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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A warning klaxon blared throughout the ship and Leia startled then pushed down feelings of alarm. She hit the comm and her voice was hard and urgent.
"Status report!"
A moment of silence and the Captain's voice filtered through. "Two Star Destroyers jumped out of hyperspace just ahead of us. Not sure how they found us."
Leia sighed, a mixture of frustration and outrage. "Deploy all fighters, let's outrun them and coordinate a jump."
"Already on it, Your Highness."
"Good. Organa out." She switched off the comm and headed to the bridge.
###
Dammit all to hell! Just when he thought he was done helping out the Rebels! Chewie had yet to finish reinforcing the rear shields, but it would have to do for now.
Why did he feel this stupid compulsion to help defend the Fleet? This was even less of his battle than ever. He was almost out of here.
With a deep sigh of frustration, he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment. When he opened them again, he was resigned. He broke out his comlink and bellowed into it.
"Chewie, stop what you're doin'. Let's get 'er in the air and help them out of this so we can be on our way."
The Wookiee roared agreement and Han rushed to the cockpit.
###
From the bridge of Home One, Leia stood beside the Captain and monitored the battle raging outside the viewport. A nearby technician was giving them a continual, unrequested play-by-play.
"An identified freighter just joined the fray!" he announced.
Something tingled at the back of Leia's mind and she went behind the technician to peer at the console as he worked the controls. When the ship's identification popped up, something swirled in her stomach.
"It's the Millennium Falcon," the technician announced, confirming Leia's suspicions.
She nodded acknowledgement and returned to the viewport to stand beside the Captain.
It surprised her that Han had joined the fight while preparing for his imminent departure. She would have expected leaving to be a higher priority than the safety of the Rebel Fleet. Then again, when had Han ever done what was expected?
She had such mixed feelings about his departure. It was best to be away from him, she knew this, yet still felt a huge sense of disappointment. It was irrational but undeniable.
Forcing her attention back to the battle, she banished him from her thoughts. There were far more important things to worry about.
###
Chewie roared in alarm and Han swore under his breath. They had lost the rear shields entirely. He would have to do some pretty sharp flying. He banked and corkscrewed downwards, keeping them from becoming an easy target.
Luke's voice rose from the comm. "I've got one on my tail. Can't shake him!"
"I got your back, Kid," Han shouted in return, bringing the ship about and heading for Luke's coordinates. He spotted the TIE that was doggedly shadowing him like the tail of a comet. Rapid fire from the laser canon quickly took out the smaller ship.
"Thanks!" Luke called.
In his preoccupation with Luke's safety, Han didn't catch the TIE that snuck up on him. At the same moment, he and Chewie both realized they might be in trouble. The Wookiee roared loudly and the human grunted in sudden desperation. He banked the ship to the right as hard and fast as he could.
It was not fast enough and the blast resounded through the ship, throwing them mildly off course as they lurched in their seats and alarms blared throughout the cockpit.
Han growled in anger and shot forward at top speed, spinning and pitching away from their pursuer. One more shot on the rear and his beloved ship would be spacedust…along with Chewie and himself.
"We can't hold out much longer!" Han yelled. "We're goin' back in!"
Chewbacca barked wholehearted agreement as Han smacked the comm. "We're hit. I'm bringing her in, Home One!"
In several convoluted moves, he managed to lose the TIE that tailed them, weave around their flagship, and guide the Falcon into the hangar. A sense of grand failure shot through him. If only they had finished reinforcing the rear shields! Han did not like losing and, even more, he did not like damage done to his beloved ship. He unstrapped from his seat and raced to the ramp. He was running down it before the ramp even opened completely and he jumped off the end.
He was instantly disheartened by the sight that greeted him. A large, charred crater in the hull over the rear hold spewed black smoke into the air of the hangar. Han felt gutted. In a fury, he stomped to a pile of packing crates and kicked one, which only resulted in a flare of pain in his big toe. He sucked in air between his teeth and sat down on the crate, nursing his injured foot in one hand.
Chewie's heavy footsteps thudded down the ramp and Han heard his mournful howl as he took in the damage.
So much for getting out of here today. He released a huge sigh and scowled at the deck as he felt Home One shudder and enter hyperspace.
###
Leia hated the rush of panic that had bolted through her at the sound of Han's voice announcing that they had been hit. Even more, she despised her need to see him and ensure that he was unharmed. Still, the compulsion carried her through the hangar until she found the Millennium Falcon.
Her mouth fell open in shock at the sight of the damage to the hull. Oh, Han must be heartbroken.
He loved that damned, sorry excuse for a ship. It might just have been the only love Han had ever known.
Now, why did that thought shove resentment into her throat? She swallowed with a scowl then saw Han's head rise into sight from the Falcon's top hatch. His jaw was tight, eyes shards of molten fury.
She watched for a moment as he approached the hole that gaped mockingly up at him. "Han!" she called out in a softer tone than usual.
He turned to look at her and his expression hardened further. "Whadda you want?"
Taken aback at being the undeserving target of his anger, she stiffened. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay," she answered honestly, voice more aloof now.
His visage relaxed slightly, but Leia remained on guard.
"I'm just great," he grumbled loudly from atop the Falcon.
She appraised his glum expression, sensing the heartbreak beneath it. "I'll send a request to supplies to allow you whatever you need to repair your ship." Her voice had somehow become sympathetic.
His eyes abruptly softened. "Thanks, Princess."
She nodded gravely. "Well, I guess you won't be taking leave of us just yet." A spike of what she tried to deny as joy flooded her stomach, boosting her mood.
"Guess not," he replied soberly. They gazed at each other and something of unspoken significance seemed to pass between them, like a laser bolt ricocheting back and forth, from one to the other.
Finally, she nodded and turned away, feeling his eyes on her back as she made her way out of the hanger. Something tugged at her to glance back but she forced her gaze to remain ahead.
It disturbed her that she felt so pleased about Han staying. It was as if her unspoken desire for him to stay had caused his ship to weaken under attack. The thought was ridiculous, she knew this, but could not shake the feeling.
Memories of the night before flashed, unbidden. It couldn't happen again, she couldn't allow it. And yet, as this thought took hold, the desire to be with him lie just beneath the surface, smoldering like the threat of eruption from a volcano.
A smile pulled at one side of her mouth as she realized that she was the volcano and he was the one who caused the eruption. A strangled laugh almost left her lips, but she swallowed it back and bit the inside of her lip.
I have to pull myself together.
With a few slow, deep breaths, she was under control once more. But, it didn't stop the buzz that flitted through her body at the thought of Han.
Should she avoid him? Or give in to her desires?
Relenting and allowing herself to enjoy the physical aspects of their interactions would be so much easier if only he didn't act like such a jerk after it was over. Why did he always have to ruin things?
She suppressed a smile at the idea of telling him they could sleep together as long as he didn't talk. She could only imagine how that conversation might go. And somehow, she had the feeling he wouldn't be able to keep his big, loud mouth shut.
Arriving at the bridge, Leia shoved thoughts of Han aside as duty called, a welcome distraction.