It was as if the moment I had said goodbye to her on the tarmac I felt a piece of me leave with her. The further she went the more I felt the light drain from inside my heart. I fear what I would become if I was apart from her for too long. Each breath is harder when I know she isn't close by. She told me it was just a harmless mission, and shouldn't take long at all, but I still worried. More than I expected I would. Poe would tell me "That's love," and I never disagreed.

The rehabilitation is going splendidly, another patient was discharged yesterday. My burn is almost healed, I don't need bandages but I ask for them anyway, and I apply ointment every day. It makes it easier to help the man in bed five who has the crushed legs now that I have full movement. Jaeden is still struggling the most, his training takes such a toll on his young body, he is improving, but I think he'll be around a long time.
I have become closer with quite a few of the nurses and doctors that come and check the patient's monitors. When I go on break if I don't spend time with Poe I will go to the break room in the infirmary, I have formed some bonds with the staff and droids. I don't see Starla often because her breaks don't align with mine, but I often see familiar faces. The male nurse who cared for Poe after he so recklessly tried to fly blind, his name is Ven, and the droid at administration is called XR49P just to name a few.
Starla has given me another few men and women soldiers who have woken from a coma and need rehabilitation as well. I add them into the schedule, but still end up having time off.

I haven't been in the housing unit since the day Rey left. I don't want to sleep in there without her. It just wouldn't feel right, at least not yet. I sleep in Poe's room on the spare bed, and it makes me feel better knowing I can keep an eye on him, at least protect one of the people I care about.
I don't see Poe much though; he has a wheelchair now, and his nurse, Evelynn, will come in each morning and wheel him to his specially planned rehabilitation and she wheels him back in after dinner. We don't get to talk much and he changes the subject when I ask about how he is going.
Each night I feel as though I have stepped out onto Starkiller base without any thermal gear, the cold I feel without Rey is almost so unbearable that I have even thought about snuggling up with Poe, I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but a part of me wants Rey to be the only person I've slept beside.

I regretted it the moment I told Poe I'm worried Rey isn't going to trust that I won't run away again, because now he keeps pestering me to ask Rey to be my girlfriend or make sure she knows I want her so then she won't fear I will abandon her.

I didn't have to tell Poe today is the day Rey comes home. He knew the moment he woke up and realised I had a shower (even though I had one the night before), and completed my discharge holocharts on another patient.

I finished rehab for the day, and Jaeden lets me leave early because he knew Rey was coming back, I didn't have to tell him, he just seemed to know. I feel the joy when I talk about her, it seems to spread warmth from my heart to my toes, every moment that I didn't mention her Jaeden knew I struggle to keep my focus.

*

I have just left the infirmary and it is the early afternoon as I walk into the housing unit.
General Organa was in here, I can tell.
She had lit a scented candle, and stocked the fridge and pantry with some food and drinks – nothing over the top, but just enough. I see a note on the kitchen bench.

I have made the team install a communication calling video device, if you wish to speak with Rey at any time during her mission.

- Leia

I groan at my missed opportunity to contact her and hope she wasn't waiting for me, or tried to contact me first. I switch on the screen and fiddle with it to find no missed messages, luckily. I turn it off and walk out of the kitchen and straight down the hall I open the bedroom door, the window is open a small amount, letting in just enough of the breeze to cool the room to a responsible, yet warm temperature.

My fingers tingle with anticipation. I nearly jump when I hear the front door unlock the familiar sliding screech cut the silence. I yank my shirt over my head and drop it carelessly on the floor, stepping out of my shorts. I awkwardly jump onto the pristine bed, crinkling the covers and I put my hands behind my head in a not-so-causal attempt to look like I had not been impatiently awaiting her return.
I don't hear her footsteps but I watch as the door opens slowly. She pokes her head in and her face splits into a beautiful grin. I resist the urge to jump off the bed and tackle her to the floor; instead I open my arms welcomingly. Rey doesn't stop smiling as she closes the door, drops her rucksack and starts to undress. I can't seem to hold my arms out; I'm weak with excitement, so the drop down and I sit up a bit higher, my heart pounding at the sight of her. I watch her strip only to her undergarments before she clambers up the bed and pounces on me, cloaking my body with hers and kissing me over and over and over. I revel in the feeling of her in my arms again; my hands steadily hold her hips against mine.

"It's good to see you too," I chuckle.

"Shh," Rey grumbles into my mouth before deepening the kiss. I moan, missing her doesn't come close to explaining what I feel when we are apart.

"Rey," I mutter and she pulls away, grinning. Her cheeks are a little red and her eyes shine. "I missed you," I announce with such intensity I watch the words hit her.

"I missed you more," My heart swirls and I pull the ribbons from her hair. Rey sighs and slips down my body, she half falls off me and lands on her side of the bed. Her head rests on my shoulder, one of my arms is wrapped under her and I hold her against my side. I kiss her forehead.

"How was the mission?" I ask rubbing her warm back.

"Good, but not as good as this," She sighs and presses herself closer to me. Nothing is as good as this I think to myself as she kisses my collarbone a few times. "Everything went smoothly, Luke was really impressed," I grin and kiss the top of her hair.

"That's wonderful. How are you ribs?"

"I got them checked by the physician and he was pleased, almost completely healed," she smiles. "Your leg?" Rey asks, looking up at me with a little bit of concern.

I nod, "Better," she leans up to kiss my jaw before she rolls her head back down.

Rey hums happily.

We are quiet for a while, just holding each other Rey's small fingers trace imaginary shapes into my dark skin. I don't think there is anywhere else I would rather be. I want this, I want Rey, and I don't want there to be any doubts about it.

'I can't just bring it up,'
'That's exactly what you do' Poe's words swim in my ears.

I clear my throat. "Do you remember when we first met?" I mutter into the peaceful silence.

"Hmm," Rey continues to draw circles into my bare chest.

"And I asked if you had a boyfriend?" Her movements slow a little bit.

"Yeah..." She wills me to continue.

"Do you want one?" My voice cracks but I'm not sure if she heard it. Rey presses her hand flat on my chest and pushes herself up. Her entire face seems to smile, her eyes, her lips, her nose even crinkles a little and I want to live in this moment forever.

"So does that mean if someone asks if I have a 'cute boyfriend' I can say yes?" She squeaks and I chuckle at my premature and heedless attempt at flirting.

"Yeah, If you want to that is," I chew on the inside of my cheek, before I squint and give her an suspicious look "But you know I don't like being called cute," I see her blush a little at the memory of the first time my lips touched her skin back in the infirmary.

"Okay," she chirps merrily before kissing my cheek, "Okay," she whispers again as she leans back. "But, if someone asks, you will say you have a girlfriend, yeah?"

"Of course, and I'll tell them 'she is beautiful'," Rey's lips twitch with happiness, and she's quiet for a moment.

"I'll tell them I love you, and I've never loved anyone like this before," I grin, and feel the heat pulse to my core, she is surprised when I immediately flip her over so she is under me.

"Say that again," I demand staring at her lips, wanting to watch the way they look when she says the words. But she doesn't seem to realise that's what I want because she grasps onto the back of my neck and pulls me down so my cheek is pressed against hers.

"I love you…" She coos in my ear and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and it sends a shiver down my spine. "I've never said it before, have I?" she is unsure and I take a moment to reflect.

I lightly shake my head, "Not in those exact words. I like it when you say it like that,"

"Why?" She sweetly inquires as she runs her fingers up my neck and into my hair

"Because I like the way it sounds… It makes me want to kiss you," she closes her eyes and smiles a little as she puckers her lips and waits for me to kiss her. I lean into her hair, my hand runs down her waist, and my lips are right by her ear. "Not that type of kiss," I whisper, her hand goes still as my fingers grip onto the fabric of her undergarments.