He could smell rubbing alcohol. And plastic. And the jungle, just barely.

He could taste the plastic, too, and feel a tube in the back of his throat. Why did he have a tube in his throat, he wondered? He thought they had taken him off the ventilator. He purposely held his breath for a moment, noting that he could do so, which meant a machine was not breathing for him. So…a feeding tube. Of course. He needed to get nutrition somehow.

He was pleased by these revelations, because that meant he was feeling more, aware of more. He tried swallowing, but was unsuccessful. He wasn't sure if it was because of the tube or that he just couldn't, yet. He tried opening his eyes, but again, he could not. He took in a deep breath, centering himself, happy he could at least do that, and with it came another smell. Subtle. Sweet. Familiar.

Rey.

He opened his mind to her, but found a jumble of images instead of her sure, steady thoughts. She was sleeping, he realized. And not well. He 'nudged' her a bit with the Force, again pleased that he could at least do that again, and felt her wake.

"Poe?"

He could hear her! He felt her hand take his and he focused on squeezing it. Just a bit, he thought. Please!

He felt her joy in the Force, even though he hadn't been aware of doing anything. He must have managed a bit of movement for her to be so excited. He heard voices again, but they were indistinct. They were talking too fast for his tired brain to keep up, but they sounded happy. He wondered, not for the first time, how long it had been since he got bit. And how much longer until he could get out of this damn bed.

"Soon," he heard Rey say to him, her focus on him, her voice steady and sure. "Soon."

XXX

Rey turned when she heard someone come in the door behind her. She smiled when she recognized who it was. "Samuel!"

Sam was their thirdborn. His hair was thick and dark like Poe's and he had also inherited his father's brown eyes, but his complexion was fair and he was much taller than his father, traits he got from her. She had always foreseen great things for Sam's future; he had been conceived here on Yavin IV, after all, right under the Force Tree, and it was true that he had a significant connection with the Force. But it wasn't until he turned fifteen that they learned just what that connection would be used for.

That was the age Samuel was when he lost his sight.

He moved into the room, a smile on his face, his chocolate eyes covered by tinted specs that prevented light from entering through pupils that never constricted. He walked confidently into the room, stopping at the foot of Poe's bed and grabbing the frame with one hand. His essence in the Force was almost visible; he used it constantly to 'see.'

"I'm sorry I'm late," he told her, his smile becoming apologetic.

He was the last of their eight children to arrive on Yavin since Poe's encounter with the tenugo. Rey stood and moved over to him. He opened his arms and she stepped into them, hiding her face in his shoulder. "That's quite all right," she said softly into his shirt. "I understand you were in the middle of some complicated negotiations on Serenno." She leaned back to look up at him. "So?"

He nodded. "They'll deal. They were drawing up a new contract when I left. The Chiss are finally willing to allow trade with other species."

"Good job," Rey told him as she stepped out of his embrace.

He shrugged. "I think they wanted to make the deal a long time ago. They were just too stubborn."

Rey smiled and sat back down in her chair. She could see her son's smile fade as he turned his face toward his father.

"How is he?"

Her smile grew. "Better! I felt him squeeze my hand this morning!" She looked at Poe. "It took a lot out of him, but he can connect with me through the Force easier than yesterday, too. I'm pretty sure he can hear now, as well." She looked back at Samuel. "Every day is better."

"How long has it been now?" Sam asked. "Nine days?"

"Since he got to Yavin, yes," Rey answered. "Eleven days since he got bit."

"His pain?"

"Still there, but both Shaina and I feel we aren't using as much energy to push it back as we were."

Samuel found a chair and the two talked quietly for some time. When he finally stood to get something to eat, he gave her a wry smile. "I don't suppose I should bother asking if you want to go with me?"

She shook her head. "But if you want to bring back some honeysticks I would love it!"

He laughed. "You got it." He walked steadily out of the room, his gait sure but careful. She watching him go, remembering the day his life, and therefore all their lives, changed.

Rey ran for the infirmary, her heart racing. She had felt the absolute terror from one of her children, but she had yet to discern which one. The only one she was sure it wasn't was the tiny one still inside her womb; he was still far too small to be causing trouble.

They were in the midst of moving the base one more time. Rey had argued that they could keep it on Deveron; they didn't need to move it yet again just because she was pregnant. But Poe was adamant about sticking with the tradition of ensuring every child was born on a different planet. Sydney had been born here on Deveron three years ago. Number Eight (Poe called the babies by their number until they were born) needed to have his 'own planet.' So, they were moving to Kashyyyk. Until today, the move had been going smoothly.

As she neared the infirmary, she was able to focus on who it was that was manifesting the fear and pain she was feeling.

Samuel.

She rushed into the building and found her way quickly to one of the exam rooms. He was moaning, his voice ragged, and she knew he had been screaming earlier. He was lying on a cot with a compress over his eyes. Doctors Kalonia and Weimar were both at work collecting medicines and equipment, obviously having already completed an initial exam. Poe and Sabine were both at Sam's side, Sabine with tears flowing. They both looked at Rey as she entered the room. Poe's eyes were wide, but his expression was stoic. Sabine looked terrified.

"I'm sorry!" she cried when she saw her mother. "It's my fault! I'm sorry!"

"What's your fault?" Rey asked as calmly as possible just as Poe said, "It's not your fault."

"What happened?" Rey asked.

"From what I understand," Poe started, wrapping his arm around his ten-year-old daughter's shoulders. "They were sparring and Sabine's saber caught a tree branch. It changed the angle of her swing and the blade came down too close to Samuel's face."

Sabine started crying again as Rey moved to stand beside Poe next to Sam's head. She brought her hand down on his forehead. Both doctors stopped what they were doing and watched her for a moment. Harter spoke softly. "The damage is done," she said. "He was burned, but not cut. Can you..?"

Rey focused. She could sense the damaged nerves, the burned segments floating uselessly behind the eyes. She felt panic, and she shook her head. "I can't," she whispered. It was too much even for her to fix. If she had gotten to him right after it had happened, maybe. She felt tears seep out from under her eyelids and heard Sam start to sob. He had heard her. He knew. "I'm sorry, Sam," she whimpered, bringing her face down to kiss his forehead. "I'm so sorry."

Harter moved in, tears in her own eyes. It wasn't often they were reminded that their Jedi Master was still mortal, that she couldn't fix everything. And to have the realization happen with her own son… Harter removed the compress and began to administer numbing medication to Sam's eyes. Rey stepped back to allow Weimar access to her son, and Poe pulled Sabine back as well.

Rey stepped around her husband and pulled Sabine into her arms. "This was not your fault," she told her daughter. "An accident is an accident."

"But if I was better," Sabine wailed. "Faster…"

"Nobody's perfect," Rey argued. "Not even me. I couldn't heal him." She looked her daughter in the eye. "That must mean it's my fault, too?"

Sabine shook her head. "You weren't there," she grumbled.

Rey just pulled her into a hug again, knowing that Sabine wouldn't listen to her or her father. Not yet. But she would. When Samuel forgave her, and Rey knew her kindhearted son would, then maybe Sabine would forgive herself.

She looked at Poe above Sabine's head. He looked devastated, but at her look he took a deep breath and nodded. They had weathered storms before and they would face even more in the future. They would get through this together.

Rey sighed and close her eyes. Somehow, all of her and Poe's children had made it to adulthood. Most with scars, both physical and mental, but all of them still strong, still sane. And all of them still a family. That meant more to her than she could possibly explain. She yawned suddenly, reminded that she once more had slept very little last night. An image appeared in her mind's eye; her curled up against Poe's side, sleeping soundly. She smiled, knowing that image wasn't of her making.

"Okay," she whispered, then she climbed into the bed next to her husband, carefully arranging his arm off to the side so that she wasn't lying on it, and rested her head on his chest. Within moments, she was asleep.

XXXXXX