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“HAN WATCH OUT!” Han heard Leia’s voice say.
He was trying to figure out what the hell she meant. The next thing he knew he heard the sound of pistol. Before he had time to react, Leia tackled him to the ground. He literally had the wind knocked out of him, slightly from the tackle mostly from the stark realization he could have been shot.
“You alright Princess?” Han asked tilting his head.
She didn’t answer. Immediately alarm bells set off. He sat up gently settling Leia on her back, thats when he saw it, wound in her lower belly staining her white clothing.
“Leia no,” He said quietly, he placed two fingers at the side of her neck. There was still a pulse but it was faint. He lifted her arms and cradled her head against his chest. “CHEWIE START THE FALCON WE NEED TO GET HER BACK TO YAVIN NOW!!!!!!”
Han never let anyone take the falcon. Not without him sitting in the pilots seat. But for Leia he was willing to make an exception. He sat on the floor of the control room with the princess his arms, trying his best to keep her awake. His hands pressed against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
At one point she hissed opening her eyes from the pain.
“Han,” She whispered.
“I’m here,” He said trying to keep a reassuring smile on his face. In truth he was panicked. He didn’t want her to die because she took a lazer blast meant for him, sure he could be vain at time, but he wasn’t THAT vain, “Okay….just stay alive…because I am telling you now if you die on me….I’ll kill you.”
“You certainly have a great way of reassuring me,” Leia said weakly, he hand rested gently against his cheek. “Just keep your eyes on me, and I’ll be okay, besides you know how stubborn I could be sometimes.”
Han would usually laugh at this point. But he kept silence and placed a small kiss on her hand, keeping his eyes on her just as she asked.
Han sat patiently outside her medical room as the rebel doctors worked diligently to save her. His hands still stained in her blood folded on his lap, his heart racing. He didn’t know why he was so affected by this. She drove him up the wall, yellling at him for just breathing.
But there was something about their fights. Those sideways glances he caught at the corner of his eyes, the wild way she did her hair.
He sighed deeply. Honestly didn’t know what he would do without her.
Han must have fell asleep. When he opened his eyes one of the Doctors working on Leia stood in front of him with a tablet. He held his breath. He really didn’t believe in the force. He thought the damn thing was a load of horse shit. But just for a moment he hoped the damn thing was on his side.
“Captain Solo, Princess Leia is fine,” The medic said, “she didn’t sustain any fatal damage but she will need to rest for a while.”
Han almost wanted to hit himself for the outward sigh of relief he made. But the truth was…he was.
“May I see her?” Han asked.
“Of course Captain.”
“My first visitor,” Leia said slowly sitting up in bed as Han stood in the doorway,
“Yeah,” He said.
“So are just going to stand there or are you going to say hello to me,” Leia said raising an eyebrow.
Han slowly took two large steps into the room. He almost stood still as he hovered over the bed.
“You didn’t have to do it you know….know save my life.” Han muttered quickly.
“But I did Han,” She responded a grin forming on his lips, “Who was I going to argue with if you died.”
Leia reached for his hand and squeezed it tight. Her thumb running over the top of his hand. And then it hit him maybe the reason why she jumped to save his life…was because…she felt the same way. Han thought about telling him how he felt but he closed his mouth. He wasn’t ready to take the next step but maybe someday he would be.
But something told him she already knew.
“Hey do you need some company,” Han said running his free hand through his hair.
“I could I think I’d go crazy staring at the celing all night.” Leia responded causing Han to chuckle.
The smuggler smiled and pulled up a chair next to her bedside.
He would take it one step at a time.