

*Yes, Master,* she returned to him, a touch of irony coloring her reply.

"You may go," Mace Windu announced. "Rooms have been assigned for your stay."

"Oh?" Li'wa raised an eyebrow towards the hairless Jedi Master.

Rooms? This indicated a stay greater than a few days.

"Your things will be removed from storage and will be ready when you arrive." Windu dismissed her with a wave of his hand and she knew better than to question the Jedi Master.

She turned toward the doors, thinking perhaps this time they would give her another task, one even less to her liking than the last. Acting as someone's personal bodyguard for months on end would never be her idea of fun. Especially when the only reason behind keeping said dignitary alive was to obtain an important mineral shipping agreement with the Republic. Now that she had been sent home, she felt certain someone would assassinate the young royal who had recently signed the treaty.

Yoda intruded into her thoughts again as she approached the large double doors. Read your thoughts we can. Harmed he will not be. Safe he is.

She chuckled as she exited, shaking her head. There had to be a way to keep those damn Masters out of her head. So intent on discovering a way to do this, she almost mowed over a lanky apprentice and his Master, who had rounded the corner at the same time.

Now that would be an interesting challenge. A strange voice musings intruded into her head.

She all but snarled at the apprentice until she realized that she was in the wrong, and just whom she had run into.

What luck, she thought as Qui-Gon's large hands gripped her shoulders to steady her as she swayed on her feet.

*There's no such thing.* Her former Master's familiar insistence rankled.

She rolled her eyes at the familiar rejoinder and glanced over at the young apprentice watching their exchange with an intense azure gaze. Extricating herself from Qui-Gon's support, she extended her hand to the young man.

"Li'wa Bucali," she said as he grasped it and shook it vigorously.

The apprentice shot a look at his Master and then introduced himself with a deep bow. "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Nice to meet you, young Padawan. You have a strong grip there."

She could sense Qui-Gon's restrained laughter that begged, no, demanded an answer.

*What?*

*You hate children, young woman!* His admonishment resounded clearly.

*I am not young. I am --*

*Almost thirty years my junior.*

*Not quite, Master Jinn,* she protested his statement, then detected his exasperation and compounded it with a smirk, much to Obi-Wan's utter confusion.

*The title is unnecessary.* Qui-Gon had insisted she drop his honorific, but...

*I feel safe when I use it.*

*Ha!* He sent a gentle shove through their link, maintaining an aura of calm on the outside. The only indication of their mental conversation was the twinkle in his eyes.

"Master? The Council" Obi-Wan hesitantly interrupted, reminding the other man of the Council's need to speak with them.

Li'wa remembered their experiences with the Council and realized most likely these two were in trouble for something. Being late for the meeting didn't need to be an addition to the reprimand they usually received when called before the Council.

Qui-Gon blinked and turned to his apprentice. "Yes, Obi-Wan, we don't want to be late."

He bowed respectfully to Li'wa, shooed Obi-Wan toward the Council chamber, then paused, much to his current apprentice's surprise.

*Dinner? Ten? We definitely need to catch up on old times.* Qui-Gon sent the invitation before following Obi-Wan.

She watched him walk away, his cloak billowing out behind him like a dark cloud. So certain of himself and her.

*Oh, perhaps. I'll look at my schedule and let you know.* She hoped he knew she was teasing, but at the same time not wanting him to know her excitement at seeing him again.

Before they entered the Council, Qui-Gon responded. *Anything you want, you have but to ask.* Then the Council doors closed behind him.

"Oh, don't tell me that, Qui-Gon. You may not like discovering what I want," she answered aloud. No one was around to hear her and the door had hissed closed behind him, trapping him inside the Council chambers for Force knew how long.

*I think I already know. I raised you, did I not?* One last question before he concentrated on what the Council wanted.

"Hmmmm." She stared at the closed door. "But you didn't teach me everything. That was left to another man. One who was not my Master. One I didn't love nearly as much as I loved you."

Forbidden it was. Forbidden it is no more.

She knew better than to send through the link with him in the Council chambers. It was enough that he dared it, probably while in the midst of a reprimand for something he did on his latest mission.

"Then you will teach me another lesson over dinner tonight, Master Jinn." She spun away, her hair flipping around her shoulders, and strode towards her granted accommodations.

The quarters the Council had given her this time were much larger than she was used to. Usually she received a sleeping pallet, and not much else. This time, there were two adjoining rooms. One was clearly a bedroom overlooking the vast Coruscant skyline, the other a sitting room with an adjoining cooking area.

Her belonging were waiting for her when she arrived. The few things that she owned in life, had been stored while she was on missions for the Council. She began to unpack the small trinkets, setting them along the sides of the counter/bar that separated the cooking area from the main sitting room. Things she had collected from different worlds, things dignitaries had given her for her services. Things she could not decline lest she offend where it was not meant.

She took a nice, leisurely bath in the overlarge tub that the room afforded, and forgot all about her dinner with Master Jinn. It was just as well anyway. She could tell that he was not finished with his meeting with the Council. He was in a different chamber now, being questioned without his Padawan's presence.

"Boy, whatever you did this time, it certainly created some waves." Li'wa chuckled, sinking lower into the tub so that the scented suds covered her body entirely.

Soon, her mind shifted to thoughts of how she was going to seduce the man. For years she had suppressed the desire to kiss him, even during her apprenticeship, before she had passed the trials, she had wondered what it would have been like.

In recent years, she could see, what she defined as desire, flow over their former link. She wanted to explore that a bit more, and see what came of it. As a Padawan, she found answers in female instructors. It was quite natural to love your Master, but quite another thing to act on those feelings.

So she waited patiently, until she had passed the trials. Mercifully, they had not included an intense question and answer period about her hidden feelings for her Master.

It was forbidden by the Code for Master and Padawan to engage in anything other than a respectable relationship. But when that apprenticeship was over, there was nothing in the code forbidding any such relationship.

She would have pursued one had she not been sent away before she had been able to become accustomed to the nakedness of her missing braid. It felt strange, to want this man who had been her Master for so long. It had been close to fifteen years since she was required to address him with that title, but somehow, it fit, and she wouldn't call him by any other. She set the empty glass of sweet wine down on the edge of the tub and sighed.

"And I would appreciate it if you do not address me by the title now."

She nearly jumped out of her skin as the deep voice rumbled between her ears. Before she had the chance to turn around, large hands dipped into the water and rested on her shoulder blades. His thumbs moved down her back as his other fingers began a slow, leisurely caress across her shoulders.

"I hate it when you do that." She sat up slightly in the water, the liquid barely covering an already hard nipple.

"I know." His breath puffed into her ear as his large hands caressed her back slowly. He knelt behind her as she slid up from where she had been dreamily resting, and leaned her head forward to give him clearer access to her back and shoulders.

Her wet, stringy hair fell around her face and pooled around her breasts as they were again submerged in the scented liquid. His caress moved to her neck and her eyes fluttered closed, a sigh escaping her lips. When long fingers extended and began to massage her scalp, through the dry mass atop her head, she shivered, goose bumps spreading across her skin like wildfire.

"You always were able to relax me with a massage." She sighed, shivering despite the heat of the water.

"Then it was a bit different. You were my Padawan at that time, not a beautiful, mature woman."

"I think I've just been insulted!" She moved to pull away, but his fingers tightened and she conceded this time.

When he leaned forward and pressed wet lips along the back of her neck, she lost her train of thought and fell silent.

He nibbled quietly until he reached her ear, and flicking a tongue over the brim momentarily, she gasped when the wetness found its way inside.

"Do you know what you are doing to me?" she whispered quietly, arching her neck.

"Trying to rid myself of the unease of this situation?" His lips whispered into her ear.

She chuckled and reached behind her to pull his hands from her shoulders. "Why? I'm quite certain this is not the first time a Master and former Padawan engaged in this type of activity."

"I certainly didn't think it would ever happen to us."

When she placed his hands on her breasts, she was rewarded with a shallow intake of breath before he began sucking on her ear.

His fingers traced slow circles around her breasts, slowly inching toward the erect center.

"Stop choosing male Padawans!" She chuckled, turning her head toward him suddenly to look into his eyes.

He tried unsuccessfully to hide a grin, but that was something she had always been able to draw out of him - a smile. Regardless of the situation or the danger, she could always make him laugh.

Suddenly her expression grew serious and as his fingers tightened on her nipples and began to pull lightly. She captured his lips in a kiss that shook them both to the very core of their being. The kiss intensified as their tongues began the age old mating dance, lancing into one another's mouths, tasting the lingering sweetness of the wine she had just finished.

She wrapped her fingers through his hair, which, she noticed, he had chosen to leave out of his customary leather band this evening. She deepened the kiss, pressing her suds-soaked wet body against his fully clothed one. As soon as her bare skin met with material, she pulled away.

"Oh, no, this will not do at all." She shook her head and reached for his sash.

He had wisely shed his belt and cloak in his own rooms, and simply wore the sash tied tightly around his hips to keep his tunics closed. "You are getting me all wet."

She chuckled at his forward statement. "No? Really?" She reached around him and confidently unfastened the sash. It began the pile of his clothes that she would soon add to the floor. "I hadn't noticed."

"And you are getting the floor all wet, too." He struggled to remain calm, but the sensations of her hands expertly unfastening his Jedi robes sent chills down his spine.

"Well..." She turned from him, as his tunics fell open, and stepped out of the tub, oblivious to her nudity. She noticed his stare, his approving look as his eyes traveled the length of her body and back again.

"Careful, I wouldn't want you to slip. The floor is quite hard, you know." He grinned at his own joke and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she would turn it into something sexual.

She swayed her hips the two steps it took her to reach where he stood, and reached down to the slight curve in his pants.

"Oh quite hard, I do believe." She chuckled and his eyes narrowed.

"A brazen one, you are."

"You would know. You raised me." She squeezed a bit tighter, exacting a groan from his lips.

His eyes closed as her grip tightened and he reached an arm behind him to steady his suddenly unsure footing. She continued to caress him through the thin trousers, stroking the very hard length until she could feel the wetness drip down her thighs. It wasn't entirely water.

His hands slid over her hips, caressing and squeezing before pulling them against his bulging hardness. Her hands once again tangled in his hair and he groaned as their lips met once more.

*Just give in to it Qui-Gon. Give in to me.*

*I see you as my Padawan, but somewhere in there you are different than the young girl I raised.*

*Yes, I am a woman. You helped mold me into what I am now. I would be foolish not to admit that. *

*And you don't find it strange, this attraction between us? Something that didn't exist during your apprenticeship.*

*That's what you think.*

He pulled away and stared down at her, eyes wide with speculation.

"Did it?" His tone was a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"I couldn't understand at the time why I felt such an attraction to you. I assumed it was because of our bond as Master and apprentice. But as I spoke with other Masters, they assured me that what I was feeling was normal, but that it must never be acted upon."

He nodded in understanding. "Well, since I didn't see it, you hid it quite well." He bent to trail another kiss from the corner of her mouth to the base of her neck.

"You are quite blind in the most convenient times, Master Jinn." She arched her hips at just the right time and he forced his quivering body under control. He was unable to suppress the groan however and she chuckled. "I am going to make you do that all night long." She reached behind her back for the hand that held her tightly against him. "But for right now, I am fresh out of patience. And you are wearing too much clothing."

He shrugged and the tunics slid from his arms, baring his muscled chest.

"Ho, boy," she breathed, running an appreciative gaze over the expanse of muscle he just revealed. "I've got a lot of ground to cover."

He chuckled and then breathed deeply as her fingers quickly unfastened his pants and those soon joined the rest of his clothing on the floor. She could feel his hardness bounce free from its confinement and reached down, without looking, and slid her hands around the vibrating muscle.

"To think I slept in the same room with this for thirteen years and was never able to taste it," she murmured as she trailed kisses down his body before taking in the already sweet tip. She licked her lips before taking him completely within her mouth in one gulp.

His groan was louder now and he leaned against the wall for support. She was obviously not a beginner in these techniques. Something she learned that he didn't teach her. Her hands stroked him quickly, bringing him to the edge, then slacking off. Her tongue bathed him until he thought he could take no more He pulled her to her feet and pushed her against the wall he had been leaning against for support, her legs spreading easily as he leaned against her.

She lifted her hips, feeling his hardness press against her wetness. A tremor shook the room, thrusting him into her legs, widening them further. He grunted, regaining his balance, before positioning himself to enter her smoothly. Before they could complete the act, the door chime beeped louder than she had ever heard and she muttered a few choice curses in several languages.

"No," she muttered, leaning her head against his chest. "This can't be happening."

They were frozen in place for what seemed like minutes, when in reality it was just seconds. They were going to get caught, regardless of who was at the door and she wasn't at all thrilled at the prospect of having to explain her actions.

"We won't get caught," he whispered into her ear before taking the sensitive lobe into his mouth and sucking.

A shiver raced down her spine as his wet lips and even wetter tongue probed the sensitive flesh.

The door chime buzzed once again.

He reluctantly pulled away from her and struggled into his pants with a grimace.

"I'll get it," she heard him mutter as she looked around to find what she could of her clothing.

She thought she heard him mutter a few choice curses as well, but his voice was so low, she could have misinterpreted them.

"Start dinner, that will give you a little extra time to gather yourself."

She watched him tie his tunic together with his belt and gave him a quick once-over.

"You look like you just tumbled out of bed." A bubble of laughter escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hand so that the roar of laughter that threatened to escape her lips couldn't be heard by anyone else. She glanced down at the obvious bulge in his pants and stifled another roar of laughter. "And I don't know too many men who roll out of bed looking like that!"

He followed her eyes and sighed, willing with everything he had for the throbbing to stop and the discomfort to ease. There would be no release any time soon. She could feel his discomfort and knelt at his feet, giving up on finding the rest of her clothing.

"Come here. You can't go to the door looking like that." She quickly unfastened his pants and gripped his massive erection in her hand, stroking it. He fastened his sash as her mouth fastened onto his vibrating cock. The roughness of her tongue and the smoothness of her hands created an incredible contrast and he gripped the back of her head for support.

"The door," he managed, closing his eyes.

*Will wait a minute,* she answered him in her mind, then heard him groan as her hands worked him with precision.

His hips bucked into her face as he buried himself down the back of her throat and came in a white-hot explosion of shock mingled with passion. She swallowed quickly, careful to get all of the wondrous sweetness, as he moaned with each jerk of his hips. She quickly drew his pants up his long legs and carefully folded his softening member inside.

"You owe me, Master and I intend to collect a hundred fold." She stood, her eyes twinkling, and gathered her scattered clothing.

"Be sure I will repay it gladly, Li'wa," he murmured, blinking back the glaring light that had exploded behind his eyelids.

He reached around her waist and slid a finger between her legs. Swiping the long digit over the bundle of nerves buried there, exacted a startled gasp from her lips.

"I'm sorry." One last rotation and he was at the door, answering that insistent chime.

She reached forward to grasp the wall as her legs gave out, then leaned her forehead against the wall as she heard two distinctly male voices coming from the other side. She tried to slide the door closed, so that Qui-Gon's apprentice would not catch onto the scent of raw sex that permeated the room. Wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation, she left the door open a crack.

"I think they want to punish you for that one, Master. It has done nothing but aggravate the Temple cleaners and the sound ordinance in the sleep chambers." Obi-Wan sighed. For now, he seemed completely oblivious to what had happened moments before, and what would happen again if the boy would just leave.

The older man chuckled and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe, drawing the younger man's attention away from the other rooms in the suite. "I don't think confining us here to the Temple will be much of a punishment, Obi-Wan." A smile played across the Master's lips and for a moment Obi-Wan appeared ready to question it, but decided to let it be for now.

"It will be for me. If they send you some place without me, I'll be stuck here under Master Windu's guidance and you know he doesn't like me."

Qui-Gon chuckled. "He likes you well enough. Everyone on the Council bestows on every Padawan those feelings that you pick up on every time we stand before them."

Obi-Wan sighed, eyes downcast, and muttered, "Why must you always challenge their decisions?"

"I do what I feel is correct in every situation we are presented with."

"But--"

"When was the last time a mission has gone exactly according to plan?" The Master Jedi's eyes sparkled as he noticed Li'wa tiptoe across the hallway, fully clothed, and into the cooking area.

"Well..." Obi-Wan struggled to remember a time. He couldn't.

"I don't think there has ever been a time when our missions ran exactly as they were supposed to."

"Exactly." Qui-Gon smiled as he sensed Li'wa's amusement at the situation.

"But that doesn't give you the--" Obi-Wan started but caught himself. A Padawan was not to question his Master's decisions. But this time...

"Go ahead, say it Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon sighed, leaning back against the wall even further.

"Why did we have to bring that annoying little Kle'eep back with us?"

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "Because that annoying little creature was a gift from the Minister. It is a rare species and he has honored the Jedi by offering such a prize to their representatives."

"Well, then why is he living with us?"

"She is living with us because I haven't found anyone to take her yet."

"And no one will when she howls all night and is a nuisance to clean up after."

"Feed her at her designated feeding times and she wouldn't try to eat everything at once and then subsequently re-deposit it for later consumption."

This time, Obi-Wan rolled his eyes... right towards the kitchen and the wonderful aroma floating from it.

Obi-Wan blinked and whirled around to look at his Master again, two questions threatening to spill out of his mouth at once.

"She? Oh no." Kenobi muttered under his breath, again thinking of his second question. "Master, Li'wa is..."

"Li'wa is making me a meal after the long day, and yes she will remain with us until I can find a home for her."

As if on cue, Li'wa appeared with an armful of dishes, and the beginnings to a scrumptious looking meal. Obi-Wan's stomach growled loudly, capturing the attention of Li'wa and Qui-Gon.

"Why don't you stay, Obi-Wan," Li'wa offered, holding back a chuckle at the frantic head-shaking going on behind the boy's back.

She almost felt sorry for Qui-Gon, but it would serve the man right for not keeping his Padawan locked up in his room tonight. He should have thought of everything so they would not be interrupted.

The boy looked hopefully back at his Master. "Can I? Please?"

"You may stay," Qui-Gon mumbled and strode towards the table.

"Thank you!" The boy grinned and rushed to the table, plopping himself between the two adults.

Obi-Wan began piling the food on his plate, without regards to his Master or hostess. When he noticed them watching him in silence, he lowered his head in embarrassment and said quietly, "I'm sorry."

The adults filled their plates much more slowly, exchanging glances, careful to see that the ever-perceptive Padawan did not catch any lingering desire between them. They succeeded throughout dinner, but Qui-Gon didn't know how. Li'wa used every portion of food as a substitute for something else she would much rather have in her mouth, and when she was not torturing the Jedi Master in that way, she was running a very bare and chilled foot up his trouser leg.

Then she 'conveniently' dropped a napkin, a utensil, a morsel of food, and each time, she would make sure to kiss and caress another potion of the Master's anatomy. His body was screaming for release by the time dinner had come to an end.

"Go on, Obi-Wan, I will be along shortly. Li'wa and I have a lot to catch up on."

Qui-Gon relayed his instructions from the table, afraid that his arousal would be quite noticeable should he stand and walk the boy to the door. Li'wa did it for him.

"Thank you for joining us, Obi-Wan." Li'wa batted her long, dark eyelashes at the boy. "It was good to see you again."

When she turned back to look at her aroused Jed Master, he was gone. She frowned, thinking she was in no mood for games tonight. She had already been interrupted once, and he'd had his pleasure.

"Don't worry," a voice from behind her purred. "You will get yours. I have a debt to pay, and I always pay my debts."

She leaned back into his open arms and sighed. "I have no doubt, Master."

He leaned down and brushed his beard across her neck, sending a shiver of excitement through her loins. His large hands cupped her ample breasts easily as they rubbed, caressed and stroked, carefully avoiding the hardened tips. He arched his hips into her back, and she could feel the hardness press against her. The contact shot a stream of molten heat through her frame and she shook from the contact. His fingers easily found the fastenings to her very slimming dress and it soon slid off her shoulders into a heap at their feet. He was pleased to find she wore nothing underneath.

"Lay back and close your eyes," he whispered, his lips clearing a path from her temple to her neck, stopping in between to nibble on areas he knew to be especially sensitive.

She arched her back against his groin, reveling in the hardness she felt there. Before she could take matters into her own hands, he had moved to stand in front of her, his lips fastening onto her own with a graceful gentleness. The kiss was much too short, as he drew away and began to plant kisses down her neck, chest, stopping only momentarily to lick two hard nipples, before continuing his downward journey.

She stifled a loud moan as he parted her legs and slung one over his shoulder. The cool air hitting her wet, hot sex sent shivers racing down her spine. He rubbed two fingers expertly against her sex, checking her readiness.

"I am sopping wet, Jinn and..."

Any further words were cut off by her moan as one finger, then two easily penetrated her wetness.

"I'll take care of that for you." He grinned before latching onto her with his mouth, sucking slowly, deliberately drawing out her pleasure. He had carefully avoided what she wanted him most to touch. When her hand reached down to position him into the right place, he smiled.

He flicked his tongue over the nerves, cooling them momentarily and then shooting fire along every ending as his mouth closed the swollen skin and he began to suck in earnest. She leaned back against the wall for support as his tongue eagerly lapped at her wetness. His fingers continued their slow thrusting motion drawing her closer and closer to a bone-shattering climax.

He could feel her tremble and knew he was bringing her close. She had been halfway there through dinner. One last flick of his tongue sent her spiraling over the edge. She groaned, tossing her head back against the wall, eyes squeezed tight. A floodgate of emotions assailed her senses. Love, desire, wants, needs... his, hers. She shook in his arms as they gripped her tightly to keep her from falling over.

Gently, he licked her clean and stood, planting kisses from her most sensitive place, to her lips. She could smell herself on his closely cropped beard, could taste herself on his lips. It was the most intoxicating feeling she'd ever had. He caught her as her legs gave out and she slumped weakly into his arms.

"That's one," he murmured into her neck, where he sucked at the sensitive skin. "I still owe you ninety-nine more."

"Oh, gods," she moaned, leaning away, allowing his lips better access to her neck.

"No." He smiled. "Qui-Gon will do."

"I want you inside me, now, Qui-Gon." She lifted her head with difficulty and stared into his mischievous blue eyes. They'd done just about everything but complete the final act.

"There is no place I would rather be, Li'wa, though I never thought I'd ever say that to you." He lifted her effortlessly and slammed her back into the wall, his pants were already unfastened and around his ankles.

She wrapped her legs around his waist seconds before his shaft probed her wetness.

"Ah, no playing Qui-Gon. I've waited long enough for this tonight." She reached between them to grasp his raging hardness, making it vibrate with need even more with her fingers circling its length.

"No... more... tonight..." he panted as she widened her legs and guided him within her.

They moaned together with the initial penetration. She had not been with a man so well endowed and he stretched her, the pain mixed with pleasure, more than she could bear this first time. She came again as his hips began their slow, controlled thrusts.

He held her rump with one hand as the other slid behind her head to prevent it from slamming into the wall with each of his thrusts. She wrapped her legs tightly around him, creating an even tighter fit, which caused him to tremble with excitement. Her fingers tangled in his long mane, pulling and stroking, tugging a bit harder with each thrust, the back of her head sinking into the palm of his hand. She tightened her thighs, locking her ankles behind his back so she would not slip down his legs. His lips caught hers in a passionate dance that left them both gasping for air.

The door chime sounded again and they nearly lost their balance with the unexpected interruption. He steadied himself, reluctant to release her.

"If that is your Padawan, again, I am going to--"

Her comments were met with fierce thrusts in an effort to end the session quickly. Each thrust took her breath away and she could only close her eyes and stifle a groan.

Her teeth clamped onto his shoulder and bit, trying to stifle the scream of pleasure that ripped through her loins. He grunted, trying to push himself to a quick climax, before realizing that their current position could not facilitate that. He leaned his head over her shoulder, forehead against the wall behind her back, and slowed his movements.

"What can he possibly want now?" he grunted. Being interrupted once was one thing, but twice in the same evening, was going to have to stop.

Slowly, she unwrapped her legs from his waist and sighed as his impressive length slid out of her.

"Get in the kitchen and take some dishes with you," she told him, reaching for her dress and lifting it over her head to cover her nakedness.

He rolled his eyes as he struggled once more to lift pants over a tightly coiled erection. He swept up a few plates and utensils before disappearing into the other room with a heavy sigh.

When Li'wa keyed open the door, Qui-Gon's wide-eyed Padawan stepped in without invitation.

"She's gone! Where's Master Qui-Gon? I must speak with him."

Qui-Gon leaned back against the back wall, closing his eyes. This was not happening. This couldn't be happening. Fate was playing a nasty trick on him and it was no longer funny. He carefully set the dishes down and took a deep breath. He looked down at the very visible bulge in his pants and contemplated a way to fix the problem so his apprentice would not notice. He could take matters into his own hands and was contemplating doing just that when Obi-Wan's cries became more insistent. Instead, Qui-Gon gathered the Force around him and concentrated. The boy would be more concerned about other things than paying such close attention to his Master's appearance.

Qui-Gon tied his tunic and tightened his sash before stepping into the outer rooms. The tunic, long enough to cover the average man's sins, would reveal Qui-Gon's, a bit larger than most, to anyone who knew where to look. However, Qui-Gon realized the boy appeared wide-eyed with fear and amusement. Somehow Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan probably did indeed know what activity his Master had engaged in before his inopportune interruption. He pushed aside his suspicion for a moment as the boy rushed up to him.

"Master Qui-Gon, the Kle'eep is gone. When I opened the door to our quarters he, she, scampered out and now I can't find her!"

Qui-Gon sighed as Li'wa rolled her eyes, sending him an impatient message.

*This is what your Padawan interrupted a very pleasurable moment for? A creature that you insisted on bringing back to the Temple!*

*I did not insist, the Minister did and I could not refuse. Don't you start too, Li'wa.*

"Master Windu is furious. She has gotten into the kitchens and is sampling every morsel of food available!"

Li'wa chuckled and Qui-Gon glared at the woman, even his aggravation insufficient to abate the desire burning in his loins.

"Well then, we shouldn't have long to wait before she regurgitates all the food for use later," Qui-Gon said calmly, striding toward his young apprentice with confidence.

He rested large hands on the boy's shoulders, turned him to face the door and keyed the lock. The door slid open with a soft hiss and Qui-Gon all but pushed the boy out.

"Now go find her. She is probably sick with fright. It shouldn't be hard. Hone in on her emotions. That will make her easier to find."

"Master!" Obi-Wan began to protest but the gleam in the older man's eyes silenced the boy.

"You let her out now you must find her. And please do so before she gets into any of the Master's personal belongings."

"But she's yours!"

"Yes, and you let her out."

"But--"

"Consider this a lesson, Padawan." His tone left no more room for argument and Li'wa leaned against the wall, stifling laughter.

Simply his size and tone could silence a room full of Jedi Knights, and had done so on occasion. Seeing him with his third Padawan reminded her of how he behaved during the time so long ago when he had trained her. He was different then, not nearly as reserved. But then, he had not yet shouldered the pain of losing an apprentice to the Dark Side.

"Yes, Master. I'll find her."

"Good. I will see you in the morning." The door slid shut before Obi-Wan could comment and Qui-Gon turned an exasperated expression on the woman standing across from him.

"I was never like that." She chuckled and wasted no time in crossing the distance into his arms.

"Humph, of course not." He bent to taker her lips into a gentle kiss. "You were worse!"

"Why, you!" She swatted his shoulder as his arms wrapped themselves around her rump and all but lifted her into his arms, then sighed as his hardness press into her stomach. She leaned forward to capture his lips and groaned when his tongue darted into her mouth.

They didn't make it any further than the table, which still contained half of their meal. He grunted and lay her on the rug, pulling her form-fitting dress off in the process. She reached for his trousers and unfastened them, quickly sliding them down his legs. His erection bounced free and she caught it, giving it a few hard, quick strokes. He made a pleased sound as he set himself firmly between her legs.

"No playing this time, Master. In me, now." She guided him as she arched her hips, preparing for his initial penetration.

"I do not believe a Knight is permitted to order a Master--" A sharp intake of breath broke off his quip as she guided him within her, then as her tightness encased him, he lowered himself over her body.

"You can discipline me later," she gasped when he took no time burying himself deep in one swift stroke.

The strokes were slow and easy at first, their soft sighs and moans soon giving way to the sounds of skin slapping skin and cries loud enough to wake the whole floor if they were not careful. He supported himself on straightened arms above her and her lips attached themselves firmly to a rosy nipple. When she bit down a bit harder than she intended, he cried out softly and thrust deeply. She met him stroke for stroke, fueling the fire burning within his loins.

"Come with me, Li'wa. Touch yourself." He grunted, leaning back slightly so that her slim hand could slip between them.

She did as he commanded and began a slow, circular motion along the already over-stimulated bundle of nerves. She arched sharply, closing her eyes, her fingers bringing her close, his hard thrusts finishing the task. He watched her face as she came beneath him. Eyes tightly closed, one hand between them, the other gripping his wrist like an anchor.

He quickened his pace, feeling the sensations build. Her own climax spiraling him over the edge a bit quicker than he had intended. His loins coiled tightly and he throbbed with each hard thrust. She was still so tight, despite how she dripped wet and ready for him. The friction and her fingers, one now manipulating her own body, the others stroking him in time with his thrusts, was the final string and when it snapped they were both thrust over the edge of incredible passion once more.

Earlier in the evening, each had brought the other to a planet-shattering climax, this time, they came together. Their realities shook, from the passion seeping from their bodies, or the actual trembling of the earth, they couldn't tell. He collapsed atop her, hips continuing a slow rhythm, as her tight sheath milked him for every bit of his seed.

"Oh, gods..." Li'wa wrapped her arms around his neck, and tightened her legs around his back, unwilling to let the sensations end.

His hair was wet and sticking to his neck, face and she found that endearing. She brushed away the hair and leaned forward to press a kiss to his parted lips.

"That was incredible." He breathed into her mouth, deepening the kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, flexed his legs, and stood, keeping himself buried deeply within her as he walked towards the bedroom.

"You need to be careful of rug burns." She smirked up at him as he lay her carefully upon the bed. "Don't want Obi-Wan asking how you got those."

He thrust his hips into her one last time as 'punishment' for the comment but was rewarded with only a moan of pleasure.

"Give me a minute to recover." She chuckled, wrapped her lips around his once more, delighting in the shiver that she could feel run down his spine.

"I believe I will need more than a minute." He took a deep breath and rolling to his side, gathered her into his arms. "This old man doesn't recover as quickly as he used to."

At her scoff, he pressed warm lips against where her neck joined her shoulder, causing her to shiver in delight. She doubted anything could keep her Master down for long. The Force did flow very powerfully through him. She nuzzled her cheek into his chest, wrapping her arm across his muscular torso.

"For as long as I can remember you've had a soft spot for helpless little creatures. It doesn't surprise me that your current apprentice is chasing one around the Temple." She stifled a giggle by pressing soft lips to his chest.

"That explains you then," he retorted quickly, absently caressing her hair in the palm of his hand.

She lifted her leg over his and pushed her knee to his groin, exacting a shocked sigh. "Nothing on you will ever be soft again in my presence."

She stroked him with her knee until she slid her hand down his chest and took over with nimble fingers. She could feel his body tense as her fingers closed around him. Hard, fast strokes meant to provoke and inflame had their desired effect and soon he was throbbing with arousal once more. She chuckled as he fought to maintain some kind of decorum, regardless of their situation.

"I think that this old man will have no problems satisfying me."

She straddled him, encasing his hardness within her hands, holding tightly. She lifted her hips and prepared to impale herself upon him, when his hand slipped between them to probe her readiness.

"I will always be ready for you, my love," she whispered hotly into his ear.

His thumb came to rest immediately on her sensitized bundle and she shivered when the digit began a slow, lazy circular motion. She shifted her hips, arching them into his finger, until his large hand covered hers and began to move in long, slow strokes. She removed her hand, content to watch him manipulate his own arousal.

It excited her to watch the hand move along his shaft, alternatively pulling, squeezing and stroking its length. She swayed above him, the erotic view he was providing, causing her legs to become weak. She lowered herself onto his hand and he positioned the tip so that it would rub against the nerves. She gasped and undulated her hips against the skin pressed so intimately against her most sensitive place.

He gripped her hips in one large hand as she lowered herself onto his throbbing shaft. She groaned as he slid deep, deeper than before, filling her to the hilt. She was not a small woman, but she was not built, nor did she think any woman was, to take such length and width within her small, tight place.

"You must go insane with every woman you bed," she groaned as she began to move her hips, slowly, accommodating her body to the rather large intrusion.

" I must be careful not to hurt." Each word was punctuated by a gasp as she began her own thrusting motion.

"You won't hurt me," she reassured him, then leaned over him and slammed her hips into his. "I am more than ready for you."

"I wanted to make you come first. I wanted..."

"Together this time. I want you to watch me ride you to completion. You've had your fun. You still owe me 98 more."

He groaned and she chuckled.

"I believe this debt will have to be paid over the next few months."

"Only if we are able to see each other. It has been three years."

"Ah," he groaned, his eyes mere slits as he watched her move above him. His fingers dug into her hips, holding her, pressing their bodies tightly together.

One hand slid between them and she tossed her head back, her long hair brushing his legs. His thumb began those slow, lazy circles once more, as a long finger slid within her to join his throbbing erection.

"You certainly know how to drive a woman wild, don't you?"

"Years of practice," he rejoined as her pace increased. She neared the edge quicker, due to his fingering, and he didn't hold back.

She cried out above him, fluid dripping from her, slicking his hips and abdomen, not to mention the bed itself.

"Oh, gods," she groaned, as she shivered and collapsed into his arms.

He waited patiently for her breathing to slow and was about to roll her over when she lifted herself from her mount and collapsed beside him.

"Your turn." She grinned, eyes sparkling.

He knelt, lifting one leg and straddling the other. As he leaned over her, her leg rested lightly on his shoulder. This was a bit different, but she was not about to question his technique. There had been no problems with it thus far. He slid large hands beneath her hips lifted them to the desired height. She gasped as he plunged into her, the slight difference in position creating different sensations for the both of them. He ground his hips into her, fast and furious, and she watched his concentration begin to falter.

Seconds before he pumped her full of his seed, he leaned over her, drawing her one leg to her chest, and kissed her deeply. He continued to suck on her lower lip as one last, hard thrust flung him over the controllable edge of his passion and he came with a grunt. Their lips were still locked as she ground her hips into his own, milking him for every bit of his essence. This time, he rolled over with her in his arms, careful not to crush her with his weight.

They didn't get the chance to bask in the warm glow of their passion before the door chime sounded again, waking them from their light slumber.

"What is it now?" he mumbled as she lifted her head from where it rested on his chest.

"Probably that apprentice of yours wondering why you haven't returned. I was never this curious."

He chuckled. "No, you would have been more blatant about finding out what you wanted to know."

She lifted herself from his arms with a sigh and went about finding some decent clothing. All she could find was a robe for cover. "I'll just tell him you were giving me a massage after a long, hard day. Find your clothing, I'll stall him again!"

She stalked to the door as Qui-Gon fumbled with the bedclothes that entangled him. The door had no sooner slid open, than a dirty, wide-eyed Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped through bearing what looked like gifts. Upon closer examination, Li'wa noticed four pairs of eyes turned in her direction from the coverlet Obi-Wan was holding them in.

"The Kle'eep was pregnant and now there are four of them running around the Temple!"

She stifled a giggle, knowing just how Qui-Gon's love for innocent creatures had gotten him into more trouble than any Master and Knight combined.

"Well, it looks like you have two of them right there."

"Yes, two babies! Smelly, stinky, what-are-we-going-to-do-with-them, babies!"

"You'll make a great father one day, Obi-Wan." The condescending tone radiating from Qui-Gon was palpable as the older man strode over and took the small bundle from the raving Padawan's arms. "Now go find the others and we'll figure out what to do with them."

"Send them back!"

"We may have to do just that, though I don't know how the Minister will take it."

Li'wa stared at Qui-Gon, her eyes taking how gently he held the small, helpless creatures in his large, powerful hands. He could crush them easily, but his touch was as gentle as a feather. 'Probably what makes him such a great lover,' she mused, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.

Still, she remembered the tone in which he had spoken to Obi-Wan and wondered if there was not some underlying meaning in his words. In all her time as Qui-Gon's Padawan, he had never mentioned children. Very few Jedi married and had a family, simply because their calling was too important. They were too dedicated. Unable to willingly split a family for the sake of duty. Li'wa just assumed that a Master's Padawan was a substitute for a child. Maybe she was incorrect.

"Master, I--"

"Obi-Wan..." Qui-Gon's gaze was hard and unforgiving. "Your concern for the living Force needs a bit of work. I will note that in the exercises we perform from now on."

The young Padawan visibly groaned and turned to exit. "I'll find them, Master."

The squealing coming from the coverlet hastened Obi-Wan's steps out the door and Qui-Gon sighed.

"Give him time." Li'wa rested her hand on Qui-Gon's forearm. "He's still young."

His lips turned up into a wry grin. "So are you, Li'wa."

"Not young enough to drive you insane with desire."

"Well," Qui-Gon gave in to the preconceived notions regarding sexual behavior. "I am, after all, only a man."

She chuckled and looked down at the bundle he held so delicately in his arms. "What are you going to do with four more?"

Before he could answer she shot him a look of pure death. "And they are not staying here. I am too busy and those are not the kind of animal I fancy."

She slid her hands down his shoulders, sides and squeezed his muscular rump.

He could do nothing but squirm under her caress due to his armful of small, furry animal.

"No, no, no, no, no." Mace shook his head, raising his hands. "I am not taking in any more of your charity cases!"

Qui-Gon frowned at his friend. Mace had always been willing to help him with these things before.

"Not since you asked me to 'watch this cute, little adorable kitten'!" Mace retaliated. "Did you see what that little Sith cat did to my furnishings? She tore them to shreds!"

Qui-Gon bit back the laughter. To see Mace Windu exhibit any more emotion than a passive stare was rare, and Qui-Gon had gotten more than he had ever expected from his old friend.

He remembered that cat... resembled a Sith on the worst kind of drug. A Sith wielding a lightsaber couldn't have been as deadly and as damaging as those sharp, needle claws that dug into everything they touched.

"Go away, and take those new pets of yours with you!" Mace dismissed him with a wave but Qui-Gon stood his ground.

"These are not cats. They are newborn Kle'eep and perfectly harmless."

"Then why do you want me to take care of them?" Mace whirled on his friend, eyes burning with suspicion.

"Because Obi-Wan and I have no place to put them while we are away. No one to take care of them. They need a good home."

"Then I suggest you send them back to the dignitary who gave you this gift. Pets are not allowed in the Temple, use that as an excuse. But I am not going to watch those little pests."

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "Well, you're no help."

"And I doubt that you will find anyone willing to help you this time! The entire Temple knows about that Sith-spawn cat, and those who don't, I make sure they are given a full and complete story!"

"I think you need more lessons in the living Force, just like Obi-Wan," Jinn replied calmly. Inside he couldn't decide if he was angry at the rejection or amused at the reaction.

"Never was my gift," Windu replied with a grin. "The future is my gift, not the present."

"Then why couldn't you see taking in Lady Sith was a bad idea?"

Qui-Gon scooted out the door before the vibroblades that shot from Windu's eyes impacted with his fellow Master's back.

"And get to the Council. We have an investigation to begin!" Windu shot out the door as it slid shut.

"Well, that didn't work, little ones," Qui-Gon whispered to his sleeping armful. "I can't imagine why no one will take you. You are nothing like the kittens we've had in the past."

*And yes, I know, Mace. I'll look into the quakes as soon as I return.*

Qui-Gon continued to walk, realizing how busy the next week would prove and that he needed someone to watch these animals. He didn't know what to expect from this investigation, but he and the rest of the Council knew that something was not right. He and Obi-Wan would be gone indefinitely with this search.

Li'wa had vehemently refused to take the homeless Kle'eep and now Mace. Maybe he could try Deppa. She had never confronted the Sith kitten, nor even Sugar, the angelic kitten much unlike the black hellion. Perhaps she would have a bit more of an open mind. Qui-Gon turned on his heels and rushed to her quarters before Mace or anyone else had the chance to warn her of his approach.

Deppa, ever her charming self, answered the door, the aroma of food also greeting him. Qui-Gon realized it was about her dinnertime and regretted interrupting her.

"Come in Master, Qui-Gon. What brings you here?"

The sparkle in her eyes served to alert him that she knew something about the little bundle he held.

"I need your help."

"Yes, I am aware of that." She gestured at the bundle. "Despite my better judgment, I will take them off your hands while you are on your mission."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief and gave his fellow Master the bundle he carried. "They are asleep right now. I'll bring the others over immediately. Obi-Wan and I leave first thing in the morning."

"I will prepare a place for them."

Qui-Gon bowed in respect to the older Master, before turning to leave.

"You're welcome Master Qui-Gon."

Qui-Gon shot her a charming smile and a wink before striding out the door, pleased to find a temporary home for the creatures. Obi-Wan had lost this bet and now the boy would have to entertain the little creatures in his room upon their return.

*Oh, Master.* Obi-Wan's reply sounded exasperated.

*No, Obi-Wan. You made the bet, now you must face the consequences.*

The Jedi Master smiled as he walked down the corridor. Anyone passing could easily tell he was speaking with someone silently. Qui-Gon pictured Obi-Wan's wince. The boy would learn eventually not to place bets with his Master, since he would surely lose each and every time.

*Prepare for our departure. I will see you for dinner.*

*No dinner with Li'wa tonight?*

Qui-Gon could feel his apprentice's amusement and could only hope that Obi-Wan did not pick up on the other emotions that filled his Master when the Jedi's name was mentioned.

*No, Obi-Wan. She will have a hard day tomorrow.*

He chuckled to himself. The Council's assignment would not please her in the least. To lessen her stress, the least he could do would be to spend the evening with her in a relaxing atmosphere.

When he called at her door, she did not answer. He did not find it hard to focus on her emotions and found her in the gardens, walking among the plants and trees, fresh and blooming with life. The garden's positive energies could change even the angriest person's attitude. Many Jedi sought the place to meditate since its calm and soothing atmosphere helped troubles evaporate like the wind.

The gardens, nearly as big as the Temple itself, spread over many levels. Plant life from all over the galaxy grew here, including many endangered plants, trees, and flowers from Republic's core worlds. The nearly extinct Alderaanian acantha, its flowers' beautiful petals as large as a man's fist bloomed year round. Jedi specialists traveled the galaxy and brought rare and endangered plant life to the Temple to grow.

Li'wa had chosen the Alderaanian area for meditation. The beautiful flowers surrounded her and made the young Jedi look like an angel sitting in the sky. Reluctant to disturb her, he leaned back against a large Alderaanian maple and simply watched. He found her features, calm and serene, intoxicating. While not the most strikingly beautiful woman in the galaxy compared to Coruscant models, she possessed something that made her ascend beyond those women considered lovely... a kind and compassionate heart.

When she had sat beside him through his dark time, this had been most evident. After his second apprentice had turned to the Dark side he had left his former Master questioning his abilities. Li'wa had been there to comfort and re-assure him. It took some time before Qui-Gon could trust his abilities, and he attributed the final decision to take another Padawan to Li'wa.

The earth rolled beneath his feet, returning him to the present with a promise to make certain to rock Li'wa's world tonight. Li'wa's eyes opened at that thought, her serenity replaced with a faint smile. She narrowed her eyes at the Jedi master leaning so carelessly against the tree, then moved to her hands and knees to cross the distance separating them quickly.

"May I have a demonstration of how you plan to do this?" Her eyes had become slits; her lips turned up into a teasing smile. She gripped his legs and pulled herself into a kneeling position. This put her nose to his groin and she grinned. "Maybe I'll rock your world."

She chuckled before nuzzling his growing erection, then nibbled through the thin material, holding his buttocks with one hand and cupping his balls with the other. He struggled to remain silent. With a deep breath, she pushed to her feet. He pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace, his lips trailing down her face to her neck, nipping softly at her skin. She could feel the urgency in his caress, the slightly rough way he grasped and held her.

"In a hurry, love?" she asked quietly, her hand tightening around his growing flesh.

"I need to get back," he panted, trailing his tongue along her collarbone. Dipping it between the hollow where neck and shoulder joined, he pressed a lingering, wet kiss.

"Ah, come to me for sex and then leave, hmmmm?" She squeezed him a bit tighter, exacting a soft grunt. Her other hand trailed the waistband of his pants just before slipping inside.

"Mmmm... We... leave... in the morning," he managed between ragged breaths, his eyes closed for a moment.

"Ah, okay." She removed her hands and pushed him backwards.

He used the Force to lower himself into the greenery surrounding them She lifted her legs to straddle him, as his hands moved to the ties of her tunics. They loosened under his expert fingers and fell open to expose her ample bosom to his hungry eyes. He licked his lips as she leaned over him, her breasts a swaying temptation. Leaning forward, his stomach muscles flexing with the added weight of her perched on his chest, and ran his tongue over the nearest nipple.

She closed her eyes as he blew on the erect nub, then laved each one; the roughness of his tongue sending shivers along her spine as it caressed the sensitive skin. When his lips covered the hard peak, she sighed, grasping his head to steady herself. He twirled his tongue over the tip, sucking deeply. Her grip on his hair became painful when he bit down gently, mixing pleasure with pain.

They heard a rustle in the foliage and he leaned away, pulling her tunics to cover her bared chest. They never saw anyone, only felt amusement from the passers by, who wisely did not stop to investigate further.

The ground beneath them trembled and she grinned. "You'll have to do better than that, Master."

With a chuckle, he rolled her onto her back, then parted the folds of her tunic once again and continued where he had left off. He trailed kisses down her stomach to the waistband of her trousers.

"I think these must go," he grumbled, sliding nimble fingers around the waistband and pulling them down her slender hips.

She shifted uncomfortably as the greenery tickled her bare skin.

"Perhaps this isn't the best idea," he commented at her obvious discomfort.

"Oh, I think this is a fine idea," She crouched in front of him and pushed him back once again.

She untied his tunic, baring his chest, and slipped her fingers down his pants.

"Ah, so you'd rather I itch for days, hmmm?"

He gasped as cool fingers gripped him, sliding down the hard length trapped inside the all-of-a-sudden tight pants. She opened them and released the straining organ, stroking quickly, precisely, knowing just what he liked. Then she lowered herself above him and quickly sheathed him within her. They both gasped as she tightened her hips, taking him to the hilt.

He pressed his head into the foliage, the greenery breaking and tangling in his hair. She rode him hard and fast, leaning back, changing the feel of him within her. His fingers snaked between them and began to make small circles above and around the bundle of nerves hidden above his entry point. Urgently, she undulated her hips, pushing those fingers closer but not quite close enough. When she made an exasperated sound he granted her wish, his thumb cam to rest on her sweet spot, circling slowly, matching her pace.

As she lifted and impaled herself his iron rod, the pace quickened and so did his caress. Her breathing became ragged as did her movements until she grunted and fell into his arms, her climax too much for her to bear sitting up. When coherent thought returned to her body, she felt his arms around her, his cock throbbing deep within. She pushed herself up to look into his eyes.

He needed release, though he desperately tried to hide the fact, she still sensed it. She shrugged out of her outer tunic and dropped it to the ground beside them. Lifting herself from his stomach, she felt the momentary loss of his hard cock sliding from her wetness. Kneeling on the tunic, she slid her pants from her legs, then cast a longing look behind her, inviting him, teasing him.

At that invitation he sat up, gripping his cock, stroking it, then positioned himself behind her as she leaned forward, spreading her legs for him. He grasped her hips, holding them steady as he pounded into her from behind, the long, hard stroke nearly knocking her face forward into the foliage. Without wasting time, he slammed into her. He couldn't bear the friction and he moved toward climax much more quickly.

Not wanting to come first, he snaked a hand around her waist and fingered her clit. She jumped when his thumb began quick circles in time to match his thrusts. His movements drove her to another orgasm and she shuddered beneath him just as his body jerked above her, sending a long, steady stream of hot seed into her spent body. When her arms could no longer hold her, he slid away, replacing his pants and helping her become more presentable. He grinned as he wrapped her tunics and secured them with the sash.

"What's so funny?" She pushed at him, finishing the tie herself.

"You look like a..."

She raised her hand, stopping him. "Never mind what I look like! Now I need a shower."

His eyes sparkled.

"It's all your fault!"

One eyebrow cocked over his amused eyes. "How so?"

"I was sitting here meditating peacefully..."

"Thinking of torturing students."

She ignored the comment and continued. "...calming my thoughts when all of a sudden you come along."

"And give you exactly what you had been trying to push from your mind."

"...and project lustful thoughts into my peace."

He reached around her waist and pulled her against him, ignoring the looks shot in their direction by another couple a few meters away.

"I have to leave tomorrow. I don't know when I'll be back."

"I know, I know." She shook her head and sighed. "Investigating the source of these tremors. Something tells me you are not going to find anything. Or if you do, you won't like what you do find."

"Why is why they are sending me."

"Of course." She grinned seductively. "One of the only Masters in their ranks that they can send off and be sure the job gets done, within or without the Code."

He scoffed and bent to press a long, lingering kiss to her lips.

"Have fun with your students tomorrow."

He turned and began walking toward the exit when her eyes narrowed and widened in shock. She leapt after him, blocking his path.

"How do you know about that?"

Amusement narrowed his eyes as he smiled enigmatically. "I have my ways." He bent to press a kiss to her nose and slid around her and out the exit.

"Damn you," Li'wa muttered, casting a look at her reflection in the meditation pool.

She grunted. "Damn, I do look like I've been romped in the bushes." Trying to remain nonchalant, she picked a flower petal out of her hair and stalked out. She managed to ignore the curious looks from another set of students walking into the area, only to find herself assailed with nearly overwhelming feelings of lust and love.

She glared at them, her eyes hard as stone, her expression emotionless. Whatever she had done to deserve this assignment, she would have to remember not to do it again. Teaching was the last thing she ever wanted to do. Spending so much time with barely-out-of-puberty young men was something she didn't think her Jedi training ever prepared her for.

She took a deep breath, and one by one, sent a Force-wave out toward each young man, toppling them from where they stood in perfect formation - on their hands. She frowned. Not one student had been able to resist her Force-push.

"You need to concentrate more," she scolded as the students moved to a sitting position silently. Some grimaced, some stared wide-eyed at the young woman.

"Kaelan." She singled one of the more annoying young men out of the group, tossing him a practice saber.

"Stand up."

He did as she asked, catching the unlit blade by the hilt and twirling it a few times before igniting the blade. Her practice blade snapped to life with a low hiss. She kept the blade pointed toward the ground as she circled him.

"Never ignite first. We use our skills for defense. Never for attack."

She swung low at the back of his knee, and he had to leap over the blade to avoid being stung by the beam. He rolled away from her and leapt to his feet, bouncing with pent-up frustration at the meditative exercises that they had been subjected to for the last hour.

"Always allow your opponent to attack first, and then..." She turned to the assembled group, who had moved to the sides of the room when the sabers ignited. "Disarm them if you can. Never kill. Kill as a last resort."

She tried to convince herself of the truth of the words, and not that they remained simply a part of some old code the Jedi had taught since the beginning of time. The Council had put her here for a reason, though she would probably never know what that reason had been. She never did. She'd given up trying to figure out why the Council sent her where they did.

Probably to keep her out of their hair. She had begun to get a reputation much like her mentor Qui-Gon. Of course, she found nothing wrong with that. Well, not in her opinion.

Kaelan attacked slowly, much too slowly if fighting a duel to the death with a better opponent. Li'wa made note to discuss lightsaber technique with the proper instructors. Qui-Gon could easily whip him into shape, Li'wa thought with a smile that made Kaelan think she mocked him. He attacked, against her instructions once again. She sidestepped the blade easily and slammed her own over his, trapping it.

"Now how are you going to get out of this?" she asked, her green eyes blazing. "I've trapped you, but I cannot kill you without releasing your blade."

"Grab her wrist and turn it in a most uncomfortable position." The deep voice carried across the practice mat and everyone turned to the source.

She could see the image the Jedi Master sent to the student, but reacted too slowly as Kaelan executed the Master's mental instructions perfectly and flipped her over onto her back with a loud smack. She glared at Qui-Gon and then Kaelan.

"Now why can't you execute my lesson instructions that well." She stood, brushed imaginary lint off her trousers, and addressed her class. Damn Qui-Gon. When did he get back anyway? He was supposed to be gone for two weeks.

"Dismissed for the evening. Be back here and focused tomorrow. I don't want to have to spend an hour every day just centering you for a lightsaber practice."

Kaelan made it first to the door, his eyes catching and holding the Master's, sending a silent 'thank you' for the help.

"Next, time. You will need to figure out the proper defense in order not to end up in that position in the first place."

Kaelan nodded, cast one last smug look over his shoulder at his instructor, and led the class out of the training center. Not looking at the master, she watched them go, until the last student filed out of the room. She moved toward the open door, giving Qui-Gon the impression she would leave without speaking to him, but at the last minute slammed her fist down on the control causing it to whine and slide shut.

She stared up at the tall man, leaning so casually against the frame. "Don't look so smug."

"You need to rid yourself of this confident arrogance that you carry with you. It doesn't do you, or them..." He nodded toward the door. "...any good."

She stepped closer and shoved her hands into her hips. "Perhaps I want to be just a bit more like you."

"And what am I like?" He looked down at her, into her, through her, never blinking.

"Always going against the rules, always challenging the Council."

"And that appeals to you?" Only the slightest eyebrow movement revealed his surprise.

"Why wouldn't it?"

He gave a low chuckle, the rumble causing her very feminine body to respond to its animalistic nature.

"The fact that I am called to task for everything I do before the Council, read disciplinary actions more times than I can remember. Caused already one Padawan of mine to turn to the Dark Side. It won't happen again." She could feel the pain that last statement caused and narrowed her eyes at his next words. "I fail to see why you find my life such an interesting property."

He didn't move, simply watched her with that intense blue gaze. She had invaded his personal space, she half expected him to at least do something.

"When did you get back?" She leaned a shoulder into the wall beside him, her breast brushing lightly against his forearm.

He smiled, ignoring her question. "You are beginning to concern the Council."

"Me? Concern the Council? Why, with my unorthodox training techniques?" She was a bit insulted that Jinn had been chosen to speak to her about this, but she would make him pay for taking such great glee in doing so. "You're enjoying this, aren't you Master?" She leaned a bit closer so that her breath caught the open neckline of his tunic.

"I'm concerned for you."

She took a step back, her eyes traveling the length of his body and then back again. "And why do I concern you?"

"I was asked to."

"Asked the maverick himself to come and 'instruct' me! That's laughable!" She laughed, eyeing him carefully. His countenance never changed and she marveled at his severe lack of emotion regarding this situation. "What am I straying from?" She lifted her forearm against the wall, her fingers within reach of his hair.

"The path of a Jedi."

She noticed his sharp intake of breath but ignored it - for now. "And what is the true path of a Jedi, Master Jinn?"

When his answer was not readily forthcoming, she quoted one of his common statements. "The path of a Jedi is not determined by any one man. It is determined by the living Force and if you listen to it, you will hear it calling to you."

His closely cropped beard almost hid his smile, but she noticed it nonetheless. When he had bent down to speak more intimately, she noticed the faint musky smell she always associated with her former Master. It intoxicated her and she found her attention wavering as he spoke. He steadied her by sliding an arm around her waist, and pressed his lips gently to hers.

When he broke the kiss a few seconds later, she drew back a hand to slap him. He caught that hand before it struck, and chuckled, stepping away from the enraged woman.

"Now, back to more important matters."

Her eyes flared. "How dare you!" Determined, she turned away and called her lightsaber to her hand, the bright blue blade igniting before it reached her grasp.

"A duel, Master Jedi," She stood in a defensive position, ready for his attack. "I'm tired of losing to you. You win, I will sit and listen to all the boring dribble about Council politics and how they think I need to behave."

Excited, she bounced on her heels as he shrugged his cloak off his shoulders and reached for the hilt of his lightsaber.

"And if I lose?" A well-shaped eyebrow lifted in anticipation of the answer.

She lowered the blade and sauntered up to the stoic Master, sliding her hand across his chest in a slow caress, before whirling around into the ready position once more.

"I will see what else you can do with that beautiful mouth of yours."

"You would know," he responded with a smirk, his green blade humming to life. He feinted to her leg and quickly changed direction of his blade to redirect at her shoulder.

Surprised at this bold move, she leapt back and parried high to avoid bodily impact with the deadly blade.

"It's been a while," she remarked with a leer. "Why don't we give up and you can show me here and now."

"I do not give up when issued a challenge."

He struck at her knees and she had no choice but to leap over the blade. She took advantage of the position this move put him in to strike at his head, taking care that if she actually landed the blow, it would be minor and something the healers could heal relatively easily. He parried behind his head, those long arms proving an effective block to her threatened blow.

"Ah, I have seen your Padawan use this move. Very practical, but only works well when you have long arms," she praised, taking a step back.

"I teach him everything I know. He will be a much better Jedi than I one day."

Her mind was on another matter entirely and she ignored his comment. "Your arms aren't the only appendages so well developed."

He remained silent. She struck towards his midsection and he batted the blade away as if it were a bothersome insect.

"Give up." She grinned, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"I will do no such thing." The indignant look on his face nearly sent her into fits of hysterical laughter, but she had a bet to collect on. She wasn't going to sit and listen to him lecture her on proper Jedi behavior when she could win the bet and have him teach her far more interesting things.

He pulled the thought right out of her head. "What things might those be?" He parried her next attack, stung by the fact that the blow jarred his gasp on his lightsaber.

"You are twenty years my senior, I'm sure you will be able to enlighten me."

"Yes, I would be glad to teach you advanced lightsaber techniques."

His voice was calm, but the comment sent her mind spiraling into the Coruscant lower levels. The comment did what it was meant to do. Distract.

"I can wield mine and yours to both our satisfactions, thank you." She swung low and he leapt over the blade, his body somersaulting over her head.

She spun and swung at his spinning form. Before she knew it, her blade was knocked out of her hand by a reverse thrust.

"Damn, damn, damn," she cursed, glaring at him.

"You should know better than to duel with me," he gloated.

"You taught me. I expect to be as good as if not better than you," she grumbled.

"We all pick up things over the years and I have learned quite a bit."

"Well true, you are much older than me and have had more time to learn advanced techniques."

He stepped closer and bent down to look into her eyes. His lips hovered mere inches from her own and when he spoke she could feel the heat of his breath on her face.

"You'll never be as good with a lightsaber." He pressed a deep, passionate kiss to her lips that left her stunned and breathless. Completing that, he turned around and left the room, the door sliding closed with a soft hiss.

"Damn, him." She shook her head, determined not to let him get the upper hand.

Seconds later, she closed up the training room and followed the Jedi Master down the hallway.

As soon as he stepped into his quarters he leaned against the wall, drawing a deep, steadying breath. She could set him off so easily. The desire that burned in his loins would not be ignored and he walked to the fresher for a nice long shower. He had, after all, just returned from his mission, one not conducive to bathing regularly.

Shedding his clothing as he walked toward the room, he draped everything carefully across the bed before disappearing into the fresher unit. The water snapped on and began to cascade over the rippling muscles that adorned his body. He closed his eyes, reflecting on the mission and its success.

Despite this, his thoughts always traveled back to that warm, smooth body, covered with slight muscles, writhing beneath him, her cries of pleasure matching his own. A soft sigh escaped his lips. Her lessons would detain her this evening. But his body didn't know that.

He lathered soap across his torso, the suds sliding down to drip from his growing erection. As he scrubbed the soap into his skin, he reveled at the tingling sensation. Purposely, he avoided the growing problem, his hands rubbing suds over every inch of skin but the one straining for attention.

Thoughts of their past encounters flooded his mind before he could stop them. Even their duel earlier had been an erotic dance. Long fingers slid between his legs to stroke his length. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back wall for support. Soon, his hand encircled the engorged flesh and began to pump a bit more urgently. He pulled and stroked slowly, then gripped his balls tightly in an effort to steady his pace. His hand worked his entire length, from base to tip, the pearly drops gathering there being spread with the rest of the warm water, across his throbbing cock.

*Do you know what you do to me?*

He heard her impassioned cry in his mind, causing him to gasp. Fingers met an extremely sensitive spot, causing him to thrust his hips into his hand involuntarily.

*I wish you were doing it now.* He replied with as much passion through their link.

*Perhaps a bit of torture is warranted.*

He could feel her excitement across their bond as he stroked a bit more slowly now.

*You lost the bet.* He sighed, almost regretting that fact.

*And I am a sore loser. You know that, Master.*

He did not answer as his body convulsed. He pressed fingers against the base of his cock, preventing the final spiral over the edge. Before he knew where the time had gone, she was there, completely clothed, standing in the fresher with him. He started momentarily upon seeing her, but lost all conscious thought when she knelt at his feet and removed his hand from his throbbing hardness and replaced it with her mouth.

He groaned loudly as her hot warmth enveloped him and she began to suck deeply. She took his entire length in one breath, the soft tip pressing against the back of her throat. She held him there, fingers cupping his balls, pressing against him almost painfully, refusing to let him come. Her tongue lapped and nipped at the hard flesh, much to his chagrin. She gripped him in an iron fist and began long, strokes, her mouth and lips nibbling whatever skin left visible.

"Gods! Enough!" he groaned, his fingers tangling in her hair and pulling.

*All right, my love. I'll grant you release. This time.*

Her throat constricted, sucking the groans out of him. His hips thrust into her, driving him deeper down the back of her throat. She could feel him throbbing and sucked him deeper, her mouth clamping onto him like a vise. His body shook with tremors, she could only interpret as an intense orgasm, seconds before she felt the steady stream of liquid explode into mouth. She pulled back a bit and swallowed, the warm cream almost overfilling her. Once spent, he sagged against the wall, her lips roaming casually over the soft skin of his thighs.

"Feel better now?" She licked her lips and looked up at him with droopy eyelids.

His body shielded most of the water from her, but the rivulets dripping from his hair, chest, and nose, intoxicated her.

"Much." He groaned as she nipped at the sensitive flesh of his inner thigh. She would turn her attention to his cock, nibble a bit, and then move on.

*Tease.*

He could much better voice thoughts in his head than with his mouth at this point.

*You owe me.*

She could feel him sigh along their mental bond.

*I will be paying you back for our lifetime.*

*I look forward to it.* She chuckled.

Suddenly, he bent and lifted her into his arms, crushing her mouth to his. As she lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist, her bare skin came into contact with something very hairy, wet and stringy. She looked down to see two beady little eyes staring up at her through the torrent of water slapping its tiny head. She screeched and all but leapt into Qui-Gon's arms.

"What in the seven Corellian hells is that?" she screeched, her elevated voice driving it out of the waterlogged fresher.

"What?" He blinked.

"Something wet and fuzzy nuzzled my ankle!"

A raised eyebrow. "Now, Li'wa, I am not fuzzy nor do I hang to your ankles." He stifled a bit of laughter when she shot him a glaring look.

"No, damn it. It was one of those creatures you brought back that decided to multiply into a billion little duplicates of itself!"

"Oh? I just returned. They shouldn't be back already. Deppa was watching them for us while we were away."

He tightened his grip around her slick buttocks and turned the water off with a nudge of the Force. "Let's go see."

"I don't want to go see!" she hissed, biting his neck. "I want to continue where we left off."

He continued walking until he passed the bed where he had laid the clothes he'd shed before he entered the fresher. When her thighs tightened around his hips, he stopped. Her seductive smile followed the slight undulation of her hips against his groin.

"Obi-Wan and I have..."

"I don't care what you have. I have you tonight and I have no plans to let you go." She shifted her weight a bit so that he had no choice but to sit on the bed or drop her.

"No lesson, briefings or--"

She pounced, straddling him; she pushed him back against the bed and captured his lips in a searing kiss. "Nothing." She nipped at his lips, grinding her hips into his groin. He rewarded her with a groan and his cock filling once again.

"Mmmmm," she mumbled into his neck, rubbing her wetness against his hardening manhood.

"I knew you had it in you." She grinned, nipping at his nose as she lifted herself on her forearms.

"It's going to be in you soon enough," he grunted, rolling her off him and pinning her to the bed with the Force.

"Ah, free to roam." He ran an appreciative gaze over her damp body, and began to caress her with his lips.

His hands moved to her lower body as his lips caressed every inch of her face, cheeks, and neck. When his lips moved to suckle on her breasts, his finger probed her wetness. He was not at all surprised to find her wet and ready for him, considering what she had just done to him in the fresher. She squirmed beneath his fingers, her hips lifting to drive him deeper. When he bit down lightly on a hard nipple, she groaned, tossing her head against the mattress.

He paid equal attention to both soft mounds, hardening their peaks to a painful intensity before moving on. He lavished her flat stomach and shapely hips before settling into a comfortable position between her thighs. Warm lips and an even hotter mouth, replaced the long fingers that worked her into a passionate frenzy. Her hips arched sharply off the bed, threatening to suffocate the man as he tongued her most efficiently. When two long fingers began to thrust in time with his tongue, she knew she was on her way to another sense-shattering climax.

He kept her on the edge, licking and sucking at just the right moments. He blew on her wet skin, causing shivers to race up her spine. He shifted uncomfortably to accommodate his growing erection. It bounced against the bed as he knelt between her legs. He undulated his hips in time with hers, relieving little of the throbbing. His mouth clamped over the bundle of nerves above his fingers, and he began to suck deeply, her sweetness filling his mouth.

As the familiar sensations built within her, she groaned into an arm she had just thrown over her mouth, then stars exploded before her eyes. She shook violently, and reached down to catch his hand as it traveled up her side. "Mmmm," she mumbles as he slid above her and planted himself at the juncture of her legs.

"Wet enough to take this?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Then, he took his sizable erection into his hand and stroked its length in front of her. Rubbing it against her opening. She grinned, her eyes clearing from their clouded state.

"Baby, I'm ready for that the minute you look in my direction." She lifted her hips, ready for him and he didn't disappoint.

His slow slide into her was quickened as she arched sharply, driving him to the hilt.

"Agh, woman," he grunted. Despite her wetness, it was always a tight fit. But then it was with every woman who had the fortune to make it to his bed.

She chuckled as he began to thrust. Long, deep strokes, driving him fully within her, and sliding him almost completely out again. She wrapped her legs around his hips, grunting as his hips slammed into hers.

"Damn, Jinn," she muttered, her stomach muscles working tightly to lift her hips off the bed to meet each and every one of his powerful thrusts.

He leaned over her, and she leaned forward to latch onto a nipple. Paying him back for his earlier tease, she bit down, harder than normal. He gasped and slammed his hips into her, stretching her tiny form around his large cock.

"Come on, baby," she urged with each thrust. His pace increased and a deep breath punctuated each of her words. "Harder."

"Any harder and we'll break the bed," he cautioned, grinding his hips into hers with alternating circular motions.

He leaned over her, his lower stomach brushing over sensitized nerves. She shuddered as he continued to thrust.

"Come with me, Li, come with me," he begged her in a strained voice as he held back his climax as long as he could.

On the last thrust, he entered her mind, sharing his feelings and sensations with her. That did it. She spiraled over the edge of incredible ecstasy, her body shuddering and shaking. Her heart skipped beats as the powerful Master above her thrust his way to a climax at the same time. She milked every drop from his cock, clutching his throbbing member until it stilled and became peaceful, even as its master collapsed atop her breathing heavily. Before he had the chance to relieve her of his weight, they noticed a movement beneath the covers that they just happened to be laying atop of.

"What is that?" Li'wa sighed, her eyes searching the darkened room for more movement.

"We never made it in to see if Obi-Wan brought the Kle'eep in from Deppa's." Qui-Gon lifted himself onto muscled arms and looked around the room.

They weren't hard to find. All four of the tiny creatures were perched atop Qui-Gon's dresser, gazing curiously down at the couple intertwined on the bed.

"Oh, Sith!" Li'wa exclaimed, all but throwing Qui-Gon off her in an effort to cover her naked form.

The Jedi Master followed her eyes and grinned. The Kle'eep were back.

"What's the matter?" He followed her from the bed, picking up discarded clothing and covering his own nakedness.

"I have no desire whatsoever to have those creatures watching us make love!" She snapped, throwing a look of disgust on their direction. The creatures simply chattered to themselves in hushed tones, before finally leaping off one by one and hopping onto the bed. "If you sleep with those things, you are not allowed anywhere near my bed!" She hissed, casting a disgusted glance in the Jedi Master's direction.

When he turned and followed her eyes, he sighed. The young ones were looking for their mother.

"I think they've found her." Li'wa plucked the comment from his mind, just as the adult Kle'eep appeared from beneath the bedcovers.

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and reached for Li'wa, who shrugged out of his grasp.

"Now that is disgusting." She stalked out of the bedroom and straight into Obi-Wan. They both looked up in shock before their gazes turned to Qui-Gon.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, his voice calm in the face of his teenage Padawan catching him bedding a woman, worse, his former Padawan. "Please get the Kle'eep out of my bedroom."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan smiled at Li'wa and slipped into the room.

An overwhelming musty scent assailed his senses and sent his body into overload. The smell of sex in the room was so strong, Obi-Wan couldn't stop his body from responding.

"Oh, man," the Padawan grumbled as he searched for the wayward creatures.

"You can come see me from now on!" Li'wa hissed, keying open the door and stepping through before Qui-Gon could stop her. "I don't' appreciate an audience!"

"Li," Qui-Gon began as she stalked down the corridor. He toyed with the idea of going after her, but decided it was better to wait. He had a Padawan, sure to be confused by the state of his Master's bedroom, not to mention the feelings of lust that filled the room, as well as some Kle'eep to find and figure out what to do with.

She wrapped the towel tightly around her form and sighed. It had been a long, tiring day and she was in no mood to see or speak to anyone. A black ball of fuzz zipped round her legs in an effort to trip her, but she ignored it and stalked to her bed. As she lay back, aforementioned black ball leaped beneath her and was squished beneath her weight. A hiss and a few screams later, Li'wa leapt off the bed, cursing at the creature in several languages.

"Damn! You should know by now not to try and lay down at the same time as me!"

A hiss, bared claws and fangs, greeted her curses until she lay down, certain that little needle nails was not beneath her this time. Li'wa was asleep almost immediately, but the little black ball of fur was not ready to sleep. She proceeded to lick Li'wa's freshly washed arm. Scented bath oils sent the little cat into spasms of uncontrollable fits.

Li'wa grumbled in her sleep, batting the ticklish fur ball away. How she had ever been convinced to watch this hellion while another long time friend was away on a mission remained anyone's guess. Li'wa looked at the kitten and felt their temperaments similar. Thinking they would get along famously, she agreed, and had done nothing but regret it since.

Well, that was not entirely true. Li'wa could see herself in the small ball of fur that rumbled and rolled around her rooms like a mad cat. Li'wa opened her eyes, her nap ruined, to find a cat butt pressed into her face. The little hellion had finally gone to sleep, bestowing upon Li'wa her most precious asset, her backside. Li'wa snorted and rolled over, pulling the covers over her shoulders.

This upset the black ball next to her and she heard a hiss as said furball was tossed from the bed in a most undignified heap. Li'wa held back a chuckle but was no longer laughing when two sets of razor sharp claws gripped her toes and began to play.

"Sith!" Li'wa grunted, kicking at the kitten.

The frantic movements only caused the cat to bat more lively at the appendages revealed by the covers. Li'wa kicked the covers off and stalked to the fresher, the little ball of black fur chasing the bare toes all the way. Li'wa took a deep breath and lifted the little hellion with the Force, dangling by the scruff of its neck over a now filling sink. The water lapped at the sides of the basin, threatening to spill onto the floor. Li'wa allowed the Force to dip a bit and the kitten dangled a bit closer to the offending liquid.

The kitten's eyes narrowed and his claws pushed at the invisible bonds holding him in such a precarious position over the water. When the struggling didn't work, she began to hiss and spit at the water, amidst Li'wa's chuckles. Suddenly, the room began to shake and Li'wa was thrown against the doorframe, her concentration broken. She wasn't hurt, but the squeal and hiss she heard as the kitten hit the water was enough to instill fear in any animal lover.

The kitten was not gifted with the Force in any way, shape or form, but when her fur hit the water, Li'wa could have sworn that the offending ball of fur levitated above the water and out, digging her claws into any substance on her way out of the fresher. Li'wa's bare toes happened to be in the way of the fleeing ball of fur. Li'wa howled in pain as the needle claws dug deep into the uncovered skin.

"Damn, you! I am going to squeeze you within an inch of your life for that!"

The plastacrete beneath her feet swayed again, knocking her off balance. She gripped the edge of the door and sighed. Her comm line beeped and alarms began to sound along the Temple walls. She shielded her thoughts, blocking the panic in the acolyte and young Padawan's minds. Tremors were commonplace in the city, but these felt different. More damage had been done this time. Something was terribly wrong.

Sugar and Sith Kitty used with permission. Thank Judy (willow_bend@hotmail.com) for their creation!

Many thanks to Elaine (elainrob@worldnet.att.net) for editing and beta'ing