Drama, drama, drama! Here is more of our favorite and most stubborn couple...Thank you all for reading!

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"Solo!"

As Leia's head flew up and her body tensed to full alert, she was aware that Han had drawn his blaster by the time the second syllable of his name had rung out.

Almost as quickly, he was chuckling loudly. "Lexi!" He holstered his blaster.

A young woman, only slightly older and taller than Leia, ran into Han's arms. He lifted her up and squeezed her tightly before replacing her on the floor.

"It's been a long time. What're you doing here?" His smile was wide and genuine.

"Running a shipment for my dad."

"Running a shipment? Whoa, hold on. You flying these days?"

She gestured across the spaceport. "See that FT-3700 over there?"

"Don't tell me that's yours!"

She grinned at him. "Dad gave it to me last year."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty-two."

Han sputtered a breath in disbelief. "You still look like a little kid."

"You would't say that if you saw me fly. I'm almost as good as you."

"Well, I know that's a lie." He laughed shortly.

Leia watched this exchange, seeming to fade into the background in light of this reunion. She eyed the young woman carefully. She was petite, with long, brown hair swept to the side and pulled back in a messy tail. Her clothes were of the the nondescript variety that pilots tended to wear. She was completely unremarkable, yet Leia found herself feeling oddly left out and, quite possibly, a twinge of jealousy that she tried to deny.

"Oh, hey," Han said suddenly. "This is Leia. Leia, this is Lexi. I use to work for her dad."

Lexi stuck her hand out to Leia. "Great to meet you."

Leia clasped the proferred hand in a firm grip. "Likewise."

The woman inclined her head in Han's direction. "This guy still gettin' into trouble everywhere he goes?"

She gave a slight smile. "It wouldn't be Han if he didn't."

Lexi chuckled then suddenly became serious and stepped closer to Han, voice lowering. "You know you have a price on your head, right?"

Something burst loudly in Leia's brain and she looked to Han, blinking in shock.

His expression darkened. "Yeah, I know." All the former enthusiasm had fled from his voice.

"What?!" Leia barely recognized the croak of her own voice.

Han's expression was chagrined. His hand rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'll tell ya about it later," he mumbled to her. He turned back to Lexi, more sedate now. "How is your dad?"

She glanced from Leia to him, seemingly uncomfortable now. "He's good. Business is booming."

Leia barely heard another word that was said. Her mind was reeling, stomach clenched in an icy fist. She needed more information. With soaring impatience, she waited until Han and the girl said their good byes. They hugged warmly before she turned to Leia.

"Nice meeting you. Take care."

"Same to you," Leia replied automatically.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Leia whirled on Han. "Price on your head?"

"Keep it down," he growled. "You want someone here to try and collect?"

Leia's mouth snapped shut. He was completely right. She glanced around but no one seemed to be paying them any mind.

Han's mouth creased grimly. "Let's do what we gotta do. We'll talk later."

She nodded, feeling dismissed even though on the most basic level, she completely agreed. Business first.

Chewie was now outside the ship, sealing it up tightly. He joined them and Leia allowed them to lead her to their destination.

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The LoBue Cantina at the Abregado Rae Spaceport had looked tiny on the outside, but was surprisingly large inside. Chewie stood at the bar, surreptitiously waiting to provide cover if necessary. He appeared to be surveying the scene with disinterest, but Leia could see the way he was watching them and everything around them.

Han had picked a table against the wall, seating himself beside her, facing the door. He too appeared indifferent to their surroundings, but Leia was well aware of how deceiving that casual affect was.

She forced her mind to the most immediate matters. "Are you sure you can trust this guy?"

Han cast a dubious glance in her direction. "Sweetheart, I don't trust anyone."

She wondered if that applied to her too then removed the thought from her mind. Did it really matter? Light and easy, she reminded herself with dark resignation.

Recent events had cost the Rebellion a number of freighters and pilots. The loss had hit them hard. Now, Han was hooking her up with a fellow smuggler whom he thought might be willing to work for the Alliance.

She gazed up at Han, watched his eyes skim their surroundings, serious and wary. She felt suddenly disconnected from him and wasn't certain why. Perhaps it was the harrowing news about him having a price on his head. How had she not known this? A dull ache settled in her chest.

He glanced at her shortly then placed an arm around her shoulders. It made her feel both better and worse. She leaned into him, thankful that they were anonymous in this dim, foreign place.

It was fairly early still and the cantina was not yet crowded. It appeared to be one of the more dangerous places Leia had ever been in. But, at this point, nothing intimidated her.

They were the only humans in the room and Leia did not recognize the majority of the species sitting at the bar and scattered at various tables. A band played fairly sedate music from the corner.

"You okay?" Han asked suddenly.

She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder, lips close to his ear. It felt as if they were a regular couple, out on a date. She liked it but at the same time, it unnerved her. She realized suddenly how safe Han made her feel. Normally, she was on guard for trouble, especially in a place like this. But, she trusted him in that way. He would watch out for her safety. She could allow herself to be cocooned within his presence. She did not have to worry.

"Tell me about this price on your head."

"Later." He squeezed her shoulder as if to gentle his reply.

"Tell me now," she whispered softly. "No one can hear us."

After a long silence above her head, his voice came, low and rippling. "You know of the Huttese crime lords on Tatooine, right?"

"Yes." Her voice sounded small to her own ears.

"I was smuggling for one of 'em, Jabba the Hutt. I got boarded by Imperials and had to drop my shipment. I went back for it after, but it was gone. So, I had to pay him back for the shipment. Didn't have the credits, though."

Leia waited, assuming there was more. When he said nothing further, she sat up and looked at him. His eyes were flitting through the room and he took a sip of his whiskey. "That can't be the entire story."

His gaze lighted on her for just an instant and he sighed. "So, I owe him a lot of credits." His testy tone matched his expression.

She had so many questions but decided not to push him. This was the first time he had given her a glimpse into his past. However unwilling it had been, she felt grateful. "Thank you for telling me," she said solemnly.

His gaze shot to hers and they shared a long, poignant moment. His eyes were troubled before he looked away, seeming to remember where they were.

A blanket of dread fell across her. More worries, more pain. She worried every time Han or Luke left on a mission, for obvious reasons. Now, she had one more reason to fear for Han's safety. She knew very well that he would not hang around with the Rebellion forever. He could pick up and leave on a whim tomorrow. She couldn't be certain he would even say good bye before her did so. But the thought of him being killed by some bounty hunter was more than she could bare.

"I changed my mind. I would like a drink." She stared down at the worn, scratched wood of the table top, aware of him looking at her.

"Whadda you want?"

"Surprise me." She saw him hail the serving droid.

"Corellian Brandy." The droid rolled away, beeping and whirring.

Leia looked at him. "Strong choice."

He shrugged. "Surprised?"

One side of her mouth raised in response. Han's attention returned to the happenings of the cantina and when the droid returned, balancing a tray on its flat, silver head, he handed the drink to her. She took a small sip, the taste causing her eyes to squint shut and her lips to twist to one side.

"Gah! How do you drink this stuff?" she sputtered.

Han grinned for the first time since they had arrived, one half of his face alight with amusement. "It's an acquired taste."

"It tastes like fuel."

He laughed and reached for her glass but she held it out of reach.

"Thought it tastes like fuel," he said.

"It does. But it's my fuel." She took another sip and grimaced.

Han's crooked grin turned to a beaming smile and he reached over and hugged her tightly against him, chuckling softly. He kissed the top of her head and the sudden public intimacy left her with a choking feeling of suffocation. She gently extricated herself from his embrace and took another small sip of her drink.

The ensuing tension was palpable. Leia could feel that she had hurt him but was incapable of righting the slight. She gulped down half her drink and a slight shiver flew through her. They sat in silence for a few minutes and Leia realized she was somewhat drunk. She cursed herself. Normally, she was not so careless during a mission. Looking around, she tried to sharpen her focus on their surroundings. She saw Chewie at the bar, watching her.

She turned towards Han but forced her eyes everywhere else. "Are you planning on paying the Hutt back?" She spared him a glance and saw he was scowling.

"Of course. I gotta get the money first."

"Is that why you're with the Alliance?"

"I'm not with the Alliance."

Anger blossomed in her chest. "Yes, I know. You know what I mean." His lack of response set her on edge. "Where is this friend of yours? He's late."

His temper was beginning to flare in response to hers. "Sorry, Your Highness," he replied caustically. "Not everyone's on your precious time schedule."

Leia sat back, a sour taste in her mouth. She downed half of the contents of her glass, dimly acknowledging that she shouldn't drink anymore. Stiffly, she crossed her arms in front of her. Han leaned away in the other direction and crossed a leg over his thigh. Antipodal feelings warred within her. She had pushed him away and now that he moved farther, she wanted him to come back to her. But, the resentment that bubbled inside her held her in stasis, unable to act. She remained still and alone, wallowing in her own acerbity.

The tightness in her chest persisted and they sat in silence, time creeping by. It began to grow late and she heard Han sigh.

"Think he's going to show?" Leia asked, her tone neutral.

"Maybe he got held up somewhere. Smuggling doesn't always go as planned."

She kept her disappointment to herself. The Rebellion really needed this smuggler's help.

He gestured to the remaining contents of her glass. "You gonna finish that?"

"No."

He took the glass and drained its contents. After a time, he took some credits from his pocket and laid them on the table. "C'mon. I'll send him a message from the Falcon and let him know we'll be here tomorrow night."

Leia sighed and saw Han glance at her. She stood and followed him to the door, noting the subtle signal he gave Chewie. As they trudged through the spaceport, she didn't have to glance back to know that the Wookiee was following at a safe distance.

The effects of the brandy had lessened, but not completely left her. On their walk back to the Falcon, Han stopped in front of a food vendor's cart. They hadn't eaten in many hours but Leia found she had no appetite. Han ordered a sandwich then turned to Leia.

"What would you like?"

Her stomach clenched at the thought. "Nothing. I'm not hungry."

"You should eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

Chewie caught up to them hurriedly. No one loved to eat more than him.

Leia felt Han's stare. "Suit yourself," he finally said, turning back to order two sandwiches for Chewie.

They ate as they walked and the smell of the meat was making her nauseated. The spaceport was surprisingly well-populated and busy for so late at night. She hugged her arms around herself, trying to sort the many confusing feelings that swirled and bounced inside her.

Once on board the Falcon, Han went to the cockpit to send the message. Leia was torn. She knew Han expected her to join him in his cabin, but she just wanted to be alone.

Missions with Han were always bittersweet. There were passionate nights to look forward to, where she could lose herself to his touch, not think for a little while. But, afterwards, there was more awkwardness than when on base. She didn't have her own quarters here and there was always her clumsy retreat to the crew quarters. Even if she waited until he fell asleep, it still felt awkward. She knew he didn't like it.

Tonight, she didn't feel like being with Han. She was still a bit drunk and feeling upset for various reasons, only some of which she was aware of. Her head was beginning to ache with a dull throb. All she wanted was to lie down, alone. Hands gently rubbing at her temples, Leia went to the crew quarters, changed into her long, white sleep gown, and laid down on top of the covers, closing her eyes. The cool pillow felt good against the side of her head where it soothed her headache.

Against her will, thoughts of the price on Han's head forced their way into her thoughts. For some irrational reason, she felt angry with him. She knew it was irrational, yet she could not rid herself of the feeling. He had, more or less, pushed her into this…whatever this was between them. She hadn't wanted it, even while she had been drawn so strongly towards him.

She denied it, but in moments when she was honest with herself, she knew she cared about him. Perhaps he cared about her, too. But, what did it matter? He wasn't here to stay. And the price on his head just further insured that he would leave. He would need to address that in the not-too-distant future.

When she decided to engage willingly in this affair, she had told herself it was just physical, a nice distraction from her worries. Somewhere along the way, it had become more, adding more worries than it banished.

There were moments that took her breath away. When he held her too tightly, consuming her with his presence; when he stared into her eyes, seeming to see inside her; when he kissed her with less passion and more tenderness…

A gaping hole seemed to spread throughout chest. Those moments were far too intimate, and they made her want to run. She couldn't surrender to that intimacy. What would she do when he was gone?

The door slid open with a swish and Leia's eyes were reflexively drawn to the doorway. Han took a step inside, hands on his hips, his expression one of displeasure. The door shut behind him.

"What're you doing?" he snapped.

"Laying down." She kept her voice placid.

"I see that."

"Then why did you ask?"

He blinked a few times and his forehead lowered. "Why are you laying down in here?"

"I have a headache, I just want to sleep." She closed her eyes, as if that might end the discussion.

After a long silence, he spoke again. "Well, come to my cabin."

Her eyes opened. "I don't want to have sex tonight."

He frowned. "We don't have to have sex."

"Then why would I come to your cabin?"

For a moment, he looked dumbfounded. "What kind of a question is that?"

Anger, frustration, and an odd sense of grief were boiling inside her, threatening to bubble over the surface. She sat up and the motion caused the pounding in her head to increase. "Han, what is it that you want? I don't feel very well. I have a headache and I'm tired and I just want to rest." She was aware of her rising voice but was unable to stop it.

"What do I want?" he asked with exaggerated patience. "I just wanna be with you tonight." His volume was raising to match hers.

Leia rubbed at her forehead, coming to a decision. When she lowered her hand, her gaze was unwavering. "I can't do this anymore," she said with soft seriousness.

"What?!" The word burst from his lips.

She sighed, not wanting to deal with this at the moment.

Han stepped closer to her, clearly angry with a hint of hurt in his eyes. "So, what? It's over? Just like that?"

She stood. "Just like that." She snapped her fingers before his eyes and his head snapped back for a moment. "This is nothing anyway." That sharp mix of pain and anger began to rise again, her tone of voice following in kind. "What's the big deal?"

His eyes went wide. "Nothing? That's how you describe us?"

"There is no us, Han!" Panic shuddered in her chest and spewed outward into her limbs.

"So, what are you saying?" he shouted. "You don't care about me? Cause I know you do!"

She nodded a bit maniacally. "Of course I care about you. And Luke, and Chewie."

"I don't see you sleeping with them!"

"I shouldn't be sleeping with you either. It's messed up everything!"

"How has it messed up everything?"

"I don't know!" She covered her face with her hands, confused and shaken. His gentle grip caught her wrists and she pushed him forcefully away then dropped her hands.

"Leia…" he implored, his tone now low.

Her hands rose defensively. "Don't!" His eyes looked suddenly sad, an expression she never could have imagined on Han Solo. "Just don't!"

"Why?"

"Cause you're you!"

"I'm me?" He looked taken aback. "What the hell does that mean?" His anger was resurfacing.

"You're who you are!"

"Yeah, I'm who I am." Now, his voice had lowered to a menacing growl. "And you're a Princess. And what would people think?" His eyes were angry slashes.

Shock shot through her and her mouth dropped open. When she spoke, her voice was a hoarse whisper. "That's not what I meant."

"Isn't it?" he sneered.

"No, it's not what I meant at all."

"Yes, you did. That's why I'm always a secret, why you leave my bed in the middle of the night."

What was happening? How could he think that? Things were going horribly wrong. She brought a hand to her mouth and realized she was trembling. Clasping her hands together to still them, she felt tears pricking her eyes. "It's not what I meant! That's not how I feel!"

He stepped closer to her, toweringly tall. "Then how do you feel? What did you mean?" he yelled in her face.

"I meant that you're leaving!" She hadn't meant for the words to slip out. In a panicked frenzy, they had tumbled from her lips. She closed her eyes, trying to escape her words.

He took her unsteady hands in his and she jerked them away. Her chin was quivering and she knew she should open her eyes, she couldn't hide from him standing right there. He grabbed her by the shoulders and she tried to push him away but he held her firmly in place and pulled her to him, bringing his mouth swiftly to hers. For a moment, she tried to pull away. Then, his hands were surrounding her face and his mouth was devouring hers and she felt her defenses crumble to nothing. She faltered completely and began kissing him back; the hands that had pushed at his arms now drifted up to his shoulders then his neck, pulling him desperately closer.

A small, sob escaped her throat as Han crushed her to him, kissing her for an endless time. She didn't want him to stop, did not know what would happen when he did.

When he did break the kiss, his eyes bored into hers and she couldn't stand it. Her own fell shut.

"C'mon," he said gruffly, taking her hand.

She opened her eyes and allowed him to lead her to his cabin. Once inside, she stood for a moment, lost and uncertain, as Han began removing his clothes. He took her hand again and pulled her down to lay beside him on the bunk. Under the blanket, he held her close and gently pushed her head to rest on his chest.

She concentrated on breathing, trying to still the confusing torrent of her emotions. She couldn't begin to think clearly. When she had calmed considerably, she felt exhausted, spent.

"I'm sorry," she whispered weakly, not even sure of all she was apologizing for.

His arms tightened around her. "It's okay."

Leia was growing sleepy. It crossed her mind that she did not want to sleep in his bunk but she was too tired to move.