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Try to deny it and try to protest, but love won't let you go once you've been possessed.
As the fates had it, Luke and Mara were still sick to their stomach and turned down their dinner request. This was much to Leia and Han's disappointment. They went back to their respective rooms, showered, and dressed.
An hour later, he was at Leia's door wearing a slightly more distinguished blue jacket with black slacks.
He watched her come out of her room. She dressed in a flowing greenish-blue dress with glittering earrings and her makeup was light, but exquisite.
"Well you are a big girl." He couldn't help but admire.
She looked down at her attire. "I hope you don't mind."
"Mind, I'm counting on it." He offered her his arm and she took it. Natural, it felt natural.
Han pulled her chair out again and she didn't object this time. He ordered them a bottle of wine and they waited.
"I enjoyed my meal yesterday," Leia began.
"Did you? I thought mine was pretty good too."
"Yes, though I think I will try something different tonight."
"Yes, me too. There's a lot of choices. Hard to choose."
"Well we could get two plates and split them. Couldn't we?" She looked over her menu at Han, gauging his reaction.
He relaxed a bit. "Yea we could and we will." They turned back to their menus for a moment before he asked. "Do you want to try the…"
"…Meiloorun fruit?" she finished for him. "Yes, I do."
He couldn't help the upturn of his lips. "Good, because so do I."
After ordering, Han sat back in his chair. "Well, what should we name our catch?"
Leia thought for a moment. "Rogue."
"Really, Rogue?"
"Yes! I had an Aunt Rogue who looked just like it." Han chuckled trying to think of a person with that green a face.
The waiter finally brought their drink of choice. Han poured and Leia made a toast.
"A toast to not casting judgments."
"Here, here." They clinked glasses and Han watched intensely as Leia swallowed.
She smacked her lips. "It's delicious. Not too harsh, but with a pleasant aftertaste."
"I'm glad you are enjoying yourself." He winked at her as he sipped more of his drink.
After both had more than their fair share of glasses, their chairs were a little closer to each other and their lips were a tad looser.
Han stepped in with his own story. "I always thought having kids would be nice. I wanted a son or daughter to show off or ride in the Falcon with." He paused. "And then Qi'ra got pregnant. So I did the right thing. Married her. And Fernik was born."
He chuckled at his next statement. "6 months after we were married if you count those things."
Leia had never realized that. It was stupid of her, but she never realized.
Han was still tracking his story. "Fernik never left her side. She hated when anyone else would hold him, even me. She is so protective of them, like if they're out of her sight for a moment something will happen. I love them, I do, but I don't know them and they don't know me."
Leia looked up at him with sadness and understanding. "I always wanted children." It was almost a whisper, a silent wish she kept hidden.
He turned to her after hearing that whispered confession that was news to him. "I always assumed you didn't want any. Why didn't you have any?"
Leia huffed. "It's rather hard when you sleep in separate rooms."
"Really? Leia, I never knew." His eyes widened.
"When it didn't happen after the first year, he…" She didn't finish that sentence, but went on another tangent. "You remember when I first met Isolder?"
Gods did he ever.
"It was right before you left your military post and reunited with Qi'ra."
Of course he remembered.
She continued, not taking note of his reaction. "I had just turned 25. On the old side for an arranged political marriage."
He listened intently while his breathing intensified.
"Politics has ruled my life since I was born." She took another sip. "And it took the one thing," now she knew she was saying too much, but she couldn't stop herself. "The one thing I wanted, more than anything…" She didn't say what that one thing was. He already knew.
She sipped some more wine and quieted.
He had to ask. "I thought you were happy," his voice was barely audible. "I thought you wanted Isolder. That he was a good match."
Leia looked incredulous. "It was an arranged marriage, Han. What makes you think any of that was my choice?"
He didn't, couldn't answer.
"My work fulfills me like my marriage and personal life never has."
She turned her head and body away. "Now I'm embarrassed." She gulped down some more wine.
"Leia," he asked her to turn to him. "Would it help if I confessed that Qi'ra said two kids were enough and I moved to the guest room the next day?"
She turned and looked at him. "Really?"
He nodded, eyes pouring into hers. "Qi'ra and I… we're not in a good place. Never have been."
"Han…" Leia shook her head and spoke quickly the alcohol doing more to keep her talking than her sanity at the moment. "If only we could reverse time, go back 6 years and…"
"Leia," he tried to stop her from continuing.
"…we could start all over. From that last moment we had together…"
"Leia…" he said more desperately.
"…and the last time we…"
"Sweetheart, please stop." That got her quiet. "We can't go back so stop talking about it like we could."
She was silent, and quite sad at the moment. Han was also swimming in regrets as a song change happened. The band played slower and smoother.
"Han," She tried to break the atmosphere, a playful smirk illuminating her face. "What would you say if I asked you to dance?"
He lifted his eyes to hers, happy to have a distraction from their conversation. "I suppose we could chance it, if you promise to keep your distance," he teased.
She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "I'll watch it."
With a gentle confidence, she took his outstretched hand. He led her to the center of the dance floor and pulled her into his arms, his jovial threat about distance forgotten completely. Her right hand rested in his left. His right hand gently circled around her waist, pulling her close to his chest. Her left hand twisted around his arm and gripped his shoulder. She immediately let her head fall against his chest. He had no complaints.
They swayed gently to the music for longer than either realized, drawing each other closer and closer until they were practically melded together. His head coming to rest on top of hers and both his hands drifting across her back.
The band announced their last song of the night. The last couple on the floor made the most of it. Han learned the tune and began humming it so only she could hear.
Leia looked past Han's shoulder and saw their frustrated waiter gesturing towards their now very cold food. She leaned into his ear and whispered, "Our waiter seems to think we should be eating dinner."
"Silly man," Han muttered as he pulled her in and they finished their dance.
When the last note rang through the night. Han pulled away, but kept her hand in his. They nibbled on their very cold dinner and finished their drinks. When they were done, he helped her stand.
"I'll walk you back to your room." He led her out of the bar with a hand placed at the small of her back.
"You will do no such thing Han Solo." She led him from the bar and in the opposite direction of their rooms towards the sea. "We have a bet to settle."
Han was flustered. "You're not gonna hold me to that are you? Besides, if I hadn't helped you with that fish, he would have caught you!"
She smirked. "No way! I was merely playing him. I could have taken him myself, I thought it would be nice if I would let you help, get some satisfaction out of the outing. Stroke your pride a little."
He glared as he bopped her nose. "You did no such thing."
She sealed her lips, not willing to deny anything. "You're still going in the water, Han. Else think how silly you'll look when I tell Luke you fell in the water while out fishing!"
"I did not!" he defended.
"I know, but you will look pretty silly when I tell Luke."
He twisted his mouth. "You play dirty, Sweetheart."
She shrugged triumphantly. "I play to win."
They reached the edge of the water that was bathed in the bright light of the moon. There was no one else in sight. The wind blew the cool sea air onto their faces. Leia's lush brown locks were coming loose from her braid, her updo revealing the freckles that lined her neck and chest. Han gazed at her, thinking that he had never seen such a perfect creature.
She inhaled and exhaled closing her eyes. She opened them to find Han staring at her. "Go on."
He rolled his eyes. This task was getting much less tedious by the second. It was like they stepped back in time. Back 6 years, when they were younger and free.
He took off his shoes and left them on the shore. She did the same and began wading into the sea.
She wiggled her toes in the sand and closed her eyes. "I love the feeling of sand between my toes."
His grin was a mile wide. "I know."
He removed his jacket, shirt, and pants so he was only in his shorts.
"You are going to have to take those off too, to do it properly," she gently reminded him, smirking the entire time.
He looked back at her. "I thought I would go out into the water a bit and then remove them. That is unless you would like a show?" He wiggled his eyebrows and put his hands on his hips.
Leia laughed and shushed him out further.
"Kriff! It's cold!" he exclaimed while still pursuing through the waves.
When he was far enough out to cover his waist, he removed his shorts and threw them on some nearby rocks. He raised his hands above his head in showing he had performed her task.
"Now you have to dunk your head under the water," She yelled out to him, still smiling.
"I can't hear you!" he yelled back.
She hiked up her dress and waded up to her knees. "I said you have to dunk your head under."
He moved closer to her. "Only if you'll do it with me."
"Absolutely not. You're the one who lost the bet!" She giggled as he moved closer to her.
"And the bet stated that I would go skinny dipping which is precisely what I am doing. But if you want me to get my head under, you are going to have to join me." He was now crawling on the ground, keeping himself covered, but zeroing in on his target.
"Well, then I guess we will both be disappointed, because this is as far…. Han!"
When he crawled all the way to her feet, he suddenly sprang up and lifted her in his arms. She kicked and put up a strong fight, but he was stronger. He carried her out to where she could no longer stand and took them both under. When she came up for air, she spit water at him and tried to brush the wisps of hair out of her face. She found Han standing there laughing like she hadn't seen in years.
"Han Solo! Damn you!" She skimmed her hand on the surface and splashed him right in the face. The motion caused her to go under again, but Han pulled her up and to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders for support. He brushed her sticky wet hair from her cheek and their eyes met.
It could have been only a second or an hour, neither knew. Their eyes and desires were one. Their mouths drew closer to the other.
"Han, we shouldn't," Leia whispered.
He moved his mouth closer. "I know."
Han felt her lip brush his. Before he was able to feel anything else, she dropped her head and let out a sneeze. The moment passed.
She loosened her hold on him. "I'm sorry."
He pulled his face away from hers. "Me too."
He slowly carried her back to where she could stand. She walked back to the shore and threw him his shorts. He quickly put them on before emerging from the sea. Leia held out his pants and shirt. He put on the pants and shirt, but wrapped his jacket around her shoulders as she shivered.
"Come on, let's get you warm." He rubbed her arms to warm them as they walked back to their rooms. He stopped at hers first. She opened the door and shuttered when his arms left hers. She handed him back his jacket.
He looked at her with all the regret and sorrow that had been bubbling in him for years. "Good night, Sweetheart." And she shut the door.
He returned to his room, showered off the saltwater, and donned his pajamas. Even in his comfortable bed, he knew sleep would not come easily.