Archive of Our Own ^beta

The party had started with the first fireworks over Coruscant. Fireworks that weren’t for an Empire Day or an attack but true fireworks from the New Republic. One small party was going on in the corner of a hangar high up on the side of the Senate building.

“But how did it really happen?” A young voice asked the crew of Rogue One.

“We shouldn’t have lived. Not with the odds against us.” Cassian said as he drank some of the potent jet fuel.

“But we did.” Jyn added as she adjusted to sit more on his lap. “Kay rescued me. Would have shot him if I could.”

“You were very unappreciative.” Kay pointed out from where he was sitting and watching the party. “But that was not the beginning. Cassian had been researching and collecting clues over the course of many missions.”

“Yes, but without Jyn, without Jyn. I’d be one more spy. Started with Bodhi defecting, that gave me something to find, that led us to Jyn.” Cassian said as he gestured with his drink to Jyn then Bodhi.

Bodhi hiccuped from where he leaned on Kay. “Couldn’t keep doing it anymore, but you found me, believed me.”

“And the Force kept us all alive.” Chirrut said as Baze laughed and added. “With some help from all of us. You kept going into danger.”

Baze waved his glass at everyone.

“Had to, only way to get what we needed. One life against the Empire isn’t that high a price.” Cassian said quietly as he watched the fireworks turn the sky blue and then white.

“But you didn’t die. We didn’t.” Jyn said before kissing him, a long involved kiss.

Baze smiled and gestured. “They finally figured it out, she almost killed him after Eadu, but they both had to have some truth. See they were seen.”

“You’re sounding like me.” Chirrut said with a smile and gave Baze a kiss as Bodhi laughed and Kay added. “I will not kiss you, Bodhi. You would prefer Commander Skywalker.”

“I miss Jedha.” Bodhi said, hugging himself before Baze and Chirrut shifted to hug him. Then they all raised their glasses. “To Jedha.”

“We carry her with us as nothing is lost in the Force.” Chirrut said, his voice holding the music of the Temple as across the way, the silhouette of what had once been the Jedi Temple was illuminated in blue.

“And our families, your father built the flaw.” Cassian said and Jyn nodded.

“He built it?” Their confused questioner asked again, this wasn’t the story of spies they’d heard before.

“Forced him to, after killing my mother but he found a way to destroy them all. And Skywalker flew in there and boom, no more Death Star.” Jyn said, her hands miming the explosion as Cassian hugged her.

“But you got the plans and got out?” That was the story that everyone knew.

“They brought down the shield, we sent them up.” Bodhi said. “Used the Imps own comm tower.”

“How did you live?”

“A ship.” Jyn said.

“Good timing.” Bodhi added.

“Luck.” Baze said.

“The Force.” Chirrut said firmly.

“I don’t know. I was almost unconscious.” Cassian said and adjusted how he was sitting. Jyn tangled her hand in his hair and hugged him.

“The odds were not in our favor but somehow we prevailed.” Kay added as there was a flurry of fireworks in gold and red and blue and orange.

“And now we’ve won.” Jyn’s voice was full of awe.

“Never thought I’d live to see this.” Cassian said and sighed as he noted. “They’re doing the colors of all the squadrons.”

“But we’re all here, no more Empire.” Bodhi said and lifted his glass. “To the New Republic!”

“To the New Republic!” The toast echoed through the hangar and was picked up by other parties of tired fighters, who lived.