Confronting Fear

Plans

Tell my mother, tell my father
I have done the best I can
To make them realize
This is my life
I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance

Second Chance - Shinedown

Familiar voices, a headache, and a numb arm jostled Rey from sleep, contentment replacing disorientation as she realized where she was and why her arm was numb; Rose was laying on it.

She had arrived late to find Leia, Rose, Poe, Finn, Chewy, and BB8 waiting for her with open arms. Leia had left quickly after with an excuse of an early morning and a promise to speak tomorrow. Poe then produced a large bottle of liquor and herded everyone into the lounge aboard the Falcon, Rey's slightly hurt feelings quickly forgotten after a few sips of the strong liquid.

The highlights of the night had included: Finn loudly announcing he was Force-sensitive and asking Rey to train him, then just as loudly declaring his undying love for Rose; Poe drunkenly challenging Chewy to an ill-considered arm wrestling match from which Poe would be feeling the effects for a few days, Rose crying while hugging her and pining that she "couldn't lose another sister", BB8 angrily chasing out an especially bold vulptice that had somehow gotten inside, and Chewy performing some kind of Wookie dance of celebration.

At some point they had pulled out the mattresses and one-by-one passed out from a combination of alcohol, tiredness, and contentment. It appears Poe and Finn had woken first, Poe loudly complaining about both an aching head and arm while Finn brewed a pot of caf.

She carefully extracted her arm from beneath the sleeping Rose, intending to visit the refresher and then find a bottle of hangover cure tablets. She was splashing water on her face as she heard a voice in her mind that could be either amused or condescending. She wasn't awake enough to know which.

Rough night, sweetheart?

A bit, but nothing I can't handle. How are you, cyare?

At the moment, Rey was happy Ben couldn't see her and how red her face turned at the accidental use of the endearment, not that sight mattered as she was certain he could feel it. She wasn't even sure why she was embarrassed, it was a small thing. Yet, somehow, saying it aloud seemed more intimate even than sleeping together. She could feel Ben's surprise through the bond, but also his joy. She definitely needed to start using it more often.

I've found that it's more difficult to sleep alone than it used to be.

Strong alcohol helps. She chuckled before becoming serious. I'll be back soon.

I know.

Loud banging on the door followed by Rose's voice broke her concentration.

I need to be going, but I will contact you later. I promise.

I'm holding you to that.

She felt Ben snap the invisible string that connected them, returning them both to their own minds.

Ben shook his head, a wide smile on his face. His day had not started off well as he hadn't been lying that he found it difficult to sleep. He'd also peeked in on Rey in the late night only to find her fast asleep on the floor of the Falcon with her merry band of miscreants. He might have been angry instead of just irritated if not for the fact that she was wedged between a wall and another woman -Rose, if he remembered correctly, the idiot pilot on the other side of the room. An empty bottle of liquor explained the situation. After recent events who was he to deny her some fun with them? He would never admit to himself the connection he saw between the mismatched group was something he'd longed to feel his entire life.