By the time the droid finished, Isla was fed up with it fussing over her. She was eager to get to Poe.
"Am I all set here?" Isla swung her legs from the medic table. "I need to check on my husband."
"I have not yet run your blood."
"It's probably just stress," she responded uncaringly as she pulled the IV from her arm and started off down the dark hallway. Like she needed an additional worry.
The medic droid was in a tizzy, shouting after her.
"But your bloodwork!"
…
She heard a commotion coming from one of the rooms to her left, so she ducked in discreetly. The room was completely occupied by droids, doctors, and generals. She knew she was in the right place.
"I don't know what to tell you, General." Tendra huffed. "He needs time. Despite the amount of bacta we have been able to obtain, we aren't magic."
Isla spotted Poe sitting up in bed. His eyes were dark in a way that she didn't entirely recognize in him.
"We are incredibly close to finding the droid unit," General Organa answered. "We need him to be ready to retrieve it at a moments notice."
"Tendra, Le—General." Poe cleared his throat. His voice was low. "I'm fine—"
"Your ribs are broken—your nose is broken. You most certainly have a concussion, and I haven't even finished my scan but I'm almost positive there is something wrong with your left hand as well. You think you can fly with a broken hand? You're going to be in a bacta tank for at least a day or two. Truthfully, it's a miracle you aren't dead."
"Willpower," he shrugged as he rested his head onto the pillow. This was going to get old real quick. "I can't sit around here and wait."
Isla sighed, a little more loudly than intended, and the entire room turned to face her.
"Isla!" Poe looked up.
"Lieutenant Dameron."
"Excuse me, Lieutenant—"
"Aren't you needed in the Control Room for debriefing?"
"For Kark's sake, let her in." Poe shouted over the controversy.
The General's eyes widened slightly.
The room quieted awkwardly and Isla stepped forward holding her head up. Some of the crowd parted for her, but most just ignored her and went on debating when Poe would be able to be utilized again.
"Hey there." She grabbed his hand.
"Did they take care of you already?"
She nodded.
"Nothing too serious. Just a finger and my nose, but they popped it right back into place."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there."
"Please." She chuckled. "I can handle a few broken bones. How are you? I overheard…"
"Not looking forward to my bacta bath if we're being honest." Poe glanced around. "But I need to get out there as soon as I can."
"Poe—"
"Times up, Lieutenant." General Organa spoke soberly. "We have some things to take care of and our man needs to get into that tank twenty clicks ago."
Isla shook her head curtly as she stood up. It would've been inappropriate to kiss her husband in front of their superiors anyway.
…
The Control Room felt cold; all eyes were fixed on Isla. She was at a loss for words. Her life felt like it was finally catching up with her—exhaustion had completely overtaken her body and mind. General Organa was looking at her somewhat strangely.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" Someone cleared his throat.
"Right." Isla forced herself to stand up straighter. "Full disclosure, we were ambushed as we were about to take off. I don't think they were looking for anything other than to make a quick credit off Poe's head. They have all been taken care of."
A hushed murmur went through the crowd and Isla paused—let it really sink in that she knew exactly what she was capable of and they were fools for ever second-guessing her.
She went on to explain, for the record, everything Poe had told her about his escape.
"We received word during your return trip that there was a First Order attack at Niima Outpost. Two people and a droid escaped the planet. We're trying to find out more as we speak. It looks like you all just missed one another."
"Thank you, Lieutenants and Captain. This settles things for now. Please be prepared for another assignment—we may be sending a squadron out to recover the droid very shortly, Force willing."
Isla nodded, sliding into a chair as everyone was dismissed. She dropped her forehead onto the table.
"Nice work, Lieutenant."
A smile spread across her face.
"Snap."
"I've known Poe for a long time, Isla. Everything is going to be just fine." He gave her his happy-go-lucky smile. "You, on the other hand…you look like hell. Go get some rest."
She swatted him away, chuckling softly. Snap helped her out of the chair and wrapped her in a hug.
"He would be dead without you, you know." He smiled into Isla's hair before chastely kissing the top of her head. "I'm just tellin' you that in case he's too stupid to realize it."
…
"Lieutenant Kesson, your actions during yesterday's assignment were highly objectionable." General Organa spoke sternly, hands planted firmly on the holotable as she leaned against it. "You could have compromised the entire mission by starting that blasterfire."
The others looked at her, most disapprovingly. She could imagine their utter disdain when they found out Poe and Isla had been sleeping together for at least a year. Other than Snap, who had found out by a happy accident, the General was the only person privy to their secret.
"With all due respect, m'am, you charged me with protecting him and that's exactly what I was doing."
Granted, he had a spilt lip where he'd been punched in the face, but he was still sitting here in front of everyone now.
The General pursed her lips.
"This is not the first time we've had this discussion."
Poe's lips tightened into a thin line and his eyebrow rose slightly; he wasn't too pleased about the lecture either.
"General," he began. "We've been successful. The playing field has shifted significantly for us."
The General blinked emotionlessly and continued talking.
"I can't send you on missions together if you're going to jeopardize our work like this."
Isla's mouth opened in protest.
"You have too much confidence in your abilities," an Admiral on the other side of the table chimed in. "That's what's going to get us into trouble. It is not uncommon for both parties in question to occasionally diverge from protocol because of their inflated…self-esteem."
Poe's dark eyes narrowed, but Isla'
"If anything—" Isla began, holding up a finger.
"You barely made it out with your heads." The Admiral cut her off. "They should be suspended."
"Oh, what do you know? You never leave this room!"
Before Isla had a chance to jump out of her chair, Poe threw his arm haltingly across her chest. He shook his head and closed his eyes.
Oh yeah, he had fallen in love with the right women.
"Will everyone please excuse Lieutenant Kesson, Commander Dameron, and myself?" General Organa stood up to be heard over the noise.
She waited silently until the room cleared out.
"You should know better." She turned to Poe, who merely folded his arms across his broad chest. "I know it's difficult to tell sometimes, but you are the superior officer in this relationship. You need to know when enough is enough."
The General bit the inside of her cheek, studying the two officers in front of her.
And then she did the completely unexpected and placed her hands over each of theirs where they rested on the table.
"I have been where you are," she began. "I understand, I really do. Everyone needs someone, especially in dark time such as these."
Isla and Poe glanced at one another. He started to speak, but was interrupted.
"I don't know what to tell you. I can't order you to end things, and, let's face it, neither of you would listen to me anyway, but you must follow military protocol. This isn't some fly-by-the-night operation anymore."
"I've come to care for you both very much—like you were my own. I know it doesn't happen every time, but it happens too often and I do have other officers to think about."