Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars

Author's note: This takes place at the beginning of ESB, right after Han tells Leia he's leaving.

Uncertainty

First message: Han, it's Leia. I think – you can't – it's not that…look, can't we talk about this? I mean, before you actually go and do this?

Second message: Han, please. I know you're a grown man, you're the eldest of us all, except Chewie, but isn't this something that we all should talk about? This isn't you getting a new job…please. Let's just talk.

Third: Have you at least told Luke?

Fourth: Han answer me.

Fifth: I'm going to tell Luke.

Sixth: Han, I can't raise Luke, is he with you?

Seventh: Han, I can't find Luke. I can't raise him.

Eighth: Han, seriously, where is Luke?! He isn't to be trusted on his own here yet! Wedge told me they found him trying to use a blow torch to heat up his room two days ago. I'm worried.

Ninth: Han, if you don't answer I will send Threepio out after you.

The salt crunched under Leia's feet as she paced by the closed bay doors. The frozen iceball of a planet that was Hoth had turned, the rebel side facing away from the only source of heat and light and effectively writing out the death certificate for the two men Leia considered family.

Funny, she had been so excited to show Luke the snow and now there was a good chance he might die there in the cold. A desert boy who'd been swept up into this mess because of her message now freezing to death on a hidden base whose only hope of survival was Han Solo, a man who'd already shown his loyalty was based on nothing but whimsy.

She thought of Han and how the last words they'd shared were arguments and hostile exchanges. She wanted to tell him that she didn't mean any of the negative things that she'd said. That she understood that what happened on Ord Mantell had been scary for him. So Luke had been hit by blaster fire? He was only grazed by it and there wasn't even a scar. They would have done it again a thousand times over.

She hated Han at that moment.

But then she thought of how Han had showed her the holos he'd taken of them in the snow and how he'd shared them with basically everyone on base. He'd jokingly said that he'd sent one to Vader, but she knew that had to be a joke. A holo like that could give away their location.

She loved Han then.

Then she thought of Luke and how much he reminded her of Alderaan.

She could see the lake her mother took her to regularly in Luke's deep blue eyes. She could see the mountains in Luke's strong hands and how they always seemed to be there to catch her and lift her up when she was sad or hurt.

But most of all, she saw peace and home when she saw him.

Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes and she stoically held them back. She didn't do it out of pride but out of practicality, she would not have water on her face on this ice cube. She'd rather not have it freeze on her, thank you very much.

"Leia, here," Leia glanced at Dayzha and accepted the offered cup of hot tea. "If you need me, you know how to reach me."

"Dayzha," Leia said softly. The two women looked at each other. "Do…" the question caught in Leia's throat. "Are you an orphan?"

"What? No, my parents are still alive. Why?" Leia shook her head and took a sip of the tea. "Try to get some sleep," Dayzha suggested and then left.

Leia paced some more, drank some of the tea, and thought of her mother – her birth mother. She thought of the sadness on her face and wondered if her mother had ever experienced this kind of night.

Leia fell asleep against Chewie, his thick fur coat helped warm her and before she knew it, Artoo's loud, excited trill woke them up. Chewie bellowed at the droid and Artoo beeped. "Mistress Leia! Mistress Leia!" Threepio's arms were raised and moving excessively for a droid who complained that the cold was freezing his joints. "Terrific news, Mistress Leia! The speeder crews found Master Luke and Captain Solo! They're on their way to the base right now!"

Leia jumped up and followed Artoo to where the speeders were due back and two medic droids had arrived. She didn't make it there before the speeders swooped in and landed but she was there to see Han climb out on his own and walk without any help. He looked a little cold and graciously accepted a warm blanket and thermos of tea. He hadn't even taken a drink before Chewie enveloped him in a hug and told him off in growls and howls. "I'm fine, Chewie, get off me, ya great furball."

"Captain Solo, I am delighted to see you have returned!" Threepio cheerily told the Corellian.

"Your worship," Han saluted her with his thermos when Chewie finally let go.

"Captain," Leia nodded at him. She wanted to throw her arms around him, kiss him hard, and cry against his shoulder, but his greeting told her that their positions had not changed since the South Passage.

So she turned to Luke. Wedge and Hobbie helped the medical droids lower him onto a gurney and cover him with blankets. Artoo whistled worriedly and reached out with one of his appendages to drag a blanket up higher on Luke's chest. Leia walked over to the gurney and pulled off one of Luke's gloves as well as one of her own. She laced her warm, pink fingers withLuke's cold, pale ones. Gently, she squeezed his hand. I'm right here, she thought, I'm not going anywhere. Don't you leave me. Not again.

She didn't really know what she meant by that.

She, Han, Chewie, and the droids went with the gurney to sick bay, Leia held Luke's hand all the while.

"You know, princess, I was out there too."

"Thank you." Leia said coldly.

"If I were unconscious, would you hold my hand?"

Through gritted teeth, Leia said, "Doesn't matter, I would never tell you."

She had to let go of Luke for them to put him in the bacta tank.

As they watched him bob around, air bubbles escaping his breather, a bit of the tenseness between Han and Leia faded. He leaned against the wall near her and said gently, "He scared the hell out of me…and when I found him…he was almost the same color as the snow. But he was talking…talking…well, rambling. About the old man and something called 'Yoda". Does that mean anything to you?"

"No," Leia admitted. She looked at Han and this time she let the tears show. "You scared me, the both of you. But thank you for going out after him."

"He would have done the same for me," Han shrugged. He gave Leia a hug.

"Of course," Leia nodded. "We're family."

Han's jaw clenched. "No, we're not, princess." The wall was back in his voice. "We might be part of an unofficial club you made up to lie to me, but we are not family. And this doesn't change a thing. As soon as the Falcon's ready to go and Luke's on his feet, I'm outta here."