CHAPTER 10:
Princess Leia felt light-headed, queasy, and cold. She turned up the thermostat once again. Han said that this cabin, his cabin, had the only working thermostat on the ship, and if she was really that cold then she had no choice but to stay in his cabin. Leia suspected Han wasn't being completely truthful. However, his reasoning did seem plausible. Most things on this dumpy ship didn't work.
Still donning Han's parka, Leia slipped under the covers. She pulled the hood of the parka over her head, grabbed the datapad on the desk next to the bed, and scanned its contents for something interesting to read. Her lips pursed when she came across a novel by one of her favorite authors. She hadn't read this one. Leia sighed. This piece of literature must have been released sometime over the last three years, reminding her of all the things she was missing living underground. She searched for the date it was published, but there wasn't any. Her lips slid into a slight smile as she realized that it was a bootleg. Han must have acquired it the way he normally got his hands on rare commodities: the black market. Leia was both surprised and grateful that Han's taste in literature matched hers.
She slid deeper under her covers and began reading. But her mind drifted away from the words on the screen and lit upon the man who owned the datapad. Leia slipped her hand into the pocket that housed the note Han placed on the coat when he left it on her bed.
"Stay warm, Leia. Han."
She didn't pull the note from her pocket, but she did rub her fingers over and over the flimsy. She shivered and scrunched her body into a ball. Leia closed her eyes and the datapad dropped from her hand. Her body urged her to seek him out, let him touch her in hope that he could relieve her chill like he did earlier that morning. But Han could refuse her, snap at her, insult her, hurt her and she couldn't take any more pain. Her pain weighed heavily upon her, threatening to suffocate her and break her into a million pieces.
But he could be gentle, caring, and accommodating. It hadn't been easy for her to be stuck on the Falcon when she knew she wasn't wanted, and it must have been as equally awkward and frustrating for him to be stuck with her.
"You left."
"No without you."
No without me. Leia hugged herself. She didn't understand why he came back for her when he was in such a hurry to leave her. Nor did she understand Han's sudden switch in emotions earlier that morning. Leia understood his anger and his roughness; she wasn't surprised. Han must have been holding in a lot of animosity toward her, and her attitude and behavior obviously pushed him over his limits.
However, Han's sudden tenderness, his gentle touch, his apology, the way he held her, pressed his face against her stomach…why? Did he pity her? Leia scowled. She didn't want his pity. She laid her hand on her abdomen where Han had rested his head, and her eyes automatically closed. She inhaled deeply. Leia swore she could feel his warm breath penetrating the thick material of her thermal shirt. Her stomach performed little flips, easing the queasiness insider her. His touch, his embrace that she wouldn't return, it was about him more than it was about her. Leia hugged herself again as his hurt and fear filled her soul. Han hurts.
Leia opened her eyes and raised them to the ceiling as she fought to hold back her tears. Her chest rose and fell. Other than Luke, she had never felt someone else's pain as deep as she did Han's. His pain became hers, mingled and intertwined into an electric wire that flickered and twitched, burning every nerve in her body. Her body trembled under this new sensation. The pain was almost unbearable, but she had no choice but to bear it. Her queasiness returned and the room seemed to spin as an icy chill settled, once again, in her bones.
A knock on her door caused her to jump and sit up straight like her aunts taught her. Chewie rumbled and woofed and beckoned her with a large hairy paw.
"I'm busy," she bit her lip knowing Chewbacca wouldn't believe her.
He shook his head and entered the room. Leia rolled her eyes and sighed, but she allowed the large Wookie guide her out of the bed and through the curved corridors. When they entered the lounge, Leia's eyes darted around in search for the captain of the ship. He wasn't around, and Leia wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Chewbacca twirled her around in a circle, inciting a smile from the sad girl, and he seated her at the holotable.
"I don't know if I'm up for a game," her smile faded. "Maybe you should play with Artoo."
Chewie growled and Artoo angrily twittered.
Leia cringed, "Sorry I suggested that." She looked into Chewbacca's eager blue eyes, puffed out her cheeks, and exhaled, "Fine. But I get to be the Frobs."
Chewie agreed and he flipped the game on. Shimmery holograms appeared on the table.
"You first," she offered.
As Chewbacca contemplated his move, Leia glanced around at the vents. Han must have been right about thermostat in his room. She pulled her hood over her head and squeezed her knees against her chest before zipping up the parka. Chewie watched her as his hand hovered over the controls.
Leia narrowed her dark eyes on the Wookie, "How long are you going to take to make your move, the first move of the game?"
Chewie scowled and muttered something Leia interpreted as a sour remark. She ignored him and swiftly moved one of her pieces. Chewbacca sat up and looked at her. Then he pulled on the hair on his chin, contemplating his move. Leia rested her own chin on her knees as she waited for him to make his move. She gazed upon the shimmery figures. The animated characters seemed lifelike in their movements, like tiny sentient beings. Sentient beings that she controlled. Leia rubbed her nose and made her move. She pressed her lips together as her piece grabbed one of Chewbacca's and held it over its head before squeezing the "life" out of it. Leia stared at the "dead" hologram and Luke came to mind.
Luke…Leia swallowed as Luke's scratched face popped into her mind. Han reluctantly told her that it looked as if Luke was attacked by some animal. Leia didn't know there was indigenous life on Hoth. The rebels imported the tauntauns. With so much blinding snow and wind, she never imagined…Leia pressed her lips together. Echo Base was her responsibility, and her carelessness caused Luke's death.
Chewbacca grunted, and the princess looked at the board. Chewie had moved one of his pieces, and she surmised he was telling her it was her turn. One of her pieces was in prime position to destroy Chewie's. This piece would tear its opponent to pieces with its jagged teeth. That move would give her the upper hand. Her fingers hovered over the controls.
Chewbacca looked up at her. Leia chose a different piece than Chewie had anticipated which worked in his favor. Instead of destroying his piece, she programmed another piece to move to another square.
Just then Han sauntered into the lounge from the cockpit. He locked eyes with Leia and quickly looked away. "I'll be in the south duct if you need me."
Without looking up from the game Chewie grumbled an affirmative and made his move.
Leia rested her head on her knees, "I can't concentrate, Chewie. I have a headache."
Chewbacca nodded and deactivated the game.
Leia slipped her legs out from beneath the parka, "Do you have any painkillers?"
Chewie tilted his head and scrutinized his opponent. Leia pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, "Please, my head is killing me."
The Wookie stood up and waved a hand at her. The princess shoved her hands in her pockets, wrapping one hand around Luke's light saber and the other around Han's note, and followed Chewie to the galley. Chewbacca mumbled under his breath as he reached up to the highest shelf in the cabinet. He pulled out a tiny bottle filled with oval-shaped white pills. He popped the cap off and handed one to Leia's ready hand.
"Thank you," she smiled as she retrieved a glass and headed over to the sink.
Chewbacca emitted a low, chastising rumble. Leia frowned but took the glass of milk from her tall friend. She supposed the milk would help with her nausea. She laid the pill below her tongue and chased it down with a big gulp of milk. The princess carried the milk as she and Chewie returned to the lounge. She settled in on the chair nearest the navigation console, slouched down, and sipped the milk.
"We should make Artoo and Threepio play each other," Leia suggested with a hint of a devilish smile.
Chewie roared and slapped his knee.
"Mistress Leia," Threepio glanced between the Wookie and the princess. "I really don't feel like playing."
"What else do you have to do?" Leia asked.
"Well…"
Both Chewbacca and Leia knew Han had banned Threepio from working on any more repairs after some mistake the droid made that left Han covered in a thick oozy substance from head to toe. Neither Leia nor Chewie knew exactly what Threepio did, but they had to endure twenty minutes of Han's ranting and raving.
"I see your point," Threepio conceded. "Come on, Artoo."
The stout droid rolled up to the holotable, twittering with excitement.
"What do you mean I'm no match for you?" C-3PO snapped. "Let's just start the game!"
Han dropped out of the duct with grease and dirt smeared on his face, shirt and arms. He frowned when he saw the droids at the holotable and Chewbacca cheering on Artoo. Then his hazel eyes fell upon the princess. Her large brown eyes were wide, and her lips were wrapped around the rim of a glass of milk. They froze as if both were unsure of what to do or say. Han's lips twitched, but he didn't smile. Her eyes were so wide…He dropped his eyes to the floor. He shouldn't have been surprised that she feared him. He gave her plenty of reason to be afraid of him, to hate him. He looked up at her again, wanting to apologize over and over until she accepted it. But Leia's attention was now focused on the holotable. He frowned; an infinite amount of apologies couldn't fix the horrible way he treated her. Han noticed the glass in her hands. She's drinking milk. At least he could take some comfort in that. Han stalked through the lounge.
"I'm gonna take a shower," he mumbled.
The princess' eyes snapped up and stayed glued on Han's back as he stormed away. Don't leave. Leia bit the edge of the glass. The pain in her head pounded against her ears and she winced. She wanted Han to come back, to just be in the lounge with everyone. With her even if he didn't speak to her. Leia removed the glass from her mouth. He didn't want to be around her. A sharp pain pierced her stomach. She gulped down the last of the milk.
"I'm going to get more milk," she announced as she stood up and held the empty glass out.
No one took notice, and Leia was relieved. She rushed to the galley and placed the empty glass on the counter. She opened the cabinet that Chewie had opened earlier, the one that housed the bottle of painkillers. Leia licked her lips as she climbed on the counter. She stretched her arm and her fingers flailed around, but the top shelf remained out of reach. Leia sighed. She grabbed the cabinet door and pulled herself up to her feet. She then felt around until her fingers wrapped around the tiny bottle. Leia held it up to her eyes just to make sure she had the right bottle.
The princess ran her bottom lip through her teeth as she looked down. Climbing up was the easy part. She slipped the bottle of painkillers into the pocket where Luke's saber was safely tucked away. Leia ran her fingers along the cold hilt before she closed the cabinet door. She balanced on her tip-toes as she squatted down and placed her hands on the cold counter. Leia sat down, curled her fingers around the edge of the counter, and pushed herself off of the counter.
Leia decided to refill her glass with milk before she took the pills. After filling the glass, she opened the pill bottle and dropped one into her hand. The girl chewed the inside of her cheek as she stared at the oval white pill. The first one Chewbacca gave her didn't seem to be working at all. The shooting pains in her head hadn't receded in the least bit, nor did the throbbing pain in her body. She doubted only one wouldn't be sufficient. Leia shook the pill bottle over her hand until another pill dropped into her hand. She snapped the cap back onto the bottle and looked up at the cabinet. She lacked the energy to climb up again so she left the pill bottle on the counter. Leia then popped the pills in her mouth and swallowed both of them with a generous amount of milk before returning to the lounge.
Chewbacca watched Leia as she walked across the lounge to the seat she occupied earlier. He gurrwaffed, and she looked at him. Artoo and Threepio were no longer playing the hologame, and she noticed how quiet it was. Chewie must have shooed them out of the lounge.
"Where are the droids?" she asked though she couldn't understand Shyriiwook.
Chewie grumbled and waved a hand in the direction of the cockpit. Leia nodded. She held her glass of milk close to her chest with two hands as she went to sit next to the Wookie on the cushioned lounge bench. Leia quietly sipped her milk.
After a few moments, she glanced at Chewie, "What do you and Han do from getting bored?"
Chewbacca shrugged and waved his hand around the room.
Leia snorted, "Repairs. Why didn't I figure that out?"
The Wookie nodded and chuckled.
"Anything else?"
He reached under the holotable and opened a drawer. He then placed a stack of cards on the table. He pushed the cards towards the princess. Leia finished her milk and put the glass down on the table.
"Sure. Anything but Sabaac," she picked up the pile of cards and shuffled them. "My head hurts too much to think."
Chewie moaned and placed a large hand on her head. He gently massaged the top of her head before moving to the back and then to her forehead. Leia closed her eyes and sighed, "That feels good."
He growled and removed his hand.
"How about a game of Yuvum?"
Chewie nodded and Leia passed out the cards. They played the game in silence. The painkillers began to take effect and although her pain didn't disappear, it was a little duller, and she cared less about everything that pressed down upon her. She even smiled when her move trumped Chewbacca's.
Leia wasn't sure how many games they played, but her light-headedness increased and her stomach churned. She put her cards down, "I'm tired, Chewie. Would it be okay to end this game?"
Chewbacca shrugged and collected the cards.
"I think I'll go lie down."
"The princess stood up and knocked the glass off of the table. It shattered into pieces, "Oh, Krest!"
Chewbacca jumped up and immediately went to her side. Leia crouched down began picking up the broken pieces. He helped her. When they both stood up, Leia's eyes drooped. Chewie took the pieces of glass from her hands and nudged her towards the crew's cabin with his body.
"Thank you."
With a hand pressed against the bulkhead she slowly made her way to Han's cabin. Maybe those two extra pills weren't a good idea. Then again, she felt numb and cushioned inside herself. Her pain, both physical and emotional, seemed unfocused and distant. She had a flavor of relief and she coveted it as much as she could under the numbing effect of those pills.
Leia finally reached Han's cabin. She let go of the wall and took a step toward his room. Her legs buckled, and she crashed to the floor.
"Damn," she muttered.
The princess placed her hands on the floor and positioned her knees underneath her. She then moved one leg so that her foot remained solid on the floor. Leia pushed against her hands and foot and attempted to move her other leg into the same position as the first. To no avail; she had no strength to climb to her feet.
Leia dropped back down to the floor and laid her hand upon her face. It wasn't that far to the bed. Surely, she could make it. She cursed under her breath and crawled into the cabin. The princess sighed and smiled when she reached the bed.
But Leia's smile faded as she realized that she could never get into that bed in the state that she was in.
"Aw, nerf fodder."
Leia dropped to the floor and rolled onto her back.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Han Solo toweled off his body. He wiped the fog off of the mirror and took a peek at his reflection. He scowled at his reflection, threw the towel over his head, and rigorously rubbed his hair. He dropped the towel and looked at his reflection again with more disgust than the first time.
Han then looked at his clothes which were covered in grease. He hadn't thought of grabbing any clean clothes before he took the shower. He pressed his lips together and stared at his dirty clothes. Leia was in the lounge last he saw her. She could still be there.
However, he dawdled in the shower to avoid everyone. He might have been in there long enough for her to tire of Chewie's and the droids' company. She might be in his cabin. Han started to wrap a towel around his waist and opened the refresher door. Then he paused. If Leia was in there, she definitely wouldn't appreciate him showing up in a towel. Han grunted, pulled his pants on, and made his way to his cabin.
Solo stopped just short of the door and knocked on the wall next to it, "Hey, Your Worship. I need to get some clothes."
"Come in."
At least that's what he thought she said. Han stepped into the doorway and found her arms and legs spread out like she the time she made her snow angel on Hoth, "What are you doing on the floor?"
"I'm resting," she mumbled as she fought to open her eyes.
"What's wrong with the bed?"
"Too far away."
Han walked over to her and stared at her stretched out form, "You're lying right next to it."
"It's too far away."
Han's brow knitted, "You're lying less than a meter away."
Leia closed her eyes and forcefully exhaled, "It's too tall."
"Have you been drinking?"
Her eyes opened into slits and her nose scrunched, "What? I have a headache."
"Are you feeling sick?" he knelt down beside her and touched her forehead. Cold and clammy.
"Chewie!" Han yelled. He got up and then used the intercom to call him. "Chewie! Somethin's wrong with Leia."
Then he turned his attention back to the princess, "Leia! Come on. Open your eyes."
"I'm tired."
Han slipped his hands underneath her arms and lifted her into a sitting position. She couldn't hold herself up and ended up leaning against Han's bare chest.
The heat of Han's bear skin and to Leia his heat seemed to penetrate the thick parka. Leia snuggled in, "You're warm."
"What?"
Chewbacca rushed into the room and the droids showed behind him.
"Oh, dear! What's wrong with Princess Leia?"
Han glanced up at Chewie, "Feel her forehead. I think she's sick."
"I'm tired," she muttered.
Chewie sat back on his haunches and ruffed and whortled.
"How many did you give her?" Han yelled. Chewie's volume matched Han's. Han shook his head and looked down at her, "One wouldn't do this to her. Do you think--?"
Han tipped Leia's head up so that he could look into her face, "How many did you take?"
"Take what?" her eyes fluttered open and closed.
"Painkillers!"
"Chewie gave me one," she reported.
Han glared at his best friend, ready to lay into him with all the rage he had.
"Then I took two more," Leia confessed.
"Why?"
Her large brown eyes opened and she gazed into Han's eyes, "I had a headache."
"Why three?"
She closed her eyes and dropped her head, "It was a really bad headache." She yawned, "I might have taken too many."
"You think?" Han tried to control his anger.
"My headache is gone," she ignored him. "No I think it's still there. I just don't care about the pain anymore."
"Of course you don't," Han sniped. "Vicodin will do that too you for awhile."
Han gently slipped his parka off of her, careful not to remind her about how rough he was when he removed it in the morning. He cringed at the memory, but he pushed away his self-loathing. She needed his full attention right now.
"Go get somethin' to make her throw up," Han ordered Chewbacca. Chewie shook his head and grumbled.
"She's small and light. You don't know if it is or isn't enough to kill her," Han picked Leia up in arms and started toward the refresher, "I'm not takin' any chances."
"I'll go get something, Captain Solo," Threepio disappeared and Artoo followed him.
"Are you gonna help me?" Han asked.
Chewbacca reached the refresher first and cleared away Han's discarded towel and dirty clothes. Han sat behind Leia as he positioned her in front of the toilet.
"Please don't make me throw up," Leia whined in a way that reminded Han of Luke. Luke died because he was too late. If he waits to see if Leia can sleep it off, he could be too late again.
"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," he whispered into her ear and placed a light kiss on the crown of her head. "I can't take any risks."
"I was drugged on the Death Star with much stronger medication," she said before she yawned. "Three Vicodin won't kill me. Just let me sleep."
Han squeezed his eyes shut. Does he force his will upon her like Vader? Or does he honor her wishes? He sighed. Leia didn't take very well care of herself, and she seemed to be getting worse at it. He shook his head, "You yourself said you might have taken too much."
Leia turned in his arms, and her head flopped back, "'Might' being the key word."
Han shifted his arm to support her head. She placed a hand on his bare chest. Han sucked in a breath at the shock of her cold hand and the electric heat it caused.
"Please. I hate throwing up," she gazed up at him with large pleading eyes.
He looked away, "Luke would kill me if I let you die."
Leia touched his face, "Luke won't even know."
Han felt like he himself was going to throw up. He positioned her in front of the toilet, "I'm not gonna have your death on my conscious too."
The princess laid her hand upon the arm that supported her. "Han, it wasn't your fault."
"Threepio clattered into the tight refresher, "We have something, although I doubt it will help. Artoo insisted a spoon would do the job."
"Thanks, Artoo," Han took the spoon and flipped it around in his hand so that the handle faced the princess. "Come on," he urged her to her knees. "Do this…" for me. But why would Leia do anything for him? "Do this for Luke."
Leia's eyes popped open. "Not fair," she whispered.
"Nothin's ever fair, princess," Han reminded her. "Open up…please."
Leia closed her eyes. If she threw up the pills, would her numbness go away? She didn't have much time to ponder that question. Han shoved the handle of the spoon down her throat until she gagged. She coughed and coughed before the contents of her stomach came up.
The princess leaned back on Han and wiped the tears from her eyes. Chewbacca handed her a glass of water, and Leia took a swig and spit it out in the toilet. Then she drank it, breathing into the cup in between swallows. Han took the glass from her and gave it to Chewie.
"Will Princess Leia be okay?" Threepio inquired.
No. "Yeah," Han muttered.
Leia breathed hard and wiped at her eyes, "I hate throwing up."
"I hated making you do it," Han grunted. "Don't make me do it again." He looked up at his best friend, "Chewie, help her to her cabin."
Chewbacca grumbled and Han shook his head. "I gotta finish gettin' dressed."
The Wookie took Leia's hands and pulled her to her feet. Although her steps were shaky, Leia managed to walk back to Han's cabin.
Solo stayed seated on the floor.
"Captain Solo, do you need anything else from us?"
Han looked up at the droids, noticing them for the first time. He shook his head, and Threepio and Artoo quickly disappeared. Han touched Luke's pendant that still encircled his neck. What was he going to do with Leia without Luke? He couldn't help her. Hell, he couldn't help himself. There was something magical about his young naïve late friend. Maybe it was his inane optimism. The three of them worked well together, and Luke was the one who balanced them out.
Han buried his head in his hands. He missed Luke more than he ever thought possible. And although Han envied Luke's relationship with Leia at times, Luke was good for her. Luke was good for Han as well. But…Luke and Leia…Han wanted her to be happy. He always did, especially after the horrors she endured. And Luke made her happy. Han always wished he could make her just as happy….
All he managed to do was make her miserable. He snorted. And she was upset because he was leaving. Han couldn't figure out why.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As everyone slept, Han Solo leaned back in the pilot's seat and watched the streaks of stars pass by. When did his life get so out of control? That was an easy question. It was the moment he agreed to transport Luke and that old man to Alderaan. No, that wasn't true. It was the moment he agreed to help Luke rescue the princess. The promise of a reward so large that he couldn't imagine was something not to be turned down. Rescue a princess, collect the reward, and pay off Jabba.
But the moment he saw the feisty, fearless girl whose wit and ideas came as fast, if not faster, than his and didn't think twice about insulting a Wookie, the money meant nothing. And that was the moment his life became a whirlwind of forces beyond his control. She was intriguing and infuriating and obstinate and stubborn. She was beautiful and caring and soft and loyal and strong…and fragile.
Princess Leia suffered over Alderaan in silence, throwing her complete self in the underground fight to destroy the Empire. As far as Han knew, Leia hadn't dealt with Luke's death at all. But then, Han hadn't either. How alike the he and Leia were, pushing down things they didn't want to deal with. However, Luke's death was too much for either them to bear, maybe harder for Leia. Han sometimes was jealous of the close relationship between the princess and the young pilot. He wanted what they had with Leia, but he sometimes felt shut out when he saw the two with their heads together, sharing secrets, and laughing. Han and Chewie had the same kind of connection, but…why was it so hard between Leia and him?
Pride. Pride held him back. If she rejected his friendship, him, he would have been crushed. It was better to capture her attention by making her angry, upset, and embarrassed than to have no attention from her at all. Becoming so attached to Luke and Leia wasn't the biggest mistake he ever made. His biggest mistake was letting his pride interfere. And now, with only three days left until they reached Sullust, it was too late.
Han's fingers rubbed the stone that Luke's father intended for him to have. He meant to give it to Leia, but with all the animosity and anger between them, he didn't feel there had been a right time to give it to her. Maybe he could get Chewbacca to give it to her. Chewbacca managed to get Leia to drink some milk, and even if that wasn't quite the size of a meal she needed, it was something.
Something he made her throw up as he tried to empty her stomach of those pills. Leia stayed in her room the rest of the day. Han decided not to disturb her even at meal times. He worried about her lack of consuming any substance, but he could not swallow another showdown with her that day. His stomach still churned at the memory, and he even skipped their evening meal. Han chewed on the inside of his cheek. Eventually, the stubborn girl would get so hungry that she'd something.
But it had already been three days, and Han wasn't sure when she last ate something at Echo Base.
Han sighed. Leia was who Leia was. His presence or absence wouldn't change who she was. And Han's own grief made taking care of her more difficult. She was a constant reminder of Luke and not just because he met the pair together. There were shadowy hints of Luke in some of her expressions and her body language. Leia was Leia, but she definitely picked up some of Luke's mannerisms during the time they spent together. Could Han live with that reminder on a daily basis?
And there was a price on his head. That wasn't something Han was even including in his dilemma. He didn't completely lie to her when he told her that he was leaving to pay off his debt. Who would take care of Leia if… when he left? I'm sorry…I ever thought of leaving you. He didn't say that out loud when he held her over his lap. He made no promises to her. But leaving her…
Luke…the hurt look in his eyes, his slightly open frown as the boy stared up at him when he realized that Han was truly leaving right before Luke was going to pilot his first X-Wing against the Death Star…that look was burned into Han's mind. Luke would glare at him with that same look if he knew Han was considering abandoning Leia.
His pain felt crippling. Han would be abandoning her to her death. But then, he couldn't prevent Luke's death. He was bound to fail her too. Han closed his eyes, squeezing them tight. Leia was dying right in front of his eyes. He had already failed her.
Han jumped when Princess Leia appeared standing next to him. At first he thought he fell asleep and was dreaming.
Han tipped his head up to look into her face, "What's wrong?"
"I'm cold."
Han looked her up and down. She wore three pairs of socks, his old sweater, and his parka with the hood hanging over her eyes. She had a blanket wrapped tightly around her, and he was certain she had thermals underneath all those clothes.
"The thermostat not workin'?"
"It is."
"Come 'ere," he sat up and took the blanket from her. "Take off that coat."
Although Leia's countenance pinched into confusion, she did as he said. Han took the parka from her as well. She immediately hunched over and hugged herself.
"Here," he patted, "sit on my lap."
Leia bit her lip as she climbed onto his lap. Han arranged her so that she faced away from the canopy and could pull her feet up to rest on his thigh.
"Put your arm in here," he instructed.
The princess slipped her arm into one of the sleeves of the parka so that if she was to put it on the rest of the way it would be on backwards. Han arranged the coat so that it lied across her body and tucked it under her toes. Han paused when he touched her feet. How could they be so cold under all those socks? He touched her cheeks and noticed her lips were blue. Just like Luke's…
Han pushed that thought out of his mind. "Hm," he frowned. "You are freezing."
"I know."
Han's heart sped up a bit, and he fought to control it. He had thought her complaints about the temperature had to do with her slow recovery from the icy conditions on Hoth, and here on the Falcon, he thought it was all in her head since Chewie adjusted the heat to the point it was getting uncomfortably warm. And his cabin where she slept was like a sauna. How could she be so cold?
Completely at a loss, Han took the blanket and wrapped it around both of them, tucking it around both of his shoulders and under her feet and backside, creating a pocket that enveloped the girl. Han slumped down and rested his feet upon the console, tipping Leia so that she was cradled between his lap and upper body. She held her hands clasped under her chin and rested her head on Han's shoulder and chest. Han wrapped his arms around her, hoping he could warm her up. But if the heating system on the Falcon couldn't, what chance did he have?
However, what else could he do?
"I don't think I'll ever be warm again," Leia confessed in a quiet, child-like voice.
Han placed a kiss upon the crown of her head. "I'll keep you warm," he whispered into her hair, hoping he could keep his promise.