"Move scum!" The jailor commanded and Hux felt the idiot shove his shoulder harshly as he was forced to walk down the long corridor. There was an uncomfortable stench of damp in the air and it caused him to scrunch his nose up slightly.

"Touch me again and I will kill you." Hux hissed in rage as he shrugged off the beasts grasp.

Being captured by these fools was bad enough but discovering that he did not have enough credits on him to bribe the fools into looking the other way was a travesty. Never in his life had Hux being forced to suffer the indignity of being jailed.

Jail was something which those beneath him faced.

But he had to be thankful that the jailor had no idea as to his true identity. If the beast became aware that he had the ex-General of the First Order, within his grasp then he would be in far more serious danger than he currently was.

A bounty of ten million credits on your head would be enough to put any man in danger.

True it would be difficult to tell from appearance alone who he was. His militaristic style of presentation and dress had been long abandoned. His red hair had been allowed to slightly grow out of its short style and was now long enough to be styled in a loose, sweeping manner which was very unlike its previous neatness. He had neglected his long-standing relationship with dark, sharp clothing and now elected for lighter toned fabrics which made blending in with crowds and different social groups much easier. Finally, he no longer kept a strict shaving regime and the reddish stubble which decorated his jaw gave him a further note of anonymity from his previous clean-shaven self and, if he was honest, he had come to appreciate the overall look which it had given him.

As had Ren.

Although still furious with his predicament, he couldn't help but smirk as he thought of his partner and the odd fascination which Ren had developed in relation to his stubble. He was certain that Ren used almost any opportunity he had to brush a hand over the prickly hair and Hux found it disgustingly endearing.

Ren had barely escaped being captured himself and Hux was sure that he was going to wait a day for the heat to die down before he attempted to free Hux from his current situation. Or so he hoped.

The pair of them had been on the run for over a year now and so far their freedom had remained relatively unchallenged. Their defection from the First Order had caused quite the scandal and Snoke himself had placed a ten million credit bounty on both of their heads. Thirty million if they were both captured and delivered to Snoke alive for what Hux could only assume would be weeks of extended torture before a very public execution. That bounty had been set only a few days after himself and Ren had escaped from Starkiller Base and Hux vaguely wondered why Snoke had not made an effort to raise the bounty considering how himself and Ren had been conducting themselves over the last year.

Stealing one of the most advanced ships from the base had presented no real difficulty given how high both himself and Ren's security clearances were, plus the fact that no one could have possibly suspected that they were fleeing from the base. They had very little time to make an actual plan of survival since their escape was mostly impromptu.

But this ship had turned out to be a very successful choice as it was powerful enough to make looting and destroying the various First Order ships which crossed their paths as they continued to smuggle their ill-gotten gains across the galaxy much easier than any craft which they could have picked up since.

It turned out to be quite the successful little operation.

Between the two of them there was virtually no other power in the galaxy who held a greater understanding of the First Order. After all, Hux had been responsible for organising and setting up the various trade routes which the Order used to move goods and cargo around. This knowledge was invaluable as it allowed him to work out exactly what each ship was carrying and what type of security protocols would be used to protect it. This, along with his natural skills as a negotiator meant that they made quite a comfortable living from their gains.

Even Hux himself was surprised to discover how much aptitude he had for being a smuggler.

He was less surprised by how well Ren seemed to take to the task. A childhood spent as the son of one of the most notorious smugglers the galaxy had seen saw Ren developing his skills as a smuggler at a truly impressive rate. He had the ability to recall childhood conversations he heard his father holding about various systems and the best locations for off-loading illegal goods and these had proven to be a great asset in their plans. His language skills were also more advanced that Hux's own and this had allowed them to escape more than one problematic situation which Hux was exceedingly thankful for.

These facts alone made them a power to be reckoned with. The addition of Hux's skills as a master tactician and his natural talent with his personalised blaster also gave him an advantage should they find themselves in a battle and this, coupled with the strength and skill with which Ren wielded his control of the force and his powers, made them virtually unstoppable as they traversed the galaxy.

The credits they made as a result of this set-up was of great benefit to the lifestyle which they had grown accustomed to but Hux knew that if they were honest then the thrill of the fight, of destroying First Order property, was the real reason why they continued their various assaults. The gains were simply a bonus.

Snoke had ordered Ren to kill him.

The First Order, which he had dedicated his very life to had betrayed him.

But Ren had instead spared his life and chose to leave with him. Evidentially, the love which had developed over their hidden year-long relationship was worth more to him that Snoke's apprenticeship and Hux would never deny the feelings which he had for the dark-haired man who had thrown his life away to save his own.

He was ripped from his musings by another hard shove on his shoulder as he was bodily pushed into one of the small cells. Keeping his furious gaze trained on the jailor, he watched as the cell door was secured and the beast started its journey back to the entrance area. Baring his teeth savagely as one final look was sent his way, he then turned his gaze to the lock which was keeping him imprisoned. Even with his casual glance he could tell that the lock would be unbreakable with the tools he had at his current disposal.

"Hey kid." Came an unexpected voice from behind him. In his anger, he had not realised that he had been placed in a cell which already contained another prisoner.

He whirled around in surprise, his sight landing on the older figure who was lounging on the bed in a casual fashion and watching him with bored eyes.

Any hope he had of keeping the look of shocked recognition from his expression was lost as he came face to face with the noted smuggler, alleged war hero and biological father to his current partner.

Han Solo.

x-x-x-x-x

"Han Solo!" Hux exclaimed in shock as he continued to stare. Of all the people in the galaxy whom he could have found himself in this situation with, this was one of the worst possible outcomes. He could feel the tension within his body sky-rocket as he quickly tried to assess the best way to approach this situation.

On the other side of the room, Han frowned slightly as the redhead in front of him said his name in obvious surprise. It was not the first time someone had recognised him but there was something familiar about the kid in front of him that was causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. "You know who I am? Good for you kid. Who are you?" He asked pleasantly enough but his gaze had sharpened.

Hux opened his mouth to respond but his reply was cut off as a spark of realisation lit up Solo's face.

"WAIT!" Han leapt off the bed as he saw through the changes in the appearance of the man before him.

He had spent weeks searching for his son in the time following his disappearance from the First Order. The rumours that Ben had absconded with the highest-ranking official within Starkiller Base, as well as the huge bounties which had been placed on the pairs head, had meant that Han found himself studying the profile of the red-haired defector more than he would admit to.

"YOU!"

Hux tensed his entire body as he waited for the confrontation. "Me." He offered evenly. There was very little point in denying it. Not that it would do any good. Solo knew who he was, he could see it.

Balling up his fists as he glared at the redhead, Han had a million questions running through his head but he settled on the one which was the most pressing, "Where is my son?" He hissed.

Unable to help himself, Hux smirked, "That is a very good question actually. I assume he is hiding out until he is able to free me from," he sent a disgusted glare around the jail cell, "this."

"So he is alive? And safe?" Despite the anger in Solo's face, Hux could see the shadow of relief which passed through it. He raised his eyebrow slightly as he realised that perhaps himself and Ren had been more successful at keeping their identities hidden and covering their tracks than they thought if even Ren's own father was unsure of his continued survival.

He snorted. "Alive, yes. Safe, I highly doubt it. The fool has an odd talent for finding trouble in areas where trouble need not exist." He added, mostly to himself, and it was true. The temperamental attitude which Ren possessed made him unpredictable and they have been in more than their fair share of brawls.

As he listened to the words, Han was surprised to hear the affection which laced Hux's tone as he spoke of his son. After their defection the rumours of an alleged relationship between the pair had been whispered throughout the galaxy but Han knew better than to pay attention to hearsay.

However, as Hux spoke of Ben it was clear to Han that there was something there.

"So," dropping from his offensive stance, Han sat back down on the edge of his bunk, "what exactly have you been doing with my son for the last year? Everyone knows you both left the First Order together. Why?" He needed answers.

Hux immediately felt a mild panic form in his stomach at the string of questions. Despite their differences, Ren loved his father and Hux knew it. What Hux did not know was how much information Ren wanted his father to know about his new life.

If he was honest then it could alienate him from Ren but if he ignored the older man then it could have possible future ramifications.

Minimum responses were a safe bet.

"For the last year your son and I have been working as smugglers while specifically targeting First Order ships in order to 'acquire' the cargo they carry. The cargo is then sold on to third parties across the galaxy. We are currently living on the ship which we stole from the base when we escaped. And to answer your second question, I left my station at the First Order after my elimination was ordered by Snoke himself. Self-preservation is only natural after all."

"And why would Ben leave with you? Snoke has been his mas...Snoke has had him for a long time?" Han asked, trying to keep any kind of accusation from his voice.

"Ren was given the order to kill me and he chose another path," Hux answered vaguely ignoring the use of Ren's birth name, "and since then we have worked together to debilitate the First Order while keeping ourselves in relative safety."

"Why wouldn't he kill you?" Not willing to give up the point, Han continued a hint of sadness in his tone, "from what we've heard, he doesn't really seem to have a problem with killing people. What makes you so special?"

Not appreciating the unspoken insult, Hux stormed towards the older man and raised his hand to point angrily at him, "You know nothing of Ren's actions. Your son was lost to you years ago. You have no comprehension of our life or what we have done over the last year! How dare y-" Hux cut himself off as he caught sight of Solo's face which had lost its confrontational edge in favour of open shock again.

Following his gaze he realised that in his anger he had placed his hand directly in Solo's eyeline. More specifically, he had placed the small golden ring which decorated his finger directly in his eyeline.

The small golden ring which had the clear indentation of the word 'Ren' inscribed on its front as it glinted in the dim light of the room.

"Ahh." Hux exhaled in defeat as Solo's eyes became comically wide.

"YOU MARRIED MY SON!" Han screeched and Hux closed his eyes as he felt the small headache which had been bothering him since his capture become somewhat more pronounced.

x-x-x-x-x

"YOU MARRIED MY SON!"

As Han gazed at the small ring which was hovering a few inches away from his nose he knew beyond doubt what it meant. The rumours about the pair were true. They were in a relationship. His son had married the man in front of him and Han felt...everything.

Shock, sadness, anger, joy even regret flashed through him as he realised that he knew virtually nothing about the life of his son. He was suddenly hyper-aware of his own wedding ring as it sat on his finger and as he continued to stare he was surprised by the similarities which existed between the rings.

Taking the silence as a desire for an actual response, Hux shrugged, "Well, technically we are not married by any registered authority but we consider our union to be legitimate. So yes."

"How long?" Even to his own ears, Han knew his voice sounded weak.

Another shrug. "Eight months." Realising that their secret was a lost cause at this point he continued, "However, we have been together for just over two years."

"Two years!" Han exclaimed before calming himself. "Ben," his soft tone was full of exasperation, "he couldn't have chosen a better partner could he? What a kid."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Sensing the insult Hux was again instantly filled with anger. "Do you have some form of problem with me?"

"Yeah." Jumping from his seated position again, Han stood face-to-face with the irate redhead. "You are a murderer. You destroyed an entire star system of innocent people. I've seen monsters before and you'd be right at home with them kid."

"Another example of you having no," Hux paused to hiss in fury, "NO idea what you are talking about. I had absolutely no part in the destruction of the Hosnian system. When Snoke gave the instruction for its total annihilation I opposed his choice. There was no need to eliminate the entire system as it was mostly peaceful and also contained a host of possible resources which had the potential to be of use. Snoke ordered the destruction anyway."

Some of the anger on Solo's face had dissipated but Hux was too furious to allow him to interrupt.

"My objections to the massacre were obviously noted however as it was only a handful of days after the destruction that Snoke issued Ren with the instructions to murder me in my sleep. How fortunate for me that we had been discreet enough to ensure that he had no inclinations as to our hidden year-long relationship. Ren chose to save me instead and I have spent the last year taking my revenge against the Order which betrayed me."

"I did as I was asked. I was a General. I am sure you and your wife," he threw Solo a look which dared him to argue, "have your own fair share of blood on your hands. How many First Order soldiers have you killed? The First Order was supposed to bring order to the galaxy and instead it has become corrupted by those who created it."

"I would rather see the First Order destroyed than have it continue as the bastardisation of itself which it has become." He concluded, some of his anger dying as he realised that he may have over-stepped his bounds. "Every action your son and I have taken in this last year has no doubt benefited you and your precious Republic so do not try to judge me by your own hypocritical moral stance."

A little thrown off by the unexpected speech and staunch defence of his son, Han was aware that he needed to diffuse the situation if he wanted to get more answers. "Whatever kid, it ain't my war." Lying back down on the bed, he sat in silence for a minute before throwing another glance at Hux. "So," he asked conversationally, "is my son any good as a smuggler? Is he doing the family name proud?"

Snorting as the tension in the room lowered, Hux placed himself gently in the one bare wooden stool which was laying in the corner. "Your son is a better smuggler than he ever was a political player. He is brash. Unpredictable. Reckless. Arrogant. So if what I have heard is to be believed, he is exactly his fathers son." He smirked at the older man but the intended insult had the opposite effect as a small smile appeared on Solo's face.

Again, Han could hear the changes in Hux's tone when he spoke of Ben. He heard a similar affectionate exasperation when he overheard Leia talking about him. The speech the redhead had made after he had called him a monster had given him pause. He tried to keep out of the war as much as possible, only intervening when Leia needed him or if he came across something in his travels but if what Hux had claimed about his role was true then he had to at least cease hostilities until further evidence was found.

After news of Ben's defection had reached him, Han had waited for Leia to contact him and tell him that their son had returned home but nothing ever came. And as the weeks and months rolled by, his hope that Ben would come home was lost. The occasional sighting or rumour of his continued life would come and go but that would never be enough.

As he scanned his gaze over Hux again, Han would not deny that he was pleased that his son had not been alone for the last year. He may not exactly be overjoyed to discover that Ben had shacked up with a man whose reputation for ruthlessness preceded him but they seemed to be...happy?

Reaching behind his small bunk, he pulled out a large bottle filled with some colourless liquid which he had been lucky enough to have bribed one of the other guards to sneak in for him. "Fancy a drink, kid?" He asked invitingly, yanking the cork out with his teeth before grabbing two small semi-clean containers from the same hiding place.

Shaking off his annoyance at the continued use of the term 'kid', Hux eyed up the bottle with distaste but it was better than nothing. "I accept."

x-x-x-x-x

"And when Ren finally delivered the box to their location it turned out that the ammo inside were all blanks!" Hux finished his tale with a loud laugh as he recalled the incident.

His eyes crinkling as he laughed alongside Hux, Han threw what was left of his drink down his throat before pouring two new ones. The bottle which had been full only an hour previously was now almost dangerously empty and both men had a good buzz going. The lack of decent food within the jail resulted in the alcohol going straight into their system and they had been swapping smuggling tales as they drank.

"I always hated doing business with the Grafleits," Han admitted as they clinked their glasses, "they're all cheating bastards. I'm surprised that you knew who they were. You're full of surprises, kid." He paused before speaking again in a different tone. "My son marrying a general from the First Order." He repeated, still slightly amazed. "See the Skywalker family?" He leaned in closer and spoke in a loud whisper. "They're mad. All of 'em! Even Leia. It's amazing how much trouble they get into."

Hux narrowed his eyes, "Again you seem to have an issue with Ren being with me? Why? Is it my gender?"

At the words, Han held up his hands in a defensive manner. "Nooo!" He protested, elongating the 'o' with a slight slur, "I mean I'm surprised but that's cause I had no idea. I haven't properly spoken to Ben since he was fifteen years old." He nodded to emphasise his point. "Before I met Leia I had a thing with this creature from the Outer Rim so I'm in no position to judge. She, I think it was a she anyway, was damn pretty and the things she could do wit-"

"I am going to stop you there Solo before you say something which we will both regret. Remember your son can access my thoughts!" Hux warned.

Han cringed as he slammed his mouth shut. "Fair enough kid. So where did you get married?" He asked, sipping his drink and holding eye-contact with the redhead.

Hux took a gulp of his own glass and wiped the corner of his mouth. "As I said previously, we are not officially married under any legal power. However, after I was almost eliminated on one of our raids, Ren presented me with the ring as a sign of his commitment to me and I immediately had one created for him so we could add the inscriptions."

"You nearly died?" Han was surprised and he calmed his tone again. "What happened?"

"We were ambushed by a hidden squad of stormtroopers and one landed a successful shot to my upper chest." Even after all the months which had passed since the incident, Hux still did not like to discuss his near brush with death. "Ren reacted," he paused, "poorly and when the squad was dead he healed the wound with his power. I would have bled out before the wound could be corrected otherwise and the shock of it inspired Ren to present me with the ring." Hux concluded.

"Force healing eh?" Han offered in an odd tone.

"Yes. It was quite impressive." Hux inclined his head towards Han.

Leia could use the force to heal people. It was rare but Han had watched her do it a few times and from what Leia had told him it was a talent which was only accessible to those who practised within the light side of the force.

Sith could not use that skill since it had to come from a place of love.

You had to love the target in order to heal them.

Ben loved Hux enough to call up his inner light to save the man from certain death.

"Damn." Han said evenly as he swirled the colourless liquid in his glass.

"What?" Hux asked at the unexpected exclamation.

"Nothing kid," he took another sip, "so you love my son then?"

A tipsy smile made its way on to Hux's face as he considered Ren. His partner, both in crime and in life. "It would certainly seem that way. When we were first introduced I hated him on sight," Hux confessed, "he was everything I hated in human form but those feelings soon mellowed into something altogether more horrifying." He grumbled.

Laughing at the admittance, Han nodded in understanding, "I was the same with Leia. She hated me from the start but I wore her down!" He winked. "Why hasn't Ben come to break you out yet? Trouble in paradise?"

"He will," Hux confirmed with a knowing look, "he knows that the longer he leaves me here the more irritated I will be. He will be here soon. Why has your wife not appeared to save you? Or that beast that you keep with you at all times?"

"Chewie is, uhh, visiting his friend Maz. Leia will be here to collect me at some point. I hope. I had a message sent to her to tell her to come get me." Han nodded. "She'll be fine with it, its been years since she last had to break me out."

Hux could hear the mild fear in his voice and he was unable to keep from stirring trouble. "Do you not consider it to be a little embarrassing that you are making the leader of the Resistance travel to this disgusting place to pay for your crimes?" His face was smug as he finished the last of the alcohol.

Anger flashed in Han's face, "Respect your elders kid. I'm not too old to kick your ass."

"I'd be mortified if it were me." Hux continued, his voice a challenge. "I would probably lie to ensure that no one was aware of where I was going. I would hate the idea that the shame would force people to pity me."

"Shut up kid." Han warned again as he jumped shakily to his feet.

"Listen here, old man, sit down before you-" Hux let out a very high yelp as he was thrown from the stool to the floor by the weight of Han's body as he launched himself at the seated man. Rolling around the dusty floor, the pair were grinning as they fought.

The alcohol consumed by both had dimmed the desire to actually hurt the other and as they continued to wrestle it was a point of pride that neither would be the first to admit defeat.

Knocking the stool back into its original position in the corner, the sudden cloud of dust caused both men to break into coughing fits as they struggled on the floor.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" A feminine screech broke across the muffled tussle and caused both men to freeze in their positions on the ground as they recognised the voice.

x-x-x-x-x

Sweeping into the darkened jail, Leia pulled the cloth which she was using to conceal her identity to the outside world away from her face. She had received the message from Han about his incarceration and despite the voice inside her telling her to leave him to his fate for a few more days she had finally given in and arranged to come and collect him herself.

As she entered the main area she was surprised to find that someone was already in discussion with the jailor. A tall, dark-haired man was leaning across the makeshift desk which was being used as a barrier between the jailor and those who ventured into the jail. They were speaking in hushed whispers but Leia could pick up on the angry tones.

To amuse herself she studied the man before her. He had his dark hair pulled back into a loose bun on the top of his head and his clothing was light grey and somewhat loose fitting. From the muscle definition in his exposed arms she could tell that he had been trained in some form of battle and she could make out a few ropey scars which decorated the skin.

She was pulled from her observations by the dark-haired man grabbing the front of the jailors clothing and throwing him backwards a few feet.

A fight was breaking out.

"Hey!" She exclaimed as she pulled the man backwards to separate him from the jailor whom she needed to speak with. "What do you think you're doi-"

Her words caught in her throat and she swore she felt her heart jolt as she made direct eye contact with the man who was causing trouble.

"Ben..." She breathed out. Feeling her legs go slack in shock, she would have fallen if it wasn't for Ren's quick reflexes which allowed him to grab on to her arms and keep her steady. "I didn't know. I didn't know." She repeated.

Ren knew that her look of dumb shock was reflected in his own as he held on to his mother's arms tightly enough to prevent her from falling but not enough to cause her pain. "Hello mother." Fighting past the tightness in his throat, he managed the two words with some difficulty.

"Why can't I feel you?" She allowed him to lead her to one of the nearby benches and she sat on it heavily.

Understanding instantly what she meant, he explained. "I am suppressing my connection to the force at the minute. I cannot allow myself to be sensed when I am on any planet for a length of time as it could be dangerous."

A loud snarl drew his attention back to the jailor whom he was currently negotiating Hux's release with. The situation had now changed and he had no time for this.

Making eye-contact with the beast, Ren used a mind-trick with ease. "You will forget having ever seen my face or the face of my partner whom you arrested. You will not recall any of this meeting. You will walk outside right now and not return to this jail until after nightfall." He watched as the creature nodded and followed the instructions.

"Why are you here?" Ren returned to his mother, her breathing had evened out and the shock had faded from her face to be replaced with a host of different emotions which Ren was too afraid to tap into.

"Your father." Leia answered with an exasperated smile, "Even at his age he still has not grasped the concept of a quiet life." She patted the space next to her on the bench. Ren smiled politely at her words but his eyes were still guarded as he sighed and took the offered seat.

"I knew you were alive." She continued. "I always knew. People would try to tell me not to keep hope and that the rumours might not be true but a mother always knows." She tried to force the sadness from her tone as she gazed at the son whom she had been praying to return to her since his defection from the First Order. "Are the rumours true?

"That I am no longer working for either Snoke or the First Order? Yes."

Leia gave a small smile at the admission but her face was soon tinged by confusion and hurt, "Then why did you not come home?"

"My home was no longer with you," Ren confessed with a sad stare, "after all that has happened I could not return to you. Ben Solo was dead and the man I am now had no place with you."

Fighting back the lash of pain at his words, Leia continued. "You said he 'was' dead? What do you mean?"

Ren paused as he considered his options. Recently, he had been plagued with the thoughts of his lost family and he had considered contacting his mother on multiple occasions. But it was a complicated issue as he was unsure how Hux would feel about an association with the Resistance and he was further gripped by a fear that his mother would reject him.

This meeting seemed almost too coincidental and Ren felt a momentary twinge of irritation at the force itself and its suspected interference. But he came to an immediate decision.

"I can show you? If you wish?"

Leia narrowed her eyes as she tried to understand his meaning. Noticing her confusion, Ren gestured vaguely to his own head with his bandaged wrapped hand.

"You want me to enter your mind?" She gasped.

"Ehh, no." He quickly countered. "Not to offend you mother but I cannot allow you free rein within my mind. I am willing to fully show and guide you through the last year though. An explanation will take some time and there is no faster way than this method."

"Okay then," She agreed and she slid slightly closer to her son, allowing him to pick up her hand gently and place it against his temple as her curiosity outweighed any trepidation she felt

Taking a moment to steady himself, Ren dropped all of his mental barriers and allowed his mother to both see and feel how his life had developed over the last year.

x-x-x-x-x

Leia gasped as she was slowly led through the last year of her son's life, from his final days in service of the First Order to the year he had just spent both evading and causing trouble all the way up to the present day.

She was unaware of how much time was passing as each of the shortened memories were passed through her mind with enough detail to provide her with a steady idea of exactly how Ben had elected to spend the last year.

Against her will, she felt her eyes wet slightly as she observed the relationship which her son had apparently developed with the man she, until now, had considered a monster. She saw it all as she watched the strained tension which marked their first few months working together develop into something more before culminating in Ben choosing to save the life of his partner over his loyalty to Snoke.

One of the final moments which her son allowed her to view in detail was a small ceremony which took place on the ship he had stolen. A ceremony in which he handed a ring to an obscenely grinning redhead before accepting a matching ring on his own hand.

As she was thrown from his mind gently, Leia was unable to move for a moment as the significance of that final memory hit her.

Her son was married.

Her son had fallen in love and rejected the dark side in order to protect that love.

That was not the act of a Sith lord in training.

Her son was alive.

There could be no doubt that Ben Solo still existed within the man who still called himself Kylo Ren and that thought in itself was enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes. She had spent years longing for her son to return to her and it seemed that her wish had been heard.

x-x-x-x-x

Watching her silently, Ren had to suddenly blink away a small gathering of wetness behind his own eyes as he watched his mother sift through all the information he had just provided her with. As soon as she was expelled from his mind he had shut down his connection again to prevent her from picking up the nervousness and fear of rejection which he knew she would be assaulted with.

"Are you...okay?" He asked uncertainly and he had to stop himself from flinching as her gaze met his. He was unable to pick out a single emotion amongst the flurry which were dancing in her eyes.

"I will be," she responded and her tone held a slight giddiness as she continued, "so can I meet him?"

Ren was under no illusions as to who she was referring to and he sighed slightly, "I suppose. I am unable to avoid this meeting it seems." He added with a note of inevitability in his tone, "Shall we then?" He held his arm out to her to offer his support and she accepted gratefully.

As they walked through the dingy jail he allowed his mind to wander. He suspected that the shock of their meeting and his allowance of her into his mind had caught his mother off guard enough to prevent her from asking any really tough questions and he was a little thankful for it. His intuition was telling him that this meeting was significant and that many important decisions were soon to be made based on it. But as he made his way down another corridor he knew that these would have to wait until he had consulted Hux since whatever happened would have a serious impact on them both.

Nearing the final cells at the end of the corridor, Ren was surprised to hear a familiar yelp followed by a series of small bangs and thumping noises. Sharing a confused glance with his mother they followed the source of the noise until they had reached the only cell in the jail which currently held two occupants.

At the sight of his father and husband wrestling on the floor, Ren was barely able to suppress his laughter just as his mother overcame her momentary shock to screech "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

x-x-x-x-x

Thrusting his hand out, Ren used his power to separate the fighting pair. At the gesture, Han was thrown back gently onto the small bed which sat within the jail while Hux was made to scoot backwards until he collided with the far wall gently.

The raised protests of both men at their treatment were swiftly shut down by Leia again as she held up a hand to silence them. "Thank you." She directed towards her son before facing off against her husband. "What the hell is going on Han?"

Eyes bright and clearly a little intoxicated, Han pointed at the seated Hux, "The kid challenged me to a fight! And I was winning before you arrived." He said accusingly as he looked back at Leia.

"LIES! I was clearly the superior fighter old man!" Hux countered as he matched Han's pointing gesture, "As always you are lucky your wife appeared to save you."

Ignoring Hux's words, Han kept his eyes on Leia. "Hey, have you met Ben's husband yet? Turns out he's not a monster and he knows how to hold a drink."

Rolling their eyes in perfect sync, both Ren and Leia turned to face Hux. Walking towards the seated man she held out her hand, "General Leia Organa, pleased to meet you."

Forcing himself up to his feet in an attempt to regain his dignity, Hux accepted her warm hand with his own, "Former-General Hux of the First Order. The pleasure is mine." Hux added with total sincerity. He may not have had much respect for Solo but Leia Organa was a natural leader and her rise to General was hard-fought and well-earned. Plus she was Ren's mother and it would be improper to be rude to the woman he knew Ren held in such high-esteem.

Leia furrowed her eyebrows for a second, "No first name? What shoul-"

Hux cut her off quickly, "I am happy to respond to Hux." He noticed that Leia was ready to protest but Ren placed his hand gently on her arm to indicate that she should back off and to his immediate relief, she did.

"My son has shown me his history with you," Leia began and her tone was warm, "and how your relationship developed to the point it is at today." She broke off to send a small glance at the gold ring on his finger. "While I understand that this meeting today was unplanned and also a shock to all those included," she smiled at Han, "I can't shake the feeling that it was meant to be."

Stopping again, she threw a look at Ben and was pleased to see that he was nodding along with her assessment as he came to stand side-by-side with his husband. "I know what you both have done in the name of the First Order and I cannot condone any of the actions which you have both made," taking a deep breath to steady herself she continued, "but I have also seen the work which you both have put into trying to take down the First Order since your defection and in that time you have both saved countless lives by destroying and stealing their ships and cargo."

Speaking directly to Ben she gave a watery smile, "I understand that you enjoy your life as it is but I want to ask you to come home, Ben. Come home with us. Your place was always with us and if you are seeking redemption then we can help," she looked to Hux too, "we can help you both. If you are willing." Her words were met by a small noise of agreement from Han who was content to lie back and allow his wife to take the reins. She was the General after all.

Surprised by the offer, Ren's first instinct was to reject it. "You know I cannot do that. Too much has happened between us all." Making eye-contact with Hux, Ren gave him a pleading look and was rewarded with Hux raising his eyebrows and closing off his expression.

Realising that Hux was allowing him to make his own choice without interference he continued, "Hux and I would never be welcome among your people. The Resistance suffered at our hands and I doubt we would be comfortable or able to guarantee our safety."

Unable to hide her disappointment, Leia argued gently. "The Resistance would never attack you if you were on our side but there are those who have suffered. Your actions in the last year would help with convincing them that you had changed. You have both saved more lives that you know, even in the last quarter we have seen so much less death than usual and I think that's because of you both."

"Mother I can't." Ren was sorely tempted to accept but he would not do so without Hux's consent and he could not discuss it here.

"There is another reason I'm asking," Leia added mysteriously as she stared at the pair, "do you remember the stormtrooper who deserted you? Finn?"

"Man I love that kid. Big deal!." Han jumped back into the conversation while Hux looked to Ren for confirmation.

"FN-2187." Ren said quietly.

"Ahh," Hux exclaimed as he recalled the man, "what about him? I'm guessing he survived that crash on Jakku then?"

Leia nodded, "Yes he survived. But after he crash landed on Jakku he ended up meeting a girl and they evaded your stormtroopers and joined the Resistance. The girl is incredible, Rey is her name and she is strong with the force. I have been teaching her as much as I can but my talents lie in the empathy and location uses of the force. I am less skilled in other areas. I can teach her to use the force to manipulate a blaster but she needs a real teacher to hone her skills since the map to Luke is still incomplete.

Ren was silent at the new information and, despite his mild drunkenness, Hux was watching him like a hawk. It was no secret to Hux that Ren had recently been vocal about his desire to take on an apprentice whom he could train, but given their circumstances they knew that it was very unlikely to happen. As he gazed at Ren's expression, he could see past the forced blankness to the deep longing which was reflected within.

Sighing, he shifted slightly closer to Ren and gently grasped at his wrist to show his support to the wish which Ren would never speak. Gazing at Leia, he straightened his spine a little, "Give me the coordinates for your base and Ren and I will meet you there in one week. This is not a promise of anything but we will take one week to seriously consider your offer and then deliver our response in person. You have my word."

Giving a genuine smile, Leia was unable to hide his pleasure at the agreement while Han matched her grin. "Why a week?" He asked thoughtfully.

"We have things which need to be organised," he replied vaguely, "one week and we will meet you at the location you specify. Ren?"

"I agree." Was all the tall dark-haired man could say as he felt his chest swell with anticipation and joy that Hux was not totally averse to the idea of being associated with the Resistance.

"Then we will leave," Leia kept up her smile as she glided forward and placed a kiss on Ren's cheek, only hesitating for a split second before doing the same to Hux, "I've waited a year for my son to come to me so I think I can manage an extra week." She offered wryly.

Jumping from his position on the bed, Han placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, the first piece of physical contact he had made with his son in years, and he swore he felt his hand tingle in response. He held eye contact with Ben for a few moments and the look was loaded with a future promise which caused Han to smirk as he disappeared from the room with his beloved and long-suffering wife.

x-x-x-x-x

Settling back into the pilot and co-pilot seats of their stolen ship, Hux could feel the excitement brimming in the air as they started their journey away from this hell-hole of a planet. Very little had been said between them both as they left the jail and Hux was content to allow the good feeling to last as long as he could.

His musings were cut short by Ren speaking to him quietly, "Are you sure?"

For such a small question it was loaded with meaning and Hux was happy to explain his decisions, "It is what you want." He replied simply, "You have spoken of wanting an apprentice for some time and I know that despite everything you still have a great deal of feeling for your family. You are thrilled to have encountered them and I will not stand in the way of that." He concluded with a small smile.

"But is it what YOU want?" Ren insisted as he ruffled a hand through his hair. If he got the slightest feeling that Hux was only accommodating his interests at the expense of his own then he would not accept his mother's offer.

Twisting his chair so he could give Ren his full attention, Hux reached out and grazed his hand across Ren's jaw as his eyes lit up with affection. "I will admit that I never pictured myself working alongside the Resistance but Snoke has bastardized the First Order into something which is for his own personal chaos and not to bring peace to the galaxy and I cannot allow it to continue. The Resistance has its considerable failings but at this point it is most preferable to the First Order."

The affection in his eyes was replaced by mischief, "Plus I suppose I could offer a helping hand to the Resistance itself. After all, I am the youngest officially recognised General which the galaxy has seen in recent times. With our shared knowledge of First Order training schemes and simulations we can easily prepare even the most incompetent Resistance warrior."

Laughing at the assessment, Ren nodded his agreement, "You are very skilled and I am sure the Resistance will be pleased to have you." His smile died a little as he paused to consider his own statement, "I do think my mother might be over exaggerating how accepting people are going to be of us both. And knowing our own talents for trouble I do not see us being that popular."

Hux snorted, "When have we ever been popular?" He enquired and as he laughed at his own words, he leaned from his chair to catch Ren's lips in his own, delivering a joyful kiss as they individually started to plot out the work they would need to conduct over the next week in order to make sure that they were finally ready to rejoin civilised society.