Chapter Text
Poe walked out of the command center breathing a sigh of relief. He had just finished giving his mission report to Leia. It had been a long mission, and he was spent. He wasn’t sleepy per say, but he knew he was worn pretty thin. Leia had insisted he take some time off and begrudgingly he had to agree with her.
He made his way to the hanger, wanting to check in with the mechanic about his X-Wing when he heard a string of familiar happy beeps coming from just outside.
He turned his head, ready to greet his little orange droid, only to find it wasn’t directed at him.
BB-8 was sitting next to a little girl, chirping excitedly up at her.
Poe recognized her immediately as your daughter, but he couldn’t remember her name.
Poe had known you in the academy, not friends per say, but rather friendly competitors. You gained a reputation as a brilliant flyer, and more than once he had heard your name get thrown around next to his as to who was truly the best. He never got the opportunity to test that theory though. He had graduated a few years before you did and by the time you joined the Resistance, you had hung up your flight suit and replaced it with a communications uniform. You had also brought along your daughter, and that more or less answered the question as to why. Poe had to respect that.
Your daughter was doing handstands, grinning widely at BB-8 as she did so.
The droid whistled impressed and tried to copy her. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep balance on his round head and only continued to roll. The girl let out a loud laugh before rubbing the droid’s head.
Poe smiled at the sight and walked over to the pair.
BB-8’s head perked up instantly at seeing him and rolled over beeping at a rapid pace. Poe knelt to the droid’s level giving him an affectionate pat on the head.
“I know, I saw,” Poe said. “Better luck next time bud.”
He looked up then, seeing the little girl standing at a shy distance.
“Who’s your friend,” he asked.
BB-8 turned his head and whistled for her to come over.
The girl was cautious, but seemed to trust BB-8 enough to do so.
“Hi,” Poe said with a kind smile. “I’m Poe, what’s your name?”
“Shey,” she said. “I’m sorry. My mommy says I need to stay out of people’s way while they’re working, but BB-8 didn’t look like he was working and he wanted to play and I wanted to play so I thought it was okay, and…”
“It is okay,” Poe said, cutting her off.
She was talking so fast, he was worried she might pull something.
“Really?” she asked.
“Yeah, you were keeping him company while I was working, I really appreciate that,” he said, smiling. “Those were some pretty cool handstands by the way.”
Her eyes lit up, and all signs of shyness evaporated in an instant.
“I’m getting really good,” she said excitedly. “I can do cartwheels too. You want to see?”
She didn’t give him time to respond as she immediately stepped back and started turning on her hands. She didn’t quite get her legs all the way up in the air, but she smiled proudly as she landed back on her feet and Poe applauded.
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
BB-8 joined in with his own trill of beeps and whistles.
Shey beamed at them like it was the highest praise she could ever receive.
“I can do more stuff,” she insisted, “but my mommy says I shouldn’t do it on the concrete. I’ll split my head open.”
“Well, your mommy sounds like a very smart lady.”
She gave an enthusiastic nod in agreement.
“She is, but she can be bossy sometimes.”
Poe had to fight back a laugh as he tried to find the most diplomatic way to respond. Luckily, he didn’t have to as soon, your voice could be heard calling Shey’s name.
Shey turned her head, waving to you before looking back at Poe.
“Can I play with BB-8 again?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” he said, “just so long as BB-8 is okay with that.”
The droid whistled his approval, causing Shey to smile.
“I’ll come by tomorrow,” she said, and ran off to meet her mom. “It was nice to meet you!”
In a matter of seconds, she had cross the entire runway and was scooped up in her mother’s arms. Poe couldn’t make out what Shey was saying, but he could tell she was talking very quickly and animatedly pointed towards him and BB-8. You turned you head to him and gave a tired, but appreciative smile and wave. Poe waved back in acknowledgement. You then set Shey back on the ground and the two of you walked on back home.
Shey was true to her word came by mid-afternoon the next day, and the next day, and the day after that. She became just a common a face around the hangers as any one of the mechanics. BB-8 was just as excited to see her and, so long as Poe didn’t need the droid, he was happy to let the girl play with him.
He caught on quickly enough that she didn’t have a lot of friends around the base. There were other kids of course, but most of them were kids of the older officers and just hitting their teen years. Either that, or they were just babies the oldest being about two, and even they were scheduled to move somewhere off base, far away from the action as most of the Resistance families were.
Shey was the odd one out. And from what he saw of her interactions with BB-8 as well as BB-8’s own accounts of how they sometimes talked, but he had promised not to tell anybody what she said to him, not even Poe, it was clear what Shey wanted, what she needed, was a friend.
So, on those occasions where he did need BB-8, for repairs or tune-ups, he didn’t have the heart to separate them. Shey normally sat on one of the workbenches swinging her legs and asking him questions about what he was doing and how he was doing it. He always answered her questions, pointing out different parts of the ship and showing her which tools to use and so on. She was an eager learner and soon enough she had a tool in her hand tightening a few of the bolts while Poe watched her carefully to make sure she didn’t slip off the side of the wing.
She was always quite pleased with herself, telling him how her mom told her everyone had to do their part around the base and that no job was too small.
He also found, he was starting to like you more and more.
He didn’t really talk to you, oddly enough. The routine had sprung up so naturally and so quickly, there wasn’t really any point in questioning it. Every afternoon Shey would stop by to either see BB-8 or watch Poe work, and every evening you would swing by to pick her up on your way home.
You were always kind whenever you stopped by, making a point to thank him and have Shey thank him as well. It was clear how exhausted you were, but you put on a good front for your daughter. He suspected you had a lot of practice keeping a strong face in front of her.
He wanted to talk to you more, but in a strange way he felt it wasn’t his place to start that conversation. Shey was your kid, and if you wanted him more involved then it was your call, not his.
Still, he got a pretty good sense of who you were just in how Shey talked about you. She always seemed to mention you at some point, like how you were showing her how to braid her hair, or a song you liked to sing, or how she sometimes to sat with you in the command center while you worked.
“It’s boring,” Shey lamented. “I have to be quite so not to bother people, but mommy always makes sure I have drawing stuff. I’m getting really good. Do you want to see?”
Poe told her he did and in a flash, she came back with an arm full of paper filled with drawings of different people and places around the base, but mostly of Shey and you.
“Are there any with your dad?” he asked.
Shey’s face fell and he immediately regretted the question.
“No. I don’t really remember him,” she said simply. “Mommy said he left when I was just a baby. She says he’s too busy to visit, but I think she’s lying. I don’t think he likes me.”
She didn’t cry, but there was an obvious hurt in her voice, and an acceptance that sounded too old on her.
Poe felt his heart tighten as well as the sudden urge to find the bastard and punch him right in the nose.
“Well, I like you,” he said gently.
“Really?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Yep, and from what you’ve told me, I know your mommy loves you very much.”
She smiled then and nodded in agreement.
“I know.”
Unfortunately, it had to come to an end. Leia put him back on active duty and soon enough he was called away on a mission with the rest of Black Squadron. Before he left, he made sure to go by the command center first.
He found you sitting at your station, typing away on the computer while Shey sat on the floor beside you drawing something. She didn’t have class that day and had wanted to spend that morning with you before going to see Poe.
Shey looked up from her drawing, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw him and BB-8 at his side.
“BB-8!” she shouted, jumping to her feet.
Several of the other officers spun their heads in their direction. It was then Shey seemed to realize her mistake.
“I mean hello BB-8, Commander Dameron,” she said, quieter this time and she gave him a salute.
Poe couldn’t help but laugh a little and saluted back.
He glanced over at you and noted, how you were trying your best not to laugh by covering your hand over your face.
“What are you doing here?” Shey asked.
“Well, I wanted to make sure BB-8 got to say goodbye before we left,” he said.
BB-8 gave a string of beeps and the brightness in Shey’s expression began to fade.
“You’re leaving?” she asked.
Poe gave a small nod.
Shey looked him up and down as if finally noticing the bright orange flight suit he was wearing before looking back up at him.
“Where are you going?”
She sounded so small all of the sudden, and Poe felt a spike of guilt go through him.
“That’s actually a secret,” he said, kneeling to her level. “I promised General Organa I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Why do you have to go?”
“Well, General Organa told me to, and that’s my job.”
“But why?” she repeated.
Poe opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t find the words to explain it. Shey wasn’t just getting upset at him, she was getting angry.
“Shey,” you said gently.
The little girl immediately turned her attention toward you, her eyes beginning to water.
“Sweetheart, remember what I told you about people doing their part?”
Shey didn’t say anything, but nodded slowly.
“Well, this is Commander Dameron’s part,” you continued. “He listens to General Organa and he goes off the fight the bad guys. So, in order to do his part, he has to leave sometimes.”
“Well, can BB-8 stay?” she asked hopefully.
“No sweetie,” you said, shaking your head. “BB-8 is part of it too. They’re a team.”
Shey looked to BB-8 who gave his own whistle of confirmation. She looked between the droid and Poe, and nodded in understanding.
“But you’ll come back right?” she asked.
“Of course,” Poe said, with a soft smile. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Shey nodded and before he could react, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He glanced up at you not really knowing what to do.
You just smiled, giving him an encouraging nod. He smiled a bit and hugged the little girl back before rising to his feet.
Shey then turned to BB-8, kneeling down before hugging the droid too.
“You make sure Commander Dameron doesn’t get in trouble,” Shey ordered firmly.
BB-8 trilled a promise and Poe had to fight back a laugh from his throat.
He looked to you appreciating the soft smile on your face as you watched your daughter. Your eyes then turned to him.
There was something in your look he couldn’t quite place. It was as if you had just figured out the answer to a question that had been bothering you for some time.
You got up from your chair and walked over to him, sticking out your hand.
“Good luck Commander,” you said.
He took it and instantly felt a warmth spread through his fingers and all the way through his body. He glanced at you, wondering if you felt it as well.
Your face gave away nothing, but there was something in your eyes that told him there was a lot more to your words than a simply good luck.
He gave your hand a light squeeze in reassurance. He was going to come back, no matter what.
“Thank you,” he said.
You dropped his hand then, and he felt it instantly grow cold at the loss. He then looked down at Shey, gave her one last smile, and walked out of the command center with BB-8 on his heels.
A week later, Poe returned with a battered X-Wing, an exhausted squad, and a droid in serious need of a new paint job, but it was done. The mission had been a success and everyone had made it back with all their limbs still attached.
“This is Black Leader reporting in,” Poe said as they reached D’Qar’s atmosphere. “Everyone is accounted for.”
“It’s good to hear your voice Commander,” you said over his headset. “I’ll inform the General of your arrival. Do you need any medical assistance?”
He felt himself smile at the well-hidden concern in your voice.
“We’re all good,” he said. “Some of the mechanics have their work cut out for them though.”
“Duly noted,” you said, your own smile obvious in your tone. “Over and out.”
In a matter of minutes everyone was back on the ground and out of their X-Wings. The entire squadron made their excuses to head straight to their bunks and to the showers. Poe couldn’t blame them. He wanted to go himself, but he still had to check in with Leia before he did so.
Soon enough BB-8 was lowered back to the ground and the pair of them made their way to the command center. They were only part way down the runway, when a small blur came running towards them.
“BB-8!” Shey shouted.
The droid heard her and rolled down the concrete as fast as his little body could carry him.
Shey knelt to the ground, embracing the droid, before pulling back to look him over.
“You’re all dirty,” she said, using her hands to wipe off the dirt. “What happened? Are you okay?”
BB-8 started tell her everything he could in a rushed blur of whistles and beeps. Shey stared at him completely enraptured by his story, completely oblivious to Poe’s presence. He might had been insulted if it wasn’t so cute.
It was then he noticed you standing behind her, giving him a kind smile.
“Hi,” Poe said, wishing the instant the word left his mouth he had thought of something better to say.
“Hi,” you said, your smile only broadening as you caught on to his embarrassment.
Shey then looked up as if finally noticing he was there too.
“Poe!” she exclaimed just before running up to him and hugging his legs.
“She was asking me every day when you and BB-8 were coming back in,” you explained. “She wanted to see you as soon as you landed.”
“So much has happened!” Shey exclaimed, pulling away. “I climbed a tree and almost broke my wrist and then Rian had to get me out and…”
Poe let out a laugh, his exhaustion from the mission leaving his body as he looked down at her.
“I want to hear everything,” he said, “but first I got to go see General Organa, okay?”
Shey nodded vigorously.
“Okay. Oh, I know! You can come over for dinner.”
She turned to you with wide hopeful eyes.
“Can he mom?” she begged. “Can he come over for dinner?”
“Well, we don’t know if the Commander has any plans,” you said, glancing at him with an apologetic look.
Poe tried to look nonchalant as he gave a small shrug.
“I don’t, really.”
“See he doesn’t.” Shey added.
“But I don’t want to put you out of your way,” he continued politely.
“No, you won’t,” Shey insisted. “Mommy wanted to ask you herself, but she said it would be better if I asked. Didn’t you mommy?”
Poe’s eyes widened in surprised as looked back up at you.
You didn’t say anything as your entire face went red and you tried to cover it by placing your hand over your mouth.
That was all the answer he needed as a broad smile spread across his face.
“Well if that’s the case…” he said teasingly.
You took a deep breath, trying to regain what was left of your dignity before shaking your head.
“Dinner is at seven,” you said. “Just feel free to stop by whenever you’re done with the General.”
“I’ll be there,” he promised.
You nodded, and turned to leave gesturing for Shey to follow you.
Shey gave him one last smile and trailed after you with a small skip in her step as she did so.
Poe watched the pair of you go until you were out of sight. He then looked down at the droid at his feet, nodding his head to the command center.
“C’mon,” he said, “the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get ourselves cleaned up.”
BB-8 beeped something and Poe had to smile in agreement.
“Yeah, I think Y/N seems nice too.”