Rey
The sunshine of the next day and the warm breeze gave Rey the will to go on. They passed a flooded valley, the waters slowing them down. And the sun that protruded through the leaves was warming their backs and drying their wet cloaks.

The warmth of the sun caressed her face, that has been lashed by rain and wind three days in a row. Her hair was snuck out in all directions, and she smoothed it with her hands as she could, trying to make it stay in place.

They halted around midday near a ruined holdfast to eat. And the sun made them take a nap there, on the smooth grass. Yet they rode as fast as they could to catch up.
It was already dusk when they settled their tents in a large clearing. It would be the first they spent peacefully, no rain chilling their bones and to hurry them, forcing them to sleep under their cloaks.

Ben
Ben needed a few moments alone, a few good yards away from the camp. Rose and Finn seemed to agree him a bit, but Poe was unreachable. Now he needed the quiet of the forest more than ever, the rustle of the leaves, the murmur of the brook that flowed beneath the rocks.
The weather was changing, and with it, their safety. When he had fled Snoke, he had felt the weather changing in good, he was approaching the summer, his family. Now they were going North, where winter reigned.

And as he walked back toward the place of their camp, he could hear steps coming from that direction. Hard paces. It was not Rey.

It was Poe. And at first, Ben had thought he had come here for the same reason as him, but he stopped. And the hard, sharp, full of hatred look he bore unsettled Ben.

"Skywalker" Poe said in an ice cold voice. And Ben stood right where he was. He did not understand. He got it that the man could not bear his presence, but what had he done now?

And the next thing that happened took him by surprise. Poe lunged at him and pushed him away. He stumbled a few paces, for he didn't even have time to anticipate it.

"You've made the poor girl fall for your lies, but you won't make me!" Poe spat the words out, his face twisted in anger.

"I never lied to her." Ben replied, his voice firm, a coldness that matches Poe's.

But Poe bared his teeth. "You think you can lie to her with some kisses and nights spent under her covers?! I'll make her see the truth about you, turncloak. Be sure about that!" he thrust his finger in his chest and left for the forest.

And Ben wanted to shout, to run after him and to punch him in the face. But he remembered in time that he was now a changed man, and no longer had to resort to that. He would never lie to Rey, to his Rey. And he would never let anyone else step between them. How could he afford to lose her after he had just found a balance in his permanently churning life?

And he knew that Rey could see the truth. She loved him, and he clung to this thought. She loved him for what he was now. And how could Poe say such things about them? He had never touched her that way.

He walked back to the clearing, yet Rey was not there. Finn and Rose were standing on the logs they have settled in the middle for benches. Ben noticed they were speaking in merry voices. And he knew that if he went to them, maybe he'd spoil their conversation. So he made to go for his tent when Finn shouted after him. "Hey! Come sit with us!"

And that took Ben by surprise. Have they just asked him to stay with them?
And he approached them with slow paces. He did not notice the frown that was slowly creeping between his brows.

"Come here, we don't bite." Rose urged him.

"Uhm... Thank you for wanting to speak with me." he said confused as he took a place on the log.

"Of course we want to speak with you." Rose said. "You are part of our group now." She smiled.

"Am I?" he was taken by surprise again. "I... I've always thought people won't forgive me that easily. I..." he stammered. "Thank you."

But Finn placed a hand on his shoulder as he could sense his embarrassed presence.

"It's alright. Rey has taught us how to forgive."

"Yet I don't deserve any of this."

But Rose shook her head with obstination. "Everyone does." she said. "And everyone deserves a second chance. I don't know about how others think, but I know that you've changed. Your actions say that. And I do believe that your love for Rey is pure. And everlasting."

"It's amazing to be near normal people again. I... I saw how you spent your time and how good friends you were... And I, I never got the chance of that." he trailed off, letting out a sigh of frustration.

It was hard to express his feelings, to tell them about his life. The only person he could speak freely to, was Rey. He had never opened up to anyone before. And even to his wife, it was hard sometimes.

" You can tell us if something is wrong. If there's something bothering you, you can open up." Rose tilted her head to the side.

He tried not to let his fears show, he wanted to let them know they had a strong leader, just like Rey was.

Yet he was afraid. He was afraid of feeling his old master's presence again. He was afraid that if he caught him, Snoke wouldn't spare his loved ones this time. His parents, Rey, even her friends, he wanted to know them safe. And just the thought that he could lose any of them sent chills through his spine.

Ben was afraid that if Snoke captured him again, this time he would not spare Rey, and will go straight for his parents, as he had threatened him so many times.

He wanted to tell them that, he wanted to tell them about the treatment he was receiving, yet he could not do it yet.

And suddenly, the question that he had come for to ask burst out of his lips.

"Have you seen Rey?" he asked.

"She was in her tent." Rose said, peering at it. "She said she would join us soon."

"And she would do better and bring herself a cloak." Finn half joked.

And it was then that Ben noticed. The sun had set, the sky was painted in a shade of violet blue over their heads, the last rays of warmth lightening it.
But a cold air was now embracing the forest.

" I believe that you had some reasons you did what you did for, Ben." Rose jerked him up from his thoughts.

"Yes..." he began, and his eyes wandered uncomfortably from the sky to his lap, where he held his hands folded together.

"Maybe you'll tell us someday." Finn said.

"I wish I could now but... Don't get me wrong, I don't hide anything but... It's hard to relieve everything all over. And..." he squeezed his eyes.

"You're afraid, I can tell that." Finn said, and he seemed surprised. Of course, how could the mighty Skywalker be afraid? "We could help you."

It was hard to admit it. Especially in front of some people who had always seen him as a dangerous man, unafraid of anything.

"Him?! Afraid!?" an ironic voice came from behind Finn. And Poe took his seat next to his friend. "I wouldn't believe that in a million years!" he jested. "Him, the mighty Kylo Ren, afraid of what?"

And that name was like a dagger twisted in Ben's wound. He felt the urge to jump and punch Poe again. Yet he forced himself to stay there.

"Shut up, Poe!" Rose scolded him. "Are you better if you are behaving like that?"

"I never did what he did." he ose an eyebrow.

"We all have our reasons we do things for." Finn objected.

"Thanks." Ben said as he was too surprised.

"Well, if you keep insisting he must have a second chance" Poe threw Ben another sharp glance. "What is the reason you would do it for? How can you know he's not a traitor, only luring us into a trap?"

And Finn seemed to consider that, for he looked suspiciously at Ben for a moment.

"The gods have decided that he must not be killed." Rose still defended him. "At his trial by combat. That means there's still a chance flr him, a chance to become the person he was always meant to be."

"Do you really believe that!? Seriously? It is just a myth." Poe said and almost spat.

"Anyway, I believe he's changed. His actions prove everything."

But Poe turned toward Ben, an arrogant look on his face. "Then tell us. Tell us what made you change your mind. Tell us what happened to you. Tell us about your life there. We demand to know." he commanded.

"When he is ready to tell us." Finn objected.

"Now!" Poe commanded. "And tell us what you did to Rey, to make her believe in you like that."

Yet Ben could not take this. Not when he spoke about Rey like that.

"Please leave Rey out of this. I have been honest with her, I've always shown her respect. Yet I thought you were friends, that you trusted her as much as she trusted you."

"I don't know what you did to her, and I don't care. Yet I asked you something and you'll answer me!"

"And I'll tell you when I'll feel like it, and not before." Ben answered sourly.

"See? He's hiding something!"

"No, I'm not!" he shot back, not being able to contain his anger anymore.

"Just give him time, Poe!" Rose said. "It's not easy to make so sudden changes. He needs time. As Rey had needed to adjust to her new life."

And Ben nodded a thank you to Rose.

"Well, be it as you say, but I want to trust you, so don't you tell us some bloody lie." Finn said. It was clear that his mind was clouded now.

"We are four against you!" Poe said as he sat up. "Tell us now, or you never see the light of day again."

"I think you're wrong." and Ben was surprised when he heard Rey's voice coming from behind.

She stood behind the log he was sitting on, and slid a hand on his shoulder, and it crept to his chest in a comforting manner.

He placed his own over hers, giving it a squeeze and caressing it.

"Huh, I told you! He had driven her crazy!" Poe yelled.

"You speak nonsenses." Rey said calmly. "He has only shown me respect, if that's what you mean with "drive me crazy". Unlike you." She shot back.

"He's lying to us!" Poe shot at her.

"I am the leader, so you do as I say!" Rey snapped. And she took a seat next to Ben, their hands clasped.

"He's with us now, and you're going to accept each other."

"I know you won't like it, but he had spoiled our group." Poe shot back, his glare throwing daggers. And not only at Ben, but at Rey, too.

And suddenly Ben was tired of that. He was tired of Poe's constant complaining, tired of him insulting Rey like that.

For a few brief moments, he had thought that they would finally accept him, make him feel home with them. He wanted them to see him as he truly was, yet they needed time to get used with the new him.

Yet it was enough chattering for only one night.

"I think I'm going to sleep." he said. "We have long days ahead of us."

But Rey slid an arm around his shoulders, welcoming him with a warm hug. And her face was full of concern, Ben could feel it.

"I'm alright." he said to reassure her and he cupped her face with his hand.

He kissed her lips before he went off. He was not afraid anymore to show his love for her in front of them. It was the first time they kissed in sight of them, and even Rey was surprised.

It was dark, so he could not see if she was blushing or not, but he could feel her growing hot as his face was pressed against hers.
Yet she didn't draw back. Instead, when their lips parted, she pressed her forehead against his even harder.
And before he sat up to leave, she knelt in front of him and placed a kiss on his cheek. And he kissed slid his fingers beneath her chin to tilt her head up and kissed her forehead.
And she finally turned to her friends as he sat up and went back.

Rey's PoV
"Since when are you acting like the devoted wife?" Poe scolded her.

But she returned his indifference. "Since I realized the mistakes I made, and he realized his." and she didn't even bother to look at him.

"There was something bothering him earlier. I think it's about his past. You should go and see about it." Rose told Rey.

And Poe rolled his eyes.

"He will tell you, Rey. He needs to speak to someone that understands him." Rose said.

"I trust him." Rey said at last. "And I don't ask you to. One day he'll tell you everything, maybe as he tells me. But he needs time, believe me."

"I understand that. Now go." Rose urged her.

"Goodnight." She told them as she sat up. And they wished her the same in turn.

Before she went to his tent, she went to hers to change her clothes. It has passed three days since they left and since she last changed her garments.

She felt so relieved when she discarded the scorched tunic she wore, streaked from the rain. She felt like a bath would be all she wanted now, but there was no pool around.

Yet she slid on her a soft night gown, blew off the candle and crept out of her tent from behind. She was thankful there was no fire lit, for they could not see her entering Ben's tent.

She could tell he was not sleeping either. A single candle was still lightening his chamber.

Ben's PoV
As he could hear the entrance of the tent flip and saw Rey walking inside, he slid his cover up to his chin, for his chest was bared.

"Let me put a shirt on." he said, blushing.

"I don't mind you like that." She said as she slid beside him on the fur cloak and placed a hand on his shoulder, not letting him stand up. But she had to admit that she was feeling a bit uncomfortable too.

"Rey, you know it's cold at night." he said as he saw her dressed with only a sleeveless thin gown. And he hugged her close to him, rubbing her arms to warm her. "But... Why are you here? Not that I mind it..."

"I wanted you to hold me." She said as she culed up against him. And he smiled in her hair and kissed her.

He was grateful she had come to his tent, he needed her presence, and needed to know her safe in his arms. But did she come because she felt the same, or because something had frightened her?

"I'm glad you came to me. Yet has something bothered you?"

"No. I just wanted your presence. And I know you needed mine." she said as she traced her finger along a cicatrized wound on his chest. "You couldn't sleep, I saw it. Something is on your mind."

And he closed his eyes. There were a lot of things blocking his sleep. The fear of losing her, the fear of losing his parents. And his new friends, Finn and Rose. Even Poe. He was right to hate him.

But he could see Rey frown at his chest. And he regretted immediately not covering himself.

Rey's PoV
Rey traced another pink outline of a wound. It looked like a mark made by a whip. It looked like he had gotten it for a long time, yet it had been so deep, it stood out too much on his skin.

And there were a lot of wounds. An entire network of them. And she caressed each of them in turn as tears streamed from her eyes and fell on his skin. There were smaller, and one made by a knife, probably, and more that seemed so deep...

She didn't even realize that she had begun to kiss him, his bruised chest. And she felt a finger slid under her chin and lifting her head.

"Who did this to you?" she whispered, her eyes teary as she met Ben's. "It was him, wasn't he?"

And he nodded.

Ben's PoV
He knew that now was the time. And that Rey would understand him.

"It is what is bothering you. You can tell me, if you need to." She insisted.

And he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. It helped him speak, sometimes. Sometimes, it was Rey's face that calmed him. But jot now. "He threatened me that if I left, he would kill my parents. And I knew his forces. He could take the entire kingdom with a snap of fingers. He just needed me to inform him, and... To use me. The last one I realized too late. When I was a child, he was like a parent for me. And I thought I had found that affection I was looking for. Yet I was so wrong. Later, I had realized why he needed me. And... Every time I did something to displease him, he would order one of my own knights to whip me. And I did everything for my parents. I knew he would come for them it I flinched."

"You're afraid of him." Rey said sadly as she slowly caressed his lips with her knuckles.

And he nodded. "Yes. Now that I deserted I'm afraid that he'll do something to you, or to my parents. And..."

But she silenced him with a loving kiss. "He won't. And he won't hurt you anymore either. I'll be your sword and shield, as you'll be mine." she whispered in his mouth.

"I'm afraid that they are not safe anymore, now that I left."

"And how could you stop that? Going after Master Luke, we still stand a chance."

"I've wasted my life." he said miserably. "But since now on, I want to spend every moment of my life with you, Rey. And the nights, too."

"Since now on, I never want to sleep alone again." She said.

"Me neither."

"And we'll have each other, whatever happens. And your parents are safe there."

And he tried to believe her.

"I love you." She said as she lay her head under his chin, on his chest.

He kissed her forehead one more time and pulled the coverlet up to her chin, wrapping his arms around her to keep her warm and safe.

"I love you too, Moon of my life." and he blew out the candle as she drifted off to sleep.

~Thanks for reading! ~