A.N.: Yeah, yeah! Another author's note, I know. I thought I'd explain that this story will often feature snippets of conversations in Spanish. When necessary, I will leave a mini Spanish-English dictionary at the end of the chapter.

To any native Spanish speakers who may be reading this story, if there is ever any phrase or word or anything in your beautiful tongue that I mess up- please tell me! Sé un poco de español. Lo siento.


The morning light hadn't yet come, so Leia took her steps carefully as she crept into her parents' bedroom. She was ready to leave, with her shoes on, her favorite white coat draped over her arm, but she could never leave without first saying goodbye. The door had given a shy creak when she'd opened it and now Breha moaned as she turned over in bed. "Buenos dias, mija."

"Good morning, Mama." Leia knelt at her mother's side and leaned over her to leave a kiss on her cheek. "I'm leaving now."

Breha nodded, her eyes closing for a moment as she tried to wake up. "Of course. You go- if it's time. Papa's wallet is by the fruit bowl in the kitchen if you need money. Para almuerzo."

"That's alright, Mama. I have money for lunch."

Breha waved a dismissive hand, her eyes unwilling to reopen. "Eso- es bueno." She gently patted the hand that Leia had lying on the edge of the mattress. "Have a good day, Lelila. Te amo."

Leia smiled. She stood, leaned down to give Breha another kiss, and responded, "Te quiero también, Mamá." Breha smiled warmly, squeezing her hand before turning back over to fall asleep. Leia stepped back, watching her father and mother in their peaceful slumber. Sleep, she thought, is innocence, and Bail and Breha's minds were clear, undisturbed, carefree. Leia never understood how they had never been plagued by the same fears that tormented her. How was it that they didn't worry? What about the world did they not understand? Why didn't they share the fears that haunted their daughter on a nightly basis? What about life didn't make sense to them that they could keep on waking up every day without a care in the world? Leia was always afraid, always worried. And that was what made every morning so difficult. This part hurt every time. The leaving.

Leia shook her head at herself, quickly turning and disappearing from the room. She slipped her arms through her coat sleeves, threw her purse up her arm and hurried out the door into the chilly morning.

Nearly every weekday morning, Leia's day began like this- with a morning shift at the library. Every day, she would loan out books, catalogue every name and due date, and somehow still find the time to snag a book for herself to read. Leia very much enjoyed reading. She valued knowledge and the chance to fill her brain with new and interesting tidbits of information every day. Among her favorite subjects were history, politics, and the expansive topic of culture in general. She couldn't say that she had a favorite writer, though she greatly appreciated the works of writers like Shakespeare and Jane Austen, but she could always find something to appreciate about every author. She'd sparsely come across a title she didn't like and she enjoyed every book she found in its own right. She supposed she'd gained this love from her mother who held the values of education and knowledge on gold pedestals, regarding them each with such a respect that Leia had never taken it for granted. It was from her mother that Leia had learned to value the gift of education and learned to love learning. Her mother had taught her to see its value.

She'd learned to read at her mother's side, practically helped teach Breha who had still been learning to read English when Leia had gotten ahead of the curb. Their neighbor, , had always been so kind to the Organas. She used to come to their home every afternoon to teach Bail and Breha to read and write in English, and a barely five-year-old Leia had eagerly and attentively sat in on every lesson, learning with them. To such a little Leia, words, sentences, and pages in a book had looked like an intriguing challenge, and she'd accepted every new trial with an unquenched fervor to learn.

Breha Organa had always given her sermons on how lucky they were and on the importance of a good education. Leia had taken those words to heart coming from her mother's context, and had- if only for her- put all her effort into every day of school from her first day of kindergarten to the last day of her senior year.

It made her feel like she must be a disappointment in her parents' eyes now, especially to her mother. Her hard work in school had certainly paid off; she had her pick of nearly any college she could possibly want to attend- and she had no plans to go anywhere. She saw the dismay in her mother's eyes every time a letter arrived in their mailbox and Leia firmly restated her choice to end her education with merely her diploma.

"But you could do so much more!" Breha would cry in frustration. "You're so much smarter than that, Lelila! Why wouldn't you take advantage of this? You always have since you started in primary school!"

It hurt Leia every time to see how distressed her mother was, how disappointed she seemed to be in this new Leia. Like time had slipped away and now she didn't recognize her. Then, Leia always had to make it worse with whatever excuse she could muddle her brain for. "Mama, I just don't want that. I don't need it. I'm glad to finally be done with school." That last one was a lie and her mother always knew it. Because she'd gotten her love for learning from her. Every lie she gave was weaker than the last, but they were the only excuses Leia had to give. The truth seemed to get locked up in her chest, stuck inside, so she kept it to herself. Her parents didn't need to hear the truth. It would only hurt them more.

Perhaps this was what Leia loved most about her job. Within herself, she still held the desire to learn about and absorb as much of this great big world as she could from her tiny place in Aldera. She loved finding a new book every day, opening to a crisp new page, and finding something she didn't yet know. Still, Leia knew it was a sorry excuse for a post-high school education. Every book, every page hardly meant a thing, but she would keep on pretending that they did.

The library wasn't actually in Aldera, but a few miles away in a slightly bigger town. Every morning, she would drive herself several miles out of Aldera to Richville, which was, by no means, a large town or even a city. However, it was considerably larger than Aldera, with at least twice the latter's double-digit population as well as more buildings, restaurants, and public properties, such as the half-decent library where Leia worked. It even had a few gas stations and a mechanics shop. The amenities, opportunities, and energy of Richville intrigued Leia, who enjoyed visiting bigger towns and even longed to explore an actual city in California or New York at some point. Richville, however, lacked something that defined Aldera, something that Leia did not take for granted- a sense of community. It was what made Aldera home.

As if to emphasize the contrast between the neighboring towns, there was some distance between them. Half an hour of a drive out of Aldera, that is. But in between Richville and Aldera- was nothing but farmland, fields upon fields of growing crops. And as she drove down the straight road, Leia could put a name to every field's owner. There was comfort in familiarity. Other than those fields, there were no buildings, no rest stops, or public utilities. No place to glanced at the gauges just to her right. Her family really didn't use their car that often, but Bail had used it last for a brief trip to Moorhead. He had refilled the gas tank, hadn't he? Leia took her eyes off the road for a moment and looked. Sealing her lips into a thin line, she managed only to sigh and congratulated herself when no colorful curses followed. "Papa!" She bit her lip and gripped the steering wheel harshly. Leia leaned over the wheel, looking for the next mile marker as she wondered how far from town she still was. Her parents hardly ever drove, she reminded herself in an attempt to push her last bits of frustration away. They weren't used to checking over the systems and filling it with gas. They forgot she drove to work every morning. It didn't matter because she couldn't blame them. She could only pray that the few millimeters between the red ticker and the letter 'E' really counted for as much as Leia was hoping.

Just as she tore her gaze away from the gauge and back to the road, Glenn Miller started playing on the radio. Leia shook her head. Everybody loved Glenn Miller. How could they not? But no, she had gotten sick of the wordless tunes since his hit from a couple years ago had invaded the radio and everyone had to play them. Leia quickly turned off the radio and growled through her teeth. It was going to be a long drive.


Leia was starting to consider the idea of kicking off her heels and pitting her bare feet against the hard, paved roadway for traction. Clearly, her polished white heels weren't doing the job. She eyed her watch. She was already late. Maybe, she should just start walking. She had no hopes of pushing her Chevrolet into town by herself. She had a bit of muscle built up, but this was at least a two-person job. No, she shook her head and paused, drawing in a long, calming breath. I got this. I don't need help. I'm by myself, so I have to rely on myself. I got this.


All Han needed was a few extra bucks. Just enough to keep going for a while and he'd be well on his way, leaving this tiny town far behind. Back to his never ending search for nothing. He wouldn't be stuck here for long, though, he promised himself.

It was with these thoughts of that insurmountable reward- sweet freedom- that he saw her. Or, rather, her car. He only found the petite woman after the vehicle sitting in the middle of the road caught his attention and he surveyed the scene for a victim. And there she was, lying on the ground, half of her body hidden beneath the car. All that Han could see of her were her legs- no shoes, just a gray skirt. She hugged the loose fabric between her bent knees for cover. Was she- working?

Han slowed his truck until he pulled to the right side of the empty road and came to a stop. He stepped out and slowly approached the Chevrolet. "Hey!"

One of her legs jumped, kicking against the car before she carefully pulled herself out. She was a small thing, a stick figure without any real weight to her. She was skinny, but not unhealthily so. She had a fairly pale complexion, pleasantly contrasting her dark, brunette hair. She had her hair pulled back, every strand neatly combed (with the exception of a few loose ones at her forehead), tied into an elaborate braid that framed her head like a crown. Like she was some princess. Han grinned at the thought. A princess. Hiding beneath a car. "Hey. Can I help you at all?"

She frowned fiercely, raising her arms to cross them. Quickly, her gaze ran him up and down. "Does it look like I need help?"

Han snorted. "Yeah."

Her nose crinkled for a second as a frown grew on her face. "Get lost, flyboy. I can handle myself just fine, thanks." And with that, she was crawling back beneath the car. Han sighed, dropping his head into one hand. "H-hey! Would you get out from under there already! You're going to hurt yourself."

"I'm just fine!"

"I could probably fix your car for you."

"Did I ask you to help me? I can do it myself."

Simply and outright ignoring her, Han dropped his keys beside a tire, then kneeled over and joined the young woman on the ground. "What's wrong with it? Is it a tire?"

"It was just the gas." She sat back up and quirked a brow. "But then I heard a thump."

"A thump?"

She walked around to the trunk and popped the lid, sighing to herself. She was always mindful to keep things like a first-aid kit, water, and blankets in there. And, to her relief, a gallon of gas. To the man, she nodded. "And I knew I must have hit something sharp."

"A nail, maybe?" he offered as he stood and followed her.

She shrugged. "Maybe. Whatever it was, it's just my luck."

"I dunno'. You're pretty lucky I got here." He reached across her to take the jug from her. She snatched it away, tossing a ferocious scowl his way, and walked back to the side of the Chevrolet. "Lucky why? You think I'm helpless?" She set the gallon on the ground and went back to the trunk again.

"Well, you're gonna' need help with that." He pointed to the ground. "And that tire. If you look in the back of your trunk, you should find something that can lift your car. So it's easier to take off the tires? It's called-"

"A jack?" She actually smirked at him, rather proud of herself.

Han just nodded. "Yeah."

"I know," she laughed to herself. She had successfully found said tool and hung it on one hand like it fit there. "I'm not helpless."

"Okay." He watched her with something like intrigue as she continued her work and set about positioning the jack and cranking it. After a minute or two of her hands working the machinery, cranking the jack had almost lifted the wheel off the ground, she glanced over her shoulder and laughed at him. It was only at that moment that Han realized he was gaping. Slack-jawed over a woman who knew how to work.

After several minutes of a laborious struggle, beads of sweat began to gather at the back of her neck. Han knelt at her side and reached for the crank. "Alright, Princess. I'm impressed. Now, let me finish this up for you."

But she was quick- and harsh- to shake him off. "I got it. Did I ask for your help?"

"You know, it's okay to. It's not easy to do this."

"For some people."

"What? You think you're above everyone else?"

She appeared genuinely offended and only paused her work then. Han seized the chance and gently took the tools from her small hands. "No," she whispered. "I just-"
"Need to learn how to accep-"

"I don't. Need your help."

By now, Han had learned. This time, he didn't respond, just nodded. "So. You have a name, Princess?"

"Leia. And you?"

"Solo." He wiped his brow then stuck out a greasy hand. "Han Solo."

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"Nope. Is it obvious?"

"You don't have the usual accent."

"Ahh. All the 'you betcha's' and 'uff-da's'."

"Well, they have a tendency to just slip in. Where are you from, then?"

"Ah, I don't know. I've been moving around for a long time."

"Well, where were you before now? And what brings you here?"

"Michigan." He added smoothly, "And travel writing."

She exhaled through her nose, laughing. "Writing?"

"What? You don't believe me?"

"I'd just as soon kiss that big dog of yours."

Without looking away from his work, Han responded, not missing a beat, "I would advise against that. He bites."

"What? This handsome fella'?"

Han realized that Leia was no longer standing next to him and so he looked only then and watched her approach the driver's window where Chewie was hanging his head. She took hold of him, shaking his fur and petting him. "He's a very pretty dog, actually. What breed is he? And what's his name?"

"Chewie. He's an Alaskan Malamute."

"That's what I thought. He is very pretty."

Pretty? Han was almost disgusted and he glanced over his shoulder to take his own look at Chewie. The great dog was panting with excitement as Leia ruffled his fur and cooed to him. His tongue hung from his mouth in satisfaction.

"Alright. I think he's had enough."

Leia smiled at him, almost laughing again. She gave Chewie one last affectionate pet before returning to Han's side. "Why are you actually here?"

Han shrugged. "Looking for a change in scenery, I guess. I like moving around."

"Hm. I was just wondering. Most people don't plan on staying around these parts for very long. Especially right when the winter season is about to come."

"Yeah, well, I don't plan on staying that long either."

"That's unfortunate. Aldera really is nice."

Han looked around- at the expansive, green fields. "This is Aldera?"

"This is the in between. The next town is still a few miles out. Richville."

"That where you were headed?"

She nodded. "I have a job at the library in town." She watched over his shoulder, noting that he'd successfully finished the job- at least, the one part Leia had struggled with. She stepped over him and took the tools back. "I can finish." She tightened the last bolts over the tire in awkward silence and Han watched her the entire time. "But thank you for the help," she muttered. Han smiled to himself.

She finished the job quickly, then brushed off the weird moment, hopping into the front seat of her Chevrolet. She dug around for a moment before popping back up and smirking at him. "Here." She tossed him something and Han, surrendering to instinct, threw his hands out and perfectly caught it. He cupped it in his hands to see. A mint. "Thought you looked tired," the young woman teased. He shook his head. "Sure, Princess."

"I believe we already traded names."

He winked at her and, in a flash, Leia's face bloomed with a rosy flush. "I've never been very good with names," he told her. Then, he was off, stalking back to his own truck and leaving the princess behind.


Only to herself could Leia admit that she was- intrigued? Perhaps. Solo was certainly an interesting character. He was private, yet boisterous, and though she couldn't say she had really learned something about him, he didn't strike her as the mystery man sort of person. He didn't seem like a mystery. Rather, Leia just had yet to acquaint herself with him. Something told her it didn't take much to get to know him very well.


At noon, the Corusca Diner was the center of town. It stood on a corner of town, opposite on the street from Kresge's. The Darklighter family owned it and they opened just before the lunch rush when workers were well hungry.

It was an odd place, always busy and boisterous- sometimes even a little rowdy. It was the one place in town that didn't scream 'small town' and Leia figured that was what made it so popular in Aldera. The Corusca served the American dream in red, diamond baskets: thick, shiny burgers, salty fries, the thickest malts- and the Darklighters always kept enough Cokes cold for the lunch rush. And when the small hand reached for the 12, the jukebox began playing and wouldn't rest until Mr. Darklighter put out the closed sign. Until night, the lights were on and everyone was dancing to Glenn Miller's newest hit.

Every morning that Leia worked her quiet job at the library, she'd end her shift for a late lunch with some friends at that diner. A good, greasy burger piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, American cheese, and two strips of bacon. That with some fries and a cold pop to wash it down and Leia was ready to march back home.

Another Glenn Miller hit was rocking the jukebox as Leia walked into the Corusca and her eyes rolled in annoyance. She stalked over to the front counter, shaking her head. "Who started this?" she asked as she approached Iella and Mirax who were saving her a seat.

"Wedge," Iella- a black-haired woman with a heavier, curved figure- informed her, tossing a smirk over the counter. "But Wes is the one who's insisted on keeping it going."

"How long?"

"It started just before we got here. And he has the cache full for the next ten minutes."

Mirax rolled her eyes. "At least."

Leia shot a deadly glare past her shoulder, seeking out Wes Jensen whom she swore to kill. "He's dead to me," she hissed.

"Gee, honey." Mirax grabbed her shoulder. "What did Glenn Miller do to you?"

Leia ignored her, turning back to the counter before her. She leaned over the red-painted countertop and hollered, "Wedge! I know you're back there."

Quickly, Wedge appeared from the back kitchen. He came out wearing a scowl purposefully directed at Leia. "You're late," he complained. "What do you want?"

"Is Jensen closing tonight?"

Wedge's look suddenly turned mockingly hostile as he found Jensen near the other end of the restaurant, cleaning up the back tables. "No, but I think that's going to change soon."

"I need some nickels."

"What?" Wedge walked up to the counter and Leia pointed to the register. "Do you have a roll of nickels?"

Wedge watched her with growing suspicion. "What do you need a roll of nickels for?"

"Trust me, you'll appreciate my efforts. Now, just give me a roll of nickels." She waited, pulling out a couple crumpled dollar bills from her purse. She slid them across the counter and Wedge, warily, gave Leia her nickels.

"What do you need change for?"

"Don't you worry about it. I'm going to teach Wes a little lesson." But Leia only pocketed the change and turned back to Wedge. "I'm ready to order."

Wedge seemed baffled. "What did you need the change for?"

"I said not to worry about it. Now, I'll take the usual please."

Wedge rolled his eyes in exasperation, taking a tub of dirty dishes from the counter and disappearing again.

Leia took out her nickels again, laid them on the counter and began counting off on her fingers.

"So." Mirax poked her shoulder. "What's got you in a mood? Loud day at the library?"

Iella silently snickered.

"My car broke down while I was driving to work. Mr. Rogers let me take his Sedan for now, but I have to go back in later for a report on the repairs it needs."

"Oh, come on, Leia. Old Bessy has lasted almost ten years! You should have known this would be coming soon enough."

Leia shook her head, itching at her temple. "Her name is Esperanza- not Bessy. And I don't want to think about replacing her now. Papa loves that stupid, old car. I have no idea why, but . . . "

Wedge came back with Leia's usual order and set it before her, pulling a napkin from behind the till, then reached into the refrigerator behind him for a Coke. "Moderation," he cautioned Leia. He predicted her hand would shoot out and when she followed through, Wedge smoothly slid the pop bottle out of her reach.

"Heeey!" Leia's arm nearly snapped out of its socket as she shot her arm across the counter. "I don't appreciate this poor customer service. I'm thinking I might leave a complaint."

"Sure you would! And where do you plan on getting your daily afternoon Coke from? You wouldn't betray us!"

Leia's look turned stunningly icy. "Don't you dare come between me and my Coke again."

With a long, drawn out huff, Wedge returned the bottle to her hand. "So-rry."

Leia shook her head in exasperation. "I thought I had a flat tire."

"You didn't?"

"I did. And something about the oil and-" She muttered an obscenity so that they couldn't hear, but Mirax thought she caught it and raised a mocking brow.

"I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"Ha!" Mirax suddenly cried out. "I think it just got a lot shorter. Leia looked up too. The music and tone of the jukebox had shifted. A different song was playing. No longer was Glenn Miller's blasted trombone bouncing off every wall, but Bing Crosby was playing with his own rendition of "You Are My Sunshine". Involuntarily, Leia's feet began tapping against her stool's legs, cheering to the happy melody. She paused, twisting her body to peer back at the unassuming jukebox standing in the corner of the room.
"What? Something wrong about this song too?" Iella teased, watching her.

Barely aware that she'd been spoken to, Leia shook her head. "No. It's just- I don't understand this song. I don't think anyone else understands this song, either. The melody is so upbeat and happy and everyone dances to it and smiles but-"

Iella raised her brows.

"Does anyone hear the lyrics? It's not a happy song at all."

Iella and Mirax paused, trading a look with each other before they considered it, humoring their friend.

Then, Leia turned back to them, almost laughing in her confusion. "Don't you hear it?"

Mirax uttered a small sigh, her shoulders falling in defeat. "Well, yeah, but- isn't it a happy song?" She growled. "Leia, it's just a song! It's a happy song and it's fun and people like to dance to it." She bounced off her seat and looked at Leia with a stern look. "So, don't you dare ruin it for everyone else. Miss Melancholy."

"Melancholy?"

Without looking up from her own food, Mirax added quietly, "Or just 'depressed'."

"I'm not depressed!"

"Then, cool down!" Mirax seized her arm and locked gazes with her best friend, holding her attention. "You know that you can talk to us if you need anything. Anything at all. I know things your parents' place can get difficult sometimes-"

"I'm fine," Leia insisted, shaking her head and gently freeing her arm from Mirax's grasp. "If I did need your help, you know I would come to you and Iella. I always do."

Mirax's gaze slipped away and she shrugged. "You always come to us when you realize you need help, but you don't always come to us when you need it. You don't always like to admit that you need it. Really, Leia. We're here for you and your family. Just say the word."

Leia nodded. "I'm fine. Really."

"That's it. I'm taking you home."

"That's not necessary."

"Come on. I haven't even seen your parents in weeks."

"Fine." Leia slid off her stool and bee-lined for the back of the diner. She dug out Wedge's nickels from her pocket and counted over them again. "But wait for me. I have a little something I need to do before I leave."


Spanish-English Dictionary

Eso es bueno- that's good

Para almuerzo- for lunch

Buenos dias- good morning

Mija- term of endearment

Te amo- I love you

Te quiero también- I love you too