HE DIDN'T go exactly where he told the others he was going to. No. Poe was standing in front of the Force sensitive tree alone that evening. He had shoved his hands into his pants pockets and stared at the tree. The tree he had spent his entire childhood playing. Looking upon the tree just flooded the man with memories of his youth. He remembers when he was six and sitting on his mother's lap in her A-Wing. His first time in the air with her. He remembered the feeling. The joy not only he was experiencing but also from his mom.

Poe clench his jaw.

But only two years later, his mom died. She had left one day promising to be back, but she never did. It crushed him. The letter from Leia giving him and his father her condolences meant nothing to the young boy. All he wanted was his mother, but she wasn't coming back. As he grows older, the image of her fades little by little. Her voice is completely gone from his memory. He doesn't remember her laugh. He doesn't remember what she smelt like.

Poe pulls one hand out of his pocket and to the chain around his neck. Poe wrapped his fingers around the ring. His mother's ring. His frown deepens.

"Damn son," Spoke Kes, "Didn't expect you to hike all the way here. I was hoping you'd stop at some point on the trail."

Poe turns to address his father, "What are you doing here?"

Kes raised his eyebrows, "What are you doing here, son?"

Poe says nothing but turns back to the tree. Poe let's go of his mother's ring and put his hand back in the pocket.

Kes sighs and walks over to his son. Kes was approached by Leia to check on him. Kes was told about the events on the Raddus and on Crait. He knew his boy to be a bit full of himself, something he got from Shara. And when Kes meant by full of himself, he knows how confident Poe is in his piloting ability.

"Son, what are you doing here?" Kes asks again.

Poe looks down, "I'm certain the General told you about what happened." He says in a quiet voice.

Kes nods, "Yes she did." Kes answers, "She gave me a run down on what happened on the Raddus and on Crait."

Poe lowers his gaze to his shoes. Poe looks at his shoes as if they were more interesting than anything around him. Kes shakes his head as he looks at his son and sighs. Kes stepped a little bit closer to his son and rested his hand on Poe's shoulder.

"War is war, son." Kes says, "No man or woman is ever ready for it, even if they've been piloting in it or laying down fire in trenches for years."

Poe kept his head down, "I made a lot of mistakes, dad."

Kes nods, "That you did, Poe, that you did."

Poe stiffened. His dad didn't disagree with him.

"But we all do." Kes says, "I know I had when I was a little younger than you back in the days of the Alliance."

Poe slowly looks over at his father.

Kes had a sad smile, "I ordered men to their deaths more times that I can count," He chuckled bitterly, "I always considered myself to blame and hated myself for being alive when others didn't make it."

Poe frowns and looks back down.

"But, your mother wouldn't allow for me to wallow in my self-loathing." Kes says, "She smacked me upside the head and told me it wasn't my fault."

Poe says nothing.

Kes kept glance on his son, "I'm certain your girl must've told you that as well." He says.

Poe nods, "She did," Poe says, "But- But I got Rose's sister killed and- and I got Amara's best friend dead."

Kes shakes his head, "You didn't pull the trigger ending their lives, son. You ordered them and they followed you because they believe in you." He says, "You are a leader at heart, despite what you may think."

Poe shakes his head, "No I'm not."

Kes's eyes narrows, "Oh you're not?" He asks, "Then what of that Finn fellow? He saved your life and I feel grateful for that, but that boy will follow you without hesitation."

Poe shakes his head in silence.

It's true, Poe and Finn have this bond that despite how little they've known each other, it feels as if they've been friends for years. Finn saved Poe and Poe gave Finn a name.

"I know Amara would be willing to go the distance with you," Kes says, "Leia told me about the mutiny you coordinated and she stood by you."

Poe felt shame thinking about that. The mutiny was probably the worst idea he had ever thought of during his time in the Resistance. Poe feels his father's grip on his shoulder tighten for a moment, Poe moves his gaze onto his father. The two men stare at each other.

"This guilty trip you're sending yourself on isn't going to change what has happened." Kes says, "War comes and good people die. We have to move forward and learn to adapt to our faults."

Poe kept his eyes on his dad.

Kes grins slightly, "I know you and I were never close, not like you and your mother. But, take it from me son, beating yourself about these deaths isn't going to help the Resistance or help Leia, and certainly will not help Amara." He says.

After that, Kes moved is hand from his son's shoulder and then turned to head back down the trail. However, Kes halted before doing back into the thick jungle.

"As a man who lived through war and seen same sights as you son," Kes says, "My biggest regret wasn't the men and women I lost under my command. My biggest regret was not doing right by you when you needed me the most."

Poe turns to his father. Kes had guilt in his eyes and then he turns away from Poe. The older Dameron walks off, leaving the younger Dameron alone with the tree.

{RISE OF SKYWALKER}

MORNINGS ON Yavin 4 consisted up the remaining Resistance waking up, eating breakfast, and then following their schedule. For the pilots it was cleaning and maintaining their ships. Those who worked in the command room on D'Qar were sending out signals to any allies that they might have in search for a new base and possibly more recruits. And so on and so on. Amara had arrived at her usual breakfast spot and found Rey, Finn, and Rose there. Amara even noticed BB-8 was there.

"No Poe?" Amara asks.

Finn shakes his head, "He went to speak to the General."

Amara frowns, "Did he say why?" She asks.

Finn took a swig of his water and then says, "He mentioned how he wants to take his squadron out and find a planet for our new base."

Amara sat down. She was a little shocked at that notion. Surely, Poe knew that they were in no rush to find a new base. They had only been on Yavin 4 for at least a week, they needed to regroup and rest before jumping back out there.

"Oh," Amara says.

Rey gives her a small smile, "I'm sure he knows what he's doing." She says, "He's probably worried of the potential threat us being here may have on his father's safety."

Amara nodded.

Rey's statement made logical sense. Amara just silently wished that he came to her first about this before going to her mother about it. Amara considered eating breakfast now, but felt a little uneasy about having a meal while wondering if she was just going to lose Poe again. Her discomfort was apparent on her face.

Finn frowns, "I feel as if I shouldn't have spoken." He says.

Amara looks to Finn and shakes her head, "N- No. It's fine." She says, "I just wonder where this idea came from and why he didn't come to me first."

Just then, Amara stood up. She shook her head and then looked from her friends to the house in the distance, which was probably where Poe was.

"I'm gonna-," Amara starts.

Rey smiles at her, "Go. We can mediate later."

Amara nods and charges off, running in the direction of the Dameron residence. That left Rose, Finn, and Rey with BB-8 eating their breakfast. Rose watched Amara run off.

"She really cares about him," Rose says.

Rey nods, "She loves him." Rey says.

Finn looks up at Rey, "H- How do you know? Did she tell you?"

Rey looks at Finn and shakes her head at her friend. The smile on Rey's face remain and she closed her eyes briefly before opening them.

"She didn't need to tell me," Rey says, "It's pretty obvious."

Rose glanced from Rey and Finn and then back to Amara get further and further away. Rose knew she has been a bit uncomfortable with Poe in recent days, she didn't know him personally until the events on the Raddus. She knew of him as the big shot pilot. Leia's favorite. But after Paige's death, Rose can't help but feel some lingering negative feeling whenever she sees Poe, because while her sister died, Poe got to live. But after thinking about it over night, mostly after the conversation she had with Amara before bed, Rose wondered if what Poe got was worst? He is alive, yes, but he is blaming himself for practically everything.

{RISE OF SKYWALKER}

SHE RAN to him. She reached the Dameron house and found Kes outside on the front porch. The second her eyes landed on the older Dameron, he seemed to have seen her. The two looked at each other.

A grin appeared on Kes's' face, "He's in the backyard talking to your mom."

Amara nods, "Alright."

"Wait," Kes says and steps down from the porch, "Why don't we give them a moment."

Amara glanced at the house and then to Kes. She nodded but she really wanted to tell Poe not to go and stay with her always. Amara walked over to the porch and sat down on the steps, Kes followed her and did the same thing. The two sat on the steps of the porch and stared forward.

"Leia told me that you had a vision of my son being tortured by Kylo Ren," Kes spoke first, "She said if you didn't have that vision it probably would've been longer before they would've sent recuse for him."

Amara looks at Kes.

Kes smiles at him, "So thank you." He says.

Amara shakes her head, "I didn't save him." She says.

"You did," Kes says, "In a different way."

Amara looks from Kes then to the ground.

"I just don't ever want to feel that feeling again," Amara says in a somber tone, "I don't ever want to see him being like that again. I don't want to feel his pain again."

Kes's gaze moved from her to his hand. He looked at his hand and looked at the wedding band that remain on his hand despite how long his wife had been gone.

"He's going to feel pain no matter how much you object to it, Amara." Kes says, "The same for you. We live a life filled with happiness, sorrow, heartbreak, tragedy. But we surround ourselves with people who remind us of the good, despite the bad."

Amara nods.

Kes placed a hand on Amara's shoulder, "You two will be okay," He says.

Amara glanced at him, "And why do you say that?" She asks him with a small smirk.

Kes kept a smile on his face, "It's just a feeling." He says.

Within a few seconds after that, Amara and Kes hear the voice of Leia. They look in that direction and there they were. Leia and Poe. Poe had one hand on his hip and the other in his hair as he spoke softly to Leia. Leia stood straight and looked at the commander. They had walked almost to the front of the house, but Leia could see Kes and Amara on the porch, which cause her gaze to go to them.

Poe seemed to have noticed it, because he stopped dead in his tracks. Amara's eyes were glued to Poe's. She stood up without a second thought. For a brief moment, Poe felt like it was only him and Amara, but then he was brought back to reality. Seeing his father behind Amara and knowing the General stood next to him.

Leia had a soft smile on her face, "Commander, you're dismissed." She says, "I'll give you time to say your goodbyes before you and your squad clears out."

Poe nods at Leia, "Thank you, General."

Leia walks over toward her daughter and Kes. When Leia reached Amara, Amara felt her mom cupped Amara's cheek. Leia had a smile still on her face. Then Leia moves pass Amara to head back to the camp, and Kes was going with her.

Amara watched her mom and Poe's dad walk off, but then turned her gaze back to Poe. Poe hadn't looked away from her in that entire moment. Amara steps over to Poe. Once she reached him, she grabbed onto his hand to hold. He didn't stop her.

Poe gives her a smirk, "Care for a walk?" He asks.

{RISE OF SKYWALKER}

WALKING TOGETHER on the trail is beginning to become their thing. Amara and Poe were walking on the trail, holding hands. Poe was filling Amara in on the mission. He'll be gone for a week. He and his squad were going to search for a new planet to house the Resistance and even try and recruit others to their cause.

Amara nods.

She understands that a new base is a must as is finding others to help rally in support to defeat the First Order, but Amara can't help but hate the idea of him going away again.

"I know I just got back and I'm leaving again," Poe ran his other hand through his hair, "But we need to get going forward."

Amara looks at him, "Yeah,"

Poe glanced at her, "I don't want to leave you," He says, "I really wished I could be selfish and stay here with you, but- but I can't."

Amara looks from him to the sky.

"You're a pilot," Amara says, "You're place is your X-Wing. Your loyalty is to the Resistance and the General."

Amara looks to Poe.

Poe knew Amara wasn't saying that out of spite or in a way to start an argument. Poe has been a pilot since he was a child. He has piloting in his blood. He is who he is because of piloting.

"And you," Poe says, "My loyalty isn't just with the Resistance and Leia. My loyalty is to you, Amara."

Amara and Poe stopped walking. Poe lets go of her hand and she glanced from his hand that let go of her hand to him.

"Amara," Poe says, "I- I don't know what we are, exactly, but I am certain about wanting to be with you."

Amara smiles, "I do too."

Poe gives a big smile upon hearing that. Was it relief in his eyes? Amara wasn't sure, did he think she'd reject him? After her confession to him on D'Qar?

Poe steps closer and rested his hand against her cheek, "I love you, Amara." He says.

Amara seemed stunned to hear that. She had only told people she was related to and well technically Vira that she loved them. She never said it to a boyfriend. Amara blinks back the confusion and forms a soft smile on her face. She reached up and cupped his face.

"I love you too, Poe." Amara says.

The two then lean in for a peck on the lips before pulling back. They rested their foreheads on each other. Amara moved her hand from his face to rest on his chest, she felt the ring of his mother before moving her hand away from it.

"You better come back to me, Poe Dameron." Amara says with her eyes closed.

Poe gives a small smile, "I will," Poe says with his eyes closed.

The two pull back and have opened their eyes. He stares at her with his smile on his face and then reached for his mother's ring. He looks from it to Amara.

"To prove I'll be back," He takes off the chain that held his mother's ring, "I want you to hold onto this for me."

Poe reached for Amara's hand. He unfolded her hand and placed then chain and ring in her palm and then closed it. Amara looked at him in disbelief.

"Poe," She says, "I- I can't take this. This was your mother's."

Poe nods, "You're holding onto it for me. You're keeping it safe." He says with a smile.

Amara unfolded her hand and stared at the ring connected to the chain. Her gaze went from the ring to Poe.

"Poe," Amara says.

Poe gives her a smirk, "I know you'll keep it safe for me." He says, "And when I come back, you'll just return it to me."

Amara shakes her head, "I can't take away your mother from you." She says.

Poe shakes his head and grabbed a hold of her hand that held the ring and chain. He then takes the chain from Amara's hand and put it around her neck, he still had his usual charming smile on his face.

"You're not taking my mother away from me," He says, "She's always looking after me. I just want to make sure while I'm away, it's guarded."

Amara's hand touched the ring as she looked at it around her neck and then to Poe. She felt something powerful in knowing that Poe trusted her that much to be holding onto his mother's wedding ring.

"Poe," Amara say.

Poe kisses her on the lips and pulls back, "I love you, Amara Solo." He says, "I love you so much."

Amara gives a smile on her face, "Poe Dameron, you're such a fool," She says, "But I love you too."