IF YOU HAVEN'T REREAD CHAPTER 9, PLEASE DO. I POSTED THE WRONG CHAPTER 9. PLEASE READ THAT CHAPTER BEFORE THIS

CHAPTER 10:

Han Solo and Princess Leia grimly stared at the permacrete wall in front of them. Leia looked back to see if their predators had caught up to them. No one was in sight. The alley they ran down was thin, easily missed, but if that man and his friends saw them turn into it, they were trapped.

The princess huffed. "Looks like your famous Han-Solo luck finally ran out."

"Maybe not. Look."

Leia's eyes followed to where Han was pointed, and she broke out into a cautiously-relieved smile. About twelve feet above her head was a fire-escape ladder that led to the roof. An odd place for a fire-escape ladder to be, for there were now windows on building and it led up to the roof; maybe it wasn't a fire escape at all. Leia wasn't going to waste time worrying about that now.

"Not bad."

Solo jumped to reach the ladder to pull it down but didn't jump high enough. He tried again.

"You're never going to reach it."

"Your pessimism isn't helping.

Leia rolled her eyes and moved to stand in front of him. "Let me."

Han pulled a face, squatted, and cupped his hands. Leia put her hands on his shoulders and slipped her foot into the pocket he created.

"Okay, on three."

Leia bent the knee of the leg she was standing on.

"One, two, three."

Han grunted as Leia pushed off the ground and put all of her weight in his hands. She then moved one hand off his shoulder and reached up.

She looked down at him. "Don't drop me."

"Don't you trust me, Sweetheart?" he winked at her.

Another eye roll, before she removed her other hand from his shoulder. She stretched her body to its full length and placed her free foot on Han's shoulder. Han adjusted his feet to compensate for her shift in position. Leia's fingers wrapped around the ladder, and she pulled hard. It came crashing down, knocking her off-balance. Han caught her by the waist and lowered her to her feet.

The ladder still was above Leia's head, though it was within Han's reach. He held his hands out again, and Leia put her foot in them, and he lifted her up to meet the ladder. He then placed his hands on her backside, and pushed her up until her feet reached the bottom rung. Leia began to climb with the agility of a spider monkey. By the time Han began to ascend the ladder, she was already halfway up.

Han looked down at the alley to see if anyone was following them as he began climbing. No one. Maybe the man and his friends gave up the chase. He looked up. The action gave him a clear view up the princess's skirt. He cringed. While he enjoyed the view, it felt…wrong…disrespectful (had he ever felt disrespectful taking an advantage of a view? Han couldn't remember) watching her thighs and backside work. He dropped his eyes and focused on the rungs in front. However, his eyes wandered up.

Focusing on the rungs wasn't helping. Han picked up his speed, and he hurried his way up until his chest was level with her thighs. He couldn't help touching her body, but it was better than stealing looks up her skirt. However, this interfered with her climbing. Leia stopped, turned her head over her shoulder, and gave him stink-eye.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm hurrying you up."

"You're slowing me down."

Leia's eyes caught a movement at the entrance of the alley.

"We've got company."

"Then you better get moving."

The princess finally reached the top of the ladder and climbed onto the roof. Han followed suit. There was no question that their predators saw them, and they'd be right behind Han and Leia soon. Han took a moment to glance down at their enemies.

"What are you doing! They'll be here any minute!"

Wearing a quizzical expression, Han turned his head to Leia.

"What?"

"Goroborian is down there."

"Really?"

Leia knelt down and leaned her head over the side. The weapon's dealer was talking with their pursuers. The man and his friends turned their angry faces up to the pair before walking away. Goroborian held his cigar to his mouth and puffed on it a few times as he stared at the princess and the smuggler. He raised an eyebrow and then walked away.

"What just happened?"

"I think we're in the clear."

Leia sat back on her haunches, as did Han. The gave each other an incredulous look. Han winked and flashed her his lop-sided grin.

"The famous Solo luck at play, Your Worshipfulness."

Leia rolled her eyes yet again—how Han loved when she did that—and started toward the ladder.

Han grabbed her hand as she passed him.

"Can't go back that way."

"Why not? You said we're in the clear."

"Goroborian stopped them, but they'll be waiting for us somewhere down the street."

"So we're trapped here."

Han looked around. His eyes lit up when he noticed the door that led into the building. The paint was faded and it looked weak.

"Come'n."

Still holding her hand, Han led her to the door and tried the handle. His lips twisted to the right when he tried the look.

"It's locked."

Han let go of Leia, bent his legs, and rammed his body into the door. He repeated his actions.

Leia crossed her arms over her chest.

"That may work if the door opened in."

Han pulled a face. He studied the old-fashion doorknob, braced his foot against the door, and tugged on the knob.

"Move."

The princess pushed him to the side, pulled out a bobby pin from her hair, and crouched down in front of the knob. She bent the pin and slipped it into the keyhole. Biting her lip, Leia worked the pin up and down until she heard a click.

"Where'd you learn that?"

"There was an old barn near the pa—where I lived. I would break into it to hide from my aunts' etiquette lessons. They wanted me to be a 'proper princess." She huffed. "As if that was the most important thing in the galaxy."

Han smiled. "Etiquette lessons?"

"Shut up."

Leia turned the knob. The door opened, and a siren screamed out.

"Damn! Security will be on us faster than it'll take us to figure out a new plan." Han rubbed the scar under his lip. "Maybe I can talk our way out of this."

"Your mouth usually causes us more trouble than if you kept it shut."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Leia's large brown eyes searched their surrounds before they found a long piece of thick lumber. She then eyed the space between their building and the building next to it. She ran to the piece of lumber.

"I hope you're not thinking what I'm thinking."

She knelt down and tried to pick up the plank. She lifted it off the ground but was having trouble maneuvering it.

"Help me."

Han shook his head. "I don't think this is a good idea."

However, he walked over to the board and lifted the other end. He then hoisted his end over his shoulder. Leia did the same. They carried it to the edge of the rooftop and slid it across the gap between the buildings. Han looked over the edge and grimaced.

"This doesn't look safe."

"Obviously, someone did this before. Why else would this board be here?"

She pushed down on the board, testing the stability of it. She looked across the building. There was enough hang over on both sides to keep it in place.

"Hold it."

"I'm going first."

Before Han could protest, Leia stepped on the edge of the lumber. Han grabbed the end, and she used his head to steady herself. She let go of his head, held her arms out to the side, and put one foot over the other. The princess took careful steps, but when she was about one third across the bridge they created, she wobbled. Han's heart leapt into his throat, cutting off his breath.

However, Leia's spider-monkey-like agility kicked in. Still holding her hands out, she ran across the board until she reached the other side. Han exhaled.

She smiled at him and placed her chest on the end of the board on her side to keep it steady for Han.

"Your turn."

Han looked down again. The building had to be seven stories high.

"Don't look down. Just do it."

Solo inhaled, stepped on the board, and held his arms out like Leia. At first his steps were shaky—he definitely did not have the agility of the princess—but he had no choice but to continue. Han turned his body and side-stepped his way across. He started to become comfortable, confident, and quickened his steps. He looked at Leia. Her face did not reflect his confidence. In fact, there was fear in her eyes.

Han had a few steps until his feet would be on solid ground. He took larger steps and just as he was about to step onto the edge of the roof, he lost his balance.

"Han!"