Hello all! After a short hiatus (I moved to Korea), I am back with the next chapter! I hope you enjoy this and please please let me know what you think! Lots of action to come for those of you itching for another battle scene, haha... Expect another update soon! Lots of love to those of you still sticking around! P.S. How amazing is the new behind-the-scenes footage for The Last Jedi?! Can we just talk about that?!

xoxo

Mistro

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The battle of Takodana flooded through Mara's mind while her vision was passed with nothing but black skies and the white flicker of planets stuck amongst them. She would back on D'Qar in only a few minutes, Poe at the front of her ship, and it was then that she would have to face him.

On the one hand, her stomach bubbled over with nerves. Each thought blossomed into ten worries. What if he scolds me for putting myself in danger? What if he tells me that I am not fit for such a role? On the other hand, there was a tightness in her chest that led to somewhere good. There was always a chance he could praise her, gasp at her workmanship, or even kiss her as soon as she removed her helmet. It was a girl's dream, but Mara had never fully grown up.

The brown runway danced before her eyes as their fleet sailed easily into the atmosphere. Mountain walls welcomed them, pulling them into the safe alcove of the Resistance base. Each ship was dropping down like a gift on someone's birthday: effortlessly and with a burst of cheer.

Mara's own ship trickled into place at the end of the row. She kept her helmet on whilst peering out at the others; their faces were bright with smiles of success, while others talked deeply about what was yet to come. Some eyes even fell on her ship to try and get a glimpse of the rookie who had impressed the Commander.

Mara's entire back was soaked with sweat. Whether it was leftover from the battle, or only just springing out since their arrival on D'Qar, she was unsure. Even when she lifted the glass hood of her X-Wing and climbed to the ground, the air only seemed to dampen. From down the runway, she could feel Poe's eyes on her. It might have attracted her full attention, if something hard hadn't already rolled over her foot.

Glancing down, her eyes could hardly make out the spherical bot through the orange hue of her helmet. As if an orchestra on cue, tears began to welt in her eyes. It didn't match the fear that was racing through her heart, but the sight of BB-8 was too much to ignore. She reached down to immediately grasp the droid's head and ask him questions, but after spotting Poe from only a few feet away, an urgent whisper came out instead.

"BB-8, I need you to do me a favour." The bot titled its round head. "Poe doesn't know it's me in this suit. He doesn't know that I've just piloted a ship at Takodana." Her words were faster than laser beams. "I'm begging you to not tell him. We're buddies, right? You can keep a secret." BB-8 whizzed an unsure response, but Mara was forced to brush it off. "We can talk later, but now I have to go! Don't say a word!"

Sprinting off beneath the ship, Mara began to walk in the opposite direction of the hangar. She could feel confused stares following her every footstep, but that did not slow her pace. BB-8's sudden return would distract Poe for her to get to the woods quickly. If she shrugged off her suit and came to his room later that evening, he would never have to know.

Why don't I want him to know?

Something twisted in the pit of her stomach. Turning around, Mara watched to see Poe's contagious smile break out thanks to the return of his beloved droid. He looked so young; his brown eyes shimmering, his face almost clear of cuts and blood with the exception of a slice on his unshaven cheek. She could have kissed him in front of everyone. For a moment, her feet almost carried her there to do so.

She may have trickled off into the trees, had it not been for something strange. A young man, perhaps in his early twenties, seemed to spot Poe from near the entrance of the hangar. The two stared at one another with confused, but amazed glances, until finally running into each other's arms. Mara's shock appeared through the cock of her head, but it did not linger as she realized this was an opportunity to stay out of the trees.

Running down the length of the runway, as Poe kept his grip on the strange boy's shoulders, Mara passed them with a hunched run. They even ran behind her in search of the General, but her body was pressed too far in the shadows for Poe to keep his eye on. Keeping her head down, she cursed the stray curl trickling its way out of her helmet. The entrance was so close. She could already smell the engine oil.

"Crescent!"

Her feet stopped instinctively. Picking them up like a shoe stuck in glue, Mara awkwardly tried to pretend the call was not for her. Pava, who had spoken the words in the first place, did not continue to quiet her voice. Thankfully, Poe had already slipped into the control room with the newcomer.

"Mara Crescent, where are you going?" The mechanic's fists balled up with each syllable of her name. "We need to talk about your performance back there. I just looked at the feedback and your shots were almost always spot on. You can't handle the canteen food, but you can handle a blaster."

"Jessika." Mara's voice was a hushed whisper. They were just on the edge of the hangar. It was only thirty more steps until she could make her way to the hallway which would carry her to her bedroom. "Can we talk about this later? It's just that I need some time to breathe."

"No way." The pilot's grin was blinding on her tan face. "We have to talk about this over a drink. You're one of the team. I don't care what Dameron says; I'm backing you up all the way." Jessika's fingers reached to peel the helmet from Mara, but the girl forcefully backed away.

"Please, don't." Noting the confused look on Jessika's face, Mara was too desperate not to explain. "Trust me; I want a beer as much as you do, but I can't leave my position as a mechanic."

"What? Of course you can, Mara. You have to after what you did at Takodana."

From the corner of her eye, she could see a bright orange suit approaching them from the side. It seemed to halt somewhat in its tracks just before making its way to the girls' sides. Shutting her eyes, the realization that hope was lost sprung upon Mara.

"Dameron. Nice to see that you're back in one piece." It seemed that the other woman had not taken notice of the absolutely frantic message Mara was trying to deliver. A heavy slap on the girl's shoulder made it clear that they were not strangers. "Talk about a rookie, eh?"

Poe's eyes glanced over the mask. It was enough to see who was behind it. "Right. Let's talk about the rookie."

Jessika was the only confused one in the trio. Slowly, as if a dog caught eating clothes, Mara peeled the helmet from her damp head. Her hair was sticking to the sides of her face, but she was sure Poe's expressionless gaze was not because he found her unattractive.

"What's going on?" Jessika's laugh tried to break the tension. "It's like you didn't know it was Crescent steering that ship." The silence allowed the thought to settle."Oh, damn. You didn't know it was Crescent."

Mara's boots instinctively moved closer. "Poe, I can explain."

Jessika, an apparent therapist, stepped in. "Explain what? You have nothing to explain. You were brave to offer yourself as a pilot; it's a move every rookie should look up to."

That seemed to be the lighter that touched the string of Poe's bomb. "You offered yourself?"

"Poe, wait." Mara didn't recognize her voice. It was too frantic. "There's more to the story than what you're imagining."

Shaking his head, Poe simply did not have the words. Mara was unaware of the conversation held with Leo the day before in the woods. He had sworn to protect her, to be aware that she was a liability to herself and to make sure nothing would harm her. In his gut, he knew that Mara was also astonishingly brave, and a far better pilot than he had originally thought. But the anger washed over him like smoke above a fire. It seemed to grow and expand with each gust of wind he caught.

They were still in the hangar, Mara following the pilot's heels like a duckling. "Just let me explain. I can imagine the ideas running through your head right now, but they're not-"

"Do you think this is a game, Mara?" Poe's words flew out as quickly as he turned. All eyes were on them now. Looking away would be criminal.

Mara's eyes flared open, refusing to blink. This? Her head echoed. What does he mean by 'this'?

"You're being unfair!" Her voice carried to the high ceiling. The silencing of wrenches and screws only helped the acoustics more. "I'm a part of this team. I'm a part of the Resistance, a place I had before I met you. If I want to put my life on the line to protect innocent people, then I have the right to-"

"But you don't have the right!" Poe took a powerful step forward. She had never felt so small in his presence. "You almost got yourself killed with Terex, once more because of me, and for what?" His head was shaking as if it was all a new realization. "I hardly have the right to save innocent people with the mind that I was given. If you were truly ready to steer a ship, you might have recognized that and just walked away."

Sadness and fear were melting into an uglier shade. Anger was turning the tips of her ears read. Her vision turned black until nothing in the room was visible but him. "Why are you talking like you don't even know me? You complimented me! You told me that every shot was right! Everything you're saying makes it seem like you've never understood me from the beginning."

She had never told him of the child she lost. She suspected that he had put the puzzle together after their night together on Jakku, but it seemed he had forgotten. Or he cared so little about her that it was not at the forefront of his thoughts.

Poe dropped his head, a grim smile passing his face. Even in an argument, he could smile. It was the most unattractive thing about him. "You're right." Poe's lips pressed together tightly as he stared into her eyes. There was a puddle of people on each side of them, but when Poe turned to walk away, it parted like the sea. Mara was left with weary eyes on her frame, her body only seconds away from erupting. A tight grip on her upper arm took her away from the centre of the room, but her mind continued to part itself with reality.

Faces blurred as she rubbed her eyes. She could see nothing, nor did she want to hear anything if it were not an apology from the man she believed she loved.

"Just wait here." It was Jessika's voice.

Mara knew she was in one of the back wings of the control room. Beside her was a furry beast, perhaps a Wookie, but she could not heighten her curiosity enough to look at it.

A high sound rang into her left ear. It was the Wookie, but she could not understand his language. If she had a mirror to look at the pain etched on her face, it would have been clear what he was asking.

"The Wookie wants to know if you're okay." It was a female doctor, bandages in hand. Mara wasn't the only one who had gotten hurt. "Unfortunately I won't be able to translate it back to him, but he can understand you."

Mara's eyes stared at the ground below her. All she thought about was buying a new pair of boots. It was easier to waste time on such frivolous thoughts.

"The man I'm in love with does not support me." Words that hurt were nonetheless helpful to snap Mara back into reality. "He's lost his sense in anger. I don't know how I can convince him that I only followed my heart."

Neither of Mara's new companions understood what she was talking about, but as a doctor, the woman was able to comfort her nonetheless. "A man that doesn't not support you is not a man to love." Her words were simple. "There is a universe out there filled with people who want to encourage you." The smile she offered was soft. "You just have to meet them."

Mara's mind whirled with Poe's words.

You don't have the right.

You offered yourself?

You have nothing to explain.

Where had such anger come from? They had not seen one another much in the past week, but if anything, her presence was supposed to bring him happiness. Seeing her after a long period of time should not have been frustrating and a nuisance, but should have simply been welcomed. If it weren't for her aching head, she might have run to him in that moment to demand an answer. And yet, Mara was tired of waiting for the man to do the right thing. For once, she was going to take care of herself.

Jessika was back at her side following a few long minutes in silence. With a raised brow, she flapped a hand at Mara. "Come with me."

The girl looked up with red eyes. "Where?"

"Does it matter? Would you rather be with me or the Wookie?"

The creature tilted his head back with a growl.

Jessika shrugged lazily. "I'm just saying."

"Alright," Mara sighed. "I'm coming."

The two girls walked in silence until Mara began to understand. On the top floor of the base was the shooting range, all lights on and not another soul in sight. Jessika slapped the head gear on Mara before she could protest.

"It doesn't seem like a good idea to be shooting when I'm this emotional."

"You're going to tell me everything that's going on while you shoot." Jessika set the gun in her hands with a thud. "You can get out all of the anger, and I won't have to hear a single word."

Mara's brows lifted. It was smart, actually. She would be able to keep her secrets without actually risking the chance for any rumours to spread. "That's awfully nice of you."

The pilot shook her head. "I'm not really good with sob stories, so I'm making it easier on the both of us."

"Fair enough."

Mara lifted the gun in her familiar position. The stance recalled memories from earlier in the day, when she had aimed her blasters straight into the First Order ships. Not only had it been repayment for what they did to Poe, but for taking her parents as well. She was glad everything with the First Order was over, but those memories were not something long lost from your mind.

With the first shoot her gun, Mara began to set her heart free. She spoke about Leo and his arrogance, how his actions put her and the ones she loved in danger. Of course, there were no explicit details with the risk of Jessika overhearing, but it felt good to get even that much off of her chest.

Next was anger towards herself. She had always wanted to be a pilot, but after putting herself on the backburner for almost thirty years, Mara wondered if it was now too late. She cursed herself for waiting, but also gave herself the motivation she needed to stick with what she was doing. After all, today was proof that she deserved it.

Lastly, Mara wanted to talk about Poe. She found no words coming with the sound of her shooting, and after a minute of hesitation, Mara simply put the gun down.

"As much as I appreciate you doing this for me, anything I have to say, I should say directly to him."

Jessika smiled. "That was the aim of my game. I knew you'd figure it out in the end."

Mara smiled with genuine appreciation. "I didn't expect you to do something so kind for me."

A finger flew to the girl's plump lips. "Don't tell anyone that I'm nice. It's my biggest secret."

Setting the gun back on the rack, Mara offered another smile to Jessika. Heading back down to the base together, Jessika silently refused the offer for a hug, leaving Mara alone once more. Eyes were no longer fixated on her, nor were their ears tuned to new gossip. Of course, life went on at the Resistance base. There were far more important things to worry about than romantic feuds, and this was something Mara hoped Poe also realized with some time to cool off. Taking a sharp breath in, she turned down the hall to meet him.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Poe was fully aware of what had just happened. His anger was peaked, but his mind was clear. Not only had he just risked a relationship with the only person he truly felt anything towards, but he had just outed them to the entire squadron. It would be a headache to deal with the General, but it would be more of a headache to deal with Mara.

There would be a council meeting later that night after Finn and Leia discussed Starkiller Base. That meant he had little over an hour to strap his brain down into concentration mode.

Seeing the former First Order soldier had been a shock, that was no doubt. The entire day was filled with surprises, including the sudden appearance of BB-8. It seemed that Finn, or FN-2187, had taken care of his droid the entire time. Poe was proud to have put his faith in the right people.

Chucking the top layer of his uniform onto the bed, Poe was too tired to remove the rest. His mind trickled back to Mara and what he had shouted to him. It was unfair what she had done, but it was more unfair to spout the words he said.

The conversation with Leo had gotten to him. Could Poe really protect her? Why did he need to, when she was entirely capable herself? There were secrets Mara held that she had not yet admitted even to him, although it was clear what those secrets were. Like a child, his shouts would now force her to talk about her past, something he had never wanted to push her to do.

Running his hand through his already disheveled hair, Poe let himself set free a cry of anger. Anger was what he was feeling, although he simply couldn't understand why.

In order to take his mind off of things, he began to head back to the main hangar. Mara would likely be gone somewhere, drug off by Jessika no doubt. She wouldn't miss a chance at gossip if she could.

Poe drug his tired body, which was full of life only moments before, down the bright corridor. If anyone acknowledged him, it was with a slap on the back. He wished they would have slapped his face to get knock some sense into him.

"Dameron." It was the General. "I see you're feeling more at ease."

He wasn't sure what she was referring to. "Did Finn tell you anything useful?"

Leia flapped a hand towards him, half with an order and half with pity. "Come with me. I'll take you to him and the three of us can discuss the next step."

"Before that, I would like to talk with you about something." Leia turned with curiosity, her commanding face sinking into something more motherly. "It has to do with Mara Crescent and her assignment to the mission."

Leia stepped a bit closer, her words too soft for curious ears to latch onto. "Mara asked for my permission to fly to Takodana. She did nothing that I didn't believe she wasn't capable of doing. If you have a problem with that decision, I'm afraid that you'll have to take it up with me."

"I wanted to thank you." The words shocked them both. "Mara never would have gotten a chance to prove herself if it weren't for you."

"Those weren't the words you said to her." Leia smirked as Poe's face became as red as his suit. "It was hard not to overhear."

"I was arrogant and angry. I felt she was putting herself in danger and I couldn't figure out the reason why."

"She's just like you, Dameron. There's a fire in her to do the right thing." Leia's eyes seemed to dance somewhere into her memories. "Mara has had a difficult past, but I can sense that she only wants to do good. She's beyond attempting to hurt herself, and part of that is thanks to you." Leia laughed suddenly, her eyes soft. "Take it from someone who has been married, but don't let them ever run off angry. They won't magically come back with a smile etched on their face."

Poe smirked. "You're right about that. Everyone with parents knows that." Poe thought about his mother. He wondered what she would tell him in that moment, but Leia's words were enough.

"If you're going to apologize, you'll have to make it fast," Leia ordered. "We have big things to talk about."