"How did you do that, with the Carsung I mean?" Rey asked as they sat around Landos table again eating a supper of Topato soup and bread. Kylo looked up at her, the spoon paused at his lips, "My uncle.." he began and then stopped, swallowing hard, before correcting himself, "Luke, used to keep Moofs, they're no different reallly, they don't respond well to force"
Rey smiled, picturing a young Ben Solo, a gentle boy, his hands soothing the Moofs, his voice whispering to them. It was a sight that she wished she had seen.
Lando apparently felt the same and he leant back in his chair, studying Ben. "You know Luke was always singing your praises to anyone that would listen"
Ben scoffed, shovelling a spoonful of soup into his mouth, his eyes down.
"I always thought a lot of you too Ben. Do you know.." Lando turned to Rey, his eyes full of laughter, "he used to call me uncle, me, not Luke, used to drive Luke crazy. He was a good kid, always busy, always helping his dad"
Rey smiled, her eyes moving from Landos as he spoke, back to Ben. Ben had finished his food and now he sat quietly, his eyes glazed. He was remembering, Rey could tell.
"Leia used to scream at them, tell Han to keep Ben clean, tidy. Never happened. Every picture I have of them Bens caked in grease" Lando rose to his feet slowly and moved over to an alcove in the cave wall. He lifted what looked like a stack of cards and came to sit back down.
Ben had straightened in his seat now, his eyes wide as Lando held up one of the pieces of card. It showed a boy with a shock of jet black hair standing next to a much younger, and yet still recognisable Han and Leia. Rey smiled, taking the photograph and holding it up to her face. They looked like such a happy family and Rey couldn't help feeling a stab of resentment for the childhood she never had.
The next picture showed Ben again, but this time in the unmistakable arms of Chewbacca, his head thrown back as if laughing or screaming with joy. Rey watched Bens eyes move over them but he never made any move to take one.
The last picture was bigger than the other two. It showed Leia with her arms wrapped tightly around her son, his face turned and his lips pressed to her cheek. Lando placed it in Rey's open hand and she turned it so that Ben could see.
"Remember that Ben? It was your seventh birthday. There's writing on the back. This one wasn't sent to me, Leia let me take it out of the frame" Lando said, twisting his hand, signalling for Rey to turn the picture.
"Happy seventh birthday my angel. You are my dream, my destiny, my everything. I love you xx". Rey read the words slowly, tears springing to her eyes. Lando shifted but no one spoke. Ben was sat with both of his hands pressed down on the table top, his eyes lowered. Rey leant towards him, "Ben?"
His response was immediate. He stood up so quickly that he almost knocked heads with Rey, "I, I need some air" he muttered, and in the next moment he was gone, leaving Rey and Lando alone.
Lando took the picture back and sat looking at it, "You know she meant every word, the resistance was her love, but her first love was always her son"
Rey wiped at her eyes and nodded, glancing at the tunnel that Ben had disappeared down moments before, "I should go after him, thank you for a wonderful supper".
She found Ben stood outside in the moonlight of a perfect, still desert evening, just the noise of the chirping crickets. He was standing next to the makeshift stable, his hand gently stroking the Carsung as it nuzzled his face.
"Ben?" Rey said cautiously, still not completely sure of him, of the way he would react.
His head jolted up and she saw that his cheeks were wet. Rey went to him, her own hand joining his on the soft fur of the Carsung, "Are you alright?"
Ben shrugged, turning his face away from hers. He wasn't quick enough though and Rey saw the tears fall. Rey's hand slid onto his back and to her surprise he turned towards her, his face burying into her hair, a loud sob leaving his lips, "Everything I've done Rey, everything I've ruined". Rey held him tightly as he cried,
"You're setting things right now Ben, I meant what I said, it isn't too late". Rey whispered.
He lifted his head to look at her and Rey's heart broke at the empty sadness she saw there, "My mother, I never knew she felt like that about me, I never knew, she never told me"
Rey took his hands in hers, "Lando told me that you were always Leias first love. The resistance was her love but you were always the most important, and I believe that"
More tears fell from his eyes as Rey spoke and he looked at her then, "I need to be alone, to think" he said, his voice trembling. Rey nodded, taking a step back,
"Take your time, I'll see you inside" she whispered, and then she squeezed his hand and left him with the crickets and the Carsung outside in the cool of the evening.
