There was a flurry of voices, and the marching of footsteps hammered through the hallway. A chorus of movement and chaos as resistance fighters stood in a half circle around the doorway to Rey's chambers. Poe was looking perfectly bewildered, his pupils dilated and eyes distant as he tried to steady himself on hesitant and wobbly legs.
"Nope, not yet." he muttered to himself as his feet slid against the floor and his rear end collided with the plushy surface of Rey's bed. She was there in an instant, her hands roving over his head, shoulders and chest in searching, sweeping strokes. She let herself ease into the force as she assessed her friend for further injury.
When she was content that Poe was merely mildly concussed and had no severe or life threatening injuries Rey returned to Ben's side. He was sitting with his back against the end of the large bed, one leg stretched out before him the other one bent at the knee. She could feel the ache rippling off him through the force, his muscles strained and shoulder sore where he'd taken the blast. She'd tried to heal him through a transfer of life energy but he'd waved her off assuring her he was fine. The ragged breaths and slump to his shoulder however told her otherwise.
Instead, she allowed her force signature to wind around him, thrumming through his own like a calming wave stroking at a sandy shore. Her vibrations smoothed and rounded the peeking aches and sudden twinges until Ben's breathing steadied and she was sure he wasn't going to pass out from the pain. In reality she had done much worse to him but the onslaught on his mental state had shaken him to his core, knocking loose a fragmented darkness which spun wildly through his psyche. She went after it, pelting it with her light and warmth but every time she found herself getting close enough he would push her away. As though he were afraid of what that darkness might do to her once she finally got close enough.
So they sat in stilted silence, their breathing ragged, souls weary, the corpse of a ghost still only feet away. Rey couldn't force herself to rethink the events of the last hour if she tried, or had it been more? Less maybe? She always found time was funny when in the heat of a moment like this. She was tired in a way that one felt after a sleepless night and when the force around her steadied she felt herself sag just a little. She chose to sit next to Poe, on the other side of Ben's shoulder. Her knee pressed against him in an affectionate and supportive manner. She watched as Ben tilted his head back to look at her, his smile strained and eyes closing with a flutter of heavy dark lashes. As if on instinct, Rey found her hands winding through Ben's hair again. It was slick and greasy under her touch reminding her of the desperate state his personal hygiene was in. She was about to make a pointed comment in Poe's direction when Finn's voice erupted from that hallway.
"What? How? Rey? Star's end, Rey! Poe?" There was a scuffle of feet and muffled cries of indignation from a series of resistance fighters as Finn bodily pushed his way through their wall and into the room. His feet slid to a stop in the open doorway taking stock of the door thrown off its hinges and the blaster burn on the far wall. "They said there was an issue…" he spoke softly, as if afraid to break their bubble of silence, "Was it really?"
Poe nodded towards the shattered glass and broken window and Finn hurried over to take a look. With his hand on the window frame he stood, allowing their silence to envelope him. Rey could see his shoulders stiffen, his free hand working against his lower jaw as he rubbed at his face analyzing the scene before him.
"Yep, that happened," Poe said to no one in particular. His eyes were unfocused as he stared off before him. Rey could feel his exhaustion as it rolled into confusion, hesitation and then an odd brand of fear. Poe was always a shoot first and ask questions later kind of person. He was cool under pressure and quick to make decisions he felt would be in the best interest of the group. He, with Finn at his side had seen them through the battle with the Final Order. He had rallied planets and systems to their cause and was helping to build he framework for their new galactic senate. He took on so much that his tower of jobs and tasks was now shifting, toppling over on top of him.
Finn, as if picking up on that fact found himself at his friends side, a gentle hand on his shoulder, "You ok?" he asked quietly.
Poe smiled in a way that made him look dopy and stunned, "Hey buddy." he chirped happily, "Kylo Ben here took out a Knight of Ben."
Rey turned sharply just in time to see Poe slowly slump against Finn. He took a deep breath of air, his head resting against Finn's stomach as their companion cast Rey a confused and very concerned look. "Poe?" Rey said sharply.
It took a minute but the General righted himself, shaking his head, his eyes adjusting to a light that hadn't changed. "Kriff." he muttered, running his hands over his thighs in an agitated and uneasy manner. "I feel like I could sleep for days."
"Maybe you should," Finn urged, the hand on his friends shoulder awarding it with a gentle squeeze.
Poe shook his head again, righting himself so that he no longer needed Finn to support him, "Can't the Senate meeting is tomorrow, we have appointed delegates flying in from all the systems. This is bigger then my need for rest." What Poe wasn't saying was that tomorrow was likely going to be the day of Ben's trial. It was to be the primary agenda of the newly formed Galactic Senate and it made Rey want to vomit.
"We should get…" Finn paused and turned his attention to Rey, "Ben…" he said carefully, "Back to a cell before the early arrivals start to get any weird notions in their head." He was trying to be kind, to be fair but Rey was beyond that now. She wasn't sending him back to a cell, another cage for his mind to wander into the darkness. He wasn't going to be treated like a dog for something that was beyond his control.
How easy it seemed it was to judge when no one in this room, in the whole Senate House could truly say they understood. Ben's mind had been raped and held captive since he was young. He was used, and manipulated. His soul was stripped bare and left in tatters. How was anyone at such a young age suppose to fight off the might of the Emperor? She would not let him be their scape goat. She would not let his soul be tortured any longer and if her friends weren't on board then she would fight them too.
Finn stirred uncomfortably as Rey bit out a firm, "No," Ben's eyes fluttered open and curious apprehension yawned through the force as he cast a pleading eye towards her. His head notched against her knee, his cheek rubbing against the capped surface. He'd been enjoying the feeling of her fingers in his hair and hadn't been paying attention to anything other then her touch. "I'm taking him to a new room with a clean bed and a fresher with real water. Someone had better scrounge up some ration packets too and some new clothes that will actually fit him."
Both Finn and Poe shared a look, challenging the other to argue with the Jedi. It was Poe though who posed the question, "And how do we explain this to the delegates?"
Flustered Rey bolted to her feet, Ben slid to the side before catching himself, watching her as she stormed around the room in a huff. She wasn't backing down from this one, she would stand her ground, fight anyone who was going to challenge her. "I don't know." she cried, turning her frustration at the world on her friends. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears she was trying desperately not to cry, "Tell them that I'm guarding him. That I'm the only one in this place that has the power to hold him at bay."
"In your… bed chambers…" Finn said steadily, trying to bring logic to a situation that defied logic. She knew he wasn't purposely trying to provoke her but she felt provoked. She felt like she was starting to unravel, manically gathering up the pieces of herself that were trying to slip away. Ben felt like a life line, a solid presence through the force that held her straight, held her steady. Ever since their connection had been forged whether she wanted to admit it or not she didn't know how to live without him. She could fight knowing that he was in the world. Ironic as he was the thing she had started out fighting against. Now he was the thing she was fighting for.
"Star's end I don't know, why do people even need to know? Can't we pretend he's under lock and key and sneak him into an empty room? I'll watch him." She barrelled through the rationale of it trying to make a case without coming right out and saying it. She wanted him with her.
Poe looked uncomfortable as he moved to his feet. He wobbled a little and then looked to the door. "Why has no one come for the body yet?" he wondered aloud as he moved away from his friends and towards the soldiers on the other side of the threshold. He didn't want to have this conversation, Rey knew it but she wasn't giving them any say in the matter.
There was a scuffle outside as General Dameron approached. The younger soldiers treated Poe with a sort of reverence one might a war hero. She supposed he was, they all were in fact but that didn't change the fact that she was going to kick his ass if he didn't start listening.
He was leaning against the door frame calling orders when a number of soldiers bustled into the room and made their way to the broken window. Footsteps surrounded them and Rey found herself on guard, positioning herself in a half protective position against Ben incase anyone got it in their head that they they were going to try and take him back to the cellars. Finn watched with a sad smile as Rey clung to Ben, then turned his attention to the body they were hauling through the window. Vicrul was much less imposing when he wasn't standing over her wielding a blade that could peel flesh from bone. He looked like a broken man with a broken soul who had lived a terrifying life full of pain and horror.
It took four of them to move him, his amor adding to the already substantial weight of the man. "Do you think he's the only one?" Finn asked no one in particular.
From his position at the door, Poe looked from Finn to Ben. His eyebrow raised in the silent question of it. Ben had fought them, Ben had claimed he'd destroyed them all. The injuries sustained to Vicrul's person would confirm that he'd fought in a vicious battle with someone very recently but how could they know it was Ben?
"The only Knight who survived I mean?" Finn added carefully.
Ben sighed, "I don't even know how he survived. He was always good at manipulating reality, it was his one real talent." he was grasping at straws, "Best guess is he used that skill to help him slip away."
Poe was looking absolutely venomous, as if it were Ben's fault Vicrul had survived and gone after Ray. Sure if you wanted to find a connection linking the events together one could come to that conclusion but Vicrul was a live wire. He was unpredictable, vengeful, and cruel. "How could you not know he was dead? How do we know they aren't all out there somewhere?" He was tired and he wanted to stop fighting but there was a drive in Poe that made his need to keep everyone safe outweigh all else.
The air was thick with tension again, testosterone and fear made for bad bed fellows. She wanted to scream but Ben's stirring stole her focus. He shifted against the bed using his uninjured arm to push himself up. His movement was stiff and jarring as he took to his feet but not quite at full height. Rey darted forward as he faltered slightly babying his shoulder and any other injury he tried in vein to hide from her. He squared his feet and his resolve, his dark eyes still and cool, "My concern was removing them as an obstacle," he said with even patience. "Rey was up against the Emperor on her own, was I suppose to check each of their pulses before rushing to her aid?"
Rey could feel him blaming himself though, his mind jumping from image to image as he scoured his memory for a clue, a sign of any kind as to how Vicrul may have survived. He'd taken down Cardo and then Ap'lek, they were the first to fall. Usher was stabbed in the back, while Trudgen caught his lightsaber through the chest, there was no way the four of them could have survived. She could see the images playing out before her now like a holovid. Ben's movements were schooled and easy, his grandfathers lightsaber singing in his hand as he wielded it. It was so different from the newly crafted monstrosity he fought with as Kylo Ren. The plasma energy was steady and smooth, humming with balance. Even his first sabre hadn't come close to this level of harmonious perfection. The kyber was old and filled with experience and power from ages of simply existing. It held Rey's spirit, her will to live, her light and her passion. Through it as through their bond he could feel her and his heart swelled.
Her cheeks flushed at the feeling of his affection as he focused next on the final two knights. Kuruk had taken a cross swing to the chest. Depending on how deep it landed it was possible he'd survived but still not likely. That then left Vicrul. He remembered being struck by him but couldn't pull the memory of striking him down from the depths of his mind. Again and again he played over their deaths slashing and stabbing but what had happened to the dream wielder?
"I pushed him into a gaping hole…" Ben said with sudden clarity. "He must have hung on, found a way to climb out there's no other explanation"
"Will we be seeing of your other old friends?" Finn asked with casual ease. He wasn't trying to come across as flippant but it was sort of need to know.
With a simple shake of his head Ben grimaced, "No, the rest are very much dead."
Ready to put a swift end to this Rey placed a gentle hand over Ben's open blaster wound. He hissed as the softness of her touch met the burnt tear across his flesh. They shared a look, the force wavering in an intimate sort of way, begging him to let her help. Still he shook his head, "We don't know what kind of long lasting effects that has." he told her quietly.
"You just did it to my feet!" she cried, casting him a stunned look to indignation.
Ben chuckled but it sounded strained and painful as his mouth formed a thin line, "Your feet are a little more important then my shoulder. I just need a med pack, I'll be ok."
Rey huffed and pinched his good shoulder lightly. "Stubborn fool of a man," she muttered and moved away from him to find her things. She busied herself locating her shoes and the few belongings she owned. Most were still packed away in her backpack making their transition from room to room an easy one. "Are you guys going to fight me on this or are you going to tell me what room we can take? Preferably something a little more private."
There was a stifled giggle from Finn that no one missed. Even Ben had the humility to blush a little, "Right…" Poe drawled, clearly unamused. "I don't have the energy to fight you Rey, I really don't"
"Then don't" she quipped lightly as she steadied her bow staff at her side, "It's simple really, room - bed, fresher - water." she was dumbing it down for Poe in a way that made him roll his eyes at her.
"Yes, Lady Skywalker," he said with mock worship, lowering himself into an obnoxiously low bow. "Food, clothing and a med kit?"
Never one for passing up an opportunity Rey reached out her staff and thwacked Poe on the head with it before realizing the poor man was concussed. He cried out as he drew himself upright and rubbed at his throbbing head. She felt bad, a little anyway as he furrowed a brow and groaned, "The lady has a temper." he grumbled as Rey dropped her bag and weapon and drew her friend into a warm tight hug.
They stood, bodies pressed against one another for a moment as Poe rest her chin against her shoulder. He inhaled the scent of her deeply clinging to one of the few good things left untouched by war and chaos. Rey was pure and represented hope. That was why Kylo Ben scared him so much. He rocked her back and forth a moment enjoying the quiet peace before letting her go. His hands cupped her face and Rey could feel the rippling heat of jealousy coursing through the force around them. She smiled at Poe who smiled back as his thumb traced a line across her cheek. "Upstairs, there are fewer people on the upper level. Back corridor near the stained glass windows. There should be no one there."
Raising her hands to cover his Rey broke out in a broad toothy grin, "thank you." she mouthed, pressing her forehead to his as a tendril of annoyance licked along the line where she and Poe connected.
Oblivious to the dark rage that was simmering beneath the surface of Ben's quiet demeanour Poe turned to Finn, "I'm going back to my room buddy, can you make sure they get their food and whatever else it was they asked for?"
Nodding Finn agreed with little to no reluctance. Rey almost wondered if he wasn't coming around a little to the idea of Ben being one of them. At the very least he wasn't as hostile to the child of Solo and that in her books was a big win.
Poe dismissed the remaining soldiers and told them he and General Finn would be taking care of their prisoner. When the hallway was finally empty, they made their move. Finn had wrapped Ben up in a bed sheet making him look oddly like a Jawa. His form was hunched slightly beneath the weight of his injury and his legs weren't moving as well as they had been before. It was a slow process but when they finally ascended the stairs Rey found the corridor Poe had been talking about. Her friends had split away, Poe mumbling about getting some rest while Finn promised he would be up as quickly as possible.
She was happy to be able to enjoy this moment of quiet with Ben. As he leaned part of his weight against her for support she wound her light around him soothing the raging jealousy that bubbled beneath his surface. He was still quick to temper, that she figured was simply part of his personality but he was getting better at controlling the rage. She couldn't feel him spiralling through the darkness or clawing his way back to sanity and that was reason enough to celebrate.
The hallway before them had two doors, side by side with mosaic of colors marbled into the wall opposite. The pattern started with a tight centre spiralling out in arcs of colors like a rainbowed sunrise. They chose the door furthest away, pushing it open with gentle care. It creaked from an obvious lack of use but opened into a moderately sized but very welcoming room.
The bed was tall and made of dark wood, framed by pillars at each corner and draped in a white gossamer fabric that twinkled like starlight. Rey put her bag down leaning her staff against the wall beside the door as she helped Ben to a near by chaise. She took in their surroundings with a tremor of wonder reaching out through the force to let her energy touch everything. The windows were large and draped in brilliant deep purple that matched the bed spread. The walls were a rich mahogany wood on the bottom with intricately carved designs along their paneling, the top done in heavy blocks of beige stonework. Beside the bed only a few feet away was a large fireplace lined with carved soapstone, smooth beneath her fingers as she ran them along the indenting. There was a pile of dry stacked wood to the left beside an iron poker and some strange carvings of beasts that Rey had never seen before. Above the wall mounted in the stone was a piece of woven ironwork swirling around itself like coiling vines accented by leaf work. It was a strange dark gold color that barely stood out against the light stonework.
Rey could feel Ben watching her as she made a loop around the bed to look out the window. They were at the back of the Senate Building, in a room that would catch the morning sun as it rose. Beneath their tall searching windows was a courtyard over run with untamed trees and hedges. The stone work path distorted with tall grass and over run with wild flowers. Still there was a raw beauty to it that made Rey want to explore it's winding pathways and secrets. Their fresher was behind a door furthest away from the bed, she found as she peeked her head in. It wasn't large room by any standards sporting a basin of a sink standing on a pedestal, a large mirror and a toilet. "There's no shower…" she told him as she popped back out from her wanderings.
Ben was chuckling, "No but there is a bath," he told her, causing her to quirk her head a little to the side. He shifted so he was sitting up holding his hand out for her to take it. With her help he made his way to his feet, applying pressure now to the wound on his shoulder. It was starting to look a little inflamed beneath his shirt and Rey made a mental note they needed to get him out of the damn thing as soon as possible. He made his way from the chaise to the end of the bed, his backside sinking into the cushiony softness with pliant ease. "There." he said with a nod of his head.
Rey looked and all she saw was a large troff like those they used on Jakku to water the animals. It was made of hard stone and had metal taps protruding from a pipe that came up out of the floor and hung over the open basin. "Have you never taken a bath before?" he asked incredulously.
"I barely got to use the sonic on Jakku, and I've been living on ships and force forsaken Ahch-to. They had a bathing basin I suppose, some people bathed in the rivers on Ajan Kloss but I've never seen anything quite like this before." She ran her fingers along its smooth surface. It felt cold and hard but the look of it made her curious, very curious.
"Turn the tap." Ben instructed with a nod of his head. He was beginning to peel away the bloody cloth from his skin as he did so. His motions were uneasy and done with great effort. The strain of which Rey felt through the force causing her to turn around and catch him in the act.
"You stubborn happabore," she grumbled as she turned to help him. He had his injured shoulder slung and stuck and his large head wrapped up in the fabric. It was like watching a bloggin stuck in a net with no way of escape. It was hard not to laugh as he grunted and huffed but when he sucked in a steady gasp with a hiss she knew he was too far gone to get himself out.
"You're going to hurt yourself even more," she chided patiently as her touch stilled his struggle. She wound her way through the dark fabric, pulled taut against him, "How did you survive as Supreme leader…" she teased pulling the fabric loose from around his head so that an ear, then some hair and finally the full mass of his head popped free. He looked offended but Rey grinned as she pushed his hair back and off his face and swooped in for a kiss.
It was quick, but gentle, the soft brush of a butterflies wings against the fullness of his mouth. She was smiling as she drew back, easing the material down and over his shoulder with dedicated care. She took her time, helping him to lift his arm, supporting the limb as she moved the shirt around him instead of jarring the already injured appendage. It took some jigging but with a determined effort they managed to extract him from his shirt and he sat there bathed in moonlight, bare from the waist up. She allowed her eyes to rover over his skin, taking in every inch with painstaking slowness. His chest raised and lowered with every steady breath as he basked in her attention. He could fell her through the force and she knew it. His force signature sparked and danced beneath the thoughtful scrutiny as his breathing quickened and her fingertips traced along the line of his clavicle.
The scorched flesh was hellishly red and charred at the site of impact. By all rights the shot should have pierced through his skin rendering the limb useless but instead some how Ben had been lucky. It was possible the settings had been modified to incapacitate instead of incinerate upon impact. Vicrul seemed to have a penchant for watching his victims suffer. Even in this dull light though she could see where the skin was burned away and the red meaty tissue beneath screamed. They'd need a protein probe to stimulate cellular regrowth and a bacta
patch or if she were lucky a regeneration bandage.
Where was Finn with that med pack?
"I'm going to get a clean cloth," she told him as she disappeared quickly into the fresher. She made short work searching the cupboards and area around until she found a stack of washing cloths. She drew a sink full of tepid water and submerged the cloth a handful of times before wringing it out and returning to Ben's side. With gentle hands she pressed the cloth against the area around the wound cleaning away the dried blood and bits of fabric threads matted into it. She was careful watching Ben's face with every light press to gauge his level of discomfort. To her surprise he didn't make a sound as she patted and pressed around before finally pressing the cloth directly over the scorched wound.
That was when Ben made a strangled noise. His teeth were clenched as he watched her, dark eyes intent on remaining utterly still. When she finally moved the cloth away he let out a ragged sigh and focused on returning his breathing to a steady rate.
"You should turn the tap," he told her again, his voice a little more unsteady now.
She did as she was instructed, the pipes shuttering to life, rumbling a moment before spilling clear beautiful liquid into the large basin. It startled her and Ben laughed. He watched as she waved her fingers through the stream of water, marvelling at the soft warmth that trailed over her skin. "Just let it run for a bit," he said softly with a hand held out in her direction.
She took it with a smile as he pulled her down against him careful not to move his injured shoulder. He had her sit in his lap, her legs draped over the side of his as he nuzzled his nose into her shoulder kissing at the soft flesh exposed to him. She could feel his affection, strong like the beating of a heart, his heart she realized fondly. It was warm and sweet filling her mind with images of lakes and lush green grass. Places he wanted to show her, wonders he wanted to share.
Balancing on his knee she rocked into his embrace and met his warmth with a shuddering wave of peaceful serenity. She bathed him in the gentle ease of it soothing away the pain vibrating against his shoulder. She groaned ever so lightly as she felt the prickle of nerve endings raw and exposed. Flesh burnt away leaving muscle and tendons exposed and over stimulated. His pain became hers and his suffering lessened. His heart beat steadied and his breathing became a steady puff of air.
"Mmm," she mumbled as his lips met her cheek then the spot behind her ear just over the pulse point, "You need a bath." she told him adding a questioning "right?"
Ben chuckled and she could feel the sound ripple all around her. It was deep and booming as be cradled her back against his good arm securely. "That would be amazing," he told her evenly, eyeing the bathwater from their seated position a few feet away, "Just keep an eye on that to make sure we don't fill it too much."
"Don't distract me then," she mumbled, her lips pressed against his brow as they lazily went about worshipping the others flesh with innocent caresses and soft sweet kisses.
That was when a gentle cough barked from the door, stirring them from their private moment. Rey wobbled on Ben's lap and then shot to her feet as they both looked up to find Finn had joined them quietly. He had a pack wrapped around his fingers and a trey in his hand. To Rey's delight he had ignored her request for ration packs and brought up real food. There was dried meats and a few left over cheeses as well as a cut up apple, or two, a pair of metal cups and some corellian fire whisky.
"Finn!" she cried happily, pulling him in and shutting the door behind him. He was setting the pack down on the bed before looking for a surface to place with plate of food.
Settling for an old desk littered with strange books and loose papers he adjusted himself so that he was a little closer to the door. He'd kept the Corellian whisky in hand she noted, quite glad he wasn't about to leave the dangerously sweet liquid with her for the evening.
"I raided the kitchen." he explained, "There are a few protein bars in the pack as well as a loaf of bread that appeared to be freshly made. I think it was suppose to be for breakfast tomorrow. Our secret I suppose."
Rey was slowly pulling things from the pack as he went on, extracting the food, then the clothing before she found what she was looking for. The med pack looked to be new, unbroken and unused which was perfect, it should have exactly what she was looking for. She broke the seal and started to thumb through the contents. When she finally drew out a long sharp looking pen, Finn flinched. "Not even going to let the man eat first," he said in a way that brokered a sympathetic frown, "Thats cold, even for you,"
Ben gave her a look that said he agreed as she stabbed the pointy end of the pen into his shoulder and held it there for a series of steady breaths. Finn looked squeamish and so cast his gaze around the room appraisingly, "The rooms a lot smaller then the others huh?" He observed casually.
"It was the old Jedi chambers, from years gone by." Ben cut in to explain, "Luke kept them exactly as they were when they set out to rebuild the galaxy. Things sort of started here and then gradually moved around."
"I always forget how much you know about this stuff," Finn said offhandedly, the sound of running water drawing his attention. He was suddenly very uncomfortable shifting his weight from foot to foot. Rey could see him testing the air, appraising the situation. He was feeling for something, she just couldn't tell what. "I should go…" he finally said, his words slow and a laced with a question. Not whether or not he should stay but more whether or not she would be ok.
They always seemed to want to save her. It was annoying at first, like when Finn kept trying to hold her hand. She was so use to being alone, having no real understanding of the comfort of human touch or what it meant to support someone else. She had yelled at Finn a lot when he always seemed to be touching her, always there, always present but she soon realized that was what friends did. They were there for one another and Finn's obsessive need to hold her hand wasn't out of a misguided notion that she was incapable of taking care of herself. It was solidarity fuelled by his own need for comfort.
When she realized they weren't treating her like a damsel in distress and more like a little sister she warmed to the idea of having someone, or several someones looking out for her. Still now, it was hard to wrap her head around the concept. Particularly when their familial heckles were up around the man that made Rey feel things no one had ever made her feel before. In some bizarre sense she did get to be just a girl and he was just a guy and her friends just wanted her to be safe.
"Thanks Finn…" she said with a broad grin moving to embrace her friend in a warm grateful hug which Finn returned gladly. He seemed to watch Ben as he got up and turned the water off, standing in his shirtless glory like a statue made of lodestone.
"You good?" he asked, "like good good with all of this?" He didn't just mean the room or Ben's presence, he meant all of it, inquiring after the state of her mental well being like an older brother ready to beat someone up when given the word.
Rey nodded resolutely, "Yeah, I just need to rest." she told him, giving him another tight hug for good measure. "Thanks, check on Poe before you turn in will you?"
Rolling his eyes Finn let out a playfully exasperated groan, "Oh I stopped in on my way up and Im heading there again now. He's all bent out of shape about tomorrow. Leia should be here." Rey could feel as Ben's force signature fluctuated, his mind straining under emotions he had a hard time quantifying. "He wants to get it right."
Finn was getting ready to leave, he had turned, his hand on the doorknob when he turned back and gave Rey a soft genuine smile, "He has your back… tomorrow I mean. We both do. We'll vote for his freedom." He paused as though allowing the truth of his words to settle around him before he gave a curt nod and tossed Rey a "G'nighte Lady Skywalker," in a tone of irony before he slipped out the door.
Rey and Ben were plunged into a steady silence as the force danced and gyrated around them. Rey found Ben at her back, a gentle hand on her shoulder as he exhaled and said, "That was unexpected."
Rey smiled to herself, watching the area where her friend had just been standing, "Not really," she told him surely before turning to press herself into his chest. The room was a few degrees warmer on account of the warm bath drawn and Ben had managed to make a fire sometime in the last few minutes without her realizing. The air smelt like burning wood and Rey delighted in the heady feeling slowly crawling over her.
She was so focused on that that she didn't notice the spike in Ben's anxiety until he ran a hand down along her neck. He was touching her skin but feeling along her force signature, searching, probing for a direction in which to fall. He was like a little boy lost, unsure which path to take. "You ok?" she asked cautiously as his large hand cupped her ear.
"You… uh want to take a bath with me?" He asked with hesitant sweetness. She met his roving curiosity with her own, delving into his intentions and thought patterns. He wasn't as easy to read as she would have hoped. His thoughts and desires spiking and crashing with alarming inconsistency.
Not entirely sure what to say or do she glanced from Ben to the warm water worrying at her bottom lip with her canine. He'd already sort of seen her naked, or a lot of her anyway and he had been very gentlemanly in his actions up until this point. She cold feel with warm coiling passion that pulled at his dark heated need but he remained perfectly still. He controlled the darkness and the furious need to take her against his body and know her, carnally.
That thought brought a blush to her cheeks and Ben responded with a soft, "Sorry." ashamed of his inability to control his mind in her presence.
Instead of speaking she reached out through the force, calming his quaking heart with a soft easing of energy against energy, She treated him to the deeper desires swirling about her core and forced herself to make eye contact. Then, as quickly as they were there, they were gone, replaced with the bright light of affection and warmth, "You're allowed to want Ben… there is no shame in it. It's taking without consideration that becomes a problem."
He nodded, the fear of his own darkness a mounting presence as he watched her slowly begin to remove her clothing. The warm air felt good against her naked skin as she folded her arms against her chest, body pivoted so that he solely got a look at tanned thigh and partial backside which he'd already gotten an eye full of.
She felt him as his force signature bucked and raged pushing the mounting desire into a neatly made little box. He was afraid to touch her, afraid to let his dark sins anywhere near her, afraid he would tarnish her with the blackness of his soul. When she realized where these thoughts were coming from she carefully held out a hand, extending it towards him, "Let it go Ben," she purred softly, "Let the past go,"
She was offering him her hand and he needed to decide if he now was ready to take it.
Looks like I lied, that wasn't the end. The tug to keep going was too strong and so I leaned into it. I have no designated path here so be patient as I hadn't planned out beyond the last chapter. I figured though we should probably see where things go with Ben's trial and all that good stuff. I also want to leave an explanation for some of the things that have been brought up through the last few chapters instead of leaving things hanging. Thank you for your support and your encouragement as well as your constructive criticisms. I love all the feed back! Thanks my darlings xo