Disclaimer: Characters contained within do not belong to me.

Author's Notes: At the end.

Little Star

by Kristen Elizabeth

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

- Helen Keller

Flying supplies from Yavin 4 to a planet in the Colonies that was still recovering from being occupied by the First Order wasn't the most glamorous of jobs, but after two months stuck at home, battling all-day morning sickness, Rey was just relieved to be well enough to fly.

In addition to Poe, Rose and Finn had also signed on for the assignment. As they packed for the trip, Rey and Poe debated whether it was time for their secret to go public.

"We're almost four months in," Rey reminded him, tugging on her boots. "Isn't that when you're allowed to tell everyone?"

"It's not a hard and fast rule." Poe slung his utility belt over his shoulder and fastened it across his chest. "Maybe just another couple of weeks?"

Rey stood up and approached him. "It's Finn." She took both of his hands in hers and entwined their fingers.

"I know," her husband sighed, his expression guilty.

"We should have told him already." Poe nodded. "So, what's the matter?" Rey asked.

"I don't know. Just something feels..." He shook his head and brought her hands up to his mouth, to kiss her knuckles. "It's nothing. We'll tell them today."

Finn and Rose met them at the space dock where the cargo ship that had been reserved for the mission was waiting. Rey would have rather flown the Falcon, but Chewie currently had it and she wasn't entirely certain when he'd be bringing it back. She wasn't inclined to ask, either.

"Good morning," Rose greeted them with a smile. "See, I told you they'd both come," she gloated, elbowing her husband.

"You thought we wouldn't come?" Rey said as they walked up the ramp into the ship. Poe's hand remained firmly on her lower back, as if he was afraid she would slip and fall.

"Well...I mean, we haven't seen you in weeks," Finn defended himself. "I figured we'd get stuck with Poe, but not you."

As Poe headed for the cockpit, shooting Finn an up-turned finger, and Rose started on her checklist, making sure everything that had been requested had been loaded up, Rey quickly hugged her best friend. "I'm sorry I haven't been around lately."

"You're feeling okay?" he asked, looking her up and down. "Poe said you had a bug."

She smiled. "I'm fine. Don't I look fine?"

"Actually, you look..." Finn searched for the right word. "Brilliant."

A blush spread across her cheeks. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. There's something different about you."

Rey hesitated. "Well..."

Finn snapped his fingers, cutting her off. "I know what it is!"

"You do?" she asked, her heart in her throat.

He nodded with confidence. "You changed your hair."

Rey let out a breath, unsure if she should be relieved or exasperated. "Yeah. That's it. My hair." Taking a few steps backwards, she called out, "Poe? Are we ready to fly yet?"

The colony to which they'd brought the supplies had been built on the edge of a large lake. That evening, once the supplies had been delivered to the very grateful colonists, the four friends found themselves invited, as guests of honor, to a celebratory bonfire on the lake's shore.

The colonists didn't have much, but their sense of hospitality was second to none. The two couples ate and drank what was offered, but no more than was polite. The First Order had stripped the planet of every natural resource and after almost two years, it had only just started to spring back to life-none of them could bear to take food away from the people who really needed it.

But only Rose noticed Rey immediately pass Poe the large jug of home-brewed ale when it was offered to her.

Leaning back against Poe in a pose that had become second nature after so many sleepless nights in the bath, Rey watched the fire, searching the flames as if she could see the Force with them.

Sitting beside her husband with her head on his shoulder, Rose's smile faded as she caught the smallest of moments-Rey's hand resting on her belly for just a fraction of a second too long.

Moving closer to Finn, Rose wrapped her arm around his; he instinctively pulled her closer.

"This is nice," Rose said, breaking the silence. "I don't think we've all been together since, well, since your wedding."

Tearing her stare away from the fire, Rey turned her head just a bit to look up at her husband. "That's true." They looked at each other for a long moment, as if silently deciding something. Eventually, Rey sat up a bit straighter, her movement making Poe do the same. "There's actually something we need to tell you."

Rose bit her lip, worry creasing her forehead, and looked at Finn as he waited for Rey to go on.

Hand in hand with Poe, Rey took a deep breath and blurted out, "We're having a baby."

Of all the reactions she'd pictured their best friend having to this news, Rey had not imagined that Finn would be horrified. Surprised, yes. Maybe even shocked. But not upset.

And Rose. Although she wasn't as close to Rose as other former Resistance members, Rey had expected her to at least be happy. But Rose wasn't even looking at her; she was focused solely on Finn, covering his hand with hers, kissing his shoulder.

Poe looked back and forth between the two of them. "We're having a baby," he tried again, hoping for a better reaction.

"That's...it's great," Finn finally replied, swallowing heavily, his voice far from excited. "Really, really great. It's great, right, Rose?"

She inclined her chin. "It is. Great."

Rey's face, so joyful a moment earlier, slowly fell. Poe felt for her hand protectively; the lack of reaction from their friends stirred some instinct deep inside, a fatherly impulse that made him want to lash out at anyone who upset his pregnant wife.

But before he could, Finn stood up. "I'll be right back."

Poe and Rey watched him go, tears in Rey's eyes, murderous thoughts in Poe's. When he was gone, Poe turned on Rose. "What the hell was that?"

Rose put her hand to her mouth for a second, collecting herself. "I am so sorry," she whispered. "I really am."

"I thought you both would be happy for us," Rey said, her voice small.

"We are," Rose said, reaching for her cold hand. "I swear, we are."

"But?" Poe prompted her.

She sighed and was quiet for a long moment. "Poe, how much has Finn told you about his life before he met you?"

"As as..." Poe lowered his voice, as not to be heard by the colonists milling around them. "...Stormtrooper?" Rose nodded. "Not much."

"He was taken as a child," Rey said.

"A very young child," Rose confirmed. "He's not sure how old he was, but he does know what they did to him." She held her hands, palms pressed together, at her mouth for a second. "They took boys and girls. Put them in dorms together, trained them together, treated them as equals in that regard, which would almost be commendable, except..." Letting out a breath, she went on, "They knew they couldn't completely beat the humanity out of them. Inevitably, connections would be made. So...they made sure that...there could never be any consequences."

"Consequences?" Poe repeated, confused.

Rose met Rey's eyes, relieved to see that, although horrified, Rey understood. Looking back at her husband, Rey murmured, "Children."

When it hit him, Poe closed his eyes. "Oh shit..."

"He told me before we'd even started really dating," Rose said. "Like he was giving me an out or something. And when I didn't go away, he kinda kept me at arm's length for a while."

Poe swallowed heavily. "I remember. I thought it was...something else."

"Like Rey?" Rose smirked.

Rey blinked. "What?"

"So did a lot of people," Rose said, ignoring her. "But he wasn't pining for Rey."

Before Rey could say anything, Finn approached them. Without a word, he sat back down on the sand beside Rose. Looking at Rey's tears and Poe's anguish, he sighed. "You told them."

"I did. They deserved an explanation."

"Finn..." Rey reached for his hand. "I'm..."

"No," he cut her off. "I'm sorry." Finn and Rose exchanged a glance. "See, this is why I didn't want to tell them," he sighed.

"I know, I know. But in fairness, I wouldn't have had to if..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Finn reached for Rey's hand and then Poe's. "Okay, look. Let's start again." He looked at Poe, then back at her. "You are both going to be amazing parents and your kid...he's the luckiest kid ever. Or she's the luckiest."

"Any idea on that yet?" Rose asked.

Poe shook his head and replied, his voice hoarse with emotion, "She knows. I won't let her tell me."

Rose looked at Rey. "The Force? You can do that?" Rey nodded, still looking miserable.

Finn squeezed her hand. "Can I try?" Looking up and into his eyes for a long moment, she finally smiled.

Her best friend closed his eyes, concentrating. It didn't take very long before he started grinning. Opening his eyes again, he looked at Poe with a smirk, "Congratulations, papa." To Rose, he added, "I'll tell you later."

Poe frowned. "So everyone will know the sex of my kid but me?"

Rey brushed the last of her tears away. "You can always change your mind."

"I'm thinking about it," he scowled, pulling his hand away from Finn's.

Still holding on to Finn's hand, Rey quietly asked, "I don't know what to say. Sorry seems...not enough."

She had questions that she couldn't ask. Was this another one of Kylo Ren's cruelties or did it pre-date him? Even if it did, had he known? Had he allowed it to continue? Was this particular atrocity thought up by someone much higher up than Ben?

Was it a mandate set forth by Palpatine himself?

"You don't have to say anything," Finn said. "Most of us didn't care what they did to us because none of us thought we'd ever live long enough for it to matter. When I met Rose, it suddenly mattered." He lifted his shoulder. "I can't give her kids. It's just something that is-nothing to be done about it."

Rose hugged her knees. "But that doesn't mean we won't be parents someday."

Poe reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "The war left a lot of orphans." He locked eyes with his best friend, silently conveying everything he couldn't say. Remorse, apology, understanding.

Finn acknowledged all of this with a nod. "When we're ready."

The four of them fell quiet as the fire roared and the colonists enjoyed the small bit of happiness they had created for themselves and their guests. Rey leaned back against her husband, unable to keep her hands off her belly now that the truth was out.

Rose nestled into the crook of Finn's arm and he tucked her head under his chin.

After what seemed like forever, Poe finally blurted out, "All right! Tell me what it is!"

TBC

Author's Notes: This was a very hard chapter for me to write, but from the moment I thought of it as a possibility, I knew I had to write it. Because this isn't something that gets talked about enough. Trust me; I know.

I found out that I can't have children a few years back and it's a grief I live with every day. The hardest days, though, are the ones where I find out that a friend or colleague is expecting. I am always happy for them. I'm not always able to show it right away.

Yes, adoption is always a possibility. But I think people don't realize that you grieve for children that never existed much as you grieve for children who were lost before they were born. I actually don't know which is worse-having the joy and losing it or never getting to have that joy at all. What I do know is that you have to move through that pain before you can think about the next steps.

So, there we are. Back to fluff next chapter:) Thank you all for reading and for all your kind words.