Worlds Under Sky: Chapter 6
 Hold-out Trout

Disclaimer: So don't own it. Wish I did so I didn't have to write a disclaimer every time I posted.

Author's notes: Okay, so this chapter had to go through some major re-working before I posted it. The chapters after this one will, too. Hopefully it ends up working. And I'm sorry it's a little short. That's just how I think.

Old reflexes die hard, and Han didn't miss a beat. He leaped forward, into the blasters, and somehow managed to avoid getting shot. Leia, in a very graceful moment, managed to trip, hit the ground, but recovered and kicked out, hoping to get a good solid hit on something, grabbing for a blaster when one magically fell her way.

She rolled back to her feet just in time to see Han smash one of their assailants' faces with the back of his head. The man went down, and Han grabbed his blaster with one hand, reaching for Leia's hand with the other. They ran out of the alley and into the 'port.

Han fired over his shoulder, discouraging pursuit, "I thought you were shot! What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Leia yelled back, "Well, you were creating such a nice diversion by throwing yourself in front of their blasters I couldn't help myself. Had to match your stupidity!"

They heard a shot behind them and sped up. They managed to dodge through the crowds all the way to the Falcon, which seemed unguarded. They barreled up the ramp, Han slamming the ramp closed as soon as Leia was on it. Han reached the cockpit, punched the engines, and they were airborne and gaining altitude. They managed to miss the patrols, and were free in space almost before they knew it.

As soon as they hit hyperspace (which worked, to Leia's—and Han's--surprise), Leia said, "I do not ever want to know how we got out of that one. And I thought escaping the Death Star was easy."

They exchanged a look, and spent the next several hours searching through all the accessible systems looking for a tracking device. They didn't find any, but Han and Leia both felt uneasy about the whole situation.

"I wish I knew who that bounty hunter was," Han complained as he finished locking up the last compartment they could think of to check.

Leia closed her eyes. "It was a woman. Human—or close."

"She was bald."

Leia shook her head. "No, I think she just had really short blond hair."

Han leaned against the bulkhead, crossing his arms thoughtfully. Leia was frowning as something nagged at her. She sighed in frustration.

"There's something I'm missing here. She seemed familiar, somehow," Leia said.

Han was skeptical. "I'm positive I haven't seen her before."

"Not from then. From further back." Leia rubbed her temples and sighed again. "I can't remember."

Han shrugged. "Maybe you'll think of it in the morning. You should sleep anyway," he added as she opened her mouth to object. Leia finally nodded and went to her quarters, deciding it would come to her sooner if she wasn't focusing on it so hard.

That night—or as close an approximation as they ever made on the Falcon, Han woke to the sounds of a princess crying out. He thought at first it was the normal noises he sometimes heard when he walked past the crew quarters or was awake in his bunk when Leia was asleep.

But then he heard something that made him sit up on his bunk.

"Han. No!"

He was out of his bed and in her room before his heart started beating again. Leia was sitting up in her bed, her hair flowing down her shoulders and back, her white gown hanging off her shoulders. Her eyes were wide open, her hand outstretched.

Han hesitated; then took her hands. She looked at him, although he wasn't sure she was really seeing him. She started shaking, and he sat down on the edge of the bunk and pulled her closer to him, enfolding her in his arms.

She buried her head in his neck. She shook and stayed silent for many minutes. Then she admitted, "You were there, and he saw you. He went for you."

Han said, "That was before I met you, princess."

Her voice was muffled. "I don't know…It felt real."

"It's okay. A nightmare."

She shook her head, but didn't respond.

He held her until she fell back asleep, and carefully lowered her into her bunk again. He left, closing the door silently behind him.