Han did not pass out, nor would he let his body succumb to the blackness that begged at the corner of his eyes. He had to fight it, had to find the will to keep going. Groaning, Han struggled to sit up and braced his upper body on his arms. He hissed out in anger and distress as his left arm shot up with streaks of pain as it reminded him of the torment Vader had just put him through.

Gently lifting it, though, the throbbing ache almost sent Han over the edge and made him loose the contents of his stomach again he managed to set it in his lap. Han saw that his arm had been wrapped in a white gauzy material however some blood had seeped through staining the white material crimsoned.

His tongue and throat begged for water and slowly turning his head to the left and right, surprised that someone had thought to leave him a glass filled with the precious liquid. Ignoring the aches as his body protested the movement; he picked up the glass and brought it to his parched lips. The thought of the water being drugged occurred to him.

What more can they do to me? The liquid was cool and soothing going down his sore throat and he tried to drink it slow so that his stomach would not heave it back up. Feeling a bit better now that his body was a little more hydrated, Han sat recalling what Vader had told him.

"She is a servant of the dark side now."

Leia…

"If you are united with her and your link finally fused she will be able to bring down this tyranny once and for all."

He would bring down this tyranny for good but not with Leia as a part of the dark side. How then? How would he defeat Vader, the Emperor and Leia? Han knew if and when he was to confront her, he would never be able to kill her. Was really joining Leia the only way to save her, save him and save the galaxy?

No. Yes. Maybe. Han gave out a frustrated growl and threw the glass against the wall and watched it break into small shards onto the ground. His mind felt like breaking just like the glass cup.

Why, why have you forsaken me with this? I am but a lowly smuggler! Han wanted to scream, but he thought he knew why. Despite the rough and tough front he always portrayed, beneath the surface craved a man who longed for touch, kindness and most of all true love. He had found his it all in the spunky princess and Siths be dammed before he let anyone take her away from him.

Han slowly lowered himself back down upon the hard bed and looked up at the stale ceiling. He knew Vader would not kill him if it were true that he really was the link to unleashing Leia's full power. But if there was a way to unleash the dark side there also had to be a way to unleash the light side in Leia. How?

That's the million dollar question isn't it? The first time in Han's life, he wished he had the ability to understand the all mighty Force.

Shivers made Han shutter as strange sensations started to course within his body. They weren't bad, in fact Han felt rather aroused by them. It started at the top of his head, long gentle fingers caressing through his matted and unruly hair. Han closed his eyes as these fingers started to relax his body and made their way down to his ears.

It's a trick! Wake up you fool! His brain warned him, but his battered and torn body didn't have the strength or want to give in and relinquished himself to the luxurious touches. He groaned when the caresses went from his head to his sore shoulders and arms.

"Do you like this Han? Do you want more?" Han's eyes shot open at the sound of her voice.

"Leia?" He called out loud, alarmed.

"I can give you all the pleasure you want. I can make the pain go away. Submit to me my love. That's all you have to do." Han's eyes darted around the room and was sure that he was going to see his princess standing next to him.

I'm going crazy; there was something in that water after all!

Han couldn't help himself and purred in pleasure as the phantom took the bottom of his ear and sucked on it. You aren't real, none of this is real Han tried to convince himself.

"It can be real my love, I can give you all the pleasure you want. You can be at my side and I won't let anything happen to you."

"Leia, oh god Leia, is it really you?" Han moaned and once again closed his eyes as "her" lips traveled over his neck leaving a feathery trail of kisses. He withered under her touches as Leia's hands were all over his body: touching teasing, caressing. He could feel them make their way under his torn and battered shirt and lovingly knead his bruised and abused abdomen.

"We can have it all Han Solo. Just submit to me."

Han lost himself in the pleasure and only little pleading whimpers for more dribbled out of his mouth. He should have known this wasn't his Leia, but with a sudden wave of desire from within, him wail as the sensation grew and the need for release became urgent.

"Leia, please," he begged. Han lost count of all the days, weeks or maybe months he had been a prisoner. The physiological and physical torment would have broken a lesser man, but Han Solo was not a lesser man. Yet, even the strong willed found a breaking point.

He tried to quiet his quaking body and panting breaths as her celestial voice stroked his ear. "Come to me Han Solo."

Somehow, a tiny bit of his brain tried to regain control. It's not real. This isn't Leia. This is a lie. This will only bring pain…

But it felt so good right now and his body needed to feel good. It pleaded with him to give in, to submit. He felt a hand go to his waist, to the zipper of his pants and Han sucked in a breath.

"Please…Leia," Han begged again.

"Will you submit to me my love? Open yourself up and let me in. Let me feel the whole you." She slowly let the zipper ease down and pressed hot kisses on his waist line.

His brain screamed no, but the words left his mouth anyway. "Yes," he breathed breathlessly. Han opened his mind and the link consumed his whole being into their sacred bond.

Emperor Palpatine never smiled, but since the arrival of Princess Leia he found himself cracking a painful grin twice. Now finding her bond mate's location and having him committed to eternal damnation, the Emperor once again found himself turning his twisted lips upward.

He instantly felt the smuggler open his mind up and the surge of emotions and power flow from him. He had sent the phantom toward Solo, manipulating the dark side so that it would portray it as the princess. The Emperor knew that the mercenary would die before turning himself over to the Empire. Solo may be strong, but he was just a mortal.

Vader had softened the rebel up, done all the hard work for the Emperor. It wouldn't take much to exploit his weakness. Just like the princess, Solo's strength was also his downfall and all it needed was a nudge with the dark forces.

Palpatine's thoughts turned toward his apprentice. So Vader was trying to hide Solo from him and use him and the princess in his own plot to overthrow him. Did he really think he could hide such a thing from his master?

"Very well Lord Vader," Palpatine chortled to himself. "I know what you've been hiding from me. I know what you have in store for me. But can you foresee what I have in store for you?"

What the Emperor didn't realize that he had unintentionally let the flood gates open for the princess to immediately feel and cling onto. Leia fell on her bed, winded and panting for a breath. Beads of sweat dripped down the side of her face and she made no move to swipe it away. Goosebumps popped up all over her arms and tremors quaked throughout her body.

It was so strong as if he was right here, in bed and just had made love for the first time. She valiantly tried to push the sensation away, knowing that Han was dead and the dark side was once again trying to tempt her, but as he kept calling out for her the desire made her hunger for his voice, touch and being even more.

Her breath hitched into her throat as she could feel Han call for her to release him and their harmonized shrieks flooded the Imperial walls. His release and relief was so explosive that it made the Force shudder with anguish and pleasure.

He was alive? How could that be? She saw with her own eyes as the rebel ships destroyed Han's shuttle and his presence became a void. Was this another manipulation? Another lie?

"Leia."

"Han," she called to him. He was not a lie, nor was their bond. It pulsed within and clawed for her to own mind to open so they could be reunited. Closing her amber eyes, Leia embraced the onslaught of emotions and sensations as she finally opened herself to Han.

It was more than two people coming together; it was completion, wholeness and absorption. It was the will of the Force for them to be fused as one and no one could get in their way.

She could feel the strength as their bond finished fusing. She glorified in its power as it coursed through her veins.

"I am yours, Leia," Han's voice echoed.

Slowly, Leia's eyes opened to reveal brightly ignited amber eyes. "I know my love."

Luke would have called his sudden dizziness vertigo, but he wasn't on top of a skyscraper nor was he looking down. The sudden embrace of the Force was so powerful that he lost his balance and luckily the large wookiee was right behind him and caught Luke by his arms.

With his own sensitive hearing, Dobbs picked up on the lack of footsteps following him and stopped. Turning around, he saw the young Jedi being held up by his companion.

"Are you injured? What's wrong with you?" Through his HUD, Dobbs couldn't detect any heat signatures from blasters being shot or wounds sustained. There were no marks of penetration so what is this kid's issue?

Chewie held onto Luke and growled worriedly until Luke assured him that he was able to stand on his own feet again. Running his hands across his face and through his hair, smearing the makeup and staining his blond hair, Luke let out a breath. He could still feel the remnants of whatever that was. His body tingled and…Leia… "Oh no," Luke mumbled miserably.

"What is it?" Dobbs demanded. He approached them closer, but the wookiee growled a warning to the trooper. The boy looked at the trooper, his eyes slightly glassed over.

"We're too late," Luke muttered mournfully.

"Too late for what?" Dammit! What is this kid mumbling about! Maybe staying with the Empire wasn't all that bad compared with this loony, Dobbs started to have his doubts.

"The Emperor knows. He knows Han is alive and he and Leia have bonded." Luke tightly closed his eyes as the dark energy filled him. Leia was so strong, how was he ever going to fight her? No, not fight her, but bring her back from the dark?

"Bonded?" Dobbs was confused. He had seen the princess and her powers. She was strong and maybe bravely stupid going up against the Dark Lord himself. But what did this bond have anything to do with her power?

"Han is the key to turning her back to the light. If he is consumed by their darkness, everything will be lost. We have to find him Dobbs. We can't let the Emperor or Leia take him."

Luke started walking forward, but Dobbs put a retraining hand on Luke's shoulder, that is until Chewie viciously roared at him. Dobbs instantly dropped his hand to his side. "Boy, what would happen if Solo were to join the princess at her side? What difference would it make since they are already bonded?"

Luke heaved out another sigh. "The Emperor will use Han as a puppet to control Leia. Imagine a power far greater than any Death Star; far greater than Vader and the Emperor themselves. The galaxy will forever be doomed. That, Dobbs is why we must find Han before the Emperor or Leia does."

Dobbs tried to suppress the shudder that coursed through his body as the images of his fellow brothers being suffocated came to mind. "We don't have much time then do we?"