Monday morning brought about the shrill ring of his alarm clock. Ben patted the spot on the mattress next to him. He was surprised to find it empty. His eyes snapped open as he scanned the bedroom. "Rey?"

"Out here," she called from the kitchen.

Ben's brow furrowed. He wiped the sleep from his eyes before padding out to see what she was up to. Ben found her hunched over the stove, cooking a four-course breakfast. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, and a dish of freshly cut fruit were all lined up as if he'd stepped inside a diner.

"What's all this?" he asked, equal parts impressed and confused.

"It's my first day at the hangar. I want to be prepared so I got up early, showered, and made breakfast," she explained.

He could see her chewing the inside of her cheek, struggling to appear confident. "You'll do great, Sunshine," Ben consoled her. "Dad already loves you."

"That just means I have more to prove," she said, groaning. "I can't mess up. I need to be perfect, to show him he made the right choice hiring me."

"He did," Ben promised, gently taking her by the arm so she glanced up at him. "You know how I know?"

Rey shook her head, staring at him expectantly.

"Because I made the same choice. Sight unseen."

"You're the best," she told him, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Maybe," he teased. "Or maybe I just have good taste."

"Well, you and your good taste need a healthy breakfast to start the day," Rey said, handing him a plate.

"If you keep feeding me like this, I'm not going to fit into my tux."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. You hit the gym every day after work. Just run a few extra laps and you'll be fine."

"You make it sound like you want me to stay out of the apartment."

"No," Rey replied, "but I won't be around tonight. I'm going dress shopping with the girls, remember?"

Ben nodded. "Right."

"And you have your appointment on Thursday with the guys," she reminded him. "It's at six o'clock sharp, so don't let Snoke bully you into working late."

"I already have it blocked on my calendar," Ben shared.

They finished their meal in silence, Ben getting ready for work, while Rey gathered up Chewie's dishes and prepared a container of food. Han told her she could bring the lab along, which surprised Ben. He didn't remember his dad being a fan of dogs. He suspected it had something to do with making Rey comfortable.

"I'll see you later tonight," she told him, giving him a chaste kiss goodbye.

"Send me pictures," Ben called after her.

"It's bad luck," Rey shouted over her shoulder.

"I meant of your first day!"

But she was already gone.

Ben sighed, shaking his head with a smile. He laced up his loafers and went to the mirror to put on his tie.

Returning to the First Order felt like being forcibly yanked out of a pleasant daydream and shoved into a nightmare. Ben had to adjust his tie half a dozen times before he got it to hang straight. His hands shook more with each attempt.

The fact that he managed to arrive in one piece was nothing short of a miracle. He hadn't told Rey, afraid to jinx himself, but today was it— the day Snoke announced who at the firm would be promoted to junior partner.

Ben was teetering on the precipice of his future. He could either take the plunge into new territory or revert into his former ways.

He made his way to his office, muttering brief greetings to those he passed. His heart was pounding in his chest, his palms were sweaty, and his stomach was in knots. The pancakes Rey had made him sat in his gut like concrete. He grimaced as he clicked open his inbox.

Several unopened messages were awaiting his reply but only one marked urgent. Ben recognized his supervisor's name in the Sent By column. Taking a deep breath, he double-clicked on the email.

Mr. Solo,
Please report to my office at nine a.m. on Monday morning to discuss your annual performance appraisal.
Any tardiness will warrant a verbal warning and the notice will be added to your record.
Snoke

The email had been sent less than thirty minutes ago.

Ben checked the clock. It was 8:58. He cursed and raced toward Snoke's office. He barely registered Hux's red hair as he passed him. If he hadn't been in such a rush, Ben might have noticed the glare the other man threw his way.

"Good morning," Snoke addressed him in a dry, clipped tone. "Close the door."

Ben did as he was told and took the seat across from his supervisor.

"I am sure you understand why I have called you into my office this morning," Snoke began. Ben nodded. "Good, then let's proceed." He slid a document across his desk so it faced Ben. "The position of junior partner is being offered to you, young Solo."

"Thank you, sir. I won't let the company down. I will—."

"I wasn't finished," Snoke cut him off. "This offer has conditions, the first of which is dedication."

Ben stared at the older man, bewildered. "Dedication, sir?"

"To the role and this firm," Snoke clarified. "If I thought you possessed the necessary conviction to do your due diligence, we wouldn't be having this conversation and your promotion would have been announced on Friday afternoon. However, I have reservations."

"May I ask what they are?"

"The most pressing would be your upcoming nuptials," Snoke revealed. "They will need to be canceled or at the very least postponed. I won't jeopardize this firm with your distracted mind."

"Excuse me? I don't see how—."

"If you choose to move forward with taking a wife, might I suggest someone within the firm's family? Canady's assistant is competent and doesn't ask too many questions," Snoke suggested as if they were discussing a new suit style, not Ben's life partner.

"This is highly irregular, not to mention inappropriate," Ben told him, rising from his chair. "What I choose to do outside of this office during personal hours is my decision. It doesn't affect my time in the office just as I don't allow my work to affect my home life."

"That may be suitable behavior for your current position," Snoke returned, lacing his fingers together as he placed his hands in front of him. "However, I expect more from a junior partner. If you can't fulfill the duties of the role as described, then perhaps the promotion should go to someone else."

"I'm marrying Rey at the end of the month. I won't break off my engagement for you, for this company, or a partnership," Ben declared.

"Pity," Snoke responded. There wasn't an ounce of remorse in his tone.

Ben's eyes were fully open. The junior partner position hadn't been the next step in his career. It was a step backward. He felt his chest expand as he took the first free breath he'd ever inhaled within the confines of the First Order.

"I quit."

"You fool," Snoke sneered.

"You're right. I was a fool to follow you so blindly," Ben replied," but my eyes are open now. I'm going to sue you for harassment and your blackmail attempt."

"Solo?"

Ben threw open Snoke's office door and marched out.

"Solo, I'm talking to you!"

Without meeting anyone's eyes, he walked out of the office for the last time.

As Ben exited the cold building constructed of glass and metal, he noticed Hux leaning against a parking-garage pillar, smoking. "A bit early for lunch isn't it?" the redhead quipped.

"I thought you quit," Ben commented.

"I thought I was getting that promotion," Hux returned. He paused to take another drag. "Guess we were both wrong."

"Not as wrong as Snoke," Ben told him. "I resigned; effective immediately."

Hux's eyes widened. For a moment he seemed baffled as if he couldn't understand what Ben had said. Then, he dropped his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "What will you do now?"

"Write," Ben answered. "I'm hoping I can find a publisher but if not I have some savings to keep Rey and I comfortable for a while."

"I know a guy," Hux offered, retrieving his phone from his jacket pocket. He began scrolling along his screen. "He's a bit off but he made a killing developing software for eBooks and he owes me a favor."

Ben's phone pinged as Hux sent him the contact information for a D.J. There was no last name.

"Thanks," Ben said. He turned to leave, then paused. "You know, if the book is any good, I'm going to need a manager, someone who knows how to write an iron-clad contract. Do you think you could recommend anyone?"

Hux smirked. "Guess you were right, after all, Solo. I am quitting."

"How long will it take you to write up your resignation letter?" Ben asked.

The redhead scrolled through his phone and a moment later Ben heard a chime sound. "Done," Hux announced.

"In that case, shall we toast to our new partnership? There's a pub around the corner that has Guinness on tap," Ben suggested.

"Deal," Hux agreed, "but you're buying."

Rey paced the inside of the bridal suite at Chateau Chandrila. The winery was one of Leia's favorite spots and had been all too happy to accommodate her request to hold a wedding on their grounds.

They'd converted their wine cellar into a groom's quarters for Ben but it was nothing compared to the gorgeous cottage they'd fashioned for her out of their storage shed. Big enough to fit twelve adults, the small hut was separate from the main building. It was off to the side, hidden behind a wall of fir trees so no one on the grounds could see Rey when it was time for her to sneak inside.

It wasn't the sneaking that she was worried about. In fact, Rey wasn't nervous at all. The reason she kept pacing the length of the shed was to follow Finn. Her best friend had been slowly losing his cool all morning. When Leia announced they were getting ready to start and left Rey with a kiss on her cheek, Finn started to hyperventilate.

"This is happening. She's not going to be Peanut anymore. She's going to be Solo's peanut. And then they will have little peanuts and I'll be an uncle, Poe! An uncle! I don't know anything about kids! What if I break them?"

"You need to calm down," Poe cautioned, holding up his hands the way animal trainers did for defensive creatures.

Rey tried to reason with him. "Finn, Ben and I aren't ready for kids. We just found each other."

"Oh, please," Finn drawled sarcastically. "Have you seen that man in a tux? Even without ovaries, I'm not immune."

Poe's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Finn, listen to me," Rey said, taking his hands in hers, "you're my best friend and I need you by my side. You're my Man of Honor. I want you to be a part of this. Okay?"

"Okay," he answered with a nod. Rey waited patiently as he repeated the word a few times. "Yeah, okay. Let's do this."

"Let's get our Peanut hitched!" Poe cheered.

Rey shook her head and laughed. She knew it had been a mistake to let him drink that bottle of champagne. He hadn't eaten anything all day— too worried about looking good in his suit.

There was a knock on the cottage door. "Finn? They're ready for you," the owner of the winery called inside.

"It's okay, Jannah; you can come in," Rey beckoned her inside.

The woman opened the door a crack, peering at them. "I've got Chewie's leash," she told Finn.

"I still can't believe I'm walking down the aisle with a dog," he groaned.

"Hey! Chewie is a valuable part of this service. He is the ring bearer," Rey stated.

"If you tied the rings to my neck, I'd be just as effective," Finn returned.

"Kinky," Poe said, winking at his boyfriend.

Jannah stared at Rey, who was already turning toward him. "Don't start," she chided, pointing a finger at Poe.

He feigned an innocent expression and shrugged nonchalantly. "What?"

"That's enough," Jannah decided, stepping inside the shed to remove the champagne from his reach.

"I wasn't done with that," Poe objected.

"Yes, you are," the other three barked.

"You have to give me away," Rey reminded him.

He waved her off. "I'm fine."

She shot Jannah a look.

"I'll bring in some coffee for you two while everyone gets lined up," the winery owner offered.

"Thank you," Rey responded gratefully.

"I'll be out there waiting for you," Finn promised her. He gave her a final hug, said something in a hushed tone to Poe, then followed Jannah out.

Rey waited until she couldn't hear their footsteps any longer before turning to Poe. "He's waiting for you to propose, you know."

"How do you figure?"

She rolled her eyes. "Poe, you're a good friend but sometimes you can be really thick."

He gave her a saucy wink. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"If I wasn't in my wedding dress right now, I'd smack you."

Poe chuckled and they fell into companionable silence. Rey saw the edges of his lips twitch as if he was trying not to smile too broadly.

"I bought a ring last month," he admitted.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to overshadow your big day," Poe explained. "As soon as you told us about the experiment, I knew it would change you. Maybe you'd come back engaged. Maybe you wouldn't. Either way, you were taking a step in the right direction. You inspired me to do the same."

Rey felt her eyes beginning to water. "You ass," she hissed, tilting her head back to blink the tears away. "You're not supposed to make the bride cry before she walks down the aisle."

Poe crossed the room to hug her. "Chalk it up to best friend privilege."

"The best," Rey agreed.

"Would you quit fidgeting?" his mother snapped under her breath.

Ben fought the urge to roll his eyes. That was easy for her to say. He was standing in front of two hundred people, most of whom were unfamiliar, waiting for the light of his life to appear.

Finn came out first, walking Chewie, who all but dragged him down the aisle in an attempt to get to Ben.

He knelt to greet his faithful companion. "Hey, boy. Are you ready for this?"

I am, he thought, straightening up.

That was when he got his first look at her. Rey. His chest warmed and he couldn't stop himself from grinning. She was magnificent, strolling toward him, the sun at her back making her glow like a full-bodied halo.

"She's all yours," Poe told him.

Ben barely heard him. All he could comprehend was Rey, beaming at him with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, it didn't matter that they knew less than half of the guest list or that his mother asked them a dozen times when she'd get a grandchild. All the distractions melted into the background. For a few spectacular moments, it was just them.

Just Ben and Rey.

When they took their first steps toward a new life,— a new future —Ben became aware of several things all at once.

First, Rey was his wife now. She'd chosen him, decided he was the one she wanted to build a life with. Ben vowed to spend every day proving to her that she'd made the right choice.

Second, his parents were both crying. Ben could count the number of times he'd seen his father cry on one hand. Han wasn't the emotional type. Witnessing his father's tears had him lose a few of his own.

Third, Hux was standing next to his mother's assistant, the one who had helped him procure Rey's gifts during the experiment. His placement wasn't what caught Ben off-guard. It was his smile. Hux never smiled but he was practically glowing now, eyes on the petite woman next to him, completely unaware of anything else.

And finally, Chewie kept himself between Rey and Ben as they entered the winery for the reception. Ben wasn't sure if it was possible, but the lab seemed to have puffed out his chest, as though he thought today was all about him.

"He certainly likes the limelight, unlike us," Rey remarked with a giggle.

"He's well-suited for it. Maybe he's related to Poe," Ben returned with a smirk.

"You have no idea," his wife groaned.

She regaled him with the story of what happened in her bridal suite leading up to the ceremony. Ben was so busy listening, watching the way she gestured with her hands and how her smile caused her cheeks to dimple, that he didn't register that their guests had arrived.

Years later, Ben Solo wouldn't remember that they ran a full fifteen minutes behind schedule all evening, thanks to Finn's weepy Man of Honor speech. He wouldn't recall nearly knocking the topper off of their cake or how many times he stepped on his mother's feet while they danced. Those details were trivial compared to how Rey made him feel.

It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and perfect. It was that feeling that prompted him to write his next series, a trilogy about an abandoned scavenger looking for a place to belong and a fallen knight who longed for understanding.

Black Diamond debuted in the fall. It reached the top of the best seller's list in less than a week. When asked where he drew his inspiration from, his answer was simple and honest.

"My favorite love story," he said, looking at his wife. "Ours."