Rey entered the ballroom as twilight descended on Hapes. She left Jacen waiting for Jaina at the doorway, and kept her senses trained on them even as she moved into the crowd of people.
Dressed in a sleeveless golden gown, some heads of Resistance members turned, but for the most part, she was plain, compared to the other Hapans. She also kept her eyes out for Ben. How she wanted to share a dance with him, to be public!
She'd already transferred the kids' luggage to the Supreme Leader's suite within the guest wing of the Royal Palace of Hapes. Rey sighed. Even though she trusted Ben, it was still nerve-wracking, letting her children leave her sight.
The longest she'd ever been away from Jacen and Jaina was a month. She didn't know how long this arrangement would last. Hopefully, if the war ended at this conference, she could go home with them all at the end of the week.
But that meant she'd have to tell Finn, Rose, and Poe.
She shook her head. She already planned to tell them that night. The most she had told them so far was that Jacen and Jaina were going to their father. But she hadn't yet told them what that would mean.
Then he caught her eye. He was wearing black— naturally, for when did he wear any other color?— and was surrounded by other Imperial officers. Their eyes met just long enough to acknowledge each other, and they both moved on.
That was when Rey heard footsteps behind her and whirled around to see Finn and Rose with their little Saoirse. They were all wearing matching purple outfits, and looked sickeningly adorable.
Rey smiled an knelt down in front of Saoirse. "That's such a pretty dress."
"Mommy picked it out for me!" Saoirse said. "We're all matchy-matchy! Watch me twirl!"
Saoirse then twirled around, and Rey clapped. "You look lovely, Saoirse."
She stood up, and saw that her daughter was dancing with Kyp Durron, and her son was dancing with the real Princess Maia.
She smiled. "They're getting so big. Where have the years gone, Finn?"
Finn shook his head. "I don't know."
"I'm going to go dance with Saoirse before I have to put her to bed," Rose said, as she took the six-year-old's hand and walked off.
Finn stood with Rey, observing the scene for a moment. "So, who is the lucky father?"
Rey bit her lip.
"Come on, tell me," Finn said. "I've wanted to know for years. You say they know now, the kids?"
"Jacen knows, Snoke told him," Rey admitted. "But Jaina only thinks she knows. She only has a piece to the puzzle."
"I see," Finn said. "Rey, you know I'll always keep your secrets, right? And I'll always love you."
"I know that," Rey said. "Even though just the thought of letting this secret go is just. . . Unthinkable. After seventeen years, it just feels wrong to tell anyone."
"Then don't say it," Finn said. "Point to him."
Rey hesitated before raising her index finger to Ben Solo's face.
Finn blinked and his eyes widened. "You don't seriously mean—"
"Kylo is their father," Rey said.
"Wow." Finn stood there a moment, speechless. "That explains a lot. I can't say it doesn't change a thing, but it doesn't change anything between us."
"Oh, thank the Force!" Rey said. She embraced him. "I'm sorry I haven't told you earlier—"
"It's alright," Finn said as he patted her back. "I understand. That had to stay a secret."
Rey broke away from him for a moment. "I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how you, or Poe, or Rose would react. You guys are the only ones I've ever wanted to tell."
"We all would've accepted it," Finn said. "And you and I both know that Poe loves those kids. He wouldn't hold their father against them."
"And I was afraid you'd never see me the same way again," Rey confessed.
"I don't pretend to understand any of your decisions," Finn admitted. "But you're still Rey, aren't you? That's all that matters."
"Thanks, Finn," Rey said, grinning.
"Oh, kriff, I think he heard us," Finn said. Rey craned her neck to see what Finn was talking about.
Ben approached through the crowd, his eyes intent on Rey. He awkwardly avoided looking at Finn.
"General Stormbreaker," he said. "Grandmaster Skywalker."
"Kylo Ren," Finn said. "If you hurt either of those kids, I will never forgive you."
Ben looked to Rey.
"I told him."
Finn observed them. Rey's hazel eyes, so much like Jacen's, were focused and bright in a way he'd never seen, the expression on her face playful and yet yearning at the same time.
Whereas Kylo Ren looked like an actual compassionate human being.
"They're beginning a Waltz," Ben said, offering his hand to Rey.
"You don't mind?" Rey looked to Finn.
"I need to go talk to some other officials," Finn said.
Rey accepted Ben's hand, and followed him into the floor as the opening notes played.
"Are you ready?" Rey asked in a hushed voice. "You're going to be a real father to them now, just like you wanted."
"I know," he said, his expression grave.
"Jaina doesn't know yet that Ben and Kylo are one and the same," Rey warned. "Jacen knows, but it might be hard for her to listen to you. You're going to have to be patient. They've heard a lot from the base, and I could never filter all of it."
"I know," Ben said. "But I'm ready to help them. If Snoke is back as some sort of ghost—"
"Then you'll know what to do," Rey said. "If this works out, we could even work together on figuring this out."
"Would you abandon the Jedi Order like that?" Ben asked. "All that you've worked for?"
"For my family?" Rey raised her eyebrows. "Without question. But I was planning on mixing the Knights of Ren with the Jedi when this is all over. They're practically Jedi at this point anyway."
"That's true," Ben agreed. "But I want to enjoy this one dance with you. Stop thinking about tomorrow."
"I do too—"
Rey was cut off by a scream from the gardens. Rey pulled out her saber-staff from the back of her dress, where it looked like a decoration, and Ben pulled it off of his belt. Jedi and Knights of Ren and guards dashed out to the gardens.
By the time Rey got out there, Jaina and a few dead guards were lying there. Jaina was heavily injured and unconscious on the ground. Ben leaned down and picked up his daughter.
"She needs a medical transport immediately," he said, his voice cold and commanding.
"Where is my granddaughter?" Queen-Mother Jocasta wailed. The old queen dropped to her knees. Rey approached her.
"We'll find Maia," Rey promised. She looked around, before spotting some of her Jedi. "Look for the princess and Jacen and—"
She finally realized who else was missing. "And Kyp Durron."
Rey could only hope that her son would turn up a few meters away. But he didn't, and neither did Kyp, nor Maia.