Running Away- finnpoe

Chapter 17

Finn took Poe's hand as they walked along the corridor, stormtroopers passing through. "Poe?" Finn asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Why are the stormtroopers here?"

"I'll explain in a minute." Poe told him. "Just keep walking."

Finn wasn't so sure. He squeezed Poe's hand. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Poe squeezed his hand back. "You'll be fine."

Two troopers walked behind them, blaster rifles in their hands. Poe knew Finn was going to realise soon. He only hoped it would be too late for him to try anything.

They were led to a blast door, which slid open as they neared it, revealing a large room with windows looking out to the vastness of space beyond. In the middle of the room, facing away from Finn and Poe, stood an armoured figure wearing a mask.

As the two men were ushered in by the stormtroopers, the door shut quickly behind them, the troopers standing guard.

"Poe?" Finn hissed. Poe did not respond. He couldn't look at Finn. He just stared straight ahead.

"Commander Dameron." The masked man said, helmet distorting his voice. "Or would that be General now?" He did not wait for an answer. "I see you have done as asked." The figure turned slowly around to face them. "You have outdone yourself, General. I was beginning to think this day would never come, that you had become too attached to the young man." The figure turned to Finn. "I suppose you want answers."

Finn said nothing, but clenched his fists.

"Dameron here has done a remarkable thing. He has fooled not only you, but the entire Resistance. They all believed him to be loyal to Leia, when in fact he is loyal to me. It was me who planned all of this out, sent him to find someone who was gullible enough to fall for his lies. Someone too loving, too loyal. Someone who doesn't think about who exactly it is they're trusting."

Finn glared at the figure, but his glare held some uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you foolish child." The man in the mask mocked him. "Poe Dameron was never in love with you." He grabbed Finn's face with a gloved hand. "How," He asked softly. "Could someone like Dameron love someone as stupid as you?"

Finn's eyes widened. He looked at Poe, waiting for some explanation, waiting for his friend to deny it. Poe just watched him struggle, a sadness in his eyes.

"Poe?" Finn said, in hardly a whisper. Poe sighed.

"I'm sorry kid." His voice was on the verge of breaking.

"We only needed you to lead us to the Jedi." The masked man continued. "And you have done exactly that. Through your idiocy, and believing that you could be Force Sensitive, you have made our job a lot easier." He laughed. "I am surprised you fell for that. You, a human boy, Force Sensitive?" He sneered. "You are nothing, and I'm afraid you won't get the chance to ever change that."

Finn shot a desperate glance at Poe, who remained standing motionless.

"He won't help you now." The man told Finn. "But, one last thing. A question that I think still haunts your mind."

"You don't know anything about me." Finn snapped.

"Rose." The man said smugly. "Your little girlfriend. You loved her so much, didn't you? Such a shame she had to die. Such a funny coincidence, too."

"She was shot." Finn said, trying to appear confident even when he could feel tears pooling in his eyes. "In a riot."

"No." The figure told him. "Not in a riot, for there never was one." He gripped Finn's face harder. "You see, she was worried about you. She was on her way to 'rescue' you from your apartment. She got quite far. She would've probably made it if Poe hadn't managed to intercept her just in time."

Finn shook his head. "That's not true." Even as he said it, he knew it was hopeless arguing.

"You know it is." The figure hissed. "Don't believe me? Ask your precious little lover." He released Finn, pushing him backwards slightly. Finn clung onto Poe's arms. He couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Poe." He pleaded. "It's not true. Tell me it isn't true."

Poe felt like crying. He wanted to pull Finn in, tell him that everything was gonna be okay. Neither of those things he could do.

"Please." Finn cried. Poe shook his head slightly.

"Finn, I..." There was so much he wanted to say, but the words would not come out. Finn took a little step back, and Poe felt his heart break.

"And so, Finn." The masked man cooed. "I'm afraid we have no purpose for you anymore. General Dameron, you have a blaster."

Finn's eyes widened further, his mouth forming a little 'o'. He shook slightly.

"Terminate him." The man ordered.

Poe slowly, shakily, raised his blaster, aiming for Finn's head. He stayed emotionless, his face far from betraying his emotions.

"No." Finn begged. "No." He covered his face with one arm. "Please. I don't wanna die." Poe kept his finger on the trigger.

"Do it." The man ordered.

"No!" Finn choked, between sobs. "Poe!" He gripped his friend's sleeves with shaky hands. "I love you."

"He doesn't." The man spat. "Do it now."
"Please." Finn cried.

"Do it."

"Please!"

Poe dropped the blaster. He could tell the very moment he did it, the masked man was furious. As the blaster clattered to the floor, the man ignited a red lightsaber, swinging it wildly. Poe watched as one last tear rolled down Finn's face, before he collapsed into Poe's arms.

"No!" Poe screamed. He shot up, in bed, out of Finn's arms.

"Hm?" Finn mumbled, half asleep. Poe breathed out a big sigh. When he brought a hand to his face, he realised that he'd been crying.

"Hey hey." Finn said gently. He pulled Poe onto his chest, and stroked his hair. "It's okay. You're safe."

Poe smiled through tears. "Sorry."

"No need to apologise." Finn told him. "We all get nightmares." He smiled. "You okay?"

Poe nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." He lay silently for a moment, wondering how he was ever going to keep his betrayal a secret from Finn. He was torn.

To tell Finn would be a betrayal to Kylo Ren. But to keep it a secret would be a betrayal to Finn.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked, before he could stop himself.

"Yeah?" Finn murmured, drifting back off to sleep.

"I.." Poe had no idea how he was supposed to put the full story into words. "..I"

"Hm?" Finn asked.

"I love you." Poe said quietly. He couldn't do it. Not yet.

Finn smiled, eyes flickering. "Love you too." He said, words slurred, before falling back asleep.

As Poe lay in the dark, he felt even worse.