Force Dyad

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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who had kindly read and reviewed this story.

Chapter Seventy-Seven-Coming Together

The campfire appeared to echo the starlight, as if the flames so close and so distant had so very much to say to one another. The glowing embers reflected in Rey's hazel eyes, making them appear a soft green. She sat comfortably in-between Ben's legs, her back pressed against his muscular chest. His strong arms circled her protectively, his chin resting on top of her head as he embraced her from behind.

They weren't alone. Dotted around the campfire were some of their closest friends and family. Han sat on an old log next to Chewie, his long face thoughtful. The tall Wookie peered into the flames, looking as equally preoccupied as his old friend. Magda sat to the left of them, her only remaining grandson, Denny, dozing fitfully at her feet. Rose and Hux were cuddled up together close by. Hux's face was stripped of his usual merriment, instead looking unusually sombre. Rose kept staring across the fire toward Ben and Rey, her own expression troubled. Tai and Hennix stayed on the outskirts of the group, their eyes guarded as they kept careful watch.

"I don't know what to think about all this, kid." Han finally spoke.

After their momentous discovery that it wasn't just objects that they could transfer to each other through the Force, Ben and Rey had decided it was time to share those findings with those they trusted most.

"Its so wild." Hux mused aloud. "I can't wrap my head around the fact that you are capable of not just transferring matter across great distances, but each other as well?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I always knew there was something strange about you, Solo." He finished with a wry grin. "No offence."

Ben grinned back, not at all insulted by Hux's comment. "None taken."

"Hey, I happen to love strange." Rey piped up.

"That's because you're strange yourself." Hux retorted.

Rose rolled her eyes at their banter and elbowed Hux none-too-gently in the side. "Quit with the jokes. This is serious, Armitage." She warned him.

"Someone's got to lighten the atmosphere. You need to learn to chill, Tico." Hux playfully ruffled her hair, earning himself another elbow in the side from the object of his affection.

Chewie let out an irritated whine, his fierce glare putting an end to Hux's attempt at humour. Han glanced to the side at Magda. The Mon Calamari matriarch had been unusually silent. "What do you think?" He asked.

Magda let her gaze roam Han's face, his jacket, the blaster holstered at his side. She could smell the gear lubricant Han used to keep the Falcon's converter's running. "I used to think everything in life had a purpose. A meaning. Then I lost almost my whole family due to the First Order's tyranny." Her sad eyes fell onto her grandson Denny. She reached out and swept one webbed hand across his forehead. He stirred restlessly in his sleep at her touch, before settling down again. "And everything that I believed in ceased to matter. I can't offer an opinion because my view is clouded by prejudice."

Ben and Rey exchanged a distressed glance. They weren't used to seeing Magda so full of defeat. She had always been so strong, a reliable source of comfort and advice. But the slump of her shoulders and the anguish and despair that shone in her bulbous eyes showed she had reached her limit.

"I will make them pay for what they've done, Mags. I swear it." Ben vowed.

"I second that!" Rey added stoutly.

"Oh, children!" Magda cried, her eyes glazing with tears. "The last thing I want is for you to risk your lives to avenge my family's. If you are considering confronting the emperor on his home turf- which I can see you are- then it needs to be for better reasons than that. If revenge is all you carry in your hearts, you will only set yourselves up for failure."

"Magda's right." Han said huskily. "We have to be smart about this."

"You expect us to go in all guns blazing like General Organa wants-with me acting as the figurehead for the reborn Jedi, trailblazing our way across the galaxy in order to inspire others to join her doomed cause." Ben sneered.

Han frowned at his son's harsh tone. He may be angry with his wife right now, but he was not comfortable with anyone speaking ill of her when she wasn't there to defend herself. "Ben, that was uncalled for."

"She sees me as nothing but a means to an end. A weapon. Our last conversation proved that." Ben answered scathingly, his overriding bitterness at his last confrontation with his mother taking hold of him again.

Rey's fingers closed around his, her pensive gaze pleading with him to calm down. He stared into her eyes, his own softening as he realised that he was falling into the same old trap. "You're right." He said in response to her unspoken words. "It's the past."

Han and Magda exchanged a knowing look. The Mon Calamari female's webbed hand settled on top of her grandson's head. Denny's brow was wrinkled as if suffering from a bad dream. It would be one of many. He had not had a full night's sleep since seeing his parents slaughtered in front of him. Magda absently caressed his cheek. All she wanted was a better future for her only remaining progeny. If they were going to fight, it would be for younglings like Denny, to secure a better life for future generations to live in peace and tranquillity, not leave them in a constant battle for survival.

A determined look took over Magda's face and she sat up straighter. "Time is running out. I want to fight. When you decide to strike, I will join you."

"Me too." Rose said, echoing Magda's sentiment. "There must be a reason why Ben and Rey can do what they do."

"And me…. I guess." Hux smiled sheepishly. "Wherever she goes, I go." Rose gave him an affectionate smile and arched her neck to peck him on the cheek. Hux's pale skin flushed red and his sheepish smile turned into a soppy grin.

"I believe in you, son." Han gave Ben and Rey a lopsided smile. "In both of you. If anyone can pull off taking down the emperor once and for all, its you two. I disagree with your mother's position, you know that. A show of strength is all well and good if you've got the numbers to back it up. We haven't. You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice. We may lack strength in numbers but we make up for it with our strength, courage and confidence in each other. We've lived through horrors before and we survived by looking fear in the face and saying -if we can survive this, we can take the next thing that comes along."

Han's rousing speech came to an abrupt end when he realised, he was the sole focus of everyone's attention. They were all staring at him raptly as if he was some kind of goddamned hero. He scowled in annoyance, flinging his hands up in the air when he felt Chewie's furry hand settle on his shoulder and squeeze. "What are you all looking at?" He grumbled.

A happy grin lit up Ben's face as he regarded his father with pride, which was a rare occurrence in itself. Han may act the selfish, cynical space pirate, but underneath the cool and calm bravado, he always managed to swoop right in and inspire when you needed him to.


Rey raised her hand to Ben's cheek. He felt the warmth of her palm on his skin, the slight calluses on her fingertips, the love in her eyes when she looked at him. Never in his wildest imaginings did he ever think he would ever be deserving of her love. Rey's love was unconditional. There was no judgement, no blame when he screwed up, which he did frequently. She was loyal to a fault, influencing him to make better choices. All he knew was, that when he was with her, he was on the right path.

"I want a future with you, Ben." Rey said softly, her fingers lingering on his face. "I want to get married… be together…. be happy…. maybe one day have kids of our own." A shy smile crossed her face at this admission.

"I want that, too." Ben drew her nearer, his hand cradling the back of her head gently as if she was made of porcelain. She was so precious to him. The faint blush coating her cheeks had his heart rushing when she admitted she wanted to one day start a family with him. She was so sweet, so adorable. He felt like the luckiest man in the galaxy right now. "Then we fight for that future, don't we?" He said, looking deeply into her eyes as he did so. "With the others help, we'll slip into Exegol and take the emperor down. We can do it, Rey. I know we can. Palpatine won't see us coming."

Rey's eyes were a kaleidoscope of emotions as her hand remained on his face, while the other gripped the leather of his tunic. "I'm with you." She promised determinedly. "Now we just need to find a way to get there."

A/N-thanks for reading!