Author's Note: I do not own Star Wars.

Together, We Are Free

The next few hours were a blur. One second he was in the General's embrace, the next he was seated, his wound being checked and tended to. However, any pain he would have felt was ignored, as his eyes never left Rey. He had failed her. He could use the force strongly, yet when he was angry and focused on her, his mind struggled to comprehend their surroundings.

He should have protected her. He was a failure. He always would be.

As his tears stopped flowing, he realised where he was. This was his enemy's base. The very enemy he had ordered the complete annihalation of only a day before. The General. He had hugged her. He had hugged his mother.

He looked at her then, where she was still in front of him, while his wound was being bandaged again. As few as the rebels were now, they lacked the equipment and technology for modern medicine, having to use much older techniques.

Her face betrayed nothing, but he could see the glint of relief in her eyes. Anger. Regret. Guilt.

"Ben..." she started, only to close her mouth again, unable to form the remainder of her sentence.

Finn came over to them, well, the General, he tried to avoid the Supreme Leader as much as he could.

Rey, and surviving was their priority right now.

"She's stable," he began, quickly glancing to his enemy before returning his eyes to the General. "She's unconscious still, but all she has to worry about is a cauterized blast to the shoulder."

The guilt flowing through Ben erupted like a volcano. He had failed her twice now. First, when he had nearly killed her by strangulation, and now, by failing to protect her.

Looking back in her direction, she was unconscious, her shoulder now bandaged, mild blood stains still remaining. The longing to be by her side overtook him, and it must have shown not just in his eyes, but on his face to, for those around him looked shocked.

Yes, the monster has emotions too, Ben thought.

"Go to her," his mother spoke calmly. As he turned to look at her, he could see the understanding in her eyes, but he could tell that they would be sitting down for a serious talk at the next available opportunity. She would never stop being his mother, no matter how much he tried to insist that she meant nothing to him.

It had all been lies. Ben Solo was alive. Ben Solo was here.

Approaching Rey cautiously, Ben saw the other rebels around him move away, as though a force field existed around him. He could see the looks on their faces in his peripheral vision. Disgust. Anger. Even fear, but he could not find it within him to care.

Rey.

She looked pale, yet peaceful. He found himself wishing that they had just stayed in that cave.

He pulled an old chair beside her and sat himself in it, taking her hand immediately without conscious thought. At the touch of her skin, he took a sharp intake of breath.

He clutched her hand firmly, positioned as though they were about to arm wrestle. He laughed quietly through his tears at the thought. He remembered arm wrestling as a kid, with his father, and Chewie. The fur ball always let him win, followed by messing up his hair. He had been his best friend, until he was sent away to Luke. He hadn't seen him since.

As he felt her hand tighten his own, his own mind froze and his eyes immediately focused on her face.

"Rey," he whispered gently.

Her eyes fluttered open, scanning her surroundings, taking one glance at him and focusing there.

A tear escaped her eye, as she attempted to surpress a sob, causing him to rise from his seat and sit next to wear she lay, wiping the tears away form her face.

"Ben," she croaked, her confusion evident.

"I know, know," he started shyly. "You were right."

Seeing him so openly emotional, so caring, she knew immediately what he meant. She was right when she had said that Ben Solo was alive. He was right in front of her, not just in Kylo's eyes, or on his face, but wholly, with no Kylo in sight.

Smiling together simultaneously. The rebel's watching them warily shared looks of confusion and utter shock.

As darkness fell upon the planet, as it embraced nighttime, Rey was asleep, Ben still at her side, holding her hand.

The rebel's had avoided them, as much as possible. The only people coming near, being those who were checking her bandages. They just could not comprehend what was happening. The Supreme Leader of the First Order was in their hide out, but he wasn't trying to kill them. He showed deep feelings for their last hope. The fact that he had feelings at all was the most shocking detail.

He saw him approach in his peripheral vision, before he turned to look at him. His free hand folding in to a fist.

The Pilot.

"So," he started. "You and Rey, huh?"

His hands were in his pockets, and he clearly looked like he didn't want to be there.

Ben just ignored him, returning his gaze to Rey. She looked so peaceful as she slept.

Hearing the Pilot release a loud sigh, Ben's fist twitched slightly. Why wouldn't he go away?

"Look," the Pilot started, causing Ben to jump out of his chair, his fist at his side ready to strike if necessary. This surprised the Pilot, but he didn't back away, he simply looked at Rey, and their still joined hands.

"You're hurting her," he said bluntly, his eyes refusing to meet the Supreme Leader's.

Returning his gaze to Rey, and their joined hands, Ben saw that in his anger, he was squeezing her hand bruisingly tight. This caused him to release her hand immediately, as though he had been burned. He could not allow her to get hurt. Not again.

As he stared at Rey, his guilt evident, Poe returned his eyes to him. He looks so overwhelmingly human, Poe thought. When Ben returned to look at him, Poe only nodded and retreated back to the other rebel's.

Over in another corner of the bunker, a radio was being used to once again attempt to get help. They knew it was futile, after what had occured on Crait, but with so much hope, they had to try.

Suddenly, a message came through. A message that was being transmitted across every single frequency.

Amlifying the volume of radio as high as it could go, the sound of the message echoed through the bunker, causing everyone to turn their attention to the radio.

Amidst the static, the general context of the message came through.

"...The First Order...Supreme Leader Ren is dead..."

Almost immediately, everyone returned their gaze to Ben, who was still watching Rey, who had awoken just before the message had played.

They had presumed he was dead, because he had not returned with them during their retreat. Considering that the last time any storm troopers had seen him, he had been on the floor, bleeding from his side, he couldn't blame them for the presumption.

She looked worried. She felt worried too, Ben could feel it through their bond. Worried that he would retreat back in to Kylo, return to the First Order.

She sat up, a hiss escaping her, causing Ben to place his hands on her shoulders to restrain her from moving too much and damaging her wound.

"Ben-'' he cut her off, by placing his lips over her own, causing her eyes to flutter shut and a startled gasp to escape her. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes shut, while hers remained open.

"When I saw you on the ground," he started, evidently nervous due to his lack of eye contact and gulping. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Ben."

"I thought you were going to die."

She immediately returned to silence.

"I have realised that I was Kylo Ren, but not with you. Never with you. I am Ben Solo. Kylo Ren was just an image I conjured myself. I have always been Ben Solo, but I will never be completely enveloped by light. I get angry, I hurt people. I will never be able to be just one side of the force, but you..." Pausing, he reached up to caress her cheek in his head, feeling tears running down it.

"You balance me. Gods, Rey. When I thought I had lost you, only to realise that I hadn't, that you were alive. Something within me broke. Force, I hugged my mother, I admitted that Ben Solo is alive!"

Opening his eyes, he looked in to hers.

"I cannot be with you."

Seeing the awe on her face, silenced him. Despite the tears, the bandages, the surrounding rebels, she still managed to look beautiful.

"I will never not have dark within me, Rey." Her face became blank, her eyes turning away from his gaze. "But you are my light."

"Ben..."

"As long as I have you by my side, I can allow my true self to exist."

She kissed him then, tenderly.

Pulling apart, they returned to their position, their foreheads settled together.

"What about the First Order?" She asked carefully.

As he fell in to silence, another individual shouted, somewhat apprehensively.

"So what are you now? The Supreme Leader or one of us?"

Looking at Rey for a second longer, he turn to look at the individuals around him.

"I'm neither." He said confidently, a smile emerging on his face as he returned to look at Rey, as she met his eyes. "I'm Ben Solo."

As they smiled at each other, he realised.

They balanced each other. He didn't need to turn, he just needed to embrace a little bit of light amongst his darkness. That light was Rey. His precious Rey.

He had always struggled to find where he belonged, but he knew now.

It was not with the First Order, or with the rebels.

It was not with the dark side of the force, or the light side.

It was with Rey.

As he rose from his bed to face the crowd, he never let go of Rey's hand.

"Supreme Leader Ren is dead," he shouted, continuing only when his eyes found his mother. "I'm just Ben Solo."

She smiled, understanding his meaning. It was enough. As long as she had her son back, the emptiness inside her, would be as fulfilled as it could ever be, after the loss of her husband, and her brother as well.

He might not be one of them, but he sure as hell would fight alongside Rey.

He would do anything to stop her from getting hurt, anything to stop him from losing her.

The ebel's became aware of more First Order fighter ships approaching the surface of the planet, their intention of annihilation never forgotton.

The Pilot shouted some orders at someone.

"I still want to choke him," Ben whispered towards him, leading to partially frustrated laugh from Rey.

Helping off the bed, he passed her lightsaber to her, giving her a kiss on her forehead before they proceeded towards the fight, giving his mother a nod as she smiled at him, a hint of sadness evident amongst her relief to have her son back.

They would talk, eventually, but now was not the time.

Flawlessly, they fought, as though they were in Snoke's throne room again. Despite their injuries and soreness, they still managed to fight together, protecting each other and encouraging each other. As a team, against all of the odds, they defeat the thirty storm troopers that had been sent down.

Hux wasn't sending the entire army down, and for now Ben found that he was grateful for one of his actions, but he knew that eventually he would.

A few days later.

They had scavenged the First Order ships, and the debris. Well, Rey had searched, Ben had stood there. He had a thing for destroying the ship, not getting useful parts from it.

Somehow, Rey had been able to fix the Millenium Falcon, with help from his mother and Chewie, and now the rebel's were boarding it, ready to escape this planet before they actually discovered its inhabitants and find a new temporary home, and hopefully a way to defeat the First Order.

As Ben approached the Falcon, ready to board, he saw Chewie. Approaching slowly, Ben was apprehensive. He had put his family through so much, it would take a while for things to become balanced, but they would never be the same.

Stopping in front of him, Ben nodded, his face blank.

Unexpectedly, Chewie nodded, only to tilt his head to the side and nod at him, causing Ben to expose a small smile, before he was enveloped in a bruising hug. As Ben proceeded to board the Falcon, Chewie messed up his hair, like he had always done when he was child.

With a grin on his face, Ben carried on walking, Chewie overtaking him, heading towards the Pilot's chair.

His eyes fell on her then. She was standing by the same door she had closed after the events of Crait. The memory caused a chill to run through Ben, his apprehension still visible on his person, as well as echoing through their bond.

Except, this was different. She was looking at him, but with a smile on her face, an accepting, loving smile. A smile that he could not help but return. As he moved towards her, she didn't shut the door either, instead when he reached her they shut door together.

Author's Note: Now I know that the ending is rushed and a bit disappointing, but I started to lose motivation with this story as I was unsure how I could get to the point I wanted. However, I've still managed to give you the general idea of what I was going for. I wanted Kylo to see Rey injured and think he was going to lose her altogether, which happens quite a few times in this story, but ultimately I wanted it to cause him to completely break down and realise that he couldn't live with out her. Also, I didn't want Ben to suddenly turn to the light side, in my opinion I don't think he will turn, but that the Yin and Yang imagery in the elevator from the film would take place, where he would embrace a little bit of light and her a bit of darkness, which comes in the form of each other. Also, I don't want him to feel he has to be defined as either side of the war or the force, and I don't want him to entirely perfect and never hurt an innocent, I just want him to realise that he needs Rey and that he is Ben Solo, and being just that is okay.

Thank you for reading and the support!