Steady On.

Chapter 18.

"Finn! Rose!" Rey exclaimed, jogging to greet her friends. She embraced them both, hugging tightly and they each returned the affection.

"Rey! It feels like it's been so long." Rose said, grinning. Rey took a step back and admired the newlyweds.

"You both look so happy. I assume it was a great getaway?" Rey asked. Her smile was beginning to hurt her cheeks, and it hadn't hit her until then that she deeply missed the company of them.

"It was amazing. The view was just unbelievable!" Finn said, placing a couple of their bags down. The crowd around them was starting to drift away, everyone on the base coming to say hello to the two people that many called heroes. It brought Rey such joy to see the impact the two had on everyone.

"Have we missed much?" Rose asked as she looked around the base, and her eyes stopped at a tall man glaring at them from across the courtyard. Rey turned to glimpse at what caused Rose to freeze, and Finn's gaze followed.

Rey rolled her eyes. "That's Sano, one of the new members here. He isn't taking a liking to being here, to say the least..." Rey glanced to the ground as she turned around back to her friends.

"What happened?" Rose asked, taking another quick peek to Sano, but he was gone.

"More like what hasn't happened... It's a story for another day. Just stay away from him, if you can, for now at least." Rey said, noticing that Finn was still looking around for him. For a moment, Rey felt quite bad, knowing all too well that his fighting instincts kicked in very quickly. She knew that all Finn wanted was peace, even if it meant leaving the resistance. Rey hated to be the one to bring the pair back to reality.

Sighing, Rey spotted Flora and Kai coming back from the training base and called them over.

"And who are they?" Finn asked, his hands in his back pockets as he timidly watched his new wife eagerly greet the girls.

"Hi! I'm Rose." She said, sticking her hand out when the twins approached them.

Flora and Kai shared a glance, and they both smiled at the girl, happy with her excitement.

"I'm Flora! This is my sister, Kai." Kai nodded towards them both, smiling politely. Finn did the same. Turning to Rey, Flora looked at her curiously. "We waited with Poe in the cafeteria. Where were you? He said you sounded odd."

Right then, all four of them turned to Rey, studying her and waiting for a response. Clearing her throat, she built her block up and made sure to look at them blankly, just as Kylo did. "I wasn't feeling too well. All better now." She said, her voice stern and even. Rose and Finn easily bought it, Flora and Kai however, second guessed it.

"Really?" Kai said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Eyeing them carefully, she pushed gently into their mind. 'Yes, now drop it.'

Flora and Kai looked to one another again, eyes wide, then turning back to Rey they both grinned, the first time that Rey had ever seen Kai do so, obviously impressed.

Rey returned their smile, and they all walked to the meeting hall where Leia had invited them.

Staying back for a moment, Finn joined Rey so they could talk one on one as Rose, Flora, and Kai walked on, laughing at whatever story Rose told them.

Finn turned around, making sure the area was clear. "So, what's happening? What's the plan? Oh, no do not look at me like that. You rebels all have the same look in your eye when you're planning something, especially you." He said.