Chapter 2: Run Away Together
Rey was able to enforce her demand to the strongest degree. She essentially assigned herself as Ben's guard for every standard hour, every standard day.
As no real buildings were to be had on Ajan Kloss, Ben was literally placed in a cage with Force proof mechanisms to ensure he did not escape. The cage sat in the middle of a clearing, surrounded on all sides by jungle. In front of this cell, Rey would sit, holding his hand through the bars. Sometimes, the lovers would talk. Other times, they would sit together in companionable silence, holding whole conversations through their Bond without having to say anything at all.
A Resistance member - usually Beaumont Kin - was assigned to deliver Rey her meals; these she would share with Ben. At night, she would dutifully sleep at the foot of his cell, and always with one eye open, lest her more vengeful comrades attempted to exact retribution on the prisoner. For all intents and purposes, Rey never left Ben's side.
It was a nice relief, to finally be together without ideologies and war tearing them apart. Kissing each other through the bars of Ben's cell had its own unique challenges, but the hand-holding and sweet nothings sent back and forth through their Bond more than made up for it. At the back of both Rey and Ben's minds, however, was what awaited them. What awaited Ben? Would he stand trial? Poe Dameron had mostly remained quiet on this point. Having not gotten the immediate and swift execution that he and most of his troops had so desperately wanted, Poe seemed to not know what else to do with the reformed Dark Sider... other than keeping him locked up. Perhaps the pilot thought that Solo would simply wither away on his own, embittered at his loss of power, if not quite by slow starvation and neglect. Rey was certain that, if she hadn't insisted on having her meals brought to her while constantly guarding him, no one would be feeding Ben at all.
It was a peaceful and quiet morning, Rey leaning against the cell and letting Ben run his fingers through her long, brown hair. She had been surprised and pleased when he had offered to braid it, admitting that he had sometimes helped his mother with her hair, before she would leave for big functions.
"I only ever did it in private, of course. I was worried that my friends would think I was a sissy. I was worried that... Father wouldn't approve."
Rey blinked at this. Despite having known the old smuggler for only a short time, she knew beyond a doubt that Han Solo had loved his son. He'd just had an awkward and cringe-worthingly inelegant way of showing it.
"Also, full disclosure: I much prefer your hair when it's down. It makes you look even more... breathtakingly beautiful." Biting back a lovesick smile, Rey filed this away for later. The bashful Ben Solo was definitely her most favorite version.
"Then, leave it down," she flirted.
"Nonsense, I'm almost done." He twined the last of her chestnut tresses into an elegant design. Rey turned back to him with the most tender smile.
"Thank you," she murmured softly. Despite the bars, they kissed chastely, and Rey giggled at the strange gun-metal taste that mixed in with that of Ben's lips just managing to touch her own.
"Wish I had a mirror. You look a vision," Ben gazed at her. He was making that dopey grin again, that Rey loved. Gods, it was as if he'd never had a girlfriend before. Had he? No question that Ben was criminally handsome. Rey batted this fear out of her mind, but too late. He'd read it through their Bond.
"There was no one else. There will never be anyone else." His voice was fire.
Rey gazed at him, radiant. "Why, Mr. Solo, is there a question in that statement?"
Ben chuckled. "Not to worry, darling. When I do propose to you, I will make it one that you deserve."
She turned fuchsia at this, but her eyes were downcast. "If Poe keeps you alive that long."
"Hey, with how little he's saying, Dameron will keep me alive indefinitely because he doesn't know what else to do with me," Ben snorted. He sounded almost smug. "He doesn't know what to do on much of anything, really. My mother - she really knew how to handle a crisis. Why he was made her successor..." he shook his head to clear it.
Rey wasn't heartened by her lover's wisecracks at Poe's expense. "Will they ever let us be together?"
"They're allowing it now, aren't they? Sort of," Ben pointed out. He laced her fingers through his. "And because you made them. If we want to get married, you can make them marry us."
Rey shook her head. "I can't make them. It's not the Jedi way."
Ben shook his head. "It is still what you want... I hope," he amended, looking once again like a love-struck schoolboy. "I love how you care about others, but sometimes it's not unnatural to use leverage to get what you want, as long as it's in moderation. That might be the one thing the Dark Side is still any good for. And right now, we need all the leverage we can get."
Rey squeezed his hand, pondering his words. In the silence, the sun streaming down into the canopied clearing passed into shadow. Curious, Ben glanced up towards the bit of blue sky he could make out. His brow furrowed.
"What the...?"
A tremor came over the Force to Rey just then.
"Rey, get down." The Jedi was now also staring up at the massive ship that was coming over the planet. "Rey, move now!"
Rey dove away from the cell, as a fireball struck the clearing. There was the KABOOM of a mighty explosion, and dirt and earth sprung up in her face.
When the haze of the smoke cleared, Rey staggered up off her stomach to find the cage lying on its side. Ben looked dazed, groaning as he could only muster rising into a crawl position, with his prison lying on its side.
Around them, through the jungle trees, Rey could hear the continued pound of explosions, the yells and cries of her comrades. Blaster fire. Fear in her eyes, she crawled over to Ben, reaching and touching his face through the bars.
"Are you all right?"
"I think so."
"Hold on." Standing, Rey ignited Anakin's blue lightsaber. Ben crab-walked back into one corner of the cage, watching as his lover sliced through the durasteel as though it was paper. Evidently, the metal was effective against Force powers, but useless against the plasma beam of a laser sword. Slicing the cage in half, Ben was able to crawl out. Taking his hand, Rey yanked him to his feet.
"Why didn't we think of that earlier?"
"Don't know," Rey panted. Not letting go of his hand, she dragged him towards the hangar on base. "Ben, come on!"
"Wait..." Ben swayed to a halt, causing her to look back at him urgently. "Are you really thinking what I think you're thinking?"
Rey breathed hard, resolute. "Yes, I am." Her eyes were firm. "This might be our one chance. I say we seize it."
"You mean you'd help me escape?" Ben was dumbfounded.
"We're both escaping."
"Rey, you'd be harboring a fugitive. You'd be wanted in every system."
"I don't care!" Rey screamed, stamping her foot. "As long as you're locked up, they'll never let us be together..."
"They'd never let us be together anyway..."
"Then I'll take you away, where nothing can touch us," Rey vowed, her gaze crippled with love. "Not anyone, or anything." She squeezed his hand. "Please, Ben. Come with me."
Ben thought about it for a parsec. Then he nodded. Sweeping Rey into his arms, they embraced and shared a breathless kiss.
"OK." Neither one acknowledged the gravity of their decision. In casting their lot with each other, they were pledging their lives to each other.
Hand-in-hand, the pair raced for the Falcon, which was amazingly unguarded. In the pandemonium of X-Wings and other freighters taking off to engage the First Order regiment, no one noticed the two Force users hustling up the gangplank.
"You know I had nothing to do with this, right?" Ben panted, as they sealed up the ship and raced for the cockpit.
"Of course not!" Rey cried. "I always knew that there would be some hold-out battalions from the First Order! Poe should have been expecting this!" Ben blinked as he watched her leap into the co-pilot's chair and gestured to the captain's deferentially. When he didn't move, she rolled her eyes. "It is your ship. And we don't exactly have a lot of time."
Ben clambered into his father's old chair for the first time in years, fingers flying as he booted up the ignition sequences. Then, before he made to lift off, he grabbed Rey's face in his hands and planted a wild kiss on her lips. She whimpered and squeaked against his plundering mouth, and when they broke apart, both were panting.
"What was that for?" Rey blinked, gobsmacked but pleased.
"Just telling you I love you."
Her face and heart melted. "I love you too. Now, let's get out of here!"
Lifting off from the ground, Ben hurtled the Falcon into Ajan Kloss's atmosphere. They emerged in deep space to find a ferocious battle raging. TIEs immediately swooped in to engage.
"Shields up!" Ben ordered.
Rey frantically flicked switches. "Shields up," she reported. And in the nick of time too, as the first barrage was blasted their way. From down below, Ben felt the gunner's port shake as someone responded in kind on their behalf. The couple looked at each other.
"Someone else is onboard," Ben realized.
"We'll figure it out later. Just get us out of here!" Rey dismissed.
Weaving and barrel-rolling expertly, Ben managed to navigate them out the other side of battle and fling the Falcon into hyperspace.
"Any particular place you'd like to go?" Ben asked nonchalantly.
Next to him, Rey was shaking. She had done it. She had actually helped a prisoner escape in the middle of a battle. If caught, Poe Dameron would court martial her before she ever got the chance to say, "I Do." Breathing long and low in an attempt to relax, she commanded:
"Set a course for Ahch-To. It's in the Unknown Regions. Here are the coordinates." If she really was a fugitive now, the island planet seemed like as good a place as any to hide. Rising, she pressed a kiss into Ben's temple. "I'm gonna go see who stowed away on the ship."
She had not even stepped out of the cockpit before a mighty, indignant roar met her ears. She gawked.
"Chewie!" The Wookie howled in rage, wildly gesticulating in Ben's direction. Han's co-pilot must have been down in the bowels of the freighter, doing repairs or something, when the Falcon took off. In all likelihood, he had probably been expecting Poe, or Finn.
Rey raised up her hands placatingly. "Chewie... I let Ben out in the confusion of the air assault. His cell was nearly blown up anyway." Another howl. "I know, I know we're evading the law, but... Chewie... you're here now, and I'm asking you to help us. Please. For Han."
Thankfully, Chewbacca knew something about working outside of the law. And though he might not be doing it for Ben, he could do it for Han's sake, and for Rey's. Letting out another painful howl, Chewie held Rey close, burying her face in his matted fur.
The Falcon landed on Ahch-To at the height of an overcast afternoon. Upon lowering the gangplank, amidst the hydraulic steam, Chewbacca got up from the dejarik booth and disembarked without a word. He did not even so much as look in his adopted nephew's direction, and had not since he discovered that the ship had been hijacked by the two Jedi.
Though he didn't show it on his face, Ben clearly felt stung by his uncle's refusal to acknowledge him, though the silent treatment was understandable. Rey could feel Ben's anguish rippling through the Force. Laying a hand on his shoulder, then pressing a kiss into his temple, she rose languidly from the co-pilot's seat and headed outside. She felt Ben's eyes on her as she walked away, and a thought raced through their Bond of him blatantly admiring her shapely rear. She took this in with amusement, silently sending a flirty, loving response back as she exited the ship.
Rey found Chewbacca on a small outcropping just after the first set of steps leading up from the landing platform. He was setting up a small fire and eyeing the Porgs in a nearby nest hungrily. Rey slowly lowered herself by his side. He warbled at her in Shriiwook.
Rey free Solo pup?
Rey blinked at the loose translation. Her fluency in Shriwoork had improved exponentially in her time with the Wookie, but still wasn't a hundred percent perfect. She nodded. Her heart fluttered with warmth at what she guessed was a pet name for Ben, and she made a mental note to ask Ben about this later, at least when he might be ready to talk about it.
Chewie took this in placidly, then roared again, now more emphatic.
Rey loves Solo pup.
Rey's eyes widened in surprise at this statement, delivered unequivocally. Yes, she knew that she loved Ben - she had fallen in love with him on this very island. Yet it still came as a shock to her that others would find their love and clear infatuation with each other so obvious.
Then Chewie took those observations one step further.
Rey wants to have little human puppies... babies... with Solo pup.
The key, operative word in the sentence - "babies" - was slightly muddled, as there seemed to be no precise equivalent for the word in Shriwook. That didn't keep Rey from nearly toppling over in shock. Her mouth fell open and her cheeks suddenly burned aflame.
While she and Ben had lightly touched upon the topic of marriage, not once had the prospect of starting and raising a family together ever come up. But as Rey searched her inner feelings - feelings that she had not shared even with Ben - she found that it was a natural wish, one that had dwelled inside her for far longer than even an awareness of the depths of her feelings for him. The image of her and Ben with a baby - or multiple babies - between them swelled her heart with warmth, and Rey found herself smiling giddily at the daydream. Yes. She did want babies someday. She had always wanted a family... and she wanted to have it with Ben.
The one outlying question would be if Ben harbored the same desires. At some later point, when they had settled in on the island and hopefully emotional tensions between Ben and Chewbacca had ebbed, Rey decided that she would ask her paramour about his feelings on the subject.
Having observed her lovesick, happy expression at the fantasizing of children, Chewbacca grunted, as if to say, I rest my case.
The overcast clouds had darkened into something angry now; a squall was moving in. As Rey finally rose to her feet, eyes burning, she spotted Ben coming down the gangplank and onto the landing platform. Squaring her shoulders, she strode down the first set of temple steps to meet him, vowing to be whatever he needed, whenever he needed her.