Hi everybody! So here is the next chapter that you've been waiting for. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. As always I was very happy with the reviews I received so don't let me down this time.

I want to thank to a very special reader and a good friend of mine. She helped me out many times while I was writing this story and gave me an idea or two when I had none. She was always a source of inspiration and for that I am very grateful. Thanks M.

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good… whoops wrong fantasy world. I solemnly swear that I don't own Star Wars… and honestly, the first one is quite accurate as well.

Chapter 13 – Eavesdropping and peeking

"So... How long will this take us?" asked Leia, when Han, after several unsuccessful tries, managed to activate the hyperdrive.

"I don't know, an hour or two maybe" he replied

Both Han and Leia sank into their chairs. Neither of them spoke. They just stared through the cockpit window at flashing lights as they flew past millions of stars. Leia was thinking about Alderaan, but when she realized it, she consciously pushed the thought away. She glanced at Han and figured he was absent-minded too. He didn't even notice her gaze. Tiredness was starting to consume her, but similarly as Alderaan, she pushed it away.

"I'm going to see if Fion is alright" said Leia as she stood up. She couldn't possibly sit still for a second longer. She had to occupy her mind with something.

"Go ahead, I'll be right after you" spoke Han with a distant voice.

Leia left the cockpit and Han behind, went through the corridor and turned right until she entered what must have been the main hold. This is where she and Han left Fion, but the room was empty now. She looked around and started the search. She didn't even know where to begin, since she was one hundred percent sure she was never aboard a ship of this model. She opened the door, which turned out to be an entrance to cargo hold, when she heard muffled sobs. She turned around and followed the sound that led her to direction from which she came from. She climbed down the ladder and found Fion sitting in a gunner chair beside the turrets.

Leia kneeled beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about you brother" she spoke quietly.

Fion didn't respond and remained curled up on the chair, crying in his sleeve.

"I know how you feel" continued Leia after a while.

"No, you don't know how I feel" replied Fion, finally lifting his head.

Leia looked into his red eyes and wanted to tell him how wrong he was, how she knew all to well. But she didn't and instead she said: "I know it's hard, but trust me, everything is going to be alright."

"Can't you just leave me alone?" said Fion wiping away tears with his sleeve.

"No, I can't" replied Leia and offered him a sad smile.

"Why not?" he demanded irritated and sad at the same time.

"Because I care" she responded. "And because... Because you remind me of someone."

"Who are you anyway?" asked Fion wiping away yet another tear.

"I'm Leia"

"Fion" he shortly introduced himself.

"You're bleeding" said Leia when she noticed a stream of blood running from behind his ear to his neck. "Come, let's find Han and get this fixed."

Fion obediently climbed the ladder and when Leia reached the top of it after him, Han was already waiting for them. "Leia is right Kid. Let's get you to medical bay, if this ship even has one."

Medical bay was naturally a way too big expectation, but Han was more than satisfied when he found a life support system. Fion of course wasn't really in life danger, but some checks with appropriate equipment weren't going to hurt him either.

Han sat him on medical bunk. Then he applied bacta on boy's bruises on his forehead, back of his head and his arms, while Leia cleaned his face and hands of dust and blood. She noticed Fion's stare and encouragingly smiled at him.

"You're that senator that joined the rebels aren't you?" asked Fion.

Leia nodded, it was good to get him talking. "Why?"

"We were talking about those stolen plans and it was Han who defended you and…"

"Leia, would you scan Fion for possible fractures?" quickly interrupted Han.

"Sure" said Leia, picked up some sort of data pad and started scanning Fions left wrist. "But don't change the subject Han" she added and smiled at the sight of very nervous Han. "You were saying Fion?" she encouraged the boy to continue. At first this was just a conversation to distract Fion, but now she was curios.

"As I was saying, we were talking about those plans the rebels… I mean you managed to steal and somebody said that it was a stupid thing to trust them to a droid. And then Han got really mad at him and said…"

"Okay, that's enough Kid" Han cut it and Leia couldn't help not to smirk.

Half an hour later they left Fion lying on medical bunk and closed the door behind them.

"He has a slight concussion, but otherwise he'll be alright" said Han quietly. "There's nothing more we can do right now, but to leave him rest. He'll need to see a doctor once we land though."

"I'll make sure he gets medical assistance when we reach Yavin" ensured him Leia. "Poor Kid" she sighed after a while.

"Yeah" agreed Han.

"How old is he anyway?" asked Leia.

"Fifteen" replied Han.

"And Empire employs so young people?"

"Yeah, fifteen is the bottom line" spoke Han with a sigh.

"But he's just so small."

"Right…" Han smiled widely and measured her from top to toe. When Leia realized what he was indicating she tried to interrupt him, but he spoke before she did: "I've noticed he is just about as tall as you are."

"He's still small for his age, but that's not my point" said Leia. "What I wanted to say is that he is far too young to be involved in this war."

"So are you, Leia."

"I am not" she spoke confidently. "I'm nineteen and…"

"What you lack, honey, is wisdom and experience" spoke Han knowingly.

"I've had enough experience with war for a lifetime" responded Leia. "And may I ask how old are you?"

"Twenty-nine, why?" asked Han suspiciously.

"Because you're a clear proof that wisdom doesn't come with age" she said and turned on her heel, about to leave the room.

"Hey wait a second" spoke Han and started after her. "Are you calling me old or stupid?"

"And you make it even more obvious" replied Leia and opened the door she randomly came by.

"What on Naboo are you doing?" asked Han puzzled by her actions.

"Exploring, since nobody is gonna give me a tour anyway."

"Forgive me, Your Holiness" said Han sarcastically "I would be most delighted to give a person of your title a tour, but I fear that I myself am not very familiar with interior of this space craft."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Who would have thought you could act appropriately if you wanted to. Anyway, how come you don't know this ship? I thought it was yours."

"It is" answered Han. "But the thing is, I just got it two days ago and I've never used it before."

"Do you have anything on this ship that I could change into?"

"What?" asked Han stupidly.

"I was thinking of taking a shower and changing clothes if you wouldn't mind" said Leia patiently.

"Sure, go ahead" responded Han. "As I said, I don't know where anything is, but if you want I can help you find some clothes and 'fresher."

"You'll never tell me what that conversation with your friends was about, will you?" asked Leia, while they were searching the ship.

"No" replied Han. "Just forget it okay"

"How did you get this ship anyway?" asked Leia after a while, as Han opened a door that brought them to yet another cargo hold.

"Won it in a sabacc game" answered Han and then spotted Leia's expression. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just not really fond of gambling" she replied.

"You make it sound so awful. I bet you just can't play sabacc."

"Of course I know how to play sabacc" said Leia.

"One of these days I'll have to check accuracy of this statement."

"That's fine by me" spoke Leia. "Just don't come crying to me when you lose everything including your pants."

"Well I'm quite willing to bet that's a sight you're dying to see, huh Princess?" said Han with a huge grin.

"Don't flatter yourself, Solo" she replied coldly, but turned away to hide the blush that settled on her cheeks.

Soon they found what they were looking for, crew quarters.

"We might be able to find something for you here" said Han and pointed at wardrobe. Then he looked around the room. There were three bunks in it, a wardrobe that Leia was starting to dig through and a door. And if he was correct, what he of course usually was, the door led to 'fresher. He opened them and saw what was a surprisingly clean refresher compared to the messiness of the rest of the ship. He just needed to check if the water was working.

"Water's working, honey, but it's freezing cold" he called out to her.

"And so will you be if you don't stop calling me honey" she responded, not quite able to decide if she meant it.

"Found anything?" asked Han when he came out of 'fresher pretending he didn't hear her.

"Yes" she said and pointed at neatly folded pile of clothes in one of the drawers. "I'll take this shirt and these pants I think." The shirt she pulled out of the drawer was way too big, but that didn't surprise any of them. It was male after all.

"You'll have to roll up the sleeves and the pants are a bit long too, but it should be fine" said Han. "Try these boots." He handed her a pair of black military boots that were surprisingly small. "Now, how about this jacket?" asked Han and passed her what was recognizably an upper part of imperial officer uniform.

"I won't wear this" said Leia and looked at it with disgust.

"Why not?" asked Han rolling his eyes.

"It's Imperial."

"So are the boots" replied Han.

"It even has the insignia" pointed out Leia.

"Fine" said Han finally losing his patience and threw the uniform away.

"I don't understand why you are so angry about it" spoke Leia.

"And I don't understand why you have to be so damn stubborn about everything."

"I'm going to take a shower now, if you don't mind" said Leia with sublime contempt and went to the 'fresher.

Han was left alone, staring at the door she closed behind her. This girl could make him so angry. She is just so… so royal, he thought. On the other hand, if he could just get a look… He tiptoed to the 'fresher door and was listening intensely when they opened with a whoosh.

"Han the lock is…" started Leia, but stopped when she collided with him. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"I ugh… I just…" stammered Han and took a step back. "Nothing." Really, Solo? Really? He was the one that lied so smoothly to his superiors, but in her presence, much to his annoyance, he often remained wordless.

Leia crossed her arms on her chest and eyed him disbelievingly.

"Right" he said nervously. "Time to get going then."

Leia narrowed her eyes and spoke trough set teeth: "Only a peek Solo and I swear you'll wish you'd never been born." She stepped inside 'fresher once more and closed the door angrily.

"Gee, relax honey" yelled Han after her. "I wonder why you and Vader didn't go along better. You both just love to threaten me."

The pants she wore were comfortable and the boots fit perfectly. But the shirt was as Han pointed out way too big, so she decided to wear it as a tunic and put belt around her waist. She figured that they should reach Yavin any time now, so she went off to find ship's captain. She checked the cockpit, which was empty and headed for hold number two, where life support unit was located. She wanted to enter the room but something stopped her. She stayed hidden by the wall right beside the doorway.

"… I'm not saying I know how you feel, but that I understand" she heard Han's voice. "In time the pain will go away, it will become easier, even bearable."

"But if the pain will go away," spoke Fion "it will all be just like… forgetting him."

"You'll never forget him. I know I won't."

"But I miss him so much" whispered Fion. "I can't believe he's gone."

"I know" replied Han softly. "And I also know that I could never wish for a better friend."

At this point Fion's sobbing turned into crying. Leia, hidden behind the wall, was fighting with tears herself.

"Come here, Kid" she heard Han's voice and suddenly she felt an urge to see him. She stepped to the open door silently, trying not to break the moment taking place in front of her eyes. Han was hugging Fion, who cried in his arms.

"Listen to me" spoke Han. He lifted his gaze and saw Leia standing in a doorway. He looked at her and instantly she was captured in his eyes.

"What happened back there wasn't your fault" he continued. "I know it's painful, I know it hurts."

His gaze was fixed and Leia understood.

"But if you let someone near you, if you let someone take away a part of your pain, you don't disgrace the memory of those you have lost, you don't dishonor them."

Leia forgot to breathe.

"I'm here for you."