FADE | Kylo Ren

- epilogue part two

          "Dinner's ready," Florence announces, standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Ben throws a glance from her and pushes himself up into a sitting position, saying something about it to Elio.

"I'll get Leia." Florence presses a kiss on his cheek before she walks outside, feet bare against the flooring. She finds Leia sat on the grass right where the patio ends, playing mindlessly to herself with some wooden figurines they got her for her latest birthday.

"That looks fun," Florence says, sitting down on the grass beside her, legs crossed.

"You're Luke," she hands her one of the figures. Florence gladly takes it, examining it. He's got a blue lightsaber in hand, the same one that now lies buried under the tree at the far end of the garden. Leia, of course, is unaware of that.

        "Luke Skywalker? Wow, thank you. And who are you then?" She looks over at the assortment of toys spread out around the young girl.

         Leia picks up two of the dolls, holding them out to show her mother. "I'm Han Solo. This is Chew- chew...?" She looks to Florence for help.

          "Chewbacca," she fills in for her.

"Right," Leia chirps, examining the doll closely, combing his rugged hair down with her palm.

"I was supposed to fetch you for dinner, sweetheart."

"M'not hungry," she responds dismissively, making no move to get up, rather, she continues to play with her dolls. Making the little Luke doll swing around a tiny blue lightsaber.

"Yeah right," Florence tilts her head. "You are too much like your father not to be hungry." Standing up, she ruffles Leia's hair playfully, extending her hand to the young girl. "Leave your toys here, we can play after dinner if you want. Maybe Elio will join."

"Okay," Leia takes her hand, leaving the dolls on the ground. "But Elio just ruins everything," she pouts, eyebrows furrowed as she looks up at her mother.

"Only because he doesn't really understand how to play yet, honey," Florence laughs softly.

Leia nods, frowning. "Yeah I know."

They walk back inside and Ben immediately hands Ani over to Florence. He whines as Ben lets go of him and Florence places him on her hip but quickly nuzzles into the crook of her neck, just happy to be in someone's arms again. He's tired but needs to pull through for just a few more hours to ensure a full night of sleep and they'll gladly hold him in their arms for some time just to get proper rest.

"Baby you can't sleep now," she gently lifts her shoulder as to nudge Ani awake but he only lets out a sound of dismay before slumping down again. Florence and Ben exchange a look. She looks at the clock on the wall, sighing quietly. "Yeah there's no getting him to stay awake until seven."

"Oh well," Ben shrugs. "That's okay."

"If you get their food ready, I'll put him in his cot," she looks at him and he agrees with a simple nod. Preparing the children's food isn't exactly hard work, only cutting it in small pieces to prevent any accidents. Walking very slowly and softly, Florence makes her way up the stairs without a single fuss from the baby. She very gently places him down in the cot, pulling her hands out from under him as slowly as possible. Satisfied that he doesn't wake up, Florence pulls his little blanket over him, hand lingering on his chest for a moment of just making sure before she heads back down.