Hi all, sorry about the slightly shorter chapter, but the next one is a lot longer to make up for it. I do feel that this chapter is necessary to include and the issues will come up again. I will be uploading the next chapter slightly earlier too as it is nearly finished.

Chapter 2.1

The mission to Ahch-To meant going the long way around to Concordia and the General could not further risk the lives of the remaining Resistance followers by taking the Falcon to Ahch-To itself. She and Rey would have to board a smaller separate ship, and the moon of Jedha had been chosen as a stop-over point.

The Falcon landed in the barren desert, where only a slight collection of structures could be seen in the distance. Many others had been told that the stop-over was for fuel and supplies, and that they would be gone as soon as they had figured out their next destination beyond the reach of the First Order. Most of this was true. General Organa did not feel guilty about omitting a few facts in order to keep her people safe. It was better that they did not know her destination.

Poe was backing up BB-8's hard-drive when Finn approached him.

'Are you heading out?' Finn asked.

'Yeah. Just getting a few last bits sorted. We'll be right back, you won't even have time to miss me,' Poe replied with a smile, standing up again.

'How about I join you? I could help with the heavy lifting you know.' Finn flexed his arms in front of his friend's face.

Poe smiled, eyes light, but then he reverted back to business mode. 'You know that I can't let you come along. Not many people know... many didn't even survive long enough to see it... but we both know what really happened on Crait and there's no way that I'm letting you endanger yourself again until I think you're fit for duty.'

Finn frowned and dug his nails into his palms. He did not need reminding about Crait. What he had caused. What he had tried to do. 'I'm fine, Poe.'

Poe looked down at Finn's clenched fists. 'You don't seem fine, mate.'

'Look, I know it was stupid, but people die all the time. You don't have to worry about me.' Finn picked up one of the backpacks ready for the expedition. 'I can help. I want to help.'

'Finn, I do worry about you, and that's the point,' Poe uttered.

At that moment, Rey walked into the Engineering Bay and stopped suddenly when she saw Poe Dameron. She gave an awkward salute and picked up the backpack left over.

'Wait, Rey's going?!' Finn turned back to Poe in confusion. 'Why does she need to leave the ship?'

Poe pushed his hair out of his eyes and placed a winter cap on his head. 'That's classified, Finn.'

'What do you mean classified? It's me!'

'Finn, you know the General likes to have her secrets sometimes. She doesn't always feel the need to explain every step of every plan to us.'

'I'm still here you know,' Rey reminded them.

'Poe, look, she doesn't need to go out there. I can take her place. Or at least let me come with you to help. I can help to protect her-'

Finn saw Rey's face, she was like a Krayt Dragon with a stomach ready to burst with poison.

Finn stammered on, 'her and the General, and you, and anyone else going…' He looked hopefully at Poe, but Dameron's eyes were locked on Rey.

'Incase you have forgotten Finn,' Rey spat, 'it was me who saved you all from that cavern. And what were you doing anyway whilst I was fighting Snoke? Gambling on Canto Bight? Hiring some backstabbing hacker? Or maybe just crashing into people? I don't see how I'm the one who needs protecting. I'll probably be safer without you there!' Rey spun on her heels with the rucksack in tow and headed towards the boarding ramp.

'Finn?'

No response.

'Finn, mate. She didn't mean it.'

'She did. And the thing is that it's all true. I didn't help anyone. Because of me that lying piece of shit betrayed us. And now so many are dead. So many are dead because of me.' Finn sat on the storage chest and his shoulders began to shudder. 'I wanted to die, Poe.'

A blue light on BB-8 flickered to life.

'I wanted to die a hero. I want- I wanted to be a good guy. I messed up - so bad. I watched the others being shot out of the sky one by one and I thought Phasma was going to execute us there and then. You know what? I was actually relieved that we had been caught. I wouldn't have to face you all, knowing how much I had let you down.'

'No, Finn, we-' Poe interrupted.

'Stop! I know what you're going to say. I've heard it all, from Rose, from you, from the General. But it doesn't change the fact that I trusted the wrong person. I should have known for God's sake, he was in prison when we met him!' Finn slammed his hands down on the chest and clutched the sides for support. 'And then - and then I was given another chance. A chance to - to save you all. I knew that I could destroy that cannon. It would only take my life and save all of yours.'

Silence lingered between the pair as Finn stared down at his palms displayed before him. 'And I couldn't even die without hurting someone else… without hurting Rose.'

Finn's face fell into his hands and he sobbed.

Across the other side of the Falcon, Rey sat against the cold wall and watched BB-8's live hologram transmission, with tears rolling down her cheeks.