Between Episodes 4 and 5, Before Splinter of the Mind's Eye
"Thanks"
Space was cold, Leia realized for probably the one hundredth time. Everything about it seemed lonely and endless. Leia found that this somehow made it easier to become lost in thought. Certain events lately had caused her to wonder more than usual about how she felt about Luke and Han, who were probably the two most important people to her at the moment.
She felt like she had some inexplicable bond with Luke. When she had first seen him such a short time ago, she felt like they had already met. Besides that, Luke was kind, and sweet, and he always seemed to know exactly how she felt and how to make her feel better.
Han, on the other hand, was just…a nerfherder. There was no other way to describe him. Well, there were other ways…
"Hey, Princess," came Luke's voice, interrupting Leia's thought. He came into the room and sat down next to her, draping a blanket over her shoulders. "Thought you might want that," he explained, smiling shyly.
"Thanks, Luke," Leia said, then she added, "For everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything, starting at rescuing me from the Death Star. It really means a lot. My whole world was destroyed with…with Alderaan. And then you and Han…well, you're like my family. Thanks." Luke could see that there were tears rolling down her cheeks. He wasn't sure what to say, so he put an arm around her shoulders, hoping to comfort her. She didn't pull away, like he had expected her to, but instead leaned her head on his shoulder, surprising him completely.
Leia accepted Luke's way of trying to comfort her. Maybe this was why she loved him. Or thought she loved him, at least. But she loved Han, too, and she knew both of them loved her, and both wanted her to choose one or the other. Han was just so…frustrating, but Leia and Luke were so close sometimes she felt like he was her brother. She didn't want to lose that.
Luke, meanwhile, knew exactly what he wanted to say to Leia to break the silence. The problem was having the courage to say it. He was the hero of the Rebellion, the one who blew up the Death Star, and he couldn't find the courage to say what he wanted to say. "Leia, I…"
"Hey, Luke!" Han yelled, jogging around the corner.
Luke and Leia both jumped up and ended up standing about five feet away from each other, trying to look casual. They failed miserably.
I didn't see that, Han thought to himself, I did not see that. "Uh…you're needed…on the bridge…"
"Uh…right. Leia, um, I…I gotta go." He ran off toward the bridge, but before he rounded the corner, he turned, smiling, and called, "Hey, Leia. You're welcome."