Ben sobbed, fingers digging into his thighs and tearing at his clothes. He knew someone would come looking for him soon, running off in the middle of a conversation tended to leave others concerned. Still he relished in his momentary solitude.
He heard the sound of footsteps approach him, though he'd known who it was a mile away. His uncle sat next to him, silently looking out over the hill and allowing Ben the time to calm down.
"You want to talk about it?" Ben shook his head, then nodded, then shook his head again. He knew talking about it would make him feel better but right now he just wanted to forget. Forget the look of disappointment on his mother's face and the disgust on his father's. He would have been more careful if he'd known this would happen.
Luke waited patiently for Ben to compose himself. The man wasn't sure what was wrong with his nephew and Han and Leia were too worked up themselves to explain the situation to him. All he knew was that it was serious.
"Jedi aren't allowed to fall in love." Luke nodded, though he was unsure what this had to do with anything.
"That is true." Ben was shaking and Luke wrapped an arm around the boy. Ben buried his face in his uncle's side, breath ragged.
"I broke the rules." Luke took in a sharp breath.
"Oh Ben..." Ben pulled away from him, eyes suddenly angry.
"I love him! I love him so much and he said he loved me too! I didn't think-" Ben broke off with a sob, curling into himself. Luke pulled the boy back to him, rocking the smaller form as Ben clutched desperately at his robes.
"Ben it's alright." Ben shook his head. Realization dawned on Luke as he watched Ben rub his stomach gently. A child. His nephew was pregnant.
"Dad wants me to get rid of it." Luke frowned as Ben tensed. Did his nephew think he would agree with his father?
"No." Ben relaxed against him. At least his uncle agreed with him and Luke would do everything in his power to keep him safe.
"I don't want to either." Luke nodded absently. What did Leia have to say? "What am I going to do?"
"You could flee." Ben pulled back to stare at his uncle. The man had to be insane. There was nowhere he could run.
"Mom and Dad would find me. I could never hide from the Resistance." Luke shook his head, idea forming rapidly as his heart filled with stones.
"There is another option." Ben shook his uncle, eyes wide and hopeful and Luke had to turn away. He could see his own youthful optimism in those orbs. See the kindness that had once been so crucial to him.
"What is it? Tell me!" Luke sighed, fingers wrapping around his nephews and he lowered Ben's hands.
"The Dark Side." Ben blinked. Luke smiled softly and nodded. "Supreme Leader Snoke is recruiting."
"I couldn't- I couldn't hurt anybody." What did his uncle expect him to do? He couldn't just abandon the Light like that. And how would he even go about proving himself? He had never been a particularly violent child and now he was supposed to work for the Knights of Ren?
Luke sighed, watching the conflict war across Ben's face. He knew this was asking a lot of the boy but there would be no safety here for him and his child. Han could be a right bastard when he wanted to and Chewie was willing to do whatever Han told him to. He still wasn't sure how Leia felt about all this but given the fact that her son was out crying in the desert he assumed it wasn't good. This was the best option for Ben. This would offer longtime protection and he knew that he would be taken care of. If nothing else the First Order took good care of its soldiers.
"I could, for you." Ben sobbed once more, mind already coming to a conclusion. He knew he had to do this but that didn't make it any easier. He knew Luke wouldn't be coming with him. There was too much left for him to do here and Ben needed to be on his own. He'd stand out less than the Luke Skywalker.
"They would hate me." Luke hugged him again, this time the last time. There was no telling when he'd see Ben again, if he ever would.
"But your child won't." Ben nodded and Luke pressed a kiss to his forehead. Ben smiled up at the man, eyes shining with tears. Luke smiled back, squeezing Ben's shoulder softly. "Don't make the same mistakes I did Ben."
"Thank you Uncle Luke." Luke let go of the teen and Ben hurried towards his room. He needed to pack if he wanted to get away that night.
The next morning Luke stared over the pile of dead bodies. They were his students, children he'd helped shape and grow. And now they were dead. But Ben was safe. Ben and his child were safe and that's all that mattered. Luke put a hand on R2D2's head, looking down at his friend. R2 beeped solemnly and Luke smiled.
"They'll find me, old friend. Someday."