Chapter 13.

A while later, Rey told the girls to head back to the base and wash up, pleased with the fact that neither one of the twins complained of their journey up and down the mountains path.

Alone now, Rey was able to think.

She wondered why Poe, or Leia for that matter, didn't tell her that he was the one to arrest Mello. She didn't know why the information mattered, but it was a surprising detail to be told by the new members to their Rebellion instead of her friends.

Sighing, she vowed to not let the day be lost to more questions.

Looking up from the path she slowly walked, Rey was surprised to find herself in view of the Falcon.

A smile tugging at her lips, she made her way to it, being welcomed by Chewie and R2 who were making small cosmetic repairs.

Chewie roared his greeting, and R2D2 beeped his own, also alerting her that Poe was inside refilling their medical supplies and stocking emergency portions.

Rey smiled to them both, and went inside, Chewie messing her hair as she passed. The motion filled her with warmth, widening her smile.

Inside the ship now, Rey looked around, noting every mark on each wall as the floor lights lit up when she approached them. It was true, she loved the base, and loved being surrounded by the people there. However, it never gave her this feeling, the feeling of .

She sighed, sadness creeping up on her as she thought of the previous owner of the beloved Millennium Falcon, Han Solo.

He was life itself, finding a thrill and an adventure in everything he touched, in every place he went.

Rey admired it. His free and stubborn spirit, the life he led, the love he carried with him. It was all so pure.

Leaning against the nearest wall, she tried to will the tears away, but it only made her sob harder. The conversation with Flora and Kai made her want to run home to Jakku, to crawl into her beaten AT-AT and await her parents return.

This would never happen now, though. Her parents sold her and abandoned her, not giving a care in the world about their child, who spent every minute of every day sitting in the scorching heat, waiting for their return with no hatred or resentment towards them.

Rey cursed herself as another tear rolled down her cheek.

Her parents were gone, the pair deceased. And sadly, so was Han Solo, having lost his life at the hands of his son. Rey recalled how he cupped Kylo's cheek before falling off-

She quickly shook her head, not wanting to remember the rest. But in that moment, she knew even then that Han's love never stopped for Ben, neither did his hope. She remembered feeling the sorrow and regret fill the atmosphere, but it was radiating off both father and son, and now, it consumed Kylo.

It consumed .

Wiping her tears away, she thought of what Han would say right now. Something along the lines of 'You'll do just fine, kid.' sprang to her, and with that, she sadly smiled.

"Hey there! I didn't realize I had company besides the old hairball and machine." Poe said from behind her, referring to Chewie and R2.

Rey cleared her throat, inhaling to help her steady and compose herself. She turned, and offered him a polite smile. He noticed how hard it was for her to do just that, and didn't want to push her.

"I'm fine, really." She said, noticing his concern. He nodded, glancing down to the dirty rag in his hands. "R2 said you were restocking?"

"Yep, all set now. How'd the training go? Didn't expect for anyone to be up this early."

She moved away from the wall, and together they walked the hallways of the ship, not going anywhere in particular.

"Well, it wasn't really a lesson. I just took them for a hike up and down the mountain near the riverbank. It's a good walk, I don't want them to get too comfortable staying still." She explained, Poe nodded, smiling at her as they walked.

Slowing down now, she briefly paused to look at him, meeting his warm gaze. She quickly glanced away. "Actually Poe, I had a quick question. I was told that you were the one to capture and arrest the arms dealer, Mello, back on Mo-Safte. Is that true?" Rey asked.

He hesitated for a long moment, eventually groaning and moved to stand in front of her, halting her next step.

"Yes." He said simply, looking down at her, his smile washed away as he looked concern again.

Rey was taken aback by his serious approach to the question, and his unwillingness to offer up any other information. Trying to hide her irritation, she looked at him with a confused expression. "Well? Why didn't you tell me? I thought you had left to go look for ship parts."

Again, he hesitated, this time running his hand through his hair, heavily sighing. "Well, Rey, I overheard that there were First Order members on Mo-Safte. By the time I arrived, they were already gone, or so I was told when I asked Mello. He was sitting at the bar that the troops were spotted at, I offered to buy him a drink... or four... in exchange for information, and he just became an open book." Poe went on. "He told me the troops were there looking for , and they weren't successful, next thing I know, he's trying to sell me weapons from a deal that the First Order backed out of a year ago."

Sighing again, he looked from the floor up to Rey, who was studying him now, brows furrowed. She was still unsure why this was information he felt he needed to hide.

"Why not tell me?" She asked. Rey truly did not want to resort to prying into his mind, he was her friend after all. But she knew she did not like details being held from her, and right then, she felt a wave of anxiety rolling off of him and washing over her.

She sensed there was something he didn't want to tell her, if he didn't have to.

Now, there was no hiding the frustrated expression on her face. "Why were you out looking for First Order members anyway? So far from base and the rest of the fighters?" She asked, unsure if she really wanted the answer.

Poe looked at her with wide eyes and a regretful expression. He frowned, and Rey could feel the answer before it left his mouth.

"Rey... I was looking for Kylo Ren..." he said, his voice just above a whisper as he avoided looking at her.

"Why?" she demanded, her tone higher than she intended, confused by the protective feeling she instantly had.

Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't answer.

Growing tired of this, Rey crossed her arms, trying her best not to glare at him as she softly peered into his mind. She decided that she had no choice, but still did not feel good about it.

Searching his eyes, she knew he couldn't feel her presence there.

In his mind, Rey watched the memories fly by. It was just as he said, Mello sat there at the bar, slumped as he chugged from a large mug. He was extremely tall she could tell, even sitting down. He was a pretty large man, a high-top belly poking out from beneath his shirt. His fingers wore all sorts of rings, one in particular shining with a large blue ruby. In his stool, he turned to look in her direction, momentarily frozen, Rey had to remind herself that this was Poe's memory, not hers.