He stalked into the noisy room, stopped and looked around. A line appeared between his eyebrows as he frowned slightly, eyes narrowing a bit as a commotion caught his attention.

"C-can I h-help you?" A slightly breathless voice from somewhere in the vicinity of his feet asked.

General Obi-Wan Kenobi looked down, arching one eyebrow in surprise.

A woman lay on the floor at his feet, gazing up with beating hearts in her eyes. Behind her lay a pile of ladies who had apparently been racing to get to him, collided and ended up in a heap. One of them had managed to reach out and grab the lucky winner's ankles, thus landing her at the General's feet.

"I'm looking for a Newsnet photographer." Obi-Wan had to smile slightly as the ladies untangled themselves and clustered around.

"I can shoot!" One raised her hand, hopeful smile on her face.

"The side of a barn," the first lady snorted and stepped over to block the General's view of the would-be photographer. "Why don't you come this way and we'll discuss the terms of the assignment?"

The General's smile widened. "Actually, I'm looking for the photographer who took my picture." He held out a datadisk. "She sent me the proofs and I wanted to discuss them with her."

"Oh." Pouting slightly, the lady sighed and sat at her desk. "Name?"

"General Kenobi."

After a few moments wrestling with the database, the secretary nodded. "Julia had that assignment." She looked up and shook her head, muttering, "Some people get all the good breaks and have no clue..."

"Is she here?"

"Right this way."

* * * * * *

Frowning slightly at the obstinate computer, Julia thunked the moniter. "Don't give *me* the Blue Screen of Death, you toaster reject..." The image on the screen brightened, solidifying into a series of proofs. "Only the best for the Fleet..."

"This is the reporter's write-up room. Jules?"

"Hmm?" Not turning around, the young woman scrolled through the images, hunting for the best shots. They always had visitors. For some reason people thought being a Newsnet Photographer/Reporter was a glam job.

One look at the delapidated room should convince them otherwise. One beat-up couch that sagged in the middle, computers that looked like refugees from Apple's garage days, a coffee pot that was perpetually full and a hodge-podge of duct-taped chairs littered the room.

Duct tape seemed to be the common theme in the decor of the room.

"You sent proofs out to a General Kenobi?"

"Mmm-hmm..." Frowning, Julia clicked on an image and made a face. Nope. Eyes closed. She went back to checking the proofs, gnawing absent-mindedly on the pen clenched between her teeth.

"He's here to talk to you about them."

Here?

Now?

Oh, good grief. Julia let her head fall forward and mentally sighed. That had been one weird assignment. Certainly an easy-on-the-eyes one, but...

The man had an attitude problem.

Pushing her glasses up on her nose and sticking the pen behind her ear, Julia turned and stood. "General Kenobi." Belatedly she shook the hand he offered and ignored the smirk from the secretary as she left. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Thank you. Black."

She felt his gaze follow her to the coffee maker and squared her shoulders. Okay. She wasn't really up to dealing with a ticked-off person today. And this was one intense man. It had come through clearly in the photos she'd taken.

A very photogenic man.

He had the most intense gaze she'd ever seen in a photo.

Handing him a styrofoam cup and gesturing to a chair, she sat. "What can I do for you, General Kenobi?"

He sat gingerly in one of the severely duct-taped chairs, warily making sure it would bear his weight as it creaked alarmingly. Turning his attention to the young woman before him, he let his eyes roam over her for a moment.

Loose black slacks, baggy grey sweater. Hair carelessly piled up and held with a pencil. Glasses that hid her eyes. He didn't recall her wearing glasses at the shoot. Contacts, perhaps?

"Were you unhappy with the proofs?" She prompted as he just sat there.

"No." He smiled warmly. "They were very good."

"Ah." Julia nodded, feeling another tendril of hair escape and slither down the side of her face. She puffed it aside and stared back, trying to figure out what the heck was going on. "You didn't like the story, then. I can -"

"No, the story was fine." Taking a sip from the styrofoam cup, Obi-Wan tried to hide a wince. This was the strongest coffee he'd tasted since...since Qui-Gon used to make the stuff.

Qui-Gon had been the best Jedi Master in the order, but the man had been able to burn water. It was a miracle Obi-Wan had grown as tall as he had on what he'd been fed as a padawan. He'd finally learned to cook purely out of self-preservation. He often wondered if Qui-Gon had done it on purpose to get out of cooking all together.

Julia caught the wince and grinned. "Awful, isn't it? We're an insomniac lot and need the caffeine."

"Strong enough to give an Ewok balls the size of a Wookiee." Obi-Wan froze. He hadn't meant to actually *say* it. Fleet expressions. Crude. Great...gone and shocked her...

Blinking once, Julia grinned, then snickered, "There's an image."

Obi-Wan suddenly reached forward and snagged the glasses off her face, sitting back before she could even draw a breath. He cocked his head and just stared.

It was like being under a microscope.

Intense, focused attention.

Julia stared back for a minute, then jumped up. "Okay...what? What?! You've been weird since the first minute of the shoot and now you're just being..."

"Being what?" Obi-Wan purred and slowly stood, deliberatly setting the coffee and glasses aside. He arched an eyebrow, challengingly.

She glared at him and held out a hand, demanding, "Give my glasses back. Now."

He smiled. "You don't need them."

That threw her for a moment, and she stared, blinking uncertainly. Then the Aries temper kicked in. "I don't care if you *are* a General, a Knight or the freakin' POPE! Give. Me. Back. My. Glasses!"

Perfect. Just as he thought. Taking a step closer, he smiled softly, dangerously, as her breath caught, and reached out to twine a strand of hair around his finger. "Why do you hide?"

"Hide...what?" Her voice was mostly steady as she glared up at him.

A little closer. Now he could feel her body heat. Smell the slightly floral scent of her shampoo. Look deeply into her eyes and see the gold and green flecks lighting the dark green eyes. He'd thought they were brown they were so dark. That had been a false illusion the glasses created. "Under loose clothing, behind glasses. There's a passionate woman behind that professional facade."

His softly accented voice sent shivers down her back and she briefly considered running.

Damn Jedi. Always had this unnerving knack of seeing right through a person and got some sort of perverse satisfaction from rubbing it in said person's face.

Eyes narrowing, Julia raked her eyes up and down the General.

Okay...so...he was gorgeous.

And he smelled good.

And he was *so* damn close she could feel the energy radiating off of him in waves.

And those eyes could drown a person...

"What the hell do you want?" She'd faced down Administrators. Principals. Teachers. Arrogant bastard bosses. Smart-ass teens. Telemarketers. Construction workers. Girl scouts with big eyes selling cookies.

What was one General?

One arrogant, over-bearing, looking too damn good in his tight black uniform, honey warm hair waving about his shoulders, black leather jacket fitting *just* right...General.

Obi-Wan felt the uncertainty creep in again, same as it had in the photo shoot.

He was losing it. First this girl, then that Dande wench...

Obi-Wan sighed. Maybe some day, with the help of his Ho's, he'd figure this all out. "You're a Wench, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?!" Julia took a step back and gaped at the man. There he went again...throwing terms at her. Wench. QuiChick.

This was one unusual Jedi. No wonder Fleet wanted him interviewed.

Running a hand through his hair, Obi-Wan shrugged. "Look, I'm sorry." He offered a rueful smile. "This has been a strange week. I guess it's affecting me. I've made some bad judgement calls."

Crap. Now he was turning on the charm... Biting her lip, Julia held out her hand. "My glasses?"

Obi-Wan nodded and picked them up. He took her hand, turned it over and kissed the back softly. "I'm truly sorry." Gently pushing the glasses into her palm, he curled her fingers around them.

Then he looked up and saw her staring at him with some undefineable expression. Almost without thinking, he reached out to sense what she was feeling.

Wistfulness. As though looking into a window and seeing something of great beauty and worth she could never even dream of having.

His eyes softened, warming. He hadn't been wrong. There were just quite a few protective layers he hadn't seen through. "I could use a good photographer at the University I run." Said it quietly, as though approaching a woodland creature.

The fingers in his grasp jerked convulsively and he sent reassuring feelings towards her.

This was something unusual. He was used to his "in your face" Ho's attitude. Liked the challenge they presented. Loved sparring verbally with them. Loved the wanton fire that fueled so many passionate encounters.

He could sense the same spark in this one, but...it was buried. Almost missed.

She gave a cautious, wary look. "University?"

"I could show you. Give you a tour."

Come on, he silently urged, outwardly projecting calm patience. This shabby office was the wrong place for her.

Then he realized. He needed to give her an out. A reason for accepting.

"Maybe I could get you to take some pictures of the campus, students and staff?" He gave a hopeful look. "We've considered compiling a yearbook, but..." Obi-Wan sighed. "We get involved and forget to take pictures." He gently released her hand.

Blinking, Julia looked away. His kindness was disconcerting. "I..." She looked back at the computer where her proofs were waiting.

Around the shabby room, with the duct-taped chairs and saggy couch.

Back to the man waiting patiently for an answer. He was so vibrant. So alive.

With a smile, she pocketed the glasses. "Let me grab my cameras and film."

* * * * * *

"..and this is my Secretary, Diebin." The General gave his watchdog a smile.

Julia smiled at the redhead. Wow! Decked out in a black, leather catsuit... "Hullo," she said, ducking her head slightly. The woman looked like she could take out a band of armed assassigns all by herself.

Probably handy to have in a Secretary to this General.

"And that," the General indicated a woman strutting past in a white, tailored uniform, "is Nurse Darry." He smiled at her as she winked.

"That's Space Dog, watch out for...oops." Obi-Wan watched as Julia engaged in a tug-of-war with the dog for her camera bag. "The dog's a bit tenacious..."

"Hey, let go and I'll give you this..." Julia held out what looked suspiciously like a Scooby Snack.

The canny little dog cocked its head, considered for all of two seconds and released her bag, snapping up the treat and licking its chops.

"Emmy's...there she is." Obi-Wan pointed to a woman stalking past in silk black shirt and green velvet skirt.

"New Ho?" Emmy stopped and looked the newcomer up and down, noting the way her eyes widened.

"Uh.." The General floundered.

"Um..nice tiara." Julia smiled. This was an eccentric bunch, but she liked them already.

"Thanks." Emmy preened, winked at the General and continued on her hunt for whoever had stolen her Sarah CDs. "DANDE!! DON'T *MAKE* ME TELL YOU TO TURN THAT FREAKIN' SONG OFF ONE MORE TIME..."

"Don't forget our appointment, General." BJ strolled up, running a hand up his chest. "Make sure you bring that leather..." With a smoldering look, she stalked off.

"Hey, who used the last of the Marguerita mix and didn't tell me?" Judy stomped by.

"I need a good story, people! NOW!" Kymira prowled past, giving the General a steamy look before continuing on.

"General Kenobi...are all your students and staff women?"

Caught between a guilty smile or a smirk, the General settled for a proud nod. "Yes."

Julia raised an eyebrow, nodded and smiled as they continued to walk. She'd met his entire staff and most of the students, the groundskeeper who had an alarming tendency to grunt, and a little furball running around squeaking and handing out rice cakes.

"Interesting place." That didn't cover *half* of it. She'd seen more fantastic photo oportunities in thirty minutes here than she had in a year with the Fleet.

Obi-Wan took a breath and decided to just ask. "Would you like to come aboard?"

She turned to look at him, trying not to gawk. "You're not serious."

"Why not?"

"I..." She waved her hand around, indicating all the gorgeous women she'd seen, the campus, the freedom everyone seemed to have to express themselves. "I wouldn't fit in. Everyone here is outgoing, extroverted. I'm a photographer because I like to watch people, not be in the spot-light."

"You'd fit in," the General said firmly. He smiled, simply looking at her with an expression that made her heart do flips and her ankles wobbly. "There's a place for you if you want. We'll even find somewhere for you to put a darkroom if you'd like."

If she'd like?

Do dreams come true?

Taking off her glasses, deciding her hiding days were over, Julia smiled happily. She pulled out her favorite camera, loaded it and looked up. Ready to roll.... "I'd like."