"Victoria," said Bodhi scrunching up his face. "That's the right queen, yeah?"

Jyn looked down at the flashcards she was holding. Bodhi had spent the night before making them carefully and meticulously. All three of them had spoken about the transition from Aurebesh to what Cassian said confidently was called the Roman Alphabet. Cassian had taken to it quite quickly and Jyn almost didn't remember having trouble with it when they had first arrived.

But Bodhi seemed to have become a student of the language. He had worked hard on his handwriting, checked through every word so that it was written to his satisfaction. Jyn felt bad in comparison: his writing was so perfect looking.

"That's right, yes," she said, shuffling the cards neatly. "And that's twenty out of twenty right."

Bodhi sank back into their couch, looking calm.

"Good," he said. "Nothing to worry about then."

"You've got two more days," said Jyn. "It's looking great."

"When's Kaytoo - I mean, Kay - when's Kay coming again?"

"In a few weeks," said Jyn. "When he's got his next pay check."

Bodhi nodded.

"And Chirrut?"

"When he's managed to cobble enough together," she said. "It might take a while."

"And Base? Still nothing."

Jyn sighed and took a sip of her tea.

"Nothing."

"What about Bistan? And… what was his name… Ruestan? Other members of the Scarif forces?"

Jyn had nothing to say. She had thought about the rest of them, if briefly, on the day they had found Chirrut. The thought of them had been joyful, the idea that amidst all that death and destruction her friends had survived… but that dug up other questions. What about Krennic? What about other Empire forces? What did this mean?

"You haven't let yourself think about it?" he asked.

Her eyes met those of her friend's.

"I get it," he said. Bodhi got slowly to his feet. "Forget I asked. Don't worry yourself. I'm gonna have a shower, that ok?"

Jyn nodded.

"Go ahead," she said.

She sat alone for a while, got up and threw away the takeout boxes, washed the mugs, all as her mind stayed numb and went through the gestures. In the background she heard the sound of the shower pitter-patter like rain.

Behind her the door unlocked and Jyn spun around.

"Hello," said Cassian, smiling as he saw her.

She walked forward and pulled him into a hug that she felt him hold onto tightly.

"How was your interview?" she asked.

"I feel like yours yesterday went better," he admitted.

"I accidentally called the man a twit," Jyn said, her eyebrows raised.

"I talked about how much I liked dogs for about half an hour. Even when the lady didn't ask… I just ploughed on. They'll think I'm mad."

Jyn laughed and steered him towards the plate of food she had left out for him, as he had done for her at lunch the day before.

"I loved it there, though," said Cassian. "They get new dogs in the shelter every day, and they take cats too. I feel like I'd really enjoy myself there, you know."

Jyn nodded as she watched Cassian bite into the piece of pizza.

"I get that," she said. "It's the same reason I hope that CRB check comes through okay. That nursery felt like a great place. Unlikely I'll get that particular one, though."

Cassian shrugged.

"There'll be another one," he said calmly. "Hopefully that check thing comes before your interview at that 'Happy Hands' place next week."

Jyn sighed and poked one of Cassian's meatballs with her fork and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Maybe," she shrugged.

The truth was that she had been considering working for animal shelters as well. The thought had come to her after that last disastrous nursery interview and Jyn had started to question if she was really up for the job, if helping to bring up children was really the right fit for her. She had remembered being a kid, remembered the isolation, even though she might have been surrounded by adults that loved her. She wasn't sure that she should have little minds looking up to her after that.

Yet she loved and enjoyed spending time with Mothma. She was slowly training the rescue dog, enjoyed spending time in her day teaching her tricks. But then there was the fact that Cassian seemed set on trying to get a job at one of the local shelters. Jyn thought Cassian would be good at something more intense, like those private security people or police commanders she saw on TV: but he had railed against anything like that, and she had left it alone.

For a while she wondered why she held off applying to animal shelters too. Cassian wouldn't get upset or irritated - hell, he'd probably get excited that they might be working together. But when she and Bodhi were out picking up pizza for dinner the day before he had managed to unpack it for her.

"Well it's because you don't want him to think that you need to spend all your time with him, right?" Bodhi said, unabashed. "You spend so much time together, have done since you got here so you want to believe that you can make it on your own too."

And he had been right.

"Hey Cassian!"

Jyn was shaken out of her thoughts by Bodhi emerging from the shower dressed in pyjamas. The two men started talking jovially, Bodhi asking him questions about his interview.

She wandered out of the kitchen and walked into the bathroom, trailed by Mothma. Jyn turned to see the little dog sitting there, staring up at her with wide eyes.

"Go on, go," said Jyn. "I'm about to take a shower."

The dog did not budge, but continued to stare keenly. Jyn moved aside the shower curtain and began to run the bath. She wished Baze were here. He and Chirrut were inseparable yet each as one: he would understand her plight. She began to disrobe, the little dog undeterred as she got into the bath, continuing to look up at her with bright eyes.

"What do you think I should do, Mothma?" she asked.

The little dog cocked its head.

"You and me both," she murmured, resolving to speak to Chirrut about it when she was next able. "You and me both."