It's What Goes On In Here That's Hard (Star Wars AU Fanfiction)

Chapter 25. Alliances & Loneliness

"HAN!"

Leia screamed desperately as rebels searched for Han, but he was gone without a trace, nothing to indicate where he might have gone.

But Leia knew better, she could feel the darkness that Luke left behind, like a shadow, the same darkness she had felt when they had faced eachother on Hoth, but far worse. Leia tried to calm herself, Luke hadn't harmed Han last time, but last time Luke's mind hadn't been fully influenced by Vader's master. And if Vader was not lying, then Han's future was unpredictable and filled with uncertain darkness.

They couldn't spend time looking for Han though, they had to move on and shut down the shield, otherwise the Rebel Fleet would be destroyed.

Vader must have taken care of the shield generator's trap by now.

Finally Leia made the hard decision, calling off the search for Han. If Luke had him, Han was out of their reach for now.

***

Han kept his hands in his lap, he had found a large spot that Luke's blood had not stained and stayed there. He couldn't even bare to look at the blood for more than a few seconds and instead focused on the wall where the door was.

The lights were turned on, giving Han a clear view of his prison, but it was no mercy. Seeing Luke's blood, the faded story of his time here, it made Han sick, but even more than that it made his blood boil with rage, not just directed towards himself for not being there for Luke, but also towards Sidious and Vader, for causing the story that Han could see so clearly, written on the floor and in the corner.

The door suddenly opened, startling Han out of his angry thoughts as he looked up to see Luke enter, his grayish face emotionless and dead, it haunted Han.

The cell door locked behind X-1 as he stood beside it, assuming the posture of a guard. Sidious had wanted to see how much control he had over X-1, having him with Han was one way to see if the smuggler could get through to the asset or not.

Han deepened his breathing, forcing himself to stay calm as he watched Luke. He was different from their time on Hoth. There seemed to be nothing in Luke's eyes, but this only made Han more eager to reach his friend and get them both out, together.

"Luke... Luke please, we're, I..." Han began, but pause and bowed his head, his eyes seeing a particularly large faded blood stain nearby before he enhaled and looked back to Luke who hadn't budged. Tears pricked Han's eyes as he spoke. "I'm sorry.... I should have.... no, I did this...." Han said mournfully, his voice choking up. "After everything we've been through, you'd think I'd know who to trust.... but I trusted wrongly, and you, you suffered so long because of me, it's my fault. I'm so sorry Luke...."

Luke remained silent, showing no outward appearance of acknowledging Han's words.

Han pressed his fingers against his eyes to dry unwanted tears, sobbing as he looked at Luke helplessly. "Luke please, say something, anything!" He demanded desperately, becoming further grieved and frustrated over Luke's imprisoned mind.

But still Luke was silent, not a muscle moved, nor did an eyelash flick. He might as well have been a statue, and Han an insane man.

"Kid, please listen to me." Han cried again, using his nickname for Luke. But still Luke did not budge, and Han felt his hope to save Luke slipping away, like sand sliding through his fingers.

***

Vader finished off the last of Sidious' men, it had been easy to kill them. They were incompetent and as stupid as any Imperial trooper in Vader's eyes.

Now the base was for the most part unprotected, all was well, only the men assigned to work in the facility were left and they were not a part of the trap.