It had been a fantastic week.  A fucking fantastic week.  Still riding high on his success at signing Blutech, he'd been shocked when two other new clients had suddenly crawled out of the woodwork, having heard through the grapevine that he was now representing such a prestigious client.  It had been a whirlwind of long nights, but he was absolutely loving it.

Rey was still away in Seattle, and would be flying to Denver on Sunday, where she'd be away for another week.  They'd texted back and forth a few times, with her telling him that she was busy, but lonely and bored in the evenings, trying to use the time to 'think about things'.  He wasn't quite sure what that meant, but sincerely hoped that she was okay.  When she'd received that phone call during their dinner last week, he could see that she really didn't want to go to Seattle, but felt that she had to.  Hopefully, in the not so distant future she'd be able to work things out so she'd be home a bit more often – for her sake as well as Finn's.

He and Finn didn't normally hang out, so he was surprised when he'd received his text, asking if he wanted to grab a beer after work.  He'd said sure, and they agreed to meet at a bar downtown that was relatively close to both of their offices.

Finn was already there when he'd arrived, nursing what looked to be a pint of Guinness.  He slid into the booth across from Finn, dropping his briefcase on the seat beside him, and placed his drink order with the server who seemed to magically appear out of thin air.

"How you holding up?"  Ben asked him.

Finn shrugged.  "Ech.  As well as can be expected, with her gone so long.  It will be almost a month – except for that one day she was home – by the time she gets back."

"That's got to be hard."  Ben commiserated.  "I'm not sure how well I'd cope with that."

"Yeah."  He muttered.  "That's the problem.  It is tough."

Ben's beer arrived and he took a healthy sip.  "Does she call you?"

"Most nights."  Finn responded.  "I can tell she's trying to keep things light, but something's bothering her.  She seems..... distant."  He was quiet for a minute.  "Have you noticed that?"

Ben shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't.  I do know that she's been travelling a lot, but she's seemed fine in between."

Finn looked up at him, deciding to just spit it out.  "Do you think she's travelling so much to stay away from me?"

"What?!  No.  At least I don't think so.  But the important question is, why you would think that?"

"I don't know."  He sighed.  "I just think that something seems off, so I wondered if she'd said anything to you."

"Sorry.  No.  Not a thing."  Ben replied.  Then, a bit hesitantly, he asked.  "Did you two argue the night before she left?"

Finn nodded.  "I was really pissed that she agreed to go – again.  And I told her that.  She wasn't very happy with me."

Ben's lips pursed together in a line.  "I'd say its probably just that you're still in the middle of your spat.  I'm guessing that she left the next morning, so you didn't get a chance to really talk it out?"

"No.  We didn't get a chance to do that."  Finn's voice was strained when he'd answered.

"Then you probably shouldn't worry too much.  Once she gets back it'll be almost Thanksgiving, and I don't think she's going anywhere till early December, right?  So you'll definitely have at least 3 weeks together."  Ben was trying to be encouraging, but Finn still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

He sighed.  "You're probably right.  I'm sure everything will work itself out once she gets back."

"Do you want to order food?"  Ben asked.  "I forgot to eat lunch."

"Yeah, me too."  Finn replied.  "Sure."

It was much later that night when Ben strolled into his apartment.  He and Finn had stayed at the pub long after they'd finished eating, alternating between watching the hockey and the football games that were being shown on the various screens in the establishment.  Before they knew it, they'd each consumed 4 beers and it was starting to get late, so they decided to call it a night and head home.

He had to admit, it had been fun.  He'd been working so much lately that he hadn't really taken any time to decompress.  Kay would usually come over a couple of nights a week, but that had even become less frequent recently as he got busier.  She had once told him that when he was focused on a project, it was like it consumed him, and so even when he wasn't working, he wasn't actually present either.  During those times, she felt it was better to simply give him space so he could work through his thoughts, since he didn't seem able to concentrate on anything else.  He'd felt bad when she told him that, but unfortunately he also recognized that that was also who he was, and was happy that she seemed to understand.

Picking up his phone, he dialed Rey's number.  She answered on the third ring.

"Hey Technogeek.  You still awake?"  He said warmly, still slightly buzzed from the beers he'd consumed.

"Hey Stupidhead.  It's 7:30 here, so no, I'm not sleeping.  I just finished dinner.  How goes?"  she asked.

He smiled.  "Good.  I just had a nice night out with your S.O."

"Really?!"  The surprise was evident in her tone.  "You never hang out with Finn."

"I know.  He wanted to grab a beer after work, so we did.  He's worried about you."

"Me?  He's worried about me?"  She asked incredulously.

"Yep."  He replied.  "Thinks you're avoiding him.  But don't tell him I told you that."

She was quiet for a minute.  "Shit.  I'm not avoiding him."

"That's what I told him.  But still, he's concerned that you're travelling more and more, and thinks its to stay away from him."

"Fuck."  She responded.  "Not true.  Why would he think that?"

"Sorry.  I don't know what's put that idea into his head.  He didn't really say."

She sighed, and he could hear the frustration in her voice.  "We had an argument the night before I left.  We went to bed angry and didn't really get a chance to make up in the morning."

"That's what I suspected.  I told him as much too."

"Thanks Ben."  She said softly.  "Did you two have a good time, at least?"

"We did.  Drank some beers.  Ate some pub fare.  Watched some sports.  It was nice."  He told her.

"Awww.  My boys bonded."  He could practically hear the smile in her voice.  "I'm glad you both had a nice evening.  Neither of you take enough time to relax."  She waited a beat before asking.  "Hey, did the Patriots win tonight?"

"Nope."  He answered smugly.

"Damn."

"What'd you do for dinner?"  He asked.

"I ordered room service.  I had a cheeseburger – with bacon.  It was good."

He rolled his eyes.  Only Rey would stay in a nice hotel somewhere and order a cheeseburger.  "So what else is on tap for you tonight."

"Nothing really.  Maybe do some reading to prepare for Denver next week, then I'm going to bed."

"Exciting."  He quipped.

"Immensely."  She returned.

He was quiet for a little bit.  "You should call him tonight."

She sighed.  "I will."  The silence stretched between them.  "Thanks Ben.  For hanging out with Finn.  And for caring enough to let me know what he's thinking....."

"You're welcome.  Always."

"Hey – how's Kay?"  She asked before he could sign off.

It was his turn to sigh.  "I haven't seen her since the weekend.  It's been a really busy week.  But a great week – I signed two new clients.  One of them is in LA.  I've even started thinking about opening an office there."

"Wow!  You have been busy!  That would be so cool, Ben!"  After a beat of silence she added.  "But then you'd likely have to be away a couple of weeks per month too.  We'd probably never see each other."

"Yeah...."  He replied.  "It's just an idea - I'm still thinking about it.  I'd need someone I could trust to run that office – and finding such a person would probably be easier said than done."

She hummed on the other end of the line.  "That's why you need to consider it carefully.  It may not be worth it if that office doesn't live up to your standards and provides shitty service."

"I know, I know."  He sighed.  "Anyhow.... Its getting late here.  I'm going to go now.  You have a good night, okay Rey?"

"I'll try.  You too Ben."  He could hear her take a breath.  "I'll see you week after next.  G'night."

"Good night."  He rasped quietly, before hanging up.

****

After her call with Ben, Rey lounged around her hotel room, thinking about what Ben had told her.  She thought about her life in general, and everything that seemed to be happening recently.  She couldn't help but feel as if Finn had been distant lately, yet he seemed to be feeling as if she was avoiding him.

He'd been working a lot too, and usually had a couple of late nights per week as well.  However, he just didn't need to travel as much as she did – which meant almost never.  Suddenly, a thought struck her.  Has he been distant because she's been travelling so much?  Or, was it like Ben had mentioned – and she'd been travelling more to run away from their issues?

Confused, she sighed deeply.  She loved Finn – or at least she was pretty sure that she did.  Her feelings for him had always been different than what she felt for the rest of her friends.  But lately there did seem to be a distance growing between them.  Maybe they just haven't been paying enough attention to one another?

She remembered one time when Obi and Anna had had an argument about something, and they didn't speak to each other for a day or so.  Afterward, Anna had told her that while they still loved each other deeply, they'd just lost focus on each other for a little while, and had needed reminding of that.  Shortly afterward, they'd kissed and made up, and Rey could remember watching them closely for the next few weeks, worried that something would happen to them.  But they appeared even happier, and more attentive to each other than usual.  So, maybe the situation with Finn was something similar to that.

Thinking back, she remembered the night that she met him.  It was at the beginning of the 2nd year of her Master's Degree, and she'd been out with 'the boys' at a pub not far from campus, when Finn had approached her at the bar.  He'd chatted with her for a bit as she waited for her drink, and had eventually introduced himself.  She'd been polite, but not really interested, noting that she was there with her friends, pointing them out to him.  When he'd noticed that they were all male, he'd asked if one of them was her boyfriend.  She'd just laughed, telling him that she was too busy for a boyfriend.  He'd been persistent though, and asked her to have coffee with him sometime.

"You like coffee don't you?  I've seen you around campus – getting coffee so I know that you do." His eyes were so earnest as he'd asked, she'd almost given in.  But she'd felt a bit weird since he'd mentioned seeing her around campus before, and was suddenly a little worried that he might be some kind of stalker.

When she'd said no, he'd looked positively crushed.  Wanting to end their conversation, she offered to take his number, thinking she'd never contact him, but it seemed to be the quickest and easiest way to let him down gently.  He quickly wrote it on one of the bar napkins, and told her to text him if she changed her mind about that coffee.

When she got back to their table, her friends had asked about him.  "That dude harassing you?"

"No."  She'd laughed.  "He asked if I have a boyfriend and was trying to get me to have a coffee with him."

Poe had cocked his head and asked.  "And what did you tell him?"

"I told him the truth – that I'm too busy for a boyfriend, and no thanks on the coffee."  She shrugged.

"Rey – you study all the time.  You need a little fun in your life – you are not too busy to have a coffee with the dude."  He scolded.  "Unless you're not interested."

Glancing around the room, she spotted him at a table with some friends.  There was a mix of both guys and girls.  She took a longer look at him.  He is kind of cute.  She thought.  "I don't know....I guess I just never thought of it.  I am busy."

"It's just coffee Rey.  If you don't like him, you don't have to see him again."  He leaned over and squeezed her hand, whispering.  "Unless you'd prefer a woman."

She rolled her eyes.  "Why would you think that?"

"You've never really mentioned either."  He shrugged.

Laughing, she shook her head.  "Nope.  I like men."

Looking back across the room at Finn, she caught him staring at her, and he gave her a small smile.  It was in that moment that she decided to text him.  But she'd also decided to make him wait a day or two to see if he was still interested.  It turned out that he was, and the rest was history.

When they'd met that first day, they'd talked almost non-stop for two hours, discovering that they had a lot in common.  He'd been in the last year of his undergraduate degree in computer programming – and like Rey, was an extremely hard worker.  He was also an orphan - a product of the foster system, and Rey could relate to that on a different level than others, knowing that without Obi and Anna she herself could've ended up in the system.

Finn was, quite simply, a good guy.   He was dedicated, hardworking, smart, funny and sweet.  After about two months of coffee chats, a few dinners out, and generally hanging out with one another, they'd officially become a couple.

Other than her first, very short-term boyfriend Aaron, she'd never experienced the companionship and closeness of being part of a couple.  Of making decisions together, and having someone to rely on – to depend on, no matter what.  Before she'd met Finn, she didn't realize that although she was busy, and had her friends, she was actually lonely.  Never realizing that she was missing something so fundamental.  With Finn however, life had suddenly changed – it was so much fuller, and she felt truly happy for the first time.

She smiled at the memories of those first few months, resolving to be more attentive to him when she got back, wanting to recapture what they'd once had – and what had seemed to have been missing of late.  However, she couldn't ignore a niggling feeling that was parked in the back of her mind - one that scared her.  What if their issues were maybe bigger than overall business trips and inattention?  She was terribly afraid that they'd simply outgrown each other, and what they were experiencing was a result of growing apart.  And if that was in fact the case, it would mean that Finn wasn't the one.

Since they'd moved in together about a year and a half after they'd started dating, she'd never really thought about it – had always just assumed that he was who she was meant to be with.  But her own thoughts of the future had always been murky, her brain never daring to go beyond a few months later than the here and now.

She'd also never really thought of what their wedding would be like, nor what it would be like to have kids together, and maybe that was a red flag.  That thought made her sad, bringing on a feeling of depression.  Why had she never thought of those things?  Isn't that what she wanted?  She definitely wanted kids – a family to call her own, and for Obi and Anna to spoil rotten.  But she had to think really hard to picture it with Finn.  Had to think really hard to picture what their kids would look like.  She could see it, but not clearly.

Sighing, she rubbed her hands over her face, hoping to chase away her gloom.  These were deep thoughts to be having while away and alone in a hotel room.  Taking a deep breath, she pushed the dark thoughts away, replacing them with happier memories, and dialed Finn.

****

Ben upshifted as he sped up on the entrance ramp and merged onto the expressway.  He was on his way to dinner at his parent's house, and was already 25 minutes late.  Kay was supposed to have come with him tonight, but she'd unfortunately gotten stuck at work with a problem that had suddenly come up.  He'd waited the extra time for her, till she'd finally texted to let him know that she was sorry, but wouldn't be able to make it.

'Tell your mom I'm sorry, and that I'll see her next time. 😢'

Leia would be disappointed, he knew.  Kay seemed to get along well with both of his parents, but then again, she got along with everyone – she was just that type of person.

It had been three weeks since he'd last seen them, and he was looking forward to spending the evening together.

He let his mind drift during the drive, thinking about how different his relationship with his parents was now, compared to a mere 6 years ago.  That was the point when he'd finally decided to extract himself from Snoke's clutches, after that evil monster had almost convinced him that his own father had been trying to sabotage his career, and his entire life.  He'd been so angry at Han, and when Snoke had suggested that the only way he'd ever be free of his father's manipulation would be to kill him, he'd almost done it.

Hot embarrassment, foolishness and a sickening feeling of horror washed over him, as he remembered the tentative plan he'd come up with to get away with his own father's murder.  Like usual, he'd meticulously planned out every detail, leaving nothing to chance.  All he'd needed was the opportunity, and the wheels would have been set in motion.

After he'd come up with his plan, his mind began playing though how the events would go.  He imagined his Father's face as his last breath left his body – and how his eyes would look when that occurred.  Surprised and sad, but filled with love and regret.  That was what had finally broken him.  When that image had played in his mind, he'd realized that he loved his father – and his Mother – and didn't want to hurt them any more than he already had.

Thank God he'd come to his senses in time, finally understanding that Snoke had been manipulating him since before he'd become a teenager, and was still doing so.  It had suddenly dawned on him that if he did it, Snoke would have an unbreakable hold on him for the rest of his life, and the evil bastard would have ensured that any remaining, however tenuous bond with his family would be permanently severed.

He'd even changed his name for that monster, who'd told him that it showed his remarkable genius when it came to strategic planning – almost like the nom de plume of an artist.  He now scoffed at the thought.  It was the stupidest name he'd ever heard – Kylo Ren.  But at the time, he'd done it willingly, so wrapped up in Snoke's manipulations that he'd actually thought it was a brilliant idea.

When he'd fearfully reached out to his parents for help, they'd responded immediately and he'd grasped onto them as if they were a lifeline.  In fact, they were. If they hadn't helped him, he would certainly have fallen completely into Snoke's dark, demented ways and there would've been no saving him.

But save him they did, welcoming him back with open arms that they wrapped tightly around him, refusing to let go.  They showed him that they still loved him, and always had – and would move heaven and earth to help him break free of Snoke's hold.  It took some convincing before he finally believed them, but once he truly did, he really did feel free at last.

Unbeknownst to him, his mother had gone to Snoke immediately, and it had not gone well.  She'd told him later that although they'd had a huge argument, Snoke appeared not to care and just gloated the entire time.  That's how certain he'd been that his apprentice would never leave him.

Ben however had known that breaking away was something he'd have to do himself if he ever truly wanted to be free.  So after a few days of mentally preparing himself and mustering his courage, he made the trip. His parents went with him for moral support, but did not go in with him – instead respecting his wishes that they remain downstairs.

When he'd finally gone in to see Snoke and told him that he was done, the decrepit old bastard literally had a complete meltdown, screaming things like he'd made Ben who he was, and that he simply could not be betrayed.  The evil fool had vowed that no one had ever done that to him before, and that no one ever would, launching himself at Ben, wrapping his bony fingers around his neck in a choking grasp.  Ben had been stunned that Snoke had had the strength to almost carry out his threat and choke him to death.  If it wasn't for his own quick thinking, Snoke might have actually succeeded in killing him.

At the last minute, he'd been able to get him to release his hold slightly, convincing Snoke that he'd been weak, telling him that he was sorry, and just needed more of his guidance to complete his training.  That had appealed to the evil bastard's ego, and when given that small opportunity, Ben had broken free of his grasp.  He'd run out of Snoke's office, with the old man chasing him like some demented creature.  Ben hadn't looked back once, running out of the building like a small child being pursued by the demons in their nightmares.  He'd been sweating profusely and shaken to tears when he'd reached his parents, who'd been waiting for him in the lobby.  He was a 22 year old man and he'd cried in their arms when it was over.

It wasn't until the next day that he'd found out that while chasing him through the office, Snoke had literally dropped dead of a heart attack.  He didn't question it – tried not to think too much of it at all, only knowing that somehow, fortune had smiled upon him by ridding him and the rest of the world of that monster.  Karma really is a bitch.

It had taken almost a year for Ben to heal mentally from Snoke's mind-fucking ways.  He'd been a broken man when he'd returned to his family, and had needed intensive therapy to get past all of the lies and twisted ways of thinking that had been groomed into him over the years.  In the months that followed, he'd needed at least an hour or two every day to keep from falling back into his old ways.  His therapist had had to essentially reprogram his thought processes, shifting them back to some semblance of normalcy, rather than the cruel, twisted mindset he'd been taught.   It had been a painful process, but he was glad to say that it seemed to have worked.  Every once in awhile his mind set would inadvertently switch back – especially when he was panicked over something - but he was usually able to catch himself and reverse his train of thought.  Thankfully, there was almost nothing left of his old 'Kylo Ren' persona.

That bastard had taken an impressionable young boy and twisted him into completely different person.  Thank God a small kernel of his true self had remained buried deep inside and had finally shone through enough to break free.

Once he'd felt like he'd found himself, he'd decided that it had been time to get on with his life.  He'd applied to Harvard, started his studies, and began living.

Pulling into his parent's driveway, he gazed up at the well-lit house he had grown up in.  It wasn't a mansion per se, but it was definitely a large, upscale house in a very nice area.  His family wasn't ultra-wealthy, but money really wasn't a problem for them.  His father Han owned a shipping company that he'd started with nothing but 'grit and balls' as he liked to say.  Over time, the company had grown to the point where it was one of the largest in Massachusetts.  Han had always said that he'd wanted Ben to take it over one day – but Ben knew that it just wasn't in the cards for him.

His mother was a lawyer, who'd gotten into politics for about a decade before switching back into non-profit law.  She'd found politics to be too corrupt and cutthroat for her taste, and always said that she'd found her calling in helping people – especially the downtrodden or those considered underdogs.  Ben suspected that that was where he got his desire to help people too.

Walking across the driveway, he could see his Uncle Luke's car parked there too, and his mood perked up even further.  He hadn't seen him in several months, and it would be good to catch up.

After everything that had happened to him as a young man, his family was extremely overprotective of him.  It was kind of embarrassing.  He was, after all, 28 years old.  But given everything he'd put them through, he couldn't blame them.  He was just happy to have been given this second chance at a normal life with his family.  He'd finished university, his business was doing well, and he had a pretty girlfriend.  Life was good indeed.

Still, sometimes it felt like something was missing.  He just couldn't quite put his finger on what though.  Maybe it was time to take the final step towards building a family..... but Kay didn't seem like she was ready for that.  She was only 22, and would likely need a few more years before she would really consider it.

His mom opened the door only seconds after he rang the bell.  "Hi, Sweetie."  She looked around him, before leaning up for a quick hello kiss.  "Where's Kaydel?"

"Sorry, Mom.  She got stuck at work.  She sends her apologies."

"Oh, that's too bad.  I was looking forward to seeing her.  Next time I guess."  She took his jacket, and he turned to find his dad walking into the foyer.

"Hi, Son."  Han gave him a brief hug and a pat on the back.  "Where's that girl of yours?"

Ben chuckled and shook his head.  Everyone loved Kay.  "Couldn't make it tonight.  Work problem."

"Ah.  Oh well.  Want a beer?"  He asked.

"Sure.  Thanks, Dad."  Ben followed him into the kitchen, and saw his Uncle Luke seated at the island.  "Hey Luke."

Luke stood, and leaned up to give his nephew a hug.  "Ben!  How've you been?"

Ben returned his Uncle's hug, having long ago vowed to never take his family's affection for granted again.  "Good.  Busy.  You?"

"All right, I guess.  Keeping myself busy too."  He chuckled.  "No girlfriend tonight?"

Ben rolled his eyes.  "Nope, she couldn't make it.  Work."

"Oh, that sucks.  I would've liked to have seen her.  She's such a sweet girl."

He smiled.  "She is - the sweetest person I know."  Leia looked up from across the kitchen and gave him a smile.

Han returned, handing him his beer, taking a swig of his own before he plopped down on one of the stools at the island.  "So, your mom told me you finally signed Blutech."

He nodded.  "Yes.  It took a lot of convincing, but they finally decided to give me a shot."

"Good for you, Son."  Han beamed proudly.  "That's quite an accomplishment."

"Thanks, Dad."  He said uncomfortably.   "Now I actually have to come through for them and solve their problems.  That's the hard part."

His father gave him an encouraging smile.  "You'll do it.  I know you will."

"Okay boys."  Leia called.  "Food's on the table."

They all filed into the dining room, continuing their relaxed conversations over dinner.  Leia was positively beaming, enjoying having her 'men' all together for an evening.  Ben watched her, happy to see her smiling so much.  Life seemed to be getting busier all the time, and casual dinners like these were getting rarer and rarer.

Leia noticed Ben watching her, giving him a contented smile, and a quick wink.  Over the course of the meal, their conversations had meandered through various topics – his father's company, his mother's cases, and some funny anecdotes about some of Luke's new students.  When the conversation once again turned to Ben's firm, he carefully introduced the idea that had been bouncing around in his head, curious to see his family's reactions.

"I'm actually thinking of expanding the company – maybe opening another office."  Ben mentioned nonchalantly.

"Oh, Sweetie, that's wonderful!  Congratulations!  Where were you thinking?"  Leia asked.

He glanced up, interested in her response.  "I was thinking I'd start with L.A., and then maybe – later, New York."

His father was frowning.  "Why start with L.A.?  Why not New York?  It's a hell of a lot closer."

"I know Dad.  But one of my new clients – Dantooine Enterprises – is based in L.A.  I don't really have any clients in New York just yet, so I figured I'd start with L.A."

Luke chimed in.  "That would likely mean a lot of travel, though, wouldn't it?"

"Not really.  Maybe a week a month, or something like that.  I'd just need to make sure I find someone really great to run the L.A. office.  I can do most of the work remotely."  Ben paused for a moment.  "A week a month is nothing.  My friend Rey – Rey Kenobi – she's a robotics engineer, travels for work 2 – 3 weeks a month now.  But even she admits that's way too much."

Suddenly there was an awkward silence in the room.   Ben looked around at everyone's faces.  "What?  What did I say?"

"Your friend's last name is Kenobi?"  Luke asked, carefully.

"Yes, why?"  Ben looked at his Uncle in confusion.

Luke frowned, his expression lost in a memory.  "You wouldn't happen to know if she's related to anyone named Obi, would you?"

Ben's eyes narrowed.  "Yes.  I think that's her adoptive father's name."

It was Leia's turn to chime in, surprise evident in her voice.  "Your friend Rey's parents are Obi and Anna Kenobi?"

Ben sat back in his chair and looked between his parents and his Uncle.  "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Ben."  Luke replied.  "We know them, that's all.  Obi was my teacher for a little while, a long time ago."

Ben stared back at them, stunned into silence for several seconds.  "Holy shit."  Was all he could say.

Luke sat back and scratched his beard, appearing to be lost in thought.  "We go way back – and used to be quite close, but I haven't seen them in almost 10 years.  I knew they'd taken in an orphan – the daughter of another one of his students, whose parents had died mysteriously in a car crash."

Ben's eyes flicked up to his Uncle's.  "What do you mean mysteriously?  Rey's never mentioned anything like that...."

Luke leaned forward and glanced at Ben.  "There probably wasn't anything mysterious about it.  Its just that.... Her father.... He'd been a prominent researcher in London, and apparently he'd discovered something of some importance....and because of it they'd had to flee to the US.  Apparently they'd even changed their name, and had only been here less than 2 years when they died."

"How do you know all this?"  Ben asked, still somewhat shocked.

Luke shrugged.  "Obi told me – not long after they'd taken the child in.  He wanted someone else – someone who he trusted - to know about it, just in case something happened to them, and the child too.  But we sort of lost touch shortly afterward."

"Holy fucking shit."  He said, stunned at Luke's revelations.

"Benjamin!"  His mother scolded.

He rolled his eyes.  "Mom, I'm not sure whether Rey even knows this."

"Maybe she shouldn't, Son."  Han said quietly.

Suddenly, he stood, anger and fear radiating off of him.  "What do you mean maybe she shouldn't?!  If there's a possibility that she's in danger – doesn't she deserve to know that!"

"Calm down, Ben."  Leia warned sternly.  "Nobody has said she's in danger.  Obi was concerned that she may have been, but that was – what, 20 years ago?  Nothing has happened since then – so why would there be any concern after all of this time."

Ben scrubbed a hand through his hair in agitation.  "I don't know Mom!"  He took a deep breath.  "Uncle Luke - you need to tell her."

"Oh no I don't.  If there is anything to tell, that will be done by Obi, not me.  He's the one with the full story."

Ben growled.  "She needs to know if there is any possibility that she's in danger...."  He looked around at the faces of those seated at the table.

"You're right, Ben.  But its not your place to tell her either."  Luke said.

"I can't just forget about this!"  He exclaimed.

Leia reached out and gently took his hand, quietly suggesting.  "Then tell her of our connection to her family – and then tell her to ask Obi for the details."

He took a deep breath to calm himself down, glancing up at his mother.  "You're right."  He smiled and muttered softly.  "You're always fucking right."

"Ben!"

"Sorry mom."  He said sheepishly.  He needed to talk to Rey.  Sooner rather than later.  But he didn't want to worry her while she was away on business.  It would have to wait until she was back.