Ben Solo

XIII

Ben's nightmares that night were worse.

This time, both his mother and father abandoned him.

He stood before them, in his nightshirt, on a windy hilltop.

He reached for his mother and father. They turned their backs.

"You've been nothing but a burden," Han said.

The last word echoed around Ben. Burden. Burden.

Had he really?

"Father, I have tried--"

"You have no right to call yourself Solo."

With a burst of anger, Ben lunged forward and grabbed his parent's arms.

Their faces had changed, to evil pale white ones, sneering at him.

Ben sat up with a start.

Poe was still asleep.  His room was darkened.

He had no choice but to go back to sleep, so he did.

But his nightmare repeated itself over and over.  Each time, Ben tried to stop them from turning, because as soon as they turned their backs, their faces became snow white.

After many replays of his dream, he saw Poe awake.

His friend was sitting on his pallet, legs folded in criss-cross.  Ben sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Have you been up long?" he asked.

Poe shrugged.  "Not really.  You looked troubled.  Did you sleep okay?"

Ben tilted his head, indicating more or less.  "How did you sleep?"

"All right."

They got dressed and went into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mother." Ben said as he sat down at the table.

She smiled, pretending that the night before had never happened. "Good morning, Ben, Poe."

"Good morning, general."

"Your mother will arrive in an hour."

"Thank you."

She gave them hot plates of food, and they ate.  Leia asked them to tell about their lives at the base.

Poe rambled on, talking about how he and Onya switched off on making meals, and how they were beginning lightsaber training, and about his simulator he bought.

Ben stayed quiet.

Leia glanced at him occasionally, to make sure he was okay.  Each time, he sat straight again.

Han entered after they had finished eating.

Ben was rinsing his dish in the sink.

Han kissed Leia on the cheek and went to get his own food.  "Good morning."

Ben looked at his parents.  Both were acting like they hadn't been fighting the night before.  And Poe, oblivious to it all, was chatting with both of them.

He wasn't angry per say, merely feeling slightly betrayed.

Then Kelvin came in.  "Dameron just landed, General."

"Thank you," Leia said.

Poe let out a whoop of joy and ran out to see his mother.  Ben followed him.

Poe nearly knocked his mother over as she stepped down from her X-Wing.

Ben watched the family's reunion.