Thank you for coming back to read!
Some warnings…. child custody stuff… recovery from surgery, nothing graphic, just tiredness… more in the end notes.
And there will be one more chapter. I know, I know. Chapter 14 was over 5,000 words and it came to a natural stopping point. So, chapter 15 will be fluff, and the epilogue which I hope you will come back to read.
And… the first chapter of The Black Knight's Bride will be posted tomorrow! I'm excited for you to read it!
"Where are my boys at?" Bazine calls from the front door.
"What the hell?" Ben swears.
"Is that-" Leia asks. "Han?" She almost runs to the foyer.
"I don't think you should come in," they hear Han say as Ben moves kids off of him.
"Take them upstairs," he whispers to Rey. Wide eyed, all she can do is nod. He doesn't miss the confusion on the boy's faces. "Go with Rey."
Greer takes Jack and Wyatt's hands while Juniper leads the way. Rey pauses, and he does too. His beautiful wife rises on her tiptoes and kisses him. "Do you want me to call Lando?"
"Yeah, I think we need to."
"Love you," she says as she walks up the stairs.
"Is that Rey Holdo I hear?" Bazine's ear splitting screech reaches them.
"It's Rey Solo now, bitch," she swears as she stomps to the front door.
Ben stops her before she reaches the foyer. "Let me, the kids need you-"
"Fine," she hisses and walks as fast as she can up the stairs. He waits until he sees her disappear into the boy's room, then he goes to the front door.
Bazine. He's regretted their relationship so many times. Ever since that cursed prom night, she's been a thorn in his side.
For her to show up after not one phone call, one email, one text to check on the boys in two years, he's surprised that she doesn't appear nervous at all. Dressed perfectly in her designer name brand clothes with the even more expensive purse; Some people might accept her illusion of confidence, but he can see the cracks in her visage where others can't.
"Hello, Ben," she purrs. "Where are Jackson and Wyatt?"
"That's none of your concern," he barks back. "It's time for you to go."
"But-"
Her lip quivers and he shakes his head. "That doesn't work on me. Get out."
He's not at all surprised when her tears disappear and what's left is a very pissed off version of Bazine. He knows this one too. This is what she turns into when she doesn't get her way.
"Fuck you, Benjamin Solo! You took my children away from me! Tricked me into signing that stupid piece of paper. I want my children back-"
He steps close, so close she has to back up until her back hits the door. But he never touches her even though he wants to ring her neck. "You don't want them or me, never did. Why are you here?"
Not that anyone would believe him, well he knows Rey will, but as soon as he asks her that, her eyes narrow. She smirks. And something which could only be described as evil simmers in her eyes.
"Why Ben, I just came by to see my darling boys and to wish you and Rey congratulations on your happy marriage." She leans in and he knows she's only doing it to try to intimate him. "After all, she's the one you've always wanted, isn't it?"
A cold chill dances down his back and there are many things that he wants to do, he insteads opens the front door.
She shakes her head but still walks out onto the porch. Before she can say anything, he adds, "My lawyers will be in touch." And slams the door.
Ben moves so he can watch her through the window and he doesn't even have to turn around to know that his parents are copying him.
"What in the hell was that?" Leia whispers.
"I have no idea. I guess her lawyer never told her about the restraining order?" Ben answers. "How did she know that I got married? And to Rey? Her parents died years ago, so who could have told her? She doesn't have any other family in town, does she?"
"No, not as far as I know," Han answers. "That's not important right now, what is, is what do we do now?"
Footsteps come running down the steps. They don't stop until Rey stands in front of them. She must have been watching from the window in their bedroom. "Lando's on the way."
"Is he the one that wrote up the original paperwork?" Leia asks.
"Yeah, he and a lawyer from Durham, Ahsoka Tano. It was Ahsoka who flew with the Private Investigator to get Bazine to sign the papers."
Rey starts swiping on his phone. "Do I need to call her too?"
"Let's see what Lando says," Ben says. "Are the kids alright?"
"I wasn't sure what to tell them, so we read some books. But I can tell that they want to ask-"
"What do I tell them?" Ben asks.
"I have no idea," Han answers.
"The truth, as much as they can handle," Leia replies.
"That we love them," Rey says. "I don't know what all happened, just what you told me. But meeting the boys, and being with them, tells me everything I want to know. She doesn't love them. Probably never did."
"She only had them because I didn't want her to get an abortion." Ben runs his hands through his waves. "I need-"
"Go on," Rey interrupts. "They're in their room."
"Will you come too?" He grabs her hand while Han and Leia walk back towards the kitchen.
"Of course."
All four of the kids are in the boy's room, all sitting on Jack's bed. The adults pause for a moment. Juniper is reading the family book Rey read the other evening to them.
Even Artoo is laying at the foot of the bed.
He goes to sit on the bed with the kids, while Rey, even as sore as she must be, sinks onto the floor. What does not surprise him is when Wyatt crawls over to his lap while Jack scoots off the bed onto Rey's.
The girls sit there for a moment before Greer joins Wyatt, and Juniper joins Jack.
"I know you heard what happened." Ben hugs Greer and Wyatt tight.
"Yeah, she's not a nice person," Jack mutters. Rey hugs him and Juniper.
"No, she's not," Rey agrees. "But she's still your mother. And whether you like it or not, you're hardwired to love her." Rey meets Ben's eyes. He can see the pain reflected in her eyes from both physical from the wreck and emotionally from her birth parents.
She never really thought that she'd be talking about this with her kids at the tender ages of eight and six, plus the boys. But maybe her pain will help them all.
"You have heard me say that Meemee and Pop-pop adopted me. But I haven't talked about my parents. When I was five, the firemen found me crying on the curb in front of their firehouse."
"Where did your mama and daddy go?" Greer asks wide-eyed concern, making her forehead wrinkle.
"We don't know. No one ever found them." She isn't going to tell their granddaughters that their bodies were discovered in a shallow grave several days after she was left at the firehouse. Mama didn't even tell her until she was well into her twenties what had happened to her parents.
"Oh, Mama." Juniper turns to hug her. While her daughter hugs her, Jack stands and circles both of them in his arms.
"Easy with her, she had surgery too," Ben says. She watches the little bodies he was holding wiggle out of his lap to join their siblings.
"I love you guys. But everyone sit down where we can see you." She waits for them to shuffle and she motions for Ben to join them. She has to chuckle as he tries to sit cross legged beside her. He smiles that smile that makes her weak in the knees. She squeezes his knee when he's beside her. "Ok, what I'm about to say might be hard to hear, but as kids you love your parents no matter what. Usually your parents love you even more right back. Even now, I still love my parents even though they hurt me very much."
"Do you love Meemee and Pop-pop?" Greer asks.
"I think I love them even more because they chose me to be theirs."
"I love them too," Juniper adds, squishing herself into Rey's side.
"And they love you." She meets Jack's eyes and then Wyatt's. "I know a little bit of what you're feeling. You love your mom. But she's been very mean to you. I don't even want to think about what might have happened if your dad hadn't been there to love you and take care of you. I know the next several days are going to be confusing, but know that your dad and I love you. Lala and Papa love you even more."
"Meemee and Pop-pop love them too!" Greer gushes.
"That they do." Rey smiles.
"Jackson, Wyatt," Ben says. "I just want you to know that everything I do is for you. You'll understand that better as you grow up, but I'm not doing this to be mean."
"We know Daddy," Jack whispers and crawls into Ben's lap with Wyatt coming close behind.
"And because of that, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. And that includes visiting Bazine. We're not going to make that decision now. Daddy has some friends that he needs to talk to before we make any decisions about talking to her. Do you two have anything you want to say?"
The doorbell chimes. Jack looks startled, Wyatt actually cuddles closer to Ben while the girls look nervous.
"Hey, it's alright," she soothes. "I doubt it's Bazine. Stay here with Daddy? Let me check?"
Everyone nods and she slowly stands. There's still a painful tug on her side where her spleen used to be and she wants nothing else but to lay down. Still, she tiptoes down the stairs.
"Poe? Zorii? What are you two doing here?" She stops at the bottom of the stairs. Leia or Han must have let them in.
"We brought supper, we left it in the kitchen with Leia," Zorii offers. "Shouldn't you be laying down?"
She doesn't get a chance to answer because it sounds like a herd of elephants stampeding behind her. Poe and Zorii catch the girls in hugs before giving the boys high-fives.
"Would you two like to stay for supper?" Ben asks.
Poe and Zorii exchange a look then meet her eyes. She knows that they are asking if it's alright. With a nod from her, they accept, "Well, it's a good thing we cooked so much food."
The doorbell chimes again.
"What is this, a party?" Ben quips as he heads for the foyer.
"Since it's not quite dinner time-" Rey starts but familiar voices reach them. "Rose? What are you doing here?"
"Hey guys." Rose is followed by Finn and Josie who squeals when she sees the rest of the kids. "We brought supper."
"Great minds think alike," Zorii replies and earns a smile from Rose and Rey.
"Would you and Finn and Josie like to join us? Poe and Zorii brought food too," Ben says.
"Is it alright with Rey?" Finn asks.
"Hey, why don't we go outside and let the kids play. I know Rey needs to sit down." Ben opens the patio door for them.
"Yeah just let me sit down in the shade." Rey follows Ben and the kids outside. "Too bad Han hasn't opened the pool yet, the kids could swim."
"He'll probably do it next week." Ben helps her into the lounge chair Leia usually claims as hers. "I'm going to get Rey something to drink, should I just bring out the pitcher of tea?"
"Let me help?" Poe offers as he shadows Ben back into the house. Rey has to smile when Finn follows too.
Rose sits on one side of Rey, while Zorii settles on the other side and Rey tries not to laugh at how crazy this is. For one, the girl that everyone thought was so perfect in school, who screwed over her best friend and now husband is back. Yes, she heard that bitch call out her name as if she was calling her out for a fight. Well if a fight is what she wants, then a fight she'll get.
Then to her left is her ex-husbands wife. Her girl's stepmother. She's just glad that Zorii isn't evil. And the girls seem to like her, at least they haven't come home crying because of the way she treats them.
Rose, the light of her life, her friend forever. She really has been through everything with her from first love, bad proms to marriage, divorce then a second marriage for her…
"Rey? Are you alright?" His rich baritone vibrates through her.
Her eyes flutter open to see his whiskey colored ones. "Ben! Where have you been?"
She hears chuckles, and has to smile too even if she doesn't understand why. "Rey, did you take one of your pills?"
"The little pink ones Dr. Imwe gave me? Yep about twenty minutes ago. Hey Ben?"
"Yes, Rey?" He tries to hide his smile at his loopy wife.
"Why aren't you mad?"
He sits down at the end of her lounge chair. His exhale is loud as he runs his fingers through his waves like she knows he does when he's super tired. And especially when he's frustrated. "I am, but then I know everything's going to be ok. I know between Lando and Ahoska, they are going to do everything, legally they can." His hand touches her knee like he can't not touch her. "But seeing you, with our kids, sharing a part of yourself like you did, I love you so much."
The two ladies on either side of her chorus his declaration with "Awww's." While Rey smiles.
"I love you too."
The doorbell chimes.
Ben shakes his head. Rey looks more tired and their friends look nervous. Rey doesn't recognize who Han is talking to, but judging by the expression on Ben's face, he knows who it is. He doesn't get a chance to stand when Han is leading him through the house to them.
"Lando!" Ben extends his hand but the other man wraps him in a hug instead. "Thank you for coming."
"Well I know we need to hurry up and take care of this." Lando looks around and his eyes light up when he spies Rey, Rose and Zorii. "Who are all these lovely ladies," he coos.
"Uncle Lando," Ben warns. "These lovely ladies are all married."
"Which one belongs to you?"
"That's me," Rey answers with a giggle. "He's very charming." She winks at Ben.
"Don't tell him things like that. Every compliment he gets goes straight to his head." Ben turns his attention to Lando. "Besides, she's been taking pain medication. There's no telling what she'll say."
"Ben!" She tries to sound angry, but instead her voice comes out as breathy and needy.
"Mom is heating up food, can I bring you a plate?" He asks.
"Do you mind?" She asks, a part of her still isn't used to someone else besides her parents taking care of her.
"I don't mind at all." He pauses long enough to kiss the top of her head before he follows Lando back into the house.
Rey waits for him to disappear before she closes her eyes. "Rose? Zorii? Can you make sure that the kids get something to eat too? I'm not sure I can stand."
"Oh sweetie, we don't have to stay," Rose begins as Zorii leans up, ready to leave too.
"No wait," Rey says. "Stay. Please. The kids need something normal with their friends." She picks up her head and tries to focus. "How's Wyatt? He might need some medicine too."
As if she summoned him, Wyatt comes over and crawls on her lap. She smiles and cuddles the boy, while Rose asks, "Are you alright?"
She nods and kisses the crown of his head. "Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm sleepy," he yawns.
"Well then close your eyes, I've got you." she feels him relax into her as he puts his head on her chest and her eyes drift shut too.
"Mom?" Ben calls Leia. "Is the food ready?"
"Yeah it will be in a minute." She looks around the corner and sees Lando. "Go in the study."
"Thanks," Ben says as he leads the way. He waits for Lando to enter before he shuts the door. "Go ahead and sit."
The huge wooden desk Ben remembers his dad using when he worked from home sits in the middle of the room. His old leather desk chair that Ben remembers he and Rey playing on sits behind it with two smaller leather chairs in front. Lando sits in one of the smaller ones and Ben claims the smaller one beside it.
Lando raises a brow, but doesn't say anything. "Tell me what happened?"
Ben shakes his head. "I brought Rey and Wyatt home from the hospital. We were relaxing, cuddling with the kids and I hear her talking to dad and then mom. Rey took the kids up to their rooms while I got Bazine out of the house."
"Did she say that she wanted the boys back?" Lando asks, taking out his notebook.
"Yes. Then when I reminded her that she did sign her rights away, she tried to deny it, even saying that I paid her to sign."
"Which we know you didn't."
"Hell, no. She didn't want us then and I know she doesn't want us now." Ben pauses, then remembers, "there was something else. She mentioned Rey and I getting married. Do you think that's why she might have come back?
"Maybe? Would she do something like that?"
"Oh definitely. She wants to make everyone as miserable as her," Ben snarls. His hands itch to destroy something. Maybe it's time to visit the speed bag in the basement. "What do we need to do?"
"Before I suggest this, do you think your lovely wife could join us?" Ben's brows arch and almost disappear under the waves that drape across his forehead. "She needs to hear what I'm about to say too."
"Alright," Ben grunts as he stands. "Help yourself to Dad's whiskey."
He's back at her side in moments. His heart smiles when he sees her and Wyatt both sleeping in spite of adults talking and kids playing. Then the guilt for letting everyone hang out like she wanted instead of ushering them back to their houses.
Rose and Zorii have moved to watch the kids on the swing set and monkey bars while Finn and Poe talk to Han over by the fire pit. He walks back to Lando and silently motions for him to follow.
His dad's old friend smiles when he sees Rey and Wyatt. "I have some time tomorrow. I can come back then, it looks like you need to get these two in the bed."
"Yeah, alright." He wasn't going to take tomorrow off, but his family needs him more. "Morning or after lunch?"
"After lunch," Lando says. "Text me, so I'll remember."
"Will do." Ben watches as the lawyer walks over to Han, Poe and Finn. Before he turns back to his wife. He bends over and lightly kisses her forehead.
Her eyes flutter open. "Hey. Oh crud, I went to sleep." She hugs Wyatt to her. "Is he still asleep?"
"He is," Ben says as he bends to get his son. He straightens. "Come on, you two need to sleep."
"But-" she begins as she looks towards the yard full of people.
"Sleep. We can have everyone back over, once you're better."
"That sounds good too," she mutters as he picks up Wyatt. "Do you want me to wait for you?"
"Can you walk?" he asks, automatically rocking and patting the boy's back like he always has.
"I think so." She stands, but waits for him to go ahead.
He stops when he hears Rose ask, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah we're going to take Wyatt up. I'm going to hang out with him for a minute then I'll be back." Ben watches her grab Rose's hands. "Please stay. Let the girls play. They need some normal."
"We'll stay, you go rest." Rose hugs his wife.
"Goodnight, Mama," Greer whispers, giving her a kiss.
Rey blinks and looks for a clock. "What time is it?"
"Bedtime," Juniper replies.
"Are you going to bed?"
"Lala helped me get ready." Jack adds.
"Is Wyatt still asleep?"
Ben appears above the kid's heads. "Yes. I didn't want to wake you, but they insisted."
"It's ok, I don't mind." She smiles at Jack, Juniper and Greer. "What's wrong? You all look worried." And they do. Juniper fidgets, Greer plays with her hair and Jack hangs on to Ben. "I'm better and so is Wyatt. Is that what you're afraid of?"
"Will you read us a story? Or just let us sit with you while Ben reads to us?" Juniper asks as Greer eases herself up on the bed.
"It's fine with me," Rey adds.
"Come on, Jack, you can pick out the book for tonight, then," Ben says with a smile. They're back in a moment and they all cuddle together in their king-sized bed as he begins to read,
"ONCE upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were— Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter."
"Ben! I'm not sick, I can get up, even Hux said so."
"I'm a doctor too, and I think you should stay in bed at least one more day."
"How about if I go sit on the couch all day."
"Will you come back when you get tired and take a nap?"
"Of course."
"Then come on, besides Lando is coming back over."
"Did he ever say why?"
"No, he just needs to talk to both of us."
"In thirty-five years of practicing law, no one has ever done this. Once they sign, that's it. They don't come back." Lando sits at Han's old desk while he and Rey sit in the smaller matching chairs. He meets Ben's eyes then Rey's. "What do you want to do?"
Ben gives him a look and Lando cracks up. "That's the same look your dad would give me when he didn't like the next hair-brained idea I'd cook up. Unfortunately, we can't do that. Or at least if you do, don't tell me."
Rey grabs his hand and squeezes. "What about letting her try again?"
"Are you serious?" he growls. "You don't know what she did to the boys-"
"No, I don't know the details, but I've seen your children, and deep down they still love her whether you like it or not. Yes, she's wounded them deeply, but-"
"Stop looking at that stupid bitch through the lenses of your childhood. She is not your mother who left you with promises that she'd be back but died before she could save you."
She jerks her hand away from his and looks down at her lap. She tries to keep quiet even as Lando is admonishing Ben, she interrupts, "Mama saved me. Daddy saved me. Hell Ben, you saved me. But if I don't try my damnest to save those sweet boys, then I have failed in everything I've ever set out to do."
She slowly stands and turns to go, but Ben catches her wrist before she can make it to the door. "Rey-" his voice breaks. "I don't know what to do."
"I don't know what to do either. If she hurts them again, I'm going to get that old sword of Grandpa Anakin's and stab her with it until she dies." She brings up her other hand to lay on top of his. "But what if she does want to do better? To be a mom? What then?" He guides her back to where she stands in front of him. He tugs on her until she sits on his lap. Arms snake around her, and she rests against him. "Lando? What do we do?" she asks.
"Ben, in a show of goodwill, I think you should let her see the boys-" she can feel Ben tense under her and she squeezes his fingers as Lando continues, "I know you don't like it. I hate having to recommend it. Let's do one hour a week, every two weeks. So, it wouldn't be weekly, and you two will have enough time to talk to them about what is going on. Completely supervised of course. You would pick the time and the place. Heck, make her come here. Let them play in the backyard, you sit here and observe. Or better yet, sit out in the yard with them."
"I don't like it," he whispers.
"No one does. But at least this way, in the future when the boys ask, you can tell them that you did give her another chance. Set some rules. Don't be late. Respect us and the boys. Is she still drinking like you said she was? No drinking then. She can't be alone with them. Can't take them anywhere.'' Lando sits back, then rocks in the overstuffed desk chair. "You don't even have to talk to her, I'll make all the arrangements."
Ben's arms tighten around her. "It's up to you," Rey says as she rubs his arm that surrounds her.
"I don't like it one bit, but I guess there's nothing else I can do. Make arrangements for Friday morning. Not too close to lunch, I don't want her finding an excuse to stay and day drink."
"Rey, I know your father does this, but he couldn't be their therapist, but have you thought about putting the boys in therapy? That way if she does want to take it to court, we could have that on file?"
"It might help them," Rey whispers.
"It might."
"Do you want me to call? And we can stay with them."
"I can. I think your parents are coming by later anyway."
"Well, kids," Lando stands with the legal pad he was taking notes on in his hand. "I'm going to go and make some phone calls. I'll email you the rules before I call her to make sure we all agree."
"Thank you," Ben answers.
"Thank you," Rey echoes.
Lando pauses behind their chair. "I can show myself out. Ben, you need to apologize to your wife."
"Bye, Lando," Ben answers.
"Ben, Rey." The door closes softly behind him.
He hugs her as tight as he can without hurting her while nuzzling her hair. "I love you, and I really am sorry."
"Missing mothers is a sensitive subject for all of us. I forgive you."
"Yes, it is, and I'm glad you do." He tilts her chin so he can kiss her. "I love you so much."
"Stop wishing."
"What?"
"I know what you're doing," she says as she runs her fingers through his waves. "You can't wish the past away. The only thing we can change is right now."
"Yep, and a therapist raised you."
"Yes, he might have, but he made a good point. We can't change the past. We wouldn't be who we are today."
"I'm glad that you said yes to being Mrs. Solo."
"Me, too," she murmurs as she kisses him.
End notes...
I don't own Peter Rabbit.
The custody stuff… I'm playing with the law. A lot. Usually when a parent signs away their rights, in North Carolina, that's it. They can't even make contact with the child. But because of Rey and her life, she knows a little bit of what the boys are missing out on, a mother's love. That's why Ben told her to stop looking at this through the lenses of her own childhood. Yes, he's being mean, and maybe he heard Leia and Amilyn talking about it one day when they were growing up. It could be anything (and yes I know I'm the writer and I should know this stuff lol…)