We are coming to the end! There will be an epilogue tomorrow. Thanks so much for reading! I need a new story to work on... If you have any plots you would like to see on paper, let me know!

Enjoy!

Life may be fleeting. Love lives on.

It was a normal workday for Han, a day where he was still on Coruscant and spending his waking hours on repairs and renovations. And his baby needed it, too. Even he had to admit that the last trip he went on was precarious to say the least. He breathed a great sigh of relief when the Falcon held together as they finally landed. So he had two weeks to get her ship-shape again before his next run.

And that was what he was focused on when he heard his comm ring. With a groan, he moved from his position under the control panel to answer it.

"What?… Luke?" He was surprised to hear the other voice on the end. "What is it?"

He paused, listening.

"He's where?" Han's voice raised twelve octaves. "He did what?" Now the anger met his volume. "Luke, you gotta be joking…"

Luke was evidently not joking as Han's face paled and his jaw went slack.

"You talk to Leia?" He ran a hand down his face. "No… I'll go. You keep trying to get ahold of her."

He hung up and charged out of the Falcon as fast as his legs could carry him.

He broke at least 3 laws as he drove towards the Senate building and arrived in what must be record time. He made up his own parking spot and jumped out, moving swiftly to climb the imposing staircase outside the building. There was press around, of course there was. He felt a few images being captured of him and a few people mention his name, he was known in his own right for his role in the war. But he didn't care about anything that was happening around him.

Once inside the building, he turned to a person standing along the side, focused on her holopad.

"Hey, where's Senator Organa's office?"

The woman gave him confusing directions, but he took off in the general direction she pointed to.

He only got momentarily lost once he stepped out of the lift, but once he saw the gathered crowd around a closed door at the end of the hall, he knew he found it.

The crowd was relaxed for the moment holding their holopads and imagers, probably waiting for the Senator's door to open so they could hound whoever came out… or whoever went in.

Han did his best to lower his head as he moved through to the door. The press perked their heads up as they saw him approach and flew the imagers into his face, but he ignored everything and kept moving until he was on the other side of the door.

The front office was empty, her staff's desks unoccupied. He heard voices though, loud-voiced coming from the entrance on the far wall. He continued his forward motion until he passed through the opening and then froze.

"…not true. None of it's true!" She paced the room, finally sitting herself at her desk with her head immediately going into her hands, hiding from the reality.

"What statement do we put out?" One of the three aids in the room asked.

She dropped her hands and slumped forward. "I have no clue!"

He apparently caught one aid's attention and the rest of their heads turned to follow, as did the Senator's.

She stared at him then pointed her finger drolly. "Meet the real father."

He just opened his mouth and it hung there, nothing coming out.

"General Solo," an aid stated the obvious just to confirm.

She nodded as her staff member rolled his eyes and fell back into his chair.

The room was silent for a moment, everyone in their own state of shock and confusion.

"Can we have the room?" She asked her staff.

Han stepped further in as the aids passed by him.

One aid continued their discussion. "Senator, statement… what should I begin to draft?"

Sighing, she answered holding up three fingers as she listed her requests. "No, it's not his child. Yes, I will have the baby. No, we are not getting back together."

The aid nodded before asking one more question. "Do you want his name in the statement?" There was no questioning who 'his name' was referring to.

"Give us a moment." She brushed him off for now.

With just the two of them, she leaned forward, face down on her desk.

He stepped closer, finally stopping when he was just across from her.

Her head raised. "Do you want to see it?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"I've already watched it four times…" She flicked on the holo image to reveal the seemingly impromptu press event he held early this morning on Hapes. Reporters surrounding him as he answered with a confident and disappointed face.

"Is your ex-wife pregnant?"

"Yes, Princess Leia is pregnant… with our child."

"Did she tell you about the pregnancy before your divorce?"

"No she did not. She kept it secret from me."

"Is she planning on getting rid of it."

"I don't know what her thoughts are, she did keep it a secret even from her own husband. But I will fight for my child's life."

"Are you getting back together for the child's sake?"

"I'm traditional. I believe a child should be raised by both their parents, together. For the child's own good… Leia, she doesn't seem to care about that."

"Is she still running for reelection? Is she putting her family or career first?"

"That is on her. I hope she chooses family."

Han stood in stunned silence.

"Unbelievable, right?" Leia uttered.

Han finally managed to speak, his incredible ire building to a boiling point. "What the fuck does he think he is doing?"

She knew the answer. "Trying to ruin me like he thinks I did to him."

"Kriff…" And that was all he could think of to say.

"What I can't figure out…" Leia contemplated. "Is how he found out."

"Luke swears he and Mara didn't tell anyone."

Leia had already guessed that, so she continued. "And the only other person who knew was…"

He felt the truth hit him like a rock. His hands slammed on her desk, letting out frustration. "Fuck… Qi'ra."

Leia nodded. She had deduced that a few minutes ago.

He forcefully pulled his comm from his pocket and tapped a few buttons.

"What are you doing?" She asked standing from her desk and coming around to his side.

"Givin' her a piece of my mind…" He stammered quickly before the comm disappeared from his hand.

"Han, it's not worth it," she stated firmly holding the comm behind her. "We shouldn't let them make us angry, give them that power or satisfaction."

Who was this rational person coming from her head and out of her mouth? Not ten minutes ago she was seriously tempted to launch a full-scale retort against Isolder. But this rational side seemed to come out to counter Han's own ire he brought with him. But she was right.

"It will only bother us if we let them."

"But Leia," Han countered. "It's my kid. I don't want everyone thinkin'…"

"They won't," she interrupted with her assurance. "My statement will make that clear."

"But…" he kept going with the buts. "You don't think this will hurt your reelection campaign?"

"Oh it will," she confirmed with absolute certainty. "It's an absolute mess I need to clean up and I have to hope the press are on my side with how they report it… But, to answer Isolder's last question, my family comes first."

His lips pressed together as he took in the awesome woman in front of him. He had seen her evolve from a scrappy 19-year-old into the powerful, passionate person he saw today. He was in awe of her. And that fact that she had chosen to love him and put their family first, while boggling his mind, humbled him.

He chose to express himself with a lingering kiss to her forehead while his arms encircled her.

She reciprocated just as quickly, exhaling the worries that had built up inside her.

"Hey Leia?"

"Hum," she hummed into this chest.

"Put my name in your statement. I'm ready for this."

Statement from the desk of Senator Leia Organa of Alderaan:
My partner, General Han Solo, and I are excited to announce that a new addition will be arriving to our family later this year. My pregnancy is going well and I am in perfect health to continue to serve the people in the Senate now and in the future if I am so chosen to do so. My ex-husband was mistaken in his recent comments. All future inquiries should be directed to me personally.

Short. Direct. Clear.

That was all the press and public needed from her. If they weren't happy with it, that was on them not her.

She was certainly hounded more than usual on her walk into work, in press conferences, and around the Senate building. But it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Han had also encountered a few imagers being shoved into his face, but he dodged them without getting into a verbal or physical battle, as per Leia's specific instructions.

Leia's colleagues in the government were no different around her. She had a few tough, but necessary conversations with Mon and the chancellor had some of her own work to do to clean up a few now loose ends with the Hapes system.

Leia could actually say that things were going well as she lowered herself into their sofa and lounged across the piece of furniture in complete contentment. She was home early, a rarity, and she was about to make the most of it.

She picked up her comm and dialed the familiar number, her smile growing even before hi picked up.

"Honey…" She said it in a voice that suggested total euphoria.

"Sweetheart…" He didn't know what the game was, but he wanted to play.

"I got off early. I'm at home."

"You got plans for your night?" He inquired, hoping those plans would have a lot to do with him.

They did. She sat up on the edge of the sofa as she offered her proposition. "How about you pick me up and take me out on our first proper date in almost 10 years?"

He smiled. "I like the sound of that. You pick the place."

And so an hour later found the couple holding hands walking down the streets of Coruscant, greeting the few acquaintances she met along the way, and eating dinner outside on the terrace in full view of the public.

She slipped her hand in his as they picked slowly at their dessert. "This feels good," she stated, a lightness rising in her chest where a certain weight had been holding her down.

He smiled at her and rubbed his fingers against hers. "It does, finally."

She pulled his hand into her lap and used both her hands to stroked his palm. "I love you, Han."

Beyond happy that he was now allowed to do this, he leaned over and placed his lips squarely on hers for the first of many displays of his love that were sure to come. "I love you too."