Star Crossed

I

Jo had changed by the time they reached the Rebel cruiser. And she was thankful that she had because as soon as they lowered the ramp they were bombarded by every single person in the rebellion. 

"SOLO!"

"YOU GOT HIM!" 

The cheers for Han echoed throughout the whole ship, and soon the cheers turned into a fully-fledged celebration. 

"I didn't know this many people liked Han," Leia whispered to Lando and Jo as the crowd quite literally swept Han off his feet and carried him into the cafeteria. Only a few troops stayed behind to get Chewie to the med bay, but even they were chatting Chewie's ear off about the return of the esteemed Captain Solo. 

Jo watched Han's form get smaller and smaller with a bit of distaste. "I didn't either."  She was hoping for some alone time with him once they got back, but apparently, she wasn't going to have the chance. 

"So..." Lando slowly walked in between Jo and Leia. "Jo?" Jo looked up at Lando with wide, alarmed eyes. "Han called you that when he thought you were killed," Lando explained. 

She sighed as her shoulders sagged. "I can't believe he-"

Lando laughed as he clapped Jo's shoulder. "Cut the man some slack. He was blind- literally! He probably didn't know how many people heard." 

She grumbled as she realized Han blew her cover, and she hadn't even realized it at the time because of how focused she was on killing Jabba. 

"Well," Leia tried to pose a good side to the situation. "At least everyone who heard is now... dead. Well, aside from Lando." 

Jo whipped her head up to look at the gambler. 

"Woah," Lando held his hands up defensively and took a step back from the dangerous girl. "I won't tell a soul."

"You better not. I've kept my cover for twenty-one years and I'm not about to blow it over some charming gambler who thinks he's suave. Got it?" 

Lando raised a finger as he started to say something, but as Leia cleared her throat he decided to drop it. "Won't hear a peep from me," he told her. 

Jo looked between his eyes slowly to make sure he wasn't lying. After a full minute, she decided she had no other option but to trust him. "Fine." She let out a short breath and faced forward. "Let's go join the celebrations." She rolled her shoulders back to try and loosen the tension in them. 

"I thought you and Han would be celebrating tonight." Leia walked around Lando to stand beside her best friend. "I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to whisk him away for a bit of... alone time." 

Jo looked towards Leia to see her eyebrows dancing animatedly on her forehead. "Honestly?" Leia nodded. "I thought so too. But I guess the people had other ideas." Her bottom lip jutted out the slightest bit as they navigated through the cruiser's hallways. All they had to do was follow the bumping music to find the party. 

"These people really don't waste time." Lando laughed as they walked into the cafeteria to find everyone in full swing. Even the droids let loose as they moved through the crowded floor. 

"This is... unbelievable," Jo muttered to herself as she pushed through a couple that was getting rather... close. "I just wanted to come back and-" Someone knocked into Jo and she almost fell on her face if Lando hadn't grabbed her. 

"Careful where your elbows go, you almost knocked the Princess down." Lando scorned the partier. 

"Oh- I - I am so sorry Princess- erm- Princess Leia." The poor sap tried to bow but was knocked from behind and ended up falling on the floor himself.