Chapter 13

Ben overlooked Varykino with proud eyes. Below him in the courtyard, students of varying ages were grouped together for training. Together they exercised their abilities — both with the Force and without — in a safe space away from the threat of the Dark or the unobtainable perfection of the Light. They lived somewhere in between. In the gray.

In the year since the end of the First Order, much had changed.

Following the siege upon Theed Palace, Ben and Rey stood side by side before what remained of the Resistance, the First Order, and Naboo. He declared the war over, asking everyone to lay down their weapons and disperse. He never would have been able to do it without Rey holding his hand.

There had been a tense moment where he prepared for a revolt, the backlash for his demands. Then someone moved.

It was FN-2187 who took the first to steps forward. He placed his weapon on the ground and then stared down his comrades and former Stormtroopers. His show of commitment to the current state of things was what prompted Ben to name it the New Order.

It wasn't easy. The First Order had done extensive damage to the galaxy's trust but Rey's presence as the last Jedi opened doors formerly closed to Ben.

Together, they shaped the new world, a universe without the threat of mass destruction, without suppression of the weak, the different or the strange. It was a truly free galaxy.

They surrounded themselves with counsel, Archais, FN-2187, Rose, Mitaka, and Carsmica were among them. Dameron was, thankfully, not included in the group. It was more for his self-preservation than his need to fly, as he claimed when people asked.

It had been Rey who suggested the timid lieutenant. Despite Ben's initial misgivings, the man had developed into a level-headed advisor. He had an excellent handle on supply routes and trade missions, often securing lower rates through more efficient routes.

Carsmica was good with people. As talented as she had been in the nursery, she excelled even further with public relations. Naboo was taken with her. Once she had their approval, it was easy for her to gain the respect of the other planets.

FN-2187 and his wife handled outreach and transitional programming. With his background as a former Stormtrooper and hers as a mining worker, they had immediate credibility.

Archais, while relieved of his position within the Knights of Ren, now disbanded, struggled with his transition. He had a mind for strategy, yet no desire to continue discussing battles or defenses. For months, he appeared lost, alone, and adrift. Ben worried for him, unsure what to give the man who had given everything to him.

As always, Rey knew how to fix it.

One day, she invited a Resistance Communications specialist to stop by their council meeting. At first, Ben thought nothing of it, until Rey mentioned that the girl's sister had been part of the city assault, specifically the Corp of soldiers who got cornered by the elite Stormtroopers.

Archais had been dispatched to that sector. He'd single-handedly freed the Corp, and it appeared his heroic acts had left an impression. Rey smiled smugly over at Ben when the communications specialist asked if Archais would like to join her for tea one day. They were married not long afterwards.

The former knight's mood brightened considerably and he found a way to spend his retirement. He and his wife were the first volunteers to join the staff of Rey's new school for Force sensitives.

Ben had the lake house converted, thinking how much his grandparents would have appreciated being able to see the property restored and full of light, laughter and love.

It had been a year of immense change, but perhaps the most important change was the one which gifted Rey a surname. Ben fulfilled his promise and married his scavenger.

After whisking her away to revisit the place where they had met, Ben dropped to his knee deep within Takodana forest. He produced the ring he'd made for her using a piece of his Silencer and a broken coupling from the Falcon. The final touch was a new kyber crystal. It was far too small for lightsaber construction, but perfect for the ring construction, as if it had been waiting for him.

Rey's teary-eyed yes has been all the consent he required before he swept her off her feet. Unlike the first time he'd taken her from the forest, Rey was conscious. Her fingers were in his hair, her lips were on his throat, and her desire was overwhelming their bond. It took Ben mere minutes to get them back to their ship.

They had a simple service held in the gardens. With Padme's statue watching over them, Ben pledged his life and his heart to Rey. There was no greater moment in his life than when she did the same for him.

Temiri held their rings during the vows, presenting them to Maz Kanata when she instructed him to.

"Bound in the Force, bound in love, you are choosing to bind yourselves to one another in this life and the next," the Pirate Queen told them, as she wove their clasped hands together with red string.

It was an ancient tradition, rarely used anymore, yet Ben could think of no better way to surrender himself to the love of his life.

Ben sighed, smiling to himself as he came back to the present. Today they would leave, entrusting the school to their friends while they escaped for a short time. Taking a honeymoon seemed almost too normal, too domestic considering all they had done to get here but Ben was eager for some alone time with his new wife.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his torso from behind and leaning into him.

"Thinking," he answered.

"Brooding."

"I do not brood," he grumbled.

"You do too," she laughed. The sound vibrates through his back. "Every day, in fact."

"Solo's do not brood," he informed her.

"No, but Skywalkers do," Rey teased, giving him a squeeze.

Ben shook his head and changed the subject. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she replied, releasing him to return inside their chamber. She had a single bag packed and waiting by the door. Ben arched a brow.

"What?"

"That's all you packed?"

"How many clothes do you think I need?"

He shrugged. His mother had always traveled with an entire wardrobe. "I don't know. Don't you need a dress or something?"

Rey groaned. "You know how I feel about dresses. I thought a honeymoon was a vacation." Ben considered her response but before he could reply, she added, "Besides, Rose said newlyweds don't need clothes."

Ben coughed so she wouldn't hear the raw choking noise he made at her insinuation.

Rey grinned wickedly.

"Right," he wheezed. "Point made."

They met their friends in the courtyard. Chewie had given them the Falcon as a wedding present, telling Ben that it belonged in his family and it would make his father proud to see him pilot the legendary ship.

The Wookie stood with FN-2187, Rose, and Archais to say farewell.

Archais stepped forward, allowing Rey to hug him before he took her hand in his.

"Goodbye, Rey of Jakku," he bowed his head, pressing it to her knuckles as he had done the first time they met.

"Just remember this, Rey," Rose instructed as she handed over a new homing beacon. "Should you need us."

"Yes, should you need us for anything at all..." Archais trailed off.

"Yeah," Finn agreed, patting the former knight on the back. "Should either of you two need us," he clarified, giving Ben a curt nod.

"I can assure you, we won't," Ben replied, wrapping his arms around Rey. As grateful as he was to their friends, he had no intention of seeing them during his honeymoon.

His wife giggled softly, her Force signature singing with amusement at his response.

"Will you be able to handle them while we are gone?" she asked Archais about the school.

Her eyes roamed across the courtyard to where Temiri was sitting with a set of younger students, barely old enough to walk. Ben watched her bite her lower lip, unease marring her prior joy.

"They'll be fine, sweetheart," Ben promised, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It's only one standard week."

She nodded, blinking back tears.

He knew this was difficult for her. Rey was attached to each and every orphan they found amongst the cosmos, though none were quite as exceptional as Temiri, which was why Ben had one final gift for his bride.

"Come here." He guided her away from their friends to stand down by the water. "I know you've been feeling guilty about leaving."

"I haven't-." He interrupted her with a knowing look. "Okay," she huffed. "But they look to us for guidance, Ben. We are all they have."

"That's not true. They have Archais and his rebel," he pointed out.

Rey rolled her eyes. She did not find his nickname for Archais's intended funny. "Her name is Lindsay, not Rebel," she reminded him.

He shrugged. "She's not so bad, even if she is Resistance."

His wife elbowed him. "Former Resistance. Besides, technically, you're Resistance now too."

"No," Ben corrected. "We are the New Order."

Rey shook her head but he could see her smiling. "Is that why you drug me over here?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"Ben," she admonished him. "You've already done too much!"

"Hardly, but I have the rest of our lives to try," he responded. He started to tell her, when he felt a third Force signature nearing. "Ah, perfect timing."

"I thought you left without saying goodbye," Temiri commented, accusingly.

"We wouldn't leave you," Rey insisted. Ben could feel the cracks of her resolve deepening. She was beginning to think they should stay on Naboo.

"Temiri, we discussed this," Ben reminded the boy. "You're to work with Archais while we are gone. You'll be the strongest one here. We're counting on you."

The boy's disposition shifted and he smiled. "I'll take care of them." Rey relaxed, visibly pleased by his response. "I'll miss you," he admitted.

Ben placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "We will miss you too but when we get back, we will be together...as a family."

"A family?" Temiri glanced up at Ben, then at Rey, confused.

Rey was staring at Ben, eyes widening as she pieces together what he was saying.

"I visited Canto Bight last week about your records," Ben explained. "Their paperwork was incomplete, which is regrettable...for them. For us, it made things easier." He withdrew a holo from his robe pocket, sharing it with his wife and Temiri. "As of today, you are no longer a ward of the galaxy. You are ours."

Rey started crying. Temiri could only stare at the holo in disbelief. "Y-you mean?"

"You can still call me Ben," added awkwardly. After all, the boy was already eleven. There was no reason to think he would—

"Can I call you Dad?"

Ben swallowed thickly, ordering himself not cry until he and Rey were alone onboard the Falcon.

"If that is your wish."

"It is," Temiri confirmed. "And I can call you Mom?" he asked Rey. She nodded.

He paused for a moment then threw himself at them, hugging them both. Rey kissed the top of his head, embracing him back before she gazed up at Ben.

'Thank you,' she mouthed.

"Wait, does this mean, I'm going to be the older brother?"

Ben stiffened. Older brother? What in the 'verse did that—

Aside of him, Rey's Force signature spiked with alarm and embarrassment. Her mental shields slammed down at an alarming rate.

"Temiri." She sighed, as she stepped back.

"Ooops," the boy winced.

Ben stared at her. He had noticed she'd been eating more at mealtimes, though Rey always ate a lot, so that by itself wasn't much to go on. But she'd also been sleeping in and allowing him to take over more of their training sequences. Then there was her physical appearance. Nothing had changed, per se, but she seemed different, somehow luminescent, as if she was a sun, glowing with a brilliant light from within.

Then he felt it, the soft tendril of life at the core of that light, the source of that light.

How had he missed it?

"I was going to wait until we were off-world," she apologized. "Are you upset?"

"Am I upset?" Ben chuckled, running a hand through his hair in awe. "How could I be?" He opened his arms and hugged her tight, before whispering into her hair. "We're going to be a family."

Rey smiled up at him. "We already are."