I was incredibly happy that TFA has likable characters in which I care what happens to them. Though I believe EP VIII will take place a few years after Ep VII, I wanted to write how I imagined it might go. Though I know that this story will be dated in about a year and a half.

Enjoy and please share your thoughts in the review section!

Prologue

"Going against a force user in a one on one lightsaber duel? You have to be the craziest stormtrooper I've ever met!" Poe Dameron chuckled as he watched his friend being poked and prodded by one of Resistance's state of the art medical droid.

"Former stormtrooper," Finn reminded the ace pilot, sitting on a medical bed as the droid examined his new cybernetic spine.

"Tell me if you feel any unusual pain." The droid's electronic voice sounded slightly muffled by the design of its mask like face. It was poking Finn's back with a needle, just hard enough to make the dark skinned man twitch every now and then.

Finn winced the entire time. "Nothing unusual so far-OW!"

"I did that on purpose," The droid stated so casually it was disturbing. "Exposure to a high energy weapon such as the lightsaber can damage nerve endings beyond repair depending on the type of injury. We must make sure that your new implants are functioning on all levels, including more unpleasant sensations."

"You don't say." Finn replied dryly.

Poe watched with a smirk on his face as Finn's face continued to contort every now and then with each poke. "So, buddy, has anyone filled you in since you woke up?"

Nodding his head, Finn clenched his teeth together as he answered, "General Organa told me that The First Order has retreated for now, Kylo Ren might likely be alive and that Rey left to find Luke Skywalker. But she also told me that all happened a month ago. I can't believe I was out that long!"

"You were in pretty bad shape." Poe walked around Finn's bed, looking at his back as the med-droid began adjustments on the cybernetic spine itself. The skin on Finn's back had been peeled open like a fruit, displaying bone, muscle and metal. The sight made Poe's stomach twist. "But, hopefully, you'll be back in fighting shape soon."

"How bad is it out there?" Finn turning his head around to look at his friend.

"Please keep your head straight." The med-droid insisted. Finn complied.

"With the New Republic decimated, not good." Poe admitted, clenching his fists, pacing around the white medical bay. "The First Order has many systems terrified, bullying them for support, supplies, and man power. Starkiller Base might be gone, but its effects did the job. And to make matters worse, without the Republic Fleet, piracy and other organized raids are plaguing entire sectors. The Resistance wants to help, but the truth of the matter is we're spread too thin."

Finn contemplated what he just heard in silence. "How can a victory feel so hollow?"

"Happens all the time, buddy. Imagine how the General feels. She saw the fall of the Empire! I'm sure everyone thought that would be the end of evil in the galaxy, at least for a while. No such luck." Poe sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Lor was right back on Jakku when he said only the Jedi can restore balance."

"Jedi..." Finn echoed. "I still can't get over that the stories are true."

"It can be tough. Hell, even some Resistance fighters are skeptical. But if you spend enough time around General Leia, the way she can sense what others are about to say, and the way she knows when something really bad has just happened, or when she can beat you at Sabacc, you'll believe in the Force soon enough."

"Some of the stormtroopers I worked with secretly made fun of Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke, thinking that they were part of some silly ancient religion that was all talk and parlor tricks. It wasn't a trick when Kylo launched Rey twenty feet in the air into a tree without touching her! Or when he stopped that blaster bolt id midair on Jakku. When I fought with him, it was like he was toying with me. He seemed to know what I was going to do before I did!"

"Rey told us you managed to hit him." Poe said encouragingly.

"Yeah, once. And then he got me once, and I was down." Finn remembered bitterly. "I was useless."

"Hey, hey. Don't beat yourself up. You think I would've done any better? Kylo was trained in the ways of the Force, but you along with Rey beat him. It was team work. You guys worked great together!" Poe gave Finn a friendly punch in the shoulder, ignoring the droid as it gave a mild protest to leave the patient alone. "Speaking of Rey..."

"Yes?" Finn looked up expectantly.

"She left you a holo message. It's in the room that has been assigned to you. Once you've been cleared we'll head over there."

Finn turned to the droid. "You done yet?"

"Please keep your head straight!" It ordered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finn noticed they weren't on the same world as when he first joined the Resistance. Poe explained that since the First Order had found their location prior to the destruction of Starkiller Base, they had to quickly relocate before General Hux decided to retaliate. Their new location was wondrous, with a giant red gas planet visible night and day in the sky. What had Poe called it again? Yavin something?

New base, but they still use ruins, Finn noticed. I guess it's easier to settle in somewhere that already has the buildings waiting for you, rather than starting from scratch.

His room had a beautiful view. It was midday, the gas giant high in the sky as the endless forest beneath stretched out into the distance where a majestic mountain range stood tall and proud. Finn had wanted to take a walk, but he felt tired. Despite a month of unconsciousness, the young man's body ached for sleep.

Finn decided he would rest, but not before watching Rey's message one last time. The holo display fit in the palm of his hand, the image of his dear friend only about a foot tall. She was in the same desert gear she had been wearing when they first met, only now she wore a sleeveless coat Finn hadn't seen before. Rey's image was looking down at the holo-recorder in her hands, frowning.

"Is this turned on?" She asked, her recorded voice slightly scrambled. "I can't tell if...oh...it's working."

Finn couldn't help but smile.

Standing straight, Rey looked forward and smiled warmly. "Hello my friend. I hope you get this message, and when you do you're well and in high spirits."

"I am." Finn whispered softly at the hologram.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you awoke, but I've been spending most of days with Luke Skywalker. He's real, Finn! It's unbelievable, but I've found him and he's everything the legends say he is! He might not be as tall as I imagined, but still..."

The young man had to cover his mouth with his free hand to keep himself from laughing too hard.

"I...I miss you, Finn. Being kind and gentle was rare on Jakku. Scavengers stole from each other, hurt one another and back stabbed whenever they could. But not you. You were everything my life wasn't. And even though you wanted to run far away, you came back for me, you fought to protect me against Kylo Ren. You saved my life!"

"So did you." Finn said back, wishing she could hear him.

"As much as I want to return, I can't. Luke and I have so much to do, and precious little time to do it. Now that Snoke knows we have found Skywalker, he and I must go into hiding. I can't tell you where we are, though I desperately want to. Please, forgive me."

Tears began to fill Finn's eyes. Rey's image blinked hard, telling him she was crying as well.

"But we will see each other again. I truly believe that. Please take care, my dearest friend. And may the Force be with you."

And then Rey was gone.

"May the Force be with you too, Rey," Finn choked. "I have so much I want to tell you."

Sitting alone in the silence of his room, the young man took a deep, unsteady breath. The future seemed so uncertain, who knew what could happen? Finn had to go with his heart and believe, like his friend, that they would be reunited one day.

Shortly after Finn climbed into bed and settled into a deep, restful sleep.

I will be taking certain things from the book series, for the sake of paying respect to those many authors who gave us very good stories and characters. I'm not planning on this being a big thing, just something to get Star Wars out of my system until the next film comes out. And yes, I am a huge Rey/Finn fan. Hopefully they won't turn out to be brother and sister...

Thanks for reading!