"No."

Han blinked. "Just 'no'?"

"You asked me for my opinion."

"Yeah, And I was hoping to have a conversation about it, too."

"I don't know what you want me to say. I should think it would be pretty obvious why I don't want you to go."

Han rubbed at the space between his eyes, already sensing a headache coming on. Although, he had known he had this coming for him. He'd been preparing himself all week just to find the courage to start this conversation with Leia because he had known she would hate it, despise him for even considering it. It was fair, he figured, because he despised himself for it too. It was like he really was leaving her just as he'd been promising Leia for three years he would. Han could imagine how much this must be hurting her, but he'd spent all week wracking his mind for another solution— but there was no other choice.

"How did you expect me to feel about this, Han? Huh?" Leia dropped a rag from her hand and planted that fist against her hip. "Does now really seem like a good time to run away and go back to stealing and smuggling for a living?"

"I'm not running away. I wouldn't be gone that long. I'd just be making a few quick trips here and there to get a few credits. Small trips. No big operations with glitterstim or nothing."

"I don't like the idea of you risking your life like that."

"Nothing I haven't done before. 'Sides, Leia, we've both got bounties on our heads. It's hardly more danger than we're already in."

"But you want to leave me here to go smuggling?"

This resistance was expected. He didn't want to go either, didn't want to leave Leia's side— especially while she was pregnant. No, he wouldn't want to leave her ever. But they were limited on options. This was the only plan Han had. He slouched under the weight of his turmoil as he said, "We need the money."

Whatever Leia's thought process, she didn't seem to get that he hated this solution as much as she did, but her frustration had been left to boil under the surface for long enough. "And what about me?" she frowned, face reddening. "I'll just stay here as I'm helpless in my state. Keep the house clean, figure out what the hell to do with this—" She gestured with a spastic wave of her arm at the growing bulge at her midsection.

"Well, Leia, what do you think you're going to do—?"

"How typical! Why don't you go make the money while I stay here and become a good little housewife—"

"Leia, I'm trying to take care of you and our kid."

"I'm tired, Han! I'm so tired of all of this! I'm tired of taking the back seat and being treated like an invalid! I'm tired of having no control! I'm tired of being pregnant! Why can't we just go back to the Alliance? We won't have to worry about money or medical care. Then, we can leave this place and be done with this whole mess."

"You think that's what you want? You really want to go back to the Alliance? Leia, you aren't thinking straight— you're tired."

"For kriff's sake! Yes, Han, I'm kriffing tired! You have no idea!"

"Have you completely forgotten that you were the one begging to leave the Alliance? If I recall correctly, I kept asking you if you were sure you didn't want to go back to the Alliance because I knew you'd miss it. Because that's the only thing you've ever cared about."

"It's the only thing I know I can do! I had authority! I had control! I knew what I was doing! And now I've been reduced to a housewife."

"Are you sure you really had all that with the Alliance? You told me they rarely listen to you. You told me they didn't want you out on missions. And I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but it's not really a secret that the Provisional Council was ready to sell you into a profitable marriage. You're acting like you had no idea what they wanted for you. Like you really had control over there. I'm just asking you to think. Really think about it, Leia. Was the Alliance really better than this? You really prefer going back to whatever little cold room they have just for you where no one really cares and you're just a useful tool? You sure you want to go back to that? To them? I'm the one that cares about you! I'm the one that made sure you were eating and sleeping!"

"Oh, how could I have forgotten! My dearest knight and savior—!"

"Oh, for kriff's sake, Leia!"

"This is easy for you! This is how you've always lived! Just hopping from one place to another, never staying for long—"

"I'm making a home here. With you and our kid. That's not how I've lived."

"You get to hop back onto your little ship and do what you know how to do—"

"I don't want to do this—"

"And I have to figure out how to even live— what am I supposed to do here? Without the Rebellion?"

"Leia …"

"We keep having this conversation — over and over and over again, but I don't know what I'm doing, Han! I don't know how to do this, and I'm scared!"

Silence. Eerie silence.

Han looked at Leia, her face hot and red, jaw trembling. He'd never seen her so scared, so vulnerable, and it scared him. Strong Leia. Ferocious, fiery Leia— terrified.

He swallowed. "I love you."

Sniffling, she frowned.

"Sweetheart, you've faced down Vader, but you're scared of having a baby. Me too. Haven't I told you how scared I am?" Han took a step toward Leia, held a hand out to her. "Well, listen. I'm scared too. I've never taken care of anyone but myself, but now you're having our baby. And I don't want you to be doing this by yourself. I'm trying, Princess. I think we gotta' figure this out together if we're gonna' get through."

With more caution than hesitance, Leia walked into his embrace, collapsed against him. He held her tight, cradling her head to his shoulder, gently rocking her foot to foot with him.

"You really want to go regroup with the fleet? Stay with the Rebellion?"

She shook her head against his chest.

"Something tells me Mothma wouldn't be too impressed if I brought you back pregnant."

Han heard her chuckle, and that gave him all the hope he needed. "No, probably not," she agreed.

"We got time. Plenty of time, Princess. We got time to figure this out. And we'll figure it out."

"I don't know anything about babies, Han."

"I don't either."

"I don't even have ideas for names."

"Hush, Princess. We've got time."

Both fell quiet for a long moment, and a fragile peace settled between them. They took each breath one at a time, together, until Leia spoke up. "You want to start smuggling again for me."

"I was up all night thinking about it. I don't know what else to do."

"I love you."

"Even if I start smuggling again?"

"Especially."

AN: Hey, so, you see that little box down there ... Tis hungry! The poor thing could use some company...