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‘Bad dreams again, kid?’ Ben murmured as he picked up his son and held him close.
The little boy sighed and snuggled into his father's warm shoulder.
Ben needed the contact as much as his son. The boy's raven hair tickled his face. It was a feature he had inherited from his father, as well as his dark eyes but his smile was all Rey.
Ben looked down at Rey still sleeping soundly in their bed. His heart filled with love. He thanked the Force once more for bestowing this family upon him and he vowed again to do everything in his power to deserve their affection.
The little boy stirred and turned his head to look at his father. He smiled mischievously.
Ben smiled back.
‘You’re not going back to sleep are you little one?’
The boy giggled and pinched his father's nose between his tiny thumb and finger.
Ben laughed.
The deep vibrations of Ben’s laughter, stirred Rey from her slumber and she looked over at her two beloved boys.
‘Lucan,’ she said in a singsong voice. The little boy's eyes widened and he turned to look at his mother.
‘Mama!’ he shouted reaching out his tiny arms towards her. Ben leaned down to place Lucan in Rey’s arms. She hugged him close.
‘Did he have another bad dream,’ she asked.
Ben nodded.
‘You too?’ she said.
Ben nodded again. He sat down on the bed next to them and Rey kissed his forehead.
‘They will fade, in time,’ she soothed.
‘They are less frequent but no less real. They are my punishment for my actions, Rey. If this is to be the only suffering I must endure, then I will gratefully bear it. I only wish I could take his nightmares away.’
Rey rubbed Lucan’s back gently.
‘It’s not your fault, he’s so strong with the Force already, he can read your thoughts, it makes sense that he can also connect to your dreams.’
‘Why should he have to suffer for my mistakes?’
Lucan reached for Ben.
‘Dada.’
Ben collected the little boy into his arms. Lucan put his hands on his father's cheeks. Suddenly a flash of images ran through Ben’s mind. He saw himself as Kylo Ren and at first he was afraid that Lucan saw his previous form as something fearful, but he soon realised that Lucan just saw his playmate, his dada, his hero, and his best friend. Ben had tears in his eyes when he addressed Rey once more.
‘He isn’t afraid of the images from my past, he wakes up because he senses my pain,’ Ben swallowed hard as a lump formed in his throat.
Rey looked confused. Ben tried to explain.
‘He doesn’t wake up because he wants me to sooth him, he wakes up in order to sooth me.’
Rey put a hand to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.
‘My precious boy,’ she whispered.
Lucan smiled at his daddy. He connected to the bond that joined his parents, the one he was able to use to communicate with them. He sent a thought into his father's mind.
Dada better?
Ben managed to control his emotions long enough to respond.
‘Yes, little one, dada is better now. Thanks to you.’
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