Chapter Seven

Han slept well that night, spending some time with Leia at the Gala helped his spirits and calmed his nerves a bit. He of course dreamed about her again and their life together as man and wife, but the dream ended with their slow dance at the Gala. He'd treasure that moment, even if he couldn't make this world work in his favor, he would always remember how she felt against him as they swayed to the holiday music. Han could hear voices coming from the main hold of the ship, he tried to focus on them, but he was still in and out of sleep

"Cub wake up!" He heard Chewie yell as he pounded on the cabin door. Han groaned and rolled over, his head hiding under his pillow. "Wake up!" Chewie yelled again.

"If he's still sleeping I can leave!" Han suddenly heard Leia say. Leia! Leia was here, on the Falcon. Han quickly stood up and rushed to the door. The door barely slid open when he slammed right into Chewie's chest. Han stumbled and about fell to the floor before his friends furry arms steadied him. Looking up he met Leia's worried gaze.

"Leia!" He said what a bright smile, taking her appearance in. Her face looked flushed from the cold and her outfit looked rather cozy. With her knee high boots and her fluffy jacket.

"Han." she nodded.

"Calm down would you cub?" Chewie asked from the side of him. "You didn't even get dressed, Gods." Chewie mumbled under his breath. Han looked down, realizing he was still in his sleep pants without a shirt on. Han looked up, catching Leia's stare across his chest. He smirked and watched as she blushed and quickly looked away. It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before.

"I'm sorry, maybe this is a bad time." Leia suggested, turning away from Han and moving towards the ramp.

"Hey! Now's a great time!"

"Are You sure?" She asked, still keeping her back to him.

"Leia, whats up?"

"I…I just figured the Falcon would be here and I didn't know how to get a hold of you." She rambled, slowly turning to face him. She made a note to look from his neck up, and Han noticed with a chuckle.

"You're always welcome here Leia."

"Right…Well here's the thing. Luke is in town." Leia started.

"That's good, is he staying for the holiday?" Han asked, hoping Leia wouldn't be alone.

"I'm not sure yet. Anyway, I mentioned that I had seen you. He was interested."

"Meaning?" Han said cautiously.

"He wants us to all have dinner."

"All of us?'

"Yeah Luke, me, you and Chewie. It's been years and since we've run into each other again, he wanted to see you as well." Leia explained.

Han smiled at the thought, of course he would love to see Luke. He wondered if this world's Luke was different too. And how different? Looking back to Leia, he realized she was waiting for an answer.

"Oh! I'd love to. We'd love to, right Chewie?" Han said looking back to the Wookie.

"Of course Princess."

"It's Ambassador these days." She smiled up at him. "Let me give you my address." Leia quickly dug through her purse and pulled out a small card. She handed it to Han slowly and waited for him to read over the numbers. "Do you know where that is?" She asked.

"I'll figure it out." He nodded.

"Well we were thinking tonight? If you don't already have plans. I'm off for the rest of the holiday and we figured…"

"Tonight is perfect Leia." Han said interrupting her with his excitement.

"Alright." She said nodding softly. "How about 7?"

"We'll be there."

"Luke's cooking so you don't have to worry about me poisoning you." She said and Chewie laughed. "Well I should get going."

"Let me walk you out." Han offered and Leia smirked at him.

"You'll freeze out there." She said, tightening her own jacket around her waist. "I'll manage. I'll see you tonight Han. It was good to see you again Chewie."

"Always a pleasure Princess."

"Han…" She nodded with a simple smile before she made her way off the ship and out of sight. Han stared down after her for a while, replaying the event that just took place.

"She seems lovely as ever." Chewie noted aloud.

'She is, she's perfect." Han smirked, his eyes glazed over. He looked like a love sick teenager.

"Hey lover boy! You ever think that Luke is pissed at you? You and his sister had quite the blow out." Chewie reminded him.

"He wouldn't have suggested dinner."

"Sure…Do I have to protect you if he tries to kill you, because honestly I'm not sure how good I would be against a Jedi."

"He's not going to kill me." Han sighed, walking over to grab some warm caf.

"You say that now."

"Let me enjoy this moment!" Han snapped.

"Yeah yeah." Chewie said leaving Han to his thoughts of the dinner tonight.

—-


Han and Chewie waited outside Leia's apartment door. After confirming who they were downstairs the security finally let them up. Han was nervous but excited at the same time. Any opportunity to see Leia again.

"Are we going to go inside?" Chewie asked from Han's side.

"I suppose we should ring the bell." Han said, feeling a sense of weirdness at having to ring the bell to Leia's apartment. They'd been living together for so long, they'd been married for so long. It was hard to let go of those memories from his lost world. Not waisting any time, Chewie quickly reached out and rang the bell.

"Chewie!"

"What!"

"I was still processing!"

"Processing what!? I'm hungry."

The door quickly slid open, revealing Leia. She smiled brightly at Chewie and leaned in to give him a hug. No surprise she looked absolutely beautiful. Even in a simple dark purple dress, she was so perfect. Han couldn't help but stare at her as she greeted Chewie and welcomed him to her home. Han nearly jumped as he felt Leia's arms around him. She was hugging him, realizing what was happening Han quickly hugged her back. Moving closer to her and pulling her body to his like he had at the Gala. Leia's warm skin felt amazing through the fabric of her simple dress and her hair smelled fresh and delicious. Pulling his mind back in check, Han realized he probably shouldn't be smelling her unless he wanted her to kick him out before dinner even started.

"Come in." she said, pulling Chewie and Han both inside. "Luke!" She called out to him. Han waited and watched as Luke walked into the room. He greeted Chewie with a smile and a bright personality, however when he turned to Han it was very different. His face went hard and his eyes narrowed. Han couldn't recall ever seeing Luke look at someone like that. The cold stare reminded him of Leia when he had first went to her office. The past was clearly playing a role in this dinner, even if Han didn't remember this world's history.

"Luke…" Han said with a forced smile. Luke only nodded and turned his attention back to Chewie. Leia sighed behind her brother and offered Han a sad smile from behind Luke's back. Han nodding in understanding, at least he thought he understood. Han would have felt protective of Leia if someone hurt her too, in this case he happened to be the asshole that had caused her pain.

"It's good to see you kid."

"Not really a kid anymore." Luke bit out.

"Well of course not. You and Leia are big adults now." Han tried to joke but Luke didn't respond. Instead Leia interrupted them.

"Maybe we should have some drinks. I have wine, sparkling water, I grabbed some whiskey if you like…" She trailed off.

"Whiskey would be perfect." Han said, hoping the drink would calm his heart. Leia nodded and quickly moved to pour the drinks. Han quietly followed her and offered to help her. Any excuse to be close to her.

"Can I help?" Han asked her. She looked up, her lashes fluttering open.

"You're a guest." She reminded him.

"Well, you're a Princess." he smiled.

"Ambassador." She reminded him. "And I hardly have hired help." She smiled. Looking over his shoulder Han glanced at Luke. He was smiling and talking to Chewie like no time had past.

"Does Luke want me here?" Han asked her. Looking a little surprised by his question, Leia too glanced over her shoulder at her brother.

"I think he does, you have to understand I think I shocked him when I said I had seen you. That I had lunch with you and then the Gala."

"So I haven't seen Luke in a while either?" Han questioned, wanting to be sure he understood. In his world Luke and him were close and still very good friends, if anything they had only grown closer after Han and Leia married. It seemed that here, in this world Luke was still upset over what had happened. And Han wasn't sure he could blame him.

"I don't think you've seen each other, It was best for all of us to separate."

"Right. I'm sorry."

"Han…It was a long time ago and you don't even remember. Here's your whiskey." She said taking a sip of her own.

"No wine?" Han asked, knowing her usual drink.

"I've gotten accustomed to whiskey over the years."

"Good to know." Han smirked. Leia offered him a small grin. It was progress and he would take anything he could. He watched as a stray hair fell across her face and he ached to push it back behind her ear. He just wanted to touch her, a simple touch. Like taking hold of her hand, or kissing her forehead like he had done at the Galla. Leia nodded to the dining room and Han slowly followed her out of the room. For now he was stuck watching Leia from a far.

Everyone sat around the table, looking over the delicious meal Luke had prepared for their long lost friends. The conversation was quiet, nothing too deep as everyone tried to remain civil.

"So Han, what have you been up to the last few years?" Luke asked.

"Little bit of this, little bit of that…I can't remember a lot of it." Han added. He thought he saw Luke's eyes roll before he answered.

"Right, Leia mentioned that. Must have been some accident to wipe out all those memories."

"Yeah I guess I'm lucky it didn't do more." Han added.

"Have the medic's found anything out?" Leia asked.

"He hasn't been to see them!" Chewie added from his side of the table.

"What! Han!" Leia scowled. Han glared at his friend and tried to think of a logical explanation. In reality he had no memory problems, there had been no accident. But how do you explain to a group of old friends that you're from a different world. A world were he and Leia were married and in love and where Luke didn't look like he wanted to kill him with his lightsaber.

"I'll get there."

'If it was that serious you should have gone already." Luke said with an odd tone. Han swallowed hard, Luke didn't buy the story at all. Maybe he could tell Luke what had happened. He was a Jedi, maybe he would understand and be able to help Han. Then again the whole idea sounded so crazy, Han was afraid they'd have him put away. I mean it sounded crazy to Han and he was living it.

"I'll make an appointment." Han said to Leia with a smirk. Luke glared further at him and everyone changed the course of the conversation, until Leia and Chewie stood to take the plates. As soon as Leia was out of ear shot, Luke began.

"So what's the story?" He bit out.

"What story?" Han asked.

"You're not fooling me, Han. Why are you here?"

"Just meeting old friends."

"Why did you go to see Leia? Why now? After all this time?"

"I just wanted to see her…I…"

"What do you want from her?"

"I'm not allowed to miss her?" Han asked him and Luke laughed.

"No your not! Not after what you put her through. She deserves better then you Han."

"If you'd just listen…"

"I don't need to listen, I was around back then. My memory is just fine."

"Your sister can choose who she spends time with."

"You'll break her heart again." Luke sighed shaking his head back and fourth. "And I'll be damned if I let that happen again."

"I won't!" Han bit out.

"So you are interested in her again?"

"I didn't say that." Han said trying to back track now.

"I want you to stay away from her. It would be best for everyone. You don't want her life, you made that clear. You didn't want her or the things that came along with her."

"You don't control her Luke."

"Why are you doing this? Do you want so bad to hurt her again?"

"I won't hurt her!"

"Sure you won't. I find it a little funny that you can't remember everything you said to her, did to her. It's convenient that you don't recall any of it."

"Luke…"

"She's different then she was before. She doesn't let anyone in anymore. She barely lets me in! Don't think it will be so easy to get back into her heart." Luke said, quickly standing and moving to find his sister.

—-


Luke had disappeared into the kitchen and didn't even bother saying goodbye to Han. Leia had walked them to the door, thanking them once more for coming over.

"Always good to see you Princess."

"You too Chewie." She said hugging the large wookie. Her small figure disappeared in his big furry arms and Han chuckled. "You'll have a good holiday?" Leia questioned Chewie, as she pulled back from their hug.

"Of course, I'm not sure where we'll be." Chewie answered, glancing over to Han.

"We'll be here through the holiday." Han said quickly, he wasn't going anywhere.

"You hate Coruscant." Leia laughed.

"It has it's perks." Han smiled, making Leia's face heat once more.

"We should get going cub." Chewie told him, with one last smile to the Princess, Chewie slowly walked from the apartment, leaving Han and Leia alone.

"Thank you for dinner."

"Of course, I'm sorry if Luke was hard on you…He's protective of me I guess."

"I understand."

"I'll explain to him again that there's nothing weird going on here." She said motioning between the two of them.

"Oh."

"I think he's worried we were going down memory lane." Leia laughed.

"Right…The Gala was a nice little reminder." Han offered.

"It was nice, but we're friends Han…you know that right?" She asked turning her head to the side, glancing up to read his face.

"I know, I like being your friend Leia."

"Good, Have a good Holiday Han." She smiled once more, leaning in and hugging him. He quickly hugged her back, her body fitting so perfectly in his arms. Pulling back slightly, Leia caught his eyes, before her dark brown gaze flickered down to his lips. "She wants you to kiss her!" Han's mind screamed at him. He wanted to, gods did he want to kiss her. But he also knew it would get him no where if he scared her away like that. He settled for a simple kiss against her forehead, similar to the kiss he had given her at the Gala.

"Goodnight Leia."

"Goodnight Han." She whispered back to him.

—-


Han paced the cabin a board the Falcon. He didn't know how to get a hold of his cloaked friend and he had questions and concerns. So he waited for him to appear. He waited and waited, watching as the hours passed. Slamming his hand against the ship he swore under his breath.

"You seem stressed." A voice said from behind Han. Quickly turning around he found what he had been waiting for.

"I've been waiting for you!"

"I noticed." The cloaked man said.

"I have a problem."

"You Han Solo have several problems."

"Listen to me! I think I'm getting close to Leia, we're no where near where we should be but she's opening up to me again. With some time we could be back to where we were."

"What's the problem?" He questioned.

"Luke, my brother in law…or I guess he's not… Leia's brother doesn't trust me. He doesn't want me near his sister."

"I see. This version of you was not kind to the Princess."

"I know that damn it! But I have to try and fix that."

"I understand…What does this have to do with me?" He asked.

"I could tell Luke! He's a Jedi, he'd understand!" Han said proud of his plan. He now knew he had to tell Luke and then Luke could help Leia to realize how different Han was. How he was a different man, not the man she remembered.

"I'm afraid you can't do that. This…" He said pointing around the room. "All that I've given you is hard to explain, even to a Jedi. I'm afraid this has never been done before. You have been gifted with this miracle."

"Why am I special?" Han questioned, his anger starting to rise as this cloaked man turned down his idea for help. Luke could have helped him, but now he was back to nothing. Sure Chewie knew he was different but he assumed he'd hit his head, just like Leia. He was all alone in this crazy world.

"You and the Princess are special." He nodded.

"Why?"

"I must go, I'm sorry for your discomfort." He said slowly, as his image slowly started to fade away. Leaving Han alone once more.


Thanks for reading!