AN: Thanks for the lovely comments! Enjoy the next chapter!
Kylo sat at the desk in the office and sighed enjoying the noise it made through the modulator on the mask. What the hell had just happened? He thought to himself as he pondered what to do with the information he'd just been told. She was planning to leave the Resistance and the First Order forever, just to raise a child? No not any child, his mind thought, our child. The thoughts that permeated through his brain came to a resounding solution that no matter where he chose, that he would keep the child safe. Realizing that Snoke would want the child for his own he began the mental exercise of burying the memory far below his conscious level.
Getting up to pace, he drew his saber hacking at the desk, knowing it was all futile. All of the work he'd been doing, all of the plans he'd set into motion ruined by the galaxy. He knew he would leave with her. Knew that it was his responsibility as much as hers to raise their child, to teach her embrace all parts of herself. And yet he was angry that Rey had come, that they had somehow not realized that the galaxy would work some magical thing between the two and tie them to each other for all eternity. He didn't know her well enough to be tied to her like this, to race off into hiding. And what good would it do to hide? There was no place safe enough not while Snoke still lived and for the hundredth time in the ten years he'd served the Supreme Leader, he let himself think about killing Snoke. Ending it. This might be the final thing that drove him to finish his mission, the one given to him so long ago by Luke that he wasn't sure if he'd imagined it or not. The cost had been so high and he felt he couldn't possibly add another person to that list as he thought about Rey and the baby.
Rey was lying on the couch staring up at the ceiling after having to use the fresher for the millionth time that day. Shifting uncomfortably she wondered what had possessed her to ever let him touch her. She felt a kinship and kindness to the swelling of her stomach but knew that she would not have chosen for this to happen with him or right now at the very least. The baby was done kicking for a while for which Rey was grateful as she looked around the quarters for something to bide her time. Walking up to the computer she punched in a few commands to order food and waited, skimming through the holovid, finding nothing of any consequence.
After she ate, she waited. And waited. The chronometer on the wall indicated that it was time for sleep and Rey sighed before moving to sleep on the couch, covering herself with a blanket she'd dragged from his bed. Wrapping it around herself, Rey scowled into the darkness. She'd hoped to have had another conversation about what they were to do before going to sleep but as she closed her eyes she realized how tired she was and sleep overtook her worried form easily.
Rey awoke to the sound of alarms blaring. Breath coming quick, she stood on her feet, not sure what to do since she was effectively trapped in his quarters without so much as a blaster. She moved around, opening drawers, searching for something, anything, sharp. Much to her chagrin the troopers must have cleared the room before escorting her there. "Urgggggg." She let out kicking over one of the useless chairs then, feeling slightly better for letting her anger out. She righted her shirt that had lifted to expose her belly briefly.
The doors opened to his quarters and he was suddenly there, covered in blood and out of breath. He took in her appearance once over, bare feet and the overturned chair. "Come." He said reaching out a gloved hand, beckoning her. Blinking furiously, she wondered if it was his blood or someone else's. As they stepped over the two downed troopers outside of her door, she thought she might have a least half an answer.
"Kylo, what's wrong?" She yelled over the alarm and the chaos. There were people running, troopers in formation while others ran looking frantically around as if they were about to be hauled away for just existing. He grabbed her hand then, dragging her. She fights him like she does every time someone grabs her and drags her around, which had happened far more than she would have liked over the last few years.
"You wanted to go, so we're going." He said, the jovial lilt in his voice was clear on the irony of the entire situation. When he'd awoke that morning, before Rey's ship had docked, he had no idea that it would end with him killing Snoke and seriously maiming Hux. Rey looked at him incredulously as he grabbed her better by her upper arm and steered her through the maze of hallways.
"Whose blood is that Ren?" She asked, looking back to see if anyone was following them. He tugged on her again, before remembering he'd grabbed her staff.
"Here." He said handing it to her as the stepped onto the lift. Neither of them speaks on the lift, feeling the chaos that will soon open on the other side of the lift in the hangar bay. "Don't die." He said gruffly as they stop and the doors open to a firefight. It looks like the Resistance has boarded the ship but Rey doesn't see anyone she recognizes. Maybe there are different factions within the First Order? She thinks to herself as she reaches out to feel the Force as they continue to run towards a ship, any ship. "We'll take mine." He says as he shouts into the comm to the ship's computer to start up. The gangplank lowers and Rey is almost there as he continues deflecting any errant shots. Once she's inside he used the Force to knock out the troopers that are gathering to try to take him out. Watching them all fly, he spins and sprints towards the ship.
Rey is already strapped into the pilot's seat and he growls his disdain then, taking the copilots seat. She lifts off from the deck and pushes the throttle not realizing she'd never flown something so powerful. They're both slammed back into their seat as any gravity from the battle cruiser is overcome by their momentum. She pushes the preflight sequence for the hyperdrive, wondering just how fast this experimental bird was.
"Shields." She says pointing, flying around the blaster shots knowing that it won't be long before they've launched the fighters or manned the cannons. Kylo pressed the buttons furiously, not enjoying being told what to do on his own ship. They were minutes away from the hyperdrive coming fully online and Rey wasn't liking how many ships were showing up on the detection screen. "Can you do something besides sit there pissed off at me?" She growled as she steered the ship around another blaster round.
Kylo stood, removed his overcoat and belt before storming off to man the gun. The gall of that woman, the thought came furiously as he sat in the gunner seat and strapped in for the ride, sure that her flying would be erratic. He wasn't disappointed as he felt the dip in his stomach as she wheeled on one of the TIE fighters. The automated guns locked on the target easily and Kylo set up a rotation to shoot until the target was gone before turning the cannons on the ship on, waiting for something big enough to come in range.
The battle cruiser swung into view and Kylo took a few shots at it then, targeting the sensor array. Just as the first shell hit the hyperdrive kicks in and they're suddenly both staring out at the blue of the stars that are whizzing by the windows of the ship. Kylo punches the wall, likely breaking his hand in the process as he gets up to go threaten the woman in the cockpit.
"Where are we going?" He asks trying to calm himself.
"Vaal." She said checking the rest of the ship's systems before unstrapping from the seat. She looked over at her new companion and remembers the blood. "Are you hurt?" She jutted her chin in his direction, towards the part of his shirt that was stuck to him.
"It's not my blood." He said moving to gather his overcoat and take it to his quarters to change. He removed the helmet first then the bloody shirt before putting a new shirt on wondering what he was thinking. He sensed her standing in the open door then, he turned to her.
"What happened?" She asked entering his sanctuary without permission. He squared his jaw then.
"I didn't say you could come in." His curt admission was full of venom. Rey nodded her head, backing out the way she'd come in to stand on the precipice again.
"So what happened?" She tried again, crossing her hands behind her back. It was clear he was right on the edge of becoming volatile again. Through the bond she could feel his hand throbbing where he'd punched the wall.
"Snoke is dead." He folded the overcoat and put it in a drawer, knowing the flight to Vaal would take days and it was just the two of them, no need to stand on ceremony. Any hope to maintain power over her was gone now that he had killed to protect her and the child. He turned to look at her then as he tucked his shirt into his trousers, not liking it hanging out before putting the gloves away in another drawer. Turning he moved to exit and brushed by her in the door, briefly stopping to look her in the eyes, hoping she understood why he'd done it.
And she did, she knew immediately why he'd done it. It didn't make her feel any better but she knew why he'd done it: to protect them, to let them get away and maybe form some semblance of a life. She turned then following him out to the communal area where he ripped into some of the portions stored there for emergencies. He counted the number remaining before turning his back fully to her, trying to will away her presence. So stupid, the thought came as he stood there chewing the horribly bland ration, why did I just do that? And then he stopped standing straighter. Why should I care, this mission is finally completed, the thought screamed through his. He could finally go home.
"Thank you." She said quietly as she came to stand with her back against the counter he was leaning on with both arms now and placed a hand over one of his. He looked at her then and hated her a little bit along with the other things he always felt for her: jealousy, confusion, hope, light, love, desire.
"You hate that I kill." He took her hand then, turning towards her as he turned it over in his. "Why thank me for hurting someone so horribly?"
Rey watched his features as he traced lines on her hand then, sending shivers through her as she realized what he was saying was true. "I believed Snoke to be evil and using you. I am glad that he won't be able to hurt any of us."
"I did it for you. For her." He moved to put a hand on her stomach then which was unsettling and comforting all in the same moment. "For us." He looked like he was in shock, his eyes unfocusing then.
"It's ok to be upset that you had to kill him." Rey said quietly. "You were his apprentice for years. Even if you grew to hate him, he was still a huge part of your life."
"Yes." He nodded then stepping back from her, not ready to speak about it yet.
"You should sleep." She said then turning to walk back towards the cockpit. She'd gotten enough sleep and was too amped up after their escape.
"Not sure I could if I tried." He said sitting at the large table in the eating area. Clearly it was the mess of the ship. "Talk to me about the child." He said clasping his hands in front of himself and leaning on his elbows. Rey turned back then and looked at him then: the single light of the mess he'd turned on was almost directly over him, his face slightly shadowed. She sighed as she returned to sit next to him a few chairs away.
"She likes when I sing." She said. "She wakes up at the worst times, usually 1am and plays the bongos with my bladder." He smirks a bit at that before catching himself. "The doctors say she is perfectly healthy, all of her DNA is where it should be and she's growing at a normal rate."
"You'll have her on Vaal then?" He interjected.
"If I must. The outpost there was taken over by the Confederacy years ago. It wasn't my first choice but until we can get the transponder off of this thing so it can't be tracked it was better than going to Takodana."
"Won't you need medical attention?" He asked.
"Well I had a medical droid in my ship…" Her voice trailed off. She'd left all of her droids now, none of the others had come with her.
"Once we get that off we could return to the Resistance, at least to have the baby." He pushed himself back into the chair realizing she probably had no idea it was a possibility.
"What?" She wrinkled her nose then. "I stole a freighter and a medical droid. And you're you." She waved her hand madly in his direction.
Folding his arms across his chest he chuckled mirthlessly then understanding the dilemma. Outwardly it would look insane but so was trying to have a child on a confederacy base. "Oh Rey." He said dismissing her then. "I wouldn't worry about the freighter. My mother is likely just worried sick about you."
"They know I'm with you." She paused as he took that information in, frowning. "We had discussed this before they told me outright 'No'."
"Well aren't you just the little rebel." He scoffed then. "Have you thought about names?" He asked changing the subject once again. Rey opened and closed her mouth several times, realizing she likely looked like a fish out of water.
"No. I haven't really thought much past seeing you and letting you know about her."
"What do you call her?" He inclined his eyebrows then, knowing her predilection for giving things nicknames.
"Little one." She beams then as the connection between them sings, realizing this was how they'd ended up naked and in each other's arms in their dreams. Sometimes he really understood her, how she thought, and the little things that made sense in her head because he'd been in her head, knew her down to the smallest detail of her memories.
"How much longer do you have?"
"Three months give or take."
"So that night six months ago?" He presses trying to understand what had happened.
"Yes." She nods.
"Has Master Luke seen anything else like this in the history of the Jedi?"
"No. Nothing like this where she shares our DNA but we've never touched. If I'd even thought…"
"Don't Rey. We're already here, don't regret it."
"Well I would have at least liked to enjoy you for real before having risked this." She looked sour as she said it.
"You can have me now." He stood and offered her his hand.
"In this state?" She asked flabbergasted.
"You're beautiful no matter what state you're in. Come. Let's earn our sins."
TBC...
