"So, how'd it go?"

Han and Luke stood next to each other by the Falcon, the latter ditching another boring Alliance meeting by doing so. Leia had warned him the last time he played hooky, saying that You're setting such a bad example, Jedi don't behave like that, you're fifty-three, not seven, blah, blah, blah. In Luke's ever-so-humble opinion, what the general didn't know couldn't hurt her (or him.)

Luke took in a deep breath, but none of the answers he'd prepared in his head came up. Han repeated his question.

"Kid? How'd she take it?"

Luke closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. "Fine," he said. Unfortunately, Han wasn't one to be easily deceived.

"Kid, what happened?"

Luke looked down at the floor, then at the walls. Then at an X-Wing. Anywhere but at Han. "She - well, she..."

"Kid?"

Luke forced himself to look his friend in the eyes. "She... took it just fine." Luke, just like many times in his life, was a loss for words. How was he supposed to tell Han that his - their - niece was talking to a Sith lord without realizing it? He also knew, however, that Han needed to know. After all, he did know him - sort of.

"She's been talking to Dooku."

Han audibly gasped, eyes widening as big as saucers. "Sh-she's been... no... it can't be - are you sure? Kid, look at me. No - in the eyes. Are you sure?"

Luke met Han's gaze evenly, though tentatively. "Yes," he whispered. "Yes, she is."

Han clenched his hands together tightly, fire burning in his eyes. "Dammit, I thought I warned that stupid, #!?*% thing off!"

Two or three pilots walking by stopped dead in their tracks at Han's... colorful vocabulary. "Pipe down," Luke hissed at him. "Do you want the whole base to know?"

Han gritted his teeth tightly, growling with barely-suppressed anger. Luke gently grasped his arm, panic beginning to rise. "Calm down," he said. "Han, you need to calm down. Do you want Leia to feel it?"

Han made a visible effort to cool off, though from where Luke was standing it seemed nearly ineffective. "No," he muttered, head hanging, "No, I don't."

Luke couldn't help but smirk. "Yeah, I thought so. We probably don't want to tell her-"

"Waddya mean, we're not tellin' her?"

Luke mouth felt suddenly and unexpectedly dry. "Han, we can't-"

Han cut him off. "Luke, we can't just keep secrets from her! Besides, she already knows a bunch." Han dropped his voice an octave, suddenly conscious of the many people un the hangar. "Luke, she knows who Rey is. She's gonna start asking pretty soon."

Luke opened his mouth as if to answer, then closed it, unsure as to how to reply. Han began to speak before he could scrape up something to say. "Does Rey know?"

"Know what?"

"That Dooku's talkin' to her."

Luke bit his bottom lip. "Not quite. All she knows is that someone - she calls him him - is talking to her and giving her 'advice.' She didn't tell me about him, either. I felt him in her - that terrible, dark, dead presence so uniquely his."

Han nodded grimly, lips pressed tightly together, knowing all too well what his friend was speaking of. First handedly, actually. "Yeah. Okay. Sure."

"Are you going to tell Leia?" Luke ventured to ask.

Han opened his mouth, then immediately deflated. "Nah. Leastways, not yet. Don't think I won't, though," the smuggler added, noticing the hopeful expression on his friend's face. "I ain't makin' any promises yet, kid."

Luke nodded, a soft smile gracing his lips. In Han Speak, that meant he wouldn't betray him. "Thanks, Han."

Han nodded gruffly, never one for getting emotional. "Yeah. Well. You're welcome."

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A/N - Really sorry for the long update. I have finals this week and next, so please don't expect any updates then. Also really sorry about the short chapter, I just wanted to get something out there. May the Force be with you and thank you for your patience!