(Y/N) and Poe stared at each other. "I was right," he said. "You and Hux were together."

"Are," (Y/N) corrected. "He's coming with us." Then Finn ran down to them.

"We have to go."

"What about--" Finn picked (Y/N) up and ran onto the Falcon. "Where's Armitage," (Y/N) asked. Everyone made it onto the ship. Poe and Chewie ran to the cockpit. "Where's Armitage?"

"He's not coming," Finn said as he set her down.
"What? He promised--"
"I know. You'll see him again, I promise. But right now, we have to talk."

***

Armitage walked to the bridge with the help of a cane. His leg was throbbing, but he needed to make sure they didn't suspect him. "It was a coordinated incursion, Alligiant General. They overpowered the guards and forced me to take them to their ship. They took my partner with them to ensure that I didn't try and stop them." His heart was pounding. Armitage closed his eyes and sent a silent appology to (Y/N).

"I see," Aligiant General Pryde said. He turned to one of the officers near them. "Get me the Supreme Leader."

"Yes, sir." The officer left to do what she was told. Then, before Armitage knew it, Pryde had taken one of the stormtroopers' blasters and shot him in the chest. Then everything went black.

Some time later, Armitage woke up to two stormtroopers dragging him down an empty hallway. In addition to the pain in his let, his chest hurt badly now. Despite that, Armitage yanked himself away from the stormtroopers. He knocked them both out, then limped down the hall as fast as he could. After a series of turns and quiet halls, he finally found the escape pods. Armitage stumbled into one and set a course for their planet.

***

(Y/N) stared at Finn, heart pounding. "C-come again?" Finn sighed.

"Hux told me that Poe was beating you while you were together. Is that true?" (Y/N) stared at the ground.

"Yeah," she said quietly. Finn shook his head and laughed angrily.

"So that's why it was so easy for him to convince you to leave. Just because he doesn't hit you, you think--"

"He loves me," (Y/N) shouted. The pair stared at each other. A tear slid down (Y/N)'s cheek. "And I love him." More silence.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"You wouldn't have believed me."

"I could have gotten you out." (Y/N) shook her head smiling sadly.

"He saw, though. Even when I hid it from him. And even then, I only got out when Poe nearly beat me to death." Finn stared at his feet.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, don't be." She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Just promise we'll find him again." Finn nodded.

***

Armitage limped to the bar, pain spiking through his chest with every step. He pushed open the door and walked to the counter, running his hands on the backs of chairs when he could to keep himself steady. Just as he reached the counter, his vision started to go dark. His hand reached for the counter, but he missed and felt his body falling as he slipped into oblivion.

When he came too, he was laying in a bed in a strange room, his chest and leg bandaged. Armitage started to sit up, but a hand pushed him back down. "Rest," the woman sitting beside him said. "You need to let those wounds heal. I'll be back with food and a drink when the late crowd starts to come in." Armitage nodded and let himself fall asleep again.

And that was how the next week went. Wake up, eat something, speak with the innkeeper, Anne, for a bit, then go back to sleep. Soon, he could put weight on his leg without hurting it, and his chest began to hurt less and less when he moved.

"When do you think you'll be leaving," Anne asked one day.

"I need to wait here for my girlfriend," Armitage answered. "We used to meet here a lot, and drink on the roof. She'll know I'm here." Anne nodded, pursing her lips.

"Well, if you're going to stay, you're going to have to earn your keep." Armitage nodded.

"What did you have in mind?"

***

(Y/N) pulled away from Poe. "No," she said. "We're done." Poe laughed.

"Please. I'm all you have left. The First Order had to have known Hux was the spy. They probably killed him already. You're not strong enough to live on your own. If you're smart, you'll kneel down and beg me to take you back."

"I know I'm not strong enough to be alone, but I'm smart enough not to go back to you after I wasted years staying in a relationship with someone who clearly doesn't care about me. That's why I'm going to live with Rose. I'm not going to be your girlfriend anymore, Poe. We. Are. Done." Without another word, (Y/N) turned around and left. She climbed onto the back of Finn's speeder and he drove away. Only then did she allow herself to cry.

Poe was right, of course. Hux was probably dead. During the battle, and after, she had searched for Hux, and hadn't found him. There was still a chance he was alive and waiting for her, but that chance was slim. 

There was one place she hadn't checked yet. But if she went there and he was really gone..... (Y/N) knew she wouldn't be able to handle it. So, she avoided it, only to keep that hint of hope alive.

One Year Later

(Y/N), Rose, Finn, and Rey sat in a circle together, laughing and making plans for the evening in their shared home. "Come on, it's the anniversary of beating the First Order, and (Y/N) leaving Poe for good! We should go out," Rose said, grinning. Finn twirled her hair and smiled.

"You're right, babe." (Y/N) snorted. "What?!"

"You always agree with your girlfriend," Rey said. "But that's actually a good idea. Does anyone know a good bar or restaurant?" (Y/N) took a deep breath, her heart pounding. She wasn't ready for this, but if Armitage was really...... She had to do this at some time or the other. So...

"I do." Everyone turned to look at her. "It's a little out of the way, but it's worth it."

***

Hux set the customer's food on the table. They thanked him, and he hurried over to another. It was busier than usual. But, it gave him time to avoid it.

The thought that (Y/N) might be....

Hux sighed and kept working. Amongst the clamor of the tavern, he heard the bell above the door ring and looked up. His heart skipped a beat, and joy and relief that he'd only felt a few times flooded through him.

(Y/N) was finally here.

She was gorgeous as always, in a beautiful (f/c) blouse and a white skirt that flowed to her knees. Her hair fell to her shoulders in loose curls and there wasn't a hint of makeup on her face.

She was with Finn, Rose, and Rey. Poe was no where to be seen. Hux smiled. He wiped away a couple tears and kept working. At this rate, it would be a bit before he could talk to her. He'd waited this long, though. He could wait a little longer.

***

(Y/N) made her way to the counter with Finn, Rose, and Rey. The bartender looked up.

"We don't have any open tables," she yelled. "The only place you'll get is the roof."

"That's perfect. Could we have a bottle of whisky, please?" (Y/N) yelled over the noise. "And one of red wine. Doesn't matter what year. We'll need three glasses and a large basket of your meat buns as well, please." The bartender nodded.

"That'll be 50 credits." (Y/N) counted out the money and handed it to her. "Someone'll bring that up to you in about half an hour, then."

"All right." The group started to head towards the roof. "Oh!" (Y/N) turned back to the bartender. "If a redheadded boy with blue eyes comes in asking for (Y/N), could you send him up to us?" The bartender nodded. "Thank you so much."

"No problem." (Y/N) headed up to the roof.

"This place is busy tonight, huh?" Finn said when (Y/N) made it up.

"Yeah," she laughed. "It'll be worth it, though. Everything here is great."

"Why did you want to come here, (Y/N)?" Rey asked.

"Oh, Armitage and I used to meet here all the time. Even before I left...him, we'd come up to the roof, share a bottle of whiskey, and talk. And maybe make out a little. This is actually where we got together, you know." A faint smile stretched across her face. "He...always knew. Everything. Even before we really thought we liked each other, we just kinda clicked. We understood each other." Rose, Finn, and Rey exchanged a look.

"(Y/N)...." Finn and Rose took each of her hands. "You can talk to us, you know," Finn said. (Y/N)'s smile faltered.

"What does that mean?"

"We're just worried that--"

"Did you want to come here because you thought this was your last chance to find Hux?" Rey asked. Finn gave her a sharp look.

"Rey, I was trying to ease her into it." (Y/N) glared at them.

"You think I'm delusional."

"No!" Rose said. "Of course not. We're just worried that you're giving yourself false hope."

"You think I don't know he's.... That I'm holding on to some fantasy where he's still out there, waiting for me."

"No," Finn said as Rey said, "Yes." (Y/N) shook her head and laughed darkly.

"But can you really blame us?" Rey asked. "You remember last month, when you thought you saw him at the store, and when you realized you were wrong, you were crushed?"

"It wasn't that bad."

"You drank yourself into a stupor and wouldn't get out of bed for a week! Do you know how terrifying it was to see you like that?"

"Well, maybe I just need closure!" The group fell silent as (Y/N) brushed away her tears. "This is the one place I haven't looked for him, and I know he's not going to be here, but I need to see that for myself. You can go if you want, but I need to know what happened to him. If he's really.... If he's really dead." The other three looked at each other and nodded.

"We're not going anywhere," Rey said firmly. Rose nodded.

"We'll be right here no matter what," she said. "We love you, (Y/N)." (Y/N)'s eyes welled up with tears and she hugged her friends tightly.

***

Anne waved Armitage over to the counter. He wove his way through the crowd and went around the counter. "Go to the cellar and get some whisky and a bottle of Takodana red, then take those and this basket--" she shoved a picnic basket toward him-- "to the roof. Got it?" Armitage nodded, his heart racing. "After that, take your break. I don't even care if you come back to work tonight. Just spend some time with your girl." He grinned.

"Thanks, Anne!" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Let me know if you two need a room." Armitage laughed and went down to the basement to grab the alcohol. He put the wine in the basket and hurried up the stairs. Just before he reached the roof, he paused and took a deep breath before quietly opening the door and stepping onto the stone. (Y/N) was laughing with her friends. He smiled, set down the picnic basket, and inhaled.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked. (Y/N)'s head shot up. She saw him, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Armitage." He smiled and held open his arms. In almost an instant, (Y/N) was hugging him tightly and burying her face in his chest. He kissed the top of her head as she began to sob.

"Shh, it's alright, darling. I'm here." He breathed. (Y/N) stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I missed you so much," she said.

"I missed you, too. Let's join your friends. I'm sure we all have a lot to catch up on." With a smile, (Y/N) picked up the picnic basket, took his hand, and guided him to her friends.