Chapter Text
She was on her way back from a mission when it happened.
The mission went about as well as could be expected, still, she was exhausted from the adrenaline crash and the flight back. She didn’t sleep well on ships, except for the Falcon. She saw his ship across the hangar, indicating that he was back from his supply run, one of the few he had gone on without her. He and Rieekan had decided that it was too dangerous.
She was actually looking forward to seeing him. But when the ramp lowered, it wasn’t Han waiting at the bottom. Instead, General Rieekan stood there, worry etched across his face.
“Your Highness, it’s good to see you,” he greeted, then gave her a hug.
“Carlist, what is it?” She could see that something was wrong. It was written all over his face.
“There’s been a cave-in.”
“How bad is it?” She assumed Han didn’t meet her because he was helping with the cave-in. He looked down. “Carlist?”
“Your Highness—Leia… Captain Solo was trapped…”
She grabbed his arm. “Han… is he…”
He shook his head. “It’s touch and go. The medics are doing everything they can. He was trapped for almost a day before they could get to him. They had to shore up the tunnel to keep it from completely collapsing on him.”
“Where is he?”
“In a bacta tank in the medcenter.”
Leia started running before Rieekan could finish filling her in.
“Your Highness…” Rieekan followed after her, but was unable to keep up with her pace.
She burst into the medcenter, racing straight toward the bacta tanks.
Luke sat hunched, a thermal blanket wrapped around him. He looked up when she entered.
“Leia!” He jumped up and threw his arms around her in a hug.
As he got closer, she saw the scratches on his face. “Luke… what happened?”
He glanced over at Han in the bacta tank, then looked down, unable to meet her eyes. “It’s my fault. He was saving me… he pushed me out of the way, but didn’t have time to get free himself. It came down so fast. Han was pinned under it. They couldn’t dig him out without bringing the whole tunnel down on us.” Luke let out a deep breath. “I tried to keep him warm, but I couldn’t even do that.” He put his hand to his face, then bowed his head. “He got hypothermia.”
“I’m sure you did what you could.”
“I didn’t do enough…” He raised his head to look at her. “He was asking for you.”
“Me, why?”
“I don’t know. He was in and out of consciousness due to the cold and probably the pain.”
“Pain…?” She walked over to the tank and for the first time got a good look at Han. It wrenched her heart, seeing him suspended in bacta, pale and still, as if the tank itself had stolen his warmth.” She noticed the brace on his leg. “His leg?”
“It was crushed by the falling ice,” Rieekan spoke up from behind them. “They tried to stabilize it before they put him in the tank, but they started to lose him, so they had to get him in the bacta.”
“Will he make it?”
Rieekan shook his head. “They don’t know… even if he makes it… He might not… they’re not sure if he lost circulation or for how long. Once he is stable, they will know more, but it honestly could go either way.”
“He’s a fighter. He’ll make it. He has to.” She placed her hand on the tank, hoping to feel some sense of comfort, but all she felt was cold transparisteel. Rieekan came over and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her.
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Rieekan stayed as long as he could but eventually was called away. Leia and Luke sat vigil until she eventually drifted off to sleep on Luke’s shoulder, as Han’s unconscious form continued to float in the bacta tank’s healing liquid.
Several hours later, she woke to a gentle shake of her shoulder. Rieekan’s face hovering over her.
“Carlist… what… is he all right?” She quickly looked to the bacta tank to find Han still immersed in the thick gelatinous fluid.
“He’s still the same. You should go get some rest, Your Highness.”
“I don’t want to leave him.”
“He won’t wake up. They are going to keep him sedated until after they use the bone knitter. Once they feel it is safe to take him out of the bacta tank.”
“Still… I want him to know I’m here, that he isn’t alone. How is Chewie doing?”
Luke told her that Chewie helped dig Han out with his long-curved claws once they had secured the tunnel. He had frostbite on his hands as a result.
“Resting, the medic said his hands should heal just fine. They caught the frostbite in time. I’m sure he will join you when he is able. What will it take to persuade you into getting some rest yourself?”
“I’m fine right here, Carlist.”
“As you wish, Your Highness. If you need anything… you know how to find me. Tell Solo I’m pulling for him.”
“Will do, General.”
Han remained in the bacta tank for the better part of the next day, before he was stable enough to take him out and continue to work on his leg. Leia went with him as they transferred him to a critical care unit to start the bone knitter. Rieekan was right—they did keep him sedated not only to help with the pain, but to ensure that he didn’t move around while the bone knitter did its work. Leia and Luke still did not leave his side. Chewie joined them as soon as he was able. A medic would come and rub some more bacta salve on Chewie’s hands every few hours. They all sat vigil, taking turns sleeping on the cot near Han’s bed for a few hours at a time.
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Rieekan was working in his office when Mon stopped by. “How is Captain Solo, General?”
“About the same. The bone knitter should be done in a few hours and we should know more then. So far, he is holding his own, they will probably move him out of critical care once the bone knitter is finished, if he remains stable.”
“What about his leg?”
Rieekan shrugged. “They still don’t know.”
“Is Leia still with him?”
“She won’t leave his side. Neither will Skywalker or Chewbacca.”
“I understand why Chewbacca won’t leave, but Leia and Skywalker?”
“Those four are like family. Skywalker feels guilty, and I think it is quite clear that the Princess has feelings for Solo.”
“Since when?”
“Since they met, I’m guessing, but she is just starting to allow herself to realize it.”
“Do you think that is a good idea? The Princess and that man?”
“She could do worse.”
“She could also do a lot better.”
“Like who, that Isolder from Hapes, who has been petitioning High Command for her hand? I don’t think so. I don’t trust that man at all. His intentions are not what they seem.
Solo has proven his trustworthiness. He is a good man. He may be a little rough around the edges, but he loves her and he wouldn’t do anything to endanger the Princess. If it wasn’t for Solo, we wouldn’t have half the food or medical supplies that we have, not to mention that we would probably all be dead right now. Plus, he is good for her.”
“How so…”
Rieekan shrugged. “He just is… She can be a person with him. He makes her laugh, lets her cry, and he can get her to eat and sleep when no one else can, including me.”
“I don’t know Carlist…”
“You better get used to the idea Mon, because I think those two are inevitable.”