Author's note: We're almost at the end! This is the last regular chapter of this tale, just the epilogue is left. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Nope.

Chapter 25

"Over here! Rey, over here!"

Rey groaned inwardly as she spotted Rose bouncing on the balls of her feet and holding a sign that said, "Gold Medalist Rey Kenobi." She hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder and glanced at her boyfriend. "I'm apologizing for her in advance," she whispered.

Poe didn't miss the embarrassed tinge of pink on her cheeks. It was cute. He was tired after their long flights but seeing Rey like this was adorable. "I'm sure it'll be fine," he whispered back, brushing a kiss to her cheek.

Rey squeezed his hand. "Thanks for putting up with all this." She was so grateful that he wanted to meet her family. As they moved forward together, Rey knew that she wouldn't see her sisters as much as she did before, but she wanted them in her life.

"Anything for you, Sunshine." He slipped his arm around her waist and squeezed. He meant that. Rey had given him so much, often without realizing she was doing it. He wanted to understand where she came from and establish a good relationship with her family.

They weaved their way through the crowds until they reached Rose and Paige. Rey's smile was tired but happy when Rose rushed forward and enveloped Rey in a hug. Poe got out of the way just in time, smiling at the reunion of the sisters.

Rey grunted a little as Rose attempted to crush her. "Hey Rose."

"You're home! I am so proud of you!"

Rey flushed, but she hugged her sister tightly. "Thanks." She let go and nodded toward Poe. "Rose, this is Poe. Poe, my sister, Rose."

Poe started to hold out his hand, but Rose threw her arms around him too. Poe swayed for a moment, surprised by her hug. "Um, hi."

Rose let him go and smiled. "Oh, you are cute!" she cried. Poe's cheeks heated, unaccustomed to anyone quite like Rose. She noted his embarrassment and smiled. "Sorry. I'm just so happy to finally meet you."

"Rose, let the man breathe," Paige said gently. She stepped up and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Poe."

Poe shook the elder sister's hand. "Likewise. Rey's told me a lot about both of you."

"I'll bet." Paige turned to hug Rey. "It's good to have you home."

"It's good to be home." Rey picked up her dropped bag. "You guys didn't have to come for us."

"You've been flying for almost a whole day," Paige replied. "Of course, we did."

"We've got a few bags. We sent most of them ahead with my dad," Poe said. "We weren't sure how long we'd be staying. I hope you don't mind."

"You can stay as long as you want," Rose assured him. "I want some time to catch up."

The quartet went down to the baggage claim to get Rey and Poe's bags. Rey leaned on Poe as tiredness started to weigh her down. It had been a long pair of flights; she slept a lot, but she was still tired. It would be a couple of days until her body caught up with the time difference. Poe only let her go long enough to fetch each of their bags; her sisters helped them haul everything to Rose's SUV. Rey fell asleep again on the drive from the airport to Rose's apartment.

Poe gently shook Rey's shoulder when the car stopped. "We're here," he whispered. "Just a few more minutes, Sunshine. Then you can have a nice long sleep."

Rey wiped the sleep from her eyes and exited the car. They gathered up the bags again with Rose leading the way into the building. Rey and Poe had offered to stay at a hotel during their visit, but Rose wouldn't hear of it. She'd prepped Rey's old room for them to stay in. It felt strange, stepping into what remained of her old life. The room looked much the same, aside from there being more boxes than she remembered. "Did you start packing up my stuff already?" Rey asked.

"What? No!" Rose cried. "Okay, maybe a little. I've been considering getting a new roommate."

Rey flushed. She hadn't anticipated having this discussion so soon. "Rose, I…"

Rose looked from Rey to Poe. "It's okay, Rey. We'll talk about it later." Rose wasn't blind. She'd known Rey since they were kids. She'd never seen her sister so settled and comfortable with another person. Poe was very affectionate and attentive, a far cry from the guy Rey first described to her. So far, it looked like the television hadn't lied. They were adorable together. As much as Rose missed seeing Rey every day, she wanted her sister to be happy.

"Are you sure?"

"You're exhausted. We can catch up after you get some sleep."

"Thanks, Rose." Rey hugged her sisters once more, then she disappeared into her old room. Poe followed her, shutting the door behind him.

"You okay?"

Rey looked at the boxes. "I didn't expect…" She waved her hand aimlessly. She wasn't sure how she felt. Part of her felt like she was letting her sister down or abandoning her. Before she left for Hartford, Rose stuck by her, even when Rey didn't make it easy. Rey had been angry, furious at the world, but while Rose sometimes lost her temper, she was there when Rey needed her the most. For the last two years, Rey pursued her dream; she created a whole new life for herself. One that didn't include Rose and Paige.

Poe sat down next to her and wrapped his arm across her shoulders. Rey turned and buried her face in his neck. "Hey, it's okay."

"I knew this was coming," Rey said quietly. "I guess I didn't expect her to anticipate me."

Poe kissed the crown of her head. "She seems pretty perceptive, your sister. A little excitable, but perceptive."

Rey smiled. "The complete opposite of you?"

"Hey!"

Rey giggled. "Sorry, I'm a little tired."

"You're not sorry, but I love you anyway." Besides, Poe could admit there was some truth there. He'd had feelings for Rey long before he could admit them to himself. So much time wasted. "Come on, let's get some sleep. I'll bet this won't seem so dire after some rest."

Rey wrapped her arms around him. "I think I like you taking care of me."

Poe chuckled. "You'd do the same for me, love."

Poe woke up to Rey wrapped around him. Her old bed was only a double; it was barely big enough for the two of them. Still, they made it work. It was their second full day in Minnesota; they'd spent most of the first one sleeping. They'd woken for a late supper with Rey's sisters, but jet lag hit them hard. The Tico sisters were very understanding, brushing off the guilt Rey felt. There wasn't a rush; they could stay in Minnesota for as long as they wanted. There was plenty of time to talk and catch up.

The scent of coffee filtered into the room; his stomach growled in complaint. The apartment wasn't that big; he could hear Rose puttering around the kitchen. Maybe it was time for a quiet talk with her? He debated with himself for a while before hunger got the better of him. Carefully, he slipped out of Rey's arms and found a t-shirt in his bag, slipping it over his head. In deference to Rose, he'd been wearing sleep pants to bed; Rey thought it was funny. Poe was just counting down the days until they had their place and could do whatever they wanted.

The hinges squeaked a little as he opened the door. The coffee smell hit him full force, instantly making him more alert. Poe shut the door behind him and padded toward the kitchen. Rose sat at her tiny kitchen table, scrolling through her phone. "Good morning."

The younger Tico sister smiled. "Morning."

"Coffee?"

"Help yourself. Mugs are in the cupboard to the left of the stove."

"Thanks." He found a Team USA mug and poured himself a cup. He added a splash of creamer and sugar before joining Rose at the table. "Plans for today?" He winced inwardly as soon as he spoke; he wasn't good at this. He never had been.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that."

Poe instinctively gripped his cup tighter. "Um, okay."

Rose giggled. "Relax. It's nothing bad. Your face!"

Poe flushed. "Sorry, I've never been good at small talk. And you, frankly, kinda scare me."

"Me?"

Poe nodded. "I'm an only child," he confessed. "I never had siblings, so I'm not sure how this works. But I want you to know that I would never ask Rey to choose between me and her family. Honestly, I've envied her for having you and Paige in her life."

Rose's face softened. She was already inclined to like Poe, but he was rising in her estimation. "We've missed her a lot," she said gently. "But I've never seen her this happy. This is just my observation as her sister, but she's never really let anyone get close. I don't know if it's from losing her parents so young or what, but I've always thought she was lonely. I've only ever wanted her to be happy."

"That's all I want too."

"Then you and I should be fine. No more engagement shenanigans?"

Poe shook his head vigorously. "Absolutely not." He was still upset with himself for that. He should never have let Zorii corner him like that. In truth, he should have broken up with her long before things got that far, but there was nothing he could do about it now. There was only one person he wanted to spend his life with, and she was sleeping in the next room. He took a sip of the steaming coffee, his fingers curling around the ring around his neck. Soon. He needed to give it to Rey soon.

"What's that?"

"Sorry, what?"

"The ring around your neck."

"Oh." He swallowed. "It's my mother's wedding ring. I've had it since she passed."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks. Years ago, I made myself a promise. That I would only give it to the right partner. Not necessarily on the ice, but…in life." He blushed. "That sounds incredibly cheesy."

Rose reached across the table and laid her hand on his forearm. "No, it doesn't."

Poe took a deep breath. "I know Rey is that person. Truthfully, I've known it for a long time, I just couldn't admit it. I want to give it to her, but it's so soon…"

"Is it though? I mean, I know we just met, but I've listened to Rey go on about you for two years now. She's never done that. Granted, not all of it was good at first, but I knew she had feelings for you before she did. I could hear it in her voice."

"There's a big difference between us working together and a real relationship."

Rose looked thoughtful "Maybe. Let me tell you a story. When Rey first came to live with us, it was a rough transition. She'd been in and out of so many homes by then; she didn't trust anyone. She hoarded her few possessions. I was pretty young; I didn't really understand what she'd been through. She had this stuffed animal that she loved. It was old, worn and frayed. One day I took it—not realizing what it meant to her—and cut it up for a school project." Poe winced. "Yeah. When she found me with it, she was furious. Mom found us fighting. I'll never forget the look of disappointment on her face. She separated us and explained to me why Rey was so upset. I felt really bad. I wanted to make it up to her. So, Mom took us out to the toyshop. It's in the next town over; it was a long drive. Rey spent the whole ride curled in on herself; she must have thought we were giving her back or something."

Poe's heart hurt. He couldn't imagine how that must have felt for her. "What happened next?"

"When we got to the shop, Mom distracted her while I went in search of a copy of the stuffed animal I'd ruined. I found it and paid for it with my allowance. I even paid extra so they could wrap it up as a gift. I gave it to her when we got home. The joy I saw on her face…that was when I knew she was my sister. It didn't matter where she'd come from or how long she'd been in my life." Rose smiled. "Every time she looks at you, she has that same look on her face, just pure joy."

He'd already screwed up; he didn't want to fuck things up by moving too fast. "Rose…"

"Do you like pancakes?"

"What?"

"Do you. Like Pancakes?"

"Um, yes?" This was not the turn he expected the conversation to take.

The chair squeaked as Rose stood up. "Here's my advice," she said as she started gathering the ingredients for pancakes. "Stop overthinking everything. Life is short, so don't waste it." She grinned. "And Poe?"

"Yeah?"

"Welcome to the family."

Poe thought about Rose's advice. She made it sound so simple. And maybe it was. However, he didn't have a lot of time to put any sort of plan into motion, even if he were so inclined. That evening, there was a celebration and welcome home party at Tico's Penalty Box for Rey. He got to see Rey with more of the people who knew her best. It was an enlightening experience. It seemed like everyone wanted a picture with her. Sometimes they wanted Poe as well, but he was more than willing to hang back and let Rey have the spotlight. She'd earned it. Neither of them paid for any of their drinks, though Poe tried. He was surprised by the welcome he got from complete strangers.

"We've got all your newspaper clippings up on the wall," Beau told him, clapping Poe on the back. "You two are front page news around here!"

Rey spotted Beau and a couple of his friends trying to goad Poe into some sort of arm-wrestling contest; she decided to rescue him. She appeared over his shoulder, tugging on his elbow. "Rose says we need more ice from the back," she said. "Wanna help?"

Poe smiled gratefully. "Sure."

Rey twined their fingers together as she guided him into the back of the bar. The cacophony of sound diminished the moment the door swung shut behind them. She led him into Rose's office and shut that door too. "Sorry about all that."

Poe shrugged. "Thanks for the rescue."

"Would you have done it?"

"Done what?"

"Arm-wrestling?"

Poe didn't miss the mischievous look in her eyes. "If you wanted to find out, maybe you shouldn't have dragged me back here."

"Maybe I dragged you back here for another reason."

"Oh really? Care to enlighten me?" They'd both had a few drinks, but Poe knew his limits now. He liked the sparkle he saw in her hazel eyes.

Rey leaned on the desk and pulled him close. A giggle escaped as their knees knocked together. She smoothed her hands over his chest and leaned in for a kiss. Seeing old friends was fun, but kissing her boyfriend was better. He tasted faintly of whatever fruity drink Rose made for him; she moaned softly as he deepened the kiss. Poe lifted her so she sat solidly on the desk, allowing him to step between her legs. "Better than arm-wrestling?" Rey breathed as his lips slid over her jaw and down her throat.

"Hmm, much better."

Rey shivered as his lips grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear. This was their first real moment alone since they arrived; Rey missed this. A lot. She dragged his mouth back to hers, kissing him hungrily. She wound her legs around his waist, holding him against her as heat pooled in her core. "Poe…"

His breathing was equally ragged. He could have chalked this up to the drinks they'd had, but Poe knew better. It would be a long time before this feeling went away. "Does that door lock?"

Rey grinned wickedly. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

He rocked against her, his lips grazing her ear. "What am I suggesting, Sunshine?"

"That you want to fuck me on this desk."

"You started this," he growled. "Unless you'd rather head back out…"

"It locks." Everyone there knew Poe was hers, but she didn't miss the jealous glances some of the locals gave her. Poe was certainly the most attractive guy there, so she didn't blame them. But still. She wet her lips as Poe took the three steps it took to reach the door and flip the lock. Rose wouldn't need the office until they closed up for the night, so the lock should be enough to give them some privacy. Poe was back in seconds, his lips almost feverish against hers.

"Missed you," he murmured, leaning into her.

Rey sank her fingers into his soft curls and pulled him even closer. "Missed you too." She worked on the buttons of his shirt, needing his skin under her fingertips. Poe groaned as she touched him, her hands moving lower and lower. He reached for the hem of her shirt and deftly lifted it over her head. Rey arched into his touch, abandoning her exploration to brace her hands on the desk. Poe yanked the cups of her bra down and bent to draw a nipple between his lips. Rey keened as wetness pooled between her legs. "Oh god."

"Sure you want to do this here?" Poe mumbled, rocking against her core.

"God yes." She dragged his mouth back to hers as his fingers fumbled with his pants. She worked the belt with shaking fingers, then his fly. She swallowed his groan with a kiss as she palmed him through his boxer briefs. "Hmm."

Poe sucked in a deep breath, needing control for a few moments longer. "Let's get these off." He tugged on her jeans, yanking the fly open. Rey had to unwind her legs and raise her hips so he could strip the denim from her body. He was back in a flash; Rey hastily shoved his pants and boxers over his hips. Poe fused his mouth to hers as he quickly tested her readiness. He found her wet and slick, more than ready for him. Rey cursed as he took her roughly, filling her in one stroke. He paused for a moment, worried he'd hurt her, but Rey drew his lips to hers, kissing him hard.

"You feel good," she whispered, sliding her hands over his hips. "Don't stop."

Poe groaned, her fingers digging into his ass. "Fuck." He pressed his forehead to hers as he pulled out and thrust back in firmly. Rey bit her lip to keep from crying out; she squeezed his ass to urge him on. Logically, she knew it hadn't been that long since they'd last been like this, but it felt longer. She needed this, needed him. For these few stolen moments, no one wanted anything from her. She loved her family and missed home, but she needed Poe. Two years of wanting and yearning would not be sated for a very long time.

Poe hoped the party going on out at the bar muffled the sounds of wood scraping against tile and skin slapping together, because he wasn't gentle. Rey clawed at his back with blunt nails; her little mewling sounds drove him crazy. He bent over the desk, forcing her to lay flat. She reached up and gripped the edge of the desk, her head thrashing as Poe took her roughly.

"Fuck, you're beautiful like this," he growled, pressing kisses to her sternum.

"Close," she gasped. "Don't stop."

Poe reached between them, his fingers dancing over her clit. Rey tightened her grip on the desk, a soft cry tumbling from her lips. Her orgasm coiled tighter and tighter as he rode her into the desk. She arched as it washed over her, rippling out from her core in powerful waves. She was loud, maybe too loud, but she was past caring. Poe grunted her name as she squeezed him; he gave into his own high with relish. He buried his face in the crook of her neck to muffle his groan of pleasure as she milked him dry.

Rey wrapped her arms around him as they both panted for air. She hadn't really planned this when she rescued him earlier, but she certainly wasn't going to complain. She brushed a kiss to his damp curls. "Love you."

Poe smiled into her neck. "Love you too." He moved to kiss her, just a tender brush of lips. "Think Rose'll be mad?"

Rey giggled. "We're terrible."

"We're happy and in love," he corrected. "We're making everyone jealous."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that." She tugged him down for another kiss, this one lingering and passionate. "We'll be missed soon."

"Yeah." Poe forced himself up and started straightening his clothes. It took Rey a bit longer, then they worked together to put the office back to rights. Once that was done, Rey dashed off to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Poe waited for her, searching for the ice that they were supposed to be getting.

Rey found him piling bags of ice onto a tray. "We don't have to stay." She knew Poe wasn't the best with crowds for long periods of time. He didn't like being the center of attention away from the ice either. The people she grew up with were very welcoming, but they could be a lot.

"We can stay a little while longer," Poe replied. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"These are your family and friends. You should spend some time with them."

"True, but we are gonna be here for a couple of weeks. I don't have to catch up with everyone all at once."

He was touched by her concern. "Let's challenge Rose and Beau to a game of darts, then we can go."

Rey giggled. "Devious. I like it."

They settled into a routine. They spent most of their days hanging out with Rose, sometimes helping out at the bar. As word spread that Rey was in town, people started stopping by, looking for her. Most of them were old teammates or her former co-workers at Unkar's. Poe and Paige became fast friends, spending hours in the back of the bar talking about books they'd read while Rey visited with old friends. He was a trooper every time someone wanted a picture or an autograph; Rey felt a little guilty.

That only increased when the local news stations started asking for interviews. They'd done them via satellite in Korea, but it just wasn't the same. Or so they tried to tell her. After talking it over, Poe and Rey decided to do one interview each and they all had to be on the same day. Rose dutifully kept Rey's old car in working condition, so it wasn't difficult to drive from station to station. Exhausting, but it was only one day.

"We're getting you a new car when we get home," Poe grumbled when they returned to the apartment. "This is ridiculous."

"Hey, this car got me through multiple Minnesota winters, buddy," she countered. "Don't knock it."

"Thank god winters aren't as harsh back home."

"Maybe not, but a little preparation never hurt anyone." She wasn't against a new car; hers was practically ancient. Before moving to Hartford, she poured all her money into hockey; she did all the maintenance on her car herself to save money. It still felt strange to not have to scrimp and save for everything.

"Our new place is definitely going to have a garage."

Rey laughed. When they weren't being pulled in a dozen directions by her loving sisters and friends, they spent a lot of time just talking. Kes sent them a few listings of condos from his realtor; it was fun—if a little surreal—to go through them and compare what they liked and what they didn't. Invariably, coming from such different backgrounds, they got into a few heated discussions about how much they wanted to spend. Rey didn't like the idea of not pulling her own weight. Thanks to Kes' generosity, she had quite a bit of savings now, but until things were more settled, she didn't see a reason to go for the most expensive thing.

Poe hated those arguments. He understood her point of view much better now that he'd experienced her hometown. It was so different from his. But he was having trouble helping her understand where he was coming from. It was frustrating because of an important question he wanted to ask her, but he hadn't found the right moment yet. He didn't want any of those condos because of the part of town they were in or how fancy they were. Though, he was the first to admit that the price wasn't the first thing he looked at. He just wasn't used to thinking about it. When he looked at the listings, he tried to picture them living there together and building a future. It was a lot of trial and error, a lot of apologies, but they always worked things out.

Poe was in the middle of answering yet another email from the realtor when Rey appeared with a cup of hot chocolate. "What's this for?"

"I can't do something nice for my boyfriend?"

"Rey, I just told the realtor to keep looking…"

"I know." She ducked and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

He accepted the mug. "I just want us to find a place that we're both happy with."

"This last round wasn't bad."

Poe patted his thigh; Rey settled in his lap. "I still think a nice home theater isn't too much to ask."

Rey twisted one of his curls around her finger. "That is the one thing I'll miss about your dad's house."

Poe grinned. "We did have some good times there, didn't we?"

"Yeah. It was the first time I realized you weren't a complete asshole."

"Hey!" Poe cried with feigned indignation.

Rey grinned. "You know it's true."

"Yet you fell in love with me anyway."

She leaned her forehead against his. "What does that say about me?"

"It says you are far better than I deserve, Sunshine."

She brushed a kiss to his lips. "Okay. A home theater would be fun."

Poe's face lit up. "Really?"

"Sure. And this time we can snuggle together on the couch rather than those theater chairs."

"I like the way you think."

As Poe took another sip of the hot chocolate, she carded her fingers through his curls. They were soft against her skin; she could spend hours like this. "I did have something else I wanted to ask you."

"Should I be worried?"

"It's nothing bad!"

"I'm teasing, sweetheart."

She swatted at his chest. "Anyway, a couple of my old teammates have been texting me, wanting to put together a pickup game."

"Of hockey?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Yes, silly."

"Sorry, I was just surprised. We didn't bring your sticks." They brought her skates to Korea; Rey thought it was bad luck not to have them.

"I can borrow one. You could too if you wanted to play."

"I think we both know that's a bad idea. I'd just embarrass myself." She looked disappointed. "But I'd love to watch. You should see your friends."

"I don't know if I called them friends, but I do miss those games."

Poe squeezed her hip. "Then you should do it."

"Maybe we could have a little one on one game after?"

He smiled. "Sure. I'd like that."

Two days later, Poe found himself standing in the freezing cold, bundled up in layers of clothes. He bought thermal underwear just for the occasion. Rose, Paige, Beau and a few others also ventured out into the frigid temperatures and fading sunlight to watch Rey play. A couple of goals were set up on the frozen pond; they only had a couple of hours until dark. Poe rubbed his hands together as he watched Rey warm up.

"Cold?" Rose asked.

"Indoor rinks are not this cold."

Rose handed him some handwarmers. "Take these. They'll help."

"Thanks." He slipped them into his gloves; they did help. Poe just hoped he would be able to feel his nose when all this was over. The teams were mixed; there were four other women besides Rey. She was the draw though; everyone stopped to say something as they got ready. Before they dropped the puck, Rey caught Poe's eye and waved. She looked so happy; he grinned as he waved back.

Rey took her usual forward position as they dropped the puck. It felt good to be back on the ice. These pickup games sustained her for two years before Leia found her. It was a bit like putting on an old glove. Only this was sweeter because Poe was there, cheering her on. She flew around the ice, dodging and weaving, feeling the cold wind on her face. Her old instincts took over as her team tried to get into position to score.

She took the pass and cut to her left around the defender. Rey charged forward, keeping the puck in front of her. She saw the goal approaching; more defenders tried to cut her off. She lost the puck for a moment, but she got it back after a neat spin move that left the defender flailing. Before another could get in her path, she raised her stick and took her shot. It sailed, slicing through the air just over the goalie's left shoulder and into the net.

"Yes!" Poe yelled. His fingers were slightly numb from being clenched so tightly, but he ignored it. He high fived Rose and Paige; everyone on the edge of the pond cheered their heads off.

Rey was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. She pumped her fist as she was mobbed by her teammates. When she finally broke free of the scrum, she took a victory lap around the pond; she caught sight of Poe cheering with the rest. She blew him a kiss, which made him laugh.

The game continued until it was too dark to see. Rey scored another goal, but the other team came back and tied it up. "What happens now?" Poe asked.

"They'll just pick it up another day," Rose replied. "Though, they might have to without Rey."

Poe frowned. "Rose…" They hadn't made any decisions about when to leave. Sure, they were nearing the end of the second week, but there was no rush.

"I get it," Rose replied. She and Rey had a long talk a few days ago; Rose was very happy for her sister. She knew this day had been coming since the night they won gold. "You two need to start your own life. Just don't be strangers."

"We won't," Poe promised.

"Go. She's waiting for you."

The crowd started to clear out; most headed back to their cars. Poe grabbed his skates from the back of Rey's car and changed into them. He met Rey on the edge of the pond. "Hey."

"It's solid, don't worry." Rey held out her hand; Poe took it as he stepped onto the ice. It was dark, but the moon glinted off the ice. There was an extra stick laying in the middle of the pond; Rey kept his hand in hers as they skated toward it. Just before they reached it, Poe adjusted his grip and sent them spinning around, making them both laugh. "Hey!"

Poe expertly stilled the spin and pulled her close. "That was amazing, Rey."

She hugged him back. "It was nice playing again."

He brushed a kiss to her cold lips. "Maybe you can find a league to play with back home."

Rey's brow knitted. "You think so?"

"Why not? It obviously makes you happy. You should keep doing it."

Unexpected tears stung her eyes. "You're the best, you know that?"

"I'm trying, Rey."

She hugged him tight; he was constantly finding little ways to make her fall in love with him again. "Ready to go a few rounds?"

"Is it too dark?"

"That just makes it more fun."

Poe rolled his eyes at her, but he ducked down and picked up the stick. It still felt strange in his hands, but he enjoyed these little one on ones they had. "First one to three goals?"

"This should be over fast."

"Yeah, yeah." He nudged the puck over to him and took a few minutes to warm up. He felt Rey watching him. He tried to fool her by suddenly turning and charging, but she didn't miss a beat, snatching the puck from him at the last second.

"Nice try!" she called as she set up to take her shot.

Poe growled and gripped his stick tighter. They hadn't done this for a little while, so he was out of practice, not that he was all that good to begin with. Rey scored two goals in quick succession, soothing the sting with a kiss each time. That was new. Poe certainly wasn't going to complain about that. He did manage to score a goal for himself, which was unexpected. He shouted and pumped his fist.

Rey grinned. "Don't get cocky yet, flyboy."

"I thought you liked that about me," he shot back.

Rey huffed and turned abruptly, sending ice shavings into the air. "You asked for it."

Poe laughed and took off after her. They chased each other across the ice, sticks and puck forgotten, their laughter and joy carrying into the night. Poe finally caught her when she stumbled, forgetting her hockey skates didn't have a toepick to allow her to abruptly change direction. He caught her before she could fall; Rey laughed breathlessly as she clung to his arms.

"I won."

"Won what? We never finished the game."

Rey pushed herself up and cradled his face in her gloved hands. "Screw the game." She slanted her lips over his, sighing as he pulled her close. Warmth swelled in her chest, chasing away the cold. "I love you."

"I love you too." He brushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear. It was so cold he could see their breath in the moonlight, but he no longer felt it. All he felt was the love he had for her. She changed his life; he wanted her to know how much she meant to him. It was now or never.

Rey watched curiously as Poe loosened his scarf and reached into the collar of his coat. "Poe, what are you doing?"

He tugged the chain over his head and palmed the ring in his glove. This wasn't where he planned on doing this, but he couldn't think of a more appropriate place. Nerves crept up on him; he took a deep breath. "I have something here that belongs to you."

Rey frowned. "I don't understand."

Poe had to tug off his gloves with his teeth and shove them into the pockets. He unlocked the clasp and slid his mother's ring off the chain. "You know this belonged to my mother," he said, holding the ring up. It was plain silver, no engravings, no embellishments. "I've carried it almost as long as I can remember."

Rey's heart started to pound; tears welled in her eyes. "Poe…"

"Let me finish. It's one of my few reminders of her, but it was never mine. Not really. I knew that it was meant for someone else, someone that means as much to me as she did. I know this seems fast and I still have so much to make up to you, but you're that person, Sunshine. You were from the moment you stepped into my rink. You changed my life. You helped me find the person that I want to be. I love you more than I can say." Heart in his throat, he dropped to one knee. "Will you marry me?"

Her lip quivered as tears slid down her cheeks. She'd never expected anything like this! And not so soon! But was it soon? They'd been partners for two years. He knew her in ways no one else did. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it. Rey realized she was keeping him waiting; she dropped to her knees and nodded her head vigorously. "Yes," she said excitedly. "Yes!"

Poe exhaled in relief and hugged her tight. "You really know how to leave a man in suspense," he mumbled.

"Sorry, sorry." She kissed him swiftly. "I just never expected…"

"That I'd want to marry you?"

"No! I mean, yes." She shook her head. "I don't know what I mean, actually." She laughed. "God, just stop me."

"Maybe we could put your ring on?"

"Oh! Yes! Good idea." Rey quickly tugged off her gloves; her hand shook from excitement as Poe slid it on her finger; it fit perfectly. "Wow."

Happiness threatened to burst out of his chest. "Looks good there." He squeezed her hands. "I could get you a more traditional ring if you want…"

"Poe, this is your mother's, I don't need another ring. I love this one." She cradled his stubbled cheeks in her hands and kissed him. "I love you."

Poe wrapped her up in a bear hug. "I've been so worried about asking you; Rose said I was being ridiculous."

"Wait, Rose knew?"

"She didn't know the how or when, just that I wanted to ask you."

Rey kissed him. "She was right. You are ridiculous. But I love you. And I can't wait for the rest of our lives."

"Me too, Sunshine. Now let's get back in the car before we freeze to death!"

Rey laughed the whole way back to the car. It had been an extraordinary, crazy journey for them, but there was nowhere else she would rather be. Or no one else she would rather be with.