This chapter is for Pitdroid. :)

After leaving Luke's quarters, Han immediately contacted Chewie. He needed something to get his mind off of the conversation with Luke, which had somehow veered deeply into his personal life. Silencing the comlink, he headed straight for the main docking bay.

He was just starting to think the morning might improve when he was accosted by Princess Leia. "Hey," she said, as she rushed up to greet him. "I've been trying to reach you. Admiral Ackbar wants to meet with you in an hour."

Ignoring her, Han continued walking across the hangar toward the Millennium Falcon. "Tell him I'm busy." He activated the entry ramp for the ship and started to board. Leia followed close at his heels.

"Doing what?" Her voice was skeptical.

Han turned to glare at her. "Inventory."

"But this is important!" she insisted.

"And keeping my ship stocked isn't?" He turned his back to her and stormed toward Chewie, who was sitting in the lounge, sorting through a large box. Tools and oily rags covered the Dejarik table.

The Wookiee looked up in surprise. *We can do this later, Han.*

"We're doing it now," Han snapped. He sat down next to his friend and began to examine a laser caliper.

Leia dropped her arms to her sides. "What do you want me to tell Admiral Ackbar?" In a softer voice, she added, "I think he wanted to offer you a job."

Han looked up, surprised, then looked away. "Not interested." Placing the tool back on the table, he reached into the toolbox and pulled out a hydrospanner. Ignoring Leia, he began to polish the tool with one of the rags.

Leia folded her arms. "And why not?" Her words were clipped.

Han replied with forced calmness, pointing the hydrospanner in her direction. "I don't need his pity any more than I need yours."

Princess Leia gave an impatient snort. "Admiral Ackbar doesn't give pity assignments, Han. This is war. We'd all wind up dead." She waited for a response, tapping her foot against the floor, but Han ignored her. Finally, Leia finally threw her hands in the air. "I give up. You win, Han. You can sit in your ship all day counting tools if that's what you want. But if you change your mind, the meeting is in one hour." With that, she stalked out.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Chewie looked reproachfully at Han. *You should go to the meeting.*

"What? You, too?" Han jumped up in anger. "I don't need this!" He threw the hydrospanner across the ship where it thwacked heavily against some paneling and dropped to the floor with a clatter.

Chewie growled ferociously. *Enough! Stop with these childish antics!* He gave Han a stern look. *Luke and Leia are right. You are wallowing in self-pity.*

The man glowered at Chewbacca but said nothing. He walked across the lounge in silence, picked up the fallen tool, and returned to sit at the table.

After a stern glance at his companion, the Wookiee continued. *Working full-time for the Alliance makes sense for now, Han. We can help the Rebel war effort and they can help us. Here you can take a job that does not require you to pilot. We do not know if further recovery from your condition is possible. It would be good for you to have access to proper medical care. And we have friends here.* Chewie looked pointedly at Han. *Good friends.*

At Han's continued silence, the Wookiee put a large, furry paw on the man's shoulder. *I worry about you, cub. I swore a life-debt to protect you, but I can not save you from this. You are not acting like yourself.*

Han cursed and shook his head. "I don't feel like myself." Rubbing one eye, he groaned. "I wish things could go back to the way they were before Cloud City." He closed his eyes and lowered his head onto the table.

*Whether they do or not is entirely up to you.* Chewie stroked Han's hair affectionately and walked away.