Author's Note: Sorry for the slow posting, but cute and fluffy times ahead to make up for it!
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.
Rey looks out over the activity at the cruise ship terminal in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She's on the balcony of their cabin, with a glass of wine from their complimentary set-up in her hand. She looks back into the space they have – Poe refuses to tell her what it cost, but she knows it was likely a small fortune – a suite with actual separate spaces, even a wee bunk room for Shara. They'll have privacy once Shara is in bed, and Rey knows they'll take advantage of it.
They're spending a week here, so she set about unpacking her and Poe's things while Poe helped Shara set up her little space (she was amused that they have one medium duffel that was just Shara's pillow, blanket, and soft toys). They finished quickly, so he and Shara took off to explore the ship a bit while she finishes and relaxes.
It's been a whirlwind since she moved in with Poe, and she's grateful for the opportunity to decompress with him and Shara. She sits in the chair on the balcony, leaning back and closing her eyes. Thanksgiving had been interesting. Shara had agreed to let Zorii stay for dinner, but she'd mustered all of her four-year-old's outrage and told Zorii she had to be nice and that she was calling Rey "Mama," and not Zorii.
As much as she showed bravado, though, the girl clung to her, to Poe, or to Kes while Zorii was there. She spent the entire day purposefully within arm's reach of one of them. Zorii had noticed. She'd approached Rey after Rey had walked Leia, Luke, and Han to the door. Rey had been coiled for a confrontation, but it had been anything but – she'd apologized to Rey for just showing up and thanked her for being so good with Shara.
The one bit of real drama had ensued when Finn and Rose arrived. Poe had warned Rey that there would likely be fireworks, and Poe had been right. She'd remembered that Finn and Zorii were both there at the hospital when Ben died, and it had occurred to her that they'd actually probably socialized a lot given the tight friendship between Finn and Poe.
After a tense conversation, Finn had put a gentle hand on Zorii's shoulder and propelled her out to the deck. When they'd come back inside, Zorii had looked even more contrite, and Finn was stormy looking but calmer. Rey had a feeling that had been the most epic shovel talk of the day.
The interesting part to Rey had been that the iciest one was Luke. She's known for a while that Luke doesn't suffer fools gladly, but it became clear very quickly that Luke's loyalty is to Rey, Poe, and Shara, and he wasn't shy about saying that to Zorii directly.
At dinner, things had settled down. Zorii sat between Wedge and Lando, and the two did well with her. They're both fairly removed from the situation, and they're also both charismatic talkers. Rey had been grateful to them for it, and an exchanged look with Poe told her that he'd felt the same.
Zorii has since sent a couple of cards and a beautiful bear from Harrod's in London for Shara for Christmas. She'd also called on Christmas day, and Shara had a quick but sweet conversation with her. Rey is still wary, but mainly on Shara's behalf. She has no concerns about Poe – she is completely sure of him – but she will personally destroy Zorii if Zorii hurts Shara.
She thinks back to her encounter with Zorii at Thanksgiving, replaying the conversation in her head. Zorii had asked her to step into the study, and Rey had agreed. When Rey had looked at her, she'd seen nothing but real contrition. Shara had said, "Thank you."
"For what?" Rey had remained wary, but noted that Zorii sounded sincere.
"For taking care of Shara in a way I never did, for taking care of Poe, even for letting me stay. I never should have showed up the way I did. It seemed like a decent idea when I had it, but the moment you opened the door, I knew it wasn't." Zorii had looked embarrassed.
Rey had softened slightly. "Admittedly, a bit of warning would have been nice. I guess what I want to know is what your intentions were and what they are now."
"I don't know." Zorii had answered, and she must have seen Rey's eyes narrow, because she'd immediately added, "I don't know with regard to Shara. With Poe, I have no intentions at all. I might've come up here with some twisted ideas, but he set me straight and I also don't actually want to cheat on my husband, who I truly care for." She'd sighed. "But I need to figure out what I want with Shara, and I need to see how that aligns with what she and Poe and you will allow me to have."
Rey had been flattered, but she'd argued, "Zorii, I have no more rights than you do here. All that matters is how Shara and Poe feel."
Zorii had shrugged. "For now. I imagine Poe will change that sooner than later. I made some completely unfounded and inappropriate remarks that I regret. You can ask him – he'll tell you. He's one hell of an open book for a Federal prosecutor."
Crossing her arms over her chest, Rey had replied, "I will. Zorii, with regard to Shara, decide before you make contact again. Know what you would like to have happen. Then ask Poe. But do not do anything if you aren't sure. Shara does not deserve to be abandoned twice."
Zorii had flinched at that, but she'd nodded. "I know. I'd like to know her. I just know I'm not cut out to be anyone's mother. I'm glad she has you now. I can be more like the aunt who she talks to now and then and sends good gifts."
"As long as you understand that you can never stop being the person who gave birth to her, especially not if you stay in contact. If she ever wants to talk to you about this, you have to have the courage to be honest about it and about yourself." Rey had given her a hard look. "I know what it feels like to be abandoned. There was a time, when I was a teenager, that I would have given anything for a chance to ask my parents why they did it. Then, after a lot of therapy, I didn't give a flying fuck anymore, not about them or about why. Don't make Shara get to that place. You have a chance to do this right. Don't bugger it up."
Cocking her head at Rey, Zorii had said, "No wonder he loves you. You're as direct and as earnest as he is. And I mean that in a good way. Thank you, Rey, for loving them both better than I ever could." With that, she had left.
Rey turns, the sound of their cabin door opening and closing catching her attention. She grins when she sees Poe and Shara come in, Poe in jeans and a t-shirt, and Shara in an adorable little dress they found for her in a market in San Juan after they got in yesterday. Rey has on a similar dress, hers with a little shrug over it, as she's cold even though it's eighty degrees outside. Shara runs to her out on the balcony. "Mama! We have our own little pool! It's pretty and warm and I can't wait! Dad says we can swim soon!"
"That sounds wonderful, munchkin." Rey sits down in one of the chairs on the balcony, putting her wine down on the side table next to her. She opens her arms, and Shara climbs up into her lap, dropping her tiny Crocs clogs on the floor. Poe comes outside with another glass of wine and some water for Shara, handing the water to Rey and pulling his chair next to theirs and pulling the second side table over for them to use as an ottoman.
They both put their feet up, and Rey picks up her wine, clinking her glass against Poe's. When she realizes that Shara didn't protest being left out of their little toast, Rey looks down, and she and Poe both laugh. Shara, wide awake a few moments ago, is now basically passed out on Rey. Rey shifts her into a more comfortable (for both of them) position, and she takes a sip of her wine. "I could get used to 80 degrees in December."
He nods. "Right? The US Attorney has a San Juan office. I need to look into that."
She smiles impishly. "But what would Finn do?"
He grins back. "The FBI has a Field Office here. He could just follow me again. He speaks some Spanish. We'd have to brush that up." Rey knows that isn't a problem for Poe. He'd blown her away in the market yesterday. She'd known that he had some Spanish, but she didn't realize just how much. He's completely fluent, something his mom and dad had both encouraged.
"It's not the worst idea ever, that's for sure." She smiles and puts her glass down, and then she leans her head back against the chair, enjoying the warm sun and feeling glad that she'd remembered to put on sunscreen before coming out here.
X
Poe watches Rey as she holds Shara and enjoys the sun. He was only half-kidding when he'd said there is a US Attorney's office here. He loves San Juan – despite recent issues from Hurricane Maria and some devastating earthquakes, it's still a beautiful place. He knows it's kind of a pipe dream, but it's something he stores away, thinking of the day when his dad might not be able to handle the Maine winters anymore.
He grins, as he can see the moment when Rey nods off, too. He quietly pulls out his phone and takes a picture. He shakes his head as he looks at the photo, and he sends it to Finn and Rose, with a caption that he wishes they were here. He'd tried to talk Kes into coming with them – the small living area of their cabin has a sofa that turns into a bed – but he'd refused. He'd told Poe that they need some quiet time as a family, that he didn't want to stay with them. Poe had been really disappointed, but he'd tried not to let it show.
Of course, then he'd taken them to the airport, grinning like a Cheshire Cat when he parked instead of just dropping them off. Poe had given him a funny look and gone to the back of Kes's SUV to pull out the bags which he'd loaded himself when they were trying to get out of the house. His eyes had widened when he saw not only their bags but also what he knows is Kes's suitcase.
Kes, Rey, and Shara had joined him at the back of the car, and Rey had cackled then. She'd high-fived Kes. "He's coming with us, Counselor. Didn't you notice that he just kept saying that he wasn't going to stay with us, not that he wasn't coming with us?"
Kes had grinned. "I have my own cabin, mijo – also suite level, but just big enough for me. Rey helped me get signed up for stuff to join you on your itinerary. And Shara and I can hang out on nights you and Rey want to go out. I may spend some quality time at the blackjack tables, too."
So, Kes is one deck below them, also getting unpacked. Poe watches Rey and Shara sleep, and he wraps his hand around a small velvet bag in his pocket. The visit from Zorii at Thanksgiving had solidified some things for Poe, the least of which being that he doesn't want to leave any room for Rey to doubt him. He doesn't think that she does, but he wants it as clear as possible.
The ring in the bag in his pocket isn't flashy. It's a pretty delicate band that will sit with his mom's ring, designed in a floral pattern with small small diamonds embedded in it to give it sparkle. He'd taken Rose aside while they were cleaning up after Thanksgiving dinner, and knowing that she and Rey had grown close, he'd asked her to help him with the ring. He'd also, oddly, asked Leia for her opinion.
He and Rose, who was in total agreement with Leia's advice to go for unique and simple as opposed to big and showy, had gone to a local jeweler in Portland, and they'd designed it, getting it custom made. He'd sized it from a ring she often wears that he'd borrowed one day, so it should fit well. He's not sure when he's going to ask her, but he knows he truly hopes to go home to Maine with a fiancée.
Waiting for them at home, he also has something he'd gotten an acquaintance through the Bar Association in Portland to draw up. It's adoption papers for Shara. He is trying to trust Zorii, but he finds that he doesn't yet. He has admitted to Rey that he feels a bit like he's waiting for the other shoe to drop. No matter how much she seems committed to just keeping contact with Shara, her threats at Thanksgiving had made him wary. He wants to close the door on her actual rights as firmly as possible.
He didn't tell Zorii that yet, but he was surprised when she'd alluded to it herself, when he talked to her at Christmas. She'd told him that she was sorry for the things she'd threatened at Thanksgiving, and she'd said that Rey should be Shara's mother. There was something about the way she'd said it that made him realize that she'd meant that Rey should adopt Shara.
He rolls his eyes. Zorii has spent her life telling people what to do and getting what she wants. She's a woman who likes to win – when he'd met her years ago, he was the same way. He was hyper-competitive and all about the next big case. So, her desire to be the best, to get her way, had been attractive as hell to him. But their combative chemistry wasn't meant to last, and the arrival of Shara changed him profoundly.
He thinks that competitive nature, that drive to win, was what prompted her to try to challenge him at Thanksgiving. He doesn't think there was anything beyond wanting to be ahead somehow to it. That makes him sad, but he'll give her credit – he thinks that day was an eye-opener for her. He and Rey had been affectionate with each other and with Shara, and Kes makes no secret of his own affection for Rey, affection he never had for Zorii.
Rey is just entirely different from his ex. One of his favorite things about Rey is that there is no competition. He doesn't feel like he's continually trying to prove himself, continually trying to challenge her or himself. They just are themselves with each other. It's easy and comfortable, even when they're talking about their own personal and emotional challenges. They're safe, but not in the negative way that can drag people down or make things boring.
When he told Kes that he plans to propose this week, Kes had been over the moon, happier than Poe can remember seeing him in recent memory. He'd also said that he was somewhat surprised that he hadn't done it within a week or two of knowing Rey, citing the fact that Poe and Rey were so comfortable with each other from the start.
He hasn't talked about his plans with Shara – considering that she was the one who asked Rey to be her mama, he's certain she'll be fine with all of it. Even with Zorii's re-emergence, Shara has been very clear with both Rey and Zorii as to who her mother is, to an extent that actually amuses Poe.
He looks over at Rey and Shara again, and, after putting his wine down again, he gets up and quietly moves his chair closer, right next to hers. As he sits down again, Rey's eyes flutter open. She gives him a sleepy smile and shifts towards him, her head dropping to his shoulder. Rey sighs, and he drops a kiss to the top of her head before closing his eyes, amazed at how lucky he is.
X
Rey gives Shara a hug, and she watches Poe do the same as Kes grins at them both. "You two behave now. Me and Miss Shara are going to go make use of that fancy pool on our deck of the ship."
They're in Curaçao, and they spent the morning at the Sea Aquarium with Shara and Kes. Their ship is docked right in the city of Willemstad, and so Kes told them he'll take Shara back for lunch and some swimming, leaving her and Poe in town to explore and have some time alone.
They're going to have lunch and then walk around, checking out the local shops and sights. Poe stands up, and he hugs Kes. She thinks she hears him say, "Thanks, Dad," before he releases Kes, but she just shakes her head, trying to not listen in.
A moment later, Poe comes to her side, and they both wave as Kes and Shara head back to the ship, a short walk away. Poe takes her hand, lifting it and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "Local food?"
She grins. "Sounds lovely."
He grins back, and she lets him lead her towards what looks like a busy area. It's bustling with both tourists and locals, and Rey is amazed by how beautifully alive this place is. The seagulls call as they swoop overhead, the sounds of the water and the breeze all come together. Some stereotypical island music floats their way, but instead of rolling his eyes at it, Poe takes her hand and dances her towards it. She laughs as the skirt of her sundress swirls around their legs, and he dips her. Some other tourists laugh and clap, and she and Poe take a little bow.
She tucks herself into his side as they continue on to where the restaurants are, holding his hand again. "I love you, you silly man."
He smiles, turning his head to kiss her. She's wearing flat sandals, so they are almost equal height. "I love you too, Sunshine. And you look beautiful, by the way. That whole there's a field office in San Juan thing is getting more appealing as I get to see you in summer clothes."
She rolls her eyes affectionately, but she's also a little flattered. She's mostly been in capris, tanks, and overshirts this week, but she felt like being a little flirtier today, knowing they were getting a "date afternoon."
She runs her free hand up his toned forearm, exposed by his rolled-up sleeves. "I am pretty good with your warm-weather clothes, too."
He chuckles, but she feels a shiver go through him at her touch. She's amazed at the effect she can have on him. She's never been in a relationship that is nearly as physical as it is emotional. That balance is meaningful to her; she loves how connected they are. The emotional safety she feels with him, the comfort and acceptance, is huge. But she can't deny that the physical compatibility is a damned nice side benefit. When they are in the same room, they are drawn to each other's orbit.
The week so far has been wonderful. She finds herself loving the slightly cheesy aspect of cruising. It feels ridiculously tourist-y, but she finds herself not minding that at all. It doesn't require much, if anything, of her, and they have spent a fair amount of time at the pool or on their balcony. She's not sure she's ever been this relaxed in her entire life.
They find a restaurant and share local fish tacos and something called keshi yena, a traditional Curaçao dish. The food is amazing, and they pair it with more adult beverages than they usually would indulge in if they had Shara with them. It's a nice lunch, but she's a little puzzled to note that he seems a little anxious as they get close to finishing their meal.
Once they pay, get up, and leave, they head through town, stopping at a few shops where she gets a little dress for Shara and also one for Rose, as well as some other small souvenirs. He also finds a cookbook with some local recipes. He takes the bags for her, and she just smiles. He'd let her carry them if she insisted, but she decides to let him have his little chivalrous streak today.
They head towards something he mentioned they should go check out, a floating bridge across St. Anna Bay. They get to it, the Queen Emma Bridge, and walk out on it hand in hand. There are other tourists around, but it's not too terribly crowded. When they get to the middle of it, they stop. It's a beautiful, sunny day, and the view back into the colorful buildings that line the waterfronts and the bay itself is so pretty that Rey is mesmerized.
She leans on the railing of the bridge, looking out over the water. He puts the bags down and leans next to her. "So, good trip so far, Sunshine?"
She drops her head to his shoulder. "Best trip ever. Thank you for this, Poe. I'm not sure I've ever been this happy in my life."
He takes a rattling breath that surprises her a little, and then he says, "I'm glad to hear that." He pulls away, and she looks at him, surprised. That surprise turns into shock when he drops to one knee next to her, taking her left hand.
A few other tourists stop and watch, but her eyes, already brimming with tears, are glued to Poe's. She finds herself unable to breathe as he says, "Sunshine, I know we have only been together a short while, but you are the one. You make everything in my life brighter and better, you are the best mother Shara could ever want and the daughter Dad wants more than anything. You make me better and stronger and happier than I ever thought I could be." He pauses and takes a small bag from his pocket. "Rey Kenobi, will you marry me?"
She bites her lip and tears spill over. She nearly drops to her own knees in front of him, her legs shaky. "Of course I will. Yes. Oh my God, yes."
He whoops and jumps to his feet, kissing her hard and deep and then picking her up and twirling them around. She laughs and blushes when the now-larger group of gathered tourists bursts into applause. He puts her down and gives her the small bag, and her eyes refill with tears at the sight of the simple diamond floral band that it yields. "Oh, Poe, it's perfect."
He slides it on her finger, murmuring, "Rose helped me. So did Leia, which yes, I know is weird."
She laughs. "Normal isn't exactly how we roll, so that sounds about right to me."
Someone Rey actually recognizes from the cruise ship comes up and offers to take a few pictures, and they gratefully accept. A few minutes later, they have several pictures and a lot of well-wishes from the gathered crowd that is now dispersed. She steps close to Poe and wraps her arms around him. His arms close around her, and she buries her face in his neck. She has a flash of sadness, wishing Ben Kenobi was here to walk her down the aisle.
"What are you thinking?" He asks softly, one of his hands rubbing her back.
"I was thinking that I wish Ben Kenobi was here. He would be so happy for me, for us." An idea occurs to her, and she lifts her head to look at Poe. She bites her lip, and then, in a slightly meek voice, asks, "Do you think Kes might be willing to walk me down the aisle? I mean, I don't want anything big or fancy, but I'd love to have someone there to give me away."
X
Poe gets more than a little choked up at Rey's question. It wasn't a big leap, given how emotional he already was. He brushes her hair back. "I think he'd love that, Sunshine."
"Do we have to wait long? I know it's not a lot of time to plan, but I'd love to do it late June, right after school's out. What do you think?" She bites her lip again.
He feels relief flood through him, and he leans in and kisses her again. "I'd love that. The sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned." He grins. "Shara's going to go nuts, if only because you know she's going to want to get a pretty, new dress."
"I can't wait to go find one with her. I don't want something super fancy though – what about on a beach? Pretty but not too formal?" She combs her fingers through his hair. They look up a moment later when a chime sounds, alerting people on the bridge that they need to open it for boat traffic.
He releases her, and he picks up the bags. Taking her hand with his free one, he heads back towards the wharf, gently pulling her with him. "That sounds perfect to me, Sunshine. A law school friend of Finn's and mine got married in St. Kitts. We're there day after tomorrow. Want to check it out?"
She nods, squeezing his hand. "Perfect. And if we don't like it, there are certainly a lot of other islands to consider."
They walk back to the ship at a slow pace, pausing occasionally for him to kiss her. She laughs each time, shaking her head when they pull apart. When they finally get back onboard their ship and make their way upstairs to their cabin, he notices that Kes and Shara are in the pool. Kes spots him, but Shara is playing with some other kids. Kes shoos them towards the cabin and mouths, "Take your time," to him.
Poe grins and looks at Rey. She's blushing almost scarlet. He pulls her along, and they nearly stumble into the cabin. He drops the bags near the door, and then he stands in front of Rey. She's slumped against the wall, sandals kicked off and hands over her face. His heart skips a little at the sight of the diamond band on her left hand. She peeks through her fingers, and he snorts when she says, "I can't do this knowing that Dad knows exactly what we're up to in here."
He gently moves her hands from her face and gives her a quick, chaste kiss. "Anything I can do to change your mind about that?"
She rolls her eyes, but she puts her hands on his waist and tugs him a little closer, bringing him to stand between her legs. "Well, you can try to."
"Hmm, I love a challenge." He leans in and kisses her again, and this time it's far from chaste. In fact, it's downright filthy. Her arms go around his neck, and as he's kissing her, he leans down slightly and lifts her, his hands gripping the backs of her thighs as she wraps her legs around him, the skirt only impeding her slightly. He grinds his hips against hers, and they both moan into the kiss.
She gasps and pulls back, nipping at his lower lip as she does. "You make an excellent case, Counselor."
He smirks. "I'm told I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be." He pulls away from the wall, carrying her through their small living area to their bedroom, and he kicks the door shut behind them. Once he puts her down on the bed, he turns around and locks the door behind them just in case, toeing his shoes off as he does. When he turns back, she's already peeled off her sundress, and she's up on her knees on the bed in just a tiny pair of panties and a strapless bra. His mouth goes dry.
"It's all about the motivation, right, Counselor?" She gives him a saucy smile that sends all the blood in his body south. "Ready to celebrate?"
He smiles back, moving towards her. In moments, she's reclined on the bed and he's hovering over her. He leans down and kisses along the top of her bra, one hand going to her back and unclasping it. "Always ready for you, Sunshine." And with that, knowing his dad will keep Shara occupied for a while, he allows himself to get lost in Rey.