"That's how we're gonna win, not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love."
-Rose Tico
With one final step, the sabers began to force the lighting back at Palpatine. As Rey struggled to keep her footing and balance, she stared defiantly into the face of the person that had control over the galaxy for almost sixty years, the person who'd poisoned Ben Solo's mind, who killed her parents, the person who was her grandfather. In that moment, she felt his fear of the lightning, fear of the power, the fear of her. A split second later, the force lightning began to burn him, burn him to pieces. She kept walking toward him, pushing with everything she had to force the lightning back at him, until all at once, there was nothing else to push the lightning back at. The power of all the dark side of the Force releasing back where it belonged nearly knocked her over. But Rey kept her footing. And as the dark went back to where it belonged, she could sense that the galaxy was at peace once again. She stared up in wonder at the Sith arena as it began to crumble. Rey's body began to give out; she knew it was coming. She had spent the last of her life force to defeat Palpatine. The twin lightsabers fell out of her hands and she fell to the ground, lifeless.
About twenty feet from where she fell, a hand reached up out of the canyon.
Ben Solo pulled himself up and over the edge. He struggled to stand up and walk, but he didn't get more than a few steps before he stumbled and fell. He pushed himself up, unable to walk because of what he assumed to be a broken leg, and dragged himself over to the small body lying on the stone. Rey stood out, even in the darkness. As Ben drew himself over to her, he realized that she wasn't breathing. He got to Rey and scooped her onto his lap, embracing her. This shouldn't happen to her, this should happen to me. I deserve this, not her. Tears falling down his face, he remembered how the hope and optimism radiated off of her. She seemed so much smaller in this giant arena, in his arms. Ben had never realized how much her personality made up for her small size. She was always so powerful, in the saber battles, in the force, in healing.
Healing.
She had saved him from the brink of death earlier that day. If it worked for him, maybe it could work for her. He brought her closer to him, knowing that this would most likely be the last time that he could be near her. Releasing her, Ben placed his hand on her abdomen. He closed his eyes and focused. He focused on the light, the hope, the desperation to heal her, he focused on the love. Seconds later, he felt a small, warm hand enclose his. He opened his eyes as Rey sat up in his arms.
"Ben," she whispered. Rey gently placed her hand on his cheek, and with one swift motion, she leaned in and kissed him. And he kissed her back. It was pure and full of love, love bottled up for so long, unable to let show. When they broke apart, they were both grinning like fools. But it had felt so right, so impossibly right. Ben's grin faltered, and Rey could tell something was wrong. Then he closed his eyes and fell backwards, unmoving.
In another place, in another part of the galaxy, far from this wretched planet, Princess Leia Organa's soul finally became one with the force. Her body had vanished. Her journey as a Jedi had been completed.