A/N So this has been way way to long with not much inspiration. Here is hoping this was worth the wait. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 24

Escape

They were hiding under an out crop of rocks, which really wasn't much of a hiding spot to begin with. If one of the troopers who were passing over their heads had turned just right they would be spotted, as of now luck seemed to be on their side. Remi had her back to the cliff wall, Poe was facing her, holding her there as close as he could. She had grabbed the front of his jacket pulling him closer, their faces mere inches apart. She squeezed her eyes shut hiding her head into his chest and he instinctively held her to him even closer. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation.

"Breathe." He barely whispered in her ear. She let her breath out slowly and lifted her head to meet his eyes. He smiled down at her in encouragement giving her a slight wink. Even when their situation was dire he still found the opportunity to flirt. She rolled her eyes at him, turned her eyes away from his to stare at his chest. She focused instead on her breathing in and out. She felt him watching her intently, she had her ears tuned into the voices that where directly overhead. Stormtroopers had gathered right above them conversing.

"They couldn't have gone far." One of them chirped.

"Let's check the second ridge." Within minutes they could be heard walking away. For several for minutes they stayed in their current position afraid to move too much in case they came back. After a brief moment she decided to pull away but Poe had other ideas. Instead of letting her go, his grip on her tightened. She looked up at him with a questioning look. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Let me go first." She shook her head in disagreement.

"Poe…" She started to protest and he seemed to sigh as he looked at her again.

"Will you please, just this once listen to me." Every fiber in her being was telling her to fight back, to argue the point but the look in his eyes made her protest die on her lips. With a tight nod in reluctant agreement he gave her a quick wink and moved away up over the side of the ridge. She waited for about ten seconds and when he immediately didn't pop his head over the side. There was no way in hell she was going to sit tight if he was walking into a trap. She made her accent shifting just enough that it caught Poe's attention. He turned around blaster raised when he heard her. She gave him an apologetic look and a shrug of the shoulders as he shot her a glare with the shake on his head.

"Damn it woman! Just one time! Can't you listen just once?" He hissed back at her. He held his hand down to her that she took gratefully as he hauled her to her feet. Instead of letting her go however he tightened his grip and pulled her to him. "Just once…" He whispered disappointment reflecting in his eyes. She felt her shame and pulled away.

"You can yell at me later, preferably when we're not running for our lives." She turned away in a huff. Her goal at that moment was to put as much distance from this place as possible. She knew of a cave system not far off. They could hide and contact the Renegade.

Quickly and quietly she stomped her way through the wooded area that was in the opposite direction the troopers had gone. She knew this area and kept herself low to the ground as she made her way quietly along the ridge. She didn't have to look to know that Poe followed her. She could hear him stomping angrily along the same path she took. She shook her head at his child like tantrum and just continued on. After a few more moments of this she finally had had enough.

"Listen I know you're angry and I'm sorry about that but if you don't stop stomping around like a child then they will defiantly find us." She whispered back at him

"I'm not the one being a child." He whispered back at her.

"Really?! You could have fooled me." She could feel her anger spike but instead of going on she turned back around and started her own stomping march. She knew he had been worried about her safety but damn it she was worried about his too and her crew. The Renegade needed to be contacted, her ship fixed and she needed to get as far away from all of this as quick as possible. He was blissfully quiet for the next few minutes as they made their way through the heavily wooded area and came upon a bit of a clearing. She crouched down to survey the area and went to get up when she felt his hand on her arm. She was all set to tell him off again when she turned to him and noticed him putting a finger to his lips and then point out at the edge of the clearing. She dropped her head in defeat as another pair of storm troopers came into view. They were everywhere. She whispered a defeated shit as she looked around their immediate area for another way out. If they returned the way they came they would be caught, if they kept going forward they would be caught. To the right of them was a huge hill which they would most defiantly be seen. The only option that she could see was to go to the left of them. The problem was it was a very steep cliff with a raging river below them. She must have been looking at it for quite some time because suddenly Poe had wrapped his hand securely around her upper arm.

"Don't you even think about it?" He whispered harshly in her ear. She looked up at him not even trying to hide her thoughts.

"And what would you suggest we do? Shoot our way out of it because that always works out so well doesn't it?" She argued back at him. He knew she was right, knew that they were trapped and that this may be their only option.

"Do you even know where it leads?"

"Umm, sure…that way." She said pointing downstream. He just gave her a look that told her how bad this idea really was. "Look do you have any other ideas?" She ducked down again pulling him with her just as a Stormtrooper came into view. He was still a ways away but too close for comfort. "I'm open to suggestions." She whispered to him as she saw him trying to work out the scenario. He finally nodded although rather reluctantly.

"Fine." He said rather dramatically and then he used his finger to motion for her to turn around. She gave him a confused look but he just made the motion again. She did and then she felt him digging around in the pack she wore on her back, the pack that contained her precious part.

"What are you looking for?" She hissed as he rummaged around in it.

"A rope." He stated clearly as if that explained everything.

"Of course a rope." She added sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "Why didn't I think of that? We can just go up to one and say hey Mr. Stormtrooper would you kindly hold still so that we can tie you up. That's gonna work out real well."

"Okay smart ass." He responded as he suddenly jerked her toward him and wrapped the end of the rope around her waist reaching around her to tie it in front. "I'm not gonna tie them up but…" He whispered in her ear in a deep voice that made her shiver ever so slightly. "…I am going to use it to tie you up." Oh my. She felt her face grow warm at the implications and felt herself wondering how to respond to it. And then she did in a way she never thought she would. Maybe it was lack for food, sleep and her adrenaline being sky high but suddenly it just popped out.

"Maybe I want to see what you are going to do once you have me tied up." That got his attention. His hands stilled at her waist and then tightened ever so slightly. He had thought that he had the upper hand with his comment but she had thrown him off guard. Served him right however. She turned around to face him to see a look on his face she couldn't quite find a name for. Confusion? Shock maybe? He was speechless and his eyes seemingly slightly unfocused. "Commander? You okay there?" Great she had broken him then she caught the ever slight smirk come on to his face. He was actually considering what she had just said. "Seriously?!" She demanded as she poked him in the ribs with her elbow to get his attention.

"Hey you're the one who mentioned it." He whispered back as he tied the other end around his own waist. She rolled her eyes as she started to walk away only to have him pull her up short and yanked her back practically into his lap. She glared up at his smiling twinkling face.

"I need some slack there Sparky."

"So what is this oh so great plan of yours that has us tied together anyway. Keeping me on a leash?"

"Something like that."

"I feel so violated."

"Not yet." He pipped.

"Will you stop that!"

"You started it."

"You know if we weren't already tied together I would seriously consider throwing you in that river."

"What like this?" Before she could even respond he picked her up one arm around her back the other under her knees. He was so quick about it that she didn't have time to protest and wrapped her arms around his neck on instinct.

"You bast…." She never finished as he stepped off the cliff and into the racing cold water below.