C.4 - Blast Off

Refreshing. A pair of brown eyes peered open suddenly to the light pouring in from the window above the bed frame. Daytime already? Ben licked his lips and squeezed his eyes shut then back open in an attempt to wake his heavy feeling eyelids. He felt good.

He was certain it was from an actual night of sleep, he hadn't had that in a while besides laying dormant in the hospital for a few days. He was accustomed to either plowing through the night with various missions and raid planning or laying on his bed with eyes wide open, thinking, maybe drifting off a few times.

He let his head tilt to the side on his pillow to look down on her with half lidded eyes. In a complete shocker he only woke once in the night to notice her company, still cocooned in the sheets neatly with her face tucked under the corner of his pillow. In the middle of the night and even now he was happily taken aback she had chosen to share the bed with him, and despite it being a large bed that could house them separately, she chose to snug down at his side. With a smile he could only wish he was awake to hold her once in the night instead of sleeping pin straight to keep his ribs in place.

Uncovering his right arm from under the sheets he slowly reached over and touched at her cheek bone to brush away a few stray locks that framed her face. Unsatisfied, he rested his hand on the side of her head and as lightly as he could, stroking her cheek. It was warm and softer than any skin he'd touched before, sun kissed and perfect. She stirred under his touch but she seemed to be a heavy sleeper so he sighed contently. He could do this all day.

But he couldn't. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a dresser and a nagging feeling told him to scour the drawers for any scrap of clothing he could find. Currently he was still in his black long sleeved under shirt and basic black trousers from almost a week ago and he was in utter surprise Rey still wanted to be around him, but thankfully he practiced basic hygiene so he wasn't profoundly rank.

He daintily lifted the sheets off his body and layered them over her sleeping frame without suspicion. He leaned up and prepared for the onset of his injury related pain but nothing surfaced - yet. He was sure it would hit him sooner rather than later.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, his socked feet touching down on the cool tile below. Maybe he was a tad bit of a prude but he was not one for wearing the same socks and undergarments over the course of a few days, so as he stared down at the black socks he wore he leaned ever further down to wedge his finger under the elastic band and peeled them off. His brows furrowed - my ribs? No ache, nothing. Peculiar. He ripped the second sock off and tossed them into the clothing hamper hanging from the wall across the bed.

Ben carefully stood from the bed and stared down at her waiting for some sort of movement but she remained fast asleep. Good.

He paced across the tile with long strides and clasped the metal handles between his finger tips, pulling it open discreetly. Empty. His brow twitched. The second drawer, empty, and his brow furrowed. He knew it was a slim chance but he had to try. The third drawer revealed a few articles of fabric which he hurriedly dove his hand in for. He retrieved a pair of grey capris almost identical to the hospital garb he was dressed in the other day. He supposed his black trousers would make do, he wasn't particularly fond of the idea he'd walk around in hospital attire. He then pulled out a simple matching grey t-shirt, which he flipped around in his hands to inspect before checking the size. It would do.

He found himself in the bathroom to change and use the facilities. Clasping his long sleeve from the bottom he pulled upwards and brought it over his head, throwing his mane of dark hair around wildly. Something caught his eye in the mirror.

As the shirt fell to the floor while he stared into the mirror in both confusion and distress it donned on him. "That sneaky scavenger girl." He shook his head with a sigh.

Healed. His bruising gone, just his pale monotone skin shining back at him in his reflection. It was no wonder he felt refreshed this morning.

Ben opened the bathroom door while holding his new shirt in hand. This wasn't something he was going to let go. When the door swirled open he saw her hazel eyes staring up at him, face still nestled cozily into the bed, he could almost see the guilty look sparkle in those big beautiful eyes.

"Did you really?" He questioned with a raised brow, touching at his chest with his free hand. "I thought we had a deal."

The rest of her face was cozied under the blanket but he could see the growing creases by her eyes, she was smiling under there. He couldn't fault that face for doing something out of the kindness of her heart.

"No wonder you didn't wake when I did." He muttered, pulling the shirt over his chest, a tight fit but he was going to go on a hunt later on this day for essentials.

"Well do you feel better?" She questioned, leaning up on her right elbow and using her left hand to scratch away at the corners of her eyes.

He hated admitting it. "I do. I was in a lot of pain last night. I hope you're feeling well this morning."

"Oh I am." Rey smiled in his direction and sat up, cross legged under the tossed around sheets. He noticed a renegade sock at the foot of the bed and he figured she had a good sleep as well if that thing managed to slide off. "You were asleep pretty fast last night, you must have been hurting."

"I don't even remember closing my eyes." He definitely would have stayed up later with her if it meant spending more time together. "I've never slept through the night like that."

"Neither have I." She toyed around on the elastic of her lone sock with a gentle smile. "Granted I've slept outside nearly all my life, but I like to think it was because I slept next to you."

Ben offered to make breakfast this morning out of the remaining shred of guilt she had taken care of him the previous day - but he didn't feel as guilty as he would have felt had she not broken her end of the healing deal.

Rey watched him move into the kitchen from her spot on the bed with big curious eyes. Now that he was thankfully healed she could start to form some visualization of the domestic Ben. How he spent off time, if he ever did, how he took care of himself, his habits, things he did that were sure to grow to become a pet peeve of hers. As he maneuvered his hands around the fridge she silently padded over to the stool at the kitchen counter to watch the show more diligently.

He set the same pan she used last night over the element with one hand and raised the temperature up, red swirls immediately lighting up. He cracked the eggs with just one hand, that caught her attention - she always managed to fudge up cracking eggs and thankfully he didn't notice yesterday, but she was certain she picked out all the shell pieces.

"Do you always cook for yourself?" She questioned, resting her elbows on the counter and her chin on her entwined fingers.

He didn't gaze over his shoulder to glance at her as he answered. "No. I had droids for that."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Of course you did."

He shrugged and she assumed he grimaced. "I was a busy man."

"Yes, chasing after me every waking second must have been very time consuming." She stated simply, she wanted to keep a plain face but a broad toothy grin found its way to her face, especially after he finally peeked at her with accusatory eyes.

"It was. You were hard to find." He plated their food and slid her plate over the smooth surface of the island just enough so it stopped right in front of her. Steam rose off the freshly beaten egg and warmed her face.

Dishes were done once they had finished and all the food had been picked off their plates. Again it was a rather run of the mill interaction, she sat across from him and ate and they spoke more about their heavy sleep. Rey held onto any little scrap of personal information he gave, any insight into the person he was behind the mask.

"Before we get to anything I need to get myself more clothes." Ben hid away the clean cutlery in their respective drawers, a simple domestic task that pulled at the most awe she could compose. "Know where I might do that?"

"Not particularly." She tapped her chin in contemplation. "We can see if there's some fatigues in the barracks, but other than that you may have more luck in some shopping district off world. Let me guess, you had people for that sort of thing."

"I did." He agreed bluntly as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "And let me guess - you made your own clothing with scraps you managed to find while scavenging for parts."

She chuckled softy. "Spot on actually."

Hauling her side bag over her head and onto her shoulder, she glanced behind her to make sure he was still following behind her. Their game plan right now was to low-key hunt for some extra clothes for Ben, at least until he was able to slowly accrue more for the future, and she emphasized the low-key part to him. Heads would be kept down and it would be an in and out operation.

They walked side by side down the long corridor in silent content when an intrusive memory washed over her. She remembered back to when she had just explained to Ben, at the time Kylo Ren, that she had seen his future, the clarity of it at the time had been astounding. They were only small fragments of visions - the first one consisted of their shared bond moment in the Emperor's citadel, when he had turned back to the light and returned for her, fighting his own team to get to her. The second being this exact moment, walking down a bleak white hallway, not as enemies but as partners. At the time she saw the vision she had trouble deciphering the second blurb, unsure of the context behind why they casually walked side by side, or at what point in time it had occured.

Rey stared up at him happily as they continued on without catching his attention, just so she could read his face, bask in the I was so right feeling that constantly overwhelmed her these past few days. It was almost as if she had to slap herself awake to make sure it wasn't a dream and he had really taken her hand back to the light. Over the past year she could feel him slipping, losing the steps he had taken and the light he just barely grasped when they touched hands in Luke's hut. She didn't want to admit it but she almost lost all faith in his internal strength to push away what needed to be eradicated.

She tried hard to pull at the other small moments she saw along with those two visions but she failed - figuring now all she could do was wait for a recollection as it happened.

They happened upon a large atrium of sorts, or at least Ben figured but he grew suspicious as the foot traffic seemed low for a main hub area of the base. "I thought we were keeping a low profile." He commented with a raised brow.

"Exactly. Looks like most of the troops and supporters either have begun making their ways home or are currently out." She pointed to the floor down. "Barracks are there if I remember correctly."

Ben stood watch near the doors to the empty barracks with Reys knapsack tossed by his feet, his anxious eyes watching down the long sets of corridors leading to the atrium. Behind him Rey rummaged through large black metal totes that were filled to the brim with supplies chartered down from newly made connections.

He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her almost impatiently. Perhaps for her it was easier to assume she could help herself to supplies, but Ben stood with a flood of worry washing over him, if he'd been caught with her helping himself to their supplies he wasn't sure what exactly would happen. Poe definitely did insinuate that he need to lay low or get out of town before rumors became concrete, not be standing guard while his girl made away with a haul of clothing for him.

"I'd rather now just shop off world for clothing." He reiterated to her, watching only her back as she continued diligently.

"No I've got some things." She heaved and hoisted her body weight back to her feet, taking back a deep breath of air. "Lucky for you they don't scream for attention."

"Alright, let's go." A woman charted her way through the empty atrium mindlessly with her nose in a datapad, but regardless of them staying under the radar he preferred to be back in the safety of his own apartment.

"What you don't even want to look?" She questioned with a smile as she quickly gathered her findings into her arms.

Ben squinted in her direction. "I trust your judgement." The clothes weren't colored at all, anything other than that he'd toss back into the supply crate for others to pick at, so he felt content with her haul. He'd never shopped around for clothes ever in his life, at least that he could consciously remember. At Luke's academy he was given a standard beige tunic and robe set that held identical to every other student, and within the First Order he wore what seemed like a cliche dark outfit that he made arrangements for via tailor droids. He was determined to change a lot about himself but he just couldn't let go of the comfort darker clothing brought him.

"Okay we can go." Rey assured him and they set back on their path to the apartments, Ben remaining weary of groups of people that they crossed paths with. "Since you're healed, I think it's time we talk about leaving."

He was obviously uncomfortable here on Ajan Kloss within the confinements of the Resistance base, and rightfully so, he didn't particularly belong and three quarters of those who were stationed here would rather his head on a rail. They had every right to hate him but forcing him to remain under a roof without feeling safe wasn't fair to him, for what it was worth, at least to her.

"Already?" He questioned with a raised brow, his voice hushed as if someone were listening in around every corner.

She shrugged in agreeance. "I'd like to get out sooner rather than later, before people think I'm here to stay, but that's not to say I won't say goodbye to my friends." Warmth balled up in her stomach when she gazed upon his fond understanding expression. "We can leave in the night, when it's easier."

"Whatever you'd like." Ben swiped his hand in front of the door reader and his apartment opened before them. Relief washed over him when he realized he made an outing without being outed. "I didn't realize you were so eager to leave."

They entered and Rey dumped the pile on the counter while he removed his boots. "I'm excited to start a new chapter is all." She replied absentmindedly, tugging her messenger bag over her head and coiling it around the goods on the counter.

Ben stood tall next to her, a looming giant over her small stature. He inattentively sorted through what she hand picked for him, his hands sorting quickly as if he had one thing on his mind. As she kicked off her boots she heard a soft crinkle, Ben found the vacuum sealed bag of standard black boot socks. She figured he'd want those. He retreated to the restroom to change out of his old pair of black trousers and into a new similar pair she had found.

"Was wondering when you were coming out!" Rose cheered happily with outstretched arms, a broad toothy smile growing on her bright face. "Haven't seen you at all at any of the parties."

"Feels like it's been a while." Rey smiled back brightly and embraced her friend into a tight hug. With Rose having been so busy at Leia's side and Rey off in the jungle most of the time during the war efforts, they had barely been in contact. "Too long."

Beside Rose was Finn, trying hurriedly chew the food he crammed in his mouth before Rey entered the cafeteria, so he could properly greet his close friend.

"You how he gets when it's deep fried nuna legs at the cafeteria day." Rose joked as she sat back down, using her thumb to jerk in his direction as he just began to finish his bite.

"Oh I know." Rey grimaced, knowing all too well Finn had found this treat months ago and had been hooked ever since. "I'm surprised he hasn't depleted all the worlds nuna supply."

"That will be a sad day. Thankfully today is not that day." Finn replied with a smirk, letting the bare bone of the bird clank down to his plate from his fingers. "Surprised to see you out here alone. Everything good?"

"Of course!" She smiled outwardly as a sinking hole coiled around her insides. As excited as she was to turn the next page in her life she couldn't help but worry over how they'd react to her departure. Her finger nervously tugged at the loose threading on her bag under the table. "I did want to bring something up, though."

Rose paled at the words and unease stood over the table like a creeping shadow. Rey hadn't heard first hand, but Rose was one of the many that felt like 'Kylo Ren' should not be under the Resistance bases roof, from Finn's own mouth he warned Rey previously they did not share the same sentiment.

"Nothing terrible." Rey prefaced her coming announcement accompanied by hands held upwards defensively. "But I've been thinking about where I go from here. It wasn't an easy decision but I think for now at least I'm done being tied down somewhere." She glanced out the window overlooking the main ship bay area outdoors. "I'm thinking I'll take a spare light freighter if I could and check out all these wonderful places I keep hearing about."

"You're gonna leave!" Finn nearly chocked out with a completely shocked expression. "I mean - I feel like I knew that was coming, just not this soon!"

"I feel like I've barely seen you!" Rose exasperated sadly as she rested her chin on her hands. "But if that's what you feel you need to do, you have to do it."

Finn stared at Rey with a blank expression, blinking at her as he began to make connections silently. "You're not gonna go on this 'finding yourself' trip alone are you."

Rey's eyed flashed over their faces to read expressions. Finn, blank. Rose raising a curious brow in Rey's direction. She figured this could go one of two ways, her friends would both be happy for her knowing all too well how Rey had struggled to fit herself into a proper role when she herself didn't particularly fit into it. Or they could be somewhat negative - Rey refused to believe they both would raise a stink about her choice, but Rey couldn't put past the fear of Rose picking a fight over this.

"No... I'm going to take Ben with me."

The two were quiet for a few moments as they processed, Rose exchanging an unreadable look toward Finn. Finn merely shrugged.

"Saw that coming." He replied cooly, picking up another nuna leg and holding it between his fingers. "I don't even know why I asked." He bit into the juicy meat, the sounds of fried flesh encompassing the group.

Rey watched Rose twiddle her fingers on the top of the table. "I'll support you no matter what Rey, but it'll take some time for me to be okay with him just being ... a regular person. His regime killed my sister, I can't just let go of that."

Rey nodded slowly. "I understand Rose." Did she though? Rey curled her toes in her boots to fight the urge to counter what Rose had said. "Just see the correlation between the brainwashing the First Order did to Finn and thousands upon thousands of other troopers, they were the same tactics The Emperor as Snoke had done to Ben."

Rose nodded along appreciatively to Rey's words, and so Rey continued. "I don't need you to forgive him, but I hope you understand where I'm coming from, I wouldn't just leave with someone who I thought truthfully deserved to rot in a prison, I wouldn't do that to you guys, to anyone."

"Of course not Rey." Rose smiled as genuinely as she could, but it was warm and heartfelt, Rey could feel it. "I'll work on it, for you."

"Wait wait wait." Finn interjected as he swallowed a lump of meat. "Now who's gonna teach me the ways of the force."

"Me and Ben will visit of course.. I'm just not as sure as I once was in the way of the Jedi. We can teach you everything we both know, from two walks of life."

"Tempting.." Finn sounded as he pulled away a hard tendon from his leg with his fingers and flicked it on his plate. "What about using a lightsaber, it's not as easy as it looks."

"You handled yourself fine against Ben." Rey rolled her eyes in his direction. "I'd offer you one of the sabers I've got, but I think I've decided to lay them to rest. Learn with a training saber then we'll talk."

He smiled to her with admiration. "I'll miss you, we'll all miss you Rey. When are you going to leave?"

"I was thinking tonight."

"Tonight! Jeez you don't mess around when you've got some idea in your head."

"It usually gets me what I want." She smiled proudly. It got her Ben - had she given up on paving the path of the light for him he would be lost to the worlds now. "It'll be better this way, I'd hate for us to stay any longer and create unnecessary tension."

"There has been a lot of talk surrounding him being here." Rose admitted freely with a growing weary look on her face. "I wouldn't want something to happen to you Rey, maybe this is for the better."

"Yeah.." Finn agreed rather sadly. "Once this blows over you owe me a few lessons."

Rey watched contently from the open doorway overlooking the general grounds where she knew Poe would be. Though the war was finished he still had a lot on his plate, which he freely admitted in private to her that it was just about more than he could handle. Being acting General at the time was more his calibre, attack plans, maneuvers, that sort of thing. The politics of it all afterwards were almost lost on him, but Rey had talked him up, edging him away from his breaking point.

He looked as if he was handling it well. He pointed a finger to direct a few troops to the landing supply cruiser, requesting it be sent down to the barracks where Rey had just pillaged prior.

Beeeep!

"Beebee!" She smiled broadly and knelt down into the dirt to greet her most favourite droid. He rolled up quickly and happily, rotating on the spot with a loud whirl when she reached to him and touched the sun warmed top of his head. "Having fun at all of these after parties?!"

Beee-eeep!

"I know I know, I've been a bit preoccupied.." She smiled while toying with his slightly askew antenna. "Looks like you've been partying too hard huh?"

"He's the life of the party." Poe's boots approached silently in the moist dirt leading up to her, standing over her with his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. "He's missed you - it's been what, a few days since he last saw you?"

"It's been a busy few days Beebee!" Rey stated apologetically, giving his head a gentle rub before standing to face Poe. "You look like you've got your hands full out here."

"Eh, I can't take all the partying without some work to balance it out." He chuckled with a shrug. "Didn't think I'd see you surface from that apartment for at least another week, what's up?"

"Just sat down with Finn and Rose for what feels like the first time in forever."

"Oh yeah, how'd that go?"

He looked like he suspected something, like he already knew why she'd make the trip out to see him. It wasn't just to say hi. He picked up on a lot of social cues Rey failed at, maybe it was the years of solitude that stunted her social skills.

"It was almost odd, sitting down without worry of an impending attack or being deployed at any second. Almost surreal."

"Yeah, felt like that these past few days. Years in the making and now what do we do?" He scoffed outwardly at just the mere thought of composing a life based around new goals in his life - And Rey only felt the same. It was scary.

"I think we'll be leaving tonight." She blurted, catching his lingering eyes from the launch pads right back to her own, startled and alert. "I healed him, y'know with that healing I showed you back on Pasaana-"

"Yeah yeah I remember-" he interjected with a wave of his hand, "you do know when I said it would be best to lay low or leave when he's healed I didn't mean right away?"

"I know Poe." She smiled gratefully while Beebee chirped at their feet loudly, wanting to be heard. "But he's healed now and I think our time here is done."

Rey felt sadness tug at her heart strings when Poe's face fell. She didn't mean to hurt them or make them upset, in the end they were her family and some of the only few people she held close that remained alive. She hadn't confided in them the inner troubles she faced with her own identity so maybe the concept was harder for them to wrap their heads around, but it was worth a shot. She'd have to learn how to disclose personal feelings more readily to people.

"If that's how you feel that's how you feel." He sighed with an understanding smile, one she favored over the smirk that usually was found there. "You'll visit, right?"

"Who do you think I am?" She scoffed playfully with a knock off his shoulder. "How else will we exchange Beebee!"

"Oh it's like that is it!" He laughed and stared down at the droid who encircled the two happily. "You hear that bud, we've apparently got joint custody over you."

Beeeep?

"I'll come get you soon, I promise."

Rey sighed with her hands on her hips as she stared into the nothingness of Ben's apartment. A blank slate like they hadn't lived there for the entirety of a day, minus the empty water cup on the counter in front of Ben.

"I'd say we should pack. You've got..." Her eyes panned to the other side of the counter where he left his stolen clothes in a neat folded pile. "Just those... I have things back at my camp outside I'd like to grab before we go."

Ben nodded as acknowledgement, just listening to her speak was enough for him to go on in this conversation. He never thought himself overly needy but having Rey be gone most of the afternoon and into the evening he found himself rather lonely. He made himself lunch which he ate very slowly so he could continue to have something to do, even if his food got cold quite quick in doing so. He had paced the room, opened the door and stared down the hallway curiously, did whatever workout he could do without proper equipment or space to move around. She was sure a sight for sore eyes after hours of loneliness began to eat away at him.

"Where do you want to go first?" He queried in an attempt to get her to keep speaking. He didn't think he could stand silence any longer.

He lovingly watched as she carelessly peeled her bag away from her body and dumped it on the counter. She pat her messenger bag with her hand. "I've decided I'm going to lay Luke and your mother's lightsabers to rest. If that's okay with you."

He supplied her with a half shrug. "Why's that?"

"It feels right. A final way to respectfully put them to rest." She said confidently. "That leads me to my next point - I think I'm ready for my own lightsaber. You could use one yourself, maybe we could find a crystal cave?"

Memories flurried past his eyes of his own crystal gathering as a youngling under Luke's guidance. The dark caves lit only under the dim light of a flowing crystal set only for the eyes of the beholder. It was truly a sight to see, and a pang of excitement wanted to shine through - he could only imagine the great time she would have.

"We can definitely do that." She smiled as he spoke those words which led him to his own warm smile poking through. "There's a few places I could take you, unless you would rather go to Ilum."

"Ilum... that's the Jedi pilgrimage site if I remember correctly?" He nodded to her words. "We should start somewhere fresh."

Night fell over Ajan Kloss. Birds hummed and croaked in the thicket of the trees, chirps of lizards and other small creates erupted as they clashed in th thicket. Rey always appreciated the nights alone outside, laying in her cot and drifting away as the stars twinkled above her. As she stood outside with Ben now, staring behind her to the base, she imagined doing the same with him by her side. Whether it be outside on a desolate planet enjoying nothing but the other's company and their surroundings, or in a bed watching the stars through a window.

"That's the one, there." Rey pointed to the landing pads where a quaint light freighter stood silently. "Thankfully Poe had one he could let go of." She panned her eyes over to Ben. "What do you think?"

Ben eyed it critically as they approached. It had a twin set of gunner seats attached to the sides of the ship which gave him some sort of relief, not that the two of them would ever need to both be manning the weapons, but it was a measure of peace of mind for him that if need be he could blast another ship into teenie bits if threatened. Otherwise he recognized the generic model, had adequate living room without compromising it's ability to maneuver speedily. Actually, if he had to pin a label on it, it was excellent for what they planned to do.

"It's perfect."

She beamed happily and he suddenly felt the weight of her hand in his own, warm with a gentle squeeze. "We'll pop by my little space and we can be on our way?"

Rey led him near the treeline under a metal canopy draping over the spot from the building not too far away. Safe from the elements but still relatively open. He stood beside her personal crates with arms crossed over his chest as she dropped to her knees and began sorting.

"This is where you lived this past year?" He raised a brow skeptically as he panned his eyes over her handful of belongings. Some notable junk pieces, her staff, books piled up at the foot of her small cot.

Though it was dark out he could still make out her facial expression, staring up at with with a tiny giggle. "Yes?" She returned to rummaging in a black crate, stuffing some pieces of value to herself into her messenger bag. "I told you yesterday I lived outside, I don't know what else you were expecting."

"I'm not sure either..." He trailed off as a few officers strolled past happily chatting to each other, his senses perking up but the threat of confrontation died down as they entered the nearest building. He stepped over her carefully and picked up the small box they took with them from the apartment, mostly the food they ordered the previous day and the stolen clothes, now whatever she had tossed inside. He tried to peer in but the darkness enveloped the items completely.

"I'll miss staying out here.." She breathed as she stood back up to her feet, wiping her dusty hands on her pants and then swinging her staff over her shoulder. "The night is so peaceful."

"We're onto better things." He commented, shifting the box around so it didn't sit as awkwardly in his hands. "I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to stay outdoors again."

She smiled with a nod. "I'm sure."

They made it back to what would now be their new home. The boarding ramp came down with a hiss, the lights pouring into the darkened tarmac from within. This was it.

"Rey!"

Ben had just began making it up the ramp when the voices carried through the night, catching both him and Rey off guard, swiveling quickly on their heels to match voices to faces.

Her friends. They'd come to send her off, give her their final goodbyes.

"You guys.." She smiled and began padding back toward them, Ben watching as they approached quickly, and with warm smiles on their faces.

He wasn't sure how long they'd be gone for, him and Rey. Exploring, spending time with each other, marking off places to visit off her ever growing list. He didn't think it would be too long before she grew sick of not seeing them, or worse yet, grew sick of him. Regardless of if the next time she saw them was soon, he knew it would be nice for her to have a final goodbye. He leaned down and sat the box on the entrance platform to their ship. It would be polite and what Rey would want, for him to bid his own farewells to people that did nothing but support him and their relationship since the war ended.

First Rey hugged Finn, as far as Ben knew her first real friend out of everyone. They shared a tight embrace, eyes closed. Poe and a woman he didn't recognize with dark hair stood behind, watching the scene unfold happily.

Ben approached silently and stood five feet behind Rey so her friends didn't think of him to be intrusive. Rey told him Finn had found out he was Force sensitive earlier on in their walk out of the base, and requested that upon the times they visited her friends once more they could help him with his own training. Ben seemed dubious at the request, although he and Finn were on uncertain grounds he really doubted training coming from someone like him would be what Finn wanted.

Finn cracked open his eyes and stared up at Ben for a few moments, their eyes piercing into each other's, though Ben sensed no malice, rather just a tension. Finn let go of Rey and they shared a few words Ben couldn't hear, then Poe came around with his arms wide open and a grimace lining his features.

Finn shuffled to the side and took a few steps toward Ben, the tension grew as he did so. What would Ben say to him? Apologize on behalf of his regime who kidnapped him as a child, for Ben nearly killing him on several occasions, and for stealing away a dear friend of his? No, Ben could barely stand apologizing though he knew it was the right thing to do. He'd see how the conversation played out.

Finn stopped a mere few feet away from Ben. Silence ensued for a couple seconds before Finn broke it. "So where are you guys headed to first?"

Friendly talk? Surprising. He normally wasn't one too keen on upholding long-standing conversations, nor did he really have the skill to do so. "We haven't made a final decision, but Rey would like to acquire a kyber crystal for a new lightsaber."

"Ah. She did tell me she was ditching the other ones."

Poe and Rey let go of each other with warm smiles, and the other girl interjected abruptly to pull Rey into her own hug. Poe retreated from the two women in silence, watching the scene with creased content eyes.

A droid rolled out from behind Poe's legs, a perfect sphere crunching small twigs under its weight. Timidly it hid back behind its owners legs and it's small spherical head bobbed to the side to curiously eye the man he didn't recognize.

Ben eyed the droid. The famous droid with all the information he sought after a year ago. The droid at the time was worth more than Rey's life, ensuing his interrogation over her. If this unit was anything like the BB units the First Order used to keep their ships operational, he'd be a handy droid to have around. Rey spoke offhand about bringing this orange and white unit along with them occasionally.

It stared at him, and although droids couldn't articulate facial expressions, Ben knew it was eyeing him over with a watchful quizzical eye.

"Have fun wherever you head to first." The woman Ben didn't recognize chirped happily, giving Rey's shoulders a gentle squeeze. Ben noted the woman made no attempt to even gaze in his direction, but so be it, he didn't need to vie for acceptance throughout her friend group if they didn't want to reciprocate. "And we're only a call away if you need something."

Ben and Rey stood overlooking the cockpit of the ship in silence. It's dim lights illuminated the pristine controls and the metal flooring at their feet glistened as if it had never seen ownership once.

Rey stared lovingly up at him with a small warm smile, rubbing the back of his left arm with her hand. "Time to get going."

He smiled back down to her. "Let's."

Together, they stepped toward the pilots seat. Both now stopped and stared back at each other with not a smile to be seen. "I'll be piloting." Ben announced dutifully, reaching his hand to lay claim to the headrest of the main seat. "You can be my co-pilot."

"Am I a joke to you?" She raised a playful brow and also rested the palm of her hand on the headrest. "I'm an amazing pilot."

"I'm sure." He stepped toward the edge of the seat. "I usually don't call for a co-pilot, so."

"So it's, what, an honour?" She stepped back with her hands on her hips.

He sat down confidently with a shrug, getting a feel for the seat beneath him. He fully intended this to be his permanent seat for a while. "We can switch out occasionally." He spoke as he turned on a slew of buttons, not graving her with a look when he spoke. "Besides, I'm not much for tinkering with the inner workings of the ship, you can help me there."

"Hmm." She sighed with a roll of her eyes, meandering over to his side to watch him work at the controls. "We can test those roles out, but no guarantees."

Admittedly these past few days she imagined them jetting off into the sunset with her at the helm of their own ship and him at her right assisting her ... she scrunched her nose at the thought of that picturesque scene changing but really she couldn't complain. Because a mere few days ago he was on the brink of death and the only thing she imagined was having to process him no longer existing. She brushed a wave of hair away from his face, to which he didn't react, pulling the controls upwards to gently lift the ship from the pad.

Rey took her co-pilot seat, adjusting until she found a comfy way to sit, and pretended to reach out to the controls to see which style fit her best. A smile erupted when she felt his side eyes creep over her to see what she was doing. "Okay, hands off I promise."

He smirked.

Curiously, she watched him enter coordinates with swift movements of his long fingers. She didn't recognize them but she rolled her eyes at her own idiocy, why would she, it's not like she's well travelled.

"You've decided where we're going?"

"I did." He input the coordinates and the navigational system whirled it into action. "I think you'll like where we're going."

She excitedly tapped her feet against the durasteel flooring. "I can't wait!" What could be have chosen? What does he think she'll like? Their new adventure couldn't come soon enough. With a broad smile she leaned back in her chair as the ship left the atmosphere of Ajan Kloss.

Rey took one last heartfelt glance at Ben, a moment for her to share in silence with just herself. His intent eyes set on the horizon in front of them, the way he blinked, his knuckles moving under his creased and scarred skin of his hands.

He felt her eyes on him, she didn't make it secret that she stared so studiously at him, and maybe she wanted to catch his attention.

His brown eyes flickered over to her, soft and warm, happy. He was a man of few words but as she examined him over these past few days he was full of expressions. She could notice any shift, the way his eye would twitch as something crossed his mind, his eyes would lower in deep thought. The way his lips would twitch with words he wanted to convey but held back on. She didn't understand him back then, his often frigid and apathetic facial displays only furthered her image of this monstrous being. Maybe some would still see him as cold but there was so much more to him than what she used to see.

When he caught her staring she couldn't help but smile warmly. "I love you." Was all she could muster as a response to being caught but truthfully it's all that currently crossed her mind. Warmth pooled in her stomach as she watched the small adjustments to his own facial features, small but noteworthy, the soft creases by his mouth when he smiled even the smallest smile. His naturally paler skin betrayed him and showed the tiniest traces of blood rush, his cheeks turned a light pink at her words.

He didn't reply for a few moments, but he was then quick to break the silence. "I love you too."

A few instances later their ship blasted off into hyperspace.

Next chapter: The gathering

Wow long chapter! Sorry this took so long, this semester of college immediately had me writing essays right off the bat so I struggled to switch between academic writing and my casual writing!

I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter. It feels long winded but I felt everything was necessary to include, so I feel like I had quantity over quality so please bear with me, I'll try and get back to my normal 4k chapters without having to write excessively .

Please tell me what you think, your words of encouragement and your love keep me going!