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The day had arrived sooner than either of them expected. They said they would wait a week, getting used to Leia working part time and Han taking occasional trips into his new military office to meet with General Rieekan. That week was over and Rayah was about to start her first day in child care.
Leia visited the place once before they officially committed. It seemed nice enough, well organized with a mix of droids and sentient beings to provide care. There were lots of fun toys, some she knew Rayah would love like the large fluffy porg that reminded her of one of the little girl's favorite toys at home. Their safety features were top of the line and there was absolutely nothing that should make her nervous. Right?
"You as jumpy 'bout this as I am?"
Han was driving her speeder through the steal jungle of Hanna City with more caution than his usual speed. That was definitely because of the little girl strapped in the back seat.
Leia sighed from her place beside him as she answered his question. "I didn't trust myself with a child a week ago, and now I'm nervous to let her go with trained professionals."
It sounded insane in her head and even more so when she said it out loud.
Apparently he was feeling the same way. "Who are we?" He questioned with his signature humor.
She clicked her cheek as her head shook with disbelief. "We're not kids anymore."
He grinned. "All grown up. What a sad day."
As Han took one more turn, Leia lowered her head and stretched her neck to pay attention to their bearings. "Okay, this is the side entrance." She pointed to a lower sliding door a few yards back from the speeders with a docking station out front. "We go in that door and to the left."
He made another turn as he followed her directions into the dock, setting the speeder down and guiding it to a halt.
With the engine quiet, she heard him sigh as he twisted back. "Ready big girl?"
Rayah was happily contenting herself by watching the passing sights through their drive. She let out an excited coo at one thing or another, babbling about something neither parent could understand. She looked back at her father and his expressive voice with a buzz.
"Let's go!"
Han jumped out of the speeder first and went to the back to unhook their girl from her seat. Leia waited for them at the front of the vehicle. Father and daughter held hands as they strutted and waddled along.
The center was right where Leia said it would be and just as active as when she was first there. They passed the room for older kids first, three to five-year-olds. That room certainly had a lot of energy and she could see Han's eyes momentarily bug out as the kid sized spaceship in the back corner.
The room for one and two-year olds was quieter, but still lively. She counted five other children in the open play space, three of them looked older than Rayah and one child definitely looked younger. The kids were spread out, each engaged in different activities with the multiple toy options presented to them.
A sentient teacher came over across the patrician when she noticed the Senator and her family.
"Good morning," Leia greeted the familiar face. She met Teacher Magiar the other day.
The woman recognized her. "Hello, Senator Organa, General Solo."
Leia watched as Han reacted to his title and the fact that this stranger knew his name. His free hand came to the back of his neck as his chin tilted down. "Hey."
Now the woman lowered her pleasant gaze to the third being currently holding her Dada's hand. "And this must be Rayah."
Leia turned to their little girl. Han chose her clothes again that morning, a pair of soft gray stretchy bottoms with a green wrapped textured top. Leia tried a bit of a hairstyle, but she found quickly that Rayah couldn't sit still for more than something very simple. So she quickly did a single thin plait to pull some hair back from the right side of her face. Han approved, so that's all that really mattered.
Leia beamed at her adorable looking girl as she responded to the teacher, proudly taking ownership of that little being. "Yes it is."
The woman walked around the patrician and knelt a few feet away from them. "Isn't she a dear"
Han also agreed. "She is."
"Do you want to come in and play, Rayah?" Teacher Magiar held out her own hand towards the girl, presenting an invitation. "There's a few friends in here to play with."
"Right now?" Leia watched as Han's hand shuffled in Rayah's. "Is she… are you ready?" His last question was directed down at the uncomprehending child.
The teacher kept her cool while the father lost his. "I'll walk her in. You can stay to make sure she's comfortable."
Han's words were stuck in his open mouth, dumb for a moment before he choked out an, "Okay…"
The teacher stood, confidence oozing from her actions as she reached again for their daughter's hand. This time, Rayah gave it to her and released her father's fingers.
"Come here, Rayah." The teacher drew her into the classroom and away from her parents. "Let's find some toys."
They watched from the patrician, probably no more or no less than most parents did on the first day of dropping off their first born for school. Leia was right about the porg toy. It was a big hit. That was the first thing Rayah picked up from the play space. She carried it with her over to the blocks station and then over to the foam climbing station.
"She seems to be doing well," Leia whispered so she wouldn't draw attention to them.
"No tears, no looking back." She could tell Han was more than slightly disappointed in those events. "She's leaving the nest already."
Leia didn't need to hear that. "Don't be absurd," she scolded.
They waited another minute or so before the reluctant truth hit her.
"Okay," she sighed, keeping her eyes on her daughter. "I guess we go."
It took another solid minute for them to actually execute this action, both cocking their heads for one more look as they walked back into the hallways of the Senate building.
Han's mind moved right on to the next time they would see their girl. "You're pickin' her up, right?"
"As soon as my work day ends." Leia walked along side of him, her mind on the other priorities their day held. "You know how to get to the base from here?"
Han had a few meetings at the military base, but he never had to navigate all the way through Hanna City from the senate building to the military base.
"No," he started confidently. "But the navicomputer in your speeder does."
"And Rayah and I will call a speeder to take us home."
They had a plan. She nodded in satisfaction.
He was also feeling the confidence of their forward thinking. "We can handle this parenting stuff."
She grinned, her voice impish. "With the flawless execution with which we have handled everything else."
She got him to chuckle at that just as they reached the exit back to the outside and back to the waiting speeder.
Han stopped in front of her, his palm moving to cup her shoulder and his head leaning down towards her ear. "Give'em hell, sweetheart." He punctuated his remarks with a kiss against her cheek.
She was 100% sure that kiss was solely responsible for the boost of confidence she felt going into her day.
They were both finding a new comfort with each other, a new physical comfort with lingering touches here and there.
They developed a routine, working around each other in the morning, switching off with Rayah while the other got ready for the day. Leia usually handled a simple breakfast while Han handled the take out dinners from various nearby eateries. Sitting together most nights, his arm resting across her shoulder. A development they were both satisfied with.
It was nice ending her day with Han in that way. Their daughter sleeping a few doors down, the quiet unity of the galaxy giving them a sense of peace, the growing sense of belonging she felt as she found her place in the New Republic order. And, most important, she found herself reveling in her moments with this newfound family.
She looked forward to Han's lingering looks, the kisses to her forehead, holding his hand for a brief second as they passed in a doorway. She knew he was a physical being, needed tactile engagement. But she didn't expect herself to feel so comfortable with his touch and bask in the feelings that washed over her.
She reciprocated his caress as her hand came up to squeeze his arm, her eyes locking on his as she gave him a grin. "Good luck today."
He smirked back, stepping backward but not letting go of her shoulder until absolutely necessary. "See you soon."
She watched as he walked backwards a few steps before turning away and exiting the building.
On her own again, she made her way through the labyrinth of chambers, taking note of the landmarks that meant she was on the correct path. She was shocked she didn't make any wrong turns and found her office door before anyone had to send out a search party.
Nila was already in and readying herself for their notable day. A week had gone by since the in-person Flotilla gathering that almost blew up in her face. She couldn't even begin to count the number of different inquiries she had received since then from each side of the argument lobbying her to their side.
Since then, Leia had poured over every spare document she could find that discussed the present state of Alderaan and the people. What she discovered; they were hurting. Suicide rates were up, depression a common diagnosis, and poverty a consequence of loosing many means of income. And there was bitterness about these circumstances, bitterness that needed a target. Most blamed the most obvious culprit, the Empire and the Death Star. But some blamed their last Princess of Alderaan, claiming she sold them out over the Rebel Alliance.
She read those reports and often had to take a lengthy break after hearing such things. Little did they know…
Her morning flew by, her mind flitting to Rayah four for five times before the afternoon and then the virtual meeting prep consumed her.
Nila was beyond helpful with all the technology preparations and coordinating with the other members. She flitted around Leia's office as the hour neared.
"Are you ready, Leia?" Nila was upbeat and doing her best to lift Leia along with her.
The Senator sighed. "As ready as I can be." She had done all the prep she could. The perfectionist in Leia had been forced to take a back seat and be contented with 'good enough.'
Nila finished placing the last files Leia might need strategically on her desk. "This one shouldn't be as contentious."
"Yes, all the dirty negotiations already happened. Now it's time to vote."
Leia took note of the few holos that were ready for her to refer to if needed. However, there was one thought that kept nagging at her that she wanted to know the answer to.
"Nila?" She asked, leaning back in her chair as her eyes lifted more hesitantly than usual. "How much about my time on the Death Star is public knowledge?"
"Very little," Nila answered clinically while still engaging in her prep. "Other than the fact that you were held there for some time and then rescued. And between those times, Alderaan ceased to be." She added the last part quickly as if to try and spare her feelings.
Nila must have felt the need to continue. She stopped her motions and faced the Senator. "If I may," she posited, requesting permission that she received thorough Leia's head nod. "You don't talk about that time. You get that expression, like you have on right now."
Leia didn't need a reflector to know that her eyes were half clouded over and her muscles were tense. "Well, at least that's one thing that hasn't changed."
Nila gave her an encouraging smile as she flicked on the center holo, familiar Alderaanian faces lighting up blue in a semicircle across her desk. She recognized everyone this time around and greeted each individually, Hess and Eglyn being the most prominent members, until the group came to a quorum. They quieted down while they waited for their leader to begin.
"Good morning fellow Alderaanians," Leia opened, her voice strong and confident. "I am pleased that this day finally arrived so that we may come to an agreement that will allow the Alderaanian people to move forward with healing and the confidence that our beloved planet will never be forgotten.
"That is why we are all here, right? To preserve the culture and traditions of Alderaan and support those who are carrying on its legacy."
She had planned out this speech the night before, letting Han know of her decision and then letting Nila know that morning. As she sat there at her desk, back ramrod straight and features composed, she felt even more resolute.
"And with that key focus in mind…" She paused as she prepared to state her conclusion. "I can now confidently vote yes on the construction of the space station."
As she expected, there were some audible gasps and sighs in both relief and disappointment, but she didn't let them fill her speaking time. Instead, she raised her voice above the din.
"I know this is not the way many of you have chosen to move on from the loss of our planet. Everyone has their own way of healing, working past this. I feel the battle station must be built. Something good will come from the unspeakable."
Some good must come of this. She was speaking to the crowd, but she was really speaking to herself.
"And in time," she paused, "Maybe we will all find peace and healing."
She ended with that note, willing herself to find that peace and healing she spoke of.
The votes were counted. Leia doubted her public speech had anything to do with the outcome, but administrator Valmor was vocal with her credit to the last Princess. Hess looked resigned to the decision, though his sadness seeped through every muscle visible in the blue holo.
She felt for her father's old friend. She could completely sympathize with his point of view. But her decision was made for her people and for the people who needed something tangible to remain in the space where their home planet once stood.
Nila had stepped into her outer office to get back to her daily scheduling and office communications, giving Leia a bit of a breather before she would tackle a couple odds and ends before picking up Rayah.
Her preconceived ideas were thwarted at the sight of the scoundrel strutting through her door with a bold swagger.
"Guess who's on the 'always admit' list?"
She knew that list was for people who were allowed to interrupt her and she knew that he was the cocky person he referred to.
Just the sight of his casual presence deescalated her from the tense hour she just endured. "To what to I owe the pleasure," she cooed as she stood from her seat, walked around her desk, and leaned back against the front edge.
He shrugged as he came closer. "I was done early, just drivin' around gettin' to know the city…"
"Nothing to do with a little one-year-old and her first day of daycare?"
"Nah,' can't be that." His claim was saturated with inaccuracy, but she didn't call him out as he sat himself on the top of her desk beside her. "How'd it go for you?"
She shared a brief summary. "It went well. We held the vote and the station construction begins next week."
"And you're good with that?"
"Yes." Her claim was saturated in half truths. Was she completely okay with this? No. But that was another emotional challenge she would have to deal with later.
Now, she focused on the strange, excited energy he was emitting. "What?"
He looked aghast that she would question him like that. "How do you know somethin's up?"
"I can feel it."
"You can't tell me you figured out that Force hocus pocus so fast."
"No," she insisted. This wasn't the Force. It was much simpler than that. "I know you."
His acquiesces was paired with a gleam from his eyes that seemed to reach directly in to her core. She knew him, and she was starting to believe that he knew her better than she ever realized.
"Alright, Princess," he sighed.
"What is it?"
"I've been called in for a delivery route, nothing particularly exciting or taxing." He tried to shrug off the significance of what he was sharing. "Only to Naboo for pickup and Corusant for delivery. Should take about two or three days."
She listened, nodded. "When do you leave?"
"A week from today."
It was simple for her to catch his enthusiasm coming from his alert muscles and fidgeting fingers, but she suspected he was trying to hide it.
"Your looking forward to this."
"Yeah," he said cooly. "Piloting's my thing. But…"
She held off his but, leaning forward to quiet the contemplation he was experiencing. "We'll be fine, Han. I'm happy for you. It's only three days."
She knew she correctly identified his concerns when his face actually lit up, fully embracing the joy he was feeling about being in the sky again. "You sure?"
Her smile brightened his. "Of course I am."
In his delight for his mission and his delight at finding her so supportive, he procured her hand from its place against her desk and reverently brought her fingers to his lips. His attention to her hand paired with his adoring eyes made it so easy for her to indulge as she shifted her hand to cup his sculpted jaw, her digits brushing over the smooth skin it found across his cheek.
He must have been delighted by that because she found his head tilting, shifting so his lips met her skin again, this time pressing a devout peck to her palm.
She let her fingers linger for a moment longer before letting her hand fall back to her side as she stood up, ready to spend the evening at home with her family.
"Do you think we have a little princess down there waiting to be picked up?"
The sound that came out of Han's mouth was indescribable. "She better be, because I know I am!"