From this chapter onwards the plot deviates from The Last Jedi. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you enjoy this story, please leave a review.

Dreams

"You ready to go?" Rey asked Chewie beside her as she pulled her hair up into a tight bun. She reached down and checked that in her small rucksack she had everything. She wouldn't be returning to this island if she could avoid it.

"Arraaaarrrrrrrrrrhhhh" Chewie roared flicking the switches and preparing them for take off. The bracelet on her wrist flashed blue and Rey smiled. She would be home with the resistance soon. It would be so nice to be around familiar and kind people again. People who wanted to make a difference in the universe. Nobodies and somebodies alike, they were all there for a common cause. She thought of Leia's fierce face, her determined and balanced leadership. The way she had looked when Rey had arrived after Han's death… she was a woman so weathered by loss and pain and yet, she was the shining beacon of hope for so many. A truly good Skywalker, Rey thought to herself. And when she arrived back aboard would she be welcomed with open arms? What if her failure to convince Luke put her on strange terms with Leia? She thought of Kylo's tearful gaze as he took in the suns and moons around them on the floor of the hut and she smiled. She would be welcomed, she had such wonderful news.

She felt a pang of guilt and hurt ripple through her…Finn. She hadn't thought about him in days. So caught up in her mission, she forgot her best friend. Was he okay? Would he be able to walk? Last time she had seen him…she shuddered at the thought, so broken and nearly dead. He was a pillar of strength and of bravery, she didn't know what she would do if she didn't have his strong shoulder to lean on. They'd already been through so much together.

Chewie set the course and they flew on together passing planets and stars before the coast was clear for them to make the jump to hyper speed.

It had been just over an hour and they were already approaching to Resistance's fleet of ships. Rey smiled at the familiar sight and prepared the ship to enter the shields and land in the hanger. The flew in through the golden shield with no troubles and landed next to the tie-fighters. A crowd of people had already made their way down to receive them and Chewie cried out as they exited the ship.

"Rey!" a familiar voice called from behind her as she stepped out of the ship onto the hanger. She spun around and grinned. Running towards her from the door of the hanger was Finn, completely healed looking just as he always had. She laughed and sprinted towards him before leaping into his rib cracking hug. She didn't mind, her feet dangling off the ground she buried her face in his neck and let the relief and happiness wash over her. He felt warm and healthy. She inhaled his smell deeply and felt the overwhelming sense of home crash over her. The smell of sweat and oranges that came from his skin filled her nose and settled her mind. His clothes were slightly ragged and he wore the pilot Poe's jacket. He placed her down on the ground and beamed at her with his hand still on her shoulder as though anxious to let her go again. Rey immediately pressed him to take her to Leia. It was the middle of the night and so many people were asleep Finn had told her, Leia was in a meeting with the fellow commanders and it would be impossible to see her til morning. Rey hesitated, surely this mattered more than whatever they could be planning but she bit her tongue.

"You look exhausted" said Finn, his arm now around her shoulders and guiding her inside the ship. Now that he had said it she finally let herself feel it. Her arms and legs felt weak and her stomach groaned. She realised it had been well over 24 hours since she had last eaten anything, and the last meal she had had been a measly fish.

"I am starving and very, very tired" she admitted and Finn sighed. It was obvious he was anxious to hear about her journey and everything that had happened before that terrible day in the snow. She was curious too, she wanted to know what had happened to him, what the rebel plans were but they both silently agreed it could wait til morning. By Rey's approximations it would only be hours away now before breakfast would be served in the mess hall and the day began for the rebels aboard. Finn managed to sneak into the kitchen and give her some left over bread and soup from the dinner before and Rey graciously accepted. Not even waiting til they sat down she dug in and they filled the walk to her chambers with small talk about the ship and their friends who she would see tomorrow. Rey made sure not to mention anything to do with Kylo, at least not yet. She knew of everyone, Finn would be hardest person to convince. He hated Kylo almost as much as Luke did. And after all Finn had been through, where he had grown up, how could Rey blame him? She bit her lip as she gave him a farewell hug, she was glad she didn't have to cross that bridge just yet. She silently hoped that when it came to it Finn didn't just burn the bridge before she could place a foot on it.

She pressed her ID card to her door and walked inside letting the door slide closed behind her. She needed a warm shower, a glass of cold water and a long, deep sleep.

After she washed, and settled into her new environment she fell onto her cot. The mattress wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world but it was quite a better bed than the muddy floor and rocks she had grown accustomed to. She lay in her cot, her exhaustion suddenly consuming her. Her thoughts flickered in and out of consciousness…Finn was okay, he would be okay. Leia would meet her tomorrow…she could tell her all about Kylo in the morning. Her arms ached, her stomach ached, although the food was good - after surviving on fish for weeks her body needed time to adjust. She groaned and shivered. The ships were always too cold for her. Rolling over to her side, she pulled up the scratchy blanket to her neck. She smiled to herself at the thought of missing Jakku's heat. Her younger self would think her crazy, but she now knew that warmth and fire were two of the few things she truly loved and understood.

She yawned and longed for the heat as she drifted off into sleep. As the dreams started to set in her mind wandered to Kylo's face. The gentle concern, and the bewilderment as the suns and moons tied them together. She smiled and thought of the food she would eat in the morning, of the conversation she would have with Leia and of the banter she would have with Finn. She pulled up her legs to her chest and brought her hands up to her face. As she fell deeper into sleep she imagined that there was a warm band wrapped around her middle. The band felt heavy on her waist as she lay curled on her side but it was comforting, almost familiar. It bent and stretched to touch her stomach, and she smiled feeling the heat flood her body. The smell of leather, cloves and cool trickling water surrounded her. The band of heat grew from just her middle until she could feel it gently pressed to her back and down against her aching legs. It was all encompassing and she felt she could disappear within it completely as she pushed herself back into the heat source behind her. As her mind finally settled into rest, her heart felt glad of the warm dream or fantasy she was falling into. She revelled in the warmth and welcomed the gentle breathing on the nape of her neck playing with the tiniest of her hairs as she fell into deep dreamless sleep.