A/N: Set approximately two years after the Battle of Endor and a year after Anchor up to me, love, in which Han proposed to Leia and she grappled with a decision concerning the resettlement of the Alderaanian diaspora. You don't have to read that story at all to understand this one, but some things are referenced.

The worldbuilding uses many elements taken from the new canon, including but not limited to characters, planets, events and, more importantly, the idea of the Alderaanian space station. Despite all similarities, my story is not set in any particular canon but my own customized 'verse; therefore there is no neo-fascism, no more blown up planets, no separation and no murderous children in Han and Leia's future as implied or foreshadowed in any way in this fic.

If you're not comfortable with new canon or bisexuality, are not willing to give this fic a chance and have nothing nice to say, please proceed to exit this page and find something else to read.

For the rest of you, this will have angst, hurt/comfort, domestic fluff, sexy times, discussions about the Force, female friendships and Leia finding some inner peace. This is Leia-centric but with plenty of Han/Leia. Other characters include Luke, Evaan Verlaine and Mon Mothma.

This story took me seven months to complete but I'm very happy with the results and excited to finally share it with you all. Many thanks to lajulie24 for her suggestions and words of encouragement.

Sorry for the long preamble! I hope you all enjoy this new adventure, and please remember your comments mean a lot! Updates on Saturdays :)

Chapter 1

The Senate house of Chandrila rose in eight floors that surrounded a central open patio. The four topmost floors had been built in the past two years, after the New Republic government had decided to make the planet its capital and Hanna City the seat of the restored Galactic Senate, following the Battle of Endor. The building was nothing like the one in Coruscant—although few things on Chandrila were like Coruscant. Instead of walls, the inside hallways were separated from the patio by glassine panels that ran from ceiling to floor, so that natural light streamed in and the Senate workers could take in the view of carefully designed greenery as they went between meetings. In contrast to the splendour of the Old Republic and the cold authority of the Empire, Chandrilan public buildings privileged functionality, while still being aesthetically pleasing. In some ways, it was similar to home for an uprooted Alderaanian… but it wasn't quite home. Even so, Evaan Verlaine could see why Princess Leia liked it here.

The tall woman exited the lift and stepped out into the third floor. After examining the closest information screen, she went to her right at a brisk pace, walking past several pieces of holographic art that she barely glanced at. She felt out of place, and not only because she was wearing her flight jumpsuit and boots while everyone she passed on her way dressed in formal robes, capes or tunics. The idea of working in politics, of being cooped up all day making decisions that would affect the rest of the galaxy, prickled uncomfortably at her skin. She had dabbled in it once for a brief time, sort of, after she and Leia had rounded up the surviving Alderaanians they could find and Leia had left her in charge as she went back to leading the rebellion—a kind of deputy princess. Evaan had only agreed out of duty towards her people. The truth was, she'd been relieved when someone else had been elected, and she was able to hop back on a Y-wing. That's what she knew how to do.

Finally locating the right door, she let herself into the outer room, and it wasn't long until she was admitted into Leia Organa's office. This, too, was functionally furnished and sparsely decorated. The only admission Leia had made to showing a hint of her personal life was a holocube set on a discreet shelf that also held a small potted crop of starflowers in full bloom. Evaan remembered them from the lawns of the royal palace in Alderaan. She knew seeds had been exported long ago, but a pang of melancholy hit her all the same. The glittering holo showed Princess Leia caught in the embrace of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, all of them laughing. It looked like it had been taken during the war.

The Leia sitting in front of her now looked calmer, settled, but Evaan knew that was only her imagination. Not that Leia wasn't calmer now than during all those years at war—they all were—just that, even back then, she'd looked the same. Few things and people made Leia break her royal-and-rebel-imperial-senator trained, war-tempered composure. Evaan had resented her for it, long ago.

Just as before, though, the genuine warmth of Leia's smile broke through her calm veneer as she greeted Evaan.

Evaan was trying to look solemn, but the effect was ruined with a smirk.

'Your Highness.'

Leia shook her head and stood up.

'Really, Evaan? After all—'

The pilot bowed her head slightly in apology. 'I know, I know. Leia.'

Walking around her desk, Leia stepped forward and gave her a quick but heartfelt hug.

'Please sit down,' Leia said, gesturing toward the chair in front of her desk before going back to her own seat. She moved datapads and holocubes to the side and folded her hands in front of her, the picture of a busy Senator, but relaxed.

'I hear congratulations are in order,' Evaan said as she sat down, a tilt of her head indicating Leia's ring.

Leia's fingers went to it as if by reflex, gently tracing the two flat circles of polished stone that were connected by threads of dark gold.

'You recognize it.'

'Of course. Queen Breha had her own,' Evaan said, her voice softening at the mention of her former ruler. 'It seems I've given Captain Solo less credit than he deserves as a keen observer.'

Leia laughed. 'I wouldn't blame you. But no; Han's token for our engagement was a Corellian love stone he chose himself.' She pointed a finger at one of the circles. 'I had the ring made with fragments from it, modelled after my mother's.'

Evaan nodded, then added with another smirk, 'Jora Astane has both complained you didn't marry a fellow Alderaanian—"at least a half-breed!" she said—and that you had the nerve to not throw a big royal wedding for the whole diaspora or even broadcast it.'

Leia rolled her eyes. 'Like she wouldn't have complained either way.'

'I know.' Serious now, Evaan added, 'I wish you two the best. I know you wouldn't have chosen anyone unworthy of you.'

'Thank you,' Leia said, nodding gracefully.

It had been the beginning of the galactic civil war when Leia and Evaan had teamed up to find other Alderaanians before the Empire did. For the duration of that mission, they had also found comfort in each other, despite Evaan's initial grudge against the princess. Neither of them had been looking for a long-term relationship, and so they had parted ways as friends. Evaan didn't regret it. Still, she had to give it to Han Solo for managing to impress such a formidable woman.

'Tell me now, to what do I owe the pleasure?' Leia asked. 'I assume you didn't come all the way to Chandrila just to congratulate me on my marriage?'

'No, I haven't.' Evaan leaned forward and reached out for Leia's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. 'It's done.'

Leia's usual composure slipped for a second after the moment it took her to figure out what Evaan was referring to.

'You mean…'

Evaan nodded quietly, her amber eyes staring back at Leia.

'You will receive an official transmission later today inviting you to the inauguration. I thought I'd come ahead, to… warn you.'

'You don't trust my diplomatic skills?'

'I do,' Evaan assured her. 'I came for your benefit, so you could brace yourself. I have no doubt you would have given away nothing even if it'd caught you by surprise.'

Leia nodded slowly in acknowledgment, but her eyes had a faraway look.

'This is good news,' she said out loud, although Evaan suspected she was talking more to herself.

'It is,' Evaan agreed. 'Doesn't mean you have to be comfortable with it… right now.'

The princess shook her head as if to clear it and looked back to Evaan, her diplomatic face back on.

'I'll be fine.'

With a chuckle, Evaan said, 'Of course you will.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Leia asked warily.

'That it's part of your job to be fine,' Evaan replied, her tone gentler. 'I understand that.'

A fine eyebrow raised on Leia's face like a question mark. Do you, now?

'Look, I know you're not happy about it, but it wasn't your call. Or mine. Stop thinking of it as if there was anything you failed to do. You did what was expected of you. What was asked. That's part of your job, too.'

'Get over myself, you mean?' It was Leia who laughed dryly now, but Evaan knew the other woman wasn't upset at her. 'You're not wrong. It won't be me living there, I just have to show up, look around...'

Leia's fingers traced the lines of a holocube in an absent-minded way as she spoke.

'Will you move there?'

The question caught Evaan by surprise. 'Not immediately. It wouldn't make much sense to keep an apartment there when I'd be on Hosnian Prime most days. Unless the New Republic is planning on opening a flight academy down on Delaya!'

She followed with a loud laugh she didn't really feel.