"What are you doing, Stardust?"
The startled squeak that escapes her daughter's throat is almost enough to break Jyn's carefully neutral expression. Rey turns away from the ship's controls. Her knuckles are white as they grip the head of the pilot's chair.
"Mum," her voice cracks and she clears her throat, "what er- what are you doing?"
Jyn gives nothing away in her face, though she does wish Cassian were here to witness this. How Rey, the daughter of a fugitive and an Alliance spy master, manages to be one of the worst liars Jyn has ever seen still baffles her.
Accepting that she's been caught, Rey drops her head and sighs, "How did you know?"
At that, Jyn does laugh, "You've barely eaten the last two days."
"Seriously, that's what gave me away?" Rey sounds disappointed.
"For a girl who eats as much as Chewbacca, yes it's a very telling sign."
Rey makes a disgruntled noise and bangs her head against the chair.
Taking the co-pilot's seat, Jyn waits for Rey to face her. While she does settle in the chair, Rey refuses to meet Jyn's eyes.
"Stardust," Jyn says, gently placing a hand on her daughter's knee, "please look at me."
After a tick, Rey does, eyes shining with unwelcome tears. Jyn's heart instinctively jolts inside her chest.
"I know you're worried about them."
"Then you understand why I have to go." she takes both of her mother's hands, eyes pleading.
She doesn't argue or question how Jyn could possibly understand. She's heard the stories, seen the unconditional love between her family – not just Mum and Papá, but Baze, Chirrut, Uncle Bodhi, even K-2SO.
Jyn looks torn for just a moment before she says, "Poe and Finn could be anywhere in the Western Reaches. How are you going to find them?"
"I don't know." Rey admits, "I'll figure it out."
"Stardust-"
"I can't just do nothing, Mum! How many times have you thrown caution to the wind to save Papá?"
Jyn mutters under her breath, "I knew you were going to bring that up."
Rey doesn't relent, "Rogue One, you risk everything for each other, no matter how impossible things seem. How can you expect me not to do the same for my friends?"
Because you're my daughter, and I fought the galaxy tooth-and-nail so that you'd never have to. You shouldn't have to.
There is a long silence in which Jyn feels those years of fighting finally catch up with her, stealing her breath and pressing down on her shoulders. The fire in Rey's eyes doubles over into concern.
"Mum?" she says, squeezing Jyn's hands.
Swallowing her apprehension, Jyn says, "There were also many times where every bone in my body was telling me to act, but I knew I couldn't." she makes sure to meet Rey's eyes when she says this, "I knew I couldn't because if I did, not only would those I loved still be in danger, but I'd be putting myself at risk."
Rey worries her bottom lip as Jyn goes on, "I know it goes against every instinct inside you, to wait instead of go after them, but sometimes you have to."
Another silence drags on and she says, "Remember your grandmother's last words to me?"
It's barely a whisper when Rey says, "Trust the Force."
Jyn nods, "I clung to those words as a child, and I tried. I really did try. I put my faith in Saw Gerrera, in the Partisans. When they failed me, I decided I'd never trust anyone but myself."
"Then you joined the Rebel Alliance."
"We just called it the Rebellion, and you're getting ahead of me." Jyn says with a smile, "First I met Papá, then the rest of Rogue One. Rey, they reminded me what it is to have hope. Every time I am at my lowest, they keep coming back for me, no matter what. They allowed me to trust again, to have faith in something greater than myself."
Placing her hands on Rey's shoulders, Jyn says, "Have faith in your friends, Stardust. Have faith that they'll come back to you."
Tears escape the corners of her eyes, but Rey nods and gives a small smile. They power down the ship and head home on foot, just as the sun is peeking over the mountain ridge.
It doesn't really surprise Jyn when another week goes by without word on the boys or their droid, K-2 and Rey are nowhere to be found and there's a note on the kitchen counter.
Mum and Papá,
Don't be mad at K. I asked him to come. I'll be careful.
I will find them. Have faith.
- Rey