FREE FALLING ━━ p. dameron ✓

epilogue ~ two

My black and white X-wing slowly lowers to the ground. Drills were a bit slow today. I picked three new recruits for the Black Squadron. After Lula and Snaps, Jess left. Poe still flies with us, but mostly for missions. At the thought of my husbands name, the ring on my finger catches the light.

I slide my black helmet off and drop it to an engineer standing at my set of stairs. I climb out and find that BB-12 has already raced off towards base.

I let out a laugh. In the distance, someone waves at me. The figure approaches, and they're carrying a toddler in their arms.

"Hey Birdy. You're back. How was drills?" Poe asks, holding our son Ben in his arms. I shrug.

"New recruits are hard." I tug on my hair and let it out of the low ponytail. "Where's Leia and Shara?" I ask.

Poe shrugs. "Shara has been taking an interest in my X-wing. So probably somewhere over there. Leia is...well I have to talk to you about that."

I stop in the middle of waving my finger in front of Ben's face. "What? What's wrong?"

Poe pauses and places Ben on the ground. BB-8 rolls up and beeps at the toddler. Poe crouches down to our sons level and smiles at him.

"Go play with BB-8. Ok buddy?" Poe asks.

Ben nods, two fingers stuck in his mouth. As soon as BB-8 has rolled off, Ben follows the astromech droid, laughing and screaming happily.

I smile at him lovingly and then turn my attention back to Poe. "What's wrong with Leia?"

Poe turns and begins to walk back to base. "I'm not sure. I walked in on her...well...I really have no clue. She was floating something through the air. Like Rey does. I caught her and she yelled me. Then she slammed the door in my face without even touching it."

I sigh and rub my eyes. "She's Force sensitive."

Poe stops. "What?"

I stop as well. "Leia. She's Force sensitive."

Poe shakes his head. "No, no I heard you. How? Neither of us are!"

"My mother was and my brother was. There's a slim chance, but there was always a chance."

"I-I...Leia? Our daughter?" Poe looks about ready to collapse. He walks over to a nearby box in a daze. His eyes are glazed over and he's moving his mouth, but no sound comes out.

I sit next to him and rub his shoulder. "We'll call Rey. She'll know what to do. Maybe Rey could train her, help Leia."

Poe jumps up. "Absolutely not! Leia is not leaving Ajan Kloss."

I sigh. "Poe, I know you're scared-"

"I'm not scared! My daughter belongs here. At the Resistance base."

"Our daughter." I correct. "And if we suppress her powers, she won't trust us. She'll become hateful. Like Ben. Rey knows how to train young Force users. By the way Leia reacted, she probably already thinks that we're going to punish her."

"I-" Poe opens his mouth to argue back. He pauses. "You're right. I should get have reacted like that. I just...I don't want Leia to be sent away. She needs her family."

I stand up and walk over to my husband. "And she'll have her family. We're not leaving her."

"At leans ask her if she wants to go. Maybe she wants to stay." Poe pleads. I nod.

"I won't force her into something she doesn't want."

Poe close ships eyes briefly. "Thank you Birdy."

I grin and place a kiss on his cheek. "Any time Dameron."

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As it turns out, Leia wants to stay.

"Are you sure?" I ask for what seems to be the hundredth time. "We won't be mad at you if you do."

My 14 year old daughter rolls her eyes. "Yes Mom. I'm positive."

I pause. "Well...alright. But are you going to grow your powers?" I ask.

Leia shrugs. "I'm not sure. Right now I'm scared by this. But I know it's always been apart of me. So I can control it. I will."

I smile down at my daughter and ruffle her hair annoyingly. "Fine. Just be careful. And don't be scared to ask for help." I say.

Leia nods and then ushers me out. "I've got work to do. I love you and all, but I'm busy. Bye!"

Then she shuts the door in Poe and I's faces. I turn and crack a grin at my husband.

Someone pulls at my sleeve and I look down to see Shara with her fathers flight helmet on. I swoop the eight year old into my arms and bounce her once.

"What're you doing with that?" Poe asks, carefully removing the helmet off of Shara's head.

Shara's lower lip quivers slightly. "I was playing by your X-wing. Uncle Finn helped me sit in the cockpit."

I let out a laugh as Poe's face turns sour. "That Uncle of yours is nothing but trouble."

Shara smiles innocently. "I know." My daughter squirms in my arms so I let her down to the ground. She takes off running, probably looking for R2 or BB-12.

I lean against Poe as we walk towards our room.

"Is Shara like you mother?" I ask curiously. Poe shrugs.

"I don't really know. My mother died when I was young. I don't remember much except that she took me flying in her A-wing one time. As soon as we were off the ground, I was in love." He pauses. "Is Leia a younger version of your mom?"

I nod. "From what I've heard, yes. Plus she's Force sensitive too."

We arrive at our room and Poe opens the door for me. "Do you think Ben will be Force sensitive?"

I shake my head and flop onto the bed. "No. I think it very odd that Leia is, seeing as neither of us are. Besides, his name is Ben Snaps Dameron. I bet he'll be a pilot as well."

Poe shrugs. "I was hoping he would take over as General one day." He sits down beside me and tangles his fingers in my hair.

"What about Shara?"

Poe laughs. "Shara is most definitely a pilot."

I giggle and nod. "You're right. That girl radiates pilot."

Poe smiles softly at me. "I can't believe we have kids. That we're talking about their future." My husband reaches down for my hand.

"Me neither." I say.

Poe squeezes my hand three times. Without even thinking I do it back.

One. Two. Three.

I. Love. You.

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word count: 1106