Lando came in to the med center the next morning just as Leia was leaving for a meeting. Han was watching as Lando's eyes followed her out. Lando made a little cluck of appreciation, then turned to find Han glaring at him.
He didn't seem to notice. "Quite a woman you've got there, buddy."
Han narrowed his eyes. "Don't get any ideas, buddy," he warned.
"Hey, pirate, I'm not here to fight with you. Besides–" he looked back to where Leia had gone – "I think she just stopped wanting to kill me a couple of months ago."
Han laughed. "I think Chewie still kind of wants to kill you."
"Nah, he just threatens to tear my arms off from time to time." Lando sat down by the bed. "So when do you get to break out of here?"
"Any minute now. Just waitin' on the docs." He looked at Lando. "Then I'm takin' my ship back. For good."
Lando put his hands up. "Hey, don't look at me! I kept her real nice for you, I swear. I didn't even stay in your quarters."
Han suspected that had more to do with fearing the wrath of Chewie and Leia than with any consideration on Lando's part. But Lando had spent the last year running around looking for him..."So what's this I hear about you runnin' missions for the Alliance?"
"Ah, yeah. You can thank your Princess for that," Lando said. "She figured out how to send Chewie and me out on a few intelligence missions that just happened to take us to where Boba Fett was last spotted. Think we even managed to foil a couple of plots against the Alliance while we were at it." Lando sounded impressed, though Han couldn't tell whether he was more impressed with Leia or with himself.
"Not bad. Not bad," Han said, nodding.
"You know she was the one who planned the rescue at Jabba's, right?"
Han snorted. "Getting captured and almost fed to the Sarlacc was a plan?" He was going to have to tell Leia her plans needed some work.
Lando shook his head. "No, no, that was your Jedi's fault. He was sure he'd be able to use his powers for some kind of mind trick and convince Jabba to let you go. Leia's plan was to get Chewie in there so he could help. She had about four scenarios in there in case something went wrong." Yeah, four scenarios sounds more like Leia, Han thought.
"So, you stickin' around?" Han asked.
Lando nodded. "Yeah. They made it worth my while."
"Careful, that's how they suck you in."
"You should know," Lando chuckled. "So what about you? You officially joining up?"
"Already have," Han said, recalling his talk with Rieekan, whom he'd called as soon as he'd gotten settled in at Medical, determined to take that commission he'd been offered on Hoth, or whatever else they were willing to offer.
"I'm glad you commed me," Rieekan had said after Leia left for her meeting with Cracken. "Madine and I had something in mind that you'd be the perfect person for, if you're up for it." Han would be commissioned as an Alliance general and would be leading a covert special operations mission, details to be revealed at a briefing with Madine as soon as the docs let him go.
Lando smiled. "She went all in for you, buddy. Glad to hear you're going all in too."
The briefing with Madine went well, and Han already had a good start on assembling the strike team. Now if he could just find Leia. She'd promised that they could get lunch together between her morning and afternoon meetings.
He spotted her chatting with Wedge Antilles outside one of the briefing rooms. Wait a second – is Leia…flirting with him? She had always been somewhat friendly with most of the Rogues, from hanging out with Luke, but she'd also been so concerned about being respected as a leader and keeping things professional that she had kept everyone a little at arm's length. Now she was giving Wedge the same raised eyebrows and teasing expressions that he thought only he and Luke got to see.
Wedge was clearly teasing her back. He grabbed her hand gently as she started to turn away. "C'mon, Commander, you're not gonna leave us hanging, are you? Tomorrow night, 2100 hours. No excuses." He spotted Han walking toward them. "And, y'know, you can even let Solo tag along…if you want." He winked.
Leia laughed. "All right, all right," she said, waving him off. She greeted Han with a quick kiss. "Ready for lunch?"
Han looked back briefly at Wedge as he and Leia headed to the mess. "What was that all about?"
Leia was nonchalant. "Oh, now that everyone's back, the Rogues are getting their sabacc game back together."
This is new. "Since when do you play sabacc?"
Leia shot him a look that said Seriously? "For weeks. On the Falcon. With you and Chewie."
"No, since when do you play sabacc with the Rogues?"
"Mmm. That's a long story involving a very pregnant lady," she sighed.
"You the pregnant lady in this story?"
Leia laughed. "Yes. Are you going to come? I usually bring Lilya, too."
Han was trying to process that. Leia looked at him. "What?"
"Sorry, I'm just having a little trouble picturing a sabacc game that is appropriate for a princess, much less a baby."
"Well, I usually cut her off after one whiskey, so…." Leia teased.
Han shook his head. This is…a very different Princess from the one on Hoth. "I guess I'm in?"
"Good."
By nightfall, Han had checked off most of the things he had wanted to do after escaping from Medical. The only loose end on his mission was the shuttle command crew; he didn't want to just assume he could get Chewie or anyone else, but he had another day or two to get that settled. Thanks to Lando and Chewie, the Falcon was in good shape, and he finally got in some flying time with her. Leia and Lando managed to make it out of their respective meetings in time to enjoy a delicious Wookiee-made dinner with them on the Falcon, Leia having stopped to pick up Lilya on her way.
It was not that different than some of the better meals they'd had on the way to Bespin, except Lando was with them, and they no longer had to deal with the underlying dread of What Happens After We Get There. Lando and Chewie held court, telling stories about their various close calls and adventures together, which were, of course, much more enjoyable to talk about now that they'd survived. And Chewie only threatened to pull Lando's arms out once.
Leia had a few stories of her own, peppered with wry comments like, "What the hell were wind chimes doing in a Hutt's palace?" and her strategies for keeping herself from throwing up from the beyond-awful stench inside Boushh's mask (find the least rancid smell and concentrate on that).
Lilya fussed softly, and Leia rocked her in her arms until she settled down. She gently placed her daughter in the sling she was wearing and got up to help clear the dishes.
[No, no, Little Princess, I've got those.]
"But Chewie, you cooked! We're supposed to clean up."
[No, why don't you take Cub on a walk instead. He needs the exercise. And I already checked the water recycler today,] he chuffed.
Han was amused. "Are you trying to kick me out of my own ship?"
[Are you thick? Yes, it's been a wonderful evening, now get out!]