The next morning, the Organa kitchen was a site buzzing with excitement from the previous day's activities. Servants and cooks were everywhere, cleaning up the mess and trading rumors on whatever had ended the party so early. It had gone around that the princess had in fact chosen a consort and the two had ditched the ball for their own celebration. The mere thought disgusted Breha, but she refused to let it bother her since she knew the truth. Leia had been in bed all night, recovering from mild dehydration and what Sabé claimed to be lack of rest and proper meals. Whatever, Breha thought. All that mattered was that Leia should soon be better and find some time to make that announcement. Rouge and Celly had gone off last night, sniffing their noses all around the palace in search of Leia's speech, anxious to know who she had finally chosen. Due to the speech not being delivered, the announcement unmade, the Hapans were still on Alderaan, much to Queen Breha's disappointment and growing impatience.

Breha ignored the workers in their rush and went about the palace, looking for Bail to discuss said matters. After a while of searching, the Alderaanian queen found her husband in his study, at his desk, a datapad in hand. He looked just about as pleased as Breha felt, but like it was more serious. That worried her right from the start. Sucking in a breath, she approached the opened door. The viceroy looked up when Breha entered, sighing and not bothering with kind or proper greetings before getting to the dirt. He handed her the device and told her, "Come, look at this," he said while a dark shadow haunted his soft features. "Tell me what you think."

Breha took the device and examined the document it currently had open. On sight, Breha realized it was a set of plans. Like a model or a blueprint to building something. When she continued looking, she believed it to be a small space station until she took a better look. It was of a spherical shape, painted gray with a crater on its top side.

No, it wasn't exactly a space station. Its design and model suggested something more sinister for a purpose, something more than a mere space station. Breha marveled at the genius work of architecture until she realized what exactly the plans were for. It was a super-weapon, a space station bent on destruction, licensed and made by the Empire itself, this was made to kill and destroy and rule with an iron fist. It was made to make an example of those who resisted the Empire and spoke out against it, made to make an example of Rebels.

"We don't have time," Bail said, his voice shaky with fear and concern. "Leia needs to choose, take the throne, help us help Alderaan. Breha, we can't wait any longer."

"Where did you get this?" Breha asked, holding up the datapad. Bail took a small, black chip from its port and held it up for Breha to see. "They call it a Death Star. The Empire is already building it, but they haven't yet realized we've taken their plans. It's been a string of passing it down and around and a lot of different groups have found this, passing it to the next person higher up. It was given to Mothma who gave it to me. This is our chance to destroy it before they even know we have their plans.

"Don't you see? This is their chance to destroy any all signs of resistance under the Empire's foot. In a single moment, they could destroy anyone they fear may mean trouble for them. They could destroy us."

"But it would strengthen the Alliance! If it were to be threatened, they would only become stronger, not cower in fear of the Empire. Isn't that its purpose, anyway? To rebel against the Emperor and all that he stands for?"

"No. That's what Leia and Luke are for. The Alliance is just to eliminate their smaller obstacles. This is what I mean, Breha," Bail stepped closer to her, his eyes wide in fear and alarm. "This just puts us that closer to when we lose Leia."

It was official. Last night had been the greatest night of Han Solo's life. Thus far. Yes, the kiss had been amazing and Han could hardly believe that it was Leia's first. He had been just as nervous as she which had surprised him. It hadn't been his first, but he'd never been nervous about it. Not even with his first. Leia had a funny way of doing things like that to him. Catching him off guard, causing him to trip over his own feet, sneaking up on him and startling him even when he'd known she was there the whole time. Whenever he was around her, his stomach would start doing flips, his breath would suddenly catch, and his heart would start thumping, pounding in his chest, the sound of his blood flowing would thunder in his ears. His layers would all peel off, leaving him naked before Leia, an open book in the presence of the woman he couldn't help but fall for.

Yes, Han was falling for her. All of her. Bit by bit, piece by piece, Han was beginning to deeply love every part of Leia. Her passion which burned so bright. Her loyalty that kept her tied to the palace, to her people. Her selflessness that denied her any real freedom. Her sharp tongue that was always striking at Han, providing Han someone who could finally match him, offer him a challenge. Her determination, fierceness, head-strong personality, fiery attitude. And Han loved her for it all.

It had been a few hours now; a few hours since he'd arrived back at the Falcon after he'd left Leia's bedroom in the palace. Although, he had yet to relay the night's events to Chewie. The wookiee had been awake when he'd come, but Han had needed the time to process the last couple hours. He'd needed to calm down, relax, think through every moment to be sure it had been real. And it was, Han was nearly positive. The only part of it that made Han question its existence was the part of this being Leia Han had been talking to and kissed. He still couldn't fathom how it all had happened, that the last several months had suddenly gotten him here and rewarded him with something happening between him and Leia. Something more, it was. Something more Han was sure he didn't deserve. Mere friendship between him and Leia had cast a light into his life and he had finally been able to see where he was going, where he wanted to go. But this new level, this new touch of intimacy however faint had Han soaking in the afterglow.

Finally, after all these hours of processing information, Han decided he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight and got out of bed to take a stroll around the neighborhood. Being night, the streets were empty, dark, quiet. There was only the street lamps to light Han's way as he made his way around the long perimeter of Ducchi's mechanical shop. It was strange to Han's ears for the night to be so quiet. Even the usual whirs and clicks of the shop were now silenced, all the workers gone home for the night. Coming from Corellia, Han was used to the opposite. Workers gone to the cantinas for the night, picking up a drink and sharing some lively chatter and banter in the streets. But all was quiet and calm for the night.

Taking his time with a stroll on his way back to the Falcon, Han turned a corner, but stopped when some movement caught Han's eye. He turned, looking for what it had been. He waited a long moment, crouching in the eerie silence until he saw it again. A quick flash, a tall figure lurking among the bushes just across the road. A shadow. With three-fingered claws for hands and feet and a pointed skull, Han recognized the creeper as a trandoshan. Funny, Han thought. He'd never seen any trandoshans on Alderaan all this time he'd been living here. That thought stuck in his mind and he couldn't shake it. Cautiously, he knelt back into the shadows, out of the sight of any watchers. He hurried back to the Falcon and the realization slowly hit him. Unease flooded his system and he made a mental note to warn Chewie in the morning.

Breha now stood before the door to her daughter's bedroom, collecting herself and trying to remain calm. After it had been fully explained to her and the full impact dawned on her, Breha's heart had been racing with dread, panicking, already in mourning. She and Bail had always known this was going to come eventually; the day when Leia would no longer be theirs, but a woman who had once lived under their roof. They'd always known she hadn't been born for a queen's throne, but a warrior's eternal stance, always fighting and never given a break. They'd always known that she wasn't an Organa, that this wasn't supposed to be her life, but they'd forced it on her anyway, trying to ignore the truth and make her into their own child. But the fact of the matter was this: that she wasn't theirs, not by blood nor honor. She was a daughter of Skywalker blood, born to take down the Empire and free the galaxy alongside her brother. None of which Leia was aware. But she would be. Soon.

Taking a final heavy breath, she knocked on the door and called out her daughter's name. "Leia! Leia, are you in there? Are you feeling alright?" Leia didn't answer and when she didn't answer still, Breha tried the door handle to find that it hadn't been locked. She opened the door and smiled in relief to see that her daughter wasn't in bed. This she took to mean that she was feeling better. Instead, she figured Leia was in her refresher's sanisteam as she heard the water spraying and the fan clearing the heavy air as it continued. And then . . . Then. She heard another sound, beautiful, soft, and flowing in an enchanting way. She realized it was singing. Leia singing. Singing, Breha marveled with an amused smile. How peculiar. Well, someone must be feeling better.

Breha had become aware of the circulating rumors that the party had ended due to Leia ditching and spending the rest of the night with Isolder. Breha was sure this rumor had come courtesy the Hapan prince himself, but had to wonder if Leia had decided to talk a while with one of her suitors late in the night. Just talking, of course. No more.

Leia was trilling a tune her mother recognized as an older one that had been mildly popular before Leia had even been born. Breha knew how much Leia enjoyed older tunes, but she'd never caught her daughter listening, let alone singing, one telling of such love and devotion.

Ohhhhhh, I can't help myself, the lyrics went as Leia sung them in a husky sort of vibrato.

I'm afraid. I cannot fall

any harder fo-or you.

Breha had to stop a moment and just listen, taking in the wonderful sound. Until it stopped and was replaced by talking instead. Completely unaware of anyone listening just outside the refresher, Leia was now talking to herself rather dramatically, using funny voices as she made splashes in the sanisteam's water. All of which Breha heard. "I love you!" Leia said, her voice pitched high. Then, her voice turned a bit deeper and she responded to herself with, "I know. I love you! I know. I love you! I know."

The mother bit back a string of amused chuckles and quietly left without a word to Leia. Still smiling as she descended the staircase, she saw Sabé speaking with Memily. The Nabooan one stopped as she noticed the queen and smiled in greeting. "Sabé," Breha pulled the woman away from Memily's hearing range and quietly asked her. "I've been wondering, Sabé, have you ever heard Leia sing before?"

Sabé looked astonished after Breha asked, her surprise evident, but it quickly turned rather amused. "Sing?" Breha nodded. "Ah! I'm not sure I ever have, no. Why do you ask?" Then, both of them stopped, turning sidelong glances toward eachother and carefully eyeing the other. Breha's facial expressions remained deadpan while Sabé turned her a smile, secretly, and overly, amused with the princess. And, perhaps, her "consort".

"Nothing," Breha all too quickly and suddenly sputtered with a vigorous shake of her head. "Just . . ."

"Wondering," Sabé finished with a simple mod as she slowly turned away. "Very well. Good afternoon, my queen." Then, she picked up her skirt and scurried off.

"I love you! I know. I love you! I know," Leia chanted to herself. She could feel her cheeks flooding with warmth, likely brightening to a deep red as well. Her heart pounded in her chest and the smile she wore refused to leave her face. "I love you, Han Solo," she said one last time, sinking her shoulders beneath the sanisteam's water and the thick layer of pink and purple bubbles she'd filled the sanisteam with. It had been years since Leia had had a bubble bath, since her father had given her one. But so delirious Leia was that she couldn't help but melt back into a child's mood. And Leia reveled at the ease in which she did slip back to that attitude.

She craned her neck to see the comm receiver sitting on the 'fresher lid, a specific call highlighted. Leia reached for it with a wet, bubbled hand and pressed the pad of her index finger down on the play button. She settled back in her bubble wash, subconsciously touched her hair which hung in a sloppy "bubble", and closed her eyes as she listened to the recording. For the twelfth time.

"Hey, Leia," Han's husky voice spoke through the speakers. "It's me. Han. I'm just calling because- well, last night was . . . ah! I really enjoyed last night. I had a really good time and I can't wait to see you again. I, um, I hope we can talk again soon. I know it's hard for you to find time, but I always look forward to having our talks. I didn't see last night coming, but it kind of caught me off guard. In a good way! Look, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything with this stupid call, but . . . I don't know what to say, Leia. Last night was amazing and I feel so relieved now that the words are out there. Well, I guess I'd better get going. See you later, Princess. I love you."

Leia flushed and she bit her lip, letting those last words echo in her mind. "I know," she responded as the message ended.

She almost had to kick herself, it was that funny. Sabé couldn't help but remember all the times when Leia was younger and the girl would never focus during her lessons of diplomacy and etiquette. She would sit wriggling in her seat, her feet wagging this way and that while her hands were always playing with something, often either twisted up in her hair or trying to see if she could pull the screws out of her desk. Then, Sabé would have to reprimand the young girl and tell her to stop. However, the tables had seemingly turned as she found she couldn't concentrate on guiding Leia through today's rigorous workout. She could tell Leia was completely confused as Sabé spit out random orders and threw different things her way, not making much of any sense in all that she did. No, she couldn't focus. Sabé's mind was busy, elsewhere, imagining what could have had Leia so happy she was singing in the morning. And Sabé was well aware that Leia Organa had never been a morning person!

"We already did those," Leia's voice came, breaking into her reverie and Sabé turned back to the young woman, confused. "Pardon me?"

"Push-ups," Leia repeated. "We already did three sets."

"We did?"

"Yeeeees."

"Oh. Well, what haven't we done?"

"We haven't discussed why you're acting so strange."

"Strange how?"

Leia tilted her head, planted a hand on one hip, and offered Sabé a slight glare.

"Fine. Alright. I had a small conversation with your mother this morning."

"And?"

"And she claims to have heard you singing in the sanisteam. Would you happen to know anything about any . . . singing?"

Leia blushed, resulting in an automatic maniacal smile and she quickly pulled Leia by the arm over to a bench. "I'm going to tell you what I think happened," Sabé suggested, her hands resting on Leia's knees. "And then, you can correct me if I'm wrong, clarify . . . maybe add some explicit details."

"Fine. Why do you think I was singing in the 'fresher?"

Sabé could barely contain her excitement as her shoulders bounced up and down and she asked her, "Does it have to do Captain Solo?"

Leia tried to remain deadpan, used all her strength and will power to maintain Sabé's gaze, but it only took three seconds for delirious laughter to begin bubbling from her and Sabé immediately screeched in response. "What happened?! Leia Organa, tell me every little tiny detail this very moment!"

Leia took a deep breath and smiled back at her mentor as she prepared her explanation. "Han visited me last night," she began. "He asked me how my birthday was and I told him how horrible it was. Well, he'd brought treats with him and we had a little picnic on my bed. He got me a birthday present, Sabé! They're these gorgeous, lovely earrings. Then, we just talked for some time about a lot of different things. We didn't even talk about suitors very long like we usually do. It was . . . it was really nice. Well, I still have no idea how it happened. I just know it did. And fast."

"What?! What happened?! What is it?"

Leia slowly turned her chin up to look at Sabé with a hesitant and confused expression. Her brows were knit together. Soon, her look changed from confused to bewildered as she told Sabé, "We kissed."

Never had Leia seen anyone's eyes so wide, she was sure Sabé's eyes were going to pop right out of their sockets. The woman rose to her feet, holding Leia's hands. When both of them were standing at their full height, Sabé pulled Leia into a hug and screeched in her ear. Leia cringed slightly. "You guys had your first kiss?! I can't believe it! Wait, isn't this your first kiss, too? Like . . ."

"Like, first ever?" Leia finished for her with a nod, holding Sabé back at arm's length. "Yes. Yes, it was."

"And how was it?"

Now, Leia could remember how it happened in full. How she had been crawling across the bed and tripped over the blankets and Han's legs. How she was about to fall on top of Han before he caught her by the waist, holding her just a centimeter away from his own body. How she could feel the warmth of Han's breath on her face and how time had stopped and Leia had never been so nervous. How Han's arms had given under the nothing weight of Leia's body and their lips had met in that same moment, not knowing what they were doing, but falling into a comfortable pattern, offering feelings and revelations that had startled both Han and Leia. How she had fallen into ecstasy, her lips caught in Han's and all else hadn't mattered, only that precious moment they'd found themselves in. How Leia had felt light as a feather, like she was floating on clouds and a peace had overcome her and she'd felt no weight at all.

"It was amazing," Leia said in a breath. She felt her cheeks grow warm, but she didn't bother trying to hide her joy and exuberance. After all, she trusted Sabé with this and she desperately needed someone she could confide in with matters of her and Han. And Sabé enjoyed it as well. "I don't know what else to say about it. It . . . it was unlike anything I've ever done. I was so nervous and excited at the same time and I was afraid I wouldn't be good at kissing him, as stupid as that sounds."

"Well, how long did it last? Did he pull away?"

"It lasted several good seconds. And I pulled away. I'd run out of breath."

"Then, you did just fine. Did you only kiss once?"

Leia shook her head, her cheeks going bright red again as she pulled her knees up to her chin. "Twice," she corrected. Sabé comically gasped and laughed with her. "Please tell me that's all you did or else I might have to tell your parents."

"Sabé, I sweat it went no farther than that."

"So, tell me what happened afterwards. How did you both react?"

"I told Han that I love him and he said . . . I know."

Sabé stopped, straightened as she considered those words, that particular response. "I know," she weighed the words on her own tongue. "What exactly is that supposed to mean? I know?"

"I'm not sure," Leia admitted. "But somehow . . . I completely understand. It's our thing."

"A thing?! Leia, do you even understand what it means to have a thing? It means you're a couple. Only couples have things. You can't have a friend and say that you and your friend have your own thing. At least, not how you're talking about it. It completely defies the laws of friends. You and Han aren't friends."

"I don't feel like we're friends either. I mean, he's been a good friend, but you're right. We're not friends anymore. I don't want to be friends anymore."

Her jaw hanging from her mouth, Sabé nearly fell over in shock. No, this didn't surprise her in the least. Just the mere fact that Leia was saying these things was enough to have Sabé blown away.

Leia's face went red and she fell into Sabé's embrace, sobbing and shoulders shaking. "What's wrong, Leia?" she asked.

"I don't want to be Han's friend. And I don't think I am. Well, not anymore. So, if we aren't . . . what are we supposed to do now? Sabé, if we do develop some kind of relationship," her eyes watered and she held Sabé's gaze for a long moment. "What is it for? If we have love . . . what are we supposed to do with it? What is its worth if we can't keep it? Sabé, as soon as Papa or my aunts or Mama find out . . . we'll never see eachother again. What does it matter if I'm falling for him . . . if he's not going to be there later? If I'm going to end up marrying someone else anyway?"

Sabé understood. As much as she wished she didn't, she did. And with it came back that old, familiar sting. She had to pity the poor young woman. She hated to watch this scenario unfold before her eyes a second time. "I don't have any good advice to give," she apologetically informed her. "However, I do have advice."

"Just not nay good?"

"Afraid so."

"Well, I'll take what I can get. Tell me, Sabé. Tell me what to do."

"Go for it," she smiled and laughed at the responsive expression on Leia's face. "Go for it, run with it. Enjoy it. Take life one step at a time. Your engagement announcement has been postponed. All I can offer is the advice to void it. Stick your heels in the dirt and enjoy every moment with Han."

"Do you think someone out there in the galaxy knows the perfect solution to forbidden love?" Leia asked, her head tilted to the side. And in her eyes, Sabé saw Padmé. And it hurt.

"I don't think so. You know why? I don't think there is any perfect way to deal with it. Just . . . hang on. Enjoy the ride before it's destroyed. Remember this love and cherish it. It's all I've ever seen to know to tell you. Just," Sabé suddenly stopped, momentarily unable to continue. Visions of Padmé's funeral clouded her vision, threatening to make tears spill out onto her cheeks. She wiped at her eyes before Leia could see. "Just hang on."