The following week, Leia came up to Kat while she was pouring herself some tea. "You know when I said you should try to open up more, I didn't mean with those you already consider your friends."
Kat groaned. "But I'm pretty sure Rose and I are best friends now instead of just friends. That's gotta count for something."
"And how many arguments have you gotten in with Poe so far this week?" She asked, giving Kat a knowing look.
"None, thank you very much." A proud grin lit up her features.
Leia laughed, shaking her head. "That's because you've been avoiding him. How long has he been working on his X-Wing?"
Kat followed Leia's line of sight to see Poe sitting atop the left wing. His curls hung in front of his face as he concentrated on the task at hand. He had foregone Rose's help to fix it himself, a simple wiring problem that didn't seem so simple at all since he just jerked his hand away from the wires as if he had just been shocked. She didn't even want to make note of how good he looked with the top of his flight suit tied around his hips and the white shirt underneath straining against his muscles as he worked. "A few hours. Rose said he declined her help. Apparently, it's a simple job he can take care of himself."
"Then it looks like you should offer some caf and your assistance, colonel." She pushed a cup towards Kat with a small smile.
"If he declined Rose's help then why would he accept mine?"
"Because you brought him a peace offering and worked on the Falcon, which means you know how to get into those hard to reach places without getting shocked."
Kat let out a heavy sigh. "Fine, you win." She picked up both cups and headed over to Poe, ignoring the smile Leia sent her way.
"Not right now, Twenty-three," Poe said to the droid's beeps, far too focused on not getting shocked for the third time.
CB-23 trilled again as Kat approached the ship. "There's no way she's coming over. She's been avoiding me all week." He said, not looking up like the droid wanted him to do.
"You sound a little disappointed in that. I would think you would be thrilled. Caf?" She held up the cup.
Poe's head shot up as his hand slipped, touching the live wire which shot electricity through his arm. He jerked his hand back, giving it a bit of a shake as if that would wave away the pain.
Kat bit her lip to hold back her laughter. "Or maybe some ice instead?"
"Oh, ha ha." He reached out to take the cup of caf she offered. "What do you need, colonel?"
She motioned to the open panel with the hand that held her cup of tea. "Since you didn't take the professional's help, I figured I would come over and offer mine."
"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Katerina?" He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her.
Kat rolled her eyes at hearing her full name, shifting her weight to one side. "I grew up with the Falcon and there were some tight spots that needed to be fixed so Han taught me how since my hands were small enough to fit."
"There she is." He smirked.
"Are you going to let me come up or not?"
"Fine, you can come up." Poe agreed, he and CB-23 moving so that Kat would have easy access.
She handed her cup of tea to Poe before she climbed up onto the wing. Poe handed Kat her cup back after she settled. "So what's the problem?" She asked, sipping her tea.
"The main wire came loose for one of the landing lights. I can fix it if people would stop interrupting."
CB-23 beeped, causing Kat to laugh and Poe to look at the droid as if he was hurt by what it said. "I thought you were on my side." He accused.
"You forget that CeeBee was my droid first." She smirked over her shoulder. CB-23 mostly hung out with Kat in the beginning, flying with her when she went off base but after Poe returned sans BB-8, Kat talked her droid into going on loan for those who needed the droid more since Kat didn't fly all that often.
Kat turned back to look into the open panel in front of her. Seeing just how difficult it was to reconnect the wire, there was no wonder Poe kept shocking himself. She took the roll of tape and tore off an extra piece with her teeth before wrapping it around the edge of the new casing so she'd have a little bit more room to hold onto.
Poe watched a little in awe before shaking his head. He did not need to go down that path with his thoughts. "Then I should probably tell you that your droid and my droid are now buddies."
Kat nearly had the wire where it needed to be when Poe dropped that bit of information on her. "What?" She asked, whipping around, not even thinking about what she was doing a second before until she was shocked. She jerked her hand back, hissing in pain before glaring at a chuckling Poe.
"Doesn't feel so great, does it?"
She picked up the roll of tape and threw it straight at his chest. He leaned too far back as he flinched to prepare for the contact and to catch it, landing him back into the cockpit. Kat scrambled to the edge of the wing and looked down, relief rushing through her when she saw that he was fine, laughing even. "Aw, you worried about me, Kat?"
She pushed at his knee before moving back so he could get out. "Is this true?" She asked the astromech. "And how did that happen?" She followed up when CB-23 gave her an affirmative beep.
Kat rolled her eyes while Poe laughed. "Isn't that what you're trying to do here? Grow on me?" He asked.
"I'm here trying to figure out how we're to work together but clearly that's not going to work out." She mumbled as she moved to straddle the wing, figuring she could try a different angle to get the wire connected.
She felt him behind her before he spoke. "I thought we worked together just fine."
Kat didn't answer as she focused on the task at hand. He moved closer so he could watch over her shoulder. "You know, this would go a lot easier if you weren't hovering."
"Just want to make sure you don't hurt my ship."
Kat rolled her eyes and placed the wire back where it belonged and made sure it stayed there. She sat back but instead of air, she was met with his chest meeting her back. "Are you going to move?"
"I don't know. Am I growing on you yet?" He asked with a smirk, using CB-23's excuse.
"Growing on my nerves." She gritted out, not wanting to focus on the feeling of his breath on her neck or the warmth she felt where their bodies touched.
Poe laughed and moved back before climbing down. CB-23 went next as Kat replaced the panel, rolling off the wing and right into Poe's waiting arms. Kat moved down and Poe was still waiting there. The ghost of his mother would surely come to haunt him if he didn't at least offer to help her down. "You good?"
Kat nodded. "Getting up is so much easier than getting down."
"I can go move the ladder to this side."
She shook her head. "No, I can get down fine." She lowered herself down to the final perch before dangling one leg and then the other. Kat took a deep breath, assessing the jump before sliding down the rest of the way.
His hands went to her waist to help steady her while her hands landed on his shoulders. They were once more closer than they ever had been before. "See, I told ya." She said as she brushed off his shoulders, stepping back.
"Commander Dameron, is your ship back in working order for our trip?" Leia asked, a knowing smirk on her lips.
Even though there was some space between the two, they jumped back, creating more space. "Yes, general." He answered, trying his best not to look like he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.
Kat hurried over to Leia's side as Poe untied the sleeves of his flight suit from around his waist. The older woman looped her arm around the younger's with a soft chuckle. "I hate you so much right now," Kat whispered causing Leia to laugh.
"That looked like it went well, I don't know why you would be so upset with me."
Kat rolled her eyes as she continued to walk with Leia to the CR90 corvette. Poe would fly ahead of them to meet with Kaz before they showed up. She still didn't know how she felt about the kid. Sure he was doing well and bringing in great intel, she just knew that Poe was leaving out some details when he debriefed her. If she had to guess, the kid had the same knack for getting into unnecessary trouble.
✧☆✧
The two women were standing at the command center, looking over all intel they've been able to gather. Each of it looking more and more like a war was going to break out soon. "If we could just figure out what their final goal was...besides galactic takeover," Kat added when she got a look from Leia, "then we could put what resources we have towards that. I could try my contact on the inside again."
Leia looked at the other woman with a soft smile and gave Kat's hand a soft pat. "You know as well as I do that conversation would just turn into him trying to recruit you again. Then they would hide whatever it is that they're working on and we would be no closer. Let's see what intel we get today and we'll go from there."
Kat nodded with a solemn look on her face before quickly changing her expression to her usual guarded one. Poe and Kaz had just walked in so she couldn't say or do much else. She watched Kaz fumble over his words in front of Leia. Kat always found people's reactions to the older woman amusing so she did her best to stifle a laugh.
"So she's the one that's really judgy?" Kaz asked Poe in what he thought was a whisper when Poe introduced Kat.
Leia looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head slightly as Kat stared daggers towards Poe, arms crossed over her chest. Poe grimaced and leaned down towards the young spy, patting him on his shoulder. "Kaz, buddy, you might want to learn how to whisper a little better or better yet, don't say anything like that in front of the person you're talking about."
"Mr. Xiono, this job is very dangerous as you know by now. My judgments, in the beginning, were because I wanted to make sure you truly knew what you were getting into. I'm not in the business of losing lives so if my judgments were going to protect you, then I was going to judge and judge hard. Now, I believe you have a drive for us." She held out her hand, waiting for the drive.
Kaz handed over the drive and as Kat loaded the information, she could feel Leia's proud stare and Poe's shocked one. She had just opened up. Not a whole lot but just enough for those who didn't know her to see that she had a heart underneath her cold exterior.
Leia started going through the intel, praising Kaz for a job well done. Kat acted as if she was looking through everything when she was truly trying to reign in her anger. Poe clearly didn't see how tense she was for he stood extremely close to her. She turned her head just enough so she could see him as she whispered harshly. "When did I say you could start invading my personal space?"
"I wanted to apologize." He replied in the same hushed tones so the other two present in the room couldn't hear their conversation.
"Complaining to the general about me is one thing, but to air your grievances to a new recruit is another."
"I only said something today. I was trying to make sure he was on his best behavior with you because you've been strict about him since day one."
"Clearly you missed the mark on that one."
"I know and that's why I wanted to apologize because I thought..." He trailed off trying to find the right words.
Kat turned so she could get a better look at his face. Seeing how genuine he seemed to be about this, softened her up a bit. She gave him a soft smile and a squeeze on his arm before turning back around to face the hologram of intel. "So, what did Mr. Xiono bring us?" She asked, making her way into the conversation Leia and Kaz were having.
Poe moved to stand beside Kat instead of being in her personal space. A small smile on his face. She might not have said the words but he knew he had just been forgiven by her. He had thought that it was an impossible feat but here they were. He even started to wonder what other decisions she had made because she cared more than she let on.
"Based on Kaz's reports, we've calculated a possible flight path through the Unknown Regions that could lead to a First Order outpost." Leia began, addressing the whole group. The intel on the drive was being looked at by the few Ground Control crew that was on the ship. This mission wasn't only to get the intel but to see if there was anything worth knowing about based on previous intel.
"Really? What kind of outpost?" Kaz asked, looking to Leia in awe.
Poe smirked, leaning forward just a bit. "That's what I'm gonna find out. I'm assuming the colonel is bird's eye view?"
"Correct," Leia answered.
"Then you want to come along, kid?"
Kaz looked gobsmacked. He couldn't believe Poe was picking him. "Uh, me? Go with you?"
"Hey, my mission, so I pick my wingman." He backed away from the control center with a small shrug, planning on making his way to his X-Wing to get the mission started.
Kaz grinned and started to follow Poe. They were just about to leave when Leia spoke up. "But remember, Poe, your mission is reconnaissance only. Do not engage the enemy. Am I clear?"
"Of course, general. You know me. I am not one to engage unless provoked." Poe smiled.
"That's why I'm going to say it again. Do not engage the enemy." Leia gave him a pointed look.
He just flashed her his charming smile. "Understood."
Kat watched them leave, conflicted about whether to give him a commlink or not. They would be able to communicate while they were in their ships but something told her that there needed to be at least one more form of communication, just in case. She let out a sigh when Leia gave an approving nod and motioned to the door. With that, she jogged after them.
"Commander!" She called out, slowing down to meet him in the middle of the hallway. His questioning look grew when she took his hand and placed the commlink in it. "Keep this on you. I'm the only other trained fighter pilot on this ship and therefore your only backup."
"This is just a reconnaissance mission, colonel. You don't have to worry about me." He smirked even as he pocketed the commlink.
"Nothing is ever just reconnaissance with you. And I'm not worried. I just like to have a backup just in case."
Poe chuckled. "Uh, huh. Sure you do."
Just then BB-8 and CB-23 rolled by beeping happily as they chatted with each other. Kat wrinkled her nose which caused Poe to laugh. "See, I told ya."
"Oh, it's worse than I thought." She looked down at her shoes to hide the brief moment she lost her battle against smiling. "Tell your kid to keep away from my kid." She joked, smirking towards Poe.
He smirked in return and leaned forward. "I'm starting to grow on ya." He whispered.
Kat rolled her eyes and nudged him forward. "Go. You have a mission."
✧☆✧
Leia gave her a knowing look as she returned to the main hub. "He's growing on you. You can thank me later." She grinned.
The younger woman looked shocked. "Did you just eavesdrop on our conversation?"
Leia chuckled. "No, but I watched the cameras and I noticed you two earlier."
"Then keep dreaming. You're not getting grandkids out of me yet."
"That is not why I'm doing this." She actually sounded offended.
Kat turned to face the older woman, arms crossed over her chest with an eyebrow raised. "And why are you doing this?"
Leia just smiled, her eyes sparkling in the way that Kat had learned to recognize as the look she got when the Force was involved. The younger woman rolled her eyes. "The Force, Leia, really? I highly doubt that."
The older woman just shrugged. "We don't know what the Force wants. Now, don't you have a mission to conduct?"
Kat rolled her eyes once more before placing her headset over her ears as she made her way to where a small group of Grounds Control was stationed. "Alright, boys, speak to me. What are we seeing out there? It looks like you're in an asteroid field."
"They've left us a nice little path to follow. About to land at the station. No life forms or active droids." Poe informed.
"Commander, pull back. You are not to engage." She ordered.
"There's no life forms or active droids. We'll just be providing surveillance from the inside. Besides, colonel, don't you want to know what this station is?"
"Uh, I just would like to point out that I agreed with Colonel Metonae." Kaz popped up on the comms.
"Commander, I am ordering you to not land." Kat tried once again but soon there was a resounding click. The colonel looked at the other members, her mouth slightly opened. He just turned off communication with her.
She gave the team a tight smile before stepping out of the room and pulled out her commlink, calling the comm that she had given Poe before he left. "Poe Dameron! If you do not get back in your cockpit right now and turn back..."
"Is this the real reason you gave me this?" Poe asked, cutting her off. "Also no can do Twenty-three already took them back out to hide in the asteroid field. Now, come on Kat, you really can't tell me that you're not interested in why this station has been abandoned or what this station was even used for."
Kat groaned in frustration. "You get ten minutes and then I want you back in the air, got it?"
Poe grinned in victory. "I like this new Kat." It was her turn to turn off communication. He just chuckled at the sound of the click and pocketed the commlink once more.
"I take it, that doesn't happen often?" Kaz asked.
"Never." He shook his head, his smile never falling. Maybe they were both growing on each other. "So you ever shoot one of these things?" He asked, handing over another blaster.
✧☆✧
"I want eyes on the sky. Any activity near Commander Dameron's location is to be reported." She ordered as she walked back into the room. Kat sighed as she sat in front of the screen. She really hoped her decision didn't come back to bite her.
Twenty minutes past the ten-minute marker and a lot of yelling down comms later, Kat stormed the hangar just as Poe exited his X-Wing. "That is the last time I let you talk me into going against the general's orders." She shoved at his shoulders. "Not only did the First Order show up but you both were nearly taken out with the blast. You are such a cocky, reckless pilot that..."
Her rant was cut short when he pulled her into a hug. She stiffened at first, not really a hugger unless they were those who she considered friends or family, before relaxing into it. She let out a deep breath, whispering the rest of her sentence, "thinks you know everything," as she wrapped her arms around him briefly.
"We're safe, Kat." He reassured her as he gave her a slight squeeze. From her revelation earlier, he had realized that each time she had acted out after a mission gone wrong was because she had been worried about him and the team. He gave her a small smile as he pulled back before giving her a grim expression. "Let's get back to the general, we were able to get some information and it's not the best news."
BB-8 had loaded all the information he had downloaded from the First Order station. "Please tell me they're just building tons of blasters," Kat whispered to Leia as they looked over the drilling logs of the dedlanite.
Leia squeezed Kat's hand before thanking Kaz for his help. Once the young spy had left, she turned on Kat and Poe, fixing them with one of her steely glares that caused both commanding officers to stiffen. "When I said I wanted you two to work better together that did not mean that you two should disobey direct orders. Do not engage means do not engage, understood?"
Both nodded their agreement and once Leia seemed satisfied, she gave a soft smile. "Other than that I liked the teamwork and it better not stop after this. We're stronger when we truly work together, especially since it seems the First Order has big plans."
Once again they both nodded as they watched her walk away. "So," Poe started after the door shut, "want some tea?"
Kat smirked as she backed away from him, shaking her head. At the door, she pointed in his direction. "Not even close to that, yet."
As the door closed, all she heard was him laughing.
✧☆✧
AN: Okay, so I know it's the next day but I'm just so excited to share this story. Thanks for all the love this story has already received. Hope you enjoyed and can't wait to hear what you think!