*SPOILERS FOR THE RISE OF SKYWALKER!*

Your POV
"And we're back." A rather disgruntled Poe Dameron sighs as he powers down the Millennium Falcon, turning to you with a tired expression.

You likely mirrored the pilot's exhausted state, though ten times worse.

Ever since Rey, Finn, You and Poe had left Ajan Kloss to hunt down a Sith Wayfinder on Pasaana, you hadn't been able to sleep. At all.

The Force was stirring in ways you couldn't describe and it bothered you.

Even Poe noticed you were off, which was rare for him. Usually, he'd just leave you be in times like this, until you finally broke down and came to him.

You were no Jedi, the farthest thing from that, in fact. You just happened to be slightly force-sensitive.

But that's besides the point.

"That we are." You muse aloud, cracking a small, half-hearted smile before lowering your head and tuning yourself to the Force once more for what seemed the hundredth time today.

Something still wasn't right.

Maybe it's because Rey is gone off to who knows where after that duel with Ren? No... It's something else... It's something I've never felt before...

"Hey..." The Pilot in front of you whispers, his hand finding its way atop yours. "Everything's fine... Rey'll be fine, she's a survivor."

You shake your head slowly, your gaze still lowered.

"It's not that, Poe... It's something else... I just don't know what..." You pause, voice cracking as your gaze meets his. "Something is wrong. Something is horribly wrong."

The man in front of you just sighs once more.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Y/N... Come on, we have to go find Leia."

You nod solemnly, taking the Pilot's hand lightly as you both make your way out into the warm sunshine of Ajan Kloss.

Outside, there was a flurry of activity.

Officers rushing around, pilots trailing aimlessly behind, mechanics tinkering away. Everyone had looks of shared grief and agony written all over their features. Not a single soul looked remotely happy.

And then there was a sudden, complete and absolute silence as both you and Poe made your way closer and closer to the main area, hand in hand.

Something isn't right. At. All.

"You're back! The both of you! There's something I need to tell you!" The voice of Commander D'Acy yells from behind a nearby X-Wing, the older woman coming into your view seconds later.

She was practically running towards you both.

"Can't talk, gotta find the General." The pilot next to you nods, continuing past D'Acy, quickening his pace.

"Poe. It's about Leia." The woman's voice sounds once more, less urgent than before, more solemn and full of grief.

Just like everyone else.

Realization washes over you like an icy wave as you collapse to your knees, your grip on Poe's hand falling limp, the gravity of the situation weighing you down and the feeling that had been pulsing through the Force now hollow and empty.

You only vaguely make out what happens next.

The man beside you immediately kneels down beside you, speaking, but to you, it sounds like gibberish.

He makes his way to his feet again, this time facing Commander D'Acy, a look of seemingly controlled panic on his features.

"What do you mean?" He asks aloud, glancing back down at your dumbfounded and shaking form.

You watch through lidded eyes as the older woman nods slowly, her composure beginning to crack.

"She's gone."

She's gone... General Leia Organa... Is gone...

"No..." You hear Poe whisper, as D'Acy turns on her heel and continues on, leaving you both at a complete loss for words, alone in your shared grief.

That's what the feeling was... It was death...

"Y/N? Y/N." A shaking and torn Poe Dameron murmurs, shaking you slightly.

Through your blurry gaze, you can make out his face inches from yours, your features likely mirroring each other's.

"Come on... Back on your feet... There you go..." He consoles, slinging an arm around you to help you back to your feet.

"She's gone..." You whisper, a lump forming in your throat as the tears roll freely down your cheeks.

"Shhh... Love..." Poe murmurs, leading you to a nearby downed tree that had been cut to act as a bench for the mechanics.

Sitting down with a shaky sigh, the Pilot joins you at your side.

"She's gone... Leia is gone." You repeat again, before another wave of grief washes over you, leaving you numb.

"She's gone." Poe echos, his shoulders slumping, head in his hands. "Leia is gone..."

As you both sit there, leaning against each other for some sort of support, you can't help but wearily wonder;

What do we do now?

****

Hours had passed and both you and Poe had finally began to function again, slowly beginning to process everything that had gone on while you both had been gone on the wild goose chase for that Sith Wayfinder.

"How are you doing, Y/N?" The familiar voice of Rose Tico sounds from behind where you were leaning against a nearby monitor, watching Poe hurriedly scurry around to get everything sorted out that the General had left behind.

"I'm okay, I guess..." You sigh, turning to face the technician, who looked as determined as ever. "Though how can you be okay after all that's gone on lately?"

"Hey," She starts, wrapping you in a friendly embrace. "You've got to stay strong, for everyone's sake, and yours."

You pull back, a weary smile tugging at your lips, your spirits lifting slightly.

"And Poe's..." You murmur, glancing back to where the Pilot was standing off to the side talking with Snap Wexley, his composure seeming to be cracking slowly once more.

At this, Rose nods in agreeance.

"He's probably taking it pretty hard, and I doubt the news that Leia made him acting General will help at all."

You nearly smack your friend standing in front of you across the face.

"Can you repeat that?"

"He's probably taking it pretty hard?" She questions, a look of pure confusion on her features.

"No, after that."

"Oh. Poe's acting General?"

You sigh, dragging a palm down your face slowly.

"You've got to be kidding me, Rose."

"Those were Leia's final orders. That's all we have to stand on." She defends, her face softening. "I know you don't like it, but he's the right man for the job. Leia believed in him and so does everyone else."

"I guess your right." You nod, your attention suddenly focused back where Poe had been moments ago, though he was no longer there.

Rather hurriedly, you sweep your gaze over the swarm of people, desperately searching for the familiar dark curls.

However, you come up empty.

"Where could he have gone?" You murmur, turning once more to Rose, who was casting you a sympathetic glance, not noticing your sudden panic.

"You should go get some rest, you look like you need it."

You silently nod in agreeance before leaving the technician in your wake, your slight panic only growing as you begin to scour the Base.

"Poe?" You muse aloud, making your way around the back of his X-Wing and glancing into the cockpit.

Empty... Where could he possibly be?

You stop in your tracks abruptly, nearly causing an Officer who as trailing behind you to slam into your now rooted form.

There's grief... Sadness... Hopelessness... Uncertainty...

"Poe." You breathe, those feelings washing over you belonging to the distraught Pilot.

Running now, you sprint back the way you had came, practically pushing past people to get through and back towards where Leia's form was likely laying.

"Excuse me, coming through. Excuse me! Sorry!"

Finally making it to the other side, you stop for a moment, catching your breath as the feelings from before grow stronger, so overwhelming that they nearly cause your knees to buckle beneath you.

Sighing heavily, you push back the thin curtain acting as a door.

Inside, the sight before you was heart wrenching.

The famous and ever so cocky Resistance Pilot, Poe Dameron had his back to you, head in his hands, his shoulders shaking, though he didn't make a sound.

You certainly didn't need the Force to tell he was struggling.

"I've gotta tell ya... I don't know how I'm gonna do this..." He murmurs aloud, his voice choked up by unshed tears. "I... I don't know how to do this... I'm just not ready... To do what you did..."

You can't help but begin to cry once more as you silently sit down by his side, wrapping him in a hug.

Poe jumps slightly, but then relaxes, noticing it's just you.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asks jokingly, pulling away and rubbing his eyes.

You chuckle lightly, offering him a watery smile.

"Enough." Was all you manage to say before he wraps you in an embrace once more, clinging to you.

Now it was your turn to pull away and wipe your eyes.

"Poe, you know you don't have to be strong all the time, right? It's a good thing to cry every now and then." You sniffle as he gently grasps your hand in his, squeezing it tightly.

"Leia made me acting General..." He states, choking up again. "I just don't know if I can do it."

You can't help but frown slightly.

"Poe, Leia believed in you. So do I. So does everyone else." You explain, motioning with your hands. "They need a leader. This is our darkest hour, and you need to be our light."

At this, the man in front of you straightens, his usual confidence returning to him.

"You're right, Love." He whispers huskily, brushing a stray strand of hair out of your face. "You're right."

Leaning in ever so slightly, he closes the distance between the two of you, lingering slightly longer than needed.

"What was that for, Dameron?" You question, breaking apart with a genuine smile tugging at your lips.

"Just as a thank you." He winks, pecking you on the cheek once more as he makes his way to his feet.

You follow suit, grabbing hold of his outstretched hand as you both make your way back out into the sunshine to face the inevitable storm that was on its way.