CHAPTER 7:

Princess Leia Organa squeezed her eyes shut as tight as possible. If she could, she'd press her fists to her eye sockets just to ensure her eyes were closed as tight as they could possibly be, but since she still hadn't regain complete control of her limbs, she had to settle for just squeezing her eyes shut.

The door swished open, but Leia didn't bother to open her eyes because she already knew it wasn't Han or Chewie.

"Your Highness?"

"Go away," she croaked.

"How are…" Lando stammered as he took a step deeper into the cell.

"Go," Leia breathed.

"I'm sorry," Lando approached the princess.

"Go," was all Leia could manage.

Lando stopped next to her beside, "I have something that'll make you feel better."

"Don't…" she willed her head to turn away from him, but it failed to obey.

"Had I known that they would try to sedate Chewie..." Lando's eyes fell to the floor.

"What?" What would you have done differently? She cursed her inability to unleash her anger on Calrissian.

Lando paled and his body went rigid. Then he slowly turned around, "Lord Vader?"

"How is the princess?"

"Leave," Leia demanded, though it was more of a forced whisper than her usual commanding tone.

"Do as she wishes, Calrissian," Vader strode deeper into the small cell, dwarfing the Baron.

Lando's dark eyes met Leia's, and she closed her eyes, closing herself off to him. Lando's countenance fell, and he scurried out of the room. Vader took the hypodermic needle from Calrissian as he passed by.

Darth Vader waited for the door to close behind Calrissian before he approached the princess.

"Leave…too," she squeezed out of her lungs and managed to turn her head half a millimeter away from him.

"You should be feeling better in no time," Vader ignored her as he pressed the hypodermic needle against her neck. "This incident was most unfortunate."

Leia snorted and opened her eyes, "Unfortunate?" She exhaled, "All this…all, is unfortunate."

Vader's breathing mechanics filled the void for a long moment, and Leia was wondering if he was pondering her words. She closed her eyes once again. This cold-hearted monster didn't care what she thought, much less what she said—unless it had to do with revealing vital information about the rebellion. And he wasn't asking her any questions.

"Unfortunate," Vader finally broke the rhythmic silence, "but necessary."

"Necessary." Why didn't he just end this? Or at least let her die?

"You are the only link I have to Skywalker," he matter-of-factly stated.

The princess squinted up at the dark lord, "He doesn't even know where we are."

"Skywalker is strong in the Force."

Leia squeezed her hands into fists and then released them. "His father was a Jedi, but you probably already knew that," she made no attempt to hide the venom in her voice. Leia then managed to push herself up on her elbows, however shaky, "After all, you were the one who killed him."

Vader clasped his hands behind his back and turned away from the trembling girl, "I have killed many."

The princess dropped back down against the cold slab of durasteel.

Darth Vader slowly turned around, "Don't worry. Solo and the Wookie are still alive….for now."

"That's comforting," Leia boldly muttered.

To her surprise, Vader chuckled. Then he placed his hands on his hips, "My only concern is Skywalker."

"And you'll do whatever you have to in order to get him," she forced herself into a seated position as she narrowed her eyes on the dark lord.

"Does that surprise you?"

Leia leaned against the wall and braced herself with her hands, "Not at all." She stared at him for a few moments, her breath falling in sync with his. Then the girl shook her head, "You're wasting your time. Luke doesn't know where we are."

"He knows."

Leia shook her, "That's impossible."

"The Force works in mysterious ways, Your Highness."

Leia stared at him blankly, and Vader elaborated, "He has a strong connection with his friends, with you."

With me? Her eyes fell to the floor. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean Luke knows her every whereabouts. Vader had to be toying with her. Well, she wouldn't be toyed with. She raised her large dark eyes to his grotesque masked face and lifted her chin, fighting the churning in her stomach.

Vader regarded the girl for several long seconds, "Those who are strong in the Force can sense the pain of others, especially of those who are close to them."

"So torture me," Leia sniped. "Let Captain Solo and Chewbacca go."

"It's not that simple, Your Highness," Vader turned and strode toward the door. "You of all people should know that."

Princess Leia Organa gazed hopelessly at the closed door of the claustrophobic cell. Any hope of escaping this nightmare that might have lingered in the smallest crevices of her mind were squashed the moment the cell door slammed shut.

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"Leia, sweetheart?"

Slowly, the princess' eyes opened to find a very pale and worn Han gazing down at her. Leia was both relieved and worried to see him. Dark circles marred his mien, and his hazel eyes were dull.

"Han?" she croaked.

Without a word, Han scooped her up in his arms and pulled her to his chest, holding her as close to himself as possible. He leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground, cradling Leia on his lap. He placed soft, urgent kisses upon her forehead and temple.

Leia wrapped her arms around Han. Han was here, not Vader. Was Vader just a dream—or rather, a nightmare? Vader's presence felt so real, just as real as Han felt in her arms. Still groggy, Leia concentrated on forming her words, "Chewie…?"

Chewbacca growled, and Leia relaxed against Han, losing herself in his attentions. She wanted to ask him where they were taken and what happened, but then she wasn't certain she truly wanted to know. No, that wasn't accurate. She didn't have to ask because she knew whatever it was, she couldn't bear to know.

Leia's head rested against Han's chest, and she wasn't sure if it was her heart that was rapidly beating and her body that was slightly trembling or his. She closed her eyes once again and sucked in a long, cleansing breath. Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked a couple of times. It wasn't her body that was doing the trembling or the rapid beating.

Leia tried to raise her head, but Han's strong hand held her in place. "Don't—" he sighed, "Stay here, please."

"I will," she breathed, and her eyes closed, once again, against the cold harsh reality.