A/N: You guys didn't forget about Poe's subplot, right? Good :)

~XXIII. Late Night Visitor~

The ten minute walk back to their loft was the best time Rey had ever spent with Ben. In fact, that whole evening was magical. From their impromptu kiss to the dessert they split, and now this! He was holding her hand and she wasn't letting go. Talk about progress! Her mind was racing a mile a minute. Could tonight be the right moment to tell him how she felt?

They reached their building and he broke their interlinked hands for a moment to unlock the lobby door for them. Since the staircase to walk up to their level wasn't wide enough, their hands momentarily stayed separated a bit longer as they made their way up to the fourth floor. Halfway up the stairs, Ben clumsily skipped a step and almost tripped, provoking some laughter between them.

"Are you alright?" she giggled, turning around and bending down to his level, making sure he didn't fall on his back.

"I'm fine," he flushed in embarrassment. It wasn't his fault; his mind was distracted by what he wanted to tell Rey than evening that he didn't see the step in front of him!

She chuckled at him and tugged at his shirt sleeve, prompting him to hold on to her and follow her the rest of the way up the stairs carefully this time.

They reached their level and was about to enjoy some much needed alone time together to talk when a couple of familiar faces were waiting for them at their door.

"Hey look, it's our friends Ben and Rey," Poe slurred.

"Rose? Poe?" Rey acknowledged her friends.

Rose shot her head up from where she was sitting on the floor next to a very drunk Poe.

"Hey guys. I'm really sorry to have barged in. I was trying to call you Rey," Rose said hurriedly.

"Sorry, I left my phone in the loft. Ben and I were just grabbing some food."

"I go sleep now," Poe mumbled before closing his eyes and leaning against the door.

"Oh no you don't," Rose tried her best to keep him awake, but the man was getting drowsy.

"Is Poe alright?" Ben looked concerned. He stepped towards his friend and kneeled to his level, helping Rose out and observing his inebriated state.

"He got into a bar fight with someone," Rose informed them.

"There was a bar fight at the Cantina?" Ben asked.

"There's never any fights at his bar," Rey was confused.

"No, at another one nearby."

"Wait, what?" Ben and Rey were surprised.

"What exactly happened?" Rey asked.

In the almost seven years she's known Poe, a bar owner no less, he had never gotten so drunk that he fought with others. Poe was a happy drunk.

"I don't really know, he was with Finn," Rose got up and walked over to Rey, trying to explain what limited information she knew. "They were having drinks for some reason not at the Cantina, then Finn calls me to pick them up. Apparently, he got into a fist fight with another drunk guy about god knows what. The guy almost threatened to harm him with a weapon, so other people stepped in to stop it."

"Oh my gosh. And where's Finn?"

"He waited for the cops to arrive to talk to them and explain the situation. Poe got off clean because he was defenseless. Finn told me to take him home while he stayed to give his statement, but Poe insisted to come here. He didn't want to go anywhere else. I'm sorry you guys," she said to the pair.

"No, it's fine Rose," Ben said. "I'd rather have him here with us. Let's get him inside."

After much convincing, they managed to get Poe inside the loft and settled his limp body on the couch. While Ben attempted to get coherent responses out of Poe, Rey and Rose went into the kitchen to briefly chat.

"What's going on with Poe? He's never like this," Rey was gravely concerned.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Like you said, he's usually the cool and collected one," Rose said.

"How did he end up at another bar tonight? That's strange."

Rose nodded her head in agreement. "Finn said he was going to hang out with Poe tonight, so naturally I thought the Cantina too. But when he called me earlier, I was surprised to hear they were somewhere else."

"Do you know why?"

"Nope. But whatever it was they were talking about, Finn said that Poe was getting heated with himself and started slamming down drink after drink. He couldn't stop him, and he wasn't sure how to do so either. Then the next thing Finn knew Poe got into a spat with someone sitting nearby."

"Is Finn alright?" Rey asked.

"Yeah. He stayed out of it for a bit then tried to hold Poe back. When the guy took out a knife, everyone else around them ganged up on him so Finn and Poe wouldn't get hurt."

"That's a relief."

Rose's phone then beeped.

"It's Finn. He's done talking to the police and the bar owner. I better get going and pick him up."

"Alright, well I'll call you two tomorrow and tell you how Poe's doing."

The two women embraced before Rey walked Rose to the door.

"See you, Ben. Take care of Poe for me, will ya?"

"I've been taking care of this sack of crazy since 1998," he joked before waving her goodbye.

Rose and Rey laughed at his comment and they hugged once more before their guest departed. When she left, Rey joined Ben and Poe over at the couch.

Poe was leaning against the arm of the couch, steading himself, but looked to be passed out.

"Is he alright?"

"Still a little loopy, not sure we can get anything clear from him for a bit."

"Let me grab a washcloth for him."

Before Rey could get up, Poe started mumbling nonsense.

"Hey buddy? You awake?" Ben asked.

Poe finally opened his heavy lidded eyes and stared between Rey and Ben. He shakily grinned at the two.

"Hey Poe, how're you feeling?" Rey gently asked.

"C-c-c…." he tried to utter something.

"Come on, buddy," Ben helped him bring his head up straighter. "Spit it out."

Poe finally sat up, eyes open wider and coughed before speaking up.

"C-can I have grilled cheese?"

Ben and Rey chuckled at his question and nodded.

"Sure thing. Coming right up," Rey said.

As Ben helped their friend sit up straighter and more comfortably on the couch, Rey walked over to the kitchen to whip up a quick grilled cheese sandwich for their friend. She came back minutes later with the plate of food and a water bottle.

Poe's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store and scarfed down the greasy meal in seconds. He was a mess, but Ben and Rey sat patiently beside him. Poe seemed to be satisfied to have food in his belly and he sat there, again smiling between his friends. Suddenly, he moaned painfully, grabbing at his temples, indicating to Ben and Rey that he may have a bit of coherency in him now.

"How much did I have to drink tonight?" he groaned.

"According to Finn… more than you usually do," Rey said.

"You feeling any better, man?" Ben asked.

"What do you think?" Poe grabbed at his temples and rubbed his head slowly.

Rey handed him his water bottle, hoping he'd drink some to flush the alcohol from his system.

"What happened tonight, Poe?" she asked.

Poe fiddled with the cap of the water bottle for a bit. He wasn't sure where to begin.

"Why does love have to be so complicated?" he blurted.

Ben and Rey were surprised at his utterance. Were they even the right people to answer that for him? Still, Poe continued to speak.

"I mean, you put yourself out there hoping for something good. But it's not that easy, not that simple," he rambled on. "Why do we have to play games with each other on something so simple as telling someone how you feel?"

They weren't sure if Poe's questions were directed for his own thoughts or if it was directed to them. Either way, it was spot on.

"Are we talking about a particular person?" Rey gently asked.

"Kaydel," Poe shared.

"That girl at your party?" Ben recalled.

"She's the new bartender at the Cantina," he revealed.

"Is that why you weren't drinking at your bar tonight?" Rey figured.

He nodded.

"What happened with her?" Ben wondered.

Poe took a sip of his water. Traces of alcohol were still on his lips with a mixture of his own blood from the bruises on his right cheek. It was certainly a low moment for him.

"I don't exactly know, Ben," Poe answered him. "One minute we're having a good time, and the next she doesn't want to hang out anymore."

"I didn't know it was serious," Rey said.

Poe feebly shrugged. "I guess we didn't know either… She doesn't think I'm capable of committing to her."

"I mean… come on Poe. You're not exactly a one-woman kind of guy," Ben confessed. As harsh as it sounded, it was true about their friend. Everyone knew Poe was a lady's man.

"Neither were you, but look at you now," Poe argued with him.

Ben and Rey awkwardly glanced at one another.

"This is a unique situation," Ben tried to reason with him.

"I'm not talking about this," Poe pointed a finger between his two friends. "Hux told me you were in a long term relationship with some girl."

"That wasn't really much of a healthy one to begin with," Ben shared.

"Yeah, but you still managed to stay with one girl for five years." He then turned to Rey. "And your fiancé was a complete jackass, but he stayed in a relationship with you for three years. Though if you let Finn and me junk punch him much earlier, we could've saved you sooner," he sadly chuckled.

Poe, even in his lowest moment, still tried to cheer Rey up. Such a true friend. She lightly smiled, appreciating his gesture.

"All I'm saying is that this isn't impossible. People can change. Especially if they find the right person, am I right?" Poe asked his friends.

"I'd like to think that," Ben smiled. He glimpsed at Rey; she returned the grin.

"Even so," Poe continued to ramble with Ben, ignoring that social cue between the pair. "Your relationship with Rey may be complicated, but you've stayed committed to her – court order or not."

Court order or not.

Sometimes they forgot this was court ordered. Sometimes they forgot they were just roommates. Or maybe they did know in the back of their minds this was still a unique situation, it always was. Maybe they didn't want to be reminded of this ticking time bomb.

"I tried telling Kaydel that guys like me and Ben can change but she still didn't know if she could trust me to stay committed to her. She didn't even want to take things slow or just be friends," he scoffed. "I mean if you two can do it, then why couldn't we?" he desperately asked.

Again, the two glanced at one another, reflecting their friend's words.

"Look, I'm sorry I asked Rose to come here. I don't want to ruin your evening. You two seemed like you were having a nice time until I messed it up."

Normally Poe would have reveled in teasing Ben and Rey for acting friendly, but his changed demeanor really showed that he was serious about this girl.

"Buddy, if it weren't for you, Rey and I wouldn't even be this close," Ben confessed. "Need I remind you it was your idea to have us become roommates. And guess what, we're really enjoying each other's company."

Rey smiled at Ben.

"I'm glad you guys," Poe said simply. "I know I joke around, but you two are my best friends. I just want you both to be happy."

Be happy together or happy in general? What did Poe mean by that?

"Even if nothing comes out of this, I see how you two have changed. You bring out the best in each other. Love or no love, I wish someone was that for me. I thought Kaydel was the one. My crazy Vegas story."

"I'm sorry, since when did Ben and I become an adjective?" Rey joked.

Poe and Ben chuckled at Rey's remark. They were definitely each other's crazy Vegas story, that was for sure.

"There we go, laughing! That's progress. Cheer up, dude," Ben tried to console him.

Poe sat for a moment in silence with his friends.

"Is it weird that I want what my two best friends have?" he said vaguely.

"Poe what are you talk-"

Without warning, Poe heaved a breathy sigh, got up and ran to the sink to hurl the contents in his stomach.

Instinctively, Rey shot up and asked Ben to wet a cool washcloth and grab Poe a fresh shirt to wear. She then hurried over to her friend hunched over the sink and rubbed his back as he continued to expel his toxins. She encouraged him to let it all out, soothing him as best she could. When he seemed to have coughed up the last bits, she went to the refrigerator and grabbed another bottle.

"You alright Poe? Drink some water."

After a couple of dry heaves, Poe wiped his mouth with a napkin and accepted the water. He took a few gulps trying to regain his composure when Ben came back to the kitchen.

"Hey buddy, let's get you out of that jacket and into something more comfortable, what do you say?" Ben offered a clean shirt and sweatpants for his friend to change into.

Rey volunteered to take care of the sink and wipe down the counter, while Ben helped Poe clean himself up. Without a second thought, they mutually agreed to keep Poe with them overnight. Rey suggested Poe sleep in the room so she could watch over him. Normally that would send some red flags to some guy sleeping on the same bed as a girl that you're vying for, but Ben knew Poe and Rey were best friends just like they were, and he trusted him. Poe naturally agreed to the sleeping arrangement since he assumed that it wouldn't alter their current situation. He figured Ben and Rey slept in different rooms since they were always so set on just being 'roommates' and nothing else. Unbeknownst to Poe, Ben had changed his place of rest from the couch to the bed, though now wasn't the time to bring that up. Although. with the day he had, he was most looking forward to sleeping with Rey that night. It is what it is.

After Rey wiped up the occurrence in the kitchen, she hopped in the shower to quickly clean herself up as well. Ben helped Poe onto his side of the bed as of late. The two friends sat on the mattress and chatted for a bit after everything that happened that evening.

"I really appreciate you and Rey taking care of me, man."

"Hey, you're my oldest friend," Ben lightly chucked his shoulder.

"You've really changed since I last saw you," Poe noted.

"Well the last time you saw me I was 18, Poe," Ben chuckled. "I'd like to think I've matured in 12 years."

Poe genuinely laughed for the first time that night.

"And you've changed too, dude. I mean, you're always the charmer, but you're so responsible now. What with being a business owner and all that."

"Yeah well responsible with life, but not with love," he sighed.

"Hey, this is just a setback," Ben argued. "Look, if you really think Kaydel is worth it, then don't give up."

Poe smiled.

"You've definitely changed, Ben."

"I hope that's a good thing," he chuckled.

"It is," Poe nodded. "I see the way you treat Rey. You're selfless. Not like the little punk I was friends with back in the day. She's a special girl. Like my little sister. I can honestly say I trust you to take care of her."

Ben blushed, averting his gaze so his best friend wouldn't see.

"I don't really know what this is..." He gestured at Ben and the bathroom door (where Rey was cleaning up).

Ben looked confused.

"You can't fool me man, not even when I'm down," Poe laughed. "But I see something going on here. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"It's complicated, Poe."

"Yeah well, I know all about complicated now."

"Just don't be stupid like me and waste so much time before she gets away."

Poe was about to ask him what he meant by that, but Rey suddenly emerged from the restroom in a tank top and shorts (different from her usual oversized nightshirt since they had a guest over) and appeared in front of the two guys.

"How's our little patient feeling?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm beat," Poe yawned.

"Well, I'll leave you to rest then," Ben stood up and walked towards the door.

Rey shot a glance at him, then at Poe, then back to Ben. She wanted to talk. She had so much to talk about with Ben, but she knew she needed to attend to Poe.

"Night, Ben," Poe said.

"Goodnight you guys," he curtly nodded and shot a glance at Rey.

She nodded and waved at him before he shut the door. I guess we'll talk tomorrow.

Rey filled a glass of water from the bathroom sink and handed it over to Poe to assure he stay hydrated throughout the night.

"Thanks nurse Rey," he teased.

"There's our Poe Dameron! The jokester," she giggled.

They settled under the covers comfortably.

"Remember the first time we had a sleepover at Rose's apartment?"

"Kiddo, you say sleepover like we were all 15 year old girls," Poe chuckled. "Give me and Finn some decency here!"

"Oh please, it's kind of hard to believe this whole macho thing with you guys since whenever Rose and I would put on face masks you both wanted them too!"

"Hey, it's important to exfoliate your skin - men and women alike!"

They both laughed at his ridiculous answer.

"Anyways, what about that sleepover?"

"Well if you remember, I had a fight with Hobbie around that time, when we took that short 'break'," she shared. "You guys came over and tried cheering me up. Just reminds me of it because now I get to return the favor for my best friend and cheer you up."

"Thanks," he smiled. "But you know we all knew he was a jerk. Seriously Rey, what were you thinking with Hobbie?" he halfheartedly joked.

"I don't know Poe. He was my first serious relationship. How did I know he was going to treat me so bad?"

"It's all the love is blind crap people say. But you also got to see if it's actually love, or just the idea of it. Did you actually love Hobbie?"

"You know, everyone's asked me that question," she stated.

"Did you ever answer it?"

She paused for a moment.

"At first, I'd like to tell people of course I did. I was with him for so long, hell we were engaged! It would've been embarrassing to say I didn't," she said to him.

"It's not embarrassing if it's the truth," he told her.

"Fair enough," she agreed with him. "And you're right. Once enough time passed, I really thought about it… So, no. I don't think I was really in love with Hobbie. I was in love with the idea of the life he'd give me."

Poe patted Rey's hand. He knew even though she was most likely over the jerk, her past with him still haunted her.

"At least you saw his true colors before you did something stupid like marry the guy."

They looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter at his remark.

"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant."

"I know, Poe," she chuckled. "This thing with Ben and I is… a unique situation."

"It's not as complicated as you both put it," he rolled his eyes at her. "Rey, it's okay if you and Ben are starting to like each other."

"We don't like each other like that."

"Really?" he wasn't convinced. "I may have been drunk off my ass when I was sitting in the hallway with Rose, but even I saw you two making googily eyes at each other when you walked up the stairs."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she played it cool.

"Alright, I won't push," he chuckled.

Rey started to get into a comfortable position to sleep. Poe took a sip of his water before turning in as well.

"Well, if there's one thing you should know it's that I'm proud of you, kiddo. You've finally moved on and you're so much happier now. There's the Rey Andor we all know and love," he mimicked her earlier sentiment.

"Really?" she asked.

"Mhm," he nodded. "And don't kill me but I think part of the reason you're you again is because of Ben."

With that, Poe settled into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. Rey lied in bed in silence, with Poe's staggered and eventual steady breathing the only noise around.

Tonight, to say the least, was unexpected. Full of highs and lows, it all came down to one thought – Ben. She replayed the night in her head: he kissed her, they went on another 'almost' date, they consoled a lovesick Poe whose predicament eerily paralleled their own, and now this. Poe telling her that she had returned to being herself again. And he claimed it was because of Ben's influence. Was that true? She had to admit that lately she was feeling less stressed and more content. She was actually happy. Did that have to do with Ben?

She had planned to talk to him when they got back from Sloan's. She could've sworn she felt something from him, a sort of reciprocity in their feelings. She wanted to know if he was starting to have actual feelings too as she had come to terms to have some strong ones for him. She liked him. That she knew. And she desperately wanted to know if he liked her back.

Realizing she couldn't sleep until she spoke with Ben, Rey quietly got up and headed for the door.

Rey opened the door slowly so as to not wake Poe up. She stepped out into the hallway and was surprised to find Ben walking towards her direction from the other end of the dimly lit corridor. He had the same idea as he was also not in the state to sleep, thinking of the past events of the evening and wanting to have some resolve.

When he saw her, he stopped in his tracks.

Their eyes met and suddenly they both grew wary. What did this mean that they both were keen on speaking to one another in the middle of the night? Ben softly chuckled and walked the rest of the way to Rey. She smiled at him intently. There was so much they needed to talk about, but at that moment they just wanted to be in each other's presence.

Ben reached out to hold Rey's hands, focusing his attention on her soft touch. She glanced at their connection and smiled to herself.

This was it. They were going to throw all their cards on the table.

They stared into each other's eyes, catching a glimpse of a twinkle between them. This felt right. The moment was right…

"Mrmrmph! Nooo!" a loud grumble came from the room.

It was Poe. Rey could tell he was probably having a nightmare. In the years she's known him, when Poe had bad days, his nights weren't any better. That's why she insisted he sleep with her that night so she could watch over him.

She turned her head towards the noise, then back to Ben. Her look of worry was enough for them both to understand that their best friend was more important tonight. They'd get their chance to talk, they figured that. They'll just have to find another moment later.

Ben let go of Rey's hands and allowed her to turn back towards the bedroom to attend to their friend.

"Goodnight Rey," he softly spoke.

He took a step towards the direction he came from, only to be pulled back around. Without a second thought, Ren tugged at his arm and came face to face with a surprised Ben. She placed her hands on either side of his face and stole a chaste kiss from his lips, similar to what he did with her earlier that evening.

She had been wanting all night to feel his lips on hers again, and she couldn't wait any longer. Sure, it would make the wait a bit more difficult, but this was her chance to show him how she felt, even if it was subtle.

The kiss was brief, but full of passion. He responded immediately, grabbing her sides and held his grip on her when she broke them apart barely a second later.

She wanted to stay like this - foreheads touching - a bit longer. But Poe mumbled again in his sleep, bringing her down from this high and accepting the moment to be over. He let go of her hold from her waist and let her step back inside the bedroom.

"Goodnight Ben," she whispered.

She went back to the room and shut the door. He practically floated his way back to the couch and settled down into a comfortable position. He stared at the ceiling grinning like a fool, thinking how tonight, apart from Poe's broken heart, had been the best night ever between him and Rey. Before he closed his eyes to dream about a certain brown-haired hazel-eyed beauty, Ben was left with one more thought - one more revelation to end this perfect night.

I think I'm falling for my wife.

A/N: Preview of next chapter: Gathering Up The Courage

"I've lived in Los Angeles basically my whole life, yet I'm still discovering so many good eats around here."

"We got to try more new places."

Something inside him instantly lit up, and he sat up in bed, gazing at Rey and smiled.

"Rey, would you like to go out with me this Saturday?"