She didn't see Leia again that day or for the next three days after, and actually made a point of avoiding her. Anytime she heard her voice she ducked into one of the side halls or another storage room to stay away from her. She didn't know how she was going to apologize, what to say, or when. She knew she had to though. She hadn't meant what she had said, she had been angry at herself and the entire situation and for a moment, had forgotten what Luke had taught her about balance within herself.

Leia knew that Rey was avoiding her. Even though she didn't use her powers much, she could still sense the guilt and sorrow from her every time she rounded a corner and expected her to be there. She hadn't seen the young woman when meal times rolled around. Nor had she seen her in the water storage. Despite trying her best to stay angry at the Jedi, she found herself beginning to worry. As she readied for bed, she thought about how she was going to find Rey and talk to her in the morning. She didn't expect to hear a knock at her door. Opening it, revealed a pale and tear stained face with hazel eyes. Leia looked her over and came to the startling realization that Rey hadn't been eating, or sleeping, since their argument.

"I'm sorry." Rey whispered. "I am so sorry. I don't know why I said those things. I know I shouldn't have, but I was so angry-"

"At who?" Leia asked. She stood her ground, not allowing Rey to enter her room or even offering her a hug.

"Myself. I know that I lashed out and I hurt you. I just wanted to tell you, I'm sorry. I truly am." Rey turned and before Leia could stop her, sprinted down the hall.

Leia watched as Rey ducked into a lavatory and the door slid shut behind her. The General grabbed her robe from the bed and walked to the door that she had just watched the young woman run into. She stood at the locked door, and leaned her head against the panel. She could hear heaving coming from within and knocked slowly. The door opened, just in time for Rey to hit her knees and start retching into the basin again. Her hair fell around her face and Leia felt like crying. She walked over and knelt next to her friend, pulling her hair away from her face. She ran a soothing hand down a spine that she could feel far too many bones protruding from. She could here choked apologies coming from the young woman.

"It's alright, Rey, just breathe. How long has it been since you last ate?" She noticed that there was nothing coming out of the young girls system.

They waited for the Jedi to regain control of herself and sit back against the wall. "I don't know." she whispered. "I think it was, maybe four days, no, no it was five days ago."

"Rey," came the gentle chastisement. "How long have you been sick?"

"I'm ok. This was the first time I actually threw up. I am sorry, General. I-"

"Leia."

"What?"

"My name is Leia. I'd prefer it if you called me by my name. Listen to me Rey, I am incredibly angry about the things you said. I am not ready to forgive you for it, yet, but that doesn't mean you need to avoid me, or starve yourself. What were you thinking?" Leia demanded.

"I wasn't. That was kind of the point. I spent the last few days working on the ship, and meditating, not thinking. I haven't really done anything else." She whispered against her sore throat. "I didn't want to fall asleep and risk that dream again. Hunger, I have learned, is really good at keeping a person awake at night. So I meditated instead."

"You can't do that. You need your rest, just like the rest of us do. You can't starve yourself. You have to take care of yourself. What would we do without you?"

"The Resistance would carry on, even if I wasn't here. So it really doesn't matter." Rey whispered. "I told you before, I'm a nobody. There might be a few people who would miss me, but they would get over it quickly." she didn't know how tears could fall from a body as dehydrated as hers, but they did.

"Come on." Leia helped her stand and dragged the young woman back to her room.

"I shouldn't be in here." Rey whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because I upset you. This is your personal room. The only place you can really be alone." She stood meekly by the door, watching as Leia moved around the room gathering the couple of food rations she had stored in there and a bottle of water.

"You need to eat and you need water. I have both readily available." The elder of the two steered the younger towards her bed and sat her down. "Eat, drink, then we'll talk." Rey could only nod in response.

While she ate, she watched Leia brush her hair, and clean her teeth, before washing her face and joining her on the bed as she finished the ration and her water. Rey sat silently, waiting for Leia to reprimand her for her actions over the last few days. Instead, the General turned and faced Rey's side, placing her head on the bony shoulder. Neither moved or spoke for a long time. They just sat there, in the dark, listening to each other breathe.

"Rey, I know you aren't used to having people care about you, but like it or not, I do, Finn and Po do, Rose does. Don't starve yourself. I don't care how many fights we get into, please, don't make yourself sick." The plea was whispered against the bare skin of the Jedi's arm. "Don't hurt yourself because we had an argument."

"Ok," was the only response that was given.

"Will you talk to me now? Tell me what you were so angry about?"

Rey paused, she wasn't sure what to tell her. She had been angry about the entire situation. A secret she had kept for years was suddenly known by someone else. She had never intended for another living being to know that she had killed that man, but now, now Leia wanted her to talk about it and be open with her and she wasn't sure how. "I was angry at myself. I didn't want anyone to know about what I did. When I pulled you into that nightmare, when you found out what I had done, you reacted completely opposite of what I expected." she whispered.

"What did you expect?" Leia looked up at her, curious.

"I don't know. Anger, disgust at best. Hatred at worst. I didn't know what to do with myself when you were so understanding and comforting. I was confused and angry that you knew to begin with and, and I lashed out."

"You expected me to hate you? Because you defended yourself against an attacker who was trying to hurt you? Rey, I couldn't hate you for that. You have-"

"I know. I know now, anyway. Just like I know you love your son. I shouldn't have said the things I did, Leia. I just hope that someday you can forgive me," she stood. "Thank you, for the food. I should go." She started for the door.

"Is running away a common Jedi trait? Between you and my brother I am beginning to think that is what the Jedi are good at."

"What?" the young woman turned back around, looking at the elder one, sitting cross legged on the bed with her back to her.

Leia sighed. She wasn't sure what it was about the young Jedi, but she didn't want to be angry with her anymore. "I forgive you, Rey. Come sit back down."

The hazel eyed girl did as she was told, this time facing the woman. "You forgive me?"

"Yes, but don't ever say something like that again. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good. Where have you been sleeping?" Leia reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from the other woman's face.

"I haven't been, remember? I stay down in one of the repair holes when I meditate at night, but I haven't been sleeping. I did finish repairing my lightsaber, though." Rey leaned her face into Leia's hand. It felt good, to let another person touch her, to have someone touch her so gently.

" I am glad that you managed to fix it. You are going to need it. Do you want to stay here?" The older of the two asked.

Rey chuckled softly, "Not unless you are going to let me sleep on the floor."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I am not going to take your bed from you, Leia. That's not fair." The young woman whispered. She felt Leia's hand move over her hair, and reached up, catching the slim wrist and pulling her hand back to her cheek, turning her nose into her wrist and inhaling that calming scent again. She felt a gentle push on her mind and looked up into a pair of dark brown eyes watching her closely. Slowly, giving Leia plenty of time to pull away is she wanted, Rey planted a soft kiss on the soft skin of her wrist.

Leia's breath hitched in her throat at the gently pressure from chapped lips. "We can't-"

"Good night, Leia." Rey whispered, standing. "Get some sleep, and don't worry about me. I'll find somewhere to sleep tonight." she left the room quickly and leaned her head back against the wall outside the General's door. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest and she frowned, trying to figure out where that had come from. What in Kriff's name had she just done?

Ben. Are you there? She reached out for the only person she thought she could speak to about this.

Yes, Rey. I'm here.

I apologized to your mother.

How did it go?

I'm not sure. She was worried about me. I haven't really slept, or eaten since we had that argument. Rey pushed herself away from the wal and walked to the smallest supply room, the one no one wanted to sleep in, and slipped inside. There were boxes piled all over the room and she climbed over a few to the back of the small space and sat against the wall, on the floor.

That's enough to make me worry, too. Are you alight?

I think so, but I did something, and I don't know why.

What did you do? His voice in her head was curious and a little cautious.

I kissed her.

YOU KISSED MY MOTHER?! Rey almost laughed at how shocked and grossed out he sounded.

I kissed her wrist. She was holding my face in her hand and she was worrying about where I was going to sleep tonight, and I just did it. I don't even know why.

Okay. Rey, you are my friend, and if my mother is who makes you happy, then I am happy for you and I will defend your relationship to the death, but please, don't give me any details about it.

WHAT?! What relationship? Ben, we aren't together.

What do you feel when you think of her?

My head starts spinning and my heart feels like it is about to jump out of my chest.

And when you were fighting, you felt like all the light in the world had left you, like there was a gaping hole in your chest that you would never be able to fill again, right?

Were you spying on me?

No Rey, I wasn't spying on you. But I did check in on you a few times. I hate to be the bearer of this news, but it sounds like you are falling in love with my mother.

I can't be. I have only known her for a few weeks. We have only been in each other's company for a month or so. I can't be falling in love with her. Can I?

That is for you to decide. I can't tell you for sure. You will have to talk to her about it.

Okay. Thank you, Ben, for listening.

You're welcome. Go to sleep now.

Alright.