By his count, Han was able to sneak in forty-seven kisses before he and Leia reached the door of their hotel room. He smiled inwardly at his excuses. That gray blob over there looks like an Imperial uniform, Princess. Hey, that seven year-old boy could be an Imperial spy—you can't be too careful.

Leia just smiled playfully at his antics, enjoying every minute of their adventure. She even managed to find her own excuses to lock lips with her favorite scoundrel. Could it have been just five short days ago that Leia would have chosen killing him over kissing him?

Han held on tightly to his love as he keyed open the entry. They were just about to enter the room when a real Imperial officer turned the corner at the far end of the hall. Han swept Leia up in his arms, kissing her passionately and carrying her inside the room. He barely registered a derisive snort of disgust from the Imperial as the door closed behind him. He did have the presence of mind to set the lock on the door, but he was soon lost in other, more pleasurable, sensations.

Leia was running her fingers through his hair and kissing him with reckless abandon. Her lips blazed a trail along his jaw line, pausing to trace the contours of his ear with her tongue. Han shivered at the sensation, but went weak at the knees when she whispered a ragged "I love you" in his ear.

Han stumbled slightly, but regained his composure long enough to set Leia on her feet in front of the couch.

"I love you, too, Leia," he responded breathlessly.

Pausing only long enough to remove their backpacks, Han pulled Leia into his embrace and down to the couch on top of him. His hands traveled everywhere; his mouth sought hers with an urgency he had never felt before. He could not touch her enough, couldn't kiss her intensely enough to express the depth of his feelings. His hands moved sensuously down her back, his fingertips then grazing lightly against the material of her shorts. Leia moaned softly in response, prompting Han to slip his hands beneath her shirt and lightly trace random patterns on her bare skin.

Though her senses were overwhelmed, Leia's strong spirit fought valiantly to match his pace. She grazed the back of her hand against the stubble on his face, before sliding her arm around his neck. She then rolled sideways, pulling her pirate along with her. Her fingertips slowly traversed the length of his spine, as she marveled at the play of his muscles underneath her hand. She kissed him more deeply then, conveying a desire long repressed, a powerful feeling too often denied.

Han shifted their position once more, moving Leia underneath him. His lips left hers to explore the hollow of her neck, then traveled lower, down the expanse of her heated skin. His tongue traced the outline of her shirt, eliciting a soft gasp from Leia.

Han realized that they were rapidly reaching the point of no return, and he wanted to make sure Leia was ready for that next step. He lifted his head, his eyes seeking those of the woman he loved. "Leia," he said, eyes brimming with emotion as he cupped her cheek. "Are you sure about this? I mean…we can wait if you want. I…"

"Han," she said simply, before cutting him off completely with a passionate kiss. She didn't want words to interfere with these blissful feelings. For once, she decided to give up her endless analysis and immerse herself in the beauty of the experience. Time was too precious—she almost lost him on that hiking trail, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing him again. He had to know how important he was to her, how much he was loved. She needed him to touch her, to hold her, to bring her fully to life.

Han gently pulled his lips from Leia's, yet he held her gaze lovingly. His hands moved to the front of her shirt, and he slowly began to unbutton it. The first button freed from its captor, Han leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the newly revealed skin. He was about to repeat the process when a loud yell from the hallway pierced the silence.

"Rebel scum!"

Han rolled off the couch with catlike precision, his blaster already in hand. How could he have forgotten the danger they were in? How could he forget that his first priority was to protect the princess, now and forever? He cursed himself for his carelessness and moved quickly towards the door.

Leia, meanwhile, had quickly recovered her faculties and moved into position behind him, blaster at the ready.

When they heard nothing but muted conversation in the hallway, Han ventured to the peephole. Fearing the worst, he was relieved to see a group of drunken Imperial officers trying to figure out how to open the door to their room. The relief on his face was palpable as he turned to Leia and lowered his weapon.

"It's okay, Sweetheart," he said quietly. "They're just drunk."

Tension fled her face immediately as she ran over to embrace Han.

After a moment, Han stepped back out of her arms and said, "Leia, we've got to be more careful. We've got to…."

"Yes, I know," she said, cutting him off with a trace of regret. "We've got to get ready in case they find out about us. I'll go pack my things so we can leave on a moment's notice, if necessary."

"I'll get everything together out here." As she turned to go, he said, "Don't worry, Sweetheart. We'll be okay."

She turned to him with a small smile, saying, "I know that, Han. But it's good to be prepared anyway." Then she added mischievously, "Besides, this is one of your missions. They never seem to go according to plan."

"My missions?" he asked loudly, in mock anger. "Sweetheart, you're the one who came up with that brilliant garbage chute idea. You're lucky we weren't crushed to death or drowned by that garbage monster."

"Someone had to save our skins," she said laughingly. "Besides we got out of that one just fine."

"Yeah, we did, Princess," he said more seriously. "We make a pretty good team, you know."

"I know," she replied, flashing him her most brilliant smile.

They both then set about their tasks, preparing to greet their unknown destiny.

Leia separated her belongings into two piles. She filled her backpack with basic necessities, technical equipment, and the box containing the rebel intelligence. She then neatly packed all of her other items into her suitcase, hoping against hope that they would'nt have to rush out and leave it behind. It was so nice to have new clothes and so hard to find anything in her size, especially on the run.

She desperately wanted to take a shower, but she decided to check with Han first to make sure that they were still safe. She left a change of clothes on the bed and brought her bags out to the living area.

She was surprised to see Han sitting at the dining table with a feast spread out before him.

He turned to her then, saying, "You're just in time, Sweetheart. I thought you might be hungry."

He had actually just re-heated the poseimia in the kitchen unit and supplemented the meal with some basic food items supplied by the hotel. He did not dare leave the suite after their recent Imperial adventure, but he knew they both needed to eat. Frankly, he was surprised that they were both still standing after the day that they had endured.

Leia put her bags down by the couch and joined him at the table. "When did you have the chance to do this, Han?"

"I just whipped this up a few minutes ago," he said, pulling out the chair for her and flashing his most debonair smile. "You didn't know I could be so handy in the kitchen, did ya?"

"More hidden talents, eh, Solo? Who would have thought?" she said lightly, holding his gaze.

"Aw, c'mon Princess," he said, teasing her in response. "You've been secretly watching me for months now. I bet you know more about me than you're willing to admit."

"I know you're arrogant, that's for sure," she said laughingly. "Besides, you're the one who has been staring at me when you thought no one was looking."

"What gave you that idea, Princess?" he asked challengingly, as she raised her eyebrow in response. "Okay, okay, I'm guilty as charged," he replied, taking her hand gently in his. "I couldn't help it—you're so beautiful."

"Han," she admonished, turning away as a blush rose to her cheeks.

"Leia," he said, turning her to face him. "I'm serious. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. You have such spirit, such passion. A man could drown in those eyes of yours."

Uncomfortable with such praise, Leia nevertheless ventured, "I guess I'd better be your lifeguard then."

"I guess so," he said, completely unable to come up with a witty response. Instead, he leaned over to her and touched her lips gently.

Leia, responded in kind, savoring the sweetness of the moment and relishing the taste of poseimia on his lips.

After a few minutes, Han pulled away and said, "Sweetheart, if you're hoping to be my lifeguard, you better eat something. That's not a job you can do on an empty stomach."

"Hey, I expect to be well-paid for such hazardous duty," she said mischievously.

Han shot her a slightly annoyed look as she added, "You can start by giving me some of that poseimia. I'm starving."

"We can't have our princess going hungry, now can we?" he said, placing some of the delicious meal on her plate. He then picked up the fork, loaded it with a morsel of the sinfully delicious food, and fed her.

He watched her carefully, delighting in the pleasure that spread across her face as she closed her eyes and reveled in the taste. A powerful feeling of longing gripped his body as he stood and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

She opened her eyes then, her expression betraying her confusion. "Where are you going, Han?"

"Don't worry, Leia. I'm just going to get a quick shower while you finish eating."

"What about you, Han? Don't you need to eat?"

He smiled then, saying, "I've already eaten, Princess. Don't worry about me…I'll probably have seconds later."

As he left the room, he silently cursed their situation. If circumstances were different, he would have liked nothing better than to watch his princess dine on the food he had prepared. After the meal, he would have swept her up in his arms, carried her to the shower, and feasted on the nourishment he had been denied for his whole life.

"Damn those Imperials," he cursed under his breath.

It would be a long, cold shower that awaited Captain Solo.

Leia had just finished eating when Han returned from the 'fresher.

"How was your dinner, Princess?"

"It was wonderful, thank you. How was your shower?"

"It would've been better with some company," he said with a wink.

Leia blushed softly, but replied, "Well, one of us had to keep watch. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be to be caught by the Imperials in such a compromising position?"

"Well, I don't see any Imperials," he said. Eyes smoldering, he held her gaze, adding, "And I don't plan on compromising." Don't start something you can't finish, Solo.

Leia shivered visibly from the seductiveness in his voice, but she found herself unable to move. Instead, she willed him to come to her, commanding him to caress her by the simple power of her gaze.

Han moved toward her without a conscious thought, pulled to her by a force he could not explain or control. He could not resist lifting his hand to her face, tracing the outline of her lips gently with his thumb.

He was overwhelmed by the power of his love for her, experiencing a depth of feeling he never thought possible. Leia was his match in every way, and he could not imagine living without her. From the moment she challenged him in that Death Star corridor, she had rekindled in him a passion for life long dormant. He had pursued every selfish whim in the years before he met her, but those exploits had left him hollow inside. He was not going to be selfish this time, as her safety was his utmost concern. Besides, he wanted to make everything special for her—a quickie in the midst of enemy territory simply did not fit the bill.

He kissed her gently then, communicating his love for her in his reassuring touch. He then drew away reluctantly, saying, "Go get your shower, Leia. I'll take care of things out here."

Her confusion evident, Leia could only look at Han.

He smiled at her then, a look filled with love and regret. "We'll have our time, Sweetheart. I promise."

Understanding, Leia gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll hold you to that promise, my love," she said, before turning and walking away.