Chapter Seven

"Mercenaries. They use the opportunity when governments collapse to move in and take what they can while things are still in disarray. A few of them used to come through my ship yard for passages to planets in out lining systems." Karis answered as she threw the helmet down in disgust. "Without the First Order around to keep them in line and the Resistance still in disarray they use that opportunity to cease control in anyway they can. In this case I'm guessing they are rounding up any First Order sympathizers." Hux looked at her with both a mix of shock and slight horror.

"Why would they do that?"

"Round up First Order sympathizers? Because they are the loosing side and its big money to bring in the enemy no matter who it is. These mercenaries never choose a side. The same thing happened after the Empire fell. They came in almost immediately and took anyone they thought may be a threat to the "new"way of life and then would either sell the people off or given them over to bounty hunters for a portion of the bounty. This went on for quiet some time and the Republic did nothing to stop it until people started to fight back." Hux watched her as she seemed to get more agitated as her story continued. She turned to look at him with a mix of fear and concern. "That is why its not safe for you in this sector. We need to move before they come back."

"Hey." He said gaining her attention. Still holding the hands of the two girls he suddenly found in his life. "We are going to be okay. We just need to get what we came for and be on our way, okay?" Karis took a deep breath and nodded her head giving him a reassuring smile.

"Okay." She answered in return. "But we need to hurry in case they come back." She turned to the little girl and gave her a slight but reassuring smile. "So what do you say kiddo, you in?" Mia seemed to weigh this for a split second before she nodded without saying anything. She was traumatized that much was clear but maybe the two of them could make her feel safe again. But until then Karis vowed to at least protect her until then. She glanced back up at Hux again. "Lets separate for a bit so that we can cover more ground and meet back at the ship."

"I don't like being separate Karis." He answered with earnest but reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. "But I do get your point, but stay in contact."

"I will and I can take Mia with me…" She never finished because Mia automatically grabbed on to Hux's hand tightly. "Or rather you take Mia with you." She added with a bit of a smile as he looked down slightly shocked at the child who just stared straight ahead but clung to him as his she was afraid he too would disappear. She approached him then laying a quick kiss on his cheek. "It looks like you have a new partner." He looked at her with almost a fearful look.

"I don't know what to do." He told her softly with an unsure tone.

"You are doing fine, trust yourself with her and I'll see you back at the ship."

"Be safe." he whispered placing a kiss on her lips.

"You too." She answered when she pulled away.

Two hours later when the mercenaries came back to do another sweep of the area they were gone.

They had just reached the outer rim and within the next few hours they would be out of the system completely. Karis sat in the pilots seat starring out into the dark sea of stars. She was full of emotions she couldn't comprehend and was in the process of just that, processing everything. They had made it away from the sanctuary in just the nick of time. Right before she had jumped into hypo drive her sensors had picked up a ship coming their way. With any luck and it seems as if luck was on their side, they hadn't been seen. She worried. Not only for the fact that she carried the top general of the First Order on her ship but also a very traumatized child who had become very attached to said general. If she was being honest it was cute to watch. He was unsure at first, you could tell he had very little contact with children but somehow their quiet little find had latched onto him and hadn't let go. Once they had gotten on the ship he had attempted to extract his hand only for her to tighten her hold even more. This had made Karis giggle a bit at his helpless look he had given her.

"You take care of her and I'll get us out of here." She had told him. When she had checked a bit later the two of them where curled up in one of her passenger seats with a blanket over them and both sound asleep. Hux had his one arm wrapped around the child as she settled against his chest. Both looking so peaceful that she just stood there smiling for a moment and in that moment she knew that they would be okay. Once again she found herself lost in thought and once again she jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up she meet his eyes.

"Hello there dove, are you alright?" Concern laced his voice as he looked down at her with those piercing blue eyes of his. She flashed him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah I was just thinking?"

"About what?" He asked as he moved to sit in the seat beside her. She shrugged her shoulder.

"Just….stuff." She answered while trying to hide the blush she knew was spreading rapidly over her face. She wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Karis…are you okay?" He asked again.

"Yeah." She answered before she took a deep breath before she continued. "I was just thinking about Mia."

"She's going to be okay you know. He answered.

"I do hope you're right. She's so little." She said as she looked back at her still curled up on the seat.

"Yes but she is strong and much like you." He said as he reached over and took her hand in his rubbing soothing circles along the back.

"I know what she saw because I saw it to, the first time. I was only a little younger than her when the Empire collapsed the first time. My mom had been gone for a while at that time, I barely even remember her so it was just me and my dad. He was like me never took a side and did business with both. He was a merchant and he was a good one. When the war was over they came and quick. It was within hours. They took people in the dead of the night, killed those who tried to fight back. My father got us out but not without loosing everything as well as his faith in human decency. He never recovered from it and died when I was a teenager."

"You've been on your own ever sense?" He asked in a softer voice. She nodded in response.

"Yeah but I was alone long before that. My dad was just existing not living. He became so angry and so disenchanted that he just gave up."

"And left you to fend for yourself."

"As best as I could." He reached for her just then and pulled her into his lap. His arm wrapped around her waist pulling her close and he rested his forehead on hers. This new Hux was very affectionate and seemed to love to touch her. She wasn't complaining.

"Well, your not alone anymore. Neither of us are. We are going to be okay."

"I know, its just all…new and I'm not used to it I guess."

"I know the feeling. You are the first person to ever really see me, know me and accept me. I have every intention of hanging on to that."

"We truly are messed up aren't we?" She asked as she closed her eyes and relaxed into his safe and comfortable arms.

"Yes but we can be messed up together."

"Oh Ari, I'm just worried about all of this. What if we are found? What if we aren't ever safe."

"Hey, look at me." He tipped her face up so that she was looking at him fully in the face. "We will be safe, I will protect both you and Mia. No harm will ever come to you. Tell me you believe that."

"I believe that I do. I just worry." She rested her head against his again.

"I know, but we will make this work. No more First Order, no more Resistance. Just you, me, Mia and any other children that we may have." She looked up at him in shock to find him watching her with both a look of nervousness and hope.

"Other children?" She asked.

"Well yes, if you want…I mean if you don't want to…" His smile seemed to drop slightly and he looked up unsure.

"Yes, I do." His smile seemed to brighten just then."

"You do?"

"I mean yes, if you want to. I didn't know you wanted kids."

"Well I never thought I would be a father, and not a good one. I didn't want to become my father and then slowly I started too. I became cruel, vengeful, cold. Then like I told Mia I found you and then everything changed. So if I am to have children of my own I wouldn't want them with anyone else." He pulled her away again so that he could look her in the eyes so that there would be no doubt at what he was saying. "I love you Karis DuPray. You changed me in ways I never thought possible. I thought I was incapable of any feelings let alone love of any kind but you showed me that was all very possible. I know I have a lot to atone but with you I know that it's at least possible."

"Oh Ari…" She said as tears rolled down her face. "I love you too. I think a part of me always has. I was just so afraid that it was even possible. You make me feel less alone and I don't want to be alone any more."

"You're not my dove. Not any more." He promised once more before he brought her in for a long hungry kiss. It was an intense kiss, a kiss full of trust, love and protection. It was a kiss from a cruel boy and a lonely girl brought together by intense circumstances. A kiss meant for the ages. It was a forever kiss. As they left the system with their new family a peace settled over both of them. A peace they had never felt before. This was just the start of a more incredible journey.