Hux paced in his office. He had hoped that Kylo wouldn't return to the First Order. It would make his life harder. Kylo was rash and impulsive. That was no way to be a leader. Hux had hoped when he saw Snoke dead that the leadership would fall to himself. He was the right choice after all. He of course made mistakes mostly acting how he thought Snoke and Kylo wanted him to, but he was a lot more level headed than Kylo. Hux rubbed his throat absentmindedly. If it hadn't been for Kylo's bloody force power, Hux would be in command. The Empire failed because of recklessness and hubris, Hux wouldn't let that happen to the First Order, even if it meant changing everything.

Hux itched in his skin, seeing that woman again made him anxious. She was a threat whether Kylo slept with her or not. He would have to keep a close eye on her, a very personal close eye. He didn't want her messing things up for him. If she hasn't turned then she will try to take down the First Order, if she has well that might even be worse. She was stupid enough to try and destroy the tracker, putting her faith in people that can be bought. She would be just as reckless as Kylo if she had turned.

He sneered. He would have to subtly disobey Kylo. If the weapon was kept as is, then Kylo would know that he personally sabotaged it and not some meaningless stormtroopers. It was stupid to destroy half the galaxy. It would create resentment and they would just have to keep destroying planets. Who would they rule over if everyone was dead? He knew Kylo had been angry at the world when he came up with the plan. Hux had fully hoped that the plan would just dissipate and be forgotten but then an ass kissing upstart had the audacity to bring up the plan again. Hux couldn't do anything but implement it without looking treasonous. That upstart had already been taken care of, transferred to his own command promptly before it was destroyed with him inside.

XxXxX

They all lounged in the surprisingly comfortable living quarters. They were only mostly dressed. The ship was warm, and they didn't feel like putting on their clothes after their fun time in the bunk.

"Hux will want to separate us, you know, when he tries to get his answers." Ben commented. "It won't be ideal, but it may help sell out story better if we aren't scripted and are trues to our actual selves."

"What is the fake plan you mentioned?" Rose asked as she laid back on the couch.

"We'll I've been thinking it goes something like this. You've been passing information to me for about a month. Nothing really big but you had mentioned wanting to defect. You could see the end of the rebellion and you didn't want to be apart of it. Once Hux decided to implement the weapon I knew I had to get you out of there. We came up with the plan to get me captured. You didn't want to give any important information until you knew you were safe. If I wanted to take down the rebellion, I needed you out of there. Rey almost caught us leaving, I was able to subdue her, and brought her along."

"Seems simple enough."

"I agree."

"I have a question," Rose spoke up. "Why does Hux hate you so much, yet obey you?"

"He wasn't given any choice. He was Snoke's golden boy until I arrived. We were then pitted against each other. He was taught to hate me and I him. I had to prove my power over Hux if I wanted to stay in Snoke's favor."

"Bad blood fun. You'll have to try and reverse that you know."

"I know. I'll have to resolve my own issues with him." Ben shifted, uncomfortable.

"Maybe you'll find him not as self-satisfied as you think he is," Rey prompted.

"Maybe." Ben stood up and left the room.

"This will be good for him," Rose said.

"How so?"

"He has to learn how to forgive the past. He has to lean how to let himself let it go if he is to be the man you see him as."

XxXxX

Ben heard Rose's comment as he went to go find a secluded place on the ship to think. He had changed into a different person since this all started. It was a surprise when he realized it had only been around two weeks. Two weeks since his mother's death. Two weeks wasn't enough time to change the past man that he had been. There was still a lot of Kylo left in him. At the start of this he would have never guessed that he would have to reconcile with Hux. Just thinking about being nice to that man was uncomfortable. How does one reverse years upon years of bad blood and hatred? When he met Hux he had only wanted a friend. He had been naive enough to think Snoke had wanted them to work together. He had tried to make an ally out of Hux at first. Hux had been receptive but then Snoke started having Kylo practice his dark side force powers on Hux. It bred resentment. Snoke knew if Kylo wasn't trying his hardest and would punish both of them until Kylo gave it his all. Kylo had to stop caring about Hux if he were to survive. Indifference quickly turned to hate. Soon it felt good to take out his anger on Hux. It felt right. He was nothing compared to Kylo after all. Kylo was the rightful heir to Darth Vader. Hux was just, nothing.

But Ben was no longer Kylo. He was no longer the young man that had grew to hate Hux. He knew he had it in him to change. He didn't know if Hux could though. He would have to ask for Hux's forgiveness. Forgiveness was not something he was used to asking. It would take time before he could ask it of Hux. He had to make sure Hux was worthy of it. Ben would still destroy Hux if he had to. He didn't want to but if it meant the destruction of the First Order and the rise of true peace and order, he would. Getting rid of Hux didn't feel right though. They might, no, they probably needed him just like they needed Rose. If Hux could be brought back to the boy he used to be then maybe there was hope for the galaxy, maybe there was just a little bit of hope.

Hope, what even was that? It was a naïve emotion. Only fools had hope. His uncle was a fool. He himself it seemed was turning into a fool as well. Rey had infected him with it. He was a fool for her and because of her he had hope for something better than the lot he had drawn in life. He had been misused and mistreated more often than not. He sighed, so had Hux. If Ben had given himself a chance, then he had to give one to Hux as well. Change could be created when care and affection was given. Ben didn't know if he had that for Hux, but he at least could change his hatred to indifference. It wouldn't be much more than a start, but it would get them headed in the right direction.

XxXxX

Their relative peace was gone all too soon. They hovered into the hanger bay where Hux was waiting for them. Rose was too nervous to feel anything for the red-haired man that stood before them as the exited the ship.

"Supreme Leader," Hux spat.

"General Hux," Ben responded. "Why don't we the three of us go to my office and talk privately there. You two," he pointed out two stormtroopers. "Take her to my quarters I'll deal with her there." Ben pushed Rey towards them. She shot a glare back at him. She was wearing the same cuffs and muzzle Ben had been in when she took him to the resistance. "Do nothing to her. She is mine to handle." He added at the retreating stormtroopers. "Shall we," Ben gestured that Hux should lead the way.

It was a long and silent walk to the bridge of the ship. Rose looked straight ahead. She didn't want to see that Hux kept on glancing at her. She didn't want to look at the man she vowed to hate, even though she found she didn't. He seemed somehow less than what he was before. He didn't wear arrogance as a cloak anymore. He was a bit more, well, normal. She didn't want to get caught up in that. She had to remember that he had ordered those deaths, that he had been the cause of so much pain for her and those around her. How could she forgive a man like that?

When they arrived at the office, Ben asked her to wait outside while they talked privately for a moment. Rose had been expecting this, so she nodded and took a deep breath. She hoped Kylo would be convincing.

Hux watched her as the doors closed.

Ben sat on the desk rather than behind it. He didn't want to put that barrier between the two of them. "I'm sure you have questions," Ben prompted.

"You're not just going to tell me what happened?" Hux turned from the doors surprised.

"It will take less time for you to ask what information you want rather than just telling you the entire tale."

"Can she be trusted?"

"Yes."

"How can I trust you?"

"Did you ever to begin with?" Ben asked back.

"No, not even when we were young." Hux admitted quietly.

"I want nothing more than to bring order to the galaxy and do whatever I must."

"Then we want the same thing."

Ben nodded.

"The information she has given you."

"The rebellion has been using the information about our weapon to increase recruitments and turn the galaxy against us. If we use the weapon now, it would be disastrous."

"How did they get the information about the weapon?" Hux sneered.

"Their resident Jedi. Her power has increased."

"She bested you?"

"Only because if I had killed her, they would have killed me. And I prefer to be alive."

Hux thought Ben did have a point. "Supreme leader, why get yourself captured."

"When I heard that you had implemented my plan, I needed to get her out of there before she was killed." Ben paused. "Also don't call me Supreme Leader. That was Snoke's title. I am not Snoke."

"I think I am starting to see that. What should I call you then?"

"My name, or Proctor if you must have a title. I'm here to keep the order."

"Has she told you where the rebellion went?"

"No."

"And you haven't forced the information out of her?"

"As I said. I'm not Snoke and nor do I follow his orders anymore. I don't need more enemies."

"Why not have her with us?"

"You would be more satisfied with her answers if I wasn't there when she gave them. I need you to trust her, even if you don't trust me."

"Trust is earned."

"That it very much so is." Ben replied. "Talk to her. I'll be outside. If you have more questions, you are welcome to find me later."

Hux was so stunned that he didn't notice right away when Ben exited, and she walked in. Her eyes glowed with anger as he met them.

"Do not glare at me girl," he growled. He was not in the mood for this.

"First my name is not girl, it's Rose Tico and second, I do what I want."

"Like betraying the rebellion?"

"I know a losing cause when I see one."

"Says the woman who tried to infiltrate the lead ship and removed our method of tracking. The woman who put her faith in a person that could be bought."

"That was the day I changed my mind. I almost died that day. My sister had died for their cause and I didn't want to be next."

"Why tell the rebellion about the weapon?"

"Just because I didn't want to die didn't mean I was okay with meaningless death," Rose spat.

"Neither am I."

"But you gave the order to shoot down the escape ships when you could have just let them go. So many of the people I had loved are gone because of you," Rose shouted.

"I changed that day as well."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Hux had to laugh. She had a point. She had no reason to think he changed. Not after he implemented the plan.

"I'm sure you do. I don't think you've changed at all either." Hux walked into her space. He placed his face inches from hers. "I don't trust you. Some how you have manipulated Kylo, but I will not be like him. You are still the foolish self-righteous girl I met before."

"And you," Rose got as close as she dared. "You are the same narrow minded arrogant murderer I met before."

They both paused in their anger as they realize how close they were to each other. They could feel the other's heat. Hux felt her breath on his chin and looked down at her lips. He licked his, his tongue barely avoiding touching her nose. Rose noticed the movement and momentarily wanted to touch his face. He momentarily wanted to see how she felt beneath his hands.

Hux growled and backed away before he could do anything stupid. She was his enemy after all. He turned his back on her so she couldn't see the boner straining against his pants. "Leave, just know that I will be watching you very closely."

Rose left thinking she might like the idea of Hux watching her.

Hux could see why Kylo wanted her. She was a force to be reckoned with and Hux found that he liked that.