Author's Note: I know we haven't checked in with Kylo Ren in a while, but I promise it's coming up next chapter. Reylo is approaching! I was originally going to jump into the confrontation with the First Order, but I had a request to see Rey interact with certain people first. Hence the delay. So here it is, enjoy!

Chapter 11

Rey

"Oh, Kriff!" Rey exclaimed as the wires she had been working on sparked, causing her to recoil her fingers away and instinctively bringing them towards her mouth to sooth them. She was lying under the control panel inside of the trooper transport. She was attempting to repair some of the wires that had been severed, during her crash landing only weeks earlier. She had accidentally destroyed another wire casing with the force. She had been unbalanced ever since Ben was captured by the First Order and it was interfering with her focus. She kicked the toolbox at her feet sending the contents pouring over the floor of the cockpit, with a heavy crash. "Damn it!" She slammed her fist on the ground beside her.

She unexpectedly heard someone clear their throat at her feet. She decided against crawling out from under the panel, which was currently obstructing her view. Choosing to remain hidden from the person who had evidently just witnessed her small outbreak.

"What did the tools do to you?" Finn nervously chuckled.

Rey didn't respond. Each time they had crossed paths over the past couple of weeks, it had been brief but extremely uncomfortable. Especially given the topics he kept bringing up with her. She continued working at stripping the wires and cutting away the damaged fragments.

He squatted down to try and see her face under the panel. "You know you can't ignore me forever."

"I'm not ignoring you. I'm just busy," she gritted her teeth.

"You seem to be busy a lot these days."

"Well if you haven't noticed, I've been fixing the damage to my transport that you and the rest of the resistance caused." She swept her hand through the air to exaggerate her point.

He groaned, "we aren't back to this again. How many times do I have to apologise?"

"I don't need an apology, I just need space to work," she snapped.

"Rey, we need to talk about this."

"Honestly, if it's not about our plan to bring down the First Order than I'm not interested."

"You know it's not about that."

"Well, this conversation is over then. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." She paused to add the desired effect before continuing, "I still haven't fixed it yet."

"No! We are going to talk about this." All his feelings were bubbling to the surface. "I can't let our friendship be destroyed because of him."

"Him? How about you start referring to him by his name?"

"Which one? Kylo Ren or is it Ben Solo? Or does he go by Supreme Leader still? Don't you realise how strange it is, that everyone in the galaxy still believes he's in charge except you? Wouldn't you think that General Hux would have taken that title by now if he really managed to pull off a mutiny?"

"I already went through this with you…"

"No Rey, it's your turn to listen to me. I know you love him, you married the man and you trust him, but you need to look at the facts. You saw him taken away by the First Order and he didn't put up much of a fight. The mighty Kylo Ren, taken out by people who can't even wield the force. Besides, we have heard nothing from him in weeks, no transmissions, no force bonds and the First Order is increasing its hold over the galaxy. You need to understand that it doesn't look good from where I'm sitting. How do you know he didn't manipulate you into everything?"

Tears were welling in her eyes. "He didn't. I know you don't want to hear this, but I was the one who made the choice to marry him. I chose to pick up his lightsaber and I decided to use it. I may have lost control, but it was all me. You need to understand that I'm not the same girl who you met on Jakku. I'm … different." She dropped her gaze to the floor.

"I'll admit you have done some pretty questionable things but you're still you." He grabbed her hand causing her to look back up at him. "Rey, I don't care that you have blood on your hands, we all do. That's what happens in a war. It doesn't matter if you draw your power from the dark or the light side, or if you decide to walk away from it all. Who you love or don't love isn't important. I only care about you and your happiness. I can see you're hurting and I just want you to be prepared, in case this doesn't go the way you think it will."

She sighed and wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. "Thank-you Finn, you're a good friend." She threw her arms around him and he wrapped his arms around her in return. They both had closed their eyes and relaxed into the hug.

They held each briefly until Finn broke the peace. "You mean I'm the best." They both chuckled and released their grip on each other.

"I missed this, I missed you," she whispered.

"So, did I. Can I give you a hand?"

She nodded with a grin but before they could move, a figure appeared through the cargo door.

"Excuse me, Mrs Solo, I don't mean to interrupt but your mother requests your presence in her office."

"Tell her I will be along shortly." He turned on his feet and left them alone as quick as he appeared.

"That's so weird. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to you being called that."

"You're telling me. Leia won't let me call her anything else since discovering I married her son, and all the new recruits have been ordered to not use my first name. She has been a little overbearing the last couple of days. Making sure I eat and drink regularly and take enough breaks. You should have seen her this morning when she saw me carrying one of the external panels that needed replacing. She nearly had a meltdown and demanded that I needed to take it easy. I might have to bring it up with her."

He shrugged. "You're her family now, she loves you, she's allowed to worry about you. Don't be too hard on her, you need to accept you now have a mother."

"I have a mother." She whispered in disbelief as she considered his insight. "You're probably right. I'll just have to get used to it."

She stood up and brushed the dirt that had collected on her pants from lying on the floor. As she turned to leave she called over her shoulder. "When I'm finished with Leia, would you like to meet me for lunch?"

He smiled, "I wouldn't miss it."

Rey made her way to Leia's office with no time to spare and an extra spring in her step. Before she had a chance to knock, she heard the familiar voice call out from within. "Come in, Sweetheart."

She smirked and wondered if Leia knew that Ben called her that too.

"How are you feeling?" Her eyes were shining as she gazed at Rey.

"Good, I think." Rey made her way into the room and took a seat.

"No dizziness, nausea, fatigue?"

"Not really, I'm a little tired I guess, but that's probably because I'm not sleeping too well."

"Maybe we should get the doctor to check you out."

"No, I'm fine. I promise."

"So, you don't feel any different?"

"I don't know, should I?"

"It's hard to say, everyone is different but with Ben I did, then again I may have been further along than you."

Rey furrowed her eyebrow in confusion. "I feel like I don't know what we are talking about."

Leia's eyes grew wide. "You don't know?"

"What am I meant to know? It's not something bad is it?"

"No dear child, it's something wonderful." Leia gracefully moved around her desk and crouched before Rey while clasping her hands gently. "Can't you feel the change in your signature?"

"No, but I have been struggling to connect with the force for a few days now. It's been making me feel sick."

"That's not what is making you feel sick. Rey, you're pregnant."

Rey's heartbeat started to race. "What? No, no I'm not." She was shaking her head and her breathing was becoming erratic. "I can't be, can I?"

Leia was calm and tilted her head with a grin. "Yes, you are, search your feelings, you know it's true."

"This just got more complicated. What about the plan? Please…you can't make me sit this one out. We are so close to bringing down the First Order."

Leia raised her hand and shook her head. "I would never expect you to. We will monitor your symptoms and it's important we keep this little development between ourselves and the doctor until the mission is complete. Plenty of women continue to work and exercise while pregnant but you need to know your limits."

Rey nodded without saying anything, trying to absorb what she was telling her.

Leia wrapped her arms around her. "I will be here to help you every step of the way. You're not alone." Leia held her until Rey's heartbeat and breathing had returned to normal.

Leia released her from the embrace and stood up. "Now, how long until the transport will be fully operational?"

The question snapped up Rey's attention from the worn area of the carpet that she had spent the last couple of minutes staring at. It seemed as if the question had allowed her to finally focus. "I only have the cargo door to fix and the last few wires in the control panel and we should be good to go as of tomorrow."

"Excellent. Are you ready for this?"

Rey placed her hand over her stomach and took a deep breath. "As ready as I'm ever going to be."