Note 12-13-22: This chapter went through substantial revisions. Recommend re-reading or reviewing a list of the changes as the beginning of chapter 4.

"Han," Leia moaned. Her entire body tensed next to his, waking Han out of a deep and peaceful sleep.

Han fumbled to sit up, sure he had heard her call his name. She was lying down on her back in his cramped bunk on the Falcon, her toes pointed before they relaxed and her arms rested languidly above her head, a radiant smile on her lips.

Huh? He thought.

"Leia, wake up." He gently shook her. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be a nightmare.

"Mmmm. I'm ok, just give me a minute." She said throatily, not bothering to open her eyes yet.

"What happened?" He was concerned. She was acting strange. She didn't answer him, she just stayed there with her face relaxed and a beautiful flush on her cheeks.

Realization struck.

"Holy shit! You had a sex dream! You came with my name on your lips," Han gasped, completely stunned. Shock quickly turned into desire as comprehension that she, Princess Kriffing Leia had dreamt of him! The implications were…well he wasn't sure what it meant.

"You're ruining this moment for me," Leia replied in a lazy, low alto.

Leia felt drunk with pleasure as she waited for the lightness and tingling to subside. As she started to replay that incredible dream, she recalled some rather odd details. She considered what to say to Han.

"Mmmm, I think I saw the goddess, twice."

Well, she had not meant to say that out loud. Her face turned red as Han's clouded over with pure lust.

Although the Princess had not shown many signs of sexuality publicly (unless she was fighting with or kissing Han), the real Leia wasn't terribly embarrassed by having an erotic dream, even if she would have liked to keep the goddess comment to herself. She knew she had not done much to dispel the widely held assumption she was an innocent ice princess, but she found Han's complete surprise amusing.

Leia sat up in the bunk cross-legged in front of Han, who placed a pillow over his lap to cover his desire, as he sat facing her.

"We were that good, huh Princess? Sana was right?" He asked her, poorly concealing his hunger.

"Yes, she was definitely right, but…". Leia trailed off, fumbling for the right words.

"Kriff, Leia. But what?" Han asked with a wince.

"No, I didn't mean it was bad, it was amazing! But…it wasn't like a normal sex dream. It wasn't a lust-powered fantasy up against a wall or on my desk…" She trailed off again, trying to find more precise words to describe why the dream seemed so strange.

She should just tell him. They were in a good place these days and she felt like she could start to lower her walls around him a little more. Especially after he promised he would stay, and she had slept in his arms last night on their way back from Lorel Minor.

"Sweetheart, I'm so turned on right now, I might actually die. You're killing me." Han whimpered, adjusting the pillow on his lap again in clear discomfort.

Leia snorted out a laugh. "Solo, pay attention! I need to tell you why the dream was weird!"

He nodded at her to continue.

"Well first of all, it wasn't so much that it was just…fucking?" She winced at the crude phrase. "It was much more beautiful. Intimate." She looked into his eyes intently; saw a look she couldn't quite identify cross his face before it went neutral.

"We made love like we'd done it hundreds of times before. It was slow and intimate - we were totally in synch and knew exactly how to please each other. There was complete trust, no barriers. That doesn't make sense, right? Why would I dream of something I've never experienced so intimately, and not something...umm naughtier?"

"Mmm, maybe you got tired of the naughty dreams of me taking you against the wall or on your desk?" He asked with a ragged breath.

"I haven't had that many dreams about you, Hotshot."

Han wondered just how many dreams she'd had of him. Obviously not so many that she had grown tired of them. He puffed his chest proudly.

"There's more. I think Vader might be fucking with my head, Han."

Han sat straighter, completely startled out of his lust-fueled fantasy, and looked at her with alarm.

"Vader! How?"

"In the dream, we were wearing wedding rings…I think I might have been…"

Han looked at her with earnest intensity. "Might have been, what?"

"Pregnant," She whispered. "It felt like Dream Leia had a small baby bump."

That same look crossed Han's face before it disappeared again. She couldn't quite place it, but the phrase what if came to mind. Possibilities.

"I mean, I'll give you it's kinda a fucked up dream if you were pregnant. But what does it have to do with Vader?"

"The night before we rescued you on Lorel Minor I had a nightmare that you got shot by a storm trooper and died before I could save you. That's how I knew to come and exactly when to take that shot before you got hit with the cannon blaster. I'd been there before. And now I had this dream, and I'm wondering if Vader is planting visions in my head. I can't think of anything else that would make sense."

"I was wondering how you knew to take that shot… But Vader? That just sounds so far-fetched. If the first dream was a trap, why didn't he ambush us?"

"I don't know! Han, I know I never want to talk about this…. but Vader tortured me with the Force. He tried to get into my head on the Death Star to learn the location of the rebel base. I never cracked, but it was terrifying and painfully invasive. I still have nightmares about it all the time. So, to me it seems entirely possible it's Vader."

He moved closer to cup her face.

"Look, Leia… I don't want to discount your fears or what you went through. I understand he might have the capability to put visions in your head, but I'm just not seeing how or why it would be Vader."

Leia sighed deeply, closing her eyes. She was finally awake enough to acknowledge her fears about Vader were probably exactly that, fears. It was far-fetched, as it lacked motivation and intent.

"I suppose that makes sense. It's probably not Vader. The stress of rescuing you guys yesterday, this fake relationship mission must be getting to my head."

"Leia, maybe there is another reason the dream really scared you?"

Leia took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"In the dream, I clearly had chosen you. Where was I in the fight? I just ran off and got married? Restoring peace in the galaxy is my life's mission. For a long time, it was the only reason I could make myself get up and fight another day. I wish I was capable of both, but let's be realistic, I'm all Rebellion all the time," She joked meekly.

And what she left unsaid was that she had glimpsed a possible future where she gave up her heart to him for something achingly beautiful and special and she was terrified of loving and losing him. It'd be a miracle if they both made it out of this war alive.

Han fumbled for words. She was being so uncharacteristically open with him. He would try to be the same. It felt as if their relationship, whatever this was between them, had reached a point of no return. Stop now, or move forward together.

His looked turned longing as he cupped the back of her neck.

"Sweetheart, I don't think you give yourself enough credit for your ability to multi-task. But do you think it could it be that..I dunno, we're getting' along real well. We're fighting a lot less. You slept in my bunk with me tonight after I promised you I'd stick around. You'd just as soon blast me than get in my bunk even a month ago. Look, I'm not sure what this is, but I know I like it. I like kissing and holding you, talkin' to you without screaming at each other. Maybe you're working out how you feel about that - us, whatever we are, too?" He shrugged in embarrassment at showing his cards for once. He hadn't made himself that vulnerable is years and it scared him.

"Or," He waggled his eyebrows at her before she could reject him, "You're just horny from all the kissing and holding?

Leia chuckled and smiled at him. As infuriating as Han could be, he just got her at an elemental level. He could always get through the barriers she tried to throw between them. She reached out to grasp his hand.

"Han…I am so happy you are staying. Relieved too."

She was starting to feel overwhelmed and conflicted.

"As for what triggered the dreams. It could be any of the things you mentioned, or stress. It's probably not a surprise to you that I shut down when I feel too much. I'm…I struggle with feelings, after the Death Star. If I start to feel too much I spiral back into darkness. So, I avoid them." Leia looked down, surprised she had revealed so much of her inner struggle to Han.

She looked up and continued with a shy smile. "I like the kissing and holding too. I'm trying Han, but this is a lot for me. I need us to keep calling this a fake relationship. Even with the holding and kissing, I don't want to talk about feelings, and I can't make any real commitments." She made a sour face at the thought.

Han chuckled and pulled her into his lap to hold her, kissing her brow as he looked down. He raised her chin up and she thought he was going to kiss her.

"Leia, you're such a dude." He gave her a warm smirk, so she'd understand he was teasing.

"I am NOT a dude!" Leia swatted his arm and tried to look angry, but laughed at the basic truth of the comment.

"Yes, you are, you want the physical but none of the commitment. This is straight outta my playbook, Princess."

He nuzzled her neck playfully, before lowering his voice to the thirst trap range, "So, you wanna hit me and quit me? We can't let Dream Han and Leia have all the fun tonight."

"No, I want to go back to sleep. I already hit you and quit you in my dream. It was very satisfying," She quipped.

"Kriff, I wasn't there to enjoy any of it!"

"You'll just have to have your own dream. The one on the desk is nice." She looked at him seductively. "Goodnight…Dude."

Han groaned as he climbed out of the bunk.

"Where are you going?"

"Cold shower."

Leia smiled at him sheepishly before closing her eyes. She doubted she had enough resolve to resist him much longer, but tonight she would and did.