Jyn woke up and immediately knew that something was different. The ceiling she was staring at, even though her vision was a bit blurry, was different from the one in her room. There was the smell of bacta on her skin and lingering in the air. She could hear people talking and droids making noises but she couldn't make sense of any of it. Jyn had slept and woken up when she ran from the rebellion and the fight and she knew that waking up somewhere different didn't mean it was over. In fact, she really didn't know how to tell if it was over. She could try and die again but that seemed a little counterproductive at this point. The whole reason she was doing this was to save everyone.

Then she remembered lying on the floor of Rogue One as she bled out. As she looked over at Cassian who was rapidly paling before her and there was blood on his lips. He was probably bleeding internally and that was ignoring the blaster wound on his side. Jyn had always worried that Cassian was too hurt to survive and now she was somewhere else, healed, and she didn't know how to ask if he made it. She didn't know how she was going to react if he died while they were flying back to Yavin. Jyn started to panic and she heard a few droids start to make strange noises.

"Be still, little sister," Baze's voice said from somewhere. Jyn blinked and realized that she hadn't looked around at all. She turned her head and Baze came into view. He had a few bacta patches on his body and he looked very tired but he was alive. His voice was enough to make Jyn relax a little.

"She is awake then," Chirrut said and he walked into her line of sight. He was also a bit worse for wear but didn't appear to have any terrible injuries. He was okay and standing right in front of her. Vaguely, Jyn could hear someone scrambling over to her and then she saw Bodhi. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week and if you touched him hard enough he'd shatter into a million pieces but he was there. Whole. Alive. She didn't know how to deal with it.

"Jyn, you're okay," Bodhi whispered and he smiled. Jyn knew she needed to ask the question that was plaguing her mind but if she asked then she might not get the answer she wanted. There was a very good chance she wouldn't get the answer she wanted. Cassian was nearly dead on his feet by the time they got to Rogue One and that was before she shoved his broken and beaten body to the ground.

"Cassian-is he-did he-" Jyn managed to say even though her mouth was so dry she could barely talk. The droid started making noises again as Jyn began to run through a million scenarios where this went wrong.

"It's okay," Bodhi said but that didn't answer her question. He offered her a straw and the water just felt perfect in her mouth but that wasn't the answer she wanted. Jyn needed to know what happened so she could find a way to start this all over again and save him. She had to save him. "Jyn, look," Bodhi said and he gestured to her other side. It felt like it took a lifetime for Jyn to look the other direction but she did and there he was.

Someone had pushed her bed and Cassian's bed together so there were only inches of space between them. Someone also pushed down the guard rails so it was like they were trying to make one big bed. His skin had a gray pallor to it and it reminded her of all the times she held his body. Jyn knew what Cassian looked like as a corpse and this wasn't helping. His hand was lying on the bed and she needed to touch him. She needed to feel if he was warm still because that would mean he was alive. Jyn's body was not agreeing with her and it took so much effort to move her hand just enough that his pinky touched hers.

He was warm and he was alive.

"Medical didn't want to push your beds together but the Force willed it," Chirrut said and she heard Baze grunt in agreement. She turned and saw that the two of them were smiling a little as if they knew somehow, which was impossible but Jyn wasn't going to question it. He was alive and that was all that mattered. Jyn couldn't remember the last time moving her hand made her this tired. A large hand with callouses that smelled vaguely of the ozone from blasters settled on her forehead.

"Rest, little sister, you're safe," Baze and Jyn believed him.

The next time Jyn woke up she felt a lot more human. The world didn't quite feel as fuzzy around the edges and she had a better grasp of what was real and what wasn't. She was still in medical and Cassian was still unconscious next to her. Jyn has no idea whether the plans got through or not. She had no idea how many lives were lost and saved from Scarif. All she knew was that despite being in a bacta tank her shoulder still ached. She knew that Cassian still looked like death even though people said he'd been in the tank more than once.

The people in medical didn't want to tell her much so Jyn had to sit there, alone, for what felt like hours until they let Bodhi in. He came in and lit up like a sun when he saw that she was awake and sitting up. Bodhi wore all of his emotions on his face so when Jyn asked about the plans and his face fell she knew that the news wasn't going to be good. He explained that they got the plans transmitted and someone got them but the ship was intercepted by Darth Vader. No one knew where the plans were at the moment but the rebellion was hopeful.

A decent portion of the Rogue One crew made it back. There were some severe injuries including some that were going to be life-changing but more of them came back than any of them had expected. Jyn couldn't hide how happy that made her and Bodhi didn't seem to know what to do when she burst into tears upon hearing that news. She was glad so many came back alive but she was heartbroken that the plans were lost Bodhi also explained all of their injuries and said that while her shoulder was going to be sore for quite some time she would make a full recovery.

When she asked about Cassian's injuries he looked a little less sure of himself. Cassian apparently stopped breathing on the way to Yavin and Melshi nearly passed out doing rescue breathing to keep him alive. Bodhi explained that Cassian had broken half the bones in his leg and severely damaged his spine. He also had extreme internal injuries that required not one but two full submerges in the bacta tank. The medics seemed positive that he would make a partial recovery and hoped with a lot of work that he would make a full one. The only thing was that he hadn't woken up since they got back to Yavin.

Bodhi stayed with her for a decent portion of the day but eventually had to leave. He told her that he was helping prep the ships in case the Death Star came and they needed to defend the base. Jyn watched the people in medical work and several of them came over to check on her. She tried to assure them that she was fine, she'd be okay, and they should focus on people who were more hurt than her. Jyn watched Cassian breathe and wished that he would wake up.

Jyn closed her eyes and let the white noise of medical wash over her.

She slept, on and off, and a few people came to visit her. Chirrut and Baze came by and they still looked like they knew something about what had happened over the last hundred days or so which set Jyn's teeth on edge. She didn't know how to ask about it without sounding like a crazy person. She woke up to Mon Mothma standing over her with a small and tight smile. She thanked Jyn for her sacrifice and for having the courage to fight. It made her uneasy but Jyn nodded and mumbled thanks. She woke up from another nap and watched as Draven walked out of the room without looking at her. She wondered if he was checking on Cassian and if he cared.

She knew now was not the time but she wanted to punch Draven. She was almost sure he was the one who gave Cassian the order to shoot her father and he must have known she wouldn't take that well. Did he assume that Jyn wouldn't retaliate? She thought about their fight after Eadu and it felt like it happened a lifetime ago. Jyn was fairly sure she had apologized for that but the days were blurring together so she was probably going to do it again.

A full day passed before Jyn heard Cassian groan and she looked over to watch him open his eyes. She had no idea whether or not it was okay for him to sit up and she didn't want to risk him hurting himself even more. So Jyn tried not to be embarrassed about how she scrambled over to his bed so she was next to him and met his eyes.

"Jyn, you're okay," he whispered like he wasn't the one who stopped breathing on the way to Yavin.

"Yeah, I'm fine, you're a bit of a mess though," she said and it took so much self-control not to cry as she thought about how broken he was.

"I'm here and we're alive," he replied like that was all that mattered. Jyn choked out a laugh and nodded. She would tell him about the plans later because he was alive, they were alive, and they were going to be okay. Jyn took Cassian's hand into hers and entwined their fingers. She felt something shift, something settles into place, and Jyn knew that she wasn't going to go back to Scarif again. She won.

Cassian started to improve after he woke up and before long he was sitting up even if he looked like he was in a fair amount of pain when he did. Jyn and the rest of Rogue One were there to help him through it all but Jyn decided she should be the one to tell him that the plans were missing. He got that blank spy expression on his face, the same one he used when he didn't believe that she was repeating the days, and didn't speak or move for a decent part of the day. Jyn didn't blame him and she left him to deal with the way he needed to. The next day they heard about Alderaan and Jyn quietly sobbed for several hours as Cassian raged. No one tried to stop them.

Jyn was released from medical but she didn't want to leave Cassian's side. She thought she could bribe medical to let her keep the bed until they needed it but they wouldn't let her keep it. It was getting late and Jyn was very uncomfortable in her chair when Cassian rolled his eyes.

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you," he said and Jyn had no idea what he was talking about. Cassian sighed and despite the wince of pain, he moved over so there was room on his bed. Jyn blinked once because she didn't want to presume but Cassian shook his head. "Come on, you can stay here, I know you want to."

"I'm not admitting anything," Jyn said as she settled onto the bed. She tried not to touch any of Cassian's many wounds but he managed to wrap an arm around her and pull her close.

"Of course you aren't," he whispered. Jyn could hear his heartbeat and it lured her to sleep.

She woke up to Cassian saying her name and she wanted to tell him to fuck off, she was tired, let her sleep more, but then she listened to what he was saying.

"What did you say?" Jyn asked.

"I said the base is waking up and if you don't want people seeing you here you need to move," Cassian said. Jyn sat up and stared at him for what felt like a long time. Jyn knew that Cassian has a reputation around the base of being as cold and calculating as the droid that always followed him around. Even here in medical she heard whispers of what those Fulcrum agents did and the blood on their hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a bunch of recruits walking by and they were sneaking glances into the room. Jyn smirked at them, turned to Cassian, and kissed him in front of everyone. Cassian made a surprised noise and then kissed her back. Jyn broke the kiss but remained close. "They're going to tell everyone. Gossip spreads like wildfire here."

"Let them. I don't care," Jyn replied and kissed him again. She only pulled away when Bodhi loudly declared that it was "about time" when Rogue One came to visit. Jyn didn't think she would ever see Cassian Andor blush but the tips of his ears were red. When she poked them he muttered something about medication lowering his inhibitions that sounded like an excuse.

That day Cassian stood on his own for the first time and that day a ship carrying a princess, a smuggler, a farm boy, a Wookie, and two droids landed on Yavin and declared that they had the plans but the Empire was on the way. Jyn tried to talk Cassian out of going to the main control room, he could barely walk let alone stand, but Baze picked up a chair and the five of them helped Cassian walk into the main control room. A young woman wearing a white dress raised her eyebrows at them but didn't say anything about it.

"We've escaped this thing two times," Jyn said as they watched the assault on the various monitors. Cassian was sitting in the chair that Baze stole and looked like he wanted to be on his feet more than anything.

"We'll take the next chance," Chirrut said with a nod. "The Force is with us. I can feel it in a way I haven't felt in a long, long time." Jyn wanted to ask him what he was talking about but then they lost more ships and the Death Star crept even closer. Cassian reached up and took her hand as Yavin moved into range of the weapon that her father built. Jyn stood tall, with the people she saved, and if this was how she was going to die then so be it.

Then the farm boy made an impossible shot and saved them all. Jyn released a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked down at Cassian. He was smiling at her but there was something about it that troubled her. She looked across the room and General Draven was watching them carefully. It set her nerves on edge.

Jyn knew she was right to be on edge and less than a day after Luke Skywalker blew up her father's weapon she got a call to the command center. Only she wasn't the only one who got called to a meeting. Cassian was walking on his own but he was limping and he wouldn't look at her. Baze, Chirrut, and Bodhi were also in the room. Mon Mothma was there along with General Draven and the woman in white that Jyn now knew was Princess Leia Organa. Leia looked like she was about to punch someone and Jyn that this conversation was not going to be a pleasant one.

"Captain Andor, please step forward," Mon Mothma said and Cassian did as he was told. "You and your crew did something incredibly brave. You went and got us the Death Star plans that ultimately saved the lives of everyone on this and so many other planet's lives. Your actions and the actions of your crew are things to be commended. I and the Alliance won't ever be able to repay you for these actions and your sacrifices." Mothma paused and Jyn knew that something terrible was coming. She could feel it in her bones.

"That being said," Mothma said. "Your actions were also against direct orders from the council. When you went against these orders, while your actions did ultimately save lives, you did force the hand of the Alliance and we had to send in reinforcements. With those reinforcements came the loss of life, personnel, and resources that the Alliance did not have to spare. Your actions were right but we cannot allow dissent to form in our ranks with the Alliance so fragile. Because of this, you are officially being court-martialed from the Alliance. You have been stripped of your rank as Captain and dishonorably discharged from your post."

"You can't do this," Jyn snapped as she took a step further. Baze put a hand on her arm to try and stop but Jyn wasn't going to hear this. "Cassian didn't lead this mission, I did, I'm the one who should be punished for it."

"You're not a member of the Alliance, Erso," Draven said. "We can't punish an independent agent but Andor's rank made him in charge. He's the one who gathered the other troops to bring on your mission."

"And I am responsible for their lives being lost," Cassian said. "I understand your decision."

"Oh bullshit," Leia spat out. "This is bullshit and you all know it. Cassian doesn't deserve this. We should be pinning a medal onto all of them the same as Luke and Han and everyone in this room knows it." Cassian looked at Leia and for a moment Jyn thought he was going to break and show some sort of emotion in this but Cassian pulled himself together at the last moment.

"I humbly request that the other men that followed me be pardoned for their actions. They were following a superior officer," Cassian said. Jyn was about to open her mouth again but Baze shook his head. Draven was right; none of them were members of the Alliance, not officially, and Jyn had to sit back and watch this happen.

"That's what the records will say," Mothma said softly. Cassian looked at the rank patch on his jacket and ripped it off. His hands were surprisingly steady as he handed it to Mothma.

"You were one of my best, Andor," Draven said.

"I'm sorry I let you down, sir," Cassian said and for the first time, he sounded sorry. He sounded like he had regrets.

"I'd like to make you and your crew an offer," Draven said as he glanced at Leia and Mothma. "I can't have you as official members of the Alliance but I would like to still work with you. Off of the books, behind the scenes, and high-risk jobs. I believe if there was a crew that could pull off jobs like that it would be you five."

"What he means," Leia said. "is that he wants to give you missions but he can't help with funds and he's unable to send help if you get caught. You'd be completely on your own and if you were caught me and the rest of the council would have to stand here and deny that you were working for us." Leia scoffed as she glared at Mothma and Draven. "They saved us and they deserve better than that."

"But it's all we can offer," Mothma said. "We cannot risk more people going rogue even if was for the right reason. The Alliance will fall into chaos and we will lose."

"I can't make that kind of decision without consulting my team first," Cassian said and he turned around to look at all of them. "You're under no obligation to-"

"Shut up Cassian," Jyn said. "I'm in."

"Me too," Bodhi replied. "I had family on Jedha and the Empire needs to pay for that."

"The Force guided us to you, Jyn Erso, and to you, Captain Andor," Chirrut said. "And the Force tells us to continue following you."

"We're with you, Captain," Baze said. Cassian blinked once, he looked like he couldn't believe that they were saying "yes" and Jyn swore that she was going to beat some self-worth into him if she had, then he turned to Draven, Mothma, and Leia.

"We accept," he said.

Jyn stood in the back of the room, kept to the shadows, as she watched Luke, Han, and Chewie walk toward Leia. The Alliance was watching, this was a big deal, and it was going to provide them with the hope and heroes that they needed. A smuggler who came from nothing but did the right thing in the end and a farm boy from the back end of nowhere who might just have Force abilities like a Jedi. They were clean, white, pure, something that the Alliance could hold up and be proud of even Han.

Her hands weren't clean, neither were Cassian's, none of them were the bright and shining heroes that a rebellion needed to fall behind if they were going to win. And because of that, they were being shunted off to the darkest corner of this rebellion where no one would find them. Where they could get their hands dirty and no one would notice because the Alliance needed to be pure if they were going to win.

Jyn felt someone move up behind her but she didn't flinch. She recognized the slight limp and Cassian was standing next to her. He looked a little odd without his captain's badge on his jacket and Jyn didn't know what to say to him. She didn't save his life only to have it ruined again.

"Cassian, I'm-"

"Don't apologize," Cassian said. "I knew there was a chance they would retaliate if we survived. I didn't think we would be coming back at all to tell you the truth and then it wouldn't matter." Jyn wanted to tell him that they didn't come back, so many times, but she held her tongue. It wouldn't help anyone here. "The ship's ready. We need to go." The two of them began to walk through the empty halls to the hanger. Cassian had packed up his meager belongings including that bottle of terrible liquor that Jyn knew all too well.

"So what did Leia manage to get us?" Jyn asked.

"A decent ship and any pay I've been owed since I signed up for Alliance," Cassian said. "It's enough to keep us going for a little while but we'll need to find work eventually." Draven was waiting by their ship and Jyn wondered if she was ever going to have another chance to punch him.

"General Draven," Jyn said as she walked right up to him. "I know you were the one who gave Cassian the order to shoot my father. It's only because of my enormous capacity for forgiveness that I'm not breaking your nose right now." From inside the ship, Jyn heard Bodhi made a noise that sounded like a laugh and a choke.

"I appreciate your forgiveness, Eros," Draven replied as he turned to Cassian. They shook hands and Draven handed him a communicator. "I'm the only person who can access this. This is how I'll give you the missions I can send your way."

"Thank you, sir," Cassian said and he nodded to Jyn. The two of them began to walk up the ramp into their ship. Bodhi, Chirrut, and Baze were already waiting.

"Rogue One," Draven called out and they all turned to look at him. "May the Force be with you." Bodhi started up the engines as Cassian took the co-pilot's seat. No one tried to stop them as they flew out of the Yavin base and into the stars above.

"We need to look for a base we can raid," Jyn said and everyone turned to look at her. "What? We need to get a new KX series droid so we can reboot Kay." Cassian grinned as Chirrut and Baze took their seats further into the ship.

"You heard her, Bodhi," Cassian said. "Got any ideas?"

"You know, I think I do," Bodhi said with a smirk. He typed in some calculations into the navigation computer. "Captain, would you like to do the honors?" Cassian smiled as he pulled back on the hyperdrive lever and the stars blurred.