Last chapter, guys. Thanks a trillion to everyone who has reviewed me as I wrote this. It really means a lot. And I really enjoyed writing it.

I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters created my George Lucas, and the song lyrics are owned by the fabulous Maroon 5, the song is She Will Be Loved.


Sitting in his pilot's seat on board the Falcon always made Han feel somewhat better, even if she was only parked in the docking bay, surrounded by dozens of other ships. Feet up on the controls and trademark slouch present, Han looked, to any bystander, like he didn't have a care in the universe. Chewbacca knew differently though. The stiff way in which he held his shoulders gave Chewie a clue as to just how overwrought his friend was feeling. What he couldn't understand was why Han was here, on his own, looking at old holo's of himself and the princess, when he could be with her. Humans did the oddest things.

Chewie whuffed a question, and Han jumped, scattering the holos on his lap.

"Oh…Heya Chewie…Yeah just give me a sec, I'm coming," he said, tearing his eyes away from an old scuffed holo of himself and the princess, Leia holding on to him as if she would never let go. Chewie remembered that holo. It had been taken just after the battle above Endor, when the Emperor died. He knew that Han held that photograph dear, but he couldn't understand why Han was just sitting there.

Someone let out a deep, rumbling chuckle from behind him, and Chewie recognised Lando's graceful footfalls before the man entered the cockpit.

"I know why he's here, Chewie. He's waiting, waiting for the disaster to happen, waiting for all hell to break loose so he can shoot down some bad guys and carry the princess off to safety, and be a hero again. Because that's what's familiar. Right, Han?"

"I…don't know. Maybe."

Lando laughed again. "Not happening buddy. Not today, anyway. Today you're getting married. And shooting down the bad guys seems so much easier right about now, doesn't it?"

Han blushed, and smiled "Since when are you the fountain of all knowledge?" He asked.

"Heh, since Luke is too hung over to even think about being the smart one, let alone spurting the stuff," Lando said, shrugging.

"Come on, old buddy, we'll get you through this."

They bumped into Luke outside the Falcon, and he scowled at them.

"Rough night, Lukie?"

"Don't call me that…and stop shouting," he in the most un-Luke like growl Han had ever heard.

"See, now he sounds like the father-in-law," Lando teased, referring to Luke's job in the ceremony.

"What are you all doing here, anyway," Luke asked. You're all supposed to be getting ready."

Chewbacca whuffed an explanation that left Luke even more confused than he had been.

"Wait a sec, Han needed to practice shooting down who, exactly? Has there been a problem?"

Lando laughed again. "Nah, there's no need for you to be a hero today, Luke. Han was just reminiscing. Weren't you?"

Han gave a non-committal mumble.

"Well, get a move on then! We've got a Wedding to get to! And a whole lot of party to celebrate afterwards!"

Luke and Han regarded him warily.

"Just how big of a party did you and Leia organise, Lando? She said it would be small. Well, smallish."

"Small? A party I organised? Me? That's an insult Han."

"Just so long as no one is forcing me to drink, it'll be ok."

"No one forced you to down all those straight shots last night, Lukie"

"Wes and Hobbie did!"

Chewbacca shook his head. Why was it necessary for humans to debate every little thing? It wasn't like they had nothing better to do. If he didn't know better, he would say that they were all unintentionally stalling, waiting for something to happen. But why here, in the hangar, next to the Falcon and Luke's X-Wing, he couldn't understand.


Looking at her reflection in the mirror, with stylists and beauticians moving around the room, preparing her self, Iella and Winter for the ceremony, Leia felt a strange sense of calmness and reassurance wash over her. Suddenly, she felt a million miles away, and she saw a house, on an island, on some beautiful planet she did not know the name of.

She saw a young couple, serene joy on their faces, as they stood in front of a holy man on a balcony overlooking the lake.

The young man stood tall and proud, his lithe figure covered in a black Jedi robe. The young woman seemed to be glowing, an aura of bliss surrounding her. Leia had no doubt that it was their Wedding and – Sithspawn, could that be Threepio? She nearly laughed out loud when she confirmed that the two droids quietly observing the ceremony were indeed C-3PO and R2-D2. She felt a wave of sadness overcome her. The couple, so clearly in love, must have lead lonely lives if they only had two droids to witness their holy bond being formed.

She wondered what circumstances had lead to this, but even as she thought it, the words forbidden love were whispered into her ear.

Leia looked into the young woman's eyes, and in that instant, she knew. She knew that she was witnessing the union of her parents, and she knew, without a doubt that their marriage was one of love and joy.

And with that, the last of her self-doubt fell away, and she felt freer than she had ever felt before. Her birthright was no longer a matter of pain. Her parents had been in love, just like she was. Their happy ending did not come to pass, but there was no reason why she should suffer the same fate.

She was free.

As Leia felt the scene in front of her fade, she noticed that something stayed with her. A warm, gentle presence lingered just beside her, and Leia knew that her mother would be with her as she pronounced her love for Han later that day.

She surveyed her reflection in the mirror. Her white dress was simple, with no train or veil. Winter and Iella had questioned her decision to ask for a dress like it, but to Leia, it was perfect. Coupled with her decision not to wear a tiara, she felt every bit a young bride, not a princess or ambassador. This was her day, hers and Han's, and no one else's. Today she wasn't a princess; she was a bride, in love.


It was a party of roots as much as a celebration of union.

Leia could remember dancing – dancing with so many people – but what she remembered best was Han always being there to cut in, and hold her close.

Mirax danced with Wedge, a little confused at the catcalls and whistles that Rogue Squadron threw their way. After all, it was only Wedge – he was like her brother. Over his shoulder, she saw Corran scowling at the Rogues, and started to excuse herself, so that she could find out what the blazes had happened last night.

"Mirax – wait."

"Wait for what, Wedge? Corran looks like he's gonna throw something."

Wedge blushed and muttered something to himself

"What was that, Antillies? Couldn't' quite catch it"

"If I'm dancing with you I can put it of, see?"

"Put what off?"

"Asking Iella to marry me."

Mirax screamed and threw her arms around her brother.


The two infamous members of Rogue Squadron fell silent at that.

"He…he blushed…then he told her something…then she hugged him" Wes said faintly.

"Do you think…do you think that he told her about last night?"

"But why would she hug him?"

"Do you reckon she…"

"And he…"

"Well whatever the answer is, there's way to much brotherly/sisterly love in this room," Hobbie said, glancing at Leia dancing with Luke in the middle of the room.

Tycho, standing behind them, just laughed. He knew what Wedge had just told Mirax, and he knew that, if he found the nerve to ask her, Iella would agree to marry him.

"If you two were any less mature, you wouldn't reach the military age between you," he said to Wes and Hobbie. They looked at him questioningly

"Just watch."


"Ask her."

"Why?"

"Because she's the love of your life, because you want to and because I'm going to force you," Mirax said, exasperated. Why now, of all times did he have to show his nerves? Granted, she wouldn't have wanted to see them as he flew into the Death Star, but why now?

"But-"

"No buts. Go."

Wedge looked into her eyes and saw that arguing would be pointless. So he nodded and took his childhood best friend into his arms, for what seemed like the last time.

"Wedge, I'm going to be about twenty feet away, listening to every word, and you know it. This isn't the end of the world, now go."

He grinned a little ruefully and they parted, he meandering into the crowd towards Iella, and Mirax waiting a few seconds before following.

She glanced behind her and saw Tycho, Wes and Hobbie heading her direction. She gave them a half grin. No doubt that they had the same motives as she did.

"Mirax, wait."

"What's up, Tych?"

"He's going to ask her, isn't he?"

"Yep."

"And you want to go and look over his shoulder."

"Yep."

"Don't."

"Don't? You can't tell me what to do, Celchu. Why shouldn't I?"

"For Wedge, and for Iella."

"Rogues are lecturing me on keeping my nose out of Wedge and Iella'a affairs?"

"We will if you will."

Mirax thought about it. As much as she wanted to follow Wedge and Iella, she knew that she would have to grow up someday, and she didn't want to spoil anything for her two friends. So she sighed and turned to the three Rouges.

"Fine. It's a deal. But I can do what I like at their Wedding, okay?"

Wes chuckled. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"So what do we do now?"

"What people normally do at Weddings. Mingle."

"Pah" she sad, and headed for where Corran Horn was standing to one side of the room.

"That's the thing abo-" Tycho cut his sentence short when he realised that there was no longer anybody next to him. He looked around to spot Wes and Hobbie, and spotted them seated at a bar on the other side of the room. Those two were magnetically attracted to them, or so it seemed.

He was about to follow them when he saw a face through the crowd, looking straight back at him. Around them, people danced, but Tycho and Winter were immobile.

So he shook his hair from his eyes and set out to do what Rogue Squadron did best – Or so Wes always claimed. And Tycho wished to his stars that he had at least picked that up from his service with Rogue Squadron.

Because, sithspawn, she was stunning.


"You don't look very cheerful, Hobbs."

"I don't feel very cheerful, Wes."

"Why not? We're at a bar, and the booze is free,

Hobbie smiled at his friend.

"We've been through a lot, Wes. Me, you, Luke, Wedge, everyone. Do you ever think that we'll never, never find normality. Never have what Leia and Han have."

"No."

"Never?"

"Hobs, you won't end up miserable. The war was horrible, and we survived. And you'll get through. Everyone in this room today is a survivor, yourself included. It's what we do."

"But is that all we do Wes? Forever surviving, but never really living?

"I think we owe it to Biggs and Dack to live, Hobs. Now come one, lets find some Blackmoon or Rogue girls to dance with, and I want no more of this 'thinking' stuff, ok? It's bad for you."

Hobbie smiled. "Yeah."


Leia tilted her head to one side as she heard a familiar song begin. She looked around for Han, there were lots of people who wanted to dance with her, but especially for this song, only he would do. Her permanent smile grew wider as she felt the familiar touch of his arms surround her from behind and his scent engulf her senses. She spun around and stood close to him as they began to move with the music.

Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else

Leia smiled and looked up into her new husband's eyes. His strong arms circled her small frame, and a sense of completion almost overwhelmed Leia.


I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved

Han could not take his eyes of his new bride. She seemed to be glowing with happiness. As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered to him.

Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore

Leia looked around at the gathering of friends and family in the room. She could see Iella dancing with Wedge, who was grinning like a tomcat. Almost like the way Han looked when he proposed, she mused I wonder. Over by the bar she could see Wes and Hobbie vying for the attention of a particularly pretty young senator that Leia worked with. She grinned to herself. What they didn't know was that her father was sitting in the seat next to her, as it was forbidden for girls on her world to go out un-accompanied.

It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want

Han watched Leia's eyes light up as she saw her normally solemn friend Winter giggle at something Tycho Celchu said. The satisfaction she was getting from simply being surrounded by friends was amazing. He looked from her smiling face, to Chewie and Lando, over by one side, grinning like gundarks, to Luke, sitting quietly amongst Rogue Squadron, who caught Han's eyes for a split second, back to his wife's smiling face.

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved

And at that moment, Han Solo knew that he was the luckiest man in the galaxy.

I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls


My goal now is to get 42 reviews, so please press that pretty purple button and make my day.