This story was originally posted on The Jedi Council in 2001. I have always wanted to edit it for grammar, spelling, and melodrama lol. I finally started and will be posting the edited chapters as I go. For those who have never read it, I hope you enjoy it :)

Love, Lost and Found

By Dant Solo

Chapter One

Han Solo's hands moved deftly across the controls of the Millennium Falcon as he piloted the ship into the atmosphere of the planet Toriddos. He had visited many Rebel bases in the past year, but none as large as the one they were about to arrive on. The bases he had been to, had been small and poorly staffed. The base on Toriddos was headed by some of the highest officials in the Rebellion. Han was dreading this.

He had no real desire to visit Toriddos, not only because of the "official" status of the base, but also because he had heard how unpleasant the planet itself could be. From what he had heard, the climate was hot and sticky across barren plains. There were a few mountainous spots, and a body of water here or there, but mostly the land was flat. And uncomfortable. But it was a backwater planet where the Rebels would most likely remain unnoticed for a time. Solo wondered vaguely how well-hidden their base was on such a smooth, vapid expanse of land. He shrugged mentally, figuring that he would find out soon enough.

Han glanced at the woman sitting beside him in Chewbacca's oversized chair. This was all her fault. In spite of the vow he had made over a year ago, he found himself here with her. After what she had pulled on Ylesia, betraying both him and his friends, Solo had promised to never love again. And he had certainly had every intention of never loving her again, in particular. But she had come to him, tracked him down in a moment of weakness, both his and hers, and begged his forgiveness. He had brushed her off at first, his hurt and anger too great to allow any soft feelings. But she had been persistent, had cried and pleaded with him to understand. She had told him of her orders from the upper echelons of the Alliance. And something in him had given way, had allowed her back into his heart.

It had taken a long time to truly trust her again. But now here they were, working together for the cause of the Rebellion. He hadn't intended to get as involved as he had eventually become. At first, he was only helping the woman he loved, intending to draw her away from her cause. It hadn't happened. Instead, he had been sucked in deeper as he accepted mission after mission, some with Bria and some without. Sometimes he wanted out so badly he felt like jumping out of his skin. Other times he looked at Bria Tharen, her sun-kissed hair and beautiful, determined face, and he knew he wanted to be nowhere else.

Yet he still held a part of himself back. The one thing he could not, would not, give this woman, was the one thing she wanted most of all: a permanent commitment to the Rebel Alliance. For him to take a formal rank. He did not want to make such a gesture. He wasn't quite certain if his reluctance was due to a desire to retain some semblance of personal freedom from the Rebels…or from Bria.

Her voice broke Han from his reverie. "I wish Mon Mothma was going to be there."

Han looked at the fiery expression in her eyes. He had come to think of that look as her "rebel fervor". "Well, I'm sure you'll meet her soon enough." She seemed to live for the praise of the high-ranking leaders. Personally, Han couldn't understand it. High-ranking leaders made him want to do an about-face "Who is going to be there?"

"General Reikaan, Major Derlin. And I think Princess Leia."

Han nodded, surpressing a sigh. This was going to be real boring, he just knew it. He knew that Bria had met both the General and the Princess before. She had talked about them endlessly, holding the Princess up to some ideal of what a Rebel should stand for. Based on that alone, Han was prepared to dislike her.

Chewie lumbered into the cockpit, grumbling. Instantly, Bria vacated the Wookiee's co-pilot seat and Chewbacca stepped past her to take his position.

Solo knew that his best friend had never forgiven Bria for the way she had hurt Han, over a year ago now. He would have preferred things to be different between the two most important people in his life, but there was nothing to be done about it. And the two never argued, they hardly spoke at all, in fact. They each went about their business, trying to stay out of each other's way. It was for the best that way; it worked well for everyone.

The comm system beeped and Han responded with the clearance code they had been given. The Rebel at the other end cleared them for landing and fed them the coordinates. Han brought the Falcon down in silence, wondering where the Alliance would send him next. If it weren't for Bria, Solo would have left the Rebels behind a long time ago.

As they neared the coordinates, Han saw that there were no structures of any kind along the dusty plains of Toriddos' environment. He neared the surface, wondering silently, when out of nowhere the ground seemed to open up, revealing what appeared to be an underground hangar. Han smiled in surprise as he guided his ship inside. Pretty clever.

The underground cavern was surprisingly large, larger than Han would have thought possible. He couldn't even imagine the work it must have taken to get this base carved out of the dirt and rock above it. Han brought the Falcon to a halt in the only open space he could find, coming to rest between a row of X-wings and a small Corellian blastboat. He could see the bustle of activity through the viewport. The hangar was filled with droids and technicians carrying out various tasks to keep things running smoothly.

When the ship's systems had been properly shut down, Han joined Bria at the ramp where she waited patiently. They started down, Han next to Bria, the Wookiee hanging back by the Falcon when they reached the bottom.

A small group awaited them at the bottom and Han's eyes were immediately drawn to the older man who stepped forward to greet Bria. To Han's surprise, Bria opened her arms to embrace the man.

"It's been a long time," she said with a warm smile.

"It certainly has," he responded.

Han noted that the man's voice was not quite as friendly as Bria's. But before he could ponder that, Bria was turning towards him.

"Han, this is General Rieekan." She gestured towards the older man.

"Han Solo," Han volunteered before Bria could finish the introduction. He stuck out a hand to Rieekan and the older man clasped it firmly.

"I've heard good things about you, Solo." Rieekan smiled admiringly.

"Yeah, well, they're not all true. And the stories that are true probably involved a lot of heavy drinking." Solo was pleased when the General smiled with amusement, rather than taking offense at his flippancy.

Bria had moved past them to hug someone behind Rieekan. Whoever it was, the person must have been small, for Han could not see the individual past his lover's head. When Bria pulled back, exchanging familiar pleasantries, Han's breath caught at the sight of the unexpected vision before him.

The woman was very petite and very young, with a beauty that defied description. She held herself with a regal grace that Han had never seen in such tiny human before. Her skin was smooth and flawless with soft, delicate features. Her large, brown eyes captivated him as she favored him with a polite smile.

"Han," Bria was saying distantly. "This is Princess Leia Organa. Your Highness, may I present Captain Han Solo."

So, this was the Princess. Han's eyes took in the perfectly formed, chestnut braids that were crisscrossed atop her head. He found himself wondering how she would look with her hair unbound, flowing wild and free down her back.

Alright, Solo, get a grip, he told himself. It's not like you haven't seen beautiful women before.

Without betraying his reaction, Han offered his hand to the Princess. "Nice to meet ya." Smooth, Solo, real smooth. He winced inside.

She appraised him coolly with subtle inclination of her head. "A pleasure." Her voice was deeper than he would have expected, yet strangely melodic.

Oh yeah, this one's a real piece of work. Solo kept his gaze neutral. Real cool, real calm. Cold, even.

General Rieekan's authoritative voice broke through Han's thoughts. "This is Major Derlin." He gestured to a middle-aged man with a mustache who shook their hands firmly. "And this is Major Tobin."

The man who stepped forward to greet them was young for such a high rank. He was tall and handsome, and Han noticed the way he positioned himself next to the Princess.

Princess Leia spoke next, her tone that of a woman who was accustomed to having her words obeyed. "Come, we will show you to your quarters. Then we have a meeting scheduled in the conference room."

Count me out, Han mused as he followed them from the hangar. The only things he hated more than high ranking officials, were meetings with high ranking officials. That was Bria's territory.

Han strode down the corridor, searching for the mess area. Bria had disappeared hours ago, along with the group that had met them in the hangar. Han's mind was drawn to one member of that group in particular. He recalled the rosy blush that had stained the Princess' cheeks at the door to Bria's assigned quarters, when she had offered to show him to his quarters.

I don't need my own quarters, Your Highnessness, he had said with a wink, strolling into the small bedroom casually. The others had left them to walk ahead to the conference room, and as Bria entered the refresher, Han loped to the bed and dropped himself onto the thin mattress, snaking his hands behind his head and grinning at the Princess. For just a moment, Han could see an embarrassed anger under her iciness, and then it was quickly gone. She turned away to wait for Bria in the corridor outside of the small room. Remembering the crack in her facade, Han felt a great glimmer of satisfaction, although he wasn't sure why.

When Han rounded the corner, he could see the large mess area at the far end of the corridor. As he approached, another, smaller figure stepped into view from the adjoining corridor, nearly bumping into him. As Han's brain registered the identity of the other being, the tiniest burst of excitement flared through his insides.

Before he could question his own reaction, Solo found himself saying, "Why Your Highnessness, fancy meeting you here." He grinned lopsidedly.

Princess Leia nodded in stoic recognition. "Captain."

He pressed the controls to activate the door, and when it opened, he gestured expansively for her to proceed him. She raised an eyebrow at him, seeming to wonder if he were mocking her. She entered the mess, Han following closely behind.

He trailed her to the counter where the prepared rations were situated and was right behind her as they each took a tray and began to help themselves to dinner.

Han eyed his "meal" with a lack of enthusiasm. There was some sort of dried out meat, as well as a white, mushy substance he could not identify. Lastly, he took a container of nerf milk, the only thing that appeared even remotely appetizing.

He turned from the counter and saw that the room was filled with long, rectangular tables. It was late for dinner, and most of the tables were empty. He glanced at his companion, saw that she was headed for one of the empty tables, and decided to accompany her. For some unfathomable reason, he wanted to remain in her company.

As they approached the table, he saw her glance askance at him, clearly confused by his continued presence at her side. He smiled enthusiastically, enjoying the fact that he made her uncomfortable.

"Care for some company, Princess?" He could tell she wanted to tell him to get lost, but felt uncomfortable saying so. Instead she only shrugged and took a seat at the table, busying herself with her food.

He watched her furtively, an easy task since she never looked up from her plate. She was not his usual type. He normally preferred tall, leggy blonds, but there was something about her...

She wore a white, neatly pressed tunic. The way the collar fell under her chin framing her oval face, the halo of braids and her full lips, made her look like an angel. She was breathtaking, sitting there in the Rebel mess eating her meal in silence. He could not even begin to imagine what she would look like if she were dressed in something more princess-like.

Abruptly, she looked up at him, catching what had now become an open stare. He smiled sheepishly and shoveled some distasteful food in his mouth. Coming back to himself, he asked, "You seen Bria?"

"She left the meeting at the same time I did. I assume she went back to her...your quarters." She raised her eyebrows before averting her gaze.

A sharp feeling of guilt swept through Han. Bria... He really should not be sitting here with another woman. But, really, what harm could come of it? It wasn't as if he was trying to start something with the young Princess from Alderaan. As if he would even have a chance with her...

Even if he were free to pursue anyone he wished, the girl was too young, and too refined. And a leader of the Rebellion to boot. No, it was a ridiculous notion. Still...there was no harm in looking...

"How long has this base been here?"

"Only a few weeks."

"Must've been hell getting it set up."

She sighed wearily. "I couldn't even begin to describe it."

Han nodded, searching for another topic of conversation. It wasn't everyday he chatted with royalty.

She beat him to it. "I understand you're responsible for obtaining the Death Star plans." She smiled at him suddenly, changing her face, lighting it up, making it more beautiful than he would have thought possible.

Trying to maintain his tone of casual indifference, Han answered

off-handedly, "Nah, not really. That was Bria. I just got her out of there."

"She tells the story as if you had more of a hand in it than that."

"She exaggerates." Why was he arguing? She was obviously impressed with him, why hadn't he let it go at that?

"Well, whatever role you played in it, I must thank you. You've helped save the galaxy from that atrocity of a weapon." Her eyes lowered to her plate, and Han could clearly hear the pain in her voice.

For some reason, although he was well aware of Alderaan's destruction and he knew this young woman had been heir to the late planet's throne, he hadn't truly connected the two in his mind until that moment. Momentarily humbled by the weight of her tragedy, Han covered her hand with his and, when her startled eyes rose to meet his, he said quietly and sincerely, "I'm sorry about Alderaan."

She swallowed visibly, her glacial demeanor lost now, replaced with a vulnerability that looked out of place on her beautiful face. She glanced down at his hand over hers, back up at him, then at a blank spot on the table. Her eyes closed for a split second, and when she opened them, she was again in control. "Thank you," she replied calmly, as if the mask had never slipped at all.

Han squeezed her fingers gently before allowing her to slip her hand from his. As he took another bite of the barely edible, over-spiced meat, he heard her ask, "Weren't you the commanding force at Ylesia also?"

Solo knew that he had been unsuccessful in suppressing the look of remorse which accompanied the deep feelings that passed through him whenever that incident was mentioned. He swallowed his food and answered tightly, "Yeah, that was me."

The Princess seemed oblivious to his discomfort. "How in the worlds did you manage to get a bunch of smugglers to band together like that?"

He shrugged, his eyes returning to his plate. He moved the food around with his fork, his waning appetite almost completely gone now. "Wasn't that big a deal."

He felt her eyes on him before she spoke again. "You're quite a leader, from what I hear. Have you thought about taking a formal rank in the Alliance?"

He looked up sharply, eyes hardening. "No, I haven't."

She sat up straighter, stung by the nasty edge that had suddenly popped into his voice.

Easy, he told himself. This has nothing to do with her. Softening his tone considerably, Han added, "I don't like bein' in charge. I also don't like taking orders. And I hate uniforms." He offered her a small, contrite smile.

A loud cheer came from the other side of the room, causing them to look reflexively in that direction. One man stood at the center of a group, receiving slaps on the back and other gestures of camaraderie. Solo looked quizzically at the Princess, who smiled slightly.

"Today is Wedge Antilles' Birth Right. He's Corellian. You're Corellian also, right?"

"Yep. How'd ya know? The dashing good looks?" He grinned devilishly.

Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Certainly not the modesty."

He laughed out loud at that. There was much more to this woman than met the eye. And he was thoroughly enjoying finding out just how much more.

"Were you raised on Corellia?"

How could he possibly answer such a question? Normally, he didn't discuss his past, but right now he just wanted to keep the conversation going. Still, he was not thrilled with the topic. Without looking up from his plate he responded, "Some of the time." She seemed to sense his discomfort, returning to her food and dropping the subject. Han forced himself to eat more of the sorry excuse for food that was on his plate, then asked, "So when's your Birth Right, Princess?"

She sighed shakily and Han realized that the question must have brought to mind the loss she had suffered. "One month from tomorrow, actually." Her gaze was unwavering, despite her obvious pain. "When is yours, Captain?"

Without thinking, Han said, "Don't know." It had flown from his mouth unbiddenly. Why had he been honest? He wanted to kick himself in the ass for making such an admission. He kept his eyes on his food, which was almost gone now. He realized with dismay that soon he would have no more excuse for her company.

"You don't know?" Her brow narrowed in confusion.

He looked up at her, forcing the mercenary timbre to his voice. Callously, he answered, "Yeah. I dunno. The Wookiee who raised me picked a date for me, but I don't know what my real Birth Right is." He had never told this to anyone before, not even Chewie. What the hell was wrong with him?

For a moment there was pity in her eyes, a sight that was simply too much for Han to bare. Mercifully, her expression turned to one of curiosity.

"Your Wookiee companion raised you?"

"No, not him. A female Wookiee. Her name was Dewlanna."

She nodded, the beginnings of a smile forming. "And how did that come about?"

He squirmed in his seat. "It's a long story," he mumbled.

"You have something better to do?"

He saw a teasing glint in her eyes and suppressed a sigh. She truly was captivating. He loved to watch her when the coldness on her eyes warmed a bit. But the nagging guilt was back, calling him away. "Yeah, actually I do. I better go find Bria." He stood hastily, taking his tray and tossing it into the recycler. It was just as well. He had no desire to be further prodded about his past.

She stayed where she was, her expression dispassionate now. "Well, good evening, Captain."

He stood there for a moment, saying nothing, suddenly regretting his decision to leave. The ludicrousness of remaining finally got him moving. "Night, Princess." He turned and left the mess, resisting the urge to look back.