Han's face relaxes slightly, his expression becoming more curious. "Do I know you?" he asks.
Jeyna shakes her head, taken aback at meeting Ben's father so unexpectedly. Did Ben know Han was at the Rebel base? "No… Ben told me about you. Well, Leia did more, actually," she answers nervously.
At the mention of Ben and Leia, Han studies her critically before seeming to form a conclusion. "You're her."
"I'm her?" she repeats in confusion.
"You're the girl, the one Leia told me about. Ben's girl," Han clarifies, before he scoffs. "Figures."
"Figures what?" Jeyna repeats again, her nervousness only growing at the thought of Ben's parents talking about her.
Han looks disgruntled. "The First Order had him brainwashed for years. Figures he sees…" he pauses, before gesturing accusingly at her. "You, and that's what gets through to him. Then he steals my ship, and joyrides it through the galaxy. Guess he is my son, after all."
Jeyna's taken aback by his rant, struggling to form a response, even as Han's eyes leave hers. He looks past her, towards the cockpit. "I think we were only borrowing it-" she tries to justify.
Han interrupts. "Is he in there?" he asks, nodding his head forward.
Jeyna shakes her head. "No. The last time I saw him, he was in the base."
Han's face falls in disappointment before he shifts, seeming to hesitate uncertainly. He struggles for a moment, before venturing to ask, "What's he like?"
Jeyna's mouth drops open at the question, unsure how to begin answering it. Han looks away, raking a hand through his hair. "I haven't seen him, you know, since he was…" He holds a hand below his hip, to where a small child's head would reach.
Jeyna pauses, trying to gather her thoughts. She blushes at the stream of words she wants to supply to describe Ben… strong, smart, sensitive…Before she is interrupted by the memory of Ben's dream, the one she'd unintentionally witnessed, replaying in her mind. Han's angry voice, snapping at Leia as young Ben stood outside their bedroom door, listening. I'm not going to sit by and watch my son become a monster.
She feels Ben's presence with the memory, and immediately knows he is coming to them. Has he detected his father, or read her thoughts? Either way, she flinches at the harsh emotions invading her body, stemming from him.
"Well, he's not a monster," she says, bitterness coloring her voice. She can't help herself, Ben's emotions too strong for her to resist being influenced by them.
Han looks as if she's slapped him, hurt crossing his features as he stares at her in shock. "He told you that?" he asks quietly after a tense silence.
She feels guilty immediately at his reaction, even as Ben's anger continues to flood her system. She tries to separate herself from it. "No, he…he dreamed it. And I saw it," she tries to explain.
Han shakes his head slightly, his eyes dropping from hers to search the dull metal floor of the ship. "I never should have said that. He was never supposed to hear that," Han admits.
Jeyna frowns at the defeat in his voice, before she hears the main hatch open again. She doesn't need to look to know it is Ben, his chaotic energy hitting her like a wave well before he appears in the main hold behind Han. But she takes a sharp breath at the sight of him, his eyes dark, face set into an emotionless mask.
Han turns, his mouth dropping open at his son's appearance. "Ben," he breathes.
"Han Solo," he acknowledges, and she winces. It's not the voice she's grown used to lately, but the cold tone of Kylo Ren he speaks with. His eyes don't stay on his father for long, tearing from Han to settle on Jeyna. "We've been given temporary quarters in the base, if you'd like to rest," he spits out, sounding more like he's commanding than offering.
Jeyna doesn't need to use their force bond to feel his intent. His buried pain has resurfaced, raw and fresh, at sensing his father. He hasn't come to offer her a place to rest for the evening. He's come to pull her from his father, to remove her from the source of his pain. She nods, passing Han and giving him an apologetic look.
He looks desperately between her and Ben, struggling for words. "Ben, please, let me talk to you!" he pleads.
Ben's eyes stay locked on hers, refusing to look back at Han. "Nothing you have to say is of any interest to me," he snaps cruelly. When Jeyna reaches him, he turns, practically slamming his feet into the ramp as he departs the ship. Night has fallen on the planet outside, and she follows his lead through one of the massive doors into a hillside.
D'Qar, Sleeping Quarters
Jeyna enters the quarters, letting the door slide closed behind them with relief. The Resistance members they'd passed had looked alarmed at the sight of Ben storming past, and she can't blame them. He looks half murderous, and she can't imagine what rumors they've heard about him. She sits down on the bed to stay out of his way as he paces the room like an animal raging inside a cage, hands clenched into fists.
"I shouldn't have withheld the information about Hosnian Prime from you," he spits out without meeting her gaze.
She frowns, not expecting him to bring up their earlier disagreement after what happened with Han. "It's alright, Ben," she says softly. "We don't have to talk about that now."
"I won't hide things from you again," he insists angrily.
"That's not important right now," Jeyna tries to reassure him. It seems to have no effect on him, and she wishes she could ease his struggle. "How can I help?" she asks tentatively. She doesn't know where to begin soothing the tangled mass of emotions that have been dragged up at seeing his father.
Ben's frantic pacing stops, his dark eyes finally settling on her. His features are still locked into an expression of fury as he surveys her. She flinches when he comes towards her, practically throwing himself down to the ground in front of where she sits. He's on her immediately, his lips stealing hers in an aggressive kiss. Jeyna gasps softly, and he steals that too, his hand circling her throat and keeping her prisoner to his demands.
Her body responds with immediate arousal at this side of him, taking what he needs so roughly from her. She complies when he surges up, towering over her as she crawls back on the bed. Ben's limbs cage her in, pinning her beneath him as his tongue claims her mouth as his.
She kisses him back, unable to deny him anything he wants. But when he breaks from her mouth, giving her a chance to gasp for breath, she can't help but realize what he's doing. He's searching for a distraction, desperate for a way to bury the pain back down.
"It's okay," she murmurs against his lips. "It's okay that it hurts."
The anger snaps in him, crumbling apart even as his body stiffens above her. She opens her eyes to see Ben's, the tears clinging to his lashes as he loses his fight. He drops his face into the crook of her neck, shoulders shaking even as he refuses to make a sound.
Jeyna wraps her arms around him, feeling warmth on her skin as his tears escape. She holds him tight, waiting until his breathing becomes less shaky to begin rubbing his shoulders, combing her fingers through his hair. She doesn't speak, somehow sensing that he prefers her touches.
A long time has passed before Ben shifts, and the room is pitched into darkness, the light extinguishing as though he's physically hit the switch. He rolls onto his back on the bed, pulling her to his side. They are both silent as exhaustion takes over them, giving in to sleep.
Much Later
Jeyna is deep in sleep when the dream begins. She is looking at a baby, a newborn based on how small he looks. His eyes are open, and she recognizes them even as she speaks his name. "Ben." The voice she speaks in is not her own, too deep and masculine.
Wherever her consciousness lingers, suppressed beneath the fog of sleep, she recognizes this dream is not hers. Is it Han's? She's looking from his perspective, trapped in this recollection of his son.
She's nervous, unsure how to interact with this small person that can't even walk or talk. And yet his brown eyes are so aware, focused on her, as if he knows exactly what she is feeling.
"You know…they say people have kids because they want them to be better. To do what they never could." She hesitates. "I guess that's why Leia named you Ben. She named you after her hope."
The baby fusses for a moment, and panic flares in her chest. Has she done something wrong? She doesn't know where to begin soothing a baby. "Hey, it's okay. It's going to be okay." She reaches for him, but her hand, or rather Han's, hovers uncertainly near him.
"Look, I um… I'm probably not going to be a good father. I don't know what fathers are supposed to do." She looks into his eyes, and hopes that he understands. "But I promise you, Ben, it's going to be okay. The whole galaxy could be against you, but I'll be right there behind you… I will always point you in the right direction."
The baby's face crunches up, turning red as he begins to cry. The panic returns, and she lingers near him anxiously.
"Is he crying?"
She turns to see Leia appear, and though she looks tired, she is beautiful. Younger, her hair flowing freely, dressed in a nightgown as she joins them.
"I was just talking to him, I don't know what's wrong," she says, wincing as the baby's cries grow high pitched.
Leia smiles tiredly, her expression fond if slightly amused. "Babies cry, Han. Hold him, rock him. He'll calm down," she suggests.
She hesitates, feeling Han's nervousness at the thought of holding their son. But she does as Leia suggests, gently picking the baby up with hands that aren't hers, shifting him into her arms awkwardly. She stares down into those eyes, and she knows she isn't imagining that feeling. There's something more to this little baby, something powerful. "He's like you and Luke, isn't he?" she asks in Han's voice, a quiet whisper.
Leia nods, and she rocks him slightly. His whimpers die down, content at the contact. "I'll never be able to connect with him. Not like that."
"You don't need the force to love," Leia comforts. "The only connection he needs from you is his father's love, Han."
She looks down at Ben's small face, his eyes drifting closed as he falls back asleep in her arms. And she feels it, so strongly, an immediate love. She would do anything for this small person, anything he needed of her. She feels the promise made in her heart, to always do what is best for him.
How did I get it so wrong?
Jeyna sits up in a panic as she abruptly returns to consciousness, the dream yanked away unexpectedly. Han's despair lingers in her chest, an almost physical ache. Her eyes take a moment to focus, her heart pounding in alarm as she surveys the dark room.
She's in bed still, the sheets a tangled mess around her legs. She doesn't remember tucking herself in. Her gaze falls to Ben, and she realizes he is awake as well, sitting at the edge of the bed.
"Ben, were you dreaming?" she asks. She can't make out his face, his dark hair blocking it from view. But he shakes his head slightly.
"It wasn't a dream."
"What do you mean?" she questions, shifting to pull herself next to him. She reaches out to tuck his hair back, and he looks at her, eyes pained.
"It's what he's thinking. I can't block him out, he won't stop thinking about me," Ben whispers.
She realizes suddenly what is happening. Wherever Han is, he must be dwelling on his memories of Ben. His thoughts have invaded both of their attempts at sleep, preoccupying Ben's mind, and by extension, hers.
She is silent for a few moments, unsure what to say. But she can't help herself, curious if he'd detected Han's emotions the way she had. "Did you feel it?" she asks, remembering the love Han had experienced, staring down at his son.
Ben's eyes are once again damp with tears he tries to not shed, barely visible in the dark room. He searches her gaze desperately. "I felt it," he admits, voice breaking. He looks away, roughly dragging a hand over his eyes. "It's the first time I've ever felt it like that."
She can't stop herself, throwing her arms around him to pull him into an embrace. He returns it, and they sit in silence, holding onto each other for a while. Jeyna holds back from voicing her thoughts, but she can't stop her mind from running. How long can Ben hang onto the pain and anger? In pushing Han away, he's continuing to hurt himself.
However, she doesn't want to tell him what to do, refusing to voice that she thinks he should go to his father. But as always, she doesn't need to say it aloud for Ben to hear it.
"I know," he murmurs into her hair. "I will."
Early Morning
Jeyna clings to her cup of caffa protectively, having nearly been overjoyed to hear that some existed at the Rebel base. She hasn't had it in so long, she nearly forgot the taste. She's hovering by a hillside, the bright early morning light illuminating the pavement outside. It glints off the Millennium Falcon, near where Han and Ben stand, a cautious distance apart.
She fights the urge to stare at them, trying to respect Ben's wish to talk to his father alone. She wonders what they are saying, Ben's energy too hard to read with the force. The pain has faded, but it's a swirling whirlpool of emotion coursing through their connection.
Jeyna stares off beyond the hills, to where she can just make out the top of the trees that mark the beginning of the jungle. A fog is hovering in the air, distant bird calls barely discernable.
"Good morning, Jeyna."
She jumps in surprise, nearly sloshing her caffa over the side. Leia has appeared next to her, and smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she says.
"It's alright. I think I'm a bit jumpy in general," Jeyna admits, giving a sheepish smile in return. "Good morning," she adds awkwardly.
Leia looks out towards where Han and Ben are speaking, before sighing. "I'll admit, I thought it would take a great deal longer for him to give Han a chance."
Jeyna takes a sip of the hot drink, uncertain what to say. She finally settles with saying, "I think it will be good for him, though."
Leia nods. "Hopefully as good for him as you've been."
She blushes, her cheeks hot at the observation. "He's…he's been good for me, too."
"Has he?" the older woman asks, raising her eyebrows. Jeyna nods, fighting the urge to look away from his mother's inquisitive stare. "Do you love him?" Leia asks bluntly.
"I do," Jeyna admits tentatively. Leia's gaze softens, and she smiles again.
She relaxes as the former princess looks away, back at her son and husband. "He loves you, too. Fiercely," Leia remarks. "It's very obvious when he looks at you."
Jeyna busies herself draining the rest of her caffa, embarrassment lingering from the exchange. She ends up giving in to her desire to watch Ben and his father, noting the way the distance between them decreases. She tries to focus on their connection, to feel his emotions. They seem to be settling, to her relief. But as she tunes in, she notices something else.
Something calling to her, just at the edge of her perception.
Jeyna turns, glancing back into the base. What is that, prickling her senses? She feels an urge to investigate, to follow it, before she realizes… Could it be Revan?
Leia is still absorbed, watching Ben and Han. So Jeyna turns, headed back into the base to follow that sensation. She is led on an unfamiliar route, away from the meeting rooms and sleeping quarters she'd previously visited. She finds herself in the medical wing, striding with enough purpose that none of the personnel question her as she passes.
Jeyna stops when she arrives at the private room, reaching out to touch the pad to open the door. It slides open a moment before her fingers can make contact, revealing Revan. He's awake, propped up in the bed. He looks intrigued, matching her gaze where she hovers, just outside his small room.
"I suppose that answers that," he says slowly. "It would appear there is a bridge between our minds."
She steps into the room, unable to stop her eyes from falling down his bare chest. A jagged scar crosses from his shoulder, diagonally across his body. She can't see where it stops, disappearing beneath the white sheet. The more she looks, the more she notices more scars. What looks like the remains of a bad puncture wound marks his abs, his left bicep marred by a crisscrossing burn pattern.
When Jeyna's eyes return to Revan's, he is calmly watching her. "Were you testing it? To see if I'd come when you called?" she guesses.
He inclines his head in a nod. "You are smart."
"So Ben was right. You've been calling to me all this time," she accuses.
"He was correct, there does appear to be a tether between us," Revan admits. "Though I did not intentionally establish it. Regardless, it seems to be a source of jealousy for him."
She isn't imagining the humor in his eyes, as though the situation amuses him. "I'm glad you think it's funny, that I've been manipulated all my life."
He frowns, the humor vanishing from his gaze. "I apologize. Now that we are aware of it, we can try to sever it, if you prefer? Though that seems unnecessary. Simply being aware of it should allow you a greater degree of autonomy."
Jeyna sighs, stepping closer to him. She can feel that he is stronger, his power somehow brighter in the force. "You're feeling better, I assume?" she asks, choosing to change subjects for the moment.
"Much," he agrees. "I'm glad that you've come."
"Why?" Jeyna asks suspiciously.
Revan's dark eyes rove over hers before he answers. "We have much to discuss."