Sorry this is a bit late! It's been a crazy day. Work is busy and I stayed a little late, then I had to treat my poor Chester (my horse) for a hoof abscess. On the bright side, my bank sent me a check for over $200, some kind of compensation for them getting sued, I guess. It'll come in handy this time of the year!

So, anyway, thank you all for reading, and don't hesitate to let me know what you think!

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Poe was stunned speechless for a moment, his brain processing Rey's words slower than it normally would have. They weren't words he had ever expected to hear this early in a relationship. He tried to focus on her face. Her eyes were huge, and there was a crease between her eyebrows as she looked at him worriedly. He gathered his thoughts as best he could. "How long have you known?"

"I've suspected for about a week, but the test I took this morning confirmed it." Her expression turned from worried to wary.

"I…" His heart was starting to thud hard in his chest. A baby. They were going to have a baby. Apparently, those uncontrollable feelings of possessiveness he had felt while making love to this woman had been his body's instinctive reaction to her body's receptiveness. He felt excitement thrum through him. Becoming a father had always been a part of his future plans, but his inability to find a woman he could trust with his heart had made that dream less and less likely. Now…

Rey's expression became fearful. "Please, I promise I didn't plan this," she said. She shook her head. "I know I was the one that forced the issue, that told you that it was okay, but I truly believed it was too early, that there was no way I could get pregnant. I'm not trying to entrap you. You can get a lawyer to draw up a contract if you want. I don't expect anything from you. If you don't want anything to do with me or the baby, I won't fight that. I promise I didn't do this on purpose."

Poe started focusing on her words, realizing she was going into panic mode, tears in her eyes. "Rey, Rey!" He reached forward and grasped her shoulders. "I don't think that! I could never think that!"

"I just thought you should know," she whispered.

He nodded. "I know. I know. It's okay." He looked at her carefully. "But you're going to keep it, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm going to keep it. My parents didn't want me. I'm going to make sure this baby knows he or she is wanted and loved."

He nodded back, the joy her panic had tempered starting to revive. He was going to be a father! But then he recalled her statement about letting him know and it gave him pause. He pulled back, looking at her warily.

"If you hadn't gotten pregnant, and I hadn't shown up here, would you have called me at all?"

Guilt filled her eyes and she pulled back from him, looking away. She shrugged softly. "I wanted to write you, leave a message for you to contact me."

"I gave you my number."

"I know. But I was just so scared."

"Scared that I didn't want you?" It wasn't really a question. She had all but admitted it already.

She nodded, glancing up at him warily. "So many people I've cared about in my life… they've never cared about me as much as I cared about them. They can leave so easy. Finn, and now Rose by default, are the only constants in my life." She turned away from him, walking over to stand next to the couch, then she faced him again. "Why would you stay?"

He started walking toward her, his steps slow but deliberate. "Because I know what it's like," he told her. "I know what it's like to care about someone, only to have them leave with barely a glance over their shoulder. Because I've been surrounded by people for over a decade and yet every year I feel more and more alone. Because when I met you, I saw a kindred spirit, and I knew that you were the one that would stay." He stopped in front of her. "And then you left."

Her eyes widened and regret filled them. "Oh, God! Poe! I'm sorry!"

He reached forward and cupped her face in his hands. "It's okay," he told her softly. "I get it. I should have told you then, been more clear about how I wanted to stay in your life, admitted my love. But I was scared, too. I'm still scared." He took a deep breath. "A baby. Our baby. That's a big deal."

"Yeah, it is," she whispered.

"Let me love you, Rey. Let me help you take care of this child. Request that internship in Jackson and let's build something amazing together there."

"They might not want me," she said. "Large animal practice is hard work and can be dangerous."

"So, ask if they'll take you just for the small animal side to start. You can move into the large animal side after the baby is born. Legally they shouldn't be able to say 'no' just because you're pregnant." He paused. "Please, Rey. I want you and this baby in my life, but I don't want you to put away your own dreams for either of us."

"What about you?" she asked suddenly. "What about your career? If I'm in Jackson and you're in Los Angeles-"

He cut her off. "I started my production company. Wind River Media. I can do almost all my work for it from Jackson. As for my acting, I can take a break for a while. I have a movie coming out later this year, but now I can pick and choose what I want to do. Make sure it's a project that will allow me to come home or for you to come with me, which ever works best at the time."

"Poe…"

"It's what my dream has been for a long time, even before I met you, Rey. You will only make it that much more perfect."

She stared at him, gently grasping his wrists in her hands. "Tell me I'm not dreaming."

"You're not dreaming, Querida. I love you. And I'll love this little bit of sunshine you're incubating, too."

Rey laughed, then moved in to wrap her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder. He held her tight in turn.

"Te amo," she said softly, her breath warm on his neck. "Is that right?"

He smiled and nodded. "Sì," he responded. "Este corazòn es tuyo," he added.

She pulled back, looking at him questioningly. "I'm gonna have to learn Spanish, aren't I?"

He laughed. "This heart is yours," he translated.

"Right back at ya," Rey said, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Yes," she said, her smile turning soft. "I'll request Jackson. Maybe Finn and Rose will want to come, too."

Poe grinned, his heart beating fast with a combination of joy and excitement for the future. He pulled Rey back toward him, and she met his lips with her own.

As Poe let himself fall into the kiss, he couldn't help but be thankful for the day he fell from the sky… right into this woman's arms.

XXXXXX

Please come back next week for the epilogue!