Force Dyad
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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.
Chapter Fifty-Eight-Avoidance
Ben and Rey instinctively drew closer to one another as they approached Skywalker. The jedi master didn't immediately turn to face them but remained rooted on the cliff's edge. He was dressed in a white tunic, and long light brown robes, similar to those he had once worn while teaching at the temple. Ben felt like he had been transported back into the past, a slight shudder rippled through him, and it was only when he felt Rey's fingers tentatively curl around his that he was able to relax again. She had sensed his ambivalence and had quickly acted to comfort him. Ben knew this confrontation would have been ten times more difficult without her by his side. He closed his hand around hers and clasped it tightly in gratitude. Together, they stood united as they waited for Skywalker to turn around and acknowledge them.
Only he didn't….
Ben quickly found his anger rising. They had travelled all this way and Skywalker was stubbornly refusing to engage with them. His fingers flexed around Rey's as he tried to keep a tight hold on his temper. He knew he was hiding a truth from himself, of how much his reaction was really to do with sadness and the scars that Skywalker had inflicted but refused to heal. He felt Rey's thumb gently rubbing the smooth skin of his palm and he concentrated on the soothing sensation.
Slowly calmness returned and Ben finally found the will to speak. "You can't ignore us forever, uncle." He said loudly.
"We just want to talk, Master Skywalker." Rey added in a much gentler tone.
It was hearing Rey's voice that seemed to have the most effect on Skywalker. He slowly turned around, revealing his face to them for the first time. He seemed to have aged even more since the last time they had seen him. His brown hair was greying and as unkempt as the wild beard he was sporting. But it was his eyes that struck them the most-they shone an icy blue, darkening like the gathering clouds signalling another rainstorm.
Rey knew it was a sign of pain long-held in rather than because of their unwanted intrusion. However, Ben saw it differently. To him it was just another in a long line of rejections from his uncle. She could sense his anger building up again and knew he was close to exploding. Even though she could empathise with his anger-Skywalker's behaviour was infuriating-losing control would get them nowhere. Ben's angry eyes reflected his deep pain, but again, she knew that Skywalker wouldn't read them that way. It was frustrating how both men could misread each other so easily.
"Master Skywalker." Rey tried again. "We're here because Leia sent us."
"She sent you?" Skywalker's voice was hoarse with disuse, but it did little to hide the sarcasm in his tone. "I have a hard time believing that…." His brows drew down into a deep frown as he regarded Ben warily.
Ben's gaze remained stormy as he glared at Skywalker. "The part Rey left out was that my mother manipulated us into coming."
"To what end?"
"To bring you back to the Resistance, of course." Rey took over the conversation again. "They need your help. The First Order has become unstoppable– "
"Why are you here?" Skywalker cut in abruptly as he emphasised the 'you', his fiery gaze remained locked on his nephew. It was clear the question was for Ben alone.
Ben's emotions switched gears so that his face showed nothing but cold indifference. It always emerged when he sensed a threat, and so this was part of full-on protective mode. "Because its time you practised what you preach and faced the consequences of your actions. I am tired of cleaning up your mess."
Skywalker flinched slightly under the ferocity of Ben's response to his question before a scowl took over his face. "Then you wasted your time. I came to this island to die. It's time for the jedi….to end." He retorted bitterly as he stalked past them off the plateau.
Rey tried to follow him, but Ben's hand tightened on hers, warning her to stay in place. "Why not?" She demanded, feeling frustrated with both of them.
"Its not worth it." Ben answered curtly. "Let the old fool wallow in his misery. We need to concentrate on fixing the Falcon so we can get out of here."
"You're going to leave him here?" Rey exclaimed. "I thought the whole point in coming here was to bring him back to the Resistance."
"He'll come." Ben vowed darkly. "I'll drag him back kicking and screaming if I have to."
Ben tried to hide his smile as he watched Rey feed the small nest of porglets some shredded fish. She had discovered the clutch of baby Porgs when he had unwittingly dispatched their parents to make dinner. When she caught him roasting the adult birds over a fire, she had been infuriated. She had become quite attached to the stocky native island birds with their beakless faces and large webbed feet. Ben just found them a nuisance. They had already infiltrated the Millennium Falcon, nesting in every available nook and crevice they could find. He had spent hours chasing them out of the ship, trying to ignore the harried look in their large telescopic eyes. If Rey had her way, she would keep them all as pets. She wouldn't listen when he pointed out there would be bird poop everywhere and they would probably chew through the wiring.
"Are you ever going to get over it?" Ben asked after Rey had steadfastly ignored him for over an hour.
"Did someone speak?" Rey asked the empty air.
"You're being juvenile." Ben was getting testy now. "We have to eat, Rey. There's no supplies left on the ship…or would you rather starve?"
"We're surrounded by ocean. You could have gone fishing." Rey snapped. Her loud voice disturbed the sleepy brood of porglets and they began to caw irritably. "Now look what you've done! You've upset them!"
"I haven't the patience for fishing." Ben complained irritably. "You're just being ridiculously sentimental. If I had caught fish, would you be cooing all over them like those stupid birds?"
"They are not stupid!"
"Yes, they are!"
As he spoke one of the annoying Porgs landed on top of his head. Ben growled as he batted it away. It cawed loudly, flapping its stubby wings clumsily as it tried to fly away. It ended up toppling to the ground at Ben's feet instead, its large telescopic eyes gazing up at him miserably.
"Ah, my poor baby." Rey crooned as she bent down and picked it up. She smoothed down its ruffled feathers before depositing it on Ben's lap. "Now say sorry." She chided him.
"I am not apologising to that." Ben protested. He made the mistake of looking down at the adult Porg perched on his lap. Its black pupils widened, seeming to make it eyes alarmingly wider than ever as it peered up at him. He felt a slight twinge of guilt but refused to back down, even if meant incurring more of Rey's wrath.
Luckily for him, Rey had become distracted by the porglets again. Ben sighed in relief, carefully lifting the adult Porg off his lap and shooing it away from him. He stretched out his long legs toward the campfire and made himself comfortable. The night brought such a silence that the crackle of the campfire was all that could be heard, a natural music in the black night. Flames sent red sparks dancing into the breeze creating a cosy glow. They turned the silky brunette strands of Rey's hair into burnished gold.
She looked so cute, Ben thought to himself, fussing over those absurd porglets. It was the first glimpse he had ever gotten of her maternal side and he liked it. Rey would make a great mother, she barely remembered hers, but he knew she would be fiercely protective of her own. Any child of hers would be free to live, to learn and love whom they love... for there was no rule that can contain such a sacred thing. The child would have her support for always and her guidance should they ever wish to ask. Ben knew Rey would walk through the gates of hell to keep them safe. He found himself feeling a fierce envy toward the faceless man who would be lucky enough to sire her children.
"It should be me!" Ben thought bitterly inside his head, totally unaware that he had projected it straight to Rey.
Rey raised her head and looked at him in confusion. "Did you say something?"
"No."
"No?"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes what?"
Rey made an irritated sound in the back of her throat. "You can be so frustrating sometimes. One day you might actually say what you mean and start making some sense." She muttered. "I'm going to sleep." Without another word she rolled onto her side, keeping her back to him as she closed her eyes, effectively shutting him out.
Then next day was spent working on the Falcon. The cockpit had borne the worst of the damage. They had yet to figure out what had caused it. Ben left Rey in the cockpit as she ran a quick diagnostic while he headed outside to assess the damaged to the exterior. After the passing of yesterday's rainstorm, the day had turned out fine. Ben stood at the bottom of the Falcon's ramp and let the warm air wash over him as he enjoyed the serenity of quietness, and breathed. He wasn't prepared for the sudden reappearance of his uncle. Now that Skywalker had closed himself off from the Force, he had no prior warning.
"Why are you still here?" Skywalker demanded.
The brief feeling of serenity vanished to be replaced with the usual bitterness he felt in his uncle's presence. "The Falcon was damaged when we made entry. We're in the process of repairing it."
"And how long will that take?"
"How long is a piece of string?" Ben countered.
"Don't be facetious, boy." Skywalker growled.
"Don't call me boy!"
The two of them glowered at each other for a long moment. Skywalker was the first to break eye contact as he shuffled away, muttering something under his breath. Ben watched him go with a scowl on his face. If their presence on the island was pissing him off, well good. The selfish old fool hadn't even bothered to ask after Tai and Hennix, or enquire about his own sister. His time in exile had made him more taciturn and embittered than ever. Skywalker was wallowing in self-pity, it just made Ben resent him even more for being unable to own his failures.
"You can't hide forever, uncle." Ben called after him. "You're going to have to face what you've done eventually!"
Skywalker's only response was the slamming of the door of his hut as he once again concealed himself inside.
A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.