**A/N: This idea started as something and then evolved into a mess. Figured I'd still publish because why not? Enjoy, I guess?**

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Pain was everywhere. There was no escaping it.

Why the heck does being a female have to be so painful?!

And EVERY MONTH, too?!

You groan as you roll onto your side, a hot water bottle that you had got up to get at around 2 AM clutched to your lower abdomen, your lidded eyes glaring at the digital clock beside your bed.

It reads 5:00 AM.

Time to get up.

Groaning once more, you force yourself to push your bare feet against the cold floor and make your way to a sitting up position.

Your head begins to spin as you draw yourself to full height, the blood rushing away from your head in an instant.

"Whoa..." You mutter to yourself, steadying yourself using your free hand which was now grabbing a nearby bookshelf.

You stand there, head spinning, one hand wrapped over your abdomen keeping the water bottle in place, the other pressed firmly against the side of the shelf, keeping you from falling flat on your face.

I'm a mess... This sucks...

It wasn't unusual for you to feel this way at least once every month, especially on your first few days, which just so happened to be where you were now, feeling the way you do currently.

Usually, you would have given your squadron Commander a heads up that you weren't available to fly for a few days, accompanied with a Doctor's note, but this time around, you hadn't had time.

So, that leaves you with one looming question, poking through your rather foggy headspace.

How do I get out of this one?

Slowly, you pull your hand away from the shelf, feeling like your body will support your weight again and stumble towards the small kitchenette in your quarters.

The search for the smallest object ever had begun. Again.

"I put them in this cupboard last time!" You snarl, the pain beginning to flare up again, causing you to slam the hot water bottle that you had been carrying around onto the counter beside you, now cold. "They've got to be around here somewhere."

It's just a pill bottle with prescribed pain killers! What's so hard to find about that?

The pain getting worse now, you tear through the drawers, the cupboards... You were desperate now for some sort of reprieve. Anywhere the bottle of pills might be, you upturn.

Only to come up empty handed.

"Where are they, damn it!" You curse, beginning to sob like a child, doubling over as a sudden cramp takes you by storm.

"For frig sakes!"

Just as you're about to give up and crawl back in bed, figuring your best bet was to just ride out the pain, through your blurry vision, you spot the small turquoise pill bottle.

It had been sitting off to the side on the counter the entire time.

"Are you serious?!" You laugh manically, tears still streaming down your face as you open the bottle and hastily down a pill, not even thinking about upping your prescribed dosage.

The last thing I need is to drop dead. There's a war on. I'm needed.

As the pill begins it's work, you feel the agony from earlier subside, allowing you to slowly get ready for your day ahead.

Sighing, you do a few stretches before getting dressed, shrugging on your worn out leather jacket and holstering your standard issued blaster to your side as you tie up your once black combat boots.

"Today is gonna be one heck of a day." You mutter aloud, heading out into the corridor towards the briefing room.

As you're walking along, minding your own business, the Comlink on your wrist buzzes, letting you know of an incoming signal.

Strange...

You answer the call, the cheerful voice of your fellow squadron member, Karé Kun, coming through the device's small speaker.

"Morning, Y/N!" Karé chirps, the sound of her footsteps as well as someone else's in the background. "How are you on this fine morning?"

You hear laughter in the background from what sounded to be male.

"How do you always manage to be so chipper?" The distant voice of Snap Wexley, Karé's fiancé, teases.

You can't help but laugh lightly, being mindful of everything your body was doing.

"Honestly, Karé, I've been better." You sigh tiredly, a dull ache in your lower abdomen replacing the earlier pain.

At least it's not crippling me now.

"Oh?" She muses aloud on the other end, Snap's laughter abruptly ceasing. They were both focused on you. "What's wrong Y/N?"

"It's that time of the month again." You state bluntly, knowing full well that Karé knew exactly what you were referring to, and your continuous dilemma.

She sighs on the other end rather sadly, before replying.

"Where are you at?"

You examine your surroundings.

"About halfway to the briefing room."

"Why are you... Nevermind." Karé trails off, her voice questioning.

If you were to be honest with yourself, you couldn't exactly remember why you had to be in the briefing room this morning either.

Ugh! This is what lack of sleep does to a person, apparently.

"I'll meet you there in 5." She states, the sound of her footsteps growing quicker. "Snap good to join?"

You shrug.

"Sure. We're a team after all."

****

The briefing room was surprisingly empty, other than the dimly lit screens displaying all sorts of different data and the odd technician.

It's never this empty unless he decides to call-

"Morning, Captain." A rather familiar masculine voice greets from behind one of the larger screens, the source of the voice appearing in front of you seconds later.

"Commander." You return the greeting formally, snapping to a salute, a rather lopsided grin on your face.

You stand there, trying to contain your laughter as you wait for the man in front of you to dismiss you. However, he also appears to be struggling containing his laughter.

"At ease, Y/N." The Commander laughs, throwing an arm around your shoulders in a friendly fashion.

"It was about time, Poe!" You laugh as well, leaning into his strong frame as he guides you over to a nearby desk, four chairs already set up.

Then you remember.

We have a meeting this morning! Duh!

Laughing to yourself you add,

And Karé forgot too! That's why she was so confused!

"What's so funny?" Poe asks, obviously confused by your humored grin.

"We make up quite a Squadron, you know." You muse aloud, dodging his question as you lean forward on the desk in front of you, facing Poe, who had sat down beside you.

"We certainly do." He agrees as two other familiar voices call out a greeting from the opposite side of the room.

Karé and Snap had arrived.

"Glad to see you made it in one piece, N/N." The other female pilot at the table teases, sitting down across from you.

"Yeah." You nod, before recalling the couple's previous confusion. "You two forgot we had a meeting this morning, didn't you?"

At this, the pilot sitting across from you laughs lightly.

"You could say that our heads weren't exactly screwed on right this morning, I guess." She agrees, elbowing the man next to her.

"So? What's the deal, Poe?" Snap asks, a rather concerned expression on his face. "We're rarely in here for meetings. Something's obviously going on."

You nod, a nagging worry at the back of your mind suddenly surfacing.

Something's not right here...

From beside you, Poe sighs tiredly, before answering.

"You're right, Snap. There is a lot going on. That's why I called this meeting, to provide some insight."

"Well?" You hum, tapping your fingers on the desk, the nagging voice becoming louder and louder.

"I'm leaving for a mission tonight." The Commander of Black Squadron states bluntly.

You exchange a shared look of confusion with your fellow pilots.

"Soooo? That means what?" Karé urges Poe, who seems rather distracted.

"I have to go to Jakku. Apparently one of Leia's old friends has the map to Luke Skywalker." Poe explains, your heart suddenly sinking as the nagging voice confirms that was the source of the off putting environment.

"Well, congratulations!" Snap compliments, smiling broadly at his Commander and friend.

"Yeah, Poe! Nice one!" The other female joins in.

Meanwhile, you sit there quietly, thinking things over.

The First Order will be out there. Looking for that very same map.

"You can't go alone!" You blurt out suddenly, startling everyone including yourself. "You won't stand a chance if you go solo!"

Your wild gaze meets Poe's calm and tired one, settling your nerves only slightly.

"Y/N, why don't we go for a quick walk? Snap, Karé; you're dismissed." He suggests, helping you out of your chair as your other Squadmates leave in one direction while you and he head the other way.

However, before they leave your sight entirely, you can't help but notice the knowing looks they exchange on their way out.

And there's more proof that people are placing bets...

You and Poe aren't an "official" thing, if you want to put it that way. Though between the two of you, you're always still debating whether or not to actually announce it somehow or just let people keep betting and see how long either of you can stand not being able to be close to each other while under the eyes of others.

Though, as of right now, relationship status was not on your top priority list.

If he goes by himself... He'll likely never make it home...

Somehow, even as you're lost in thought, you manage to keep up with the brown haired pilot's long strides as you both head out into the sunshine of D'Qar.

"I'm sorry, Poe." You mumble, though his keen hearing picks up your voice as he comes to a halt, turning to face you.

"You don't have to be sorry." He assures, stepping closer to your weak feeling frame. "You only stated what was on your mind, which has always been fine with me."

You smile halfheartedly, nodding.

"I know, but-" You start, only to be cut off as Poe suddenly envelopes you in a bone crushing hug, startling you before you relax into his arms.

"I worry about you, you know that." You whisper into the embrace, choking back tears.

He lets go, grabbing your hands in his as he does so.

"And I worry about you too, Love." He confesses, not a single trace of sarcasm in his tone. "Like right now... I'm worried about why you look absolutely exhausted. Have you not been sleeping?"

You sigh, closing your eyes as he runs his fingers alongside your cheek in a comforting gesture.

"I only got roughly two hours of actual sleep last night."

At this, the man in front of you frowns, intertwining his hand with yours as you both set out across the tarmac, towards both of your X-Wings.

"And why would that be?" He hums, squeezing your hand lightly.

"It's that time of the month again." You sigh once more, shrugging. "But meds can only do so much. I've just got to take the pain."

Reaching your destination, Poe guides you in between both fighters as you both lay down on the warm cement, your eyes fixed on the sky above, hands still intertwined.

"I guess I can't really help you out in that area." He admits, sounding rather annoyed with himself as you watch the clouds above you roll past lazily.

You can't help but chuckle.

"Yeah. I guess not. But you don't have to be the hero all the time." You murmur, rolling onto your side to face him.

Poe only sighs, silently agreeing that you were right.

Rolling back onto your back, you can't help but wince as you do so.

The pain was coming back for some reason.

A pill should last for eight hours, at least... It's only been maybe an hour or two... Why does it seem like it's already wearing off?

"Ooh! Look! That one looks like a beetle of sorts!" You exclaim, lifting your arm to point towards the cloud shape, your pain being shoved aside.

The man beside you just laughs, raising his arm and pointing to another cloud a fair distance away from yours.

"And that one there looks like an X-Wing."

You scoff at his description.

"No way! That looks more like some sort of tree than an X-Wing!"

However, as the cloud continues it's trail across the sky, you smile slightly, seeing what Poe had originally seen, a T-70 X-wing fighter, clear as day.

"You were right." You hum, letting a comfortable silence fall between the pair of you.

For a long while, you both lay there, simply watching the clouds above you both dance across the sky.

And somehow, Poe's hand had managed to find yours once again.

Everything about this was right. The way things should be. A simple moment filled with peace and quiet... A drastic shift from the usual fighting and chaos that always seemed to follow the pair of you.

What else should we have expected? We both joined the Resistance willingly.

You sigh contentedly, pushing those thoughts aside as your eyes begin to grow heavy.

I think I deserve a nap...

However, as your eyes finally flutter closed and you begin the descent into a finally peaceful sleep, the feeling of another hand in yours suddenly disappears.

"Poe..." You whine, rolling over onto your side to face the pilot, only to find him sitting up, looking rather dazed.

Noticing this, your annoyance evaporates almost instantaneously.

"What is it?" You muse aloud, forcing yourself to sit up as well, leaning into his side.

"Nothing." He assures you, wrapping an arm around you rather protectively. "I just thought I heard something, that's all."

"Whatever you say." You yawn, rolling your eyes as you do so. You were just too exhausted to press for anymore information.

"We should head back in soon, people will be beginning to think we're up to something." The pilot suggests, taking your hand once more and helping you to your feet. "They've been placing bets around Base, you know."

You laugh lightly, elbowing him playfully.

"You think I haven't noticed!" You grin before turning more serious. "It is starting to get fairly annoying, though. Maybe it's time we actually said something?"

Your words hang in the air as your thoughts suddenly take a darker turn, the echo of your footsteps mixing with the man's beside you.

"Maybe we should make it 'official', especially while we're both still in one piece and together." You sniffle, tears working their way to your eyes.

Poe comes to an abrupt halt, pulling your now shaking frame against his chest.

"We'll always be together." He states, his usual tone wavering slightly. "Whether we're in a million pieces or on opposite ends of the galaxy."

You step away from the pilot slightly, giving him a watery smile as your tearful eyes meet his.

Somehow, you had managed to move the 'Best Pilot in the Galaxy' to tears.

"Poe!" You joke, eyes still watering. "Are those tears?"

"Yes. Yes they are." He confirms, wiping them away with the sleeve of his jacket as he regains his composure, wrapping you in a hug once again. "I promise you, I'll make it back to you in one piece. And after that, we'll make us 'official'. Deal?"

You nod as he pulls away, his regular confidence and ego slowly returning to him.

"Deal."

****

"It'll be a quick trip!" he said! "I'll be back as soon as you know it!" he said!

You sigh angrily, tossing the datapad you had been reading aside.

"Where are you, Poe?" You yell aloud, your voice cracking as you break into yet another fit of heart shattering sobs that rocked your entire body. "You promised! You promised!"

Your anger and hopelessness blinding, you trip over the small table in front of where you had been sitting previously, causing you to land flat on your face.

"Seriously?!" You roar, picking yourself off the ground, still shaking.

As you draw yourself to full height once more, your blurry gaze rests on your trembling hands.

You bring them out in front of you, examining your palms closely before clenching them into fists.

"The one time I could have actually been useful, and something as simple as monthly cramps blocks me off! If only I went with him..." You murmur, unclenching and clenching your fists, staring blankly at the door to your small quarters.

He's probably either dead or close to being there, anyway.

No! He'll be back!

No he won't! He's too far gone this time!

"Damn it!" You scream through tears, running at your small bed and throwing yourself against it, punching and kicking.

He's gone...

He's gone and there's nothing I can do about it.

He's gone because I couldn't have gone with him...

It's all my fault.

****

You awake with a sudden start, the pain in your lower abdomen flaring up again.

"Not again..." You mutter, glancing blankly at the clock beside your bed before rolling out of bed and heading towards the small kitchen, the hunt for the pill bottle resuming once more.

You had somehow managed to fall asleep after your fit of hopelessness and rage, and the feeling had subsided... Now it was just replaced by a feeling of complete grief and loneliness.

The rest of Base was also assuming the worst, seeing as Poe hadn't reported in for quite awhile. The radios had been silent, almost as if they themselves were holding a sort of vigil.

The whole Base lacked his enthusiasm and spark, and the rest of Black Squadron was taking it extra hard.

With Poe gone, it was up to Snap to take the lead... Which you had your doubts about. But, knowing Wexley, he'd manage to pull it off.

"We'll always be together. Whether we're in a million pieces or on opposite ends of the galaxy." Poe's voice rings inside your head for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

That had been only a few days ago, yet it felt like an eternity.

You sigh, swallowing a single pill with ease, heading towards the door.

"Might as well go make myself useful while I still function." You mutter bitterly, lacing up your boots and heading out the door.

Your feet decide your course and before you knew it, you had somehow managed to make it outside to the tarmac.

Of course. Why wouldn't I end up here?

You sigh, hugging yourself as you continue forward towards the spot where you and Poe had spent the last afternoon together, laughing and watching the clouds roll by.

To your surprise, the pilot hadn't taken his fighter. It was still parked where it had been since last time you were out here, your own aircraft still sitting beside his, untouched.

As you near the two starfighters, your eyes begin to well with tears once again.

I don't think I'll be able to do this anymore without you, Poe...

On the verge of sobbing uncontrollably again, you begin to run your hand over the cool metal of his X-Wing, Black One, taking notice to all the dents and scratches along her hull and wings.

"Pretty banged up, isn't she?" The voice of Karé Kun comments softly from behind you.

You slowly turn on your heel, regaining somewhat of a normal composure as you reply.

"Yeah, she is."

Karé just smiles sadly as she embraces you in a friendly hug, squeezing you tight before letting go.

"I'm sorry about all that's gone on..." She trails off, searching for the right words of consolement. "I know you two were pretty close..."

You bite back the instinct to snap at the woman in front of you.

Instead, you only nod solemnly as you turn your back to her, your attention once more fixed on a particularly large chip in the orange paint scheme in front of you.

You hear Karé sigh, almost sounding frustrated, before the sound of her footsteps retreating meets your ears.

Relaxing only slightly, you turn to watch her leave, her form getting smaller and smaller as she continued on her way.

****

Hours had passed since Karé had came to speak with you, and since then, you had grabbed a box of oily, rusty and ancient looking tools, figuring you'd give Black One a bit of TLC to busy yourself.

Now, you were wedged beneath the undercarriage and the ground, tinkering with the ever malfunctioning Ax-190-B blaster cannon that Poe had decided to do some harsh damage to, last time he had to use it.

"What can I say?" He had smirked as you climbed out of your fighter, noticing the smashed up cannon beneath his own. "It was either TIE's or rocks. I took the rocks."

"Yes, Dameron. I watched it all unfold with my very own eyes, but for every mechanics sake on Base, you couldn't have just disengaged it a little sooner?" You had scoffed, rolling your eyes as he hopped out of his own fighter, not bothering to use the handholds.

You laugh softly at the memory as you continue your silent work, slowly beginning to pull apart all the crushed pieces and untangling the wiring.

As time continues to pass, so does your patience.

"Seriously! Come on!" You snarl at the two pieces of wire you were attempting to attach, only to fail miserably, causing a small jolt of electricity to numb your entire arm.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Annoyed more than ever, you crawl out from underneath the X-Wing, rubbing the grease and grit off your hands and onto a rag that you had picked up and looped off the side of your belt.

Well, now what? I have no more patience for you, Black One.

Grumbling to yourself, you cast your gaze around the rather empty looking blacktop, the nagging voice of worry starting to chatter away in the back of your head.

"Where is everyone?" You muse aloud, only to have your answer find you in the form of Karé's urgent voice meeting your ears.

"Y/N! You need to get over here! Now!" Your fellow Black Squadron member yells, pointing to something behind you.

Out of instinct, you turn to see what she was so frantically pointing at.

From where you're standing, you struggle to make out what exactly it was. Honestly, to you, it looks like some sort of debris falling from the sky.

However, as you stand there, rooted to the spot in a completely unfazed state, the thing hurdling towards you begins to grow sharper in your vision.

Streamlined edges... Silver glint from the sun...

It was some sort of transport ship. And it was coming in hot.

Realizing why Karé was so frantic now, you begin to run towards her, trying to put as much distance between the incoming ship and you as humanly possible.

You reach her, out of breath.

"Who's flying that thing?" You question rapidly as she shoves you onward, towards the main part of the Base, getting farther and farther away from the tarmac. "What system did they say they were from? Friendly?"

Your barrage of questions, however, are completely ignored by the woman urging you on as the sound of screaming metal against the cement beneath it floods your hearing.

"Get down!" Karé screams, pulling you off to the side and down with her.

Wincing as you turn your head from where you lay, crumpled on the ground, to see the ship's progress, you watch as it comes to a screeching halt, leaving a trail of cracked and broken asphalt in it's wake.

Well, that all needs to be re-surfaced now!

"Whoever flying that thing is a complete moron!" You seethe as the woman who had practically tackled you to the ground for not much of a reason helps you to your feet, nodding her agreement.

"And as for your whirlwind of questions before we both nearly died; there was no radio communications from the pilot. The ship itself wasn't actually identifiable. Someone just happened to see it break through the atmosphere and reported it in." Karé explains, drawing her standard issued blaster from it's holster at her side as you give her a knowing look. "Needless to say, this could get ugly real quick."

"That's the last thing we need right now." You mutter bitterly, un-doing the clasp that held your own weapon in it's place at your side, it's grip feeling comfortably heavy in your hands. "We're already down one pilot. We don't need any more damn casualties!"

With a simple nod between the two of you, you begin to make your way slowly towards the unmarked transport that had been smashed into the ground, using anything on the barren tarmac as some sort of cover.

Before you knew it, everyone else from the Resistance base, the General in front, rushed towards the ship, their own weapons outdrawn, following the two female pilots who had somehow managed to make it all the way forward.

"I am Captain L/N of the Resistance! Identify yourself! That's an order!" You bark at the ship, the glass cockpit shattered, the pilot nowhere to be seen.

Glancing at Karé, she just gives you a thumbs up, urging you to continue to press.

"Identify yourself!" You yell once more, your voice cracking slightly at the end. "If you choose not to, we will have no option but to proceed with force!"

Silence is the only answer you receive as the wind whistles past you, every single person behind you absolutely silent.

You turn to nod at the General, who affirms your decision.

There was no other option but to proceed with force.

"We will be boarding your craft! Force will be implemented if necessary!" You declare once more, giving the pilot of this jalopy one last chance to come forward.

Nodding at your fellow Black Squadron pilot, you rush towards the shattered glass, blaster outdrawn and at the ready if need be.

Karé'll go around back... Get the boarding ramp open... Everyone else will make a perimeter... I've just got to get in here and make sure the weapon's systems are disengaged.

You duck through the small opening where the glass had broke, dragging yourself into the rather spacious cockpit area, entering on the far side to where the pilot would have likely been seated.

There's no one here...

"Karé. Do you copy?" You mutter lowly into the Commlink mounted to your wrist, your gaze not moving from the area's single exit to where the rest of the ship began.

"I copy." Comes the reply. "I just got the boarding ramp down."

You could confirm that. The whine of mechanics from the rear of the ship was tell-tale enough.

You continue your way through the mess of ship, heading towards the opposite side of the cockpit, all senses on high alert.

The weapons system should have an over-ride somewhere close to where the pilot would be seated...

You nearly let out a scream of terror as the chair that was blocking your vision of the control panel behind it swivels ever so slightly.

"Identify yourself." You command, voice steely, finger hovering over the trigger.

No reply.

You approach as slowly as possible, beginning to get jumpy as you keep your eyes locked on the floor behind the chair.

That's it. I can't play this game forever.

You take a few measured sidesteps, rounding the back of the chair, the gap between the chair and the control panel coming into your complete view.

You inch closer, finger still at the ready if need be.

What is that laying on the floor? Is that a person? It can't be.

"Identify yourself." You demand, voice less steely than before as you mentally confirm.

That is a person. Must be the pilot.

To your surprise, however, the pilot, or whoever this was, was somehow still breathing. Barely.

Compassion swells within you, causing you to stumble back slightly before you regain your composure.

"I found the pilot. Appears to be unconscious and unarmed. Requesting a medic." You order into your Comm, lowering your weapon as you clear yourself a spot to sit so you could asses the person's injuries in front of you. "Karé, still be on alert, especially beneath you. Ships like these have hidden compartments everywhere."

"Copy." She replies, sounding slightly relieved. "Glad you found the pilot in one piece. We'll nurse him back to health and then maybe get some good intel."

Suddenly, your entire world spins, an eerily pale familiar face lighting up slightly as tortured brown eyes meet your own, the face's lips forming a slight smirk.

"Glad I... made it back to... you, Y/N..." He croaks before falling into the oblivion of unconsciousness once more.

You just sit there, cradling the pilot's limp body against your own.

"Poe..." You whisper, thoughts spinning, head beginning to pound. "What happened to you..."

You push those thoughts aside, desperation and adrenaline kicking in.

"Call off the search parties and get a medic in here stat!" You yell into your Commlink, pent up tears beginning to flow down your cheeks. "Commander Dameron is fighting for his life as we speak!"

Hearing this, Karé immediately rushes into the cockpit, beyond shocked by your position and state on the floor, Poe's limp form pressed up against your own, both your hands pressed firmly on a wound in his side.

"How did he?" She splutters, flabbergasted.

"He's Poe." You nod, laughing through the tears as a team of medics swarm around you and the pilot you had been cradling, who was slowly regaining consciousness, only to lose it once again as the flurry of activity erupts around you.

Oh, Poe... What did they do to you?

You watch with lidded eyes as they carry his limp form away on a stretcher, Karé's supportive embrace wrapping around you as the tears begin to flow freely once more.

"He'll be fine..." She soothes as you stare down at your bloodied hands.

That's his blood... Not mine...

"He made it this far, he won't give up now."

You would be lying if you said that you believed her, standing in the cockpit of a wrecked transport ship from who knows where.

****

A solid three standard days had passed since Poe's rather abrupt entrance back on D'Qar had all gone on, and he still hadn't regained consciousness.

You hadn't been sleeping, spending all your time pacing back and fourth around the medical wing, likely annoying the busy doctors and nurses to no end.

You just wanted to see him smile. Hear him laugh. See that spark of unrelenting hope in his chocolate brown eyes.

Today was no different than the past two.

You'd wake up with such a start that you'd scare the nurse who was checking Poe's vitals, practically run to the mess hall and grab a plate of food Karé had been kind enough to get you and then retreat back to the small room you'd been sitting in for what seemed like an eternity.

"Please, Poe..." You murmur, grasping his hand in yours from where you sat beside the hospital bed. "Please wake up."

You sigh in defeat as the pilot's eyes remain closed, his face emotionless.

I can't go on like this...

"Poe, please..." You whisper, practically sobbing now as you squeeze his hand, hoping with ever fiber of your being he'd squeeze back. "Just wake up! Fight whatever is keeping you in the dark! I... I need you..."

You sit there for awhile longer, sobs rocking your exhausted and worn out frame when suddenly, you feel a slight pressure against your palm, which was still holding his.

Wait... Did he just?

Hope soars in your chest.

Glancing up quickly at his face, your spirits quickly vanish.

His eyes were still closed, his face emotionless. Just like a few minutes ago.

Great. Now I'm imagining things.

You let out a shaky sigh, squeezing the pilot's hand once more, the same hope building in your chest again.

And this time, your senses don't deceive you.

"Hey, N/N..." Poe smiles, wincing as a newfound pain washes through him as he slowly begins to regain consciousness again. "Glad to see I'm not the only one who looks like they've been through hell and back."

You stare back at him, at a loss for words.

"P-Poe!" You exclaim, bursting into tears of happiness as you bolt from the chair you had been sitting in, wrapping him in a rather awkward hug, your head leaning on his shoulder.

"Hey... Hey..." He coos, running his fingers through your hair. "It's okay... I'm fine... I'm right here..."

You pull away, a watery smile on your face.

"I don't understand! We had all just assumed the worse... I just assumed the worst. But yet here you are!" You ramble, shaking with sudden nerves before you take a seat once more, your tone turning more serious and concerned. "What did they do to you?"

At this, Poe sighs, closing his eyes tightly and wincing, almost as if his thoughts were hurting him.

"That doesn't matter..." The pilot whispers, a slight tone of terror laced in his voice as his eyes flutter open to meet yours once again. "I'm alive and back home... With you. That's all that matters, Love."

Now it was your turn to sigh, as you brush a few strands of bloodied hair off his forehead.

Once more, he winces, letting out a slight hiss of pain.

"Sorry." You murmur, as you grab a damp cloth that had been sitting off to the side, wiping the dried blood away.

"It's-" Poe starts, as he manages to shift himself to a sitting position. "Fine. My head is pounding, that's all."

"You likely have a concussion." You guess, having overheard a few of the nurses' conversations this morning.

"That'd explain it." He replies, grasping your hand tightly as you were about to move away to set the cloth back down.

Both sets of weary eyes lock, a shared desire sparking within them.

"Poe?" You breathe, beginning to feel a sudden heat rise to your cheeks.

"Hm?" Was the only reply you received as the man you thought you'd never see again gently cups the side of your face, closing the distance between the two of you.

Sparks erupt in your head, a sudden flurry of butterflies in your stomach as you savor the moment, hoping that it would last forever.

However, breathing was sort of a necessity.

You both pull apart, faces equally flushed.

"Well, it's about time you two!" A familiar voice from behind you both taunts, accompanied by another familiar sounding laugh.

Your cheeks turn even more red, if that's even possible, as you face the source of the voices.

Karé and Snap were standing at the doorway, knowing looks on both of their faces.

"You owe me 30 credits, Wexley." Karé smirks at her fiancé, who begrudgingly hands over the money.

"Glad to see you're in one piece, Poe." The man who was now less 30 credits smiles, the two exchanging a brief nod.

"It's good to have you back, Commander." Karé also smiles, elbowing Snap playfully. "We all would've been in trouble if you hadn't made it back when you did."

Snap just rolls his eyes, returning the jab. "Thanks, Love."

"You're welcome." She laughs before turning to you and Poe once more. "It's nice to see you both together, because it's about time! We've all been betting on you two for months! I better go collect all those credits I have racked up!"

And with that, she and Snap disapear as quickly as they had came, leaving just you and Poe, who had fallen back agaisnt the pillow, his eyes closed once more.

"I guess we're official now?" You muse aloud, as the pilot takes your hand in his, squeezing.

"Yep." He replies simply, his eyes remaining closed. "A promise is a promise, and I keep my promises."

"I know you do." You smile, pecking his forehead lightly before slowly removing your hand from his. "I'll be back in awhile. Leia has been wanting to chat with me, so I guess I'll go now."

Heading towards the door, you take one last glance at the now soundly sleeping pilot, a genuine smile coming to your lips.

"We'll always be together. Whether we're in a million pieces or on opposite ends of the galaxy... Love you, Flyboy."