A/N: I had originally intended for this to be a one-shot, but then decided to continue it, particularly after talking to Gigira, who helped give me some inspiration for how to continue it :D There'll just be one more part after this one, probably just as short. Do leave your reviews, I love reading what you think :)

Leia looked up at Han with an unreadable countenance that made him wary. A silent Leia was something he could not fathom. He knew Leia when she was angry, when she was pleased, when she was passionate. But when she was quiet? Perhaps, he had gone too far.

Still, she had seemed to enjoy it enough in the moment.

He bent, brushing a soft kiss against her lips, a pale echo of their earlier passion. "Leia," he spoke her name as though a caress.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a sharp knock thudded at the door. She jumped slightly at the sound, almost guiltily, like a child caught eating an extra slice of cake.

"Princess?" Ryles, one of the pilots called.

Han sighed; Leia's royal status came with a heavy price; one of which was the lack of privacy. Everyone seemed to know where she was, what she was doing…no, they definitely did not know what she had been doing, he thought with a rueful smile. If anything, they would've assumed he and Leia had headed into the room for privacy for another one of their daily spats.

"Yes, Ryles?" Leia responded, her voice impassive, calm. Nothing remained of her former anger or desire. That voice was solely reserved for him, Han mused with satisfaction.

"It's Skywalker, Your Highness."

"Luke?"


Leia strode around the docking bay in meditative circles. Luke had been out for far too long and it was growing colder even within the base itself. What could he have possibly gotten himself into?

"I'm leaving," Han approached, pulling on a thick jacket.

She froze, her mind rushing in a convoluted whirl of anger and frustration.

"To get the kid," he added.

"Oh," she said quietly, her brief spark of fury fading.

It wasn't safe for him to go out at this time, she knew very well. This was past the usual return time already.

"You'll be back soon? Both of you?" she couldn't help but ask, even though she knew he couldn't guarantee a promise.

"'Course we will," he said lightly, patting his tauntaun as he drew it forward, "I'll bring him back before nightfall."

She didn't bother pointing out that it was already very close to dark. Instead, she said, "Be safe."

"I will." And then he was gone.

She knew as soon as he left that it had been a mistake to not have stopped him. She might lose two friends in one night, as selfish as it sounded. Although, she recalled almost hysterically, he had certainly made good on his assumption that she wouldn't let him leave without a goodbye kiss.


Luke was safe. They both were. The past night had been a horrendous battle of her darkest fears and she had not slept a whit. However, she had another pressing concern at the moment. What to do with Han? He had kissed her, she had responded. However, while he had inferred she had feelings for him…he'd certainly made no mention of his own. Was she simply a passing fancy for him?

"Well, Princess, it looks like you managed to keep me here a while longer," the aggravating man turned from Luke to face her, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

"I had nothing to do with it," she averted her eyes from him, choosing to focus on the wall behind his head.

"To do with what?" Luke inquired, looking bemused.

Han rose up to stride over to Leia, putting an arm around her, "Ah, you didn't see us alone in the south passage. She confessed her true feelings for me-"

"My-?" Leia shook him off, fuming. What right had he to make light of the situation? Clearly he viewed their kiss as something trivial, inconsequential…she shook as she responded angrily, "Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking…" she struggled, "nerf-herder!"

Incorrigibly, he turned to inquire with indignation, "Who's scruffy-looking?"

She threw him a glare before storming out of the room, walking as swiftly as possible away from him.

"Hey, Your Worship!" he called, jogging after her, "Leia!"

She swivelled around sharply to face him, "What do you want?"

He had the grace to look sheepish, "Listen, I'm sorry if I was being…well…indelicate."

"Captain, I don't believe you've ever shown any sort of delicacy in your life," she replied icily, turning around once more.

He caught her shoulders and turned her back to face him, astonishingly gentle, "Leia. If you regret what happened earlier, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you feel that way and I'm sorry if I misinterpreted your response towards me. But I can't say I'm sorry it happened."

She stared up at him uncertainly.

"I meant what I said earlier. I'm staying for good. But only if you want me to."

Her breath caught. She had not expected such seriousness from him. She knew he expected a response but she couldn't seem to form one. "I…"

He waited with a sort of certainty in his eyes that she was unsure she shared. How could she simply hand over her heart so easily? Words were so much more difficult to express than actions. She could shrug off their kiss and pretend it meant nothing…but what then? He would leave.

"Captain Solo, I'm terribly sorry to interrupt," C-Threepio tapped Han on the shoulder, "But, I wanted to thank you in person for bringing Master Luke back safely. You can't imagine what an ordeal it was to-"

"Not, now, Goldenrod," Han growled menacingly, turning.

"It was certainly very brave of you to-"

"Thank you. Thank you very much," Han gritted his teeth, turning back to Leia.

Except, she was gone.