Happy 4th of July y'all!

Thank you again for coming back to read. One more chapter you guys! And I'm almost done with it. I need to thank Sohypothetically and Notanislander for doing their magic! They make me better…

Oh! And the authors I mentioned, they are totally made up! I used a name generator!

Enjoy!

"Now will you tell me what happened?" Ben whispers in her ear after they have safely escaped to the dressing room after her near panic attack and aftercare.

Now that Rose is here, she feels like she can explain it. She's still in his lap, playing with his hand that's across her lap. "I grew up in foster care. Was never adopted, aged out and all that mess. I took some automotive classes in high school and was able to get a scholarship to go to the community college." She can feel Ben tense underneath her, and as much as she wants to let him just fix it all, she knows that she needs to continue. "One year I was in four different homes. I didn't even unpack, just left all my clothes in my bag."

"I remember that year. Mama wanted you to come home with us so bad, but they wouldn't let her since my parents didn't have their green cards yet" Rose adds, coming to sit beside her and Ben. "That's when Mama decided to hurry and finish all those applications. Then they still wouldn't let us bring you home."

"It's ok, just knowing that you and Finn were there—" Rey leans over to hug her. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Rose says.

Rey pulls away. "Anyways, I needed to tell you that so I can say this: I know how to read people and I'm usually pretty good at it." Rose nods in agreement. "Now I know I haven't been around kinky stuff for long, but there was a couple in the back—"

"Oh, yes," Hux says. "I noticed them taking pictures. Thought it was incredibly rude of them."

"Jared was going to ask them to delete the pictures—" Rey says.

"Not a chance of that if they were loaded into the cloud. Everything is connected to the internet these days and the internet is forever. I wonder why they were here," Hux ponders.

"You're the IT guy," Rey says to Hux, "can't you fix this?"

He shakes his head as Rose whispers, "I don't have a good feeling about this."

The friends grow quiet. "They looked out of place. It looked like they had new leather on, they were the only ones who even wore leather today. Even Jared had on jeans," Rey mutters. "Who were they?"

Ben kisses her forehead. "I don't know. Let's change and get out of here. I need to make some phone calls."

When they are dressed in their street clothes, they all walk out together. Rey knows that Effie is still there, and it looks like Katniss' Jeep is parked beside it. But it's the van at the end of the parking lot that makes her skin crawl.

"Who is that?" She hisses.

They all turn and her friends spy the van. "It's a plain white van, but I feel like I'm being watched," Rose says.

Hux hands Rose his keys. "Go to Rey's house. Ben and I will be there soon."

"No, let's stay together. Ben will call Peeta, let him handle it," Rey begs. "I just want to make sure- let's just go."

"It's alright, sweetheart. We're going," Ben agrees. They get into their separate trucks and head to Rey's.

Chewy is there working and Han is hanging out like he's been all week. And while she wants to go hide, everyone she cares about, except for Finn, is there. It helps more than she would think it does.

Han and Chewy greet them as they walk into the bay area of the garage. Rey knows she's worried, and she can see it on Rose's face, Han stops to ask, "What happened?"

She meets Ben's eyes and shrugs since she isn't sure how much his parents know about what he does at Twisted. Ben doesn't have a chance to say anything because B.B. comes in the garage.

"B.B?" Rey asks as the dog comes close for pets. "What are you doing here?" Rey crouches so she's on the pup's level so she can kiss her nose.

"There you are," Poe says, coming around the corner.

At first Rey isn't sure if he's talking to her or B.B. but then he continues. "Weird question, Rey. Have you noticed anything odd lately?"

She looks up and meets Rose's eyes then meets Poe's. "Yeah you could say that. Why?"

"I don't want you to worry, Han and Chewy made them leave."

Rey whispers, "Who? Who left?"

"Some people in a white van."

"A white van?" Ben echoes. "It was here?"

Ben starts to question Poe while Han and Chewy talk to Hux. Rey can't catch her breath, because it feels like an elephant has come to sit on her chest. Everything else fades as each breath becomes harder and harder.

She hears Rose in the distance, but it's Ben's deep baritone that reach her. He's the one who holds the bag over her mouth so she can remember to breathe.

When the elephant is gone, she realizes that she's in what's becoming her favorite place; his lap. Their eyes meet and his arms tighten around her. "I'm ok," she whispers. "I just want to know—"

"Yeah, me too." Ben kisses her temple and that's when she notices everyone else. Poe is on the phone, Han is on his phone, even Chewy is talking to someone on his. Hux and Rose are in what looks like a deep conversation. Both of them have very worried expressions on their faces. "Hux," Ben barks. Hux and Rose stop and turn their attention to them. "Call Phasma. Her husband works for the FBI."

"Called on the way home. I'm waiting—" his ringtone interrupts him. "That's her," he says as she steps outside to take the call.

"Hop up," Ben commands.

Rey stands and Ben rushes out after Hux. Rose walks towards her, but then motions for Rey to follow. Rose leads them all the way to the house. Rey unlocks the door and lets Rose enter before her.

"Are you ok?" Rey asks as she opens her refrigerator.

"Don't worry about me, are you ok?" Rey hands her a canned drink that she knows she loves.

"No, yes, I don't think so? Who would want to follow us?"

"That's what I was thinking, and while we were at Twisted?" Rose agrees.

"I wonder if I should call the police?"

"The way the guys were all on their phones, I think they're already doing that."

Rey walks over to her glass doors that face out over her deck and the woods. "Rose!" her friend rushes to join her. "Look—" she points to the trees. "Watch," she whispers. That's when both of them see something flash at them.

"Is that—"

"It looks like a camera lens to me too."

Before she can even ask, Rose fishes her phone out of her pocket. "I'm up here at the house. There's someone in the woods behind Rey's house!" She pauses for a moment while she checks the lock. That's when Rey goes through to check the windows and the other doors to make sure they're locked too. By the time Rey returns, Rose has all the curtains closed and is hanging up the phone. "Ben and Hux—"

They don't give her time to finish because they are coming in the front door. Ben meets her and it's not until his arms are around her that she feels like she can breathe again. "Pack a bag. You're staying at my house tonight."

"I'm not going to argue with you about that." She rushes up the stairs. While she's there, she checks the windows and closes those curtains too. The bag that she hasn't used since she and Rose went to Mexico two years ago lands on her bed. Not sure what to take, she grabs some underwear, her cute bra, and some shorts.

She hears someone on the stairs. Her heart speeds up even though she knows the doors are all locked. But when she hears his deep baritone rumble, "Rey?" She meets him with a hug. "You're shaking,"

"I am." She lets him back her up into the room. He kisses her forehead.

"Let's get out of here."

She grabs some more clothes and zips the bag shut. "Sounds good to me.

Brbrbrbrbr

"Are you sure you're alright?" Rose asks, her voice muffled because of the hug she's giving Rey.

"Yeah," Rey whispers. "I know you two are tired. Go on home." Rey leans back and tries to smile. "Besides, if they show up here, we're coming to your house."

"You're more than welcome," Hux says, "I might even let Ben in."

Rey and Rose laugh as Ben slaps Hux on the shoulder making his flinch. "Thanks, old buddy."

They don't follow Rose and Hux out to his truck, but wave from the porch. Ben shuts the door when their friends turn the corner out of sight. They haven't been at his house much, somehow, they always end up at hers.

He pulls her into his arms and whispers, "Be with me."

She welcomes his kiss before she whispers, "I'm here."

"Do you want to—" his voice trails off, purposely leaving his question open-ended.

"Are you hungry?" she asks.

"Maybe after a while? Are you?"

"Too nervous to eat—" a knock at the door interrupts her. Before either one of them can get up, Rose rushes back with Hux right behind her.

"Turn on CNN—" Rose gasps.

Ben goes to the TV and Rey jumps up to find her purse. "What happen—" Rey stops talking when she sees a picture of her being tied up by Ben at Twisted. It quickly disappears to show a video of Ben and Phasma at what could only be from one of the clubs they were at when they were touring several months ago.

Rey sinks onto the couch where Rose links her arm through hers. She knows that they are all talking, she even hears her phone ringing. But everything fades into a dull roar. "What do I do now," she whispers.

"Do you need to call a lawyer?"

"I'm not sure—" Ben cusses and then slams down his phone. "Ben?" She watches him and it doesn't seem like he's coming to her, so she goes to him. He won't look at her, instead looks out the windows facing his backyard. She needs to touch him, so she wraps her arms around him and rests her head on his back.

At first, he stiffens at her touch, but then he turns and pulls her into his arms. "This is all my fault. I did this."

She wants to say something, but finds that she can't. "You're not responsible for your mother and her wanting to run for president," Hux says. "You still have to live your life."

His arm tightens around Rey. "Hux? Whiskey?"

The red head runs his fingers through his hair. "Don't mind if I do. Rose?"

"Yes, please."

"Rey?"

"No, thank you." She watches Ben and Hux walk into the kitchen and goes back to join Rose on the couch. "What do I do?"

"I have no idea. Should you call Poe?"

"Why would she call Poe?" Ben asks as he brings Rose her drink.

"Poe is my lawyer," Rey says.

"I didn't know that." Ben hands the drink to Rose.

"He helped me set up the business. In return I keep B.B. when he needs me."

The friends are quiet for a moment then Ben grunts, "Honestly, I don't know what to do."

"I need to eat something," Rey announces, suddenly hungry. "Is anyone else hungry?"

"Are you sure you don't need us to stay?"

"No, we should be alright. Hell, it's ten PM. The vultures will descend tomorrow," Ben says, trying to keep it light. But he knows how the media is. He slaps Hux on the back, and is surprised when Rose throws her arms around him in a hug. He hasn't been around her much, but he knows how Hux feels about her and that Rey loves her like a sister.

They watch them, for the third time that day, climb into Hux's truck. They wait until the lights turn the corner before Rey says, "Can we just go to bed?"

"I like your way of thinking." He pauses while she heads down the hallway to his room. "Rey, wait." She meets his eyes and he feels guilty for the worry he puts there. He motions for her to come to him. When she's by his side, he leads her to the couch. They sit down together.

"I feel like I owe you an explanation."

"You don't," she says as she grabs his hand.

"Your touch." she looks at him with a questioning look on her face. "Ever since that first night at Twisted, that first time you touched me, I knew that I at least had to be your friend." He brings her hand up to his cheek. "I'm so grateful that you let me be more."

"Ben—" she replies with a watery smile.

"I may as well start at the beginning. Now that I'm grown, and you know they say hindsight is twenty/twenty, I think everything I've ever done in my life has been to make my parents happy."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do that?"

"I'm still not sure. Mom, oh my mother. If there is wrong in the world she needs to fix it. When all I ever wanted was to hear her say that I did something worthy. Then Dad. He's ex-military too. That's why I joined. Followed in his footsteps to fly too. He retired, but I was discharged on medical bullshit." He meets her eyes. His heart breaks when he sees her tears.

"Sweetheart, I wasn't thinking. I was wanting to tell you how I fell into BDSM."

"I know that your dad loves you. So, does Chewy. I've never met your mom, but I bet she does too."

"She does. I've never doubted that."

"What happened?"

"What?"

"Ben," she chuckles through her tears. "How did this start? Did you just pick up a rope one day and think, I need to go tie someone up?"

"No. I was in the hospital bored out of my gourd. I had an unlimited eBook account and started looking for something to read."

"Really? Who are your favorite authors?" He laughs and squeezes her hand. "What? That's how I got interested too."

"I don't remember?"

"I like Link Hardbreeze, Paxton Silverberry, and Neptune Lowcreek. But my favorite is Hannah Nightworth."

"I think I read some of them." He stops and shakes his head. "You're distracting me. What I was reading, it clicked. That's what I wanted."

She won't meet his eyes but looks down at where he's still holding her hand. "I know a little bit about you by now even though it's only been a couple of months. I think you like it because of the control."

Her words strike the parts of his heart that tells him that she's probably right. "If I admit that you're right, will you use it against me later?"

She rolls her eyes at him. "Who me?" she snarks. "I wouldn't do anything like that."

"You're right," he says. "The only time in my life that I felt that I was in control of my life is when I'm in a scene."

"Have you ever tried it when you weren't the top?"

He can feel his cheeks grow hot. "I didn't like it. I actually safe worded out."

"How did you meet Peeta?"

"Hux was the one who took me that first time. It was at one of the breweries in town and Peeta and Katniss where they were practicing for their Vegas show called Sex Show."

"They went to Vegas?"

"Yeah, Hux and I decided at the last minute to go too. Well, we were in the audience. We didn't know them yet. but it was there that we were able to take some classes, and figure things out."

"What kind of classes do you take at a kink show?"

"Well, ropes. Spanking. Flogging. Anal play. Pet play. Power dynamics of a D/s relationship—"

"Oh," she whispers and his heart falls. "So, you're all in then?"

"I wouldn't say that. Let's use pet play as an example. I love kittens. Pups are alright. It would be really hard for me to get into pony play. I know we haven't talked about it much, but what do you think you're into? And don't say just ropes because you're helping me. You know you don't have to."

"But if I don't," she pauses and he can see her jaw clench. Is she jealous? "Someone else will."

"True." He nods. "Those people paid to take the class and Katniss and Peeta can't finish teaching."

"But I'm also starting to enjoy it," she whispers.

"You are?" he asks and he can't help but smile. "What do you want?

Her exhale is loud in his living room. "One of the first books I read about all this, the Dom wanted a 24/7 power exchange." She looks down and fiddles with the hem of her shorts like she's in trouble or would rather be anywhere but here. "Is that what you want?"

"Is that what you'd want?"

"I'm not sure?" He lets go of her hand, and tilts her chin in his direction instead. When her eyes meet his, he says, "We don't have to figure that out now. That's what's amazing about BDSM. We get to decide what our relationship looks like. This is not a traditional one where we date, I propose. We have an over the top wedding that my mother invites everyone she's ever met to. Then we settle down, have 2.5 kids and our happily ever after."

She looks disappointed and his heart falls.

"But if that's what you want, then we can do all that. Or we can never get married, and you keep me chained in the basement until you need me to change your client's oil and become the crazy cat people. Or to fly you to your next thing." She smiles that smile… "That smile right there. That's the one I love."

He tugs her towards him on the couch and she melts into him. They lean back together. "You know what?" He hums his answer. "As long as we can do this, I'm happy."

Before he can kiss her or say anything, there is a loud banging on his door and her phone starts ringing on the coffee table. They both steal a look at the screen. "Han? Why is your dad calling? It's ten PM!" she questions as he gets up.

"Hang on," he mutters as he goes to the door. The knocking continues until he flings the door open.

"Ben?" His mother, also known as Senator Solo from North Carolina, who recently retired growls on his front porch. "We need to talk."

He steps aside and his stomach twists like it did that time when he was five and accidentally on purpose shaved the dog with his dad's new clippers. And the time he almost broke his arm when he fell out of the tree house that she specifically said not to be in when he was seven. Or that time he wrecked the car that he wasn't supposed to be driving because he was only fourteen.

"Come in Mother. Is Dad with you?"

"He's coming."

"Mom, this is Rey, Rey this is my mother."

"Hello Senator—"

"Humph," is Leia's answer before she wraps Rey in a hug as Ben creeps back to the couch to sit beside Rey. "I didn't want to meet her this way Ben," she says as she glares at him.

"I know but I don't think she was ready for family dinner," he quips.

"Ben, Ben—" Leia starts.

"Leia, why can't this wait until morning?" Han asks as he enters he sees Rey. He gives her a little smile before he goes to sit in Ben's recliner.

"I told you why, the press, also known as the vultures, are already gathering." She turns her attention back to Rey and Ben. "What the hell, Ben?"

"Mom-" he starts.

"How long?" she asks.

"How long, what?" he answers.

"Son!" she fusses. "How long have you been doing the weird sex stuff?"

"Several—"

"Several? As in more than a couple? More than two years?" Leia mutters. "How long Ben?"

"Six years? Maybe four?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What? You wanted me to tell you that I was involved in the lifestyle?"

Leia stills. "The lifestyle is," she motions towards them. "This? The ropes? the clubs?"

"You know about my grand tour, then?" Ben asks, suddenly tired. He rejoins Rey on the couch. He rests his hand on his leg but palm up then meets Rey's gaze. She gives him a little smile and then covers his palm with her own.

Leia shakes her head at the both of them. "Where did you two meet?"

"Leia—" Han says, sounding more tired than his wife. "They met when the Jeep wouldn't start, I told ya'. It's Rey's shop I took it to."

"We actually met before that," Rey offers.

"Where?" Leia demands.

"Twisted," Ben supplies.

"Where in the hell is this place and why have I never heard of it?" Her exhale is loud in the quiet room. She closes the distance between her and her husband. Like a dance that's been performed a million times before, Han stops rocking and leans forward. Leia sits on his lap and Han pulls her close, tucking her head under his chin.

Ben is reminded of how when he was a child and saw his parents like this, he knew everything was going to be ok. Because he knew deep down that no matter how much his mom would get mad at the wrong doers, when she needed him, his dad was always there.

Rey squeezes his hand and he meets her watery ones. "That is so sweet," she whispers.

"They've always done that. She's the big bad senator, but he's her rock," He mutters as his own tears prick his eyes.

They are quiet for a moment then Leia murmurs, "I wish you would have told me this before I formed the committee."

"You can still run—"

She interrupts him. "No, I'm done. I'll announce it tomorrow morning to the press."

Han kisses her forehead. "Are you sure? I think once you get to know Rey, you'll see how great she really is. The girl can fix anything. Smart as a whip. You know what that means?"

"What?" Leia asks.

"They'll make us some pretty and smart grandbabies."

"Dad!"