Hi all! Thank you for your patience with this. I am posting this much later than I expected! I had most of the chapters done by March, but then I fell off and I'm finishing the last few now. As always, I am planning to do daily updates until this 30 chapter story is finished! Hope you all enjoy and please leave me your thoughts in the comments. I love hearing from you!
'Where were they?'
'Why weren't they back yet?'
'Were they still alive?'
These thoughts ran on repeat through her head as she slipped through consciousness.
She was cold. She was always cold on this planet. It was a sacrifice the rebellion was willing to make at this time. Hoth was the ideal base, secret, remote, and cold. Making it hell to live on, but a safe hell. She still remembered the groans of complaints from the rebel soldiers when she told them of their next location. She could still hear them echoing in her ears. But like any good leader, she put on a smile and toughened up. Never once did they hear her complain. It was only times like this, in the middle of her slumber did she dare curse this horrid planet.
She pulled the fabric covering her up to her chin as her mind wandered again.
'Why weren't they back yet?'
She wanted to both thank and kill Han for risking his life to go looking for Luke. Even she hadn't realized Luke was missing, becoming too involved in some future planning than focusing on her friend's safety in the here and now. When word got to her that Luke never returned from his patrol, Han was already playing his stupid martyr role and she was too late to stop him. If he ever came back alive, she would kill him.
She was hating herself for opting to close the base doors. They could be out there right now, banging on the metal without a soul to hear them. She would find both of them out there tomorrow, lying frozen in the snow, dead.
That was only one of the incredibly tough decisions that she was now expected to make as she took on more and more responsibilities in the Rebellion. But she was ready for it. She had played her part in the Senate, done what she could do to confront Palpatine within the formal structure while keeping her affiliation with the 'rebel scum' under wraps. It was obviously not a well kept secret as she was all too easily outed.
But that was three years ago. Sometimes it was hard to believe that it had been three whole years since she stepped foot on the Death Star. Sometimes it felt like just yesterday; those were the bad days, where the nightmares still plagued her thoughts.
Her mind came back to the present. She should go do something. At least monitor the large steel doors so if by some miracle Luke and Han had made it back, she could be there to let them in. Yes, that's what she would do. But first, she had to get up.
She blinked her eyes open and immediately regretted it. Why were the lights on? Did she fall asleep in her ice cave with the lights on? The lights were hurting her head. Now that she took note of how her head felt, she realized it was throbbing. It felt like her heart was beating in her forehead, convulsing with each pump.
Her eyes squeezed shut to try and block out the pounding and the hints of light she could see behind her lids. Her hand came up to help block. Gods, why did her arm feel so heavy and weak? Shielding her eyes, her fingers also came into contact with a thing on her forehead. Feeling further, there was a bacta patch directly above her right eye. Her body flinched as she touched it, still smarting.
Where did she get this? She didn't remember putting on a bacta patch before going to sleep for the night. And she certainly didn't remember getting wounded.
She had to get up. Go check on Luke and Han.
Blinking her eyes again, she forced herself to endure the pain that shot to her head. Her eyes adjusted, but her brain didn't catch up. This wasn't her quarters. Her room had a single light fixture, a bed, and a small trunk. The room she was in had florescent lights coming from the ceiling and medical equipment surrounding her. Medical equipment… was she in the med bay? What was going on?
She blinked again. The thick skins she thought were keeping her warm all night had turned into a crisp white, thin sheet. No wonder she was cold.
With her hands at her side, she tried to push herself up. Every muscle in her body seemed to revolt as her eyes squinted closed again. Her teeth pressed together as she let a hiss whistle through.
It was through pure will that she was able to push through the pain and sit up. Her head immediately fell into her hands as her elbows came to rest on her knees. She let out another groan as her head readjusted to the position.
She blocked some of the light from her eyes with her hands as she looked around once again. It looked like she was in a single room. She definitely recognized the medical equipment and the clinical white paneling in the space.
What happened to her last night? Why was she in the med bay?
Before she had any more time to think, she heard noises from the other side of the wall, something metallic, and coming closer. The door slid open.
A droid she didn't recognize entered with a buzz and the clank of his metal feet.
"Senator Organa is awake," the mechanical voice stated, his hands moving outward as he approached, looking to take note of her vitals.
Leia took in the figure with the human shaped body and the syringe for a hand. Her eyebrows crossed. Was this a new droid? When had this one come on board? And why didn't she remember this getting cleared through her?
Pulling her arms closer to her body, avoiding the syringe, she opened her mouth. "Excuse me." She cleared her throat, finding her voice hoarse. "What is your number?"
The droid stopped short of poking her. "I am a 2-1B medical droid charged with your recovery."
Well, the rebellion had employed their fair share of 2-1B droids through the years. Maybe she was mistaken.
"Senator Organa is stable and recovering nicely," the droid announced. "She has received class C trauma to her head and class A bruising elsewhere. Gonadotropin has been detected. Further complications from the injuries could include minor scarring, concussion, and amne…"
Leia was listening, but was completely lost as the words kept coming out of its mouth. She didn't remember any accident before she went to bed. No, she was perfectly fine physically when her head hit her pillow. Wasn't she? "What happened to me?" She asked, her voice rising and causing her head to split open again.
The droid took a step back before he answered. "You were in a speeder crash."
"Speeder crash!" She almost shouted, again forgetting what they would do to her head. She lowered her voice for her own sake. "I haven't been in a speeder in months."
With its signature lack of expression, the droid replied. "This is what my programing has told me."
Well the programing was wrong, she thought. Whoever programed this thing was going to hear from her.
"Where is General Rieekan?" She asked again softly, realizing her dizziness was finally starting to fade. The General would know more. He could get to the bottom of this.
"I do not know, Senator Organa."
Of course the droid didn't know. Would he be any help? And why did he keep calling her Senator Organa? She hadn't used that name since she officially joined the Rebellion.
Suddenly, Leia remembered the reason that she wanted to get up, the fears that kept her from closing her eyes the previous night.
She held her breath as she asked, "Did Luke and Han come back?"
The droid paused, probably searching through his programing. "Luke Skywalker."
Was that a question or a statement from the droid? "Yes, Luke Skywalker."
"I do not know where Luke Skywalker is." Her heart sunk, but then the droid continued. "There is a Han Solo in recovery G-76-L."
She let out one great sigh of relief. Han made it back, thank goodness. But what did that mean for Luke's fate. She had to see the man in room G-76-L for herself.
"Show me," she commanded as she delicately rolled her legs to dangle off the edge of the bed.
The droid had other ideas. "Senator, I suggest you say in your bed until the medication takes complete effect. You should be able to move about normally in a few hours if you will only rest."
She didn't have a few hours. She couldn't rest, not when there were still so many question circulating through her brain. And Luke's whereabouts was still unknown.
"I'll rest later. Take me to him now." Her voice was getting stronger and held a commanding tone that brokered no argument.
The droid took one step backwards before turning fully towards the door and waddling out. Leia took this as a sign for her to follow, so she did. It was a much slower process than her brain wanted it to be, but the blackness she initially felt faded as her feet planted under her again.
This was the first chance she had to notice what she was wearing. A flowing, elegant empire dress of a sheer sky blue. The fabric felt expensive on her body. But it lost some of its glamour as she noticed the few torn pieces dangling at her legs and the red that covered half of her left sleeve. Blood? Her blood?
She blocked these questions from her mind as she took one step and then another. She held onto the door frame as she caught the droid a few paces ahead of her walking down the hallway to the right.
Pressing her aching body off the wall, she followed.
Leia was silent as they walked. She took in the white metal of the halls. They were not the snowy ice that she remembered. The people and creatures they passed were dressed in white robes and clean slippers. She didn't recognize a single face. Where were the orange jumpsuits? The snowsuits?
Her eyes scanned a rolling droid as it passed. It was a new model, one she knew for a fact the Rebellion had not gotten its hand on yet.
A wave of terror crashed over her that her years of diplomatic training masked completely. Her head snapped back to center, lips pressed together, following the droid ahead of her, acting as comfortable and confident as possible.
The droid suddenly turned around to face her. She didn't expect it and a shot of fear pumped through her system before she forced herself to calm down and listen as he pointed to the door on her right.
"Han Solo is recovering in here."
She swallowed, her eyes turning down before raising to the droid again. "Thank you."
The droid continued. "Han Solo is stable and recovering well. He has received class C trauma to the head and class A bruising on his left arm. Further complications could include minor scarring, concussion, and amnesia."
Amnesia? Poor Han.
"It is recommended that he remain under our care for a few more hours for monitoring and recommendations for the amnesia."
Leia nodded, waiting for a split second to see if the droid had anything else to say. It was silent, thank goodness, so Leia turned to open the door and step through.
The room looked much like her previous one did, white metal walls, medical equipment, a single bed along the side with a lump under a sheet, and what looked like a window covered with a curtain.
Leia immediately pressed a button to have the door shut behind her. She didn't need the droid overhearing their conversation.
Taking a step closer, there was no doubt this was Han. The scruffy hair spread out on the pillow under him was sure proof. She caught his profile, his chiseled nose and chin countered by his plush lips gloriously shut. His lids were closed, but Leia knew she would be greeted by the greenish-gray tint of his eyes. He must have come into some danger out there in the ice and snow, because he had quite the gash on his forehead right at his hairline. The bacta that was applied had obviously done a good job because it was healing quickly.
Why this man had chosen to remain in the ranks with the Rebellion for the last three years, she didn't know. All she knew is that she was grateful he did. He had proven himself invaluable more times than she could count, none more so than when he surprised them all with his backup during the Battle of Yavin. He had chosen to stay then and he hadn't left since.
She had money on him leaving them when he learned their next base location was going to be Hoth. She was almost sure he wouldn't put himself through that hell. But she was wrong… that was a painful mistake that cost her 1,000 credits in the betting pool.
Looking at his face now, she remembered what he had come to tell her the previous night. Right before he ran out into the blizzard. He was going to leave, officially. He had gotten spooked during a mission on Ord Mantell. The bounty on his head was increasing each day he didn't pay. But that knowledge didn't stop her from doing everything she could think of to get him to stay. She needed him. For the Rebellion, that is.
But he wasn't gone yet.
Yes, this was Han. And he was definitely alive. The movement coming from his chest made her own breaths easier.
She turned back to the sealed door one more time before hastily approaching the side of the bed.
She took his one shoulder in her hand and shook it gently. "Han." Her other hand went to the side of his head, fingers reaching through the scruff to give it a pat. "Han, wake up."
His lips parted as the man sucked in a deep breath.
"Han," Leia tried again, her voice louder and her ministrations more forceful. "Wake up."
She knew her actions worked when she saw his face scrunch up and his eyes blink once before squinting closed. His body moved slowly, arduously slow. The pain was written all over his face.
"Han," she tried again to get his eyes to meet hers. "Wake up."
She almost wished she could have kept him asleep, because the glare he gave her through the crack in his lids and the venom that came from his lips was vile enough to crack the ice planet they were currently on.
"What, your worship?"