Transformation: Becoming Ben Solo (A Reylo Fanfic)

Chapter 29 - New Environs

A/N - OMG! OMG!!! 1.1 K reads!!  Thank you so much to all who have been reading this story.   When I first started posting, I was hoping to get to 1 K eventually, but this is awesome! So thank you all again!  I know its been a few days since I've updated, but its been a bit crazy - so sorry for the wait.  This chapter builds on their story a bit more - so I hope you like it!  Please don't forget to vote and as always I absolutely love your comments.  Enjoy!!

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Her heart broke when she got to his bedside.  He looked so injured, so vulnerable.  His head was bandaged thickly, his face covered in Bacta patches, and his arm and leg were both immobilized in casts.  She just stood and stared, tears streaming down her cheeks and said,  "Oh Ben."  under her breath.

There was a chair at his bedside, and the nurse gestured for her to sit.   "I'm going to bring you something to eat."  She told her.

"That's okay.  I'm fine."  Rey told her, offering a small smile through her tears.

The nurse brushed her denial aside.   "Nonsense.  You're a patient too.  I'll have one of the droids bring you a tray.  You need to eat!"  She said, wagging her finger at Rey, before turning and walking away.

Rey scooted her chair closer and took Ben's hand.  "You don't need to stay."  She told Tiga, not looking away from Ben.  "I'm not going anywhere, and those Stormtroopers out front wouldn't let me out anyways.  Go do whatever you need to do."  She told him.

"Are you sure?"  He asked hesitantly.

Nodding, she said.  "Yes. I'll be fine.  Don't worry about me."

"Okay.  I'll come and check on you later – to see if you need anything.  Actually, do you want something clean to wear?  I can probably get you something."

She thanked him again, and told him that it wasn't necessary.   At that he left, and Rey focused her thoughts on Ben.  She had never seen him so injured, so incapacitated.  But the doctor had said he'd been banged up worse before.  An intense feeling of sadness welled up from within, threatening to overcome her.  Poor Ben.  She thought.   She recalled all of the scars on his body. This man had been through hell – why must it still continue?

She leaned her forehead on his bicep, his hand still held in hers.  Ben.  I'm here.   She stayed like that for several minutes, not noticing the shocked stares from the two nurses that moved around the room.   Raising her head, she looked at his ravaged face.  Only a small part of his right cheek was visible – the one with her scar.  She reached out and stroked it with her thumb, and gently combed her fingers through the few strands of hair visible outside of his head bandage.  "I love you."  She whispered quietly enough so that only he could hear her.

One of the nurses approached her with a tray.   "Hi.  You're Lady Rey, right?"

Rey looked over at her with a small smile, her eyes still a bit teary.  "It's just Rey."

"Okay, Rey it is then.  I'm Reeza.  I brought you some dinner."  She kindly said, setting it on the table next to her.

She watched as the young nurse walked over to check on Ben's readings.  "Thank you.  But I'm really not very hungry."

"Nonsense."  Reeza replied.   "I'm sure the Supreme Leader would want you to eat.  You have to keep up your strength.  So please – eat!"  She continued to flit around him, making sure everything was in order, before silently moving away.

Rey sighed and turned to the tray, picking at the contents.  After a few bites, she decided that the food actually tasted really good.  Before she knew it, the tray was empty, and she felt a lot better.