Force Dyad
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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.
Chapter Forty-Back to Trask
The black-market port on Trask was busier than normal as Ben and Rey mingled with the Quarren and Mon Calamari dock workers after leaving Grimtaash behind on one of the landing bays. It was still early, the grey clouds heavy with rain, making it seem like night. As millions of droplets fell from a limitless sky, the wind coming off the sea howled in a low pitch. The temperature had dropped noticeably and Rey shivered in her poncho.
"Are you cold?" Ben asked when he noticed her tremble.
"I'm okay." Rey answered stoutly.
Ben knew she was lying. He shrugged off his thick jacket and draped it around her shoulders, ignoring her protests when she tried to give it back to him. "The more you argue, the longer its going to take to reach the inn. Just keep it, Rey."
Rey caved in. If he was determined to freeze on her behalf, there was nothing she could do about it. He wasn't listening and wasn't going to change his mind, so…. secretly pleased, she slipped her arms inside the long sleeves, rolling them up countless times to make them fit because Ben was so freakishly tall. Even now he stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Rey wrapped his jacket around her body, raising the collar around her face to shield it from the driving rain. Ben's jacket smelled like the forest after a rainstorm-clean and fresh. Natural. She felt snug inside it, and was considering not giving it back.
They reached the inn without incident. As Ben pushed the rough wooden door open, the hinges squealed as though signalling a warning, but their plea was silenced by a wall of noise coming from inside. A sharp smell of drink wafted toward them, intermingled with the mouth-watering aroma of Magda's famous stew. As they stepped inside the inn's inviting warmth, they caught sight of the female mon-calamari holding court behind the bar.
Ben took the lead as they wound their way past the other patrons to reach Magda. They were only half way across when an inebriated Quarren grabbed hold of Rey and pulled her onto his lap, squashing her against him. He laughed drunkenly. "I've caught a pretty one here, lads." He boated to his companions.
His laughter was immediately cut off as he began to cough and splutter, his hands clawing at his neck. Rey slipped out of his hold and his friends scattered to reveal an infuriated Ben using the Force to choke the unfortunate Quarren. The whole inn had fallen deathly silent as the other patrons watched the spectacle play out before their eyes. Ben's brown eyes remained narrowed and forbidding as he punished the Quarren for daring to lay a finger on Rey.
"I think you've made your point, Ben." Magda's authoritative voice, ringing loud and clear across the inn cut through Ben's anger. He relaxed his hand out of its pincer like grip and the Quarren stumbled backwards, gasping and wheezing.
For good measure, Rey walked up to him and kneed him right where it hurt, he collapsed onto the floor groaning in pain. "Maybe you'll think twice before doing that again!" She snapped at him.
Magda had finally reached them. "You know how to make an entrance." She said sardonically to Ben before looking down with little sympathy at the male Quarren moaning on the floor. "And as for you, Sander. Consider yourself barred. Permanently."
"I am so relieved you pulled through. You don't know how worried I was." Magda hugged Rey joyfully, before stepping back and studying her with a critical eye. "Let me look at you."
Rey was nearly as tall as the female mon-calamari herself, her facial features and body shape already hinting at the stunning young woman she was growing into. It was obvious why she had caught Sander's eye. Magda knew from experience that Rey would encounter many rogue's like Sander in the future. She had no doubt that Rey was well able to take care of herself, it was Ben who needed to see that.
"Its so good to see you, Mags." Rey leaned in for another hug, clinging to the mon calamari matriarch like she would a mother.
"And you, child." Magda blinked away the moisture welling in her eyes and urged Ben and Rey to sit down at the large kitchen table. "Now sit down and let me feed you." She laughed.
"A new special I'm thinking of adding to the menu." Magda revealed as she set the soup down in front of Ben and Rey.
The soup brought the aroma of comforting wintry days to the kitchen and thus, along with the fragrance of the fresh baked bread, began to call the rest of Magda's family to dinner. Soon they were surrounded by a sea of boisterous chatter as Magda's husband, her numerous children and grandchildren, settled down to eat.
Rey found herself sitting next to Denny, Magda's youngest grandson. The last time she had seen him he had been the height of a toddler. Mon Calamari children aged differently to their human counterpart. Denny was already the equivalent of a ten-year-old in human years. He slurped his soup noisily as he gave Rey several shy glances. "You're very pretty." He said to her during a lull in the conversation.
His comment sent the rest of his family off into gales of laughter when Rey's blush seared through her cheeks, setting her face on fire. She suddenly felt awkward, demure, and coy; even going as far as attempting to hide her rosy features behind her slim fingers.
"Ah, don't be shy." Magda's husband said to Rey. "Denny's only speaking the truth."
"Stop embarrassing the girl." Magda chided her husband. She noticed Ben looking at Rey with a thoughtful expression and wondered what he was thinking. "More soup?" She offered in order to take the spotlight from Rey. She was met with a series of empty plates as most of her family pleaded for seconds.
When dinner was over and her family had dispersed, Magda settled back down at the table and poured herself and Ben a shot of whisky. Rey had been claimed by Denny and her other grandchildren. For once it was quiet in the kitchen, Magda decided to take advantage of the rare peace. "I'm glad to finally have a chance to talk to you alone." She said to Ben.
"I'm fine if that's your next question." Ben answered, his fingers gripping his glass a little too tightly.
"Are you?" Magda persisted. "It wasn't that long ago you were about to walk down a very dark road."
"That's all over now." Ben insisted. He raised the shot glass to his lips and downed the whisky. "Rey's fine. I'm fine. You don't need to worry anymore."
"For now." Magda filled his empty glass with more whisky. "But what happens the next time that Rey's not 'fine."
"Nothing will happen. I've learned my lesson."
"Have you?" Magda looked at him pointedly. "Judging by your reaction today with Sander, I'm not so sure."
"That asshole deserved it!" Ben blazed. "Are you really defending him?"
"I'm not defending him. I'm pointing out that you didn't need to intervene. Rey was quite capable of handling the situation herself. She's almost fifteen and a trained fighter. She's growing up, Ben."
"I am aware." Ben muttered.
Magda sighed as she watched the tension building up in him. "I understand this must be a difficult time for you. Its hard navigating the teenage years but this bond you share must make it particularly…perplexing." She continued, choosing her words carefully.
Ben twirled the shot glass between his fingers in silent contemplation. He wasn't sure what Magda was hinting at, but this conversation was beginning to make him feel very uncomfortable. Of course, he was aware that Rey was growing up. She was changing so much, so quickly, of course it was challenging, but they would work through things, together, just like they always did. Magda was just overthinking things as usual. Relaxing when he reached this conclusion, he raised the glass to his lips and drained it again. "I promise you don't need to worry, Mags." He assured her as he placed the glass back down on the table. "We're fine."
Magda stood up and cleared the glasses away. It was obvious that Ben was clearly in denial about what the future held. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to confront it. He had built his whole life around Rey, had put it on hold for her and still continued to do so. When she reached full womanhood there would come a natural parting of the ways he might not be prepared for.
"I'm just pointing out you need to think about the future a little more, Ben. You can't keep drifting like this, wandering from place to place, you're isolating yourselves too much. You should be around other people more."
Ben frowned. "Okay, I'll think about it. Does that make you feel better?" He asked testily.
"That's all I ask." Magda said with a slight smile. "No more lectures I promise. Now help me wash up." She threw a dry towel in his direction.
Ben smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.
