Happy Sunday. Enjoy!

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And don't believe the lies that they have told to you

You're all right, you're all right, you're all right

-Simon, Lifehouse

He found her outside, sitting on a tree stump, threading her luscious hair into braids. He stopped and watched her in profile, unobserved. She inspired so many emotions in him. Never before would he have imagined his heart capable of such tenderness. She was all he wanted; nothing mattered more than her.

He wasn't sure what kind of reaction she had expected at the news about Vader. She had been so afraid to tell him. He had been stunned, certainly. It was mind-blowing, completely insane. But, in reality, it changed nothing.

Her hands paused amidst strands of hair and she turned her head, dark eyes finding him as if she had known he was there all along. He offered a small smile that she returned half-heartedly. He meandered to her side and bent on one knee to face her.

"How're you doing?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

She gave a small sigh. "I'm getting by."

He leaned closer and placed his chin on her knee. She dropped her hands from her hair and placed them gently in his then kissed his forehead. His mouth curved at the tender gesture.

"I love you," he said quietly.

Her lips arced to match his. "I love you, too." When the smile faded, she became serious. "Han, thank you."

He sighed through his nose. "For what?"

"Everything," she answered quickly.

Han smiled despite his confusion. "What's everything?"

A hint of humor lit her eyes. "Since when did you become modest?"

Uncertain how to respond, he said nothing.

Her voice was full of gratitude. "Don't you know all that you've done for me?" She swept a few stray strands of hair from his forehead.

He raised his head and lowered his gaze, feeling oddly abashed. Then her hands were on either side of his face and she brought herself back into his line of vision.

A glimmer of tears accompanied her soft smile. "You've made me whole again," she said in a husky whisper.

His breath left him momentarily and he took a moment to recover. Words had never touched him so profoundly. He hadn't known they could. Warmth cascaded through him and he closed his eyes for just a moment, overwhelmed. When he found his voice, it was coarse. "You were always whole, Leia."

"No." She smiled softly. "I fell apart completely. I'm not sure I ever would have put myself back together without you."

He dismissed her words with a shrug. She leaned close to kiss him and a warm, ardent haze surrounded them. Fervid desire surged between them and the kiss grew hot and passionate as their tongues clung sensuously. Awareness of all else fell away and Han knew nothing but Leia.

He was hard and throbbing when she broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. He battled internally with himself, knowing he needed to calm down and back off, yet wanting her so completely.

Her head came up and he opened his eyes to look at her. Her lips were wet and parted, her cheeks flushed, eyes damp and dusky. She was so beautiful it made him ache.

"Han." Her soft voice seemed to caress him. "I want to make love with you."

He was both surprised and aroused, yet suddenly nervous. The last time she had expressed this desire had been less than ideal. "Are you sure?" His voice was barely a whisper.

One finger moved to brush his lower lip and he suppressed a groan. "Yes. I want to be with you. And I think I know how it can be okay." She paused. "How I can be okay."

Han was lost in a fog of desire, uncertain of what she was talking about and unable to make any attempt to decipher her words. He swallowed. "If you're sure. You don't have to rush anything on my account. I can w—"

She cut him off with another kiss, long and slow, then looked at him with smiling eyes. "Take me to your cabin and make love to me.

She was sure. He could hardly believe it.

Solemnly, he stood and tugged her gently to her feet. He looked down at her, marveling at how small and fragile she appeared in that moment. He bent low and scooped her in his arms, kissed her tenderly, and carried her up the boarding ramp.

###

Inside the cabin, Leia's heart fluttered with nerves, but the persistent fear and panic of months past was absent. She wanted this with Han. Facing each other on the bunk, she thought she detected some uneasiness in Han's eyes as well. She took his hand.

"Han, I want to…" She hesitated, uncertain how to phrase it. "I want to touch your mind with the Force. I think it will…" She glanced downward, feeling suddenly awkward. "I think it will help me…to not think of anything else but you. Here, touching me."

Uncertainty tinged his features. "I'm not gonna pretend I understand this Force stuff, Leia. But, I love you. And I want you to feel safe." His eyes fell away from her then returned hesitantly. "You're sure about this?"

She traced the scar on his chin with gentle fingers. "I'm sure," she said with quiet confidence.

His mouth quirked up on one side. "Are you in my head yet?"

She couldn't help the responding smile that sprung to her lips. "I don't get in your head. I just…feel you."

"Okay." He laid back against the pillows. "You're in control here."

"I'm in control?"

His smile faded. "Yeah. I don't want anything to happen that you don't want to happen. So…" he shrugged slightly. "You take control."

Leia had not the slightest clue how to respond. With some apprehension, she slipped slowly down to lie facing him on the bunk. Han's hands remained at his sides.

Leaning close, she brushed her lips softly against his and felt his lips part in response. She kept her eyes open, wanting to know this was Han that she was ready to be so intimate with. She opened herself to the Force and felt a charge of energy between them, unlike anything she had ever felt before.

And there was Han, his essence, his spirit, and she could feel how much he wanted her; how much he was holding back, controlling his desire. The love she felt emanating from him was a powerful surge and her spirit called out in response. She felt their feelings, their love, intertwining in the space between them and pouring out around them, too much to contain.

She kissed him more passionately and the excitement she felt from him incited a deep longing within her. Oh, yes, she wanted him.

His desire inspired a new confidence in her and she reached down to undo the fastenings of his shirt. Once it was open, she watched her hands play across the soft skin of his chest and heard, as well as felt, his intake of breath. Her eyes rose to find his closed with an intense, dreamy expression.

A deep sense of wonder filled her. Nothing had ever felt as beautiful as what now touched every space inside her, filling her with so much love and light. She slipped the shirt from his shoulders and he opened his eyes, shrugging off the shirt and tossing it to the floor.

In turn, she sat up, locking his gaze with hers and pulling off her own shirt. She saw his eyes darken and sharpen as his gaze grazed over her, felt the deepening of his desire. It emboldened her and she reached down and slipped her shorts to the floor.

Now, Han's hands reached out to caress her, starting at her shoulders and slowly sliding down to her hips. "You're so beautiful," he whispered fiercely, and Leia could feel his words as well as hear them. He moved close to her and, with a deep groan, kissed her, entwining his legs with hers.

The feel of his skin against hers sent a hot fire through her and she longed to feel the entire length of his body. She pushed at the waistband of his pants and he opened them and quickly pushed them off.

And there he was, his body intimately against hers, and when she felt him, hard against her stomach, a momentary flicker of unease swept through her; she reached out again through the Force and his reassuring presence, everything that was Han, soothed her and any lingering doubts dissolved and dissipated to nothing.

And then Han's tongue was grazing her ear, her neck, her collarbone and nothing else existed. His mouth blazed a scorching trail along her breast and when it closed over her nipple, sucking and flicking with his tongue, she cried out in shocked pleasure and forgot to breathe. She moaned and whimpered as he alternated between one breast and the other.

"I love you, Princess," he growled in a deep rumble. "I'm so in love with you." Leia was too lost to form words.

It seemed an eternity that Han's mouth and tongue danced over her skin, moist and hot, teasing excruciating ripples of pleasure that tickled and nipped every nerve ending. There was nothing but Han's mouth, his hands, the ecstasy of his skin against hers.

His light touch skimmed her thighs and when his fingers brushed against the most sensitive part between, Leia's breath caught and she moaned loudly. The response it evoked in Han crashed around her and she could feel him almost lose himself then force control again. Was that the pounding of his heart? Or hers?

And then Han's finger slid into her silken folds and she was instantly aware of how wet she was as he teased with slow, deliberate strokes; the bliss was startling. Her hips moved in time with his fingers, each movement driving her towards some unknown precipice. When he slid a finger inside her, she cried out, hips thrusting upwards, and she felt Han's intent before he even moved to place his body over hers, his finger still inside her, coaxing her body into a passionate fervor.

One hand curled around her head and his voice was a breathless whisper. "Look at me, Leia."

Her eyes fell open and he looked into them with the same intensity she could feel flowing from him in passionate waves. He kept his gaze on her, his eyes dark and hooded, and as the hard length of him pressed against her, he slipped his finger from inside her and sheathed himself deeply within her. His gaze sharpened, his mouth opened and Leia was overwhelmed by how it felt to have him filling her, how she wanted him deeper inside her. She was unaware when her eyes closed as Han began to slowly thrust inside her, pulling back as if he would withdraw completely then plunging even more deeply.

His arms moved under hers to clasp at her shoulders and he held her in place and drove into her, over and over, and every time Leia thought he was as deep inside her as he could be, he thrust again and moved even deeper, until she felt something inside her start to spasm and splinter and Han's cries filled her ears, mixing with hers, and she thrust her hips up violently to meet him, again and again; and then the world was spinning around them both and she felt her core exploding into a paroxysm of ecstasy and agony that was far too powerful; Han's body shook with the same intensity and Leia felt the energy between them explode and careen wildly. And then Han was spilling inside her, fiercely hot, erupting, as their bodies shook together for an endless time, until they were both trembling and weak. Unable to think, Leia could only breathe.

As her breathing began to slow, awareness gradually returned and she realized that her legs were still shaking and she and Han were both bathed in sweat, clinging to each other.

His mouth found hers and he kissed her, breathing harshly through his nose. He slid his weight off her and collapsed with his head against her chest. His hair was damp and when she glanced down, he looked as spent as she felt.

They lay in silence and Leia felt him through the Force, how deeply emotional he was, and it touched her so profoundly that a sheen of tears welled in her eyes.

At that moment, Han lifted his head to look at her and she felt his alarm before it showed on his face.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He rose, eyes filled with concern.

She smiled through tears. "I'm wonderful."

He remained unconvinced. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. You did everything perfect. I love you." She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down to kiss her. The tension in his shoulders began to ease.

He looked into her eyes and Leia still saw some unease stirring in him. "You're sure?"

One side of her lips quirked up. "That I love you? Yes, I'm sure."

He eyed her with mild disdain. "You know what I mean."

"I know what you mean." Her voice grew soft. "Han, I'm happy. It was…" She floundered for an adequate word. "Beautiful," she breathed softly, finding the term entirely inadequate.

He searched her face then nodded, seemingly satisfied. Gathering her in his arms, he rolled to his back, pulling her with him.

Leia sighed contentedly in the warm circle of his arms. A small sense of disquiet permeated the air around them and it took a moment to realize it was coming from Han. She looked up at him to find his brow furrowed ever-so-slightly.

"Han, what is it?"

"What?"

She watched him briefly before answering. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" His expression turned to concern.

"No, I mean with you. Something is wrong with you."

"Hey, I thought you said I did everything right." He flashed his usual arrogant grin but it seemed false somehow.

She turned on her stomach to face him, examining him closely and stretching out more deliberately through the Force. "Something is bothering you. I can feel it."

His brow lowered. "All right, I knew I didn't like this Force stuff. You gettin' all in my head and everything."

"I wasn't trying to. It was just…there." An uneasy thought skittered through her. "Is it…was I…not very good at it? Did I disappoint you?"

"Gods no," he said quickly. "It was…amazing." He let out a small, sighing laugh. "Amazing doesn't even cover it."

Leia was beginning to worry. "Then what is it?"

He sat up and she could see mild anger creeping in. "Am I never going to have a private thought again?"

A sinking feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. Moments ago, things had been blissful. Now, it seemed to be taking a terrible turn. "It's not like that," she answered calmly.

His indifferent mask fell into place for the first time in so long that she couldn't remember when she had last seen it. "Then what's it like?"

A sliver of anger zipped through her. He was mad at her for something she had no control over. She fell back on her Jedi training and banished it immediately, passivity held in check. She sat up with the blanket covering her legs and placed a hand lightly on his arm. "First of all, I can't hear your thoughts. Secondly, I was not trying to pry. I could just sense how you were feeling, it was just there. And lastly, I'm sorry if it bothers you. I know there are ways to control it and I will learn to do that. I don't want you to ever feel I'm spying on you or whatever it is you think I was doing."

Her calm seemed to deflate his defensiveness. He nodded shortly, eyes still troubled. When he lay back against the pillow, Leia was hesitant to join him. A clumsy silence fell between them. Han placed one hand behind his head and the other across the pillow beside him, seeming to anticipate her presence there.

The old Leia would have turned her back to him and folded up. She could feel the difference in herself since she had begun her Jedi training. She refused to allow herself to be driven by her emotions. Lying in the hollow of his shoulder, she snuggled close to him, in spite of his aloof demeanor. His arm closed around her shoulder.

His unease was still pestering her. "So, what is it that's bothering you?"

It took him a long moment to answer. "It's nothing important."

With a mental sigh, she tried to accept this answer, but all things considered, it was impossible to just let it go. She rolled onto her stomach, propped her hands on his shoulder and rested her chin on top of her hands. "Han, we just made love and it was the most beautiful experience of my life. And now something has upset you. And I don't know what I said or did, so it is important."

He turned sharply to look at her and his expression softened considerably. "No, Sweetheart, you didn't do anything." His voice was low and tender now, such a contrast to a moment ago. His hand raised to stroke her hair and he pulled her closer.

They lay quietly for a time. Leia could no longer see his face from where she was huddled below his chin. "Han, please talk to me," she whispered.

He sighed above her head. "I don't even know how to put it into words. I'm not like you, Leia. I can't always just talk about things."

Remaining in place, hoping it would help him open up if she was not looking directly at him, she implored, "All you wanted for weeks when we first arrived here was for me to talk to you about what had happened to me, how I felt. Now, you don't want to talk to me? Didn't you see what a difference it made for me to open up to you?"

"That was different."

"Because now it's you instead of me?"

He didn't respond.

Leia continued in a low tone. "You got me to trust you when I didn't think I could ever trust again. Can't you trust me now?" She placed a soft kiss on his neck and retreated to silence.

After a time, Han began to speak with slow awkwardness. "I love you and…well, I've never felt like this before." He blew out a quick, rough breath. "Nothing like this."

Her arms held him a bit more tightly. He paused and she waited patiently.

"It's just…" He faltered for a moment. "It's…" He shook his head. "A little scary," he concluded in a tense voice.

Leia melted, a sudden flush of emotion flooding her. Of course it was scary. Han never let anyone so close. His past had rendered him far too distrustful of emotional attachments. She pulled herself up to look at him and his eyes were averted and vulnerable. He slung one arm over his forehead in ineffective defense. "What is it that scares you?" she asked soberly.

His lower lip jutted out. "I dunno."

Her finger traced his lower lip in a light caress. "I love you," she said reassuringly.

"I know," he replied with a slight nod.

"Are you afraid of losing me?"

His shoulders tensed and his eyes closed. "Maybe."

Various responses flew through her mind as she tried to decide on the best way to assuage his fears. "I would never hurt you," she whispered. "Just like you would never hurt me." He didn't respond. "You know, after Alderaan, I didn't want to let anyone get close to me. I just shut down. It was too painful, losing everyone I ever loved." It hit her that she could finally talk about Alderaan without being swept away on a drifting tide of loss. "But you were there, and Luke, and Chewie, and eventually I couldn't deny that I cared about all of you." His eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling. "And you," she said in a voice laden with affection. "I didn't want to care about you most of all. Because I knew you were leaving and that you weren't the type to give a damn about anyone."

The tiniest smirk twitched at his lips and it brought a smile to Leia's own.

She continued in a soft voice. "But, every time I turned around, there you were. I couldn't get away from you, or what you made me feel, no matter how much I denied it. And it scared me. It scared me because I knew you would leave. And it was so hard to lose yet another person who mattered to me when I had already lost so many." She paused and took in his somber expression. "So, I understand why you're scared. And I want you to know, to really understand, that when I say I love you, I don't say it lightly. And I know that I'm so very lucky. Because who, other than you, would have stayed by me so relentlessly all this time since Coruscant? No one. I was a disaster and I treated you terribly. I wouldn't have blamed you if you took off and never looked back. But you didn't. And that means more to me than you can imagine. So, when I tell you I love you, I don't just mean right now, in this moment. I mean that I will love you forever. And I will be with you for as long as you want to be with me." The deep emotion that swelled inside her brought a glaze of tears to her eyes.

Han turned his head to look at her, mouth open, eyes full of wonder. Their gazes held for an eternal moment and they became immersed in the fathomless depths of each other, a current of mutual empathy confirming the covenant of their love.