(Before Kylo Ren) (Tag to chapter 12)

Captured by irrational bounty hunters, Poe wasn't there to see the cataclysm that was Ben when a friend was lost. When his only friend was lost.

Han was left alone with his son for two hours without a babysitter. He swore they would never lose Poe again – even if it meant demoting him to paperwork until Ben passed the teen years.

His first alert should have been the ragged scream from Ben's room. Too occupied with a wailing com unit for which Leia demanded immediate repairs, Han assumed his son had slipped in the shower and failed to achieve an "awesome" scar like his grandfather. Kid needed an occupation.

When objects began flying around the room, he blamed Leia – and called her out on it.

"Control your son!" Han shouted above the soldering gun. Ben was his son when he was a dang good pilot (kriff, he was confusing the kid with his best friend again). When Ben showed any affinity towards electronics or flight detail (the years when he paraded in a pilot suit were the happiest of Han's life), then he was Han's boy. The Force tantrums and mayhem with a lightsaber? All Leia. Kid was Leia's problem.

Another scream ripped the air and Han jumped, scalding his hand. "Leia!"

Of course she was busy elsewhere. Danged republic always kept her away. So who was it that the furball of uncoordinated dark hair and brooding melancholy ran to? Han grunted as Ben charged him from behind, tiny hands latching around his waist.

"Hey, let me – just give me a moment to put this down," Han insisted, glad he had switched off the soldering gun before Ben jumped into the flame range. Setting the tool aside, he wove between Ben's hands and oofed again when the dark head dove against him.

"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone! I can't feel him!"

"Poe!" Han yelled, hoping the kid was somewhere within earshot. Of course he was never so lucky. "All right, calm down, Ben. Who's gone? Feel what?" Oh, the Force was real all right, and it manifested in a boy who was obsessed with sugary treats and shattering valuable heirlooms.

Ben screamed again, and Han rolled his eyes as he laboriously twisted free enough to lower himself to one knee. "Ben, breathe!"

Ragged gasps were punctured with frantic words as Ben stammered shrilly, "He's gone! He's gone, I can't feel him!"

"Who?" Calming the kid was like rescuing a tooka kit from a rancor. Sometimes Han thought it would be easier just to draft Poe into the family. "3-PO, get Dameron over here!"

"He can't!" Ben wailed, and the hysterics finally broke down into sobs. "He's dead! He's dead!"

"Who's dead?" Aggravation fled into alarm and Han gripped Ben's shoulers with gentle firmness. "Ben, slow down." Dread crept into his words as he said with quiet fervor, "Where's Poe?"

Ben screamed.

Luke was Han's first call. Leia had already sensed her son's turmoil and was there in ten minutes, drawing Ben away from his father and holding him while he cried. In other circumstances, Han would have removed all breakable objects from the vicinity. Now, he only ducked a flying hydrospanner and plugged one ear while ranting at Luke.

"What do you mean, you can't sense him? You're a Jedi. Use the Force. I don't care who you're training; get that kid back here before I initiate another war."

While Leia escorted Ben to another room, Han alerted all commanders, barking at Chewie to hack the international com systems and watch for a transmission indicating a recent bounty. There were billions of networks in the galaxy; too many to believe that any one could direct them to Poe … or his remains. But until they found what was left, Han would assume that the young pilot was alive.

He didn't need more than a glance at Leia to know that she felt the same. Her expression was unfazed, like the general who had fought beside him on Endor, but dark eyes reflected his fear. This kid wasn't just any upstart pilot. He was their brat, and they would see him home. One way or another.

Han was wired and unprepared when he was contacted by the kidnappers themselves. He thanked what little Force he believed in that Leia had taken Ben away, as it was all he could do to keep from smashing the console himself. The Adnerens didn't want currency or information. They wanted Luke Skywalker in carbonite – in exchange for returning his apprentice alive.

They had targeted Ben. However unintentionally, Poe had taken the place of Han's son.

It wasn't a fair exchange.

In between communications, Han informed Ben of the situation. He kept the information brief: Poe is alive and we're going to get him back.

The panic attack flipped into an angry tirade as Ben demanded action, which most likely involved an army and a torpedo attack in the twelve-year-old's mind. Han shrugged despairingly at Leia and left her to appease her son while he and Luke formulated a coordinated strategy.

By the second transmission, Han was prepared. An informant had given them the Adnerens' probable location. He trusted Luke and Chewie to take care of the rest.

He was still tense until they showed him Poe.

All of Han's control was centered in his clenched hands when they dragged Poe forward, blindfolded and cuffed. He wished for Ben's abilities right then; nothing would have been more satisfying than to hear the crunch of the Adnerens' filthy necks. He was forced to wait – reliant and excruciatingly fallible – until his hairbrained in-law charged to the rescue.

The anguish dimmed minutely when Poe started babbling an apology, and Han had to shut him up before he betrayed Ben's concealment. (The last thing he needed was for the Adneren tyrant to butcher a young pilot in retaliation for his own mistake.) But Poe seemed to guess that rescue was imminent upon General Solo's appearance. He adapted Ben's name without question. The kid was okay.

Too okay, Han realized, as Poe's loopy tongue convinced him the kid was as high as a kite, and he nearly jeopardized his wit and his own life.

He panicked and shouted Poe's name, unintentionally saving his future. (Although sometimes he would imagine Poe mute later on, and think fondly on the silence that would have graced the academy halls.)

The resulting temper tantrum from the Adneren gave Han hope. Maybe his son wasn't the only calamitous force in the galaxy. He nearly called Leia in to watch, but hit 'record' instead. No need to drag Ben in with her. Their son would only freak over Poe, and he didn't need encouragement for his pandemonium.

The transmission was cut off in the ensuing destruction, and Han paced until Chewie contacted him. Of course they had found Poe in time. He had never doubted Luke.

He didn't know what he would have told Leia and Ben if he had been wrong.

When the kid was returned, battered and grumpy and still unerringly controlled, Han ushered Ben into the room first. "I told you he was fine!" he called after his son. The words were lost, of course, and Han had to smile as his melodramatic tornado scampered to reunite with his friend. The kid's okay, Han determined with a brief glance. Leia had to mother him, of course, and Han rolled his eyes when her back was turned. Let him nurse his own ego, he almost told her. Poe was nineteen now; just because he tolerated her coddling didn't mean he hadn't outgrown it.

And then the truth came out. Right in the middle of the hangar, with forty-odd witnesses to their humiliation. Ben threw a fit, Han lost his temper, and Leia put up with everything. Frankly, Han figured his son would be a bounty hunter by the time he was fifteen, and that was being generous. Ben would make a terrible client.

They'd had plans this morning. Ben would keep Poe distracted until afternoon. There was a restaurant who favored the generals of the old rebellion. Poe had never been able to afford it, but today he would have been introduced. Ben had babbled for weeks about the new helmet he had bought for his friend. Leia had even tried her hand at baking a cake, and Ben and Han had covertly sworn not to grimace at the party. (They sniggered in the other room all the same, and Han made Ben promise to eat the frosting if nothing else.)

Five Adnerens and an uncontrollable boy had annulled everything. Han had seen Poe's expression when Chewie led him to the medcenter. What a lousy way to spend a birthday. The kid deserved more than a bacta patch and a late night drinking binge with his friends.

For once, hours after Poe's safe return, Han decided it was time to take control. No whiny, stuck up brat would get the best of his father. Burning resolve clammed up his hands as he determinedly rapped on Ben's door.

"Up," he ordered as soon as the door slid open. Ben looked up from his datapad with a scowl, and Han tossed a decent robe in his face. "Party, whether you like it or not. Poe will be here in twenty minutes."

"I'm not interested in a party," Ben said sullenly, staring at his datapad. "Everything's ruined and it's your fault."

Han's mother used to paddle him when he took that tone. Leia was exasperatingly gentle with her boy. Striding to Ben's bunk, Han snatched the datapad, flung it across the room, and hoisted Ben to his feet. The boy stumbled in alarm and Han thrust the robe into his hands.

"Ten minutes."

He left without a backwards glance. Five minutes later Ben crept out of the room, resentful and cross and tidily dressed.

"Mother wouldn't have made me," he grumbled.

"Well, Mother is running a bit late," Han retorted. "I already sent Chewie to pick up your friend. The medical droid said he'll be fine, but I don't think he's up for any more action tonight. We'll have the cake here and you can give him your present."

Ben brightened momentarily, and then frowned. "I don't think he'll want something from me now."

"Course he will!" Han said boisterously. He pulled the misshapen cake out of the cupboard and slid it onto the table, ordering C-3PO to fetch the fizzy sodas. No alcohol for the kid; not tonight. Besides, he didn't trust Ben to not switch the glasses. "Why don't you go get it?" he directed to his son.

Ben wavered momentarily and then dashed to his room. Han chuckled. "It'll work." Dramatics or none, Poe would still have a birthday.

Leia was as flustered as Han expected when she stormed into the room, prepared to lecture Ben or yank his ear or hug him or perhaps accomplish all three. Han swept in front of her, kissed her soundly, ignored the subsequent shove, and hinted quietly, "It's the kid's birthday."

Devastation and guilt washed into Leia's anger as she looked helplessly at Han, so near a breakdown. He rubbed her arm in assurance. "There's still time."

Wordlessly Leia nodded. She brushed past him and walked softly to their room, brushing a hand over her eyes. General, mother, stronghold, vulnerable. Han had witnessed more tears, more post-trauma, more despair than Leia would ever allow the world to see. She buried herself and offered a steadfast leader to the galaxy. Ben never appreciated her for it.

Steaming, Han released his calm façade and flung a durasteel bolt at the wall. Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets and trudged to his room, where he could hear Leia washing her face. Somewhere he'd buried that new jacket…

Poe's misty surprise was immediately covered in protest as Ben started digging into his cake. The charade was perfect; Han and Ben gagged on tacky frosting and made faces behind Leia's back, while Poe devoured three huge slices. Either the kid was impeccably tactful or he was half starved; he even accepted the rest of the cake when Leia offered it for later. Han determined to invite the kid over more often. Mission rations were deplorable.

Future invites would also ensure he kept a closer eye on Poe. They couldn't risk another kidnapping – especially when it involved their only decent sitter. Watching Leia's weary but satisfied eyes, accompanied by Ben's cheers and Poe's awe as he discovered his new helmet, Han vowed they wouldn't lose the kid again.

Not without a proper comlink and a tracking device.

(Aftermath)

Poe was scrubbing grit and sand out of BB-8's plating, humming quietly while the droid trilled along, when the door hissed open and Finn darted inside. He leaned against the doorframe, flustered and out of breath, and asked point blank,

"How did Kylo Ren get my frequency?"

Poe paused, sighed, rolled his eyes, and waved for Finn to hand him the comlink. Flummoxed, Finn mumbled into the receiver, "He's right here," and passed it over.

"Kylo, stop pestering my friends," Poe stated, giving BB-8 a chagrined shrug.

"Finally!" Kylo Ren lashed. "You're ignoring your comlink. Do you realize how long I've been trying to contact you?"

"I'm on blackout," Poe responded. "Two hours of vacation, if you want to call it that. I'm elbow deep in oil and frayed wires and General Organa promised not to contact me unless a Tie Fighter falls through the shields."

"This isn't funny, Dameron!"

So the galaxy's most feared tyrant calling him on an ex-stormtrooper's frequency wasn't hilarious. Poe offered the comlink to BB-8, who blatted a reply.

"You never ignored your comlink before, Dameron. Not unless you were in imminent danger."

Poe ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Tell me you weren't afraid I was dead."

"You'll be relieved to hear I wasn't." Kylo Ren paused. "I just wanted to evaluate the Resistance's assets. It'll be easier when you're not commanding the air support."

"Sorry to be a bother," Poe said dryly. "We done here?"

"Turn on your comlink!" Kylo Ren said heatedly. "Occasionally I want an update on the Resistance's movement, and you're making this more troublesome than is worth keeping you alive."

Poe stared into the comlink and looked to Finn. "Kylo, have you been drinking? I'm not reporting to you."

"As if you make a habit of ignoring me every time I make contact," Kylo Ren pointed out.

Glancing sideways, Poe shifted and flicked grime from his fingers. "Maybe I'm nostalgic."

Kylo Ren was silent for two breaths. "Ben Solo is dead."

The communication severed.

Fingering the comlink, Poe tossed it lightly and commented to BB-8, "You know, I think I'm starting to get through to him." He noticed his greasy fingers and grabbed a rag, scrubbing off the comlink before returning it to Finn.

"What was that?" Finn said incredulously. "Did Kylo Ren just… check up on you?"

"Must've been a 'moment of weakness'." Poe brushed the question aside. "Does he have FN-2178's frequency?"

Alarmed, Finn examined the comlink. "The Resistance just issued me a new one."

BB-8 chirped a question, and Poe nodded. "Well, it's not General Organa," he determined. "Ask her for another communicator. We may have a glitch in the security again."

Kylo Ren had mentioned that he had his sources. If he did have a spy planted in the Resistance, it was strange that he hadn't taken full advantage of their location.

Maybe there was a hint of Ben left after all.

If it's all the same, Ben, Poe thought uneasily, Leia told me it's your birthday today. Sorry I forgot to mention it.

He had a feeling it wasn't the first time he had failed.

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I believe it was time2read who wanted some aftermath to Poe's unfortunate birthday incident.

Thank you to Begoogled, BAD WOLF1221, Lazerkat, feel that fire, time2read, Miss Corrine, CrazedFangirl13, and JunJunyil for reviewing!