CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.

Coruscant felt so much noisier than the battlefield. That is the first thing that Elly noticed when she stepped off the ship. It was so noisy but a different kind of noise. It was comforting. The noise of Coruscant is what she had known her whole life but the battlefield was harsh and jarring and paralysing. This was good.

Elly felt at home in this noise and it didn't take her long to get back into routine. Once she had returned to the Temple, she went to her room and picked up right where she had left off when she had left a few days earlier. It was jarring how easy she found it to slip back into routine.

For three years, it had been excruciating. Any slight change to her schedule made her want to melt down but now, she felt content. She felt like herself again. So, she spent the afternoon on Coruscant studying. This time she was brushing up on her Huttesse and Binary. Droids were not something she spent a lot of her time with - unlike Anakin - but when she ran into them, she liked to know what they were saying.

By the time the evening rolled around, Elly had settled back into life on Coruscant and went to grab dinner. Ahsoka was pleased for the trio to be back at the Temple and the two talked a little about the battle before Ahsoka began to rave about her newest assignment in class and how she was doing well with it.

It was familiar and she could feel Obi-Wan's emotional turmoil at dinner. He had been off ever since the battle. She knew that. It seemed he was the one that was worried about her so once dinner was over and they went their separate ways, Elly found her way to Obi-Wan's room. She wanted to check up on him. He was the most important thing to her.

"Hey," Elly said as she entered the room. His head lifted from his desk and he nodded his head in acknowledgement before he went back to his studying, "What's wrong?" She asked after a moment. Obi-Wan turned away from his desk completely and stood up.

"Anakin nearly caught us," He said. Elly frowned. That wasn't the real reason. She knew there was something more, something deeper. It had been going on since before the battle and Anakin had done nothing to create that sort of tension beforehand.

"Sleeping in the same bed isn't a crime and he would not betray you," Elly retorted as she stepped closer to Obi-Wan. But he swerved around her and moved to sit on the edge of his bed. He felt so guilty about it and Elly hated it.

"It was sloppy," He muttered. She sighed and pushed her fingers through her hair. She had taken the braids out now after she had taken a proper shower. The leftover grime from the battlefield was gone and she felt fresh.

"I know that isn't really what's bothering you. Talk to me," She insisted as she moved over to him. She pushed herself between his legs, cupping his face with her hands and forcing him to look up. His beard covered that strong jawline and she ran her fingers through the hairs, gently scritching in an attempt to soothe him.

"I'm just tired." His eyes closed as he tilted into her touch. It relaxed him so much. He wished he hated it. He wished it didn't make him feel so peaceful.

"I have been nothing but honest with you, please let me in," Elly begged softly. Then she felt it. His mind opened up to her and she could feel it all. The worry that something would happen to her, the terror that gripped in heart during that battle. He had watched her be knocked over by the destroyer droid and could do nothing to stop it. He had been terrified on her behalf. She could feel how relieved he had been when Cody dragged Elly away from the battlefield. Elly looked into Obi-Wan's eyes and a frown appeared on her lips.

"Obi-Wan..." She wasn't sure what to say. This was exactly what he had been afraid would happen to her and yet, here they were. He was the one feeling too much and he was the one terrified. Terror was never something they should feel.

"I know," He mumbled. He sounded dejected, ashamed and she hated that. She cupped his face with her hands, straddling his waist as she looked into his eyes.

"You cannot be worried for me. I know that I am new to the battlefield but I have always been able to hold my own. I've saved your life more times than I can remember and I will be fine now. I'm stronger than I used to be," She attempted to reassure him and it was all things that he knew but it still worried him. He was constantly worried for her.

"If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself," He mumbled. She sighed and leant closer. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, cupping his cheeks still.

"You can't think like that," She mumbled against his lips before she pulled back again, "We can't let this affect our duties. You made these rules." Obi-Wan sighed and nodded his head.

"I know," His words were barely a mumble before he buried his face in the crook of her neck. He was exhausted by it all and he just wanted her to be safe and happy, "I didn't anticipate it being this hard." She chuckled softly and ran her fingers through his hair gently. Her fingertips gently scratching his scalp. It was her attempt to calm him.

"You need to meditate," He hummed in agreement and she pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before she moved off of his lap. If he was going to meditate, it was better for him to do that alone. She was the source of all his issues. They needed to be apart for a little bit.

"Qui-Gonn never believed in that part of the Code," Obi-Wan said after a moment. Elly was heading towards the door but his words made her stop. She twirled back around to face him, her head tilted slightly.

"What part?" She asked. Under her brief Padawanship of Qui-Gonn, he had never mentioned anything about the Code. He seemed to be a staunch follower.

"Attachments." It took Elly a moment of thought but that made somewhat sense. It was clear that Elly and Obi-Wan were attached to each other and he did very little to stop it. But there was still a want for clarity and Obi-Wan was happy to provide, "He saw it in the same way as you. Attachments were allowed as long as they didn't affect your duties to the galaxy." Elly nodded but that small admittance brought so many questions.

"Then why did you resist for so long?" She asked curiously. Even after Aldra, he had tried so hard to ignore his feelings for Elly. He had become so frustrated and closed-off when he made one mistake with her while training. If Qui-Gonn had been open to attachments, he had no reason to react like that.

"Because his death destroyed me." Elly could hear how broken Obi-Wan was when he said that and she frowned. Her whole face crumbled. She had expected it to hurt but she never knew how much. By the time Qui-Gonn had died, Elly's focus was on training her Padawans. She hadn't even thought to speak to him.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled softly. Obi-Wan shrugged and he held out his hand for her to take. She took it reluctantly and he pulled her back onto the bed.

"He was right. I was attached to him and his death hurt more than anything but I didn't let it affect my duties to Anakin. It was okay," He said as he looked up at Elly. She was positioned between his legs now and she looked confused. Her head tilted, "I won't give up on this." His words were stern and that made her smile. She leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"I'm not either," She mumbled against his lips. He pulled her closer, urging her into his lap and she did so with a little reluctance.

"Stay." He begged and she nodded her head. She pressed a kiss to his lips and he pulled her closer, curling his head into her neck. Her presence was such a comfort.

-

When Elly had been called for a Council meeting alone, it set her on edge. There was no specifics on what they would be discussing and even who would be in attendance for the meeting but when she brought it up to Obi-Wan, he was being quiet about the situation which meant that Elly wouldn't like it.

So, as she walked into the meeting, she prepared for the worst. She prepared for her to be cut from the Order or something equally as horrific. When she walked in, she was surprised to find only Obi-Wan, Yoda and Windu in the room. Most meetings she had been to had all the Jedi Council meeting to determine her fate. It felt jarring that it was only a small number of them.

"Master Muloa, I'm glad you could join us." Windu said though there was a hint of impatience to his tone. She had made it to the meeting perfectly on time but he seemed he wanted this over with as quickly as Elly did.

"Of course. I'm at your service," She responded. Her words had a bite of sarcasm to them but she tried to hide those emotions. Windu had been nothing but cruel to her since she had rejoined the field but she couldn't show her distaste. Especially when she didn't even know why she had been brought there in the first place.

"Made a decision, we have," Yoda interrupted before Windu could say anything more. The tension was palpable between the two Jedi Masters and Obi-Wan made a mental note to check up with Elly regarding Windu at some point. Their distaste for each other had never been so obvious.

"What about?" Elly asked as she moved her gaze from Windu to Yoda. It briefly flicked to Obi-Wan but he was showing neutrality. She could feel his concern but also calmness through their Force bond. Despite everything, he seemed to be hiding his emotions.

"Your future," Yoda's words were simply but it didn't clarify a thing for Elly.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little confused," She admitted as she looked between the three Jedi Masters. Her future could mean so much including her expulsion from the Order. But if that is truly what was occurring, she wouldn't be the only one stood in front of the Council. Obi-Wan would likely be beside her. That indiscretion would be the only thing that would cause her to be expelled now. She had gotten everything else firmly under control.

"When we first brought you in, we wanted to give you a battalion. That is what we need to discuss." Windu responded and Elly's face dropped. There was no way that she could handle a battalion. She had seen battle once and even then she had barely grasped even the basics of leadership. The panic set in quickly.

"You have made wonderful progress with me but Master Windu believes you would benefit if you were on your own," Obi-Wan interrupted, hoping that his words would help soothe Elly. He could feel her panic down their bond and althoug he wanted to comfort her, it would be too obvious. Both Windu and Yoda were strong in the Force, able to sense more than most.

"I would have to disagree," Elly quickly responded. She looked to Obi-Wan before she turned her gaze onto Windu.

"Why is that?" He asked. Elly straightened her shoulders slightly, suddenly feeling so self-conscious. She felt like Windu was staring into her soul.

"As much as I have improved and I am more confident. I am in no way prepared to lead my own battalion," Elly retorted. Yoda glanced at Obi-Wan and Windu looked displeased. A frown appeared on his face. She could already feel his retort coming, so she would quick to begin to explain herself, "I recognise that I will have to take a battalion but I would benefit from staying with Master Kenobi's battalion for a few more missions. I have been on two missions alongside him. That is not enough time to grasp what my duties would be." It was all true. Obi-Wan knew it to be true. They had very little time together off-world. It would be cruel to send her out into the battlefield now with how little experience she had.

"Kenobi, what do you think this?" Windu asked, turning his gaze to the bearded man. Obi-Wan sat up in his chair slightly and he could feel Elly's gaze burning into his face.

"I'm inclined to agree." Obi-Wan said and he felt her calm in an instant. He felt comfortable again and continued, "Her first time on the battlefield left her knocked out so the after-battle procedures were lost to her. And I must admit that due to the chaotic nature of the mission, I did not allow her to observe as much as I hoped." His words were so formal and exactly what Elly needed him to say. She wanted to have a battalion, she wanted to do her duty but she knew she couldn't.

"Stay with Kenobi, she must." Yoda said and Elly smiled.

"Thank you, Master Yoda." Windu looked displeased but Elly gave him nothing more than a glance. Her full attention on Yoda now that Obi-Wan had helped soothe the panic that had spread through her chest.

"You must be careful." Yoda added and Elly nodded her head. She knew she had to be. Battles were dangerous and avoiding her duty was even more so.

"I think it would be unwise to keep her from her duty," Windu began but Yoda turned to him and it seemed that those thoughts were stopped in their tracks, "You are dismissed, Master Muloa." Windu's words were sudden but Elly was thankful for them.

She muttered, "May the Force be with you," before she exited the room. The heaviness in her bones had left now that the meeting was over with. She knew that she would have to get a battalion and in a few weeks, she would have her own. But she just prayed that by then, she would understand how to be a good leader and General.

-