In his cabin, he opened his closet and rummaged through to find something to sleep in. She was peeling her snowsuit off to reveal a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of fleece-lined leggings beneath. He disappeared into the fresher with a long sleeve shirt and a pair of sleep pants.

Her mind wandered a bit, wondering how this would change things.

But it wouldn't, she realized, because, despite all her doubts, anger and shouts to the contrary, they were inevitable, her and Han. Two lines, destined to cross. Perhaps they'd cross at this one point, only to go off in opposite directions for the rest of eternity.

And again, Leia felt a strong realization slip over her, sure and certain as the dawn: their lives were forever intertwined the moment he followed her into that garbage chute. She could trust him: his motives, his words, his intentions. She could trust him to love her, and she could love him in return.

00

Han emerged from the 'fresher, pulling at his sleeves. He didn't usually wear a shirt to bed, but circumstances seemed to point to the necessity. He stretched out on the left side of the bed, unsure of protocol. Unsure of protocol? Since when had he had a woman in his bed and not known what to do with her?

Leia was different though, and he knew it.

He had no expectations for the night, not carnally, at least. He expected nothing more than to fall asleep beside her, maybe rub her back or let her curl up beside him for warmth. Han took a deep breath and extended his arm toward the center of the bed. A moment later, her tiny body was in his arms again. She was trembling just slightly, and he carefully placed a hand on the small of her back to reassure her. She stilled a moment later and he began playing with the baby hairs at the nape of her neck, his ministrations relaxing her further until she had no tension in her body and was completely slack against him.

He brushed his lips across her burning forehead and continued to rub her back softly until her breathing slowed to an even, calm rhythm. Soon, the only sound in the cabin was the quiet breathing of its sleeping occupants.

Leia woke up coughing sometime in the middle of the night. She got out of bed and left the cabin for a few minutes until the coughing fit passed. Han feigned sleep so she wouldn't know she'd woken him. She pulled the covers back and he felt the mattress move slightly under her weight as she returned to his warmth. He couldn't help but smile as she carefully moved his arm from the bed to her waist. He waited, once again, to fall asleep until her chest rose and fell against his in calm, measured breaths.

Han woke up again with Leia curled oddly next to him, like she'd been trying to burrow beneath him. She had the blankets pulled up past her nose and she'd loosely braided her hair at some point. The next thing Han noticed was how cold it was, and he cursed the climate control module. He'd have to fix it, and the sooner the better. It couldn't be more than 55 standard degrees in the cabin. No wonder Leia had been trying to bury herself.

"I've got to go fix the climate control but I'll be back to warm you up in a little while," he promised when she stirred as he got out of bed. She mumbled incoherently for a moment and nodded off again.

An hour later, he and Chewie had the climate control up and running again, and Han returned to his cabin. The temperature had dropped a few more degrees in the meantime, and Leia was wound up in a tiny little ball near the pillows. He hardly would have been able to tell her from a lump in the covers if it hadn't been for the coil of hair that snaked across her pillow. He slipped back under the covers, pleased to find that it wasn't quite as cold.

00

She had feverish dreams all night. They weren't her usual nightmares, but a bizarre mix of pseudo-reality and memories. She was running through Echo Base, her lungs burning, Han sprinting after her as the base collapsed around their ears. The icy corridors opened suddenly onto sunshine and flowers, and she was running through a meadow. Han was still running after her, playfully chasing until he caught her and they rolled to the ground in a giggling heap. She was suddenly vaguely aware of Han's body close to hers, and she was overwhelmed with the desire to be as close to him as she'd been in her dream.

Leia was still stuck in her strange dreams when Han returned from fixing the climate control. She was a lonely princess, stuck in a tower. A lonely, high tower. Suddenly, she was being swept off her feet into the arms of a handsome prince.

"Are you here to rescue me?"

"Somethin' like that, sweetheart," Han replied, chuckling at the childish lilt in her voice. Her eyes opened and scanned his face, but didn't appear to register much before closing again.

"Well, I hope you have a plan this time," she admonished. He laughed at that remark and began running his hands over her arms, wondering how it was possible for someone to feel feverish and cold at the same time. Han opened his shirt to allow for more of his body heat to pass over to her and she pressed herself against him. Her legs were freezing, too, and he wound his around legs through hers, pulling her as close as possible.

Han fell asleep at some point and woke up when Leia stretched against him. He was still wrapped around her like a cocoon.

"Is it morning?" she mumbled into his chest. Her warm breath against his bare skin nearly made him shiver.

"I think it's almost afternoon. How do you feel?"

"Fine," she replied immediately. He drew back to look at her.

"You definitely don't look fine," he countered.

"Awful," she admitted, nestling closer.

"Well, nobody said you had to get out of bed. No meetings, nothing to oversee, nobody to boss around."

"Except you," she teased.

"Yeah, but since when have I listened?" She shrugged. "I should probably get up. Chewie's probably wondering why I haven't come out to help."

"The ship," she mumbled, as if suddenly remembering that they were on a half-functional ship limping through the Anoat system. She threw the blankets back and swung her feet quickly to the decking.

"Leia, be…" he cautioned. She fell to a heap on the floor, "careful," he finished. He offered her a hand and pulled her back into bed, tucking the blankets around her.

"It's probably just being in hyperspace," she excused. He could tell the disorientation was returning.

"We ain't in hyperspace, sister."

"Right," she murmured, closing her eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning.

"I'm gonna go work on the hyperdrive with Chewie, but if you need something, just holler, okay?" he asked. She nodded. Han got out of bed and went to the 'fresher to get dressed. When he returned, Leia had switched to his side of the bed, probably for warmth. She opened her eyes and squinted at him.

"You know, you're pretty handsome, but I don't think I can handle two of you," she muttered. Double vision. Yikes. When Leia gets sick, she doesn't mess around. He kissed her on the forehead.

"Close your eyes, and one of me will come back later."