There she was still petite, still young. Four years hadn't aged her. Her hair still didn't go past her shoulders, keeping the length that Jabba had given her oh so many years ago. And he noticed the black dress wrapped tightly around her. How could he not? He had bought it for her and given it to her back on Hoth before he left.

"What's this?" she asked as he handed her the package.

He shrugged. "Open it."

Her small fingers worked open the package before her brown eyes saw the black fabric beneath. "Where did you... How did you.."

Her eyes going from the package up to him.

"A smuggler never tells his secrets, especially to royalty."

And now it hugged her like he imagined it would. The strapless black gown that was perfectly cut for her frame, molding to her waist before gently flaring. As she walked you saw her leg peak out of the high slit in the front.

He had never seen her wear it and now his imagination hadn't done it justice as she shook hands of dignitaries, generals and the like.

Her brown eyes finally found his and he saw her posture straight and a wall begin to form again just like on Tatooine. Her red high heels marched in a line straight for him.

"General, I hear congratulations are in order," she says with slight edge to her voice.

He turns to the blonde woman on his arm. "None are needed, Princess."

"Han, you never told me you knew Princess Organa," his companion replied with light in her voice.

He didn't look at her. He didn't even seem to acknowledge her. He stared at the royalty in front of him gauging her reaction and there was none.

"I wouldn't imagine that he would. I'm sure he would like to wipe me from his memory."

And there was her bite. Four years and she was still pissed. He figured there would still be resentment and some anger. But not this cool, calm and pissed.

"Well, I'm sure that isn't true, is it Han?" the blonde responded.

And he looked into her clear blue eyes, seeing surprise and slight confusion before turning back to the brunette.

"It's not," he said.

The coldness in her eyes didn't change. Her stare held up that wall. The wall he had never fully broken through. The wall that still held the secrets of her torture, of her confinement, of her time with Jabba.

"When's the wedding?" she asked towards his companions, softly like speaking to a child.

"We haven't set a date."

The brunette nodded, slightly smiling. "Well, I most certainly wish my best upon you..."

And then there was a loud booming and he felt the ground shake, as he leapt to protect his companion. He watched as the princess crouched down, grabbing a gun from under her dress.

"Get out of here!" she yelled at him, running towards the entrance. "Get her out of here!"

"Leia!" he called, still shielding the blonde. "You..."

His voice was drowned out by another loud noise and he saw her run towards it, never looking back. His eyes went down to the blonde, taking her hand as he went towards the back. He tried not to focus on the brunette that was no longer his.

The dust settled sometime later, as he stood with the other generals and dignitaries. He saw the flash of face that he used to know, barking orders towards security. The voice carried, "Protect the people. I don't want another person shot. This is what we prepare for."

His ears heard the words and he immediately walked towards his friend, dragging his companion with him. "Han...oww," he heard her say.

"What happened, Lando?"

"Han, don't worry everything is under control. This doesn't concern you," his friend told him, surveying the crowd.

"It concerns me," he said with steel in his voice. "It concerns everyone here."

"We must protect you, General. Don't risk the lives of others. You are not apart of this operation."

His friends eyes bore into his, silently pleading that he didn't do anything. Before moving back to survey the crowd, looking for what he didn't know.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"Old buddy, I can't tell you that."

He looked into his friend's brown eyes, searching for a clue, an answer. Han looked towards the entrance and saw the bright lights. His heart dropped, as he left go of the blonde's hand and hurried towards the wreckage.

"Han!" Lando called.

His own feet quickened, scared of what he might see. Within a few feet he saw it – saw the blood, the bodies and her.

Her body laying bleeding, lifeless. Her eyelids shut and her lips slightly parted. A medic huddled over her taking her pulse and a part of him wanted to go to her, wanted to hold her hand.

"We need to get her out of here! She's losing too much blood," the medic hurriedly said. "She needs surgery or she's not going to make it."

His hazel eyes went to her chest and saw the hint of her bloody pale chest rise and fall, but before he could go any farther he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I must ask, General Solo that you go back inside," Lando said to him.

"You know that's not going to happen, Lando," as he watched the medics place her on the stretcher.

He looked around, the black hooded figures laying dead on the marble floor. The blood, the carnage looked like something he had seen when the Imperials were still in power, but it had been years since then.

"We are losing her," a medic yelled, as his eyes flew to the petite form, convulsing on the stretcher and then the medic door slammed shut.