AWAKEN

52

Finn shakes his head, "No, we'll lose her."

Poe was growing frustrated. Amara can sense that. She had slowed down her pace, giving the boys a few feet of space.

Poe glanced back at Finn as he walked down the hill, "Look she left us, what do you want us to do? Swim?" Poe asks.

"She's not herself. You have no idea what's she's fighting." Finn asks.

Finally, finally. Poe stops and turns around to look at Finn. The older man may not have the high ground like Finn, because Poe is going down the hill first with Finn trailing behind him.

"And you do?" Poe asks.

Finn gives Poe a look, "Yeah."

At this point, Amara also stopped walking. She looks from Poe to Finn. She had both men look at her, at different moments however. First was Finn then was Poe.

"I do," Finn says, "And so does Leia."

Poe points at Finn's chest, "Well I'm not Leia."

Finn sort of shoves him back, "Well that's for damn sure,"

Amara glanced at Finn, "Finn-," She says.

Finn glanced at her briefly before turning after towards Jannah, who was still up at the top of the hill. Amara glanced at the back of Finn and then to her boyfriend. The expression on Poe's face was eating away at her heart. He looked so shattered, so upset. Poe lowered his head and slowly turned away to head down to the Falcon. Amara glanced up at Finn before he was no longer visible from the hilltop to Poe walking down the hill.

"Poe," Amara calls out.

Amara began to follow after him.

Poe does not acknowledge her.

She calls for him again, "Poe Dameron!"

He stops.

She stood above him, on higher ground, until she walked down the hill to where he stood. She reached him and placed a hand on his shoulder, she felt the tension in his muscles the second that her hand touched him.

"I never expected him to say that," Poe says softly.

"Poe," She says, "Finn is just worried about Rey. He didn't mean it."

Poe turns around to her, "Then why did he say it?" He asks.

Amara frowns, "In the heat of the moment." She says, "We all say stupid stuff in the heat of the moment."

Poe frowns.

Amara stepped next to him, "You two are best friends. Don't let this damage your friendship."

Poe shakes his head, "The friendship was tearing the second he found out I ran spice." He says frowning.

Amara grabs his chin and tilts him to meet her gaze. His eyes looked lost. Pained even. But Amara wasn't going to allow him to wallow in anymore self-loathing. Not now.

"The Poe Dameron who ran spice had also ran away from home because he and his father were not on good speaking terms. His father didn't know how to give Poe what he really needed. And that was love and compassion. Poe Dameron ran away because he wanted something, but he wasn't sure what." Amara says.

Poe listens to her.

"The Poe Dameron before me is not that kid. He is a brave and smart leader if given the chance. He's an amazing pilot and a loyal friend." Amara says, "He would rather die today to the First Order if that meant protecting all of his friends."