"We've decoded the intel from the First Order spy and it confirms the worst. Somehow, Palpatine returned."

You shifted from your left foot to your right. You glanced around the group. Everyone was huddled together to hear Poe announce what the spy had told them. They'd wanted a glimmer of hope, but this wasn't that. This was a confirmation of what you were afraid of. Bad things were coming. 

"Wait," Rose said, shaking her head. "Do we really believe this?"

"It cannot be. The Emperor is dead!"

"Unless... cloning---"

Poe continued, "He's been planning his revenge. His followers have been building something for years... the largest fleet the galaxy has ever known. He calls it the Final Order. In sixteen hours, attacks on all three worlds begin. The Emperor and his fleet are hiding in the unknown regions on a world called Exegol."

"Exegol does not appear on any star chart, but legend describes it as the hidden world of the Sith," C-3PO said. 

Rey backed out of the crowd and ran away. You watched her go back to her tent before you turned your attention back to Poe, who was shaking his head slowly.

"So Palpatine's been out there all this time, pulling the strings from the beginning," he said. 

"Always in the shadows," Leia said. 

"If we want to stop him," Maz Kanata said, "then we must find him. We must find Exegol."

"General," Rey said, clutching a book to her chest. "Can I speak with you?"

"Certainly," she said. 

The crowd dispersed as Rey went to go talk to General Organa. You stood where you were, arms crossed over your chest. The wind was barely cool, barely blew your hair across your face, and yet you shivered. You swallowed hard and turned around when you saw someone walking towards you.

"Hey, wait," Poe said. He grabbed your shoulder. Hesitantly, you looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't be hurt or mad," you said, shaking your head, "because you basically told us that we're all going to die in a few hours. But I am mad, because you put me on babysitting duty for the droid and I can handle it fine. You want Rey out there so bad instead of training, but you insist that I am kept here and forced to watch your droid or train in physical combat. Then you yell at Rey for doing the same as me. I know she is the best fighter we got, but that doesn't count me out. Does it?"

"First," he said, "it's our droid. And second, it doesn't count you out. I just... I feel safer knowing that you're here. And I know that is selfish of me but when I need you, I will tell you that I need you. I promise. Okay?"

You swallowed hard and met his eyes. He moved his hand on your shoulder, gently rubbing. You took your hand and grabbed his wrist, making him drop your shoulder.

"You should need me all of the time," you said. "I'm more than just your girlfriend, Poe. I'm your partner and I'm a member of the Resistance."

You walked around him, refusing to look back as you headed towards your quarters. You knew you wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, but you really didn't want to have a chance to see him again.

/ / /

Over the next few hours, you sat outside of your tent, cleaning out your blasters. The night was silent. Most people didn't know what to say after tonight's news. No one was sleeping, though; everyone sat outside of their tents, never speaking a word. You could hear every single creature in the trees around you.

You knew that he was going to approach you. You also knew that you weren't going to walk away when he did. 

"Hey."

You didn't look up. "Hey."

"Need help with that?" Poe scratched the back of his neck. 

"Not really," you told him. "I've been cleaning blasters since I was a kid."

He nodded, his tongue prodding the side of his cheek. "Look... I am sorry, princess. You know I need you every minute of the day. You shouldn't ever doubt that, but... I should be better at showing you. You're on my mind every minute of the day. That mission? I only thought to lightspeed skip because I knew that if I didn't give it a shot, I had no chance of surviving. I would have no chance to even say goodbye to you."

You kept your eyes on your blaster, although your hands were still. You cleared your throat. "My whole life, people treated me like I was useless. You remember when we were stuck on Jakku, and I told you what was expected of me? I was supposed to do whatever my father said. And then when I married Hux, do whatever he said. Before the fight on Crait, you told me that I could choose whatever I wanted. Why can't I do that now?"

"I'm sorry." He shook his head and sat down beside you. "That's all I can say is that I'm sorry. I don't want to make you feel the way they did."

"Then can I go with you now?" you asked. You smiled, tilting your head to the side. "I'm good a combat. I am. I had practice before I was even a part of the Resistance, you know."

"I know." He smiled back. His hand reached up and he brushed the hair off of your shoulder. "General Organa just told me that Rey is going to be searching for Exegol. She knows where to find it, if she just follows Luke Skywalker's plans. It'll be me, Finn, Rey, C-3PO, Chewie, BB-8, and R2. And you, if you want to come."

"You know that I do," you said. "When do we leave?"

"First thing in the morning," he said. After a moment, he continued. "You know they're after you. And when they get you, they aren't just going to execute you like they will for Finn and me. I don't like to think about what they have planned. That's why... that is why I worry."

You pulled Poe in. You shut your eyes and kept your hand at the back of his neck. He wrapped his arms around you, his face pressing against the curve of your shoulder. 

"I guess you'll just have to really protect me then, huh?" you joked, although there were tears in your eyes. 

He laughed a little, but it was a nervous laughter that made you close your eyes so that the tears wouldn't fall. "You know that I will."

/ / /

The next morning, you packed a bag of weapons, water, and a bit of food and medical supplies. You walked out of your tent to find Poe already there. He smiled at you and you approached him, your hands automatically moving to adjust the scarf that was wrapped around his neck.

He rolled his eyes, one hand going onto his hip. "I take it you don't like the scarf."

"You're wrong there," you said, putting your hand on his shoulders. You reached up and kissed him quickly on the lips. "I love it. Come on, we have to find Rey and tell her we're coming with her."

Poe's hand found yours and you intertwined your fingers. BB-8 rolled in front of you, looking for Rey. She was working on the Falcon. 

"Did you get it up and running?" Poe asked. 

Rey turned. "You were right before. I'm going to pick up Luke's search for Exegol. I'm going to start where his trail went cold with the forbidden desert of Pasaana."

"Yeah," Poe said. "I know. We're going with you." He patted her shoulder and walked up the ramp, his hand still holding onto yours. 

"Hi," you mouthed to Rey, waving with your one free hand. Her eyebrows furrowed.

You and Poe dropped your bags and weapons onto the Falcon. "Chewie, you get that compressor fixed?"

"I need to go alone," Rey said to Finn.

"Yeah." He nodded. "With all of our friends."

"It's too dangerous, Finn," she said. 

"We go together."

Chewie agreed. BB-8 echoed his words. You smiled at Rey and Poe put his arm over your shoulders. 

"I wholeheartedly agree," C-3PO said. 

"We're with you, Rey," you said. 

Rey smiled and shook her head. Happiness and pride grew inside of her. There was no doubt in her mind that this was a family. 

Poe squeezed your shoulder. "Let's go get Rose and say our goodbyes, okay?"

"Okay," you said. 

"I'll get Rose," Finn said. 

"I want to find Leia and say goodbye," you said. 

"Okay. I think she's with Rey," he said. He nodded towards the backside of the Falcon. "You go say goodbye, I'll make sure all your things are on the ship."

"Thank you," you said softly. He kissed your forehead and walked off. 

You made your way to Leia slowly, not wanting to disrupt their moment. Rey pulled away from her master and wiped her tears away before leaving.

"General Organa," you said, and she took your hands into her own. "I just wanted to say goodbye."

She nodded. "I'll see you when you return. We'll fight with everything that we have."

"I wish you would come with us," you said. 

"I am needed here," she said. 

"Yeah." You stepped forward and embraced her tightly. "Thank you for everything."

"You belong with us," she said. She pulled back and looked at you. "Don't ever forget that."

"I won't," you promised. "General, may the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you," she said. "And thank you for stealing my line."

You laughed and shook your head with tears in your eyes. "I had to, I don't know how else to say goodbye."

"Then don't say goodbye," she said. 

"Yes, General," you said. "Thank you."

But for some reason, you felt like this was the last time you would ever speak to her.