Long live Alderaan! ;) I'm glad you are all so pleased about that.
I've been having computer issues but finally made it here to update :)
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A quiet, familiar voice tugged at Han's ear, and his feet coasted to a stop at the entrance to one of the many stone balconies of the Massassi Temple. He could just make out Princess Leia's profile in the shadows of the orange-gold sunset. He took a step forward then halted as Luke's voice drifted out, louder than hers had been. With a step back, he was out of their view.
"I'm sorry you're feeling that way, Leia. At least you can be sure she's safe."
"Yes, I take comfort in that." Her voice was low and sad. "But, I've always had my mother close by. It's been six months and who knows when I will see her again? I feel silly even admitting it aloud. It sounds childish."
"No, not at all." He paused. "At least you have your father." He paused and his voice dropped to a meaningful pitch. "And you have me."
Han heard the gratitude in her voice and a mild simmer that he hated to admit might be jealousy swirled inside his chest.
"Thank you, Luke. You are a true friend. Especially considering the fact that you yourself have lost everyone."
Han rolled his eyes, imagining the big, mooning bantha cub eyes Luke must be giving her.
"Not everyone," Luke answered quietly. For several moments, Han heard nothing and wondered just exactly what was going on out there.
Leia finally spoke and he supposed he had guessed wrong. "I'm happy to fight alongside the other members of the Alliance. There's nothing more important than this, it's my life now." She paused. "Granted, it is very different from my life before. And I don't find myself missing much from that life. But, my mother…she is not so easy to keep from missing."
"Of course."
"You must miss your aunt and uncle."
"I do. And I miss Ben. I know I only knew him a short time…but he meant a lot to me."
"I understand. Sometimes people enter our lives for a short time, but leave a lasting impression."
"I don't miss Tatooine. I'm never going back to that planet again." His tone turned wistful. "I love it here on Yavin. It's so green and beautiful. I've never seen anything like it before."
"Alderaan is similar. Although, of course, it is heavily populated, while Yavin is more untouched. But, it is still just as beautiful .I'm happy that my mother is on Naboo. It is a lot like Alderaan. I hope that might be a comfort to her. She's not a fighter. She supports the Alliance, but she is far too peaceful to follow us here."
"You seem as if you would be too peaceful, too. Until I see you with a blaster." Han could hear the smile in the kid's voice.
"I would like nothing more than peace." Her voice became hushed. "That's our mission. Unfortunately, we have to go about it in a very un-peaceful manner. But, someday, we will have peace."
"You're amazing," Luke blurted in a loud, awed whisper. Han scowled to himself and crossed his arms.
It took a moment for the Princess to respond. "Hardly," she finally answered derisively.
"You are," the young man added softly. "You think about everyone else so much more than yourself. You don't have to fight the Empire, you had everything you needed on Alderaan. But, you're doing it for the rest of the galaxy. For everyone else." His deep admiration shone brightly through his voice.
"It's the right thing to do."
"That's why you're amazing."
Han forced his jaw unclenched and affected a casual expression before thrusting himself through the doorway of the balcony to interrupt the scene playing out. He deliberately focused on Luke.
"Hey, Kid, I thought I heard you out here," he said congenially.
A slight disappointment flitted across Luke's face for just a moment. He recovered quickly. "Hi, Han."
Han nodded acknowledgement then turned to the Princess. She was dressed in a simple olive jumpsuit, two braids wound high above each ear, a blaster sported on her hip. She looked thinner and, although dressed similarly to the other Rebels, she maintained that haughty air of authority, seemingly without trying. She eyed him warily and he wondered what he had done to earn such distrust.
"How's it goin', Princess? Haven't seen you in a while."
Her smile was guarded. "You returned from Illustros yesterday?"
He grinned. "Yeah. You keepin' track of me?" From the corner of his eye he saw Luke's head turn towards her.
Her cheeks blushed a faint pink. "I check the roster daily."
His grin grew smug. "Lookin' for me?"
She frowned and her blush darkened. "Why would I be looking for you?"
He lowered his voice seductively. "You tell me."
Her head shifted to one side and, for a moment, she looked flustered. Then, she drew up to her full height and spoke with the full force of her regal bearing. "I do have to protect my investment." She spun on her heel and disappeared inside, leaving Han frustrated and annoyed, as much at himself as with her.
"What did she mean by that?" Luke asked innocently.
"Nothin'." He hated the easy way Luke and Leia related to each other. She always appeared relaxed and happy when they spoke. A sharp contrast to the interactions Han experienced with her.
Luke was staring at the spot where she had disappeared, a wistful expression on his youthful countenance.
"You like her, huh?" Han baited.
Luke looked at him then the stone floor, his eyes answering for him. "She's great," he replied, as if it were obvious.
"I think you think she's more than just great."
Now Luke blushed lightly. "What do you think of her?" he asked with a hint of challenge in his voice.
Han shrugged. "She's all right. When she's not driving me crazy."
Eyes averted, Luke smiled to himself.
"She's nice enough to look at," he added, seeing Luke's head jump sharply back to him. "I guess if I were interested, it might be fun to get to know her better…"
Luke was frowning now. "But…you're not interested, right?" He paused. "You said so yourself, she drives you crazy."
He forced a thoughtful expression. "I don't know…sometimes the ones that drive you crazy are the ones that are the most fun."
Luke was staring out at the forest, clearly upset. Taking pity on him, Han slung an arm around his shoulders.
"Hey, c'mon. Wanna help me recalibrate the alluvial dampers on the Falcon's hyperdrive?"
That perked him up. "Really? Yeah!"
Han had never allowed the kid to lay his hands on the inner workings of his ship before. Now felt like the right time.
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Leia sat on the stone floor outside the Temple, staring out at the Massassi trees that dominated the jungle. She hoped she appeared to be deep in thought about some important Alliance business. What she was really doing was thinking about Han Solo.
Her eyes were drawn to a flock of golden whisper birds as they swooped low to nestle in the branches of one of the tall trees. Their wispy calls died down as they settled in the waning light of the evening sun.
Was she that transparent? Was her attraction to his brash good looks so obvious? Had he been teasing? Or had he noticed the way her gaze always seemed drawn to him, always lingered a bit too long?
A rustling sound, accompanied by whistling hoots, startled her from her thoughts. Above, a pack of sintaril pounced on the whisper birds, driving most of them to the skies, their calls haunting in their wake. One bird remained, being picked apart by the sintaril who were now fighting and jabbering at each other over the flesh of their kill.
Why did she feel such a magnetizing pull towards Han? She had decided he was too infuriating to be bothered with. Yet, every time she saw him, her heart jumped, just a bit.
He was disrespectful, at best, downright rude and obnoxious at the worst. He claimed not to care for the Rebel cause, yet worked just as hard as anyone else and took more risks than just about anyone.
He could not be less like Luke, was quite the opposite. Luke, who hung on her every word; unlike Han, who exuded disdain for anything she said. Luke was a handsome enough young man, with those expressive blue eyes. Funny how she always thought of him as young, even though he was the same age as her. She saw the light in his eyes when he looked at her, yet never did a wave of excitement sweep through her, as it did with the older Corellian.
Corellian men were known to be handsome, and Han certainly lived up to the reputation. It wasn't just his looks that swayed her…he had an arrogant masculinity about him, as if he knew exactly what effect he had on women. It was in his swagger, and that deep, resonating voice. Leia had met attractive, arrogant men before, and normally, it turned her off completely.
But, there was something else to Han Solo. Her mind always returned to his utterly selfless commitment to free Chewbacca; to the way he had threatened to carry her from Alderaan. There was something deeply honorable to the man…something he tried desperately to hide, but that surfaced every now and then nonetheless.
"What're you doin' out here all by yourself?"
The deep voice boomed loud enough to startle Leia from her thoughts and a small gasp escaped her, shoulders jumping slightly.
Han laughed lightly as he came into view, standing casually, arms dangling, one knee bent. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
Leia craned her neck to look up at him, her heart pounding, whether from his sudden appearance, or simply his presence, she wasn't sure. He was grinning and her defenses rose immediately. "You didn't scare me," she replied in a stilted tone. "I just didn't hear you approach."
His grin crooked to one side and he came forward and dropped to the ground next to her, leaning back on his arms. They were separated by mere inches and Leia's heart rate sped up further. Of all the men on this base, why did he have to be the one to affect her so profoundly?
"Not much going on around here lately, huh?"
"Are you bored?"
He grinned again. "Nah. I keep myself entertained. Just sayin'."
Her eyes turned to the ground. "You think of war and you think constant action. People would be surprised at how much time is spent waiting to take action." She glanced askance at him and he seemed pensive.
A rippling breeze grazed over them, tingeing the air with a slight chill, and Leia hugged her arms around herself.
"You cold?"
She brushed it off with a small shake of her head. "A little, but I'm fine."
He surprised her by shrugging the jacket from his shoulders.
"You don't have to do that," she protested mildly. "I'm fine."
His responding grunt could have meant anything, but he laid the jacket over her shoulders and returned to stare into the enormous trees.
She acquiesced silently, pulling the jacket a bit tighter, a small smile across her lips. This man always surprised her. "Thank you," she said quietly.
He just nodded distractedly. "You must miss home."
If the gesture of giving her his jacket surprised her, that statement left her downright stunned. "Yes," she replied quietly. "Of course. What about you? Do you miss your home?"
Discomfort flashed briefly in eyes that remained on the trees. "Falcon's my home now."
Her eyes roamed his features and she wondered about his past. Clearly, he guarded it fiercely and Leia wished she could get to the bottom of the man Han Solo was. "And you're happy with that? A ship being your home?"
His glance told her he thought the question ridiculous. "Of course. Wouldn't have it any other way."
"Wouldn't you prefer a real home?"
His narrowed eyes swiveled towards her. "What makes you think a ship isn't a real home?"
She thought about it for a moment and could only respond with a shrug. His eyes stayed on her and he seemed to be thinking, of home or her, Leia didn't know. He turned his gaze thoughtfully to the ground.
"Nothin' better than flying around the galaxy. In the Falcon, anywhere I go, I'm home."
His expression was guarded, but she saw the love of freedom in his eyes and his sacrifice for Chewbacca took on a new, deeper meaning. For a moment, she had the strongest urge to release him from the deal they had struck, to let him fly off into the skies…then, it hit her that she would miss him if he were gone, and the realization left her deeply unsettled.
"I don't understand why anyone would wanna be grounded." His eyes were more candid now.
"Having a home—I mean, a planetside home—doesn't make one grounded. I love my home on Alderaan, it's my favorite place to be. But, I can travel anywhere I want. When I get home, I am always happy to be there." She kept her eyes forward, but could see him watching her from the corner of her eye.
"Guess it's different when you spend so long in one place, wishing you could get away."
The earnestness in his voice drew her gaze to him and now his eyes were on the ground, his features softened, and she felt as if she were getting her first true glimpse of Han Solo.
"Is that how you felt on Corellia?" she asked softly.
His gaze rose to the trees and he seemed lost in thought for the longest time. "Yeah."
With a swiftness that startled her, Leia felt a longing in her soul to take his hand in hers. It overwhelmed her with a rush of heat that began in her chest and burst outwards. She belayed the impulse, feeling far too vulnerable and self-conscious.
It was a long moment before she was able to find words. "Where was home before the Falcon?" She kept her voice low, as if afraid to frighten a skittish animal.
His gaze rose to the sky and he shrugged. "Nowhere."
Still locked on his thoughtful expression, Leia tried to imagine it; wandering from place to place with nowhere to call home. She pictured him doing just that and it presented as a sad, lonely portrait.
He stood suddenly. "Come with me."
Surprised and perplexed, she blinked several times before rising alongside him. "Where?"
"It's a surprise." He was completely impassive, revealing nothing of his intentions.
She eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of surprise?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." He held out his hand, but she remained in place, unmoving. "Don't ya trust me?"
His eyes held such an earnest expression that Leia realized that yes, she did indeed trust him. This obstinate, arrogant, swaggering man…had earned her trust.
"Yes," she whispered soberly. "I trust you." Her mind flashed back to Alderaan and his stubborn insistence of bringing her on the Falcon, away from the potential destruction; the utter determination in his eyes, his threat to pick her up and carry her.
He seemed momentarily taken aback when she placed her hand in his proffered one. It was just a brief widening of his eyes, but Leia did not miss it. Then, he closed his large hand around her smaller one and led her back inside.
She marveled at the roughness and warmth of his hand surrounding hers, but as soon as they were inside the hangar he dropped it and she was surprised at how disappointed she felt.
When she realized she was following him to the Falcon's boarding ramp, a nervous jitter flew through her. Was he taking her onboard so that they could be alone together? He seemed so serious, what did he have in mind? As they ascended the ramp, an anxious excitement brought a double thump to her chest, and it hit her like a stun bolt that she wanted to be alone with him. She wanted him to hold her hand again, and Gods, she wanted him to kiss her.
Never before had she felt this way, this pull towards intimacy with a man. It unnerved her but it also awakened a femininity in her that she had ignored most of her life. Driven by duty, personal affairs had been neglected, and her senses and impulses were now on hyper alert, so very aware of Han's presence, his raw masculinity.
He led her into the cockpit, an odd choice, she thought. He took his seat in the pilot's chair and she remained standing, somewhat confused. When he realized, he gestured for her to take the co-pilot's seat. Mind racing, she sat and turned to face him.
His hands brought up the power. "We're goin' on a little trip."
The words so surprised her, that she found herself spending an extra moment to process them. "What?" Had she misunderstood?
Now, he grinned at her. "Bring up the sublight engines, would ya?"
She blinked rapidly. "I…I can't go on a trip!"
"Sure, you can. Now, hit the sublight engines."
"No…I can't. I have duties here, I have—"
"I already got clearance. For both of us."
Mouth agape, she stared. "From whom?"
"Your father." He adjusted several settings before returning his gaze to her. "Now, I really need you to hit the sublight engines. You're the only co-pilot I have." He was looking at her patiently, but expectantly.
"You're serious?"
He remained unwavering as she stared him down. Finally, he gestured towards the engine controls. With a resigned sigh and a shake of her head, Leia turned away from him and engaged the sublight engines. She couldn't begin to imagine what was going on.