Up until this point, my writing has been influenced by reading novels from what was the Expanded Universe, hence Han and Leia married and had three children, twins Jaina and Jacen and another son, Anakin. Luke eventually married Mara Jade and produced a son Ben, though they make only occasional visits to my world which revolves around Han and Leia, their family, its ups and downs and how, despite everything they might go through along the way, the couple remain married and – for the most part – happily so.

This is the last of those influences. From here on in, whilst readers might recognise the odd character, the world evolves purely from my imaginings. Stick with me, there's lots of ups and downs to come...

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Leia's eyes felt unbelievably heavy and it took every ounce of her strength to prevent them from closing without her consent.

Following the injuries she had received at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong, a lengthy period of rehabilitation followed by physical therapy and her enforced retirement from service in the New Republic Senate, Leia had been persuaded to persue a different path by finally writing her memoirs.

So she had enrolled, part time, on a writing course at Coruscant University attending classes three times a week and for the most part enjoying them.

Professor Nalle, however, was her least favourite lecturer. His voice was at best monotonous and at worst completely boring and today's session on syntax was inspiring in it's complete lack of originality. At least, that was what the note passed to her from her fellow student, Cade Mlalla, said.

Leia stifled a laugh with a yawn, which only made her lethargy worse.

Over the past four weeks, Leia had welcomed her daughter home from a six month tour of duty to discover she brought with her an unwanted pregnancy. She had been there through Jaina's eventual decision not to terminate, only to suffer a spontaneous miscarriage and all the emotions that had followed.

She had smiled away her sadness when her youngest child, Anakin, and his girlfriend, Tahiri Veila, had returned to their Jedi studies on Yavin IV; reminding herself that Anakin Solo, like the maternal Grandfather he was named after, was born to be a Jedi. Leia was immensely proud of the talent he showed, but even so, she missed him like crazy when he was away.

Her eldest son, Jacen, wafted somewhere between New Republic Tactical Envoy and gopher for the Solo family business in freight haulage. He was constantly at odds with his siblings over the proper and pertinent use of the Force and as such spurned it for ninety percent of the time. However, he was quick to learn, with a keen eye and he had the sweetest, most gentle nature of any of the Solos. Male or female.

When the klaxon finally sounded, the day's end could not have come quickly enough.

"Thank the Heavens!" Cade rolled his unnaturally blue eyes at Leia. "You coming for a drink?"

"If I was twenty years younger, I'd still be too old for you Cade!" Leia told him, closing down her datapad.

"Yeah I know. But you're cool enough to tell me how bad my chat up lines are when I try them out on you." He shrugged.

"Some other time, my sexy ex-smuggler husband likes me home to tend to his every need. And I do mean every need."

"I love it when you talk dirty like that," Cade sighed. "I hope to meet this husband of yours one day, tell him what a lucky man he is."

"Oh he already knows that." She said as they exited the lecture hall.

"I have this theory that he doesn't really exist," he said confidentially. "I think you just pretend to have a husband and you're really just going home to a houseful of whisperkits."

"Aw..." Leia patted Cade's shoulder playfully. "And Nalle said you had no imagination at all!"

"See you next week?" Cade asked.

"You know it." Leia agreed, hailing a hovercar.

Her legs were tingling, aching and just plain hurting by the time she had climbed the stairs to the apartment, but she was due to have the last of the nerve stimulators removed the following month and she was trying to build up her strength so as not to have to rely too heavily on a walking frame.

Even so, the sofa had never looked more tempting when she finally entered her apartment.

Nor had her husband's cheery welcome.

"You're late. He give you lines or something?" He kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Mock all you want. But when I have a bestseller, I'll be the one laughing." She told him and sniffed the air.

"Jaina!" Han indicated the kitchen with a nod of his head. "She's made your favourite. Well, one of your favourites at least."

"Take a seat, it's ready." Jaina told them, placing a tureen on the table. "Alderaanian stew. Without the Corellian influence!"

"I hope there's spices on the table." Han growled as Jaina disappeared back into the kitchen, returning with warm home-baked bread.

Leia noted only two bowls and side plates.

"You're not eating with us honey?" She asked, easing her aching appendages under the table.

"You all right?" Han whispered at her as he sat opposite. She nodded her reply.

"Jag's taking me for dinner then we're going to catch a holomovie." Jaina answered.

"A holomovie? Where? Not that place on 51st?" Han asked.

"Why, what's wrong with the place on 51st?" Leia queried.

"No, we're not going there." Jaina replied. "And Dad means because it's got great make-out booths at the back."

"I thought they were family booths," Leia commented, sampling her stew. "Mmm, it's good."

"They are, but the kids book 'em and use 'em to make out in." Han wrinkled his nose and grabbed the mixed spice pot, shaking it vigorously over his stew.

"You'd know this how?" Leia narrowed her eyes at him.

"I deliver there sometimes. You drop a box of wafers in a booth by accident, you don't forget what you see in a hurry."

"We won't be late. Back by midnight." Jaina said.

"Back before midnight. Well before midnight. By eleven in fact." Han told her.

"Dad! The holo doesn't even start 'til nine and you know how the traffic will be. There's no way I can be home by eleven." Jaina whined.

"Fine. Midnight. But no later. And no necking in the doorway!"

"Dad!" Jaina averted her eyes.

"Whatcha gonna see?" He asked with a grin. "Might tag along. Hold your popped corn for ya."

"Oh just some new thing with Hal Forro." Jaina sounded nonchalant. "It's about this archaeologist who goes in search of some ancient artefact and finds adventure along the way. Romance too probably. Not your kind of thing at all Dad."

"Hal Forro's a dream," Leia smiled, "A bit like your father, thirty years ago."

Jaina looked between her mother and father and back again.

"Sure Mom. If you squint real hard." Jaina clearly wasn't about to agree.

"You have a good time." Leia smiled and winked at Jaina who smiled back.

"He not picking you up?" Han asked, following Jaina to the door.

"I said I'd meet him down in the parking lot. He has this feeling you don't like him." She answered.

"It's not him, it's his unhealthy interest in you that I don't like." Han grumbled.

"Oh Daddy!" Jaina rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek. "You and Mom behave while I'm gone."

"No fear there! She looks dead on her feet again." Han cast a quick glance over his shoulder as Leia struggled to keep awake while eating her stew.

"Run her a bath." Jaina suggested. "Find something that needs massaging. Find something that doesn't need massaging even, then massage it."

"Thank you Jaina but I get enough tips from that over-priced sex therapist she still insists on us seeing!" He moaned.

"You mean the relationship counsellor." Jaina corrected.

"Whatever." Han dismissed before pressing some credits into her hand. Jaina looked down, puzzled. "Make sure Jag gets himself an 'ice cream'. Tell him to get the kind with the extra lube. They're the best one's."

He looked at her knowingly.

"Dad!" She blushed her understanding, kissed him again and skipped off down the corridor.

When he returned to the table Leia was sniggering.

"What?" He asked.

Leia wiggled her little finger at him, still giggling.

"I am not wrapped around her little finger!" Han insisted and resumed eating his stew.

"You so are!" She laughed. "You know she saw that holo with Jacen last week?"

Han stopped eating and looked up at her.

"So if you try asking her about it, she already knows the storyline." Leia said, then frowned. "Where is Jacen anyway?"

"Sulking in his room." Han reported and returned to finish his stew.

Leia waited for him to elaborate.

"I grounded him." Han finally confessed.

"You grounded him!" Leia exclaimed.

"Hey! Don't give me that look. This was not my fault." Han said defensively.

Leia glared at him.

"I told him he could go into town after he had unloaded the Falcon. He chose to ignore me and take the 'speeder. So...I grounded him." Han explained.

"He's not a child Han." Leia chided him.

"No, I know that. And that's why he has to learn that he can't shirk his responsibilities." Han argued. "I asked him to finish a job but he wanted to go into town to buy some trinket for that girlfriend of his..."

"You grounded him for wanting to buy Tenel Ka a present?" Leia suddenly felt very awake.

"I grounded him for putting his personal pursuits ahead of his professional responsibilities." Han corrected.

"Which, of course, you have never done." Leia observed.

"It's only a week." Han shrugged.

"He'll miss Tenel Ka leaving for Yavin IV." She realised.

"Will he?" Han asked innocently.

"Okay. I get you not wanting to share a beer with the man who would be your only daughter's lover. But what do you have against Tenel Ka?" Leia asked. "She's beautiful...she's smart...she makes Jacen happy..."

"She happens to be the only daughter of your ex..." Han bit back the comment. "...of Isolder. Who happens to be someone else I don't want to be sharing a beer with."

"We've talked about this Han." She sighed, leaning her arms on the table.

"I know." He leaned forward too and covered her hands with his. "And I'm sorry. But you know, I only say it as a bait."

"And you know every time you say it, it makes me think you believe it."

She looked sad to him. Like he'd single-handedly been responsible for at least another half dozen sessions with their over-priced sex therapist.

"You wanna maybe take a soak in the tub?" He asked her after a moment.

"I would really like that." She smiled.

"You maybe want someone to scrub your back?" He gave her his lopsided grin.

"Don't the Dreadnaughts have a game tonight?" She asked.

"Sweaty guys or beautiful naked wife...it's a tough choice..." He mused.

"Then let me make it easy for you. I'll soak in the tub while you watch the game and I'll join you on the sofa when my fingers are just this side of turning into flippers." She suggested. "Deal?"

Sensing that was as good as it was going to get, Han agreed with another soft kiss to her forehead before clearing the dinner things and adding a few drops of her favourite lotion to a bathtub of steaming water for her.

He helped her in and, when she was ready, out of the tub. Left her to dry and dress herself in a light nightgown and robe and within half an hour she was spooned against him on the sofa, her shallow breathing telling him she had fallen asleep.

He muted the holoscreen so as not to disturb her slumbers. He could see the way the game was going, he didn't need to hear the inane commentary as well. As the Dreadnaughts suffered another pounding defeat Han growled a stream of violent Corellian swear words he hoped Leia could not hear.

"Dad." Jacen started as he walked into the living quarters, being shushed by his father. Han's long index finger moved from his lips to point at Leia lying beside him.

"Is Mom okay?" Jacen whispered.

"Just tired." Han answered, watching his child approach slowly. "What is it son?"

"I wanted to apologise for this afternoon," Jacen said simply. "I was wrong to take the speeder. And I was wrong not to finish my chores first."

"Apology accepted." Han said and looked down at this sleeping wife. Aware that Jacen made no move he then added. "Was there something else?"

"I wanted to ask permission to go into town tomorrow." Jacen asked.

"I thought you went today." Han frowned.

"I did. But I couldn't complete the transaction today so the guy said he'd hold me for twenty four hours." Jacen explained.

"What the heck you buying her son?" Han asked, sounding quizzical.

"It's a..." Jacen blushed and avoided his father's eyes. "It's...a...a love token. A locket. It just took me a while to decide which one."

"You know what a love token is, don't you son? You do know it's supposed to be like a pre-engagement gift, right?" Han queried.

"I know." He replied sulkily.

"You really into her that much Jace?" Han hoped he hadn't sounded as sceptical to Jacen as he had to himself.

"What's wrong with me wanting to show her how much she means to me?" Jacen shrugged.

"I'm just saying..." Han offered.

"At least I'm not getting her pregnant!" Jacen snapped. Han just glared at his son who added, quickly. "I'm sorry Dad. I didn't mean it. Really I didn't."

"You better not let your sister or your mother hear you say things like that." Han growled at him.

"I'm sorry. Really. I just...I understand I shouldn't have taken off this afternoon. And I'm not asking you to un-ground me or anything. I just want to buy the locket and present it to her before she leaves for her training on Yavin IV. Please Dad."

Han considered his son. He's not a child Leia had chided him. And it was true. The infant he had cradled and rocked to sleep; the boy he had carried on his shoulders; the youth he'd taught to shave was indeed now a grown man.

"Does it have a diamond?" Han asked.

"A small one, yes." Jacen confirmed.

Han fished in his pocket and withdrew his personal marker.

"You buy the locket, I'll pay for the gem." Han tossed the marker to Jacen who caught it one handed. "But I want that back!" He pointed at the marker.

Jacen looked at first amazed, then thrilled, giving his father a beaming smile. His face softened and his eyes drifted to the sleeping form of his mother.

"I'm glad you and Mom are back together." Jacen said.

"I'm glad too son." Han agreed and looked lovingly at his wife. "I love watching her sleep."

"She looks so...peaceful." Jacen observed.

"It wasn't always like that. There were times when it was hard enough just getting her to relax a little. Sleep, proper decent sleep, was something I thought she'd never experience again."

"I'm gonna go send that shopkeep a message to expect me first thing in the morning." Jacen told his father, who waved his approval without taking his eyes from Leia.

From an inside pocket of his pants, Han withdrew the holographic marker Leia had given him as he had stacked his reward for saving her from the Death Star. Thumbing a tiny button, the shimmering image of a much younger Leia Organa balanced on the marker's edge.

His eyes moved from the hologram to his wife and back, twice. Then he shut the hologram down and replaced the chip in his pocket. Nothing would part him from that memory. Only death. And he wasn't planning on that any time soon.

Han nudged Leia gently awake.

"Did they win?" She mumbled sleepily.

"No honey. They lost again." He smiled crookedly.

"I must have drifted off." Leia yawned. "I'm just so tired."

"Well, you're not getting any younger you know." He teased, helping her to her feet.

"I'll have you know, women of my age are considered to be in their prime!" Leia declared and slipped her hand through his offered arm as they headed toward their bedroom.

"Must be why I feel in my prime too." Han leaned down to snicker into her ear. "They say you're only as old as the woman you feel."

"How did I know you were going to say that?" Leia smirked and turned to wrap her arms loosely around his neck. "You feel like fooling around a little?"

The mischievous twinkle to her eye had returned and Han loved it.

"With you?" He queried, noting Leia's less than amused stare. "Last one in bed gets to sleep on top!"

He was naked and on the bed before Leia even had chance to take a step or two.

"That's so unfair! You know I can't keep up with you." She glowered at him.

"Then here, let me help you." Han's eyes sparkled with just as much mischief as Leia's had. And something more. Fire mixed with tempered desire, wanting and old fashioned lust, as he slipped the loop of her robe from it's knot.

They'd had a tough couple of years and although sex was only a part of their healing process. It was a part they both taken very seriously and enjoyed immensely.

Han had been taught everything he could ever need to know when it came to pleasuring a woman and it had been his pleasure to guide Leia through that particular learning curve with aplomb.

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HoloVision was Coruscant's only fly-in holomovie theatre and was usually packed with steamy windowed speeders bearing couples more interested in their own couplings than those on the holoscreen. And tonight was no exception. Perhaps but for one lone speeder, where Jagged Fel and Jaina Solo sat watching the holo story unfold before them.

"Good choice Jay, this is a great holo!" Jag grinned.

"Glad you're enjoying it." Jaina tried not to sound too sarcastic. "You know, when you suggested we come here I didn't realise it was to actually watch the holo. I mean, look around. Nobody else is!"

"You don't think it's a bit soon? I mean, you've only just come out of one relationship." Jag pointed out, smiling to himself.

"It was sex Jag. There was no romance, no 'will we still respect one another in the morning', just sex. That's all." She said, rather coldly he thought.

"So you didn't feel anything for him? I mean, I'm sorry if I'm being insensitive but isn't it supposed to be the other way around. The man who 'loves 'em and leaves 'em' and the woman who sees a wedding band behind every kiss."

"What is it with you and getting married! You sure it's not you who sees a wedding band behind every kiss?" She asked. "You know, my Mom and Dad came pretty close to splitting up. After seeing the hurt they inflicted on one another, not to mention on the family, I'm not taking anything for granted. Sure I'd like to get married. Maybe. One day. But for now, I'm happy with just having a good time."

She looked out of the window at a couple in a speeder beside them who were clearly having a very good time. "And some sex occasionally!" She added under her breath.

"I wasn't raised to engage in sex." Jag told her, laughing at her look of incredulity. "What I mean is, I was brought up to believe in sexual intimacy as part of a loving relationship."

"While I was raised to behave like a complete whore I suppose?" She arched an angry eyebrow at him. "I'll let you tell that to my Dad when you drop me home, shall I?"

"We've been down this road already Jaina." Jag shook his head. "I find you incredibly attractive, you know that, but ultimately we want different things."

"Can I just remind you, it was you who chased me!" She turned sideways to face him. "Before I joined Rogue, during and after!"

"Maybe I needed to be sure." He apologised.

"Maybe you're just an asshole!" She turned back to stare out at the screen.

"Maybe I am." He agreed after a while. "But when you go all fierce like that, I really want to have sex with you."

Jaina Solo turned the icy stare she had inherited from her mother on the young man grinning at her.

"I thought you were raised to believe in, what was it you said, 'sexual intimacy as part of a loving relationship'." She goaded.

"Isn't a truly loving relationship about compromise?" He asked.

Jaina's features slowly softened.

"Why do you even like me?" Jaina queried, genuinely puzzled. "My Dad tried to humiliate you when he found us together; we split up, I think, because you knew I needed to grow up; I end up getting pregnant doing exactly what our families raised us both not to do. And yet you're still here. Why?"

"Maybe I think you're a work in progress." He suggested.

"Oh and you think you can complete my development." She challenged.

"Jaina Solo when I'm with you, I stop thinking altogether!"

"I like you Jag," she sighed, "I like you a lot. I'm just...I'm not the nice girl you deserve to be with."

"You really don't understand the concept of signals do you Jaina?" Jag said.

"Excuse me?"

"One minute you're talking about having sex, the next I'm too good for you. What is it you actually want? Tell me, please, because I'm done trying to figure you out."

Jaina thought. Thought hard, before answering. Truth was, she more than just liked Jagged Fel, but she struggled to get beyond the feeling of self-loathing she currently felt about herself.

"I want the last five years to go away. I want to go back to before Chewie died, before all the madness surrounding Mom and Dad." She turned sad, doleful dark eyes on Jag. "I want to be able to start over and just not be the me that I've become."

"Let me guess." Jag smiled, a finger pointing toward the holoscreen. "He finds the artefact, falls in love with the girl and they all live happily ever after. Right?"

Jaina blinked.

"No. He finds the artefact, which covert Government officials take from him and the holo ends with him walking away from the girl." She replied, puzzled.

"Ready for the next instalment in the franchise." He nodded and extended his hand to her. "Jagged Fel, nice to make you acquaintance."

"Did you just have a mini-stroke or something?" Jaina queried.

"And you are?" He prompted, his hand still held in her direction.

"Jaina Solo." She said, humouring him.

"Well Jaina Solo, it's a lovely night. What say we quit this joint and go find somewhere quiet to get to know each other." He lowered his voice. "By that I mean talk, obviously. Don't want you thinking I'm one of those kinds of guys!"

With a flick of a switch he disconnected the sound from the holodisplay and put the speeder into a steep tailspin until he was clear of any other traffic, then headed over to the Manarai Mountains, one of the few spots on Coruscant not bespoiled by cities or skyscrapers. Jag parked the speeder and kept the running lights low.

"Make-Out Mountain?" Jaina observed. "You think this is a good place to just talk?"

"I'm guessing your Dad has you under curfew and it's the only spot I know that's both close and quiet." He answered.

"Just how well do you know this spot?" She teased through narrowed eyes.

"Let's just say the landscape and my butt are fairly well acquainted." He replied, to which she laughed. "I love hearing you laugh."

"Believe it or not, I quite like having something to laugh about." Her smile fading to sadness. "I wish it was as easy to turn the chrono back."

"You feel like talking about it?" He asked.

Jaina wanted to tell him. Wanted to tell him everything. She just wasn't sure, when it came down to it, if she could. However, with her decision made, she took a deep breath.

"Chewie was my Dad's best friend like, forever. When he died, Dad kinda lost it for a while. He did something to my Mom. Something I can't tell you about. Not because I don't trust you, but because it wouldn't be fair on them. All I can say is, it was bad. Real bad! And they split up for a while over it and Dad's behaviour in general I suppose. He was getting drunk pretty much every night. Some nights I don't think he even sobered up enough to fly properly the following morning. Fortunately Jacen was crewing with him and he could take over for most of the routine flights. I figured it was all Mom's fault." Jaina rolled her eyes at herself. "Mothers and daughters have notoriously difficult relationships. Though in my defence I didn't know what it was Dad had done back then. Anyway, I treated her so badly. I even told her I wished she was dead. Pretty vile, right?"

He didn't answer, not that she waited for him to respond before carrying on.

"Then, they started meeting up. Sometimes by accident, sometimes by arrangement. It was obvious they were still in love. Dad gives Mom this look. I don't just mean like he's looking at her naked, but like he can see right down into her soul. Sounds odd I know, but if you've had a lifetime of seeing that look you'd understand. That's when Isolder came onto the scene again. He'd had a bit of a thing for Mom before she and Dad married and Dad still smarts when he hears his name!"

Jaina sniggered. "He's such an easy tease where Isolder's concerned. So's Mom actually. I wonder sometimes if maybe there wasn't just a little bit more of a spark there than Mom admits to. Anyway, you and I had agreed to cool things and I guess Isolder saw me as a way of getting at Mom. Or Dad. Or both of them. That's when he told me you were seeing someone else and I believed him. Right before he made his move on me and I fell for it like a complete sucker! You kind of know the rest, Mom got hurt by the Vong; she and Dad started working at patching things up and I got posted to Sarafur."

"Where you got pregnant. Maybe it wasn't just your Dad who lost it for a while." Jag suggested

"It wasn't like that." Jaina assured him. "I wish it was."

"So what was it like?" He asked.

"It's not easy, integrating with the Killiks. I mean, they're nice beings. Don't get me wrong. But being part of the collective, inside the hive mind, it can be quite intimidating. I guess being force sensitive and a twin gave me an advantage over others."

"Like Raynar Thul you mean?" He asked.

"Raynar was supposed to relieve me. He arrived a month before my tour was due to end but it was obvious right from the start he was struggling. I offered to help support his transition." She leaned back, closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I never knew Raynar had a crush on me, I swear, not until I started working with him on Sarafur. Thing is, you feel everything. Everything Jag. All their feelings, their sensations, their passions. Then one night, Raynar and I were alone..." She groaned. "I feel so stupid now! There was some fruit in a bowl. We both reached for something, our fingers touched. And we just..."

She glared at Jag who was looking at her quizzically.

"Well do I have to spell it out to you?" She demanded. "We had sex. Okay? It wasn't romantic, our eyes didn't meet, we didn't suddenly realise we were in love. We just gave into overpowering feelings of lust and had sex!"

They were both silent for several minutes until without warning Jag climbed out of the 'speeder, walked to Jaina's side and offered her his hand. Tentatively she took it and let him help her from the 'speeder and walk her to an area of grassland.

"I was seventeen, shamefully drunk and I don't now remember her name or for that matter even the colour of her eyes, but this is the spot where we both lost our virginity." He told her before leading her over to a gnarled old tree. "And the carving, 'JF & SH, Forever' stands for Jagged Fel and Soo Harna. It lasted about four months."

"Jag..." Jaina interrupted.

"We all make mistakes." Jag quieted her with a finger across her lips. "Some of us are just better at being repentant than others."

"It doesn't change the fact that we want different things though."

"You like me. I like you. You want to get married one day. I want to get married one day." He argued, then gave her a sly grin. "You like sex. Well guess what, three out of three makes us the perfect couple."

"How did you know about Raynar Thul?" She enquired, ignoring his comment.

"He told me. Actually he boasted to me." Jag replied.

"Oh great!" She exclaimed. "So I suppose the whole of Rogue knows."

"No. I made it pretty clear that if he spread any gossip, I'd tell your father about him. He's not stupid enough to tangle with Han Solo." Jag glanced at his chrono. "Which is why I'm going to suggest we hustle because there's something else you need to know about me. I've grown kinda fond of my genitals right were they are!"

Jaina laughed again.

"But first. I want you to say I can see you again." His stern look stopped her from interrupting. "It doesn't mean we're boyfriend and girlfriend. Not right off anyway. Just meet to talk. Go for a caf. Watch a holomovie. See where it takes us."

But there's more. She thought. More I should tell you. Something that might actually make you hate me.

After a while Jaina's face softened and she planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"See where it takes us." She confirmed with a nod.

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Han Solo reluctantly broke the kiss and gazed up into the eternity of his wife's beautiful, dark brown eyes.

"Seriously, Leia, I can't! Not again!" He wailed. "It's not that I don't want to...I just don't have anything more to give!"

"I can't believe that the great Han Solo..." She said, her tongue lazily tickling his earlobe. "Has nothing more to give after only three times..."

"Four. Actually." Han corrected, his eyes rolling back a little in his head. "And you've bled me dry, ya She-Witch!"

Leia's lips nipped and nibbled their way across his chest, down his torso to blow a raspberry in his belly button.

He laughed and tucked his hands under her armpits to pull her back up his body.

"Oh no you don't Princess." He told her as he guided her back up to lie, sprawled across his body.

"Why won't you let me do that for you?" She asked. "I know you like it. All men like it."

"First off, how do you know what all men like and second, you know why I won't let you do that."

"You do it to me." She complained.

"First, I like doing it to you. Second, I like how much you like me doing it to you. Third, you taste amazing when I do it to you. And four, I will repeat, you know why I won't have you do that to me."

"I want to taste you." She whispered in his ear. "I want to feel you in my mouth, taste you with my tongue."

"It aint happening sweetheart." Han reiterated.

"You like me touching you." She persisted.

"I like a great many things sweetheart. But not that. Not from you." He kissed her forehead and rolled her gently onto her back.

Leia's eyes sparkled in the dim bedroom light.

"Sorry to disappoint Princess, but the only fluid I have left in my body is pee. And I'm about to evacuate that too." He planted another light kiss to her forehead and climbed out of bed.

Leia sighed as her eyes followed his butt cheeks sashay their way to the 'fresher. She hadn't felt this amorous in quite a while. Must be making up for lost time. She thought and chuckled to herself. When Han returned, he hastily grabbed his sleep pants and pulled them on.

"That's it sweetheart, I'm officially running on empty." He explained.

"I still want you!" She purred.

"Great. Give me a straight eight hours sleep to recuperate and I'm all yours. But right now, you'd be flogging a very dead beast of burden." He said. "You heard our little girl get home yet?"

"No." She replied with a sly grin. "But I was rather concentrating on other things."

"It's after Midnight." He noted from the bedside chronometer. "I'll go check her room."

Leia wanted to stop him. Wanted to remind him, that Jaina wasn't a child any more and to just let her be. But she knew him well enough to know he would only be worried about her, not angry if she was later than she had agreed to be home. Leia sighed deeply and yawned, allowing sleep to claim her.

Han, meanwhile, padded through the silent apartment fully expecting to find his daughter's room empty. He was therefore pleasantly surprised to find her home, if crouched against the wall with her face in her hands.

He watched her silently before speaking. "How was the date?"

"It wasn't a date Dad. We're just friends." She answered.

"He messing you around again?" He rumbled.

She turned a sullen face up to her father. "Dad, is it a lie to not tell someone something as much as it is to tell them things that aren't true?"

"If you're looking for a moral compass I'll go get your Mom." He said, wearing his lopsided grin. "Or, you could just tell me what it is you're talking about and I could give you my take on the situation.

"We talked about stuff that would make any other guy run a mile. Except Jag. He just keeps on coming back for more." Jaina shook her head.

"Maybe he really likes you." Han suggested. The word 'love' would have stuck in his throat had he tried to use it.

"Do you think he'd still like me if he knew what I contemplated doing?" She mused.

"Sweetie, if he holds that against you then he's not worth the effort." Han said and eased himself into the space beside her.

"I'm not talking about the termination." She sighed. "Right before the miscarriage, we kissed. And, oh Dad, it was so wonderful. I know you don't like him much..."

"Now I never said that!" Han corrected and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Besides, it's not him. No man'd be good enough for my little girl."

"We kissed and all I could think was that if I slept with him, right then, he'd never know the baby wasn't his." She turned large, sorrowful eyes on her father. "I hate who I've become. I don't want to be this person any more but I just don't know where to start."

Han sighed and considered what his daughter had told him.

"Well?" She asked after he had been quiet for some time. "Do I tell him?"

"I like women." He told her. "I like the way I feel when I'm with them. I like the way they feel when I'm with them. Your Mom now, she was a right royal pain in the ass when I first met her. Probably that was what attracted me to her. She was about the only girl not to fall for my corny one liners in at least the best part of a decade. That's called a challenge and you know me, always up for a challenge. The odds were stacked against me and I love a good gamble. So I took a chance, stuck around and sure enough little by little we grew to kinda like each other."

"Is there a point to this Dad?" Jaina wanted to know.

"My start in life wasn't the greatest and your Mom was constantly begging me for answers. I sidestep them mostly because I'd just remind her of how things were under the Empire and that would lead to Alderaan and I don't want to cause her that kind of pain. She suffered enough when it all happened, no need to drag it up again." He said.

"Just as I thought, no point at all." Jaina mumbled.

"The point is, if you want my advice well it's this. What happened, happened. If he doesn't give a crap, then you shouldn't give a crap either. Put it out of your mind and just let your futures unfold before you." He tenderly kissed her cheek.

"Isn't that the same as lying though?" She queried.

"Sometimes sweetheart, a lie is more truthful than the truth." He said and winked at her. "Now bed, before our talking wakes your brother up."

Jaina wasn't sure whether her father had helped very much but accepted his advice and kissed him goodnight.

Han crossed the living quarters to the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer, swigging it back and thinking of his wife. Before Leia, there had been any number of women in Han's life; Bria Tharen, his one time lover and for whom the saying 'least said, soonest mended' applied. The nameless prostitute who had taught him everything he would ever need to know in the bedroom. Then there was the blonde, the brunette or the redhead he could find in any dingy cantina, who had been all too eager to share a few drinks, not to mention his bed. Then finally there was the bar soaks and dock whores. They were the women who most commonly fell for Han's corny one liners and by and large had one rule, penetration was fine but bodily fluids, if deposited at all, had to be done so orally only. Oral hygiene was both cheap and less time consuming than it's gynaecological counterpart.

They were the reason he wouldn't let Leia perform oral sex.

He finished his beer, recycled the bottle and returned to find Leia deep in slumbers. Careful not to wake her, he climbed in behind her and spooned himself to her shape. They fit together so perfectly, it was like they were made to be together. Han inhaled the scent of her hair, felt the warmth of her body in his arms and thanked the Force that after everthing that had gone before, she was still his.