Will of the Many~ Poe Dameron

Epilogue

"Go," Jeb urged. His knuckles pressed lightly into her shoulder. "Loverboy is looking for you."

She threw a grin his way, then pushed through the crowd to get to Poe. The sight of his flushed cheeks and and flattened curls excited her heart. The sharp ache left behind by Ben's death softened as she looked into Poe's eyes.

Serena may no long have Ben Solo, but she still has Poe Dameron.

"Poe!"

He turned at his name. At the sight of her, he smiled, then he saw the cut over her cheek and dried blood. His smile fell as he shoved his way to get to her. The moment he was close enough, he palmed her untouched cheek. He looked at the bruising cut, then down to her bloodied hand. "What happened? I tried to contact you but there was no response. Then Rose said you and Finn never boarded the lander."

She rested her bloodied hand over his. "We're okay," she assured him. "We had to take the Star Destroyer down."

His eyes honed in on her cheek. "And that?"

She pulled her dry bottom lip between her teeth. "The Final Order sent the Knights of Ren my way."

The name caused his eyebrows to raise. He had heard the horror stories everyone else had heard. But more so, he heard the stories she had from her time training under them.

"They-"

"I killed them," she told him before he got any ideas. "I-" she dropped her head in shame. "I lost my lightsaber. They broke it."

His thumb pressed into the apple of her cheek. "You're alive. There are other lightsabers, but there is only one you."

She lifted her head to peer at him through her silver eyelashes. "Finn saved me."

His bushy eyebrows rose with intrigue.

"I was dying, Poe. I could feel my Life Force going out into the galaxy. I felt peace then..." Her hand tightened over his. "Finn brought me back. He gave me a piece of his own Life Force so I could live past the war."

Poe's head slowly shook in disbelief. "How... how could he do that? He isn't-"

"He is," she assured him. "He's Force-sensitive. What lives in my blood, lives in him as well. He was able to manipulate the Force enough to bring me back. He gave me another chance- he gave us another chance." Her amber eyes flitted between his. They brimmed with promise that added a sparkle as bright as the sun above head.

Poe let out a breath. Before it dissipated, he bent down to kiss her. He poured his worries and triumphs into her mouth and she drank it up like a fine wine until she was drunk on it.

The celebration moved on around them, and with Poe's lips on hers, she finally felt the celebrating spirit.

***

Nightfall came, but the Resistance partied as though it was midday.

Serena and Poe found their way to the top of the Millennium Falcon where they could enjoy the festivities without fear of being sucked into the party.

Poe sat against the top hatch as he watched the fireworks they set off in honor of all those who sacrificed themselves for a cause way bigger than any of them.

Serena laid perpendicular to Poe with her head in his lap. She looked up at him to admire the strong curve of his jaw. The exploding fireworks painted his entire face until she saw him in hues of greens and blues and yellows. The sparks etched a depth to his eyes that entranced her and pulled her in until she saw nothing but Poe with exploding life.