Author's note: A million apologizes to my beautiful readers. The past few months have been hectic to say the least. My grand mother passed away, my daughter started school, I got a promotion at work, and my husband and I found out we are expecting baby number 2, all since I last updated.
This will be the last chapter, with an epilogue immediately following. I've started a new fanfic that starts at the end of TLJ, explaining the Bond, and it's from Ben's POV.
I hope this chapter will be worth the wait.
Endless love to you.
Rey was pushed out of their Bond, and Ben closed it to her immediately. She went in, pounding on the shiny black metal of his mental shields, trying to find a crack that would let her back in, when the communicator in Phasma's hand buzzed.
"Let her go." Hux commanded, his voice dull.
Shock mixed with relief, and Rey struggled to get away, but Phasma's grip only tightened.
"What?" Phasma ground out between clenched teeth.
"He said let me go." Rey told her.
"I don't want you to hurt her." Hux said over the communicator. "I want you to let her go, and leave the base as quickly as you can."
Rey tried to wretch free when Phasma didn't move to obey. "You heard him."
Phasma twisted Rey's injured shoulder, making Rey cry out in pain. "Do you think I'm a fool?" Phasma yelled in her face. She brought the communicator to her lips, "I know that's you, Ren. And, you'll be finding pieces of your whore on every moon from here to Corusant!" She threw the device to the floor and crushed in under her boot.
oOo
Ben swore and flung his communicator against the wall, shattering it. He roughly ran his fingers through his hair, pacing frantically in front of the controls.
Think, think, think. He squeezed his eyes shut, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose between his thump and middle finger. There has to be something I'm missing.
Behind him, Hux blinked, and looked around, taking a moment to remember where he was, through the fog in his head.
He brought a gloved hand up to his aching temple. "Perhaps I should have mentioned before that our plan doesn't change. No matter what I say." He shook his head slightly. "Could have saved you the trouble."
Ben stopped his pacing and buried his face in his hands. He'd underestimated Hux. And, it was going to cost him everything he was terrified of losing.
No. No no no no no, there has to be something. What? What am I missing?
He felt Rey at his shields and ignored her. He needed to be alone in his thoughts if he was going to figure this out.
An alarm sounded overhead and both men looked up, their faces illuminated in red light. "Sir." The Bridge announced. "The Rebels are approaching."
Hux paled, his face turing grey, and he ran to the controls, pressing a button to bring up the visual of several ships in their proximity.
Ben sucked in a breath as he also watched the ships with wide eyes. He expected Hux to scramble the Fighters, but Hux stood mute next to him, nearly hyperventilating in panic.
"Sir." The Bridge said again. "And, we are taking heavy losses on the rebel base."
It came together so quickly that Ben could have sworn he heard a 'click'. Hux had sent the Fighters to the base, leaving the Finalizer unprotected. And, what was left of their armada was being wiped out.
"How is that possible?!" Hux roared, and Ben couldn't help the smile that crept on his face.
"It appears that they knew we were coming." The bridge responded. "And have called in Allies from across the Galaxy to their aid."
Mom. Ben signed.
Yes? She replied instantly, making Ben straighten in surprise. She'd heard him? They'd never been able to communicate through the Force.
How did you...?
Later. She said, firmly. I'll get Rey, you get off that ship.
Ben looked to Hux, watching the other man unravel before his eyes. He was shaking, with terror or rage, Ben wasn't sure. And, all Ben could do was marvel at the fact that his mother had seen this attack coming, and had saved them.
Now, Benjamin Luke! His mother nearly screamed into his head.
And he broke into a sprint toward the hanger.
oOo
Phasma dragged Rey out of her rooms, the sound of blasters echoing around them, and explosions shaking the ground beneath their feet.
Rey fought her, digging her heels in, and throwing all of her weight against the other woman. They stumbled several times in the dark, empty corridor.
Phasma groaned in frustration. "Don't you understand?!" She screamed, hoisting Rey up. "If we don't get off this base, we're dead!"
Rey met her gaze. "According to you, I'm dead either way."
Phasma struck her with a clenched fist across Rey's temple and Rey fell limply to the floor, her eyes closed.
Phasma gathered her up, relieved that she could now carry her with ease, but stopped when she saw the shadow of a smaller woman standing at the end of the hall.
Phasma sighed, thinking this jedi whore wasn't worth this trouble.
The woman drew a pistol. "Put her down." She commanded, her voice frail with age, but strong enough to be heard clearly several yards away.
"Blaster bolts won't penetrate my armor." Phasma told her. "So, you'll have to do better than that puny squirt gun."
Leia stepped into the flashing emergency light, illuminating her stern face and silvering hair. "That's why I brought him." She said, and motioned over Phasma's shoulder.
Phasma looked up in enough time to see a blur of brown fur before her head was taken off of her shoulders with one mighty sweep.
Bright red blood sprayed, as the headless body fell to the floor with a clatter of metal armor.
Chewie bent down, and gingerly took Rey into his arms, vocalizing his worry of her condition.
"Yes," Leia agreed. "Get her to the med bay."
oOo
Ben skidded to a stop when Rey faded from his mind. Rey.
I've got her. His mother told him, making him sigh in relief. Are you off of the ship?
An explosion rocked the hanger floor, throwing him from his feet, and knocking the wind out of him when he landed with a loud thud.
He pushed himself up with his hands, getting one foot under him when a blaster bolt sailed passed his right ear, singeing his hair a bit.
Ben? His mother called when he didn't answer.
He turned his head to find Hux marching toward him, his face red with fury. "We're not finished!" Hux yelled. He took aim and fired again.
Ben lifted his hand, catching the bolt, and holding Hux as he stood.
Hux grunted as he struggled against his hold, his mind screaming "It should have been me!"
Ben got to his feet, keeping his hold on Hux. Unable to move, Hux watched him with furious blue eyes, and another blast shook the ship.
Ben!
"You're right." Ben admitted, making Hux's eyes go wide. "You should have been Supreme Leader. And, more often than not, I wish you were."
Hux struggled to take in a breath and spoke. "At least...I'll die...knowing that I took...everything...from you."
Ben nodded once, and flexed his fingers, dragging Hux closer to him. "You'll die knowing that not only is Rey safe, but she is also carrying the heir of The Skywalker lineage."
Hux's nostrils flared, his face turning a bright shade of red. "You haven't taken anything from me." Ben told him as he backed toward his TIE Fighter.
He climbed in, engaging the engines and buckling his safety harness before a blast blew out most of the hanger around him.
BEN!
oOo
The throbbing was everywhere. In her head, on her face, in her shoulder, across her back. It hurt to breathe, to think. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the sting of the bright light.
She recognized the hospital room, the pale blue blankets that covered her to her chest, and the beige walls. She heard the beep of her monitors, and felt that that dreadful feeding tube was in her nose again. Then, she heard voices, muttering softly.
"Most of The First Order has been obliterated." Leia was saying. "The Finalizer fell, as well as their destroyers and most of The Fighters. Poe has taken a party and gone after the few remaining vessels."
"How did you know?" She recognized Ben's voice ask.
"Do you think I got to the rank of General by ignoring my gut?" Leia countered.
"I can't thank you enough for saving us. For everything you've done for us."
She heard Leia sigh. "I just wish I'd always been the mother I wanted to be."
Silence fell between them and Rey thought it appropriate to speak up now.
"Ben?" She called, her voice cracking.
The open door to her room swing wider and Ben came in, sighing in relief when he saw her.
Rey frowned. His face was bruised and cut in several places, as if he'd been in a vicious fist fight.
He was by her side with a few strides and knelt down next to her, reaching up to cup her cheek.
Rey noticed his knuckles were also bruised and scraped in places.
"What happened?" She asked.
"It was a trap." Ben explained. "Hux attacked the planet on the outer rim to get me to come back to the finalizer so that Phasma could get to you." He shook his head. "And, I walked right into it."
"But your mom knew?" Rey guessed, based off of her eavesdropping.
"Yes, my mom knew." He reached up and tenderly soothed her hair back. "She sent word to her allies, and they came. All of them. And, Poe followed me with the other fighters to the Finalizer and destroyed it."
"But you're ok?"
Ben smiled wide at her question. "You're ok." He put his hand on the growing swell of her abdomen. "They're ok." He leaned forward and softly kissed her lips. "I've never been better."
Rey swallowed. "What now?"
He shrugged. "I've surrendered to the Republic. Technically, I'm being held captive by General Organa until my trial, and we'll go from there."
She tried to get up. "What?" She demanded, and winced when her body and her head screamed in protest.
"My mother made it a condition that my war crimes be pardoned." He explained. His face darkened. "But that doesn't absolve me of everything I've done."
Rey laid back into her pillows and sighed, worry creasing her brow.
Ben stood and leaned over her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, then rested his forehead against hers. "It'll be ok." He promised.
oOo
The day of the trial Rey sat next to her mother in law in the crowd of people gathered to witness the trial, her hands resting on her enormous belly.
"If this gets to be too much for you." Leia started, and Rey shook her head.
"I'm seeing this through." She insisted.
Ben stood in the middle of the room, his back to them, and his hands bound in front of him. He wore a thin black tunic and slacks, with boots that laced up to his knees. His hair was longer, hanging over his shoulders.
They'd been given the last several months together, where he was able to be by her side as their twins grew in her womb. They'd also said marriage vows to each other in a private ceremony on Naboo, attended only be his mother, and a small group of friends.
Tears stung her eyes when she looked down at the ring that symbolized those vows, thinking her whole life, she'd wanted a family, and a last name, and now that she had both, the man who gave them to her could be taken from her.
Leia placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. "It'll be ok."
If one more person told her that, she'd scream.
"Ben Amidala Skywalker Organa Solo." The Judge's voice boomed. "The war crimes of The First Order, of which you were the Supreme Leader for a short while, have been pardoned. However, you, and your alter ego Kylo Ren, stand accused of several counts of murder. How do you plead?"
Ben raised his chin. "Not guilty, your honor."
Rey broke out into a cold sweat.
The Judge hummed his understanding. "You may state your defense."
"Your honor," Ben said. "I cannot say that I did not do the things I am accused of. I did. However, I can say that while I was Kylo Ren, I was acting under the direct orders of my Supreme Leader. Someone who manipulated me from a young age. When Supreme Leader Snoke was murdered, Kylo Ren died with him, and I began working with General Organa as well as the resistance to destroy the First Order."
"And the attack on Ryloth?" The judge asked.
"As General Organa and several resistance fighters can attest, I was on the Rebel base when that happened. The attack was orchestrated by Armitage Hux, who had taken command of The First Order in my absence."
Deliberation was less than an hour.
Rey held her breath as the judge read the verdict. "This court finds the defendant, Ben Amidala Skywalker Organa Solo, not guilty by superior orders."
The crowd broke out into a mix of shock and outrage, and the judge called for order.
Ben was released of his cuffs and turned, searching for Rey in the crowd. She rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his face in her neck.
Reporters were swarming around them, lights flashing as they snapped pictures for their tabloids, and their questions were a loud roar of voices trying to be heard over the others.
Ben pulled away, keeping one arm around Rey as they followed his mother out of the court room, the reporters on their heels, shouting their questions.
The three of them boarded their craft, and set course for their homes on Naboo.