Chapter Text
The ocean was endless.
It stretched in every direction, dark as oil, its surface broken by white-tipped waves that crashed against a black sand shore. Lightning forked overhead, slicing through a bruised sky.
Finn stood at the water’s edge, bare feet sinking into the cold grit. He could smell the salt, feel the pull of the tide like it wanted to drag him under. Somewhere in the distance, beyond the waves, was fire. A line of orange and red that tore the horizon in half.
She was there again.
Rey stood just ahead of him, her boots half-buried in wet sand, the hem of her tunic whipping in the wind. Her staff was slung across her back, but she didn’t reach for it. She stared straight ahead, as if she could see something in the black water that he couldn’t.
“Rey!” His voice felt small against the roar of the sea.
She didn’t turn.
When she spoke, her lips didn’t move. The words slid into his head, heavy and cold. “We are not the same, Finn.”
He tried to reach for her, but the tide surged forward, swallowing his legs, then his chest. The cold bit deep, and then the world went black.
⸻
Finn’s eyes flew open.
The ceiling above him was smooth, white, and dimly lit — the med-bay ceiling. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic and recycled oxygen. He was lying in a medical pod, the gel-like warmth of the bacta gone but the faint itch of healing still under his skin.
He remembered the forest on Starkiller Base, snow falling like ash. He remembered Kylo Ren’s face, the flicker of surprise when Finn had activated the blue lightsaber, the sneer when he realized Finn had no training, the flash of pain when the crimson blade bit into Finn’s spine.
For a second, he thought he could still feel it.
The hiss of the door broke the memory.
“Well, look who’s finally awake.”
Poe Dameron leaned casually against the frame, his black flight jacket hanging open over his orange undershirt. There was a tiredness in his eyes, but his smile was real enough.
“How long was I out?” Finn asked, his voice rough.
“Two days,” Poe said, stepping inside. “And buddy, you’ve been talking . Loud. Something about waves, Rey, and… I think I heard you say ‘Don’t go to the dark side.’ Which, y’know, is a solid life tip, but….”
“Waves?” Finn frowned.
Poe shrugged. “Hey, I’m not judging your dreams.”
The door slid open again, and General Leia Organa entered. The room seemed to straighten around her without her saying a word. She moved slowly, the toll of the last battle still visible, but her gaze was sharp.
Finn started to sit up, but she waved him down.
“How do you feel?” she asked.
“Like I got hit by a ship,” Finn said, forcing a half-smile.
Leia studied him for a long moment. “Dreams can matter,” she said quietly. “Especially the ones that feel real.”
Finn hesitated. “…This one felt too real.”
Leia didn’t ask for details. She only nodded once, as if she already knew more than he’d told her, then turned to leave. “Rest. You’ll need it.”
The door shut behind her.
Finn stared at the ceiling again, but the image of Rey on that black shore wouldn’t fade. The sound of the waves was still in his ears.
And somewhere deep inside, he knew this wasn’t just a dream.