I do not own any of these characters and most of these situations

NIGHT 23:

Han woke up to the hissing sound of the holovid player. He blinked his eyes a few times to clear the sleep that lingered and to adjust to the flickering light of the holoscreen. He wondered how long he'd been asleep. Using the holovid as a measure of the passing time was futile since the holovid player sometimes worked just as well as the hyperdrive. The holovid could have played and ended, or the holovid player could have shut down in the middle of the holovid, leaving an angry dancing screen of blue and white.

Han yawned, and searched out the chronometer. His eyes squinted through the fuzzy atmosphere, but the competing light from the holoscreen made the chronometer unreadable. He looked down at girl tucked neatly under his arm and tried to remember how she got there. Leia started out the night lying on the huge pliable chair that Chewbacca had brought into the cramped room. She had cuddled up to Chewbacca, inciting a twinge of jealousy within Han. As this ill-fated trip went on, he'd watch the friendship between his best friend and the princess bloom, and now they seemed to be thick as thieves. Han was thrilled that Chewie got along so well with Leia. Chewie never much liked Han's female company. Not that Leia was female company, at least not in the way the other females that had traveled with them were.

Han rubbed his nose with his free hand. Chewbacca had risked his life to save Leia just as many times as Han had; it made sense that they'd become friends. And as much as Han was happy that the pair got on so well, he couldn't help but feel a little left out. Leia slipped into her friendship with Chewie so easily, just as she had with Luke. So why was there so much conflict between Han and her?

Solo looked down at the girl in his arms. Her head was tipped up toward him, her lips moistly parted in sleep. Her nose was still smudged with grease, and her hair was in shambles, making her appear more vulnerable than she did when awake. His relationship with her (Was it a friendship? Something more?) had progressed quite quickly over the last couple of weeks, but it still wasn't with the same ease as her friendship with Chewbacca. Han lightly touched the dirt smudge on her nose with his index finger and smiled to himself. Maybe there wasn't as much conflict between them as Han thought. After all, she's sleeping in his arms, not Chewie's.

Han stretched his foot out and kicked the plush chair where Chewbacca had settled into a loud drunken sleep. "Chewie," he hissed as he kicked. "Wake up."

Chewbacca stirred, grunted some obscenities in Han's direction, and rolled into a more comfortable position. Han frowned, "Wake up, Chewie."

Chewie finally opened his eyes and bared his teeth at Han. "Turn of the holoscreen, will ya'?" Chewie moaned and waved his hand. "I can't," Han whispered a little louder, "She's sleepin'. I don't wanna wake her."

Chewbacca twisted his head and cooed as he looked at the girl. Then he grunted. Han rolled his eyes, "I can't find the remote. Just do it, kay?"

Chewie mumbled under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet. He turned off the holoscreen and removed the holovids from the player. The Wookie yawned and stretched. Han shrugged, "No, I'm not too comfortable, but I don't wanna wake her." Han looked down at Leia again, and his expression softened, "She's somethin' else. Man, the way she took you down—" Chewie growled. "Come on," Han smiled, "you gotta admit that was pretty unexpected. And funny."

Chewbacca sighed and chuckled at the memory. Han looked up at his friend in surprise, "Whaddya mean, 'can we keep her'? She's not some kinda stray kritten." If only I could keep her… "You wanna keep Luke too?" Chewbacca's eyes widened. Han shook his head, "I should go over there and knock some sense into you."

Chewbacca walked back to his chair, tripped , and landed on top of Han and Leia. Han shoved at his best friend, "She really worked you over in that game."

"Told you I won," Leia muttered.

"Good going, Chewie," Han swiped at the Wookie, but Chewie managed to escape Han's wrath. "You woke her up."

Leia sat up and rubbed her eyes, leaving a vacant warm spot where she lied against Han. A stunted shiver ran down his spine. He rubbed her back, "How ya' feeling?"

"Fine," Leia defiantly answered, but the uneasy expression on her face told another story.

Han sat up and lifted her off the bed, "Move, Chewie. She's gonna be sick."

"I am not!" Leia argued, but once her feet hit the ground she headed straight to the refresher.

"Sure," Han rolled his eyes. "You're not lookin' too good yourself, Pal." Chewie swayed a little on his feet. Han clapped him on the back, "Go get the hypos. I'll take care of her."

Chewie headed toward the medical bay. He collected two pre-filled hypodermic needles and returned to Han's cabin. Chewbacca gave one to Han, "Thanks."

Chewie nodded. Han uncapped one of the needles and plunged it as carefully as possible into Chewbacca's upper arm. Chewie growled and mumbled some thanks. "Anytime. See ya' in the mornin'," Han took the other hypodermic needle and headed to the refresher. Chewie collected his chair and drowsily made his way to his own quarters.

Han knocked on the refresher door, "Leia?"

The girl couldn't answer him as her stomach once again constricted. Han opened the door and knelt down beside her. He gathered her hair into his hands, "Get it all out. You'll feel better."

Once she was finished, Leia sat back panting. Han picked up the hypodermic needle. "What's that?" she asked.

"A little trick of the trade," Han uncapped it and adjusted the dosage size. "It'll make you feel better."

"No," Leia protested.

Han frowned, "Why not? Don't you wanna feel better?"

"Yes, but no needles," she whispered.

"You can't tell me the fearless Princess Leia is afraid of a little needle?" Han smiled as he finished his final preparations to administer the medicine to her.

Leia scampered out of his reach, wedging herself under the sink, "No."

Han studied the skittish look in her large dark eyes. "But…" he stopped and lowered the hypodermic needled. He doubted she'd care that it'd make her instantly feel better. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I wasn't thinking." He felt a pang of guilt as he remembered that he and Chewbacca injected her with Lorazopam when she was delusional and needed to be sedated. She may not have been conscious of it nor remember any of that, and at the time, it seemed necessary. It wasn't like they had a lot of other choices. Nevertheless, he still felt remorse.

"Stay here," Han used the sink to pull himself to his feet. "I'll be right back."

Leia remained huddled under the sink as she calmed her respiration. She felt silly and tired and foolish and vulnerable. All he was doing was trying to make her feel better. How come she just couldn't suck up her own fears and let him do that? Leia pressed the palms of he hands against her eyes.

"You okay?" Han asked. "Stupid question."

Leia removed her hands from her eyes and looked up at Han. All she could do was nod. Han flashed a lop-sided grin down at her, "I have a knack for stupidity, as you've pointed out many times in the past."

The girl cringed, "I didn't mean that."

"I know," he winked at her. Then he held up a small bottle. "This will make you feel better. It just takes longer." Again, she wordlessly nodded. Han knelt down, "So…you gonna come out from under there?"

Leia's eyes dropped to the ground and a closed-lipped smile played on her lips. On hands and knees she crawled toward Han. Han sat there patiently, mesmerized by the approaching girl. Despite her smeared make-up, dirt-smudged nose, and soiled clothes she still was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and she was crawling to him. She stopped several centimeters before him. Han unscrewed the top of the bottle and held it out to her, "Drink it down in one gulp if you can."

Her eyes twinkled, "Of course I can, Captain."

"I never doubt it, Princess," Han smiled. Leia pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips, tipped her head back, and drank down its contents in two rather than one gulp. The sour look on her face caused Han to laugh. Leia narrowed her eyes on him, and Han couldn't help but laugh even more. "Sorry, Leia," he apologized between chuckles. "You just look so…"

"Horrible," Leia finished has she buried her head in her arms.

"Not at all," Han smiled as he disengaged her head from her arms. "I was gonna say cute."

"Cute?" Leia's right eyebrow arched.

"Yeah," Han answered.

Her nose scrunched up, "No ones ever called me that before."

"You have a problem with that?"

Leia's large dark eyes shifted up to the right, "No. It just seems like an odd word for you to use."

Han smirked, "I guess it is. But it seems to apply here."

"You're so weird," she bit her bottom lip to hold back her smile.

Han scooted toward her, "Come 'ere." Leia hesitated and then moved herself closer to Han. He reached out, "You have somethin' under that shirt?" The girl froze. Han cringed, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I…I know," she whispered, and her voice trembled slightly.

"Trust me?"

Leia nodded without hesitation. Han reached out and fumbled with the top button of her shirt (his shirt? He wasn't sure anymore). Once he unbuttoned the first, he figured the rest would be easy. But it only got harder. Leia's large eyes stayed fixed on his, and her chest rose and fell with each breath. Han ran his bottom lip under his top teeth and the pushed the open shirt off of Leia's shoulders, revealing a delicate cobalt blue lace bra.

"Wow," Han breathed. Leia's hands went instinctively to her chest to cover herself. "I'm sorry."

"No," she managed. She dropped her hands. "It's okay."

"You're just so beautiful," Han stammered like an awkward school boy. How did she do that? Han then reached for each foot in turn and removed her soiled socks. Han stood up and moved over to the shower. He turned it on and before he pulled off his own socks and shirt, "You still okay?" Leia shyly nodded. Han held out his hand and she took it. He helped her to her feet and then released her hand. "You can…" he scratched the back of his head, "take care of the rest yourself, right?"

Once again, Leia nodded. Han responded with a nod before turning away from her. He pulled off his pants, revealing his snug boxer-like underwear. He inhaled sharply before turning back around to face her. Han's eyes briefly scanned his companion. She stood there with feet awkwardly pointing toward each other and wearing just her bra and matching boy-short style panties. He wanted to look more, but he also didn't want to scare her. The quick look-see was enough for the time being.

Han stepped into the shower and held out a hand. Leia's eyes gazed at his hand, and he was certain she was going to bolt. Instead, she grabbed it and allowed Han to guide her into the shower. He pushed her hand under the water.

"Too hot?" he asked, and she shook her head negatively. "Too cold?" he smiled, and wearing a closed-lip smile, she shook her head negatively.

Leia closed her eyes and expelled a sigh as the water hit her skin. Then her eyes flew open, "Shouldn't we be conserving the water?"

Han was in the process of soaking a wash cloth under the steady flow of the water, "We're okay." He rung out the wash cloth and then tipped Leia's face up. He then carefully wiped away the grime on her nose. He moved the wash cloth gently over the rest of her face. "All better," he smiled down at her. She returned his smile. Han reached toward the fasteners holding her hair, "May I?"

The girl nodded, and Han punctiliously removed each fastener and placed them on a shelf under the shower head. He ran his fingers through her hair before guiding her further under the water. With care not to get any water in her eyes, He moved his hands deftly through her hair as he saturated every strand. Han then grabbed her shoulders and changed places with her. "Turn around," he ordered.

Leia did as she was told. She placed her hands against the shower wall to steady herself as Han massaged the shampoo into her hair. Her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in his ministrations. His fingers made repeating circular patterns, and Leia felt her tension ease away, "Mmm…you've done this before."

"No," Han answered truthfully. "This is my first time." It never occurred to him that he or his female companion might enjoy a simple quasi-sexual activity this much. No, with the others, he—and sometimes they—went straight for more…well, a more straightforward and to-the-point approach. So what made him treat Leia so differently? She is different. No one has been or will ever be like her. His fingers paused for a moment as it struck him that time was slipping by, and soon she'd just be a bittersweet memory. So what was he doing?

"I find that hard to believe," Leia giggled, pulling Han out of his musings.

"No, before this moment," Han leaned close to her ear, "I was a hair-washing virgin."

"Oh, brother!" Leia exclaimed as she laughed.

"I'm definitely not your brother," Han placed the gentlest of kisses upon her wet ear.

Leia shivered and her skin rose in bumps. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the shower wall as Han returned to massaging the soap into her hair. She had never taken this long to wash her hair, but she was reluctant to point out that to Han. His touch, his closeness sent pleasant waves of giddiness through her body, a sensation that she wasn't ready to give up.

Han gathered her hair up in one hand and rubbed the shampoo into the hair at the nape of her neck. Leia inhaled sharply, and an electrical shock traveled from Han's working fingers through his body until it settled in his heart. He boldly moved his fingers down her neck and across her tense shoulders. Her muscles tightened and then relaxed under his touch, prompting Han to go further.

Leia began to turn around when Han dropped her hair. "Don't move," he responded before he pushed her hair to the side and over her shoulder. Then Han made slow, lingering circles on her back with a soapy wash cloth. He moved from her shoulders to the edge of her bra and then up and around again.

The princess felt as she was melting. It took all of her will not to give in to the weakness in her knees. Han lifted her left arm and stretched it to the side. He then ran the wash cloth over the skin on her arm. He did the same with her right arm, but this time she lightly gripped his hand while he worked. Han tightened his fingers around hers and then carefully led her in a half-circle so that she ended up facing him. Han slid the wash cloth from her wrist down her arm before coming to a stop at her shoulder. He gazed into her eyes, her beautifully expressive eyes, to gauge her state of mind. There he saw a bit of fear mixed with an eagerness he'd never seen before. From what was going on inside of himself, he figured her eyes mirrored his.

Han inhaled and then moved the wash cloth across the top of her chest right at the base of her neck. When she didn't object, he tentatively ran the cloth over the exposed part of her breasts. He looked up from her soapy chest to her face. Leia's eyes were closed and she held her bottom lip between her teeth. Han dropped the wash cloth.

Leia opened her eyes, and a question mark marred her face. Han couldn't move, couldn't take her eyes off of her. He couldn't find his quick-wit much less his voice.

"Am I clean now?" she whispered, and her voice quivered. When Han didn't say anything, Leia reached out a hand and tentatively touched his chest. She slid her hand up his chest and over his throat. Her hand settled on the nape of his neck and she urged his head forward. When he complied, Leia caressed his cheek before she pressed her lips to his. Once Han recovered from his initial shock, he pulled her closer and lost himself in the kiss.

"Whoa," Leia pulled away and clutched him tighter as she lost balance.

"Yeah," Han agreed. He tipped her face up, "You okay?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded, looking a bit shell-shocked.

"Let's wash that soap outa your hair," Han guided her back under the flow of water, and he ran his fingers through her hair until the last traces of soapy suds dissolved down the drain. He reached up and turned off the faucet.

Leia shuddered as the heat dissipated, and she involuntarily hugged herself. Han held up a finger, "Don't move." He stepped out of the shower and returned with a fluffy, white towel twice the size of a regular towel. Han shook it out and then wrapped it around her shoulders.

Leia gratefully grabbed the edges and pulled it tighter around herself, "Chewie's?"

"He won't miss it," Han shrugged. He grabbed a towel for himself and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh…why don't you get changed in my cabin? I'll…uh, wait here until you're finished."

Leia nodded, "Thank you."

Han watched her leave the small refresher. He slowly inhaled and then forced out the breath in an attempt to clear his head. He climbed back into the shower, adjusted the controls of the shower, and involuntarily let out a gasp as the cold water hit his body. He closed his eyes against the image of the sodden princess dressed only in cobalt blue under things. Han shoved his face under the flow of water as he forced himself to think of Leia wearing her snow suit, that long senatorial dress, and rebel fatigues, but in each image she looked more beautiful than the last.

Why not give in to his desires? She obviously desired him. Han slammed a fist against the shower wall. Why not kidnap her and force her to remain with him the rest of his life? It was unfair to her to start something he couldn't finish, and a flurry of a few blissfully intimate nights wasn't a way he wanted to finish things with Leia. She deserves more. Luke? Han turned off the water. The thought of Luke with Leia left a sour taste in his mouth.

Han dried himself off with the sodden towel. Leia deserved more, but Han wasn't certain what that was. He was certain she wouldn't find it with the rebellion, but he wasn't a much better prospect. Hell, he'd probably be dead in the not-so-distant future. So why not just let himself live in the moment like he always did? After all, he wasn't going to be around to witness the aftermath.

A knock on the door pulled Han into the moment. "Just a minute," he wrapped the towel around his waist, and opened the door.

Leia stood on the other side. Her long hair hung in sodden waves, and her large dark eyes stared up at him, "You were right."

"Huh?"

She smiled, and Han had never seen her look more vulnerable or innocent. "I do feel better," she fiddled with the edge of the black T-shirt she wore.

"Good," Han forced a smile.

"Do…" Leia tilted her head and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Would it be okay if I stayed in your bed tonight?"

"You're always welcome, Leia," he stepped out of the refresher. She had stayed almost every night without asking. It felt strange that she asked him now.

"Thanks," she smiled and then retreated back to his cabin.

Han followed close behind. Leia's hair swung with each step. Was she actually bouncing? Han mirthlessly smiled to himself. He wasn't restraining himself just for her sake. Han held back to protect himself. She already broke his heart by doing nothing more than just being. Leia was something he never thought he'd want, and she was something he couldn't keep. He wanted more not just for her but from her. Would she give it if he asked?

That was a moot point. In a couple of weeks they'd be going their separate ways whether they wanted to or not.

Leia crawled under the covers and pushed herself as close as the wall to as possible. "I like this side best," she patted the pillow before resting her head upon it.

"Why didn't you say somethin' before?" Han asked as he discretely slipped off his wet boxers and put on dry ones without removing the towel.

"I don't know."

Han couldn't help but smile. He climbed into the bed and deactivated the lights. "So," he started as he balanced his head on the fist of his bent arm. "Why do you like that side best?"

Leia blinked a few times and then whispered, "I feel safer over here."

Han leaned over and kissed her forehead, "You are." He settled in. Leia adjusted herself so that she rested her head on his shoulder, and her hands snaked around his arm. "'Night, princess."

"Good night, Han," she placed a kiss on his shoulder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Han."

"Huh?" Han automatically responded as he tried to ignore the rough jostling of his body.

"Han, wake up," Leia pushed on him again.

"Go back to sleep, Leia," Han patted the pillow next to him. "It's okay to sleep in."

"Han, wake up now," she shoved him harder. "Something's wrong."

"What?" Han rubbed his face. "Turn on the light."

"That's what's wrong," Leia's voice sounded panicked.

Han sat up, "Why can't I hear the engines?"

"I think we lost power."

"Sith!" Han cursed, "Can anything else go wrong on this trip?"