A Father Knows
By: Jaina-Elessar

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money from this; don't own anything….same old, same old.

Rating: PG

Summary: Han Solo is reunited with an old friend of the twins. Things have got to be bad when he can see through the walls they've created, when even they can't.

Keywords: Han Solo, Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Lowbacca

Pairings: J/Z

AN: I know this isn't the best, but the idea just wouldn't go away until I wrote this fic!

"Who do you love (tell me who, yeah)
Who do you love (I need to know baby)
Girl I know that you are torn between what was and what could be
I wanna know, gotta know, wanna know, gotta know
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love…?"

-Backstreet Boys

When Fel turned and began to walk away, Han Solo finally gave in to the temptation to roll his eyes. Sure the kid was a great pilot and had some brains in that head of his, but… as far as Han was concerned, that was all the kid had going for him.

Closing the conference room door behind him as he left, Han's thoughts stayed with Fel. He'd tried many, many times and he still couldn't see what, exactlyin all the nine Corellian hells his daughter saw in the kid.

His Jaina, his little girl…he prayed that her relationship with Fel wouldn't progress any further. In fact, whenever Jaina showed the slightest signs of boredom or frustration with the relationship, Han secretly rejoiced. He wasn't even sure what exactly he didn't like about the kid…well, not in specifics anyway…

But Han was certain that there was someone out there who was better for his little girl. He began to run through a mental list of just who that could be when a loud crashing sound reverberated throughout the corridor.

Retreating a few steps, Han peered into the hangar bay. Seeing no one at first, he took a few steps inside, curious to know what the sound had been.

"You distracted me!" He heard a voice say, though it sounded more amused than anything. "You should know by now not to bring her up!"

Her? Han wondered.

A grumbling reponse echoed back at the voice.

Han came around the side of the Falcon and caught sight of the crash's source. At the far end of the hangar bay a young Wookiee lay sprawled on the floor, obviously having just experienced a large can of sealant fall onto his head. And by the looks of things, the can had been open…

It was a strange sight for Han. It brought back memories of himself and Chewie, of course, but…who was this kid Lowbacca was with? Normally Lowie was with Jaina…when she wasn't busy with Jag, of course.

"Having a bad hair day, Lowie?" Han asked, chuckling as he moved closer. Lowbacca just looked up at him from the floor and growled something, his nose wrinkling.

The dark-haired young man laughed and turned toward Han. "Don't believe anything he says. It was his own fault."

Han glanced at the boy and did a double-take. It couldn't be…

"Zekk?"

"Good to see you again." Zekk responded with a quick grin, attempting to rub the grease of his hands with a spare rag. It didn't seem to be working.

Han's jaw could've dropped. He hadn't realized just how long it had been since he'd seen Zekk. Certainly not since they'd been on Hapes…

Surprising himself, he moved forward and hauled the kid into a quick hug, clapping him on the back. Zekk seemed to be surprised by the gesture to, judging from the way his eyebrows shot up.

Lowbacca slowly stood, staring at Han strangely. Then he groaned something about sealant having strange side effects and headed into the ship, presumably to the refresher.

"Where've you been, kid?" Han asked, grinning. "Seems like it's been years."

"Well, it has been years. That thing on Hapes was three years ago."

"No." Han responded disbelievingly, but Zekk just nodded. Had it really been that long?

"Wow, well how've you been…and how's old Peckhum?" Han asked, recalling the old spacer that had taken Zekk in so long ago.

Zekk's emerald eyes fell downward, and Han got the feeling he'd asked the wrong question. "No one's heard from him since the attack on Coruscant."

"Sorry to hear it." Han murmured, shaking his head. How many others would be lost before the war was over? How many others would lose someone they cared about too?

Han's comlink beeped suddenly, distracting him from the sudden turn of his thoughts. The call was from Jaina.

"I'd best get going, I'm supposed to find my daughter and let her know about some new sims that were installed the other day." He said, gesturing at his comlink as though it would provide proof to his claim.

Zekk froze where he was and his emerald eyes rose slowly to meet Han's before he forced his gaze onto the grease-stained rag he held in his hands. A little too casually he asked, "How is Jaina these days?"

"She's alright, I guess. The war's wearing her pretty thin though…" Han responded, his eyebrows furrowing at Zekk's sudden odd behavior. "Why? Haven't you seen her?"

Zekk shook his head slowly, and his expression darkened a little. "Not since Hapes."

"Ah, that's too bad." Han murmured slowly. Turning, he said "Well, you should drop by sometime kid; it was good seeing you again."

"Yeah, I might. See you, Han." Zekk responded, nodding once before turning to follow Lowbacca's trail of sealant into the ship.

Minutes later, as Han stepped back into the sterile white corridors, heading for his daughter's room, the wheels in his head turned and spun with rapid speed.

He knew Zekk's secret. Not that the kid was any good at hiding it or anything, but Han knew. Zekk was in love with Jaina…still.

Shaking his head, Han realized that he'd found him. The one he wanted for his daughter. It was Zekk, plain and simple. But she was with Fel…

Sighing at his helplessness in the situation, Han arrived at his daughter's doorway. As he raised his finger to the touchpad, he let go of the thought. He wasn't a complete idiot, and he could tell that something had happened on Hapes. But they had to resolve it themselves.

He only wished the two of them could move past it somehow. Time and time again, Han had been reminded to cherish the time he was given with the ones he loved…he only hoped that Jaina and Zekk could realize it too…before it was too late.