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Straight to the Heart

Chapter 10

Rey was still processing the realization about Kylo when another one hit her, accompanied by discomfort with the weight of a boulder. Her mind filled with something rather obvious that she hadn't thought of before. The thought had not entered her mind when she'd told Kylo she would go, and it didn't hit soon afterwards, either. No, the realization found its target as his mother asked a question amidst peaceful scenery.

As they drank coffee after the meal, Leia's thumb traced the rim of the cup. "You said that you haven't known each other for long," she began hesitantly. "If I may ask, when will you be seeing him again?"

"On Sunday. I'm going to spend a few days with him in Coruscant before flying back to Jakku." Rey's eyes suddenly widened. "I don't mean with him."

We never talked about where I would be staying, Rey realized with panic. While the majority of her mind was on the discomfort ahead—also known as the fact that she didn't have the funds for a hotel in Coruscant and wasn't about to ask him for any—she remembered the scene on the plane when he spilled water. He was an endearing mixture of confident and awkward, but she also remembered how his posture and tone had changed when she discovered his identity. Not to mention, he was attractive. All things considered, though, she didn't think her boots would be giving eviction notices. If that had been the case, it would've been difficult to know truth from charm.

Clearing her throat, Rey reached for her glass of water and took a sip. "Honestly, we haven't discussed all the arrangements, but I will be seeing him on Sunday."

Leia paused before taking an envelope from her purse. Staring at it for a while, she eventually looked up with tears shining in her eyes. "I'm only asking because. … I'm not asking you to contact me. Trust is essential in a relationship. But … if you won't mind, will you please give him this for me? It's a letter. I just want him to know that I'll be here if he ever chooses to contact me."

I'll be here. That was the promise she'd felt in his kiss. Biting her lower lip, Rey reached out and took the envelope. "When I feel the time is right, I'll give it to him."

Leia placed both of her hands over Rey's and the thick, unadorned ivory paper. "Thank you. With all of my heart, thank you." Then, Leia reached down to her handbag before pushing a small folded piece of paper toward her. "And if you ever need to, call me."

~SW~

Leia's words were still reverberating through Rey's mind as she entered her room at the guesthouse. Still, the most prominent thought was the arrangements that she needed to discuss with Kylo. Knowing she wouldn't be able eat comfortably until she'd talked to him, she took out her phone and saw the WIFI strength was a bit weak. Regardless, they needed to talk, and she was not about to send a message about what weighed on her mind.

Kicking off her shoes, she walked over to the window seat as she dialed. Suddenly, her little toe met the iron frame of the bed just as her thumb touched the screen. "Oww! Oww, that hurts!" Leaning against the bed frame, she held her foot in her hands while one of them also tried to keep a hold of her phone.

"Rey?"

Turning the phone toward her, she froze—she had not intended to make a video call. Furthermore, she had not expected to see him shirtless. Her other hand still held her foot, and she nearly tipped over before catching herself. Looking away, she asked, "Why are you shirtless?"

"I just … from the hospital and … about … shower."

She glanced at the pixelated image, not sure if she was mad about the weak signal or grateful. "There is something we need to talk about, but now is not the time." Her heated face told her that much. "Can you call me later?"

"Rey? You're … signal there. I'll call you back."

The video call ended and he immediately called back. Rey briefly hesitated before answering, still recovering from the sight as well as the realization she'd had earlier. Swallowing, she answered and pressed the phone to her ear. "Thank you for calling back."

"No problem. Is everything okay, though? I didn't expect to hear from you until later tonight."

"Everything is fine. I just hit my toe. The reason why I called is …" She paused, unsure what to say or how much she should say at that moment. "I realized earlier that … well, we haven't talked about where I would be staying while I'm there … with you."

Rey couldn't, or wouldn't, remember a more awkward moment in her life—also known as the high school years.

"Oh. You're right." The silence on his end was agonizing. "You can stay in a hotel. I'll take care of the bill. Or …"

She swallowed. "Or?"

"I still have to be at the hospital for long periods. If we're going to talk … If it's okay with you, if you're comfortable with the idea, then my guestroom is available. It's completely up to you."

"That makes sense." She struggled to keep her voice even, feeling grateful that they were speaking over a voice call. "Your guestroom will be fine."

And it's free, she thought, not very comfortable with the idea of him paying for a hotel. Knowing him, it wouldn't be a one star place.

Silence followed before he spoke. "Thank you for trusting me, Rey."

The significance hit her, then, and he was right—for her to agree meant trust. "I'll see you Sunday," she replied softly as butterflies performed an in intricate routine in her stomach.

~SW~

A second realization hit the next morning as she woke up to a message from her brother. Finn thanked her for the photos that she'd sent, talked about what was going on back in Jakku, and ended with saying he couldn't wait to see her.

I'll see you Monday morning at the airport. We miss you.

Rey sat on the bed and continued to stare at the screen. Where were her thoughts? She would have to tell Finn. She dreaded what his reaction would be, though she suspected that he wouldn't believe her at first. Thankfully, her vacation days were until the following Friday. She would have to return then, which gave her only a few days with Kylo. Or with Ben, since her mind was still processing that fact. Until she'd talked to him, she would call him by the name he'd chosen for himself. She didn't want to open wounds before she had a better understanding of what had happened.

Telling her brother was not easy, however. Saying that she would be staying with Kylo Ren for a few days was not something she could simply say in a message, and the unreliable WIFI became a very convenient excuse. Before she knew it, it was Saturday night and she was packing for her flight early the next morning. When everything was done, she sat down at the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. It was late, meaning the signal was stronger, and she hoped her tired mind had worked out the time difference correctly.

The phone rang a few times before he answered. "Hey, little sis, this is a nice surprise! I didn't expect to hear from you until you connected to the airport's WIFI."

"It's late here. The signal is a bit better."

His tone immediately changed. "You sound … off. Are you nervous about the flights tomorrow?"

Her fingers nervously played with the hem of her shirt. "Flight. I'm only taking one flight tomorrow. That's why I'm calling."

"Why? What happened?"

"I … I …" And she couldn't do it. How did she tell her brother that she was going to be staying with Kylo Ren of all people? "I'm going to spend a few days with a friend in Coruscant. So I'll be back on Friday."

"Friend? What friend?"

"Someone I met on the flight to Coruscant." She braced herself for his response.

"What?! Rey, you can't be serious. I watched a movie the other night, and if I had seen what happened to young women flying alone to foreign countries before you left, you would not have left. Believe me."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Finn. I've even met his mother. Everything will—"

"His mother? Your friend is a guy?! You've met his mother? What have you been doing over there?" The questions came quickly and in one breath.

"We didn't plan for me to meet his mother, but that's a story for another time." Rey covered her eyes with her hand, wondering how she was going to make it through the conversation.

"This is ridiculous, Rey. You barely know the guy, and you're talking about spending nearly a week with him. Where will you be staying? Because I know your budget did not cover time in Coruscant." Her brother sounded like a caged lion pacing up and down in front of the bars.

Sighing, Rey pushed her fingers through her hair. The conversation was about to go downhill without any brakes. "Before I tell you where I'll be staying, I first need to tell you who he is. You know him."

"I know him?" he asked, confusion audible in his voice.

"Well, of him," she replied with emphasis. That's when another horrible thought hit—if she didn't push through and tell her brother, he could still find out. Her mouth suddenly felt dry as she continued. "I don't know if a photographer might catch him—and consequently, me—when he picks me up at the airport, and I don't want you to find out that way."

"So he's famous? I can't say that makes me feel better. I don't want anyone playing with your feelings, Rey. Please, reconsider and come home."

"I'm not sure if famous is the word that I would use, but … yes." She listened carefully as the words left her mouth. "It's Kylo Ren."

As the silence on the other end stretched, Rey checked to make sure the call was still connected. Then, he began to laugh uncomfortably. "Now this one I never saw coming. You almost had me, but you pushed the prank too far by choosing his name. That's not funny, Rey. His name is still a sore subject around here, so you may want to reconsider before trying this joke with one of our friends."

With the knowledge that she was most likely hurting her brother, she placed her hand over her heart. "I'm not joking," she said softly. "I met him on the flight from Jakku, and we've talked on the phone while I've been here. Can you trust that I know what I'm doing?"

Anger cut through when he spoke again. "So you're serious. How is this even possible? And what can you possibly have to say to him? I don't even know what to do with the fact that you've met his mother. Considering you're lack of answer earlier, I'm assuming you're staying with him. I don't understand what's going on, Rey." Then, he added in a softer tone, "Or how you could do this."

"I'm staying in his guestroom. I know you may find this hard to believe, but he has been nothing but respectful." She wiped away a tear that escaped. "I'm not doing this to hurt you or anyone else. Finn, can you please trust that I know what I'm doing? Please."

There was a short pause and then she sighed. "Look, I have to get some sleep. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"It sounds like you've made up your mind." He sounded tired and hurt when he spoke again, but anger was considerably less noticeable. "I don't understand how this can be happening, how you could want to spend time with him."

"Trust me. I've thought this through." She glanced at the time on her phone. "I have to go, but I'll send you a message or call you when I can. I love you, little big brother. Don't think I'm doing this lightly."

"I hope you know what you're doing," he replied, sounding unconvinced.

"I do," she responded.

Later, as she struggled to fall asleep, those two words seeped into her thoughts. She had to go to him, and she believed that with her whole heart. She'd made the right decision.

AN: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I can't wait to write the next the one. Any guesses why? ;)Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favorite! It means a lot hearing from you.

Note: A reviewer mentioned that Matt the radar technician is from the SNL skit Adam Driver did, and I realized that I hadn't mentioned it, assuming that the character would be recognized. Sorry about that. So, just so you know, this story developed from the idea of Matt the radar technician (from SNL's undercover boss skit) sitting next to Rey, who is a nervous first time flyer. :)