And so, we come to the end...
To the guest reviewer who does not want another Leia-chasing-Han story: Dawn to Dusk is quite short, only 15 chapters. Since it takes place when Leia is 16, it is light-hearted compared to Shackled. I'm sorry that Shacked was so difficult to read and I appreciate your kind words about the story. I do have an order planned out for how I will post my stories (I have 4 ready to post and 1 that I am currently writing). Of course, if you think that Dawn to Dusk will be difficult to read, you could always skip it :)
Vadermater: Thanks ;)
Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Shout out to all the guest reviewers whom I can't thank personally, every review means so much to me!
Hope you enjoy the final chapter and I will be back next week with Dawn to Dusk!
###
They stood in front of the full-length reflector, Han standing behind her, arms tangled around her waist, cheek beside her ear. The flickering lights of the floating lanterns blushed everything in a soft, orange glow, casting shadows across one side of their faces.
"We're married," Leia whispered in wonder.
"And we make a damned good-looking couple."
She laughed, lightly, like a breeze. "Do you feel different? Now that we're married?"
He searched inside himself for just a moment. "No. You?"
A small shake of her head. "No."
He smiled at her in the reflector. "Should we?"
She smiled back. "I don't know."
He looked her over again, somewhat awed by how stunning she was in the cream-colored dress. Lace covered the short sleeves and bodice, then trickled down the skirt like vines flowing from the branches of a flutternut tree. He had simply gaped when she appeared before him at the ceremony, completely blown over by the angelic beauty who was about to be his wife.
He had never in his life thought about a wedding, but was pleased that they had kept it a small affair. Breha's friends, who owned the house they were currently in, were the only additions to their original guest list, for a total of five guests, plus the officiant.
Leia turned suddenly in his arms, hands gliding up his shoulders, a small smile curving her lips. "If that mission four years ago hadn't been a complete failure, we wouldn't be here right now."
A thought popped into his head. "Oh, yeah. Before we get back to the fleet, I wanna get this chip in my head removed. Chewie's, too. I'll need the remotes."
She blinked up at him then seemed to realize what he was talking about. "Oh. I don't have them."
"Whadda you mean, you don't have them?"
"I haven't had them since Yavin."
"You left them on Yavin?" Now, what was he going to do?
Her brow tightened. "I didn't exactly have time to pack."
Han sighed. "Well, I don't wanna walk around for the rest of my life with this chip."
Her eyes lowered and she was pensive for a moment before returning her gaze to him. "We could go back to Yavin. Before we return to the fleet."
"You really wanna do that?"
"If it's important to you, yes."
There was no guarantee that they would find the remotes amidst the remains of the Rebel Base, but it was worth a shot. He nodded. "All right."
She smiled coyly. "Is this the best you can do on our wedding night, Hotshot?"
It brought him back to the moment and he smiled back. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"
"That's more like it," she said with a bat of her eyes. "And, yes, you did." She grinned impishly. "Oh, and my mother thinks you're very handsome. I couldn't argue."
"Really?" Her mother had received the news of their wedding seemingly well, had immediately begun making arrangements. Han had no idea what she might really think, but at least she hadn't tried to talk Leia out of it, as he had feared.
Her eyes grew serious. "It's taken so long for us to get here."
Han agreed silently.
"The first time I laid eyes on you on Nar Shada, there was something there. But, I never would have believed we would end up where we are now."
"Amazing how one little mistake can change your whole life." He wasn't one to get philosophical, but today was a rare day for sentiment.
One fingertip gently brushed at the scar on his chin and her expression grew wistful. She looked up at him with earnest emotion. "Now, you'll always have someone to clean you up when you get home."
Her declaration hit him hard in the chest and, for a moment, there was a sudden lump in his throat and it was more than he could bear. His eyes lowered and so many moments flew rapidly through his thoughts: their first trip to Naboo, the way she had gently blown the eyelash from his eye, instilling those first, genuine, tender feelings; Nimbla IV, her insistence about tending to the bruises left behind by that monstrous creature; her revelation that she loved him…
Unable to find words, he gave her the softest of smiles and hoped she knew how he felt about her.
Always…he looked into her eyes and could see it clearly.
###
It was eerie inside the deserted Rebel Base, devoid of any life other than the occasional, skittering gornat hunting for a scrap of food. Hand in hand, Han and Leia travelled through the maze-like passages in the stale air and oppressive silence.
A few relics were left behind, here and there, but nothing of value remained. Other than what they had come for.
They arrived at Leia's abandoned office, and memories of their escape came unbidden to his mind. He eyed the wide crack in the stone floor and remembered the sight of her, unconscious, and the shiver of cold fear that had flown up his spine. Her pulse throbbing against his fingers had kicked his lungs into breathing again.
How many times had they saved each other's lives?
The small, stone room had been tossed, probably by the Empire. Debris littered the floor and he joined Leia in scavenging through the remnants.
"Here!" Leia finally shouted, voice loud in the silence. "I found one!"
Han jumped over a broken piece of equipment that lay on its side and was next to her, staring grimly at the remote in her hand. He hadn't seen it since Nar Shadda, when it seemed like a symbol of what was essentially a voluntary prison sentence. He took it from her and stuck it in his back pocket.
"I wonder if that's mine or Chewie's," he muttered to himself.
"The other one must be here somewhere."
He looked around dubiously. A huge console lay forward on the ground. "Let's see what's under here." Placing his hands beneath the rim at the edge, Han lifted, straining with the heavy piece of equipment. It barely moved an inch from the floor. "Help me out here," he growled.
Leia was beside him in an instant, groaning with the struggle. The console rose a few inches, seemed as if they could lift it no further then suddenly they were hauling it upright and it crashed backwards with a vigorous thud.
Panting with exertion, they both looked at the place where the console had been. The matching, small, gray box was there, covered in shards of stone. Han fished it out and sighed with relief. He wiped a light sheen of sweat from his brow and grinned at Leia.
"Mission accomplished, eh, Princess?" He winked.
She smiled brilliantly. "Now we can get the chips removed." Her expression turned to regret. "Then, it's back to business," she said with a sigh. "There's never enough time."
He shoved the second remote in his other pocket and drew close to her, arms enfolding her tightly. "We'll have time," he uttered in a soft susurration over her head. "And now, I'm not staying cause I have to…I'm staying cause I want to."
She pulled back just enough to smile at him. "You're not going anywhere, Flyboy."
"You got that right." He chuckled and pulled her back into him, right where she belonged.
Who would've thought it, he mused. A princess and a guy like me…
END