Star Crossed

IV

It felt like hours to Jo. It could have been for all she knew, but she had no way to keep time. So she just assumed it had been hours. She was so worried she couldn't even clear her head to meditate. Instead she just sat on the soft, moist ground and tried to not think about Leia out there... alone... with Imperial guards. 

After a while of failed meditation, she stood with a loud groan. "What's taking them so long!" 

Han, who leaned against a tree behind her, stood up straight. "Relax, they'll be here." 

Jo turned to him and shook her head. "They should have been here already, Han. At what point are we going to go look for them?" She asked hotly. 

Han walked to her to see the fire brimming in her bi-colored eyes. "Where do you suppose we start looking? Huh? You just wanna go in there blind?" He nodded towards the thick forest behind her. 

"Those are our people in there, Han!" Jo pointed behind her wildly. "We came looking for you!"

He huffed. "Yeah, it took you six months." He didn't mean anything by it, but it caused Jo's anger to flourish. 

"I WAS IN A COMA FOR SIX MONTHS!" She shoved his chest. "I COULDN'T look for you!" Angry tears started to fill her eyes, but she wasn't angry at Han, not really. She was angry at herself for letting Leia go. "Don't you think I would have looked for you if I could have?"

"Hey, hey, okay, hey- Jo-" Han grabbed Jo's upper arms to stop her from trying to shove him again. "I know you would have. You woulda found me a hell of a lot sooner than Lando would have. I know. I didn't mean anything by that."

Jo hiccupped as she looked into Han's deep eyes. "I can't lose her Han." She told him, and she meant it. "If anything happens to her-"

"I know." He pulled her towards him again. "I know, Doll." He rested his chin on her head and held her as tightly as he could without hurting her. 

"Oh, General Solo, somebody's coming. Oh!" 

Han and Jo pulled away at C-3PO's alert. Instinctively, every scout including Han, Jo and Chewie, raised their blasters. Jo turned in her spot to try and hear any footsteps or twigs snapping. She took a few steps to a large bush that gave a little shake. She aimed her blaster at it and put her finger just over the trigger, ready to fire if necessary. The bush parted and Luke slumped out. He took one look at all the blasters, but instead of putting his hands up, he fell to the ground exhausted. 

Jo holstered her weapon as she fell to her knees beside Luke. "Luke, hey, Where's Leia?" She lifted Luke's buckling chin. "Where is Leia?" She repeated eagerly. 

Luke looked up at Jo, then all around her as he realized Leia wasn't here. "What? She didn't come back?" He sat up as he looked at every Rebel scout just in case he missed her. 

"We thought she was with you." Han told him as he stepped up behind Jo. 

"We got separated." Luke admitted. 

Jo's shoulders stiffened as she dropped Luke's face and stood to look out into the forest. "She could be anywhere... she could be captured..." Jo's head ran wild with all the possibilities. "We need to find her." She turned to Han, the General of this mission, though she wasn't going to let him stop her this time if he said no. 

One look in Jo's eyes, and Han knew what he had to do. He turned towards his Rebel officers and motioned for them. "Take the squad ahead. We'll meet at the shield generator at 0300."

"Yes, General." The Rebel Officers nodded as they began to scout out ahead. 

Han turned back to Jo and Luke. "Let's go look for her." Jo gave an exhaustive smile at the man.