THE RETURN was such a blur. Returning from the cabin to the palace just blurred with getting on their ship and heading back to Ajan Kloss. It blurred with getting checked at medical as is usual after every mission. It blurred with Rey talking to Poe and Finn about taking the Falcon and Ben to Tatooine to take care of some unfinished business.
Everything just blurred.
It was two weeks after the victory of the Resistance against the Final Order. It's been two weeks since Palpatine threatened their whole world. Its been two weeks since Leia took her last breath.
Amara was hiding again and Poe noticed it.
Something upset her at the cabin when they captured Jetu, and she won't discuss it with him, despite her promise to finally talk to him about what has been going on with her.
Poe felt like he was loosing her.
As Poe was sitting in his quarters with Finn, the two were reading mission reports. Well, Finn was reading mission reports, Poe on the other hand was loosing his focus. And Finn noticed. Finn lifts his gaze from his datapad and looked to Poe. Poe was sitting on his cot while looking at the same datapad he had been staring at for the past hour or so they've been in Poe's quarters. Finn on the other hand was sitting at Poe's desk.
"Okay, buddy." Finn says, "Lay it on me, what's up?"
Poe lifts his gaze, "What?"
"Something is bothering you," Finn says, "And it's not just because I can sense something wrong from you, you've just seemed different since Naboo."
Poe sighs and lowers the datapad beside him, "I'm sorry, pal."
Finn leans forward in his seat, "What's going on, Poe?" Finn asks.
Poe ran his hand through his curly hair, "I'm worried about Amara." He says, "Something is wrong with her and I feel like- no, I know she's pulling away."
Poe shakes his head.
"I just- I just don't know why." Poe clenched his jaw, "I don't understand whatever she is dealing with, not like you could or Rey or even Ben."
Finn frowns.
"I just wish that I could understand," Poe says, "I wish I could take whatever burden she's baring away from her."
Finn reached out and clasped onto Poe's shoulder. A familiar touch the two men were so accustomed to in the time they've known each other.
"I don't know much about the Force, because Rey promised to begin training when she returned back from Tatooine." Finn gives a small smile, "But I do know that she hasn't been the same since Naboo. Something is burning inside that I cannot explain."
Poe silently nods.
"But just because she may be withdrawing herself from you it doesn't mean you have to allow her to be isolated." Finn says, "When Rey wanted to find Exegol alone, what did we do?"
"We went with her." Poe answered.
Finn nods, "Exactly, because we're a family." He says, "And you need to go with her. Wherever that may be, physically or mentally to be there for her. Til death do you part."
Poe gives him a look, "We aren't even engaged."
Finn had a grin on his face, "Not yet."
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
SHE DIDN'T want to be around anyone until she got a grip on herself. She was feeling strange since Naboo, hell even while on Naboo. Amara sat alone in the the thick jungle of Ajan Kloss, she wasn't lost. She knew exactly where she was, how far away the base was, and how long it'll take to walk back.
She was sitting in the dirt with trees all around her.
Jetu's words didn't scare her, what scared her was the voice inside of her head. She worried about that voice, because she recalls her vision on Exegol watching her brother hear the revelation of Palpatine being every voice he had ever heard guiding her brother to the darkness.
Is that what is happening to her.
A dark presence trying to turn her?
She placed her hands over her ears and closed her eyes as she hunched forward. Her head going in her chest, as she balled herself up.
"I- I am not bad," She whispers, "I am not bad."
She whispers to herself over and over.
Not hearing nor sensing someone approaching her, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Spooked, Amara lifts her head and hand toward that individual. She used the Force to send them back. Only to then gasp and stand up, when Amara realized she Force shoved Poe.
Poe grunted, "Ouch," He lifts himself up.
Amara frowns, "Poe- I- I am so sorry."
Poe looks at her, "It's okay, Amara. I probably shouldn't have sneaked up on you." He says.
Amara kept the frown on her face as she walked over to him, she offered her hand to him. He looked into her eyes to see the sadness there, but accepted the hand. Once standing, Amara felt Poe not letting go of her hand.
"What is it?" Poe asks, "What's hurting you?"
Amara opened her mouth partly only to close it.
"Amara," Poe says softly, "We promised to talk about what happened on Naboo and since then you've been isolating yourself from me. I- I've given you your space, but- but now we need to talk."
Amara lowers her gaze, "I-," She closed her eyes, "I'm afraid."
Poe looks at her a bit worried, "About what?" He asks, "The First Order is gone, and sure there are still supports like Jetu but it's okay."
Amara looks at Poe, "It isn't about that war." She says, "This is about me."
Poe looks a little taken back, "Oh okay."
Amara gestures to sit down and so they sat down on a log near where she had been sitting in the dirt prior. Amara did notice that Poe was still holding her hand.
"Naboo changed me, Poe. No, that's wrong, it just- I was enlightened there." Amara says refusing to look at him.
"Care to explain?" Poe asks looking at her.
"After I left to go patrol," Amara sighs, "I felt something in the Force. It was calling me to someplace and I knew I needed to be there."
Poe nods, "Alright, but why didn't you just explain that to me then?" He asks.
Amara shakes her head, "I don't know. Maybe because I didn't want to accept what Anakin said to me that night."
Poe leans forward to look at her, "What did Anakin say?" He asks.
"I waver," Amara says, "I hesitate on my full power, Poe. I am strong in the Force beyond the level of my brother, maybe even matching Anakin's."
Poe only stares at him.
"My outburst like on Pasaana," Amara looks at him, "That is only a small portion of the untapped potential."
Poe just nods adding, "Okay, okay."
"He told me I have to decide for myself what I want. I was shadowed by my family legacy for my entire life, Poe. You know what that's like." Amara says.
Poe frowns, "More than you know."
"And I never figured out my goals, my dreams, anything that made me anything special. I was just Leia's kid or Han's daughter or Ben's sister." Amara says, "I don't know the right choice. I don't know if I am suppose to be here on Ajan Kloss helping the Resistance or- or go somewhere else and begin a life as Jedi."
Poe frowns.
"Or is being a Jedi even what I want?" Amara asks.
Poe squeezed her hand a little, "Without thinking what's one thing you know you want?"
Amara looks at him, "You." She says without hesitation.
Poe gives a small smile, "Good," He says, "Because I'm here. Hundred percent."
Amara gives a small smile.
"Through the good, the bad, the ugly. I want to be your number support. I- I wanted to do this somewhere else but-," Poe stands up and pulls Amara onto her feet, "But if I don't do this now, I- I don't think I ever will."
Amara looks at him puzzled, "Poe?"
Poe gives her a big smile, "Amara, you've been everything I ever dreamed of in a perfect girlfriend. Sure, we're both not screwed on right, given our own crap we're dealing with. You've been with me through so much." He says, "Through helping me with my nightmares after Jakku. Through backing me up about the Raddus and Crait. You've been my rock, my everything."
Amara gives him a smile.
"I- I was given my mother's wedding ring when I was sixteen," Poe says, "My dad thought it would be a good thing to hold onto. He told me one day, I will give that ring to someone I deem worthy to marry."
Amara watched Poe reach for the ring.
"Poe," Amara says.
Poe gives her a big smile, "Amara,"
He pulled the ring off the chain and put the chain in his pocket. Amara watched as Poe got on one knee, Amara gasped and took a step back but not too far since he held one of her hand still.
"Amara Solo," Poe grins at her, "Will you marry me?"
Amara looks shocked, "Oh my god."
Amara stares at the ring and then to Poe. She knew this day was coming since Lothal, but didn't know when exactly, she knew he had thoughts of it but never considered he'd actually do it.
"So?" Poe asks.
Amara nods her head multiple times, "Yes. Yes. Yes."
Poe placed the ring on her finger and then rises up to kiss Amara on the lips. She and Poe held onto each other, he even spun her while they kissed. They pulled back from the kiss, Poe brushed some of Amara's hair out of her face with a big smile upon his face.
"You and me," Poe says, "Against the world."
Amara kept the smile on her face, "Yeah."
"No secrets," He says, "No lies."
Amara nods, "Only honestly," She says, "And with that. I need to tell you something that may ruin this moment."
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
POE HAD told everyone besides himself, Amara, and Finn to leave the command center. Poe had pulled up a holocall to Rey, which included Ben in it. Finn was sitting down in a chair, Poe was leaning against a table, and Amara stood in the middle. Whereas Ben and Rey looked to be inside the Falcon.
"What is it?" Rey asks, "Is everything okay?"
Poe glanced at Amara, "Tell them what you told me." He says.
Amara nods, "Okay, so it's time I am honest about something." She says, "Ben and I obviously come from a strong bloodline of Jedi, and it was a given that one of us would've been the strongest. They thought it was Ben but-,"
"It's actually Amara," Ben finishes.
All eyes shift to him as a blue hologram standing next to Rey.
"What?" Ben asks, "I've known for a while."
Finn looks at Amara, "Seriously?"
Rey also looks at Amara, "How long have you known this?" She asks.
Amara looks at Rey, "Since after Exegol. Things were beginning to make sense, like how I just managed to forget tapping into my Force ability at such a young age. Only someone with incredible talent in the Force could do that."
"Alright," Finn looks from Amara to Poe, "So you're strong in the Force, what's the issue?"
"The issue is her fear," Ben says, "Her fear in accepting the burden of her strength."
Finn stands up and looks at the hologram of Ben. Poe pushes himself off from the table he was leaning again.
Amara sighs, "He's not wrong." She says, "When I realized how strong I am, the fear began to blossom. It started off as being scared of loosing my cool, like when dad died-."
Amara looked away from Ben's gaze.
"Or when we thought Chewie died." Amara says.
Finn moves to stand next to Amara, "That- That raw strength? That's part of your full strength?"
Amara looks at him, "It's a small portion of what I could do."
"And back when we were kids, Palpatine sought out Amara. He saw how strong she was and wanted to use her- like he used me." Ben says.
In the hologram, they saw Ben being comforted by Rey, her hand resting on his shoulder for support.
"But because you got scared you shut yourself from the Force and managed to repress it all those years," Rey says, "That left Palptine to use Ben."
Amara nods, "Yeah."
Finn seemed shocked, "Woah, that's uh- that's a lot to take in."
Poe looks at Finn, "Oh there is more," He looks to Amara, "Go on, tell them."
Amara glanced at Poe. He looked at her with a supportive gaze. He reached out and held onto her hand, giving her a squeeze to let her know he's here.
"Alright, on Naboo when I was "captured" by Jetu, I- I got the strangest feeling and- and I heard a voice." Amara says.
"You mean a vision?" Rey asks.
Amara shakes her head, "No. Not a vision. Like a voice whispering into my ear, telling me things." She says.
Ben's eyes narrowed, "What kind of things?" He asks.
Amara glanced to Poe for support. He nods at her, giving her a supportive smile. Amara sighs and then turns to look at her brother.
"That maybe my destiny is to be Sith Lord," Amara says, "Um- that I don't need any help and I could just kill all them without an issue."
Finn glanced from Amara to Poe, he looked worried.
Rey looks at Amara and then to Ben.
Ben looked at his sister and began to ponder over it.
"It could be a dark Force trying to each out to you," Ben says, "Sway you while you were most scared."
Amara nods, "Ye- Yeah, maybe."
Poe looks at her, "You're not evil, Amara." He says.
Amara looks at him and smiles, "I know,"
"Have you had any of those voices again?" Ben asks.
Amara shakes her head, "Not since Naboo, although, I've been feeling something in the Force. Something calling to me, but I don't know from where or from who."
Ben nods, "I've been getting that same feeling as well,"
Rey glanced at him, "I haven't," She looks at Finn, "Have you?"
Finn shakes his head, "No."
Amara has a small grin, "Must be a Skywalker thing," She says.
Ben shakes his head, "Maybe a Solo thing, I wouldn't say Skywalker." He says.
Finn, Poe, and Amara look at him with a puzzled look.
"What do you mean?" Amara asks.
Ben gestures to Rey, "Rey," He says.
Rey gives him a small smile before turning to the group, "As you know that my birth name is Palpatine, and I respect that you all do not hold the actions of my grandfather against me, but I- I am not a Palpatine."
Everyone just looked at her and listened.
"I decided to take upon the surname of Skywalker," Rey says, "I want to honor Luke. I want to honor the legacy. If you'd allow me, Amara."
Amara gives a big smile, "Of course. I said you take a name from my family," She says, "After all you're like a sister, Rey."
"Rey Skywalker. Hmm, has an interesting ring to it." Poe looks at Finn, "Now we gotta find a last name for you, pal."
Finn shakes his head, "It's alright." He says.
"Hey you could always have the last name Solo," Amara says.
Finn gives her a smug look, "Why are you offering Solo? Is it because you're going to be a Dameron soon?"
After he said that, Rey and Ben had different reactions. Rey was screaming with excitement, whereas Ben was actually just stunned but looked to be happy.
"You did it!" Rey screamed, "You finally did it!"
Poe pulls Amara over and shows the ring, "Yeah, I did."
Rey has a big smile on her face, "I am so happy for you!" She yells.
Amara had a smile on her face, "Thank you."
Ben had a small smile, "I am happy for you two," He says, "We'll be back in a few days and then we'll discuss this feeling in the Force, Mari."
Amara nods, "Alright."
"We'll talk soon," Poe says stepping over to the controls, "Be safe,"
He looks at Rey and then looks at Ben.
"Both of you." Poe says.
Rey nods, "We will." She says.
Ben looks at Poe, "Take care of her." Ben says.
"I will," Poe says.
Ben nods, "I know you will," He says, "I just wanted to hear you say it."
Poe ends the transmissions and then turns to Amara and Finn, the younger man was now looking at the ring that use to rest on Poe's chest on Amara's finger.
"Well," Poe says, "I think it's time we tell everyone."
Amara looks at Poe, "About the engagement?"
"Yes, but also about Ben." Poe says.
Finn looks at Poe, "You sure?"
Poe nods, "I think I have an idea on a way to smooth the Resistance being okay with Ben being here." He says.
"And what would that be, General Dameron?" Amara asks.
"Amnesia," Poe says, "We can say that Palpatine had a hold on Ben that once he was defeated all memories of his acts as Kylo Ren were erased. We can say we had him unconscious in a ship, unsure if he'll wake but only did as of recently."
"We're going to lie to them?" Finn asks, "You sure?"
Amara frowns, "They'd want his head if we told the truth. They wouldn't believe that him renouncing his title as Kylo Ren was enough, him fighting Palpatine was enough, that him and I bringing Rey back was enough." Amara says.
Finn frowns, "I just don't like lying to them." He says.
Poe nods, "Then I'll do it." He says, "They'll trust my judgement."
Amara walks over and held his hand, "If you're going to do this, I'm with you. Remember, you and me."
Finn sighs and steps over, "I can't let you just take this all on your own." He says clasping his hand on Poe's shoulder, "If you think this is the best option, I support you, general."
Poe nods at Finn, "Thank you, general."
And with that said, both Finn and Poe laughed at that and then embrace each other. However, Amara was in the middle of them, so she was pulled into a hug by Finn and Poe. She was squeezed in the middle.
"Help-!" Amara says.
Poe and Finn pull back.
"Oops," Finn says.
"Sorry, Amara." Poe says.
Amara looks at them and then smiles. She wraps her arms around her boys with the smile still on her face.
She may be anxious about these new feelings she was sensing from beyond, but she knew one thing for certain. She may not have her parents or her uncle. She may not have Vira, but she does have something special. She has Poe. She has Finn. She has Rey. She has Ben. And with them, Amara thinks she can handle whatever darkness is coming for her.
(re-uploaded: 7/18/21)