Valentine's Challenge the Third: Submission #6 by Claire1976

Overdue Modifications

 "So, are you planning on telling me what's been bothering you since we left Coruscant?" Leia asked curiously. She leaned forward from her seat in the Millennium Falcon's cockpit to regard her husband of just three weeks as best she could. He’d been fidgety, and somewhat distracted for the past few hours, and Leia was determined to get whatever it was out of him.

"Bothering me? Why should there be anything bothering me?” Han replied, feigned surprise evident in his voice. He sheepishly turned his head, wanting to avoid catching her gaze, even from the corner of his eye.

Leia suppressed a smile. "Because I know you, flyboy, and there's definitely something up. You have that, I don’t know, shifty kind of look about you.”

"Shifty? Who me?” Han shot back innocently, jabbing a finger at his chest. ”Nah, I'm perfectly fine.”

Inwardly Han was saying a silent prayer to all the Corellian Gods that his new wife wouldn't continue to pursue this line of questioning. Maybe he was acting a little weird, but with very good reason. He had prepared a little surprise for her before they left Coruscant a few hours earlier, and wasn’t ready to share it just yet. If he could hold out for a little while longer, then it would all work out just as he had planned. Unfortunately though, he was starting to realise that he was probably going to lose this particular battle. He knew Leia well enough by now to know that like a Krayt Dragon with a fresh, meaty Bantha bone, she wasn’t going to drop it anytime soon. He had a really bad feeling about this.

Leia turned to the towering Wookiee occupying the seat adjacent to Han. "Chewie, I'm not imagining this am I? There's something a little strange going on, isn't there? He isn’t himself today."

Chewbacca gave a short, rather abrupt sounding bark, and turned his head to look at Han.

"See, he agrees with me.” Leia exclaimed, sitting back and folding her arms in defiance.

Han regarded his Wookiee companion with a frown. "Thanks pal, take her side why don't ya.”

"He's not taking anyone's side, Han.” Leia was quick to point out. “But clearly, Wookiee's  share a woman's perfect intuition, not to mention the fact that you're an absolutely terrible liar.”

"I am not!!” Han cried, swivelling round in his chair. His mouth dropped open, and a hurtful expression crept onto his face, as Chewbacca let out what sounded like the Wookiee equivalent of a deep belly laugh.

"You see, that just proves my point.” Leia said, trying hard to suppress her own urge to chuckle.

The huge Wookiee growled excitedly, his long furry arms flailing frantically above his head.

Han swallowed hard. “Don't everybody rat on me at once.”

Chewbacca snorted indignantly. 

“Yeah, laugh it up, fuzzball.”

Han heard Leia sigh. ”Well, I'll give you some time to have a little think about what's been bothering you. I'll go take in a nice sonic shower, and then maybe change into something a little more comfortable." She leaned forward and gave Han a quick kiss on the cheek, before turning to exit the cockpit. Pausing for a moment in the hatchway she added, "Oh, and Han, I will get it out of you when I come back."

Han swivelled back round and looked nervously across at Chewbacca. ”Do you think that was a threat?"

Chewbacca roared in agreement.

"Women, huh? Yeah, I don't get 'em either, buddy."

Han turned his attention back to the course he had been plotting when his heart sank. He suddenly realised that if she went into their cabin to use the sonic shower she would unwittingly discover the surprise he was saving for later. He had to stop her from going in there, and fast.

“Leia, wait, you can’t go in there." He called out.

“Why not?” her inquisitive voice came back.

Han had to think really quickly. ”Um, because it's a real mess."

Leia reappeared in the hatchway, frowning at him. "A mess? But it was perfectly fine when we got back from honeymoon, and that was only a week ago." She folded her arms and regarded him intently. "The Falcon’s been docked ever since, so what’s been going on?”  

“Modifications, just a little something that needed to be done." Han replied, flashing her the best smile he could muster under the circumstances.

“So tell me, what is it?”  Leia asked, the curiosity growing in her voice.

“Somethin….nice.”

“Nice? Hmm, I’m not sure we share the same definition of nice." Leia replied with a wry smile.

Han gave her a cheeky wink. “Trust me on this one, sweetheart.”

Leia shook her head, and suddenly looked worried. “You know I get nervous when you say that.”

Han tried to reassure her, by turning to his Wookiee companion for back up. “There’s no need, right Chewie?”

The sound the Wookiee made at that moment was somewhere between a laugh and a snort, and Leia could tell by the somewhat bewildered look on her husband’s face that what he had said did not amuse him. “Hey, enough of that.” Han snapped back.

“So, when do I get to see this nice thing in our cabin?” Leia enquired, sounding somewhat  hopeful.

“I was hoping to keep it a surprise for later.” Han’s smirk was more than a little suggestive.

“I’m not sure about that. You’ve told me more than enough to get me intrigued. So, you’re just gonna have to show me, now aren’t you?” 

The Wookiee howled uncontrollably. Han raised his hands in surrender. "Ok, ok, you win. I'll show you."

Leia, looking more smug than the pitten that caught the womp rat, gave Chewbacca a little wink as she turned to exit the cockpit. Han followed quickly after her.

"You have him wrapped around your little finger there, don't ya?" Han remarked.

Leia didn't reply, but instead flashed him her very sweetest smile.

Han came up behind her and placed his hands over her eyes.

Leia giggled, "So this is some kind of game now?"

"You can see it, but only when I say. Want you to keep your eyes shut. And no peeking." He instructed. "You got it?"

"Ok, let's just get on with this."

They reached the access hatch to the cabin that they both shared, and keeping one hand firmly over Leia's eyes, Han stretched across to hit the entry switch with his other hand. The door whooshed open and Leia's nostrils were instantly filled with a light floral scent that seemed somewhat familiar.

“Ok, you can look now.” Han announced.

Leia opened her eyes, and for a few moments she was rendered totally speechless by the sight before her. The cabin was bathed in soft flickering light from an arrangement of various sized candles adorning each of the corners. They cast a gentle, romantic glow across the small room and highlighted the oversized bed, piled high with soft pillows and cushions, that had taken the place of the old battered bunk that had been there ever since Han had first acquired the Falcon. The brilliant white silk sheets shimmered in the candlelight and were scattered with an array of large crimson petals, which Leia instantly recognised as belonging to the fragrant Ladalum flower, native to her home planet of Alderaan. Now it made sense why the smell was so familiar to her.

“Well, what do you think?” Han enquired after a few moments of stunned silence.

“It’s... a…bed.” Leia stuttered, aware that her mouth was hanging open.

She felt Han’s arms encircle her waist from behind, pulling her into his embrace and then his sweet, warm breath close to her ear. “A real bed. No more cramped, squashy, single bunk.  A proper, double bed. I figured I owed it to you after all this time.”

Leia couldn’t help but giggle. “You aren’t kidding after four years of sharing that shabby old bunk with you.”

“Couldn't have my Princess slumming it forever in a smuggler's bunk, now could I? But you gotta admit, it was damn cosy in there. But hey, less of the shabby!"

“We certainly had some good times," Leia said with a wistful smile. "But you can’t say it was comfortable and I think I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve almost fallen out of that thing.” She marvelled again at the sight before her and wondered how Han had managed to pull off something so thoughtful, and so beautiful.  "Oh, Han, it looks lovely. It’s just perfect. "And, the flowers, they're...they're Ladalum petals."

"Consider it a belated wedding gift from me." Han whispered through her hair as he moved it aside to kiss gently behind her ear.

“Silk sheets too?”

“The finest Alderaanian silk, no less.” Han said, with a hint of smugness.

 

Leia was overcome with emotion. He had done all this, just for her? Han had never been the most romantic man in the galaxy, but occasionally he would surprise her with an unexpected gift, which was always greatly received, but this was something else. Alderaanian silk and Alderaanian flowers? Where did he find them? After considering that for a while Leia decided she probably didn’t want to know, and was just content to enjoy this wonderful surprise and not dwell on it too much.

“Thank you, it really is so beautiful.” She said, feeling the beginnings of tears welling in her eyes.

"What was that you said once?” Han pondered. "I do have my moments...not many of them…"

"But you do have them.” Leia finished. "And you certainly do, don’t you?" She turned to him and reached up, gently cupping his cheek. He caught her hand it and brought it to his lips, closing his eyes and kissing it tenderly before giving her a heartfelt smile.

"It's a shame though you didn't think of this before the honeymoon.” Leia remarked. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Ah well, it was the honeymoon that finally made me realise just how much we both needed this. Think we finally wore that old bunk out."

“You aren’t kidding about that.” Leia chuckled.

Han raised an eyebrow. ”So....you wanna try it out?”

"I'm not tired.” Leia grinned back, knowing exactly what he was playing at.

"I don't remember saying anything about sleeping." He said huskily, inching closer to her.     

"Oh really, so you have something else in mind?” 

"A new bed has to be broken in, just to be sure, right? Make sure it's good and sturdy.”

"Well...that sounds like a..."

Before she could finish the sentence Han was scooping her up into his arms. His face covered in a mischievous grin. Leia was unable to contain her laughter, giggling like an excitable teenager. Han reflected for a moment as he carried her the few short steps to the bed, how glorious the sound was. Her laughter was so infectious and without doubt the most wonderful sound he had ever heard. It was complimented so perfectly by her beautiful, radiant smile, beaming from her face, that melted his heart every single time.

“Han, what are you doing?” Leia cried.

“It’s only proper I carry my new wife to her new bed, isn’t it?”

“Is that a Corellian tradition?” She asked.

“Nah, I just made it up."

 

He placed her gently in the centre on the large bed, her body sinking ever so slightly. The silky softness enveloped her as he fell down rather clumsily on top of her, and this time the uncontrollable laughter came from both of them, and they held each other until the merriment subsided. Han eventually pushed himself up and hovered over her, his crooked grin shining down at her. Then for a few moments they just swam in the depths of each other's eyes, locked into one another's souls.

"I love you, you know.” He said softly.

"I know, and I love you, too."

Han lowered himself down and kissed her hungrily, passionately, as if he never wanted to stop. She eagerly returned the kiss, bringing up her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. With an overwhelming sense of urgency, she found herself ruffling up his hair and wrapping her legs tightly around him as she did so.

In the cockpit Chewbacca chortled to himself. He didn’t expect the newlyweds back for quite some time.

Valentine's Challenge The Third: Submission #5 by Sabacc Gal

 Rapture

Silence had settled over them, after the flurry of activity leading up to the jump.

She stared at the mesmerizing streaks of hyperspace, feeling unanchored in Chewie’s oversized armchair, distinctly conscious of the awkwardness that still crept in at moments like these: the transition times, those abruptly quiet “now what?” gaps that managed to throw her off-guard despite the fact that they’d been lovers for over a week.

Eight standard days, to be precise.

“You know, hyper-rapture is a real risk if you stare out there too long,” Han spoke over the faintly-humming engines. 

Had he ever witnessed it, she wondered, this mythical spacer’s madness supposedly caused by prolonged hyperspace viewing?

The question faded unasked as she turned to look at him and found herself marvelling once again at the reality of his return, which left him whole and unscathed and sitting here across from her, stretched comfortably in his captain’s chair with his right arm draped casually back behind the armrest. And he was gazing at her, smiling unabashedly with an intensity that warmed her cheeks.  She held his gaze self-consciously; wondered if she might be risking a clinically distinct variant of hyper-rapture simply from staring at him too long.

“C’mere,” he motioned with the barest tilt of his head, breaking the awkward spell.

The captain’s chair creaked a soft protest as she shifted in his lap, his mouth deliciously warm on hers, her fingers woven through the hair at the nape of his neck while his hands mapped, through the thin fabric of her worn combat shirt, the contours of her spine, her ribs, her breasts. She’d endured a lifeless shadow of this, throughout months of anguished dreams which had wholly failed to convey the exquisite corporality of him.

The fragmented backdrop of hyperspace was seductive, though from recent experience she knew they would eventually retreat to his cabin -- where, presumably, one misplaced shudder wouldn’t risk offending his temperamental ship into dropping them out of hyper-space. 

“Why didn’t we think to do this ages ago?” Her fingers were tangled in his hair as they both came up for breath.

“*I* thought of it,” he grumbled, bowing his head to her newly-exposed shoulder.

The words stabbed through her unexpectedly. She tilted her head in an attempt to look at him. “When?” she asked softly. How much time had her ambivalence cost them? It was a question which had haunted her during his captivity, and which was resurfacing now as she discovered first-hand what she had been passing up.

“When what?” he mumbled, eyes half-lidded, lips intent on pursuing bare skin. She gently nudged his chin and he looked up, open-mouthed and a touch breathless.

“When did you first think of… us… like this?”

His eyes reflected the dimmed lights of the control panels as he seemed to replay her question in his mind. “You mean,” she saw the beginnings of understanding in his mischievous grin, “when did I first imagine royal make-out sessions in the cockpit?” She felt her cheeks flush unexpectedly at his choice of words. He smiled and ducked his head, his fingers teasing her shirt open a little further. “That was day one, Princess.”

Day one, her mind echoed at her in accusation. His ship’s ventilation system puffed at her reproachfully, cooling the trail which he’d blazed on her skin. Then she sniffed skeptically in spite of herself, recalling the circumstances of their first meeting. “I don’t believe you.” She’d been angry, and tortured, and sporting sludge in her hair.

“So don’t,” he shrugged, intent on his task. “You thought I was just trying to piss you off?” He worked the last closure loose, glanced up at her suggestively.  “Huh. I even asked Luke if he thought you’d go for me.”

She absorbed this in silence as he lowered his head again.

”He said ‘No,’ by the way…” Han trailed off smugly, the words half-muffled as he disappeared into the folds of her shirt.

Her breath caught at the sensation stirred by his mouth and she felt her eyes drift closed, was barely aware that her sudden onset of melancholy had faded into a swell of affection for him, this irreverent scoundrel who could still re-vector her mood as casually as he could his ship’s course.

Later, in his cabin, she would note that he hadn’t bantered back with the obvious: when had she first considered him in that way? Likely because he’d long ago guessed that she herself wasn’t sure.

Over the years they’d shared hundreds of meals on his ship, but never like this. Conversation had become relaxed, now that she had shed her wariness of his potential to gleefully transform the most innocuous of topics into innuendo-laced provocations.

“Did you know that I personally oversaw the security check we ran on you after Yavin?”

“You don’t say…” He looked up from his plate with an innocent grin. “Find anything interesting?”

She frowned at the memory of the maddening data her slicers had turned up, a veritable cesspool of conflicting nonsense placing him in ten different systems at any one time, under a variety of aliases and circumstances each more preposterous than the last. A month later the absurd data had mysteriously evaporated, but the damage was done.

“Honestly, Han,” she sighed. “We had to include every bit of it in your confidential dossier. It’s there to this day, General.”

“No wonder Mon Mothma’s always looking at me funny.”

She had to smile at that one. “For what it’s worth, flyboy, I’ll admit to squandering considerable personal time trying to decide what, if any of it, might possibly be legitimate.” 

“And what did you conclude? Just so I’ll know what to tweak for next time.”

“Well, for starters,” she leaned back in her chair, “I’m guessing you were never a Founding Father of the Holy Sect of Varn. Or chief fundraiser for the Society for the Protection of Orphaned Dinkos.”

Han shoveled stew into his mouth and shrugged noncommittally.

“But the professional bantha jockey sounded plausible,” she continued. She ignored his self-deprecating smirk, gazed at him thoughtfully a moment before taking the plunge in a more sober tone.  “And you did graduate top of your class at Carida.”

She saw a flash of vulnerability in his eyes before he looked down to stir at his food. “That was never in those files,” he countered in a quiet voice.

“No, it wasn’t,” she agreed softly. “It was Dodonna who suggested we slice into the naval records.” The former Imperial war hero had looked beyond the smuggler’s reckless bravado, recognizing well-honed military training for what it was.

“Dodonna,” he nodded. He considered this a moment, then quipped lightly. “Just so you know, the Holy Sect of Varn thing was just as true.”

She didn’t take the bait, concentrating instead on steadying her voice for the topic she was about to broach. “Well, you might be interested to know that High Command is considering you to lead the mop-up fleet. And I don’t think it’s your experience with the Holy Sect of Varn that’s weighing in on their decision.” All her senatorial training couldn’t keep the unease out of her tone.

There was a long pause. “Yeah. I heard the rumours.”

She’d wondered if he had. “There are a few dissenters,” she added after a moment, “but the general consensus is that you’re the top candidate on Madine’s short-list.” She clearly recalled the moment Han’s name had come up at the conference table, when, from the curious glances cast in her direction, she’d realized that other rumours, rumours of a rather more personal nature, were spreading quickly.

She wondered if he’d also heard that she’d voiced in support of his candidature, all the while knowing, dreading, that it might mean losing him, again, for months at a time out in the galactic fringes. She’d wanted to scream her dissent. But she couldn’t, not without unjustly discrediting his qualifications and compromising her political integrity. No one with any kind of military sense could deny he was perfect for the assignment.

“What if I’m not interested in a promotion right now.” It was a statement, not a question.

She realized she’d been holding her breath and released it in silent relief. “Then they continue on down the list,” she told him quietly.

“Good. I’ll pass.” He reached for the serving container, ladled more stew onto his plate, and before she had a chance to formulate a comment he changed the subject. “You know, this stuff’s really not bad for dehydrated military surplus. You want some more?”

And that was that.

“I still think you’re making it up, Han. Day one?”

They were cleaning up the supper dishes.

“What do you want me to say?” he shrugged, apparently amused by it all. “Day twelve, then.”

She shook her head in exasperation. “But I was impossible. I did nothing but yell at you all.”

He rolled his eyes innocently. “And I’m supposed to wait until that changes? Cause I have better things to do with my life, sweetheart.”

“I had garbage in my hair,” she protested with a frown, ignoring the jab.

“Not as much as Luke did, and you were better-looking.”

She glared at him, half-annoyed, half-flattered.

“Look,” he eyed her good-naturedly, “you’re the one who wanted to know.”

She sniffed haughtily.  “Maybe you just have cockpit fantasies about all the women you bring on board,” she concluded, trying to sound reproachful and wondering why the thought didn’t bother her as much as it might have a year ago.

He grinned wickedly. “Maybe…” he nodded, moving slowly towards her, seduction in his eyes. She met his gaze with amused defiance. “But that wouldn’t explain why I hung around all these years, would it?”

He had a point, she realized, as he pressed her to the galley bulkhead.

He didn’t think of life in terms of regret, she suspected. Han Solo lived in the here and now. So why did she feel the need to pursue this?

She couldn’t help herself. “Han?” She wriggled a little, disentangling herself from him. “I want to ask you something.”

His forearm slid over the curve of her hip as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. He opened his eyes and assessed her drowsily, then struggled to prop himself up on an elbow. His free hand came to rest on her thigh, his fingers tracing questioning circles there.

“What if I’d accepted your advances?” she asked solemnly.

He looked amused. “I thought you did.” He glanced around the dimmed cabin, at his rumpled bunk and then back at her with an innocent expression. “Did I misinterpret something?”

She stifled a smile. “Sooner, I mean,” she chided. “What if I’d responded in kind on day one, or twelve, or one hundred, instead of waiting until…?” she shrugged, at a loss.

“Responded in kind?” He seemed delighted by the euphemism. He rocked a little on his elbow, and she could see his eyes calculating a trajectory, his mouth plotting a landing course for the still-glistening surface of her abdomen.

She put a deliberate hand to his forehead to stop him. When he glanced up in mock indignation she eyed him steadily, refusing to let him navigate off-topic this time.

He sat up with an exaggerated sigh of defeat, settled back against the pillows beside her, considering her words. She watched in silence as he scratched his chin thoughtfully and evaluated her with apparent seriousness.

“You wouldn’t have,” he concluded at length.

She shook her head with insistence. “But what if I had?”

Without hesitation he reached out to touch her cheek, and met her eyes with a sincerity that stopped her breath in her chest. “Then you wouldn’t be you. And it’s you I wanted.”

She stared at him wordlessly as she absorbed his meaning, and felt her eyes suddenly brimming. Finally she managed to murmur, “I’m glad you’re turning down the mop-up fleet command.”

“Me too.” He cleared his throat, and she saw him swallow. “I know it’s, ah… hard to believe coming from a gorgeous catch like me,” he smiled modestly, “but I’ve… had a woman or two walk out on me before.” She watched as his expression grew vulnerable. “Never completely understood why,” he shrugged, “but I’d rather not have it happen again and I’m pretty sure spending the next six months apart wouldn’t be a great start.”

She studied him in silence, transfixed, wondering again about the possibility of Han-Solo-induced hyper-rapture.

Her throat was aching as she reached up to trace the outline of his mouth with her fingertips. When she finally spoke, the words were hoarse and anguished to her ears. “Did you know I spoke in support of your candidature?” She felt the tears begin to spill. “I couldn’t even abstain without it seeming --” her voice broke helplessly.

 “I know,” he said, brushing his thumb across her cheek.

She pressed her hand flat over his against her cheek, held it there, pressing her lips to the edge of his palm as her tears squeezed stubbornly through tightly-closed lids.

Of course he’d known, she realized as he gathered her close and kissed her. He’d known, and still he understood, accepted it, all of it. All of her.

Simply because it was her he wanted.

Valentine's Day Challenge The Third: Submission #4 by TooOldForThis

Mini-Vacation

Leia looked at him like he had three heads.  “Han,  we can’t just leave like that.  I’ve got meetings tomorrow,  and the day after,  things I’m supposed to do.”

“Funny, Princess…  But I don’t see any shackles around your ankles.   Why can’t you just take off for a couple of days?”  

“Because,“ she replied as she crossed her arms across her chest,  “responsible people don’t just drop what they are doing because they feel like it.  If I’m going to take a few days off, I need to make sure that everything is taken care of before I go.” 

“The problem, Your Highness, is that everything will NEVER be taken care of.  There will always be something that’s left to do.   Sometimes, you have to draw the line and just go.”  

Leia stared at Han.   Could she do this?  Just take off for 3 days without clearing it with anyone first?  The idea was deliciously tempting.  It had been forever since she’d done anything spontaneous.  And he did have a point, there would always be something.    But the proper, responsible part of her brain was making her feel very guilty. 

Truth was, she’d been feeling stressed and down for months.    If she was willing to be honest with herself, it was because her work was boring her to no end.   She did like parts of it and she was good at it, but after living a life on the run in the rebellion,  a 12 hour a day desk job, following processes and listening to people who couldn’t make up their minds about what they wanted, had become tedious.    She was tired of listening to people argue.   She needed a distraction. 

Han placed both hands on her shoulders and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.  He looked her in the eyes as he said, “Don’t worry, Leia.  The galaxy will still be here when you get back.  You need to get away and I’m going to take you.”

Leia wasn’t completely sure he knew it, but when Han looked her in the eye and was completely sincere,  she would usually agree to just about anything he was suggesting.  Between his eyes and the way his lips moved, she was jelly in his hands.    Leia sighed and then offered a wicked smile.  

“Okay.  I’ll face whatever when we get back.   Let’s go.”

“That’s my girl,“ and he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Leia settled into the co-pilots chair as she, Han and the Falcon left Coruscant behind and headed into space.    She still didn’t feel completely right just taking off.   She felt a little better because she’d convinced Han to let her comm her secretary and have her clear her calendar for the next three days.   

So at least people wouldn’t be showing up at her office door all day long.  She’d told her secretary that she’d been unexpectedly called off-planet.  When her secretary had started asking questions about where she’d be and how she could be reached, Han had grabbed the comm out of her hand,  said “Sorry, that’s confidential,“  turned it off and threw it to the back of the closet.  

“So, just where are you taking me?” she asked as she tried to see what coordinates Han was putting into the nav computer.

“Uh, Uh, Uh,” he said, smiling.   “I’m not giving up my secrets just yet”.    The nav computer beeped and Han said “Sit back, Sweetheart.  We’re jumping to hyperspace.”

Han pulled on the lever and the stars started to streak by them until the view outside the cockpit window was just a blur of space and streaks of light.

____________________________________________

At some point during the hyperspace jump, Han had said that he wanted to make a quick repair since they had time and Leia had decided to go lie down.     Funny how taking a nap had become something that she looked forward to.  Ridiculous, really.  She wasn’t  three years old anymore, but there it was.

Leia awoke to Han gently kissing her cheek and telling her that they’d come out of hyperspace and she’d better strap in somewhere because it was going to get a little tricky to get where they were going.  She started following him to the cockpit, but he told her it was a surprise and had her stay in the lounge at the nav station. 

Han wasn’t kidding.   He was an expert pilot, so she felt completely safe,  but the Falcon rolled, swooped and tossed her around so much, she was glad that she hadn’t just eaten.     When the movement stopped, Leia waited for several minutes before unhooking the safety straps  venturing to the cockpit. .   

“Thanks for the warning! “ she quipped as she entered the cockpit.  “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for the start of a relaxing vacation.  Did you NEED to fly like a drunk stormtrooper”   

Han was still in his pilot’s chair, flicking off switches.   He turned to her and looked hurt.    Standing up, he reached over her head, flicked a few more switches and then put his arms around her waist.    

“I did not fly like a drunk ANYTHING.   It’s a little tight getting in here, so I had to make a few maneuvers, that’s all.   Be happy I gave you a warning.   It will be worth it.  Trust me.”   Han gestured out the cockpit window.

 Leia looked out the window.   They were somewhere that she didn’t recognize.   There were no cities or settlements in sight.   Instead, what Leia saw was a canyon or rather several canyons filled with natural stone spires, arches, and pillars of a reddish orange color.  They looked like hundreds of statues, just waiting to come to life.    The Falcon  was nestled under a rocky outcropping that was deep enough to give the feeling of being in a cave.  The sun was setting somewhere behind them and it made the whole area glow.   It was stark, tranquil and completely beautiful.

“Where are we?  This is magnificent.”

“Sorry, that is classified, Sweetheart.   Let’s just say that this is a good place to go when you don’t want anyone to find you.”

“And how do you know about it?” she asked, raising one eyebrow, and placing her arms around his waist.   She had a feeling that she knew what the answer was already.

“I might have had to hide out here once or twice in my smuggling days”, he said sheepishly.

Leia smiled.  “So no one will find us?”   She was starting to like this place more and more. 

“Nope.”

“And there is no civilization around?”

“Not really.  There is a little settlement outside the canyon,  but no one will find us here and we don’t need to go anywhere if we don’t want to,” he said smiling slightly and pulling her closer.

“So what can we possibly do for 3 days?” she said, looking as innocent as she could.

Han knew the game she was playing and he’d hoped that bringing her out here would bring out this side of her.  It had been too long since he’d seen it at home.

“Well, Your Highness,  I think we start out with something like this”, he said as he brushed her hair off her shoulder and placed gentle kisses down the side of her neck.

“Mmm, that seems like a good idea,” Leia murmured as she turned her head to give him greater access.

Han pulled back, flashed his trademark crooked smile and said huskily, “I’ve got lots of good ideas Sweetheart.”

“I’m sure you do, flyboy”, Leia responded as she started unbuttoning his shirt and ran her hands across his chest.     After pulling the shirttails out of his pants so that she had greater access to his skin, Leia lifted her head and her mouth was captured by Han’s in a slow, deep, probing kiss.

They made their way out of the cockpit, through the lounge and back to the Captain’s quarter’s.  It was slow going as they stopped to explore each other’s tongues, and unfasten, then discard bits of clothing.  By the time they reached the cabin, there was little clothing left on between them.

Han backed Leia up to the bunk and gently pushed her back until she was lying down on her back and he was on top of her.   As many times as they’d made love, he never got tired of the feeling of having her in his bunk on the Falcon.   The ship was his domain and making love to Leia in his cabin wiped out just about any fantasy he had imagined back before he’d offered to take Luke and Kenobi on that fateful trip.

He expertly removed the remainder of his and her clothing and slowly made his way up and down her body using his mouth and hands to erase any thoughts that Leia might still be harboring regarding work, the New Republic or anything except him.   When he’d driven her to distraction and had her begging him to finish what he’d started, he finally relented and slowly gave her what she’d been begging him for.    She came crashing down around him and he finally stopped holding back and released himself as she gripped his biceps and they both cried out in ecstasy.

They held each other for several minutes after their climax, spinning back to reality.   When Han finally rolled off her, their breathing had returned to normal.  Leia snuggled under Han’s arm draped around her shoulder and tried to touch him with the whole length of her body.

“So there is nothing to do around here but hide out?” she finally whispered.

“Not a thing.”

“And no one is going to find us here?”

“They haven’t yet.”

“Well then, I see no reason that I’m going to need any of the clothes that I packed,” she softly said as she leaned on his chest and stroked his cheek.

He smiled at her in return and pulled her up to meet his lips with hers.  “I love you, you know.”

“I know,” she replied.   “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“My pleasure, Princess.”

Leia smiled and gently kissed his lips.   “Yes, it will be, Flyboy.  It will be.”

Valentine's Day Challenge The Third: Submission #3 by Arwen Solo

"Can I come in?"

Han stretched, then grimaced at the familiar stiffness in his shoulders. He couldn't wait for the carbonite effects to fade. "Sure, come right in, Leia." The door slid open, and he breathed in sharply at the sight of her. Her slave costume had been replaced with a loose-fitting shirt and combat pants.

Her hair had been let down and it tumbled down over her shoulders and down to her waist. She looked different without a utility belt around her waist and a blaster in her hand – fragile, like a beautiful china doll. Han smiled. A tough china doll.

Leia was looking at him with concern in her dark eyes. "Feeling alright?"

He nodded, though the dizziness hadn't yet worn off. "You look great." At least his vision had returned. He patted the blankets next to him. "Come sit down, sweetheart."

After a moment's hesitation she sat down beside him and he put one arm around her waist. He still find it hard to believe that she'd gone all that way just to find him on Tatooine. She'd said she loved him, but the weight of the whole Alliance rested on her shoulders! He began stroking her hair, suddenly filled with a sense of pure, unconditional love that he'd never felt before. "I'm so sorry, Leia," he said huskily.

"Why, Han? There's nothing to apologise for."

"I'm just…sorry you had to go through all this."

She slid her arm around his shoulders. Looking into his eyes, she tilted her head and kissed him, firmly yet gently. When she drew back, her eyes were dancing with a playfulness she rarely showed.

"You don't often get sentimental," she teased, running her hand through his thick hair.

Han grinned. "Sorry, Your Worship. I forgot you only like scoundrels."

"Cut it out, hotshot!" Leia slapped his arm. Her smile faded. "I never thought I'd see you again," she said softly. "You've missed a lot. Luke has changed so much."

Han fought down the feeling rising up within him – he couldn't name it, but it was bordering on jealousy. Had Luke used Han's absence to develop a relationship with Leia?

The princess seemed to see the conflict within him. "Han… you don't think – do you?" she asked incredulously.

"No, I – uh…" Han was rarely lost for words.

"Han, I would never betray you. My relationship with Luke is very different to the way I feel about you. He's… special to me in a way I can't explain."

Han leaned down and kissed her. "I love you," Leia murmured, squeezing his hand. "I love you so much."

Valentine's Day Challenge The Third: Submission #2 by BitShortForAStormtrooper

 Missing Lights

Deep in the midst of hyperspace, a flat, saucer shaped ship soared through the temporary tunnel through the stars. Of the four living beings on board the Millennium Falcon, only one was awake; the ship was on its night cycle and the others were getting some well-needed rest.

Han Solo wasn't in the cockpit, though, or even down in the maintenance bays tinkering with another part of his malfunctioning ship. Instead he lay in his bunk, staring up at the ceiling with a content smile on his face.

The main reason for this was the small woman curled up against his side, breathing softly as she slept. Leia's head rested on his forearm, rendering it numb during the night, and Han's arm encircled her waist in a gentle embrace. Gazing up at the inky darkness, Han momentarily wondered how this perfect, albeit brief, moment of peace had come to existence.

If someone had told him even a year ago that he'd be on his way to the Rebel Alliance's rendezvous point at Sullust, after being thawed from carbonite in Jabba's palace, with the most beautiful woman he'd ever met lying by his side, he'd have told them to go and admit themselves to a mental hospital.
Now the moment just widened his amused grin.

Han found it hard to think of anywhere else he'd rather be, or anything that could be better at that moment- well, aside from the after-effects of the carbon freezing. There was his eyesight, of course, which even after four of five days of being unfrozen hadn't been fully restored, and more recently his limbs had been developing sudden, disabling cramps. Leia, Lando and Chewie had spoken to the doctors before leaving to Tatooine, and they'd assured him that this was expected, as his body had been suspended for so long. These cramps were one of the reasons Han had woken up, actually, and even as he thought his right leg muscles began to stiffen.

Trying not to disturb Leia, Han grunted quietly and moved this leg so he could stretch it. His efforts were wasted, however, when Leia stirred next to him- she'd always been a light sleeper.

"Han?"

"Hello," he kissed the top of her head as she rolled over to face him.

Even with her voice weary and slightly slurred from sleep, Han thought that Leia sounded just as, if not more, beautiful than he remembered. He told her as much.

She just laughed; Han imagined her blushing in the darkness. "What's up, then?"

"Hmm?"

"You're acting uncomfortable. What's wrong?"

Han was about the ask how she knew, but then remembered that Leia had spent the majority of her life training in politics and watching body language- of course she knew.

"I've got cramp in my leg again."

All hopes of getting Leia to sleep quickly soon vanished as she propped herself up on her elbows and offered him a comforting smile. In the dark all Han could make out was the outline of her body and the light reflecting off her eyes, making them sparkle in the dim room. "I'll go get you some meds, okay?" she kissed the hollow of his neck, making hot shivers run down Han's spine, then got up from the bunk.

The captain's quarters had a 'fresher built in, where Han kept a small kit of medical supplies like painkillers and bandages. Bone knitters and splints were kept up front, in the cockpit. Leia made her way through to the adjoining room and Han heard her unclipping the kit. Then she laughed. "Some light?"

Han reached behind his head and flicked on the room's light. The sudden brightness made his eyes water- he covered them, wincing. When he heard Leia's soft footsteps returning, he cautiously uncovered his eyes. And was so shocked by what he saw that he began to blink in disbelief.

"What?" Leia asked.

He swiped a hand over his face, an amazed expression beginning to form. Then he turned to her, voice full of emotion. "I can see you."

Her face lit up with the same radiance that Han had always loved, and in an instant she was by his side, her arms around his neck, medical supplies forgotten. They both disguised their tears with laughter, holding tightly onto one another to cover their relief. While the doctors had been fairly sure that Han's eyesight would recover enough for him to avoid blindness, they weren't sure how well it would improve beyond blurry colours and shapes.

Nothing had ever sounded so sweet and beautiful before that moment than Leia's laughter, Han decided firmly, breaking away from their hug to place a tender kiss on her forehead. "You look so pretty," he touched her cheek and gently turned her face up to look at him. For a moment he just looked into her eyes and took her all in. This was Leia, his Leia, and he was never leaving her again.

"Your hair's grown," he said finally, running his hand through the chestnut waves that ran down to her waist.

"How can you tell?" she asked.
"It's longer," he smirked.

She hit him playfully. "No! How can you remember? You know… before?"

Han fell suddenly silent, his face instantly darkening.

Leia hurried to backtrack. "It's okay, I understand, there's some stuff you just don't want to talk about."

"Thanks. I…" he struggled for words. "I will be able to talk about it, someday. Just not now- I need to work it out for myself first."

This was the closest he'd ever come to admitting weakness in front of her, but she didn't mention it. Maybe to her, all those little moments of caring and affection had been enough. Instead she picked up the painkillers and sat down next to him. "Come on, let's get back to sleep."

He grinned. "I'm not tired anymore."

"I'm not, either."

"So what do you want to do?" He was pushing it, he knew, and when Leia bit her lip, he touched her hand. "Sorry. Forget I said anything."

"I want to," Leia said quietly. "But I want it to be special."

"Me too," he bent over to touch his lips to hers. "And I don't want to force you into anything." He knew how long it had taken her to just be comfortable in bed with him, and wanted to make sure she was just as relaxed when it came to the next stage. "You're right, maybe we should try to sleep."

Getting off the bed so he could slip back under the covers, Leia looked at him in surprise. "So your cramps are all better now, huh?"

"Good enough," his eyes followed her across the room to the fresher. "You joining me?"

"Maybe."

Han rolled his eyes. "I wish you would stop playing hard to get, Princess."

"Turns out I'm not a push over, Flyboy."

Leia replaced the kit but kept the painkillers by Han's bunk. He pulled back the blanket and she switched off the light before snuggling up to his side.

Han almost missed the vivid shapes and colours.

They lay in friendly, reassuring silence for a while, the only sounds their breathing and the vibration of the Falcon's hyperdrive through the bulkheads. It was then that Han realised what had been constantly wearing on his mind since he'd been unfrozen- that she'd said it, twice, and he hadn't. Not in the same way.

"Hey, Leia?"

"Mmm?"

No stopping now. "I love you." There. Three words. Who knew three little words could carry that much weight?

"I know. I love you too, Han."

Han Solo didn't know exactly when he fell asleep again that night, but he knew that when he did, the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was in his arms.