A/N: Thank you for the really nice review on the last chapter! I really appreciate the feedback.

Please drop a review if you read! Enjoy!

III

The look on Ben Solo's face haunted Han as he approached the briefing room. He hated saying goodbye – he was never part of a big family, and he never gave in to his feelings. He was an ex-smuggler. Tough. Courageous. But sometimes, the sadness on his son's face was enough to break through to him.

When Ben had been born, it became his job to protect him, just as Chewie was his protector. He was tolerant of the job; he already was in charge of protecting the Princess, even if he had failed so many years ago on Bespin. One more body wasn't going to be the end of him.

When Han reached the briefing room, the crowd sitting on the benches awaiting orders all turned to look his direction.

"Sorry," he muttered, annoyance creeping through his voice. He kept his eyes low and made his way towards Leia's seat – the same seat they had been in when they prepared for the attack on Endor, which happened to be the same battle that had led to Ben's birth.

"To catch you up, General," Mon Mothma barked from the table in the center of the room. Her voice bellowed out smoothly and with authority. She still held the position of eldest Commander and leader of the Alliance. "We've received word that the Sith Lord Darth Vader had left plans detailing the whereabouts of the rest of the Imperial weapons supply."

"So send out a fleet to get it," he snapped back, not wanting to deal with her attitude.

Solo relaxed in his seat with his arms stretched out along the back of the bench behind him. He stared down the Commander as though his life depended on it. He was not ready to be deployed again, but he could tell that's why she was so demanding with him so early in the conversation.

"It's not that simple, General," she commented back, returning his cold stare.

Mothma had never really approved of Solo. She tolerated him because he was a good pilot and he had helped the Alliance out more than she could repay. But once Leia had given birth to their son, he had been deployed over and over. If she hadn't kept him off of the base, he would become weak and useless to her.

"Then tell me where they are and I'll get them myself," he replied cheekily, leaning forward and clasping his hands together.

Leia placed a hand on his shoulder, grabbing his attention. "It's a rumor. We don't know the location. Not yet."

He glanced at his wife, calming his temper. Still, he couldn't let the bickering end without a last sarcastic reply. "Great, we're chasing a rumor."

Then, from behind them, a voice spoke gently and slowly, as though releasing a thought as it flowed through his mind. "Tatooine."

"Tatooine?" Leia questioned, glancing back at her brother.

Luke met her gaze. "I'm from there. My father was from there. I can feel it. They're on Tatooine."

"So we're going after a rumor based off of a feeling…" Solo muttered, staring dead ahead at the wall across the room. He was too ticked off to look straight at anyone while he was talking.

"Just you, General," Mothma told him. "You and Chewbacca can take the Falcon and scout out the planet."

"Me?" he asked, pointing to himself and returning his sight to Mothma. "How about you," he argued. "Or Antilles or Luke, even!"

"The Princess has given us word that you know the planet well."

"Did she?" he asked, shooting Leia a look with wide eyes. "Well listen, I've had enough of that sand planet. In case you've forgotten, I spent too much time in that cantina. I'd like to never go back."

"We are insisting you take this mission, General." Mothma narrowed her eyes. "Unless you want to give up your position with the Alliance."

That was all Han needed- Mon Mothma succeeding in getting Han Solo to back out of serving the Alliance. He wouldn't give her the opportunity.

He began to speak acceptance, but once he opened his mouth, Leia stopped him.

"I'll go!" she shouted, sitting up straight.

Han shot her a look, confused. It wasn't like her to want to go on missions anymore, especially with Ben to watch over. But when she faced him again, he read it all in her eyes. Clearly, something they had discussed earlier had changed her mind.

"That's very generous, Princess," Mothma told her. "But we need at least two members on this mission. We cannot risk one going alone."

"Then I'll go with her," Luke offered.

"Luke!" Leia hissed. She was warning him to keep silence – Ben needed his Uncle. His teacher.

"I know Tatooine, Leia," he told her calmly. "What better guide than myself?"

Leia knew he was right. If anyone were to go with her to Tatooine on a mission involving her father, she would want it to be either Luke or Han. Luke would handle it the same way as she would, and Han would let her confide in him and protect her.

"It's settled, then," Mothma decided.

"But who will watch Ben?" Leia asked urgently, starting to panic.

"I'll be here," Solo offered.

"But you've been away so long!"

"Leia," he soothed, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I may have been gone but I'm still his father."

For some reason, saying those words out loud still shocked Han. He never imagined for once in his life that he would be a father. He never wanted to have the responsibility to raise a child. But Leia was a wonderful mother. She was patient, kind, and generous, and she was teaching him how to be that kind of parent, as well.

Mon Mothma had given Leia and Luke a few days rest before deploying them on their mission. Leia had bargained with her – she had just gotten Han back, and couldn't handle being separated so soon. She had been the one to ask for Solo to be sent with Chewie, but she had taken that back the second she felt the remorse flow through Han's body.

Once the meeting was over, the Princess found herself walking with her hands clasping Han's bicep, as the two walked with their friend back towards the loading docks.

"You're sure you don't mind us taking the Falcon?" she asked softly, still holding onto Han as though she had to leave him already.

He leaned down to speak into her ear. "Just be careful with her," he told her. "Don't let the kid touch her down too quickly. And make sure you power off correctly or that hyper drive will over heat. And if you don't give your shields four seconds advance you'll get yourselves stuck in a heavy situation. And—"

Leia cut him off with a chuckle. "Han," she silenced. "She'll be fine."

He relaxed and showed off his crooked smile. "Okay. Good," he stuttered, not sure what to say. It was silly of him to think Leia and Luke couldn't handle the Falcon. They flew her several times when he had to rest. Sure, they didn't know her inside and out like he did, but they didn't build her. They didn't modify her. Still, they learned a lot from him – enough to handle flying her for the mission.

"Don't worry so much," Leia teased.

"Chewie and I will do a once over just to make sure she's safe for you to take off on," he promised as they neared the bay. Then, he leaned down further. "You owe me for this one, our Highness."

Ignoring his sly comment, Leia replied with, "If you refuse to stop calling me that, it just makes you 'your Worship' as well."

"What, because I married you?" Han asked, flashing another smile. "You tricked me into that one, sweetheart."

"Tricked you?" Leia gasped.

Solo winked. "Well, your Worship, why don't you show your King some thanks for letting you use his ship."

Leia smirked and stood up closer to him, letting her lips brush his ear. "We'll talk after Ben is in bed," she tossed back playfully.

From the other side of Han, Luke focused on the two and attempted to calm them down using the Force. Solo had picked up on his tricks more and more since the fight on Endor had ended.

"Cut it out, kid," he growled, standing upright again. He hated when Luke used those mind tricks on him. Leia could fight it, but he wasn't as willed. Although the Force didn't work on him fully, he couldn't handle it as well as Leia could. He had begun to train her, and she learned quickly.

"Sorry," Skywalker replied, sending an embarrassed smile Solo's way. "Just a habit."

"One day that trick is going to back fire on you," he warned.

Leia placed her hand on Han's arm, pulling his attention back to her. "Han, look!"

Solo turned towards the open area in front of them; the docking bay. Ahead of them was the Falcon, standing tall with all her glory. On top of her was the tall figure of the Wookie pilot, apparently fixing something under her shell. He reached over the side, asking a smaller figure to hand him something. Below, Ben Solo reached up and handed him a tool, helping the pilot out.

"Ben!" Solo called across the bay, catching his son's attention.

The boy looked his way.

Leia watched as the boy realized his father had called out to him – this was the first time in a while he had been summoned for something other than discipline. Little Solo dropped the tool in his other hand, the metal clanking on the bay's floor, and then began running full force at his parents.

Leia anticipated his little arms to wrap around her legs when he collided with them, but instead, one of his arm's attached to her and the other to his father.

Solo looked down with concern – Ben never showed appreciation towards him. Since Han had told him he wouldn't let him pilot until he was eighteen when he first took an interest in the ships, Ben had resented his father. It was only a little bit, but he was definitely closer to Leia than Han. Solo accepted it; he wanted to have a relationship with his son, but he also wanted to keep him out of the kind of trouble he, Leia, and Luke had been in when they were young.

"What's Chewie doing up there?" he asked his son, looking down at the small child.

"Fixing her," Ben told them matter-of-factly.

Han looked up towards the ship again. "Again?" he asked, disgusted.