Blue clashed violently with yellow, filling the air with a crackling and smell of ozone. Voe pushed out hard with the Force, unbalancing her attacker, but barely perceptibly. Frustrated, she blew the stray tendril of hair out of her field of vision and refocused. It would take more than that to defeat her foe on this day. She was beyond tired and knew she'd need to do something to tilt the balance of this fight very soon. If not, she was finished. She looked critically at her attacker who was not even breathing hard.

Some of the onlookers clearly had picked sides but the youngest of them fearfully watched, unable to tear their eyes from the melee, yet powerless to come to her aid.

She struck out once more with all the power she had on reserve, hoping to muscle her way passed those finely honed defenses. In the end, it was all for naught. The yellow blade expertly blocked blue then made to deal the killing blow as Voe fell in exhaustion. At the last second, the oncoming lightsaber halted and Rey smiled, reaching down to offer a hand.

Tai laughed as he applauded, exclaiming, "I told you, Voe! She's just out of our league!" Then to Rey, he yelled, "Friend of the family my ass!"

Master Skywalker yelled from some unseen vantage point, "Hey! Language!"

Voe accepted the hand-up, standing unsteadily with a neutral expression. Rey's own smile fell as she cautiously watched Voe's body language. The latter had never warmed to Rey, unlike most of Ben's classmates. It was hard to not like the young woman's infectious smile and enthusiasm for all things mundane. Just the effect she had on the oft surly Ben Solo was reason enough to appreciate the newcomer.

The seconds ticked away as Voe continued to stare into Rey's eyes, as if waiting for a sign. Just as Rey was ready to give up, Voe broke into a smile and offered her hand. "As hard as I try, Rey, I just can't hate you."

Hennix leaned over, whispering to Tai, "And she's really tried," eliciting another laugh from his friend.

"It's not your fault you have terrible taste in friends." They genially shook hands, then Voe clapped her on the back. "Listen, I can't just keep calling you Rey. There's too damn many of you." Rey grinned. "What's your family name?"

Rey froze, unsure of herself. Once, she had thought to take on the 'Skywalker' name in honor of the legendary family; now that things had clearly changed, that option was no longer appropriate. And, as much as she knew without a doubt that the name 'Palpatine' held no power over her, others surely would not feel the same way…Voe in particular. This left her with one choice at the moment.

"I don't have one. It's just 'Rey'." Voe looked at her doubtfully, so she reluctantly added, "I never knew my parents."

Voe shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. I'll call you 'JR'." Without waiting for a response from Rey, the girl turned and walked off, albeit slowly, as if the sparring match and subsequent conversation had never occurred.

"Charming in every way," Ben said as he approached Rey, placing an arm around her waist.

Rey agreed, "As usual."

Ben seemed to be directing her somewhere with his arm which piqued her interest. She briefly tried their bond, but he was blocking his thoughts for some reason, leaving only an echo of…anxiety. "Where are you taking me today, Mr. Solo?"

"Shhh. It's a surprise," he said. As much as she wanted to ask more questions, she knew better than to push the issue. Pushing just made him close down, so she would be patient.

They walked for a while in silence, him lost in his thoughts and her trying in vain to decipher his mood. Eventually they came to a clearing, the same clearing she used for meditation when she needed to clear her mind. Only today, there was a blanket laid out with a basket. She grinned uncontrollably, pleased that Ben would actually plan something ahead of time for her. "Why, Ben, this is actually really thoughtful!"

"Do you have to sound so surprised?" While his words would have come off as confrontational to anyone else, she could feel the playful intention behind them.

Her smile never wavered as she said, "I don't have to, but I wanted to express the right amount of appreciation. Was that adequate?" He returned just a shadow her smile, looking as if he were afraid to make any sort of sound, let alone form entire words.

Now his anxiety was ramping up and starting to bleed over into her own feelings. 'To hell with patience,' she said to herself. "Is everything alright? You're green like you're about to vomit."

He nodded and managed to say, "Always a romantic look."

Silence descended.

Birds chirped.

Some unidentified rodent ran up a tree, then jumped from branch to branch until it found just the right place to await scraps.

They both started talking at once, then stopped and nervously laughed. "You first," Rey offered.

He cleared his throat, then swallowed. "I've been wanting to give you something, and I am hoping you'll like it, or at least accept it." Little beads of perspiration started to collect on his forehead.

Getting quite nervous herself, Rey reached into the basket, "Please tell me you brought wine."

From the folds of his tunic, he removed a small box, attempted to open it with shaking hands, dropped it, then cursed as a small, delicate ring fell out. His almost comical look of consternation nearly made Rey giggle, but she was able to control herself at the last, crucial second. He gently picked it up, and started to speak; his voice cracking. "Rey. Just Rey. You have given me everything, and I have fallen so deeply in love with you. You risked your own future, your life, to do what you did. I can't…there's no gift that could possibly thank you for your act. But there's one thing I have to give, if you'll take it. My name." He opened his hand, presenting the ring in the palm of his outstretched hand.

Then Rey suddenly became the one unable to form words.

"Marry me." When she didn't answer immediately, he added, desperately, "…please."

The idea that she would ever refuse Ben Solo was inconceivable. She resolutely reached out and placed her hand in his, the ring trapped between them. Their hands tightened as he pulled her in close. When his hand pulled away from hers, she made to complain, but saw he was just taking the ring to place on her finger. He looked at her questioningly and she nodded fervently, her eyes suddenly letting go of tears she did not know were there. He nervously placed the ring on her finger, then embraced her, sighing in her ear. "Thank God."