Star Wars 'What If?': The Force Awakens

Chapter XIV

Snow unexpectedly started to fall as Rey adjusted herself to the shaken ground, trying to keep herself stand tall. For a brief moment, she thought of asking him to come home with her. Rey didn't want Han's effort and death go to waste, but it's simply not the right time. And so she turns and runs a hundred feet through the forest, leaving Kylo Ren completely alone in the darken snowy forest.

Finn, near death, lies not far from where the ground had crumbled away. Rey falls to her knees near him as she calls his name. After observing him for a moment, she turns him over and removes his helmet. He looks lifeless upon the snow, but she knew there's still hope. She checked his heartbeat and was completely relieved. Finn's still breathing, Rey thought to herself. Finn is still alive and that's all that matters.

She sees his cauterized but possibly fatal wound with his armor shattered upon the snow. She knew Kylo Ren has his hands on Beskar metal. He'd used it for the base of his lightsaber and he must've slammed it hard into Finn's armor. Only Beskar can destroy Beskar, after all. 

"Finn! Finn...", she cried out, maybe if she nudged him harder he would awake, but it was no use, he was still lying on the ground. Tears come to her eyes as she lifts him and holds his lifeless body in her arms. Snow flurries around them as she cries, holding this man who has always been there for her. She really adores him. He's like the brother she never had. Hopefully, Kylo Ren wouldn't recover until they leave this beautiful but horrifying place.

But it doesn't matter if both of them are left to die here. The snow is cold and Rey could feel herself shivering, but nevertheless she still hoped of Chewie's arrival. Leia and Luke were the ones who taught her; never give up hope, no matter how dark things may seem, and she will do just that.

Suddenly, nearby trees drop as the planet continues to collapse. Rey quickly shields Finn's body to protect him, and his face to keep branches and its flakes from ever coming near him. Where's Chewie? she thought. And when it seems like all is lost, her wet eyes look up to see a bright light.

A ship rises from the newly-formed canyon. The Falcon appeared and its lights illuminate Rey, whose face filled with happiness. "Chewie!", she shouted. Chewie replied while at the controls as he presses buttons to let the Falcon land. He roars to them as he exits the ship, as if ordering them to hurry. But when he saw Rey struggles to carry Finn in the snow, Chewie immediately runs to them and offered Rey to carry Finn instead. She kindly accepted his offer and lends Finn to him gently. Chewie carries Finn up the ramp as Rey follows them back into the ship, and she didn't forget to close the it.

The Falcon flies, leaving the half-collapsed planet. Chewie is piloting along with the help of Rey as his co-pilot, despite her limited knowledge as a co-pilot, she's doing pretty well. The planet behind them is still collapsing. The Resistance X-wings, led by Poe, follow the Falcon when the ship soar-pass them. "All teams! I got eyes on them!", Poe informed through his comlink. "Yes!", Snap cheered, followed by the remaining pilots.

The X-wings roar off as the planet implodes. The sunlight it contains  returns to its rightful place as they get further and further distance from what was Starkiller Base. They witness the rebirth of a sun, the light restored to a corner of the galaxy. The Millennium Falcon and the X-wings rip through space and they quickly headed home. "Our job's done here. Let's go home!", their commander ordered.

*****

The Falcon has landed among the remaining Resistance ships. Poe is there watching as Chewie scuttles down the ramp carrying an unconscious Finn. Medical personnel and officers meet them and usher them inside. "Easy, easy. He's hurt", one of the medic yelled. "We've got a heartbeat", another one added.