(pictured above: the solo family)

His golden halo of hair shines as brightly as the sun. Her hair is a perfect contrast; the shade of ebony that you can only find in the darkest corners of the galaxy, at the peak of midnight.

They are opposites, yet they are one and the same.

The pair of two-year-old children toddle in the newly-flowered meadow on their stubby little legs.

August stumbles, and Amora's giggles are soon to follow.

August is the definition of clumsy. I see myself in him, from the shade of his hair to his bashful and adventurous personality.

Amora bends over and helps her brother the best she can.

I see Ben in Amora, from her perfectly calculated, graceful movement, to her curly, stark black hair, and her big-hearted nature.

"Hey, Mal." Ben beckons quietly, and I turn my head to face my fiancé.

"You can take a break, I'll watch them." He offers.

"But-"

"Don't worry, darling. They'll be fine. You need to rest some." He smiles, his words hitting home. I feel warm and my face goes red. What did I ever do to deserve him?

"Fine. But I'm staying here." I relent. I calmly sink down, resting my head in his lap and letting my muscles relax. His calm aura is soothing, and I revel in the comfort I feel in just being around him.

With my gaze fixed on the gorgeous blue sky, I let my mind wander to things I haven't thought about in a long time.

The First Order.

Without Ben and Snoke, it took them only days to crumble. The Resistance obliterated their bases and ships, and even allowed the Stormtroopers, who were brutally ripped from the lives they'd been initially given, a second chance. Most of them live here, on D'Qar, rebuilding their lives and choosing their own names in the way they deserved. I even think I saw Petra once, a pilot I flew with when I still held their allegiance.

Hux escaped, narrowly avoiding execution, never to be heard from again. Without his troops, he's harmless. No one's bothered to look for him.

Remnants of the Dark Side still exist. It's entirely impossible to destroy the Galaxy's #1 enemy completely. So, we're still here. The Resistance, I mean. To protect the newly-formed Galactic Republic and all of its citizens, including the blossoming Jedi Order. It may only consist of Luke and Rey now, but someday, they hope to restore it to what it used to be.

Being Ben's children, Amora and August are likely strong with the Force, but we've decided to let them become what they want to be, even if it means they don't become Jedi. And, if it's the life they choose, we'll support it all of the way.

Ben is working to become the Jedi he once trained to be. On the building blocks of the new Jedi Code, formed by Luke, Ben and every other Jedi is free to be attached, and that includes marriage.

Ben asked me to marry him, in this same meadow, a year after the twins were born. The pair of us decided to wait to marry until the time is right.

Any time is right for me.

I love him so impossibly much, and he knows it.

"Is mummy asleep?" Amora's characteristically loud whisper breaks me out of my thoughts. I smile softly and open my eyes.

"No, princess, I think she's awake." Ben answers in a kind voice as I slowly sit up, rubbing my eyes.

August jumps into my lap immediately and I giggle, kissing his nose. I watch endearingly as his big brown eyes, that mirror Ben's exactly, flit over to his sister, who's circled her arms over Ben's neck as she loudly tells him about a creature she'd caught in the patch of lilies, her icy blue eyes wide.

I finally notice the sun sinking along the horizon.

"I think it's about time for bed, Auggie." I whisper into my little boy's hair.

"No!" Amora protests, after overhearing my hushed revelation.

"Princess," Ben starts in a warning tone, and Amora's shoulders sink.

"But dadd-"

"No buts." He raises his eyebrows.

"Fine." She frowns, her little voice slightly defeated. She presses her face against his dark shirt and he hoists her up. I pick up August, who's already asleep, and follow Ben to the path leading back to our cottage.

In minutes, Amora's soft snoring is audible, and I can see Ben smile softly when he notices.

We get inside and gently lay the small children in their beds. Then, we disappear into our own bedroom.

I change into bed clothes and quickly make myself comfortable in the warm bed. I watch Ben take off his shoes pull his shirt over his head, and I couldn't feel more perfect.

"What're you grinning about?" He pesters as he crawls in beside me.

"Nothing." I reply faintly, feeling absolutely no need to elaborate. He pulls the blankets over his chest and I scoot close, resting my head on his warm chest and feeling his arms engulf me.

He plays with my hair for what seems like forever, and I realize in that moment that with everything I'd been given, I wouldn't dare ask for more.

Ben changed my life. Few would stay with him after all he did to me, but I'd go through it again 1,000 times if it meant I could be here, with him, Amora, and August, in this exact moment.

I sense he'd started to grow sleepy as his movements begin to slow, as well as his breathing.

He kisses the top of my head and holds me close.

"I love you." He whispers.

"I love you too." I murmur.

And I do. More than anything in the Galaxy.

-

the end

-

it's over

omg

before i forget, #maythefourthbewithyou !

okay, so i have a lot to say now, so bear with me.

i'll start by thanking every single one of you for the 100000000000000th time for sticking with me through this entire story

you guys are so wonderful and mean a whole lot to me

i mean, even when i doubted myself, my writing, and my book, you guys were always there, and your support is what kept condemned alive until the very end

thank you so so so so so very much

i love every single one of you!

ok

next, i want to say one more time that if you'd like me to add a q/a to the end of this book, please send me questions! you can submit them

here

or send me a private message with your question! this is only gonna work if i get enough questions, so please, don't hesitate to ask!

now i have an announcement:

following the end of this book i've created a new kylo ff, and, although it has no ties to this one (i will most likely not make a sequel), i have no doubt in my mind that every single one of you loyal readers will love it! i'll post it on my page as soon as i've published this chapter, so it's likely that it's already there. just go on my account and find "vertigo" (which is what i've named it).

please don't be disappointed that this story probably won't have a sequel (:(), if you really like my writing please be sure to check out both covet and vertigo which have different takes on kylo's outcome, i'm positive you'll love them as much if not more than condemned!

ok

so i think that's it!

well

for one last time

ily all

kait

(ps, don't take this story out of your library just yet, i might make a few one-shots if requested!)