This is hopeless, thought Rey, as she twirled and stumbled around the training room with BB8. I may be sensitive with the force, she thought, but that'll never help me understand how to do this! Rey had been attempting to learn how to waltz all afternoon. She'd watched holograms, she'd read books, she'd danced with Poe, Finn and now BB8 because she'd stubbed Finn and Poe's toes one too many times, and now even BB8 was frustrated with her. General Organa had decided that in order to gather more support for the Resistance she and other important Resistance members would need to attend a gathering of the old Republic that was occurring in the outer rim. Rey of course volunteered immediately, figuring her presence at such a gathering would be crucial to the cause of the Resistance. What she hadn't counted on was the gathering would include dancing.

She thought she'd be going on a diplomatic mission to help explain the importance of the rebel cause to people who were still unconvinced, and that was part of it, but apparently it was traditional to end these gatherings with a dance. This was unknown to Rey when she'd volunteered. She'd spoken to Leia about it, explaining that she'd never danced before, and she would still be willing to go on the mission. But was it possible to not go to the dance. Leia had been sympathetic, but she said if Rey wanted to go, she'd have to learn some form of dancing because it was considered rude not to attend. So here Rey was. Two weeks into her attempts at learning to dance and she still hadn't gotten anywhere.

She was considering throwing in the towel, when she felt a familiar, dark presence entering her consciousness. Not now, thought Rey, I can't deal with him, right now. But unfortunately, the force didn't give a damn about bad timing. Hence the time she'd come across him shirtless not that long ago. Surprisingly, when Kylo Ren fully emerged, he was smirking. Rey had never seen him smirk. In fact, she was pretty sure she'd never seen him smile before. She could tell through the link though that Kylo Ren was amused. Rey, however was definitely not. Kylo broke the silence by saying, "What in the world are you doing?" with a tinge of mockery. Rey was soooo not in the mood to deal with this right now,"I'm testing my battle reflexes, what does it look like I'm doing Ben?" She snipped sarcastically.

Kylo flinched when Rey used his given name. She was the only person in the Galaxy who still called him that besides his mother, and it didn't bother him so much that she used it, but it did bother him that he was starting to like it. After a beat, he teased her by saying, "I don't know, it almost looks like….dancing," he paused, unsure. "Well it's supposed to be, but it's not going very well," Rey cried. "Your mother is insisting that I learn how to dance before we go on a diplomatic mission for the Resistance. Apparently it's required protocol after this kind of meeting," sighed Rey. "I tried to get out of it, but I can't, and now I have no idea what I'm going to do. I could not go, but I have a feeling I really need to be there. And not going feels like I'm failing everyone. I don't know what to do. Ben what should I do?" She said with exasperation. She looked up at him, sad and pleading, using her great, big, brown, puppy dog eyes.

He should be disgusted. He was the freaking Supreme Leader of The First Order for heaven's sakes. She shouldn't be making him feel so weak, but he couldn't help it. Rey was his weakness, and for once, he could actually do something to help. Kylo sighed, knowing he would probably regret this. In spite of himself he exclaimed, "Well first of all, you need to get rid of BB8. He works fine as a stand in partner if you know what you're doing, but you don't, you need a human partner," Rey interrupted him, "I've already tried to dance with Poe and Finn. After nearly taking their toes off, they un-volunteered for the sake of their sore metatarsals." Ben singed, trying not to think about the pilot and ex stormtrooper with their arms around Rey, "I meant me," he declared. "Really, Kylo Ren knows how to dance?" Rey, seriously unconvinced, narrowed her gaze. "Yes actually. As you know I was the son of a diplomat who occasionally was forced to make an appearance at this or that event, which most of the time included dancing with other diplomats daughters or my mother. F-Han never went to those things, he hated them."

Ben felt a tinge of melancholy remembering those days on the road with his mother. It wasn't like he was particularly fond of all of it, but he did enjoy getting to spend time with her, uncensored, while they traveled together. Rey didn't like to think of Ben up close and personal with those diplomats daughters, but she she didn't really know why. "Oh right, I guess that makes sense. But that was Ben Solo, not Kylo Ren," Rey queried. "Well, believe or not, Rey of Jakku," he mocked, "Kylo Ren has done his fair share of dancing as well. Snoke used to hold dances when certain factions of The First Order found themselves on common ground. While it was quite amusing to see General Hux and Captain Phasma dancing together, the food and the partners were much better during the gatherings of the new Republic." He stated matter of factly. "I bet," Rey agreed, looking deep into his eyes and nearly losing her balance from going weak at the knees.

She broke the spell when she asked, "So what do I do Master Ren?" Kylo blanched at the formality of the title. He thought Rey might call him that someday, but not under these circumstances. "I put my arms here right?" Rey asked, while putting her arms around his neck and pulling herself closer to him. Ben gulped, and instinctively backed up, thrown by the sudden intimacy of the gesture. He gently took her arms off of his neck and placed them by her sides. Not noticing when her face fell. "It depends on what kind of dance we're trying to do," Ben proclaimed, "From what I know about these kinds of dances, I think the most important one for you to know is the waltz," he declared. "Right," Rey agreed, "How do we start that?" She requested. "Well first off, you put your left hand in my right hand and your right hand on my shoulder, like this," he pulled her left hand into his right and then placed her hand on his shoulder. "And then, I put my left hand on your waist like so," he demonstrated, pulling her close, hoping she couldn't see his cheeks flush, "Then, I think the best thing for you to do is follow my lead," he continued, "If you have a good partner, there really isn't a ton for you to do. I suspect your lack of skill has more to do with your partner and less to do with you. If you could best me in a lightsaber battle with no training I think you should be able to figure out this dancing thing in no time." Without even realizing it, Rey saw that she was dancing, and she wasn't half bad.

She was so excited she beamed and yelled, "Ben, I'm waltzing! Who knew I had it in me?" She winked. "I did," Ben deadpanned, completely serious. She broke their perfect dance frame and leaned into him, placing both hands on his chest, while she looked down to see her feet going where she wanted them to. But Ben didn't see what she was doing until it was too late. All of a sudden she tripped and fell onto him, and they were both on the floor. "Ouch," Kylo huffed. "Oh god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" She questioned, "I was doing so well for a minute there," she grinned, sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm fine, luckily you don't weigh a lot," he smiled back. Neither one of them made a move to get back up for several minutes. After sometime, Rey placed a hand on his chest and started to pull herself up. At the same time Kylo tried to get up and they bumped noses, their lips touching ever so slightly. Rey took this as an invitation and closed the gap between them once more, touching her lips to his just a little bit more. He responded in kind by increasing the pressure, and in no time at all they were kissing. Soft, and tentatively at first and then hard and long.

Her fingers were in his hair enjoying how soft and clean it felt, and his hands found their way to her lower back. She felt her center burn with desire as she rolled on top of him and she realized that she wanted him, very badly. By his eager responses she thought he wanted her too. All of a sudden, he pushed her away and stood up, fumbling with his uniform and straightening his hair, trying to ignore the hurt look on Rey's face. "Rey, what are you doing?" Ben yelled, suddenly very angry. "If I recall you were doing it too!" Rey shouted in response. "What...why would you do that?" He sputtered. "I'm sorry," she cried, "I saw an opportunity and I took it and I know I shouldn't have, but I did and I'm sorry." After a beat, he exhaled, "No," he paused, putting his face in his hands "don't apologise," his hands dropped, and his eyes met hers, "It's not entirely your fault, I didn't exactly stop you," Ben groaned. "God I don't know what it is about you," Ben sighed, taking her face in his hands, "You make me weak," He removed his hands and backed away, "No I don't mean it like that. I guess, every time I'm around you, I can't think straight…." He paused. "I can't think straight either," Rey agreed. "What should we do?" He asked philosophically, not really expecting an answer. The last time they got into this, things had gotten ugly and they didn't really want to go there again.

"I have an idea," Rey suggested, "Come to the dance," She conveyed, completely straight faced. "What?!" Ben shouted, taken aback. "Come to the dance, it's a masquerade, you'll wear a mask, no one will even know that it's you. If anyone asks, just tell them you're a diplomats son, you wouldn't even be lying," she spilled."You know, this could work," he exclaimed in surprise. She nodded, "And this way, we can spend some time getting to know each other as Rey and Ben. No Kylo Ren, no Supreme Leader, no resistance, just us." Ben pondered that for a moment or two, "I'd like that," he expressed, taking her face in his hands again, and touching their foreheads together while they both closed their eyes. "Then come," she smiled. He smiled back for a fraction of a second and then his face fell, "I'll have to think about it," he mulled. "Don't think, just come, I know you want to, I can feel it. Surely you can get away for one night," She batted her eyelashes. "Why do I feel like my mother put you up to this?" Ben raised an eyebrow, "This isn't some ploy by the Resistance to get me captured is it?" He mocked, making a fake stern face. "No, of course not." She proposed, "I promise, I won't tell anyone. As long as you do the same for me," She asserted. "I would never intentionally bring harm to you. Not now…." He vowed. "Good, I'll see you there," and with that the force connection was severed.

Epilogue:

Ben went to the dance and when he saw Rey again, that was when he determined he wouldn't be happy anywhere but with her. They spent the whole night talking, getting to know each other, and by the end of it Ben was wholeheartedly convinced that he could never leave her side again. Ben turn the tide of the war by helping to bring down The First Order. Not long after they were married and lived happily ever after.