Chapter 18- Apologies

Rey came out of the quarters Ben had put their daughter in, to see her husband sitting on the settee. He stood, his brown eyes like liquid when they met hers. "Did I hurt her?" Ben asked.

"No more than you did me when I was carrying her, Ben. But, Ben, Briana is more frightened than hurt. Your temper scares her," Rey said as her husband walked to her and she stroked his face and hair. The silky dark strands slid through her fingers like shimmer silk. It was the same way before Rey had left. Ben gripped her hand and pressed his lips to the palm.

"I never wanted you or Briana scared of me, my love," Ben said.

"Then tell Briana you are sorry. Briana is too frightened to even come near you," Rey said, raising on her toes and kissing her husband's lips lightly.

Ben sighed deeply. "You are right, Rey. I'll go talk to her," Ben said, releasing her hand and making his way to their daughter's quarters.


Kylo looked around the room, his daughter laying down on the bed. If he hadn't heard the sounds of her crying, he would have sworn she was asleep. "Briana?" Kylo asked, running his fingers through his daughter's dark hair.

Briana sat up, her brown eyes like liquid glass as she looked at him with a "what now?" look. "Briana, I am sorry. You shouldn't have disrespected me, but I should have handled it better," Kylo said as he scooped her up and settled her on his lap, pressing her head to his chest.

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and onto his quilted doublet. "Father, please. I just wanna go home," Briana said in a watery voice.

"You are home, sweetheart. You are home," Kylo said, her words breaking his heart.

"Not what I meant, Father, and you know it. I wanna go home to Grandmother and my friends. Uncle Finn said he was gonna teach me how to fight like a stormtrooper and Uncle Poe was gonna give me lessons on guns and X-wings," Briana said. Kylo gently stroked her face and hair gently.

"No. You are my daughter. I lost you and your mother once and I'm never going to again," Kylo said, kissing the top of her head gently. Kylo sat there for what seemed like hours, stroking his daughter's face and hair until she fell asleep in his arms. He gently picked her up and put her back on her bed. With the Force, he covered her with a blanket and kissed her forehead gently.


Rey looked up from her spot on the settee as her husband came in from their daughter's quarters. The pained look on Ben's face was enough to break her heart. "Ben?" Rey asked as she went to him and gently stroked his face and ran her fingers through his hair.

"She wants nothing from me. I am her father, but she respects the traitor and the pilot more than she does me," Ben said, his voice breaking slightly.

"Ben, give her time. She'll grow to love you if you don't force her to," Rey said, wrapping strands of his hair around her fingers.

"Like I had to give you," Ben said. Rey smiled and kissed him gently.

"Yes, just like me. My love and hers could come back to you if you don't treat us like prisoners," Rey said.

"You are right, my love. I am sorry," Ben said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her tenderly. Rey kissed him back, twisting her fingers into his hair.


The next few months were calm. Briana had started to behave herself around Kylo, and to his happy surprise, had taken the tutor he had paid for. Granted, he didn't think his daughter loved him like she did the pilot or the traitor, but Rey had been right when she told him Briana might if he didn't force the issue. With Rey it was different. Rey had accepted that he was her husband and that he would keep her away from their daughter if she didn't. Kylo looked up from his desk as Rey came into his study from the refresher. Rey had been feeling sick for the past few days and she raised her hand to her mouth.

"Rey? Are you all right?" Kylo asked. Rey looked at him, barely suppressing a grimace.

"I think so, Ben. I should be fine in a couple of months at least," Rey said.

"What's in a couple of months?" Kylo asked, feeling incredibly dense to even ask.

Rey gave him the "Are you stupid?" look that Kylo found almost adorable. Almost. "Ben, have you forgotten how I felt when I was pregnant with Briana?" Rey asked.

Kylo felt as if someone had cut him off at the knees with a lightsaber. "Rey, you...we-" Kylo started to say.


Rey looked at the dumbfounded and happy look crossing her husband's face as he stammered. "Yes, Ben, I'm pregnant," Rey said slowly as if he was five and slow on the uptake.

Ben put his hand on her still-flat stomach. "Are you all right? Do you need something to eat? Something else to wear to keep you and the baby warmer?" Ben asked, his "father" gear kicking in.

"Ben, I'm pregnant. I'm not fine dishware and thinking of eating is making me feel sick," Rey said, her traitorous stomach rebelling against her at the thought of food.

Ben rubbed her flat stomach tenderly. " I am sorry for suggesting it. I love you, Rey," Ben said, kissing her gently.

"Ben, how are we going to tell Briana?" Rey asked as Ben pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on top of her head, his fingers idly playing with her hair. Ben had insisted that Rey keep her hair down as he loved playing with it and considered it too much of a bother to keep taking the pins out.

"We'll figure out something, Rey. I am just so happy. I want a son," Ben said, kissing her forehead tenderly.

"It could be another girl, Ben," Rey teased.

"I know that, but I'm hoping for a boy," Ben said, causing Rey to laugh with him