Kalon - Han Solo [1]

Chapter 22 : Celebrate, for now

Tasha felt the rumble and explosion of the mighty, now crippled battle station even though she wasn't watching it. She was over the moon. They had completed the mission. Everyone on the moon was safe; the galaxy was safer. For now anyway. Tasha couldn't help the grin that formed on her face, that had stuck there. The pain she felt for her fallen fighters, her friends, superiors, mentors, was still there, still terribly present in her skull, bouncing around in there with her anxiety and fear.

Fear that she hadn't been able to do it. To pull the trigger that could've ended this whole war. And she couldn't understand why.

Still, there was plenty of time to work all that out later, now she could only think about how happy she was everyone was safe, oh, and one more thing: Han had come back. It was foolish for her to think it, but she couldn't help thinking that he was a good man, no matter what his reputation said.

The hangar was packed with a horde of people, all with smiles to match Tasha's. She hastily flicked a switch above her head, opening the cockpit as she shut down the ship. A colossal swarm of people surrounded her ship, congratulations flying around her. She flashed them her priceless grin, her princess smile, the smile men would die for. The smile she could hide anything behind. Except right now she wasn't hiding anything, she was for the first time in ages, actually elated about something, without carrying the world on her shoulders. She leapt down from the top of her fighter, spying Luke over the crowd. She knew by now Dodonna would have cameras on her, filming her, forming her words into propaganda to be blasted into every corner of the galaxy; the warrior princess returning from a victory to bask in the glory of her enemy's defeat and her people's love, but she didn't care. She ran to Luke, and he hugged her, laughing loudly into her ear. She released her arms around his neck, laughing with him.

"You did great, kiddo," she laughed, clapping him around the shoulder as he swept Leia into a hug.

"Thanks Tash," he replied, all of them looking extremely happy.

Tasha squealed as arms wrapped around her from behind, swinging her around in the air. She knew instantly who it was, his callused fingers skimming her skin, his happy laugh filling her head.

"Put me down, Solo!" she laughed over the crowd cheering for their heroes. He sat her back down on the ground, facing him. She grinned at him, and then did something no one expected. She slapped him lightly in the face. He gave her a slightly shocked look, his mouth gaping slightly.

"That was for leaving," she chuckled, leaning up and kissing his cheek, "and that was for coming back." She hugged him again, "thanks lover boy." She murmured into his ear. He smirked slightly before it was overtaken by a grin.

"Anytime, sweetheart."

"I knew you would come back!" Luke said, enveloping Han in a bear hug, "I just knew it!"

"Well I couldn't let you get all the credit and take all the reward," he said dismissively, and Tasha shook her head.

"I knew there was more to you than money," Leia said happily, grinning widely, even at Tasha. Tasha chanced it. She briefly wrapped her arms around her sister, pulling away quickly. Leia didn't hug her back, but she didn't push her away, either. That was important, no, more than important. She was still angry, livid probably, but she accepted this small thing, this small act of 'I'm sorry', and that was important. She gave Leia a tight-lipped smile as Han threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Shouldn't there be some sort of party going on somewhere?" he said, "I mean, we just destroyed the greatest weapon the empire had," Leia nodded.

"There is a party, come on," she latched onto Luke's arm, pulling him along. Han followed them, and Tasha stood, watching.

Han looked around when Tasha carefully shuffled herself out of his grip.

"Aren't you coming, princess?" he asked. Tasha smiled slightly.

"I'll catch you up," she said, crossing her arms, "now get a move on, Solo."