Author's note: This one's got some canon-typical action in it, just an FYI. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 13

The map room was nothing like Rey expected. Frankly, she wasn't sure what she expected, but a cavernous room with a single elongated holoprojector wasn't high on her list. Like she and Poe, Finn and Jannah needed to scrounge some power to run the system. A holomap of the quadrant in question hovered above their heads; Rey had a feeling of déjà vu. Had it only been a year since she and Finn met Han Solo on the Millennium Falcon? It felt like another lifetime. So much had changed. She had changed.

One glance at Finn told her he was feeling the same way.

"So, what are we looking at?" Poe asked, gesturing toward the display.

Finn entered a new command; the map zoomed out even more. "This is us, here on Coruscant." The planet lit up in yellow. Finn added a few more landmarks, to get their bearings. Naboo was green, Ajan Kloss blue, and the area where the mystery planet was supposed to be was orange.

"Where is it?" Poe asked. "Finn, you said you found it!"

"We did. Hang on a minute." He entered another command and the map zoomed back in. "It took us a few tries to find a map that was old enough; it was even missing from the old Imperial maps."

"Wait, if it wasn't on the Imperial maps…"

"Way ahead of you." Finn added yet another command; the command stacked maps on top of each other. "Once we found the system, we decided to see if we could figure out when it was removed from the archives."

"That's good thinking, Finn!" Poe cried, finally feeling like they were getting somewhere.

Rey examined the maps carefully. The data stretched back over a hundred years; that gave her hope. At least it was a planet that—at one time—had been connected to the larger galaxy. Her finger hovered over where the system was. "Caenia."

"When did Caenia go missing and why?" Poe asked. The name wasn't familiar to him, not that it would be. He was pretty sure it had never been a part of the Old Republic, though, to be fair, there were literally thousands of systems. No one knew them all.

"It looks like it was right about here." Rey flipped the holo around so Poe could see. "About ninety-two years ago, give or take."

Poe frowned. "That doesn't make sense. If it was before the Empire, how did someone from the First Order find it? That's decades."

Rey sighed. "Well, we know now that my…the Emperor was behind the First Order all the time. It was created by old Imperials, right? If it was someone from the Emperor's inner circle…"

"That'd be an awfully tight circle, Sunshine." Anyone who got near the Emperor usually wound up dead.

"Yeah, but it only takes one. If this is the home of undercover assassins, then they've been doing this for a while, maybe even during the time of the Empire. We have no way of knowing until we go there."

"Which is what I wanted to do in the first place," Poe muttered under his breath. Everyone ignored him. To be honest, he was still a little disconcerted about the vision he'd had. He'd only ever seen holovids of the Emperor; it nearly all of them he was a hooded, cloaked figure in black. History said that the Emperor rarely left his palace during his reign; it was what made his visit to the second Death Star so striking. History might have been wrong. Plus, prior to the formation of the Empire, Palpatine was just a man. A Sith Lord. Maybe he was in a position like Rey, seeking artifacts and knowledge. Only for evil.

He shuddered.

Rey appeared at his side, her hand on his arm. "Hey, you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm good."

"You looked a little far away for a minute." She spoke softly, not wanting to draw Finn's attention. She rubbed his arm. "The vision?"

He covered her hand with his. "It was just…unexpected, that's all. I'm fine, sweetheart."

"I was terrified after my first vision," she confessed. "I tried to run away from all this."

"What stopped you?"

She smiled. "Beebee-Ate, actually. Plus, the First Order attacked, so I couldn't get very far." She could sense his unease and confusion, but he was actually doing really well. Better than she had. Unlike her, Poe didn't have to figure all this out alone.

"For the record, I'm glad you didn't. Run, I mean. Not the other stuff."

She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I'm glad I didn't either." If she'd somehow succeeded, she'd have missed out on all of this. Her friends, her family, the love of her life. "I know it feels scary and overwhelming, Poe. But I promise you, we'll figure it out. Trust me?"

"Of course." He smirked. "Does this mean I get a lightsaber?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "What is it with you two and the lightsabers?"

"It's a pretty slick weapon," Poe said. "Though I admit to being a blaster guy myself."

Rey laughed. "One of these days, Poe Dameron, you and I are going to have a real sparring match. Then we'll see."

"I look forward to it." Rey's soft presence did him good; he felt more himself. Now that they had a timeline for when the planet disappeared from the archives, they set about learning all they could about it. They spent a few hours going through all the information Finn and Jannah collected. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than they had before. The system's star had once gone supernova, millennia ago; it had since collapsed into a dwarf star. That was why the climate on the moon was so inhospitable. A perfect hiding place for any being that didn't want to be found.

"How can anyone live like that?" Jannah asked, amazed.

"I don't think I'd call being conditioned living," Finn said darkly.

"Not everyone though," Jannah argued. "The officers actually believe all that superiority rot. Ours did. Far too many people are only out for themselves, Finn."

Rey didn't want to admit it, but she thought Jannah was right. She'd seen it every day back on Jakku. She was certain the First Order was filled with true believers, whether they were old Imperial hardcases or more recent recruits. One of the reasons there were so few people in the Resistance was because people tended to look out for themselves first. Perhaps not maliciously, but it took a special kind of person to put others before themselves.

"Okay, we know the where and the when," Poe said, changing the subject. They didn't have time for a philosophical debate; they had a mission. "Let's figure out what we need to infiltrate this place and get the hell out of here."

"There's not much left," Finn said. "We scoured the place on our way here, looking for cold weather gear and supplies, but if there was any, it's long gone."

"So, what do we do?" Rey asked.

"We'll have to go into the city." Poe went back to the holoprojector and pulled up a map of the city-planet. "As we're trying to keep a low profile, our best bet is to head down into the lower levels." Coruscant was far more than just the surface level that appeared on all the holoreels. Underneath, there was a teaming mass of humans and aliens from all over the galaxy. It was also home to the intricate web of the underworld, a nearly lawless place despite the so-called defense force.

"Poe, are you sure that's a good idea?" Finn asked.

"I'm not crazy about it, but it's the fastest way to find what we need without alerting any authorities."

"So, we're going to steal."

"Unless you've got 50,000 credits lying around?" The Resistance had never been cash rich; the little they did have was Leia's personal fortune. Now that she was gone, they were on their own.

Finn chuckled. "No, it's just funny that the former spice runner waited until now to suggest we steal."

"We steal all the time!" Poe snapped. This was why he'd never told them about his past. He wasn't proud of it, even though the skills it gave him served him well. "And the very first thing you and I did together was steal a TIE fighter!"

"Hey," Rey said, giving Finn a stern look. Lay off, she thought to Finn. Finn had no way of knowing about Poe's vision and how unnerved he was by it. If Poe didn't want to confide in Finn just yet, then she wasn't going to interfere. Discovering an affinity for the Force was—as Finn would put it—a big deal. She only knew about it because she and Poe shared a unique connection. She secretly hoped that the holocrons they'd saved could give her some answers about it. It didn't feel anything like the dyad bond, but they were connected. The last thing she wanted was to make Poe uncomfortable. She'd promised to never get in his head, and she meant it.

Finn blinked at her, but ultimately, he nodded. "Okay," Rey continued. "Where's the best place to get the equipment we need?"

Poe spent the next few minutes laying out his plan. Level 1782 was mostly a junkyard; if they were going to find the parts for the Falcon anywhere on Coruscant, it would be there. The winter gear would be trickier, but that far down into the heart of Coruscant, the colder it was. They stood a good chance of finding some just discarded. Or they might find a local to help them. Leia once told him about the Alderaan quarter, populated by refugees after the planet was destroyed by the Empire. If they dropped Leia's name, they might help. She was still very loved by her people; Poe didn't want it to come to that though. They were going to need to learn to fend for themselves.

"How many levels are there?" Rey asked as they headed back to the Falcon.

"Over five thousand," Poe said. "Once you get below the surface, there's almost no direct sunlight. The air's filthy. We should grab some breathers from the ship, just in case." He didn't want to be down there any longer than was necessary, but he'd learned to be prepared for anything.

Rey—who'd grown up on the open sands of Jakku—couldn't even imagine such a place, let alone live there, day after day. "Is that why this place has bad memories for you?"

"Who said that?"

"You didn't have to. You've been tense since we got here."

"Rey, this mission could be the decisive factor in getting a solid government off the ground. Do you know how much chaos there would be if leaders started dropping like flies?" It would also keep the last Jedi safe, but he didn't say that. He needed to think with his head and not with his heart.

He just didn't know what he would do if he lost anyone else he cared about.

Rey didn't need to use any Jedi tricks to understand what he wasn't saying. Did he think he was the only one afraid? She understood the risks and what was at stake. Didn't he know the ache she felt in her chest every time he and Finn left on a mission without her during the war? How terrified she was that she might never see him again? It was ten times worse now that they were together. Perhaps it was this fear that the Jedi tried to avoid by forgoing attachments, but for Rey, not loving Poe, not being with him, was worse. She'd been alone virtually all her life; with Poe, she'd found the home she so desperately craved.

She couldn't be the best version of herself without Poe and her friends in her life. Their love—and her love for them—made her strong.

They split at the top of the gangway; Finn, Jannah, Poe and Rey headed in different directions to drop their gear. Rey secured the holocrons in the captain's quarters, beside the ancient Jedi texts. She grabbed an old poncho from the wardrobe; she wondered if it had been Leia's. It was too small for someone Han's size.

Poe came in looking distracted. "Oh, there you are."

"How do I look?"

"Like you're heading into the lion's den."

Rey gently grabbed his wrist. "Hey, stay with me, okay? We watch each other's backs, everything will work out."

"The Force tell you that?"

Rey kissed him. "No. You did, remember?"

Poe blinked. Force, that was so long ago, he thought she'd forgotten. Hell, he'd forgotten. They'd done numerous supply runs for the Resistance after Crait, before Rey started her Jedi training in earnest. Gotten into their fair share of scrapes too. But he never doubted for a second that Rey had his back. He had hers. That was the foundation of their friendship. And, if he was being honest, that was when he fell for her. He smiled. "Yeah, I remember."

"Come on, General. Let's do this."


The absconding with goods part of their plan started almost right away; they needed a couple of speeders to get them down into the lower levels. Rey and Jannah took one, Poe, Finn and BB-8 the other. Chewie was not happy about being left behind to watch the ship, but they didn't have much choice. He would draw too much attention. Even on Coruscant, Wookies were considered unusual.

"Did you have any luck?" Rey asked, weaving in and out of the traffic, following Poe's lead.

Jannah shook her head. "I knew it was a lost shot."

"Don't give up. I'm sure the answers are out there."

"That's what Finn keeps saying. But sometimes I wonder. I don't remember my family. My parents, brothers, sisters, pets. Nothing. I'm sure they've forgotten I exist, if they're even still alive."

Rey eased the speeder down another level. She could see Finn and Poe talking, but they were too far away for her to make anything out. "My parents sold me, when I was very young," she confided. Jannah seemed so lost; Rey thought her own story might help. Jannah's Force signature was filled with streaks of green and silver; she was a warrior. In many respects, Jannah reminded her of Finn. "They were trying to protect me. I spent years counting the days until they came back for me. Only they never did. I didn't find out until recently that they were murdered."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I don't talk about it a lot." Rey didn't delve any deeper than that. She liked Jannah well enough, but she hadn't confided her true identity to anyone but her three closest friends. And Kes, of course. Being a former stormtrooper, Rey wasn't sure how Jannah would take it.

"Does Finn know?"

"Yeah." Something about Jannah's tone made Rey do a double take. "Just so you know, Finn and I have only ever been friends. There's no other kind of…history there."

Jannah's stance visibly relaxed. "Right. I wasn't trying to imply…"

Rey smiled. "It's okay. I get it." She glanced forward to where the boys were. "Poe, Finn and I have been through a lot together. We've become family. But Finn…he cares about you. A lot."

Jannah glanced away, embarrassed. "I, uh, care about him too."

"I'm happy for you both."

"You, ah, seem pretty happy too," her new friend observed.

"Poe's a good man." Her cheeks flushed as Jannah arched a brow at her. "What?"

"You two are not nearly as discreet as you think."

Rey blushed harder, but she said nothing. She wasn't going to apologize for anything she and Poe did together. After everything they'd been through, they deserved to be happy and in love.

"What's gotten into you?" Finn asked, checking the levels as they descended. "You're not usually this surly. Not since you and Rey…you know."

Poe clenched his jaw, trying to focus on his breathing. He wasn't upset at Finn. He wasn't usually this discombobulated, especially when there was a mission. It wasn't even the vision. It was the fact that he'd had the vision in the first place. It wasn't that long ago that Finn accused him of not being able to understand what Rey was dealing with when it came to the Dark Side. Because Poe hadn't shown any real signs of being like Rey or Finn. He knew the Force existed. He couldn't have seen the things he'd seen and not accept the evidence of his eyes. But he'd resigned himself to being "normal."

Truthfully, that moment on Kef Bir had left him feeling hurt and jealous, because Finn and Rey shared something he wasn't a part of. Finn had always protested that he and Rey were friends, but the heart was not a logical organ. In that moment, he felt like he was losing Rey and she wasn't even his to lose. He was the odd man out and it hurt.

Now, it seemed like Rey had been right all along. He did have some level of Force sensitivity and he didn't know what to do about it. Rey and Finn just seemed to know, to accept, the Force as a part of their lives. Why was this happening to him now? He didn't understand and it bothered him.

"I, uh, had a vision. While we were searching through the Jedi Archives."

Finn blinked, momentarily stunned. "A vision? Like a Force vision?"

"Do you know any other kind?" Poe winced; that came out harsher than he intended. "Sorry."

"Is that why you've been on edge? The vision?"

"Not so much the vision itself, just the fact that I had it, you know?"

Finn nodded sagely. "Hey, I get that. The first time Rey and I realized we could talk to each other without speaking, it freaked me out."

Poe frowned. "Wait, you guys can do that?" He couldn't do that with Rey! Granted, they hadn't tried, but she was his fiancé!

"No idea how or why, but yeah."

"That's just great." He was being irrational about this. Poe knew that. Rey's friendship with Finn wasn't a threat to what they had. It was just a lot to take in at once.

"Hey, if you're worried about Rey…"

"I'm not. We're all family, Finn." He sighed. "You remember when we were on Kef Bir and Rey took off?" Finn nodded. "It just hit me like a punch in the gut. That no matter how close we were as friends, I would always be on the outside looking in. You two seemed to share something I couldn't touch."

Finn frowned. "Poe, I didn't mean it like that. Kriff, I'm sorry. I was worried about Rey and…scared. She told me about her vision, and I could feel her slipping toward the Dark. Turns out she didn't need us, after all."

Poe shook his head. "No, you're wrong, Finn. We were there with her on Exegol. She told me. And for the record, I was worried about her too."

"Yeah, I noticed." Finn shared a look with his friend; Poe thought his feelings for Rey had been well hidden, but Finn knew better. He'd seen them together too many times. It was just a matter of time before they figured it out for themselves.

Poe sighed. "Why now though? That's what I don't understand."

"Poe, overthinking it will only make you crazy. Believe me."

Poe chuckled. "You're probably right."

Finn clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Welcome to the club, buddy. We'll figure this out together."

Poe nodded. Rey made a similar promise. He was glad he had his two best friends to help him figure this out. In the meantime, they had a job to do. It took some time, but they finally got to level 1782. They parked the speeders in one of the alleys; unless one of them stayed behind, it wasn't likely the speeders would be there when they returned. Still, it didn't hurt to try to keep them concealed. If that didn't work, they could always steal more.

"Okay, let's split up," Poe said, rubbing his hands together. The only light was artificial, a nearby wall mounted lamp. The shade was filthy, so the light it provided was marginal at best. He could barely see Rey and she was standing right next to him. He felt her squeeze his arm though. "Everyone has their list. Get the supplies you need and meet back here."

"What if we can't find winter gear?"

"Then we'll look somewhere else, after we regroup."

They were heading out in pairs, because this part of the city just wasn't safe for a lone traveler, especially at this hour. Rey's slender frame was fairly well covered in the poncho, but Poe still saw her shiver. "Hopefully, this won't take long," he murmured as they walked toward the junkyard.

Rey wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "It gets cold on Jakku, but not like this." Since night had fallen, there was no sunlight to filter down, but it couldn't have even if it were noon on the sunniest day of the year. There was too much city above their heads. The darkness was almost oppressive, like a living, breathing thing. The air was filled with dirt and soot and exhaust; it smelled foul.

Poe wanted to pull her against him, but they needed to be on their guard. "Too much jungle on Yavin," Poe said, rubbing her shoulders. "You'll be desperate to get away from the heat."

"But it's so green and beautiful," she said wistfully. Sure, Yavin 4 was humid, but she'd come to love it. They'd talked many times about building their home there; Rey could think of nowhere better.

"That's your favorite color, isn't it, Sunshine? Green."

"Yeah. How did you know?" Her hazel eyes shined in the light of his torch; he could feel her surprise and happiness.

Poe grinned. "Before we left for Pasaana, you were staring at the trees, remember? When I thought about it later, I realized that you do that a lot, especially when we go somewhere new. So…green."

Rey found his hand in the darkness; it was such a small thing, but she loved that he took the time to notice. She wondered what his was. "The first time I saw green, real green, I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"Takadona's lovely. Well, it was." The battle there had ruined some of its beauty, but he was optimistic it would return.

"What's your favorite color?"

Poe smirked. "You don't want to guess? Maybe Jedi mind trick it out of me?"

"Poe."

"I'm just teasing. But I think I still want you to guess."

Rey eyed his profile and considered him. Passing under dirty streetlamps and shop signs cast interesting shadows over his face. The angle of his jaw, the curve of his cheekbones, the nose that should be slightly too large for his face but somehow suited him perfectly. Rey suspected it might have been broken once or twice, but that suited him too. They were on an important mission, but she wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to study her handsome fiancé.

She thought about everything she knew about him. His love of flying, his cocky attitude about said flying, his kindness, his bravery, his heart. What color most summed up the man she loved? BB-8 rolled behind them, his beeps drawing her from her thoughts. Wait. BB-8. The one of a kind orange and white droid, beloved of his master. A droid treated more like a child than a servant. "Orange. That's your favorite color. Orange."

Poe blinked at her. "Are you sure you didn't pluck that out of my head?" How the hell did she get it on the first try?

"You know I wouldn't do that. Does that mean I'm right?"

"Yeah. It was the color of my mother's flight suit as part of civilian defense force, one of the first memories I have of her."

Rey smiled. "That's a sweet memory, Poe."

"What gave it away?"

"Beebee-Ate. And your X-wing. Orange accents?"

Poe laughed. "So, I'm just that obvious, huh?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He really wanted to pull her close and kiss her (she was really cute in the hooded poncho), but that was a bad idea. "Well, I'd like to think I still have some surprises for you, Sunshine. Forever's a long time."

Rey touched the spot where her ring rested, right over her heart. She truly couldn't wait to see what their future held. One thing was certain; they would never be bored. Every day she had with him was an adventure; she truly couldn't put the way she felt about him into words. Forever was a long time. But when you were with the right person? It was everything.

She reached out and took his hand in hers. "Never stop surprising me, flyboy."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Poe squeezed her hand; just that small thing eased the anxiety in his chest. A lot was happening all at once, but as long as he had Rey beside him, he could face it. He'd face down the entire First Order for her.

All of level 1782 was a junkyard; the alley they'd left the speeders in turned out to be an offshoot of what amounted to the main thoroughfare through place. They were quickly surrounded by piles upon piles of discarded trash. Heaps of twisted metal and broken vehicles rose high above their heads. It was eerie, with long shadows and wind swirling through the junk. "Where do we even start?"

Poe shook his head. "We'll just have to do the best we can. Stay close though, okay?" He had a feeling it would be easy to get lost in here. The most important parts were for the Falcon's engine, to keep it from seizing up in Caenia's frigid temperatures. They knew from the ship's logs, that Han had been forced to make similar modifications when the Rebellion was on Hoth. That, of course, was over thirty years ago. They were going to have to improvise.

Rey had her list memorized; she scanned the junk piles looking for likely parts. Her scavenger's eye allowed her to evaluate and dismiss things quickly. If there was one thing she knew, it was ships. They needed insulation for the fuel lines, updated sub-alternators, and reactor cradles designed for the cold. And that was just to start. She had another list as long as her arm of other parts the Falcon needed, but she didn't have time. As Poe pointed out, the clock was ticking.

Whoever sent her would be assassin could discover Armas' fate at any time; if they were smart, they'd move on to another base of operations. If that happened, they would be right back where they started.

She slipped some insulated fuel lines into her pack, then she raised her torch. The lightsaber was too recognizable. They hadn't seen anyone so far, but that didn't mean they wouldn't. The light glinted off something silver above her head; Rey held the light between her teeth, leaving her hands free for climbing. The pile must have been there a long time; it barely shifted under her weight. She scaled it nimbly, metal scraping and scratching. The sound seemed to echo; she cursed silently. She just needed a few more feet. Rey pulled herself up, hanging on with one hand as she reached for the precious part. The reactor cradle fell into her hand, a little dented, but useable. Triumphant, she tucked it into her pack.

Then all hell broke loose.

An engine fired and metal scraped as a vehicle clicked into gear. Before Rey could see what it was, the pile she was perched on lurched as something huge and heavy knocked into it. She fell several feet, jagged metal tearing her skin and clothes. She cried out in pain, but she was more worried about staying upright and conscious. The same thing charged the trash pile again, like it was trying to knock it over and take Rey with it.

"REY!"

She heard Poe's cry, but she didn't have the breath to respond. She finally leaped free of the twisting, crushing metal, curling in a ball to break her fall. Once she was on her feet, Rey snatched her lightsaber off her belt and ignited it. "Show yourself!"

She dashed around a corner, seeking her attacker. Blaster fire struck around her; she ducked, deflecting any that came too close. The fire wasn't aimed well, which indicated a being unfamiliar with the weapon. What the hell was going on?

Poe heard the shots right after he saw Rey fall. He yanked out his blaster and fired back, his heart in his throat. He heard the distinct hum of Rey's lightsaber; he dashed after her. His satchel was heavy, but he didn't dare lose it. They would need those parts! "Rey!" he called. "Rey!"

There was an almighty crash; Poe ducked instinctively. When he straightened, he found Rey holding her hand out. A falling metal and glass hung in the air like a waterfall, held back by the Force. Rey's brow creased in concentration as she shoved the debris back; it crashed into another pile a few feet away. Poe wondered if he would ever get used to seeing that. Probably not. What was even more astonishing was the identity of who Rey had just saved.

Children.

A trio of Iktotchi children hovered several feet away. One was clearly the protector, the oldest, tallest, though they couldn't have been more than twelve. A blaster lay on the ground several feet away. Had they fired on her? Poe couldn't fathom why.

Rey sensed Poe's presence. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. You?"

"A few scrapes, but I'll be fine."

Poe frowned; she had at least one nasty cut on her arm. If they didn't get bacta on it, it would get infected. He started to step forward, but the children flinched. "Okay. I'll just stay right here."

Rey stepped forward, her hands held up. Now that she wasn't being shot at, her heart broke for these children. They were dirty, half starved, clearly afraid of something. She had a feeling they weren't afraid of her though. "My name's Rey," she said softly. "This is my friend, Poe. We're trying to find some parts for our ship."

"That's stealing," the littlest Iktotchi piped up. Poe wasn't an expert, but that one was probably female. "This is Kalwi's territory. You can't have it!"

"Territory?"

Poe groaned. "You mean the gangs have claimed this too? You've got to be kidding me."

"Poe, I don't understand."

Poe holstered his blaster and stepped forward. "Remember when I said this was the underworld? That's not an exaggeration. There are cartels and gangs and smugglers down here, Sunshine. Each one out for themselves. Every last one of them trying to get an advantage over the other, by any means necessary."

"But Poe, these are children."

"I didn't say it was right. Just that it happens."

Rey knelt down so she was eye level with the oldest child. "What's your name?"

The Iktotchi's long tapered fingers twitched; his eyes flickered to the discarded blaster. "You're a Jedi."

One of the boy's siblings piped up. "Jedi aren't real, Anli! They're just a story! You said they were a story!"

The boy—Anli—shushed his sibling. "Are you?" he said again to Rey. "A Jedi?"

"I am. How do you know about the Jedi?"

Anli's arm slipped around his youngest sister. "Our nan, she used to tell me stories. She said that her uncle was a Jedi, but I didn't believe her. If he was a Jedi, why didn't he know about us? Why let us live like this?"

Rey had no idea how these children got caught up in…whatever they were caught up in, but she was determined to do something about it. "Long ago, Jedi were taken from their families when they were very young," she explained. "And then the Emperor…he killed them all and said they were traitors."

"Nan never believed that."

"She sounds like a wise person." Rey gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Anli? We're not here to hurt you. We're taking a trip and need some very specialized parts for our ship. Can you help us?"

The youngest clutched at her brother's sleeve. "You can't, Anli! We'll get into so much trouble!"

"Quiet, Yife!"

"What kind of trouble?" Poe asked. He was still standing far enough away as to not appear threatening. He didn't know that many Iktotchi; he'd never met a child before.

Anli looked from Rey to Poe and back; he was wary, but brave. He was also clearly protective of his siblings. How long had they been living like this? Where were their parents? Poe glanced beyond them, spotting the bulldozer. It was parked at an odd angle, though that might be because Rey shoved at it with the Force. "Did you drive that thing?"

Anli nodded. Poe wasn't sure if he was impressed or furious. Yeah, they might be children, but Rey could have been seriously hurt. Jedi weren't indestructible. Before Poe could call him out, Rey spoke. "We can help you," she said to Anli. "Where are your parents?"

"Dead," Anli said in a flat voice. "We belong to Kalwi now."

Rey's jaw clenched. "You don't belong to anyone. You're not a slave."

"Kalwi protects us, gives us a place to live. As long as we do what he wants, we're safe."

"But you're not safe here," Rey pointed out. "If this Kalwi person has you doing this, then he thinks you're expendable. He doesn't care about you; I promise you that."

"Why attack us?" Poe demanded.

"Because you're stealing," Yife piped up, trying to sound very important. She was so young, her horns were only a less than six inches long.

"But this just junk," Poe pointed out.

"Unless it's not," Rey said darkly. "Unless there's something else here this Kalwi doesn't want anyone to find."

"Rey, you really think a crime syndicate would send children to guard some secret stash?"

She stood, hands on her hips. "Actually, yes. I do. You have no idea what beings like Unkar Plutt are capable of."

"We don't have time for this," Poe said, trying to sound reasonable. "We have a mission."

"You think I don't know that? I'm not leaving children behind to fend for themselves, Poe! It's not right!"

"They seem to be getting along just fine," he snapped. At Rey's look of horror, he backtracked. "I didn't mean it like that, Rey."

"Sounds like you did." She glared at him, her jaw set. "Just because you've never known what it's like to be hungry and afraid doesn't make you better than anyone."

"I never said that! All I'm saying is that we can't help everyone, especially if they don't want our help! You and Finn have been after me to think more like a general and not let my emotions get in the way! That's what I'm trying to do, Rey! Put the mission first! If we don't get to Caedia soon, our only lead is going to evaporate! And I'm not letting that happen."

"Fine. You go. Find Finn and Jannah. You can go to Caedia. I'm getting to the bottom of this."

"Rey…" Did she think he would just leave her here? She couldn't go marching into a potential gang war by herself! "Rey, please just listen to me!" he pleaded. "Please."

She'd turned away from him, but she'd stopped walking. He chose to take that as a good sign. He walked around her still form until he was facing her. She was almost vibrating with anger. "I understand why you feel you need to do this," he began. "I know you don't think I do, but I do." He hoped she could sense his sincerity. "I've seen a lot of terrible things, all across the galaxy. Things I couldn't fix. Things that kept me up at night. So, I get it. If you really want to help, then we're doing it together. Because I'm not leaving you. I made you a promise when I asked you to marry me, Rey. We're a team."

Rey blinked; her anger thawed somewhat. She understood why Poe felt the need to put their mission first, but she couldn't turn her back on children. She couldn't. She looked at them and saw herself. She wished someone could have helped her when she was their age. Now, she could be the one who helped.

The middle child had been so quiet, Rey was surprised when she felt a tiny hand tug on her poncho. The child's dark eyes were scared but determined. Rey knelt down on one knee, so she was eye level. "What's your name, little one?"

"Ranne," the child replied. "Can I see your sword?"

Rey smiled. "It's called a lightsaber." She unclipped it from her belt and held it up. She spun the dial ignition with her thumb; the blade burst forth. Ranne's eyes were wide and fascinated; instinctively, she reached out to touch. "Careful," Rey said softly. "It's not a toy."

"It's pretty."

"Yeah, it is." She liked that hers was a color that was rare, even for a Jedi. According to everything she read, only purple was rarer than yellow.

Ranne turned her eyes back to Rey. "Can you help us?"

"I think I can. We can." She glanced at Poe, still standing several feet away. His eyes were soft now; she couldn't place the emotion she saw there. "But we need your help too. Do you think you can do that?"

Anli stepped up. "No, Ranne. Don't tell her anything."

Rey looked up at the young boy. His chest was puffed out like he was trying too hard. But Rey sensed his fear. Whatever they were guarding, she was certain he knew what it was. The rest was just an act to keep his sisters close, so they wouldn't ask too many questions. "We can help you. We can get you away from here, somewhere safe. I promise."

"We're doing just fine on our own."

Poe stepped closer. "Think about your sisters. Do you want them living like this?"

Ranne tugged on her brother's sleeve. "Anli, please. Please don't make us stay here! Please!"

Rey studied the young girl. She was clearly terrified of something. Or someone. Gods knew what she'd already been asked to do by the cartel that "owned" them. Rey had dealt with her fair share of nastiness on Jakku; she'd learned early how to defend herself. By the time BB-8 dropped into her life, most regulars in Niima Outpost knew not to mess with her. She could tell that this girl had no such luxury.

Anli's brow furrowed, the conflict clear on his face. But he wanted to protect his sisters, desperately. Even Poe could sense that. He knew it's how he would have felt, if he had little sisters. He could almost feel the lead on Caenia slipping away, but Rey was right. Wasn't this what they were fighting for? This was what the war had been about, freeing the galaxy from tyranny. They'd defeated the First Order, but that didn't mean their job was done.

Seeing Rey with the children made his heart ache. If she chose that path, she would be such a good mother. Get it together, Dameron, he thought. Worry about the mission.

Anli glanced from Rey to Poe, then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "There's a stash of hyperfuel."

"Coaxium?" Poe asked, surprised. And a little angry to be honest. "They've got you guarding a stash of coaxium? Don't you know how volatile that is?"

"What is it?"

Poe clenched his fist. "It's the material that fuels starships. If it's not properly refined and contained, it can explode."

"Where is it, Anli?" Rey asked.

He pointed to a spot over Rey's left shoulder. "The old broken down crusher. Kalwi ordered us to keep people away from there. He said that if it was stolen, he'd take my sisters and sell me off to the Hutts."

Rey turned to Poe. "We have to get them out of here, Poe. And get that coaxium." She wasn't letting anyone who exploited children profit. Not if she could do something about it.

Poe opened his mouth to argue, then he changed his mind. The blazing look in her eyes dissuaded him. He didn't want to get into another fruitless argument; Rey would do this, with or without him. "We'll need more than just the two of us." He didn't want to use the comms, but what choice did they have?

"Finn and Jannah can take the children back to the Falcon."

"The Falcon? Rey, we can't take them into a war zone." He had no idea what they would face once they got to Caedia, but he knew it wasn't a place for children.

"We can't just leave them here!"

"I'm not saying that." His brow furrowed as he wracked his brain for a solution. "But we should get them off planet."

"Anli, do you have any other family? Anywhere you can go?"

"We were born here. There is nowhere else."

Rey's heart clenched. She was afraid of that. "What about Yavin?" She looked at Poe hopefully. "Could we put them on a transport and send them to Kes? Just until we can find another solution?"

"That's not a bad idea, actually." They would be safe on Yavin. And his dad was always looking for help running the ranch. "If we stop in the Alderaan quarter, I bet we could find someone to travel with them, just in case."

Rey was so grateful that she ran over and hugged him. Poe hugged her back, but he felt her wince. "We need to get that cut looked at, Sunshine."

"It's fine, a scratch."

Poe looked stern. "No sense in arguing, Master Jedi. Go ahead and call Finn. I'm looking at it. Now sit."

Rey rolled her eyes, but she did as he asked. After she called Finn on her comm, sheand BB-8 entertained the children with some of her Force abilities while Poe tended her arm. The pain barely registered; she'd been through worse. After dying, a little pain felt like nothing. Poe cleaned it with some water from his canteen and tore some silk stripes from the lining of his coat. The bleeding had mostly stopped, but he wanted to keep it as clean as possible until they got back to the Falcon. Then he could tend her properly.

"Where'd you get so good at that?" Rey asked.

"Got stuck in some pretty hairy places, Sunshine," he murmured. "We'll put some bacta on it when we get back."

"Seriously, Poe. It's fine."

"You can't heal yourself," he chided. "And there's no one else. So, just let me do this for you, okay?"

She could sense how worried he was about her, so she let it pass. Part of her really liked the way he took care of her. She hadn't had that since she was a child. He was more or less sacrificing their mission to do this for her. She knew that. Every minute they delayed could lead to losing the small advantage they had. If Operation Python discovered that Armas had been captured, they would evacuate and disappear into the stars. Time was of the essence. But Rey couldn't turn her back. It wasn't in her nature.

All she could do was pray they wouldn't be too late.


"Are you sure I can't just lift it out?" Rey asked, her saber held aloft to light their way. They were deep under the junkyard now, hopefully headed toward the broken crusher. She was relying on the Force to guide them in the right direction.

"We don't know how it's secured," Poe replied, wiping sweat from his brow. It was cold topside, but it was uncomfortably warm hiking through the tunnels. They had no idea what was down there, aside from the coaxium. "Unless it's stored properly, you might set it off. That's enough power to run every ship in the fleet for at least a year."

Finn, Jannah and BB-8 had already taken the young Iktotchi (hopefully) to the Alderaan quarter. It was several hundred levels up from the junkyard. Rey and Poe remained behind to take care of the coaxium. Poe had no idea how much there was; the Resistance could use the extra fuel. It was one of the most precious commodities in the galaxy; it would fetch a high price on the black market. Poe felt no compunctions about stealing it from gangsters.

"Done this before, General?"

"Nope. But I did pay attention to things that could blow me up in school, Sunshine."

She laughed. "I wish I could have seen you then."

"I'm sure Papa will be all too willing to show you more embarrassing holos of me the next time we're home."

Rey led them left, then right, then left again. The tunnel slowly started to open wider; she sensed they were close. "Poe."

"Right there with you, Rey." The tunnel was wide enough now for them to stand abreast; he pointed his torch toward the ceiling. The seam of doors lay before them. He looked around for an access panel, something to get some power to open the doors, but he jumped back when Rey stabbed the metal with her lightsaber. It cut through it like butter, metal glowing red hot as she began to cut a hole through it. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked; Poe simply stared in awe.

It took a couple of minutes, but Rey finally extracted her saber and held out her hand. Poe watched as she used the Force to push the metal through the hole she created; it fell to the ground with a loud metallic crash. "Um, wow."

Rey flushed. "Come on, flyboy." She led them into the chamber; it was filled with debris. Which made sense, considering the unit's former function. It was designed to crush and shred metal, to make it small enough for transport. She kicked some jagged pieces away with her boot. "Where do we start?"

"Well, unrefined coaxium would have exploded by now, so let's start looking for shielded storage cubes."

It was slow going. They had to split up; it got considerably darker once Rey's bright lightsaber moved away. It appeared that the gaping hole above their heads was used as much for trash as anything else; Poe was sure he stepped in some things he'd rather not know what they were. He sifted through broken parts, jagged metal and sharp glass. Finn and Jannah had managed to find some cold weather gear, so he had gloves. But the leather was getting punctured in several places.

The screech of metal on metal was harsh in his ears as he shoved a broken condenser out of his way. And he froze. Poe blinked, a cold warning slithering down his spine. "Rey."

Her lightsaber appeared, twenty feet away. "Yeah. I sense it too. We're not alone."

Poe moved in her direction; he noticed she had a case in her free hand. "Did you get it?"

"There's another one; would you mind grabbing it?"

"Sure." He headed in the direction she pointed, snatching up the case. It was heavier than he expected. Once he had it, he returned to Rey until they were standing back to back, weapons raised.

"Well, well, well, looks like we've got ourselves some poachers, my friends." Rey's eyes shot up; an alien species she didn't recognize stared down at her. Dark skin that looked like leather, black eyes that shined like marbles with clawed hands, the alien appealed quite calm. As she scanned the perimeter, she noticed that they were surrounded. She felt Poe press against her back; she heard him slip the safety off his blaster.

"We're not the ones using children as guards," she spat.

"I wondered where those little moochers had gotten too."

"Kalwi, I presume?" Poe said, looking over Rey's shoulder.

"Those little bastards ratted me out, huh? I'll deal with them later."

Poe did a mental count; the odds weren't in their favor, but he'd been in rougher spots than this. And this time he had a Jedi fighting beside him. Though, Poe noted ruefully, this would have been the perfect time for them to be able to talk to each other in their minds. Oh well. He felt Rey's heel knock against his; he returned the gesture. He was ready for whatever she had planned.

"Kill them."

A cacophony of sound started all at once. Blasters fired at them from all directions; Rey's arm was a blur as she deflected shot after shot. Poe tucked and rolled behind a discarded hunk of metal. He got up on his knees and started firing, getting two in quick succession.

"Poe!" Rey tossed him her case; before he could shout, she leaped out of the compactor and executed a somersault, landing on her feet. Damn Jedi. He knew exactly what she was doing, and he didn't like it. Still, there was nothing he could do about it. Her stunt drew away the gang that surrounded them, giving him a chance to climb out the more conventional way. Blaster fire roared in his ears; he prayed silently that Rey's Jedi skills were up to the task. He shoved one case under his arm and grabbed the other. He had to holster his blaster so he could use his right hand to climb out. There was an emergency exit to his left; they'd passed it on their way in.

Rey deflected another bolt as she reached into the Force. She yanked hard, dragging one of her attackers down into the dirt, his weapon skidding away. She dashed after it, slicing it neatly in half. In the same movement, she switched hands, arching the blade behind her back to deflect yet another shot. They were trying to shoot her in the back! Rey skidded to a halt, turned and charged. One of the alien thugs came at her with makeshift staff—a long length of pipe really—Rey sliced through it easily.

"That's a lightsaber, you dolts!" Kalwi exclaimed. "Get it from her!"

She used the Force to keep track of her attackers, spinning her saber in figure eights around her. There were six of them now, all trying to advance on her. Where was Poe? She searched for him in the Force; he was nearby. Unhurt, so far. She sensed he wasn't happy with her, but it couldn't be helped. She was in a better position to take on a half dozen blasters. One of them needed to get the coaxium out of there.

Poe heaved himself out of the hole, breathing hard. A rogue blaster shot hit the ground near him; he rolled away, reaching for his blaster. He stayed low as he fired at some of the bastards coming at Rey; he picked off a couple more of them. The yellow saber whirled around her at an almost inhuman speed; it was awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time. He'd seen her train, but he'd rarely seen her fight. Certainly not like this.

One of Kawli's thugs dashed up one of the piles of junk; Poe whirled around and fired off a shot near the bastard's feet. He must have hit something explosive because the entire thing went up in flames, the explosion sending the alien high into the air. He was pretty sure they were dealing with some Delphidians, not a species he knew well.

"Poe!" Rey screamed.

He whirled around at the last second, dodging a blaster shot. He kicked his attacker's legs out from under him and shot him in the side. "Rey!" he yelled. "We need to get out of here!"

"On it!" She sprinted off toward the speeder they'd hidden before going down into the tunnels. More blaster fire; this time when she turned to deflect it, each of the shooters went down. When she looked, she saw Poe, calmly shooting from behind her. He sprinted in her direction, coat torn, hair in disarray and two cases of precious coaxium bouncing against his leg.

Not the time to ogle your fiancé, she scolded herself as she switched off her saber. She clipped it hastily and yanked on the tarp. As she started the engine, she watched as Poe fought off the remaining thugs, shooting over his shoulder. The moment he leapt aboard, she gunned it.

"I'll cover you!" Poe shouted. "Just drive!"

"Cover us from what?" Rey shouted back. But she got her answer from the rifle shots that sparked near her feet. Poe knelt where the sparks had been a second before, getting off a half dozen shots with his own blaster. "Oh. That."

Poe huffed. "Yeah. That." He kept his blaster raised, scanning the junkyard for more threats. More thugs were arriving, drawn by the gunfire. Some tried to fire at them, but they were advancing too quickly. He laid down some covering fire, just in case. "Honestly, Sunshine, I don't know if I should kiss you or scold you!"

Rey laughed. "Maybe when we get out of this you can do both."


"What the hell happened?" Finn demanded when they finally reached the Falcon.

"Are the children safe?" Rey asked as she sprinted toward the cockpit.

"Yes, Leia's friend is taking them to the spaceport as we speak," Finn cried, nonplussed. He heard a lot of chatter over the scanners, now his friends come running onto the Falcon like Rathtars were chasing them! "What is going on?"

"We'll explain later!" Poe hollered, following Rey. "Chewie, make sure this coaxium is secure!"

Rey was already in the pilot's seat when he arrived; he slid easily into the co-pilot's seat. "Nice of you to join me," she quipped, flashing a grin.

"You and I are going to have a talk later," he replied, flipping switches, helping her get them airborne. The Falcon shuddered to life; both pilots shared matching excited grins. They may have just a had close call, been fired at and chased through the underworld of Coruscant, but there was nothing like flying. Well, almost nothing. Rey pulled hard on the yoke; the old freighter responded with a groan.

"Where to, sweetheart?"

"Caedia," she replied, looking at him like he was mad. "Where else?"

"I dunno. You've kinda commandeered the mission."

She shot him a look. "Just because I wanted to do the right thing? That's what you're mad about?"

"There are multiple right things, Sunshine." He punched the coordinates for their first jump into the nav computer. "We can't do them all. And I'm not mad."

"You're doing a weird impression of it, General."

"Oh, we're back to General now, Master Jedi?" The Falcon climbed higher; the air thinned out until they were on the edge of open space.

"Would you stop calling me that?" she snapped. She spotted one of the planet's air patrols; she evened out their trajectory, hoping it would pass them by. They hadn't needed to blast their way out, so the odds were in their favor.

"Everyone else calls you Master Skywalker," he shot back. He liked that he was getting a rise out of her; her cheeks were a rosy pink. He wasn't kidding about them having a talk later. It just might involve far less clothes than they were wearing now. "Tough to know who's giving the orders around here, sweetheart."

She smirked at him. "Oh, I'd like to see you give me orders."

"That can be arranged."

Rey had to bite back a groan; she needed to focus. Which was difficult because he was sitting next to her, a bit roughed up and disheveled, his curls a mess, his dark eyes flashing in anger, frustration and heat. He looked like he wanted to devour her, and she wanted to let him.

But first, they needed to get the hell out of here.

"Coordinates locked in," he muttered. They reached for the hyperdrive controls at the same time; their fingers automatically locked together as they pulled the levers.

"Where are we jumping to first?" Rey asked, their hands still entwined.

"No idea," Poe said honestly. They were headed in the general direction of Caedia, but they'd need multiple jumps to get there. He couldn't stop staring at their hands; their skin was filthy, but she was warm and alive. He wanted to yell and scold her for being reckless; he wanted to praise her for being kind hearted and kriffing brilliant with that lightsaber.

The rest of him just wanted to strip her naked and bury himself inside her heat until they passed out from pleasure. Mostly that last one. He didn't know if her emotions were feeding off his or vice versa or what the hell was happening, but he needed her. Right now.

They stared at each other for what felt like hours, both almost daring the other to make the first move. The moment was broken by a very irate Wookie and an annoyed best friend. "Could someone please explain what happened down there?" Finn demanded from the hallway.

Poe brought Rey's knuckles to his lips. "That explanation takes more than ten minutes and I'm dragging you back to our quarters, Sunshine."

"Yes, sir." She was teasing, but not really. She felt like there were thousands of ants crawling under her skin; adrenaline still coursed through her. She could only think about one very pleasant way to get it out of her system.

They both rose at almost the same moment; Poe let Rey out first. As soon as they were clear of the cockpit, Rey launched into her explanation, giving their friends an abbreviated version of everything that happened after Finn and Jannah left with the children. While she talked, Poe got a med kit and tended the cut on her upper arm. He just needed to be touching her. She flinched a little as he cleaned it with bacta, but she flashed him a smile as he gently pressed the edges of the batca patch to her skin. She didn't let him get away, twining their fingers as she talked. Poe turned her arm over, pressing circles into her inner wrist.

"But you lost them, right?" Finn said, worried.

"Yeah. We're fine, Finn," Rey assured him. "Honest."

"Rose will be happy about the coaxium."

"Hey, buddy, why don't you go tell her?" Poe said. "Rey and I should get cleaned up."

Finn shot them both a look. "Cleaned up. Right."

Rey's cheeks heated as she allowed Poe to tug her to her feet. She was still wired, images of them fighting their way out of yet another sticky situation flickering across her mind. Poe kept her hand firmly in his as they made the short walk to their quarters.

"We won't be seeing them for a while," Jannah muttered to Finn.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

Rey couldn't stop the giggle that tumbled from her lips; she was still laughing as her lover tugged her inside their quarters and kissed her soundly. Air left her lungs in a rush as Poe pressed her against the door, trapping her firmly. She held him close, her fingers clutching at his shirt, their tongues tangled together.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Poe growled as he lavished her throat with rough biting kisses.

Rey arched into him, already frustrated by the layers that separated them. "One of us had to handle the cases," she breathed, yanking on his shirt. She tugged it from his trousers, licking her lips as she pulled it over his head. His lips were hot on her skin before the fabric even hit the floor. Rey clung to his broad shoulders as he nipped and sucked on the spot just behind her ear; her knees threated to give out. "Gods, Poe."

He yanked hard on her belt, allowing it to drop to the floor. "Would have been nice to know the plan," he muttered, sliding his knee between her legs. A strangled noise caught in her throat as she tried to grind against him.

"No time," she breathed, as she dragged his mouth back to hers. They clashed in a heated frenzy of lips and tongues and teeth; Poe made a low needy sound as she nipped at his bottom lip. He tugged hard on her Jedi wraps; he was pretty sure he tore some of the fabric in his haste.

"That was reckless," he argued. He slid his hands under her thighs; she automatically locked her legs around his waist. "Dangerous." She gasped as he thrust his hips against her core. "Brave." Another thrust, another moan. "Incredible." This time she thrust back, just as needy as he was.

"Poe…need you."

"We both need a shower," he shot back, as wicked grin on his face. She let out a yelp as he carried her to the fresher, locking her legs tighter around his waist. He held her close with one hand and with the other pulled out the ties that once held her hair in place. Her buns were a wreck anyway. Her lips descended to his collarbone; she could taste the salty sweat on his skin. Before she could get any ideas, he deposited her on the tiny sink. Fortunately, it was bolted into the wall, so it held her weight. "Sit. Don't move."

"Or what?"

Poe growled, kissing her firmly. "Or I'm showering alone."

Rey bit her lip; she knew from his tone that it wasn't an idle threat. Her core ached with need; she needed him too badly to disobey. For now. "Yes, sir."

Poe grinned. "Good girl." He went over to the stall and turned on the water. Normally, they took short showers or just used the sonic, but they both needed a good scrub. Hopefully, their crew mates wouldn't mind.

Rey watched him work, subtly shifting her weight on the sink, trying to ease the ache she felt. She almost embarrassed herself as he bent over to remove his boots and socks; the material of his pants stretched tightly over his backside. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing because he was smirking when he turned to face her. "Would you like to do the honors, sweetheart?"

Rey's breathing hitched as he approached; the bulge in his pants was very obvious now. He drew her in for a kiss as she fumbled for his belt. He stood between her legs as she loosened his trousers; the weight of his blaster made the material fall to the metal floor with a loud clatter. Poe groaned as she took him into her hand, stroking his length firmly. "Kriff."

"What are you waiting for, flyboy?" she teased, twisting her wrist the way she knew he liked.

"You're very impatient for a Jedi," he complained as he started to pull her tunic over her head.

"Maybe I'm not a very good Jedi then." They clashed again with heated kisses as Poe tugged urgently on her remaining clothes. Her boots fell to the floor with a thud; her pants, underwear and breast band joined the heap of discarded and dirty clothes. They were finally skin to skin; Rey arched as his lips slid down her sternum. Any moment now he would give her what they both desperately needed.

Poe molded his hands to her body, smudging dirt and grease over her pale form. She was already wet and swollen, more than ready for him, but he held off. Instead, he dropped to his knees and parted her thighs. He kissed her swollen clit gently before licking a long stripe through her slit. Rey moaned loudly, bracing herself on the sink. "Poe, kriff!"

He chuckled. "I'd say you're a very bad Jedi," he murmured. "Already so wet for me." She bucked against him as he went back to tasting her. He drew nonsense with his tongue, reveling in her sweetness.

Rey's head hit the mirror with a dull thud as her lover devoured her. She groaned, but it didn't hurt. She writhed and squirmed as he tortured her, bringing her to the brink of orgasm then backing off. She pleaded, yanking roughly on his curls, but he paid her no mind. "Poe, kriff…" she whined. "I need…" Her words cut off with a sharp cry as he sucked her clit into his mouth. She orgasmed hard; her cry of pleasure echoed against the walls of the tiny room. She trembled in his arms, his clever tongue lapping at her, drawing out her high.

"Could watch you do that forever," he murmured as he kissed her belly. Poe stood, his lips still on her skin, leaving a trail of her own wetness in his wake. Rey shivered when his lips met hers; she could feel him, hard and heavy against her core.

"Please," she breathed between kisses. "Need you inside me. Please."

Poe groaned, his hips flexing against hers. "Look at us," he commanded softly. "Go on, sweetheart. See what you do to me."

Rey swallowed heavily as she glanced down. Part of her should have been embarrassed or shy or something but she wasn't. Instead, she was fascinated. Her nails dug into the back of his neck as she watched his thick firm erection glide against her aching wet flesh. They were so close their breath mingled; their hearts pounded loudly. If she shifted her hips a tiny bit, he'd slip inside, fill her, ride her into sweet, sweet oblivion.

"You make me so crazy," he whispered in her ear. "Out there, in here. Never want to let you go."

She drew him in for a kiss. "So, don't," she whispered back. "Don't let me go, Poe. Not ever."

"Hmm, I think it's time for someone's shower." He lifted her off the sink and got them both into the narrow stall. The water was hot, not quite scalding, but hot enough to deepen the flush of their skin. Rey backed Poe up under the spray, kissing him feverishly as the water cascaded over them. "Easy, sweetheart. Not going anywhere."

Rey giggled; she was just so happy. Poe made her happy. While getting into sticky situations wasn't her favorite thing, she would be happy if they led to more moments like this. She licked water from his bronze skin as he fumbled for the soap. "Aren't we just going to get dirty again, General?" she asked, grinning.

"I certainly hope so, Master Jedi." It was his turn to press her against the tile, his slippery soapy hands sliding over her skin. Rey bit her lip as a groan caught in her throat; she had to grip the lone rail to stay upright as he washed her. Poe was meticulous, stroking every inch of her, soaking in the low needy sounds she made. She turned around so he could get her back; he kissed the length of her spine while grinding his erection into her ass. "Kriff, I need to feel you around me," he murmured. Rey had her hands braced on the tile; she was half bent over. If she spread her legs, he'd have the perfect view of her swollen sex.

"Do it," she breathed. "Need you, Poe. Please."

There was no sense in torturing them both. He leaned in beside her ear. "Spread your legs, sweetheart." Rey did as he asked, bending over a few more inches. She whined as she felt the swollen tip of his cock brush her folds, still teasing, then he was there, pressing inside, inch by inch.

"Oh gods," Rey gasped. Her fingers flexed against the wet tile; he felt so good. Her core clenched instinctively; Poe cursed. She was so warm and wet; she was perfect. He held her hips as he rocked into her slowly, keeping them both steady as water cascaded down his back. He leaned over her, taking her with short deep thrusts that had her whimpering in pleasure.

"Mine," he growled in her ear as their skin smacked together. "My Jedi."

She reached back, grabbing his hand. "Yours," she agreed, widening her stance as far as the stall wound allow. "Don't stop. Please don't stop, Poe. So good like this."

He brought their joined hands up against the tile, silently urging her to hang on. The emotions of the last few hours seemed to sweep over them at once, the fear, the danger, the exhilaration, the desire, the need. He rode her harder, faster, relishing every whimper and moan that tumbled from her lips. They were connected—not just physically, but through the Force. Everything they felt seemed to swirl together until neither knew where they ended and the other began.

Rey reached her peak first, stars popping behind her eyes as her whole body shuddered in ecstasy. She screamed something that sounded like his name, her fingers tightening on his with almost bruising force. Her clenching walls were too much for Poe; he thrust one last time, coming so hard that he thought he saw stars.

Rey felt him sag against her, shaking. His heart raced against her back, echoing hers. She drew their wet joined hands to her lips, brushing a kiss to his knuckles. That roused him enough to switch their positions, so he was leaning against the tile with Rey against his chest. "You okay?" she asked, still breathless herself.

Poe kept his eyes closed, determined to memorize how this felt. "I've never…felt anything like that," he said honestly. "What was that?"

"You felt it too?"

"Mmhmm. I felt you, more strongly than ever."

"Yeah, me too."

Poe kissed the top of her head. "Pretty intense, huh?"

"This whole day has been intense."

"True."

The water was starting to get cold. Rey gestured for Poe to stay where he was while she got them cleaned up. It only took her about five minutes to get them clean; soap, dirt and grease washed down the drain. She took another five minutes to wash Poe's curls; he leaned back in the spray to rinse his hair while she washed hers. Once hers was clear of suds, he climbed out, offering her a towel before getting one for himself.

"Those are a lost cause, I think," Rey said, gesturing to their clothing.

Poe chuckled. "Probably. Who thought stealing from a junkyard was a good idea?"

"Some general," Rey teased.

"Sounds like a terrible general to me." Poe took her hand and led her to their bunk. He was exhausted; the ship would be fine for a while. Rey curled up beside him under the blanket, her head on his chest. "How's your arm?"

"It'll be fine," she promised. "Someone took very good care of me."

Poe lightly touched the bacta patch. "You scared me, Sunshine."

"I know." As long as they fought side by side, there would be more days like this. She couldn't stop being a Jedi any more than he could stop being the leader he was born to be. She believed that. They would fight until the battle was won. "We can't change who we are, Poe."

He squeezed her shoulder. "I know. I would never ask that of you, Rey. The whole time, I was worried about you, but you're…incredible. The galaxy needs you. I can't be that selfish, even though I want to."

She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I was worried about you too. All we can do is trust in the Force."

"My dad told me the same thing."

"Kes is a wise man."

"I wish I would have appreciated that when I was younger. I gave him a lot of grief that he didn't deserve."

They were quiet for a long time; Rey thought that Poe had fallen asleep. When he rolled on his side to face her, she could see he was wide awake. "Hey, you okay?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure. Today was a lot."

She ran her thumb over his cheekbone. "The Force can be a lot to handle all at once."

"Is it true you and Finn can talk to each other?" he blurted. "In the Force, I mean."

Rey blinked. "We're not sure how or why, but yeah. It takes a lot of concentration though."

"So, not right now?"

"Definitely not. Why?"

"Well, I was just thinking that it might have helped. Today. If we could, you know, do that."

"Poe…"

"I know, I know. You promised not to get in my head. And I trust you." He kissed her fingers. "But Rey, I felt something while we were in the shower. You felt it too. There's a connection, you know there is."

She wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "Not all connections in the Force are good, Poe. You know that." Her bond with Kylo Ren was nearly the undoing of everything they fought for. She lived in fear for months that he would somehow find their base by accident. He used it to manipulate and gaslight her. Palpatine used it to bring himself back to life.

"Does ours feel wrong to you? You're the Jedi."

He looked so earnest; she couldn't say no. Rey closed her eyes and reached out for him in the Force. As always, Poe's bright light warmed her. She felt joy, hope, trepidation and above all else, love. He was a little afraid of his apparent Force sensitivity, but not enough to reject it. Or to reject her. If anything, he loved her more. Tears slid down her cheeks, overwhelmed by his feelings for her.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Sunshine," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, I'm not upset." She kissed him. "I'm happy. All because of you."

He smiled. "Glad to hear it."

"There is something there," she confirmed. "Something…more. I can't describe it."

"I felt you. Not in a bad way. It was…nice." Rey tucked her head under his chin as he pulled her close. "Love you, Sunshine."

"I love you too, Poe." She wasn't sure what was happening, but she was sure they would get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, they had a job to do. Later. After a nap.