Force Dyad

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter Seventy-Two-Trust

Leia headed through the base toward the mechanic's section. Rose Tico had told her that was the last place she had seen Ben and Rey together. After her emotional talk with Magda, she was feeling strangely calm, as if her outpouring of grief over Ben had lanced a poisonous wound that had been festering for a long time.

As she approached the mechanic's section, Leia was surprised to find it deserted. There was no-one manning the consoles, the generator that powered them was sputtering, on the verge of dying completely. A surge of irritation swept over Leia, she would be having words with Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix about this, this section came under their jurisdiction. Whatever personnel had abandoned their duties would be severely reprimanded….

And then she heard giggling….

Was that Rey?

Leia paused in her movements, disquieted by the sound of the young Jedi laughing so coquettishly. She was obviously not alone. Whoever her companion was had absorbed her attention so fully that she remained completely oblivious to the Resistance Genera's presence. This irked Leia considerably - that Rey would choose such an important spot for her romantic liaison. It explained why the bay was deserted. Rey must have dismissed whoever was on duty so she could have the place all to herself without interruption.

More indulgent laughter came from Rey. "Stop trying to distract me. I'm trying to read."

This pronouncement was followed by sounds of scuffling, muffled words, followed by the distinct sounds of kissing. Leia arched one eyebrow, wondering again who Rey's companion was. Whoever they were was either brave or extremely foolish to try and court Rey with Ben around. Everyone on the base knew how overprotective Ben was regarding Rey. Anyone who dared show the slightest interest quickly changed their mind when they caught Ben glaring at them.

Romantic relationships were not generally encouraged on the base. In Leia's eyes they often proved too distracting. She wanted the fighters to be fully focused on their mission, not on each other. Of course, she knew what went on, some couples were more open than others, but as long as they maintained a professional demeanour whilst on duty, she could turn a blind eye to what went on in private. But, right now, Rey was breaking all the rules. And Leia knew Ben would be hurt by Rey's reckless behaviour, and she didn't want him to be hurt more than he was already.

Reaching out with the Force, Leia tried to find Ben, but was immediately stonewalled. She sensed his essence, he was close, but it was all shadows and mist. Like he was deliberately hiding his Force signature to escape detection.

Or to avoid her?

Even though it pained her, Leia decided that was the most likely explanation. He had been avoiding her for so long, it had become like second nature to him. Giving up, she decided to deal with the Rey problem directly. Extreme caution was needed, she didn't want to alarm the girl, she was allowed a romantic liaison, but there was a time and a place…

Squaring her shoulders, Leia held her head up high, pulling back on the mantle of the Resistance General as she went to confront Rey about her dereliction of duty.


The jedi texts were strewn across the workbench, and Rey was pouring over them for the hundredth time. Luke's added notes on training had been of particular interest, C-3PO had translated most of the rest, which had proved invaluable, giving her and Ben a more in-depth knowledge of the history of the Jedi and the Sith. But some of the writings remained a mystery, their knowledge too old or too secret for C-3PO's databanks to decipher. The nerd in Ben was frustrated that they couldn't be translated, so Rey had used her own brand of treatment to get him to relax. The problem was she had relaxed him so much that he was only interested in indulging in more of the same.

"Stop trying to distract me! I'm trying to read!" Rey laughed as Ben's kisses on her neck started a fire within her no one else could ever ignite. A slight moan slipped through her parted lips when he found a particularly sensitive spot. She leaned back against Ben, giving him greater access, only for him to take full advantage and snatch the text she was reading out of her hand. "Hey!"

Ben grinned wickedly, dangling the text just out of her reach. She twisted around in his lap and tried to snatch it, but he just held it up higher. Rey's hazel eyes gleamed with determination as she anchored herself on one leg, pressed her hands against his chest, and shoved hard. Ben fell backwards, but his grip on her waist meant that she fell with him. They began to scuffle, Rey fighting to get the text, while Ben continued to keep it just out of her reach.

Their playfighting soon turned into something else. Without a word, their eyes locked until their breathing began to come in short pants. Between them, the passion that was always just below the surface ignited, caught fire, electrifying their skin. Ben abandoned the text and reached for Rey. Soon they were rolling around on the floor, over and over again, turning, clutching at each other, both wild, so wrapped up in one another that nothing else existed but the two of them.

Lest she see too much, Leia quickly departed, left with the embarrassing vision of them rolling about on the floor still on her mind.


Leia drifted around the base in a shocked daze. She didn't know what to think, or even to feel about what she had just seen. In fact, she wished she could unsee it. But the intimate scene remained branded into her memory. She wondered how long their clandestine relationship had been going on for. She also wondered who else knew – Magda definitely – the Mon Calamari matriarch would be the first person they confided in.

Without realising where she was, Leia found herself in the hangar bay. She noticed Chewie and Han in the distance, working on the Falcon. She drifted in their direction.

As soon as Han spotted her, he stopped what he was doing, and moved toward her. "Leia – "

Leia's eyes snapped to his. "I saw them."

Han looked down at her curiously. "Who?"

"Ben and Rey. I saw them." Leia said again. "Did you know?"

Han scratched the back of his neck, shrugging. He was totally confused. "You're gonna have to make yourself clearer, sweetheart. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"So, you don't know?" Leia felt she could breathe a little easier now it was clear that Han was just as much in the dark as she was. It made it hurt a little less.

Without saying anything further, she whirled around and began walking fast in the direction she had just come from. More than a little bewildered, Han followed. Though he caught her up easily, she didn't stop, nor did she look at him. She was intent on talking to Magda again, to find out just how much she knew, and find out when Ben and Rey's relationship had turned from platonic to something else altogether.

"Hey, I'm right here." Han said testily. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Leia continued to march forward; her gaze set straight ahead. "I'm busy now, Han. We'll talk later."

Frustrated, Han caught her arm and forced her to turn around so she was facing him. "This is just like the old days!" He accused. "Me trying to get you to tell me what's going on in that head of yours, and you always running off!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Leia snapped. "I can't tell you what I don't know."

Han glared down at her, his brows drawing down into an irritated frown. "You can share the little you do know. Because there's something."

"I didn't plan on coming here. I just needed somewhere quiet to think." Leia explained. "I just…."

"Just what?"

Leia stared up at him, shaking her head slowly. "Actually, I don't know. It took me completely by surprise."

Han rolled his eyes impatiently. "What took you by surprise? Did you see something?" He peered more closely at her face flushed. "Now I think about it, you do look kind of flustered."

Leia made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat. "Typical Han Solo. I am not flustered."

"Embarrassed then."

"I am not embarrassed." Leia protested hotly.

"Did you see something you shouldn't? Is that why you're so riled up?" Han guessed astutely. Sometimes he struggled to get a read on his wife, but in this instance, it was obvious he was in the right ball park when two spots of red appeared on Leia's cheeks. "Aha, I'm right. Come on, sweetheart, fess up. Who was it you caught doing something they shouldn't?" He leaned in closer, his lips close to her ear. "I mean we were even guilty of that a few times ourselves, remember?"

Leia trembled slightly and not from the cold. Her mind filled with old memories of the early days of their relationship - of stolen nights on the Falcon with Han, trying to keep their rendezvous' secret from Luke and Chewie. It wasn't like they would have disapproved, it just added a thrilling edge of illicitness, that exemplified their passionate encounters.

Was that what Ben and Rey were doing? Or were they keeping their relationship secret for other reasons? Through fear of disapproval? Her disapproval?

The thought sobered Leia and she pulled back from Han. She touched her hand to his face in a gesture of affection, letting the pads of her fingers linger on his wrinkled cheek. "It was Ben and Rey." She confided. "I wanted to talk to Ben…to try and bridge the gap between us. You were right about me building walls…and after speaking with Magda." She attempted a smile, but it fell short of her eyes, which were glowing with rare tears.

"You spoke to Mags?" Han asked in surprise.

"Yes." Leia dipped her head. "It was a difficult conversation but a much needed one. Afterwards, I left to find Ben and talk to him. I didn't want to waste any more time."

"I see." Han gave her a wry smile. "You walked in on them."

"Yes. I wasn't expecting it."

"They're age gap is smaller than ours, Leia." Han pointed out, frowning. "And Rey may be young, but she knows her own mind. Much like you did. If they want to be together, what is the problem?"

"You think I disapprove?" Leia asked, her tone holding a wealth of sadness.

Han drew back slightly. "Don't you?" Every muscle in his face was tense and without a word he communicated intense mistrust, worry that she was going to interfere and ruin their son's blossoming romance and drive a further wedge between them. Worry that she was going to hurt Ben all over again.

Leia bit down hard on her bottom lip, refusing to let her tears fall. "Is that what did it, Han? Is that why you and I never lasted the distance? Because we never fully trusted one another."

"You never trusted me enough to tell me about Snoke." Han reminded her bitterly. "You confided in Luke. You never confided in me. I was his father, Leia. I should have been the first person you told. But you built up these walls, shut me out and kept everything from me."

Leia sucked in a sharp breath. "I'm sorry, Han. I am truly sorry. I hurt you. I hurt Ben. I don't want to hurt either of you anymore." She implored.

"You sound sincere. I want to believe you." Han said wearily. "But it's actions that speak louder than words."

A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.