She held out something to him that he felt certain he would never see again. Something that had passed through so many hands, and now lay in hers. The girl looked at him at first with sad eyes. Did some part of her know? Did some part of her recognise him? She held his lightsabre, looked into his eyes, imploring him to help her. Luke's own eyes started to sting with tears as he stared at her. The little girl had grown up. There was so much to her that was the same. An innocence about her. That same pretty face with big eyes. The same hairstyle as that little girl who had been left screaming on Jakku, hoping they would come back to her. Demanding that they not leave her. She was that same little girl, but yet she was not the same. She stood holding his lightsabre, filled with the awoken power of the force. Just that little bit less innocent. Just that little bit tougher and stronger. Abandonment had made her a harder person, but there was still gentleness to her. There was still excitement and passion in her. So he had not broken her entirely.
Luke felt a sharp stab in his heart as he recalled the squirming little girl, fighting so hard to get back aboard the ship that was dropping her off to leave her behind. She had screamed for him to come back. By the way she was looking at him now… He thought that she surely must know it was him that had left her behind. The little girl had shown such clear signs of being force-sensitive. She had been good-natured, and charming, and Luke had doted on her. But things were just starting to go pear-shaped when she was coming to the age of being trained. Ben. He was starting to turn, curdle like milk. Influenced by Snoke. Luke had tried so desperately to stop it. To keep his nephew from becoming what Luke feared the most. Luke had told the tale of his father Anakin as a caution, but it seemed as though Ben ended up idolising his grandfather. And every other child in the care of Luke Skywalker was at risk. Even this little girl, who was almost ready to realise her future. To be shown who she was. Luke saw where Ben was going, saw what could potentially happen. He could stop him, he had to try. But he would not risk the life of this special little girl. His little girl. Her safety had to be his priority. As Luke looked at her now, he knew he had done the right thing. The rest of the children had been slaughtered. But never knew about her. Nobody knew about his little girl. Nobody even knew there had been a woman. Luke had worked so hard to keep it so, for he knew that the Dark Side would come to power again. Luke had always had a target on his back, and that would never change.
There had been a woman. But she was dead now. Died when she gave birth to their daughter. Luke was left with a squalling little human to care for. But he was determined that nobody know about her. For her safety. He didn't even confide in Leia. For all the times she said he didn't understand what it was to be a parent, he had bitten his tongue. He had struggled in silence trying to raise a daughter in secret, learning as he went. He had been a younger man then, it was true. But despite the struggle it was to take care of her, it was the best time in his life. Having this tiny human reach up and wrap her arms around his neck and cling to him with complete love and devotion. Trying to teach her the very basic things, like how to dress herself, how to do her hair herself. Luke had never been great at doing hair, but his little girl had always loved every terrible hairstyle he had given her. He remembered teaching her how to speak to droids, how to fix things up, and even how to fly. Just little small lessons. He had never thought that their time together would be cut so short. If he had known he had only had a finite amount of time with his daughter, he would have told her he loved her more often. Looking at her all grown up he could only feel a bizarre blend of pride and guilt. He could scarcely see her for the tears swimming in his eyes now. Here she was, his little girl, tough and ready to take on the responsibility of being a Jedi. He had missed her so much, but he didn't know what kind of person she was now. Would she be anything like that little girl he had started to raise.
Her face which had looked a bit sad as she held out the sabre, began to smoothen out. She looked determined. Luke didn't know if she recognised him, and he was afraid to ask. She would be so furious with him for leaving her. Would she still want him to teach her then? When she knew he was her father? Had she waited all her life for him to come back for her? He was sick with guilt. He couldn't make himself move to take the sabre from her hand. He was rooted to the spot. What could he possibly say to her to make everything alright? He felt his feet moving, felt himself being drawn closer to her. She had her mother's eyes. He was closer now, and could see her young face. She was a smart girl. She had always been so, but the thrill he felt at seeing that familiar intelligence behind her eyes was incomparable. His remaining hand stretched out to take the sabre from her. His fingers brushed against her skin and the tears in his eyes broke, and poured down his face. His heart gave a jolt. His daughter had come to find him. A part of him thought he would never see her again. He thought that she might have stayed tucked away on Jakku forever, safe and sound. But he supposed he had left that map on Jakku too…
"Rey…." he said, at last. His voice cracking and breaking, thick with tears. His little Rey, all grown up and tough as old nails. What could he say to her? He didn't deserve any forgiveness. He was a terrible father. She looked steadily into his eyes, and didn't seem to be questioning why he knew her name. Looking into his eyes, Luke thought for sure now that she knew. She knew exactly who he was to her. She didn't look angry. She didn't ask why. She simply put her arms around his neck, and hugged herself close to him, like she had done so long ago. Luke thought he would surely die of shock. He never thought he would be held in that way again. Held in the arms of a daughter who loved him. They spoke not a word to each other, but simply held each other. He was the only family she had in the world. And she was the person he cared about the most in the whole galaxy. This was a moment in time that Luke never thought would happen. A moment where he met his daughter Rey all over again.