The bulk of the smutty stuff was in the last chapter, but there is still a tiny bit in this one. It's mostly dialog, though, with a smattering of angst. (I can't help myself!)

Somehow, after coming to his senses, Poe had managed to roll over onto his side, taking Rey with him. She had kept one of her legs wrapped around him, keeping his cock inside her, and they lay facing each other, foreheads touching, their panting breaths slowly falling back to normal.

Lethargic and energized at the same time, Poe stared into Rey's eyes, still feeling the pulse of what almost felt like electricity flowing through him. He had never felt anything like it in his life and he was positive it was coming from her. His skin tingled and the explosive pleasure he had just felt astounded him. No doubt, he had always enjoyed sex, but this had been far more than that.

Finally, he found the wherewithal to speak. "What…" he stopped to clear his throat. "What was that?"

Rey bit her lower lip and looked away, looking almost embarrassed. She shrugged. "I'm not sure," she whispered. She met his gaze once more. "I think it was the Force."

Poe felt his brow furrow. "How come I felt it?"

She smiled. "You've always felt this tree, haven't you?" she asked softly. "Felt Leia's presence? Me?"

He nodded ever so slightly.

"And you never questioned it." It wasn't a question. It was an observation.

Poe thought for a long moment, but then he felt his heart race a bit more. "I'm not like you, Rey." If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he was not Force sensitive like the Jedi were.

"No," she agreed. "But every living creature has some sense of the Force, some stronger than others. You've always had an affinity for it. Whether you were born that way or because you grew up alongside this tree, you have it. Stronger than you know." She paused. "It's what makes you such an amazing pilot. It's why you have so much empathy for others. And now…" she stopped, looking away once more.

"Now what?" Poe asked, both terrified and elated by her words.

She looked back at him, her expression nervous. "Now, I think we've bonded. Through the Force. I think that's what that was."

Poe felt confusion flow through him. "Bonded?"

"It's like… I don't know," she paused. "It's like we're connected now. Not just physically or emotionally, but in the Force."

Poe felt panic sweep through him. "How do you know?"

Rey shook her head. "Just a feeling." Her eyes narrowed, and he knew she had recognized his tension. His fear. She pulled away suddenly, bringing her leg off of his hip, and he hissed as his cock slid from her. She sat up, turning her back on him ever so slightly. "That wasn't a marriage proposal, Poe," she gasped. "It doesn't mean you have to pretend to want me beyond this moment." She swallowed. "It's okay."

But it wasn't okay. She was hurt by his reaction to her words. He sat up and scooched closer to her. Taking a deep breath, he kissed the back of her shoulder. "What happened to next time?" he asked softly. "And the time after that?"

She had drawn her knees up to her chest in what he recognized as a protective gesture. "If you don't want me, then I'm not going to…"

"Not want you?" Poe interrupted. "Where were you just now?" he asked, his voice hard.

Rey looked at him over her shoulder. "You're scared of me," she accused.

Poe wanted to laugh, but he knew she was right; he was scared. However, she was also scared. Scared of rejection. Scared she had found something amazing, only to discover she was alone in that feeling. He had to let her know she wasn't alone.

"I'm not scared of you, Rey," he told her firmly. "But you're a Jedi. I can't even contemplate how much power you have at your fingertips. What scares me is that you think I am capable of sharing that power."

She was watching him, her big hazel eyes shining with moisture.

"If the Force has connected us in some way," he continued. "Then yeah, that's scary." He frowned, not sure he was ready to let the Force guide him to some unknown future. "But if that's what the Force wills…"

Rey turned to face him once more. "It's not the Force's choice," she told him vehemently. "It's our choice. Just because we're linked somehow doesn't mean you need to be my mate. That's my choice. Our choice." She took a deep breath and looked away. "Maybe if I had stayed with Dar last night, he would have had the same connection with me."

Poe felt anger and jealousy surge. "Oh, okay!" he said, letting his hurt flow. "I get it, now. It's not the person, it's the sex. And you can have that with anybody." He stood suddenly, his own eyes becoming blurred by tears now, looking for his pants. "I don't understand why you didn't sleep with him," he continued. "He's perfect for you. He's closer to your age, his knowledge of the Jedi is expert level, he's gorgeous." He found his trousers and reached for them.

"Poe!" He heard Rey stand up behind him. She reached for his arm, grabbing it with both hands. He tried to pull himself away from her grip, but she hung on tight. "Look at me! Please!"

He stilled, his pants in his hands. He took a deep breath and blinked away the moisture in his eyes, then turned to face her.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I didn't mean it," she told him. "About Dar. I didn't feel anything with him. I've never felt like this with anyone but you." She blinked and wiped her face with her hand. "I just don't want you to think you're obliged to… stay with me."

Dropping the trousers, Poe reached up to cup her face in his hands. "And what if I want to stay with you?" he asked, taking a chance. "What if I… what if I think I love you?"

Rey's mouth opened in astonishment, her eyes widening. An ever so slight smile appeared on her lips. "I'd say you're crazy," she said softly. "But since… since I think I love you, then what just happened makes perfect sense."

"Oh, Kriff!" Poe exclaimed, then he pulled Rey into his arms. They held each other tight for a long moment, then Poe pulled back, taking a deep breath. "Leia's gonna kill us."

Rey giggled, wiping her still damp face again. "What makes you think she doesn't already know?"

Poe frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Do you really think I was the best choice for this mission?" she asked, reaching for Poe's hands and twining her fingers with his. "And do you really think we need to 'lay low' here at your home for this long?"

Poe considered her words. He had thought it a bit odd that someone with more experience in undercover work hadn't been chosen as his partner in the recovery of the lightsabers, but he had figured Rey had been chosen because of her familiarity with the weapons. And the 'laying low' thing had always bothered him. "You think she's matchmaking?"

Rey shrugged. "I do think we've been getting on everyone's nerves with our bickering. Maybe she just wanted us to hash it out."

Trying not to smile, Poe asked, "So, you want to hash it out some more?" He pumped his eyebrows suggestively.

Rey stepped up close to him, her eyes glowing now, a smile of her own on her lips. "I think we probably should."

The leaves of the Uneti tree seemed to dance for joy in the wind above them as they once more settled on the blankets in its shade.

This time, they made it last.

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