AN:Hi! Do you remember me? I'm back, with the third and final installment of The West's New Hope! Yes, yes, I know. "ON, what do you mean final?" Don't worry-I've decided to combine some ESB and some RotJ things into one story for this. Just trust me! I've broken away from the Star Wars mold for this story, too, just to make things a little less Jedi and force centric and a little more focused on our dear Han and Leia.

Thanks eversomuch to the talented Corellian-smuggler and graciecatfamilyband/imnothere24 for their fantastic beta work, especially GCFB because she's been with me since the beginning of this process nearly a year ago. Yikes. Sorry fam.

Anyways, please enjoy these first two chapters of The Empire Gang Strikes Back!

Mortgage to Pay

Carlist Rieekan had stopped in to speak with Han, and Leia could hear their voices drifting over the barnyard from the corral. Walking over to call them in for coffee, she stopped short when she heard their conversation.

"I'd really appreciate it if you could help keep an eye on things while I'm gone. Chewie's more than able to run things, but bein' that it'll just be him, Luke, and CP riding range, he'll be glad to know you're handy," Han commented. Where are you going, Han?

"My pleasure. A mortgage like that ain't an easy thing to deal with," Rieekan agreed. No. No, this can't be happening.

"Sure isn't."

Leia's mind reeled. Leaving? He'd decided to go on to Kansas after all, even after assuring her they'd make it work somehow, here, together.

"Well, Solo, I wish you the best of luck. Hope to see you back before too long. You're a good neighbor, and we'd hate to lose you for good," Rieekan said. For good? He wouldn't do that-he can't do that!

"Thanks. It won't be easy, bein' away from the hands, the ranch...Leia…" Leia heard him shuffling, "but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do," Han stated.

Leia turned and hurried back into the cabin, biting back tears. She heard the sheriff's horse canter by a few minutes later, and by then, she'd moved from tears to red-hot anger.

00

"Sweetheart, we gotta-"

"Sit down," she demanded. "I thought we were going to do this together, Han. Together, like man and wife. Now, if you had come to me and we'd discussed things, I might be able to understand this. But to overhear you telling someone else about a decision you made without me-a decision that is entirely opposite of the one we made together...I know that things are quite different out here, but I would have expected you to have the common courtesy to at least inform me that you'd changed your mind," Leia snarled.

"Leia, I was gonna explain, but I didn't have time!"

"You had time to tell the sheriff, but not your own wife?"

"I'm gonna have to leave soon, and I wasn't sure if I'd get another chance to talk to him! I just wanted to make sure that you'd be taken care of!" he exclaimed. "I was just coming in to tell you!"

"What possibly could have happened in the last day that has made you decide you need to do this?" she demanded.

"I went into town this mornin' and Jabba leaned on me," Han responded. He couldn't get the barkeep's words out of his head when he'd requested an extension on the payment: I'd better get it soon, Solo, or I might just come out there and take my payment some other way-say, you got that little wife, now. Yeah, she'd do right fine...His stomach dropped just thinking about it.

"Jabba's been leaning on us for a while, Han, what was so different about this time?" she spat. She'd do right fine…

"Leia, it's...it was different, okay? I'm leavin' in the morning," he stated with finality, marching angrily from the cabin.

00

Han stood, leaning on the fence, looking out over his pasture. The fence felt sure and strong under his weight...one of the few things he could be thankful for right now. He'd poured himself into this ranch for the past two years, and he was confident that he was leaving his hands and his wife with buildings and fences that were solid and stable, able to stand up to anything the prairie could throw at them.

If only anything else in his life could be a solid as this fence.

He'd spent months leaning against this fence, looking out over the prairie for guidance and answers, and today was no different.

Was there any possible way he could leave things with Leia on a more settled note? If she would just budge a little bit, admit she didn't want him to go…

If she could admit that she needed him...loved him…

If she could admit that, he'd find a way to move the Rocky Mountains. Tell her, the grasses whispered.

He'd find some way to stay and make it work...or he'd take her with him when he left…

00

"Guess this is it," Han said, entering the cabin.

"So it is," she replied without feeling, not even looking up from the dish pan. Han waited a moment for her to say more.

"Well, don't get all mushy on me, Sweetheart. So long," Han stated. He turned on his heel and marched out of the cabin.

"Han, we need you!" she called, following closely after him.

"We?" he chorused. That was really it, wasn't it? Leia never needed him. They did. The ranch. The hands. But she never needed a husband, a friend, a protector, provider, or confidant. She never needed him.

"Yes! We all-"

"What about what you need?" Han asked, almost tauntingly, standing to face her. He'd thought, in the last three months, they'd made some progress, that he'd cut through the barriers she'd built around herself after losing her parents, facing an uncertain future, and moving westward. Apparently not.

"I need?" she returned, her quick change of posture suddenly making him feel like he was looming over her. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, taking on her haughtiest tone of voice.

"No, you probably don't," he retorted.

"What precisely am I supposed to know?" she demanded, following along behind him.

"You want me to stay because you care for me," Han goaded, watching her for a reaction.

"Of course! I came out here to care for you."

"No, no-you know what I mean," he pressed. Han stood over her again, contemplating kissing her right then and there. She looked cornered, like he'd just discovered her darkest secret. "Ah, ah, I thought so!" he stated triumphantly. Leia's anger returned and she scoffed.

"You're imagining things," she assured him, taking a step back.

"Am I? Than why are you following me?" he asked. "Afraid I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?"

"I'd just as soon kiss the cattle," Leia sputtered.

"I can arrange that!" Han shouted. He walked into the barn with his bags, leaving Leia standing in the yard.

00

"We can't let them end it this way. I know Han, and if this don't get resolved, there's a good chance he'll put off returnin' as long as possible," Chewie murmured. The three ranch hands were gathered behind the barn.

"Do you really think it's our place to get involved?" CP asked.

"Shut up, CP. Those kids are lettin' pride wreck their marriage. You know how things are when they fight, all ice and silence. You want that for the next 50 years?" Chewie asked.

"Chewie's right. We just gotta think of somethin'..." Luke whispered.

"Perhaps they will come to some sort of reconciliation on their own," CP suggested.

"That ain't gonna happen. Han's leavin' as soon as he's done checkin' the cattle and saddles up," Luke replied.

"Alls we gotta do is keep him here for a little while longer. You said Millennium wasn't ready to go? I'll do something...dismantle his bridle maybe. CP, you take Rusty and go keep Han out of the barn until I can get it all apart," the foreman instructed. "And hurry-there's a storm brewin' off to the north. Luke, go check the cattle in the south shed." The three men hurried off on their appointed mission.

AN:Oh, these two...please leave me a review!