"Rey!" Finn screams. He flies towards his friend. Rey gasps. She writhes on the floor, and the terror etched into her features—"You bitch!"

"Scum," Phasma taunts.

"Scum with friends," Finn grinds out, grabbing Rey.

Arms wrap around Phasma from behind. She shrieks, flailing. "Let me go!"

"Not a chance in hell!" snarls another voice. A familiar voice. Finn helps Rey sit up. Tears stream down Rey's face. She clings to Finn's shoulder, to his arm, as if he might be able to keep her child alive.

She loves that baby, and it's barely a lump inside her. Finn's eyes sting. You're a good mother already, Rey.

"You're under arrest," intones the security guard, staggering to his feet. "Good to see you, Luke."

Finn looks up then, at the person holding Phasma. Luke Skywalker. The security guard latches handcuffs around Phasma's wrists. She sobs, the girl who pretended to be fearless, and for the first time Finn feels like he's seeing her true face.

"Thanks, Lando," Luke returns. He looks down at Rey and Finn.

"What are you doing here?" Finn demands. He helps Rey sit up.

"Leia called me," Luke said. "I had to make sure you two were all right."

"Funny time to start caring," Rey ekes out.

Luke closes his eyes. "I know."

Phasma screams again, kicking out. Lando clutches her. "Stop fighting, or I'll charge you with assault too!"

"Let me go!" Phasma wails. "I—"

"Why did you do this?" demands Luke. "Why, Phasma?"

"If you talk, it'll help your case in court," Lando grunts. "Do we have to worry about anyone else coming?"

"Hux," Phasma chokes out. "Hux! He told—he—he hired people, lots of people, two people, but he—they refused after they ruined it tonight, and he—I thought it would make him proud—I thought it would make him notice me—"

You thought it would make him love you. Why? Finn doesn't understand. Why would being loved by Hux be anything anyone would remotely desire? The dude only ever thinks of himself.

"How in the hell is a teenager hiring assassins?" demands Finn. "That's—"

"Weapons," Luke says, face solemn. "My guess is Brendol has contacts."

"Why though?" Rey wheezes. "Why, Phasma?"

"Because his dad hit her, and if she wakes up she could end him—he thought—he wanted to—" Phasma's shoulders slump. She glares at Finn, tears running down her face, furious that he could see her crying, maybe.

Finn gazes back at her. It was all a façade, right? That toughness. He='s seen it before. Many times. So many of the kids he grew up with adopted it, lashed out, pretended they were brave because if they wore enough armor maybe life's barbs wouldn't hurt so badly. He just couldn't.

I'm sorry, he thinks. Your life is no picnic.

"That isn't what I meant!" Rey cries. "Why?" She clutches her stomach.

You knew. Finn remembers. He glowers at her anew. You knew she was pregnant, and you still kicked her in the stomach.

Because you wanted to ruin any kind of happy ending for her. You're angry. You're jealous, aren't you? Of Rey and Ben.

Nurses rush over. "Are you all right? Do you need medical attention?"

"She just got kicked in the stomach," Finn says. "And she's pregnant."

"What?" Luke gapes.

The nurse's eyebrows fly up. "Let me help you up. We'll take you to the ER. How far along are you?'

"I don't know," Rey whispers.

"I'm sorry, what?' Luke asks again.

"You don't get to gripe about it," says Rey. She looks up at him, her eyes streaming. "You don't get to talk about it. Not after what you did."

They were lonely, so they turned to each other. Finn helps Rey into a wheelchair. The nurse smiles at him. "Are you the boyfriend?"

Finn shakes his head. "No. I'm the friend. Brother, really. Rose Tico's my girlfriend."

"I'm Jyn," says the nurse. "We'll take good care of you, okay?"

Rey nods, still shaking. Lando escorts Phasma away. Luke rubs his forehead, leaning against the nurse's station. He takes deep breaths.

Finn turns towards the hospital room. We did it. "Someone needs to call Rose and her parents."

"We will," says Jyn, wheeling Rey away. "Are you in any pain? Any cramping?"

Rey shakes her head.

Finn looks at Luke. "You failed them."

"I know," Luke whispers.

And yet Rey and Ben still made their own choices. Finn looks back at Paige again.

His heart skips a beat. Huh? Finn inches closer.

"Finn?" Luke calls, but Finn ignores him. The stinging scent of antiseptic, the bleeping machines, the whirs of the respirator—they all die away. On that small bed, Paige lies, her eyes closed.

And then they flutter. Finn freezes. He knows this is normal for people in comas—but—

Paige's eyes open. They're deep brown, just like Rose's, the eyes Finn knows so well. He frowns. "Paige Tico?"

Her eyes slide across the room, focusing on him. Luke sucks in his breath. Finn holds up his finger, moving it around.

Her eyes follow. And then they close again.

"Holy shit," Finn breathes.

"Nurse!" Luke bellows. "Now!"

"Are you sure?"

Ben sits with his parents, Rose, Poe, and Connix in the waiting room at the police station. The officer who booked them, Cassian Andor, hangs up his phone. "That was my wife."

"Your wife?" asks Ben, confused.

"She works at the hospital," Cassian answers. "Paige is okay. Someone tried to attack her, but she was arrested. And she's already ratted on the person behind it all."

"Armitage Hux," Ben supplies.

Cassian nods. "And he just so happened to be right here to file a complaint against you four. Which still stands for now, by the way, though I'm sure a judge will toss it. Finn and Rey are okay, but they're taking Rey to get medical attention just to make sure she's all right."

Fear slices through Ben. The baby. He sits up straighter. "I can't—can we go?"

"Soon enough," Cassian answers. "Promise, kid."

The door opens, and Arimtage Hux is escorted in, hands behind his back. "This isn't fair!" he rants. "This isn't—" He stops when he sees Ben. His face contorts in rage, swelling red. "You—"

"You tried to have my sister killed!" Rose screams, jumping up. Leia jumps up too, grabbing Rose and restraining her. "Why? Why? Tell me why, Armitage! Why? You've known Paige since we were in grade school!" Her chest heaves. "Why?"

"His father is the one who hit Paige, from the looks of it," says another cop, a man with long dark hair. "According to Phasma."

Ben glances back at Hux.

"Shut up!" Hux screams. "Tell her to shut up! All of you, shut up!"

"You're not making any sense," Ben taunts. Dad's hand grips his shoulder.

"Oh really?" Hux glares at him. "Sitting there with your parents like everything's just peachy-keen, aren't you? You're not the only one in this world who has to earn their parents' affection! Why—why do you get to succeed? Why don't I?" He gulps in air, voice shattering. "Why not me? Why not me?" His pitch rises. "I can't—no!"

Snoke isn't coming, Ben thinks. And neither is your dad, probably not even once he's released on the attempted murder for hire charges.

You're all alone.

Weren't you always all alone?

"I don't want to go to jail!" Hux screams. "Dad—Dad—please—I just wanted to make—you proud—" His legs flail, kicking out. He wilts, screaming and screaming. "Where is he? I want to see him! I want my dad!"

"You'll be allowed to see him soon enough," the long-haired cop says.

"Will he?" Mom asks, brow creased in concern. Rose's jaw hangs open. Tears are in Poe's eyes.

"You need to come with me, now," says Cassian.

"I don't want to!" Hux spits at him. Cassian scowls, wiping the glop off his forehead.

"Come on." Cassian grabs his arm, tugging him down the hallway. Hux screams again.

"We'll need a psychological evaluation," says the long-haired cop.

Ben realizes his father's gaping at him. He squirms. As much as he hates Hux, that show—that was pitiful. Nausea grips his stomach.

"Bodhi," Mom says. "Do you still have that lawyer friend?"

"Chirrut? Yeah." Bodhi sighs. "Assuming his dad doesn't hook him up with a good one, I'll give him a call. I'm sure he'd take the case pro bono."

Mom nods. "Good."

"I'll just get the paperwork processed," Bodhi says. "And then you can be on your way. I'm sure you're gonna want to be near Rey and Finn too."

"Go," Ben tells his mom.

She looks at him, mouth open.

"Dad can stay with me," Ben says. "Rey needs—someone." And I need to know if the baby is okay.

My baby.

It sounds fake. But it's real.

Mom wraps her arms around him. She inhales, smoothing his hair. And when she leaves, she has tears in her eyes.

"Damn," Poe says after the door closes. "I thought—Hux, man. Damn."

"It's awful," says Connix. "Never thought I'd feel sorry for him."

He's lonely. That screaming, that thrashing—notice me, Dad, notice me. Ben doubles over. If it weren't for Rey, if his life circumstances had been slightly different…

"And now his life's ruined," Poe whispers.

"No," says Rose. "I don't think that. I think—I think he altered it, and it'll be harder, but it's not ruined, not if he doesn't want it to be." Tears dribble down her cheeks. "I don't know if I ever can forgive him."

Ben swallows. He looks at his father. You have a criminal record. He's overheard him talking about it with Mom and Luke before, and Chewie.

He thinks of his own life. This is not the trajectory anyone would have wanted, having a baby in high school. It's not a good choice.

But Rey doesn't want an abortion, and neither does he. They'll take the missteps, the mistakes, and try to make what they can of it. But he knows that he and Rey can't do it alone.

Help me, he thinks when he meets his father's gaze. Please, help me.

"I relate," Poe says roughly.

"Hm?" Rose turns to him.

"To Hux, man," says Poe. He blows out his breath. "My dad—he doesn't notice me anymore. He just thinks about Mom, but she's dead and rotting and I'm here and alive and he still can't see me. I don't know if it's because I remind him of her or what, but I—but she—" He gulps. And then he doubles over, wrapping his arms around himself. A stifled sob breaks into the air.

Connix puts her hand on his shoulder.

"There's so much I want to tell him," Poe manages. "But I—he won't care."

Dad sucks in his breath. "Ah, shit."

Ben turns.

Mr. Dameron stands in the doorway, his face gray.

Don't you run away, Ben thinks. Don't you dare run away, you failure. Judging from the snap in Rose's eyes, she'll verbally lash him just like Ben will if he leaves.

"Poe," whispers Mr. Dameron.

Poe hiccups. He looks up, eyes brown and wide and terrified. "I—" He shakes his head.

"Never thought you'd end up here," Mr. Dameron says. "Guess that shows how out of touch I really am."

Ben glowers.

"I'm sorry," chokes out Mr. Dameron. "Poe, goddammit. I'm sorry. You—I—" He drops down into the chair next to Poe, the one Connix vacates. His arms wrap around his son, and they both sob.

I relate, Ben thinks, doubling over. Me, too. Me, too.

I just wanted to make you proud, but I gave up on that so early.

A hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing. Dad looks as if he's trying not to cry. Ben blinks.

The door flies open again. The Ticos rush in, both throwing their arms around Rose. No scolding. Just love. Ben smiles.

"Rose," says her mother. "The doctors called us. Paige is waking up."

"How do you know you're pregnant?" asks the nurse. Jyn is staying with her for right now.

"I had unprotected sex and took a test and it was positive. But I skip periods all the time," Rey says. The washed-out aqua curtains of the emergency department block the outside world from her. Her heart thumps. She wonders how Ben is.

She just wants her baby to be okay. Tears sting her eyes. I want it. Even if it isn't logical, even if it isn't smart, I want it.

"We'll do a test," the nurse decides. "In the meantime, if you have any spotting or cramps—"

"Wouldn't it be best to simply give her an ultrasound?" Jyn interrupts.

"I'll speak to the attending physician," says the nurse, ducking out from behind the curtain. Rey curls up on the cot. She hates this uncertainty. If her naiveté costs her her child's life—

"It's going to be okay," Jyn encourages her.

"I don't know about that," Rey says, wrapping her arms around a pillow and holding it to her midsection. "I'm a foster kid, you know. Here on exchange. When it ends…"

"I was a runaway when I was your age," Jyn tells her. "I found a home eventually. With my husband, Cassian, and his friends. You can find a home."

Without my parents?

My parents.

Where are you?

She thinks of Ben. "He understands me," she says. "The guy. My boyfriend. We're the same in so many ways."

"I understand, too," Jyn says.

"Thank you," Rey says quietly. "For not lecturing me about being an irresponsible teenager."

"In my experience," says Jyn, leaning forward on her elbows. "Lecturing a headstrong teenager isn't going to get through to them."

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Rey asks. "I want to—keep it." Her voice trembled. "I want to have it."

"I don't think you're crazy for doing what you want to do," Jyn says. "This is a highly personal decision, and only you can make it."

The curtain parts. Rey looks up to see Leia.

Fuck. She gulps. Her cheeks burn.

"Rey." Leia rushes over to her, grasping her in an embrace. "You're okay. We were so worried when we heard—"

"Ben," Rey interrupts. "He was at the—"

"He was at the police station," Leia interrupts. "With Han, Rose, Poe, and Connix." She bites her lip. "Where's Finn?"

"With your brother," Rey returns. "He wasn't hurt."

Leia lets out a sigh. "Rey…" She glances at Jyn, who nods at her and rises. "Ben told us."

Rey grips the pillow. "I—I'm—sorry." Her voice broke. Please don't think I'm some slut who seduced your son. Please—

"It's okay," Leia says softly. Rey cracks her eyes open. Jyn leaves as Leia eases herself onto Rey's cot. "You aren't in trouble, Rey. Not for that."

Rey squints at her. "You aren't mad?"

Leia shakes her head. "Disappointed," she admits, brushing a strand of Rey's hair off her cheek. "Not angry. You both have—so much potential."

I was so lonely. And what does she want with her potential?

She thinks of her parents. She thought that if she was the best she could be, earned straight As, earned a scholarship, got her name out there, they'd come back. They'd find her worthy. And yet, Leia's here. Leia isn't condemning her.

"I love your son," Rey chokes out.

"I'm glad to hear it." Leia clears her throat. "Rey, we're not going to kick you out."

"You're not?"

"No." Leia smiles. "I remember being pregnant, and scared. Ben wasn't planned, though he was wanted. Of course we were out of college, but we'd just gotten married."

Rey nods.

"It's going to be hard, Rey," Leia says. "If you want to keep it. Motherhood is the hardest thing I've done in my life—and I know I haven't done the most wonderful job with it." Her voice broke. "But I—it's not weak to ask for help, or to—"

Rey hugs her. Leia sucks in her breath.

You are my family, Rey thinks.

The doctor pushes open the curtains. "Rey, we're taking you for an ultrasound."

Leia accompanies her to the small cozy room, walls painted a dark yellow. Rey lies down on the table, pulling her shirt up to expose her stomach.

A knock sounds. The doctor wheels his chair back.

"Excuse me, sir," says Jyn's voice. "But her brother and her boyfriend—the baby's father—are here."

Rey blinks. "It's okay if they come in."

The doctor nods. Han, Finn, and—Ben enter. He rushes for her the moment he sees her, grasping her hand.

"Phasma kicked me in abdomen," Rey whispers. Her voice breaks. I'm scared. If they tell her that the baby's dead, she'll—she doesn't know what she'd do. She'd have her future back, she supposes. But she wants this baby in her future, even if it means a derailed life trajectory.

Ben smoothes her hair away from her forehead. "It's not your fault." His voice trembles. "I'm sorry, Rey."

Rey blinks. "It's not your fault either."

The doctor spreads some gel over her stomach. It's cold. Rey shivers. Ben grips her hand. The doctor presses a wand into her belly, moving it around. He frowns. Rey's heart skips a beat.

"Yep," says the doctor. "You're pregnant, about five or six weeks along. And the baby's still moving."

"Moving?" Rey asks.

The doctor spins the monitor around, and she sees a small white creature on the black screen, wriggling. Ben's mouth falls open.

That's my child. Rey feels tears clawing their way out from her eyes and dribbling down her face.

And around her, she sees Han, Leia, and Finn, their gazes all glued on the screen as well, and she knows that she has her family.