Yavin
Han Solo was never one to stick with a cause for too long, and the Rebel Alliance was going to be no exception. It hadn't been all that long ago, less than a day really, since Han had met a strange kid named Luke, an old guy claiming to be a Jedi, and an arrogant Princess named Leia, but for some reason, he had stuck around longer than he initially intended.
After losing the credits he had gained for bringing the kid and Princess to the Alliance safely, along with helping them get off the Death Star, Han's better instincts sent him back to the Alliance, and just in time. When he returned, they were in the middle of a losing battle against the Empire, and only seconds away from being blasted to bits by the Empire's ultimate weapon. Luke, of course, was in trouble of his own trying to blow the thing up, with a bunch of tie fighters right on his tail.
It wasn't hard to get rid of the ties, and soon Han found himself flying away as the Death Star exploded in a large blast behind them. Luke's shot had gone in, and it seemed that everything was, for once, going to be alright. Han would head back, collect a second reward for helping the kid and be on his way.
So here he was, again, starting the landing sequence as they headed towards the planet Yavin. On base he was sure there would be plenty of cheering, and for a brief moment he even let the thought of the Princess being happy to see him cross his mind, but he pushed it aside.
Chewbacca growled as they approached the docking bay. "Yeah, I know I did the right thing, but it still doesn't mean we're sticking around. I want to get out of here." His co-pilot didn't look happy. "Don't give me that look" Han responded. "You know just as well as I do that we have to pay off Jabba."
Han ignored his friend's next comment as they landed carefully in the hanger, and Han jumped up from his seat, for some reason excited to get off his ship. He ran off the ramp and headed towards where Luke had landed his X-Wing. The kid was climbing down and Han watched as Leia appeared, embracing Luke in a tight hug.
They were laughing, and he thought a moment about how nice it was to see the Princess laugh like that, especially after everything she had gone through over the past few days. But once again the thought left quickly, and he ran to join them.
"Hey!" Han yelled, and Luke left Leia to give Han a hug as well, the smile never leaving his face.
"I knew you'd come back, I just knew it!" Luke said excitedly.
"Well I wasn't gonna let you get all the credit!" Han responded quickly as Leia slipped between the two men, wrapping her arms around Han for a brief moment.
"I knew there was more to you than money" she said, looking up at him. The moment was interrupted as R2-D2, one of the two droids Han had been forced to transport on his ship, was brought down from Luke's X-Wing. It was obvious the droid had been hit during the battle, and his annoying counterpart, C-3P0, was close by, going on about how he would surely give any parts to help repair him.
Luke looked upset, and a quick glanced told Han that Leia's smile had disappeared too. But Han wasn't going to let a droid kill this moment completely. Even if he wasn't planning on sticking around, a victory was a victory.
Putting an arm around Leia's shoulders, he led her towards the belly of the X-wing, and she got the idea, grabbing Luke as they went. Together, the they headed off across the hangar, Chewie close behind.
They walked quietly, just savoring the feeling for a few moments. Much to Han's surprise, it was Leia who finally broke the silence. She laughed, "You came back."
"Of course I came back. What? You think I'm just a no-good rotten scoundrel?"
"I think that's the impression we all got Han" Luke added in as they turned another corner. "You certainly made it seem that way."
"Don't make me regret saving your life Kid" Han said jokingly. "You owe me one." He could tell Leia was trying not to laugh further, and he was amazed at how much this victory must have meant to her. He hadn't known her for very long, but it was easy to see that she normally wasn't this happy.
"Whatever Han" Luke responded as they stopped at a door. Han had absolutely no clue where they were, as he had left pretty quickly before, but when Leia stepped forward and entered a passcode into the computer and the door slid open, he figured it was her quarters.
Luke walked right in, with Leia close behind, but Han stopped when Chewie put a paw on his shoulder. The wookiee growled. "Alright, I'll see ya later Pal" Han responded as his friend headed back toward the hangar, leaving Han to follow Luke and Leia into the room at his right.
After entering, Leia moved to close the door behind him, and he realized that he was right, these were her quarters. They weren't necessarily anything special, but he could see they were fairly spacious. There was a small kitchen to his right and a living area off in front of him. A fresher sat in the opposite corner of the room, and a hallway with two doors sat next to it.
Luke disappeared behind one of the doors while Leia headed into the kitchen. Han followed her, not wanting to follow the kid. Leia stood next to the counter, a smile still present on her face, making caf for them to share.
"Want any help?"
"No thank you Captain" she responded formally, "I think I can make caf on my own."
They both laughed, but as Leia turned and reached for mugs, she grew quiet. Han leaned up against the opposite counter, looking at the room around him, but she interrupted his thoughts.
"What made you come back?"
"Chewie I guess" he lied, although it was partly the truth. There was no way he was going to tell her that he had already lost the credits they had just given him, especially when those credits were worth more than the Alliance could probably afford.
"Just Chewie?" she asked, obviously a bit disappointed.
"Well, Chewie and the fact that I wanted to make sure you and Luke were ok during the battle" he admitted, and once he said it he realized that was yet another reason he had returned.
"Oh. Well I'm glad you came back."
"I'd hope so, otherwise you'd all be blown to pieces by now" he laughed. That was the wrong thing to say, and Han regretted it the second the words were out of his mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"
"No, it's ok. I forget about it too."
"But at least the Empire's failure of a weapon is destroyed, right? What kind of idiot would make it that easy to get rid of?" Han asked, trying to lighten the mood he had just killed.
Leia gave a slight smile, "I have no idea, but yes, I'm glad it's gone."
A moment later Luke reappeared. He had ditched his bright orange flight suit for a standard rebel uniform, which Han decided suited the kid well. "What's going on?"
"I was just helping The Princess here make caf" Han said with a smile, standing up straight next to her.
Leia elbowed him lightly in the ribs, her happy mood returning. "What he means is I was making caf and he was standing here watching and making jokes." Han looked down to her and pointed to himself as if to say 'me?'
"Please tell me these jokes were at least funny?" Luke replied as the timer on the caf-machine went off.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Han asked as if he were hurt by the statement.
"Is Chewie still here?" Leia asked, filling each of the mugs, but stopping before filling the fourth.
"Nah" Han responded, reaching around her to take one of the cups of caf. "He said he wanted to go check over the Falcon, make sure there wasn't too much damage and stuff."
Leia looked disappointed. "He could have stayed for caf" she quipped, setting the pitcher holding the remainder of the caf back in the machine. Luke grabbed another of the hot mugs and she grabbed the last from the counter before following the men into the living area.
"Trust me, he'd drink at least all of our caf combined. Be glad he didn't stay."
Luke laughed as he sat down on the couch, but Leia just gave Han a look at he took his own seat on the other couch, leaving it up to Leia to decide who to sit next to. Han was surprised to find himself disappointed when she chose to sit next to Luke.
"You going to stick around Han?" Luke asked, setting his caf on the table in front of him.
"Don't know yet. I really do have to go pay off some debts though, before there gets to be a bounty on my head, and with this defeat of the Empire, I'm pretty sure there's gonna be more than one."
"So you're leaving?" Leia asked. Han watched as she wrapped her fingers tighter around the warm mug, debating what his answer should be.
He sighed, setting down his own mug across the table from where Luke's still sat. "No, not right away at least. I figure I can stick around for a few days."
"A few days isn't a long time Han" Luke added. "I wish you'd stay longer, but I can't complain. I'm glad you changed your mind and came back."
Han smiled, and he saw the smile return to Leia's lips too, but she tried to hide it by taking a drink.
Their conversation went on until all the caf was drained from the mugs. The comm. had gone off to tell Leia that she was needed for a meeting with High Command, and Luke offered to clean up while she headed out. He picked up the mugs and headed back towards the kitchen, leaving Han and Leia alone. She stood and straightened her dress a little, although it was still covered in dirt from the trash compactor and her hair was coming out of it's ornate style.
She turned as if to leave, but looked back to Han. "Don't you have a meeting to get to?" Han asked.
"Yeah. I just…thanks again for coming back."
"You're welcome" he responded, surprising himself again with the genuine quality of his answer. He stood himself as she exited her quarters, and he headed towards the kitchen.
Luke was standing by the sink, washing out the mugs they had just finished using. "I'm sure the Princess could do that later herself you know" Han commented as he leaned up against the door frame.
"Yeah, but I just wanted to be helpful. She was so nice, inviting me to stay here with her." This stopped Han, and he was suddenly thankful the kid was turned the other way, because he was almost positive a look of shock was on his face.
He cleared his throat, hoping it might ease his expression too. "You're staying here, with her? In her quarters?"
"Yeah. When you brought us back and we were gearing up for the battle, she brought me here. Said it was her quarters and that she had an extra room I could use. I had to change into my flight suit anyway, so she showed me to the extra room and then we headed off to our stations."
"Wait, let me get this straight" Han commented again. "That wasn't just for you to change? You're staying here…with her…all the time?"
"Yeah, at least until we move to a new base I assume. I don't really know a lot about the Alliance yet." Luke set the last mug aside and turned off the water. "Why?"
"No reason really, I just thought it was strange. She doesn't seem like the type that would just invite someone into her home to stay with her."
Luke dried his hands on a towel and looked at the older man. "Quite honestly Han, I don't think she wants to be alone. From the looks of it, these were the quarters she shared with her father, and now that…well you know…she doesn't want to sit in these quarters alone."
Han decided Luke's theory seemed legitimate, but what he couldn't figure out was the odd feeling of jealousy that rose in his chest. He tried to ignore it, standing straight and letting out a breath. "Well, I guess I'd better go check in with Chewie."
"Yeah, I'll see you later?" Luke asked.
"Sure. You're welcome on the Falcon anytime too" Han said, smiling as he headed out of the quarters.
Han Solo was sitting in his bunk, wide awake, thinking. He had spent the rest of the day making repairs to the Falcon, which were needed after the Death Star and the battle against the Empire. He had gotten a call long into the evening that he was being awarded a medal for his bravery, and that Luke was getting one too. He was honored, of course, but didn't see himself as a hero, and certainly wasn't excited to find out the medal would be presented in a ceremony the next day.
After that he had remembered that he promised Luke he'd see him later, and made the decision to search out some food. Chewie still wanted to stay behind since he had already eaten, and so Han had set out alone.
It took him a while to find the mess hall, but found it based on the sound of voices. Entering the room he felt like a very awkward celebrity. Everyone was looking at him, and several rushed up to talk to him. But after commenting several times that he just wanted something to eat and that he was no hero, he made his way to a table where Luke, Leia and Wedge already sat.
They were discussing the medal ceremony, and Han could see that Luke was already excited. He figured that the kid wouldn't have, even in his wildest of dreams, expected a few days ago that he'd be receiving a medal of bravery for his role in a defeat against the Empire. From what Han knew, a few days ago his uncle wasn't letting him leave, and here he was, all smiles next to the Princess of Alderaan.
Han had noticed as he sat down that Leia looked at him and smiled. She didn't seem to mind that he sat next to her and not next to Luke or Wedge, and he gave a mental sigh of relief. He watched her as she continued to listen to Luke's story of how they had gotten to the death star, and he realized that while her circumstances were very different from the farm boy across from her, she was just as happy.
A few days ago, her dreams were just to defeat the Empire, and he supposed that's why she was so happy, but that defeat had come at a price. While he didn't know the specifics, he was sure that her entire family had been killed when Alderaan was destroyed by the death star, and that her life had gone with it. It occurred to him that in no more than a few days, the reality would hit her, and he made a decision to stay until it did, just in case she needed anything. Not that he didn't trust Luke to care for her, but he wanted to make sure she was ok, which was a new feeling for him.
Now, sitting in his bunk, he pondered those same feelings. He just couldn't figure it out. Not even a year ago he had made the decision not to get too attached to anyone, other than Chewie of course, and here he was, obviously getting attached to the former Princess of Alderaan. Why he had no clue, since she hadn't done much other than insult him and give him strange looks. It was an odd feeling, and he wondered if maybe he was going to stick around purely for the Princess.
No, he couldn't. He had to pay off Jabba, and that was going to take a while. He knew he wasn't going to be able to get any more credits out of the Alliance. They had already given him plenty, and while they'd be happy to help repair his ship and send him with fresh supplies, that was about it. Plus, even if he was able to get enough credits out of them to pay off Jabba, he'd feel terrible about it and probably return them anyway.
So what were his options here? It'd be really easy to stay…too easy in fact, and he knew that would be the semi-smart thing to do. With the escape from the Empire, he'd have a new bounty on his head, and that meant he'd be worth just as much to the Emperor as he would be to Jabba, if not more. Hiding with the Alliance would make Chewie happy, and he'd make good pay. Plus, it made for a good hiding spot. The Rebel's weren't exactly out in the open in the first place, so staying with them would certainly keep him off of Jabba's radar.
But two bounties on his head were certainly worse than just one, and that meant that getting rid of one of them would be a good idea as well. After finding the credits to pay Jabba off, Han could easily return to the Alliance and go from there. It'd once again make Chewie happy, and it'd make them at least somewhat respectable. But then there was the fact that it would now take forever to find those credits. It would mean doing several odd jobs, legal or not, to pay him off, and with Jabba, the price kept going up the longer you fended him off. Han would be surprised if a bounty twice what he owed was already on his head. And even if he did find the credits, there was a pretty good chance that Jabba would deny him and force him into the sarlacc instead.
His last option would be to hide from everyone. He could take Chewie back to his family on Kashyyyk and go into hiding himself with his ship. But that was a lonely life, and certainly not one Han would enjoy. Deciding that was entirely out of the question, he was left with his first two options. Stay with the Alliance or leave.
The next morning Han was awake, showered and ready for the medal ceremony when there was a knock on the hull of the Falcon. He was wearing his best set of clothes, and had even buttoned the top of his shirt to look more respectable. Why? He had no idea. But something told him it was for the Princess.
He opened the hatch, revealing Luke, who was wearing a bright yellow jacket and brown pants. "You're looking sharp today Kid" Han said as he leaned against the Falcon, much like he had done the day before in Leia's quarters.
"Thanks" Luke said happily, moving up the ramp. "You almost ready?"
"I've been reading all morning kid" he replied. "Chewie'll be out in a minute and then we can get going. I assume they want to start this thing on time, since I heard there was a party afterwards."
"You've got that right. Everyone on base has been talking about it" the younger man said, excited. "I've never been to a real party before, well…unless you count the one time my aunt and uncle threw me a birthday party."
"I don't think that's the same type of party Kid, but don't worry, you'll love it. From what I've heard, Rebel parties are hard to beat." A growl came from around the corner of the Falcon. "Yeah, like you'd know!" Han commented back to his co-pilot.
"What'd he say?" Luke asked, confused.
"He said that rebel parties are just made up of a lot of drunk pilots, which usually ends badly, especially when a lot of those pilots are Corellian" Han translated. "Now, I've never actually attended a rebel party, so I have no idea what actually happens at them, but I can agree that parties involving Corellians and ale don't always end well."
Luke laughed awkwardly, pondering the words as Han put an arm around him and led him towards the temple where the ceremony would be held, Chewie close behind.
"Don't worry though Kid, like I said, you'll love it. Just stick with me or Wedge and you're going to be fine."
"What about Leia?" Luke asked quickly as they continued walking, passing rebels also on their way to the ceremony.
"I don't know if High Command attends the parties or not, but either way I'm not sure Her Highnessness is the partying type."
"Oh" he said quietly. "I just thought maybe she needed to have some fun."
Han thought over his options carefully, but eventually responded. "I don't know if she needs fun kid, but if she shows up then we'll just have to make sure she has a good time, huh?"
Luke smiled again, apparently pleased with Han's answer, as they reached the door to the temple. "You ready?" he asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be" Han replied as the music started and the doors opened. They exchanged a nervous glance, but walked towards the now open doors anyway.
Rebels were stationed on either side of a pathway through the large room. They were wearing flight suits, medical fatigues, traditional rebel uniforms and all faced the area the three heroes would walk. Directly across from them Han could see High Command, but front and center was Leia. She was wearing another white dress with a necklace that complimented her different hairstyle, which was pulled up into a braided bun that fell down her back.
They walked quickly, and Han wasn't sure if he should smile or keep a straight face. Chewie growled as they reached the stairs, and as they walked up them the rebels turned to face the heroes and high command. Han and Luke reached Leia, and Chewie took his place to the right of Han, standing just behind him.
Leia looked from Han to Luke with an expression Han could only describe as that of a rebel leader, but when Luke smiled she did the same until the medals were brought by other members of high command. She glanced at Han and smiled again, and for a second he was lost in the moment. Gods he loved seeing her smile.
But Han snapped out of his thoughts as she turned to receive his medal. He leaned over slightly, because even though he was a stair or two below her, he was still a bit taller. She placed the medal around his neck, her hands brushing his skin as she flattened it out, and he leaned back up to look at her. He smiled, and he got her to smile too by giving her a wink.
She turned again to receive Luke's medal, and then moved to stand before him. Luke was obviously excited, grinning from ear to ear, and Leia placed the medal around his neck, smoothing the strap out just as she had done for Han. She looked between them again, and then a sudden beeping noise came from their left.
R2-D2, completely repaired and back to his usual self brought a smile out of all three of them. Han, Luke and Chewie turned to face the Rebels, and Han couldn't help but smile. He looked quickly to Luke, still not sure how to act in such a situation, but Chewie calmed him with another growl. The members of the Rebel Alliance began to clap, and they stood until the ceremony was over. Han, Luke and Leia, as well as several members of high command, stayed behind as the rest of the rebels quickly filed out of the room, ready to start their celebrations.
Wedge appeared, whisking Luke away to help and show him around. Han was glad Luke had found someone to rely on, but he was still aware of the Princess standing behind him.
"Well, are you headed to the party?" Han asked, turning to face her and interrupting her from her thoughts.
"Oh, umm, I'm not sure" she said, somewhat startled. "I normally don't go, and with everything going on…"
"I think it'd be good for you. Come on, I'll make sure you get home on time" he continued, holding out his arm for her to take.
"I don't know Captain Solo. I really don't…"
He let his arm fall. "How about this? You come with me to the party, and after a while if you still want to go, you can, ok?"
Leia looked at him carefully, "Well, you are a hero of the rebellion now, and we did just defeat the Empire in a large battle, and it would do me some good to get my mind off of things for a while…" He held up his arm again. "Oh, alright" she finally said, taking his arm and letting him lead her out of the temple at a slow pace.
"What was the wink for?" she asked once they were a safe distance away from the rest of high command.
Han laughed, "I wanted to see you smile again."
Leia playfully hit him, "stop joking around. Tell me why!"
"I'm not joking" he admitted. "I really did want to see you smile again. I mean, every time you look at Luke and he smiles you smile too, but you don't do that with me."
"That's because if I smiled all the time I wouldn't be able to stop from laughing. Luke's different. He's always friendly and happy and naïve. You're more…" she stopped.
"I'm more what?" Han asked.
"Down to earth?" she said, as if trying out the words.
He laughed again, "Me? Down to earth? You're saying that about a smuggler who flies across the galaxy constantly with a wookiee for his best friend and co-pilot. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know. But it's true" she added, a smile coming across her own face as they turned the last corner to the room that held the party. Music was already playing and the lights were dimmed. Tables with chairs lined the walls and the middle held a make-shift dance floor. Luke was nowhere in sight, but Han figured the large bunch of people on the far side of the room probably had to do with him.
"Are you sure I have to go?" Leia asked, obviously having second thoughts.
"Of course you have to go. Come on, I'll get you a drink. What do you want?"
"Alderaanian wine if they have any" she commented, and he could see she was trying to ignore the facts that ran through her mind.
"Alright, one wine it is. You go have a seat and I'll be right back." He walked towards the bar and ordered their drinks, and from across the room he watched Leia sit quietly at a table. She was watching the others dance, be he realized how out of place she seemed. She was the only one wearing white, the only one with jewelry, the only one sitting down and the only one alone. Everyone else was surrounded by people.
Thanking the bartender, he hurried back with their drinks in hand and sat down next to her. "So what do you think?" he asked.
"I think that rebel parties aren't my style" she laughed. "I don't even know what to do here." She took a sip of her wine and turned more towards the table and Han.
"Well you could dance" he suggested. But she shook her head. "Let me guess…you don't dance?"
"I dance, just not like this."
"What kind of dancing do you do then?"
"I don't know. My father taught me all kinds of dances, but nothing ever like this. Whenever there was a rebel party we'd always go back to our quarters and watch a holofilm or something. We never came to the parties themselves."
"Oh" Han said. It was silent between them, although the room was getting louder as the music was turned higher and higher. "How do you think Luke's managing?" Han asked eventually.
"Who knows. I think it's good for him though. From what he told me last night about his aunt and uncle he didn't have a lot of friends on Tatooine. I mean, he had friends, but not like this."
Han took a drink of his ale, "that's the impression I got too. Granted, one can only have so many friends on Tatooine." He laughed, but Leia didn't. Suddenly Luke was motioning for Han to come over. "Looks like the Kid needs me for something. I'll be right back, ok?"
"Alright" she responded, drinking more of the wine.
He walked quickly, hoping to get back to Leia as soon as possible, but he was pulled from conversation to conversation, and by the time he was finished, she was gone. Her empty glass sat on the table next to his and she was nowhere in sight.
"Where's Leia?" Luke asked, stepping up next to him.
"No clue. You go back to the party. I think I'm gonna call it a night."
Luke looked confused, "I thought you loved these kinds of parties!"
"I do, but the whole battle yesterday and the ceremony and everything just kind of tired me out. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok. Have a good night Han" Luke said turning back and walking towards another group of people waiting to talk with him.
"Yeah, you too" he responded. Han turned around and headed out of the large room and down the hallway. He had to find Leia. Something was bothering her, and he was pretty sure he knew what it was. Considering her entire home planet had just been blown to pieces the day before, and her entire life had died right along with it, he was sure she wasn't taking it to well. She was tough on the outside, but so was he, and he knew from experience that sometimes the walls come tumbling down.
He checked her quarters first, but figured she wasn't going to be there anyway. It would remind her too much of Alderaan, too much of her father. So he kept walking. He stopped by the Falcon and found Chewie already back there continuing repairs, but they didn't talk much other than Han saying he'd be back later.
He walked for a while, but eventually stopped when he heard something. It was the slight sound of weeping, and he followed it to a maintenance closet far away from the party on the other side of the base. There was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the room as well, and he made the decision to slowly open the door, which, luckily, was unlocked.
Leia was crunched up on the floor, a bottle of wine sitting next to her, mostly empty. She was still wearing the dress she had worn for the ceremony, but it was beginning to wrinkle, and her hair was coming out of its delicate braid. She tried to wipe away some of her tears with the back of her hand, but it was little use. "What do you want?" she asked quickly, trying to turn away from him.
"Well your worshipfulness, I just happened to be walking by when I heard some crying coming from the door, not to mention the strong smell of alcohol you left in the hallway" he said, sitting down next to her. She tried to move away from him, but only succeeded in moving a few inches. "I'm only trying to help you know. You look like you could use it."
"No thank you. I think I can manage just fine on my own" she responded quickly. She made an attempt to stand, pushing herself off of the ground and holding onto the wall. But she stumbled before she could stand straight and landed squarely over Han's body, surprising the both of them. But instinct and exhaustion took over, and her head settled on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair to comfort her, not even sure if he was doing the right thing. But it seemed to be helping.
"Princess, might I ask you what you were doing in here drinking all by yourself?" he asked a while later.
"I was trying to make myself feel better" she replied quietly, her eyes closed and her breathing calming.
"With alcohol? I can tell you right now that doesn't work. It seems to help at first, but then it just ends worse than it started."
"Well it seems to be working for me." He felt her tense up, and he loosened his grip, but continued stroking her hair, and she relaxed again.
"You want to talk about it?" he asked.
She sighed, "I don't know. I don't think you'll understand."
"Do I have to understand to help you?" he asked. "Would you rather me get Luke?"
"No," Leia said quickly and she wrapped her arms around his torso, willing him to remain. "Please stay."
"Then will you at least promise me something?" he whispered quietly.
"What?" she asked, beginning to fall asleep.
"That you won't drink by yourself, and you won't do anything stupid. If you want to talk, you can come find me. Even if I'm gone, if I've left to pay off my debt, you can comm. me, or at least find someone to talk to. You don't have to deal with this alone you know." He waited for her answer, but none came. "Leia?" he asked. No response. She had fallen asleep.
Sighing, Han carefully picked her up and stood to his full height, Leia resting in his arms, her head still against his chest. He opened the door and headed back to her quarters, trying to make sure no one saw them. That was the last thing she needed right now. Luckily they made it, and once again Han was thankful to find that the door was unlocked. He slipped in and headed to the second room, which he determined was hers since Luke had gone into the other one the day before.
He gently put her down on the bed and took off her necklace, figuring it wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to wear to bed. He took off her shoes and thought about undoing her hair, but he left it. He didn't want her to think that he had tried anything. She sighed in her sleep and he pulled the comforter up over her before lightly kissing her on the forehead and leaving the room.
As he walked back towards the Falcon he realized that he had to leave. He wanted to stay, more than anything, but the only way for him to stay with the Alliance to be there for Leia was for him to be safe, and the only way that would happen is if he paid off Jabba. He'd have to talk to one of the generals tomorrow about getting extra credits for his efforts against the death star, but he doubted it would be enough to pay off his debt. Still, he had to pay it off, and then he'd come back. He would always come back.
It was a few days later when Han packed the last of the fresh supplies into the Falcon's cargo hold. He had talked with General Dodonna and High command about more credits, and they offered a small reward, but weren't too happy about it. Han figured the general was surprised when he didn't ask for more, knowing very well that if he did, Leia would give him a look of disappointment, and that was a look he tried to avoid. Instead he accepted the credits and prepared to leave.
Luke had already come to say goodbye and good luck, insisting on adding something about the force. He had promised Han he would look after Leia, and that he hoped they would meet again. Chewie gave Luke a large hug and Han tried to keep from laughing. But his smile fell as they grew closer and closer to departure and there was no sign of Leia.
He hadn't talked to her since the other night, and had only seen her at the meeting with High command. He had no idea if she was avoiding him or if he had really just spent that much time on his ship, but he was disappointed to say the least. Other members of the alliance stopped by, both to thank him for his help and to wish him luck, but still no Leia.
All too soon though, it was time they needed to be heading out. He had a debt to pay off, and while the rebels had no idea of his plans to return, Han hoped they wouldn't be gone long. High command came to see their new hero off, everyone but Leia at least, and Chewie headed into the Falcon to begin the start-up sequence as Han said a final goodbye to Luke.
At the top of the ramp, Han took one last look at the rebels, now scattering across the hangar, but one figure stopped him. Standing in one of the doorways was Leia, dressed in a white Alliance uniform with her hair pulled up into a braided crown. Chewie howled from the cockpit, but Han told him to wait a minute.
He stepped off the ramp again, gathering looks from several people as he walked towards her. She didn't say anything, and she didn't move. She just looked at him.
"I thought you weren't going to say goodbye" he admitted casually, stopping a few feet away from her.
"No, I wasn't going to."
Han's small smile fell from his face. "Well I'm glad you came. You going to be ok?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine" she said. "And you. I suppose you'll be off and we'll never see you again."
"I hope not. I can't guarantee anything, but something tells me our paths will cross again." He stood there longer, the silence growing awkward. "Well, I've got to get going" he continued finally, taking a step backwards and turning around towards the Falcon.
"Han?"
He stopped and turned to face her. "Yeah?"
"I promise" she said simply, and he knew. She had heard him after all. "Goodbye…and good luck."
"Bye Sweetheart" he said finally, turning once again and heading back to his ship. He reached the top of the ramp again and turned to look at her one more time, but she was gone. Han sighed, hoping he was making the right choice, and hit the button to close the ramp.
Alright, here's how this story came about: My brother has this strange hate of all Fiction books, so, as you can imagine, he wasn't very happy when his teacher told him he had to read a fiction book for his next project. It took a while, but eventually we found a book for him to read: Scoundrels. It's a fairly recent book, having come out just last month, but it does detail a story of Han and Chewie and even Lando that takes place right after the end of A New Hope, and it brings up a good possibility...did Han leave?
Based on the first chapter of Han in "Scoundrels," it was easy to place a storyline together in my head, and I just started writing. Many hours later, I finished with over 6,500 words and 17 pages, and after editing the story, here it is. It didn't take me terribly long, but I enjoyed writing it, and I hope it will be a good filler as I continue to work on Promises. =)
I'm not a huge length into "Scoundrels" yet, so don't ask me anything more. This is just based off of what we know from the beginning of the chapter, which includes the fact that the credits Han received for transporting Luke and Leia were stolen, meaning he was once again in need of money. It talked a little bit about Leia and such, and then we know he left. So I guess you could say that "Yavin" is my idea of what happened in between the Death Star and his leaving the second time. I probably should have put this at the beginning of the story, but oh well!
Please review if you feel so inclined, I love getting them, and I always try to respond to each one! =)
Thanks for reading!