Rey and Poe have realized their feelings for each other, but their peaceful 'down time' is about to get interrupted.
Rated R for mentions of sex and canon-typical violence
It was hunger that finally forced them away from the Uneti tree just after sunset.
They walked back to the house hand in hand, then slipped inside the front door, giving each other a nervous glance as they did so. The living area was dark, but the light in the kitchen was on, and Kes immediately stepped into the room as the front door slid closed behind them. Though his face was hidden in shadow, Rey could see the satisfied smile on Kes’ face.
“Just in time,” he told them. “I’m almost finished with dinner.”
Rey gave Poe’s hand a squeeze. “Uhm, I should get cleaned up,” she said softly, feeling her face heat. While Poe had managed to do a basic clean-up of his own at the tree, Rey needed more than the corner of a blanket, and she wasn’t going to sit down at Kes Dameron’s table with his son’s sticky seed still on the inside of her thighs.
Poe squeezed back, then let her go as she headed for the hall and the fresher beyond. She could feel the gaze of both men on her as she did so, and couldn’t help but wonder what their discussion would be like while she was out of the room.
As Rey completed a basic clean up, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was an absolute mess, her eyes were bright, her cheeks still red, and there was even more redness on her jaw and neck. Beard burn, she thought with a small smile. She quickly pulled back her hair into a simple bun, splashed some water on her face, then headed back toward the kitchen.
Poe was sitting at the table, his face looking a bit flushed, and Kes was dipping a large ladle into a pot full of what looked like stew. It smelled amazing. She glanced at Poe once more as she sat across from him, realizing his hair was pretty dang messy, too. Her fault. The memory of how it came to be that way, with his head tucked between her thighs and his tongue doing the most magical things to her, made her face heat once more. The corner of Poe’s mouth curled up a bit, as if he knew what she was thinking.
Kes put a full bowl in front of her, then gave one to Poe before sitting down with his own. For a long while, they ate quietly, which was odd, as usually there was plenty of discussion going on during meals around here.
The stew tasted as good as it smelled, but her hunger couldn’t outweigh the silence. Finally, she had to break it. “If you keep feeding me like this, Kes,” she said with a smile. “I’m liable to get fat.”
Poe snorted a laugh and Kes just smiled at her. “I highly doubt that,” he told her. “You’re too skinny as it is.”
Poe was nodding. “You could stand to gain several kilos, Rey,” he remarked. He looked at his father. “She eats everything put in front of her,” he told Kes. “But she works harder than she eats, so she burns it all off.”
Kes nodded. “I believe it.” There was more silence as they continued eating, but then Kes was the one to break it next. “So, did you two finally have that serious talk?”
Rey swallowed what was in her mouth and looked down at her bowl. She wanted to look at Poe, but was scared to. When Poe didn’t answer the question, she looked up at Kes. “Yes,” she told him. “We talked.” She didn’t say how much.
Kes grunted. “Not enough, if Poe is still wearing that ring.”
“Papa!” Poe’s voice was sharp.
Rey looked at him, surprised and confused. He was glaring at his father. Rey focused on Kes. “The ring?” she asked. She looked back at Poe. “Wasn’t that your mother’s?”
“Yeah,” Poe answered her, but he was still staring at Kes. “It was.”
Kes was looking back at his son, his eyebrows high, and Rey could tell there was some silent communication going on between the two men.
Rey couldn’t help pushing. “Why would Poe not be wearing it anymore? He never takes it off.” In fact, it was the only thing he hadn’t taken off during their excursions at the tree.
Kes blinked, then looked at her, a sad smile on his face. “Never mind. Nothing to worry about.” He continued eating.
Rey looked at Poe, who had also started eating again, his expression relieved.
Any more talk consisted of basic stuff, and after they were done Rey volunteered to help Kes with the clean-up while Poe went out to shut the power down in the outbuildings. Rey watched him leave, confusion and uneasiness filling her, but when she realized Kes was watching her she gave him a smile and continued drying the dishes.
“Is everything okay, Rey?” Kes asked softly.
She nodded. “I’m just tired.”
Less than an hour later she was showered and dressed in the camisole and shorts she wore to bed, sitting at the window and looking out at Yavin as it sat just above the treetops. Her door chimed, and she got up to open it. Poe, dressed in the loose tunic and pants he slept in, was standing on the other side.
She smiled. “Hi,” she said softly.
He smiled back. “Hi.” He paused. “I-“
Rey interrupted him. “What’s the deal with your mother’s ring?”
Poe looked startled, then a bit embarrassed. He shrugged. “I wear it with the belief that I will give it to the person I want to spend the rest of my life with someday,” he told her in a rush.
“Oh!” Rey breathed. “And your father thought you would give it to me?”
Poe took a deep breath, then looked away, frowning.
“It’s too soon,” she whispered. “I mean, we just… we just started this… thing… today.”
Poe looked at her, relief in his expression. “Exactly,” he nodded. “We’ve gotta, you know, do more… research… before we worry about any kind of commitment.”
Rey nodded, then giggled. “Research, huh?”
Poe shrugged.
She licked her lips. “You want to come in and we can do some more research?”
Poe gave a soft laugh. “Rey, aren’t you sore? I’m sore!”
It was Rey’s turn to shrug. “A little,” she conceded.
“I tell you what, let’s put research on hold for a bit, huh?”
Rey felt another jab of uneasiness go through her. “Uhm… okay,” she said, backing away a step. Her mind went back to a conversation she had with Kaydell a few months earlier. One of the newer pilots, Lore, had been courting Kay, wooing her by giving her gifts and non-stop compliments. Finally, Kay had given in and spent the night with the man. The next day, Lore had practically ignored Kaydell. No more tokens. No more sweet-talk. Kaydell had been practical about it, so it seemed. “He got what he wanted,” she had said with a shrug, but Rey had seen the hurt in the woman’s eyes.
Rey looked at Poe now, standing there with his beautiful brown eyes watching her earnestly. Was this going to be like that, she wondered? Had Poe really only wanted sex with her? Had he been so jealous by the idea that Dar might have gotten her first that he had sweet-talked her into it right away? Was he done with her now?
Poe must have read her expression, because he reached for her, grasping her arm lightly. “Hey,” he said softly, his eyes holding a hint of worry now. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to stay here with you tonight.”
Rey frowned. “You mean… to just sleep?”
A beautiful smile appeared on his face. “Yeah. To just sleep.” He tilted his head at her. “Is that okay?”
Rey gave him a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I’ve never actually slept with anyone before.”
“Well, let’s find out,” he told her.
She stepped aside to let him in the room and they both made their way to the tiny bed Rey loved so much. As she pushed aside the covers, she looked at him. “Yours is probably bigger," she told him.
"I think this one’s just right,” he said softly.
Rey huffed a laugh, then climbed into the bed. Poe climbed in after her. “Face away from me,” he told her. She did so, and as he curled up behind her, she waved her hand toward the light switch, using the Force to turn it off. “That’s handy,” Poe mumbled as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Rey giggled again.
They lay silent for a moment, as Rey felt her body seem to mold itself back into his. “Is this okay?” Poe whispered, and she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck.
“Yeah,” she breathed. “It’s perfect.”
******
The next three days were as perfect as any vacation could ever be.
Poe’s decree that they put sex ‘on hold a bit’ only lasted until the next night, when he once more arrived at her bedroom door after dinner. This time there was no question that he wasn’t just there to sleep. When Rey once more complained that the bed was too small for the both of them, he replied, “Yes, but this room is also farthest away from Kes’ bedroom!”
They made sure to get out of the house during the day, taking long hikes through the jungle, doing whatever chores needed to be done around the farm, and talking. They talked about their childhood, about their adolescence, about their favorite meals and their favorite hobbies. For Rey, most of the latter two were things she was just discovering, not having much of either on Jakku. Poe showed her his favorite swimming hole, only to find out Rey really didn’t know much about swimming. While he taught her, he also talked about the Anglers that sat on the rocky shore and how to avoid the Armored eels that hunted crabs (they were too small to be dangerous, but their bites hurt!) and of course he complained about the woolamanders that screamed at them from the treetops. Despite his grumbling, Poe admitted he was still fond of them, if only because they were part of his home.
Then there was the sex.
Poe had never felt this insatiable in his life. It didn’t matter what they were doing or where they were, as long as they were alone, one meaningful glance was all it took before they were pawing at each other’s clothing, either removing only what was necessary or when they felt they had time, stripping down completely. Poe had believed that the more they made love, the less powerful that electric feeling between them would be, but he was wrong. If anything, it seemed to get more intense every time they came together. It was as frightening as it was thrilling. He couldn’t get enough of her and she seemed to be facing the same dilemma.
Three days after their first encounter under the tree, they made their way into the village for the first time since the night of the dance.
Poe found he was both nervous and excited about being seen in public as a couple. He really wanted to show off to whoever cared (especially Dar, he had to admit) that he and Rey were now together, but he was also a bit worried that this fantasy come to life would fall apart when exposed to ‘reality.’ Of course, it didn’t. Rey kept hold of his hand as they walked down the boardwalk, heading for Poe’s favorite diner, The Lotus, and she showed no inclination to let it go.
When they walked into the café, Poe was surprised to find it quite busy. The owner was another familiar face from his youth, and one of the few successful non-human business owners in the village. Zomnei Trabil was a Duros who had come to Yavin IV with her father over fifty years previously. They had lived in the jungle not far from the Grand Temple when the Rebellion had moved in, and both she and her father had helped the new residents become accustomed to the flora and fauna of the planet. When Wetyin’s Colony had formed after the war, they had both moved into the village and opened The Lotus as the first public eating establishment. Her father had passed a few years later, while Poe was still in his teens, but Zomnei had kept the diner going. It was still Poe’s favorite place to eat outside of his father’s kitchen.
After they were seated at one of the few available tables and given menus, Poe saw Saramia and a man he didn’t know enter. Saramia saw him and waved, then motioned toward her companion, her eyebrows raised in question. Poe looked at Rey, a bit worried about her reaction, but Rey, who had been following the silent conversation, just nodded an affirmative. Saramia and the man, a tall, skinny blonde with a crew-cut, made their way over to the table.
As they sat down, Saramia smiled at both Poe and Rey. “It’s crazy in here today,” she said. She acknowledged her companion, who was eyeing both Poe and Rey with a serious expression. Poe realized he recognized the man from Clint’s the night he met up with Saramia and her friends; he had not been a part of their group, however. “This is Lun Hilt,” Saramia said. “He’s a local pilot that has agreed to fly me to Ryloth tomorrow.” Poe knew the First Order had a large presence on Ryloth right now, but no one knew why. Apparently, Saramia wanted to find out. “This is my old friend Poe and his friend Rey.”
Poe nodded at the man politely, but then felt Rey squeeze his thigh under the table. He looked at her, noticing that while her expression seemed pleasant, there was a definite coolness to her gaze as she looked at the pilot. Rey didn’t trust him, and Poe trusted her instincts. He turned to Saramia, who was watching both Rey and Poe with narrowed eyes.
“You needed a pilot and didn’t ask me?” His tone was teasing, though he felt more than a little anxiety thanks to Rey’s distrust.
“You’re on vacation, Poe,” Saramia said with another smile. “One that is doing you wonders, from the looks of it.” She looked at Rey, her smile genuine. As if she knew that Rey and Poe were now much more than friends. Hell, if Kes had come to town any time in the last couple of days, everyone probably knew.
The four of them ordered and ate their meals while chatting about nothing in particular. Hilt was silent for the most part, only really speaking when he was asked something directly. Rey never seemed to take her eyes off of him, though she kept up with the conversation going around the table. As soon as they were done eating, Hilt excused himself, telling them he would pay the bill for the table on his way out and he would see Saramia the next day at the public landing field.
“Be careful with him, Saramia,” Rey said softly as the man left. “There’s something ‘off’ about him.”
Saramia nodded. “I could tell you were watching him awfully close. I’ll check into him a bit more before tomorrow.”
Rey seemed relieved by her response. The three of them stood and left the café, with Saramia turning to face them as Rey once more grasped Poe’s hand in hers. “So, I see you two worked things out,” she said with a smile.
Rey gave Poe a look of surprise. He shrugged. “After we stopped assuming certain things and actually talked, yeah.” He cocked his head. “How did you know we needed to ‘work things out’?”
“Poe, it was pretty obvious thanks to the heart eyes you had whenever you looked at her what you wanted,” she grinned. “And Dar told me Rey wanted the same thing.”
Poe looked at Rey. “Dar knew?”
Rey shrugged. “I had to tell him why I couldn’t stay with him that night.”
Saramia laughed. “Oh, you two were meant for each other.”
Suddenly, Poe’s commlink chirped. He pulled it out, knowing it had to be his father; nobody in the Resistance was close enough to activate it. “Yeah?”
“Poe, you have a message from your boss,” Kes said without preamble. “She needs to talk to the two of you. She wants you to comm her back ASAP.”
Poe glanced at Rey, then Saramia. “We’re on our way.” He nodded to Saramia. “Be careful with Hilt,” he told her. “And we’ll see you later?”
“Unless that was the message that ends your ‘vacation’,” she said, nodding at his commlink. “Then I’ll see you when I see you.”
Rey reached out to Saramia with her free hand, and the dark-skinned woman grabbed it with both of hers. “Thank you, Saramia.”
“Be safe. The both of you.”
Rey and Poe headed for Poe’s speeder at a fast walk, then Poe raced as fast as was safe back to the Dameron homestead. Kes met them at the door, his face somber. “She want us back?” Poe asked as he headed for the comm station.
“Yes,” Kes mumbled.
Poe frowned at him, then at Rey, before sitting down at the station and starting his transmission. Within seconds, Leia’s image appeared before him in a hazy holo.
“Commander,” she said, her expression serious.
“What’s going on, General?” Poe asked as Rey leaned over next to him, her shoulder gently brushing his. “Do you need us back?”
“You need to leave Yavin IV. Immediately.”
“Why?” Rey asked.
“We intercepted a garbled transmission from a First Order dispatch center. We couldn’t hear the full message, but the words we did catch are worrisome.” She took a deep breath. “The words were ‘scavenger,’ ‘Supreme Leader,’ and ‘Yavin’. They know where you are.”
“Hilt,” Rey whispered. “I recognized him from the dance the other night.”
“He was at Clint’s, too,” Poe nodded.
“But we can’t leave,” Rey told Leia.
Poe agreed. “Whoever is coming will find Kes.”
“Bring him with you,” Leia stated.
Poe heard his father snort in the background. “Even if I could convince him,” Poe said, glancing back at the older man, “they would just go after others in the village. You know they would have no qualms about torturing and killing anybody or everybody.”
“So, you’re suggesting that you stay and fight?”
Poe looked at Rey. Her eyes were huge and worried, but he knew exactly what she was thinking. He looked back at Leia. “Yes.”
Leia sighed, then shook her head. “We’re on our way.”
******
As soon as Poe logged off after the communication with Leia, he discussed with both Rey and Kes what needed to be done. He was quite sure the First Order wouldn’t send a large force right away; they would want to be sure of the information first. Rey and Poe determined that they could take care of the person or persons sent, either dispatching them and faking a message back to the First Order that the information was false, or luring them away from Yavin IV before taking care of them so the First Order wouldn’t send in anyone else to the moon. But, in case either plan didn’t work, Poe went into the village to inform the leader of the local militia of what might be coming.
While he was gone, Rey tried burning up her nervous energy by practicing with Luke’s lightsaber. She was so absorbed with her maneuvers that she didn’t hear or see Dar pull up to the house in his speeder.
Rey lunged, then feinted, then twirled the blade around as she let her mind focus on what to do next.
“That is kriffing amazing,” Dar said from a few yards behind her.
She turned, surprised he had essentially snuck up on her, but then reminded herself that she had not only become extremely comfortable here on the Dameron property, feeling protected and sheltered, but that she was lacking sleep; sharing a bed with Poe Dameron wasn’t the best idea when one needed rest.
“Dar,” she said, acknowledging him while she shut down the saber.
“Have you ever actually had to fight anyone with one of those?” he asked, his expression open and curious.
Rey took a deep breath, her thoughts going back to the two times she had actually used this blade in serious, life-threatening situations. “Yes,” she nodded. “I have.”
“And you’re still here,” Dar said with a smile. “So, you must know what you’re doing.”
Rey snorted a laugh. “I’m still not so sure of that.” She walked up to him. “What are you doing here?”
He looked a bit embarrassed. “I wanted to come check on you. I’ve been hearing rumors in the village and I wanted to make sure that if they were true that everything is okay.”
“Rumors?”
“About you and Poe,” Dar continued.
Rey felt her face heat and she looked away from Dar for a moment. Looking back at him, she nodded. “They aren’t rumors. And everything is very okay.”
Dar grinned. “I knew it! He was jealous that night, wasn’t he?”
She smiled back. “And I was jealous of Saramia, so we were both being fools.”
“Well, I’m glad you both worked it out,” Dar continue. “Poe is a very lucky man.”
“That remains to be seen,” Rey said with a roll of her eyes. “Both Poe and I are rather hot-headed, and I somehow doubt being in a relationship with each other is going to mean we see eye-to-eye on everything.”
Dar shrugged. “At least now you know how to make up after a fight.” He winked.
Rey felt her face heat even more as she laughed. The sound of a speeder caught her attention, and they both looked to see Poe pulling up next to Dar’s speeder. Dar looked back at Rey. “Are you two going to be staying much longer?” he asked.
Suddenly reminded about the threat they were under, Rey shrugged nonchalantly. “Probably not. We’ve got work to do.”
Dar nodded, then looked at Poe as the older man walked up to them. His expression was pleasant, but there was a bit of wariness in his eyes as he looked at Dar.
“Hey,” he said as he walked up to Rey, not so casually putting his arm around her.
“Hey,” Dar responded with a smile. “I gotta get back to the Temple, but I guess I should say goodbye in case I don’t see you again before you leave.”
“Goodbye, Dar,” Rey said as she slipped her own arm around Poe’s back. “And thank you.”
He winked at her again. “Don’t be a stranger, Dameron,” he told Poe, then turned back toward his speeder.
As they watched him drive off, Rey rested her head on Poe’s shoulder. “Do you think we should have told him what’s going on?”
Poe shook his head. “We don’t want to start a panic,” he said. “The Yavin patrol authorities agreed with me. They said most families, especially those that live outside the town limits, are still comfortable with weapons, so they’ll be able to defend themselves if a broad alert is announced. But hopefully they won’t need to.”
Rey lifted her head and looked at his furrowed brow. “We can handle it,” she said softly.
Swallowing, Poe nodded sharply. Together, they headed back into the house.
Later that night, after a subdued meal with Kes, they lay naked together in the little bed in the guest room, the sweat from their lovemaking slowly drying as they came down from their Force-laden high. Rey’s head was pillowed on Poe’s shoulder, and he was gently stroking her upper arm. Up. Down. Up. Down.
Rey didn’t think she would be able to sleep, but Poe’s repetitive movement lulled her under. She wasn’t sure how long she slept, however, when she was awakened by a familiar and unwanted presence.
She sat up slowly, glancing down to make sure Poe was still sleeping, then she grabbed his shirt from the foot of the bed, pulling it on before sliding out from under the covers. She was unsurprised to see a man sitting on the other side of the room, his expression dark, his obsidian eyes glowing red, as if lights from a cockpit display were being reflected in them.
Kylo Ren
His gaze met hers. The combined anger and desire that filled them sent a shiver of fear up Rey’s spine, but she didn’t look away.
“I haven’t seen you this clearly since before Crait,” Ren said, his voice low. “What’s changed?”
Rey shrugged, trying for nonchalance. “I was distracted.”
Ren’s eyes raked her up and down. “Sharing someone’s bed, no doubt.”
Rey lifted her chin, but didn’t answer. She knew Poe’s shirt, though larger than her own, still barely covered the essentials.
“You’ve changed,” Ren said softly. “I can feel it. More confident. More mature. You’re not a little girl anymore.”
“I’ve never been a little girl,” Rey growled. “You know that better than anybody.”
He cocked his head. “Where are you?”
Rey smirked. “You really think I’ll tell you that?” She paused. “Where are you?”
“On my way to a place I haven’t been since I was a child,” he said, his voice conversational now. “I was told by someone who is desperately trying to earn my approval that you were there. I didn’t want to believe him, if only because I didn’t want to go back. But this won’t be the first time I’ve gone against my better judgement because of you.”
Rey stayed silent.
“It was one of my parent’s favorite places to visit. A cute little house surrounded by jungle. A koyo orchard. A Uneti tree.”
Rey felt herself tense. She couldn’t help it.
“Is that where you are?” Ren asked, almost purring. He looked behind her. She knew he couldn’t see her surroundings, but she felt herself stand straighter, ready to defend. Ren looked back at her. “Is that whose bed you came from? The pilot? Young Dameron?” He gave her a mocking pout. “Rey, I’m so disappointed. He’s so boring. So weak.”
Rey suddenly felt a surge of energy flow through her, a swelling of the Force. Poe was awake. Almost immediately, the fear and tension she had been fighting disappeared. She smiled at Ren. “You don’t really believe that,” she said, her voice soft but full of venom. “You’ve been in his head. You know just what he’s capable of.” She took a step forward, toward the man of her nightmares. “Just as you know what I’m capable of. Imagine what we can accomplish together.”
“You think he can give you more than I can?”
“I know he can.”
Ren was silent for a while. “I can’t wait to prove you wrong.”
“I can’t wait for you to try.” With that, Rey lifted her hand, pushing with the Force, and Ren disappeared.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to look behind her. Poe was sitting up in the bed, his eyes wide. She saw both fear and awe in his gaze. She knew he hadn’t seen Ren, but that he knew exactly who she had been talking to. Rey licked her lips.
“He’s almost here,” she said. “And I think he’s alone.”
******
Poe felt both terror and excitement roar through him at Rey’s words. He had woken to see her standing, wearing nothing but his shirt, facing the closed door of the bedroom. After determining there was no one and nothing there, he began to listen to what she was saying. It only took him a second to realize what was happening.
She was talking with Ben.
No. Not Ben. Kylo Ren, he forced himself to think. It wasn’t often he thought of the man who now carried the title of Supreme Leader of the First Order as anything but Kylo Ren anymore, but he had thought of Ben Solo more than once in the last few days. Maybe it was because he was back here on Yavin IV, the planet where he had met and befriended the younger boy. Or maybe it was simply because he had become so relaxed and carefree during this forced vacation. But he had to stop.
Ben Solo, his former friend and the son of his mentor, was dead.
When Rey turned to him and told him Ren was almost here, his conflicting feelings almost overwhelmed him. If Ren was alone, there was a much better chance the both of them could defeat him, that Yavin IV and her people wouldn’t even have to know they had almost been targeted by the First Order. But the trauma of his past experience with Kylo Ren also rose its ugly head, and an uncontrollable feeling of dread surrounded him. The agony. The helplessness. The nightmares that followed. The anger and distrust that still remained.
He swallowed and nodded, slipping from the bed and grabbing his trousers. “If he’s alone, we can handle him.”
Rey scoffed, shaking her head. “Poe, no. You’re not going near him.”
Poe looked up from fastening his pants. “Excuse me?”
“You know what he’s capable of,” she continued, her expression strained. “And he hates you. He’ll kill you, but not before he makes you suffer again.”
Poe felt a chill slink up his spine, but instead of cowering, it made him stand straighter. “I do know what he’s capable of,” he told her. “And that’s why I’m not leaving you to face him alone.”
Again, Rey shook her head. “You can’t beat him,” she argued. “He’s too powerful. At least I have a fighting chance.” She furrowed her brow. “He still wants to turn me more than kill me. I can use that to my advantage.”
Poe stepped toward her, anger overcoming any fear and anxiety now. “I may not be a Jedi, but I still have some advantages over him, especially here on Yavin.”
She looked at him, her eyes suddenly wide and scared. “He remembers this place from his childhood,” she told him, her voice rough. “His emotions may make him more vulnerable, but they may also make him more dangerous.” She cocked her head. “How well did you know him when you were children?”
Suddenly feeling deflated by her question, he moved to sit on the bed. “He was younger than me,” he told her. “The handful of times Han and Leia visited, he would follow me around like a puppy. The last time I saw him he was about ten or eleven. We talked about ships and flying, mostly.” He sighed. “He loved the tree.” He brought up his hands and rubbed them over his face vigorously, then looked at Rey again. “Leia said he idolized me. That he wished he could stay here on Yavin and not train to be a Jedi.” He laughed harshly. “I wish to hell he had stayed. He might never have turned into the monster he is now.”
Rey walked over to him and sat down beside him, her body warm against his side. “He hates you, now,” she said softly. “You’ve defeated him one too many times. You survived your capture. You freed Finn. You destroyed Starkiller. You’re Leia’s right hand.” She looked at him. “And now he knows you share my bed.” She was silent for a while. “He won’t hesitate to destroy you.”
“Rey…”
“You need to take Kes and stay in the village. Prepare for others to come if I fail. Hopefully, if he kills me, he’ll just leave you be.”
Poe stood quickly, stepping forward and turning to face her. “Fuck, no!” he practically shouted. “I’ll send papa, but I’m not leaving you!”
“Poe.” Her voice was soft and her eyes filled with tears.
He lifted a finger, silencing her. “No!” he said forcefully, breathing hard. “I’m not leaving you!” He turned away from her, his mind racing. “There’s got to be something I can do, indirectly, to help you. To give you an advantage.” An idea began to take form. He turned back to her. She was watching him, an expression of awe on her face. “I think I have a plan.”
Rey stood and walked toward him, giving him a watery smile. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”
He scoffed. “I’ve always known that. Are you just figuring it out now?”
She laughed, then moved into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, squeezing her tight.
“I’m not losing you,” he whispered. “Especially not to him.”
Rey pulled back, wiping the tears on her face with one hand. “What’s your plan?”
“Let’s get Kes out of here,” he told her. “Then I need your help with the farm droids.”
Rey cocked her head, her eyes curious and hopeful.
“But first.” Poe grasped the chain around his neck and pulled it up and over his head. He looked at her intently.
Her eyes went wide once more, her mouth dropping open in astonishment as she looked at the ring, then back up at him.
Slowly, deliberately, he placed the chain over her head, letting it settle around her neck. Licking his lips, he took the ring in his fingers and tucked it down beneath his shirt, so it rested against her skin. He met her eyes with his own once more, then he leaned in. She met him halfway, her lips on his in a flash, her arms around his neck once more.
Poe took his time kissing her, feeling the now familiar power coming from the Force fill him as their passion grew. He knew there was no time for more than this, but for now this would have to be enough. Slowly, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
******
Less than thirty minutes later, Rey realized where Poe got his stubbornness from.
Kes argued with his son until he was red in the face, but finally he began to see reason. Poe helped him pack up important holos and data chips, then gave him an emergency commlink that would allow Poe to alert his father immediately that trouble was coming with one push. Kes could notify the authorities, and they in turn could send out a community wide alert. Once he was ready to go, Kes grabbed up his son in a long, hard hug.
When he finally let go, he turned toward Rey. He walked over to her and cupped her face in his work-calloused hands. “Take care of my son,” he said softly. Tears already in her eyes after watching their hug, Rey nodded. “And take care of yourself, Filla.”
“I will, Papa,” she whispered.
Kes kissed her softly on the forehead, then he released her and turned toward his speeder. He didn’t look back as he got in and drove away.
Rey and Poe stood watching as he disappeared into the dark jungle. Yavin stood high in the sky to the west, its color a brilliant red as the sun began its slow rise in the east. Finally, without saying a word, they turned and headed toward the maintenance shed on the edge of the orchard. It only took a few minutes for Poe to explain his plan to Rey and for the two of them to organize it. Once everything was ready, Poe asked, “Where do we wait?”
“The tree,” Rey said confidently. “He’ll be drawn to it, so we might as well start this thing there.” She gave Poe a worried look. “I’ll do my best to keep him from harming this one.”
Poe shrugged. “Papa has cuttings of it in the temple,” he told her. “Just in case you can’t.”
They hiked the short distance to the Uneti tree, the light growing as dawn neared. Once there, Rey turned to face him. She opened her mouth to make him promise once more to stay away from Ren when she felt it. The presence behind her was subtle, as if it was trying to hide itself, but she recognized it all the same. She looked at Poe and his brow furrowed as he read her expression. He nodded ever so slightly.
“You need to go, now,” she said, louder than she would normally speak to him, but not so loud as to be obvious.
“Rey, I don’t want to leave you,” Poe argued.
“Please, Poe. I can’t do this if I’m worried about you.”
Poe sighed, closed his eyes, and shook his head. He opened his eyes and grasped her shoulders. Looking deep in her eyes, he spoke in a much quieter voice. “I love you.”
That wasn’t a part of the script. Rey felt tears well up in her eyes again. Damn him. “I love you, too,” she whispered.
He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead just as his father had done, squeezing her shoulders slightly. Then he let her go and backed away.
“Go.” Rey’s voice was demanding.
He turned and walked swiftly from the clearing, heading back toward the house.
For a long moment, the only thing Rey could focus on was the sound of her pounding heart. Even the raucous sounds of the jungle around her couldn’t catch her attention.
“How touching.”
The deep mechanical voice behind her was sarcastic and sharp.
Rey turned to face Ren, who was once more ensconced inside his helmet, which looked to have been damaged since she last saw it. “Hiding again?” she asked, her own sarcasm shining through the pain. “I thought we were past that.”
There was a pause, then Ren reached up and removed the helmet. The scar Rey had given him on Starkiller was stark against his pale cheek, his eyes dark and enigmatic.
He looked past her to where Poe had disappeared. “I’ll find him, you know,” he said conversationally. “After I’m through with you.”
Her heart started racing again, but she controlled her breathing, keeping her panic in check. He was taunting her to get a rise out of her. He wanted her angry. She would be easier to pull to the Dark Side that way. She could give as good as she got.
“Your mother’s on the way,” she told him. His expression changed, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes. “Aren’t you happy to hear that?” she continued. “Don’t you want to show her how you completely destroyed everything she loves? Her husband, her friends, Poe, me.” She paused. “Her son.”
His expression was troubled for a moment, but then it hardened. “She means nothing to me.”
“Liar.”
With her comment, he dropped his helmet and pulled his lightsaber off of his belt. He activated it just as Rey reached for Luke’s saber. The blue of her blade was a startling contrast to the red of his. It was not the first time these blades had met, she thought. Pray to the Force it would be the last.
Unlike their first duel on Starkiller, Rey let Ren make the first move. He lunged forward, his anger palpable, but his move was controlled. Rey countered it easily, but she allowed herself to fall back. Toward the orchard. They continued like this for a while, Rey making sure she wasn’t too quick. Too strong. She wanted him to think she was weaker than she was. But despite the fact that she was holding him off with minimal effort, she could tell he wasn’t using his full abilities, either. He was toying with her, and enjoying it.
Rey pretended to get panicked, making herself breathe hard and move more slowly. The smug look on Ren’s face intensified. Finally, with a roar of frustration, she turned and ran. Ren followed.
Rey dived through the short stretch of jungle until she reached the koyo orchard. She counted trees until she reached the seventh in the row, then she turned to face Ren once more. His expression was angry, now, and his reaction to her supposed fear was violent. He attacked her with much more force this time, and she felt the strength in his blow tremor through her whole body as she blocked it. She began backing away from him again, barely countering his onslaught. Real fear began to seep into her consciousness. Damn him, she thought. She may have gotten stronger since their last encounter, but he was still stronger than her.
He swung hard and she countered with a backhanded parry, but she felt her balance fail her and she fell backwards. Instead of letting panic overwhelm her, she let herself move on with Poe’s plan.
“Conceal!” she shouted.
At her command, a half-dozen droids appeared from behind the trees on either side of Rey. Kes’ barely used farm droids, finally being put to good use. As one, they began to emit a smokescreen. Rey scrambled up, just as Ren was about to strike downward. She scurried backwards, out of the smoke, dousing her blade and moving out of Ren’s line of sight. She brought up her hand toward one of the trees, grabbing a couple dozen koyo with the Force, and sent them toward Ren with violence. She saw his red blade swing as he tried to fend off whatever was hitting him.
As her adversary once more moved toward her, she reignited her blade and moved forward to strike him, but before she could reach him a blaster bolt came from up above them, hitting the ground near Ren’s feet. His forward motion stopped as he focused on this new threat, but then a wave of coldness enveloped her as Ren pushed forward with the Force. As if she was being hit with a wall of darkness, Rey felt the power that exuded from Ren.
It was too strong, she thought. Even distracting him wasn’t working. It was just making him angrier. Rey glanced up toward the tree the blaster bolts had come from, annoyed with the man who had fired them. That had not been a part of the plan, either; he wasn’t supposed to be near here. But Poe was watching Ren as the tall man strode through the smoke, his eyes blazing red.
Suddenly, Ren stopped, his gaze dropping down to Rey’s chest. Rey glanced down, realizing that Poe’s ring had slipped out from under her tunic. The absolute rage on Ren’s face sent a chill up her spine. She grabbed the ring, instinctively protective of it, and glanced back up at the man who had given it to her. He was watching her now, fear and worry adorning his face.
A warmth began to flow through her, starting from her chest and working its way outward. Without warning, the darkness that had surrounded Rey disappeared, and her skin began to tingle with electricity. The same way it did when she and Poe made love. Rey concentrated and began to pull that power in toward her, feeling it fill her. Strengthen her.
She watched as Ren looked up at Poe, then he lifted his hand as if to sweep his old friend from the branches.
“No!” Rey said firmly, bringing her own hand up, using the Force to block Ren’s action. Ren turned to face her, shock evident on his face. Confusion filled his eyes for a moment, but then he let the anger take over once more and he raised his blade, stepping toward her. Rey met him, her confidence in this newfound strength, power that had somehow increased because of her connection to Poe, supporting her. Their blades collided once more, but this time Rey did not give way.
The speed of the strikes increased as they each tried to best each other, the blades moving so fast they became a blur. Ren took a step back. Then another. Rey continued to push. The smoke was clearing now, the sun was starting to shine through the trees, and the light Rey felt flowing through her only increased. Rey advanced without warning, bringing her blade up and around into his, using her momentum to bring both blades down toward the ground. Then she brought hers back up.
Ren screamed as his right hand was severed from his arm. The red blade extinguished as it fell to the ground. Ren stumbled backwards, his left arm gripping his right to his chest, his eyes wide as he stared at Rey, panting. “Impossible,” he huffed. He looked up at Poe, who was watching with an expression of awe. Ren looked back at Rey. “He’s not a Jedi.” Ren knew exactly where Rey was getting her extra power from.
Rey stepped back, trying to control her own breathing. "No,” she said softly. “But he still has what you gave up long ago. Empathy, hope,” she paused, looking up at the man she had willingly given her heart to. “Love.”
Ren’s face turned hard and expressionless. His left hand shot out toward her, and Rey once more felt a wave of darkness hit her, reminiscent of the time not so long ago when this man had invaded her mind. She pushed back as hard as she could, but his attack was too swift and powerful. The agony that enveloped her head made her stumble back.
“Rey!” Poe shouted, knowing exactly what was happening, as he had experienced it himself.
His cry pushed her to action. She rushed forward, blade ahead of her, and impaled Ren through the abdomen.
The pain ceased as Kylo Ren collapsed.
******
Poe watched as Ren collapsed, his heart racing, his body tingling with the awareness of the Force flowing around him. He immediately started climbing down the tree he was perched in, his eyes on Rey as she stumbled back away from Ren, extinguishing her lightsaber.
The roar of engines caught his attention as his feet hit the ground and he looked up to see two shuttlecraft flying low overhead, heading toward the clearing around the Dameron house. A brief moment of panic hit him, thinking the First Order had sent troops to follow Ren, but then he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized they were Resistance shuttles. He turned toward Rey, who had dropped to her knees next to Ren’s prone body.
As he got closer, he realized Ren was still alive. He was panting and his dark eyes were still open, blinking rapidly. They focused on Poe for a moment, then he looked at Rey. Poe took note of the fallen lightsaber. Though Ren appeared to be immobile, Poe didn’t trust him and grabbed up the weapon. As he stood straight, he saw a group of people heading toward them from the direction of the house, Leia leading the way.
As she surveyed the scene before her, she rushed forward, dropping to her knees next to her son, opposite Rey. She took the man’s left hand in her own. Ren focused on her.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“I know,” Leia whispered back. “I know.” She reached up to stroke her son’s hair off of his forehead.
Ren closed his eyes, took one last deep breath, then stilled.
Poe could swear he felt the man’s death through the Force. Maybe he was just feeling it through Rey, he thought. Maybe they were still connected, as they had been during the last part of the fight.
Rey looked up at him, then she looked back at Leia before standing and turning away. She gently grasped Poe’s hand and pulled him along with her, giving Leia her time alone with her fallen son. Finn separated himself from the group that Leia had arrived with, rushing toward Rey. He hugged her tight, then he stepped back and turned to Poe.
“Are you both okay?” he asked.
Poe nodded as Finn moved in to embrace him. Poe was still holding Rey’s hand and he didn’t want to let go, so he gave his friend a strong one-armed hug in return.
Exhausted, Poe glanced back toward his General. He looked at Finn and the others. “We’ve got work to do,” he said, giving Rey’s hand a squeeze before letting her go. “What’s the status on the First Order?” he asked.
Kaydell stepped forward. “Donni was checking when we landed,” she said. “I’ll find out.” She stepped away with her commlink to her mouth.
Poe grabbed up his own commlink and contacted his father, letting him know it was okay to come back to the house, just before Kaydell assured him that Yavin IV was most likely safe; they were already intercepting panicked sounding comms from First Order officers asking where the Supreme Leader was; this indicated Ren had not told anyone where he was going.
It was almost an hour before Leia left her son’s side. She requested a funeral pyre and one was quickly built on the far side of the orchard. At noon Kylo Ren… no… Ben Solo’s body was cremated while his mother and her current family looked on.
Shortly afterwards, Kes arrived back at the farm with an interesting addition to the drama of the day. He had spent the morning at The Lotus, and while there both Saramia and her newly hired pilot Lun Hilt had walked in. Kes had seen the man around in recent weeks, but did not know him well. He did, however, recall Rey and Poe talking about him, wondering if he was a First Order spy. Hilt had seemed very surprised to see Kes and had acted very nervous, constantly shooting glances at him. When Poe commed him, letting him know it was safe to come back, Hilt had seemed to react to Kes’ smile. He had gotten up and moved to a corner, talking madly into his own commlink, then after shooting another terrified glance toward Kes, had left in a hurry.
“Sorry, Saramia,” Kes had told the woman before he, too, left. “I think you’re going to have to find another pilot.”
“After what Rey told me yesterday, I wasn’t keen on him anyway,” she had shrugged.
Hilt was never seen again.
That evening, with Yavin low on the horizon, Poe helped Kes make a modest meal to feed the few members of the Resistance that had remained behind with Leia after she sent the rest back to Ajan Kloss on one of the two shuttles. While it was far from a celebration, it wasn’t a somber affair, either, as they ate outside surrounding the firepit. After the meal, Kes and Poe shared memories of a young Ben and his parents from the time they used to visit the Damerons years ago. Even Leia laughed several times, adding little bits to some of the stories. The name Kylo Ren was never mentioned.
Late in the evening, knowing his general was as exhausted as he was, Poe suggested she stay the night in the house rather than head back to the shuttle with the others. He offered her his bed.
“Oh, I couldn’t take your bed, Poe,” she argued. “You look as drained as I feel.”
“No worries there,” Kes told her. “Poe hasn’t been sleeping in his bed these last several nights.”
With eyebrows raised high, the older woman looked at Poe, then at Rey, who had her eyes cast downward and was biting her lower lip. Though Poe knew she still wore his ring, she had once more tucked it under her tunic.
“Well, in that case…” Leia stood. “Kes?”
Kes also stood, a smile on his face. He moved next to Leia and proffered his arm. With a smile of her own, she took it, and the two started walking toward the house. Leia leaned against his father, and he in turn tilted his head toward her.
Poe watched them until they disappeared inside, then he looked at Rey, his eyebrows raised high.
She huffed a laugh, then stood. “Shall we?”
“Hey?” Finn grumbled. “Is there something I should know about?”
Poe stood and walked up to Rey, looking at Finn. “Yeah, actually. The guest bed isn’t big enough for three.” He winked at his friend as Rey laughed merrily.
“We’ll see you in the morning, Finn,” Rey said as she took Poe’s arm. He led her toward the house, smiling as he heard Finn grumbling good-naturedly behind them. Rose giggled and when Poe glanced back, the spritely technician was leading Finn toward the shuttle.
He looked over at Rey, who already had her eyes closed even as she walked along. He knew how she felt.
Tomorrow, a new day would begin, and new plans would be made on where the Resistance would go from here. With Ren gone, the First Order would be in chaos, but that didn’t mean defeating them would be easy. With no Force user at the helm, the Resistance’s chance of victory had increased, however, and Poe was anxious to get started.
But tonight, there was time for rest. Time to heal. Time to recover.
One more night for Poe to sleep in peace with the woman he loved in his arms.
As they curled up together in the little bed in the guest room, Rey’s head pillowed on Poe’s shoulder, she whispered, “Thank you.”
“For what?” Poe asked, confused.
“If you hadn’t been there this morning, Ren would have killed me,” she told him softly. “So, I guess it is sometimes a good thing that you don’t always do as I ask.”
Poe chuckled. “I’ll try not to make a habit of it.”
“Good,” Rey said, and he could hear the smile in her voice.
Poe took a deep breath, then asked the question that had been playing in his mind since the battle this morning. “This connection we have, this bond,” he started. “Is it because we had sex?”
Rey was silent for a moment, and Poe wondered briefly if she had fallen asleep. Then she tilted her head to look up at him. “I’m still not sure I understand the how or the why,” she said. “But I do know it’s not because we had sex.” She paused. “It’s emotional, not physical. The sex just heightened it, I think. But what we shared this morning, the extra power your Force essence gave me, that wasn’t because we had sex.”
“So, what you’re saying is..?”
Rey smiled, then pulled the chain with the ring out from under her tunic. “I’m saying I love you, Poe Dameron. I have for a while. The first time we made love under the tree only confirmed it.”
“I love you, Rey,” he told her, his eyes welling with tears. “You’ve given me more reason than ever to win this war. And to survive it.”
Rey nodded. “We will,” she said as she laid her head back down on his shoulder. “We will.”
******
Two Years Later
Yavin IV
Poe brought his X-Wing in low, passing over the Temple, as he headed for the landing pad on the far side. He saw the group of people near the entrance and he smiled. The new Alliance to Restore the Republic Museum had officially opened its doors just over a standard month ago and was still bringing in large numbers of tourists to Yavin IV. A nice new resort had been built between the village and the Temple, and it was also doing well, though most of the visitors to the museum were shuttled in from Botajef. While those who lived on Yavin IV appreciated the influx of tourists (and their money), they didn’t particularly want all of them to hang around too long.
He saw several of the people wave at him as he passed over. Though his brand-new T-85 was an updated version of the T-65s that had been used by the Rebellion, it was still recognizable by the people below. Luke Skywalker’s T-65, which Poe had helped Rey recover from the ocean on Ach-To a few months back, was now on display in the museum. He brought his ship down to the landing pad, settling it next to the mixed group of snub fighters that made up Yavin IV’s Civilian Defense Force.
As he and BB-8 got out of the fighter, he noticed the small group of children on one of the balconies of the Temple. Though they weren’t watching him as the tourists had been, seeing them still made him smile, because he knew why they were there and not in the classroom inside. It had just rained, and Rey loved to take her students outside after a good rain.
The first month after Kylo Ren’s death here on Yavin IV had been… interesting. As predicted, the First Order had been in chaos, with several different Generals and Admirals competing for the top spot now that their Supreme Leader was MIA. After about three weeks, things settled when Armitage Hux took full command, but it didn’t last long, as he was assassinated by one of his own trusted advisors after less than a month.
When Leia encouraged the ‘rumor’ that the Jedi Rey had killed Ren, more and more people began to support the Resistance. Surviving senators from the New Republic came out of hiding to offer their loyalty to the Resistance and inspired their native worlds to do the same. Combined with the utter confusion within the First Order, it didn’t take long for the Resistance to tear the fascist organization apart at the seams. Within six months, a new government was being organized on Chandrilla, but instead of declaring themselves another New Republic, they took on the name United Planetary Alliance.
Leia was, of course, offered the position of Provisional Chancellor, with the belief that once elections were held, the post would become official. She declined, telling them she was retired. Others in the Resistance were also offered high ranking positions in the new government, but very few accepted. Finn was one of the exceptions, taking charge of the new department to help defectors from the First Order, especially the indoctrinated stormtroopers. It was only a temporary position, and he was okay with that. Rose went with him.
It was no surprise to anyone (except maybe him) when Poe was asked to lead the new Navy. Like Leia, he declined. Instead, he went home, back to Yavin IV, where he became a member of the Civilian Defense Force (like his mother before him), built a little house of his own on his father’s property, on the far side of the Uneti tree, and began offering private flying lessons.
Rey was courted immediately by the UPA to become their ‘official’ Jedi, but she told them she planned to keep her distance from any government entity for the time being. She decided to seek out and train a small number of Force sensitive children with the hope that the Jedi would return some day, but was not ready to start any official ‘school.’ Both she and Leia both found themselves on Yavin IV. It was no surprise to anyone when Rey moved in with Poe. The General’s choice of residence was a bit more of a shock.
Leia moved in with Kes.
About four months later, in a small ceremony with very little fanfare, Poe and Rey were married, and Shara Bey’s ring, which Rey had worn around her neck since the day Poe put it there, was moved to her finger.
After Poe locked up his fighter, he and BB-8 made their way to the control center, which was located in a branch of the Temple. He checked in with the controller on duty, Corrie Naughtstrum, Dar’s little sister, then he and his droid headed home. It was early afternoon, and he had no more responsibilities for the day. Once home, he changed out of his flight suit into a pair of lose pants and a tank top, grabbed up a cold bottle of Oo’ta Goo’ta and some moss chips, pocketed his data pad, and made his way out to the hammock. Though he still led an active lifestyle, gone were the stress and strife and almost constant fear from the past few years. His semi-retirement had also helped ease the mental trauma Kylo Ren and the war had given him. His nightmares were few and far between, his anxiety levels had reduced significantly, and he was no longer always feeling as if he was on the edge of a precipice about ready to fall off. Of course, a lot of his healing wasn’t just because the war was over, but because of his increasing connection to the Force. Though he would never be able to manipulate it like Rey, he was always aware of its presence now, and the comfort and restorative feelings he received from it were a gift he would never take for granted.
After about an hour or so of reading, Poe inevitably fell asleep, the familiar and comforting sounds of the jungle around him soothing him into a lethargy he didn’t bother to fight. He wasn’t asleep for long, however, when another person carefully situated themselves onto the hammock with him. Without opening his eyes, he turned onto his side so his other half could situate herself as the little spoon to his big spoon. They usually took turns being the big spoon, but at the moment Rey couldn’t physically do it. At least not with any comfort.
Poe opened his eyes to see that his wife had also changed clothing upon arriving home and was now wearing one of her favored colorful gauzy dresses, this one a bright fuscia. He wrapped his arm around her waist, settling his hand on her swollen belly. Almost immediately, the tiny being residing there moved hard enough for Poe to feel him. Or her. Rey wanted it to be a surprise.
“How was your day?” he asked softly as he gently rubbed the spot where he had felt his child move.
“Long,” she answered, her voice tired but content. “Both Kell and Carigan have figured out how easy it is to sneak food off of other people’s plates by using the Force.” She huffed a laugh. “I never thought I’d have to give a lesson on why stealing is wrong.”
Poe chuckled. “Just don’t tell them the story of how we got those lightsabers on display in the museum,” he said with a smile.
“Oh, no!” she breathed. “Absolutely not!” She snuggled back into him. “And Dar better keep his mouth shut, too.”
Still smiling, Poe closed his eyes once more and nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. “What time is it?” he asked. Rey usually taught until 1500, but some days she changed that depending on the lessons.
“Not even 1400,” she said. “After our ‘theft is wrong’ lesson, I let them go early.”
Poe shifted closer to his wife once more. “Good,” he whispered into her skin. “Let’s sleep some more. Force knows we won’t be getting that much once our little Jedi arrives.”
“How do you know he’s going to be a Jedi?” Rey countered, her voice teasing.
“He?” Poe was convinced Rey already knew.
“Or she,” Rey amended.
“I don’t know for sure,” Poe answered. “But I do know that if he – or she – doesn’t want to become a Jedi, they’ll probably become a thief.”
Rey giggled. “Maybe both.”
“Maybe both.”
THE END
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