Six Months Into Pregnancy
The baby was a traitor.
Aurelia angrily squirmed in bed and tried to squash down her annoyance. The girl in her abdomen was active most of the time, but became near frantic when Kylo Ren was around. She expressed her feeling of betrayal to the supreme leader, but he only shrugged and suggested the baby sensed the strong Force radiating off of him. Doubting it, Aurelia had ignored the comment and moodily finished her second plate of lunch.
Now she curled in Hux's bed, sighing and playing holograms of him, happy to hear his voice, even if it was ranting passionately about military prowess or victory. Millicent jumped onto the bed and curled against her belly. The cat purred and rolled over, batting playfully at the phantom image of her master. At least the cat knew enough to miss Hux, Aurelia thought bitterly. She let tears leak from her eyes unchecked. Even if she wasn't pregnant, Hux's death would have left her feeling just as empty. How could life go on? In a matter of months he changed her perspective and freed her from all that she knew. He loved her and the galaxy was a worse off place without his ruling hand.
Aurelia petted Millicent and let her arm rest against her large stomach. No, she couldn't raise a Force child on her own, but the bond her daughter would surely form with Kylo Ren was one that should have been reserved for Hux.
The Force giveth and the Force taketh away.
The next evening Aurelia stared Kylo Ren down across the mess hall table. "It's been months and I feel like all we ever talk about is the baby. I think it's time I know something about you, if you're going to have a part in my daughter's life."
Ren shrugged and stared back.
Aurelia leaned forward on the table, determined to drag something out of him. "Hux said you have a girl out there."
Ren bristled, then relaxed. "I guess."
Pleased to have an answer, she sat back and dug back into her gargantuan plate of vegetables. "What's she like?"
"Fiery. Strong. Stubborn." He poked at his food uneasily.
Aurelia smiled. "I like that you didn't say pretty. That says a lot about a man."
Ren scoffed and looked up defiantly. "She is beautiful. And clever. But it's more important that she's who she is."
"Does she know you're taking care of a pregnant widow? I'd hate for her to be jealous for no reason. I've already felled one high ranking First Order official. I may be cursed." Aurelia gave him a warning look, then snickered.
"She knows."
"Not going to tell me who she is? Fine. Hux said you're a good fit, for what it's worth." At least it was some sort of connection. Aurelia finished her dinner and yawned. She stood. "Have a good night, Supreme Leader."
He stood and reached out toward her stomach hesitantly. "May I?"
"Of course." She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her swollen belly. Inside something twisted and stretched, pushing against her belly into his palm. He watched in wonder and held his hand closer.
"What can you tell?" Aurelia asked anxiously.
Ren shook his head. "I – I don't know. She's healthy. She doesn't have thoughts yet. I've never tried to read something so young. It's different." He narrowed his eyes and lowered his head as if he was listening. "It's strange, isn't it?" A small smile was at his lips.
So maybe he wasn't her husband. Maybe Hux was gone and her time with him was short. Aurelia took a deep breath and allowed herself to smile as the baby turned excitedly in her stomach. Life was going to turn around and she'd soldier on somehow.
Hux would have accepted nothing less of her.
It was business as usual on the bridge later that day until a familiar voice crackled through an open communication channel.
"Supreme Weeper Crylo Ren, please. Contacting Crylo Ren."
Ren's head snapped to the console. Dameron. His mother's prized pet pilot. Cocky bastard.
"Supreme Leader, I presume he's asking for you," a lieutenant said, not daring to laugh at the Rebel on the other end.
Ren marched to the console, ignoring the smirks from the fat old generals. "Dameron. What do you want? I called off the search for your band of traitors and half-wit fighters months ago. Whatever you have to say is a waste of my time."
Poe made a disappointed tsk. "Leia says I'm supposed to tell you I'm a better son than you ever were."
Ren snarled at the transmission and desperately wished he could reach out and throttle the cocky pilot.
"Yeah, listen. I've got one of your guys."
His lip curled further. "FN-2187 has traitor friends? How unsurprising. If a defector found their way to you, keep them. Kill them. I don't care." He motioned to an officer to check the files.
"Nah," Dameron's voice came. "He's very much not a traitor. You wanna talk to him?"
"I don't give a shit who it is. If they're stupid enough to be captured, keep them." He glanced to the officer, who was shrugging at the roster.
"All accounted for," she replied in confusion.
"Hugs, I guess he don't wanna talk to you."
"Hux?" Ren spat. "Grand Marshal Hux is dead. What are you trying to do? Distract us? Stall us? I should have destroyed you when I had the time."
"Ren. Let me speak to Aurelia."
Ren's blood ran cold. It was a dead man speaking.