Secrets of Endor - DISCONTINUED

VII

Leia ran up to Luke and hugged him warmly. She felt a special closeness to him all of a sudden, which she attributed to the gravity of the moment, the import of their mission. But then she sensed a change in him, too, a difference of substance that seemed to radiate from his very core – something that she alone could see.

"What is it, Luke?" she whispered. She suddenly wanted to hold him; she could not have said why.

"Nothing. I'll tell you someday," he murmured quietly. It was distinctly not nothing, though.

"All right," she answered, not pushing. "I'll wait." She wondered. Maybe he was just dressed differently – that was probably it. Suited up all in black now – it made him look older. Older, that was it.

Han, Chewie, Lando, Wedge, and several others crowded around Luke all at once, with greetings and diverse sorts of hubbub. The assembly as a whole broke up into multiple such small groups. It was time for last farewells and good graces.

Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar had given all squadrons a few hours rest before leave. It was all they could spare without the Empire progressing too far in their construction. Leia and Lando felt they could take on the mission, but both insisted time was given for Han to recover and Luke to regroup with the Alliance.

Since returning from carbonization, Solo had been given little time to recover. Sure, he made himself look okay, but the last day on the Falcon had proved otherwise to Leia. While Han was lying on his - their - bunk, unconscious, he began to reveal how sick he still was. Leia had alerted Threepio to help monitor his vitals, but told him not to mention any of it to the Corellian. She was sure he could handle himself for the Alliance, but feared for anything else.

She pushed her fears aside for the time being. Later, she would ask the medical wing to do a once over on Solo. For now, she agreed to return to their respective units to rest before departure.

"A General, what do you know?" Leia asked cheerfully, looking to her right to congratulate Han once more. Then, to her left, to admire her friend. "And Luke a Jedi Master!"

Han was quiet, but grabbed for Leia's hand. He was showing his jealous side more since Luke had rejoined them. Even though she felt closer to Skywalker now, she wouldn't dream of leaving Han for him. Even so, she enjoyed the ways Solo wanted to show the rest he cared for her.

"Standing in the presence of a Senator, Princess, and Rebel leader," Luke replied, notifying Leia that she was just as important as the two of them.

He walked with confidence, once again seeming older to Leia. Even the way he talked made him sound different.

"This General," Han mocked as the three approached their quarters, "needs a shower and a clean change of clothes."

Luke smiled, glad the smuggler's bitter attitude had returned. "I'm to meet with Wedge to plan our attack," he informed his friends, taking a step away.

"You won't rest at all?" Leia asked, insisting he needed to lie down.

Skywalker shook his head. "I can't let my guard down right now," he told her.

Leia gave in, giving her friend a hard stare. "We'll see you on Endor?" she probed.

He nodded. "Good luck, Han," Luke added, noting that Solo would be piloting their shuttle down.

"Thanks, kid," the General replied with serious gratitude.

When Luke left to visit Antilles, Leia glanced toward her own bunk. She knew the contents. It was neat. Her clothes were packed in their drawers nicely, as though she had been gone for the last year. Then, her mind wandered towards the bunk diagonal to hers. She pictured the mess she made when she last escaped the Rebel frigate almost eight months prior. Han's clothes were probably sticking out of the drawers. He might be missing a few shirts. The blanket which would be folded nicely at the end of his bed on a normal return would be hanging off at the foot, obviously slept in.

Leia was brought back to reality when she felt Han squeeze her hand. She made up an excuse so he wouldn't ask what was taking over her mind. "I think I should change into something of my own."

Solo looked her over but didn't argue. "I'll be in my bunk if you need me, Princess."

Leia froze while his hand left hers and he proceeded towards his own room. She watched him punch in the key code she had so easily cracked: 1300. Then, a wave of panic swept over her as she watched the doors reveal her mess.

"Han, wait!" she called desperately.

Solo walked into his bunk, silently taking it in. It was messy, perhaps more so than he remembered leaving it. Then, he heard Leia's call from somewhere still in the hallway. He paused, turning to face the doorway.

Leia appeared, her face full of embarrassment. Slowly, she peeked into the bunk and tried not to look at its appearance. She gazed at Han instead, attempting to read his expression. When that didn't work, she did her best to slow her heartbeat and connect with his own, like Luke could do, but she never got to that part of his training.

"Han, I..." Leia began, but no more words came.

Taking another look around the space, a smile formed across Solo's lips. "I think we've got a thief on board," he told her with fake shock masking his voice.

Immediately, Leia began to take steps towards the drawers under his bunk. Feeling bad, she figured it was best to clean up for him.

Han wasn't stupid, though. He read the shame in her body movements and grabbed her hand as she tried to pass him, stopping her in her tracks.

When she turned to look at him, he knew it all. It was easy to piece together. Leia had missed him. Leia had spent the last year living in his space. She wanted to stay as close to him as she could. And in this realization, Solo felt more loved by his new family than he ever had before, especially by the Princess.

Overwhelmed by admiration of her devotion, Han pulled her in and held her close. He kissed her cheek and rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes still taking in the mess she had left.

"I'm sorry, Han, I shouldn't have been in here," Leia whispered.

Solo broke off their hug, but instead of answering her, he crushed his lips against the Princess's, needing to kiss her. She returned the kiss, but when she tried to speak to continue her apology, Han backed her up against the nearest wall and, still kissing her, used a hand to key in his door code so they could be alone.

When Leia figured out what he was doing, she pushed him away and studied his eyes. "I didn't know if you were coming back," she whispered, forcing herself not to cry. She spent enough time crying in this room.

"I'm here," Solo told her, calming her fears.

Then, he was kissing her again, but not by his own desire. Leia took him on this time, almost as though she was afraid to lose him again. She felt fragile, but it didn't scare her. The Senator hidden inside of her from so long ago came out, giving orders as though it were once again her job. She used her hands instead of her voice and untucked Solo's shirt from under his belt, initiating it all.

Then, the new Alliance General spun the Princess around again, and next thing she knew, they were crashing down on his bunk.

She was not a Princess, and he was not a smuggler. She was Leia, and he was Han, and they were both safe for right now.