With loads of free time on my hands, I got right back to work making this chapter! I am starting to like this Fic more when I add characters to character interaction, I am just worried I'll screw up how the characters act.

Anyways; last chapter was fun, but had no Ben in it.

This chapter will have some Solo in it, so you'll see.

Still questioning myself on exactly how certain ideas I've had for later in the story will come out, so expect some filler chapters.

I'll leave you to guess which ones are fillers, because why not.

Anyways, here is the next chapter

-London.


Rey awoke,, blinking her eyes open slowly. Her sleep last night was great, deep and refreshing. She lay on her side in her hammock, blanket up to her neck. I must've moved in my sleep she inquires. Yawning, and sits up. The air was already heating up from the sun, which was casting a warm glow into her hut. Looking around, Rey felt less tense then she had nights before. Smirking, she remembered why. BB-8 had already gone, the droid was an early riser. Normally, Rey was too but she slept extra sound last night. Honestly she needed the bonus rest.

Rey stood up, feeling the morning sunlight bathe her exposed legs with a comforting warmth. She needed to put pants on, despite the night feeling, she couldn't just walk around half naked. She stretched her back and arms, feeling looser then usual, her back even cracked slightly. Looking down, she found the pair from last night and pulled them up.

After a moment of Rey just taking in the sun, she made her way over towards her closet and chests. There, she would find the rest of her outfit for the day. Getting to her closet, she picked up her belt and fashioned it to her waist, a snug fit that had become a part of her since her days on Jakku. Opening her closet, she all her array of tops and bottoms. Most ranged from grey to white, a few Red's and of course her black overcoat in case she had to go somewhere cold.

Rey picked up a nice stone colored top, very similar to the one she wore to Arch-To. That one was still in her closet, but she rarely wore it. Casting a glance to the corner of the wooden structure, Rey saw her white Jedi clothes. Sighing, she pushed the other basic clothes out of the way to look at it. The white had been cleaned since her fight on Exegol, thankfully. She ran her head down the silky outer layers sending memories flooding through her. Should I ever wear that again? She asked herself, glancing at the clothes in her hand. It wouldn't be disrespectful, would it? Maybe... she thought before putting on her top with ease. The fit was snug, but not constricting, which Rey liked.

Now fully dressed, Rey turned to head out. Before she could take one step, the half completed light saber on her desk caught her eye. How could I have forgotten about that! She shook her head, I'll complete you later. She spoke to herself. Once she had gotten to her door, she sensed something on the other side that was not there before. Cautiously, she opened the door. To her surprise, there was a box with a bow and a letter on it. Smiling, she bent over to pick it up.

"Who brought you here?" She asked the box, not actually wanting a response. Checking the letter, she walked back inside and sat at her table, reading the letter. "From Poe: Thanks Rey, for convincing Finn to stay around. I know we don't always see eye to eye, but that doesn't matter. I can't understate your importance to our cause, and to me. Here is a small gift I figured you'd appreciate, don't use it all at once. I don't want to be held accountable for that! - Sincerely, Poe Dameron." Rey, now very intrigued, opened the small black box. Inside she saw a large bottle filled with a brownish, almost sand colored liquid. She picked up the bottle, reading aloud the label.

"Ergesh Rum... 40 proof?" Rey didn't know what that meant, but she did know what Rum was. Smirking, she placed the bottle back into its box, folding the letter neatly and placing it on the table. "Of course, Poe would buy me alcohol." Laughing some more, she stood up shaking her head. Once she had stepped outside, the humidity in the air was quite obvious. Birds chipped and sang their songs far above Rey's head, she needed a shower, but her stomach growled in protest. Food was needed first, so to the mess hall she went, secretly hoping to find Ben there. She felt her cheeks grow hot, imaging him waiting for her with his smile. Oh stop it! You're acting like a teenage girl! Only being 20, was it really above her to act this way? Shaking her head Rey started down the well trotted path towards the mess hall, pushing out any thoughts except for what she was going to have for breakfast.

The runway was busy with Resistance members, many of whom were just arriving. After their large victory on Exegol, many were joining the fight. Booths were set up, allowing each new member to register their name and go through extensive background checks. Rey was glad more people were joining, but for others it was a sign of cowardice. The fight was all but over now, only a few strongholds of the First Order remained. Some of the older fighters saw the newer ones as bandwagons, people who were to afraid to help the cause before, and let their friends die. Rey could see both sides of the argument, but was just glad people had shown up.

Continuing her walk to the mess hall, she brushed past many of the people crowding the tarmac. From the looks of the sky, even at this time in the morning, it looked to be a pleasant day. It rains a lot on Ajan Kloss, especially in the jungle which happens to be where their base is located. The mess hall was just past hangar A, which was past hangar B where Rey's hut was. Not a far walk by any standards, but the unusually large crowd slowed things down for her.

Once at the mess hall, Rey was greeted by fellow fighters. "Hey Rey." and "Morning Rey!" said a few who were leaving as she entered. She politely smiled a reply, not wanting to speak, saving her voice for who she hoped was there. The mess hall was a large room with tall ceilings, lights hung from those. Tables sat in the middle with droids buzzing around them, it wasn't too busy no, but at times Rey had seen it packed to the brim.

Before she could even enter the line to get her food, Rey felt the force tug her attention towards a table in the far corner. Gazing that way, she saw Ben. Sitting alone, eating the rations that were provided to him. Poor Ben... She thought with a frown, imagining his awkwardness at being around all the Resistance. Even if it was his second day attempting to bond in the mess hall, she could feel his apprehension. He won't be alone much longer she imagined, turning her frown into a smile as Rey scooted into the line for breakfast. She wondered if Ben had felt her presence, she could feel his aura from far ranges if she focused.

"Move it lady." The gruff voice split her thoughts as she was pushed from behind. In her focus, she had stopped walking.

"My bad, sorry." Rey politely replied, scurrying forward to move up the line. Feeling embarrassed, she felt her cheeks grow hot, and not for good reasons. Must have been someone new, for them not to know my name. The rest of the time in line Rey moved up whenever the line did, only waiting abut five minutes before it was her turn to order. Stepping up to the buffet, the line worker gave her a smile.

"What will it be today, Rey?" His voice was gruff, like a stereotypical soldier would. However, Rey knew this man, and knew he was not as his tattooed appearance may suggest. Sai was a very gentle man, he loved animals and played cards every night with the wounded fighters to cheer them up. Even making special meals for the severely injured few, which to some was a waste of materials, but Rey saw it as sweet.

"I'll have the beans, with my favorite green veggies and toast please." Rey gave a smile, watching as Sai nodded and used a few spoons to scoop up the requested choices. The vegetables reminded her a the rations on Jakku, but far better tasting. They landed on her plate, still steaming from the container they were just in. Finn often would make fun of her for not "treating herself" during her meals. Rey ate very healthy almost to a fault. On Jakku, food was not to be enjoyed but needed for survival. Now with decent food almost everyday, Rey tried not to loose sight of her roots. And besides, Jedi needed to be in tip top condition, so eating healthy was important to her training.

Sai passed her plate down the line, where it was stopped by an unfamiliar man. He was just a boy, by the looks of it, maybe seventeen. He was skinny, maybe forty pounds soaking wet. New to the Resistance, clearly, but Rey wasn't going to hold that against him. "What would you like to drink?" The boy asked, gazing at Rey with wide eyes.

"What kind of tea are in stock today?" She asked, making eye contact with the newbie. Tea was Rey's favorite drink besides water, ever since she had tried it on Ahch-To. The boy gave an awkward smile, stuttering on his own words while his pupils grew in diameter.

"We-we have uhhh herbal- er honey, uhh green... red?" Rey couldn't help but giggle, she didn't know how to react. Flattered? Somewhat. Happy? Maybe, she just wanted her tea. She paused her reply for a moment for him to gather his thoughts.

"Green, please and thank you." Rey asked politely, watching as he turned redder than Snoke's Throne Room. She let out a smile, the boy nervously poured a cup of hot tea for the young Jedi. He was clearly smitten.

"The-there you go m'lady." He voice was shaky, oh how adorable it was. Rey took the cup from him as he reached over the glass to hand it to her. Their hand touched for a meer nanosecond, but the boy looked like he had seen stars.

'Thank you." She almost felt bad, turning to leave with the tray and tea in hand, that he would never be able to be with her. At least, the way she saw things now it was impossible. She could almost feel his hot stare on her back as she marched towards Ben's lonely table. Around half way there, she noticed his head pick up from staring at his food. Ahh, now he sense me giving a warm smile Rey picked up her pace like a giddy middle-schooler about to sit with her friends.

"Ben! How are you this morning?" Rey tilted her head ever-so-slightly downwards, attempting to make her eyes seem around welcoming. She sat down with a thump, not taking her eyes off him just yet. Ben sat up straight and cleared his throat, noticing how she sat. It was unusual for her to sit like that, normally she had great posture.

"I'm good Rey, what about you? Sore?" Ben asked nicely, stuffing his face full of cornbread. Cornbread? Rey thought, imaging the terrifying menace that was Kylo Ren. The former Supreme Leader, loves cornbread! It was strange having funny thoughts about Ren, after all the monstrosities he had done. She couldn't hold in her laughter. "What?" Ben asked, swallowing his food. Giving Rey an odd look, reaching for his milk.

"Nothing." She laughed again. "I'm starving, not sore." Rey picked up her spoon and lifted some beans onto the toast, plopping some into her mouth frantically. Closing her eyes at the taste, everyday it got better and better compared to Jakku rations. Quickly, she placed more beans on the remaining toast. Repeating the process until all the toast and beans were gone. Ben stared, his eyes wide on the verge of laughter. "What?" Rey used a napkin to wipe her mouth, Ben shook his head.

"You eat like a starving man!" He picked up a bite of egg with his fork, watching as Rey crossed her arms. This was not the first time she had heard that, in fact, Poe would say it almost every time they ate together. Being used to it now, she found it amusing that Ben also says that about how she eats.

"It's in my nature." Rey replied, taking a sip of her tea. It was quite good! Using a fork, she picked up some of the veggies, eyeing them up before plopping them into her mouth. Ben got jealous of the fork for a moment, quickly casting aside those thoughts however.

"That actually makes, a lot of sense." Ben realized, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table, watching Rey continue to eat. She finished her veggies in no time, eager to start a real conversation with Ben. During their force talks, she had learned about him. Who he was, why he did things, as well as the thing she would normally say. She also learned his thought process. One thing Rey hadn't learned was how his childhood was, but she worried about how he would react to such a question.

"I have a question, Ben." Rey announced when the last bit of veggies had cleared her throat. He picked his eyes up, ready to answer any question the young Jedi had to ask him. Excited about the prospect of sharing intimate details with another life form, especially this life form. "What was your time on the Falcon like? Do you remember any of it?" Ben was slightly taken aback by her question. Giving her a look, growing stiff. As he looked into her eyes, they were pure and warm. She genuinely wants to know, he thought. Searching his memory for the right spot to begin his story.

"I remember being forced to work on it." He said gruffly, not all of his memories are pleasant ones. Rey was shocked a little by his tone, thinking maybe she had asked the wrong question. Or if she should apologize and back off, but before she could, Ben continued. "You must know, that thing needs a tone of maintenance." His tone was better now, and relief washed over Rey. The last thing she wanted was for him to be upset at her. "I remember that it ha felt very large to me, when I was a boy. Didn't take long for me to grow into it." He laughed at his own joke, Rey giggled to. Ben was a very tall man, easily towering over many other people in the Resistance.

"Was Chewie around much?" Rey asked curiously, tilting her head while grabbing her cup of tea. Ben felt a smile creep onto his face, watching the steam from Rey's tea float up into her nose and around her cheeks. The way she carefully placed her lips around the edge of the cup. Getting lost in the scene before him, Ben almost forgetting the question.

"Yes. Uncle Chewie was around all the time. I liked him the most, Leia would've told you." Ben searched Rey's face, trying to gauge her emotions and intentions with this conversation. As much as he enjoyed opening up to her, the process of remembering still brought some pain. He didn't want to have too stop her from learning, but he didn't want to go any further right now in such a public space.

"Have you talked to him any?" Rey asked, inquiring more about his interactions with the Wookie. Ben was kind of relieved her new question was about right now and not the past. It was a lot easier to talk about, and he hoped Rey could sense his apprehension.

"No... I haven't." Rey looked in his eyes, reaching over the table to touch his hand that was neatly placed on the edge of his side. Ben watched her hand move across the table, eventually landing on top of his. The embrace sent a surge of connection running through the both of them, and now Rey could feel his emotions. I should've laid off him she thought with a sigh. Watch his eyes drift from her hand to her face. She guessed he knew she could feel his sadness.

"I'm sorry, Ben..." Not wanting to hear him say 'it wasn't her fault' which Rey knew he was going to say, she instead started a whole new conversation. Or at least a planned one. "I am going to take a bath. After that, around mid day I would like to take you for a walk." Rey saw Ben's eyes light up, and butterflies arose in her stomach. "If it is okay, I would like to show you my training spots." Ben quickly nodded, pulling his hand away from her hand, attempting to hide his excitement.

"I would be delighted!" He said standing up, grabbing his tray. Rey smiled up at him, placing her used napkin on her empty tray and finishing her tea in one last gulp.

"Meet me outside my home at midday then." She stood up as well, following Ben to where he had started to walk. The garbage was located by the exit, which Ben had learned pretty fast. Not wanting Rey to see him blush, he walked quickly ahead of her.

"I will be there." He replied, making a mental note to be fashionably late. It had always worked at all the First Order meetings, so it must work for Rey too, right?

"Good, I'll be seeing you." Rey said placing her trash into the garbage droid who would take it to the compactor. Ben had already done this with his, and he stood by waiting for her get rid of her leftovers. Once she had finished, she turned to him and started to move towards the exit. Ben followed.

"You will, are you taking-" He paused, glancing down at Rey who was looking down at her feet as they exited the mess hall. The temperature outside was rising, which Ben had assumed was normal for Ajan Kloss, as it was a lush world. He still wondered what Rey put in her hair to keep it so sleek. Its probably so soft.. He started to loose himself in his own thoughts about her hair, not even hearing Rey answer his incomplete question.

"Yes. It will give you time to arrange your own barracks, unless you've arranged something else with Poe." Rey kept looking at her feet, watching how she still slightly curved her ankle when she walked. It was a learned trait from the shifting sands on Jakku, it would keep her balanced. The odd feet positioning was no longer needed for day to day life, but old habits die fast.

"Oh, sorry I had asked if I could get my own quarters in the Falcon." Rey looked up at him, almost laughing as they walked side by side. Ben quickly looked away in hopes that Rey hadn't caught him staring at her hair. The buns she always did them up in were messy right now, as if she hadn't cleaned them after she slept. It was adorable, and Ben imagined it smelled like fresh dew on a large leaf in the early morning; crisp and sweet.

"That's nothing to be sorry about! It was your fathers ship so it only makes sense if-" Ben cut her off. She wasn't wring often but right now Rey was no where near the truth.

"The Falcon is yours, Rey." Ben gave a little smile, sensing the shock flow through the currents of the Force. He also sensed happiness come from her, which made his smile grow. Rey stopped walking, gazing up at him with excited eyes. Deep down she had always wanted the Falcon after learning about all of its rich history, but she never wanted to take it from Chewie. Rey even had her second room in the Falcon, which housed some of her clothes along with some of her books.

"Th-what.." She stumbled on her words, like the boy in the lunch line earlier, she had no idea to react. Was this a gift? Wasn't it already hers kind of? What would Chewie think? I already live there when we go on missions- is it mine? She took a moment to gather her thoughts. Exhaling a breathe, she began. "Thank you, I appreciate the gift." She touched his arm, reaching out while gazing into his eyes. Ben felt his cheeks grow hot at her touch

"Its what Leia would've wanted..." He felt his guilt rise up, but looking into Rey's eyes he pushed it down. "Han too.." He felt himself choke up a bit, watching as tears sort of welled up in the corners of Rey's eyes as well. Somehow, she smiled.

"Meet me in my hut at midday, got it?" She pulled her hand off his arm very slowly, almost as if she didn't want to let go. Everyday she was around him, she was drawn to him more. Even through the Force bonds it happened, but even more so now he was here and officially Ben Solo. He gazed down at her, sad that she was no longer touching him, but excited about the prospect of seeing her later that day.

"Of course, I won't be late." Going back on his idea from earlier, he was too excited not to be on time. Every time Ben was around her, the pull to the light called him, when he finally answered that call she had delivered him a fatal blow. Even then, Rey used her power for good and revived him. He wasn't even sure if she had sensed his switch to the light, which meant Rey revived who she thought was Kylo Ren. Ever since that moment, he never wanted to be apart from her.

"Good. I have to bathe now, goodbye!" Rey gave a cheery smile then dashed off, trotting quickly towards Hangar B where her hut was. Ben watched as she went noticing how she looked both ways to check for incoming ships, how she would lightly brush past people, saying excuse me even though she didn't need to. She was perfect.

For a very, very brief time, Ben got an idea. I know where her secret spot to shower is, I could meet her there- wait no, that would be awkward... I could watch her there. I could hide! He felt his heart beat faster and he clenched his fist, imagining hiding in the trees, peering down at Rey who washed her body in the water. Her smooth hands gliding over her petite frame... the water dripping down her chest onto her delightful breast.

Nope. There it is... Kylo Ren. Ben thought with a grimace, all the excitement left his body and his head drooped. That was something Kylo Ren would have done, not something Ben Solo would. Dammit! He cursed in his head, starting to walk towards the Falcon where his current room was. He had been wondering how long it would take for his dark side to show through, and there it was. Angrily he stormed off to his chambers, muttering and cursing himself all the way there. But one thought, managed to get through his barrier, and he wished it never had. For it gave him to many ideas.

Will Rey ever show her dark side?


There it is, mostly a filler chapter, but it still contained some important details to watch out for in the coming chapters.

Speaking of upcoming chapters, here are the names of some of the next ones!

The Walk (9)

The Drink (10)

The Mistake (11)

The Truth (12)

The Night (13)

The Escape (14)

The Star (15)

And that is as far as I can see into the future, which should be around the middle-ish part of this story, with the climax happening around chapters 13-15 (At least, not for Rey)

Anyways, review! Lets try and get this to 60 before next chapter! All responses are welcome, even critical ones!

Sincerely yours,

London