Permanent Mark

Chapter 22

Leia waits not so patiently as the Falcon lands before her. She quickly, as quickly as she can with the sickness she's endured, boards the ship. 

Han meets her not far from the top of the ramp. 

"Woah, babe, you shouldn't be hurrying so fast. Here…."

Han takes his wife by the arm and leads her to sit. She immediately runs her hands around his waist, laying her head on his chest. He holds her, placing a kiss on her forehead. She looks up and he kisses her again on the lips. They may not be 'together' but their love still stands strong. 

In all truth, almost losing her when her ship exploded terrified Han Solo deep to his core. He almost destroyed the Falcon time skipping across the galaxy when he heard the news that his beloved was in a deep coma after being exposed to raw space. 

He never left her side for almost a year afterwards. Now he mainly runs supply runs for the Resistance. Not because he's attached to the cause but because, without the supplies, the two most precious women in his life would go without. 

Also, he's the best when it comes to finding what they need. 

"Shhh….it's going to be okay." he assures her. "What does Rey know?"

"Nothing….yet. But you know her. She's so curious! Han, she can't find out. She'll go after him. I don't want her to find out before he's home again. And what if she finds out? And goes after him? And what if he sees her and makes her stay with him? You know he would….he'd turn her….you know he wou…"

Han interrupts her in her panic. 

"You'll keep her safe. You'll watch her. You've taken good care of her. You've been good to her."

Leia sits up and takes hold of her husband's hands, clinging to him, shaking. 

"No! I lied to her!! I lied, Han!! She'll never forgive me. Ben will never forgive me. He already hates me but once he finds out I lied to Rey and told her that he was dead! Dead, Han! She'll hate me!"

Han cups her face in his hands gently, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. 

"Shhhh….breathe. Breathe babe. First off, we lied. Not just you. Me too. It wasn't just your decision. Actually, it was mine. I'll deal with it if it comes to that. Secondly, our son does not hate you. He was going to fire on your ship but he couldn't because you were onboard. Remember? And you said you felt his panic right before you blacked out. He felt him panic because he thought you were killed, remember? He doesn't hate you. He's lost. We will get him back. And yes, she will be angry but Leia, we had to lie to her. She would've went after him!"

Leia shakes her head, in full panic mode. This is a side of Leia that only Han sees come out. With everyone else, she's tough, unbreakable. But with him, she's soft, all heart and all emotion. It took him a while to get through her tough exterior but once he did, she was always real with him. Especially over their children. 

"If she finds out, she'll go to him. You know she will."

Han pulls her into his chest again. 

"Then we will make damn sure she doesn't find out. C'mon, princess, let's go to our room."

"Oh Han, I can't do that right now, I'm too worried."

He chuckles and the echo of it against her face is soothing. 

"I didn't mean that. I just want you off your feet. Let me take care of you. You need it."