Why on earth would Rey make up such an outlandish story?

Ben kept wondering to himself over and over as he drove them to the lake. It just didn't make sense...she could have told him about Rose. He would never have betrayed her confidence...but had she betrayed his? Could it be that the story was...true? No! That was ridiculous! Rey could never be that deceitful. She was an angel.

She helped wherever it was needed, she raised their adopted children as if they were her own, and she made him feel...well, she made him feel. She listened to him moan about work, she listened to him complain about not remembering anything, she secretly bought him the high priced foods he craved whenever the budget allowed, casually popping them in the cupboards without saying a word, and she kissed him as if she needed him for life support. She couldn't have made all this up. She just couldn't…

'Penny for your thoughts?' Rey said with a smile, bringing him back to reality.

Ben smiled back, 'I don't think they are worth a penny,' He said with a crooked smile.

'They're worth their weight in gold, to me.' Rey said with a look that...well a look that did things to him. Primal things. Caveman things… so he remembered cavemen but not his own birthday? Life was so weird…

Rey was nervous. Ben had been deep in thought during the entire drive. She knew Ben was smart. Really smart. Had he figured out her wicked plan? Urgh! Why did those Gucci pants have to rear their ugly crotch and ruin all her plans?!

I will tell you the truth Ben, She vowed silently, just not yet.

Sparkles of sunshine danced on the lakes surface as Rey drew in a deep gulp of pine scented air. She let the light breeze carry her troubles away, this weekend wasn't about her, it was about Star and Warren.

As Ben started to unpack the car and discuss where to set up the tents with Finn, Rey winked at Star and Warren,

'Catch me if you can!' She shouted running into the cover of the forest behind her. Rose laughed out loud as she pulled camping equipment from Finn's truck.

Star and Warren shouted out and started after her. Rey darted behind a tree and tried not to laugh. She heard them discuss strategy as they clomped through the foliage, trying to discover her location. She kept very still and after a few minutes Warren predictably lost his patience and shouted for Ben to come help. Rey's heart thumped in her chest. She hadn't thought this through very well had she?

'I'll handle this!' She heard Ben shout as he entered the wood. Star and Warren whooped behind him, but did not follow him in.

Oh god. They were going to be in the woods. Alone. Gulp.

Rey started to wonder if she should jump out and end the game...when Ben spun into her vision slapping his palms onto the tree trunk either side of her.

'Got ya.' He said in a low voice that did things to insides.

Rey took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes, and when he dipped his head and kissed her, she let him. How could she not?

After all he had kissed her right? It was his choice…he was the one who reached for her thigh and hitched it up against his own knocking her slightly off balance and practically forcing her to wrap her arms tightly around his neck...Yup this was all Ben's fault…

Liar…

They emerged from the wood hand in hand. Warren and Star whooped and congratulated Ben on his win. When Star ran towards him and Ben caught her and lifted her up, carrying her close, Warren fitted himself to Ben's side demanding the details of Rey's hiding place. Rey felt tears in her eyes as she walked with her perfect family, it was what she had always wanted, but she had forced the jigsaw pieces together and just because they fit didn't mean they were in the right place.

Later, as they all roasted marshmallows around a campfire, Rey allowed herself to wallow in soft contentment. Finn strummed his guitar lightly and Rose lay her head on his shoulder, a small smile on her lips. Star giggled relentlessly as Ben kept swiping her mallows from the end of her stick then pretending he was innocent when she half heartedly scolded him.

Rey admitted to herself that Ben now owned a special place in her heart, and it was going to feel very empty when he left, but maybe he would want to stay? Maybe he wouldn't want to leave them?

Ben caught her looking at him and they smiled at each other over the dancing flames.

A girl could dream couldn't she?

That night snuggled together with Warren and Star between them, Rey and Ben whispered to one another. Plans for the future, things they wanted to do, things they wanted to see, together.

'We can start all over again.' Ben said.

'I'd like that.' Rey said.

'Maybe we could even...renew our vows...if you wanted to?'

'Yes.' Rey replied instinctively.

You can't keep him….You can't keep him…But she wanted to. She wanted to so badly.

'Goodnight Ben.'

'Goodnight Rey.'

Ben is in a small room. He is being told to sit up straight. If he is good, he might get a family today. Ben isn't sure he wants to leave his friends...but a family is good right? A family means someone to love him…

An old man comes into the room. He looks stern. He is bald and his skin is strange. He looks at Ben from head to toe. Ben is afraid. He doesn't like the man.

'How old?' The man asks.

'Six.' A voice answers.

'And he been here since birth? Why has he been here so long?'

'Ben has some….behavioural issues.'

Ben knew what that meant. That was bad. That was why he didn't have a family. No one wanted a naughty boy.

But the old man smiled. A slow smile that creeped across his cheeks. It made him look more even scarier.

'I'll take him.' The man said.

Now Ben was wearing white and lying on a hard floor. He felt pain in his leg.

'Ben, you have to learn to deal with the pain…'

'But father…'

'Don't argue! You know how I hate disobedience!'

Ben was silent. He rubbed his ankle. It was swollen and sore.

'Get up.' His father ordered.

Ben did so.

'Again.' His father said.

Ben limped over to the girl who stood waiting with him in attack pose. She was also wearing white with a black belt tied at her waist. Ben looked down. His belt was brown.

'Take him out, Phasma.'

Ben looked at his father, his heart crumpled in his chest.

'Do it, Phasma.'

Phasma sweeped her leg at Ben's bad ankle, he called out and went down.

'Use it, Ben,' His father bellowed, 'own this pain.'

Ben closed his eyes and swept his injured leg at the girl. She cried out and went down.

'Excellent Ben.'

Ben felt his chest swell with pride. His father was proud. The girl looked at him. There was hurt in her eyes.

'Both of you, up. Let's go again.'

Ben woke up in the tent drenched with sweat. Star was draped across him and continued to snore soundly.

What was that? A dream? Or could it be...memories?

The more Ben thought about it the more he was sure they were memories, and from the few glimpses of his childhood he had been awarded, it certainly seemed less than idyllic. Rey had said he had a step-father, though she knew nothing about him. She said that Ben had severed all contact with the man long before they had met. She had never mentioned a sister though, the girl felt like family…perhaps he had never told Rey about her? Maybe it was starting to come back finally, maybe he would even remember Rey soon. That thought give him a thrill. He glanced over to where Rey slept, she scrunched up her nose as Warren's hair fell into her face.

Adorable.

'I want to remember everything about you…' Ben whispered.

Rey frowned in her sleep and Ben hoped she wasn't having a nightmare.

'You can't keep him…' She whispered as she dreamed.

Couldn't keep him? Keep who? Ben felt a flare of jealousy.

'Ben…' Rey breathed.

Ben's mind emptied and he held his breath not wanting to miss a word.

'I'm so sorry...please stay.'

'I'm not going anywhere.' Ben whispered back.

His answer seemed to calm her and her frown disappeared.

Why was Rey worried he would leave her? Was there something he didn't know? Was there something in their past she hadn't told him? Something that would keep them apart?

Star moaned and Ben stroked her hair. The rhythmic action soothed them both.

Still, it took some time for Ben to drift back to sleep and even longer for him to stop dreaming of the old man's cold eyes staring into his.