GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY
Leia Organa Solo was awakened by the shaking of the bed. Opening her eyes, she turned
over and saw, through the hazy moonlight shafting through the window, her husband sitting
on the edge.
"Han?"
He didn't move. Leia scooted to a sitting position, drawing the cover with her, and leaned back against the cool headboard.
"Han, you alright?"
The Corellian turned his head and she saw his unsmiling profile. "I'm fine."
She could tell by the slow, low timbre of his voice that he wasn't. She smiled to herself;
she knew how to draw him out.
He rose and walked to the window, staring up at the stars…his eyes following a blue comet as it streaked across the black sky.
"What is it?" She waited for him to speak again.
"It's been seven years, Leia, since the destruction of the last Death Star and Vader's….
your father's death. There's been relative peace…all I do is haul supplies and move
contingency troops. I'm tired of this military life."
Leia knew he'd been acting restless the last few months. She caught her breath…then asked… "Are you tired of me?"
Han glanced at her in the shadows of the room, walking back to their bed, he
sat down and took her into his arms. "Of course not, sweetheart." He answered, kissing
the top of her head. I love you and Ben, and our life together."
Leia closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the warmth of Han's familiar embrace.
"But you need more, don't you?"
"Maybe," he answered honestly. "Just for a while." He drew back from his wife, smoothing
a tendril of hair from her cheek. "Ben's six now, he's in school. You are busy with government
and diplomatic duties. What am I supposed to do when I'm not carting goods and people
around the galaxy? Hang around your office?"
Leia smiled as he continued. "How about if I go back to some of my old haunts and
take on some hauling jobs?"
Leia drew back from him, her eyes wide.. "You mean go back to smuggling?"
"No..no..I'd take on some legitimate civilian jobs…just for a few years…I can't see
myself still flying the Falcon when I'm seventy." Han gave her a crooked smile.
"That old bird has been through a lot…I could make enough money to get a new ship."
When Leia remained silent, thinking. Han added… "I'm still in the prime of life, if I live to
a Corellian's average age, that's a lot of years not to fill. I'll come back every
few months - you can contact me any time, if things flare up, I'll be back to help
fight again."
"Are you having a mid-life crisis?" Leia teased.
With a mischievous twinkle in his hazel eyes he said, "I could save up enough money for us to
buy a small paradise of our own…" He slid his work and flight callused hands down her arms.
"What about Chewbacca?" She asked.
"I'll get back in contact with him. He'd probably be glad to get some time away, too.
last I heard he and Malla have four children now."
Leia laced her arms around Han's neck. "Be careful." She whispered.
Anew, Han realized the amazing qualities of his wife. "I love you." He told her.
"Show me." She responded with a teasing smile.
The next morning, Leia didn't find Han in the dining hall at breakfast, but she did see
Luke so she and Ben joined him at his table.
"Hey, there, little Rebel." Luke ruffled the brown hair of his nephew.
Shaking his head sideways Ben insisted. "I'm not a rebel, I'm a JedI."
"Eat your breakfast." His mother admonished. Ben picked at the green, coarse food. "Yuck!"
Luke smiled. "That's what JedI eat…see, I'm having the same thing." He took a big bite.
Ben dug into his bowl then, giving an equally big smile.
Leia shook her head. "You always do have a way with him." She said, taking a drink of her
kava. "Have you seen Han?"
"He was in earlier, seemed all excited about something, said he'd tell me later, that he had
to go check out the Falcon."
Leia looked at Luke, then nodded at Ben. Luke took the hint.
"Time for school." Leia said, "don't be late."
Ben wiped his face and took the last sip of his amatha milk. Grabbing his book, he gave
his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you later, Mom. Bye Uncle Luke."
As the youngster rushed through the door, Leia could see other children in the hall.
She turned back to Luke, "Han's decided to go back to civilian hauling." She told him.
Luke blinked in surprise. "He's leaving?…you two aren't…."
"No, it's nothing like that. He just needs a change for a while."
"Hey!" Han called to them as he came through the door and neared the table. Sitting down, he
said to Leia. "The ship's all ready, plenty of fuel and supplies. I've talked to Chewie." He turned
to Luke. "Leia tell you I'm going back to commercial hauling?"
"Yes." Luke nodded.
Han took Leia's hand in his. "I'm going to pick up Chewie on the way to Tatooine."
"You're going now? So soon?" Leia said.
"The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll be back." Han answered, winking at her.
"But, Ben…"
"I saw him in the hallway…gave him a hug and kiss goodbye, told him his daddy was
going to be gone on business for a while."
Luke wanted to give them some private time, so he rose to leave. "I've got some business
of my own to take care of now. If you see any of my old buddies there, tell them I' said 'hello'."
"I'll do that." He answered as Luke left.
Han looked at Leia. "This will be the first time we've been separated since carbon freeze."
She winced at the memory. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"That will never happen." He assured her.
They sat in silence for a few moments, gazing into each other's eyes..unspoken messages
passing between them.
He untangled his fingers from hers. "I'd better get going. Walk me to the ship?"
At the docking bay Han embraced her again and after a lingering kiss said, "I'll be back
before you know it."
Han boarded the Falcon and waved at her as he started the engines.
Leia held back the tears…missing him already, but loved him enough to let him go…
to experience what he loved… for as long as he needed to, knowing they had the rest of their lives
to be together.
A SERIES OF STORIES WILL FOLLOW ENTITLED:
THE LATER ADVENTURES OF HAN SOLO