Oh, my goodness! I actually wrote something! This chapter is a little short, but I'm happy with it and wanted to share. I hope you enjoy it.

My thanks to 2Old4This2 for her beta-reading and steady encouragement. :) Any remaining errors, as always, are mine.

A special shout-out to everyone who commented on the last chapter: Thrasher 51, Guest, sithhannahace, Trailrider4life, jeanmarie3, EsmeAmelia, Statsgrandma57, Freshman11, and Multifandomgirl1424. Thank you!

This chapter is dedicated to Freshman11 for encouraging me during my writer's block.


Princess Leia sat in the lounge of the Millennium Falcon, fuming. It was hard to imagine that less than a standard month prior, she had sat in this very seat with Captain Han Solo's vulnerable and aching head in her lap. She had to fight a strong desire to smack some sense into that thick skull of his right about now. As she let loose an unhappy growl, the Wookiee paused on his return to the co-pilot's seat with a questioning warble of his own. Leia almost laughed at the realization that she had picked up a Shyriiwook swear word.

"Sorry, Chewbacca," she responded, plastering a fake smile on her face as Han sauntered by. "I'm just frustrated. It's nice to know that some beings are still interested in what I have to say." She glared up at Han and let her smile plummet into an angry frown.

He stopped pacing long enough to lean against the bulkhead and regard her with arms folded, a smirk playing at his lips. "This is my mission, sweetheart. Rieekan said so." He smiled loftily at her. "You're only along for the ride because we need your handprint. Trust me, if it could be done any other way -"

"It can't," she snapped. "Which is why you should use my skills instead of treating me like a -"

"I'd treat you like an adult if you'd start acting like -"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Luke Skywalker walked in from the direction of the refresher and placed a restraining hand on each of his friends. "We need to work together on this mission."

Han flicked a brief look at Leia before he pointed accusingly at the princess. "Which is exactly why her Worshipfulness should stay out of sight until we locate the ship." Despite his use of Leia's nickname, Han's voice was deadly sober. "Who knows how many bounty hunters are out there?" He crossed his arms in defiance.

Leia sighed gustily. "That makes no sense, Han. The longer we're on Ord Mantell, the riskier things become for all of us. I need to be with you when you find the ship. You'll never get onboard otherwise. It'll be faster."

"She has a point, Han," Luke agreed.

"Fine! Take her side." He stalked toward the cockpit of his ship, rubbing his eyes. In a low voice, he added, "I've got a bad feeling about this." He stood in the doorway, an uneasy cant to his shoulders as he studied the star streaks of hyperspace.

Luke and Leia shared a worried look, and Leia tipped her head meaningfully in Han's direction. Luke nodded. Walking over to the Corellian, he placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "You feelin' all right, Han?"

Had it been anyone else, Leia was certain, Han would have bitten the being's head off. But somehow, Luke was able to get through to Han when others couldn't.

"I'm all right," Han replied, lowly. He cast a furtive glance at Leia and she realized, abruptly, that Han wouldn't speak openly to Luke if she was in the room. Sensing that this conversation was important, she excused herself to the refresher. But instead of actually entering the small room at the end of the hall, she hovered just out of sight and eavesdropped.

"What's going on?" Luke was saying. She could picture the farm boy's upturned nose and earnest blue eyes gazing at Han, his head tilted like a puzzled nerf calf. It was hard to resist Luke when he made that face.

She could almost hear the Corellian's uneasy shrug. "I don't know, Luke. I just feel like something's wrong."

There was a long pause, and Leia wondered what she was missing in their unspoken conversation.

At length, Luke stated, "You're worried that you won't be able to protect Leia, the way you weren't able to protect your mother."

She could hear Han take a step back, but he didn't deny it.

"Han, let me help you. I know you're not feeling your best -"

"I'm fine, kid," the spacer snapped. "But -" There was a pregnant pause and Leia found herself wanting to jump into the conversation and kick the boltbrained nerfherder until he responded.

Thank the gods Luke is more patient than me, Leia thought. She could practically feel his sunny, loving, non-judgmental concern beaming into every crevice of the ship.

"My reaction time is slower since I started takin' this medicine," Han admitted. "And no one needs to know that but you and Chewie, right?" he added, in a threatening growl.

Luke's voice was calm. "I understand, Han. What did Doctor Askara say?"

"It was Algers." Han sighed. "She said it was a small price to pay to control my migraines. And that I'd get used to it in time." There was another pause, and the princess could almost feel the man staring in her direction. "Hey, shouldn't Leia be back by now?"

The young woman scurried from her spot in the hall and practically ran to the refresher. Once the door safely slid shut and she had it securely locked behind her, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Should I be concerned that Han isn't at his best? she wondered. Insulted that the man thinks I can't defend myself? Or relieved that he actually cares enough to worry that he might not be able to protect me?