"We're coming up on the supply planet now, sir" The pilot's muted voice crackled through the intercom. The route across the galaxy had been convoluted in order to cover their tracks, but now they were finally able to land and breath fresh air. Rey's feelings of claustrophobia had infected everyone present, and it was with a shared sense of relief that they eagerly awaited escape from their confinement. The past few days had been particularly tense. The recycled air had become staler, their clothes were sticking to them and every sigh or twitch from the occupants served only to further irritate the others.
When the doors finally opened, Rey practically through herself out of the ship and onto the hard ground beyond. She lay there pressing her body into the dirt, her arms and legs splayed over the rocky ground. The sharp stones pressed into her skin, and she relished it. The warmth of the land seeped through her clothes and she gazed up at the sky. The bright light hurt her eyes, so closing them she enjoyed the red glow as the suns penetrated her eyelids. Gradually, she waited for the nausea to pass. Luke had warned her that she would need to acclimatise to a new gravity, the artificial gravity on the shuttle was nothing in comparison to this and she felt compressed into the ground. She welcomed it, her natural optimism returning along with every gulp of fresh clean air. Flexing her fingers she embedded them into the earth below, her body easing into alignment with her new environment. With every exhale she stretched out with every fibre of her being, becoming aware of the stirrings of life all around. Tiny creatures burrowed beneath the ground, and she could not only hear but also feel the ebb and flow of the animals in the nearby trees. The Force swirled and immersed her in a sense of life around her. Her time in space had shown her how much she craved a connection with other life.
Somehow, on this latest voyage she had found herself to be the loneliest that she had ever known. Even on Jakku she had never been far from the machinations of life. It had not always been friendly, but all she had to do was reach out and there it was. Yet, confined in that tiny shuttle the close physical proximity was in stark contrast to the emotional distance between her and her companions. The intimacy which had transpired between herself and Luke had been brief. She recalled her desperation as she clung to him after her nightmare, and the way that he had comforted her. Yet, when she awoke he was distant once more and her own shame at her vulnerability had kept her apart. She sensed that he was not naturally a cold person, but that his life had taught him not to become close to others. Leia was his only real family, it was as if he was afraid to show his emotions in case they got the better of him. The opposite to Ben, who wore all his emotions exposed to the world. It occurred to her, not for the first time, that Ben was the reason for Luke's distance. He could not allow himself to care for anyone else the way he had cared for his nephew. The betrayal had cut his soul to the core and Rey doubted that anyone could ever heal that particular wound.
Rey was eventually roused from her meditation on the ground when she sensed the approach of a group of people. Without even lifting her head, she counted at least a dozen individuals and even though they made very little sound with their feet as they traversed the uneven ground, she could hear the murmur of their thoughts. She swiftly leapt into a crouching position and leaned forwards better trying to comprehend their intentions. Luke appeared in the peripheral of her vision, a stillness in his form betraying that he was similarly engaged. However, they both heaved a collective sigh of relief when they felt the confidence of Dameron rippling towards them. Leia and Luke had experienced many such evacuations over the years and it was always a real danger that the fragments of the resistance might be lost forever. A reunion is always a welcome one and the Skywalkers greeted the party of pilots and personnel with genuine warmth. The resistance was based on the bravery and teamwork of such individuals, the reunion an affirmation that there was still hope. The true spirit of the resistance was here, the survivors that refused to lie down and accept their defeat. They would hold true and fight until the end. The jubilation of the group was infectious and soon everyone was chattering, arms flung around shoulders and laughter spilling across the new camp.
As the second sun faded beyond the horizon, its heat was replaced by the glowing campfires which punctuated their temporary home. The survivors knew how to make the best of their (relatively calm) situation and having escaped the dark shadow of The First Order once again, the mood was celebratory. Various containers of contraband liquor were merrily passed from one to another. Rey took one sip and choked... a response which prompted a uproar of teasing and laughter. Yet, she felt warm and for one evening, she allowed herself to be drawn into the gentle banter of the group. For too long she realised that she had been guilty of holding herself back from the camaraderie. Her grief over Ben had prompted her to withdraw, yet now as she sat with her back to the darkness and her face to the hot flames she was surprised to experience a quickening in her heart. She was also a survivor. Had she not also survived her dreadful childhood on Jakku? She had just as much right to be there as any of them. The flask circled the group again, and without hesitation she took another sip. It burned just as before, but she managed to drink it without choking. Her efforts were met with roars of approval and the warmth in her stomach spread throughout her body.
She felt out of control, and deep down she knew that they were in just as much danger as ever, but just for one night she just wanted to step away from that terrible burden. She looked around at her companions and allowed herself to feel safe. Closing her eyes she sought to feel some kind of balance, she felt out through the Force. The noise of so many minds was disorientating, and she searched for a calm place. Luke's mind was cool and quiet. Opening her eyes again, she realised that he was sitting off to one side of the group. Too far from the fire to feel the benefit of its flames, he had wrapped his cloak around himself. He sensed her intrusion and he looked up... his still blue gaze held hers steady. She saw herself through his eyes. Rey hardly recognised the relaxed girl with her long legs stretched towards the campfire. The group had instinctively huddled closer together in an attempt to keep warm. So Rey could see that the girl that looked a bit like her, was now sandwiched in amongst the rebels and that she looked every inch like she belonged there. Luke nodded, a sense of acceptance flowed between them. She knew that once upon a time, that he had also enjoyed that feeling of inclusion, and now he wanted her to enjoy it. Not that she needed his permission to enjoy herself, but knowing that he was watching over them all, was the final nudge that she needed to fully relax. For that moment, and it could have been the liquor talking, Rey felt protected. Luke was watching over her, and everything was going to be alright. The alcohol washed over her like a warm blanket, and she sank down and rested her head on the shoulder of her immediate companion. She slept. No nightmares for her that night.
Her companion had no problems with a pretty girl asleep on his shoulder, even an oddity such as the scavenger Jedi. He recalled the first time he laid eyes on her as she crouched in the clearing on that forest planet in the Tuerto System. They had never discussed the matter and she never knew how much information the pilot had gleaned from the crashsite and then passed onto Luke and Leia upon their return. He must have seen the domestic arrangements for what they really were. He had know that she had not survived alone on that planet for so long. Yet, for such a extroverted fellow, he had remained surprisingly reticent on the subject. Glancing down at the slumbering girl, he noticed how tired she seemed. Her long limbs were now folded in against herself, the fires were dwindling, she started to shiver in her sleep. Shrugging out of his own jacket he draped it over her and pulled her closer into his arms. She snuggled into his warmth and was still. Dameron was no Jedi, but he felt Luke's gaze upon him. Luke's icy blue gaze met Dameron's warm dark eyes and the pilot was left in no doubt that the old Jedi was warning him to behave. He merely smiled back, dropped his cheek to rest on Rey's head, closed his eyes and let sleep take him until morning. After the adventures of the past few months, falling asleep with a beautiful girl in his arms was a well deserved treat, and he was not going to let Luke Skywalker deprive him of it.
Author's Note: Apologies for the shockingly poor rate of update... I must try much, MUCH harder!