Prologue

The Force will be with you. Always.

The morning light pulled her from her slumber and she turned away from its bright rays in the hopes of gaining just a few more moments of precious peace.

Delicate fingers tickled her face. She smiled at the familiar contact.

'Mama?'

Rey opened her eyes and was greeted with the beautiful sight of her daughters wide hazel orbs.

'Why aren't you in your crib, little one?' Rey whispered.

Her darling girl giggled and pointed at the man pretending to sleep next to them. Rey turned to look at her husband.

'I know you're awake, Ben. Didn't we talk about how Rosie needed to learn to sleep alone?'

Ben opened his eyes and looked at her.

'No-one should ever have to sleep alone.'

Rey gave in and kissed his forehead.

'Okay. I understand.'

Rey really did understand, because for the first few years of their marriage, the lonely orphan and the neglected son had slept wound within each other arms and legs each night, desperately holding on to one another even as sleep threatened to temporarily part them.

Rey got out of bed just as Lucan ran into the room.

'I'm a Sif!' He shouted making claws with his fingers.

Little Rosie screamed in terror and Lucan laughed so hard he fell over.

Rey looked at Ben disapprovingly as her husband laughed alongside his son.

'Will you stop telling him scary stories?'

'The boy should know of the past.'

'He's five Ben, let's leave the ghosts of the past where they belong until he at least reaches double numbers.'

'Daddy be a Sif!' Lucan shouted.

Rey raised her eyebrows at Ben and he looked away guiltily as he got out of bed and threw his son over his shoulder. Lucan let out a chorus of giggles.

'Sith are naughty Lucan, let's be Jedi instead,' Ben suggested.

Ben marched out of the room with Lucan perched over his shoulder.

'Bye Mama!' Lucan shouted as he waved at her from his lofty position.

Rey plucked Rosie off the bed and cradled her close.

She kissed the little girls head and instantly felt an overwhelming sense of love rush from the babe. Rey fought back tears. Her daughter's gentle nature and skilful mastery of the Force never ceased to amaze her.

Suddenly Ben's deep voice vibrated through the room, interrupting her thoughts.

'Come on you scruffy Nerf herders! Get up or Lucan will eat all your breakfast.'

'Cuffy erf erdas!' Lucan repeated.

Rey carried her daughter to the kitchen and smiled as Ben passed her yet another beautiful flower as he did every morning.

'How do you keep finding these?' Rey asked, putting the flower to her nose.

Ben prepared some bread as he answered her.

'I don't, Rosie does. She just shows me where to go.'

Rey looked at her daughter who smiled up at her. She heard her little ones voice in her head.

Flower for mama.

Rey let the tears fall then. Ben looked at her with an amused smile. He came towards her and kissed her forehead.

Lucan frowned.

'Mama sad?'

'No little man, she isn't sad. She's just...happy, those are happy tears.''

Lucan smiled.

'Mama happy?'

Rey looked at her little boy, his face already covered in blue milk and breadcrumbs.

'Yes Lucan, mama is very happy.'

'Then my dad looked over at me and said "when they tell you the odds are against you kid, don't listen and do it anyway!" And that's how we ended up crashing the Falcon on Kashyyyk.'

Rey smiled at Ben as he relayed the familiar tale.

Lando and Chewie laughed heartily together as they enjoyed reminiscing about their old friend. The sadness they felt at Han and Leia's passing, was eased by their renewed friendship with the couples only son, who meant as much to them as their former companions.

The small pale boy with jet black waves and matching eyes who was sat on Chewies knee, reached up and grabbed handfuls of thick brown fur making the fearsome Wookiee yelp with pain. The little child laughed and clapped and repeated the action hoping to illicit the same pained wail.

'Lucan, No!' Rey admonished.

The boy frowned at his mother as he let go of Chewies mane.

'You can tell he's your son,' Rey observed leaning down to kiss Ben's forehead.

'And you can tell she's your daughter,' Ben replied nodding at Rosie.

Their little girl giggled as she sat cross legged on the floor. Pebbles swirled around her like planetary rings making her brown curls rise and fall as they twirled. She tried to catch them with her small nimble fingers as they passed.

Rey smiled at both of her children in turn.

'With the blood of a prince and a scavenger running through their veins what will the future hold for them I wonder?' Rey mused.

'They can be whatever they choose to be and if they make a few mistakes along the way, we'll be there to catch them,' Ben replied.

He angled his head so as to be able to place a gentle kiss on her hand as it rested gently on his shoulder.

'Hello!' Finn called out as he entered the house with Rose in tow.

Rey smiled and hugged them both.

'You came!' She said with delight.

'Of course we came, we would never miss our favourite little buddy's naming day,' Finn said crouching down and holding out his arms as Lucan slid down Chewie's leg and began to run towards his favourite partner in crime. Finn picked the little boy up and tickled his stomach.

'I got him a taser,' Rose said.

Rey's smile dropped.

Rose and Finn burst into fits of laughter.

'I'm just joking! Finn, you were so right. Her face was hilarious!' Rose laughed.

'I got him a saber,' Ben said with a smirk.

'He's not joking,' Rey said with a disapproving look.

'Nice,' Finn approved with a grin.

Rey glared at them both and Lucan laughed at his Mommy's angry face.

'Uh-oh! By the looks of that face, Rey is gonna blow again!' Poe called out as he entered the house. D followed closely behind him with their new bundle of joy held closely to her chest.

'Oh, can I see the little one?' Rey asked, reaching out for the baby. D smiled and carefully handed over her precious load.

Rey looked down at the perfect little girls rosy cheeks, full lips, and long eyelashes. She breathed in the new-born's delectable scent. The infants light side power was already so strong. She looked forward to being able to train her in the ways of the Force alongside her own children.

Don't go getting any ideas…

She heard Ben's playful voice in her mind. Rey looked at him with a sad expression. Ben's voice echoed in her mind once more.

You were the one who said two was enough…

Rey pouted and Ben relented.

Fine, maybe three can be enough…

Rey smiled down at him. She handed the baby back to D.

'She's beautiful,' Rey said.

'She's more than I ever hoped for,' D said as Poe kissed both of their foreheads.

Rey looked at all of her friends and family, squashed into their tiny living space. They all had such busy lives now, it made her heart sing when they had the chance to get together. Although there were some faces missing...

They're here Rey, they're always with us.

Ben appeared at her side as he always did when he sensed she needed his support.

'So, are we gonna get this party started?' Poe said clapping his hands together.

'Let's get Rosie to levitate Chewie again!' Finn yelled.

Chewie protested loudly and they all burst into fits of laughter.

Surrounded by everything she cherished most, Rey remembered Maz's words to her once more.

The belonging you seek is not behind you... it is ahead.

Later that evening, when their guests had all left and their children were safely tucked up in their beds, Rey confessed to Ben the fears that had been weighing heavily on her mind for some time.

'Right now I know our little ones are loved and protected, but we can't keep them safe forever. Who knows what dangers await them out there. The Galaxy can be so heartlessly cruel, something you and I know all too well, Ben.'

Sitting together in their simple dwelling in front of a warming fire, Ben placed an arm around his beloved wife's shoulders and pressed a soothing kiss against her temple.

'We'll teach them well Rey, we'll make sure they know themselves fully before we send them out into the world. We'll teach them to understand the light and the dark that lies within them and how to use both Forces to their full advantage, but we'll also teach them to trust their own instincts. The Force is a powerful conduit and ally, but I know now it's not always wise to blindly follow its direction. To achieve true balance you have to start within yourself. Harmony between the heart and the mind is as important as harmony with the Force around us.'

Rey looked at her reformed, awe inspiring husband with tears in her eyes.

'I can't believe I once doubted the Force for connecting you and I. You've given me the greatest gift, Ben. The gift of belonging and the gift of family. I've never felt more at peace. I don't know how I can ever repay you.'

'I ask for nothing but your love, Rey,' Ben answered truthfully.

Rey leaned towards him and placed a hand on his cheek. She gently kissed him, feeling the familiar sensation of his life force holding her against his lips like a magnetic pull. The pull that she had tried to resist for so long, but now cherished oh so dearly. She reluctantly parted from him then relented and placed her forehead against his. With her eyes closed, she enjoyed the soft hum of their unique eternal bond forever present between them and around them. As they both relished the moment of contented tranquillity, she whispered tenderly to him.

'You have my love, Ben, now and always.'

'And you have mine,' he replied in return.

'Then we have everything we need,' she said with a blissful smile.

The End.