Strength (Book Two of the Into The Fray series)

Chapter Eleven

"Now will you let me leave?"

Leia looked up from her work. Ben stood before her, wearing the dark suit he had worn when he was Kylo Ren. Leia grinned, coming around her desk and giving her son a tight hug. He embraced her back. She held him at arm's length, looking him over.

"I didn't know they were releasing you today. Are you good?" Leia asked. "Are you whole?"

"Yes." He paused. "You would have known that had you come to visit me."

Leia looked to the side. "I've been busy."

Ben folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine. I didn't think you'd want to see me after the last conversation we had."

"There's more."

She pointed at him. "Don't read my mind."

"Then maybe you shouldn't keep it as open as a book." Ben paused, looking down. "I'm sorry. About Han."

Leia swallowed thickly, blinking away tears.

"We never discussed it."

"We never discussed it," Leia said, her voice cracking, "because you and I both know you're not actually sorry for what you've done."

Ben ground his teeth. The General lifted her eyes, a tear trickling down her face. In an almost embarrassed fashion she wiped it away from her cheek.

"Ben. He may not have been the best father to you, but he did the best he could. He never meant to hurt you. After we sent you away--"

Ben looked down. "I don't want to hear it."

Leia took a step forward. "Well too bad, you're going to."

A little surprised, he lifted his eyes.

"After we sent you away, he was crushed. He felt like he had failed you as a father. He wanted to help you but didn't know how. He ran away--from me, from you. You were his life, Ben."

Ben looked away again. "Don't tell me that."

"Sometimes the truth is hard to swallow. But you can't run away forever."

"I know. Which is why I must leave."

She shook her head. "You haven't learned anything."

"Don't belittle me. You know what I've learned? That I want all this to be done. The Jedi, the Resistance, the First Order."

"And you're cocky enough to think you have the power to just magically fix everything?"

"Of course not. But I know I'm not wanted here, and I'm not part of the First Order, nor am I worthy of the Dark Side. So I have to try."

Leia came forward and hugged her son. "You really are my son. I am cocky enough to think that I could fix everything, and look where it's gotten me."

Ben lifted up her chin. When he spoke, it was sincere. "I'm sorry. For everything."

Crying, Leia hugged him tightly. Ben wrapped his arms around her. The General buried her face against his chest. "Will I ever see you again?"

Ben hugged her tighter. "Of course."

"Promise me?"

"Yes."

"Don't say a promise you can't keep."

Ben buried his face in the top of his mother's hair. "I have every intention of upholding this promise."

After awhile of holding onto each other, they regretfully let go. Leia wiped off her eyes. Ben took a deep shuddering breath.