'ello, peoples of the earth!

So I've been trying to get back into the school routine, and it's not working. Especially with the snow break I had this week; that made it harder to get back into the swing of things. I'm working on it, y'all - I'm working on it. The good news is, the next and final chapter is on the way and will be posted on time.

So. I hope y'all enjoy!

The First Time We Let You Go

"You know Uncle Luke's never cared what you look like, Ben."

Ben didn't look up. His hands were too busy tugging at the hem of his shirt. "I don't care, Dad. I have to show Uncle Luke that I'm ready to be a Jedi."

Han sighed. "He knows, Ben. He wouldn't be taking you to train with him if he didn't think you were ready."

"Well, then I have to keep showing him." Finally satisfied with the way his shirt hung, Ben dropped it and tugged his luggage case off his bed. "Do I have everything?"

"I think so. Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then let's go get your mother." Han put an arm around Ben's shoulders as they walked out of the room.

Leia was waiting patiently in the living area. Han noticed she seemed a little slow to stand when they entered the room, as if she was dragging her feet. Her eyes were glued to Ben's face as she straightened her dress. "Luke made contact," she reported. "He'd just entered the system when he commed me."

"Then he should be in the hangar by now." Han released Ben to sling an arm around Leia's waist. "We shouldn't keep him waiting," he continued, hoping to draw a smile out of Leia by mimicking the words she had said to him on numerous occasions when she wanted him to hurry up.

As hoped, Leia did smile. "Alright, hotshot, enough with the mockery," she said. She turned to Ben and ruffled his long hair. "Are you ready, little one?"

Ben huffed. "I've told you, Mother, I'm not a little one anymore," he said indignantly, pulling at his luggage case. "Now when are you two going to stop stalling?"

A pained expression shot across Leia's face, but with the practiced ease of the senator she was, she covered her emotions with a cool, calm exterior. "Very well, then. You may lead the way, Ben."

Obviously glad to be on his way at last, Ben hurried to the door, opened it, and shot into the corridor without checking to see the progress of his parents. Han kept his arm around Leia as they followed their son to the hangar bays of the base.

Only when they reached the open space did Ben turn around to glance at Han and Leia. "Which bay is he in?" he inquired, still clutching his luggage case.

Only one who knew Leia well would be able to detect the tremble in her voice, the crack in her walls. "Wedge told me they were keeping Bay 27 open for Uncle Luke, Ben."

Ben's only response was a quick, curt nod before he ran in the direction of Bay 27. Han wished to shout at his son for his inconsiderate manner, but Leia was under enough emotional stress as it was, and she certainly didn't need Han yelling in a public corridor. Leia preferred to keep family troubles private.

Han understood, but that didn't mean he wasn't seething.

In Bay 27, Ben had dropped his luggage case near the ship Luke had brought and was obviously pestering his uncle with questions. Han could hear the echoes of Ben's excited words under the high ceiling of the hangar.

Luke was answering as best as he could; he was kneeling beside Ben, who gestured as he spoke. He had obviously already greeted Ben with a hug, like he always did. Han wondered how well the soft-spoken Jedi would hold up with his energetic nephew always on his heels.

When Han and Leia approached, Luke said something to Ben, who promptly picked up his case and raced into the transport. Then Luke sprang forward to embrace Leia, smiling widely. Han beamed as he watched the reunion of the twins – Luke might have filled out a bit and grown out of his shyness, but Han could tell Luke wasn't going to lose his puppy-dog attitude anytime soon.

Han also noticed, with some dismay, that Luke's hair hadn't started to gray yet. How fortunate for him. "Hey, kid," he said as his brother-in-law turned to greet him. "Time's going easy on you, isn't it?"

As if Luke had read Han's thoughts, a slow, sly smirk crept onto his face. "If you're going to keep calling me kid, I'm going to start calling you 'old man,'" he teased, flinging his arms around Han in an enthusiastic hug.

Han patted Luke's back. "Good to see you too, kid. Really is."

"Are you sure you can't stay a little while?" Leia interrupted, touching Luke's shoulder as he released Han.

Luke suddenly became solemn. "Afraid not, Leia," he said. "The remnants of the Empire have been coming after the Temple lately. I can't stay away for too long."

"Why didn't you say something?" Leia asked, concern sneaking into her voice. "We could have spared some fighters – we could still send them back with you –"

Luke held up a gloved hand to stop his sister. "We're fine. We've held them off for this long, and there have been no causalities on our side."

"Is Ben safe?"

Han glanced to the ramp of the ship, wondering if Ben was going to come back down. He wouldn't be surprised if he had to drag his son out of the ship to get a goodbye out of him.

"He'll be just fine, Leia. Trust me."

Almost as if he knew they were talking about him, Ben appeared on the ramp. "Are we leaving, Uncle Luke?"

Luke's hair brushed over his eyes as he turned to glance at his nephew. "Aren't you going to come say goodbye to your parents, Ben?"

"I suppose." Ben dutifully climbed down the ramp to join the rest of them. Han exhaled, relieved. At least he wouldn't have to force a goodbye, even if Ben was only saying farewell to please his uncle.

Ben went to Leia first. Han knew his son had always harbored a soft spot for his mother; he wasn't surprised when Ben threw his arms around Leia, hiding his face in her dress. Leia knelt to give Ben a proper hug, and Han didn't miss the way his wife buried her face in their son's hair. A lump rose in his throat, and he quickly swallowed it down.

Ben stiffened when he came to say goodbye to Han. "Goodbye, Dad."

Han knelt and put his hands on Ben's shoulders. "Goodbye, son. You behave for your uncle, alright?"

"Of course. I'll make him proud."

Han didn't want to say goodbye to his son, but he did. He didn't want to watch Ben walk up that ramp hand in hand with Luke, but he did. He didn't want to let that ship take off and leave the planet, but he did.

Han didn't want to let go, but he did.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd done something terribly, horribly wrong. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" he murmured.

Leia, who'd heard, shook her head. "Don't say that, Han," she reprimanded quietly. "It makes me nervous."

Han pulled Leia into his arms, where she pressed herself into him. "I miss him already," she cried quietly into his chest. He had a feeling he would find tear marks on his vest later.

"I miss him too, sweetheart. I miss him, too," he whispered, even as he swallowed the lump in his throat for the second time that day.

Ehehehe. We're getting close!

If you liked it, hated it, or wanted to light it up and watch it burn, review and let me know! May the Force be with you always!