***Author's Note***

Well, my friends, here it is, at long last; the final chapter. I hope that you enjoyed my little story. I will have many more stories to come!

***End Note***

The next few days, Ben spoke very little. Rey did not comment on it, however; she let him keep keep his own council. She figured he would talk to her when he was ready to. His pain and loss was palpable to her, and she seemed to be the only thing that provided any kind of comfort for him; except, perhaps, for Tuk-Tuk. In the days since the death of Padme, the Resistance had begun to retrieve their dead; the initial numbers had been staggering, and they grew daily. Ben and Rey had helped for the first two days, but Rey had grown concerned with his increasing depression and insisted that they return to Tagoria. Ben had complied with a grunt and a shrug.

Rey sighed; they had been back for three days now, and Ben had not so much as kissedher since Padme's death. He would hardly even lookat her. She knew it had nothing to do with her, but still...it hurt. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. The most intimate they got these days was when she felt Ben's mind press against hers, and their consciousnesses would merge; it was the only comfort he would take from her. He didn't even hold her at night anymore. Rey glanced at their balcony; Ben had been sitting there for hours already, staring into nothing with Tuk-Tuk draped around his shoulders. She wondered sometimes if Ben even slept at all. Every morning when she woke, he was already up and dressed, sitting in some corner or another, staring into nothing, saying nothing, rarely moving.

Rey couldn't take it anymore. She left their room, feeling the need to be anywhere but there. She needed to dosomething anything. Rey didn't even notice that she had started to weep until she turned a corner and bumped straight into Poe and Finn, her eyes so blurry with tears that she could barely see.

Finn sensed her state of distress immediately, "Poe, there's something really wrong with Ben, I think. I think it's starting to bleed over into Rey, through their Force-Bond."

Poe's eyebrows shot up in alarm, "Okay. So, what do we do?"

Finn thought a moment, "We have to take her to Luke. He always knows what to do." Finn and Poe each wrapped an arm around Rey's waist, half-dragging her to Luke's quarters.

To their surprise, they found him waiting for them, his door wide open. "You were right to bring her to me; direct her to the bench. Ben should know better than to...This is incredibly dangerous for her. But then, he doesn't know...poor girl, and in her condition, too. Rey? Rey, can you hear me?"

Rey blinked and tried to clear her vision. "Master?" Luke put an arm around Rey's shoulders, and she stiffened. She seemed suddenly to crumple as her entire body shook with sobs. "Oh, Master...I think...I think I'm losing him! He just sitsthere, all day, all night! He hardly even looksat me! He hasn't so much as held me since she died. Every day, I feel him slip further away, and I can't do anything! He doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat, he doesn't speak! He might as well have died with her! Master, what do I do?" Rey gasped with pain, unable to continue.

Luke drew her in against his chest, where she clung as though he were a lifeline. "Hush, now. Hush. Look at me, Rey," he felt her raise her head and took her face in his hands, wiping her tears away, "Rey. You need to tell him, and don't ask me what I mean. You know full well what I mean. He has the right to know, and you can't keep hiding the truth from him. You must tell him. He needs something to bring him back, and this may be the only thing that can do it."

Rey's sobs slowed as she stared at her former Master in shock. "But, how did you...when did you...How did you know?" Luke shrugged and smiled. "I think you see more blind than you ever did when you had eyes," she mumbled in awe.

Luke chuckled, "At least you're making jokes; that's an improvement. Obi-Wan often told me that the eyes can distract and deceive you; I suppose he was right."

Rey sighed, "I suppose waiting any longer would be foolish. I'll go talk to him."

"That's my girl," Luke said, smiling proudly. "You two should make sure she gets there safely." Finn and Poe glanced at each other, feeling very confused. They did as Luke asked, however, each wrapping a brotherly arm around Rey's waist for emotional support. At last, they reached the room Ben and Rey shared. "We're right next door if you need us, okay?" Finn's innocent face was a study of concern.

Rey nodded mutely and took a deep breath before she opened the door and walked in. Her eyes were drawn immediately to her left; Ben had moved to the armchair in the corner of the room; Tuk-Tuk was curled on their bed, staring dejectedly at the wall. "Ben? We need to talk." Ben made no response, or even acted as though he had noticed her presence. "Okay; I'll do the talking, then. You just listen. "She began to pace. "You were right, back on Kashyyk. I havebeen hiding something. I'm...pregnant, Ben." Rey stopped pacing to look at him; nothing. She grew angry, and her voice rose until she found that she was shouting, "Did you hear me?! I'm pregnant! We're having a baby. You're going to be a father; I need you, I can't do this alone. I'm so frightened, Ben. SAY SOMETHING, DAMN YOU!" Rey sank to her knees, sobbing.

She heard him suck in a breath and shift in the armchair, but she couldn't must the strength to look up. She heard him slowly walk to her; she sensed him standing in front of her, but she couldn't move. At last, she heard and felt him kneel beside her; his arms came up slowly, hesitantly, and wrapped around her. Rey gasped and flung herself sideways into his arms. He stroked her hair until she had stopped crying, then rose to find her a handkerchief. He gently cupped her chin and wiped her face free of tears before offering it to her so she could blow her nose. He sat back on his heels, watching her uncertainly.

"Pregnant?" He whispered, reverently. "I'm going to be a father?" Rey smiled weakly and nodded. "How long have you known?"

Rey looked down at her lap, "A couple of weeks. I knew you wouldn't let me fight if you'd known, and I wouldn't be without you. I meant to tell you after Kashyyk, but the time didn't seem right, and then you were so distant..." Tears threatened to overwhelm her again, so Ben pulled her towards him, drawing her tightly against his chest.

"I have been entirely consumed by my own grief and neglected you terribly. Forgive me, my Light. You should not have been forced to deal with this alone. Forgive me?"

Rey took Ben's face in her hands, tracing his scar with her thumbs, "Of course I forgive you, my Love. Let's go and tell our friends."

Ben nodded and stood, holding out his hands to help her to her feet. They opened the door, to find Finn and Poe standing on the other side, grinning like fools. "Then again," Ben said, beginning to smile for the first time in over a week, I think they may already know."

Finn and Poe threw their arms around the expectant parents, "You two need to learn that these walls aren't nearly as thick as you seem to think they are. That's not the first time we've overheard something we weren't supposed to. Honestly, I'm just surprised this hasn't happened sooner," teased Poe.

Rey blushed, and Ben cracked a real smile, "Well,we'd like to keep it quiet for a few weeks." Rey requested.

Ben nodded his agreement, "Though I suppose I'll have to tell my mother soon, won't I? Oh, hell, who am I kidding? She probably already figured it out! Which means, of course, that it'll be all over the planet by the end of tomorrow, if I know my mother." Ben smiled again, "Alright, we'll see her today. Ugh. Knowing her, she'll plan some damn party or other. I thought I had escaped my mother's obsessive need for party planning. Now she'll have an excuse for the rest of her natural life."

Rey giggled, "Well, at least you're making jokes; it's good to hear you making jokes again."

Ben grunted in assent, "It's good to be doing anything again," he observed wryly. Just then, they reached the doors of Leia's chambers; Ben punched the doorbell button, and heard a muffled "Enter!" from within. General Organa stood at a corner desk, pouring over sheaf after sheaf of paperwork. She half-turned to see who had entered and smiled, dropping the stack that she currently held in her hands. "Ah, four of my favorite people; what can I do for you? I won't lie; I'm surprised to see you out and about, Ben. Not that I'm complaining, mind; just surprised." Leia leaned against the table and spread her hands, "So, what's up?"

Rey nudged her husband forward to stand directly in front of his mother, where he stood staring at his hands and shuffling his feet. Rey giggled; she had never seen him so nervous. Finn and Poe looked at each other, then quickly away, snorting uncontrollably.

Leia glanced a the group of youngsters, slightly bemused. "Okay, I feel like I'm missing out on the joke of the year; what's going on?"

Ben cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Mother, Rey and I are...That is, Rey is...I mean, um," Ben took a deep breath, straightened, squared his shoulders, and looked his mother straight in the eye. "Mother, Rey and I are going to have a baby," he finally managed to say, in something of a rush.

Rey, Finn, and Poe dissolved into helpless giggles as they watched Leia's eyes grow wide with comprehension and her mouth pop open in a silent, "O". At last, she seemed to unfreeze as, with a distinctly un-Leia-like squeal, she threw her arms around Ben's neck, surprising an undignified "oomph!" out of him; Leia pulled her son down towards her and began noisily kissing every inch of his face she could reach.

Ben began struggling with a, "Eugh! Mother, what are you doing!? Stop it! Ah!" The three onlookers were, at this point, thoroughly overwhelmed by hysterical laughter as they watched Ben struggle against his mother, who was approximately half his size. As he attempted to unhook her hands from behind his neck, they heart him bellow, "Get off, Mom! Damn! For someone so frigging small, you are insanely strong!" At last, Ben broke free from his mother's grasp and bolted across the room, exclaiming, "Hah! You may be abnormally strong, but I'm still faster than you!" He threw himself down on his mother's bed, panting, joining in on the laughter, "Mom, I didn't know your voice could go that high!"

Leia stood staring at her son, her jaw slightly slack. "I don't think you've called me 'Mom' since you were a child. And now look at you; you're all grown up with a beautiful wife, about to become a father. You father would be so proud." Leia reached out and gave Rey a gentle squeeze.

"His father is proud echoed Han's voice. Leia jumper in surprise as Han blinked into view. "Hey, sweetheart. Been a while." Rey, Finn, Poe, and Ben all started shuffling their feet simultaneously, drawing Leia's attention.

"What? You've talked to all of thembefore me?"

Han looked distinctly uncomfortable, "Well, yeah, kinda. But I knew you needed to move on in your own way, which a little birdie told me you did. I just didn't want to slow the process down any. I hope you can understand."

Leia sighed and shook her head at her husband, "Han, I will never love anyonethe way I love you. All that I've managed is to find companionship. You were the love of my life. That will never change. How could you ever think that I would be angry with you for doing what you think is right?"

Han smiled sadly, "Well, that's good to hear. As for you," he pointed at his son, "Youdamn near undid everything you've managed to build! You are so very much your idiot father's son at times. You're being given a hell of a chance, here, Kid. The Skywalker line has a long-running bad habit of raising their children without fathers." He started ticking off on his fingers, "Your grandfather, your mother, you, to an extent. Now, you are becoming a father. Listen to me, Ben; I don't think I could ever tell you anything more important than what I'm about to say: Don't make my mistakes. If you absolutely musthave adventures, take your family with 't run off without them; that's the biggest mistake I ever made. Your child will absolutely be Force-Sensitive, and powerful, too. Train thischild, and any other you might have. Train them so they don't have to be left alone. Do you understand me?" Han had come slowly closer to his son as he spoke, until he was inches from Ben's face.

Ben nodded, his eyes deep and perfectly serious. "Will I ever see you again?" Ben asked, a lump in his throat.

Han laughed, "Course you will, Kid! You're stuck with me for life. See you lot later, then." Han winked merrily as he faded from view.

Leia huffed out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. "Well. He always wasabrupt. I'd forgotten how much I missed him." Leia wiped a tear from her eye and cleared her throat. "I just have to remember that I will see him again. Well, you lot go away now. I have party planning to do!"

Ben groaned as he slumped out of his mother's room, "See? What'd I tell you? She's throwing yet another party at our expense! Damn it, I hate parties!"

Rey giggled as she came up beside Ben and hooked her arm through his, "Oh, stop your whining. You know as well as I do that we all need an excuse to blow off some steam. Let's go find somewhere quiet, the four of us?"

Ben glanced back at Poe and Finn, who nodded. Ben shrugged in return, "Okay. Let's go." The four headed outdoors, being in no mood to stay indoors. They walked in silence towards the woods until Ben and Rey paused, laughing. Turning, the four saw Tuk-Tuk running, on all fours, pell-mell towards them. Ben braced himself as Tuk-Tuk launched himself into his Bond-Mate's arms. Tuk-Tuk like outside! Tuk-Tuk miss trees. Ben reached back to scratch Tuk-Tuk behind the ears, "We'll just have to make sure we're outdoors more often, then, won't we?"Silence fell again when they found a lovely little stream winding through the trees; this, they followed until it passed through a beautiful meadow.

Tuk-Tuk launched from Ben's shoulder, racing for the trees and chittering at his fellows that were already inhabiting the trees. Ben and Rey laughed, sensing Tuk-Tuk's giddy excitement at playing with others of his kind. Ben sat with his back pressed against a tree, his right leg stretched in front of him, his left drawn up with his left arm draped lazily across his knee. Rey settled herself between his legs, with her head resting on his chest, playing with the fingers of his right hand. Finn and Poe sprawled untidily on the grass in a spot of pure sunlight. The four stayed silent, enjoying the peace of the day and watching Tuk-Tuk tumble and play with his fellows.

As the afternoon went on, Ben grew distant and sad again. Sensing the direction of his thoughts, Rey shifted to look up at him with concern on her face, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ben opened his mouth to say that no, he did not, but what actually came out was a sigh, followed by a slow nod. He stayed silent a moment as he gathered his thoughts, "I miss her. She was my twin, and this is a loss that I will fell for the rest of my days. I know I will see her again, and that is some small comfort. But I keep thinking back to her last moments, knowing that there could be no going back for her. Everyone thinks they know what happened between us out there, but there was so much more going on beneath the surface; her thoughts said so much more than she had time to speak." Ben had to stop for a moment and steady himself. He took a deep breath before continuing, "The Darkness had so completely consumed her by the end that she didn't even recognize herself anymore. I'll never forget the moment that I...ran her through," Ben shuddered at the memory, "She said 'Oh,' like she was surprised that I had done it. Right before her knees buckled, I feltthe Darkness leave her. She was grateful to have it end. In her last moments, Padme found herself again; she became Padmeagain. With her last breath, she told me she loved me, and she truly meant it. I could feel her remorse, and her shame. All I could do was hope she could feel my forgiveness and love." Ben's voice cracked on the last word, and he wiped a single tear from his cheek.
At last, Ben felt as though a great weight was beginning to lift from his soul. The guilt that had come with ending his sister's life was finally beginning to abate. Ben leaned his head back to feel the sun warm his face as the cold knot of depression finally began to thaw and recede. "Feel better?" Rey asked, gazing lovingly up at him. Ben nodded quietly. Suddenly, Rey sat bolt upright with a startled, "Oh!" Ben was on his feel, light-sabers buzzing, in an instant, gazing fiercely around for the threat, but could find none. Confused, he looked back at Rey; her hands were pressed to her belly, and her eyes were wide with shock.

"What is it? Is there something wrong with..." Rey shook her head silently in a negative as she reached up to take Ben's hands as he clipped his light-sabers back on his belt. Kneeling beside her, he let her place his hands on the minuscule bump that had formed under her tunic. "Wha- I don't..." Ben stopped suddenly, his eyes popping wide with awe. Just as he had spoken, there had been two quick flutters under the skin of Rey's belly. "Was that...?" He asked quietly, reverently. Rey nodded, the same look of awe in her eyes. "It – The baby – it moved! Wow, that's just...woah. I can't believe it's...Holy shit..."

Poe and Finn had sprinted over when they heard Rey's cry. Now, they laughed, slightly in awe, themselves. "So, would it be really weird if we..." Finn asked hesitantly.

"No, of course not!" Rey answered. Finn and Poe knelt beside their friend, each placing a hand on one side of Rey's belly. For a moment, there was nothing; then, just as Ben laughed and pressed a kiss to Rey's hair, there were two more gentle flutters. They looked up, at the same time, sharing in their friends' wonder. "Woah," they echoed.

Ben laughed again as he stood, holding a hand out for Rey, "We should get back. I know I'm hungry, and if anything I've ever heard about pregnant women is true, then you must be as hungry as a Rancor. You, however, are infinitely more attractive," he added with a roguish wink.

Rey chuckled as she took his hand and stood, "Come on, Tuk-Tuk! We're leaving." Coming! Came the reply. Rey felt Tuk-Tuk lower himself out of a tree onto her shoulder, his tail swinging happily. This fun. Come back?Rey laughed, "Of course we can come back! Next time we come back, we may well have a baby with us, though." Laughing, the four walked back to the compound; Finn had an arm around Rey, and Poe had an arm around Ben.

"There's just one thing I want to know," wondered Finn, "What happened to the Darksaber?" Ben glanced at Finn, his brow furrowing in thought. The Darksaber had utterly vanished after the final battle. He dismissed the thought from his mind; it would turn up, eventually.

It took Leia two months to plan the lavish ball she had in mind, but she did it. Rey and Ben once again donned their fancy clothes and attended. This time, Ben was dressed in stark black to show his loss. Rey, however, was gowned in a beautiful gem-blue sheath; the waist was high, right below her bosom, and the skirt draped elegantly over the now-evident bump of her womb. It floated enchantingly down, ending just above her feet so she would not run the risk of tripping. On her feet were boots of a soft cream, as pregnant women have a notoriously hard time walking in heels. Everyone wanted to see them and wish them well, as well as offer condolences to Ben. Even Tuk-Tuk had broken out of his normal shyness to sit boldly on Ben's shoulder, telling war stories to anyone who would listen while his audience tried desperately not to laugh. They knew the little creature was perfectly serious, but it was just so cute!

One of Tuk-Tuk's stories went very much like this: Tuk-Tuk in war. Bond-Mate tell Tuk-Tuk be safe, tell Tuk-Tuk stay out of trouble. Tuk-Tuk try. Tuk-Tuk- go to cliff. Tuk-Tuk find big rocks. Tuk-Tuk get good spot, throw rocks. Hit men in white armor. Men in armor not see Tuk-Tuk. Get confused. Men look around, good men shoot them. Tuk-Tuk not throw rocks at men in black. They know things. Would find Tuk-Tuk. So Tuk-Tuk throw at men in white. Tuk-Tuk laugh when Tuk-Tuk hit men in white. They funny and confused.

As Ben and Rey watched and listened to Tuk-Tuk's stories, Tyrnia came to stand beside them, "What would interest me," she said quietly, "is how one bonded to you. We call them Pri'ka. They are very wise, very smart. Quiet, though, and shy. How did you find one?"

Ben laughed, "we didn't really find him. He found us, really. It was like he chose us."

Tyrnia nodded, "This is their way. Bonding is very serious for them; he will live as long as you do. They Bond only once, and usually only to one. This...double-Bond...very rare, it is; never been seen in mytime. Never will you find a more loyal creature; he will go where you go, and do as you do, and feel as you feel. Pri'ka are great omens of luck, and even fertility." Tyrnia chuckled with mischief in her eyes.

Ben laughed, "Yes, we've already discovered the depth of his bond. He's enjoying all the attention. He should be good for, oh, a year or two after this." The party wore on for many hours, but Rey soon grew tired from all the standing. Ben took her arm, they said their goodbyes, and went off to bed.

As the months went on, Rey's belly grew and grew as they came closer to the end of nine months. In the wee hours of the morning one cool, misty morning, Ben was brought to sudden wakefulness by a shocking, intense pain that jolted across their Force-Bond as Rey's first contraction tore through her. Ben was out of bed in an instant, helping Rey to her feet. As the second contraction hit, Rey screamed; the sound went straight to Ben's spine, flooding him with adrenaline. He supported her weight as they headed out the door towards the medbay. Finn and Poe came hurtling out of their room, half-dressed to help get Rey safely to the doctors.

They found the doors open and waiting, with a table all prepared. The Tagorian doctors scooped Rey gently up in their massive, clawed hands, being incredibly careful not to harm her. They laid her down on the table, propped up her feet, and began to work. Ben took her hand as the next contraction hit, a decision which he soon came to regret, as she squeezed it for all she was worth. Ben's faced contorted with pain, but stayed silent, feeling Rey's pain through their Bond.

"We need a push. The babies are trying to come. Push!" Rey pushed down, hard; her face turned red and the veins in her forehead stood out. She stopped, panting, waiting for the doctors to tell her to push again. When the command came again, she pushed again. Time blurred into pain and exhaustion as Rey struggled to stay conscious. At last, she felt the baby slide free, and the first cry of shock as the cold air hit the baby. "It's a girl!" came the shouts from the doctors. "Now, we need another push; her twin is next!" Rey paled, but pushed again, and the second child slid free. "It's a boy!" came the cry. "One more push to get the placenta out, and then you can rest." Rey pushed with her remaining strength and felt her stomach suddenly flatten as the placenta was removed.

She lifted her head weakly, "My babies. Where are they?"

"Shh," Ben comforted her as the doctors put a baby in each arm, "Here they are. They're beautiful, Rey. It's incredible. I'm so proud of you, my Light."

Ben sat gingerly on the side of the bed so that Rey could see their new twins. "The girl is Padme, after your sister. The boy is Finn, after my friend," Rey whispered.

"That's perfect," Ben said as he leaned in to kiss Rey's damp forehead. As Rey drifted off to sleep, Ben knew there was nothing more important than what was before him. He knew he could never bear to be parted from the family he had created; keeping his father's advice would be no trouble to him at all. "I love you, Rey." Ben gazed into the faces of his new children, his heart so full he thought it might burst.

The End

***Author's Note***

The Darksaber is still out there...do I smell a sequel!? Maaaayyybeeee...hahaha. There will be a sequel eventually; but first, I will be writing "Brotherly Bond", which is for Finn and Poe (and no, it's not a romance between them!) Thank you all for reading my story; I am flattered and touched at the response. Last I checked, I was nearly at 20k views! Thank you again, dear friends; until we meet again. May the Force be with you! ^_-