Mistoffelees shrugged out of the outer robe he had to wear for state functions, still seething as he had been all the way back from the meeting with the Chancellor. "I don't need a damn bodyguard!" he snapped, glaring at his chief of security.

Mungojerrie sighed, rolling his eyes skyward, "After what happened on the landing platform this mornin' they've got a point."

"I don't care," he said, running a hand through his black hair. "I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"I don't doubt it, but that doesn' defeat the need for bodyguards."

Mistoffelees scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Jerrie, seriously, no other senators are getting bodyguards. I don't like this idea of being singled out and the last thing I want is a couple of morons following around behind me."

"Two thin's. One, th' other senators didn' have attempts on their life this mornin', an' two, th' Jedi Council is sendin' 'em over. I doubt 'moron' is an appropriate description."

He ran his hand through his hair again. "Other senators have had attempts," he murmured. "Just not this morning and not this close. And fine, Jedi. Still, I don't know people with weapons following me when the whole reason there's attempts on my life is because I belong to the peace faction!"

"They're not soldiers, they're peace keepers themselves, remember? It's for y' own protection."

Still scowling, Mistoffelees shook his head. "Damnit, I don't need bodyguards!"

"Well, y' gettin' them whether you think you need 'em or not."

Macavity strode into the room just as Jerrie was finishing his line.

Jerrie looked up, "Ah, there they are."

Coricopat followed Macavity in, freezing when he saw Mistoffelees.

Mistoffelees turned when he heard the door open, and froze just as completely. Finally, his eyes started moving and he took in Coricopat's appearance, the streaks of grey in his brown hair, and Artoo trailing along behind him before whipping back around to Jerrie. "And I really don't need those Jedi bodyguards."

Macavity arched a brow and crossed his arms but didn't say anything yet, looking over at his partner. He... should have warned him a bit more about their assignment, but if Cor hadn't put together "senator from Naboo" and "Mistoffelees" that was probably his own fault.

Jerrie didn't look impressed. "They're the ones the Council sent, they're the ones you get."

Coricopat glanced at his partner and then back at Artoo. He had really been trying to block any connections his brain had been making. Over the last five years or so his mind got in the habit of blocking out anything around the word 'Naboo'.

"No, please, Jerrie, you don't understand..." Mistoffelees said, felling his shoulders already tensing.

The head of security shook his head, "No, and I don't want to. These are the ones the Council sent, these are the ones you get."

"Jerrie... I can't, I can't do this."

"I'm not goin' before the Jedi Council to get you new bodyguards. They scare th' hell outta me. You get these ones, cause they assigned them."

"Jerrie..." Mistoffelees tried to plead again. "Please..."

"No."

Macavity shook his head at the exchange. "Oi, you, captain of the guard," he said, waving a hand at Jerrie. "We're checking the perimeter... now."

Jerrie's brows rose, but before he could say anything Coricopat protested. "We just did that!"

"Yes, but that was before we had the captain of the guard to talk things over with," he said, voice dry. "Now, let's go Cap."

Jerrie glanced at Mistoffelees, but nodded, slipping away to follow Macavity

Mistoffelees' jaw dropped slightly at that, before his eyes, lacking anywhere else to go snapped over to Coricopat. "I..."

Coricopat hesitated for a long moment before inclining his head, "Senator."

"Master Jedi," Mistoffelees murmured and it looked like it pained him slightly. "You... you look well," he managed finally.

Coricopat's brow arched slightly, "Thank you. You do as well. These last few years have treated you well."

Mistoffelees swallowed hard again, considering and just sat down hard on one of the two couches in the room. "Thank you," he said softly.

"Of course." Coricopat glanced around before finally settling on the other couch.

Mistoffelees looked down at his hands, twisting them together before one came up to run through his hair again, mussing it up even more than it already had been. "I..." What was he supposed to say? God, I missed you, I still can't stop thinking about you, you look beyond well... He swallowed, his eyes flickering up to Coricopat again.

Coricopat met his eyes briefly, he'd been studying the younger man quietly. The Jedi's grey gaze darted away. "How are things on Naboo?"

The shorter man noticed how quickly the other's eyes moved away and bit the inside of his lip. "They... they're good for the most part. The queen is as concerned as anyone else about the coming war, but... things are well. There have been a lot of strides toward uniting the Naboo and Gungans in every way that counts. It's been a difficult, but usually rewarding experience."

He nodded, almost imperceptibly. "That is good to hear. How is it being a Senator?"

"About the same-difficult but usually rewarding to a great extent."

"As many things can be."

He nodded. "A-and... how have you been?"

"I've been...well."

Wetting his lips, Mistoffelees nodded. "G-good. I'm glad."

"Have..." He stopped, he didn't want to hear the answer to that question.

"Have?" Mistoffelees asked, looking up abruptly from where he had been fiddling with the one ring he wore on his right hand.

Coricopat's gaze flickered to the ring, but he shook his head. "It's unimportant."

Mistoffelees blinked, swallowing. "If you're sure..."

"I am."

Mistoffelees nodded, leaning back against the couch, looking Coricopat over again and sighing softly. "S-so what exactly does it mean, to have you two around?"

"We're here to protect you. I assure you that our presence will be invisible. We've no intention of disrupting the work you need to do."

He nodded, eyes darting around the room, and settling on Coricopat more than he would honestly like. "Are... you going to be alright doing this?"

Corciopat nodded once. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Mistoffelees' eyebrows twitched together. "We didn't seem to part on the best of terms," he said softly.

"Perhaps not, but they were hardly the worst of them either." The Jedi responded, managing not to sound like he was saying what he felt he should be saying rather than what he wanted to.

The senator sighed. "A-alright."

"Is there something else?"

He shook his head. "No, no it should be fine..."

"If you think otherwise I may be able to speak with the council"

The shorter glanced up. He should say, yes, I can't do this, talk to the council, but honestly now that he had the other in front of him, he couldn't let go that easily. He shook his head. "No... as long as you're alright I should be fine..."'

Coricopat nodded slightly, glancing toward the door. "Alright."

Mistoffelees drew his knees up to his chest, swallowing. "If that's all then..."

"I...believe so."

He nodded. "If that's all, I would like to look over my work for the next senate meeting..."

"Of course." Coricopat rose, "I'll leave you to that?"

"Yes..." he paused. "It... it's good to see you again. I'm glad you look like you're doing well." I missed you so much...

"And you. I'm glad to see you doing so well for yourself." But I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive you.

He sucked in a breath and nodded. "Thank you..." He rested his chin on his knees.

"Of course." He glanced toward the door again, finally offering Mistoffelees a bow and slipping out of the room.

Mistoffelees watched him go before letting his head tilt forward, so his face was buried in his knees, reminding himself he was more than able to deal with this but unable to stop from curling up into a ball.

o.o.o.o

Mistoffelees blinked. "No," he said, "No cameras in the bedroom." Macavity didn't look pleased.

"Senator..." Coricopat sighed.

Mistoffelees' eyes snapped over to the other and he felt his stomach attempt to crawl away. "No," he repeated, desperate. "Artoo can watch me if he needs to just..."

The Jedi glanced at the droid, but shook his head. "I don't consider that adequate."

Closing his eyes, the Senator snapped them open. "I..."

Coricopat glanced at Macavity. "We can set them so there's no vision of the bed, but I insist on being able to see possible entrances."

Mistoffelees rubbed his eyes with two fingers. "I... alright, fine," he sighed. "Fine."

Macavity had long since decided not to take part in that particular conversation.

"Good." He glanced at Macavity. "Can you get those set?"

Macavity shrugged. "Sure, no problem," he said, Artoo whistling and following him into the room, working on setting those up.

"Is this really necessary?" Mistoffelees asked again. "I mean, the last attempt was pretty blatant."

"We would prefer not to take the risk by not having them."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Mistoffelees sighed and nodded. "Alright, fine. I still think it's going a little far though."

"If nothing comes of it, nothing comes of it."

"I hope it doesn't," Mistoffelees says, not mentioning that if nothing came of it, he would still have to try and sleep knowing Coricopat was looking at cameras of his room. The thought was one that created a storm of emotions in his chest and he couldn't figure out if the thought was comforting or terrifying.

Coricopat nodded slightly, pretty sure he was going to have Macavity on the job of watching the cameras. "Agreed."

The Senator took another breath and shook his head. "Alright, well, I'm going to go shower then and go to sleep... assuming Macavity has managed to get those cameras up by then." He inclined his head slightly, still feeling on guard and edge. "Good night, Coricopat."

The Jedi inclined his head, "Good night, Senator."

Mistoffelees blinked, clearly hearing the omission of his name, and turning quickly on one heel, heading away. Coricopat watched him go, hesitating before joining Macavity and Artoo.

Macavity turned back to glance at him from where the astromech was telling him exactly how clumsy he was putting those delicate cameras up. "Hey. How you doing?"

Coricopat shrugged. "Fine. He's right you know." He glanced from the droid to Macavity, supporting Artoo.

"Thanks," Macavity snapped. "You want to do it?"

"I..." Coricopat sighed. "Sorry, no, you're doing fine."

Macavity considered him a moment. "You sure you're doing alright?"

"Of course I am." He replied briskly. "We'd best get the installation finished."

Macavity sighed and nodded, hanging up another camera. Coricopat got to work installing another one. Moments later Macavity stepped back. "Should be good," he said, "I'll got set up the computer."

His partner nodded, considering the angles of the cameras before leaving the room.

Macavity nodded to him as he came out. "I talked to the captain again. He has plenty of men downstairs so that shouldn't be an avenue that any assassin tries."

"Good to hear. So we just need to mostly worry about those huge windows then?"

Macavity smiled faintly and nodded. "Yup. Just those huge windows."

"Wonderful."

"It's not that bad," Macavity replied, seating himself on one of the couches, holopad in one hand, checking to make sure all the cameras were working as Mistoffelees came out of the shower, glancing around the room and still toweling off his hair.

Coricopat settled onto the couch by Macavity, trying desperately not to consider the different implications of the situation.

Macavity glanced over at him, one brow raised. "You don't have to..." he said softly and inclined his head to the pad. "I mean, due to everything it's fine I can do it..."

Coricopat shrugged slightly, "And I'm supposed to just sit here and do nothing? We were both given this assignment."

"Yeah, but I can take care of nights, and you can guard him during the day. I don't sleep like you do, remember?"

Coricopat smiled a bit bitterly. "Fair enough."

Macavity nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if you like to sit around and keep my company for a bit, that works but..." he shrugged.

"I'm not going to sleep for a while yet regardless."

Macavity nodded, leaning back. "Are you sure you're doing alright?"

"Of course."

Macavity gave him an unimpressed look. "Cor, beyond the fact I'm a Jedi, you remember how long I've known you? Remember when we met in that class of younglings and you've been stuck with me since? Lying to me doesn't work."

He sighed, "No. I'm not alright. But I will be."

The auburn haired man nodded. "Alright. Just... talk to me when you need to yeah?"

"…Yeah. I guess I just wasn't expecting the pain to be as raw as it still is."

"Yeah," Macavity said softly, glancing back at the cameras. "If it helps? He seems to be hurting as much. But... god, Cor, I see a picture and the pain is still there. I can't imagine actually physically having to talk to her again and having it go well. You're holding up pretty well."

"I'm also deluding myself by telling myself I'll be fine, like I have for the last five damn years."

"Yeah," Macavity said softly. "But deluding or not, at least you look like you're holding up fine."

He sighed, "Maybe so..."

Macavity sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm sorry you got put in this situation..."

"The Council had its reasons, I'm sure."

"I certainly hope so..." Macavity murmured. "I can't see some of them thinking this a good idea..."

"It's been five years."

"That doesn't always mean a lot," Macavity said. "As you said, it still seems as raw as ever."

"If I didn't expect it to though..." He knew he was reaching now.

Macavity sighed. "Yeah, I know. But it does."

"Yeah. It could be worse I suppose."

"Oh?" Macavity asked, brows knitting in disbelief. "How exactly?"

"I...don't know. I'm trying to convince myself that there are worse things...He...well, he could still feel the same as he did then."

Macavity blinked at him. "You mean, he could still be in love with you, or he could still be convinced you can't?"

"The first. I know the second won't change." And he was also pretty sure he was lying to himself about this as well.

Macavity blinked at him again. "Yeah-huh," he said slowly.

"Mac, I'm going to ask a favor of you."

"Yeah?" the other asked, actually somewhat desperate to be able to do something.

"Don't break that illusion for me, at least not right now."

Macavity nodded. "Right. Sure. I'm sure he's long moved on since then."

Coricopat offered him a look that clearly read, 'just shut up now'

Macavity bit his lip and fell silent for a moment before suddenly sitting up quickly. "Do you...?"

Coricopat stiffened, rising to his feet and nodding, "Yes."

Macavity leaped from the couch, running into the room, noticing a droid hovering by the window and trusting Cor to deal with anything in the room, leaping through the window, breaking the glass around him, and catching onto the droid as it went zooming through Coruscant traffic.

Coricopat moved swiftly, entering the room right on Macavity's heels. He darted over to the bed, his lightsaber slicing cleanly through two kouhuns that were prepared to strike.

Mistoffelees had woken up moments before they entered the room, freezing from where he had been barely dozing, and freezing further at the sudden appearance of the two Jedi. He blinked at Coricopat, eyes huge in the dark suddenly lit by the lights from outside, since Macavity smashed through the blinds, grabbing the droid floating outside the window just as it took off through the planet's traffic.

And here we go again! This is of course the rewrite of "Attack of the Clones" and a direct sequel to The Menace Rising. As it clearly picks right up with Misto and Cori. Also, if any astute reader is noticing... yes, they've switched roles around for this one. They seem to do that several times so even though one character followed one path through the first story, we're branching out more and more as our characters react differently to the different scenes and such.

Pairings following the first story: Mistoffelees/Corciopat and some Macavity/Victoria