AN: Well...here it is. the last chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed- you're very dear to me!
Five Years Later
"Clara and Kit are both sleeping." Ben announced as he strolled into their bedroom, finding her sitting on the edge of the bed brushing out her hair. "Did Eseme go down alright?"
"She fussed about as much as you'd expect a child half way through her terrible twos to do." Rey smiled at him. She set the brush aside, and reached for him. "But she's sleeping soundly now."
Kit was exactly as Rey's vision had shown him to be; exactly his father's double apart from his mother's eyes. He was a calm natured child, curious, eager to learn, and a bit sensitive. Rey had a feeling that Kit was much like the child Ben had been before Snoke got so wrapped around his mind. He was a wonderful, happy boy, and she'd die before she let anyone harm him the way that Ben had been harmed.
Clara was thriving, and she was an absolutely beautiful little girl. She looked remarkably similar to her grandmother, though she had a number of her mother's features. She was adventurous, and daring, and came inside after playing with more scrapes and ripped clothes than her brother ever did, because she'd simply had to climb that tree to see a nest at the top, or she'd had to crawl beneath the tall grass to follow the small, furry creature she'd sensed in the force. She showed no sign of the darkness that had gripped her in her infancy. Her force signature was like that of her parents. Gray. Balanced.
Esme had come just when Rey had expected she would, thanks to that vision. It'd been a rainy day when Rey had been cleaning up a mess that Clara had made with paints that she had looked up to see Ben tucking her lovingly into her little bed, and she'd had an overwhelming feeling of want. Desire for another one to love the way that she loved Clara, the way that she loved Kit. To grow her family. To make the choice to do it. She'd caught Ben's eye, and in an instant he'd seen her thoughts and he nodded. SHe'd had her implant removed the next day, and two months later they'd felt the slight stirring in the force. Esme had been born the most like her mother of any of their children, with soft brown hair and green eyes; but she had her father's ears, ears that Rey loved dearly.
"You look beautiful." He said as he sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her. "I like the way you look in my clothes." He pinched the black tunic she'd stolen from his wardrobe to sleep in. "Some habits never die, do they?" He kissed the line of her neck and she sighed contentedly.
"It's a little pleasure." She cupped his cheek with her hand, and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. "Your mother called while you were with Clara and Kit down at the lake."
"Oh?"
"She and your father have decided to relocate. They wondered if they might be able to let that cottage on the other side of the lake." She ran her fingers through his hair, and he almost vibrated with simple pleasure.
"I don't see why they wouldn't be able to. The owner's been meaning to sell. I can give them the information to contact her tomorrow." Ben said. "They want to move here?"
"Yes. SOmething about needing to be closer to family, having full time access to their perfect grandchildren, lending me a hand in about eight months when I'm sure I'll be frightfully overwhelmed." She bit her lip and waited.
"It would be nice to have them around more. Clara was just asking when they'd be coming to visit again. And I know Kit would love to help dad with some tinkering with...the…" Suddenly he opened his eyes and looked at her curiously. "Lending you a hand in about eight months." He repeated, and she nodded. "Why are you going to be frightfully overwhelmed in eight months?"
"Well, One new baby would be a handful, but two new babies-"
"You're pregnant?" He asked, a bit bewildered. "BUt I haven't felt anything- I didnt-"
"Oh- right. I've been shielding their signatures with mine so I could surprise you." She grinned as she dropped her cloak, and he let out a kind of joyus sob as he sunk to the floor to get eye level with her belly.
"Their...force...signatures. Twins- you- you're pregnant with twins? With my twins?" He asked, still a bit disbelieving.
"Of course they're your twins; between mothering our children and making love to you every night, when would I find the time to have an affair?" She teased, but he didn't much react. "Ben?"
"What happened to your implant?" He finally managed, still staring at her flat stomach.
"The doctor told me that implants are ninety nine point eight nine percent effective. I suppose with the amount of time we spend in bed, or I suppose the shower- or even the floor, we can't beat those odds." SHe teased again, and then frowned. "Are you upset?"
"What?"
"You seem so...are you unhappy?" SHe asked anxiously, and in a moment he had her on her back, and he was kissing her fiercely.
"Upset? No- not at all!" He assured her between soft kisses. "But I don't think I've ever been more surprised. Your force cloaking has come a long way- i didn't feel a thing, and they're already active in the force."
"You're happy?"
"Thrilled." He grinned at her, and moved down her body to kiss her stomach. "This does ruin your plan though, doesn't it?"
"Hm?"
"You'd planned on four. Two boys, two girls." He slowly kissed his way back up to her mouth.
"Even the best laid plans can go awry." She smirked at him. "And I can hardly be upset about an extra blessing, can I? I already love them."
"I do too." He kissed her for what could have been the thousandth time that night, and still her heart fluttered with the thrill of his lips pressed against hers. "I want to say thank you, but I know you'll hit me." He teased, and she rolled her eyes. "But you really have given me everything, Rey. I'm so, so grateful."
"Yeah?" She reached up to stroke his hair again. "Well, as it turns out I'm rather grateful to you to. And incredibly fond. MOre than fond, really. You might even go so far as to say I'm madly in love with you."
"Still?" He asked, his voice hopeful and sure.
"Always." She promised, and this time, she kissed him.