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"Is it the last day of school, Mama?" Greer asks.
"It is," Rey answers as she finishes her ponytail. "Tomorrow you can play with Wyatt all day."
A loud, "Yay!" comes from the direction of the boy's room before he slides down the hall to stop in front of the girl's doorway. Rey smiles and shakes her head, while Greer giggles with her stepbrother.
"Come on," Rey says. "You two need to eat, then we gotta go."
Greer and Wyatt follow Rey downstairs where they join Juniper and Jack at the table. Leia flips pancakes while Han makes sure everyone gets as many as they want. As busy as it is, Rey misses Ben who left very early for his first day back in the ER.
Rey pauses beside Leia, and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Her mother-in-law flushes pink and asks, "What was that for, dear?"
"Thank you. You make mornings so much easier." Rey grins. "Too bad we just can't find a bigger house for all of us, because having to get the boys out the door too is going to be-"
"Fun? Exciting?" Han adds. "Crazy?"
"Something like that," Rey quips.
"It will be good for you and Ben to get your own place," Leia slides another plate of pancakes onto the table.
Rey doesn't miss how her voice wavers. "Hey, don't you have a neighbor we can bribe to sell us their house?"
"There's Joseph McIntosh's widow, Mabel who lives across the street-"
"Han!" Leia fusses then pauses. "Though if anyone is going to sell anytime soon, it would be her. She keeps mentioning how the kids love it in Florida."
"I just dread packing my house. I have seven years of junk in that little house." Rey grabs the last pancake and rolls it up like a burrito before she bites the end off. "Girls, are you ready?"
Rey doesn't see the look that Leia gives Han…
"It's good to see you back in an ER Solo," Dr. Armitage Hux greets Ben bright and early at six AM.
"Just tell me that Wednesdays are easy around here?" Ben asks, looking into the locker he was assigned. He only plans on working one of two days a week, so this will mostly keep extra scrubs and boxers.
"The usual. Now tomorrow, that's when it will be busy."
"What's tomorrow?" Ben asks, even though he feels like he should know this.
"It's the first day of summer vacation."
"Are you sure you're not hurting anywhere else?"
"Harold said that if I was having a heart attack, I wouldn't have chest pains, but I'm having chest pains. Am I going to live?" The white-haired lady asks.
"And who is Harold?"
"My dog."
Ben blinks. Several times and then looks up to meet the eyes of the ER nurse, Kaydel. She nods and writes something down in the chart.
"I'm going to call some friends of mine who can help you more than I can. Will you be alright by yourself for a couple of minutes? Do I need to call anyone for you? Son? Daughter? Husband?"
"I have a daughter."
"That's good. Can I call her?"
Mrs. Norton hands him a cell phone. "Annie," she whispers. "Her name is Annie."
Ben nods. "I'll go call her right now."
It's six PM when he clocks out of the hospital. As soon as he's outside, he calls Rey. She answers on the second ring, "Hey! How was your first day?"
"Busy but nice. How was your last day?"
"Same," Rey chuckles. "Are you getting into your vehicle? I can hear the beeping."
"I am. I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Love you," Rey whispers.
"Love you too," Ben answers.
"Did you really take today off?" Rey asks.
"I did." He kisses the top of her head where it lies on his shoulder. They are still in the bed, barely wearing anything, as they listen for signs that the kids are awake yet. "What shall we do today?"
"Let's take them to the zoo?"
"The zoo?" Ben asks. "I like that idea. Which one?"
"Hang on," Rey grunts as she moves and only because she has to as she reaches for her phone. A couple of touches and a swipe, she fusses, "Crap."
He looks over. "Rain, all day?"
"That's what it looks like. How about the Fun Depot?"
"Is that the new place they built on the by-pass?"
"Well, it's not new but yes. Let's go there."
"Sounds good." He pulls her back to his side, tucking her under his chin.
"What are you doing Doctor Solo?" She asks as his hands start to caress her back.
"I'm getting ready to screw my wife before our wild gaggle of small children wake up."
"Oh really?" She mutters before she meets his lips. He hums, she smiles and there's a knock on their door. "Crap," she whispers. "Can we pretend that we're still asleep?"
"Mama? Ben?" Juniper's voice comes through the door.
Rey waits until she opens the door and sees Juniper's concerned face. "What is it?"
"We're late for school," she says as she comes to Rey's side of the bed.
"No Juni-bug. It's the first day of summer vacation. Even Ben took the day off." Rey kisses the top of her head. "Go back to bed. It's not even seven yet."
Juniper yawns and turns to go. Rey waits for her to go back into her room before she closes their door behind her.
"Where did she go?"
"Back to bed-" Rey smirks. "Come on."
"Come back to bed," Ben begs.
"Let's go take a shower," Rey answers with a wink.
"Why did you wink? What are you planning, Mrs. Solo?"
"I was going to ravish you, in your parent's guest bedroom shower."
He throws the covers off and stands. "I like the way you think."
"You always did." He follows her into the bathroom. All she has on is one of his t-shirts and he's is still naked. "Wait, didn't you go to bed last night wearing boxers?"
"I did. But then we-" he reaches behind her to turn the hot water on.
Rey's grin returns as she remembers last night. "Let's do that again-" she giggles as she pulls him into the shower after her. Lips and hands everywhere with more chuckles and in a matter of minutes Rey has Ben sitting on the shower seat with her bouncing on top of his cock while water rains down on them.
They still try to hurry in case the other adults want hot water too.
It's quiet in the hallway when they exit their bedroom. Rey peeks in the girl's room and Ben peeks in the boys. "They're all still asleep," Ben grunts. "We should be too."
"Come on," Rey steals another kiss. "Let's go fix breakfast."
A bleary-eyed Han waits for them downstairs. He doesn't say anything, but lifts his coffee cup in a silent toast.
"Is Mom awake yet?" Ben asks.
"She's getting dressed. What are you two going to do today and are you taking the kids with you?"
"Not sure yet and yes," Rey answers as she pours Ben a cup. She adds his dash of sugar and a splash of milk.
"We talked about taking everyone to the Fun Depot." Ben says.
"That's a neat place. Do you mind if your mom and I tag along?"
"Are you sure, Dad? You don't have to-"
"I want to. We haven't done many things yet with Rey's girls now that they are officially part of the family. It will be nice to go play all day." Han smirks. "Besides, it will drive Tobias crazy to know that I got to spend the day with his girls and he had to work all day."
Rey laughs as she walks over to give Han a hug. He kisses the top of her head while she whispers, "Thank you."
When she steps back, Ben pulls her into his arms. "Do you want to call your parents too? See if they can come?"
"I can but I doubt they can come. Mom still works in the summer and Dad will have patients. I'll try anyway." She grabs her phone and steps outside.
Han waits until she's out of earshot when he pats Ben on the back. "You did good, son."
Ben looks outside to his bride. His grin matches his dad's. "You know, sometimes I amaze myself."
"Now you sound like me," Han quips.
"He did learn it from you, after all," Leia adds as she comes into the kitchen.
"He might have gotten a little bit of that from you, too," Han defends.
"What's scary is Jack acts just like Ben did when he was seven," Leia says with a wink. "All solemn and serious until he figures out if he loves you or not, then you had his undying love."
"He does?" Ben asks. "I acted like that?"
"Until you met Rey, yes. Once you got to be friends with her, it was like she was the other half of you. Even then when you two were ten, we could see it."
"See, what?" Rey asks as she comes back in.
"That you two were made for each other," Leia says as Ben wraps his arm around Rey.
"I know it doesn't make sense, but I feel the same way too." Rey mutters with a smile. "Mom and Dad can't go. They have to work like normal people." Ben kisses her forehead. "Alright, enough mushy talk. Let's get breakfast ready so we can take these kids to go play."
"Play?" Wyatt asks from the bottom stair. "Can Greer come too?"
"Of course, you silly goose, you can play with Greer for the next three months! Then you can go to school with her."
"I can? Does she know that? What about my teacher? Does she know who I am?"
"See, this is why we can't tell him anything," Han laughs. "Now that's all he'll talk about."
"That's ok, it just means he's getting ready for the transition," Rey coos. "Do you remember my mom? Greer calls her Meemee."
"I know her!" Wyatt says.
"She's going to be your principal. And as soon as she knows who your teacher will be, she'll tell you so you can go meet her."
"You have to promise to tell me as soon as you know," he murmurs.
"I promise." Rey smiles. "Now, is anyone else awake?"
"No. Jack is snoring, and so is Greer and Juni."
"Well then come help us make breakfast. What do you want to fix for everyone?"
"Muffins!"
"Well it's good that I have stuff for that. How about some cinnamon buns too?" Leia asks as she pulls flour out of the cabinet.
"Yes!" Wyatt exclaims as he pulls up a chair. Han has to smile when his youngest grandchild tugs on Leia's sleeve. When she meets his eyes that are so much like Ben's, Wyatt tugs his Lala down to his level and kisses her cheek. Leia returns the kiss, and Han thinks, there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
"Just because you can hit your brother in a moving vehicle, doesn't mean you should," Rey gasps as Jack spins the steering wheel of the bumper car.
"Yes, it does!" Jack growls as he swerves to miss Juniper to hit Wyatt.
"Jack!" Leia exclaims as Jack drives away. Before they got into the cars, Rey said that she was riding with Jack. Leia claimed Wyatt, while Ben grabbed Juniper and Han hugged Greer.
There are several other families here today. Rey recognizes a couple of them, and a couple of the girl's friends are here too.
Even with Ben just being back for a couple of months, several old friends come up to welcome him back.
The teenager who was in Rey's second period English last year, blows his whistle. "Oh, thank God," Rey whispers. "We're outta time." She slides her seat belt off. "Let's go do something else."
"Go karts!" Jack shouts.
"I want to go play that game again," Greer whines.
"Laser tag," Juniper says with a grin that Rey could almost describe as evil.
"I'm hungry," adds Wyatt. Once he said that, it's like everyone else remembers that they haven't eaten yet. Now all four of them are chiming in, agreeing that it is time to eat.
Brbrbrbrbr
"But do I have to leave, Dad?" Jack whines, "one more time on the bumper cars, please."
"I want to climb the wall again," Wyatt whispers, too tired to speak any louder. Ben picks him up, and Wyatt's eyes flutter shut against his shoulder.
"Sweet boy," Leia coos as they walk towards their vehicles. Ben drove his Land Rover, the only one they can all fit in, and Han and Leia drove her BMW. "I thought we were getting pizza?"
"I want pizza," Greer pipes up.
"I wonder if we should get it to go?" Rey asks.
"We can stop and get it," Leia answers.
"Thank you." Rey waits for Ben to open the doors before she helps small people in.
"We'll see you at home-"
"That was a good time," Rey says. The kids behind them are almost asleep, and Ben is driving home. Her hand is on her husband's leg and his is on top of hers, fingers intertwined.
"We'll have to make that a thing," he pauses, but then they say together, "-but only when they've been good."
"Hey," Jack says behind them. "We're good all the time."
"No, we're not," Juniper argues.
They say that in moments of great importance or danger everything slows down to a snail's pace. The first thing she notices is how quiet everything gets but for the sound of metal on metal. That awful screeching sound that makes your skin crawl and makes you just want to get as far as you can away from it.
She hasn't heard that sound since she was eight, when Unkar Plutt was her foster dad.
The truck hits on her side.
It's better me than them-
Why doesn't it hurt?
Oh Lord take care of my babies-
Who's going to take care of Mom and Dad?
Then images start in her head like an old movie. Calling Mama, Mama for the first time.
The first time she met Ben, both nervous ten-year-olds who just want to play like the overgrown puppies they are.
Poe and her dancing at prom.
Juniper's red scrunchy face when she was first placed on her stomach.
Greer's little golden curls that fell out to be replaced by matching chocolate waves like hers.
Meeting Jack and Wyatt by the lake…
Whydoesn'tithurt… oh there's the pain… who's crying...
I know, I know. you can throw things… don't worry the next chapter is done and will be posted Friday!