Fly
a Star Wars story
by Hermione Eveningfall
"Not like that..." Leia smiled softly, her dark eyes sparkling. "He's my brother."
Han's mouth hung open, his brain taking a few seconds to actually register the news she'd just told him. Before he could respond, Leia embraced him, placing her lips against his in a heart felt kiss. He held her close, burying his nose against her soft brown hair. There was no deception now...she was his.
He released her after a moment, taking her hands. "How long have you known about Luke?" he asked, as they strolled away from the hut. Luke watched them through the window, a small smile on his face.
"I think I've always known," Leia replied, gazing lovingly at Han. "I just felt it." She began rubbing his hands, realizing just how cold they felt. "Are you chilled, darling?" she asked, and he shrugged.
"Freezing, actually."
Leia wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "Let's get you inside then." She started to lead him away, but he held her back.
"No," he whispered in her ear. "I'm not ready to go back to the party yet..." he kissed her neck.
"Don't want you catching a cold..." she glanced up at the bright moon. "Oh, it's a beautiful night.." she breathed deeply, her breath making a white cloud amidst the darkness.
"Mmm hmmm." Han stood behind her, moving his strong hands down her arms. She shuddered, leaning on the railing. He was about to kiss her on the ear, when he felt a tickle in his nose that caused him to quickly step back with surprise.
"Eshhhhesh! Ahshhhhuh!"
Leia whirled around, reaching up almost instantly to feel his forehead.
He sniffled, pulling it away. "I'm fine..." he smiled with as much confidence as he could muster.
She scowled. "Stop pretending, Han. Even tough men like you have to ge sick every once in a while."
"It was just a few sneezes," he protested. She still did not appear convinced, but Han nodded towards C3PO, who was coming in their direction. "Looks like we've got company."
The droid stopped about three feet away, and turnd his mechanical head from one to the other. "Forgive my intrusion, but your presence is requested inside. The Ewoks are making a toast."
Leia smiled, lacing her fingers through Han's. "We'll have time together alone tonight," she whispered. "I promise."
He eventually gave in, following her lead. They joined Luke, who received a hug from Leia, and soon everyone was gathered around the wicker table. The Ewoks were jabbering in their language, raising wooden mugs of dark liquid. The head Ewok began to speak, and C3PO did his best to translate. Han, however, barely heard any of the speech...he was busy focusing on the pressure forming behind his eyes. Now that Leia ha dmentioned the idea of catching a cold, he was becoming more aware of his sore throat and achy joints besides his chilled bones.
Luke leaned towards him, eyes narrowed. "Is everything okay, pal?" he asked, and Han nodded, shaking his head afterwards to clear it.
"Yeah...no worries, kid."
R2D2 bleeped from beside him, and Luke chuckled. "R2's right... you'll never change, will you?" he winked, and Han gave the droid a rather nasty look.
"Thanks for that..." he muttered, and R2 merely let out a simple whistle to answer him. But before he could stop himself, Han quickly turned his head and sneezed roughly into his shoulder. "Epshhhhshh! Ushhhesh!"
The Ewoks began murmering loudly, staring at one another with alarm.
"Bless you," Leia and Luke spoke in unison, and then she sighed. "I think I'm going to take him to bed...C3PO, ask them if they could provide accommodations for us tonight? I'd rather not have to sleep on the ship..." the idea of making Han sleep in the freezing ship all night was not in her thoughts at all.
Han held up his hand. "No, no...we'll sleep in the ship."
Leia frowned. "No, you'll sleep in a comfortable bed. That ship is freezing, and you will get worse!"
Han started to protest again, but C3PO spoke up. "They say you are most welcome to spend the evening in the hut, sir...though theys ay their beds are a bit too small for humanoids, and you will have to use whatever cushioning you can find for the floor."
Leia bit her lip, and Han noddd. "The ship will be fine...I can put the heat on, Leia. Don't worry so much....we're not back in the stone age." He turned to C3PO. "Tell them I'll be fine."
Luke leaned towards Leia. "It's not worth arguing with him any further," he whispered. "We will be fine in the ship...more comfortable than sleeping on the floor."
Leia finally complied, giving Han a kiss on the cheek. "All right."
Han sniffled, shivering slightly, and laced his fingers through Leia's again for warmth. She rubbed them vigorously under the table. "I need to get you to bed, baby." She whispered, watching his teeth c hatter. He gave her an apologetic expression.
"I d-don't know why I'm s-suddenly s-so cold..."
Luke spoke to C-3PO, encouraging Leia to take Han away.
"I'll be there soon," he told them, accepting a kiss from his sister on the cheek. She took Han by the arm, and he reluctantly got up and followed her out of the hut. They'd barely walked three feet from it when he had to pause and sneeze again.
"Ashhheshh! Eshhhuh!"
"Bless you," Leia told him as she rubbed his arms, and they continued walking. It truly was colder than when they'd been out here last, and even she shivered without a coat. They could not get over the bridge fast enough, she thought, and Han kept stumbling every so often from pure exhaustion.
"L-Leia," he whispered as they trecked into the forest. "Y- you're so beauti-f-ful..." he tried to smile, but that was broken by a bout of harsh coughing. She reached up to rest the back of her hand against his cheek, realizing how warm it was.
"Stay with me, baby." She begged, noticing how his eyes were glazing over. The effects of his being trapped in carbonite caused these fevers and colds to occur in spurts-Han's system was still recovering. He had his good days and bad, as with any normal human being.
They reached the vessel at last, and Leia used the remote control pad Luke had given to each of them to open the door. A faint WOOSH sound broke through the silence, and a medium-sized ramp lowered to the ground. Han clung to Leia, feeling like a helpless child as she helped him through the doorway.
Chewbacca gave a small roar at the sight of them, and waddled away from where he sat. "Chewy," Han murmered, and the Wookie made to embrace him as he usually did. However, he seemed to notice his master's current condition, and did not come any closer. Leia nodded her thanks, and brought Han to the room he shared with Luke. Her own bedroom was a couple of doors down...it wouldn't be fare Leia to have to share a room with two men, so Luke tried to scavange a spot for her to stay while on board.
"Here we are," she announced, pulling down theblankets on Han's bed. She eased off his boots, and slid both of his legs underneath.
"HuhESHHH! Eshhhuh!" he sneezed, shivering violently.
"My poor Han." She pulled a spare chair beside the bed, pulling the quilt up to his neck.
"I'm sorry, Leia..." he whispered as she filled a bowl with cool water, and began to blott his forehead, cheeks and neck with a rag.
"Shhhh." She leaned down to kiss him. "No need to apologize to me, Han. None of this is your fault."
Han closed his eyes, his breathing growing heavy with congestion.
When Luke arrived a half hour later, he told C3PO and R2D2 to stay in the main control center. "Of course, Sir Luke," C3PO replied, and R2 bleeped his agreement also. The young Jedi hurried to the sleeping quarters, reaching the doorway just as Leia was falling asleep in her chair.
"How is he?" Luke asked, startling her awake as he peered down at his friend.
"Mmmm...who?" she blinked dazedly at him, and Luke merely smiled.
"I'll take over...you need some sleep." He helped her to her feet, and then she began to come to.
"Oh Luke..." she held onto his arms, and glanced at Han, who was still out cold. "No, I'll be fine here."
He shook his head. `I don't want my favorite sister keeling over from exhaustion," he teased, and Leia grinned, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I'm your only sister," she replied, but complied anyway.
"I guess you're right...we can always switch off every hour. I just don't want to leave him alone...' she bit her lip. "And I sort of promised him we'd be together tonight."
Luke smiled. "Well, I'm sure he'll understand. And I agree about switching every hour...I'll set my alarm to wake you up when it's your turn to come back."
Leia nodded. "Fair enough. Good night for now, Luke." She bustled out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.
When she was gone, Luke took the bowl from the floor and put it on his knees, dipping the rag into the water and continuing the process of blotting Han's feverish skin. Han seemed to sense this change of caregiver, and he opened his eyes, noticing Luke once they focused properly.
"Hey kid...didn't hear you come in," he croaked. "Where's your sister?"
Luke stopped in mid-blott. "She told you, huh?" he asked, and Han nodded.
"I have to admit, I'm relieved..." he chuckled. "I thought you two..."
Luke snorted. "Oh no, we never thought like that about each other. I know she loves you...but she's in bed right now...she'll be back in an hour."
"G-good...HuhESHHH! HaSHHUH!"
"Bless you." He dipped the cloth in the water again, and continued what he was doing, squeezing out the excess droplets of water.
Han smirked. "You don't have to coddle me, kid," he muttered but the Jedi rolled his eyes.
"You may stop calling me "kid"," he told Han. "I think I've proved myself in the past day or so, don't you think?"
Han shrugged. "I suppose so."
"And I wish you would stop being such a big baby...you know these colds don't last long at all, and it doesn't hurt to let someone else take care of you for once, does it?"
Han shivered as a few drops rolled down his neck. "Fine, fine." He closed his eyes, and almost within a couple of minutes, was sound asleep again.
Luke folded the compress and placed it on Han's forehead, reaching down to remove his own boots and to prepare to change into his sleep clothes. He smiled to himself...new horizons were opening for him now that he had become a Jedi. Though it had been incredibly frightening at the time, it was now wonderful to know who his father was. The expression of pride on Anakin Skywalker's face at the Ewok celebration earlier that evening made him feel as though he could fly, fly far above the planets and the stars.
He rummaged through his duffle bag, pulling out one of his few leather books that he had in his possession. He opened the cover, noticing a poem written in what he decided was his father's handwriting. However, it seemed new, as though it had just been done. How, though...he thought, frowning deeply. The ones we love never truly leave us, a voice spoke inside of his head. He sat down on the chair again, reading through the verses:
Fly, fly, little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heavens' love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again.Fly, fly, precioius one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this mem'ry bittersweet
Until we meetFly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath
Don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise the sun will set
But I wont forget...Fly, fly little wing
Fly only where the angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, and find the light...Luke smiled, staring at the words for a good while. He could hear his father whispering this, and glanced up at the ceiling. "I'll make you proud, father..." he spoke, turning as Han made a small noise and a movement. "I already feel like I'm flying."
Again, I am still struggling with lack of Star Wars experience here, because I've only seen each of the original trilogy Episodes once, so I'm totally going from memory with the characterizations and all. If you have any suggestions on how I could improve, please let me know! I'm sure I'll be watching the movies again in the time to come, but for now, I decided to try my hand at a post Return of the Jedi story...that is when this takes place, at the Ewok party following the destruction of the Death Star. I really would encourage feedback, though...otherwise, how can I strengthen my writing?