Paralyzed

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A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Seven-The Passing of Leia Organa Solo

The pain that had once burned like fire had faded away to icy numbness thanks to the strong pain medication that Harter had administered. Leia's breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as she lay there, then, she heard voices. One of them was Ben's. He had come at last. The quiet despair and suffering she had gone through to reach this pivotal moment suddenly seemed a small price to pay to see her beloved son one last time.

"Ben! Ben!" Black filled the edges of her vision as she clawed at the empty air in front of her in a vain attempt to reach him. Then to her relief she felt his long warm fingers close around hers, her name a whispered sob on his lips. "Ben, please, come closer. I can't see so well anymore."

"I'm here, Mom. I'm right here." Ben mumbled as he knelt down by her side. Her hand trembled in his. He bent his head and kissed her dry cheek; her paper-thin skin was as delicate as a butterfly's wing. She seemed so small and fragile, no longer the proud indomitable woman he remembered from his youth.

"Is Rey here?" Leia asked anxiously as she reached out with her other hand.

"I'm here." Rey promised, quickly clasping Leia's hand and cradling it in her own. Her other hand rested on the top of Ben's head, her fingers carding through his thick black hair in a soothing motion. She felt his arm slip around her waist and tug her closer as he desperately sought comfort from her in his grief.

"My children. I love you both so much." Leia murmured as she finally felt herself relax. The Force flowed around her, wrapping her up in its comforting familiarity. With the last of her strength, she called upon it, drawing upon its energy to extend her last moments with the two people dearest to her. She could rest easy knowing that her precious boy had returned to the light and found a good woman to love him. She could feel the love flowing between them, it shone brighter than any star in the galaxy. Leia closed her eyes and bathed herself in the warmth of it. Their bond was so pure, the strength of it like life itself.

From a great distance Leia heard her brother's voice telling her to let go. She had been resisting Luke for so long, even near death she was still struggling to forgive her twin for what he had done to Ben. Her fragile human heart fluttered painfully in her chest as she summoned the strength to look upon Ben and Rey one last time. Her son's face was awash with tears, he was crying openly now, his voice hoarse with a lifetime of regret as he told her over and over how much he loved her. Leia hushed him, letting go of his hand so she could rest it on his cheek instead. He leaned into her touch and closed his eyes with a choked sob.

Leia looked up at Rey's face. The young woman's complexion was very white, almost the colour of a moonbeam, or an ivory carving. Tears spilled from her helpless eyes and down her cheeks. Leia concentrated the last of her energy on Rey, certain that there was more than grief at her imminent passing that was plaguing the young Jedi. She reached out with the Force, feeling Rey's subliminal Force energy stroking hers like a loving caress, and she could sense something else-another tangible energy coming from Rey-almost like…

Leia knew what it was. She had felt the same unmistakable energy when she was carrying Ben. Rey was with child. Leia's eyesight started going blurry. Luke's voice was louder now, telling her it was time. "No!" She panicked as she fought to remain in her mortal body. "I'm not ready."

Luke's response was a weary sigh….

"Mom?" Ben's anxious cry sounded far away as he tried to hold her still when her arms began to flail desperately, clutching him to her. Her mouth opened as she tried to speak, she was tiring so quickly. She stared up at her son's handsome face as he peered down at her with worried eyes. "What can I do?" He pleaded thickly.

"I need to speak to Rey. Alone." She whispered through bloodless lips.

"Why?" Ben's voice was rough with grief.

"Please, Ben. Please." Leia begged.

Ben sucked in a quavering breath as he tried to stem the salty tears that flowed unchecked from his eyes. He didn't understand. Even near death his mother was keeping secrets from him. What did she need to say to Rey that he couldn't hear? Despite the growing emptiness in his heart, he couldn't refuse her last request. His legs buckled as he rose to his feet, but managed to remain upright as he cast a devastated glance in Rey's direction before striding from the tent.

Rey stared at him with her heart in her eyes. She felt every bit of his anguish as he walked away from his dying mother's bedside. She didn't understand why Leia would send him away like that, knowing how much it would kill him. Rey was overcome with queasiness and was forced to sit down before she fell down.

"It's the morning sickness." Leia gasped. "I was the same with Ben. When you're carrying an extremely force sensitive child it starts almost right away. I didn't know that, not until I went through it myself."

Rey suddenly lost the ability to breathe. The more she tried, the more the air wouldn't go in. Her lungs felt like they had metal bands wrapped around them. Rising panic made her feel dizzy. She felt Leia's hand capture hers in a weak grip.

"You didn't know." Leia looked with sympathy at the stricken young woman sitting beside her. "Of course, how would you? You've had no mother to guide you."

Rey had lost the ability to form words. She gazed at Leia, her hazel eyes leaking endless tears.

Leia looked back at her; her own vision becoming increasingly blurred. "Oh, Rey, fate is so cruel." She lamented. "I so long to be the one to guide you, to see my grandchild grow. Don't make the same mistakes I did, Rey. Be there for your child always, nurture him or her, let them know every day how much you love them. The young life growing inside you is going to be incredibly strong with the Force, how could he or she not be with you and Ben as parents."

"Leia…" Rey whispered brokenly when she felt the dying woman's hand tremble in hers like a baby bird.

"You must protect your child, Rey. They will be a target. Just like Ben was. I failed to protect him. I should have known. I should have tried harder. If Sidious finds out you are carrying the next generation, I fear…." Leia's voice faded away as her hand suddenly went limp in Rey's.

Panicked, Rey screamed Ben's name as she tried to revive Leia long enough for him to say his final goodbyes, but by the time Ben came bursting back into the tent, Leia Organa Solo was already gone.

Harter Kalonia looked with sympathy at the distressed young Jedi. "You are no more than a week or two I'd say." She confirmed.

"Oh." Rey let out a long-held breath. She was a maelstrom of emotions-happiness, pride, excitement, relief. Every emotion considered good. But mixed in with those was pain and despair. What was she supposed to do now? She felt overwhelmed. "I have to get back to Ben. Thanks for all your help." She mumbled as she slipped off the examination table.

"You stay there and rest. I'll go and get Ben." Harter offered.

Rey shook her head. "No."

Harter was troubled. "You are planning on telling him, aren't you? You are going to need his support and plenty of rest."

"Ben is grieving. He doesn't need anymore pressure right now." Rey stated firmly. "I'll tell him when the time is right. Like you said its early days. And I won't show for a while yet?" She double-checked her facts. How ignorant she felt about her own fertility.

"As its your first pregnancy you'll probably start to show between twelve to sixteen weeks. Rey, I strongly advise you to tell him." Harter insisted. "You are putting undue stress on yourself by keeping it a secret. That is not good for you or the baby."

"I can look after myself. I've been doing it all my life." Rey answered wearily. "And as my doctor you can't tell Ben, right?"

Harter let out a frustrated sigh. "No, I can't."

Rey looked pleadingly at Harter. "I'll tell him soon. I promise. You have to understand if I tell him now, he'll insist I stay behind on the base in order to protect me, while he goes back to the Steadfast alone."

"I think you should both stay here, but you're clearly not going to listen to me." Harter said in annoyance. "You are as stubborn as Leia always was…and look where that got her." She warned Rey with tears in her eyes. "Just be careful. You are thinking for two now."

Armitage blinked in surprise when the doors to his cell slid open, revealing Ben on the other side. He was even more surprised when Ben asked for permission to come in.

"It's a prison cell." He sneered. "You hardly need me to grant you leave to enter, Ren."

Ben tried to contain his anger, wondering why he had ever thought it was a good idea to come and see Hux in the first place. But something inside had compelled him to visit his former rival when he learned about Hux's involvement in contacting him on the Steadfast. If Hux hadn't intervened and sent him that coded message, he would never have had the chance to reconcile with his mother one last time. It seemed such a selfless thing for Hux to do, and Ben was intrigued to know why he had done it, considering how much the guy loathed him.

"I want to say thank you for what you did." Ben said grudgingly.

Armitage felt no sympathy toward Ren. He'd grown up in the First Order. His father was one of the key Imperial Officers who helped the remains of the Empire resurrect itself as the First Order. As a result, Hux had been a true believer. Kylo Ren, or Ben Solo as he was calling himself now, was the scion of the galaxy's most famous family of smugglers, royalty and mysticism. Basically, everything that Hux had learned to hate and condemn under the First Order's focus on order and authority. Their relationship was never going to be harmonious. Their intense rivalry and mutual animosity had only grown over time, made worse when Ren had become Supreme leader and quashed all of Hux's dreams of power as he was forced to serve under a man, he both loathed and despised in equal measure.

"I didn't do it for you." He replied sourly.

"Then why did you do it?" Ben wasn't surprised by Hux's response. He was merely curious.

A sardonic smile crossed Hux's pale face. "Because after all this time I find myself in the strange position of having something in common with you, Ren."

Before Ben could question Hux further about his cryptic response, they were interrupted by Rose, who had come searching for Ben on Rey's behalf. She didn't hide her surprise at finding him in a stand off with Armitage in his cell. "Um…I'm sorry to interrupt, but Rey is looking for you." She said awkwardly to Ben. She hesitated a beat before continuing. "And I just want to say how sorry I am about your mother."

"Thanks." Ben said thickly as his grief threatened to overwhelm him again. He was desperate to get back to Rey now she had finished talking to Harter. As he was about to leave, Ben cast one last glance at his former rival, only to find Hux's watery blue eyes trained intensely on Rose. There was something akin to adoration on Hux's pasty face as he looked at her, but the object of his affection remained totally oblivious as she continued to express her condolences. Ben now realised what Hux had meant by his strange remark.

A/N-thanks for reading. Please review if you have the time.