It's not a secret to my readers that this past year has been very tough for me, and that my writing, and my readers, have been a big reason why I've managed to carry on and am slowly getting better. A few short weeks ago, during the first anniversary of my mom's passing, I was once more in a very bad place and was feeling abandoned by many I called friend. Two people reached out to me, making sure I knew I was seen and understood. Jewels and Marie, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

As for my regular readers, thank you for making me feel like I belong. I hope I can continue to entertain and inspire and just make people's days better with my stories. Musje5, ReyPoeFan, Edajara Kitel, Angel_Baby01, DW.618, glmeadow, Hushabyepie, some_varient_of_Valkarie, and so many others. For those that used to comment more in the past, I hope you are still reading and doing well, and for those that comment as a guest or never comment but still enjoy my stuff, I hope I continue to keep you interested!

On to the story! This was supposed to be a fluff piece, another 'what if' that would take place between the 2nd and 3rd movies, but somewhere along the way it veered seriously off course. I hate saying it, as I really did love the 3rd movie, but this ended up being a 'fix it' fic. In this Canon Divergent Universe, The Rise of Skywalker never happens. Whether you liked it or not, I hope you like my (much simpler) story.

If you have not read the first two parts, I would recommend you do so before starting this one. Don't worry; they are both very short. Also, while I am rating this one 'M,' there is only one smutty chapter, though there are smutty/mature thoughts throughout.

Now, let's get this show on the road!

When The Chronicler exited hyperspace and the giant orange ball of Yavin appeared in the viewscreen, Poe Dameron felt his whole body relax in a way it rarely ever did. He may be a natural born pilot, more comfortable in space than with his feet on the ground, but this place would always be the exception to the rule.

He was home.

He looked over at his companion who sat in the co-pilot's seat next to him, smiling a bit at her expression. Rey was staring at the gas giant in awe, her large expressive eyes wide and her lips parted in astonishment. She blinked suddenly and licked her lips, then shook her head slightly.

"It's huge," she breathed. "Does it ever get dark on your world with that thing in the sky?"

Poe chuckled at her question. "Yes, we have a handful of nights every month where we can't see her," he said. "We call those nights Tinieblas. Those are the nights kids tend to find trouble to get into. A lot of babies are conceived on those nights, too."

Rey glanced at him, a hint of color appearing in her cheeks at his words, but she looked away when he grinned. Her eyes focused on the tiny green moon they were heading towards. Her eyes grew wide again, this time in joy, and the corner of her mouth curled up in a small smile.

Poe turned his attention on the planet beneath them, his heart speeding up at the prospect of showing this amazing young woman his home. He had told her she would love it because of all the green, but as they got closer, he hoped he was right; he wasn't sure why it was so important to him that she like this place, but it was.

"Do you still have family here?" Rey asked suddenly.

He glanced at her again as he checked the coordinates for the Grand Temple. "My dad," he said. "He's rarely left since he settled here after the war." Poe shrugged as he noticed her curious look. "He's the only family I have left."

"Leia has mentioned him," she said. "How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"Since I joined the Resistance," he told her. His father hadn't been happy when Poe left the New Republic Defense Force and had been even more unhappy when he had joined Leia and her Resistance, but he understood Poe's need to fight the growing tyranny of the First Order. Their last conversation had been over comm, and Kes' last words to Poe were "Come home when you can."

"Does he know we're coming?"

Poe flipped a couple of switches as the ship descended into the atmosphere of Yavin's fourth moon. "I'm not sure. I know Leia was going to inform the director of the Temple Museum, Darkurr Naughtstrum, we were coming. Dar might have told my dad." He gave her another grin. "Either way, he'll know we're here by this evening."

The communicator on the control panel began blinking and Rey reached forward to read the notice that came up. "It's a coded message from the Resistance," she said, glancing at him.

Poe nodded. "Play it once we touch down. It's probably from Leia."

It only took a few moments for the Grand Temple to come into view. Again, Poe smiled at Rey's awed expression. He never tired of seeing her reactions to new experiences and places. There was so much to see in this galaxy, and she had only been exposed to a tiny part of it in this past year. He couldn't help but feel obligated to show her as much as he could whenever possible.

He focused on landing Beau's small cruiser on the pad behind the Grand Temple, then he motioned to Rey to start playing the message as he began shut down procedures. Rey nodded at him and pressed the de-scramble button. A few seconds later, General Leia Organa's face appeared in a hologram in front of them.

"I'm going to assume that you've reached your destination by now," the older woman said with a soft smile on her face. "I want to not only congratulate you on the success of your mission, but also inform you that Zandav Perolle and Reilgin Shonarr are now quite famous. Dhilnaen jai Sheelal and the government of Kalee are absolutely livid and there are quite substantial rewards out for their capture and the safe return of the treasures they stole. Their pictures are being shared near and far, and I know it won't take long for someone to recognize you two." She laughed softly and shook her head. "I had no idea he would put up this much of a fuss over fifteen lightsabers. Anyway, I think it's best you two stay where you are for a while, just until things settle down a bit. We're going to do the same here; I'm not sending out anyone on any missions for the time being. I'm sure any bounty hunters that take on the job of trying to find you two will be watched closely by First Order spies and we don't need to slip up when there are that many eyes looking for us." She tilted her head. "In the meantime, why don't you consider this a vacation of sorts. You could both use the downtime." Again, she smiled, and this time the look was sly. "I'll let you both know when you can head back to base. Say 'hello' to Kes for me!" Her holo disappeared.

Poe stared at the space his General's image had just been, stunned. He looked over at Rey, only to see her expression just as bewildered. She looked back at him, her brows furrowed.

Movement out the cockpit window caught their attention, and Poe looked out to see Dar, the director of the future Alliance to Restore the Republic Museum, standing outside, hands on his hips, a curious expression on his face.

"Who's that?" Rey asked, her voice a bit breathy.

Poe glanced at her, then back at the younger man waiting for them. "That's Darkurr Naughtstrum," he told her. Poe had known Dar for years, their father's having been friends, but the last time Poe had seen him, Dar had still been a teen. Now in his early twenties, the boy Poe had known was an almost two-meter-tall man, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, a tawny complexion, and a fit, muscled physique .

He was hot.

"He's…" Rey stopped, and Poe looked at her, his face heating. He knew exactly what Rey was thinking. "He's… very attractive," Rey finally finished diplomatically.

"Yeah," Poe sighed. "Welcome to Yavin Four."

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