Sorry these chapters are taking so long! I been busy, had writers block, and school is about to pick back up for me! Thanks for hanging on with my slow ass! thanks!

Rey let her hair down and stripped down to a shirt and her underwear. The night was still a bit stuffy and she knew it would be warm in the tent being in such close quarters. Rey crawled in the tiny tent first and Ben followed. The two of them immediately turned towards eachother and Rey snuggled in close to his bare chest. His arm went instinctively around her. There was so much they both wanted to say, but just couldn't. So they held eachother close instead.

Rey fell asleep a few minutes later and Ben lay there wide awake, too anxious to rest properly. Instead he soaked in every moment he had with her and gently ran his hand up and down her side in a loving way. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head, holding them there a moment, taking in her scent. He didn't want to leave her, he wanted to take care of her always. But she was right. Without his 'death' their child was in danger. He had to do this to protect his soon to be family. He could go back to being Kylo with a little bit of effort, shoot he'd played that part for how long? Yes people would believe him surely, he could tell the rest of the troops an altered version of what happened and how he had to lay low awhile. He'd have to get in contact with Palpatine again as well and that made his skin crawl. That weird, hardly human anymore, man was one of the more disturbing things he'd ever come in contact with in the galaxy. How someone so good and beautiful could be in the same bloodline as him he would never understand. Yet here he was with Skywalker and Solo blood in his veins and he had been the one that had turned dark and corrupted...it hardly made sense. It was like the two of them had switched roles in destiny somehow.

Rey turned facing away from him and he pulled her back into himself, resting his hand on her belly. The way their bodies fit together so perfectly just made his heart ache. When was the next time he would be able to do this? Would his child already be born by then? What if something happened while she was giving birth and he wasn't there to help? He knew he could drive himself crazy with these thoughts so he tried to stop and just focus on the here and now and enjoy being able to keep his arm around Rey...even if tonight was the last time.

The next morning came all too quickly and Ben found himself packed, ship ready to go, and dressed in his old all black attire. All before the sun had fully risen. The full suite was unbearably warm in this climate and he was happy to not have to wear his mask at this moment. He was even more somber than usual as he turned to Rey to tell her goodbye. She looked sadly at him a moment.

"We'll see eachother again. This is going to work. It has to." She said sounding as if she was trying to convince herself more than him. He clenched his jaw and nodded. He couldn't find the words he wanted so desperately to say to her.

"I...guess I better go..." he managed out. Rey nodded and awkwardly looked at him. He walked towards his ship, anxiety and sadness overwhelming him.

"Ben," Rey called out. He turned just in time to catch her as she ran and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his middle and tangling her fingers in his hair. She leaned in for a desperate kiss that he returned instantly. God he could kiss her like this forever...he turned them and pressed her back against the side of his ship to better balance her and continued their kiss . She finally pulled back to get a breath and Ben found he could speak.

"Next time you see me...that's how I want you to greet me," his eyes looked all over her face taking in every detail. She placed her hands on either side of his jaw and nodded.

"Exactly like this," she promised. She put her forehead against his for a moment and he closed his eyes.

"Take care of my baby while I'm gone," he said quietly.

"Our baby," she corrected him. He smiled.

"Our baby..."

She gave him one more soft kiss and he finally let her down. He got in his small fighter and closed the door, watching Rey back up as he started the engine. He raised the ship up in the air, thankfully it had taken hardly any damage on its way down. With one last glance at her, he typed in the coordinates to the planet he believes he may find the first order at, and quickly took off before anyone else on this planet would spot him and try to follow.

With that...he was gone. Rey sighed and looked around. The only sign he was ever here was the remains of the campfire. She rubbed her arms trying to comfort himself. God she hoped this worked and she hadn't just sent Ben to his death.

Rey slowly made her way back to camp before everyone had started getting up and dressed and snuck back into her tent with little difficulty. How was she supposed to go about her day acting as of everything is fine when obviously it wasn't? She could lose Ben...she could quite literally have just given him a goodbye kiss forever. She just hoped he would contact her as soon as he was safe.

Ben was not surprised to find he was right about where to find the first order. As he landed in the docking bay of the large flagship, he wasn't immediately shot or bombed down so he figured that was a good start. A few troopers did come surround the ship, but he knew that was to be done with everything that entered the bay. He took a deep breath in and out then clipped his lightsaber to him, put his mask on that he had kept in the ship this whole time, and climbed out.

The troopers immediately stepped back when they saw it was him.

"Sir, we've been anticipating your arrival and have been asked to accompany you to the control room," one stormtrooper captain said.

"Excellent," Ben said trying to sound confident and walked with the trooper. Once they walked through the door, Ben was greeted by the familiar faces of the first order crew. Many of them welcomed him back politely, a few remained silent, and a woman he recognized but never really talked to walked briskly up to him.

"Welcome back sir, I've been in command since you left, we didn't now if you were coming back-"

"Of course I was. That traitorous General Pryde wounded me but I'm healed now and fit to run my ship again."

"Of course, sir."

"Have all the remaining mutinous troopers been dealt with?"

"We found all but two of them, sir. The ones we captured have been executed and we still have a patrol out for the other two."

"Excellent. They have my permission to fire on sight if found."

She did a slight bow and walked off quickly.

Well that went surprisingly well. Almost too well. Did no one wonder where he'd gone? They certainly hadn't tried to find him. He wondered if perhaps they were simply hoping he wouldn't show back up.

He had a feeling that was exactly it.

"Lieutenant," he called after her. She stopped and turned abruptly looking slightly scared.

"I need to rest in my quarters for a few hours. Keep an eye on the ship in my absence."

"Yes sir," she looked relieved.

Ben walked back to his quarters and removed his helmet, taking a deep breath in, he hated to admit it...but he was happy to see his room again. To sleep on an actual bed and eat real food...and take a hot shower, that was what he wanted to do most right now. He striped down and threw all of his old under clothes in the trash, then set the rest of his outfit aside to send down to laundry.

Stepping into the hot shower was the most amazing feeling, he scrubbed at his wild mane and washed his body off twice, then simply stood letting the hot water run over him, closing his eyes.

Once he finally decided to get out and was dried and redressed, he lay in his bed and spread out. It was so comfortable and familiar...he clenched his fists gathering up some of the blankets in his hand and closed his eyes again. If only Rey was here...she could be warm, clean, and comfortable with him...he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and bring her here with him...but he couldn't. He would have to survive this alone. At least for now.