Luke came to him shortly after. Their eyes met, and Luke's blue eyes widened when he felt the calm in Ben. He looked down at the sleeping Leel and Ben watched Luke's face transform as he looked at his old student.
"He is alive," Luke said quietly. His eyes drifted to Leel's arm, still laying on the ground a few feet away. "But he has joined our little club."
Ben flexed his own fake limb, remembering the horrible pain and darkness that had consumed him when he lost his own arm. "I almost lost control," Ben admitted. "But I guess you already know that."
His head dipped down, but he felt Luke staring at him.
"Ben, he is alive. You have found your peace. It is never an easy road to get there."
Ben shrugged. "The other knights are dead. They didn't have to be."
Luke laid his own steel hand on Ben's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "I'm proud of you. Don't beat yourself up for making mistakes when they led you to where you needed to be."
Ben shook his head. "How can you say that when…when he's dead?"
He did not say Han's name, but the change in Luke was apparent. His shoulders dipped, his eyes seemed to fade. He looked away.
"Han loved you," was all he would say. And Ben knew that it would be still be a while, if ever, before he was forgiven.
Ben watched his uncle bend down next to Leel, pushing his hair back as if he were still a child. In his sleep, Leel grimaced.
"I never thought I'd see any of them again," Luke said. "But perhaps…maybe…there is still hope for Force users."
Ben tilted his head and walked towards his uncle. "What do you mean?"
Luke fixed him with his steel blue gaze. "If you can come back from the dark, so can he. So can anyone. I had sought to make a new era of Jedi when I began my academy, but I pushed too hard for children like you to accept the light. If I had focused on teaching you how to embrace both the dark and the light, perhaps you would have been able to resist Snoke…"
Ben frowned. "What ifs, Uncle. You were only doing what you knew."
Luke gave a dry laugh. "The Jedi order should have died with me. If I had listened to what my teachers, to what my father had taught me…things might have been different."
Now it was Ben's turn to lay his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Let the past go. It's time we created something new."
Luke smiled beneath his greying beard and fixed Ben with a look of…respect?
"You've become wise, Ben."
Ben looked back to the sun, smiling faintly as well. "I couldn't have done it without her."
Luke nodded. "She is a powerful being. How she fits in this story…I don't know. Coming from nothing, yet somehow so…"
"Special."
Ben smiled as he thought of his wife. Of his children. Yes, he could see it now; a new order that would teach the children of the Force how to protect themselves against the darkness in others but embrace it along with the light within themselves. He could see his Rey, surrounded by children. His mother and Luke, teaching alongside them. This was the future meant for them. They were not meant to be selfish and hide away. With much love and guidance, surely their children and other children would succeed…
"Ben," Luke said, interrupting his thoughts. "Let's move him. He is too powerful to be under for long."
So they moved him into a cell not far away from Hux's, who was quietly ranting to himself under his breath. As Ben passed his cell, he and Hux made eye contact. But for once, Hux had nothing to say.
As they left the cells, Ben heard his named being called and turned just in time to see Rey make her way up the stairs from the inner basement with Leia at her heels, carrying their daughter because Rey could not. Ben opened his arms and Rey rushed into them, and there was no need for words. She knew it was over, and she felt the balance inside of him.
After a long moment, Ben reached for his daughter and kissed her before locking eyes with his mother, who was crying. Luke put his arms around his twin sister, and Ben watched her smile through the tears as the twins held each other.
When they finally let go, Leia moved to Ben and hugged him close. She still smelled of peppermint, just like she had when he was a child.
"I'm so proud of you," Leia whispered. "I dreamt this day would come, and I never gave up on you."
Ben smiled at his mother a little and gently kissed her.
"Good parents never do," he said.
Ben felt a yank on his hair and looked down at his daughter, who demanded his attention.
"Daddy stay?" she asked.
Rey took her daughter's palm and kissed it before sliding underneath Ben's arm to lean into him, her other hand resting on her large stomach.
"You bet, kid," Rey said. "Always."
And Ben smiled.
10 years later
Rey
The world was a different place. For the first time in Rey's life, there was peace.
Ben was with her for her last two months of pregnancy, holding her hand, taking care of Leila, fetching Rey whatever she craved and rubbing her swollen feet. When the twins were born, a boy and then a girl, both of them cried. They named them Anakin and Alora, and Rey knew from the moment they took their first breaths that they were going to be special, just like their sister.
Anakin, who had a crop of brown hair like Rey and dark eyes like his father, was calm and collected. He was well balanced, naturally skilled in lightsaber forms and meditation. He was especially good at Force healing, which he displayed since he was little, healing his own scrapes and bruises as well as his sister's. He was good natured and got along with everyone. Ben, who held pride in all his children, felt a special kind of pride when it came to his son for being so well balanced and easy going. And despite the two being opposite in temperament, it was common to find the two walking hand and hand while the younger chattered on about something.
His sister Alora was a different story. She had her father's hot and cold temperament, displaying quite a temper at times. But she was a happy girl, always friendly and never meeting a stranger. She was extraordinarily beautiful with blond hair and snapping hazel eyes. She sang constantly and was quite the contrast to her stoic older sister. She cared little for formal training, disliking the forms and meditation her brother so excelled at, instead having a desire for anything nature related. Creating fire, moving rocks, directing winds, even lightning. She was wild at heart and in spirit, and loved riding on her speeder that she and her mother built together.
It was Leila who worried them the most. She had gained good control over her foresight, able to produce visions on center things if she concentrated hard enough. But she was still her father's daughter, stoic and quiet. Although she accepted the flow of her visions, it was still difficult for her not to be affected by them. She trained often with her Uncle Luke, whose calm presence soothed her. As she grew older her relationship with her father grew a little strained, for she wouldn't understand why he would not train her as extensively as he did with her siblings. She was a sensitive child, always in tune with her parents' emotions. It was not unusual for her to be affected by anyone fighting in her family, whether it be her parents or the twins. What started out as temper tantrums grew into her isolating herself, trying to sort out her strong emotions before she could return to her normal self. Otherwise, she was a sweet girl who felt deeply for other people.
As for Ben, he was a different man now, but Rey still saw the past in him sometimes.
When they were toddlers, Alora, angered by her brother's refusal to hand over a toy, raised her hand to hit Anakin only to have it caught by Ren's hand.
"Alora," Ren began, voice stern and serious enough to make the small girl draw back. "You must never hurt the ones you love. It is a regret you can never erase."
In a moment, Rey recalled back the memory of the one time he had struck her, and wondered if he was thinking of that too.
Confusion and frustration brushed past their daughter's sweet features. "But he won't give it to me!"
Ren released her hand and cocked an eyebrow. "Then you must learn patience, and he, generosity."
Ren walked away with that as Anakin grudgingly offered his twin the toy, but Rey caught Leila watching her father with somber eyes. But, catching her mother's gaze, she went right back to reading.
Ben had a special connection with each of his children, but both parents saw the most of him in his oldest daughter. He had fear that he would taint her, or push her to the dark side. Rey saw their likeness as an opportunity to foster a strong connection with Leila and keep her swayed to the balance instead of veering off to one side. Out of the two of them, Ben was the most protective, always prepared to smother his children with rules and boundaries while Rey was used to children being quite independent, like herself. But one thing they agreed on was the amount of love and affection they each gave their children. They doted on them and showered them with the attention both their childhoods had lacked.
Rey felt a strong love for all of her children and raised them the best way she knew how, asking Leia and other mothers for advice quite often. She was often frustrated with her inexperience with motherhood—no one ever had comforted her when she was sick, or explained to her how periods worked. She never had long talks with a mother and did not know quite how to raise children who were dependent rather than independent. But Ben was always there, filling in the spaces for her as often as he could. They spoke often about their children and the best way to raise them, always agreeing on one route before proceeding. Whether it be using the toilet or training them in the Force, they worked hard to agree on a method and work as a team.
"Dad, I want you to train with me!" Anakin begged, tugging on Ben's arm. Ben brushed off the boy's grasp and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Why not? You are to work with your mother today."
Anakin's snub of a nose crinkled. "But you're the coolest Jedi in the galaxy!"
Rey watched as Ben's lips pressed together in a small grimace of regret.
"I am no Jedi, son. Only your mother," he gave a small smile and knelt down to be able to look his son in the eye. "And it would be a sore mistake to underestimate her. She is the strongest across every system."
Anakin looked at his father in disbelief. "More than you? And grandma? And Uncle Luke?"
Ben nodded somberly. "She pulled me from the darkness. She saved my life. Without her, you would not exist."
A small o formed on Anakin's lips, and then his serious brown creased, and he nodded. "Mom is the best." A bright smile slipped onto the boy's face as he looked up at his father. "But—you're a close second, dad!"
Ben chuckled and stood, letting his hand rest on his son's head before he walked off towards Rey, who did her best to look busy, thrusting her hands back into the engine.
"You shouldn't eavesdrop, Rey," Ben said snidely as he came close.
Rey's cheeks blushed a little. "Well, you shouldn't tell tales to our son." She scoffed and muttered, "Strongest in the galaxy, my ass."
Ben slid his hand onto said ass and squeezed lightly. "Do not taunt me, love," he said a bit darkly. "I tell no falsehoods. Your modesty blinds you to the truth."
Rey rolled her eyes and shook her head until he slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "You are much more than what you think," he said honestly, and Rey leaned into him.
"Look in a mirror, Ben," she mocked a bit with a small smile. He was one to talk. But neither said anything more, instead leaning in for a small kiss before their son bounded over.
"Mom! I'm ready!"
Rey turned in Ben's arm and smiled at Anakin. "Grab your sister, then." She kissed Ben's cheek and said; "See you later, Jedi."
He humphed at that, but she caught the quirk of his lips.
They were no Jedi, not anymore. They were something different, and the school they had begun with Luke and Leia reflected the difference. It started small, with only their children as students, but soon grew to be about twenty or so students, all ranging in shades of "lightness." While the Jedi had taught to find peace in absence of conflict, Rey and Ben taught to find peace within it. Like the eye of a storm. To embrace the darkness that resided in everyone and accept it instead of waging war between them. The only rules there were in their new order was to refrain from harming others at all cost and to express emotion in healthy ways—through training, through love, through crying or laughter. Fear was a natural part of life, so was attachment. And so their school flourished, with each adult taking a different but essential part of training.
Peace reigned outside of them as well. Without the First Order, a new Republic rose. The troopers were all freed and a few took roles as senators in order to work against slavery in the galaxy. But politics were not a part of the Solo and Skywalker family. Or at least, it wasn't after their last testimonies in court.
It was Ben's testimony against Hux that sentenced him to death. He became known as "mad Hux" in the media, unable to defend himself or speak sense in or out of court. When death came, it was merciful, for the man had driven himself to the edge, truly experiencing a fraction of the torture he put his soldiers through.
Leel was Ben's last testimony. Rey had watched proudly as Ben defended his old nemesis, fighting for the man's freedom. When the sentence finally came, he held Rey's hand so tightly that it hurt.
"Why are you afraid?" Rey asked him quietly. "If they let you go, why would they sentence him to death?"
"I was a special circumstance, and it took all of my mother's political power to free me, remember?" Ben replied, his eyes on the admiral unfolding the paper before them.
"You still haven't answered me," Rey said.
"Because he deserves a better life than this. All of the knights did. Almost all of them came from abusive or neglectful homes when Luke found them. They never knew love, they never had a chance against Snoke. I know that can't be changed, but the rest of his life could be different. He just needs a chance."
Rey smiled at her husband and squeezed his hand back. "Like you were given a chance?"
"Exactly."
The paper was unfolded and the admiral before them announced the verdict: Exile.
Ben stood, forcing Rey to do the same with their hands still clasped together. "Wait!"
Everyone turned to look at him, including Leel. Ben swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing, and Rey looked up at her husband with wide eyes. Even she did not know what he would say.
"I will take responsibility for him. He was my knight. I will take him to the school and watch him there."
"With the Force Sensitive children?" The crowd muttered. "It'd be unsafe."
"My mother and Uncle also reside there. With my family, we could teach him the ways of balance. Exile would be a death sentence."
Rey realized that was probably what the court was going for. But then one woman stood up. She was lithe and elegant, her hair a lovely lilac color.
"Do you give us your word that you can be trusted with such a task?" she asked.
Ben nodded, his dark hair dipping down over his eyes as he bent his head. "I swear it," he promised.
And so Leel was released into their care. At first the man was resistant to change, unfeeling and unwilling to do anything but survive. He had been threatened with a Force-influencing implant if he was exiled, so he did not rebel. And it seemed as if he would not change at all, until little Alora came up to him one day during dinner.
"Will you teach me how to do lightnin'?" She asked, smiling. "Daddy won't show me how to do it."
The older man grunted and looked nervously to Rey. "What the hell do you need lightning for?" he asked, stirring gravy into his meat.
"To make storms," Alora said mischievously. "And fry chicken."
Leel barked out a strange, rusty laugh. "Well, I'm not allowed to teach anyone anything. Go bother someone else."
But the girl was persistent. It took weeks, but finally Rey and Ben allowed Leel to teach the little girl lightning. Ben watched as Leel taught his daughter, arms crossed and stance threatening, but Leel was perfectly gentle and a good teacher. Alora was delighted by her new skill and by her teacher, and the two became fast friends. Before long, Leel requested lessons from Ben to find some balance in his life, and the two were back to being sparring partners. He became an assistant teacher and meditated often, finding his balance in the quiet calm.
So life went on. For a the next few years, everything was peaceful. But then, Leila had a vision.
She woke Rey up in the night, shaking her awake. Leila was 12 then, and becoming a young woman. But she looked like a little girl with uncertainty painted all over her features.
"Mama, wake up. I had a vision."
Rey shook off her sleep and turned away from Ben's chest in order to sit up. "What is it? Was it scary?"
But Leila shook her head. "No. But it was so clear…And I don't want it."
Rey drew her eldest child in, letting the girl rest her dark head on her shoulder. She was lanky and going to be tall, but when she curled up in Rey's lap she still fit somehow.
"What was it? What was so bad, sweets?"
Leila lifted her head from her mother's shoulder and Rey caught a tear slipping down the girl's face.
"I'm going away," Leila whispered. "You're sending me away with Uncle Luke."
"What?" Rey was stunned. There was no way, no way that would ever happen! First of all, to send away her little girl? And secondly, Ben would never allow the same thing that happened to him to happen to his daughter.
"It's true," Leila said, feeling her mother's confusion. "I know it's true. I've seen it."
Rey shook her head. "Leila, we would never send you away. We love you, and there is no better place for you than right here at school."
Leila frowned and nodded. "I know, but…But I think something bad is going to happen. And I think...I'll want to go away."
Stunned, Rey felt a little ill. "Leila, is there something telling you to be bad? Inside your head?"
The girl scowled. "Mama, no. I've told you that a million times," she said crossly. "But in the vision, I felt what I felt in that moment. I wanted to go."
Rey pressed Leila back into her shoulder.
"Hush. You're not going anywhere. Your father would drag you back himself."
Leila let out a little sob, which was strange-She rarely cried in front of anyone. Rey pressed a kiss to her daughter's head and reached behind her to shake Ben awake. He felt his daughter's fear and was immediatly awake and reaching to soothe her.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
Rey quickly answered for Leila. "She had a vision that she was sent away."
Ben bristled. "What?"
"She said...a bad thing happened and she wanted to go."
"No. Absolutely not."
Ben rubbed his daughter's back and Leila rubbed her eyes dry.
"It's fine. Maybe it won't come true..."
"Sweetheart, we would never-"
"Send me away. I know. But it was more like sending myself away."
The three were quiet and Leila moved off Rey's arms, which ached with want from the loss. The skinny girl stood in front of them awkwardly, but Ben took her hands and pulled her forward til her knees met his.
"Leila. Look at me."
Large hazel eyes flicked up to look into Ben's.
"I went away younger than you to train with Luke. And it hurt so much. But it would have hurt a lot less if I had trusted my family. Do you trust us?"
She nodded solemnly.
"Promise?"
She nodded again. "I promise."
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Then you know how much we love you."
Rey reached out and squeezed her daughter's hand.
"Go back to bed, sweets," Rey said. Leila nodded and retreated back into her room, and Ben let out a great sigh.
"Rey."
"I know, Ben." Their eyes met and she reached out and stroked his back. "Maybe it won't be true."
"It can't," he snapped, but she was not deterred.
"We need to be prepared-"
"It can't happen Rey. It destroyed me."
Rey lowered her voice. "We may not have a choice if it is what the Force wants."
"Fuck the Force."
A laugh bubbles up out of Rey. "Ben!"
He reaches out for her and pulls her into his lap, burying his face in her hair. "I can't lose her."
"We won't. Even if she goes away, we will visit her, comm her, whatever it takes."
Ben shook his head. "I never imagined...I swore that I'd never send away my child. And to where?"
Rey shrugged. "I don't know."
Ben kissed her and she sighed and leaned her head against him. "I love you. And I love our children."
He nodded. "I love you too. I know you do."
They laid back down, but neither found themselves sleeping.
The next morning at breakfast, when all the family was required to sit together, Leila cleared her throat.
"Uncle Luke, we are going on a trip."
Ben dropped his spoon, and Rey's eyes widened.
Luke blinked. "Oh?"
"To get my lightsaber and to go to Ach-To."
Ben's eyes were narrowed, his skin was red. "No you are not," he hissed, but Leila continued eating as if nothing was wrong.
"Why does Leila get to go on a trip?" Alora whined.
Leia was staring at Luke with a certain look on her face. "I never heard of such a trip."
Luke shrugged and carefully chewed on a piece of bread thoughtfully. "Me too," he admitted.
"Saw it in a vision," Leila said, and Rey placed her hand on Ben's arm to keep him from exploding.
"Leila, we talked about this last night. You aren't going anywhere."
Leila looked up, her eyes bright but serious. "Mama, it makes sense. I don't want to wait until the bad thing happens to go. I went to bed last night thinking about what Dad's always saying about embracing your fears, and I saw the vision again, but even longer. It's time for me to get my own lightsaber and train away from the school."
Ben shoved himself away from the table and stalked off. Leila watched him, yearningly.
Leia, meanwhile, looked sad. "He will never be able to let her go," she muttered, and Anakin leaned against his grandmother sympathetically, sensing her regret.
Rey frowned. "Well we need to talk about this, Leila. You can't just decide things because you've seen them in a dream."
"In a vision, not a dream. And I'm trying to prevent something bad from happening. I want to go; I know no one is sending me away. Isn't that enough for dad?"
Anakin shoveled half a citrus fruit into his mouth and then talked through it. "Dad won't let you go away. We all need to stick together."
Leila looked older than her years as she gazed off into the distance. "Sometimes, to grow, you need to fly away from the nest."
But Rey sensed the fear in her daughter. "I don't know Leila. It's scary being alone, and you're so young, love."
The girl only shrugged. "It's going to happen," she said stubbornly. "I know it."
Ben
He couldn't imagine life without his child, his firstborn. She was the one who meditated with him, who was his little girl. She was so sensitive, she needed protection. She had never been without her mother, and Ben hadn't left her since she was two years old. He remembered when she was small enough to cradle her head in his palm. He knew she still cried in her room over nightmares, and sometimes—if Rey was sleeping—would tiptoe into his daughters room to rub her back until she fell back asleep. Luke wouldn't care for her that way, as well-intending as he was. And Luke was getting old—could he protect Leila well enough?
Ben wanted to scoop his child up into his arms and lock her away somewhere where she could never leave. He and Rey had just been discussing how they were about to have their children enter their teenage years, and how careful they'd have to be. He had dreamed of fighting with his teenager, of waiting up for her when she went on her first date. Of scaring that first date off. For god's sake, Leila didn't even wear makeup. She hadn't yet gotten her period. She was practically a child.
He had dreamed of going with her to get her first crystal. The whole family would go and celebrate. But now she wanted to do it alone, with Luke of all people? Yes, she trained almost exclusively with Luke lately since Ben was too terrified and Rey too busy trying to handle the younglings. But Ben and Leila had always had a special bond—they were so alike. And now she was isolating herself, growing up too fast. She didn't need to follow in Ben's footsteps. She was perfect the way she was. Why was she so intent on going to Ahch-to? Rey had described the place to Ben and it sounded terrible.
Rey came up behind him as he pondered all this sitting on a rock outside the school, just within the boundaries of the forest. She laid a hand on his shoulder and when he turned to look into her eyes, he already knew what she was going to say.
"We need to let her go."
Ben shook his head. "No. Not my child. She's too young."
"She'll be thirteen in a few months. Luke will be with her."
"I don't care."
Rey sighed and sat down next to him looking up at the sky filtering in between the branches and leaves.
"She's flying the nest, but she will return," Rey said softly. "You know where we both were at her age. We can't protect her forever."
"So what, we should send her scavenging on Jakku? See how she likes her freedom there and she'll come running back."
Rey sat up, eyes narrowed. "None of my children will ever scavenge," she vowed. "You know that."
"And none of mine will ever be sent away."
"We aren't sending her anywhere. She's going on her own."
"So we'll stop her."
"And what? Tie her down here? You won't train her, Luke has taught her all he knows. It's time for her to start learning from the Force itself, make her own discoveries. We've given her a good, solid base. We need to trust her as well."
Ben felt his throat grow thick. "What if she's not ready?"
"Well, seeing as the Force has given her a vision, I'd say that's probably not true."
"What if she gets hurt?"
"She knows where home is, and Force knows she knows that we would welcome her back in a heartbeat."
Ben was silent for a moment. "Why not me?" He asked. "Why Luke, of all people?"
Rey slid her hand on top of her husband's and squeezed. "You chose this. You haven't trained her seriously since she was seven. And she knows you're needed here."
It was true. The twins were a handful, and Ben was needed at the school. Luke however, could be spared more easily.
"We need to give both Luke and her a chance," Rey said. "We can't let fear rule us."
Ben sighed and covered his eyes. "I know, I know. But she's just…she's special. If anything happened to her…"
"We will be there to catch her," Rey interjected. "Isn't that what good parents do?"
Ben looked at her and brushed back her hair. "When did you get so wise, my love?"
Rey shrugged, and Ben put his arm around her. The birds sang all around them, and Ben found his fears deflating. Maybe Rey was right. Maybe it was time for their baby bird to fly.
"I couldn't have done this without you," he finally said. "Have I ever said thank you?"
Rey laughed. "Ben Solo, thanking me? Never."
Ben kissed her and she wrinkled her nose and laughed again.
"Have I told you I loved you today?"
"Only this morning when we woke up, after caf, and while brushing your teeth..."
"Well I'll say it again. I love you, Rey."
"I love you too, Ben."
Leila
On the day that she left, her father gave her a gift. It was her very own datapad with a built in comm. It was stocked with books he thought she'd like and pictures of her family.
"For when you're homesick," He said. She gave him a long hug, feeling his quick heartbeat. He was nervous for her, and sick with worry. She could feel it.
Mama gave her a locket with a little piece of kyber crystal inside. It was not only pretty, but it was functional—it would help them find the kyber caves. Her mother also got a long hug, but it was more for Leila's sake than for her mother. Her mother was steady, like a rock. It gave Leila courage to feel her mother's arms around her.
Alora gave her a kiss and hug and made her promise to come home soon. Leila promised her sunny little sister she would. Anakin got a big bear hug and permission to play with her mini staff.
Grandma held her the longest, but Leila didn't mind. She remembered the first thing she'd ever learned was from her grandmother. Leila sensed that underneath it all, Leia was as strong as steel.
Uncle Chewie was there and growled as he picked her up for a hug. Finn and Poe both gave her encouragement and promised her her own droid if she came back in one piece. It was tempting.
Finally, it was time to board the ship. Dad grasped Luke on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear that made Luke stand back and look at him before going in for a hug, the first Leila had ever seen between her uncle and father. It was brief, but it settled something inside her.
"Alright kid, let's head out," Luke said to her, and she nodded. Her mother blew her a kiss. Her father stepped in and knelt down.
"If you want to come home, you just say the word. I'll be here waiting for you every time."
"Ok."
"Trust me?"
"I trust you."
Leila kissed his cheek.
"I love you, Leila," he said.
She smiled. "I know." And then she headed on up the ramp, giving one last wave to her family. She was ready for her journey.
A/N
Hey guys! Thanks for the continued support here, but unfortunately this will be the last thing I post here on . I just get more traction on AO3, where you can find me under the same name, Chibirini1. I will be writing more stories after this! Please leave me reviews, and kisses to you all. And don't forget to follow me/say hi on tumblr at alicecantescape!
