AN:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR GRUMPY DARK LORD, ADAM DRIVER (and biggest Reylo - literally and figuratively)! And thank you so much for feeding the Reylos with the idea that Kylo would be an "understanding, gentle, tall" husband on Colbert last night. Perfect timing for this chapter because he IS about to become a husband! :-)

So, I did add the wedding. I started from zero on this and had to rework a few things... which you will see what I mean at the end! :-) It was harder and took longer than I thought to write this, but also a lot of fun! This is a looong chapter - the day before the wedding (Ben and company shenanigans) and the actual wedding day. The baby chapter will be next. :-)

The other 'fun' thing about getting this out is that I had internet issues. This chapter made me want to go all Kylo Ren and destroy things! I had to re-write a lot of this due to what I had written not saving. I've now started copying everything I write...

I don't need a lot of things
I can get by with nothing
With all the blessings life can bring
I've always needed something
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason
You're my only truth

I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you

("I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes)

Ben was on the beach dancing with Rey, their bare feet digging into the sand. He could sense that their friends were also on the beach, but they weren't in focus and seemed not to be paying attention to them anyway.

"Are you happy?" Rey asked him, pulling back a bit to look up at him.

"Of course I'm happy. I have everything I ever wanted but don't deserve any of it," he told her with a dejected smile.

"Well, it's a good thing that what you wanted is what I wanted, and I do deserve it!" she informed him with a grin.

He couldn't help but to give her a genuine smile back. "I suppose so."

"Well, there is something I want that you don't... but I know you'll give it to me anyway," she said, leaning her head against his chest.

He place a kiss in her hair and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm slightly afraid to ask, but I'm curious...what is it?"

"A large family," she replied. "We're going to have so many kids!"

Ben wasn't sure if she was serious or teasing him. He hadn't wanted the child they had, but now that he was here Ben couldn't imagine life without him. He figured he'd feel the same about any future children they had. However, he would draw the line at three!

"I could manage three kids," he put voice to his thoughts.

"Oh, we'll have more than that!" She laughed. "I saw it."

Ben woke with a start. He hoped that dream Rey had been teasing dream him. But his biggest takeaway, the thing that really stuck with him, was that they had their baby and it was a him.

A boy. He now knew without a doubt that he was having a son. He had to admit that he had known all along. It was something he had felt. It was what he deserved, really. A son to torture him as he tortured his parents! No. This child would be part Rey, and they would both strive to be better parents than the ones they had. Now he had to wonder if he ought to tell Rey...

He stretched out to touch her, but the bed was empty. Where the heck was she?! He propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look of their room, which was a lot larger than it had been on the Resistance base.

It had been one week since defeating the First Order for good. During that week, the leaders of the new Galactic Order - nobody really liked the name, but they couldn't agree on anything else - spent that time deciding the fates of their First Order prisoners. Nadia, who Ben hoped he'd never have to see again, was among them. He let Rey decide her fate, which was a lengthy prison sentence instead of death. Emperor Kylo Ren actually surprised most of the galaxy by showing mercy to several traitors - mainly the Stormtroopers, who didn't have much choice in the matter of war anyway. However, there were several ranked members of the First Order that he had swiftly executed, either by himself or his Knights of Ren.

Ben chose the lake house on Naboo, Varykino, that had belonged to the family of his biological maternal grandmother, Padmé Amidala, as his official residence. He made this decision based on the need to give Rey somewhere beautiful to live. Somewhere the opposite of a desert! They were still in the process of making it their home, but he could tell from they way Rey wanted to spend most of her time on the balcony, by the lake, or exploring in general, he had made the correct decision.

"Hey," Rey greeted as she walked through their bedroom door. She was still dressed in her nightgown as she bounded to the bed an hopped up onto it.

Ben grinned. "Where have you been off to?"

"Just exploring..." she made her answer vague.

"Oh. Ok," he replied as if she had explained everything so clearly.

"I know what we're having," she said suddenly. "Do you want to know?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure it's a baby," he teased.

"I can't stand you sometimes," Rey rolled her eyes at his silliness. "It's a boy," she told him happily, unable to contain her excitement.

"I know," he kissed her shoulder, "I dreamed of him. Well, not really him. More about him."

"Are you ok with that? Having a son? Because I know how you-"

"Yes, Rey. I'm more than ok with it. Besides, according to you in my dream last night, we'll probably have more than one son!" He pulled her against his body and kissed her lips, the thought of making more babies suddenly appealing to him.

"Ok, ok," she smiled and pushed him away. "Let's not get carried away."

A laugh escaped Ben's lips. "I'm pretty sure we've done that already!" he told her, patting her abdomen.

"What I mean is, we don't have time to get carried away. You have to get ready for what I'm sure will be a very long day!" she grinned at him, placing a small peck on his nose.

He groaned. "I know... I can't believe you betrayed my trust and sided with them."

"No need to be so dramatic about it. It's just a simple bachelor party. And...Sven wouldn't take 'no' for an answer!" she reminded him.

"Are you sure you don't need my help? I would much rather stay here and do just about anything with you," he told her while attempting his best porg eyes.

"To be honest, darling, I'm completely certain that we can get much more accomplished without you lot pestering us about random things!"

Ben exaggeratedly gasped, apparently going for insulted. "We- well, I do not pester anyone about anything!"

"Rey! Who's the better pilot? It's obviously me!" she put her best mock-Poe voice on, which was higher than her best mock-Ben voice. "No. No. Of course I'm better than Dameron," she said in an excessively deep 'Ben' tone.

"Ok. That was days ago," he defended himself - and Poe.

"Two. Two days ago," she informed him. "Go and try to have as much fun as you are capable of having, and I will be able to finish the wedding decorations, with the help of your mom, Rose, and Conni."

"But I am only capable of having fun with you," he continued to fight against the inevitable.

"Ben, the wedding is tomorrow. I really need to finish decorating our actual ceremony location. It's the last thing that needs to be done. Please just let the guys take you away, and in turn you'll be distracting them, freeing up Rose and Conni, whose help I immensely need."

Her logic was sound, Ben begrudgingly admitted. So he sighed and rolled petulantly out of bed and stalked to the shower with grumbled words that Rey didn't care to make out. She instead simply called a quick "I love you" after him.

Leia took to directing them as if they were going into battle. They were to divide and conquer, everyone having a job to do. Rose was in charge of moving things around - chairs, tables, candelabras - anything that was even slightly heavy, Conni was dealing with tablecloths and place-settings, and Rey was decorating with as many flowers as she could manage - everyone else thought it was a bit overboard with the flowers, but it wasn't their wedding, it was hers!

"I still can't believe you're getting married," Rose chirped. "And to Kylo Ren!"

"I know. It's kind of weird to think about if I overthink it," Rey admitted.

"I can't wait to hear what you two make up when your kid asks how you met," Rose said with a laugh.

"We'll be honest," Rey told her. Both Rose and Conni eyed Rey skeptically, so she continued, "we met in a beautiful forest. He was in love with me at first sight and swept me off my feet."

"Wow. That's pretty good!" Conni admitted.

"What happens when Bryn asks where Ben got his scar?" Rose continued pressing Rey with future dilemmas.

"Again, we'll be honest. A very skilled, fierce warrior did it," Rey replied with a shrug.

"You two have it all figured out, huh?" Conni remarked.

Rey grinned. "To the best of our ability."

The girls continued to work into the evening, taking their dinner on the balcony overlooking the lake. They had just finished, when they heard a raucous from below. Rose hopped up to go inspect, making sure her pregnant friends stayed put.

"Oh my!" Rose exclaimed with a shocked laugh.

"What?!" Rey asked, not knowing whether or not to panic. She and Conni pushed out of their chairs to join Rose in gazing over the balcony.

Conni covered her mouth with her hands to keep her laughter in, while Rey just gaped with an open mouth. Ben, Poe, Finn, Sven, Pogba, and Bryce were congregated on the shoreline of the lake. Ben and his knights were disrobing. Poe and Finn were trying to convince them not to and failing... since Sven was already as naked as the day he was born, and Ben was one garment away from the same!

"I wasn't serious about naked swimming!" the girls could hear Poe shouting at the now mostly nude men.

Sven quickly ran into the water, not worrying about the temperature. "Stop being such duds. The water is nice! Join us," he called back to Poe.

"I am not drunk enough for this," Finn muttered to Poe, who nodded in agreement.

"Who would have thought that they'd be a bunch of lightweights?! Especially for how big they are..." Poe continued their conversation, giving up on preventing the other men from going skinny dipping. "I mean, I'm pretty sure that I've had more to drink than they have, and I'm the soberer one!"

Finn gave Poe the side-eye but didn't comment on the fact that Poe was not, in fact, sober at all either. He just wasn't so drunk as to think skinny dipping at sunset was the thing to do. Especially with the very high risk of being caught!

"I know my limits, and I remember Ben's birthday... I thought that someone should be responsible and make sure that the groom returns in marginally good shape," Finn explained why he was also, comparatively, sober.

"Make sure the groom returns!?" was somehow the only bit that Poe absorbed. "You think he'd stand Rey up at the alter?!" he asked, completely shocked.

Finn just blinked at him for a few seconds. He was sure that Poe was getting drunker by the minute and would soon also be in the lake.

"Poe. Shut up!" a voice from above spoke up. It was Conni's.

The men looked up and gave timid little waves. "No one thinks that, by the way!" Finn announced, trying to smooth over anything Rey had overheard.

Rey laughed. "I know."

"REY!" Ben hollered from the water, waving. He began walking towards the shore. Rey watched in a mixture of embarrassment and amusement as the water got lower and lower down his torso the closer he got.

"You can stay there," she quickly told him, hoping to stop his progression. "We'll come down." Rey turned and grabbed Rose and Conni's hands to drag them toward the stairs before they could see anything. Well, she was sure they had already seen his ass, but he had luckily turned away when shedding his underwear before entering the water.

"Come join us!" Ben requested, now deeper in the lake so that the water came up to his chest. Rey was relieved.

"Not really in the mood for swimming, swetheart!" Rey replied, crossing her arms.

"You Resistance lot are no fun!" Sven joined in the conversation. "I think that maybe you're just scared and that Ben should come get you."

"No! Ben, stay there. I don't want to get wet," Rey said forcefully. The guys, well all except Finn, laughed. Rey was confused, "What's funny?"

"Wet," Poe giggled. "You don't wanna get wet! Poor Ben!"

"Oh, force help me..." she mumbled, sharing exasperated glances with Rose and Conni.

"Not as good as that time you said you have no gag reflex, but still hilarious!" Poe laughed harder.

Rey's cheeks burned, remembering how she had said that. In public. Before knowing how it sounded.

"Alright. Let's get your drunk ass inside," Conni scolded Poe. "Really. You were supposed to help keep everything tame, not join in the drunken shenanigans."

"But I thought I was going to babysit Ben. He can't sleep with Rey. The wedding is tomorrow. He can't see her pretty dress!" Poe sounded disappointed.

"It's only dinnertime. I just want to get some food in you to help sober you up," she explained.

"That's a good idea," Rey agreed before turning her attention to the Knights of Ren and the Emperor splashing around naked in a lake. "Hey guys!" she yelled to get their attention. "We're going to go request dinner for you all. After we leave, come on out, get dressed, and come to the dining room."

"That's so good. You're so good. And smart," Ben started rambling, but he wasn't staying put. He was moving toward the shore again. For fuck's sake, Rey thought. "I'm so hungry. We need meat!"

"Yeah, meat!" Pogba loudly agreed.

"Ok, ok, but stay there until we leave," Rey tried again but was on the verge of giving up. It would be his own fault if everyone saw his dick!

"Don't leave me. I want to come with you," Ben pleaded, water at his hips. He took those final steps, and there it was. Even with the cool water, Rey had to admit he was still impressive.

"Aw man," Finn complained, turning around and heading for the stairs to go inside.

Rose couldn't help but to stare, so Rey covered her eyes. Conni, thankfully, wasn't paying attention since she was already halfway up the steps with Poe.

"A lot makes sense now," Rose teased Rey.

"Shut it," Rey warned. "Go follow your man, while I take care of mine..."

"I'll go put the request for 'meat' in with the kitchen," Rose laughed and turned to catch up with Finn.

"We're staying here a bit longer. Save us some!" Sven yelled to Rose, still splashing around with his fellow Knights. Rose stuck a hand in the air and waved to let him know she heard him.

Rey dragged her eyes back to Ben, who was completely out of the water and collecting his clothes. She was still getting use to how nudity didn't seem to bother Ben. Even that day, not so very long ago, when the force bond connected them while he was shirtless. She was flustered, he didn't seem to mind at all. She had to admit that it was quite amusing. It was also hilarious to watch the big, scary, darksider Kylo Ren turn into a silly man-child because he had too much to drink! She knew that alcohol affected people in different ways, and it appeared in Ben's case that it allowed him to really let all of his hang-ups and inhibitions go. To the point of public nudity.

Ben strolled over to Rey while pulling on his clothes - just his pants and undershirt, as everything else seemed too hard for him to figure out. He leaned down for what Rey thought was going to be a kiss, but he 'booped' her on the nose with his finger while actually saying "boop!" Man-child.

"Let's get you some dinner," she said with a wide smile and took him by the hand. "You know, this will be your last dinner as a single man."

"I'm not a single man," he argued. "I have you, and you have me."

"I mean, this time tomorrow you will be a husband. Does that freak you out?" she inquired as she led him up the stairs.

"No," he answered quickly and with certainty. "I will be your husband. The only thing I've ever wanted," he stated dramatically.

"Wow. The only thing you've ever wanted!" she repeated, turning to give him a look of disbelief once they were on the balcony.

"One," he held up a figure. "One of the only things I've wanted," he amended. "Within the past year. To be your husband."

Rey smirked at him and started walking towards the doors that led inside. "Maybe instead of being all 'I'm the Supremely asshole Leader of the First Order, and you will do whatever I want!'" - she used her deep 'Ben' voice - "You could have tried, oh I don't know, romance!?" she huffed, but was mostly teasing him. "Oh, and, buying me was a horrible move that really set you back." Ben actually flinched and just nodded in response. "But, enough of that! We're here now. You, a drunk Emperor. Me, an accidentally pregnant soon-to-be Empress. We did pretty well, I think!"

He nodded again, a tentative smile on his lips. "I agree. I was a miserable pawn of the First Order, and you were a lowly desert rat scavenger-"

"I'm going to stop you there. I know you mean well, but you do not have a way with words. Please spend more time with your mother. And maybe even Poe," she told him kindly. "I'm so happy we're not writing our vows. Our guests would question if you actually love me or not!" she laughed.

Ben stopped walking. "I absolutely love you," he told her seriously. "You are everything to me. Why would anyone doubt that?" He said all of this while looking her straight in the eyes. The was a fire in his eyes, as if someone had actually doubted that he loved her and he was ready to fight them.

The way that he fiercely loved her might scare a lesser woman, but they had actually killed for each other. Rey found that how intensely he felt things, which he had always considered a weakness, made her love him just as ferociously. He had changed, become tamer, but she knew that he would still burn down the galaxy for her if the need ever arose.

Rey pulled on his hand to bring him closer, and he obeyed without hesitation. She pushed up slightly on her toes to run her figures through his wet hair and softly pull him down for a kiss. He again let her do with him what she wanted and accepted her kiss eagerly. Maybe a bit too eagerly, as his fierceness took over and he collided her back against the wall behind her, pinning her there with his still damp body. His hands then started to roam, pulling at her shirt.

It took effort, both physically and mentally, to push him away, but Rey succeeded. "I think we'll save this bit of fun for when you're sober. Like tomorrow evening," she said with a wink.

"I am sober," he said like a true drunk person.

"Sure you are, sweetheart," she said, patting his chest. "But, don't you want meat?"

As a former 'lowly scavenger,' Rey had been around enough drunk people to know that they could be easily distracted by food. Ben took the bait.

"Yes. I would like some meat. And then a cuddle," he decided. "Can we cuddle? Before you go away to stay in a different room. Away from me. Away for the whole night. A-"

"Yes," she interrupted him, patience wearing thin. "We will have plenty of time to cuddle, but only if we hurry up and get you some dinner."

He smiled, pleased with her response. "And tomorrow you'll be my wife and we can cuddle all the time."

Rey laughed. "Yes. We can cuddle forever."

"You're so good to me. I love you," he told her and kissed her again, gently this time.

"I know," she replied with a grin.

"Are you nervous?" Poe asked Ben. Again.

Poe and Finn had been sent to help assist the guests with seating as they arrived. They were sent far too early for the task, as the guests weren't due to arrive for another hour, causing them to believe that the ladies just didn't want them around as they were trying to get Rey ready. They took the hint and did as they were told, only to run into Ben pacing on the balcony.

"No," Ben replied, his tone betraying that he thought Poe was an idiot. "Think about our lives. Everything we've been through. Marrying Rey is the least nerve-wracking thing I've ever done."

"You're still pacing, though... I get it," Poe began to empathize with the groom. "What if she says 'no.' What if she doesn't even show up! What if she's already gone..." Poe nervously spouted out scenarios like he was the one getting married.

Finn smacked Poe upside the head. "What is wrong with you?!"

Ben chuckled. "If you're like this about my wedding, I can see now why you haven't yet asked Kaydel to marry you."

Poe just stared back at Ben before blurting out, "I have a ring. It was my mother's. I'm going to ask her tonight, after all of the festivities calm down. Probably take her down by your lake of nudity." Poe couldn't help a smirk while teasing Ben.

"Good," Finn told his friend. "She isn't subtle at dropping marriage hints. It was getting annoying."

"With Rey and Conni married, Rose will be looking for a ring of her own soon..." Poe turned the tables on Finn.

"Unlike you two, I have frequent open conversations with Rose. Neither one of us want to get married anytime soon. We both would like to let the dust settle - focus on our new careers - before we marry," Finn informed them. "Life has been crazy. We just want to enjoy what we have, our new freedom under the Galactic Order."

"Can't fault that logic," Ben quipped, staring at the numerous empty chairs fanned out before him.

If it were up to Ben and Rey - as Ben and Rey - they would have had a very small, friends and family only wedding. However, as Emperor Kylo Ren and soon-to-be Empress Rey - she hated the sound of her plain name with his fancy made up name - they had to invite rulers and dignitaries from across the galaxy. Leia had insisted that this was the best way to figure out who was favorable towards the new government and who wasn't, especially with an open bar and loose tongues!

Leia soon joined her favorite 'boys,' as she still called them, leading Sven, Pogba, and Bryce onto the balcony as well.

"I still can't believe you're getting married," Bryce remarked, taking in the full sight of Ben in his 'groom' clothing and the decorated balcony.

"It's the soon-to-be dad part I can't wrap my mind around," Sven shared his thoughts on the matter.

"Thank you both so much for your support. Truly wonderful friends..." Ben replied sarcastically.

Leia took a moment to really get a good look of her son on his wedding day. "You look very handsome," she told him, patting his cheek. "I've never been more proud of anyone, and I'm the luckiest mom alive to be gaining a daughter like Rey. You two will be wonderful together."

Ben gave his mother a heartfelt smile and bent down to kiss her cheek, which she returned with her own kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, mom. Thanks for never giving up on me," he whispered.

Leia gave her son one more hug before pulling away, clearing her throat to go back into wedding planner mode. "The guests will be arriving shortly," she informed the men. "Ben, you will need to be at the entrance to greet everyone. The rest of you will help them find their seats. Seating is planned out, so make sure you keep to the chart," she indicted a datapad that was on a table by the entrance. "I have carefully selected where people will sit, keeping those who aren't the greatest of friends far away from each other." All of the men nodded, taking the tiny woman very seriously. None of them would ever dare to cross Leia.

Ben followed his mother to await the arrival of his guests, and he listened intently as she explained the various greetings he should give to the different attendees. As people began to arrive, he found that he grew more and more relaxed with each person he spoke to. That was until he spotted the Tolosa family, some of the last guests to arrive, making their way towards him.

"Cecil, Marieta!" Leia greeted them enthusiastically, hugging them both.

"Look how big Ben has gotten!" Marieta gushed as she warmly shook his hand and couldn't help a small pat to his cheek.

"You just saw him, mother... At my wedding," Cecily spoke up from behind her parents. "Hello, Ben. I'm here to ruin your wedding like you ruined mine..." she smirked up at him. Her parents shook their heads in amusement and moved past them to let the 'kids' hash out their issues.

"I know that there is no way that I could ever adequately apologize, but please - Rey doesn't deserve to have her day ruined. She's so good, and-"

"Oh, for force sake! I'm just teasing. I mean, you did very nearly ruin my wedding. Freezing everyone and murdering a guest was slightly terrifying, but Tristan was vile and my wedding was the talk of the galaxy for a while," Cecily shrugged with a smile.

"And where is your new husband?" Leia interjected, steering the conversation into a more appropriate direction.

"He's helping Ona. My gran moves much slower these days, and there are lots of stairs!" Cecily told Leia, and then gave her a proper hug in greeting.

Ben continued small talk with Cecily until her husband, Chadwick, and Ona arrived, and then the small talk extended to them. Ben apologized again for the incident at the wedding, and Chadwick good-naturedly accepted his apologies. Though, Ben could sense underlying fear from the man. Ona ignored all of this and made Ben promise that she would have some time to talk with his 'lovely bride.' He, of course, agreed to her demands, knowing Rey wouldn't mind.

As the time drew near, Ben took his place by the officiant and waited for his Rey to make her entrance. Conni and Rose rushed to their seats beside their boyfriends, and Ben knew that Rey would be the next person he'd see enter the balcony turned wedding venue.

It felt like it took several minutes more for Rey to appear, but it was merely seconds. She looked the part of an Empress marrying the Emperor, wearing the gown of a former Queen, Padmé Amidala. Rey was several inches taller than Padmé had been, causing the dress to hit just above Rey's ankles. However, this took nothing away from the vision before Ben. And knowing Rey the way he did - and her strong dislike of dresses in general - the shorter length made the dress more perfect for her. He was looking forward to their dance as man and wife already, confident that she wouldn't drip on her dress and stomp on his feet. Though, he would gladly bare the pain just to have her in his arms.

Through all his musings, he only noticed that she was right next to him when she took his hand. He was pleased to see that she, like him, was not remotely nervous. They both firmly believed in their love for each other and knew that uniting their lives forever was not only what they wanted to do, but what they needed to do. They felt it through their bones and in their souls.

The ceremony flowed effortlessly. Not only were Rey and Ben mesmerized by each other and this moment, but all of the guests were captivated as if under a love-spell themselves. It was as if the force was singing in contentment and everyone could feel it. The spell, however, was broken with a kiss and a cheer from the crowd. Emperor Kylo Ren - Ben Organa Solo, to his loved ones - and Rey of Jakku - now Rey Solo - were officially husband and wife.

The first thing Ben and Rey did as a married couple was eat. Anyone who tried to approach them was intercepted by Sven, Pogba, or Bryce. The Knights had taken it upon themselves to act almost as bodyguards so that the happy couple could eat in peace. After they were finished eating, they danced. Or rather, Ben steered Rey around in what looked like dancing, but was really her putting her trust in him to move her body around the dancefloor.

"You're much worse at this than I recall," Ben remarked.

"I had a crap teacher," Rey retorted with a grin.

"Remember, it's not much different from sparring," he reminded her in hopes she would catch on a bit quicker.

"I haven't sparred in quite a while. You wouldn't let me," she pointed out.

"Well then, you're just going to have to let me be in complete control for once," he told her, pulling her body right up against his.

"Ben! We still need to keep this appropriate!" she exclaimed, slightly embarrassed at their closeness and the fact that she could feel that he was getting a hard-on.

"Do we?" he quirked a half smile. "It's our wedding. We can do as we please."

As the music ended, Ben and Rey shared another kiss, decidedly more passionate than their previous one, to applause. They then made their rounds, making small talk with their numerous guests. Ben kept his promise to Ona, it was the least he could do for - uh - interrupting her granddaughter's wedding many months ago! He wanted to stay by Rey's side, but his mother summoned him to speak to yet another important family that he needed on his side in order to be a successful Emperor.

Rey sat with the older woman and was surprised when Ona produced various family photos - who travels with pictures?! She was thoroughly amused at the few that included an awkward young Ben Solo! Ona was telling Rey about young Ben and Cecily's antics, all the trouble they would get into. The best story was when a ten-year-old Ben, just to spite his parents, turned up at a fancy dinner party covered head-to-toe in mud. Ona explained how the boy had grown more serious as he grew older, but was nice enough to be forced into playing with Cecily and her little cousin, Aurélie - the child who had died along with her mother, Vera - Ona's second daughter.

Ona shuffled another picture to the front of her small stack to show Rey the baby. A laughing Ben and smiling Cecily were sat on the floor playing with her. It was adorable and only confirmed Rey's idea that Ben would be a wonderful father.

"And this is my Vera," Ona pointed to a woman in the background of the photo.

Rey looked closely, recognizing a younger Leia and Marieta as the two other women in the picture. However, she recognized Vera a bit as well.

"What did you say happened to your daughter?" Rey asked, swallowing down what felt like fear but wasn't quite that emotion. She was more afraid of the answer. That it wouldn't be what she wanted to hear.

Ona sighed and Rey met her gaze. "My Vera was always a flighty, self-indulgent little thing. My rebellious child. The opposite of her sister who was always steadfast and loyal. It didn't help when Marieta married into royalty and had Cecily, taking attention away from Vera. So she decided to elope with one of Cecil's guards, a man named Hector. They came back months later, Vera already heavily pregnant. But they stayed. For a bit. Would leave Aurélie in mine or Marieta's care. Cecily grew to regard the baby as almost a sister. Your Ben was also fascinated with the child on his visits. Only children, excited over a baby!" Ona laughed at the memory.

She then grew more serious as she continued her tale. "When the child was a toddler, things happened involving the law. We began to form the idea that it would be best for Aurélie to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Vera and Hector, even when both locked up, wouldn't hear of it. Of course she was their child, and I truly believe that they loved her as best they could. But, they were both incredibly selfish and weren't capable of loving much more than themselves. Once they were released, they angrily left with their child. We never saw them again."

Rey swallowed again, taking in the story. "So you didn't try to track them down?" she questioned with an underlying tone of bitterness.

Ona patted her hand. "We did, but as I said, they disappeared. Lost to the winds." The older woman then took Rey's hand to make her look her in the eye again. "Nobody listens to an old lady, but I saw your face when you looked at that picture. You recognize Vera."

Rey shook her head. "No. I just- she looks like someone I knew, I think."

"She looks like you," Ona stated.

Rey shook her head again. Tears prickling her eyes, not wanting to hope.

"Yes, Rey. A mother knows when others miss it or refuse to see what's in front of them. You have the same hazel eyes that would glare at me when giving her a good scolding. That same freckled nose that would wrinkle in frustration," Ona pressed on as Rey continued to not want to believe. "When that baby was two years old, right before she was taken away, she couldn't say her name. She called herself Rey-ee, which evolved into just Rey."

At this, Rey sucked in a lungful of air.

"You are Rey of Jakku. Jakku, the next closest planet from Bardotta, their last known location. And, a planet that they hadn't been banished from yet! You are my lost granddaughter. I just know it!" Ona said, completely sure of herself.

Rey's watery eyes scanned the room. She wanted Ben back. Or Leia. Or someone she trusted to corroborate Ona's story. Finally, she managed to catch Ben's eye, who was in conversation with Marieta. Both of them made their way toward the women, Ben worried and Marieta embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry," Marieta told Rey before anyone could begin to explain what was going on. She knew exactly what was going on. "Mother, I told you not today!" she scolded Ona.

"What's going on?" Ben asked, worry turning into confusion.

"She thinks Rey is Aurélie," Marieta explained.

"She is!" Ona was adamant. "You can't tell me that this girl doesn't look like your sister!"

"Brown hair, hazel eyes, and freckles aren't exactly unique traits," Marieta replied but didn't deny the fact.

"Oh, and I suppose her being the exact age of Aurélie is also just a coincidence?!" Ona wasn't backing down. She held up the picture that she had shown Rey, proving how much the women resembled each other. Marieta took the photo to study it, while looking between it and Rey. It didn't take long for her expression to change from annoyed to something much more hopeful.

Ben's patience was wearing thin, especially since he didn't like seeing Rey upset. He took the picture from Marieta without asking, and studied it himself. He cocked his head to the side and looked at Rey, back to the picture, and at Rey again.

"Can't you use the force or something to prove I'm right?" Ona questioned him.

"It doesn't work that way," both Ben and Rey replied simultaneously. "However," Ben continued, "I did have a vision once... of Rey's past. Maybe we can try again...?"

Rey nodded immediately. Wanting the answer to this. Wanting Ona to be right.

"Ok, well, we need to be alone," Ben said, taking Rey by the hand and trying to think of the best place to go. He was happy that his mother was a fantastic host. No one would probably even notice them slip away for a few minutes. Or if anyone did notice, they would probably assume they went to go makeout or something...

"We need somewhere quiet," she supplied, standing next to her husband to help think of the best place to recreate her cold little hut on Ahch-To.

An idea came to Ben. "Come on," and he led her away, his mind on one thing. Figuring this out.

They found a quiet, dimly lit room. Ben positioned two chairs across from each other and had Rey sit down. He crossed the room to lock the door, so they would not be disturbed, and then took his seat.

"I think how it worked last time was that you were having some strong feelings regarding your loneliness and belonging. I don't really want to put you back in that place, but I think those are the feelings you need to reach out with," he explained as she nodded.

"I am having some pretty strong feelings about belonging now, so..."

"Good. I guess," he gave her a reassuring smile. "Rey, you- we are so much more in tune with our abilities and each other than we were then. We can do this."

She nodded again, holding onto her emotion, and reached her hand out towards him like last time.

Ben focused on that baby he barely remembered, and reached his own hand forward to grasp his wife's.

"Mom! Watch this!" a ten-year-old (almost eleven), already too tall, Ben came into view carrying a giggling Aurélie under her arms with Cecily trailing behind.

"Be careful, Ben!" Leia exclaimed. "Aurélie is only eight months old. You need to support her better than that!"

"But watch! This little baby can walk," he told his mother and placed the baby to sit on the floor. He held a finger from each hand out for Aurélie to grasp. The baby pulled herself up, and with Ben's help began walking.

"That is pretty impressive," Leia smiled at Ben. "Another first for Vera to miss out on," she muttered.

"You're not using your weird magic to do that, are you?" seven-year-old Cecily accused him.

"No!" he defended his actions. "I'm just sending encouragement."

"Just remember that she is still just a baby, and her legs aren't very strong. Don't let her fall because she could get hurt," Leia doled out her motherly advice to her son.

"I'm not going to let her fall. I won't let go of her hands, and I think I'm strong enough to hold her up," Ben retorted with the strongest of eyerolls. Aurélie took a few more steps before deciding that she wanted to chew on Ben's finger. "Ow! She bit me!" he exclaimed but didn't take his hand away from her since he had just proclaimed that he was strong enough to deal with a baby.

Leia (and Aurélie) laughed. "That's what babies do. Put whatever they can in their little mouths and chew on it!"

"She's slobbering on me," he said in disgust. "I like playing with her, but I'm happy that we get to give her back."

"Well, I wish that I could keep her!" Cecily announced. "I would love a baby sister."

"I wouldn't want to share my parents," he told Cecily. Then added just to wound Leia, "I don't see them enough as it is."

Ben and Cecily sat on the floor to continue playing with Aurélie, the baby sat snugly in Ben's lap.

Rey and Ben pulled their hands apart and were brought back to the present. They sat, shocked, and stared at each other. Ben was the first to move, dropping to his knees next to Rey and cradling her face in his hands.

"You are her," he said in wonder, studying her face as if he could find any similarities between Rey now and that baby he cared for.

Tears began to roll down her face, Ben clearing them away with his thumbs, but she wore a smile. "I found my family," was all that she could manage to say.

"Looks like you gained two families today," he told her, his own smile growing. "What a lucky little desert rat you are."

Rey sobbed a laugh and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pressing her face into his hair. "I am. The luckiest."

I've been dropping hints - VERY subtle hints - this WHOLE time of who Rey's family was. I've had that flashback of young Ben and baby Rey written for probably a year! This is my headcanon for her. That her parents were nobody junk traders who sold her off, but her extended family miss and love her. I 100% pulled from my own life on this. I have an extended family member who has had two children taken away to be raised by other family members because she won't stay off drugs and out of prison. One of the children is a little feisty girl. ;-)

I'm not sure if anywhere in this story I said his name is Benjamin. I don't think I have... I just think it's funny that the fandom either already thinks his name is legally Benjamin OR they come up with other names like Bendrick, Bentley, etc... it would be great if, in fact, it IS just Ben. So that's what I made it here. :)

Speaking of names, I had to make use of the Chad joke circling around online (starting from Adam's appearance on Stephen Colbert, angrily yelling at a 'Chad' in a sketch they were doing), so I made Cecily marry a sort of a Chad- Chadwick. :-)