Rey fretted about, pulling items out of moving boxes haphazardly strewn around her new master bedroom. It had only been four days since she and her son had moved into their tiny, two bedroom apartment but the girl was feeling antsy. There was too much chaos in Rey's life; the dozens of still-full, brown boxes were physical reminders of just how overwhelming the past few years had been.

Tossing a pair of grey socks into her dresser drawer with an exhausted sigh, Rey suddenly shivered as a cool breeze caressed the bare skin of her forearms. Running her hands over her pebbled flesh, the girl stepped over to the opened window and drew back the sheer, floral curtains. Taking a moment to look around her new neighborhood, Rey let her gaze travel to the red brick apartment building adjacent to hers.

Moving her hazel eyes from window to window, the girl imagined the events that could be playing behind each set of blinds. It was a favorite pastime of Rey's, she loved coming up with different scenarios and building stories around random things and people. They helped her to escape the stressors of her lonely life.

Settling her attention on the third window on the right, Rey leaned on her wooden sill and let her imagination run wild. In her mind's eye, she caught a pair of lovers in a passionate embrace; pressed against the wall of the kitchen in a tangled mess of frantic limbs and tattered clothes. Rey couldn't remember the last time she had felt such desperate need. It was most certainly a lifetime ago, when everything was perfect. Before the world came crashing down around her.

Getting lost in her racing thoughts, Rey didn't notice the beige blinds of the dirty window gently lift away. Although she was staring dead center at the pane of glass, the girl couldn't see the handsome man in the third window from the right with warm brown eyes, glance her way.

Ben brought his black Vader mug to his full lips and took a large drink of his reheated coffee. It was the second to last day before school started and he had been up most of the night preparing his parent information packets for open house. This was Ben's third year of being a Kindergarten teacher and he still had butterflies during the last week of summer vacation. He couldn't wait to meet his new batch of kids. They were the only things that helped to keep the nightmares of his former life at bay.

Swooping his eyeline down the apartment building before him, Ben blinked in surprise when he caught a pretty young woman staring his way. Giving the girl a jagged smile, he lifted his coffee mug towards his window and mouthed the words, ' Good morning.'

Pulling herself from her torrid fantasy, Rey jumped in surprise as she realized there was a man in the window that hadn't been there moments before. Holding her hand to her chest, Rey rolled her eyes and gave a full bellied laugh. She probably looked ridiculous staring at his window like a zombie.

'I'm sorry,' the girl mouthed back.

Ben shook his head and brought up his free hand in a "stop it" motion. There was nothing for the gorgeous brunette to apologize for. She could stare into his window anytime she wanted.

'Don't be,' his lips formed.

Tucking an errant, chestnut lock behind her ear, Rey smiled brightly at the man and allowed herself a moment to study his sharp features. She was instantly attracted to the seemingly tall man and felt her freckled cheeks flush crimson with excitement. It had been so long since she felt anything remotely like this; it was as if Rey had an instant connection to the stranger.

Stepping as close to the glass as he could, Ben tried to pinpoint where he had seen the girl before. That apartment had been vacant for some time, she must have just moved in. Still, there was something familiar about her. Ben knew her somehow, he could feel it deep in his bones; he just didn't know from where.

"Mummy?" a tiny voice squeaked behind Rey, "can I have some cereal?"

Instantly brought back to her reality, Rey turned from the window and gave her sweet son a nod.

"Yes, of course my little pilot..sit down at the dining room table and I'll get your brekkies ready," Rey said with a soft grin.

"Ok, Mummy," her son replied before holding his tiny arms straight from his body and running out of her bedroom making airplane noises.

A tiny pang of guilt settled itself in Rey's chest, just above her heart, as she watched her little boy fly out of her room. Sam was every bit of his father. From his curly dark brown hair, to his sunny and brave disposition. He was the only good thing left in Rey's life.

Suddenly remembering the strapping man in the window, Rey stepped back to the glass and huffed in defeat when she noticed that he was no longer there. Within the span of a minute, she had missed her chance on maybe having something real.

"Not like you had one in the first place," Rey chastised herself before slamming her window shut.

"Ok, Sam. Now...I want you to be a good boy and show your new teacher just how smart you are," Rey said, pushing a dark curl from Sam's golden brown eyes.

"Yes, Mummy," Sam agreed while grabbing Rey's hand.

Squeezing her son's small hand in hers, Rey took in a deep breath and walked through the threshold of Sam's kindergarten classroom. She couldn't believe his first day of school was right around the corner. It was a bittersweet, surreal moment. One she hated to experience alone.

"Why hello, there!" boomed a deep, masculine voice from the corner of the brightly lit room.

Turning her slim body, Rey's mouth fell agape as she realized the man addressing her and Sam was the man from the window. He was real. Walking towards her and flashing the same, cheeky smile she had been dreaming of since the previous day.

"Oh...h...hello," Rey sputtered nervously, instinctively holding out her hand towards the man.

Ben took Rey's petite hand in his and gave it a gentle, yet firm, shake. Almost at once, he was at a loss for words. He couldn't believe his beautiful new neighbor was standing before him.

"It's so good to see you, again," Rey said sweetly, trying to ignore the lightning bolts radiating up her arm.

Reluctantly letting the girl's warm hand go, Ben cleared his throat and offered a nod. He couldn't believe his luck. Ben had looked out of his window at least twenty times in a desperate attempt to see her again. Ben had even made the decision to bring her a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift just to have an excuse to go to her apartment.

"It is!" Ben said happily, glancing from Rey to the small boy standing next to her, "we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Mr. Solo...and this is…?"

"Sam! This is my little Sam," Rey beamed, cradling the back of her son's head in her palm.

"Ah! Sam Kenobi?" Ben asked with a lift of his brown brow.

"Sam Kenobi- Dameron !" Sam said, puffing out his tiny chest as he corrected his tall teacher.

Ben stopped dead in his tracks as his mind registered the familiar name slipping from the boy's mouth. Quirking his head to the side, Ben studied the child; trying to deny the connection his brain had already cemented. This couldn't be the child he had spent the past six years trying desperately to find. She wasn't the woman Ben promised his dying friend he would protect and take care of.

Right?

"Rey?" Ben asked, his voice shaking slightly as he stared at the girl in disbelief.

"How...how do you know my name?" Rey asked, confusion dancing over her face.

Smiling softly at Rey, Ben couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of relief. Finally, he would be able to grant his friend's final wish. From this moment forward, he would make sure Rey and Sam were loved the way Poe needed them to be.

"A pilot once told me," Ben offered simply.

A/N Hello My Lovelies! Welcome to Kismet. This is going to be a slower burn. Reylo (or Benrey) will be the end game...but there will be elements of Damerey (obviously). I hope you enjoy the ride! Comments are LIFE. Please, don't be afraid to let me know how you feel!