CHAPTER 4:

Princess Leia stared into Han's hazel eyes and sighed, "I take it that you have a plan?"

He flashed a cocky lop-sided grin, "Don't I always?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head, "I meant, a plan that will work?"

Han sat back on his haunches, "They all work, Sweetheart," he held out a hand to her, "eventually."

She took his hand and sat up, "Great."

Han glanced around. They were well-hidden from the snipers on their tiny perch for the time being. Whoever planned the escape route from the run-down building the rebels were using planned it well. Fortunately, it didn't seem like their aggressors knew all the rebels' little secrets, or he and Leia would have been discovered long ago. A spidery tree stretched it's wispy limbs over them, and the shadowy shelter it provided for the two rebels was creeping away as the sun rose in the sky. With her body as close to the dusty ground as possible, Leia crawled towards a rickety wooden platform. Han followed and then took the lead. The last thing he wanted was to see Leia tumbling down off that rickety bridge she was headed toward.

Leia put a hand on his chest, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm getting us outa here."

"Then you're going the wrong way," she sighed and then held the chain link rope and slid down the side.

"Leia!" Han hissed as he reached out for her, but she was already out of reach. Swallowing his anger, he followed her once she was a safe distance before him. When he was close to the bottom, he jumped the rest of the way. He looked around for the princess.

Leia knelt down in the mud and dug around a wooden door the size of the Falcon's airlock. Han knelt down beside her, "Where does this go to?"

The girl glanced up, "Into those tunnels and caves."

Han's eyes squinted to get a better look. The smooth-looking rock-side of the hills weren't smooth at all. Instead, there were crevices and caves. The perfect place to hide out. He smiled, "Brilliant."

"If we were interested in hiding out," Leia grimaced. "Can you find the Falcon from here?"

Han surveyed the rocky incline, "Should be just pass that valley in the east."

Leia nodded, "Not too far way." She glanced back at from where they came, and Han's eyes followed hers.

"Don't worry," he stroked her soiled cheek. "We'll get to them on time." Han stood up, "Come on."

Han started down the small hatch, but Leia grabbed the collar of his shirt, "Wait."

Solo sat back on his haunches, "For what?"

"Ladies first," she smiled sweetly as she descended down the escape tunnel.

"You don't know what's down there," Han dropped his feet into the tunnel and glanced around for Leia.

Her dirt-smudged face turned up, catching the morning light, "Do you?"

"That's not my point."

But Leia had already disappeared and Han climbed down the rickety ladder after closing the small door.

"Leia?"

"Over here," she called out in the darkness, her voice bouncing off the jagged walls.

Han stumbled over a few large rocks before he became acclimated to the dank surroundings. The walls were tight and rounded and the ceiling hung low forcing Han to keep his head low as he made his way down the path Leia chose.

"I'd feel a lot better if I were in front," Han told her once he caught up.

"I'm sure you would," Leia glanced over her shoulder with a smug smile, "but you're not."

"We can fix that."

"Do you know where you're going?" she asked as she stepped over a deep crack in the rocky ground.

"No," Han shrugged. "Do you?"

"No," Leia placed a hand on the ceiling to balance herself as she climbed over a small boulder. She then stopped and allowed Han to catch up to her. She lifted her chin and tilted her head, "I guess you'll just have to trust me."

"How about you trust me?" Han retorted.

Leia sighed, "Deducting from past experiences, I think we'll both be better off trusting me." She turned around and started on her way once again, "Besides, I have a great sense of direction."

"Why does that worry me?"

The pair continued down the ever-narrowing tunnel. They traveled in silence, for their minds were filled with worry over their two best friends. Even if they managed to make it to the Falcon, both silently worried if they would reach it too late. And when they did reach the Falcon, what could they do to rescue their friends?

"Stop."

Han caught her waist to steady himself and looked over her shoulder. "A split-tongue path. Just great," he huffed. "That way," Han turned to the right.

"Han!"

Solo's foot crashed through the fragile ground and his body quickly followed. Leia moved fast, grabbing his arm and placing both of her feet on either side of the walls to brace herself.

"Okay," Han's voice strained as he held tight to Leia's forearm. "Wrong way."

"I could have told you that," she ordered through gritted teeth. "Grab my other hand."

"No way! I'm not pulling you down with me."

"Just do it!"

Han glanced down below him and found him self looking into nothingness. Either the drop was endless, or it was too dark to see where he'd land if he let her go.

"Han," Leia whispered, "please."

Solo grabbed Leia's other forearm. She lurched forward and Han was certain that would be the end of them. But her feet were secure against the walls, and she managed to stop both of their descent. Then she pushed her feet against the wall, straightening her legs and slowly pulling Han up.

"Can you get a purchase on the wall with your feet?" she strained.

"Yeah, sure," Han blindly moved his feet around, careful not to put any more weight on Leia than he already had. His right foot finally found the wall. "Got it," he smiled.

"Okay," Leia managed to pull Han up even further by bending her elbows. "On the count of three, push."

"One…two…three!" Leia fell onto her back as Han flew forward.

Han landed on top of Leia, and both lied there panting. Leia's hands still tightly clutched Han's forearms as if she was afraid to let go. His chest pressed against hers, and she could feel the rapid beating of his heart. She let go of his hands and instinctively placed them on his head.

She looked into Han's wide eyes, "That was too close."

Han pushed himself up on his elbows but remained lying on top of the princess. He smiled down at her, "You're pretty strong for such a small thing."

"And your pretty heavy for someone who's so full of hot air," she smiled back, relieved that such a scare didn't seem to faze Solo as much as it did her.

"Nice," Han quipped but didn't move.

Leia propped herself up on her elbows, "Are you going to get off of me?"

Han arched an eyebrow and sported a lop-sided grin, "Are you givin' me a choice, Sweetheart?"

"Oh, you're incorrigible!" she pushed off of her but took extra care not to push him back down the hole he created. Leia stood up with great care and dusted herself off. Then she held a hand out to her companion, "Come on. We don't have time to dally."

Han took her hand, "Dally?"

"Just come on," she ordered. "And stay close to me."

They navigated their way through the dank tunnel to the left, falling into another lull. Leia kept her eyes on the floor as she carefully stepped around cracks and rocks in her path. Her mind was occupied with other thoughts, like the thought of Han falling to his death. It curled her stomach to think that once again, he almost died rescuing her.

The princess stopped.

"What's wrong?" Han whispered, stretching his neck to see over her head.

"What are you doing here?"

"Same reason you are," Han squeezed past her and picked up his pace.

"But you weren't assigned to this mission," Leia took larger steps to keep up with Han. "Why are you here?"

"You should just be thankful I'm here," Han stomped.

Leia rolled her eyes, "I didn't say I wasn't!"

"Then you should act a little more thankful, Your High-and-Mightiness," Han continued on without stopping.

"But you weren't supposed to be here."

"Are you always where you're supposed to be?"

Leia's brow creased, "No!" She sighed, "Well, maybe."

"Of course," Han snapped his fingers and whirled around, "Always the dutiful princess."

"We're not talking about me!" she huffed. "Why are you here?"

Han pressed his lips together as he gazed at the dirt-smudged princess, "Let's just say I had a feeling." With that, Han turned around and continued on.

"What?" Leia's arms pumped hard as she tried to keep up with him, "Are you Force sensitive now?"

"Ha!"

"Tell me," Leia grabbed his belt and pulled hard. "Why are you here?"

"Because of you!" he yelled, and both of their eyes widened in surprise.

"Me?" Leia asked when she recovered her voice.

"It's always about you," Han threw his hands in the air and continued on his way.

"Wait a minute!" Leia stormed after him. "You're the one who's making it about me."

"I knew you'd get yourself into some kind of trouble or other."

"How could you possibly know that?" Leia countered.

"Because you always do," Han looked over his shoulder and winked at her, causing her cheeks to redden in anger.

"I do not!" Leia called after him.

"Finally!" Han's eyes squinted against the bright light, "Guess we made it out, Princess."

Leia moved to stand next to him, gazing at the unforgiving rock formations, crevices, and canyons. She bit her lip and looked back over her shoulder.

Han frowned as he placed a hand on the top of her dust-covered head, "We'll save them."

She nodded and looked up at him, "Which way to the Falcon?"

Han scratched his chin, "It should be on the other side of that rock formation."

Leia scrutinized the scenery to which Han was referring. It didn't look like it was going to be much of an obstacle. It was just going to be very hot and dirty.

Han handed her carry-all to her, "Maybe you wanna put on somethin' more appropriate."

Leia looked down at herself. A night shirt and combat boots didn't seem very appropriate at all. Her cheeks flushed as she yanked the bag out of his hand, "Turn around, Captain."

"As you wish, Your Worship," Han smiled, and to Leia's surprise, did has she told him to do.