"For a drink."

As the Jedi Knight walked away, Catelle couldn't help but wonder how he could possibly stay so jovial as they were chasing a deadly assassin. It seemed that her counter part thought the same thing, he however didn't pause to acknowledge this thought and instead began to walk across the crowded room.

The pair had never been impeccable at listening; they had always found it too restraining. Following someone else's rules and regulations wasn't something they often found themselves doing consciously- which is why listening was such a difficult task for the pair. People would simply drone on and on about something that they had no interest in but had to pretend that they did for purposes of polite manners. Or they would discuss a mission plan for hours on end knowing full well that when it came to executing the plan, it would all fall to pieces. When it came to Obi-Wan however, the pair found themselves listening quite intently and following orders like gospel (most of the time...okay, a small amount of the time). He had become someone that the two respected a high amount, one like a father, the other like a brother. Supportive, would be one word to describe him. The way he would listen to the two made them feel respected and loved, to say the very least. This mutual respect was the very reason that Anakin and Catelle found themselves criss-crossing over a busy dance floor- because they listened to Obi-Wan, and he trusted them.

Many different species congregated in this luminescent club, all seemingly getting on in a civil manner. The odd bar fight broke out here and there but it was nothing that couldn't be resolved with a free drink and a pat on the back. Alcohol is what fuelled these people. Not food, not oxygen, alcohol. And the occasional death stick here and there. Drunken cries emitted from the same area that the viewing screens were hung, which likely means that someone lost the game. Which means more drinks, to drown their sorrow in losing. It's a cycle, a very repetitive cycle, an addictive cycle too. And it's one that Catelle could see the many stages of just from shifting her gaze from one person to another. 

"So," The young girl asked after a moment of silence between the two, "What exactly are we looking for here?"

"Anything and anyone," Anakin replied, "If they are a changeling, then they could of changed into anyone by now."

"We should probably split up then," Catelle said, causing her friend to raise an eyebrow at her in questioning, "It's the best logical outcome, we split up, we cover more ground, we get this being quicker than if we stayed together."

Skywalker considered his options for a brief moment, although he knew that no matter his decision Vereya was going to act on what she deemed the best plan. She had always been like that. She'd listen to people often, but when it came to decision making she knew that she was right- the majority of the time.

"True. Fine, I'll go this way and you go that way." Anakin responded, looking around to notice the eyes of a few citizens of the Coruscant underworld staring at the pair of Jedi.

As the pair split up, the bar in which they were wondering became more and more intimidating. More eyes followed Catelle around the room, more disapproving grunts could be heard as Anakin walked past, more and more people entering the club and therefore limiting the amount of breathing space. And all that was running through Vereya's mind was the fact that an assassin was wondering the bar the same way that she was and could strike anyone down at any moment with the simply press of a trigger.

"A Jedi in the Coruscant underworld? Now this is a treat." The low grumble of a hushed voice from behind her made Catelle's skin crawl. She turned around (a first mistake) to see a Chiss male towering over her. The lack of space in the area did not help the situation and instead allowed the male to stare into the young woman's soul.

"I'm just doing my duty, sir. Now if you don't mind-" Before she could even walk away, her wrist had been grabbed by the Chiss tightly so that no matter how hard she struggled to release his grip he would simply hold on tighter.

"Ah ah ah. Leaving so soon, baby? Even when you haven't even experienced the best part of your night yet?"

He pulled her closer.

Without a second thought, Catelle grabbed her lightsaber with her free hand and pushed the unignited weapon against the man's abdomen as he looked at her with a sickening grin.

"The best part of my night will be when you let me go, or when I plunge my blade right through your abdomen. So, your choice...baby."

He released his tight hold on her wrist.

"Have a lovely night, sir." And with that she walked away from the man, from the situation, from whatever the hell that man was hoping to achieve.

The ignition of a lightsaber that wasn't her own and a cry out in pain caused Catelle to run to where the sound came from. As she got nearer to the source of the sound, the quieter the club seemed. Everyone watched in awe and shock as a woman lay on the floor, her pain illuminated by a blue light and her cries of pain muting by the humming of a blade.

"Easy. Jedi business. Go back to your drinks." Skywalker said, addressing the crowd of people that had gathered.

It didn't take long for the people to recover from their brief moment of excitement and different form of entertainment. It didn't take them long to return back to the conversations that had been interrupted or the games that had been lost, the alcohol that had been left waiting on the bar side or the death sticks sold to be consumed for a brief moment of joy.

Obi-Wan carried the changeling outside, her limping next to him with an arm strung over his shoulder. Anakin and Catelle followed in suit, sharing a glance without saying anything.

"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" Kenobi inquired as he laid the assassin down on the ground floor.

"It was a senator from Naboo." The person finally spoke through grunts of pain.

"And who hired you?" Catelle asked next, kneeling down to meet their eyeline.

"It was just a job."

"Who hired you? Tell us," Anakin finally asked, taking his turn in the interrogation, "Tell us now!"

Both Obi-Wan and Catelle looked at him in a small amount of shock, to Catelle, it wasn't like Anakin to shout or to have such fury in his eyes.

"It was a bounty hunter called--" The sound of a quiet dart pierced the air as the changeling began to revert back to her original form, dying in her original form.

The trio looked up towards the direction of the darts origin to see a figure flying away and what made out to be a jetpack of some sorts.

Kriff.

Kenobi carefully extracted the dart from the deceased changeling's neck, inspecting it as Skywalker and Vereya had a small look of shock plastered on their faces. They could of had answers but in just a mere amount of moments that opportunity seemed to slip through their fingers.

"Toxic dart."

As the three stood in front of the Jedi council, they all shared a similar look of concern and worry as Obi-Wan told of what they had experienced.

"Track down this bounty hunter you must, Obi-Wan." Master Yoda spoke in his backwards tongue.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for." Mace Windu added with his same stern facial expression that never seemed to change.

"What about Senator Amidala?" Vereya asked, concerned for her friend's safety, "She will still need protecting as long as that bounty hunter is out there."

"Handle that, Padawan Skywalker will."

"Anakin, escort the senator back to her home planet of Naboo. She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees." Windu instructed Anakin, completely ignoring the fact that Catelle was the one who asked the question about Padme's safety.

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital." Skywalker replied, in fairness, he wasn't wrong. Padme was stubborn, like, very stubborn.

"Until caught, this killer is, our judgement she must respect."

"Anakin, go to the senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her about this matter--"

"If I may interject, Masters," Padawan Vereya spoke up, receiving a few odd looks from some member's of the council, "Senator Amidala has been under my protection long before Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker have been on world. Therefore, the senator has had her faith correctly intrusted in me and she may be more likely to leave to Naboo if she is aware that I will be with her."

The council looked at the young woman in silence. She couldn't always read Master Plo's facial expressions, but she could feel a sense of pride radiating from him. Her point made sense, both strategically and logically. Why would the council not send the one person that has been protecting the senator all this time?

"Go with Skywalker and Senator Amidala, you will." The green sentient responded, granting a smile from Catelle as the three of them bowed their heads in respect before exiting the council room.

As the three stood outside, the same wave of relief washed over Catelle that always came over her each time she left the council room. She looked over at the two men that stood next to her and couldn't help but let a small smile crept upon her face as something finally felt familiar. Like old times. Before the missions. Before the assassination attempts. Just the three of them, content in each others company.

"I do not like this idea of hiding."

"I understand, Padmé. And believe me, if it was up to me- which it rarely is- you wouldn't be hiding. Especially after everything you've worked for-" Catelle sat on her friends bed, trying to convince her while equally trying to console her. True, hiding was the best and possibly the only option. However, the senator and her protector had survived thus far without having to shy away into shadows and shifty alleys, so why should they have to run away?

"And don't worry," Skywalker interrupted, an annoying habit that he seemed to have picked up while he was away, "Now that the council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter-"

"Padmé hasn't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act to not be here when it's fate is decided-" If Anakin was going to interrupt Catelle, then it is only fair that she interrupts him to defend her friend in return.

"Sometimes we must let go of our pride and do what is requested of us."

"Like going on a mission for 7 years with zero contact? Was that requested of you?"

She stared at Skywalker for a while. She could see that he felt apologetic, but feeling apologetic could never make up for the 7 years that was lost. Time cannot be regifted. Sure, underneath the resentment and the annoyance towards him she loved being with him again. But without him, Catelle realised and learnt quite how whole her life was without him in it. And yet now, as he stared right back at her, it was like that place in her life that was reserved for him was never empty.

"No, no it wasn't. And I can't apologise enough, I'm sorry."

There is a significant difference between feeling apologetic and verbally saying that you are sorry. And Anakin had never often been one for the latter. He may show it, or think it, or even write it in a letter, but rarely would he utter the words 'I'm sorry' before he left- which explained Catelle's confusion when he apologised.

"Wow," Vereya spoke up after getting over her brief moment of shock, "I see the Chosen One has grown up."

"Obi-Wan manages not to see it. Don't get me wrong, he is a great mentor. As wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. In some ways, in a lot of ways, I'm really ahead of him," Skywalker spoke as though he was trying to update Catelle on his improvements during their lost time. In response to this, Catelle accidently let out a small laugh which she quickly attempted to cover with a small cough, "Something funny, Cat?"

"No, no. It's just...I sincerely doubt you're ahead of Ben." She said, holding back stifles of laughter.

"I am! I'm ready for the trials, but he feels that I'm too unpredictable. He's over critical and he never listens."

"You know, he's probably right. He often is."

"He won't let me move on, Catelle."

"Well, may we please move on from this conversation?" In their dialogue, the two had almost completely forgotten that there was another person in the room. Senator Amidala had been so quiet during their conversation which allowed her to sink into the background perfectly.

"Yes, Senator. Apologies." Catelle smiled apologetically at her friend.

"Yes, what Catelle said." Anakin, instead of apologising, just agreed with Vereya. Perhaps he still had his limits over apologising to people.

"To agree with Catelle, however, all mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we'd like. It's the only way we grow. You two just have to make sure you try not to grow up too fast."

This caused Skywalker and Vereya to look at each other, and just for a moment they saw what Padmé meant. The people in that room didn't have a choice when they were children, it was grow up or be left behind. They reached the mental age of 15 by the time they were 10, and that was how it had to be. They had moments in which they could run around in the courtyard and get grass stains on their knees from falling over and not care one bit because children didn't have to care. Moments where they could sit together on a dining hall bench at the peak of nightfall and talk for hours upon hours without a care in all the worlds and never get bored. Times when the only fight was who got the last serving of blue milk left in the canteen.

Years on, and the stakes became higher. The fight was life or death and you couldn't let go of your cares for one shining moment because down time rarely existed.

Especially when you're protecting a senator from certain death.

{a/n: HELLO !!!!

okay so, funny story. if you didn't know, it was star wars celebration this weekend (woop woop!!) and many a things were announced which i am super duper excited for. that PLUS obi-wan kenobi coming out on friday pulled me out of my writers block that i've been in for literally months and forced me to finish writing this chapter!

i missed this story and the characters so so much so i will try to update as frequently as i can. i am an english gal in the midst of her gcse's right now so please bare with me as i do them bc they are very important (lol) :)

hOWEVER, give me about a month and i will be (hopefully, fingers crossed) getting chapters out more frequently so yay!!

anyways, feel free to chat abt star wars celebration in the comments (pls bc i'm so excited) and i'll see you when i see you at the next update! ty for reading, my loves! have a fantastic day! <33}