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[volitaunt]

"Hey, try again later."

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[deploy]

I'm at home, Rodney picked me up.

[Meaning he didn't call Poe when he was in the infirmary.]

You don't have to come over.

[volitaunt]

[ There's a pause on Poe's end. ]

John, what is it?

[deploy]

[John isn't used to being called out. There's a moment of silence.]

I can't see. That's-

[He chokes on the lie. It feels wrong to keep the truth from Poe, and honestly? John doesn't know why he is.]

[volitaunt]

You can't see? John--

[ And that's not everything, Poe can tell that's not everything. ]

I'm coming over.

[deploy]

I'll be okay. It's not permanent. Just annoying.

[Understatement of the century. He's good at those.]

Poe, you can't come over. One of my people showed up today, from Atlantis, and it's... complicated.

[volitaunt]

...Are they okay?

[ Perhaps more importantly: ]

Are you?

[deploy]

They are now. I think.

[He sighs. God, he's tired.]

Yeah. Yeah... No.

[volitaunt]

When can I see you?

[ It's not a question spoken out of selfishness or need. He keeps his voice even, not demanding. He wants to make sure John is all right. He wants to make sure someone is there for John while the man does what he needs to do for his own personnel. Plain and simple. ]

[deploy]

Tomorrow. Maybe the day after. Depends how everything goes down.

[John rubs his eyes. Still useless. Poe will hear the creak of a bed.]

He came back, Poe. Like one of yours. But he didn't know he died.

For us, he's been gone for years.

[volitaunt]

[ Silence, then, quietly: ] God, John.

[ There's no point in platitudes. There's no point in saying I'm sorry.

Poe sits down on his and Finn's couch, settling in. ]

You told him?

[ It's what Poe would have done. It's what he would have felt he had to do. ]

[deploy]

Yeah. I told him. Not everything, but enough. The rest can come later.

[John rolls onto his side, propping his phone up on the pillow.]

We lost more than him. He doesn't know that, either.

[volitaunt]

Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't have told him that yet either. One thing at a time. Just being here is a lot. Everyone I've met who's--they've known, all of them. He had no clue?

[deploy]

He's from before it happened. Weeks before.

[volitaunt]

...You think there's a way to stop it?

[ TEMPORAL CONSEQUENCES BE DAMNED OR SOMETHING. ]

[deploy]

If there is, I'll find it.

[Screw time.]

I'm not losing him twice.

[volitaunt]

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Anything.

[deploy]

Wait for me?

[volitaunt]

[ The sound of Poe getting up. ]

Where?

[deploy]

[John laughs, he can't help it. It's the first time he's cracked a real smile today.]

No. I mean. I'm coming back. So don't let anyone take my spot.

I'd fight them for it.

[volitaunt]

Oh.

[ There's a funny feeling in Poe's chest, something like nerves and something like happiness. ]

Right.

[ And, because it's true, because John is John and as irreplaceable as Finn or Leia: ]

There's no one who could.

[deploy]

[Just like that, John's existence is a little less painful.

It's hard to get these few words out, but he has to say them.]

I want to see you. I really do.

[volitaunt]

I'll be here John. I'll be waiting. Just say the word.

[deploy]

Okay. Thanks.

[A pause, because he's never been good at goodbyes. Not even for a little while.]

Goodnight.

[volitaunt]

Goodnight.

[ There are things he could add, things he could say, but they're too dangerous. Far too dangerous. ]

Just say the word.