CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

Elly had slept well despite her conversation with Anakin. She knew that she could trust him. When he promised silence, he would stick to that. And there was something unspoken between them. They both knew that the other had something going on but neither were willing to question it. Maybe it was out of fear, maybe it was out of respect for the other's privacy but they knew that neither of them would pry.

Not anymore.

Elly was thankful. It made sitting with Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan in the mess hall a much easier experience. Anakin seemed to be in a much more pleasant mood that morning as they ate breakfast. Ahsoka was talking happily about her newest Padawan lessons and lightsaber techniques and that she was top of her class. Obi-Wan was congratulating her and Anakin was bragging about how he helped her perfect her lightsaber techniques. Elly would argue otherwise but didn't say a word. She let him brag.

There was nothing she would gain from correcting him. But Obi-Wan and Elly didn't talk directly at all over breakfast. There was a tension. Anakin knew why. Ahsoka was vaguely aware but said nothing as they ignored it.

By the time that Elly and Obi-Wan were walking to their training session, it was thick enough to slice through. Elly tried to make conversation but all attempts seemed to fall flat. Obi-Wan seemed hesitant to talk to her. She couldn't tell if he regretted what he did or he was simply unaware of how to proceed but it was infuriating.

Once they had reached the training room, some tension dissipated. Elly did her circuit training, weights, cardio. All of it served as a distraction from the obvious unspoken words between them. Elly didn't care to break the tension. She had nothing more to say. Obi-Wan knew how she felt. It all lay in his lap.

"Would you like to duel?" Obi-Wan asked as Elly cooled down from the first half of the training. Her baby hairs were sticking to her forehead and her face was red. She looked awful but he still looked at her the exact same way. That complete adoration.

"Sure," She mumbled as she walked over to her cloak. Her lightsaber was in the pocket and she took it out. It felt good in her hands, comfortable and she turned the setting down. Obi-Wan stripped off his cloak and took his own lightsaber off his belt. He twirled it in his hand once it was activated and turned down. It was a habit she had noticed Anakin had picked up from his Master. Though she had never been one to do it, Obi-Wan likely picked it up from Qui-Gonn.

They both moved to the centre of the room and once they were comfortable, Elly swung at Obi-Wan. He was quick to block, surprised by such a swift attack and they got into the rhythm. Lightsabers clashing as they moved back and forth across the floor. Elly was mostly on the offensive, her lightsaber swinging in harsh arcs and now that she had refined her lightsaber technique, the elegant flicks of her lightsaber were unmissable.

She had become the dangerous wielder again and Obi-Wan would have been impressed if he wasn't the one being sorely beaten. It was only when he was too close to the wall that he realised what she was doing and when their lightsabers clashed once more, he shoved forward. His block turning into an offensive move as he tried to shove her backwards.

But Elly was stronger and she pushed their lightsabers sideways managing to angle her own downwards, disarming him in the process. The lightsaber clattered to the floor and she kicked it away before Obi-Wan had a chance to bring it back to him.

She then swung at him again and he stepped back. Without a lightsaber he was defenceless and they had already agreed not to use the Force. She smirked as she watched him move backwards and then his back was pressed against the wall.

Elly stepped closer, her lightsaber hovering dangerously close to his neck. The pastel orange lighting up both of their faces. Elly was already gloating internally. He had been so easy to defeat this time, part of her wondered if he wanted it. Maybe he liked it. She projected that thought and Obi-Wan eyes shot open.

"Elly," He hissed. She chuckled and moved her lightsaber closer.

"Yield and we can end this here," She said simply. Obi-Wan stared at her for a long moment, debating whether to give in and he did. She was too close. Their faces were inches apart and every part of him wanted to kiss her. He needed to put space between them. It was dangerous and as much as he adored her, he couldn't. Not here. In their rooms it was different but the training room, he couldn't.

"I yield," He responded. Elly deactivated her lightsaber and clipped it to her belt but she didn't move away from him. Instead, she commanded his lightsaber to her hand and clipped it on his belt for him. His entire body went rigid. This was dangerous. Elly looked up at him, an innocent look on her face. She had noticed how tense he had gotten.

"Did I do something wrong?" Elly asked. Obi-Wan couldn't bring himself to say anything as he looked at her but his eyes said it all. She knew she hadn't but she wanted him to say something, do something. Her hands moved to rest against his chest and there was only a few inches between their faces now as she searched his face, "Please, talk to me." He could hear the teasing in her tone. She was taunting him.

He moved his hands to hers and gently took a hold of them. He pushed hers so they were by her sides and she frowned. He was trying to keep a neutral expression on his face but when Elly lifted her hand to rest against his cheek, his facade dropped and he surged forward. His lips captured her in a heated kiss and she gasped at the intensity of it.

His tongue entered her mouth almost instantly. His hands moved to clutch her waist, pressing their chests together as he held her tightly. Elly barely had time to react but she kissed him back just as fervently. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he groaned when he felt her gently tug at the hair at the nape of his neck.

"You have no idea what you do to me," He mumbled in the kiss. Elly smirked and moved one of her hands to rest against his chest.

"I can guess," She mumbled as she pulled away. She trailed kisses from his lips to his neck and he tilted his head back. Nobody had ever set his body on fire like she did and in that moment, he was willing to let her do whatever she wanted to him. His hands clutching onto her tightly as she sloppily kissed the skin across his neck.

It was only Elly's experimental nipping that brought him out of it and he grabbed her chin quickly, pulling her face up. Their lips meeting in a soft peck.

"No, don't bite me," He mumbled against her lips. Their faces centimetres apart. His forehead rested against hers as she pouted. He could feel her playful frustration and it made him chuckle softly, "Not there." She smirked as she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. He looked so gorgeous. The ocean blue of his eyes was so comforting. She could never place why. But she felt like she could drown in them if she wanted to.

"We need to stop this game," She mumbled. Obi-Wan hummed in response before he leant forward and pressed a few soft open mouthed kisses to her lips. She dropped her head forward a little and he moved his hand to rest on the small of her back.

"Not here," He said after a moment. She groaned softly before she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She desperately wanted to kiss him again but she knew they couldn't. Even kissing once had been dangerous if anyone saw, if anyone sensed it, they would be cast out. It was strictly against the rules.

"Come with me to my room," Elly suggested. Obi-Wan sighed. As tempting and wonderful as that offer sounded, he knew that he couldn't. He had a Council meeting in less than half an hour and if he was going to go with her, he knew what he wanted to do. He needed to spend actual time with her. He couldn't rush his time with her anymore.

"I have a Council meeting," He mumbled. She sighed and he could feel the way her breath huffed against his throat. It tickled but it was a nice sensation. He gently lifted her head out of his neck again, "I want to give you the time you deserve," He admitted softly. She couldn't help but grin and she pressed a soft peck to his lips. He was finally giving in to his feelings and she had never been so pleased.

"I promise it won't affect me," She said as she pulled away from him. She separated them completely. He smiled and nodded.

"I believe you, little bird, but I won't let you fall again and if that means stopping whatever this is, I will protect you." There was a sternness to his tone and she nodded her head. He was still first and foremost her best friend and protector. She knew that.

"I'll let you get to your meeting." She said as she walked over to the bench. She grabbed her cloak and pulled it over her shoulders before she turned to face him. He had only just moved off the wall and he seemed almost dazed by what had happened.

"I'll find you when I can," He responded. Elly nodded and gave him a smile. Little did Obi-Wan know that the meeting he was about to walk in could change everything. He trusted Elly but he was beginning not to trust himself on the battlefield. Especially not when her life would be on the line.

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Later that day, Elly had found herself in a training room with Anakin again. She wouldn't have minded if her thoughts weren't so distracted with Obi-Wan. He had been gone for hours and she had a feeling that he was still in his meetings all this time later. She hated that and she wanted nothing but to be with him.

Anakin provided a distraction and after they had duelled together, Ahsoka appeared. She had watched the end of the fight and she seemed pleased to see Elly back in her natural habitat. But when Ahsoka asked to duel with Elly, Elly found it hard to say no to her doe eyes and the pout on her face.

Elly usually would never let herself be so reckless but she felt stable enough to be able to fight Ahsoka without hurting her. So, they duelled but Anakin was whispering in the Force. None of it was directed at Elly, he was trying to help Ahsoka but it was distracting.

And when Ahsoka swiped for her leg, she was off her game and landed awkwardly on her ankle. The pain ripped up her leg and she landed harshly against the floor. Her lightsaber clattered and deactivated itself while Elly pushed herself to sit back up. It hurt like hell and she winced when she moved to sit.

Anakin and Ahsoka rushed to her side and Ahsoka was frowning. She looked so guilty but Elly didn't notice. She instead focused on pulling her shoe off to check for a bruise. It hurt like hell and she was sure that she had just twisted it.

"What happened?" Anakin asked the blonde as she pulled her sock down past her ankle. It looked okay and when Elly gently pressed against it, it felt a little tender but it could have been worse.

"I could hear you speaking in the Force," Elly mumbled before she pulled her sock back up. She looked up at Anakin who was frowning. He hadn't realised he had been projecting his thoughts to more than Ahsoka.

"I'm sorry, Elly. I didn't mean to. I was just listening to Anakin," Ahsoka quickly shifted the blame and Elly chuckled. She held her hand out and Anakin took a hold of it, hauling her to her feet. But the sudden pressure on her foot sent a wave of pain up her leg. She would have to go to the medbay for this.

"It's okay, Ahsoka. I promise it's fine," Elly said as she cautiously placed her foot behind her so she could step away from the pair. She was trying to hide the pain that went up her leg but Anakin could see it on her face.

"Do you want me to help you to the medcentre?" He asked. She shook her head. It was fine. She knew it would be but before she could say anything, they felt another presence. Obi-Wan had just entered the training room and Elly slowly turned to face him, not wanting to put too much pressure on her ankles so quickly. Obi-Wan glanced between the trio before he gave them an awkward smile. He seemed hesitant to speak.

"Is everything okay, Master?" Anakin asked.

"We are being sent out into battle again. Ahsoka will not be accompanying us but your battalion has been called out alongside mine," The words were directed at Anakin but Elly knew that they were also meant for her. He was hesitant to let her know that she would be part of a battle. He didn't want it to be true. It made everything too real.

"Where to?" Anakin asked but their conversation was lost to Elly as she tried to take in the information and ignore the pain in her leg. She needed to get to the medcentre and get a bacta shot because it seemed that they were departing that evening.

"Elly, do you need to go to the medcentre?" Obi-Wan's voice snapped her out of her daze and she nodded her head. He could tell that she had got none of that conversation. He could feel along their bond how easily she had zoned out.

"Yeah. I just need a bacta shot for my ankle," She mumbled. Obi-Wan nodded and offered his arm out. Elly looped her with his and he helped her limp to the medcentre. She had to be in the best state she could. It was her first time on the battlefield and that was a terrifying prospect in-of-itself.

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