She'd gotten by the guards easily. Ben wasn't thinking straight after everything that happened. He should have realized that this wouldn't have kept her at bay if she wanted to escape. She wasn't angry with him, for she knew he was scared.
Rey hadn't been herself since the night the black shape appeared. How could she be the same after what she had seen? Palpatine had taken over her body and pushed her into the darkness. In the darkness, she had a vision. Even now, the vision caused her to shiver. Whether it was the Force, or something else, she finally knew her place in all of this. She had foreseen the future, and the decision she would have to make.
Tears formed in her eyes, but she blinked them away. They couldn't help her now. Instead, she latched onto anger. It would give her the strength she needed to take one step at a time. She hid her thoughts from Ben, not allowing him into her head. She knew it hurt him, but rather he was hurt than dead.
She crept along the shadows of the rock cave, hiding easily when someone would pass. Her time was running out to escape. It wouldn't take long for Ben to check on her, and when he found the room missing, and the men unconscious, he would tear the cave apart in search for her. There was one place she needed to go to first.
She made quick work of the guards at the cell door and slipped inside. Hux raised his head to look at her, his eyes coming to life. He even smiled at her. Rey's body shook with fury, but she reigned it in. She needed answers.
"Rey," Hux said, breathing her name.
"Where is he?" she asked.
"Don't go to him. Free me and I will take you as far away from this place and your grandfather as we can get. We will hide from him until I raise an army that can defeat him! Then, you and I can rule together."
Rey raised her hand towards him, hearing the bone crack in his arm. The moment his mouth opened to scream she was there, her hand smothering his cries. Her face was inches from his own, his eyes growing wide as he stared into black orbs. She penetrated his mind, searching for the answers herself. Rey found what she was looking for.
"He waits for me on Exogol," she whispered.
She closed her eyes, feeling Hux's fear of her, of seeing her eyes as black as night. She relished that feeling, excited that the roles were reversed. He was the fearful one now. When her eyes slowly opened he began to fight against her hold. She grabbed his neck, squeezing. Years of abuse by this man ran through her mind. The Resistance was too good for him. They would allow him to live. She could end his life right now and never worry about him again.
"I'm not like you," she whispered.
Rey dropped her hands from his mouth, standing to her feet. She looked down at him as if he were dirt under her shoe. Hux had fallen so far from where he started at her grandfather's side.
She turned to leave, but her anger surged higher. Her hands shook as her eyes became slits. Everything this man had done to her played in her mind. The way he made her feel weak caused her body to shake. She slowly turned to him, her black eyes ablaze.
"Get up," she hissed.
W—where are you taking me?" he asked.
I need a pilot to get me to Exogol. If you will do that for me I'll release you."
Hux shook his head, "I want you to come with me. These people cannot protect you. I can!"
She drew him up off the floor, grabbing his throat and squeezing. "This isn't a choice," she seethed.
She broke his chains, but she kept a strong hold upon his neck. "Breathe a word and I'll snap your neck myself, do you understand?" She breathed in his ear.
Y—yes," he whispered.
They stepped out of the room, and behind them came shouts and footsteps headed their way. She knew Ben had figured out she was gone. Rey pushed Hux the opposite way, staying in the darkness. She needed to get to the hanger, to one of the X-wings.
Rey found one with two seats, and her and Hux climbed inside as swiftly as they could. With the Resistance having lost so many people, there was no one in the hanger to stop them. It was the middle of the night, which meant most people were sleeping.
"I—I'm not sure that I—I can fly this thing," Hux stammered.
"Fly it now!" Rey screamed, her eyes staring at the group running into the hanger. Ben led the way.
Their eyes met for just a moment, and she saw what he was thinking. Confusion. Hurt. Fear. Pain. It gutted her to her very core, but she did this to save him. This was her fight now. His lips moved, screaming her name, but she couldn't hear it over the thunderous sound of the X-wing engine. The force blew Ben and the others backwards and Hux took off. She stared at the rock formation, until it became just a dot before her. Rey closed her eyes, a feeling of loss overwhelming her.
Ben scrambled to his feet, running towards the night. He ran and ran, until his lungs screamed at him to stop. He fell to his knees upon the white surface, scraping down to the red below. His wide eyes watched the taillights of the X-wing until it disappeared.
Why would she do this? Why would she leave without him? His face became a mask of fury, his eyes blazing in the moonlight. He reached for her mind, pushing all of his force into it. Even as he slammed into the wall, he pushed. He beat upon it, his mind screaming in pain. He didn't stop, but beat harder.
"REY!" he screamed with all his might.
The walls of her mind shook, until they crumbled under his power. She tried pushing him out. Instead, he reached for her more. She appeared before him, sitting in the darkness of the X-wing. She wasn't flying, that he could tell. Someone else was with her, and his anger grew to dangerous heights when he realized who it was.
"What are you doing?" he hissed. Gone was the love in his voice, gone was the sweet gentleness. He was lost in the darkness with her.
"Get out of my head… please, Ben," she whispered, her black eyes meeting his.
"Get. Back. Here," he said, through gritted teeth.
The darkness in her eyes melted away, until there was just Rey and her pain. Her lips quivered as she tried to speak, but found it hard to do. Seeing her like that eased some of his anger, but fear was there to replace it.
"This is the only way," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "It was always supposed to be this way."
It was at that moment he saw the vision she had kept from him. He saw what she was planning to do and it took the breath from him. He felt his own tears blur his vision of her. He understood why she'd kept him at arms length, why she'd kept him from seeing inside her mind. Ben would have locked her in the deepest part of the rock cave if he had known before this moment.
"Rey, don't do this," he said, his voice breaking. All of his anger vanished in the blink of an eye. He stared at the curve of her face, at the way her lips quivered and her eyes filled with tears. "Please," he whispered, the extent of his love showing in one word.
"I'd do anything to protect you, Ben. This is my destiny," she cried softly.
"I won't let you do this!"
"You can't stop it," she replied gently. Rey turned to look at something behind her, and when she looked back at Ben her eyes looked stronger. She was about to cut the connection.
"I know where you're going. I'm coming for you," he ground out.
Rey smiled a sad smile, her tears falling quicker. "By the time you get there it will be over. You've seen it," she whispered.
"Rey," Ben said, desperate.
"I love you… I will always be with you," she said, disappearing slowly like mist in the wind.
The world around him grew dark once again. He could only stare without seeing for what seemed like an eternity. Ben raised his eyes towards the sky, a desperation growing inside him. The moon stared back at him, it's light shining through him. He closed his eyes, his face crumbling.
"Show me," he whispered. "Show me…"
Behind his closed eyelids light burst through his vision. He saw Rey, saw what she planned to do and what his role in this would be. He had a role to play right alongside her. Darkness and light. And his light would need to rise if he was to do what the vision showed him. Ben slumped forward, his eyes slowly opening. He knew what he had to do now… and he prayed he would have the strength to do it.
He scrambled to his feet and ran back towards the base. What few fighters the Resistance had left were preparing for a battle. They checked their X-wings, strapping on their outfits to take off towards Exegol. Leia had sent out a call to every corner of the galaxy for people to stand up and fight with them against Palpatine and the First Order. Ben prayed people would rise to the call.
Ben found his mother, hugging her with all his might. He slammed his eyes closed against his emotions, afraid he would lose himself in his fear. Leia's hold on him was strong, as if she knew something was wrong. When he let go of her, he gently kissed her forehead, his lips hesitating on her cool skin.
"I love you, mother," he whispered.
"I love you too," she said back, her voice quivering. A mother always knows.
He hugged Poe, Finn and Rose, wishing them well in the battle to come. He told them he would be there with him, but that he was needed elsewhere. They all knew, none needing to ask. With one last hug he left them watching him walk away. He took one last look at the Resistance, wishing them all well. He jumped into his X-wing, putting in the coordinates to Exogol. He grabbed his hand, stopping it from shaking, and for a moment he closed his eyes and just breathed.
Rey opened her eyes, closing the door to Ben. She felt a coldness creep in as the darkness in the X-wing seemed to widen. She knew he would never forgive her for this, but there was no other way. She had seen it. Perhaps one day Ben would understand her actions.
"Rey… this is a waste! You cannot beat him."
She ignored him. "Where are your men, Hux? she asked, instead.
There was silence for a moment, and she wasn't sure if he would answer her. Hux took a long, shuddering breath. "They betrayed me," he said, low. They deserted me to follow Palpatine."
"So, they are with him now?" Rey asked. She hadn't thought to worry about the Knights.
"Yes," he seethed.
She sat back in her chair, now considering that Palpatine had the Knights of Hux with him. She bit her lip, the worry beginning to grow within her. If the vision was correct it wouldn't matter. They wouldn't be a threat, but she couldn't be completely sure. What if she were wrong, though? All of this would be for nothing.
"You know that I could crash this plane and kill us both before we reached your grandfather," Hux said, quietly.
She turned her attention to him, watching his profile. His eyes were wide and fearful, his body slightly shaking. Rey wanted to laugh, but she swallowed it down.
"But you won't. Just like you didn't go through with your plan to betray Palpatine you won't go through with that idea either. You want to know why?" she asked, waiting. After a few seconds of silence, she answered her own question. "Because, you are a coward. Because you don't have the guts to end your own pathetic existence."
Hux's face turned pale in the light of the cockpit. For just a moment Rey thought she had seen sadness in his eyes, self loathing, but it passed so suddenly she couldn't be sure. By the time the X-wing hit the atmosphere of Exogol there were tears in the man's eyes.
"I know you hate me for the things I have done, but what if I'm just like you? What if I was defined by my past?" he whispered.
Before she could answer, Hux jerked the controls forward sending them reeling towards the surface. The jet groaned and screamed from the force. Rey was thrown back in her seat, a cry of surprise falling from her lips. Hux was going to crash them.
The ground was coming swiftly towards them through the cockpit as the warning sirens went off all through the X-wing. Hux laughed through his tears. Rey fought against the force crushing her against the seat. Her hand slowly moved forward towards the fast approaching ground. With all her strength she began to slow their tumble.
With a furious growl, she stopped the X-wing from making an impact. The nose of the jet was mere inches from the ground, floating in the air. She set them down, her eyes closing in relief.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned her head towards Hux. He was looking out of the cockpit, his face brightening with each lightning strike in the sky. He looked both angry and fearful that he hadn't killed them. He turned to look at her, their eyes meeting for a moment. He knew before she even moved what would happen next.
"Re—" She flicked her wrist towards his neck, the bone shattering in an instant. Her name died upon his lips as his eyes stared at her. She lowered her hand, her eyes black. Hux would never utter her name again. He would never have control over her. She looked out of the cockpit window as lightning lit up the surface of Exogol. She knew the moment she saw the cave it was her destination. After all, she had seen it in her visions more than once.
Ben felt an overwhelming shift within him. He drew air into lungs that barely worked. The space around him disappeared for just a moment to reveal a cave. He'd seen this cave before in Rey's visions. It was the cave where Palpatine had stabbed him.
The vision disappeared, and Ben took a deep breath. She had made it. "No," he breathed, his desperation growing. "Rey, please don't do this," he whispered again.
He felt her the moment she entered his mind. He could feel the darkness choking her, could feel her fear as palpable as his own. "Go home," her voice whispered. He wanted to laugh at her words.
"You are my home," he said back.
"You always knew it would come to this, Ben. Deep down you felt it too."
He didn't answer her, as if ignoring her words wouldn't make them true. But, she was right. A part of him always knew. He closed his eyes, trying to figure out a way to talk her out of this.
"There has to be another way, Rey. This—this doesn't make any sense. For you to give your life up so easily, what was the Dyad for? You send me to my grave as well," he bit out.
Silence.
As the moments ticked away his hope surged. Had he reached her?
Rey slowed her walk towards the cave. For a moment his words broke through to her, but she had seen the vision. She had seen him happy, alive, in a place where the sun shone brightly. She'd heard his laughter, and had felt his life thrive. No, he was stalling her, trying to scare her.
"That's not true," she whispered back. "I saw how happy you were."
"Happy?" he laughed without humor. "You're tearing me apart!" He screamed.
Rey slipped from his mind. For one fleeting moment he almost got to her, but she knew there was no other way. When she felt him try to pry into her mind she threw up her walls. She wouldn't be able to see this through if she drowned in his pain.
Rey stopped at the entrance to the cave. Somewhere deep within she could hear a chorus of voices chanting. She was too far away to tell what they were saying, but she felt a shiver run down her spine. She could barely see her way through the cave, but she had the voices to guide her. The closer she got, the more the darkness within her grew. She didn't fight it, didn't try to stop it when it hid the light within her.
Rey walked into a large clearing, unable to see the top of the ceiling. Surrounding the large room were hundreds, if not thousands, of swaying bodies. All of them covered in black, she couldn't distinguish male or female. She couldn't distinguish young or old. They chanted softly, their words echoing in the room. Sitting in the middle of the circular room was stairs leading to a high throne made of the same black stones as the cave, as if it had been erected the same time as the cave.
There was someone sitting on the throne, but the moment he saw Rey enter he rose to his feet. Slowly, he walked down the long stairs, a smile of satisfaction upon his face. She watched him for a few moments, her heart pounding against her chest. Her grandfather reached a hand out to her, summoning her forward.
The first step was the hardest. Her leg felt like lead, but once she took that first step to her destiny she didn't stop. Rey cut the distance between them, her hand reaching out to Palpatine before she made it to him. When she was close enough, she allowed him to take her hand and pull her close. His eyes searched her face, as if making sure this wasn't a trap. When he saw her dark eyes he smiled wider.
Palpatine turned them to the crowd, slowly raising their hands into the air. For his effort, the chant grew in volume, until the black, cloaked crowd cheered. Rey faced them, as if she were one of them.
"Today!" Palpatine said, loudly, "We will crush all that resist the inevitable. My granddaughter has come back to me, to rule with me!"
The crowd cheered at this, causing a shiver to run down Rey's spine. Palpatine felt it, turning his glowing eyes towards her. She didn't back down or cower, but looked at him head on.
"Do you feel the power, child?" he whispered, almost lovingly. "You know what you need to do! Afterwards, we will be unstoppable." Rey closed her eyes. Yes, she knew what she needed to do.
Ben saw movement from his left, and looked over to see Poe. His best friend nodded his head. They were almost to Exogol, and no one had joined them yet. Thirty-six jets followed him. Thirty-six.
"They'll come," Poe said over the intercom. Ben wasn't sure who he was trying to convince.
The atmosphere of Exogol was a violent one. Ben had to concentrate to get through the large lightning clouds before him. The controls shook in his hands as the X-wing groaned. The moment the clouds broke he wished the lightning was his only problem.
"Gods be good," someone whispered in his ear.
Before the small Resistance fleet was the First Order. As far as the eye could see ships waited. This would be a slaughter.
"Poe, get your people out of here," Ben said.
"No! They'll come!" Poe shot back. "Everyone, prepare to attack."
Ben opened the button for his guns, sweat tickling the back of his neck. Would he die before he could even reach Rey? He was about to find out. The front of the First Order fleet took to the sky, coming straight for Ben and the others. The war was underway.
Ben turned the X-wing sharply to the left, barely missing gunfire. He circled around, shooting anything that came near him that wasn't his comrades. Flames lit up the dark sky as Resistance and First Order both burned.
"I'm hit! I'm hit!" Someone screamed.
Ben could do nothing but watch as his people crashed and died. Tears blurred his vision, but he blinked them back. He had to stay focused. This battle was not his to fight. He flew his jet away from the fight, a feeling of desertion choking him.
"I'm going down! I'm—". He flinched as the person speaking was silenced forever. His hands shook violently as he steered towards a large cave. I—I'm sorry, he mouthed, but his words failed him.
"Resistance, we see you!" said a new voice. Ben looked up, suddenly seeing the skies part as an enormous fleet came into view.
"Who is this?" Poe yelled.
"Lando Calrissian. And I've brought a lot of people who want payback!" He said, laughing.
"Let's show these assholes what we are made of!" Poe said, excitedly. He had never doubted, had always known that people would answer the call for good. Ben smiled despite himself. The fight that seemed so unfair just tilted.
Ben landed beside the X-wing Rey had stolen. He ran towards it, but skidded to a stop. He could see Hux laying against the window, his eyes opened and unmoved. The man was dead. Ben swallowed, his throat dry. He cared nothing about the man, but he knew it was Rey that had killed him. His head jerked towards the cave, as above him the war raged on. He ran towards the entrance. He ran towards Rey.
Rey looked up as the domed shaped ceiling slowly moved away to reveal the chaos in the skies. "Fools," Palpatine whispered beside her.
She slowly turned to look behind her, her eyes glazing over for a moment. She felt him. Ben was inside the cave. She reached for the lightsaber at her side and turned her eyes up to her grandfather. He turned fully towards her, stretching his arms out as if to give her a hug.
"By my sacrifice I shall live forever!" He yelled.
The crowd chanted louder, some even screaming in excitement. The lightsaber came to life in her hands, reflecting off of her tears. She knew what this meant. She knew she would not survive this, but she knew she had no choice. This was the reason he came for her, the reason her parents had to die. This was the true reason he took her power for all those years.
"Kill me, child, and I shall live inside of you for all eternity. All will bow before you!"
Rey slid her eyes closed, picking up the lightsaber. "I love you, Ben," she whispered as she thrust it through Palpatine's chest.
Ben leaned against the walls of the cave, his breath coming out in large pants. His arm bled from a large wound, as did the side of his head. At his feet lay the Knights of Hux. He grunted, pushing himself from the wall. There was a wound on his right leg that made it difficult to walk. He limped forward, a chant growing louder before him. He wiped blood from his eyes with the back of his hand.
He entered a large room, above him the war continued. His eyes didn't remain upturned for long as he noticed the large crowd swaying. Ben stumbled forward, catching himself before he fell. He turned his head, seeing the large stairs and throne in the middle of the room. The person he saw sitting in the seat caused him to fall to his knees.
Palpatine's lifeless body lay at the foot of the stairs. His head bowed for just a moment before he turned haunted eyes to Rey. Like a dark empress, she sat high above the crowd as their worship floated towards her. She was covered head to toe in black as her red eyes turned to look at him.
Ben pulled himself to his feet, staggering towards the stairs. "Rey!" he yelled.
He stopped when she began to laugh. It was not her laugh he heard. His veins turned to ice. The laugh was evil, darkness itself. What had she done? She slowly rose from the throne, her black cape flapping in the breeze of the opened ceiling. Black veins stretched over her eyelids and down her beautiful face. Her lips were black as well. Her eyes, though. Her eyes were as blood.
"You're too late, boy," came a voice that wasn't Rey's. "She is of me as I am of her."
Ben slowly looked down at Palpatine's body, the realization of what happened piercing his chest. Rey had killed his mortal body and his soul had latched onto hers. He had been too late to save her.
"You have so much power within you, boy. Join me, and I will give you the entire galaxy!"
"I'll never join you," Ben said, turning his angered eyes back to Rey.
"I can give you everything… all that you desire."
Ben watched as the black veins covering Rey's face slowly disappeared. He watched as her eyes cleared, as her face softened. She looked at him, her face crumbling. She ran down the steps towards him, as he moved towards her, taking the steps two at a time, his pain forgotten.
Rey fell into his arms, softly crying. He leaned back, taking her face into his hands, his emotions overwhelming. "Why?" He whispered, desperate. She touched his face with shaking fingers, pain and sadness bleeding from her eyes.
"Because I love you," she whispered back.
Rey gasped, her eyes growing wide. "No!" Ben screamed the moment he saw her eyes begin to change. The black veins reappeared as he was pushed backwards. Ben fell down the stairs, his wounds bleeding worse than before. When he came to a stop, he turned on his back, grunting in pain.
"Join me and she will be yours forever," Palpatine said.
Ben slowly stood to his feet, a wave of dizziness assaulting him. It wasn't really Rey he had just seen, just the one thing that he wanted. Palpatine had showed her to him to get him to join his cause. He stumbled backwards, looking around him as if just realizing where he was.
He turned back to look upon his love. Palpatine had turned her monsterous, had turned her dark. He couldn't feel her. "I'll kill you, you bastard," he whispered.
Ben knew his movements were in vain, knew he was defeated before he took the first step, but he had lost the will to care. Rey was gone, drowned by the darkness he tried so hard to protect her from. Something broke inside him at that moment, something that kept him sane. He hobbled back up the stairs, his lightsaber alive in his hands.
A force stopped him, grabbing him by the throat and pulling him into the air. His feet dangled inches off the ground. Rey pulled him closer, her dark eyes piercing his very soul. When she smiled sharp teeth were visible.
"Remember… who… you… are," he choked out.
"If you will not join me, then you shall die!"
Ben flew back in the air swiftly. Rey grew smaller and smaller as the seconds passed. He started to fall down, yet it was a fall that he feared would never end. The air around him whistles loudly in his ears. His last thought before hitting the ground was that he could never believe a part of Rey didn't still exist.
Palpatine laughed as he watched the boy disappear into the large hole. He would surely be dead once he made impact with the ground. It was a pity, really. The boy had so much potential. He would find another to take his place. Palpatine raised his hands into the air, sending all of the Resistance ships to their death. The crowd chanted him on. There was nothing to stop him now. He had immortality in the form of his granddaughter's body. The power he felt was beyond any he'd ever experienced before… even stronger than Vader.
He turned to take his place back upon his throne when he felt something tickle the back of his mind. His laughter fell for a moment as he stopped. After a few seconds of nothing, he continued his climb.
He sat down, soaking in the praise and worship from the crowd. His entire life he had waited for this very moment. He closed his eyes, smiling.
"You killed my parents."
Palpatine's eyes shot open, growing wide at the sound of her voice. He looked around him, as if she had somehow manifested before him. There was no one there. He felt a stirring within him, a tilting of his world.
He stood up swiftly, grabbing his head. Pain, sharp and fast, assaulted his mind. A feeling he hadn't felt in thirty years choked him… fear.
"You killed my parents and destroyed my life," she whispered.
"G—get out of my head!" he screamed. He stumbled down the stairs, falling to the ground below. The chanting ceased.
"Your arrogance has blinded you once again," Rey's voice whispered. "You see, I am not all dark, grandfather. I am both darkness, and I am both light. But you… you can only survive in the darkness. You're scared of the light, scared of its power, for it's the only thing that can defeat you. You wanted me and the power I could give you. So… I shall give you the light!"
Suddenly, Palpatine jerked upwards, his arms slinging out at his side. His mouth opened in a piercing scream that caused the crowd to cower. His soul began to burn as he watched the purest light grow before him. He wanted to run from it, wanted to push it away, but it sucked him towards it's burning hands.
The light took shape, walking towards him slowly. His eyes began to bleed, the pain so enormous he wanted to claw his own skin. Rey stepped from the light, hatred burning in her eyes.
"Do you feel it, grandfather?" she whispered. "Do you feel what it's like to be mortal?"
"Y—you'll d—die too," he stuttered.
The hatred in her eyes never wavered. The power at her back only grew, it's ray's torturing his black soul. He cried out for mercy, for it to stop, but it grew more.
"I know. But, I'll die for love. You'll die for nothing. Your death won't mean a thing."
"I can give you power!" He screamed, one last desperate plea.
Rey smiled at him, her tears falling down her cheeks. "I've felt a power you can only dream of… and I've given my life for it."
She raised her hands into the air. Palpatine felt his flesh burn. He screamed in pain, screamed in fear. The light was too powerful. The light was too close. She threw her hands out towards him, and the last sight his eyes ever beheld was the magnificent light of the Force.
Rey staggered back, her eyes coming open. Bright light shot around her, through her, and touched every part of the large room. She watched as the crowd before her screamed before their voices were silenced for the last time. She felt the full power of the Force, felt it in every pore of her body, in every corner of her soul. It bled from her in waves as it destroyed all of the darkness. It shot out of the opening towards the sky, blanketing over the First Order's ships and making them explode. It blanketed over the Resistance jets, pulling them from certain death. The war was over… Palpatine and his army were defeated.
Rey staggered forward again, her eyes glazing over. Her part in this was done. She had done what she came here to do. Death wasn't as scary as she feared. She felt feather-like as she looked around the empty room. She wanted to see Ben's face, wanted to hold him one last time, but he was nowhere to be found.
She fell to the ground, rolling on her side. Her breaths came slower and slower, her vision all but gone. Somewhere, in the mist that now surrounded her she felt the presence of her parents. They were close, calling her home. She smiled as she took one last breath.
Her hand opened in death, releasing a tiny pebble she'd grabbed outside of the cave. She didn't know why she needed it, just that something insisted she grab it. The tiny pebble rolled out of her hand, hopping left and right. As if a soft wind blew it on its path, it dodged rocks that would stop its journey. It rolled and rolled a long way, until it slowly stopped at the tip of a vast pit. It teetered on the edge, as if it's mind wasn't made up to fall, but fall it finally did.
The pebble fell into the darkness, picking up speed along the way. It's journey was almost over. It hit the bottom with a loud thump, waking the man whose face was inches from its final resting place.
Ben's eyes slowly came open. At first, he didn't know where he was or how he got here, but his memory reminded him. Rey… Palpatine… he'd overtaken Rey's body and threw him down into this large pit. He reached out for Rey's mind, but there was nothing. There was no darkness, no light. There was just nothing.
He rolled onto his side, crying out in pain. The very act of moving almost made him pass out, but he fought through it. He lowered his head against the cold stone, taking several short breaths. He looked up, at the monstrous journey he'd have to make to get out of the pit. He didn't think he could do it, but behind his closed eyelids he saw her face. He saw her smile and her tears. He felt his love for her grow stronger than the destruction to his body.
He grabbed at the rocks, pulling himself up. He screamed as pain rocked his body with every movement. Tears of pain streamed down his face, but he didn't stop. She would be his reward at the end of this fight, to get to see her face again. He would scream, and he would cry out, but he would pull himself from the darkness for her.
Up, he climbed, his broken bones begging him to stop, but he pushed forward. She needed him. Somehow, he knew with everything inside himself that Rey needed him. He was almost to the top. Beads of sweat mixed with blood pooled inside his eyes, but he fought on, until finally his hand reached outside the pit to grab onto a rock.
With a fierce cry, he pulled himself from the pit, from the darkness below. With one final push he fell forward. He slammed his eyes against the agony he felt as he allowed himself a moment to recover. The first thing he noticed was the quiet. The chants had died down, the battle above his head silenced. There was no noise. There was just… nothing.
Ben slowly picked his head up and looked around. The throne was empty, and his eyes followed the stairs, until he saw a small figure laying at the bottom. His breath failed him.
He pulled himself to his feet, his right leg dragging behind him. It was broken. His eyes stayed on Rey, his heart pumping him to move faster. Even when he fell to the ground, crying out in pain, he didn't stop. He grabbed fistfuls of rocks and pulled his way towards her. His palms bled from the effort, but he finally reached her.
Ben pulled himself up to sit beside her, grabbing for her. He was so weakened it took him several tries to pull her into his arms. She flopped back, her eyes staring at him. He waited, his very world crashing down upon him, but she never blinked. The visions… the one that crushed his very soul, had come to pass.
He gathered Rey into his arms, crushing her lifeless body to his chest. He shook under the overwhelming feeling of loss, as if his very soul had been ripped away from him. She lay still in his arms, for death has consumed her. Ben looked around for help, but there was no one there to help him.
He gently pulled her back, staring into her face. This wasn't the way this was supposed to end. He kissed her lips, crying softly. "There's something I never told you," he whispered. "You see, I also saw how this would end. It was never me that would live, but it was you. It was your laughter and your life that thrived," he whispered.
Ben placed his hand upon her stomach, closing his eyes. He fought past his broken body, past his broken bones, to the light within him. He called it forward, called forward his very life force and pushed it as hard and fast into Rey's body as he dared. He wouldn't stop, until he had given her every piece of him that he had to give.
Visions assaulted him, visions of seeing Rey for the first time, of feeling her presence in his mind. He saw their first kiss, and their escape. He saw the waterfall and the moment they became one. He saw all the times he pulled her from the darkness, and knew if he had to do it over again he would. He saw her smile, felt her kiss. He smelled her skin, and saw her beauty. He was surrounded by a love that could never be quenched. But, he saw other things too. He saw a boy with his head of hair and Rey's smile. He saw a place of beauty and light. He saw an aging Rey beside him, her hand tucked in his as they watched their grandchildren play. He saw many years from now laying warm in their bed, hand in hand, their journey ending together. He saw things he would never know.
Ben felt pressure on his hand as his eyes slid open. He slowly looked down, coming face to face with Rey. He waited, begging her to move her eyes. When he saw her eyes blink, he could do nothing but let out a small breath of thanks. His sacrifice had worked.
Rey opened her eyes wide, staring at the most beautiful face she'd ever seen. She sat up, not wanting to believe it was true. She'd died, but here she was staring into Ben's deep eyes. She reached a hand out towards him, feeling how real he felt. It wasn't a dream
"B—Ben," she said, her eyes growing wide.
The look of love he gave her was so overwhelming she feared she would drown in it. He'd brought her back somehow. His hand reached up, tenderly touching her cheek. Rey captured his lips with hers, pouring into him all the love she had for him. He'd not left her.
When she pulled back just enough to breath, she watched the most beautiful smile cross his face. They'd made it. "I love you," she whispered.
His smile slowly began to fall, the light in his eyes dimming. The smile on her face fell as well, turning to worry. Ben tried to suck in a breath, but it was as if something caught in his throat. Rey watched, as if in slow motion, as his eyes rolled back in his head.
Ben fell back, taking Rey with him. She tried to stop it, but he was dead weight. "Ben!" she cries out.
She raised her hand to his face to heal him, but as she watched in horror Ben's body began to disappear. Her hands slid through him straight to the ground. All that was left was his clothes. Ben was gone. Rey's wide eyes stared in disbelief, her entire body shaking. She begged him to come back, begged it all to be a dream, but as the minutes passed the horrifying reality sunk in. Ben had given his life to save her.
Rey slowly raised her head to the thunderous sky and screamed his name.
A/N: Don't kill me... I'm not JJ Abrams lol!