Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Just writing fan-fiction for fun.

A/n: All right, so assuming none ya'll hated me for the last chapter, here's the next one. Enjoy!

Chapter Eighteen: Explode

By the time Elle caught Finn and Poe, Finn was in a slight panic asking about Rey and where she was. She smiled at him when he was finished and Poe was done with his explanations. She offered the clothes as a peace offering type since she remembered their last encounter. He wasn't too trusting of her. He'd asked her if she really went after her brother and she'd said yes. It'd been a painful moment for her, breaking away like that, but deep down she somehow knew she had to.

Finn went to change in one of Kalonia's extra changing rooms on the medical bay's floor of the Raddus. Poe and Elle waited quietly for him outside.

"So, did uh, my mom give her her famous scolding session yet?" Elle asked.

Poe's eyes drifted from the floor and looked at her, almost nervously. "N-not yet. But, it's fine. I can handle the General."

Elle rolled her eyes. "Famous last words, Dameron. That was a lot of people we lost. Good people. Now, I'm not saying you should be ashamed of yourself, because I know what you did, and while stupid, it was also brave. No one else could've taken out a dreadnought like you."

Elle unfolded her arms and pulled in Poe's face for a kiss. He kissed her back with just as much force she'd given him.

"Well, what'd you think? They fit okay….or….do I need to find you two a room?" Finn asked, coming out of the changing room into his new set of clothes that seemed to fit him perfectly. Elle and Poe broke apart and smiled at each other before they turned to face Finn.

"Oh my God….you don't know about us," Poe realized. And then he chuckled nervously. "Ah, buddy. There's a lot going on around here."

"Yeah, I can see that," Finn said, eyeing Elle with caution. Elle grimaced slightly, wishing he'd stop that, but then again she would be suspicious of her too if she just suddenly came back from the First Order.

Of course, one could say the same for Finn, but he completed Poe's mission and brought BB-8 to home. He also rescued this pilot and had tried to save his best friend, Rey. In Elle's eyes, Finn was a very good man.

She just wished that he'd show her the same respect. She thought that by fighting her own blood was proof enough.

"Come on, let's go face my mother," Elle said, tugging on Poe's jacket. So far Kalonia, Finn, and her mother were the only ones who'd known about their relationship. It hadn't really been made exclusive yet, and they weren't sure what type of impact it might make on the Resistance.

The three of them meandered their way down the corridor that winded into the bridge where her mother sat at the console station. Everyone around her worked around the clock. Lt. Connix was at her station, along with Admiral Ackbar in his chair, and Admiral D'Arcy was reading controls in front of her. The room was white and pristine as though brand new. But the Raddus had been one of the Resistance's secret allied ships to help them get this far in the war against the First Order.

Elle had a fondness and a sort of love/hate relationship with ships. She couldn't fly an x-wing like Poe did for the life of her, and there were some things about them she still had to learn like its components that Rey seemed to have all the knowledge of. Sometimes Elle was a little envious like those who could have such knowledge, especially since her mother half-expected her to join them, and get her pilot license at the Academy, but Elle knew the dangers out there. And she liked her feet firmly on the ground. Her mother chalked up her appreciation for ships due to her father's Falcon, of which was her absolute favorite ship in the galaxy, aside from her Uncle's that is, and her grandmothers. She could fly a starship, but nothing of the speed that the x-wings had, and she was nowhere near as talented as Poe or Rey were.

The ship launched into hyperspace, making Elle tighten her hold on Poe's arm. Ugh. He held onto her to keep from falling over. That was one of the things she wasn't fond of when it came to flying. The quick lurches and tiny surprises that came along with flying. Elle muttered a thanks to him. That was when her mother looked up at the three of them, eyes scanning each one with suspicion. Finn and Elle cast a look with one another as she squared on Poe Dameron specifically.

Elle licked her lips nervously, and stepped back a bit, tugging on Finn's sleeve to follow suite with her so they had space. She gave Poe a little push forward. He gave her a look and she shrugged, offering him a grin of moral support.

"Poe Dameron," Leia accused irately. "You're demoted."

There was very high tension in the air, mostly coming from Leia. Elle could feel that Poe was rigid and preparing himself from whatever it was about to- Elle cringed at the slap across the face. Poe looked to the side, feeling the aftermath of the sting, hot on his cheek.

Finn was about to take a couple steps in the other direction, but Elle gripped onto him tightly and pulled him right back into step next to her. Oh no he didn't. "Moral support, Finn. Moral support," she leaned into whisper him when he gave her a look of confusion on his handsome face. Elle and Finn were close, but not close enough to hear their conversation in the corner by the window. But Elle could see Poe's voice rise higher and higher with as much velocity and passion he had for flying.

"Poe, get your head out of the cockpit. There are things you cannot solve by jumping into an x-wing and blowing things up! I need you to learn that!" She couldn't stress that enough and it was evident with the lines of Leia's face.

"We had a chance to take out a dreadnought. Those are freekillers! I wasn't about to let one of them fly free and destroy more worlds, General," he continued to make his point well known across the bridge. Elle looked at the onlookers of the scene unfolding in everyone's eyes.

"There were heroes on that mission," Poe finished softly, as he read her facial expression contort with many emotions she held inside of her and didn't let them reach the surface. She was trying her best to keep calm and collected. But it seemed like the great loss and heavy hit they took from the First Order had made a huge impact on her and everyone on the bridge. Poe had a point, but so did she.

"Dead heroes. No leaders!" Leia made that perfectly clear too.

Poe looked down, swallowing that in, and allowing his eyes to soften before he looked up at her. "Okay, so what's the plan?"

"We need to find a new base."

She walked away from him, ending the conversation then.

She joined D'Arcy's side. "Yes, one with enough power to get a distress signal to our allies, scattered in the Outer Rim."

Poe placed his hands over his hips and glared as she walked away from him, but allowed her to cool off.

Elle was torn, between going to her mother for answers, or going to Poe to comfort him after the whole ordeal.

Finn looked off to the side, as if he was looking out in space itself.

"We're really nowhere. How's Rey going to find us now?"

Looking to Finn, who just seemed as confused as to the situation of what was going on, she decided that they both could wait.

"Mom?" Elle called out to her, and brought Finn with her. Leia looked up from the console controls and at Finn and Elle who were standing in front of her. Elle noticed that her mother's eyes were lidded and heavy, filled with hidden emotion. She wasn't sure if Elle was noticing it now after Ben wanted her to know that there was something about her, something hidden from her all this time, or if it was just an emotional time for everyone. But this time, they seemed distant, yet thoughtful at the same time.

"Finn wants to know if Rey is going to be okay, and if she'll be able to find a way to get to us."

Leia smiled at the ex-stormtrooper, and pulled up her sleeve to show him her bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

The silver charm on her wrist glowed a bright blue. It was also beeping.

"A cloaked binary beacon," Finn recognized.

"To light her way home," Leia smiled fondly. She looked over at Elle regretfully. "I should've given you and Ben one, when I sent you two to train with your Uncle Luke, but…" she trailed off, lost in thought.

"Mom, don't," Elle reached out and gave her a small comforted rub and gentle squeeze of her shoulder.

Leia grimaced a little. "Oh, there's so much to tell you, Elle."

Elle opened her mouth to join her in agreement, and ask her more, but that was when the alarms went off. D'Arcy looked at her screen monitor screen and everyone went on alert too.

"They found us," Admiral Ackbar said.

"What?" Elle demanded.

"That's not possible," Poe said with wide eyes, and then looked out the window as hyperspace slowed down. It was almost immediate that the ships appeared right on their tails. And it looked like there were more dreadnoughts out there with them too. Elle's heart fell into the pit of her stomach.

Poe's eyes widened further when he recognized one of them. "That's Snoke's ship. It can't be. Can we jump at light speed?"

Elle gawked at him. "Are you out of you're mind? We just came from light speed."

"We," an officer at one of the controls turned to Poe. She was almost hesitant to reply after Elle's outburst. "Have enough fuel resources for just one jump."

Poe gave her the okay nod. "Well do it. We've got to get out of here."

"Wait," Leia said, as if she remembered something of a long time ago. She held out her hand in the air, commanding them to pause. "They've tracked us through light speed."

"That's impossible," Finn said.

"Yes," Leia nodded at him. "But they've done it."

Finn suddenly gave Elle a look of accusation of how that could be possible. Elle held up her hands in defense. "Don't look at me. I'm on the good side now, remember?"

"Yeah, and it just so happens someone's been tracking us all of a sudden? Real convenient," Finn glared at her.

"Guys," Poe strode over and pushed in between them, trying to get his friend to back down from her. "Finn, back off. Please, buddy, for me?"

Elle stared into Finn's eyes fixated on her. She didn't blame him for the accusation. It did seem to tie in perfectly with her suddenly coming home and all. After all, she almost gave in to the darkness herself once more, and tried to kill her mother. But thankfully, she did not. And even though she attempted to, she regretted that moment each and every day. It weighed on her shoulders like a heavy anvil. And part of her wondered if it would always stay there.

"She's not responsible," Leia added.

Elle closed her eyes silently, thanking for Poe having her back, and of course her mother.

Finn sighed, defeated, and stepped down. Elle would never put her friends or family in danger, ever again. She was trying to make up for what she did.

"So," Finn said finally after he calmed down. "If we jump to light speed, then they'll find us again, and we'll be out of fuel. They got us."

"Not yet they don't," Poe said with much conviction in his voice. Elle raised her eyebrows at him. What was he thinking in that cockpit head of his? He strode over to Leia. "Permission to go into an x-wing and blow something up?"

Leia sighed, and shook her head. "Permission granted. Admiral, swing us around," she ordered Ackbar who gladly obliged her orders.

Elle gave her a look before Poe walked over to Elle and gave her a quick kiss, catching her off guard completely. She gripped onto his elbows and held him tight against her, suddenly feeling like this was the last kiss he was giving her. He took off and ran out of the bridge, leaving her to sigh. She felt the looks coming from her fellow officers on the bridge, even her mother was giving her a small smile. Elle chewed her bottom lip and then just realized that she had something important to tell Poe before he went out there that could very well be his last mission. She gave her mother a worried look, before she gave her the nod to go after him. She ran down the corridor and tried to find Poe and catch up with him.

She finally caught up with him in his orange and white vested jumpsuit with his helmet underneath his arm. BB-8 was right beside him.

"Poe! Poe, wait."

He turned at the sound of her voice, after fixing his gloves on, pulling them tight against his wrist. He faced her, looked concern for her, wondering what she was doing out here near the Raddus's main hangar bay. "Elle? What's wrong?"

"Hey," she shook her head. "Nothing. But, there's something I have to tell you."

She licked her lips hesitantly and then suddenly kissed him. Poe was surprised by the kiss, but still kissed her back, relishing in her lips, not minding one last kiss before this mission. She pulled apart suddenly needing to tell him the news before he left.

"When I get back," Poe said softly, running his hand through her dark hair.

"But, Poe-"

He stole another kiss from her as if it'd stole air out of her lungs. She licked her lips after and chewed her bottom lip when he leaned his forehead against hers. Elle shook slightly against him, wishing he'd just listen for one second. It was definitely possible that he was high on adrenaline. She couldn't help but feel a little bit rivet off of him. It was refreshing to see someone like Poe care so much about his team, and his family. In many ways, Elle wanted to be more like him. She didn't want to hide behind a mask, like her brother did, and she didn't want to fall back into fear. She wanted to push herself forward and become something. She wasn't sure yet, but definitely something.

"You're trembling, are you sure everything is all right?" He ran his comforting hands along her arms to calm her. Aside from everything else, she was okay, sort of, it's just...she was worried how he'd react to this bundle of joy inside of her.

Elle licked her lips again, and gulped, drawing out a deep breath. Poe shivered as he felt that upon his neck.

"Poe, I love you so much, I just-" WHAM!

Something shook the ship, and an explosion swirled inside the main hangar. The doors closed suddenly, locking everyone who was inside.

Those that were in their x-wings became swallowed in flames, forcing Poe, Elle, and BB-8 to get knocked off their feet, and slide across the sleek floors out into the corridor of the Raddus. Alarms blared all around them.

Poe had knocked into Elle's body as he'd tried to protect her within the blast that sent them flying away from the hangar bay. BB-8 broke into pieces but rolled himself back up as quickly as he could and rushed over to Poe and Elle who were coughing amongst debris that had flown everywhere. Poe blinked, trying to refocus his surroundings in the room, trying to stop the ringing in his ears from the blast, and the emotional pain that swept up within him due to the loss of those brave pilots inside.

Elle felt that wash over him and she shook too, looking down. Talley. She was in there. She'd been apart of Poe's squad. While she didn't know much about Talley, she was one of the bravest women she'd heard about in the Resistance, all from Poe. Poe had a deep admiration for his team members. Each one was important to him. That's what she liked about Poe too was that he cared. He wore his heart on his sleeve.

"You guys all right?" Finn asked, breaking them out of their haze of what'd just happened. He helped Poe up, and then Elle, allowing her to lean on the other side of the arm. He had slid Poe's arm around his shoulders.

She coughed and looked wearily at him, his physique coming into clear view. Elle was surprised when he rushed over Poe to help her up and back onto her feet. "Thought you hated me."

"I don't hate you, it's just," his paused, letting eyes roamed around the broken part of the ship, and thought better of what he was going to say. Plus, he got a slight odd feeling from her when he pulled her up off the ground. Elle eyed him with wonder. Did he suspect? "Trying times, you know?"

Elle nodded slowly and suddenly coughed again. "Damn them," Elle cursed within a coughing fit. She covered her mouth with her hand.

"Damn them. I'll kill him. I swear it."

"Elle," Poe stopped her in a raspy thick voice. He tried to regain his voice back to normal. "We need to get out of reach of those star destroyers."

Once Poe was able to walk upright, and Elle seemed okay to get back to her feet, the three of them headed back to the bridge, practically running, especially running once they heard that awful sound soar up and over the Raddus. Elle froze. She knew that sound. That was the sound of TIE-fighters coming straight for them. A chill swept over her.

She could feel him, Ben. Kylo. Ben. Kylo. Going back and forth. Unsure. There was a lot of hesitation that she sensed from him. He was in his own ship, flying with the TIE-fighters. She tried to focus on his face inside it. His gloved fingers were on the controls, hovering with trepidation. She sucked in a breath. Don't do it. Don't do it. Ben. She silently pleaded, calling for her not to aim at their mother. She could faintly hear Poe and Finn calling for her to move with them, but she was lost.

And before she knew it, another two hits of blast caused the ship to shake and break.

"Oh Ben, what did you do?" Elle whispered more so to herself than her brother.

"I didn't," he replied to her much to her surprise. Elle bit her lower lip, and felt it then, a twinge of pain in her heart, like something twisted her heartstrings together.

It was as if life had slowed down and everything got stuck in time, except her. Her blood ran cold. She did not want to look out the window. She did not want to know what Poe and Finn were screaming about, or why Lieutenant Kaydel Connix was running to warn them about. But, curiosity got the better of her, as it often did, and she forced her eyes to look out the window. Debris from the bridge floated out into space. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was seeing her mother out their, cold, and alone. Her eyes were closed and she was floating away from her.

Tears welled up in Elle's eyes. No. Please no. She couldn't take the emotional pain anymore.

"I warned you, Elle. You failed to listen."

"You bastard!" she cried out, feeling her fists clench tightly against her.

"Like I told you, it wasn't me who did it."

"But you instigated," she fought back through clenched teeth. "You brought this down on us!"

"We'll see," was all he said, before he disappeared out of her mind.

She could no longer see him inside of his own cockpit. And that was when Kalonia's medical team rushed to her mother, cradled in Poe's arms with the help of Finn and Kaydel, pulling her inside the ship. They quickly put her on the stretcher and rolled into one of Kalonia's emergency rooms. Poe walked over to Elle, and pulled her out of her trance, forcing her to come with them.

~*TLJ*~

A/n: Phew…that was an emotional chapter. So, I'm excited to bring in Holdo, because I have a few plans for her and Elle. She really grew on me as a character. She's one of those love to hate, hate to love ones, lol. Anyway, excited for a heart to heart moment with Elle and Holdo. :D Thank you all for reading! More updates very soon. Follows, favorites, and reviews are always loved and welcomed, as well as the recents!