**A/N: Here's the newest rewritten chapter. I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think! This chapter is unedited.**

Finn stood rigidly in front of me, his heated gaze sealed on my face. "So, let me get this straight, what you're telling us is: you've been consorting with Kylo Ren?" he asked in astonishment, disgust lingering in his words.

I tried gallantly to ignore my warm cheeks. I could feel embarrassment twisting my stomach, and its taint lingered on my tongue. I stared up at him defiantly, refusing to be cowed by his anger. Glancing around the small group, I found only one face that showed anything but judgment - Hans'. That did little to quell my unease

Slapping the armrest of my seat, I fought the need to grind my teeth in irritation. "It's not like I knew who he was! Despite being locked together several times, in what I thought was a dream, never once did I give him any information," I took a deep breath to remain calm. "My dreams brought me to him; I never asked for it," I said.

My face burned as I spoke the blatant lie. Deep down, I knew there were times I joined Kylo of my own volition, but telling them that would be a mistake - they would never understand, not when I was still trying to discover the reason behind the strange dynamic between us myself.

I rubbed at my furrowed forehead, the pinching behind my eyes was the first sign of an impending headache. "The Force brought us together. I don't know why, and neither does he. He can't see anything on my end…only me. There's no danger to any of you," I said, releasing a deep sigh.

Rey's sharp flinch caught my attention and I leaned back in shock at the brutal scowl pulling at her lips. "No danger to us? What about the danger to you, Elara?" she asked, distaste dripping off her words in earnest.

Leaning back, I let my headrest on the scratchy surface of the seat, eyes scanning the expectant group in front of me. Rey's flushed face was pinched, her expression reminded me of someone who had just eaten a fresh lemon. Finn stood beside her, and his jittery posture and darting eyes spoke of someone who would rather be anywhere else. Looking at Han, all I could see was someone with hope. His previously dull eyes were bright, his sunken posture gone, replaced with the alertness of someone used to years of battle.

"I'm not in danger. He cannot hurt me during the connection. He wants me for the same reason he wants you, Rey. We are Force-sensitive," I said, laying my hands on my thighs with exasperation.

I felt a white-hot twinge of irrational anger, and something else I couldn't identify, as I looked up at Rey. I focused instead on convincing her (and myself) that Kylo wanted us because he hoped to turn us to the Dark side. Rey scoffed in disbelief, denying my observation or possibly assuming she knew the Force and its capabilities better than I did. I lowered my head in defeat, annoyance leaking through my forced calm.

Han turned his back to me, focusing on Rey and Finn, his hand lifted and waving around in a casual circle. "Listen, we don't know what's going on. As long as she knows the dangers, I say we let it go — put it on hold until we find Luke. He'll know what this is," he interjected.

Rey's lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed as she prepared to argue, but Finn, his eyes nervously darting around the cockpit — as if Kylo Ren himself would jump out at any minute, placed his hand on her shoulder to silence her. "Listen, Rey, I know you're worried about your friend, but Hans is right. We don't know what this weird connection means, or even how to stop it. For now, our best bet is Luke. If it makes you feel better, keep your Force feelers up and help Elara keep him away," Finn said, his eyebrows rising and lowering as he tried to explain the Force, hands forming an instincts antenna above his head.

Rey stared at him for a moment, her eyes unblinking and slowly she smiled, shaking her head in adoring amusement. "Thanks, Finn, you're right. I'll…keep my feelers alert. It's a good idea. Two Force users are better than one. Maybe I can put some sort of barrier around her," she thoughtfully said.

I lowered my head, covering my eyes and applying pressure to the bridge of my nose. Now they were making plans on my behalf? Great! I loved Rey dearly, but didn't need, nor want, a guardian.

Choosing to ignore Rey's obvious plotting, I turned to Han, a small smile on my lips. "Thank you for stepping in. I'm okay and I don't plan for the connection to happen again. I'll try to block it, I promise," I said, looking back at Rey and Finn meaningfully.

Han stared at me for a long, and very uncomfortable, moment before he turned to the others, clapping his hands with a loud finality. "Ok, now that that's over with, let's head to Maz. I'd like to get rid of you lot," he said, tilting his head back to wink at me.

I stood up and joined him, trying to avoid the intense stares of Rey and Finn, who followed behind us like silent sentinels. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I trailed Han, traversing the small hallway lined with silver electrical panels and gray bins filled with wires, large mechanical parts, and mismatched tools. It was a tight fit as I climbed the ladder into the cockpit, and I couldn't help but wonder how Chewie managed to fit. Han took the pilot's seat, pressing the bright buttons and flipping switches in a maniacal rush. Rey stepped past me to take the seat next to his, joining in his switch flipping, button-pushing frenzy, and with widened eyes, I took the seat behind Han's — amazed by their knowledge. Finn took the seat on the other side of the aisle, and I leaned forward as Han took hold of the steering wheel.

"This is our stop," Han hollered, nodding at Rey.

Rey leaned up, her bottom rising off the seat as she reached for a button above her, pressing it firmly. With a small jerk, we exited lightspeed and I heard Rey gasp as she looked out the long clear windshield in front of us. I followed her gaze and felt my jaw drop. Outside in the vast darkness of space, there was an enormous jewel of a planet layered in the most beautiful shade of green; it reminded me of home. My eyes burned as I took in the speck of light in an otherwise dark world. It truly was a magnificent sight.

"I sometimes forget that there is this much green in the galaxy..." she whispered.

I held back tears as I thought about the life Rey had led. The only time she had been able to see nature was in her dreams. Han turned to look at Rey, his eyes clouded with sadness and regret, and I could see my feelings mirrored on his face as we descended into Takodana.

The Falcon crested over an endless forest and I ached for my home planet as I watched it all go by. Out in the distance beyond the forest, there was a stone castle, cracked and appearing to crumble with age. As we vaulted toward an empty field to land, I could see a clear picturesque lake in the distance. It was like a fairy tale. Yet something was off; I could feel it in the thickness of the air, a calm before the storm. I took hold of the back of Hans' headrest, pulling myself forward as much as my seatbelt allowed, and looked at Rey, prepared to ask if she felt it too — but the look on her face stopped me.

Her cheeks were rounded with excitement, and her glowing eyes were crinkled with happiness as she scanned the gorgeous atmosphere. I didn't have it in me to ruin that for her, not when she had so few things to smile about. With a jolt, we landed a few miles from the castle and several small beat-up freighters. Before I had even finished unbuckling my seat, Rey bolted outside. With a sad smile, I slowly followed, giving her ample time to take in the view without prying eyes and depressing questions. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to live in a world without color. I followed the sun and found my way down the ramp, my feet finally meeting the plush crunch of grass again. Oh, how I'd missed it. Rey stood beside the falcon, eyes glued to the scenery, her hands wrapped protectively around herself. I understood her unease as I stood stock still, unsure where my place was in all of this. My head twisted in discomfort as a small flicker in my mind quickly became a tight pressure, demanding my attention. It whispered across my thoughts enticingly, wrapping around me like thick thorny vines. It quickly found all of my doubts and uncertainty and brought them forward, all the while feeding me honey-soaked words of promise. I placed my hands against my ears, shaking my head roughly to push out the thoughts. I tried to ignore the presence, but to my shock and discomfort, I found it wasn't me it was truly after.

"You belong with us, Rey."

I slowly turned to look at Rey, firmly expecting her to be showing some sign of surprise or fear, but saw nothing. Her face remained unchanged, just the same sad hollowness that had been there moments before the presence. I felt another painful twinge in my mind, my hand reaching up to apply pressure to my temple of its own volition.

"You belong with me!"

This time I knew without a doubt that the words were directed at me, and I knew who the voice belonged to, but despite the odd change of wording and tone, I chose to shut it out. I would stand true to my promise. I wouldn't let him in. I lowered my hand and with fierce determination, I decided to make a place for myself and stood at Rey's side.

"Isn't this one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen?" she quietly asked me, her gaze fixed on the clear blue lake, expression remaining sad and hollow despite the smile she forced on her lips.

With determination still rushing through my veins, I reached down and took her hand — squeezing it gently. "Yes, it is. It reminds me of home, but as much as I miss my home, there is something more important….or rather someone, who I need to take care of." Rey turned to look at me in confusion, her nose wrinkled and lips pulled down. Inhaling deeply, I stepped closer, tapping my foot restlessly to keep down my nerves. "Rey, neither of us have had anyone to depend on since we were young, but for years — years that we both sadly lost — we had each other, and I never want to lose that again. I can't imagine how hard all this must be for you, but I want you to know that I'll always be here, and if someday you wanna leave Jakku, you'll have a home with me in Corellia," I said, holding her hand against my chest as I stared into her eyes.

Rey's shoulders quaked as she fought to keep her tears at bay, and with a watery smile, she pulled me into a bone-breaking hug — whispering into my ear. "Thank you, El. You'll never know how much that means to me. All I've ever wanted was a family, and now I have a sister," she said.

I took a shaky breath, my eyes burning with unshed tears, and squeezed her a little harder, pushing my discomfort aside. "You've always had a sister in me, Rey," I said.

I felt eyes on us and looked over Rey's shoulder to see Han, who was now awkwardly standing between us and the Falcon, hand on the back of his neck as he averted his attention. I quickly stepped away from Rey and wiped at my eyes roughly, turning my back to him and clearing my throat. I could hear him approaching Rey, feet crunching against the dry grass. From the corner of my eye, I could make out him handing her a beat-up silver blaster.

"You might need this. Just keep your finger off the trigger," Turning to me, he placed his hands on his hips, brow raised as he waited for me to turn around. Sighing, I wiped at my nose, catching his eye as I turned on my heel. "Do you still have your saber?" he asked.

I adjusted my belt, pulling my saber back into view before I unclipped it — jiggling it in the air merrily. "Of course, I do," I said.

Rey shook her head, smiling, and shoved the blister back toward Han. "I think I can handle myself," she said.

Han sighed, shaking his head and widening his eyes in exasperation. I wanted to giggle at how father-like he looked at that moment. "I know you do. That's why I'm giving it to you. Take it," he said.

Rey brought the blaster back toward herself and started to place her finger near the trigger when Han jumped, startling both of us into a squeal of shock.

"For God's sake! Please don't put your finger on the trigger unless you mean to use it. Do you know how to use it?" he asked, the concern evident in his tone.

Once the shock wore off, Rey laughed, pointing the blaster toward the clear distance "Yeah, you pull the trigger," she said, smirking with a casual shrug, winking mischievously.

I giggled, but bit my lip and hid it behind a cough when Han glared at me. Uneasily, he lowered his weight from leg to leg and I could sense he wanted to speak with Rey alone, so I excused myself and headed back toward the Falcon.

The air was still stiff with coming trouble and my stomach rolled uneasily as I glanced around the area in search of what could be causing the disturbance in the Force, to no avail. With no hope of understanding, I pulled out my saber, igniting it. I started with a few practice routines, and as the sweat started to build across my forehead and down my neck, I could tell it had been too long since I trained. Too soon, I had to stop to catch my breath.

I felt a presence beside me and turned to find Han leaning up against the Falcons ramp. "You ok kid?" he asked.

With a breathless laugh, I nodded. "Yeah, just been a while," I said.

Hans' deep hazel eyes curiously trailed the yellow crackling of my saber as I lowered it beside me. I stood straight, shaking my head to free the hair stuck to my sweaty brow, and slid my finger down the hilt of my saber, quickly finding the button to extinguish it.

"Who's the saber belong to?" he questioned.

I felt my throat thicken, almost choking me as I swallowed down my pain. "My fathers. He left it behind when he and my mother skipped town," I said, fighting to hide my anger, but if his subtle flinch was any indication, I had done a terrible job.

"You got a few minutes?" he asked.

It was easy to see he wanted to ask me something important, so I clipped my saber onto my belt and hesitantly followed him toward the edge of the forest. As we passed Rey, she silently asked where we were going, her head tilting curiously as she made her way into the Falcon. With a jerk of my shoulder, I answered her curiosity with uncertainty as I continued following Han.

Once Han and I were out of earshot, I stood in front of him and silently waited as he internally debated with himself. My guess was: whatever was bothering him had been for a very long time, and wasn't easy to bring to light; I wanted to help, but the expression on his face told me to stay silent. After only a few beats of my nervous heart, he decided to speak.

"I know I said we'd let this go until we found Luke, but I need to ask you something," he asked, his tone rushed and uneasy.

I felt my face drain of color and my heart rate sped up as I started to realize exactly what he wanted to discuss — something I'd rather never talk about, especially with him. Han lowered his head and leaned forward, staring me down.

"What was he like? Did you sense any good in him?" he asked, quickly lowering his gaze to avoid mine as if ashamed.

I curled my cold fingers around each other, fighting to remain locked in place when everything in me screamed to run far away. I took a deep breath, swallowing roughly. "Han, I know who he is to you," I whispered.

Han looked up in shock, but to the shattering of my heart, the shock cleared — turning into raw hope.

Did he tell you? Does he talk about us," he excitedly asked.

I wanted so badly to explain everything to him but I didn't know where to start. I tilted my head sadly, my expression scrunching up in pain as I tried to fit words together. "Han, I don't know how to explain the way it felt being around him. I think I should just show you," I said, grasping at straws.

A part of me, probably the more intelligent part, knew that the idea I had was probably a bad one. I was unskilled in the Force; I didn't know what I was doing. I was no prodigy, and even though I was now on the fast track to having a far larger part in the war, I still had no doubt I was no heroine, but something was telling me that the idea tugging at my heart and mind was the right one. I unclenched my fingers and placed my hands on either side of Hans's head. I struggled to breathe as I dug within myself, searching for any and every memory of my time with the man I knew as Kylo Ren; formerly Ben Solo. I didn't hold back, knowing that in the end, it wouldn't help Han. I let him see it all, every painful moment, every thought…every feeling. I was embarrassed and ashamed, but I knew Han needed to see what his son had become. He needed to see that the darkness did not own him completely. That despite my fear, and the fear I could feel surrounding everyone else, Kylo included — there was still hope.

As soon as I finished, Han fell to his knees, a pained moan falling from his lips. I was in tears. Before I had broken our connection, I had caught a glimpse of his pain. He missed his son, and seeing him as Kylo — the 'monster' in a mask — had almost been too much to bear.

"He's so angry and afraid. It's all he feels," Han whispered, slowly standing to his feet

"I know, Han. I'm so sorry, but I felt you needed to see that. He isn't completely lost," I honestly said.

Han put his hands on my shoulders, eyes red and puffy. "Thank you for being kind to him, and thank you for saying no," he said.

I put my hands atop his and turned away from his kind gaze. I needed to confide in someone; I knew Han would understand. With a thick, worn-thin tone, I came clean. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I wanted to go to him, Han. I almost did; I find that for some inexplicable reason he's my biggest weakness," I said, completely ashamed, yet relieved to finally admit it.

Han gripped my chin with his fingertips, turning my head back toward him. There was such understanding in his fatherly gaze, that I broke down in deep intense sobs. My knees buckled and he helped me lower to the soft forest floor. My knees dipped into the cool earth, pebbles digging into my skin, but I didn't feel the pain as he pressed me close — his callused hand cradling the back of my head.

"He's mine too, kid," he said.

Han held me together as I cried for all that I had lost, and everything that had changed in my life. Once I could breathe steadily, I stepped back, wiping away the evidence of my weakness, and looked up at Han. He stared down at me with sadness but there was also a new flicker of affection.

"Let's go," Han said with renewed vigor.

I followed him back to the Falcon, feeling less hopeful. He seemed relieved by something in what I'd shown him, and I hoped I hadn't caused more damage than good.

Rey, Finn, and BB-8 were walking down the ramp as we approached the Falcon and Rey's expression shifted to concern as she took in my disheveled appearance. "Everything ok?" she asked.

Weakly, I smiled, unable to muster up the strength to give a satisfactory answer. Her brow furrowed in disbelief, her lips thinning. Before she could start a barrage of well-meaning questions, I sent a calming vibe through the Force — that thankfully she accepted, though I felt a warm questioning feeling envelope me. It was enough to know she would be demanding a better answer at a later date

Han stepped around me, standing in front of the ramp, his back straight and gaze steadily switching between all of us. "Okay, listen up! We are going to head out. Everyone stay together and keep your mouth shut; got it?" he asked, eyes narrowing as he met each of our gazes in turn.

I quickly nodded, well aware of the potential dangers. If Coranath was full of unsavory people, who knew how much worse other cities on wilder planets could be? Rey stepped closer pulling a very reluctant Finn with her. I was surprised by Finn's sudden change in attitude, his shoulders were slumped and his head bowed. He was refusing to engage with Rey as she pulled him forward after Han, who had started to lead us toward the large imposing castle. To further my confusion, I could sense guilt radiating off of him, he was enveloped in it, but I chose to ignore it. I had enough of my guilt to deal with. After what felt like hours of silence, Finn's raspy irritated voice cut through the awkward air.

"Solo, why are we here again? I know Rey feels like she needs to be here, but why did you wanna come?" he asked, using bunny ear quotations when he spoke of Reys 'feeling'.

I sped up my pace, staring at the back of Hans's head in anticipation. Rey and Finn had told me that BB held something important and that Han was helping them get it to the Resistance, but they hadn't revealed much about Takodana — only that Rey felt the 'need' to meet Maz.

"I'm here to get your droid on a clean ship," Han said, glancing over his shoulder.

I stumbled, scraping my ankle on a few large stones, and frowned, confused by his word choice. "Clean?" I asked.

Han stopped walking, irritably turning to stare at Rey and Finn. I also glanced at them, confusion twisting my features. I felt like I was missing something.

"Do you think it was luck that Chewie and I found the Falcon? If we can find it on our scanners, then The First Order's not far behind. Want to get BB-8 to the resistance? Maz Kanata is our best bet," he said.

I could see the conviction in Hans's eyes, he was absolutely sure he could trust Maz, and that was enough for me. I clapped my hands together with finality, and tilted my chin in acceptance, starting forward — passing an amused Han. "Okay! Let's go then," I said.

But to my annoyance, Hans's word wasn't enough for Finn. "We can trust her right?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Han sighed, his shoulder slumping. "Relax kid. She's run this watering hold for a thousand years. Maz is a bit of an acquired taste, so let me do the talking. And whatever you do, don't stare..." he said, blowing his cheeks out as he exhaled sharply.

I started fiddling with my frozen fingers again. I didn't know why, but ever since we landed I'd been cold. It wasn't cold here, so I hoped I wasn't catching something.

Han glanced at all of us in turn, a keen warning flashing in his eyes before he turned, continuing up the hill toward Maz's castle.

Rey's eyes narrowed in confusion, and a deep line formed between her brow as she turned to Finn, her lips pulled down in a frown. " Stare? Stare, at what?" Rey said.

Finn glanced up the hill, noticing with wide eyes that Han was nowhere in sight. Exasperatedly, he reached behind him and took hold of Rey's wrist, tugging her forward. Chuckling, I exhaustedly leaned over, taking a deep breath and placing my hands on my knees as I heaved myself forward — heading up the hill behind them. As we neared the huge stone fortress, I tilted my head back to take in the sheer magnitude, mouth gaping open in awe. From the distance, the stone looks almost decaying with age but the closer you get, the more impenetrable the entire structure proves to be. Large pockmarked wood doors sealed the entrance shut, and Han stood in front of them, his back to us. Briefly glancing back, Han's expression shifted, a flicker of anxiety emerging in the wrinkling of his forehead.

"At any of it; don't stare at any of it," Han said, turning back to push open the heavy wood doors.

Music filled the air as the doors slowly creaked open, only slightly muffled by the sound of the wood scraping against cold stone. Han shoved the door to the side and rubbed his hands against his vest, his breathing labored. Finn led Rey forward, holding onto her arm as she wandered around in a small circle, taking everything in with wide stunned eyes. I stumbled forward, trying in vain to keep my eyes on my feet instead of the wild room around me. The enormous room was loud, crowded, and hot. The air was almost sticky and smelled of spices and liquor. My heartbeat heavyily and I felt my fingers and toes start to go numb as I tried to breathe deeply in the hopes of remaining calm. I wasn't used to being surrounded by so many people. I briefly lifted my eyes, searching for Han, but all I could see was a mess of aliens and humans alike. All gambling, drinking, and arguing amongst themselves. I felt someone grab my ass, and begin to spin around and say something, but suddenly felt someone take hold of my arm, pulling me away. I looked up, my teeth bared in warning, but was relieved to find Han staring down at me, his eyes narrowed and expression lined with irritation.

"Don't talk to anyone," he spat.

I looked back over my shoulder, pointing my thumb in the direction we had just left. "But someone—" I mumbled.

Huffing in vexation, Han gently yanked my arm to gain my attention. "No one!" he insisted.

I grumbled angrily, annoyed that I wouldn't be able to give whoever had assaulted me a piece of my mind but was shocked outta my reverie by a loud boisterous voice. I felt a strong pull in the Force as Han pulled me to a sudden stop. "Han Solo!"

My head shot around the room as the once ear-splitting sound died down almost instantly; only a few brave bottle caps decided to break the new eerie silence, bouncing around on the stone floor. Han pulled me to his side before releasing me, crossing his arms over his chest in a carefree cocky manner as a wrinkled four-foot, tan alien, wearing adjustable goggles stepped into the center of the room.

"Oh boy, here we go," Han mumbled. "Hey Maz!" he said, shooting her a wave, a fake smile forcing its way onto his lips.

Slowly, as Maz worked her way toward us, the noise returned to its normal volume. I began to feel less awkward as the focus returned where it was due. Maz finished her track towards us, pushing someone out of her way as she went.

"Where's my boyfriend?" she swiftly asked at the end of her approach.

It was such a sudden and unexpected thing to ask, and I started giggling uncomfortably. Boyfriend?

Han sighed deeply, glancing at me briefly before he turned back to Maz. "Ignore her. Chewie's working on the Falcon," he said.

Maz nodded, a hint of disappointment in her tiny round eyes. Turning to me, she cocked her head in curiosity, her goggles whirring oddly. Reaching up, she spun a few of the mechanical dials along the edges of the frames before she once again nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. Han looked between us, a grin of satisfaction taking over his face

Maz stepped up next to me, bumping my leg with her hip. Nudging me toward a large round table, she giggled like a young girl. "I like that wookie!" She turned back to Han, her expression firm. "I assume you need something. Desperately. Let's get to it," she said, heading toward the table and gesturing for us to follow.

Han glanced around, stopping when he caught sight of Rey and Finn off to the side of the room. With a quick motion, he caught their attention, gesturing for them to join us. As we headed toward the table we walked past a group of aliens and a small red maintenance droid. My brow furrowed as I felt recognition flit around me, and an uncomfortable shiver went down my spine. My stride slowed as I shook off the awful feeling. The uneasiness from the moment we landed here started to creep back in, and I quickly caught up with Han. I was about to mention all I had been feeling, and the recognition that I had picked up from the aliens, but when I made to speak, Han caught my eye, swiftly shaking his head. I scrunched up my face, puzzled by his hesitancy to hear me out, but internally shrugged; I guess he already knew we'd been noticed. I just hope he had one of his infamous plans at the ready.

As we approached the table, Maz chose the left side, scooting into the middle, and Han chose the other, staring her down as she started to put together some food. I was insanely grateful; it felt like an eternity since I'd eaten. I sat beside Maz, feeling comforted by the vibe I received from her, leaving the space beside Han for Finn and Rey. Maz smiled gently at me, her nose wrinkling with humor as she caught me staring intensely at the food. She pushed over an empty plate, gesturing toward the small Buffett; I didn't need to be told twice. I ate silently, only being joined by Rey. Living the way we had, we never turned down free food. I tuned out most of the conversation going on around me, eating my fill, until the infamous Luke Skywalker was mentioned.

"A map to Skywalker himself? You're right back in the mess," Maz said.

Han leaned back, shaking his head negatively. His eyes were hard and his expression twisted in pained remembrance. "I just want to get them on a clean ship," Han answered.

"Hmm. No. You've been running away from this fight for too long. Han, nyakee nago wadda. Go home!" Maz said.

Han looked down at his lap and sighed, face scrunching up in sadness. "Leia doesn't want to see me."

The fork trembled in my hand and I slowly lowered it back to the plate. Leia? I haven't yet heard about Han's wife — Kylo's mother, and couldn't help but wonder what she was like? While I was pondering the likelihood of meeting the esteemed General Leia, Finn was becoming more and more irritated.

"Please, we came here for help, not a therapy session!" Finn interjected.

With my mouth partially agape, I leaned forward, kicking him in the leg. God, he could be so rude!

Placing her elbows on the table and lowering her chin into the palm of her hands, Rey looked between Maz and Han, ignoring Finn's outburst — I had noticed she was becoming increasingly good at that. I couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with her feelings for him. If my mother's romance books had taught me anything, it was that 'love is blind'.

"What fight?" Rey asked, curious as ever.

Maz looked at Rey, not the slightest hint of fear on her face. "The only fight; against the dark side. Through the ages, I've seen evil take many forms. The Sith. The Empire. Today, it's The First Order. Their shadow is spreading across the galaxy. We must face them. Fight them. All of us." Maz fiercely said.

Finn sat up straight, rubbing at his neck, agitated by her words. "There is no fighting The First Order! Not one we can win. Look around—" Chuckling almost hysterically, Finn motioned around the room, his eyes wild. "There's no chance we haven't been recognized already. I bet you The First Order is on their way right—" Finn's tirade was cut off by a soft mechanical whirring as Maz sat forward and started to adjust the dials on the sides of her goggles, her eyes enlarging comically. I watched in horror as Maz stared at Finn, a nearly silent 'tisk' of disapproval passing her lips. I'd never seen this side of Finn before, the cowardly side. I knew he was full of angst and fear, but I'd never thought him to be a coward. Then again, who was I to judge? I knew nothing of his past or the world he'd been forced to live in.

"What's this? What are you doing?" Finn asked, his voice squeaking.

Maz grunted, lowering her head sadly as if she'd found something hidden within Finn that she'd already suspected was there. Glancing back up to meet his eyes, she placed her hands atop the worn wood table, grunting deeply as she lifted herself, hoisting her body onto the table — and knocking food and plates to the floor as she crawled towards him. Finn's face darkened in fear and embarrassment as she hastily crawled closer, and he pushed further into his seat, scooting towards Han — uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"Solo what is she doing?" Finn asked, looking at us.

Han's tongue ran across his lower lip as he fought a smile. "I don't know, but it ain't good," he taunted.

Maz stopped in front of Finn, her head tilting and rotating to follow him as he tried to move away from her intense observation. "If you live long enough you see the same eyes in different people. I'm looking at the eyes of a man who wants to run," she said.

Finn stopped his attempts to escape at Maz's declaration, his focus snapping immediately to her face. "You don't know a thing about me. Where I'm from. What I've seen. The First Order will slaughter us," he declared.

Rey, who had remained unsteadily silent throughout the whole conversation, sat at Finn's side, fear draining the color from her face. Shaking her head in sadness, Maz scooted backward, falling into her seat — her face blank as she pointed at two men in the corner.

"You see those two? They'll trade work for transportation to the Outer Rim. There, you can disappear," she said.

Finn quickly turned to look at the small table with two roughneck men. His expression shifted from fear, to surprise, then swiftly to relief. It was easy to see what was happening inside his head, as each emotion played out across his face. I hoped for Rey's sake he made the right decision.

"Finn!" Rey said, slapping the table in shock as he continued to stare.

Finn jerked in surprise, looking down at Rey's hand, a new emotion flashing in his eyes. With determination, he took hold of her wrist, lifting her hand into his. "Come with me, Rey. This is no place for you. We can be together," he said.

With a sorrowful chill running down my spine, I sat back, closing my eyes and trying with extreme difficulty to ignore the similarities between this situation and the one I'd dealt with only hours before.