━━ CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO / snitch

Once they had gotten back to the hotel, Eliana had calmed down significantly. The paranoia wasn't clinging to the edges of her mind anymore and she was calm. At least, a little bit calmer but Poe could tell that something was wrong. It was obvious and she seemed almost hurt by what they had discovered despite the fact that they all expected something like that. She was a First Order investor, watching Eliana wasn't exactly out of the question.
Relya wasn't what any of them had expected and it was hitting Eliana all over again now that they had seen what was on her files. It was gut-wrenching and Poe wished he could do something but it was almost impossible. He just had to be there and watch. It wasn't often that Poe Dameron felt helpless but in that moment did.

So, he asked the stupid question, "Are you okay?" His tone was soft, gentle almost and it snapped Eliana out of her spiral of thoughts. She had to remember where she was and what she had come here for. What she found changed nothing because Relya was still a bad person. It was just another layer of bad. And she had to move on.

"I think a part of me didn't want her to be as bad as she is," Eliana mumbled softly, "I didn't want to believe it. I expected something else." It was a little rambly but it was all she was thinking about. Relya was a traitor. She had lied to her, listened to her, followed her like that was her privilege. But it wasn't. It wasn't her right. It never had been.

"Sometimes people aren't what we expect," Poe responded after two beats. There was a look on his face that Eliana couldn't quite pick up. She crossed from where they were stood by the hotel room door to the bed and sat on the edge of it. She began to pull her hair out of the up-do, dropping the pins beside her as she went.

She didn't feel a need to respond because they both knew that Poe was right. That's what being in the Resistance had taught them. Nobody was ever what they seemed and even the best people had a dark underbelly. Or they weren't as bad as people made them out to be.

"Eliana," Poe said softly as he walked over to her. His jacket was folded over his arm and he carefully sat down on the bed beside her.

"Mhm?" She asked, turning her head slightly to look at his face. She tried to push some semblance of a smile onto her lips but it was hard. She didn't feel like smiling anymore. And part of her wandered if Relya was listening now.

"Do you want to be here?" He asked curiously. Eliana shook her head, using it to both indicate that she didn't want to be here but also to shake her hair out. The loose curls that she had been wearing before putting her hair up dropped over her shoulders and she took a deep breath. It shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did but even the thought of still being on Naboo right now made her want to scream.

"Not particularly," She said as she looked up and fully met his gaze. Their brown eyes clashing. He could see the hurt in hers and she could see the care in his.

"Do you want to go back to D'Qar tonight?" He asked. Eliana got up from the bed, the pins in her left hand. She dropped them into her make-up bag and zipped it up.

"Yeah," Eliana said softly as she dropped the make-up bag back into her travel bag. She then turned on Poe fully. He was stood up from the bed, heading over to where his own bag was, ""I just... I wished she wasn't as bad as she is." Eliana couldn't stop thinking about it and she almost wanted to justify her sadness. Not that Poe really minded. He didn't like Relya. He never had but he never wanted Eliana to explain why she did. It was complicated. Love was complicated.

"We sometimes put our faith in the wrong people," Poe shrugged. There was a nonchalance to his tone. It wasn't a criticism. Merely a fact. He then added in a mumble, "And don't see the good people for what they are." That made Eliana lift her head and she looked over at him. He was zipping up his bag.

"Poe. I care about you," Eliana insisted as she pulled the bag over her shoulder. She didn't even want to change. She just needed to get out of here. Get as far away from Relya as possible and destroy everything that could possibly have a bug on it.

"I know," Poe responded as he pulled his own bag over his shoulders. There was an attempt at smugness but it failed. Mainly because Eliana knew better now.

"I just need time." It was honest. The most honest she'd been to him in a long while. If this had gone differently, she would have jumped into his arms. If the mission to Coruscant hadn't meant they made contact with Relya, everything would have changed. But it hadn't. It was a mess and Eliana wanted to be the best she could be for Poe.

So they headed home with only short conversations between them. It wasn't awkward. It was almost sad.

-

By the time they returned to D'Qar, Leia had already gone off world. She would be away for a week - her comm had said - so they had to wait to report. Eliana didn't mind though she would have preferred to talk to Leia over comm, get it over with. But she wouldn't be so lucky. It was just another week. She went to the techies and they sorted out all her equipment. Got rid of any bugs or technology that would mean Relya could hear.

But that also led to the entire Resistance having to change wavelengths because if Relya could hear Eliana, she could hear everyone. It was a mess and it created a massive shockwave but nobody seemed compromised as far as mission control could determine so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. They were lucky Relya was only after Eliana.

But it still made Eliana feel guilty. It was ridiculous. She had been the reason for a massive tech overhaul and a waste of resources that the Resistance didn't have. But she had to suck it up. It was done and yet she still couldn't sleep.

Relya, the tech overhaul, the possibility of a data breach, all of it swirled around her head in an endless loop and it made it more and more difficult to sleep. And by the fourth day of not being able to sleep no matter how much she tossed and turned, she gave in. Maymie was sound asleep and a heavy sleep so she was able to get out without any suspecting a thing.

But control would know if she took out an X-Wing so, she decided to just walk out onto the runway. It was a clear night. The skies were bright with stars. The light of the moons shone down across the surface as Eliana walked down the landing bay. She moved from the covered space to the outdoor area and the shadows were drawn out in front of her. It was beautiful. It was calm and she hadn't felt this serene in a long time.

Once she had found a comfortable spot, she dropped down onto the dura-concrete. A soft huff escaped her lips as she rested back on her palms. It was comfortable, calming, generally just peaceful. She was so glad. It was a nice change from the fast-paced environment that the Resistance was during the day-shift.

"Why are you still awake?" Poe's voice startled Eliana. She hadn't even heard him walk over. Her head snapped up and his face was bathed in moonlight. He looked gorgeous. Complete and utter perfection and she hated it. He had been acting a lot happier since he got BB-8 came back. He was still in and out of the shop but he was almost completely back to normal. Poe was ecstatic about the whole thing.

"I could say the same about you," Eliana retorted as she shuffled slightly. Poe sat down next to her, legs crossed and hands hanging in his lap, "I couldn't sleep. What's your excuse?" She cocked an eyebrow and he pushed his fingers through his hair.

"Are you trying to copy me, baby?" It was teasing. Which meant that he couldn't sleep either. That wasn't entirely unlike Poe, though. He always seemed to be awake at odd hours. It was like he was on the night shift but he never was. Leia purposefully kept him off the night shift because he was the best pilot that the resistance had. Eliana let out a scoff at his words.

"Why'd you come out here?" That was probably the better question. Nobody with half a brain would go onto the landing bay in the middle of the night. There was no visibility. It was dark and the likelihood of something prowling from the forests were somewhat high. Not that Eliana really cared all that much.

"Well, BB-8 was going on about you being here. He was helping Dow on the night shift." Poe shrugged. Eliana narrowed her eyes. She hadn't seen Dow or BB-8 on her walk from the bunks which meant that the little droid was following her. She let out huff of annoyance.

"What a snitch," She mumbled bitterly. Poe rolled his eyes but let out a soft chuckle at her words. Eliana pushed some hair out of her face and lifted her chin up so her eyes were on the stars. She could name a few of the constellations that hung in the sky but now was not the time.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked curiously as he tilted his head towards her. Eliana shrugged.

"I was just thinking about Relya and the tech overhaul that everyone had to do because of me and that you were always right about her. I hate that you were right," She admitted softly. It was hardly something new. Poe could have guessed that's what was keeping her awake except the last bit. That made him grin cockily.

"What can I say," He responded almost dismissively. Eliana scoffed and glared at him playfully.

"Shut up," She muttered and he frowned when he noticed how her face dropped. She had missed Poe's arrogance somewhat. It was endearing as much as she wished it wasn't.

"Sorry," He said before he quickly added - almost to disguise his apology, "Relya will be dealt with and you won't have to think about her again." It was an optimistic look on the situation and Eliana appreciated that It made her feel marginally better.

"Yeah," She mumbled before she turned fully to face Poe, "I've got the squad and you and it'll be fine," It was her attempt at optimism and she forced a smile onto her face. Hoping that if she kept the smile up long enough that it would become real. It wouldn't.

"You have me?" He cocked an eyebrow, that teasing smile back on his lips and she nudged him with her foot playfully.

"You know what I mean," She responded, rolling her eyes as she leant back on her palms again. He chuckled and leant a little closer to her.

"Actually, I don't, baby." It was normal Poe. He was back again and Eliana couldn't help but grin. She stared at him, trying desperately to push the grin down. To get it off her face but it wouldn't, no matter what she tried. It only seemed to grow bigger.

"I actually hate you," She attempted to snap but the grin made her words fall flat. Poe still acted like she meant them though. He put his hand on his heart dramatically.

"You wound me," He threw his hand back dramatically just to really nail the emotion and Eliana had to try to keep a straight face. It was hard and the smile still crept through despite her best intentions. It was infuriating.

"Good." She managed to put a straight face on for that and turned her head away, looking up at the moons. They were beautiful. There was silence for a few beats before Poe shuffled so he was sat right beside Eliana. His knee barely an inch from hers.

"BB-8 hates when you're mean to me," He commented as he turned his head around so he was looking at her. Eliana moved to look at Poe in the eyes, that playful smile appearing.

"He's a snitch so I don't care what he thinks right now." It was punctuated with a nonchalant shrug and then she turned away again.

Poe let out a dramatic, "Woah!" Acting offended on the little guy's behalf which made Eliana snort. Her head fell back briefly and she turned to face Poe again.

"I'm kidding," The amusement sparkled in her eyes and for the first time since she had met Poe, she felt like she could be herself. Truly herself. There was no expectation to be better than him or to give back exactly what he gave. It was just the two of them, talking and teasing each other. It felt right somehow, "But he is a snitch," Eliana added after a moment.

"Yeah, yeah," Poe dismissed as he looked away back to the sky. The two of them just sat there for a few minutes, letting their moments together sink in. She watched the stars and thought about how beautiful it was to just be alive. The stars here and the man she had slowly - and annoyingly - fallen for sat beside her even if neither of them said it. She was one of the lucky ones.

"I wish Maymie hadn't walked in," She mumbled after a soft moment. It was so quiet that he almost missed it but Poe had a habit of hearing things that others didn't. He knew her too well. It was terrifying.

"Me too," He admitted as he pushed his fingers through his hair. Eliana smiled gently, timidly.

"I wouldn't even have to think about Relya right now if I'd met you all those years ago," She added after a beat. They had both just let that admittance sink in before interrupting the silence again.

"A fighter pilot and a Senate intern wouldn't have been a good match," He retorted, that playful smile on his lips as he looked into her eyes. Eliana shrugged.

"At least you wouldn't have been my boss." Part of Eliana flinched at that joke but it was true. Eliana had taken advantage of her and she was her boss It was baffling. Eliana had had far too much time to think about it over the past few days. She wished she had seen it before. Poe's soft laughter at the joke broke her away from her thoughts though.

"That is one bonus but we're here now," Poe retorted and Eliana nodded. If it hadn't all happened then they wouldn't be sitting here like two idiots on the landing bay in the middle of the night and Elian wouldn't have realised how horrific Relya was. One beat passed and then two and Eliana opened her mouth but Poe cut over her, "You should go to sleep before you confess your love for me." It was just a soft comment. It was meant to be funny but Eliana didn't really pick up on that.

"I already did that, didn't I?" She questioned as she forced her gaze off the stars again. Poe cocked an eyebrow.

"Mhm, not exactly." Eliana nodded and pushed her fingers through her hair. Then, she wiped her hands across each other, getting rid of any landing debris from her palms. Before she got up from the floor.

"Then you'll just have to wait," She shrugged, a playful grin appearing on her lips. Though Poe couldn't see it as she began to walk away. A soft 'goodnight' escaped her lips as she wandered off back inside.

"You're the worst you know!" Poe shouted back to her as he turned his head around to look at her. She grinned to herself and he turned his head back to the stars, a grin equally spread across his face. Everything they wanted was a few words away but they weren't ready for the plunge just yet.

-