A/N: Warning: This is the chapter that earned the 'M' rating, and only because of the crude language used. I needed something that would shock Rey into a non-reaction but that would also set Poe's protectiveness off.

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He felt something.

It was vague, unsubstantial, and he wondered briefly if it was just his imagination, but he could feel Rey's tears on his arm.

He tried desperately to move, to reach for her, to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her it was going to be okay, but that was all still impossible.

Eventually, the feeling subsided, but he still felt warmth, and later a brief moment of pressure as she squeezed his arm. He felt hope surge. It wasn't his imagination! He could feel! Soon, maybe he could move!

With the giddy feeling from his discovery still filling him, he reached out with the Force, searching for the familiar and beloved touch of his wife's mind. There! He could feel it. Again, not strong, but there. Not just her presence, but her thoughts, her emotions. He could tell when she realized what was going on, and he felt her reach back for him, the connection strengthening. It wasn't yet strong enough to form words, but he could see images. He could 'see' the room around him, Rey sitting next to him, a smile on her face, a face still streaked with drying tears. Once more he tried moving and felt another wave of frustration streak through him when he couldn't. The wave of comfort that enveloped him pulled his attention back to Rey. While he couldn't hear the words, her point was made: don't push, it will come.

One day at a time.

XXX

Rey smiled at Dr. Kofra when he walked through the door.

"I can feel him," she said. "We still can't 'talk,' but I can feel his emotions, see images in his mind. And he can feel my touch." She was almost giddy with the realization.

Dr. Kofra looked exceedingly relieved. "That is wonderful news," he exclaimed. Just this morning, they had taken Poe off of the ventilator as he was finally breathing strongly on his own. "This is even more proof that he's going to beat this," he told Rey. "Every little bit more he can do increases his chances." Rey knew had been worried these past few days. Though the ventilator was helping him breath and the IV fluids and a feeding tube were giving him the nutrition needed to survive, his body had been weakening substantially. The constant pain and mental anguish of not being able to move were taking its toll. This step forward would give him hope, and therefore strength to carry on.

Rey talked with the doctor for a while. She casually started playing with Poe's hair, sifting the still thick strands of his mostly white mane through her fingers, hoping he could feel it. She had always managed to relax him by playing with his hair. After Kofra left, she remembered back to the time, so long ago, when she had discovered that fact.

Rey carefully made her food selections and placed them in the basket she carried, unconcerned about the hubbub going on around her in the mess area. She was trying to gather enough food for the next couple of days, as she and Poe rarely wanted to leave their apartment during his brief visits from Naboo. He spent a few hours in meetings with D'Acy and the rest of the command staff when he first got back, but he was in contact with them most every day, so the meetings were just a reminder who was still in charge here on Ajan Kloss. After the meetings were done, he spent the remainder of his time with his new wife; they had only been married for six weeks, after all.

A loud, obnoxious voice sounded not too far behind her. She recognized it immediately as Elton Karani. She rolled her eyes, but didn't turn around, not wanting to deal with the young man today. Karani had been with the Resistance for about five months now. He was a good pilot, a great mechanic, and a hard worker. However, he had come to them with a chip the size of Yavin on his shoulder. He was rude, crass, always angry, and demanded more than he was willing to give. His parents had been killed by the First Order in front of his eyes shortly before the Battle of Exegol, and his village destroyed, so everyone felt sorry for him and made excuses for his behavior. Whenever Poe asked about him, people downplayed his nasty attitude, unwilling to be the one to have the kid booted out of the organization. Rey admitted to being one of those.

"So, she is alive," the voice sounded, and Rey just had a feeling he was talking about her. "Gathering sustenance so you can continue to keep our illustrious General confined to his quarters for the duration, are we?" His sarcasm was not lost on Rey. She finished packing the basket, set it down on the table, and turned to look at Karani. Everyone else around them had gone silent.

"If you have a problem, Karani, let's hear it," Rey told him calmly.

His eyebrows rose in an exaggerated fashion. "Oh, no problem," he said, his voice far too sweet. "Just wondering what it is about you that keeps him so complacent." While he had never really been nice to anyone on base, he had always seemed extra hateful toward her. "You must give really good head."

Several people gasped at his crude statement, and Rey began to see red. She was struck speechless for a moment, and she blinked, trying to center herself. She must NOT let her temper get out of control. She opened her mouth to reply when someone rushed past her. Before she could even react, Poe had moved in on Karani, punching him hard in the jaw. The man went down hard. Poe made a move to grab the man, and his intent was obviously to continue the assault, but Herrick and Connix both moved in to stop him. "General!" Kaydel cried.

Poe was breathing hard, but he listened to his officers. He glared down at Karani, who was looking up at him, his lip bleeding, shock on his face. "I've had enough of you, Karani," Poe growled. "I've watched person after person cover for your bad behavior and attitude over and over again, all because they feel sorry for you. No more. You have twelve hours to gather your belongings and find transport off of Ajan Kloss. I don't want to see or hear about you ever again. No more chances."

He turned to Herrick. "You make sure he follows my order," he told the security officer.

"Yes, sir," Herrick nodded, his manner formal. He knew the difference between Poe the man and General Dameron.

And it was General Dameron that looked about the mess hall, making eye contact with everyone he could. "As for the rest of you, there will be no more hiding problems from me or trying to downplay bad behavior or situations just because I'm not here all the time. You go to D'Acy for any issue, even the minor ones, and she will let me know. Teamwork does not mean putting up with shit just to keep the peace." He looked back down at Karani. "It means not being a shit and working with not against each other." He glanced at Rey, then stalked out of the mess. "As you were."

Her heart racing, Rey gathered up the basket of food and rushed after him. She followed him silently as he made his way back to the dormitory, and slipped by him as he held the door for her. She set the basket down and watched as he started pacing, his expression still incensed.

"Kriff!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe I did that!"

"Did what?" Rey asked softly.

"Punched someone under my command, with almost the whole base watching!"

Rey snorted a laugh. "Poe, I think everyone there was cheering you on in silence."

He glared at her. "You were one of those people downplaying this, I know you were."

She sighed. "I-"

"Felt sorry for him," Poe completed. "I know."

"I didn't feel sorry for him today," she whispered. "I would have been quite happy to watch you beat him to a pulp."

Poe looked startled for a moment. "What he said was indefensible."

Rey nodded and looked down, feeling her face heat.

"What's wrong?"

Rey took a deep breath. "When I was about eight, before I left to scavenge on my own, I was in Plutt's tent when some trader made a move on me. Plutt actually told him I wasn't for sale in that way, that I was one of his best scavengers, and the man looked me up and down and said that the only thing I would ever be good for was 'giving head'." She heard Poe make a growling noise. "I didn't even know what that meant back then," she told him, looking up at him.

"But you found out," Poe said, his voice dark.

Rey nodded. "I became determined to NEVER let anyone make me do that, either by force or by desperation." She gave him a small, embarrassed smile. "It's why I've never…"

Poe nodded. "And you don't ever have to," he said forcefully. Then he sighed and moved to sit down in front of the mirror. "Damn, my visits are supposed to be relaxing." He rubbed his hands over his face.

Rey walked over to him and tentatively started massaging his scalp. The groan he let out startled her; she had only heard him sound like that during sex. She smiled and proceeded to run her fingers through his hair, reveling in the feel of the soft curls she loved so much. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Poe?" she asked softly.

"Hmmm?"

"What if I want to?"

"Want to what?" His voice was a bit slurred, as if he was on the verge of sleep.

She licked her lips. "Want to…" she paused and took a deep breath. "Want to… use my mouth on you."

She felt him tense immediately. He was silent for a long time, and she was sure he was about to tell her 'no,' so she continued. "You make me feel so good when you do it, and I know you enjoy it. I think I would enjoy returning the favor."

He took a deep breath. "I'm not going to lie and say the idea doesn't excite me, Rey," he told her softly. "But it's only going to happen if you want to do it."

She smiled. "I love you. And I love that you are willing to step between a jerk and a Jedi to defend my honor."

He laughed, his body relaxing again. "I love you, too," he replied, then closed his eyes again as she continued playing with his hair.

Rey did want to, and eventually Poe let her return the favor, and as predicted, she did enjoy it.

She leaned forward and kissed her too-still husband on the forehead tenderly, wondering once more if he was remembering the same thing she was. She could almost swear his lips had softened into the barest hint of a smile.

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