Please see the first chapter for disclaimer and other info

A/N: Are you all shocked that there was another update so soon? I know I was. I got sort of mixed up with the chapter numbering, forgive me. You'll all be happy to know I've planned the ending to this story and the plot for the third installment in the Fathers and Smugglers series. I can't say how many chapters will be left on this story, anywhere between five and ten. Sorry for the babble, please enjoy!

Chapter Ten: Meanwhile, Back With Our Hero…

The welcoming dinner would begin in a few moments. Han had told Chewie to go on ahead without him. Chewie had made some smart-ass remark followed by an extremely unfunny Wookiee joke involving a human, a Wookiee and a droid walking into a cantina. Han had spent the better part of an hour grooming himself. His hair was now washed and brushed. He had shaved and even put on that gods-awful cologne that Luke had bought him for his third 29th life day. He hoped Threepio had organized for what he was planning. If not, he would be pulling apart that droid limb by limb and auctioning him off at the ball. He snickered at the thought of Anakin's face when he realized Han had done what he had longed to do since he built the droid many years ago.

Han realized he had stopped walking and took a deep breath. His heart was beating erratically. Was he, the great Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon, Sabacc player extraordinaire nervous? He laughed off the thought and straightened out his ridiculous formal attire. Not that he would need it tonight, of course, but he was dressed to impress.

Han knocked on the door and heard Leia rustling around inside. He thought he heard a muffled "come in". Smirking, he swung the door open only to find a half-naked Leia standing in front of the full length mirror. He took her form in appreciatively before he realized a large object was being hurled at his head.

"What do you think you are doing!" Leia screeched and tried to cover herself while edging towards the 'fresher. "I said DON'T COME IN!"

Han winced as he rubbed the spot on his head where Leia had thrown the offending bedside chrono at him. She had quite an aim on her. "Princess, relax. It's not like I haven't seen it all before!"

He spied her evening gown on her bed. He picked it up and knocked on the 'fresher door. "Princess, if you don't want to be showing the entire population of Alderaan what you look like naked I suggest you put this on. Not that I'm complaining…"

A hand shot out through the door to grab the gown. He smirked as she practically yanked it out of his hand and slammed the door, just to make a point. "What do you want Han, besides wanting to act like a perverted scoundrel?" she asked through the door.

He fiddled around with the small box in his pocket. He took another deep breath.

Think courage, Solo. It's either you or Isolder the Galaxy's Prettiest Gundark Loving Princess.

"I'm here to talk about what happened this afternoon," he began slowly. Leia gave no response. "I know you were put on the spot because of…" Nancy Prince? Bantha Boy? "Prince Isolder and I wanted to do this properly."

He took out his "secret weapon". It was his grandmother's diamond wedding ring, the only thing he had been left when his parents had passed away. And now he was going to set things right the old fashioned way. He was going to get down on one knee, hold out the ring and ask Leia Skywalker-Organa to marry him.

He had Luke's blessing. He had Anakin's blessing. He was pretty sure Padmé wanted to throw the Prince off a cliff with her own two hands. Now all he needed was for Leia to hurry up and come out of the 'fresher.She would be looking every bit of the Princess she was and say yes.

Leia finally opened the door and slowly walked out. Her midnight blue gown looked stunning. Han's jaw nearly dropped. Well she certainly had the looking gorgeous thing down. Now it was just the saying yes part. He was nearly one hundred percent certain that she would not be able to resist him.

He grinned cheekily as he opened the box in front of her. "Leia, will you do me the honour of becoming the wife of a rogue space pirate?"

She stared at Han for a moment then snapped the box shut while it was still in his hand. "No,"

Han stood and just as he was about to envelop Leia in a Wookiee hug, his mind processed what had just happened. No. Had Leia just said no? Had Leia just DECLINED?

"Excuse me, I think being around royalty has somewhat damaged my precious hearing. Did you just say NO?" he demanded.

Leia defiantly looked into his eyes and poked him in the chest. "I just declined your offer of marriage, Han Solo."

Had Mustafar just frozen over? Han pinched himself and yelped at the pain. Okay, so this wasn't some sort of twisted nightmare. Leia was really in front of him saying no to marrying him, Han Solo.

"May I ask why?" he asked through gritted teeth. This was not turning out to be the evening he had imagined. In fact, according to his previous schedule they should have been "making smoochies" right about now in a fit of happiness. Being poked in the chest after being ungraciously rejected by a princess was not how he had envisioned this going down.

At this point, some of the fire and spark left Leia's eyes. Han looked at her for another moment in silence. The way her shoulders slumped, the way her eyes had glazed over, the way she had just sighed pointed to one thing. Oh no. It could not be possible. No, no, no.

"You've already said yes to Isolder," he stated coldly. Leia looked up at him sadly.

"Yes, Han. He came by just before you did. I'm sorry Han. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

Han was trying to get his head around this. He knew the Prince was serious about marrying Leia but he never really thought that Leia would seriously choose him. He thought that it would just be a formality; that she would politely decline. Then she would announce to the world that she was desperately in love with Han Solo and she intended to make him an honest man.

That clearly was not going to happen. He was going to have to think quickly. There was no way he was going to let Leia slip through his fingers. He had faced greater hurdles before. He had made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs and endured Anakin Skywalker finding ladies underwear in his bags. He would not be outdone by some pompous Prince of a bunch of planets that nobody cared about try and hoodwink him out of a wife! He would just have to tweak his plan a little.

"An offer you couldn't refuse," Han repeated as Leia nodded sadly.

"I'm so sorry Han. I was going to come and tell you before the welcoming dinner. Isolder was going to announce it sometime this weekend. This union is based purely on politics. You need to understand that."

"Oh, I understand all right. So I'm going to take some political action of my own," With that, he swept down and picked up Leia over his shoulder.

"Han, acting like a crazed alpha male is not going to help the situation," Leia protested and struggled to get down. Han kicked the door open and made sure nobody was there.

"Han…put me down now!" Leia shouted and started struggling even harder against her 'assailant'.

"Not likely, Princess. You're a politician. You understand. In order to get them to listen to me, I have to make a large political statement. Kidnapping the Prince's fiancée is exactly what I'm looking for!"

Leia felt faint. Kidnapping? Surely he was joking. "Very funny laser brain. I understand that you're mad but this isn't helping!" She began to kick. Han just laughed.

"Of course it is Princess. You are being kidnapped by a space pirate. We'll talk about making offers once we get aboard the ship."

Leia finally realized that Han had carried her all the way out to the dock where the Millennium Falcon was. He was actually going to go through with it. So Leia did the only thing she could think of. She called for her father.

--

Anakin couldn't collect his thoughts over the thunderous applause that was filling the ballroom at that moment. Bail and Breha looked delighted, Obi-Wan looked drunk and Luke looked stunned. Anakin felt like turning to the dark side. Sith Lords weren't held accountable for brutally murdering their daughter's fiancées were they? He groaned. This was not turning out to be a good trip.

The Prince began to launch into some prepared speech about marrying Leia, making peace in the galaxy and Anakin swore he heard something about blonde heirs to the throne. He ignored his gag reflex.

And suddenly he felt a very distinct tremor in the Force. It was Leia. And she seemed to be frightened. His fatherly instincts kicked in as he immediately raced from the room, ignoring the protests from his wife. He felt himself be taken to the landing dock. As he arrived his lightsaber was up and ready. He was welcomed with the image of the Millennium Falcon engaging its hyperdrive.

It was very clear to him that he had a problem. Han Solo had just kidnapped his daughter. Prince Isolder had just announced to Alderaan his intention to marry his daughter. Oh yes, Anakin had a big problem indeed.