Thursday, January 24, 2013

Valentine's Challenge: The Sequel. Submission #2

Thanks for Amy Lee/Blamey77 for this mushy story submission.  I hope that she doesn't mind that I added a picture to go along with it.  :-)

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Inspiration: Florence and the Machine song: 'Never let me go.' This scene follows directly after Leia asks Han to hold her in Return of the Jedi after her conversation with Luke.



"Never let me go," sighed Leia. She was trembling. Han tightened his embrace, wondering what had upset her so much. The odd sounds of C3P0 talking to the ewoks drifted out of the hut.

He pulled back slightly, and brushed a few strands out of her face. Leia just turned away, eyes looking anywhere but at him. Han felt hopeless. Was this just a reaction to Luke leaving? Han was worried about the kid too but he knew that Luke's stubbornness rivalled Leia's. There was no talking him out of anything.

Han remembered the Princess' ashen face as she watched Luke float in the bacta tank on Hoth. He hated himself for feeling like this. Han swallowed his jealousy, reminding himself that it was not what she needed from him. However, the question hovered in his mind, 'Does she need me?'

Something was obviously troubling her. Leia was avoiding his gaze but had not let go of him.

Not for the first time since being freed from carbonite, Han wished that they were back on the Falcon on its way to Bespin. That trip had been the first step towards them becoming what he wanted them to be.
She had retreated after their kiss but just as the Falcon inched closer to Bespin so had she come slowly back to him. He remembered her grateful smile as he had handed her a cup of kaffe. Her hand on his shoulder in the cockpit. The sound of her rummaging through tools as she helped him with repairs. Her laugh as he twirled her around after her first sabaac win. Her arms sneaking around his waist as he gathered the cards. Her whisper in his ear, "I know you let me win." The expression on her face as she pulled him away from the cards…

Han wrapped himself in these memories as ran his fingers through Leia's hair. The next day would not be easy and it would be dangerous for all of them. He decided to enjoy the moment. Nocturnal animals just waking up were rustling around in the trees surrounding them. C3P0 had yet to interrupt them once.

And the woman he loved was in his arms.

She was resting her head against his chest and trailing her finger over the lines on his palm. Her fingers so cold and so sweet. Han brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.

Leia raised her head and looked at him.

32 comments:

  1. Ack! I can't believe you left it there. So dying to know what happened after that. Very sweet and well done. Liked the line that Threepio had yet to interrupt them. Cute.

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  2. what a nice treat to find when I got home from work today. this is one of my favorite scenes, and the "after" - including the rest of the night - is prime missing moment territory! agreed with amara z, we want more! tell us what happens next. han's memories and simple thought that "And the woman he loved was in his arms" are my favorite parts.

    I love this background pic!

    silly question - but how do we submit things to Push and Zyra?

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    1. Either PM one of us via fanfiction(dot)net. Or, email me at "shouldigetoutandpush" at "gmail(dot)com.

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  3. First off, thank you Push and Zyra for publishing my story. It's so cool seeing it on this blog with my name above it.

    And Push, I considered sending you a picture exactly like the one above because I know you guys like to put pics with stories. So, I do not mind one bit. :)

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  4. oh i loved this. very sweet. evil of you tho! you cant drop it off like that!! :)

    Oh!!!! AND I was nerdy around just now and found this:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2488496/

    It made me so happy. Not only does it feel real, but Leia is listed as Leia Solo. I found that both encouraging and adorable.

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    1. Okaaaaaay. So looks like we might have to cancel those episode 7 lobotomies.

      :) :)

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    2. Oh, seeing "Leia Solo" officially in the movie definitely makes me smile. Thanks for pointing that out :)

      And seriously, I feel terrible about this, but I actually kind of really want to see a Han Solo death now. Probably because keeping him alive would just be kind of like... wow, Han is in his 70s. But killing him could give a serious emotional moment we haven't seen in Star Wars in a long time.

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    3. Seeing Leia listed as Leia Solo definitely made me smile! Han's death? IDK if I'm ready for that!

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    4. That is seriously cute to see Leia Solo. But is JJ Abrams directing? I thought they hadn't announced the director yet? But I do see this is from Nov.

      Ooo, I don't think I could handle seeing Han die. Or hearing he had. I cried during Les Mis. It's be so much worse with Han dying. And I bet Han is probably the hottest grandpa in the galaxy. ;) But maybe if he died in bed with Leia I would get over it.

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    5. Good point about the director. As JJ Abrams actually gave an interview to E online (I think it was) in December saying he had been approached to direct but had turned it down because he is too big a fan and wouldn't want to touch it.

      So was he telling little Porky pies? Who is the director anyone know?

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    6. JJ has been officially announced as director as of either last night or this morning. My guess is that he wasn't lying in December but perhaps he was finally convinced. I mean, in a lot of ways, it seems like a really GOOD thing to have a huge fan as a director. He wants to get it right. He probably hated the prequels just as much as we did.

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    7. You know what? For the first time since it was announced I actually feel a little bit excited about this now. :)

      Could this actually be better than any of us dreamed?

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    8. I'm still choosing not to speculate. It might as well be 1994 again and people are teasing about possible SW prequels but I don't truly believe they will ever happen. I mean, I know this is actually happening, but if I pretend it won't, I don't have to get my hopes up at all.

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    9. Oh gosh. Please don't say things like things like that, it makes me feel like we are going to jinx it. I'm a prepare for the worst, hope for the best type person. I will go and see it. I will hold no real hope to be awed and I will be totally flipped out if I love it and will prob see it repeatedly!

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    10. I only said I was a tiny bit excited. ;)

      Not doing the happy dance until I've seen it.

      If truth be told this is the first episode 7 news I have heard in over a month because I just don't go online looking for it anymore. It's just easier to pretend it's not happening than to worry about every bit of speculation out there.

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    11. Thanks, Zyra! I hadn't heard they had announced it. That is interesting. I thought the reboot of Star Trek was pretty good. But...I'll stay in the cautiously optimistic camp as well. And definitely let's not jinx it!

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    12. Do you think, if I offered to do it for free, they would let me direct the next movie?? I would, of course, get ALL of you in to help me not swoon every time Harrison walked by me, which would be a lot - since I would be in charge of him. Oh, think of the power...

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    13. Never mind directing it, you should damn well be writing it! Seriously.

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    14. I'll send a letter of interest over to Disney.

      Oh, and Zyra, I'm going to assume you took temporary leave of your senses at the whole "Han Dying" suggestion. I forgive you, just please never upset me like that again. ;)

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    15. Can I volunteer as your assistant, Zolo? Of course they'd be saying, where's Amara? I dunno, did you check Harrison's trailer? :)

      We could joint write it as a group. Sex for Han and Leia in every scene. Who needs a plot?

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    16. Anyone can edit IMDB, so don't get your hopes up on that. Just pointing that out...

      Anyway, I'm okay with JJ. I thought Star Trek was awesome , and I also enjoyed Super 8.

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  5. This was adorable! I love how you have included Han's memories of the flight to Bespin. Nice idea. And I love that Threepio hasn't interupted this little moment yet...so I think they need to retreat to the nearest hut ASAP and make the most of a good thing. ;)

    Very cute. Well done.

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  6. I'll mirror Claire's comments and say that Han's memories of the flight to Bespin were my favorite. This was a great little piece. Thanks for submitting!

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  7. I loved this! But...

    WEEE WANT MOOOOORE!
    WEEE WANT MOOOOORE!
    WEEE WANT MOOOOORE!

    I loved especially "ashen face" and "never let me go". :) But it was good in total. :) Just wayyyyyyyy too short because I would have loved to enjoy it on and on and on!!! :D

    Very well said, Zyra: " I mean, in a lot of ways, it seems like a really GOOD thing to have a huge fan as a director. He wants to get it right. He probably hated the prequels just as much as we did." Now I can calm down and wait to official information about the 3 actors! <3

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  8. Awesome, Blamey! But I agree, it needs to go on. :D

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  9. Ok, so the general consensus seems to be that this was way too long?
    Just kidding. Maybe I will write a follow up- from Leia's perspective with her memories of Bespin. And I won't be so pithy next time around. :)

    And Im with you guys about being cautiously optimistic towards the new movies. I wasn't heaps excited when I heard about J.J Abrams. To be honest, I haven't seen any of his movies. However, I was a huge fan of Alias when it was on TV.

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  10. YES! a follow up is needed ASAP.

    Okay, now go. Go on. Write!!

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  11. Ok, so I planned to write a follow-up to this but another idea has temporarily taken precedent. Ain't that always the way? :)
    Once its finished, I'll come back to this. Man, it is nice to feel inspired again.

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  12. Well, I hope your another idea is something to publish in this blog. ;) Otherwise you are not permitted to let the follow-up linger. ;)

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  13. This is one of the few moments we get them alone in RotJ, and it's not something we get to explore. Thank you for using it as a fic idea.

    I love the images you conjured with the lines:
    "but just as the Falcon inched closer to Bespin so had she come slowly back to him"
    and
    "her whisper in his ear, "I know you let me win." The expression on her face as she pulled him away from the cards..."

    Great work!

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  14. I loved the line about her coming back to him as they slowly made their way to Bespin, that was so sweet. and "never let me go" is just the perfect follow up to "hold me". very nice story, sorry it's taken me so long to comment.

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