Leia watches them.

Her son come back to her and this unknown woman who he gravitates around.

When she sent Poe to Jakku, she'd hoped he'd come back with a map to lead them to her wayward brother. Instead she loses one of her best pilots only to regain him again thanks to a Stormtrooper that defects, her absent husband miraculously shows up with the droid said pilot had been forced to leave behind, and her son she'd lost thanks to her own stupidity returns with a scavenger girl from Jakku who clings to him just as much as he clings to her.

Han hadn't been able to give her any satisfactory answers. Just that he'd found them in the Falcon and that Rey, who can apparently use the Force, claimed she'd explain things once they found Luke.

She really hopes the map BB-8 has gets them to her brother.

Leia watches them.

Ben's been hovering ever since they set foot on the ship again. Ever since Rey marched up the ramp and faltered momentarily. Even now that they're sitting, he's got their fingers twined together and resting on his leg. She in turn is twisted mostly towards him to press up against his side. Leia wonders just how much Rey knows of her son to trust him so. The way she looks at her son, though, that does give Leia pause.

Rey watches Ben like she's afraid he's going to disappear if she looks away.

And it's a soul deep fear, not a passing fright for someone just newly met and newly rescued. How exactly they met when Rey's been on Jakku and Ben...well Ben wasn't is a burning curiosity in Leia's mind. She does realize that it's probably going to be a bit before she gets answers. For now she simply delights in the bond between them for all that it worries her still.

BB-8 is sticking ridiculously close to Rey, calling her 'Droid-saver' of all things. The first time he does, Ben snorts out a chuckle that has Rey hitting him lightly with her free hand. He grins back her in boyish delight and helpless wonder, like he can't actually believe she's real. For all that they move around each other as easily as breathing, there's still a newness about them that speaks of not a lot of time together.

Leia watches them.

Leia watches and waits.

She's unfortunately gotten rather good at waiting.


When they touch down on D'Qar, Leia's only half surprised that Poe's already waiting for them and that he sprints onto the Falcon the instant he can. She might not've been able to hear most of the conversation between her son, her pilot, and the scavenger, but she could still see the steady comradery between Poe and Rey, and the blossoming comradery between Poe and Ben. The fact that Poe's still avoiding looking at her? That does worry her. She can see the tension in him, can almost picture how it presses down on him. While she might not've completed her Jedi training with Luke, she still knows how to listen to the Force and her instincts. It's because of them that she's leaving things be for right now. Starkiller Base takes priority.

"You guys still good?" Poe immediately asks, even while dropping a hand on top of BB-8 who's chirping up a happy storm at having his favorite human back.

"Yeah, still good," Ben grunts as he levers himself to his feet.

Rey, however, reaches out to take one of Poe's hands in hers. "We need to talk about Exogol, Poe."

The way both men stiffen has Leia taking a step toward them in concern. The fact that the Force suddenly feels drawn tighter than a bow string just waiting to snap doesn't help matters. And the word 'Exogol' sends a shiver of dread down Leia's spine. One she hasn't felt in years for all the chaos of her life currently.

"Rey, I really cannot deal with talking about Exogol right now," Poe states flatly. "It's taking all my self control just to focus on bringing Finn home. If I try and think about anything else, I'm gonna lose it, and we don't have time for that."

"Poe, it's—"

He interrupts her. "Is this about Ben and me trusting him?" He's apparently at least somewhat correct because Rey's eyes widen ever so slightly. "Do you trust him?"

"With my life," is Rey's immediate reply. No hesitation, no thinking it over for a moment. Just a heartfelt declaration that has her son's cheeks flushing.

"Then that's all the assurance I need," Poe says. He seems to hesitate for a second before adding, "You told us that Kylo Ren died on the Death Star. Whatever happened after that, whatever that meant for you on Exogol, can wait until we get Finn back and can go after Luke."

Rey inhales deeply and Leia feels the Force relax as she breathes out. "Alright."

She does wonder at how they're talking about going after her brother like it's a done deal. They haven't even looked at the map yet, as far as she knows, so there's no telling if it'll even be helpful. And yet, for some reason, she too feels as if it's inevitable.

Poe nods jerkily. "Ben, would you be willing to tell us what you know about Starkiller Base?"

"What I can remember is yours," Ben assures him, "but Starkiller was more Hux's project than mine." For some reason, this makes Poe blink rapidly and give her son a peculiar look. "What?"

"I just realized that Hux is probably going to throw a party when he finds out that you're no longer with the First Order," Poe comments blandly.

Leia knows the man they're talking about. As one of the First Order's prominent Generals, Armitage Hux is rather well known throughout the galaxy. To say that Leia has never been truly impressed would be an understatement. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Hux is bastard born. He's just a rather slimy individual with visions of grandeur who has no qualms about doing anything to make sure they're achieved. His lack of a backbone, in a manner of speaking, has given Leia cause for wonder many a time at just how he managed to climb so high to the post of General.

Ben pauses, tilts his head slightly, and then snorts. "Yeah, he probably would, if he could hide it from Snoke." The sharp hiss of air from Rey has Ben pressing even closer than he's already standing. She has a look of utter fury on her face for one heartbeat before it melts away. "I'm here, cyar-ika, I'm here," Ben murmurs.

Another deep breath. "Is it possible that Snoke will be on Starkiller Base?" Rey asks flatly. There's the ferocity of a warrior in her voice, along with an edge Leia remembers and knows intimately. The deadly sharpness evoked from one's loved ones being threatened.

Ben's reply is immediate. "No, Snoke never set foot on the planet."

"Pity."

"General?"

As Leia turns towards the call from outside, she sees Poe reacting exactly the same before abruptly catching himself. Curious. She suddenly remembers that Ben had addressed him as 'General' back on Takodana. She files that away to contemplate later while marching off the Falcon.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

A salute is smartly snapped out. "Fleet Command is waiting for you, ma'am."

Of course they are.

The downside of being General and in charge. Especially in circumstances like they're currently in and people want answers and reassurances.

Leia sighs. "I'll be there shortly." She turns back so she's facing into the Falcon. "Time to get moving!" she hollers. Two sets of feet immediately start moving as Han and Chewie come into view. Han gives her an exasperated look, most likely from being ordered about again by her for the first time in years, but he doesn't comment as he stomps down the ramp. It takes another moment before Poe, Ben, and Rey follow after. All three look harrowed but resolute.

"Right, I gotta go check in with my squad." Poe groans, dragging a hand down his face. "Something I am suddenly not looking forward to. Kriffing hell."

Rey instantly lays a hand on his arm. "Do you need—"

Poe waves her off. "No, you stick with Ben. He needs you more than I do right now. I just gotta figure out who the hell to send to do reconnaissance on Starkiller Base so we have information to work with beyond what Ben can remember."

Leia raises an impressed eyebrow. While she doesn't doubt Poe's ability to lead a squadron of X-Wing pilots, she thought he was still learning to see the bigger picture, to look further than the battle right in front of his face. To have evidence otherwise is gratifying. Now she's more secure in knowing that the Resistance will be in good hands should something happen to her. Not that she plans on getting herself killed anytime soon. She just got her family mostly back together, after all. "I'd suggest Captain Wexley and Captain Kun," she offers.

Poe blinks at her, his face cycling through a myriad of emotions before settling into something she privately would call a 'command' face. The one where everything not pertaining to the mission is pushed aside to be dealt with later. "That'll work perfectly. Thank you for the suggestion, General." He inclines his head to her before marching off.

"BB-8, wait a moment," Rey says when the orange droid makes to follow after Poe.

[Droid-saver?] Somehow, despite not having any facial features, the droid still manages to look longing after his usual pilot for all that he stays beside Rey.

"General Organa needs to see the map you have," she explains softly.

Ah yes, the map that Leia's certain both is and isn't what she's looking for. She no longer wants to find Luke to have one more voice to try and call Ben home. She has her son back. No, now she just wants her brother to come home again. She's had enough of the Dark Side tearing her family apart.


Waiting is something that Rey, unfortunately, is rather good at.

That doesn't mean she likes it anymore now than she did fifty years ago.

At least now she has an idea of when her waiting is going to end. They need the information that Wexley and Kun are bringing back before they can proceed any further. While she, Ben, and Poe know what they're up against, no one else does, and the three of them are in no position to be able to explain it to anyone right now. It'll dredge up too many still sore wounds. Poe had been right to stop her earlier from talking about Exogol. Now is not the time to devil into that, for all that she'd felt it necessary to explain to Poe about why he could trust Ben. Of course, she hadn't counted on Poe trusting in her trust in Ben.

For all that she's learned, she's still apparently woefully ignorant about relationships of any sort. Chuckling ruefully to herself, she acknowledges that given that she learned a lot about relationships from Skywalkers, that might have something to do with it.

During their waiting, she and Ben are taken to a side room full of crates and left there by themselves briefly. While there's no door to shut in their faces, that's what she feels like happens when their escort abruptly leaves. She reminds herself that no one here save Poe knows her. To them, she's just a scavenger from Jakku, not the last Jedi who's also their last hope. She's still blinking after their escort when Ben drops down onto a crate with a groan.

"Ben?" She hurries over while he cradles his head in his hands. He hisses sharply through his teeth when she brushes her fingertips across his forehead, making her snatch her hand away.

"Sorry," he mumbles. "The pain, it keeps coming and going."

"It's alright," she assures him, dropping to her knees in front of him. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He barks out a hoarse laugh only to wince. "Well, it no longer feels like the Death Star got dropped repeatedly onto my head, so I'm better than when I first woke up."

Worrying her lower lip between her teeth, Rey allows her awareness to drift shallowly into the Force. Ben is ever a supernova presence, a twined harmony of Light and Dark now instead of drowning in Darkness. She knows that she's much the same, a balance of both sides of her heritage. She can also see how they mirror each other, her Light to his Dark and his Light to her Dark. Their dyad bond hums strongly between them, the sum of their parts braided so intricately together and a constant reminder that he's here and with her and she's not alone anymore. However, there are tattered, frayed strings that hang off of Ben. They randomly jerk and tug off into the unknown.

The remnants of his bond with Snoke, she realizes.

When Ben hisses again and one of the strings gets pulled taunt briefly at the same time, she decides she has to at least try and do something. So she sinks further into their bond, rests her hands over Ben's, lets her eyes flutter closed, and envelopes him with her Force presence. Silence descends, leaving just him and her and the sound of their breathing. She coaxes the fractured parts of him back inwards, soothes the jagged edges as well as she can.

When she feels she's done as much as she's able to at the moment, Rey comes back to herself. The silence fills up with the bustling sounds of the base as she rocks back on her heels. She almost lazily blinks her eyes open, her hands dropping away from Ben's when he exhales shakily.

He's staring at her.

Staring at her with wide eyes, pupils blown and cheeks dusted pink.

The awe and reverence in his gaze makes her own cheeks flush, but she's unable to look away.

They both just stare until someone clears their throat behind Rey. She jerks around to find Poe standing in the doorway, incredibly awkward looking. His eyes are resolutely trained onto the wall above their heads. "Yeah, hate to break up whatever it is you're doing, but Fleet Command want to talk with you guys."

Ben huffs out a sigh. "Of course they do," he mutters while getting to his feet. Rey stands with him, lips already pressed together in displeasure. If any of them try to do anything to Ben, she's going to retaliate. She did not just regain the other half of her soul for someone to take exception to his very existence.

"If you could not glare them all to death before they even say anything, that'd be greatly appreciated," Poe says, voice full of exasperation.

"They're entitled to their distrust," Ben adds. "I'd actually be less inclined to trust them if they did trust me right off the bat just because I'm their General's son."

Rey makes a disagreeable noise in the back of her throat. "Fine. But the instant they start talking about doing something about their mistrust, I'm going to inform them just how bad an idea that is." Ben grins fondly at her, making her just cooling cheeks warm again. "What?"

"It's been a while since I had so fierce a defender," he murmurs, reaching up to absentmindedly tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "I kinda like it."

Stars, now even her ears are burning.

Poe groans despairingly. "I am now desperately hoping that Finn and I weren't anywhere near that disgustingly cute."

"You were," Rey immediately retorts. "You really really were. Rose bemoaned the fact pretty much every time we talked."

"Traitors. You're all big fat traitors," her friend grunts, yet not sounding terribly displeased by that. If anything, he sounds overly fond and happy.

Rey just shakes her head, but then immediately sobers because Rose. Given that the woman hasn't come running to find them like Poe did, she doesn't remember. A friend gained only to be lost. She inhales sharply as grief slams into her. While she mourned for her mentors, lost before they should've been, she's never really had to mourn for a friend before. Jakku didn't allow for true friends, and by the time she'd made more friends than Poe, Finn, and Chewie, the war had been won.

"Rey?"

Both Ben and Poe are hovering almost instantly. Poe's got his concerned face on, eyebrows scrunched together as his lips twist into a frown. Rey's never been on the receiving end of it in person, but now she understands why Finn called in intense. Poe's always been an all or nothing kind of guy, and it's a bit overwhelming having all that energy focused solely on her. Ben just wraps an arm around her waist and presses her up against him. The steady thumping of his heart helps somewhat.

"Sorry," she chokes out, scrubbing viciously at the tears that gather in her eyes. "Sorry, I just—"

"Fuck, Rose," Poe curses under his breathe.

"Another friend?" Ben inquires softly, his grip tightening ever so slightly.

"Yeah," Poe answers when it becomes clear Rey can't manage to get words out past the lump in her throat. "One I don't think remembers. She hasn't come looking for us even though Rey didn't come to D'Qar until after we rescued her last time."

"Ah."

Mercifully, neither man says anything more as Rey pulls herself back together. She smoothes over the newly broken cracks in her heart as much as she can for all that they're still raw and bleeding. There is still no time for any of them to break anymore than they already have. They have to get Finn first. Get Finn, go to Luke, and only then can she finally let go of all the accumulating grief and terror she keeps experiencing.

"Alright." Rey takes a deep breath, thankful that it doesn't shake too noticeably. She takes another one, then nods decisively. "Alright, let's go."

Poe shoots her a pained, knowing look, but nods in agreement. "Alright, follow me." He turns on his heel and marches back into the base. Rey follows him and Ben follows her.

It's almost like walking through a hazy dream. She only has vague memories of this base, having only been in it for a week at the most, but walking through it again is waking said memories back up. They don't go far, yet Rey still feels a multitude of eyes following every step she and Ben take. It crawls under her skin and rattles her more than she cares to admit. These are people she has fought for freedom alongside, bled with and for, even died for. And yet now they watch her with wary eyes, unsure of her presence in their home.

We'll be okay, Ben murmurs as Poe takes them into another off room, only this one has a door that gets shut behind them.

I know, she whispers back.

Besides Leia, Han, and Chewie, there are five other beings seated in the room. Two humanoid females and three males, one a Mon Calamari and the other two older humanoid. None of them look entirely thrilled with the situation, but Rey's thankful no one starts spitting curses the instant the door shuts.

When no one speaks after a few strained moments of silence, Poe steps forward and clears his throat. "Okay then. Rey, Ben, this is Resistance Fleet Command. Admiral Gial Ackbar, Captain Idrosen Gawat, Lieu—" He abruptly coughs, shifting his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. "Operations Controller Kaydel Ko Connix, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, and Vice Admiral Resdox." Each person nods when their name is said, but Kaydel gives Poe a searching look at the slip during her introduction. Rey assumes it's because of a promotion that hasn't happened yet. "Sirs, this is Rey and Ben Solo."

"We know who he is, Commander Dameron," Idrosen says gravely.

"Then let me assure you, Captain, that Kylo Ren is dead," Ben returns just as solemnly. He places a hand on the small of Rey's back when she flinches minutely. Across from them Leia briefly closes her eyes, and Rey feels both her relief and grief resonate through the Force. "Kylo Ren fell in the remnants of the Death Star on Kef Bir, stabbed through with his own lightsaber."

Amilyn shifts in her chair to lean forward and rest her arms on the table separating Fleet Command from Rey, Ben, and Poe. Her purple hair is her rather defining feature as far as Rey can tell. "That's a rather fanciful tale. What makes you think we'll believe it's true?"

Ben pressing his fingers into her back is the only reason Rey stops from snapping like she wants to. "I have no proof I'm able to give you. It's for you to decide if I'm telling the truth or not."

"You fell to the Dark Side once already, Solo," Resdox interjects, and Rey wants to scream at him for the condemnation she hears in his tone. Like he isn't even going to bother listening to what Ben has to say. "What keeps you from doing it again and betraying us all?"

"I snapped the bond between myself and Snoke," Ben states flatly, not rising to the perceivable dig at his past actions. "Deliberately. This makes it impossible for another one to be created. Especially because Rey has tended to frayed ends left behind."

This is apparently something none of Fleet Command was aware she could do. Amilyn straightens in her chair, a curious expression flickering across her face. "Indeed?"

Rey makes her chin jerk down and then back up. "I did. It was hurting him." Something she refuses to allow if it's within her power to do something about.

"You can use the Force, then?"

Rey fixes Resdox with a desert dry look. "Yes. It's why I'm seeking Master Luke." Despite their perceived age difference, the Vice Admiral is the one who looks away first, shifting uneasily in his seat. She's viciously pleased by this particular fact.

"Rey," Poe mutters.

She huffs but relaxes her stance, not having realized she put herself just a bit between Ben and Fleet Command.

"You care for Ben Solo," Amilyn comments, her voice betraying nothing. There's no condemnation, just a simple statement of fact.

It's because of that that Rey is able to meet and hold her gaze. "I do."

"There are those who would condemn you for that."

"I am aware." Oh is she ever aware of that particular fact. It's part of why she ran, but she's done running now. When she speaks again, the Force is heavy in her voice for all that she doesn't try to sway anyone in the room. "Ben Solo saved my life. He saved my life at great—" She chokes on the sob that claws its way out of her. Even with fifty years gone by and Ben beside her again, she still can't talk about Ben's fate without crying. She blinks furiously, intent on finishing. "At great cost to himself. I will stay by him to whatever end."

In the corner, Han abruptly snorts. "You gonna do that every time she compliments you, kid?"

Rey looks at him oddly, not quite understanding the question until she turns to look at Ben. He's staring resolutely at the ceiling, his expression giving away nothing. However, a dull flush of red is slowly spreading across his cheeks and over the tip of the ear that Rey can see.

"Han," Leia sighs in fond exasperation.

"What? I don't remember him being this easily embarrassed. If this is gonna be a thing, I just might have to stick around a bit longer."

Ben groans softly and drags a hand down his face. "Thanks Dad."

Resdox is obviously gearing himself up to say something more, but before he can speak, they're interrupted.

Knock, knock.

The door creaks open and a woman in a pilot uniform sticks her head in. "Apologies, sirs, but Commander Dameron asked to be immediately informed when Wexley and Kun returned from doing reconnaissance on Starkiller Base."

Poe exhales explosively. "Thanks Pava. I'll be out shortly."

"Sir."

When the door shuts again, Poe turns to Ben. "You ready?"

Ben heaves out a sigh. "No, but let's go do it anyway. Not like we have time for me to be ready."

"Ready for what?" Resdox demands, getting to his feet and planting his hands on the table. Probably to make himself intimidating, but they faced down Palpatine and won. A blustering Vice Admiral isn't going to rattle them.

Ben's voice is as dry as Rey's was earlier. "Discussing blowing up Starkiller Base." He grins at Resdox's flummoxed expression, and Rey follows after him with a quiet hum of pleasure.

"So, was Han right?" Poe abruptly asks as they march out to the landing strips.

"What?" both Rey and Ben say, not quite following.

Poe flashes them an amused smirk. "Was Han right? Are you gonna go red every time Rey compliments you?"

Now Rey flushes with Ben as he bites out, "Dameron, shut up."

The sound of Poe's delighted laughter echoing around them makes up for the teasing, and a tension in Rey's heart eases at the knowledge that Ben and Poe can get along. She instinctively knows she has another person in their corner, and one who knows what Ben did but will stand by him regardless. She sighs happily, slipping her hand into Ben's and giving it an affectionate squeeze. For all the chaos and uncertainty, all is relatively right with her world. They just need to get Finn back, and she'll be even better.