The insistent tap on the door accompanied by Han's deep voice drew the Princess' attention away from her data pad and back to the Corellian she had purposefully driven from her thoughts.

"Leia, we need to talk – I want to update you on our arrival to Corellia and also go over some possible repair assignments." He winced to himself. Pretty lame excuses. Damn, must be losing my edge… Han fidgeted as he stared at the dingy door, waiting for a reply and hoping the famous Solo-luck would provide him access to his hearts' desire on the opposite side of the portal. Struggling to retain his composure, Han's fingers itched to override the lock and palm it open himself if he had to wait much longer.

Thankfully the portal hissed open, and Han took a sharp intake of air as he stepped slowly into the chamber. His eyes darted around to settle upon Leia's beautiful face, which was bruised, her split lip still slightly swollen and attempting to heal. The captain felt a wave of shame creep up his spine and he struggled to maintain his composure, with Leia shifting uncomfortably under his stare.

Finally Han found his voice again. "Are you alright Princess?" his soft Corellian drawl swirling in her ears as she returned his gaze. He was overcome with the desire to wrap his arms around Leia's tiny frame and beg for forgiveness. Control yourself for gods' sake - be thankful she let you in the cabin but don't push your luck.

The Princess observed he had cleaned up nicely after a shower and shave; Han's appearance returning to the familiar attractive scoundrel she knew. She thought she knew, a tiny voice reminded from the back of her mind. Leia watched as his tall frame moved with guarded purpose toward her, the expression changing on his face between concern and something else that caused her stomach to flutter.

I don't have time for this. I've got a Rebellion to run... people are depending on me, no matter what crazy, archaic schemes Mom Mothma and General Dodonna are trying to devise…

Leia clutched the data pad to her chest protectively, crossing thin arms in front of her like a shield to fend off the smooth-talking ex-smuggler who was moving closer. Straightening her posture, she addressed him with a flippant, almost chilly voice, "Yes, I'm fine. I see you've recovered nicely, though I imagine we'll still need to acquire a level 2 or 3 bacta once we arrive on Corellia."

He couldn't help but notice the contradiction between her verbal posturing and the rosy color flushing her cheeks and the quickening of her breath. Unable to maintain her impassive countenance, the princess lowered her eyes to the floor, sensing her resolve slipping away under his intense appraisal.

Raising a questioning eyebrow, Han rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You don't seem fine to me Sweetheart- you've been hiding in here for hours."

Though Han's words lacked the typical teasing she was accustomed to, Leia still bristled at the comment. "I haven't been hiding," she retorted defensively with a slight huff. "I've been re-assessing the Alliance's covert recruiting campaigns and I think we can make some improvements."

Han certainly wasn't going to walk into an argument about her elusive behavior or the Rebellion, nodding his head instead and adding a non-committal "Great." He chanced brushing a few stray hairs off her forehead while trying a lopsided grin. "I gotta confession to make; I think I'm suffering from some kind of strange 'withdrawal' – a 'Lack -of -Feisty-Princess Syndrome' or something. I just had to see you."

Leia rolled her eyes at him as her lips curled involuntarily upwards. Before she could volley a response Han interrupted, clearing his throat while pulling a crumpled tube of Bacta from his vest pocket. "And…I was worried about you... figured you should have this for your lip," he offered sheepishly while studying the label of the tube instead of her flushing face.

She grew more off-balance from Han's uncharacteristic tentativeness, finally croaking a 'thank you' while reaching for the medicine in his palm. Attempting to divert the conversation, Leia inquired, "So what repairs do you think I could assist with? And didn't you mention we'll have to special order a significant amount of parts once we arrive on your home planet?"

Han didn't relinquish the salve, and instead boldly- or foolishly- took the opportunity to slowly run the tip of his index finger along the princess' sore skin.

Leia flinched at his touch, biting her lower lip with internal confusion. "That can wait – first, let me help you with this," he coaxed, twisting the cap off the tube while waiting for her response.

"Oh, that isn't necessary Han, I can take care of it myself," she muttered, the words sticking to her tongue slightly and feeling her cheeks flare hot, wondering where this was leading.

"Leia, you took care of me when I was sick, I do remember that much; please - I want to, need to do this." Give me a chance Sweetheart...

The princess' mouth fell open slightly, not being able to recall ever hearing the word 'please' pass through the lips of the ex-smugglers cocky mouth.

She closed her eyes as Han's calloused hand cradled her bruised cheek, shuddering at the feel of his finger caressing her throbbing lip. The tingling sensation of the bacta elicited a barely perceptible sigh from the princess and she quickly squeezed her damp eyes tight to prevent any tears from escaping. I can do this, soon he'll be finished; I won't cry in front of him.

Han's breath was hot against her temple as he leaned close and whispered fragmented words into her ear. "I'm sorry… I did this to you," he choked out the ending of his confession, wishing in vain he could erase the damage his hands and mouth had inflicted. His intentions were far from erotic as he ghosted his lips against every exposed bruise or incriminating mark that he could see.

The Princess was frozen in place and her rigid stance was softening under Han's touch and the soft murmurs he was whispering in his native tongue. She liked it when he touched her like this...wanted more...and the data pad fell from her grip to the floor with a loud clatter.

The logical part of Han's brain warned him otherwise, but his body disagreed, impulsively wrapping his arms gently around the princess, tugging her into a tender embrace, and Leia found herself melding into the warmth and comfort of Han's chest, losing what little resistance remained inside her. "I want to hate you for what you did to me," she rasped into his worn shirt now becoming damp from a sudden rush of tears. "I should," she tried to convince herself, pushing out of Han's arms.

"Do you think that by saying you're sorry will make everything alright?", Leia sputtered hotly with resentment at Han and her own lack of self-control. "You acted like some abusive animal. How do I know that it won't happen again," she turning away from his pained expression to bury her face in her hands.

Han's heart ached, both from the misery he had caused Leia and her biting, yet justifiable questions. "Of course it's not enough… but dammit, Leia, I don't know what the hell else to say or do!" He blurted out, throwing his arms out in defeat before running fingers through his already tousled hair.

After a few moments of deafening silence, Han turned toward the princess after his brain finally digested her last comment. "What did you mean, 'again'? Do you really think I'd beat you or...anything else... if I was in my right state of mind? I'd shoot myself before doing anything like that to you," he exclaimed. "You do believe me, don't you?"

She didn't need to say it, but the Princess' fear of him turning into his father poked uneasily at his conscience, and he found himself flushing in embarrassment and indignation the longer she remained silent. He'd never be like his asshole father.

Grasping her elbow softly, he guided her around to face him. "What kind of heartless bastard do you think I am, Princess? I may tease and irritate the hell out of you sometimes…maybe I'm a little rough around the edges," he admitted while jabbing a thumb into his chest, "But I'm no woman-beater whose gonna force myself on you," he sputtered, his voice raising. "That was my 'Old man's style, not mine!"

Leia wiped at the unwanted tears stinging her eyes while glancing up at Han, who looked uncharacteristically frazzled with his hands smashed into the pockets of his Bloodstripes. She said nothing and only stared at him through tear-blurred vision.

He exhaled heavily as his shoulders slumped in the beginning stages of defeat. But he wasn't a quitter and it couldn't end like this, he wouldn't give up, after coming so close to breaking through her barriers.

"Princess, when I was sick you begged me to fight to live - to fight for you; I remember as much."

Her face visibly softened at Han's reminder and he regained a touch of momentum while earnestly inquiring, "Do you remember what I asked you, when we were wrapped around each other in my bed?"

Blinking back more tears, Leia found her voice. "You asked me to stay with you," she said, gazing at him with wide red-rimmed eyes.

"I meant what I said - that was no delusion." He swallowed the lump in his throat before asking with a small, hopeful grin, "Can we start over? Maybe I could interest you in some Szaro chili? I won't bother trying to win you over with Orsab soup again."

She sniffled, then found herself giving him a shy smile and nodding, his reference to that ill-fated event stamped in her memory…

It had seemed like a life time ago, Leia pondered. She had been withdrawn and depressed, still reeling from the loss of her family and the destruction of Alderaan from a year earlier. Stuck together on a long mission, Captain Solo had been surprisingly sympathetic, listening to her reminisce for hours about long-gone family and friends, happy childhood memories, accidently revealing how homesick she was for something as simple as a traditional Alderaanian meal.

When he had surprised her that night with Alderannian Orsab soup, she couldn't help but laugh. That was one of the few traditional meals she absolutely hated, so much in fact her parents had often threatened it as a punishment for bad behavior.

She had thanked Han profusely anyway as he make self-deprecating jokes and poked fun at 'a picky-eating Princess'; the two of them sharing some left-over Szaro chili instead. Leia's grin grew into a smile, remembering how Han had graciously offered the whole pot of soup to a hungry Wookiee…

Han could be so infuriatingly overconfident and brash at times; Yet not now. He had searched her out – remorseful, sympathetic and sweet, in a scoundrel-ish kind of way. The princess' trademark cautiousness that she applied to every other facet in her life in the past was faltering now. She graced the ex-smuggler with another tiny smile. "I am a little hungry."

Exhaling a long breath that he had been holding, Han flashed a relieved and thankful grin. "That's what I wanted to hear, Sweetheart- your wish is my command," he drawled, bowing and offering the princess his arm and escorting her out of the crews quarters.

...she's giving me a second chance...