Chapter thirty seven: Unexpected parental attention
Unlike when his uncle left him to wait in that creepy locked room, time went by quickly while waiting for him this time, thank to the Rey-pillow and the fact, what he was waiting for this time was not unexpected, and soon Luke returned with a thermos bottle, cups and a bag of cookies.
"Here you go, son." He poured the cocoa into a cup and handed to Ben, who accepted it. "Eat, drink." He put a cookie in his head. "It will make you feel better. You didn't skip another meal, did you?" said his uncle as he sat down on the other bed and took a bite of cookie.
"You noticed?" said Ben surprised, as his uncle didn't seem to care when he had done that.
"Of course I noticed my dear nephew and favorite pupil not eating. Why did you do that?" Luke scolded.
"I was on hunger strike," said Ben as he bit into a very delicious cookie. He hadn't realised how hungry he was and he devoured the cookie.
"Be careful not to choke...again. Remember to blow on it, before you drink." His uncle pointed at the cup. "Whatever for?"
"I want to go home. I want to go get Rey," said Ben and drunk the cocoa and did as was asked of him, plus very slowly as he didn't want to burn himself.
"Ben, you have to learn to be patient. So you will not skip dinner or any meal. No stupid strikes. And you will sleep properly and you will stop running away...or go after dangerous girls..."
"Okay...okay, but Rey isn't dangerous" interject Ben before his uncle could go into full lecture nagging mode. "Can we at least skip the essay?"
"The essay isn't supposed to be a chore. You should have fun writing it...but don't forget to take it seriously as well."
Ben jumped up in the bed like he had been hit by lightening. "I forgot to let mom and dad know about Rey!"
KR: You remembered that first now...?
...that's shameful...
"I told you to stop worrying about her..." said his uncle, who had managed to avert disaster, by keeping the cup down with the force or else it would've spilled all over Ben and burned him.
"I can't..." Ben chewed his lower lip and went back to his cocoa cup, to try to ease the anxiety in his stomach.
"I will let your parents know, don't worry...if she even exists..." said Luke.
"She exists...then what about the essay? When is it due?" asked Ben and looked at the duffel bag at the end of his bed, where he had managed to rescue his notebook from his "murderous rampage."
"I can postpone it until you feel better...in fact I'm changing it into a comic, since you have only drawn pictures instead of writing."
"A comic...?" Ben looked up in surprise.
Luke nodded. "Yes, but still you have to learn that actions have consequences. I really should give you another detention for ruining my office..."
Ben grumbled.
"But, I think you have been punished enough for that...though I have to find away to restock," said Luke nervously when he thought about all the hard work ahead.
"I'm sorry..." said Ben, with a real contrite look. He felt he was saying for more than that, though. For all the troubles his uncle had been through because of him.
"You're forgiven. Everything is going to be okay...my little padawan. You are going to get your own lightsaber...but you can't get a red one that's darkside," said Luke and wiggled a finger at him.
"How did you know I wanted a red one? I only told you that in my dream..." asked Ben, perplexed, as he tried to recall another time where he said something like that so carelessly to his uncle.
"What dream..? Your toy saber," Luke pulled from his bag, his precious saber, which was the same color and the same size as the one he had destroyed everything with in his office.
"Oh..." Ben felt foolish for thinking it was something else.
"And the fact that you stole the one from the office, which you know, you are not allowed to have," lectured Luke.
"Sorry..." Ben's ear felt like the were burning hotter than the cocoa in his hands.
"But, to get a red one, you have to steal a saber from a Jedi and torture the crystal by pouring all your anger and hate into it, until it bleeds and you will have trippy visions while doing it."
"That's creepy..." said Ben and sipped on his cocoa, like his uncle was telling him a ghost story.
KR: Our crystal is unstable and stressed all the time....
Like us...
KR: I'm not stressed! Just pissed off!
Right...
KR: AT YOU! ALL THE KRIFFING TIME!
"Right? You're going to be the best padawan there is..." He ruffled his hair. "I love you son."
Why does he keep calling me son...it's so annoying.
KR: Hmm...
I mean even though dad's not there...he still in my life...right? Even though he...betrayed me...why didn't he bring me home like I asked him to?
KR: He doesn't want you...you are nuance...and hindrance to his work...
He didn't say that...
KR: He implied it...
"Stop calling me son. It's annoying. I have a dad and I already called mom," said Ben, who drew the line there. His uncle could be all mushy, mushy he wanted but calling him son, was too creepy. Though he allowed slight from time to time.
"No, I called her," remarked his uncle.
"Big deal," scoffed Ben.
KR: You are both as mature...
Well, mini me has a point...
"I would change my attitude if I were you...and start respecting your master if you are ever want to get a saber..." said his uncle threatingly, as if he could just as well take away the cocoa and give him fish oil instead.
"Sorry master..." said Ben obediently when he thought of that horrible possibility. "What colors can I get then?"
"Erm...blue and green...yellow...purple...?" said Luke, unsure even though he was in charge of Jedi academy.
"That's sucks...how about black? Master?" asked Ben and put away his cup on a nightstand and lay down in bed.
"Black saber is more powerful than a lightsaber," said Luke, as if that meant he could never ever get his hands on something so powerful.
"Cool, can I get one like that? Master?" asked Ben, who thought the opposite.
His uncle huffed, when he didn't get his meaning. "Training first...and then we will see. You don't have to always call me master, only when you think it fits...or more like, when we talk about Jedi stuff, otherwise, you can call me Luke...or uncle. Do you understand...?"
"Okay..." Ben looked confused over how to address him. "Luke."
Luke nodded, content. "Do you want me to call your mom and dad to say goodnight..?"
"And tell them about Rey?" asked Ben, expectantly, as he hadn't told them about her. Maybe they could go and get her, at least.
"Forget about Rey," said Luke annoyed, that he kept bringing her up.
Ben glared at him. "I will never forget about her."
KR: You did forget about her...
I don't understand...my memories are so messed up...how could I forget about her? But that sure explains why she was so familiar to me...why I can't stop thinking about her...why I want her so much...
"And I'm still too angry with them," said Ben, since he couldn't talk about Rey, he didn't want to speak with them, until he could. He grabbed his Rey-pillow and felt his eyelids grow very heavy and he closed his eyes, while thinking about Rey, in another life. Not as a pillow, but as a person.
"That's not good...you can't stay angry all the time...it's not healthy...not to mention it leads straight to the darkside...did you finally fall asleep...? Has the sleeping pill finally started working? Or are you just pretending, so you don't have to hear my lecture...?" said his uncle.
Ben's only answer is his soft snoring.
"Great, we will talk more in the morning. Sleep well, son..." was the last words Ben heard, before he entered his dream world.
Okay...can we go now?"
KR: Go...where?
Don't play dumb. I have seen everything...we came here to see right. Though I'm not sure exactly what that was supposed to teach me...it really just confused me...especially the Rey parts...who is she...? Who am...I? Who are you...? Are you really my grandmother? Just an evil version of her?
KR: That's nothing new...you being confused I mean.
Can we please go home now? I can't take any more of this...
KR: No.
What? Why! I have even gone to sleep in my memory...this is getting ridiculous. Get me out of here! I need to get to Rey!
KR: I said no. You still have lot to learn...
Like what?
KR: Like the fact...that you have indeed...a secret sibling...
What! No...no way! You're lying! PLEASE!
KR: You will see...or a cousin...
Please, not Rey! Cousin...? Lando's child?
KR: Or Luke's...
"Ah, you are finally up sleepyhead," said his uncle in such a chipper voice, like he hadn't just got a few hours of sleep. He opened up the curtains, which let in the morning light.
"Where am...I...? What time is it...?" asked Ben groggily and tried to sit up, but nearly feel down again. He felt so weak. So warm, like a furnace.
"Time for school...Ben, are you okay? You look...extremely pale," said his uncle and came over to check for fever once again.
"I don't feel so good," said Ben, as he felt so sick and wanted to throw up.
Luke pushed him gently down. "Lie down. Don't worry, I will take care of you." He gave his brightest smile, it would melt the cold away or whatever was troubling Ben.
Yeah right.
KR: Well...someone will..
Huh...?
"How? Don't you have school to take care of?" pointed Ben out, like his uncle had forgotten about something so important. He turned on his side and groaned over the light that was giving him a headache.
"You are for more important. I will send the other padawans home for some time. Don't worry, except I will definitely hear from their families not giving them any prior notice..." Luke looked deadly afraid and Ben didn't blame him, since the Parental Teacher Association, was one of the most scariest thing in the galaxy.
"You don't have to take care of me," said Ben, who didn't want his uncle to get into trouble for having to close the school because of him.
KR:The irony...
Shut up.
"Yes, I do. But I better let your mom know, she will know through the force anyway, so I better just tell her," he brought out the holoviewer from his pocket and tapped in her number.
"Don't bother her...she's way too busy..." said Ben pleadingly.
"She's not too busy for you," said his uncle matter-of-factly, like he had just met his mother yesterday.
Yes she is...
KR: I was never to busy for my children. Before you woke up, I was playing with them. I was hunting down Luke, meaning most of my focus was on finding him to engage with him in a "fun" lightsaber duel, and as Leia is the general of the resistance, my biggest enemy...I was always putting up obstacles for her to have more fun...and where are my thanks? Those ungrateful children...I kriffing died for them!
I don't want my parents...or Luke to die for me...just to show me a little bit of attention...without shouting at me...or punish...
"What is it Luke, I'm in a important meeting," said his mother in a irritated and hushed voice, but this time she picked up right away, to Ben's surprise. Loud voices were in the background which confirmed her words.
I knew it. She didn't even care about that attempt on my life?!
"Sorry, I just called to let you know that Ben is sick..." said his uncle, as if he regretted even making that call despite the emergency.
A loud dramatic gasp came from her, before Luke had even finished his report. "My little angel is sick?!" She said in hysterical voice, as if he was on his deathbed instead of with just a small cold. "I'm on my way!" Leia shouted in her, "going to save the galaxy voice."
They could hear panicked running footsteps and frantic shouting after her and door slamming forcefully.
Right...she's not on her way to me...that never happened...
KR: You will see...
"No, no you don't need to come. I will take care of him. I was just calling to letting you know that he is in safe hands.." said Luke as hurriedly as possible, so she wouldn't just throw her work away and do something rash.
"I brought him into this world and I will nurse him back to health. Let me know where you are this instant," said Leia in threatening voice, like she could reach through the com-link and slap him for daring to suggest otherwise.
"But it's top secret..." whined Luke, who liked to keep secrets, no matter how dumb they were.
"Now," she demanded, like she ruled the galaxy and could use all of her cannon to blast him into oblivion.
"Okay..." Luke finally relented as he could never argue with that tone. He turned towards Ben to comfort him with the news that his mother would come, but he gasped when he saw how his nephew's eyes started to glaze over.
Ben...? BEN!" He screamed and shook him, as if he was going into the light...not in a good way.
Strange cliffhanger...I know I'm not going to die...or am I already dead...? That would explain these weird visions a lot...
KR: No, not yet.
Not yet...?
KR: The cliffhanger isn't for that, but for whether or not your mom will show up.
Come on, we all know she didn't do that...
KR: Are you sure...?
Hundred percent.
KR: Then be prepared to be surprised...
So stupid...
KR: Fine since you insist, I will show you a bit more...
After awaking, Ben's head felt as if it had been split into two with a saber. On top of his excruciating headache, his groggy mind was imagining someone singing. Was his uncle...singing for him? No...it was a woman's voice...Rey...? From his dreams? Was this a dream? No...it...sounded way older more mature...and warm...familiar...and more real...
Mirrorbright, shines the moon, its glow as soft as an ember
When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember
Wait...he knew that song...by heart. It was the one his mother used to sing for him. The Alderaanian lullaby, Mirrorbright, one of the few remains of that planet that was no more. Each time she sang it for him, it was tinted with sadness but also so much hope, that no one was ever really gone.
Those you have loved but are gone
Those who kept you so safe and warm
The mirrorbright moon lets you see
Those who have ceased to be
The song went on and Ben started to get a hold off his reality. To his bewilderment, his hot and sweaty face seemed to be resting against something big, soft and warm. Then he felt it, more then heard, the unmistakable heartbeat vibrating through his body. This couldn't be a dream...it felt too real...it was too detailed...too nice...too familiar...
He allowed the song to be finished, as if he was afraid that the spell would be broken if he disrupt the soft singing in any way and kept his eyes closed. At least when she would disappear, he would've enjoyed her singing.
Mirrorbright shines the moon, as fires die to their embers
Those you loved are with you still—
The moon will help you remember
At last, the singing stopped. Ben's breath caught in his throat. He didn't want this to end, it had been so short...why did it have to end...?
"My little angel, how are you feeling?"
A gentle voice said and sounded like it was the far, far away, instead of right by his ear. The worried tone broke the magical feeling of the lullaby and drew him forcefully back to reality.
Ben couldn't take it anymore, he had to open his eyes to see whatever this was, whether it was real or not. He had to take the chance that she would disappear in front of his eyes, the moment he broke the spell. He had to at least see her, one last time...
Slowly his eyelids lifted up and he gazed up at the one person in his life, who could always chase away the darkness in his heart, no matter what.
"Mom...?" he said breathlessly, as he took in all of her, like she was an angel who had suddenly appeared in his life to take all his sorrows away. His mother was holding him protectively against her chest, like he couldn't remember she had done since he was toddler. To his amazement she had been the one singing for him...in person.
"I'm here, for you." Leia touched his little cheek, with the most tender touch only mom could do, like he was made out of glass. "Always."
WOOT?!
KR: I told you she would come...
"Is this a dream?" Ben clung desperately onto his mother, like he was afraid that she was water that could escape through his grasp, no matter what he did to hold onto it. Or that she was just one of the holographic messages, but this one could be touched for some reason. Some higher tech, just to torment him with something that wasn't there. Something to give him hope, just to take it away...
"Of course not," his mother smirked, like he had asked a silly question instead of an important and reasonable one, given his luck. She ran her hand soothingly through his dark locks, which no hologram could ever do. No one could mimic her touch.
"What about your meeting...?" he asked warily, as if he didn't want to remind her, like this was just an instance where she had forgot something so important and the moment she would remember, she would be away. Like always. Why did he have to ruin it, like everything?!
"I ditched it." She drew his little form closer to her chest. "You are always more important." She planted a wet kiss on top of his head. "Always."
This can't be real...there is simply no way...
KR: Well...you were high on fever...
All just a hallucination...right...?
KR: Nope...too bad that is what you thought...all these years...
Mom...ditched...work for me...?
Next up: Sickness of the past (Little Ben and his family)
More mother-son fluff (and even some dads) coming up! :D
Mirrorbright is canon from Bloodline, you just know Leia must have sung it for her little Ben...;)