...Finn…

After he found a semi-private spot to sit and contemplate, he found himself closing his eyes and taking deep, calming breaths. He knew that meditation was supposed to be helpful for those who could connect with the Force, but he wasn't sure he was ready to just give in to this mystical essence of the Galaxy, even if he'd seen with his own eyes that he was capable of using it and bending it to his will. Just because he could didn't mean that he should.

After a few silent moments, he felt something strange. It wasn't something he feared, but it was soft and something he felt needed to be protected. He felt himself reaching for this, whatever it was, and he had the strangest sensation come over him: guilt, despair, remorse, anguish. All of these emotions began to overcome him and he did all he could to run away from them.

All at once, he opened his eyes and gasped for air. Those emotions had been coming from him, the prisoner. The one who'd killed without hesitation for as long as Finn had known him. The one who lured his own Father into a trap, that once sprung, ended with his Father's demise. How could that man, the one who plagued Poe's nightmares, the one Finn feared for so long, how could he be feeling all of those things? He was evil...right? Evil didn't feel remorse! Evil didn't know anguish! Did he truly feel the losses he'd caused? Did he truly know the toll his actions had taken on the Galaxy?

Finn closed his eyes again, and this time, he focused only on his breathing and simply listened to the planet's ebb and flow of energy and life. He focused so hard on it, that eventually, he felt as if he were a part of it. Finn stayed in that semi-private place for hours, just existing, watching the web of energy within all the living beings of the planet. He was so at peace, that he didn't notice when Rey came and sat next to him, and mimicked his position and joined herself with him in the Force.

...Poe…

Poe watched as Finn stood and asked them to leave him be. Presumably, Finn was going to go think about things and Poe knew they'd eventually talk.

He looked to Rey and sighed. He knew they needed to get this talk out of the way, so they could get past this and move on so they could be there for Finn.

"Look," he began, "I know I've been a hard sell on this whole thing. Letting him walk around and all." Rey gave him her attention, but he could tell she didn't really want to talk. "I'm only worried about my people. I know, you're worried about him but did you think about what these people have been through as a result of what he chose to do? I know a lot of them will probably find it in themselves to see the good that he claims to be, but some will refuse on principle. He may have changed, I reserve the right to hold out my judgment on that, but there will be so many people unwilling to believe it, that idk if it'll be good for him to stay here while we figure out how to rebuild a Galaxy he helped destroy."

Rey seemed defeated as he finished his piece. He didn't believe everything was over, Kylo Ren didn't come to be in a single day, but he also really wanted his childhood friend back. He held fondly to the memories of growing up with Leia's son. They'd been inseparable, the best of friends. Poe had helped him come to terms with being a Force user, and through everything, he'd been the only one to not actually be afraid of...Ben.

He'd thought of hisname for the first time and even in reference to him. Ben had been his friend, his brother. Ben had been there when Poe lost his mom. Ben had been there when he realized he just didn't like girls the way he liked other boys. Ben had been the only one their age to see past his romantic preference and not judge him for it. Ben had said that, "If a Twil'ek can fall in love with a human and the two of them make babies with no social repercussions, then no one should bat an eye if a male preferred the company of another male of his own species." Poe had laughed through the tears when Ben told him that. Looking back, Ben was why he'd been able to be so open with his feelings on love and such. He'd had someone to stick up for him no matter what, and even when things went south, Ben had always been there to pull Poe out of the funk he'd let himself get into and tell him to brush it off and try again.

With all this going through his head, he didn't even notice that Rey had left him alone at the table. He shook off his thoughts and went to find Finn. He wanted to make sure that the decision they'd all come to wasn't going to make Finn feel trapped with someone who he used to fear.