Thank you Earl021, ToughSpirit, Guest, KyloRen'sgirl213, and Lstorm for your feedback and support :) Hope I didn't forget anyone. Ya'll are still hanging in there at chapter 35!
Getting down to the wire with this fic, but keep in mind that I like slow burn climaxes (I know that's a vague statement lol).
Important: I've included a scene in this chapter from the book "Last Shot" by Daniel Jose Older. I take absolutely no credit for Older's concept/idea or written work. You can read the exact excerpt on page 453 of "Last Shot." It has to do with Ben Solo and it's canon.
It's also canon that toddler Ben pronounced "Lando" like "Wando" and that kind of wrecked me because it's so adorable.
Thank you to Suzeraine for beta-ing and keeping me on track.
Rey POV with a touch of Kylo at the end.
Like a bad horror film on holonet, Rey finds herself back in a fresher room on the medbay floor.
Except this is not a holonet film.
This is her life, and the horror that is bent on terrorizing her is pacing outside the door.
Calm down, Rey chants, Calm down. It's okay. As long as the baby is healthy nothing else matters, she tells herself.
She has to get out of here. Apprehending Kylo and turning him over to the Resistance is no longer a priority. Let him burn in the wreckage of his Flagship when the Resistance is through with his fleet. Let him watch her leave, let some other good soldier from the Resistance take him out.
Rey winces at the thought.
They wouldn't stand a chance.
For a moment she briefly entertains castrating him before she flees - and quickly banishes the thought. She will not stoop to his level. She will not engage in needless humiliation and violence the way he does.
The baby kicks, and Rey blinks through her blurred vision.
As long as the baby is healthy nothing else matters. Nothing else matters except you, baby.
Her greatest mission is, and always has been, to protect her son.
She thinks of Kylo's admission that he had seen their son in a vision on Ahch-To and it explains so much. He was shaken, frightened when he emerged from the cave. What could have unnerved him?
He said their son would be strong and powerful.
Strong in a way that frightens Kylo. Powerful in a way that makes her son a rival, a threat to Kylo Ren.
She wonders if this means her son will be strong with the light side of the Force. He does feel overwhelmingly light, but then, he's a baby. He is innocent. Even Kylo couldn't have been steeped in darkness inside Leia's womb.
Leia.
Rey has an intimate understanding of the pain that Leia carries. If her son, Force forbid, were to turn dark, she would still love him. Just as Leia still loves Kylo - Rey knows she does, even if she dares not say it aloud.
It is her first lesson, Rey realizes, that parenthood will be equal parts excruciating love and pain.
Please, please let my baby be balanced. Her son does not need to be extraordinary in his abilities, he does not need to go through the trials and tribulations that his ancestors have been through. She just wants him to be healthy, kind, and happy.
A simple life - is that too much to ask?
Rey lightly smoothes her fingers over the necklace Kylo gifted her. Padme's necklace. His obsession with his family history, his drive to own and consume it runs deeper than she thought.
Trauma, Rey believes, can be inherited. It does not stop at one person, it rolls down through the generations. It has the potential to ruin lives yet to be called into existence. Vader's dark legacy holds a tight grip on Kylo, and unless someone in the family line breaks the cycle, it will drag her son under as well.
It can't happen. She cannot allow Kylo Ren to corrupt their son.
Rey touches the necklace again, tempted to tear it off to spite him. She closes a hand around the chain, ready to yank when she falters. Padme's image fills her mind, and she can't do it.
From what she's read and heard, Padme was a strong and capable woman. An intelligent, empathetic person destroyed by Anakin Skywalker's betrayal and fall to the dark side. She never had a chance to see her children smile for the first time, never had the chance to hear their laughter or hold them at night.
Padme was robbed of everything and the parallels of their lives are not lost on Rey.
Padme, your great grandson will not go the way of your husband or grandson. I promise.
Rey sits with her vow for a moment, and then gently pokes her belly. She smiles when seconds later the baby pushes back. He's getting bigger, more cognizant, and responsive to the outside world.
"I can't wait to meet you. But not until you're good and ready. No coming early, you hear?" She says out loud.
"Rey? Who are you talking to?"
Kylo. She won't answer him.
"Are you talking to yourself?"
Let him wonder.
"Are you talking to the baby?"
Is he incapable of taking a hint?
"So what if I am," she calls and slides the fresher door open. It connects to a private room on the medbay floor, one not as depressingly stark as the surgical room. Doctor Veduta had cleared her to go, but Rey does not feel safe going back to Kylo's bedroom.
It seems like ages have passed since the last time she felt safe. With something, or rather someone, always looming around the corner like a deadly shadow in her peripheral vision.
Kylo stands in front of her, trying to appear authoritative and imposing. But Rey can sense he's a little nervous. Through their bond she senses him squirming with guilt. For her? For the baby? She doubts it.
Rey knows not to get her hopes up.
Instead she steels herself for another self serving apology from Kylo Ren. She knows his patterns by now. He only wants to apologize so he can move on to his next offense.
At least she is wise enough not to fall for his lies anymore.
Once she might have believed he was going to request a ceasefire with the Resistance, but not anymore. Not when nearly every word out of his mouth drips with deception.
Does he think she is an idiot? Rey carefully studies his face.
No, it's not that.
Rey looks into his dark, depthless gaze and sees the answer in the soft way he stares at her.
Kylo thinks she loves him back. He thinks her love blinds her to his motives and behavior.
He takes a step forward, holding a small datapad in his hand.
"You talked to the baby all the time on Ahch-To."
"I did."
"It's nice," he says when she does not elaborate. "You're a good mother."
"I'm not a mother yet," a stubborn fear lingers in Rey's voice; a fear that if she stops worrying about the pregnancy, about the baby, that something bad will happen.
Kylo sets down the datapad and cradles her face.
"But you are. You're a wonderful mother, Rey," he states. "You already love him with everything that you have. No harm will come to either of you. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby. I promise."
This is one of the worst parts of Kylo Ren.
When every so often, between the lies, she senses the truth in his words, his absolute conviction. He means every word but Rey knows he lacks the strength to follow through. She hates the glimpses into his lighter side, because it never sticks. As hard as he tries to emulate being good, he just can't manage it.
He will end up hurting her again and again.
Rey feels his lips gently press against her forehead, her nose, and finally, her lips.
"Here," Kylo lets go of her and reaches for the datapad, "It's for you. I had Veduta transfer the files from your last appointment. I thought it might help you feel better after...everything."
And when Rey's eyes land on the small black and white screen, they fill with tears. It's her baby. The images are not photographs, they are holos from the last ultrasound of her baby moving, rolling, sucking his thumb. His tiny heart beats, a flutter of valves opening and closing and Rey's restraint breaks.
"He's so precious," she says softly, touching the screen, tears cascading down her cheeks. "I just want him to be okay."
Kylo places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes.
"He will be. You're taking good care of him. Look at his profile," he nods at the moving image, "he definitely has your nose."
Rey squints.
"You think?"
"It's a good thing."
Rey gives him a side glance, "Your nose is fine. I still think he will favor your mother's side. I just wish," she stares wistfully at the baby, speaking softly, "I wish Leia could see this. She is his grandmother, after all."
It is a dangerous comment to make and Kylo's hand stiffens on her shoulder.
"General Organa, a grandmother?" He scoffs bitterly, "She hardly deserves the title. She hardly deserves the title of mother."
"Don't say that, Kylo."
"I know you think she is without fault -"
"No one is without fault," Rey's nostrils flare at his patronizing tone, "but she is your mother and she loves you."
Kylo pulls up a chair.
"Have a seat, Rey."
She doesn't like his expression. He's harboring a secret, a terrible piece of information that he has been saving for the right moment. He almost looks amused.
A ball of dread settles in her stomach. Whatever she's triggered in him, it can't be good.
Kylo sits across from her, resting his elbows on his thighs.
"You admire the general, and she feels like family to you. I understand that. But you have no idea, Rey, what having her for a mother was like. Let me ask, would you leave a two-year old alone with only a kitchen droid for supervision?"
Rey frowns.
"No."
Kylo nods.
"Exactly. Parents who love their children would never do such a thing. There is something you need to see," Kylo holds out his hands and Rey hesitantly places her hands on his open palms. His mind is blown wide open and she waits as he wades through memories, stopping at the one he wants to share.
A young boy, no a toddler - practically still a baby - appears in her mind. Dark hair falls in waves around his face, his chubby cheeks bright red and wet from sobbing. The boy cries, yelling mama, dada, wando. Rey can feel Ben's terror that he is abandoned, that he is forgotten and unloved.
Feelings she knows all too well.
Her view changes, and she suddenly sees little Ben turned away from her, his shoulders still heaving with sobs.
A kitchen droid - BX - is rolling up from behind with a knife.
BX advances, his serrated blade arm unfolding with a quiet whir, when Ben spins around. And the world flashes into a pale emptiness, bright light pouring in from everywhere.
A voice whimpers nearby. Soft sniffles fill the air.
BX stops and resumes its normal programming.
But Ben Solo doesn't forget.
The memory fades, and Rey finds herself staring at Kylo in horror. She's more than sensitive right now, still reeling from the scare with her baby. And watching Ben so small, sad and alone, drives the knife in deeper. Her emotions spiral, and she can't help but let out a sob as she speaks.
"You - you were just a baby, and you had to defend yourself from being murdered?"
"One example of Han Solo and Leia Organa's finest parenting moments."
"Oh Kylo," Rey shakes her head, "That's just - it's awful. If you hadn't used the Force to defend yourself - "
"I would have died," he finishes for her, "I would have been murdered by the kitchen droid my parents left me alone with."
"Surely there was someone else in the house with you?"
"No," Kylo replies tersely, "there was a second droid, but it left for the senate."
Rey isn't sure what to say. She wants to bring up that perhaps, finding a balance between work and parenting was more than a challenge for his parents. That rebuilding the galaxy after a devastating war took its toll and bad decisions were made.
But then she pictures the sobbing two year old, wearing only a diaper and t-shirt, defending himself against a murderous droid and her heart breaks.
That can't have been what his entire childhood was like, can it?
There is no amusement in Kylo's face now. Only a serious, hard set to his jaw.
"Growing up, I couldn't understand why no one wanted to be around me. Why no one loved me."
"That's not true."
"It is," he insists, "My father hated being burdened with a child. He took every chance he got to escape his parental duties. And if my mother still claims to love me, it's her guilt talking. The New Republic, the Resistance, those are her beloved children. But you," Kylo looks at her longingly, "You still love me, don't you Rey?"
She should tell him that she loves him, she should say what he wants to hear. She's escaping in just over twenty-four hours. What does it matter how she answers him?
But instead, Rey finds herself asking, "Why wouldn't I, Kylo?"
He swallows, not expecting her to turn his question around.
"Because of how...because you didn't approve of some things that happened in the bedroom."
Rey should know better than to engage in conversations about his treatment of her. He's never going to change, so why try?
Rey knows why. She can't let any injustice slide.
"You meant to punish me, Kylo. You talk about protecting me but you meant to hurt me. You wanted to see me in pain."
Rey watches the twitch under his left eye, the way he shifts in the chair with unease. She is directly calling him out, and he is struggling to answer her. He knows what he did was wrong, but that somehow makes it worse.
"But I didn't, did I?"
"Only because I moved."
"No. There were other times I could have taken you that way, but I chose not to. I don't like seeing you in pain. You just - sometimes you make me angry and I lose myself. I regret that. I'm sorry."
"I need more than just empty apologies."
"They aren't empty. They are never empty," Kylo reaches over and brushes his fingertips against the chain around her neck.
"Rey, do you know why I gave you this necklace?"
"You said it was a gift that you were saving for after the baby's birth."
"Yes, but do you know why it matters to me that it belonged to my grandmother?"
"No," Rey isn't sure she wants to hear this, "Why?"
Kylo's voice takes on a reverent tone.
"Padme loved my grandfather. She loved him unconditionally, even when he committed unforgivable atrocities. Padme's love was so true that she loved him regardless of his mistakes. It is the same kind of love you have for me."
"It was a love that ended up killing her, Kylo."
Kylo stares at her curiously, digesting her response, puzzled by her reasoning.
"No," he starts, "Padme died due to childbirth complications. Which will not happen to you. I plan on finishing what my grandfather started, Rey. I will expand his legacy by creating a family with you. I will succeed where my parents failed - I'll be a good husband and father."
A coil twists inside of Rey's stomach. She feels ill. She wishes that she hadn't bothered to ask about his motivations in the bedroom. She wishes she hadn't heard his warped view of Padme or his deeply rooted misunderstanding of Anakin and Padme's tragic relationship.
His interpretation of love chills Rey to the bone.
Kylo thinks unconditional love means he can do whatever he wants and she should have to take it.
It is as if somewhere along the way he misplaced part of his brain - the one responsible for sane thinking and rational behavior. She forces out her next question.
"What does being a good husband and father mean Kylo?"
Rey already knows what kind of husband he would be, but she wants to apply a little pressure.
A mixture of fear and apprehension flashes across Kylo's face.
Fatherhood, she knows, is a touchy subject for him. The timbre of his voice is low and serious when he answers.
"It means taking responsibility for my family. Unlike Han Solo, I won't resent my parental duties. I won't pass our son off to you the second he starts crying or complain about being up all night with an infant. I'll provide everything for you, Rey. All you should have to concern yourself with is caring for our children and staying healthy when you're pregnant. I'll take care of the rest. I'll take care of you."
He's thought about this, Rey realizes. His resentment and rage over his parent's perceived failings have resulted in the deranged future he envisions for them.
"Shouldn't I get to decide that?" Rey asks, "Shouldn't I be given the chance to make a choice on how I live my life? I thought you wanted me ruling by your side. Together."
"No," his reply is solid with no hesitation, "You are far too important. Our son will grow to be strong and powerful because you will be there for him. Fathers are expendable, mothers are not. Boys need their mothers. I won't have him feeling neglected and abandoned. You are superior to any other person or droid who could raise him."
Rey's hands twist together. Kylo isn't bent on destroying the past - he is obsessed with reliving it, with reconstructing it in the hope that he can erase his pain, his inner turmoil. He looks at her belly, still talking.
"Besides, I know it's what you want. Family, belonging. I'm giving all of that to you. I liked hearing that you want a large family, Rey."
"What?"
"When we were together. You said you wanted to have my -"
"I remember," she says quickly, heat warming her face.
"No need to be shy," Kylo says, "you were anything but shy in bed."
Rey senses his adrenaline building as he recalls their most intimate moments. In his mind she sees her mouth on him, her hips rolling back to take him in deeper, the sloppy kisses they exchanged.
She feels filthy. She feels ruined.
Kylo must sense the dark shift in her mood because his forehead creases in concern.
"You have to admit that most of it was good. More than good. You were incredible," he runs his hands up and down her thighs, "I loved making you come. Hearing you say my name. Rey, you were frightened at times, and I know why. I know the truth."
"You do?" Her heart pounds in her chest.
"I do. It scares you that you're attracted to my darkness, that you crave it."
Rey swallows back her humiliation and shame. Her shame that she broke her promise to herself, a promise not to let him touch her.
"Kylo, please stop. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
The things she did, the words she said - if she could, she would have the entire experience wiped from her memory.
Kylo tilts her chin up.
"Why not? Being inside of you feels right. It feels balanced. I know you felt it too, Rey."
Tears fall from her eyes and self-loathing weighs heavy in her chest. She can't look at him, so she focuses on the datapad, trying not to feel like a distortion of the person she once was.
Sex was tolerable when she thought of him as Ben, when she retreated into her fantasy.
It scared her, how much she still wanted him to be Ben.
And then she screwed up by saying his name - his birth name - and her safe place crumbled. Kylo destroyed her mental defenses, he reminded her of everything she would never have.
She focused on getting through the rest of it moment-by-moment, giving him what he wanted in the hope that it would end soon. Not knowing if he would suddenly decide to hurt her, punish her, do whatever he wanted.
It was terrifying.
Rey tries to alleviate her guilt by telling herself she had little choice in the matter. That to Kylo love and sex are the same, that sleeping with him was a necessary strategic move.
She locks away her feelings, hiding them away in the recesses of her mind to be dealt with later.
Or never.
The baby. The baby is healthy, and that's all that matters. That's all that matters.
Her son is the light at the end of this nightmare.
"Rey?" Kylo thumbs away her tears, "You never answered my question."
Force this man is insecure.
"Yes, I still I love you, Kylo," Rey's tone is flat and frankly, she feels exhausted.
His face relaxes and he kisses her.
"Not as much as I love you."
Rey's breath catches when he lifts her to her feet. He guides her to her to the bed and helps her onto it. He positions her so she is propped up on a mountain of pillows and he covers her in blankets.
"Are you still bleeding?"
"Not much."
"Good. It won't happen again. I promise."
Rey isn't sure she understands correctly.
Is he saying he won't bed her again? Impossible. Rey almost asks him to clarify what he means, and then stops short. His answers never fail to disappoint.
And Kylo might seem sincere now - she senses his sincerity - but what about when she is in his bed? How genuine is his promise is when she is warm and pressed against his chest?
A sharp rap on the door diverts his attention.
"Supreme Leader, we have retrieved Tico."
Force, yes.
This is exactly what Rey needs right now. She needs Rose.
And she needs to get Kylo out of the room. She has to find a way to speak privately with Rose, to go over the finer points of their plan.
"I don't think it is wise to exert yourself right now, Rey. Tico can visit you another time."
She glares.
"I will see Rose."
Kylo senses that this is non-negotiable, that she will put up a fight.
"Very well. But just know she is not the friend you think she is. She is disgusted that you're carrying my baby. It is abhorrent to her, she cannot fathom how you can love a child sired by the Supreme Leader."
If his aim is to hurt her, to prey on her insecurities, it works. Rey tries not to think about what the Resistance will think of her, if they will judge her for loving and cherishing a child of Ren.
She is trying not to cry in front of him again.
"Rey," Kylo says gently, "No one in the Resistance understands why you've chosen to carry this baby to term. But I do. It is undeniable proof that you love me."
Just when Rey can't take anymore, when she is running out of emotional runway, the door swings open. Two officers - an upgrade from stormtroopers - usher Rose inside. Rose scowls at Kylo through her bangs.
"Why is Rey always in the medbay? What did you do to her now, you kriffing ass-"
Rey scoots up in her bed, panicked, "Rose, don't!"
Rose looks from Kylo to Rey and then silently mouths, Asshole.
The repercussions are instant when with a lazy flick of his wrist Kylo has Rose floating in the air.
"Listen here, scum. If you upset her in any way -"
"Stop it Kylo."
He throws her a glance over his shoulder.
"I won't tolerate disrespect, Rey."
Oh, that's ironic.
"Put her down or I will."
Kylo huffs and lowers Rose to the ground.
"Tico, if you upset her in anyway, I will kill you. If you disrespect me again, I will kill you," he finishes in a calm voice.
"You will do no such thing," Rey flares with anger.
"I will. And you will not defy me, Rey. Remember your place."
His arrogant command pushes her over the edge.
"Defending my friend is my place," she seethes, "And it upsets me when you threaten her."
Rey watches the classic tells of Kylo's anger: his hand curls into a fist, his muscles tense, his entire body going rigid. He bares his teeth as he speaks, his outrage boiling hot through the force.
"I'm sorry. It was not my intention to upset you."
Rey senses resentment. Resentment that he has to apologize in front of Rose, that he has to apologize at all.
Kylo retreats, standing against the wall with his feet planted apart.
"Well. Go on then. Talk."
Rey smoothes out her blankets, she licks her lips. The bastard, the absolute bastard.
How to get him out of the room?
Rose is first to break the icy silence.
"Are you and the baby okay?"
"Yeah," she adjusts her pillows, "I had a bit of a scare - some bleeding - but I'm told it's normal."
Rose's expression buckles and she pulls Rey inside a side hug.
"Oh, Rey. That sounds really scary. You're sure you're okay?"
She looks up at Rose and offers a shaky nod.
"I'm sure. And I - I thought a visit with you would help cheer me up. I know it will, actually."
Force, this is awkward. Kylo is studying her every move, he's trying to probe her mind to read her intent. She can't afford to slip up.
What can she say to drive him off without sending him into a rage? That won't raise his suspicions?
"Rose," she begins, "back on the base, I kept my distance from everyone. I didn't have a chance to witness Poe's proposal to Finn. Did you?"
She didn't even have time to congratulate them, Rey thinks sadly.
Rose breaks out into a huge grin.
"Oh yeah. It was glorious. Finn never saw it coming. I mean - he knew they were headed in that direction, but kriff was he was surprised."
"Ah," Rey's remorse is sincere, "I'm sorry I missed it. Can you tell me how it happened?"
Rose doesn't miss a beat. She catches on fast.
"Sure. But can I just say - the kiss afterwards - oh my god, what a kiss."
Kylo's face is unreadable, but Rey senses his revulsion. He has very clear ideas about men, women, and the roles they should fill. Rey is willing to bet he has similar attitudes about sexuality.
"It happened at Leia's debriefing. Everyone was there - well, almost everyone. Poe got up to present and instead of talking about tactics, he started talking about Finn. About their relationship. Poe had him come forward and then he got down on one knee. And BB-8," Rose glows at the memory, "he rolled up and popped out the ring for Poe to put on Finn's finger. Rey, I almost died at how sweet it was."
Rey dies a little too, thinking about how romantic and loving Poe's proposal sounds. She can't bear to compare it to Kylo's proposal, but she does. She can't help it.
Kylo isn't budging, so she channels her pain, her envy, her disappointment at his proposal through the Force. His ego can afford to take the hit. Kylo's eyes dart across the room to meet hers and she feels a throb of contrition through their bond.
Good. Let his regret plague him - he brought it on himself. Rey is about to ask for more details about the proposal, when Kylo clears his throat. Loudly.
"Is this why you requested Rose? For idle chatter? To gossip?"
Rey's mind hastens for a solution.
Rose's story is not having the effect she hoped it would. Not at all. Kylo is not repulsed by their talk of Finn and Poe's love enough to leave.
He's only annoyed and skeptical.
"I miss my friends," Rey quips, "is it really so hard to understand why I would want to talk about them with Rose? You can leave if it's boring."
Kylo doesn't have friends, he doesn't do friendship. She senses him grappling to relate to her explanation.
"Fine," he says, "continue your gossip, but hurry up. You need to rest."
By Force, if he refuses to leave then she needs to find a way out of this room.
Rey runs her hand over the datapad. She thinks of the baby. She gives Kylo her best wide-eyed expression.
"I was hoping to show Rose the items for the baby. I thought, perhaps, she could help me organize his things in our bedchamber."
Our bedchamber - her word choice excites Kylo but he stares, unfazed.
"His things are organized."
"Not the way I want," Rey pushes back, "and I'd like to do it without you hovering. Please," she adds, knowing how perilously close she is to sounding defiant. Trying to take total control will backfire.
A long silence follows.
Kylo looks again from Rey to Rose, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on, when she suddenly senses him relent.
"Alright. Fine. If that's what you want. If it will help you feel better."
Kylo opens the door and gestures for the officers to enter.
"You will escort my fiance and the prisoner to my quarters. Stand guard, but they are to be left alone."
"Thank you," Rey says, not believing her stroke of luck. She can't believe Kylo trusts her enough to leave her unsupervised with Rose, but he does. It's a small victory and she internally celebrates it. Rey shoves the blankets covering her to the side and dangles her legs off the bed.
Kylo remains silent and picks up her boots. He begins slipping them onto her feet and Rey peers down at him.
"You're going to be a good father."
Kylo pauses his lacing.
"Really?" He breathes, shocked by her compliment, "You mean that?"
Rey realizes with a pang how desperate he is to be a father, how afraid he is that he will fail at it. He hungers for her approval and he doesn't just cling to her flattery: he laps it up.
"I mean it."
Rey can't bring herself to shower him with more false praise, not when he looks at her so earnestly. One compliment is more than enough to distract him from changing his mind.
Kylo wraps an arm around her waist and effortlessly helps her to her feet. He pulls her in for a kiss, a full one she is sure he draws out for Rose's benefit.
And then, flanked by the officers, they make their way out of the medbay floor.
It is her last chance to map out the destruction of the First Order with Rose, and by Force, she's plotting it from inside Kylo Ren's bedchamber.
Kylo watches Rey and Tico until they round a corner and disappear. It's only fair that Rey enjoys Roses' company before the rebel is executed.
Kylo drums his fingers on the hilt of his lightsaber. It will have to take place after the wedding and after Rey feels confident that the baby is safe.
She is so dedicated to their son, so loving.
He agrees with Rey's observation from the other day: the baby has gone through a growth spurt. Kylo can see it in the way she walks: Rey is starting to meander the way pregnant women do when they grow bigger. Soon she will waddle.
Rey will be cross if he points this out. She'll think he is making fun of her. She always has to assume the worst.
Kylo wondered if he would miss the trim build of her body, but he doesn't.
He loves her pregnant.
She was reckless to traipse around the galaxy without an implant or birth control injection. Anyone could have gotten her this way, and it's good he got to her first.
Kylo rolls his shoulders and thinks about what needs to be done.
Right now he needs to assess the interrogation rooms that will be used to flush out traitors within the First Order. Preparations need to be made for the wedding, and the fleet will be arriving soon. He needs an update on the ancient Sith fortress.
There is so much to do, but it is worth the hassle.
One more day and Rey will be his wife.
"Supreme Leader, General Fletcher is requesting contact."
Kylo turns to address the captain standing behind him.
"Patch him through."
He is not worried about what the women might get up to. Their excitement over the proposal between the Traitor and the Idiot was real enough, but he sensed the show they were putting on. Especially from Tico. She's an easy read.
Kylo surmises that Rey is trying to help Tico escape. It's noble, and a very Rey thing to do, but it won't happen. He can always check in on them using the security cameras.
At least this way, he is demonstrating to Rey that he trusts her enough to be alone with Tico.
Well.
She will think he trusts her to be alone.
With one last look down the hallway, Kylo turns and heads for the command center.
chapter 36 will be the wedding.
and you're invited to the shit-show