Chapter 2

Two days later…..

The nurse turned her eyes skyward as she heard the button buzz again. She reluctantly headed for the room she had began to dread the sight of,

'Yes? What now?' She asked with an exasperated tone.

'You expect me to eat this pig-swill?' Ben exclaimed, gesturing to the tray balanced on his lap.

By all means stick it where the sun doesn't shine! The nurse wanted to scream, but settled on a sweet smile and a more professional response,

'Sir, I'm afraid this is the only food the hospital provides….'

'I'd rather starve than put this fork in my mouth let alone these inedible morsels you've placed before me,' He said with disgust.

The nurse suppressed a sigh.

'I'm sorry that the food isn't to your liking. Perhaps tomorrow's menu will be more palatable to you.'

Ben scoffed, 'I highly doubt it, and would it kill you to bring me an extra pillow? I feel like I'm sleeping on a bed of nails!'

'Right away, Sir.'

'And if you see my Doctor, please tell him I'm still waiting for an explanation for my memory loss and tell him I don't want anymore of his theories, I want answers.'

The nurse warily left the room and exhaled deeply. She muttered under her breath as she headed back to the reception desk,

'Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the day that someone will claim your miserable behind, and I will buy a cake to celebrate!'

The next morning, Phasma Snoke arrived in town by private jet. Hux had raised the alarm the morning after Ben's accident, but Phasma had thought it wise to wait a while to see if Ben turned up before upsetting her bedridden father who was very gravely ill.

Sirius Snoke's only links to the outside world, were a private nurse and Phasma who has been helping to run her father's business in Ben's absence.

Twenty four hours after his initial report, Hux informed Phasma that he believed Ben had been located and was currently a patient at a local hospital. Phasma informed her father of this, who insisted she went immediately to check on his progress and find out when he would be able to return to them.

Phasma resented being sent to her brothers bedside. The two were not close, and Ben was keenly aware of how much Phasma resented him for being their fathers chosen successor. Phasma was the elder of the two, and the first adopted child of Sirius Snoke, she believed that by right the business should have passed into her capable hands. Instead, her father was choosing to risk everything he had built by handing it over to a reckless, egotistical man-child!

He didn't even use the family name! Choosing instead to go by his birth name which he had only managed to discover by wasting their father's money on a string of mostly useless private detectives.

Phasma grimaced as she exited the plane. Ben Solo didn't deserve her father's concern, yet here she was, against her will, playing the part of concerned family member in…where the hell was she anyway? Hicksville USA? What was Ben even doing out here in the first place? Surely he wasn't interested in a tour of America's top ten worst places to live?

Well, wasn't much she could do about it now. She would just have to give Ben a stern talking to and drag him back home where he would regain his undeserved favourite child title. Sigh.

'Miss Phasma,' Hux addressed her, as her heels clacked on the airport tarmac.

'Hux. Okay, let's get this over with. Take me to him.'

'Ahh, Miss Phasma? There is something I need to tell you before we set off.'

'What?'

'Ben is not injured badly and will make a full physical recovery, but…I believe he has amnesia.'

'Amnesia?'

'As you suggested, I've made some careful enquiries so as not to draw the mainstream media's attention to this...delicate situation. I understand the hospital has contacted the local news channel and they plan to release a regional announcement tomorrow calling for information regarding Ben's identity. So it would seem Mr Solo has no idea who he is.'

Phasma was silent for a moment as they walked to the waiting taxi.

'Does anyone else know about this?' She asked.

'No.'

'Can you keep this information to yourself at least for now?'

'I can,' Hux readily agreed.

They got into the taxi and Hux gave the hospital address to the driver.

They rode in silence. Phasma deep in thought.

She couldn't…could she? What if she got found out? But who would tell? Hux would be easily persuaded and their father wasn't long for this world...who else would care? Ben had no friends, no romantic interests, no one who would miss him.

Phasma's heart thudded in her chest as she hatched her plan, but she needed to make sure that there was nothing left connecting Ben to his old life first.

At the hospital, they located Ben's ward and were met by an overly-enthusiastic nurse.

'Here he is! Private room of course, he insisted on it,' She announced as they arrived at Ben's room.

Phasma peered in through the glass opening. Ben was facing away from them looking out of the window. He appeared to be berating a happy bluejay who has chosen the wrong branch to perch on and sing his merry tune.

'And you're sure he has absolutely no identification on him?'

'Nope, nothing,' The nurse answered as she frowned at Ben through the glass.

'I'm sorry but I'm afraid that man is not my brother,' Phasma said with a deadpan tone.

The nurses face fell. Phasma turned quickly on her heel and headed out of the hospital.

The nurse sighed deeply. Was she ever going to get rid of her most troublesome patient?

Phasma called Snoke as they headed back to the airport.

'I'm sorry Father. It was a dead end. Not him I'm afraid. We may have to accept the fact that he is gone, as upsetting as that reality is. Don't worry, I'm coming home now. Yes, we can get through this difficult time...together,' Phasma said with a slow smile.

She turned to Hux and placed a finger on her lips. Hux smiled at her and nodded slightly.

Phasma hung up the phone.

'Hux, can you please arrange for the yacht to be returned home? You can fly back with me now. I find myself in-need of a new personal assistant and thought perhaps you might like to fill the position?'

'I would indeed like that, Miss Phasma. I would like that very much.'

Rey wiped down the diner tables with a smile on her lips humming happily to herself. Sure working in a diner wasn't her dream job, but it did come with the added perk of getting to see her best friend Rose who also worked there as a waitress, plus this was much better than having to explain to Star and Warren that having beans on toast every night for dinner was considered a delicacy in some cultures.

'You seem more cheerful today,' Rose observed.

'I am. No point dwelling on the past is there? Nothing I can do about it now. He's long gone and I just hope I never see him again!'

'Well I hope I do see him again, then his face will be connecting with my fist,' Rose said angrily.

Rey stopped wiping and looked at her friend warmly, 'Rose, I appreciate the sisterly solidarity but seriously that guy was huge! Your fist would probably connect with his stomach at best!'

'Well nevertheless I'm sure I could cause him some serious…digestive damage!' Rose retorted.

'I'm sure you could, Rambo,' Rey said with amusement.

A news bulletin on the small tv in the corner of the diner caught Rey's eye and she was shocked to see a grainy picture of the very man they had just been discussing!

'Leia! Turn the TV up! That's him! That's the asshole who threw me overboard!' She exclaimed pointing wildly at the screen.

Leia looked up at the small TV set, 'Well, looks like he is worse off than you now, poor thing.'

'Poor thing my ass!' Rey snorted.

Leia turned up the set and they listened as the news reported explained that the unidentified man had washed up on the shore and appeared to be suffering from amnesia. He was in a hospital recovering from a head injury one town over. The report wrapped up with a plea for anyone who might have some information on the man's identity to come forward to the police as soon as possible.

'How could no one have claimed him?' Rose asked, 'They said they've been showing this report for a few days now. Didn't you say he had a, a butler? A crew?'

'Ha!' Rey said returning to her wiping, 'I bet they don't want him back!'

'Oh, have a heart honey! You know what it's like to be all alone in the world.' Leia offered.

'Yeah you're right, I do know what it's like, Leia. And I think it will do him some good to experience life on this side of the fence.'

'You will have to come forward Rey,' Leia said more firmly, 'You might be the only person who can confirm who he truly is.'

Rey let out a puff of air, 'I know, I know. I'll go first thing tomorrow,' Rey said.

Leia smiled at her and picked up some dirty dishes.

Rose was quiet throughout their exchange and only came towards Rey once Leia had left the room.

She chewed her lip, 'We have an opportunity here, Rey. Bet an extra income wouldn't be unwelcome to you right now would it?'

'Of course not but how on earth could I take on another job?' Rey asked.

'Not you silly. Your husband!' Rose replied.

'Ha! Well yes that would be great. And where am I goina get me one of those?'

Rose gestured back to the tv where they were showing yet another picture of a bedraggled Benjamin Solo.

Rey's mouth fell open as she turned back to Rose,

'You have got to be kidding me! I can't do that! I can't walk in there with a straight face and say he's my husband! Despite the fact that it's a crime, I hate the man!'

'But you said it yourself, someone should teach him a lesson, and who better to do that than you!'

'No. No. Way.'

Rose wasn't listening, she began working out the logistics of her plan,

'I'm sure I could talk Finn into taking him on, especially as it would only be temporary.'

'Rose, your husband has worked really hard building up his private cleaning business. I won't let you jeopardise everything he has worked for.'

'You let me worry about that! This is the answer to all yours problems! Don't you see! We make that bastard work until he has paid the money he owes you and you have enough to replace your tools, then we can tell the truth and he can return to his life of luxury. Hell, by that point he will probably be so grateful to find out he is rich, he might even give us a reward!'

Rey presses her lips together. It was tempting. But could she live with Ben Solo?! And what would the sleeping arrangements be!

'I know what you're thinking, you know,' Rose said with an arched eyebrow, 'You don't have to sleep with him Rey! Just make up some reason why the two of you sleep separately. He's a blank slate! He'll believe anything you tell him!'

Rey felt a nervous excitement start to bubble up inside her.

'We'd need some photographic evidence and some official looking documentation,' She said.

'Not a problem,'Rose said with a wink, 'You know I can do anything with a computer.'

'Okay...and we'll need some clothes…'

'I'll borrow some from Finn,' Rose said with a smile.

'I'm just thinking out loud! I'm not saying I agree to this...this...hairbrained scheme!' Rey exclaimed.

'Sure.' Rose replied with amusement.

The next day Rey arrived at the hospital with a bag full of forged documents and a stomach full of knots.

This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea...

'Erh Hi! I'm Rey. I'm here for my husband Ben…Ben Proffitt? I believe he is here, he has amnesia?'

Wow, lying about having a husband was a lot easier than she thought it would be.

The nurse's mouth dropped open and her eyes sparkled with delight. She treated Rey to the beaming grin,

'You've come to claim him?'

'Yes I have. I have some…'

Rey started to reach for her bag to pull out the doctored photos and forms Rose had produced the night before, but the nurse had already gripped her hand and was pulling her along the corridor. They stopped at what Rey presumed was Ben's room and the nurse burst into the room.

'You're going home! Your wife is here!'

She called out, moving out of the way to reveal Rey. Rey nervously waved at Ben.

Ben ran his eyes over her from head to toe and then settled a cold gaze on her face.

'There is absolutely no way I am married to that,' He said and returned his eyes to the magazine in his lap.

Asshole. Rey thought to herself and just like that all her guilty feelings about the situation dispersed and she fixed a sly smile on her face.

'Honey!' She exclaimed walking towards his bed and slapping his thigh just a little bit harder than was necessary, 'Do you really not remember me? Not even a teensy, tiny bit?'

'I don't remember you because I don't know you,' Ben replied not taking his eyes off the page in front of him.

Rey reached into her bag and threw the photos onto the magazine.

'I suppose that's a completely different handsome, tall, dark haired man who looks exactly like you, standing next to me in a tux at the altar then?'.

Ben glances at the wedding photos Rey had presented him with.

'People can do anything with computers these days,' He muttered, but Rey heard the inflection in his voice. He was rattled. She pushed her advantage.

'And marriage certificates?',She said placing the document before him, 'and passports too?', She said producing it from her bag.

She had to admit that Finn getting hold of the fake passport with only a few hours notice had been very impressive. She hadn't asked too many questions. Mainly because she had been afraid to.

Ben remained silent but his jaw went into overtime.

Rey bit her lip and sat on the edge of Ben's bed. She decided her best bet was to keep her nerve and not back down.

'Come on sweetheart. Try. Try to remember.'

Ben looked into her eyes and his expression softened. The word came out of his mouth as a breathy whisper, it seemed completely involuntary and Rey had to steady herself from falling off the bed from shock.

'Rey.'

He remembered her name! How? Maybe because it was one of his most recent memories? Or maybe because she had made more of an impression on him than she had realised? Whatever the reason it helped back up her story!

Rey smiled, 'That's right! I'm Rey! Oh, honey! It's coming back to you! I'm Rey Proffitt and you're Ben Proffitt, my husband!'

Ben's frown reappeared and he rubbed his forehead, 'This has to be some kind of nightmare.'

'I know, but the nightmare is over now darling, because I'm here to rescue you!' She said opening her arms wide. The nurse clapped her hands with joy and Ben covered his eyes with one very large palm and let out a groan.

'Come on. Let's go home...Sweetie Pie,' Rey said with a smirk.