Once they had mapped out the course Rey ran it. It was tough but she enjoyed it, the damp air against her face as she ran, so different to the dry sandstorms of Jakku. She vaulted over a fallen tree trunk, landing heavily in the soft mud on the other side, her mind clear at last.When she finally got back to Finn she was breathing hard, her hair plastered to her forehead.
"So, how was it?" Finn asked with a smirk as he took in her disheveled appearance. Rey noted her friends reaction and laughed, her hands resting on her thighs as she fought to catch her breath.
"Let's just say it was challenging shall we". Finn cocked his head on one side,
"Good challenging?"
Rey laughed again and nodded, her breath still ragged. Finn always managed to cheer her up. He was a good friend. Rey's very first friend. Since arriving at Ajan Kloss she'd made other friends, grumpy Poe who somehow still seemed likeable, with his quick tongue and roguish ways, sweet Rose, Connix who was always more than happy to help Rey with anything relating to technology, and of course Leia.
There was just so much that Rey wanted to tell Leia, so much she didn't know about her son. But somehow it never seemed the right time, or maybe Rey was far too afraid of how she might react.
Rey and Finn headed back to the base, Rose greeting them as they stepped from the tree line, "Hey guys. Woah you look like the course was tough" Rose said with a giggle, eyeing Rey as she stood on her tiptoes to gently pull tufts of fern from the shoulder of Finns jacket. Finn smiled at Rose, taking her hand from his shoulder and linking his fingers with hers.
Back on Jakku she had seen males and females together but it had always been different, rougher, harsher, not the tender shows of affection that her two friends showed each other. Rey tore her eyes away, swallowing back a sharp pang of jealousy, would she ever have that? She doubted it somehow.
"Rey, Leia asked for you to go see her, she's in the control room" Rose said in her usual bright way.
Rey nodded, turning to walk away before remembering herself and turning back to look at the petit girl, "How are you feeling?"
Roses face lit up at Reys concern for her, "Good, getting stronger each day, just looking forward to wiping Ren and his band of monsters from the galaxy!"
Rey nodded again, managing only a half smile as she turned away. She knew that she should feel the same as Rose, trouble was, she didn't.