Author's note: This is the last 'Saving the Falcon' part! And next chapter will have Reylo, for my Reylo readers. Thanks for reading!

HUX

Hux studied his reflection in the mirror. He hadn't gotten much sleep and had dark circles under his eyes. Nevertheless, waking in the early hours, before everyone else, was essential. He didn't like being caught unprepared, for anything.

He ran a comb through his hair, one last time, and adjusted his collar just right. The stable boy was going to be a challenge. Hux knew from his experience with Ren that it wasn't possible to sneak up on a Force sensitive person. He'd have to be creative, maybe poison the boy's drink. Ren was always on his guard and suspicious of Hux, but the boy wouldn't suspect a poisoned meal.

A beeping from the sleeping area got Hux's attention. He left the washroom and searched the room for the source of the sound. He'd gotten used to the layout of the First Order cruiser, with everything in its proper place, but he was still unfamiliar with this ship.

The beeping seemed to be coming from every direction. Hux spun on his bare feet, then walked towards the bed only to discover that the sound was actually coming from near the door. He went to the door panel but it wasn't that, either. Then he saw the tiny green light flashing from a comm button at the back of the room. Who would put a comm button at the back of a room? It made sense to have them next to the doors or bedside. Hux held back a sigh, so practiced in hiding his emotions that he didn't even show them when he was alone.

He pushed the comm button. "Yes?"

"Sir, the Resistance Army has destroyed our entire fleet of TIE fighters," the voice on the other end said.

"What?"

"They blew up a section of the repair station where all the planes were docked for upgrades."

Hux's face flush with heat. He tugged at the collar of his uniform. It was his decision to have all the TIE fighters upgraded at that station. He clenched his jaw, angry at himself for indirectly allowing this to happen. Apparently, he'd underestimated the Resistance, not expecting such a move from them. The Space Station helped ships from all around the Galaxy, not just theirs. Why would the Resistance blow up a large section of it and risk harming innocent bystanders? Maybe it wasn't the Resistance who'd done it. Either way, the planes were gone. Ren wasn't going to like this.

"I'll be there shortly," he said into the comm unit. "Don't make any announcements yet."

Hux let go of the button and closed his eyes for a moment to gather his courage. Now that Snoke was gone, Ren could kill him at any moment, with no more than an angry thought. But he would go straight to Ren and give him the news himself. It was the only way to show no fear. There was nothing more disgraceful than a subordinate not taking responsibility for his actions. He'd have to face the consequences.

He opened his eyes and went to pick up his socks and boots, which were set out neatly at the front door. It was time to face the day.

REY

I focus on my task, unable to feel anything but numb. Leia and Poe are still both missing, but I don't want to think about that. I should have been the one to fly the escape pod with the bomb strapped to it and been the one to deliver it to the Ruling Order Space Station. 

Sparks fly in my direction and I turn my face away. Finn and I hold a heavy sheet of metal up as Rose welds it to the Falcon's ceiling. We work in silence. There is nothing left to say. The bomb didn't turn off when it was returned to the Space Station, as we'd hoped it would. They didn't seem to care that they were blowing up their own station. But with Artificial Intelligence, it was impossible to know their reasoning. The escape pod, along with General Leia, hadn't returned. Poe also hadn't returned in his X-Wing. 

Sweat drips down my forehead as we continue to hold the large piece of metal above our heads.

"What is that?" Finn calls to me over the loud hiss of the welding torch.

"What's what?" I yell back.

"Rose, stop welding!"

Rose stops and the loud drone of an approaching plane increases until it sounds like it's over-top of us.

I let go of the sheet of metal, leaving it hanging to one side, and run to the ship doors, which are open. Dust blows up all around and I hold my arm in front of my eyes. Finn and Rose join me and we wait for the dust to settle.

"The First Order," Finn says in a low growl. I blink towards the cloud of dust. A TIE fighter plane comes into view as the dust clears. My stomach drops. Has Kylo Ren come for me after all? How did he find us?

No one moves as the plane's engine shuts down and the pilot climbs out, suited in a First Order pilot's uniform. Finn grabs his blaster and points it at him.

"Don't shoot!" a voice yells.

"Poe?" My fear of expecting to face Kylo Ren vanishes and I snap out of my frozen state. I run ahead and Poe jumps out of the plane, landing in the dust just I reach him and through my arms around him in a hug. A second later I feel Finn and Rose join us in a group hug.

The TIE fighter pilot stands off to the side, still wearing his helmet. I know it's not Kylo Ren, I would sense him if it were. Did a First Order pilot save Leia from the explosion on the Space Station, and bring Poe home too? But why?  

"Alright, alright." General Leia's familiar voice calls down from above. "Enough mushy stuff. Somebody help me down from this thing."

***

I toss and turn on the small cot in the north wing of the Falcon. It's too quiet on board. I'm not used to being in a ship running at impulse speed. But we can't go any faster, with the compromised hull plating on the roof. It will be a while before we're in comm range with the new Resistance Cruiser, or any ship, to come pick us up. 

The First Order pilot left the moment the General was out of his plane. A small seed of hope planted inside of me when I realized what he'd done in saving her. Can the First Order and the Resistance work together to face a common enemy? Will we have to, in order to survive? Yet somehow I can't see Kylo Ren agreeing to that.

Finn and Rose's voices drift through the Falcon, echoing through the vents. Rose laughs and Finn's voice rises in excitement as he continues his story. I can't hear all the words but it sounds like he's telling Rose about Stormtrooper Training.

They've been talking and laughing for hours, or at least it seems like hours. Rose laughs again and I sit up, startling a group of Porgs huddled together in a corner. Their large eyes blink slowly, watching me like I'm the one who doesn't belong here. Maybe I am.

I take out the golden dice from my pocket, to return it to the bag with the Jedi texts in it. My breath catches. Every time my hand goes near the books an urgency swells up inside of me, like I should read them. But I can't. I put the dice back in my pocket again. I'll go see if Rose does have a string I can use to keep the dice around my neck.

Rose lets out another hearty laugh as I near the cock-pit. Finn's seat is turned towards hers and he is gesturing with his hands as he tells his story.

My head bumps the door frame leading into the cock-pit and Finn and Rose turn in surprise. "Ouch!"

"Rey?" Rose's smile is still big from all the laughing. "You should be sleeping. We can keep watch for a few more hours."

"I slept already," I lie. "And now I'm too alert to sleep."

"Are the Porg's keeping you up?" Finn asks.

I shake my head, trying to smile but finding it hard to do the polite 'small-talk' thing at the moment. I'd been tossing and turning because I couldn't stop thinking about Kylo Ren and that flicker of surprise in his eyes when he realized how I felt about him. I don't want to feel those things. Not for him. He's nothing but a murderous snake who killed his own father.

"You okay?" Finn asks.

"What?" I blink and look out the front viewport at the stars. "Yeah. No, the Porgs are pretty quiet. They sleep all huddled together."

"Oh, that's so cute!" Rose gushes. "I want to see!" She gets up and Finn does too.

"I'll come with you, to check on Hanso," he says.

"How do you even know which one Hanso is, when they're all together?" Rose says to him. "They all look the same."

"Rose Tico!" Finn says with an exaggerated gasp. "That is so species-ist."

Rose bursts out laughing again and they make their way past me.

I take a seat in the pilot's chair, letting my smile fade. The seat is still warm from Finn sitting in it and I curl up in a ball, hugging my knees to my chest and savoring the warmth.

A familiar pain seeps into me, reminding me of my nights alone on Jakku. I once saw a mother holding her child in her arms at the market, as they waited for the father to do a trade. The child looked blissfully at rest, curled up and held secure. I never forgot that. It tormented me for years.

I don't know if my mother used to hold me. Or if my father did. I don't remember anything about them. Is this why I feel so desperate for affection? Is my Force sensitivity making me overly emotional? Is it the same for Kylo Ren? But his desire is for power and his emotions send him into random bouts of rage. But for me it's different. Somehow I'm more vulnerable with my needs. Why couldn't my overwhelming desire be for justice and peace, or some other noble aspiration? Why is it for something as selfish as affection?

I shake my head. I'm just tired. I don't need affection to live. I was fine without it on Jakku. Leia has been without Han for years, even before he was killed. And Poe doesn't have anyone to be close to, which doesn't seem to bother him any. So it's obviously not necessary for survival. I've always provided for myself and found a way to survive on my own. I was always proud of that. Maybe I'm just adjusting to having this Force awakened inside of me. I don't need affection, especially from Kylo Ren.

I shake my head to dispel the thoughts that suddenly surface. Kylo Ren is the last person I would ever want to get affection from. How did such a thought even enter my mind? I hate him. I will always hate him.

My eyes glaze over as I watch the viewscreens for possible asteroids or debris. Why did I offer to do the rest of the watch? I rest my head against the back of the seat. I'll just close my eyes for a moment. I won't feel this lonely or sad once everyone is awake and all the lights are turned on again. Then we'll get into comm range of the main cruiser and I'll get back to the mission. We've saved the Falcon. Now we must save Temiri.

Author's Note: the next chapter will be posted really soon. It's almost done. And yes, there is Reylo. Finally.