Poe landed quickly and jumped out of his X-Wing then looked around at the wonderful scene. So many smiling faces, so many beautiful reunions. There was so much to celebrate! The Resistance had finally won, the First Order was defeated, and Palpatine was gone for good! The people were finally free of the First Orders clutches and could finally be at peace. Poe grinned and let out a joyous cry. The people all greeted him graciously as he joined them to celebrate. He walked through the crowd, greeting people and congratulating them, but most of all, thanking them for their contribution to the war. It was because of each and every one of them that the Resistance was able to win. They had risked their lives to fight for what they believed in, and in their sacrifices, they had given others the hope to fight as well.

With a grin, Poe greeted and thanked as many rebels as he could. He couldn't help but feel the overwhelming emotion of happiness. Happiness and shock. He'd dedicated his entire life to fighting for this war, and he'd never imagined he'd be able to see the end of it. The end of the sorrow and the beginning of peace and true happiness. Poe had forgotten such things existed. It was true that he'd found such moments of joy amongst his friends, but the bigger issue had always made itself known and drown out his happiness. Those moments never had lasted long. But now...? Now they could live the rest of their lives in happiness and freedom.

Though he was looking for a few people in particular, Poe knew that it was his duty as acting general to greet any of those he passed. After all, these were the people who had sacrificed their lives and helped them win the war. So Poe kept true to his duties, as Leia would have wanted and continued to socialize with the other commanders and officials, as well as the lower acting citizens. Poe still kept an eye out for Zorii, Rose, and Beaumont though. They were the ones he was worried about. Rose and Beaumont especially. Zorii... Poe sighed. Zorii knew how to take care of herself. He was sure she was alright. Finn, Rey, Jannah, and Chewie would be on the Falcon. He was still worried about them, but seeing as the Falcon had not yet landed, they wouldn't be there.

Upon hearing a loud eruption, Poe looked up and saw a large ship landing amungst the crowd. Speak of the devil. He grinned and hurried over to the Falcon where his friends emerged. Finn was helping Rey walk down the loading ramp, supporting most of her weight. Poe hurried over and slid his arm around her waist to support the rest of her weight. Her arm fell around his shoulder and she smiled weakly. "Thanks Poe." He smiled and let out a joyous laugh, pulling them both into a large hug. Rey hugged him back graciously and Finn smiled. It was then that Poe saw Zorii. He gave her a quirky smile and a nod, asking her to join them and she shook her head. Poe smiled knowingly. She wasn't one for crowds. So instead he focused all of his attention to Rey and Finn, knowing that Zorii was safe.

The hug lasted for several minutes before Poe pulled away. As soon as they broke away, Rey began to collapse slightly and Poe supported the rest of her weight. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Poe frowned, seeing the injuries that covered her body. "Come on. We have to get you to a medic." Rey shuddered but placed a hand on his chest. "No." She said weakly. "There's something I have to do." Rey groaned and pressed a hand to her side and Poe's brow furrowed. He looked over at Finn who's expression was grave. Rey sighed. "Poe will you help me? I need their attention." Finn's expression was still grim but held some amusement. "Your going to want to hear this, pal." Poe's brow furrowed but he nodded. Poe and Finn gently released Rey to see if she could stand on her own. She managed to hold her own weight fairly well, gaining some strength through time.

When she was ready, Poe stood. "Hello everybody!" He waited for everyone's attention then continued. "First off, I would like to thank you all! You are all responsible for bringing victory to the Resistance! Whether your contribution was large or small, you are all war hero's!" Poe said and the crowd let out a cheer. He grinned. "Secondly, I would like you all to bring your attention to our bravest fighter, this amazing girl who stands beside me. Without her, we would not have been able to win this war! She singlehandedly defeated the emperor and brought peace to the rebellion!"

Cheers broke out and Rey laid a hand on Poe's arm. "Actually, that is what I have come to tell you all." She said, projecting her voice with the Force. "Today, sacrifices were made by each and every one of you. I know that there has also been much loss, many of you have lost loved ones, and that is what I wish to speak of now. Today want to honor those of whom we have lost in this war. Not just those who have died in this final battle, but everyone we have lost in the years to pass leading up to this battle. Everyone who fought for this war! They fought bravely for what they believed in, and without them, we would not have won this war!" Rey took a deep breath to steady herself then continued. "You all know the names of those who sacrificed themselves, because they were your loved ones. Well, there is one sacrifice I would like to make known unto you all!"

"On this day, the infamously feared Kylo Ren breathed his last breath... and Ben Solo returned to the light, a new man." Poe's eyes widened. He didn't quite understand what Rey was saying, but he heard her say that Kylo Ren was dead. For that he rejoiced. Rey continued. "Ben Solo was the son of our beloved General Organa and the late Han Solo. He had turned to the dark side under the influence of the emperor Palpatine and Supreme Leader Snoke. He was targeted from infancy because of his Skywalker lineage and manipulated from childhood. But in our final hour, Ben Solo turned back to the light and fought alongside me against the emperor. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Palpatine." Rey said without staggering. She was determined to share his story. Poe looked at her in amazement.

"Without his sacrifice, I would not be standing here now, and neither would any of you." Rey took a deep breath. "Ben Solo died saving my life, and all of yours! So today I would like to honor him. Him and all of the warriors we have lost. Today and every day leading up to this victory!" Rey shouted and cheers erupted over the crowds. Rey smiled, glad that she had shared Ben's legacy and turned to leave. But before she could go, she heard a voice. "How do we know your telling the truth?" Rey turned back around, an appalled look on her face but then her expression twisted into pain. She brought a hand to her stomach and crumbled.

Poe jumped forward and caught her, then picked her up and carried her bridal style. She was barely conscious. Finn looked at Poe in concern and Poe began to make his way to the base with Rey in his arms. He took long strides, not wasting any time and called out to the first officer he saw. "Beaumont!" Beaumont turned to face Poe. He looked just as concerned for Rey as everyone else was. Poe knew that he and Rey has become good friends during Rey's training. He had been the one to help her decipher many old Jedi texts. Poe grunted. "I need you to find a medic and Maz then bring them to the hospital wing!" Beaumont nodded and hurried off into the crowd.

Once they made it to the medical aid section of the base, Poe laid Rey down gently, being mindful of her head. He pulled a blanket over half of her body then positioned the pillow under her head so that she would be comfortable. Rey let out a shuddering breath but remained unconscious. Poe took a deep breath and turned to face Finn. "Is she going to be alright?" Finn asked, wringing his hands together; he had been fidgeting non-stop. Poe sighed. "She's going to be fine." Finn shook his head. "I'm not so sure. She's been through a lot Poe. Physically and emotionally." He hesitated then sighed. "Ren's death is taking a toll on her." Poe looked at Rey and sighed. He knew Finn was right.

"Listen buddy, Rey is strong, she's gonna be alright. We are gonna do all we can for her." Poe grimaced at his poor attempt to make Finn feel better. He wasn't even convincing himself. Poe shook his head. "But worrying isn't going to solve any problems. You should go find Rose." Finn's eyes widened and he froze. Poe sighed and laid his hand on Finn's shoulder. "You need to talk to her at least. I know that a lot has happened and your confused, but she needs to know that your alright. She's worried about you." Poe gave his friend a half smile and tilted his head, meeting Finn's eyes. He tried to show Finn that he was only concerned for his well being. Finn sighed and nodded. "Let me know if she wakes up." He said before leaving the hospital wing.

Looking down at Rey, Poe took a seat on the edge of the bed and sighed. She was alive, but barely. Her whole body was battered and bruised. Poe couldn't stand to see her like this. Her petite figure looked so broken. Poe clenched his fists, digging his fingernails into his palms and let out a pained growl. How could he lie to Finn when he couldn't even lie to himself? He didn't know if Rey was going to be alright. Even if she survived the physical wounds, she'd never be the same. Rey was grieving. Poe knew that she would never fully recover physically until she got past this depression. Poe sighed. He had seen it in her eyes when she spoke about Ben. She loved him. It was going to take her a long time to get past losing him.

Poe grimaced. He remembered lecturing her and scolding her for not helping them more in battle. He remember how angry he had been that she never joined them during missions. She was always too busy training. Poe swallowed the bile that had gathered in the back of his throat and groaned. He blamed himself. He should never have pushed her to fight. It was true that she was their best warrior, but she was also more vulnerable to the First Order. Because of Ren. Or Ben. Or whatever his name was. If only Poe had known... If only he had realized what Rey had been going through. He could have helped her. At the very least he could have offered her his friendship and comfort in her time of need.

Nevertheless, Poe should never have yelled at her for not accompanying them on missions. Poe groaned and buried his face in his hands. Guilt and remorse washed over him. Rey was still so very young and he had placed a world of problems on her shoulders. Poe scoffed slightly to himself. More like a galaxy of problems. Poe ran a hand through his hair and pushed it away from his forehead. He sighed. He had yelled at her for taking too much time for training. Rey had only just learned of her capabilities and had needed that precious time to train. He shouldn't have insisted she join them. If he hadn't perhaps she wouldn't have gotten the idea to go after the Wayfinder.

It was true that Poe was glad for her sacrifices. If we're not for her then they would never have won the war. But he couldn't help but blame himself. It was his fault she decided to go on that mission. He'd pushed her to help the cause more. Poe swallowed and reached out, laying a hand on her arm. She shifted slightly and sighed. Poe let his breathing match her steady intake so that he wouldn't disturb her. He closed his eyes. She was completely spent. Rey had no energy left to carry on. He could almost feel her exhaustion. But as he thought about it, he realized that it was a blessing that she was alive.

Poe lifted a hand and ran it across the stubble on his chin. He still had a hard time believing that Kylo Ren had turned. He also had a hard time believing that he had given his life to resurrect Rey. If it was true that Kylo Ren had turned, and he had become Ben Solo again, then he must have truly loved her to make such a change, let alone such a sacrifice. Poe was grateful to say the least, but at the same time, he found it hard to believe that Kylo Ren was dead. Poe shook his head. He never imagined that sacrificing his own life to save another would be the way the Supreme Leader would die. Let alone saving his sworn enemy and the last Jedi.

It was then that Poe realized something. With a deep breath, he dropped his hands to his sides and smiled. That was what it meant to love someone. Love was sacrifice. Love was selfless. When you truly loved someone, your own needs didn't even matter. Poe let out a ragged breath and looked over at Rey. Ben Solo was able to give up his life as the feared Supreme Leader and turn to the light once again because he loved Rey. He gave up the power, the authority, and everything he knew to save her. And he did it all, knowing that he would be judged and most likely sentenced to death by the Resistance.

Still, Poe had witnessed firsthand the terror and torturous ways of Kylo Ren. Was it possible that Rey's love for Ben Solo had changed him? Could someone that evil truly change? And even then, would the rebels, including himself, be able to forgive his wrongdoings? Poe growled at his own ignorance. Ben Solo had been lost and Rey was the only one had even made an effort to reach out to him. Everyone else thought that Ben Solo was lost to the dark side. Even his own mother. Poe winced at the memory of dear Leia. But Rey was the only one who reached out to Ben and let him know that he was not alone. Of course it had been her love that brought Kylo Ren back to the light. If Ben Solo, who had been manipulated and tortured his entire life, could make such a sacrifice, how could Poe not forgive him?

The entire ordeal got Poe thinking about his feelings for Zorii. Poe sighed and scrubbed his hand across his face. He didn't know how to make out his feelings. He did care for Zorii, yes. And he had once had strong feelings for her, that much was true. But he didn't know if any of that was enough to pursue her. Poe knew for a fact that she wanted nothing more to do with him. She had come to fight alongside the Resistance, that was true, but she had come because Zorii always fought for what she believed in. It was his own fault that her planet was destroyed. If he and his friends hadn't come to Kijimi, then the Star Destroyer would never have targeted it.

With a deep breath, Poe stood and walked over to the water basin on the table beside Rey's bed. Cupping his hands, he picked up a handful of water and splashed it against his face. Poe let out a low grumble as the cold water came in contact with his skin. Still, the cool liquid felt good against his skin. Poe sighed and rested his elbows on the stand and buried his face in his hands. It was his fault Kijimi was destroyed. Zorii would never forgive him. All those innocent people. Poe didn't even know how many had escaped. He still couldn't shake the shock and horror he'd felt when he found out that the planet had been destroyed. To be honest, he still didn't think it had truly set in. Poe clutched the edges of the table until his knuckles turned white. There were so many people that he had known from Kijimi that had not survived. Poe grit his teeth and heaved a heavy breath. He knew that he still had feelings for Zorii, but he couldn't justify the complete and utter horror he'd felt upon realizing Kijimi had been destroyed and she might have been on it. Poe was ashamed that he had found so much relief and joy in knowing she had survived when so many others had died. He was not ashamed because he was glad she had escaped, but because he was able to be happy when so many others had perished. How could he ever forgive himself?

There was no time to think about it any longer though. Beaumont entered the med bay with Maz Kanata and a female medic by his side. Poe quickly stood up straight and greeted them. He exchanged a few words with the medic who assured him she would do everything in her power to help Rey. Poe nodded, giving her permission to do whatever was needed and she began to examine Rey immediately. The medic quickly checked Rey's breathing and heartbeat. Beaumont assisted her, handing her any instruments or bandaging she may need.

Maz walked over and stood beside Poe as they watched from afar. Poe sighed and his composure slouched slightly. Maz looked up at Poe and frowned. "You miss her, as we all do." Poe's breath caught in his throat and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Who?" Maz gave him a stern look. "Do not play dumb with me Dameron. I know you. I see your heart. You long for her guidance. Leia loved you like a son. But this is not a matter that you must seek the strength of others. Love is a matter of the heart. Deep down, you know what you must do." Poe hesitated. Was that how he felt? Did he love Zorii??

With a deep breath, Poe rubbed his hand across back of his neck and groaned. "She won't have me, Maz." Maz gave him another look that told him to shut his mouth. Poe complied and snapped his trap shut. Maz nodded. "Since when did that ever stop you before? You've never been one to make a decision based on what others thought. And you do not know what Zorii is thinking. Do not begin to believe that you have figured out a woman. You do not have Ms. Bliss figured out as well as you think you do, Dameron. Don't waste your chance before you've been given it." Maz said with a firm nod.

Before Poe could respond, the medic approached them with a mix between a joyous and grim expression. "General? May I have a word with you privately?" Poe nodded and looked down at Maz. She gave him a small inclination of her head and walked over to Rey's bedside. Poe stepped aside to speak with the medic and frowned. "What is it? Is she alright?" The medic shook her head. "Rey is very weak. She has sustained quite a few injuries and considering... erm, what she has been through it is natural that she would be so weak..." Poe could tell that the medic was treading carefully.

"But she is in a very fragile state. I am concerned about her health. Considering her condition, we will be walking through very dangerous territory for the next few days." Poe held up a hand to silence her. "What are you saying ma'am?" Poe didn't want to be disrespectful but he needed to know straight up what was happening. There was something she wasn't telling him. The medic sighed. "Rey will survive, but there is something that I think you must know." Poe tried to contain any emotion that he may portray and nodded. The medic swallowed, hesitating before continuing then sighed. "She is pregnant."

Author's Note:

Hello! Sorry it's been so long since my last update! I know that the whole conspiracy about Rey being pregnant has been overused but I just loved it and had to do it. I feel that it is a possibility and that it would be something very special had Ben not returned at all. So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please be sure to comment and leave a like for this chapter!!