Clary's nerves haven't died down.

She stands shifting on her feet, rocking against the heels of her boots beside Princess Leia, who's looking out into the dark entrance of the Rebel base, expression unreadable. Her brows are narrowed, though, and her lips remain a thin line. Clary knows she isn't the only one anxiously awaiting the Rebel heroes' return. She follows Leia's gaze into the dark abyss and shivers noticeably as a gust of cool air rushes past her face. She rubs her hands together and hears Leia sigh from beside her.

Chewbacca remains mumbling nearby, resting his head against a ladder leading up to the Falcon. He had climbed down earlier after finishing altering the motor, but after seeing Clary's impatient expression and the hangar doors still wide open, the light of dusk now darkened to night, he had remained leaning against the ladder for a while, using the bars as support.

Clary turns her head at the sound of Major Derlin approaching Princess Leia once more. She barely glances his way, her eyes remaining locked on the empty entrance. Derlin opens his mouth to say something, perhaps some words of comfort, but he's cut off as an unfamiliar Rebel lieutenant approaches them. Clary watches him with a vacant expression as he quickly salutes the major.

"Sir, all the patrols are in. There's still no contact from Skywalker or Solo."

His words are like ice shards that pierce their way into Clary's heart. She turns her head, unable to listen to the conversation any further as she steps closer to Chewbacca, staring blankly ahead at the entrance. She starts to feel angry with Han; why did he have to be the hero all the time? The moment he had requested to go out himself and save Luke sparked worry in Clary. Although she was still fretting over Luke's absence, she didn't need to have Han leave as well. At least with him around, she knew one of them was safe. But now Han was gone as well, and Clary's mind will not stop racing. Her worst fears seem to weigh heavy in her heart and she tries to ignore the negativity threatening to seep through her. Han is still alive, she tells herself. Luke is still alive. They will be okay. It will always be okay.

"Your Highness, there's nothing more we can do tonight." Clary is pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of Derlin's voice. She glances over to see Princess Leia look up, eyes glazed over in thought as she meets the major's gaze. "The shield doors must be closed."

"No!" Clary feels her heart slam into her chest as she starts forward. She gains the attention of nearly everyone surrounding her and she feels her mind racing. "You can't close the doors—there must be something we can do! Major, please!"

He meets her gaze evenly and a look of sympathy crosses his face. By the way he stands and clenches his jaw, though, Clary knows he isn't going to change his mind. She turns to Princess Leia now, hoping she'll be able to act on her empathy.

"Princess, please, Luke is still out there...My brother is still out there—" Clary's voice catches in her throat as she sees the faded look in Leia's eyes, knowing that she can't and won't be able to do anything. She glances the major's way once more, feeling her body shake with the last plea of hope she will be able to gather, before he turns to the lieutenant standing nearby, expression solemn.

"Close the doors."

"Yes, sir," he answers, giving a short bow. He walks away, calling to a few other men standing nearby the doors and Clary watches with wide eyes. She barely hears Chewbacca howling mournfully beside her as her mind blanks completely—she can't live without Han. He's always been there for her, and with him being gone like this, she feels vulnerable and restless. She needs her brother with her like he's always been. She has never realized until now how secure she's felt in Han's presence until now, being gone like this.

Clary is pulled out of her thoughts as a loud boom echoes throughout the cavern as the large metal doors give a sudden heave, slamming into each other. It takes Clary a minute to register what had happened before she finds herself lurching forward, screaming.

"No!" Her vision is blurred from tears and she feels a hand grab her by the arm, pulling her back suddenly, preventing her from rushing towards the doors and ripping them open. She struggles against the grip numbly and hangs her head low, feeling herself shake, overwhelmed with anger and sadness. Chewbacca howls again and Clary looks up finally, meeting Leia's gaze. She squeezes her arm tighter, an attempt of a reassuring look shining in her eyes, but Clary chooses to ignore it. Her face is smeared with tears as she stares ahead, feeling empty.

"Oh dear, oh dear," a familiar voice sounds. Clary sniffles, lifting her head up pathetically as she meets C-3P0's gaze. R2-D2 beeps reassuringly from beside him as C-3P0 nods to both Clary and Leia. "Don't worry about Master Luke," he says quickly, attempting to make the two feel better. "I'm sure he'll be all right...he's quite clever, you know. For a human being."

Luke hadn't been the center of Clary's worry but at the mention of his name, she's suddenly reminded of the fear she has felt for him those hours before Han had left. What has happened to him? Will the same thing happen to Han? Will they be all right? Will they survive? Clary hates not being with them—she hates not knowing what's going on. She hates being vulnerable like this.

"Clary." Leia touches Clary's arm again. Her eyes are kind as Clary turns, her own eyes dull. The princess hesitates, mouth open half-way, as if she had intended to say something else, but after seeing the look on Clary's face, she had been stunned to silence. She closes her mouth slowly, holding Clary's gaze before turning away. She forces a small smile, squeezing Clary's arm once more before giving her a short nod, walking past her as she passes Major Derlin. Clary feels his eyes on her and she meets his gaze, trying to ignore the anger that spikes through her.

"I'm sorry, miss, but it had to be done," Major Derlin says, noticing the bitter look on Clary's face.

"He's my brother," is all Clary can say. Her anger turns into rage as she holds the major's gaze. She can tell he's uncomfortable by her violent stare, and she scoffs, shouldering past him. All she can think as she walks away, out of the main hangar deck, is that it should be her out there, not Han. It should always be her.

Clary doesn't sleep that night. She lies on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, in a blank stupor as various thoughts race through her head. She considers different possibilities, weighing out the outcomes of what could have happened with Han and Luke, but she stops when she realizes the tears have yet again begin to stain her cheeks and she takes a shaky breath, bringing up a hand to wipe at her face. She rubs her tired eyes, lost in thought.

The last time she has felt this way had been several years ago, when Han had left her on Cloud City with Lando Calrissian, a close friend and fellow smuggler. It had seemed like eternities before Han had returned, face bloody yet beaming wildly as Clary ran up to him, hugging him so tightly he had claimed she would "snap him in two". Since that day, Clary has vowed to not be fearful of Han's life, knowing very well he can take care of himself, but she realizes now she can't help but worry. Aside from Chewbacca, Han is the only family she has. She won't lose him. She can't lose him.

A knock sounds at her door and Clary manages to rasp a quiet "come in" before the door is opened quickly. It nearly slams against the wall from the force of it being thrown open and Leia's familiar face greets Clary. She nods urgently.

"We've found them."

Clary nearly scrambles to her feet, pushing past Princess Leia as she races down the ice cavern. Her feet are bare and shivers race up and down her spine but she ignores them as she pulls her coat over her tighter. She can hear Leia trailing after her, calling, but she ignores her as she makes it to main hangar deck just in time to spot Han, standing next to several other Rebels, and most notably, Zev. Before Han even has the chance to turn, Clary races across the ice, nearly spinning the wrong direction, her feet raw as she jumps into Han. He stumbles backwards, gasping, and Clary hugs him tightly, just as she had before those many years ago. He can barely form a coherent sentence, but manages to hug Clary back just as tightly. She feels tears sting her eyes once again as she grips onto Han as if her life depends on it. She'll never let go again.

"This was cute when you were nine, Clary, but now it's just embarrassing," Han manages to choke out. Clary can hear just from his voice that he's freezing and she pulls away. He holds her gaze for a moment and he understands: I won't die on you. Not today, not ever.

"Hurry, we have to get him to the medics," a voice says, gaining Clary's attention. She turns, brow furrowed in confusion before her gaze rests on an unconscious Luke being helped out of the speeder. Zev stands nearby, watching with a sullen expression as two others help hold onto Luke. His skin is pale, as if he had no blood circulation whatsoever, and his chest barely rises and falls with slow, weak breaths. Clary steps towards him before he can be taken away and quickly kisses his face; he feels as frozen as the ice underneath her feet and before she has the chance to think anything else, he's taken away. In soft voices behind her she can hear Major Derlin murmuring something to Han, suggesting he follow after into the medic's room, before turning away. Clary remains standing silently but a throat clears from behind her, making her turn. She meets Han's gaze but it hadn't been him who made the noise; her gaze flickers quickly to the person behind him and she meets the gaze of an unfamiliar woman who had not been present in the Rebel base before.

Clary doesn't recall her presence, but reconsiders that she has been so overwhelmed by finding out Han and Luke is safe that she has blocked out anything else. The stranger holds her gaze, and the corner of her lip turns up in an unnatural, nearly awkward smile, as if she isn't used to friendly gestures. Han doesn't say anything as he watches the two in uncomfortable silence—Clary can feel Leia's suspicious gaze from behind as she steps towards the stranger.

"You're the one who saved my brother's ass?"

"That I did," she answers. Clary doesn't even think through her next action before flinging her arms over the stranger, hugging her tightly. The girl struggles slightly against Clary's grip, obviously stunned by the sudden gesture, but doesn't push her away as the younger girl hugs her even tighter, relief overcoming her in suppressing shudders that chill her spine and fill her entire body with warmth.

"Thank you...thank you so much," Clary whispers quickly before pulling away. She meets the stranger's gaze once more, who gives a small nod, obviously awkward from Clary's sudden gesture.

"Anytime, kid." She pats the side of Clary's arm with tension and she forces another upturned, unnatural smile. "Anytime."

She's pretty, Clary notices. Wide-brimmed goggles rest on the top of her head freckled with the snow that Clary is now beginning to despise, and she's adorned in a heavy overcoat, bulkier than the one Clary's wearing right now. She appears native to Hoth, although, Clary can't recall any human life forms living outside in the vast, freezing tundra of the ice planet. The stranger dusts the excess snow off her clothes and notices Clary staring. She meets her gaze before her gaze flickers to Clary's bare feet against the ice of the hangar deck.

"Cold?" she asks.

Clary shakes her head. She had been cold running down the cavern, but now, the sense of relief that Han and Luke are safe fills her with warmth. She hears Leia clear her throat pointedly from behind them and both Clary and the Hoth-inhabitant turn to meet the princess' chilly gaze.

"And you are?"

The stranger is unfazed by the princess' refined air and pulls off a glove that covers her hand. She holds it out.

"Dana. Dana Del Fin."

Leia watches her carefully, her suspicions obviously on edge, but she takes the girl's hand, shaking it quickly.

"Leia." She lets go, turning to Clary. "I'm heading to the medic center; I assume I'll be seeing you there, soon?" A look of knowing seems to flash in her gaze but Clary is unsure of whether or not it's about Han or Luke. Instead, she gives a small nod.

"Yeah." Her gaze travels back to Dana who rocks on her heels, now growing uncomfortable from Leia's pointed stare. The princess forces a smile, nodding to Clary, her gaze resting on Dana for a few more moments before she turns away swiftly down the cavern, turning a corner and disappearing out of sight.

Glancing back at Dana, Clary holds her gaze. There's something curious in the way Dana stands, as if she's uncomfortable with her surroundings, and she avoids Clary's eyes; she, instead, looks around the hangar, seemingly admiring the work of the Rebels going on around them. Looking around as well, Clary meets the gaze of several Rebels as they walk past, watching Dana with the same suspicion Princess Leia had held coldly in her gaze and Clary now understands Dana's tension. She opens her mouth to say something, but she's cut off as two of the Generals approach, followed by Rieekan. They nod to Clary in acknowledgment before turning to Dana.

"If you don't mind," Rieekan starts, "We'd like to have a word with you."

Dana gives a short nod, shrugging her shoulders. "All right," she says, shifting on her feet as she slowly follows after the group. She glances back at Clary warily before giving another short, awkward smile. Clary nearly forgets to return it as she's lost in thought. She finds herself intrigued by Dana—there's just no possible way she could be native to Hoth—but she realizes that Rieekan and the others will soon find out her true identity, giving her enough time to head back to the clinic. Before she can fully disappear, however, she's stopped as Dana calls out to her:

"Hey, kid!" Clary turns, meeting her gaze evenly and Dana smirks. "Make sure you find yourself some shoes."

Feeling her face warm slightly and finally feeling the numbness in her feet, Clary turns quickly, racing down the cavern and out of sight.

the new character introduced is dana del fin, the oc to heroine, which is ' han solo fanfic, & it is linked to this now!!! check it out bc this whole thing is gonna be gr9! als o i was able to update this bc i had prewritten this chapter and i forgot about prewriting it so now here it is!! thank you all so much for reading & liking this fic so much:-) don't forget to comment & vote & i hope you all have a lovely day! [i just did an english presentation in class & i feel like dying so it was nice to be able to finish typing this chapter up!!!]