Author's note: So I'm back! Apologies for the long lag time since my last update. I'm trying to juggle too many fics! But Oscar and BB-8 were too cute at the Oscars (ha!), so I was inspired to write this. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: No Lucasfilm here.

Chapter 6

"Anything?"

"No, Red One," Jess called over the connection. "Nothing on the scopes."

"I'm still not sure if that's good or bad," Poe muttered. Weeks had passed since he, Rey and Chewie visited Takadona. The Rebellion was slowly gaining strength, with more pilots and supplies coming in every day. According to C-3PO's spy network, whispers were spreading through the galaxy of a rebellion; the legend of Luke Skywalker only seemed to grow. Pockets of resistance were springing up in every system, but there was no coordination. For every cell that came into being another one was snuffed out by the First Order.

It was beyond frustrating.

Still, their main base was safe. Rey's fear had proved unfounded. Poe was relieved that her connection with Kylo Ren was gone; the idea of the woman he loved being connected to that monster against her will still haunted him. She'd been through so much, and he hadn't been there for her. He was there now. Their connection only grew stronger, something that still floored him. She was so powerful, yet, she still believed him worthy of her love.

"Falcon to Red One."

A smile curved his lips. Speaking of his favorite Jedi. "Red One, go ahead, Falcon."

"The sector 447 is clear. Anything your way?"

"Depressingly boring."

He heard a roar over the comm. "Chewie says you like trouble."

"People love me despite my flaws," he quipped. "Ready to go back?"

"See you on the ground, flyboy."

Poe chuckled to himself. BB-8 chirped happily. "It's only been a couple of hours, buddy. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you." After taking one more scan of the surrounding space, he turned the X-wing around and headed back to the base. He might enjoy poking a little fun at his droid, but he missed her too.

"Poe and I will check the oscillators after the debrief," Rey said to her copilot. She eased the old freighter through the planet's atmosphere; it was raining down below. No new training, she thought to herself. At least not that kind of training. Still, there were worse ways to spend an evening.

Chewie growled. "He's a perfectly fine mechanic," she said, trying to sound reasonable. For some reason she still couldn't fathom, Chewbacca just couldn't warm up to Poe. She used to think it was some weird protection thing, but lately she wasn't so sure. She adored Chewie; she considered him family. It bothered her that he and her boyfriend didn't get along.

Chewie protested louder. "No, it is not just an excuse for us to hang out together!" Rey turned resolutely toward the view outside, a tell tale flush creeping up her neck. Were they that obvious? In a way, she supposed they were. She and Poe shared his quarters these days. She'd long since given up her own with the excuse that they needed to house all the recruits and refugees that came in. She never really used her quarters anyway, falling asleep on the Falcon as often as not.

She hadn't done that in a long time.

Still, it wasn't a secret that she and Poe were together. When his duties and her Jedi training permitted, they spent every moment they had in each other's company. Sometimes that meant working on the Falcon. Or on his X-wing. Her favorite times were their own little "training" sessions when they tested and pushed the bond between them. It was already powerful—powerful enough to shut out Kylo Ren—but such things needed to be nurtured.

It didn't hurt that many of those sessions left them naked and sweaty wherever they happened to be.

Rey bit her lip, hoping her thoughts weren't written all over her face. It wasn't her fault Poe was the most attractive man she'd ever met. She'd been so lonely for so long; she thought she was entitled to a little happiness.

"Leia's looking for you," Finn called as she and Chewie stepped down the gangplank.

"Any idea why?"

"Nope. She just asked me to find you. Poe too."

"Oh, okay." She looked out the hangar doors; Red Squadron was coming in. They'd chosen the name to honor Master Luke; Leia approved. No one spoke of Black Squadron; Rey knew the loss of the people and Poe's black X-wing still stung. He treated his new X-wing with reverence, and not simply because of its history. Rey liked to tease him about it sometimes, but she knew it was simply his way. He was a kind, giving person; everyone who knew him adored him for it. Leia, Finn, his squadron mates, even BB-8.

She half expected this all to be a dream. She would wake up on Jakku, still alone, still searching for her family. This felt too good to be true.

Poe hopped down from his ship, pleased to see Rey standing nearby. He hurried over, capturing her lips in a kiss. She smiled against him, her fingers weaving into his dark curls. "Hey."

"Hey." It was their ritual, greeting each other with a kiss whenever they came back from a mission, even if it was a simple patrol. It reminded them of what they were fighting for.

"Finn says Leia's looking for us."

Poe's brow creased in a frown. He'd been looking forward to some quiet time with Rey. Between training new pilots and scanning the Unknown Regions for another suitable staging area in the event they ever had to evacuate, he didn't get as much time with her as he liked. Of course, if he had his way, they'd spend so much time together that they'd run the risk of becoming heartily sick of each other.

Sometimes he wondered if this was how it had been for his parents. They served in completely separate units during the Rebellion. How had they managed? He wished he could ask his dad. There was so much he wanted to know, but he had never thought to ask. Above all else, Poe wished he could introduce Kes to the woman he loved.

"Guess we better go see what she wants."

"Wait." Rey pulled him back, fusing her lips once more to his. She felt his emotions as if they were her own; the wave of longing he felt made her heart squeeze. She didn't know what prompted it, but she could ask him later. For now, this was enough.

Poe ignored his bulky flight suit and wrapped his arms around her. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of the hangar or that people were staring. Her love kept him grounded, but only in the best way. As Rose liked to say, they were only going to win by fighting for what they loved. And Poe Dameron loved Rey.

They shared twin happy smiles as they walked through the base. It was so different from those weeks where she lived in fear that she would somehow betray her friends. With her mind safe from Kylo, she could focus more on her training, on her friends, on her love. Being with Poe opened all sorts of new feelings and possibilities.

She was finally learning to accept hope.

"There you are." Leia looked up from her datapad; she looked more tired than Rey remembered. Honestly, Rey was a little worried about her. She had the weight of the entire galaxy on her shoulders and Rey didn't know how to make it better.

She's stronger than you think, a dry familiar voice echoed in her mind. She always was the strongest of us.

Luke. He didn't speak to her often. Frankly, she didn't find much of his little witticisms and advice helpful. She was facing something almost unimaginable. She was the last Jedi. A Jedi who had no kriffing idea what that meant. Maz had helped answer some of her questions, but it still felt too big for her. She how could she train someone else to be a Jedi when she was barely one herself? And what did being a Jedi mean in the face of unimaginable darkness?

More troubling, she knew she was on a collision course with Kylo Ren. Somehow, some way, they would face each other again.

She had so much more to lose now.

"Anything?" Leia asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"All clear, General," Poe reported. "No sign of the First Order."

"But we both know they're out there."

No one said anything. While the Rebellion was no longer licking their wounds, they were still far from able to take the fight to the enemy. Poe could only imagine how difficult it was for Leia, knowing her son was out there. That he was responsible for so much suffering and death. Poe tried to do what he could, but he wasn't sure how to help. Lately, Leia seemed withdrawn, tired.

Leia laid the datapad aside. "We need to get some organization. Coordination. We need to contact our would be allies if we're going to make any headway against the First Order."

"How do we do that, General? Every day the First Order tightens its grip." Poe tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. He hated the First Order with every fiber of his being, but hatred had no place here. Not if he wanted to be objective. Of course, it was difficult to be objective when his mentor's son led the enemy. After everything Kylo Ren had done to the people Poe cared about, he was in no mood to be merciful.

Leia gave him a sardonic smile. In her mind's eye, she was nineteen again, facing down Grand Moff Tarkin. She was wiser now, but it remained as true now as it had been then. "The more they tighten their grip, the more star systems will slip through their fingers, Captain." Leia restored Poe's rank not long after they returned from Takadona. She couldn't have her fighter squadrons commanded by a mere commander. Besides, Poe had earned it. He'd come a long way since Crait. "That said, stealth is imperative. We're still too spread out. Which means you'll get to exercise your spy skills, Poe."

Poe's brows shot up. "Yeah?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Don't look so excited. It's going to be hard work."

Poe couldn't help but smile. He hated the feeling of sitting around and doing nothing. "We're up to it, General."

"I know you are, Poe." Leia looked at Rey. "How's your training going?"

Rey shrugged. "Everyone says I have all this power, but I don't know what to do with it."

Poe slipped his hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She squeezed back, giving him thankful smile. Leia watched them thoughtfully; they were so in tune with each other. It reminded her strongly of her and Han. He just seemed to know when she needed him most. It was these times she felt his loss most keenly.

"We've received intelligence that the First Order is making a move on Umbara."

Poe's head shot up. "Umbara? Isn't that where most of the galaxy's doonium comes from?"

Leia nodded. "Yes, which makes it high on the First Order's target list. If they can control the trade coming out of Umbara, then they can effectively strangle our ability to acquire and maintain the fleet."

"So how do we stop it?"

"Someone is going to have to go there and coordinate with the locals. There's been fighting already. Some of the extremists are talking about blowing up the mines so no one can get to the ore."

"We can't let that happen."

"No, we can't." Leia looked from Poe to Rey. "Umbara has some pretty advanced tech. I'd like you to get familiar with it before heading there. Might not be a bad idea to test some of your Jedi skills too. Could come in handy."

Poe thought that was a gross understatement, but he let it pass. There were some Jedi skills Rey was more comfortable using than others. He and Rey shared a look, her hazel eyes hesitant, his brown ones full of determination and pride. At length she nodded at him.

They both looked at Leia. "When do we start?"

Rey brushed some hair away from her face. Her arms were starting to ache. She'd been working on the Falcon ever since their talk with Leia. They were going to begin their training for the mission the next day; she needed the distraction. She might be gone for weeks and there was maintenance to be done. She couldn't leave Chewie to do it all by himself. Her fingers tightened bolts, rerouted wires, swept dirt out of the old ship's innards. She loved this ship; in many respects, it was home. It would be a wrench to leave her behind, but the Falcon was too recognizable. The Rebellion managed to acquire an Umbaraian cargo ship; she and Poe would fly that instead.

Poe was there right now, checking the ship's systems. She wasn't worried. He could fly anything. So could she. She had other things to worry about.

There was another part of their mission, one Leia didn't want anyone else to know about. Not even Poe. Rey didn't like the idea of keeping things from him and it was tearing her up. Hence her retreat to the Falcon. But what choice did she have? She was the last Jedi. Kylo Ren was her responsibility.

It was just intelligence, she argued with herself. Rey slithered deeper into the Falcon's skeleton, intent on finding the bad connection. The oscillators were fine, but there was a short somewhere in the system. Was it so wrong for Leia to know where her son was? But he's not Ben anymore. You know that.

Ben Solo was gone. All that was left was Kylo Ren. A monster intent on ruling the galaxy. A monster who'd murdered his own father, helped destroy his uncle and tortured the man she loved. He tortured and used her. There was nothing left to be saved. She knew that. To save the galaxy, they needed to stop the First Order and that meant defeating Kylo Ren.

She just didn't know if she was ready for that.

Poe tucked the basket under his arm; he was worried about Rey. He was sensing feelings he didn't understand; had something happened after he left to look over the cargo ship? When he realized Rey wasn't in their quarters, he knew there was only one of two places she could be. The Falcon was his first choice. He brought some dinner with him; it had been a while since they enjoyed anything like a date night. He wanted to do something nice for her, ease whatever she was going through.

"Rey?" he called when he climbed on board. Thankfully, Chewie was nowhere in sight.

"Down here!"

He followed his gut, the connection between them palpable. It was usually gentle and warm, but he felt an undercurrent of anxiety coming from her. What could his beloved Rey be anxious about? They'd been on several missions together now; they trusted each other implicitly.

Poe stopped by the open grate, kneeling on the edge. "Need some help? I brought dinner."

"One more minute!" Warmth and love flowed through her; Poe's mere presence soothed her. She hated herself for even thinking about keeping secrets from him. They'd only ever been honest with each other. Sparks lit up the cramped space as she soldered the connection shut, then she removed her goggles. Carefully, she crawled back the way she had come; Poe was waiting for her. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." He held out his hand and helped her up. Her face was covered in dirt smudges, but that didn't stop him from planting a gentle kiss to her lips. "How's my best girl?"

She hugged him; he never cared if she was greasy and dirty. He loved her just as she was. "Better now that you're here."

He offered her a lopsided grin. "Miss me that much, huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get ideas, flyboy." Bantering with him felt wrong, but she clung to it like a lifeline. She kissed him once more quickly, then she ducked into the tiny fresher, scrubbing the oil and dirt from her hands and face. By the time she got back, Poe was laying out their dinner on the old chess table. "Hey, are you okay?"

Rey tried to look happier. "Yeah. It's just been a long day."

Poe gave her a look. "You know this bond thing works both ways now. What's really going on?" He could sense her feelings much more strongly, even without touching her. But he would probably never know her thoughts, since he wasn't a Jedi. He didn't want to read her mind. He wanted her to talk to him, to trust him.

Rey allowed herself to lean into him, drawing strength from his love. She knew he wouldn't like what she was about to say, so she stalled. The seconds dragged by; she counted his heartbeats. "There's something I need to tell you."

Poe coaxed her to sit, the bench seat allowed them to face each other. She looked wary and Poe suddenly wondered if he'd done something to upset her. She curled her fingers around his, enjoying the roughness of his fingertips on her skin. Poe was tangible, real, her anchor in a world she often didn't understand. How could someone with so much power feel so helpless?

"You can tell me anything," he promised, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "What's going on?"

Rey took a deep breath. "After you left, Leia wanted to talk to me."

That didn't sound too bad. "About what?"

"Kylo Ren."

Poe inhaled sharply; a muscle clenched in his jaw. Calm down, he scolded himself. You'll scare her. He couldn't help the way he felt; after what that monster had done not only to himself but to Rey. Honestly, Poe found that to be the more difficult to handle. He was a soldier; he knew the danger. Rey had been an innocent then; she didn't deserve to be tortured and used. "What about him?"

"Leia thinks I might be able to find him."

Poe swallowed. "And we want that now?"

"Poe…"

He was trying, he really was. But he needed a minute. Poe stood abruptly and began to pace the length of the room. It wasn't really helping, but he refused to lash out at her. None of this was Rey's fault.

"She didn't want me to tell you."

Poe stopped in his tracks. "Why the hell not?"

Rey bit her lip. "Because she thought you might react like this."

Poe set his jaw, anger made his hands shake. "Does she know what he did to you? To me? To Han? Does she know what he is?"

Rey stood too. "She knows better than anyone, but he's still her son! Can you really blame her for having hope?"

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you? Have hope?" She tried to save him once; Poe didn't know how he'd react if she tried again. That man was a monster.

Rey shook her head. "No, but Poe…I'm going to have to face him one day. Deep down you know that."

"Give me one good shot with my X-wing, Rey, and we'll see about that."

She hurried up to him, hoping he wouldn't turn her away. When she took his hands in hers, he didn't let go. "I am the last Jedi, Poe. He's my responsibility."

"I know, and I hate it." He couldn't lose her too. Not when he'd just found her. He wanted them to have a life together, a life away from war and conflict. The ring he wore under his shirt almost seemed to burn; he knew it was meant for Rey.

"We need to know the First Order's plans," she reminded him. "We can't hide forever."

Poe drew her to him, breathing in her unique scent. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "The very thought of him…"

"I know. I hate what he did to you. You have every right to be upset." She looked up at him. "I knew I couldn't keep it a secret. Not from you. I love you."

Poe stared at her for a long moment. She'd never actually said the words before. He knew she felt them, but he never pushed. He didn't need to hear it; her feelings came through loud and clear in the bond they shared. But it was exactly what he needed in that moment. "I love you too, Rey. More than I can say."

Rey reached up, tracing his handsome features with her fingertips. He kissed her fingers as she brushed them over his lips, making her smile. She couldn't describe how it felt to finally tell him how she felt. She'd tried—several times—but he always seemed to anticipate her. He'd kiss her or tell a joke, anything to distract her. She'd get caught up in him and forget. She wondered why he kept doing it but had never asked. She didn't plan on asking now; she just wanted to show him how much she adored him. How much she needed him by her side if she was going to fulfill her destiny. He opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a finger to his lips. "Shhh." She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth; his scruff pricked her lips deliciously. "Are you hungry?" Their meal still lay on the table, but she had other ideas.

He shook his head. "Not for food." Poe let his hands slide up her back and into her hair. She hummed as his lips descended on hers, soft at first, warm and pliant; he held her like she was made of glass. So strong, his Jedi, yet infinitely precious to him. Rey stood up on her toes, trying to get closer, her body pressed firmly to his. Her soft moan went straight to his groin; she knew just how to drive him crazy. He cupped her cheeks, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss. She opened instinctively, sure of what she wanted. Rey clutched at his jacket, using it to anchor herself as they kissed.

Poe staggered a little under her weight; holding her hips, he eased them back toward the bench. "Here?" he whispered between kisses.

"Definitely here." She didn't want to find a bunk or wait until they got back to their quarters. She needed him now. Poe sat heavily on the bench; Rey quickly climbed into his lap. They made out slowly, thoroughly, reveling in their unique connection. He pushed off her vest, his lips peppered her jaw and neck with kisses. Rey mewled, her fingers sinking into her lover's dark hair. She felt warm all over; he knew just how to rouse her. Every slide of his mouth dragged his scruff over her pale skin; she loved when he marked her that way. "Poe…"

"Patience, darling." He kept his eyes locked on hers as he unwound the wraps from her arms, drinking in her love and arousal. She was no longer the inexperienced girl she'd once been; this was a woman who needed him as much as he needed her. The moment her arms were exposed she peeled off her tunic and kissed him deeply. Poe stroked every inch of bare skin he could reach, making her squirm in his arms. He could feel her against him, her core hot and wet for him. "Mine."

She nodded absently, panting as his lips moved down her chest. Her nipples were hard under the fabric of her wrap, the material rough on her skin. Poe loosened the band with his teeth, giving her a filthy smirk as he did so. She gasped as he took a peak into his mouth, a jolt of need pulsing in her core. Instinctively, she ground against him, desperate for some relief to the ache that filled her. An ache only he could satisfy.

"Kriff," he cursed, her hips rutting firmly against his. It was torture, but he didn't want her to stop. He wanted her like this, eager and wet, hungry for him. She was glorious. Instead, his fingers fumbled with her pants, working them open so he could slip his hand inside.

Rey jerked, his fingers a surprise. She held onto his shoulders, using it as leverage so she could rock against him. It felt so good, the roughened pads of his fingers against her wet swollen nub. "Yes, yes, yes," she breathed, the pressure building.

"That's it, sweetheart," he praised, pressing harder. "Take what you need."

She captured his lips in a heated kiss, not ashamed in the slightest at how much she craved his touch. She pushed him back against the bench; Poe groaned deeply. His cock twitched urgently; he secretly loved her aggression. In retaliation, he abandoned her clit and twisted his wrist to press three fingers as deeply as he could inside her.

The sudden stretch and burn made her cry out. "Poe! Poe, yes!"

"Love how wet you get for me," he grunted, his free hand on her hip to guide her. She threw her head back as she rode his fingers, chasing her pleasure. "Need you so much, Rey."

Rey arched painfully as she climaxed, her walls rippling against his fingers. Objects around them hovered a few inches off the ground, crashing back down as her orgasm faded. Poe didn't stop touching her, slowly readying her for him. She found his lips, kissing him passionately, her hands clumsily working his shirt open. He had to stop touching her to get it off; she tossed it aside quickly. "Too many clothes," she complained.

"Damn right," he agreed. Holding her to him, he switched their position, laying her flat on the bench. He kissed his way down her body, his hands working the pants over her hips. He had to stand to remove her boots, socks and trousers; he grinned as she shimmied out of her underwear. "Always so impatient."

Rey pushed herself up, reaching out to curl her hand around his belt. She dragged him to her with surprising strength, her mouth hot on his belly. He groaned, his hand in her soft locks. She had it pulled back in her customary three buns, but they were loose and messy now. Poe plucked the ties out of her hair, loving the way it fell over her shoulders in waves.

Rey pressed her hands against his clothed hips, running her thumbs over his hard length through the material. Her lover groaned deeply, and she smiled. He spent so much time on her pleasure; she loved those times she got to explore him. "Rey," he breathed.

The belt was the first to go. Metal clanged on metal as she untied his boots and helped him step out of them. Then she returned to his trousers, popping the buttons one by one. He watched her with heavy lidded eyes, his breathing shallow, his skin tingling. He loved being with her; she was everything he could ever want. He moaned loudly as she freed his cock, her touch electric. She took him into her tiny hand, enjoying the contrast of hard and soft. Her body throbbed in response; it knew just how incredible he felt inside her. She pressed kisses along the V of his hips, unable to resist him. He was all hard muscle and sinew, perfectly formed.

Most importantly, he was all hers.

Her loving assault on his body was nearly his undoing. He liked focusing on her; she was so beautiful and deserved all the love and affection he could give her. But she was stunning like this, exploring and worshiping his body like he was everything. She coaxed him closer on wobbly legs; Poe couldn't hep but wonder what she was about. She looked up at him with determination, her fingers still stroking him. "Let me try something?"

"Anything."

Rey smiled nervously, then leaned forward just a bit. Her tongue darted out to taste him, sweeping over the wet tip of him. Poe inhaled sharply, floored by her. Floored and very, very aroused. He never expected her to do this for him, but once again, she managed to surprise him.

Poe loved tasting her; she'd wondered how it would be to return the favor. He tasted odd, musky and salty, but she didn't mind it. Her first strokes were shy and tentative, but Poe seemed to enjoy it. She stumbled on a particularly sensitive spot; Poe cursed. "Ugh, right there."

She repeated the action, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in his head. His whole body was taut, the muscles straining. On a hunch, she took him past her lips, just the tip, and sucked experimentally. "Kriff!" Poe panted, torn between watching her and pushing her back against the bench and taking her. Her mouth was hot and wet; just the fact that she was trying this nearly had him on his knees. His orgasm tingled at the base of his spine; he wasn't ready for that yet. He needed to feel her.

Poe tugged on her hair, desperate to make her stop. "You have to…kriff, that feels so good, Rey. But you…ugh, you have to stop."

He sounded wrecked; she stared up at him with curious eyes. "Why?"

"Because I need to be inside you." He kicked his pants free, his own patience snapping.

"Oh." He pounced quickly, kissing her deeply as he maneuvered them back onto the bench. Rey sank into the thin batting, shivering as Poe settled in the cradle of her thighs. He rubbed his cock over her wet swollen flesh, coating himself in her arousal.

"Hang on to me," he warned. She wrapped her arms around his neck, arching as he sank into her willing body. She was so wet that she took him in one stroke, his cock filling her to the brim. Rey moaned loudly; she hoped Poe had remembered to close the hatch or everyone would hear them. Not that she cared at the moment. He felt too good.

Poe kissed her languidly, deliberately holding back. Being with her felt so right; she was warm and tight and perfect. He moved slowly, building her pleasure, struggling to keep his own at bay. "Love you," he whispered, hips moving a little harder, a little deeper. "So much."

Rey found his mouth, stroking his tongue with hers. "More," she panted. "Please."

He nodded, unlocking her legs from his hips. He paused long enough to hook them over his shoulders, changing the angle of his thrusts. Rey keened, his cock hitting exactly where she was most sensitive. "Kriff, yes," she gasped, bucking her hips up. "Right there."

"Like this?" He braced himself on either side of her head and gave her a powerful thrust his hips. When Rey cried out, he kept going, craving more of the delicious sounds she made. Soon, she was trembling, desperate to climax. She could feel him holding back, so she reached out with her mind, brushing urgently against his. He stared into her eyes as he let her in, her joy washing over him tenfold as she finally let go. Feeling her climax like this was the ultimate intimacy; it was so easy to give that back to her. She keened as he followed her in bliss, another powerful high gripping her. They were feeding off each other, love and joy and lust all rolled into one wave of feeling.

Why couldn't they have this always?

Poe collapsed on top of her, completely spent. He'd never felt anything like this, not in all the times they'd been together. Was it the Force? Or was it simply her? He would never tire of this; every time was new and different. They were closer than they'd ever been, and it was staggering, the love she felt for him.

Rey was exhausted, hot and sweaty, but utterly at peace. She knew it came from Poe. The connection between them seemed to evolve; just when she thought they could get no closer, she felt like this. This was worth fighting for. They were worth fighting for.

"Sorry," Poe muttered when he realized how long he laid on top of her. He must be crushing her. The bench was far too narrow for them both; he mustered the last of his strength to stand and carry her to the bunk. Their bunk. He paused long enough to clean her up before he joined her.

Rey snuggled into him; he was warm and inviting. She pillowed her head on his chest, one arm across his belly. He smiled as she did so; she was so affectionate with him. Especially when they were alone, and no one could see. He was torn; part of him wished everyone could know the woman he knew yet the other part wanted to keep her all to himself. "Still with me?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed. Her fingertips grazed the scar on his side; it made her shiver. It was an accident, but she'd nearly lost him. She might never have known what it felt like to be loved so completely. It made her heart hurt.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, feeling a twinge of sadness wash over him. It took some getting used to, feeling emotions that weren't his own. He wasn't afraid of it; it only made them closer. He wouldn't trade this for anything.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"The accident."

"Oh." He remembered waking up much like this, with Rey's head on his chest as she slept. She never left his side. "It was a bit of a close call."

She drew her finger over the length of a jagged scar. It wasn't that obvious, just a faint line across his skin, but she knew his body too well now. If she closed her eyes, she knew she was see him laying there, battered and broken, glass protruding from his flight suit. She'd never been so scared in her life.

Her silence unnerved him. "Hey, talk to me," he cajoled. "It's okay."

Rey propped her head up, looking down at him. His brown eyes were so beautiful, filled with love and concern. He ran his fingers through her mussed hair; she instinctively leaned into his touch. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?" she said at last. "The constant danger, the destruction all around us."

Poe shook his head. "Not always, Rey. Someday, we'll win this thing. And when we do…" He grinned up at her.

"What? What does Poe Dameron want?"

"You," he said simply. "In whatever capacity. We can go wherever you want. Do anything. Train new Jedi. Maybe have a family of our own. The details aren't important, as long as we're together."

Rey bit her lip. "Really? You want that?"

He nodded. "I mean, at some point, I'd like to take you to Yavin to meet my dad, but other than that, the future is whatever we want it to be."

She laughed, a clear pleased sound. "I have absolutely no idea how to train anyone," she confessed. "I barely know what I'm doing."

He gave her hair a little playful tug. "That's okay. You do the lightsaber stuff and I'll teach them how to fly."

"Hey, I can fly!"

"Believe me, I know." He'd seen her do things with the Falcon that should be impossible. "Maybe we'll invite mere mortals to take lessons too. Before I become a crotchety old man."

She rolled her eyes. "Like you're old."

He pretended to be offended. "Is that any way to speak to your elder?"

Rey swatted his chest, then soothed the spot with a kiss. And another. And another. He let out a soft groan and she looked quite pleased with herself. "Now what were you saying, Captain?"

"Naughty girl." He pulled her up, so he could kiss her. Rey deftly maneuvered herself until she was squarely on top of him, their mouths locked in an all too familiar dance. Slow and languid, these were the moments she wished she could freeze in her memory. She tingled, right down to her toes. His hands stroked the length of her spine before settling on her bum. "Give me a few more minutes and we'll see about punishing your cheek, darling."

She giggled. "I don't know what you mean."

He swatted her ass under the blanket. "Oh, I think you do." He grinned when she shivered. "Love you."

She laid her head on his chest, her fingers curling around the chain that hung from his neck. "Love you too."

His heart clenched as she toyed with the chain; he was surprised she'd never asked him about it. It wasn't a secret, but he thought she'd be more curious. With all their talk of the future, he wondered if it was the right time to give it to her. Then he thought better of it. They were about to go on a dangerous mission; he couldn't distract her. It just felt like the wrong time to ask her for a commitment like that. No, he was happy with things as they were. Perhaps after the mission.

Yes, when they came back, safe and sound. He would ask her then.

Poe marched through the hangar, intent on his destination. Several people called out to him, but he waved them off. Rey was on the Umbaraian cargo ship examining some of the tech; some of it might be useful to the Rebellion. A secondary part of their mission was to negotiate with the Umbaraians for access to their doonium and other tech, anything that could give them an advantage over the First Order. They needed all the help they could get.

No, it was the secret part of the mission that had Poe annoyed.

He wasn't upset at Rey. He didn't like it, but at least she'd told him the truth. It was more that Leia had insisted Rey conceal it from him that had him steamed. Would she never trust him again? He thought he'd regained what he'd lost over the fight with the Dreadnought and the mutiny. She'd even reinstated his rank and promoted him to fleet commander, such as it was. But he couldn't do his job if she didn't confide in him, especially about something like this.

Putting Rey in Kylo's path could lead nowhere good, he was sure of it.

Leia was in the comm room, going over reports on her secure datapad. "General?"

"Captain. How are the preparations going?"

He forced himself to keep his voice even. He didn't want to cause a scene. "Fine. Rey's examining the tech as you asked. We're going to be taking a dry run through the plan this afternoon."

"Good. This mission is very important."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Can we move this to your office?"

Leia looked at him strangely; did he spot a flicker of guilt in her eyes? "Very well, Captain." She cradled the pad against her chest and led him to her makeshift office. Poe closed the door firmly behind him. "Now what seems to be the problem, Poe?"

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "I know I've made some mistakes in the past. But I think…I hope I've earned back some of your trust, General."

"Of course you have. Why do you think I reinstated you?"

"And I am grateful. But that doesn't explain why I'm finding out about some secret part of my mission from my girlfriend. You know, the one who happens to be a Jedi?" His voice came out harsher than he intended, but he was genuinely hurt by the fact that she didn't seem to trust him.

"I asked her not to tell you. It's not her fault."

"I know, and I'm not angry with her." He leveled his mentor with a stare. "Did you honestly think she wouldn't tell me? We have this crazy Force bond thing, General. And we don't have secrets. Ever."

Leia braced her hands heavily on her desk. She looked tired. No, that was the wrong word. She looked defeated. Poe had only seen her like that once before and it scared him then too. "It was unfair of me," she conceded. "But I was trying to spare us both this precise conversation. Your feelings about my son are all too clear, Poe."

Poe huffed. "Can you blame me? He tortured me for information, Leia. He dug into my brain and took what he wanted. Sometimes, I can still feel him there." He took a deep breath; he hadn't had a nightmare in a while, but that didn't mean anything.

Leia winced but seemed determined. "I don't need you to lecture me on all the terrible things my son has done, Captain. I have to live with it, every single day."

"Do you know he stood there while that bastard Snoke tortured Rey? Do you have any idea how that felt? I do. I felt her pain. It was so intense, it woke me up after you stunned me. I had no idea what was happening, but I knew it was evil."

"Snoke got to him," Leia cried. "Poisoned his mind. There is still good in him, I know there is." Luke told her on Crait that he couldn't save Ben. Han couldn't save Ben either. It was up to her. She was the only one who could end this. She had to save her son, just like Luke had saved their father all those years ago. She had to believe that. She had to.

"I know this is hard to accept, but your son is gone, Leia. The First Order must be destroyed and that includes Kylo Ren."

"I refuse to believe my husband died for nothing. Han only tried to save him because I begged him to. I put the Resistance ahead of my own flesh and blood, sending Han in my stead. You think that doesn't eat me up inside? I'm his mother. I should have been there!" Leia collapsed back into the chair, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Poe hurried over to her, hoping he wasn't overstepping. Whatever anger she felt toward him didn't seem to matter anymore. He held her as she cried, this strong woman finally broken by all the heartbreak she'd suffered. Poe felt terrible, once more his pride seemed to have gotten the better of him. Leia was like a mother to him; he hated seeing her like this. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I am so sorry."

Leia held on to him for dear life. How much heartache could one person take? All her life, she'd pushed it down, pushed it aside, forcing herself to focus on the job at hand. First as a young woman in the Rebellion, then as a wife, mother and Senator. Everyone around her seemed to die. Her parents, Han, Luke. Her precious Ben was lost, consumed by the evil that was Kylo Ren. Was Han right? Did he have too much Vader in him? Did she? Luke had told her about some of the stories he'd gleaned about Anakin Skywalker, the man. He even said that Leia was like him. She'd brushed that off; her mind couldn't accept that she was anything like the man that had become Darth Vader. That man tortured his own daughter, even if he hadn't realized that at the time. She could never forgive that.

Why was it different with Ben? Why was she so sure she could save him? Was she simply being naïve? No, no one had ever accused her of that. Leia pictured Ben as a child, all wavy dark hair and big eyes. He reminded her so much of Han, always getting into trouble.

Then she'd sent him away.

Han thought it was a bad idea. He never wanted Ben to be come a Jedi. But Leia didn't know what else to do. Even when he was little, Ben showed extraordinary abilities with the Force. She didn't know enough about it to guide him, but she was convinced that Luke did. Her brother had already begun gathering padawans; she thought it would be good for Ben to be around others like him. She had no way to know what would happen.

Now Han was gone. Luke was gone. Her beloved boy had committed untold atrocities, convinced he was the second coming of Darth Vader. Would she never be free of pain?

She would never admit it out loud, but Poe was like a son to her. He was a little older than Ben, but he had this boyish exuberance about him. And she had a soft spot for cocky pilots. He was very good at his job; he had the potential to be truly great. With their Jedi by his side, they could do anything together. Even she could see that. But she'd hurt him by not confiding in him. That wasn't the kind of person she wanted to be.

"I should apologize to you, Poe," she said quietly. Her voice was hoarse from her tears, but her eyes were dry now. The moment of weakness had passed. "I'm sorry."

Poe pressed a tender kiss to the older woman's forehead, then he stepped back. "I'm not exactly the most objective when it comes to him, so I get it."

"Neither am I, apparently."

Poe offered her a soft smile. "Then maybe we even each other out."

"I should have never asked Rey to keep it from you. We are not like the First Order."

"Finding out anything we can about him is important," Poe reminded her. "If there's something to be found, we'll find it for you, General."

"Thank you, Poe." He turned to leave but she called him back. Leia stood and moved around the desk; kriff, she was tired. She rested her hands on Poe's shoulders. "You probably don't want to hear this, but for what it's worth, I am sorry. For what my…for what he did to you. You're a good man, Poe Dameron, and I should have trusted you."

Poe swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat. He'd never admired Leia more than in that moment. "Thank you, General."

She nodded but said nothing. There wasn't anything else she could say. All she could do was hold on to hope.

Poe left, wanting to give Leia some time. This had to be unbelievably difficult for her. He hadn't meant to make it worse, but he needed to understand. If he was going to put his life—and Rey's—on the line, then he needed to know. He might not believe that Kylo Ren was worth saving but Leia did. If he could help her, then he would. But if it was a choice between that monster and the people he cared about, he already knew his choice.

He prayed it never came to that.

Rey gave him a searching look when he returned to the cargo ship. "Everything okay?"

He sat down beside her on the floor and wrapped his arms around her. "Not especially."

She frowned, curling her fingers around his forearm. "Want to talk about it?"

"Don't you know already?"

"I can feel that you're upset, but no, I don't know." She vowed never to look inside his head without permission. She wasn't like Kylo Ren. She wasn't.

His lips touched her temple. "I talked to Leia about the mission."

Rey listened patiently as he explained everything. She understood why he'd done it; Poe hated to be kept in the dark about things. He just wasn't a follow blindly kind of person; neither was she. He was disappointed in Leia, much the same way she'd been disappointed in Luke when she first met him. Her heart broke for Leia; the woman had been through more tragedy than anyone person could be expected to take. It made Rey's own painful past seem trivial. Yet Leia was the strongest person Rey knew.

Perhaps it was time they helped ease her burden.

Poe let his hand drop and slipped it into Rey's. She squeezed gently; he squeezed back. "I'm glad you talked," she said quietly. "Does she really think he can be saved?"

"I think she has to believe it," he replied. "Isn't that what you told me? You believed because if you didn't then Han died for nothing."

Rey nodded. She had believed that once; she could only imagine how much difficult it was for Leia. It was her family that was suffering and dying. "What do we do?"

"The mission. We go to Umbara, stop the First Order from seizing the place and find any intel we can. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of sitting around here doing nothing."

"Nothing, huh?"

Poe pulled her into his lap and kissed her cheek. "You know what I meant." He breathed her in, her scent centering him. "I'm just eager to see what the future holds for us."

She leaned her head against his. "Me too. I want to see your home."

"First chance we get," he promised. "Dad will love you."

"You think so?"

"Everyone loves you, Rey." He brushed some hair away from her face. "Me, Leia, Finn, Rose. You've got all sorts of people who love you now."

"Someday I'll get used to that."

"We're not going anywhere, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

She laughed. "However will I cope?"

Poe growled, attacking her throat playfully. He sucked and nibbled as she squirmed in his arms, but he held firm. She could have gotten away if she really wanted to, but she treasured these moments. There was so much destruction around them; they had to seize these moments of happiness with both hands. Leia had taught her that. There was war and darkness and death, but there was also light. None so bright as the light she found within Poe. He believed in her when she didn't believe in herself. He thought she do anything, be anything she wanted to be.

She wasn't nothing. She was Rey, the girl who'd found a home, found people who loved her. She was a Jedi. She didn't have to go on this journey alone. Not anymore.

Rey drew his lips to hers, humming as he gently lowered her to the floor. She fumbled for the button to the hatch; the hiss of the hydraulics covered her soft moan of pleasure. It was dark for a brief moment, then the lights came on in the cabin. Poe grinned down at her, sliding his hand along her flank. "Someone has ideas," he teased.

"Shut up and kiss me, flyboy."

"Gladly." His kiss was surprisingly tender; he was always so gentle with her. She wove her fingers into his hair, allowing herself to get lost in him for a little while.

Training could wait.