Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I’ll be fine, miss Tico” Kylo sighed as his knees knocked into the glove compartment. 

“Please, call me Rose.” She smiled. “And you are..Ben Solo, right?” 

Kylo smirked. The Captain had to assign him that name huh. Solo was his father’s name. He was a cop too, and he ran out on him and his mom when he was about ten - almost two decades ago. His mother tried to let him know that there must have been a good reason, but he was angry all his life, and soon as he could he changed his name legally to Kylo Ren. Kenobi said his father was a good man, but there was nothing good about what he did, he thought. Hell even that criminal Hux is still trying to find his son. 

“Ben? Ben Solo? Yoohoo” Rose noticed her large passenger looking out in the distance. 

“Oh..I’m sorry - I’m getting used to that name” Kylo stammered.

“Well you better get used to it that’s what everyone at school will be calling you. Do you have...ANY experience at all? With children. Early education.” Rose looked at the silent police officer. “I mean have you ...seen Peppa Pig? Do you know what Baby Shark is?” 

“Baby WHAT?” Kylo grimaced. 

“Look, you have to at least try to fit in. Any nieces, nephews - does your girlfriend have any?” Rose ventured. She’s pretty sure she’s going to have to answer furtive questions about this man’s romantic status.

“No, no girlfriend either. Other than a few kids in the building that bug me on Halloween I have no idea what kids .. do” Kylo sighed. He wouldn’t call his random dates “girlfriends”. He’s definitely never reached the ‘meeting the children in the family’ phase. 

Rose laughed. “Hey chin up huh?” She punched him in the shoulder. “You might meet someone just yet”

“No, I can’t have any attachments in this line of work, Rose” Kylo looked out the window. It was convenient, because he was reluctant to let anyone in.

“Ooookay..” Rose shrugged at him.

They rounded a corner and drove into a driveway. A large rainbow greeted him, with a flower on the side and a large smiling bee waving at him. Bumblebee Kindergarten. 

“Jesus.” Kylo muttered under his breath.

“Language!” Rose snapped.

—-

The sound of shrieking children pierced the air. 

“Aah, just in time for recess!” Rose clapped with glee.

Kylo instinctively massaged the side of his head. He felt a migraine coming on. 

“Miss Tico!! Miss Tico!!” Two girls ran over to Rose and handed her some rocks. “We found some gems in the playground!!” 

“Oh!! Thanks Riza and Trixie!! These are lovely gems!!” Rose squealed in delight as the girls ran back to get more. 

Those are just fucking rocks, Kylo thought.

Trixie ran back and handed him a reddish rock and pulled on his slacks so he’d bend over. 

“This is a special crystal, because I like you” she whispered. Kylo looked at the little girl, who seemed to be missing a tooth. 

“What do you say Mr. Solo?” Rose snickered. 

“..uh..thank you” Kylo tried to smile. 

“He said thank you!!! His voice is so deep!!” Trixie yelled at the other girls as she ran back to the sandbox. Kylo put the rock in his pocket. 

“Come on, officer” Rose nudged him inside. “Let’s do the tour while the kids are out here. If you’re starting tomorrow you at least need to know where things are.”

—

The next day, Ben fumbled around for a lighter as he walked to the back of the parking lot. It was his first day. He knows he shouldn’t smoke here but his head was pounding. Where is that fucking lighter. He was still poking around this strange man bag Poe got him when a woman’s hand flicked open a lighter in front of his face. 

“You need a light there?” She smiled.

Kylo looked up. Great. Rey Johnson. 

“I really hope you do, otherwise you’re a spy for Principal Tico and will let her know all about my secret smoking spot. I mean do they have any idea how stressful school drop off IS?” 

“No no no” Kylo stammered. “I do need one, thank you.”

He bent over to light his cigarette while Rey looked him up and down. 

“You’re new here. First day?”

“Uh..yeah. Yeah” he nodded with his cigarette in his mouth. 

“Yeah it’s always a special level of stressful. Did your kid cry?”

“Oh no - I’m a .. I’m a teacher” Kylo stammered - this wasn’t how he pictured meeting Rey Johnson. 

“Oh yeah?” Rey smiled. So..he’s not one of the dads. Interesting.

“Ben Solo” he held out his hand “I teach umm..the yellow hive” Principal Tico briefed him yesterday on all the cutesy class names and it confused him - he only remembered his was yellow.

“The yellow hive!” Rey exclaimed. “That’s my son’s hive! You’ll meet him then - Ryan Johnson. I’m Rey.” 

“Ryan” Kylo smiled. Ryan Johnson, 5 years old, born Dec 17 in London, brown eyes, brown hair, slight lisp, approx 110 cm in height. He read the boy’s file last night. “..I’m excited to meet him” 

“Hey what happened to miss Phasma? We didn’t get a notice..”

“Oh she..she went on uh..vacation” 

“Strange. They would have sent a memo. Oh well I’m glad to be the first to meet you Mr. Solo” Rey winked at him. “And goodluck! They’re a handful you know. I’m not surprised Phasma went on vacation” she laughed.

Her laugh was beautiful, he thought. So was her smile. Her mirth. How can such a positive happy person be attracted to a scoundrel like Hux. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you” she touched his arm. It was..harder than it looked. Thick. She pulled her hand away and blushed. “You should..you should get going Mr. Solo. They’ll start filing in soon”

Kylo’s entire body buzzed at her touch. He saw her blush. “Yeah I should. See you around, Miss Johnson” he smiled smugly as he walked back to the classroom.

Rey watched him walk off and resisted the urge to facepalm as she walked back to her car. She’s always been pretty touchy but she really does have to remember to not do that with her son’s teacher. Oh, but it felt good though. She smiled. He called her Miss Johnson.

She drew a breath and looked back at him. How did he know she was single?

On the other end, Principal Tico stood with her arms folded, smirking at the confused officer. 

He looked to her for some rescue. 

“You’re on your own, Ben Solo” she smiled, as she walked away.

Kylo took a deep breath and opened the door.

It was utter chaos. The noise level spiked up as soon as he opened the door, stabbing into his growing migraine. 

The kids were everywhere. About five of them were running around - just running around and yelling at the top of their lungs. Trixie and Riza were busy spreading glitter in each other’s hair. One kid was crying at the top of his lungs in a corner - wait..there was another one doing the exact same thing. Two boys were yelling at each other about their superhero drawings.  Somewhere in the back, someone was eating glue. 2 more kids somehow had an ipad with them and was playing Baby Shark at full volume while doing the floss.

Kylo’s migraine reached nuclear levels. 

“Uh..class” he gingerly tried to address them. No one looked at him.

“KIDS...” he said a little louder.

“KIDS!!!” A couple of them looked at him, then continued running and screaming. 

“QUIIIIIEEEEEEEET!!”

Kylo’s voice boomed across the room and the kids little bodies jerked in surprise. Then Riza started crying. Then Trixie. Then the kid eating glue. Soon the entire classroom was filled with wailing children. 

“Oh Jesus - I mean Jeez - shit I’m .. I mean sheez ..” Kylo was frantically trying to calm them down. 

“Ok guys I’m sorry I’m sorry” he held out his hands in an effort to de-escalate the situation. Nothing. They all kept crying. 

SHIT. No training at the police academy prepared him for this. He had nothing. No procedures, no back-up, no weapons. He patted his pockets instinctively. The rock that Trixie gave him yesterday was still there. He tried to remember what his mother would do. 

“Guys..look” he gingerly pulled out the rock and held it gently in his hand. A few of them stopped to listen to him. “My name is Mr.  Solo. Yesterday, a princess gave me a magic rock” Trixie and Riza beamed with tears still on their little faces and glitter all over their hair. Glue kid moved a little closer. 

“What does it do?” A small voice asked from the corner. Ryan. Kylo looked at him and smiled. 

“Well..it’s a special crystal..” he racked his brain trying to remember that story his mom told him. Only a couple of kids were sobbing quietly now. From the corner of his eye he saw Ryan shushing some of them. “I can use it .. to build a special weapon” 

“That’s violent!” Glue Kid piped up. 

“No, no, this is a weapon for a more civilized age. A saber, made of light. It needs one of these crystals” All of them stopped crying now. 

“A saber, made of light?” Riza’s eyes were wide open

“Yes..in fact we can all make one do you know where the paper is?” A kid grabbed all the paper from the drawer and handed it to him. “Thanks, what’s your name?” 

“George”

“Okay, George help me give one each to your classmates. Okay guys umm..color the whole paper”

“The WHOLE paper??” Glue kid asked.

“Yes. Until you don’t see ANY white parts. The saber won’t work if there’s white parts. You have to like..color the whole thing” 

The kids got to work.

Great, that’s going to buy him maybe five minutes of peace. Thanks, mom. He sits down and fumbles around his man bag for a Tylenol. 

“Umm..Mr. Solo” 

Kylo looks up. It was Ryan. 

He whispers in Kylo’s ear. “I don’t want to make a weapon. Mom says that’s what my dad does and it’s bad” 

Kylo looked at him and his eyes softened. “Look kid, you don’t have to do it .. just umm..draw something?”

“Okay.” Ryan mumbled and walked away. 

—-

Kylo spent the whole morning running sparring battles between the kids with their paper lightsabers. He assigned Ryan as his assistant, keeping the score. 

By the time they broke for recess, Kylo was exhausted. He had never been more exhausted in his entire life and he’s been through pretty intense gunfights. 

He was slumped in his chair with his head in his hands when he heard a knock on the door.

“Well, they’re alive!” Rose greeted him. She looked around the room. Paper, crayons, glitter and glue were everywhere. “Oh wow. Mr. Solo you have to clean this up”

“I CAN’T” he wailed, his head still buried in his hands. 

“Well someone has to. I let the police in here I can get you out” Rose admonished him. “I’m not going to let some cop come in here and lower our standards”

Kylo just let out a muffled moan. “This sucks. This just sucks” he mumbled.

Rose softened at the sight of this very large man having a very visible breakdown. She took a seat. 

“Look, kids are simple. You give them some structure and they’ll follow. You just need to learn to communicate in ways they will understand. Watch the shows they watch. Get to know each of them.” 

Kylo raised his head. “Structure?”

Rose laughed. “Yes. Structure. You’re a cop. I’m sure you can figure it out. They’re back in 15 minutes. Goodluck” 

—-

The kids walked in on Mr. Solo in full police uniform. Their little mouths gaped open as he just stood there in full attention. They filed in quietly. 

Ryan’s eyes were wide open. 

“Okay, cadets we have a special mission” Kylo’s voice boomed with authority.

“When I blow this whistle one time, you will all pack away any mess that you see. When I blow it two times it means we only have 5 minutes left. When I blow it three times it means TIME IS UP. Do you understand me?”

A few of the kids mouthed ‘yes’.

“I didn’t hear you. I said cadets, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME”

“YES MR. SOLO!!” 

“Good. Now get ready. And GO” Kylo blows his whistle once. 

Like a strange magic trick, he watched all the children frantically packing away their mess, throwing trash and putting crayons back in boxes. 

He blows the whistle twice and they went even quicker, giggling and obviously having fun. 

He blows the whistle three times and they fell giggling in a heap in the middle of the room. Kylo couldn’t help but smile himself. This was..kind of fun. 

Kylo looked up from his morning smoke at the back of the parking lot. His heart leapt, unexpectedly. He smiled. “Miss Johnson.”

“Just Rey, please” she laughed. “And..how did you know I wasn’t married?” 

Kylp panicked for a split second. “No ring.” He pointed out. 

“You looked?” she looked up at him and smiled. 

Kylo wanted to tell her that yes, he did look. That she made him..feel something. That this was one of the most difficult jobs he’s ever done but he’ll keep doing this if it meant he can see her smile at him every morning while he smokes at the back of a parking lot. Instead he said nothing. He just smiled. 

“How was your first day?” Rey asked as she lit up her morning ciggie, trying to change the topic. 

“It was good..it was great to meet the kids..” Kylo started.

“Oh fuck that Ben, you can tell me the truth - we’re smoking buddies and practically best friends now” she laughed.

“Alright, it was terrible” he laughed. 

“There you go!”

“I have no idea what I’m doing. I was ready to walk out. They’re..they’re like little monsters”

Rey laughed heartily. He likes making her laugh.

“..except your son though. Ryan is awesome. He’s helpful, and quiet and - he’s a cool dude, really”

“Really?” Rey stopped laughing. Her heart leapt at the mention of her son. “You’re not just saying that?”

“No no - I..I wouldn’t lie to you” He surprised even himself with the tenderness in which he said it.

Rey’s eyes welled up. “He’s just been through so much these last few years..and he’s still a baby” 

Kylo grabbed his hanky and handed it to her. He touched her back and caressed it gently. “Hey. You’re doing great. You have nothing to worry about”

“No, no you don’t understand Ben. There’s so many things I’m worried about. Things you don’t understand” she shouldn’t be crying to her son’s teacher, but it’s been a rough few years. And she feels safe with him.

Kylo looked into her eyes. “Hey, look at me. Rey. Look at me” Her eyes flew up and met his. Kylo held her shoulders. “There is nothing to worry about.”  

“Ben.” She smiled, and gave him a surprising hug. “Thank you”

“Hey, look it’s nothing. I promise it’s going to be fine. You..you deserve to be fine” Kylo, against all his professional instincts, raised his hand up and smoothed down her hair. 

“Ben..” Rey felt his strong hand on her back, and on her hair. “..would you like..to come over for dinner?”

Kylo hesitated and disengaged.

“I mean, with me and Ryan. We can watch some Spongebob, or Thomas the Train..” Rey pedaled back. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to even ask, but she’s just been so lonely. 

“Spongebob? Thomas the Train?”  

“Do you know anything about what kids are watching these days?” She smiled. 

Kylo laughed. “No, no I guess I don’t”

“Then let me introduce you to the wonderful world of cartoons and youtube” Rey laughed. “Are you free tonight?”

“I..” Kylo looked at her warm brown eyes and that smile he found himself thinking about, late at night. “..I am” 

“It’s a cartoon date then” Rey smiled. “Get going now, Mr. Solo, the monsters are waiting”

Kylo mock groaned, mainly just to get another beautiful laugh out of Rey. 

As he walked back to the classrooms, Rey stayed behind and smiled to herself as she lit another cigarette.

Out in the parking lot, a man in a black SUV took pictures. 

——

“You’re doing WHAT?” Captain Kenobi asked incredulously. 

“I am..having dinner at Rey Johnson’s house” Kylo looked at his boss straight in the eyes.

“Are you crazy?? Ren. The reason I picked you for this job and not Dameron is I can’t really trust him around pretty ladies. I thought I could trust you to keep it professional” 

“It’s strictly professional, Captain” Kylo explained. “Look. We don’t know what evidence is in there. What I can pick up. You know I’m good at observing”

He’s right. He is. Kenobi just huffed.

“..and the kid might know something. You know what he drew yesterday? It was him and his mom, and his dad was in a different house - with a flag of Trinidad and Tobago of all things.”

Kylo slammed the drawing on the table. “I guess we don’t have to wonder where Hux’s fucking headquarters are huh”

Kenobi looked at the drawing. “Ren. I hate to say this but..you’re a genius.”

“I try.” He shrugged. ”Still think I’m pulling a Dameron?”

—- 

Kylo pulled a black sweatshirt over his head and looked at himself in the mirror.

This was a job. An operation. Just like all the other operations. He looked at the bouquet he picked up on the way home from the station, along with a Spongebob magazine he saw on the newsstand. He spritzed some Dior that Poe got him for his birthday and fixed up his hair. 

If this was just a job then why is he so fucking nervous. He’s never nervous. He’s Kylo Ren. 

No, he thought sadly, he’s Ben Solo. She knows him as Ben Solo. 

For the first time in his whole career Kylo regretted not being able to be himself.

“Where are you going, mommy? You look pretty” Ryan asked, standing on the doorway to Rey’s room, sipping on his juice box in his Daniel Tiger pajamas.

Rey turned around to look at him. Her boy. She smiled. “Nowhere sweetheart, someone is coming over for dinner”

Ryan’s eyes widened. “Is it..is it daddy?”

“Oh no no” Rey smoothed down his lush brown hair and squatted down in front of him. “Remember? We are still playing hide and seek with daddy. We need to.”

“Yes mommy.” Ryan looked down on the floor. “And if I see daddy or any of his friends I have to press that special button on my iPad” 

“Yes, my good boy” Rey smiled. “I’m so sorry about all of that love, but I promise soon the cops will find him first and we don’t have to worry anymore”

“Promise, mommy? I don’t want to move anymore..I..I like it here” 

Rey remembered what Ben told her that morning. ‘You deserve to be fine’ he said. Rey smiled and hugged her son. “Yes Ryan, there is nothing to worry about”. 

Rey thought of her visit to the station as she watched her son run back down to his shows. She thought this time for sure Armitage wouldn’t find them, in this sleepy town a continent away from him. He’s found them in LA. After a few months she noticed the same car following her around. She had to uproot Ryan once again and run here, a quiet suburb on the outskirts of Brooklyn. Rey was tired of running. But her uneasy feeling never went away. She knew the only way Ryan and her would find any peace was if Armitage and his goons was locked up. That was when she decided to go to the police. 

How did she get to this ? She was young and happy once upon a time. Fresh out of uni, taking a part time job at the neighborhood wine depot, and running into him. His hair wild and red, a delicious irish accent, dressed much nicer and more worldly and cultured than all the immature boys she’s been with. He was a banker, he said. He looked important. He wooed her and swept her off her feet. She doesn’t regret all that, all that gave her this beautiful boy. 

She remembers her gnawing feeling that her husband was not completely honest with what he does for a living. It was intuition at first, but soon she pulled the pieces of the puzzle together. Men coming into the house late at night. Locked doors, locked cabinets - locked everything. Weeks away from home. The obscene amount of money they had. She tried to confront him when she discovered a stash of high powered firearms in a cabinet in the garage. He tried to explain it away but she knew they were not just for self defense. She was pretty sure they were illegal. She was even more sure that having those means her son is in danger. 

One night when he was away on one of his trips again, Rey picked the lock of his study and took a deep breath. She needs to know. She rifled through the drawer and - quite unsurprisingly - saw some pics of her husband with other women. She knew that, she wasn’t born yesterday. It stung a little, but they haven’t been intimate for over 2 years now, and he hasn’t exactly been secretive about his women. It wasn’t enough to leave him though, a part of her still wanted to build a happy home for her son, even if she herself was no longer happy. 

In a hidden cabinet she saw what she was actually looking for. ‘First Order Enterprises’ the letterhead said. Order logs for Uranium. Plutonium. Sarin Gas. She knows enough to know what she was looking at. These had nothing to do with banking. 

She sat down in shock as 4 year old Ryan toddled in. She looked at her boy and decided to flee the very next day.

—-

The doorbell rang. 

“Mommmmyyy!” Ryan yelled. As they’ve practiced, Ryan ran upstairs to his room. He did this everytime the doorbell rang. 

Rey ran downstairs and looked at herself one last time at the mirror in the foyer and gave herself a little smirk. Here goes nothing.

She looked in the peephole for safety and she saw him standing there, flowers in one hand and what seems to be a Spongebob magazine in the other. Rey had to stop herself from swooning out loud. 

She steadied herself and grasped the doorknob. Why is he so damned hot. She never liked the good guys. This is her first nerdy good guy crush. 

“Ben!” She smiled as the door flew open. 

“Hullo” he said, his head tilted slightly to the right. 

“Come in, come in” she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him in. She noticed his black sweater, probably designed to be loose but it’s unusually tight on his arms and chest. And he smelled nice. “Nice sweater”

Kylo blushed. “Umm..thanks. Nice dress” 

Rey realized at his height he can see directly down the top of her dress. She smiled. “Thanks! And thank you for these” She smelled the flowers as she pulled him into the couch. She looked at the magazine in his hand “I’m..guessing that one isn’t for me” she chuckled. “Ryan!!! You can come down now!” She yelled.

“Now have a seat and get acquainted with the wonderful world of Spongebob as I get dinner ready..” 

Kylo sat on a couch and looked around. Pictures of Rey and Ryan. No Armitage. Of course there wasn’t. He looked at the TV. The yellow sponge was .. taking a bath. Is this what kids watch. He watches as the sponge annoys his squid neighbor. He giggles. Fuck this is actually good stuff.

“MR. SOLO??” Ryan yelled from behind the couch. Kylo turned around. “Oh hi Ryan” 

“YOU’RE the guy coming for dinner??”

Kylo looks around. “Uh..I think so”

Ryan plops down beside him on the couch. “Whew I’m glad. I thought it would be dad.” 

“Does your..dad come over?”

“Oh no no no” Ryan shook his head. He whispered. “We’re hiding from him” 

Kylo looked at him and remembered himself, growing up without his dad. He was hiding from them. “Does he call?”

Ryan shook his head. He pointed to the TV. “Look! He’s going to sing a song!”

Ryan started singing along to the Goofy Goober song. “Come on Mr. Solo sing with me”

Kylo laughed. “No no, I don’t know this one” 

“I’m a Goofy Goober Yeah! You’re a Goofy Goober!!” Ryan started wiggling his little butt. Kylo laughed at him. Ryan set beside him after the song and snuggled under his arm. “You’re a goofy goober Mr. Solo” 

Kylo ruffled his hair. “Yeah yeah maybe I am, kid” 

Rey walked in and saw her boy in the arms of Ben Solo. Calm down, ovaries, she thought to herself as she drew a sharp breath. 

“Okay goofy goobers, dinner is ready” she announced. 

Rey watched him walk up. He seemed...different.

“Rey” he said as soon as he reached the porch.

“Ben..thank you. Thank you for bringing..”

“We need to get inside” Kylo said gruffly as he looked around. 

Rey was just staring at him. When did he get so bossy.

“Come on, we need to get inside” he said impatiently.

Alright something was definitely off, she thought, as she walked in.

“Where’s Ryan?”

Rey just pointed at the couch. Ryan had his feet up, watching TV. Kylo kept looking out the window. 

“Ben - about last night” Rey started. “..I was rude and..”

Kylo just raised his hand. “No don’t worry about it” 

Rey gasped. Now he was being rude. Strangely..assertive. She hated that she was kind of into it. 

Kylo looked at her. He did want to talk about last night. There was so much he wanted to tell her. But now is not the time. 

“Look, I’m sorry” he said. “Long morning. With the kids, you know. I’m just..I’m just tired” It was true. He had another long morning. But it wasn’t true he was tired. His senses were heightened. He felt the blood and adrenaline pumping through his veins. This was what he does. This was what he was good at.

“Oh.” Rey said. “Oh I’m sorry..let me..let me get you something to drink..I don’t think I’ve packed the glasses yet..” Rey walked to the kitchen, distracted.

Kylo looked over out the window. He felt the crackle of his radio. “Ren. Target approaching” 

He’s here.

Kylo looked over at Ryan, who was startled by the sound of his radio and is now staring at him with his eyes open wide. Kylo flashed his badge and shushed the little boy. He said one word.

“EMERGENCY.” He pointed upstairs.

Ryan stood up and whispered to Kylo. “Closet” 

Kylo nodded at the boy. He ran upstairs.

The doorbell rang. 

—

“It must be the U Haul guys - Ben can you get the door?” Rey called out from the kitchen.

The doorbell rang again. 

“Ben?”

She walked out of the kitchen and he immediately grabbed her from where he was crouching behind the dividing wall. 

“What the fuck, Ben?” 

Kylo turned her around. 

“It’s Hux.” He whispered. “Open the door, tell him Ryan’s at school. I’ll be right here”

Rey was confused. Kylo pushed aside his blazer and showed her his gun. “There’s no time to explain. Please. You have protection. He tries anything at the door there’s five agents who will snipe him.”

Rey stepped back instinctively at the sight of the gun and staggered out into the living room. A COP. He was a COP. 

The doorbell rang for a third time. Hux started pounding on the door. 

Rey was terrified, and confused. She looked at Ben Solo. His eyes softened as he smiled.

’It’s going to be okay’ he mouthed. He nodded, his eyes never breaking contact with her. 

Rey took a deep breath. 

—-

“Where is he?” Hux said immediately as she opened the door. He walked in with Mitaka and Pryde. 

“He’s in school” Rey said, her voice as small as she felt, faced with the man she’s been running from for an entire year.

“Fucking LIAR!” Hux roared. “School was let out an hour ago.” 

Rey’s eyes widened. She realized she doesn’t know where Ryan was. 

“Ahh yes. You think you’ve hidden yourself this time huh. You think I didn’t know where you were? Do you think I’m stupid, Rey?” He brought his face closer to hers. “I should have you killed for what you did.”

Kylo held his gun tighter and held Hux in his sights. 

“But! I thought of something better. I’ll take your son. Like you took him from me. A fate worse than death” he laughed.

“You’ll never take him” Rey seethed. 

“Says who?” Hux laughed. “Your new boyfriend? What’s he going to do, send me to the principal?” 

He ordered his two men. “Look for the boy”

Kylo sent the signal to the team. It was time. He can’t risk them finding Ryan. 

The agents descended on the house. Poe and Connix grabbed Hux while the other agents ran after Mitaka and Pryde. The sound of shots rang out and the smell of gunpowder filled they air.  The henchmen were no match for the skilled agents. Soon they were taken down, Mitaka was shot in the leg while Pryde raised his hand in surrender as Antilles held a gun to his head. Outside, the support crew battled with Hux’s remaining henchmen on standby. 

As the scuffle starts, Kylo emerged from the dividing wall and grabbed Rey. He forced her onto the floor and under the couch as the bullets started flying around. 

“Stay there” he grunted, hair on his face and his eyes darting around. 

“Ben..” she grabbed his arm desperately “is he safe?” Kylo nodded and held her hand as he got back up to help his team. 

“Ren!” Poe yelled out as he and Connix continued to subdue Hux. 

Kylo Ren walked over. He cocked his gun and pointed it straight at Hux.

“What the fuck?” Hux spat out. “Aren’t you the teacher?”

“Armitage Hux, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law...”

Rey ran up the stairs as soon as the coast was clear. 

She found Ryan huddled in a corner of her closet. Rey scooped him up in her arms, crying. “Oh my baby” she sobbed. “My baby I’m so sorry..I’m so sorry for all of this..” 

“I’m okay, mom” he said - his voice muffled because his mother was smothering him with hugs. 

Rey stopped hugging him and proceeded to inspect every inch of her little boy. “Are you okay? Are you alright?” She checked his arms, his legs, his back. 

Ryan giggled. “I said I was okay mom! I was scared with the noises but I kept very very quiet, and very very hidden just like Mr. Solo taught us” 

Rey looked at her son “Oh that’s good, good .. but son Mr. Solo is actually...”

“A cop! I know. It’s so cool.” 

“I don’t even know if that’s his real name...” She was thankful, but she felt so..betrayed. She didn’t really know what to feel.

”His real name is Lieutenant Kylo Ren, our best agent” Kenobi walked into the room. 

“Captain Kenobi” Rey stood up “Thank you so much - I thought ... I thought you’ve junked my request”

“Oh no no - the evidence you had was important to us, but it was nothing if we didn’t have Hux in this country. We needed a few more days for the operation, and I apologize if we kept you in the dark - it was the only way” 

Rey looked the Captain. “So..Mr. Solo was..”

“Watching over you both..And if you think this guy looks rough now you should see him before the makeover! Scraggly beard, scraggly hair, scraggly clothes” Kenobi chuckled “was he a good teacher, son?”

Ryan was smiling at Capt. Kenobi. He loves cops. “He’s the best!” 

Kenobi laughed. “Thank you miss Johnson. We’re going to need you to come in to discuss your protection plans while the trial goes on but - you and the boy get some rest first” 

“Mom, can I go to my room? I’m tired” Ryan looked up at his mom. 

Rey looked at Capt. Kenobi, concerned. 

“Leave him with agent Connix, he’ll be fine”

“Of course sweetheart. I’ll go fix you something in a while okay?” Rey mussed up his hair and watched him run to his room. 

—

Kylo stood on the porch and fumbled around for a lighter. Dammit, he must have left it in the car. 

“Your usual post operation smoke, Lieutenant?” Rey said curtly as she extended a light. 

“Rey” he started, as he lit up his cigarette. 

“Save it. I came here to thank you. For keeping us safe” Rey said. She took a drag. It has been - quite a day. 

Kylo stared at her. Her hair all messed up from the scuffle, her black tank top riddled with dust from crouching under the couch.

“Stop looking at me” she snapped. 

Kylo shifted his gaze away from her top and looked at the agents packing up on the street. 

“You’re safe now. You and Ryan. The case is airtight. He’s going to be locked up for a long time...” he said, looking in the mid-distance. 

“The WHOLE TIME?” She yelled suddenly. “You knew about Hux, did you know he was coming?? Me and my son were just sitting ducks in your big operation huh??” Her voice was riddled with anger. 

Kylo drew a long drag. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you..to both of you..”

“Oh yeah? Why? Because I had your precious evidence? Because you’re Kenobi’s best and brightest agent? You’re a fucking good cop is that it? You’re a fucking LIAR is what you are” The agents were starting to look but Rey didn’t care.

Kylo looked at her. His voice was tender, and strong. “Because I cared about you. You, and Ryan. I would put myself in the line of fire for you both, with or without an operation”

Rey looked at him, surprised. No, she wasn’t falling for this. She shook her head. “You’re just a fucking cop.”

“Yes, I am” Kylo said.

He aggressively flicked his cigarette away and turned to face Rey. “I’m Kylo Ren, of the Intelligence Division. I’ve been with the force for almost ten years now. I’ve taken down this city’s most dangerous crime organizations” he stared at her, trying to catch her gaze.

“I’ve been shot at 3 times. Once in my upper abdomen, which I didn’t want you to see” he continued. “I live in a fucking tiny one bedroom apartment on the rough side of town. My dad ran out on us when I was young and the closest thing I have to a father is my own fucking boss.” 

Rey looked at him, her eyes starting to soften.

“I smoke a lot and I swear a lot and I don’t dress like..this” he gestured at his outfit “I’m single and haven’t had a girlfriend in over a decade unless you count agent Dameron who seems to always be with me. I know fuck-all about early childhood education and ...”

“Just shut up, officer” Rey grabbed his hand and stood on tiptoes to grab his neck. She pressed her lips on to his and was pleasantly surprised as she felt Kylo’s tongue explore hers hungrily,his hand circling her waist and pulling her closer. She felt his strong grip on the small of her back. She’s starting to like this aggressive version of Ben Solo.  

Poe cleared his throat behind them. 

“Umm..yeah..if you guys are done here I’m going to need you both at the station for, you know, paperwork...” Poe smirked at both of them.

“Yup, yeah, okay” Kylo looked sheepishly at his friend as he used his sleeve to wipe his lips. 

Poe looked at Rey “This is a good one, miss Johnson, very brave” he winked.

Rey smiled as she watched Poe walked away. “Nice girlfriend you’ve got there huh. Good ass” 

“I wasn’t done Rey” Kylo was still staring at her, a serious look in his eyes. 

“I wish I was Ben Solo.” He went on. “I wish I was good enough, for you and Ryan. I wish I was the kind of guy who wears beige fucking slacks. But I’m not. This is me. And I’d like to make you and Ryan dinner sometime. Maybe some Spongebob after” he smiled, his hand finding his way around her waist again, slowly moving up her back.

“..and maybe, once the kid is asleep, maybe we can finish what we started” 

“I thought I told you to shut up?” Rey smiled. Oh,she’s definitely going to finish what they started.

“Well why don’t you shut me up again, miss Johnson”

“Good job guys” Kenobi slumped into his large leather armchair, worn from three decades in the service. They kept trying to convince him to get it changed, but he always refused. 

He looked at his two best agents. “We’ve caught the big fish. The biggest arms dealer in recent history. Case is officially closed, boys”

“No it’s not” Kylo said, taking off his long sleeved white shirt to reveal the plain white shirt underneath. He can’t breathe in court clothes. 

Poe looked at his friend and shared a smile with the Captain. “Look, Ren, don’t worry we’re not going to pull you out of bodyguard duty. You can guard that civilian body aaaaallll you want” Poe laughed. 

Kylo smirked at Poe. After they arrested Hux they had to secure star witness Rey during the trial period, so they relocated her and Ryan, and the court assigned 24 hour police protection. Kylo was happy to oblige. 

It has been the happiest last few months of Kylo’s life. Rey found a job as a teacher’s assistant at Bumblebee, and he worked on the case while they both were at the school, with Poe on protection duty during the day. At night he’d stay with them, officially he was assigned to the guest room but he hasn’t exactly been doing much sleeping in there. 

“That’s not what I meant” Kylo smiled. 

“Riiigght” Poe stood up and placed his hands on Kylo’s face. “Go be happy, my brother. You deserve it. I, on the other hand am going to get coffee and try to ask out that barista” Poe walked out of the Captain’s office.

“What’s up, boy” Kenobi asked. “You seem troubled. Go on vacation, you’ve earned it”

Kylo ignored him. He stood up and placed his large hands on the desk.

“Hux was the supplier. Who is the buyer?” He looked at Kenobi.

“Son...” Kenobi sighed. “That’s way beyond our jurisdiction” 

“Whose fucking jurisdiction is it?” Kylo asked, annoyed. “As we speak there’s a new Hux coming in, you know that. We haven’t done shit” he slammed the desk.

“The FBI. Homeland Security. Not us. Let the big boys take care of it”

“No, no” he pulled out the files “The Eagle. That’s what Ryan calls him. He said it was his father’s boss. He heard them talking..”

“Ren - you’re starting an investigation based on a kid’s drawing?” Kenobi stood up. “Do you understand what you’re dealing with - how long an operation of that magnitude takes? You’re out of your league boy. This has nothing to do with Brooklyn”

Kylo pulled out more paperwork “I looked into it. Contacted all our operatives underground, asked about The Eagle. It’s just one of his names. Nobody knows what he looks like. He wears a mask, like all the leaders of the Organization before him. He’s been called other names. Chancellor. Master...The Falcon.”

Kenobi stared at Kylo. He’s known him since he was a little boy. Watched over him. And his mother. Made sure they were safe. When Leia passed on, he took Kylo under his wing. He looked at him now, young, handsome, idealistic - foolish. Like his father. 

“...He’s been everywhere. He started in the organization almost two decades ago - when it was ran by Dryden Voss. They’d stockpile these weapons - “

“..and they were a hub for terrorist organizations all over the world” Kenobi finished. 

“Yes, yes” Kylo drew on the board. “I followed the paper trail, Captain. And he’s now..”

“..Here. In New York.” Kenobi sighed. “I know.”

Kylo looked at him, puzzled. “You know?”

“There’s some fish that you just shouldn’t chase, Ren. But you’re hardheaded. Like your dad was” Kenobi looked at Kylo and saw him, clear as day in this boy’s face. His old partner. Han Solo. 

“Why are you talking about my father??” Kylo stopped writing on the board and was facing his Captain. His voice was trembling. He was trigerred.  “He’s dead to me. A deadbeat. He ran out on us. Let the past die, captain. I am nothing like him”

Kenobi sighed. “Your father. He chased down Dryden Voss. He killed him.”

“Dryden Voss..killed my father?” So he’s dead, Kylo thought. All this time he thought his father ran out on them but he was killed in the line of duty. Why didn’t anyone just tell him that?? 

“No, son, your father killed Dryden Voss...” Kenobi clarified. “He was undercover. A rising star in the organization. He became close to him. Nobody ever knew he was the one who killed Voss.”

Kylo felt his heart tighten. His father was still alive. Where is he. Why did he not come home.

Kenobi continued. “Our chief asked him to disengage. The mission was Voss. It was complete - but your father...” he looked at Kylo. Almost relieved that the time has come, but also ashamed that he has kept this from him for so long. There was no choice. 

“Your father saw what the organization was doing. All the death and destruction the weapons caused around the world. He couldn’t live with himself. He was so good - like you - so good at his undercover work that by the time he killed Voss he was next in line.”

It started to dawn on Kylo, what Kenobi was leading to. 

“He took the mantle, Kylo. He took the full mask. I haven’t heard from him since. He’s gone dark. He’s been dark for almost twenty years.” 

Kylo sat down. Dark for almost twenty years. That’s exactly what he felt like. He looked at Kenobi. “My father....”

“..is the Eagle, son”

Kylo wanted to throw up. He felt faint. He wanted to run out. His head was swirling, his vision was starting to darken. 

“My father..is a terrorist??” He was looking at the floor. He couldn’t raise his head. It was too much.

“Son..” Kenobi stood up and sat on his desk across Kylo.

“We talked about this, before he went dark. If all went according to plan, he most likely spent the last two decades gaining intel on all terrorist cells all over the world. He would’ve stockpiled the weapons he ordered from the First Order, and sent shipments filled with duds to the cells. He would’ve worked with the FBI, Homeland Security, and the United Nations -reporting those he has just sold to, so they can swoop in and disable them.” Kenobi’s voice broke. “He sacrificed so much. So much. He loved you, and your mother. He couldn’t tell you. He couldn’t even tell her. It was too dangerous. But your mother always believed he didn’t run out on you both. She always knew there must have been a reason. She never knew what it was, but she had hope, until the very end” 

Kylo’s tears were running down his face. His mother always told him his father would come back. She had hope, even with her last breath. He was so angry, so angry at his father. 

“He loved you, his little Benjamin” Kenobi’s eyes were filling up with tears “I tried talking him out of it, you have to know that. Before he went dark, he asked me only one thing - that you and your mother were taken care of. I hope...I hope I did a good job. And I’m sorry son, I’m so sorry” 

Kylo ran over to hug the old man. He played the role of his father all these years out of love And loyalty for his old partner. They must have been close. Like him and Dameron. It must have been hard, keeping this secret all these years. He hugged him tighter.

Kenobi held his face. “Your father is no terrorist, son. Your father is a hero. He has saved countless lives. He .. has probably even saved the world from all out war. Han Solo is a HERO, son.”

Kylo smiled. Solo. He was a Solo.

“..And his work is almost complete” Kenobi continued, his hands now on Kylo’s shoulders. “Our takedown of Hux paralyzed the supply chain and little by little he has been weakening the organization from the inside. He should be able to come home soon, Kylo” 

Kylo smiled, his dimples cutting deep, visible through the thin layer of facial hair he’s been trying to grow back. His father was a hero. He didn’t run out on him. He’s..just like him.

“Call me Ben.” 

—-

The kids ran around the lawn and knocked down a flower arrangement. The white flowers fell on the grass and Trixie and Riza promptly picked them all up. 

“Oh my GOD, kids would you please all settle down” Rose whined, exasperated. She loved seeing these kids though, all off to big schools. Her little Bumblebees. 

Ryan sat down at the back row beside his uncle Poe, holding the rings and guarding them with his life. 

Inside the house, in the living room, Connix was helping the bride get ready - along with her sisters who all flew in from London. “You look beautiful, Rey“ she said, as she adjusted the daisies in her hair. 

Rey stared at herself in the mirror and smiled. It’s been a year since she’s first shared a secret smoke with Ben Solo, and now - they’re getting married. 

He asked her, quite unexpectedly, one night out on the porch. They were on the bench, having some beers like they usually do after dinner, when Ryan has gone to bed. Rey was rattling off about the kids at school while snuggled in with Ben. For some reason, he had his name changed back after Hux’s trial, Rey was delighted to learn that was actually the name he was born with. Kylo Ren was still in there though, she smiled naughtily, especially late at night after a few beers. 

She was yapping about the parent-teacher conference when Ben reached into his pocket and took her hand. He pulled out a box and placed it on her palm. She opened it, and it was his mother’s wedding ring. a beautiful ring, with two diamonds. He didn’t even say anything when she saw it. He just kissed her on the forehead and continued to hold her hands. “Ben..” she looked up at him, with tears in her eyes.  He looked down at her. “I love you, Rey”.  That was all he said.

She said yes. 

Up in the Master’s bedroom, Kenobi was adjusting Ben’s bowtie. “You look handsome, son” he said, his face beaming with pride. Leia would be happy to see her son like this, he thought. 

Ben smiled at his own reflection. You deserve to be fine, he told Rey then. It took a while, but he realized that he too deserved to be fine. To be happy. He knew that what he really wanted was to be with them. He’s glad he mustered up the courage to ask her.

He heard the kids giggling in the lawn. He smiled at the sound of his Yellow Hive - those kids taught him more than he ever taught them. 

Kenobi prepared Ben’s boutonniere off to the side as Ben stood waiting for that final touch before it was time to go downstairs. 

He looked at himself, no longer feeling constricted in a suit. Just a little bit of clean stubble on his face. Cigarette on the back pocket. A little bit Ben. A little bit Kylo. All himself. 

Since learning about his father, Ben has known a peace that has eluded him since he was young. His father was a hero. It made him proud. It made him want to be a better man. 

“Okay.. turn around, Ben” Kenobi said.

Ben turned around and was face to face with a man he hasn’t seen in twenty years. A ghost, in a suit, holding up his boutonniere to pin on his lapel. 

Kenobi was at the doorway, smiling at them. “Didn’t have time to get you a gift, boy, was too busy catching up with my old partner” he patted Han on the back. “I’ll leave you two”

Neither Ben nor Han said anything as Han inserted the boutonniere on Ben’s lapel. Han took his time, grateful for something to do, as Ben looked down at his dad, just taking in what he looked like, how he felt like, and what he was trying to say as he clumsily tried to help his son with his accessory. He saw tears in his father’s eyes. 

Han looked up at his son, much taller than him now, handsome - beautiful, just like his mother. There were no words. No words.

“Ben...” Han’s voice broke, just saying his name. 

Ben smiled at his dad. There was no hate, no regret, no pain. Just love. 

He placed his hand on his father’s shoulder.

“I know”