The Daughter of Reylo

Alone Tent (9)

"Oh my goodness." Rey whispered. She and Kylo had been holding each other for several minutes. They held each other like they were never letting go, and at that point it was unlikely that they would.

Twelve years. I DID MY WAITING! Rey thought, TWELVE YEARS OF IT!

I'm really sorry, it's been nine parts and this is only the first non Star Wars reference. Consider yourselves lucky.

Twelve years was too long. Rey had forgotten how small Kylo made her feel. How vulnerable. She had also forgotten how much she had enjoyed it.

"You're here." Rey said, not for the first time that morning. They were huddled in Kylo's little tent. It reminded her of their little cottage. It had a pantry space that was similarly sized.

"I'm here." He repeated to her. They whispered little nothings into each other's ears for hours. Okay, not hours, but at least half an hour. The little nothings made big everythings. The rings on their fingers had purpose once again.

Finally, they let go. They looked at each other. Really, looked at each other. Kylo looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes, but he had a radiating smile.

"Kylo-"

"No."

"What?"

"I've made a decision." Rey felt her heart drop. She was worried for what he was going to say. "I'm leaving. The Order, I mean. Seeing Padmé again made me realize how much I need you. And her. I want to change my name, again. I'm going to be Ben. Ben Solo, I'm going to be with you. I'm going to be with our baby."

Rey was impressed. This was a big step, even for Ky- Ben. I meant Ben. She was proud of him. Without thinking, she had pulled him in towards her. He leant down, and their lips touched. Slowly but passionately. It was their first kiss for twelve years.

It was full of love, full of promise, just as a kiss should be. It seemed like a contract. A sealed deal. They would raise Padmé together. Publicly or not, it didn't matter. For once in a long time, everything seemed like it would turn out okay.
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"May I borrow young Padmé? Just for a moment?" Leia asked the passing duo. They were just leaving the mess hall, before everyone else. Leia always ate alone, in her own quarters. Ever since Ben had left, resulting in Han's leaving as well.

"Madam Solo... umm." Poe hesitated.

"Please? I promise she won't get mad." Padmé pleaded, referring to Rey. They had been talking about her before leaving the Mess Hall.

"Curfew. Need to set a curfew." Poe said, thinking out loud. Setting a curfew was something he had done with Alana. Something that still hadn't saved her from her fate. "I need you to check in every hour, and be back before the sun sets. Understood?"

"Okay, Dad." She said, jokingly.

I'm sorry guys, my italics aren't working. For some reason the bold is though... I don't know.

The two walked, side by side. They had been walking for at least five minutes before Padmé realized that she had no idea where they were going. When she asked, Leia only smiled. Rey had been right, Leia was out of her mind.

Only after another five minutes or so did Padmé really recognize their surroundings. It was same hallway that held the door to the Memorial, the room that Padmé had first met Leia in.

"I don't believe we entirely finished our story." Leia said, speaking for the first time on their expedition. She pushed open the double door and led her companion to the slide depicting, once again, Anakin and Padmé.

This time, however, it was different. Anakin's half of the story was of his bust. Below his face was a Vader helmet, and he was surrounded by blue. Padmé immediately recognized the symbolic meaning of the color- the Light side. The late Padmé's half was the same one of her, with a blue dress and flowers in her hair.

"Anakin realized what he had done. Luke convinced him of that. I think that, what made him come back, was his love for my mother. I would give anything for my husband. If Han could come back, I would do anything for that." Leia explained.

Padmé watched her face as Leia explained. She watched as Leia had gotten choked up at the end, and watched her eyes fill with tears. Padmé felt bad for the old woman. The woman that everyone thought was crazy. The woman no one took seriously. The woman who did amazing things. The woman who lost everything.

If I could change this woman's life, Padmé thought, I think I'd do it by giving her a friend. Or by being her friend, even.

Some people just need a friend, and others deserve to die. Like her son, Ben. He killed his dad. Who does that? Padmé understood that her father had left her for her entire life, but that was no excuse. It did make her a little angry though.
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"Come back with me." Rey pleaded. Ben was planning to stay in his camp. "At least for a little while. "She'd love to see you, please."

"Rey, darling, you know why I can't do that. My mother, or Chewie. Maybe even one of the workers. It's too risky right now."

"Do you promise you'll be here? I can take her to see you, right."

"Of course I'll be here."

"What about Padmé? Can I bring her here? Please Ben." Rey shivered. It was growing dark already, although it seemed like they had only just been reunited.

"What if something happens? I don't know if she wants to see me right now."

"Why? What thoughts have you been feeding yourself. You're her father, she loves you. She's mentioned you every day."

"I abandoned her. Twice. I left her for twelve years, then I sent her away again. That's not what a father does. I'm willing to be one now, but that takes time. I need to earn her trust. Please, Darling? For me?"

"I'll wait to bring her here, but don't think for a second that she won't love you. She wouldn't hesitate to run into your arms, you understand?"

"Of course." Ben pulled his wife in for one last hug before he watched her disappear through the wood, towards town. He felt a tear run down his cheek. He blamed the wind and quickly moved back into his tent. His warm tent. His alone tent.

The alone tent that shielded a man who, in fact, never wanted to be alone.