Author's Note: I do not own Star Wars, nor am I making any money off this. T-R-A-S-H that is what I am for writing this. *cheers* Thanks for all the favs, reviews, and follows! I love seeing your support! Thanks for reading, lovelies! xx

Field of Vision

Chapter Five

Kylo Ren's indomitable command ship landed smoothly on the sandy outskirts of Mos Isley. Knowing the reputation of this place and its history within his family, Ben almost didn't want to come here, but right now they needed a wretched hive, full of scum and villainy.

As Rey descended the gangplank, a vast yellow-red desert filled her entire field of vision. The sight of endless sand and open sky brought a wave of fresh anxiety, and yet, she felt at home. This environment was familiar, but she held no love for it. She hated sand dunes as much as she hated loneliness.

"C'mon. We'd better get going," Ben said as he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.

Ben and Rey walked the distance side by side towards town, hoping no one would recognize them. Rey brought her kitbag with her, unwilling to leave it on the ship they were about to trade. In the jungle, Ben decided to strip himself from all association with the Knights of Ren and the First Order, refusing to don those symbols again. His mask, black cloak and tunic would make him far too recognizable here, and considering the climate on Tattooine and the fact that Ben was already sweating, the insulating clothing would've been stupid to wear anyway.

After several minutes of trekking through desert, Ben tried to make small-talk as they approached the edges of Mos Isley.

"Thanks for wrapping my knuckles…" he said quietly, rubbing the fabric covered ridges of his hands. He insisted they didn't hurt, but Rey tended to him anyway.

"You're welcome," she answered, facing forward to hide her blush. While she tended to his wounds, he had leaned in to steal a kiss, tugging on her lower lip ever so slightly. A sudden heat that had nothing to do with the desert climate flooded her cheeks at the memory.

"Was Jakku ever as hot as this place?"

Thinking about her answer for a moment, Rey realized that she never wanted to return to Jakku again.

"Worse."

Armed with concealed sabers and desperately hoping they wouldn't need to use them, the pair entered the city together, blending easily into the crowd. They moved through the winding, treacherous streets looking for mechanics and vendors that looked somewhat reputable. Naturally gravitating towards the human vendors, Ben sought out those that spoke his language; hagglers and hustlers who made casual threats to get a bargain. Meanwhile, Rey was cautious, watching the passersby closely and kept a firm hold on her kitbag. Somewhere along the way Ben picked up a temporary disguise, a sand colored cowl to conceal most of his head and shoulders. He wasn't sure how knowledgeable the scum of Mos Isley were of First Order leadership, but he wasn't about to test it by walking around barefaced.

They travelled near a seedy looking spaceport lounge where smugglers and bounty hunters crawled all over the place. Rey was uncomfortable with the crowd and stuck close to Ben. He didn't seem thrilled to be there either, just as one old Devaronian gave him a blatant look-over, eyeing Ben suspiciously as the pair walked by. Ben stared back threateningly at the alien until they walked on. Rey got a bad vibe from the place, but Ben knew exactly what it was. He read the scum's mind and could appreciate the insult. The older he got, the more he looked like his father; he knew it, that's why Kylo Ren wore the mask. Until now.

They wandered the streets, mindful of each other as they took turns visiting the strangely aromatic food vendor's stalls. Rey was famished, but wary of buying any food here. Also, she realized, she didn't have any money, and wasn't willing to trade anything on her either. Ben had all the credits. She put the thought out of her mind, pressing on like she's always had to in order to survive.

Affectionately, Ben slipped his hand into hers squeezing tight as he sensed her unease.

"We'll get out of here soon," he said confidently, "I promise."

Eventually, they found a human trader willing to take Ren's ship and tried to come to a deal. Ben had to convince the trader he came by the ship honestly, forging a story about how it was abandoned on some outer rim territory and was adamant that the First Order wouldn't come looking for it. When it looked like the trader wasn't fully convinced, Ben used a little Jedi persuasion to help the deal along. The trader had a refurbished Zeta-class Imperial shuttle he was willing to trade for it. Rey inspected the vessel closely and found it to be in relatively good condition. After a lifetime of scavenging the carnage of battle, she knew Imperial ships like the back of her hand. Rey nodded her approval at Ben, still haggling with the trader; it was a decent deal.

They came to an agreement and brought the trader with them back to Ren's command ship in their newly acquired transport. The trader was skeptical of the authenticity of the command ship at first, and very obviously had a blaster at the ready, which Rey thought was rude. But, once the trader was satisfied, they shook hands and parted ways. It was an odd thing for Ben to watch somebody else pilot his ship away. As the pair watched the black ship rise into the sky, Ben noticed a human figure standing about fifty yards away, hazy in the afterburn coming off of the ship. Ben sensed a familiarity of the figure, watching as it raised a single hand in greeting towards them. The white-haired man dressed in dark fatigues waved once and then disappeared.

Rey was probably speaking to him, but he didn't hear a word she said.

"Did you see that?" Ben interrupted her, pointing in the direction of the man.

Rey followed the line of direction, expecting to see something, anything out of the ordinary. "See what? There's nothing but miles of sand… Ben, are you alright?"

Concerned, Ben brushed it off as nothing. The intense heat must have finally gotten to him.

"Where to now? Do you think the First Order is still tracking you?" Rey asked.

"If they are, it'll be for that ship, not me," he answered, pulling the hot cowl off his head.

Rey wanted to get away from this desert as quickly as possible. She didn't care where they went next, so long as it was somewhere verdant.

xx

As soon as they dropped out of light speed, Rey wondered where Ben had taken them. This territory was unfamiliar to her. She'd never seen so many planets within close range of each other before.

"Welcome to the Core... or at least what's left of it," said Ben with a trace of guilt in his voice.

Rey became excited. "You mean, the Core Worlds, the seat of the former Galactic Empire?"

"Yeah. No one would dream to look for us here," Ben hid his nervousness well. He didn't know why he brought them here, but he knew it was time to begin the arduous journey of coming home.

They descended into Chandrila with the capital, Hanna City, as their destination. Rey wandered to the back console of the cockpit, quietly flipped a switch and entered a code. Her eyes flicked back to Ben, checking to see if he was watching her. Still facing forward; good. He didn't need to know this was coming.

xx

Their bartered rust bucket roughly entered Hanna City airspace while Ben found a landing zone out of the way of regular traffic. It wasn't long before the familiarity of home began to set in. Rey sensed Ben wrestle with his guilt the entire way here from Tattooine. As they banked around the city, she was taken with the beautiful coastline and tall, magnificent buildings highlighting the horizon. This planet was leagues different from any other world she'd stepped foot on before. Bustling with civilization, Rey was captivated by the display of organized chaos and the constructed beauty of this place. The sun was beginning to set, casing a golden glow across the open water and every edge of the tall buildings.

"You like it?" Ben asked as he watched her soak it all in.

"I've never seen anything like it," she admitted eagerly. "Show me more."

Within minutes, Ben had quietly hijacked a nearby speeder. Their landing zone was remote and it looked like its owners were long gone. Ben refused to suffer Rey's judgmental looks being cast his way as he climbed in, "You've got a better idea?"

They sped aimlessly through the city, looking for somewhere discreet to grab something to eat. Their stomachs growled in unison upon landing in Hanna City, after hours of high energy escapes and near misses that consumed their thoughts. Rey realized she hadn't eaten or slept since before the vision of Ben arrived in the jungle. So much of their lives had changed since then.

Rey wantonly absorbed all the sights surrounding her at high speed. Their open-top speeder afforded Ben the lovely sight of Rey's dark hair blowing like a banner in the wind. He wished he could reach out and run his fingers through it, still debating if everything happening right now was real.

It was difficult for Ben to remember the way home when the entire city had changed since his days spent growing up here. He tried to recognize some of the streets, but didn't have much luck.

"It's around this quadrant somewhere… look for a hideously yellow-painted diner."

Rey scoffed at him, how was she supposed to see anything clearly when he was speeding through the streets?

"I'm as hungry as you are, but is going to a public diner the best idea right now? What if the First Order's there?" Rey's stomach growled again, but she was too concerned with keeping her newfound freedom.

"Trust me, there won't be any First Order in the likes of a place like that. Besides, I know you'll like it. They serve the best Roba steaks in the galaxy… it's gotta be way better than those insta-bread portions you were eating on Jakku."

Ben spoke without thinking. Rey sank down in her seat a little, remembering how hard it was some days just to survive. If you didn't scavenge anything of worth for Unkar Plutt, you didn't eat that day.

"Anything's better than those," Rey finally answered. Her change in tone caused Ben to pause. He instantly regretted speaking, knowing how completely different their two childhoods must have been. Feast versus famine in every sense of the term. He felt a deep sense of guilt for something he didn't have any control over.

"Hey," Ben slowed the speeder down and pulled aside. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… upset you."

Rey brushed it off like it didn't bother her. Really, it didn't. But his words served as a reminder of how far she's truly come. They kept searching through the back streets of the city until Ben thought he found it.

"This is it. The best greasy grub in the Core."

Sure enough, they approached a hideously yellow-painted diner placed on the corner block. The paint was wearing off on some surfaces, and it was in dire need of a window washing. He parked the speeder and hopped out, coming around to the other side. She was about to hop out herself, but Ben blocked her exit. Standing in the parked speeder, Rey's chest came to his shoulder height. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up out of the vehicle.

"I don't need your—," Rey tried to say 'help', but Ben cut her off with a hungry kiss as he brought her down on her feet.

"I know you don't."

His flat rebuttal was convincing enough.

They entered the diner and found a booth in the far corner, away from other patrons. The thick smell permeating the diner was enough to make Rey drool. It was a small diner, bursting with color and sounds and smells, most of which Rey couldn't remember ever having experienced before. The sounds of something sizzling overlapped with rapid metal on metal chopping in the background. The smell of meat cooking reminded them both of how starved they were. Since their timely escape from the jungle, both were hyper-aware of their surroundings and felt the curious eyes of unknown diners following them back to their table. Ben was beginning to wish he hadn't left the cowl disguise on Tattooine.

"Stop worrying about being found out and you won't get caught," Rey offered, picking up a menu and putting it in front of Ben's face. She also felt uneasy with all those eyes staring, but knew better than to let it show.

Ben huffed as he took the proffered menu and the advice. He thought back to one of their recent Force connections; the one in which Rey reminded him of what was most important now.

I'm glad you're alright.

What is alright?

Alive.

"What'll it be, dolls?"

Ben's thoughts were interrupted by one of the waitress droids come to take their orders. Rey giggled at Ben who was still holding the menu upside down.

"Two Roba steak plates with eggs over medium, and a bunch of those breadroot patties. And, what the hell, two Jawa Juices."

His order rolled off the tongue easily, like he'd once given it a time or two. In better days.

"Ooh I like it, breakfast and booze at sunset. Coming right up, dolls."

As the droid left, Rey sat with her chin propped on her hands and leaned over the table, giving Ben a toothy grin. She looked giddy with excitement and he didn't get why.

Ben ran his fingers through his black hair and relaxed against the plush diner booth.

"What are you looking at."

"I'm looking at Ben Solo," she said low enough only for him to hear. "Fully embracing himself after only the Maker knows how long."

Ben bit his lower lip and decided against giving in to the bait. Instead, he looked out the nearby window, watching normal people on the street go about their normal lives, wondering if he'd ever fit in to a normal life like that. He still had a lot to answer for. All of the awful things he's done. He should be locked away to rot for all the crimes against the galaxy he's committed. The list was long and echoed in his closed mind.

"Come now, don't sulk," said Rey. "I want you to tell me about yourself. What it was like growing up here."

Ben looked sharply back at Rey. He wanted to indulge her, oh Maker, he wanted to. But it wouldn't be right for him to reminisce now, not after he's destroyed everything that mattered to his childhood.

"Maybe later," he answered, looking away.

Curious eyes in the diner seemed to have left them alone by this point, as the pair didn't do anything interesting to draw further attention.

They waited in silence until their food arrived, still steaming from the grill. Rey had never seen such a feast before and almost felt like she had too much food in front of her. The steak alone was the size of her boot. Not even the Rebels managed to dole out rations this large. Ben tucked in immediately, while Rey paused to soak all of it in. She glanced down at her bracelet receiver concealed under the table. The silent blue light began to blink twice for affirmation. It wouldn't be long now.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked after he swallowed his fifth bite of steak.

"Nothing! It's just… a lot of food."

Ben shrugged and continued eating. Rey tucked in too, starting slow. She felt a little embarrassed eating in front of him, but got over it once she took her first bite. She couldn't stop herself from moaning at how delicious it was. Ben paused to watch her; his eyes alight at her happiness.

They both made quick work of their plates and their glasses. Ben neatly cleared his plate, wiping up the remaining egg yolk with the breadroot patty for good measure. Rey still had half her steak left, but she ate everything else. Ben asked if she was done eating, eyeing the remaining bit of steak still on her plate.

"Go for it," Rey answered, watching him stab the steak with his fork and lifted it back to his plate with about as much grace as an Eopie on a racetrack. She wasn't one to waste food after all.

Ben finished it in four bites and paid the bill while Rey finished sipping her Jawa Juice, feeling a little affected by the fermentation.

"I think that was the best meal I've ever had," said Rey, resting contently. "With even better company."

Upon hearing the compliment, Ben looked up from his now empty plate and smiled at Rey. Those dimples alone could've taken her breath away.

"Not a bad first date, do you think?" Rey asked a baited question and she knew it.

Ben's smile dissolved.

"Date? …I've never been on a date," he answered awkwardly.

"Couldn't fit those in between terrorizing the galaxy and kissing Snoke's ass?"

Ben almost looked offended, but after a long pause, burst out laughing. She'd never heard him laugh before.

The sun had long since gone down past the horizon, illuminating the city in a completely different way. Night lights had replaced the sun, washing everything underneath street lamps in a warm, yellow glow.

"Where to, now?" Rey asked as they left the diner.

Ben offered his hand at the side of their stolen speeder to help her up. Smiling, Rey took it and lifted herself into the vehicle. His dark eyes followed her every move, savoring the brief contact their bodies made. Then, Ben hopped in and cranked the speeder, heading west.

"I think it's time to go home," he said, glancing over at Rey. His tone was prosaic, and his eyes doleful, but she sensed an undertone of excitement stirring in him that invalidated his display of indifference.

"I couldn't agree with you more."

xx

Together they sat in silence as Ben drove them towards the edge of the city. The night lights were far and fewer in between, but Rey could still see how lovely the city was, even away from the center hub.

"Not much further now, I think."

Rey glanced over at Ben; even in the dark, his knuckles were white against the steering handles. Gently, she laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"It's been a while since I've been back here," he admitted, though reluctantly.

They traveled another several minutes winding along the edges of the city, finally arriving in a quiet residential area with large illuminated homes dotting the dark hillside. Though the one home not warmly illuminated from inside was their destination. She knew it.

"I know what I have to do," Ben began. Rey thought he looked scared, like he did in Snoke's throne room a year ago. "But—,"

"Yes you can. You are strong enough to face coming home again, and all that comes with it." She slipped her clammy hand into his, holding tight.

Ben narrowed his eyes at her, suspicious. He couldn't sense her hiding any secrets, but, he'd been wrong before.

Hand in hand, they walked up the hillside path of Ben's childhood home.

"I should go ahead and warn you, there weren't many happy memories made here," Ben said, opening the garden gate for her. "My parents were… either away all the time, or too busy arguing with each other for me to have had a substantial childhood."

Rey dropped his hand and stood still, feeling tears begin to sting her eyes.

"At least you had your parents. You knew who they were. And having any memory of them at all is better than what I had."

Ben felt like an idiot; in all of his melancholic turns, he forgot that Rey had nothing but abandonment. He really was bad at this.

"Rey, I'm so sorry—fuck, I," Ben stammered, losing his ground here. His gaze passed quickly between the darkened home and her, and panicked. "I—I can't do this."

Ben turned to run in any direction away from here, wanting to escape his mistakes, when he heard his mother's stern voice behind him. It stopped him dead in his tracks. He spun on his heels to face the source of her voice, expecting a holoviewer or a droid holding a recording, anything other than the corporeal woman walking down the overgrown garden path towards him.

"You must have more of your father in you than I remember. He used to run away from difficult conversations too."