Takodana is like nothing that Rey's ever seen.

"It's so green- and are those trees?" Her eyes were wide with childlike excitement.

"Yeah," Ben told her with a smile.

"They're so big!"

"You think those are something you should see the trees on Kashyyk, Chewie's home worlds. Those trees are huge!" Han called out from his seat at the Falcon's controls. He was smiling; Ben knew that it was entirely due to being on the Falcon again.

"Is he telling the truth?" Rey demanded from Ben.

"Yes." Ben cracked a smile. "I won't say that he always does, but this time he is. The trees on Kashyyk make the forests of Takodana look like saplings." He paused. "We can go there someday if you'd like."

"Maybe," Rey said, blushing suddenly. "But don't we have to doll me up so I don't embarrass you when I meet your mother?"

Ben smirked. "My mother's gonna love you, Rey."

And she would, he knew. Rey was feisty. Strong willed. Leia Organa would respect that about her. Though what she would think of Ben's bargain to get Han home …

"Rey?"

"Yeah?" She was looking up at his face.

"I don't know that we should mention just why you and I got married to my mother when we meet her."

She frowned slightly. "I don't like being dishonest, Ben."

"I understand. But she might not … appreciate our bargain. I'm not wanting to deny our marriage," Ben hastened to add. "I just don't think she needs to know the details … just yet."

"It's your mother," Rey said with a shrug.

"Trust me." He couldn't resist brushing back her hair from her face. "It's about something called 'plausible deniability.'"

Rey gave him a crooked smile. "You know who my Dad is, right? I know all about the times when the boss has to be able to say he doesn't know what his boys did to fix a problem for him. So, you want your mom to be able to deny knowing anything about your Dad and you having dealings with the Boss of Jakku? All you have to do is say so."

"That would be for the best, kid," Han said quickly. "And we appreciate your discretion. Don't we, Ben?"

Ben scowled. He didn't like the look in Rey's eyes. As though she expected him to deny that she meant anything to him. "I don't want you to hide who you are, Rey."

"It's okay, Ben. I know I'm not what you wanted. I know all about deals." She turned her head. "I know you only married me to save your father."

"Rey-" He reached out to touch her.

And the Millennium Falcon came in for a landing.

"We're here!" Han announced happily. "Come on, Ben! You can show your girl Maz's palace. We'll just drop by to say hello- pay my debts- and then we'll be on our way back to Hosnia Prime."

"We were going to get Rey some things to wear," Ben reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, Ben. Sure. Let's go." Han seemed ready to bounce out of his seat.

Ben didn't need the Force to know that his father was nervous. "What's the matter, Dad?"

"Nothing, son. Nothing."

"And if you think I believe that I've got a choice piece of real estate on Dagobah to sell you," Ben told his father wryly.

"Never mind, son. It's important. Let's go." Han left the Falcon without saying another word.

"Come on, Rey," Ben said finally. "Let's go." He offered her his hand.

"I don't need you to hold my hand," Rey said softly.

"Maybe not, but I would really like to," Ben confessed.

Rey smiled shyly, and took his hand.

..**..

They followed Han inside Maz's castle. Rey tried hard not to goggle at everything, but there was so much that she had never seen or encountered. Even as the (relatively) pampered daughter of Unkar Plutt, she had never seen so much water, let alone green plants and living things. "I didn't there was so much water in the entire universe," she whispered to Ben.

"There are whole worlds with nothing but water on them," he told her. "The people live on floating cities, or have been adapted to live in the oceans themselves. We can go visit some of them if you like."

"We only have a year," Rey reminded him.

"Maybe," Ben admitted. She's right, Solo. This isn't permanent. Why are you acting like you're going to always have her part of your life? Why do you want to show the galaxy to a girl who only married you because her father told her to?

But he did.

He wanted that a lot.

"Why don't you take Rey to the buffet?" Han muttered to his son. "I can take care of my business with Maz. We'll come back and you can pay her off."

"Sure thing, Dad. As soon as you give me the keys to the Falcon."

"What? Don't you trust me, son?" Han tried to look wounded.

"Not really, Dad," Ben admitted easily. "Not any farther than I can throw you without using the Force."

"You can do that?" Rey asked him in an interested tone of voice. "Lift people up with your mind?"

"Not exactly with my mind. With the Force." Ben smiled at her. "It's a bit complicated to explain right now. But I promise I'll explain when we get to Hosnia Prime." He turned his eyes back to his father. "The keys, Dad. Now."

Scowling, Han handed the keys over. "You used to be such a good kid, Ben."

"Yes. Yes I was." Ben sighed. "And I used to believe you when you said you'd be right back."

Han said nothing to that for a moment. "I didn't want to be gone all the time, Ben. I had to. I had my … work."

"Yeah, that spice wasn't going to run itself, was it, Dad?"

Han scowled. "You don't know anything, kid. You don't know me at all."

"And who's responsible for that?"

Han clenched his fists and looked away.

Rey squeezed Ben's hand. "Come on. Show me this buffet your old man's talking about. I'm starting to feel a little big hungry."

"All right," Ben said. He glanced back at Han. "I've got the keys to the Falcon and the credits. You're not going anywhere without us, Dad. Do whatever you came to do and then we'll head back home. You've kept Mom waiting long enough."

"Yeah I have," Han said softly. "I'll see you soon, son." He walked off.

..**..

Han sighed.

He made his way through the castle, looking for one person in particular … and it wasn't Maz. He hated lying to Ben … but he'd had to do a lot of things that he didn't like over the last twenty years, and this was just one of them. "I just want to keep you and your mother safe, Ben. That's all I've ever wanted."

"He has to be here. I paid him good credits. If he's failed me I'll …" Han relaxed as he saw the handsome young black man standing at one of the bars. He was talking to a pretty young girl who was wearing a Republic technician's outfit.

"I'm kind of a big deal," the young man muttered to the girl. "I'm working for General-"

"Finn."

The young man called Finn turned around. "Gen-"

Han scowled at him.

"I mean, Mister Solo. This is Rose. Rose Tico. We were just talking. I didn't say anything about what we're here for."

"It's an honor to meet you, sir-" Rose babbled. "I've heard so much-"

"Yeah, well it's not all true." Han forced himself to smile at the girl. He didn't want to make her too curious. "Now if you'll excuse us, young lady, Big Deal and I have some things to discuss. It's important business."

"Of course, General- I mean Mister Solo." She smiled at them. "Finn, give me your com."

"What?"

"Give me your com."

"Do it, kid. We don't have all day." Han frowned.

Bemused, Finn gave the girl his com.

Rose tapped a code into it and handed it back. "My number. Call me when you're done with … whatever it is you're up to. I have to get back to my ship. Paige is going to be after my head if I don't get back soon."

"See you, Rose. I'll call you." Finn gave her a grin that was meant to be charming, but made Han roll his eyes.

Han waited till the girl walked away. "All right, kid. It's here, right?"

"I think so."

"You think so?"

"Maz is scary," Finn told him. "I swear it's like she knows what I'm thinking. She's got a treasure room. I haven't found it anywhere else. It has to be there."

"It better be," Han scowled. "Snoke will have both our heads if we don't deliver the light saber of Anakin Skywalker to him."

And he'll destroy the lives of my wife and son.

..**..

"This? What is this, Ben? It's cold- but sweet!"

"Ice cream, Rey." Ben smiled. "Be careful. Don't eat it too quickly or you'll-"

"Kriff!" Rey cried out. "My head!"

"Ice cream headache," Ben told her gently. "It'll pass."

"Ben Solo! I thought I heard your voice!"

Ben smiled and turned his face to the small female alien rapidly approaching them. "Maz Kanata! It's good to see you again. Dad is looking for you."

"Your father? He's here? What about my boyfriend Chewbacca?"

"Chewie is on his way back to Hosnia Prime," Ben told her. "Dad and I are here with the Falcon. He said that he needed to pay a debt to you."

"He does owe me a few credits. Nothing that I've been losing sleep over." Maz turned and looked at the young woman with Ben. "Who's your friend?"

"Rey. She's my … wife."

Maz removed her goggles. "What?"

"It was kind of sudden," Rey said, speaking for herself. She offered her hand to the woman. "Rey Plutt … um … Solo, I guess."

"Rey … Plutt?" Maz's smile broadened. "So you're the little girl that's changed the old Blobfish's ways."

"Watch your mouth!" Rey snapped. "No one talks about Daddy like that-!"

Maz held her hands up in a gesture of apology. "Easy, child. Easy. I was … pleased to hear that your father had become more … gentle." She looked at the girl closely. "You know, when you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people. I told Young Ben I saw his eyes before … and now I realize that I've seen yours as well."

She took Rey's hands.

"Oh, child. I am so glad that you are here."

Rey blushed.

"So, you and Young Ben Solo are newlyweds? Have you come to spend your honeymoon at my castle?"

"Um … no," Ben admitted. "We're on our way to deliver … I mean bring Dad back to my mother."

"I do want to come back," Rey told her. "Your castle- this world- it's so beautiful. And the food is amazing!" She took another bite of ice cream.

"Already?" Ben asked her.

"Sometimes you have to suffer a little for something good to happen," Rey told him with a smile.

"Rey, have you tried the cake yet?" Maz asked her.

"Cake?"

"It's something like bread, but sweet," Ben explained.

"It's on the next table. Why don't you sample it? Ben and I are our friends. We can chat a bit while we wait for you to come back."

Rey looked at Ben.

"Go on," Ben told her. "I'm not going anywhere without you. I promise."

Rey flashed him a smile and then headed over to the cake table.

"That girl is strong with the Force," Maz told him.

"I know," Ben admitted. He had known the first moment they touched. It was the only explanation.

"Have you told her?"

"Not yet." Ben frowned. He wasn't pleased with the way this conversation was turning.

"Luke should meet her."

"No."

"Ben-"

"No. I'm not letting him near Rey. Not after … not after—"

"You still have not forgiven your uncle."

"No. I trusted him. I believed in him. And he-" Ben clenched his fists. "I will never forgive him."

"Never is a very long time, Ben." Maz touched his cheek gently. "You know what pain that keeping secrets caused you. Do you really wish to bring Rey the same pain?"

"She's lived her entire life without the Force. She doesn't need to worry about it now."

"Search your feelings, Ben. You know the Force and not coincidence brought the two of you together. She needs a teacher. If not Luke, who?"

"If she needs a teacher in the ways of the Force," Ben said firmly. "I'll do it."

.

"Oh, honey. You have so much to learn about being married." Maz patted his cheek. "Let me see if I can go find your father before he gets into too much trouble." Her lips twitched. "You'll do it? You'll do it?"

And Maz threw her head back and laughed.