AN: I don't own Star Wars. This was written in honor of Carrie Fisher and I damn well hope she pulls through. Also, it's rather obviously an AU (of TFA at least) and credit where credit's due – my friend RensKnight had the idea that if Ben hadn't turned to the dark side he might be interested in becoming a doctor.

"Heart of a Princess"

Beep . . .

Beep . . .

Beep . . .

The sound droned on and on, penetrating against Leia's skull in the dark. Beep . . . beep . . . beep. Her head hurt. Her chest hurt. Something was digging up her nose. Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Where was she anyway? The last thing she remembered was . . . was . . .

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

She was on the Falcon . . . wasn't she?

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

On the Falcon . . . then . . . then . . .

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Why wouldn't that stupid beeping stop so she could concentrate? She was on the Falcon . . . then something happened . . .

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

On the Falcon . . . the Falcon . . . then suddenly . . .

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Sudden pain . . . yes, a sudden pain in her chest . . . she'd gasped for air and collapsed . . . and then . . . she couldn't remember . . .

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

"Mom? Mom, are you awake?"

Ben's voice! Where was he? Then again, where was she?

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

"Mom?"

She had to somehow reach him through the dark. Her being concentrated on her dry, sore throat, determined to produce some sort of sound. "B-B . . ." Her throat burned even with one letter. "B-B . . . Beeeennnnn?"

She thought she heard her son gasp. "She's awake! Go tell everyone she's awake!"

Awake . . . if she was awake she should be able to see, shouldn't she?

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

She found her eyes, but they felt glued shut. Come on, open them, open them!

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Stupid beeps. When she opened her eyes she'd smash whatever was making them.

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Finally, with a grunt, she pried her eyelids apart, feeling like she was tearing her skin open.

"Mom!" Ben's voice cried again.

The light shot into her eyes as if she were looking directly at the sun. She blinked, dampening her eyes, fiercely trying to get something, anything to focus.

Then she felt a slick, rubber-gloved hand on her cheek. "Mom, Mom, Mom . . ." It sounded like Ben was close to tears.

Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . .

Finally she blinked enough to bring her son's handsome face into focus. There he was in his white doctor's coat that contrasted with his luxurious black hair, a tear or two streaming down his smiling face.

"B-Been?" she asked again in a raspy voice.

Ben breathed a long, relieved sigh. "You're all right, Mom. You're gonna be fine now."

"W-what . . . what happened?"

Ben inhaled deeply through his nose. "You . . . you had a heart attack."

"I what?"

Her son quickly grabbed her left hand as if afraid that she'd have a second heart attack. "Don't get upset – it's all right now. You've been out for a few days, and well . . . you scared us all for a while, but I wasn't gonna stop zapping you until your heart started up again."

"Wait . . . wait . . . my heart stopped?" Leia felt as if she had just been hit with a stunray. She was healthy, wasn't she? Didn't heart attacks only happen to unhealthy people?

Ben squeezed his mother's hand. "You're okay now, Mom. I'll take care of you until you're well enough to be released."

Leia took several deep breaths through her mouth even though doing so hurt her chest. "I-I know you will . . ." She'd faced death countless times in her sixty years, but somehow this was different. This wasn't caused by Imperials or enemies of the Republic or anything except her own heart . . . but why? She was only sixty and she took care of herself – her hair hadn't even gone completely gray yet - so how did this happen?

Now Ben was tilting his head to her right. "Dad saved your life."

"W-what?"

"He performed CPR on you right after you collapsed."

Leia glanced to the side and there was a familiar head of gray hair just inches away from her hand. Han was slumped over her bed, snoring gently, looking more disheveled than usual.

Ben grinned over at his father, shaking his head. "He hasn't left the hospital once and he only ever left your side for refresher breaks. I even had to bring him his meals."

"Same old Han," Leia sighed. She looked back up at Ben. "I'm so proud of you, son."

Ben shrugged. "As we're supposed to say, I'm only doing my job – anyway, would you like some water or something?"

"Yes, water would be nice," Leia croaked out.

"All right." He leaned over and kissed his mother's sweaty forehead. "By the way, Happy Fete."

Oh right . . . she and Han had been on their way to spend Fete with Ben and his family. Leia suddenly felt a twinge of guilt, as if she had ruined everyone's holiday by having a heart attack. After her son left the room, Leia slowly stretched her arm out to touch her husband's cheek.

Almost instantly Han was awake, as if he'd programmed himself to wake up if she did. "Leia!" he shouted, grabbing her hand and kissing it over and over. "Leia, Leia, Leia . . ."

Leia felt herself automatically grinning. "How is it that even after forty years you still surprise me?"

Now Han was pressing her hand against his cheek. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't know you knew CPR."

Han closed his eyes, absorbing her touch. "Oh, that. Well you know . . . sometimes you pick up a few odd skills when you're a smuggler." He opened his eyes and blinked at her, as if he couldn't believe she was alive. "But damn, Leia, you scared me."

"Well . . . I don't really know what to say to that . . . other than that I'm sorry I ruined Fete for all of you."

"Are you kidding?" Han exclaimed. "You bein' alive is the best Fete present I ever got."

"Better than Ben?"

"All right, second best." Now he was squeezing her hand in both of his. "But you're gonna be okay now, right?"

"Well, Ben says I am, and he should know."

"Guess we should be glad he became a doctor," said Han. "He didn't give up on you."

Leia smiled, leaning back into the pillow. "There's further proof that I've got the best family in the galaxy. A family that doesn't give up."