A/N - Hello Lovelies!  Thank you for all of the votes, comments and love from everyone who has been reading so far.  It's inspiring - and the things you like help keep me focussed - so please keep 'em coming!  Thank you to all! Enjoy!

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The next few weeks flew by for Rey.  Two days after her return, her cast was removed, and she felt that shecould start getting back to normal again.  Well, her new 'normal' with Ben.  During the day, she kept busy with her typical routine on the base.  Ben even showed up one morning to train with her, which ended up being the highlight of her day.

Poe still hovered around her almost every day, but she generally kept things distant between them, and their friendship was starting to feel a little strained.   Finn was his usual cheerful self, but sometimes she would catch him staring at her warily.  She was usually able to coax him out of any 'weirdness' between them by joking with him or teasing him.  His favourite subject to talk about lately was Rose - how amazing she is, and 'did you know that Rose can reprogram an actuator in less than a minute?'.   He was completely smitten, and when he was like that she couldn't help but laugh at how cute it was.

The nights were the favourite part of her day now though.  Her and Ben would connect to each other through the bond; usually she would go to him, since it really was more comfortable for the two of them to sleep in his huge bed versus the cot in her room on Dantooine.  The bond had definitely grown much stronger – never disconnecting them until after they were asleep.

Rey marveled at their newfound closeness, but almost every day she learned something new about him, and was amazed at how much better they were still getting to know each other. Mostly it was just silly little things that she would notice, such as when he concentrated intensely on something, his left brow would furrow and he would clench his right fist.   She also discovered that Ben could write in Basic and that he liked to write things down on paper.  Writing by hand was almost a lost art, and so she was a bit awestruck that Ben was able to do it. She'd never met anyone else who could.

Spending time with Rey every night was also an enlightening experience for Kylo.  He looked forward to when she would suddenly show up in his quarters, and each afternoon he would feel his anticipation grow, knowing that he would see her shortly.   As soon as she would arrive, her presence immediately calmed him, and her beautiful smile never failed to lighten his mood, even after the worst of days.  It amazed him at how simply she had slipped into his life, a piece that he didn't even know was missing for so long, but felt like it should've been there all along.

Most nights they would make love, but sometimes they just liked to lay in bed, wrapped around each other, talking about anything and everything, content to simply be together.  It felt so right, and she knew that for once, she was truly happy.  She couldn't help feeling that it was the same for Ben.  They weren't quite where they needed to be in terms of figuring out their future – if they had a future, but she decided to take it one day at a time, rather than stressing about it.

Regardless of their deepening relationship, she could sometimes sense that he was troubled and anxious about the different initiatives that he was trying to accomplish within the First Order. One night about two weeks after Lothal, she could feel that he was very distracted, and his mind kept straying.  They were lying in bed, naked, arms wrapped around each other, and he was silent for a very long time.  His hand was stroking her arm absentmindedly, and he seemed lost in thought.

"Something's troubling you."  She stated.  He was quiet, but she could hear his breathing change. " Do you want to talk about it?"

Sighing heavily, he rolled onto his back and scrubbed a hand over his face, staring up at the ceiling.  "I've been working on proposals for truce negotiations with the Resistance, with one of my younger Generals.  We'll be presenting them to the rest of the officers tomorrow.  I'm not sure how they'll react."

Rolling onto her side, she propped her head onto her hand.  "But you've mentioned this to them before, haven't you?  So it won't be a complete surprise, right?"

"Yes.  But mentioning it and actually proposing moving forward with a meeting are two different things."

She reached out and gently ran her hand over his face, trying to soothe him.  His eyes flicked up to hers and he laid his hand over hers, pressing it to his cheek more tightly.   "It will work out. I know it will."  She told him.

He sat up and put his head in his hands, roughly running his hands through his hair.  "I don't know Rey.   While there are some that want to see progress like this, there are others who don't. Hux is one of them.  And he's trying to convince the others that I'm not a good leader.  And that I'm doing this for the wrong reasons."

"What kind of wrong reasons?"  She asked, her brow wrinkling.

"Reasons like my Mother.... Or you....."  He turned his head to slowly look at her.

Her eyes widened in shock, as she sat up suddenly too, pulling the bedsheet around herself. "Me??!  How would he know anything about me?"

Shrugging, he told her.  "The Supremacy.  Since you escaped, Hux suspects that you didn't kill Snoke – or at least didn't do it alone.  Hux may be an asshole, but he's not stupid."

"But...."  She hesitated, her stomach churning.  "Are you doing this because of me?"

Not breaking her gaze, he reached out and took her hand, bringing it up to place a kiss on her knuckles.  "In part."  He said, running his thumb over her knuckles.  "But I do believe it's the right course of action to continue moving the First Order forward."

The knot in her stomach loosened, and she leaned over to wrap her arms around him as relief flooded through her.  He was doing this for the right reasons – not just her.  "Assuming they agree, when would you contact your Mother."

He sighed.   "Assuming they agree, I will contact your General almost immediately, to schedule a time and location to meet."

Narrowing her gaze at him, she frowned at his refusal to admit that it would be his Mother that he'd actually be meeting.  But that was a battle for another day.

Recalling a conversation from a few weeks ago, she asked.  "Would you start teaching me how to block my thoughts?"

He seemed surprised.  "You still want to block your thoughts from me?"

"Not you in particular."  She squirmed.   "But yes, there may be times that I don't want you to be able to read them so easily.  You did promise, after all."

Sighing, he grudgingly agreed.  But he had to admit, he liked being able to read her thoughts, to know what she was thinking – especially about him.   "I can tell you that in order to do this, you need to consider your thoughts as distinct things.  And you need to be able to tuck them away in different compartments."  He thought about it for a minute.  "I can remember when Luke was teaching us at the academy.  He told us that you have to find the compartment that works best for you.  Some people used boxes, others used doors, others used walls to separate them, and so on."

"Hmmm."  She considered.  "So, you're saying that I need to organize my thoughts into different sections of my mind?  And to separate them from one another and somehow lock them all away?"

He smiled at her, impressed by how quickly she caught on.  "Yes, that's right.  You just need to use the container that works best for you."

"Okay.  Can we try?  Let me try to block something from you and see if you can get it."

He nodded.  She closed her eyes, and focused on a thought.  Then she tried to close a big door and padlock it.  Opening her eyes, she told him.  "Okay, I'm ready."

Ben focused on her, gently entering her mind.  He could feel the doors, but the padlocks weren't big enough, and he was able to grab her thought easily.  He opened his eyes and looked at her, his voice warm.   "The first time I kissed you in the meadow."

She blushed.   Leaning over, he kissed her gently, his voice deep.  "I like that thought too." Touching his forehead to hers he told her,   "That was too easy.  Make your locks bigger.  Try again."

When he was like this, she found it hard to breathe.  Focus she told herself.  She picked another thought, and this time it took him much longer, and was more work to get to it.   On and on it went till she was finally able to block him out.  "I did it!"  She exclaimed happily.  Grinning proudly, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him wildly.  Pulling back slightly, she let the sheet fall away from her, and watched as his eyes darkened.

He quite literally pounced on her, dragging her back down onto the bed.  She let out a small shriek, and laughed as she looked up at him, her arms around his neck.  They became lost in each other's eyes, as their breathing sped up and their bodies warmed.  Neither said anything, as their lips met again and again until they both forgot everything around them.

**

Kylo entered the conference room and took his seat at the head of the table.  Looking around the room, he noted that everyone was already in attendance, waiting for him to call the meeting to a start.  He kept his face completely impassive, but inside, his emotions felt off balance – uncertain - and he was extremely nervous. He couldn't remember ever being nervous at a meeting before.  Quietly blowing out a breath, he nodded at General Needa to begin.

They had developed three different proposals on options for negotiating a truce with the Resistance.  The 4th option was to keep things as they were – and continue pursuing them with the goal of ending the Resistance once and for all.   Needa presented all 3 options before opening the floor for discussion and questions.  Kylo just sat back and once again watched and listened.  The Generals discussed and debated, argued and objected.  Hux, of course, was the most vehement objector of all.

After all of the discussions were done and everyone was finally silent, Kylo asked for a formal vote on the matter – which shocked all of the Generals.  Never before had they been asked to formally influence the actions to be taken by the First Order.  This was the primary reason Kylo was so nervous.  He knew that by asking for this vote, if he didn't like the way it went and overruled it, his leadership would be tainted.   After all, why give the Generals any say, and then disregard it?

It took several votes to narrow down the options, but in the end, the Generals voted to proceed with peace negotiations.  The option they chose included the establishment of a joint team to report on and discuss any issues or perceived infractions of potential peace treaties.   They would propose an initial meeting on Coruscant to begin the negotiations in less than one week's time.  "Very good."  Kylo told his senior officers.   "I will make contact with their General Organa personally, and communicate our terms for the meeting.  A staff of 3 will accompany me.  We will plan on 3 days.  Since General Needa was instrumental in developing the proposals, he will be one of them.  Are there any others who are specifically interested in participating in the negotiations?"

General Avanti made a motion with her hand, and Kylo nodded, as well as General Varda.  Kylo shook his head at Varda.  "General Varda, I believe you are still dealing with the Vandorians with General Hux, are you not?"  When Varda nodded, he told him,  "You're presence is still required there.  Anyone else?"  Peavey put up his hand and Kylo nodded.   "Good.   Expect to leave in a few days, depending on the dates the Resistance agrees to.  Dismissed."

Kylo left the conference room and headed straight to his quarters.  Upon returning to his suite, he sat on his bed, and dropping his head into his hands, let out a long exhale.  He made it past the first step.  Step 2 would be to convince everyone to accept each other's terms.  He hoped they'd be able to succeed.

**

Rey raced to the main communications table in their meeting room.  Rose had been sent to find her and let her know that there was an urgent incoming message from the First Order, and that Leia wanted her to be there.

Surprisingly, the room was relatively empty.  Rey looked at Leia questioningly, but she just shook her head back at her.   It was only her, Leia, Finn, Poe, and Connix around the holotable. Leia nodded, and Connix pressed a button, revealing the image of Kylo Ren.

"General Organa."  He began, in a monotonous tone, his face completely impassive.   He was wearing his mask without the mask again.

"Kylo Ren."  She answered back in a similar, dry tone.

Rey could almost feel Ben's anxiety through the bond, but his face and posture betrayed nothing.

"The First Order wishes to meet with Resistance members to discuss the possibility of negotiating peace between us."  Ben's voice still showed no emotion.

Poe made a noise that sounded remarkably similar to a scoff, and Leia gave him a harsh look and a quick shake of her head.   Turning to the holotable, she asked in a similar voice.  "I'm listening.  What do you propose?"

There was a brief pause.   "We propose to meet in the rooms of the former senate building on Coruscant in four days.  We suggest each have a total party of 4 in attendance – so yourself and 3 others."  He hesitated for a moment.   "We would hope that those you choose would be open and supportive of an ultimate truce between us, assuming of course that terms could be reached."

Considering for a moment, she asked.  "Will you personally guarantee the safety of my people? Both the contingent that attends and the others on our base while I'm gone?"

Kylo's lips pursed in annoyance before answering.  "Of course. If we wanted to attack you, we wouldn't go to such lengths.  We would just blast you where you are."

Inwardly, Rey rolled her eyes at his blunt statement.

Leia nodded.   "I accept your proposal to meet.  We will see you on Coruscant in 4 days time."

Kylo nodded in return, and the transmission ended.

Leia turned to the others in the room.  Rey kept her expression schooled, while Finn appeared to be completely in shock.   Poe on the other hand was more exuberant in his response.  "Are you fucking kidding me?"   He questioned loudly, to no one in particular.  Everyone in the room startled at his outburst.

Leia narrowed her eyes at him before beginning,  "Now Poe –"   before he cut her off.  "You don't really believe his shit do you?  It's a fucking trap!  They just want to finish us off once and for all."

"Poe!"  Leia cut him off.  "Enough!"  Pausing to take a deep breath, she sighed.  "Well I guess that means you won't be joining us."

His face fell.  "What are you talking about?  Of course I'll be joining you!"

She shook her head.  "You heard him.  He only wants those who are there in good faith – who are serious about negotiating peace.  Something you are clearly not interested in."

Poe's face went deep red in anger,  "I can't believe that its something that you are interested in!!"  He screamed.  "After everything they've done! How could you even consider negotiating a truce with them – with him!"

Leia's eyes went cold as stone, and she stared at him hard.  "Poe.  I want you to leave this room right now, before I do or say something I'll regret."

Turning on his heel, Poe stormed out of the room without another word.

Both Rey and Leia locked eyes.  "I'll go talk to him once he calms down a bit."  Rey told her and Leia nodded.

She turned and left the room too.  Finn silently followed her.  Once they were outside, he grabbed her arm.  "Rey.  Why did it seem like Leia was expecting this?"

"I...I don't know what you mean."  She stuttered.

"Really?"  Finn asked, disbelievingly.  "Out of the blue, the First Order – the leader of the First Order no less – contacts us and tells us that he wants to negotiate peace?"  His voice became louder as he continued.  "And nobody seems surprised by this?"  He shook his head.  "She was expecting this.   The question is – how?"  Pausing, he took a deep breath and looked at her intently.  "You didn't seem surprised either."  He noted.

Rey couldn't quite meet his eyes.   "Finn...I...I don't know-"

He cut her off.  "You haven't been the same since Lothal."

"Whaat?"  She asked.

Continuing to stare, he continued.  "After Crait, we could all see that something was bothering you.  It was like you weren't quite yourself.  Something was missing.  You barely ate, didn't smile much, and were always alone training or reading those Jedi texts."

Rey just looked at him, not saying a word, her gaze wary.

"I know what it was Rey, what was bothering you."  Exhaling on a sigh, he told her.  "It was Kylo Ren."

Her eyes widened.  "Finn –"

"No Rey.  I don't know what he did to you – I can only guess the kinds of things he put you through when you went to that ship – whatever the reason was that you went there – but eventually we could see you start to come back out of your shell.  You seemed to be starting to be happy again.  You smiled, had a bounce in your step, and even started hanging out with us again."  He looked down, then back up into her eyes again.  "But ever since Lothal, its like you're a different person."

"Different....how?"  She asked, confused.   "Do I seem unhappy again?"

His stare bored into her.  "No. Not unhappy.  The complete opposite.  You're happier than I've ever seen you.  Almost joyful even."

Rey was now even more confused.  "And that's bad, why?"

"Its not.  But whatever happened to you on Lothal caused it."  He glanced at the floor before asking.  "Rey, what happened to you on Lothal?"

She looked him straight in the eye before lying.  "Finn. Nothing happened to me on Lothal."

His lips flattened in disapproval.  "I don't believe you Rey."

"I don't know what to say. Finn – listen to what you're saying.  What could you possibly think could have happened on Lothal to make me happier?"  She pleaded, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"I don't know Rey – you tell me."  He said quietly. "Was the First Order there?  On Lothal?  When you were stranded?"

"You know that they were.  Why?"  She asked, her discomfort growing.

He continued to look at her, his eyes boring into her as if to try to see into her mind.  When she looked away, saying nothing more, he continued.  "I know you have secrets Rey.   Whatever they are, I hope they're worth it."  Her eyes snapped back up to him, as he shook his head and walked away.