•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•

EPISODE XXV - MOTHER AND SON

Within a week, Ben recovers under Dr. Kalonia's care. He doesn't know what else she's seen-the whip marks, surely.

What does it matter? No one's been in to question him, apparently on orders from the General herself. And no one will let him speak to Luke.

She's got to be there. With him, by now. Or at least soon...

He squeezes his eyes shut, trying not to cry. A purring noise near his head startles him. Craning his neck, Ben recognizes R2-D2 from his childhood.

He shuts his eyes again. Can droids feel? If so, how does R2 feel about him-the child who murdered the dreams of the man the droid gave so much to help and murdered the love of the other one the droid served?

R2 blips and bleeps, and the sounds he makes create a sort of melody that sears Ben's heart. Because he knows this song.

It's the lullaby from Alderaan that his mother used to sing to him, every time he had a nightmare.

The pilot he once tortured-Poe, he's learned his name is-and the stormtrooper who now calls himself Finn enter the room, and R2 quiets but still looks at Ben, who gives the droid a weak smile.

"Dr. Kalonia says it's fine to move you back to the cells," Poe informs him.

Ben squints at Finn. The jacket-wasn't the pilot wearing it when Kylo interrogated him after Jakku? "That's fine," Ben says wearily. "Can I please speak to Luke?"

"We'll see about that." Poe yanks him up. R2 bleeps. "You're coming?"

Another droid, small and round, rolls in and peers up at Ben. The droid.

R2 chatters with the smaller droid, which looks at Ben with suspicion.

They escort him down the hallway, past staring, condemning Resistance fighters. It doesn't matter. Their opinions don't matter. All that matters is saving Rey.

But it does matter to him, and he hates himself for it.

The cell door opens, and as Finn and Poe push Ben inside, he sees another figure waiting for him.

His mother.

"Leave us, Dameron, Finn," Leia says.

"All righty, then," Finn says, backing out.

There's nowhere for him to go now. It's a tiny cell. Ben lowers his head, finding himself stepping backwards until he's up against a wall.

"Ben."

He can tell she's half-expecting him to scream at her, deny his name. But he won't. He can't. He doesn't want to be Kylo Ren.

Ben meets her eyes, and he's crying. Tears stream down his face as he shakes his head, but she's already rushing to him, throwing her arms around him.

She's not rejecting you.

You don't deserve this.

Murderer.

But she's not calling him a murderer or a traitor. Instead, she's murmuring: "My son. My son."

Sobs wracking him, Ben wraps his arms around her small frame, clinging to her as he should have clung to Han on that bridge. "Mother." He pulls away, choking and gasping for air. "I'm-I'm sorry-I-how can you-"

"You're back," she says. "Ben."

"I don't want-I'm not with the First Order any more. I'm not. I can't do it anymore. I know you probably don't entirely believe me, and you shouldn't-it'd be foolish to trust me-but please-"

She pulls back, studying his face, taking in the long scar Rey gave him the night he murdered Han Solo, her husband, his father.

"I know an apology won't make it right," he admits. "Nothing will. But I-"

"You're back. That's as right as your father would have wanted," she says, and Ben cries so hard he can't speak. She smoothes his hair, love emanating from her every move without needing to say it.

"Snoke-he-he has Rey, Mother, he has her," Ben finally manages.

She lowers him to the floor, sitting across from him and clutching his hands as if afraid he'll disappear.

How much have I put her through, these past fifteen years? he wonders.

"Tell me everything." It's not a command. It's an invitation.

He starts from the moment Snoke told him to capture the girl, detailing his deception on Stewjon with a tightness in his chest, Rey's illness, the stop on King Prana's, the krayt dragon, even Anakin's ghost. He describes Rey's kindness, but he leaves out his feelings for her. Rey's a Jedi. If-when-they get her back, it'll be up to Rey to make her choice, and he won't make it for her by bringing up their attachment.

She listens.