I do not own most of the characters and situations in this story.

CHAPTER 1:

Princess Leia rolled onto her back as a slight tingling sensation roused her from sleep

Princess Leia rolled onto her back as a slight tingling sensation roused her from sleep. Something wasn't right. Was it a dream? Another nightmare? Wake up. Wake up now. But she couldn't quite rouse herself from sleep. She was just so tired, too tired to deal with nightmares.

"Don't say a word," the man's voice was muffled by an oxygen mask.

Leia's eyes flew open, and her body tensed. Every instinct told her to yell, but she couldn't find her voice nor could she move. Let me up! Despite the fact that someone had her pinned to her bed with his body, she highly doubted that she could move on her own. Each limb felt as if it was stuck in molasses. Her heart pounded hard against her chest; it seemed to be the only muscle in her body that worked properly at the moment.

Leia blinked slowly as she tried to clear the sleep from her head. She had to move. She had to get out of there… Han?

Her large dark eyes focused on the hazy face in front of her. Han. She smiled at the familiar intruder even though her every instinct screamed at her to slap him for scaring her, more so for waking her up. Han's eyebrows rose, and he loosened his grip on her.

"What's going—"

Han quickly silenced her with a hand over her mouth. His eyes furiously scanned the room. She grabbed his wrist with her hand but found that she had no strength to do much more.

He rested his masked face near her ear, "Not safe."

The princess pushed herself deeper into the depths of her thin mattress as beams of red light penetrated the thick atmosphere. Han pressed himself flush against her, not daring to move. When the searching lights ceased, he slid the oxygen mask off and placed it over Leia's mouth and nose.

His lips slid into a lop-sided grin, "Scared?" She shook her head, her eyes colored with confusion. He smiled down at her and placed a hand on her chest, "Your heart," he whispered. "It's beating a kilometer a nanosecond."

Her eyes narrowed, and she pushed his hand away.

"If I didn't know better…," Han winked, "Or maybe I do."

"Get off of me," Leia ordered, but the mask muffled her words, forcing them into an irate whisper.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Han leered at her, relishing in her discomfort. He slipped his hand underneath her pillow, and his mood darkened. "What have I told you?" he hissed.

Leia huffed, her breath briefly fogging the mask. She brusquely pushed him off of her body before she shoved the mask against his face. Then she pushed the covers to the side and splayed her legs before him. On the inside of her right thigh, a small hold-out blaster, the thinnest and sleekest Han had ever seen, was securely strapped.

Han's eyes widened, "I think I'm falling in love."

"Obviously, you've had too much of that oxygen," she took the mask back.

"I don't think I've had enough," he waggled his eyebrows, and she slapped the mask back over his mouth.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"After we get outa here," he grabbed her arm and replaced the mask over her face.

She pushed both his hand and the mask away, "I have to get dressed!" Leia abruptly sat up, swooned, and dropped against the mattress.

"No time," Han wrapped his arms around her, pulled her off of the bed, and pressed the oxygen mask against her face. Holding her tight, he leaned close to her ear, "Take deep breaths. It'll clear your head some."

Leia pushed herself out of his grasp. She inhaled deeply before handing the mask back to her companion. Then she boldly stepped away from him only to have her legs collapsed beneath her.

"Sith!" Han muttered as he caught her. He wished he brought two oxygen masks, but he hadn't had time for that. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Han scooped her up in his arms and started toward the door.

"This way," a metallic voice stopped Han in his tracks. As if things couldn't get worse. Han looked about the room and grimly pressed his lips together as he allowed Leia's feet to touch the ground.

"Now what?" Leia silently mouthed.

Han sank to the ground and gathered Leia upon his lap, securing the mask in place over her face. Leia shook her head, but she could do little to thwart his care. Han drew his blaster at the sound of approaching footfalls.

"This should be the princess' room, Natch."

Solo grimaced as he exchanged looks with Leia. She wiggled her way out of his arms and slipped under the bed. Han stayed where he was, blaster drawn. There would be no escape if they were discovered under the bed. But then, the only way out of the room was the door, the same door in which the intruders were entering. Things weren't looking too good for them. Han tilted his head. He could always take them out. It may be noisy, but it'd be effective. After all, it did work on the Death Star. How hard could this be? He rose ever so slightly and took aim. His eyes squinted out into the darkness as he searched for his target.

Han crumpled back down and rubbed his eyes. What was in the air? A small hand wrapped around his wrist, and he looked down at the large, worried eyes of the princess. She started to remove the mask, but Han stopped her by scooting under the bed. He slowly pulled himself closer to Leia, shielding her with his body, as a pair of heavy boots walked by.

"The room's empty."

"Are you sure?" The clomping of combat boots moved deeper into the room waving a mister that exhumed a gray gas. One of the intruders stepped close to the bed and felt around. "I can barely see a thing in this mask, damn it," the man snapped. "How long will it take for the air to clear?"

Han could feel the rapid heartbeat of his companion against his chest. It beat faster than before. He looked into her large brown eyes and smoothed the hair out of her face. Leia carefully slipped the mask off and pressed it against Han's mouth as a heavy mist settled around them.

"I dunno," Natch answered, "but I wouldn't take any chances breathin' this air."

Han tried to give the oxygen mask back to Leia, but she silently protested by holding it in place on his face with her hand. The metal mister clattered against the permecrete floor, and rolled under the bed. Leia held her breath and tugged Han closer to her.

"She's not here."

"Put your mask back on!" Natch's companion ordered. "I ain't carryin' you outa here if you pass out."

"Her things are still here, Gage," Natch rifled through Leia's small carry-all. From his position, Han watched her personal items fall to the ground. "Nice blaster."

"Her blaster's still here?"

"Yeah," Natch dropped the bag. "So what?"

"Doesn't make sense," Gage joined his companion who stood centimeters from the slender bed. "She would've taken it with her."

"There's no where she could hide in here…" Natch's voice trailed off, and Han waited for the inevitable. He tightened his grip on his blaster which lied upon Leia's stomach.

"Gage," a static-y voice crackled. "Where are you?"

A commlink clicked, and he answered, "In the princess' room."

"We got her," the voice answered back.

"Thank the gods," Natch answered. "Come on, let's get outa here."

"We'll be there soon," Gage spoke into the commlink. "Wonder how she got outa here."

"Who cares?" his companion clapped him on the back. "We're done here. Come on," Natch called, and they left the room.

Han sagged against the princess and let out a sigh of relief. Leia's rigid muscles relaxed, but she was still afraid to move lest they be discovered. Han slipped the oxygen mask over her head.

"Don't take this off," he whispered. To his surprise, she didn't protest. His brow quizzically creased at her lack of reaction, and though he appreciated her compliance at the moment, he hoped that whatever was in the air didn't have a permanent affect on her. He brandished his blaster and slipped out from under the bed.

Leia watched Han survey their escape route as she gulped down the pure oxygen. A heady feeling had settled upon her, but she wasn't certain if it was the rush of clean air, the toxic air, or the close encounter with Han that caused this sensation. She had to get control of herself. Leia awkwardly crawled her way out from under the bed. Han's strong hands reached under her arms and pulled her the rest of the way out. She fought to find her feet but instead found herself on her backside. Leia shook her head, and her giggles were fortunately muffled by the mask.

Han rolled his eyes, picked her up with one hand, and deposited her on the bed. Leia reached for the mask and started to take it off.

"What did I say?" Han reprimanded as he tossed her shoes on the bed.

Leia contorted her face into the angriest scowl she could muster up in her condition, but Han didn't seem to notice. He was busy repacking her carry-all. Leia slipped her shoes on, but she struggled with the laces.

"They took your blaster," he muttered as he closed her bag. "It's a good thing you have your hold-out blaster," he then turned his attention upon her. Han pressed his lips together, dropped the bag next to her, and attempted to tie her shoes. His fingers fumbled around as he fiddled with the thin laces. A small hand stopped his assault upon her shoes. He looked up to find her large brown eyes searching his.

"That's good enough," she giggled after she removed the mask.

"Leia!"

"One of us has to have her wits about her if we're going to get out of here," she quipped. "And I don't think I'm strong enough to pull your weight."

Solo glared at her as he digested her words. "Fine," he conceded. He slipped the mask over his face and held a hand out to her. She readily grabbed it and pulled herself to her feet. Han tossed her carry-all over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around the slender waist of his companion. Although she relied heavily on his support, she managed not to trip over her untied laces.

When they reached the open door, Leia peered around the door jam, and Han roughly pulled her back. She jerked herself in the opposite direction, sending them both tumbling into the hallway. Han rolled onto his knees with his blaster poised ready for action.

"Damn it, Leia!" he cursed once he was certain they were relatively safe.

"You're so clumsy!" she narrowed her eyes on him as she tried to push herself to her knees.

"You're just lucky no one's out here!"

"I'm lucky?" Leia's voice raised an octave.

"Are we gonna sit here and argue, or get outa here?" Han used the wall as leverage as he exerted himself to his feet. He didn't intend to wait for her answer. Han hoisted the girl over his shoulder and headed out the way he came in.

"Will you put me down, you…you...overgrown gundark!" Leia struggled, but she found she had no strength to continue the fight. Her body went limp.

"Leia?" Han stopped mid-step and slid the girl off of his shoulder. He dropped his blaster and grabbed her head with both hands to get a good look into her eyes.

"Thank you," she smiled wickedly as she disengaged herself from his hold.

Han's eyes widened and his countenance darkened. "I can't believe—" he sputtered. "You're gonna get it when we get outa here!"

"If you manage to get us out of here," the princess retrieved his blaster and tossed it to him before drawing her own. Still unsteady on her feet, she winked at him before she took off.

"Oh, we're definitely getting' outa here," he smiled as he chased after her.