Good Luck

She was in the holding room, and then Han was brought it. After being strapped to the board, he was slowly lowered towards the torture device, and she watched him struggle, the shocks beginning to ripple through his body. She tried to scream, but no sound came…only the sound of Han's screams echoed through the room. There was nothing she could do to stop it.

Vader came, pushing upon her the fact that this was her fault, but she didn't hear, because the cries were too terrifying. She knew though…this was her fault…she had brought Han into this situation. If it weren't for her he would be safe…but he wasn't.

And then he, for some reason, looked at her, his eyes filled with pain as they met her own. And he cried out her name…he cried out for her help…a help she could not give.

Leia woke with a start, once again. She was breathing heavily, and without thinking she reached to her side, searching for the warm body she was so used to finding…but he wasn't there.

And then she had to remind herself. Of the past days, of what her nightmare meant…of the fact that Han wasn't there.

Suddenly there was a pounding at the door, and she slowly got up to answer it, calling on her way. "Who's there?

[It's me] came the comforting call of a wookiee. Leia quickly opened the door and let him in. He was carrying a small box, and questions ran through her mind.

"What are you doing here so early?"

[Did I wake you?]

"That's not what…no" she admitting, knowing that the wookiee knew of her nightmares just as well as Han.

[Do you want to talk about it?] he returned.

Leia sighed, "I don't know where to start…"

The wookiee moved and set the box on the table near the sofa, and then sat on the furniture itself. [I assume it was another nightmare?]

"Yes, it was…" she continued, moving and sitting across from her friend. "I just don't know what I'm going to do. I mean, Han's been there for so long and now he's just…gone…and…"

[What was it about?]

"What?"

[Your nightmare. Sometimes talking about it…]

"…helps keep them away, or at least let you understand them. Han said that."

[We have lived together for a long time] he pointed out, getting a small laugh out of the Princess.

Leia sighed then. "I just don't know where to start Chewie."

[Well what happened?]

"It was about Han's torture on Bespin, but the thing is…all I heard were his cries for help. And then…and then he met my gaze and just pleaded with me to help him, but there was nothing I could do." Leia tired to take a deep breath, but as she was letting it out she just let the tears fall. "I couldn't save him Chewie…and the entire thing was my fault."

[You know that's not true Leia. None of this was your fault, so don't go thinking that.]

"But it is true Chewie. If it hadn't been for me, Han would have paid off Jabba a long time ago…and if it hadn't been for me he wouldn't have come back on Hoth, you two would have left and just been safe. And if it hadn't been for me he wouldn't have taken my torture in the first place…and he wouldn't be frozen in carbonate right now either!"

[Listen] Chewie said, leaning closer to the girl. [Han knew what he was doing…I know that no matter what he's more grateful for meeting you than anything else. And did it ever occur to you that he chose to take your torture because he knew it would be more painful to see you go through that again than just take it himself? He loves you Leia…never forget that.]

"He loves me? Yeah right…he's never said it."

[What are you talking about?]

"Chewie…before he was frozen, I told him I love him…you know that, you were there. But then all he returned was 'I know.' That doesn't sound like 'I love you' to me."

[No, but it's there Leia. He does love you, and he's told me how many times. It's written in the Falcon's logs…it's in his actions. Do you really think he would risk his life, take your torture and not fight when he was facing death yet again, and still not love you?]

"He went after Luke back on Hoth Chewie…he does that stuff for his friends because he cares about them, that's who he is. That doesn't mean he loves me, it just means he's a caring person. Plus, how could he love someone who just argues with him all the time?"

[Leia] Chewie finally growled angrily as he stood up. [Have you been asleep for the past month? How is it that you spent all that time together only to believe that he doesn't love you? He loves you more than anything in this galaxy…even more than the Falcon. He slept in a chair next to the med bunk when you were injured…he made you special meals…he saved you from committing suicide…he's been there for you each and every night when you've woken from nightmares just like the one you had a few minutes ago…and he looks at you and treats you like you're the most beautiful, precious thing he's ever seen. I've never seen him act like the way he does around you…so what is stopping you from seeing that he loves you?]

Leia was shocked…never had Chewie become so angry with her. She had no words, and a moment later the wookiee returned to his position on the furniture. [You need to understand Leia that no matter what happens, Han loves you…and you love him. He may not have said those words, but he still meant it, and we will find him. But you have to always remember that what happened to him is not your fault…don't think that for a second.]

Finally she broke completely, "I just…I don't know what to do Chewie. You and Lando are leaving, and Luke will leave, and high command just expects me to go back to normal…and I have no idea what Han would even want me to do!"

[I know exactly what he would want you to do.]

She looked at him. "And what's that?"

[He would want you to be strong, to go about being the amazing person you 're tough Leia, not dependent on anyone but yourself, and that hasn't changed. Just because you've let Han become a part of that doesn't mean that losing him is the end of the galaxy. He wants you to keep safe, to keep your strength up…and that means getting sleep and eating normally] he pointed out. [And I think that when the time is right, he would want you to find him…but right now isn't that time. Do you understand that?]

"Yeah…I…I suppose" she said quietly. It was quiet for a moment. "You really think he loves me?"

[I don't think he loves you…I know he loves you] he finished, standing and heading towards the door. [I brought some stuff for you from the Falcon. It's not much, but I thought maybe it would at least comfort you when I can't. We're scheduled to depart around 1100 hours.]

"Chewie?" she asked, and he turned back around.

[Yes Leia?]

"Thank you. I think it's pretty easy to see why Han trusts you so much."

[Just as it's easy for me to see why Han loves you. Take care Leia.]

"I will" she finished. And then he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

As Leia pushed the last few pins into her hair she glanced at her appearance in the mirror. She looked…like a Princess. She didn't look like herself…not the Leia that she had seen the past 40 days, but instead she was the Rebel Leader…the girl who had a job to do, leading the Alliance in the fight against the Empire.

She stood and straightened out her dress, a white one she had found in her closet. It was normal for her…at least normal for the Leia that stood here now…the Rebel leader.

It was only a short time until Luke's surgery would begin, unfortunately scheduled at the same time as the departure of the Millennium Falcon. But Chewie had insisted she be with Luke instead of seeing him off…because they would see each other again, so saying goodbye would be pointless. And so, Leia listened. The wookiee was right…they would see each other again, and right now the most important thing for her to do would to be with Luke. He would need her more than anyone at the moment.

With one last glance in the mirror she walked out of her quarters and headed toward the transport to the medical frigate. The Falcon was still docked there even though Lando had stayed the night on Home One. Chewie had stayed with the Falcon, never wanting to leave it alone, especially without Han around.

She gazed at the ship from the window of the transport, and it slowly grew closer. It's size was small compared to the frigate, but it was none less amazing to her. In fact, she found that over the past month the ship had grown on her…maybe because she had worked on it so often…or maybe because the ship was, after all…Han. It reflected him everywhere, even in the most unlikely of places, and it was comforting.

But she knew that comfort would leave...but at the same time, just as Chewiie has insisted that morning, she was strong. Never before was she dependent on someone like she had been for the past 40 days, even her own father, and that meant that there was no reason for her to act any different now. Her main focus would still, of course, be finding Han, but she would continue her duty to the Alliance as well. The part that was bothering her was the fact that members of High Command wouldn't be happy about her relationship with the smuggler, but she would face that challenge when it came.

As the ship docked and she moved onto the Medical Frigate, Leia bumped into Lando, heading back towards the Falcon.

"Princess."

"Lando" she returned coldly, trying to push past him.

"Hey, wait" he called, and lightly grabbed her arm, turning her back towards him.

"What?"

"I just wanted to say sorry for whatever it is I did. I know that on Bespin I wasn't exactly the first person you would trust, especially after I turned you over to the Empire. But you have to understand that I had no choice. It was either turn you three in or we all get killed. I only did what I could to help you."

"Fine" she continued, trying to move away towards Luke's room once again.

"And hey...I really am sorry about Han, you know that right? I'll do everything I can to bring him back to you."

That made Leia stop, and for a moment she was silent. "Thanks, and I wish you good luck. May the force be with you" she responded finally.

Lando nodded, "And also with you Leia." Then Lando turned and continued on towards the Falcon. Leia watched him go, and he waved as the door closed. When he was gone Leia turned and continued towards Luke's room, and when she sailed through the doors, he was already sitting on the other side, his arm hooked up to a series of medical droids.

"Leia!" he exclaimed happily.

"Good morning Luke" she returned, moving near the bed he was on. Luke was wearing a smile, but it faded when Leia just gazed out the window at the Corellian ship preparing to leave.

"You really care about him don't you?"

I love him" she responded, and was surprised at how easily the phrase came out.

He studied her for a moment, "I don't get one thing though. You and Han have both always been so independent. How is it that you two all of a sudden have come to need each other so much?"

"I don't know" she laughed. "I guess it's because, for me, after Alderaan my entire life turned upside down, and he was the one to turn it back to normal. You helped too, of course" she added, turning to him, "But it was Han that brought so much light back into my life filled with darkness."

Luke was silent, and the room grew awkward. Leia looked at the man beside her, "Look, I know you liked me and stuff, but...Luke, you're like the brother I never had. Han...Han is just different. I love the both of you, just in different ways."

"I understand" he returned, grabbing her hand with his good one. "Sure, I liked you, maybe I still do, I don't know. But you and Han...I saw it from the start. The very second you yelled at him to jump into the garbage chute." Leia laughed. "Leia...I'm happy for you, and I'm happy for Han. I just want to make sure that you're going to be ok without him for a while. I have no idea how long it's going to take to get him back. It could be a week, it could be a year, it could be never."

"I will be Luke. I may love him, but I can still take care of myself. I'm still the rebel leader and firey princess you knew before," she smiled, "I just have let Han become a part of that. And spare me the lecture about eating because Chewie already gave me that."

It was Luke's turn to laugh, "I didn't know you speak wookiee."

"I knew a bit from my studies back on Alderaan, but I improved on the way to Bespin."

"You never told me everything that happened. And since you obviously fell for Han, I want to know what he did so I can find someone for myself...that way I won't feel awkward around you two when we get him back."

Their laughs were interrupted by the signal from Lando. "Millennium Falcon to Luke, do you read me?"

"Yeah, we hear you Lando" Luke responded into the comm.

"When we find Jabba the Hutt and that Bounty Hunter, we'll contact you."

"I'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine."

Lando's voice came again, "Princess, we'll find Han. I promise."

"Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal."

[I'll send it as soon as we're established. And Leia...take care. I don't want to rescue Han just to have him come back to nothing] the wookiee wailed over the comlink.

Leia smiled as Luke responded one last time, "Take care, you two. May the Force be with you."

And then Leia moved, stepping towards the window to watch the Falcon depart. She could faintly make out the forms of Chewie and Lando in the cockpit, and silently she said goodbye. Luke made a sound behind her as the medical droid pricked Luke's fingertips, and moments later she felt his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into a half embrace as the ship outside undocked from the medical frigate.

The Millennium Falcon quickly departed, and she stood watching it go, wondering what the future would bring. Questions ran through her mind, asking her what she would do, how long Han would be gone, and if he would even come back.

Well, finally I got this finished. It took a little while because I had to find the script to Empire to make sure I got the lines right at the end...because I haven't had time to sit down and watch the movie while writing lately...which is really depressing, but still!

I am very sorry for the long delay, but I'm hoping to have a bunch of chapters up soon. This week is a bit busy for me again, but this weekend is pretty open. At the moment I'm uploading pictures from my trip to Facebook and writing at the same time. I do have some work to do on my end though, as I want to re-read all of "40 Days" and take notes on all of it so I know what's been said and what I can use as "memories" and future storyline. So when the next chapter will be up, I have no idea. I do HOPE that I'll have another one up on Wednesday, and if not, Saturday, but right now I can't make any promises. I can tell you though that Christmas break in a couple of weeks is going to be very focused on finishing up the stuff I haven't been doing the past few weeks outside of school...which very much includes all of my writing. So soon, my lovely readers, soon!

Also, I'd like to point out that this chapter marks the end of "The Empire Strikes Back" which is pretty big for me. I have very little to go on...which I'm both nervous and excited about! It means that I can write whatever I like...but it also means that I have little characteristics to go off of! I mean, I have some in Jedi...for instance the change in Leia...from being dependent to once again, independent as she figures out what her relationship with Han really means, and of course Luke and his dealing with things. I am very excited about two characters in this story though...Chewie and Lando. Both will become larger characters than what you saw in "40 Days." You can see them beginning already...and I'm just very excited about that. =)

And so, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review if you feel inclined and I want to thank each and every one of you for waiting so long! I've got other ideas in my head too...but "Promises" is my main priority at the moment. =) While I do wait as I read "40 Days" and take those notes, if I do have to miss a week of this story, I will hopefully have an update somewhere else for you, just to fill in the time between. =)