Han marched around the hold, slamming doors, carelessly tossing crates and tools out of his way as he deliberately ignored Chewbacca's curious look. He had just blown the new circuit he'd been trying to replace and now he needed to find another one. He was also supposed to be finding a spool of wiring for Chewie, but...the memory of his arms around the petite princess kept interfering with his concentration, making him feel clumsy and slow.

Han didn't know what had caused the ship to lurch so suddenly, tossing Leia directly in his lap, but he had enjoyed those few seconds and wished...for what, exactly? That she would have turned and thrown her arms around him? Kissing him as she had back on Ord Mantell?

Not likely.

Han winced slightly at the memory of Ord Mantell. They'd gotten close in the weeks they'd spent there. He'd loved making her laugh, the easy conversation and the tender and passionate kisses that held the hope of a future together.

But he had forgotten to be careful. He'd forgotten they were vulnerable, and he'd almost lost her because of it. And so he did what he knew best; he shut down and prepared to leave.

He had hurt her. He knew that. And he hated himself for it but at the time he hadn't known what else to do. But as he thought back…he supposed he could have talked to her and explained how he had to go get Jabba off his back and hoped she would let him return someday. Maybe she would have even asked him to come back, that would've been nice. But as usual, he'd made a mess of everything and somehow hadn't even gotten around to leaving, much less taking care of the problem.

Not that any of that mattered now. They were very tiny prey, hunted by a pack of angry Imperials. Surviving the immediate future needed to be his priority. He did not need to be moping around worrying about her royal highness.

But then he walked by the circuitry bay where Leia was working and a flash of inspiration hit. Maybe...well, maybe he could patch things up with her. Perhaps they could even figure out a way to make something between them work. It would sure as hell make the next few days more pleasant inside the confining ship. He would still have to deal with Jabba eventually, but...was it possible to make peace with Leia now and worry about that later?

He could explain things like he should have done in the first place. He'd simply tell her he would be taking her to the rendezvous, then leaving to pay off Jabba. The difference this time was that he would be coming back. To her.

Why hadn't he thought of that before? Of course he would come back. That is, if he could. Because Jabba would probably kill him.

Han squatted on the floor to rummage through a toolbox, giving himself a few moments to think.

There was no denying the connection between them. He had tried to distance himself from not only her, but his feelings for her, only to find every fiber of his being yearned for only one thing: her.

And if he knew anything in this galaxy to be true, he knew she wanted him as well. All ego and bravado aside, he could see it in her eyes and feel it in her very presence.

So, what was he waiting for? Optimism sparked in his chest. What was the worst that could happen?

Leia bolted as fast as she could through the narrow corridor, back to the relative safety of the cockpit. Of all the bantha-brained ideas! What was Han thinking? That he could kiss her and everything would be fine? What made him think she even wanted to kiss him? She did, of course, because her blasted body could think of little else, but still. He had a lot of nerve, and one kiss wasn't going to make up for the last few months, no matter how nice it was.

Leia plopped herself down heavily in the captain's chair. She sat in Han's seat simply out of defiance to the man. If he could invade her space, she could damn well invade his.

Rubbing her forehead, Leia tried to massage away some of the tension. Her face was still hot, her legs still...trembling. One touch from him and her body had betrayed her; she'd leaned into his kiss as if her life depended on it, and if she was being honest with herself, a small part of her wished Threepio hadn't come in when he did. Han had just started to pull her closer, the heat of his body seeping through her insulated snowsuit. His lips had moved against hers in a gentle, searching caress, and she had followed right along. Another moment and she would have…well, it was probably good that they'd been interrupted.

Leia covered her face with her hands as she tried to slow her breathing. If only she could tell her heart to stop yearning for him. That time they'd spent together on Ord Mantell was macrofused into her memories. She'd known better than to let her guard down, but it had seemed so easy and natural. She remembered him asking her to take a walk with him on the beach...her bare feet in the surf, his hand holding hers. She'd felt safe, hopeful and happy, ready to see where a relationship with him could lead.

All of it dashed with his cold and abrupt abandonment.

Okay...he didn't abandon her. But it felt like it, and it had hurt. Anger had felt like the perfect shield...until he walked right through that shield and back into her physical space, making her want to toss all of her resolve out the airlock and try again. Gods, she wanted to try again. There had to be a way to make it work between them, and obviously he also wanted...something. In her heart of hearts she knew enough to know he wasn't after an easy fling. Regardless of his flagrant betrayal of her trust, somehow, she still trusted him. A foundation had been established in the past few years, and Leia was surprised to find herself ready to forgive and move on. Perhaps she was simply tired of fighting.

She let that thought resonate for a moment. She was tired. Only this morning they'd fled Hoth and Vader. And was it yesterday or the day before Han and Luke had spent the night out on the icy plains, worrying her to death?. She was fully and completely exhausted.

Han finished closing the valve that Leia had been struggling to shut. Once he got it back in place, he moved deeper into the hallway and sat down on the floor. That kiss had affected him much more than he'd anticipated. He'd wanted to go after her when she had run out, but he knew enough to stay where he was. At least until he could pull his thoughts together.

Han released a long breath. That had been a damn good kiss. He hadn't expected such a strong response from her, but when she'd pressed into him, the anger gone from her body as she returned his kiss, his self-restraint had evaporated. He should have kept it light, quick even. He tried to let her set the pace, but once he'd felt her take that small step closer, he was done for. He'd tightened his hold as he breathed her in. He'd just felt her tongue on his lip when Threepio had barged in. He'd never felt so murderous towards a droid as he had in that moment.

So, now what? She'd run away before he could properly gauge her reaction. He supposed he should have tried talking to her first. And actually, in his own defense, when he'd entered the bay, he'd had every intention of talking.

Well, he would just have to try again.

Rising from the floor, Han headed back out into the main hold. But then his steps faltered. He had never been very good with these matters and he was bound to say something wrong.

Best case scenario, she would kiss him again. Worst case...she would declare her undying hatred of him and demand to be dropped at the nearest port.

Well, he wasn't going to find out if he didn't get moving. He also had a ship to repair, so he hastened his steps.

Leia wasn't in the hold, where Chewie barked something at him about melted circuits. Han waved him off and kept walking. Figuring she would either go hide out in the cabin or cockpit, he decided to try the latter first.

Opening the door to the cockpit, he saw her startle, but after a brief moment of eye contact, she sank back down in his chair. This surprised him; he'd never seen her sit there. He didn't mind, though, and sat himself down in the seat next to her.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," Leia replied flatly. She didn't look at him, but kept staring out into the darkness beyond the softly lit cockpit. Her expression was unreadable, and he wondered if he should have given her more time. But he was there now, so he pushed forward.

"Sorry about...before."

Well, that got her attention.

"Which part, Han?" She sat up and turned to face him, as angry as he'd ever seen her. "The part about going with me to Ord Mantell and spending that time together? Or maybe the part where you brought me back from Ord Mantell and then completely ignored me?"

Leia paused for a breath, then quietly went on: "Or about kissing me out there just a bit ago?"

She leaned back in her chair and looked out the viewport again. Han noticed how worn out she looked and he hated that he was adding to her frustration after the day they'd had.

Han opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when she spoke again.

"I wish you'd make up your mind," Leia said. "One minute you're here, the next you say you're leaving—and then you don't—I never know what to expect and I'm just so...tired." Leia took a slow, deep breath. "If you're going to stay, then stay. I want you to stay, and I don't know, but it seems to me that you want to stay. So what's stopping you?"

Han sat in silence for a minute. He'd expected anything but that. Taking a steadying breath, he started again.

"Ord Mantell scared the hell outta me, Leia. When I saw you fall from the stun…" Han rubbed his hand through his hair at the memory. He hadn't known it was only a stun bolt when he saw her fall, and his heart had just about stopped at the sight of her lying motionless on the ground.

"And those guys… You were out cold but they had me dead to rights and were telling me, in no uncertain terms, what they were going to do to you once they got us back to their ship. And they didn't even know who you are! As soon as they figured out that little bit of information," Han had to pause again, his heart pounding. "They would've had their fun with you then you'd have been sold to the Empire and never heard from again." Han knew he was almost shouting and his voice was shaking, but he couldn't seem to help it as words finally poured forth.

"Until then I thought all I had to worry about was Vader getting a hold of you again. But two thugs from MY past who were planning to…? No way. That wasn't—isn't—going to happen." Han lowered his voice as he looked down at his lap. "And so, the only way I could figure to keep it from happening was to leave.

"But, listen," Han started, waiting until she looked at him again before continuing. "You have no idea how much you... I mean, I tried leaving, I just couldn't. Then one thing turned into another and, well, I'm sorry."

Leia stared at him, her face still taut, her eyes weary. "So you're sorry for not leaving?"

Han thought carefully for a moment before answering. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

"You should have told me."

Han grimaced slightly. "Yeah," he conceded.

"Maybe we could have figured something out...together."

"Yeah," he said again. He at felt a flicker of hope at the way she said 'together', like...maybe they still had a chance to be...together.

Leia turned in the seat to face him again. "Did it ever occur to you that I wanted to be with you? I knew you had trouble with the Hutts. I knew there was risk for you as well as myself. But we're in wartime, there's always a measure of risk. What's a little more or less? But you took the choice away from me. You decided it was too dangerous for us to be together. You decided it was too dangerous for me." Leia sat up and tucked her feet under her as she held his gaze.

"I'm not a youngling. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions. It felt like you suddenly stopped caring about me. Like that time together meant nothing to you."

"That wasn't—"

"I know it wasn't. Now. But that's how it felt."

Han was quiet. He could apologize again, but he doubted it would do much good. He hadn't really taken the time to consider how she had felt, and hearing it now made him wish again he had handled it all differently.

Quietly, Leia continued. "You came back for me. On Hoth."

"I'll always come back for you, Leia."

She looked down at her hands. "I hadn't planned on...evacuating."

"I know."

Leia looked at him. "You know?"

"I know you."

Slowly, Leia simply nodded and sat back in her chair.

Han exhaled as he sat back himself, relieved. He should tell her he still needed to go take care of his debt, but a tentative peace seemed to have been established, and he couldn't quite bring himself to break it. Her beautiful face had softened, the firm set of her lips was gone.

"Well, I'd better get back to helping Chewie." Han got up to leave, but before he left he put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you later?"

Leia only nodded again, but she raised her hand and gently laid it over his.

"You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them."

Leia's last words were on a constant replay in his mind. She'd even kissed his cheek, so it seemed he had succeeded in smoothing things over for now. Where that left their romantic relationship, he couldn't say. But at least they weren't enemies, which was a good thing because they had a few days to kill before they arrived at Bespin.

Killing the rest of day one turned out to be easy. Han had been sitting in the cockpit, running diagnostics when he thought he'd close his eyes for a minute. But it was an hour later when he opened them again. He checked the chrono to see it was in the middle of what would be the night cycle if he was on a normal schedule. He decided to seek out a bunk and see if he could sleep for a while longer.

Stiff from sitting so long, Han stretched as he got up and walked back into the main hold, hoping Leia had made herself comfortable somewhere, when he stopped, surprised to see her asleep at the console, her head resting sideways in her propped-up arm.

Going on instinct, mingled with exhaustion, he knelt in front of her, his hand on her knee to wake her as gently as he could.

"Leia?"

Her eyes came open. She sat up straighter, looking at the console as if trying to remember what she was doing.

"Hey, sweetheart, let's go to bed. We're both beat." He watched her tired eyes try to blink away the fatigue, but she nodded and without a word they went together to his cabin. Han slipped off his boots and jacket, and after a moment, she did the same. Then as easily and naturally as if they did it every night, they got into bed. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her in close.

"Okay?"

She nodded and finally, for the first time in many weeks, Han felt himself relax as the hours drifted by.

Han opened his eyes. Leia lay on her side facing him, still sleeping peacefully. So once again they were together, with an unspoken need of one another. He was ready to admit he needed her. He needed her near him. He craved her touch and just...somehow, when he was with her, the galaxy didn't seem so huge and overwhelming.

But...the galaxy was huge and in it were beings trying desperately to kill them both. He needed to be careful not to get too comfortable or he'd lose her yet. But, all of that seemed far away as he watched her sleep. She'd easily accepted his invitation to sleep with him, giving him hope for them. He'd been such a fool to think he could stay away from her. He hoped he wasn't a fool for—

Leia stirred, interrupting his thoughts. Han watched her delicate face as her eyes blinked open and found his.

"Hey, hon. Sleep okay?" he asked, amazed at how easily the endearment came from his mouth.

"Mmm hmm." Leia's eyebrows shot up as she caught sight of the chrono above the bunk. "Wow. It's late."

"It's not like we're in a rush for anything, at least not today."

"I suppose."

Han wasn't sure what to do next. What he really wanted was to reacquaint himself with those lovely lips of hers, but his own lips had gotten him into enough trouble lately and he would hold them in check.

At least until she woke up a bit.

She looked at him.

He waited.

But when she smiled, he figured, what the hell. Moving to lean over her, he glanced at her lips, a question. She could easily get up, and they would simply start the day. Or…

She was still smiling. Lovely and calm. Han smiled back. "I like this better than fighting," he said as he settled over her, his voice low. There was something tender and special about this first morning together, and he didn't want to break the spell. The quiet, the solitude. Not a soul outside of this ship knew Leia Organa was in his bunk, smiling beautifully at him. The privacy wouldn't last, he knew, but for now, she was his and his alone.

Leaning on one elbow, he brought his free hand to caress her face. His thumb traced her bottom lip, still soft from sleep.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he whispered.

"I've been waiting," she whispered back.

Han had to give a small laugh as he leaned down, closing the space between them. Her hands came up around his neck, combing through his hair, holding onto him.

Their first kiss in this new point in their relationship. He wanted to savor it, to hold onto this moment that was only theirs, this memory that would always be between them. There was underlying passion in this slow kiss. Need, want. Hope. He could taste it all as he slowly moved his lips against hers. She was perfect. How perfectly she fit beneath him. Her lips moved with his own, give and take, easy. He took his time as he explored and enjoyed the feel of her.

He tentatively brushed her lower lip with his tongue, almost smiling when after a brief hesitation, she welcomed his advance.

Good gods, this woman could kiss.

He'd never really believed in destiny, or fate or the force. But, if any of those things had picked Leia for him, he might have to change his whole belief system.

Finally, he pulled back, careful not to take things too far, too fast. He kissed her forehead.

"How about some breakfast?" he asked.

"That sounds good. We didn't eat much yesterday."

"Yesterday was kinda busy."

"Yeah."

Han gave her one more quick kiss before moving off of her. He watched her face as she disentangled herself from him and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Well, if the shower didn't break along with everything else yesterday, I think I'll get cleaned up," Leia said.

Quickly deciding she was allowed to insult his ship now that she had slept in his bunk, he said, "yeah, uh, go ahead. Help yourself to whatever you need. You know where everything is." He indicated the closet where his clothes were kept. He watched as she rummaged through his clothing. She still wore her white snowsuit, which he'd seen a hundred times, but today it looked different. New. No longer was she the enemy of his own making in his delusional and emotional self-destruction of the past months.

Leia turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in question.

"Uh, I'll see what I can find to eat." Caught staring, he got up quickly before he said anything truly inane.

Leia nodded and turned to the adjacent fresher door, but not before he could see her smile.

Han found himself smiling all through making breakfast. Surely things would be easier for them now.

Except he had forgotten about Jabba.

Knowing he needed to clarify that he would still be leaving was a heavy weight in his chest. They would reach Bespin tomorrow and he had a feeling that tonight could be very special for them, but...he had to talk to her first.

His plan was to sit her down, calmly explain that he had to go, but also that he would be back. He imagined her listening as he stated his case, nodding in agreement and promising to wait for him. If all went well, he'd only be gone a short time, then he would come back, join her rebellion and fight the bad guys alongside her for the rest of his days.

Han was sure she would understand. And he was definitely going to talk to her, just as soon as he finished filling out his logs.

If he could focus on them long enough to finish.

Leia had let him kiss her again in the galley earlier. She'd been putting away the clean breakfast dishes when he walked in. There she was, up on her toes, trying to reach a cupboard. Her slender arm reached high and was bare to her shoulders where the sleeve of her shirt had bunched up. Her lovely curves were delightfully highlighted as she turned and saw him, slowly bringing her arm back down to her side.

Well, Han was a reasonable man and perhaps if she hadn't looked so completely adorable, he might have been able to warn her or something, but before he had another thought he leaned right over and kissed her lips with a loud smack.

A distant roar from Chewbacca woke Han from his reverie. Chewie would probably start howling in his direction if Han didn't make some progress on the logs, he'd already put it off for too long.

He needed to focus. Hoth. Right. Tap tap tap… What time had they left Hoth? Han couldn't remember and so just entered 0800 hours. Pretty much everything around the base happened at 0800...

Han's mind drifted once more as he wondered what Leia was doing. And what was next for them? He'd never once in his life considered long term plans with a woman. Long term had always meant "tomorrow" or "next time I'm in this system, I'll look you up." But now it meant...tomorrow and the next day and next year and really, just...did there have to be an end...ever?

He hoped not. But there would be a very soon and unpleasant end for them both if he didn't take care of some things.

Han found it difficult to think about Jabba or anything besides Leia. What he really wanted to do was to aim the ship in some random direction and drift around space for the next few weeks. Being with the princess without any prying eyes was a rare treat, and now, with their romantic relationship holding more promise than ever, he was in no hurry to reach any port at all.

But, no. Repairs were needed or they wouldn't be going anywhere. He would keep the ship on course to the Anoat system, where Lando would hopefully help then he'd get Leia back to the fleet. After that...

As if Leia could hear him thinking about her, the cockpit door opened and there she was. But instead of taking a seat in the co-pilot's chair, which would have given him space to think clearly and say what he needed to say, she sat herself down right in his lap.

Besides her thermal leggings, she wore an old ratty pullover shirt of his that he'd meant to throw out ages ago. He couldn't believe he'd never noticed how soft it was. A hole grabbed his attention and his finger slipped through, finding the smooth skin of her back underneath.

"How's it going?" Leia breathed, her voice low and intimate as she drew her hands up around his neck and brought her face close.

"Fine. Just finishing up...the...uh…" Han sucked in a breath as he felt her lips on his ear. His next words were out before he even thought them. "Damn, woman. I've missed you."

Han felt Leia's lips smile against his cheek where she'd left imprints of several small kisses. Her fingers combed through his hair on the back of his neck as her mouth slowly made its way to his lips. But before she kissed him, she whispered, "I missed you, too. Don't ever leave me again, do you hear?"

Her lips covered his before he could respond.

He would have to have his talk with her after dinner.

Dinner had come and gone. Now it was late in the evening and he'd still said nothing. Han was sitting on the bunk, waiting for Leia to finish in the fresher, and then he would talk to her.

Yes. And then, hopefully, they could move onto other more enjoyable topics. Tonight was theirs, he could feel it. She'd followed him into his cabin without a word, kissing him lightly before going to the fresher.

Han stared at the light coming from underneath the fresher door. He could feel his heart pounding in anticipation. She'd finish any moment now, and the second she came through that door, he would say…what would he say? He would say Jabba still needed to be paid. He would explain how he couldn't live with a price on his head. But he'd definitely make sure she understood that he would come straight back to her.

It should have come as no surprise that his plans would be waylaid once again by the tiny Princess.

Leia appeared in the doorway. She wore no pants, only underwear, and instead of the shirt from earlier which nicely covered her, she wore a simple black undershirt. But the shirt was too large for her and it hung low and loose on her shoulders.

Very low.

And when he allowed his eyes to glance quickly just a couple centims lower, it was quite obvious one important piece of undergarment was missing.

What in all the holy blazes was she doing? He couldn't possibly think straight when she…when he…

He realized he was gawking. Closing his mouth, he averted his eyes and tried to look casual.

"Hey…" his words faltered. His body was ablaze with desire and he had no words.

Leia only smiled at him.

Han Solo did not know what to do. What he wanted to do and what he needed to do were two different things and his brain could not find its logic circuits.

He took a deep breath. The fact of the matter was he couldn't talk to her when she looked like...that.

He stole another glance. Gods, she was beautiful.

"You forgot something." Hearing his own husky voice, he knew he was in trouble. How often he had dreamt of this moment...of Leia standing before him, ready, willing, and wanting him as much as he wanted her.

"No, I don't think I did." She looked down innocently at herself before sitting next to him on the bed.

"Damnit, Leia, you look—"

His words were cut short as her lips came to his in a kiss of pure fire. Breathing seemed unimportant as he kissed her back, allowing himself to kiss her for all he was worth, his only rule…to keep his hands to himself. But her kiss was threatening his senses, and he was starting to wonder why he ever thought talking was a good idea.

How he wanted to slip the thin straps from her shoulders, and explore those curves in all their glorious freedom.

He knew Leia had to crane her neck to reach him from her position beside him and all he needed to do was pull her to him, lay down with her…

But no. He would not. She needed to know he couldn't stay. And she would understand...

Talk to her. Talk to her now. Talk, talk, talk.

Why wasn't he listening to himself?

It was because her tongue had touched his lips and he was consumed with her and the feeling of knowing she wanted this…with him…

Han tried to give himself a mental shake.

Slimy Hutts of Nar Shadaa. Tatooinian crime lords.

Dismemberment.

Death.

Han was finding it hard to care.

Han pretended not to notice when he felt a slight pressure from her, pushing him back. Instead, he indulged in the feel of her body pressing against him. The thin shirt hid very little and all rational thought was quickly leaving, but somehow he held on, unable to pull himself away yet not quite willing to give himself over completely. He would stop and talk, he had to...but then, barely breaking the kiss, she moved to sit in his lap, facing him. Her hands dug into his hair, her body tight against his.

An audible grunt escaped his throat when she pushed again, harder, trying to get him to lay back. He had to reach a hand out behind him to brace himself against the mattress.

Leia finally sat back and looked at him. "Are you just going to sit there all night?"

"Leia…"

"Are you alright?" She pulled even farther away. "Is something wrong?"

Han shook his head. "I want you so bad, you have no idea. But, listen…" Han took her hand, holding it tightly. He used his free hand to rub his face, trying to find the words.

"I still have to go pay off Jabba," he blurted. "But I'll be back as soon as I can, I just don't know—"

"Take me with you."

"What? No! Absolu—"

"What, yes!" she mocked. "Why not?"

"No. Leia, come on. You—"

Leia moved off his lap, an arm's length away from him now. "I what? Can't handle myself?"

"Not against a stun gun." Han could see she didn't like that answer one bit.

"And you're better? Stun bolts bounce right off of you, do they? How about blaster shots?"

Han sighed. "Sweetheart, listen." He reached for her hand again but she folded her arms across her chest as she stared at him. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Because of you?"

"Yes, because of me! Is that so bad?"

"No, it's not bad." Leia's voice softened.

"It's not like I want to go. But I can't have him after me—after us—"

"All the more reason I should come with you."

"Leia…"

"Han. Do you think I don't understand? How many times have I heard you refer to it as 'your rebellion', or, 'see ya after I get back from this mission of yours'? You admitted it yourself, you've stayed for me. And every single time you were in danger because of me, I—"

"That isn't the same thing."

"It's exactly the same thing!" Leia shot back at him. "You don't get to pick and choose here." Leia stood up and rummaged through some clothing hanging on a rack. "You're either all in, and we do this and everything else together, or I'm out. I will not be your portside girl and I absolutely will not sit by while you go off and face Jabba alone."

"I'll come back…" he said feebly. His one ace sounding weak in his own ears.

Leia found an old jacket of his and held it while she faced him again. "We'll come back. Or better yet, we don't go at all. We've made it this far, we'll just keep hiding."

"And have bounty hunters sneak up behind us again? No."

Leia swung the jacket around her shoulders. "Then I guess it's settled."

Han opened his mouth to argue, but no words came forth.

Leia turned and palmed the door. "I'm going to make some tea."

Han sighed and flung himself back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Just once he would like things to go the way he planned.

Leia filled her mug with water from the insta-hot, thankful for the small luxury. She then turned and rested against the counter in the small galley, absently stirring her tea.

She'd half expected Han to follow her out, but was glad he didn't. They both needed a few minutes to think. She understood why he didn't want her to come to Jabba's, of course she did. She would feel the same in his place. But it didn't matter, and somehow she would convince him. There was great risk in caring for another being. And there was always the fear of loss, the fear of vulnerability. Even now her throat clenched at the thought of losing him.

A shiver ran down Leia's spine. Gods, she was cold. Space travel was naturally cold, but she felt frigid right to her very core. As they inched towards Bespin, she felt more and more anxious.

She pondered for a moment, trying to discern the source of her anxiety. She only knew what Han had told her; that it was a gas mining facility and Lando, an old friend, ran it...or worked there? Maybe he was king of the Anoat system. She didn't know and didn't care. But a cold dread filled her every time she thought of it. Not to mention the battle they'd just been through, scattering the rebels once more. She didn't even know who had survived or where her fellow rebels were. Luke, Wedge, Carlist...assuming they were alive, her dear friends also didn't know where she was. It was a lonely feeling.

Leia was afraid, she realized. Afraid of too many things. Of Bespin, though she knew not why. Of Vader, and of being unable to stop the Empire from its slow and determined takeover of the galaxy.

And for Han. Fear of losing him was quickly taking priority in her heart. He was determined to leave her safely tucked somewhere while he went on his death-mission alone. Well, he could just forget about it. She could be every bit as stubborn as he and she would not be left behind. He needed her, whether he knew it or not.

And she needed him.

Leia held onto her mug tightly, willing it to warm her and soothe away her troubles.

Han sat up.

Jabba... Why had he ever done business with him? Somehow he must have thought he would never have anyone else to think about besides Chewie and himself. He made a few credits, lost them, figured he would make them back again then Luke and the old Jedi showed up, changing everything.

What do you think, a princess and a guy like me?

Han shook his head. No, he would never have thought...but here he was. A princess was with a guy like him and while he had made some poor choices early on in his life, she was willing and even eager to help him. He knew her to be fiercely loyal and while the thought of her being loyal to him sent a warm rush through his body, there was no way he could take her anywhere near that trash-heap of a planet. Someone would surely recognize her, in a den full of bounty hunters. And that was unthinkable.

But, what if… Sighing, Han stood up. He didn't know anything anymore. What he did know was that Leia wouldn't give up, and he would either have to leave her, which felt impossible at this point, or he'd have to let her come with him. Maybe between Leia, Chewbacca and himself they could come up with a plan that would keep her safe and still...still what? Pay off Jabba? It was unlikely he would even accept any payment Han could offer. Revenge and Han's own humiliation was the debt the Hutt wanted to collect. Too much time had passed and with Han's name literally in the history annals, he was a fine prize.

Han longed for the uncomplicated closeness he and Leia had on Ord Mantell, where he'd first allowed himself to think of a possible future with her. It had seemed so much more simple back then.

But now, with the future looming large and uncertain before them, it felt like...like if he didn't have her beside him, the future didn't even matter.

Han slapped the controls to open the door. He felt like he had figured out the key. The key to everything was Leia, and he would do whatever he could to be with her. And yes, protect her, but not at the expense of them. Somehow he would find a way to do both.

Walking out of his cabin, he entered the main hold. Not seeing her, Han headed for the cockpit, but as he passed the galley, he saw she was standing there, her brows furrowed as she stared into her cup.

"You okay?" Han approached slowly.

"I don't know." Leia twisted her mug in her hands, first one way, then another. "Nothing feels right."

"Yeah." Han came and stood beside her, resting with his back against the counter.

"Why does everything have to be so difficult?" she asked as she leaned her head against his arm.

"I dunno." Han tentatively reached his arm around her shoulder. "Maybe 'cause...it's worth fighting for."

Leia turned her head up to meet his gaze, her eyes dark and determined.

"You're worth fighting for." Leia straightened and stepped in front of him. Han's hand fell back to his side. "And I'm going with you."

Sighing, Han tried again to bring her close to him, but she resisted, pushing against his chest, looking up at him again.

"Han, I mean it."

"Sweetheart, Jabba won't...I mean, you're a woman, he will—"

"I know what the Hutts are like." Leia's hand splayed softly against his chest, no longer pushing. "We'll be careful, and we'll find a way."

"The Alliance—"

"They'll be fine without me for a while."

Han gazed down at her for a long time, feeling like he could almost see her very soul through those big brown eyes. Leia was always formidable in any negotiation. He'd lost many arguments with her these past few years...and none seemed as important as this one. But as usual, she was right. He did stand a better chance with her there...and blast it all, he wanted her there. She was willing to give up everything to help him, to be with him. How could he give any less?

Han found himself nodding in acquiescence before he had even finished his thoughts. Chewie was going to kill him when he found out, never mind Jabba or the Empire.

And finally, Han was able to exhale fully. He felt the physical tension ebb from his body as he took a slow, cleansing breath. It was as simple as that. He and Leia would do this together. They would be together.

When he drew Leia towards him again, she came eagerly into his arms. This tiny little woman, full of fire and zeal, had chosen him over her beloved rebellion and was willing to risk life and limb to help him.

Leia looked up at him, bringing one arm between them as she rested her hand against his chest, tucking herself in his arms.

"Leia, I—"

"Shh, don't talk. Just kiss me," Leia said softly as she stretched up to meet his lips.

There weren't words that could express what he was feeling anyway. And so he kissed her, hungrily, deeply, and with a freedom he hadn't felt before; a passion and energy he had thus far held back.

Breaking the kiss for a moment, he hoisted her up to sit on the counter, bringing her face almost level with his. She opened her legs, wrapping them around him as he came close to her again. He held her waist, relishing the closeness of their bodies and the way the curve of her hips fit so perfectly in his hands. He'd waited for her for so long and he was determined not to rush, but still his hands crept up her sides, under his old jacket. Those shoulders were calling to him. They needed to be set free of those straps…

"Han…"

"Mmm?" he said with his lips against her neck. He pushed the sleeve of the jacket off her shoulder as he worked his way down her shoulder.

"Is Chewie around?"

"Uh, Chewie?" Han pulled back to look at her, confusion furrowing his brow.

"Yes, Chewbacca, or Threepio." Leia enunciated the names slowly. "Are they going to find us here?"

"Oh, um. Chewie went to bed a while ago and if Threepio comes I'll blast him." Han didn't feel like thinking about Chewie, much less the obnoxious droid. He felt like thinking about her lips, and he leaned in to find her mouth once more.

Leia slipped her arms out of her sleeves, shrugging the jacket off her shoulders, letting it fall on the counter behind her. She then carefully worked until she had his shirt open. He didn't stop kissing her, but all his focus was on her hands, which slid inside his shirt and around his sides. The coolness of her fingers felt at once cold and hot and he was forced to pull back and take a breath.

"Better be careful, Princess," Han whispered in her ear.

"Of what? Tell me, Han," Leia whispered back as her hands moved up to his chest.

"We're passing a point of no return here," he kissed her ear and said quietly, "are you sure?"

Leia's hands came on either side of his face as she brought him to her. "I am quite sure." She then scooted herself forward, legs wrapped around him, until he either had to let her fall or carry her. She nestled her face in his neck, waiting for him to take her away.

As if he could do anything else.

Han and Leia both startled awake as Chewbacca's roaring voice came over the comm.

"Ahhhhh…" Han banged around on the wall, trying to hit the comm.

Chewie roared again before Han found the right button.

"Calm down! I'll be out in a minute!"

Leia laughed as Han turned back towards her, groaning as he covered her with his body and buried his head in her neck.

"Well, that's not how I was planning to wake up today." Han said.

"It's effective though."

"Yeah." Han kissed her neck, heading for her lips. Her bare skin was warm and soft and he just about groaned all over again for the wonderfulness of her.

"Han…"

"Mmmm?" He said against her lips.

"Chewie is waiting," she said back against his lips.

"Yeah." But he made no move to get up. He was going to, but then his hand found her breasts and they were so soft...he pulled back, just to look. It was dark last night but now, even with the artificial morning light, they were beautiful. To have them finally free...he wondered if he'd ever be able to pull himself away again.

Han dragged his eyes upward and propped himself up on his elbows to look down at her.

"You okay? Last night was kind of...intense."

Leia smiled. It was a smile he wanted to always remember because for once, he could see no tension in her. For this short time she had let everything else go. It was just the two of them, alone, safe, together.

"Too intense for you, Flyboy?"

"Not even a little."

Unable to stop himself, he leaned down again and was just about to start doing some serious kissing when Chewie banged on the door.

Han sighed heavily. "I gotta go. But like I said before, you're a difficult woman to leave." He kissed her once more, a promise for later. Then he tucked the sheet around her and went to the fresher to dress and start the day.

They would reach Bespin in a few hours, and as long as Lando didn't hold any grudges and everything went smoothly, he figured they'd be able to get the ship fixed in a day or two and be on their way.

Maybe over breakfast he would ask his little crew what they thought of taking the long way to the rendezvous.

Happy May the Fourth, my fellow Star Wars lovers! And a very, very happy birthday to my dear Jenny. Several years ago she sent me a little note saying she'd be happy to beta a fic I'd been working on...little did she know I would hound her for years to come with every little story I could come up with. She spent hours on this fic with me, giving ideas and encouragement. Also, a shoutout to my friends at the HSBCAS, you are beautiful and strong. MTFBWY.