Epilogue

Three Years Later

Ben and Rey Solo Performing Live For The First Time

Ben Solo, formerly known as Kylo Ren, and Rey Solo will be performing together for the first time tonight at Carnegie Hall. Their popular transformative collaboration Solo Duets was released nearly six months ago to both critical and popular acclaim. The album recently crossed the Gold threshold and if the momentum continues, could be on track to reach platinum by the end of the year. Gwen Phasma, manager of the couple, states both Ben and Rey are looking forward to the performance.

Tonight's performance will also mark the couple's return to the public since their marriage last month. The couple's unusual romance began when Rey was living homeless in New York City while Ben was still a student at Juilliard, before his infamous deal with the late Snoke.

Snoke's untimely passing nearly spelled the end for Ben, who was arrested several days after his manager's death on charges of manslaughter. Ben was acquitted after several months of testimony when photographs of the abuse he had endured at the hands of his former manager convinced the jury his punch to Snoke had been an act of self-defense….

Ben jumped at a knock on the door, looking up from his phone. Rey stood before he could and opened the door.

Gwen stood on the other side, her head cocked and eyebrows raised, looking between them.

"It's showtime."

Ben saw Rey swallow hard as she nodded. He tossed his phone onto the chair as he stood, walking over to her with a smile.

"Mrs. Solo, are you nervous?"

He grabbed her hands to tug her towards him. Rey made a puff of surprise as she bumped into Ben. He leaned down to kiss her, but she turned her head away.

"No! My lipstick!" she said, laughing when he nuzzled her neck instead, holding her hands behind her back.

"Hey!"

Gwen clapped her hands.

Ben looked up, amused at the annoyance on his friend's face as she glared at him. Rey's cheeks flushed as she gently tugged her hands out of Ben's grasp.

"Sorry, Gwen," she said, smoothing her hands down her dress.

Gwen waved a hand at them. "I know you just got married, but we have a full house tonight. Also, and I cannot stress this enough, I do not want to see you two making out."

Ben walked past Gwen, tugging Rey behind him. He smiled and winked at the disgruntled blonde.

"I make no promises."

Gwen rolled her eyes before turning on her heel and striding down the hallway.

Rey's hand felt limp in his. Frowning, he stopped, ignoring the huff from Gwen when she noticed they were no longer following.

"Are you alright?" He looked between Rey's eyes, trying to read her expression as she bit her lip.

"It's—I haven't performed in a long time." She cleared her throat. "Not by myself that is."

Ben's heart gave an odd thump. He reached up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing his thumb along her cheekbone. "You're not by yourself. You have me. I'll be there, facing you the entire time. And don't forget, this is the first time I've performed in three years. You've at least been on stage with the Philharmonic."

Rey nodded. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. "You're right. I don't know where these nerves came from."

Ben leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her lips, careful not to smudge her lipstick.

A corner of her mouth tipped up when he pulled away. "How did you do this for three years all by yourself?"

He squeezed her hand, telling her a detail he hadn't ever mentioned before. "I thought of you. I looked at pictures of you. I allowed myself to wonder where you were and what you were up to."

Her eyes turned sad, but he shook his head. "No. You don't understand. You are the only thing that kept me sane those three years. I don't honestly know what I would have done if I had had to endure Snoke before I had met you."

Even though it had been three years—and many therapy sessions—since Snoke's death, the mention of his name still sent a mixture of anger and guilt flooding through Ben's veins.

He shook his head, trying to shake Snoke out of his mind.

"Not to mention," he said, "you are a better pianist than I could ever hope to be."

Rey snorted, looking away.

Ben rolled his eyes and continue on, not having enough time for that argument.

"You are going to light up the stage, and people will finally realize that you're the one worth paying attention to. Every ear will be turned in your direction."

Rey bit the corner of her mouth, looking like she was trying not to smile.

"I really love you, you know that?"

He smiled back when she stood on tip toe to kiss him.

Pulling away far too soon, she walked around him, tugging his hand.

"Ok. I'm ready. Let's do this."

They started walking behind Gwen, who was mumbling under her breath and walking so fast that even Ben had to lightly jog to keep up with her.

When they reached the stage, Ben took a deep breath, glancing at Rey as she did the same. She looked over at him, her nerves now carefully hidden behind a neutral expression.

He squeezed her hand.

"Ready?"

She nodded. "Ready."

Applause erupted as they walked on stage, still holding hands. They bowed when they reached the center, and Ben couldn't help marveling at how different this stage felt with Rey by his side. For so long he had felt nothing but anger, depression, and sadness. It had tainted the stage for him, and even the critics had noticed the lack of emotion in his performances.

Now, however, his heart was thumping with a mixture of excitement, joy, and nerves. He was doing what he loved with the woman he loved.

When they straightened, Ben squeezed Rey's hand one last time, winking at her as they separated, each turning to a piano on the stage. The audience quieted as they sat, each adjusting the piano bench to their liking.

Rey looked up and the audience faded away. The bubble of excitement expanded in his chest as he looked at her.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded, the signal to start.

He put his hands on the keys and let the music make everything else fade away.

The pieces he played now were no longer just his own compositions, but his and Rey's.

It had started as something silly, with Ben playing a few notes of bluesy Chopin and Rey replying with the original classical piece. It had become a way for the both of them to decompress at the end of the day, a way to have fun with each other and with the music.

It had been Rey who first suggested writing down their not-so-silly-now compositions. Ben had had the same thought several weeks before, but hadn't wanted to pressure Rey into something she didn't want. She had seemed happy playing for the New York Philharmonic, and he had made a vow to himself that her happiness came first. He would never put music before her again.

After she had suggested it—and he had enthusiastically agreed—they spent many nights in their cramped apartment, composing music on their upright piano that was meant to be played on two pianos.

It hadn't been easy, but it had been fun. After several pieces had been ironed out, Ben had broached the topic of trying to record and sell their compositions. Surprisingly, Rey agreed.

Even though his reputation and popularity had taken a hit during and after the trial, there were still enough people friendly with his mother who were willing to at least listen the music. Many had passed—claiming they weren't ready to take on the PR problem that was Ben Solo—until Mr. Akbar, a long-time friend of Leia's, had agreed to give them a shot.

Everything had happened quickly after that.

He had proposed the day they were out celebrating the release of their album. He had been clear that he was willing to wait for however long Rey wanted and needed to plan the wedding. He wanted her to have the best of everything, and he knew his mother would want an elaborate wedding, but Rey had surprised him with her desire to have a small, intimate wedding. She said she just wanted to get her life with him started and he had fallen in love with her all over again.

So, after a five-month engagement, they were married at the courthouse with only Rose, Gwen, his mother, father, and uncle present. Rey had found a vintage gown at a shop, looking to him as beautiful and radiant as if she had spent thousands, and he had worn his best suit.

It had been the best day of his life.

Now, sitting at a piano on stage, with his hands on the keys and Rey across from him, he felt as if he had finally come home. Everything clicked into place.

The crowd was so quiet, he nearly forgot they were there. The light created a halo around Rey's head as she looked down at the keys, and his heart ached at how beautiful she was.

Ben looked back to his hands, enjoying the way their music blended, classical with jazz, rigidity with fluidity. It felt like a fitting metaphor for his life with Rey, two people who seemed so different in both personality and circumstance, who shouldn't work, but who instead perfectly complemented one another.

When the last note was played, Ben was startled by the applause as the crowd surged to its feet, whistles sounding in the audience as they both stood, walking back to the center of the stage. Rey beamed up at him, threading her fingers through his before turning to the crowd. They bowed several times, both smiling widely, before walking off the stage hand-in-hand.

Rey was exhausted as she and Ben rode the elevator up to their apartment. It was a happy exhaustion, however. It was the exhaustion that came from a successful performance and the party that followed. It was now nearly four in the morning, and as Ben unlocked the door, Rey yawned.

"Stop that." Ben tossed the keys in the bowl by the door, yawning as he did so.

Rey chuckled as she toed off her shoes, sighing as her aching feet were no longer six inches off the ground.

They wandered down the small hallway to their bedroom. The apartment was new. They had moved in after their wedding. Rose and Gwen had been kind enough to gather their friends to help move everything while they were on their honeymoon.

It had been Ben's suggestion to get another apartment to live in once they were married. A fresh start for a new life together. Rey had been sad to say goodbye to their first apartment. As tiny as it had been, it had been their first home, the home they had made when they found themselves together again.

Ben pulled her to the bed.

"We should change," she said as he laid down, pulling her down with him.

He nodded. "We should."

She snuggled up against him, her head on his chest. "I don't want to wrinkle this dress."

He ran one hand up and down her arm as his other hand played with the matching rings on her finger. "And this tux will be really uncomfortable to sleep in."

Rey closed her eyes.

She loved when he fiddled with her rings.

It was a bittersweet emotion, knowing why he did it. She had caught him playing with her rings on their wedding night.

"I can't believe this is real life. After everything that's happened, we still ended up here."

Rey tilted her head, resting her chin on his chest, her heart squeezing at the memory.

"I love you, Ben Solo," she whispered.

His expression morphed into a smile, the anxiety in his eyes diminishing.

"I love you too, Rey Solo."

Her breath caught at her last name. She kept waiting for the moment when it would feel normal to hear it, when she wouldn't feel as if she were dreaming.

After a month, she was still waiting.

She pushed herself up so that she could kiss him.

After a moment, she pulled away.

"You're my home," she said, repeating her wedding vows. "You're my family. I already know we can withstand any test, and I will endure anything with you by my side. You're mine and I'm yours from now until the end."

Ben swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. She had vowed to herself early in their reconciliation that she would tell him she loved him every day for however long it took for him not to look surprised, and every day after as well. They had both been through a lot, each seeing a therapist alone and seeing one together, working through all the pain of the past several years.

Ben wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. She squeezed him back with equal enthusiasm, leaning her ear against his heart, listening to the steady beat.

Neither spoke, basking in their happiness until they fell asleep.

The End

A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading. Ending this is bittersweet since I got the idea for it almost two years ago and it's a subject I'm passionate about. It has easily been the fic that I've had the most fun and passion writing. I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you for reading my little slice of Reylo. :)