[ it's the first time she can recall ever hearing those words. more to the point, she finds herself able to believe them, even though she's sure, even if her parents had said them once, that they hadn't been true. they would not have sold her to unkar plutt if it had been. but finn, he would stand his ground against poe for her. finn, he had come to starkiller for her. faced everything that terrified him. he had nearly died fighting kylo ren. for her.

she squeezes tighter. and then, a coldness comes over her. a memory. unbidden, creeping in, of the darkness that had greeted him in oska. the darkness in her heart, that lay dormant, waiting to take hold. waiting to lose him.

snoke would not take him from her. no one would take him from her. she would master her abilities. she would bring ben solo back from the dark. they would kill snoke together. and the resistance would succeed. she would protect finn. no matter what it took. ]

Tell Poe I'd by happy to speak with him, to work this out between the two of us. [ she disengages slowly, her and brushing softly against the side of finn's face. as it had against ben's. she lets her fingertips linger, as the memory sticks for just a second. then she blinks it away. ] What you've just said … it's everything I was trying to say to him. You're just so much better at it.