The Haunting of Kenobi House - Part 2

Part 2 is rated NC-17 for sexual content

Poe was on the phone to one of his acquaintances in Aldera first thing in the morning. As had become the norm, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. His brain couldn’t shut off as he debated about whether or not he should be happy or mad Rey was impacting his life so drastically again. He had admitted to himself while on his way to meet her at the hanger that while he did want ‘closure,’ he wasn’t opposed to keeping Rey in his life, even if only as a friend. But as he tried to sleep last night, remembering the softness of her skin as he kissed her cheek, the green in her eyes as they pooled with tears, her scent, which despite her having been working on plane engines all afternoon, still carried a touch of the vanilla lotion she favored… there was no way he could be just her friend. He needed to resolve these feelings and leave her alone as soon as this case was done.

Or… the idea of pressuring her to talk to him, to tell him her secret, was strong. Not only did he truly believe she would be happier having someone share the burden, but maybe, just maybe, it would allow them to try again.

He still loved her.

As angry as he was with her lie and her pushing him away, he recognized her fear and uncertainty. Like a wild animal caught in a trap and then forced into domestication, Rey had never truly learned to trust anyone. God knew she could love, but without trust, love didn’t really mean all that much. And Poe still wanted to be the one to earn that trust, even after all that had happened between them. But first he had to solve the Kenobi murder.

Josh Sheppard had graduated with Poe from the Law Enforcement Training Program almost twelve years ago and had been a detective in Aldera for the last five years. Though they didn’t talk much, they still kept in contact via Facebook and the occasional text, sharing humorous police memes and jokes. This morning, however, Poe called him at his place of work for the first time on official business. Fortunately, Josh was not only happy to help, but had answers almost immediately.

“Padmè? Really?”

“Yeah,” Poe responded. “Why?”

“Well, my wife is an RN at an old folks home, and she talks about one of her residents named Padmè all the time. As you said, it’s not a common name.”

Poe tried to keep himself from getting too excited. “Do you know anything about her?”

“Only that she knows a lot about the history of the area,” Josh continued. “But I can call Julia and ask.”

“That would be amazing!” Poe told his old friend, then after hanging up tried to focus on doing paperwork while waiting.

He didn’t have to wait long. Within the hour, he had more information than he could have hoped for. He called Rey immediately, but her cell went straight to voice mail, indicating she had turned it off. He left a message to call him right away, then tried to focus on the next cold case he had pulled. After an hour, he tried calling her again, getting the same result.

He tried a few more times during the day, trying not to worry, reminding himself that she often spent hours hiking in the mountains and that her being out of contact wasn’t abnormal, but worry he did. He drove by Kenobi House as soon as he left headquarters, but her car was not parked in its normal spot. He decided he would give her until sunset, then he would call Finn and expose his worry to others.

Sunset came at about 7:30, and with it a knock on his apartment door. Instinctively knowing who it was, Poe opened it, not even trying to hide his relief at seeing Rey on the other side. He was about to demand where she had been when he took note of her hiking boots, khaki shorts, and tank top, with a flannel shirt tied around her waist and a ball cap still on her head.

She looked at him with a slight smirk on her face. “Seven missed calls and one message to call you ASAP? This better be important, Dameron.”

“How long were you out there?” was his only response. Generally, most trails in the Naboo Mountains didn’t take more than a half day to hike.

She shrugged. “I hiked Batuu Peak,” she told him. “I stayed up there most of the day. Packed a lunch.” She shrugged again. “I needed to think.”

Poe nodded. One of the things they had enjoyed doing together even before they had officially become a couple was hike. He knew how much the mountains gave her solace. He stepped back. “Well, come in, because I have some crazy news for you!”

Rey stepped into Poe’s apartment, her eyes flashing with curiosity and amusement. She seemed relaxed and he was glad to know her hike had helped soothe her in some way. She walked over to his couch and sat on it, but before either of them could say anything, BeeBee ran out from Poe’s bedroom and jumped up on the couch, her purr as loud as he had ever heard it as the calico started rubbing up against Rey.

“BeeBee!” Rey exclaimed. She picked up the cat and placed her on her lap. The normally obstinate and abrasive creature continued to contently rub her chin on any part of Rey she could reach.

Poe rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Insane,” he murmured.

“Me or the cat?” Rey asked him, her lip curling.

Poe grunted a laugh. “The two of you together,” he said. “She’s never that affectionate with me.”

“Awww, I don’t believe that,” Rey argued. “You go away and leave her for eight months and then see what she does when you come back.”

Poe declined to comment.

Rey continued to stroke BeeBee for a moment, but then looked back up at him. “So, your crazy news?”

Poe folded his arms and grinned. “You’ll never guess who I found in a nursing home in Aldera.”

Rey opened her mouth in shock. “No way!”

“Ninety-eight years young,” Poe continued. “But from what I understand, her mind is still sharp as a tack. Padmè Beckett, who was born Padmè Amidala in Coruscant in 1923. There’s no record of her name having once been Kenobi, but we both know she’s the Padmè we’re looking for.”

“She’s alive?” Rey looked as shocked as she sounded. “I can’t believe she’s still alive.”

“I have to be in court tomorrow morning,” Poe continued. “But if we leave right afterwards, we should be able to make it to Aldera before the home’s visiting hours are over.” He cocked his head at her in question.

“Yes!” Rey said, her smile growing. “Oh, yes!”

Poe nodded. “Good. I’ll call you as soon as I’m free and pick you up. Better pack for an overnight just in case.”

Rey nodded exuberantly. “My God, Poe! Could it really be this easy?”

Poe shrugged. “Sometimes you get lucky.”

She gave a soft giggle, her eyes bright. Then she bit her lip, looking away. “I better get home, get some sleep.”

“Sleep?” he responded. “What’s that?”

“Yeah,” she huffed. “No kidding.” She picked up a still purring BeeBee and placed the cat next to her on the sofa. “Bye, BeeBee,” she whispered, bending over to touch her forehead to the cat’s, receiving a head bonk in reply. Smiling, she stood and passed Poe, heading for the door. “By this time tomorrow, we might have all the answers.”

“Maybe,” Poe responded, following her. “Then you’ll get to write another best-seller.”

Rey opened the door and turned to look at him. “You’ll be getting a major acknowledgement, whether you want it or not.”

Poe snorted. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Maybe she won’t remember anything. Maybe she’s blocked it all out due to trauma.”

“Don’t be a Debby Downer,” Rey argued. “This is amazing, Poe. We started this only a few days ago and look at what we’ve found.” She paused. “What you’ve found.”

“Yeah,” he whispered. What happened when this was over, he thought to himself? Did he dare attempt to keep Rey in his life? Should he even consider it?

“Thank you again, Poe,” she told him softly. Then she stepped toward him and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. He felt his breath catch, but he stood absolutely still, not daring to move lest he scare her away like some wild animal. She leaned back slightly and met his eyes with her own.

He searched her face, trying his hardest to read her. Though her cheeks carried a bit of color, she wasn’t moving away, and Poe took a chance and leaned into her. She met him halfway, their lips connecting without any hesitation. God, her lips were softer than he remembered. He leaned even more into her, wanting to touch her but still afraid of scaring her off. He felt her lips part slightly and he responded by touching her bottom lip lightly with his tongue. She moaned and he immediately became aroused.

Suddenly, she squeaked slightly and pulled back, looking down at her feet. BeeBee was rubbing up against her bare legs, the cat’s tail having tickled her. The calico looked up at them, meowed, and started to move past Rey.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Poe said and reached down past Rey to grab up the cat. “You are a housecat, remember?” His voice sounded rough in his ears.

Rey laughed softly and Poe stepped back inside the door. “Sorry,” he said, not really sure what he was apologizing for.

Rey was definitely blushing now and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Her smile, however, was soft and wistful. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Poe told her. “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

She nodded, then finally brought her gaze up to meet his. “Goodnight, Poe.”

“Goodnight.”

Then she was gone.

******

Rey stood looking out the east window of her apartment, watching the street below carefully. Court had gone on longer than Poe had anticipated, and he had just called her to let her know he was grabbing something to eat and then coming to pick her up, so to be ready. It was almost 12:30 and they would be hard pressed to get to Aldera in time to interview Padmè before the home’s visiting hours ended at 7. She glanced at her overnight bag, packed and ready to go, on the couch. She was nervous, and not just because she would be spending the next several hours alone in a car with Poe, with the possibility of them having to stay overnight in Aldera, but because she had made an important decision last night.

She was going to tell Poe everything.

The kiss last night had drilled into her how much she loved him and desired a future with him, but she knew that wouldn’t be even remotely possible until he knew the whole story. Even then there was a distinct possibility that he could never love her or trust her again, but if there was even a tiny bit of hope, she was going to go for it. The way he had looked at her last night before kissing her. The gentleness, the compassion, the desire. She was a fool for letting him go, for not giving him the chance to prove he could and would love her forever. Maybe it was far too late, but she had to try.

She stood up straight from her lean as she saw his Blazer pull up to the curb in front of Kenobi House. She turned and headed for the door, grabbing the bag as she went by the couch. “I might not be back tonight, Ben,” she said to the room. “But don’t worry, I’ll be safe. And I might come home with good news for you!” She had never said anything out loud about what she had learned since Saturday, not wanting to give her ‘roommate’ hope; she felt that if she could prove Ben had been murdered, that his soul would find rest. At least, that’s what she prayed for every night, and Rey didn’t pray a whole lot.

She locked up the door and skipped down the stairs, her nerves tightening as she wondered if she shouldn’t have dressed up so much. Of course, the baby blue sundress covered in tiny little flowers wasn’t much different than what she wore on a regular basis in the summer, but she wasn’t normally going on a long road trip with the sexiest man she had ever known either. She took a deep breath upon reaching the bottom of the stairs and walked over to the SUV, watching as Poe exited and came around to meet her. He took her bag and carried it to the open back hatch, then closed it as she slid in the passenger side. It was a hot day, with temps well into the 90s, so the air-conditioned vehicle felt wonderful. Poe slid back in on the driver’s side, looking only slightly uncomfortable as he glanced at her, then he shifted into drive and they pulled away from the house. It wasn’t long before they were on Highway 79, heading south out of Coruscant, the Naboo Mountains a dark shadow on their right, the open prairie looming before them.

The first couple of hours went fairly quickly. They talked some small-talk, they listened to each other’s playlists, they stopped at a convenience store for caffeine and snacks. Rey felt comfortable and relaxed, but silence soon enveloped the car and Rey began to think about how she wanted to tell Poe her story, or even if she should wait until they were on their way back to do so. It was shortly after they passed the state line that she decided it was now or never.

“Poe, can we talk?”

He had been nibbling on some sunflower seeds, and she saw him tense up immediately at her question, dropping the seed in his hand back in the bag. He swallowed. “Sure.”

Rey licked her lips and shifted a bit, pulling out her seatbelt in what she knew was a nervous gesture. “I know you know what happened to me when I lived with Unkar and Gillian Plutt,” she started, but then paused.

“You told me Unkar sexually abused you and the other two foster girls you lived with and Gillian let it happen.” His voice was soft, compassionate.

“Something else happened,” she continued. “I never really worried about it affecting my future, maybe because I didn’t want to think about it in general, but the night before I broke up with you it became very real.”

She could see him thinking. “The Christmas party?” he asked, obviously trying to remember back to what had happened there. She could tell the moment he remembered, his eyes getting wide as he looked at her. “Kay’s baby.” He looked back at the highway in front of him again. “You don’t want kids, do you?”

Rey shifted nervously again. Like Poe, she focused on the road ahead of them. “I got pregnant from Unkar,” she blurted. She saw him look at her sharply out of the corner of her eye. “I knew before they did. I tried to keep it a secret, but obviously you can’t keep something like that a secret for long. They couldn’t take me in for an abortion, because the state would know, and they didn’t want the baby born because even if they lied and said I got pregnant by some boy at school, someone would find out the truth.” She looked down at her hands, clasped in her lap. “Gillian forced me to drink some kind of homemade concoction she found on-line. It caused me to go into labor.” She swallowed, trying to keep the thick feeling out of her throat.

“It was a girl,” she whispered. “She was alive and she was so tiny. I wanted to hold her, protect her, but Unkar took her away. He buried her in the backyard. I don’t even know if she was alive or dead when he did it.” She felt a tear slide down her cheek.

“Rey,” Poe whispered.

“I got really sick,” she continued, not letting him speak. “Apparently, I didn’t deliver all of the afterbirth and I developed a uterine infection. I got so bad they had to call an ambulance. When the doctor realized why I was so sick, the Plutt’s lied and told them I must have tried to abort the baby myself after getting pregnant from a boyfriend, that they didn’t know anything about it until I was near death.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Leia came in the next day. The way she talked to me, the way she comforted me… I told her everything, trusting that she would believe me when no one else ever had. And she did.”

Rey risked a glance at Poe. He was once more staring at the road in front of them, but his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. She looked out the side window, at the prairie flashing by.

“She had the cops dig up my baby’s body and they did a DNA test, but she didn’t wait for the results to pull out the other girls. When I left the hospital, I went right into the Organa Foster Center and tried my best to never look back.” She glanced at him again. “It’s not that I don’t want children, Poe, it’s that I can’t ever have them. My infection was so bad, they had to do a hysterectomy in order to save my life.”

With a suddenness that caused her to reach forward and brace off the dash, Poe pulled the SUV over to the side of the highway, turning into a private driveway with an open barbed-wire gate to an empty pasture. He parked the car, turned it off, then without saying a word to her, got out. Rey watched, stunned, as he stalked around the back of the car and started walking out onto the prairie. Taking a deep breath to settle her racing heart, Rey unbuckled her seatbelt and got out to follow him.

He walked about 100 yards before stopping, and she saw him bend over at the waist, hands on his knees. He looked as if he was about to vomit. She knew that as a cop he had to have seen a lot of horrible things in his career, and the idea that her story could affect him this way filled her with remorse, but she couldn’t let herself feel too guilty. The truth was out, now, and the next move was his.

He stood up straight and Rey moved closer, carefully stepping around the dried cow pies that dotted the freshly grazed field, until she was next to him. She stopped, watching him silently as he drew in deep breaths, his eyes closed. Finally, he opened them and turned to face her. She was more than a little unnerved by the look of anger on his face, but at his first words she realized that anger was not directed at her.

“He’s still in prison, I hope,” he told her gruffly, and she knew he meant Unkar. “Because if not, I’m going after him myself.”

Rey blinked rapidly, wondering why his words were making her tear up even more. “They are both still in prison,” she told him softly.

Poe nodded and looked away toward the expanse of prairie. Rey became aware of the hot summer sun beating down on them, the gusty wind swirling her skirt around her legs and blowing her hair in her face, the sound of crickets singing all around them.

Finally, hands on his hips, he looked at her again. “Did you really think I would leave you if I had known about that?” His look of disbelief had her shaking her head vehemently.

“I knew you wanted a family,” she argued. “And I knew I couldn’t give you one.”

His mouth opened in surprise and he looked at her, shaking his own head this time. “Rey! I didn’t love you because of the babies you would give me,” he argued, his voice rising. “Hell, if we had wanted them bad enough, we could have adopted! Shit, my grandfather was adopted.”

“You say that now,” Rey told him, her own voice raised. “But eventually you would have resented me for not being normal!”

“How can you say that?” Poe shouted. “Why would I do that? I loved you!”

Rey stepped back, very aware of him using the past tense.

“Excuse me?”

A voice off to Rey’s left made her jump and she and Poe both looked over to see a man in a Highway Patrol uniform walking toward them cautiously, his hand on the butt of his weapon. Rey looked past him to see his patrol car parked behind Poe’s SUV. She heard Poe sigh and mutter, “Shit.”

“Ma’am, are you okay?” the trooper asked, tilting his head at Rey.

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Yes,” she said firmly.

He looked at her intently. “Are you sure?”

Rey realized she had her fists clenched and took a deep breath, relaxing her body. “Yes, I’m very sure,” she told him. She glanced at Poe, who had his arms crossed over his chest but was staying silent because he knew she was the only one who could get them out of this. She turned toward the cop. “We were just having a discussion that was getting a little too intense for the road.” She motioned toward Poe. “This is Detective Dameron from the Coruscant PD,” she said. “I would trust him with my life.”

“Dameron?” the trooper said, looking at Poe. “I’ve heard the name.”

Poe nodded, his own body relaxing. “Yeah, we’re heading to Aldera for an interview and got a little sidetracked.”

The trooper nodded. “Okay, I just wanted to make sure everything was Kosher.”

Rey nodded again. “Thank you, officer,” she told him. “We’ll be going soon.”

The man nodded. “Drive safe,” he told them, then turned back to his patrol car.

“Trooper..?” Poe called out. He paused, tilting his head questioningly as the cop turned back to him.

“Davies,” the cop replied.

“Again, thank you, Trooper Davies,” Poe told him. “This could have been something bad and I’m glad to see you were alert to that.”

The man nodded, then continued on toward his vehicle.

Poe looked at his watch and grimaced.

“We’re not going to make it in time, are we?”

He shook his head. “That’s okay. We planned for that.” He focused on her again.

“Rey, I really wish you had trusted me. With more than your life. I really felt like we had the world at our feet and you just swept it all away and I didn’t know why.”

“I didn’t want you to think I was broken,” she whispered.

“You are broken,” Poe told her matter-of-factly. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. That doesn’t mean you can’t live your life as you choose.” He moved into her space, cupping her face in both hands. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feel on his calloused fingers on her cheeks, his thumbs gently rubbing her cheekbones. “That doesn’t mean you can’t put yourself back together again.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m glad you told me,” he said softly, and she felt his breath on her lips. “No more secrets.”

She opened her eyes, his words surprising her. It was almost as if he was expecting a future with her in it. “No more secrets,” she whispered.

They stood still for a while before Poe finally stepped back, dropping his hands. “We better get going. I’d still like to get to Aldera before dark.”

Rey nodded, and they turned to walk back to the SUV. About half-way there, Rey reached over and took Poe’s hand, and was relieved when she felt his fingers squeeze hers back. He didn’t let go until they reached the car.

******

The rest of the drive was done in relative silence. They commented every now and then on something they had seen, they listened to music, and once more made a pit stop to use the restroom and grab food. It was comfortable, and for that Poe was glad. Rey’s story was still very upsetting to him deep down, but there was nothing he could do about it other than make her understand that his support of her would never waver; whether this thing between them could continue or not, he had to be sure she never doubted his faith in her ability to rise above her past and live her life to the fullest.

And if she wanted him as a part of that life? His heart cried ‘yes’ to that question, but the rest of him remained wary; could he really trust her with his heart again? Knowing she could crush it so easily, did he dare?

They reached Aldera at about a quarter to 7, which wasn’t near enough time to conduct an interview with a 98-year-old woman, so after driving by Highland Park Care Center to insure they knew where it was, they found a motel that looked reasonably nice. Poe acquired two rooms adjacent to each other, and once they had both dropped off their overnights in their respective accommodations, they headed across the parking lot to the family restaurant/truck stop for dinner.

The food was decent, if not super healthy, and the staff was friendly, with a typical small-town environment that Coruscant was beginning to grow out of. The sun had set by the time they were done eating and the two of them walked slowly back to the motel, enjoying the warm late summer night.

“Should we go over what we want to ask Padmè?” Rey asked as they reached the walkway in front of their rooms.

Poe shrugged. “I think we do a good job going back and forth without prompting,” he told her. “I know what we need to get for the case and you know what you want for your book.”

Rey nodded, but her eyes were downcast. He realized that she was probably just looking for a reason to not be alone, especially after the emotional afternoon they had both had.

“We could watch a movie,” he offered, assuming this little place had some kind of streaming service.

Rey gave him a bright smile. “Yeah, okay.”

And that’s how he somehow found himself reclined on his bed with Rey tucked under his arm, her head on his chest, watching the end of ‘Twister’ (Rey’s choice), as she slept. He carefully reached for the remote and turned off the TV, dropping the room into darkness, with just the security light from outside seeping in past the cracks in the curtains. He sighed, shifting just a bit so he could bring his arm down more, letting his hand rest on her arm, and closed his eyes, willing the ever so slight erection he had been fighting all night away. Without thought, he started stroking her arm with his thumb.

He was on the verge of falling asleep when he felt her move. His eyes popped open and he looked down to see her watching him, her eyes shining in the faint light.

“Do you want me to leave?” she asked softly.

“Do you want to leave?” he replied huskily.

“No,” she said with a whisper. “But I’m afraid of what will happen if I don’t.” He could see her eyes shift nervously. “Or what won’t happen.”

“Rey?” he asked, wanting to understand. He wasn’t about to try and guess what she was thinking or feeling. He wanted everything out in the open this time around.

She shifted and propped herself up on her elbow, bringing her face up close to his. “Do you want me to leave?” she asked again.

“Maybe you should,” he said, his voice still rough.

“That’s not an answer.”

He sighed. “No,” he answered. “I never want you to leave.”

With a soft smile, she moved up and kissed him on the jaw, lowering her head to rub her nose along his stubble, then she shifted even more, bringing her body over his and placing her hand on his chest. She looked at him for a moment, the limited light making her face pale and her eyes look huge, then she kissed him.

He responded without hesitation, opening his mouth and inviting her in. He wasn’t going let her question how much he wanted her anymore. She moaned as she let her tongue delve inside and the noise sent shivers up his body and right back down to his cock. Within moments, his slight erection had grown enough to make his jeans uncomfortable. Carefully, he cupped the back of her head and gave his own tongue free rein to explore her mouth.

She pulled her body more fully on top of him, straddling his hips, settling her center down over the bulge in his jeans. He automatically thrust upward and she gasped. “Sorry! Sorry!” he muttered around her mouth.

“Don’t be sorry,” she responded, her voice breathy, then she ground down onto him, her breath catching on another soft moan. “Please, Poe,” she told him, her voice firm now. “Please don’t stop this time. I want to know. I want to know what it’s supposed to be like!”

“God, Rey!” he gasped as she began to rock her pelvis against him, her movements almost desperate. “Rey!” he said again, trying to get her attention. “Stop!”

She ignored him, her body continuing to undulate as she kissed his face, working her way down to his neck.

With a soft shout, he pushed himself up and flipped her over on her back, but instead of leaning over her, he immediately got up on his knees and sat back on his heels. He didn’t want to do anything that would seem dominating. She immediately pushed herself up on her elbows, her expression a combination of lust and hurt.

“Poe?” she murmured. She looked away from him, but not before he saw the sheen of tears in the soft light.

He reached over to turn on the light next to the bed and watched as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and he saw a tear track down her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

He reached over with his hand and cupped her face, turning it gently so she would look at him. “No, I’m sorry.” He shook his head and laughed softly. “I’m not saying ‘no,’ Rey,” he told her. “I just want to be absolutely certain this is what you really want.”

She looked him in the eye, her expression becoming resolute. “Have you not been listening to me, Dameron?” she told him, her voice strong. “I love you. I always have and I always will. I want you. I want this!”

He watched her for a while as she continued to stare at him. He swallowed, his throat feeling thick, then he gave her a sharp nod. He leaned back and began to unbutton his shirt. “You promise you will tell me if I do anything you don’t want me to do?” he asked as he peeled the dress shirt off of his shoulders.

She nodded, staring at his chest, then licked her lips.

He groaned, then huffed a laugh. “Rey!” he said sharply.

She looked up at him.

“Focus,” he told her with a grin.

She pulled her legs under her and sat up on her knees, looking back down at his chest. “I am focused,” she told him with a grin of her own. “Completely.” She grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up and over her head in one swift movement. Suddenly, she was before him in nothing but a bra and panties, and he was looking at more creamy, freckled skin than he had ever hoped to see.

“Fuck,” he couldn’t help but whisper as his eyes roamed. He had turned on the light initially so he could read her expression better, but now he was extra glad for the illumination. “You are gorgeous,” he told her reverently.

He saw the blush start in her cheeks and work its way down to her chest. He desperately wanted to see more of her body decorated with that rosy color. He sat back, undoing his jeans and shimmying out of them as quickly as he could, taking his socks with them. His boxer briefs were proudly tented and he saw her gaze go directly there. For a moment, she looked apprehensive, but then her lip curled up at the corner and she met his eyes once more.

“For me?” she asked timidly.

He nodded. “For about four years now, yeah.”

She looked shocked. “You haven’t..?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

Her blush deepened. “Way to ease my nerves, Dameron,” she joked.

With a smile, he scooched forward on his knees until they were touching hers. He brought up his hand and cupped the back of her head, letting his fingers run through her hair. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch like a cat, sighing.

“No grand expectations, Smith,” he told her as he brought his lips to hers. “Just do what feels good,” he whispered, then kissed her, letting his tongue lead the way. She responded by leaning into him and wrapping her arms around him, letting her hands slide up and down his back. He literally shivered at the feel of her hands on him, groaning into her mouth. Slowly, he brought his own hands down and around her. He found the clasp to her bra and leisurely undid it, bringing the straps forward over her shoulders. He pulled back, bringing the bra with him, then tossed it carelessly on the floor. Her eyes were dark, pupils blown wide, her breathing heavy.

He deliberately reached forward and cupped her breasts in his hands. They were small but firm and perfectly shaped, and her nipples tightened right before his eyes as they reacted to his touch. He flicked his thumbs over them, glancing at her, making sure she was still with him. Her closed eyes, open mouth, and downright pornographic moan told him she was. He moved in to kiss her again, then whispered against her mouth, “Lay back.”

Opening her eyes, she did as he asked. There was no fear in her expression, and once her back hit the bed, she arched her hips up, letting him know exactly what she expected him to do next. Fortunately, it was what he had planned. With a grin, he tucked his fingers in the elastic of her panties and slowly, languidly, pulled them off. He could smell her arousal. He didn’t even need to touch her to know she was wet for him, but as he tossed her panties on the floor along with her bra with one hand, he brought the other up to her center, gently swiping her with his fingers.

“For me?” he asked, echoing her question from earlier.

She smiled, arching her hips again, pushing herself into his touch. “For almost four years now, yeah,” she laughed. “You and only you. Ever.”

Her admission caused him to grow even harder. Knowing what this woman had been through in her life. Knowing the pain, the fear, the horror. Knowing she trusted him enough to give her this pleasure, wanted him enough to feel arousal for the first time… it was humbling. And intoxicating.

With a new determination, he lowered himself down between her legs, gently spreading her thighs. He watched as her eyes widened, then he casually brought her legs up over his shoulders. Maintaining eye contact, he kissed her, once again tongue first. She squealed, and her back arched upward. She wriggled her hips and one of her hands landed on his head. For a moment it felt as if she was trying to push him away and he slowed his onslaught, but then her fingers were digging into his scalp, holding him to her. He smiled and continued with his attack. Lips, tongue, teeth. She tasted as sweet as she smelled, he thought. He sucked on her clit, smiling again as he heard her give a sharp scream. She started panting, and making noises with every breath. Soon, those noises turned into a word. “Poe! Poe! Poe!”

His erection became so hard he started grinding it into the bed underneath him, trying to ease the pressure, but he refused to stop until he completed his mission. Suddenly, he felt her legs tighten around his head, her thighs pressed up against his ears, her fingernails digging into his scalp, and she gave a soft, drawn-out scream.

He continued working her as she convulsed, trying not to thrust his own hips into the bed now, praying he didn’t explode quite yet.

Finally, her body went limp. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God,” she repeated over and over. He pushed himself up, smiling as he looked down on her naked body, now completely flushed red just as he had hoped. Her eyes were closed and she was panting.

“Fuck, you’re amazing,” he said softly. She opened her eyes at his words, first looking up at him then looking down at his erection.

“You going to take care of that, or what?” she asked saucily.

“Are you helping?” he responded in kind.

She spread her legs even wider. “You bet I am.”

With a grunt, he sat back on his ass and pulled off his boxers. He didn’t even bother to see where they landed as he kneeled again and scooted between her legs. She reached up for him, and he knew she expected him to drop down over her, but he had other ideas. Grabbing her elbows, he tugged her gently toward him. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she allowed him to pull her until she was sitting up, then he wrapped his arms around her back and coaxed her to straddle his thighs. He sat back on his heels and helped her mount him, groaning as she settled down over him, taking him in completely.

“Ooohhh…” she breathed as she seated herself, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You okay?” he asked.

She met his eyes with a smile. “Oh, yeah.”

He smiled back, then he began to rock his hips. After a couple of strokes, she began to move her own hips, countering his minor thrusts, finding his rhythm and matching it. He started kissing her and she met him, lips and tongues tangling as their movements became faster, more frantic. Soon she was bouncing up and down on him as he gripped her ass, pulling her down and making sure the angle of his entry rubbed against her clit with every stroke.

He watched in awe as she peaked again, throwing her head back in abandonment, and felt his own release start in his lower back. He kept his eyes open and on the woman in his arms as he spilled himself inside her, claiming her as his. It was an outdated feeling, what his father would call ‘macho,’ but he couldn’t help it. He had waited his whole life for this woman, and damned if he was giving her up now.

******

Rey dreamt just before dawn, and as usual this dream was a mix of reality and fantasy.

She was in a large room, almost like a ballroom, and standing across from her was Unkar Plutt. He saw her and started to stalk across the floor towards her, but she felt no fear. She stood her ground, her head high. He stopped a short distance away, glaring at her.

“You can’t hurt me anymore,” Rey heard herself say. “Not in any way.”

“I’ll do whatever I want, Girlie Girl,” he snarled, then he moved toward her threateningly.

Suddenly Poe was standing next to her. He didn’t get between her and Unkar, nor did he say anything. He just stood silently with her. Unkar stopped, looking back and forth between them, then he turned and walked away.

Rey opened her eyes, not surprised to see a bit of sunlight coming in through the cracks in the curtains as she lay on her side. The sun still came up early this time of year, and the nursing home’s visiting hours didn’t start until 9, so there was no rush in getting out of bed. Carefully, she turned over onto her other side so she could face her bed partner, briefly thinking back on the dream. Was it fantasy to believe Poe would really stand by her from this day forward?

She looked at him as he lay next to her on his back. He almost looked like a boy with his face relaxed in sleep, his laugh lines and crow’s feet barely visible. Watching him, she thought back to the night before.

Rey had been overcome with emotion after her second amazing orgasm. She had fallen against Poe, trying to control the sobbing that had started involuntarily. He had simply held her, his arms wrapped around her tightly, his face buried in her neck. Finally, she had composed herself, leaning back to look at him in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she had stuttered. “I don’t know what that was.”

He had given her a soft smile. “I think I do,” he whispered, then gently wiped some of the moisture off of her cheek. “Why don’t you go clean up,” he continued.

She realized he probably wanted her off of his lap; she couldn’t imagine it was super comfortable for him the way he was sitting. She quickly slid off of him and rolled off the bed, walking with wobbly legs to the bathroom. As she did so, she became aware of just how much she needed to clean up. They hadn’t used protection. This shouldn’t bother her, of course, as she knew she was clean, and she trusted that he was, too. But it was also a reminder that he now knew she would never be able to get pregnant.

After she had finished in the bathroom, she exited to find that he had once more turned off the light. As her eyes adjusted, she could see his shape under the blankets in the bed. Self-consciously, she made her way to where she had dropped her dress on the floor, picking it up with nervous fingers.

“What are you doing?” he asked roughly.

“Uhm, my room’s next door,” she had replied softly.

“Fuck that,” he growled. Then he lifted the blankets. “Get in here.”

With a giggle, she dropped the dress again and slid under the covers, finding herself in almost the same position she had been in when this whole thing started, only it felt a lot different with both of them naked. She had fallen asleep not long after.

Now as she lay watching him sleep, she felt herself on the verge of tears once more. Last night had been everything. The passion. The emotion. The trust. And yet as she lay there, she knew there was still no guarantee everything was going to be okay. As amazing as Poe had been, he had never told her he loved her. He had not promised anything beyond this moment. However, she was certain of one thing: she would never regret last night.

She closed her eyes as she recalled his gentle touch, the softness in his eyes as he watched her, always alert to her reactions. Those eyes had become intense in the end, dark and almost feral, and that memory excited her even more. She wanted to see him really let go. While she loved how he took care of her, she wanted to know that she was making him feel as amazing as he made her feel.

She had firmly believed it was impossible for her to feel that way. Her relationships in college had been more emotional than physical, and even then, the emotions had petered out fairly quickly. When she and Poe had started becoming physical in their relationship, she had been delighted to find she was able to become aroused, but he had taken things so slow she was always left wanting. Twice after he had left her feeling this way, she had attempted to finish herself, imagining it was Poe’s hands touching her. She had reached what she had assumed were climaxes, but she had been disappointed by them, wondering if that’s all there was or if she was just physically incapable of reaching a full orgasm. She had given up trying to pleasure herself after that.

Poe had proven last night that she had been wrong on all counts.

He suddenly shifted and opened his eyes. She thought for a moment about closing her eyes and pretending to be asleep; she didn’t want to seem like a weirdo staring at him while he slept. But when his head turned and his eyes focused on her she figured it was too late.

“Hi,” she said softly.

His lip curled. “I thought I dreamed you,” he said huskily.

Her heart skipped at his words and she smiled.

He blinked a couple of times, then turned his head and reached for his phone on the bedside table. She sat part-way up, leaning on her elbow, and was able to read the time on the phone. Just a few minutes after six. He tossed the phone back on the table and glanced at her.

“We’ve got a couple hours before we have to get up,” he told her.

“Gee, what are we going to do for two hours?” she said flippantly.

He looked at her through half-lidded eyes, a smile still playing at his lips. “I have a couple of ideas.”

“Do they involve getting dressed?” she asked, thoroughly enjoying this playful exchange.

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “They don’t even involve getting out of this bed.”

“Oh,” she said, pursing her lips in feigned disappointment. “If you want to go back to sleep…”

He turned on his side to face her, his arm reaching for her and his hand curving over her hip. Gently, he pulled her closer. She let her own arm slide around his waist, and as his mouth met hers, she let her hand run down his back to knead his ass. He groaned into her mouth and then mirrored her, letting his hand smooth down to cup her butt.

For several minutes, they simply lay facing each other, kissing and touching. Rey finally became bold enough to bring her hand around and grasp his cock; she had not gotten much of a chance to admire it last night. Though her experience was limited, she thought he was quite impressive, both in length and in girth. He had certainly filled her to the max. She felt her core flood with moisture at the thought of taking him again, and she groaned, bringing her leg forward to wrap her calf around his.

As if he could read her mind, Poe brought his hand down to her center, hesitating only briefly before sinking one of his fingers into her cleft. Her body responded by providing even more moisture.

“So wet for me,” Poe groaned as he ran his lips along her cheek. “I can’t believe how responsive you are.”

Rey starting rocking her hips against his hand, silently asking for more. She felt his cock as it became rock hard and squeezed him lightly. “You’re one to talk,” she quipped.

He huffed a laugh, then brought his hand up and over her leg, grabbing her thigh and pulling it over his hip. The tip of his erection bumped her clit and she flinched, startled, but then brought her leg up higher, wrapping it around him, bringing her center closer to him. Concentrating, she maneuvered her hips up to where she could line up with his cock, then carefully inserted him where she wanted him most.

They both groaned in unison as he slid home. Panting, Rey lay still, absorbing the feeling of fullness. She met his gaze and noticed the same intensity she had witnessed last night in his eyes. Without looking away, he turned his lower body into her a bit, pressing her hips down on the bed, and began to slowly pump in and out of her. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and tried to pull his upper body over her as well, but he stayed upright, leaning on his elbow, not putting his full weight on top of her.

She let her upper body fall back on the bed and started moving her hips up to meet his thrusts, her mind already falling into an almost hypnotic state as her orgasm built. How could he do this to her so quickly, she wondered?

He continued driving into her, his rhythm increasing, and she struggled to meet it, her body feeling like jelly. He grabbed her leg suddenly, his hand under her knee, moving it from his hip and holding it up, spreading her wide. She gasped, the movement causing the pleasure to increase tenfold. “Oh, God, Poe!” she cried. The orgasm hit her suddenly, and she closed her eyes tightly as a feeling of vertigo overcame her. Her world was suddenly spinning and she grabbed hold of the man responsible and cried out in ecstasy. As she burrowed her face in his neck, she felt his body stiffen and knew he was following her over. His own hoarse cry echoed hers and he brought his arm around her again, pulling her body flush against his, letting her leg drop back over his hip once more.

They lay on their sides facing each other, entwined, for some time. Rey could feel his cock growing soft inside her and wondered how long it would take for it to grow hard again if they just stayed in this position, her leg wrapped around him, preventing him from leaving her body. She smiled at the thought, her whole body feeling lethargic and relaxed.

“There is no way this isn’t a dream,” Poe said softly.

Rey moved her head back so she could look at him. He looked as languid as she felt. “If this is a dream,” she told him. “I don’t ever want to wake up.”

He brought his hand up to move strands of sweaty hair off of her cheek. “Agreed.” He took a deep breath. “I love you, Rey Smith,” he whispered. “I always have and I always will.”

Rey didn’t even try to hide her smile. Or her tears of joy.

******

Eventually, they had to leave the bed. Poe watched as Rey rolled out with a grin, grabbed her sundress from the floor and pulled it over her naked body. She found her underwear, sandals, and room key card, then slipped out the door with one last bright smile directed toward him, her dimples on full display, heading for ‘her’ room next door. Damn, he wanted to make her smile like that every day.

Could they make it work this time, he thought? Did he dare trust her?

He pulled himself out of bed to shower and shave, then dressed in his normal police detective ensemble of jeans, button-down shirt, and blazer. He saved the dress trousers for formal occasions. He didn’t have to wait long for Rey, who had never been one to take forever to get ready for anything, by his car. She was wearing a beautiful turquoise sundress with a colorful floral pattern that came down to just below her knees. Her hair was still damp and her face was free of makeup. She managed to look both girlishly pretty and professional at the same time.

They opted to stop and grab some fast food through the drive thru rather than going to the diner, then ate and caffeinated themselves in the parking lot of the nursing home. Right at nine o’clock, they headed for the doors, Rey almost bouncing in her excitement to finally meet Padmè Kenobi.

They checked in with their request and didn’t have to wait long before they were invited back to Padmè’s room; the woman loved visitors, they were told, especially people who had questions about the history of the area. Rey had told the administrators she was writing a book, but had not gone into detail about what.

When they entered the room, Poe was struck by all the artwork that covered the walls. It didn’t take a genius to see that it was all by the same artist, Padmè herself. Rey glanced at him, her own expression surprised. Apparently, there was a lot about this woman she would need to learn. The woman they had come to see was sitting in a wheelchair, her short white hair neat and styled, her clothing relaxed but formal looking, her expression alert as she turned her light brown eyes in their direction.

She smiled and reached out her hand to them. Rey took it first, carefully squeezing the fragile fingers. As Poe did the same, Rey introduced themselves.

“Mrs. Beckett,” she said. “My name is Rey Smith, and this is Detective Poe Dameron with the Coruscant Police Department.” As Rey motioned toward him, he couldn’t fail to notice the old woman’s smile fade and her eyes turn toward him with a surprised look. When her wise gaze turned assessing, he immediately came to attention.

The woman looked back at Rey. “Please, sit down,” she told them, motioning toward the two chairs at the foot of the bed. “I was told you were writing a book and that I may be able to provide you with information.” She paused. “I had assumed it was historical information about the area, but I have a feeling that’s not the case.”

Rey bit her bottom lip a bit nervously before she answered. “No. I’m writing a biography on the Kenobi family. Namely Ben Kenobi.”

The woman’s expression didn’t change, but she lifted her head in a slow nod. “I see.” She looked down as her hands which now lay in her lap. “I guess it is only appropriate that I live long enough to see this through.” She looked back at Rey. “Both a blessing and a curse.”

Rey swallowed. “Is it okay if I record this conversation?” she asked, bringing her digital recorder out of her purse.

The woman glanced at Poe. “For his use, too?”

Rey looked at him, a bit worried.

Poe gave Padmè a soft smile. “Is there a reason I would need it?”

Padmè looked at him steadily for a long while, then she looked back at Rey. “Yes, it is best you record this. It is time for everyone to know the truth.”

Rey started the little machine, then set it down on the arm of her chair. She crossed her legs and gave the old woman a nod, as if she was settling in for a good story. Poe couldn’t relax as easily, but he tried not to look as tense as he felt.

“You were once married to Ben Kenobi, correct?” Rey started.

Padmè nodded without hesitation. “I was.”

“What was he like before the war?” Ice breaking. Getting the subject comfortable talking about the mundane. Police used the same technique.

“He was as wonderful as they say,” Padmè said with a sad smile. “Smart, funny, great with people, and oh so handsome.” She paused. “He was older than me by more than a decade, but he never made me feel like a child, never made me feel less because of my lack of life experience.” She sighed. “I had no family left, as my father died when I was a baby and my mother and grandmother had both passed away by the time I met Ben. He and his mother became my family, and I was so happy to have them.” She smirked. “It didn’t hurt the ego that the Kenobi’s were the most prominent family in Coruscant, either.”

“How long were you married before he left for the war?” Rey asked.

Padmè shook her head. “Not long at all. Only six months,” she said sadly. “I begged him not to go, but he was forever the idealist and wanted to ‘do his part’.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t long after he left that Ester had her stroke. She lived just long enough to learn her son was most likely dead.” She swallowed and looked down at her hands, her brow furrowed.

“What happened when he came home?” Rey asked after a short pause.

Padmè looked up again. “It wasn’t wonderful like it should have been,” she said with a grimace. “He was in horrible shape. He had been in a hospital for a while, but he was still so thin he looked like a skeleton when he came home. He had been beaten severely more than once, and his right femur had been broken and not set right, so he was always in horrible pain. The doctors had him on morphine because it was the only pain killer that seemed to help even a little.” She tilted her head. “His eyes were empty when they looked at me, as if he didn’t even recognize me. I refused any help and nursed him myself, but it was so difficult, because I felt he didn’t even want to try to keep living.” She took a deep breath. “But I kept at it, because I wanted him to live.”

There was another pause, and Poe decided to push in another direction. “What can you tell us about Anakin Skywalker?”

Another sigh. “Ani. Yes.” She looked at Poe, her expression sad. “Anakin was a Coruscant Police Officer. Ben and I met him at some party around Christmas. He was my age and handsome, but oh so serious. Ben teased me after the party how it was obvious Ani had a crush on me, but we both knew Ben had nothing to worry about; I was absolutely infatuated with my husband.” She shrugged. “After Ben went missing, Anakin started visiting me at the house, checking on Ester and I. After Ester died, he came even more often.” She looked at Rey, a bit of a guilty look on her face. “I admit, I enjoyed his visits. His attention was flattering, and I was so scared and alone. I didn’t do anything untoward, but I was tempted.” She shook her head. “When Ben came home, I forgot about Anakin. But he didn’t forget about me.”

She looked at Poe again. “He would stop by, trying to convince me to put Ben in an asylum and to run away with him, saying I deserved better than to be a nurse to a cripple. I refused.” She swallowed. “He scared me a bit then, but I had no idea what was coming.”

There was another long stretch of silence, and Poe glanced at Rey. She seemed to be trying to collect her thoughts; they all knew how this story ended, but what was the best way to get there? Finally, she asked softly, “Did you ever worry Ben would kill himself?”

Padmè immediately shook her head. “No! I was never worried about that. Ben was so staunchly Catholic, he believed that would mean going directly to Hell.” She paused. “But I worried he would just let himself die.” She looked Rey in the eye. “Then something amazing happened. One night, while I was lying next to him, stroking his hair as I often did to coax him to sleep, he looked at me. Really looked at me, for the first time since he came back. He whispered to me, ‘I want to be free,’ and at first, I worried he meant that I should let him die. But then he said, ‘I need to be free of the morphine.’” She smiled slightly. “It wasn’t easy. I wrote down a list of his dosages and started decreasing them by increments every day. I could tell he was hurting in more ways than just his leg, but his eyes got clearer, and he became more alert, and he talked more, ate better.” She shrugged. “He started walking. Short walks around the yard at first, but then he started walking around the block. Slowly, painfully. He told me he hoped that by making his muscles stronger, the pain in his bone would ease. And it worked!”

Padmè laughed, and her eyes lit up. “It took time, but I soon had my husband back. He started seeing patients again. I worked as his receptionist. We took walks together in the evening. Everything was slowly getting back to the way it was before the war.”

Suddenly, her face fell. Rey reached forward and gently touched her hand. “What happened?”

“Anakin happened,” Padmè said softly. “He continued to try and lure me away, even going so far as telling me I was a captive of my husband and he would come rescue me by ‘doing away’ with Ben. I got scared, but I didn’t want to tell Ben any of it. I didn’t want to ruin his progress.” She paused. “Ani told me he was coming for me and that he would not let Ben get in the way. I told him I would drug Ben, and I snuck a large dose of morphine in his dinner that night, hoping he would sleep. I had hopes I could let Anakin take me away, then slip away from him later and go to the police. I was so naïve.”

She looked at Poe, overwhelming sadness in her eyes. “Ben woke up,” she said. “He came out to stop Anakin. I don’t think he really knew what was going on, but he knew I was in trouble. Anakin had a gun. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong.” A lone tear rolled down her cheek. “Anakin shot him. Right in front of me. And there was nothing I could do.”

Padmè took another deep breath and pushed on. “He told me I couldn’t say anything, that if I did he would tell people I had done it. That I had gotten fed up with taking care of Ben and ended it. I believed him. No one would listen to me over a policeman. Somehow, I made it through the funeral, letting friends take over the arrangements, and the day after I let Anakin take me away.” She paused. “Three months later, he had abandoned me here in Aldera. I managed to find a ride back to Coruscant, but I couldn’t go to anyone. I had no family, and I’d pushed away all my friends. I went to the Benedictine Sisters; they ran a monastery on the west side of town.”

“Why there?” Poe was curious. The monastery she spoke of was still there, but they ran a retirement community and a retreat center, and he was unsure why Padmè would go there versus an acquaintance.

But Rey’s mind was working in a different direction.

“You were pregnant, weren’t you?”

Padmè gave her a sad smile. “Why do you think Anakin abandoned me? God forbid I be pregnant with my husband’s child. It ruined his fantasy.” She wiped her eyes. “I gave birth to a boy, but I was too ashamed of all that I had done to even think about keeping him. I left him there and found my way back here to Aldera. I worked as a secretary, grateful I had learned how in Ben’s practice, and eventually met and married Tobias. One of the nuns, Sister Jyn, kept in touch with me, letting me know who had adopted my son. Through her, I was able to get information about him from time to time. His first word, his first day of school, his awards in baseball. I quit asking when he started his own family; I felt too heartbroken knowing I would never know my first grandchild any more than I had known my first child. I would soon have more grandchildren to love here in Aldera. Seven of them, in fact. With even more great-grandchildren and so far, two double greats.” She smiled proudly.

Her smile faded as she looked at Poe, and she tilted her head. “They named my son Luke,” she told him, and Poe felt his spine stiffen. “He created quite a scandal when he married, I understand. His wife was an immigrant’s daughter, her parents having come from Guatemala.” Poe felt shock roll through him as he stared at the old woman. He suddenly realized her reaction upon being introduced to him had nothing to do with his job or where he was from. It had been his name. She nodded. “Luckily, his family name was almost as influential as Kenobi. They were a good family, the people who adopted my son.

“Jade and Talon Dameron.”

*****

Rey looked over at Poe in shock and saw by his expression that he was equally stunned by Padmè’s words. She looked back at the older woman and found Padmè still looking at Poe, her head tilted curiously.

“Luke and Mara had only one son that lived to adulthood, correct?” she asked. “Kes?” She paused, glancing at Rey, then back at Poe. “Do you have any siblings?”

Still looking floored, Poe shook his head. “No. I’m an only child.” Taking a deep breath, he stood suddenly. “Excuse me,” he croaked, then turned and left the room.

Rey stared after him for a moment, then looked back at Padmè. She was smiling, but it was a sad smile. “Did he not know his grandfather was adopted?”

Rey remembered Poe’s words just yesterday during their heated discussion. “No, he knew,” she said softly. “I think he’s just a bit shocked to find out he’s a Kenobi.” He wasn’t the only one.

Padmè nodded. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The adoption records were sealed, but I do know they were opened about twenty years later by court order. Generally, the only person who could do that would be the adoptee.” She frowned. “After I was notified, I waited for a phone call. But it never came.” She shrugged. “If it was Luke who opened it, then he had no desire to take on the Kenobi crown.”

Rey sat silent for a while, her mind going over everything that she had learned in the last several minutes. “You do know that what you’ve told us today will become public record, right?”

“Well, of course,” Padmè nodded. “Your friend will be filing a report letting the world know Ben Kenobi was murdered and you’ll be writing a book that the world can read. At this point in my life, it doesn’t matter to me who knows. I want the world to know. It was very unfair of me to let Ben’s memory be tarnished like it was.”

Rey nodded, then took a deep breath, glancing back once more at the door Poe had left through. “Let’s talk about Ben some more,” she said. “Tell me everything. How you met. Any interesting stories you remember. All of it.”

Padmè gave her a bright smile. “Happily,” she replied.

It was almost two hours later when Rey emerged from the facility, tired and stiff from sitting for so long, but well pleased with her interview. It was on the downhill side toward noon, and the hot summer sun had heated up the air excessively, but Rey almost enjoyed the feel after being in the air-conditioned building for so long. She walked to Poe’s empty SUV and looked around. She spotted him sitting on a bench in the shade of a cottonwood tree in the park-like area to the side of the home’s complex. She headed his way.

He was hunched over scrolling on his phone, but as she neared, he sat up and looked up at her. “Sorry I ditched you,” he told her with a wry smile. “But I had everything I needed for the case.” He paused as she stopped next to the bench. “Did you get good stuff for your book?”

She nodded. “Lots,” she told him, then sat down next to him, giving him a long look.

He shrugged. “I called my dad,” he told her. “He was as surprised as I was, but he did wonder if his dad had known.”

“Padmè said someone opened the adoption records about twenty years later, but she didn’t know who and no one ever contacted her. She wondered if it had been Luke and he just didn’t want to have anything to do with her or the Kenobi name.”

Poe shook his head. “Damn,” he whispered. “I don’t know how to feel about this.”

Rey sat silent for a moment. “Why do you need to feel any different?” she asked finally. “You’re still you. Your dad is still your dad.” She shrugged. “Of course, you could be considered the Kenobi heir, now, too.” She smiled. “Maz is gonna love that. She’s gonna will the house to you!”

Poe shook his head. “Well, I won’t take it.”

Rey frowned. “Why not?”

He looked at her. “You’re the one who loves that house,” he told her. “You should be the one to get it.”

She grinned. “Maybe we can share?”

His expression fell and his eyes turned almost angry.

Rey felt her face heat. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “That was a little presumptuous of me, wasn’t it?”

He sighed. “No, I’m sorry,” he told her, looking away. “After this morning, you have every right to be expecting…more.” He continued, still not looking at her, “But, Rey, I can’t…” He stopped.

“You can’t trust me,” she finished for him. “I get it,” she said, trying to push back the tears already forming. “And I don’t blame you.” She turned her body a bit on the bench to face him. “I messed up, Poe,” she told him. “I was stupid and scared and I am so, so sorry.” She licked her lips nervously. “All I can do now is try to prove to you that I love you and that I want a future with you.”

She watched him swallow, but he still wouldn’t look at her. “I accept your apology and more than that I get why you did what you did, even if I still think it was wrong.” He paused. “I just need some time.”

Rey felt the first tear fall, and she quickly swiped it away as she turned her face away from him. She nodded. “I understand,” she whispered. Then she looked back at him as he glanced at her. “Just know that I’ll wait.” She nodded decisively. “As long as it takes.”

He swallowed again, looking down at the ground, but his slight nod of acknowledgement gave her hope.

She took a deep breath and sat up straight. “I guess we should start back,” she told him. “You’ve got a case to close.”

“And you’ve got a best-selling book to write,” he responded, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Well, yeah,” she responded as they stood and started walking toward the parking lot. “But first I have to resolve the issue of the house.”

“Oh, yeah,” Poe said lightly. “You need to tell your ghost you proved he was murdered.”

She glanced at him. “I need to tell him he had a son,” she corrected. “And that he has a grandson and great-grandson still living today.”

Poe looked at her, his expression once more a bit shell-shocked. “Yeah.”

“You’re Catholic,” she said. “Know any priests that could help out?”

He furrowed his brow at her.

“Well, Ben was devout,” she explained. “I have a feeling he would like a priest there to help him get to where he’s supposed to be.” She shrugged.

Poe gave a soft laugh. “Well, Father Kestis is a trained exorcist,” Poe told her.

“I don’t need to exorcise a demon, Poe,” Rey grumbled.

Poe laughed outright. “I know. What I’m saying is that he’s probably well versed in all areas of the paranormal.”

Rey looked at him suspiciously. “A priest?”

Poe shrugged. “We do believe in an afterlife, you know.”

“Okay, let’s give him a call,” Rey said. “Maybe he can meet us at the house tonight.”

Poe nodded. “Let’s do it.”

******

He was a fucking liar. And a coward. Poe cursed himself as he drove away from Kenobi House after dropping Rey off. He had told Rey he needed time. Yeah, time to stop being such a chickenshit and admit that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her but was too scared his heart was going to be ripped to shreds again.

The long drive back to Coruscant had been surprisingly comfortable, with Rey chatting about Padmè and repeating some the stories the old woman had told her. The old woman. His great-grandmother. How did he wrap his head around that?

In turn, he told Rey about the family history that he knew about. How his grandfather and grandmother had six children, but only one, Kes, had made it to adulthood. Kes and Poe’s mother, Shara, had also wanted lots of kids, but Shara had been killed in a car accident when Poe was only three, and Kes had never remarried. Though he had never thought of his family history as tragic, describing it to Rey made him realize how much had gone wrong for his relatives.

Rey had called Father Kestis informing the priest that she would like to have him bless Kenobi House and be present as she informed the resident ghost about the information she and Poe had learned. She had been more than a little surprised when the priest showed excitement at the prospect of being involved; she had expected to be scoffed at. During the last two hours of the drive, Rey had dozed off, and Poe had found himself glancing at her often, memorizing as much of her face as he could. Rey was an admitted control freak, and the fact that she had relaxed so easily while Poe drove indicated the amount of trust she had in him.

He dropped her off at her home and headed back to his apartment, using the excuse that he had to check on Beebee, even though Rose had checked on the cat last night for him when he had been sure he would be staying overnight in Aldera. Father Kestis wasn’t due to arrive at the house until seven, and Poe felt he needed some space from Rey to organize his feelings before the big reveal. After tonight, there would be no reason for him to have contact with Rey… unless he bucked up and admitted he wanted to try again.

He arrived back at Kenobi House just before seven, but Kes called right as he pulled up, wanting to know if there was a chance he could meet Padmè. His father had retired to Florida only two years ago, finally tired of the Coruscant winters, but he would love to come and visit his grandmother if Poe thought he would be welcome. Poe told him he was pretty sure Padmè would be more than welcoming.

“I figured I better come sooner rather than later,” Kes explained. “She’s probably not going to be around much longer.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Dad,” Poe argued. “The way she was when I talked to her, she may outlive us both!”

Kes chuckled, then Poe heard him clear his throat. “So, you say you got involved with this whole thing because Rey is writing a book?” He paused, and Poe had an idea what was coming. “Does that mean you two are back together?”

Kes had met Rey when she first moved to Coruscant, and he hadn’t yet moved south by the time Poe started dating her. He had never been shy about expressing how perfect he thought they were for each other and was more than a little upset when he heard about their breakup.

Poe paused for quite a while before answering, noticing Father Kestis pull up in his car as he did so. “I don’t know, Dad,” he finally said softly. “It’s kind of complicated.”

“Complicated?” Kes groused. “Sounds like a Facebook status.” At Poe’s laugh, he added. “Uncomplicate it, will you? You were never happier than you were when you were with her. Get that back!”

Poe told his father ‘goodbye’ without acknowledging the older man’s statement. He left the vehicle and met the priest as the man walked up to the front door of the house. Maz was already there waiting for them.

The three of them moved up the main staircase and found Rey waiting at her door at the top. She invited them in with a smile, but her glance toward Poe held far more than polite welcome. There was both hunger and hope in her gaze. He made himself look away, afraid she would see the same look in his eyes. They all moved toward her living area, and Father Kestis turned toward Rey.

“You have to know, I can’t try and contact the spirit in this house myself. It goes against Church directives, just in case it’s not a benevolent spirit.”

“So, no séance?” Rey said with a smile.

The priest smiled and shook his head. “No Ouija boards, either.”

“No worries,” Rey told him. “We don’t have to contact him. He’s already here.” She glanced around the room. “I can feel him.”

Maz nodded. “He certainly attached himself to you,” she told her tenant.

Rey looked abashed. “Probably because I not only acknowledged his presence but wasn’t scared of it.”

“Yeah,” Poe couldn’t help but interject with a sarcastic reply. “That’s why.”

“Careful,” Maz told him with a grin. “Rey told me he doesn’t particularly like you. Probably jealous.”

Rey glanced at him with a bit of a blush appearing on her cheeks, but then she moved to sit on the couch. “Let’s get started,” she told the priest. “I’m just going to tell him what we learned in Aldera, and you do what you do.” She watched him as he sat on the other end of the couch, pulling out a rosary as he did so. “What do you do for benevolent ghosts?”

He smiled at her. “I pray,” he said. “I pray the Viaticum as much as I can for a person who has no physical body to receive anointing and communion. It will still, if the soul is so disposed, offer cleansing and the chance to move on to an afterlife better than hanging around an old house.”

Poe had to smile at the priest’s words. He watched as Maz seated herself on the recliner that sat at an angle to the couch, but he remained standing. Rey gave him a look, her eyebrows raised, and he nodded.

She nodded back and began talking to the room. “Ben, we found Padmè. She’s still alive.”

Maz gasped and glanced at Poe.

“She told us everything, including how Anakin Skywalker came into this house and shot you, making it appear as if you had shot yourself.” She paused. “She had been trying to protect you, as he had threatened to kill you before. He was obsessed with Padmè, but she didn’t love him back. You must know that.” She paused. “She was scared because he told her he would blame her for your death if she tried to get help, and she left town with him. The world will know, now, Ben. The world will know you did not kill yourself.”

She paused again and looked once more at Poe. “But more than that, there is something you need to know.” She swallowed and took a deep breath, looking back around the room. “Padmè was pregnant with your child when she left.” Again, Poe noticed Maz’ surprised look. “She gave birth to a baby boy, but was too scared to keep him. Too ashamed of what she had done, however unwillingly, to you. She gave him up for adoption and you’ll never guess who adopted him.” She smiled. “A couple I think you knew, Talon and Jade Dameron.”

Both Maz and Father Kestis turned shocked eyes to Poe. He folded his arms over his chest and shuffled on his feet uncomfortably, waiting for Rey to continue. She didn’t make him wait long.

“They named the boy Luke, and while he has since passed away, his son Kes is still alive.” She looked at Poe. “And Kes’ son, Poe, is right here with us now.” She paused once more. “You can rest now, Ben. The world will know the truth, as your grandson and great-grandson now know the truth.”

There was a long silence, and Rey looked at Father Kestis.

He raised his eyebrows at her. “What’s the matter?”

She shrugged. “I guess I was expecting more of a reaction.”

Suddenly, Poe felt the room grow cold. He dropped his arms and stood up straight, his eyes roaming the area. He heard Maz gasp and turned toward the doorway that led to the main floor, which Rey had left open upon their arrival. Both Rey and Father Kestis also looked to where he and Maz were staring.

A man stood there, and while he appeared real and far from any illusion, Poe would never be able to explain the diaphanous appearance of the entity. His dark blonde hair was slightly shaggy, long enough to touch the collar of his white button-down shirt. His blue eyes sparkled and a small smile touched his lips. Poe heard Father Kestis begin his prayers for Last Rights, and Rey whispered, “Ben.”

But Kenobi wasn’t looking at either of them. He was looking at Poe. He tilted his head and his gaze became intense. There were no words spoken between them, but Poe suddenly understood everything the man was trying to tell him. Kenobi looked at Rey, then back at Poe. Poe nodded and Kenobi nodded back. Slowly, he disappeared, and the room turned warm once more.

Father Kestis crossed himself as he ended the prayer, as did Maz. Poe felt his own hand follow the familiar gesture and then noticed Rey did it herself, looking a little self-conscious. There was silence for a long while, then Father Kestis stood.

“Well, that is one for the books,” he said with a smile, his body language displaying his excitement. “Maz, if you don’t mind, I’d like to bless the rest of the house.”

She stood. “Of course, Father,” she said. “Come with me.”

The two left the room, talking quietly to each other.

Poe realized he was shaking, and he looked at Rey, who was watching him with wide eyes.

“That really happened, didn’t it?” she asked softly.

He nodded, taking a deep breath. “Yeah.”

She stood and walked toward him. “He was saying something to you, wasn’t he?”

“I didn’t hear any words,” Poe told her.

“But you knew what he wanted,” Rey finished.

He nodded, then licked his lips nervously. With a felling akin to panic, he made his way toward her door, the one that would lead him directly outside. “I need to go check on BeeBee,” he told her. “She wasn’t eating when I was there earlier and I want to make sure she’s okay.” Liar, he told himself. Beebee was fine. He just didn’t want to tell her what Kenobi had ‘told’ him.

Rey’s eyes widened in surprise at his words, then he saw the hurt. “Yeah, sure,” she said softly as he got to the door. She looked down, and he knew it was to hide the tears that were forming. God, he was a bastard. “I’ll see you later?” The phrase, which was normally spoken as a statement, was uttered as a question.

“Yeah, yeah,” Poe told her, his panic growing. “Later.” He opened the door and made his way quickly down the stairs. He rushed to his car and jumped in, speeding away from Kenobi house as if the hellhounds were chasing him. But he didn’t head toward his apartment and Beebee. Instead, he headed downtown toward police headquarters. Toward his office.

And the bottom right-hand drawer of his desk.

*****

Father Kestis had gone, Maz had said goodnight, and the clock said it was almost midnight, but still Rey sat wide awake on the couch, feeling numb and alone. It was too quiet. It was almost as if, now that Ben Kenobi wasn’t apparently haunting the place anymore, there was absolutely nothing there. Even the faint sounds of the crickets and locusts coming through the open windows couldn’t seem to break the heavy silence inside the house.

A lone tear started sliding down her cheek, just one more to add to the collection that had started when Poe left. She had said her farewells to the priest, had wished Maz a goodnight, and had even warmed up some leftovers for dinner, though she had ended up throwing most of the food away. She was exhausted and wanted a shower, but still she sat. Alone. Always alone. Not even a ghost to keep her company anymore.

The reveal to Ben had gone better than she could have hoped. Rey had already become fond of the affable Father Kestis, who had encouraged her before leaving to return to mass. She had only gone with Poe a handful of times while they had been dating, and had felt welcomed by the people there and amazingly comfortable in the sanctuary, but after the breakup she hadn’t even come close to entering the beautiful church on the east side of town. She felt like a fake. She knew nothing of religion, and without Poe with her she felt like she wouldn’t be welcome. Father Kestis seemed to think otherwise.

Something had happened earlier. She had seen how Poe’s expression had changed. How the wonder that had been on his face after they had all witnessed Ben’s apparition slowly faded and panic had crept in. She hadn’t believed his tale about Beebee, but she wasn’t about to call him out. She had done her part. Anything else was up to him. And apparently, he wasn’t ready for anything else. Not yet.

But she had told him the truth. She would wait. Until he told her outright that he didn’t love her anymore and wanted nothing to do with her, she would wait.

She took a deep breath and pushed herself off of the couch. Maybe she should get a cat, she thought. She was sure Maz wouldn’t mind; the woman had had cats of her own off and on through the years, but since her last one, Mitzy, had passed away at age 21, she had not gotten another. Rey should go to the shelter tomorrow and see about adopting one. Or two. Forget about envisioning Beebee roaming around this house, she would just get her own.

With a determined sigh, she headed for the door, ready to lock up for the night, but as she did so she heard footsteps on the outside stairway. She stopped, a brief moment of panic getting her heart pumping, and stared at the door. A soft knock sounded, and she took a breath. Maybe it was Finn checking on her. He had known she was leaving town yesterday and might not be back until today, but she hadn’t told him she was going with Poe. He and Rose had probably put two and two together and now he wanted to talk to her about it.

At midnight?

She stepped up to the peep hole and looked out. Her heart seemed to stutter, then sped up again, as she saw who it was.

She stepped back and opened the door.

Poe stood on the landing, his expression contrite. “I’m sorry I’m here so late, but I didn’t want to wait until morning.”

“Wait for what?” Rey asked breathlessly. Truthfully, after the way he left, she had not expected him back at all. Ever.

He opened his mouth to answer, but then seemed to hesitate. “Can I come in?” he asked instead.

Licking her lips nervously, Rey nodded and stepped aside. Poe passed her and walked into the living room, then turned to face her.

She closed the door behind her and turned to follow him. She stopped before the linoleum floor of the entry way and kitchen turned into the hardwood of the living room and bedrooms, resting her hand on the kitchen island. She looked at him expectantly, biting her lip.

He looked nervous and he shifted his weight a bit. “It’s quiet in here,” he said, giving her a tentative smile.

She nodded. “Yeah. Too quiet.” She paused. “I was just thinking about getting a cat or two.”

His face relaxed a bit and his smile seemed less forced. “Have you ever even had a pet of your own before?”

She shook her head. “No,” she said softly.

“You probably won’t need to see your therapist as much if you get a cat or two. They help reduce anxiety a lot!”

“Cheaper than therapy, too, I bet.”

He laughed. “For the most part, yeah.”

She smiled back, but felt her heart catch. God, she loved his laugh. And the way his eyes crinkled up when he did it. She rubbed her thumb along the edge of the island as she let her smile fade. When he stayed silent, she decided to push.

“Why are you here, Poe?” If it was to say goodbye, best get it over with.

She saw him take a deep breath. “I want to try again.”

Rey felt her mouth drop open in surprise. She shut it and swallowed, then cleared her throat. “You do?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I do.” He took a step toward her. “You know I love you, Rey. And yes, you hurt me. Badly. And yes, I’m terrified of giving you the power to hurt me again that badly. But the idea of never seeing you again, hearing your laugh, seeing your smile, watching you get excited as you talk about the people and places you’re writing about…” He shook his head. “As my dad reminded me earlier, I have never been as happy as I was when I was with you. I want that back. I want a chance to make you that happy, too.” He paused. “I want to take care of you, Rey. I want to make sure you know that all those bad things that happened in your life made you the strong, smart woman I love and I want to help you put your broken pieces back together.”

Rey had managed to keep it together during his declaration, but at his final words the tears she had been holding back began to fall. She rushed toward him, nodding because she couldn’t speak at that moment. He didn’t need her words as he reached for her, catching her up and bringing his arms tight around her back as she threw her arms around his neck. She sobbed and laughed at the same time, hiding her face in his neck.

He held her like that for a long time, but finally she felt his grip loosen and she backed up a bit so she could see his face. She almost started sobbing again as she noticed the tears that were tracking down his cheeks. With a soft moan, she moved forward and began to kiss his face, tasting the salt of his tears, and she felt him shudder. He cupped the back of her head to hold her still, then moved to capture her lips with his own. She responded immediately, her tongue tangling with his as her body reacted to his taste.

Without thought, she started pulling him toward her bedroom, and he followed without any hesitation. As they passed the doorway, she pushed off his blazer, letting it fall to the floor. As they moved into the room, they both started to fumble with the buttons of his shirt. He pulled it off when they reached the bed, and she stepped back, pulling her sundress up and over her head as he sat on the edge of the bed and began removing his shoes. Clad only in her underwear, she dropped down on her knees and started helping him with his shoes and socks, then reached for his belt, palming his erection through his jeans as she did so.

“Shit!” he hissed, gently pushing her hand away as he stood to undo the snap and zipper. She stayed on her knees, looking up at him with a smile. He paused as he looked at her, then he quickly pushed both jeans and boxers down his legs. She didn’t wait, taking advantage of his brief distraction, and reached for his cock. He fell back on the bed at her touch, almost tripping on the clothing that was now around his ankles. She giggled as he groaned, reaching with one had to pull his clothing away from his feet and grabbing her hand, which was wrapped around his cock, with the other. He pulled her hand away, giving her a smirk. “I don’t want this over too soon, sunshine.”

He grabbed her elbows and gently pulled her up onto her feet, then pushed himself back on the bed, bringing her with him. She followed, kneeling next to him, and as he dropped down to lie flat on the bed, she reached behind her back to undo her bra and then quickly slithered out of her panties. He reached for her again and encouraged her to straddle him. She grabbed up his erection once more, but noted that he was right and he didn’t need much more encouragement. The Amazon was flowing between her legs, so she knew she was more than ready for him. She leaned forward to kiss him, sighing as his hands cupped her breasts, squeezing them firmly as she stroked him a couple more times. She was about to mount him completely when she had an idea.

She slid off of him to the side, grabbing his bicep and coaxing him to follow her. He turned his body toward her as she lay beside him, and she continued to tug on his arm, encouraging him to lie over her. But he refused, pulling back and trying to bring her back up over him. It confirmed something she had suspected this morning at the hotel.

“I know what you’re doing,” she told him. He looked at her, surprise and confusion in his eyes.

“What am I doing?” he whispered.

“You won’t get on top of me,” she answered. “You think any sign of dominance will make me afraid, aren’t you?”

He didn’t say anything, but his expression answered her question.

She propped herself up on her elbow. “Poe, I have never had a panic attack with you,” she assured him. “I have never had a flashback because of anything you’ve done. I trust you with everything in me.” She paused. “What we do, what this is… it’s not even close to what was done to me. The idea of having you lie over me not only makes me feel safe and protected, it turns me on.” She lay back again, holding her arm up in invitation. “I want to make love to you in every position possible,” she told him. “I want you above me, below me, behind me,” she smiled as he groaned and closed his eyes at her words. “Every way that feels good. Please?”

He opened his eyes again and there was a determined look in them. Finally, he moved over her. “Promise you will tell me if you don’t like something,” he told her, his voice harsh.

“I promise,” she agreed, spreading her legs wide and bringing her knees up as he settled between her legs. Soon, he was sliding home, and Rey closed her eyes and arched her back, moaning at the feel of him filling her. She brought her legs up more and wrapped them around the small of his back, hooking her ankles together. This time, he groaned, sliding his hands under her and bringing them up over her shoulders, holding her steady as he began to thrust his hips into her. Rey squealed at the sensations that flooded her, smiling up at the man above her. “Oh, God, yes!”

“Fuck, yes,” he responded, he hips moving faster, then he slowed down suddenly, making her squirm and cry out in need. “Fast or slow, Rey? Which do you want?”

Panting, she moaned, “Both. Any. All. No, hard! Fast and hard!”

He laughed and continued to tease her, pounding into her hard, then slowing dramatically down as she neared climax. “Awww!” she cried. “Poe!” Over and over, he alternated between fast and hard to slow and deep. The sounds of their bodies slapping together, the wet noises being produced as his body slid in and out of hers, his own heavy breathing and moans, all combined to increase Rey’s arousal to unbearable heights. Finally, she begged, “Please, Poe! Please, make me come!”

With a soft roar, he began hammering into her steadily, his spread knees braced on the bed, his face buried in her neck. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders as she felt the first spasms begin, then her vision turned bright white and she felt as if her breath had been knocked out of her. She heard a high-pitched keening sound and knew in the back of her mind that it must be her, but she didn’t really care. She let the overwhelming feeling surround her and fill her up. She was floating, she thought. She must be. She couldn’t feel the bed beneath her anymore.

She became aware of Poe’s own cries, soft but intense, and she slowly became conscious of her surroundings once more. She felt Poe empty himself in her and opened her eyes to see his own euphoric expression as he rode her into the mattress. Her body convulsed again unexpectedly, and she squealed in surprise, her legs clamping around him tightly. He groaned and dropped his head back down to her neck, kissing her as he panted in exertion. She wrapped her arms tight around him and eventually felt her heart rate start to slow down. Suddenly, her body convulsed a third time, and she gasped. “Oh, my God!” she breathed. Aftershocks. She had thought they were myths. Of course, she hadn’t really believed in orgasms until last night.

She felt Poe’s body shake and he lifted his head to look at her. He was laughing.

She met his eyes with her own. “What the hell was that, Dameron?” she asked him, still in awe of what she had just experienced.

“That was only the beginning, Smith,” he told her with a smile.

******

Poe woke suddenly, opening his eyes to the grey light of early morning. He could hear the crickets competing with the pre-dawn birds singing outside the open windows of the bedroom, and he realized with sudden clarity that he had never woken up to such a comfortable feeling. It felt like home.

He moved his head ever so slightly to the left. Rey was asleep on his shoulder, her mouth open, and she was drooling on him. He smiled. He could get used to this. He brought up his hand to gently run his fingers through her hair and felt her give a tiny jerk as she woke. She lifted her head and blinked at him lethargically, then seemed to realize how she had been sleeping.

She sat up quickly. “Oh, geez,” she said as she wiped his shoulder, then her face.

He laughed. “It’s not like I’ve never had your spit on me, Rey,” he told her.

She glared at him and pushed at his shoulder. “I bet you’re wishing it was on something other than your shoulder,” she groused.

His smile widened. “Only if you want to put it there, sweetheart.”

She shoved at him again, but her eyes were bright and he could tell she was holding back a smile. She sat up straighter and stretched, which made him groan. God, she was beautiful, her arms up, her breasts tight and peaked. He reached for her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her back down on the bed. She squealed and giggled as he swung himself over her, still cautious about the act, but more comfortable with the idea that nothing he did reminded her of the horrors of her past. He brought his head down and rubbed his stubble along her jaw, making her giggle again.

She brought up a hand and cupped the back of his head, running her fingers along his scalp. “Are you ever going to let your hair grow back?” she asked. He had kept the burr cut for the last several months, liking how easy and quick it was; his hair was so thick that without proper management it always looked like a mop.

He rubbed a hand along his head. “Why? Don’t you like this?”

She shrugged. “It does make you look a bit dangerous and extra sexy, I’ll admit,” she conceded. “But I miss your curls.” She had loved playing with his hair. He remembered the first time she had done so; she had been so shy, not sure if she should touch him that way. He had made sure she knew how much he loved it.

The idea of her grabbing a tight hold of his hair while he fucked her created a surge of desire and he groaned, closing his eyes.

“What is it?” she asked, worried.

He took a deep breath and moved his hips into her, letting her feel his growing arousal. He smiled as her eyes widened. “Just envisioning last night only with you tugging on my hair.”

She smiled suddenly. “That’s exactly why I said something. I was imagining the same thing!”

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned, hiding his face in her neck again. “You’re gonna kill me!”

She laughed, running her hands along his head again, then smoothing them down his back. She pushed at his shoulders. “Let me up. I gotta pee.”

He groaned again and pushed himself off of her, flopping over onto his back. He watched as she made her way to the bathroom, the room getting lighter as the morning progressed. He let his mind wander to what needed to be done that day. He needed to finalize the report of the Kenobi murder. He had already informed his boss he had proof it was not a suicide, but he had not done any more than that, yet. Then he would probably have to talk to the press. This was going to be big news here in Coruscant.

Rey came out of the bathroom and walked over to the door, grabbing up his blazer where she had dropped it the night before. A soft thud made her stop as something fell out of the pocket. Poe jerked up, knowing immediately what it was.

“Wait!” he shouted as he saw her reach for the object. She stopped and stepped back, looking at him with wide, curious eyes. She held the blazer up to her chest, then glanced down at the object on the floor. Her eyes seemed to get even bigger as she looked back at him.

He hurriedly pushed the covers off and clambered out of the bed, padding over to the little box on the floor and picking it up. He glanced at Rey, then walked back over to the bed, grabbing up his discarded shirt with his other hand. He walked over to Rey and held the shirt out to her. “Put this on, will you?” he asked, not meeting her eyes. “I can’t do this with you naked.”

He glanced at her as she took the shirt. He could tell she was trying not to laugh. As she lay the blazer over the back of the chair in front of her vanity and pulled his shirt on, he found his jeans on the floor and tugged them on. He didn’t want to be naked for this either. Once they were both ‘dressed,’ he sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him. “Come here.”

She walked over to the bed and hitched her leg up so that she could sit facing him. Her smile had disappeared and she looked more than a little nervous.

He sighed and opened the little velvet box. Her eyes widened and her breath caught as she looked down at the ring inside.

“I helped design this. It’s yours.” He took a deep breath. “It’s always been yours.”

She stared at it, then looked back at him. “You designed this?”

“Well, with the help of a jeweler, yeah,” he shrugged. He looked down at the diamond solitaire. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t tiny, either. It was surrounded by the traditional aspen leaf pattern that was always used for 24 carat gold mined in the Naboo mountains.

“When did you do this, Poe?” she asked, looking back up at him with wide eyes.

He shrugged again. “We started just after New Year’s,” he told her. “They were still working on it when…” he stopped and swallowed.

Rey didn’t need him to finish. She knew. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. She stared at the ring, her expression devastated.

“If you don’t like it, you can pick out another one,” Poe said almost desperately.

“Oh, God, no!” Rey exclaimed, looking at him in surprise. “It’s perfect,” she told him, softening her voice. “You’re perfect,” she whispered. She shook her head, as if she was trying to gather her thoughts. “When you left last night,” she finally said, looking at him intently. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

This time it was Poe who shook his head. “I left to get this,” he told her. “It’s been in my desk since I picked it up in January. I wanted to sell it, but I just couldn’t.” He paused, then decided it was now or never. “Rey Smith, will you marry me?”

She huffed a laugh, then started nodding enthusiastically. “Yes!” she said with a huge smile. “Yes!”

He grinned back at her, then took the ring out of the box and slid it on her left ring finger. He had guesstimated her ring size with the help of the jeweler and was relieved as it slid on perfectly, hitching just slightly over her knuckle like it should.

She shook her head in disbelief, looking at the ring. “I wish I could thank Ben,” she told him. “If it wasn’t for him, we would have never found each other again.”

“Oh, he knows,” Poe told her with a smile. “He’s the one who sent me after this ring.”

Rey furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about?”

“You know he ‘said’ something to me,” he reminded her. “He told me it was time for me to trust you. To trust us.”

Rey smiled slowly, her eyes suspiciously bright. Dammit, he couldn’t let her start crying again, he thought. That would make him cry again. Quickly, he framed her face between his palms. “I love you,” he told her. “Always and forever.”

She laughed, her joy written all over her face. “And I love you,” she said firmly. “Forever and always.”

THE END