Author's note: Thanks to anyone who is still reading this monster. I hope you enjoy this update!

Disclaimer: Not mine, Mouse!

Chapter 20

"Get the droids secured!" Rey yelled as she ran for the cockpit.

Jacen waited the in the co-pilot's seat; the Falcon's engines were already roaring to life. "No one knew we were coming here," he said worriedly.

Rey ignored him in favor of getting them off this planet. It might be nothing. Just some passersby. Deep down though, she didn't believe that. The Falcon rose sharply; she pressed the button for the ship wide comm. "Strap yourselves in!" she called out. She paused. "Ezra, you might want to man one of the cannons. Just in case."

The temple grew smaller and smaller; Rey had to focus on her flying. They climbed up through the clouds, breaking the atmosphere in record time. Jacen scanned the scopes. "I've never seen ships like that. I'd almost say they were fighters, but the First Order doesn't have any ships that look like that."

Rey was too busy trying to make the calculations for hyperspace; it took her a few seconds to see what Jacen meant. "The Resistance doesn't either."

One of the ships broke off from their formation and fired off two shots. Rey jerked the yoke to port and forced the Falcon into a steep dive. Whoever they were, they were not friendly. "Jacen, go man the other cannon. Now!"

"But…"

"I've got this. Go!" She'd flown the Falcon by herself before; she could handle this. Fortunately, Jacen didn't argue. She checked the scanners again; there were six ships. The shape was unlike any she'd ever seen; though, if pressed, she'd say they looked like modified TIEs. The cockpit was the same spherical shape, but the wings were all wrong. She didn't have time to examine them further; a couple more were now in firing range.

Rey twisted the Falcon into another corkscrew, then banked hard to starboard. She could hear the Falcon's cannons firing, but she needed to give Ezra and Jacen some better angles. She snatched up the headset and set it haphazardly on her head. "Tell me what you need!" she yelled, as they took a hit to one of the exhaust ports. She increased the power to the rear deflectors, but they needed to get out of here. Quickly.

"Come around 86 degrees!" Ezra replied. "I think I can get two of 'em!"

Rey did as he asked, using a maneuver she'd only ever tried in the simulator back on Jakku. It certainly wasn't something that a normal freighter could handle, but this was the Milliennium Falcon. There was an ominous creaking sound as she wheeled the ship around, but she held together. Ezra was a good shot, taking out the promised ships in rapid succession.

"Four left!"

"How long until we can make the jump?" Jacen asked.

Rey checked the computer. "Two minutes." She wasn't sure they had two minutes. She was grateful that they'd recently overhauled the Falcon's engines; she was pushing them hard.

"Rey, watch out!" Jacen called out.

She spotted the ship at the last second, diving once more toward the planet. They wouldn't be able to jump anywhere if she couldn't get them to the hyperspace lane. But their attackers seemed to know that; two of them stayed close to that section of space. A sense of déjà vu washed over her; for a moment, she was back above Minfar, with Poe and Rose manning the cannons.

"I'm gonna try something," she said. "Be ready to fire."

"Rey…"

"Just do it." She wheeled the ship around in a big arc, coaxing two of the fighters to chase her. They did. She abruptly threw the engines into full reverse; the fighters flew past her faster than she could blink. She flipped the ship around so the underbelly gun could get a clear shot. The fighters were trying to frantically turn as they were blown out of the sky.

The remaining two shot forward, exposing their escape route. The Falcon's computer beeped; the calculations were complete. "Get up here, we're making the jump!"

Rey reached for the hyperdrive and yanked hard. The Falcon shot forward like a slingshot, leaving their attackers in the dust.

"Who the hell were those guys?" Jacen demanded, slumping into the co-pilot's seat.

Rey leaned back, trying to get her breathing under control. They seemed safe, but the Falcon had been chased through hyperspace before. "I'd say First Order but…"

"Those weren't First Order fighters," Jacen argued. "I've seen those."

"You didn't let me finish." She sighed. "There's something I haven't told you." She waited until Ezra appeared. "The First Order had a secret division of assassins. They called it Operation Python." As briefly as she could, she told her companions all about them trying to assassinate her on Naboo, then the mission to Coruscant and Caedia.

"So, you think those ships were the assassins?"

"Who else? No one knew we were headed to the temple."

"Then how did they know?" Ezra asked.

Rey frowned. "I'm not sure."

"Whoever it was, we lost them," Jacen said firmly. "But we need to get back and alert the Resistance."

"We can do that from Iutov," Rey said. "That's where Poe is."

"It's going to take some time to get there," Jacen said, studying the computer. "Fourteen hours, it looks like."

"You two should get everything stowed and rest. I'll stay here."

Ezra looked he was going to argue, but Jacen stopped him with a look. He could tell that Rey wanted to be alone for a little bit. He rose, shooing the elder Jedi ahead of him. Rey shut the door to the cockpit and leaned back in her seat. Her heart had slowed to something close to its normal rhythm, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Ezra was right. No one knew where the trio were headed, aside from Hera, Poe and the droids. She hadn't even told Finn. The fewer people who knew, the safer the mission was. And yet, someone had attacked them. Rey knew there were people out there who wanted her to fail; people who wanted the Jedi to remain extinct. Operation Python was the most obvious choice, but how?

Unless they'd been betrayed.

Or someone who knew about the mission had been captured.

Rey inhaled sharply. No, that wasn't possible. Poe intended to leave Lothal right after she did. He was on Iutov right now. He had to be. Instinctively, she reached for the comm, but she couldn't get a signal through while they were traveling in hyperspace. Poe had to be alright. He had to be. All she had to do was reach for him in the Force and he'd be there. Safe and sound.

Rey sat up straighter and crossed her legs under her. It was tight in the pilot's seat, but she made it work. She tried breathing steadily. In through her nose, out through her mouth. She'd never tried to reach out for him like this, especially at this distance. But they were connected through the Force; mated Maz had said. If that was true, then she should be able to find him. She focused on Poe, his warm smile, the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed, his hand in hers. She reached for him in the Force the same way she reached for him when they were alone, hand outstretched, palm up, open, welcoming him home.

She let her love for him flow through her, calling for him. Her brow furrowed in concentration; perhaps the distance was too great? But she wasn't projecting herself out; she was merely searching. She felt a flicker at the back of her mind; she rushed toward it. A room slowly came into focus. Poe stood behind a podium, a pleased but slightly shy smile on his face. She smiled at the image, even as her heart squeezed. She missed him so much. Slowly, she watched his face change; fear swallowed his brown eyes. She watched, helpless, as Poe screamed something she couldn't hear, grabbed the person closest to him and dived out of sight.

Then her vision went black.

Rey's eyes snapped open; a gasp tore at her throat. Poe. Poe. She had no way of knowing if what she saw was the present, past or future. All she knew was that her husband, her mate, was in danger. She had to get to him. Right now.

She checked their position; they were still hours from Iutov. Frustrated, Rey started searching for another route, a short cut, anything. She flipped on the comm. "Jacen, Ezra, get up here. Now!"

The men were thoroughly confused when they arrived. "Rey, what's wrong?"

"Something's happened on Iutov. Or will happen. I can't tell. But we have to get there. As soon as possible."

Ezra laid his hand on her shoulder, but Rey shook him off. "Rey, slow down. How do you know this?"

"I saw it!" she cried. "I was meditating, trying to find Poe, to make sure he's alright. I've had a bad feeling ever since we left the temple and I…I just had to be sure."

"Rey, a Jedi can see many things in the Force, but it takes training and…"

"I know what I saw!"

Ezra held up his hands. "I'm not saying you didn't have a vision, Rey. But what you're talking about…it shouldn't be possible."

"And why not? Don't you tell me you've never seen anything in the Force!"

"I have. But you must be cautious! What if someone out there is trying to manipulate you?" Ezra had been deceived by Maul; he'd nearly become the man's apprentice. He couldn't let something like that happened to Rey. She was too important.

"Like who? The Sith are gone, Ezra!" She knew Poe was in trouble. She knew it. "Poe and I…we're connected, Ezra. In the Force. We're more than just husband and wife. Now, he is danger and I am going find him. With or without your help!"

Jacen cut in. "What do you need us to do?"

"We're still hours away from Iutov; we need to find a faster route. I've been scanning the Falcon's systems, but…"

"I might know a way. Iutov is a mid rim system, right?"

Rey nodded. "Okay, Mom taught me everything she knows about flying, routes, maneuvers, everything. Let me take a look. If there's a faster lane, I'll find it."

Rey let out a breath. "Thank you, Jacen."

"We'll find him. He'll be fine."

Rey exited the cockpit; she needed to give Jacen room to work. She couldn't focus anyway. All she could see was that horrible image playing over and over in her mind. She had no idea if what she'd seen had already occurred or if it was still to come. The only thing she was certain of was that Poe was alive. She'd know if he were dead. She'd felt Luke die. She'd felt Leia die. Rey was closer to Poe than either of them; she'd feel it. She'd know. He was alive.

She could face anything as long as she knew he was alive.

"Rey?"

She sat heavily behind the chess table, trying to get a handle on her emotions. She had to be calm. For Poe's sake. "I'm not going to debate with you, Ezra."

"I know." He sat on the bench, but he didn't get too close. Bizarrely, he reminded her strongly of Master Luke, the old grizzled Jedi that didn't trust her. What happened to Ezra in the years he'd been missing? Hera had told them about some of the Ghost crew's adventures; Ezra had done crazier things for his family. Poe was her family. Poe and Finn, Rose, Chewie and Kes. Poe was her home. They were going to build a life together. She wasn't giving that up without a fight.

"What did you mean earlier?" he asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"About what?"

"Poe. You said you were connected in the Force."

She didn't want to explain, but she needed to fill the silence. She couldn't keep rewinding her vision over and over in her head. She told him everything Maz had told her, backing it up with several examples of she and Poe sensing each other. For her, their connection wasn't some abstract thing; it was tangible and real. She'd only ever questioned it because she was terrified she'd hurt him by accident. Someone had used the Force to torture him; she wanted to help him heal.

"I know it goes against everything Kanan taught you, Ezra, but Yoda and Master Windu and all those others…they were wrong. They lost their way. Rejecting attachments was contrary to the very thing the Living Force is. It's not just you or me or the objects around us. It's interconnected because we're interconnected. We change; we grow. It should not be a sin to love and be loved in return, Ezra. That's not the kind of world anyone should live in. I grew up alone; my parents abandoned me to keep me safe. I had no family until I found Finn, Beebee-Ate and the Resistance. No one who cared if I lived or died. I have that now. I'm not losing it. I can't."

Ezra was quiet for a long time. She didn't know what else to say to make him understand. She hoped he would, one day. She needed his help to rebuild the Order; however, she was determined to do it her way.

It felt like an eternity before Jacen appeared. "I think I found a route."

Rey was up in a flash. "Then let's get going."

"Incoming vessel, identify yourself!"

Rey switched the comm on. "This is the Millennium Falcon of the Resistance. We're requesting permission to land." For her, this was only a courtesy. She was landing, one way or the other.

There were a few beeps, then the voice replied. "Master Skywalker! We've been told to expect you. You may land on pad…" But Rey ignored the landing officer. She set the Falcon down on the first empty landing pad she saw. Leaving the shutdown procedures to Jacen, Rey dashed for the ramp. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo; anxiety slithered down her spine. She needed to see Poe; she needed to know he was okay.

There was no one to greet her at the end of the ramp, not that she expected that. However, she did spot smoke streaming from somewhere in the building. That spurred her into motion; she ran for the door. When it opened, she came up short, faced with an army of guards, their blasters raised.

"Halt! This is a restricted area!"

Rey clenched her jaw. "Get out of my way!"

"This whole complex is on lockdown! Return to your ship immediately!"

Rey huffed out an exasperated breath. "I am Rey Skywalker," she said, as calmly as she could. "I need to get inside." She was giving them one more chance, then she was using the Force. She didn't have time for this.

The man's eyes flew wide. "Master Skywalker! Of course, forgive me…" But Rey ignored his apology, pushing past him. At least everyone here seemed to know who she was. She looked around for someone in charge. She needed to find her husband. But all she saw were people; people dashing around in various states of filth and injury.

Dread settled in her belly. Something terrible had happened. She was too late.

"Master Skywalker!" another voice called. "Master Skywalker!"

Rey whirled around; the voice sounded vaguely familiar. It belonged to a woman a little older than her. Her auburn hair was disheveled; her face covered in soot and dirt. The woman's gown was torn and singed; Rey realized with a start that she knew her. It was Irina, Beph's aid. "What happened?"

"There was an…explosion. A bomb, I think. It all happened so fast. General Dameron…"

"Where is he?" Rey demanded.

"The med bay." Rey started to leave, but Irina pulled her back. "He's in bad shape, Master Skywalker."

"What does that mean?" Her stomach dropped; terror filled her soul.

"The Ambassador…he asked General Dameron to speak to the convention. Right at the end of the General's speech, he yelled for everyone to get down. I didn't see what happened exactly, but I felt the explosion. The heat…it felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. I saw the General dive for cover…"

Rey didn't wait to hear the rest. She couldn't. There were more casualties being carried through the building; Rey followed them to the med bay. Dozens of beings lay out on stretchers; more were on the floor. The facility wasn't built for that many patients. It only had three bacta tanks. All of them were full.

Poe was in the one of the far right.

Tears stung her eyes as she drank him in. He was nude save the specialized underwear. He had a breathing apparatus covering his nose and mouth. His dark hair floated in the bacta; thankfully, he was still unconscious. At first, he looked unscathed, but then she saw his back. A large swath had been sliced open with shrapnel; she wasn't a doctor, but it looked dangerously close to his spine. She rested her hand on the cold tank, fighting the urge to cry. She couldn't cry. She needed to be strong. Poe would fine. She could heal him.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

Rey turned; a medical droid hovered next to her. "I'm Rey Skywalker. This is my husband."

The droid let out a skeptical beep. "That is General Poe Dameron of the Resistance."

She fought the urge to grind her teeth. "Yes, my husband. Please, you must get him out of there, I can heal him…"

"The general isn't going anywhere; he could lose the ability to walk if we move him now."

Rey screamed in frustration. Logically, she knew the bacta could fix him. Finn had taken a lightsaber slash along his spine and he was okay. But Rey didn't want to wait. She couldn't bear seeing him like this, not when she could fix it. She moved around to the front of the tank; her hand pressed to the glass. Poe just…floated there. She wondered if he was in pain. Did he know she was there? This was one of her nightmares come true, her husband hurt, in pain, and Rey unable to help him.

"Rey?"

She turned around; Hera stood in front of her, bruised and bloodied but alive. "Hera!" Rey threw her arms around the older woman, surprised, but grateful for her presence. "But why are you here?"

"I offered to come with Poe; I thought I'd look after him for you." Hera sighed, wincing at the pain in her shoulder. "He saved my life."

Rey glanced over her shoulder at her husband. Of course, he saved Hera. Rey bit her lip, willing away her tears. "What happened?"

Hera told her more or less the same story Irina did. Speech, applause, Poe calling out, explosion. Apparently, Poe and Hera dived off the back of the stage with Poe shielding Hera with his body. Which was why he had shrapnel lacerating his back. He'd managed to get them away from the worst of the explosion; others weren't so lucky.

"Beph is dead," Hera said flatly. "A lot of others in the immediate blast radius. The ceiling collapsing got a few more. We won't have a full count for a while."

"Has anyone told Finn?"

Hera nodded. "He's on his way." She paused. "He's going to be alright, Rey. Poe. He's a fighter."

"I know." Still, she felt helpless. She had the power to heal him; it hummed under her skin. She would gladly give up some of her Force energy to make him better. He would probably fight her, argue against it, but it was an argument she would win. Gods, right now, she'd welcome him arguing with her! Anything was better than standing here and waiting. She looked up at him, her heart hurting. "Wait, where is his necklace?"

"I've got it." Hera reached into one of her pockets and pulled it out. She pressed it into Rey's palm. "You can give it to him when he gets out of there."

Rey clutched the kyber crystal to her chest, fighting the urge to scream. She could still see the look of awe on her husband's face when she gave it to him at their wedding. Had that only been a week ago? Force, it felt like another lifetime. She wanted him back in her arms; she wanted to feel his lips on hers. "Come back to me, Poe," she whispered, her hand pressed once more to the glass.

What was that noise? Poe squinted the moment his eyes opened; he was very disoriented. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the light. Where was he? What happened? The last thing he remembered was giving a speech…oh Force. A bomb, a deafening explosion, searing pain. After that, everything was blank.

Poe tried to sit up, but pain lanced up his back. Whatever happened, he was still healing. But he was alive. Rey. He needed to find Rey, tell her he was okay. She was probably worried sick. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His throat felt like sandpaper, coarse and rough. He tried again, but all he did was choke.

Beside him, something moved. To his astonishment, his wife appeared, her chestnut locks tangled, her eyes shadowed. "Poe?" She said his name so softly, but he noticed the crack in her voice. "Oh Force, Poe!" She wrapped her arms around him awkwardly; he winced. "I am so sorry," she whispered, horrified. "Did I hurt you?"

"Isn't that my line?" he teased, but it came out more pained and breathless.

Rey kissed him quickly, her hands cupping his cheeks. "You scared the hell out of me, Poe Dameron."

"Didn't mean to, sweetheart." His hand found hers; he squeezed. "Hera, is she…?"

"Hera's fine, thanks to you."

"Thank the Force." He pulled her hand to his lips, kissing her palm fervently. "I hate to be a bother, but could I get some water?"

"Of course." She released him long enough to fill up a cup; she gently lifted his head so he could drink. The water was cool and refreshing; Poe could finally swallow without pain. "Better?"

"Yes, thanks." Rey perched on the edge of his bed; she kept his hand firmly in hers. "How long was I out?"

"You were in the bacta tank for two days."

"Bacta tank?" That explained the smell. Gods, he hated those things.

"Shrapnel from the bomb lacerated your back."

Poe's eyes widened. He looked down at his feet, but thankfully, his toes wiggled under the blanket. "Pretty bad then, huh?"

"You're still healing. But the doctors think you'll be okay."

Poe could already see the wheels turning in her head. He knew exactly what she was thinking. "Listen, Sunshine…"

"The bacta tank did all the hard work," she pointed out, not even letting him finish his sentence. "I would just be…speeding up the process."

"Rey…" He was touched that she wanted to do this for him, but he couldn't let her. They still couldn't be sure about what it cost her when she healed someone. She was giving up a part of herself; did she get that back? Rey believed she did, but Poe was still skeptical. Everything had a price. Her life force was precious, far more than his.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she cried. She got up and started pacing. Thankfully, he seemed to be in a private room.

"Rey, you can't just heal me every time I get a scratched!" he shot back. It was hard to argue from his prone position on the bed, but he did his best. "I'm not worth that!"

"Not worth it?" Rey looked scandalized. "Do you have any idea how scared I was? I was on the Falcon, meditating, and I saw it. I saw the explosion, Poe! I saw you disappear in a sheet of flames! I didn't know if I was seeing the past, the present, or the future! Then I get here only to find you locked away in that tank!" Fat tears slid down her cheeks; she didn't bother to stop them. "I felt so useless. Helpless. I wasn't here when you needed me."

"Rey…" There was nothing she could have done; if she'd been there, she might have been hurt worse than he was. He couldn't take that. The galaxy needed her, far more than it needed him.

"How can you think you're not worth it? I don't understand! We need you. I need you. Force, Poe, I can't do this by myself!" She choked on a sob. "You promised. At our wedding you promised." She reached into her pouch and pulled something out. It was his necklace. He hadn't realized it was missing. She came over and slipped it over his head. "Do you remember what this means?"

He was close to tears now; seeing her distress made his stomach churn. "I am your guardian," he said softly.

"And I am yours." She rested her forehead against his. "When I was hurt, you looked after me. Now it's my turn."

Slowly, he nodded. He silently vowed to get to the bottom of this healing thing; he didn't want her to give up any more for him than she had to. "Okay, Sunshine. Okay."

Rey smiled through her tears. She kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Poe."

"I love you, too."

It took a bit of maneuvering, as Poe lay on his back. The bacta tank really had done most of the work. He was very sore; he could feel varying pricks of pain along every laceration. But he had all his limbs and he could feel his toes. He was definitely lucky. Rey helped ease him onto his side; she tugged the thin sheet down to expose his back. She let out a soft gasp; his tanned skin was marred by new pink still healing skin. She traced one with her finger. "Does this hurt?"

"A little," he admitted. He had a pretty high pain threshold, but he didn't need to be stoic with Rey. She would never see him as weak.

"Wiggle your toes for me?"

He did so, wondering just how close he'd come to losing that part of himself. "Rey…"

"Shh. You're okay. That's all that matters." She lay one hand on the small of his back. "Now hold still." He nodded, sucking in a deep breath. That hurt, but he ignored it. Her hands were warm, much softer than a mechanic's hands should be. She didn't speak, but he felt her. That connection between them flared to life, shooting through him like electricity. Poe gasped; he could feel the still healing skin and muscles and nerves knit back together. The pain receded; then it was gone completely. Poe could breathe; he groaned as she finished. "Better?"

Her hands continued to skim over his back; he was content to let her. "Much better. Thank you, mi amor."

She leaned over his kissed his bicep. "Anytime, flyboy."

He chuckled; that didn't hurt either. Poe forced himself to sit up; the sheet pooled around his waist. "Come here, Sunshine."

Rey scrambled up onto the bed and into her husband's lap. He barely got the chance to breathe before he was kissing her, his tongue sliding past her lips easily. She kissed him back, her fingers threading through his matted hair. He needed a shower; he smelled like bacta, but Rey didn't care. He was back in her arms, alive and well.

When they came up for air, Rey leaned her forehead against his. "I'm so glad you're awake," she whispered. "I missed you."

"Did you stay with me the whole time?"

She nodded. "They tried to kick me out of the med bay, but I convinced them not to." The way she said it…Poe's eyes flickered to the side table. Her lightsaber lay there. No, he would not want to be the person who tried to convince Rey Skywalker to leave her husband's side when he was injured.

He stole another kiss from her lips. "When did they move me in here?"

"This morning."

There was another question he needed to ask, but he had a feeling he knew the answer already. "How many…?"

"They don't know yet. They're still searching for survivors."

Poe sighed; he held Rey a little tighter. A half second more and he might have been among the less fortunate. "I knew something was wrong," he murmured. "I could feel it. I tried…"

"Shhh," Rey said, smoothing down his hair. "It's over now."

"Is it?"

Rey wondered that too, but she didn't want to think about it. "Poe, as we were leaving the temple…"

He stiffened, his hands already searching her for injuries. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"There were some fighters. They looked like TIEs, but…not. The wings were all wrong. Anyway, we destroyed most of them and left the other two in the dust. We're fine."

Poe cupped her face in his hands and drew her lips to his. She melted against him, all too aware of the close calls they both had. "Is it just me," Poe began, his brown eyes twinkling, "or do we have bad luck when we're separated?"

She chuckled. "It does seem to be a pattern. Maybe we should stop tempting fate."

Poe knew he didn't smell great, but he coaxed her to squeeze into the bed beside him. "Let's just stay right here then."

"Hmm, maybe you should shower, then we'll talk."

"I was in a bacta tank. Not my fault."

Rey rested her hand over his heart; its beat was steady and strong. "I almost lost you," she whispered.

"Hey, I made it. I'm okay. You even fixed me."

"Seeing you in that tank…it was terrifying, Poe."

Judging by the circles under her eyes, that image would stay with her for a while. More nightmare fodder. He longed to take her way from all of this, somewhere no one could find them. "We're together now, Rey. From now on, we stick together, yeah?"

It would be a long time before she felt calm enough to let him out of her sight.

Poe dragged the towel through his wet curls, then slung it around his waist. Once the doctors knew he was awake, they'd insisted on poking and prodding him for several more hours. They'd never seen anything like Rey's Force healing ability; Poe wasn't about to enlighten them. She shouldn't even have used it on him, but he was weak where she was concerned. Besides, he needed to get on his feet as quickly as possible. They needed to find out who did this so they could make sure it didn't happen again.

Rey never left his side while the doctors and medical droids ran their tests; he could see how exhausted she was. She had dark circles under her eyes; she moved awkwardly from trying to rest in the most uncomfortable chair Poe had ever seen. When the doctors finished with him, they had no choice but to release him. His room was needed for other more injured patients. The acting Prime Minister of Iutov (the old one was killed in the explosion) granted them the use of the visiting dignitaries' home for as long as they needed it. Poe was the highest ranking member of the Council to survive the explosion. A handful of others were not part of the convention, so they'd been spared. They were currently on their way to Iutov, along with Finn. It was dangerous to have them all in one place, but Poe didn't trust the holo network. He wanted to look each of them in the eye.

Poe sat heavily on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. So many dead. He knew the reason he was still alive. He'd sensed something was amiss. As Maz told him, his connection to the Force kept him alive. He'd had many, many close calls over the years; he used to be able to laugh them off. It used to drive Leia crazy. She scolded him over and over for being reckless with his life. This time he'd hadn't been reckless, just unlucky. He had so much more to lose now; it was humbling.

He glanced over his shoulder; Rey was fast asleep. She looked so peaceful, curled up on her side, her feet tucked under the blanket. She'd meant to get cleaned up after he finished with the shower, but Poe didn't have the heart to wake her. She'd been at his side for almost three days; she was exhausted. He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. She hummed but she didn't awaken. He'd been unconscious for all that time, but he could feel sleep tugging at his eyelids. He wished he could curl up with her and just rest, but there were a few things he needed to do first.

It took him a few minutes to find a holoprojector; there was one in the sitting room, attached to the desk. Poe switched it on and prayed Kes was still awake. "Mijo? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Papa, it's me. I'm okay."

Kes looked relieved. "When Rey sent word that you were injured, we feared the worst."

"It was a close call, but it was nothing a bacta tank and Jedi healing couldn't fix." Truthfully, he felt good as new, which seemed wrong when so many others were still recovering or worse. He didn't get into the details of his injuries, lest Kes fret anymore than he needed to.

"Where's Rey?"

"Asleep. She's exhausted."

"I can imagine. What happened, mijo?"

Poe didn't really want to relive it, but Kes deserved the truth. So, he told him. He avoided some of details; this was a secure Resistance channel, but it was becoming harder to know who to trust. The convention had been meeting without incident for almost a month; why attack it then? Or had it just taken whoever it was that long to locate it and find an opportunity? The fact that he and Rey had been involved in incidents at opposite ends of the galaxy at almost the same moment was also worrying. Were they the targets? Rey was already on Operation Python's hit list; they'd made a previous attempt on her life. It made sense that he would be too, as the acknowledged leader of the Resistance.

Thinking about it too much made his head hurt.

After finishing with Kes, Poe holo'd Connix. They needed to find out about those fighters that attacked the Falcon. He asked her to send a squadron to examine the destroyed ships, see if they could find out who they belonged to. The authorities on Iutov were examining the explosive, searching for clues. No one seemed to know who the bomber was; Poe never got a good look at her face. The device was their best bet. If he were right, and the two incidents were connected, then hopefully, that would give them something concrete to go on.

Once Connix disappeared, Poe stared at the projector. There was one other person he thought might be able to help. Whoever had done this, they were secret and clandestine. Even in the First Order, many people considered Operation Python to be a myth. Finn had heard the rumors, but it wasn't until Armas tried to kill Rey that they knew it was real. But beings in the underworld? They knew things other people didn't. They had to in order to stay alive. Poe lived that life. Not long, but long enough to know that if they needed answers, that's where they would find them.

He didn't want to call Zorii. He didn't want the awkwardness that would ensue. He didn't want Rey to deal with his not-quite-ex. Poe didn't care about Zorii like that anymore, but that hadn't stopped Zorii from flirting with him back on Ajan Kloss. He didn't know if she was messing with him or trying to get him back or what. Rey had made it clear that Poe was hers (which pleased him to no end); Zorii left shortly after. He had no idea what her intentions were; he didn't want her hurting Rey. Still, Zorii might be able to find the answers they desperately needed.

This needed to end. Soon.

They had a lot of pieces but no clear idea if how they fit together. Zorii might be able to find that missing piece or know someone who could. He wouldn't be doing his duty if he didn't pursue every avenue. Poe had never been one to shirk his duty. Reluctantly, he switched the holo back on, hoping the crew still used the frequency he remembered.

A hologram of the woman in question flickered to life. She seemed distracted. "How did you get this…" Her helmeted head looked up. "Poe?"

"Hey Zorii."

She flipped open her visor; Poe realized belatedly that he wasn't wearing a shirt. It was too late to do anything about it. "You must be desperate if you're holoing me," she drawled. "Where's your girl?"

Poe breathed deeply through his nose. "She's asleep. Don't pretend to care, Zorii. It's not a good look for you."

"Someone's bitter."

"I'd just rather not have this conversation."

"We're not having a conversation. Yet."

Poe fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Listen, Zorii, I don't have time to play games with you. The intergalactic convention was just bombed, and some unknown fighters tried to blow the Falcon out of the sky."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. So is Rey, since you didn't ask." He wished he hadn't tried flirting with her on Kijimi. He'd only done it because he thought any feelings he had for Rey were hopeless. Now he and Rey were married and happy. This was an emotional minefield he didn't need or want.

"She doesn't know you're talking to me."

"She will when she wakes up. We don't have secrets, Zorii."

"What can I do for you that the last Jedi can't?"

He didn't have much choice but to tell her the little he knew about Operation Python. She'd never heard the name, but she had heard rumors about First Order assassins. It was one of the reasons she'd tried to get off Kijimi. Now Kijimi was no more and she had to rebuild a life for herself. Poe had no idea what sort of life that would be. The Zorii he knew didn't seem equipped to lead a life on the straight and narrow. She'd once meant a great deal to him, but that time was past. He wasn't sure he would call her a friend now either.

"I'll see what I can find out."

"Thanks, Zorii."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're not dead. And I'm…happy for you."

She didn't sound happy, but that wasn't Poe's problem. "I am happy." He'd be happier when people weren't trying to kill him or his wife, but right now, they were safe. "Thanks for this, Zorii. I mean that."

"You'll find a way to pay me back, Poe Dameron." She offered him an enigmatic smile, then the image flickered off.

There wasn't anything more he could do. He needed to be alert and rested when Finn and the other Council members arrived. Perhaps by then, they'd have some answers. Poe returned to the bedroom and allowed the towel to drop to the floor. He crawled into bed beside his wife; she seemed to sense his presence as she snuggled into his side. Poe kissed the crown of her head and wrapped his arms around her. He focused on her steady breathing, allowing that to lull him to sleep.

What was that thumping? Rey blinked her eyes open, confused. It took her a moment to realize the sound was Poe's heart. They were tangled together in the bed; her husband was still asleep. When had she fallen asleep? The last thing she remembered was stripping down to her tunic and underwear as she waited for Poe to finish his shower. He must have; she didn't smell bacta clinging to his skin anymore. She explored carefully with her fingers under the sheet; she realized with a start that he was naked. Of course, he was.

She still felt a little gross from trying to sleep in that torture device they called a chair in his hospital room. As carefully as she could, Rey untangled herself from his arms. She would just go for a quick shower then come back to bed. It was still the middle of the night on Iutov. They could face the problems that awaited them in the morning.

As she waited for the water to warm, Rey examined herself in the mirror. Did she look as exhausted as she felt? She'd crashed hard from the adrenaline while she waited for Poe to wake up. She talked to Finn briefly, but not even her best friend could do much to ease her anxieties about her husband. They couldn't keep doing this. She was all but certain the Operation Python was responsible. She'd allowed Luke's mission to distract her from the more pressing threat. She couldn't rebuild anything if she and Poe were dead. They needed to find the assassins and end this.

Rey stripped off her remaining clothes and stepped into the stall. The water was near scalding, but she didn't flinch. She stood under the spray for a long time, just letting the heat soak into her skin and sore muscles. She was so tired. Tired of being anxious. Tired of being vigilant. Tired of worrying. She'd been fighting to survive her whole life; it was exhausting. She had so much to live for now, something beyond survival. She had a husband that adored her, the prospect of children, a calling. The lost girl from Jakku who had no one would one day have the biggest family in the galaxy.

And it could all be taken away in the blink of an eye.

She hated this. Part of her wanted to go back to Yavin, build their house, and forget about the fate of the galaxy. She knew she couldn't do that, but she wanted it. Badly. She wanted to see the galaxy with her husband beside her, preferably when people weren't trying to kill them.

We're so close, Rey thought as she scrubbed herself clean. That's why they're trying to destroy us. That was their mistake. Rey wasn't giving up the life she'd fought so hard for, not while she had breath in her body.

Her hair was a tangled mess; she washed it as best she could. After shutting off the water, she climbed out and dried herself off with a towel. She wrapped it around her torso and used another for her hair. She sat in front of the mirror for a while, brushing out the tangles. The methodical motion was soothing; Rey sighed.

"Bit late for a shower."

Rey jumped; her heart hammering. She turned to find her husband standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. Oh, and he was still naked. "Poe! You scared me!"

He gave her a soft grin. "I'd apologize, but I'm rather enjoying the view."

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror. He must be feeling better if he could tease her. "Our honeymoon wasn't enough, husband?"

He came up behind her, toying with the towel that rested on her shoulders. "Never," he whispered in her ear. Rey shivered as he took the towel and used it to wring more water from her damp hair. He occasionally pressed a kiss to her cheek or her throat; Rey leaned back against him. She was so glad he was alright; she didn't like to think about how close he'd come to death or permanent injury. She'd love him regardless, but Poe was an active, vigorous man. He would have hated being anything less than he was.

"Do you remember what Maz said?" Poe asked, tossing the towel aside so he could massage her scalp.

"Which part?"

"About the Force keeping me alive."

Oh. That. "I remember."

"It's true, you know. I used to drive Leia nuts, always ready to sacrifice my life." Rey stiffened. "I think she knew though. Knew that I needed to keep myself alive. For you. For the life we're going have."

"Poe…"

"Shhh. We're both here. We're both fine. Just let me love you, Rey."

Rey nodded jerkily, as she turned to stand. Their lips met in a messy awkward kiss; Rey shoved the stool out of the way with her foot. Poe grabbed her waist, hauling her flush against him. It had only been a few days since they'd been intimate, but it felt like lifetimes. Rey tugged her towel out from between them; it fell to the floor in a heap. Poe reached for her thighs, lifting her up easily, their mouths still fused together in a needy kiss. Rey locked her ankles around his waist; she bit back a moan as he squeezed her ass. Poe walked them back to the bed, dropping Rey into it with a bounce. She giggled, allowing happiness to seep into her chest for the first time since she left Lothal.

"Something funny, wife?" Poe asked, perched between her legs.

She saw the fire that burned in his eyes; her laughter melted away. Want pooled in her core. Poe crawled up her body, his mouth hot on her skin. She bit her lip as he sucked a mark into her hip; her fingers wove into his hair. It was soft and clean now; he groaned as she tugged and twisted the strands. "Poe," she whined. "Please."

"Always so impatient." He grinned at her; her breathing hitched as he ducked between her legs. "Hmm, already wet for me, sweetheart. Did you miss me?"

"Yes!" She didn't care how needy she sounded. They'd been apart, then Poe almost died, they argued about healing him…she needed him. She needed to drown in him, just to prove that they were both alive and well and together.

"Missed you too, Sunshine." He surged up and captured her lips; she rolled with him until she was straddling his hips. Poe sat them up, his mouth descending to her breast. Rey keened and arched, another wave of arousal settling at the apex of her thighs. She wiggled against him, her slick sex quickly bringing him to full mast. "Kriffing hell."

"Need you," she whimpered. "Gods, I need you so much."

Never one to deny his wife when she begged so sweetly, Poe raised her hips and angled them just right. Their moans cut through the air as she sank down on him, taking him completely. The look of sheer bliss on her face made his chest swell with pride. He was the one who made her feel like this; she craved his touch. She was stunningly beautiful like this, her pale skin flushed, her nipples taut and rosy red, her lips kiss bitten and parted, her eyes half closed. Poe smoothed his hands down her flat belly and curled around her hips as she rode him slowly.

Rey shivered as he touched her; he seemed content to lean back and watch her slide up and down over his cock. He felt so good inside her, his thickness stretching her perfectly. She leaned back, her hands braced on the space between his legs; it gave her a little more leverage. She didn't speed up or slow down; she just wanted to keep him inside her.

Poe leaned forward, his mouth pressed against the valley between her breasts. Even now, it felt like a dream. Rey loved him. She married him. She was his, just as much as he was hers. He whispered her name into her skin, telling her how much he loved her, how much he'd missed her. She keened as he sucked a nipple between his teeth; her hips stuttered and slowed. "Oh gods," she panted. "Poe, kriff, more. Please!"

He obliged her, switching to the other side and sucking firmly. His thumb slipped between her folds, brushing her clit with quick strokes. Rey grabbed his hair to keep upright, riding him faster and harder until it was too much. She climaxed with a hoarse shout, her body trembling in his arms. Poe fought the need to follow her; he wasn't ready for this to be over. Rey sagged against him, breathing heavily. Gradually she became aware that he was still rock hard inside her, which caused a moan to tear from her throat. "Poe…gods…"

"That's what you get for being impatient, sweetheart." He kissed her deeply, flipping them so Rey was on her back once more. She whined as he slipped from her, only to gasp as his tongue slid over her sex.

"Poe…kriff…" He shoved a pillow under her ass to make it easier for him to devour her. Rey was utterly shameless in her need, planting her feet on the bed so she could thrust against his face. He'd shaved earlier during his shower; his prickly stubble abraided her inner thighs, which only made her hotter. Poe had to hold her down with one hand pressed to her belly; she cried out as his tongue did absolutely wicked things to her. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair, holding him against her as she sought another high. Poe's cock twitched; her grip on his hair was just the right side of painful. He rocked against the mattress to take the edge off his own need; he wanted her to come again. He wanted to taste her on his tongue. Circling her clit with his fingers, he pressed his tongue in as far as he could. Rey trembled, her hips jerking as she let go, bathing his tongue in her release.

Rey yelled something that might have been his name as she arched off the bed. She continued to quiver with aftershocks as her husband licked her clean. "Poe…"

"Love when you say my name like that."

She smiled lazily, pleasure still buzzing through her system. Yet, they had unfinished business. She pushed herself up, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss. She tasted herself on his tongue; she was drunk on him. This time, it was her turn to push him down to the mattress and map out his body with lips and tongue. She knew every patch of skin that made him quiver; she relished every sigh of her name, every moan. They'd been to hell and back (again); she wanted to make him feel as loved as he did her.

When she wrapped her perfect mouth around his cock, Poe groaned, long and loud. He never expected this from her, but every time she managed to blow his mind. One hand sank into her hair; the strands were still damp. He didn't guide her; he didn't need to. He just needed something to hang on to while she made him see stars. "Rey…Sunshine…oh kriff…"

Rey smiled to herself; she loved making him lose control. There was a long period in her life where she thought she would be alone forever; Poe proved her wrong. He was genuinely happy with her; he loved her with every fiber of his being. Just as she loved him.

She alternated between suckling on the belled head and taking him deep into her mouth; Poe struggled not to thrust into her. Her mouth was so hot and wet and perfect. "Sweetheart…I'm gonna…oh gods…you gotta stop, Sunshine…ugh…"

Rey was tempted to ignore him, but she was ready for him again. She released him with a pop; her husband was still panting as he tackled her to bed again. This time another giggle poured out of her as he captured her lips in a kiss. She melted against him, her tongue battling with his. Poe somehow managed to get the pillow under her ass again; she cried out as he filled her. The angle was perfect; his pelvis pressed deliciously against her clit. Rey locked her ankles behind his back as he drove into her, hard enough to make her cry out in ecstasy. She pulled on his hair, hanging on for dear life. "Poe…oh gods…more…harder…yes!"

He found the secret spot deep inside her; her orgasm slammed into her hard, stealing the little breath she had left. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as Poe rode her into the mattress. He followed with a shout, euphoria sizzling through his veins. He lay sprawled out atop her, thoroughly spent. Rey panted under him, running her fingers through his hair. They were sweaty and had made a mess, but neither cared. "Love you," Rey whispered softly.

"Love you too." Poe pressed a kiss to her temple, the rolled to the side. "Guess we needed that, huh?"

She giggled. "Guess so." She squeezed his hand. "Be right back."

Poe tried to rearrange the sheets while she went to get cleaned up. He tossed the pillow into one of the chairs; it would need to be cleaned. He tried to feel bad about it, but when he was married to the most perfect woman in the galaxy, he just couldn't help himself. He'd been in love before, but never like this. Rey was everything to him.

She came back a few minutes later, still smiling. She didn't bother with clothes as she slipped into her side of the huge bed. "It's late."

"Or early, depending on your point of view."

She left out a half sigh, half laugh. "I hope no one needs us early. I'm still tired."

"Me too. Though we definitely need to get up at some point. Finn will be here." Poe could feel her exhaustion, but he plowed forward. "I talked to my dad."

Rey drew nonsense on his belly. "That's good. He was worried."

"I'm also having Connix send a squadron to the place where you were attacked, see if they can find anything."

"That's a good idea." She'd been so worried about Poe that she almost forgot about their escape from the temple. Both Ezra and Jacen had checked on her while she sat by Poe's bedside, but she wasn't prepared to talk to anyone. Not until she knew he was going to be okay.

Poe curled his hand around her hip. "I made one more call, Rey."

The way he said it made her wary. "Who?"

"Zorii."

"Why?"

"Well, we've tried searching for Operation Python through all the legitimate channels. So far, all we've hit are dead ends. But these guys operate in the shadows. She's got connections all through the underworld. If anyone can find us a lead, she can."

Rey bit her lip; she felt his trepidation. He was worried about how she'd react. But his logic was sound. Part of Rey wanted to like Zorii, but she was jealous too. Whether they'd been a couple or not, Zorii had a piece of Poe's heart once. "Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

"You're married to me, flyboy. I trust you."

He kissed her forehead. "Force, I love you so much."

She grinned. "Besides, you already know I can kick her ass, if she tries making a move on you."

That got him to laugh. "Oh yeah, Sunshine. I know."

He rolled toward her, so they were facing each other in the dark. Rey slipped her hand under the thin sheet, her fingertips skimming the healed skin of his lower back. "How does this feel?"

"Like nothing happened. Though I remember how much it hurt when I woke up."

"You were lucky."

"I know." He found her lips in the dark, the kiss lingering and soft. "You could have just let me heal."

"You were mostly healed. I just speeded up the process." Why were they talking about this again?

"Rey, we still don't know how this works. What if you're weakening yourself for me? What is that's what they want? You weak and distracted by me?"

"Poe…"

"And it makes me feel guilty," he confessed. "You keep healing me when there are scores of others you could have healed instead."

Rey bit her lip; she hadn't thought about that. She didn't know what to say.

"Which I realize doesn't make sense. Hardly anyone knows about your ability. You can't be everywhere at once; you can't fix everything. I've been telling you that from the beginning." He laughed dryly and kissed her forehead. "I'm grateful, sweetheart. I really am. I just wish we knew more about this. Before you do something you can't take back."

"I would never take back healing you, Poe. Never." She hugged him tightly. "Okay, maybe it's not necessary for every scrape," she conceded. "But this was more than a scrape." She traced the edge of his cheekbone. "I told you I healed Ben, right?" He inhaled sharply, but he nodded. Her voice shook. "That wound…it would have been fatal. I meant it to be fatal."

"Rey, he was trying to kill you at the time."

"That's not my point. My point is that when I healed him, I didn't feel weaker. Granted, I mostly felt numb. I felt Leia die, Poe." He hugged her, his hand rubbing her back.

"But what about Kylo…I mean, Ben?" Poe asked. "He brought you back to life, then he died." Good riddance in Poe's opinion. But he didn't want to say so in front of Rey. Even after all the terrible things Kylo Ren had done, she couldn't hate him. Poe didn't pretend to understand it; he didn't need to. Kylo Ren was dead and Rey was alive and in his arms. That was what mattered.

"He was already dying," Rey said softly. "I don't know how he climbed out of that pit, but he must have." Ben had been pale a ghost when she woke up in his arms. She shuddered involuntarily; gods, even thinking about it felt wrong. The only man she wanted holding her like that was her husband. "I am very much alive, Poe. But I promise I'll be more careful until we can figure this out." She didn't think Force energy was finite; it was found in all living things. It held the galaxy together. However, until she could find something to convince her worried husband, she would refrain from using her gift. Unless there was an emergency.

"That's all I'm asking, Sunshine."

"Maybe there's something in the holocrons Luke had."

"Luke had holocrons? From where?"

Rey told him all about Jocasta Nu and the vision she'd had. She told him about the other artifacts they located and how hopeful she was about using them to rebuild the Order. "It was such a sad, desolate place," she said softly.

"I wish I would have been there with you."

"We're not tempting fate again," she said firmly. "We stay together."

"You won't get any arguments from me, wife." It would make their respective roles in the galaxy more complicated, but he didn't care. Hell, he'd give up command if that was what it took. Rey was more important. But it seemed like the Force was trying to send them a message. You're stronger together. He planned on heeding it.

"Poe?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"I heard what you said to the convention. Some of the survivors…they came by while I was watching over you. They were worried about you. Anyway, they told me what you said, how you convinced all those beings to follow you."

"I don't want them to follow me; I just want them to do the right thing. I don't want our children fighting like we did. Like my parents did. All I want is a quiet life with you and our kids when we're ready for that."

"I think you married the wrong person if you wanted a quiet life," she teased gently.

He chuckled. "You know what I mean. I'll help get us on the right path, but then I'm retiring. I'll travel the galaxy beside you, whether that's tracking down artifacts or finding others like you. Whatever you need me to do, I'm here for you, Rey."

She smiled. That sounded like an amazing life. "Just don't throw away the uniform, okay?"

Poe's hand slid down her back and cupped her backside. "Hmm, and why is that, wife?"

She shoved at his chest as her cheeks flamed. "You know why, flyboy."

"No, I think you need to enlighten me."

She rolled her eyes, choosing to silence him with a kiss.