Small Moments

Months. Months. So many months.

Time barely felt real anymore. Time was now measured in battles, in narrow escapes, in small moments of quiet. No longer measured in deep scrapes in a wall, an endless counter of every day she had waited.

Time brought her here. Another abandoned resistance base miles below ground level on a planet so old that its name had been long forgotten. Just like her, time had worn it down. Desperation had brought the few resistance members left here. The base was left in a state one would expect from a mass evacuation. Old tech and barely functioning starfighters. A shadow of the past was no the vision of the resistances future.

Leaning against a dusty old crate, her legs crossed, and her hands rested in her lap she let out an exhausted sigh. Rey closed her eyes tightly and hummed to herself. Listening closely to the scuffle of resistance fighters moving through one corridor to another. They had escaped again, and everyone was celebrating. To live was a victory.

"Rey?" Him. His energy had become so familiar to her as if it were her own. Warm and welcoming, an intoxicating mixture. "Opposed to some company?"

Opening her eyes, she was greeted with the site of Poe Dameron's bright and cocky smile. A bottle of whiskey silently offered up by his side. With a small smile she nodded slowly and shifted over to make room for him to sit next to her.

"Good." Without losing his grin he took the spot next to her and lifted the bottle. "I brought us some libations. To celebrate."

Scoffing she swiped the bottle from his hands and twisted the cap off and took a sniff. The strong smell caused her to grimace. "Are you sure this is whiskey?"

Shrugging he grabbed it back and took a long swig. "I think it might have been here before we got here." He inspected the bottle cautiously as if contemplating how old it might be than added, "The first time."

"Time has not been kind to it." Grabbing it back from him she took a sip. "Yeah… it might be older than this base." Wincing she shoved it back into his hands. "That's all yours flyboy."

"Your loss," he snorted but placed it to his side instead of drinking. "So… what brings a girl like you to a place like this?" Poe turned to her and gave her a dashing smile, topping it with a wink for good measure.

Shrugging. "Its quiet. A good place to think." Reaching over him; just barely grazing against him, she grabbed the questionable drink and brought it to her lips. "This better not kill me."

"I sure hope not. That would be a loss."

"For the rebellion."

"For me." His low tone brought a shiver up her spine. Poe had a habit of saying things that made her hope… truly hope that she wasn't just needed because she was a Jedi. That maybe a scavenger from nowhere might one day be someone's more.

"Always the sweet talker." Chugging the whiskey until the burn in her throat spread through her body she finally relaxed enough to sigh and lean back.

Tapping absently on his knee he looked around the room. Closing inspecting every crate. "I have an idea." With that he was up and gone looking through an old pile of junk. "I saw something earlier… now where- there it is!"

"There is what?"

Triumphantly he held up a small radio. "Come here," he said, gesturing the radio towards a smaller crate.

Getting up slowly she dusted her hands off onto her pants. Closing watching him as he tinkered around with the radio. All while he muttered to himself, until finally a low melody began to play from its old speakers.

"Dance with me?" Not waiting for a response, he slipped his hand into hers and pulled her forward causing her to trip and fall against his chest as she erupted into giggles.

"I really… don't think I can." Rey laughed. "I mean, I have never danced before. She was truly laughing as he spun her around repeatedly until she was dizzy and falling back into his arms.

Pulling her tightly against him he smiled coyly down at her. Her chest pressed firmly against his while his hands rested tightly on her waist. "You're right… two left feet. I should hold on to you."

"Poe." His name was barely audible on her lips. The pilot had her rocking back and forth in his arms. Her hands placed gingerly on his arms while her head rested against his muscular chest. "Thank you."

"For what?" His voice now low and deep against her ear.

"Being here." Tilting her head up, with a small smile on her face as she watched his face soften. No more cockiness, no more flirtation. Just Poe. Smiling down at her.

"What are friends for?" They had stopped moving now.

Something felt different now, a feeling she wasn't familiar with. It made her heart race and her skin burn, it made her want to cling to it but also run from the foreign feelings. His gaze was intent on her, as if to memorize every feature.

"Rey." He brushed her hair from her face and leaned forward. Slowly until his mouth was on top of hers. Gently at first, a cautious invasion as if worried she would run. She moaned against his lips and pressed herself up against him beckoning him to deepen the kiss.

"Poe," the Jedi gasped against his lips. "Please." He kissed her again answering her desperate plea. The pilot's hands now roaming up and down her back, pulling her as tightly as he could against her.

"Commander Poe Dameron please report to command control. Commander Poe Dameron, please report to command control."

Breathlessly they pulled away, the moment now gone but the force between still warm and electric between them.

"I have to go."

"You have to go."

"Rain check." He cleared his throat and looked away, visibly shaken by the turn the evening had taken. "Rain check on… whatever that was."

Rey didn't answer. She just watched him leave. A new reason to count the moments.