Ch 28

Rey

We sat on the couch and ate and talked for what seemed like hours. There were so many unanswered and strange questions, some I knew I may not get an answer to.

"Where were you? I felt you die that day, and I tried to reach out to you so many times. Sometimes I'd think I felt something or heard or saw you. I mean how is it even possible that you're actually here?" I was rambling, I would usually do that if I was overwhelmed. He seemed very calm and stoic, but in his eyes I could see he was just as perplexed by this situation as me.

"I wasdead Rey, I'm not sure where I was. It was dark and eventually I found out a place called the in between. It was very beautiful. I saw a lot of people there, my grandparents and my mother. Sometimes I could see you here, so you may actually have seen or heard or felt me. I'm not sure how that works, but the people I saw kept telling me I needed to be ready to come back. Maybe it's because of our connection, our dyad. I'd never actually heard of one before until Palpatine mentioned it but if it's as powerful as he said it was then it explains this"

I nodded as I took another bite of food. We sat awkwardly in silence as we ate.

"I remember when you died too... as I was climbing out of that pit it felt like the wind was knocked out of me and I almost lost my grip. Once I saw you on the ground... I knew what I had to do. I didn't know if it would work but I had to try..."

I grabbed his hand in reassurance, I knew exactly what it had felt like to lose him just as he knew what it was to lose me.

"How did you... I mean what happened after Exegol? I know you went to Tatooine and then you came here...?" He said trailing off.

I sighed and put my plate down, knowing I wouldn't be able to eat after this.

So I told him everything. About the ghosts who would visit me and the few times I saw him. The memory visits were the most difficult part to try and talk about without revealing some truths like finding him attractive when we were still discovering our bond.

He laughed at that part, not because it was funny, but because he said seeing me embarrassed was amusing.

"I always knew you were attracted to me Rey" he said between laughs "but I laugh because I also found you attractive and I always thought 'how strange that I, a dark Sith, am attracted and drawn to this girl that represents everything I stand against?!'. It boggled my mind and now I'm truly grateful to have you in my life" he said as he grabbed my other hand.

"Well it was definitely strange. I had always felt drawn to you since the moment I first saw you without that mask in the interrogation room. I always felt like I was meant to be in your life and I spent so long fighting it "

He stroked my cheek with his hand and I closed my eyes enjoying the simple action.

"Who did you end up meeting as far as the ghosts went? I saw my mother and my grandparents... it was strange. They were all much younger than I would have thought. Specially my grandparents, I wish I could have met them in person."

I had always wondered just how much he actually knew about his family before he turned. It seemed that was a discussion for a later time though.

"Me too... I met you grandparents as well. Although, I spent the most time with Padmé. She was so beautiful and kind, but she always had this... sadness about her. She was so wise and she reminded of a goddess. I saw some of her memories too actually." I got up at the last part and went to the box that I kept under the bed. The box that held Padmé's clothes.

"I actually found this on Tatooine. It belonged to her and I saw her" I said as I made my way back to Ben who was speechless as I pulled the veil out. "I saw her wedding with Anakin. Oh Ben, it was beautiful. It happened right here in secret, but they were so in love and... it's the most tragic thing I ever heard of" he had a sideways smile as he held the veil, admiring the great detail.

"My grandfather told me of his wedding day. He said it was one of the happiest moments of his life, second to finding out he would be a father. I never thought of that you know? Having my own family even finding someone like you Rey, I never thought that would be possible" he said looking down at me. He leaned in and kissed the top of my head. The gesture was so natural, something I could easily get used to, and I wasn't one to normally enjoy physical contact, but with him I couldn't get enough of it.

"I didn't either. After you died I promised myself I would never marry or anything... the bond we have isn't something I could ever have with anyone else, you know? What we have is so unique that I know nothing could ever compare." He smiled at me and I pulled his body closer to mine. I knew I could stay in his arms like this even after we died. It was like they were made for me, it was like I was made for him, it wasn't something I ever wanted to let go of.