Rosella said nothing as the night progressed. Poe had sat by her side, holding onto her as Katrine slept on the small camp bed in the corner. They knew that when the morning came then the First Order would be there. Poe had let Katrine fall asleep before taking hold of Rosella by the hand, urging her to her feet. She furrowed her brow as she let him drag her off further into the base.

"I need to show you these fighter ships," Poe said. "Just because they are too bad not to be seen."

"This isn't filling me with confidence, Poe," Rosella said as they came to the ships and she looked up to them, shaking her head back and forth as Poe climbed up on one, the steps by the side of it.

Rosella followed him, climbing slower as she saw Poe climb onto the wing and she remained on the top step. Poe looked down to it and crouched down, knocking on the glass of the windshield. A part of it broke away and Rosella placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a loud and dry laugh. Poe held the glass and shook his head, tossing it over his shoulder.

"And you are certain that you should be using these?" she asked from him.

"No," Poe said, "but I don't think we have any other option."

"This is madness," Rosella said in a small voice.

"I never thought this would happen," Poe admitted, sitting on the edge of the wing as Rosella perched on the final step of the ladder, lifting her hand up to take hold of his as Poe laced their fingers together. "I always thought that the Resistance would win. I never thought that the likes of the First Order could beat us."

"And now?" Rosella wondered, looking up to him as he shrugged.

"I still have hope," he said, "but it is wavering."

Rosella nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. "I think everybody pretty much feels the same right now."

"Really?" Poe asked from her.

"Yes," Rosella said. "We are outnumbered. No one has answered the call for help. The First Order will be here in a few hours. I just don't know how much more we can take, Poe."

Poe nodded. "I know," he whispered to her and kissed the back of her hand. "I know."

…

Rosella had told Katrine to stay back while she stood with Poe, the two of them behind the General as she looked out over Crait. The door to the base was slightly open as some of the Resistance fighters had gone to hide in the trenches outside the base. Rosella had narrowed her eyes after a few moments, spotting something in the distance before she recognised the familiar sound of the TIE fighter. She grabbed hold of Poe's elbow and he nodded.

"Everyone get a blaster!" he demanded as the TIE fighters grew closer, but they were following another ship. Rosella frowned. She couldn't help but think it looked similar to the ship Kylo Ren used.

It was heading straight towards the base as Poe yelled for the doors to close. Running backwards, Rosella took hold of Katrine, standing back as some of the members of the Resistance fired at the incoming ship as it hurtled towards them. Somehow, it managed to get underneath the closing door as Rosella picked Katrine up. The door closed, but the ship was already inside, everyone firing on it and moving around it.

But then voices entered their ears, begging for them to hold their fire. Poe held a hand up, indicating that they should hold their fire. They did so and it was then when two people poked their heads from the top of the ship. Rosella smiled widely as she spotted Finn alongside a woman who, she suspected, was Rose.

Rosella laughed as Poe fell to his knees at the sight of BB-8 moving towards them and she carried Katrine towards him. She let the little girl slide down her side onto the floor, keeping hold of her hand as she knelt down by Poe's side and he continued fussing BB-8.

"Oh, buddy, I am so glad to see you," Poe said, beaming widely as Rosella laughed softly and BB looked to her as she moved to run a hand down his side and he whirled to her.

"Oh, don't worry," Rosella said, "I've been keeping an eye on him."

BB-8 whirled again and tilted to the side, clearly intrigued. "Oh," Rosella said. "This is Katrine. She is a friend of ours. Katrine, this is BB-8; Poe's droid."

The robot whirled as Katrine laughed and looked to the droid who held out an extended hand, offering to shake her hand. She took hold of it as Poe smirked and looked to Rosella as she ran a hand down Katrine's back and stood up. Finn was making their way to them and Rosella flung her arms around him, holding onto him.

"I am so glad you're alive," she said in a hushed voice into his ear and he pulled back, nodding.

"Same," he said as Poe moved to embrace him.

"Listen, I need to get the equipment up and running. The First Order will be here soon. Finn, can I trust on you to fly out with me?"

"You can rely on me," Finn said and Poe slapped him on the back before moving away. It was then when Finn moved a hand to Rosella's shoulder, causing her to turn to look at him.

"I need a word," he whispered.

He motioned with his head for her to follow him, which she did so. She made sure Katrine was fine with BB-8 before following Finn to where the ship had just crashed. He stood tall, hands behind his back as he let out a sharp breath and nodded his head.

"General Hux was the one who was going to execute Rose and I," Finn said to her. "He caught us and he…he said some things, Rosella, about you. I don't know if it was some type of warning he wanted me to pass on, but he wanted me to know that if he ever saw you then he would be forced to kill you."

"I already knew that," Rosella said in a small voice.

"No, there was something more," Finn said with a shake of his head. "I know Hux. I served under him and Phasma. He isn't a kind man, but he…he put this into my pocket before hitting me."

"Why?" Rosella wondered as Finn pulled out a piece of paper. "If he was going to execute you then why did he give you this?"

Finn handed her the paper and she looked to it, noticing how it was neatly folded. Unfolding it, she peered down and almost felt a thud in her chest at the sight of it. She placed a hand over her mouth as Finn saw her look away. He moved slowly to peer down to the paper.

"A letter," Finn said.

"I need a minute," Rosella said in a whisper, turning away, but Finn took hold of her by the shoulder to stop her.

"What is it? Why did he give this to me?"

"Because he…I don't know," Rosella said with a shake of her head, walking further into the base and looking to the paper, remembering exactly when she had seen him write it.

Six Years Ago

Armitage walked outside to see Rosella sat amongst the grass. She had her legs folded and wore a blue pantsuit. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail and Armitage didn't remember seeing her hair that long before. He walked out onto the grass and saw her writing on a pad of paper. He furrowed his brows and settled down on the grass next to her, his hand moving to her back and resting there as she turned to look to him, offering him a smile and a peck on the cheek.

"What are you writing?" Armitage wondered from her.

"Nothing entirely special," she informed him. "I just like to write down memories from time to time…the good ones…"

"And what one is this?" Armitage enquired from her.

"From the other night," Rosella responded, putting the paper down and daring to wrap an arm around her husband's waist as she leant against his side and Armitage almost felt welcoming as he moved a hand to her cheek, stroking slowly along it.

"When we were reading together," Rosella said, "and just what I felt."

"And what did you feel?"

"I felt as though we were…for once…a married couple," Rosella admitted to him. "I know that we are married, but I never really knew what that should feel like. I never knew what I should feel and I don't know if you felt the same."

"I…I do," Armitage said to her. "I know that my father always suspected that I was weak and I think that he was wrong. Being with you does not make me weak…being with you makes me feel stronger. Knowing that I have you is enough to make me feel as though I can conquer anything."

"I know that your father hates me," Rosella said.

"He hates everyone," Armitage informed her. "I would try not to take it too personally, Rosella."

"I do not," she said, "but I just want you to know that he is wrong about you."

"Thank you," Rosella said.

"And that diary entry," Armitage said. "May I keep it? Because…you're not the only one who feels lost, Rosella. Sometimes I don't know what you're thinking and sometimes I don't know how to ask. I am not the best with conversation. I think we both know that."

"You want to know what I think?" she asked.

"I always want to know what you think," Armitage said in a whisper. "You are my wife."

Rosella nodded. "Okay," she said and moved to her knees and turned to face him as Armitage looked to her with an arched brow. "But you have to write something to tell me what you're thinking. I think it should work both ways. I…you're right, Armitage…we're not the best at talking about things. Maybe this will be a way to work for both of us?"

Armitage seemed to consider what she was saying for a moment before he nodded his head and leaned towards her, his hand going to her cheek and brushing back some stray strands of hair that had fallen from the ponytail. He leaned in and Rosella's breath faltered as she felt his lips press against hers. Pulling back, he looked at her after a moment.

"All you need to know is that I think you are stunning," he whispered to her and she smiled at hearing him, wondering exactly what she was thinking as she moved to kiss him again, her hand wrapping around the back of his neck as she struggled to think about anything else but her husband.

Now

Rosella continued to look to the letter, wondering why he had kept hold of it. He had written the letter to her, telling her exactly what he felt about her six years ago. Was he trying to torture her? Is this what he wanted? She sad nothing as she pocketed the letter into her jumpsuit and turned in time to see Poe making his way towards her. She forced a smile onto her face as Poe stood before her.

"Come on," Poe said to her. "I need you to go with Katrine and stay out of the way."

"Is it time?" she wondered and Poe nodded, taking her hand and dragging her towards the control centre.

"Yeah," Poe said with a nod of his head. "Listen to me, Rose, I know what Leia told you-"

"-I am not running," she interrupted him.

"No," Poe said with a shake of his head. "You might not want to, but I think you might have to if this goes wrong. I'm not going to see you go back to him and have him hurt you. Katrine needs to be protected. She is a child and she loves you just as you love her. She is innocent in all of this and she needs protecting."

"But I need you," Rosella said.

Poe took hold of the ring she wore around her neck, holding it between them. "And you will always have me," Poe said in a whisper, "but we both know I am not invincible, Rose. Just…please…if it comes to it then just go. Take Katrine and go."

Poe took hold of her by the cheeks as everyone geared up and he knew he had to go. Before she could argue with him anymore, his lips pressed on hers and he kissed her hastily, pouring every emotion in the kiss as she grabbed hold of him too. He pulled back after a few seconds and looked her in the eye.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Poe Dameron," she responded and kissed him once more before releasing him and seeing him move to his own ship. Closing her eyes for a second, she held his ring in her fingertips, longing for him to be kept safe during the battle.

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!