we'll pretend the end of rogue one never happened with this imagine bc that's a happier thought for us all; requested by khaki83101; 1.5k words

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To say he was exhausted was an understatement. The fate of the Rebel Alliance was finally looking up as it grew more and more with each passing week. More people were recruited, more soldiers stationed, and more secret bases created. Eagerness to serve in the Rebellion was sparking across the galaxy, and everyone was walking around with tired eyes full of determination and spirit. 

Everyone except Cassian Andor. 

Lately, he was lucky to get two hours of sleep a night. He was lucky to remain on base for more than three hours before he was whisked away to go on a different mission. It was rare for him to experience normalcy at all nowadays, and it was finally taking a toll on him as he fell asleep over his dinner. 

"Sweetheart." The voice, loud and stern, snapped him out of his dozing. He blinked hard to focus his eyes. You leaned across the table, touching his chin, and smiled. "You're too tired to eat, huh?" 

He stretched and yawned, but he shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Dinner's good, honey."

You tilted your head and gave him a knowing look. He never had to pretend to like your food; even the plain noodles you cooked over the tiny burner in your shared quarters. He slurped a few noodles and then washed it down with a gulp of blue milk. 

"You need rest," you said.

"So do you." It was no secret that you both were exhausted. As two spies for the Rebellion, there were plenty of missions to go on, plenty of reports to complete, and there were always people that wanted to talk to both of you. The only time you saw each other outside of work was when you were eating dinner or going to bed. 

"I will as soon as I clean up." You stood up and reached for his bowl. "Are you done?" 

He sighed and leaned his head against his hand. "Yes." 

You took the bowl from him and then leaned down to kiss him on the top of his head. A crinkly-eyed smile was what you got in return, and it made your heart warm and skip a beat all at once. He always had that affect on you, even after nearly five years of marriage. He stood up slowly from the table, stretching his arms over his head. You took the bowls to the sink. 

"Go ahead and get to bed, Cas. Remember, I'll be waking you up before the sun's up so we can get a head start." 

He turned and groaned. "That early? We don't have to report until noon, and that means we shouldn't leave until---" 

"The mission was pre-approved," you said cheerfully. "We don't have to report anywhere. We can just go as soon as we get up." 

"But we have to get up so early?" he asked. 

"Cassian, this mission is really important," you said, turning away from the sink. Soap dripped down your arms and onto the floor, pooling around your feet. "I think we should really get a head start on it. We can rest when the war is won." 

He laughed. "When the war is won?" 

"Yes." 

"The war has hardly begun," he said. "If you don't plan on resting until it's over, then---" 

"Cassian," you said in a sing-song voice, "if you're so tired, you should go ahead and get to bed. You can always sleep on the way to Endor, too." 

He sighed and rubbed his face. There would be no arguing with you; there was a spark in your eyes every time you spoke of the war. You were persistent, and honestly, he did not want to argue with you. The sooner he was done with the mission, the sooner he would be at home --- and maybe able to get a couple more hours of sleep in. 

"Alright," he said. "Goodnight, honey." 

"I'll be in there in a few minutes, sweetheart," you said, knowing that he would be asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

You were right. And it only felt like minutes later when you were rousing him out of his sleep with a gentle shove on his shoulder and a kiss on his forehead. Softly, you told him that it was time to go, and he stared at the ceiling for a long moment, knowing quite well the moon was still high in the sky.

He packed his bag quietly, pulled the strap over his shoulder, and followed you out the door. You held his hand on the way to his ship. You sat in the pilot's seat, Kay was the co-pilot, and Cassian sat in the back of the ship, stretched out on the floor on his stomach. As exhausted as he was, he was unable to sleep. The floor of the ship was hard and cold, but that wasn't the only problem.

As the ship entered hyperspace and the blue whirled by the viewports, you were laughing loudly as K-2SO told you joke after joke (or maybe just offered you sarcastic comment after sarcastic comment.) Cassian couldn't be annoyed at you in the least. How could he? You were joyous.

That was what he loved about you. You were happy and hopeful in every circumstance. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be the man he was. The war has weighed him down, but it never pulled him under the water as it did so many soldiers that witnessed things no one should have to. You were literally a light in the darkness, and no matter how exhausted he got, he knew he could count on you.

He slowly got up off the floor. His hand slid across the wall as he walked over to the back of your seat. He put his hands on your shoulders.

"Oh, honey, I'm probably being too loud," you said, turning your head to look up at him. "I'm sorry, you're tired---"

"No," he said quickly and softly. He kissed you on the lips. "I'm alright."

A smile appeared on your face. "Okay."

"We are approaching our destination," K-2SO said, his fingers moving across the ship, flipping switches and pulling levers. "I suggest sitting down and fastening your restraints, Cassian."

He kissed you again before he moved to the back of the ship. He sank down into one of the seats and latched himself in. As the planet neared, he went through the plan in his head again.

There would certainly be Imperials scattered all around Endor. It was dangerous to believe otherwise. Since the destruction of the Death Star, they had retaliated in an attempt to grow larger than ever before. Their numbers outranked the Rebellion's by far.

But two spies cleverly placed in the right spot would result in sure destruction for the Empire. The rumors of a second Death Star were rampant; today would determine if they were real.

"May the Force be with us," you said as the ship landed in the thickness of the trees. You smirked at your husband, who rolled his eyes. It took Scarif to show him that the Force was real, because only the Force would have led you to know where he was on that beach and save him and Jyn as the last moment.

Standing in the back of the ship, you and Cassian put on the layers of clothing that would best protect you on the planet. Green pants, brown boots, long sleeved green shirts that hung loose around your hips. He pulled your hair back into a low ponytail as you divided up the weapons and supplies in case either of you were separated.

"Remember, if things go south..."

"Orders say to not wait," you said. His hands lingered on your hair as you turned to face him. "But I will not leave without you."

"Then you're disobeying orders," he said, although he knew he wouldn't leave without you, either. The thought was far too painful.

"So be it." Hand on his cheek, you reached up and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close.

As much as you loved being a rebel, as much as you excelled at being a spy, this was the difficult part. Walking into mission after mission with the possibility of losing the other half of you. Life without Cassian would be misery. Life without Cassian would be impossible to live through.

"If things go south," you said, closing your eyes as he pulled back and pressed his lips to your forehead, "then know that I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered, and he surprisingly smiled. "But keep your head up, my love. We won't be easily defeated. The Rebellion is counting on us both --- and I know that we can survive anything."

Shocked, you furrowed your eyebrows. "Wow, are you really the one encouraging me? Cassian Andor, the man who hardly smiles?"

He laughed. "I think your taste for adventure and danger is rubbing off on me. Now come on, we are wasting time."

"You've already wasted too much time," K-2SO said. "In fact, you wasted---"

"Quiet, Kay," Cassian threatened. He took your hand. "For the Rebellion."

You smiled. "For the Rebellion."