Author's note: We are skipping through the fight over the sarlacc pit and going right to what happens on the transport on the way back to the Falcon & Ben Kenobi's home. I just do not have the patience to sit and watch the fight scenes over and over 25+ times to pick up all the nuances. And you all know what happens there, anyway . . . it's great as it is. How could I possibly improve on it?

Now we are getting a little more AU. Recovering from carbonite freezing won't be quick and easy for my Han.


"Oh, Gods," Han groaned, trying to breathe deep, attempting to relax away the pain. But all he could manage was little gasps and pants as his stomach burbled and shuddered. He felt terrible.

One minute he was dangling over the edge of the transport, one hand gripping Lando's staff, the other shooting a blaster at a Sarlacc tentacle that he could very faintly see. The next, he was back on the transport, sitting by Chewie, trying to tend him - and feeling the start of something. The not good kind of something.

He'd used stim and bacta patches before. But, according to Chewie, he'd been out of action for several months. These patches might be a new and improved version. Or maybe it was that he was in the roughest shape of his life.

The theory was to have the stim wake the system up, and the bacta helped make that process less - well, stimulating. He'd been starting to feel a whole lot of activity ramping up, to the point where he was so overwhelmed with pain he collapsed to the floor of the transport just seconds after Luke and Leia boarded.

Leia!

Did he actually say her name out loud, or was it only in his head? Han closed his eyes and curled up in a ball, shivering. He thought he heard Leia speaking, thought he felt someone touch his head.

It was faint, but if he was in any shape to bet, he would have sworn he heard her cry out "Han! Can you hear me?" She was close to him now, he could sense that much.

But even her voice, calling his name, could not really penetrate through the ringing in his ears, or the pounding in his head. She existed on his periphery, like a shadow. He wanted to turn to her, take her in his arms and never, ever let go. He simply couldn't move from where he lay on the prisoner transport. Gods did he wish he could either puke or have someone put him out of his misery. It was horrible.

It's like the worst hangover I ever had, times a thousand.

Han gritted his teeth as another wave of nausea washed through him, leaving his entire body shaking. He didn't want to, but he couldn't help crying out. Never before in his life did he remember feeling so much pain. If only he could bring something up - anything! He so badly needed to vomit, but it just would not come.

At least I know where I am, and who's with me. Don't have to worry about anyone robbing me or beating me up. They'll take care of me.

Han tried to focus outward, away from the agony of his internal organs. Concentrate on sounds, and sensations. But he was too far gone. His stomach clutched. The slow upward creep of acidic bile in the back of his throat made him want to gag.

"Oh Gods, it burns!" he managed, between coughing and spluttering on the foulness.

A voice shouted close to him. "Chewie, lift him up! He could choke if he pukes lying down!"

And large hands pulled him up to rest on his hands and knees, remaining round his middle to help support him. There was no way he had the strength to spare to hold himself up.

Han tried to breathe. "Leia," he gasped. "Leia."

"I'm here, Han." For some reason, he could really hear her now. A tiny hand stroked his back through his shirt. "I know it hurts, baby. You've got to bring this up. But's it's going to be all right. We've got you, Han. We've got you."

Han closed his eyes and nodded, panting, feeling sticky sweat trickly down his face.

The last thing he heard before all his energy and attention was focused on vomiting, was Goldenrod's translation of R2D2's beeping.

"He says you all should have seen Mistress Leia! She strangled Jabba with her own chain!"


Author's note. I'm using two of my own experiences to build Han's suffering - my own horrible 21st birthday hangover, and the one time I got some stomach virus and kept puking and had to go to the ER to get it to stop. Luckily I was only there for a few hours. Fun times.

Han won't die from carbonite in my story (and the likely sequel) but he's got some more trials to deal with.