Cassian spent the rest of that day walking and thinking. The question of what exactly he'd tell her developed into a complex plan of speeches, questions, and answers. The trembling in his hands had lessened, but not vanished. He did his best to ignore it. This was no time to resort to complete loss of feeling, so he'd have to put up with it.

He sat down to an early dinner in the cafeteria. Grey-green eyes caught his from across the room, and he sent Jyn a reassuring smile. She looked anxious.

Cassian felt someone fill the empty seat next to him. "Something on your mind, Captain?"

He smiled at the voice. It was one he knew well. "Shouldn't you be with Skywalker, Princess?" he asked, turning to the brunette.

Leia returned his smile. "I think he can get on alright without me." She nodded across the room. "Did Jyn tell you what I said?"

"Yes. I appreciate you interfering in my life, by the way. Next time, let me handle my own problems."

She laughed. "Handle your own problems? You've never handled them, Cassian, you just shut them away where they can't interfere with your work."

He shrugged. "It's worked so far."

He was teasing her, and she knew it. Deep down, he was truly grateful for saying something to Jyn. It was the kick in the pants he needed.

Leia rolled her eyes. "No, it hasn't." She gave him a dazzling smile. "When are you going to talk to her?"

"Tonight."

"So soon? Good."

"Any last minute advice for an old friend?"

She thought for a moment. "Just keep in mind what you've lost." He raised an eyebrow. "Yourself, Cassian. You've lost yourself in this Rebellion." She motioned at Jyn. Cassian turned his gaze from the Princess to the broken rebel. She was sitting between Chirrut and Bodhi. Bodhi made an exaggerated expression. Her eyes lit up and she laughed. Cassian watched the way her eyes crinkled at the corners as her shoulders shook and her smile lit up her whole face. Something like a fluttering sensation started in his stomach, bringing a smile to his own face.

"That look on your face now," Leia continued quietly, "is you. She rescued you, Cassian, from that cage you carried around with you. You need her."

Cassian turned her words over in his mind as he watched Jyn beam at Bodhi and make a joke of her own. He knew that Leia was right. He'd felt more alive since meeting her than he had in years. She had brought him back from the edge of a dark cliff, and he'd never be able to thank her enough for that.

He turned and looked at his old friend. "Thank you, Leia."

She grinned. "It's good to see you again. Welcome back, Cassian."

He smiled softly at her words, briefly reminded of a time when he smiled often. He glanced back at Jyn. She was listening intently to a story Chirrut was telling. He watched her bring her tin cup to her lips and take a small sip. A soft smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"I'm going to Hoth." The sentence drew his attention back to the Princess. "I'm going to see what I can do there."

Cassia nodded. He'd been to Hoth before, and he hated every snowflake of it. "Are Skywalker and Solo going with you?"

She smirked. "Luke's going because the commander there asked for his assistance. Han's going to make sure he gets his reward."

Cassian shook his head. "Solo's a greedy breed of man."

"I'm not so sure." He gave her an incredulous look. "I think there's more to him than money."

"Don't be so sure. I've seen his kind before, at the bottom of ditches and on the tops of lonely skyscrapers. Take my advice, Leia, and stay away from him."

She nodded slowly. "I'll think it over." She stood up. "Take mine and hold onto Jyn. You need her more than you know."

Cassian nodded. He grabbed her hand and gave it a light squeeze. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. He watched her walk out of the room, the eyes of over half the rebels attracted to her.

He finished his meal as a nervous rumble settled into his gut. His eyes found Jyn again, and the feeling doubled. He stood and disposed of his dishes. Cassian crossed the room and stood behind the seat Chirrut had just vacated. He placed a hand on the table and leaned down, facing his friends.

"Finally stopped flirting with the Princess, I see," Bodhi said with a smirk. Cassian shot him an unamused glare. He shrugged. "I'm just saying you two seem pretty tight."

Cassian ignored Bodhi and turned to Jyn. She had an odd look on her face, and avoided his eyes. "How's your leg?"

"Fine."

"Are… we still on for tonight?"

"What's going on tonight?" Bodhi was quick to ask.

Without a flicker of the rushed panic he felt, Cassian lied, "Target practice. Jyn wanted me to teach her to use a sniper rifle."

The ease with which he lied should probably have bothered him more than it did. Jyn glanced at him, but didn't say anything to contradict the lie.

Bodhi smirked. "Target practice. Sure."

Cassian gave the young pilot a cold look. "Bodhi, whatever you're thinking, drop it."

"Whatever you say, Captain."

He turned back to Jyn. "I freed up my night."

"How nice of you," she replied. The edge in her voice didn't go unnoticed.

He scrutinized her for a moment, trying to read her while she stubbornly avoided his gaze. "Jyn, are you still coming?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. Are you sure you want to?"

His eyes narrowed. The venom that seeped from her words, though thinly veiled in politeness, put him on edge. Surprise flickered in his eyes as he figured out what was wrong. Without looking at their friend, he said, "Bodhi, take five."

"I'm on break right now."

"Then get back to work."

Bodhi looked between the two, feeling the air tremble with the nearly palpable tension. Deciding he didn't want to see whatever was about to go down, he stood up and left the room in an uncharacteristic march.

Cassian continued to watch her for several moments. "Do you want to take this outside?" he asked.

"Whatever you say, Captain." She stood up and walked ahead of him.

He walked behind her until they were out of the cafeteria, and then grabbed her arm to make her slow down. She tried to jerk her arm away, but he wouldn't let her. He all but dragged her into the nearest little-used conference room, securing the door behind him.

"Talk," he demanded.

"Let me out. I've got target practice," she spat.

"Is that what you're angry about? Me lying to Bodhi?"

"Of course not! I mean… I'm not angry. Let me out."

He blocked the door with his body. "You're practically spewing steam, Jyn, now talk to me. You're going to explode sooner or later, so it might as well be now!"

She crossed her arms and looked at him. He carefully masked how much the fire in her eyes surprised him. "Fine. What's with you and the Princess?" Her tone brought a challenge, daring him to lie to her.

Cassian felt a small degree of self-satisfaction, having known exactly what was bothering her. It was quickly followed by a wave of shame that he should feel something like that when the woman he was doing his best to love was angry at him.

"Leia is a friend," he said sternly.

"How good of a friend?"

"Jyn, you're being ridiculous!"

"How good of a friend!?"

He couldn't understand why it mattered so much. Cassian held her gaze without answering. She knew that she was being unreasonable; how could she not?

When no answer came, she scoffed. "That's what I thought."

Jyn moved to push past him, but he grabbed her arm and shoved her back. She stumbled, and glared at him. A pang struck his chest, but he ignored it. "Listen to me. Leia Organa is a very good friend. We've seen a lot together, and her father was my mentor after my own father died. But whatever else you think she is to me… you're dead wrong, Jyn."

"Am I? Has she ever been anything more than a friend to you?"

Cassian was sure the discomfort showed on his face for the fraction of a second, because something like sadness flashed across hers. He didn't want to answer that, not when she was so angry. He hadn't planned on telling her about Leia at all that night. The ferocity in her stance, the fire in her eyes, told him that no lie would escape her now.

With a deep breath, Cassian nodded.

"How long ago?"

"Three years. I was twenty-four."

That caught her off guard. "Oh." The fire in her eyes diminished. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because even a very brief romance with the Princess of Alderaan isn't exactly something I want getting out."

"You mean no one knows?" He shook his head. "How long did it last?"

"Four months."

"What happened?"

He paused. All of this digging into his past made him want to run. Cassian took a breath, stood his ground, and said, "I left on an assassination assignment. I came back a different man. Didn't think I was right for her anymore."

He'd let more emotion show on his face than he wanted to. He saw the way her eyes scanned his, crossing over his face. It was uncanny, the way she could read him. Finally, she dropped her gaze and took a step back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you talk about that."

Cassian shrugged. "I did promise to let you get to know me. You should know that you might not like what you find."

"I'll take the chance." It was, quite honestly, better than Cassian could have hoped for. He thought she'd be furious. "Is the drink still an option?"

He nodded. "'Course. Let me get my rifle."

"Your rifle?"

"You don't expect Bodhi to leave us alone for long, do you? An alibi is always a good thing to have in this business. Meet me in my room."

She let out a small laugh. Her smile was much smaller than it had been at dinner, but he'd take it over a scowl any day. He opened the door for her. He carefully avoided anyone who might possibly want to start a conversation with him as he retrieved his rifle from the ship.

Jyn was already holding the bottle of whiskey when he walked in. A light pink tinted her cheeks, and he knew she was nervous. He secured the rifle across one shoulder and took the whiskey from her.

"I thought drinking and shooting didn't mix well," she said.

Cassian merely shrugged as he buckled the bottle to his belt. "We'll be careful. It takes more than a bottle of this stuff to get me drunk anyway."

She raised her eyebrows, but let the comment slide. He crossed his room and opened the window. A warm breeze blew in, scented by the smell of a forest mixed with the bustle of the Rebel base. He turned to Jyn and offered her his hand. She took it and leaned out of the window.

"What are we doing?"

"Trust me," he said. He lifted himself up on the windowsill, and climbed out. His fingers found the familiar rocky side of the ancient pyramid, and he pulled himself completely out of his apartment. He found handholds and footholds in plenty. He'd made the climb several times, but not since Scarif. It sent a chill down his spine, and a throb shot through his back.

"Are you alright?" her voice called from just below him. Cassian realized he'd stopped. He shook himself, assured her that he was fine, and continued to scale the old structure.

He reached the top, a rocky ledge that spanned the upper perimeter of the pyramid. Cassian heaved himself up, and held out a hand to help her. As usual, she didn't need it. She stood and faced the horizon, taking in the expanse spread out before them. The sun was reaching its lowest, and the backdrop of sky had just begun to turn a pale pink.

Cassian set the rifle aside and removed the bottle from his belt. He offered it to her, but she seemed not to hear him. Her eyes were glazed over; she was a million miles away.

He watched her in silence, taking time to examine her more closely. She had a gift for making you forget in a moment just how beautiful she really was, so that every time you looked closely at her you were blown away. Or maybe it was just him. The way her eyes sparkled, flecks of gold and silver illuminating the already bright orbs, nearly took his breath away.

Jyn blinked, and shook herself. She noticed his eyes on her, and blushed just enough. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "Stop apologizing." He handed her the bottle, and she took a drink. "What were you thinking about?"

It took her a moment to reply. "Nothing. Just… the sunset."

Cassian examined the sunset, and immediately understood. Scarif.

"That's behind us," he reminded both of them.

She nodded, and raised the bottle to her lips again. The silence stretched on as they watched the sun crawl down across the sky, casting beautiful colors through the emptiness of the heavens. Cassian compared this sunset with her to a very similar one, though that sun had seemed to be setting on their own lives.

"Are you going to teach me to fire a rifle?"

He smirked at her. "If you want to learn."

"I might as well."

He considered her for a moment before stooping and picking up the weapon. He lay on his stomach and motioned for her to do the same. After a moment's hesitation, she dropped down beside him. He showed her how to hold it, and let her take it.

Jyn Erso was no stranger to firearms, but she looked awkward with the precision blaster in her hands. After a brief hesitation, he moved closer to her and draped an arm over her back so he could move her opposite hand over the trigger. He felt her tense, and then relax again. He took the hand nearest him and positioned it around the underside of the barrel. Gently, he made sure the butt of the gun was pressed into her shoulder.

Their close proximity heightened his senses, making him aware of her every twitch, every breath, every heartbeat. It was maddening, but the last thing he wanted to do was pull away. The warmth coming from her body and the smell of her hair were so familiar for things he'd only experienced once.

He realized just how much he'd been thinking about her, analyzing her, committing the moment he'd embraced her to memory. Cassian doubted even the best Imperial Wipe could rid him of the feeling inside him as he held her.

Jyn looked through the sight, honing in on something in the trees. She was unbelievably focused, like a predator. Her finger found the trigger.

"Take a breath." They were so close that he didn't need to speak above a soft whisper. "Let it out slow, and fire."

He felt her deep intake of breath, felt her body go completely still, and then the exhale as she pressed the trigger. The shot was muffled by the silencer. He saw the red laser disappear into the forest.

"Did you get it?" he asked.

She nodded. Jyn turned her head, their faces only inches apart. "I got it," she replied. "A mouse."

He smiled, clearly impressed. "Good job."

They stared at each other. Her expression was soft, and he tried to figure out what she was thinking. She turned back to the blaster.

"Think you've got the hang of it?" Cassian asked.

"No. I think I better try one more."

He smiled. She knew perfectly well how to handle the rifle by now, but she didn't want him to move away. She intentionally placed her hand in the wrong spot so he'd have to reach around her to fix it.

"That's it," he whispered as he fixed her hand. He felt a slight tremor move down her body. "Are you cold?"

She shook her head. He slid his hand gently down her arm to adjust her position, and felt the shiver again. He carefully hid the smile threatening to break across his face, realizing she felt their closeness as acutely as he did.

He watched the golden rays shine off her hair, highlighting the features on her face. She focused on something else, took a deep breath, let it out, and fired. The tension in her muscles that acted as a shield against the world was gone, leaving her more relaxed than he'd ever seen, much less felt.

She grinned proudly, and he knew she'd hit her target again. "You're a natural," he said.

"It helps to have a good teacher."

Jyn turned her head again and met his eyes. After a moment, she shifted her body out from under his arm and held the rifle out to him. Making note of the cold left by the increased space between them, he took the weapon from her and sat up. She sat next to him, and grabbed the bottle again.

"How old were you?"

Jyn looked at him curiously. "What?"

For a moment, Cassian was surprised himself. He hadn't meant to ask that question out loud. He cleared his throat, and said, "When your father was taken. How old were you?"

The peace left her eyes, replaced by sadness. Cassian immediately regretted reminding her of the things she'd lost, but he didn't retract the question.

"I was eight," she finally answered.

"What happened?"

Jyn was silent for a moment, thinking over that terrible day. "I grew up in hiding. My father was hunted by the Empire, and the day they found us, he went out to give my mother and me time to hide. Saw was a friend of my parents'; mamma called him. She took me halfway to the safe room, and then stopped. She gave me this necklace." She pulled a crystal from under her shirt, tied to a string that she wore around her neck constantly.

After another moment, she continued. "She told me to trust the Force, and then ran back. I followed her. She confronted Krennic, and he ordered her to be killed. She shot him in the shoulder. Papa ran to her, but she died before he reached her. Krennic told his Death Troopers to find the child they had. I ran, and hid where I was supposed to. It was hours before Saw finally came, and he took me to his Rebel camp. I stayed with him until I was sixteen, when he abandoned me."

Cassian imaged Jyn as small child, terrified, tears streaming down her cheeks, with the hardness in her eyes that must have been new then. He wasn't sure what he could say, and then realized he didn't have to say anything at all.

Jyn looked out onto the horizon again. The first stars had begun to twinkle above them, and the very last sliver of sun disappeared behind the trees. A glint of light on her cheek caught his attention. A drop of water slowly trickled down her face.

He touched her cheek, catching the tear on his finger. She turned. Her eyes shone with tears that hadn't yet fallen. She looked so broken in that moment, so lost.

The tears finally fell. Cassian felt something in him break, and he cupped her face between his hands, wiping away the drops with the pads of his thumbs. He hadn't seen her cry since her father died, and it filled him with something like anger, but not quite anger.

She was looking to him for comfort, so he drew her close, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace that couldn't quite heal her. A deep ache settled in his chest. He couldn't fix her problems, couldn't mend her broken pieces.

But he could make her feel loved. Would that be enough?

His fingers found the immaculate bun tied at the back of her head, and gently undid it. He felt her hair beneath his fingers, and ran a hand through it. Another shudder went through her body.

Jyn pulled away and looked at him, only a matter of inches between them. He brushed a strand of hair from her face, staring into her eyes, seeing so much more.

Before he fully processed what he was doing, Cassian leaned toward her. He watched her eyelids flutter and close as he carefully, cautiously, kissed her.

He felt her hand on the back of his neck, drawing him closer. For the first moment in his life, nothing mattered but what was right in front of him. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to get lost in the taste of her, the feel of her.

She kissed him like he was a peace she desperately needed, and he kissed her like he had an eternity to memorize the way she felt against him.

A loud bang made them jerk apart. Bodhi came into view barely a second later, giving Cassian just enough time to expand the space between them. Jyn's cheeks were bright pink, and he did his best to look calm and collected as Bodhi smirked at them.

"Target practice?" he asked.

"What is it?" Cassian snapped.

"We've got a mission from General Draven. He wants all of Rogue One on it."

Cassian and Jyn shared a look, and turned back to Bodhi. "We'll be right there," Jyn said.

Bodhi nodded, smirked knowingly, and left the way he came. When they were sure he was gone, Cassian looked at Jyn carefully. She was embarrassed, but clearly happy.

Cassian ran a hand through his hair. "I guess we'd better cut target practice short."

Jyn let out a small laugh, and nodded. "I suppose so." She stood and offered him her hand. He took it, and straightened. "Thanks for the lesson."

He wasn't quite ready to let her go. He brushed the back of his finger across her cheek, moving another strand of hair to examine her better.

She let the moment go on for several seconds, then stooped and picked up the gun. They left the whiskey on the ledge, and walked back inside the base through the door in the platform. The distance between them had closed enough for him to be comfortable placing a protective hand on her back.

He glanced at his hand, and noticed that it wasn't shaking anymore. The tension in his shoulders was nearly gone, the weight inside him lifted. Maybe he didn't need to drink to ease the pain inside him. Maybe he just needed her.