Takes place in early 37ABY
They were out gunned, and out manned, the First Order had pushed the Resistance ranks further and further back. The only reason they hadn't been blasted to atoms from the sky was because Blue Squadron was keeping there star destroyer busy in space, but that could change at any time, any moment could be there last.
Poe wished he could be leading the pilots from the air, but being the General meant putting his soldiers needs before his desires, and right now that meant staying on the ground and let Lieutenant Fen lead from the sky.
Things were going bad on the surface of Batuu. The Resistance had been fighting just outside Black Spire Outpost for almost an entire lunar cycle, and they were losing ground and men by the day.
The only positives Poe could think of was that Finn was still alive and by his side, that the First Order had almost lost as many man as they did, and the two of Phasma's special soldiers had been activated during the fighting and survived to make it to the Resistance side where they were now fighting.
Despite both sides having significant casualties, the First Order had superior armour and fire power and therefore were the ones gaining ground. Poe's hopes to liberate Batuu where dropping every minute, and were replaced with the knowledge that the First Order wasn't taking Resistance prisoner.
A blaster bolt flying over his head snapped him out of his daze. He turned his head to face the droid in charge of statistics.
"Z.O.E.! How close are they know?"
"There front line is now only sixty point five meters away, Sir."
"And how is our air support status?"
"There is still no communication since the star destroyer arrived fourteen hours ago."
"We have got to take them out. Ok, give the order to the red battalion to advance to this location to try and sneak around and take out there reserve ammunition with the rest of our thermal charges."
Poe pointed at a the holochart, and the droid gave the order. Z.O.E. Just barely got the order out before the droid was blown up with an enemy explosion, the explosions force blew Poe to the ground five meters from where he had stood.
Everything went white, and Poe couldn't hear, he would have thought he was dead, if he wasn't in tremendous pain. Slowly a blur off colours, but his eye kits felt so heavy he couldn't keep them open. Than the sharp deafening ringing, and he that made him wish he was dead, it hurt so much. The pain in his left side only increased, as did the ringing in his ears. He couldn't make out individual sounds, just the mind splitting, nerfherding ringing.
Suddenly a gut wrenching pain was in his left side and even thought couldn't hear, he knew he screamed. He must have passed out for some amount of time because when he came too someone was holding his arm as well as desperately patting his face.
"Poe, Poe! You got to wake up, please wake up! Oh stars, don't let this be it. Poe, Poe!"
Poe's ears still rung, but he could now make out the voice of Commander Finn Shot, head of the Phasma squad and his greatest love. Poe desperately tried to open his eyes but couldn't. He did find though that he could speak.
"Finn?"
"Poe, thank you, oh thank you. Poe, they are advancing so fast, now, I saw the explosion and felt you go down."
"How bad is it?"
"How, it's bad, there's a long piece of debris impaling you. I don't know what-"
"Stop, I meant how bad is our side doing?"
Silence for a couple seconds.
"They are advancing and not slowing down, he are back up but Poe they are going to overtake us in minutes."
Poe finally managed to open his eyes, he could see blaster fire going over there heads, and the dirt in the air from the explosion, but mostly he could see Finn's dark beautiful face covered in dirt and with a panicked look on his face. Poe smiled, which only made Finn look more worried.
Finn was holding Poe's right hand with both of his, and now was franticly looking around.
"I have to get you out of here, the Resistance needs you."
"Finn, I am done for, I need you to leave me and have the Resistance retreat into the city. It may be occupied but there are many allies there and they might help contact the fleet to come evacuate the survivors."
"No, no Poe I am not leaving you, the Resistance needs General Dameron."
"They will have one."
"I don't understand Poe."
With his remaining strength Poe reaches up and pulled out the chain containing his sister's locket and his mother's wedding ring.
"No, Poe don't do this."
"Finn, you have made me so happy, you have given me hope and a reason to fight for our freedom. I don't think I'm going to make it, please will you take this ring and marry me?"
Poe could now see tears poring down Finn's cheeks, but they weren't tears of happiness. Poe, now in a daze didn't like how they looked and reached up and touched Finn's face, before he lost the strength and his hand fell to his side. He was barely conscious when he heard Finn cry.
"I was lying, I need you, not the Resistance, Poe. Please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone."
As Poe closed his eyes he felt Finn put his body onto of his and could feel his body shake. As the world went dark Poe's last memory was the sound of an even larger explosion and the planet shaking beneath him.
Sometime later Poe awoke to the feeling of weightlessness and peace. Now he was certain he was dead. However he opened his eyes and found he was floating in a tube of water like substance, his mouth was hooked up to oxygen, there were vital connected to his chest, and he was completely naked except for a small cloth underwear.
Trying to look through the glass tube he found that he couldn't see much. He could barely make out two figures, one that had the figure of a med-droid, and the other appeared humanoid. The bacta tank began to drain and Poe was soon let out, however he fell unconscious again almost immediately after from fatigue.
When he came too he was dry and alone except for the medical droid that just explained he had to have emergency surgery and than had been placed in the bacta tank to quicken the healing process. Poe was given a recovery outfit and his chain so he got dressed but than remained resting. Not to much later Finn entered the room.
"Poe, thank goodness you are ok."
He ran over to him, sat on his bed and gave him a kiss of relief. Poe kissed back and than they just held each other for a moment, in the embrace they could really each other's hearts beat fast. Finally Finn let go and sat up.
"Finn, what happened, I think I felt a massive explosion and that's the last thing I remember."
"You ordered the red battalion to go behind enemy lines and detonate the First Order ammunition reserves. They did just that and it took out there entire back lines. Not five minutes after that there was another explosion in the sky and it was the star destroyer, Tiffony and her squads managed to blow it up. Another destroyer showed up but by then we were long gone. The ship has since left but they left behind more troopers to occupy Batuu, but I think we inspired the people and after we recover I think we can free it."
Poe smiled.
"That's good. I know we can do it."
Poe than recalled what happened that before the explosion, what he had said to Finn. Poe, now feeling a little embarrassed took Finn's hand.
"I want you too know I meant everything I said, I love you Finn and I want to marry you, war or no war. However I understand if you don't want to make that commitment yet, you haven't explored or experienced the galaxy like you wanted to yet and there could be someone else-"
Finn shut Poe up with a kiss.
"I knew you were the one when we first stole that TIE Fighter together, I knew we'd be together forever, I just didn't quite understand my feelings right than."
Poe reaches under his tunic and once again took out his chain with the ring, he was about to take it off to hand it to Finn, but Finn gestured for him to stop.
"I know that you have been saving that ring for the right person, and I am grateful to one day wear it, but not until the First Order is on its last legs, not until we've guarantied a future for ourselves together. There is something I want to show you though."
Finn than unzipped the jacket that had once belonged to Poe and pulled out a metallic twine that had also been concealed under his clothes and took it off to show Poe. I've been holding on to this for almost two years now, waiting for the right moment. I think now is that time."
Attached to the twine was a Dolina seed ring, carved to fit Poe's finger, placed in the ring was a very small Azurite stone. Engraved on the inside of the ring said 'Love you always💗'
"When the time is right I want you to have this Poe."
"Finn, it's beautiful, you made this yourself?"
"Yeah, I got the different pieces on different missions, and I have been carefully carving the ring ever since. I want it to be our promise to each other, that we keep each other's ring until the time comes to exchange them, for them to help remind us what we are fighting for."
"I promise I will be the man you want me to be and I will keep my mother's ring safe until it can be placed on your finger. I love you Finn."
"I love you too Poe."