Force Dyad

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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter Sixty-Confronting

Ben had been enjoying a pleasant sleep. After years of enduring tortuous insomnia because of Snoke's mental manipulation inducing nightmares, he loved being able to lay his head down without the constant fear and dread hanging over him of what might visit him in his dreams. Lately he had been dreaming of things past, things that will never be again. Rey featured in many of them. When she was the focus, he felt nothing but comfort, freedom and love.

Sometimes his dreams were just garbage or just too obscure to figure out. When this happened, Ben knew it was just his tired mind trying to make sense of his current problems and trying to work out a solution. Right now, though, he was having the best dream of his life. It was the best because it felt so real-he could actually feel Rey lying next to him, her smaller form nestled snugly against his larger frame. His arms were around her, as if holding her wasn't quite enough, he needed to feel every ounce that she was press into every ounce of him. In that moment of feeling her so close he felt more awake somehow, more alive than he had been in so very long.

Ben smiled in his sleep. His mind was at peace. It was like the world had stopped on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. He felt Rey's body press in, soft and warm. This was the love he'd waited for, prayed for. He inwardly thanked whatever higher power was allowing him to live this beautiful daydream and hugged all the tighter. A love like this was to be cherished for life. Finally, he was home.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The gruff timbre of Skywalkers raspy voice blasted Ben out of his happy fantasy and back into waking reality. In the soft white gold light of the new day, he opened his eyes to find his uncle glaring down at him like some peal clutching maiden aunt. A soft moan coming from beside him prompted Ben to realise the fantasy world he had created in his head was actually very real. Somehow, during the night, he had unconsciously gravitated toward Rey and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Everything he had been feeling and experiencing during his pleasant daydream became tainted as he realised, he had been holding her without her knowledge.

"Rey, I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Rey yawned, rubbing the heels of her hands in her eyes as she sat up. Ben's face slowly came into focus, highlighting his guilty expression. Behind him stood Skywalker, looking like some grizzled old man with his bushy beard and straggly grey hair. He looked outraged about something. She sighed irritably, annoyed at being disturbed. "What's going on?"

"I don't know how it happened." Ben apologised again. "I didn't mean to lay hands on you without you knowing." He shifted away from her as if her very touch burned.

"Gods, this is worse than I thought!" Skywalker's blue eyes turned icy as he stared at Ben accusingly, already falling into the same old trap of condemning his nephew before he heard the truth of the situation. "How could you?"

For once Ben didn't refute him. He was too busy staring at his hands as if they had betrayed him. He was completely ashamed of himself, acting out his private fantasy while Rey was innocently sleeping. Just because he wasn't aware of what he was doing was no excuse. It was utterly reprehensible and he would never forgive himself.

"Oh, shut up!" Rey yelled suddenly, her frustration at Skywalker's unwanted intrusion boiling over. She climbed onto her feet and glared at both men. "Ben, you didn't do anything! It was me!"

"Huh?" Ben stared up at her in confusion. "What was you?"

Rey felt her embarrassment catch up with her as she struggled with her confession. It was made all the more awkward with Skywalker's unwanted presence. His rheumy gaze was focused on her, deep lines furrowing his brow. "Will you give us some privacy for goodness sake, Master Skywalker!" She demanded.

"I am not leaving. I want to know what is going on." Skywalker pursed his lips as he kept his suspicious gaze on Ben.

Poor Ben was still utterly confused and bewildered. He rose unsteadily, his fingers finding their way into his tousled hair as he pushed the inky black strands away from his face. He felt like he should be mad at his uncle, but he was far more concerned with trying to work out what Rey was thinking. "I don't understand what's going on." He admitted honestly.

It was rare for Rey to blush, she was usually so annoyingly self-assured, but right now she was anything but. She was silently raging at Ben for not getting it. How could such an intelligent man be so clueless when it came to matters of the heart. "It wasn't you, okay. You did nothing wrong. So, stop torturing yourself." She mumbled.

When Ben saw the pink in Rey's cheeks, he knew something serious was afoot. He gazed at her, trying to read her expression, but she quickly looked away. Even in his confusion he noted how the blooming colour enhanced the few freckles on her skin. She was just so cute. "We need to talk." He finally said.

"I know." Rey still couldn't look at him.

"But not with him in attendance." Ben finally felt the residual anger toward his uncle creeping up on him. He shifted his gaze toward Skywalker. "Why are you even here?"

Skywalker stroked his greying beard agitatedly. "It seems I might have been mistaken." He answered gruffly.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Ben retorted. "If that's your attempt at an apology then it's a poor one. And you still haven't answered my question."

"I came to finish the conversation Rey and I had earlier."

"What conversation?" Ben's eyes narrowed as he saw apprehension cross Rey's lovely face.

"She made some very good points." Skywalker continued diffidently. "And as hard as it was to hear, it got me thinking that maybe some of what she said was correct."

"So, you've finally had an epiphany at long last. Good for you." Ben sneered.

"Ben!" Rey was appalled at his rudeness.

"Don't lecture me, Rey." Ben warned her as he raised his forefinger near her face in a very Han Solo like manner. "I've had to put up with his bullshit for years when he barely gave me the time of day. I'll talk to him when I'm ready and not before."

"You're being childish." Rey snapped as she pushed his hand away from her face. "We came all this way to bring him back and now you won't take a moment to hear what he has to say."

"Why are you defending him?" Ben demanded.

"I'm not! I'm just asking you to stop being immature."

"I'm immature?" Ben exclaimed in disbelief. "You should take a look at yourself, sweetheart."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rey argued as she put her hands on her hips and glowered up at him.

"Exactly what I said." Ben retorted as he began to walk away.

"Don't turn your back on me, Ben Solo." Rey demanded as she chased after him. She soon caught up with him and ran in front of him to stop his forward trajectory. "I wasn't done talking."

"Well, I was." Ben tried to walk around her but Rey continued to get in his way. Frustrated that she wouldn't give him space to calm down -which was unusual for her as she knew him so well-Ben ended up lifting her up and putting her down to one side so he could beat a dignified retreat.

"You're such a…a…a…." Rey struggled to think of a suitable insult as she watched Ben storm away from her. She was thoroughly annoyed with herself, with him, with Skywalker and the whole situation. "You're such a Nerfherder, Ben Solo!"

Skywalker watched their fiery interaction in quiet disbelief. He felt like he had been thrust right back into the distant past when he used to observe his sister and brother-in-law act in the same way. "Kriffing hell!" He mumbled as realisation dawned.

Rey couldn't believe things had escalated so quickly. One minute she had been enjoying the feel of Ben's protective embrace, the next Skywalker's unwanted intrusion had sent things spiralling out of control. And, as per usual, Ben hadn't been capable of having a rational conversation about it and instead had reverted to type and stormed off. Rey ignored her own role in the whole affair as she ran up the Falcon's opened ramp in a temper.

Her face was still red. It wasn't cute either. It wasn't a soft pink like a healthy outdoors glow, it was beet red. Then the blushing made her blush harder until she was scarlet and roasting hot.

Rey went back to her quarters, accidentally stumbling over the bag containing the datapad she had used to store all her research. She glared at it, kicking it to one side in a fit of petty rage. She got immense satisfaction when it hit the opposite wall and a shattering sound came from within as the datapad fell apart. She didn't care if all her hard work was ruined. All the information she had collected was utterly useless anyway. None of it had worked. If the only way she could get close to Ben was by sneakily trying to steal his affection while he was comatose, what was the point?

Then she suddenly felt him behind her. Rey breathed deeply, trying to calm her frazzled nerves as she turned to face him. Despite everything that had happened she couldn't stop her heart from racing at the sight of him, or the usual butterflies taking flight when he focused his incredible gaze on her face.

"I read it." He confessed hoarsely.

"What?" Rey whispered.

"Your datapad. I lied to you. I did read what was on it."

"No!" Rey wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. She was beyond mortified. As she attempted to hide her face behind her fingers, Ben closed the gap between them. "I can't believe you did that!" She moaned.

"I hate him."

"What has Master Skywalker got to do with this?" Rey's voice came out slightly muffled from behind her hands. "I feel so betrayed."

"I'm not talking about Skywalker." Ben refuted miserably. "Dammit, Rey, I'm talking about the guy who's captured your attention. The one you went to all the trouble of doing that research for. I hate him because he's going to take you away from me."

Rey peered up at Ben through the gap between her fingers. He looked like he was in agony. The faint splotch of red coating his cheeks was a colour to rival the rose-pink hue of her own. She slowly lowered her hands away from her face. "Are you jealous?" She asked cautiously.

"Who is he?" Ben demanded, avoiding answering her directly.

"Answer the question, Ben."

"You answer mine."

Rey took another deep breath as she steadied her nerves. It was now or never. She could no longer dance around the truth. "Its you." She blurted out.

"Me what?"

Rey wanted to smack him for being so dense. "Its you, idiot." She yelled. "All that dumb research was for you!"

"Me?"

"YES!"

Ben's warm brown eyes widened slightly in disbelief. He suddenly felt like laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. He had come to find Rey to…to…he didn't actually know. He just needed her. That was all. He certainly hadn't come to confess that he had read through her private data pad. After everything that had happened, he just couldn't keep it in anymore. His thoughts were a jumbled mess as he realised, he had been jealous of himself this whole time.

Rey saw the dawning comprehension on his face. No one feature made Ben so handsome, though his eyes come close. People often speak of the colour of eyes, as if that were of importance, yet his would be beautiful in any shade. From them came an intensity, an honesty, a gentleness. What was beautiful about him, came from deep within; it made her yearn to feel how his lips moved against hers in a kiss. Rey unconsciously moistened her lips; she saw Ben do the same….

A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.