Author's Note: Hello everyone :D This chapter was already written last year BUT it has a new beginning part. For those who have already read last year's version, this chapter has a few changes to it (plus the new beginning) and can also be used a refresher of where we left off, as we move forward so I can finally continue where I left off! (I'm also re-familiarizing myself with the last few chapters too, it's been a while) ^_^ Thanks for your patience! And for all the encouragement for me to keep going with this! xxx
ROSE
Rose squirmed in her stiff uniform. The air in the Millennium Falcon was too dry, especially compared to the mountain air back home. Now her skin was itchy. It could have been the hot water of the mountain springs. She'd forgotten to put oils on her skin after soaking in the hot pool. The memory made her nostalgic, she missed home already and she'd only just left a few hours ago.
She headed down a meticulously clean corridor of the large dreadnaught her and Finn landed the Falcon on. This was where Rey's beacon had led them to, although they couldn't get an audio response from her, even when they were in comm range.
"This is weird," Finn said under his breath. He looked about as gloomy as Rose felt, perhaps because they were back to the reality of war. He had enjoyed playing with her cousins so much and she got to see a side of him she'd never seen before. He was great with kids.
She shook her head to dispel the thought, not liking the direction her mind was taking lately. She'd been trying really hard all day not to think about the way Finn had looked at her in her Festival dress. She wanted there to be more between them, but a man's physical attraction to a girl didn't mean his heart was in it. She didn't want to get her hopes up. Even after the kiss, she wasn't yet convinced that Finn had fully let go of Rey.
"Do you think Kylo discovered the beacon and planted it here?" she said to Finn, looking down at the tracking device they were following to get to the beacon. "Maybe Rey isn't even here."
Suddenly the little dot on the screen jumped to another spot and she stopped. "How is that possible."
"What?" Finn stopped too.
"The beacon moved. It's not even on this ship."
"What?" Finn grabbed the tracking device from Rose. "I knew this thing was cheap. Well, we know we're close at least. Looks like it's just on another ship on this planet." Just then, a cheer rose up from a crowd far off. It seemed to shake the very walls of the corridor they were in. Rose and Finn exchanged a questioning glance, then they hurried down the hall.
FINN
"Did the General just say Hux is her... Nephew?" Finn couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"You heard my Nephew," General Leia had said into the microphone. "Let's crush this Ruling Order once and for all!"
Rose looked more concerned than shocked, but she said nothing. They stood at the back of the gathering space, still staring forward at the now empty podium. A group of pilots, both First Order and Resistance, pushed past him in their hurry to get to their stations. They discussed battle plan details as they went.
"What in the world is going on?" Rose said, likely thinking the same thing Finn was thinking. Why were the pilots working together?
"I don't know." Finn's eyes scanned the large open space for Rey, but he didn't see her. He couldn't figure this out. What had happened here in the short time they'd been gone? Had the First Order brainwashed General Leia, bringing the rest of the Resistance over to the dark side? There's no way Rey would fall for this kind of insanity.
"We have to find Rey," Finn said to Rose. The words seemed to bring her out of her thoughts and she frowned. It seemed that whenever Finn mentioned Rey, Rose frowned. Or maybe he was imagining it.
Rose nodded but said nothing. Finn glanced down at the beacon tracker in his hand. It still indicated that Rey wasn't on board the dreadnaught. He was about to tell Rose, when she suddenly ran ahead, into the launch bay area. Then he saw Poe, making his way out of the far doors.
"Poe!" Finn yelled, running after them.
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REY
Fifteen minutes.
I tap my comm reader to bring it to life and check the time again. I have only fifteen minutes before the planes take-off. I have to hurry.
I rush around my quarters, Kylo's quarters.
Where is it? I can't go without the beacon. It's my only connection to Finn and Rose. I throw the bed sheets aside, sending the warm, masculine scent of Kylo into the air around me. My pulse races at the unbidden thoughts pushing their way to the surface of my mind. Thoughts of the last time I lay in this bed, with Kylo.
The swish of the door opening behind makes me jump and I realize too late that I'd forgotten to lock it. But I was just planning to quickly run in and out, not expecting to get caught so quickly. I'm afraid to turn around and see Kylo Ren standing there, tall and overbearing, but when I turn it's not Kylo who's there.
"Finn!"
I run to Finn and throw my arms around him, the awkwardness of the spontaneous gesture only hitting me after I've already crushed him in a hug.
"Oh my stars," he breathes. "Rey, I've missed you." He returns the hug, a little too enthusiastically and I draw back. "It's good to see that you're normal, at least," he says, stepping back.
"Normal?" I ask.
Finn catches his breath before continuing. It looks like he's been running and seems on edge.
"Yes," he nods. "I was afraid they'd brainwashed you, too."
"Brainwashed me?" I frown. Has someone been brainwashed? Was it Rose?
"You know." Finn circles his finger in the air, still trying to catch his breath. "Kylo Ren, with his mind tricks."
I sigh. There's no time now for Finn's distrust of Kylo. I'm glad he's returned, safe and sound. That's all that matters. But where's Rose?
I gasp. "Where's Rose? Is she not with you? Is she okay?"
"Yes." Finn pulls on my arm. "Come on. We have to get out of here."
"What do you mean?" I resist his pull, wanting to have the beacon before I leave. "What's going on Finn?"
Finn lets go of me and runs his hands through his hair, making him look even more disheveled and troubled than before. "I'm guessing you weren't at the speech Hux gave earlier."
"I was."
He looks stricken by my response.
"Why?" I ask.
Finn's eyes study mine. "Isn't it strange to you," he says slowly, "that General Leia is working with the First Order?"
I shrug. I'd given up trying to figure it all out. From what Poe has told me, it seems Hux is a capable and logical general. Even General Leia trusts him enough to work with him, which could have something to do with the fact that she's apparently his Aunt. "We're a team now," I say, wanting the conversation to end so I can find the beacon and get out of here. "A lot has happened since you left."
"A team?" Finn gives me a skeptical look. "Rey, what's happened to everyone? The First Order isn't a team player. I should know, I was a storm trooper once. They only conquer and destroy."
I hug my arms around myself. He's right in one way. But this war is too big for us to fight alone. We have no choice but to trust them, even if they didn't earn it.
"We've joined together," I repeat, more to convince myself than Finn. "The other factions have come too, the Space Pirates and the-"
"No." Finn grabs my arms, his eyes wide. "Don't you understand? They'll use them, and us, to fight their war, then once the Ruling Order is defeated the First Order will turn on us and kill us, too. They're just using us. Do you really think they care about the Resistance? Or some Space Pirates?"
"I don't think they're-"
"Snap out of it Rey!" Finn shakes me hard and I yelp in surprise.
"Ow... Let go of me," I say, suddenly concerned with how frantic Finn is getting.
"Sorry." Finn quickly lets go. "I'm sorry. But we need to get away from here."
I rub at my arms. "I know this seems strange to you," I continue, "but a lot has changed since you and Rose left, and I trust the General's judgement."
"Which General?"
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing." Finn shakes his head. "But what if General Leia's judgement has been compromised? It's only been a few days since I last saw you, and now The First Order is our ally?"
I pause. Has it really only been a few days? Surely it's been longer than that. Suddenly an image of Kylo shirtless pops into my mind and my cheeks heat up. Yes, a lot has changed since I last saw Finn.
Finn reaches up to the back of my neck and pull back from him.
"What are you doing?"
A sharp pinch grips me and my jaw clenches tight.
"Sorry, Rey," he says. "You're just not listening to me."
It's the last thing I hear before my eyes flutter closed and I realize that I've been tranquilized by a small device Finn is holding. Then, the world turns black.