AN: Um, okay, well! I've never written anything like this before. This went very differently than I'd thought, but . . . yeah. Um, I'm a little nervous about this. Please tell me what you think. Thanks for reading.

Han was tired. He was tired of running, chasing- chasing shadows, vain hopes, flowers too beautiful and delicate for him to touch. Those flowers- he watched them bloom, was lured in by their scent, but they shriveled up, snapped closed the second he reached out to stroke a petal.

He'd been tormented, Leia's hopeless smile stuck in his mind's eye. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly, but kriffing Jabba and bounty hunters and a cart of glitterstim spice that he'd jettisoned out the Falcon's cargo hold ages ago were ruining everything. No, he couldn't blame this on such frivolous excuses. What was done was done and Han had never lived his life thinking that he'd meet anyone like Leia. He hadn't thought that one shipment gone awry could one day jeopardize his shots with the woman he'd never known he wanted. So here they were and Han would just have to fight for her.

Unlike he had ever imagined, Han wouldn't have to fight handsome, rich, burly princes or galactic species aid volunteers for her but her own borders and defenses. However, this was no easier battle. He would have to fight his way in through uncharted territory, dense forests of veneers, long stretches of doubt, caution and fear. Han would have to break down every wall she had just to get to her center. It would be a challenge beyond any other, but Han thought the prize to be well worth it. Let me have your heart; you can trust me with it.

Her rejection the night before had stung but he understood- and now he gruesomely understood what she feared as it became a fear of his own, something he hadn't let himself get caught up with because he was caught up in falling in love with her. But the truth almost stopped him dead in his tracks: Leia was afraid of falling in love with him. The next terrible truth was that Han couldn't blame her. Time and time again, he had told her that he was standing at the ready, one foot out the door and ready to run. How could he show her that he couldn't leave because of her? Because she kept him on the lookout for her. She was the only thing making him stay. Even the kid couldn't hold him back, tied to that kriffing ice planet! It was all her. What will make you understand?

Han came out of the refresher with a towel tucked around his waist. Leia turned in response to hearing the door open and blushed a fierce red when her gaze landed on Han in his half-naked glory. Han didn't even smirk or make some backhanded comment about her swooning. He waved, padding across the carpet with his wet and shriveled feet. He waited for her to say something, taking his time with finding a shirt and thrusting his arms through, then turning to face Leia while he slowly did each button.

"Okay!" Leia quietly gasped, spinning around and he laughed to himself.

"Here," he heard her say when she turned back, just as he was completing his last top button. She'd thrust forward her hand with a small slip of the flimsi material that sat on the nightstand. He took it. "What's this?"

"I got up early this morning. I found a few mechanics I think you should look at. They sound just suspicious enough that they might not turn us over to Vader."

"Mechanics?"

Her expression deadpan, Leia nodded and folded her arms over her chest. "For the Falcon."

"Right." To say Han was disappointed was an understatement.

"What? Were you planning on staying here forever?"

Han opened his mouth. So many objections came to mind but fell silent in the shadow of Leia's cold frustration. He shut his mouth and sighed.

"We need to get off of Corellia soon so I can rejoin the fleet."

"Leia, I'm coming with you."

"Of course. I need a ride."

"Leia," he shook his head. "I know that you're upset with me but-"

"I'm not upset with you."

"Then stop acting like this! Sweetheart, I get why you're upset and I get that it's my fault, so I'm sorry, but you don't need to be afraid of me!"

"I'm not afraid of you!"

"You can trust me, Princess! I wouldn't dream of hurting you."

Leia didn't respond. She froze where she stood, swallowed, breathing heavily.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Leia squinted at him just as a queasy feeling took over his gut, twisting his insides. He groaned to himself. What had he just said? No, there had to be a perfect one-liner to fix this, one sentence to get them back on track. "Hey!" he clapped and Leia jumped. "I know what to do! Why don't I buy you something nice to wear so we can eat out."

"What?"

"Yeah! I'll buy you something nice so we can eat out at one of those fancy restaurants downtown. I've got plenty of credits from the Alliance to spend. Come on. Let me take you somewhere nice."

To Han's confusion, Leia blushed a brilliant hue of cherry red before she managed a soft-spoken, "Okay." She exhaled what came out as a short, choked-off laugh minus the smile. "Sure. Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise. First, though," Han said, digging into his credit pouch and pulling out several crumpled, gray credits and a few credcoins. "You should buy something nice."

In all honesty, Leia's new dress didn't look very good on her. Not with her disguise, that is. Her black wig clashed awfully with the dress's emerald color and the lace on the top didn't suit her adapted tough, street girl persona either. It wasn't at all the character Leia was playing. But it was Leia. Han could almost see her beneath the heavy makeup, colored contacts and hair dye, could almost see Leia in the dress, though with some difficulty. He wished he could really see her in the dress. He thought she would look gorgeous.

"I should have gotten that red one," Leia sighed, tugging at the skirt's loose fabric. She glanced to her left where a group of younger women stood watching, making snide comments beyond what Han understood of Leia's fashion disaster.

"Hey," Han gently tugged on her arm and guided her forward. "You look great. Don't worry about what anyone else is saying." He walked up to the front desk, told the host, "Table for two," then took Leia's arm as he played the part of a younger man taking his lady out. Playing her half of the act, Leia snuggled herself into his side. Something about the action felt just right to Han, like his own figure had been carved out perfectly for Leia's hips and side to fit there. He squeezed her hand.
"Table for two," the twi'lek hostess echoed with a smile as she dipped into a curtsey and stepped aside for Han and Leia to take their seats. She set down the menus, then pranced off with a twi'lek's typical grace. As soon as the waitress was gone, Leia's gaze flew to Han, an excited but anxious twinkle in her eye. Even with all her synthetic makeup, Han didn't miss the blush that crept into her cheeks. "So," she actually smiled. "You got me here."

"Yeah, well. You didn't make it too difficult this time."

Leia shrugged. "I'm tired of fighting with you."

"I thought that's what the other day's discussion was for."

She sighed shortly. "This is one time. Please don't make this into a bigger deal than it already is."
"How is this a big deal?"

Leia simply gaped at him.

"Oh, come on. We just got here. Do you have to spoil it that quickly?"

"Fine," she shook her head, dropping her gaze. She looked to her lap where she neatly folded her napkin. "But just this once."

Confused, Han just went along with it, whatever she meant. "Sure," he nodded. "Just this once." He opened the menu to take a glance and almost laughed aloud at the prices. At least it wasn't his money he'd be spending on this night.

They spent a few minutes looking over the choices in silence. Though, from just above his menu, Han noticed Leia's eyes frequently spying on him. She was taken over with a nervous demeanor that showed in her silence and it started to make Han nervous. They ordered their drinks, then meals. Aside from placing either orders, Leia said no more.

"What on Coruscant is wrong now?"

"I'm sorry," she wiped at her mouth with the cloth in her lap. "This just feels- wrong."

"Maybe, if you didn't make it so weird-"

"Weird? How were you expecting me to handle this, Han? I wasn't expecting you to just pull this out from under me!"

"What have I pulled out from under you? It's not like I got down on one knee and proposed."

"I've told you over and over that I don't want to be in a relationship and then you ask me out!"

"Ask you-" Han cut himself off once it all slid into place. Horrified with himself, he could only stutter, "I asked you out on a date."

Leia's mouth fell open. "What were you trying to accomplish?"

"I asked you out on a date."

"Is this some kind of joke to you? Have you been betting with the Rogues on how long it will take you to get me in bed?"

"Leia," he moaned. "You know me so much better than that."

"But I still don't know what all this is for," she said and displayed her hands out to her sides.

"Yeah I don't either."

"Are you kidding?"

"I- I didn't realize when I said it what this sounded like to you."

"So you weren't actually asking me out on a date?"

Han plastered a grin to his face, saying, "But you thought I was and you agreed to it."

Leia's glare turned deathly.

"Alright, no, I wasn't. I wouldn't push you like that. But if this is a date . . . I really wouldn't mind."

Leia didn't respond; her gaze slid away and Han knew he needed to hurry if he wanted to reach her. "You know what? This isn't us. What do you say, we get our meals boxed up, head back to the room and we'll make a picnic out of it on the balcony?"

Leia didn't give him a smile yet. "Han, are you asking me out on a date?"

A dinner on the balcony of a three-star hotel on Corellia. Yeah, that sounds like a real date. He took a long breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah, Princess. I am. What do you think about that?"

Leia folded her napkin back up and tucked it under her full plate. She folded her hands in her lap, then met his hopeful gaze. She beamed brilliantly. "I think that sounds great." She flagged the waitress to ask for carry-out boxes.

"Come on." Han took her hand. "Let's blow this joint."

Han had grabbed disposable plates from the hotel's dining hall and meticulously laid out Leia's boxed-up meal on one. The entree of a nerf steak took up much of the plate's space but sat perfectly in the middle with its accompanying thick and creamy white sauce drizzled over it. The greens were laid out to one side and a fluffy biscuit sat neatly on the other. Han laid out his own plate, then retrieved a music-playing holo that he'd spotted in the small closet earlier. He set it against the exterior wall of the hotel room on the balcony. "You almost ready?" Han called as he stuck his head inside the room.

Leia came out from the refresher, her wig and makeup suddenly missing, and complained, "I haven't even changed."

It was just her, just Leia in all her splendid, natural beauty. Not even the makeup Han was used to seeing her wear decorated her face. It was just her pale skin, her cheeks bearing their own blush, framed by rich, dark eaves of thick hair. Han had never seen her hair down before- his heart skipped a beat, then began to steadily hammer in his chest.

"You're already dressed in your nightwear," she said, indicating him with an outstretched arm.
"Don't take that dress off," Han gently begged her. "You look perfect just like that." He had been right. Maybe that dress wasn't meant for Leia's Corellian alter ego, but she looked stunning in emerald and the fabric clung in all the right places, accentuating her curves and bringing out her brilliant eyes. Those eyes. The dress's color only brought him back to her face, to her eyes. Her eyes- they were the gatekeepers to her soul, Han thought, the true mark of an angel of Iego. They were always warm, even when the princess herself was ice cold. They stirred something within Han that made him forget who he was. They erased the past that made him so cynical and cocky and independent. Those chestnut and russet-mixed eyes shined with an odd mischievousness and excitement full of hope that Han could never understand how they persisted when the young woman they belonged to had suffered and lost so much. Those eyes were her fire, everything that Han was coming to love about her summed up into one small part of her. They were the heart and soul of the growing mix of warm feelings Leia gave him. But the whole of her was somehow even better.

Leia laughed, stepping forward. "Well, it's not very practical for a simple dinner out on the balcony, don't you think?"

"You better stop right there, Princess."

She smiled disapprovingly, that deep red blush returning to her fair cheeks. She shook it off and joined him out on the porch; her bare feet padded softly against the smooth and polished tile. With a princess's elegance, she sat down, curling up her legs together to her side- she leaned on one hand.

"I'm glad you decided to join me," Han told her with a coy smile.

She shrugged shortly. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go. Or anything to do."

"That's an excuse."

She chuckled.

"So why are you finally agreeing to this?"

"I'm not agreeing to anything. I'm just being- cautiously optimistic."

Han stopped for a moment to raise an eyebrow at her.

"And I'm trying something new."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Listening to the voice in my heart."

"You don't do that often, do you?"

She shook her head, dropping her eyes to her plate. "I usually listen to the one in my head. That one is all about logic and I'm comfortable with logic. Therefore, it's only logical to listen to logic."

"But why haven't you tried listening to your heart before?"

"It scares me," she murmured- Han almost missed it. "It always tells me to try these new things that I've never done before and it scares me to wonder how it might turn out if I go through with them. Because my mind reminds me of everything that could go wrong."

"May I ask what the voices say about me?"

Leia almost smiled as she forced her gaze to hold Han's and told him, "I think you already know."

He nodded, finding himself out of words for a long moment, and reached for the music holo to crank up the volume a few notches. The moody notes of soft Corellian jazz drifted from the device, some static making the music thrum. Han adjusted the settings until the music was softer and Leia smiled. "What is this?" she asked, indicating the holo with an outstretched hand. "I've never heard this genre before, I don't think, but it sounds beautiful."

"Oh, yeah? Come here." He pulled himself to his feet and reached down to take Leia's hand. Her smile was small, just barely there; Han made it his goal to make that smile broaden.

She reached for his hand and Han helped her stand. Slowly, pacing his every move to accommodate her, Han slipped his arms around Leia's small frame, settling one hand low on her back and the other took her hand. "It's jazz," he told her. "The Corellian kind. Hear the instruments? Corellian brass. Our trademark in music."

Han led her in simply swaying, easy side to side motions, until her ears and feet were both adjusted to the foreign rhythm and pulse. Then, he let his feet sync into the music which was so familiar to him. He showed Leia and she soon joined him. "Keep going," he encouraged her. "With each horn and percussionist joining the ensemble, the music will get faster. You gotta' keep up."

Leia moved her feet faster, following the short steps and sweeps as Han taught them. She seemed surprised. "I didn't know Corellians cared for music."

"We're just like Alderaanians, sweetheart. Except we like things a little spicier."

A cymbal sizzled in the background of the music track and Han chose that moment to pull her closer to himself. He did so gently, giving her the space to back out but she didn't. She stayed right where Han wanted her, entirely willing to follow his lead. But her body was stiff, cautious, untrusting. Han shook her arm and pressed his palm into her back. Her muscles loosened and she relaxed into his hold. "Don't think about it so hard. Don't listen to any voices. Just do what you feel. Feeling is natural. What you feel is always the truth."

"I already know what I feel."

"Then, I believe the next step is acting-"

This time, Leia shut him up with her own mouth, no words needed. Han was startled as he found her in his arms, her face too close to see and her lips threaded with his. She was soft and gentle but with a swift motion and it surprised Han, how good she was. Why am I surprised? This woman is amazing.

Startled- and foggy in the mind, Han broke their connection, gently pushing her back. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she gasped.

"Leia, five seconds ago-"

Leia stopped him with a deadly look, her eyes narrowed. "I'm fighting myself and I'm finally winning. Don't question it now."

"I'm just making sure."

She shook her head and kept him still by holding his face between her hands. "Hush, flyboy."

Han felt surprised in a blindsided way as she, yet again, initiated their next kiss herself. She didn't seem so small with her body pressed warmly against his and her arms snaking around his neck, working to pull him closer.

"Leia," he mumbled, reluctantly breaking away once again.

She shook her head, her wavy hair swaying with the motion. The curls spilt over her shoulders and fell perfectly to frame her eyes. Han swiped all of it behind her so it fell down her back.

"Stop it," she growled at him.

"You're positive you want to keep going with this?"

"Han, kriff it and kiss me."

So Han kissed her. His mind blared with the lively thrum of Leia's body pushing against his. Delicate hands, soft, warm skin crawling up his shoulders, neck, face- tickling his skin. She begged him- without words, she begged him, pulling him closer. It was never good enough. Closer, closer. Her fingers found their way into his hair and became knotted up there, tugging, begging. Closer, closer. All the while, her hips danced with his, caught in a dance they'd never shared before. Han pulled her closer, brushing his hand through her loose hair, then down her back. She held him tighter. Han moaned into her mouth, still dancing in his feet, in his lips.

But then, one of Leia's hands fell from his head to the collar of his shirt. Her fingers twitched against his neck, seemingly nervous, and he waited to see what she would do. He felt her hesitation and he was about to force things to slow down when her hand fell again, now disappearing beneath his shirt. Then, her other hand followed suit. Han allowed some space to slip between them and Leia briefly broke their connected mouths to start working at his shirt. The buttons were small but Leia, with nimble and small fingers, made quick work of going down the line until the article of clothing fell uselessly to the floor and she was staring straight into his bare chest. "Stars," she gasped. Han chuckled shortly and allowed her a second to stare before he picked her up and resumed. She had no protests. Her small hands explored his body, a new territory for her. She pinched at his skin while her mouth continued to explore their new home.

"What happened to the struggle?" he asked. Leia seemed to grow restless and impatient with Han's constant breaks and talking but she answered this one openly and honestly. "I decided that- even if I hurt later, I want to feel this now."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I know," she nodded. Her hands were still investigating every inch of exposed skin on his body, moving faster and faster as if there wasn't enough uncovered. "I get it."

Leia's touch wandering around him was tantalizing. Looking at her, he was tempted, longing to see more of her beneath that flowy, thin dress. His imagination, he was sure, couldn't do justice. Oh, how this woman killed him! "Princess, I want to stay, but I don't want to hurt you."

"Han, I think I understand now."

He kept on going, trying to find the words to express his feelings while Leia was experimenting with touch for the first time. "Sweetheart, you know you're the only reason I've stayed with the Rebellion, but you're also the only reason I haven't left."

"Shhh. You don't have to explain." He felt her tongue trace his jaw and lips, then delving back in to familiarize herself with the inside. Their tongues clashed excitedly, fervently.

"Can I lie in your bed today?" Han asked, gasping for breath.

"Only if we get to share."

Now, Han drew her up in his arms so her feet left the floor. His arms made a vision for her to sit and Leia came to understand that her legs now belonged wrapped around Han's waist. He carried her back inside and nearly tripped over the holo. Leia laughed as the music turned louder as a result. "Shush," Han managed between urgent and demanding strokes against her mouth. "I'm trying to kiss you."

"You're the one that keeps talking."

He shut them both up, returning his mouth to its place on hers. He grazed a hand along her arm and she shuddered, relishing his touch. But her hair! It was everywhere and Han loved the feel of that softness between his fingers. His hand dove back through the waves, efficiently combing them and brushing them out of the way. You're gorgeous.

Making it to the comfortable bed, Han gently dropped her on the mattress and kneeled over her. In a fluid motion, Leia managed to open the snap of his pants while reaching up to grab him and pull him back to her. He started to work them off while Leia got to lie back and watch. He wasted no time, kicking off his pants and tossing them aside, then crawling back onto the bed and diving for Leia's neck. She moaned pleasantly. Her hands now danced across his waistline. Han slipped a hand beneath her back and grimaced. "I changed my mind."

Leia frowned. "About what?"

"You were right. That dress is really impractical."

She beamed excitedly at him. Reaching for one short sleeve, she asked, "I should take it off, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah," Han nodded as he reached for the zipper on the back of her dress. "It'll get in the way."

Leia sat up so he could help unzip her. She bit her lip, smiling while Han's thumb slowly tickled it's way down her back, dragging the zipper down. She pushed her sleeves off her shoulder and smiled brighter at Han's sigh. He held her shoulders, his breath warming her neck at the nape. "Are you positive you want to do this?"

Sweet, foreign Corellian stars, she loved this man! She loved this man. "Han, it's been a long time since I've been so sure of anything."