The floorboards of the cabin creaked under Rey's step as she paced back and forward, trying to clear her mind of her swirling thoughts. After months of being on the run from the First Order, her body felt weary down to her bones. It would have been so easy to let Kylo Ren catch her and have it out once and for all, but that would destroy more than just her own life.

The Resistance had lost. Decimated and bleeding, they'd scattered into the wind. Not forever, they'd promised — just long enough to heal and rebuild their forces.

From where she was standing, it felt like forever.

'Finn sent an encoded message,' she finally said.

Poe's spoon clattered against his bowl of soup as his gaze shot up to meet hers. 'Are they alright?'

'Yeah. He and Rose are still living with that community of escaped stormtroopers.' When the community invited Finn to join them after the Resistance fell apart, Rey had urged them to accept. Not only did the group offer protection, but it gave Finn — and Rose, who could thaw the heart of the fiercest hermit — a chance to convince them to fight back. 'He wanted you to know they're getting married. They were going to wait until we could be there, but — well, they don't know how long that will be.'

'Oh.' Disappointment rippled across his face, then he grinned broadly. 'Well, good for them. It was always just a matter of time, wasn't it?'

'Yeah.' The only surprise was the when and where. 'I'm sure they'll take a lot of pictures, but it won't be the same, will it?'

Poe didn't respond; his grave expression said it all.

Of course, Finn and Rose weren't the only ones settling down. Chewie had returned to his wife and children on Kashyyyk. Kaydel had moved to Coruscant with the intention of subtly recruiting people. Countless others had flown back to their home worlds if they could or somewhere near them if their home worlds had been ransacked.

And Rey and Poe were on the run. More than anyone, she was the one the First Order wanted, so it wasn't safe for her to stay in one place for too long. Poe wasn't as trapped. He could have gone anywhere he wanted — he just chose to stay with her.

But after getting ambushed by stormtroopers a few nights ago, Rey couldn't shake the feeling she was doing him a disservice by letting him stay. If this fracturing was going to last years, then maybe he should be out there living his life in the meantime. Starting a family if he wanted. Sleeping in the same bed every night instead of constantly relocating with her. Watching two of his best friends get married.

Sighing, she turned to face him. In the short time she'd been lost in her thoughts, his whole frame had tensed as if he was preparing for battle. Always ready, never resting, as he'd been for the past few months. 'You should probably go home,' she said, rushing the words out to try to make them hurt less. 'I'm the one they want — if you leave, they won't bother you as much. You wouldn't have to watch their wedding in pictures; you could be there.'

'No,' he replied just as quickly. He'd clearly anticipated her suggestion. 'Finn would kill me if I left. I'd kill me if I left.'

'But it's not safe — '

'No, Rey.' His voice cracked on the first word, yet an edge of steel underlay it. He was as determined and unmoving as a rock. 'I get that you're trying to be noble, and thank you for that, but I'm right where I want to be.'

Rey couldn't argue. Not because had no counter arguments, or because he'd made up his mind, but because she knew exactly what he meant. As much as running and hiding irked her, if she had to do it, there was no one else she'd rather be with.

She was right where she wanted to be too.


A/N: Prompt: 'They are the hunters, we are the foxes, and we run.' from I Know Places by Taylor Swift