A New Family

I look out over the crowd, not really seeing any them, all I see is Rey. She's wearing a flowing white gown with gold accents and yellow flowers on it, making her look like an extension of the rays of sunlight now setting on the horizon behind her. Her hair is pinned up with light curls hanging down around her face and her smile brighter than any sun could ever be.

BB-8 rolls down the aisle between the rows of chairs on either side, dropping small white petals of flowers onto the narrow purple carpet that runs towards the small platform I'm standing on with Finn, Master T'hakud and Mom.

Everyone stands and turns to face Rey. The flute player stops and the string instruments begin a new song, one that's both sad and happy in their sound. Rey walks forward, following after BB-8. She looks only at me. I know her parents are in the crowd, but she doesn't. Mom said she would cry all of her sparkling make-up off if we announced her parent's presence to her before the vows. I glance to the front Row. There's no mistaking who Rey's parents are. Her mother is beautiful, the very image of a queen. I can tell even by the way she stands, facing away from me now to watch Rey walk down the aisle, that she's just like Rey. Her father has bags under his eyes from all that they've been through, his shoulders slumped as he wipes at his eyes.

I look back to Rey, my eyes burning with tears as well. She simply smiles and glides down the aisle, aware only of me, tears glistening in her eyes. Her dad pulls her mom into an embrace as she passes by.

Finn hurries down the small platform to help BB-8 up. Once she's on the platform she rolls to the other side to stand beside Mom. Finn returns to my side and Master T'hakud opens his arms to welcome Rey as she steps up to join me. The music stops and Rey turns to face me.

"Welcome guests and family," Master T'hakud nods to Rey's parents and my heart pounds. She shouldn't have to wait any longer. Her reunion with her parents is more important than my union with her right now, which can wait. I take Rey's hands in mine. I need to tell her.

"We are gathered here today," Master T'hakud continues. "To witness the union of Ben Solo and Rey..." he pauses.

"Gowron," Rey's mother says. All heads turn to her. "Rey, Rita, Gowron."

Rey glances over as well. There is a moment of silence, the only sound that of the tent's gentle flapping in the breeze.

"... Mom?" Rey says in a small voice. Her tiny hands slip from mine as she turns. "Dad?" Rey's shoulders shake and my chest tightens. I don't think she can walk down to them.

Her mom and dad step forward and I can tell they're still weak as they try to go up onto the platform. I reach out my hand to steady them with my force energy, my vision blurred now with tears. They both open their arms to Rey and hug her. She lowers to her knees and they do too, all three of them hugging. I step back, wiping the tears from my eyes. The sound of Rey's muffled sobs tear at my heart. Her mom lifts her tear streaked face, looking up at me. She reaches her hand out and I move in closer. She takes my hand and I feel her Force energy, strong even though her grasp is weak. She's the one who passed her Force sensitivity down to Rey, just like my mom passed it down to me. She pulls on my hand and I get down on my knees too with them. Rey is sobbing but she senses me beside her and pulls me into their hug. Master T'hakuddoesn't have to say the vows for us to know that we're a family now.