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“You will love it, Peanut!” Finn’s voice echoed in her mind and woke her. Rey had no idea how long she’d been asleep but they’d left Solana Beach, headed north on the 101 before the sun rose and it was now all but set. She should never have agreed to this — an entire summer spent away from the sandy beaches of her beloved little surfer town in Southern California, forfeited to be instead spent at a rundown historical hotel, shacked up with Finn and Poe. Their latest rehabilitation project — The Varykino Manor — was a family heirloom belonging to Poe’s boss, Leia Organa. Her intent was to rehabilitate the manor and repurpose it into a boutique hotel, carving her own share of the booming tourism pie. Finn and Poe were both college professors but spent their summers doing what they really loved — restoring heritage homes. Rey and Rose had assisted them on a few renovations; at first, she did it for the extra cash, but after the first project was finished, after she’d been a witness to the transformation from ugly duckling to beautiful swan, she was in it for the thrill. Rey was a salvager by nature and there was nothing quite as rewarding as polishing a diamond in the rough. As a perennial single woman, Rey was not even remotely excited to tag along with her friends’ summer trip. They made the gorgeous perfect couple, and as happy as she’d always been for Finn that he’d found his perfect match, there were times where their bliss only served as a salty reminder that she was, and would always be, alone. Mercifully, Rose had agreed to tag along so she didn’t have to be third wheeling on what was technically their honeymoon. Although Rose was already an accomplished engineer in her field, she had never once looked down on Rey for being a self-taught mechanic, electrician and jack-of-all-trades. They bonded immediately over their love to tinker and fix the unfixable. “We’re less than an hour out,” Poe announced enthusiastically, eliciting a happy bark from BB and a lazy indistinguishable grumble from Rose, who was dozing off. Rey stretched her legs as much as she could, suddenly aware of the stiffness in her muscles from the long hours spent sitting. The ocean was still on her left side, even though she could no longer see it as their drive took them further north. It seemed this place was located in the middle of nowhere — Northern California or possibly Portland. She really should’ve paid more attention when Finn gave her the details. Rey’s gaze fell back to Rose, who was completely asleep, her head propped against the window as BB snored softly with his head in her lap. He was Poe’s dog — technically — although he lived with Rey and Rose at least half the time. An orange and white Australian Shepherd mix mutt, he was the heart and soul of their little group. Although he was a good dog now that he was older, that had not always been the case — fortunately for them all. A few years back, BB had decided to take a bit of a day trip and wandered away from Poe’s yard and right into the shop where Rey worked. She found Poe’s number on the dog’s collar and when she called, he frantically thanked her for what felt like an eternity. When he’d arrived at her house later that evening, Finn answered the door. And the rest, as they say, is history. Rey pet BB softly as she remembered that day with fondness, cracking a smile as her attention returned to the scenery. It was drizzling and it seemed to Rey that the day became more dreary and cloudy with every mile they got further from their home. She still had her window cracked just a hair. There was something soothing about being surrounded by abundant lush greenery; something very comforting about the scent of fresh rain and wet wood chips. Finally, after nearly fourteen hours of driving, they veered off the 101 and onto a gravel road that serpentined wildly under the canopy of the Redwood forest. Perched high up on a steep bluff overlooking the ocean, shrouded in the thick sinister mist of twilight, stood Varykino Manor, welcoming them. “You said someone used to live here?” Rose spoke as her eyes cracked open, adjusting to the dim light. The Manor was more of a castle; four stories high, adorned from top to bottom with luxurious windows and exquisitely detailed stone and woodwork, it looked over the ocean, looming over the natural parapet the cliff formed on its west side. The place had a decidedly unwelcome air about it. Poe pulled up to the front of the dwelling. Up close, it looked abandoned, decrepit and downright creepy. A shiver ran down her spine as they exited the SUV. BB took off running, clearly not intimidated by any of it. Rey gave the rest of the property a cursory examination — the large green moss-covered tree trunks, crisp watery ferns and the soothing sounds of the surf hitting the bluffs somewhat softened the manor’s severity. Her senses were overwhelmed and calmed at the same time; the salty Pacific breeze tousled her tresses gently as she inhaled the fresh greenery, allowing it all to permeate her senses. “You’re all very brave to be staying here!” The four friends turned to face the voice they’d just heard. Materialized out of thin air — or thick fog, as it were — two older men clad in wool sweaters and what appeared to be track pants stood and addressed them. “We’re actually here to restore it,” Finn answered with a tight smile. He was just as suspicious of strangers as Rey, who knew that his friendliness was just for show. That smile never reached his eyes as he approached the strange duo. “And where are you from exactly?” the man asked. It seemed to Rey he was unnecessarily standoff-ish but it occurred to her they were probably not used to getting many visitors. Being wary of strangers was a survival skill Rey knew all too well. “Solana Beach. I’m Poe Dameron and this is my husband, Finn.” Poe was always friendly and open and people seemed to take to his charms. The man addressing them was no exception. His frown softened as he addressed them again. “You all seem like nice kids, you’d be better off getting back in your car and leaving right now. The place is haunted.” “Haunted?!” Rose gasped. Rey was a bit more skeptical. “Haunted by whom exactly?” she asked, eyeing the two strangers. “They call him the Redwood Specter. But we knew him as Lord Vader.” The tall man spoke again. His companion was almost a foot shorter and a lot less verbose. He wore a blue beret and socks inside his Birkenstocks. He agreed with everything his friend said, but he didn’t smile at all. They reminded Rey of Jay and Silent Bob. But older. And creepier. The thought made her smile, however. The tall man continued his warning, “Lord Vader roams this dwelling and there is nothing you can do to get him out! Even if you fancy this place up, he will never leave. I’ll give you two full days ‘till you’re all packed up and rolling into town for a nice safe stay.” “If you need a place to stay, our farms are just on the other side of that thicket. I’m Paul Percival Pippin O’Grady and this is Artoo. You can call me Threepio. You can call him Artoo.”
Okay, now I’m officially intrigued by these two.
“Don’t mind these old fools! They’re just trying to stir up trouble and scare you off.” A tall red-headed man greeted them, stepping out through the large double doors of the front entrance and out on the spacious front porch. “Now shoo! Off with you!” The two men scurried away without putting up a fight. “Why would they do that?” Rey asked with genuine curiosity. “They think fixing up the hotel will mean tourists and tourists mean their crops and harvest will be disturbed.” “Crops?” Rose moved closer to the conversation, flipping her long side bangs behind her ear. “They’re beet farmers.” He rolled his eyes and smirked before continuing. “But they also grow weed. Mostly weed if I have my facts correct.” “Seriously?” Rose seemed surprised somehow, even though she’d always lived in California where it was no secret where the majority of the states’ herbal enhancement crop was grown. “This is a good environment for it, I suppose. Very little law enforcement, lots of available land. Those two old hippies are remnants from the sixties but there are new farmers. Dangerous ones. None of them want us around.” “Maybe leave that off the brochure.” Finn snarked. “You are?” “Oh pardon my manners! I’m Armitage Hux, the manager of Varykino Manor. Please do come in.” He smiled at them welcomingly enough but for whatever reason, Rey felt uneasy in his presence. The reception area was dark, partially due to the poor lighting but mostly because the wild overgrown flora surrounding the hotel blocked out all natural light. The first thing they needed to do was some serious landscaping. “I assumed you’d be starving after your long journey and I took the liberty of having Chef Phasma prepare supper for you to take up in your rooms. Nothing fancy, just a charcuterie board, some fresh fruit and veggies.” As if on cue, Rey’s belly growled loudly. “Thank you! That sounds lovely.” “That’s settled then! Let me give you a hand with your bags.” Hux looked around as if searching for something, the displeased scowl on his face telling that whatever it was, he didn’t find it. “We have a caretaker but I have no idea where he could’ve possibly gone!” The foursome followed Hux up the poorly lit stairwell, passing by an ancient looking lift which Hux offered as an option but they silently agreed to pass on. The stairs were old, carved out of solid wood, balking and creaking angrily with every single step they took. A few steps groaned louder than the others and by the time they had reached the fourth floor, Rey was convinced the entire place was a hair's breadth from collapsing into itself. Poe and Finn said goodnight as they reached their room, closest to the stairs. Rose’s was immediately next to them but for whatever reason, Rey’s was all the way at the end of the hall. The wind howled through Varykino old bones, the shrill noise unsettling. “Bathroom is down the hall, you’ll have to flush twice. Maybe three times for a boom-boom.” The ginger man cackled and winked.
So poop jokes then.
The man seemed to be fairly amused by his infantile humor, but Rey was too tired to attempt faking delight. She scowled and said nothing. The sooner he finished his impromptu orientation, the sooner he’d be where she wasn’t. “Only plug in one small appliance at a time, okay? Knob and tube wiring all over the building. Don’t want to burn down the place before you get to work, right? And be careful of the bed coverings, they’re genuine wolf pelts. You can practically smell the animal! They’re also highly flammable, so careful with your bedtime electronics if you know what I mean...”
Charming man.
Hux tipped his non-existent cap to her and left her in her room. Dead animal hide notwithstanding, the room was stunning! Most would find the dank, musty smell of wet wood, the peeling original wallpaper and chipped wainscoting off-putting. But to someone like Rey, someone who loved to find hidden treasure and bring it back to life, this was perfect. As promised, she found a carefully put together board of cheese, olives and bread on the desk facing the large bay window. The chef had provided her with a generous helping of fresh fruit and a slice of freshly baked pecan pie. And best of all: a decanter of what appeared to be red wine.
That chef and I are going to be great friends!
All Rey wanted was a nice long bath in the massive claw foot tub she’d eyed on their tour, and to eat her pie and soak the long day right out of her bones. Once she’d set her mind to it, there was no changing it. She grabbed her supplies and headed out of her room to the shared bathroom. Checking the pipes and water infrastructure was quickly added to her to do list — if this was going to be a successful business, they would have to equip each room with an en-suite. She climbed in once the tub was about three-quarters full, then set her book and her pecan pie on the stool she’d carefully set up for her purpose. She could see the ocean right from the bathroom window, past the green canopy of the lush coniferous forest, even though night had already set in. The fluffy fog gathered in patches inside the woodland, giving it a spooky feel.
With views like that and a good scrub, this hotel could be an absolute gem. Strange that no one had found it and thought of restoring it until now.
Artoo and old Threepio’s words rang loudly through her mind, unbidden.
This place is haunted.
Redwood Specter.
Lord Vader.
Could people really be so silly and superstitious that they’d throw away the chance at owning a diamond in the rough like this over some ghost story? There had to be something more keeping people at a distance. Especially given the sources of the story were two lifelong midnight tokers clearly dabbling into their own supply.
Klang!
“What was that?” She asked out loud to no one in particular. She hoped there was no one around to answer. She shook off her silliness, chiding herself for being such a coward all of the sudden, then submerged herself in the tub, letting the hot water wash away her worries. Rey closed her eyes and let her head loll to the side, the steamy heat sinking into all her stiff muscles. Whether it was the warm water, the long day of driving or simply a delightful red wine-induced stupor (she couldn’t quite figure it out), she was relaxed, lost somewhere between sleep and consciousness.
Klang! Klang! Klangiddy-klang-klang!
She sat up and looked around, frightened at the hollow metallic sound that had startled her awake. “It’s nothing. Just water through old pipes, that’s all.” Somehow speaking her thoughts aloud made things less scary. And right on cue, another noise. This time it was a shrill screeching sound that raised goosebumps all over her flesh. That and the fact she was still sitting in a lukewarm bath. And then she noticed it — the pie. It had disappeared! She quickly made for her towel and wrapped it tightly around herself. If she was going to fight this ghost — which was looking more likely by the second — she would not be facing it stark naked. Rey turned the heavy iron knob and came face-to-chest with an apparition. Not a ghost but equally as frightening. A tall, broad-chested man with ebony curls and dark mysterious eyes that scrutinized her intensely under a sullen frown. He smelled like the wet woods around them and pie. He smelled really fucking good. “Who are you?” she squeaked. “I’m Ben Solo. You’re my guest.” The low timbre of his voice vibrated through her. Suddenly she was incredibly alert and aware of her near-nudity. “Did you hear that noise?” “What noise? I came up here because I heard you make a ruckus. Thought maybe you fell down or something. Why the fuck are you taking a bath at midnight?” “My pie is gone!” She squeaked again, this time decidedly more hysterical. She knew she sounded fucking ridiculous, but the words came out without her consent. He looked at her like she was insane. “And? There’s more downstairs; you can help yourself.” “Are you trying to be funny? Listen here Lurch, I heard what I heard. If you’re not here to give me assistance you can just go back to haunting the woods or frightening small children or whatever it is that you’re into at this time of night.”“What is it that you think you heard?” “Ghosts. The Redwood Specter,” she whispered, noting how ridiculous she sounded and seeing the disapproval in Ben’s expression, creased brows in a deep frown. He chewed the inside of his lip, seemingly measuring his words before he spoke. “I see you’ve met Artoo and Threepio then. Go to sleep, Rey. There may be many things haunting this place but a ghost is not one of them.” He turned on his heel without another word and her eyes lingered on him until he disappeared down into the stairwell.
Wait… I never told him my name.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rey had an exceptionally crappy sleep, tossing and turning after waking up with frightened wide eyes several times throughout the night. The wind howled through the old mansion and the ocean crashed violently against the bluffs — not exactly ideal sleeping conditions. She’d fallen asleep towards the morning, after the winds calmed, and woke up surprisingly refreshed. BB’s happy face greeted her with a wet lick up the length of her cheek, demanding attention and pets immediately. Rey obliged. As she carded her fingers through BB’s soft fur, she thought about her encounter with Solo. Was he even real or just a weird dream, a product of too much wine and fatigue? He knew her name. But to be fair, there were only four people lodging at the Murder Inn Express, so odds were he just took a lucky guess. She’d thought of the unflattering nickname for the hotel when she carefully climbed up the staircase, listening to the old floorboards complain with irritated creaks for every step she took. BB barked as a flock of seagulls flew by her window and she sat up, taking in her surroundings. The room looked different in the daylight; the wear and tear it had sustained over the years was more evident in the light of day and all the furniture in the room was covered in a thick layer of dust and neglect. Still, she felt bewitched by the mansion’s charm. The ceiling was cracked, a sign of a possible shift in the foundation. Rey was beginning to entertain the idea that this project was going to be a lot more work than they anticipated. BB had given up watching the birds and was staring at a point into the distance. Curious, she approached the window. The view was incredible. Her room faced west and the Pacific Ocean stretched dark blue and calm as far as the eyes could see. She glanced downwards and immediately knew why there was no balcony in her room — the wall below was entirely smooth, carved right out of the cliff. There was no beach at the bottom. Only ocean. And an assured death if one were to step out and fall.
That’s a fun thought first thing in the morning!
“What are you looking at boy?” She asked BB as he continued to concentrate his attention on his point of interest. She saw him then. In a kayak in the middle of the ocean, paddling away wearing a black windbreaker that blew in the breeze like a cape. Solo. He was real. She recognized him immediately, even after their clandestine meeting in the dark. “What a strange man!” What a hot man. But strange. Smells like pie...who doesn’t like pie? She shook off her musings as he slipped from their view. “Pretty place, isn’t it buddy?” And then another terrifying thing occurred to her. “How did you get in here?” She asked, waiting for a reply that was never going to come, the dog tilting his head to the side not understanding what she’d asked. The door to her room was ajar — had she forgotten to lock it? It was entirely possible. It was also possible that someone had opened the door in the night and never closed it. But why would anyone do that? Maybe Poe was trying to be funny? Her buildup of questions came to a sudden pause as a delicious aroma of freshly baked bread and crisped up bacon filled the air. Her belly grumbled loudly just then, echoing around the spacious room. She had barely eaten anything the night before, choosing to drink her calories instead.
Breakfast first, investigate after.
“C’mon boy!” She coaxed BB away from the window as she pulled up a pair of distressed jeans and her favourite Led Zeppelin long-sleeve shirt. BB bolted down the stairs ahead of her; while she was decidedly hungry, she still took great care to not misstep on the old staircase and risk injury before she’d even had her morning coffee. The dining room was empty, so she assumed her friends were still asleep. It just occurred to her she had no idea what time it was.
Too busy gawking at Solo brooding in his kayak to get your life together, huh?
She chided herself as she approached the kitchen doors. She was on a mission — find what that incredible aroma was, get her fill of it and brew a nice steaming cup of coffee. “Sharp as ever!” Rey heard a woman’s voice dripping with annoyance ring on the other side of the door. “That’s a low bar.” Solo’s thunderous timbre sent a shiver down her back and raised goosebumps on her flesh. He had left such a strong impression with her after being in his presence for five minutes at the most. How did he get back here so quickly? Rey heard him again, his voice gruff and sullen. “What the fuck were you thinking, putting her in that room?” “I know! Shit! I know, ok? I was just surprised to see a fourth. I was not expecting it.” Another man’s voice, also familiar — although a lot less haunting than Solo’s — sounded inside the kitchen. Rey’s ear was practically glued to the door now, but she was too engrossed in the conversation she was so shamelessly eavesdropping on to care about how ridiculous she looked. “Whatever. I’ll deal with it. Just make sure everything else goes according to plan.” Solo seemed grumpy.
Probably doesn’t take much, he’s awfully crotchety for someone so young.
“Whatcha doin’?” Rose’s voice startled her as she nearly jumped out of her own skin. “Shhhhh! I’m snooping, ok?” “No doubt. You’re about as stealthy as Elmer Fudd huntin’ wabbit Rey-Rey, you beautiful little fool.” Rose giggled and walked past her, into the kitchen. “Good morning ladies!” Hux smiled warmly and raised his arms in welcome. He wore dark wool trousers and an expensive looking sweater in direct juxtaposition to Solo, who was dressed in dark denim and a plain black worn-in tee. Rey suspected Solo was handsome but she’d been too affected by his sudden presence in her haunted evening to really appreciate him. She did now! As she stood motionless in the doorway of the kitchen, like a dumbstruck nitwit, she stared at him. He was huge — not just tall, but big . Rey thought she may have overestimated the sheer size of him, but standing mere feet away from him again confirmed it. He took up all the space in the room, dwarfing everyone and everything around him. His hair was an unruly mess of raven curls, framing his exceptionally handsome face. He didn’t wear the conventionally attractive clean-cut handsomeness but at the same time, there was something undeniably appealing about his singular rugged wildness that left her short of breath. And her mouth dry. Rey’s eyes continued to hover over his plush lips and soulful brown eyes when she felt a little jab from Rose’s pointy little elbow. “Are you hungry, Rey?” The little brunette watched her carefully, her perfectly groomed brows arched with the question.
Nope, just thirsty.
Rey cleared her throat and peeled her eyes away from Solo, a hot flush of embarrassment creeping up her face when she realized he’d been staring back at her while she leered. “Yes! Something smells simply delicious in here. I was kind of hoping we’d be first in line.” She spoke, purposefully avoiding Solo’s gaze. “Oh yes! Chef Phasma has been cooking up a storm we just got a fresh delivery of produce. I don’t believe I’ve introduced you to her yet.” Hux gestured to the tall striking blonde next to him. Rey has always fancied herself as being above average height, but in this company, she felt tiny.
This is what Ro must feel like all the time.
“Chef Phasma, thank you for the lovely dinner last night! I can’t wait to taste whatever you have cooking.” Rose spoke politely as Rey attempted to get her bearings. They sat down at the timeless cedar butcher block kitchen island; eating there felt more comfortable than the formal dining room. “Coffee?” Solo’s velvety voice so unexpectedly near startled her. But not before she pulled a deep inhale of his scent — salty spray, spearmint and fresh spruce. Utterly intoxicating. “Something the matter?” Phasma asked as Rey’s upper lip curled up the tiniest bit when taking in the sight of their breakfast — some sort of mushy, possibly gelatinous, neon pink substance. Food should not be bright pink! What grows in nature that is this color? “Oh no! Not wrong I just...umm…I thought I smelled some bacon? Fresh bread baking?” “Goodness no!” Phasma let out a hearty chuckle. “This menu is all vegan. This is vegan porridge, made out of peanut butter, banana and beets! Although, I must confess, I didn’t have bananas so I replaced it with bean curd — but it’s essentially the same taste and texture! We have an abundance of fresh beets from the Ach-To Crops farm next door. That’s what gives it that bright beautiful shade of pink. You can’t even taste it, can you?” The two women shook their heads, placating the chef who beamed and returned to her work. “The summer of dead beets.” Rose deadpanned and Rey snickered, feeling just a pinch of disappointment when Solo quietly left the room. “Will you join us for happy hour?” Hux asked as he took his seat across the island. “Happy hour? Are there other guests here?” There was a hint of excitement behind Rose’s question. Ever the social butterfly, she thrived in the company of large celebrations and gatherings — in direct opposition to Rey, who was already on edge at the thought of meeting new people. “No, but chef Phasma would like to practice her menu before the grand opening.” Hux cleared and sipped his coffee. “It’s not all beets is it?” Rose snarked, quiet enough that chef Phasma didn’t hear. “No, no, don’t be silly! There are also lentils, mushrooms and chia-seed based appies.” Hux drawled, but Rey noted a slight hint of amusement veiling his words. Rose sighed and rolled her eyes. “The unhappy hour.” The warm caffeine began to work its magic; Rey’s mind focused and a battle plan for the day formed when a high-pitched blood-curdling scream rang through the mansion. All four inhabitants of the kitchen stilled. Seconds passed. Then minutes. Nothing. They sat frozen. And then Poe barged through the door — sweat dripping down his face, eyes bulging with panic. “Holy fuck!! Guys!!! A raccoon! A god damn rabid raccoon somehow got into our room and attacked us! It almost killed Finn!” “Oh my god!” Rey exclaimed, worried. “Let’s get it out of here and check for nests. But we need to take Finn to a doctor first!” Poe blinked. He ran his fingers through his damp curls and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Ok, so I may have exaggerated the level of this attack.” He spoke sheepishly. Rey squinted her eyes with suspicion, taking another sip of coffee and patiently waiting for Poe to unwind his story. “Ok, well, it didn’t so much attack Finn as his duffel bag. And by attack I mean I found it sleeping on it. But it startled me and squeaked when I yelled.” Rey was trying — and failing miserably — to not laugh. Chef Phasma’s back was turned to them, but the way her shoulders shook silently left no room for error — she was howling.
Can’t blame her.
“And where is your husband in all of this exactly?” “Um...shower maybe?” “Jesus Christ, Poe! You have the bravery of a kitchen mouse, I swear!” Rose chortled and Rey joined in. “It’s a Vuitton!” he explained, assuming it would stand in his own defense. It didn’t. Rey swallowed the remnants of her coffee and stood. “Thank you, chef Phasma for the lovely breakfast. I’m going to get a flashlight and check your room for an entry point Poe. Vermin are hotel cancer, we need to find how they’re getting in and bar them.” “Oh, you should take Ben with you,” Hux exclaimed as Solo re-entered the kitchen. With more beets. My god. “Finn and Poe had umm...an unpleasant guest this morning. Rey here is going to investigate. Would you be so kind as to give her a hand?” the redhead continued. “Yup,” was all Solo mustered and then turned on his heel without even so much as an acknowledgment towards Rey.
Ass!
“Hey, wait up!” she screeched as she tried to keep up with his pace. By the time they made it back to the top floor, Rey was breathless. They checked every nook and cranny of Finn and Poe’s room but could not find a breach in the old structure. As Rey studied the ceiling in an attempt to not stare at the way Solo’s jeans stretched across his behind, she got an idea. “Hey, what if they’re coming down from the attic?” “They’re not.” His curt answer gritted her nerves. “That’s usually where pests get in, actually. And you can’t possibly know that until we check. Now c’mon! The sooner we go the sooner we’ll get there.” Such pearls of wisdom. Dumbass. “No.” She was flustered. Annoyed that she’d wasted almost an entire morning hunting non-existent raccoons instead of prepping the mansion for new wiring. Annoyed that she found Solo attractive when he clearly didn’t share those feelings. Annoyed that the more time they spent together, the more cantankerous he became. “Fuck this! I’m going.” She stood and made a run for it before he could stop her. What a weirdo! Rey found the entrance to the attic — a very structurally unsound pull-down ladder — that she climbed without giving it a second thought. The attic spanned the entire area of the hotel and it was cold, but it didn’t have the damp, almost moldy scent that she expected. She immediately gravitated to the source of the chill: two tiny windows at the west and east ends of the space and the only sources of light. Neither of them seemed to have glass panels — only thick horizontal wooden blinds that were cracked open, allowing the ocean breeze to fill the entire space. The sound of the surf was unaltered; she could hear the unsettled crash of waves just as clearly if she were on the beach. It was haunting but lovely. Something in the corner of her eye drew her attention. Carefully, stepped towards it — a sleeping bag, well worn-in and next to it a stack of old books and a reading lamp. Holy shit, is someone living up here? The makeshift bedroom was strategically placed near the east window, facing the woods so it didn’t get the full force of the breeze and had a view of the sparce lawn in front of the mansion. As she stood stretched on her tip-toes, straining to see below, a chill ran up the length of her spine. Not brought about by the wind blowing through the space but a tingle of warning that raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck. She was being watched. She should not be here. Suddenly she felt paralyzed by irrational fear. If she turned around, would it be the spectre standing there, furious about her intrusion? “Nice view right?” Solo’s words startled her again, but this time she didn’t hold back the scream.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“You scared me half to death!” Rey screeched as Solo took two steps backward, startled in turn. “I didn’t hear you come up here.” Her racing heartbeat pulsed in her ears. He didn’t say anything right away. He just stood and examined her, gnawing on the inside of his lip, almost as if holding back the words. “Someone’s living up here,” Rey spoke before she processed everything. The solution to this little puzzle manifested slowly, her brain too busy ogling him to pace itself. “I wouldn’t call it living. More like dwelling.” He spoke as he walked towards the window, lifting his searing gaze from her and into the wooded courtyard below. “Looks like the droids are making friends with your dog.” A hint of a smile lifted the corners of his lips without reaching his eyes. He was standing so close to her, his looming presence almost too much to take, causing her to fidget. Making her feel more than a little bit intimidated. “What?” Rey’s pounding heart was still echoing in her ears. She turned her head and glanced out the window, feeling relief from his heated gaze. In the yard, close to the tree line, BB happily performed an array of tricks for his new eccentric friends Artoo and Threepio. “Why are they here?” Rey asked softly. The question was merely an exercise in getting her mouth accustomed to forming words again. She was parched; her mouth watered as Solo leaned over her, his presence so overwhelming Rey felt lightheaded. She wondered if there was any possibility he was not keenly aware of his effect on her. “They deliver beets.” “More fucking beets?” Again, the words just left her lips without permission. There was a good chance he loved the blasted root vegetables and her distaste voiced so liberally could be offensive. “Didn’t you just bring some in like, hours ago?” Solo chuckled but didn’t answer. His laugh was enough to put her at ease if only just for a moment. He still hadn’t stepped away to give her an inch of space to breathe. “So you live up here then? Why?” she asked with curiosity, trying desperately to not audibly breathe him in. He continued to look outside, watching BB roll around on the grass below. “We weren’t expecting four of you. There were only three habitable rooms so I gave mine up.” Oh. Oh. Rey thought about the conversation she’d overheard earlier. He was mad. He was mad at her for taking his room. “Well hey, you can have it back. I don’t mind bunking with Rose for a while. Would that wipe that permanent scowl off your face?” “What?” He seemed genuinely taken back by her question, almost as if he’d never considered that only a hungry bear rivaled his surliness. “You! You’ve been a total ass to me since last night and I have had just about enough of it. Take your room back, I can share with Rose until one of the other rooms is ready.” Solo faced her with a glint in his eye as he closed the distance between them once more. She could see every freckle speckling his face, every crease of frown line around his plush lips as he spoke. “You actually think that you four are going to restore this entire place in a manner of three months?” Rey bristled at the implication of their incompetence. She and her friends had been quite successful in restoring troublesome projects. She temporarily set aside her uneasy attraction to him and replaced it with fiery indignation. “Yes, admittedly it is a lot of work, but the four of us can handle it. But why is this even a conversation we’re having? We work for your family, if anything, you should be giving us a hand. And by the way, what’s the deal with you and your family? You haven’t done a single thing to keep this place from falling apart. Not a very good caretaker.” Rey knew she was overstepping; she felt the quick flush of her embarrassment reach her cheeks as she waited for him to say something in response. He watched her with a neutral expression — frustratingly so, giving her no clue as to what he was thinking — and focused on her before speaking again. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly nosy?”
Not exactly the scolding I was expecting but still rude.
“I suppose I have an above average propensity for curiosity, sure.” “You know what they say about curiosity right?” He spoke softly, the velvety words reverberating through her entire body, raising goose bumps all over her exposed skin. He still stood close to her.
So close.
Ben toyed with an errant strand of Rey’s hair, twisting it lightly between his large fingers and tucking it behind her ear. His touch was searing and a complete and utter disturbance to her tranquility.
I should leave before I lose my mind and climb him like a tree.
“So anywhoodles, I should get back to work.” She squeaked out as she put some much-needed distance between them.
Great work. Excellent Ned Flanders impression. Now go before you burst into flames.
“What did you say?” He chuckled as she slowly backed away from him. “What? Nothing! I gotta go, some of us have lots of work to do today.” She choked out and immediately turned on her heel to quickly make her escape. She didn’t look back to see him grin wide as he watched her leave. *** Rey kept herself busy for the rest of the day. She and Rose meticulously tested all the power outlets in the mansion, designing a ten-day plan of rolling blackouts in order for them to replace the ancient knob-and-tube wiring. Every time her mind wandered back to the close quarters of her conversation with Ben she broke into a cold sweat, droplets of moisture beading on her overheated face. There was something about him. Some charm that she couldn’t resist, pulling her in, like gravity. She continued to steer her mind back to her job, refusing to let him turn into a huge distraction until her attention stayed firmly on the task at hand. Poe and Finn put together a rough draft of the interior design. Then revised once to return to reality — Poe’s idea of good design always translated to expensive. And revised it again once Rey and Rose shared their sobering estimates. “This leaves me no room in the budget for pretty things!” Poe whined as he stood with Rose and Rey in the dark reception area. Rey sympathized but she knew that deep down her friend was up for the challenge. He was a miracle worker with thin budgets and this project had tremendous potential. “We have no money for landscaping.” Finn sighed as he approached them, converting the tight entrance into an impromptu team meeting. “Rey can probably work her magic and convince that beefy caretaker to do it.” Rose giggled and winked. If looks could kill, there would be a pile of ashes where the sassy little brunette stood. Luckily Poe and Finn were too preoccupied with the limitations of the budget to notice how flustered Rose’s comment had made her. “C’mon boys, let me treat you to some nice refreshing beet juice.” Rey patted Finn on the back and linked her arm in the crook of Poe’s elbow as they approached the dining room. She casually looked over her shoulder and glared at Rose, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
How could she possibly know anything? There isn’t anything to know!
As promised, chef Phasma and Hux staged a happy hour complete with a custom vegan buffet. Somehow chef Phasma’s cooking skills were getting worse, but Rey and her friends were much too hungry to be picky. But there were also drinks. Exactly what Rey needed at this point. She poured herself a generous glass of Chardonnay and snuck outside in search of some solitude. Rey took lazy indulgent strides towards the ocean, feeling herself becoming quickly — and oddly — at ease with each inhale of salty spray. The high tide thrashed violently as the winds picked up and dark clouds announced the impending storm. She loved rain. There wasn’t nearly enough of it at home and Rey was getting her fill, lifting her face towards the clouds, waiting. “You shouldn’t stand so close to the edge.” She jumped at the sound. Rey was so taken by the hypnotic rhythm of the waves that she didn’t hear him approach. “Aren’t you cold?” He asked. Solo’s voice was hushed, barely audible over the surf that was now raging. “No. I actually came out here for a breath of fresh air. I spent all day in some very tight and mostly — no offense — smelly spaces. This is a nice change.” She inhaled deeply, crossing her arms over her chest, watching him from her peripherals. Solo’s hands were tucked into his pockets, his body tense as a gust of wind blew and covered them in moisture from head to toe. “Not a fan of vegan cooking, I take it.” Rey sipped her wine, her nose scrunching as she grimaced. “It’s going to be a long summer if all we get to eat is experimental vegan fare. I’d kill for some bacon right about now.” Solo chuckled. “Can’t help you there. But I may be able to sneak you a piece of that pie you were freaking out over last night.” Rey turned to face him, presuming that getting a good look at him could give her an idea of his true intentions. His wet raven waves fluttered wildly in the breeze, framing his face and showing large ears he’d clearly been hiding.
Adorable.
“That’s a generous offer. What’s the catch?” She asked with mock suspicion. He smiled. An actual smile that deepened the slight lines around his eyes. Rey felt her knees weaken. “No catch. I wanted to apologize for being a dick earlier. And last night.” He stuffed his hands deeper in his jean pockets and flipped the hair out of his eyes. “Just do me a favour, please? Don’t mention it to Phasma?” Rey giggled and nodded her agreement. “Deal.” The tension between them melted away and Rey felt like she could finally breathe, the pressure she hadn’t even noticed building lifted off her chest. The relief lasted mere moments. The unsettling feeling that she was being watched crept back into her bones. Solo watched her, puzzled, as her eyes scanned the woods. “What is it?” The sun had set hours before and the moon was covered by clouds. She squinted, straining her eyes to make out the shapes of the individual trees in an attempt to spot anything — or anyone — who didn’t fit. “Someone is watching us from back there.” She whispered and pointed to the tree line. Next to the trunk of a majestic redwood so tall it was hard to make out where the canopy ended and the clouds began, stood a shadowy figure. At first she thought it was a deer, but after a few milliseconds she could make out the clear shape of a person. Cloaked and hooded, with indistinguishable features, but absolutely a person. “Where?” Ben bristled and pulled his hands out of his pockets, his eyes searching the tree line for the intruder. Her instincts warned her to stay put, or better yet, go inside the mansion. She didn’t listen. She broke into a full out sprint towards the dark figure, focused entirely on catching up to his quickly retreating form. He — or she, could be a she — was fast and Rey could not make up any of the distance. The rain intensified from a soft mist to a pounding torrent, the water soaking through her flimsy shirt and blurring her vision. She couldn’t explain it but she needed to catch him. Whoever was spying on them clearly had sinister motivations — why else would he be standing there, lurking in the shadows? Rey had to find him. If only to prove to herself that he was a real person and not a paranormal manifestation. Her favourite Chuck Taylors were soaked. Ruined, most likely. The wet moss-covered ground squelched with each step she took, the puddles displacing water around her. She could still see him, now a distorted black shadow darting through the trees, hidden by the dark cover of night.
Rey.
Rey!
She heard her name called by a distorted voice, a hushed plea carried by the wind, muffled by the fast pace of her heart. But Rey didn’t have time to heed the warning — a sharp blast to her head shocked her and then everything faded to black.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cold.
Wet.
Ouch!
Rey opened her eyes to a throbbing headache. Confused and disoriented, she took in her surroundings — the ground was moving under her but she wasn’t walking.
Is someone carrying me?
Her question was answered immediately after she turned her head to see Solo’s sullen face. He was holding her in his arms, snuggled close to the broad expanse of his chest as he made his way towards the Varykino. “What happened?” Solo stopped, peering down at her. A look of genuine concern spread across his face. “You took off into the woods like a goddamn maniac. You must’ve tripped or slipped because I found you totally unconscious. You hit your head pretty fucking good. You obviously didn’t see the massive log just laying there, huh?” Instinctually Rey brought her hand to her forehead, her fingers finding the sticky wet evidence of a fresh cut. “Shit.” “What the fuck were you doing, exactly?” He chided her. “There was someone there, watching us. I wanted to see who. And ask why?” He sighed. “Do you know how stupid you sound? What was the endgame, anyway? Ask the creep hiding in the woods why he’s watching us? What if he hurt you? Your lack of self-preservation instinct is alarming.” Solo — Ben — was right, of course. What she’d done was more than reckless. It was idiotic and dangerous. “I know. Ok? I know.” Rey spoke sheepishly. “I just got so freaked out seeing him there watching us and then I kept thinking about those old guys’ story about the ghost and I just I had to find out for myself.” He shifted her weight in his arms and resumed his brisk walk towards the manor. Ben’s arms were incredibly strong, carrying her around like she weighed next to nothing. “I told you, there are no ghosts here. If you want, I will tell you Lord Vader’s story — his true story.” “So he was real?” “He was my grandfather.” He whispered as they stepped out from under the protective cover of the canopy and into the torrential rain. “You can probably put me down.” Rey offered insincerely. She absolutely didn’t want to part from the security of those chorded muscular arms. “No. You’re bleeding from your head, for fuck’s sake.” He grumped. Who was she to argue with his logic? “They’re all going to see. And ask questions. Many questions.” Rey bit her lip as she spoke softly. Her mind briefly diverted from feeling confused but charged up to the utter panic of having to explain to her friends exactly what had transpired that concluded with her being carried back home. Soaking wet. “We’re basically there, anyway.” He huffed out a breath as he picked up his pace. Spurred on by the quickening rain, he was practically running by the time they made it to the entrance. He gently lowered Rey to the ground but stayed close enough for her to relish in the heat radiating off his body.
Get a grip!
“Home sweet home,” Ben spoke softly as he opened the door for her and ushered her inside. The sounds of happy hour rang through the entire mansion, her friends clearly enjoying the downtime and not in any way turned off by the botched vegan menu. Rey walked slowly towards the staircase, her soaked Chucks weighed down like they were filled with cement. In truth, she didn’t want to leave Ben just yet. But she also had no reason to stay with him. “I’ll be up in a few.” “Pardon?” Rey turned urgently, hoping she hadn’t misunderstood his muffled words. “To bring you that slice of pie I promised. A deal’s a deal!” He chuckled and took a couple of lazy strides towards her. “I need to take a look at that cut too.” “Oh.” She exhaled heavily, surprised as he gently brushed a few wet strands of hair back.
Seriously. Half of a grip. A semblance of chill.
Rey cleared her throat, her voice shaky. “I didn’t realize you’re a doctor.” “I am the caretaker. Let me take care of you.” He quipped and she laughed. A nervous chortle. “Alright cool. I’ll be up in a few.” His words lingered in the air as he rapidly disappeared through the living room doors. By the time she made it upstairs to her room, Rey felt the long hours of her day begin to weigh heavily on her. The heavy door screeched in protest as she turned the knob. The room was dark and when she flipped the light switch, nothing happened. She sat down on her bed, watching fat raindrops pelt the window in a violent rhythm, echoing the frantic beating of heat heart. The encounter in the forest had been frightening, to be sure. And she’d acted like a total idiot, resulting in a ruined pair of kicks and a bump on her head that she’d have to explain in painful detail to her friends. But that almost-face-to-face with a potential ghost was only fractionally responsible for her quickened pulse. Ben Solo’s focused attention on her, the feel of his strong arms around her and the way he made her feel safe filled her with nervous energy. The fact that he was going to walk through that door at any moment made her quasi-hysterical. Which is why she jumped actual inches off her bed when he walked in, carrying what appeared to be a battery-operated lantern, a first aid kit and an exceptionally generous piece of pecan pie. “Wow, that looks incredible. I owe you one Solo!” She exclaimed as her mouth watered. “First things first,” he smiled crookedly. He never broke eye contact with her as he sat down and used the tips of his fingers to brush the hair out of her face, examining her cut thoroughly. “This doesn’t look too deep.” Rey could only focus on the way his lips shaped the words. She was fascinated with the juxtaposition of his soft speech to the otherwise hard edginess of his personality. There was a good chance she had not been completely fair in her first impression of him. Rey winced as he gently dabbed her forehead with a sanitized cloth, slowly cleaning her wound. “I don’t think you’ll need stitches, but you’ll probably have a decent headache for a few days.” “Thanks, doc!” She quipped and his eyes pulled away from her for a moment, quickly scanning her face and pausing on her lips before he looked away completely. “Good as new,” Ben said as he plastered a Hello Kitty bandage to her forehead. “Really digging your choice of first aid gear!” Rey worried her bottom lip between her front teeth and then eagerly turned to the treat he had brought her. Her stomach growled as a reminder that she had not eaten anything all day. “Ah yah. Those are Phasma’s.” Rey smiled widely as she took note of the cute rosy flush of embarrassment that highlighted his cheeks. He cleared his throat and focused his attention back to her. “You have questions — ask me.” Rey was startled by his request and allowed herself an extra moment to answer, placing her fork on the plate. “Those farmers were very certain that this place is haunted and were convinced it’s the spirit of someone they called Lord Vader. And then you tell me he’s your grandpa. I’m a bit shook, to be honest.” “Varykino belonged to my grandmother Padme's family. They came here in the early eighteen hundreds — Russian fur traders exploring their way down from Alaska. They loved it so much that they never went back; they settled here, bought land and became successful farmers. My great-grandparents — the Amidalas — added to their family’s land handlings. This parcel of land was the last annexation.” Rey watched him, fascinated by his storytelling and filled with curiosity, eager to learn more about the manor’s history. Ben seemed lost in his memories, his dark eyes fixated on a point out in the distance. “The old farmer built this dwelling as a home for his wife and named it Varykino, after their family town in Russia. My grandma Padmé inherited it.” He stood with his back to her — perhaps deciding whether he would continue his story or stop at this point — then slowly paced towards the window. He leaned his head on the window, his breath fogging up the panes. “Anakin Skywalker grew up in Tatooine, a farming community nearby. He was raised by a single mother who was a transient worker. She had no money and very limited freedom, but Anakin never went without love. He met Padme when they were just kids and they were inseparable — they played together, went to primary school together and attended university on the east coast together. They always returned to Varykino because Padmé loved this place so much.” “Anakin was a brilliant businessman and worked his way up quickly to an executive position with Empire Petroleum under the mentorship of Sheev Palpatine, one of the founding partners. He had to travel a lot for his job, leaving Padmé on her own for most of the work week, sometimes weeks at a time. She was so lonely.” Ben’s voice was soft, the low timbre mirroring the cadence of the rain outside. “You know, it’s always our lies that get us into trouble. Secrets. They’re like termites to the very foundation of relationships; they bring down families, ruin lives. Secrets are lies.” As he began speaking again, his back visibly tensed into a permanent shrug. “Padmé had a lot of secrets.” Ben turned and leaned on the wall next to the window, crossing his arms protectively over his torso. “She spent her days gardening, kayaking and made a few friends around the community. But there was nothing she could do to abate her loneliness and Padme became sad, in a permanent state of depression. She was fragile and vulnerable when a man named Obi-One befriended her. Seduced her. Turned her against Anakin.” Part of her wanted to go to him, wrap her arms around his thick torso and comfort him. But Rey just sat on her bed, frozen with indecision. She didn’t want to pry, she was still an outsider and didn’t want to take what he wasn’t willing to give. “My grandpa loved her more than anything. But nothing lasts forever. Padmé died and Anakin was never the same. He sold off most of the land, quit his job, abandoned the Skywalker name and lived out his last days like a recluse, somewhere in these woods. He couldn’t bring himself to enter the house again; everything reminded him of her. My uncle was the last person to ever see him alive. That was just over thirty years ago.” Rey’s breath was caught in her throat as Ben finished telling his grandparents' tragic love story, her dessert long forgotten as the plate rested on her lap. “Why do they call him Lord Vader?” “Palpatine had him change his name to Darth Vader when he became a shareholder in the company, to protect his privacy. Everyone on Padme’s side of the family called him Lord — a vicious sarcastic misnomer to constantly remind him of his modest upbringing.” “People are so awful.” Rey offered with sincerity. She understood better than most the pain of being cast out due to social status. No matter how successful she’d become, she always had that chip on her shoulder. Varykino Manor was veiled in dark family secrets and a wave of determination suddenly flooded Rey’s senses. No matter how many hours of work it would take, she needed to make this sad empty manor a place of happiness again. And the man standing in front of her, with deep-set frown lines and dark sad eyes — Rey was determined to make him smile again. She had so many questions but still felt like an intruder, felt like it was utterly inappropriate to pry after he’d already shared so much. “Why do they think he’s a ghost then?” Her mouth spoke the words without her approval. Ben sat on her bed next to her, his fingers reaching for her fork and helping himself to a hefty piece of her dessert. “We always assumed he passed away, but it was never confirmed. Those two old growers swear they’ve seen him walk these grounds at night. You know, you aren’t the first crew who’ve been hired by my mother to renovate this place. They come, they try, they leave.” “Why?” Ben shrugged, shifting his weight so he could fold one of his legs under the other, moving ever so closely to Rey. “Things always go awry. Unexplained setbacks. Mysterious losses of property. They all get fed up eventually and leave.” “Is — umm — is that Vader’s doing?” Ben chuckled. “I doubt it. I think this house is too old and too wild for anyone to take on as a project. The ghost story is just an excuse.” “What about the creep in the woods? You don’t think that’s him do you?” “Do you really think that if he was an actual ghost, he would’ve made a run for it? I’m not even certain there was anyone out there.” It was hard to argue with his logic. And yet, Rey was staunch in her conviction. “I know what I saw Ben. Someone is watching us and I mean to find out why.” His eyes met hers, dark pupils illuminated by the faint light of the lantern boring into her. “I think you’re just stressed and had a really long day. Don’t listen to those idiots, ok? Do they strike you as having a firm grip on reality? They do their part in frightening everyone off so nothing disturbs their crops.” “I suppose that’s a more plausible explanation than the supernatural.” Rey gnawed on her lip as she admitted her silliness to herself. “It has been a long couple of days.” He was still watching her intently, chewing the last piece of the pie he’d brought for her. Those lips of his, so sinfully plump, so unfairly delicious — were within kissable range. She tried to ignore the tingle in her belly, but Rey couldn’t resist the pull. She felt herself lean into him as his large hands slid closer to her hips. “You should get some sleep.” He whispered with a husky voice, his lips just a hair’s breadth from hers before he unfolded his legs and stood. “Good night Rey.” He wished from the doorway before disappearing into the darkness of night. Rey lay back on her pillows and pulled the covers up to her chin in an attempt to warm up. The storm had passed; the rain’s fury dwindled to a soft rapt on the glass of the window, a tranquil melody that rocked her to sleep. BB slunk quietly to his side of Rey’s bed and curled around her protectively as her dreams were haunted by deep-set, dark, sad eyes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rey gazed up at the sky — for once clear of dark clouds — and breathed in the crisp, salty air. She and Finn spent their entire day pressure washing the stonework covering the front wall of the manor, removing ancient moss and deep staining as they went on. A tedious process, but it allowed Rey time to be alone with her own thoughts. They’d fallen into a comfortable routine as the days passed. Progress was painfully slow but Rey and her friends made headway. At least in some respects. An unwelcome pattern of unfortunate events seemed to manifest. If Varykino was truly haunted, then the ghosts were targeting their work. As soon as they met one of their milestones in the construction process, something went awry. It seemed inevitable. Several of their tools went missing, disappearing into thin air. Finn and Poe had a near-miss accident when they began removing the old wallpaper in the dining room and the chandelier missed crushing them. Rey hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in days. She stayed awake against her will, startled by creepy noises, shrill winds and the bone-chilling certainty she was being watched. She wasn’t a superstitious person but every so often she could feel it — the fine hairs on her arms stood up, her entire body tensed and covered in goosebumps — a warning. “Thank god Solo got these shrubs under control. Peanut?” Finn’s voice — hearing his name — brought her mind back into focus. Exactly two weeks had passed from the night Ben Solo had carried her across the Varykino lawn and charmed her in spite of her own will. That was the last time she spent any significant amount of time with him. He had agreed to take over the landscaping duties and under Finn’s persnickety instructions, he’d nearly completed the task. Ben never joined them for coffee in the morning. Never joined them for the unhappy hour. Never hung around their group for longer than strictly necessary. He was avoiding her. That much was clear, and it stung. Rey knew his reasons — she’d misread his intentions and her brazen advances made him uncomfortable. She sighed and plastered an unconvincing fake smile on her face as she regarded her friend. “Yah, looks good.” “Are you really going to make me ask?” Finn asked, wearing an expression filled with concern. “Ask what?” “Rey. You’ve been out of sorts pretty much since we got here. It’s almost like that bump on your head — which you still haven’t explained to us by the way — it’s like it muted your personality or something...” He dropped his tools and approached her, the frown between his neatly groomed brows deepening. “You’ve lost your spark somewhere and we’re all worried. Tell me what’s wrong. Please?” Finn’s words caught her off guard; Rey thought she’d done a halfway decent job of masking her disappointment with the lack of Ben Solo in her life, but clearly, that hadn’t fooled her friends. “I think it’s just this place, to be honest.” She lied. “It’s been so dark and rainy, this weather makes me not want to get out of bed. It’s not even that but everything that could go wrong, so far has. And we’re getting fed inedible vegan gruel! I frankly don’t understand how you guys are not crabbier at this point!” Finn chuckled and brought her into an easy hug that Rey hadn’t realized she needed until that moment. He let her linger in his comforting embrace before he spoke again. “Bullshit.” Rey pulled away, searching his expression. He knew her well. “Rey. I’ve known you forever. Yah, this place sucks and I won’t lie, there have been a few days where I carefully considered living with the consequences of burning it down.” That made Rey giggle. She’d had similar dark thoughts when she and Rose had realized after two days of painful rewiring work that some of the connections ran through the exterior walls, seemingly disappearing into nowhere and effectively putting that part of the project on hold. If only that were her biggest hurdle. “Do you remember how those guys said this place was haunted?” She spoke softly. Finn tensed and pulled away from her so he could gauge where she was going with all of this. “Yah? You don’t honestly believe that story do you?” “Well...maybe not entirely. But in the night I hear such a ruckus, we’ve had so many setbacks that it feels too unlikely to just be a coincidence or a mishap. And —” She paused, deciding whether or not she was about to edit the events of that night. “And I’ve seen it. The ghost.” “Come again?” Finn, as expected, regarded her with incredulity. “I swear Finn! I know it sounds so fucking mental but I was standing by the bluff’s edge with Solo and it was watching us. I chased after it but I tripped or slipped or something because I fell and hit my head and it ran away.” Finn clenched his jaw and pursed his lips, a sign that he was measuring his words. “So let me get this straight — you were spending some quality alone time with Mister Tall-Dark-and-Broody and never mentioned it to me?” “I’m glad you’re focusing on the important bit.” Rey deadpanned. Of course Finn would. He and Poe had made it their personal mission to find a suitable man for her, but Rey was too busy to do the whole dating thing. “It’s not what you think. And even if I was interested in him like that — which I very much am not — it wouldn’t matter. He’s our client. And has absolutely no interest in me.” Finn’s howl startled her. Rey failed to see what it was exactly that he found so humorous about what she’d just told him. “I love you so much hun, but you’re an absolute idiot. How are you so oblivious? That guy only has eyes for you.” The certainty in Finn’s words made her heart stop for the duration of a millisecond, her breath catching in her throat before she choked out an unconvincing oh, please, completely dismissing it. “I think you just need a good night’s sleep to see things clearly. I got you something to help with that.” He surreptitiously reached into his shirt pocket and handed her a small metal tin that she clutched in her hand. “Can’t hurt I suppose.” “Speak of the devil…” As if summoned, Ben’s shirtless form rounded the mansion’s northeast corner, pushing a wheelbarrow overflowing with debris from the shrubs he’d cleared. Ben’s brow was furrowed as he focused on maneuvering the weight in his hands, the corded muscles of his arms rippled from the effort and Rey’s attempts to not leer at him failed miserably when he stopped to chat with Finn. Rey’s eyes followed the path of a drop of sweat as it rolled slowly from his temple to his clavicle, down to the broad expanse of his chest and lingered on his chiseled stomach. She was too busy trying to keep herself from buckling at the knees and plunging face-first into a puddle of her own drool to hear the conversation between the two men. She idly fiddled with the straps of her Carhartt overalls as she watched Ben walk away. Relief and the sting of agony rushed through her as he left without so much as a look in her direction. “Right. Zero chemistry there.” Finn chuckled and sauntered towards Varykino’s entrance, not giving her a chance to respond. Finn was wrong. He wasn’t there when she practically jumped Ben’s bones and he had to gently rebuff her clumsy advances. A small part of her, the part that never allowed her to lose hope, wanted to believe Finn. She bit down on her lip as she caught sight of Ben on his way back. Still shirtless. Still avoiding her. Although her mind screamed at her to cease and desist, her legs refused to obey and quickened their pace, closing the distance between her and the surly caretaker. She wanted to confront him and ask him why he was acting like a jerk. The self-deprecating part of her wanted to apologize to him for acting inappropriately. “Thanks for all the free labor, Solo,” was all she could muster. “It’s part of my job.” His voice thundered as he stopped and finally looked at her. Rey scrambled for words and her courage dwindled while she tried desperately to not get lost in the deep dark pools of his eyes. “Are you all done for the day?” He asked as he carded his fingers through tousled black curls. “Umm...I suppose it’s almost that time.” She answered as she looked out towards the ocean where the sun was beginning its descent. “Cool. Wanna go for a canoe ride?” His invitation took her by surprise. “I can’t swim.” “I didn’t invite you for a swim. Generally speaking, you should spend more time in the canoe than in the water.” Ben chided, his lips curling up into a hint of a smile. “I’ll give you a life vest if that makes you feel better.” “Umm...” “I’ll meet you back here in five.” He left her standing in place with a thousand unasked questions on her lips. “Okay?” She muttered out loud to herself, trying to ignore her heart nearly beating out of her chest while he disappeared out of her sight. ‘Confused’ mildly described how she was feeling. “Here you go.” Ben handed her the fluorescent orange life jacket upon his return, a color so heinous even Grace Kelly would have a tough time pulling it off. “Wait just a minute!” She squeaked out and watched Ben’s hands freeze in the air, holding up the inflatable vest. “Where are we going? And what’s up with you, are you like, low on your meds or something?” A shadow covered Solo’s expression for a moment, quickly replaced by confusion. “What?” He questioned, the vowel in the word emphasized and dragged out with obvious bewilderment. “That came out rude, I’m sorry. It’s just that I don’t fully understand you and your mood swings.” “I didn’t realize I had mood swings.” Ben stepped closer to her, his scent enveloping her. “Well you hated me when I got here, then you brought me pie, then you hate me again and now invite me for a canoe ride?! Like I said — mood swings.” He watched her intently, seemingly measuring his words, cuffing the sleeves of the red and black plaid shirt he was now wearing. “I know I’ve acted standoffish. I promise it’s not you, okay? I’m hoping a bit of a break from the drudgery will make us all less tense. For once the skies are clear enough for us to see the sunset, it would be a shame to miss out. Friends again?” “That... sounds alright. I suppose a sunset ride in the ocean could be quite lovely.” She shook his extended hand, mulling over his words. “It is. Now let’s boogie before we miss it!” He let go of her hand and walked past her. She had to jog to keep up with his quickened strides. As they turned the corner and the ocean came into full view, Rey stopped to catch her breath, closely examining the banana-yellow canoe a few feet away. “Hey, how are we going to get down there? I can’t even see the beach?” “There’s a path through the woods. It’s a full moon tonight and high tide; you won’t be seeing too much of the beach. But it’s there.” Ben paused for a moment, then grinned. “So, full disclosure, I need your help to take this beauty down there.” Rey laughed nervously and a little too loud. “I figured there was a reason you were being so nice.” He smiled but didn’t reply. Instead, he paced lazily to the canoe. “C’mon now, we better get going. You’ll have to trust that I won’t let you fall off the cliff or anything like that. Just follow my lead.” Ben lifted the vessel above his head without any effort as Rey positioned herself behind him with her arms reaching up, ready for the weight. It was more than apparent that he was holding it up on his own. She couldn’t see ahead, Ben’s impossibly large back took up all the visual space. Rey followed him blindly — almost, she tried very hard to not leer at his perfect behind — and they silently marched down a gravel path into the woods. The sound of crashing waves became louder and louder and after five, maybe ten minutes, Rey felt the silky give of wet sand. “‘Kay, stop here, kid. We’ll turn it over and get it in the water.” “Did you just call me kid?” Rey answered with phony indignation while Ben placed the canoe on the sand. Even though she’d lived in California her entire life, Rey was certain she’d never seen anything as stunning as this. Behind her, Varykino loomed on top of the cliff, the rocky parapet acting as a natural barrier. To her left and right, the ocean stretched as far as the eye could see; the beach just a sliver of dark wet sand covered with driftwood and fresh algae brought in by the tide. Dipping low in the horizon, the evening sun painted the sparse clouds in shades of pink and burnt orange — and ahead of her, Ben Solo. “How old are you, anyways?” Rey asked without taking her eyes off the scenery. “Thirty-three.” Ben laughed and pushed the brightly-colored canoe out towards the waves. “My dad used to call me kid. He actually called everybody by that nickname. I guess it just stuck with me.” “Okay, well, you aren’t that old. I’m twenty-five so we’re pretty much the same age, maturity-wise.” Ben chuckled in response. “Fair enough. Come here.” He beckoned and wiggled his fingers impatiently. He picked up the vest from inside the canoe and gestured for her to put it on, holding it open while she slid her arms through. Ben’s hands made quick work of buckling her in, tightening the straps and adjusting the garment to fit her snugly. Every touch singed her. When his fingers lingered over her shoulders and trailed down her arms, Rey felt dizzy. When Ben cupped her face to examine the cut on her forehead that had almost healed, she held her breath and hoped he could tell what she was thinking. “Ready?” His voice was low; thick with something she couldn’t identify as he made no effort to step away. Rey inhaled deeply and clenched her eyes closed — it was now or never. This was her chance to clear the air with him and apologize. “Why didn’t you kiss me?” The words slipped out unbidden, her eyes bulging from the outburst as Ben gaped at her with parted lips.
Smooth. Real smooth.
The words lingered in the small space between them, and Rey feverishly hoped for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. The look of shock disappeared from Ben’s face, replaced with something she didn’t recognize. His eyes were warm, his nostrils flared but he stayed painfully quiet. “Umm,” she stammered “What I mean is — ummmm, gosh is it hot out here? I was so caught up in the moment and in your story the other night and I thought we maybe had a moment and I...” Rey took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before continuing on her downwards trajectory. “Anyways, it doesn’t matter what I thought. I made you uncomfortable and I’m sorry.” “What the fuck?” Ben’s brows creased further, deepening the frown on his face. Rey bristled at his outburst but when he started laughing, she was utterly beside herself. “Okay no offense, but it’s things like this that make me think you’re unhinged. What is so funny?” His laughter faded as he faced her again. “I’m sorry but this is just too funny that you thought I was avoiding you! I guess I was — yah a little bit — you’ve got a power over me I can’t explain, Rey. I can’t keep my own secrets and some things are too dangerous to share. I’ve already told you more than I should have. But...” The gentle rumble of the waves washing the beach was the only sound Rey could hear besides the incessant pounding of her own heart as she processed the words. He was doing that thing with his mouth again, the adorable nervous tick she’d cataloged early in their interactions. “I actually wanted a moment alone with you so I could clear the air, so that’s kind of what this is all about.” Ben gestured emphatically towards the yellow canoe. “I figured if you were out in the middle of the ocean with nowhere to go, you’d have no choice but to accept my apology. And I am just realizing how fucking creepy all that sounded so I’m going to stop while I’m ahead.” He paused with a nervous huffy chortle. There were so many things she wanted to say, countless questions to ask but the conflict between her rational mind and her heart’s want was too much to handle and she gave in. Rey stood on her tiptoes, her hands guided by impulse alone, and reached for the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, their lips clashing in a violent kiss that consumed them both. **** My amazing friend SageMcMae commissioned this beautiful work of art from Spiegatrix_Lestrange that I love so very much and it's so perfect for this chapter!
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The ruddy sun dipped further into the ocean, the rusty hue spreading all over the horizon, one last ditch effort in its futile fight against the unavoidable darkness. But on the small pebbled beach, no one paid it any attention. Ben’s lips were soft and pliable, more incredible than Rey had ever imagined. And she’d thought about them plenty, more than she cared to admit, but now, being with him in this moment, she couldn’t restrain herself any longer. He hadn’t expected her reaction — it was obvious from the way his body initially stilled under her touch — but he didn’t leave her enough time to question herself. Ben’s arms enveloped her completely, akin to a predator. One arm encircled both her shoulders, the other wrapped around her waist, his hand firm and low on her back, pulling her until she was flush with his body as he deepened the kiss. His tongue sought entrance to her mouth, sweeping softly over her lips. Rey gladly obliged, parting her lips and meeting his wet kiss enthusiastically. Every single wet stroke of his tongue stoked the roaring fire in her belly. Every inch of his body pressing into her and every strangled low timbered moan escaping his throat intensified her greed for him. Rey thought she had come to grips with her non-existent sex life. Aside from fumbling through a few make-out sessions with her high school boyfriend, she’d had very little experience in this arena. She had a difficult time with intimacy — not just sex itself, but to drop her guard in order to trust someone so much to allow them unfettered access to her body had been nearly impossible. As a teen, she perceived that loss of virginity as a rite of passage. Sex was important to the kids her age and it remained a complete mystery to her. Sex and relationships were just another aspect of life she’d been excluded from by her own choices, forced to watch from the outside. The more time that passed without her meeting this perceived milestone, she became discouraged and convinced herself she was unlovable. Before long she was certain it just was not going to happen for her. Feral. That was the best description of her emotions towards men, dating, and sex. Until Varykino. Ben Solo had single-handedly awakened her libido. His erratic breathing and wild eyes were a solid indication she was not alone in this awakening. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since you called me Lurch.” He spoke after he calmed his panting, brushing stray hairs behind her ears. “You’re seriously twisted, Solo.” He chuckled darkly, the smile on his lips reaching his eyes. He continued to speak without pulling away from her, his breath hot on her face. “I love how snarky you are to me. Most people find me intimidating. Or maybe a total asshole. Either way, they keep their distance. But you—” he cupped her jaw in both hands, gently brushing the apples of her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “You’re so fucking cute! Especially when I annoy you.” He smiled crookedly, deepening the dimples in his cheeks. “Is that why you keep at it?” Rey wanted to sound cool and nonchalant while she was on the brink of losing it entirely but he kissed her again. This time softer but not any less urgent than their first. “Guilty,” he spoke against her lips, pulling the bottom one between his teeth and gently nipping it, leaving her utterly breathless. “You get this little crease between your eyebrows and you pout. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to walk away from you just so I didn’t jump you right on the spot.” The noise he made sounded like someone enjoying their dessert. Rey turned her face away from him in an attempt at concealing her red flush of embarrassment. The knowledge he’d been pining over her as much as she had over him was a huge relief. “I guess I’ll take a raincheck on that canoe ride, huh?” Ben loosened his grip on her, brushing his hands down the length of her arms, taking in the twilight. “Probably not a good idea to go out now. Besides, that was just a ruse to get you alone.” Rey grinned like a fool. Those words, coming from him, filled her with such unexpected joy that she giggled — honest to god school girl giggles — uncontrollably. “If you’re cool with it we can hang out here for a bit. I’ll start a little fire and we can watch the sunset from the beach.” “That sounds lovely,” she replied, taking the opportunity to catch her own breath and process the past ten minutes. She sat on the cool sand and watched him. He made quick work of gathering an arm full of driftwood and within moments, started a roaring fire. Ben took a seat next to her and they fell into a comfortable silence. Their hands found each other, fingers interlaced between them as they watched the full moon rise over the inky water. The wet wood in their little fire crackled and hissed, every other noise successfully silenced by the cover of night. “Is that marijuana?” Ben exclaimed with surprise when she pulled the tin Finn had given her earlier out of her shirt pocket. Rey laughed, surprised by his sudden timidity. “Yes, grandad. I’ll have you know this is legally obtained marijuana grown right here in the Republic of Californ-aye-eh. Finn got it for me so I could get some sleep.” She rolled the green herb inside the thin paper, sealing the ends with her saliva. He didn’t take his eyes off her, ignoring her busy hands. “Tell me something about you, Rey? Other than your mad construction skills and your affinity for walking a fine line with the law, I know nothing.” “What do you want to know? I’m not very interesting, I have to tell you.” “I think you are. In many ways. I want to know everything about you.” Rey didn’t dare look at him, the heat rising to her cheeks threatening to burn her alive. “An easy question first — what’s your last name?” Rey laughed a hearty chuckle, amused by the realization that she’d never introduced herself properly. She lit one of the ends of the joint, careful to get a good burn and pulled in the peppery smoke deep into her chest. Ben was watching her closely, a strange look on his face. “It’s Kanata. My adoptive mother gave me her last name. Along with everything else within her capabilities.” She was surprised by her own honestly; it was not a common occurrence for her to share this part of herself with anyone. “She sounds like a terrific woman.” He stated as a matter of fact. He didn’t seem to pity her, the usual response when anyone found out she was an orphan. The deep pools of his eyes carried nothing but awe. Rey assumed he wasn’t a regular user, but the look on his face made her think he may have been considering it. “No, I best not.” He replied when she passed the joint. “Are you a cop or something? Suit yourself, but you’re missing out.” Rey toked again, feeling the telltale tingle in her chest as her body relaxed and she began feeling the effects of the drug. “Fine. Give it here.” He bristled but took it from her hands and inhaled with a shallow breath, followed by an earthshaking coughing fit.
Definitely not a smoker.
Rey smiled and scooted closer to him, patting him on the back. She knew that did nothing for his current condition, but there wasn’t much else available to her in ways to provide him some comfort. “Maz is amazing. She’s always been independent, determined to always be the best person she could be, the best mother for me. She worked three jobs to make sure I never lacked for anything. One of those jobs was as an aid in the orphanage where I lived as a child. I can’t remember when she took me home with her and she always told me that it’s best if I don’t.” Rey shrugged dismissively, purposely avoiding his stare infused with stinging, unasked questions. All the while the walls around her heart built up again, fueled by fear. She was scared of being judged, labeled as unworthy of love. If her parents hadn’t loved her, how could anyone else? “Fucking assholes.” He muttered with conviction. For whatever reason, that made her smile. Ben said nothing else. Instead, he had another puff — this time without the drama — and passed it back to her. Without much warning, he wrapped his arms around Rey’s waist and pulled her into his lap, an indignant squeak leaving her lips. Ben buried his face in her hair, his breath hot on the tender skin of her throat. “So. Fucking. Cute.” Every word was punctuated by a soft kiss that she felt all the way down to her curling toes. Ben leaned back into the sand, pulling her down on top of him. She barely had time to register what was happening when he snaked his arms around her and flipped her onto her back. He hovered above, resting his full weight on his bent elbows. Loose curls fell around his face, framing his dark expression. “Tell me when you want me to stop, sweetheart. Ok?” Rey nodded to placate him, having already decided exactly what she wanted. For reasons she didn’t understand or justify, she trusted Ben. More importantly, she wanted him. His lips were on her once more, peppering the taut column of her throat with lazy, smoldering kisses. His hands skimmed her waist, reaching her ribs, and slowly — painfully slowly — making their way up to cup her breasts. “This okay?” Ben’s voiced rumbled, the husky voice reverberating through her. “Yah, very very okay, yup,” she barely mustered the words as his hands deftly unhooked her coveralls. She made a mental note to cringe about allowing herself to make out with Ben Solo wearing Carhartt’s. His hands reached under her shirt and gently cupped her breasts over her bra — her utility, grey sports bra she’d worn all day. She promised herself that if by some miracle Ben didn’t notice the atrocious state of her undergarment, she would revamp her wardrobe with a much-needed trip to Victoria’s Secret. “You are fucking perfect.” He growled in her ear as if he’d read her thoughts and dismissed them entirely. He pulled her up so he could pull her shirt right off, along with her bra, leaving her bare from the waist up. Ben pulled her in his lap once more for a bruising kiss. “So gorgeous.” He whispered into her overheated skin, sending tingles all the way down her spine. He lowered his head to her breast, licking a broad stripe with the flat of his tongue, her nipple pebbling from the attention. Her head lolled to the side and she arched herself further into his mouth. His hand caressed her other breast with calloused fingers as heat pooled in her belly. Her hunger for him grew out of control, the pressure building like the clouds gathering before a summer storm. Ben was hard under her. The corded muscles in his thighs supported her weight as she pushed and melded her body into his. She rolled her hips, seeking the friction she desperately needed. Ben slipped his hands down the side of her body and settled on the rounds of her ass, gripping her possessively. He canted his hips, changing the angle where their centers met. Even through layers of underwear, denim, and utility cloth, she still felt his cock twitch between her thighs, where she was unbearably wet. This was different than anything she’d experienced before. This was ecstasy. She chased the release, shamelessly grinding her aching cunt into Ben’s hips as the pressure built. She felt the heat rising through her stomach, reaching her torso and flushed all over.
So close...
Loud shrieking marginally resembling Finn’s voice cut into the night air from above. They stilled, waiting — hoping, wishing, praying — that they wouldn’t hear it again and could return to their moment. No such luck as they heard it again, this time louder and urgent. “Fuck! Fucking fuck fuck!” She swore out loud. Ben watched her, his dark eyes filled with moonlight and a hint of disappointment. “We should go up there, kid. I hope this isn’t another fucking raccoon!” They ran back up the rocky path, Ben tugging her behind him. Rey’s heart sank as she took in the sight of red paint splotches covering the entire east side of the manor, the stonework Rey and Finn had meticulously cleaned earlier completely defaced. Written in large, red letters, the words “GET OUT” shone in the moonlight.
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Her hands shook as her system filled with adrenaline. Any remnants of her high burned away at the sight of her best friend in inconsolable hysterics over their ruined work. Someone — or something — was working very hard to make them hate Varykino. “Who would do this?” She spoke out loud to no one in particular. “Did you hear anything or see anyone?” Ben’s deep voice startled her, not realizing how close he was standing behind her. She ignored her impulse to lean back into the comforting heat of his body. She needed a clear mind. “I’m starting to think you were right, Peanut. I might need some of that reefer back.” Rey felt her face contort into a mask of utter confusion as Finn continued his explanation. “This is going to sound exceptionally fucked up, but I think it’s the ghost.” “What?” She and Ben spoke at the same time, her tone incredulous while his was deep and quiet. He sounded more pissed off that surprised. “I saw it. Him.” “What do you mean you saw him? Him who?” Finn sighed, shutting his eyes tight before resuming. “Earlier tonight I thought I heard a voice — distorted, like someone using a modulator. It sounded like he was saying leave. I came down for a drink and as finished it in the foyer, I glanced up at the mirror. A man in a black hood and cape was looking back at me. I couldn’t see his face but he raised his hand and clutched it in an open fist, in the direction of my throat.” If she hadn’t been compulsively watching every move Ben made, Rey would've missed the subtle eye motion between him and Hux. The redhead came outside sometime during the discussion, face flushed and bright red hair uncharacteristically messy. Ben’s clenched jaw and furrowed brow were met with Hux’s expression of utter supplication and wide doe eyes. Odd. An incredibly soft description of their night but the only word she could think up. Everything that had transpired in the past few hours had been completely ridiculous and unexpected — although not all bad. A quick image of Ben panting beneath her, drinking her in with his sinful, wanton gaze flashed through her mind and sent a shiver down her back. She realized suddenly that in their rush to get back up to Varykino they forgot a few of their articles of clothing on the beach, her ratty sports bra the most notable of them. But the time for all that was done. At least for now. Finn was losing his shit and Rey was no longer feeling anchored to reality now that the most reasonable human she knew confirmed the fears she’d low-key harboured since the first night they got to Varykino. The ghost was real. “Finn, how do you know what he looked like? I mean is it at all possible you maybe just had too many drinks? Beet poisoning? Lack of iron in your diet?” Normally, Finn appreciated her quick wit in difficult situations. Right now, though, he seemed lost, eyes glued to the damaged blood-red wall. “I saw what I saw, Rey.” “But how do you know it was Vader? I mean...I suppose the identity of the Specter is not nearly as important as it being an actual part of our reality, but even still — I need to know how we got here.” Finn finally met her eyes and she saw fear, rage, and incredulity reflecting back at her. “Those weirdo hippies told me about him when I got that weed off them. They said he always wore a long, black hooded cape. They told me he killed his own wife by choking her with his bare hands. They said this place drove him mad — and you know what? I’m starting to fucking believe it.” “My grandfather did not kill his wife!” Ben’s angry outburst seemed to sober Finn out of his trance. “Besides, it’s well past midnight now. What should we do — light our torches and ghost hunt in the woods?” “Hey man, I’m sorry okay? I completely forgot this place belonged to your family, that was really insensitive. I’m just really freaked out here.” “It’s fine.” Ben most certainly didn’t sound fine. “And look at this place! This is going to put us back another couple of days. My god, I’m just distraught!” For all intents and purposes, Finn fell into the outstretched arms of his husband, who along with Rose and chef Phasma had joined the group outside, quietly witnessing the terrifying conversation. “It’s best we all get some sleep tonight. There’s nothing we can do about this now and the longer we stand out here talking about it, the worse off we’ll be.” Ben spoke in a calm but firm manner, leaving no room for negotiation. The group filed back into the dwelling, leaving Rey and Ben alone again. She turned to face him completely, meeting eyes that were already fixed on her. “Thanks for taking charge, Ben. I think we all needed to hear that. What a crazy night!” “I’m not going to lie to you, Sweetheart, I’m still kind of high and this entire development is really freaking me out.” Rey laughed heartily. “I like that — Sweetheart. It’s cute!” “You’re cute.” He answered without skipping a beat. “Besides, I was kind of hoping I’d get to kiss you again. I feel like we’re not quite done yet.” “Want to go up to my room and make out?” Her own words surprised her, she was not usually this brazen. What was it about this hulking man that turned her head all kinds of sideways? “Yup.” He answered while lacing his impossibly large fingers through Rey’s and pulling her towards the mansion. Inside, they were met by dark silence. It suited Rey just fine as she and Ben took the stairs two at a time until they made it to her room. The full moon shone through the window, the golden hue reflecting off the calm waves below. Ben spun her around to face him as soon as she closed the door, pressing her between the wooden surface and his somehow equally solid chest. His lips were on her instantly, urgently parting them with his. The kiss was a continuation of those from the beach, all hot tongues and eager lips. Ben’s hands made their way down to the sway of her back, fingers splayed and greedily cupping her butt, each cheek fitting perfectly in his hands. He lifted her and Rey wrapped her thighs around his waist, shifting her hips to line her center with the prominent bulge in his pants. She hissed as he pushed into her, the slickness between her spread legs pooling and covering her cunt, over stimulating the exposed small bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. “You’re wearing too many clothes, Sweetheart.” He breathed in her ear as he licked and nipped the contour of her jaw. “So are you, Solo.” She panted and tugged the plaid shirt off him again. Ben put her feet back on the ground to help her with the task. In the moonlight, his sweaty torso looked like he was carved out of marble, wide shoulders and impossibly defined pecs and — holy shit — an impressive eight pack of abs tapering into the deep jut of his hips, where his jeans hung low but still covered more of him than she liked. “Better.” “I really like it when you call me that. It’s just the right amount of rude.” Ben spoke with a grin on his face as he liberated her of her coveralls and tee, leaving her wearing only her trusty cotton panties. “Fuck you’re incredible.” His hungry gaze buckled her knees, but his hands were on her hips steadying her while backing her towards her bed. Ben kissed her everywhere — her mouth, her throat, her proud little breasts — until the back of her legs reached the mattress and she fell on top of the soft duvet. This was unexplored territory for Rey, her belly filled with equal parts nerves and lust at the sight of Ben kneeling between her legs. He trailed soft kisses up the length of her thighs, using his fingers to spread them apart and making more room for himself. His dark eyes watched her the entire time, respectfully ensuring she was consenting of his ministrations. Rey pushed herself up on her elbows, curious and a glutton for every move he made. She gasped when he placed his mouth on her still clothed cunt. “Jesus Rey, you’re soaked,” Ben spoke with awe as he nosed at her slit through her underwear. His thumbs hooked in the waistband of her underwear and he tugged them off, leaving her bare to him. “Beautiful.” His voice was low and husky as he pressed his mouth to her core. Rey fell back on the bed, the sensation of his tongue spreading her slick folds overwhelming all her senses. He draped her legs over his shoulders and used the pads of his thumbs to spread her cunt, slowly dragging his tongue over her swollen lips and sucking on her clit. Rey felt how drenched she was from her own arousal and Ben’s saliva as he diligently licked her towards orgasm. Her muscles tightened and her legs shook as the wave of heat spread from between her legs up towards her torso. Her clit throbbed as Ben continued to eat her out, the filthy wet sounds and her ragged moans filling the room as she came. Ben lifted himself off the ground, crawling on the bed between her quivering legs, caging her in between his arms. She tasted herself on his lips — another new experience that she immediately loved. His hands greedily roamed her body, his breaths becoming more ragged and uneven with every passing moment. Rey could feel how hard he was through his jeans as he rutted into her, his cock bulging against her thigh. Huge. “Fuck! You’re so tight.” She felt her pussy stretch around his finger, the small sting leaving her unphased. “How are you so tight?” He spoke into her skin as he continued to slowly finger fuck her. Rey caught her breath in an attempt to clear her mind for one moment, allowing her to formulate a sentence. “I’ve never — umm — this is my first time.” Ben stilled above her, his finger slipping out of her but still caressing her mound gently. He looked at her with a pained expression. “Shit. You’re a virgin?” Rey suddenly felt self-conscious, the ugly tendrils of insecurity quickly wrapping around her and squeezing, filling her with dread. She moved to sit up and cover herself, but Ben stopped her. “Hey, Sweetheart, it’s not a bad thing.” “I understand, Ben. I totally get if you don’t want me anymore. I should’ve said something sooner but I just —” “Rey!” He cupped her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers. “Jesus kid, trust me! Sex with you has been on my to-do list since you ran into me in that ridiculous towel and yelled at me in the middle of the night. I wanted to rip it off you and fuck you right there in the hallway, stuff you full of my cock and teach you some manners.” He chuckled darkly, placing soft kisses on her cheeks, just millimeters away from her mouth. “But I don’t want you to regret anything. I think giving yourself to me like this would be something you’d regret and knowing that would kill me. Let’s take it a little slower, ok?” Rey smiled and nodded, affected by his words. “I guess you’re right. I mean, no one’s done that to me before tonight either. Each first at a time.” “Are you fucking kidding? Jesus Christ, Rey. I’m going to eat you out day and night this entire summer to make up for that travesty!” She laughed loudly this time, the tension leaving her body as Ben lay down and pulled her into his arms. “Hey, what about you? And your situation — I can do something about that.” She grazed her fingers over the hard bulge in his pants. “I would love that, but not tonight. I want to get to know you more, Rey. And I want you to know me.” She beamed at him as he grinned at her. “Besides, once I leave here I’ll just go and jerk off in the attic like I’ve done every day since you got here.” Rey threw her head back with laughter and Ben covered them both with the duvet, tucking her into his chest and resting his chin on the crown of her head. They spent the rest of the night talking. Ben told her about his strained relations with his mother and how it had become even more so after his father died. He told her about his uncle Luke who’d gone missing, about his unrelenting mission to find out more about his grandparents and their tragic lives and his staunch belief that knowing that history would be the key to not repeating it. Rey shared stories about Maz with him and confessed how little she knew about herself before she’d become Rey Kanata. How she came to meet Finn, and then Poe and Rose. They shared their happy times and shed tears for each other’s moments of heartbreak. When Ben and Rey finally fell asleep in each other's arms as the sun came up, they had forged a friendship and an unbreakable bond that would forever intertwine their lives. Everything changed and Rey knew, without a doubt, that Ben was going to be hers from this day on.
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The pitter patter of soft rain pelting the windows woke her from a dreamless sleep. Rey opened her eyes to a most wondrous sight — Ben Solo, shirtless and dewy with sweat, staring at her through a thicket of black lashes. “Mornin’ Sweetheart.” Her heart stilled at the endearment whispered into her messy hair. Ben’s lips were soft as he trailed featherlight kisses along the bridge of her nose, the apples of her cheeks and finally, on her expectant mouth. He groaned when she reached her hands into his hair and parted her lips, eagerly meeting his tongue. “Listen, kid, as much as I would love to get all this going — ” He waved the hand not currently squeezing her backside between their faces, “ — we need to get up. Unless you want to explain it to your friends?” He waggled his brows and smirked. “Not yet.” “As you wish.” Ben placed one last gentle kiss on the tip of her nose and rolled over the side of the bed, where he stood and lingered in a long stretch. Rey sat up, admiring the wide span of his naked back, wrapping the sheet around herself and tucking it under her armpits. “Stop staring at my butt!” A ridiculous flush covered her cheeks. “I wasn’t!” She lied for no reason. “I can see you in the mirror.”
Right.
The fireplace in her room was topped with an ornate, hand-carved mantle — solid oak most likely, by Rey’s assessment — the kind of solid wood, antique structure collectors everywhere drooled over at the chance to restore.Tall, antiquated pieces of mercury glass framed in the same rich oak covered the wall to its left and right. From deep within it, Ben’s eyes reflected back to hers. He smiled and she had no choice but to concede defeat. “Fine. You caught me! It’s not my fault you strut around presenting like a prized stallion.” She giggled as Ben walked towards the mirrored surface, slowly exaggerating the sway of his hips. Who would've guessed the goofy personality he was hiding behind the gruff exterior? Rey’s grip tightened around one of the pillows behind her and in one swoop she tossed it across the room, aiming for Ben. He ducked at the last moment, the pillow bouncing off the mirror wall and back onto the floor, where it lay forgotten. In his haste to dodge the projectile, his hand gripped one of the protruding sculpted accents on the mantle and without any warning, a piece of the mirrored structure broke away from the wall. It looked almost like a door just a hair ajar. “The fuck?” Ben examined it closely, his fingers carefully testing its edges. Rey stood in her sheet, filled with curiosity. His fingers gripped the polished edge, tugging it carefully towards them. They both peered inside what appeared to be a tight, dark hallway. “Wait, you can’t go there.” Ben latched on to her wrist and tugged her back. “And why not?” “Well for one, it could be dangerous. And two, you’re not wearing any clothes.” He fiddled with a corner of the sheet to punctuate his statement. “Good point!” “Is there anything I can say that would even remotely give you pause about heading up this dank creepy ass staircase?” “Nope.” “Alright, let's boogie then.” Earthy mildew and blinding darkness encompassed them as they made their way down the restricted hallway. After ten steps or so, however, Rey noticed something odd. “This isn’t a hallway — this is a ramp! We’re going up.” She whispered behind her. “Did you know about this place?” “No,” Ben answered with a whisper. “Someone’s been up here recently though,” Rey stated matter-of-factly, picking up a piece of debris that had caught her eye. “What are Porgs?” She read the packaging and handed it over to Ben. He crinkled the piece of plastic in his hand, a touch too forcefully. “It's a knockoff Marshmallow peep. Made out of beets.” “Of course it is! So someone knows about this passageway, and they’ve been here for long enough to have a snack break. Should I be alarmed this leads to my room and nowhere else?” She was mostly speaking out loud to sort her thoughts out. There were at least a hundred of them running through her mind right now and the number was growing. “Do you think someone was watching us sleep?” “I am now!” Rey shuddered at the thought of someone having breached their privacy. Her stride slowed as they reached what seemed to be the end of the passageway. Faint streaks of light flowed in through spider-like cracks in a tiny doorway. “Careful!” Ben shrilled in her ear, his chest pressed to her shoulder blades, giving her courage. Slowly, she pulled the metal door. It creaked, the scratchy sound of metal rubbing on stone echoing into the dark behind them. Of all the scenarios in her mind about what she’d expected, this was not within the realm of possibilities she’d considered. “Rose!” “Hux? What in the actual fuck?!” Ben shouted as he stood by her side, equally incredulous at what he was seeing; a half reupholstered antique settee and on it, little Rose, hair a mess and clothing askew, straddling a lipstick-covered Hux. “Oh hey! Rey-Rey I was just going to tell you, I found the source of that delicious aroma we’ve been smelling. Yah, it turns out these sneaky shits have a whole other wing where they cook actual food.” Rey took her eyes from the slightly disturbing scene she’d just walked in on to look around; they were standing in the middle of a makeshift kitchen — complete with a little electric stove, pantry, and fridge — and on the table next to them, breakfast. Bacon, eggs, English muffins, cheese, and sausages. Rey dry-swallowed, her hunger quickly making itself known but that would have to wait. “Explain.” She turned to face Ben, who was now diligently avoiding her glare. “You two fucking?” Hux asked before Rose smacked him in the shoulders. They made no effort to change their position to something more decent. “Not yet. I mean no! What? Don’t try to deflect! Ben, what the hell is going on here?” He cleared his throat and grabbed a couple of pieces of crisp bacon from the table. “When you got here, we were trying to chase you away. We hoped you’d hate it so much here you’d leave.” “Excuse me?” Rose stood and looked at Hux up and down, tiny hands propped on tiny hips, just waiting to explode like a miniature volcano. “Babe, I can explain!” Hux backpedaled quickly. “Hey! What happened to your accent? Are you even Irish?” Rey snarked with annoyance. “I’m not, actually.” The redhead shrugged. “The accent just came out so I’ve had to keep it up since, I can’t really explain it.” “He’s an idiot.” Ben deadpanned. “Wait! So did you guys ruin the wall?” Rey faced Hux, unable to look at Ben just yet. It wasn’t quite betrayal she was feeling, but definitely its ugly second cousin. “No! That wasn’t us! We never did anything to actually hurt you or your work. We just fed you shitty vegan food and banged on a couple of pipes, that’s all.” Ben answered with genuine contrition. “And Phasma dressed in a black hood and cape to scare Finn. We found that passageway when you guys got here, but it only connected us to the living room.” Hux added to Ben’s explanation. “Idiots. The both of you I swear.” Ben huffed. “You’re no better, Solo!” Rey snarked back. “Can you please explain, using small words, why exactly you were trying to scare us — or at the very least make us mildly uncomfortable — so we would leave?” “Yah! You could’ve just oh — I don’t know — not paid for us to come do this job!” Rose got up from Hux’s lap and stood by Rey’s side in a show of solidarity. “Girls, please, let me explain,” Ben groveled. He was cute when he groveled. Rey shook off that last thought, this was just all too bizarre to get distracted from an explanation. “Go on then. Maybe start by explaining why you’ve been feeding us gruel while you guys have this whole other kitchen here.” Rey spoke through the mouthful of bacon she’d just helped herself to. “Okay, so you obviously know about my family owning this entire property right? Well, we need to now prove that they do, along with the lands around the Varykino.” “Why? And who’s asking?” Rose asked, also with a full mouth. “Empire Petroleum. My uncle Luke sold his share of the inheritance Vader left for him and my mother. Or they claim they have it. But my grandfather wasn’t a trusting man and he got paranoid in the end. I doubt he would’ve just handed everything over to his kids like that, knowing full well Palpatine was after this place.” Rey swallowed her breakfast, having helped herself to eggs, an English muffin and more bacon while Ben spoke. His face was clouded over, clearly uncomfortable with washing his family’s dirtiest laundry in public. “So why all the tricks and theatrics? Why not just ask your mother or uncle?” Rose asked. A sensible question. “My uncle went missing years ago. My mother doesn’t have the will or the deed to the property and we don’t have the best of relationships.” Ben watched Rey with his big beautiful scowl, almost begging them to put an end to the inquisition.
Not a chance!
“Vader was eccentric, for a lack of a better word. He roamed these woods like a madman after my grandmother died, hiding and burying things. We knew there was a secret passageway somewhere in this house but with you guys here, we couldn’t openly search without raising questions.” Hux nodded along as Ben explained. “So that’s why you were annoyed that I took that bedroom?” Realization dawned on Rey. “Yah, kid. Yours was my grandparents’ bedroom at one point and I assumed — correctly as it turns out — that the direct passageway to the hidden wing would be through there. But if I told you guys about it, well, it wouldn’t have been hidden for very long, right?” Ben looked at her with his apologetic gaze and Rey’s will of steel relented. “Fair enough. So there’s an entire wing that we didn’t know about? It certainly makes sense why none of our measurements ever added up.” Rey scarfed down the rest of her breakfast, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. “But who ruined the wall? And attacked me in the woods?” “Someone attacked you?” Rose and Hux asked simultaneously. Ben resumed his pacing, carding his fingers through his tousled locks. “That is the question that’s been gnawing at me. I thought it might be Empire but they’re not really into using tricks, they’re usually about as subtle as dynamite. I’m just really wary of all these unknowns. There’s also — ” He stopped, taking in his audience and once again seemingly measuring his words, fighting through his internal conflict before continuing. “They never found Vader’s body. We assumed he had died but we don’t know with certainty.” His words raised goosebumps all along Rey’s arms and every single tiny hair stood on the back of her neck. “You think Vader might still be alive?” Hux voiced the question resting on her own lips. “Could be. I don’t know. All I know is that someone is watching this place and whoever that is, they do not want any of us here.” The four occupants of the dark kitchen looked at each other; they were now bonded by the truths they learned and the mystery that enraptured them. Before any words could be spoken, however, for the second time in less than twelve hours, Finn’s shouts called for their attention. They all exited through a different passageway, just as dark and dank, leading them into the kitchen where they were met by a tearful Poe. He was too upset to notice the odd pairing but Phasma wasn’t. “Well, this is new.” “I’ll explain later, Phas. What’s going on?” Ben asked his friend who was trying her best to console Poe. “Bebe is gone! He’s just gone! And my dumbass husband ran into the woods after him! I fucking hate this place!” Poe sobbed into Phasma’s arms. If it wasn’t the worst possible timing, Rey would’ve burst into a fit of laughter watching the tall woman uncomfortably holding her friend. “Bebe is my dog too. I’m getting to the bottom of this. No one leaves until I get back!” “Rey, don’t!” Ben held her hand, tugging her gently. “You stay here and search the place. I am more than capable at finding my way around.” Rey grabbed a bottle of water and strutted out of the kitchen. She stopped in the large doorway and looked over her shoulder at Ben, who took an authoritative stance with his hands on his hips. “We’re not done yet, Solo.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Bebe and Finn were gone.
Lost, more than likely. Surrounded by lush greenery, thick, fresh moss-covered redwoods and generally wild, untamed terrain, Rey’s best two and four-legged best friends could be anywhere.
After scouring every square inch of the woods for the better part of the day, Rey stumbled into a clearing. Tall marijuana plants and other green crops — beets, most likely — growing in and out of greenhouses stretched as far as her eyes could see.
The faded driftwood sign on the fence spelled out an unfriendly warning “Ach-To Farms — keep out!”
Awesome. I’ll probably get shot. Or at the very least a tetanus infection.
Rey grumbled internally. Sarcasm had always been the first line of defense when she found herself in an uncomfortable situation. And this was
uncomfortable.
Her normal sure-footedness nowhere to be found, she tripped over a couple raised rocks and loose garden tools on the ground as she made her way toward the creepy farmhouse ahead.
The dwelling — a matching set with the sloppy, unkempt yard — was in terrible shape. It resembled a hut built out of river rock and was covered with moss, ill-fitting windows and a bowed out wooden door just teetering on its hinges.
“Hello? Anyone home? Just your friendly unarmed neighbor over here.” She made her presence known, hoping whoever lived here would prove to be helpful to her search.
She continued her approach with cautious steps while her eyes scanned her surroundings for any possible threats, the tension bringing unpleasant childhood memories to the forefront of her mind. Maz had always tried her best to be the best mother — the
only
mother Rey could remember — but they had not always lived in safe, clean neighborhoods like they had for the last few years. Single parent households could rarely afford to live in the nicer, safer parts of the city and so Maz did the next best thing she could — she sent Rey to her friend’s boxing club.
Bob Chewbacca — Chewie — had taught her basic self-defense skills that had come in handy more than a few times. Yoda, the old Kung Fu master at the studio and Chewie’s best friend, taught her how to effectively appraise danger, how to assess a potential enemy and exploit their weaknesses. It had been years since Rey had been in a position where she needed to recall her training but her sharpened senses had her reaching into her memories, hoping her muscles would remember as well.
She stopped suddenly as she heard the distinct sound of a shotgun’s action. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as the fight-or-flight instincts took over.
“Not a step further young lady.” The familiar voice sounded behind the small surly tracksuit-clad man aiming the firearm in her direction.
“Threepio! Don’t shoot for heaven’s sakes!”
“What are you doing here? You lot have been as much troubled as we feared, constantly trespassing on our land! State your business and go back!”
“What are you talking about —
trespassing?
This is the first time I’ve been anywhere near this place.” Rey answered, confused, her arms raised in the air, ensuring she did not come off as a threat in any way. It didn’t make any sense why the two hippies were suddenly so unfriendly.
“Oh really? Then what about your handsome friend we caught earlier this morning, hmm?” Threepio continued as Artoo refused to lower his weapon by even a quarter of an inch.
Rey’s mind whirled. “Finn? Are you saying — ” She used her raised bicep to wipe some of the sweat clouding her vision, fear and exhaustion finally taking their toll. “Are you keeping Finn
prisone
r?”
“Yes. We’re keeping him here until he tells us everything he knows. And you will join him.” The taller man threatened her as Artoo closed the distance between them.
“I don’t know if you guys are on a bad acid trip or if you’ve gone totally mental living all alone in the middle of nowhere, but there’s not a fucking chance I’m walking into that shed!” she shouted.
“When you’re right, you’re right!” That was the most she’d heard Artoo speak. She didn’t get to marvel long, as small hairs at the back of her neck stood in warning. Her body screamed she was in danger, but the blow to the side of her head came first, hurling her into darkness.
“Remember Rey, your strength is ninety percent mental fortitude and only ten percent force.”
“That’s good because everyone is bigger than me.”
Yoda chuckled as his small weathered hands carded through her mop of brown curls. “That doesn’t matter, Cubbie. Not if you can outsmart them.” Chewie, the sweet giant, crouched a few feet in front of her, observing the lesson.
“Close your eyes, Rey.” The old Master’s voice chimed clearly in her mind. “When you open them, you’ll know what to do. Do you understand, Cubbie?”
She nodded as her vision blurred. Something wasn’t right. Everything looked like her safe childhood place but it smelled different. And it was cold. Much too cold.
“Rey?” Yoda’s voice was distorted. It seemed like he was getting farther from her. Muffled. Also not quite right.
“Rey!” She opened her eyes, confused. The image in front of her was entirely different than the one she’d experienced just moments before. She cursed herself that once again, she’d ignored her instincts to her own detriment. Her head throbbed, the pain from the blow she’d suffered radiating through her body.
“Ouch!” She tried to reach and assess her injury but she found — to her immense chagrin — that her hands were secured to the chair she currently occupied.
“Rey! Are you ok? Holy fuck you’re bleeding from
your head!”
Finn shrieked, slightly muffled. He was also tied to a chair, a piece of duct tape flailing from a corner of his mouth, indicating he had been gagged at one point.
“What the fuck is going on here? How did those old fuckers manage to get us both?” He continued to whisper, annoyance evident in his tone. “And
why
?”
Rey took a moment to take inventory of their make-shift holding cell. Aside from a single light bulb dangling up above them, the room was dark. The pungent scent of wet dirt and mold overwhelmed her olfactory sense. She tapped her foot on the floor below — rock.
“We’re in a root cellar,” she answered Finn, shifting in her seat as she tested the strength of her bindings.
“Let’s hope these guys are just as skilled at tracking as they are with knot tying,” Rey said as she freed her hands and stood.
“Good job, Peanut! Now cut me loose and let’s get the fuck outta here!” Finn grumbled as she worked him free of his restraints.
“I want to know what’s up with these guys though. Don’t you?” She bit into her bottom lip as she loosened the rope around Finn’s wrists.
“You know what? No. I don’t care and as soon as we get back to Varykino and we find your
rat bastard
dog, we’re getting the hell outta dodge! This is the last straw!” Rey felt a twinge of sympathy for her friend but she was not about to relent.
“I know you’re upset so I’m not even going to mention how Bebe is
my dog
when he’s getting into trouble.” Rey watched Finn smirk and knew her little diversion worked, if only for a bit. “There are just so many things happening that have me curious and the more I find out about the Skywalkers and Varykino, the more I want to know. I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“What
things?
Where are you getting all this intel?”
Despite their current circumstances, a scorching blush still managed to creep up her cheeks. “I’ve just been talking to Ben.”
“Talking to Ben? The same
Ben
who you said hated you not even twenty four hours ago?”
“Yes.
That
Ben. We just got to talking and we spent all night just...talking.”
“Right. I don’t want to know about your night with hunky caretaker Solo, I just want to get outta here!”
“You don’t want to know?” Rey teased.
“Of course I want to know! I want the play-by-play and all the juicy, filthy details.” Finn’s eyes bulged.
“Okay well, I will tell you everything
if
you help me get some info out of these beet-growing, weed-smoking twatwaffles.
Finn sighed deeply, a sign Rey was about to get her way.
“Fine. But if I end up dead after becoming ensnared in some sort of medieval trap you will be the first person I come haunt.”
Rey smiled brightly and embraced her friend. It felt amazing to have him back in her arms. “Noted. Now c’mon! They’ll have to check up on us soon and when they do — ” She pressed her index finger to her lips, demanding silence.
Heavy footsteps and muffled voices approached.
She nodded toward the darkened area of the cold cellar, and thankfully Finn complied without making a fuss.
Rey silently searched for something — anything — that could serve as a weapon.
This is usually the part in the movies where the brave heroine finds a conveniently misplaced revolver. Or hammer. Or a rotary telephone with a really long cord. I have this.
The voices got louder as they stopped outside what she assumed was the entry to their temporary cell.
“We have to wait until he’s back. He’ll be furious if we start without him and you remember what happened the last time he got mad?” Threepio’s voice echoed through the cellar as he opened the door, followed by an unenthusiastic
um-hum
from Artoo.
“Oh my!” Threepio gasped, finding the chairs unoccupied and discarded. “Artoo? Where are our guests?”
“Now!” Rey hollered and Finn tackled the short quiet man to the ground, incapacitating him.
“Stay down!” Finn shouted in his very intimidating voice and the short angry hippie obliged. The fact that Finn had managed to wrangle his shotgun and was aiming it squarely at his face probably didn’t hurt.
“Just a moment! Please, let’s be reasonable about this!” Threepio groveled, hands held high in a sign of surrender.
“It doesn’t really feel reasonable to hold us at gunpoint and lock us in your creepy cellar. It’s also very unreasonable to
hit
me! And to think, I was beginning to like you guys!” Rey stepped purposely towards the tall man, replicating the confident manner in which he’d approached her earlier, pushing the projectile she found into his ribs.
“Miss Rey, please! We weren’t going to hurt you, but you shouldn’t have come here.”
“You have a lot to explain don’t you
Paul Perceval Pippin O’Grady?”
Rey hissed. She wasn’t normally this brave and confrontational, but the radiating pain at the side of her head seemed to fuel her with rage.
“We’ll tell you everything you want to know, just please call your henchman off. Poor Artoo.” Rey couldn’t completely stop her smile from shaping — no one had ever found the normally sweet, charming and all-around lovable Finn anything but that. Watching him stand over Artoo however, brows knit in a scowl and jaw clenched, she understood the old man’s trepidation.
“You always fold under the slightest bit of pressure, Threepio.” The third voice — a stranger’s voice — startled them. “You are aware there are only blanks in that gun, Artoo? And for god’s sakes! She’s holding you at turnip point!”
Finn cocked an eyebrow her way as he lowered the barrel of his weapon; Rey was indeed holding a turnip in her right hand, pushing it forcefully into Threepio’s chest. “What? It’s all I could find!” She shrugged, hoping this was not going to be the last choice she made before she died.
“Everyone please get up. It seems we have some things to discuss.” The stranger spoke calmly, waiting for Finn to distance himself from Artoo.
“And who the fuck are you dude?” Finn was disgruntled but hadn’t let go of the apparently useless firearm.
“I’m Luke Skywalker.” Rey did a double-take, carefully examining the man she’d heard so little about but who was quickly becoming a massive source of curiosity for her.
“Ben’s uncle?”
“That’s right, Rey. And I need to apologize to you for the, umm, bump. Bumps actually. I didn’t expect you to be so quick in the rain. You almost got me, you know.”
“That was
you?
I thought I tripped! I can’t believe you hit me! Twice!” Rey was appalled and rage once again filled her. “What is stopping me from retaliating right now?”
“Threepio is right. We will tell you everything you want to know. Can we at least get out into the sunlight? This place gives me the creeps.” Luke spoke calmly and Rey nodded in agreement. “Besides, your little furry friend is up there, waiting for you.”
“Bebe?” Rey and Finn squeaked at the same time, excitement dripping from their speech.
“Indeed. He’s been here for almost a day. Doesn’t seem to want to leave us. Curious little thing.” Luke spoke as they followed him outside into the welcoming fresh air.
“Why did you steal him?” Finn grumbled but all of his anger seemed to melt away as the white-and-brown fur ball leaped at the sight of him, covering him in sloppy doggie kisses.
“We didn’t
steal
him. He just followed Artoo home. He’s — well — he’s been feeding him treats.”
“What kind of treats? This dog is on a very strict, specific meal plan to keep him at an ideal weight.” Rey let out a small giggle, once again the situation at hand turning completely ridiculous.
“Porgs. Little guy loves them. Can’t get enough.” Artoo spoke again. Grumbled, more like.
“What the hell are Porgs? And how did he get them?” Finn was getting worked up again.
Threepio rubbed his hands together nervously. “Ah yes. He actually caught us while we were getting some recon done — ”
“You were spying on us.” Rey deadpanned.
“Well, yes. And we needed some time to get away, so we fed him a couple and he pretty much followed us home.”
Rey went through an array of emotions, embarrassment and anger jockeying for position. “What was it exactly that you saw? Did you...did you
watch
us?” Her vision blurred again and she did not realize her fists were balled up until one connected solidly with Threepio’s jaw.
Anger won.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Oh dear!” Threepio whined and tipped his head back dramatically. Rey did feel a tinge of remorse for being the source of the man’s discomfort. However, the idea of them sneaking up into the hidden passageway and spying on her and Ben brought her to the very brink of sanity. “You had it coming, old friend.” Luke chuckled as he helped the taller man stand. In the light of day, Rey finally got to see him. Although he was in excellent physical shape, the deep wrinkles lining his face and puffy under-eye bags told a story of a worn-out, tired person. “Someone better start talking soon, I am so sick of this shit!” The words came out through Finn’s clenched teeth. Having Bebe safely back at his side seemingly did nothing to lessen his outrage. “How much do you know about my family’s history?” “Not much, just bits and pieces.” “All from Ben, I presume?” “Yes.” “First of all, I need to tell you that without a doubt, my father is dead and there is no ghost.” Luke chuckled, obviously enjoying a private joke. “We’ve heard the stories and thought it in our best interest to use those rumors to keep intruders away,” Threepio added softly. “Why?” A broad smile appeared on Luke’s face; he seemed like a storyteller who’d just found an audience to regale with his anecdotes. “I’ll start from the beginning. Well...maybe not the very beginning, just the parts that are pertinent to our current situation. You may want to have a seat.” Luke pointed to two fallen tree stumps next to the house, where Artoo and Bebe were already sitting. “We’ll stand. Thanks.” Finn replied, mistrust dripping from every syllable. “Suit yourselves.” Luke reached into his cloak’s pocket and retrieved a ceramic pipe and a lighter, proceeding to casually pack it full of pot, then took a few shallow hoots. “I assume Ben told you the version of the story that concludes with my grandmother having an affair with Obi One Kenobi, leaving my father bereft and crazed.” “That was the gist of it, yup,” Rey replied tentatively. She felt uncomfortable, almost like she was betraying Ben’s confidence — after all, theirs had been a very private conversation. Luke smiled and continued to smoke, leisurely blowing smoke rings all around him. “He only knows what he’s been told by Snoke and Palpatine. That boy has no idea. Palpatine was — and is — a master manipulator. He found my father’s weakness and exploited it.” “His weakness?” Finn asked as he sat down next to Artoo, clearly mesmerized by the story unraveling before them. The mischievous sparkle in Luke’s eyes dulled, his expression suddenly shrouded in sadness. “My mother. Anakin — Vader I suppose is more accurate — had always carried a chip on his shoulder about his modest means. He had placed my mother on a pedestal but in his blind worship, he alienated her. He convinced himself that he was not good enough for her; what was the driving force behind his professional success was also the key to his personal demise.” Rey lifted her gaze to the dark, ominous clouds gathering above them. The rain would start at any moment. “The more he accomplished, the more of his time and energy Empire demanded. And while Vader did all of the Empire’s dirty deeds, Palpatine slowly poisoned his mind. The old man even went as far as to produce phony evidence on my mother’s alleged infidelity.” Rey’s heart broke for Padme and her devoted yet misguided husband. “Why? Why would someone go through all of that just to control someone?” “Getting unfettered control over Vader was a fortuitous turn of events for Palpatine. His prize, however, was Padme and the Varykino.” “But I still don’t understand why. The property is beautiful but frankly what would Empire Petroleum get from owning an old family property?” Finn interjected, his curiosity peaking. “Property is the key word, in this case, my young friends. Palpatine and Snoke want the entire property — which incidentally, encompasses the entire west side of the county, including this parcel of land. They need the house so they can tear it up, track down my father’s will and find out the true heir to the estate. If they have the heir, they will have the land.” “But Ben said Vader sold most of the land and relinquished all his rights before he disappeared.” “He did. In a manner of speaking. Vader hid the money and land ownership through land trusts and parceled out the property to various stakeholders, none of them a majority owner. That way no individual could get control of the estate. My sister and I were given half. The household servants were given a quarter. The remainder was to be given to the heir.” “So you haven’t sold your share then,” Rey remembered the conversation with Ben and his disdain towards his uncle and his actions. “I sold it. I was too much of a target and so, I found the old Varykino servants and distributed it out to them. There were no employment records, no way for Empire to find them.” “Who are they?” Finn asked, but the question hovered on Rey’s lips as well. Luke chuckled with ease. “Well, I can’t tell you that! Not until we find out who this heir is.” There were few things Rey loved more than a mystery. “Do you know anything about him? Her?” “Despite my better judgment, I trust you youngsters. Somewhat.” He tugged thoughtfully at his beard, likely contemplating their trustworthiness. “I hope I don’t live to regret it. My father didn’t run away after Padme died — he came here and lived out the last of his days with me. He wasn’t crazy — he was just painfully sad. He told me his heir would prove themselves worthy to the family when the time came but he wouldn’t give me anything but a code name — Kylo Ren. My sister and I have scoured birth records and found no trace of such a person. We tried looking for anything that would help us in our search inside Varykino but damn! It’s always full of people!” He chortled, reached back into his robe pocket and produced a Porg that he devoured on the spot. “You could’ve just asked Ben instead of sneaking around and ruining our work.” Luke watched them intently. “That was extreme and I apologize. But there is no way we could discuss any of this with Ben. He hates me so much! And — ” Luke paused, measuring his words. “I suspect he’s working with Empire.” Outrage surged inside her, the unexplained overwhelming need to protect Ben taking over her senses. “Ben would never betray his family like that! How can you think that!” “Rey, I know my nephew. He’s blinded by the same ambitions that drove my father.” “You don’t know anything about him!” She stood and her fury continued to bubble over. “This is not going to go the way you think! Yes, he’s charming and beautiful but don’t let him fool you, Rey. He’s calculating and cold. All he’s ever wanted to do is tear down that house and our family since — ” “Since what? Tell me, don’t start mincing words now!” Rey shouted, the atmosphere turning tense once more. Finn took his place by her side. “Since I refused to sell him my share of the estate. He wanted to be the heir but we aren’t the ones who decide.” “So you essentially disowned him from his share of his family estate. Excluded him from his birthright and lied to him his entire life. Of course he hates you!” Luke sighed as Artoo and Threepio exchanged a defeated glance. “You should probably go now. I’ve told you all I know and I need to leave before my dear nephew comes searching for me.” Ray scoffed and turned on her heel, determined to do just that, but turned around for one last comment. “I think you should give Ben the benefit of doubt and talk to him. At the very least he should know the truth about his grandparents.” “I will try,” Luke said with sincerity. Lighting cracked above them. If they didn’t hurry, they would get drenched. With a small nod of understanding, Rey led her friends out of Ahch-To farm and back into the redwood forest. “Well, this has been some kind of a day Peanut. I’m beat!” Finn huffed, trying to catch his breath and keep up with her. “You were right though; it was worthwhile talking to those weirdos. Holy shit is there ever all kinds of mystery to this place! And Ben’s family history is like a season of Dynasty.”
Rey smiled at the comparison but didn’t reply. “Are you going to tell him?” “Yes.” Everyone in Ben’s life had lied to him it seemed; she did not want to be party to the deceit. “Peanut, this might be the trauma of being held against my will in a beet cellar talking, but I think you’re getting a bad case of the feels for this guy. Just be careful, okay?” “I will. I promise.” There was no reason to deny it, she was starting to care very much for Ben Solo. She just didn’t necessarily wish to discuss it yet. Luckily for them, Bebe remembered the way back to the Varykino and after maybe half an hour of walking, they were back in the clearing where it loomed. Just in time too, as thunder clapped again and torrential rain drenched them to the bone. “Thank god you guys are back! We were about to call the sheriff!” Poe embraced them both and carefully cataloged Finn’s appearance for damages. “Did you get into a fight?” Rose reached up and brushed the hair away from Rey’s face to reveal a blossoming bruise under the scabbed-over cut on her forehead. “Ugh kind of. We can tell you all about it in the morning if that’s okay? I need a bath and sleep.” “Of course! We’re just glad you’re back. We were all so worried about you.” Rose leaned in further, the register of her voice lowering to a whisper. “By all, I mean all! Ben has been so agitated all day, pacing like a lion in a cage. I think he may like you Rey-Rey!” The tiny brunette giggled and kissed Rey on the cheek before shifting her attention to Finn. Her head was swimming, filled with the information she’d learned over the past two days. It also throbbed from the unforeseen thrashing she’d taken from Luke Skywalker, a most unwelcome addition to the cast of odd characters surrounding her little group. A bath and fifteen hours of interrupted sleep was the cure she sought for what ailed her. Once she trudged up the seemingly endless flight of stairs, Rey made it to her destination. She turned on the brushed nickel tap and the stream of hot water filled the luxurious clawfoot tub. She sat on the ledge of the tub and mindlessly watched the moon peak over the lush forest, shining through the window that was slowly steaming up. Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open, giving room to a wild-eyed Ben Solo. “Rey! What the fuck?” He trounced over to where she sat on the edge of the old tub, his heavy boots thudding on the old tile floor. “Pardon?” She asked with genuine surprise. “You fucking took off this morning and have been gone all day. I’ve been worried sick about you! And you come back here, covered in dirt and — Jesus fucking Christ! Is that another cut on your head?” he exclaimed. Ben Solo was shouting in the middle of her bathroom. He looked crazed, his eyes bugging out of his head as he ground his teeth. Why did she find that so cute? “Ah...yeah. I met your uncle.” Ben blinked. The way he froze in the middle of his fervent gesticulation vaguely resembled Frankenstein’s monster trying to process simple information. “What.” He pronounced the final consonant dryly. “Yeah. Actually, he’s the one who was spying on us that day in the woods. Artoo and Threepio are the ones who ruined the wall, lured Bebe away and oh — spied on us while eating gross beet snacks!” Rey inhaled deeply after explaining everything in a single breath. “Those fucking no good hippies! And of course Luke is behind all of this! Fucking guy!” Ben scoffed. “I’m not really doing a good job calming you down, hmm?” His murderous expression softened suddenly, his big hands reaching behind Rey to turn off the tap. “Were you worried about me?” she asked quietly, the air between them thick and charged. He gnawed on the inside of his lip. “Yeah! Fuck! Yes, I was worried about you!” His fiery rage was dwindling to a simmering ember, his voice softening as he rested his head on her shoulder, burrowing into the crook where her jaw met her neck. “You kind of like me, don’t you, Ben Solo?” “Yes.” His voice was muffled as he kissed softly up the side of her throat, dizziness taking her over. “I like you, Rey. Too much.” Ben wrapped his arms around her back, his hands spanning her waist while he held her in place. Before she wizened to his intentions, she was drenched in the warm bath. He’d eased her backwards in the bath with himself on top of her. She didn’t mind it, however, busy as she was enthusiastically kissing Ben. His soft lips scorched every inch of her skin as he kissed her slow, taking his time. His hands told a different story — they were greedy, squeezing and gripping her body, pressing her into the bathtub wall. His hulking form was too much for the vintage tub, the displaced water flowing over the edges and flooding the floor as he pushed himself further between her thighs. She ached for him. She needed this. “You’ve ruined my bath, you know,” Rey spoke against his parted lips, making him smile. “Sorry about that. I’ll have to think of a way to make it up to you.” Ben kissed her again, nipping her bottom lip. “You can start by taking those pants off, Solo.” “Yah?” He propped himself up to look at her. She giggled as Ben leaped out of the tub in one cat-like motion and scooped her up, cradling her soaked body to his equally drenched chest. “Yah. I kind of like you too!”