Title: It Was In His Eyes
Characters: Leia, Lando... Han
Timeframe: ESB
Genre: Drama
Disclaimer: Am borrowing.
Notes: This was for the 2009 Dare Challenge, of which the dare was...
I dare one to write a story during the saga taking this picture as a start: the picture
The DL-44 blaster laid where she had hastily set it down upon hurriedly reentering the Falcon. It lay still and silent as she stood there in the nearly silent lounge area, staring at it. As if staring at it would make time rewind and turn everything right again.
Slowly, hesitantly, she moved forward and picked it up, trying to imagine him using it. To see him in her mind's eye aiming it with careful deference at Storm Troopers in defense. To ward them off... and just recently, only days prior, to try to shoot Darth Vader from across an elegant dining room.
Blinking at the sudden stinging moisture that came to her eyes, Leia sat down still holding the blaster. For just a moment, it had been as if he was standing in the room beside her. As if he had not been pulled by a bounty hunter out of her reach.
As she continued to look down at the blaster in her hands, Leia smiled. A small part of him was here, just like a small part of herself was somewhere out there with him.
They would find him, they would bring him back. There was no doubt in her mind of that.
There had been more than one meaning when he'd said "I know." as they had stood in the carbon freezing chamber, surrounded by enemies and bathed in orange light. He knew she loved him, and he knew they would come for him. It had been in his eyes as he?d stepped back and locked eyes on her. As he'd convinced Chewie to stop struggling. He'd known...
Slowly she set the blaster down, only to nearly jump out of her skin at the hand on her shoulder. Blinking again, she turned to find Lando standing there, an unreadable expression on his face. "What?"
"I'm going to help make this right. We'll get him back, Leia."
She nodded, and this time the smile felt sincere. "I know." Then she stood up, nodded to Lando, and started to leave the lounge area. There was a young man on board who needed her, and that would have to do for now. Stopping at the door, Leia glanced back to find Lando sitting at the table staring at the blaster.
It was going to be a long road. For all of them.
