A/N: Get ready. Sh*t is about to hit the fan!

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One more day.

Tomorrow was the board meeting where Poe would officially become the majority owner of Organa Enterprises. It was the day they had been working toward for more than a year now. The day this whole deception would come to an end. Poe had already told Rey that a private lawyer he had hired, Owen Lars, had drawn up the paperwork for the annulment. He would be at the board meeting, and once everyone was gone, they could get those papers signed and have it all done in one go. No one needed to know right away, and Rey was more than welcome to stay at the condo for however long she wanted. He had told her all this with a polite but nervous air about him, as if he was trying his best to please her.

As if it was what she wanted.

It wasn't what she wanted, but it was for the best. She kept reminding herself of this. However, every time she thought about the future beyond their marriage, she grew nervous, uncertain about how exactly she was going to continue on. The call she had received yesterday from a friend had given her the answer. An answer that excited her as much as it saddened her, and a decision she wasn't sure she wanted Poe to know about until the official transfer of OE was complete tomorrow.

But first she had to get through tonight.

The party was being held at The Aurelia, the most luxurious hotel in Aldera. It was a full-on gala, and Rey finally found her chance to wear the dress she had bought almost a year ago. She pulled it out of the closet, the silver-green gown still protected by the garment bag it had never been removed from since Rey brought it home. Rose was planning on coming over this evening to help Rey with her hair and makeup. She was going to look her best tonight, and try to be as charming as possible. After all, the board members were being told later this evening Leia's true requirements for Poe to inherit; they would give their opinion tomorrow of whether or not they believed he and Rey were legitimately married. Rey was determined to prove she indeed loved her husband.

She hung up the dress in the guest room on the vanity mirror, then headed back out into the living room. She stopped short as Poe suddenly entered the apartment. He also stopped in surprise.

"Oh!" Rey said. "I thought you had meetings all afternoon?" Poe had informed everyone that he was taking a two week vacation after the transfer; he was exhausted and ready for a break. Today was supposed to be his last day of meetings until after he returned.

He shrugged. "They let me go early. Said something about taking my time getting ready for tonight." He rolled his eyes. "As if it takes me that long to get ready. Shower, shave, dress."

Rey huffed. "Be serious, Poe. They know how long you spend on your hair."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, running his fingers through his curls, tousling them. "It's worth it!"

Rey laughed, and Poe grinned in response.

"There's that smile," he said. "I missed it."

Rey felt her face heat and she looked down for a moment, biting her lip. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I've got a couple of appointments this afternoon," she said. "Rose is coming by to help me get ready tonight. She might get here before me, but she's got a key, so don't wander around in your underwear, okay?"

This time he laughed. "When do I ever?"

"Just saying…"

She realized suddenly that this was the longest conversation they had had for weeks. Her heart clenched as she thought about his reaction to her news. Would he be mad? He probably would be the longer she kept it from him. So, tell him! She thought.

"Uhm, I got a call from an old college friend yesterday," she started.

"Yeah?" He had moved further into the room, depositing his keys on the end table.

"She's a co-owner of a private practice and they just had one of their PTs leave so they're looking for a new one. She thought of me, first." She shrugged. "Great pay, benefits, and not associated with a hospital."

Poe smiled. "That's great!" he said, and she could see the excitement in his expression. "Where is it?"

Rey took a deep breath. "L.A."

Poe's smile faded. "Los Angeles?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"That's fifteen hundred miles away."

"I know."

He blinked a few times. "You want to leave Aldera? You want to leave… your father?"

"I don't want to leave," she told him. "But I need to."

"What?" He was frowning now. "What do you mean, you 'need to'?"

"I need to leave… here." She sighed, trying to maintain eye contact with him, but finding it impossible. "After this thing is over tomorrow, I… I can't stay here."

Poe looked confused, and she could also see anger starting to grow in his expression. His mouth hardened. "After this thing?"

"Poe, I can't be around you anymore, okay?" she blurted.

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He looked panicked, then licked his lips nervously. "Rey, I know I've done some stupid things this past year," he started. "Hell, way before that, I know! But whatever I did to make you feel this way, I can fix it."

Rey started shaking her head.

Poe pushed, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Please, just let me know what I did. Let me fix this! We've been friends too long to just let things die!"

"No!" She was adamant.

"What did I do to make you hate me?" Poe practically yelled.

The desperation in his voice undid her. "Don't you get it?" she shouted. "I don't hate you! I love you!"

He froze.

"I'm in love with you," Rey continued. Why stop now? "I have been since High School." She shook her head and huffed. "Probably way before that." She gasped, desperately trying to control the tears now forming in her eyes. "Do you know how hard it's been, watching you flirt and date and know you're having sex and almost marry everyone but me? But you come crawling to me, your 'buddy,' to cry on my shoulder whenever they all fail!" She bit her lip and breathed in through her nose, holding in a sob. "When this is over, I can't… I won't go back to that." She shook her head, feeling a tear fall. "I need to find myself, and I can't do that with you in my life." Her voice broke, and she lowered her eyes, unable to look at the devastated expression on his face anymore. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

She turned and walked toward the door, grabbing her purse and keys as she passed them on the counter. "I have to go. I'm gonna be late."

She heard his footsteps as he rushed to follow her, but she was still startled when he grabbed her arm. "Rey?" he said harshly.

She turned to face him. "Let me go," she whispered. She looked him the eye. "Please, Poe. Let me go."

She watched as he shook his head ever so slightly, then he blinked and she saw tears on his cheeks.

Then he let her go.

She rushed out of the apartment and to the elevator. She felt her body start to tremble as she waited impatiently for it to reach the ground floor, then she hurried outside. She made it to her car before the sobs she had been holding in overtook her. She let them out, trying to imagine the tears as cleansing. Purifying. Finally, she was able to control her breathing again. She grabbed a tissue and wiped her face, blowing her nose. When she was finally composed, she started the car.

And promised herself that would be the last time she would ever cry over Poe Dameron.

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