Chapter 7

Inspection was early the next morning, 0700. Han stood in the hanger in his pressed and proper military attire, looking so official that most everyone that observed him did a double take. He waited on the floor for the troops to assemble which they did, apparently pressed and proper as was protocol. There were a few stragglers amongst the ranks which included the Rogues who had yet to make an appearance. Two minutes and they would be late.

Han exchanged a look with Leia, who stood beside him clad in her military fatigues with her most regal and aloof bearing in place. She raised an eyebrow as the clock reached the anticipated time and a minute later the Rogues scrambled in, uniforms askew, working on their buttons as they lined up for inspection.

"Attention!" Han's assistant called as Han took a step forward and surveyed the troops in front of him.

Han began to inspect the troops, stopping on occasion to remind someone the proper way to dress in a military uniform; shoes polished better, uniform buttons askew, collar crooked, all minor infractions that he offered comment on with a somber voice and a stern face accompanied by a wink which left the soldier feeling confused and bewildered.

Han saved the Rogues for last. They stood straighter as he approached, still whispering amongst themselves as they jostled for a spot in front of Han.

"Is there a problem, Wedge?"

"No, sir. None, sir," he answered with a smirk.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," Han barked.

Wedge blinked, taken aback by the warning he heard in it. He straightened up and stood tall. Then he twisted his shoulder, trying hard not to itch. Han eyed the others as they squirmed in front of him and with a droll tone to his voice, he looked at Wes.

"Problem, Jansen?"

"No, sir. None, sir." Not having the will power of Wedge, with a small cry of anguish, Wes ripped open his shirt and began itching his chest.

The other three gave it up and ripped off their shirts and dropped trousers, even dropping to the ground and thrashing around as they dried to itch as much as possible at once.

"Rogue Squadron, attention!"

Somehow, they managed to scramble to their feet and held themselves up while Han watched them, his expression somber.

"I will ask again. Is there a problem?"

"Yes, sir," Wedge answered, busily scratching his butt.

"We have a rash, Sir."

"A rash? How did you get a rash?"

"We don't know, Sir."

Han regarded the entire assembly of soldiers in front of him and increased the volume of his voice. "Is anyone else suffering from a rash?"

A chorus of "no's" echoed back to him.

"You're in a private club. So, I will repeat myself. How did you get this rash?"

"We don't know, Sir," said Janson.

Han turned to Leia. "Commander, do you have any thoughts on this matter?"

"Yes, General. I think that perhaps if they went to the Med Bay, they may find out the nature of the rash."

"Have you been to the Med Bay?" Han asked.

"No," Hobbe whined, "this just started when we got up. Then we had to come here."

"You seem particularly focused on your rear…quarters," Leia observed.

"Yes, I noticed that too," Han agreed. He looked at them and allowed a smile to cross his face. "Perhaps as penance for being so undisciplined, we can make them stand here in front of everyone and sell tickets to the event."

As if on a single string, the heads of the Rogues snapped up and looked at the smiling faces of Han and Leia. They knew a practical joke when they saw it. They all stopped long enough to form a sloppy salute.

"Have you seen enough, General?" Leia asked.

"Yeah, I have. Dismissed!"

The troops saluted and began to disassemble, the Rogues fleeing towards the welcoming arms of the Med Bay.

8888888888888888888888888888888888

They were in Falcon and hyperspace before Leia had a chance to think about it, and with a little persuasion Han told her they were going to Cerea. Though she had never been there, Han assured her it was quite the paradise and spending a couple of days there would be more enjoyable than she could imagine.

After they landed, Han hustled her out of the Falcon, and into a nearby speeder with their luggage. Then he winked at her and gave her a lazy grin as he climbed onto the speeder.

"Where are we going?"

"Have ya' been here before?"

"No, never."

"Then you wouldn't know, would ya? Let's just say I know ya like the beach."

Intrigued, Leia gave him a speculative, coy look but he just laughed. "I know that look and it won't work, Princess."

"What look?"

"The one that says 'if I bat my eyes and look demure' I can convince him to do anything. Uh, uhh, ain't happenin'," he said smugly.

"Fine," she groused and climbed into the speeder behind him.

"Ready, your Worship?"

"Get on with it, Hotshot."

Han smirked and grinned as he gunned the speeder to life and roared away from the small landing strip onto some of the less travelled roads. The countryside was lovely, displaying a tropical climate. Palm trees adorned the sides of the dirt road, and tropical vegetation was abundantly dense just beyond the boundaries of the road.

Leia sighed and hugged her arms tighter around Han. She knew it was only for a couple days, and that the High Command was gearing up to reassign staff to new assignments key to the New Republic and without doubt, she and Han would be separated for periods of time. But for now, for these two days, they were together without interference to do whatever the hell they wanted to do.

She could hardly wait.

She hugged him tighter and rested her head against his back, content in the moment. Arms wrapped around him, flying to an unknown destination, but happy, completely trusting the man who held her heart. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the ride for another twenty minutes until Han slowed down the speeder, and then finally brought it to a stop.

He turned his head and rolled his shoulder just a bit. "Ya awake there, Sweetheart?"

"Yes, of course I am."

"Ya seemed awfully quiet."

"Just enjoying the ride."

He grunted in acknowledgement and she reluctantly pulled her arms away from him and sat up straighter. He turned around and gave her a look of amusement. "Ya look like you're ready for a nap."

"Almost," Leia yawned.

"C'mon, let's go in," he jerked his chin towards a lovely mid-size beach house that lie before them. It was a one floor with an open living area. The kitchen had a stone floor and the kitchen appliances they needed were placed about it with an island in the middle of it. Once out of the kitchen the floor became sand, real sand.

The living room floor was also real sand, as was the bedroom. It had a huge bed, with light sheets and coverings. The furniture was of light wood resembling bamboo. And the window opened as needed. The atmosphere was light and airy. There was a balcony door that opened onto a small deck with a table and four chairs.

Leia stepped out on the deck and found that the view of the ocean was breathtaking. Blue, green waves washing against the white, sandy shore, and the sun bright in the sky. She felt Han come up behind her and wrap his arms around her and nuzzle her neck.

"Whad'ya think, Princess? Do ya like it?"

"It's lovely. You did good, Scoundrel mine."

"Glad to hear it," he murmured, nibbling his way up her ear.

She shivered in anticipation.

"Somethin' wrong, your worship?"

"Ummm," she hummed and turned to kiss him.

They spent several enticing minutes, as their mouths gently explored each other, familiar with the quirks that got them both hot and bothered. Han abruptly pulled her against him, making sure she knew what she was doing to him. She looked up into his dark eyes, knowing his look of desire.

"Want something, Hotshot?"

"You know what I want."

"I have an idea."

They stared into each other's eyes, lost until Han leaned forward and kissed her long and passionately. Then he stepped away and grinned at her.

"I have something for you."

"I can tell," she laughed.

He cocked his head at her. "Maybe a swim? We have all day?"

She looked out at the ocean and realized how long it had been since she had the luxury of swimming in the ocean, and she expelled a sigh of longing. "I'd like that. We can get to our other activities later."

He grinned at her and gestured to the balcony doors. "As you wish, my lady."

Leia smirked, and pinched his ass as she walked by him. He yelped and then followed her through the doors.

8888888888888888888888888888888888

"Put me down!" she yelled, laughter underlining her loud request. He just chuckled and gave her a devilish grin.

"You wouldn't!" she breathed. "Han! Don't you dare!" she screamed, and he threw her away from him and into the water.

The unexpected toss left her underwater, nose filling with water in a most obnoxious manner. Sputtering, she broke the surface, coughing and wiping water from her eyes only to hear her boyfriend's delighted laughter.

"You! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Oh, yeah! Make me!" Han stuck his tongue out at her and swam away from her towards the shore.

Determined to make him pay, she followed as quickly as she could, but by the time she got out of the water he was already seated on their large, colorful beach towels, toweling himself off. She stopped suddenly and just stared at him, once again impressed by how handsome he was. The water glistened off this muscular torso, meeting his swim trunks that covered the delicious part of his anatomy that belonged only to her now, she was pleased at how that worked out. And his muscular legs were long and hard as well.

Leia was very pleased that he was hers, heart and soul. Just as she now belonged to him.

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked, looking up at her.

"No, just admiring the scenery."

"Me too," he agreed looking her up and down. Then he patted the spot beside him on the towel. "C'mere."

Leia arched her eyebrow and saucily sauntered over to him, finally settling down beside him. It took him only a moment to push her down on the towel and kiss her breathless. Then, giving her his best lopsided grin, he got up on his knees, his desire for her apparent.

"Don't you have something for me?" she said coyly, reaching a hand to brush against him.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he said gruffly, reaching into the pocket of his swim trunks.

She laughed. "That's not how your trunks come off."

"That's not what I'm after, at least not yet." His hazel eyes spun with a myriad of emotions, the most prevalent and odd combination of happiness and anxiety.

She cocked her head in confusion. "Han?"

Han pulled a small box out of his pocket and held it before Leia as he got up on one knee.

Leia's heart was suddenly beating so heart she could hardly hear her own thoughts. Her hand covered her mouth as waves of shock washed over her, her heart overflowing with love for the man before her.

"Your Worship, Leia, I have to ask you something. It's important." Han cleared his throat. "I'm not so good with words, but, well, the thing is…I love ya, I have for a long time." His dark eyes were filled with love for her as he watched her face, gazing her reaction. "And I want to spend my life with ya. Always. I know it's gonna be tough, we'll have a lot to do, but when I come home, well, I want to come home to you." He stopped and didn't say anything else, just regarded her with apprehension.

"Han, did you have a question?"

"What? Didn't I? Krist! Fuck. Leia, honey, you deserve so much better than me, but I can't help myself. "Will ya marry me?"

Leia's eyes sparkled with happiness and she got on her knees and leaned forward and kissed him. Slowly, and with great passion until they sank back onto the sand together.

"Leia, aren't ya gonna answer me?"

"Yes, Laser brain, yes," she said and pushed him onto the sand, stripping his swim trunks from him as she freed his burgeoning erection. In a moment her bikini bottoms were gone and as Han watched her briefly finger herself, his eyes grew hungry.

"Come here," he growled.

She just smiled and slowly lowered herself onto him, both moaning as their bodies joined in harmony once again. Soon, the rhythm of the sea became background noise to the rhythm of their bodies and hearts.

8888888888888888888888888888888888

AN: One more chapter and this story is done. Thanks for reading and your reviews – they are always appreciated - CM