None of them knew quite when things had gone wrong, but it was obvious that they had.

Screams rained down on their ears. A building to their right collapsed, propelling glass and rubble twenty feet into the air. It crushed several Stormtroops, probably more civilians. It wasn't supposed to go like this.

This was a simple recon mission into the heart of Imperial territory. Nothing special. Nothing Cassian Andor hadn't done a million times before and nothing his team couldn't handle. The only reason the whole of Rogue One was there was the overwhelming number of Imperial Troops stationed on the planet.

Shortly after landing, their ship was converted to scrap metal by an Ion Torpedo. They'd gone into the city as planned, hoping to buy a ride out on a freighter, or maybe commandeer their own craft. The informant they'd been sent to rescue was already dead, and his vital information on the Empire had died with him. Troops had flooded the alley way, sealing off the exits. The only way out was to fight their way through the Stormtroopers, so that's what they did.

They'd established a rendezvous point when they entered the city: a safe house bought and paid for by the Alliance some years ago, during the time of the Jedi. The trouble was getting there.

"Where're the others!?" Cassian shouted over the din.

Jyn Erso took a quick look around. She didn't see anyone. "I don't know!" She fired several more shots through the Troopers, gaining ground toward the safe house. "We have to hope they made it!"

She felt a hand close around her arm and drag her into another alley. Cassian pushed her ahead of him, and she got the idea immediately. He ducked behind a trash bin and provided cover for her while she scaled the side of the two-story building. He climbed up after her, feeling the hot lasers barely miss him, hearing her return fire.

He made it to the roof. Clutching her wrist, he yanked her in the direction they needed to go. Blaster bolts narrowly missed them. They dashed across the rooftops. They leapt over alleys and narrow streets, nearly missing their footing twice.

A searing pain erupted in Jyn's shoulder. She cried out. Cassian turned back and saw her clutching her arm. Her shirt was singed. She pushed the pain down and kept going.

Jyn could see the street that their destination was on. She told Cassian, and swung herself over the side of the roof. She found enough foot and handholds to easily scramble down. She dropped to the ground, her shoulder throbbing. She stood with her back pressed against the wall, blaster held in front of her to give Cassian enough cover to safely descend the building.

She heard a sharp cry. She whirled around. Cassian was crouched on the ground, clutching his side, his face twisted in pain. She shoved her blaster in her belt and wrapped an arm around his waist.

He gripped her wrist and pushed her away. "Leave it!" he snapped. "Go!"

They didn't have time to argue. She ignored his order, grabbed his arm, and draped it over her shoulder. He leaned his weight against her. His left hand pressed against the wound.

Jyn couldn't shoot a blaster and help him at the same time. She sent up Chirrut's prayer, and dove out of the alley into the road crawling with Troopers.

The Imperial troops dropped dead, all shot clean through their chests. The barrel of a gun peaked through the window of the safe house. The door flew open and Bodhi Rook darted out and wrapped Cassian's other arm around his own shoulders. Together, Bodhi and Jyn dragged him inside the building as more Stormtroopers flooded the street. Chirrut Imwe slammed the door shut and barred it.

K-2SO pointed to the half-open door to their left. Jyn nodded, and they helped Cassian through it and onto the bed pushed against the wall. Chirrut and Baze Malbus followed them inside.

"What happened?" Bodhi demanded as Jyn grabbed a knife from her belt and cut Cassian's shirt away from the wound.

"What does it look like!?" K-2 snapped.

She examined the wound quickly. "Get me something to clean it with." Bodhi jumped up. "And something to stop the bleeding!" she called after him.

Cassian's breath was coming in sharp gasps. His face was twisted in pain, his mouth pinched shut to stop himself from crying out. He looked at her, his eyes focusing on her own wound. "Jyn," he gasped, "your shoulder."

She shook her head. She wasn't injured as badly as he was.

Bodhi returned with what she needed. She looked at the crude medical supplies as her stomach turned. Antiseptic liquid, clean rags, medical tape, and a roll of bandages. A syringe filled with what Bodhi claimed was a numbing agent was the only half-way civilized instrument she had.

She took a deep breath and let it out. "Go stand guard," she said. "They know we're here."

Baze, Bodhi, and Chirrut respectfully retreated from the room. When K-2 didn't move, Baze grabbed his arm and tried to pull him out. The droid wouldn't budge.

"K," Jyn said, turning to the droid, "go. He'll be okay."

"There's an 87.5% chance that you'll do something foolish and injure him further," K-2 replied.

Jyn sighed. "K-2, I swear-"

"K," Cassian said, "it's okay. I've had worse."

K-2 hesitated. "That may be true, but your odds of surviving are-"

"K, wait in the other room."

K-2 hesitated again before finally stepping out. He slammed the door behind him. Jyn took the syringe and injected half the dose into Cassian's bloodstream. She set it aside, and wet a cloth with the antiseptic liquid.

"This is going to hurt," she warned.

Cassian swallowed hard and nodded. He gripped the side of the bed and took a deep breath. Jyn braced herself, and pressed the cloth onto the wound. He tensed and cried out. She did her best to ignore it, pushing his pain far enough away for her to focus on what needed to be done. She hated this. It seemed unnatural for him to be showing so much pain.

She finished cleaning it as best she could. As long as it didn't get infected, he should be alright. She pressed another clean cloth directly over the injury.

"Sit up," she ordered.

He took a deep breath, and obeyed. She wrapped the bandage around him, keeping it pulled tight; applying what she hoped was the correct amount of pressure to stop the flow of blood. She tucked the loose end underneath another part of the bandage.

Jyn looked at his face. He was staring at her, trying to mask the pain in his eyes with a forced smile.

"Don't do that," she sighed.

His smile fell. "Alright." He nodded to her shoulder. "Your turn."

"It's not bad," she objected.

"If I have to put up with being taken care of, you do, too."

Reluctantly, she handed over the cloths and cleaning agent. She pulled the collar of her shirt down, exposing the wound. Cassian's movements were tight and slow. He dampened a clean cloth with antiseptic and pressed it against her burned skin. She hissed. He paused and looked her in the face.

The look in his eyes distracted her. It couldn't have been more obvious that the pain she was in hurt him more than his own. He dabbed at the injury gently before tearing another cloth in half and placing it over the wound, taping it to her skin to keep it in place.

"Does it feel any better?" he asked.

She nodded. "A bit. I'm not worried about my shoulder, though."

He shifted his weight, and winced. "I'll be fine. Just worry about getting out of here."

"I'll talk to the others," she said. "Get some rest."

"With all those Stormtroopers out there? Not a chance."

Jyn sighed and pulled her shirt back over the bandage. Together, they stood and walked out to face their team. Baze was at the window, gun in his hands. Chirrut sat at the table, his staff held out to the side. Bodhi was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"How bad is it?" Chirrut asked.

"I'll live," Cassian replied.

Jyn didn't know who he thought he was kidding. His posture, his eyes, all clearly showed the pain he was in. He may have been able to fool strangers, but not Rogue One. Whether he liked it or not, they knew him too well.

"Take a seat, Captain," Chirrut said. "We were just discussing how to escape."

Cassian took the seat on the opposite end of the table, thankful for an excuse. He faced the door. "What are they doing?" he asked.

"Standing around," Baze replied. "They've put up blockades on both ends of the street. There's no getting past them that way."

"What are our options?" Jyn asked.

"Limited," K-2 replied. "I'm not optimistic about our odds. If we could-"

"If?" Bodhi asked.

"We're looking at a lot of 'ifs'."

"There is always a way out with the Force," Chirrut said.

Jyn leaned her good shoulder against the wall and crossed her arms. She surveyed the room silently, examining the faces of her friends. Truthfully, she wasn't too worried. They'd made it off of Scarif; they could get out of this.

"When will they attack?" Bodhi asked. "I thought they already would."

No one had a good answer. It didn't feel right that the Imperial troops were stalling.

"We need to make the most of the time we've got," Jyn said. "Ideas?"

"Split up," Bodhi suggested.

"No," Chirrut said. "The Force is stronger if we all stick together."

"We can shoot our way out," Baze said.

"We'll die before we make it to the end of the street," K-2 argued.

Barked orders from the Troopers outside added to the nervous atmosphere of the cramped safe house. They all looked at Cassian. He was staring at the door. His face wore the scowl that meant he was deep in thought. Jyn observed Bodhi, Baze, and K-2 watch him. There was an unspoken understanding that in situations like this, Cassian Andor was the leader. Rogue One had complete faith in him.

"Bodhi," he finally said, "can you build a transmitter?"

Jyn immediately caught on. "You think anyone will hear it?"

"I don't know." He turned to their pilot. "Can you build a transmitter strong enough to get a message to the next system?"

"I… I don't know. It depends on what I've got to work with."

"The next system?" Jyn asked.

"They're part of the Alliance."

"You think they'd be listening?"

"They just might." Cassian paused. "Bodhi, build a receiver first. We need to hear what the Stormtroopers' next move is ahead of time. Baze, keep watch on the street. If they so much as sneeze, I want to know about it. K, you may have parts that Bodhi needs."

"So that's what I'm reduced to? A scrap pile?" K-2 asked indignantly.

"Without those parts, we'll all be scrap."

K-2 hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. But only if you promise I'll get them back."

"If there's anything I can do about it, you will," Cassian promised. "Chirrut, see if you can… sense anything. Jyn, make sure everyone's weapons are operating at optimal capacity. We may need them before we get outta here. I'll help Bodhi."

They each got to work on their assignments. Jyn cleaned everyone's weapons. Cassian, K-2, and Bodhi worked at the table, building a steadily growing pile of parts out of anything they could dismantle. She felt Cassian's eyes on her every so often, making sure she was alright. She wished he'd worry about himself.

An hour passed before Bodhi had the homemade receiver functioning properly. They tuned in to the Trooper's frequency. Chirrut was put in charge of making certain nothing they said went unheard.

Night fell two hours later. The Stormtroopers still hadn't moved. Light glinted off their helmets, positioned stubbornly behind the barriers on both ends of the street. The transmitter had been made and remade twice, but Bodhi was certain he'd nearly perfected it.

Jyn finished sharpening her knife for the fifth time. She looked over at Cassian. His face was paler, his posture bent. He needed rest.

She stood up and walked behind him. She watched Bodhi work for a moment, considering how to get Cassian to take it easy. The bandage around his side was dark red. It hadn't been changed since she'd first put it on.

"Cassian," she said. Her voice sounded strange after the long hours of silence. "You need to change the bandage."

He merely glanced at her. "It's okay."

Jyn and Bodhi shared a look. He caught on. "Uh… yeah, Cassian, I can take it from here. Take care of your side."

Cassian looked from Jyn to Bodhi and back again. He let out a defeated sigh, and stood. The sudden movement made the room spin, and he stumbled. Jyn quickly moved in front of him, steadying him with her hands on his shoulders. She held him until he straightened and met her eyes. The worry on her face gave him an entirely different sort of dizziness.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He shook himself and nodded. She dropped her hands and nodded toward the bedroom. He obeyed her silent order, and she followed him.

As Cassian crossed the room he heard the soft click of a door being closed. He sat down on the bed and faced her. She walked over to him and sat facing him. After a moment of silence, she nodded at his shirt. He rolled his eyes and pealed it off.

She got right to work, unwrapping the bandage and pulling it away from the injury. He bit back a curse as she dabbed more disinfectant onto the open wound. To distract himself from the burning pain, he watched her.

Jyn's face was hard as stone, but he'd learned to read her. He deciphered her like he would an ancient language. Her focused stare revealed an underlying note of fear, her gentle touches betrayed concern.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked.

She didn't meet his gaze. "It's alright."

She placed a clean cloth directly over the wound and began wrapping a fresh bandage around him. To do that, she had to close the gap between them. Jyn found that she didn't mind the lack of space nearly as much as she used to.

She tied the bandage off and sat back. She stared at him for a while, watching him read her. His eyes betrayed very little of the resolved, unfeeling Rebel Captain that he so often seemed to be. He was a different man; a more personal, more caring one. She'd take Cassian Andor over the Rebel Captain any day.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

She smirked. "Other than the Imperial troops surrounding us and the impossible odds stacked in their favor?"

He didn't return her smile. "There's something else. What is it?"

Jyn hesitated. "I… I wish you'd stop acting like you've got something to hide. It's infuriating."

He pondered her words for a moment. She felt his hand take hers. "Alright. What would you like me to be?"

"Yourself," she replied. "Nothing more, nothing less."

A look of tragic sadness filled his eyes. "You wouldn't like it," he promised with such conviction she wondered if it was true.

"Will you let me decide that for myself?" she asked.

"There's not much of me left to like, Jyn."

She considered that for a moment. What had he been like before the Rebellion had taken who he was and warped it? She couldn't imagine it. He'd always struck her as the type of man who had been born with conviction in his eyes and a blaster in his hands. But she knew that couldn't be true. He'd been someone once; someone who had loved more than just the idea that he fought for.

How was she any different, really? She didn't know who she had been before Saw had trained her up like a fighter. She hadn't had time to find out.

She felt the tips of his fingers trail down the side of her face. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes never leaving hers.

"We're a mess," he murmured.

It reminded her of something her mother had said so many years ago. It brought a happy memory with it. "We don't have to be," she replied. "All our broken pieces may not be what they used to be, but that doesn't mean we can't make something new out of them."

Cassian's eyes flickered with surprise. He thought about what he could make out of his own broken pieces. The faces of the people he'd killed, the lives he'd destroyed, flooded his mind. He couldn't make anything good out of that.

Jyn gently touched his cheek. He closed his eyes for a moment. It had been longer than he could remember since someone had touched him the way she did. He reached up and took her hand in his, opening his eyes to look at her again. The dim light sparkled in her grey-green eyes and cast a halo of gold across her hair.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. It sounded rather lame, even to him, but she smiled anyway. He realized that not many people could have told her that. No one that she'd believe, anyway. He wasn't sure whether to feel sad that so much beauty had gone unappreciated, or pleased that he was the man who could finally call attention to it.

The compliment was his attempt at breaching the gap, salvaging who he had been, and she appreciated it. It would take longer for her to believe that a man like him could truly think a woman like her was beautiful, but the way he looked at her had her almost convinced.

"When we get out of here," Cassian said, "I'm going to take time off, and take you somewhere nice. No Troopers, no Rebels, just us."

That sounded better than she was entirely comfortable with. A soft smile lit up her eyes, and she nodded. His promise carried risk; the risk that he may not like the person she was underneath the grime and broken pieces that her life had reduced her to. But she was willing to risk it.

He ran a hand down the side of her face and neck, and leaned in to kiss her.

The door banged open. "We have a problem," Bodhi said.

They both turned to look at the pilot. His eyes were wide with fear. Jyn and Cassian shared a confused glance, and stood as one. Cassian grabbed his ruin shirt and pulled it back on over his head, careful not to wince.

"What's wrong?" Jyn demanded, following Bodhi out of the room.

"We have discovered why the Stormtroopers haven't attacked," Chirrut said. "Darth Vader has just landed."