A/N: This is my first attempt at Reylo fic. This story has been in my head for over a year now, and I finally got the nerve to start writing it down. It takes place following the Last Jedi - how I envision parts of Episode IX. There will be lots of sadness, angst, joy, and yes, eventual smut. Please be patient with me. I have a plan for these two.

Chapter 1: The Weight of the World

"The weight of the world is on top of me and I wouldn't have you anywhere else."

~ Anberlin, "Heavier Things Remain"

Rey felt it. She felt it the very second it happened.

She had been practicing forms with her staff atop the ledge as she did every morning since she'd been back on Ahch-To. The sunrise that morning had been spectacular. The twin suns had streaked colors of gold and amber through the towering clouds as she awakened to greet the new day. Rey had consumed her normal breakfast, retrieved her staff and satchel, and headed up to the cliff she knew all too well. There she sat cross-legged in silent meditation until she could feel the flush of warmth from the rising stars flooding her cheeks. She stood and took her staff in hand, going through the plethora of forms she had fashioned all on her own.

Then, suddenly, Rey felt it again. The sinking feeling in her stomach that something was just not right. The feeling was nothing new. She had felt it before… the very moment Luke Skywalker had passed to the Netherworld of the Force.

She placed her hand to her waist and sank to her knees. The Force rushed through her being like the tide violently crashing to the jagged rocks below. Rey steadied herself with her right hand, her fingers seeking purchase on the hard ground beneath her. The world around her began to shake and hum as if building toward a climax that threatened to shatter her surroundings and send her hurtling into the far reaches of the galaxy.

And then… everything was still and silent. It was like nothing had ever happened and yet it had. A single tear slid down the curve of her cheek and she knew.

General Organa was dead. The leader of the Resistance was dead. Leia was dead.

Her heart ached and she openly wept, leaning back on her knees and screaming with as much force as her lungs would allow. The echoes of her cry soon returned and she collapsed against the stony slab atop the cliff. She felt rage, grief, and resentment all at once. It was as if her parents had abandoned her all over again. She was now truly alone.

You're not alone.

Rey remembered his husky, deep voice as it resounded inside the chambers of her mind. Her body jerked upright at the thought of him.

Ben Solo. Kylo Ren. Whatever name you chose to call him, it made no difference. Rey was still angry at him for rejecting her and choosing the Dark over the Light. She had been so convinced that she would be the one to save him, to pull him out of the darkness and bring him into atonement. After he'd killed Snoke in order to save her, she knew he would surely follow her back to the Resistance. But no, what a fool she had been. He had chosen his fate long ago. She had failed. She had failed the Resistance. She had failed Leia. Ultimately, she had failed herself.

And he had also betrayed her. Sold her out to the First Order as a murderer. Falsely accused her of killing the Supreme Leader when he knew good and well it was he who had done the deed. In turn, he'd seized the opportunity to take the throne for himself. Word had spread quickly throughout the galaxy over the past six months of the rebel who took down the Supreme Leader, the orphan girl from Jakku. A bounty was set on her head and hunters were out in full force seeking her whereabouts, forcing her into exile to the farthest place she knew existed. The only other person who had seen the island was him. He'd seen it in her mind, caught glimpses of it through their bond. His treachery cut through her like a knife once more at the thought. She cursed herself for allowing him to see her at her most vulnerable.

Then, she felt it. Like the ghost of a hand resting on her shoulder. The weight of it was so real, but it couldn't be. Rey was the only person on the island beside the Lanai, the island caretakers, who never bothered her during her early morning routine. She drew in a sharp breath, careful not to move in fear that it may disappear. Overwhelming calm coursed through her being, radiating out from her shoulder all the way to her fingers and toes.

It was Leia. Rey closed her eyes and swore she could even smell her floral perfume. How was it even possible.

"What has come has now passed. The present is all we have." Leia's voice was low and serene. It was the most beautiful sound Rey had ever heard. "Rey, you have everything you need. The time has come."

Rey saw a vision of her broken saber. Whether the image was placed there by Leia or Rey had willed it into her mind herself, she didn't know. But she knew in an instant what she had to do.

Still, she hesitated.

"But I don't know how," Rey protested, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Luke is gone. You're gone. Ben has… I don't have anyone to show me."

"You do know," Leia responded, her sweet voice swiftly changing to exasperation.

Rey's mind immediately shifted to an image of the ancient Jedi texts she had stowed away aboard the Millennium Falcon. Of course, the old books could show her how, and she could repair anything set before her, but how would she even begin to read them? She only knew a handful of languages and most of those were native to Jakku. She couldn't possibly be able to decipher an ancient text.

"May the Force be with you always, Rey," Leia spoke once more and then her presence faded. The weight of the hand on her shoulder lifted.

It seemed like hours had passed when Rey finally opened her eyes. She blinked furiously and wiped away her tears, wondering if it had all been a dream. She stood and peered out toward the other islands that peppered the distance between hers and the horizon. She could feel the hum of the shattered saber calling to her from the satchel as it rested on a nearby perch. Turning, she moved closer toward the thrumming sound and reached out her head. The stone perch instantly started to rattle, spilling the contents of the satchel onto the ledge, including the twin shards of the saber. They made a clanging sound as they landed on the stone, rolling to a stop right at her feet. Rey bent down and retrieved the two halves, one in each hand. Taking a deep breath, she gathered up her belongings and headed back down the cliff.

A million thoughts swirled inside her head. Her experience with Leia on the ledge had left her dazed. The weight of the galaxy was now on top of her and she knew it. She felt confused, scared, unworthy… how was she supposed to rebuild the saber and defeat the First Order single-handedly? The Resistance had shrunk immensely in numbers to only a handful of weary soldiers and wannabe rebels. The battle on Crait had left her feeling hopeless that they could ever succeed.

And those dark, downtrodden eyes… those eyes that had peered up at her with such hurt and yet so much expectancy as she ushered the others aboard the Falcon. For a moment, she had thought he might change his mind and come with her, but it was too late. She literally had closed the door on that chapter of her life and never looked back.

Rey shook away the memory and then realized he might be the only one who could help her now. She wondered briefly if he too felt the moment his mother had passed. She silently hoped he wasn't the perpetrator behind her death. She hoped it wouldn't send him spiraling further into darkness.

After a few minutes, her feet found the base of the cliff and began the descent down the beach toward the Falcon. The slosh of the current and the distant sound of screeching porgs provided the soundtrack for her journey, doing little to calm her nerves as she neared the massive ship.

Rey.

The sound of her name almost like a whisper made her stop dead in her tracks. She knew that voice. She could feel the Force bond opening and she almost felt lightheaded.

This can't be happening, she thought angrily, dismissing his voice, and continued on her way toward the Falcon.

Rey!

The voice was now one of desperation. Rey immediately felt the overwhelming feeling of dread. She paused and looked up toward the sky. Just as she did, the clouds abruptly parted and a black mass cut through the sky like meteor headed right for the island.

Rey gasped and watched as it spun out of control, leaving a trail of smoke and fire in its wake.

Dropping her belongings, she promptly ran toward the doomed spacecraft as it hurled toward the water just off shore. The ocean below greeted the unknown ship with a violent splash within seconds, causing Rey to hold up her hands to shield herself from the inevitable spray of debris. When the shock of the impact had passed, her chest heaving breathlessly, Rey peered through her fingers at the black ship as it slid with the current toward the sand.

A shiver shot through her being. It was a First Order TIE-Fighter. But not just any TIE-Fighter.

It was his.

~.~

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave kudos and/or comment to let me know what you think. I hope to update every week going forward. I'm also on Twitter if you'd like to chat - DazzledbyJake.