Chapter 33

Their wedding ceremony was a small and quiet one. They didn't make a fuss about it apart from the fact that Ben insisted for her to wear a dress – the same one she so hectically put together on Dantooine. She wasn't particularly keen on the idea but the look on his face when he saw her in it, made it worthwhile. Only a group of their nearest friends witnessed it. Rose was the only one who didn't make it as her pregnancy was causing her problems and Finn rushed back to her straight after the ceremony. Maz was the only unexpected guest.

'You finally found it.' – She said to Rey.

'Yes.' – Rey smiled at her. – 'But I do not feel completely happy.' – She said thinking about the shadow of the upcoming trial.

'Child, there are many types of happiness. You have to learn to enjoy each of them.' – Maz patted her hand. – 'This is not where your journey ends. It is just the beginning.'

Maz was right. The war was officially over soon afterwards. The first elections to the Senate of the United Republic of The Core Worlds and The Outer Rim was held and soon followed by the trials of war criminals. Ben was accounted as one them.

They were waiting for the trial in Canto Bight. He didn't want anyone to represent him and he peacefully accepted it when he was sentenced to 10 years of exile in the unknown regions. It wasn't death nor even life time sentence. He wasn't even imprisoned as his services for the Resistance and the United Republic were taken into account. It was considered a fair sentence although Rey was far from being happy about it. He was allowed though to stay with her until their son Han was born.

And then Ben was gone. She wanted to go with him but Ben didn't allow his new family to be banished from the galaxy with him. It was his punishment to bear. He had to leave her and the baby soon after seeing his son for the first time and it was a heart-breaking experience.

She decided to come with little Han to Dantooine. Quan and Temini joined her as well. They brought a couple of fathiers with them. Han Solo Senior and Chewbacca would be surprised to see how well the animals survived their journey on the Millenium Falcon.

People were calling them all Skywalkers. Which somehow became a synonym of people with Jedi powers. She learned to accept it. Mostly because Ben didn't want to talk about his near-death experience but before he left, he shared something he learnt that day that resonated with her.

He said that he understood back then that it was time for the Jedi order to end. The Jedi order was just for everyone to finally understand that no one was completely good or bad, completely on a dark side or belonging to the light. The force was all about the balance. The border between darkness and light was a thin line that was cutting right through the middle of every living thing.

'It's up to people like us, strong in the Force, to make sure we learnt all that was to be learnt from the Jedi's and our own mistakes….and pass this knowledge on to the next generations.' – He said looking at Temini gently holding little Han in his arms.

But he wasn't here to help her with this task, not yet. After 5 years of struggle, when Larma D'Acy became the new chancellor, their appeal before the Senate was finally successful. This time, with her stubborn husband away, she managed to gather all those willing to witness Ben's change of character and the importance of his involvement in the last stages of war. Famous names such as General Dameron, General D'Acy (new chancellor herself), Finn Tico (co-author of the famous 'Rights for all species' Bill and well known and respected fighter for the rights of ex-stormtroopers) and her, Rey Solo, definitely helped their case.

The sentence was reduced to five years of exile and abstaining from the public life for the next five years which in reality meant that Ben was now free to come back to her. Now the only thing they were worried about was how to find Ben.

Without much success she tried to reach out to him. Only once just for a split of second, she thought she managed to get hold of him. – 'Come.' – She said. Did he hear? She wasn't sure. She was hopeful however, as even Poe promised to find him. She sighed and looked around their little family settlement. They built it not far away from the outpost she spent so much time in when training with Ben.

Now it was used by Quan and Tem as a Lab. Her eyes stopped just for a brief moment on a rocky ledge well visible above the tree line. She then lovingly looked down at little Han. Straight light hair surrounded his round face which was currently distorted by a frown. He was playing in mud and it looked as if his little wooden fighters were in the middle of a ferocious battle.

Further away, Temini and Quan had just appeared, heading her way from the forest. They were returning from one of their trips to gather herbs. Tem was growing fast. He became such a help to Quan and herself. Quan was teaching him all that he knew about medicine and plants. The boy had an amazing gift for healing. She tried to teach him the ways of the Force and he was a keen learner. But she knew that his most favourite time of the day was still when he was taking care of fathiers.

The animals got used to the climate of their new home very quickly and soon they had eight of them. She learnt how to ride them and even Han enjoyed their little rides together.

Quan heavily sat down on a bench next to her. He was getting old and those long trips started wearing him down more easily than they used to. She blocked the sun with her hand to get a better look at Tem who stopped next to her and put the sacks with all they gathered at his feet.

'Rey, you don't look happy.' – Temini said to her. He could read her so easily.

'Oh no, I am. But someone very wise told me once that there are many types of happiness.' – She smiled at the boy. She loved him as if he was her own son. – 'I just miss Ben.'

Temini smiled back. – 'He is coming. Don't worry. He is coming back soon.'

...

She was enjoying her evening ride as usual. She stopped for a moment at Leia's grave. With time it became a small memorial place with the names of Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO and Quan's wife's and daughter's engraved in the rocks surrounding it.

She didn't linger there long as the clouds started gathering again and now her favourite fathier 'Dinky' was carrying her effortlessly back towards the house. She closed her eyes. She was letting the rain wash the weariness of the day away when she suddenly felt something, something she had not felt for such a long time. She recognised it immediately.

'Ben!' – Her eyes opened up and impatiently started searching the area. It wasn't the link. He was close. She just knew it. And then she saw him. His lonely figure standing, among the trees, watching her. Then he started running towards her. Her heart started beating fast as if it wanted to leave her chest and soar towards him first. She forced Dinky to stop abruptly and swiftly jumped of its back.

'Ben!' -She shouted and then she just kept running towards him. They clashed into each other, completely drenched and not caring about it. He opened his arms and she sunk into his embrace. His lips were kissing her hair, her eyes, her cheeks and finally finding their way to her lips. The world was twirling around her as he was greedily demanding every part of her breath…of her being. The walls she built to protect herself for the last five years came crushingly down and the blazing fire of her love for him overwhelmed her as she responded to him and tightened her arms around him. She was not letting go. Not this time.

They slowed down, their lips reluctantly parted and Ben rested his forehead on hers. They both were breathing heavily. Suddenly aware of the streams of water running down their faces, Rey laughed.

'Not the best place for our reunion.' – She closed her eyes. She didn't really care about the rain. Everything was perfect. She sighed happily.

'Seriously Rey!' – He lifted up his head and leaned away. - 'What were you thinking? Out of all the planets in and outside the Galaxy you had to choose Dantooine?'

She opened her eyes to take a better look at him. He looked just as she remembered. His exile didn't leave any physical sign on him. Only now his eyes were smiling and there was an aura of peace and purpose around him. She raised her hand and cupped his cheek. His short beard tingling the inside of her palm. She knew he came to stay here with her.

'It is where we really got to know each other… The only place I was…happy…The only place I thought I could someday call home…Now you are here…and my happiness is complete.' – She raised on her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips. She smiled showing her white teeth. – 'Welcome back…home.'

...

Thirteen months later Rey gave birth to their daughter. They named her Leia.

THE END

A/N: I hope you thoroughly enjoyed my story. Sharing it with you was a completely new experience for me. Thank you very much for accompanying me on this journey :)