Originally, this was going to be the finale, but it ended up being too long compared to the past chapters, so I've cut it in half. The next one will be up as soon as possible and at last complete this tale.

Not completely derived, but the song by Lonestar ("Runnin' Away With My Heart") made me decide on the chapter title. Be prepared for lots of crying and emotions, so grab enough tissues and a strong beverage if you're legal.

Chapter Twelve

Running Away From the Heart

My father...it's...

Her father was Cos Palpatine, the Skywalker family shareholder who almost was convinced to go the opposite route.

All her life, she'd been curious but had accepted what Obi-Wan and Sabé told her, that he was better off not being with their daughter because he chose not to disobey his family. The pieces of the puzzle came together with this information which had prevented her from sleeping, so she had to slip out and take her speeder to see Ben, because she really needed him.

Cos Palpatine seemed like a good man even if his life was about the business, and had finally left a leeching and conniving wife he never loved to begin with - did he even recognize her when Ben introduced her to him that day of their visit? She could have sworn she'd seen that in his eyes, but he never once brought anything up. Why did Grandma choose to tell me now of all times?! Because this was the last straw?

Rey had no idea whether to scream and let her emotions get the best of her, or get it out of her system before she analyzed rationally. The latter was more like her. And it might help if she went to the one who would understand.

What immensely bothered her besides knowing who he was finally: this made her the great-granddaughter of Sheev Palpatine, the man who made the Skywalker family's lives a living hell and played both sides of the Clone Wars. If she had the power, she would have erased that for good. She had a family who loved her, nurtured her, disciplined her and everything; no way in hell would she want anything to do with the Palpatine lineage.

The grandson didn't seem all that bad, but what the hell was Mom thinking?! Oh, right, love clouded better judgment. Nothing you can control.

Grandma's words followed her throughout the entire ride through the streets, across the bridge and calm waters, arriving at the mountain bases.

"We all thought they were the ideal match, granted our own experiences, but some of us went through trial and error - your grandfather, for one, loved someone else before it was the two of us - until finding the wait had been worth it. We expected the same of your mother. I wanted to kill that damned coward myself, and it was worse in knowing he was the Skywalker shareholder. This and what he did to your mother was enough to cause your grandfather and his oldest friend to part ways, straining their friendship in the final years, so we left Alderaan and headed for Jakku with no other options. You were too young to understand back then why we lived there, and that we returned here when you were old enough, and your grandfather gone. You were better off never knowing of this, believe me."

She should be furious that this was kept from her, but everything made sense without a difficult explanation.

Finally, she showed up at Ben's place. The weight somewhat lifted off her being, but it wasn't gone. She wondered which should come first: ending things right away with him, or telling him what was bothering her first. She wasn't even sure what would come of him learning who her father was, when it was HER problem and not his.

Granted how late it was, she had to brace herself if he'd been sleeping and she'd interrupted it. But to her surprise, upon her knocking on the door - and seeing the windows dark except for a faded light further in, telling her he'd been in bed but not asleep - he answered within moments. He'd told her before she could come and see him no matter what time of day or night, even when something was wrong.

And there he was: shirtless and sexy as he could be, making her think maybe one more night with him even when her family was home...no, there's gonna be no more of them. Because last time I thought it would be one, it extended to three. Because he'll just take flight soon, and I'll just end up like Mom. If I stay one more night or even a morning, it's just another excuse to buy time.

"Rey, you didn't have to surprise me so late and come out here on your own." He didn't sound dismayed, but was briefly surprised and then genuinely happy.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," she said, walking in and him closing the door behind them. "My family is back, but Mom had another temporary crisis - nothing new. I couldn't take it anymore and just came here. Also...Grandma told me who my father was after all these years. I couldn't sleep as a result." She swallowed, but her throat didn't tighten.

"...okay?" There was that gentle concern which she tried not to fall into again. Too much of it would make it much harder.

"It's just as draining as dealing with my mother. Cos Palpatine is my father."

There was a drawn out silence along with Ben's visible shock. It was broken by cracked words. "You're...sure? Sabé would never lie to you about this?"

He didn't mean to offend her, but it struck a cord. "No, she told the truth. And if he does know - since he clearly recognized me when we met with him - then why didn't he say anything to me?! All my life!" Rey squeezed her eyes shut, the rims burning, and next thing she knew, she was taken into an embrace which broke her and made her wrap her arms around him. "This was why our grandfathers hadn't spoken in years, by the time mine died. My mother left by a coward who is still friends with Anakin; I don't want anything to do with him at all now that I know. I never needed a father anyway."

He was quiet as if choosing his words carefully. "He's a good man, I agree, but he has too many flaws. He doesn't deserve you or your mother."

He doesn't deserve us...how right that is. That's my resolution: I don't need to question him about anything, especially with what the family is going through.

"You don't have to worry about it tonight, now that you are here. Come in; I'll get you something to drink." Oh, he didn't have to do that, but here she was being a martyr again. She was too tired to refuse anything. He was doing this because he wanted to, as usual. Why wouldn't he stop being so pleasant?

When he left her sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen, Rey took in her surroundings and tuned out what he was getting. Out of all the magnificent locations she'd been to in the last week since meeting him - the Luxury 3000, the restaurant, both of which were magical without words - this cottage and the Grimtaash were both real places she'd call her favorites.

Her eyes burned with the realization.

Ben's voice which never ceased to cause her spine to tingle brought her out of her thoughts when he asked her what she was thinking about. "...when I first came aboard your ship - the very first time we met," Rey admitted. She blinked so many times the burning stopped.

"Ah, yes, the rain-soaked Little Toniray Girl." Her back was to him, and she felt the heat of his chest and abdomen close to her body. She remained stiff but otherwise warm when an arm came to wrap around her waist. "I'm relieved you never froze to death that day." Me, too.

She was surprised at what he produced for her - tea! "I figured I'd stock up here and on the ship. I grabbed this while getting more supplies. My ship is your ship, remember? All part of my grand master plan." He leaned down and nuzzled against her neck; why was he making this so difficult? "Figured if I planted everything just for you, it'll make you want to visit me often here or tag along when I fly off."

It was so hard to not arch her neck into his kisses he began planting on her. "I don't think I'll be able to do either," she managed, gritting her teeth in the process.

"So you say right now. But besides the food, care to guess what else?" There he went again with dropping his tone seductively. When she couldn't respond to that, she somehow mustered up the willpower to break this contact. She gently pulled away from him and rose up, hurrying to the other side of the island; this wasn't much, but enough to clear both her head and the air. Ben blinked, frowning. "What's wrong? Why are you so tense? I thought things were fine with your mother and what you learned tonight."

"I am fine! But I can't go away with you."

"But why not? We both know you will have a fantastic time: you, me, tropical breezes, grasslands and waterfalls, vast seas and hideaways where no one will find us...all these things I want to show you. Places you never believed existed - what do you say, Rey?"

The entire time he was talking, he closed the distance by walking clockwise around the island to stand in front of her, less than a foot away of pressing his body against hers. Damn it, if I'd been smart, I would have taken this outside instead of his safe haven. Yet everything he told her was heavenly and beyond her wildest dreams. Just like Coruscant had been -

- and then the image of her mother sobbing on the lounge burst before her eyes, and it renewed her resolve. "Just like when you showed me the capital? Another treat for the assistant deprived of excitement and travel? That's what it's been about, right? Expanding Miss Toniray's world by giving her the fantastical experience she might never have again?"

His expression now became hard and evasive, his tone matching. "Since when is it ever a crime to treat a woman like a princess?" he asked. Except that's not what I am; I'm just a plain everyday girl.

"No, Ben, it's far from being a crime. It's just...tempting. I'm sorry to say that it is, but it's not a right thing. Because the experiences will come to an end, and it means back to your every day real life. I promise that I knew what I was getting into when we started this." His eyes widened like play balls at the hinted label she was getting at.

"...you're calling what we have a fling."

"Yeah, because what else? You made it clear that you don't do long-term relationships." She never expected the words to hurt more than she expected. Rey picked up her tea and gulped it down, never mind it was still fresh out of the heating unit, but she didn't care. It was enough to make her think about anything but the tightening agony behind her breastbone. "I told you I was fine before. I'm a big girl and never had expectations higher than there was. I learned a long time ago that life is far from being some fairytale that little girls are raised on. So-called 'happily ever after' is few and far between; I was forced to open my eyes to that so soon. Disappointment is what you get when you base life on something that isn't real. It's better, if harder, to face reality than nurture a dream." He didn't respond to any of that, nor did his expression change. It was as if he was trying to think of an appropriate response.

But just when he opened his mouth to respond, she knew right away he would try to counter, so she acted fast and put her fingers to his lips. "Please, don't object to what we both know is true. It's best we just walk from it as friends, knowing what great fun we had together." Her voice croaked at the last few words, and a sniffle followed just like the smile she forced on her sore mouth.

There, she ended things right then and there.

Teacup empty and words spoken, she decided it was time to go, but not before giving Ben one more smile, softening up. He tried to reach for her, but she stepped aside. It wouldn't do to crave for one last kiss, because it would hurt again. "Goodbye, Ben. But I just want you to know that everything we had was the most amazing I've ever known and couldn't have asked for more. But it's for the best if I left..."

Now was her chance, for she turned and rushed for the front door, making way for her speeder.

And even as she got it started, she heard him shout her name, but she didn't pause or look back. Just pushed the pedal and surged for the bridge that would take her home.

~o~

What...the...hell?!

The confusion registered in his brain for the whole duration of her speech, lingering even when he became aware of her leaving his home - and possibly his life, as she rushed away from him and out the door. His body sprung into action, but by the time he was outside, she was on her speeder and racing away across the bridge and back into the capital.

"REY!"

Despite the fact it was the cold dead of night, Ben bolted after her, his naked chest and feet attacked by the temperatures. Even when he roared again, she didn't stop. He had to stop by the time he was halfway across the bridge because he wasn't an idiot to catch hypothermia. He had no choice but to give up. What the hell just happened? None of this makes sense, not after the amazing time we've had. It felt like a religion to me, and I KNOW she enjoyed it as much as I did. But why would she cut it and take off when there are still several more days left? He had arrived back in the house by the time he reached the conclusion.

She's right...I don't do long-term relationships. Might as well be grateful; she did us both a favor. I've been worried about saying goodbye myself. Now this means I can deal with things better with a clear sense.

However, when he tried to sleep that night, the relief he wanted didn't even come.

Add that what she told him about her father - Cos Palpatine - didn't help, either. He couldn't be angry at his grandfather for letting that man be their shareholder, but it didn't excuse being a coward and leaving the woman he claimed to love with a child.

Ben considered confronting Anakin without anything breaking out, without jeopardizing the current crisis, but Rey made it clear she didn't need the man and would be all right since she had everything she ever needed. She loathed the filthy riches and deceit. If anything, she could make do with the simple getaways like he gave her in Coruscant - would have given her if she'd accepted to take off with him to anywhere they wanted.

Another week flew by, and his mood worsened. Poor GG didn't even know how to console him, which unfortunately would only do more harm than good. Not even his usual caf would help. And worse, when he would head to the cabinet to retrieve the can, he spotted the box of tea...Rey's.

Seven days which had felt like seven years, if not in the hundreds. He tried to contact her only to get no response. He couldn't visit her home, either, because that was pushing it. And each day at the shop, she'd have a way to be absent every time she was aware of his presence. It just made him feel like a stalker; this desperation wasn't usually part of him. He never even chased a woman before - until her. She got under his skin in a way no woman had before. She was on his mind every time he ate, showered, repaired something, or conversed with his grandfather. It was worse at night when he laid in bed.

He missed her so much he could hardly stand it: making her smile, hearing her breathe while she slept, and how his chest swelled.

On the upside, the week also ended up bringing him closer to his family again than he'd wanted. It started after the embarrassing conversation with his mother, but he hoped it would grow and relax from there. For the first time ever, he and Leia had deep, meaningful conversations, granted she'd been too busy as a politician to spend much time with him in his younger years. Luke and his family went back to Bespin, but he and Mara insisted he start keeping contact again, whilst Shmi calmed down a little to tell him that she'd consider forgiving him only if he earned it. He could live with that.

I might as well consider Grandfather's offer in remaining to take over after him. If only I could talk about it with Rey...

He was at home when he was contacted by the mechanic shop, and for a moment, he thought his persistence paid off, but it turned out to only be Anakin. "Well, what can I do for you, Grandfather?" he asked, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice and hide it from his face.

Anakin smirked. "Can my favorite grandson come over for tea so you can look over some concepts the advertising agency sent over?"

And that was something his mom usually did, but the old man specifically asked for him. He wanted Ben and no one else. He wanted him there at the first hour past midday. And that meant he would end up seeing HER, too, if she didn't try to hide again.

It was then that an idea lit up in his head. "And, Grandfather...could you do me one favor?"

~o~

She'd been on autopilot ever since ending it with Ben. Her brain got so foggy she began to make a few mistakes which was unlike her. And just now, Anakin wanted her to send in the data letters to marketing and legal. She could not afford to make another error, just like yesterday when she wound up reaching him during the pod race. The excuse she gave for that was a "migraine", which wasn't that far from the truth, because now she DID have one.

"I do hope it will subside soon," Anakin told her with a creased brow of intent concern. "Perhaps you'll see someone if it persists?"

"I'll consider it, but I think it'll go away soon," Rey promised, though rather than a doctor, there was someone she truly wanted to see - but he was off-limits. For crying out loud, Mom went back to normal after only a couple days, but here I am after SEVEN. And he didn't make it easier with all those attempts to reach me! And speaking of which after the old man told her she could leave now, and he gave her until the end of the day to deliver the concepts - R2 and 3PO would have to remind her if she forgot again, continually if it would irritate her - the last thing she expected was that voice which caused her to nearly stumble if not for the table of equipment near her. R2 beeped in shock, the protocol droid long gone.

Ben stood there at the doorway which she'd come through, and just the sight of him caused her to lose control of all the emotions she'd tried to forget in the past week. He looked so handsome today even with the shadows under his eyes, telling her he must have spent nights turning. "I asked Grandfather to not say anything about me coming," he stated without a shred of emotion. "So that you didn't get an opportunity to avoid me."

How - how DARE he?! "Excuse me, but I didn't avoid you," Rey snapped. "I've been busy, or can't you see it now? And as for Anakin, he's just making up for the work he missed while in the hospital."

His face hardened. "That's why you didn't return my contacts?"

"Exactly. And besides, we didn't need to say anything else. There was everything we needed to talk about that night."

He raised an eyebrow. "I recall you did all the talking and didn't even give me the chance to respond. You just left before I could absorb everything. I...I really did miss you." His voice dropped by a notch. "You're a difficult woman to let go of, Rey. If I'd just been faster, I never would have let you leave. I would have just taken you aboard my ship and never let you go." There was no trace of seduction, and the simple sadness might be worse.

And this is coming from someone who - "This is pretty big for a man who doesn't do solid relationships," Rey said with a smile she couldn't help, more at the images of the Grimtaash amongst bright blue and puffy white, well over brown-and-green landmass shapes and endless deep blue. And seen through the cockpit window: the two of them engaging in lip-locking while the ship itself was on autopilot.

Ben chuckled. "Never thought I'd ever say anything like this, but I suppose I wasn't ready for it all to end just yet."

And there it was: "...the magic word, 'yet'. Just what it was, right?"

He started. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She leaned against the long table behind her. "The word you said - yet. It means that you miss me so much you don't want our little affair to end." Either way, it's gonna finish.

"If you didn't like the word, then what else would you have wanted to hear?" And it was those three words which were often spoken too easily, when you never knew if they were truthful until it was too late. If she wanted to hear them from him, he had to be serious. It was right then and there that everything fell upon her in one fell swoop. After her entire life of putting up walls and safe lines, those barriers came crashing down because of the truth she'd been running from all this time.

Rey Kenobi had fallen in love with Ben Solo, so there was no way in the deepest pits of hell that she wanted "yet"; she wanted more, for him to love her right back. But it was impossible... "Oh, this is what happens when you seek more than just a comfortable bed," she grumbled, cursing herself for forgetting he could hear her either way.

"I'm sorry?"

"You wouldn't understand," she replied defensively. All her emotions were making their way to the surface after being buried deep for so long; she had to hurry and get the info to marketing as soon as possible so that she didn't further humiliate herself.

As always, Ben wouldn't let her go so easily. "Try me. And don't dodge any of my questions because my grandfather wants you running around. When will you learn he can wait? What was it about a comfortable bed?" She tried to get away from him, but his hand on her arm stopped her, firmly clutching the fore. "I'm not letting you go until you answer my question."

Well, it didn't matter what she said, would it? "Fine!" she snapped back, jerking herself from his grasp. Might as well tell you so you can finally get it and leave me be. "This is what happens when you want more than just a comfortable bed: you end up wanting too much, being things you can't have. You wanna know what I really wanted which I can't have? A fairytale with the happy end! I don't want you to say 'yet'; I want you to say you don't want it to ever come to an end!" And now that it was all out, the horror set in. She didn't mean to say the last parts, but they couldn't be taken back. Ben's step back and visible shock was evident enough. A whole week of fatigue and heartbreak got the better of her - how could she have been such an idiot?

The tears now in her eyes were furious liquid fire. She had to get away now that she answered him. Rey rushed to pick up the datapads and snapped at R2 to tell Anakin she was going out now. He beeped, having stood by and been witness to this dreadful shame.

"Let me go now. I'm going to marketing. I've said too much."

You know what I always ask: lovingly detailed reviews. :3