It has been one month since Poe's wedding. She hasn't seen her friends since Rose and Finn were busy with work and school whereas Poe was still on his honeymoon but due back any time. But Rey tries to keep busy as much as she can. The base is due to close in a couple of days and she has her hands full with overseeing the move of several items and archiving things. She is nearly done with her job with but always finds some extra things to do. Anything to get her mind off...

She hasn't seen him or talked to him in a month either. The Force Bond had never opened and in a way, she was grateful that she didn't have to face him. She tries to not think about it the way things had ended and the fact that she rejected him. For the second time as well but she needed some time to figure out things. Somehow Finn's words had stuck with her about not being able to have a life together and the thought of losing someone again scares her. Rey had waited all her life for her parents to come back but they never did. She doesn't know if she can do that all over again.

Lost in thoughts, she doesn't notice the door opening and a tall person walking towards her until that person is in closing distance to her and she looks up.

It's him... Her mood changes instantly and she greets him with a big smile at least until he starts speaking.

Ben; angry:

'I'm not here to see you'.

Rey, confused:

'What? Oh. (slightly disappointed). OH. Well, hello to you too Kylo'.

Ben:

'It's Ben.', and he sighs.

I'm here to get something from the archive. Apparently the General... My mother has left a box with some of my stuff or hers for me here. I got a letter from your supervising officer that it was stored in section 9. If you point me to the direction of where that is, I'll gladly go get it myself'.

He gives Rey a note where the location is scribbled on. There is no sub section mentioned on the piece of paper so there is no way someone who doesn't know this archive by heart like Rey for instance, will be able to find that box. Rey explains this to him and he reluctantly agrees that she'll look with him.

Rey:

'So... Why do you need that box now? We could have send it to you if you had wanted.'

He prefers not to speak.

Rey:

'You're leaving, again aren't you?'.

Ben still doesn't speak.

Rey:

'Back to...?'.

Ben shakes his head:

'I'm not going back to prison. That is all I am going to tell you, for now. Now where the hell is that Section 9?'.

Rey:

'There', she points.

It takes them an hour to rummage through the archive. They don't talk to each other much mainly because Ben cuts things off every time Rey tries to find out more about where he is going. Then finally they find Leia's box and Rey hands it to him. His name is written on it. He stares at the hand writing of his mother and Rey can see that his fingers shake a little.

Then he gathers himself again and they start walking back together to the section where Rey was working. When they reach it is time to say goodbye and Ben decides to not dwell on things by saying a quick goodbye. Rey looks at him. He doesn't seem to be angry anymore; just sad Rey thinks to herself. If only he knew that she shares the same sentiments.

Ben gives her a nod followed by the smallest, barely visible courteous smile.

'Thank you. Rey'.

Rey, smiles back at him but then answers softly:

'You're welcome. Ben'.

She doesn't want to see him leave again so she pretends to resume working and putting things away.

Ben walks away but stops abruptly midway, he remembers something Rey's supervising officer had written to him in the letter. The base was closing in a couple of days. Rey lives on the base but she hadn't mentioned anything about it today. He was wondering on where she was planning on going now.

'FUCK. ', he thinks to himself. WHY can't he just walk away from her? It would be so much easier if he could, but he can't.

FUCK. Fuck it all to hell. The First Order, The Resistance, The Sith, the Jedi but mostly FUCK HIM. He should have gone with her sooner but was just too stupid to realize this. Still holding on to the notion of power and glory but everything had gone to hell anyway when Hux organized the mutiny. It had been all for nothing; murdering his father had split his core to the bone. He tried not thinking about and actively denied accountability in his head but eventually the guilt AND TRUTH had with him like a ton of bricks. And then his mother died without ever making things up with her, she died knowing that her son had done unspeakably things and never redeemed himself.

He had lost everyone he had cared about except her and so... he walks back to her and stops in front of her. He gets close; almost in touching distance.

Ben:

'This base is about to close in a couple of days.'

Rey:

'Yeah... so?'.

Ben:

'So... where are you going to go?'.

Rey feels a bit called out but answers anyway:

'I. I haven't decided yet.'

She had put off making the decision for so long, the days caught up on her and it was getting time to leave.

Ben:

'You haven't deci... Really, Rey?'.

Rey; getting annoyed:

'What's IT TO YOU, Ben?'.

He sighs. 'So stubborn', he thinks to himself. One thing they both have in common.

Ben:

'Come with me'.

Rey's heart starts beating faster after that sentence until her abandonment issues come back to haunt her again.

Rey:

'That is a ridiculous idea. I don't even know where you're going. You haven't told me remember?'.

Ben:

'Sifar.. Judge Wozniak ordered me go to there. Look.. I don't know why I'm getting off so easy but I suspect my mother has something to do with it. All I know is that they want me to go but they are going to monitor my every move, I must report to them weekly and I'm not allowed to leave. Not ever. Those are the conditions; at least for now..'.

Rey:

'Sifar.. It's beautiful', she says with a soft voice.

Ben takes a deep breath:

'Come with me Rey'.

Rey:

'No'.

Ben:

'Why NOT?'.

Rey:

'Because I can't leave this base... I still have some work to do here and I...'

Ben is done with talking at this point. No more talking. It doesn't do them any favors he thinks and it is time to act. Before Rey fully understands what's happening or has a chance to react Ben walks behind her, grabs her, holds her in his arms tightly and he walks away. The situation is similar to the first time they met but this time he doesn't knock her out.

Rey:

'Oh. OH. REALLY BEN? REALLY? You are going to do this again.?'.

Ben, smiles but doesn't look at her. He just looks straight ahead and walks casually towards the door like it's the most normal thing in the world..

Ben:

'Yes, I am'.

Rey:

'Let me go'.

Ben:

'No'.

Rey:

'I said LET ME GO'.

He doesn't answer.

Rey:

'I WILL PUNCH YOU in your face if you don't.'.

Ben:

'Fine. Just not on the eyes, OK.?'.

Rey doesn't punch him though, she doesn't want to. At all. She doesn't kick him either; she likes that he is holding her like this, but she won't admit that to him.

Rey:

'You know. . You're lucky I don't have my light saber with me because I would have beat your ass'.

Ben looks at her and gives her the loveliest smile and she swears it feels like a million butterflies are taking off in her stomach and then says.

Ben:

'Yeah, you would probably would have'.

Rey sighs:

'You're really doing this. Taking me with?'.

Ben:

'This feels a bit repetitive to answer, Rey but yes. I am taking you with me'.

They are out of the archive and are headed towards the docking area, to his ship. Still in his arms, Rey thinks about how this must look silly to an outsider, but no one is around to witness it.

Rey:

'What about my stuff? Can I at least get them and meet you in half an hour?'.

Ben:

'Nah. You escaped once, won't let that happen again'.

At this point Rey is getting more and more annoyed with him having the upper hand in this situation.

'You are insufferable.'.

Ben just smiles again but doesn't look at her.

Rey:

'How do you know I won't murder you in your sleep once we get there?'.

Ben:

'You won't.'

Rey:

'I might'.

Ben:

'I don't think you will ... And besides... I'm going to hold you so tight you will not be able to move a finger anyway'.

Rey realizes what Ben is trying to imply; he and her sleeping in the same bed and her face starts to redden.

Rey:

'Uh..Uh.. What. That's... I.. I.' and gibberish follows .

Ben, teasing her:

'Are you OK? Your face is all red all of the sudden...'

Rey; pissed off at him making fun of her lashes out in anger and before she knows it, her mouth runs off again.

Rey:

'I WILL NEVER SHARE A BED WITH A MURDEROUS SNAKE. '.

She will never forgive herself for saying this that because the way he looks at her after that. So very hurt and heartbroken, she literally can sense all his hope shattering into a million pieces.

Soon after her comment, he firmly but gently puts her down and without saying anything further makes his way out.

Rey, yelling after him:

'I am sorry, Ben'.

He continues to walk away.

Rey:

'Please. I didn't mean what I said'.

He is moving further and further away.

Rey:

'I SAID I WAS SORRY'.

Her pleading words don't seem to influence him...

Rey, starts to cry:

'Come back, please...Oh for fucks sake! I love you, BEN'.

He stops and slightly turns around and looks at her with disbelief.

Ben:

'You .. do?'.

He doesn't wait for an answer. It takes him about 5 seconds to get back to the place where Rey is standing... He then takes her in his arms, leans down and gives Rey a kiss that knocks the breath out of her mouth. Rey returns the kiss with just as much enthusiasm and they stay there, mouths locked in a passionate, for a very long time. It is he who eventually breaks the spell. He rests his head on hers, looks down while smiling and says:

'Aah. You do..'.

He pulls her closer and starts to gently stroke her hair.

Ben:

'You'll come with me? To anywhere I go? No matter what?'.

Rey:

'Anywhere. No matter what.'.

He takes her face in his hands, leans down and kisses her again. They leave for Sifar soon after and that night he makes her his.

Maz Kanata was right. At Sifar and with Ben by her side she finally found the belonging she had wanted so desperately before.

THE END