And that was how it was that Han and Leia found themselves relaxing on their porch swing, watching the sun set and the moon rise.
Two days earlier, Opi had sent them a written transcript along with a holovideo of what she expected to be the final edit of their interview, to await their approval. The couple viewed the recording, then read and re-read the transcript prepared specifically for release and publication immediately after the interview had been transmitted. Agreeing their contents, Leia confirmed their approval with Opi and waited for the interview to hit the wire.
Lying in the safe comfort of Han's arms, Leia couldn't imagine her life being any better than this. True, their youngest son had been the victim of a heinous crime, and one for which there was no easy way forward, but if there was one thing she could be certain of, it was that here on Terrendoc she was finally where she had always been destined to be. Jorj's future might be more complex than any of their other children's, but Leia was sure that it was something they could work out together.
Han groaned when Leia's comm buzzed for the ten millionth time! They'd already spoken to Winter, Jaina, Lando, a Senate Aide or two, and even Luke had somehow managed to find the time to give them a call. He glanced at the call sign and nudged Leia. "Number one son's calling you."
Leia lifted the comm, and responded. "Jacen, hi."
"Wow! Mom!" Jacen's voice exclaimed.
"You saw the interview then?" She asked.
"Sure did. Mom, you rock!" He said.
"That really wasn't my intention." Leia refuted, sitting upright.
"Well, whatever your intention was, you shook the New Republic's Senate to it's foundations that's for sure. They're calling for you to be reinstated." He told her.
"They're what?" She queried.
"They're demanding that you be reinstated." Jacen reiterated.
"Reinstated as what?" Leia asked, turning a puzzled expression on Han, who righted himself to be at her side.
"As Chief-of-State, obviously." He replied, adding. "Mom, hasn't anyone from Coruscant been in touch with you?"
"Winter called...a couple of Senate Aides too, but mostly we've been ignoring the comm." She said, her puzzlement deepening.
"Oh man! Mom, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but it's Borsk Fey'lya." Jacen reported.
"He done the decent thing and resigned?" Han called, while Leia's flapping hand shushed him.
"Resigned? Yeah, permanently you might say. He was found dead in his office, looks like he maybe took his own life." Jacen explained, continuing. "The point is, the people want you back in office Mom. So, what are you gonna do? When Borsk's deputy comes calling, what are gonna tell her? Mom?...Mom?...You still there?..."
Leia's mouth had fallen open, the comm slipping from her grasp.
Leia Organa-Solo - just plain Leia Solo mostly now - had been forced from service following her near fatal attack by the Youzhan Vong. With her eventual recovery came unexpected motherhood to Jorj, born too soon and in need of every ounce of her love and strength at a time when both she and Han were still working at repairing their own damaged relationship.
She had contemplated a return to the Senate some years earlier, but the likelihood of returning to such a position of power never even once entered her head. And then came the revelation of her bloodline, and any prospect of a resumption in her political career could at best be described as completely obliterated.
"The people want you back" Jacen had said. "When Borsk's deputy comes calling, what are gonna tell her?"
Leia looked down at the comm lying in her lap before lifting the device to her lips.
"Mom?" Jacen was still querying.
"I'll...I'll thank them for the opportunity, but Chief-of-State is a position which deserves to be fulfilled by someone who can dedicate themselves to that role." Leia said, allowing her eyes to stray to Han's. "My place is here, in my new home, with my husband and my family." She closed the channel before Jacen could ask her anything else.
"Nice words." Han finally said to her.
"I meant every one of them." She told him.
Han barked a laugh. "Playing hardball. I like it."
"I'm not playing hardball Han. Even if I was begged on bended knee to return, I wouldn't go back." Leia insisted. "I love my life here. I love our life here. But more than that, I love how we've learned to live here. And by live I mean..."
"I know what you mean." Han interrupted. He reached out to gently caress her cheek with his thumb. "I know, because I love those things too."
"Another half hour, and we'll go up." Her eyes indicated their bedroom above the front porch.
"Jorj'll be asleep by then." Han noted, a grin crawling along his cheek.
"Yes. He will." Leia blushed and leaned once again into Han's loving arms, her mind made up.
Han meanwhile held his wife and wondered. Leia had been raised to serve, and her steadfast dedication had been cause for both celebration and consternation at times during their marriage. They had seemingly settled into a comfortable life together on Terrendoc but, he reminded himself now, Leia was a politician and a leader at heart.
With a golden opportunity to return to service laid before her, would she really reject such an offer? And if she did accept the chance to return to a Senate she had once helped shape, where would that leave Han in the great scheme of things?
Han's lips pressed to Leia's temple once more. It would, of course, leave Han where he had spent so much of his life already; providing his full support to the woman he loved.
