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Music to My Ears

Chapter 31: Brahms: Lullaby

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty-One—Brahms: Lullaby

Rey glances up when she hears Ben’s shout, her arm dropping instantly to her side. The orchestra stumbles to a halt, as does the music coming from the piano at the front of the stage.

She glances in the direction of the noise, heart in her throat as she watches a strange, red-faced man turn with the grace of a cat and throw something at Phasma. But Phasma—wearing that feral sneer that always appears when she’s about to land a bull’s eye—throws something, too, and several players gasp when her shot invariably hits her mark.

Phasma weaves and starts to fall, and Ben leaps into action to catch her as the red-faced man thuds to the floorboards, dead. Rey can tell he’s dead because the handle of the knife Phasma threw is protruding grotesquely from his eye socket.

Rey drops the baton and bolts for Ben. And then all hell breaks loose.

Poe is suddenly in front of her, blocking her way and shouting, “Wait!” and Luke is at her side, hopping onto his tiptoes to see over the first violins as they abandon chairs and music stands to rush offstage.

“Everybody stay in your seats!” Luke tries to holler. But like everyone else, Rey ignores him, shoving past Poe, determined to get to Ben and Phasma.

Another body has fallen to the floor near Ben, so thoroughly garroted that his neck is nearly severed. Rey freezes at the gruesome sight, listening to Poe on the phone with a 911 operator.

Ben has black paint smeared around his eyes, and when a few curious orchestra members realize that their maestro is here, dressed like an assassin and holding their First Cello, clearly injured, they begin to murmur and hum around Rey.

Finn and Rose appear to either side of her and while their presence is a comfort, Rey’s eyes are glued on Ben as he crouches over Phasma, holding pressure on an injury in her abdomen.

“We’ll let the professionals remove that,” he grunts, glancing down to where a small knife handle protrudes from Phasma’s thigh.

“If he nicked an artery, I think I’m fucked,” Phasma whispers grimly. “Fucker got me. But not before I got him. Hope it’s all right I borrowed your favorite knife, Maestro.”

“Shut up, Phas,” Ben mutters. “You know it’s fine.”

“I know. It doesn’t hurt, you know?”

“—ambulance will be here soon,” Poe interjects.

Phasma doesn’t even look at him, just keeps her eyes on Ben. “They were always scum. Weren’t they Ren? Or should I call you Ben now?”

“Call me whatever you want, Phas, just fucking stay with me,” Ben tells her. “Rey’s here, too, look.”

Rey crouches down on the other side. “Hey, Phas.”

“His name is Ben.” Phasma is slurring slightly. Her blue eyes, usually so bright and piercing, are beginning to cloud over. “He’s your friend. I read that somewhere.”

“Yes,” Rey whispers. “He’s your friend, too, Phasma. As am I.”

Phasma smiles and her eyes flutter closed. “Call me…by my real name, dammit.”

“I don’t know your real name, Phas,” Ben chuckles with forced lightness.

“It’s Ginny.”

“I can see why you changed it. Not frightening at all. An assassin named Ginni. Whoever heard of such a ridiculous thing?”

Phasma grins and opens her eyes once more. Her chest heaves with silent amusement until she winces. “It’s Ginny…with a…with a ‘y’.”

“That’s even worse,” Ben scoffs.

But she can’t hear him, for her eyes have closed again, and Rey can’t hold back the tears any longer as Phasma’s head lolls to the side.

 

They spend the entire night in the hospital waiting room. Rey rests in the chair next to Ben’s, leaning with her head on his shoulder although neither one of them can sleep. Phasma will be in surgery for hours, yet, and Ben knows there is a good chance she won’t make it.

Even if she does, she likely won’t be allowed any visitors for at least a couple of days. Nevertheless, Ben, Rey, Poe, and Luke all linger, anxiously waiting for news. Ben has the added concern of being confronted with his various crimes, and he is half-expecting a military escort to come and get him any minute.

But he couldn’t just leave Phasma all alone and flee the country to save his own hide, not after everything she’s done.

Ben stares blearily at the floor, keeping an arm tight around Rey though he’s lost in thought. Every few minutes, as if to assure himself that Rey is here, safe, he kisses the top of her head.

After another half an hour of silence, Rey blurts out, “So, does this mean you don’t really know how to ice skate?” She’s trying to keep things light, and Ben’s heart swells anew for loving her.

“Oh, I absolutely know how,” he replies. “I’ll take you skating when this is all over.” But the promise fades even as he says the words, for who knows how this is all going to play out? They could lock him up and throw away the key.

Another hour passes and Rey finally dozes off. Luke has been drifting in and out of sleep, too, refusing to leave Ben and Rey alone at the hospital without any family.

The only ones not sleeping are Ben and Poe, and Ben suspects that Dameron has orders to keep an eye on him in case he tries to evade justice, which must be surely coming for him any second now.

Through half-closed eyes, Ben observes Dameron take his buzzing cell phone from his jacket pocket and quietly answer the call. Dameron appears to listen and Ben strains to hear who might be on the other end of the line.

Poe hangs up and regards him for a moment or two. “Your mother will be here in the morning,” Poe says. “She wants to see you. She, uh, called to make sure you would still be here.”

“I’ll be here,” Ben replies in as quiet of a tone as Poe’s. But inside his breath is freezing in his chest. His first instinct is to leave immediately, to run. After everything he’s done, he isn’t sure he’ll be able to face his mother, especially now that she knows the truth.

Guilt swamps through him.

But Poe hasn’t finished delivering his message. “She’s bringing Amilyn Holdo with her. She says Holdo wants to talk to you and…Phasma.”

Her name is Ginny, Ben nearly snarls. But he stays quiet and simply gives Dameron a brusque nod. If Leia is bringing Holdo with her, then they’re probably going to throw his ass in a high-security prison for his crimes and never let him see daylight again.

Ben fights an even stronger urge to wake up Rey and run for it. He would if it wouldn’t mean leaving Phas behind, fighting for her life on some operating room table while he scampers off to live out his days on some remote island.

No, he’s done running, he decides. He’ll stay and face the music.

He stares at Rey, still asleep.

Justice will be served, and if Rey is strong enough to bear the consequences of my actions, then I’ll be strong, too. I’ve taken more than I ever deserved out of this life, more than anyone like me deserves.

“Why did you tell me Holdo’s coming?” Ben finally grinds out, annoyed and unable to stop a note of bitterness from creeping into his voice. “Trying to give me a chance to escape before they arrest me?”

Poe regards him with a long look before he replies, “No. I’m trying to give you a spark of hope. I think Holdo has a proposal for you. For you both.”

This seems like a shocking thing to say in light of the seriousness of Ben’s crimes, but Dameron seems unconcerned that Ben is going anywhere, and Ben evaluates him, mulling over the other man’s words as Dameron tucks his chin to his chest and promptly falls asleep.

Deciding that sleep is probably a good idea, under the circumstances, Ben follows suit, leaning his head against the wall behind him and drowsing to the sound of Rey’s soft, rhythmic breathing.

He doesn’t wake up until he feels a gentle kiss on his forehead. The faintest whiff of Chanel and some long-forgotten presence tells him instantly who it is. He blinks awake to find himself staring into eyes so familiar and like his own.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hey, there, son. Lord, how I have missed you.”


The audience is still roaring, stomping their feet, and whipped into a frenzy after Ben’s performance of the Rach Two. Under the direction of Maestro Luke Skywalker, it will surely go down in the history books as one of the greatest renditions of all time, and every soul in Coruscant Hall seems to be jubilantly aware of this.

Rey has heard him play the piece many times but never quite so passionately before.

She has no question as to why or where he found such inspiration, of course.

Ben’s mother and Admiral Holdo had spoken with him for well over an hour the morning after Phasma was injured. They’d arrived while Ben and she were waiting at the hospital for word of Phasma’s surgery results.

While Ben had hardly spoken a word in self-defense to the Admiral, Rey quickly realized that there was no need for anyone to start talking about arrests or prison sentences just yet. As Holdo outlined her proposal, Rey’s heart had lifted even more, especially once Ben readily agreed to the Admiral’s plan.

She glances up to the crowd and spies Leia and Holdo and even Han Solo, all sitting together and beaming down at her and Ben onstage, and her heart fills with joy.

“I don’t know much about music…but from what I can see, you’ve got plenty of talent, sweetheart,” Han Solo had remarked when Ben introduced them earlier.

She liked Ben’s dad instantly. He is the very image of Ben, except for the eyes, and Rey had taken his hand and given him a hearty shake. “I’m Rey,” she told him. “Ben’s friend.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do. It was the only thing my boy ever asked me for, having you smuggled safely to New York.”

Ben had looked a bit worried when he overheard his father reveal this little tidbit, but Rey had simply flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. Maybe deep down she always knew, but it is nice to hear it confirmed that the family she was searching for has been here all along.

For now, Rey is waiting for him to finish taking his well-deserved bows so she can show her appreciation for his lovely performance in a more private setting if not a quieter one. So, when Ben throws Luke a short nod and Luke returns it with a wink, Rey’s heart starts to pound.

They’re up to something. Ben extends a hand to her, and bemused, she steps forward to take it. “What is it?” she asks.

“Our dear friend Ginny wants an encore. She says it is the least I owe her,” Ben murmurs.

“Oh,” Rey laughs, knowing that Ben would never agree to such a thing.

Therefore, she’s quite startled when Ben mutters, “What’s a good one for a duet?”

“What, me and you?”

“Yeah, sweetheart. You and me.”

His eyes are twinkling, and she’s so shocked she blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. “Paganini, Twenty-four.”

He whistles through his teeth. It’s not the easiest piece. “You sure?”

“I am,” she replies, faintly exasperated.

“Can you do it on the piano?” he asks over the roaring crowd, still shouting and clapping as they realize he isn’t exiting the stage.

“On the piano?” Confused, she says, “Well, yes. Luke made me practice—”

“—every day,” Ben finishes, nodding.

It’s no great surprise that Ben is well aware of his uncle’s methods. Luke used to insist that all of his pupils did “cross-training” in order to perfect the Kenobi method.

“Wait,” Rey says, suddenly realizing just why he is asking.

Ben lets out a loud, bellowing laugh, and she can only stare at him as if he’s unexpectedly gone quite mad. But he seems to make up his mind rather quickly about something.

“Rey, do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He snatches the Hammer out of her hands, swiping the bow, as well. He leans in to give her a lingering kiss on the mouth and the audience goes wild.

“What, you’re really playing the violin part? To Caprice? Are you joking?”

“Not even a little,” he yells over the raucous noise. “Let’s do this.”

Her stomach is starting to fill with nervous flutters. “But Ben! When’s the last time you even held a violin?” Rey squeaks.

“Before just now? A while.” They both know it’s been quite a while and yet he’s showing no signs of his self-professed stage fright. Ben rolls his shoulders and cranks his neck from side to side, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet a few times. “Rey, we don’t have time to pick another song, and I really want to do this with you. Unless you’re telling me you’re afraid?”

“Afraid? I’m not afraid!” Rey blusters.

Hooking the bow in the same hand holding the Hammer, Ben extends his other hand to her, palm open. When the audience sees what he intends they roar. They’re getting a Kylo Ren encore. And Kylo Ren never does encores.

Even more astonishing, he’s smiling. Kylo Ren never smiles.

But Ben Solo does, Rey thinks.

“Marry me? Please.”

Rey’s heart flies right out of her chest and into the heavens above. As far as proposals go, it’s perfect.

“Oooh, I’ll marry you, Ben Solo.” She slaps her hand into his, gripping it tightly. “Only I hope you’re as good with that thing,” she retorts with a smart nod to the violin, “As you are with a piano.”

“We’ll see,” he smirks. He arches a dark eyebrow as he pulls her to stand by his side. The grin on his face is ridiculously arrogant.

Cameramen throughout the room are probably blessing or cursing themselves, depending on whether or not they maintained the foresight to leave their video feeds running throughout the standing ovation.

“Don’t get lost in the tempo, Ben,” Rey warns.

“I won’t.” He sounds very confident, and Rey shakes her head. He leads her to the piano, but before she can take a seat on the bench, he drags her onto her tiptoes and kisses her again. The audience booms from somewhere out beyond the footlights, but Ben is saying for her ears only, “Just because you’ve never really seen me play the violin, doesn’t mean I can’t.”

He smiles even more broadly than before, playfully flicking at her skirts with the bow while she seats herself on the bench. Every single eye in the hall trains itself on them at center stage. His charisma radiates to the very edges of the large chamber and the people quickly understand their prompt to quiet down so they can hear him make an impromptu speech.

“Thank you,” Ben says warmly over the brief rustle as the onlookers settle back into their seats. He’s not wearing a microphone, but his resonant voice echoes clearly throughout, nevertheless.

“Thank you all,” Ben continues after everyone is settled. “You may be wondering why she’s over there,” he nods to Rey at the piano, “and why I’m right here. And holding this.” He lifts the violin in his hands for emphasis, still smiling as he glances around. “We’re going to do a very special encore tonight for a good friend who couldn’t be here. Ginny, this is for you. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Niccolò Paganini’s Caprice Twenty-four.”

A low murmur hums through the crowd as they all whisper to their neighbors with anticipatory glee. Like a wildfire, the murmurs transform into rumbling, then applause, accompanied by raucous shouts of encouragement.

If ever there was a once-in-a-lifetime, live performance to watch, it’s this one. 

I could have picked an easier song, Rey thinks to herself as the audience finally quiets again after several more minutes of enthusiastic cheering and applause.

Ben raises the Hammer to his shoulder and fixes his gaze on Rey.

“Too late to back out now,” he informs her.

She grins. “I love you.”

“I know,” he murmurs softly. The love reflected back from his eyes tells her everything she needs to know.

We belong together.

The music is going to be fine. Better than fine.

She plucks out the introductory chord, and Ben Solo lifts his bow.

And they play.


 

Epilogue

Leia can think of only a handful of musicians who could pull off what these two are doing, and even so, it’s very possible that only these two have the combined talent and chemistry to make the encore something special.

Her heart brims over with joy when she sees the peace and happiness transforming her son’s handsome features. Leia has not seen him so happy since he was a small boy, but now his exultation radiates throughout the concert hall, creating an electric atmosphere around her and the rest of the audience.

She cheered as loudly as the rest of the crowd when he kissed Rey right there onstage, in full view of the world.

I have a feeling I’ll be getting some grandchildren very soon, she smirks to herself. But even this happy hope is outshone by a rush of gratitude. A tear slips down her cheek as she comprehends all of the things that had to work together in concert to give her beloved son such a hopeful fate, despite everything.

Hope is indeed like the sun.

She is reminded of Amilyn’s proposal only days ago, recalling the incredulous look on Ben’s face when he realized he was not, in fact, going to prison, when he realized he might actually be able to live a normal life.

Now Ben and Rey are playing together as if they are one person, each giving and taking of the music equally.

The sweet cry of the violin pierces through like a beam of light, followed by the determined rumble of the piano, echoing into a powerful merging of the two.

It is a storm, thunder and lightning, light and dark. Peace and violence. It is balance and joy and life.

At the end, Leia stands and claps and cheers. Even Han beside her—although he detests public displays of emotion—bellows a “bravo! Brava!” or two.

She can’t miss the glow in Ben’s eyes as he takes a long bow with Rey, nor does she—or anyone else—miss the way he passes Rey the Hammer so he can sweep her into his arms and carry her off the stage as if they just got married.

That must be what they were blushing about like two turtledoves.

But he is truly finished now, no more curtain calls, no more encores, and as the audience finally begins to stir and exit the building, Leia’s cheerful thoughts turn inevitability to Snoke.

Maybe only a few of the people around her know how close she came to losing the only ones she cares about in this life, not just Ben and Rey, but Luke and Amilyn, too.

The atmosphere couldn’t be more jubilant as everyone buzzes with excitement, but Leia can’t shake the feeling that something might still go wrong.

Which is why it isn’t such a terrible shock when, as she watches Ben step into a limousine and firmly close the door behind him, someone cries out that they smell smoke. Moments later, a loud explosion sounds, and then all is chaos as the panicking crowds realize Kylo Ren has just been killed, once and for all.

Damn dramatic Solos always have to make such a grand exit.

 

Many Years Ago, At An Orphanage In New York

Leia Organa has visited the Eternal Hope Home for Children regularly for many years, and she sees no reason to change her routine today. As is her custom, she makes her way directly to the music studio that covers most of the first floor, past an old ballroom, and into the depths of the building.

Eternal Hope is a converted hotel, and the orphanage has been a Skywalker family venture for generations, started by Luke and Leia’s mother, Padmé Amidala, well before they were born. Padmé was the daughter of a wealthy politician, and she would never have foreseen that someday her own twins would become orphans when they were only babies, but she was raised to care for those less fortunate, regardless of their status.

After her husband’s betrayal, the orphanage became a focus of her passion, a place of refuge and care in the middle of a harsh, unforgiving city, at least before her untimely death.

The place has grown a bit shabby, Leia thinks, but it is still well-maintained, boasting four stories, twenty-eight rooms, and all of the facilities needed to accommodate well over fifty orphans in the heart of Manhattan. As a world-class musician and philanthropist, Leia implemented a music program here years ago, to be overseen by her brother, Luke Skywalker, a famous maestro in his own right.

As Leia waits for him in his office, just off the ballroom, the muted sounds of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata drift to her ears. Her heart is filled with an instant ache, for the music reminds her of her son.

Oh, Ben. I hope you’re okay, wherever you are.

Luke appears in the doorway, and she ruefully asks, “Did you put on music for our visit? Trying to soften me up before you ask for more money?”

“No, I swear!”

She chuckles. While this is something Luke would certainly do—do his best to appeal to her heartstrings when he’s really hoping to loosen her purse strings, instead—he seems surprised by the music. They pause and listen together.

“I haven’t started anyone on the piano, yet. Someone’s playing in the ballroom, Leia.”

Leia stands up and follows him, curious to investigate. The children are supposed to be in their classes right now, and music time isn’t scheduled until later in the afternoon. Whoever is playing is good, though.

“Perhaps it’s one of the teachers?” Leia murmurs.

“No…it’s…listen.”

Although the tempo varies slightly, this comes across more as an artistic choice than an error. It reminds her of…

Ben.

“Whoever is playing is doing a decent job of it,” Luke whispers.

He’s right. They’re doing a very decent job.

“You haven’t played this for them yet, have you?” Leia’s statement becomes a question as her eyes flicker up to meet Luke’s. Perhaps someone is playing by ear. But Luke is shaking his head mutely, frozen in wonder.

“Maybe someone else is here? It can’t be one of the children.” His voice trails off as the song approaches the third movement with a notable increase in pace and volume.

Moonlight might start slowly in a traditional adagio but the tumultuous, almost violent climax of the third movement, or presto agitato, does not end like a typical sonata.

Together, Luke and Leia creep stealthily to the doorway, watching the skinny little girl at the battered old baby grand. She is undoubtedly playing the piece from memory, but her feet can’t reach the pedals because she is too small, and her arms are stretching to reach the farthest keys.

She finishes with a flourish and sighs, and Luke and Leia’s eyes catch and hold.

They both have the same thought at the same time, but Leia is the one to whisper it aloud.

“She’s a prodigy.”

And she plays like Ben used to. From the heart.

 

Five Years After the One and Only Encore of Kylo Ren, Eternal Hope Orphanage and Private Residence of the Solo Family

Kylo Ren might be long dead, but Ben Solo is very much alive and well.

The explosion to fake his death couldn’t be helped, but Amilyn Holdo convinced Ben that he would only draw his enemies to him if he remained alive for very long. After learning of his almost single-handed role in wiping out the First Order, Leia was worried to death over it. Oh, more villains will undoubtedly step into Snoke’s place, or try to, but this will take time, and for now, Ben is safe and happier than Leia has ever seen him.

Holdo’s deal extended to Phasma as well, and while the Philharmonic and the rest of the world believe she died in surgery after a terrifying attack, in reality, Phasma agreed to work for Amilyn after her full recovery.

“As a private contractor, only,” Phas had insisted in the hospital room. Leia had gone in with Holdo, not eager to let Ben out of her sight after such a long time. Ben and Phasma agreed together that in return for legal immunity, they would provide consultation services for various three-letter government agencies on an as-needed basis.

Leia smiles softly as she watches her grandson pluck the keys of the old piano in the family room.Many years ago, her son had named the instrument the Millennium Falcon, and more recently, he insisted that the piano had many good years left in it. After Ben and Rey took up permanent residence here, with Ben happily giving lessons to any of the children who want to learn about music, and Rey continuing her spectacular career as a violin soloist…when she isn’t pregnant, that is, their own family grew larger with each passing year. Ben is forced to stay entirely out of the spotlight, but Leia suspects he prefers this arrangement, even if he occasionally reminisces about a few of his more infamous performances with a touch too much sentimentality for him to be truly satisfied as a recluse.

But it’s good they’re here, in a place of Eternal Hope.

An ear-splitting screech hits her as Ben strides into the room with his daughter perched on his shoulders as she clings to his hair. He jostles her, and she squeals with delight.

Leia regards her granddaughter with a canny eye. “Ginny! I swear you have the vocal cords of a true prima donna.”

“Are you staying for dinner, Mom? Rey’s not cooking, I promise,” Ben informs her with a grin.

“Hey! I’m right here!” Rey shouts from the other side of the room, crouched in front of the massive bookshelves filled with vinyl records of every musical recording imaginable.

It’s become rather a habit for Leia to stay for dinner at Eternal Hope on Sundays, with mixed results. Somehow whenever Rey helps in the kitchen, there is inevitably some kind of culinary disaster that ultimately results in huge quantities of takeout being ordered.

“I’ll stay,” Leia promises. “If Maz is doing the cooking,” she adds under her breath.

“Chewie’s helping,” Ben grunts, swinging his dark-haired little girl down to the floor.

“Oh, then I’m definitely staying.”

“Found it!” Rey announces, lifting up a record album with a tall, forbidding-looking blonde man on the cover. In the picture, he holds a very recognizable violin. Even in black and white, the tell-tale golden gleam of the Hammer is discernible.

Rey takes the album to the record player, where Luke stands waiting.

“Ah, yes! The Skywalker recording of Sibelius! Thank you, Rey!” Luke exclaims. He takes the album and contemplates it for a moment before sliding the record from its case and placing it on the turntable.

The opening strains of music have just begun to fill the room when a knock sounds faintly at the front door.

“I’ll get it,” Leia volunteers. “I need to stretch my legs.”

She strides to the front entrance and, seeing a tall shadow through the frosted glass, she opens the door. Her shock is immediate, for she recognizes a person she never thought she would see again. The woman before her is very, very tall, possibly taller than Ben. Her sharp blue eyes take in everything at a glance and Leia feels a sudden chill.

“Ginny! Won’t you come in?” Leia invites, opening the door to allow their visitor inside. “You must be freezing out there! Can I take your coat? Won’t you stay for dinner?”

“I need to talk to Ben,” the woman quietly replies. “I’ll only be a minute. I can’t stay long.”

“Ben!” Leia calls over her shoulder. But Ben is already strolling up behind her, patently curious as he approaches the door.

Leia steps back to give him room to talk to their visitor. But she isn’t letting him out of her sight, especially when he asks, “Phas. What are you doing here?”

“I’m calling in a favor. I need your help.”

There is a long pause as the two stare each other down. They won’t say anything in front of her, Leia realizes, and eventually, she turns away to give them a moment.

But not before she overhears, “How do you feel about resurrecting Kylo Ren for a little while?”


 

Notes:

Ahh, the finale! I remember this was one of the first scenes I wrote, even though it was for the end of the fic. A few tiny changes were made, but I kept it very close to the OG, even down to Leia's POV for the epilogue. I mentioned it before, but leaving it open-ended was always part of the plan, in case I ever write a sequel.

In the meantime, thank you, friends, and I hope you enjoyed! I had a wonderful time revisiting this story, written perhaps when I was more of a wide-eyed optimist. I'm still hanging onto that optimism, my dears, and I hope to wrap up more of my WIPs in the coming months before starting something new and very exciting, at least to me, lol. I hope you come on the journey with me, and I thank you for the love and kudos and joy you bring! xoxoxoxo!