WHILE WE'RE YOUNG
Leia slowly opened her eyes and considered the universe around her.
Last night had been a night she would never forget—and one she hadn't been sure would ever come to be. Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader were dead; the Empire had suffered a defeat from which they could not recover. In the little Ewok village, the Alliance victory celebration had lasted long into the night.
Luke—her brother, a fact she was still trying to comprehend—had carried the remains of Darth Vader out into the woods and burned them down to ash. She felt only relief that the Dark Lord could cause no more fear or pain. Unlike Luke, Leia would never consider that vile monster to be her father.
But, best of all, Leia and Han had slipped away from the official festivities in favor of a more exclusive party of their own. In the privacy of a secluded glen, under stars and fireworks, Han had fulfilled a dream Leia had never known she harbored until she'd met him: he'd proposed. And he'd done it on bended knee, simply saying, "Marry me." She couldn't recall a more blissful moment in her life.
They were together now, sharing the single bunk inside the tiny Captain's quarters—their quarters—she thought with a languid smile. It was here, in this simple space, that her world had changed, expanding far beyond anything she could have dreamed possible.
With his arm draped casually over her hip, Leia nestled her head against Han's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart—a sound that for six months she'd feared she'd never hear again. Trying not to disturb him, Leia carefully shifted in place in order to see Han's face. His hair was tousled across his forehead; his lips slightly parted as he snored. He looked very much like an innocent little boy, which, Leia knew for a fact, he definitely was not. But he was utterly adorable and, truth be told, sweet.
Leia breathed out a contented sigh. It still amazed her how comfortably she slept when she was with Han Solo. For so long, sleep deprivation had been part of her life, yet every time she'd traveled with Han on the Falcon, she woke rested and refreshed. And never more than today; every nerve and muscle was loose and relaxed. The blaster burn on her arm didn't even itch.
Part of her sense of well-being was from making love the night before. Love-making had always been wonderful with Han, but last night it had been beyond description. If engaged sex was this good, Leia thought with a satisfied smile, she could only imagine what married sex would feel like. Last night had been fiery and intense, but also languid and tender. Han had made her feel so loved, so wanted—and so protected.
The fact that Han Solo had discovered about her—the fact that she hid from the galaxy—was that although Princess Leia Organa was as strong as durasteel, beneath the tough exterior hid a very fragile heart. Only Han knew this-and he protected it with all of his being. She could be open and vulnerable with him, and he never exploited that; he cherished it.
Leia ceased her contemplations when she felt the sheets rustle; Han was awake. He buried his face in her hair and mumbled a sleepy "Morning, sweetheart." He planted a kiss in her tangled hair. Leia tipped her chin up to return the kiss, brushing her lips tenderly across his cheek. Han grasped Leia's waist in both hands, his long fingers almost meeting around its small circumference, and lifted her atop him. He cradled her in his arms. She pressed her lips gently against his, feeling the slight scratchiness of the stubble on his chin.
"Someone could use a shave," she teased.
"Not today. I'm taking the day off," he informed her. "So are you."
"We have to attend the debriefing-" she began, but Han placed a finger against her lips.
"Cleared it with Rieekan," he explained, looking smug. "We're good till tomorrow."
Leia mock-scowled at him. "You're a sneaky bastard, Han Solo."
Han gave her his best boyish grin. "Yeah, but I'm your sneaky bastard, for the rest of time."
"That you are," she said, and a warm smile spread over her face. She leaned down to kiss him again, but he moved her gently off to the side and climbed out of the bunk that would have been far too small for any couple that didn't want to be so close to one another.
"Hey, c'mon, get up," Han said, beckoning her with his hand.
Leia flashed him a lascivious grin. "Are we taking a shower?" she asked, grasping the proffered hand.
"Hold that thought. Get dressed." Han tugged her to her feet.
"But I'm a mess!" Leia ran a hand through her tangled hair, grimacing at the sticky coating of sweat that covered her.
"I've got something in mind," Han winked at her. "Let me pack some things, and we're off."
Leia propped her hand on her hip. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me what you have in mind."
Han flashed a mischievous smile. "Nope."
011235813 n 21345589144233377610987
Han had thrown on a pair of bloodstripes and topped it with one of his old shirts, similar to the one he'd worn the day Leia had met him in the detention block of the Death Star; she'd always appreciated the deep-cut v-neck. She raised a curious brow when he slipped his large feet into a pair of ancient sandals instead of his spacer boots. Leia had debated between her military fatigues and the soft dress the Ewoks had given her; in the end, the dress won out. It didn't require lingerie, which felt pleasantly naughty.
Jamming a wide variety of items into his day pack, Han led Leia about half a klik into the forest.
"You do know where we're going, don't you?" Leia asked suspiciously, knowing how easy it was to become disoriented in the thick forests of Endor. It was only a few days ago when she'd lost consciousness, come to, and had no clue as to where she was.
Han smiled at her as they walked arm in arm. "I never get lost."
"Sure you don't," Leia teased, although she had to admit, Han really did have an extraordinary sense of direction. It was generally considered a useful attribute in a pilot. "Like in the asteroid field."
"Hey, I knew I was going into an asteroid field!" Han protested. "Now, as to how I was going to get us out of it, that I wasn't sure!" Both laughed out loud as they strolled. The event had been terrifying and had nearly killed them, but being resilient souls, they now found a touch of humor in recalling it.
Leia heard the sound of water cascading over rocks, and when they stepped out of a bank of trees, the source of the noise came into view. She stared at the scene before them, her eyes wide. This was a part of Endor that she hadn't seen before. Of course, up until today, they'd been more worried about staying alive than enjoying the view.
It was breathtaking. The fresh smelling water rushed musically, and a nearby meadow filled with wildflowers added its own perfume to the air. Leia gasped and Han grinned victoriously. She'd not seen a place so beautiful since Alderaan.
"How did you find this place?" she asked him, her astonishment evident.
"When I was looking for you," he said simply, hugging her. "Admittedly, the little furry guys had better luck than I did in that department." He smiled at her. "The dress looks nice. But you'd said something about a shower."
"Which you forbade me to take," Leia chided him.
"Well, how about we take one now?" Han said, giving her his most irresistible smile. He peeled his shirt off over his head, revealing the expanse of bare chest and strong arms that made Leia's mouth go dry every time she saw it. He'd kicked off his sandals.
"Well, if you think that's what we should do," Leia replied with a coy grin, loosening the dress and letting it pool around her feet. Han's eyes grew wide with pleasure and surprise.
"Little minx," he said, scooping her into his arms.
"It was easier that way," Leia chuckled.
Han gazed upon her, her soft, creamy skin and flowing hair and rosy cheeks. "Didn't you say something about needing a shower?" He swooped her into his arms and ran towards the waterfall with a laughing Leia.
01123581321345589144233377610987
"Aargh!" Leia squealed as Han carried her into the pool beneath the waterfall. "The water's freezing!"
"Nah, just refreshing," Han said. "Besides, we can keep each other warm." He set her down and she slowly lowered herself into the crystalline waters. It was cold, but once in, it was amazingly comfortable-and she was in the arms of her favorite smuggler cum hero of the Rebellion. And now her betrothed. She couldn't help but gaze at the Tandgor fire gem that blazed on her finger; the sun dappling the water brought out its glow. The shock and thrill that had captured her when Han had slipped it on her hand ran through her again, but that was nothing compared to the joy that swept through both as they embraced tightly, skin to skin.
"If only we'd done this on Hoth," Leia murmured as they sank to their necks in the water.
"We'd have frozen to death on Hoth," laughed Han.
Leia swatted his shoulder. "You know what I mean!"
"I wasn't the one who didn't want to," Han reminded her gently, placing his mouth on hers for a languid kiss. "I'd gladly have kept you warm. But better late than never."
"And now you have to do it for a lifetime," Leia reminded him happily.
"I think I can manage," Han said. "C'mon, I need to wash my hair. After all, you're always telling me I'm scruffy looking." He led her as they swam over to the waterfall, screeching as the cold
water tumbled over them, and laughing with life and energy.
Leia was amazed how different everything felt. It was as if they were suddenly connected to nature—and to life itself. War had aged them, worn them down, but the fresh water and golden sunlight seemed to wash all that away. The years and the hardships fell away as easily as their clothing had. They held each other without stress or desperation, only with the joy of their joined bodies.
01123581321345589144233377610987
Han had spread a blanket over the soft grass in the meadow with the wildflowers bursting into wild colors and fragrances all about them. Naked, the two lay close to one another drying in the sun, basking in the warmth, their breathing slow and easy. It was strange and wonderful to not be running on adrenaline, caf, and general anxiety.
After a time of blissful silence, Han turned to her.
"Whatcha thinking about?" he asked her softly.
Leia's lips curved into a smile. "Who says I'm thinking about anything?"
"You're always thinking," Han said tenderly.
"The only thing I'm thinking about is how happy I am." And it was true.
"I'm not even thinking about it. Just soaking it in." Han leaned over to kiss her lips gently. "You've changed my life, Leia. You've changed me forever. And that makes me happier than I ever thought I'd be."
Leia opened her eyes a bit. "Always glad to assist. I love you."
"I know." Han gazed at her with wonder, and she looked into his eyes, amazed at her good fortune. She never would have dreamed that the joy of her life would come in the form of a mercenary smuggler; a mercenary smuggler who turned out to be a lot more than he appeared to be.
And she, too, was more than she ever thought she would be. For so long she'd eschewed close relationships, never even once considering the possibility that she could give her heart to someone. And now that she had, it was the most liberating thing she'd ever done.
Tomorrow, there would be debriefings, and meetings, and packing up the Falcon for the trip to Coruscant, where they'd be living, a far cry from the natural surroundings they were so relishing at the moment. There would be looking for a place to live, planning a wedding, building a
government.
"So did Rieekan actually cancel the debriefing for today?" Leia questioned Han, taking his hand in hers.
"Yeah, he did. Told us to take the day and enjoy it while we're young," Han answered.
Leia tipped up her chin, Han cupping it. "So, do you feel young?" Leia asked him, her fingers grazing his stubbly cheek.
Han sighed blissfully. "Reborn is about as young as you can get."
Both knew that life had been given back to them. There was no way they were going to squander such a precious gift.