Author's Note: So, there had to be *some* conflict!
Language gets a bit salty here, but not so much that I feel the need to change the rating.
Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.
"Happy Thanksgiving!" Rey jerks awake as Shara lands on the bed, and she looks over to see Poe push up briefly on his elbows before groaning and dropping back onto the bed.
Looking at the clock, Rey snorts. It's not quite six in the morning, and they were up late the night before prepping things for the early-afternoon Thanksgiving dinner they have planned. Rey finished the baking just as Poe finished chopping and preparing everything. They'd fallen into bed a little before one without even changing out of their dirty t-shirts and sweats. He'd been tossing and turning when she dropped off, so she wonders how long it took him to fall asleep.
Shaking her head, Rey looks at Shara. "Come on, munchkin. We can let your dad sleep. Can't have him be a grumpy bear on Thanksgiving."
Shara giggles. "OK, Mama. I'll take Bee out. Meet you downstairs? Can we make waffles?"
Rey warms all over. She still is nearly overwhelmed every time Shara calls her Mama. "Sounds good, Share-bear."
Shara jumps off of the bed, calling Bee. "And you can kiss Daddy good morning, now. I leaving."
Poe snorts from his spot on the bed, and as Shara leaves, his arm snakes out and gets Rey around her waist. He pulls her to his side before she can protest, and she finds herself tucked into him. She rolls over and looks at him. He looks exhausted, and she leans in, kissing him gently. When she pulls back, she says, "You can sleep a while longer. I don't mind."
"It's OK. I can get up." He insists, but she almost laughs at how groggy he sounds.
She kisses him again and then slides from his grip and off the bed. "Nope. Sleep. You've got more to do today than I do." She walks around the bed to his side, leaning on it.
"But Shara is up." He tries one more time.
"And you don't have to manage that by yourself anymore." She brushes his hair back as he turns over, his eyes closing. "I got this. Sleep, Poe."
"Maybe just a few more minutes." She can tell he's fighting it, but in a moment he goes still.
She knows he's out again. She goes in the bathroom, and a few minutes later emerges in some clean sweats and one of his sweatshirts, slouchy socks on her feet. She shoots one last fond look at the bed, and then she heads down to join Shara. The guest room door is closed, the room empty. Leia's assistant decided to stay at Rey's house with Chewie and Lando.
It's more than half-past seven when Poe comes downstairs, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt and looking a lot better, also clearly freshly showered, based on how damp his hair is. Shara is watching TV in the living room, so he comes to Rey, getting behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He kisses her temple before perching his chin on her shoulder. "Thank you."
She nods and turns in his arms. "No problem. You looked exhausted. When did you fall asleep?"
He grimaces and shrugs, releasing her as he goes over to the coffee maker. "After two."
She furrows her brow. "We were both wiped out. Was something wrong?"
He turns with a cup of coffee in hand. "It's going to be a bit of a long, weird day, you know?"
"You're worried about Leia and Han?" She frowns and gets a plate from the warming drawer, one with some waffles on it.
He shakes his head and sits at the bar. "Not really worried. I do want them to be good with this, though." He motions between them. "And thanks for breakfast."
She nods, settling next to him with a cup of tea in hand. "Their approval matters to you."
She didn't phrase it as a question, but he still nods. "It does. Dad and I were a mess after Mom died. Leia came and spent weeks with us. She and Han brought Ben, and we all ended up in the same area until we got out of high school. Then Leia moved up to Boston, to run the charity organization she's still the head of. She spent years on politics, a lot of lobbying and such. She was ready to, her words, 'Leave the family business.'"
"But for those years when you were in school, she stepped in a lot, right?" Rey presses him a little, and he nods.
"Yes. And it was welcome." He sighs. "I do sometimes wonder, though, if that was the beginning of things falling apart with Ben."
"Even if it was, that's not your fault, Poe." She bumps his leg. "And no more of that today, you. We're cooking all morning and then making everyone clean up while we watch football and tell them how they're loading the dishwasher wrong."
He snorts. "I like the way you think, Sunshine." He looks at her. "Thanks. Don't let me get too into my head today, OK? Leia can make me feel like a kid, sometimes in a less-than-good way. She doesn't mean to – it just is a weird dynamic we have."
"I will do my best." She leans over and kisses him. "And now, I'm going to go shower. Do you need my help with anything first?"
"Nope." He shakes his head. "I got this. Tag out, Sunshine."
She smiles and nods, feeling his eyes on her as she leaves the kitchen. She climbs the stairs, still a little taken aback at the changes to her life in the last few months. It's insane to her that she basically lives here now (though they do need to pack up her house and move some things out). Luckily, only a few pieces of the furniture there are hers – the rest were furnished in the house. She's fairly certain they can pack her up in a day.
She gets into their bedroom, and she smiles. One of her quilts is now across the foot of the bed, and there are extra blankets on her side. Her phone is on the nightstand, stacked on top of her iPad. There's also a small box of her jewelry on the dresser and a picture of her and Ben Kenobi from her high school graduation mixed in with his own family pictures.
Grabbing some clean leggings, underwear, and an oversized sweatshirt from the drawers (Poe assured her that this will be a casual affair today), she heads into the bathroom. There is similar evidence of her in here, and she turns on the water in his oversized spa shower (her favorite thing in his house except maybe the kitchen and far superior to the small shower in the guest room). She sheds her clothes, and as she steps under the hot water, she thinks about something she saw tucked into one of the drawers she has taken over from him.
Her passport is there. She grins as she starts to wash her hair. Poe surprised her and Shara yesterday with an idea he has, and she and Shara had enthusiastically agreed. He'd reserved a cabin on a week-long cruise out of San Juan right after Christmas. He said it's been a while since he's had a proper vacation, and since he has a ton of vacation time saved up and she and Shara are still off from school, he thought it would be fun for the three of them to go on a cruise of the southern Caribbean.
She sighs. She's never had anyone think about things like this for her. She did insist on paying him for her plane ticket at least. The ship will have child care on board, so they'll get to have lots of date nights while Shara plays with the other kids on the ship. She's excited but a little wary, having never been on a cruise. Poe swears they're fun, that he and his dad did them back when Poe was a teenager. She's excited about it – she's never been to the Caribbean, and she's looking forward to that and to the warmth.
She rinses her hair, surprised at how relaxed she is in this new environment. Even with all their baggage, it's awfully easy to be with him and Shara, easy in a way she never could have imagined. Relishing the hot water a moment longer, she mumbles, "Happy Thanksgiving," with a smile.
X
Poe watches Rey go upstairs. He has to shake his head and make himself not think about her naked in his (their) shower. He's still stunned that she's with him, that she is wearing his mom's ring around her neck. He's not entirely sure what he did right to get here, but he'll take it.
He swallows a smile as he thinks about the trip they're going to take after Christmas. He knows that cruises are a little cheesy, but they're easy and relaxing. He knows Shara will love it, and it will be nice to have a week together like that. He hasn't really traveled much with Shara; he knows he should have, he just felt a little overwhelmed and afraid of trying it on his own. Shara isn't difficult, and they really were fine before Rey. Now, though, he realizes just how much better off he is in particular, but Shara is too.
He gets to work, pulling out everything they prepped the night before. He's feeding thirteen people today including himself, and he has a lot to get done. At least Rose, Finn, his dad, and Wedge are coming over soon to help. He also has zero doubt that Leia, Han, and Luke will show up early. He's slightly relieved that Connix convinced Lando and Chewie to drive around and look at lighthouses, even though none will really be open due to the holiday. Maybe they can manage the family weirdness before they get here.
Rey comes back down about forty minutes later, and he grins at her appearance in leggings, a long tunic sweatshirt, and Uggs. Her hair is braided back as usual, and he can see that it's still a little damp from the shower. Before coming to the kitchen, she goes over to Shara, and he can hear them talking. After a moment, Shara brings her milk cup to the kitchen and then heads upstairs. He looks at Rey, puzzled.
Rey shrugs. "I asked her to go get dressed."
He rolls his eyes. "She would have fought me on it. You know that, right?"
She laughs, coming over and putting the tea kettle on to make herself more tea. "I'm the flavor of the month, Poe. She'll probably be fighting me by February."
He goes to her side, hugging her waist and kissing her neck where it's exposed by her braid. "I don't know. You have a way with her, Sunshine."
Turning in his arms, she kisses him. He immediately deepens the kiss, pulling her flush to his body. He knows they have a little time before Shara comes back down, so, without breaking the kiss, he backs her gently up against the wall. They stay like that for a while, taking their time, hands drifting to slightly beyond PG-rated places. He should have seen it coming, though, when they're once again surprised.
"Well, that's a bit more than I needed to see at nine in the morning on Thanksgiving," a voice says in an unmistakeable deep drawl.
They jump apart, and Poe rolls his eyes. His dad is there with Wedge, who has a shit-eating grin on his face. In front of them, though, is Leia. It was her voice that made them jump, and Luke and Han just pass by, both laughing and shaking their heads. Poe narrows his eyes at Leia. "Seriously, do none of you know how to goddamn knock?"
Kes snorts. "Language, mijo."
"Yeah, Dad, you can be quiet, because I'm pretty sure it was you who let them all in with no warning to us." He puts his hands on his hips. "Do I need to change the damned locks?"
With a wave, an unconcerned and unapologetic Kes heads for the stairs. "I'm going to go check on Little Bee."
Wedge, Luke, and Han all plant themselves in front of the TV, flipping it to ESPN. Poe realizes that Rey has been silent, so, ignoring Leia, he turns to Rey. Her cheeks have a fading blush, and her eyes are fixed on Leia. He glances at Leia, who at least has the good grace to look a little contrite. He looks back at Rey, taking her hand and pulling her towards the laundry room. When they get a little distance, he stops and puts himself between Rey and the rest of the room, shielding her. He looks at Rey again. "You OK, Sunshine?"
She bites her lip and nods. "Yeah. It's like getting busted by one's mother, which just feels different than Kes, given how complex the history is. I don't think I'd thought about how awkward it could be."
"Well, I don't particularly think either of us were planning to be caught making out like teenagers." He gives her a wry smile, relieved that she seems to be shaking off her initial shock. "That's a bit more than you and I just being here together. She at least looks like she feels bad."
Rey peers around him, ducking back. "She's watching us. But yes, she looks somewhat remorseful. I will lay odds that there will be teasing, though."
"That'd be a sucker bet, Sunshine." He cups her cheek in his palm. "But they're going to be warned not to do it in front of Shara. And also, if they make you uncomfortable, you tell me, OK?"
She nods, but she replies, "It's fine, Poe. If there's teasing, you know it won't be meant badly."
"I know." He sighs. "Ready to face the music?"
She gives him a small smile, and then she pulls him to her, kissing him. He smiles against her lips and pulls back, touching his forehead to hers. "Now you're just being a troublemaker."
"Why not? It's not like we didn't already get caught." She takes a deep breath. "I love you."
"I love you too, Sunshine." He kisses her forehead and takes her hand. "Come on."
They go back into the kitchen hand in hand, and Leia is still standing there. She dips her head at both of them, and Poe can see that she's a little unsure of what to say. It hits him that this isn't just awkward for them. He forgets sometimes to think about the perspective of Leia and Han. Still, though, he won't pretend that he's a little amused to see Leia without words. It's not like it's something that happens a lot.
He leans a hip against the counter, releasing Rey's hand. He crosses his arms over his chest and cocks his head at Leia. "You know, I'm not sure I've ever seen you unsure of what to say, Aunt Leia."
Rey bumps him with her hip. "Behave."
Leia just rolls her eyes and shoots Poe an obscene gesture that makes both him and Rey snort. Leia then growls out, "Cut the 'aunt' shit, Dameron. You haven't called me that since you were a kid."
He shrugs, giving her a wry smile similar to the one he gave Rey a moment ago. "Yeah, but you have quite the ability to make me feel like one, so it seemed appropriate."
Expelling a breath, Leia shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Poe. You were right – we should have knocked. Don't be hard on Kes. He wanted to text, but I'm the one who thought a surprise would be a good idea."
"It's fine, Leia." He's surprised to realize that he really means that.
Leia nods and looks at Rey. "How are you, sweetie?"
Rey smiles and moves to Leia, hugging her. "I'm really good."
Leia steps back, and she comes over and hugs Poe, too. "I really am sorry, kid. You'll always be my little godson, you know that." She reaches up and tousles his hair.
"Stop apologizing, Leia. It truly is fine." It really is beyond him to stay mad at her. He's never been able to, probably never will be.
Nodding, Leia turns to Rey. "If you have a moment, Rey, can you come up to the front of the house with me?" Before Rey can reply, Leia calls towards the living area, "Han, did you put that box in the office?"
"Yeah, it's there. Right inside the door." Han waves at them, his eyes not leaving the TV.
Leia looks back at Rey. "Let's go. I promise it's nothing bad."
Rey looks at Poe. "I'll be right back." He must look worried, because she comes over and kisses his cheek. "I'm fine. It's fine. You stay."
X
Rey follows Leia towards the front of the house, and she can feel Poe's eyes on her until she steps into Poe's home office with Leia. "What's going on, Leia?"
"I have something for you, something Han found when he was cleaning some boxes out of the study at home." She walks to the desk where there's a small box.
Rey joins her at the desk, curious. Leia pushes the box towards her, and Rey takes it, pulling the folded-together flaps open. Inside is what is clearly a relatively new photo album. "Leia, what is this?"
Leia smiles. "I know photo albums aren't as common as they used to be, at least not physical ones, but the pictures I found were old. We didn't scan them in yet – I thought I'd leave that to you."
Even more curious, Rey picks up the album and goes around to sit down at the desk. When she opens it, she gasps. On the front page, there is a picture of Luke at maybe twenty standing with a man who is likely in his fifties. "Is this Ben?"
Leia nods, coming to stand behind her. "Yes. That's not long after he and Luke first met. He was Luke's mentor for years, as you know."
Rey smiles faintly, and she begins to page through the album. It is full of pictures of Ben Kenobi early in his life and then later, after several pages, Rey looks up at Leia. "Where did you get this?"
Leia leans against the desk. "When he died, remember when we came and helped you pack up?" Rey nods, and Leia goes on, "There were some boxes labeled for me and Han. Not sure why he labeled these for us, but it was full of these pictures and memorabilia. I put them in the album for you. Keep going."
Looking back down at the album, Rey turns a few more pages, and then she gasps. Tears form in her eyes at the 8 x 10 photo that dominates a page. It's Ben, and he's holding a child no more than three. Rey traces their faces in the photo, and she tries to remember the moment in front of her – she hadn't been with Ben more than a year then, but Ben is looking at her in the picture like she's a tiny miracle. Tears escape down her cheeks, and she says, "I miss him so much, Leia."
"He loved you like you were his own, Rey. He knew he wasn't always what you needed. Life hadn't been easy for him, as I know you know now, but he truly treasured getting to raise you. He told Luke that more than once." Leia reaches down and squeezes her shoulder.
Rey flips through more pages, finding dozens of pictures of her, her with Ben, her report cards, her artwork as a child, almost a full history of her childhood. "I only have a few pictures of him. This is one of the best things anyone has ever given me, Leia." She stops when she gets to a picture of an infant with two people holding it. It takes her a moment, and then she says softly, "Is that them?"
"Yes. That's your parents. I wasn't sure if you'd want that one, sweetie, but then it occurred to me that you're a grown woman and whether you keep that or not should be up to you. I don't even know where Ben found it – he may have always had it – your father was a colleague of his and Luke's," Leia explains quietly.
"He wasn't my father," Rey replies just as quietly. "Ben was. Ben was my father. Genetics are irrelevant. Parents are people who show up. Ben is the one who showed up." She looks up at Leia. "It has taken years of therapy for me to get it, but I do get it."
Leia hugs her, and then she leans back and looks at Rey. "That's Shara's ring, isn't it?" She points at Rey's necklace.
"It is." Rey wraps her hand around it. "Poe is wearing his dad's now. Kes gave it to him on Sunday. We're wearing them as necklaces until we're ready for them to be on our hands."
Leia blinks back tears. "Shara would love you so much." She straightens up. "It's crazy to me that you and Poe never met before now. I'm sure he told you how he and Ben were estranged for a long time. We saw you and your Ben so little after Ben took you to England. It's not that much of a surprise – the timing was just never right."
"Poe said you two drifted apart a bit after Ben was killed." Leia looks upset at that, and Rey holds up her hands. "Leia, he's not upset about that. He gets it. He knows it was hard to see him, to remember when Ben was a kid. I imagine he's told you that."
"He has. I'm surprised he said something to you." Leia wrings her hands a little. "It wasn't fair to Poe. He was dealing with Ben and with Zorii and becoming a single parent. I owed him better. I know what he did, that he insisted on being the one to tell us. I know it tore him to pieces, especially Han's reaction."
Rey stands and hugs Leia again. "Maybe so, but he wouldn't have had it any other way, Leia."
After a moment, Leia steps back, composing herself. "You two are a good fit. He is good for you, and just looking at him, I can see that you are good for him. I'm so glad you found each other. You both deserve all the happiness in the world."
"I want to end my lease, Leia. And don't act like you aren't the one who owns my house. I know you are. You rented it to me way below market, and you did that furnished." Rey pins her with a look. "I will honor the lease, but I won't be renewing."
Leia looks for a moment as if she's going to argue, but then she shrugs and waves her hands at Rey. "Nonsense. If you want out, you're out. I'd say it's fast, but there's just something here. You and Poe, like I said, you fit. He lost some of his playful side after what happened with Ben in high school, and it got worse after Ben died and Zorii left. You found him when none of us could. Even Kes couldn't always see the kid he raised."
They both jump a moment after Leia stops speaking, and they turn to the door in time to see Shara burst in. "Mama! Auntie Leia! Grandpa Kes said to leave you alone, but I wanted to see you!"
Rey laughs and holds her arms out. Shara runs to her, and Rey lifts her, settling the girl on her hip. "You're almost too big for this, munchkin."
Leia blinks, peering up at Rey. "Mama?"
Shara looks at Leia. "I asked Rey to be my mama, and Rey said yes. I have a mama, Auntie Leia!" Gripping Rey's sweatshirt, she tucks her head into Rey's neck.
Leia blinks away some tears. "That's wonderful, little one."
There's a knock at the front door, and Rey moves Shara higher on her hip to keep her steady. "That must be your friends and your assistant. At least they know how to knock." She lifts an eyebrow at Leia, who laughs.
Rey heads for the door with Leia in her wake, opening it as Poe comes into the hallway from the kitchen. As she starts to say something, Rey hears a gasp from Leia and Poe stumble in the hallway behind them. Shara's hands tighten on Rey's sweatshirt, and she moves even closer to Rey, suddenly clinging to her like a lifeline. Rey looks at the person on the other side of the door, and she instantly recognizes her. She has curly blonde hair, and light eyes like Shara's. She's shorter than Rey by a few inches, and she looks as surprised as Rey does.
Rey hears footsteps behind her again, and Poe stops next to her, putting his hand protectively on Rey's back. He clears his throat. "Zorii, what are you doing here?" The woman blinks, and Poe ignores her for a moment, turning to Rey and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Sunshine, why don't you take Shara upstairs?"
Rey swallows hard, and she looks at Poe. He nods to her, and he kisses her again, this time on the lips. "I'll handle this. It's fine."
Shara looks at Poe, wide-eyed. "Why is she here, Daddy? She no want me, and I have a mama now. I want her to go away."
X
Poe is pissed off, but he keeps it under control. He notices that Zorii flinches at Shara's words and that Leia looks downright stormy, but they aren't his focus right now. He leans in and hugs Rey and Shara to him. "Share-bear, it's going to be fine. Just go upstairs with Rey, OK?" He can feel the tension in Rey's body when he hugs them. He looks at Rey. "Can you take her up and wait for me? I promise it's OK."
"OK, Daddy. Mama, can we go get in you and Daddy's bed and watch cartoons?" Shara's little hands grip Rey's sweatshirt tight again.
Poe notices, but his eyes go to Rey's. "I love you, Sunshine."
He sees some of the tension melt out of Rey, and she nods, giving him a small smile. "If you need me, tell Kes to go upstairs with Shara, and I'll come down."
"I will. Thanks, Sunshine." From the spark in Rey's eyes, he can tell that Rey is about ready to tear his ex apart, and he can't help but be flattered. He watches as Rey tightens her grip on Shara and goes straight upstairs.
Still ignoring Zorii, he turns to Leia. "Leia, can you go tell Dad what's going on?"
Leia glares at Zorii as she responds. "Happy to. Let me know if I can help, kid."
He nods, and Leia goes towards the kitchen. He finally turns back to Zorii. She starts to say something, but he just says, "You have a hell of a nerve showing up here."
He motions to her, trying to be kind because it's cold outside, and he motions her towards the office. She nods meekly, heading that way as he follows. He sees his dad hovering in the hallway near the kitchen, his eyes as icy as he can remember ever seeing them. "You good, mijo?"
Poe nods, suddenly incredibly grateful for the people he has around him. "I'm good, Dad. This won't take long."
He follows Zorii into the office, and he closes the door most of the way. He looks at her. "What do you want, Zorii? Why are you here?"
"Can't a person want to see her family at the holidays?" She clearly is trying to look conciliatory.
He rolls his eyes. "You have no family here, Zor. You chose that, remember?"
She cringes. "I was lonely and wanted to see you both." She waves her hand, and Poe sees a massive diamond and matching wedding band on her left hand.
"Honestly, Zorii, I don't care. If you're lonely, I'm sorry for you, but that's decidedly not my problem anymore."
"I want to see Shara." She tries again.
"Since when?" He cuts her off as she tries to respond. "You have literally never wanted to see her before, and you made it very clear last summer that you wanted no part of her."
"I miss you both." She bats her eyes at him, and it takes everything he has not to roll his eyes again. "My husband is British, and he doesn't do Thanksgiving. I thought it would be a good time to reconnect. I've missed connecting with you."
There's something in the way she says it that makes Poe actually shift uncomfortably. "Jesus, was that flirting? Are you kidding me with this shit?"
She clearly doesn't notice that he's completely tensed up. She steps into his space and puts her hands on his chest. "Don't tell me you don't miss me. I mean, what the hell, Poe – you're fucking Ben's ex now?"
He recoils, putting distance between them and mentally asking himself how he ever loved this mercenary woman. "First off, Zorii, don't touch me again. Second, not only do I not miss you, I've not really even thought of you much. And don't you ever say anything like that about Rey ever again. I've spent time trying to tell her that you're not a bad person, that being a parent just wasn't what you wanted. Don't prove me wrong."
"I want to see Shara." Zorii tries again, but Poe can see that it's not sincere. It occurs to him that he needs to be clear on his position here.
"Too damned bad." She starts to say something, and he cuts her off. "No, Zorii. You saw how she reacted just now."
"Did you tell her I don't want to see her?" She demands, hands on her hips.
"No. I just told her that you were going to England with your new husband." He shakes his head. "She may only be four, but she's not stupid. She knew what that meant. And it's not like it's not true."
"I was just confused, Poe." Zorii approaches him again, and he takes a step back. Her face hardens. "I will take you to court to get to see her."
He scoffs. "You don't have a leg to stand on, Zorii. I gave you ample opportunity to change your mind, hell, I encouraged you to change your mind. And might I remind you that you didn't, and I quote, 'want the brat around' while we were trying to talk? Your words, Zorii. About the sweetest kid I've ever known."
"I never said that." She frowns. "I will sue for partial custody. The courts love mothers."
"First of all, I'm a lawyer, and that's bullshit. You're not a mother, and you never wanted to be one. Again, your words. Second, yes you did say that, in an email. So, I'll ask again, what is this about?" He is about a moment away from throwing her out on her ass.
She looks pissed off now. "My new husband is boring, at least in one way that you weren't. I miss you, I miss our heat. I want you back. I can handle being around Shara again if it means we get the heat back."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" He walks around the desk and uses a key from his pocket to unlock a drawer and pull out a file. "In what universe did you think that would happen?" He hands her the file. "You don't know me well at all if you think I want to be around the person who wrote those, to have my daughter be around that person. And try taking me to court – it won't be much fun for you."
She opens it, and he sees her eyes widen. It's a file of all of the emails and of text message transcripts from the time after she left and before the divorce was final, from when he'd be talking to her about visiting Shara, and again from the past summer when she severed her parental rights. They are vitriolic and repeatedly stressed that she was too busy or just didn't want to see Shara. He keeps it locked up so Shara never sees it.
He sees tears form in her eyes as she reads, but his sympathy isn't high. "You didn't want her, Zorii. I don't believe that has changed, given what you just said, that you can 'handle' being around her again. Handle it? I live for it, Zor. She and Rey are my life. And by the way, like I said, never ever talk about Rey the way you did a few minutes ago again. I am not 'fucking' her. I am in love with her. She is the love of my life. We are very happy, and we are finding our way. Do not disrespect her or disrespect that."
"Shara called her 'Mama.'" Zorii looks upset about that.
He's pissed off, but he can be kind, too. "Yeah, she did. I really am sorry for you that you let that go. Shara asked Rey to be her mother. Rey said yes after making sure I was OK with it. I am. I wouldn't do that lightly, as you know."
"I do know." Zorii looks at him sadly. "I know I messed up, and I'm sorry for coming here today. I am starting to realize just how stupid I was to think that this would go well."
He sighs. "Zorii, I don't know what this is really about, but I don't believe that you really care about seeing Shara. You never pretended to be happy to be a parent. You repeatedly made it clear. As for us, you and I played push-and-pull games with each other for years. At the time, it was fun, but when I look back on it now, I also see that it was immature and candidly not all that deep. We were not a good pair – we're like oil and water. So really, why are you here?"
"I don't know. I was in New York for some art sales, and I realized it was Thanksgiving week. I didn't want to go back to London, but I also didn't want to be alone." She wraps her arms around herself. "I am actually content with my life these days, but I don't know. I think I wondered what this life might be like."
"You don't get to shop around. Lives and families aren't shoes. You can't just try them on and discard them randomly." He sighs again, when tears come to her eyes again. "And Zor?"
She looks up at him. "What?"
"If you really want to see Shara, don't do it this way. Don't just show up, at least not at this point." He thinks about Shara and about the things Rey told him about how she felt being abandoned as a child. "I am in control. I think you really know that. You gave me that control. But if Shara wants to see you some, we can make that happen. My only message to you is that Shara has a mom, and that mom is Rey. They love each other so much, Zor, and I think Rey, like me, would die to protect Shara."
"I understand." Zorii looks more like herself all of a sudden.
"If you are truly interested in a relationship with Shara, I won't stand in the way of that unless Shara really doesn't want it. But you need to take baby steps with her. Send her pictures and postcards from London. Call her. Act interested in her. Not me. I'm off the table, Zor. Your interest should be in Shara." He takes a deep breath. "But as much as I am fine with you trying to have some sort of relationship with Shara in the future, we're not reinstating your rights, you got me? That is one bell I won't let you un-ring. We both stood in front of that judge in Boston in August, and you swore that you didn't want to be a mother, that you were certain."
"I got you." She nods. "And it's OK. I need to figure this out, don't I?"
"You do." He feels his phone buzz in his pocket, and he pulls it out and looks down at it, snorting.
"What?" Zorii half smiles.
"I need to go upstairs. Dad was warning me that Rey is about to come down here, and that she's going to kick your ass if I'm upset." He lifts an eyebrow at Zorii.
"That's not a joke, is it?" Zorii looks a little nervous.
He chuckles. "Mostly no. Though I'd be more worried about Leia if I was you." He looks at her. "If you want to stay, I can ask Shara if she's OK with it. It's up to her, not me."
Zorii nods, tearing up a little again. "I'd like that, but not if it will spoil your day."
Crossing his arms over his chest, he eyes her. "It won't if you're nice to people, and if you're polite when they're a bit unimpressed. And don't push Dad. You have a lot of ground to make up with him. You won't succeed if you push. Same goes for Rey. She doesn't even know you, but she was abandoned as a kid. She is one who is way more than a bit unimpressed with you."
"That's fair." She looks up at him. "I am surprised that you haven't just kicked me out yet."
"Well, give me a minute. I'm going to go talk to Rey and Share-bear. I'll be back." He goes to the door, nearly tripping over Leia when he opens it. He rolls his eyes. "Leia."
"Poe." She clearly heard most of their conversation, given the expression on her face. "I'll stay with Ms. Bliss while you go talk to Rey and Shara."
He nods. "Thanks, Leia. And behave, please."
The older woman takes her turn rolling her eyes, then she shoos him away. He's happy they're all here, though he knows Finn is going to hit the roof over this when he gets here. He shoots Rey a text as he heads upstairs. This is going to be a hell of a day.
AUTHOR'S NOTE - And no, I don't actually hate Zorii – she's just a plot device here. I thought the interaction between her and Poe in TROS, thanks in large part to Oscar Isaac's insane charisma, was cute.