Chapter Text
Corellia had seen much improvement since the fall of the Empire. While it was still a center of ship manufacturing within the Republic, crime rate had gone down while the living conditions had greatly improved. It had begun to thrive into a metropolis for new businesses and racers from across the galaxy. You weren’t surprised Darris had found a home there.
You looked over at Poe to see him just as you left him when you took off that morning; stiff and on edge. There was nothing for it. If flying couldn’t calm him, nothing could.
BB-8 gave a small concerned beep as you approached the planet.
“Just stick close to Poe,” you soothed. “We’ll be out of here in no time.”
The droid whistled in understanding, but it was clear it wasn’t completely at ease. The silence remained until the moment you touched down on the landing pad.
“Alright, let’s go over the plan one more time,” Poe said, sounding uncharacteristically professional.
You suppressed an annoyed sigh. He had drilled in the plan all through the morning before you took off. You weren’t sure whether to be flattered at his concern or frustrated with his persistence.
“I go in first,” you repeated. “You’ll follow in ten seconds later. BB-8 will wait outside in case there’s trouble. If he isn’t there, I’ll get a drink and sit at one of the tables while you stand at the bar. If he doesn’t show up with in ten minutes of the scheduled meeting, we pull out and tell the general it was a dead end.”
Poe nodded along. “And if he is there?”
“I’ll handle it,” you said, in a level tone. “I did have the same training as you, you know.”
He had the decency to look a little guilty at that.
“I know.” He met your gaze then with a mildly confused look. “How are you so calm right now?”
You shrugged. “One of us has to be.”
He let out a small laugh. You could see the tension finally start to leave his shoulders. He then took your hand and pressed a small kiss on your knuckles.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
You found the cantina easily enough. It was one of the mid-tier places in the city. Not so bad you’d find the old remaining gang leaders, not so great you’re brushing elbows the elite. In other words, perfect for pilots looking to make a quick buck in between races. This also had the added benefit of not making you and Poe stand out like sore thumbs. For all his efforts, you didn’t think Poe could be mistaken for anything other than a pilot.
You walked in first, making a general observation of the room. It was crowded, with a hum of noise which prevented any one conversation to be heard over the other. You hated to admit it, but Darris certainly knew how to pick a meet up.
You could feel Poe eyes on you, ten seconds on the dot after you stepped in. You had to suppress a smile. He was true to his word as ever. You just hoped he would be less obvious once you got into position.
You walked further into the cantina, making like you were looking for an empty table. It didn’t take you long to spot the man in question.
Darris Korrel looked exactly the same as when you had left him. The same dark brown hair, playful dark eyes and air of confidence behind a relaxed demeanor. A text book flyboy if there ever was one. The only indication any time had passed was his more distinct laugh lines and newly grown mustache.
Raw frustration pounded into your skull at the sight. He looked good.
Steeling yourself, you walked over to him. He glanced up, and an easy smile formed on his lips at the sight of you.
“Hey kid,” he greeted.
Your jaw tightened at his tone, as if this was a meeting between old friends and not a last resort for the safety of the galaxy.
“Darris,” you replied coldly.
The smile faded. He got the message. Silently, he gestured for you to take a seat. You did, never letting your contempt slip from your face.
“How about a drink?” he asked, waving down one of the droid serves.
“No thank you.”
“It’s bad luck to drink alone.”
“Good.”
The nonchalant facade was finally starting to break. He leaned in closer. “Look, I’m trying not to look like an informant here,” he said, attempting to keep his tone light. “We’re just two old friends, catching up over a drink.”
It took everything in you not to scream. Maybe a drink wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Corellian whisky,” you ordered, not bothering to look at the server.
Darris smiled, raising two fingers to the droid.
“Now, are you going to tell me what you know,” you said, as soon as the droid was out of ear shot.
“Let’s have a drink first.”
“This isn’t a social call,” you snarled. “How did you even find me in the first place?”
“Believe it or not, some of our former friends still talk to me,” he said, defensively. “And they have friends who, like you, took an extensive leave of absence from the New Republic Navy. Your Resistance is not a secret as you would like to believe.”
You kept a straight face. You knew the Resistance was an open secret in the Republic. It made a kind of sense it’s members would be known as well. You just hadn’t realized how exposed it was. The thought made your stomach turn.
Darris let out a long sigh. “Y/N, I just want to talk.”
“There’s nothing left to talk about,” you said. While you suspicion had faded, your anger remained intact. “What more could you possibly say to me?”
“I miss you.”
You blinked. You didn’t think three words could make your mind draw a blank.
He took your response in stride. A small smile formed on his face, giving you the impression, he was laughing at you.
“Is that so hard to believe?” he asked.
“Considering you haven’t tried to make contact with me for the last six years; yes, it is,” you said, plainly.
The smile faded. He looked down at the table, as uncertainly seeped into his features.
“I didn’t know how to find you,” he said carefully. “And when I did, I didn’t know what to say.”
“So, you waited until you had information to lure me out?” you bit back. “Do you even know where Tekka is?”
“I do!” Darris snapped. “I wouldn’t lie about that. I’m a selfish scumbag, but I wouldn’t lead Senator Organa on for anything.”
You didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t a lie. His look was too earnest, almost desperate to be anything else. Thankfully, the server came back with your drinks, giving you the time to think. You took a long sip of whiskey allowing the alcohol to burn your throat as you swallowed some of your pride.
“Well, at least you admit it.”
A different smile formed. It was a self-deprecating one. You couldn’t remember a time you had ever seen it.
“I’ve been figuring out a lot of hard truths lately,” he said, nodding in agreement.
There was a pause and you took another drink. This conversation was not going the way you expected it.
Some vindictive part of you had hoped to find him a mess. You wanted him to have reached rock bottom, so it would be easier to slam any attempt he might have to see you back in in face. Instead, he was as charming as ever, with an easily explainable answer for everything, and the impression he may had finally grown up.
“How’s Shey?” he asked.
You stiffened, setting down your glass. “You don’t get to ask that.”
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake?” you growled. “Forgetting to do the laundry is a mistake. What you did—”
“We were kids!” he defended. “I wasn’t ready to be a father. You can’t blame me for not being ready.”
“You think that’s why I haven’t talked to you?” you asked. “I don’t blame you for not wanting kids, that doesn’t make you a bad person. If that was all it was, we could have gone out separate ways as friends, but you didn’t do that. You wanted me to throw her away like she was nothing, not the living breathing person we made.”
“I know,” he insisted. “I know that now. That’s not…” He trailed off. Clearly, this wasn’t going how he had pictured either.
He took a breath, running a hand down his face. “I just meant, I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t want to be a father so soon, and I said and did all the wrong things. I was horrible and stupid, and I’m sorry.”
He sounded sincere, and frankly, that made it worse. You ran a hand down your face, trying to grabble with the new emotions you hadn’t expect the feel course through you.
“Why am I here Darris?” you said, sounding as tired as you felt.
He didn’t say anything for a moment, his face slipping into a more neutral expression. “You’re here to get information that I have.”
“You could have told anyone,” you countered. “Hell, you could have come yourself.”
He shook his head. “I’m not looking to join and anyone isn’t you.”
You felt a strange stir it your heart at the sentiment. It felt not completely unlike when Poe would say those things to you, things that made you feel like the most important person in the room. Still, it wasn’t the same. It was a faint echo, a half-formed memory with no weight to it. You honestly weren’t sure what to make of it.
Darris breathed out a sigh, as he came to what you knew to be the point of all of this.
“Y/N, you’re the first woman I’ve ever really loved,” he said, gently. “Honestly, you might be the last, and that means I trust you more than anyone.”
“Darris…”
“Just give me a chance,” he continued, his voice growing more desperate than you had ever heard before. “I’ve changed Y/N. I promise I have. Let me prove it to you.”
“I can’t do that.”
You were surprised how easily the words came out. You felt no bitterness, no anger. It was just a simple fact.
He pressed on all the same. “Look, I know it will take time. I haven’t been there for you and Shey, and that’s my fault, but for you, I’d be the best father I could be.”
“You shouldn’t be a father for me, you need to be a father for her.”
He stopped at that. The momentum he had built dying in an instant as his whole body deflated. You almost felt pity for him.
He looked to you then, looking over your features, taking in your eyes and expression as if seeing a completely different person. You supposed, in a way, he was.
“Is there someone else?” he asked.
“That has nothing to do with it.”
“So, there is,” he confirmed. A small smile graced his lips, even as his eyes told a sadder story. “You love him?”
“I do,” you said, honestly.
He nodded, biting his lip as he looked down at his drink with special interest. “Does he treat you right?”
“Yes.”
He nodded again. “Is he good with Shey?”
“The best.”
He kept silent for a moment, before meeting your eyes once more. If he was looking for doubt, he didn’t find it.
“I guess I had this crazy idea you missed me too,” he finally said, taking a sip of his drink.
“I did, at first,” you admitted, “but not for a long time.”
“My loss then,” he said, giving you a small half smile that once upon a time would have left your heart racing. Instead, an odd peace settled over you. You had to wonder if this was what closure felt like.
He reached and took your hand then. To your own surprise, you didn’t pull away. It was a peaceful gesture.
“You deserve good things to happen to you Y/N,” he said. “I mean that.”
He turned your hand over then and pressed a small metal object into your palm. You kept your face blank. His hand slipped out of your grip, going for his glass once more. Without looking at the object, you carefully placed it in your pocket.
“His last coordinates are on the drive,” Darris said. “I don’t know why you’re looking for him, but I hope whatever you’re trying to learn from him, you get it.”
You nodded, unsure of what else to say besides a simple, “Thank you.”
He smiled, but it faded as he noticed something behind your shoulder. “Kriff.”
Your brows furrowed in confusion, as you took a subtle peak behind your shoulder. You felt the floor drop out from under you.
Poe stood at the bar. A Weequay stood at his right, a Trandoshan on his left and one more human pressing a blaster into his back.
The sounds of the cantina turned to white noise in your ears. Everything else around you disappeared, and there was only Poe.
Poe turned to face the man with the blaster. His hands were subtly up. His manner was deceptively calm. The easy smile on his face undercut by the fire in his eyes. Vaguely, you felt somebody tug at your hand.
“We have to go,” Darris said, in a harsh whisper.
You didn’t know when it happened, but somehow, you were standing with your blaster in your hand. You raised it up and fired at the man pointing his at Poe.
All hell broke loose.
The man fell to the ground, in a heap. The two aliens at Poe’s side didn’t have time to think as Poe knocked one with his elbow, before kicking the other in the knee.
Two men and a Rodian at your side jump to their feet, and opened fire.
You spun towards them, laying down fire, before being tackled to the ground by Darris.
He flipped over the table, pulling you and him behind it for cover. He pulled out his own blaster from his boot, before turning and returning fire.
You stole a glance over the table. Poe had somehow managed to wrestle a blaster from one of his assailants and was now under cover behind the bar.
You made eye contact. He gestured his head toward the back, before giving you the signal to wait. You nodded in understanding before another volley of fire, forced you back down.
“Poe’s got a plan,” you said. “On the signal, we book it to the back exit.”
“Great, what’s the signal?”
You were about to come back with a quip, when suddenly, the lights went out.
A wide smile spread across your face. Poe must have contacted BB-8 to knock out the power.
Without another word you leapt to your feet, firing blindly into the darkness as you ran to the exit.
You threw open the door to the side alley with Darris only a pace behind you. There was no sign of Poe. Only a stack of crates and an empty dumpster. Panic made its way into your veins.
Then at the end of the alley way, you heard a familiar string of beeps.
BB-8 sat at the opening with Poe standing just behind.
A wave a relief washed over you. His hair was a mess, and there were a few singe marks on his jacket, but no visible injuries.
You ran to him, practically jumping into his arms.
He caught you, pulling you close. Sucking in a breath, he kissed your forehead before pulling away enough to take your face in his hands.
“Are you okay,” he asked, his eyes scanning your features for injuries.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” you assured.
He smiled in relief, but it faded when he noticed Darris standing behind you.
Poe was a little shorter than Darris, but it didn’t stop his eyes from shrinking the other man down.
Darris, for his part, kept a cool head, shrugging his shoulders as if to say “what are you gonna do”.
A crash broke the tension as you saw a chair fly through the cantina window.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Poe said, dryly.
“This way,” Darris said, pointing up the street. “My speeder isn’t far.”
“Great, I’ll drive.”
“The hell you will.”
Another crash came followed by yelling and a bunch of angry looking bar patrons.
“C’mon,” you insisted. “Let’s go!”
Neither of them argued, and the four of you ran for it.
Darris took the lead, pulling you down a side street revealing a line of speeders parked in a line.
“That one,” he said, pointing to a sporty looking red and gold one. It took everything in you not to roll your eyes. However, there were more important things to worry about. Before another argument about who was driving could ensue, you jumped into the front seat and got her going.
“Get in,” you ordered.
Neither man protested. Darris took the passenger seat beside you while Poe got BB-8 and himself into the back.
You took off like a shot down the street, just in time for a speeder to come on your tail. You ducked your head down to avoid the coming fire as you weaved your way through traffic and pedestrians.
“Who the hell are these guys?” you yelled as another shot whizzed past your head.
“Bounty hunters,” Darris said. “Dameron here got quite the price on his head thanks to the First Order.”
You glanced into the rear-view mirror to see Poe staring back at you. A look of guilt settled on his face, and for good reason. He never told you about the bounty.
You couldn’t let that bother you, as another speeder stopped itself right in front of you. You pulled the speeder into a hard right, missing the other by inches before straightening out down a side street.
“Kriff! They’re leading us into gang territory,” Darris said. “We’ve got to turn around.”
“On it.”
And with that, you threw the speeder into reverse.
Poe and Darris both got low, as you barreled back towards your pursuers.
Apparently, they didn’t know what you were doing either and tore out of the way. You made it back to the end of the street, spinning the speeder straight before launching yourself back the way you came.
The two men stared at you in awe.
“Still got it, I see,” Poe said, with a smile.
“Never lost it,” you countered.
The banter was short lived. The bounty hunters quickly realized their mistake and were on you in an instant.
A glance in the review mirror got you a good view. The one on the right contained the two humans and Rodian. The one on left had the Weequay and Trandoshan.
Poe pulled out his blaster, and fired behind you. He managed to hit the Rodian in the shoulder, and crack the windshield of the other speeder, but they didn’t slow down.
The Trandoshan in the front passenger stood in his seat, holding a sniper rifle.
Poe got a shot off, hitting him square in the chest. The Trandoshan fell on the driver causing the speeder to swerve into the other. basting the back of the speeder. Unfortunatly for you, the alien had gotten one shot off.
Smoke erupted from the back of your speeder. You could feel yourself loosing control. In a last ditch effort, you pulled into a near by alleyway, hoping the smoke would cover your escape.
The speeder dropped to the ground, skidding to a sudden halt between the two buildings.
BB-8’s head whirled on his top, perfectly summarizing how the rest of you were feeling.
“Y/N,” Poe’s worried voice came to you.
You shook your head, getting back in focus as you felt his hand on your shoulder. Blindly, you placed your hand over his, giving it a light squeeze.
“I’m okay.”
“C’mon,” Darris said. “We gotta go.”
He swung his leg over the speeder, landing shakily on the street.
You nodded in agreement, trying you best to get out of your seat. Shouts came from down the street. The bounty hunters were proving more resilient than you thought. You moved to go for your blaster, when a hand stopped you.
Poe kept his hand on your arm, as his eyes focused on the alley opening. He then turned to you. His expression was unreadable.
“Do you have Tekka’s location?” he asked.
“Yes,” you said. Your stomach twisted. Something was wrong. You didn’t like the look he was giving you.
He nodded. He gaze then turned to Darris, his jaw tightening as he did.
“Get her out of here,” he ordered.
“No!”
You jumped to your feet, but Darris was faster.
He grabbed you from behind, pulling you down the alleyway. You struggled against him, trying to get to Poe. Darris held tight, leading you back and out of sight.
BB-8’s head switch back and forth between you and Poe, not knowing what to do.
Poe kneeled in front of the droid. “I need you to go with Y/N,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “Make sure she gets back to base. Promise me.”
The droid paused a moment, before giving a promising beep. It rolled to you and Darris’s hiding spot, keeping out of sight.
Poe looked to you, giving one last smile. You didn’t want it. It was small, a silent “I’m sorry” which left your heart aching.
You pulled against Darris, but his hold didn’t yield. You had to do something, anything to keep Poe from doing something so incredibly stupid.
You heard shouts from down the alleyway and then, a single blaster shot.
Darris threw his hand over your mouth to muffle your scream.