Part Four
"I saw..." Rey closed her eyes for a moment as the memories of that night flooded her mind. She was surprised by how vividly she remembered it all. The crackling of the fire, her wet clothes, the sound of his voice and the touch of his hand. Everything about that night...
Flashback
It was ironic, the sound of the pouring rain outside of the hut, reminded Rey of all those nights she spent alone on Jakku. No, it hadn't rained, but it had been just as cold, just as lonely. She remembered praying for her parents to come back, remembered crying herself to sleep, remembered yearning for someone she could talk to. Anyone.
She raised her gaze to look at the man in front of her, the most unlikely of friends. But he was there, somehow, thorough a strange and tenuous Force bond, he was there; and he was more than she had ever had.
"I've never felt so alone," she admitted to him.
His dark eyes softened and he leaned forward, closer to her. "You're not alone," he whispered.
Rey recognised the need in his voice and the look in his eyes, it was the same as hers, it was loneliness. It was an aching need for someone to see, someone to know how it feels. She knew. "Neither are you," she breathed out.
She watched a muscle in his jaw clench, saw his eyes glimmer with the comfort of being understood. This was the most intimate she had been with any human being, ever; and yet it didn't feel close enough. Pulling her hand from underneath the blanket, Rey reached out her hand to him. If he was taken by surprise, he didn't show it; instead, he leaned in even more, as if to close the galaxies-wide distance between them, then swiftly pulled out his glove and discarded it on the floor.
Rey drew in a sharp breath as his naked fingers were moving closer to her. The anticipation made her heart beat so fast she could hear it in her ears. His movements were very slow and deliberate, as if he felt the need to tiptoe around this connection that could so easily be broken. He was moving closer and closer, skin grazing against skin, fingertips almost touching and then...they did. They both drew in a shaky breath, then looked at each other; and there, buried deep into the dark pupils of his eyes, she saw his future, solid and clear.
Rey squeezed her eyes shut, then slowly relaxed them. "I saw myself," she whispered, almost scared to say it out loud.
Rey felt the weight of her words echoing in the room, but Leia was silent. She didn't really want to continue, didn't really want to reveal what she had seen; it felt too personal. But she knew Leia was the only one who could help her, the only one who would understand.
"I saw me, smiling at him and stretching out my hand, and I didn't see him take it but I knew he would," she carried on despite her hesitation. "And then I saw Ben, on his knees, and then the two of us, fighting side by side, both our lightsabers were grey and then, we were together, on Ahch-To, just listening to the waves. Him and I and the Force...we were one."
When Rey finally opened her eyes, Leia was across the room, her hand covering her mouth, looking right at her.
"Thank you, Rey,"she said with gratitude. "I know that wasn't easy for you. But thank you for giving me hope."
Rey only nodded, humbled by the princess' words.
"You know," Leia carried on, motioning to their surroundings, "this planet, is where Ben grew up. I believe that if we are to bring him back, we must bring him here."
Rey felt awful for saying the words she would say next, but she had to voice her fears. "What if we can't bring him back?"
Leia closed her eyes, very briefly, and touched her lips with her fingers as if to stop a whimper from coming out. She drew in a shaky breath before she continued: "Then we must prepare for war! Rey, I'm not foolish enough to wait for the First Order's mercy but will hope against all odds that Ben will come home," Leia's voice was passionate, her eyes fiery. "Now, I know this is much to ask, but I would like you to promise me that you will try to bring my boy home."
Rey got up from her seat and closed the space between them. Taking Leia's hands into her own and gazing directly into her eyes she vowed: "I will do everything that is in my power to bring Ben home!"
