"You're sure you still want to go through with this?" Leia asked him gently as he tugged off his shirt.

"Yes," he answered. "She can't give me any answers if she's dead. And besides, this is an opportunity."

She knew exactly what he meant. Here was a chance to do more for these poor souls who had spent so long in conditions no-one should ever have to face.

"Well, I'll be here when you wake up. Alright?"

"You better be," said Han. "I expect to get something out of this."

And, as he grinned at her, they both knew what 'something' was.

--

But, although the operation went completely smoothly, the bantering was soon forgotten.

Leia Organa-Solo never enjoyed watching her husband cut open, but it was something she felt she had to do. If anything went wrong, she wanted to know about it. It always surprised her how much blood the surgeons got on their hands without considering it a problem. They held a man's life in their hands, two people's lives today, and they were perfectly casual about it.

They do it every day, Organa, it's their job she told herself.

But she was still worried right up until the point the surgeon finished and gave her the thumbs up.

She sighed heavily. The worst was over.

--

Warm fuzziness and a soothing voice were the first things that registered. The voice of an angel – it must be an angel – the voice was sensuous and calming and smooth and so deliciously clear.

"Han…" it said.

Now there was a voice you could fall in love with.

"Han…"

Yeah, that's right. I'm here.

"Han…"

There she was. Completely radiant, glowing, sparkling. Beautiful. Why was she here? To be with him, surely. She must be. The way she was stroking his chest left no room for doubt.

She wasn't smiling but she wasn't frowning either. Small tendrils of hair curled about her face and caught the light, giving her a halo, if she didn't already have one. Her hair looked so soft. Like her skin. She smelled wonderful.

She leant forward and brushed her lips against his forehead. Her hand in his, her chest against his, it felt incredible.

"Mmm," he said, pushing his head into the kiss, seeking more.

"Easy," she whispered, stroking his face. "Relax."

He tried to move his hand to touch her but she laughed softly.

He wanted to touch her, to tell her how beautiful she was, how warm, how soft, how sweet.

"…Dead..?" was all he managed.

She laughed again, softly.

"No, she's alive, you saved her."

Was she a reward then? He closed his eyes and tried to shake his head.

"…No…" he whispered. "…Me…"

Her smiled faded.

"What?" she asked.

"…'m I…dead..?"

She shook her head.

"No, Han. Whatever makes you think that?"

He stared at her.

Didn't she know?

"…Angel…" he answered, as he lifted an unsteady hand to touch his fingers to her pale cheek. "…Beautiful…"

She blushed and it only made her look more beautiful.

"Han, do you know where you are?"

"…Heaven..?" he ventured, a slow, languid smile settling across his face.

She smiled at him and closed her eyes.

"And how would you ever get to heaven, Han?" she asked playfully.

He closed his own eyes and raised his eyebrows.

"…Beats me…" he answered. "…But you're…defin't'ly…an angel…"

She leant forward and brushed her lips over his.

"…Are you…an angel..?"

She kissed him, long, soft and slow. She tasted amazing, like every emotion he'd ever enjoyed, like life essence, like love, and she smelled like nothing he'd ever had the pleasure to encounter before, a musky scent that ignited every cell, turned nerve endings into beginnings. Her tongue, hot and smooth, slid over his lips and gained entrance to his mouth, caressing his own tongue, tasting him, teasing him. He groaned into her mouth. Warmth spread through his veins, into his limbs; he'd never felt so alive. Oh yes, she was an angel alright. Although the feelings he was having now certainly wouldn't have done anything for virtuousness. Maybe she could be bad if he persisted…

It was so good it almost hurt when she pulled away and he tried to move to follow her, but a warm hand at his shoulder stayed the movements. He whimpered softly. It was too cold without her.

"Ahem…"

Han started.

What in the..?

Oh no.

Awareness flooded back to him. A hospital bed, a hospital room, his ever-patient wife by his side, his mending brother-in-law in a repulsorchair and a doctor or two staring down at him amusedly.

He groaned and swiped a hand across his face.

Did I really just say that?

"Uh," he began hoarsely. "Hi."

Luke laughed outright and the doctors stifled chuckles. Leia mumbled a sympathetic,

"Poor Nerfherder,"

and nuzzled his ear but he could feel her grin.

"Alright, alright," he said slowly, wishing he didn't sound so drunk. "So the meds addled m' brains. Leemee alone."

He turned his head towards Leia's and closed his eyes.

She kissed the tip of his nose.

"Well," she said softly. "I think you're alright."

Han nodded.

"Yeah. Now tell 'em to go 'way."

"We have to run tests firs, General."

Han groaned.

"It's alright, Han, you can lie still," said Luke.

Han heard the movements of the doctors and gasped as cold instruments were pressed against his bare skin.

"Cold!" he said to Leia, and she laughed again. "Oh, sure. All fun for you."

After a few minutes, the doctors were finished with their tests and, satisfied with the results, they left.

"How do you feel?" Luke asked, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Han shot him a look.

"Never better," he mumbled.

Luke nodded.

"Mmm," he said. "Well, I'm going to leave you two alone."

He thrummed out of the door still chuckling to himself.

Once the doors closed, Han groaned again.

"Aw, man," he muttered.

Leia laughed softly and stroked his forehead.

"Angels! Get a little confused for a moment there, did we?" she said.

"I don't know," he said slowly, pretending to examine her face meticulously.

She gave him a perplexed little smile and rested her head next to his on the pillow.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"From what I can see," he murmured, "I was right."

She smiled at him and shook her head.

"Flatterer," she said.

"No such thing," he answered. "It's perfectly true."

She reached up and ran her hand along his cheek.

"You'll be all right now," Leia said, "both of you. It was a wonderful thing you did."

"Leia…" Han reached up and curved a hand around her neck, the slight tremor in his fingers translating into a swift shiver that ran down her spine.

She covered his mouth with hers and gave him the strength he needed, the love he relied upon, and she felt the same from him. His lips were dry but she had never tasted anything so wonderful. She slid her hand into his hair and cradled his head, feeling her heart melt when he let his head rock back into that hand, yielding himself to her and relishing the feel of her protection. He gave a small contented sound that sounded as though it took all of his energy, and then his lips ceased their movement against hers.

Gently, she drew away from him and watched as his mouth moved in the smallest of smiles before his breathing levelled.

"I love you," she whispered.

And, in a final sigh before sleep that was barely audible even this close, he whispered,

"I know..."