Hux raises my hand into the air towards the ceiling. We're lying on our backs, hands clasped, shoulders touching.

"All remaining systems will bow to the First Order!" Hux says in a mock commanding voice, then drops our hands between us onto the bed. "So, what do you think of my future speech?"

"I think... it will be great," I say, turning on my side to face Hux, keeping hold of his hand. The sheets feel cool on my bare arms, it's great to be free of all the layers of the Sith clothes and just be in a pair of night-hour bottoms. Hux is also out of his uniform and his hair is a little messed up now, no longer perfect.

"How do you stay so strong all the time?" I ask him. He looks to the ceiling and his smile fades.

"I have you here with me," he says softly. His face crumbles for a second as though he's going to cry but he quickly recovers, and I realize suddenly that he wears a mask too, one that he never takes off.

"Tell me about Millicent," I say, to change the subject.

Hux takes a deep breath then says, "she demands attention one minute then claws me the next minute when I try to pet her. She kind of reminds me of you."

I laugh, rolling onto my back again. "What did you remember? When you were drugged and your memories came back."

"Phasma told you about that?"

"She didn't tell me what you remembered, just that you remembered."

Hux sighs and doesn't answer. I close my eyes and rest, feeling light without my mask and clothes, and vulnerable, but safe beside Hux.

"I remembered us," Hux says softly. "Our childhood together at the Academy, me wanting to be you, the great grandson of the Dark Lord Darth Vader, then, later, just wanting to be... with you."

Hux goes quiet and I squeeze his hand, which is still in mine, warm and relaxed beside me. I open my eyes but don't say anything.

"I can feel it coming back again," Hux says.

"What?"

Hux lets go of my hand and wraps his arms around his face. His breathing becomes shaky and he turns his back to me, shifting onto his side. My chest tightens.

"Hux?"

He doesn't answer but I can tell by his breathing that he's crying.

"I can feel when people are scared," I say. "It feeds my Force power, sometimes." I swallow and blink back tears that are trying to escape. "Why are you scared?"

"I'm not," Hux grumbles.

"What are you scared of? I can feel it."

"We've had this conversation before, Ren."

"No we haven't."

"We have. You just don't remember."

"She'll always remember me as the scary monster that came to see her after her parents left," I say suddenly, the pain rising in my chest. "That was her biggest fear, that her parents would abandon her. And I didn't even try to find them, and now it's too late..."

I turn on my side too, away from Hux, and cry.

Sometime in the night I fall asleep then wake again to the day hours. No one has come to wake me and when I turn I'm relieved to see Hux still there beside me.

"Hux," I say, shaking him.

He wakes, looking angry before he even opens his eyes.

"Go away."

"Come on." I sit up and pull him into sitting position. He opens his eyes, looking groggy and with messy hair. I smile. He was right. Rita is tough and will make a life for herself. The pain in my chest doesn't want to go away and will probably always will be there, but at least I wasn't alone last night and I won't be alone in the meetings today.

Hux rubs his eyes then lays back down.

"We slept in you know," I say to him. "A lot."

He grins and closes his eyes again. "Just tell them we were putting together plans for the new death star that we're going to call Starkiller Base."

"Okay." I lay down close beside him and turn his face to me. He opens his eyes and quickly moves back, putting some space between us. I feel the same fear in him, returning.

"Ren-" he says.

I close the distance between us before he can object and press my lips against his. They're softer than I expected. I pull away and Hux lets out a small gasp.

"Now, are you awake?" I ask him. He looks stunned and doesn't answer.

I get up to go synthesize us some breakfast.

The call button beeps and Hux groans, covering his face with a pillow. I head back the other way to the door and turn on the monitor. It's Phasma, and she's not in uniform, but just her regular clothes. I unlock the door and it slides open.

"Ren," she says, looking me over. "Just getting up?"

"Yeah."

She steps in and gives me a big hug. "Feeling any better?"

"Yes," I say.

"Good, because I'm hungry and rumour has it that the Captain's quarters has its very own food replicator." She stops when she sees Hux on the bed with the pillow over his face. "Did you kill him?"

"No, he's just being lazy."

Phamsa walks past him to the back section of the quarters where the dining area is. "So is he going to be okay?" she whispers to me.

"Yeah, I think we're all going to be okay," I say, smiling at her.

"Me too," she smiles back. "Now what do you want me to make you for breakfast? I'm quite skilled with the food replicator, you know."

"Pancakes!" Hux yells in a muffled voice into his pillow. Phasma rolls her eyes and then gives me another quick hug. "I'm glad you're okay and that we're all together."

"Yeah," I say, pulling her back to me. "And I'm glad you're skilled with the food replicator, because I'm starving."

.

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THE END

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Well, this definitely ended differently than I expected it to! But Ren will see Rita again when they're both adults, when she's better known as 'Rey' in The Force Awakens and he's known as Kylo Ren ;)

If you want to keep in touch with me I have a facebook author page: www. facebook . c o m (backslash) biancarowena where I'll be sure to post things like new stories, upcoming stories, or a new book coming out if I publish a second one anytime soon. Thanks again to all those who read all the way through this fanfic!