Chapter 16

I Know

The stars stretched into streaks of light and the Falcon was on course back to Fondor. Han slumped in his seat and sighed.

Chewie placed a paw on Han's shoulder. ["She is safe, cub."]

"Delvardus had a gun to her head, Chewie. He could have killed her."

["But he didn't."]

"Not this time."

An insistent banging noise echoed throughout the ship, and Han stared at Chewie, "What now?"

He made his way to the lounge. Don was standing on top of the smuggling compartment door, arms stubbornly crossed against his chest.

Smith's muffled voice could be heard. "Let me out!"

"No way, Smith! You can rot in there for all I care!" Don shouted back at him.

"I see you volunteered for guard duty," Han stated and moved onto the med bay where Judy had given Leia a cursory medical examination.

"How is she?" he asked Judy.

"She's a little dehydrated, but she'll be fine after she has some nourishment," Judy responded.

"And a long, hot shower," Leia added.

Han gathered Leia in his arms and held her close. "A shower sounds great," he said.

Judy excused herself and went to join the men.

"I could have lost you today," he murmured.

"I know," she responded.

He turned his lips to hers and kissed her, grateful that she was in his arms again.

Judy wandered into the lounge area and found Lando in the galley cooking what looked like pasta and mixing a salad. Three bottles of wine were on the counter waiting to be opened.

"Need any help?" she asked him.

"Not really, but I never turn down an offer from a beautiful woman," he replied.

"Well thank you, sir," she stated. "Just say the word and I am at your service."

Luke was sitting on the couch, staring at the game table, unaware of anything that was going on around him. Don was scowling in Lando's direction thinking, 'If I had said that, she'd be at my throat.'

Lando whispered to Judy, "Want to have some fun?"

"Fun?" she asked.

"Follow my lead." Lando cleared his throat. "Hey, Luke, is it all right if I borrow your girlfriend?"

Luke didn't reply and the crease between Don's eyebrows deepened.

"Luke?"

'Huh?"

"I'm borrowing Judy."

"Okay."

"For a night of romance," Lando added as Judy linked her arm around his.

"Yeah, sure," Luke said.

Don's hands had balled into fists and he strode over to the galley, fuming inside. Once he got there he wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he was going to do… something. He grabbed Lando by the collar and pulled him away from Judy.

"Whoa!" Lando exclaimed. "What's your problem?"

Judy put her hands on Don's extended arm. "Donald West, stop it! I am not your property!"

He turned to her and shouted, "I know you're not, but whose are you?"

"My own!"

They had everyone's attention now. Han and Leia came in from the med bay and even Dr. Smith had stopped his banging.

"What's going on here on my ship?" Han asked.

Don let go of Lando and dropped his hand, embarrassed that he had gotten out of control… again. He was learning to hold his temper, but when it came to Judy…

["Want me to cuff him, Han?"] Chewie asked.

"Not this time, Chewie."

Don mumbled an apology to Lando and pushed his way past Judy.

"I'm sorry, Judy, I didn't know Don felt 'that way' about you," Lando stated as he straightened his collar and smoothed his shirt.

"He doesn't. He just wants to add me to his collection," Judy explained.

Something didn't ring true about that statement to Lando and he couldn't let it go. He returned to preparing the salad as the others left the room. "Judy, does Don only collect blonds?"

"He'll go after anything that will jump into bed with him."

"Really! He didn't seem to be a 'collector' the night I met him."

Judy remembered her truncated conversation with Don a few days ago… the brunette that Lando saved him from. Why would he pass up a sure thing? Not only that, he now had access to hundreds of women and hadn't hit on any of them… yet. Could it be that he had feelings for her? She was afraid to answer that question, afraid to risk getting hurt.

Luke went in search of Don and found him in the first place he looked - the cockpit. Luke sat in Chewie's chair and Don angled away from him, not wanting to face his chief rival.

"You okay?" Luke asked.

"I'm fine," he replied, but his demeanor didn't match his words.

"Don, I know Judy has strong feelings for you."

"Right… The word 'hate' comes to mind."

"Have you told her you're in love with her?"

He snapped his head around. "I thought you were."

Luke shook his head. "I like her. I like her a lot, but I know now that she's not my destiny."

"How do you know that?"

"The Force."

"I wish the Force would tell her a thing or two."

"It will, when she's ready to hear it. Let's go eat."

Dinner started as a rather subdued gathering; that is until the women were on their second glass of wine. Then it became a contest of who could make them giggle the most.

They were on the topic of embarrassing moments. Han offered his story of C3PO interrupting his and Leia's first kiss, but Luke was in the lead with his story of Leia, not knowing that she and Luke were related, kissed him to make Han jealous. Don was attempting to one-up him with his story of Judy putting him in his place by dumping a cold glass of water over his head.

"Lando, where's your story?" Leia asked.

"A man of my charms has no embarrassing moments," he replied.

Groans came from around the table and Han said, "I can think of one or two. There was this time on Ord Mantell…"

"Wait… I'm sure one will come to mind… Ah, got one. I was in the Frosty Mug when this gorgeous creature sat down next to someone in this room, who shall remain nameless. This brown-haired beauty eyed this hapless person with the look of a predator on the prowl and he chose to ignore her. So I graciously gave her the attention she deserved… and she threw her drink in my face when I suggested that she show me her, uh, jewels."

Judy glanced at Don and sang, "I know who it was… Does the name 'Don Juan' ring a bell?"

Don blushed, "Hey, don't destroy my reputation!"

"Too late, it's been done," Han teased.

"Who in Hoth is Don Juan?" Lando asked.

Judy was about to explain when the banging started up again.

"I guess he's awake," Don stated.

"You have to feed him, Don," Judy said.

"Why?"

"Because we want him fit enough to stand trial," Leia replied.

She shivered with these words and Han drew her close. He caressed her face and whispered in her ear and she nodded. Don stood behind them and his eyes sought out Judy's. She was flushed from the wine and her clear blue eyes shone even brighter than usual. A warmth rose from her toes up through to her shoulders and she practically melted when their eyes locked. He held her gaze a moment longer and then went into the galley and threw together a plate of leftovers. Han stood and held Leia's hand as she left her seat. Her statement had sobered the group and the partying was over. Leia and Han made their way towards his cabin, but Don stopped them before they retreated.

"Leia?" he asked.

"Yes?"

He grinned. "Can I be on the jury?"

Han interjected, "Only if I can be on it too."

She laughed. "I'll see what I can do. Good-night, and thanks… to all of you."

Luke sat back and felt the emotions swirling around the lovers. He had a feeling that the Force was going to make itself heard tonight. He rose and took the plate from Don. "I'll feed Smith," he said. As Luke walked by Judy, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. She stood and sat right back down again. How many glasses of wine had she had? She wasn't sure… was it two, or maybe three?

"Are you all right?" Don asked her.

"No, I mean, yes! Oh, I don't know."

"I'll take you to your cabin."

"Show me the gun turret first?"

"The gun turret. Uh, sure."

He led her to the sealed bubble and he motioned for her to sit, but she stood back and pushed him into the seat instead. Then she climbed into his lap and leaned her head on his shoulder. Even in her tipsy state, she knew that this felt incredibly right. He was afraid to believe this would last, but let his arms wrap around her.

"You must be drunk," Don said.

"Just a little," Judy mumbled.

"That explains it, then."

"Explains what?"

"Why you're acting like this."

Her lips were tantalizingly close to his, but he couldn't give in, at least, not just yet. "What did Luke say to you?"

"To stop fighting my feelings… and to bring you… here."

"Great guy, Luke."

She nodded. "Just… like… you."

She looked at him and parted her lips. He found himself being pulled in, but snapped his head up at the last moment. "This is quite a view," he commented.

"Beautiful. I feel like I'm floating in space."

He chuckled. "You are."

Judy placed her hand on his jaw and beckoned him with her lips again. This time he looked into her eyes and his mouth was drawn like a magnet to hers. Their kiss started sweetly, innocently and deepened as they let themselves get lost in each other and the stars around them.

As Leia showered with real water, Han straightened up the cabin. It was even more cluttered than usual since he hadn't been the neatest of inhabitants recently. He found the scented candles Leia enjoyed and a disc of her favorite Alderaani music and then lay on the bed waiting and anticipating what he would do to welcome her back into his arms.

Before long, Leia appeared at his door in a silky red robe. Her frame was silhouetted in the glow of the candlelight and he drank in her beauty for a moment longer before going to her. Her robe was slightly open and he slipped his hands inside and around her waist, drawing her to him. She circled her arms around his neck and kissed him as deeply as her tongue allowed. Han picked her up and carried her to bed, gently laying her down. He knelt beside her and placed his chin on his folded hands.

"Can I chain you to me so I'll never have to worry about you again?" he asked.

She giggled. "No, but maybe just for tonight…"

He chuckled and lay down next to her, taking her in his arms. He slipped her robe off her shoulder and kissed it. "I love you, Leia, I love you so much," he whispered as he buried his head in her neck.

"I know, Han, I know."

She wanted to melt into him and rolled him onto his back. Leia draped every cell of her body over his, desperate to join with him. Then they caressed and loved each other until they were both carried away on a river of light.

Judy remained snuggled comfortably against Don's chest as he entwined his fingers in her hair. Its golden highlights glistened like spider webs after a misty rainfall, and he was mesmerized by its curls and waves.

"Don?"

He was afraid to answer for fear that it would break the spell they were under. "Hm?"

"Are you… all right with this?"

He chuckled. "I'm in heaven… and want to stay there."

She felt safe and warm in his arms and realized that she had always felt protected when she was with him. "Don?"

He smiled again. "Yeah?"

"I was scared today, especially when I tripped the alarm."

"Ah, so that's what happened, and I blamed Smith."

"I could have gotten somebody killed."

"But you didn't. Don't give yourself a hard time. You did good out there, Judy. You did real good."

"Thanks."

He messaged her back and felt her breathing regulate to the beating of his heart. He had never felt so in sync with another human before. The mixture of the wine and excitement of the day had finally caught up with her, and she drifted into an exhausted slumber. Don would have stayed there all night if his arm wasn't falling asleep. He eased his way out of the chair and carried her to her cot, laying her softly on the pillow and covering her with the blanket. Judy opened her eyes and mumbled, "Stay with me?"

"Sure." He grabbed a blanket and pillow and lay on the floor next to her.

Her hand fell off the cot onto his arm. "I meant here… in bed… with me."

"Not tonight, Judy." He took her hand and kissed it. As much as he wanted to be with her, he needed to be sure that it was what she wanted and not the effects of the wine. If the Force was speaking, he wanted her to have a clear head to hear it.

Chewie brought out the sabacc deck after Lando talked Luke into joining him. He wished that they had a fourth and risked taking Smith out of the hold to join them.

"Well, well, I've been let out of my prison for a reason. Now, what could that reason be?" Smith asked.

"We need a fourth for sabacc, and you've been elected," Lando replied.

"And where have your manly men gone?"

"None of your business." Lando replied.

"None of my business, eh? I sense a strange, suggestive energy pervading this ship."

"It's called the Force, Smith, and people are finally listening," Luke answered.