Han sighed, enjoying the wind in his hair, the cool, crisp, clean night air, but most of all being with Luke again.
They had spent they day exchanging stories - or, rather, Han bringing Luke up-to-date - and now Han wanted to hear Luke's side of the story.
That could wait though.
Now, they were sitting together outside one of the small huts, staring at the stars and enjoying each other's company.
Han was wondering how to break the silence when Luke spoke first.
"So, I guess you came here to try and convince me to come back."
Han took a deep breath. "Yeah, that's right."
He snuck a peek at his friend, wanting to see his reaction. Strangely, Luke seemed unmoved, picking at the grass with his cybernetic left hand.
"Will you?"
Luke's head perked up, and he turned to face Han. "Will I what?"
"Come back with me."
Luke let out a long breath of air and turned away. "I-I don't know."
Han sighed. He had known that it would probably be difficult to get Luke to come back. After all, when someone leaves the galaxy and lives as a hermit by themselves on some backwater planet it usually means they want to be left alone.
Still, he had to try.
"Well, why don't you want to come back?"
"Don't you see?" Luke looked up, eyes watering. "How can I go back when I failed the way I did? I failed, Han. I failed you, I failed Leia, I failed Ben, I failed everybody! Countless people are dead now because of my failures!"
After a brief moment of hesitation, Han gently placed a hand on his friend's back. "It weren't your fault, kid. None of it - leastways, not all of it. Leia and I, we - we're to blame, too."
Luke shook his head. "No, you're not."
"Yes, we are. Ben, he...he was our son, not yours. We should've been the ones looking out for him, not you."
"But I felt him going to the dark side, I knew he was being tempted, I just didn't do enough. I should've been there, done more."
Han formed his next words very carefully.
"Look, kid, it wasn't your fault. You did all you could, which is saying quite a bit. Besides even if it was true - which it's not - you're not helping anybody by sitting around here moping."
Luke pretended to look offended. "I'm not moping."
Han cracked a grin. "Yeah? What are you doing then?"
"I-I just..." Luke sighed, "I don't want to hurt anybody any more than I already have."
"Nonsense." Han brushed away Luke's argument with a wave of his hand. "Luke, you don't have to be afraid of doing anything like that. We're your family, and we look out for each other. Besides, I - we - missed you, and...it hurt a lot when you left.''
Luke winced. "I'm sorry!"
Han gently rubbed Luke's back. "S'okay, kid. We're here for you and want to help, but only if you'll let us. So, will you come back?"
No answer.
"Luke?"
Han stretched, savoring the feeling of the early sun warm in his limbs.
Last night, he had tried reasoning with Luke in every way he knew how, but the Jedi's response was always an unshakable no, he was not coming back.
Han wished Leia were here. She was always so much better at this sort of thing. No use hoping for the impossible, though. Today, Han Solo had a mission, and he was going to go through with it even if that meant tying Luke in a bag and dragging him back to the Resistance base.
Somehow, he didn't think Leia would find that very amusing.
Speaking of which, where was Luke?
Looking down from the top of the cliff, Han saw a certain gray-robed someone enter the Falcon. So that's where he was.
Maybe Threepio or Artoo cat get him to change his mind, thought Han.
Realizing there was no use in delaying the inevitable, Han began to slowly pick his way down the rock face and headed for his ship.
A/N- I know I've said this before, but please, R&R!