Home is Where You Are

Chapter 24

"Rey?" he whispers quietly, placing soft kisses on her forehead and rubbing her cheek with his thumb. 

She mumbles something incoherent and he smiles. She's really sleeping soundly. The fact that she's that comfortable with him does things to his heart. 

"Hey, sweetheart? The ride is over."

She blinks up at him and it's adorable. She's so pretty with her smudged mascara and drool coming from the corner of her mouth. He's reminded of the mornings he woke up to her. 

The urge to swoop her into his arms and carry her to his bed is almost too much. 

Suddenly, she's awake, eyes wide with embarrassment. 

"Oh! Oh no, Ben! I missed it! I didn't mean to sleep the whole way! I'm sorry, here you spent all this money and I sleep and drool on you….oh God….I drooled on you...that's disgusting. I'm sorry….it was just so relaxing and I was so cold and you're like a heater, you know that?"

She's steadily using the hem of the blanket to wipe her slobber from his jacket. He grabs her wrist and looks at her, laughing. 

"Rey. It's fine. I think I dozed off too. I just wanted to be with you. Besides, I've seen you drool before…."

"You have? When…..oh."

She turns absolutely red and touches her fingertips to her forehead, embarrassed. 

He chuckles just a bit, pulling her hand down. 

"And drool and crazy morning hair and smudged up mascara, still the prettiest girl in New York City."

For that he gets thoroughly kissed.

Rey had rode with Finn and Rose to the party. She had no doubt that the couple had gone back to Rose's place. Ben drove her home. He's never been to her apartment. 

Upon arriving, he asks to walk her to her door. It's the gentlemanly thing to do plus he is a bit curious to see how she lives. To be so much in love with her, there's still so much he doesn't know. 

"I have your gift upstairs, so yes, please," she responds shyly to his question. He wonders why she's being so shy. That's not like her at all. 

"Rey, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I saw it and thought of you. Do you not want it?"

He turns in his seat and pulls her to him, kissing her. His hands wrap around her neck, one holding her throat in the possessive manner that always gives her goosebumps. 

"Don't ever even think that. I still carry your pen with me everywhere. Look and see."

She reaches into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulls it out. The green is almost gone from how often he twists it in his fingers. He finds himself holding it numerous times a day. Not to sign anything. Just to hold it. To think of her. 

She smiles and he responds with a smile of his own. His forehead rests against hers and he rubs the tip of his nose over her own affectionately. 

"Rey, you are the best thing that ever happened to me. I hope you know that."

She's so shaken by his words that she stumbles over hers. 

"I think I do. Don't tell Finn but you're my best friend, Ben."

Oh. Best friend. Best...friend. It both lights up his heart and breaks it simultaneously. 

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