In the last Stray Thought I posted, I referred to a conversation between Han and Luke. A few people wanted to know what the talked about. I wasn't sure myself, at the time, but here it is.

Conversation in a Clearing

"Hey, kid, you okay?"

Han Solo flopped down onto the thick grass, extending his legs, as he leaned back against the rough trunk of the fallen tree where Luke Skywalker was seated.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I guess. Why?" Luke reached around to rub an ache in his lower back. Even with the Force—and a huge spike in adrenalin—hauling the dead weight of his father, Anakin Skywalker, onto that Imperial shuttle had been a herculean task. He was more tired than he ever remembered being, but too wound up to rest. More things had happened to him in the past two days than any other time in his life; his head was still spinning.

Plucking a slender twig out of the long grass, Han spun it between his thumb and his forefinger. He had no idea why he was there, except that the kid had asked him to come. For a long moment he didn't answer, instead he watched a formation of fireworks arc past the trees and explode in the sky above them. Bright streaks of colored sparks showered down through the sky, illuminating the clearing where the two men sat. Across the clearing, the explosions in the sky brought the dying embers of the funeral pyre into sharp relief. The burnt remains of Darth Vader were mostly unrecognizable ash, except for the twisted, half-melted black mask. Han managed to suppress a shudder at the eerie sight. He certainly wasn't a big fan of Vader, even if the kid wanted to make him a hero. He didn't want Luke to know how he felt about the departed black Jedi, though; he was pretty sure the kid didn't feel the same way he did. But his friend had been through enough, he didn't want stress the kid out any more.

"Oh, I don't know," said the Corellian finally, choosing his words with care. "You've had kind of a busy day, saving the galaxy—again." He smiled into the darkening clearing, winding the twig between first one finger, then the next. "And taking out the two most evil beings in the known universe has got to be hard work even for the one remaining Jedi."

Han waited, expecting a series of sputtering objections from his young friend. When he heard nothing, the Corellian looked up over his shoulder; Luke was staring, unseeing, at the remains of the pyre.

"He wasn't evil, at the end," Luke said, his voice quiet and firm. "He told me I saved him."

I just bet he did! Han bristled. Even if Luke believed it, Han thought, he wasn't going to. After all, he'd had up close and personal dealings with Darth Vader, too, and that hadn't been fun.

"Is that why you brought me out here?" Han asked, swallowing his cynicism for Luke's sake. "To tell me that."

Luke nodded into the dark.

Han felt the acknowledgement rather than saw it. "Well, I'm glad he straightened out at the end," he said, his tone casual to hide his disbelief. "But you don't have to worry about it anymore, kid. It's over."

"Do you think Leia will ever believe it?" Luke pondered. "He told me to tell Leia that he was saved, too."

No way in the nine Corellian hells is she going to believe that, kid!

"I'm not sure that Leia's going to be convinced as easily as you, kid," responded Han judiciously. "She didn't get to talk to him there at the end, the way you did, and he did an awful lot of really horrible stuff to her," Han pointed out. "You know, torture; blowing up her home planet. Leia isn't always the most forgiving of people."

"Yeah, but—" Luke halted as he saw Han twist around to face him full on, both eyebrows raised. "Yeah, okay, I suppose you have a point." Then the younger man's voice grew deeper, he seemed to mature right before Han's eyes. "But she can't let her hate consume her; hate leads to the dark side."

Han was glad for the darkness; he wasn't sure he could control the look on his face, but he did manage to swallow his groan. This whole Force business still made him uncomfortable, even if he had to admit it was true. At least some of it. And hearing the kid talk like that freaked him out. It just didn't seem natural. He took a deep breath.

"Don't worry kid, Leia's strong. She's going to come through this just fine." Another volley of fireworks exploded above them, this time revealing a sly, lopsided grin spreading across Han's face. "Anyway, I've got plans for her Worship. I plan on keeping her busy with other business for the next few days." The Corellian's lusty chuckle was filled with anticipation.

"Han!" Luke's indignant voice was back to its normal timbre. Han's smile grew to a teasing grin.

"Yeah, kid?" he asked, innocently.

Luke popped up from his seat on the fallen tree, stepping in front of the seated man. "Han," he repeated, hands planted on his hips as his twin's often were when dealing with the Corellian. "That's my sister you're talking about!"

Han scrambled to his feet, swallowing down both the burst of laughter he felt welling up inside him, and the sharp twinge of jealousy. Sister or not, the kid still had a bond with Leia, the kind Han was sure he'd ever have.

"Kid?" he asked in a stiff voice. "Just how long has she been your sister?"

"What?" Luke sounded genuinely confused. "She's my twin. Twenty-three years."

"No, really." The older man took a stride forward, so that he stood toe to toe with the younger man. Han's extended index finger was centimeters from Luke's nose. "Just how long have you known she's your sister?"

Luke shifted from foot to foot, and looked away from his taller friend. "Two days," he muttered.

"What's that?" Han's eyebrows rose and his mouth twisted into a smirk.

"Two days." Luke's chin came up and he met Han's eyes. "But she's still my sister!"

"Yeah, I know that kid." Han laughed and relinquished his intimidating pose, seating himself on the log. "But," he continued. "I don't think two days is long enough for you to play the 'what are your intentions toward my sister' card."

Luke dropped down on the log next to Han, his body relaxing. "No," he laughed. "I suppose not." He twisted to face the other man. "But from now on, you'd better watch it," he threatened with an exaggerated frown. "She's my sister, and I only want what's best for her."

"So do I, kid," Han's voice was serious now. "So do I." He clapped Luke on the back. "Besides," he carried on. "Leia is more than capable of taking care of herself. And of knowing exactly what she wants."

Han would never admit to anyone, especially Luke, how terrified that concept made him. Leia could still say no to him. There was always the chance the Princess might want someone younger than he was, or richer, or less in trouble with the law, or… No! None of that could possibly happen, not to Han Solo. Han wagged his head to clear the troublesome doubts away.

"I love her, you know." Luke said quietly into the night.

"And she loves you," replied Han, one eyebrow raised.

"I was in love with her. Once." The young man looked down at his toes.

Oh! Suddenly he understood what the kid's problem was; that one little word made all the difference, Han thought. "Yeah, we both were, since the day we met her." Except when I wanted to kill her.

"But she's my sister!" Luke cried out, this time in shame.

"Kid, you didn't know that," Han put a reassuring hand on Luke's shoulder.

"Yeah, I know." Luke's cheeks flushed. "But I loved her!" he repeated. "And I kissed her, back on Hoth. That's just wrong."

Another round of sparkling fireworks lit up the clearing, revealing Luke's miserable face.

This time Han didn't try to hide his crooked grin. "Actually, kid, I think she kissed you, not the other way around." The grin grew. "And she only did it because she was trying to make me jealous." The Corellian rose to his feet, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Oh, sure, like you'd know that!" Luke's normally gentle eyes flashed with anger, which quickly morphed into embarrassment when he heard Han's laugh. "Well, you couldn't know for sure," he objected anyway. Luke glared at Han, laughing himself. "You look like a mating womprat," he informed his friend with a snort. "And you're not helping."

"Leia is one attractive woman, and, like I said, you didn't know she was your sister." Han continued to tease gently as Luke sputtered. "So, no harm, no foul." Han dropped back into the grass, leaning against the log. "You just need to relax for a few minutes, think things through. Like I said, you had a rough few days."

"I suppose," conceded Luke, not sounding convinced. He lowered himself down on the grass next to his friend. "But it's still weird."

They stayed that way through several more volleys of fireworks, neither man speaking. Han was ready to go back to Leia, and Luke seemed less upset than he'd been a few minutes before. Han put his hands down next to his sides, starting to push himself up.

"Well, I think I'll head back," he began.

"You know," Luke mused. "As dumb as this sounds, it's kind of like you won."

Han froze halfway up. "Huh?" he asked, confused.

Luke stared across the clearing, not really seeing. "Ever since the Deathstar," he began. "The first Death Star; it's been kind of a contest between you and me. Who would get Leia? I guess you won," Luke explained.

"Kid, you're wrong," said Han, looking his friend straight in the eyes. "I've loved her as long as I've known her, and it's the best, and the scariest, thing that ever happened to me. But you won, too. You have a sister, and I can't think of a better one." He felt a little easier when he saw Luke's lips lift in a tentative smile. "I'll always love her; I'll always do what I can to make her happy, and I'll always—always—take care of her. You don't have to worry about that."

"You better take care of her!" Luke shook a stern finger at his companion, grinning broadly.

"No problem," Han grinned back as he straightened up. "But we better get back to the party before Leia starts to wonder what we're doing." His grin broadened. "Believe me, kid. You're not the Skywalker twin I'm scared of."