"Ɩ want to go with the troops," Ben told his father and the General.

"Ben..." his mother began.

"It's the least I can do after everything that has happened."

"Ben it's too dangerous," his mother interrupted.

"I will be in no more danger than the soldiers fighting at my side," Ben replied.

"I'm afraid that you will be. We have forgiven you, but I fear that many of the warriors have not, they blame you for this war. I fear that you would be in danger from both sides."

"Your mother is right, Ben," Han agreed.

"And if Snoke meant what he said, there's no telling what he will do to you if you show up with our army, " Leia added, her voice filled with concern.

"We can't risk our plans falling into enemy hands," the General spoke up as if he believed Ben might sell them out to Snoke.

"You don't trust me?" Ben asked.

Han and Leia glared at the General, and he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"We do trust you Ben," said Leia.

Han glanced at the General. "Give us a moment."

"Yes, your majesty," he answered, stepping away.

"In fact that is part of the reason we can't let you go," Han placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "There's something that we need you to do, and you are the only one we can trust enough to send."

"What is it?" Ben asked.

"We haven't heard anything from your uncle in months and I am beginning to worry about him," Leia replied.

"As you know he is training young boys to become knights, and in truth we are low on men to fight against Snoke's army. We need Luke and any of his students who are old enough to join the war," Han added.

Ben nodded. "I will see it done."

Han looked over at his daughter-in-law, then back at Ben.

"I think you should take Rey with you, Ben," Han whispered.

"But it will be too dangerous..." Ben began.

"Rey's not defenseless, Ben, she's fought to survive since she was seven years old," Han interrupted.

"I know, I just don't want her to get hurt, I don't want to lose her."

Han nodded. "She will be safer with you than she will be here. Once Snoke finds out how much you care about her, there's no telling what he might do to her in revenge because you have betrayed him. We have no choice but to send all but a minimum amount of warriors to Mustafar, already Snoke's spies have slipped into the castle." Han looked over at the General who stood on the other side of the room. "What's worse is that we don't know who we can trust, I knew Hux and Phasma, their parents were my friends. Snoke's servants may already be among us."

"Is that the reason you're sending me away?" Ben asked.

Leia nodded. "To protect you... and Rey. You are the future of Alderaan, if we lose you all hope is lost. I know what Snoke will do when he discovers your betrayal, he will try to kill you and the one you love most." She looked at Rey meaningfully. "If the battle goes ill, Snoke will come here and he will kill you. But if he doesn't, I fear one of our own will blame you and kill you themselves."

Ben nodded. He knew they were right. How many times had Snoke threatened to kill everyone he loved if he failed him? "What about you? Snoke will come for you too, I know he will."

"Our place is here Ben, if we leave the castle Snoke will overtake the throne," said Leia.

"The throne isn't worth dying for," Ben answered, tears threatening to enter his eyes at the thought of his mother being killed.

Leia took her son's hand and looked into his dark eyes. "I'm not risking my life for the throne, Ben, I'm risking my life for my people, for Alderaan.... but most of all for you Ben, for your future. I love you Ben... more than anything, more than life. It's my fault that you, that he forced you into this war, I didn't protect enough before but I will now."

Ben felt tears stinging his eyes and spilling down his cheeks. He thought that they didn't care about him, they sent him to train with his uncle when he was very young. When his training was complete and he returned to the castle, they had sent him to Snoke, one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom for further training. It had made him feel like no matter what he did he wasn't good enough for them.

Then Snoke had abused him both physically and emotionally. He always found something cruel to say about him, that he wasn't good enough and never would be. Then he had given up twelve years of his life serving Snoke, he knew that if he didn't Snoke would kill his family. He had heard many people say that his parents would never forgive him, that they would never love him again... and he believed them.

Leia saw the tears on her son's face, and she reached up to gently wipe them away.

Ben leaned down and hugged his mother tightly.

"You have to leave, Ben... for us," she whispered.

"You and Rey are all we have, Ben. We love Rey as if she was our own daughter," Han told him. "That's why we wanted you to marry her. Your mother and I love you and Rey more than anything else."

Ben smiled sadly. "Thank you father, though I feel that I don't deserve her."

Han laughed softly. "I don't deserve your mother either, but I do need her."

Ben nodded, he felt the same way about Rey.

"Ben will you do this for us?" Leia asked.

"I can't leave you," Ben whispered.

"You have to," Han replied. "We need you to bring Luke and his students back, it's our only hope of stopping Snoke."

"And Luke may be in serious danger, I sent him a letter telling him that you were home and that you were married, and I've received no reply," said Leia.

"The Luke I knew would have came right away, he would have wanted to welcome you," Han smirked. "And tease you about getting married."

Ben smirked, knowing that he was right, Luke would definitely find someway to tease him about Rey.

His father grew serious. "It's been too long."

Ben nodded, knowing that his father was right. "I will go. And I will be back as soon as possible," he promised.

"Don't tell anyone where you're going," Leia warned.

Ben nodded.

"You need to take one of the servants with you to help you prepare your meals and guards to protect all of you, but it will have to be someone you can trust," Leia said.

"... with your life," Han added gravely.

"Finn, Rose and Poe," Ben answered, confidently. Finn and Rose were his friends and he knew he could trust them. He didn't know Poe very well, but he was Finn and Rey's friend, so he knew that he could trust him. Poe might not like him very much, but he would do anything for Rey and Finn.

Leia smiled. "I thought you might say that."

"When should we leave?"

"Tomorrow," Leia replied in a low voice.

Ben hugged them both, in case he wouldn't get to say goodbye later on. "I know that I haven't been a good son, but I love you both with all of my heart."

"Oh Ben, you are a wonderful son. You were just misled. Your father and I have always known that the choices you made weren't really your's but the circumstances that...that we put you in, " Leia answered.

"Please don't blame yourself, mother, " he replied.

She nodded, sighing deeply.