Chapter Text
The little meadow was filled with sun, and they were enjoying it. In fact, Poe was snoring.
Finn lay back in the grass, feeling the heat soaking into his muscles, tired after a morning spent training. “I suppose a Jedi doesn’t give his friend a wet Weequay while he’s sleeping,” he murmured.
Next to him, Rey snickered. “I’m afraid so,” she said lazily, stretching out on her stomach and pillowing her head on her arms. “If we can find more blooming vines, on the other hand…”
Finn grinned at the sky. The last time they’d caught Poe unawares, they had managed to half-bury him in bright blue vine-pollen, and his roars of outrage had only been quelled by the fact that moving the stuff had been Finn’s first success in using Force powers.
He still marveled sometimes at how much things had changed in so short a time. From a brainwashed pawn to a Resistance general to a Jedi apprentice; from someone with no name or family to one part of a stable triplet.
And, as it happened, a cousin; Jannah’s tribe had all had gene scans done as part of Lando’s effort to find their homes, and it turned out that she and Finn were distantly related. She too was Force-sensitive, and Finn was spending a lot of time lately trying to convince her to join the Jedi academy when Rey got it up and running. At the moment it was more plans than anything else.
Finn felt a now-familiar shift in the Force, and looked over to see Ben fading into view on Rey’s other side. “Poe wants to use one of the leftover Star Destroyers as a mobile training ground,” Finn told him. “What do you think?”
Ben looped his arms around his pulled-up knees; Finn had finally gotten used to being able to see through him. “It’s not a bad idea. You’ll reach more students that way.”
“That’s what I said.” Rey grinned at Ben, who smiled back, a look that didn’t so much shut out the rest of the galaxy as forget it existed. The familiar small pang shot through Finn; he wasn’t jealous, not really, but he and Poe would forever be on the outside of that relationship.
Finn looked the other way. Poe was awake now, watching Rey and Ben, but he glanced over at Finn and raised a brow, look what we have to put up with, and it made Finn chortle.
Rey sighed theatrically. “No respect for your master, apprentice?”
“Gotta be worthy,” Finn retorted, and Rey squawked and rolled over to tickle him.
Finn yelped. “Hey! Little help here!”
“Use the Force, young Jedi,” Poe intoned sententiously. Ben was watching with an amused expression, and Finn made a face at them both before managing to pin Rey.
“They’re both cheating,” Poe said to Ben, then tackled Finn. “Time to die, Stormtrooper!”
“You wish, Rebel scum!” Finn grabbed him, Rey whooped beneath them both, and after that it was a free-for-all, scuffling and wrestling and spurts of laughter until they all flopped down, panting. Ben was still there, and abruptly Finn wondered if he wished he could join in.
Impulse nudged. Finn felt inside himself for the mysterious power Rey was teaching him to use, hesitated.
Why the hell not?
He held out a hand.
Ben blinked...then reached out to touch it.
Finn didn’t really know what to expect, but the thin crackle of energy wasn’t it. It wasn’t like touching skin to skin, more like sensing a low-power deflector shield. And with it came an awareness, a closeness. Surprise, odd delight - he wasn’t sure whose emotions he was feeling, and he wasn’t sure it mattered.
Finn heard Rey draw in a sharp breath. “What are you doing?” she muttered, and he glanced over at her startled eyes.
And held out his other hand.
The bond widened at her touch. There were three of them now. Finn could still sense the strength of the Dyad between Rey and Ben, like the hum of a power plant; this was something else.
Rey’s eyes went half-lidded. Finn looked over at Poe.
He was huddled in the grass, watching them with an expression that mixed hunger with resignation and a touch of anger. Finn’s tongue seemed to be paralyzed, but what he thought the other two were thinking also.
“Get in here, Dameron,” Ben said gently, stretching his free hand out.
For a moment, Finn thought Poe would refuse, but when Rey reached for him too he gave in.
Fingers closing on fingers; palm against ghostly palm.
The arc of power became a circle, a note of music, a rush of joy. Four united; not into one, but into each other, pushing away doubt and fear. Finn could feel Poe’s astonishment, Rey’s ecstasy, Ben’s wonder; he knew they could sense his breathless delight.
It lasted a long time before ebbing slowly; not from a loss of power, but from a sense of completion. They withdrew from each other tenderly, easing down onto the grass with their hands limp and tingling, though Finn could still somehow feel the slightest trickle from each one if he concentrated.
“What was that?” Poe mumbled; he looked wrecked, hair damp with sweat and tear marks on his cheeks. Finn swiped at his own face and was surprised to find it wet.
“A Force bond,” Ben said, eyes wide. The blue glow around him seemed to be pulsing slightly. “They’re supposed to be a myth.”
“So’s the Dyad,” Rey said. Her eyes were closed, and her smile was just this side of intoxicated.
“Yes, neither of them are exactly emotionless.” Ben slid Rey a glance, the corners of his mouth turning up, then looked at Finn. “You have an interesting gift.”
Poe rolled over and buried his head in his arms. “But I’m not Force-sensitive.” It was half-muffled.
“The Force is in everything that’s alive,” Finn pointed out. He frowned, and reached out towards the hint of pain, laying a hand on Poe’s shoulder. “That’s not your real problem, Poe. What’s the matter?”
The words were mostly indistinct, but they all heard them anyway. “If he can come back, why can’t she?”
Rey opened her eyes, mouth quirking sadly. Ben bowed his head.
“Force spirits only manifest in times of great need,” he said. “Except for Dyad pairs. Obviously.”
Finn frowned. “Says who?”
There was a pause. Poe pushed slowly up to sit, and they all looked at Finn, blinking. He waved both hands. “Who makes the rules? Is there a list somewhere?”
Rey squinted, and Ben pursed his lips. “It’s...tradition?”
Poe huffed, scrubbing at his face. “In other words, there isn’t a rule.”
Finn blew out a breath, thinking. “Then it’s up to you, isn’t it?” he said to Rey.
Her mouth dropped open, and he went on. “Rey, you’re the last Jedi. The only Jedi. You’re all the Jedi. You make the rules now.”
Poe’s brows went up, and he started to grin. Rey closed her mouth. “That’s ridiculous,” she said feebly, and glanced at Ben.
He smiled, but if he said anything Finn couldn’t hear it. After a moment Rey straightened. “Okay. Okay, then.” She cleared her throat and rested her hands on her knees, schooling her expression to seriousness. “Um. Jedi...Jedi who have passed on can manifest any time they want to.”
A peculiar hush followed her words, as if the galaxy were holding its breath.
Nothing happened.
Rey broke into a giggle, and they all relaxed, a little disappointed but -
“It’s about time you figured it out,” said Luke.
Finn flipped around so fast he almost went tumbling. Master Skywalker - both Master Skywalkers - were just outside their circle, smiling smugly. Finn stared at them, absolutely stunned, as Leia walked past to bend and lay a kiss on Poe’s forehead.
“Hey, General Big Deal.” Han stood next to Finn, smiling down at him, and Finn tried not to gibber. “Nice job.”
“You...they…” Poe’s eyes were so wide they looked as if they were going to pop out of his head. He pointed at Han. “He’s not a Jedi!”
Leia laughed and patted his cheek, then went to sit by her son, who leaned into her like a tired child. “Are you really going to argue about it, Poe?” She pulled Luke down next to her.
Han squeezed Finn’s shoulder, a touch he could barely feel. “It’s good to see you, kid, but I gotta go check in with Chewie.” He disappeared like a light switching off, and Finn gaped at the Skywalkers, at Poe, at Rey.
Her own eyes were lit, and the smile on her lips was amazement...and triumph.
Finn swallowed, and managed to find his voice. “So...what do you think about using a Star Destroyer for the Jedi academy?”
Luke snorted, Leia’s brows went up, Poe laughed out loud, and a cheerful debate began.
And the sun shone on, making the galaxy just a little bit brighter.