**AN: I am 90% sure of where I am going with this fic and we are maybe halfway finished. That might change depending on how much or little my favorite couple wants to talk.

I have most of the major scenes planned out. So I will probably finish even if I don't hear much. But, that said, any comment makes me happy. Even if it's a smiley face, or something like 'I wish that Ben would look at me like that.**

Last time on WO: Rey is sitting up on her own and she realizes Ben doesn't have a boyfriend. (And Poe is sad about this, trust me)

Luke decided to wait until after meditation with his students to find Ben. He would give Rey some alone time to compose herself. Poor girl, as if Ben had eyes for anyone else. For once, he was one of the ones that had a hard time centering himself. He was thinking back to how it felt to heal Rey, to be let into that barrier. It was nothing like he'd seen before. Rey was strong with the force. And she was learning it in her own way at an astounding rate. Luke had never felt such a pure, heady sense from healing someone and it made him glad that he'd learned to heal so he could be in this place to help her. Almost proud of himself, but that wouldn't do, so he tried harder to concentrate.

An hour later, he left some of the older students to run drills and help the younger, and headed off to the mess hall. A large cup of caf was definitely in order. He spotted Leia and Han and wove through the tables with his caf and toast. He almost hated to interrupt them, Leia definitely looked comfortable leaning against Han, a content smile on her face.

"Where's Ben?" He asked, settling himself across the table from them.

"Still sleeping, thankfully. He was so tired, the worry was getting to him as well. The circles under his eyes were almost black," Leia answered, frowning.

"Well hopefully a lot of worry is about to be off his shoulders," explained the healing and Rey's progress but couldn't stop from blurting out. "Rey thought that he had a boyfriend. And that it was Poe at that. I don't know how she knew that Poe was even here. Poor girl really did think that he was interested in someone else. That boy only has eyes for her."

Han snorted, then laughed until he was holding his stomach. "Poe Dameron? Really? Now, Poe would be all over that in a heartbeat. But Ben? Even if he did like boys, Poe would irritate the hell out of him in a relationship. I think Ben might actually kill him as soon as kiss him." Han guffawed again until Leia elbowed him sharply in the side.

" Oh, what a mess. I can't believe that something I said caused all of this," Leia said. Her face was alternating between guilt and amusement. Han could have sworn that she muttered 'Poe Dameron. Force help us all.'

"What about Poe?" Ben asked, sneaking up all three of them somehow.

"Uh, just that it was nice of him and his mom to help us out," Han said, at least having the decency to look a little sheepish.

"Oh, okay. He left this morning, something top secret, you know. Not sure who decided he was high enough in leadership to help keep us alive. " Ben said, picking at his food.

They all laughed, but in reality as much of a flirt and goofball Poe could be, he was a killer pilot and had a head for tactics and leadership.

"Finish eating. Really eating, then walk with me," Luke requested after a minute of silence.

"Alright," Ben shoved some eggs in his mouth, raising his eyebrows. "Are we talking about what you and Chewie found on Onderon?" Ben asked.

"That will be later, I want to show you something," Luke looked pointedly at Ben's plate. He was tired of seeing Ben not taking care of himself. He understood to a certain extent but if he could try to help, no matter how annoying Ben found it, he would.

Sure enough, Ben rolled his eyes, but picked up some bacon. He ate that and a piece of toast. He stood and walked towards the door, not giving Luke a chance for further bartering. He didn't know if what he was going to tell him had to do with Rey or not. He had a feeling it might. Soon after he'd laid down in his room, he was bombarded with sensation and emotion. He wasn't sure what happened, but it didn't feel like she was in any more pain than usual. And it didn't have the darkness and signature of the Sith. So, he tried to let her have her privacy. He was woken up again before dawn with a mixture of disbelief, elation, triumph and then trepidation. Whatever she was feeling must have been big since she'd kept her shields pretty tight these days.

Luke caught up with him and matched Ben's pace. Ben was headed towards Rey's room, and Luke didn't argue. After a couple of beats he told Ben about the healing and how Rey had woken up with so much progress so quickly.

Ben was relieved. The progress had been so slow, and major progress like this was great news. "Thank you, Luke. She wouldn't be alive much less getting back full use of her body if it wasn't for you."

Luke only nodded, trying to push down that sense of pride once again. This was more pure though since it was in the fact that he was able to help his nephew. He felt so much more drawn back to the light and less conflicted since Rey had come along, and it felt like the more tangible thing he'd been able to do for Ben in a long time. Ben was so much stronger in the force than Luke, and he mastered forms and weapons so naturally.

"Can I see her?" Ben whispered.

"She agreed this morning. She just needed a little more time to herself this morning. She's taxed physically right now, and mentally from the healing and all of the shielding. Probably emotionally as well. You two have a lot to talk about," Luke finished cryptically. Ben might have pressed for more answers but they were nearly to her door. "Well, I will leave you to it. We will be around later to talk about what Han and Chewie found and what our next steps will be."

Ben had already lengthened his strides and was knocking on her door. He heard a faint 'come in' and his heart raced, he felt a deep sense of relief and he couldn't' stop the goofy grin from spreading across his face. He was still expecting to be denied, built himself up for it actually because his emotions were so all over the place anyways that he didn't want to deal with unexpected disappointment of the thing that could hurt him the most right now. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Even though Luke has told him about how well she had been doing, seeing it and feeling it was so different.

Rey was sitting up in bed, fiddling with a string on her blanket. She was beautiful, dressed in Jedi training robes instead of the gowns she'd worn for months. Her hair was braided in a style he knew his mom had done for her. It was a traditional Nabooian style and Ben used to beg her to teach him. He wandered off-handedly if he could still do it, and decided if the progress of Rey letting him in continued, maybe he could try it on her. She wasn't hooked up to any tubes and she was looking so healthy it took his breath away.

He just stood there, staring. She still hadn't met his eyes and he probed their bond. He felt relief, embarrassment, determination and a twinge of desire all swirling together and he reveled in her presence. It had only been days, but he missed her being open to him. It connected him to her in a way that was so intimate and made him feel so complete.

"Can I come sit with you?" Ben asked quietly. He could look at her all day and be happy but he felt so drawn to her, he felt like he could never be close enough. Rey finally met his eyes and nodded once. She still hadn't let go of the string, and he felt a strong surge of anxiety from her. He sent a wave of comfort and stability as he walked over to her. Ben never let the contact with Rey's hazel eyes drop until he grabbed a chair to sit by the bed.

"Could you maybe sit with me? I mean, if you want."

Ben definitely wanted, in fact he couldn't think of anything else that he wanted more in that moment. He pushed the chair aside, maybe a little too quickly to pull off any semblance of chill, but he didn't particularly care. He sat down close, but not too close, not wanting to crowd her or make any assumptions. He felt a contentment pulse from their bond-both sides of it- and couldn't help himself, he took her hand in his. He still marveled at how small she was, and how his hand enveloped hers was just another example. She squeezed his hand, and Ben smiled, still in awe of the strength she's developed over time as well as since he'd seen her last.

"So, um. Did you hear that I thought you had a boyfriend?" Rey whispered.

"You what?" Ben coughed out, eyes bugging a bit.

"Well, your mom was helping get me cleaned up and she mentioned that you had met someone worthy of you…"

"Rey!" Ben interrupted. "You must know…"

"No wait, let me finish. Well, when she said that I immediately fell back in the pattern of thinking that I was a nobody. You are such a good, sweet person-who treats me with such respect and gentleness. You don't expect anything from me, and I just didn't grow up like that. And I know that with your hair, and your face, and how you are so strong and able you are, anyone would be so lucky to have you. So, when I heard your mom say that, I just got upset. Because I'd hoped that you might share how I felt about you," she trailed off, blushing. She traced patterns on his hand and it seemed to fascinate her.

"I do!" Ben blurted out much louder than he meant to.

"You do? Luke said something and I thought that he must be mistaken."

"Yes, Rey. You are everything to me. I want you in every way you'll give me. I love your mind, your humor, your determination, your empathy, the fact that you don't judge people, and that you are kind. And, I think that you're beautiful. Your hair is so soft, you are so warm and some of the best memories I have are ones that I spent holding you, or laying by your side talking to you. I love your freckles, your scars that show your determination to fight for your life and show how strong you are. I love our bond and how connected I feel to you. It was a bit hard to get used to, but now I don't know which way is up when our walls are closed off. But now I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't mean to make you feel hurt or uncomfortable by shielding our connection. I was just trying to be a good friend to you and not let you know that I was disappointed that you had someone romantically, that it couldn't be me."

"Wait, back up. What do you mean; my hair and my face?" It was Ben's turn to look shy and uncertain. He'd heard so much negative about himself except by Poe, but he was a bit stuck that Rey mentioned that mixed in with what she liked about him. "No, wait, nevermind you don't have to say it."

"I, um. Well I just mean how handsome you are. That someone would be lucky because they not only get the heart of you, what I love most. They get a great listener, someone who asks great questions, is a fantastic teacher with so much patience. Also someone who is so smart, you know so much about the force, the senate, ships, books, well just everything. But on top of all that they would have someone so heartbreakingly handsome as you. I love your eyes, the way your hair curls, the way your face softens when you laugh."

It was Ben's turn for his face and ears to turn bright red. It was so opposite of what he'd heard so much the last few years, but he could feel nothing but sincere honesty through the bond that he couldn't doubt what she said.

He cleared his throat and drew himself up. He didn't want there to be any doubt, no question about how he felt, and what he hoped that their friendship was and would evolve into- if she felt the same and would have him. He was fairly certain that she did, but that nagging doubt wanted to hear her say it. So he took both of her hands in his and looked in her eyes, opening the bond as wide as he could. He put his feelings, his conviction at what he was going to say and brushed up against the thread of their connection.

"Rey, I know that I am young, and I have limited life experience. I've only seen the example of my parents, and while they are not perfect, I know that they love each other. They put aside every difference and make it work for them. So, I know that in as much as I understand love, that is what I feel for you."

Rey's side of the bond went blank for a few seconds- ones that felt like years- before opening up again. She was shocked but giddy. "Ben, I feel the same way."

"Can I kiss you, Rey?" Ben asked, cupping her face, and inching closer. She nodded and leaned forward to meet him. Their lips touched and Ben shivered. He'd witnessed this second hand in a dream, but nothing could have prepared him for the exhilaration and rightness he felt, sharing the same air, and doing something tangible to show his feelings. He was glad that he'd never experienced this before, because he knew that nothing would ever come close to the way he felt with Rey in that moment. He opened his mouth a bit, and sucked on her bottom lip, and she groaned. That went straight to his lower abdomen and he tried to calm himself. This wasn't purely sexual, more a chaste agreement of the words they'd spoken.

Rey had seen people kiss before, and she never really saw the point before her dream of Ben kissing her. But the dream kiss in no way could have prepared her for the emotions that flooded her when his lips met hers in reality. After his mouth did that thing to her lip that sent heat to her core he pulled away to meet her eyes. She was pretty sure he was checking her reaction but she had no patience for that. She threaded her hands through his hair, and tugged him back to her. He gently gave her a closed mouth kiss, but she wanted to try what he'd done. She angled her head a bit and caught his upper lip between hers and put gentle pressure before sticking her tongue out and licking.

He jumped and pulled back again. "Oh, Force! Rey!"

"I'm sorry. Shouldn't I have done that? You didn't like it?' Rey asked quietly. Their faces were only inches apart and though she wanted to do it again, she didn't want to disappoint him.

"No, Rey. I liked it. Maybe a little too much, in fact."

Rey wasn't sure why you would like something that awesome too much, but she shrugged and leaned back on the pillow.

"I want to do it again, believe me but…" Ben was interrupted by a knock at the door. "I felt Luke and my parents coming," he finished, gesturing to the door.

Rey's eyes widened in understanding. "Come in," she called. She wished that she could just force lock the door, and claim she was in the shower or something but then realized the implications of that particular lie. They knew that Ben was with her. Not that she thought she would mind being naked in the shower together, especially if they could keep kissing like that.

Ben's eyebrows raised and he gave her a look at the flavor of her thoughts. He took a deep breath and tried to push that away.

Damn his parents and Luke. They couldn't even properly enjoy his first kiss. No, wait.

They hadn't taken that from him. He'd enjoyed it thoroughly, he just wanted to keep doing it. Over and over. And that train of thought along with Rey's desire and frustration wasn't helping. He took deep breaths but couldn't help shooting a glaring look at Han. Surely he would have had his back and tried to stall this conversation.

Han raised an eyebrow at his son's look, then glanced back and forth between Ben and Rey. Their slightly flushed faces, and Ben's dreamy overall look despite the one that he'd just recieved. Han shrugged and tilted his head towards Leia and Luke as if to say 'sorry kid. Can't control them.'

Ben smiled and returned Han's shrug.

After all they had all night if Rey would let them.

**AN: and so the slow burn begins.**