A/N: Alrighty, just to clarify; do I see these two getting married, settling down, and having a child? No. Absolutely not. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if one of them (probably Kylo) didn't make it out of the next couple of movies. But a girl can dream. And though I'd be disappointed if they just all of a sudden made up and everything was fine in canon, their eventual happiness is what my dreams are made of.

Enjoy!

Rey sighed down at her soiled shirt, her daughter's cries blaring in her ears.

"Oh, Ara…"

She just wished she could catch a break. Her husband had been absent for a few weeks and would be gone for the remainder of this one, and her infant daughter had decided she wasn't going to sleep. She'd been up late into the night every night, and up early every morning. The lack of rest was taking its toll.

Rey frantically searched for the rag she'd used to clean up after Ara the first several times, but when she couldn't find it, she gave up and used Ara's blanket; it wasn't like it didn't already have spit-up on it. She was too tired to care that it did. She'd just go get another one when Ara decided to sleep again.

To say she was jealous of her husband at the moment was a gross understatement. She loved her daughter dearly, in fact, more than she'd ever loved anyone, but she'd give anything for a full night of sleep at this point, and she knew that was exactly what Ben was getting. Off sleeping in some luxury suite for visitors of the Senate, he was probably living the dream. Waking up to meet with the members to talk about opening more Jedi academies was probably a walk in the park compared to the life Rey was living right now.

"It's not like you've never struggled in your life, Rey."

Oh, but this seemed so much harder than scavenging.

To be fair, it wasn't so bad in the daytime. Ara was amiable during the day, and as tired as Rey was, each little smile let her know that it was all worth it. But when bedtime rolled around...well, bedtime just didn't exist. Ara would scream if Rey left the cradle, and she would lie awake for hours, staring up at nothing and cooing. Even when she seemed to be in a good mood, she'd wail when Rey moved out of her line of vision. And tonight, the one night she'd fallen asleep in a reasonable amount of time, she'd woken up an hour later spitting up and running a small fever. Rey had taken her to the medbay, and a med droid had given her an antibiotic to feed to Ara with her next bottle. Ara's fever had broken soon after she'd taken it, but she spit up the entire bottle, and was now crying louder than she had been before.

To be quite honest, Rey was on the verge of tears herself.

She gently rocked her daughter back and forth, patting her back with one hand and groping around for her pacifier on the nightstand behind her with the other. "Shh...don't cry, little one," she cooed. "Don't cry. It's okay. You're okay. Please don't cry."

Ara continued to wail. Rey sighed, giving up her search for the missing pacifier. She took a deep breath, forcing down the helpless sob that rose up in the back of her throat.

"Ara, love, you have to stop crying. If you don't, Mommy will cry, too, and then we'll be a real mess." Of course, this didn't change a blessed thing. "Why am I such a failure?" she whispered to herself.

Ben, why can't you just hurry up and come home?

She tried putting Ara back in her crib, but of course that made nothing better. Ara continued to cry. Rey switched her positioning so her head was on Rey's shoulder, and she attempted to burp the agitated infant. Not even a small change.

Behind her, lightning flashed and rain began to pour in sheets, pounding against the windows as thunder rumbled in the distance. Rey couldn't believe this was happening.

Ara went silent for a moment before she erupted into sobs again. Rey finally let the tears she'd been holding back loose. "Perfect!" she shouted at the window. "Just wonderful! Thank you so much!"

Suddenly:

Hang in there, sweetheart. It'll be okay. I'll be home soon.

She froze, almost dropping Ara in surprise. The words echoed around in her head, and she realized with a jolt it had to be their bond. Relief spread through her entire being, hope nipping at its heels.

'Ben?'

The bond had been relatively weak during her pregnancy, Ara's Force signature seeming to disrupt the signal with its strength. After she'd been born, it had still been shaky, and worried, they'd asked if it would ever return to where it had been. They were told that, yes, it would, but it would take time. She guessed it really was getting stronger.

'Ben, is that you? Please, say it's you. Please, say I'm not going crazy-'

You aren't going crazy.

She could feel his amusement like a spark through their bond. Rey could have cried tears of mirth. Ara must have sensed the change in her mother's mood, because she, though still quite loud, became quieter. She was no longer screaming. Even that was a welcome relief.

'You can hear me?'

Loud and clear.

Stars, she'd missed this. This closeness she'd had with Ben that no one else in the galaxy had ever had with him. She could hear his every thought, could feel his very emotions, could see his memories almost reflexively. She let her end of the bond fly open, and when she did, she could feel everything again, almost exactly at the strength it had been before.

'Thank the stars. How did you know you could-?'

I didn't. It just...happened, I guess.

'And at quite an opportune time.'

Ara was continually quieting as Rey's mood improved, but she still continued to fuss. Rey didn't know what else to do. She sighed, placing a kiss on the top of her daughter's head.

'Can you come home early? Your daughter got your 'holy terror' trait.'

She felt a flash of amusement. It was certainly not from her end. Ara was still very much upset, and Rey did not yet see the light at the end of the tunnel.

'You think I'm being funny.'

No, sweetheart, I know you're being perfectly serious. That's what's so amusing. But I do wish I could come home. I miss both of you so much. I'll be home soon, though.

'Not soon enough.'

I know.

The bond went silent for awhile as they both simply took in the other's presence. Settling back into everything they'd missed in the past months. Rey juggled her focus from her thoughts to her crying daughter and back again, but even the brief moments in her husband's presence were enough to calm her, at least. She came across a spark of anticipation and latched onto it, trying to decipher it.

'Ben? What's this?'

She sat down in her rocking chair, gently patting Ara's back in an attempt to calm her down enough to sleep. There was a small pause before Ben responded, his words flying into her head so fast it was all she could do to understand them.

The case is closing a day early. Everyone's been invited to stay the extra day to enjoy themselves, but I'm leaving as soon as the meeting lets out.

The words took a moment to register. But finally, they did, and with them-

I'll be home tomorrow, Rey.

She positively beamed. She looked down at her daughter who was now very confused by her mother's change in attitude. She displayed this confusion by wailing for a moment then stopping then starting again.

"Daddy's coming home early, Ara."

'Ben, that's amazing!'

I'll be back before you're asleep.

Rey sighed but offered a small, humorless chuckle.

'That won't exactly be a challenge; I don't get to sleep anymore.'

A pang of guilt. Then, one from her end.

'It's not your fault, Ben.'

It doesn't matter. Tomorrow night, I'll make sure you sleep. I'll stay up with her all night if I have to.

'Believe me, you'll have to.'

She looked down at her daughter, whose eyes were now drifting closed.

'But that sounds wonderful.'

Once again, guilt that was not her own rolled through her conscious, and she frowned.

'Ben, what's the matter with you? You're coming home tomorrow, a day early, and giving up a day you could've had to yourself, to give me a full night's rest, what could you possibly be feeling guilty about?'

I feel bad for leaving you alone in the first place.

'It's not like I haven't left you alone before.'

It's different, though. Even when I'm home, I feel like you're the one doing most of the caretaking. I feel like I'm never there with you. Like I'm never there for you. Like I'm just never there.

Rey took a deep breath. How so very… him. Of course he would try and take all the blame. There was nothing that happened that wasn't his fault.

'Ben, don't do that. I don't blame you for any of this. This is normal. Ask any mother, I'm sure they will all tell you the exact same thing: taking care of a baby means little to no sleep. It's rare that the man helps, though it would be much appreciated, but, you do help. Sometimes, you can't though. And that's okay.

'And sure, you're gone a lot now…'

Another harsh flash of guilt.

'...but that's just now. Someday, the roles will be reversed, and you'll be the one to take care of her.'

A long pause, and Rey could tell he was mulling over her words.

What if I'm gone so much she doesn't know who I am?

'Oh, my...'

Rey rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She glanced down at her half-conscious daughter. "Your father is a very silly man. Incredibly dramatic."

'That will not happen.'

I meant worst-case scenario!

'Even for a worst-case scenario, love, that's a bit extreme.'

Maybe.

'Probably.'

Still, I just wish I was home more.

Rey was slow with her answer.

'I know.'

It was now blissfully silent, both in their bond and in the room, which could only mean one thing: Ara was finally asleep. Rey very carefully stood up and walked across the room, setting the infant in her crib. By some miracle, she stayed asleep. Rey closed her eyes and smiled.

I assume she's asleep?

Rey shuffled back to their bed and flung herself on it, throwing an arm over her face.

'How'd you figure?'

Muffled amusement wound its way lazily through the bond.

The tension that was overpowering any and all other emotion in the bond has come to an abrupt end.

Rey let out a weak chuckle.

'Yes, she's asleep.'

Good.

'Very good.'

...I love you.

Rey smiled softly.

'I love you, too.'

He didn't say anything else, but Rey knew he hadn't left. She could still feel him there, enjoying her presence as she was enjoying his. Suddenly, exhaustion rolled over her in waves, and Rey knew it wasn't just hers.

'I think it might be time for you to go to sleep, Mr. Bigshot Jedi. Don't want you falling asleep during your final meeting tomorrow.'

No! No, I'm fine. It's okay, really, I'm fine. I'll be fine.

'Ben, it's-'

I don't want to leave you alone again, Rey.

Rey shook her head.

'Ben, you won't be leaving me alone, okay? I'm going to try and sleep some, too.'

Are you sure?

'I'm positive, Ben.'

When there was no response, she drove her point home.

'Goodnight, Ben. I love you.'

Goodnight, Rey. I love you, too.

Rey kicked up the covers and burrowed under them, not even bothering to change her shirt. Honestly, she couldn't be bothered. She'd have to wash everything tomorrow, regardless; Ara had managed to spit up on everything she came into contact with.

A tiny gurgle sounded from the crib and Rey froze.

"Please, no. Please, no."

She heard shifting and her heart sank, but then stillness. Silence. A soft sigh. Then Ara was asleep again.

"Thank the Force."

She rolled over, ready to go to sleep, but something else was bugging her. She rolled her eyes.

'Ben. Go to sleep.'

There was alarm as Ben realized he'd been caught, and she chuckled.

Sorry.

'Goodnight, Ben.'

Goodnight, Rey.

'See you tomorrow.'

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please, feel free to leave a prompt if you have one. I'll do my best to fill it.

For those of you also reading A Fine Line, I promise I'm working on it. There should be an update soon, so be on the lookout.

Thank you for reading!