How it hurt to know that it had been Snoke that had joined them. It felt natural and it felt right that they were able to speak to each other in their minds at miles and lightyears away. Ben had cut his father down and he'd aimed at his mother in sky but he missed. But even though she survived, he was still cold. His blood had run cold and his mind had turned dark the day he awoke to his uncle standing over him with fear in his eyes and a drawn lightsaber in his hand. His intention was to murder him even though his choice had not yet been made. The darkness was alluring and seductive and it called to Ben but he could have denied its enchantments. But he'd been given up on so early and so easily that he turned quickly albeit hesitantly. The son of darkness was at least someone's son, someone's family, someone that was important to someone else. And in the darkest hour, the force in Rey arose. The universe always needed balance. The son of darkness needed the daughter of light. She was alone in the world. She was orphaned time and time again as she kept finding mentors and they kept leaving her. But she didn't hate the person who kept taking them from her. She was bound to him, possibly before Snoke joined their minds.
She'd asked him to join her and he asked her to join him but how could either of them say yes? She wanted him to turn himself over to the side where he'd butchered thousands and he wanted her to turn against literally everyone and only exist for him or perhaps just for the both of them. She'd never had family before and so it was a seductive proposal. He was literally offering her the world. No, he was offering the universe. They were the two most powerful people in the entirety of the galaxy. They'd have been drawn together sooner or later but how it hurt that it had been Snoke.
She rejected him and he tried to shoot her down but he knew that he'd miss. They were connected. He could feel her every intention. He could sense where she wasn't and so that's where he aimed. And so he watched her flee, taking the rest of the Resistance with her. And when everyone was inside the ship she hid herself away to mourn the loss of yet another family.
"Ben," she whispered as she knelt down by herself in the darkness.
She didn't know if he'd answer. He had no reason to since she'd just betrayed him, but she hoped that he would. He was the only one that spoke to her about things other than the war, the Order, the Resistance. He talked to her about fears, about abandonment, about pain and about wanting love. His black and her white were starting to grey. He had a good heart but he just did terrible things.
"Rey," came the deep, familiar voice that dissipated quickly into the air. "It's not too late. Join me. Please."
"I'm afraid it is too late," Rey replied.
She searched for his eyes in the dark but she couldn't see them. He wasn't there. It was only his voice.
"We were meant to be with each other. We both saw it. I know that you did. Why fight destiny? We're weak to it but together we could be strong. We could make our own destiny," Ben said.
The darkness would be so easy to walk into to. It'd be like walking in space amongst the stars. People are not meant to only be good. It takes effort and strength. But Rey didn't owe the universe anything. It'd never given her anything after all. She could build for herself the world she had always wanted with someone who truly wanted and needed her.
"Don't ask me again, Ben," Rey told him. "I can't bear it."
Rey could feel his gloved hand brush her cheek. When it came away, he looked down and saw a few of her tears running down the black leather.
"Do you deny that were meant to be together?" Ben asked.
"No. But I -"
"But what? It seems so simple. We saw it. Don't deny me because I know that's not what's in your heart. I can see that you want this too. We're connected for a reason," Ben pleaded.
"Snoke connected us."
"But he's dead and here we still are. We're connected," Ben snapped. "So do you still deny it?"
"I don't," Rey conceded. "Your power is unimaginable. You are more powerful than your uncle or your grandfather ever were."
"Why do you bring them up?!" Ben shouted.
"Because there's no way the universe could allow one person to have all of that power. It needs balance and so I was created for you. I was made for you. I am the antidote to your darkness and so no I don't deny that we are meant to walk amongst the stars together but I cannot join you. I cannot because we would destroy everything in our path. The force between us would create some other entity because the universe craves balance. We'd destroy the universe and then destroy ourselves in the process," Rey cried.
"Then it'd be a beautiful death!" Ben snarled. "Maybe the universe deserves to die! What has it ever given you?!"
Rey flinched at his sudden volume, "It's given me you."
Ben quieted down, "I don't want to be alone anymore."
"Be strong, my dark prince."
"I'm stronger with you."
"Then I must stay away," Rey replied.
Rey felt his presence leave her and she felt the loneliness creep back in.