"Rey, that's not true. We are together now. Everything's fine."

"That's exactly the issue..." she trailed off in a panic.

"Why would you say that?" He asked

"We can't be both light... or our child will be turned to the darkness."

"Rey, don't-" he began to hug her but was interrupted.

"There's been enough generations before us to already figure that an imbalance on either side will cause an uprising from the other... I felt it... if our dyad is light then our child could only turn to darkness to balance it... you weren't supposed to turn... and I made you turn..." she said as tears streamed down her face.

"I turned against the First Order and the dark to save my mother, and to save you... I would have done it a million times over."

"We didn't balance anything Ben."

"Rey my concern was you. It still is. I'm never letting you touch the darkness. You don't want to feel that."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Rey, they will not turn. Not with us. We know how it is to be left behind... we won't make the same mistakes." He spoke softly watching her crumble before him. He knew all too well what it was like to have these dreams. That wake you up in the deepest of sleep and torment your mind with twisted and haunting thoughts. It terrified him deeply to know that Rey was beginning to suffer the same. "Rey..." he told her pulling her close to him and taking her hands in his, "don't do this to yourself... it's not your fault. Those voices... they're lying to you." He said as tears came to him eyes recalling each nightmare he had growing up and how they destroyed him from the inside out. "You are stronger than them."

Rey then allowed the barrier to fall between them as she sunk into his arms. She had never trusted someone as she did him. It was intense and comforting, despite all they had been through in the past. She wanted to trust him with this, but it only brought her conflict. More than she had ever faced before.

She opened her mind to him, letting him see the pain swelling within her and everything she had never shown to another person.

Rey continued to let him search her mind, feeling tears on her face not of her own. In seeing her mind, he felt himself within her soul. The mirror image of him for so many years, and it killed him. But she continued to cling on to light regardless of what it cost her, even if it caused great personal pain.

He took his hand and gently framed her face, lifting it up and searching her eyes both filled with tears.

"We get through this... together..." he told her

"Something tells me this is going to be the hardest part..." she responded.

"There is more than just pain, Rey. You taught me that." He reminded before kissing her lips gently

She continued to cry, laying back down before Ben followed, holding her tightly and trying to comfort her. He had known better than anyone what this was like. And that's what made their bond so intense and unique. Their experiences, emotions, and thoughts were so incredibly synchronized that they felt as one. Anything that one felt the other would feel. This included happiness, this included conflict, but most of all it included pain.

She eventually drifted back to sleep in the comfort of his arms, but Ben, on the other hand, couldn't find any peace in sleeping with so much concern over Rey. He calmly and quietly stood up from the bed and covered his clothes with a cloak before stepping outside into the rainy night of Ahch-To.

He stared at the crashing waves that stood before him. The same ones Rey had looked towards just few months before early into their force bond. He shut his eyes. Looking for the peace that supposedly surrounded this Jedi temple.

'Help us.' He sighed, 'no, just help her.'

"Light sleeper?" Luke asked appearing beside him in his ghost form.

Ben was slightly startled but fixed his sight back onto the ocean

"Not usually." He responded

"You're worried about her." Luke addressed

Ben stared down, thinking of Rey instantly, "I can't let her go through anything I did."

Luke nodded understandingly.

"Ben, I told you this already in the worst possible circumstances... but I'm sorry for everything I did. It shouldn't have taken me that long to figure it out." He sighed. "What I let you go through is unforgivable. And I would do anything if I could go back and change it." He said shaking his head. "Not as a Jedi, but as an Uncle."

"There's something you should know." Ben added, "I never killed the other Jedi that night... I never wanted any of that to happen. It was Snoke. He wanted me to feel lost."

"I'm sorry Ben..." Luke realized turning to his nephew. He was stunned at the revelation, but seeing it in his eyes, he knew he meant it.

"You're my Uncle. I never wanted to harm you. But for a conflicted child to see his only real guidance try to kill him... it breaks you. Everything you've ever known to be true."

"I know..." Luke said regretfully, "And it passed so quickly I couldn't even comprehend how I came to such a thought." He looked toward him as his eyes watered. "You're my twin sister's son. I remember the day your parents announced that you were on the way, the day you were born, the first day you ever wielded a lightsaber and the joy it brought you. I never wanted this to be how it ended between us because you were the closest thing that ever came to being a child of my own. And when you know you've failed at such a vital bond... it never leaves you."

The two men stood there turning towards the ocean and fighting tears. Luke knew he'd never be the same as Ben's father, but they had a connection for many years that was very much like a father and son. It pained Luke that in a single moment he had thrown it away, wishing that just once that night so long ago he could have thought like a human instead of a Jedi. As an Uncle, and not as a Master. It could have changed everything.

Ben sensed Luke's thoughts as tears ran down his face.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Ben." Luke broke the silence, "whatever you do, take care of that girl. She's been the only one of us that never gave up on you… that didn't betray you…" he said regretfully towards his own actions.

"She's been having strange dreams as I once did. And I'm frightened for her. I know what it's like. And I don't want her to suffer it."

"Remind her that whatever she faces, she doesn't face it alone. Skywalker or not, she is part of your story and you are part of her's."

Ben took a deep breath as his mind was consumed by thoughts of Rey.

"I forgive you, Uncle." Ben spoke before turning away towards the hut where Rey was still asleep.

Luke looked upon the boy with tears in his eyes but a sense of peace in his soul. The most unforgivable deed of his life was now made peace with. He watched his nephew enter the hut and shut the door behind him quietly.

"I love ya, kid." He smiled before vanishing into the force.

—

Ben returned to bed with Rey, and settled in finally finding some sleep, and even a bit more peace.

Sorry for yesterday's chapter not being so strong :( I realized that and spent most of last night into the morning writing two chapters ahead for this fanfic so although they don't have a lot of action I at least hope they're emotionally a bit stronger! I just felt like Ben's redemption was too easy and MUST come with a lot of consequences. That's why the story is only just beginning with his turn.

Also, I started reading a ton of the comic books, thanks to Christmas money lol. As you might have been able to notice since he reveals he didn't kill the Jedi Luke was training. Thanks again for reading, and please review how you think the story is going so far! :) -Michelle