Kylo Ren was having a terrible day. Hux had gone for a mission to some distant planet, Darth knows where. Phasma had informed him his last mission had failed miserably, and he was sure Snoke would be furious. He hadn't MEANT to kill his dad- no, Solo. Not his dad. Never his dad. It hurt too much.
The voice in the back of his head- the one he had taken up referring to as 'Ben', the wholesome voice that reminded him of his past self, wouldn't shut up. No amount of listening to the Dark side or meditation or whatever else would make it go away. He was *this* close to destroying another control panel, but the paperwork for that had been terrible to fill out.
Ren was currently lying on his bed, absolutely exhausted. There hadn't, honestly, been a point in the last who-knows-how-long where he hadn't been utterly exhausted. The door opened. Even in his bleary, half-asleep state Kylo registered this was NOT something that should be happening.
He stretched out his hand, ready to choke whatever foolish stormtrooper had bothered him against strict orders, checking quicklyder with his force to make sure it wasn't the familiar presence of Hux or Phasma.
But the actual mind he bumped into was strong, Force sensitive, and most suprisingly, familiar.
"Mothe- General," said Ren in a slightly choked voice, before composing himself and continuing.
"Ben," said Leia. Her voice was gentle, like very few voices he had heard in the past years. How long had it been?
Never mind that, he thought sharply.
"You're not supposed to be here," said Kylo.
Leia made an expression which Kylo very highly felt like revealed she was restraining herself from yelling 'NO, REALLY.'
But, to her credit, she didn't.
"I came to get my son back," she whispered.
"I'm not your son anymore," said Kylo, not sure whether this was to convince Leia or himself.
"You could be," she said.
That voice, that blasted voice in the back of his head that never went away, urged him to consider her point.
"I killed him," said Kylo, his voice more strangled than he would have liked.
"Was the choice involved yours or his?" asked Leia.
"Honestly, Mot- General. You shouldn't be here," said Kylo.
"Neither should you," said Leia, and his tongue wasn't working.
"Come with me," she said, incredibly softly, but with a bit of sternness, in that tone only Leia could achieve.
"Come home," she repeated, and now his thoughts weren't working either.
"Chewie misses you," said Leia, and now the tears streaking Kylo's cheeks CERTAINLY didn't belong to him. He did, however, accept the warm and familiar hand offered to him. As Leia, his... mother? Mother, he supposed, if he was going to accept the only offer he'd have. The voice in his head cheered, whooping loudly.
But there was something... His processing system wasn't working.. Snoke. His insides were reduced to jelly. There was no running. The Sith he served possessed pure, undiluted power.
Leia looked at his wide, terrified eyes, and mistook the fear.
"Everyone will accept you. I'm sure. I'll kick their butts if they don't, as the kids say," said Leia. This did nothing to calm Kylo.
"Snoke?" he asked, not sure what the question was. But Leia understood. "I promise, if you aren't lying, and he ever gets within fifteen feet of you ever again, I will borrow one of Rey's staffs, and both her and I will go beat him down," said Leia. Kylo laughed at the mental image. Actually laughed. It felt so right, so natural.
Kylo let himself be maneuvered through the halls by his mother. Mother, he tentatively thought, he still had a mother. Ben Solo smiled for the first time in years as he saw the Millennium Falcon waiting outside in all its chrome glory. Kylo Ren disappeared, just for a moment. But Leia noticed, and Leia had hope.