Changes
Chapter 1
All Ben could do was pace in the hall. He had unceremoniously been shuffled from the room by the midwife and her blasted staff and at the moment, it was all he could do to breath and not let the darkness that was clawing on his insides rip loose and toss people out of his way to get to Rey.
He could feel her anxiety and stress as there were no walls, at the moment, between them. She was so focused on the pain and just breathing through each contraction that it had left Ben solely trying to block her as best as he could to keep from sharing it all with her. He could feel the cold sweat of the mental strain slowly trickling down is back as the light night breeze filtered down the hall.
His hand twitched to call his saber to it and to start slashing at the cold marble bannister that he paced in front of. He was so focused on not being in the room as he listened to the pained muffled cries that he didn't notice the light footsteps approach.
"Daddy? There's so much yelling." A soft voice snapped his body around at attention.
His face immediately softened at the mop of wild black curls that framed the pale, angelic face staring up at him. Her small hands clutching the sides of her head, tears brimming her bright green eyes. He dropped to a knee and swept up the girl in his arms easily.
Placing his hand to her cheek he focused his attention to her pleading eyes, "Practice what I told you little one. Brick by brick, with each breath, close off the outside noise."
Her face screwed up in concentration, eyes slowly drifting closed as her small hand rested on Ben's chest over his heart. He could feel her closing herself off and breathing in time with his slow, purposeful breaths.
"Better?" He asked softly as her eyes opened, clear and free of the confusion of earlier.
They flashed with worry as a painful cry came from behind the door again, "Mommy's hurting! Can't we make it stop?"
Ben's heart clenched at the worry and care behind his oldest child's words. Breha was tender and caring down to her core and it amazed him every day how someone so pure could have a part of him in her.
"Your mother is going to be okay," He started as she wrapped her slight arms around his neck to comfort her own anxieties with surprising strength. "Your brother decided he should join us a little bit early and took us all by surprise." He murmured into her hair.
He felt Breha bristle a bit and couldn't help the smile that twitched on his lips despite everything that was going on. She had desperately wanted a little sister after the arrival of twin boys almost three years ago. It was the only time there had been any dimming of her pure light when they connected and realized it Rey was having another boy.
Despite her continued disappointment she had connected on a deep level with the unborn child, talking to Rey's ever-growing stomach any chance she could, both mentally and verbally.
She pulled away with a huff and regarded the door again, "He's impatient." She stated matter-of-factly with a disapproving frown.
Pushing away from Ben as an indication that she wanted down, he set her back on her slippered feet, her gauzy night gown fluttering softly in the gentle breeze giving her a ghostly appearance as she approved the closed double doors to Rey and Ben's room.
"Breha…" Ben cautioned as she approached and watched her place her hand on the wood. He felt the pull of the force around him with surprising strength and calm as it pushed forward. It wove its way into the room as Ben followed it curiously, making its way to the staff that spoke gentle soothing words to Rey as she struggled with the growing force of the contractions.
Calm now dear one. Her singsong mental tone soothed the writhing child inside of Rey. You aren't listening to Mommy and Daddy. The squeezing will stop soon.
Ben blinked as the calm spread and Rey's anxieties lessened as the pain ebbed away a little. He had been trying to reach the frantic child in Rey to help with the sudden labor, as Rey had been trying to do, but they had been met with frustration and panic that seemed to block out all their attempts.
Ben, it's time. I need you. Rey's voice fluttered through to him as he stared in awe of his daughter.
"I need to help your mother. I will come get you when I can." Ben said placing a hand on her soft hair.
"Can I stay here and help him?" Breha asked in a thin voice her concentration still on the unborn child behind the closed doors.
He wants you near. But for the next little bit I need your Dad with me, my light. Rey's voice echoed in both their minds tired but grateful for the reprieve her oldest had managed for her as she used the pet name she had for Breha.
Ben gave a reassuring nod to the girl and slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. Rey was on the far side of the room with the med bot and three midwives murmuring and reassuring her. They glanced warily at his arrival and firm features.
Rey held up a hand to him as he approached, and he felt their force bond snap tight with the connection of their skin.
"I'm alright." Rey said softly, her hair matted to her face with sweat, her eyes tired and glazed from the strain of the labor. "This one is anxious to meet his family is all."
Another contraction seized her and her grip on Ben's hand clamped down like a vice grip as the midwife positioned herself between Rey's knees.
"Push now dear. Let's meet the one causing all this trouble." The midwife said with an encouraging and soft smile.
Rey bore down and the force swept through the room becoming as if a living thing, weaving its way around everyone at the beside before wrapping tightly around Ben and Rey. It had been this way with each of her deliveries but the power of even always took Ben's breath away and cause the hairs to raise on the back of his neck.
It only took a few pushes and minimal encouragement from the midwife team before the cries of the newborn were filling the room.
Rey seemed to melt with relief into the mattress as tears of joy and anticipation filled her face while she waited for her son to be presented to her. Ben clung to her hand, and stroked her forehead, his eyes never leaving the small screaming form, his protective instincts ramping up.
The head midwife finished wiping him off and took all the appropriate measurements and did the initial checks before wrapping a gauzy cloth around him and cradling him over to his parents.
"Your son is in perfect health." She said as she laid him on the bare skin of Rey's chest as she wept openly.
Ben blinked back tears as he stared down at the tiny form, his hand engulfing the whole backside of the child, Rey's hand wrapping over the babe and his.
"You are going to be a handful, aren't you?" Rey cooed softly, stroking the light brown silky fluff that covered the child's head.
Ben leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Rey's damp hair, "He's…..perfect." He managed to softly choke out around his emotion. Never had he imagined that he would be able to have a life like this.
It had been nine years since the day on Exegol when Rey had defeated the Sith and he had brought her back from the brink of death. Their lives had been irrevocably changed since she saved him from the dark side. He still battled with his temper and the darkness that always lived in him. Especially on the long hard nights of lack of sleep with three children, running the training center and fielding intermittent counsel appearances. But Rey was his balance and check as he was for her, their bond only strengthening over the years and time of training with each other.
"You ready for this?" Rey joked as she glanced up at her partner's enamored face staring at the, now calm, bundle in her arms.
Ben huffed a small laugh, "It's a little late for that I think." He said flatly with only a twitch of his lips betraying the humor behind his words.
Rey's eyes flicked to the doors. "You should get Breha, she feels him free and is anxious to meet her brother." She stated gently, the corners of her eyes moist again with fresh, proud tears.
Ben jerked his head with a sharp nod and reluctantly rose to go to the doors, seeing them crack open before he could reach them.
"I can see him?" Breha's voice said hopefully as her head poked into the room.
Ben chuckled involuntarily and nodded as he reached out his hand to his daughter, "Your mother and brother would like to see you." He said as her small hand was encompassed by his large one.
She could barely control her excitement as she practically bounced with every step to the bed. Ben lifted her to sit on the edge of the bed softly as Rey shifted the tiny bundle so his face could be seen by his sister.
Breha coo'd softly as a tiny hand reached out from the swaddling blankets against Rey's chest. Welcome dear one, she began as she let the tiny hand clasp her thumb in a firm grip, I told you if you calmed it would be over quickly. She gently chastised the newborn.
Rey's gaze met Ben's over her oldest child's wild black curls, a smirk playing on her lips as her face said clearly the phrase, she used on many occasions when Breha exerted her confident bluntness. Your child. She breathed to just Ben through their bond.
The only recognition of him hearing Rey's teasing jab was a twitch of the corner of his mouth and the shifting of his gaze to the mess of curls on his daughter's head.