Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters created by Lucusfilm, however I do own the plot, I also own Drew.
Note: I first was going to make this story a one shot but hey whatever...
Ben Solo walked along a corridor in the Falcon, slowly touching the old cream colored padding that covered the walls, he sighed. He hadn't been on this ship since he was a boy and remembering all the laughs he had shared with his parents and Chewie before Snoke showed him the darkness made him burn with regret and remorse. It seemed as if he was still a boy wandering the halls, innocent, before he had a all the blood on his hands. He turned the corner to find the Wookiee he had known for years as a young child fiddling with some wires in a old droid. That was Chewie's hobby, fixing and improving old droids and ships. Now he was working on a old R2 unit. Ben remembered R2-D2. It was funny all these memory's that came back to him after he had let himself comeback to the light. The droid would always wake him up early just because it could, Ben hadn't minded though. When the Wookiee had finally noticed him standing there, he didn't smile.
"I still don't trust you, you betrayed the light boy" Chewie mumbles still looking down at the mess of wires and fuses in his lap.
"I know you don't. What I have done... no one should ever trust me again..." Ben states hanging his head in shame. He is truly sorry for what he has done to everyone and everybody he has killed. Chewie knows that.
"Young one trusts you" Chewie states turning his furry head up to look at the tall dark haired man, still a boy in his mind.
"She... She... never mind, all I wanted to say is I'm sorry Chewie. I know what did cant be forgiven" Bens says turning back to the main cabin where the rest sit. Just as Ben leaves the Wookiee stands, setting down his work for a minute. Chewie wraps his arms around Ben giving him the famous Wookiee hug. Chewie buries Ben's face in his chest. Accidentally suffocating the boy for a couple of seconds. He pats the boy on the back picking up the half deconstructed droid and returning to his work. Ben makes his way back to the main cabin, where Rey and the others are. He hopes by now the embarrassing conversation has died down hopefully replaced by his father's never ending criticism of First Order TIE fighters.
And sure enough as Ben Solo steps into room, there was his father standing up in front of his mother, Poe, Finn and Rey. Criticizing First Order's TIE fighters. Ben sits next to Rey letting her hold his hand. He looks and her and smiles. The both of them continue to listen to Han Solo's bantering.
"I don't understand the point in flying those beasts, not like I ever wanted the first order to win but come on, why would anyone want to fly in a ship the size and shape of a kick ball" Han states waving his hands about.
" they actually fly pretty good, I mean, when Finn helped me escape the First Order after I was captured on Jakku, we flew a TIE out of there and man do those things got some to kick" Poe says rubbing a hand through his hair. Finn looks at him confused, he knows the rest of the story.
" that's not the whole story, first Poe forgot to..." finn starts but obviously whatever Finn was going to say was not Poe proved.
" you don't need to get into the details Finn" Poe states, Rey looks at them inquisitively raising an eyebrow.
" could it be possible that Poe isn't it the best pilot in the galaxy and he may have left his ship tied up before taking off the landing dock" Rey questions knowing it would tick him off. She knew Poe would expect that she would say that Ben is a better pilot than him. But Rey said nothing instead smirking at her friend. Poe turns his head with a grimace on his face. BB-8 chirps unhappily at his masters dismay.
" it's OK buddy, our friend here is just being mean" Poe states to his droid rubbing its metal underside. BB-8 bleeps angrily at her.
" I am not" Rey corrects harshly shaking her head at him.
" am I being mean to him, Ben" Rey asks the tall black haired male next to her. Ben smiles the signature Solo grin.
" of course not, Poe just doesn't like the truth" Ben says looking straight at the man who is denying he ever makes mistakes when it comes to piloting. Poe does though he knows he does, but he's not going to be the one admitting to it unless its mandatory. Han checks his watch and speeds off to the cockpit to prepare for landing.
"General where's the base" Finn asks narrowing his eyebrows. He genuinely doesn't know and he hopes that him not knowing wont't offend the general. Luckily Leia smiles.
"Dantoine, well I guess its not really a base since the war is won its more of a colony or home now" Leia says smiling at the short rebel gun man sitting behind the hologram table.
" we'll be landing in 15 minutes" says Han popping his head in the cabin for a split second. Chewie roars from the cockpit, the sound resonating off the walls making it easy to hear from the main cabin.
" what did you say, you know I can't speak Wookie" finn says looking at Rey and Leia. He knows they can, they've demonstrated this talent many occasions.
" he said that... he... oh never mind I really don't know what he said" Rey states grinning. Finn glares at her.
" I thought you could speak Wookie, but I guess you lied" finn says. Rey sighs of her friends at antics.
" you know I never said I could" Rey states earning a glare from Finn. The falcon rumbles Beneath her feet signaling that they had landed. Han opens the loading ramp from the cockpit and Ben hides in the crews quarters. Rey Notices this and follows him. He sit on the bed a nervous expression on his face. Rey knows he's nervous about facing people he knew was a boy but then betrayed. She sits down next to him holding his hand in hers.
" it's going to be fine Ben, they'll forgive you, I know it" Rey says with a curt smile. He isn't so sure though, in his opinion what he has done is unforgivable. Rey can sense his distress through their force bond. She clasps his hand tighter reassuring him.
" they'll forgive you" she says taking the time to look into his deep brown eyes. He looks back at her's enjoying the sensation of assurance he finds of them. He never really trusted anybody, as Kylo Ren he was the one that needed to be trusted. But yet no one ever trusted him, he never really wanted it either. But now as he sits next to Rey, he wants to be trusted and he wants to be able to trust someone with his life, with his secrets and deepest woes.
He nods looking down at her relishing in the feeling of being loved.
" trust me" she says pulling them up off the cot. He nods following her off the falcon.
At first no one looks at them with strange glances. But as they get deeper into the heart of the base people start to recognize Rey, meaning people start to recognize him. Every single time someone looks at him with a fearful glance he and Rey have to tell their story. A couple times someone tried to attack him to kill him, because he was the death of their loved ones. He can't blame them, if he was them he do it too. But by the time they listen to a story they haven't fully forgiven him nor excepted the reality that he is actually there, but they let him go on not giving a second glance.
After a long while, Rey and Ben find themselves in the dining hall. There they meet up with Finn and Poe, shortly behind by BB-8.
Rey sits patting the seat next to her for Ben. He does so, setting his tray down next to hers. Dinner is of mashed potatoes, some unidentifiable meat and Bantha milk. Halfway through the meal. Ben is tapped on the back by hotshot pilot named Drew. Poe knows where this is headed and hopes to avoid a fight at any costs.
" Drew now it's not the time go back to your place and leave him alone" Poe commands the X-wing pilot. The man doesn't listen is blue eyes gleaming with malice and anger
" you killed my brother with that stupid storm trooper army of yours you had at your disposal. He didn't come back from ground control because of you! YOUR A MONSTER!" Drew yells spit flying from his mouth. Ben doesn't stop him, the man punches him square in the nose. He knocks him down but still Ben doesn't put up a fight. He deserves this.
"Why aren't you fighting back idiot" Drew yells waiting for Ben to punch him or at least hold him away with the force. Ben smiles.
" because I deserve whatever you give me, it's not right what I did, I deserve more than what you can give, but I just want you to know that I'm sorry." Ben says taking a deep breath. This just angers the man more, the pilot spits.
" apology not accepted" Drew yells and bangs Bens head into the ground. Everything goes black for the former supreme leader.
"Go back to your place... NOW!" yells Poe. At long last Drew nodes finally complying to his commanders orders.
"Yes, Commander" says the hotshot pilot, turning and leaving Ben behind him bleeding on the floor. Rey just arriving, back from talking with Leia. Gasps at the scene laid out before her.
" I leave for one minute and I come back to this?" Rey yelps. She finally notices who it is on the floor and kneels down beside him.
" let's get him the medical bay" she says kissing his fore head. Ben is out cold.
" it's going to be all right" Rey whispers in his ear.