Rey Dameron wakes with a shout, cold sweat dripping down her spine. She breathes heavily, gasping for air and clawing at her chest to try and get rid of the heavy weight that seems to be crushing her.

Warm, strong hands cover hers and hold them tightly, stopping her movements and grounding her.

"Breathe, okay, Sunshine. In and out, gently," Poe's voice is scratchy from sleep, but firm and reassuring in her ear. He shifts so he's holding both of her hands in one of his, and uses his free hand to run circles on her back. His thumb gently presses into the tight knots of tension by her shoulders. "I'm here, cariña, it's okay. Breathe with me."

Rey's breathing hitches as tears run down her face, but she makes an effort to try and match Poe's steady breaths. His palm on her back is solid, moving in time with her shallow inhales and exhales. Poe doesn't move until her breathing is as steady as his and even then, he only shifts so he's sitting in front of her as opposed to slightly behind her.

The sheets pool in his lap and Rey makes herself focus on his features. The dark, rumpled curls. The concerned crease in his forehead. Dark eyes, still a little unfocused from sleep, but looking back at her with love, so much love. The pink of his lips, tilted into a worried frown.

He's here, alive in front of her, and it was only a nightmare.

"Rey, honey?" Poe murmurs softly, their interlocked hands dropping to rest on his lap. His eyebrows draw together in concern.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, blinking away the last of her tears. "I...it was..." her voice cracks a bit and Poe angles forward, cupping her chin in his free hand.

"I'm right here, in bed, with you. You're here, it's okay," he says gently, so gently. "Here, look," he releases one of her hands and brings it up so she can press it flat against his chest. His heart beats steadily under her fingers and tension seeps out of Rey's body. She curls her fingers against Poe's chest, gently scratching at his bare skin. Poe watches her fingers move, feels his skin heat under her touch. "Wanna talk about it?" he asks softly.

"Maybe," Rey replies, voice hoarse. "Poe..." she trails off.

He loves he way she says his name, even when there's strain in her voice. He loves her, every piece of her.

She reaches up to scratch lightly at the stubble on his cheeks. He hasn't shaved in more than a few days, so it's growing out a little longer than he'd like, but Rey doesn't seem to mind. Now, she crawls onto his lap, curling up like a Loth-cat, tucking her head under his chin, and keeping one palm flat against his chest. Poe knows something is up, beyond just a normal nightmare. He may not be as strong in the Force as Rey or even Finn, but he's particularly attuned to Rey's emotions and can feel the change in her signature.

"Hey, Sunshine, whatever it is," he says into her hair, "whatever it is, we'll work it out."

Rey's curled up so small, protecting herself from something and Poe's heart clenches in his chest. When she's like this, he can imagine her on Jakku - small and scared and waiting for people who would never come back. He hates that she was hurt like that, lied to and used as a pawn.

"I'm scared, Poe," she whispers, her breath tickling his skin.

His arms lock around her, holding her tight. "We'll work it out, honey. Talk to me."

Hot tears hit his chest and Poe's anxiety spikes. This feels different, bigger than the other obstacles they've faced. He tangles his fingers in her hair, pushing it away from her face. "Rey, please," he's begging, "I can't help you if you don't tell me."

There's silence that stretches on for too long.

"I've been hiding something," she says eventually, pulling back from his embrace enough so that she can look into his eyes. She feels his heart begin to race and his shoulders tense.

Poe manages to keep his tone fairly neutral as he asks, "What is it?"

Rey's voice is soft, barely audible, when she replies. "I'm pregnant."

His heart feels like it stops in his chest as Poe runs through a wild gamut of emotions. Elation, confusion, fear, circling back to joy. He tugs a hand through his hair and shakes his head, a weird smile forming in his lips. "Sunshine, why's that a bad thing?" he asks around a lump in his throat. A father, he's going to be a father.

"I keep... I'm afraid," she chokes out, "the nightmares, Poe! My bloodline is... dark," she whispers the last word.

Poe almost laughs, but stops himself before he can hurt her feelings. Cupping her face in his hands - her skin is hot and damp under his cool fingers, Poe smiles carefully, "Rey, mi corazón, my love, my Sunshine, we're not our pasts. You're pure Light, the brightest thing in my life. Our baby," he chokes up, "our baby will be the same."

"The Dark called to me, Poe," she sighs, big hazel eyes full of tears and uncertainty. "That temptation is in me and our child, what if..."

"There's no what ifs, Rey," he says firmly. "You can't, we can't live in fear of something that might never happen. Besides," he reminds her with a full wattage Dameron smile, "you resisted the Dark Side. You're stronger than you think."

Rey's hand drops to her stomach. She looks down at it uncertainly, "The baby, it's Force sensitive, Poe. The Dark Side is always a temptation."

He drops his hand to rest over hers. Rey marvels at how small her hand looks under his larger, tanned one. "You defeated the Sith, Rey. Are you tempted by the Dark Side now?"

"No," she answers immediately. "But you can't know - look at Leia and Ben. Leia was - and Ben went Dark."

"Ben," Poe says, frowning at the man's name and looking physically pained at what he's about to say next, "had voices whispering in his head for a long time. We know what to watch for, if that should ever be a concern. Which it won't be." His tone is firm, determined, brokering no argument.

Rey looks at him, really looks at the stubborn set of his handsome jaw and the glint of steel in his eyes, and she thinks she may fall even more in love with him in this moment. Her nightmare - their child, faceless, burning and torturing and killing Poe - fades to the back of her mind, where it had been so vivid and real just moments before.

"You're very reassuring, General," she murmurs teasingly.

Poe laughs. "That's definitely not something I've heard before." He kisses the tip of her nose. "But I'm glad I could help, it's only the truth, after all."

Rey hugs him close, burying her face in his neck, inhaling his scent and grounding herself to this moment. She can feel the flutters of the new life growing inside her and everything seems like it's balanced. There's a tug in the Force, a gentle reassurance that the future, uncertain as it is, will be bright for them.

"So, uh," Poe hesitates, pulling back from the hug and looking at her face, "a baby, huh?"

Giggling at the mildly dumbfounded look on his face, Rey nods, confirming it.

"Oh, okay," Poe's eyebrows raise into his hairline. "A baby. Kriff, a baby, Rey!" His voice raises in excitement and it's contagious. Rey grins, her entire face transforming with her joy.

"A baby," she laughs into the kiss that Poe enthusiastically plants on her.

Poe's smile is full force. "I'm gonna be a papá," he says, not without a little awe in his voice. "Oh man, I can't wait to tell BeeBee!"

"BeeBee is the first one you want to tell?" Rey raises an eyebrow at her husband.

"Of course!" Poe scoffs, looking at her like she's crazy. "He's going to have a little sibling! We gotta get him used to the presence of a new human in the house."

Rey bursts into laughter, "Oh, I love you, you silly man." She kisses him softly and Poe returns it, humming into her mouth.

"I gotta tell Finn too," he says when they break apart. "And my dad. Oh my god, my dad's gonna be an abuelo. He's gonna be happier than a Loper in a trash chute."

Rey relaxes against Poe's chest as he rambles on about all the people he can't wait to tell about the baby. His voice is soothing and even though his excitement is contagious, she's exhausted, slowly falling asleep on his lap. Poe notices when she lets out a soft snore, cutting across his ramble about telling everyone at Command. He looks down at his wife, her face relaxed and highlighted by the moonlight creeping past the curtains.

He shifts her back into her spot on the bed and she immediately reaches a hand out in her sleep for him. Poe curls up next to her, brushing a hand gently over her stomach. Their baby is growing here, he thinks, imagining a tiny Rey look-a-like, wielding a stick or tampering with a speeder, her eyes flashing with mischief just like her mom's.

Poe falls asleep with a smile on his face and his hand on Rey's stomach, protecting their baby from anything that could hurt it. After all, Poe Dameron will never let anyone or anything harm those he loves.

a/n: emotional hurt and comfort! i switch between angst and fluff as being easy to write for now. so have a little bit of both. let me know what you think :)