The Proper Setting

by Hold-Out Trout

Disclaimer: If I thought I owned Star Wars, I'd be crazy. I do, however, believe I am a Jedi, and I am only waiting for my Force powers to come out. And I have a lightsaber-spoon.

Author's Note: While I'm sure many, many people have written AU versions of this particular scenario, I just couldn't help myself after KR (knightedrogue) and I were having a rather hilarious discussion about AU Star Wars, and generally bashing certain Star Wars novels (CoPL--if that's how you write it). Some of the plots we came up with might never see the light of day, but I thought this little one should.

"You don't think you could've found a slightly more appropriate time for this?" Leia yelled down the corridor over the blaster shots.

Han shrugged. "It seemed appropriate enough!"

He aimed over the barrel that was absorbing many of the shots meant for his body and took out two stormtroopers with two precise shots of his own.

He took a brief respite to flash a cocky smile and continued, "After all, this is how we met."

Leia allowed herself a small smile as she returned fire, taking out the last two stormtroopers. As she and Han moved down the hall to the next corner, hopefully close to the last one, she commented,

"Your aim's improved since then."

"Don't get off the subject, princess."

A shot hit right over her head, and she and Han took cover.

Through the noise of the blasters, she caught Han say, "Good thing you're so short."

"I heard that."

Han laughed, and took a couple more shots.

After another couple of minutes, the corridor behind them became silent, and Han made to stand up. Leia got up from behind one of the stormtroopers' corpses, but suddenly flung herself at Han, tackling him from behind. They both fell just as a shot from behind passed through where Han had been standing. Leia recovered and took out the two ambushers. She crouched near Han and said,

"I seem to recall saving your ass back then, too."

"Yeah, but you cheated this time, Madame Jedi." Han pointed at the lightsaber Leia wore on her belt. She helped him up and grinned.

"I'm no Jedi yet. And I'm still more comfortable with a blaster, at least when I'm not alone."

"Whatever, honey. You're still off the subject."

"Let's get out of here, first."

"Sure. Lead the way." With another grin, he motioned her on ahead. Both were surprised to find the door to the outside just around the corner. They looked at each other, relieved, but didn't let down their guard as they approached the slightly larger double doors.

"I have a bad feeling about this," muttered Leia. She holstered her blaster and drew a deep breath. "Somebody's out there." She released her lightsaber from her clip and ignited it.

"Open the door, please."

"Whatever you say, Jedi."

Han opened the door, and Leia rushed out, only to find herself in the middle of a deserted alley with no one in sight. Confused, she turned back to Han.

Han shrugged and scanned the street. No one was visible, so he lowered his blaster and said,

"Guess you can't be right all the time, even with your hocus pocus."

Leia frowned. "I know I felt something, Han." She closed her eyes again. Just before Han started to say that they should just get out of there, Leia moved her lightsaber too fast for him to follow. At the same time he heard a blast shot and Leia shout, "Behind you!"

As Han was turning, he thought, but that blaster shot came from in front of you.

But sure enough, there was a stormtrooper behind him. Han took him out without even blinking.

Han felt a moment of panic as he thought that perhaps Leia had misread the situation and that she had blocked the wrong way. He whipped his head around to find Leia calmly standing in front of him, her lightsaber already turned off and clipped onto her belt. Several yards in front of her was a stormtrooper who looked like he'd fallen off the roof of the courtyard.

She smiled and said, "Yes."

As Han took in the two dead bodies and the fact they were still alive, a grin spread across his face.

"I love you."

He closed the distance between them, and gathered Leia into his arms. He was kissing her before he even realized she had said anything. Then what she had said registered, and he broke off.

"What did you say?"

"I said yes."

"Yes."

"Yes, I will marry you."

Han stared at her for a moment. Then he smiled again, only this time it looked as if his face would split open.

Leia smiled back, and Han grabbed her and kissed her again. Several moments later, he heard her saying something about having to get out of there. He agreed wholeheartedly, and they ran through the city to their waiting transport.