Ben's forehead pressed against her own, his hand tightly clutched in hers, Rey tries to focus on everything but the pain.
"You can do it, Rey," Ben murmurs, and she bears down again, groans tearing from her throat, tears flowing from her eyes, and she hears Leia gasp and the sharp cry of an infant.
Rey gasps as R2 bleeps in excitement. She peers upwards as Leia, her voice choked, announces, "You have a daughter. Ben, come here."
Rey's crying as Ben places her daughter on her chest. Snoke won't ever get her. Rey has her daughter, and she's safe. We're both safe. Snoke will never hurt her, or her daughter, or Ben again.
She looks to Ben and sees tears running down his face.
"She's got your hair," Rey croaks.
"We both have dark hair," he points out.
Rey studies the dark tufts of curls. "No, it's definitely yours."
Ben reaches out, his hand stroking his daughter's hair, his face contorted in wonder.
"We have a daughter," Rey whispers again as her daughter looks up at her with such trust. I'll never abandon you, she thinks. No matter what. I promise.
Her daughter's fingers curl around Rey's fingers, and Rey's laughing, and Ben's grinning so wide he looks adorably stupid, Leia's wiping her eyes, and Rey's never felt so happy in her entire life.
R2 wheels back in with C-3PO, who has a basin of water. When her daughter's swaddled in her arms and Ben's sitting next to her, BB-8 spins into the room, sticking out a fiery thumbs-up.
They laugh.
BB-8 chirps.
"Yes," Rey agrees as Leia adjusts a blanket over her. "They can come in."
It's almost a stampede as Poe, Finn, Luke, Lando, and Chewie storm into the room, all gaping.
"It's a girl," Rey says, feeling her cheeks flush.
"What's her name?" Lando inquires.
She hasn't even discussed it with Ben, but Rey knows the name she wants to give. "Padmé."
Luke's eyes tear up. Rey glances at Ben, who's smiling and nodding and wiping at his eyes again.
"I can't believe it," Poe breathes. "It's all just—sorry, guys—but it's all just crazy. Good crazy. But crazy."
"Can I hold her?" Finn asks.
Rey nods. Ben looks uncertain.
"She is my relative," Finn reminds Ben. "Cousin. Oh, good grief, she looks like you." He's teasing, though, and Ben can't help grinning.
"She's gorgeous," Poe says, peering over Finn's shoulder.
Chewie holds his arms out, and Ben and Rey both acquiesce.
"I'm going to spoil my great-niece," Luke promises.
"Not as much as I'm going to spoil my granddaughter," Leia interjects.
"Oh, Han would be so proud," C-3PO gushes.
The room falls strangely silent until Chewie gently murmurs his agreement.
Even with his face sweaty and wet, Ben's smiling so much, Rey realizes. She doesn't think she ever dreamed he would look so free.
YOU ARE READING
•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•
Fanfiction*WRITTEN PRE-TROS, POST TLJ* When a ship crashes near the Resistance base, Finn and Poe are shocked to discover Kylo Ren. What does he want? And where is Rey? And as for Kylo, he must decide how much he can trust them with what he knows about Snoke...
