Chapter 27: Conscious

Rey woke to the sounds of someone banging around in the kitchen. She glanced at Ben's bedside, reading the time from the clock. Since her boyfriend was breathing heavily next to her, she surmised Han was the one making enough noise to wake the entire apartment.

Pressing a kiss to Ben's forehead, she slipped out of bed, and threw on one of his T-shirt's and a pair of boxers. She had her own clothes, but his were far more comfortable. Plus, they smelled liked him, which was soothing.

She crept out of the bedroom to the kitchen, where Han was cursing gruffly in a low tone. "What did that frying pan ever do to you?" Rey teased, leaning in the doorway, as she observed him.

"Shit!" Han jolted, spinning to face her. "Morning Rey."

"Han," she inclined her head to him. "How was dinner?"

"Good, good," he hurriedly replied, scratching the back of his neck. "I didn't wake you did I?"

"No," Rey partially lied, "I needed to get up for class."

As soon as her release had hit her last night, she had succumbed to sleep. It was the perfect end to her birthday weekend. But now it was back to reality — working two jobs where she fought to find time for both sleep and her friends when she could.

Lando's offer suddenly seemed even more appealing. She'd make more at Cloud City than she was able to pull in now, even with her increasing tips at Rogue One. Plus, she'd have health benefits and paid vacation. She wouldn't have to feel so guilty asking Jyn for days off, the way she would when she spoke to her boss about taking off next Saturday to go to Leia's gala. She felt her conversation with the co-owner of the bar would go easier than the discussion she'd have to have with Master Luke.

"How do you like your eggs?" Han asked, bringing her attention back to Ben's kitchen and off more serious conversations.

"Over easy, please," she told him, making herself useful by moving across the room to start a pot of coffee.

"Did Ben mention anything about a shopping trip to you?" Han didn't look at her as he spoke, too focused on not burning the food.

"Sort of," Rey responded. "He mentioned it on our drive over yesterday." She shrugged, feigning indifference. "I guess it's a pretty big deal, huh?"

"Yeah," Han chuckled. "The Princess always hosts quite a soirée." He cracked a pair of eggs into the frying pan. "I suggested to Ben that he have his mother take you shopping. She probably has better taste anyways."

"Oh ok," Rey by her bottom lip, focusing on the stream of brewing coffee so Han wouldn't see the conflicted expression on her face.

She wanted to meet Leia again, this time as Ben's girlfriend, but spending an afternoon shopping with the Senator seemed a bit too intimate for a first time meeting. Rey wasn't sure what she would say to the woman. It wasn't as if they had anything in common.

Leia came from a wealthy background and had been in politics longer than Rey had been alive. What if the woman didn't like the idea of Rey — a nobody from Jakku — dating her only son? What if she didn't think Rey was good enough.

Plutt didn't think you were good enough either, a vicious voice in the back of her head reminded her.

Rey cringed. She didn't want to fall prey to her old insecurities, but in the face of meeting Ben's mother, who happened to be the state's Senator, she was beginning to feel unworthy.

"I know that look," Han smirked, "but don't worry, kid. Leia will be thrilled Ben finally brought a girl home."

"Oh," she replied, a bit too late, blushing to the edges of her hairline.

Rey had known about Ben's history. They had shared in it together. Still, hearing his father call it out had her revisiting how it felt to know they were each other's firsts. It filled her with a possessive sort of pride, knowing Ben could very well be her one and only and she could be the same to him. It was a nice thought.

"It's a good thing, kid," Han continued to grin over at her while he made breakfast. "Means you're special."

"There's nothing special about me," Rey blushed deeper. She had never been good with receiving praise, mostly because it was such a rare thing for her to hear.

"Tell her that's not true, son," Han ordered his son, as Ben appeared in the doorway. Rey glanced up from the coffee maker, taking in the sight of him. He looked different…upset even and she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, when Han continued. "You are amazing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"You're perfect," Ben told her. He crossed the room to her side, leaning down to place a chaste kiss to her forehead.

"I made coffee," she smiled up at him. "Would you like some?"

"Yes, please," he responded. His face was neutral, but she saw a slight shudder pass through him, as if he had just thought of something unpleasant.

"You two eat while it's hot," Han instructed, handing each of them a plate. "I can clean up once you've gone. I know you have places to go and things to do."

"Thanks, Han."

"Thanks, Dad," Ben told him, before leading her into the living room to eat.

Rey wanted to ask him about his sudden shift in behavior, but since they didn't have dinner, she decided the conversation could wait for the ride to Ahch-To. She inhaled her entire breakfast, before dropping off the plate with Han in the kitchen and returning to Ben's bedroom to change into her own clothes and pull her hair back for class.

Ben was quiet while he got ready. He barely said goodbye to his father before they went down to the parking garage. Rey tried to catch his eye as they piled into the Vanquish, but he always managed to be busy with something — starting up the car, buckling up or checking the rearview mirror.

On the drive back to Tatooine, the only sound was the radio. Ben was staring out at the road with a strong level of determination. Rey wasn't sure what had happened since the night before. He had seemed just as satisfied as she had been, unless she was mistaken. She didn't have any experience to compare to.

"Hey," she reached over, squeezing his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" he snapped out of his trance, startled by her sudden contact. Rey withdrew her hand, biting bottom lip. Something was definitely wrong.

"Did Han say something to you last night? Was he upset we didn't go to dinner?" she asked, trying to understand what was eating away at Ben.

"No, no, of course not," he shook his head, eyes focused on the road. "He was too drunk to be disappointed."

"He seemed fine this morning," Rey commented.

Ben merely hummed and nodded.

He didn't speak the rest of the way back. Each minute of silence caused Rey to feel more and more alone as she pondered over what had changed. Had she done something? Was he worried about her taking the job and being closer? Or was it something else?

Ben loved her. He had told her numerous times. More than his words, he had showed her. If he wasn't happy with her, they wouldn't have shared in the weekend he had planned specifically for her.

Calm down, Rey , she told herself. You're overthinking it.

Things would be fine once they got back to their routine.

Thankfully they pulled into the parking lot not long after. Ben told her he needed to go back to the city to take care of some paperwork at the First Order. He gave her a light kiss goodbye, barely touching his lips to hers, before he was taking off down the road.

It left Rey feeling empty and sad. She watched the Vanquish disappear from sight, before throwing all her attention into preparing the studio for her kickboxing class.

Her usual students arrived, all chatty and relaxed from their weekend. Rey let the rock music pulse through her and managed to get a few hits in on her own bag while she thought up new combinations for those in attendance. By the time the hour was up, she had worked up a sweat. Despite using exercise as an outlet, she still felt uneasy over how Ben had acted.

Shaking her head, as if it would rid her mind of the negative thoughts, she went up to her apartment. To get her mind off Ben's sullen mood, Rey FaceTimed Finn. He and Poe had arrived safely at their hotel in South Africa and he had immediately told her they had WiFi there.

It took several tries to connect, but soon her phone was ringing. The the familiar sound of connecting played and she saw her best friend's face from half a world away right in front of her.

"Hey Peanut!" he greeted her.

"Hey!" she beamed at him. "What time is it there?"

Finn glanced at something off to the side before focusing back on her. "It's dinner time here," he answered. "Poe is asleep. We're still a bit jet-lagged," he admitted.

"How is it?" Rey questioned, excited to know if it was everything Finn had wanted it to be.

"The facility is awesome," he replied, smiling. "And the staff is amazing. They've been welcoming to all of us who've come over to train. We don't officially start until tomorrow but already they've taught us some basic dishes to try out with the local produce we can score at the hotel. I've been experimenting in my room."

"Sounds great!"

"It is, Peanut," he continued to grin. "I'm so grateful to be here. It's going to help me go far with my career. On Friday we are going to one of the farms the organization supports to see how they use irrigation technology to make sure all the crops are watered properly even when droughts occur."

"Impressive," Rey commented.

"So what's new with you, Peanut? How was the rest of your birthday?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," she said, slyly.

Finn's face changed drastically. "Please tell me you didn't do something crazy like fly out to Canto Bight and get married."

Rey nearly dropped her phone. Wiping her head around, she double checked to make sure Ben hadn't snuck into her apartment. Part of her almost wished he had, if only so things would go back to normal. When she confirmed he hadn't, she breathed a sigh of relief and shook her head, trying in vain to ignore the blush which had blossomed across her entire face and neck.

"No, of course not," she shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Hey," Finn narrowed his eyes at her, "I'm not the one who left to go to the ladies and came back with a serious boyfriend in the middle of dinner. It's even more impressive considering you two weren't on speaking terms."

"It was one fight and we figured it out," Rey reminded him. "Besides, what I have to tell you is better than an impromptu wedding in Canto Bight."

"Oh?"

"I got a job!"

"Um… " Finn looked unsure what to say in response.

"At Cloud City," she added to clarify.

"Cloud City?" he cried, apparently loud enough to startle Poe awake.

Finn's boyfriend's groggy voice came through the phone from somewhere unseen. "Rey is gonna go work for Calrissian?"

"Yep!" she squealed.

"Congrats, Peanut!" Finn cheered. "I wish I was there so I could hug you. I'm so proud of you."

"Same," Poe said, though it sounded more like a groan muffled by the bed.

"How did you land your job of a lifetime?"

"When Ben and I were on our tour, I pointed out a few things and it impressed Lando enough to offer me a position there. I'm going to be joining his engineering team," she regaled her best friend with some of the more intricate details, as he listened with rapt attention.

"And now you're on a first name basis with the owner," Finn concluded with a smirk. "Guess that Canto Bight wedding isn't too far off the mark."

"Finn!" Rey cried.

"What?"

"It's way too soon to talk about something like that," she insisted.

"If you say so, Peanut," Finn chuckled, "but when dark, tall and handsome pops the question, I'm not gonna be surprised, alright?"

"Whatever," Rey rolled her eyes.

Finn stifled a yawn and she thought she heard Poe snoring away.

She laughed. "Go get some sleep, Big Deal. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright." Yawn. "Peanut." Another yawn. "Love you."

"Love you too! Be safe and have fun."

She disconnected the call, already feeling better than she had that morning.

Kylo sat in his Vanquish around the corner from the First Order gym scrolling through the chain of text messages he had sent to both his manager and assistant on his phone. Neither Hux nor Phasma had answered him. He had tried calling them last night, as well, but there was no response. Not by email, not by phone and not by text. He was beyond irritated and under all that irritation was the unvanquished fear of losing Rey to his own foolishness.

Why hadn't he gotten rid of the file weeks ago?

He knew she had picked up on his behavior this morning, but without any response from either Hux or Phasma, he wasn't able to calm himself. All he kept thinking was how he had brought this upon himself. Recognizing his mistake now was too late, of course. Kylo couldn't go back and make it right. He understood he never should have sought to remove Rey from her position at Ahch-To, but how would he explain that to her when she found out the truth?

Everything was perfect…or at least it had been until last night when he realized the file was gone. It had taken him hours to get to sleep afterwards. He had tossed and turned, thankful Rey was too exhausted to be bothered by his restlessness.

He struggled to fall asleep and when finally he did, he had the same dream over and over. In the dream, Kylo found himself in his office tearing through every drawer and cabinet in search of the file, but somehow knowing he wouldn't be able to find it. Then, just as he'd complete his search, Rey would walk in, the folder in her hand.

She wouldn't say anything to him. She simply tossed the folder onto the top of his desk in front of him and walked out. He tried to follow her — tried to stop her — but he could never move fast enough.

Each time, he woke in a cold sweat, just as she slammed the door shut on him — on them. The imagery wasn't lost on him. He needed to fix things before it was too late.

Even now, he was haunted by the idea of her learning what he had done. In his mind, he pictured how her heart would break at the invasion of her privacy, and a mistrust in the reason behind their relationship. She would finally see that he wasn't a good man, like she believed him to be. Kylo had spent the better part of the night trying to come up with a way to explain his actions, but nothing he thought of was enough to forgive his immoral decision to obtain information on Rey.

His girl had already been through more abuse and misplaced trust than any single person should have to endure. Kylo feared learning how he had attempted to remove her and then subsequently have her join him at the First Order would look to Rey. It would destroy her and any hope he had for a future with her along with it.

Which was why he needed to get the file back by any means necessary.

Taking a deep breath, he exited his car and stormed into the First Order gym. There was little chance Hux or Phasma were inside, but he didn't care. He didn't need them to be here. He needed Dr. Mitaka to be here. The nervous twittering doctor was simple to manipulate, especially because he was scared to death of Kylo. If Dr. Mitaka called the manager of the First Order in for a discussion about one of their contracted fighter's health, Hux wouldn't be able to deny the request.

The ginger bastard would never see it coming.

Kylo strolled past the front desk and into the main room. Several of the other fighters were inside, already working through their strength and conditioning morning workouts. A couple gave him a nod in recognition, but most kept to themselves.

There was no honor amongst thieves and no friends amongst ring contenders.

He walked toward the back where the offices were situated. Ducking into the medical section, Kylo came upon Dr. Mitaka's door. It was open, the small man bent over his desk, reading through a stack of clinical charts.

Kylo entered, shutting the door behind him with a slam. Mitaka jolted up in his seat, scattering papers everywhere.

"R-Ren," he stuttered, obviously caught off guard by Kylo's intrusion.

"Doctor," Kylo greeted him in return.

"W-what can I d-do for you?"

"I need a favor." Kylo instructed the other man to call in Hux under the guise of discussing an irregular test result from his latest physical exam.

"S-Sir, would it be easier to just-."

"Do it," Kylo snapped, his patience worn thin from his lack of sleep and how upset he had already made Rey this morning.

Twenty minutes later, a rather flustered Hux burst into the room. "Mitaka, what did you find on Ren's te-."

Hux froze when he spotted Kylo leaning against a filing cabinet in the corner. His eyes widened and then he sneered. "This is a new low, even for you, Ren," Hux grumbled.

He turned to leave, but Kylo was faster, punching his hand into the door to keep his manager from opening it. Dr. Mitaka shook like a leaf behind the safety of his desk.

"Where is the file?" Kylo demanded.

"I don't know what-."

"Don't lie to me!" Kylo roared, slamming the open palm of his other hand into the door right alongside Hux's head. "Where is it?"

Hux narrowed his eyes. "You left us no choice," he started. "If you retire, we all go belly up. You're be one who brings in the revenue."

"I don't give a fuck! Answer the question, Armitage!"

"It's too late," Hux answered, his voice quiet and resigned.

"Why?"

"Phasma already delivered it this morning," he confirmed.

Kylo felt his stomach lurch. "Delivered to whom?"

"Snoke," Hux clarified. "She gave it to Snoke."

Things didn't improve, as Rey had hoped.

By Thursday when she left after her morning class to meet Leia for dress shopping, Rey was beginning to feel borderline paranoid over Ben's distance. His behavior had been off since Monday morning. He barely spoke to her and was constantly on his phone. Whenever she asked him if something was bothering him, he blamed it on not sleeping well.

On Wednesday night, he announced he was going to try sleeping at his apartment, but promised he'd be there the following morning to take her to the city for lunch and dress shopping with Leia.

Now, Rey found herself staring at him, as they drove towards Corellia. Ben did have dark circles under his eyes and his normally pale complexion was nearing a sickly white color.

"Ben," she commanded with a firm voice, "Pull over."

That got him.

His head snapped so quickly, she was astonished he didn't give himself whiplash. "What?"

"Pull over. Now."

Ben navigated to the side of the road, slamming on the brakes. As he put the car in park, he turned towards her, his face full of fear. "What's wrong? Are you sick? Did you pull something in class? Do you need me to take you back?"

There he was — her handsome, protective man. Rey placed the palm of her hand to his cheek, gazing up into his chocolate brown orbs.

"Ben, what aren't you telling me?" she asked softly. "You're really starting to scare me."

He released a breath he must have been holding, leaning into her touch. "It's nothing, sweetheart."

"If it's bothering you, it's not nothing," she insisted. "Why won't you tell me? Is it about Lando's offer? I don't have to take it if you don't wa-."

"No," Ben clapped one of his hands over hers, keeping her against his cheek. "I want you to take it. I want you to move in with me," he blurted out.

Rey gasped. "Y-you want me to move in?" Was that what he had been stewing over all week? He was nervous about asking her to come live with him.

Ben undid his seat belt so he could readjust, taking both her hands in his over the gearshift. "I don't want to lose you once my community service is over. I want to see you every day — every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to sleep. I want to be with you, Rey Niima."

Rey felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. All week she had been on pins and needles, so terrified he was going to abandon her. And here he was, telling her he cared enough to invite her to live with him for the foreseeable future.

"Please?" he added, his voice wavered with his uncertainty as he waited for her answer.

"Yes!" She unbuckled her own belt, diving across the car into his arms. "Yes, of course!"

Ben hugged her back, his braid arms trapping her against his chest as she cried into his shoulder. He held her quietly, one hand smoothing her hair down her back, while the other rubbed soothing circles into her tense shoulder muscles. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too," she squealed it, her words muffled by the fabric of his t-shirt.

She felt foolish for doubting him. Ben wasn't like the others. He was a good man — a good man who loved her.

After several moments, Rey calmed down. They got situated and back on the road. Ben held her hand over the center console the rest of the drive. They didn't speak, but they didn't have to. Rey was filled with so much joy, she didn't notice how his eyes flickered to his phone every few minutes or how he clenched his jaw with worry the closer they got to the city.

Around noon, he dropped her off outside of Massassi, a high-end designer flagship store.

"Mom will likely be inside talking up the staff," Ben informed Rey. "Have fun." He gave her hand a squeeze.

"You're not staying?" she cried, the content smile falling off her face.

"Nah, I've been banned by the Senator from entering. She wants it to be a surprise. Besides, I have to stop by the First Order and shake a few hands," he explained. "You enjoy your girls' day."

"What if she doesn't like me?" Rey asked, suddenly nervous at the prospect of facing her former employer, who also happened to be his mother and the state Senator.

Ben chuckled. "Sweetheart, everyone loves you. Don't worry," he leaned over, kissing her temple. "She's gonna love you too."

Rey hesitated, not moving from her seat. Ben reached over, unbuckling her and giving her a playful shove. "Go, before someone calls the cops on me for being illegally parked here."

Begrudgingly, Rey rose from her seat while opening the door. As she exited the car, Ben tapped her ass.

"Ben Solo!"

"You should be more aware of your surroundings," he called to her, as she stared at him indignantly.

She narrowed her eyes, but he only chuckled and pulled away so abruptly the door slammed shut due to the force of the Vanquish accelerating. As mad as she wanted to be at him, it was the most like his old self he had been all week. It comforted her to know he had only been hiding a simple question from her. She had started to fear it was something far worse.

However, a new fear took hold of her. The fear of what awaited her inside.

Resigning herself to her fate, Rey trudged into the designer store. It was unlike any shop she had visited before. The most noticeable difference was the lack of clothes. There appeared to only be a few racks with only one of each style of garment hanging. Shoes and handbags were displayed on shelves across the wall and jewelers was set out in a glass case by a pair of slim men dressed from head to toe in black suits.

"Rey!" She spun around to see the Senator approaching her. Regal as ever, Leia Organa-Solo looked as if she had just stepped out of the Capitol building. She was dressed in a smart, flattering pants suit and her hair was pulled back into a large bun on the top of her head. "It's so nice to see you again."

"And you," Rey replied, her nerves buzzing. How had this tiny woman given birth to the giant man who was her boyfriend? "Thank you for taking the time to help me find a dress."

"Oh, nonsense!" Leia waved her hand. "It's my pleasure. Let's see what we can find, shall we?" She linked her arm with Rey's and led her over to the two men Rey had noticed earlier.

"Rey, this is Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger," she introduced the men. "They are old friends and will be helping us with your fitting today."

"Hello," Rey smiled politely at both men. They each gave her a curt nod in return.

"Are you envisioning anything specific, Senator?" Ezra queried.

"Black would be nice," Leia remarked, as she scanned the racks. "It's predictable but it would show unity since she'll be attending with my son and I know for a fact he will show up in a tux."

"Naturally," Ezra nodded.

The three continued to discuss cut, fabric choice and length while Rey gazed down at the accessories held within the glass case. She had never been interested in jewelry. When you couldn't eat, spending money on heavy metal accents didn't seem all that important.

But… when in Rome.

There were a few different colors, which surprised her. She had thought silver and gold were the only options, but as her eyes roamed the selection in the case she realized what rose gold was and recognized titanium.

"Oh, yes!" Leia breathed, leaning over the case next to Rey. "You have wonderful taste, my dear," she praised, much to Rey's confusion. Then the Senator was waving over the two men and pointing at one of the necklaces. "That one."

"Excellent choice, as always," Ezra complimented Leia.

Rey watched in awe, as he unlocked the back of the case and pulled out a gold half-choker with pearls on the ends. He held it out to her, "Would the young lady like to try it on?"

"Oh, I don't think-."

"Absolutely," Leia answered for her, cutting her off. "Here, dear, let me." She took the necklace from Rey's hands, slipping around her slender neck. "There," she beamed proudly. "Take a look."

Rey turned to the mirror Kanan was holding up. The necklace did look nice, peeking out from under her hair. The pearls caught the light, shining to the point they almost looked liked diamonds. Unconsciously, she reached up, her fingertips tracing the solid gold piece.

"It suits you," Leia told her, still smiling. Then to Ezra and Kanan she said, "We'll take it.

Rey blinked. Had Leia just suggested they purchase the necklace? It was beautiful but Rey didn't need to see the price tag to know she couldn't afford it.

"Leia, I can't pay for this. I-."

"You're not," Ben's mother tutted, "I am."

"No," Rey shook her head. Charity was worse. Rey still had trouble letting Ben spoil her. She wasn't about to let his mother start too. She'd never be able to repay the woman for this level of kindness. "I couldn't possibly-."

"You'll take it and you'll wear it Saturday night," Leia said. It wasn't a question. It was a demand. Rey swallowed, stunned by how fast the petite woman could turn into the imposing Senator she had voted for.

Must be where Ben gets it from , she thought, considering how his mood swings could be just as quick.

"Now on to the dress," Leia announced, apparently done with discussing the necklace. She began walking over to the racks, Ezra and Kanan dutifully trailing behind her. "I'm thinking something off the shoulder. It will compliment her choice in accessories. Besides,. Rey has such gorgeous skin. It would be an asset to show some of it off."

Rey blushed, a bit uncomfortable with the compliment. It was one thing to have her boyfriend praise her physical attributes. It was quite another to have his mother discuss them with complete strangers.

Rey decided to let them decide on the gown, since she had a feeling her opinion wouldn't matter where Leia was concerned. She moved toward the shoes and perused the options. They all had pointy toes and skyscraper tall heels. She prayed Leia wouldn't select a pair of these for her to wear. Ben would need to carry her all night.

The handbags were less daunting. Rey skimmed her fingers over the various types of leather. There was cow, snake and even alligator. She hadn't know there were so many options, not that it mattered. Her hemp crossbody bag took care of all her needs.

"Rey!"

She pivoted around to see Leia waving her over. Rey resisted the urge to cross her fingers, as she strolled towards the Senator, Ezra and Kanan.

Kanan was holding a hanger up with a solid black gown. It was held up by a pair of translucent plastic straps since the dress had been designed with off-the-shoulder cuffs. As she got closer, she saw the fabric had a shimmer to it, almost like velvet.

"What do you think?" Leia questioned, inspecting the dress the way some would survey a rare artifact or painting hung in a museum. "How does it make you feel?"

What? How does it make me feel? Rey didn't even know where to begin. It was a dress. You put it on. You wore it out and then you hung it in your closet for a few years until you had occasion to wear it again, which she probably never would so what was the point?

"It's… nice."

"It's one of a kind," Leia commented, still staring at the garment. "I think the cutouts are a nice touch."

Cut-outs?

Rey scanned the dress from top to bottom, noticing the changes in the fabric where parts were, in fact, cut out. There was also a rather length slit up the side, which would show off her legs. For being a high-end designer gown, it certainly showed off a lot of skin. Was that appropriate for a black tie event?

"I've never worn anything like that before," Rey confessed, feeling out of her element. She wanted Leia to be happy but at the same time she was concerned about bearing so much in a public forum. Even if Ben was with her the entire night, it was more skin than she was accustomed to showing off outside the comfort of her home.

"There's a first time for everything," Leia winked. "Why don't you try it on?"

Kanan gestured to Rey to follow him. He led her behind the glass counter into an elegant dressing room. There was a circular couch in the center and four smaller rooms placed around the main room. Each had a full length mirror and could be separated off from the main room by a thick opaque curtain.

Kanan hung the dress on a hook in one of the rooms, drawing the large red curtain shut. "Call if you need assistance, Ms. Rey," he offered, before ducking out to give her privacy.

Rey stood in the main dressing room for a moment, debating whether or not to try the gown on. She figured if she didn't, Leia would know. The Senator seemed rather observant, so Rey slipped into the smaller room and began to undress.

The obsidian gown Leia had chosen for her was cut in such a way a bra couldn't be worn with it. The back had a cut out too. As it was, the bust of the dress had cups sewn into it. With a bit of effort, Rey managed to zip herself into the form fitting dress.

She studied herself in the full length mirror. While different than the black cocktail dress she had worn when she had gone out for Finn's promotion, the overall effect was the same. The dress enhanced her subtle curves and made her appear more mature. The cut was more sophisticated, adding a sense of allure and grace to her form. Despite herself, Rey found herself loving it.

"Rey?"

"Coming," she called through the curtain to Leia.

Hesitantly, she stepped into the main dressing room, hoping Leia appreciated the dress as much as she did.

"Oh!" The senator clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide as she took in the younger woman. Kanan and Ezra came running in. They stopped just behind the Senator, appraising her.

"Lovely," Ezra remarked.

"Stunning," Kanan agreed.

"It's absolutely perfect," Leia's praise came out as a pleased sigh. "Give us a spin," she twirled her finger to indicate Rey should turn around so they could see the gown from all angles. She did.

"It fits her like a glove," Ezra commented.

"We won't have to do any alterations with the right shoes," Kanan pointed out.

"Right," Leia exclaimed. "We still need shoes!"

Rey immediately cringed, fearing they'd select a pair from out front.

"Wait!" Ezra cried. "I have just the ones." He rushed off, leaving Kanan and Leia to fawn over Rey, as she continued to slowly turn before them.

Ezra was only gone a moment before hurrying back in with a print out of shoes in his hand. "A friend of mine works for Louboutin," he told the Senator. "These would be perfect, no?"

Leia grasped the sheet of paper. She scanned the image for a second, before muttering a curse under her breath and pulling out a pair of glasses. Once the spectacles were in her face, she looked at the image again.

"Yes!" she beamed. "We need to order these." She moved over at Rey, showing her the picture.

The shoes were a sharp contrast to the dark material of her dress. They were made of translucent white material with a scattered collection of large glitter sequences across the bottom. Though the toes were slightly pointy, the height of the heels was only a couple of inches. They appeared much more manageable.

"What size are you, dear?" Leia asked.

"A seven," Rey replied, resisting her instinct to refuse the shoes. She knew full well if she fought Leia on spending more money the Senator would just shut her down. Besides, she'd rather not get into a fight with the mother of her boyfriend, especially given the fact they had very recently decided to move in together.

"Ezra, could you please place a call to the store and have all the items delivered to my son's apartment by Saturday at noon, please?"

"As you wish, Senator Organa," Ezra nodded. Both he and Kanan raced off to fulfill Leia's request.

"I'll send over my stylist," Leia told Rey. "I have to be there a few hours beforehand, so she can come to Ben's apartment to get you ready right after."

"Leia, I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of this," Rey asserted, overwhelmed by the woman's generosity. "I've never had the luxury of… well luxury."

Leia smiled gently. She took Rey's hands in her own. It paralleled the gesture Ben had taken on the drive over, but where his grip had felt reassuring and full of devotion, his mother's grip felt nurturing and compassionate.

"I wasn't brought up under easy circumstances either," the older woman confessed. "I can't say I'd change it though, not knowing what I know now. It made me the woman I am today."

"So no regrets?" Rey asked, recalling the pitfalls in Leia's past from her research.

How could she have forgotten? While Leia had been born into privilege, her life hadn't been simple. Controversy had clouded what should have been a beautiful life, but the Senator had never allowed anything to keep her from her objectives. Perhaps they had more in common than Rey had originally thought.

"None," Leia's smile broadened. "Mistakes are learning opportunities. You're still young. To you, a mistake just feel like an irreversible setback but once you get to be my age, you'll have a different perspective."

"I hope I handle it as well as you have," Rey let out a nervous laugh.

"You're already handling things well," Leia insisted, with a knowing grin.

"What do you mean?" Rey questioned.

"If you're serious about my son, you must be able to handle a great deal," Leia remarked. "Ben was never easy to get along with, even as a child."

Rey started to object when she recalled how harsh he had been during their first meeting at Kanata Kaffeine."He's a bit rough around the edges, but he's a good man," she told the Senator. "I've never been with anyone who treats me as well as he does."

A delighted grin spread across Leia's features. "I'm glad to hear it. I was beginning to believe I had lost my boy to that God-awful First Order."

"It's not that bad, is it?" Rey laughed again. True, at first glance the fighting organization was rather intimidating but Ben wouldn't fight for a team who was truly corrupt, would he?

"It's not far from it," Leia huffed. "Anthony Snoke is a snake ."

Rey stopped laughing. She could tell from the hard set of Leia's jaw the Senator was no longer in good humor. The older woman was genuinely concerned about her sons attachment to the company Snoke ran. Leia dropped Rey's hands, her body stiffening defensively.

"He never talks about Snoke much," Rey admitted, "but I only just met his manager and his assistant on Saturday night."

"Hux and Phasma?" Leia asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah, do you know them?"

"Only by their voices," Leia grumbled. "She normally takes messages for Ben and Hux… well he's just an opportunist searching for ways to make money off my son's talent."

Rey bit the inside of her cheek. She hadn't thought either of Ben's 'friends' were particularly warm, but she hadn't held it against them. After all they were practically strangers to her. It wasn't fair to judge them based on one brief night out.

"I haven't met any of his other friends," she said.

"I don't think he has any," Leia shrugged. "He was always a solitary character, plus his temper kept him from forming any lasting attachments." Her eyes filled with hope. "I trust he's gotten better with that?"

"Yes, his therapist has done wonders," Rey responded quickly, before realizing what she had said. "Oh, I mean…I don't think I was supposed to tell you that."

"Don't worry about it, dear," Leia gave her shoulder a squeeze. "It will be our little secret. Something between just us girls.."

"Thank you," Rey replied, unclear what else there was to say. "And thank you again for all of this," she waved her hands around. "I owe you one."

Leia's eyes sparkled with mischief and suddenly Rey was nervous again. Ben had worn that same look before. "Actually, Rey, there is something you could do for me."

A/N: I haven't been updating my account very much anymore. I realized today I needed to keep posting. Thanks for your patience.