Chapter 19: The News
Briana looked around her father's battle station as a stormtrooper escorted her back to her father's private quarters. Briana had agreed to be tutored, but that didn't mean she had liked it. The woman was quick to expound on the sterling qualities of the First Order. Apparently she had no idea that Briana hated the First Order. We are the spark that strikes the flame that burns down the First Order, Briana thought remembering the dictum that Poe, Finn, and Beaumont, a technician among the Resistance had drilled in her.
Briana opened the door to her father's quarters. Her father sat at his desk and he looked up at her with a soft look in his eyes. Kylo stood and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her slender shoulders and pulling her into his chest. "How was school?" Kylo asked, pressing a kiss to her head.
"Okay, I guess, if I ever decided to hate my grandmother, uncle Luke, and friends," Briana said.
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Kylo asked, his voice heavy with amusement.
"So, where's Mother, Father?" Briana asked, raising her head and looking around the den.
"She is not feeling well. Her stomach has been bothering her lately," Kylo said.
"Oh. It was not the porg we had last night for dinner?" Briana asked, looking up at him. Kylo's lips twitched with a suppressed laugh.
"That I wouldn't think would as we ate it too," Kylo said, raising her face to kiss her forehead.
"Yeah, probably not. Chewbacca would be mortified if he knew that we ate porg last night. But then again he's also mortified if we accuse him of cheating at Dejarik," Briana said. A soft chuckle filled the cabin.
"He still cheats at that?" Kylo asked, running his hand gently through her dark hair.
"Yeah. Uncle Poe says it's because he's 250 years old that none of us can ever beat him. But you know he cheats, Father?" Briana asked as Kylo sat down and Briana sat on his knee.
"Yes, I do. I learned it the hard way when he beat me at the game and I was your age," Kylo said dryly.
"So you know how to play the game too?" Briana asked.
"Yes, I do. Your grandfather taught me the game when I was little," Kylo said.
"Now I wish we had a Dejarik board here," Briana said as Rey came out of the refresher, looking pale.
"How do you feel, Rey," Kylo asked, his brown eyes full of concern.
"My stomach feels a little queasy," Rey said, sitting down next to Kylo.
"Are you sure you're okay, Mother? You look as white as Hoth," Briana said.
"Thank you, darling," Rey said sarcastically.
"Rey, I think we should tell her," Kylo said.
"All right. Briana, do you remember when one Aunt Kaydel was pregnant?" Rey asked.
"Uh, yeah. She was sick to her stomach and Uncle Poe was so happy that he was gonna be a dad," Briana said.
"Well, me and your father are going to have a baby, darling," Rey said with a smile. Briana looked at first Kylo and then her mother.
"Really?" Briana asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, really," Kylo said, absently stroking Briana's hair.
"Is it hurting you to be pregnant, Mother?" Briana asked.
"No. It only hurts the day the baby will be born. And if the baby is anything like you, the kicking is going to be uncomfortable," Rey said in a teasing tone.
"Well, Grandmother said life is never easy when it comes to anyone named Solo," Briana said.
"She's not too far wrong, Briana. All my life I was told I was too much like your grandfather," Kylo said as Briana stood up.
"Well, I have some homework. See you at dinner," Briana said as she walked to her room.
Rey pressed her head to Ben's rock-hard chest and ran her fingers over the toned muscles in his arms. Ben absently played with her hair. "She took it rather well, Ben," Rey said, raising her head to look into her husband's dark eyes.
"Yes, she did. I am relieved she isn't jealous of the baby," Ben said, yet to remove his hand from her hair.
"Briana doesn't get jealous normally," Rey said, the gentle fingers on her head starting to make her feel sleepy. Rey leaned forward and kissed Ben tenderly. Ben kissed her back, framing her face tenderly with his large hands.
"I love you, Rey," Ben whispered against her mouth between kisses. Rey felt safe and happy in her husband's love, but she also felt a little wary. Ben's temper being what it was, how did she know he wouldn't hurt her again like when Briana was born? Ben loved her, but that love could turn to anger if she crossed him. And he had already hurt their daughter by wiping her memories. Thankfully he had put them back when Rey had protested. But what was to stop him from doing it again and locking Rey up like he had threatened?
