IN MY DREAMS [A POE DAMERON X READER STORY] [BOOKS 1-3]

chapter two

"My mother," you blurted, rushing over to Connix. She was the first familiar face you saw. Lieutenant Connix was beyond kind to you. She admired your mother and you could see it in her eyes when she spoke to you with the same respect, and an incredible amount of kindness.

"She's on board," she assured you, pointing to the ship. She had to shout over the sound of ships taking off and people shouting. "They're just waiting for you."

"Lieutenant! We're not clear yet! There's still thirty pallets of cannon shells in C bunker."

"Forget the ammunition, there's no time. Just get everyone on the transport." She looked up as a boom echoed across the sky. You glanced up to see three Star Destroyers appear in the hazy distance. "Oh, no."

Swallowing your fear, you moved your feet across the pavement and towards the ship. You began to weave your way through the crowd of panicked pilots and frightened soldiers. Leia was waiting in front of the ship, brushing aside the pleas for her to get onboard. She ignored them all and reached out her hand for you, and you felt like you were six years old again. You smiled. 

"Mama, Poe went---"

"Trust me, I already know," she said, shaking her head. "Come on. I've got him at command."

You followed her to command, where she approached the intercom and gestured you to stand beside her. You leaned in close. "Dameron, please don't tell me you're facing the Star Destroyers alone."

You could faintly hear BB-8 beep in the background, the tone of his beeps similar to your own voice. Full of worry and doubt. 

His voice came through crystal clear. "We've pulled crazier stunts than this."

"Just for the record, Commander Dameron, I'm with my daughter and the droid on this one."

"Thank you for your support, General. You too, Princess."

Poe flicked a switch, and there was a brief moment of quiet before you could hear him speaking to someone onboard the Star Destroyer. You could hear the faint voice of General Armitage Hux on the other line. You were grateful that it was not the voice of your brother on the other end. Your brother would know within seconds that this was a trick.

You gnawed on your bottom lip as you listened to Poe. He was good at buying time, you could give him that much. Half the fleet was off Yavin-4 before Hux even uttered a word. Still, you did not breathe until you heard Connix over the comms say, "The last transport is in the air, the evacuation is complete."

The relief was sweet --- and short lived.

"You did it, Poe," your mother praised. "Now get your squad back here so we can get out of this place."

"No, General! We can do this. We have a chance to take down a dreadnought."

"You can't be serious," you said. "Think about this for a moment!"

"I am. These things are fleet killers. We can't let it get away."

You glanced at Leia with worry. Your mother's eyes widened in disbelief as her Commander disobeyed her orders. With clenched teeth, she said, "Disengage now, Commander. That is an order!"

"Dameron, please listen to her."

"Sorry, Princess," he said. "This is a real chance to wipe 'em out. Gotta take it." 

"Poe---" But with a click, he disconnected. You looked at Leia as she shook her head slowly and pressed a hand to her mouth. Something wasn't right and she knew it. 

From the viewport, and from the feedback of the comms that you could still hear, the battle quickly looked bleak for the Resistance. The ships were escaping, thanks to Poe's quick thinking, but it was his lack of thinking that led to the sounds of bombers and pilots going down. Their ships disappeared on the map. The deaths were piling up, and you could feel every single one.

Everything faded into the background. You stepped backwards and turned around slowly, but as you moved, the scene changed. You blinked and you were in an unfamiliar room that was too cold to stand.

It was undeniably real. The air was chilled, the guards standing around shifted and you could hear it. And your brother suddenly didn't feel far away. It wasn't a vision. This was a glimpse into what was happening to Kylo.

"The potential of your bloodline... two new Vaders. Now, I fear I was mistaken."

He sounded so broken. "I've given everything I have to you. To the dark side."

"Take that ridiculous thing off."

He removed his mask but refused to look at his master. For the first time in many years, you saw your brother as you remembered him. Ben Solo, the boy that didn't understand. The boy that was scared.

"Yes, there it is. You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo."

"I killed Han Solo. When the moment came, I did not hesitate!" Sickening. You could feel your father's dying body in your arms as he was spoken of. Moments after you were reunited with him, he was torn from you again, by the hand of your brother.

"Look at you. The deed split your spirit to the bone! You were unbalanced, bested by a girl who had never help a lightsaber, destroyed by the loss of your sister. You failed!"

Destroyed by the loss of you? He let you go with the promise of death for you, Poe, and Leia. He couldn't kill you after he killed his father. He wanted you to escape.

He stood up in defense. Not even a moment later, Snoke had him soaring backwards as sparks of lightning flickered across his body. As terrified as you were, as much as you hated him, you wanted to run to your brother's side. No matter how far you ran, you always felt as if you had to take care of him.

"Skywalker lives! Your sister lives. As long as she is away from you, as long as she breathes, she is given the opportunity to join the scavenger girl. They are dangerous. Should they find Luke Skywalker and bring back the last Jedi, it will be your downfall."

You walked around your brother. You were a ghost to the guards, but as he stared at the floor, struggling to hold his body up on shaky arms, he saw your shadow cast across the floor. His eyes flickered up to your face and you gasped, shocked, as he stood up on his feet.

You recoiled in fear and then you were gone, ripped away from the throne room of the Supreme Leader and back on the ship next to your mother, who was watching you with knowing eyes.