AN: Sorry it's been so long since I last updated- I've been terribly busy at work! I will try to keep a more regular update schedule! Please enjoy!
"Is something wrong, Pretty one?" Her mouse droid asks as she works on a second mouse droid who has required more time to repair than Rey had originally expected. "You are not talking while you work."
"I'm sorry. I'm preoccupied." Rey says as she attempts to rewire the droid.
"This droid was on my train when we were on Imperial ships." Mouse informs her. "He doesn't talk as much as I do."
"That's alright. Some droids are quiet." Rey smiles. "Some people are quiet."
"You are not usually so quiet. Or so pale." The droid observes.
"I haven't slept well, for the last few days." Rey concedes.
"Is it because your counterpart has been away?"
"My counterpart? Do you mean my husband?" Rey chuckles.
"Yes, husband. The one who wears a mask, like Lord Vader." The droid says with slight admiration.
"My husband would like you. He loves Vader." Rey smirks.
"Vader could be harsh. But he liked droids." Mouse coos. Rey stands and starts to cross to the other side of the room.
"Well, there are a few more things I'll need to finish, but-" her vision blurs, and her stomach churns. She clamps a hand over her mouth, but it does little to stop her from vomiting up her breakfast. She sinks to her knees on the floor, and her vision grows fuzzier around the edges.
"Pretty one, it would appear you are...out of order?" The droid observes. Rey raises one of her hands, reaching for the door with the force. It opens, and Rey thanks her husband wherever he is for having her practice with doors a few weeks ago.
"Mouse, I need you to go get...Captain Chinn...alright?" Rey asks as her stomach churns again.
"I will go at once!" Rey hears the quiet whirring of the droids wheels as she exits the room.
"Maker, what a kriffing mess!" She mutters to herself as her vision returns to normal, though the sight of her sick almost makes her vomit again. She rocks back and pinches the bridge of her nose as she closes her eyes against the sight.
"Is something wrong?" her husband's voice is warm and smooth in her head, and she almost opens her eyes to look for him, though she knows he won't be there at all.
"How is it you can feel this, but I can't feel it when you take a blast to the gut?" She grumbles.
"What happened? Are you sick?"
"I'm fine. I just ate something off this morning. And it's happened before, when my pains have come from my bleeding...gah, I can't believe I'm discussing my blood with Kylo Ren!"
"Can you believe you're discussing it with your husband?"
"Barely."
"Are you alone?" He asks, clearly concerned.
"My little droid went to get Captain Chinn. I'll be alright."
"I wish I was there."
"I can hear the frown in your voice. There's nothing you could do if you were here- and I don't want you to see me like this. I'm a mess."
"I don't care what you look like- I only want to ease your pain." A flood of his strength does flow through the bond, and it does make her feel marginally better. She takes a slow breath, and feels another wave of it wash through her. "Did that work? Any better?"
"Yes. thank you." She sighs. "When are you coming home?"
"I like it when you call it that." his contentment floods through her with another wave of strength. "I think two days. The lead led to nothing, and I've seen all but two of my knights."
"I'll be waiting for you."
"Lady Ren?" captain Chinn calls softly from the door.
"I think I need to see some med droids." she explains.
"Of course. Let's get you to your rooms." he crosses to her and helps her up, offering her his arm as they walk away.
"I'm afraid ive made a terrible mess." Rey frowns.
"No trouble, Lady Ren. Nothing a cleaning droid can't handle in a matter of minutes." he brushes off her concern. "Can you manage the stairs, my Lady?"
"Yes, I think so." she nods. She clutches the railing tightly as they ascend, but the strength Kylo had sent her over the bond was doing wonders for her. When they reach her door, Captain Chinn gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Don't worry Lady Ren, Ill have a med droid to you in just a moment, and I'll see that your work room is cleaned up."
"Thank you, Captain, you have been most kind." she smiles at him and enters her room. As soon as the door is shut behind her she peels off her tunic and her bindings, finding them uncomfortable and warm, and goes to the fresher to clean herself up with cool water. Next she digs through Kylo's dresser until she finds one of the short sleeve tunics he wore during training. She pulls it over her head, and breathes in his smell, like leather and spice, and something that's just so primally him. And she waits.
And she counts.
And she realizes that she ought to have started bleeding by now. A week ago, actually. She had been late before, but never by a full week. But she's had every symptom, every sign that her blood would start, and she'd had them for almost two weeks.
The pinging at her door announces the arrival of the med droid. It's an older model than the ones that had seen to her on Starkiller, but infinitely more advanced than anything she'd seen before then. And this droid seems less hostile and programmed than the others had been; it even had the ability to speak basic instead of binary.
"Hello...lady Ren...I am 21B9, surgical med droid." the droid has a calm and even voice that Rey finds soothing. "I was told you needed assistance. How may I serve you?"
"I need a pregnancy test." she says quickly, her face turning red.
"That will be no problem Lady Ren. I am equipped to perform such a test in mere minutes. May I collect a blood sample?" the droid tilts its head to the side, and she nods as she extends her arm. The droid produces a small syringe which it fills with her blood before he empties it into a strange looking holo pad. "Analyzing now…"
She hugs her knees up to her chest and watches as the data pad's red light pings off and on, and she wishes her husband was here with her.
"Analysis complete. Patient, designation Lady Ren appears to be approximately seven point five weeks pregnant." the droid announces, and her jaw falls slack. "Congratulations."
"Seven and a half- thats impossible. I bled last month, If Im pregnant-"
"You are pregnant, My Lady. My data is correct ninety nine point nine eight percent of the time." the droid says, almost sounding put out at being doubted. "In a humanoid female, blood is not always an indicator of an absence of conception. In fact, a menstrual period that varies from normal may be evidence of a conception."
"Oh." she frowns.
"Has the Lady Ren been suffering any of the following symptoms; nausea, vomiting, sensitive breasts, aversion to certain smells, exhaustion, increased or decreased sexual urges-"
"Yes. All of it." she feels her face heat up yet again and chastises herself. It's only a droid after all.
"I will prescribe the necessary vitamins, and research the latest in anti nausea patches." the droid taps its holo pad.
"Who do you report to?" she asks nervously.
"Captain Chinn has programmed me to answer to Lady Ren." the droid says.
"Not to the supreme leader?" she asks, arching a brow.
"Supreme Leader does not compute. I report only to lady Ren." her lips curl into a smile, and shes never been more thankful for the kindly old Captain. If the droid had reported to anyone else, she knew that her husband's master would already know, and she wouldn't have the chance to tell Kylo herself.
"Very good. Speak to no one of any of this." she commands, and the droid pings.
"Command received. If that is everything, I shall return when I have the necessary tools."
"Yes, that will be all. Thank you, 21B9."
"It is my duty and my pleasure to serve you, Lady Ren." the door slides open and the droid vanishes. Her hands fly immediately to her stomach, still completely flat and seemingly empty.
"I wonder…" she crosses her legs and closes her eyes, taking in several deep breaths. Kylo had taught her what he could about meditation in the light, though it had been a long while since he had practiced such a thing. Still, she does as he has instructed. Breath in the light, exhale the darkness...feel the force curling through every inch of your body...inhale, exhale. She focuses her meditation on the point below her navel, and suddenly she gasps.
It's only a flicker, like a candle that struggles to stay lit, but it's pulsing inside of her like a tiny, fast heartbeat. She allows herself a moment to revel in it, the living force moving through her child, and then she withdraws. Surely, if she, a novice with the force could locate this, someone more trained could find it with ease if they thought to look at all. Her only consolation is that Kylo thought she was bleeding, and Snoke's only information came from Kylo's head. Still, if she lingered too long, Kylo might find it through the force bond, and she wanted to see the look in his eyes when she told him.
But there was something else.
The desire to keep the child hidden from the world, hidden safely beneath her muscle and skin where no one would harm it, or seek to use it's power. For the next two days she could pretend at least that the child was hers alone, existing only because of the unbreakable bond she shared with Kylo, instead of the reason Snoke saw for their existing. The first of many dark warriors of the Skywalker bloodline.