Leia remembered. Leia remembered each night she lay there next to Han, every time he would roll over in his sleep and jog the bed, his soft snores, and the resistance she upheld to reach out and touch his hair. She remembered the exact position he held her in, all curled up a against him in a foetal position.

Leia remembered all his weird and wonderful habits, the things that got on her nerves, the things she thought were adorable.

The way he ate his food, cheeks bulging and a smile snaking onto his face. She would always laugh at that. The places he'd hide his weapons in case one of the children grabbed them. The way he'd prop his feet up on the table in his leather waistcoat. How he'd always try to flatter her before admitting to something she wouldn't approve of. All the times she caught him playing with the children, pretending to be a monster they had to take down. How he'd pilot the Millennium Falcon so carelessly and easily he could do it blindfolded. The way he'd take her shoulders in his hand or get angry when someone insulted his style of clothing. The time he completely missed his first child's birth due to a run in with another angry gangsta wanting his debts repaid. How she had slapped him round the cheek because of it and spent the whole night making it up to her. When he'd converse with Chewie about different and secret things, when he'd fly back to Corellia, take them all out to different places in the galaxy. When he would kiss her gently and endearingly, and whenever a long absence he would always tell her how much he loved her. Leia remembered the rare fights, the rare disappointments, the slow ageing of both of them together, gaining greyer hairs until they were almost unrecognisable. Yet that didn't change a thing. It never could. She remembered everything they had been through, as partners, as fighters, as parents; it had been beautiful while it lasted, a forever within marked years and numbered days that in her mind would last forever. She daydreamed of that girl with long brown hair being hugged by the handsome and ruthless smuggler that caught her heart from the very beginning. Inevitably beginnings had ends, and Leia imagined what would have happened if it never ended at all. If, by some miracle he had come back with Ben and they could build their relationship up like falling in love with each other all over again.

He would have sauntered off that Falcon, and smile relaxedly at her. Standing awkwardly for a while, yet settling all differences between them, Han would have been the first to speak.

'I came back with Ben.' He told her, something of a gleam in his eye which told her how relieved he was of the situation and to see her.

'Thank you.' She whispered hoarsely, not being able to say much else. He would have wrapped her up in arms like he had when he departed, yet this time much tighter, more needier.

He took a step back, admiring her whole his hands caressed her shoulders.

'You still look beautiful, Leia. I know it's been a lot of work recently, too many things to worry or care about, but I've missed you. I'd want to stay closer...' He stumbled, 'closer to you. Like we used to. And I won't stop, Leia,' he smiled, 'I'll be as persistent from the first day we met, when I wanted to impress you and everything.'

Leia nodded, taking in his words that melted the barricade around her heart and caused a burst of emotion erupting inside her.

'Yes,' she smiled back, watching those eyes stare into her, the hard set of his jawline and handsome, ruffled hair that still sent shivers down her spine, 'I agree with you. Too many days have been lost without you, Han. I won't allow many more.'

He smiled, embracing her once again and kissing the corner of her mouth tenderly.

'You know I love you, right?'

She gazed at his face, just so glad nothing had happened to him, that he was safe and alive as he always was and no doubt looking for the next adventure.

'I know.'

A wide smile which she returned and their hands fit together perfectly, like jigsaws in a puzzle.

Leia came back to her senses, to the present, now refocusing on the spot she had been staring at for almost an hour in her own desired plexus of dreamworlds inside her head. The biggest one was with Han, always with Han, and their children. After everything she had done, she had lost two of the most important people in her life all at the same time, all in the same moment. It wasn't fair, wasn't right. She deserved more, she was owed better. The pain was too overwhelming, too unbearable, the thought of never seeing his face again...it crushed her from the inside out. But it didn't take away the memories of him she would keep, would always keep, forever. Leia stared back down at the picture she was holding of Han, Ben and herself, smiling at their joyous faces. She nodded, stroking the face of her husband inside the frame.

'We made it this far, Han. We did it.'

And it was almost like the photograph Han winked cheekily back.