~Rey~

Rey watched as Ben landed his command shuttle across the Naboo flight dock. She stood, leaning against her own ship, in part because she was feeling a bit lazy, and partially because it provided good cover from several angles and she didn't feel up to meeting new people just then.

Rey waited until the gangplank was lowered completely before she began her approach. She walked quickly but with a casual gait that would not draw attention from the few people mulling around. Ben was just emerging from the ship's exhaust cloud as her foot touched the ramp.

All sense of "casual" was lost when she saw him though. She cleared the rest of the gangplank in three fast strides as she closed the distance between them.

He pulled her into his arms in a natural, effortless motion that sent her pulse soaring.

"Are you alright?" He whispered against her hair, tucking her into his chest.

She nodded, too overcome with the essence of him enveloping her to answer out loud. His warmth surrounded her and she reveled in the feeling of safety his embrace always gave her.

He pulled her with him, back into his shuttle.

"Rey," he whispered once they were inside, "Are you sure you're alright?" he held her out from him, looking her up and down, verifying her words as she assured him that she was fine.

She escaped his grasp and snuggled close to him again, not waiting for him to finish his examination.

"You should have let me look at you, is that a cut on your hand?" he said lifting her hand for closer inspection but she tugged it away, instead looping it around his neck and letting his hair curl around her fingers.

"What happened with Hux?" she asked, trying to ignore the fear that kept gnawing at the back of her mind.

Ben sighed, "He was not fond of my ideas for his military."

"Is it really his?" she asked, thinking of Finn, in spite of everything that had passed between them, she knew he would want the other troopers set free. He would want them to return to their homes, or at least be allowed to make new homes.

"He thinks it's his military," Ben mumbled, "Rey, this could be a long road. Things may not go well for me."

Rey looked into his eyes, the familiar knot of fear growing in her stomach once again.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm going to make sure this war ends and you are safe," he said quietly, his voice low.

Something about the way he said the words only sent more fear tingling up her spine, "What are you saying?"

"Hux may try to make an example out of me, in order to preserve his army. It's a calculation I'm sure he's working on right now, the tide of public opinion is on my side. My plans were well received." He paused and smiled softly; Rey knew he was thinking of the reception to his speech on Coruscant, but also, maybe he was thinking more of her reaction to it. She blushed at the memory.

"But," Ben continued, "If he can act fast enough he might be able to quell the movement before it grows out of its infancy. Making an example out of a leader gone rogue, could seem like a good option to Hux."

"What do we do?" Rey asked, the fear creeping into her eyes, something that Ben didn't miss.

"Rey, I'm going to keep you safe. I'll protect you even if it means my life," he said with steely determination.

"No, we can do this together," she pleaded.

His eyes broke away then, she could sense the determination in him and it scared her even more, "I'm working on preparing a safe place for you to wait while this all blows over."

She knew very well that nothing was going to "blow over."

"Ben, let me help you," she whispered.

He shook his head, "I can't risk you getting hurt. I may not be able to do what needs to be done if I am preoccupied worrying about you."

Rey pulled closer to him again, "I'm so sorry I didn't trust you," she said quietly into his ear, the short, rough stubble on his cheek bristling against her face.

"No, sweetheart," he pulled her away, frustrating her all over again.

"I know that I failed you plenty of times, and you had every right to question…you had every reason not to trust me," he pressed his lips together and popped his jaw to the side once, "Don't ever apologize to me for that. I don't deserve your trust."

Rey stood completely still, watching him silently for a long moment, even after he began to grow uncomfortable under her gaze. She could feel his remorse and guilt so strongly it made tears spring into her own eyes.

At last, she lifted her hand to his face, her thumb tracing his chin a few times, "What my friends said about you might have been true at one time, but not anymore." She shook her head, "You're a good man, Ben Solo."

He exhaled suddenly and reached for her, pulling her into a tight embrace and pressing his lips against hers.

His kiss was desperate and filled with longing and urgency. Rey was losing herself in the moment when an insistent feeling of darkness settled suddenly around her, demanding attention, refusing to be ignored. She could tell instantly that he felt it too. It was in the Force.

He pulled away enough to look into her eyes, "You feel it, don't you?"

Rey nodded silently and moved toward the gangplank to look outside, Ben following just behind her.

"Be careful," he said, reaching for her just as she reached the bottom of the gangplank, his arm looping around her.

Suddenly, his body went ridged as the arm that circled her waist tightened and pulled her unceremoniously to his side while his other arm shot straight out, fingers splayed. His whole body was tense and his eyes were focused. Rey followed his gaze frantically.

A blaster bolt hung in the air a few meters from where she had been standing. She gasped and began scrambling away instinctively.

In the distance, she could see Hux lowering his blaster with a sly, amused smile on his face, "Ahh, the local child from Coruscant, I presume?" he took a few steps closer to them.

"What do we do?" She asked Ben through the Force, speaking directly into his mind.

"Follow my lead," he answered, "Slip away when I distract them."

Rey felt dizzy hearing his deep voice in her own head; she made a note not to speak to him that way often as it was extremely distracting.

She carefully inched closer to him again and reached for his hand, she found it likewise grasping for hers.

"Don't be scared," he said under his breath, his lips barely moving, his eyes never leaving Hux and the approaching troopers in the distance, "I won't let them hurt you."

Out of the corner of her vision, she saw a star destroyer dropping out of hyperspace into the sky above them. Shuttles immediately launched, bringing more troops to the ground.

Ben's palm was sweating against hers. Nothing was ready, she knew this wasn't how he was planning for this to go.

"Ben," Rey said quietly through the Force once more, "I need to you know something." It wasn't the right time, she knew, but it was beginning to look like it might be the only time.

He looked at her, his mouth working against his emotions, a small pout forming against his will.

"I love you," she whispered.

He closed his eyes for a second in a slow exhale, as if relief were washing over him in a tidal wave. He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers softly while turning his eyes back to the formation of soldiers facing them, "I love you too, sweetheart, I always have."

Then he pushed his lightsaber into her hand decisively.

"No, Ben," she began, but he was already breaking into a powerful run toward the troopers, without a weapon.

"Move out of the way of the blaster bolt," he said through the Force as he ran, "I won't be able to hold it if I get too distracted."

Rey ignited the lightsaber and closed the distance between her and the suspended bolt just as she heard shots firing from blasters toward Ben.

"I have a better idea," she murmured.

She sliced into the shot, sending it soaring directly toward Hux's head. He was ready for her though and awkwardly dodged it, losing all sense of finesse but recovering quickly enough. He brushed his tunic down, indignantly staring at her.

Rey got a small sense of satisfaction watching his eyes widen when he saw her burst into a run toward him, lightsaber drawn.

Author's Note:

AdventurousLife: Thank you so much!

ChandraSoloSkywalker: Don't hate Finn and Poe! Lol, I know, me too, I'm so obsessed with Reylo.

ErikaHDaae: I'm so happy you are enjoying this story!

Musicalcat93: Thank you for the encouragement!