So sorry this post took so long. I had the flu and it knocked me out. Hope the wait was worth it :)

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Even from this vantage point, Han could see that Princess Leia was in a bad mood. In the portside Command Center, he couldn't keep his eyes from sliding aside to seek her out, even as General Reiikan briefed Luke and him about the upcoming scouting mission.

Her posture was rigid as she leaned over the shoulder of a technician who was explaining something on the screen. Even as she spoke, the tension was clear in the tautness of her jaw and the hardness in her eyes.

Han couldn't help but smile at the obvious nervousness of the technician. He was very young and clearly intimidated by Her Royalness.

He forced his eyes back to Reiikan, realizing he had missed his last few sentences. Honing in his attention on the older man, he tried to obliterate the woman from his thoughts.

He managed to do so for the remainder of the conversation and was even able to pick up the information he had missed without betraying his waning attention. When Reiikan finally left, Han turned to Luke with the jerk of a chin towards the Princess.

"What's her problem today?" he asked harshly.

Luke followed his gaze to where Leia now sat at the technician's monitor. He turned back to Han. "Don't you know what today is?"

Han smirked at his young friend. "Be a Bitch Day?" He quickly snapped his fingers and bunched his mouth to one side. "Oh, wait. That's every day for her."

Luke squinted at him, always ready to stick up for Her Highness. "It's Founding Day."

"What the hell is Founding Day?"

Luke sighed with mild frustration. "It's the day Alderaanians celebrated the founding of the House of Organa."

"Oh," Han replied lamely, feeling a tad sheepish now.

"Go easy on her today, okay, Han?" Luke beseeched, eyes serious. "This is the first Founding Day since the destruction of Alderaan." He sounded anguished now.

"Whatever," Han grumbled. "I don't plan on talking to her today anyway." He shrugged and ambled from the room, careful to keep his gaze straight ahead.

As he made his way back to the Falcon to apprise Chewie of their next assignment, he couldn't stop thinking of the significance of the day. He knew the Princess was unquestionably strong, but surely today would be hard, even for her.

It bugged him that his mind was stuck on her pain. It seemed that no matter how many times he told himself he wouldn't think about her anymore, she still remained a constant on his mind.

The scouting mission might be good for him. It would get him away from her for a while and allow his thoughts to center on something other than the Princess.

Climbing the ramp with a sigh, he searched for Chewie but found someone else instead.

Gretza sat in the main hold at the game table. A sinking feeling dragged his stomach down as she looked up at his entrance. Her lips were pinched and she appeared irritated.

"You've been avoiding me," she said steadily.

Han's lips parted as he floundered for a response. He placed his hands on his hips and tried out an innocent smile. "Avoiding you?" he repeated, stalling. "What're you talkin' about?"

She stood and came around to the front of the table, leaning back, hands splayed across it. It was an appealing pose but he remained unaffected.

"You're never around anymore. And I know Chewbacca's been covering for you, I'm not stupid."

"I don't know what you're goin' on about," he replied with a breezy air. "Just been busy. Leaving on a scouting mission in a couple of days."

Her brow rose and she smiled tentatively.

Now, how do I get outta this? Han stood up straighter as she approached, smile growing broader. This whole exchange was painful.

Her hands landed on his shoulders as she got far too close to him. "I have some things to do. How about I come back later tonight and we have some fun together?"

It felt as if something were crawling along his skin. At the moment, he wanted to be anywhere but there. "I, uh…I don't think tonight's so good." His eyes fell away several times before he forced himself to steadily meet her gaze.

She was staring at him with sudden, angry slits. Taking a step backwards, she dropped her hands to her sides. "So, I was right. You have been avoiding me."

He knew his glance aside spoke for itself. Shrugging his hands into his pockets, he inclined his head awkwardly.

"Gods," she spat. "At least be a man about it and be honest with me."

He cleared his throat and forced himself to respond. "Sorry. Honesty's not really my thing." As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how bad they sounded.

"You're a guttervrelt!" she shouted, exiting with pounding feet.

As her hard footsteps echoed behind him, Han took a deep, draining breath. This was why he avoided entanglements. Maybe it was best to not get involved with someone else stationed on Home One. He should probably curb his sexual appetites while with the Rebels. There would always be missions during which he could seek female companionship without any complications.

Chewie appeared with a questioning growl.

"Hey, what'd you let her wait here for? That's exactly what I was trying to avoid!"

With a shrug, he told Han he refused to remove any females bodily.

"Yeah, well, you coulda made some sort of excuse."

Chewbacca roared forcefully that Han's romantic endeavors were not his responsibility.

"Some friend you are," Han groused.

With a roll of his big, blue eyes, he grunted a request for information about the scouting mission.

Shoving the discomfort aside, Han was at least thankful that the entire situation was over with. He took a seat at the computer terminal and spun to face his friend.

"We're going with Luke to check out the first two possibilities for the new base. Nimbla IV and Grofsnor."

He barked approval with a quick nod then professed his happiness that Luke would be joining them.

"Yeah," Han agreed, thoughts betraying him by returning to the Princess. "Hey." He jerked his chin towards his friend. "Did you know today's an Alderaanian holiday?"

He mumbled affirmatively and even knew the name of the holiday.

"How am I the only one that didn't know this?" Han asked rhetorically.

Chewbacca admitted that he didn't know, considering the amount of time Han spent fawning over the Princess.

That comment snapped Han's attention right back to him. "I do not fawn over her. Give me a break!"

Chewie snickered vigorously.

"We don't even get along," Han added.

This only resulted in the Wookiee barking with louder laughter.

Han glowered and spun to face the console.

Before he left, Chewie growled a suggestion about how much the little Princess might appreciate someone who tried to make this day easier for her.

Han's frown etched more deeply. Damned furball.

As his exasperation faded, curiosity got the best of him and he punched in a holonet search for Founding Day.

He was surprised to learn how long ago the Organas had settled on Alderaan. The Princess' royal bloodlines ran deep.

He searched images and came up with many, but one in particular caught his eye.

The Princess stood between an older couple that Han could only assume were her parents. The man was very tall, while Leia clearly got her short stature from her mother. But what drew his eyes like a tractor beam was the beatific smile that beamed from the young Princess' face. She looked slightly younger, her face more rounded, her hair more ornate, piled high, and woven with gold threading. She had one arm around each parent and her eyes sparkled with radiant joy.

Her loss grew suddenly more real to him, now that this family of hers had faces and names. Bail and Breha. Bail's eyes gazed down adoringly at the top of his daughter's head.

It was some time before Han could tear his eyes away from the image. She was so young in that holo, with no idea of what tragedy the future would bring.

He finally returned to the information, reading about the three-day long celebration of feasts and games, culminating in a display of fireworks on the final evening, the official Founding Day.

This was the first time since her birth that the Princess would not be celebrating. No wonder she was in such an obvious bad mood today. Such a reminder of all she had lost.

The flicker of an idea sparked in Han's mind, but he quickly railed against it. It would be absurd for him to acknowledge this day to her. With the way things always seemed to go between them, he would probably only upset her further. It was best to stay far away and do nothing.

Yet, the idea nagged at him for some time.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Thoroughly exhausted, Leia prepared to leave her office. She had worked a sixteen-hour shift, which had the desired effect. It had allowed her to remain busy enough to banish all thoughts of the day from her mind as she immersed herself in her duties. Well aware that it was Founding Day, she chose to ignore it.

Reiikan had greeted her mournfully this morning, but Leia did not respond in kind. She was too busy to be bothered with grief. And that was the way she liked it.

She hadn't eaten all day but did not have the energy to seek out sustenance from the mess hall. All she wanted was to sink into her bed and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

With a sigh, she shut down her datapad and locked it in her desk drawer. It seemed an effort to walk the short distance to the door. When it slid aside, Leia was shocked to see Han on the other side of it, hand poised to hit the controls.

His eyes were as wide as hers and, for a long moment, they just looked at each other, mouths hanging open.

"Hey," he finally said, sounding slightly breathy.

She was truly not in the mood for any of his shenanigans. "What can I do for you, Captain?"

He seemed to bristle momentarily then flashed her an unexpected smile. "You can join me."

Her brow furrowed and she was filled with wary suspicion. "Join you for what?" she asked pointedly. She noticed suddenly that he had a small pack slung over one shoulder.

"In the arboretum," he said casually.

Feeling antagonized, she felt her features stiffen. "Is this some sort of joke?"

His face fell, but only for an instant. "It's not a joke. I'm serious, come with me to the arboretum."

She closed her eyes and sighed. When she looked up at him again, she could have sworn there was a hint of nervousness. It disappeared quickly. "I've had a very long day, Captain. All I want right now is to go to bed." She immediately regretted her words and waited for him to pounce with some witless innuendo.

He surprised her by passing over the opportunity. "C'mon, this won't take long. I promise."

The seriousness of his tone and expression gave her pause. Before she could respond, he took her hand in his and gently tugged her forward. "C'mon," he repeated. "You might even have fun." He grinned and it completely disarmed her.

But she would never let him know that. His hand felt so warm surrounding hers and she felt herself softening. She sighed. "All right. But what is going on? Why are we going to the arboretum?"

He dropped her hand and she felt a twinge of disappointment. His smile was inviting.

"You'll see, Princess." He moved to stand beside her and proffered his arm in an unusually gallant gesture.

Leia had no idea what to think. Daunted, she took his arm and allowed him to lead her down the corridor. This was highly suspect behavior for Han Solo.

It almost felt as if he were taking her on a date. The thought banished all concerns from her mind and flushed her with a warmth that overtook her and stained her cheeks. Sudden nervousness fluttered in her chest, like a swirling breeze stirring up the beginnings of a small tornado.

Up ahead, she spotted someone walking towards them and realized how this looked, her holding onto his arm. The last thing she needed was gossip bouncing around the base. Dropping her hand from his bicep, she put a respectable distance between them.

There seemed to be a palpable resentment that abruptly radiated from Han. Leia decided it had to be her imagination.

They said nothing during the ride up in the turbolift, which only increased the tension that railed through her. A glance at him revealed nothing. She had so many questions but she held her tongue.

The 'lift arrived at the level of the arboretum and the walk through the corridors felt endless. What did he plan to do once they were inside? With Han, it could be anything, and it was usually something objectionable.

At the door, he held out a hand for her to proceed him through the automatic doors. Leia nodded leery acknowledgement before passing through.

It was late, well into night cycle, and the environmental controls were set for darkness. Floating lanterns lit the way down the stone path. Leia saw no one, which was not surprising at this late hour.

Han slowed their pace as they approached a massive tree, naked of leaves, which might have looked creepy in any other setting. The bare branches were stubby and twisted over into almost a canopy. The path ran beneath this natural awning, but Han stopped abruptly and gestured for her to sit.

Leia raised a questioning eyebrow and he seemed to force an ingratiating smile. She sighed, still wondering at his attention, but acquiesced and sat on the hard ground. He removed the pack from his shoulder and sat beside her. When he opened the pack, she smelled the sudden aroma of cheese and her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she could not recall the last time she had eaten.

Han laughed heartily. "Hungry, Princess? That wasn't a very dignified sound."

She stiffened, assuming he was mocking her. But, his tone lacked the normal acerbity and his smile was easy, so she relaxed and let it go. He removed something wrapped in packing paper and the scent of food teased her more thoroughly.

She realized it was a sandwich when he held it out to her. Suddenly grateful, she reached for it, but he pulled it away with a teasing grin.

"What do I get for this? Rescuing a damsel in hunger distress?" There was an expectant twinkle in his eye.

His sparkling eyes, that errant grin; Leia went a bit breathless, hand still poised to receive the sandwich. Before she could form a response, he chuckled lightly and placed the sandwich in her hand. As he busied himself with rifling through the pack, she realized how hard her heart was pounding and remembered to begin breathing again.

He came up with a second sandwich and paused to look at her, frozen in place.

What was this? He had made a point of bringing her here alone, to this romantic setting…it was so unlike him. With all of his teasing and outrageous flirtations, she would have expected something much cruder of him were he to make any sort of romantic overtures.

Slow down, back up, she told herself. That's probably not even what's going on here.

So, what was going on?

"Eat," he urged with a gesture of his hand. He began to unwrap his sandwich and Leia followed suit.

For just a moment, she felt too uneasy to eat. Then she unwrapped her sandwich to find a gorba melt and the hunger returned voraciously.

She bit into it and a wave of nostalgia hit her. "I haven't had a gorba melt since I was a child," she confessed, the meaning of the day suddenly hitting her hard, making her miss her past more than she had allowed herself in many months. She took another bite and closed her eyes, savoring the way the taste brought her back to a place that now only existed in her mind.

"Sorry," he mumbled, mouth full.

She was as surprised by the apology as she was that he realized what had come over her. Her eyes opened and found him swallowing the last of his melt, eyes on the ground between them.

"Nothing to be sorry for," she said wistfully, offering him a small smile as tears gathered in her throat. She swallowed them back, refusing to show this man any weakness he might use against her later.

He threw her a quick glance then crumpled the paper and tossed it in the bag.

"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot." He reached into the pack and pulled out two bottles. Leia realized they were Corellian ales. He yanked the caps off both and handed her one just as she finished her sandwich.

Chewing the last bit, she exchanged the packing paper for the ale. Before she could consider taking a sip, he raised his bottle, as if to make a toast.

"To the House Organa," he said soberly, eyes intent on hers, bottle still held aloft.

Everything inside of Leia froze in shock. Then she melted completely and felt the rush of tears again. This time, she could barely contain them.

He clinked his bottle against hers and the noise seemed to reverberate inside her head as he took a long gulp of ale. Leia blinked the dampness from her eyes and stared at him in wonder.

As he lowered the bottle and caught her open stare, his expression became abruptly abashed, eyes lowering, rising, then falling to the ground between them. When he looked at her again, he gestured to the bottle.

"Drink up," he ordered gruffly, scratching distractedly at the back of his head.

Eyes remaining on him, she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a tiny sip. He avoided her gaze.

Placing the bottle on the ground, Leia clamped her hands together, confused and unnerved. She turned her eyes away, clueless as to what to say or do.

"So, I know that wasn't much of a feast," he said gruffly, drawing her gaze back to him. "But I do have one other thing."

She puzzled over the reference to a feast as he dug into the pack he had discarded at his side. He withdrew a small holocube and held it in the palm of his hand.

"This was kinda the best I could do," he said in a husky voice as he pressed the button on the side of the cube.

Brow creased in utter bewilderment, she trained her sights on the holo, unable to imagine what would happen next.

Above the platform of the holocube, colorful explosions of light appeared; red, yellow, blue, purple…the variations were endless as intricate patterns exploded, bursting with joyful combustions of light. A lump formed in her throat as she was reminded of celebrations past, memories she had struggled so hard to forget on this, the longest, saddest of days.

The barrage of light and noise increased its pace, faster and faster, building to a crescendo before fading and dying out. Leia watched in amazement, unable to believe what was happening before her.

When it was over, Han clicked the holo off with a thumb and placed it on the ground. Leia's gaze followed it then rose to look at him.

His posture was casual but he looked at her through his lashes, eyes lowered, hooded and intense, flecks of gold dancing amidst the green. Then he dropped his gaze to the holo and gestured towards it with his chin.

"You can keep that," he mumbled to the floor. He almost looked as if he were blushing.

Liea was dumbfounded. The 'feast,' the toast, the fireworks…he was trying to make this day special for her, trying to memorialize Alderaan. It was the kindest, most thoughtful gesture…and the last thing she would have expected from Han Solo.

Without thinking, her hand closed over the cube and she clutched it possessively to her bosom. "Thank you," she whispered.

He shrugged diffidently, eyes diverted, and said nothing. Grabbing his bottle from the ground, he threw it back and drained the contents. Leia watched the smooth motions of his throat, thoroughly entranced, and everything felt surreal and magical.

Silence swelled and she realized Han was as uncomfortable as she was shocked. She wanted to reach out to him, to take his hand, be close to him in a way she hadn't imagined before. It was the strangest feeling, the chronic attraction suddenly seeming like something more, becoming loud and vibrant, pulsing with life.

With the clearing of his throat, Han broke the spell, gathering his empty bottle and tossing it into his pack. He pointed to the ale on the ground beside her.

"You gonna finish that?"

She looked dumbly at the bottle, shook her head, and handed it to him. He quickly drained it then tossed it in the pack with its mate. In a flash, he was on his feet, shifting his weight back and forth with discomfort. Leia had no choice but to rise and join him, still at a loss for words.

She trailed him along the path, back the way they had come, and soon they were strolling through the exit into the corridor. She clasped the holocube tightly in her hand.

He paused outside the door, turned to her, and ran a hand across the back of his neck. "Well, uh…Happy Founding Day." His eyes flitted to and fro.

"Thank you," she said quietly, wanting to say more but unable to find the words. Their eyes met and, for a moment, she almost expected him to kiss her good night. Warmth flushed over her entire body at the thought.

Instead, he merely nodded and adjusted the pack on his shoulder, confusion plain in his eyes. She wondered what he could possibly be thinking.

"Night."

"Good night." She watched him turn and stride away, feeling just as bewildered as he seemed.

She stared after him for a time, silently willing him to peek back at her. He never did.

What had he stirred up inside her?