Only a few more chapters to go...

At the beginning of this journey, it had seemed endless, as if it would take forever to arrive at their destination. And with all the possible perils, it had not been a foregone conclusion that they would even reach Bespin. Now, there was just one week left and, to Leia, it seemed as if time were racing by.

After the most enthralling, passionate lovemaking, they lay, limbs utterly entangled, her lips breathing against his neck. Heart and body had never felt so satisfied, so at peace. The air around them felt heavy and hazy, a cushion insulating them from the galaxy, protecting them from the reality that lie beyond. The moment felt simply beautiful. She wanted to guard it close, never let it go.

If I died right now, I would die happy.

She didn't want to die. But, if it had to happen, right now would be preferable to being terrified and desperate in the midst of battle.

Pulling her head back, she placed a tender kiss on his scarred chin, eyes closed to savor the gesture. When she opened them and gazed up at him, she saw that he too had closed his eyes. They opened slowly, as if he were just waking during early morning. Her gaze captured his, lingering, longing. Softer than she had ever seen him. And in his eyes, she saw the answers to every question she ever had of him. He loved her. She knew. In that moment, there was no question in her mind.

Emotion threatened to spill over. She reached up a hand to gently brush one finger along his jaw. There was so much she wished to say, but she held it back. He had forbidden it.

She loved him so profoundly. It was an exquisite ache she felt deep in her soul. There were no words adequate to describe it. She had wanted to receive those words in return. Suddenly, there was no need. They were right there in his eyes. It almost seemed as if she could feel the love emanating from him.

Then, the moment, the intimacy, became too much for him and he closed his eyes again and pulled her against his chest. Leia settled against his heartbeat, overwhelmed, throat tight. oHo How was she going to give this man up?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Time was running out and it was becoming more and more difficult for Han to pretend he was unaffected. He had worried incessantly about whether or not they would make it all the way to Cloud City without running out of food or fuel, the environmental controls failing, being attacked by pirates, or any other of the many things that might have befallen them.

But they had survived intact and soon this journey would come to an end. As would his time with Leia.

Staring out at the stars, he wondered how he would fare without her. And if he would he even survive his confrontation with Jabba.

In the past, the idea of facing the Hutt had brought on a measure of dread. He knew by the high price on his head that the giant slug was out for Han's blood. Somehow, losing Leia made dealing with Jabba seem almost inconsequential. Not much else seemed to matter when he would soon be dropping Leia off with the Alliance and walking away from her forever. He was ready for whatever else came his way.

It was night cycle and he was having uncharacteristic trouble sleeping. Staring out at the stars from his pilot's seat, he was unable to find the peace it normally brought him.

Love was the strangest, most unexpected thing. He now knew what it was to care for someone else more than yourself. He had never thought it possible. During this trip, her happiness had become more important than his own. He would do anything for her. Even if it meant giving her up. Because if what she wanted was to regain what she had lost and bolster the Rebellion, he wanted her to have that. He hadn't imagined love could be so selfless. That he could be so selfless.

In the end, he would slink away quietly. He didn't think he could handle saying good bye. Surely, it would break him in two.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

It had Han! She couldn't see him, but she knew the beast had taken him. It was just her now, staring it down murderously, desperate to save Han.

It towered over her, an amorphous, orange shape that seemed to rise up from the shadows of the ground into the form of some demon ready to pounce. Its wispy body was almost transparent, a fog of orange that spewed from the ground. Its features formed dank holes for eyes, razor teeth, gruesome claws, tendrils of evil. It was both there and not there, a wraith that looked as if it might blow away with a strong wind.

But Leia knew it would not be so easy…it had taken Han and now it was after her. She had no weapon and instinctively knew one would be useless against this creature.

A low growl assaulted her ears reminding her that it was, indeed, a solid, dangerous beast. Where had it taken Han? She was not worried for herself. Her only concern was Han. Was he lost to her forever?

No…he couldn't be!

Her blood beat a furious rhythm of denial and she became even more determined to rescue him. She took a long, steady breath and tried to concentrate on outwitting this shadowy specter.

It was edging closer, slowly, snaking across the ground on the orange, smoky mist that carried it forward. It seemed to be expanding, growing in size and taking up more of the space surrounding her. It was coming for her and now there would be no hope of saving Han!

She backed up, hoping for inspiration, a miracle, something! It was becoming hard to breathe, this thing was sucking the breath from her, feeding off her fear and adrenaline. Wild-eyed, she looked around and noticed the trees for the first time, orange brume twisting through naked, gnarled branches.

If she could reach the tree…what? What could she do? She thought desperately, but came up empty.

The beast swelled before her, its head and claws drifting towards her, reaching…this was it.

Han! She tried to scream but it stuck in her throat as the beast leapt forward and Leia braced herself.

Something bright and blue spun, end-over-end, between herself and the creature and she heard it screech in anger and outrage and draw itself up towards the atmosphere. And then, Luke was there, tumbling between the monster and herself, one hand extended as his lightsaber flew back into his hand.

Her mouth spilled open in shock, relief flooding her. Luke would dispatch this thing and then they could save Han!

As Luke faced it, lightsaber aloft, Leia sidled to the left, towards the trees. If she could find something to use as a weapon, she could help Luke.

The creature snapped at Luke, jaws gnashing together with a sharp crack. She was almost behind it now but no closer to defeating it and no idea where Han was.

Luke held the lightsaber between them, warding it off. With a deafening shriek, it dove towards Luke. His lightsaber slashed right across its midsection…

It had no effect! Leia watched helplessly as it swept right through, as if swiping thin air, and the monster's claws struck out and grabbed him. She tried to scream but there was no sound. Not Luke too! Panicking now, she raced forward with no idea what she would do when she reached them. Luke squirmed and grunted in the creature's grasp and before Leia was almost right behind them, it rose on its hind legs and sprinted into the darkness.

Noooo!

For a moment, she was frozen in shock. Finally, with a jolt, she forced her feet forward, chasing after them. She had to save Han and Luke!

Moving as fast as her legs could possibly carry her, she watched in horror as the distance between them widened…it was too fast! What was she going to do?! She continued at a dead run, panting, gripped by sorrow when she realized she was losing sight of them.

No! No!

Another moment and they were gone…gone…

Grinding to a halt, her legs gave out and she collapsed to the dirt on her hands and knees.

She couldn't go on without them…they were both lost and now she wouldn't survive.

And then she was choking on tears, a sob wracking her chest as every horror, every heartbreak she had ever endured closed in on her, weighing her down into the abyss. Her past was spinning around her, every nightmarish moment…

The needles of the torture droid on the Death Star, jabbing her with electric shocks and weakening her for Vader's mind probe…

Looking on with disbelief as her entire world, her entire life, was blasted from the sky…the agony and grief in the aftermath.

The despair and loss in the wake of losing everyone she loved…

Now this…it was too much. She couldn't go on…couldn't go on alone.

She was crying so hard she couldn't catch her breath, was dizzy with grief, felt as if she might pass out…

Sobbing…she couldn't stop sobbing…

"Leia! Leia!"

She was jolted awake instantly at the sound of Han shouting her name, his hand shaking her shoulder in a jerky motion. She knew right away that it had been a nightmare, but the feeling of despair was all-consuming and she could not stop the sobs wrenching from her.

"You're okay, Leia!" He was clasping her tightly against his chest, running a hand over her hair, voice tense and worried.

She had to calm down and pull herself together. This was ridiculous behavior and she knew it. Yet, she couldn't stop.

The tears continued and Han rocked her back and forth, making quiet sounds of comfort. It dimly occurred to her to wonder if he had ever had cause to offer such comfort before. By then, her tears began to subside, the sorrow ebbing to a lingering ache. She felt exhausted yet had no desire to go back to sleep.

She realized he had stopped rocking but continued to hold her close. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she remained silent and unmoving. She dreaded facing Han.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

No. But, she couldn't possibly answer truthfully. "Yes," she lied quietly, uneasily, her voice a croak. A sudden feeling came over her as her mind quieted. Something was going to happen to Han…something terrible. She knew, just as she had known about the Tantive IV when her father had been about to leave on that trip.

She couldn't discuss it with him now. He would think her hysterical and irrational. She couldn't go back to sleep. Wiping tears from her cheeks and eyes, she quietly asked him to turn on the illuminators.

Keeping one arm around her, he reached over and light burst open, making Leia blink and wince. But, being able to see the comforting sight of Han's cabin around them helped ground her in reality.

The fear of her nightmare was fading, but a terrible feeling of foreboding remained.

"Before you ask, I don't want to talk about it," she informed him, still burrowed in his arms.

"Okay," he replied in an anxious, stilted tone. "Must've been pretty bad."

She didn't reply. Nervous energy coursed through her and she didn't know what to do with herself. She sat up and forced herself to meet his gaze. His brow was lowered over eyes that were deeply clouded with concern.

"I'm all right," she assured him, nodding to emphasize.

He looked doubtful but said nothing.

"I'm going to go have some kaffe."

He started to pull back the blanker covering his legs but Leia stayed him with a hand on his. He paused to look at her.

"I'd like to be alone for a little while. You go back to sleep." Her tone was gentle.

His eyes went from concern to mild hurt. "Are you sure?"

She nodded.

His lips pursed. "I'm not so sure you should be alone right now."

She forced a smile. "I'm fine. Really." Bringing his hand to her lips, she kissed it softly.

Still uncertain, he grimaced. "Okay," he replied slowly. "If you're sure…"

"I'm sure." She couldn't talk about it yet, she needed to be by herself and think. With Han staring at her, concern and pity etched into his features, she couldn't concentrate on sorting things out.

He nodded, uncertainty still apparent. She leaned close and kissed him lightly on the cheek then threw on his long, white shirt and some socks. The door swooshed shut behind her before he could say another word.

While she prepared her kaffe, she forced her thoughts to a standstill, not yet ready to fully confront them. Carrying her mug, she travelled through the corridors to the cockpit and took up residence in Han's chair. Sitting back, she sipped the warm, soothing liquid and stared at the brilliance of the stars.

A memory emerged, her first mission with Han, to Commenor. At the time, he hadn't truly let his mercenary façade slip and she had believed him to be almost as uncaring as he liked to think he was. When he woke her from a nightmare and brought her to his favorite spot to think, she had been surprised by his concern and kindness. In retrospect, it wasn't surprising at all. In the years since, she had come to find staring out the viewport helped bring her clarity and solace. Now, she settled in to peruse her thoughts, trying to examine them rationally.

The persistent theme was losing Han. At first, she had dismissed it as the fact that she was going to lose him after they rendezvoused with the fleet. Now, she had this horrible, nagging feeling this it was more than that, that he was in danger. The thought clutched her heart with blind fear. She swallowed against the burgeoning lump in her throat.

Could it be his upcoming confrontation with the Hutt? Fear and concern fluttered in her chest. Perhaps Han would allow her to accompany him to Tatooine. She could aid in keeping him safe, just to make sure he made it out alive.

Then again, she doubted he would allow that. He was overly protective of her, always had been. He wouldn't see her put in potential danger on his account. From the beginning, he had protected her relentlessly. From the trash compactor, shoving her on top heaps of garbage, to dragging her out of the Command Center on Hoth.

He would have Chewbacca, but Leia had heard tales of the sadistic cruelty at the hands of the Huttese crime lords. If only she had the credits to pay off Han's debt. She would gladly deliver it personally if it insured his safety.

There was already the pain of letting him go. The worry over his encounter with Jabba was already a concern. Now, it had become a dreaded fear.

It seemed that the future held nothing but heartache.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Can we talk?"

Han looked up from the diagnostic he was running on the Falcon. Tomorrow they would arrive at Cloud City and he wanted to be absolutely certain that everything other than the hyperdrive was up to specs.

Her question sent tension through him instantly. That request always meant trouble. He didn't think he could handle anymore worries right now. Between concern that they wouldn't get the aid they needed at Cloud City, how preoccupied Leia had been since her nightmare the night before, and the thought of her riding into the sunset with her prince, Han couldn't take much more.

"What's up?" He looked back to the readout scrolling before him.

She hesitated then spoke in a low, tentative voice. "Do you remember how I told you that sometimes my dreams come true?"

It occurred to Han that he wanted to be her dream come true. He bit back a comment to that effect and deliberately kept his eyes averted. "Yeah."

Her voice lowered further, a touch of fear evident. "These dreams I've been having…I'm afraid something terrible is going to happen."

Reflexively, he met her gaze with a frown. "What kinda terrible thing?"

Her mouth opened slowly and the words were slow to come forth. "I'm not sure exactly. But…" Her eyes looked haunted. "It's going to happen to you."

"Me?" His voice rose in pitch.

Leia nodded gravely.

He smiled with false cheer and waved her concerns away with a hand. "You're just bein' paranoid. Nothing's gonna happen to me."

Her hand gripped his arm suddenly. "Han, I know this. Just like I knew with my father, and my aunt's bracelet."

"Okay," he placated. "So, what exactly's gonna happen to me?"

"I don't know." She gave a small shake of her head. "It's not clear like it was with my other dreams. Each dream has been different and I can't figure out what it is that's going to happen…but, I know something will."

"See? This isn't like the other times. You knew exactly what was going to happen then. So, don't go gettin' all worried over nothing."

"You don't understand," she insisted stubbornly. "I know this."

He stood, bringing his voice to a quiet, soothing timbre and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Leia, don't worry. I can take care of myself. You know that."

Her eyes lowered to his chest, expression forlorn. "I'm worried that Jabba the Hutt is going to kill you."

He was too, but he wasn't going to let her know that. "Hey, I know how to finesse Jabba, don't you worry about that."

Her frown deepened and she returned her gaze to his. "I would like to go with you to pay him back."

He was startled as he took in the earnestness in her eyes. A soft pang squeezed his heart. "Don't you have to get back to the Alliance?" And your prince? he thought bitterly.

She looked away again. "Sometimes there are things more important than duty."

He stared down at her, surprised and confused. How was he suddenly more important than her duty? She had shown him quite the opposite. He swallowed his resentment and the bitter comment that stuck in his throat.

"You're not going with me," he said stoically, eyes returning to the console.

"Why not?"

"Cause it's too dangerous."

"You just said you could finesse him," she accused.

He grimaced internally. "Yeah. I can. And I don't need you there. Besides, whadda you think you'd do to help anyway?" She didn't answer immediately and he thought perhaps she was going to drop the subject.

When she finally answered, her voice was low and heavy. "I just want to make sure you'll be okay."

Pain and defensiveness swirled at the irony of her words. Jabba might kill him…but, it was Leia who was truly hurting him. "I'll be fine." His voice came out deadened.

"I'm afraid for you."

This was killing him. "Look." He turned to face her. "You don't need to worry about me." His tone was harsher than intended but he couldn't help it. "I'll be fine. I'm always fine." He spun back to the readout dismissively.

It was silent until the sound of her soft footsteps receding. Han closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how he had ended up in so much pain after guarding his heart so closely all his life. Never again. Never again would he let anyone so close. It might even be best to give up women entirely.