Luck is a Four-Letter Word

Part II: Chasing Rainbows

Han Solo groaned softly and stretched in the cool sheets, opening his soft brown eyes reluctantly to the world. It had been a long, long night at the sabbacc tables but it had paid off handsomely. He smiled slightly and glanced at the tall pile of credit chips he'd thrown haphazardly on the nightstand when he'd come in.

When he'd come in...what time was it anyway? It was bright out, that was certain. The curtains in the hotel room he was sharing with Jalen were tightly drawn, but slivers of light filtered in through the edges, casting sharp intermittent intrusions in an otherwise cozy darkness. The chrono on the table adjacent to the bed had blinked 1500 hours when he'd finally collapsed into the soft mattress. Han hoped it was at least 8 standard hours later. He needed the sleep if he was going to be any use at doubling his winnings that night.

Turning over with a muffled grunt, Han realized Jalen's bed was empty. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his terminally mussed hair. Propping himself up on one elbow, he bellowed in a gravelly, sleep-ridden voice, "Jalen?"

No answer. With extreme effort, the tired swoop pilot flung his legs over the edge of the bed and pulled himself from the warmth of the covers.

**

Jalen Shorne beamed as Han approached the bar. The smile could light the darkest night, and it was, Han felt, like a beacon for him...calling him home. Jalen put down her fork and bounded off the barstool, effectively launching herself into the pilot's arms.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up!" she announced, nearly stumbling him backward with the force of her hug. Releasing him, Jalen stood back and flashed another grin to the bartender and the patron that had been dining with her. Turning back to Han she said, "I'm so proud of you!"

Han managed a lopsided grin and blinked rapidly. He was a little slow on the uptake this morning...afternoon...whatever. "Um, thanks," he muttered, looking warily at the man that had been eating with Jalen. The stranger now stood, wiped his hands on his napkin and held it out to Han.

They shook, but before either could make an introduction, Jalen jumped in. "Sorry. Han this is Jans Marr. Jans, this is my friend I told you about. Han Solo."

Han looked him over as they released hands and nodded slowly. He didn't like the way this guy looked--like he'd been around, like he knew people. It made him nervous. He smiled crookedly as Jalen grinned and took her seat again. The man she'd introduced as Marr sat as well, leaning back slightly, watching them expectantly. Han got the feeling he was waiting for one of them to say something. It sure as hell wasn't gonna be him. He moved toward Jalen's barstool and leaned slightly against it. He stared openly at their new friend.

Finally, Jalen laughed softly. "Han, this guy can get us some ID's."

Han's eyes widened of their own accord, but he quickly masked his surprise. His first reaction was to pull Jalen aside and give her a quick lecture on who she trusted and what story she was telling to complete strangers. But he reacted on instinct, playing it cool and exiting the scene, Jalen in tow, as quickly as possible.

"How much you asking?" Han asked, as though he was even remotely considering buying anything from the man.

Marr paused, thinking. Han realized he was probably trying to calculate how much he'd won the night before. With a quick flip of his wrist, the pilot stepped away, pulling Jalen gently by the arm along with him.

"You think on that, pal. We'll get back to ya."

**

Jalen had to wrench her arm from Han's grasp by the time they reached their shared room. She spun around to face him, blinking up at him with confused eyes.

"What is it?"

Han pulled a few breaths in and out of his lungs, turning away from his counterpart and pacing with small, agitated steps around the abbreviated hallway of the room. He forced himself to calm, willing his temper not to get out of control.

"What exactly did you tell him?" Han finally asked, turning to the young girl. She stared up at him with a sadness in her eyes and he realized this was probably going to be their first real fight--not one that ended in jokes or resolution, but one that ended with both of them furious with each other.

Long brown hair tossed about Jalen's shoulders as she shook her head. "Nothing," she insisted, realizing just how angry her friend was. "I--nothing."

"Except our identities and that we're looking to change them," Han accused, deliberately lowering and softening his voice. "That's dangerous, Jalen."

The girl remained quiet for a long while, brushing past Han and moving further into the room. She pulled the blinds open abruptly and allowed an assaulting barrage of light in. Han blinked against the intrusion and groaned, turning slightly to lean into a shadowy corner near the closet. Jalen flopped onto her bed, pulling her long legs up underneath her.

"I don't get it, Han. When we first met Lando, you told him our real names," she defended. A sarcastic tone crept into her voice. "Why don't you make me a list of the rules that only apply to you but not to me so I'll be aware of them next time."

Sighing, Han pushed himself off the wall and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. "Don't..." he paused, glancing quickly at Jalen and deciding to rephrase his sentence. "I understand why you might think you were helping, but you're not--"

Shooting up from the bed like a rocket out of a cannon, Jalen burst forward so suddenly she startled Han. "God! You talk to me like I'm some naive little girl! Okay, maybe I made a mistake! Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to do! I didn't consult the Little Black Book of Han Solo's Rules for Surviving in the Big Bad Galaxy! So what! So just say 'I'm worried about this guy! Here's why!' Not something patronizing and melodramatic like 'I understand why you might think you were helping...' Do you know how annoying that is?"

A nervous chuckle burst from Han's lips before he could stop it. He'd heard Jalen go off like that before but there was a huge difference in venting to him rather than venting because of him. He opened his mouth to say something, although he wasn't sure what, but it didn't matter since Jalen paced several more steps before stopping right in front of him and continuing her tirade.

"I get bored Han! We've been here for almost a month now! I wanted to get a job, you said no because we wouldn't be here for that long! I listened to you because--because I always do, which is just stupid on my part--but I'm bored! I'm restless! I want to go home!"

"Home?" Han interrupted. "Home as in the Trader's Luck?"

"Home as in Corellia," Jalen muttered. She paused, eyeing her friend knowingly. "I am grateful to you for what you did to get us out of there. Don't think one night goes by that I go to sleep and silently thank you because I don't have to worry about Shrike. I would thank you out loud but you're never here when I go to bed!"

Han stared at Jalen as she finished her outburst. He watched as she blew a breath out then allowed herself to fall back onto the bed, as though she was deflating like a balloon. She threw a hand over her eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry," was all Han could think of to say. True, he'd made enough money and paid Lando off, minus his piloting fees. He could probably get them passage to Corellia, or wherever it was they were going next. But he didn't have nearly enough for the ID's they would need once they got there, plus some extra in the bank just in case. It dawned on Han then that 'just in case' was something he never would have thought about, but now, with Jalen depending on him, he had to. And that wasn't something he'd trade for the world. Even if it meant being on Bespin another two months.

Besides, he was hot in the sabbacc games. He couldn't lose. And Han couldn't, in his right conscience, walk away from a winning streak like this. He'd always be wondering how much more he could have won!

Instead of speaking any of this to Jalen, Han instead sat down next to weary form on the bed. Jalen felt the mattress squeak slightly and her body jostle with his presence, but she waited a few beats before lifting her arm from her eyes and sitting half-way up.

"I'm sorry, Han," she murmured, staring up at him through heavy lidded eyes. "I know you're doing what you need to do to take care of us."

Eyes widening, Han lowered his own body half-way to the mattress so he was propped up on one elbow, his entire body stretched out and nearly wrapped around Jalen's. He sighed softly as she curled against him, burying her face into the soft material of his t-shirt.

They stayed like that, neither one speaking for a long while. Han's mind was racing. She'd been increasingly affectionate with him in the days and weeks since they'd escaped the Trader's Luck. While they'd slept in the same bed and he'd held her tiny body in his arms night after night aboard the old space relic, this felt...different. Han tried not to let himself believe that there was only one reason she allowed him to hold her now--because she wanted to.

Only one thing was certain to him in light of her outburst a few moments before. She needed more than he was giving her. After several long minutes of silence, Han reached a hand out and brushed the soft tresses off her cheek. At this movement, Jalen looked up, locking bright green eyes with milk chocolate ones.

"You're lonely," Han murmured, surprising himself as his inner musing surfaced on the air between them.

Jalen blinked twice, apparently surprised at his personal observation. She instinctively looked away but gathered herself quickly and returned the gaze, drinking in every inch and contour of her friend's face. Finally, she nodded slowly in admission. One more silent moment passed between them before her lips curved into a small smile and she laughed softly.

"What do you expect?"

Han thought for a moment then frowned, not ignoring the fact that he was completely contradicting the girl's expression. "I'm sorry, Jalen," he whispered, voice low and gruff as it burbled into the air from his lips, those three simple words seeming to get caught momentarily in his throat as it faltered and cracked. "I'd be climbing the walls if I was in your position."

Jalen considered this for a moment, her own smile faded long away. She kept her eyes somewhere beneath his chin and picked at his t-shirt with lazy fingers. "I'm--"

Han stopped her in mid thought, tipping her chin up so that she was looking him in the eye. "No," he interrupted, coloring his words with slight amusement. "Don't tell me you're okay because you just told me you're not okay."

Chuckling softly, Jalen leaned her face into Han's open palm, allowing him to caress her cheek. "It's better than the alternative," she joked, immediately frowning when she realized she should have known Han would not find that the least bit amusing.

"Stop it," he whispered.

Then, she was crying. It came as a complete surprise to them both and Han immediately went to cradle Jalen against his chest. She refused though, instead gripping his face fiercely with her hands. Then, she did something Han never thought would happen in his wildest dreams.

She kissed him. Hard and desperate, crying, sobbing...kissing.

Han felt all of the oxygen sucked out of his brain in that instant and he spun dizzily as Jalen's lips moved against his own. Hers were the softest lips he's ever felt and the sweetest he'd ever tasted. Somehow, imagining this kiss was nothing like he'd pictured, yet everything he'd expected and more. She was intent, coaxing his lips open with her tongue and hesitating just slightly to ensure he would accept her.

Realizing he'd be crazy either way, Han tried to ignore the cool tears he could still feel rolling down her cheeks and splashing onto his own face. He ignored the part of his brain, his conscience, that screamed at him to stop before it went too far, and concentrated on the part that said it was already too far and this was everything he'd ever wanted. He'd be a fool to stop this now.

Jalen, apparently, did not echo his sentiment, because she pulled away as abruptly as she'd advanced, ending their contact with a soft gasp of surprise. Her hand immediately flew to her face, Han thought, to wipe away the tears; instead it touched her lips as though she was comprehending what had just happened.

The 18-year-old moved away from Han, her head spinning, vision fuzzy. She nearly scrambled off the bed, grateful that Han allowed it, stumbling through the small room for the door. Once in the hallway, Jalen could barely see through her tears but managed to count the doors--four down two across--to Lando's room. As she pounded furiously on the panel her sobs finally broke, and loud wail escaped her throat as the door hissed open.

**

"Calrissian! Cal--ri--ssi--an!" Han insisted, pounding against the metal panel until he felt like his fist would be bruised. "Calrissi--"

"Whoa!"

Lando's sharp yell interrupted Han's tirade in the hall. "Take it easy, Solo!" Lando continued, pulling his friend into the room and allowing the door to hiss shut behind them. "You'll bring the guards running."

Han sucked in a breath and ran a hand over his face, a gesture borne out of frustration. "Jalen." He was practically gasping for air and Lando briefly wondered if he was about to hyperventilate. "I need to find Jalen. Is she here?"

Calrissian motioned toward a closed door off to the right then put his finger to his lips as if to shush the young pilot. "What happened? She came in here broken down in tears but barely gave me a coherent explanation before she locked herself in the bathroom for an hour. When she came out of there, she was exhausted from crying and went right into the bedroom and collapsed."

Concern crossed Han's rugged features as he tugged on his bottom lip with one hand. "Is she alright?"

Lando shrugged. "Didn't seem like it to me," he said honestly. "She's asleep though. What happened buddy? What took you so long to bring your no-good butt over here if she was that upset?"

Giving a chagrined smile, Han shook his head and sighed heavily. "She was--is--mad at me. I didn't want to--" He stopped and Lando knew not to press any further. Instead he moved toward the mini bar and poured Han the strongest brandy he had to offer.

Taking it gratefully, the Corellian swallowed the entire glass and allowed his weary body to fall into a nearby chair. The other took a seat across from him and refreshed his glass. Han downed it without hesitation.

"You playing tonight?" Lando asked, eyeing his friend's empty glass suspiciously. Sabbacc was one game that most preferred to remain sober throughout. With the cards changing values so often, and fortunes fluctuating so rapidly throughout one game, even one hand, it was hard to concentrate with even the tiniest distraction.

Han considered the question, eyeing the bottle Lando still held in his hand. He pushed the glass a bit closer to his friend and shook his head. "Nope," he announced.

Lando smiled and filled Han's glass. "Have it your way my friend."

**

Han's voice was unmistakable to her. Jalen heard it as soon as she awoke. Lando's voice was deep, like Han's, but smoother, more refined. Han's always sounded gruff, as though he'd just woken up from a long nap.

Jalen sighed. She wasn't sure why she'd flipped out, except that every swirling emotion she'd been dealing with since they'd left the Trader's Luck was building up inside of her like a tidal wave. It was about time it crashed to shore. The truth was, she'd wanted to kiss Han, and so she had. Every day that went by the girl found she ached a little bit more for him; and not just for strength and support, but for love.

It scared her.

Pushing locks of still-damp hair from her shoulders, Jalen sucked in an unnaturally big breath and pushed it out with determination. Stepping forward with purpose, she keyed the lock on the bedroom door and tried not to tremble as it swished open.

Han looked up from his fourth shot of brandy with unsteady eyes and an even fuzzier mind. He didn't react as Lando cleared his throat nosily and stood, gathering the credit chips piled on the table into his pockets.

Jalen merely stood there, unblinking, unmoving. Han realized she looked like an angel: long, dark locks tumbling in soft waves down her back, still damp from the shower and mussed from her sleep; the white, fluffy robe, probably hotel issued, bulkily consuming her tiny frame; huge doe eyes, green and glistening, trained on him.

Looking so scared.

So sad.

There was no way in hell he was ever going to violate her trust again.

No way.

Lando moved between the both of them as he headed for the door, interrupting their gaze for the tiniest of parsecs. Jalen blinked at the intrusion and used the opportunity to move away. She approached the far wall, the one that opened up into floor to ceiling windows. Drawing the shade, she revealed a breathtaking pink and purple sunset; the other colonies of Bespin floating serenely in the sky beyond.

Han merely glanced at the sunset before turning his gaze back to the beauty staring out at it. Lando sighed and shook his head. "Don't hurt yourselves kids," he muttered. The door swished softly shut behind him.

Contemplating pouring himself another small glass of brandy, Han stood, foregoing the glass and shoving his hands into his pockets. He swaggered toward the window and stood directly behind Jalen.

The little hairs on the back of her neck stood up at Han's proximity. Jalen slowly closed her eyes then forced them open again, trying to find the words to say. She wasn't sure what she wanted to tell him, only that she had meant it when she kissed him. Unfortunately, he spoke first.

"I'm so, so sorry, Jalen," he whispered, both hands coming out of his pockets and resting reassuringly on her shoulders. "I promise you, I promise you," he gave a tiny squeeze with each promise, "that will never happen again."

Han closed his eyes as he said this, guilt eating him from the inside out. As much as he wanted this girl, more than that he never wanted to hurt her. He felt her tremble beneath his hands. Moving them to her shoulders then down her arms Han asked, "cold?"

Jalen feared that if she spoke she'd burst into tears, so instead she merely nodded. She was lying. The chill in the air wasn't even in the deepest recesses of her mind. Han continued to move his hands up and down her arms as if to warm her. It made her want to cry out in frustration.

"I don't ever want to cross that line again, Jalen," Han continued, unknowingly bringing further tears to the girl's eyes.

She swallowed hard, willing herself to remain in control. He didn't want her, and that was okay.

That---was---o---kay. Jalen forced this thought through her mind again and again until it was imbedded in her brain. It was okay.

"I want you to go," she managed to say aloud, closing her eyes as the sun dipped below the surface of their visible horizon. It was like her hopes and dreams of ever being anything more than a little sister and friend to Han vanishing into deep, cold space. She moved slightly out of his grasp, keeping her head turned away from him.

Han sighed. He dropped his hands and moved backward. "Are you still mad at me?" His voice surfaced soft, almost timidly. Very un-Han like.

Jalen sighed, running a hand through her hair and dropping her head. "No," she murmured, locks falling across her cheeks like a welcome curtain of privacy. "I'll talk to you later."

The young pilot moved slowly toward the door, keeping his eyes focused on the girl as he backpedaled. When he felt his back hit the smooth panel of the door he fumbled for the control pad and it swished open.

Only when it closed and Jalen was sure she was alone did she allow her legs to weaken beneath her, sliding down the clear pane to the ground. Back against the cold glass, knees drawn to her chest, Jalen Shorne sobbed.

***

"They're here on Bespin, General Shrike."

"Are you sure of it?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"Good. Don't let them leave. And whatever you do, do not harm the girl."

Jans Marr clicked off the comm link and smiled to himself. Shrike would be there in several days to collect his escaped prisoners, and he would be enjoying his handsome reward. It was all too easy. So easy, Marr worried that something might go wrong. He brushed the thought aside and stood, his eyes sweeping quickly around the hotel lobby before taking his usual seat at the bar. He watched the sentients filing into the sabbacc room, credit chips weighing their pockets, confident grins adorning their faces. He noticed Lando Calrissian, a friend of Solo's. Watching the dark, handsome man carefully, Marr realized Calrissian was not looking for Solo as he usually did, but rather picking a table right away and laying his chips out.

Marr had noticed a pattern. Solo and Calrissian never played together. That way, they never lost money to each other. Perhaps tonight, Solo wasn't playing.

Which meant he might be otherwise occupied.

Marr stood suddenly, nearly knocking over the barstool he'd been sitting on. It occurred to him with ice-cold shock that perhaps Solo and the girl were leaving...or worse, perhaps they'd already left Bespin.

No, that could not happen. Shrike would kill him for sure. Marr swallowed hard and gave a slight nod to the bartender. Nothing for him that night. He needed to stay completely sharp if he wanted to locate Solo and Shorne.

**

The next shot of brandy went down smoother than the first...seven? eight? Han had lost count. It didn't matter, he wasn't going anywhere. Not in any sense of the word it seemed. Han sighed and glanced toward the door. Jalen wasn't coming back to their room tonight. He was sure of it. Maybe she wasn't coming back ever. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back at this thought.

He had no idea what he'd been thinking. Han was sure he'd done the right thing tonight. Said the right thing. He only hoped she believed him. She still seemed upset--scared even. And it killed him to know that she was that way because of him. Now she was sleeping in a borrowed robe in Lando's room, not at all where she belonged.

She belonged there. With him.

The eighth...ninth?...shot of brandy nearly stopped half-way down his throat when the door to the room suddenly swished open. Han turned quickly, sending a dizzying bolt gushing through him. Blinking twice, he fully expected to see Jalen.

But he didn't.

He was staring into the muzzle of a blaster.

***

Jalen heard the unmistakable swish ping of a blaster and pushed herself from the cold glass pane she was still leaning against. It sounded like it came from close by. Too close.

Four down, two across, four down, two across. The words sang in her head like some silly crossword puzzle location. Jalen immediately scrambled to her feet, a heavy lead weight settling in her chest as she realized what her conscience was trying to tell her. There was a chance that the blaster shot had come from Han's room. Her room. Their room.

Four down, two across. Sprinting for the door, Jalen stopped herself just short of it, her nose coming within millimeters of hitting the smooth metal panel. Instinct kicked in and warned her not to go barreling down the hall (four down, two across), lest she walk in on something she shouldn't walk in on.

But there'd been no other shots. In fact, all was eerily quiet.

Or a dead body.

Oh god. Ignoring instinct, Jalen rushed forward, feeling the bile rise to her throat at the thought of what might have happened to Han. She rambled down the hall, now-dry hair streaming out behind her. The door to their room stood wide open. She immediately saw the limp form slumped against a chair.

A soundless scream choked Jalen's throat. Han...oh Han... Her mind spun and the room followed, walls suddenly closing in on her and her fallen hero. Knees gave out, and Jalen slumped to the ground. Scooting toward him, she gathered her arms around Han's chest and hoisted him into her lap. His head lulled with the motion and a small trickle of blood escaped his lips.

"Han!"

Jalen was surprised to hear the word, a single cry of anguish, rip into the air. She didn't know she could speak. In response, the injured man moaned softly and twitched slightly against her lap.

He was alive. Barely, but...

Alive!

"Han...Han, listen to me. Can you hear me?" One hand stroked his sweaty forehead, pushing damp locks of shaggy hair from his skin. The other arm was pinned beneath his weight, her fault since she'd pulled him into her lap. But she couldn't move. So if the killer was still here...she was screwed.

Jalen tipped her head up and glanced around. No sounds. From anywhere. Everyone was either asleep or down at the sabbacc game. Sucking in a breath, the girl closed her eyes and wailed as loud as she could.

"Somebody help me!"

She tipped her head back down and stared at Han, just in time to see him pull his lips tightly together. "Marr...."

She barely heard the feeble whisper, but when he nodded weakly she laughed. His eyes were half-closed and he was mumbling incoherently, sounds too muted to hear from his blood-filled throat, and she laughed. And cried. Then laughed some more. Hysteria was very, very near. The knowledge that it was her fault that Han was hurt, probably dying, was slamming into her brain at such a force it was hard to comprehend.

My fault. My fault. myfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfault...Jalen's head dropped even further, hair creating a curtain blocking both their faces from anyone else. She leaned as close to him as her body would allow and pressed her face to his. Her forehead to his chin, his forehead to her chin. "Please, please, please don't leave me now, Han," she whispered urgently.

Then she placed a kiss on the scar adorning his chin...for luck.

**

Sleep was a long time coming. Frankly, Jalen was surprised it came at all. But it must have, for she was being roused by a medic droid no sooner than she'd closed her eyes it seemed.

"Miss Shorne, you may visit with Han Solo now."

It's metallic, monotone voice would have normally grated on the girl's nerves was one of the most welcome sounds she'd heard since Han's voice when she'd woken up on Lando's bed. Oh, that seemed so long ago. Looking at the chrono on the wall, she realized it was only four standard hours ago. It seemed like Coruscant days.

Jalen stood too quickly and the blood pounded to her head, sending her into a wave of dizziness. Reaching out a hand to steady herself, she felt the droid's cold hand brush her arm. "Are you ill, Miss Shorne?"

"No," Jalen said quickly, regaining her equilibrium and straightening. "I'd like to see Han now."

The droid merely nodded and turned mechanically, shuffling into a room beyond. Jalen followed closely behind.

She didn't expect Han to look so pale. The girl muffled a gasp by bringing her hand up to her mouth and biting down hard on one of her fingers. Shirtless, he lay, blaster wound treated and bandaged with stark white gauze. His skin almost matched its pallor. He seemed to be sleeping, or unconscious, Jalen wasn't sure which, and the room was silent, save for the barely audible drip drip of the intravenous needle that delivered fluids to Han's body.

The droid's voice halted Jalen's study of her friend. "Miss Shorne, Mr. Solo is required one week's bed rest in this facility. He is receiving fluids intravenously to sustain him until he is able to digest solid foods. I will leave you now, Miss Shorne. I am Medic Jay Two Em if you should require further assistance." Then, in an uncharacteristic show of sympathy, the droid placed a silver jointed hand on the girl's shoulder and spoke softly. "Mr. Solo will recover, Miss Shorne, there is no need for concern."

Jalen nodded, it was all she could do since she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from Han. She heard the droid leave but stood stoic for a long moment, unable to make her cemented legs propel forward. Jalen didn't realize just how much she depended on Han until that moment. All that was going through her mind was what the hell do I do now? He was debilitated for the time being, and she felt completely alone. And scared to death. Marr wanted Han dead. Maybe he wanted her dead too. He was probably working for someone.

Maybe that someone was Garris Shrike.

At the mere thought Jalen nearly collapsed. Instead, she reached out, finding nothing to grasp, and lurched forward. Finally, the bed Han lay on contacted with her hands.

It was her instinct to shake it, to shake him...wake him up and have him rescue them again.

But this time, he couldn't rescue them. And Jalen suddenly realized that it was up to her. She had to think...hard. There had to be something she could do. Her first step, she realized, was to get herself and Han as far away from Jans Marr as possible.

It made her feel a little better to have a plan, even if she didn't have the first idea as to how she was going to execute it. Erecting herself, Jalen shifted Han's body slightly to the left and perched herself on the mattress next to him. She took one of his hands into her own and held it, relishing the warmth she found in it. At least he wasn't cold.

Reaching up with her other hand, careful not to disturb the IV line, Jalen brushed Han's hair off of his forehead, mimicking the gesture she'd made when she'd first found him shot. He needs a haircut, she mused, smiling slightly. Han hated looking scruffy. If he were awake, he'd surely be combing his hair with his fingers until all the unruly pieces lay against his scalp the way they were supposed to. Jalen loved to ruffle it up again, sending Han into a panic about combing it back down.

A chuckle burbled from her lips as she thought back.

Jalen's tear-filled eyes focused back into reality, bringing what had happened crashing back down around her.

"Oh Han," she murmured softly, leaning forward and placing her cheek against his, "you're gonna be okay...we're gonna be just fine..."

Tears began dropping from her lids, creeping across her cheeks and Han's. Jalen ignored them. I'm sorry, Han. I'msorryi'msorryi'msorryi'msorryi'msorry...

Lando Calrissian rarely felt sympathy for people. It wasn't that he was uncaring, but he seldom got to know others enough to start to care. But now, watching Jalen from the door of Han's medical room, he felt bad. Really bad. Solo was a pain in the ass most times, but he was a damn good sabbacc player and a great pilot. He was irritable and cocky, but he seemed to care about Jalen more than himself. And that was admirable. Lando knew Han was loyal to his friends, and would lay down and die before allowing anything to happen to that girl.

And Jalen, in turn, seemed to revere Solo. Almost to a fault. The way she listened to every word he said, the way she looked at him as though he held the answers to the world. Lando didn't understand how anyone could not see that she was in love with him.

Lando sighed. This must be killing her. He stepped further into the room, stopping short when Jalen choked back a sob and lifted her head. She immediately scrambled off the bed and backed toward the wall.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jalen it's me, Lando," the other said, holding up his hands.

Jalen wiped her eyes hurriedly and exhaled sharply. "Sorry," she muttered flatly. "Someone shot him." She gestured vaguely toward Han, stepping back over to the bed and resuming her place on it. His face was wet with her own tears and Jalen reached a hand out, gently wiping them away. Then, because she knew Han would, she combed her fingers though his hair, straightening the longish mass.

Lando nodded. "I can see that," he said easily. "I came to make sure he doesn't get you either."

Jalen narrowed her eyes. "You know who did this?"

Shrugging, the gambler moved toward the entrance and hit the control panel. The door hissed closed. "I don't know for sure," he said once they had complete privacy. "But you do."

Jalen nodded slowly. She felt sick. Marr knew everything because of her. And he'd probably told Shrike exactly where they were. That's why she and Han had been fighting in the first place. He told her she did something wrong, and she didn't want to hear it. Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid little girl! she chastised herself.

"It was Marr wasn't it?" Lando continued, ignoring the fact that Jalen didn't seem to want to venture any more information that she knew. "I saw him trying to clean something off of his cuff down at the bar. Solo's blood."

His last two words nearly made Jalen throw up. She swallowed hard, fighting back every emotion that was threatening to overflow at once.

Lando continued. "I wouldn't have noticed all that unless I was watching him in the first place. I'm not gonna lie to you, kid. Han told me how you became best buddies with Marr and told him everything. That immediately set my radar sensors into overload."

Jalen frowned. "I didn't tell him everything," she defended, knowing it was futile. "I told him we needed fake ID's and our names. I didn't tell him where we came from."

Lando shrugged. "Well, perhaps he found out. He's gotta be working for Shrike."

Sighing, Jalen looked down at Han and studied him for a long moment. Lando was really the only other presence she had now...so it would do her well to trust him. But look where trusting people she barely knew got her before!

"Han said Marr's name before he passed out," she told the other behind lowered lashes. "It was him. I'm going to get me and Han out of here."

The bright white teeth that flashed from Calrissian's mouth caused Jalen to frown. He laughed, long and hard. Her sour look deepened and she began to wonder if she should ever trust anyone again. Suddenly needing to be as far from the other as possible, she got up and walked around the end of the bed, trailing one small finger across Han's motionless legs as she did so. Stopping at the window, Jalen briefly considered jumping out of it, then sighed, turning reluctantly back toward Lando.

The gambler finally muffled his chuckles, holding a hand out in a show of apology. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he drawled, much like Han would have, "I'm just having a hard time figuring how you're going to do that."

Jalen allowed a scowl to set across her pretty features and she tossed her hair back behind her. Crossing her arms over her chest she regarded Lando coldly. "First of all, don't call me sweetheart," she warned, casting a quick glance to Han, as though silently apologizing to him for the thievery of his nickname.

Calrissian raised his eyebrows but only shrugged.

"And as for how I'm gonna get us out of here before Marr comes after me or worse, tells Shrike where we are, well you're gonna arrange that, Lando."

The gambler shook his head, about to refuse when he was awarded a sharp look from the young girl. Changing his mind, he nodded slowly. "You're gonna owe me kiddo," he warned. "Big time. First let me find out just what Marr was trying to accomplish by hitting Han. Stay here. They've got security out front and you should be okay as long as you don't go too far."

Jalen nodded absently, her attention already turned fully back to Han.

**

Not even an hour after he left the medic room, Lando Calrissian found himself stepping back inside, Jalen Shorne in the exact same place he'd left her. Only this time she wasn't crying against Han's pale cheek, she was asleep.

Lando smiled. She looked peaceful. The gambler hated to wake her, but he didn't have much time. It hadn't taken long for Marr to admit everything he knew about Garris Shrike. The inexperienced bounty hunter merely had to be told that Lando was working for Shrike too, getting close to Han and Jalen as a way to bring them back to the Captain, and suddenly they were comrades in arms.

Chuckling softly to himself, Lando crossed his arms over his chest. A day and a half, Marr told him. Shrike was expected in a day and a half. Less than 36 standard hours to get this scared young girl and an immobile pilot off planet and safely disguised, all without even a whisper of rumor floating through the sabbacc halls. He had his work cut out for him.

Calrissian took one more step toward the small cot in the center of the room, and Jalen stirred. Her dark, silky hair scuttled across the stark white sheets as she rose.

"Lando?" she murmured softly, pushing her hair from her face in mild annoyance. "Lando." She spoke clearer this time, urgency coloring her tone. "What happened?"

The gambler stood rigidly, hands snaking to either side of him and slipping into his pockets. He glanced at the still unconscious pilot and wondered just how dangerous to his recovery this was going to be. It didn't matter, he supposed, since failing to get them off-planet by the time Shrike arrived would be fatal.

"I've got to get you two out by this time tomorrow."

Jalen's eyes widened at his clipped tone, and she rose instinctively, rounding the bed and standing directly in front of Lando's wiry frame. "This time tomorrow?" she repeated.

Calrissian nodded. He spoke softly, hoping to curb any panic that was threatening to rise. "Shrike will arrive in about a day and a half. I'll feel more comfortable if you're out of here in 24 standard hours," Lando explained. "Just to be safe."

Exhaling sharply, Jalen nodded. She looked back at Han and tears sprang to her eyes. They surprised her, but she did nothing to stop them, and didn't even bother to wipe them away as they snaked down her cheeks. "Is it possible?" she asked, voice cracking with emotion. "I mean, will he be okay?"

Lando sighed and placed both hands on either of Jalen's shoulders. He looked down for a long moment, then finally back into her eyes. "I don't know," he said honestly, not allowing himself to even glance at the motionless figure on the bed beyond. "I don't see any other choice."

Jalen nodded curtly and finally wiped her eyes, pulling away from Lando's grip. She sucked in a breath, forcing herself to calm and turned back to him, suddenly all business. "Okay then," she mused. "Tell me what to do."

**

Whoever said there was a limit to a threshold of pain--a point at which the nerve endings die and you just go numb--was a liar. Han Solo was convinced of this as he bit down on his tongue, drawing blood but determined not to cry out--no, scream--in agony. He'd never felt such pain in his life, at least not without passing out within moments.

But the welcomed blackness was not approaching. He was wide awake; painfully awake. Unbearably, catastrophically awake.

"I'm awake!" he bellowed, not meaning to but not caring that he did, tired of looking at a paneled ceiling and listening to various whirs, beeps and alarms, which told them they were in flight. Something he was convinced he was not supposed to be doing at this point in his recovery.

If one could call pain this severe recovery.

Maybe he was dying.

Which might not be so bad at this point.

Jalen appeared at that instant, ducking through the small entryway of the huddle-like room he was encased in, and Han cursed himself for wishing death. She is so beautiful.

And scared. The panic in her eyes brought him tumbling back to reality. The pain, the agonizing pain. He winced.

She smiled.

"Hey," she murmured, kneeling on the floor next to Han's low cot and reaching up to brush his hair from his forehead. "You're awake."

The pilot nodded, closing his eyes briefly as her cool hand contacted with his burning skin. He opened his mouth to speak but could only manage an incoherent mmmhmmmm. His throat ached from the initial shout.

Then there was water. A cool glass being held to his parched lips. One small hand tipped the cup slightly, allowing the liquid to lap at his mouth; the other hand snaked around Han's heavy head, helping to hold him upright as he drank.

And too soon it was gone. Han let his head fall back to the pillow with a soft thud. He groaned. "I'm in pain," he managed, throat still constricted but considerably less so now that it wasn't as dry as the Tatooine desert.

Jalen nodded quickly and reached up and across him. Han couldn't see what she was doing but he heard two clicks, sounding like blaster shots in his ears. When she sat back and smiled at him, he felt instantly better. A little more out of it, but better for sure.

"I didn't have the pain medication on a very high dose," she explained softly. "I didn't want to, you know--" she laughed, "kill you. But Chewie said I could go up to 5. You're on 3 now."

Han made a face and realized he couldn't much feel his cheeks anymore. Yes, this was nice indeed. "What's a Chewie?" he managed, speech slurred.

Jalen laughed. Han couldn't remember hearing anything so sweet. He smiled--at least he hoped he did, though he couldn't feel much of his face anymore. "Chewie's our pilot," she explained, gesturing behind her in the vague direction of the cockpit. "He's not great, I mean, I fly as good as he does, but he's getting the job done which is all Lando and I needed." Before Han could question, though Jalen wasn't quite sure he was coherent enough to do so, she continued. "Jans Marr shot you, on a bounty assignment from Shrike. Only you didn't die and Lando found out that Shrike was due to land in Bespin in two days to collect me. So he paid this Wookiee, Chewie, to fly us out of there. We're going to Kashyyyk for a few days until you heal and Lando can get us set up with some ID's. We should be safe from Shrike there."

Han lay quiet for a long while, even after Jalen finished. She wondered if he'd fallen back asleep when he finally turned his head and blinked at her.

"You managed to pull all this off?" he asked, sounding incredulous.

Jalen frowned, then nodded. "With Lando's help," she mused quietly. "And your money that you won playing sabbacc." Tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Han shook his head quickly. "It's okay," he murmured, reaching for her hand and squeezing it gently in his. "I'm proud of you."

A sob choked in Jalen's throat and she shook her head violently. "It's my fault you got shot!" she argued, pulling her hand from his and settling it into her lap. "It's my fault this whole thing happened! If I hadn't told Marr our names, none of this would have happened."

Sighing softly, Han reached out with great pains and stroked Jalen's wet cheek. "No," he whispered. "No sweetheart. Shrike could have holos of us all over the galaxy for all we know. You might not have said a word to Marr and this still could have happened."

Jalen laughed bitterly and stroked Han's arm with her hand. "It's nice of you to say," she murmured, "but I know it's because I talked to Marr. You told me how stupid it was and I fought with you. But you were right." She stopped, silence enveloping them for a long moment. "Han," Jalen whispered finally, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything that happened before you were shot. I don't ever want to lose you and I almost did..."

"No," Han interrupted, covering the hand stroking his arm with his other hand. "I wasn't gonna leave you, I promised." With that, he pulled the girl to him, wishing he could feel more of her embrace. The numbness was good, it was definitely good, but he felt like he hadn't touched her in ages. And he needed to, because without Jalen, Han was empty.

Closing his eyes, Han wondered what the hell he was gonna do now. And how he was gonna get them out of the world of trouble they seemed to be in. Jalen's soft whisper shook the dreaded thoughts from him and calmed his entire being. And finally, he fell into sleep, her four simple words echoing in his mind.

"I love you, Han."

**

When she was sure he was asleep, Jalen pulled herself from Han's grasp and made her way back to the cockpit. She found the large Wookiee at the navi-computer, grumbling softly to himself as he punched in various coordinates and read the information that was presented on the screen.

She cleared her throat softly to make her presence known and smiled as Chewbacca nodded at her. He growled what sounded like a question and Jalen had to think a moment to decipher the low grunts and groans of Wookiee speak. She was finding it easier each time they spoke to understand him, and thankfully Chewbacca understood Basic just fine so she could answer him back. Learning the peculiar tones and inflections between growls was the biggest challenge, but Chewbacca was patient with her, usually pointing to things then repeating the word so she could grasp the vowels and consonants of the language.

When Jalen didn't answer for a long while, Chewbacca pointed to the ships corridor and Jalen could only assume he'd asked about Han. She raised her eyebrows. "Han?"

The Wookiee growled an affirmative.

"He needed more pain medication," she revealed, trying not to roll her eyes at the Wookiee's stern nod and inevitable 'I told you so' growl. "He's asleep again. He seems okay."

Satisfied, Chewbacca turned back to the navi'puter and resumed his research. Jalen flopped herself into the co-pilot's chair and stared out at the mottled starlines beyond the canopy until they made her dizzy. "Tell me about Kashyyyk again," she murmured, feeling eyes getting heavy. Knowing she would only understand a little more than half of what the Wookiee told her, Jalen didn't care. She liked hearing the soft low growls that reminded her so much of Han's mutterings. It made her feel safe, right.

As Chewbacca launched into his detailed description of his homeland, Jalen smiled and felt herself drifting into a much-deserved slumber.

**

Kashyyyk was exactly as Chewbacca described it. At least Jalen assumed it was. She remembered hearing the words for "green", "trees" and "tall" often as the Wookiee growled his descriptions, so she had a vague idea.

By the time they had landed there, Han was sitting up and eating solid foods. After three weeks of being cared for by the doting Wookiee mothers, Han was pretty much back to his old self--cursing everything in sight and abhorring the notion that he might possibly need help from anyone.

Jalen tried to keep Han, and herself, entertained to pass the time, but it was getting increasingly difficult to wait out the days and nights, wondering when the other shoe was gonna drop. Lando hadn't contacted them as he promised he would, once he figured out what move Shrike would make next. He'd planned to keep up his charade, telling Shrike that he was aware of the bounty on Han and Jalen's heads and had befriended them in hopes of making their capture that much easier. Lando hadn't been sure if Shrike would buy it or not, and Han wasn't coherent enough at the time to give his opinion, so he and Jalen decided it was as good a story as any.

Now, Jalen wasn't so sure. She wondered if Shrike had seen right through Lando and killed him. Another part of her, the guilty conscience that still gnawed at her deep in the night about trusting Jans Marr and subsequently getting Han shot, wondered if she should have ever trusted Calrissian at all.

But deep down she knew that they wouldn't be here if not for Lando, and that Han's sabbacc winnings would only have gone so far on their own to get them off Bespin in a timely manner. Lando's connections had helped immensely. Jalen knew they owed him, and Lando would never miss the opportunity to collect. Especially not from Han Solo. So the explanation for Lando's lengthy absence could only be attributed to one thing: Shrike had stalled. Perhaps he didn't' have a plan yet. Perhaps Calrissian was leading him on a wild goose chase and biding time. Perhaps the gambler thought it was too risky to contact them just yet.

Jalen shook her head and felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. There were too many possibilities and she was tired of speculating on them. Han was only now getting restless and asking what Lando's plan was. She had time to stall the stubborn pilot before he started getting delusions of grandeur and plotting their exit from Kashyyyk himself.

"I hate waiting around for someone else," Han muttered, as though he could read the girl's thoughts. He was sitting on his heels, whittling away at a kashyy vine with a small pocket knife. Jalen watched him for a while, wondering if he was carving something or just moving his hands out of complete boredom. A few more minutes of speculation on Han's art and she decided he was just bored. Either that or he was trying to carve out one deformed mynock.

Before she could answer, Chewbacca turned from his place at the edge of the elevated platform they all sat on and growled a question at Han.

"I'm considering that," Han answered moodily, glancing uneasily at Jalen as he did so. She frowned. It was only a matter of time before someone suggested Han just scrap Lando and his grand plan and make a move for himself. She should have known it would be Chewie. He was a go-getter who hated waiting for anyone. So much like Han.

It wasn't any surprise that Chewbacca and Han forged a friendship of sorts over the weeks. Both had hot tempers but didn't seem to mind getting yelled at, or growled at as both tended to do, by the other. Han was deeply impressed by the Wookiee traditions of loyalty, and Chewbacca, in turn, was impressed with Han's loyalty--to Jalen. He'd howled with Wookiee laughter as Han told him about the ease of their escape from the Trader's Luck. The worshyr trees around them shook as the two playfully wrestled, Chewbacca always the winner and never once giving in and allowing Han a victory. Han admired that as well, knowing that if he could win every time, he wouldn't let one ounce of pity destroy his streak.

"Lando's risking his life for us, Han," Jalen scolded, scooting over to him and taking the kashyy vine from him. She inspected it then smiled and handed it back, satisfied that he wasn't attempting any sort of semblance to any person, place or thing.

Han frowned. "How do we know for sure?" he asked, careful to keep his voice low and even. He may have been shot and nearly killed in between, but Han still remembered his last fight with Jalen, and was determined not to repeat it. He knew she hadn't had much of a choice but to trust Lando to help her get them off Bespin. And in a reverse situation, he'd have done the same thing, he was sure of it. But it was a difficult circumstance they were in now, leaving their lives in the hands of the only swindler Han had ever met whose conning skills rivaled his own.

"I don't know," Jalen muttered softly, not daring to look up and meet eyes with her companion. "I don't think he'd have spent so many credits helping us if he was planning on selling us out later. It'd have been easier to just sell us out while we were on Bespin."

Han considered this, then nodded. "Okay, but if we were captured on Bespin, that reward was Marr's. If we're captured here, the reward is Calrissian's. Maybe the reward will more than pay him back for what he spent paying Chewie here for his services."

Jalen was about to respond when Chewbacca's loud protest rumbled through the tree house. The Wookiee explained Lando very simply: he was a scoundrel, yes, but he'd never have put his neck on the line to get Han and Jalen off planet if he didn't mean to carry through on it. He was too selfish to do something that dangerous.

The pilot considered this, then finally acquiesced. "Okay," he muttered, glancing sideways at the Wookiee then at Jalen. "Okay, I'll wait a little while more. But in a few days..."

Chewbacca rumbled that he'd attempt to contact Lando if they hadn't heard from him in a few days. He added that he disagreed with the notion, sure that he was immediately connected in Shrike's mind with their disappearance since his ship left Bespin port the same day they disappeared. Han dismissed this concern with a slight wave of his hand, interrupting that hundreds of ships leave and enter Bespin port every day. The Wookiee grunted at the pilot in annoyance and resumed his watch over the colony from where he sat.

**

To be continued...

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