Far Away From Nowhere

Chapter 9: Let's Dance For A While

Poe Dameron woke up gradually, halfway in between dream and memory, cotton ball tufts framing the visions and crafting cobwebs of uncertainty in his consciousness.

He remembered pain. That was all. It was a blinding, crushing pressure that consumed his faculties, casting him into a starless void.

Poe heard screams, of adults, of children. He clung to their fear and perceived their emotions as a living beast with sharp claws, tearing into his memories and devouring them with an evil gleam on its face.

Yet, on the brink of succumbing to this creature, Dameron felt something else. Tingling, it began to spread through his limbs, washing away all doubts, filling his mind with nothing but peace and serenity.

Poe felt there was a living, breathing source of this happiness, and so he stubbornly opened his eyes, turning away from the darkness.

Everything was too bright, too blurry. Poe mustered every ounce of strength he had to wake up, and his vision slowly cleared.

A woman's face greeted him.

She was younger than him by about a decade. Her long brown hair was pulled back into loops, and her hazel eyes were looking away from him, unfocused yet completely concentrated on her task. Poe thought she was beautiful, but not in an overly romantic way. She was unique, and Dameron recognized her. Where had he seen her before? He cursed his foggy mind for not cooperating with his own desire for clarity.

Poe closed his eyes as a stab of pain traveled across his ribcage, but instantly another wave of warmth swept over him, eradicating the discomfort. Dameron carefully opened his eyes again and studied the young woman's movements. Then he realized—she was holding his left hand, massaging it gently. Each time her hand rolled into his, kneading his palm, another pacifying wave washed over him. Dameron wondered whether she was a healer or a Jedi. But then the glow drenched him again in peacefulness, and he accepted the sensation freely, not particularly caring who this woman was—simply that she was.

Is this a dream?

Poe gave into the deliciousness of the feathery bed beneath him, the hand massage, and a soft sigh escaped his lips.

The young woman glanced at him, only then noticing that he was awake. Surprise turned to delight on her face, almost as tender as her touch on his skin.

"Welcome back!"

Her voice was airy and musical, a hint of a blush on her cheeks. The light from the windows behind them created a halo effect around her figure, illuminating her features.

Dameron wanted to pinch himself. He thought: Am I dead? Then something strange happened. The words passed from his brain to his lips, but when his throat worked to make the sounds, only a muffled wheeze came out.

Poe froze, trying to speak again. His throat was gratingly sore and wouldn't cooperate; it would only produce silence. Dameron's mouth opened slightly, alarm likely registering on his face, because the woman said, "Your throat is damaged. The doctors expect it may take as long as a month or two to heal."

The pilot's hand immediately clasped beneath his chin, panicking. He hadn't noticed the thick swathe around his neck before. How much time had passed since he was awake? What had happened exactly?

BB-8.

Poe had to make sure the droid was safe after what happened on Jakku. That had been his fault entirely. And there was someone else he had forgotten. The pilot shut his eyes in frustration, his fists clenched.

"Poe?

He wracked his brain to remember the image of his friend, his smile, the sight of him in a cell, lying motionless on a cot.

Finn.

This fantasy was over. Dameron had to get moving; he had people to check on. So the pilot attempted to move, rustling under thick blankets despite the immediate wave of weakness that surged over his body.

"Poe, stop!"

Dameron paused and panted from the small exertion, his head resting back on his pillow even though every muscle in his body wanted to bolt, to make sure his friends were all right. Some bruised ribs and a burning throat were no big deal.

"You're staying here a bit longer," the woman said, her tone an equal part admonishment and worry. "Here." She reached into a pack on the floor beside her and pulled out a small computer pad with an attached keyboard.

"What do you remember?" she asked him intently.

Poe took the keyboard, typing a single word.

FINN

He thrust the machine back in her hands, and the woman smiled when she read his message.

"He's fine, Poe. He left the hospital a few days ago, and the doctors were able to replace the support brace along his back. He can walk again." She leaned in closer to him, and he picked up her scent—it reminded him of the freshness of tree sap. She asked again: "What do you remember?"

This lady is persistent. Poe searched his memory. He vaguely recalled bits and pieces, but they were all scrambled together. The woman handed back the keypad to him, and Poe typed slowly.

A MISSION?

She nodded after reading his response. "Yes. Go on."

Dameron took the keyboard back and thought.

CAVE?

She smiled. "Yes. What else?"

But Dameron was done playing her game of answering questions. I have a few of my own, sweetheart.

WHERE'S BB-8?

As if on cue, Poe heard a familiar set of beeps, and the scurrying droid zoomed down the center aisle of the medical ward.

Dameron immediately shouted out but was only rewarded with an aching and constricting throat. Placing one hand over the bandage in his neck, Poe reached the other one down to stroke BB-8's head assuredly. The droid was beeping up a storm, asking him all kinds of questions, and the pilot's heart sank when he knew he couldn't answer them all. But he typed into the keypad and lowered it for the droid to see.

BUDDY! ARE YOU OK?

BB-8 chirped an affirmative, and Poe settled back into his bed, continuing to pat the droid as it cooed happily. The pilot felt exhausted by this reunion but also relieved that his friends were alive.

His attention turned to the woman sitting by his bed who had sat motionlessly, but then she reached down and stroked the droid's head as well. BB-8 beeped and sidled up to her. So it knew her.

Poe examined the woman more closely and searched his memory for traces of her. He typed into the keypad, and she looked at it.

I KNOW YOU?

She smiled again—such a bright smile! "I'm Rey."

The name struck a chord in his thoughts. He remembered a dark place, lying on the rocky ground, and the woman kneeling in front of him, telling him to sleep.

YOU SAVED ME

Rey nodded. "And you saved Finn and BB-8. You sacrificed yourself for them."

Poe managed a half smile and typed more.

I OWE YOU ONE

Rey shook her head. "Let's call ourselves even."

Poe inclined his head in deference, and that was when he noticed his old jacket covering him, spread on top of the sheets. The jacket—Finn's jacket—was the last thing he saw as tiredness seeped through his bones. Rey removed the computer pad and placed his now-limp hand from BB-8's head back on the cot beside his torso. Poe sighed and felt inward peace as he drifted off. Rey didn't need to lull him to sleep this time; the pilot closed his eyes with a blissful smile on his face.


Finn couldn't remember whose idea it was to have a picnic. His mind was already preoccupied with the orders from General Organa during his latest briefing that morning—training and a leadership position to start immediately. Her orders were thrilling and an honor, but Finn was left wondering just how busy he would be for the next few months. The Resistance was missing its best pilot, (although they had reclaimed Luke Skywalker and a Kenobi) and they were constantly searching for new recruits. Leia had been impressed with Finn's performance on his last mission. Finn couldn't help but wonder if she had even bothered to read his report or the parts where he mentioned being captured, causing Poe's imprisonment and torture, etc.

But his training and relentless schedule would start tomorrow. Today was his picnic with Rey and Poe and BB-8. And it was going to be a success if it was the last thing Finn ever did.

He had ordered a variety of foods from the mess hall that day and stuffed a pack full of them, including a thermos filled with cold tea. The plan was to meet Rey in the medical bay. Poe hadn't been outside since Vera 5, and Rey thought the outing would do him good. Anything to make his friend smile. Finn had only seen the man smile once since he woke up, and that was when Finn first saw him again after the mission gone awry. It was strange not to hear his voice, joking with just the right amount of sarcasm.

Focus on the positives. Rey is safe. Poe is safe. You can walk again.

The ex-stormtrooper didn't have to be reminded how lucky he was that he had regained his mobility. One of the first things he had done after being released by the medical staff was go for a run. He ran for an hour, through the landing field and forest surrounding the Resistance base. He ran until his legs nearly buckled and sweat poured down his back, but the act was necessary and invigorating. Finn was determined now to be useful, to be part of any group that would defeat the First Order.

Rey's smile was brighter than the sun streaming through the med bay's massive windows when Finn met her and Poe at its entrance. Poe sat in a wheelchair, computer pad resting in his lap, and Finn felt disconnected from this scene for a moment; it was strange, this role reversal.

But Finn brandished a winning smile to match Rey's and held up his bag of food.

"Hope you're both hungry!"

Rey bent over to exchange a knowing glance with Dameron. "We practiced walking a bit today."

Her comment brought a rush of color to the pilot's cheeks, and he shrugged. Finn stepped closer to them and punched Poe's arm teasingly.

"That's great! You'll have to show me when we get to the picnic spot."

Poe looked away, as if embarrassed, and nodded half-heartedly. Finn swallowed back a bitter taste as he examined his friend again. Every day, the pilot looked better, but there were still dark circles under his eyes that never went away, no matter how much Dameron rested. Most of the bandages were gone, save a thin strip of cloth around his throat that had been dipped in bacta. Still, there was something that had changed about his friend. The pilot Finn knew before their mission on Vera 5 had been exuberant, cocky, and brash. There had always been a level of optimism in Poe that Finn had never seen in another being before. But after the incident on Vera 5, that spark had vanished. His frame was thin underneath the brown leather jacket, the one he refused to take off since Finn had draped it over him on the Falcon.

Finn told himself that his friend was still healing. Poe would be back to normal any day now.

This is why we're going on the picnic. To help Poe get better.

Finn took a quick breath and gestured towards the doors leading outside.

As if on cue, BB-8 came bursting through the very same doors, beeping euphorically. Finn could have hugged the droid at that moment, because its entrance made Dameron beam. Instantly, Poe reached down to pat the droid and gave it a thumbs-up.

Finn felt guilt tug at his heart again. He hadn't told Poe that BB-8 was going to be assisting him with his pilot training and new duties in the future. But he supposed that too could wait until after the picnic.

The four exited the medical bay and into the glorious afternoon. D'Qar's sun had finally come out from behind a sheath of thick clouds to heat the ground under their feet and soak into their skin. The warmth was heavenly, and as Rey pushed him, Finn spied Poe's eyes close with delight, basking in the scent of trees and grass and living things.

They only had to walk for a few minutes, and in that time, Finn admired Rey's calm presence. Ever since she divulged her heritage to him, she had been relatively silent on the base, spending most of her time looking after Poe. Finn couldn't be more grateful to Rey for her help, but he also wanted to encourage her to aid the Resistance. She was still training with Master Luke, but her schedule was more lax than it had been before. Perhaps she could join him in training so he wouldn't be alone?

Eventually they reached a spot on top of a hill looking down upon a small green field, surrounded by forest. Rey searched in her pack, her arm brushing the lightsaber she had reclaimed from Skywalker after Finn borrowed it, and she produced a beige blanket. With a flourish and a laugh, she spread it out on the grass.

Rey sighed, examining the scene around them. "It's perfect!"

Finn couldn't agree more. Poe began to stir in his chair, and the ex-stormtrooper immediately bent down to help him, but Dameron waved him away. The pilot angled his feet slightly and used the armrests on his chair for support as he stiffly rose into a standing position. With a commanding look from Rey, Finn stood next to Poe when the man took a few shuffling steps on the grass, his eyes sharp with concentration. His friends flanked him on either side, hands not touching him but outstretched in case he fell.

Dameron didn't stumble, but he handed the computer pad to Rey once his feet touched the blanket so that he could use both hands for stability as he lowered himself onto the ground. Finn disregarded the furious beating of his own heart afterwards as he busied himself with unpacking the bag of edibles. He didn't understand why he was still so protective of Poe. Perhaps it had something to do with how fragile the pilot was now.

Finn was proud to have brought a veritable feast. Most of it was soft fare, since Dameron had just started eating solid foods again, but the texture did not diminish the medley of flavors. There was a smooth cheese spread on fresh nutty rolls, fruit salad, steamed vegetables tossed in a vinaigrette, mashed legumes with gravy, and sweet rice pudding for dessert.

Rey sat down across from Finn so that they were all in a small circle. Her eyes widened in surprise at the variety of food Finn managed to scrape together, and Finn had to remind himself that Rey was still getting used to quantity of food and varying flavors offered by the Resistance. BB-8 matched Rey's amazement, whistling with envy. Meanwhile, Finn set out eating utensils and plates, pouring small cups of tea for his friends. He placed a cup in Poe's hands, and the man nodded back at him, a small smile flickering across his face for a moment before he looked away and brought the dark liquid to his lips.

It was a small piece of gratitude, but Finn would take it. He'd take whatever communication from Poe he could get.

BB-8 decided to explore the field below its human friends, and the three began to eat. Both Finn and Rey were deliberate in giving Poe first dibs on all the dishes, but the man only took a small amount of each food and proceeded to eat a tiny fraction of what was on his plate.

"Oh, c'mon!" Finn chided. "You can do better than that!"

Poe's eyebrows shot up at the outburst, and his face took on a pinched look, punching something into his handheld computer and showing it to Finn.

FOOD IS GOOD BUT NOT HUNGRY

Rey shot Finn a warning glare, and Finn sighed, hands up defensively. "Sorry, Poe. I just… I just want you to get better… I didn't mean to force you." Finn trailed off, shoving a spoonful of pudding in his mouth to stop from saying anything else that was going to get him into trouble. How could he tell Dameron that he wasn't angry at him? He was angry at the First Order and the villains who had hurt him.

After a few moments of painful silence, Rey hummed with pleasure, her eyes swooning after taking a bite of the legumes. "Poe, have you tried this gravy? It's monumental!"

Finn smirked. "Monumental gravy?"

Rey threw a spoon at his head, and Finn ducked.

Poe shook his head meekly and let Rey feed him a large portion of mashed beans in the rich sauce. Finn watched in astonishment as Poe nodded allowed her to feed him three spoonfuls more. Rey could truly work miracles.

"I knew you'd like it," she said, "but you'll need to save room for more."

"More?" Finn said with a laugh, glancing down at the large spread. "Have you got a cake up your sleeve?"

Rey's mouth opened in mock surprise. "How did you know?" And from the folds of her dress, she produced a small parcel. Removing the waxy paper, Rey revealed a frosted confection with white frosting on top and citrus filling between layers of spongy cake. Rey split the pastry in thirds and passed plates around. When Finn tasted a bite of it, his eyes rolled with delight.

"What do you call this?" he asked, his voice muffled by the mouthful of sweet.

Poe tapped his wrist, and he looked at the man's keypad, Rey following suit.

CALM BEFORE THE STORM CAKE?

Both of them immediately burst out laughing.

Then Rey had frosting on her face and both men took turns trying to get her to wipe it off without actually using words. Poe winked and scratched his chin; Finn mimicked the pilot's gesture as he wondered aloud where BB-8 had gone. Poe continued rubbing his chin as soon as Finn stopped, and Rey gave them an odd look.

"Why do you both keep doing that?" she said, causing Poe to grin and look away. Finn chuckled and took a napkin to Rey's face, dabbing at the frosting and showing it to her.

"Ohhh," she said then pushed Finn's shoulders, knocking him over when she realized she was the brunt of the joke.

As one hour became two, late afternoon became evening, and the sun began to dip lower in the sky. Rey was spread on the grass, engrossed in some book on ancient Jedi artifacts she had borrowed from Skywalker. Poe was picking at the remnants of his piece of cake, and Finn crisscrossed his hands above his face to capture the rays of yellow light blossoming to orange across the horizon.

BB-8 interrupted their reverie with some agitated beeps as it zoomed up the hill towards their picnic spot. At once, Poe got to his knees, placing a finger on the droid's head as it approached him. His hands opened, palms facing up questioningly, and Dameron pointed to his head. Finn observed the exchange with wonderment; the two had obviously figured out a kind of sign language, a way for the pilot to communicate without even using his keyboard.

BB-8 whirled excitedly, and Finn caught the gist of what the droid was saying. Other Resistance members began to join them on the hill and its slope. Some brought blankets and containers of food, like they had; others just picked a spot and lay on the cushioned grass.

Rey set her book down and watched the others. "A concert?"

Finn exchanged a look with Poe.

The ex-stormtrooper said, "I forgot there was a concert tonight. It's a Corellian harp thing."

Poe glanced at BB-8, and then Dameron grinned and clapped his hands. It was as if a light had turned on inside him, and the expression made Finn feel that all of the effort and planning that went into this day had been worth it. Even if Poe's smile vanished immediately after Finn saw it. Even if the pilot settled back onto the ground and began to scratch at the bandage around his neck, something Finn had seen him do countless times, almost unconsciously. Even though it was nothing more than a glimmer of hope, it was worth it.

Rey noticed Poe's sudden dip in energy and sat next to him, back to back, so that he could lean against her. BB-8 settled next to Finn, its lights flicking on and off, a sign of anticipation. At least a hundred Resistance members were sitting in twos and threes around them now, quieting down as the sun set at their backs. Then a man and a woman stepped out of the forest and walked towards the base of the hill, stopping in front of the audience where two chairs had been placed. Although their faces were difficult to see in the twilight, they both carried a small musical instrument. The instruments had strings and were heart-shaped; the woman's was slightly smaller than the man's, and she positioned it on her lap while the man set his on the ground.

"I've never heard the Corellian harp before," whispered Rey. "What's it like?"

Finn shrugged; he hadn't heard of it either. But Poe jabbed him on the shoulder and handed him the keypad.

IT SOUNDS LIKE DYING LOTH-CATS

Rey had to stifle her laughter when she read the message, which caused her to choke, which caused Poe to thump her on the back, which caused Finn to snicker uncontrollably. Then BB-8 beeped a rebuke at all of them to QUIET DOWN, like a stern parent, and the concert commenced.

Finn's first instinct was to cover his ears because he thought he thought it might be some form of torture. Then he realized that it was just the music. Like twin sirens, the shrill plucking of strings was a discordant sound for such a delicate instrument. It was so bad that Finn had to physically stop himself from stuffing napkins into his ears to cease the awful shrieks. As he glanced over at Rey, he could tell that she felt the same way because there was a pained expression on her face. And when Dameron nudged his shoulder again, Finn was almost hoping that the sound was too much for the pilot and would be the perfect excuse to leave early. But instead, Poe pointed to BB-8 and showed off the computer pad.

WATCH BB

Finn glanced at the droid, who appeared to be listening with rapt attention to the hideous music, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about it.

The ex-stormtrooper shrugged his shoulders and mumbled, "Why?"

A ghost of a smile hinted Poe's face.

JUST KEEP WATCHING

So Finn bared the intolerable concert a bit longer, sneaking side-glances at the droid whenever he could. And he was rewarded about five minutes into the performance.

BB-8 didn't make a sound, but it started moving right to left, swaying slightly in time to the music. As if unaware of what it was doing, more like a reflex, the droid bobbed its head back and forth, back and forth, lights blinking on and off.

Finn had never seen the droid do anything like it before. He twisted his neck around to face Dameron and mouthed, "Is it dancing?"

Poe just dipped his head in approval, an expression of fondness on his face, and Finn squeezed Rey's hand so she didn't miss the droid's moves. The unmistakable "awww" sound that came out of her mouth spoke louder than words. They were all incredibly touched by BB-8's response to the music. And as the concert went on, and BB-8 kept dancing, the raucous dissonance began to alter in Finn's mind. He started to pick out melodies and harmonies he hadn't heard before, and the sound took on a hypnotic quality, enchanting its listeners as the horizon turned crimson and a canopy of stars came out.

Finn took a deep breath and felt his friends breathe in unison with him. Rey's hand remained in his, her head resting on Poe's shoulder. In this way, they were connected, now and forever.

When the music finally stopped for a brief intermission, Rey pressed into Finn's hand, indicating Dameron. The pilot's eyes were closed, head bowed and leaning against Rey.

Finn nodded and patted BB-8's metallic shell.

"Time to go home," he said after the droid's chirping inquiry.

With Rey's help, Finn picked up Poe's light frame, careful to support his neck, and set the pilot gently back in his chair. While Finn made sure Dameron was secure, Rey pocketed her book, picked up the remaining foodstuffs, and gathered the dishes, storing them in Finn's pack and slinging it over her shoulders. BB-8 used its metal claws to fold up the blanket before holding it out to Rey to carry. Finn thought about placing the blanket over Poe's body, but the night held no chill, and the pilot's jacket was warm enough.

As the four headed back to the medical bay, Finn tried to push Poe's chair as slowly as possible. Rey didn't question his speed, and even BB-8 kept pace with the group at an even clip. It was because none of them wanted the day to end. Finn took a deep breath and tried to soak up the stars and the distant music of the Corellian harps as the doors to the Resistance base swished open.

A/N: Happy Day After Valentines! For those of you who were craving some serious fluff, you're welcome! For those of you craving serious Kylo and Poe angst, that'll be in the next chapter. Thank you again for all the favorites and follows! Did I mention that reviews make me go all Fosse and jazz hands? Well, they do. Let me know what you like, what you don't, and what I should include in future chapters! Hope you're enjoying the story!

~Ista ^_^