Thanks to everyone reading! I wanted to get this up quick, so I'll post replies with the next chapter!
Han sat next to Leia and put his head in his hands. He didn't want to make any sudden moves and he definitely didn't want to say the wrong thing. But he wanted to make sure that Leia knew he was there.
They sat like that for a long time.
Leia slowly opened her eyes. Things were quite blurry, as though she was pulling herself out a deep slumber. The first thing she was aware of was the sound of someone else. Han. Then it her. She was in his bed.
Her eyes widened and she carefully turned her head slightly to the right. There he was, on the other side of the bed sitting up with his back against the hull, one leg up, one foot on the floor and very softly snoring.
Was he here all night? Deep down inside she hoped he was.
Han sensed her stirring and his eyes instantly opened and focused on Leia. He paused for a second just watching her, gauging her reaction to waking up in his bed. But Han knew what he was thinking and what he should say were two very different things, and at the moment and he suppressed his urge to be….suggestive. If he had the foresight that this woman, this princess, would make him lose his hardened edge when it came to, (what was the word), relationships, then maybe he would have taken off after coming to a rolling stop on Yavin, just long enough to push everyone off his ship. Then again, probably not. The thing was, Han knew that even if he had warning that he would feel this way about Leia, he would have stayed anyway. And that scared him a little.
He turned his back to Leia as he swung his other leg onto the floor, ready to get up. Looking over his shoulder, he thought one of them should say something. It was becoming momentarily awkward, he knew, as Leia wasn't accustomed to waking up in another man's bed. Well, not his anyway and he hoped no one else for that matter. Especially, not the "frien…" He stopped himself right then. This was not a line of thought he wanted to follow.
"I came to check on you, Princess. We'll arrive at the Pantos Docking Bay shortly." Han got up and stopped at the door. "I'm sorry. I must have dozed off." That was all he said. Then he was gone.
Leia laid there and pulled up the covers. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so comfortable. The "sleep issues" she had been having recently were a dead giveaway that something was wrong with her and she was certain that Han could see this. After all, didn't she just wake up in his bed with him and he didn't do or say anything to call attention to that.
They would arrive on Pantolomin soon. She resolved herself right then to refocus on this meeting. The Council was dependant upon her ability to seek out new funding sources and the recruitment of loyal members. It was an overwhelming pressure; to make the determination, at the risk of jeopardizing the rebellion, who was safe to bring directly into the cause. Trusting even one wrong person could end it all. She had a unique perspective; she was a traitor of the Empire. If she could pretend to be on one side while supporting another, then someone else could too.
No. Starting today she would teach herself to be strong again. She would not fail. And she would deal with Han, but after her meeting. She smiled at herself. Here she was fighting for peace in a galaxy where she spent her time warring with Han Solo. And here she was the great diplomat and he was the one trying to make the peace. Maybe there was hope for the two of them yet.
She only had to know where his priorities lie. She thought this, then remembered she was in his bed. And she didn't want to get up...
Han walked into the cockpit as Chewie was making the final preparations for their arrival. They were about to come out of light speed and had to get ready to transmit their landing plan. The forged documentation for the Falcon was a fresh identity that Rieekan
acquired though a connection he had that was sympathetic to the Rebellion. He was always nervous though the first time he had to use a new registration, more so when he didn't "acquire" it himself. But he trusted Carlist. He had to.
He sat in his place next to Chewie. "Hey. We ready?"
"In a few more seconds. But let your Princess know." Chewie was subtle with his usage of the word 'your'.
Han caught it, but let it go. He was rather pleased with the idea that she was still in his bed right then. He flicked on the intercom. "We're coming out of light speed, Sweetheart. Be ready to brace yourself if you need to." Switching it off, he waited for the signal from the navi computer.
In an instant, you could see Pantolomin straight ahead. It was beautiful. The YT-1300 temporarily re-named the Twilight Eclipse would be landing in a few minutes. Then he would be leaving her for a few days.
Knowing that would be too long, how could he ever leave her for good?