Hopping onto the tough, dusty surface of Exegol, Finn and Poe made their way across the vast landing spots and runway of the Resistance base. An officer came by, which prompted Finn to call her.

"Excuse me, have you heard from Rey?" Finn asked.

The blonde nodded. "Yes sir, but we lost contact a while back. She descended into the Sith Citadel. Alone. We haven't heard anything since."

"Great," Poe complained. "Just great."

As ships and X-Wings flew overhead and Resistance soldiers marched to their respective duties, the duo of generals walked toward the main building in hopes of finding out Rey's current status. In a wild change of events, though, a random bystander called everyone over, shouting that everyone should look towards the Citadel. Poe and Finn followed the commotion.

The floating Citadel hovering right over their heads, Rey emerged from the darkness. Cheers erupted, but then were quickly snuffed out when Ben Solo appeared behind her. Frowning, Rey glanced at Ben, who looked on. "Don't mind them," Rey said.

"I never have," Ben replied, a spark of anger in his voice.

"They never knew about our bond," Rey explained, moving Ben along. She saw Finn and Poe a ways away. Finn looked shocked while Poe had his hands nailed into his hips and shook his head in disgust.

"I don't believe it," Finn said, looking at Poe. "That's Ben Solo. That's Kylo Ren!"

"Shush, act normal," Poe retorted.

Rey ran up to them while Ben was left to keep moving forward and ignore the stares and whispers. "Finn, Poe, I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed, embracing them warmly.

"You did it," Finn stated. "It's Kylo Ren."

"Ben Solo," she retorted, frowning at him.

"Are you sure?" Finn replied. "I mean, look at him. How can you trust him?"

"He saved my life!" Rey exclaimed rashly, frustrated with Finn's doubt. She glanced at Poe, who remained stoic. "Aren't you going to say anything? You always have something to say."

Poe nodded and made a face. "If I did, you wouldn't like it." He paused, soaking in Rey's emotion, and thought of what she wanted. He raised his voice. "Everyone, soldiers, stormtroopers, whoever you may be, come on in to one of the tents! We've got a lot of food.

Grinning at Poe in appreciation, Rey thanked him. He simply nodded once. She turned to Finn. "I see you succeeded in your task."

"Yes, Master," Finn replied with a smile. "I've got so much to tell you. You won't believe it." She punched his shoulder lovingly.

Having stood several feet away to give them space, Ben's eyes switched from Finn to Rey and back again. Master? Seriously?

Rey glanced at Ben. "Look, guys, I want you to meet—"

"Supreme Leader Kylo Ren," Poe interjected.

"Yes, and he's going to be helping us," Rey said, annoyed. "So be nice."

Poe gave her a drop-dead look. "Oh yeah, that makes sense. Because we go way back, right? Like that one time, or, all those times, when he tried to destroy the Resistance and kill us all? Haha, good times!" Poe's fake joy dissolved into a convincing grimace.

Rey facepalmed herself.

Finally, Poe approached Ben and held out a hand. "Anyway, besides all that, I always wanted to meet you. When you aren't trying to mind-rape me, of course."

"If it isn't for the pilot," Ben replied, matching his tone.

Poe narrowed his eyes. "Actually, it's General Poe Dameron to you."

A geyser of anger threatened to burst out of Ben. He tensed his jaw, trying to control himself. In a last-ditch effort, he randomly looked at Rey, who appeared nervous. He relaxed, finding enough to control to shake Poe's hand. "Oh, I did not realize that, General Dameron." Ben sensed Rey's relief through the Force Bond and checked her expression for any approval. She smiled and looked away. Poe's aura of angst and antagonism lifted. He raised an eyebrow, impressed with Ben's reaction. "General, I'm . . . sorry for what I did to you. I know an apology means nothing; but, for now, it's the best I can do."

Nodding in agreement, Poe pulled his hand away. "Thank you, Solo. I've heard a lot about you. Well, with you being our enemy and all." Rey glared at him. "Uh, you know what I mean. Now you just got to meet—"

"The traitor," Ben finished.

"Ben!" Rey barked.

Ben flinched. "I mean, FN-2187. Hello." Finn glowered at him.

"Ben!" Rey yapped again.

Glancing at her, Ben retorted, "What? That's his—"

"I'm Finn," Finn stated. "General Finn."

His eyes widening as to why everyone he met so far was a general, Ben nodded in understanding. "Oh." He paused, deciding not to shake hands. "I—"

"You don't have to apologize," Finn replied annoyedly. "I get it."

"No, I do," Ben replied. "I have done horrible things. I hurt you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, the Resistance, the galaxy. I deserved to die alone. It was only Rey that's given me a second chance to right my wrongs."

Shocked by his words, Finn just nodded. "Well, come on, Ben." At the mention of his name, Ben nodded once with a slight, hopeful grin.

"You don't deserve a second chance!" a Resistance soldier cried. The person, a tall, bearded man wearing vibrant orange pilot's gear, leaped into a punch, which struck Ben on the side of the face. He landed on the ground.

Poe immediately kicked the man back into the crowd. "What the hell do you think you're doing, soldier?!" he shouted.

"He's a monster!" the man spat.

"If you do anything like that again, you're court-marshalled!" Poe yelled. "And that goes for anyone else!"

Rushing to Ben, Rey checked his face. There was a bloody cut on it. "Ben, you're—"

"I'm fine," he cut in. "I deserved it."

Hearing this, both Finn and Poe raised an eyebrow. This Ben Solo was nothing like what they imagined. Yes, he was the late General Leia Organa's son, but everyone said Kylo Ren was all that remained. They were wrong.

"We've got some stuff to patch you up inside," Poe said. "You'll be good as new."

Rey and Finn helped him up. Amazed by his courtesy, Ben gestured at Finn. "General, you're a good man." Finn simply nodded in thankfulness and followed Poe as the crowd broke up and began to mix with the new stormtroopers Finn turned. Surprisingly, there were no fights. Just welcoming arms. It was probably because everyone knew the stormtroopers were chosen from birth and never given a real choice or a real life.

As Rey and Ben walked close behind the two generals, Ben rubbed his cheek and wiped the blood on his shirt. Fury at the sight of it tried to swell, but Ben pushed it away and thought of what Rey would want. She could feel him quell it in the Force. A low growl escaped his mouth, representing the only remnant of that fleeting anger.

"How'd I do?" he randomly inquired as they walked. She glanced at him. He was like an expectant little boy. Or dog. Or both.

"I couldn't have been prouder," she answered, rubbing his arm fondly.

Relief surged through him. "Then it was worth it." She strangely blushed and looked away. "Did I say something wrong?"

Rey shook her head violently. "No, no. Just ignore me."

As they continued to walk towards the smell of a feast, Ben internally feuded whether he should bring up anything regarding the subject, but ultimately decided to. "Is it about, well, that thing that happened before I vanished?"

Her face went beet red again. "What? No! That . . . was nothing. I was just thankful for you saving me. That's all it was."

After mulling over the unconvincing response, Ben finally replied with, "Oh." He paused. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Let's just get you fixed up, OK?"

Clearly listening in despite walking faster, Poe glanced at Finn. "It's happening. They're doing it."

Finn frowned. "Just keep it together."

"I am keeping it together!" Poe whispered. "This is going to be so awkward. I know it."

Rolling his eyes, Finn jogged the rest of the way and disappeared inside an enormous tent. A short time after, the others came in. Bright lights lit up the interior, where hundreds of chairs and dozens of tables had been lain. Food was being served and left on tables for people to eat. They all turned when Rey and Ben entered and uncomfortably stared, but when Poe eyed everyone, they turned away. Normally, there would be glee at the sight of Rey, but thanks to her new moody friend, nothing would ever be the same.

"There's a nice table over there," a Resistance cook said. "It's in the far corner. Just for two. If that's what you're into."

"Yes," Ben answered.

"No!" Rey retorted. "I mean, well, OK."

When they reached the cute, triangular-shaped booth with a table in the center, Finn and Poe were waiting. They had a medical bandage and some disinfectant. Two bowls of hot soup also warmed both sides of the booth.

"Oh, thanks, guys," Rey thanked. "Clean up Ben, Poe."

Raising an eyebrow, Poe sarcastically laughed. "In your dreams. I'm eating, and so is Finn. This was all your idea, and I'm sure your boyfriend would appreciate it."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Rey shouted, her tone seething. It was so loud that almost everyone in the entire tent glanced her way. All eyes lay on her. She gulped, backing away and sitting on the booth. Her emotions calmed when she saw Ben diving in to the delicious soup. Yet, she could feel him laughing inside.

"Ignore the two weirdos!" Poe commanded. "I'm sure you got far more interesting stuff in your plates."

"Yes, sir!" a person shouted back. Laughs echoed, and Poe, wiping his hands clean in a sarcastic gesture of a job well done, brought Finn over to another table.

Rey sat down across from Ben. "That wasn't funny."

"Yeah, it was," Ben replied. "Denial can be hilarious." From her expression, he could tell she knew exactly what he meant. Suddenly, a sharp pain stung his cheekbone again. "Huh, guess I'll just do it." He was about to grab the bandage and disinfectant, but Rey snatched both away. He raised an amused eyebrow.

"No, you're so hungry you can't even fix a cut, Ben," Rey replied.

In reply, Ben was a moment away from saying, "Not for food," but, given her current demeanor or whatever, decided that would not be for the best. Yet, Rey had already sensed a flurry of mischief in him, and figured he would say something uncalled for. Surprisingly, he did not, and kept his mouth shut.

Standing up and sliding next to him, Rey sat on her folded right leg and applied a wet napkin of disinfectant. She had to hold it there for one minute. Feeling him looking at her, she redirected her gaze to the throng of people enjoying a hearty meal, and listening to the chorus of chatter among former stormtroopers and Resistance alike.

Nevertheless, not wanting to seem harsh, Rey glanced at him once. His brown, puppy dog eyes shimmered. For the first time ever, she sensed what Ben Solo was really like. Kylo Ren had always looked upon her with a wave of passion and lust. On the contrary, Ben was shy and respectful. It was like he could be two different people. So, this was the person Leia believed still existed.

"You smell good," Rey blurted.

His eyes widening at her sudden confidence, Ben replied, "Oh, I, uh, I didn't before?"

Internally slicing herself with a lightsaber, she blushed. "What? No! Well, yes. I guess. I just never noticed."

"Oh, yeah, of course," Ben responded, looking away. How long could one minute be? "Thanks."

"Mhm," she garbled, hoping to ignore everything spoken.

Several feet away, Poe glanced at Finn. Forgetting their meals entirely, they both stared at that corner booth. "This is just sad," Poe said.

"You see, this is exactly why Jedi aren't supposed to be in relationships," Finn said. "To prevent this . . . stuff."

"No, let's just be supportive, OK?" Poe replied. "She's happy now. He's getting a second chance. He's not trying to kill us. It's going to be a nice life, peaceful, serene . . . yeah, I can't do this. Just look at them."

"No thoughts, head empty," Finn joked.

Poe laughed heartedly. "That is literally exactly what I was thinking." He paused. "BB-8 flirts better. Say, where is he? Where's my droid?"

"With Chewie, who's fixing up the Falcon," Finn answered. "They'll probably be out soon."

A few seconds later, Rey pulled away the cloth and applied a square stick-on band-aid. "There," she said.

"Thank you, Rey," Ben replied.

She did not answer but finally went to her soup. She grabbed a spoon and just went crazy, gobbling it all up. Ben chuckled, handing her a piece of bread. Her mouth full, she asked, "Are you sure?"

Ben nodded. "Positive. You're hungry. Eat."

"Thanks," she responded.

"Don't mention it," he said. "I haven't had food in so long. I thought I'd never use my taste buds again."

Rey giggled. He grinned. "You're welcome. Now, we can finally end this war."

"It's not already over?" Ben replied.

"No," Rey answered. "There are still many bases we need to wipe out, and rogue star destroyers. But now, it'll be easier. I can get back in the field again, and help."

Ben's entire focus landed on her. "Wait, you have not been aiding the Resistance?"

She remembered all the nightmares and panic attacks. All the times she felt her mind was disconnecting from reality. Weeks of it, over and over and over again. Leaving her now empty soup bowl, Rey got up and scurried away like a scared deer. He got up, passing a winking Poe and Finn and trying to catch up to her. She ran out of the tent.

"Rey!" he called. She ignored him, still running toward a familiar ship. He stopped in his tracks. It was his father's. The Millennium Falcon. He knew who else would be on there. Uncle Chewie.