The first thing Han was aware of when he woke up was that he felt terrible.

His head pounded, his stomach churned and his throat felt like he had been gargling glass. He would have thought he was hungover, except for the fact that he knew he hadn't had a single drink all week.

Last night he had felt more tired than usual but he had assumed his discomfort was due to the general exhaustion of parenting a toddler. Ben had been especially difficult yesterday; cranky, high strung and determined to give his parents a run for their money.

Han sniffled and rolled over to his side, forcing his heavy eyelids open to see if Leia was still in bed. She wasn't but that wasn't necessarily unusual. She was normally up before him, even on days like this where she didn't have to work. What was unusual was the absence of Ben.

At 3 years old, Ben still didn't sleep well; frequently waking his parents with his screams and sobs from the nightmares that plagued him nightly. More often than not, he and Leia would bring Ben into their bed for the remainder of the night.

Ben, like his father, was not a morning person. Han was used to waking up with the comfortable weight of Ben's head on his chest. He hadn't woken up completely alone in a long time.

With a grunt, Han swung his legs over the edge of bed and prepared to stand. What he wasn't prepared for was the way his head swam, upsetting his already uneasy stomach. Still, he pushed himself to his feet and hovered by the bed until the vertigo faded.

Shuffling into the kitchen, he tried not to flinch as Ben excitedly shrieked "Daddy!" Leia glanced at him from over her shoulder and smiled.

"Nice of you to join us," She teased. "Lazy morning?"

"Something like that," Han grunted, his voice coming out painfully rough and scratchy sounding. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon," She answered. "You missed breakfast."

He blanched. "I didn't mean to sleep that long. I'm sorry, Leia," He apologized, moving to her side in order to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her back to his chest. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Don't apologize. You were tired, you needed the sleep," She said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye as he lowered his head to her shoulder, burrowing his face in her neck. "Han? Are you okay?"

Han debated with himself on how to respond; he never liked admitting when he wasn't operating at 100%. It was something ingrained in him from his days on Corellia, with the White Worms. If you couldn't pull your own weight, you didn't eat.

Besides, Leia was studying him carefully and Han figured he looked as bad as he felt. He didn't like lying to Leia either, and she would know if he was. It was always best to just come clean.

"I've been better," He admitted.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, twisting in his arms so that she was facing him.

"Headache… throat hurts," He mumbled into her neck. Leia took his face in her hands and guided his head up, leaning in to press her lips against his forehead. He could feel her frown against his skin.

"You're warm," She muttered against his head, her hand coming to rest soothing on the back of his neck. "I think you have a fever but I'll have to check your temperature to be sure."

Han hummed and closed his eyes, content to stand there all day in her embrace. Their 3 year old son however, was not as content with that.

"Daddy!" Ben yelled again, eager for his father's attention. He kicked his feet, swinging them back and forth excitedly.

"Morning, Bud," Han said with a tired smile as he reluctantly released Leia. He continued his shuffle across the kitchen so he could press a kiss into Ben's dark curls.

"Not morning, Daddy!" Ben said, twisting his body and raising his arms towards Han. Han lifted the toddler out of his booster seat at the table and settled him on his hip. "Daddy sleep for sooooo long!"

"Sorry about that, Kiddo," Han apologized. "You got up before me today, huh?" Ben nodded eagerly, his unruly bangs bouncing up and down.

"Helped Mommy," He declared, puffing his little chest out importantly. "Made breakfast!"

Leia nodded in agreement and Han smiled down at his son. "Well aren't you the little helper!" He said and Ben couldn't have looked prouder of himself if he had tried.

"Daddy play?" Ben said suddenly, turning to stare at Han with his wide brown eyes that were so much like Leia's. Han hesitated, unsure of what to say. He hated disappointing his son but he couldn't imagine he'd be much fun to play with right now, considering how bad he felt. Thankfully, Leia came to his rescue; coming to stand beside him and reaching to take their son into her arms.

"Daddy isn't feeling too well today, Benny," She explained softly, one hand carefully brushing the hair from the toddler's forehead. "He's going to rest today so that he can start feeling better. You want him to feel better so he can play with you, right?"

There was a beat of silence as Ben took in this information, switching his gaze from Leia to Han, and then back to Leia.

"Daddy sick?" He asked, tilting his head adorably.

"That's right, baby. Daddy's sick."

Ben frowned and wriggled impatiently in Leia's arms, muttering "down Mommy" somewhat urgently. Leia lowered him to the floor and Ben scurried over to Han, reaching up to take one of his hands with both of his smaller ones.

Han allowed himself to be led by Ben into the living room, where they stopped at the edge of the couch. Ben peered up at his father, looking impressively serious for a 3 year old, and patted the seat of the couch until Han sat.

Ben scrambled up onto the couch next to his father and stood on the cushions before leaning forward and planting both of his hands on Han's chest.

"Rest!" He insisted, attempting to push his father down into a reclining position. Han couldn't help but laugh, which quickly turned into a wracking cough that burned in his throat.

After several seconds, that he swore felt like a century, he was able to catch his breath and the fit eased. He hadn't even noticed Leia rubbing soothing circles on his back, unaware that she had even followed them into the room.

"I've heard enough of that," She chided, coming around to face him. She held out her hand and Han reached to take what she was offering. "Take these. It'll help."

"Thanks," he croaked, accepting the glass of water and 2 pills that she placed in his hand. He swallowed them quickly, grimacing in pain. Leia tutted softly, her hand returning to his back.

"Do you want me to bring you something to eat? Something easy to swallow?" She asked and Han's face went sour at her question, his stomach turning. Leia noticed and frowned sympathetically at him. "Stomach bothering you?"

Han nodded and closed his eyes as Leia's hands moved to his shoulders, pushing him down gently until he was laying on the couch. He blinked at her as she leaned down to press a kiss in his hair before moving to scoop Ben into her arms.

"Get some sleep, Han," She said quietly, crouching so that Ben could give him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. He couldn't help but smile at his son. "We'll check on you in a bit, okay?"

"Feel better, Daddy," Ben's little voice was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep.

"Daddy…" A tiny voice whispered from somewhere very close to his ear.

Han grunted and shifted, not quite asleep but definitely not awake yet.

"Daaaaaaddy…"

When the little voice came again, Han was able to pry his eyes open to find Ben's face only inches away from his own.

"Hey Benny," He said sleepily, rubbing his aching eyes.

"Daddy feel better?" Ben asked, leaning closer so that their noses nearly touched. Han smiled and gently moved Ben back a step.

"Not yet, Kiddo" He answered hesitantly. If anything, he felt worse than before but he wasn't about that to admit that to Ben, who was looking eagerly at his father. At his father's words though, Ben's expression fell and Han couldn't help but feel crushed at his son's disappointment. It only lasted a second however as Ben straightened up and dashed from the room, leaving Han vaguely confused.

When Ben ran back, he had something clutched in both hands. A sippy cup was presented to Han from his very proud looking son.

"Drink!" Ben declared, pushing the sippy cup against Han's hands. He took it hesitantly and cocked his head at the boy.

"This is your cup, Bud," He said, moving to sit up. Ben shook his head determinedly.

"Juice!" He said as if it was obvious. "Drink juice and feel better!"

Suddenly it started to make a bit more sense. At Ben's last cold, Han and Leia had pushed him to drink plenty of fluids, especially his juice, so that he wouldn't become dehydrated . Ben was only repeating what he had seen his parents do for him.

"That's sweet, Benny, but this is your cup," Han pointed out, attempting to hand the cup back to him. But Ben was, afterall, his parents child and that meant he could be too stubborn for his own good. His hair flopped as he shook his head, pushing the cup closer to Han.

"Drink," He ordered, trying to cross his little arms and fumbling. Han relented and took a small sip as Ben nodded encouragingly.

If Lando or Chewie found out he was drinking juice from his son's sippy cup, he'd never live it down.

"Gotta drink it all, Daddy," Ben said, aborting his attempt at crossing his arms and instead settling them on his hips like he'd seen Leia do countless times. Han took another sip.

It was at that moment when Leia decided to enter the room. She walked up to the couch, scowling, hands on her hips in a pose that was strikingly similar to Ben's.

"Ben Solo! I told you already, you need to let Daddy sleep-" She paused suddenly when she noticed what Han was drinking from. "Are you drinking his juice?" She asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow at him.

"He insisted!" Han protested, gesturing to their son.

"He's 3," Leia deadpanned, shaking her head at him and taking the cup. "Did Daddy drink your juice?" She asked teasingly, turning to Ben.

Ben shook his head, eyes widening. "Daddy gotta drink juice and feel better!" He insisted, bouncing on his heels.

"We made him drink all that juice the last time he was sick," Han pointed out, rubbing the back of his hand against his runny nose. Leia made a face and nudged a box of tissues that he hadn't noticed before closer to him. She must have brought them to him while he was sleeping.

"You drank from his sippy cup," She couldn't quite keep the smirk from her face.

"It's what he brought me!" Han protested, moving to sit up. Leia gently pushed him back down.

"Yes, because that's the juice I got for him. Because he's a toddler and can't be trusted with a regular cup,"

"Whatever," Han scowled, sniffling loudly before rubbing a tissue under his nose. Leia rolled her eyes and picked Ben up, settling him on her hip.

"C'mon, Benny. Let's let your cranky daddy get some more rest, hm?" She said, making to leave the room. Ben's little head peaked over Leia's shoulder as they left, and he waved bye to his father. Han smiled and waved back.

There were little hands patting his shoulders, his hips and then moving down to his legs. Han cracked an eye open and saw Ben, hovering near his feet, looking hard at work.

"Ben?" Han mumbled groggily, his voice coming out as little more than a rasp. "What're you doing?"

Ben perked up at his father's voice and his face exploded in a joyful grin.

"Daddy wake!" He cried excitedly, scrambling over to stand by Han's head. "Brought my blankie," He pointed in the general direction of Han's hip.

Han sat up on his elbows and saw Ben's little blanket, covering his legs but not quite reaching his feet. Ben gave him another pat, smoothing the wrinkles on the blanket.

"You brought me your blankie?" Han said softly, turning to look at his son. Ben nodded, suddenly shy, and averted his eyes.

Han's eyes burned and his throat tightened but it had nothing to do with his illness. Ben never shared his blankie; they were barely able to get it away from him long enough to wash it once a week.

It had been a gift from Luke, given to them while Leia was pregnant. They had brought Ben home in that blanket. Han was afraid that he would cry, touched by the gesture of love and affection from his son.

"C'mere you sweet boy," He gushed, grabbing Ben and pulling into a bear hug. Ben giggled and squirmed in father's embrace. "Thank you, Benny."

Ben wiggled until he was laying next to Han on the couch. Han adjusted the blankie so it covered part of Ben as well. Father and son stared at each other for several seconds in a comfortable silence.

Ben's soft voice was what broke that silence. "Daddy still sick?" He whispered.

"Yeah Buddy," Han whispered back. "Daddy's still sick."

Ben frowned and studied his father's face before nodding to himself.

"Daddy need a snuggle," He decided, wrapping his chubby little arms as far as they would go around Han.

Han couldn't help but huff out a laugh that came dangerously close to turning into another coughing fit. That was the same thing Leia said to Ben when they brought him into their bed after another one of his nightmares. "It's okay, baby. You just need a snuggle," She would whisper to him night after night.

Han shifted Ben in his arms so that the toddler's back was flush against his father's chest and wrapped his arms around him. Maybe they both needed a snuggle.

"Love you, Daddy," Ben mumbled, already sounding sleepy.

"Love you too, Benny," Han whispered back, hugging Ben closer and pressing a kiss to the back of his head.

He could have laid there for hours, listening to his son's breaths get deeper and deeper as he drifted off to sleep. In that moment, stretched out on the couch with Ben nestled against his chest, Han could almost forget how rotten he felt.

"Ben?" Leia called softly as she wandered into the living in search of her wayward toddler. She tried to keep her voice down, in case Han was still sleeping. She had left Ben playing under the kitchen table to quickly take care of something for work, and had expected him to still be there when she returned.

He wasn't.

That was on her though; she realized she may have been expecting a bit too much from her overly energetic 3 year old. Ben was his father's son and that meant he was incapable of sitting still for too long.

"Ben?" She called again. Leia had been expecting to see her son hovering by the couch, watching his sleeping father dedicatedly, as he had been all afternoon. She had already had to stop the boy from waking Han several times to check to see if he was better yet.

Although at this point, Leia was seriously considering waking her husband. He had been sleeping for a majority of the day and she needed to get him to eat something before giving him any more medicine.

Leia walked quietly up the couch and couldn't stop the soft "oh" from leaving her mouth. Stretched across the entire couch and still sleeping was Han, his mouth open slightly and snoring congestedly. Flush against his chest and also fast asleep, was Ben.

Leia paused and took in the scene, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.

She crouched in front of the couch and used her thumb to carefully wipe away the drool from Ben's chin that was starting to pool on Han's arm. He shifted slightly, tucking himself closer to his father if possible, but didn't wake.

Leia turned her gaze to Han and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. His fever hadn't gone anywhere but up and she really needed to get him to take something for it but she didn't have the heart to wake him and ruin this touching moment between father and son.

Honestly, she really needed to wake both of them. If either of them slept for much longer, they both would have trouble falling asleep tonight.

But they both looked so adorable.

Leia leaned in close and pressed a soft kiss to Han's forehead and then shifted to kiss Ben's cheek.

"Sweet dreams," She whispered as she stood.

For now, she was content to let her boys sleep.