Leia knew she was dreaming. It wasn't that she was under any delusion that she was anything but dreaming. But the experience was so exquisite she didn't want it to stop.
She was dreaming of her wedding night, of kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed she and Han would share that night.
A simple white chemise ensured her modesty while her husband showed no such propriety.
Sat behind her, legs open and stretched either side of her slim body, Han had been naked the whole time.
Curl after curl had fallen to her shoulders as her husband had carefully and tenderly removed each pin securing the twenty-four coloured jewels and precious gems interwoven into her hair.
With the last one stored safely in it's carry case he had set about her braids, de-tangling them with his fingers before fingering her tresses straight.
His task completed, he had leaned in close to whisper. "Now what?"
"Now we may go to bed." She'd replied, her head turning toward his voice.
"Well about time!" His voice rumbled, low and soft and teasing.
"Lights to zero." Leia announced, pushing to her feet as the lighting dimmed to blackout.
She heard the rustle of bed linen where Han climbed into his side. Leia, meanwhile, took her time removing her chemise and placing it with the rest of her things on an ottoman before her small feet padded through thick carpet to the bed.
Han's eyes had adjusted to what little light filtered into the room and grinned as his now naked wife slipped under the covers beside him.
On Alderaan, the custom to enter their wedding chamber naked was to acknowledge that the couple entered into marriage with nothing but one another to be built upon during their future together.
His hand wafted somewhere across her midriff sending a shiver of anticipation through to her core. It wasn't long before their kisses became more urgent and Han encircled her with his arms, rolling onto his back and taking her with him. His fingers were in her hair and on her back and kneading her buttocks and her thighs. When he broke their kiss, holding her face above his, he was panting for breath.
Leia giggled, her mouth moving to kiss and nuzzle his neck and throat. Han's eyes rolled back in his head. There was a spot not many women managed to find, but when Leia's lips hit that spot he'd let her do just about anything to him. Except maybe take over. Han was not a man to have hangups over who took the dominant role in bed, but this was supposed to be Leia's night and he was not about to let her down.
Gripping her tightly, he rolled her over onto her back, careful not to crush her small frame beneath his and there they made love, twice, before falling asleep in a jumbled mass of arms and legs.
"Ley. Leia honey." Han shook her shoulder gently. "Sweetheart, I need you to wake up."
Leia rolled over, her slumbers and her intense dream broken.
"Wh..." She rubbed a hand across her face, wiping the sleep away. "I fell asleep. How could you let me fall asleep?"
"You were exhausted." Han explained softly.
Leia sat up, any feeling of fatigue completely gone.
"The tea. Winter put a sedative in my tea didn't she?" Leia asked.
"Very mild. And only because she knew you wouldn't rest without it." He assured her, his voice steady. "Honey, they've found him."
Leia paused, one foot about to slip into her previously discarded shoes.
"Is he..." She started.
"They're sending a car. It'll be in the underground lot in ten minutes. Venda's coming with us and there'll be someone to meet us there." Han explained.
"Meet us where?" She questioned.
"The Medical Centre. They took him straight to the Medical Centre." He answered. "I've called the kids and told them we'll update them when we can."
"But he is okay?" She pressed.
"That's all I know. I swear." He replied, honestly.
"Would you just look at my hair, I look a complete fright!" She exclaimed, starting to brush it straight.
"You look beautiful. You always look beautiful." He said, trying to sound light-hearted.
"Are you kidding?" She brushed harder. "It's enough to scare the pants off of Jorj."
Han stepped in close to rub his hands up and down her arms.
"He's not gonna care what you look like sweetheart." Her stricken expression reflected in her dressing mirror gave him cause to reconsider his words. "What I mean is, he'll just be glad to see us, no matter what we look like."
"They wouldn't send a car if he wasn't...you know...all right, would they?" She queried, placing the brush down. "Wouldn't they prepare us for the worst first?"
"I don't know sweetheart. I guess. Yes." He agreed.
"Captain. Mrs Solo." Venda interrupted. "The car's waiting."
Leaning on one another for support, Han and Leia were escorted to the hovercar which sped through Coruscant's streets to the Medical Centre's private entrance, ensuring their anonymity.
"I'll just be a moment." Venda assured them, leaving the couple alone together in a stark, clinically oppressive side room.
"I hate these places!" Han stated. "The only time I've ever spent here was the worst in my life."
"Except for when the children were born." She suggested.
"Goes without saying." He agreed, an element of his usual bravado returning.
Leia slid into his waiting arms, needing their strength more than ever.
"You know what? When we get outta here, I am gonna take you and the little guy on the vacation of a lifetime!" He said.
"Han!" He felt her shake her head against his chest.
"No, I mean it. What's the point of having the fastest ship in the Galaxy if I don't put her through her paces from time to time." He kissed her forehead. "'Bout time I saw what she was made of. Might even have a crack at beating my own record for the Kessel Run."
The room's door opened admitting Venda and two associates, introduced as medical staff attempting to examine their son. Leia burst into tears, shaking with relief.
"He's behaving somewhat wildly! We could use some guidance on how to calm him." Venda said.
"He's not a great fan of hospitals." Han said, soothing Leia. "If he's running wild it's because you guys spooked him somehow."
"We need to take his clothing. He bit me!" One of the medics explained and thrust a hand at them.
"Why d'you need his clothes?" Han queried.
"For examination." The second medic replied. "And to allow us to check his body for signs of trauma."
"He won't undress in front of strangers. He just won't." Leia said.
"If you can't calm him, they may have no choice but to sedate him." Venda told them.
"He was very sick when he was born. All of his memories of hospitals involve being stripped and examined, usually before something painful happened to him." Leia offered. "He's just a small boy who's very frightened."
"Perhaps if you were with him. Your reassurance might help." Venda suggested.
"They'd have to suit up." The first medic said.
"Just what is it you're expecting to find on him?" Han growled.
"Hopefully nothing." Venda answered. "But, in the event he has been the victim of an assault our chances of catching the perpetrator are greatly increased if there's no cross-contamination of any evidence."
"You kidding?" Han barked. "I got two kids already who were 'victims of an assault'. You got more chance of catching a cold than you do of catching the criminals behind those."
"No case is ever closed." Venda assured Han.
"Could we please just see our son?" Leia intervened.
They were provided with a sterile suit each and led to a medical examination cubicle where their son crouched in a corner, hissing at a droid that had him cornered.
Against advice Leia raced into the cubicle, a swift kick knocking the droid out of her way, and scooped Jorj into her arms, kissing his face and repeating his name over and over.
The boy's initial happiness was quickly tempered by the outpouring of emotion from his mother, which went repeatedly from unrestrained joy to grabbing him by the shoulders in anger and back to unrestrained joy.
"Let the kid breathe." Han admonished, his hand on Leia's shoulder.
"Don't you ever do that to Mama again, do you hear me Jorj Bailey Solo!" Leia howled again, before pulling him into her embrace once more and smothering his face in kisses.
"We were worried about ya buddy. Where'd you get to?" Han asked, tapping Leia's shoulder to stop.
"About." Jorj shrugged.
"About where?" Han dropped to his knees and reached out to cup his son's cheek. "That a bruise you got there son?"
"Maybe." Jorj shrugged again.
"Who..." Leia started, Han's tightening grip on her shoulder stopped her.
"Spoils of war huh?" Han grinned and pointed to the scar on his chin. "That's how I got this, fighting for your Mama's honour."
It was a lie and Leia knew it, but it was Han's way of getting their son to open up.
"For real?" Jorj queried, eyes wide.
"Well sure. There was this guy twice, maybe three times, bigger'n your Mama trying to get her to...you know...like her." He winked at Leia on the word 'like'. "I told him, didn't I honey, that if he didn't stop I'd have to do something about it."
"Whatcha do Papa?" Jorj asked.
"Well...I did something about it. Just like I said I would. An' I got this." He pointed again to his chin. "For my trouble."
"How did you get yours Jorj?" Leia asked softly.
Jorj averted his gaze and looked sheepish. "I fell when I was running away."
"Running away from what?" Leia pressed, avoiding the temptation to ask 'who' instead of 'what'.
"Laell and Jerom." Jorj answered.
"Are they the boys who were teasing you?" Leia asked.
"They called me a bad name." Jorj sulked.
"What name?" Leia queried. "It's all right to tell us, we won't be mad at you."
Jorj motioned for his father to come closer.
Han hunkered down, his ear next to Jorj's mouth.
"Pussy." Jorj whispered.
Han's wide grin had faded by the time he'd straightened.
"That is a bad name Jorj. But it's no reason to run away from school." Han chided.
"They said you didn't want me no more. Not now you've got 'her'!" Jorj snivelled.
Neither Han nor Leia needed to ask who 'her' was.
"Well that's just dumb!" Han stated.
"Jorj, don't you know how much we love you?" Leia smiled. "Nobody could take your place in our hearts. Nobody."
"Do I gotta go back to school?" Jorj snivelled.
"You have to go to school Jorj, that's the law. But you don't have to go to that school any more, not if you don't want to." Leia advised.
"I wanna go home." Jorj mumbled, pouting.
"Hey, you think you could help me with something sport?" Han nudged Jorj. "You see the thing is, since my accident I've been getting these aches and pains. Now I was kinda hoping to get one of those pretty young lady doctors to give me the once over, but all they've got available is those two lugs you had chasing around after you. So I was thinking, since they wanna check you over, maybe they could check us both out at the same time. Whadday say son, huh? You and me, hanging out together. Literally."
Leia smiled at Han, lovingly, then said to her son quietly. "You know what? I think your Papa really needs you to hold his hand through this one Jorj. So what do you say?"
"I guess." Jorj shrugged.
"I really need you pal." Han added, convincingly. "Those guys, they don't look like they warm their hands much."
Jorj giggled.
"I'll be just outside." Leia said, slowly releasing her hold on her son. She was relieved when he didn't try to cling. With a kiss to his temple, she swiftly left the cubicle.
Waiting for the examination to finish seemed to take forever. Venda did her best to keep Leia's spirits high, but even the ever patient ex-Chief of State was close to breaking point by the time Han finally emerged with Jorj tucked tightly to his hip.
"Let's go home." Han intoned.
"Captain..." Venda began, Han's expression and the raised finger silenced her.
"You want a statement, it'll have to wait." He growled. "Right now, I'm taking my wife and my son home."
Han didn't wait for Venda's approval, instead turning on his heel and marching toward the exit. Leia assured Venda she would get her statement in the morning before hurrying after Han.
Their cab ride home was conducted in silence, Jorj held securely and tenderly in his father's arms. His request for ice cream denied, the boy reluctantly ate soup and crackers before being bathed and laid gently in his bed, Han and Leia by his side until his soft snoring convinced them he was asleep.
"Thank the stars he's home and safe and unharmed." Leia said quietly, seated beside Han on their son's bedroom floor. "He wasn't harmed was he? You haven't said much since we left the med centre."
Han shuffled to lean his back against the wall, holding an arm wide for Leia to join him. She did so, grateful for the comfort his arms brought.
"He matched me move for move." Han said with a soft smile. "I took my shirt off, he took his shirt off. I dropped my pants, he dropped his pants. He even copied me when I planted my hands on my hips and proudly displayed my masculinity for all to see."
Leia chuckled until a shadow fell over Han's face.
"Then they took swabs from just about every crease in his body, ran their diagnostic machine over everything and I do mean everything. Bagged his clothes and sent him home in that plastic suit over there." Han nodded to the white coverall Jorj had come home in. "He never flinched once, not even when they swabbed his you-know-what or his asshole. I coulda told them he hadn't been molested, they didn't need to do all that."
"They were just doing their job." Leia tried to reason.
"Their job stinks!" Han grumbled.
"Did he say any more about where he got to?" Leia asked.
"You're not gonna believe this!" Han said. "He said his 'guardian angel' promised to help him find his way home."
"His 'guardian angel'?" Leia asked.
"Apparently, he's been watching over him since the day he was born." Han explained.
"That I can believe." She laughed, lightly, mentally reviewing his difficult birth, exceptional recovery and continued development.
"Wait 'til you hear who his guardian angel is." Han tilted Leia's face up to his. "Anakin."
"Well...he was conceived around the time Anakin died. It's possible his force spirit entered Jorj while still a foetus. That would explain his survival against the odds." Leia said, considering.
"Wrong Anakin. This one's a Skywalker." Han told her.
Leia blinked up at Han. "Is that meant to be some kind of a joke?"
"Not according to Jorj. He says his Grandpa regularly visits him when we're not around, to help and guide him." Han replied. "Although I think he was embellishing the story just to hold the medics interest."
Leia's eyes circled the room, narrowing on items that Jorj found particularly meaningful.
"If you ask me, it's all hokum!" Han went on. "I mean force-spirits or ghosts or whatever they are surely got better things to do with their time than hang around with some kid with no force abilities whatsoever."
"I hate the thought of him being anywhere near our son!" She told him.
"It's nothing!" He insisted. "I bet he's heard the kids talking about Gramps and figured it was cool."
"When did you ever hear the kids talking about 'Gramps'?" She questioned.
"All I'm saying is, don't worry." He said to reassure her. "For one, he'd have to get past me first."
"He's a spirit Han. Corporeal bodies aren't a worry for him any more." She stated sarcastically.
"Maybe. But didn't Luke say he was 'at one with the Force' or something?" He asked. "Plus, if Jorj isn't Force-sensitive, what harm can he do him. In fact, since he's dead, what harm can he do any of us?"
"I won't have him here Han. Not here. Not in our home!" She scowled.
"He never comes here. Not according to Jorj." He said and graced her with a soft, loving smile. "Why don't you go get some sleep honey. I'm gonna hunker down here a little while longer with the little guy."
He kissed her temple and when she tried to protest, insisted she needed her rest. Leia could sense that Han wanted some time alone and, after sharing another kiss, headed off to their bedroom.
It was some considerable time later that Han finally appeared.
He looked more exhausted than Leia had seen him in quite some time. His life as a smuggler had given him the ability to snatch seconds of sleep and make them count. But his life as a smuggler had been a very long time ago now and the comforts of a soft mattress and equally soft pillow had long since become the norm.
He sank into the bed beside her, sleepy eyes staring up at the ceiling.
"What is it? What are you worried about telling me?" Leia asked softly.
"Been thinking is all." He replied, his voice gravelly from weariness.
Leia slipped her small hand into his and drew it to her lips, kissing the backs of his fingers.
"Nice thoughts?" She queried.
"I'm sick of this place. Of this life." He replied, still staring at the ceiling. "I want out."
Leia's belly flipped. Then flipped again. Then chilled.
"You're leaving me?" She exclaimed.
"No! Hell no! I admit I can see why you'd think that with my track record. But no, seriously, no!" He rolled onto his side, reaching out to cup her cheek. "Leia, you're the best thing to come outta all o' this; you and the kids. But, if we're honest, we made this our home because we needed to for your work. Only, you don't need to work here any more. You don't need the cityscape to write your memoirs. You could do that any place. Probably better if you weren't distracted by all the intrusions Coruscant has to offer."
"So...you want us to move off planet?" She queried, her voice an octave too high. "What about Jaina and the baby? What about Jacen? His temptation to addiction isn't just going to go away over night! And then there's Jorj, you know how hard it was to find him a school he liked."
"I know how hard it was to find him a school we liked." Han countered. "And Jaina and the baby will thrive just as well without us living a few blocks away. As for Jacen, he's got Tilly."
"Have you forgotten the unholy mess that lay slumped on our doorstep not so long back?" She snapped, sitting up. "Did he take that to Tilly"
"It's complicated Leia. I promised not to say anything and I can't break that trust; you know how fragile my relationship with Jacen is." He argued, pushing to his elbows.
"I know it would have been a whole lot stronger if you hadn't favoured Jaina over him." She told him.
He wanted to fight back. To tell her she was wrong. That it wasn't his ability to love Jacen that was at fault, but his inability to express his love that had caused their rift. But that was a fight for another day.
"Jacen wants out of the business." He said calmly, rationally. "And it got me thinking about all the things I'd wanted and simply left to rot because the time wasn't right."
"So you think that time is now?" She challenged.
"I think..." He considered his words. "I think it will take us a while to sell the apartment and buy some place new. And I think we use that time to make sure the kids are okay." He lay back, staring again at the ceiling. "That's what I think."
Leia studied him.
When they had met, he had seemed to her a mercenary in every sense of the word and she had not been silent about her observation.
But he had proven her wrong. Time and again he had shown his unspoken devotion to her cause as well as to her specifically.
He had given up much as her husband, not least his freedom.
She lay back down beside him, on her side to look at him. "What things did you leave to 'rot' until the time was right?"
"It was just a figure of speech Ley." He replied. "It's late...or early...depending on your point of view. You should get some sleep."
"I'll sleep." She agreed reluctantly. "But this conversation isn't over. We'll talk again in the morning."