"May the Force be with you," Leia tells Jyn. The princess's face seems thinner now to Jyn. She stands next to Galen, who's agreed to watch his grandson for the three days this trip is expected to take.

"We'll find him," Jyn assures Leia.

Leia nods, her eyes flashing with just as much fire as ever. "Someone will."

You love him, Jyn realizes as she turns to her son, kissing his cheek. "I'll be back soon. I promise." This will be the first time she leaves her son since giving birth to him, almost four months ago now, and she hates it. Judging from the pale pallor of Cassian's face, he's anxious too.

"Rogue One, ready to depart," Bodhi says as they climb on board. Jyn glances over her shoulder, remembering all the times Papa was gone when she was young, off with Krennic working on making the galaxy great.

"They'll use that technology again," Papa said a few days earlier. "The Empire. I know they will."

Jyn shudders at the thought.

"We'll be all right," Chirrut says to her. "Fear is not stronger than love."

"Here's to hoping," Baze mutters darkly. At Chirrut's eye roll, he sighs. "And praying."

"When we get back," Cassian mutters to Jyn. "We should get married."

Jyn almost chokes on the water she's drinking. She screws the cap back on her canteen.

"If you want to," Cassian adds.

"I already said yes," she points out.

"He still can't believe it sometimes," Kaytoo puts in as the ship jolts and then begins speeding through space.

"Shut up, Kaytoo," Cassian snaps.

"Oh, finally, he's being rude to you too," Jyn says.

"There is no hope for me," Kaytoo says mournfully.

"Sorry, Kaytoo," Cassian says. "I didn't mean—"

"No, you wanted me to shut up."

Cassian shrugs.

"And yes," Jyn says, turning to Cassian. "Let's get married when we get back." I don't want to wait, Jyn realizes. She's seen Leia's pain, although the princess—well, she's renounced her title—refuses to cave in to it. Love for her father, the millions on her planet, and now Han Solo keep fuelling her even if no one's around to see it.

But Han might be. And that's what Jyn's determined to find out. And with her own father's grim prediction about the Death Star technology, Jyn can't stand the thought of waiting another month.

Cassian's face breaks into a smile. "Good."

"Although I think a baby is as big of a commitment, if nor more so," Jyn jokes. Cassian snorts, and she leans in to peck him on the lips. At Kaytoo's sigh, she opens her mouth, pressing deeper.

"Chirrut, I envy you," Kaytoo laments.

"Really?" Baze snaps.

Jyn breaks away from Cassian, both panting slightly.

"Something to look forward to," Baze grunts. "A wedding."

"How come you two never got married?" asks Bodhi as he emerges from the cockpit, pulling his goggles off his face.

"We did," Chirrut says with a grin.

"You never told us that," Kaytoo says, offended.

"Kaytoo's right," Jyn says as she leans back against Cassian. "You never did."

"I want that phrase printed and hung on this ship," Kaytoo says. "Kaytoo's right."

"What are the odds of that?" Jyn asks.

Kaytoo slumps. "Very low."

"It was just us two left," Chirrut says. "Of the Guardians. Everyone else was dead, or couldn't stand to stay in the city. After a few years, we kind of married ourselves. It was very quiet."

Baze smirks. "Quiet until bombs went off."

"I joked that it was fireworks and he was not amused," Chirrut reports.

Cassian laughs, his arm tightening around Jyn. She likes this, as strange as it feels to be held by someone. Her breasts ache, and she misses Galen. Both Galens, really.

What if we don't come back?

We will, Jyn assures herself.

For the first time in a long time, she has something to lose on this mission.

The planet turns out to be somewhat of a jungle, although supposedly Jabba the Hutt has enemies here, enemies that could have valuable information.

Jyn's boots sink in the russet mud, which squelches with each step she takes. Sweat dampens her hair, and her shirt clings to her skin.

"Well," Bodhi said as they were leaving. "Doesn't look as if we'll be missing much by staying with the ship this time, Kaytoo."

"Why would you choose boring?" Kaytoo complained.

Jyn slaps at a bug that bites her skin with a pinch.

"We should split up," Cassian says.

"Huh?" Jyn pants, pausing. Something slithers nearby and she cringes.

"There are three encampments our contact could be at," Cassian points out. "It's taking too long to slog through this forest, and we want to be gone by nightfall. Baze and Chirrut, you two should go to the one south of here, that's just down that hill."

"So we're splitting up," Jyn says. You and me.

He casts her a desperate look. "Trust me?"

"I trust you," Jyn says.

Hours later, with no luck, Jyn's regretting her decision. Especially when she arrives back at the ship, covered in bites and with an aching shoulder from some asshole who's now in a lot of pain with a shattered kneecap, and finds Chirrut similarly discouraged, and no Cassian and no Baze.

"Where is he?" Jyn demands.

"We heard blaster fire from Cassian's encampment," Chirrut reports. "I went to find you. Baze went to find Cassian."

"Shit," Jyn says, grasping her blaster and turning around.

"They're okay," Chirrut promises.

"And what if they're not?" Jyn demands, her voice cracking. Panic digs into her wrists.

Jyn, whatever I do, I do it to protect you. So you understand?

I'm sick of people trying to protect me!

Bodhi appears, brow creased with worry and Kaytoo behind him. "Don't you dare say anything about the odds," Jyn warns him.

"Jyn," Chirrut says.

"Aren't you afraid for Baze?" she demands.

Chirrut nods. "But I love him. Through the force, we will always find each other."

Is that enough? Jyn wonders, her figners scraping against the kyber crystal dangling from her neck. Her mother's one with the Force, has been for years, and there are still many a night when she sees her drop to that soaked green ground, sees a white cape billowing behind the man she still despises. "It won't be enough for Galen," she says.

"No one's really gone, though," Chirrut says, coming closer. "When they're with the Force, they're still there still guiding you. Your mother's always been watching you, Jyn. She's proud. And Cassian—he and Baze are not one with the Force, not yet. I can sense it." He lifts his hand, and she clutches it, remembering that night when they left Eadu, when he took her hand and gave her the courage to confront Cassian.

"Trust the Force," Mama encouraged her.

And then you left me.

Jyn wipes at her eyes. Bodhi squeezes her shoulder. Kaytoo even remains silent.

"All is as the Force wills it," Churrut says. "We are not perfect beings, but when we are with the force, we are complete. Love guides us, and hope."

Jyn buries her face in Chirrut's shoulder. Please, she thinks. Bring Cassian back to me.

A snap, and then a crack. Jyn jumps.

Baze's voice cuts through, cursing.

"Baze!" Chirrut shouts.

And Cassian. They both break through the thick trees, Cassian batting a vine away from his head and Baze glancing behind his shoulder as if something might be following them. Cassian's mouth goes slack when he sees that Jyn's been crying.

He runs towards her, and she's still frozen, mud-soaked legs rooted to the ground. Screw it. Jyn breaks into a run, throwing her arms around him. "You scared me!" she shouts, chest heaving as she punches him in the back.

Cassian coughs. "It took longer than I expected."

"Do you have—"

"I have a lead, yes," Cassian says. "But we've gotta go."

Jyn pries herself away to dart onto the ship. Bodhi darts into the cockpit.

"Well, I'm glad everyone's happy now," grumbles Kaytoo. "Once again, Cassian Andor, you've defied the odds."

"Were they that bad?" Cassian asks with a frown.

"You sent yourself to the most dangerous—" Jyn starts.

"Actually, that's not the case, Jyn Erso," Kaytoo says. "Yours and his were both the equally dangerous, and Chirrut and Baze's more so. The fact that no fighting erupted in your encampment—especially given your volatile history—is nothing short of a miracle."

You knew I could handle it, Jyn realizes. And you were trying to protect our son.

Chirrut smiles at her. You knew!

"Well, there was some fighting," Jyn admits, settling back with her arms still around Cassian's neck. "I kicked out some idiot's knee."

"I presume he deserved it," Kaytoo says. "Although the alternative is equally likely."

"Have some faith in me!" she hollers as the droid heads away.

"I leave that to Chirrut."

"You were worried?" Cassian asks, his fingers coming to rest on her chin.

"Of course I was worried," Jyn snaps. "Wouldn't you have been?"

"I would have been desperate," Cassian confesses, and he presses her head to his chest. His heart beats slow, steady, and the rhythm soothes Jyn.

You're not going to leave me.

We have a son. We're getting married.

You love me.

Cassian remembers the first time he saw Jyn, dragged into that room with Mon Mothma and Draven, her shackled and scowling, clearly afraid and no less brave for it.

She doesn't look afraid today. She's fighting a smile, and failing.

He remembers when they were in Jedha, when he saw her flick out that baton and take on an entire squad of stormtroopers without any help, and how he thought for the first time, damn, you would make a good agent in the Alliance. He admired her, for her strength.

Now, as she steps closer to him and he takes her hands, fingers interlocking, he admires her for the vulnerability radiating from her face.

And after Eadu, how she confronted him and how he deflected her questions before realizing that she wouldn't be satisfied without the truth. She trusted him, and he broke that trust. And then in Yavin, at the base, when she forgave him—she didn't have to say welcome home in that moment. It was her way of saying welcome to your second chance.

In this moment, as they repeat their vows, Cassian promises never to deceive her again.

He remembers being on Scarif, panic chewing at him as he watched the Imperial officer hold a blaster at Jyn and heard her bold declaration of who she was and what she'd done.

He hears her voice vowing to love him now, and he knows he's a part of her and she's a part of him.

He held her back from attacking Krennic, because he knew she was not a murderer, and would rather die than let her experience that black, black guilt.

"You may kiss," Ackbar directs.

Cassian dips his head, his lips brushing Jyn's gently at first, and then sinking deeper as he leans her back with a flourish he knows will grate Kaytoo. Hoots and cheers erupt around them.

When he pulls away, Jyn's beaming at him, draped in a simple dress loaned from Shara Bey, her hair free and glossy. He sees Chirrut's arm interlaced with Baze's, both of them grinning, and Bodhi standing next to Galen, who holds their son in his arms, all of them clapping. Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker stand next to each other, Luke with his new hand and Leia with a wistful smile.

Now you know, Cassian thinks. I won't ever leave you.

Although, he suspects she already knew it.

There's a small party afterwards, complete with Bodhi having a few too many drinks and dancing with one of the woman pilots. Jyn's father comes over and says no words, simply grabs both of them and embraces them. Cassian can feel Galen shuddering as he represses a sob.

"Papa," Jyn says, taking him in her arms, and Cassian holds him too.

Through the mass of laughter and conversations, Cassian hears familiar giggle and spins around to see Kaytoo holding baby Galen above his head, at a precarious angle.

"Kaytoo!" bellows Cassian, charging towards the droid.

"He likes it," Kaytoo says. "He's laughing."

"You'll drop him!" Jyn cries as Cassian reaches for his son.

"I would never drop him," Kaytoo answers, handing Galen to Cassian. "He's too cute. I would have to reprogram myself in punishment."

"My word," Jyn says. "It's almost as if you have a heart."

The baby gurgles, grinning and blowing bubbles of spit as he looks from Cassian to Jyn. Cassian's heart melts and he kisses his son's forehead.

"I don't, but I do have to say, Jyn Erso-Andor, that I'm coming to appreciate your strange behavior, even though you're continually bringing out strange behavior in Cassian too."

Jyn laughs. "Glad to hear it. And, Kaytoo, it's funny, because I'm coming to trust you."

Cassian smirks as he bounces Galen on his hip. The baby's stick hand reaches out to grab at Cassian's nose. He laughs.

"I would hope you already trusted me! I'm programmed; I can't betray—"

"With the baby," Jyn interjects. "Keep giving me more nights off, and maybe I'll buy you more blasters. As long as you don't use them around Galen."

"The odds would be too—"

"Good," Jyn says. "If he's as reckless as you say he'll be, he's going to need a sensible best friend."

Cassian laughs. "I agree. Although Kaytoo's my best friend too, so."

"You know," Kaytoo says. "Your match may not make sense logically, but watching you two, it does."

Jyn leans in and pecks Cassian on the lips. She lowers her face until it's even with Galen's, blowing out her cheeks to make him laugh.

"Cassian," says a voice. "Jyn."

They both turn around to find Draven standing there, hands stuffed in his pockets. He nods awkwardly. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Jyn says.

Well. Cassian's impressed. He nods back. "Thank you."

Draven opens his mouth as if considering saying something else, and then closes it. He nods again and strides away.

"It will take time," Chirrut says, appearing with a glass of wine in his hand.

"Chirrut, you drink?" Cassian asks.

"No, it's Baze's."

"Liar," Baze says as he presses through the crowd, hand landing on Chirrut's shoulder. "You're having one drink."

Chirrut shrugs. "It's not half bad."

"Galen watching Galen tonight?" Bodhi asks, staggering over with a loopy grin on his face.

Cassian flushes. "Bodhi—"

"Yeah," Jyn says.

"So tell us the truth, Chirrut," says Mon Mothma as she sweeps down on them. "Did you ever think, when you first met them, that these two would—"

"The Force moves in myseterious ways," Chirrut says. "Yes."

Cassian shakes his head. We were so different then.

We've changed.

We'll keep changing.

He feels Jyn's hand slip into his and remembers the first time she took his breath away.

Trust goes both ways.

He trusts her with his life, with their son, with his future. And he sees his father-in-law, his friends, the agents he's known for years and the ones whose names he still can't quite remember just yet, and Leia with her determination and Luke with the hope on his face, Lando with his contrition and amazement at being welcomed anyways.

We all have a place here.

Everyone in the galaxy has a place, and the Empire is determined only for certain species to have it. We'll fight for that.

Cassian shifts their son and leans down to kiss Jyn again.

We found home.

Thank you for reading!