What If...

Chapter 2: Promise

"He's the Supreme Leader of the First Order! We cannot let that go unpunished!"

The resistance was less than happy when Rey had sent the message to not blow Ben and his ship out of the sky. They were even more than less than happy when she brought him to their base. They were now debating whether to let him live or not.

"He was the Supreme Leader. He turned to our side! How many times do I have to say it?!" Rey was one of the very few willing to grant him clemency. Luckily, as a Jedi, and as the one who killed the Emperor, she had a lot of influence on the matter.

"He's done a lot of damage."

"Yes, but has he not made up for that? I wouldn't be here without him. And I won't let any of you hurt him." She stepped protectively in front of Ben, crossing her arms.

They paused, thinking on that.

Rey played her final card. "Think of Leia. Ben is her son. She would welcome him home."

Some of those who wanted Ben punished looked down, slightly ashamed. Others tried to avoid making eye contact with Rey.

"It's true," said the one Rey least expected to be defending Ben. Poe Dameron. Ben caught his eye and nodded in thanks. Poe nodded back.

"Whose choice is it, anyway? What happens to him?" Rose asked.

"Poe and Finn, right?" Lieutenant Connix said. "As generals, they're the highest ranking here."

Finn, who'd been unusually quiet the whole time, now spoke. "Yeah. That's right. I think we should clear him. What do you think, my fellow general?" he asked Poe.

"I'm with you," Poe said, settling the matter.

As everyone dispersed, some gave Ben reproachful looks, and others avoided his gaze. Some, on the other hand, smiled, or welcomed him to the resistance.

Rey faced him and took his hand. "That went well."

"Ah, I wasn't worried," he replied.

"How come?"

"They respect your opinion too much. And no one can win an argument against you, anyway."

She grinned. "Yeah, you should know. You've tried."

Ben laughed. "Yeah and look how that turned out. You stabbed me."

"You tried to kill me first!"

"Actually..." He trailed off.

"Okay, so I attacked first." Rey relented. "But I was provoked."

"How?"

"You crushed my wayfinder!"

"...True."

"And you were trying to turn me to the dark side!"

"Yeah... But you tried to turn me too."

"Tried to?" She prompted.

"Yes."

"Successfully," she added.

"Successfully," he agreed.

By that time, that had gotten to Rey's quarters.

He pulled her into a hug. She rested her cheek on his chest.

"Good thing I did," she said.

"Mmhm." His face was in her hair.

"Promise not to leave me."

"Okay," he said and looked at her. "I promise."

She kissed his cheek. He took her face in his hands and kissed her lips.

But then someone behind them cleared their throat, and they broke apart, startled. Finn was standing at the entrance, looking back and forth between them.

"Umm... Hey?" he said.

"Finn! Hi," Rey replied, blushing furiously. "I probably need to go check on the... Falcon... I'll see you guys later." She gave Ben's hand a squeeze and left the room.

Finn crossed his arms and walked towards Ben. "So are you two together now or something?" he asked accusingly.

"Or something."

"I won't let you hurt her again."

"I'm not going to. Not ever."

"If you do..." Finn said threateningly. It was kinda funny, because Ben was quite a bit taller.

"I'm not going to," Ben said, exasperated.

"If you do, you'll break her heart," Finn said softly. "She really cares about you."

"I know she does."

"What about you? Do you even care?"

"More than you know. Do you think I would've brought her back to life if I didn't? I left the First Order for her."

Finn gave him one last glare and left.