Toby POV
"What do we do with it?" she whispered.
We both looked down at the lightsaber. I could not see it, but I could feel my grandfather's presence in the room. It felt like it was a curse that was on my family that I had to get rid of. First, my grandfather then Ben, somehow Uncle Luke had escaped the curse.
"But not really," I thought. "Look what happened to him."
"We could throw it out the window,'' I said aloud.
"Toby, someone would find it and hurt themselves with it," said Rey.
"You could stop being afraid," said a voice behind us.
I whirled around and sensed Moz's small frame standing there in the doorway. She approached us, and picked up the weapon, like it was a toy, and weighed it in her hand.
"That lightsaber was Luke's and his father's before him, and now it calls to you," she said.
"Anakin Skywalker killed CHILDREN with this lightsaber!" Rey said, shaking the blade.
"You are afraid of the power of this weapon because of this legacy," she said. "But you could do what Anakin Skywalker did with a blaster or a whip. It was not the weapon that killed those people. It was the heart of the man."
"I don't particularly trust the sabers judgement," I said.
"Because it chose Anakin or because it chose Rey?" asked Moz.
Rey looked at me with hurt in her eyes, and I backtracked quickly. "Because it chose Anakin," I said. "I trust Rey completely."
"Anakin was a fighter in the Clone Wars for the Jedi," Moz said. "And then he killed the Emperor and gave the empire to his children who broke it up. He may have enslaved the galaxy, but he freed it twice."
I blinked. I never really thought about my grandfather about that. Was he the hero or the villain?
"This belongs to you Toby," said Rey, pushing the saber into my hands.
I shook my head. I was not ready. "It called to you. It's your mission now." I said giving it back to her.
"My mission? I have to go home once BB-8 is safe," she said.
What?! She is going home? She doesn't want to be with you, said my head. That kiss was just a kiss.
"Han told me," Maz said, and raised her glasses then held out her hand. Rey took it. "Child," said Maz, "search your heart. You already know the truth. Whoever you are waiting for on Jakku, aren't coming back."
I heard Rey's breathing hitch.
A light bulb went off in my head. She wants to go back so her family can come back for her. Oh God. I grabbed her hand and squeezed, and she leaned into me. I wrapped an arm around her and kissed her chestnut hair.
"It's okay, Rey," I said. Family is overrated, I thought, thinking of my brother.
Rey dried her eyes, and looked at me. After this we could go on our own adventure. I could leave the Resistance and take her to see the galaxy. It would be me and her against the world, with nothing to stop us.
But then I thought about my mother after Ben ransacked Uncle Luke's temple. How much it crushed her when she heard her son fell to the dark side. She and my father barely spoke to each other until one day, he just took off on a mission. Could I leave her the same way? Would she resent me, or want me to be happy.
"But," continued Maz, shaking me from my thoughts. "There is someone out there who holds your future."
"Luke," breathed Rey.
My brain shut off. I thought we were going back to Jakku as well. I thought it was going to be me and Rey, scavenging, hanging out, talking. Dump the droid and the wannabe clone and go home, that was my plan. But now we were going to have to face Luke. Fear pierced my heart.
"We can't," I said.
"What?" said Rey looking at me.
"Luke Skywalker is not our future. He is not anyone's future," I said, getting up.
"Toby," said Maz. "I know what happened when Ben turned. I know how hurt you were, but you can't cut yourself off from the Force."
"I haven't cut myself off from the Force, I use it to see all the time," I objected.
"The lightsaber is your grandfather's and it did not call to you, also Rey offered the saber and you did not take it."
"Do you know who that saber belongs to?"
"Anakin died a Jedi," she said patiently.
"Well, he lived as a Sith."
"Rey has been called to the Jedi path. Are you prepared to teach her?"
I thought a minute. Teaching Rey the way of the Jedi, even rudimentary skills would require me to channel the force, and that would imply, memories. I swallowed bile from my throat.
"No," I answered.
"Then she needs to go to Luke," said Maz.
"Okay," I said. I looked at Rey. "I will take you," I promised.
"I am no Jedi," said Maz, "but I know the force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing. Close your eyes, feel it. The light it has always been there will guide you. The saber, take it."
But Rey looked from Maz to me with fear in her eyes. The memories of the saber, she knows the truth about Anakin Skywalker.
"I am never touching that thing again," said Rey, and ran out of the room.
I was about to run after her when I felt a hand stop me.
"No," said Maz. "Take it/ It must get to Luke," and she put the cursed saber into my hand.
I sighed and ran after Ray, lightsaber in tow.
