Published February 7, 2021

"Sunrise"


Oh some Scholar! Oh some Sailor!
Oh some Wise Men from the skies!
Please to tell a little Pilgrim
Where the place called "Morning" lies!

~ Emily Dickinson


As Rey regained consciousness, she became aware of three things: she was human; she was wet and cold, shivering in fact, though something heavy covered her upper body and lent a little warmth; and someone was holding her in their arms, carrying her as they walked. "Ben?"

The voice that answered was different but not unknown to her. "It's Han. Chewie has Ben. We're going home."

Home. The word was strange to Rey's ears. Until a few months ago, home for her had meant Jakku. Lately she had come to think of Takodana as her home. But Rey reasoned he must mean Leia's living quarters on Hosnian Prime. Either that, or the Millennium Falcon, which had been a shelter and cornerstone for the Skywalker-Solo family longer than any particular location.

Despite her exhaustion, Rey lifted her head and tried to speak. "Han … the others …"

"We're all fine."

"But Snoke …"

Han stopped walking to deliver the news: "Snoke is dead." He adjusted his jacket around her, smiling as she gaped at him. "He won't hurt you or any of us anymore."

Rey felt close to laughing, or crying, or both. Instead she sighed and relaxed against Han, who held her a little tighter and resumed the trek to the ship. Rey caught a final glimpse of Nymeve Lake before they went up the ramp—it was beautiful with the sun sparkling on the water. Once they crossed the threshold he murmured, "You're safe now, kid."

He carried her into the lounge, where Ben sat on a bunk, stripped to the waist, one hand holding a blanket around himself, while Chewbacca taped a bacta patch to his wounded shoulder. Maz was laying out another blanket and some towels on the dejarik table. BB-8 and R2-D2 were in a corner, exchanging hushed but animated beeps as they recounted their experiences of the past several hours.

Seeing Han and Rey, Ben stood at once, pushing against Chewbacca's restraining arm. "Dad! What kept you? Is she—"

"She's fine," Han answered quickly.

Rey turned her head outward and met the eyes of the one person she most wanted to see in the galaxy. "Ben," she breathed.

"Rey." His voice was choked with a myriad of emotions, chief among them relief, as he reached for her.

Han hesitated. "Are you sure you can—"

"I'm strong enough," Ben insisted. With that, Han passed Rey carefully to Ben, supporting her weight until his son held her securely in his arms, then took back his jacket. Rey arched her back and put her arms around Ben's neck, hugging him as he cradled her. They did not speak—words could not do justice to everything they felt—but held each other tightly. He kissed her cheek, then looked over her shoulder at the man who had given her to him. "Thank you."

Han half smiled, then cupped his son's cheek in his hand. Ben leaned into his touch, thanking him again, not just for bringing his love to him, but for what his father had allowed him to do for her a short while ago. Then Han stepped back to let them reconnect.

Ben sat back down on the bunk, still holding Rey, so she ended up sitting on his lap. "Is this okay?" he asked, realizing this was closer than usual for them.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "More than okay."

Maz handed them another blanket and a towel. "Get those extra layers off," she instructed. "You'll get dry and warm faster without them."

Later on they might giggle at the fact that they had basically been told to undress each other, but right now they were too tired and emotional to joke about it. Rey just took off her outer tunic, and Ben unwrapped the cloth strips on her arms. Once her arms were bare she wrapped them around his middle, and he pulled the blanket around both of them as he hugged her back.

"I was so afraid …" Rey began.

"I know," Ben said. "It's okay. We're safe now."

They were both bruised and battered, but they were alive, human, safe, and together. That was the greatest joy they could have asked for in that moment.

Luke ducked in from the cockpit. "Ship's ready. Are we all here?"

"Yup," Han answered. "Maz, are you coming or staying?"

"Staying. You're welcome to stay too," Maz said.

"Thanks, but Leia will want us back as soon as possible."

The prospect of seeing Leia again lifted Rey's heart, but the thought of leaving Maz behind troubled her. The diminutive pirate met her eyes and seemed to know what she was thinking. "Go with them," Maz said gently. "You've worked long enough."

"Maz—I don't know how to thank—"

"Don't start, child." Maz's smile was small, but her eyes were full of affection. "This was one adventure I was glad to be part of."

BB-8 rolled up to them and chirped, asking what it should do.

"You go too," Maz told the droid. "You waited for your master long enough. Now you must seek him out." She took Rey's hand and promised, "We will meet again."

Rey managed a smile. "May the Force be with you."

Maz nodded, then hugged Chewbacca before disembarking from the ship. Han and Luke wasted no time taking off. Chewie excused himself from the lounge with the promise of getting some hot water bottles and tea, but this may have been his tactful way of giving the younger humans some privacy.

When the others were gone, silence filled the lounge, except for the mechanical hum of the ship. For a while they did not make eye contact, but huddled together under their blankets, trying to lend each other warmth.

"Are you really alright?" Ben asked.

"I'm fine," Rey assured him. "Just tired. It's been a long night."

"When we get home, you can sleep as long as you want." Ben relished the idea of finally having her nearby, being able to take care of her, provide for her, be with her. She would never have to work again unless she wished to do so. "Do you want to lie down? Or do you want me to hold you?"

"Hm. Both sound good."

"Here." Ben turned, set her down on the bunk, and lay down next to her. Rey rolled onto her side to face him and snuggled under his left arm, her head resting near his heart. Keeping one arm firmly around her waist, his other hand grasped hers and held it against his chest. "You feel comfortable?"

She smiled. "Better than that. I feel safe."

Ben closed his eyes, tightening his arm around her. "Good." He would have gladly dedicated the rest of his life to making sure she never felt unsafe again.

"I still can't believe what you did," Rey muttered.

"Are you mad?"

"Maybe a little. I wish you'd at least told me what you were trying to do."

"I was pretty sure you wouldn't let me if you knew the details."

"You're right about that." Rey lifted her head to look at his face. "Thank you," she whispered.

He touched her face tenderly. "No, Rey. Thank you. I went there to save you—"

"And you did."

"—but you also saved me."

"We saved each other," she conceded.

"I hope we never have to again. But if we do, I'll be there for you."

"And I for you."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Always."

Rey laid her head down again and dozed while Ben's fingers trailed across her hair, her neck, and her shoulders. She was almost asleep when Chewbacca came in with the hot water bottles and drinks. He stopped when he spotted them lying together on the bunk. Meeting the wookiee's gaze, Ben held a finger up to his lips, begging him to stay quiet about this. Chewbacca gave him a knowing look, though Ben could not tell if it was meant to be reproachful, indulgent, or amused. He did not say a word, but handed Ben a hot water bottle and put another blanket over the two of them.

The young lovers were both asleep, or close to it, when Han's voice roused them. "Kids? We're touching down on Hosnian Prime." When they did not answer or stir right away, he went on, "I know you're tired, and you'll get to sleep soon, but Leia will want to see you."

"Leia," Rey murmured, extricating herself from Ben's embrace. They sat up and put on the rest of their still-damp clothes. Chewbacca half-jokingly offered to carry them again, but they had enough energy to stand and walk, though they still supported each other as they disembarked.

Greer Sonnell was at the hangar with a speeder to transport them to the apartment complex. She stood at attention as they approached. "Captain Solo. Master Jedi." She eyed Rey warily. "Is this the real Rey?"

"The one and only," Han replied with a smile.

"Hi," Rey said. She did not look like much, after taking part in so many fights in less than a standard day and then being dunked in a lake. She certainly looked nothing like the seductive warrior who had infiltrated the party.

Perhaps that was what won over Greer, who smiled and inclined her head. "Greer Sonnell, at your service. I'm glad to meet the real you."

The speeder ride was quiet, as no one had enough energy for conversation. More than one person dozed and nodded off, only to jerk awake when they reached their destination.

C-3PO let them into the apartment. Inside, Leia stood in her dressing gown, flanked by Korr Sella and Tai.

Before the droid could make any introductions, Leia came up and pulled Rey into a hug. For a minute they held each other without speaking, looking for all the world like a mother and daughter. It struck Ben how deeply and genuinely they cared about each other. Rey herself appeared rather childlike as she held onto the older woman, but there was also a trace of guilt in her expression that Leia could not see.

Finally Leia released Rey and opened her arms to Ben. He bent down to hug her, and she kissed his cheek. When she let him go, she clasped his hand as well as Rey's. "I'm so glad you're both safe," she said, looking between them with equal affection.

"I heard the Knights of Ren were here. Was anyone hurt?" Rey asked anxiously.

"No. The knights were arrested, and everyone went home safely. Tai was very helpful with that," Leia said, tossing her head at the young Jedi. He held up his hand in greeting.

Korr Sella cleared her throat. "Um, I have something to say." Everyone, including Leia, turned to her in slight surprise. "We haven't met, Rey, but I work for Princess Leia, and—I feel terribly responsible for what happened. I let the wrong person enter Princess Leia's home and brought them to the party. I'm very sorry."

"Oh—that's not your fault," Rey exclaimed.

"You had never met Rey, you couldn't have known what she's like," Ben reasoned. "I should have known better."

"Don't start that again," Rey scolded him. Her exhaustion coupled with her deep gratitude made her voice sound somber but admiring as she told Leia, "Your son is a hero."

Ben shook his head and said, "I didn't do anything she wouldn't have done."

"What did you do?" Leia asked, with more curiosity than apprehension.

Her question was met with an uncomfortable silence. Suddenly it seemed like none of the rescue party could meet Leia's or each other's eyes.

"Well?" Leia's voice was clipped.

Han stepped in. "Leia, we'll fill you in tomorrow. The kids have been through a lot."

"Right. Greer, will you drop off Korrie on your way home?"

"Of course," her chauffeur said.

Luke spoke up then. "Leia, may I use your computer? I need to send a message to my students." He explained to Ben and Tai, "Anyone can go back to the temple when they're ready, but I'm going to extend the vacation by a few days—give us some time to debrief and tie off loose ends."

Ben nodded. "Good idea."

"I guess I'll take my leave then," Tai said. "Ben—I'm glad things worked out." He smiled gently at Rey. "I hope to know you better."

For a while there was some bustle as the family and friends cleaned themselves up and made sleeping arrangements.

"Rey can stay with Leia in our room," Han offered. "Chewie and I will sleep on the Falcon. Luke, if you're staying, you can take the couch."

"Thank you," Luke said. "I think I will."

Ben and Rey each took a turn in the fresher—she had to be shown how the shower worked, and marveled at the luxury of warm running water—and, at Leia's urging, drank some calming tea. It was close to morning on Hosnian Prime when they all finally went to bed. Rey and Ben embraced and kissed each other one more time, and then went into their respective rooms. Reluctant as Rey and Ben were to part, they understood the necessity of it—if they slept together it would be difficult to keep from touching each other after sharing such an intense experience.

Ben fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down, so he did not hear Rey's words or sense her emotions as she sat on the bed facing Leia and said, "I need to tell you some things."


Ben was not sure how late he had slept when he finally woke. His sleep had been remarkably dreamless. When he opened his window blinds with the Force, he judged from the sun that it was about midday. When he focused on the life signatures in the apartment, he sensed Rey still asleep in his mother's room, and Luke snoring in the living room, while Leia bustled around the kitchen.

He was still lying listlessly on his bed, wondering whether to get up or continue resting, when Leia knocked softly on his door and entered his room, holding a plate of breakfast pastries. "I felt you wake up," she said, by way of explanation.

"You're not at your office," Ben observed. Was she actually taking time off?

"I'm working from home today." She set the plate on the side table. "How are you feeling?"

Ben sat up and answered shortly, "I'm fine. How's Rey?"

Leia sat down on the edge of his bed. "Still asleep. I told her last night to rest as long as she wants."

Ben nodded, but pressed, "She's really okay? She wasn't—angry, or afraid, or sad, last night?"

"She didn't seem so. But she told me she had to make a confession, before I did her any more favors."

"What?"

Leia looked at him knowingly. "She told me what you did for her. And what she almost did to you."

"… Oh." Ben did not know how to respond. He had, in fact, been hoping to gloss over the fact that Rey had attacked him and considered killing him. "W-why did she do that?"

"She wanted to come clean. She feels guilty for her actions, and for yours. She thinks it's her fault that we almost lost you." Leia smiled in assurance. "Don't worry, I set her straight."

"So you're not mad at either of us?"

"Hardly. I hate that monster Snoke for what he almost made her do to you, and what he drove you to do for her. But as for you, Ben … I'm proud of you. We all are. More than I can say."

He stared at her, almost afraid to believe those words that he had longed to hear for so long. She had spoken similarly before the party, but now he had actually done something that merited her pride.

Leia smiled at his incredulity. "Lady Carise thinks nobility is some abstract quality that you inherit. But what you did last night, offering yourself in Rey's stead—that's the most noble thing I've ever heard."

The mention of her colleague reminded Ben of what had happened at the party, and Rey's reaction to learning about it. He knew she would want him to make amends, and seeing how forgiving Leia was being made him want to do so. "Mom … what I said at the party, about not needing anyone … I shouldn't have said that, especially so publicly. I'm sorry."

Leia nodded slowly. "I accept your apology. And I'm sorry we've made you feel like you had to carry those weights."

Ben was not sure any words could absolve so many years of pain and discomfort. So instead of answering, he asked, "What about what happened afterwards? Are either of us in trouble?"

"No. I'll have to sort out the knights' situation—that might be a bit complicated—but we didn't break any laws; we defended ourselves and our esteemed guests. My friends have agreed to vouch for us if necessary."

Ben looked down at his hands, remembering how close he had come to having blood on them, both literally and figuratively. "When we arrived on Takodana, I attacked the knights' leader. It wasn't really necessary, and it wouldn't even have helped us. I was so easy to bait—all he had to do was mention Rey, talk about hurting her or—" He broke off, unable to finish the horrendous thought. "Then Snoke found me and offered a deal … I came so close to giving in. I would have, if Rey hadn't talked me out of it—she figured agreeing would be even worse than refusing him. If she hadn't been so brave and willing to sacrifice, I don't think I could have been."

Leia laid a hand on his shoulder. "That confirms what I suspected: you and Rey are good for each other. I don't mean that you make each other feel good, as important as that is; I mean you help each other to be better people."

"I guess. She seems to already think I'm a better person than I really am. She said she believed in me, even before she had much reason to." Ben shook his head. "Everyone thinks they see things in me that aren't there. Even her. She showed me what she sees in me, but our perception is so different … I don't know if I'm really that person. I'm selfish and cynical, and after what happened at the party, I'm probably going to be paranoid for the rest of my life."

They both laughed a little at that, but then Leia said seriously, "You're human, Ben. Everyone feels those tensions between selfishness and selflessness, hope and fear, light and dark. It's a lifelong struggle. That's what being a Jedi is truly about—turning toward the light. And that's what you did last night."

Hearing Leia talk about the Jedi reminded Ben of what he had seen her do at the party. She did not just have power in the Force, she had the skill and knowledge necessary to wield it. And yet she continuously chose not to. "You should have trained me. Not Luke."

Leia suddenly lost her calm, self-assured manner. She lowered her eyes and said, "I didn't think I could. I didn't finish my own training."

"You're just as brave, just as skilled, and even wiser than he is," Ben insisted. "I'm not flattering, that's the truth—whatever that's worth to you." He looked at her with reproach. Leia did not understand his words or his expression, until he stated, "You didn't tell me about Darth Vader."

Leia's shoulders sagged, and suddenly she looked much older than her fifty-some years. "No. I didn't. I owe you an apology for that."

"Yeah, you do."

"I am sorry, Ben. I don't really have an excuse, this late in your life. But if it makes any difference … for me, it wasn't just because I was worried about how it would impact you. It was because … it hurts me to know it, and it hurts even more to talk about it. That's why I never do, unless it's absolutely necessary with your father or uncle. And I didn't want you to have to carry that pain—the anger, the shame, the hurt—even if it was a lesser degree for you."

"I guess I can understand that," Ben said grudgingly. But then something occurred to him that made him groan, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Now I have to tell Rey."

Leia's eyes widened; she had not thought of this either. "Do you?"

Ben would not even consider hiding this knowledge from her. "If she wants to have a future with me—if she wants to be part of this family, and maybe have kids someday—she has the right to know whose blood she'd be mingling hers with."

Leia raised her brow at him. "Are you planning to pop the question?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I'd like you to be happy," Leia said simply. "And I'd like Rey to be happy. You both deserve that, after everything you've been through."

For a moment Ben seriously considered it. He could improvise a ring or some other token. But a few nagging thoughts held him back.

"I found out something last night. Rey and I don't just have a Force bond. We're a dyad in the Force."

If Leia understood what that meant, she took the news quite calmly. "That sounds like a good thing. Why do you seem upset by it?"

Ben smiled wryly and shook his head. "It explains so much. No one in their right mind would love me as much as she does, unless there was already some connection between us."

Leia's voice lost all its softness. "That's the most nonsensical thing I've ever heard you say." Ben looked at her in surprise, and saw her reproachful expression. "She fell for you because you were kind to her. You gave her your time, attention, knowledge; you even shared your home and family with her. And I'm sure your good looks didn't hurt either. Whatever this connection is, it may have enhanced your relationship, but it didn't cause it."

Ben considered this, but still had a difficult time believing it. Then, to prove his point, he decided to ask something he had wondered but never dared to voice. "Would you love me if I wasn't your son? Suppose you hadn't raised me, and we just crossed paths, like you and Luke and Vader. Would you like the person I am?"

Leia met his gaze steadily and answered with conviction. "Yes. As a matter of fact, if I got to know the man you are now, I would like you very much. I would love the boy who wanted to be a pilot, gives me a run for my money at sabacc, and writes better than anyone who can use a pen. And I respect any man who fights for what he loves."

Ben felt the sincerity of her words.

Leia took his hand, which rather dwarfed her own. "You may not be a little boy, but you'll always be my son. And last night, you were everything I ever hoped you would be. And while your uncle would preach humility, I say you should be proud of yourself. I know I am, and so are Rey and Luke and your dad."

Ben turned his hand to hold hers, squeezing slightly. "Thanks, Mom."

Leia pulled him into a hug, and suddenly Ben felt like a child again, secure in his mother's arms. "I love you, Ben. You know that, don't you?"

"I do, Mom. And I love you, too. Thanks for—well—everything."

"You're more than welcome. And so is Rey."

The rest of the day passed slowly, as Rey and Luke continued to sleep, while Ben hung out in his room or outdoors, not wanting to be far when Rey woke.

Han and Chewbacca came in and out, picking up food and cooking enough for everyone. At Ben's request, Han brought the gold dice from the Millennium Falcon—he had an idea for something that would require them.

When Luke woke in the early afternoon, he made some calls and errands, and otherwise tried to help Ben pass the time with sparring, meditating, and calligraphy.

Leia worked from the kitchen table, exchanging messages and having her staff run errands for her. The two Clawdites were in the custody of the New Republic, and she was working out a way to transport the Knights of Ren currently being held at Maz's castle.

"The Mandalorians used to have containers that could subdue a Force-user. That might be the safest way. And these knights should be able to tell us more about the First Order." She sighed, rubbing her temple. "It's my worst fear realized—the galaxy is heading toward war. I only hope this will make the Senate listen to reason."

"You've said so often that the Senate is a lost cause," Han cautioned her.

"I've never said that. Implied it, maybe. But even if that's true, I still have to try."

Her family could only marvel at her unflagging perseverance.

The only one who seemed to share Ben's restlessness was BB-8. The droid shared its own story while the organic beings ate dinner. It said that its owner was a pilot named Poe Dameron. That name was familiar to the Rebellion veterans, though it took them a few minutes to piece together their memories: they had known a Sergeant Kes Dameron and his wife, pilot Shara Bey.

"They had a young child when the war ended," Luke remembered. "It might have been this Poe."

"If he's in the New Republic, it shouldn't be too hard to find him," Leia said.

Ben, who had never liked droids, actually knelt down to pat the astromech's sphere. "We'll get you back home," he promised. "I owe you after your help with the porgs. Thank you for that."

A few times, Ben went into Leia's bedroom for a minute to see Rey, more to assure himself than to check on her wellbeing. She seemed to be sleeping soundly. Ben would have loved to get into the bed and fall asleep with her, but he did not dare test that boundary with his parents or her. Instead, he touched her hair lightly and kissed her temple. "Sweet dreams," he whispered to her. It was a phrase he remembered from his childhood, but it was exactly what he hoped for her.


Early in the morning of the following day, Ben awoke and sensed Rey's presence in the kitchen area, awake and fairly alert. She seemed calm, even happy. Ben immediately changed into some clothes and left his room.

In the living area, Luke was sleeping on the couch again. The lights in the kitchen were on low. Rey was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of caf, her hair loose around her shoulders. Over the pajamas she had borrowed from Leia she wore a beaded dressing gown from Padme Amidala's wardrobe.

Her features brightened when she saw Ben coming, and she stood to meet him in an embrace. For a minute they just held each other without speaking, relishing their closeness, their safety, their humanity.

"Good morning," Rey murmured into his ear.

He laughed a little at the mundane greeting. "Good morning." He drew back but kept his arms around her. "How are you?"

"Better than I've been in a long time," she said honestly.

"You got enough rest?"

"Yes. I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but I haven't slept that well in a long time."

"Don't be sorry. You needed it. But I am glad to see you awake now."

She nodded toward the window. "I wanted to see the sunrise."

Ben understood. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all—I thought of asking you, but I thought you'd want to sleep."

"Not when you're finally up."

At the door, Rey shrugged the dressing gown off and hung it up. She had a sleeveless shirt and loose trousers on, but her arms were free of her usual cloth wraps, and she wore nothing on her feet.

"You'll be cold before the sun comes up," Ben warned.

She smiled, looking positively coquettish. "Then you'll have to keep me warm."

He obligingly put his arm around her and pulled her to his side before they stepped out.

The apartment complex included a small amount of land with grass and flower beds. The buildings that made up the skyline blocked any potential view of the horizon, and the sky was spotted with clouds. But even before the sun came into view, the colors of the sky and clouds changed, gradually turning to pale pastel shades. Then, finally, the sun itself rose high enough to cast its rays onto Republic City.

Rey knelt in the grass with her arms stretched out at her sides, her eyes closed, her face turned up toward the sky. She was blissful, almost intoxicated as she felt the sunlight wash over her. She breathed deeply, then spoke, her eyes still closed. "I'll never take this for granted again."

Ben sat near her and watched, admiring how beautiful she looked in the light of the new day. Presently she did not strike him as a queen, or a wild animal, or an ordinary girl; she almost looked like some nature spirit. She looked and felt more peaceful than he had ever known her to be.

He reached out slowly and touched her arm, running his fingers over her sun-kissed skin. He had never felt this kind of warmth from touching her. "Do you mind?" he asked.

"No. Please." She lay down on her back in the grass, and he scooched over to lie on his side next to her.

He hummed with pleasure, feeling her soft skin, watching the sun illuminate her face. "My beautiful human," he murmured.

She opened her eyes at that, taking in his features. "I still can't believe you became a porg for me."

"You were willing to do the same for me." Ben frowned. "I didn't get to try flying. That seems like a wasted opportunity."

"Ha! That would have been fun to watch. Flying with wings is not like piloting a ship."

After a beat of silence, Ben asked, "Do you think you'll ever miss it—being a porg?"

Rey shrugged ambivalently. "Flying was sort of fun … but I'd rather fly ships—with a certain copilot."

"I think you mean captain."

She raised her brow at him. "Is that what you are? Captain Solo?"

"Hm, well, most people call my dad that … I'll have to think of something else."

"Jedi Master Solo?"

"Maybe," he said noncommittally.

After another pause she asked, "Will you miss me being a porg?"

"Hm … I might miss being able to hold you in my two hands."

"I prefer when you use your arms."

"Well, I wouldn't trade feathers for this." He touched her face, his fingertips tracing her cheek and her lips. Rey closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly, and Ben took that as his landing clearance. He leaned over her and kissed her, gently but deeply, free of the desperation and anguish, relief and reassurance that had tinged their kisses during the previous night. Somehow, all of those shared emotions and experiences had transformed their love into something more than attraction or affection, intensifying it, maturing it, rooting it deep within their hearts. There was so much they felt that could only be expressed this way.

The moment was broken rather unceremoniously when someone in a ground-floor apartment opened a window and shouted at them: "Get a room!"

Ben's cheeks burned, more with anger than with embarrassment. Rey laughed. "We're not on the lake anymore," she pointed out. "And the night is over."

"Would you like to go back there?"

She thought about it. "Maybe to visit. It'll always be special to me, because it's where we spent so much time together."

"Our first meeting. Our first kiss. Our best dance. Our final confrontation with the forces of darkness."

"You make it sound like a story."

Just then, someone called their names. "Ben? Rey?" They turned and saw Luke standing in the doorway, frowning at them. "What are you two—"

"Just enjoying the sunrise," Ben said nonchalantly. Rey covered her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to hide her giggle.

Luke did not argue, but he shook his head and beckoned them in. "Come on inside. We need to talk as a family." He did not wait for them, instead retracing his steps back to Leia's apartment.

Ben stood and helped Rey to her feet, stealing one more kiss as she rose to her full height. They held hands as they went back inside.

When they entered Leia's apartment, the lights were off, but they could sense Ben's family gathered inside. Then, suddenly, the lights came on, revealing Han, Leia, Luke, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and BB-8 standing around the kitchen table, which was laden with breakfast food, a large frosted cake, and a pile of wrapped parcels.

"Surprise!" Leia said brightly.

"What is this?" Ben said blankly.

"Well, your official birthday party was supposed to culminate in making toasts and cutting a cake, but since that didn't happen, we thought this would make up for it."

Ben turned to Rey and demanded, "Were you in on this?"

"Not intentionally," she said, innocent but amused. "I did want to watch the sunrise."

"This is—nice, but my birthday's over, and I honestly don't want anything." Ben held up Rey's hand. "I have everything I could want."

It's also a victory celebration, Chewbacca said.

"We haven't really had a chance for one until now," Han explained.

Ben had to admit that that was a fair reason to celebrate.

"Besides," Luke said casually, "some of these are for Rey."

"Me?" Rey said in disbelief.

Leia finally came over and pulled them to the table. "Sit down, eat, and now that you're all here, tell me everything." No one dared to argue with her.

It was only now, with everyone rested and fed, awake and accounted for, that they finally pieced together the whole story. Rey began with the events that led to her meeting BB-8, Maz, Snoke, and Ben. Luke shared about his research and his visits to Takodana and Jakku. He tried to omit the details of their encounter with Unkar Plutt, but Rey wanted to share them, painful though the remembrance was.

"He said that my parents … sold me." Rey looked at her hands resting on the table as she said the worst.

"Oh, Rey." Leia grasped her hand. Chewbacca said something indignant that did not have a direct translation.

Ben was aghast. He knew what it was like to feel neglected or left behind, but selling one's own child into slavery was something else entirely. And how could anyone do such a thing to Rey, of all people? "Why would they—how could they do that?"

Rey shrugged. "They needed the money. Maybe they were on spice or something …"

"Even if they were, Rey, it's not right that that happened to you," Leia said adamantly.

You deserve better, Chewbacca agreed.

Ben suddenly understood why his betrayal had hit Rey so hard, and what her comparison of him to her parents truly meant. She had already been grappling with feelings of rejection. No wonder she had been fooled, and fallen apart, and then lashed out at him when he came to her.

He enveloped her in his arms, and she leaned into him. She did not cry now—perhaps all her tears had been shed by now—but she let him comfort her.

Han was frustrated for a different reason. "Growing up, on Corellia, I knew a lot of kids whose folks had done that kind of thing. I thought the New Republic was supposed to have stopped that." He shot Leia a look that was not exactly accusatory, but reproachful.

She nodded, unhappy but also resolved. "I'm afraid the Senate may not see the abolition of slavery as a priority, rare as it is now; but I can at least bring it back onto the floor." She hesitated. "Rey, I'll understand if you don't want to, but would you be comfortable providing testimony about your upbringing?"

"I … I suppose I could. But that wasn't all that happened on Jakku."

Ben returned to his own chair, and Rey told them about the Knights of Ren, and Unkar Plutt's murder, and her return to Takodana. She only hesitated when she came to the part about being captured.

A horrible thought occurred to Ben—not an entirely new one, but one that had been pushed aside during the chaos of the previous night. Now, it resurfaced like ice in his heart, and he could barely frame the question. "Rey … I hate to have to ask this, but … did Snoke, or any of the knights … hurt you?"

"Yes," she admitted.

"Did he—" He looked helplessly to his mother, who understood.

Leia leaned over and asked Rey quietly, "Did they touch you wrong?"

Understanding filled Rey's features. "Oh—no. Not like … that. Snoke touched my face, my shoulders and my back, but that was all. Though I did wonder if … more crossed his mind. He actually hurt me when I refused to join him—he hit me, then he used that lightning from his hands."

Ben had not known it was possible to simultaneously feel both pain and relief the way he did now. He was glad Rey's suffering had not been worse, but it had still been significant, which both angered and worried him.

Rey's voice was distant. "But the worst part was … he tried to convince me that no one cared about me. I almost believed it, after everything I'd learned. Then he left me by myself to wait for the sunrise." She hugged herself and seemed to shrink as she remembered her close brush with despair. "I'd never felt so alone."

"You're not alone," Ben said fiercely. She met his eyes, looking lost but hopeful, as though she was willing to believe him even if it was hard for her to do so. He wanted to tell her that she had a family, that he and his family would be hers.

But before he offered that, he needed to tell her who else that family included.

"I need to tell you something now," he said, after they had recounted the events of the party. "On our way, my dad and uncle told me some things … things that explained what Snoke was really doing. It wasn't you he was after, Rey—or at least not you alone. He wanted me, because …" He hesitated, unsure if he could bring himself to speak the words, and fearful of how she would react. But if he expected her to trust him, he in turn had to trust her. "My grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, spent about half of his life as someone else. He was Darth Vader."

Rey stared, her mouth slightly ajar. She inhaled as the pieces came together in her mind. The darkness she had glimpsed in him made sense now. "Oh, Ben …" She looked at him with something he had not expected: compassion. "I thought there might be something, but I had no idea … you just learned this last night?"

Ben nodded and braced himself. "If that … if that changes how you feel about us—or about me—I'll understand."

"What? Of course it doesn't," she said, almost indignant at the idea. "You can't help who you're related to any more than I can."

"But last night—I almost gave in to the darkness. Multiple times."

She touched his shoulder. "Ben, I know you. We've been in each other's minds, remember? I see the goodness in you, the way the light pulls you. That's what I love about you."

"But all my power—it runs in the family. I'll understand if you don't want to get into this."

Rey stuck out her chin. "I've been mixed up in this since before I met you. Meeting you has been the best thing that came out of being cursed."

He had to smile. "I guess I can't argue with that."

They took turns narrating the next part of the story. Ben tried to summarize his meeting with Snoke, his council with the porgs, and his conversation with Rey, but she interrupted to state the fact that they had physically fought when he found her.

"You don't have to tell about that," Ben said.

"Yes, I do," Rey said grimly. "I don't want any secrets between any of us." She turned to Leia and Han, bowing her head in contrition. "I attacked Ben. I wounded him. And then Snoke spoke to me, over a distance, saying I should take revenge, hinting that it would somehow undo the curse, and—I thought about it. I thought about killing him. Ben actually put down his weapon and said he would let me."

"Did he?" Han leaned back in his chair, looking pointedly at Luke. The Jedi master did not move or speak; he was either too stunned or too afraid to say or do anything.

"Well," Han said finally, "I don't know whether I'm more upset that you considered it or impressed that you admitted it."

"Please don't hold it against her," Ben pleaded. "Snoke was manipulating us, she wasn't herself—"

"You don't need to convince us," Leia said, holding up her hand to stop him. "We understand. We'll speak no more of it."

"Ben?" Luke sought his nephew's eyes. "You know I try not to give too much praise—"

"Of course," Ben said coolly, "you can't be seen as playing favorites."

"Well—to Hoth's core with that. I don't think any teacher has ever been so proud of a student as I am of you."

Ben's eyes widened. Ever since he had begun training as a Jedi, he had craved his uncle's approval. That was what had driven him to excel in so many areas, beyond his innate strength in the Force. He had never thought that he would earn his master's blessing this way.

Luke justified his statement by taking up the narrative, coming to the part about Ben's idea to transfer the curse, and his radical decision to take it upon himself.

"Snoke didn't understand the power of self-sacrifice," Luke explained. "The only kind of sacrifice he could understand is the kind that inflicts pain—killing a loved one, destroying something valuable. You were both willing to sacrifice your own priorities for the good of the galaxy. And then you, Ben, were willing to give up everything you've wanted—control, respect, importance—for Rey's sake."

Rey nudged him with her elbow. "You just had to steal the glory from me, you … selfless son of a smuggler."

The ridiculousness of that epithet made them all laugh.

"Did you know that taking her place would break the curse?" Leia asked the three men.

"I didn't," Ben said.

"I suspected it," Luke posited, "but I thought that, for it to work, I couldn't let you know."

"You let us go through all that when there was hope!" Rey accused.

You let us think Ben was gone! Chewbacca agreed.

"No one is ever really gone," Luke said, sounding sage and mysterious.

"You are all jerks!" Rey raged, laughing.

"I can't argue with you there," Leia said, sipping her caf.

The mood turned somber again when they came to the part about the Force ghosts, and Ben's transformation, and the lovers' near-drowning experience. Leia was silent throughout this part, processing her biological father's words and actions. Her feelings toward him were complicated at best. As for Obi-Wan Kenobi, she had never met him, only caught a fleeting glimpse of him before he died, but she was happy Ben had seen him, however briefly.

"So, how did you actually defeat Snoke?" Ben asked. Aside from wanting to be certain that he was no longer a threat, he was genuinely curious about how they had managed to defeat such a powerful Force user.

"And what happened to our lightsabers?" Rey asked.

"I summoned them," Luke said, "and when Snoke tried to use lightning against us, I sent it back to him. Then Obi-Wan and my father struck him—they seemed to have the same power, despite being dead—and then he sort of—disintegrated. I'm not sure exactly how or why it happened that way."

"But you're sure he's gone?" Ben pressed.

"Yes. Besides seeing it, I sensed it."

So what happens now? Chewbacca asked. The humans exchanged thoughtful, uncertain glances.

"I've been thinking over what Anakin said to me," Han said slowly. "I think … maybe it's time to hand the company over to someone else. Focus on my family. Of course, that also depends on what you all plan to do."

"I'm afraid I'll have to put off my retirement a while longer," Leia said regretfully. "We need to learn more about the First Order and find a way to stop it before it's too late."

"Well, maybe I could help with that," Han offered.

"I believe Rey and Ben still have a decision to make," Luke said. "Though if you still need time to think things over, I can give you a few more days."

Rey and Ben exchanged glances. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. They had almost lost any opportunity to live full human lives. Now that opportunity had been restored, and with it, the freedom to decide what path to take.

"I think Leia has something to say first," Han said, nodding to his wife.

Leia nodded back. When she spoke, her tone was gentle but also full of conviction. "Rey, we were talking, and we unanimously agreed that, irrespective of your relationship with Ben, you always have a place with us. If you ever need a job or somewhere to stay, you're welcome with us."

Rey was almost speechless. "I … I don't know what to say. I don't think I deserve—I mean, I've caused you so much trouble as it is …"

Ben was about to argue, to tell her that it wasn't about what any of them deserved, and if it were, she deserved everything they could give her; but Luke cut in. "Let me ask you something. Why did you help BB-8?"

"Because he needed help," Rey answered simply.

"And why did you try to rescue Maz?"

"Because she's my friend."

"Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

"… I'm not sure."

"Rey, when other people want to help you, either because it's the right thing or because they care about you, you need to accept that with grace. That was what allowed Ben to regain his human form. He made the sacrifice, but you had to accept it."

"We may not be the most functional family in the galaxy," Leia acknowledged. "But we would love for you to be part of it."

Rey seemed close to tears. "Thank you," she murmured. "Thank you all." She stood and went around the table, giving each of the adults a hug and a kiss.

Ben willed his voice not to shake as he spoke up. "Rey." She turned to him, and he stood up to face her, drawing something from his pocket. "I can take you anywhere you want to go. But now that the curse is broken, there's nothing to stop us from being together. And after all this … even if we're not in imminent danger, I don't want us to be apart again. I want to show you all the places you haven't seen yet. So, I'm officially asking …" He held the dice out and asked, "Will you be my co-pilot?"

Rey covered her mouth with her hand, blinking back tears and choking back laughter. Then she lowered her hand to her heart and whispered, smiling radiantly, "Yes."

"Hold on a minute," Leia interrupted. Ben and Rey turned to her in surprise. She leveled a look at Ben. "You can't go off gallivanting around the galaxy with a girl you're in love with and not married to."

"Why not?"

"Because I've done exactly that, and I know you're unlikely to come back with the same number of people that left. You'll either kill each other, or end up parents."

Ben did not want to think about what made her so sure of that. The way Han hid his face behind his cup of caf told him enough.

Luke spoke up. "I meant what I said on Jakku, Rey. There's a place for you at the temple, if you want it. I propose that you give it a chance, at least to see what it's like. Take the time to meet the other Jedi and train with us. Then, a year from now, we can reconvene to decide what's next."

That sounds fair, Chewbacca said.

Rey nodded slowly. "I think I like the sound of that. As long as you're there too," she said to Ben.

"Of course. As long as you want me, I'll go wherever you go."

"In that case, Rey, you might like to have this." Luke took a package from the pile of gifts and passed it to her.

Rey carefully untied the string and unwrapped the paper. Inside was a folded set of white and brown clothes. She recognized the style from Luke, Ben, and Tai's attire. "Is this—"

"Traditional Jedi robes," Luke confirmed. "They're not required, but they are encouraged."

"Thank you … Master." She hugged the clean white tunic against her chest. "This is really an honor."

He inclined his head toward her. "You're welcome with us."

Ben knew he spoke for everyone present when he said, "You always will be."


Author's Note: I almost decided to split this chapter in half. It's the longest one yet! But I couldn't do that to you readers. There will be an epilogue after this. Stay tuned for the epilogue next weekend!