~ Love Lives On ~ TRoS Alternate Ending

Chapter 8: New Legacy

Ben ran into the kitchen, frantically trying to find the milk that Rey had left in the refrigerator to give to the babies in case they got hungry while she was gone. "Boy" (as he and Rey had been calling him since they still couldn't agree on names) lay screaming in his crib from the next room and "Girl" was screaming into Ben's ear as he held her.

Ben threw open the refrigerator door and rummaged through the contents, spilling half a dozen items on to the floor. He finally found the bottles and ran into the baby's room to get Boy. Holding a bottle in each hand and a screaming baby on each hip he walked into the living room and sat wearily on the couch, trying to situate the twins so he could feed them both at once.

After a few minutes he was finally able to lay Boy on his chest and cradle Girl in his arm and feed them both. He let out a sigh of relief as the house grew quiet again.

About halfway through their bottle he burped them each and laid them back down to finish their food. Ben rested his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes, listening to his children's happy coo's as they ate.

                                                                                                       ~~~

Rey stood outside the house, listening closely for any sound. She didn't hear anything. Easing the front door open, she tiptoed inside and peaked into the living room. There was Ben with the babies snuggled on his chest, the three of them fast asleep.

Rey stood in the doorway, watching the sweet scene with a soft smile on her face.

As if sensing her presence, Ben opened his eyes and smiled back at her.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," Rey whispered back, coming over to join him on the couch. Sitting down beside him she laid one hand over Ben's, which was resting on Boy's back, and reached over to stroke Girl's face with her other.

"Did you have a good walk?" Ben asked, putting his free arm around her.

"Yeah, thanks for holding down the fort here. I really needed a break, and it gave me a lot of time to think."

"Oh yeah? About what?"

"Well, we both know that we've got to name these babies," Rey laughed, "and I think I speak for both of us when I say that we want their names to be special, to mean something important to us."

"Yeah," Ben said, looking at their children.

"Well while I was out walking I stopped by the Archive Library, and I started looking up what different names mean."

"Find anything interesting?"

"There were two names that stuck out to me. Jarek, for him. It means 'new', and Janay for her. It means 'legacy'."

"New Legacy," Ben said, putting them together.

"New Legacy," Rey repeated.

"I like it. Those names don't tie them to the past but they don't let them forget about it either," Ben thought out loud.

Ben and Rey sat in silence for a moment, looking at their children and pondering their futures.

"Janay and Jarek," Ben finally said, testing the names out. Almost immediately the twins opened their eyes and looked up at him.

Surprised, Ben looked over at Rey.

"I think they like those names too," she laughed.

Cocking his head to one side, Ben asked, "Have we finally agreed on something?"

"Looks like we have," Rey answered, curling closer to Ben and laying her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head.

"Good," he said, "but next time, we need to decide on a name before we even try for the baby."

"Deal," Rey chuckled, "when do you want to start?"

"Deciding on another name?"

"No," Rey said, raising an eyebrow, "making another baby?"

Ben chuckled, matching her tone with equal mirth, "As soon as possible."

Rey laughed and leaned in to kiss Ben softly. He reached for her, trying to draw her closer, but she pulled away, teasing him, a smirk on her face.

Picking up Janay, she offered a wink and said, "If we change their diapers, they'll go back to sleep for at least one more hour..."

Ben didn't catch what she was implying at first, but after a brief moment, he quickly stood up with Jarek and ran into the twins' rooms after her.

Hearing the commotion and then seeing him scamper into the room made Rey laugh again. "Ben Solo, I'll bet this will be the quickest you will have ever changed a diaper in your life!"

Grinning at her, he agreed. "Amazing what someone can accomplish with the right motivations."

"Yes," Rey giggled again. "Amazing."