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Chapter Text

Finn adjusted his thin orange tie, once, twice, and then frowned into the ornate, gold flower embossed mirror before him. He checked his teeth and grimaced at his refection. He held his arms out, the large white suit sleeves drooping over his wrists again.

“I should have stolen a suit on Canto Bight.” He nodded once at the man in the mirror. Answering himself, “This isn’t nice enough. Not for Rose…” His voice trailed away in disappointment.

“Rose is marrying you, not your suit,” Rey offered quietly. From her attendance’s chair across the room, she made a steeple with her fingers and allowed them to gently fold. She peacefully reflected on all the hard work that had led to the event before them.

Arriving at this point had taken many days of preparation. From the material and clothes they had salvaged and traded for months, Commander D'Acy had helped the wedding party and guests create clothes suited for a special occasion. Rey loved the idea of having a fresh set of clothes, as her outfit from Ahch-To was now threadbare. Yet, Rey had hardly wanted an impractical dress. Therefore, D’Acy had sewn Rey a sleek, shimmering pantsuit that reflected her personal style as a former desert-dweller while being practical enough for a Resistance fighter. The top was a sleeveless asymmetrical v-neck of a bright chrome color. The pants were dark silver and stopped just at Rey’s ankles. Finally forgoing her boots, Rey had settled on thonged sandals that tied into a bow with the excess black leather. The outfit was perfect for a planet with a gentle summer. Though truth be told, the shimmer of the material still made Rey feel overdressed. As well as, the heavy white flower with orange-tinge Kaydel had begged Rey to wear in her hair.

“We’ll match!” Kaydel had said when she picked a large blossom for herself and Rey from the shrubbery that climbed the wall of the hotel. “What are the odds there’d be flowers that match the colors of the old Rebellion? White and orange? Maybe it’s destiny!”

BB8, R2, and C3P0, for fear of being recognized or scanned, had stayed aboard the Falcon. Else, C3P0 might have told Kaydel the exact odds.

Rey couldn’t argue with destiny. She had placed the flower behind her ear.

Focusing on the present again, Rey watched her friend with a sincere smile and added, “She won’t be looking at your suit, Finn, she’ll be smiling up at you. She loves you. The meaning of the ceremony is much more important than these fancy trimmings.”

Finn allowed himself to relax. But only a moment. Then he tried to adjust the little orange tie a third time. It helped nothing. The suit was the only new item in the wedding. They had all scrimped and saved for it. However, as the order had changed hands several times before it reached the Resistance due to the secrecy of their location, the package had only arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, it was a little too late to make major alternations. So Finn wore the suit as is, two sizes too big. He looked swallowed in the material. The least he could do was make the tie just right.

“If I’d just gotten my hands on a pocketful of those coins in the casino, the Resistance would be thriving, and this zoot suit would be history.”

“We’re making history,” Rey stood, checking the antique clock on the wall. They had to be out front waiting for the bride and her attendants, Poe and Kaydel, in five minutes. “Someday your ceremony will be a legend. A Resistance wedding in secret during wartime.”

Finn glanced at her over his shoulder. “Do you think we should have waited? It’s not like we can actually settle down. Am I asking too much of Rose? To have her join me, as my wife, when we’re always on the move with the Resistance? I can’t give her the safe home she deserves.”

Rey wanted to answer her friend, but upon hearing the word “join” her mind drifted to a place she usually kept guarded. Without warning her memory recalled Ben standing before her. In her mind’s eye she saw his strong, gloved hand outstretched, asking her to join him. In her Force-sensitive memory, she recalled perfectly the gentle twitch of his fingers as he waited, desperate with expectation and hope. On Ahch-To she had known the touch of his hand a mere instant. Yet, somehow, across the stars, they had bonded. Despite everything, she understood how Ben Solo became Kylo Ren. She knew his pain and loneliness, and he knew hers. She had wanted to help him. She had wanted and envisioned so much more. But he had wanted the impossible. The one path she refused to go. He wanted an Empress indifferent to the suffering in the galaxy. If only Ben Solo had turned back to the light! If only she’d been right about the shape of his future. In her mind, the vision had been so solid.

“Rey? Hey, Rey!” Finn called her back to the present. In an instant, he was at her side. He touched her shoulder. “You okay? You’re blanking out on us again. I’m the one who should be nervous.”

“No,” Rey caught her breath, returning to the present. Her recollections were getting stronger. It was becoming harder to pull herself away from the trance-like state. “No, Finn, I’m fine. Nothing is for certain. The two of you deserve every moment of every happiness you can have. I truly believe that. Love shouldn’t wait. There’s so little time.”

“You got that right,” Finn glanced up at the clock and nodded. “If I don’t beat Rosie to the altar, she might change her mind.” He smiled considering his vivacious bride-to-be. “I’m ready. Or my heart is. Even if these clothes can be used to clean the Falcon or a Porg nest afterward.”

Relaxing, Rey rolled her eyes and laughed. “No chance of that. And they’re not that bad, Finn. We’ll find something to trade them for I’m sure.” She lifted from her chair and left the room with the groom-to-be. It was time. Finn and Rose’s wedding!

=

Supreme Leader Kylo Ren leaned back in his Command Shuttle chair and sighed with annoyance. Here he was bound to attend another pointless pleasantry. Another sickeningly sweet ceremony of some decrepit Grand Moth’s grandson’s wedding. He hadn’t planned on going. Wasn’t about to accept the invitation. He had a galaxy to rule; unknown regions to conquer. But like always, General Hux had lingered about his throne room, buzzing like a persistent fly about morale and offensive and tradition. There had been some stirrings on this particular planet. Whispers of rebellion from unruly miners. It was thought the Supreme Leader’s presence, in all the military’s glory, upon the planet’s surface would squash any hopes of an uprising. The other generals had looked at Kylo with expectation.

So, Kylo had consented to go. There would be aged wine and fine cordials there. He could adequately numb himself and watch another couple march to their obnoxious happiness. Perhaps, this time, he wouldn’t be reminded of her.

Though he doubted it.

His vision had been so pure, so vivid.

In his royal chamber, the one he slept in now, they had stood at the edge of his bed. She stared up at him, nothing but love in her eyes, in the most delicate, lace-wedding gown imaginable. She’d changed her hair. For their wedding day her attendants had braided and fastened her hair into a marvelous twist. He saw himself lifting his ungloved hands to her locks, touching them for the first time. Taking in the softness, he suddenly had the urge to see her hair unbound, to feel it between his fingers. He looked to her for permission. When she read his intent and smiled at him, he gently slid several of the pins away. Nothing happened. Undeterred, he slid several more away. Still the elegant braid resisted him. He tried removing more. In his mild frustration, Rey kindly laughed at him, and took his hands, guiding them, to remove the rest of the pins. Her touch, and the sound and sweetness of her laughter, thrilled him. So much so, he expressed himself the only way he knew how, embracing her with their first kiss. He was certain it had been the beginning of their love-making. Moving forward, away from the past. Joined together, ruling the galaxy.

Even now an agonizing desire to see her again filled him. Overtook his focus.

She had closed the door.

Why hadn’t his vision come to pass? He had been so certain she would join him. The Force, the dark side, had never wronged him before. It had helped him murder Snoke, become what he was meant to be. And, yet, he had been made into a fool. He was still her fool.

He remembered the unforgiving look on her face the last time he had seen her. Crait. Forever ago.

The sting of regret jolted him back to the present. They were landing, arriving at the tall, ancient hotel that now operated solely as a wedding venue. Today, it stood as a time capsule for the galaxy’s elite to pretend they honored and glorified the bygone days of the Old Republic. The tradition irked him. Any trace of a republic was dead. He and he alone reigned supreme. Memories, sentiment, they were weaknesses.

He wanted to be angry, to allow the hatred to blanket him with a new sense of righteousness and power. But taking in the scenery below, he was shocked to find a great lake surrounded the venue, reminding him of her and her dearest ocean . His skin prickled. The sight felt strangely like a sign.

“Rey,” he muttered under his breath, needing to give life to her name to be satisfied.

“You gave an order, sir?” His pilot was ever alert for a command.

“Wool-gathering,” he said bitterly and waved the pilot’s gaze away, bidding him to stay on task.

Kylo silently focused on the lake again. If he wasn’t careful, his inferiors would think he was losing his grip.

Chapter Text

Rose squeezed Poe’s hand, her heart nearly ready to leap out of her chest. In a matter of moments, she and Finn would be blissfully joined in matrimony! What’s more, one of her childhood dreams was coming true. As a girl, her and her sister, Paige had promised each other that someday, somehow, they would each find a way to wed at the same location their grandparents had married many years ago: the famous Damasa Creel Hotel. It would be costly. They wouldn’t be able to afford the pricey wedding packages for a ceremony in the grand ballroom or at the lake’s pavilion. It would also mean willingly going into First Order territory. Which meant falsifying security clearances and names. But traditions were traditions, and today, Rose knew more than ever, family memories were to be treasured.

“We could save our money and have a double wedding!” Her sister had reasoned.

Back in the day Rose had laughed, touched by her sister’s thoughtfulness, but sure Paige, super outgoing with amazing skills, would find a groom way first. And she probably would have, as she never wanted for dates on the rare occasion the Resistance gave their pilots a day pass.

Gripping tightly to Poe’s hand, Rose would always wonder if Poe and her sister might have…but she stopped that thought. It did no good to dwell on what might have been. She smiled at Poe, knowing he would be perfect for Kaydel Ko Connix, if their friend Rey wasn’t interested. Rey had been strange lately. Nowadays, the Jedi-to-be seemed interested in very little, other than the Force. But rightfully so, Rose reasoned, since General Leia, before her passing, had encouraged Rey to translate and copy the ancient Jedi texts into standard Basic for the benefit of all the galaxy’s children. Perhaps the task was a bigger burden on their friend than Rose and Finn realized.

Rose touched her fingers to her necklace. Her sister and General Leia weren’t really gone. They would be with her always. Sure as she stood here, staring at Poe, who was as good as her Resistance brother. In the absence of her father and other male relatives, she could think of no one better to give her away. The very man who had helped her husband-to-be escape the First Order, aided them in their quest to dismantle the tracker on the Supremacy, and was now one of their brave leaders of the New Resistance! General Poe Dameron was a good man and a great friend. He looked very gentlemanly in white pants and an orange suit vest, which had been lovingly repurposed from an old pilot flight suit.

“Finn’s going to faint,” Poe said his grin bright, a slight twinkle in his eye as he tilted his head to take in her trumpet gown from head to toe. He couldn’t be happier for Finn and Rose. After all they’d been through, they deserved the pure joy of a ceremony to celebrate their union. It was the worst of times, but they all needed a bit of normalcy in their lives. If his own parents hadn’t been two crazy kids in love during wartime during the rebellion, he wouldn’t be here.

Rose sighed happily at the mention of Finn’s name. She hoped he liked her dress. It wasn’t new. It wasn’t even borrowed. It was her something old: vintage pre-Clone Wars. BB8 had spotted it in an open-air market during their Unknown Region travels and beeped wildly. For Rose, the dress was love at first sight. It was almost as the though the dress had been placed front and center of the merchant’s tent just for her, waving in the slight wind. Rose adored its embroidered lace details, tiny pearls, and corset bodice. At first, Rose had thought the cathedral length train and veil would be too much. But Kaydel had immediately assured Rose she would be delighted to carry her train and veil in the ceremony. Kaydel had been in many wedding parties as a child on her homeworld. She was quickly becoming Rose’s best friend. She had stepped up, so sweetly, to help Rose with all the planning. Just yesterday, Kaydel had given her a blue handkerchief. Rose had the feeling she would need it before the ceremony was over. She was ready to burst with ridiculous tearful glee now.

“He’s going to love it!” Kaydel assured her as she adjusted Rose’s long cathedral length veil a final time. Just then, the soft, recorded wedding music, their cue to start the ceremony, began. Kaydel smoothed the sides of her tea-length dress, the same shimmering chrome material as Rey’s pantsuit. Then she took the ends of Rose’s train and veil in her hands, ready to go.

Rose’s heart leapt. This is it! I get to see Finn at last, she thought.

Although the stakes were high, the ceremony, surprisingly, went off without a hitch. Or much of one, all things considered. No one employed by the hotel recognized the merry band as the founding members of the New Resistance. Their clearance and preloaded credit card checked out. Therefore, their false names didn’t justify a second glance.

Their cover was helped by the fact they’d chosen an extremely modest wedding package. Rose considered it an honor to wed at any spot at the Damasa Creel Hotel. She and Paige had never known the exact spot their grandparents had wed. That detail was now lost forever. However, the story went as such, long ago, their grandparents had worked serving the rich hors-d’oeuvres at the hotel during the summer. Human servants were all the rage in those days. Her grandmother and grandfather had fallen in love during the long hours. Before the summer ended their friends pooled their tips and threw the couple a simple wedding. The sweet story of their kindness had become a legendary tale in their family. When Rose and Paige learned the hotel was bought-out and remodeled as a wedding venue, they knew it was destiny. Someday it would be perfect. Today it was.

When the soft music began, Rey was already standing to Finn’s left atop the hotel’s grand staircase as his one and only attendant, a role affectionately referred to as his Lead Comadre. Larma D'acy, Nien Nunb, Cia Threnalli, Vober Dand, and Saille Minau were seated in a row of elegant white chairs at the bottom of the staircase to the right of the bridal aisle. The bridal aisle was a soft trail of white silk covered in red petals that would lead Rose up the top of the stairs to Finn. To Finn’s right stood the wedding officiant. He seemed a traditional sort of elderly man in his neatly pressed suit and spectacles. Age had hunched his back, and based on the constant shifting of his feet, he appeared ready to be done with the event and sit down. Rey sensed he wasn’t well pleased to be performing a celebration for their ragtag group. But Finn didn’t care. Today was for him and Rose. Rey watched as Finn kept his eyes on the arched doorway Rose would enter. He was nervous but excited with anticipation. He barely blinked, not wanting to miss a single second involving his bride-to-be.

Their love is so genuine and kind, Rey thought. Her mouth lifted into a small smile. In her heart, she was ecstatic for her friends. Yet, although it was not becoming of a Jedi, the whole day was causing her to suppress a trace of bitterness. Her own heart’s desire had produced nothing but suffering.

Ben.

Even now, she could almost hear him call her name. It felt as though he was near somehow.

I’m daydreaming, she assured herself. It’s merely the context of the day: love, commitment, hearts, flowers, and the joining of two lives. Of course, he would be on my mind now. I’m not like him, she told herself. I don’t believe the past should die. Memories of him will always be apart of my life. Past hopes are just that.

He’s somewhere far away now, Rey reasoned. Oppressing the galaxy. Conquering new planets. Building himself an elaborate palace. Searching for someone else to be his Empress or lover. Certainly, raging against the light like always. He’s not thinking of me as anything except rebel scum, she thought.

She knew his actions on Crait proved he was too far-gone. During their final Force connection, he was, perhaps, regretful she could never devote her life to a man with so little regard for what she held dear: family, the light, justice. Unlike him, she had been righteous in her anger. Shutting him out had been the right thing to do.

Or it had felt that way at the time.

The Force would do with Ben Solo, Kylo Ren, as it would. It was no longer her place to interfere. She had her life’s mission. She would follow Luke’s lessons, read the Jedi texts, and translate them as Leia wished. The Force would finish with Ben Solo in its own time.

Rose graced the doorway, and suddenly Finn was grinning ear to ear, a smile just for his darling. When their eyes met, followed by the beam of joy on Rose’s face, Finn wanted to rush down the stairs and embrace her. He almost took a step forward before remembering the formality of the ceremony. Just this one time Rose needed him to stay still. Instead, he straightened his back a little prouder. His bride was on her way! Tears of happiness formed in the corners of his eyes. During all his lost years as a stormtrooper, he never thought he’d be allowed to marry. He never thought he’d find someone who completed him, challenged him, but still loved him the way that Rose did. Today, Rose, the love of his life, would finally be his wife. Asking her to marry him was the surest, best decision he’d ever made.

Displaying her dainty, white ballet-style slippers, Rose took her first step toward Finn on the staircase. She held onto the crook of Poe’s arm as he guided her up with slow, purposeful steps. Kaydel kept the ends of Rose’s long veil and train from touching the ground. When their party reached the top, the officiant finally spoke.

“Who gives this woman in marriage?” He eyed Poe and his bright orange vest.

“My friends and I,” Poe smiled and with a swift grace placed Rose’s hand in Finn’s hand. He stepped to the left respectfully as Rose’s attendant.

Kaydel spread Rose’s veil and train into a beautiful cascade on the staircase against the silk aisle and flower red petals, and stepped aside as well. She moved to stand just a step below Poe.

The officiant waited and then called Rose’s attention away from Finn’s loving gaze by clearing his throat.

“Miss Rose-Maria will you take this man, Phineas, as your lawful wedded husband? To care and honor him for so long as you both shall live?”

Rose squeezed Finn’s hand tightly. With her other hand, she used the blue handkerchief to wipe away a stream of joyful tears.

“I will,” she assured the officiant, “Very much, I will.”

The officiant nodded and turned his skeptical old eyes to Finn’s out-of-date suit. He frowned burdensomely, but continued, “Phineas Formerstorm, this woman has agreed to be your lawfully wedded wife. Will you agree to be her lawfully wedded husband? To care for her and honor her for so long as you both shall live?”

Finn took both of Rose’s hands. He pressed them tenderly, stroking his thumbs across her fingers reassuringly. His eyes were locked on hers, lost in the wonder that was his true love. She was beautiful from her smile and soft lips to her shining eyes and happy tears. She glowed and blushed just for him. His entire being held nothing but love.

“Rose, I will,” he was determined she would always remember his words on this day. He wouldn’t let her forget how much he loved her. He planned to tell her every day for the rest of their lives just like the old man said. He could kiss her now, but he knew he had to wait.

The officiant cleared his throat again, “Marriage is a sacred commitment recognized by all in the galaxy. What union has been created here today may no being separate. By the power vested in me by the First Order, as witnessed here at this small gathering of friends, and consented by both Rose-Maria and Phineas, I officially pronounce this couple joined in sanctified matrimony. You may now seal your commitment with a kiss.”

Finn instantly placed both his hands on either side of Rose’s cheeks. He leaned in and slowly gave her a long, satisfying kiss.

Everyone instantly clapped. The guests seated at the bottom of the stairs stood and cheered loudly. Poe laughed lightheartedly and exclaimed, “Yeah!” Kaydel playfully elbowed him and smiled, with a slight hopeful twinkle in her gaze.

Rey clapped and blinked back mist forming against her lashes. Her heart was gladdened. Finn, her best friend for many years now, had found happiness. Such bliss was beautiful to behold. Nothing in the New Resistance was certain. There were many battles ahead. However, Rey knew this ceremony would be a wonderful memory for her friends. From this day forward Finn and Rose would be able to cleave to one another. No matter what the future held, they were united. The thought made Rey hopeful until a sullen question fought its way through her subconscious.

Would she ever know that level of belonging?

Love, not just friends or family. To be entirely connected to another being?

She knew she belonged in the Resistance. Her friends were wonderful. They were like family. Better than family in her circumstance.

She had thought she had belonged on Ahch-To as Luke’s apprentice until she had sought answers in the cave. Afterward, she had trusted she could save Ben Solo. She had trusted Ben Solo.

Ben.

She admitted, her heart ached even now, after all this time, over the way their paths had divided. His choices. He could have been so much more! Stronger! A herald for the entire galaxy! But he had taken the easy path towards anger and destruction! Even though he had killed Snoke, he had went Snoke’s way.

I can’t help but think of him now, she calmed herself. She tried to smile brighter so she wouldn’t worry her friends, again. She thought of how very much she had wanted to help Ben. Stand beside him, as Finn and Rose were now. Rey wouldn’t deny her past, but as her heart was aching, she quickly needed a reprieve from her own emotions. As the happy couple moved hand and hand down the stairs to greet their waiting guests with hugs and handshakes, Rey sought to excuse herself for a moment.

Poe suddenly seemed to read her discomfort. He moved towards her, held his hand out to shake hers. “It’s a great day,” he made small talk and smiled, trying to understand why she seemed so suddenly withdrawn from the group.

“Yes, it is. They’re very happy,” Rey still felt the pull to be alone.

“Would you like something to drink maybe?” He tilted his head, “I’m sure we’re all thirsty here. Busy morning.”

Although his duty was finished, the officiant was reminded to announce over the group’s chitchat and laughter, “Thank you very much for choosing the Damasa Creel Hotel. Your wedding package includes light refreshments in the sitting room to your right. If you are able to stick around afterwards, you may be able to catch a glimpse of our Supreme Leader. He’s just arrived to attend another wedding in the grand ballroom.”

Their group went quiet all at once. Voices, words, the laughter died in an instant.

The officiant misinterpreted their silence for amazement.

“I, myself, am honored to make his acquaintance. You may be so lucky to see him march out with his royal guard and when he exits our dear venue. I’ve heard the Knights of Ren look most regal in their new black armor.”

Rey went weak in the knees. She steadied herself on the banister for support.

Chapter Text

Kylo sat in a private box that overlooked the grand ballroom. He found it mildly to his liking. The décor was pre-Clone Wars, the sort of room senators of old would have found elegant. Palpatine or Padme Amidala might have visited this very location. The railing of the box was decorated in white and teal silk streamers. Kylo surmised these were the bride’s colors.

More importantly, the air from Kylo’s seat was cool, his chair comfortable. A droid busied itself keeping his glass filled to the brim each time it threatened to appear half-full. From here he would have a grand view of the ceremony away from the other guests. He’d be able to watch the joyous little bride prance down the long aisle to her groom. Or pretend to watch. He was more interested in the seeking bottom of his glass. Protocol required him to wave his hand over their reception dinner, utter some words of blessing. He would grace them with his presence long enough to perform that morale-boosting task. Then he would gladly exit.

Weddings brought back memories of his childhood days spent with his mother. Although she’d been a strong and independent woman, his mother had very much enjoyed the fine details and romantic atmosphere provided by a wedding, especially those of her dear friends. She had saved her birth mother’s gowns, promising someday his wife and daughter would be thrilled to wear them to weddings and parties.

He didn’t want to think about that right now.

He told himself he wouldn’t utter her name again. He wouldn't cause himself to imagine her wearing those gowns.

Giving into boredom, he allowed his gaze to wander around the crowded room. The seats were filling up. Large vases of exotic flowers were lined at the end of every row of chairs. The same exotic flowers decorated the arches over the dais. No doubt they cost the bride’s family a small fortune to import. Kylo smirked at their wastefulness. He rather preferred the simple flowers growing on the side of the hotel.

It didn’t escape his notice that plenty of women were idly staring up at him. They hoped in their glittering finery, to catch the eye of the Supreme Leader. Some of them were beautiful, but they were all deceitful, hungry for wealth and power. He frowned. They disgusted him.

They weren’t hungry for his power. No, not the Force. Not one of them could understand the dark or the light the way she could.

He turned his focus back to the rich red color of his glass. He had the most bizarre feeling, as though he could sense her here. That was madness. She and her traitorous friends were most likely hiding in the Unknown Regions, living in his father’s broken hunk of junk, waiting to try and murder him in cold blood.

He swirled the liquid in his glass, ruminating over his bizarre feelings concerning her. His senses couldn’t be wrong. It wasn’t just the atmosphere. He had attended plenty of special occasions since the very last time he had seen her. Yes, he had thought of her during those occasions. Yet, he had been able to push her to the back of his thoughts and guard his emotions. This was different. Worse. What was it about this planet, this place that made him feel so close to her? That kept her running through his mind?

Unexpectedly, he felt a pull. He felt himself dizzy, as though he were sinking without moving a muscle. Then he saw a figure at the edge of the private box.

Just her.

No surroundings.

Kylo immediately rushed to his feet. In confusion, he dropped his glass. It shattered against the floor, throwing the sweet, red liquid and shards over the edge of his cape and boot. He didn’t care about the spill. It had been an eternity since the Force had connected them.

He involuntarily threw his cape back. Upright, he quickly moved closer to her apparition. He longed for words, but there was nothing she would want to hear him say. Instead, he silently watched. She didn’t make eye contact. She appeared to be in distress. She was grasping at something, trying to maintain her balance, while reassuring someone. Was she sick? Injured? Where was she? Was she truly here?

Would she allow him to help her?

“Rey,” he exclaimed, needing her to look at him. He needed to know she could still see and hear him. He wanted her to know he was here.

His guards were moving near to investigate his strange behavior. He seemed like a man possessed. They saw nothing to alarm him. Yet, he wouldn’t be distracted by them. This took precedence.

“Rey!” He yelled and did his best to touch her shoulder across the connection. Raw energy sparked between them.

She startled against his glove. Tilting her head back, the white orange-tinge flower behind her ear dropped to the ground. Wide-eyed, he knew she recognized him at last. In shock, she studied his face. Her lovely dark eyes peered into the depths of his, unafraid, but also unforgiving.

Then the connection severed.

Kylo stood a second in disbelief with his hand still raised.

Subsequently, his surroundings flooded back to him. His guards surrounded him, waiting for a command. The crowd below was watching, muttering hundreds of loud whispers.

Kylo balled his hand into a fist. He sank to one knee and gently picked up the flower that had fallen from her hair. At once he identified the flower as precisely the same as the blossoms from outside. He paused an instant to take in the fragrance, a cross between tea and cloves. The stem was freshly cut. This flower had been plucked from the hotel’s wall this very day.

He pressed the flower into his pocket. Turning, he shattered more glass under his boots.

He would tear the venue apart. The rooms. The grounds. The lake. The entire planet if need be.

He didn’t wait. He coarsely informed his guards as he hastened out of the room, “Search the grounds. There are Resistance members here. We’ll find them and return for the reception.”

Chapter Text

Finn and Rose’s wedding officiant quietly took his leave, eager to await his introduction to the Supreme Leader.

Rey felt her emotions had been kicked into hyperdrive.

Ben was here. After all this time he was physically close-by. Her mind flooded with memories and questions. Who’d have thought him the sort to actually attend a wedding? What were the odds? She suddenly missed C3P0.

If C3P0 had been allowed to attend, he would have been waving his arms, sure that they were all doomed. In his absence, the others were rapidly divided on whether they should flee or fight. Rey could sense fear all around the room.

Rey grasped for the old wood railing of the grand staircase. She felt her body slipping down. She caught herself, fighting to maintain her balance. Poe and Kaydel quickly rushed to catch her, although Rey held fast to the railing, and assured them she didn’t require help. There were more important things to worry about. Her head only felt light. She merely needed a moment to collect herself. She would be fine in a moment.

However, her moment came much later than she expected. Just then, the odd sizzling pull from the Force returned. Rey barely had time to think. She felt sparks as Kylo Ren touched her shoulder with his glove. She jolted in surprise and met his intense stare. He wasn’t angry or remorseful. Instead, he bore a look of alarm and apprehension. Like her, he appeared confused. It had a long time since the connection had happened and now it was happening within a short distance.

She tensed. Did he know their exact whereabouts?

Like all the times before, Rey broke the connection. She had to warn everyone to move. Now.

As her senses returned to the details of her location, she slowly heard Finn’s voice again, “I held my own against Kylo Ren with a lightsaber for a while. He’s not that strong. You’re stronger in the Force than him, now, right, Rey? You’ve been reading those Jedi books every day.”

Finn saw the Supreme Leader’s arrival as a golden opportunity. Their struggle might be over if they could get close to Kylo Ren. Finn reasoned, they could take him out this time. The First Order would be in chaos without a Force-wielding ruler.

“Out of the question,” Rose tilted her head in disbelief, “Poe?” She threw her hand up, hoping her friend, who outranked them, would back up her statement. “No one is dying today. End of story. I’m not losing anyone on our wedding day.”

Poe, who had learned many vital lessons from Leia and Holdo about risk management, agreed with Rose. They were scarcely prepared to pull off a successful attack on the First Order on such short notice. They weren’t well equipped. They had no route of escape or cover, save to hurry back to the borrowed ship that would take them back to the Falcon.

“Look, Finn, buddy,” Poe gave Finn a friendly pat on the back, “We all want you-know-who gone. Today’s not the day or place though. We’ve got to get out of here. Or we’ll be cornered like we were on Crait.”

“He knows we’re here,” Rey paled, finally finding her voice again. “We have to leave. Now.”

“Hey, if Rey’s got a bad feeling,” Poe suggested, knowing a little about the Force and how the intuition worked from General Leia.

“How do you know?” Kaydel wanted clarity. “Won’t it look out of place if we all leave a reception we paid for? All of us running will cause a scene!”

Before anyone could answer Kaydel, a Knight of Ren strolled into the room. Voices died again. Postures tensed. The surviving members of the Resistance stared into the black abyss that was the knight’s new shining black armor. He resembled one of Emperor Palpatine’s legendary Imperial Guard. Rey knew immediately he would present a challenge. Kylo Ren would have ensured his men could defend him against rogue Force users like herself. She shifted, the lightsaber concealed on her outer thigh on her mind. She could take this guard down while the others escaped, but as Kaydel feared, his death would cause a scene. She thought back to the lessons in the Jedi texts. She wouldn’t call her lightsaber forward unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps he would buy their story.

“Hey, pal, this is a private invitation only wedding party,” Poe dared to call. He began down the stairs, reaching the bottom and facing the knight directly. If the Supreme Leader’s loyal guard dog wanted a fight, Poe would volunteer while the others escaped. He wasn’t afraid of this First Order goon hiding behind a mask. “The big wedding’s that way in the grand ballroom.” He motioned in the opposite direction.

“There are Resistance members here,” the Knight said coldly. “I’m required to check every lady’s identification card by order of the Supreme Leader himself.”

Their identification cards were enough to fool a wedding venue eager to make a few credits. It was a great mystery if their identification cards were foolproof enough for a Knight of Ren. They very much doubted it.

“Rose’s card is in the dressing room,” Finn stared down the black mask firmly.

Rose looked to Finn, whose eyes bore the look of a man desperate to save the woman he loved. Rose hesitated, but only a second. She trusted Finn. She trusted that he had a plan.

“Yes! Mine’s in the dressing room,” Rose shrugged, not masking her bitter annoyance. “I didn’t think I’d need it during our ceremony!”

“Mine, too!” Kaydel seconded. The other ladies in their party also chimed in. Rey nodded, understanding an escape plan in the minds of her friends.

“Look,” Poe said back to the Knight, “These ladies aren’t wearing clothes with pockets or a wallet. Again, this is a wedding.”

“You may retrieve them from your dressing room,” the Knight stared down Rose’s anger. Her cheeks flushed, making them appear bright in contrast to her white gown and veil.

Rose regrettably released Finn’s hand. She stomped her ballet slippers past the Knight in the direction of the dressing room, Kaydel rushing after her veil dragging the ground. The other ladies in their group scrambled to keep up with her. Rey silently made her way down the rest of the stairs to follow after the others. The Force’s gentle presence pressed her to play along. As she passed through the arched doorway, the Knight started behind her.

“Woah, woah, wait a minute there, pal!” Poe stopped the Knight by placing a forced-friendly hand on his armored shoulder. “You’re going to follow them into the ladies room? Give the girls a moment of privacy. It’s a big, stressful day. Tell you what, my identification card is over here in the reception area. You can check me out. Put the Supreme Leader at ease about any Resistance members being here.” Poe glanced at Finn, trying to tell his friend he had a plan. “You like coffee or tea, my man? Anything to help a Knight in the service of the Supreme Leader, you know.”

The Knight hesitated, watching Rey vanish from his view. “I should really follow and see...”

“Nah, nah, the girls will be back in a moment,” Poe continued to press his hand. “Just give them a moment.” He forced himself and the Knight to take several steps towards the reception room. “Finn, buddy, it’d be an honor to serve this guy on your wedding day, right?” Poe faked a bright smile.

Finn nodded to Poe and smiled back, “Oh, of course! Yeah, let’s all go into the reception area. We all wanted cake.”

At Poe’s guidance, the gentlemen in their group and the Knight filed into the small, but elegant reception room. The ceiling displayed a fresco of playful, fat cherubs. Against the wall stood the modest wedding buffet. Their package had included light coffee, tea, punch, a small two-tier round wedding cake, and a bottle of champagne with toasting glasses.

“Now, where did I put that identification card?” Poe pretended to look under one of the lace tablecloths as the Knight watched closely. “Finn, buddy, pour this guy some tea. Hot tea, Finn. The good, hot stuff.”

“I shouldn’t, I’m on duty,” the Knight was growing displeased. Something didn’t seem right about this group. They were stalling. If he let the Resistance members get away, particularly the woman the Supreme Leader sought, Kylo wouldn’t think twice about throwing him across the room.

“We insist,” Poe laughed trying to tilt his head as a nonverbal cue for Finn, who stood behind the Knight, to lift the entire hot tea kettle. “You can’t insult a wedding party, it’s bad luck. The Supreme Leader is not in the business of bad luck. We’re loyal subjects. Now I must have dropped my card somewhere in here. Finn, be careful not to drop that hot tea kettle. You know, drop the hot tea kettle, Finn.”

Suddenly Finn registered Poe’s meaning with wide eyes. He lifted the hot kettle above the Knights head and dropped it.

Shocked and scalded as the hot liquid reached the places in-between his armor the Knight fell to his knees. However, he was far from unconscious.

Poe immediately grabbed the neck of the champagne and slammed it over the Knight’s helmet until he fell to the ground cold. The bottle broke, leaving Poe holding a neck of broken glass.

“Rosie’s going to kill me for breaking your champagne bottle. I owe you one when we get out of this.” Poe threw the glass to the floor. “Guys,” he waved everyone over, “Let’s drag him under this table and cover him with one the cloths.”

And they intended to do so. Until the stormtroopers showed up.

Chapter Text

Moments later in the ladies’ dressing room, options were becoming scarce.

“Finn,” Rose whispered to herself, “Please be ok…I never dreamed on our wedding day…the Knights of Ren…the Supreme Leader…it’s like our luck is cursed.”

Too much time had passed. Peering through the gap between the door and the floor only showed the occasional pacing of stormtrooper boots. Guesses were, only basic human decency kept them from barging in on a lady’s dressing room.

Kaydel heard Rose’s quiet plea and pulled Rose into a supportive side hug.

Comforted, Rose finally allowed herself to break, “These were silly, childish dreams! I’ve put everyone in danger! We could have had a beautiful party on the Falcon for all the trouble that’s happened…”

Kaydel hugged her friend tighter. “It’s going to be ok. We’re going to get out of this. We’ve escaped from worse. Remember, Crait?”

Coincidentally, Commander D'Acy, who had lost at the drawing straws, returned through the dressing room’s small basement level window. She carefully contorted herself through the opening and stepped down on the chair Saille Minau held steady for her. D’Acy immediately closed the window behind her, locking it tight. “I’m afraid it appears we’re completely surrounded. Stormtroopers left and right. We’ll be lucky if we can all slip out of here ourselves, much less find the boys.”

“Finn!” Rose made two fists. She blamed herself for leaving him. Now that their party was separated, how would they ever escape?

Rey, who had been very quiet, trying to form a plan of her own, finally moved from against the wall.

“It’s me he wants.” She held her lightsaber in her hand, prepared for the worst. “If I give myself up, create a distraction, you’ll have a better chance of escape.”

“He?” Kaydel looked at her incredulously. Few people addressed the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren so causally.

Rey wasn’t sure how to explain. The Force, their mystical power, wasn’t always easy to simplify to non-Force users. She wasn’t confident how much to reveal about her time connected to Kylo Ren. Should she tell them Snoke bridged their minds? That Kylo had asked her to join him? That she had seen him through their strange connection only moments ago?

Rose didn’t allow Rey to begin, “Great. We get married, and my husband’s best friend gets killed. No way, Rey. We’re leaving together or not at all.”

“If we had a way to disguise ourselves,” Saille tried to brainstorm.

Rose remembered her and Finn’s misadventure on the Supremacy, particularly the First Order laundry room. She touched her necklace remembering, her sister and her family’s legacy. The very reason they had come to the hotel in the first place.

“If we had a way to reach the laundry room and dress as hotel employees, they’d probably never notice us,” she thought aloud.

“It could work. That is, it would only have to work long enough for us to find the boys and get back to the ship,” D’Acy agreed.

“But how can we reach the laundry room? You said we’re surrounded inside and out,” Saille moped at another dead-end plan.

Just then, the old hotel’s forced-air kicked on, the draft from the cold air swaying the delicate material of Rose’s veil. Rey quickly looked for the source of the current, spying the air conditioning vent in the ceiling. She took the chair away from the window and stepped to remove the vent’s cover with a strong pull. The chair rocked but allowed her to maintain her balance.

“What are you…?” Rose rushed steady the chair.

“This isn’t much worse than scavenging for parts on Jakku,” Rey peered into the open-air shaft, “Better, really. I should fit. I’ll just check all the vents until I see the laundry room.”

“Are you quite sure about this?” D’Acy called after Rey, watching the former scavenger lift herself up into the ceiling.

“Trust me!” Rey called down. “If I’m not back in ten minutes, feel free to go on without me.”

With that, Rey began carefully crawling through the metal vent. The air system was new and tidy compared to her excavations in fallen Star Destroyers. Whoever remodeled the old hotel had spent a small fortune on the ductwork. Rey’s arms and legs chilled with each movement forward. The metal was cool to the touch, and the air quickly felt freezing as she faced the circulation head-on. Despite the cold, she followed the path towards the first vent on her journey.

Peering down, she observed she had reached the vent above their reception area. There was a surprising mess below, indicating a struggle. The white tables and chairs were turned every which way possible. A Knight of Ren was sprawled on the floor in a spray of broken champagne glass. Two stormtroopers were also slumped motionless, apparently tackled by the small wedding cake. However, for all the chaos, Finn and the others were nowhere to be found. Rey’s mind held onto hope they had found an escape. She would not believe they’d been captured, not yet. A struggle was a good sign they were on the move. Perhaps, if they had reached the grand ballroom, they were blending in and biding their time.

Rey crawled onward, passing the familiar groom’s waiting room. There was nothing of interest, no sign of her friends.

The journey became mundane. Peering down each vent, Rey saw splendid rooms with nothing and no one in them. Until finally, just as she began to doubt, the next vent showed what appeared to be an employee locker room. The lockers were old and rusty, some of them, perhaps broken, stood with the doors ajar just enough to display the uniforms inside.

Rey kicked the vent cover open, allowing the metal covering to drop to the floor with a crash. She watched and waited. When no one stirred or sounded an alarm, she carefully lowered herself down.

She dashed to the nearest open locker and pulled out a uniform for closer inspection. She immediately decided it would do and quickly began changing out of her lovely suit. She thought it a shame, although necessary, to leave the beautiful, hand-made outfit behind. She couldn’t very well carry it around while she pretended to be a hotel employee.

Someday, when this war is over, I’ll have D’Acy make me another set of clothes, Rey promised herself. Perhaps, in the far future, I’ll even be able to pay her to make me a whole trousseau, if I could ever get used to wearing a dress.

But whom would you marry, Rey? It won’t be the man you wanted, her conscious nagged her.

As she stood in her skivvies, the sound of a door opening echoed across the room.

Knowing that she’d never be able to pull herself up and into the airshaft without being seen, Rey ducked into the nearest locker. She pulled the door an inch from shut to hide.

A male voice, one with a snobby air of authority, filled the room.

“As you can see, your Excellency, there’s truly very little of interest here. Tis merely an employee locker room. Only our most trusted employees are allowed a key. We had hoped to eventually remodel this area for a more modern look. However, as you can no doubt tell, we pour the majority of our funds into making our dear brides happy.”

“I plan to leave no stone unturned,” Kylo’s tone completely dismissed the man. “Leave me to my search.”

“Of course, as you wish, Supreme Leader…” the hotel owner trailed off.

Rey heard Kylo Ren’s confident boot steps enter the room. Her heart raced with the anticipation of being caught. She held her breath and the locker door, willing the Force to lead Ben away. This couldn’t be the will of the Force. The Resistance couldn’t end, not like this, not on Finn and Rose’s happy day. Rey was more than willing to give herself up, but not until everyone else was safe from the First Order’s reach. She had to help her friends find a way back to the Falcon.

Several moments passed. Rey could hear Kylo Ren and swore she could feel him move about the room, although she could not physically see him.

Eventually, he neared her row of lockers.

Rey watched him stop and turn his attention to her discarded outfit. He knelt down, and with shaking hands, gently picked up her clothes, almost as though he feared they would shatter.

“She was here,” he confirmed to himself as he slowly ran a dark gloved finger over the shimmering material. “Rey,” he savored her name with soft anguish. For several moments he fought against his emotions. Finally, he uttered words like a vow, “No one knows what you mean to me. I will find you again, my love.”

Stunned by his confession, Rey involuntarily shook. The door of her locker gave one rusty creak.

Kylo turned his head. He stared straight towards her locker.

Rey bit down on her lip as hard as she could to keep herself still. He was handsome, he loved her, and he was about to find her whether she liked it or not! Doing so would ruin everything! If he discovered her now, if her friends didn’t escape, hope in the galaxy would be extinguished. No, the Force had to have other plans. She had wanted and envisioned so much more with Ben Solo. She loved him, she knew. But she willed the Force to keep Kylo Ren away.

“Your Excellency, Supreme Leader!” A deep voice bellowed across the room.

Kylo rose and tucked her clothes in the crook of his arm.

“Yes?” he growled at the interruption.

A young First Order general rushed to his side.

“Your Excellency, I regret to inform you we haven’t found the lady in question. However, other Resistance fugitives have been spotted. Notably, the pilot Poe Dameron.”

“The Resistance’s best pilot,” Kylo agreed, and then debated, “What would bring them here, I wonder? The unruly miners? Fuel for their pitiful rebellion?”

“Supreme Leader, my scouts say they’re all dressed in wedding attire.”

“Wedding?” A trace of fear rose in Kylo’s voice before he killed it. “Unusual tactic,” he swallowed the words, his thoughts elsewhere.

“Supreme Leader, forgive me, my repeated intrusion,” the hotel owner called from the doorway. “The bride and groom and all their treasured guests have been waiting patiently on you, Your Excellency, to begin the reception.”

“I have a wedding toast to make,” Kylo finally remembered. He addressed the young general, “Until I return, split the division. I want half on the Resistance fugitives. Kill them, I want no prisoners. The other half will continue searching for the woman in question. If she comes to any harm, whatsoever, I’ll destroy all of you. Is that completely clear?”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” the general saluted.

To Rey’s relief, she watched Kylo, followed by the general, exit the locker room. To be certain, she waited a moment, listening, feeling through the Force. Then she climbed out of the locker and pulled on the employee uniform.