Rey was silent for most of the drive to the barn.

Poe had led her carefully down the stairs of her father's house and out the front door, taking a folded mobility cane from a grinning Luke as they passed him. The elder Skywalker had called him that morning informing him that Rey wanted BeeBee put up for sale; she wanted Poe to be the agent and she wanted him sold for a fair price. A good home was better than a high price. Poe knew Rey's $700 track purchase was probably worth close to $50,000 now, and despite his complaining to Rey about BeeBee's aggression, he was very aware those vices would most likely not keep a hungry rider looking for a talented and experienced mount from buying him.

However, Poe was not going to sell that horse.

He had spent the next two hours reading up on blind horseback riders. Though vision impaired riders were not extremely common in para-dressage, they did exist, and those that rode blind were usually people who had become blind later in life like Rey. He had broached the subject to Rey's father upon arriving at the house and Luke was all for it; apparently, he was ready to send Rey to a therapist to help with her depression. This morning's announcement from her about BeeBee had terrified him and when Poe had shown his own disbelief and anger over the phone, he had seemed relieved to find someone else to share his concerns.

Poe assisted Rey as much as he could, not wanting to be too overprotective; Rey had always been very independent, and he was pretty sure that hadn't really changed too much, despite her handicap. She just needed a reminder that there were things she could still do and do well. He had helped her to the open door of his pickup, but had let her find the running board and pull herself up into the front passenger seat. He left her to her thoughts while they drove the twenty minutes to the barn, wanting her to warm up to any conversation on her own time. Once he had parked in front of the gate to his small yard, he watched her take a deep breath, as if bolstering herself, and then she opened the door and slid out on her own.

He walked around the front of the truck and gently took her elbow again, handing her the folded cane. Wincing, she took it and he watched as she unfolded it and gently tapped the ground in front of her.

"Okay," he said softly. "Let's go." He began walking toward the main barn and Rey followed, tentatively tapping the cane along in front of them. Poe took note of Finn and Rose, who were watching them from the gate of the covered arena off to their right. He had asked that they not approach Rey if and when Poe got her to the barn; he wanted her to be with her horse, first. He was sure there would be a lot of emotions and he knew she would feel far too self-conscious with an audience. They could come see her after things settled if everything went well.

The hot summer sun beat down on them as they crossed the open gravel area that separated his little house from the horse facilities, and he was very aware of how the temperature changed when they stepped into the barn, the shade, fans, and strategically opened doors creating a much cooler environment than the outside. He could imagine Rey feeling the change, as well. She knew this barn like the back of her hand, and she moved forward more confidently on the textured concrete of the barn floor, waving the cane around in front of her rhythmically. A banging could be heard further down the aisle, and Poe knew immediately what stall it was coming from and why. Rey knew, too, and her pace increased. Poe kept a loose grip on her elbow, ready to help her should she need it, but she made a bee-line to the stall in question, almost as if she could see.

As they neared BeeBee's stall, Poe could see the gelding tossing his head in an impatient manner, his forelock flipping up and down with his movements. Rey reached for the vertical bars that covered the front of the stall and Poe let her go so she could do so without his hinderance. She moved her hand along the bars until she reached the end one, which had the hidden latch. She pulled the bar up and slid the door open, then tossed her cane down on the ground and carefully stepped into the stall. Poe put his hands on her shoulders and followed her in, still not ready to let her go it alone, especially with a horse that had injured more than one person on is staff in the last two months.

But he needn't have worried. BeeBee immediately dropped his head and shoved it into Rey's chest, and a sound he had never heard from the horse emanated from his nostrils. It was a soft grumble, a whispered nicker. A gentle and obvious sound of affection. Rey placed her cheek against the gelding's forehead and wrapped her arms around his face, tears streaming from her sightless eyes. "BeeBee, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she breathed, one hand coming up to stroke the horse's jaw and then sliding up behind his ear.

Feeling tears well in his own eyes, Poe stepped back out of the stall. He had bonded with more than one horse in his lifetime, and he knew that if they were allowed to, horses bonded with their people just as much, but he had never seen a connection as strong as this one before. It humbled him and it made him that much more certain he had done the right thing. His plan to get Rey back in the saddle was imperative and he was going to let nothing get in his way.

He slid the door closed slowly, but neither Rey nor the horse moved. He walked to the other side of the aisle, glancing in at the horse in that stall. The bay mare glanced back at him, but then continued to eat her hay, unconcerned. He leaned against the wall to rest his back and folded his arms, content to wait until Rey was done. He heard soft murmuring and the occasional nicker, and eventually he saw BeeBee raise his head and start to playfully nibble at Rey's arm. It was nothing like the aggressive biting he had been doing, but Rey still pushed his nose away. "None of that," he heard her say, and he smiled. She had picked up that phrase from him. "I heard you were super naughty while I've been gone. I can't believe you hurt people. Bee, I'm ashamed of you."

Poe walked back across the aisle once more and leaned casually on the stall door. The horse moved his head to look at him, and he saw Rey also tilt her head in his direction.

"I started lunging him every day about two weeks ago," Poe started softly. "I've been long-lining him, too, about three days a week." Long-lining, also called ground driving, was like driving a horse who pulled a cart, only there was no cart. The 'driver' walked behind the horse, guiding him with long reins. He could get BeeBee to perform several dressage movements this way, but only at a walk. "It's helped his attitude," he continued. "But I'm sure it will get much better now that you're back."

Rey nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. She took a deep breath. "I still don't see how you think I can ride him again."

"Well, we're not going to start with him," Poe told her. "We're going to start by giving you lunge lessons on D.O." This meant Rey would ride while Poe lunged the horse in a circle around him. Rey wouldn't have to worry about directing the horse and could concentrate on her form in the saddle. "We'll go from there."

Rey frowned. "You really think I can do this?" Her voice was soft and scarily uncertain.

"Rey, I'm not gonna lie and say the Olympics are still possible," Poe answered. "But yes, I really think you can ride again. I think you could even compete again." He paused. "But you have to want it."

Rey faced BeeBee again, reaching up to rub his ears. The horse dropped his head, closing his eyes in pleasure. Biting her lower lip, she nodded. "Okay," she finally said. "Do we go back to my regular lesson times?"

Poe shook his head, then remembered Rey wouldn't be able to see the gesture. "No," he told her. "I'm not doing this as your trainer," he continued. "I'm doing this as your friend. We'll work together in the evenings on my own time."

He saw surprise flash in her eyes, then she became contemplative. "I suppose this means I'm gonna have to start learning how to live like this, huh?"

Poe felt the tightness in his chest, a tension that he had been feeling since the moment he pulled up in front of Rey's house, ease. "Yep," he said, trying to keep his voice light. "You're gonna have to start living again." He took a deep breath. "But Bee and I are going to be with you, every step of the way."

A small smile appeared on her face. She blinked away more tears, wiped them off her face, then nodded. "Okay."

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