Yavin IV

As Rey sits at Poe’s bedside, she reminisces about their thirty-five years of marriage.

It's time to give my series Rey and Poe their 'happily ever after.' But I've got to make them suffer a bit more, first. LOL The last in my post-TROS series.

Pain.

Relentless, unceasing, excruciating pain.

It was so intense, there was nothing else. No thoughts. No sounds. No anything.

Finally, a conclusion formed. I haven’t felt pain this bad since Ren. That was almost forty years ago.

That thought led to more. How did this happen? What is causing this? A tenugo. That’s what it was. A small, venomous mammal native to Bracca. It had bitten him. If he remembered correctly, only about 10% of people bitten by a tenugo survived, and then only if they had immediate medical care. The poison caused paralyzation and agonizing pain. While the action of the venom could not be reversed, medical help could support the victim until it worked its way through the system, which could take days, even weeks. Sometimes even then, a person’s heart gave out due to the constant pain.

So, where was he? Getting immediate medical care or about to be eaten alive?

He tried to reach out with the Force, to sense anyone or anything around him, and found several faint signatures. He could not reach beyond that, but he did feel the nervous energy that swarmed around them. Not the animal that bit him, then. People trying to help him.

His mind’s eye suddenly recalled how he had gotten bit. Jagger! With as much speed as his brain could muster, he searched for one signature in particular among the people near him. There! A faint light in the Force, very similar in color and strength to his own. Bright, worried, but not hurt. Thank the Force! He had jumped between the tenugo and Jag, and that was how he had gotten bit. But Jag was okay, and that was the only thing that mattered right now. His life was of no consequence as long as his grandson lived.

“Don’t you dare think like that!”

He knew the ‘voice’ in his head was his imagination. Not only was she not here, but even her considerable strength wouldn’t be able to penetrate the shell of pain the venom had created. However, he knew that is exactly what she would say if she could read his mind. He pulled his thoughts inward, trying to tuck them away from the pain and helplessness. If he could live to reach her, she could help. She would not be able to heal him, but she could push him through the pain. He was sure of it.

He had no concept of time. Just the pain. Every once in a while, he could feel one or more of the beings helping him. Sometimes, he could sense Jag at his side, but he could not feel the boy’s touch, either physical or mental. Finally, he became aware of different entities, some with stronger Force presences. One he recognized. Doctor Diibb Kofra, the Rodian who had made his home on Yavin IV over a decade ago.

He was home.

The pain intensified as his anticipation grew. Then she was there, her presence like the radiant sun that comes out after a hard rain, warm and comforting. The pain eased greatly, enough that he could reach for her in his mind. He felt her fear and her worry. He hated making her worry. He wished he could move; he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was holding his hand, and if he could squeeze it, it would give her comfort. But nothing. He couldn’t even feel his heart beating, though he knew it must be. So, he allowed himself to sink into her warmth, content with the knowledge that should he die, at least he was with her.

Rey.

***

Jedi Master Rey Skywalker sat close to the bed, her hands wrapped tight around her husband’s clenched fist. Every wave of pain that emanated from him caused her to stiffen and she had to remind herself to breathe. A tear tracked down her cheek as she focused on the Force, sending as much of her energy as she could toward the deathly still man in front of her. She knew she couldn’t heal him, but damned if she was going to let him die.

Very few humans had survived the bite of a tenugo, and those that had were mostly young, strong individuals with no previous history of medical problems. Not so for her husband. Yes, he was strong, and still fit and active for his age, but his physical history was a rough one, full of blaster wounds and broken bones and torture, not to mention hours upon hours spent crammed into the cockpit of an X-Wing. At seventy years of age, Retired General Poe Dameron had many more years ahead of him, if he could just hold on through this trial. She was going to help as much as she could, even if it meant never leaving his bedside.

Doctor Kofra walked in, his antenna swiveling back and forth as he scanned the room. Rey gave him a soft smile. The doctor had been here on Yavin for over ten years now, but Poe had yet to really accept the green-skinned humanoid; not because he didn’t like Rodians, but because it had been Kofra, then a young first-year doctor, who had informed them of Kes’ death. Poe’s father had passed away from heart-failure while working alone in his Koyo grove, but it had been Dr. Kofra who had determined the cause of death and who had contacted Poe and Rey on Kashyyyk where they had been living at the time. Poe had never forgotten that day.

“Do you sense him?” Kofra asked, his head tilted curiously.

Rey nodded. “A bit,” she told him. “More so when I first got here. He’s more relaxed now, not struggling so much to do the things he can’t, including communicate through the Force.”

Kofra looked at the monitors and bobbed his head. “He is more stable since you have arrived.” He paused and considered her carefully with his big, black eyes. “I am surprised he survived the trip home,” he said softly.

Rey shuddered and bit her lower lip, the she smiled at the doctor. “He’s always been more than what he seems,” she whispered. “Done more than what was expected.” She let her thumb rub his hand. “He’ll do the same this time.”

Again, the Rodian nodded. “Let me know when you need a break, Master Skywalker.”

Rey cleared her throat. “Finn and Shaina will make sure I get them when they get here, Doctor,” she told him with a wry smile. “And Shaina can help hold back his pain, too, when I’m not here.” She lifted her chin, a determined set to her jaw. “Until he comes back to us.”

Kofra gave her a soft smile. “Of course.” He bowed slightly, then turned and left the room.

Rey focused once more on her husband and sighed. “I know you probably can’t hear me,” she started. “At least, not yet. But Jagger is feeling really guilty right now for talking you into taking him to Bracca, so you need to make sure you wake up sooner rather than later and tell him it’s not his fault. He won’t listen to any of us.”

Jagger, Shaina’s thirteen-year-old son, had been keen on visiting the junk planet for the last month, after learning that one of his favorite bands, The Scrap Rats, had originated there and were doing a benefit concert for the local juvenile hospital. Poe had volunteered to take him; though he was comfortably settled into retirement here on Yavin, he admitted to getting the occasional wanderlust from time to time, and though Bracca was not one of his favorite places, his first grandchild was one of his favorite people. Like Poe himself, Jagger only had minimal Force strength. So far, he was the only child or grandchild of Rey Skywalker to not have extraordinary abilities, and Poe had taken the boy under his wing very early on in order to insure he never felt like an outsider or a mistake.

When Jagger had shown interest in spending some time with his grandfather camping on the plains after the concert, Poe had jumped at the chance. He had commed Rey, letting her know how much he was sure he would enjoy the outdoor experience more than he had the so-called music of the show. She wondered if he would still feel that way when he woke up.

When. Not if.

Taking a deep breath, Rey lowered her upper body down to rest her forehead on Poe’s arm. She closed her eyes and let the Force swirl around them both. One day at a time, she thought. One day at a time.

******

He began to imagine things in his mind. He wasn’t sure if they were dreams or memories or hallucinations, but at least it meant that the pain wasn’t so overwhelming that his brain was dying. Instead, it appeared his mind was becoming almost overactive in order to counter the agony.

He felt a new presence and a surge of joy flowed through him, helping once more to push back the pain. Finn. While he and Rey had settled on Yavin almost eight years ago, Finn and Rose had stayed on Kashyyyk with the small but still strong Resistance. Poe had left the militia in the capable hands of General Xylia Tico, Finn and Rose’s second child, who had not only grown up with the Resistance, but had undergone training with Rey to help hone her moderate Force abilities. While Finn and Rose considered themselves ‘retired’ as well, they had found that they were comfortable on Kashyyyk.

He soon felt another surge of pain and knew that Rey had left; he felt no annoyance, knowing she had probably been at his bedside for hours, but he did find himself a bit lost, realizing how much her presence had been bolstering him. He focused on Finn’s Force energy. While not nearly as strong as Rey, his power was still potent and Poe felt his heartrate decrease again as the pain eased a bit. Wait. His heart? He could feel his heartbeat! He focused on it, relieved to find even a tiny bit of hope that he was moving forward through this ordeal. One day at a time. Or week. Or month. He had no clue how much time had already passed.

Rey wasn’t gone long, and he soon settled back into her beloved warmth. He could tell Finn stayed with her for a time and was grateful. This couldn’t be easy for her; she would need the support of her friends, and Finn was to this day her best friend. The two would always share something that he would never be able to experience, and he had long ago come to terms with that. He just had to remind himself that he and Rey also had their own private story, one where any jealousy had long ago been defeated. Somehow, his brain immediately focused on the memory of that time…

***

“He’s happy you’re here,” Rey told Finn softly after she returned from her break. She had walked from the clinic to their house and back, a good 5 kilometers round trip, but the exercise had done her good. She felt refreshed and ready to continue with her vigil.

“You can read his mind?” Finn asked, truly curious.

“No,” she told him. “The venom is still blocking me there. But I can feel his emotions. He knows we’re here and he knows he’s safe.”

Finn nodded, then asked, “How’s Jagger?”

Rey snorted a laugh. “Being a typical teenager in the throes of guilt,” she said. “He’ll be fine, especially once his grandpapa wakes up.” She looked at him. “How’s Xylia?”

This time it was Finn who laughed. “Terrified,” he told her. “Not only is she worried about Uncle Poe because she loves him, but she’s having panic attacks about not having him to get advice from when she has a problem.”

“Has she forgotten that you were once a General in the Resistance, too?”

“Dads don’t count,” he huffed.

Rey laughed. They talked for a while, and Rey happily soaked up the energy she felt coming from her friend. She understood why he and Rose had decided to stay on Kashyyyk, but she missed him.

After he left, promising to return later, she once again settled close to her husband, letting her mind roam. For some reason she was remembering a day long ago, and she wondered briefly if it was her connection to Poe that brought that day to mind, if he was remembering it, too.

It was the day of Poe’s fortieth birthday. They were living on Kolbe at the time, the planet that Rey had been marooned on a few years earlier. The children that had come from Exegol had been fully integrated into Rey’s school, and her third child, Samuel, was almost a year old. Suralinda and several of the other Resistance pilots had determined that Poe needed a huge party to celebrate his milestone birthday. Rey had actually gone on a short trip to Naboo with Rose and Jess just so she could find a dress to wear to the party; she was not a fan of dressing up, but she wanted to ‘knock Poe’s flight suit off.’ She had never really worried about how quiet Poe was in the days leading up to the party, but things took a major turn once it arrived.

She had stepped out from the fresher in the new dress, a bit self-conscious but excited to see Poe’s reaction. It was a beautiful turquoise color, and while the skirt was long, the dress was form-fitting and had a slit in the side that went far up her leg and the front plunged daringly low. She had never worn anything like it. However, Poe’s reaction was not what she had been expecting.

“What the hell is that?” His eyes were wide and angry when he saw her.

Rey immediately felt hurt and embarrassed. “What do you mean?” she asked in a rather small voice.

“Gods, Rey,” he told her, his brows furrowed. “You might as well just wear body paint. You’d be exposing a lot less!”

Her defenses kicked in. “Well, I love it.”

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s not like we’re going to be there long, anyway.”

“Why do you say that?” Rey asked, aghast. “It’s your party.”

“One I didn’t have any say over,” he complained. “Let’s get this over with.”

She took his arm, even though he hadn’t proffered it, and they left the house to walk across the grounds to the mess hall. Once there, they made their entrance, all smiles, and then Poe extracted himself from her and wandered over to several of the new pilots to talk. Rey tried not to let the hurt grow. Instead, she headed toward the other side of the room, putting on another fake smile as she got several compliments on the dress. She eyed her husband from time to time, dismayed to realize he had closed himself off from the Force and therefore from her.

After a while, someone started playing music and the center of the mess became a dance floor. Rey had never really liked to dance, but she expected Poe to eventually make his way over to her and ask. As time went on and he didn’t, Rey became uneasy. Should she go to him? She still wasn’t too sure on the protocol for events like this. She was saved from making any decisions when Beau asked her to dance. From there, one person after another kept her busy on the floor, and she found herself having at least a little bit of fun, though none of her partners were who she wanted. When Levi Kaye asked her onto the floor, she almost pleaded exhaustion, but she agreed. The young pilot was a recent addition to the Resistance, though he had flown with the New Republic for a few years. He had, in fact, been one of Poe’s students when her husband had taught on Naboo for a year and had fought with them during the war with the Traagmol. Blonde and blue-eyed, the man was handsome, charming, and cocky, just like another pilot she knew. Though they had not met in person before he joined the Resistance, they had flown together in the battle above Naboo. His wit had her laughing within seconds.

The absolute anger and pain she felt coming through the Force caught her off guard. She knew exactly who it was coming from, and she searched the room frantically.

“Are you okay?” Levi asked as she stopped in her tracks.

Her eyes finally found him. His intense gaze caught hers from across the room and immediately she could feel him close himself off again, aware he had dropped his defenses by her look. He turned and stalked away. She looked at Levi. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” She turned and headed to where she had last seen Poe.

Lama Spen suddenly stepped in front of Rey. She was the mother of one of Rey’s students and she was a chatterbox. Rey stopped short and tried her best to keep her temper as the Talortai started praising her and gushing about how happy her son was to be Rey’s student. Rey was trying her best to come up with something to say that would allow her to leave the conversation without being rude when Rose suddenly appeared.

“Lama!” the tiny woman said as she touched the Talortai’s arm, bringing her attention away from Rey. Rose winked at her friend. “I have a question for you.”

Rey hid her smile and nodded at them both as she went around them. As she made her way across the room, Finn came alongside her. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” she told him honestly. “But whatever it is, it’s personal.” She looked at Finn with huge eyes.

Finn nodded and lightly squeezed her shoulder. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Rey nodded her thanks, then continued on after her husband. She knew he had left the building, and she hoped that she could find him. She slightly regretted teaching him how to hide himself in the Force. She decided to head for home and start there, and was greatly relieved when she walked in and heard him. The babies were all staying with one of her student’s family for the night, and both BB-8 and D-O were powered down at their charging stations, so it was quiet other than the shuffling noises in the bedroom.

She rushed in, only to find Poe absorbed in a datapad as he searched through the closet, almost as if he was doing inventory on their clothing.

“What the hell is going on?” she demanded without any preamble.

He glanced at her, his expression casually indifferent on the outside, but she could see the anxiety underneath. “I was thinking. We were talking a while back about maybe making Tatooine the next base for the Resistance. Knowing how much you adore the desert,” his voice was viciously sarcastic, “and thinking that maybe we shouldn’t move the Exegol kids again so soon, you should probably keep the school here on Kolbe.”

Rey stood still, stunned by his words. “You want to separate the school and the base?”

He shrugged. “How many potential students have you lost because their guardians didn’t want them to be associated with a military operation?” he asked. “The kids can stay here; Shaina will be starting training soon, anyway. But they can come to me whenever and for however long you want.” His manner was still casual, but she could see the intensity in his eyes, even though he wasn’t meeting her gaze.

“You want to separate from me?” Rey’s voice was weak. Her heart squeezed in her chest.

He stopped moving suddenly in front of the vanity, his reflection in the mirror finally looking at her. “It’s time, don’t you think?”

“Time?” Rey’s voice wobbled. “As if you expected it all along?” she challenged, her tone stronger. “Did the vows at our wedding mean nothing to you?”

He winced, looking away from her and staring at himself in the mirror. His jaw was tight and she saw him swallow. “Rey, you’re not even thirty, yet,” he said softly. “How am I supposed to keep up with you?”

Suddenly, it all made sense. “Is that what this is?” she seethed. “You think you’re getting old?”

He turned to look at her. “When I hurt my back two weeks ago, I could barely get out of bed! You know I was never a fan of our age difference,” he groused. “You would be so much happier with someone like Kaye. You two looked great together.”

Rey wanted to laugh at him, but she knew he was serious. This was really bothering him. So, she let anger take over. “I’ve never known you to be so lacking in confidence as to be jealous, Poe Dameron,” she growled. “Here I was, so looking forward to this night, because I wanted to show the whole galaxy how much I loved my husband. I even bought this damn dress just for him, imagined dancing with him while I wore it. And what do I get?” she paused, watching as he lifted his chin. “Some scared boy who’s worried about grey hair and wrinkles.”

She marched up to him and his spine stiffened. “I love you,” she said firmly. “I love you more now than the day we married, grey hair and laugh lines and bad back and all.” She watched as he closed his eyes and lowered his head, and she let her forehead drop down to touch his. “You know what I see when I look at you?” she whispered, then waited for him to open his eyes. “I see the most handsome, kind, charming, funny, sexy, best pilot in the galaxy. And I will never regret making him mine.” She paused. “Do you regret making me yours?”

He immediately shook his head, the movement making her head move along with his. “Never,” he whispered back. “Never.”

“Then trust me when I tell you that I am in this until the end.”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, then he nodded, the movement making Rey smile as her head bobbed with his. She lifted her head and stepped back. He opened his eyes and looked her up and down.

“For the record, that dress looks kriffing amazing on you.”

She grinned. “I’m glad you like it. Now you can help me take it off.”

He shook his head. “Not yet,” he told her, and she saw the familiar cocky grin form. “I owe you a dance.”

“You owe me more than that, Dameron,” she shot back.

Rey smiled as she recalled the rest of that night. It had been nothing short of spectacular as Poe set out to prove his back was indeed healed. It was the last time their age difference had been an issue. And it was the last time jealousy had ever come between them.

She lifted her head and looked at Poe, wondering if he was remembering the same thing she was. They often shared dreams when connected through the Force. She hoped so, because while their shared years had been full of trials and tribulations, they had always overcome them. And she wanted him to have faith that the same would be true now.

******

He slept. At least, he thinks he slept. It felt different. The pain was lessened and his unconscious mind seemed to be in control, as if he was dreaming. When he was ‘awake,’ he could think what he wanted and he could focus on those around him. Rey’s presence was getting stronger. He hoped that meant he would soon be able to ‘talk’ to her, even if only through their mental connection.

He woke from what he assumed was sleep and noticed something different almost immediately. The pain was still being controlled, but Rey was gone. He focused harder on the person he felt was controlling the pain, and he smiled inside.

Shaina.

His oldest child, and the one that took after him the most. Her strength in the Force was almost as strong as her mother’s, and her ability to heal was also shockingly powerful, but her personality came directly from her father.

Her sister Shiloh had also inherited the ability to heal, and she had gone on to study medicine, becoming the first true Jedi Healer in decades. Their youngest child, Sebastian, was also showing signs of becoming a healer at age fifteen, but more than that, he was an almost carbon copy of his father, right down to the dark, curly hair and chocolate brown eyes. He once overheard Rey call Seb ‘Poe Junior’ and another time he heard her mumble, “I should have stopped at seven.” She had given him a smirk and a wink after that, telling him she was joking. He often had to remind her that she had been in charge of the baby train; she had wanted her crew for the Falcon and she had gotten it.

He focused on his daughter, trying to reach her mind as they had developed their own form of telepathy over the years, but it was no use. He still couldn’t reach that far past the venom. He felt a sharp stab of pain internally and knew his frustration and anxiety were trying to take over again. Shaina reacted immediately and he could feel the warmth of her energy flow through him to counter the pain. He tried to even out his breathing and slow it down, but he couldn’t.

Wait. He could feel himself breathing. Only it wasn’t him breathing, he realized. He must be on a ventilator. At least his being aware of that was another positive advancement toward normalcy.

He had relaxed back into a more serene state when he felt Rey come back. He hoped she had gotten some rest; this had to be almost as hard on her as it was on him. But even if he could communicate with her, he knew it would be no use trying to talk her out of staying with him the majority of the time. Stubborn was too mild a word when it came to Rey Skywalker. She would stay at the side of those she loved until the end. She had always been that way…

***

Rey had slept hard for five hours before waking and finding herself staring at the ceiling. Why she couldn’t sleep more than that, she didn’t know. Actually, yes, she did know. Poe wasn’t at her side. She sighed and closed her eyes. She and Poe had shared a bed for thirty-five years now. Sure, they had had their separations now and then, less so in recent years, but the majority of their nights were spent together, and she never slept well alone anymore. She had briefly thought about crawling into Poe’s hospital bed with him to sleep, but she knew it wouldn’t help either of them. Not yet. When he could feel her as more than a vague touch in the Force, then maybe that would be beneficial for them.

So, she got up, showered, ate, then headed back out into the muggy Yavin morning for her walk into the village and the infirmary. She saw Shaina note the time she got back, a frown on her face.

“I know, I know,” Rey grumbled. “I’ll sleep when he’s awake.”

“Did you at last get something to eat?” her daughter asked. She was a mother now, too, and her demeaner highlighted that fact.

“Yes,” Rey said softly as she settled back in her chair, taking a hold of Poe’s hand.

They were quiet for a long while, both focusing their energy on the man lying so still between them.

“I don’t like that I can’t feel him,” Shaina finally whispered. “I mean, I ‘feel’ him in the Force, but not him.”

Rey nodded. “I know. But believe it or not, he’s getting stronger. His Force imprint is far brighter now than it was when he first got back to Yavin.” She looked up at Shaina. “And I can sometimes feel emotion from him.” She shrugged. “I don’t know how, but I think we are sharing memories. I can’t explain that when the venom is blocking so much else.”

“I can,” Shaina said. When Rey looked at her with her head tilted curiously, she continued. “Didn’t you tell me that when you were stranded on Kolbe years ago that the two of you shared dreams? Light years apart, and you were still connected through the Force.” She brought one shoulder up. “I know you don’t like to believe that the Force had anything to do with you and Papa falling in love, but it sure bonded you together once you fell.”

Rey gave a soft laugh. “Maybe,” she said softly.

After Shaina left to find Jag, Rey once more put her head down on Poe’s arm, closing her eyes and letting her mind roam. The memory that came to her was an unwelcome surprise.

Rey lay on the soft, damp ground, Sal’s head in her lap. His breathing was getting heavier, a rattling sound emanating from his nose. Stroking his face slowly, she focused her energy and eased his discomfort some more. She couldn’t heal him. What ailed him wasn’t something that was meant to be healed. Sal was dying and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had known it was coming for a few weeks now. It had been twenty years since she and Sal had met and bonded on Kolbe, and he had been a mature adult then. She had no clue how old he really was, but she knew he was far older than his species normally got in the wild. While she had been able to help ease his arthritis pains with natural supplements and find food that was easier for him to eat with the few teeth he had left, there was no way she could stop the aging of his body. When she had found him down in the paddock this morning, she had realized why the Force had been telling her she needed to check on the tris that day.

As she sat there, softly crooning nonsense words to her friend, Poe arrived. She knew he had sensed her discomfiture and had come to check on her rather than try and contact her telepathically, something she appreciated as she really wanted him here. Without any words between them, he carefully lowered himself to the ground behind her, leaning against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder. She took a deep breath as she felt his strength flow into her.

Minutes later, Sal was gone. Rey felt his energy weaken and slowly disappear. His breathing stopped, and eventually so did his heart. When his body stilled completely, the tears came. Heavy, wrenching sobs wracked her body as Poe’s arms came around her. She turned and buried her face in his neck, gasping for air, despair filling her entire being. Poe just continued to hold her tightly, whispering into her hair. “Let it out. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Eventually, Rey was able to catch her breath. She pulled back from Poe. “It’s stupid,” she mumbled.

“What’s stupid?” Poe asked softly.

“I’ve been through wars, battles, seen people I knew and cared about die. And here I am crying over an animal.” She shook her head, refusing to look at him. “It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid!” Poe demanded firmly. “You loved him. Sentient or not. Even living or not. When you care that deeply for something, you mourn their loss.” He waited until she looked up. “Sal was your friend and he loved you. You have every right to mourn his loss as you do any other being you cared for.” He gently wiped the tears from her face. “It’s not stupid,” he repeated.

Rey bit her lip, then smiled softly. “How did you get to be so wise, Poe Dameron?”

Poe snorted softly. “Comes with marrying a Jedi and raising eight babies, Skywalker.” He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth. Then he shifted again so that he could hold her and touch Sal’s face. Rey placed her hand on top of his, and together they sat, saying one last silent farewell.

Rey lifted her head and looked at Poe, wondering once more if he was having the same memory she was. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. Losing Sal had been terribly difficult, but losing this man would be ten times worse. She wasn’t ready. She was not going to let him go. Closing her eyes, she pulled the Force around her like a shawl, then directed it around her husband.

******

He felt something.

It was vague, unsubstantial, and he wondered briefly if it was just his imagination, but he could feel Rey’s tears on his arm.

He tried desperately to move, to reach for her, to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her it was going to be okay, but that was all still impossible.

Eventually, the feeling subsided, but he still felt warmth, and later a brief moment of pressure as she squeezed his arm. He felt hope surge. It wasn’t his imagination! He could feel! Soon, maybe he could move!

With the giddy feeling from his discovery still filling him, he reached out with the Force, searching for the familiar and beloved touch of his wife’s mind. There! He could feel it. Again, not strong, but there. Not just her presence, but her thoughts, her emotions. He could tell when she realized what was going on, and he felt her reach back for him, the connection strengthening. It wasn’t yet strong enough to form words, but he could see images. He could ‘see’ the room around him, Rey sitting next to him, a smile on her face, a face still streaked with drying tears. Once more he tried moving and felt another wave of frustration streak through him when he couldn’t. The wave of comfort that enveloped him pulled his attention back to Rey. While he couldn’t hear the words, her point was made: don’t push, it will come.

One day at a time.

***

Rey smiled at Dr. Kofra when he walked through the door.

“I can feel him,” she said. “We still can’t ‘talk,’ but I can feel his emotions, see images in his mind. And he can feel my touch.” She was almost giddy with the realization.

Dr. Kofra looked exceedingly relieved. “That is wonderful news,” he exclaimed. Just this morning, they had taken Poe off of the ventilator as he was finally breathing strongly on his own. “This is even more proof that he’s going to beat this,” he told Rey. “Every little bit more he can do increases his chances.” Rey knew he had been worried these past few days. Though the ventilator was helping him breath and the IV fluids and a feeding tube were giving him the nutrition needed to survive, his body had been weakening substantially. The constant pain and mental anguish of not being able to move were taking its toll. This step forward would give him hope, and therefore strength to carry on.

Rey talked with the doctor for a while. She casually started playing with Poe’s hair, sifting the still thick strands of his mostly white mane through her fingers, hoping he could feel it. She had always managed to relax him by playing with his hair. After Kofra left, she remembered back to the time, so long ago, when she had discovered that fact.

Rey carefully made her food selections and placed them in the basket she carried, unconcerned about the hubbub going on around her in the mess area. She was trying to gather enough food for the next couple of days, as she and Poe rarely wanted to leave their apartment during his brief visits from Naboo. He spent a few hours in meetings with D’Acy and the rest of the command staff when he first got back, but he was in contact with them most every day, so the meetings were just a reminder who was still in charge here on Ajan Kloss. After the meetings were done, he spent the remainder of his time with his new wife; they had only been married for six weeks, after all.

A loud, obnoxious voice sounded not too far behind her. She recognized it immediately as Elton Karani. She rolled her eyes, but didn’t turn around, not wanting to deal with the young man today. Karani had been with the Resistance for about five months now. He was a good pilot, a great mechanic, and a hard worker. However, he had come to them with a chip the size of Yavin on his shoulder. He was rude, crass, always angry, and demanded more than he was willing to give. His parents had been killed by the First Order in front of his eyes shortly before the Battle of Exegol, and his village destroyed, so everyone felt sorry for him and made excuses for his behavior. Whenever Poe asked about him, people downplayed his nasty attitude, unwilling to be the one to have the kid booted out of the organization. Rey admitted to being one of those.

“So, she is alive,” the voice sounded, and Rey just had a feeling he was talking about her. “Gathering sustenance so you can continue to keep our illustrious General confined to his quarters for the duration, are we?” His sarcasm was not lost on Rey. She finished packing the basket, set it down on the table, and turned to look at Karani. Everyone else around them had gone silent.

“If you have a problem, Karani, let’s hear it,” Rey told him calmly.

His eyebrows rose in an exaggerated fashion. “Oh, no problem,” he said, his voice far too sweet. “Just wondering what it is about you that keeps him so complacent.” While he had never really been nice to anyone on base, he had always seemed extra hateful toward her. “You must give really good head.”

Several people gasped at his crude statement, and Rey began to see red. She was struck speechless for a moment, and she blinked, trying to center herself. She must NOT let her temper get out of control. She opened her mouth to reply when someone rushed past her. Before she could even react, Poe had moved in on Karani, punching him hard in the jaw. The man went down hard. Poe made a move to grab the man, and his intent was obviously to continue the assault, but Herrick and Connix both moved in to stop him. “General!” Kaydel cried.

Poe was breathing hard, but he listened to his officers. He glared down at Karani, who was looking up at him, his lip bleeding, shock on his face. “I’ve had enough of you, Karani,” Poe growled. “I’ve watched person after person cover for your bad behavior and attitude over and over again, all because they feel sorry for you. No more. You have twelve hours to gather your belongings and find transport off of Ajan Kloss. I don’t want to see or hear about you ever again. No more chances.”

He turned to Herrick. “You make sure he follows my order,” he told the security officer.

“Yes, sir,” Herrick nodded, his manner formal. He knew the difference between Poe the man and General Dameron.

And it was General Dameron that looked about the mess hall, making eye contact with everyone he could. “As for the rest of you, there will be no more hiding problems from me or trying to downplay bad behavior or situations just because I’m not here all the time. You go to D’Acy for any issue, even the minor ones, and she will let me know. Teamwork does not mean putting up with shit just to keep the peace.” He looked back down at Karani. “It means not being a shit and working with not against each other.” He glanced at Rey, then stalked out of the mess. “As you were.”

Her heart racing, Rey gathered up the basket of food and rushed after him. She followed him silently as he made his way back to the dormitory, and slipped by him as he held the door for her. She set the basket down and watched as he started pacing, his expression still incensed.

“Kriff!” he exclaimed. “I can’t believe I did that!”

“Did what?” Rey asked softly.

“Punched someone under my command, with almost the whole base watching!”

Rey snorted a laugh. “Poe, I think everyone there was cheering you on in silence.”

He glared at her. “You were one of those people downplaying this, I know you were.”

She sighed. “I-“

“Felt sorry for him,” Poe completed. “I know.”

“I didn’t feel sorry for him today,” she whispered. “I would have been quite happy to watch you beat him to a pulp.”

Poe looked startled for a moment. “What he said was indefensible.”

Rey nodded and looked down, feeling her face heat.

“What’s wrong?”

Rey took a deep breath. “When I was about eight, before I left to scavenge on my own, I was in Plutt’s tent when some trader made a move on me. Plutt actually told him I wasn’t for sale in that way, that I was one of his best scavengers, and the man looked me up and down and said that the only thing I would ever be good for was ‘giving head’.” She heard Poe make a growling noise. “I didn’t even know what that meant back then,” she told him, looking up at him.

“But you found out,” Poe said, his voice dark.

Rey nodded. “I became determined to NEVER let anyone make me do that, either by force or by desperation.” She gave him a small, embarrassed smile. “It’s why I’ve never…”

Poe nodded. “And you don’t ever have to,” he said forcefully. Then he sighed and moved to sit down in front of the mirror. “Damn, my visits are supposed to be relaxing.” He rubbed his hands over his face.

Rey walked over to him and tentatively started massaging his scalp. The groan he let out startled her; she had only heard him sound like that during sex. She smiled and proceeded to run her fingers through his hair, reveling in the feel of the soft curls she loved so much. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

“Poe?” she asked softly.

“Hmmm?”

“What if I want to?”

“Want to what?” His voice was a bit slurred, as if he was on the verge of sleep.

She licked her lips. “Want to…” she paused and took a deep breath. “Want to… use my mouth on you.”

She felt him tense immediately. He was silent for a long time, and she was sure he was about to tell her ‘no,’ so she continued. “You make me feel so good when you do it, and I know you enjoy it. I think I would enjoy returning the favor.”

He took a deep breath. “I’m not going to lie and say the idea doesn’t excite me, Rey,” he told her softly. “But it’s only going to happen if you want to do it.”

She smiled. “I love you. And I love that you are willing to step between a jerk and a Jedi to defend my honor.”

He laughed, his body relaxing again. “I love you, too,” he replied, then closed his eyes again as she continued playing with his hair.

Rey did want to, and eventually Poe let her return the favor, and as predicted, she did enjoy it.

She leaned forward and kissed her too-still husband on the forehead tenderly, wondering once more if he was remembering the same thing she was. She could almost swear his lips had softened into the barest hint of a smile.

******

He could smell rubbing alcohol. And plastic. And the jungle, just barely.

He could taste the plastic, too, and feel a tube in the back of his throat. Why did he have a tube in his throat, he wondered? He thought they had taken him off the ventilator. He purposely held his breath for a moment, noting that he could do so, which meant a machine was not breathing for him. So…a feeding tube. Of course. He needed to get nutrition somehow.

He was pleased by these revelations, because that meant he was feeling more, aware of more. He tried swallowing, but was unsuccessful. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the tube or that he just couldn’t, yet. He tried opening his eyes, but again, he could not. He took in a deep breath, centering himself, happy he could at least do that, and with it came another smell. Subtle. Sweet. Familiar.

Rey.

He opened his mind to her, but found a jumble of images instead of her sure, steady thoughts. She was sleeping, he realized. And not well. He ‘nudged’ her a bit with the Force, again pleased that he could at least do that again, and felt her wake.

“Poe?”

He could hear her! He felt her hand take his and he focused on squeezing it. Just a bit, he thought. Please!

He felt her joy in the Force, even though he hadn’t been aware of doing anything. He must have managed a bit of movement for her to be so excited. He heard voices again, but they were indistinct. They were talking too fast for his tired brain to keep up, but they sounded happy. He wondered, not for the first time, how long it had been since he got bit. And how much longer until he could get out of this damn bed.

“Soon,” he heard Rey say to him, her focus on him, her voice steady and sure. “Soon.”

***

Rey turned when she heard someone come in the door behind her. She smiled when she recognized who it was. “Samuel!”

Sam was their thirdborn. His hair was thick and dark like Poe’s and he had also inherited his father’s brown eyes, but his complexion was fair and he was much taller than his father, traits he got from her. She had always foreseen great things for Sam’s future; he had been conceived here on Yavin IV, after all, right under the Force Tree, and it was true that he had a significant connection with the Force. But it wasn’t until he turned fifteen that they learned just what that connection would be used for.

That was the age Samuel was when he lost his sight.

He moved into the room, a smile on his face, his chocolate eyes covered by tinted specs that prevented light from entering through pupils that never constricted. He walked confidently into the room, stopping at the foot of Poe’s bed and grabbing the frame with one hand. His essence in the Force was almost visible; he used it constantly to ‘see.’

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he told her, his smile becoming apologetic.

He was the last of their eight children to arrive on Yavin since Poe’s encounter with the tenugo. Rey stood and moved over to him. He opened his arms and she stepped into them, hiding her face in his shoulder. “That’s quite all right,” she said softly into his shirt. “I understand you were in the middle of some complicated negotiations on Serenno.” She leaned back to look up at him. “So?”

He nodded. “They’ll deal. They were drawing up a new contract when I left. The Chiss are finally willing to allow trade with other species.”

“Good job,” Rey told him as she stepped out of his embrace.

He shrugged. “I think they wanted to make the deal a long time ago. They were just too stubborn.”

Rey smiled and sat back down in her chair. She could see her son’s smile fade as he turned his face toward his father.

“How is he?”

Her smile grew. “Better! I felt him squeeze my hand this morning!” She looked at Poe. “It took a lot out of him, but he can connect with me through the Force easier than yesterday, too. I’m pretty sure he can hear now, as well.” She looked back at Samuel. “Every day is better.”

“How long has it been now?” Sam asked. “Nine days?”

“Since he got to Yavin, yes,” Rey answered. “Eleven days since he got bit.”

“His pain?”

“Still there, but both Shaina and I feel we aren’t using as much energy to push it back as we were.”

Samuel found a chair and the two talked quietly for some time. When he finally stood to get something to eat, he gave her a wry smile. “I don’t suppose I should bother asking if you want to go with me?”

She shook her head. “But if you want to bring back some honeysticks I would love it!”

He laughed. “You got it.” He walked steadily out of the room, his gait sure but careful. She watching him go, remembering the day his life, and therefore all their lives, changed.

Rey ran for the infirmary, her heart racing. She had felt the absolute terror from one of her children, but she had yet to discern which one. The only one she was sure it wasn’t was the tiny one still inside her womb; he was still far too small to be causing trouble.

They were in the midst of moving the base one more time. Rey had argued that they could keep it on Deveron; they didn’t need to move it yet again just because she was pregnant. But Poe was adamant about sticking with the tradition of ensuring every child was born on a different planet. Sydney had been born here on Deveron three years ago. Number Eight (Poe called the babies by their number until they were born) needed to have his ‘own planet.’ So, they were moving to Kashyyyk. Until today, the move had been going smoothly.

As she neared the infirmary, she was able to focus on who it was that was manifesting the fear and pain she was feeling.

Samuel.

She rushed into the building and found her way quickly to one of the exam rooms. He was moaning, his voice ragged, and she knew he had been screaming earlier. He was lying on a cot with a compress over his eyes. Doctors Kalonia and Weimar were both at work collecting medicines and equipment, obviously having already completed an initial exam. Poe and Sabine were both at Sam’s side, Sabine with tears flowing. They both looked at Rey as she entered the room. Poe’s eyes were wide, but his expression was stoic. Sabine looked terrified.

“I’m sorry!” she cried when she saw her mother. “It’s my fault! I’m sorry!”

“What’s your fault?” Rey asked as calmly as possible just as Poe said, “It’s not your fault.”

“What happened?” Rey asked.

“From what I understand,” Poe started, wrapping his arm around his ten-year-old daughter’s shoulders. “They were sparring and Sabine’s saber caught a tree branch. It changed the angle of her swing and the blade came down too close to Samuel’s face.”

Sabine started crying again as Rey moved to stand beside Poe next to Sam’s head. She brought her hand down on his forehead. Both doctors stopped what they were doing and watched her for a moment. Harter spoke softly. “The damage is done,” she said. “He was burned, but not cut. Can you..?”

Rey focused. She could sense the damaged nerves, the burned segments floating uselessly behind the eyes. She felt panic, and she shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered. It was too much even for her to fix. If she had gotten to him right after it had happened, maybe. She felt tears seep out from under her eyelids and heard Sam start to sob. He had heard her. He knew. “I’m sorry, Sam,” she whimpered, bringing her face down to kiss his forehead. “I’m so sorry.”

Harter moved in, tears in her own eyes. It wasn’t often they were reminded that their Jedi Master was still mortal, that she couldn’t fix everything. And to have the realization happen with her own son… Harter removed the compress and began to administer numbing medication to Sam’s eyes. Rey stepped back to allow Weimar access to her son, and Poe pulled Sabine back as well.

Rey stepped around her husband and pulled Sabine into her arms. “This was not your fault,” she told her daughter. “An accident is an accident.”

“But if I was better,” Sabine wailed. “Faster…”

“Nobody’s perfect,” Rey argued. “Not even me. I couldn’t heal him.” She looked her daughter in the eye. “That must mean it’s my fault, too?”

Sabine shook her head. “You weren’t there,” she grumbled.

Rey just pulled her into a hug again, knowing that Sabine wouldn’t listen to her or her father. Not yet. But she would. When Samuel forgave her, and Rey knew her kindhearted son would, then maybe Sabine would forgive herself.

She looked at Poe above Sabine’s head. He looked devastated, but at her look he took a deep breath and nodded. They had weathered storms before and they would face even more in the future. They would get through this together.

Rey sighed and close her eyes. Somehow, all of her and Poe’s children had made it to adulthood. Most with scars, both physical and mental, but all of them still strong, still sane. And all of them still a family. That meant more to her than she could possibly explain. She yawned suddenly, reminded that she once more had slept very little last night. An image appeared in her mind’s eye; her curled up against Poe’s side, sleeping soundly. She smiled, knowing that image wasn’t of her making.

“Okay,” she whispered, then she climbed into the bed next to her husband, carefully arranging his arm off to the side so that she wasn’t lying on it, and rested her head on his chest. Within moments, she was asleep.

******

It wasn’t immediate, but as his brain started working its way from sleep to wakefulness, he began to realize something amazing.

He felt no pain.

Not like the pain he had been feeling for an unfathomable amount of time, anyway. There was still some discomfort. Tubes and catheters and adhesives that made individual parts of his body sore, but the all-encompassing pain was gone.

His mind searched for Rey, and at the same time it found her in the Force he realized he could feel her physically, too. She was still lying next to him, curled up sleeping soundly. He relaxed, unwilling to wake her when he knew she had not had a decent sleep since he had gotten bit. Unfortunately, he heard Dr. Kofra come in the room just then.

“Master Skywalker?” he said softly but firmly.

No, he thought. Don’t wake her up. He wasn’t sure if his pain was gone because the venom had run its course or if Rey sleeping plastered against his side had anything to do with it, but either way, he didn’t want her disturbed.

“Master Skywalker?” Kofra said again.

He felt Rey jerk slightly as she woke, and his disappointment grew as she immediately slid off the bed. “Sorry,” he heard her say to the doctor. “I probably shouldn’t be sleeping there, huh?”

“On the contrary,” Kofra told her. “Your husband’s vitals are completely normal for the first time since he came and you got a full eight hours of sleep. I think sleeping there was a wonderful idea.”

He heard Rey laugh softly. “What do you need?”

“Your daughter was in earlier to talk to you, but when she saw you sleeping, she said it could wait. However, it’s getting late and I know she will be retiring soon, so I thought you might want to speak with her.”

“Which one?” Rey said on a yawn.

“Excuse me?”

“Which daughter?” she said wryly.

“Oh! Sydney. She said she would be at The Stinger.” The Stinger was the local pub/café not far from the clinic.

“Thank you,” Rey answered. “I’ll go see what she wants.” He could feel her moving away, and while he felt frustrated by her leaving, he also felt for the first time that he would be okay alone.

“Master?” Kofra said suddenly.

“Please, call me Rey.”

“Rey? Did you put General Dameron’s arm around you before you lay down?”

“No, I didn’t. Why?”

“Well, he had it wrapped around you when I came in.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“I’ll be right back, Poe,” Rey said softly. He could hear the smile in her voice.

***

Rey entered the doors to the pub and stood there for a moment taking in the scene before her. Almost two dozen people gathered around a group of tables in the middle of the room, and she was related, either by blood or by marriage, to all of them. The joy she had felt at Kofra’s words about Poe’s arm increased as she watched her family. All eight children, various spouses, and seven grandchildren (with two more on the way) ate and laughed and argued in front of her. Several droids of various designs skittered around the room, some owned by The Stinger and serving the Dameron clan, but most belonging to members of her family, which meant they themselves were family; every one of Rey and Poe’s children had carried on the belief that droids were part of the tribe. C-3PO was carrying on a lively debate with Sienna, R2-D2 was attempting to boss the server droids, D-O was hiding under the table, trying not to get underfoot, and BB-8 made a bee-line for her as soon as he saw her; he visited Poe often, but never stayed, taking the job of looking after the youngest Dameron grandchildren seriously.

Rey smiled at him, then moved into the room, knowing the droid’s reaction would draw everyone else’s attention to her. “If I had known all it would take was one of us on death’s door to get you all in one place…” she started.

“Hey!” Sabine argued. “We were all here for Shiloh’s wedding last year!”

“Once a year is not enough,” Rey stated.

“Did you have a good sleep?” Sydney asked, her voice soft despite the hubbub around her.

Rey nodded. “Very good.” She walked up to her youngest daughter. “What did you need?”

She shrugged, her chestnut hair sliding around her shoulders as she did so. If Seb was a carbon copy of his father, Syd’s looks were almost identical to her mother’s. “Chewie checked in a few hours ago, just wanted an update. He asked if he should come, but I told him to wait until you contacted him. I think he was worried things weren’t going well.”

“Well, I will happily contact him to let him know things are going wonderful.”

“Really?” Skyler asked, his gaze hopeful.

Rey nodded. “He’s moving a bit on his own, and when I left him, I felt no pain.” She smiled. “I have hope he will wake within a couple of days.”

A cheer went up from the group and Rey laughed. She stayed for a while, sitting down to eat a quick meal. Finn and Rose came in a few minutes later, and they were absorbed into the group immediately. Though they lived on Kashyyyk, they were as much family as any of the many Damerons in the room.

Eventually, Rey slid out of the gathering, giving Finn a wink as she did so. She sent a quick message to Chewie, then headed back to the clinic. She had promised Poe she wouldn’t be long. Promises were important between them, and trust was imperative. It always had been. Sitting next to his bed once more, Rey remembered back to a time when that trust had been tested in a most unusual way.

Most of the days on Ajan Kloss were sunny, hot, and humid. Rain came quickly, sometimes with barely any warning, poured heavily, then was over just as quickly, raising the humidity without really cooling down the temperature. Most of the beings that had voluntarily stayed with the Resistance after the war’s end complained about the weather, but Rey loved it. Heat she could handle, and the humidity was much easier on her than the bone-dry air of Jakku had been. However, there were still days even she found herself wishing for a break from the sweltering temps.

While artificial cooling systems had been put in place in the Command Center and the new dormitory buildings, the rest of the base was pretty much as open air as it had been during the war, with some members still choosing to live in the caves that had provided shelter back when Leia had still been in charge and they had been ready to run and hide if need be. Now that the Republic was mostly re-established and Poe was doing double duty as leader of the Resistance and head flight instructor of the new Naval Academy on Naboo, Ajan Kloss was feeling more like a permanent home.

It was three weeks until her wedding, and Rey sat on a blanket watching her fiancé fall asleep across from her before he even finished eating the food she had packed for their picnic. He was exhausted, she knew. He had just arrived from Naboo yesterday for his last visit before the wedding and he had spent almost all that time since in meetings with his command crew. She knew he would spend the next two days of his visit with her, as had become the norm since he started the job on Naboo, but she worried he was running himself into the ground. She had argued with him more than once that he needed to delegate more to his staff, especially D’Acy, who was his second in command after Finn resigned his commission.

She stared at the water in the pond they were next to for a while, briefly wondering if she should go for a cooling soak while Poe napped, but decided against it; the only time she had bathed in the pond had been at night when she had been alone. She was still uncomfortable with large bodies of water, her experience on Kef Bir’s ocean having given her reoccurring nightmares.

She grabbed a starfruit and as she did so realized Poe was awake and watching her.

“I feel asleep,” he said softly.

She smiled. “Yes, you did.”

“I’m sorry,” he groaned, rubbing his face.

“Poe, it’s alright,” she told him. “You need it. And I’m glad you’re comfortable enough here to do it.”

He watched her for a while, a small smile on his full lips. “What were you thinking just now?” he asked softly.

She swallowed her bite of fruit, then shrugged. “I was thinking about getting in the water. It’s extra hot today.”

His eyes lit up. “Yes! That sounds amazing!” He sat up and began to pull off his boots.

“Poe!” Rey laughed. She looked back toward the base. “It’s daytime!”

“I’m not gonna strip completely,” he told her, pulling off his shirt. “Not sure that would be a good idea with you around anyway.” He was determined to wait until their wedding night to have sex with her. As she looked at his bare chest with his mother’s ring hanging from its chain around his neck, the same ring that would go on her finger in three week’s time, she shivered. He took off his holster and then seemed to contemplate whether or not he should remove his pants. She was grateful when he decided to leave them on. He stood. “Come on!”

She laughed again as he ran toward the rocky outcropping a short distance away and jumped in, cannonballing into the water. It was obvious to her that he had done that before. She pulled off her own boots and wraps, leaving her saber next to his blaster, and walked to the edge of the water, away from the rocks. He was swimming with powerful stokes toward the center of the pond, but then he stopped and turned toward her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m not sure I should take off more than this, Poe,” she answered, thinking he was asking about her choice of leaving her trousers and tunic on.

He shook his head. “No!” he emphasized. “Jump from the rocks,” he demanded. “I want to see you fly!” He was grinning at her.

Her heart stuttered, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of his words or his smile. Or both.

“Poe!” she exclaimed. “Did you forget where I grew up?”

She could see his brows furrow for a moment, then suddenly they rose. “You can’t swim, can you?”

“I’ve… floundered in water before,” she griped, remembering back to the sea cave on Ahch-To. “I haven’t exactly had the opportunity to learn how to swim,” she told him, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“Well, now you do,” he told her matter-of-factly. He swam back over to the rocks, jerking his head toward her. “Come on.”

Biting her lip, Rey made her way over to the outcropping he had jumped from and looked down at him. It wasn’t very high up; she had jumped from much farther using the Force. But the water underneath her caused more than a little anxiety.

Poe looked up at her, his smile reassuring. “Jump,” he told her. “I’ll catch you.”

“Poe,” she started.

“I’ll catch you,” he affirmed. “I’ll always catch you.”

Taking a deep breath, she jumped.

“Rey?”

Rey jerked open her eyes at the sound of the husky, barely audible whisper. She looked at her husband, her heart racing as she realized he was looking back at her.

She started crying and laughing at the same time. She stood and leaned over him, bringing her face close to his, running her fingers through his hair.

“Hi,” she whispered, her own voice rough sounding to her ears.

“Hi,” he answered back, smiling. She saw him swallow a bit uncomfortably, and he blinked a few times before licking his lips. “Thanks for catching me,” he said, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt he had indeed been sharing all these memories with her, just as Shaina has suggested.

“I’ll always catch you.”

******

Two Weeks Later

Poe Dameron tried his best to stifle a groan as he sank gratefully into a chair just outside the front door of his house. He had just gotten back from what would normally be considered a short hike through the jungle he grew up in with Seb and Jag, and he was completely wiped out. He knew it would take a long time for him to get back to where he was before the tenugo bite and twelve days paralyzed in a bed (thirteen if you counted the last day when Kofra wouldn’t let him get out until he was sure Poe could actually walk), but he was getting bored and had thought a short jaunt of less than five kilometers would be doable. And it had been, but not without cost.

He glanced over at Rey who was sitting on a blanket on the ground with another grandchild, Chrys, Shiloh’s firstborn, who was just starting to make her first attempts at crawling. He could tell she was holding back a smile; she had warned him he might not be quite up to a hike yet. BB-8 rocked softly back and forth next to them, watching the baby in fascination. From Shaina to Chrys, babies had always captivated the little droid.

Shiloh and Shaina were the only grown offspring still planetside, but the others had promised to visit more often than for official family events. He could only assume that Rey had put them all on a serious guilt trip while he had been out of it.

He leaned back in the comfortable chair, for once glad for the relatively new additions to the front yard. It was not easy getting old, but it was even more difficult admitting you were getting old. Of course, he hadn’t felt this old before the bite, and both Kofra and Rey were convinced he would get stronger with time. Daily physical therapy with Kofra’s Chalactan nurse, Nemta Odre, was helping. Rey’s massages, which she happily gave every night before bed, also helped significantly. As did the activities those massages sometimes led to. At least he wasn’t too old for that, yet!

He felt himself dozing off when he heard the familiar sound of a Corellian YT freighter enter atmosphere. Knowing the Falcon was (finally) permanently grounded and on display at the museum in the Grand Temple, he opened his eyes and peered up curiously. While not extinct, he didn’t know many who flew the old YTs any more, but the one he knew best other than the Falcon would be more than welcome here. He barely saw the Rebellious as it disappeared behind the trees, heading for their private landing pad. He smiled. Finn was back. He closed his eyes again, comfortably waiting for his friend to finish with the landing cycle and come join them; he and Rose had headed back to Kashyyyk over a week ago, but Finn had always been planning to come back when things quieted down around here. In other words, when the huge Dameron clan dispersed a bit.

He felt his friend’s presence not long after and opened his eyes to see Rey waving to him as he strode through the trees toward them. Poe couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous at the ease the younger man had in walking; he had never been patient when it came to healing. He closed his eyes again, feeling a smile tug at his lips as he laughed at himself internally.

“Just in time to make dinner,” he heard Rey say to Finn, and heard his friend respond with huff.

There was silence for a moment. Then Finn asked, “What he do to knock himself out like that?”

“Took a hike with his son and grandson,” Rey replied. “And he had to make sure Jag had no clue how hard it was for him to do.” Jagger was just starting to get over his guilt over Poe getting bit; Poe wasn’t going to add to it.

“You’re such a fake,” Finn grumbled good-naturedly.

Poe laughed, finally opening his eyes in time to see his friend sink down on the blanket across from Rey. He motioned toward the other chair. “You can sit here, you know.”

“Oh, I’m not old enough to have to use a comfy chair like that, yet,” Finn snarked.

“Moof Milker,” Poe grumbled.

Rey giggled, and Poe thought it was the most beautiful sound in the galaxy.

“So, what’s for dinner, Tico?” Poe asked, purposefully wiggling himself further into that comfy chair.

“Depends on what you’ve got available,” Finn responded. “We all know you do the shopping around here, and you’ve been a bit occupied with other things, so do we even have anything to make?”

“Hey!” Rey picked up a leaf and threw it at Finn. “I’ll have you know I’ve been doing a decent job keeping Poe fed while he’s recovering.”

Finn looked at Poe. “How many times has she cooked since you left the clinic.”

“Once,” Poe told him with a smirk. “Shaina and Shiloh have been doing it most of the time.”

“And guess who asked them to do it?” Rey argued. “Me!”

The men laughed and Rey couldn’t stop a smile of her own from blooming.

Poe felt his heart bloom right along with it. He glanced back and forth between his two best friends. Almost forty years since the Force had brought them into his life, and here, now, they were still together. Still best friends. His found family.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and he looked off to the side of the yard where the young Uneti tree stood. He saw the shapes of two people in the shadow near the trunk, and though he couldn’t see them clearly, he recognized them. Shara and Kes, their essences still attached to the Force power emanating from the tree, which was an offspring of the original one still standing at the Dameron homestead. They had appeared on more than one occasion since Poe, Rey, and their three youngest children had settled back here on Yavin eight years ago. The encounters were similar to the ones he had with Leia in the Great Temple, silent but comforting.

He looked over at Rey who was also looking at the couple by the tree. She met his gaze and smiled.

The Force would be with them. Always.

THE END