Author's Notes: I apologize if this little moment I created is not in sync with the movie, but I only saw the movie twice quite a number of weeks ago. I also recently finished reading the novel, which left me less-than-impressed in terms of description and depth. I consider this one-shot a missing scene in the movie, even though the novelization offers a different version that is very brief and unimpressive. As always, I hope I do justice to the characters and the galaxy in which they reside, and I did my best to remain spoiler-free.
Summary: Before Rey departs the Resistance, she goes to visit a friend in the infirmary and discovers another one.
Disclaimer: I make no money and only write about what I enjoy.
Healing
The entire ambience was like nothing she had ever experienced. There was a chaotic vibe to every moment despite the calm after the proverbial storm had passed. Celebratory chatter continued to fly in the air around her like winged annoyances. She, too, wanted to join in on that residual post-victory joy, but her heart was burdened with those who could not take part in the merriment. Unable to entirely give in to the enthusiasm surrounding her, Rey's thoughts concentrated on the past, the present, and the near-future of her impending mission. Her caution had over-taken her, knowing that her forthcoming mission could very well be nothing more than a failure, and by keeping her optimism guarded, Rey instinctively moved thoughtfully and slowly throughout the halls of the Resistance base.
As she moved, she noticed in her peripheral vision, the gray slated walls of the long hallway, and she was aware of the lighting above her head – that silvery tint bringing a pale and washed-out glow to the room off to the side of this corridor that was her destination. There was an aroma of stone and earth and mechanics and life that was rich and potent and unlike anything she could ever remember smelling amongst any kind of sentient life on Jakku. The deserts on Jakku bore no scents, other than that of the over-worked people and the livestock. Even the mechanical beasts she scavenged upon bore the odors of dead machinery and rancid metallic fluids. It was a stark contrast to the Resistance base, and she marveled over how the mechanics here didn't smell of dead machinery.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves as she grew closer to her destination, Rey once again took in in the aromas of the supportive community that lived within the command center around her. The doorway of her destination beckoned her presence, and her heart felt the pain within it once again. Flashes of the past couple days flew throughout her mind's eye, and more often than not, she returned to that bridge – that horrible, awful bridge. Rey had not remembered screaming with so much agony like that, but her heart had been broken. She had finally felt reunited with something that gave her genuine joy for the first time in her life, and now it was gone. It was all over in an instant – a slow, deliberate instant – but it was far too fast for her to fully comprehend. Yet, somehow, her brain had processed the events, and after she had a moment to let that horrible event wash over her fully, she was left with those dark thoughts of sadness eating away at her.
Closing her eyes, she took a breath and escaped the recurring memory of the bridge, only to be thrown instead into that cold forest. She opened her eyes hoping to dissolve that nightmare as well, praying her concentration would find some other place to go as she returned her attention to the gray walls and that now-familiar silver-tinted lighting, but it was too late. And, she knew it was too late, despite her gallant efforts. Rey's thoughts weren't letting go of that black-robed menace and his hateful anger at everything and everyone. What he did to Finn – the first real friend she truly had – was inexcusable, releasing a determination in her that she did not know she possessed. She wanted to see that figure of evil removed from the galaxy, removed from ever hurting others ever again, but it had not been the right time for that to happen. Instead, she was left seeing the faces of the one who was lost and the one who was injured in memory flashes before her, and she wanted nothing more than to have them back – both of them.
Knowing she could not do anything ever again for the one missing face, Rey decided that she needed to put her effort into being certain she saw Finn before she left for her mission. It was the least she could do for him, and she only wished she could see the other one in the infirmary as well, but that…that moment on the bridge had ensured it would never happen. Feeling a chill that didn't have anything to do with the gray clothing she wore or the modifications she made to the tunic by turning it into short-sleeves with separated gray arm coverings, Rey resolved herself to accept whatever she would find in the other room. No matter what condition Finn was in, she was going to see him and make her peace before her departure. She owed him that and even more for everything he did for her.
Steeling her resolve, Rey stepped beyond the doorframe and saw a dark-haired man talking softly with one of the medical technicians. The technician was an older woman, with short red hair that had turned mostly gray. Her white and gray clothing seemed bright amidst the dull gray of the walls, but her gentle demeanor belied the harshness of her square-jawed face. In contrast, the ebon-haired man was wearing dark brown pants tucked into military-style black boots with a tan tunic that hung loosely but comfortably on him. Rey had seen him in passing amongst the other Resistance pilots and quickly remembered seeing him in the briefing in which the Resistance pieced together Luke Skywalker's map. During those suspenseful moments while the droids worked to interlace the maps they each had, neither she nor the pilot had time to be formally introduced, and with her mission starting very soon, Rey hadn't sought him out to make an acquaintance of her own. However, it seemed that this pilot was in no hurry to leave the infirmary, and Rey maintained a polite distance, stepping just outside the doorframe again.
Leaning upon the doorframe casually, Rey did her best to not bring any attention to herself while she continued to give the technician and the pilot some confidential space. She didn't stop her eyes from glancing occasionally, to try and gauge how much longer the two Resistance members would be, and she was aware that the two of them were standing near the unconscious Finn as he lay on a specialized bed. The technician softly answered questions that the pilot was asking, her eyes scanning down towards a datapad every so often, to confirm the information she was providing.
After a few moments, the pilot nodded his thanks to the technician as she walked away, and he gave a hopeful glance at Finn.
"No sense hiding in the corner," he said, with his arms crossed over his chest, shooting a look over his shoulder in Rey's direction.
"I'm not hiding," she told him sternly but calmly, as she stepped forward. "It's called courtesy, and I was offering you that."
Bringing her eyes to the pilot, Rey watched as he turned towards her, smiling with some kind of mischievous glint in his dark irises. His lips were upturned in a way that was not quite amused while being friendly in some roguish way.
"I'm finally honored to meet you," he now told her resting one of his hands on his belt. "BeeBee-Eight speaks very fondly of you."
Rey felt her cheeks warm up a little, and allowed a small smile. There was a far different environment in the infirmary than what echoed throughout the rest of the base. It was private and intimate in this section, and whatever celebratory vibe was outside these walls had not yet found a way to get inside. Despite not feeling the triumphant mood that other areas of the base was experiencing, Rey was strangely able to feel a contentment that didn't involve loud chatter and excitement. "Well, to be honest I didn't want the droid's company at first. But, he was persistent, though."
"Persistence is one of BeeBee's best qualities, and I dare say that he's been persistently growing smitten with you," the pilot explained, his smile widening. "He has a lot to say about this scavenger girl named Rey that he met. Said you're fast with a ship and know your way around mechanics."
Rey let out a small chuckle at that. "Do you believe everything a droid tells you?"
"Actually, I do," he answered, taking a step closer. He then brought a hand forward, offering it to her. "I'm Poe. We haven't formally met yet." Offering her a wink, he continued, "And, BeeBee's getting a long-deserved oil bath, in case you were wondering."
Rey took his hand and shook it firmly. She offered another small laugh at the thought of BeeBee-Eight settling into a bath and being ornery in his seemingly quaint manner. However, recognizing the pilot's name cut her mental image short. She took his hand in a grateful grasp, having finally met the pilot Finn spoke so highly about. "Finn said you're the pilot he helped. He thought you had died."
Releasing her hand, Poe returned his to his belt, his face losing some of that roguish charm and growing sincere. "Lucky for Finn I survived. Now, I have the honor of owing him one. Usually others owe me, but…"
Rey nodded silently letting the sentence hang between them, her eyes drifting off towards Finn's unconscious form. She knew that what Poe said didn't need finishing. She owed Finn as well. He came back for her when she thought she was alone, and all he got for his trouble was life-threatening injuries.
Watching Rey's attention turn to Finn, Poe dared to put a gentle hand upon her shoulder. He looked to her face, concentrating on her dark eyes and the wild mass of emotions behind them. He could see that she was not unattractive, and he felt a momentary flash of envy at Finn for having the opportunity to know this Rey in some way that he didn't. What that way was, he wasn't sure, but there was something about her that beckoned him to give her his attention. "Hey, he'll pull through. He just needs time. That's what I came here to find out, also. The medical staff have no doubt about that."
Rey took a deep breath, her eyes shifting to Poe again. She wasn't entirely certain what to make of the way his hand so casually touched her. They had no history together, not like she and Finn did, but she had no desire to push Poe away either. He was offering support and kindness, and she was just unfamiliar with the concept. Too many years of living alone – and living a lonely existence – had left her with confusion over the kind gestures of others.
"I…" Rey paused, considering if she could dare ask such a request of someone who was nearly a stranger to her, but not to Finn. "Would you do your best to be here when he wakes up?"
Poe grasped her shoulder tighter, maintaining his gentle pressure. "I'll do what I can. I promise you that. If I can be here, I will make it my utmost priority."
Rey nodded, her eyes thanking him more than her humble words of "Thank you" had. She saw he truly meant what he said about being here for Finn. "And, tell him I'll be back as soon as I can."
It was Poe's turn to nod in reply this time, and while he would have enjoyed staying longer with this Rey, he didn't want to cause the moment to grow stale. It would only make things awkward, and if it was one thing he was good about, it was knowing when to take his leave. Giving another quick squeeze on her shoulder, he released his grasp.
Offering another huge grin, Poe glanced at the doorway. "I better check on BeeBee-Eight. I don't want to hear it from Threepio that BeeBee used all the hot oil before he could get some."
At that, Rey laughed in response, watching Poe as he stepped past her. When he reached the door, she couldn't help herself. She needed...something. She had no idea why, but her voice acted of its own accord and called out to him. "Poe."
The pilot stopped before he got through the doorway and looked back to Rey. Something about the way her voice said his name had a very pleasant ring to it, and he hoped there would be a time that he would hear it again.
"You're a good friend," she told him, stumbling momentarily with where to go from there, but then finding clarity in what she needed to hear out loud and sensed he did as well. "Finn knows that, and I'm grateful that you are here to help him, like he was there to help you."
There was nothing Poe could say to her words. He was a good pilot, and he watched out for his squadmates like any good leader should, but he wasn't always sure he was a good friend. It was something he hadn't expected to hear, and he could only give her a smile in reply as he disappeared into the hallway. He didn't lie about BeeBee-Eight growing smitten with Rey, but now he saw for himself how her strength and her authenticity attracted others to her.
Looking at the empty doorway for only a few short moments, Rey decided not to dwell on the brief encounter with Poe. They both had needed some kind of reassurance on Finn's recovery, and she was grateful she didn't have to walk into the infirmary, metaphorically, alone. Her thoughts returned to Finn, and she had made it her priority that she see him before she departed. She wasn't certain she could leave on her mission until she saw for herself that he was going to heal. It wasn't that she didn't trust the medical staff or what Poe had told her, it was that she had to see him for herself and let him know that she would be back. They would not be apart forever, and they were friends – something she had in very short supply until recently.
Footnote: The book uses "BeeBee-Ate" in regards to BB-8 in the written form, and it just looks strange – like an unfinished sentence (BeeBee ate what…?). I decided instead on my own spelling of "BeeBee-Eight" to help detract from the awkward sentence structure I see in the "official" novelization spelling.