Ben saw the way Rikk looked at her. It may not have been obvious to the others and though Ben wasn't an expert in this area he certainly wasn't stupid. He could sense the way Rikk changed when Rey was around and part of him couldn't blame Rikk for being drawn in by her. It was hard not to be. She was young but strong and wise for her age, gritty but beautiful. She cast a spell on everyone she met, unbeknownst to her, which made her all the more alluring.

He sensed Rikk's feelings especially when he had walked into the dining hall during the middle of their little conversation over breakfast. Ben felt his chest tingle with a strange embarrassment as if he had walked in on something painfully private.

He was instinctively protective over Rey after all they had been through. He had an innate desire to make it known to everyone in the galaxy that Rey was his, which made him all the more eager to speak with Lando. In private.

Ben had walked away from the meeting unscathed, to his surprise. Chewie hadn't split him in two and Lando didn't shoot him at first sight, though he sensed for a moment they both wanted to. After all, Ben was responsible for the murder of the man who had been like a brother to them. No matter how much Rey, or the ghost of his mother, or anyone else told him it wasn't his fault and that he had been seduced by Snoke, by Palpatine...he would always live with knowing he had been the one to make that horrible decision in the end.

Chewie had growled at Ben and Lando quickly moved from his usual relaxed swagger to a tense and rigid man that he hardly recognized. Ben noted Lando's hand which had moved instinctively to the blaster at his hip. As he approached, there was still a part of him that wanted to run to them, to embrace Lando and crush his face into the familiar softness of Chewie's fur.

The force was vibrating with the intensity of their meeting, wrought with conflicting emotions and words left unspoken after so many years. But Ben accomplished what he needed. First and foremost, there was no blood. Secondly, Ben handed off his most prized possession to Lando, the only man he could trust with it. Lando had agreed to take on this small favor and keep it a secret from Rey and with that, the foundation in rebuilding their relationship was laid.

And then Lando told Ben about Paasana and the small uprising that had quickly taken root after the end of the war. He knew as soon as he told Rey that she would be eager to get moving. She had a connection to Pasaana that he couldn't understand. He sensed it from their first force connection there. He remembered how happy she had felt just before he cut into her thoughts, which now made him cringe with the unforgiving abruptness of his actions. He remembered the hurt she felt when he had ripped the Aki-Aki necklace from her neck, one of the few gifts she had ever received in her life, if at all. He would never forgive himself for that.

So Ben wasn't surprised when they immediately packed up the Falcon and set course for Pasaana. C-3PO shuffled his way up into the Falcon with R2 close behind. Rey said her goodbyes to Finn, Poe, and the others, who all elected to stay behind on Chandrila and keep the peace there while they were away.

Ben had mashed his teeth together and rolled his eyes when Rikk insisted on coming with them on the Falcon to Pasaana. He played it off as some "political responsibility" which Ben knew was bullshit. He was sure he wanted to be close to Rey.

"This should be fun." Ben growled under his breath as he sat in the Falcon's co-pilot's seat. Ben watched Rey's nimble fingers as they quickly switched on the fuel pump and main power generator. She paused only to look up when she saw Lando and Chewie's ship zip off into the Chandrila clouds.

Rey shook her head then mumbled to Ben, "Compressor." Ben reached up and flicked the compressor switch obediently. The Falcon made an aching mechanical noise in response as it struggled to life.

"It's only awkward if you make it." Rey said as she straightened up in the pilot's seat. "We have a job to do and we need to focus on that. Besides, this could get...political."

"You know it won't." Ben said darkly. "We have Lando who knows Pasaana better than anyone here. And Chewie. Rikk is just dead weight."

Rey's eyes flicked to him briefly as she pulled back on the controls. "Don't call him that." The Falcon hovered over the dura-crete platform for a moment, then she sent them speeding off into the Chandrila atmosphere then further on into the empty space.


"Why are you here?" Ben asked Rikk, who was standing in the central lobby of the Falcon with his back to Ben. He was facing a holo-nav computer studying a chart of Pasaana. Ben stood behind him with his arms crossed tightly across his chest as he stared at the back of his perfect blond head.

The journey from the core systems to the outer reaches to Pasaana was long, even at lightspeed. They had been on board nearly 6 hours and still had 12 more to go. The Falcon continued to hum on through autopilot and Rey had retired back into her quarters to rest for the remainder of the journey.

Rikk did not turn to address Ben but instead continued to study the hologram of Pasaana as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. "I'm not sure what you mean." He said, nonchalantly. Rikk punched a button and the hologram flickered then zoomed in to reveal details of the rugged desert landscape.

"It doesn't make sense for you to be here. Why leave Chandrila where you're needed most?" Ben said. Rikk's aloofness through his confrontation made Ben want to punch a wall.

"Why not?" Rikk sounded as if he planned to explain himself but then stopped short. Ben watched as he shook his blond head slightly and sighed. "Actually, you know what?" Rikk turned around with narrowed eyes that burnt crystal blue into Ben's. "Don't question how I choose to protect my home or this galaxy. I don't need to explain that to you."

Ben took a small step closer to Rikk. It still surprised him how Rikk nearly matched his height. "Why are you here?" Ben repeated, only more slowly.

Rikk's nostrils flared slightly as he took a deep inhale. "I don't completely trust you. You should understand that."

"But you let me go. Why not keep me locked up where you had me?" Ben asked.

"You ask a lot of questions." Rikk said.

"And you keep diverting them which makes me not trust you." Ben took another small step closer to Rikk.

Rikk's eyes softened as they danced across Ben's face. His throat moved as he swallowed then glanced towards Rey quarters. "This is all very...complicated."

Ben shifted his weight as he realized Rikk wasn't going to admit what he already knew. Didn't Rikk know he could practically read his mind?

"You're here because of Rey. You're here because of Rey and you don't trust me with her." Ben said.

"And you aren't?" Rikk snapped. "You'll follow her wherever she goes." Rikk replied.

"That's right. I will go wherever she goes. Because she wants me with her." Ben slowly emphasized that last part. "And I want to stop anyone from starting up another Empire or First Order, especially after everything we've fought for."

They were silent for a moment as Ben waited for his reply. Ben could hear 3PO shuffle about in the hallway nearby.

Rikk finally spoke. "We could keep this up, going back and forth like this. So let's just focus on what we have to do. On Pasaana."

Ben narrowed his eyes as he considered this then took a step back and began to pace the small lobby of the Falcon.

Ben could sense Rikk's gaze on him as he moved. "Still the same, brooding kid I knew growing up." A hint of a smile filled Rikk's voice. "You remember that time you blackened my eye over a game of Rebels vs Imperials? Man I've never seen your mom get so angry."

"I'll do it again if you're not careful." Ben threatened.

"I don't doubt it." Rikk chuckled as he turned back to the navigational chart.


Ben waved the door shut behind him and sighed with relief as he entered the dim room. Rey was curled on the small bed sleeping soundly, her hand tugging the sheets close to her chest and her mouth parted slightly as she dreamed. The only light in the small room came from R2's night light, who sat in low power mode in the corner of the small room.

Ben stood for a beat as he looked at her sleeping peacefully and quietly began to undress himself, careful not to wake her. He never took his eyes off her as he unbuckled the belt around his hips and shimmed out of his clothes until he was down to his underwear.

He washed up quickly in the attached bathroom then slinked back into the room. Rey had shifted so she was laying on her other side, still sound asleep. R2 whirled slightly as Ben crossed the room. He waved him off, reassuring the droid as he walked past. Ben reached the bed and carefully, quietly, crawled into bed next to Rey. He curled his body around the shape of hers, perfectly cradling her like a puzzle piece.

He heard her draw in a sharp inhale as she woke. Damn it, Ben thought, and he froze. But instead she turned around in his arms to face him and he smiled down at her as her eyes blinked sleepily.

"Sorry." Ben whispered.

"You're here now." Rey responded as she wrapped an arm around his back and pressed her face into his chest. She pressed her torso to his so her entire body molded against the front of him. Addrenallian spiked through his body as he realized she was completely naked but he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the rising hunger that aroused low within his core. His arm tightened around her waist in response.

They laid like that for a moment and all the while Ben could feel her eyelashes tickle his chest as she blinked. She was awake, thinking and pondering something that Ben could sense as it disturbed the force slightly.

"Everything ok?" Rey mumbled. He could feel the warmth of her breath against his chest.

He squeezed her slightly. "All's well. Were right on course. 3PO is monitoring the cockpit and will wake us if there's any issues."

"And Rikk? I sensed a disturbance, earlier-"

"He's fine. Likely asleep by now. Like you should be." He squeezed her again and bent his head down to kiss the top of her head. The beautiful scent of her filled head as he breathed deep against her brown hair.

Rey craned her head upwards until her eyes met his. He stared at her for a moment as a small smile crept across his face. Her brown hair trailed beautifully behind her on the white pillow and her skin glowed in the dim light. Her pink lips were parted slightly as she looked up at him, staring as if searching for something.

Ben swallowed. Hard. Force, she was beautiful.

She moved again and a hand trailed up between their bodies until it touched his face. She shimmed upwards closer to him and he ran his hand up the smooth skin of her back until his fingers were tangled in her hair. He tugged slightly and closed the small gap between them to kiss her, gently and slowly.

It started first as gentle as a kiss goodnight but then their lips parted against each other and the kiss changed. Their mouths moved quicker against each other until he heard Rey let out a small, breathy moan in response.

Ah, fuck. Ben thought.

He pushed into her until she rolled onto her back. She hiked her legs on either side of his hips and he pressed his entire body into her as he kissed her harder and deeper. His forearms framed her face as he explored her mouth and he pressed into her hips with his excitement rising as he breathed a small whimper in response.

Ben was completely lost again, lost in her. It suddenly didn't matter where they were or what they had to do, all that mattered was her. She had this ethereal power over him and he was her willing servant for the rest of his life.

Suddenly, Rey brought her hand up between them to his chest and pushed him away slightly, "We can't do this. Not with Rikk on board and..." She glanced off to the corner of the room, "with R2 in the bloody room."

Ben scoffed and shook his head, black tendrils of his hair falling further into his eyes and tickling her checks below him. "R2's in low power mode now and besides, he's a droid. And Rikk...you think I care?" Ben pressed his body into hers again and found her mouth. "I want you." He whispered in her ear in between breathless kisses. "The door is closed-"

"But no lock" Rey interrupted.

"And I can sense everything happening outside that door." Ben said as he glanced towards the exit.

Rey laid there between his forearms looking up at him as if begging him to give her a reason to say yes. She smiled and chuckled slightly, "That's what I'm worried about. I'm not confident you'll be able to keep your focus on what's going on outside this room."

Ben shook his head again as he tried to clear the fog, but he was already too lost in her. "I don't care." His breath came out like a growl as he sunk back down to meet her mouth. He kissed her, hard, and he felt her surrender as her arms wrapped completely around his shoulders and her torso pressed harder into his.

It felt like an eternity since he had her to himself, truly had her, and he was nearly animalistic in this moment. He shivered slightly as her ankles wrapped together in a vice grip around his lower back. He reached down and shimmied out of his underwear, just enough to be whole with her. Rey's arms remained around his shoulders as he guided himself gently inside her. He groaned and she sighed with relief. His arm flung back beside her head to support himself as he started to move.

Making love to Rey felt as if they were both trying desperately to mold their bodies into one. He could feel the sting of her fingernails as they dug into his back. He wrapped one arm around her waist and another around her shoulders as he separated her from the mattress and continued to thrust into her. He breathed heavily into the crook of her neck as he worked and hers came in intoxicating hitches with every stroke.

Ben hadn't been inside her since the last time they were on the Falcon before Chandrila. He had tasted her, sure, but nothing compared to them being one like this. Ben's heart was beating in his throat when they finished, and he was covered in a thin sheen of sweat that mixed with hers. They ended breathing heavily beside each other on the mattress until they finally returned to each other to curl into a deep sleep.