Help Me Understand

A Piece of Me

Life was much slower. And oh, was it nice.

It wasn't such a bad thing being forced to take it easy, as much as you previously thought it was. It meant meals that could be enjoyed rather than scarfed down, waking up in the morning without a place to be running off to. Life lived rather than survived.

Kylo hadn't left your side since you'd burst into his hospital room nearly two weeks ago. In fact, he'd barely let go of you.

He was always touching you in some way. In a room with people, he'd place his hands behind his back and hold one of yours, drawing patterns on your palm when he got nervous. He'd practically pull your legs onto his lap any time you two sat down to eat, squeeze your thigh every now and then. He slept with you like you were a children's plush toy, clutching you in his arms the entire night.

Not complaining in the slightest.

This was your territory now, something he was unfamiliar with. This was all new and yet not new at all to him. So you were fine with this big mountain of a man needing to hold your hand when he talked to someone. More than happy to sit next to him, a large arm slung around your waist, while Leia sat on the opposite side of the table.

Life was slow, but it wasn't stagnant. There was still progress and growth beside the healing. Well, maybe it all counted as healing.

Kylo had actually spoken to Luke and believe it or not, the entire planet hadn't erupted into flames.

He'd spent quite a bit of time with his parents too, whether it was at meal times or walks around base. And it was a lot of apologies, tearful and sincere, from the General and Han to their son. There was a lot of silence too, but multitudes of understanding beneath the quiet.

You come to realize that not only was this Kylo's second chance, but it was just as much Han and Leia's second chance to do right by their child. To do what the could to correct their mistakes and to pave a brighter future for their family.

Kylo had been kept fairly concealed this entire time—mostly at his request. Only the General's trusted inner circle knew of her son's presence, and Kylo wished to keep it that way for the indefinite future.

The strangest thing you'd noticed since you'd gotten back was Kylo's newfound bond with one of the few people who knew of his whereabouts—your souvenir 'trooper and his former soldier. 

It made sense though, if you thought about it. Both of them had come from similar places, gone through similar changes, and ended up in places they never predicted being in.

Kylo hadn't realized that Finn was the 'trooper you'd saved on Corellia, nearly drowning to pull him out of the lake. Found that out from Finn when they were placed in the same exam room for a bandage change.

But even stranger than that bond was the new role that the Knights of Ren had taken.

You knew they were all restless, always itching for an assignment and something to do regardless of the circumstances they found themselves in. The second they were all healed and officially cleared by the medical staff, they were ready to go where the presiding leader sent them.

All six of them hunkered around a table and listened attentively to General Organa lay out their orders. The woman was maybe half the size of any of the knights, and yet she commanded all of their attention effortlessly.