Note: Tahl was created by Jedi Apprentice series author Jude Watson. The
flashback sequence was inspired by a flashback scene in "The Death of Hope",
and all of the dialouge from that scene is directly from that book, but I
tell it from Tahl's POV instead of Qui-Gon's.
<< >> denotes flashback

Summary: Jedi Apprentice era, Tahl wants to take her friendship with Qui-Gon
to another level.

Feedback: jedigroupie@hotmail.com

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Qui-Gon's commlink buzzed, stirring him from his evening meditation, but
the annoyance in his voice quickly faded the moment he heard who was on the
other end.

"I'm not disturbing you, am I?" asked Tahl.

"Of course not, I'm never too busy to talk to you," he answered as he
allowed a small smile to creep across his lips. Simply hearing her voice was
enough to brighten his day.

"Can you come over? I need your help with something," she said slyly.

"I'm already on my way," he responded. Tahl could tell by the serious
tone of his voice that he hadn't caught the seductive tone of hers.

//The man is dense// she thought to herself. This fact was only confirmed
when she heard two sets of boots coming down the hall. He had brought
Obi-Wan along. She just shook her head in frustration. He certainly wasn't
making this seduction thing any easier, but the challenge would just make
her eventual victory that much sweeter.

Tahl quickly set her mind to work, reacting as she would to any mission,
adjusting her strategy to suit the new circumstances. She hurriedly printed
out a list of texts from the Temple Library, things she had been meaning to
track down any way. She stuffed her portable datapad under her bed and
returned to her desk just as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan reached her door. When they
entered, she was listening to a readout from her desktop datapad.

"Good evening, Obi-Wan," she said, ignoring Qui-Gon because she knew it
annoyed him.

"Good evening," Obi-Wan replied courteously. He admired Tahl greatly, but
he was always puzzled by the way she and his Master acted toward one
another. His usually calm, composed Master displayed an odd mixture of
excitement and irritation whenever he was around her, but Obi-Wan wasn't
sure what caused it.

"I have assignments for both of you," she said with a smile and a raised
eyebrow. "First, Qui-Gon have a seat here, and take a look at the new
information that I've uncovered." She rose and allowed him to take over her
spot at the desk. As she moved, she made sure that the soft fabric of her
robe brushed his hand.

//Still nothing// she thought with a frustrated sigh.

"As for you, Obi-Wan, I have two important tasks for you. I was in the
Temple Library today, but I was called away and didn't get to finish my
research. I need you to track down these texts for me, and I also need you
to look for my portable datapad. I seem to have misplaced it while I was
there. You should get Bant to help you so that the search will go faster,"
said Tahl.

"I'll be back shortly," he responded as he took the list from her.

//That's what you think// she thought as Obi-Wan exited. Now she could
get back to her plan.

Qui-Gon was her oldest and closest friend. They had been together since
they were very young, but their relationship had always been one of deep
respect and friendship. She had no doubt that he loved her, but not
necessarily in the way that she wanted him to. She could remember clearly
the moment that her feelings towards him had changed from mere friendship to
desire.

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<<< She had heard that he had been Knighted, as had she, but how he had
ended up in the same cafe on this backwater planet, she had no idea. Her
green and gold eyes scanned over him as she approached.

//He has changed, but he is still the same Qui-Gon// she thought with a
smile.

The beard was new, and his hair was longer, now past his collar, not the
short cropped style of his Padawan days that made his nose and ears look
enormous. He had finally grown into his large features, and the well-muscled
form beneath his robes gave him a majestic air. The awkward youth that she
grew up with was gone, replaced by this gorgeous, graceful specimen of male
perfection, and she felt her temperature rise just looking at him.

She felt her face flush as she was overcome by the urge to touch him, to
wrap herself around him and kiss him roughly. The desire was too
overwhelming, and it was wrong. This was her best friend. She was in the
middle of a very serious mission, and this was a complication that she did
not need. Perhaps another time, but not now. She struggled to control the
lust that raged within her as she sat down across from him.

"Well, it's you," she said. "It's been so long."

"Too long."

"I only have a minute," she said. "I'm on a mission." She desperately
wanted to stay and talk with him for hours, to take him to her rooms and
tear his clothes off, but she could do neither of these.

"So tell me everything as fast as you can," she said, laughing at the
images her mind had conjured up. "You look well. I hear you are now a
Knight."

"As are you," Qui-Gon said. "I'm thinking of taking a Padawan. Yoda is
urging me to consider it."

"Do you have a candidate?"

"Xanatos"

"He is gifted," she said with a nod. "I would consider carefully,
however. I'm not sure he's the right one for you"

"I haven't seen you in years, and you're giving me advice?" he teased.

"Who else in the galaxy understands you so well?" she answered smiling.
She almost reached across the table to touch his hand, but she was afraid
that even something that benign could shatter her fragile control and lead
her to do something she would regret. This was not the time for them, and
she couldn't risk it.

"No one," he admitted. "You were wrong about that. Remember what you said
when we said good-bye?"

His brilliant blue eyes made her insides melt though she fought fiercely
to hide it. "I am glad," she said, "to have been wrong about that. I'm glad
to still be the one who knows you best. And we never said good-bye.
Remember?"

For a brief moment, she thought she saw her feelings mirrored in his
eyes, the same attraction, the same deep emotions that ran through her.
But the moment passed too quickly. All she saw now were the memories of
those early years in the Temple, and the times they had spent together.

His dedication was so deep and pure. There was no room for her in his
life, except as a friend. He was too valuable to her, though she'd never let
him know that. Their friendship was too precious for her to throw it away on
simple lust. And if he rejected her, that was something that she couldn't
bear. She had to leave before it was too late.

"I have to go," she said softly. "I will see you soon. Missions can be
short, you know." She had told him that once before, long ago when they last
parted, but she would not say good-bye; she never did.

He smiled at her, and she felt a connection so deep that time and
distance could not shatter it. She returned his smile, and for a fleeting
moment the exchange was even more intimate than a kiss.

//There will be a time for us// she promised herself. She rose and
disappeared from his life again, walking away without looking back, if she
did, she might never leave.

She found herself in a bar a couple of blocks away. She scanned the room
searching for potential threats or potential distractions, she wasn't sure
which. Then she found what she was looking for.

A few hours and quite a few drinks later, she left her exhausted young
paramour's apartment to wander the streets in silent contemplation. Her body
was satisfied, her lust assuaged, but her soul, it held a gaping hole, the
place where Qui-Gon should be.>>

(end of flashback)

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Tahl's heart was so full of regret and unrequited love that she felt like
she was drowning in it, yet she still clung to the hope that he could love
her in return. He was what kept her going when everything else failed; he
had saved her from the darkness more times than he could have imagined.

She reached out through the Force, and felt the warmth and strength of
his presence. He still sat at her desk, going over the information she had
gathered, and she could hear his calm, steady breathing. It filled her with
peace and the determination to follow her heart.

So many times she had wanted to reveal her feelings, but some obstacle
always arose to prevent it: missions, distance, his problems with Xanatos,
the injury she had sustained on Melida/Daan that caused her blindness. It
was always something. Over these many years she had learned to control her
desire and to be patient. Her feelings, her undying love for him, she kept
safely locked away in the most sacred chamber of her heart, but she had
grown tired of being patient.

It was only recently that Qui-Gon had found a sense of peace and
stability. The conflict with Xanatos had been resolved, and Qui-Gon's
relationship with Obi-Wan had been reforged and was stronger than ever. It
was his first chance for some measure of happiness since his own Padawan
days. If this wasn't the right time for them then there was no such thing.

Besides, she didn't want him to get too complacent; she had to stir
things up a bit, just to keep him on his toes.

"I'm going to make us some tea," Tahl said at last, the silence too much
for her to handle.

His acknowledgement was less than discernable, as he was totally absorbed
in what he was reading: more evidence of Xanatos' secret companies,
contacts and conspiracies. It was only after Xanatos' death that these
things came to light, and Tahl was certain that there were even more layers
to uncover.

"Thank you," he said as she set the cup down beside him. She was relieved
that he had finally stopped coddling her due to the loss of her sight. Well,
he hadn't stopped completely, but he had improved. There had been a time
when they would fight about whether or not she was capable of making her own
tea. He was still entirely too protective for her tastes. At times she found
it completely infuriating, but in a way it was also very endearing.

She sat quietly nearby drinking her tea, deciding how to proceed. Pinning
him to the floor and ripping off his clothes was fun to think about, but it
was not a viable option. She needed a more delicate approach.

His voice stirred her from her reverie. "It's amazing how far reaching
his influence was. I never would have imagined that he was capable of such
deception until it was too late." She could sense the tension in him; it was
always there when he spoke of his former apprentice, Xanatos.

Tahl walked over to him and rested her hands on his strong shoulders.
"Sometimes we think we know people when in reality, we know nothing about
them. We all have secrets, Qui-Gon." She should know, she had plenty of her
own.

"I didn't give you this information to upset you," she said after a long,
somewhat uncomfortable silence. "If we don't work to uncover it, how can we
work to remedy the damage that he has done."

"You are right," he said. He took a deep breath, and she sensed the knot
in his stomach easing as he let go of his regret.

Tahl began to gently knead his shoulders trying to release some of the
tension he held there. "I'm sorry I interrupted your meditation," she said
softly.

He relaxed into her touch, the tension melting away. "It doesn't matter.
I'm glad you interrupted me. I hadn't seen you all day," he replied.

Her hands worked all of the knots out of his neck and shoulders, and he
leaned into her touch. She carefully undid the tie that held back his hair,
and she ran her fingers through it.

"Why did you do that?" asked Qui-Gon, a little surprised.

She began to rub his temples, and mentally reached out to him. She sensed
that he still felt very comfortable, not awkward at all.

"Your hair is so soft. I like the way it feels," she said with a little
laugh. //What a stupid answer// she sounded like a dumb school girl.

Her hands moved back down his neck to the rough fabric of his tunic. Her
touches became lighter, and her fingers crept under his collar just a
little.

"You know," she said wistfully, "I'm glad that we have been able to spend
more time together since Melida/Daan. I didn't realize how much I missed
having you in my life until you showed up there to rescue me. I hate to rely
on others to help me out of trouble, but if I have to rely on someone, I'm
glad it's you"

Her confession had caught him off guard. He wasn't sure how to handle
this candid of a revelation from a woman who was so normally fiercely
independent and well guarded.

"I've enjoyed the time we've been able to spend together, as well," he
replied. His voice was very low, just above a whisper, and the rich depth of
it kindled a fire within her, melting away the icy protective armor she kept
around her heart. She couldn't stop now.

Her hands gently slipped under the collar of his tunic, sliding forward
over his collarbones, pulling at the layers of fabric to reveal a little
more of his chest to her touch. She leaned in close to his ear until her
lips were almost touching him.

"Qui-Gon, you have been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We
have a bond, a connection unlike anything I have ever known." She felt the
tensions return to him suddenly; she had crossed the line and could not go
back. "I can't hide my feelings any longer." She slid her hands farther
into his tunic, down his chest as she gently kissed the side of his neck.

Qui-Gon gasped and moved away from her. "Wait," he said hoarsely. He was
flustered and struggling to get a grip on what was happening.

Tahl cursed under her breath and desperately wished that she could see
his expression. His shields were up now, and she couldn't read him at all.
She couldn't stand for him to have the advantage, so she turned away,
refusing to let him read her.

"Tahl, what are you saying?" Qui-Gon asked when he regained his
composure. He hadn't seen any of this coming, but he kept his voice soft and
even, not wanting to sound accusatory.

"What am I saying!" she exclaimed. She felt the heat rising in her
cheeks and had to fight to control her temper. "Never mind, you should go."
She just wanted to hide.

"Please, Tahl," Qui-Gon pleaded as he crossed the room to stand behind
her. She almost jumped at his touch on her shoulder.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to be blind," she mumbled to
herself as she shook her head in exasperation. She closed her eyes,
summoning all of her strength and training to focus, to form the words she
knew she must say. "Don't you see that I'm in love with you, Qui-Gon? I
have loved you for most of my adult life."

He stood silently behind her, just absorbing the words. She waited for
some hint of his feelings, but there was nothing but silence. And that
silence was just too much. Her feelings had been locked up for so long she
couldn't contain them any longer, so she continued.

"I have wanted to tell you for so long, but the time was never right. And
I was afraid, afraid that I would lose your friendship." The words had to
fight their way past the growing lump in her throat. "I can't afford to lose
you, so I'll step back if that's what you want me to do."

But still he did not answer. Tahl felt the stinging of tears behind her
eyelids, but she took a deep breath and fiercely willed them away.

After what seemed like an eternity, Qui-Gon walked around to stand in
front of her. She felt his thumb brush across her cheek almost as if he
were brushing away one of the tears that she had refused to let fall. His
fingers moved down the bridge of her nose, across her jaw line and throat.
She marveled at how delicate his touch was, more gentle than she could have
imagined those huge hands could be.

"Tahl, you could never lose me," he whispered. "You are a part of me.
I've always known it, but I was too stupid to really see it or know what it
meant. It took your courage to make me realize it. Can you ever forgive me
for making you wait so long?"

"No, I can't," she said with a wry smile. She felt his shields drop away,
and a glimmering warmth surrounded her.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. She twined her fingers
in his long, soft hair and gave herself over to the kiss, a kiss she had
waited for for a very long time.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. She twined her fingers
in his long, soft hair and gave herself over to the kiss, a kiss she had
waited for for a very long time.

The very air seemed to spark with the electricity of their kiss, and when
their lips finally parted they were both left breathless.

Qui-Gon was the first to speak. "I have been such a fool," he said as he
shook his head. " I feel like I'm seeing you for the first time. I always
found you beautiful, but I never allowed myself the luxury of looking at you
as a man would." He kissed her fingertips as they brushed over his lips,
then he held her hand over his heart.

" Your skin is so soft and luminous, like dark honey, but sweeter," he
mused as he brought her hand to his lips again. "And your eyes are like
brilliant jewels. I want to wrap myself up in your silken hair..."

Tahl just had to smile, but she tuned out the rest of his words. //Who
would have ever thought he would be so sentimental and melodramatic?//

She reached out and touched his cheek, "Qui-Gon?"

"Yes, love."

"Enough sappy compliments, just shut up and kiss me," she said as she
pulled him into a deep, passionate embrace.

Qui-Gon's lips moved roughly from her mouth to her throat, and Tahl felt
nearly twenty years of pent up desire course through her. It was almost too
much for her body to contain. She had to push him away just to catch her
breath and to let the heat diffuse a bit.

"Come on," she said, taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom. She
pushed him down onto the bed and began to tug at his belt as she kissed her
way down his chest. She yanked the belt from around his waist and dropped
it to the floor. Flinging open his tunic she pressed herself to his bare
torso, and captured his lips in a fevered kiss, crushing him into the
pillow. He groaned into her mouth as she moved against the growing bulge in
his pants.

But suddenly, he gripped her shoulders and pushed her away. "Stop! We
can't," he said, panting. "What if Obi-Wan comes back?"

Tahl sat up and began to laugh. "He won't be back any time soon." She
leaned across Qui-Gon and reached under the bed, pulling out the supposedly
lost data pad to show him.

"You know him; he'll tear apart the whole library before he admits that
he can't find it," she said, still giggling to herself. She heard Qui-Gon
chuckle as well.

"You're right about that," he said. "He doesn't like to give up."

"Neither do I," she admitted with a grin and a jab to his stomach. "I
know it was mean, but it really is your fault. You brought him along. I had
to think of a way to get rid of him."

Despite the searing desire that burned within her, she loved nothing
better than just laughing and talking with him. It was a connection that
she felt with no one else in the galaxy. The warm sound of his laughter made
her skin tingle and brought back a flood of memories.

"Do you remember our trip to Ragoon-6?" she asked.

"Of course, it was so beautiful there, and it was an excellent training
exercise."

"A training exercise," she said shaking her head. "You really were
clueless. I took you there to seduce you, but you were still so distraught
over Xanatos' betrayal that I just couldn't bring myself to take advantage
of you."

"You have been planning this for a *long* time, haven't you?" he
chuckled.

Her voice suddenly became more serious, huskier as the lust crested
within her. "I watched you there, bathing in the waterfall." She blushed
deeply. "You were pleasuring yourself; I was entranced. I've never
forgotten the image, the look on your face, the way the water glistened on
your skin. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen."

Now it was Qui-Gon who was blushing. She felt the heat radiating from
him. "You saw me? I thought you were supposed to be gathering firewood."

Tahl just smiled and licked her lips. "I wonder if you look as good now
as you did back then?"

"I don't know. Why don't you find out?" he said taking her hand and
running it across his chest.

Quickly, he stripped off his tunic, and she helped him out of his boots
and leggings. He tugged at the long flowing robe that she wore, trying to
pull it up, but she stopped him.

"Not yet," she whispered as she pushed him down to the bed again, and
brought her lips to his for another sumptuous kiss. His tongue gently
stroked hers, and she almost became dizzy from the swirling currents of
emotion coming off of him.

She could hardly believe that she was doing this, that she had finally
told him, that she was finally going to have him. Her body burned for his
touch, but she pushed it back down within her. She wanted to go slowly; she
wanted everything to be perfect.

"Roll over," she ordered, smiling wickedly. She couldn't wait to touch
him, every last centimeter of him. Her long elegant fingers ran through his
soft hair and moved down to his neck. His skin felt so warm beneath her
touch, and it had a clean scent with a hint of something woodsy. It was a
scent that was unique to Qui-Gon, and it only heightened her arousal and
sensitivity.

The muscles of his neck swept down to the wide expanse of his shoulders.
They were so strong and solid under her hands, and her fingers memorized
every curve of muscle, bone and sinew. Her caresses moved along the valley
of his spine and out across his back. She followed these caresses with
soft, delicate kisses. She could hear the rhythm of his breathing becoming
more rapid, and she felt that rhythm in the way his back moved against her
lips.

Her touch traveled up to his broad shoulders once more only to glide back
down to his tapered hips and firm buttocks. She stroked them gently, using
feather-light touches, although she was very tempted to give him a good
smack instead, maybe another time. She felt the arousal pouring off of him,
so she continued her delicate torture. One of her fingers dipped into his
cleft and gently teased his opening. He shuddered suddenly, his hips
writhing beneath her hand, a low groan rumbling in his throat. She was a
little shocked at how much he seemed to enjoy that, so she made a mental
note of it as something she would have to explore more extensively in the
future.

Slowly, she moved her hands down to his powerful thighs feeling the hard
muscle beneath the skin. As her fingers wandered to the backs of his knees
she felt him shaking, and it took her a moment to realize that he was
stifling his laughter. She gently teased the sensitive skin with her
fingertips and nails, making him squirm even more.

"Tahl, stop it, please," he begged, barely able to get the words out.

"The great Qui-Gon Jinn is ticklish?" she giggled. "You realize that
you're never going to hear the end of this?"

He quickly rolled over and sat up, stopping her teasing with a kiss. His
hands began to roam over her body until she pushed him back down.

"Oh no you don't," she scolded. "I'm not done 'looking' at you yet."

This time she started at his feet and worked her way up to his muscular
calves and thighs, every last detail of his anatomy etched upon her memory.
When she reached his hips, she slid her hands up his sides and across his
chest, all the way up to his face.

She didn't really need to read his face. She knew it almost as well as
her own. She had seen it change over the years as he matured, and every
time she had looked at him his face seemed to grow more handsome to her. She
knew his every expression, every line, every variation of blue in his eyes.

Her fingers skimmed over his broad forehead, and down his crooked nose to
his lips. His expression held a mixture of joy and serenity that made her
smile in return.

She allowed her touches to become even more sensuous, her hands gliding
over his neck and collarbones to his well-built shoulders. Each arm she
surveyed slowly, her fingertips exploring every curve of muscle until she
reached those massive hands. All the fantasies she'd had over the years
about his hands, they could finally be acted upon.

She knew he had caught that thought, and it piqued his interest.
//Fantasies?// he asked into her mind.

//You don't even want to know// she replied.

The need was becoming almost unbearable so she moved to his chest and
stomach. Her hands, her cheek, her tongue, she used them all to explore his
torso. She teased his nipples until they ached and ran her tongue over the
rippling muscles of his stomach, tickling his navel. Every detail of him was
drawn into her mind; there was just one last piece of the puzzle missing...

She heard Qui-Gon let out a sharp hiss as her slender fingers curled
around his shaft, starting at the base and moving slowly to the tip. It was
warm and hard and smooth to her touch. He cried out, and his entire body
jerked involuntarily as her thumb teased the head. Her other hand delicately
caressed his sac, and he growled her name in pleasure and frustration.

Their minds and heart had become so inextricably entwined that the
emotions and sparks of arousal passed from one to another in endless,
escalating cycles. Qui-Gon was holding on by a slender thread, but his
desire was nothing compared to Tahl's; it was almost ripping her apart. It
took all of his self-control, but he dragged himself back from the edge and
pulled her hands away.

He sat up and kissed her hard, his tongue plunging deep into her mouth as
she turned to jelly in his embrace. She sensed him pouring all of his
passion and desire into her, making her burn with an even greater heat, and
she could feel the devious smile that spread across his lips as he kissed
her.

He chuckled deep in his throat as his mouth moved to suck and nibble at
her earlobe and neck. "Now it's your turn to be tormented with pleasure, my
love," he whispered.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Qui-Gon chuckled deep in his throat as his mouth moved to suck and nibble
at her earlobe and neck. "Now it's your turn to be tormented with pleasure,
my love," he whispered.

Tahl was shocked by the speed and strength of Qui-Gon's attack. He had
her stripped and on her back within seconds. Before she had the chance to
protest, his mouth clamped tightly over hers, devouring her, showing the
ferocity he usually only displayed during battle. His passion, intensity and
desire were absolutely intoxicating to her.

One large hand held her wrists pinned above her head while the other
stroked her soft skin. Her will told her to struggle to try to regain some
measure of control, but the rest of her told her that she was past all
control; his touch was all that mattered.

His fingertips brushed across her dark lashes, her nose, her cheeks,
tracing over her lips and jaw, just as she had done to him. Her breath
caught in her throat as she felt his hand upon her slender neck; it was
almost large enough to wrap all the way around. Only because she trusted him
implicitly would she have ever allowed him to have her in such a vulnerable
and helpless position. That vulnerability alone was enough to send little
jolts of pleasure shooting through her.

Qui-Gon began to kiss and nibble at her neck as his hand slowly moved to
cup one of her breasts. He kneaded the soft flesh while his fingers teased
the hardened nipple, and when the heat of his mouth closed over the tight
peak, she nearly screamed. She fought desperately to calm her breathing and
control her passion, but to no avail.

"You don't have to hold back anymore, love. Let it go, let it fill you. I
want to give you everything you've ever wanted," he told her in a sultry
whisper.

He licked and sucked at every sensitive bit of her flesh drawing
shivering moans from her lips as his mouth traveled from one breast to the
other. His hands glided down her sides and across the smooth skin of her
stomach and hips. The savagery he had displayed earlier had faded as his
touches became slower, more sensuous.

With his fingertips he drew delicate patterns up and down her thighs and
calves, gently kissing his way down her body. He traced his tongue around
her navel before he moved to nibble at her hip. She felt his beard tickling
her as his kisses began to travel up her inner thigh.

She writhed and wriggled trying to get him closer to where she so
desperately needed him, but this just made him go maddeningly slower. Each
of his kisses and caresses burned against her over-sensitized skin. She had
never imagined that his touch could be this intense and overwhelming; she
was ready to beg, but wasn't sure if she could even form the words. She felt
his hot breath on her; his mouth so close to her mound that she was certain
at any moment she would feel his lips and tongue upon her.

A frustrated moan escaped her lips as she felt him slide back up her
body; those massive hands of his followed, slipping over her sweat slicked
skin until her face was cradled between them.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed into her ear.

She was so weak and dizzy with desire that she could hardly focus on his
words. "Need you," was all she managed to gasp in response before his lips
closed over hers in the deepest, most passionate kiss she had ever
experienced.

When he finally broke the kiss she had to throw her head back to get
enough air, but before she had a chance to regain her breath, a savage cry
was ripped from her throat as Qui-Gon plunged his fingers into her. He
moaned, as well, to feel how wet and swollen with desire she was. His hand
moved skillfully, finding all of her most sensitive spots, but he was done
teasing her; he could feel how desperately she needed this, and he loved the
exquisite beauty of her face as the bliss she was experiencing overtook her.

Within moments, she tensed, feeling the pleasure fill every cell of her
body. His fingers curled deep inside her as his thumb circled her clitoris,
and then she was gone. She became nothing but pure ecstasy. She saw herself
through his eyes, saw her shuddering body beneath his hands, then she became
lost in the sensations once more, unable to think or speak as wave after
wave crashed over her.

The next thing she remembered, she had her arms wrapped around his
shoulders, and her breathing was returning to normal. She still felt echoes
of her orgasm vibrating through her as her body came down from its high.

"I love you," he whispered against her skin. His voice was so low she
almost couldn't hear him over her own pounding heartbeat. He was even better
than her fantasies.

//I love you// she sent back to his mind, too weak to talk at the moment.

She suddenly realized, as their minds touched, that he was still
incredibly aroused. He was aching for release, but he was more than content
to just hold her. It shouldn't have surprised her really; Qui-Gon was the
most unselfish person she had ever met, and this just made her love him even
more. All she needed was a couple of minutes to recover, then she would
return the favor.

His desire was building to a breaking point, and it flowed through the
connection they shared, making her burn once more. His beard tickled her
cheek as they kissed again, his urgency consuming them both. With some
effort, she forced him onto his back, straddling him. Ever so slowly, she
lowered herself onto his shaft, taking in just a little at a time, until he
filled her completely.His breath came in quick pants, and his heart
thundered in his chest.

Their fingers were intertwined, palms pressed together, her slender hands
lost in his as she began to move. Her hips rolled languidly against him,
making him groan. She belonged to him totally, and he to her. This was it;
this is what she had wanted through all these long, lonely years of waiting.
This perfect moment, the energy, the union, it was the very essence of the
Force, both peace and passion, and it was more powerful than anything either
of them had felt before.

Qui-Gon sat up, his hands digging into her hips as she rocked in his lap.
She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him even closer to her than
she thought possible. Leaning her back so he could devour her throat and
breasts, he whispered her name over and over against her skin, his husky
voice sending shudders through her that were amplified by the waves of love
that coursed from his mind and heart to hers.

"I never want this to end, my love," she said through her moans. Her
muscles tensed around him, holding him deep within her as she dug her nails
into his back. She couldn't get enough of him.

Qui-Gon's entire body burned with a euphoric heat as she brought him so
close to the edge he thought his heart would give out. "You're driving me
mad," he grunted, aching for release.

Tahl just smiled wickedly and rocked her hips harder in response.
Challenging Qui-Gon was one of her life's greatest pleasures; she certainly
wasn't going to let him off easy now. She teased and tormented him expertly,
and he loved every minute of it. His whole body shook in her grip, and his
hands tried desperately to control her movements.

Within moments all attempts at control slipped away from them both, and
they fell into a perfect, rapturous rhythm. A whirlwind of pure energy spun
around them, building and expanding. The radiance of it engulfed them,
melting their very souls together. In the midst of all this brilliance, Tahl
opened her shimmering green and gold eyes, and for a single fleeting moment
she actually saw Qui-Gon, saw the look of ecstasy on his face, saw the love
shining in his eyes, and the image was burned into her mind forever, a rare
and precious gift from the Force.

That moment was gone, but in an instant it was replaced by a sweet
pulsing ecstasy that consumed them until nothing seemed to exist but the
luminous presence of their love. Their bodies moved as one in a sublime and
savage harmony that built upon itself until it reached the breaking point.
Searing waves of orgasm flowed from Qui-Gon to Tahl and back again in an
endless circuit of passion that left them both shaking. Even after the
rapture began to fade they clung to one another in exhausted contentment.

"A single heart," Tahl whispered breathlessly against Qui-Gon's ear.

"A single soul," he replied.

"A single love."

"A single path, through this life and beyond," Qui-Gon said, as he gently
brought his lips to hers to seal the promise.

These simple vows, made to each other in this most intimate of moments,
were more profound and unbreakable than any official ceremony could ever
have been. In their hearts, they knew that the Force had brought them
together, and nothing could tear them apart.

Tahl sucked at Qui-Gon's bottom lip and let out a sigh as the sweet
contact was broken; she had never been happier in her entire life. With
slightly shaking hands she brought their foreheads together, her fingers
tangled in Qui-Gon's long, sweat soaked hair.

"Let this moment live within us for all time," she said, a whispered
prayer to the Force.

Her hand drifted across her beloved's face, and she wasn't sure if the
moisture she felt there was tears or just sweat. She knew she had finally
released the tears she had been holding back, but they had been transformed
from tears of longing and regret to tears of joy. Qui-Gon placed soft little
kisses all over her cheeks before gently bringing his lips to hers once
more. She curled up within his strong embrace, and blissfully drifted away.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Half an hour later she awoke with a gasp, startling Qui-Gon from his
sleep as well. "Obi-Wan! I feel terrible; I'd forgotten all about him. I bet
he's still wandering around in the library, poor thing," she said as she
propped herself up on his chest.

Qui-Gon just laughed, "I'm sure he's fine. But how are you going to
explain this to him?"

"I'll just tell him that one of the other students found the data pad
earlier today and just now returned it."

"That's not what I meant."

"Well, he is your apprentice."

"But this was your idea."

"And aren't you glad I thought of it?" she said, trying to change the
subject.

"Your intelligence did always surpass mine," he admitted with a smile.

She responded with a kiss, then she shoved him out of the bed. "Go get
cleaned up while I deal with the problem of your apprentice."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

When Obi-Wan appeared at Tahl's door, he could barely be seen behind the
enormous stack of books he was carrying. Things looked exactly the same as
they had when he left. Qui-Gon was still sitting at the desk with Tahl
nearby; neither got up to help him with his burden. With a frustrated huff
he plopped everything down on the desk, then flopped onto the floor.

He couldn't believe that he and Bant had spent well over two hours
searching the library for something that had already been found, and now he
was being ignored.

Tahl rose from her seat, her hand brushing across Qui-Gon's shoulder as
she passed, and she knelt beside his sulking apprentice. "Dear Obi-Wan," she
said, tenderly placing her hand on his cheek. "Thank you so much. I truly
appreciate your help this evening; it was so wonderful of you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "It's always a pleasure to help you." His
frustration melted away as he saw the lovely, serene look on her face. It
was awfully hard to stay mad at Tahl. Besides, he supposed that she was
probably the closest thing he had to a mother.

Qui-Gon looked over at the two of them, the two most important people in
his life, and his heart was so full of joy, he could hardly contain it. He
hoped that his observant padawan hadn't figured out the source of the
radiant glow that surrounded Tahl, or himself for that matter. That was a
conversation that he wanted to save for another time, maybe in the morning.

"It's getting late, Padawan," he said at last. "I'm sure Tahl doesn't
want us here pestering her all night long."

They said their goodnights, and headed to their quarters. As they walked
down the hall Qui-Gon stopped dead in his tracks, suddenly realizing that
something was missing. His lightsaber. He shook his head for a moment in
disbelief, then a knowing smile spread across his lips. //She is positively
wicked//

"Master, are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I seem to have lost my lightsaber somewhere in Tahl's quarters," Qui-Gon
admitted embarrassedly.

Obi-Wan groaned and rolled his eyes dramatically. "What is wrong with you
two? Are both of you getting old and senile or something?"
He turned and started heading back the way they came.

"No, I'll go," Qui-Gon said trying not to sound too obvious. "You go on
ahead to your room and get some rest. I'll just see you in the morning."

Obi-Wan stopped and eyed him suspiciously, something in his Master's tone
of voice was different, almost guilty. "Yes, Master," he replied. "Don't
forget that we have early saber practice tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."
He had to bite his lip to stifle the smile that was threatening to bloom
across his face as he saw his Master's cheeks turn about fifty shades of
red.

"Goodnight Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said as he turned to go, his tone clearly
saying 'end of discussion'.

Tahl's door slid open the second he stepped in front of it. "Forget
something?" she asked wearing an utterly wicked smile and dangling his
lightsaber in her long fingers.

"You certainly know how to get what you want, don't you?" he said,
shaking his head.

She just cocked an eyebrow, grabbed a handful of his tunics and yanked
him through the door.

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