Never Let You Go

Chapter 12

      Leia sat at the table by the galley when Han came back to check on her. She took a short nap and then couldn't sleep, so she figured she'd get up. Han walked down the hallway and was surprised to see her up already.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey."

"I was just coming to check on you. How was your nap?"

"It was good. I needed it."

"That's good." He said, taking a seat across from her.

"Your son woke me up and wouldn't let me go back to sleep, so I figured I'd just sit out here." She laughed. He laughed, leaning in to talk to his son.

"Hey, kid. Give her a break, will you?!" He looked up at Leia who was also laughing. He smiled and kissed her.

"You look tired, Han." She said, running her fingers through his hair.

"I am tired. I was gonna take a nap."

"Go rest, Han. I'll come check on you later." She said, quoting him from earlier. He laughed and nodded.

"Okay, sweetheart."

      Han kissed her then stood up and walked into their cabin and shut the door. Leia smiled, looking down at her hands. She looked around the galley. Eyeing a caf cup, she got up from the table and made herself a cup of tea. She thought about Chewie and decided to make Chewie a cup of caf and take it to him in the cockpit.

      Chewie turned around when he heard the door to the cockpit open. He was surprised to see Leia standing there. She walked over and sat in Han's seat. Leia smiled, handing the wookiee the cup of caf, which he gladly accepted with a smile.

"Thank you, princess." He said.

"I know you and Han have been up for a bit."

"Yes, you're right." Chewie nodded. "You couldn't sleep?"

"Not with our son kicking me in my side." Leia smirked, Chewie laughed as he took a sip of his drink.

"Han looked worried earlier after he talked to you. He told me that it was nothing, but I wanted to ask you, is everything alright?"

      Leia took a sip of her tea and swallowed. Staring forward out at the stars, she sighed. After she gathered her thoughts, she looked at her friend.

"Yes, everything is alright." She said. Chewie nodded in understanding. He had a feeling that something happened earlier that she or Han weren't mentioning at the moment, and he didn't want to pry.

"Chewie?" Leia asked.

"Yes, princess?"

"Was Malla worried when she was pregnant with Lumpy?" Chewie was surprised at her question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean was she ever worried that something would happen to her when it came time for him to be born?"

"Yes, but I suppose it's that way with all women. Is this what you and Han were talking about when he came back here looking worried?" Leia just nodded her answer.

"I told him I was scared because they never found out why Padme died when she had Luke and I. She was perfectly healthy." Chewie looked at her.

"You'll be fine. You're perfectly healthy and I know how strong you are. I've witnessed you be strong after you lost everything, after you survived the Death Star, after Han was frozen in carbonite. You've always been strong, princess. I know you'll be fine."

"That's what Han said. Chewie, don't tell Han I said this, but, if something were to happen to me, please promise me that you'll look after Han and our son. You'll have to make sure that Han doesn't get one of his silly ideas and go off and do something stupid." She said, laughing at the last sentence that she said. Chewie laughed with her because he knew she was right.

"Don't worry. I will, princess." Chewie said, hugging her.

"Thank you, Chewie." She smiled. Chewie nodded.

      Leia sat with Chewie in the cockpit for a while, just sitting there, feeling her son kick. She drank the rest of her tea and thought about Han. She looked at her wrist chrono and noticed it had been a few hours since Han went to their cabin to take a nap.

"Chewie, I'm going to go check on Han."

"Okay, princess."

      Leia walked out of the cockpit and down the hallway to their cabin. Not wanting to wake Han, she didn't knock before she entered the room. She got under the covers and laid next to him in their bed. He opened his eyes and softly smiled.

"Hi." He whispered.

"Hey. Sorry, did I wake you?" she asked.

"No. I've been awake for a few minutes. What have you been up to?"

"I brought Chewie some caf and I sat with him for a while." Han nodded.

"I bet he enjoyed that."

"It was nice." She smiled.

      Han brushed her hair behind her ear. He pulled her close and kissed her. He liked the fact that they had a few days until they reached Takodana.

"Han?" she asked.

"Hmm?" He said.

"Tell me about Takodana." Han smiled and sighed.

"It's very green. Lots of trees, rocks, and there's a beautiful lake near where we're going."

"How did you know about this place?"

"Chewie and I came upon it when we were on Takodana during our days in the smuggling business."

"Who is this person you said we're meeting with?"

"Oh! Maz. Maz Kanata is a good friend of Chewie and me. She's this short woman who has been running a bar there for years."

"Short? You mean like me?" Leia teased. He laughed.

"She's shorter than you, honey. Way shorter."

"Oh." Leia smiled.

"Her bar is known to smugglers from everywhere. That's who mainly hangs out there, are smugglers and travelers."

"Sounds like an interesting place."

"It is. And Maz is an interesting person. She's also Force-sensitive."

"You'll have twice the fun." She joked. Han laughed and nodded.

"Yes, two Force-sensitive women in one place at the same time. This should be an interesting experience." Leia laughed, playfully hitting his chest.