A/N: Please read and review! It helps me better my writing for future chapters and stories.

Also, if you're new to my story, take a look at my other Star Wars fiction, titled 'Episode IV S : The Rebel Retreat'. :)

II

Mon showed Luke and Leia to their bunk rooms, just as she had every time they relocated back to base. The two knew their rooms well and would be able to find them on their own, but they sensed Mon wanted to talk about more than sleeping arrangements. She held her head high around the rest of the Rebellion, but with Luke, Leia, and the rest of their party, Mon was more of a friend. She had always been a friend to the Princess.

"I'm sure you know where to go from here," Mon told the two as she motioned down the hallway towards the four bunk rooms that normally would house Leia, Luke, Han, and Chewbacca, respectively. Han and Chewie always requested to be located near the docking bays, and Luke and Leia simply thought it made more sense to stick together, especially after they decided to take on the second Death Star. Leia was only resentful that she wasn't able to complete the mission against the Empire just yet.

"Yes, thank you," Leia replied, sounding more like a senator than ever. The kindness in her usual tone was replaced by a professional voice to mask her pain. It would be best to not bring up Han around anyone else, especially the Rebellion.

There was a paused as Luke smiled at their companion. Then, "Mon, I hope the Rebellion will not miss me if I go to finish my training with Master Yoda."

Mon looked sincere as she studied the boy. "Not at all, Commander Skywalker," she told him kindly. "We could use a trained Jedi to help us take on the Empire." She glanced at Leia. "After we get Captain Solo back, that is."

Leia forced a fake smile and shook her head at the ground. "That isn't necessary," she told Mon.

"Nonsense. Captain Solo is an important asset to this assault on the Empire."

For a moment, Leia felt embarrassed. She had assumed Mon had been mentioning Han so she knew of the plans to locate and rescue him. Her cheeks felt hot as she analyzed her mistake. Instead of playing on it further, she turned towards Luke and gave him a slight nod, trying to let him know that she needed to speak privately with her friend.

"I'll let you know of my departure plans in the morning," Luke promised Mon before turning into his room to the left of the end of the hall.

Leia gave him a thankful smile before he enclosed himself in his sleeping quarters. She knew he would understand.

"I'm sure you've had a rough day, as well, Princess," Mon told Leia. "Why don't you retire and we can speak in the morning after I meet with Luke."

Rest would be nice, Leia thought. But there was no time to rest. "Thank you, but a senator never sleeps."

"You're no longer a senator with the Rebellion, dear," Mon reminded her. "We need your skills elsewhere. You're a great leader, just like Solo."

Leia frowned. Of course she had to remind her of Han...again.

Mon must have caught her saddened look, for she continued to press about Han, instead of letting up. This was the Commander's way of proving her friendship with the Princess. She tried to get her to talk, to understand everything more fully.

Leia remained in her senator personality. "I appreciate your dedication, but the Rebellion can't afford to use its assets on just one pilot." As much as it pained her to say so, she knew she was right.

"Leia," Mon began, calling the Princess by her name. This was something she rarely did. "We will focus all units on bringing Captain Solo back."

"Thank you." Leia bowed her head slightly, accepting the offer. "But this is something Luke and I will handle on our own. I assure you we will not be in the way of the operations against the Empire."

"I never thought you would be."

"Lando and Chewbacca are already in route to locate Boba Fett's ship," Leia informed her friend and superior. "Now, we wait."

Mon nodded, then motioned towards the hallway. "Rest, Princess. We have much to sort through in the morning."

Leia thanked Mon once more before proceeding through the hallway and up to her doorway. For a moment, she paused. She took a deep breath before punching the buttons to open her bunk door. She didn't know if she could handle being alone, but she had to try. Carefully, she took her first steps into her bunk since before the relocation of the Rebellion base to the planet Hoth, back before she ever got involved with Captain Solo.

The room was cold; she didn't expect much else from space, so she was glad she was still wearing her thermal suit from the ice planet. Part of her longed to change, but the rest of her wanted to remain in that outfit longer. It still smelled like Han's ship after spending so much time with him on their way to Bespin. The bunk on the wall was tucked in neatly, the blanket folded precisely into a square at the end of the bed. A small pillow was set at the head of the mattress. It was one she had managed to hang on to from her days as a senator on Alderaan. The Rebellion had kept it for her while she went undercover with the Empire. That was back before she was captured on the Death Star by Darth Vader. Back before that dreadful man had stolen her home and her man.

Shaking her head, Leia let her braids loose. They had been wound tightly around her head since the last night on Hoth when Han had gone out to rescue Luke on his tauntaun. She ran her hand through her long hair once to get the knots out, then let it hang. She wanted to relax while she had time to rest, and if her hair was still set up like a senator's while she slept, she would have a headache for days.

For a moment, Leia focused on her breathing. She sat on the edge of her bunk and observed the wall. There was a small compartment along it to store her clothing for her stay on the Rebel space center. She didn't need much else.

The lights were voice operated; a droid unit would stand by for the other bunks, but for her sector of the rooms, Artoo would do just fine. Luke trusted him, and so did she. Plus, he would never fully be put to sleep unless Luke powered him down during the day. This was the best course of action, especially considering they needed a lookout for anyone up to no good, even on their own ship.

Leia studied the smooth floor next. She missed the feeling of her bare feet on something so polished. For a minute, she remembered her few relaxing nights on the Millennium Falcon before they arrived at Cloud City. Though nothing major had happened with Han besides a kiss, she had made herself at home. She cursed him for acting so funny after that. It wasn't until Cloud City that he had decided to be protective of her. How had he come to love her that quickly if he didn't care for her before then? Or had it all been an act, since pretending not to care had worked so well for him on Hoth?

Carefully, Leia began to count seconds as they passed. She was trying her best to remain calm, but thinking about Han wouldn't allow her to easily do so. She needed something - anything - to keep her mind off of him.

Then, as if on cue, her door opened. Only a few people knew her key code, so she wasn't surprised when she saw who her visitor was. She didn't even make a motion to move off of her bed and greet him.

"Luke," she greeted, looking up at her friend. She tried her best to straighten up her face; she didn't need him to know she was upset.

"Are you okay?" he asked immediately.

Leia ruffled her eyebrows together in a concerned face. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"I could feel you from across the hall," Luke told her. "Your silence screams louder than you think."

Leia smiled a half smile and shook her head. "You always have had a way of worrying about everything else before yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Your hand," she told him in a tone that asked if he was really that oblivious. "Shouldn't you be focused on trying to work that thing?"

"Oh," Luke muttered. Then, he held his arm up and flexed the robotic hand so the fingers clenched into a fist. "It's actually a lot easier than you'd think."

"Looks like you're a master of that, too," Leia complimented playfully.

Luke smiled, knowing what she was thinking. "I have to go, Leia," he told her, kneeling down before her bunk so he could look at her while he talked to the Princess.

"I know," she whispered. Then, Luke looked almost pained. "Luke, what is it?" Leia begged.

He shook his head and looked at the floor beneath him briefly. "I can't tell you yet," he said sadly. "But when I complete my training with Yoda, you'll be the first to know."

"Luke, you're worrying me." It was true; Leia was so confused and hurt anymore that she assumed the worst out of his words.

He laughed and met her gaze again. "Stop it!" he jokingly ordered.

"Stop what?!"

Luke took his friend's hands in his own, feeling her with the help of the Force. He wanted to flood her with assurance, with promise, to let her know that she would soon feel okay again. He attempted to calm her, for he could sense the sorrow that she hid from him.

"I can feel when you're lying to me," he informed her.

Leia was insistent. "I'm not lying, I-"

"Even if I'm off on Dagobah, you radio me the second you hear anything from Lando and Chewie," the Jedi demanded.

Sighing, Leia finally stood up. "I'm fine, Luke, really."

"I know you're not. I knew the second you had decided that you loved him. The second that he kissed you, I felt both of your happiness through the Force. I always liked you, Leia, but Han makes you happy. You're both my friends. It's our job to bring him back. Now stop being so stubborn."

Flashing a smile, Leia decided to use her elusive sense of humor to attempt to show him she would be okay. "As the only Princess aboard this ship, I reserve my right to remain stubborn."

Luke stood up, taking her joke lightheartedly. "Don't forget to say goodbye before I leave tomorrow," he reminded her. Then, he returned to his bunk to rest before he left in the morning.