An Alderaanian Love Story

Chapter 27

A.N. And with the conclusion of the last chapter, that's why Tia's been nearly silent throughout this whole story! Hope you're still enjoying.

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  He was the good friend here, Chewie reminded himself as he crept along the walls, quietly as though he feared he would get caught. By leaving, he was going to be the good friend here. What an honor to his Life debt it would be! It would make Han so happy and Chewie would have the better Han back again. That's why he was doing this. That's why he was leaving Han for now. He had to find Leia and reunite these two poor lovers. Chewie was sure he couldn't handle another day with Han if he didn't fix this soon!

  He snuck out of the hotel, all of Han's earnings from working for Ducchi tucked safely until his crossbow sash. He was sure he'd taken every precaution to be sure Han didn't mess this up. He'd taken the money to be sure Han wouldn't be able to leave the hotel. He'd left his friend just enough to pay for each day it would take until Chewie came back with the princess. Now, he was leaving the Falcon, hurrying to find Leia before someone messed his plan on up.

  Chewie made it to the Falcon and he hurried to the controls, his hands flying across the control board as he prepared for takeoff as fast as he could, still worried Han would wake up and come chasing after him. Soon, the Falcon was ready to go and Chewie typed in Alderaan's coordinates, setting course for Han's princess.

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  So often, Leia found herself trying to shut her eyes against the world, but today, more than she'd ever wanted to . . . Leia wanted to be able to do it for real, to be able to ignore the world without a worry and have all the time in the world to break down and cry.

  She had her hands covering her ears, her elbows tucked between her pulled up knees. She rocked back and forth, studying the maps and running her every conversation with Han over in her head. "He has to be there," she cried to Tia, shaking her head and sniffling. "We don't have the time to go looking everywhere!"

  "Leia," Tia spoke up, one hand moving to gently rest on Leia's knee. Her voice was just as soft as her touch, light as a feather, calming as the sea. Leia turned her eyes up to look at her aunt and the sad, understanding look in Tia's expression melted Leia's heart and she fell into her aunt's embrace. "I need to find him!" she cried into Tia's shoulder. For a long moment, Tia didn't say anything. She just held onto her niece, rocked her like a child and told her without words that she understood, that she was doing everything to help.

  "I need you to promise me you'll act smarter," Tia said when she finally spoke up again. She carefully pushed Leia back and wiped away her tears. "Right now. I need you to look me in my eyes and promise me that you'll never make the same mistakes that I did. Don't act low like that. You're strong and smart, so much stronger and smarter than me. Never let that slip away, Leia. Stay strong and smart. Keep a clear head. Don't let everyone else around you sway you. You know what's best. You know what you have to do. Don't ever do what I did, Leia."

  Leia nodded, wiping her own tears now. She sat up in Tia's arms and promised her. "You loved Nial's father, didn't you?"

  Tia nodded. "And I love Nial. And you, so you'd better listen to me."

  Leia nodded and shut off the holographic map. "You're right, Aunt Tia. It isn't fair. Part of me doesn't want to find him because I always knew it could only last so long. I didn't want it end. I don't want this to be the end. "

  "I know, Lelila. And my promise to you is that I'll do everything to help you with this-"

 "It's hopeless. And you know it is. Papa isn't going to allow this. Alderaan isn't going to allow this. I just want to be sure Han will be okay."