Stay or Go?

**This chapter contains adult situations. Remember, thanks to that poll now I know how old many of you are, so at least don't tell your parents you read this**

CHAPTER XXII

Han and Leia held hands in silence as they retreated back to their cabin on the Falcon rather than opting for temporary quarters on the battle cruiser. While Han had always felt a need to keep Leia from any and all harm, the knowledge that she was now carrying their child added a whole other level of desperation to protect her. In spite of the fact that she probably required the least help in protecting herself of any woman he’d ever even heard of. She maybe even needed less help than he did.

When they were finally alone in their sanctuary, Han silently directed Leia to sit at the edge of the bed and then looked down at her, knowing that she was not going to like what he had to say. Not letting go of her hand, he finally quietly spoke. “I don’t want you to have anything to do with this mission.”

She heaved an exasperated sigh and appeared incredibly annoyed that he had already broken his promise. After rolling her eyes, she responded firmly, “You do remember when I told you I’d shoot you if you asked me to stay behind, right? I wasn’t kidding.”

He sat down next to her and took a deep breath, wishing just this once that the woman he loved was the type who could sit back and let others take care of the important things. “I know what you said earlier, but thinking about it as a possibility and knowing it might be a reality are two different things.” He reached over and placed a hand against her stomach. “It’s not that I think you being pregnant makes you any less capable of doing anything that needs to be done. It’s that I don’t know what I’d do if I lost both you and our child.”

He had expected anger, as that was her typical response, but when he looked into her eyes he saw her expression soften a bit before she replied. “Listen, I appreciate your concern and I understand how you feel, but if you want me to stay behind then it only seems fair that you do, too.”

“They could really use my help. And I’m a lot more expendable than you are.”

“Not to me, you aren’t. Do you think I like the idea of letting my child grow up without a father? Or losing my husband? I was just getting used to calling you that.”

He exhaled heavily and pursed his lips. “You know it’s not the same thing.”

“I beg to differ. I think it’s exactly the same thing. I want us to be in this together, Han. If you want me to stay behind because you can’t stand losing me then I think it’s only fair that you stay behind because I can’t stand losing you. I already told you I can’t go through that again. Either we both go, or neither of us goes. It’s up to you.”

He saw the gentle pleading in her eyes, realizing that there was really no good argument against that. “You must really love me, huh?”

She shrugged. “I guess you’ll do.”

Reaching up his hand, he ran his fingers through the short hair on her head that was still far from the long tresses that had only recently graced her head. “Why can’t we just hide in here forever?”

Short hair or not, the smile she gave him then still made his breath catch in his throat. “We don’t have forever, but I don’t think anyone is expecting us anywhere for a while.”

He brushed his thumb along her cheek, desperately hoping that whatever happened they’d eventually be able to raise their child in a peaceful galaxy. “I can’t think of a much better way to pass the time than making love to the mother of my child.”

“That’s how we got into this mess in the first place.”

“I didn’t hear any complaints when we were making that baby.”

She laughed. “And you’re probably not going to hear any complaints now, either,” she replied before leaning in and kissing him.

They wasted no time before they were undressed and Han’s lips moved against every inch of Leia’s body, paying particular attention to the smooth skin of her stomach where their baby was growing. This was not usually his favorite spot to concentrate on, but he was overwhelmed with the knowledge that inside was a tiny life that they had created together.

He felt her hands slip under his arms and gently pull to get him to move back up her body while he blazed a trail with his mouth along the way. When their lips met once again she hugged her knees tightly against his sides as he gently rested his weight against her.

Somehow she managed to roll them so that she was on top, her lips never leaving his and her legs now straddling his waist.

He brought his hands to rest against her hips and guided her to take him inside, both exhaling sharply at their joining. She slowly rocked herself back and forth and he briefly wondered just how many children they might wind up with if they continued to enjoy this past time as much as they did currently, which he had no doubt they would.

She rested her hands against his chest and sat up, looking down and smiling at him. He knew he had heard that expectant mothers sometimes had a certain glow about them, and he’d always believed the notion to be ridiculous. Whether it was her being pregnant or just the intense love for her he was feeling right then, she certainly appeared to be radiating something. Before he had a chance to contemplate it any further she intensified her movements and while he started moving his own hips to match her rhythm, he lost any ability for conscious thought.

A while later, when they were exhausted and once again resting comfortably in each other’s arms, Han made a decision. “Sweetheart, I don’t think either one of us should stay behind.”

“I knew you’d come to your senses, but what made you change your mind?”

“I can’t think of anyone else I trust to do things right. And I think our baby has a lot better chance of being born into a galaxy I’d want to raise it in if its parents are playing a big part in making sure that’s the case.”

“I promise to be careful if you do.”

He kissed her forehead. “Deal.”

“We do make a pretty good team,” she replied, holding him tighter. “Speaking of which, how about we get a little something to eat? That teamwork we just finished made me pretty hungry.”
“On one condition,” he said, looking down at her.

“What’s that?”

“I bring the food in here and we eat naked.”

She did not hesitate in her answer. “Deal.”

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This was the first chapter I had had to write in months. Push's condition to me first was that even though she told him not to, Han had to ask her to stay behind. And then she added another condition that they had to have sex. So I was just following the rules.