AN: Star Wars isn't mine. Nor is it on Ebay where I could buy it.
After leaving Tatioone, ROTJ:
He looked into her eyes, noticing a difference in the depths. A slightly crazed, possessive look had taken over and it scared him. He looked her up and down, his vision was still foggy but he could see how she was dressed, yet she didn't seem to notice.
Suddenly a scene came to mind, she was kneeling on a cold metal floor somewhere, arms wrapped around her head, screaming. And then he knew she had fallen while he was gone. The indestructible princess had lost her mind. And it was his fault.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Fine. Better now that you're here," she said, almost in a whisper.
He traced his fingers down from behind her left ear to he shoulder. She shuddered.
"Tip your head back," she said. "I have drops for your eyes."
"Drops?" he asked.
"They'll help your vision. Just tilt your head back. Please? For me?"
He did as she said, blinking reflexively at the coldness of the drops.
"Now just give it a few minutes..."
"Leia, how long was I gone?" She froze.
"Leia..." he said, not knowing if she would break or explode.
She broke. "Six months," she said, dropping to her knees. "I'm so sorry, we tried to get here faster, but Fett flew all around the galaxy and...and...and..." she laid her head on his knees and cried, and, ever so gently, he stroked her hair.
"It's my fault..." she whispered.
"No it's not," he promised her.
She looked up at him, her eyes portraying so many raw, open emotions that it shocked him.
"I took a leave of absence from the Rebellion..." she whispered.
"What?!"
"I left."
"You left?"
"Yes."
Now he could see the extent to which she had gone, the edge he'd pushed her to. She'd given up on her dream of freedom for him. HIM!
He pulled her into his lap, holding her to him.
"Don't ever leave me like that again," she hissed into his chest.
"I don't plan on it sweetheart, I don't plan on it..."
-finish-