A/N: Hello again! Chapter 8 here. A few notes: I'm going to be taking down the Before the Storm oneshot because that chapter will be coming up soon and I've made some edits and improvements. Also, I know people have been jonesing for some Poe & Vara action and it will come very soon! This chapter is part of their history and definitely plays into the later stuff. The reviews that have come in are amazing! I love each and every one of you :) Here goes!

Chapter 8

Family

3 years earlier - Mirrin Prime

The moment her X-wing was on the ground, Vara pressed the release for R9 and leapt out of the ship. "I'll see you guys later!" she called to her squadron, jogging back to their barracks. It was set up like an apartment, four small bedrooms connected by a living room. The cantina wasn't far, but Vara wasn't going to have lunch with the Rapiers today. Her family was visiting the planet and she was going to spend the rest of the day with them. She changed as fast as she could, pulling on the leather jacket that Poe given to her on her first anniversary with the Rapiers.

"Whoa, taking off already?"

"They'll be at the station in less than half an hour," Vara said, lacing up her boots. "I don't want them to wait!"

"Your Mobquet will get you there in no time," Muran said, sitting down at their small table. The Mobquet Flare-S was a swoop bike that Vara had bought and fixed up, namely reinstalling brakes after the bike had been used for illegal racing and confiscated. Technically, she wasn't supposed to have something that fast, but the Major had made an exception because she was such a good pilot.

"She knows. She's just too excited." Iolo said as he passed them to go to his room.

"You're going to bring them here, right?" Poe asked, hanging up his jacket. "We have to meet them."

Vara scoffed, hands on her hips. "Should I really show my mother that I live with three scruffy-looking men?"

"I'm not scruffy!"

"You get a pass, Iolo," Vara said. Keshians had a habit of staying clean-shaven. Whether it was by their choice or they just didn't grow much hair, Vara didn't know. "You, on the other hand," she said to Poe, who hadn't shaved in a few days. He was well on his way to a full beard. "That's definitely not regulation. Plus my brother will see this and think it's cool, and then try to join in."

"How old is he again?"

"Sixteen. Seventeen in two months."

"Does he have your reflexes?"

"No, somehow he missed that gene."

"Then you're fine," Poe said with a shrug. "No one's gonna replace you, Kilo-Nine."

"Woof," she said. "I'm out. I'll probably bring them around. So don't be drinking and playing cards when I get back."

She hopped on her Mobquet and accelerated away, weaving through traffic on the way to the station. A smile had been on her face since she woke up that morning. She hadn't seen her family in nearly four years, since she was placed with Rapier Squadron. She talked with them every week, asking after Vorik's schooling, talking to her parents about notable patients that they'd had. Both of them were doctors, and had been some of the best during the Rebellion. Together they had joined and been field doctors for many notable battles, including the Battle of Endor. Her mother had been on the ship with Admiral Ackbar and her Fahey on the ground with the troops. It was because of them that Vara felt the need to act, to help the light overcome the dark.

The station came up quickly, and Vara stopped with a jolt. Parking haphazardly, she leapt off the swoop and practically skipped inside. The hyperspeed trip from the Hosnian system was only an hour or so, and the Hesh family was supposed to land between 11:45 and 12 Mirrin time. It was exactly 11:45, and Vara could hardly contain herself.

Through the crowd, Vara could see a young man, tall, with the same copper-colored hair as she had. He was flanked by two graying adults, both with the same searching eyes and wide smiles. Vara ran straight to her brother, throwing her arms around his ribs.

"Vorik! How did you get so tall so quickly?"

"I seem to have gotten all the height that you didn't," he said, his voice a gentle baritone. Vara had missed a lot over the last two years, but to her, he would always be the same 10-year old boy, curious about how the galaxy worked with a thousand questions. He had not necessarily been planned by their parents, but was welcomed, since they had a hard time conceiving Vara. There was a 11-year gap between the siblings, and while their parents were working, Vara often took care of little Vorik before she joined the New Republic Starfleet. He had even been a passenger on a joyride or two, once in Vara's lap in a rented landspeeder.

Letting go of her baby brother, Vara let her parents embrace her. The most comforting arms in the world, and she was finally back in them. Her parents were nurturing, though realists; if there was an emergency, Ansar Hesh was the best man to have around. He reacted quickly and without hesitation. Vara had loved watching him work. He was procedural, fully aware of every single detail in his surroundings and he knew what to make of it all. Kanna Hesh always said that Vara was just like her father, which is why she was such a good pilot. It was her hair that both children had inherited, and her compassion. Kanna had taught them both to be understanding, to try and help the beings around them in any way they could.

"Look at you. Lieutenant Hesh," her father said, holding her at arm's length. "My little girl."

"Oh, dad," Vara groaned, a huge smile betraying her pretend embarrassment. "I missed you guys so much."

"I love that jacket, hon," her mother said, squeezing her arm.

"Thanks, it was a gift from our Commander. You'll meet him and the other guys in a bit. They're wonderful, I promise."

"Well, take us to lunch and tell us," her mother said. "We want to hear everything."

They spent nearly two hours at Vara's favorite diner, talking about everything that had happened in the four years that Vara had been gone. Vorik filled her in on the classes he was taking in his final year of school, graduating a year early. Everyone had said that he was smart enough to be a doctor like his parents when he grew up, but he was very interested in politics. He said that he had met Chancellor Villecham a month ago, and Vara saw the light in his eyes when he spoke about it. He had found his calling, just like his older sister had. Vara listened to her parents talk about their patients, fewer now that they had gotten older, but they never planned on retiring until they were forced to.

The walk back to the barracks was only about 8 more blocks, and since it was a beautiful day, Vara showed them a few of her favorite places in the city along the way, only briefly addressing the Rapiers' favorite bar in passing.

"Well, this is it," Vara said, inputting the code and opening the door to the Rapiers' quarters. She didn't quite know what to expect, but it wasn't quite what she saw: Muran and his girlfriend, Tiiri, sitting at the table talking quietly, Iolo reading in one of the chairs next to the window, and Poe on the couch flipping through the galactic news on his datapad. They seemed so normal. The Commander had even shaved, only sporting his usual 5 o'clock shadow.

"Hello, gentlemen!" Ansar said, the same smile on his face.

"Guys, these are my parents and my brother, Vorik. This is Muran and Tiiri, Iolo Arana, and our Commander, Poe Dameron." Each of the three men in the Squadron stood to shake their hands.

"Dameron?" Ansar squinted at Poe. "Your father didn't happen to serve in the Alliance, did he?"

A small smile came over Poe's features. "Yes sir, he did. He was a commando."

"Battle of Endor, wasn't it? I remember him. Treated a flesh wound of his, I think. He couldn't wait to get back out on the battlefield. Wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Now we know where he gets it," Iolo said with a chuckle.

"You knew his father?" Vara exclaimed. "Did you know this?" she asked Poe.

He shrugged. "I had an idea. My dad mentioned being treated by a doctor on Endor. When you said they were there, I knew it could have been a possibility."

"And you didn't tell me," she scolded.

"Oh, let him be, honey. Now what do you kids have to drink around here?" Kanna asked, turning to the pilots with her hands on her hips. "I remember living in the barracks. There was always alcohol somewhere."

"Mom!" Vara cried as Vorik laughed.

"And you were worried about us," Muran sighed.

By the end of the evening, everyone was sitting around the table, cards strewn between them and forgotten, listening to each other's stories, namely Ansar and Kanna's. They spoke of the Battle of Endor, when they had met on Yavin, the time they treated a little Keshian girl with eyes just like Iolo's. Vara, a pleasant buzz in her head, sat between her brother and Poe, listening intently even to the ones she'd heard many times already. The smile still hadn't left her face.

"Honey," Kanna said gently, placing her hand on Ansar's shoulder. "We have to head back to the station if we're going to make that transport."

Ansar looked woefully at Vara. "If we must."

The group stood, shaking hands and saying goodbyes. Vara would walk with them back to the station and they would catch the last transport out back to the Hosnian system.

"Mind if I walk with you?" Poe asked as Vara pulled on her jacket again.

"Of course, son," Ansar said. "Vara could use the company coming back."

"Dad, I have my swoop -"

"You have a swoop bike?" Kanna almost shouted as they left the barracks. "When did you acquire that?"

Poe laughed as Vara stammered an answer. "It has brakes, I promise. And the Major approved…"

"Well, I didn't," she harrumphed.

Poe watched the family walk down the city street, Vorik walking quietly next to him, Vara in between her parents with an arm around each of them. His heart ached just a little, a small empty space where his own mother used to be. It had been 20 years, but there was never a time that he didn't miss her.

The station came all too soon, and he stood back a little, watching their goodbyes. Vara ruffled her brother's hair, even though she had to reach a little to do it, and told him to keep studying hard. Their parents had mentioned his University scholarship, given to him a year ahead for his age. The quiet young man was undeniably brilliant, and with his parents guidance, could be a strong force in the New Republic.

"Poe?" Ansar stepped over to the pilot as Vara tearfully hugged her mother. "I wanted to say thank you for looking after our girl."

He shook his head with a smile. "She doesn't need me to look after her," he said. "She's the best pilot I've got."

"Oh, I don't mean like that, " The older man chuckled. "I mean like Kanna looks after me. Like Kes looked after Shara. Caring about her, " he said, calling Poe's parents by name. "We knew them a little better than we let on. Knew them on Yavin before the war ended and we moved to Hosnian."

"Really?" Poe said, completely surprised.

Ansar nodded. "We'll see you again soon, I think, Mr. Dameron," he said shaking Poe's hand firmly.

"Bye, dad," Vara said, coming over and hugging him tightly. "Miss you already."

"You too, sweetheart."

Poe and Vara stood back as they boarded the transport, and then the doors were locked and they took off, soaring away. Poe put an arm around Vara's shoulders. She wasn't looking at him, trying to hide the hand that was wiping at her eyes.

"Come on, let's head back. You're not driving that swoop tonight." He steered her gently back towards the barracks.

"No," Vara said with a laugh. "Had a drink too many for that. It's too nice not to walk anyways." Vara leaned into Poe, his arm still around her shoulders. "My mother says you're handsome," she said teasingly.

"Well, she has good taste then, doesn't she?" Poe replied, Ansar's words echoing through his head.