Chapter Text
“What do you mean?” she asked Finn again, her brain refusing to believe it. “He’s fine! I saw him this morning!”
She tried to ignore the feeling of panic, her conversation with her husband from last night rushing back to her. “I don’t think I could live without you anymore,” Poe whispered, tucking a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear.
She lifted her head from his bare chest, not understanding. “What do you mean?”
“I’m just glad I’m older, I’ll probably die before you do,” he answered seriously. “You’re stronger than me, you could survive me dying. I’d probably end up like my dad. I think the only reason he kept going is because of me.”
“Don’t talk like that,” she insisted, not knowing what had brought this on.
Her friend took her arm, pulling her away from her students. And her dark thoughts. “You have to come now,” he said insistently, still leading her away. “It might already be too late.”
She followed Finn in a daze, the tree was the last place she expected to be taken to, a group huddled around the base. He pushed them through the group, Poe lying on the ground, far too pale. “What happened?” she asked, kneeling down to check on him.
“Some kid tried to rob the farm, and stabbed Poe when he confronted him,” Rose said in a rush. “Kes went for the doctor, but he’s not back yet!”
“Well, I’ll heal him then!” she shouted, pushing Rose out of the way to place her hands over the wound.
She was startled when Poe’s hand met hers, grip surprisingly strong. “No,” his voice croaked, coughing. Blood splattered from his lips. “You … you know what happens, Rey. You’ll be…”
Poe coughed again, more blood coming from his mouth. They’d punctured his lungs, he was drowning, she’d taken too long to get here. “I’m glad ... it was me … first,” he struggled to say.
The tight grip on her wrist loosened, Poe’s head falling back, eyes open but sightless. Poe was gone.
She bellowed, the group around them flying back at the sudden burst of rage. The tree behind her reached out, trying to comfort her. She didn’t want sympathy, she wanted the man she loved back. This was senseless! Stupid! Poe had survived a war against the odds. He had come home, they had finally found their way! And he’d died for nothing!
She rounded on the tree, she would fix this, there had to be a way. She placed a hand on the trunk, willing all the energy to come to her, so she could bring him back. They hadn’t survived that hell for it all to end like this. They deserved another chance! They were going to start a family now that they had settled into their life here! She refused to accept this, she wanted Poe, and the life they should have had back! She wanted to start it all again! The combined power of her and the tree flooded the area, making it impossible to see. She didn’t understand what was happening, the world suddenly turning black.
She woke up in the house, not sure why she was in the main one. She could hear noises coming from the kitchen, the distant sounds making her head ache. Not that it mattered, Poe was gone. Whatever she had tried had failed. Rising from the couch, she headed to see Kes; she wasn’t the only one who had lost their world today. She must have made a sound, Kes turned as she entered, giving her a weak smile. She rushed to him, hugging him as great big sobs escaped her, tears falling down on his neck. Kes patted her back awkwardly.
“There, there, it’ll be alright,” he said placatingly.
She pulled back, startled. “How can you say that? Poe is dead!”
His eyes widened. “Poe’s fine, he’s the one who brought you here,” he replied warily. “How do you even know him? He said he didn’t know who you were.”
“Poe’s fine?” she asked, not quite ready to believe his words. Had it all been some terrible dream? Or worse, a vision? But Kes was acting oddly like he didn’t even know her. And he looked, well, different. Something was wrong. “Who am I, Kes?”
“I was hoping you would tell us that,” he replied. “I guess it’s good I sent Poe for a doctor, you must have hit your head if you don’t remember anything.”
“That’s the problem, I do remember … everything! You’re the one who’s forgotten!”
Kes stared at her blankly for a moment, eyes then darting to her lightsaber on the kitchen counter. “Do you … I won’t hurt you,” she said firmly, a little hurt at the implication.
“Did Luke send you?” he asked next. “I can’t understand why a Jedi would show up on my property except for that. Tell him to comm me first next time.”
“Luke’s dead, you know that!” she told him, confused. “What is going on?”
Kes snorted. “I have no kriffing clue!”
The front door opened, a stranger walking in first, but Poe’s familiar curls could be seen over the man’s shoulders. Maybe he could talk some sense into his father.
She called out his name, Poe’s head popping up behind the man. She couldn’t understand, she had been with him when he died. Unless … she shook her head, it must have been a vision. One she would never allow to come true. She ran past the doctor, and into his arms, clutching him to her. Poe was always touching everyone, her most of all, but he froze completely, not touching her back. That was something he had never done.
She pulled herself away, too easy to do as he wasn’t even holding like he usually did. Poe’s expressive face was blank, more bemused than anything else. He wasn’t showing any of the normal concern he would give her. Even for the slightest of injuries. He barely even looked at her, just showing her a mild curiosity.
She took a moment to really look over him, her emotions too frazzled to feel his signature. He was Poe but he wasn’t; little things just not quite right. His hair was still completely black, not a speck of the grey that had slowly started to dominate. The lines around his eyes weren’t there, the skin still smooth. But it was the necklace peeking out from his shirt that disturbed her more. Poe hadn’t worn it in years. Not since he proposed.
This wasn’t her Poe.
She woke up on the couch, the doctor hovering over her. She pushed the man away, looking around frantically. She was still in the main house, Poe and Kes hovering in a corner watching.
She could think clearer now, even if she must have fainted, the initial panic had faded. She glanced over at them, really looking at Kes this time.
She wasn’t sure how she didn’t notice the differences in him other than the pure panic she was feeling at the time. Even he looked different, not by as much as his son, but it was noticeable. There was only one thing to do, forcing herself up and marching out the door. She ignored the doctor’s complaints, heading to her home.
Kes’ voice barely filtered through as she marched towards the door. It was locked, something both her and Poe usually never bothered with. Moving to the side, she put her hand to the window, peering inside. It looked nothing like the way they had set up their home; sheets covering what little furniture was there.
Kes finally caught up with her, looking angrier than she’d ever seen him. “What in the hells are you doing?” he shouted. “Are you crazy?”
“I think I might be,” she answered honestly. “What year is it?”
He looked at her blankly.
“What year is it?” she asked again, her voice rising.
“24,” he replied, stepping away from her, almost bumping into Poe who must have followed.
The woman was staring incredulously at dad. “24? ABY?” she asked, her voice almost sounding afraid.
“I think you need to let the doctor look at you,” dad replied, keeping a tight grip on his arm, holding him back.
She rolled her eyes, anger creeping into her voice. “Oh yes, let’s ask the doctor what happens to someone when they travel back in time more than 10 years,” she said sarcastically. “I’m sure that will be helpful, Kes!”
Kes pushed him back, almost using his own body as a shield. “Go back to the house, call … I don’t even know who to call,” he stated. “See if L’ulo knows anyone who can get a hold of Luke Skywalker!”
“I told you he’s ...” she trailed off. “Wait, Luke’s still alive,” she said, this time grinning. “He still has his temple? It hasn’t been destroyed?”
Dad turned around, a look of worry and anger on his face. “Go, Poe!”
“And what exactly do you want me to say?” he asked incredulously.
“That we have a crazy Jedi he needs to fetch!”
That made her laugh; it was definitely a side of Kes she had never seen. But he was the practical sort, even living with her. This was definitely something fantastical. “Please do, I would like to talk to him myself. Maybe stop his nephew from killing millions,” she mused. She looked over at Poe, still struck at how different he seemed. “Have you started at the academy yet? You might be better off asking Wedge.”
“How did you know I wanted to go to the academy?”
She looked at Poe. He looked so much younger, more carefree than he was in the future. He wasn’t weighted down by a war where he’d lost so much, seen too much. How exactly did she explain who she was to him when he’d never laid eyes on her before? “From the future,” she reminded him, even if it was probably useless. “I know you very well.”
“Stop distracting my son!” Kes yelled. “He doesn’t need this again!”
She looked over at her father in law, confused. “Need what?”
“Some pretty girl putting ideas in his head!” Kes yelled. “He’s not going near the academy!”
This was spiralling out of control. She needed to prove what she was saying before Kes called the authorities and made things even worse. Then she remembered something. She held up her left hand, ring glinting in the bright sun. “Look familiar?”
Poe stepped closer, shrugging off his father as he moved to inspect her ring. She slid it off, holding it out to him to look closer. He swore, seeing the inscription inside; the one that matched the ring hanging from his neck. “Where did you get this?” he asked, slightly awed.
“You gave it to me. Years from now, but it was you,” she answered. “The day you proposed.”
She could feel the shock rolling off of Kes, making him march forward to see for himself. Poe pulled out his own copy, letting his father examine them both. “This is impossible,” Kes whispered. “It’s some trick.”
“Then how about this,” she continued, pulling the same chain this Poe was wearing around his neck from hers. She opened the locket Kes had given her for their first wedding anniversary, showing them both the picture inside.
Poe leaned forward, swearing at the sight of him and her, both smiling and happy. And he was noticeably older. Kes finally leaned in as well, the confusion rolling off of him almost seeming like panic.
“I have no idea how I got here, but every word I’ve said is the truth,” she replied.
Kes looked at her; she could feel his warring emotions, but she was more interested in Poe’s reaction. She had seen her husband at his best and his worst; she had seen him at his strongest and his weakest, but she couldn’t make out the range of emotions coming from him now. He was sizing her up, she knew that much, but she couldn’t decipher what he had decided when he turned abruptly and walked away.
She had little choice, turning to Kes; she needed to find out what had happened. “I really do need to speak to Luke and Leia,” she said simply.
He swallowed heavily, handing her back her ring, still clutching its twin in his other hand. “I’ll see what I can do.”
She retrieved her lightsaber, playing with it as she waited for Kes to make contact with someone. She wanted to find Poe; see how he was taking all of this. And she could admit she was still shaken from seeing his body just this morning. It felt like years ago, even if it was technically years from now, but she had to find a way to warn him. She couldn’t let him have that senseless death again.
Kes finally called her over; he must have gotten through to someone. She prepared herself; seeing either of her former masters alive and well, no longer in ghostly form couldn’t surpass the shock of seeing Poe. But she hadn’t prepared herself to see him. Han looked much the same as the last time she had seen him, maybe a few less wrinkles, but the shock of grey hair and the casual smirk were the same. She was stunned silent for a moment; seeing his form by holo almost made him look like a ghost.
She managed to choke out his name, the squeak of surprise clear. He looked at her curiously before turning to Kes. “Who’s the kid?” he asked. “Leia really doesn’t have time for this.”
She took a deep breath, trying to centre herself. “I’m sorry. You just weren’t who I was expecting,” she answered honestly. She turned to Kes. “I thought I said Luke or Leia. Han isn’t helpful for what I need to know.”
Han grumbled loudly. “Yeah, yeah. I’m just the husband, I’m not important. Nice seeing you again, Kes. Maybe next time, we can chat without this one?”
“Wait!” she called out, worried he would disconnect the call. “You’re still with Leia?”
He frowned, looking a little insulted. “Why wouldn’t I be with Leia?”
Kes pushed in front of her. “Look, let's get to the point. I had a Jedi show up on my property,” he said, pointing at her, “and she claims to be from the future where everyone seems to be dead. I believe her, and I think she really needs to talk to your brother in law to figure out what happened.”
Han stared at them both blankly. “Want to run that by me again?”
“I need to talk to Luke! I have no idea how I got here, but I can at least stop terrible things from happening in the future! I need to see him now! Maybe I can stop Ben from falling to the dark side for one!”
Han’s face changed rapidly, going straight to concern. “What about my son?” he asked warily. “He’s safe with Luke. He would never let that happen!”
She would never convince him; Han had died certain he could return his son to him. She needed another way. She tried to remember the brief time she had actually known him, a time that felt like lifetimes ago. Then she remembered; it was almost too easy. “Have you lost the Falcon yet?” she asked excitedly.
Han scowled at her. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”
“I was the one who got it back for you,” she insisted. Not quite true but close enough. “It’s years from now but I can give you an idea of where it might be. Will you listen to me then?”
She heard a familiar growl in the background, Chewie was saying yes. She tried to keep her face neutral, but she could feel the tug of a smile on her lips. “Names and coordinates?”
“It’s on Jakku,” she replied with a smile. “I’m not sure who has it at the moment but it’s probably with Ducain or the Irving Boys. Possibly Unkar Plutt but I think it’s too early for that. I don’t really remember. I was just a little girl when I was sold to him.”
“Sold?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she replied, “I survived my time as a scavenger.”
“You know this sounds crazy, right?”
“I don’t know why the Force brought me here, but there had to be a reason,” she replied. “I’m choosing to use the time to help. But I need you to help me as well.”
Han rolled his eyes. “Well, you sound like a Jedi.”
“My master taught me well,” she smiled sadly.
“Well if it wasn’t Luke, who in the hell taught you?”
“Leia,” she said simply.
Han looked behind him, mumbling something she couldn’t hear. He stepped back, a familiar form taking his place. The tears sprang to her eyes involuntarily; Leia looked younger, healthier, stronger; not as weighed down as the short time she had known the woman.
“I can’t imagine a reason that I would be training a Jedi,” she said instead of a greeting.
She swallowed once, mouth feeling too dry all of the sudden. “I was the last of the Jedi,” she spoke truthfully. “Terrible things will happen soon. They’re already happening and destroying the Jedi was part of it.”
“I think you should tell me everything,” Leia requested. “And I mean everything.”
Kes handed her a drink, downing it immediately. She had talked for over an hour, only pausing when Leia asked a question. He poured another for himself, something a little stronger than the water he had retrieved for her.
“So, it was all for nothing?” he said coldly. “Everything we did, it didn’t make a damn difference?”
“You beat the Empire back after decades, of course it meant something. It meant everything!” she replied. “The galaxy requires balance. We need both the dark and the light!”
“I’ve had enough of the dark,” he replied.
“So have I.”
He walked to his tree, needing time away from whatever the hell was happening. His normal morning walk to clear his head had led to finding a beautiful woman passed out by his tree. A woman who claimed to be his wife. From the future. It sounded a little crazy, but he couldn’t deny the pull he had felt. One he hadn’t felt since … well, that hadn’t exactly ended well.
But he couldn’t understand, she was a kriffing Jedi! They weren’t allowed attachments, so what had happened in the future to allow that. She talked about a bleak future, one that was supposed to have been avoided. One that was still coming if she was telling the truth. She knew about him wanting to go to the academy. She had mom’s ring. And that picture. It looked like him, a more grown-up him but …
He shook his head, trying to clear it. If she knew him so well, why had she acted like they lived here? She would know he wanted to leave this life. He’d run away once to avoid it. This didn’t make any sense but there was something pulling her to him. Something about the way she looked at him with such trust that he wanted to believe her. But he didn’t believe in himself these days. He was hiding, even if he didn’t want to admit it. He was scared of the idea of who this woman was. And what she could mean. He didn’t even know her name.
He needed to go back, start in on his chores. Dad and the woman were nowhere in sight, giving him the opportunity to get to work without them seeing him slink back to the compound. He buried himself in his work, distracting himself from the strange morning. The light was fading, making it easy to almost forget the earlier events from today. Until he saw her.
The surprise was just as great as this morning, hoping the flush of his skin would be explained by the afternoon’s work. But the way she looked at him almost scared him. She wasn’t lying. Some part deep down knew she loved him. Or at least the man he was supposed to become. He couldn’t imagine anyone loving a farm kid turned spice runner. Let alone a Jedi.
She was at the door of grandpa’s old place, making it easy to avoid her. Hopefully, dad had gotten through to one of his old Alliance buddies. The sooner she left, the sooner he would feel more comfortable.
It had taken a few days for them to make the trip, giving her too much time to think. The same nightmare every night, Poe’s sightless eyes glaring at her. Blaming her. She needed to save him. Even if it meant destroying her own happiness. She was sure Luke would be able to send her back. He wasn’t the man she met on Ahch-To; he would never be if she could tell him where the Emperor was hiding. She didn’t know if he had begun his search for Exegol yet, but she could tell him exactly where to look. She would fix everything and go home to a world where Poe was alive. It would work. And she could stop the torture of seeing his too young face. A face that had been avoiding her.
The Falcon landed nearby; she was almost giddy with excitement. Her plan had worked obviously. She could convince Luke and Leia, she knew it. She could help change the course of the galaxy. She waited outside, staring at the group in the cockpit. Other than Chewie, and she supposed the droids were somewhere there too, these people were lost to her in her old life.
Kes stepped forward first; he was technically the only one who had actually met these people before today. At least from their point of view. Han pulled him into a hug, both men looking a little awkward after their years’ long separation. She had missed Han, but she had also had the time to mourn him, finding herself more drawn to the siblings behind him.
Luke and Leia were looking at each other, almost looking in a deep discussion if it weren’t for the fact they never opened their mouths. They turned to look at her in unison, their twin gazes almost invasive. She stepped away from Kes and Poe, walking over slowly. Luke almost seemed to want to take a step back. She had missed them both, barely seeing them since her brief trip to Tatooine. Having them stand before her, both healthy and happy, made her heart soar.
They shared another look, Leia being the one to approach her. “Hello, Rey.”
Her arms moved of their own accord, making her pull them back to her sides. This was not her Leia. “Hello, Master,” she replied.
Leia’s mouth twitched. It was subtle, but she knew the woman well enough. “I’m not a Jedi,” she replied.
“No, but you trained as one,” she answered. “Luke gave me your lightsaber.”
They shared another look, Luke’s nervousness coming to her easily. “I’m not him,” she stated, guessing at their hesitance.
Leia turned to her brother. “She’s right. She’s … different.”
“She’s still a Palpatine!”
“And you’re Vader’s children! You both stopped the Empire despite that!” she yelled. “Why does that mean I’m unredeemable! It’s not like he raised me!”
She looked over at Poe, scared to see his reaction to the news. She expected disgust, repulsion, anger. She wasn’t expecting curiosity. Luke and Leia were staring at each other like they were having a conversation again. She wished she could have had them both. While they had been alive. She could have learned so much from them.
Luke sighed, like the heavy weight of the galaxy was always on his shoulders. She supposed in a way it was. “We’ll listen to what you have to say.”
She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in; she needed their help if she was ever going to fix whatever mess she had found herself in. She couldn’t help peeking at Poe again; she didn’t need them to rush, she wasn’t exactly excited to return to a world without him. But she could fix it, there must be a way. He was so young, the same age she was now. She could make sure it didn’t happen again. She would go back home to him still being alive; the stabbing wouldn’t happen.
She told them everything once they found a place to be alone. The First Order, Ben, the Emperor, Ahch-To, Han - nothing was spared. She ignored the constant interruptions, telling them both everything she could. She didn’t know much of their histories before setting foot on D’Qar, but she added what little she’d been told. She ignored the doubt she felt coming from both of them, she needed them to believe. She finally ended her story, throat raw, not used to speaking for this long. Looking up at them both finally, she could sense they still had questions, but there was something else. Something they weren’t telling her. They moved away, excusing themselves to discuss.
She walked outside, giving them space. Poe approached her from behind, his signature not quite the same but close enough she had no trouble telling it was him. She had been waiting for this moment, still unsure how she would deal with this. This man was not her husband. More than 10 years had passed between this Poe and hers; 10 years of experience and trials that had shaped him into the man she had fallen in love with. But the beginnings were undeniably there, even to her. And she couldn’t not be attracted to him. Poe paused at her steady gaze, looking almost embarrassed.
“So … I guess we should talk, right? I mean you're probably leaving soon.”
Her lips quirked into a smile, still struck by his youth. “I assume you want to know something about us?” she guessed.
“Well, if I’m going to meet you again in the future, I probably shouldn’t screw it all up,” he mused. “I wouldn’t give my mom’s ring to just anyone.”
She frowned, not liking the reminder that this Poe didn’t belong to her. “If I have my way, you might never meet me … well, her.”
He looked almost angry at the idea. “Why the hells not?”
She owed him the truth. “We met fighting a war,” she began. “One that won’t happen if I can stop it. I’ll kill Palpatine now, stop him from ever seizing control again if that’s what needs to happen.”
“But they said …”
“He’s my grandfather?” she guessed.
Poe looked away; he’d been eavesdropping. “I never met him until the end. He killed my parents to get to me,” she explained. “I feel nothing but hate for him. He ruined my life.”
“And wouldn’t avoiding me … well the future me be ruining your life too?”
She looked away, not wanting to admit he was right. But the woman named Rey in this time would never know that. And the Poe before her would have a better life. He’d never have to go through the hell her Poe had. Not if she could help it. “I mean to change a lot of things while I’m here,” she replied softly. “But if I’m lucky, I’ll maybe get my Poe back when I get home.”
He scoffed. “So, I’m that different? What makes me like that?”
She stepped closer, placing a kiss on his cheek, trying to ignore that he still smelled the same. “I hope you never find out,” she answered.
“But I loved you?” he asked hesitantly. “We loved each other?”
“You told me once you were glad you were older,” she replied. “You said you wanted to die first. Because you wouldn’t be able to live without me. You didn’t want to be like Kes. But you were wrong. I did something impossible when you died. I ended up here when I lost you.”
She looked into his eyes; he was trying to hide the shock, but the deep flush of his cheeks gave it away. This Poe was basically innocent, something she never would have considered him before she’d met him back on Crait. She ignored the pull she still felt to him, turning to walk away, refusing to look back. She headed in the direction of the tree until she remembered Poe’s blood soaking into the grass, his eyes wide and lifeless. She turned again, heading towards the Falcon; she could find something to fix. If Han and Chewie would trust her.
The ramp was still open, hearing the familiar growls and the no longer familiar voice answering. She followed the voices to the cockpit, ignoring the pang of seeing them together again. Han was in her chair, but he wasn’t, not really. She tried to remember what had been wrong initially, but she couldn’t think of anything other than the compressor. Which might not have even been installed if Unkar hadn't gotten his hands on the ship yet. She would find something; it was always needing repairs.
It took very little convincing before Han handed her a spanner and let her help. She focused on the simple tasks, not wanting to remember her potential fate was being decided. It was easy to do, getting so lost she didn’t even feel Luke’s approach until he placed a hand on her shoulder.
She turned around, startled. Luke was harder to read, she had spent so little time with him, but she knew Leia. Her master was hiding a smile, one she often had when she had won an argument with Poe. “We’ll help you,” Leia stated bluntly. “Any way we can.”
“We think we know the reason you might be here,” Luke added.
She looked up hopefully. Answers after all this waiting. Han stepped forward this time, looking a little spooked. She hadn’t even seen him in the dark hall. “We found the Falcon on Jakku like you told us,” he said hesitantly. He looked over at Leia, seeming almost helpless.
“I wasn’t about to leave a child in servitude,” Leia said, taking over. “We asked about you. It didn’t take long for us to get an answer. You don’t exist in this world, Rey. Or at least not anymore. You died last year.”
She stared at the three of them, not understanding. “What do you mean I died? I’m from the future! That’s not possible!”
“If what you’re saying is true, we’re in for a fight,” Luke replied. “One the Force felt you were needed for. You weren’t only sent back into the past, Rey. We think … you might just be from another dimension too.”