I meant to post this yesterday but time got away from me. hope everyone hit by the storm had dug themselves out :) thank you for reading, hope you like this chapter!

Han's eyesight was almost back to normal, but Leia had talked him out of piloting the Millennium Falcon away from Tatooine. She understood that he wanted to feel like himself again, but he needed rest. He had been through too much too soon after coming out of carbon freeze. He was probably running on pure adrenaline.

In his cabin, Leia watched as he shrugged off the cloak that had protected him from the blowing sand. His expression was tinged with a hint of confusion. She wasn't sure what he was feeling. She imagined it must be strange to have lost six months of his life.

He looked at her and her heart constricted. Oh, how she had missed him. It seemed surreal to have him back.

"Let's get that outfit off you," Han said with disgust.

She made light of it. "Still a scoundrel. Always trying to get me out of my clothes." She dropped the sand cloak to the floor and examined the fastenings on the bottom of the metal bikini.

Han rummaged through a compartment and came up with a small cutting tool. He turned to her with a grimace. "Let's start with that." He gestured at the collar on her neck.

As he moved towards her, the cutter in hand, Leia stayed him with a hand to his chest. "How are your eyes?" she asked hastily.

"Much better."

She hated to doubt him, but the thought of his cutting that close to her throat with less-than-perfect vision made her a bit nervous. "Are you sure?"

He gave her a placating smile. "Trust me."

She nodded, not entirely convinced. But, she braced herself when he placed a hand on the collar and she heard the whir of the cutter. After a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief when the collar clunked to the floor and the whirring sound stopped.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Han picked up the collar and hurled it in the corner. He helped her remove the rest of the offending outfit and when she stood naked before him, his eyes travelled over her body.

"You lost a lot of weight." His tone conveyed surprise.

She wasn't sure what to say, so she settled on a joke. "Well, I wanted to get in top shape so I could get that dancing girl position." She struck a pose and smiled.

He stared at her, unsmiling. He looked lost, like a little boy.

She stepped closer to him and took his hand. "You want to join me for a shower? Just being in that Hutt's den of sin makes me feel unclean."

He nodded. Leia grabbed one of Han's long shirts and slipped it over her head. She took his hand and led him out the door like a child.

"Come on, hotshot." She nodded in the direction of the refresher. It occurred to her that she should be embarrassed if anyone were to see her wearing only Han's shirt and nothing else. She was surprised to find that she didn't care.

Inside the fresher, Han removed his shirt and dropped it to the floor, followed by his pants. Leia turned on the water, adjusted the temperature then took off her own shirt. She gestured him inside and followed closely behind.

She watched him carefully as he stepped under the stream of water and closed his eyes. Thick rivulets sluiced past muscle and Leia thanked any and all gods that she had him back again.

She picked up the soap-filled sponge and began scrubbing his shoulders. His eyes opened and he moved to take the sponge from her hand. She clutched it possessively.

"No, let me do it," she pleaded.

Han stared at her a moment before nodding assent. He closed his eyes again and let his head fall back under the cascade of water as Leia washed his body. She ran the sponge slowly over the muscles of his chest and across his stomach, marveling at the skin she had ached to touch again. As she soaped his thighs, it hit her again just how close she had come to losing him forever. Her eyes grew misty. She was so lucky to again run her hands over his body. Her gaze treasured every part of him.

When she reached for the shampoo, he took the bottle from her.

"All right, I'm not dead. Lemme do something for myself." He gave her a slight smile.

Leia smiled back, pleased that his sense of humor was returning. She handed over the bottle and scrubbed to rid herself of memories of Tatooine and that bloated Hutt.

As Han followed Leia out of the shower, a shadow crossed his face. She placed a hand on his arm.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head as if to clear it. "I'm exhausted."

She knew it would hit him eventually. She handed him a towel. "Let's get you to bed."

He wrapped the towel around his waist and Leia saw a trace of the trademark Han Solo grin. "All you think about is sex."

She turned that crooked grin back on him. "I can't deny it, it has been on my mind."

His chuckle was genuine and Leia thought it was the best sound she had ever heard. She toweled her hair so that it was not dripping, pulled Han's shirt back on, and followed him back to his cabin.

Han laid back carefully on the bunk and Leia was overwhelmed with need for him. She climbed on top of him and pressed sensuously against him.

"Leia," he practically laughed. "I don't know if I can-"

She stilled and placed a quick finger against his lips. She stared into his eyes with all the grief and longing of the past six months. "You don't have to move. I've missed you so much. I need you inside me."

When she kissed him, he returned it with a fervent passion. Her hand slid down to stroke him and before long, he was hard in her grasp. Urgently, she rose up and slid down on top of him. They gasped in unison and Leia felt whole again. She quickly found a rhythm that suited them both and all of a sudden, Han was exploding inside her, shuddering and crying out.

Leia went slack on top of him, listening to the sound of his harsh, rough breath as it started to calm. She held him tightly, delighting in his existence.

His arms went around her. "I'm sorry," he said as his breathing returned to normal. "I didn't mean to come so fast."

She kissed him tenderly on the lips. "I don't care," she whispered. "I needed to feel you. I missed you so much." She looked into his eyes, feeling more vulnerable than she had ever felt. "You have no idea." There was so much she wanted to say but she didn't know where to begin and she didn't want to overwhelm him.

Han's eyes were more serious than she had ever seen them and Leia sensed a change in him, something subtle and barely noticeable to anyone but her.

"I love you," she said very softly.

His expression became tender and the tiniest smile graced his lips. He kissed her gently before they settled down, her head resting on his chest.

Leia smiled to herself. Han had yet to say he loved her back, but she knew he would say it when he was ready. There was no doubt in her mind that he felt the same as she did. She wasn't sure how, but she knew he loved her. She could feel it.