The morning started off badly. Tempers were frayed due to the interrupted sleep and it was only a matter of time before someone finally snapped. Unluckily for Leia, it happened while Han had ventured out to attain some fresh supplies.

What had started off as a quiet game of holochess soon escalated into an all out shouting match. From the galley, Leia could hear a minor argument starting between the twins. Already having witnessed a few scuffles, Leia decided that they would likely work it out themselves, leaving them to it while she continued tidying away the breakfast pots. That was her first mistake.

When she heard the voices steadily getting louder and angrier she went to investigate. The sight that confronted her sent her into panic mode. Jaina was straddling Jacen's back, pinning him on his stomach to the floor. Jacen was flinging his legs up to the best of his ability, trying to knock his sister off him. Anakin was still seated quietly at the holochess table, covering his ears with his hands.

Leia, assuming that Jaina was the perpetrator, yelled at her to get off her brother and explain just what she thought she was doing. This was her second mistake. Although Jaina did as she was asked, the conversation that followed went anything but smoothly.

"Explain yourself, young lady." Leia turned steely eyes on her daughter.

"Jacen said I was cheating when I wasn't!"

"So you think that makes it alright to attack him?" Leia countered.

"I didn't, he started it. I was only defending myself!"

"That's not what it looked like," turning to Anakin, Leia blundered into her third, and most detrimental mistake, "Anakin, who started this? Was it Jaina or Jacen?"

Anakin didn't say a word.

"It's alright, you can tell me."

When Anakin just shook his head, Leia lost all patience, "Tell me now, Anakin!" she shouted, wincing slightly as her voice echoed, her anger bouncing around the walls of the tiny room.

Leia felt a lump in her throat that refused to be swallowed as she watched Anakin break down in front of her. First, his bottom lip started to tremble; he took it between his teeth in an effort to forestall it. His efforts were futile as his eyes glazed over, filling with tears that were just begging to fall. As the first tear drop broke free, Anakin sprang from his seat and ran out the room. The sound of the 'fresher door could be clearly heard opening, then locking.

Feeling completely out of her depth, Leia turned her attention back to the twins. Right, I can do this, divide and conquer is probably my best bet.

"Jaina, go and wait in the galley. I'd like to talk to Jacen."

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not leaving so that Jacen can lie about who started it!" Jaina retorted, her tone petulant.

"You will do as I say!"

"No I won't, you can't tell me what to do. You're not my real mom!"

Leia felt dizzy; everything in the room started to spin. She's right, what was I even thinking? Leia felt herself starting to sway. Suddenly two strong hands grasped her shoulders, steadying her.

"Jaina, go and wait in the galley. Don't even think about coming out until I say. Jacen, you go wait in Chewie's cabin...now!" Han's stern voice left no room for dispute.

As the children skulked off to their respective destinations, Leia felt Han turn her around in his arms and hold her to him. Face pressed into his shirt, she couldn't quite grasp what had just happened.

"Hey, do you wanna tell me what's going on? And where's Anakin?" Han spoke softly into her hair. His breath disturbed the hairs on the crown of her head, sending a shiver down her spine and snapping her back to reality.

Pushing herself out of Han's arms, she spoke, her voice shaky, "I shouted at him..." she paused, feeling ashamed. Taking a breath, she carried on, "I shouted at him, and he hadn't done anything wrong. He was so upset."

"You shouted at him. For nothing? Where is he now?"

"He locked himself in the 'fresher I think."

Leia watched Han's jaw set as he looked in the direction of the 'fresher. Feeling the weight of his disappointment baring down on her, she fled to the aft hold.

Han stood silently for a second in the now empty room, wondering how he was supposed to prioritise four upset family members, especially when he had no clue as to what had happened.

Passing Chewie's door first, he decided to start there. Jacen sat in the middle of the floor, looking entirely guilty. Well, this should be interesting.

"Jacen, I want to know exactly what happened out there...from the beginning." His voice was not angry, but it was firm. It appeared to have the desired effect on Jacen, who spilt the entire story.

"I thought Jaina was cheating so I started playing badly on purpose just to annoy her. She doesn't like it if you let her win. Then she said that only she and Anakin could play the next game because I wasn't taking it seriously so I pulled her hair."

"Okay, thank you for being honest, Jacen. What happened next?"

"She grabbed my hair so I pushed her off the chair and we started fighting, Jaina had managed to pin me by the time Mom came in. She assumed that Jaina had started it and... I didn't correct her." Jacen sounded truly sorry as he said the last part.

"Okay, Jacen, I'm going to go talk to your sister now. You stay here and start thinking about how you are going to apologise to both Jaina and your mom."

Leaving Jacen, he headed for the galley. As soon as he entered the room, Jaina was on the defensive.

"Whatever Jacen told you is not true!" She pouted when she had finished.

"Oh, that's funny because he said that it was his fault."

"Oh...well, that is true then."

"Jacen was honest and told me exactly what happened, I would like you to do the same, please. Starting from when your mother came in."

"Well, she started shouting at me like I was the one who started it, when I didn't. I tried to explain that but she wouldn't listen. Then she asked Ani-"

"Forget the bit about Anakin. Right now, I'm interested to find out why you thought it was okay to say that she's not your real mom."

Jaina gulped. She knew she shouldn't have said it but wasn't willing to back down that easily. "Well, Mom was picking on me!"

"Not intentionally, she wasn't, I'm sure. Why did you say that? Is that how you really feel? Am I not your real dad, either?"

"I didn't mean it, it just came out. But-"

"Jaina, do you know how hard this has been for both me and your mother? You came here knowing that we were your mom and dad, but we had no idea who you guys were." He stopped, thinking of the best way to try and explain this to a child, "Right now, your mom and I are just friends, we haven't fallen in love and got married yet. So it came as a bit of a shock when you guys showed up here calling us Mommy and Daddy" He winked as he spoke, eliciting a reluctant smile from Jaina, which she quickly replaced with a stubborn frown. "We have had to adapt quickly and we are trying our best. So, we may not be exactly the same as the parents you've left behind, but we are still your parents."

Jaina's eyes had softened, but her stubborn jaw was still set. She has no idea how much she is like her mother.

"Just think how it would feel if we told you that you weren't our real daughter."

That seemed to get through to her better than anything else he'd said. "I'm sorry, Daddy."

"It's not me you need to apologise to."

Walking to the 'fresher, he had no idea what state Anakin would be in. He wasn't angry at Leia for shouting at him, but still, he couldn't understand why she had done it. Knocking of the 'fresher door, he heard a little sniffle but got no response.

"Anakin, it's Daddy. Are you in there?"

A small muffled "Yes," came from inside the room.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

Damn it. "Alright. Are you going to come out?"

"Is Mommy there?"

"No, she's not in here."

"No, then."

Trying not to feel too rejected, Han set off to find Leia. Bumping into Chewie on his way, he explained the situation and inquired as to whether Chewie had time to make the kids a drink and a snack.

"Thanks, buddy. Oh, you might need to leave Anakin's outside the 'fresher door."

Leia wasn't upset. Jaina's rash words had hurt her at first, but not now. Now she was numb, again. It's better this way, it's how it should be, she kept repeating to herself like a mantra. She didn't turn to meet Han's eyes as he came in. Instead she focused on a far off crate. It's better this way.

"Okay, I've sorted the twins out. Anakin's a problem though; I think he will only come out for you."

The words bounced straight off her.

Confused by her silence, Han steeped closer to her. "Leia, I know what Jaina said was upsetting but I've spoken to her. She didn't mean it. She's just stubborn, she takes after you so-"

"Jaina is nothing like me." Leia's voice was cold; hard.

Han's expression conveyed his confusion, "What do you mean?"

Leia opened and closed her mouth a few times before quietly whispering, "She's innocent."

"What ? Leia, are you okay?"

Steeling her voice again, she carried on, "No, I've let myself get carried away. I've lost sight of what's important."

"Oh, and what's that?"

Why can't he understand, I'm doing them all a favour, "This war! My work, don't you see? I'm wasting my time here playing happy families."

Han was incredulous, "Leia, I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but you need to snap out of this right now!"

"Nothing has gotten into me; I have just finally come to my senses. This isn't my life; I don't get the nice family and the loving husband... I fight so that other people can have those things."

"Who says you can't have both? Leia, they will go back soon, and then we will be fighting this war again. If you waste this time with them, you'll regret it!"

"We?"

"What?"

"We will be fighting?"

"Oh, you want to question my contribution to this rebellion, now?"

Leia sighed. "Listen, Han, I think it would be better for everybody if you were to look after the children without me. I'd be more than happy to leave Threepio to help out-"

"Don't you dare. I won't let you push us away. How can you be so selfish? Do they not mean anything to you?"

Leia's voice retained the cold, impassioned tone throughout, "It's because they mean everything to me that I am doing this. They are better off with you until they go back to wherever they came from."

"Oh, Princess, stop with the martyr act! It's getting old now. You're just scared, admit it. Things got out of hand this morning, Jaina upset you. You upset Anakin. That is not an excuse for you to bail, to shut out your feelings. You have to let yourself feel."

"I don't have to feel if I don't want to." Leia couldn't even hear the pettiness in her voice, so intent she was on blocking everything and anyone out.

"It's not just about you anymore, though. It affects all of us. What do you want me to tell them, 'Mommy doesn't care about you anymore, the war is more important than you are?'"

The words had no effect. Not even a flinch as his harsh words struck her. Deciding that she needed a physical jolt, but unwilling to cause her pain, he settled for the next best thing in his mind. Grabbing her roughly and pushing her back against the wall, his head swooped down. Their lips were barely millimetres apart as he spoke, "I'm not letting you close yourself off." With that he kissed her. The kiss was chaste, undemanding. Neither opened their mouths to deepen the kiss, but Han could briefly feel Leia increasing the pressure of her lips.

As quickly as it started it was over. Han leaned back and looked deep into her expressive eyes. He saw shock and indignation, embarrassment and maybe a bit of repressed desire wrapped in there too.

"I don't love you!" was Leia's emotion-filled confession.

Han smiled, "I know; I don't love you, either."

There was a silence in which Leia struggled to find the words. "I...I'm sorry, I guess I panicked."

"That's okay, but you should really go check on Anakin."

"Gods! Is he still in the 'fresher?" Her eyes widened as Han nodded.

Leia rushed out of the door, leaving Han to contemplate what the hell had just happened.

Han looked down at his hands, watching the slight tremor that seemed to start at his wrist and spread out to his fingertips. What was causing this rush of adrenalin, he couldn't quite pinpoint. Could it be the unexpected feuds, or the fact that Leia had flipped out? He was used to seeing that cold, impassioned facade she hid behind. But, that was before they became backwards parents. That was the term that Han had picked for this unorthodox situation, and he was sticking with it. Touching his trembling hand to his lip, he considered the other possible cause of his shivers. He had kissed her.

He wasn't entirely sure why he had done it. At the time, it had seemed like the best way to coax Leia back to reality. Even if she had pushed him off her and slapped him, he would have considered it a success. Anything was better than the vacant state she had been in. He couldn't even say it was a particularly good kiss; its purpose hadn't been for pleasure, or comfort, or, gods forbid, arousal. It had merely been a way to anchor Leia, stop her floating off in an unfeeling bubble of martyrdom.

Slightly disheartened that their first kiss had been one of practicality and not passion, Han vowed that their second one, whenever that may be, would be the real deal.

He wanted to talk to her about her habit of zoning out when things got a bit painful and tough to handle, especially as now that there was more than just her to think about. But could he really judge? Han had to keep reminding himself that she was only twenty-two. And with the amount of pain and suffering that she had already endured, he couldn't blame her for wanting to block everything out when she risked more hurt.

Deciding he should go relieve the twins of their exile, while Leia made amends with Anakin, he left the room.

Leia took a deep breath, pulling air right down into the pit of her stomach. "Anakin, are you in there?"

"Mommy?" His voice was slightly strained but he didn't sound as though he was still crying. Leia took this as a positive sign.

"Yeah, it's me. Can you come out here so I can give you a big hug and tell you how sorry I am for shouting?" Leia could feel her pulse pounding in her ears as she anxiously awaited his reply.

Suddenly, the door cycled open and Anakin leapt into Leia's open arms. No words were exchanged between mother and son as they snuggled in a tight embrace, except for one, 'sorry'.

Leading her son over to the bed that she amicably shared with Han, she sat crossed legged, then motioned for Anakin to do the same opposite her. She wanted to be able to look into his eyes as she apologised.

"Anakin, I can't tell you how sorry I am. It was unfair of me to ask you to tell tales in the first place, but to shout at you was inexcusable. You didn't do anything wrong." She punctuated her apology by leaning forward and kissing her youngest son on the forehead.

"It's okay, Mummy. You scared me a little bit though, you don't really shout at us at home."

Leia found that little nugget of information intriguing, and couldn't help but probe for more information. Perhaps she could get some tips from her future self. "How do I usually control you little Krayt dragons at home then? Because I refuse to believe that you are all constantly little angles."

Anakin giggled a while, before he answered, "Well, you never shout...except at Daddy. When we are naughty, you usually talk us through the list of punishments. Or threaten us with extra chores..."

As Anakin was speaking, Han ushered the twins into the room. Both Jaina and Jacen looked like they wanted to be anywhere else at that moment.

"Wait up, Anakin; did you just say Mommy only shouts at me?" Han said. Face marred with a comical frown.

"Yeah, Uncle Luke and Chewie always say you're never happy unless you're seeing who can shout the loudest!" Anakin confirmed.

"Well, isn't that interesting." Han winked at Leia as he spoke. "Anyway, Jaina and Jacen have something they want to say."

As the twins fumbled through their somewhat rehearsed apology, Leia found her attention wandering to her earlier...mishap. How could I think that anything is more important than my three beautiful children right now?

The sound of a repulsor sled could be heard coming to a stop outside the Falcon and then an excitable Wookiee howl could be heard. The children and Han started laughing. Feeling thoroughly left out, Leia pouted, "What's so funny?"

Jacen replied, still smiling. "Chewie's just really excited about the food supplies!"

"Okay, let's all go help Chewie unload the food, then how about we order the droid to make us something deliciously fancy for dinner?"

The three Solo children chorused their delight as they ran to carry out the task. Leia shook her head as her eyes met Han's. "You know 'the droid' has a name, right?"

"Yes, he has many. But sometimes, I just can't pick between them all." His lopsided grin settled on his face as he finished and Leia couldn't help but smile.

Later that evening, after the children were tucked up in bed and resting peacefully, Han and Leia sat together at the holochess table as had become their custom. The conversation was light; neither particularly wanted to revisit the events of earlier in the day. As far as they were both concerned, it was over. Leia appreciated Han not dwelling on it; she was embarrassed enough that she had got that worked up.

One thing she really wanted to bring up was the kiss. It had been somewhat disappointing. She had kissed a few guys before, never anything more than a quick peck, though. But she figured that since she knew she was marrying Han at some point, that their first kiss would be one of love and passion and excitement for all things to come. Yet, it wasn't any of those things. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't special, either.

Watching Han's eyelids drift shut, she felt the pull of her own. Just five minutes she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

Massive oak trees surrounded the clearing in which they were sitting. Leia had a slightly bloodstained bandage wrapped around her head and one nasty looking black eye. Han was sitting against a fallen tree trunk while Leia started to unbutton his bloodied shirt.

"You know I'm always up for it, but even I feel a little uncomfortable with Luke being just over there." Han tried his best to accompany his comment with his trademark grin, but winced as his head felt close to exploding.

Leia smiled in response. "Serves you right for making lewd comments, Flyboy!" The last bit she growled in his ear. Gently pealing his shirt off his back she hissed at the new collection of cuts and bruises, paying extra attention to the deep gash on his arm when removing his arm from the sleeve.

"Oh, Han," she lightly traced her fingers over his battered body.

"Hey...don't you be pulling that face. Honestly, it's not as bad as it looks, sweetheart."

Leia leaned forward and gently took his face in her hands. Staring deep into his eyes, she cautiously rested her forehead against his and breathed, "Liar!" Seconds before her lips pressed into his. The kiss was at once desperate and gentle, a juxtaposition of their current feelings.

Pulling back slightly, Leia smiled and stroked his cheek. "We are making progress-"

"We still have a way to go yet. I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves, Leia." His voice was weary, not holding the same hope that Leia's did.

Leia closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "We will have them safely home, soon. I can feel it!"

Luke suddenly appeared by their side, looking as battered and bruised as they did. "Are you two ready to carry on?" Receiving two grunts of confirmation, he continued, "Leia's right, Han. We are ever getting closer."

Han woke with a start. Two seconds later he saw Leia awaken in a similar fashion.

"Okay, Han. I unequivocally believe you about the dreams, now." Leia spoke, with a slightly paler than usual complexion.

"Did you dream just now?"

"Yeah, we seemed to be in a forest clearing, we were both quite battered up-"

"And then you took of my shirt? And Luke was there!"

"Yes...Did we have the same dream?"

"I think this proves it now."