CHAPTER 9:

This can't be happening, Han thought as he cradled Leia's head to his chest. But sure enough, there was Luke, arms flailing around as he tumbled through the lower canopy. The Grendolies that surrounded them hissed and grunted, swishing their tails around as they started to disperse.

"Cahome find dah Wookie befuhore he suffhars dah same fate."

And Leia and Han were left alone as they helplessly watched Luke fall like a rock through the trees. There was nothing they could do. He placed a kiss atop Leia's head and held her closer to himself.

But all hope was not loss. Luke's left hand caught a thin branch that brought him to a painful and brief halt before the branch snapped off its trunk. Although Luke continued to fall, that small sliver of hope focused his concentration, and he reached out to the Force. He pulled himself into a tuck roll and managed to land feet flat on a thick branch. He fought for his balance with arms stretched far. Before he could fall, Luke leaped to the canopy across from him, catching a vine and swinging back to the tree on which he started at a lower point.

A long, thin branch slammed down on the ground a meter from Han. Just great, Han squeezed Leia and glanced up.

"Luke!"

Leia buried herself deeper in Han's embrace. The last thing she wanted to see was Luke's lifeless body. Han grabbed her face and forced her to look up.

"Han…" she resisted, but he insisted. "Oh, Luke," Leia sighed as her tears silently slid down her cheeks.

Han chuckled in relief, "Ah! Who knew the kid had it in him!" He helped the princess to her feet as the pair watched their friend climb his way back down to them.

Before Luke had both feet on the ground, Leia plowed into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The two fell to their knees, and Leia hung on to him as if her life depended on it.

"Sh," Luke soothed her as he stroked her hair, "I'm alright. Don't cry."

Han shoved his hands in his back pockets, feeling like an intruder. As he watched Luke comfort Leia, his chest tightened. He wanted to look away, to not feel like…like what? Like he did, but his eyes stayed glued on his friends. Luke was safe. That was all that mattered. Han opened his mouth and gulped down a breath, Luke almost died, and I'm feeling jealous. Han couldn't recall a time he hated himself more.

Luke's large blue eyes caught Han's, urging the older man forward. Han pressed his lips together and approached them. "Gave us quite a scare," Han smiled.

The princess loosened her grip on Luke and looked up at Solo. She had a smile on her tear-stained face, and Han melted. Both of his friends were alive and safe, for now. He took two large steps toward Luke and pulled him up into an embrace, sweeping Leia up with him, "Chewie would be proud."

The mention of Chewbacca sobered the group. Han messed Luke's hair before releasing him and Leia from his embrace. Luke looked up to the canopy from which he fell, and Leia watched Han as he turned his back on them.

The princess slowly closed the distance between her and Han. She held her hand up, and it hovered over Han's back. Finally, she gently placed it on Han and grabbed his arm with the other one, "We'll find Chewie, and he'll be just as okay as Luke. He's a fighter."

Han didn't turn around. "How long can he fight?" he whispered.

Leia didn't have an answer. She slipped her arms around his waist, pressed her cheek against his back, and hugged him from behind. Han looked down at the hands squeezing his stomach. He studied her grimy hands and marveled over their tiny size and delicacy. Those hands killed a Grendoli almost twice her size. If she was able to fight off those horrid beasts, then maybe Chewie…Han place a hand over hers.

"So, what now?" Han gently broke out of Leia's hold. "They didn't leave us any clues."

"Yes, they did," Luke said, and both Han and Leia turned their attention on him with quizzical expressions. Luke glanced up at the tree he fell from, "We're not too far from the coast."

"How do you know?"

"When I was up there," Luke explained. "I saw the coast."

"We could still be going the wrong way," Han reasoned.

Luke met Han's eyes, "We're not. He told me."

"Who told you?" Han was beginning to think Luke hit his head on the way down.

"The Grendoli."

"Oh! The Grendoli told you," Han rolled his eyes. "That's a reliable source."

"Han, listen to him," Leia ordered.

"He told me exactly where Chewie was," Luke started, "before he dropped me." Luke glanced up the tree again and then shrugged, "Guess he didn't expect me to live."

Leia walked over to Luke and hugged him. Han inhaled, almost afraid to ask, "Where is he?"

"There's a cluster of caves west of here," Luke pointed. "If we go straight out that way, they're right there."

"Are you certain?"

"Uh-uh," Luke nodded. "I saw it with my own eyes. They're definitely there, and I don't think he was lying about Chewie."

Han wished Luke would stop referring to the Grendoli that almost killed him as "he". Han didn't think any being that went around killing sentient beings for fun deserved that kind of consideration. He ran a hand over his face and then studied his younger friends who stared back at him as if they were waiting for answers.

Well, he was going to give them some answers. "You and Leia go back to the base," Han ordered as he stared at the ground. "I'm gonna take care of this myself."

"Like hell you are," Leia snapped.

"Yes, I am, Your High and Mightiness!" Han countered.

"If it weren't for Luke, you wouldn't even know where Chewie is!" Leia reasoned.

And he almost died, Han shuddered, "You and Luke are going to march yourselves right back to that base and evacuate this hell-hole with the rest of your rebels."

Han turned to leave, but Leia was unwilling to let him go, "Han, you need us!"

"No, I don't!" He whirled around and caught the hurt in Leia's eyes before it faded into the icy glare he was accustomed to. "You and Luke are a liability to me and to Chewie!"

"Han…" Luke called.

Han pointed a finger at Luke but addressed Leia, "Luke almost died, Leia! A Grendoli almost choked you to death—"

"But he didn't!" she slammed her fists onto her hips.

"Are you really willing to risk your life for Chewie? To die for him?"

"Yes."

Han's eyes widened and retracted. He wasn't expecting that answer, though he shouldn't have been surprised. His chest rose and fell as he stared down the girl, "Well, I'm not willing to let you or Luke die. Chewie's my friend, my responsibility."

"Don't walk away from us, Han!" Leia ordered as she started to follow him.

"Leia," Luke called to her.

"Don't make this hard, Leia," Han whispered, dropped his head, and placed his hands on his hips.

"Han! Come back here!"

"I'm sorry," he muttered and then turned around.

Leia's large brown eyes widened, "You wouldn't."

"Han!" Luke yelled. He reached for his light saber, but it wasn't there.

It didn't matter; it was too late. The electric blue bolt found its target, and Leia crumpled to the ground.

Luke rushed over to the princess, "I can't believe you just did that! What were you thinking!"

"About her safety and yours," Han yelled.

"She's gonna be really mad at you when she wakes up," Luke's eyes reflected his anger and fear. Han had to look away.

"I'd rather her be mad and alive!" He snapped. It wasn't like he was proud of stunning Leia. It was a necessity, he reasoned with himself. "Get her back to the base."

Luke cradled Leia's limp body against his, "How, Han?" He readjusted the girl to another position, hoping she'd be more comfortable. "She's out! And she'll be out for a couple of hours! How am I to get her back to the base like this?"

"I don't know," Han grunted and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "Just keep her safe."

"How?" Luke's chest rose and fell as his anxiety rose.

"You're the Jedi," he took a few steps away from them. He couldn't look at his friends. "Use your light saber. Leia has it."

Luke shifted the girl and found the ancient weapon hanging from her belt. He looked up at Han with tears in his eyes, "You can't do this!"

Han scowled, "It's already done."

"Han!" Luke called after him, but Solo kept going without another glance back. The boy looked down at the pale face of his companion, and then he glanced around. It felt like the whole world was closing in on them.