Moment of Weakness

Never Letting You Go

Ben stands up before turning to pull Rey up behind him by her hand. The front of her jeans from her knees down are dirty and covered in dust from the barn floor, so he can only imagine what the back of his own pants look like. "Well, that was...." she laughs as she wipes her pants off and Ben swipes at the back of his legs to do the same.

"Pretty amazing," Ben laughs and smiles at her with her pink cheeks and red swollen lips.

"Yeah," she smiles happily up at him and he steps towards her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her softly as she wraps her arms around him in response.

"As much as I'd love to stay here and keep doing this," he mumbles and pulls back to look at her. "We should go join my mom and uncle before they come to find us."

"Good point," she agrees, stepping back and placing her hand in Bens. He squeezes her hand tightly, enjoying the feeling of her soft hands in his, and leads her back to the house.

Closing the front door behind him, Ben helps Rey out of her coat and removes his own as she takes off her snowy boots, leaving them on the rug. Rey follows him as he ducks through the door frame into the kitchen where Leia sits at a small table with mismatched chairs across from a man with shaggy grey hair, blue eyes, and a short beard.

"There you two are, thought you got lost out there," Leia teases with a smile and stirs her coffee. "Rey, this is my brother Luke. Luke, this is my previous assistant Rey. Now she puts up with Ben instead of me."

"Definitely an upgrade," Luke smiles at Leia and she smacks him arm with a rolled-up newspaper. "Rey, it's nice to meet you. Keep this one in line."

"I will try," Rey laughs.

"Here, sit down," Luke says as he stands up and motions for her to take the chair. Rey sits next to Leia who is watching her closely, a hint of curiosity and amusement on her face as Luke pours two more mugs of coffee. Ben sits next to his mom on the other side, looking at Rey shifting uncomfortably under his mom's gaze across the little round table.

"So what were you two up to out there?" Leia asks motioning between them and turning her attention to Ben.

"Oh, we were, um, we were just..." Ben stutters.

"He was just showing me the pond and the barn," Rey interrupts.

"It took you an hour to show her the barn? I didn't know it was that interesting." Luke says as he sets the two mugs down.

"Yeah, you know, Rey is very interested in barn architecture," Ben adds and Rey glares at him.

"Very interesting," Leia laughs and looks at Rey out of the corner of her eye with a smirk. 'She definitely knows we're lying,' Rey thinks and fights a smile as she locks eyes with Ben.

—

"Okay Ms. Palpatine, it looks as though you have a reservation for one room. The hotel receptionist looks between them quickly. "Unless you need another one? We have a few open still."

"That's quite alright," Ben verifies before Rey can speak and reaches over her head to grab the room keys.

"Breakfast is served from 6 am to 10 am every day and check out will be at 11 am on Sunday for you. Enjoy your stay," he says with a smile and they turn to find the elevator.

The hotel is small and simple, a noticeable difference from the fancy hotel they had stayed at the night before, but Rey almost liked this more. The country theme is quaint and inviting, not cold like the modern themes she is so often surrounded by now.

The elevator opens and they get in, pushing the button to level four of six, and the door closes. The air is tense between them and she can feel him watching her but she can't bring herself to look back at him.