PREVIOUSLY-
It hurt her deeply knowing that the large hole made in the stomach of the sweater had been made from herself, having stabbed him with his own lightsaber. She cautiously wondered where that lightsaber had gone, but decided she'd ask him when he woke up.
There was a scar where she'd impaled him. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but a purple-ish looking scar was not it. It's over now. She reminded herself.
She spotted a large gash in his shoulder and carefully placed a large bacta-patch on it before using the force to sense if there were any more injuries. Upon finding none, other than just the occasional scrape the would be healed quickly, she covered him with a blanket and sat with her back up against the bed, resting her head near his and holding his outstretched hand in her own. Before she knew it, she'd fallen asleep.
Rey?
Ben? She answered back in her mind, before even opening her eyes. Realizing that she'd just heard Ben in her head, she shot up, eyes opening wide, searching her surroundings for him.
She let out a deep breath as she realized he was still in the same spot, lying on the bed.
Ben, can you open your eyes?
Within moments, his eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. She smiled brightly at him. What would she have done if she'd truly lost him forever? She shuddered at the thought.
It wasn't a dream
"No, it wasn't," she replied back out loud.
"I'm alive?" He asked cautiously, looking at his hands as he turned them in front of his face.
"Yes, Ben, you're alive," she explained, reaching up to turn his face to look at her.
"But how? I gave you my whole life force- I felt— are you really here?"
"Shh," she quieted him. "I'm really here. We're both alive, thanks to you. If you don't believe me, then feel our bond. It's stronger than ever, you know, even after Palpatine—" She cut herself off, not wanting to waste another thought on that cruel thing of a being.
He closed his eyes and she felt him gripping onto their bond like it was his lifeline. To be honest, it had been both of their lifelines in the past day. The only reason both of them still lived.
Reassurance
"How?" He asked once he opened his eyes again, his dark orbs piercing her hazel eyes.
"I had a little help. You were gone, Ben, and I didn't have the strength to get you back myself. You truly did give me your entire life force. I begged for help, and they came," She began to explain, his eyes widening, wanting to hear more. "Your mother was there, Luke was there, your grandfather, Anakin, was there too. There were a few more force ghosts, as well, but I didn't recognize them. They brought you back to me."
She couldn't put words to the amount of emotion Ben was feeling at the moment.
"Would you like me to let you have a moment?" She asked cautiously, not really wanting to leave him, but willing if he needed it. She felt panic rise up in him.
No!
She placed her hand on his uninjured shoulder, "I'm not going anywhere."
Relief
After a few minutes of silence, the atmosphere had calmed down and Ben sat up, lifting the blanket to look at his injuries. "I did the best I could with the supplies I had. I wasn't strong enough to heal you when we got here. I may be able to do it now that I've slept, though," she told him. "I'm sorry about your clothes, I had to take them off to patch you up."
He looked over at her and smiled slightly. She felt her heart skip when he did. "It's alright, I trust you, Rey," he murmured, reaching over to brush his thumb across her cheek. "I needed new ones as it is. I don't suppose there's any here, though. Where is here, exactly?" He looked around at the inside of the hut, the fire, now only smoldering. He was worried she'd brought him back to the resistance base.
"I brought you to Ahch-To, it was the only place I could think of to be honest," she rushed, hoping he wouldn't be angry.
I'm not angry
"So, this is the island I tried so hard to find?" He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"When I heal your leg, I'll take you on the grand tour, though there's really not much to see. It is a force nexus, though, and I thought that might help speed along our recovery. It's the location of the first Jedi temple!" She exclaimed excitedly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been thrown down a pit by a Sith Lord," he muttered with a small laugh. She giggled as well until she remembered. I thought I lost you forever. She gulped, feeling the wetness flood her eyes.
I thought I lost you forever, too. He replied back in her mind. She hadn't realized she'd been projecting, and she immediately felt guilty for bringing it up. Then she remembered what Anakin had told her about being a dyad. One half of a dyad is never meant to live without the other. We share one soul in two bodies.
"Who told you that?" Ben asked curiously, having heard that as well.
"I did." Ben nearly jumped as he saw the translucent blue glowing force ghost of his grandfather, now standing directly in front of them both in the hut.
"Grandfather?" He asked cautiously, afraid it was all still a dream. He had, after all, called out to his grandfather for years and years with no response, and yet now here he was.
"Anakin Skywalker, at your service. It's nice to finally meet my grandson," he said with a genuine smile.
"I- I called out to you for years—" Ben began, but Anakin cut him off.
"I tried, believe me, I tried, but Palpatine's hold on you was so strong, even I couldn't get through," Force Anakin explained. "Anyway, I won't bother you for too long, just wanted to check in on my grandkids now that I actually can."
Ben's eyes flicked to Rey in slight panic as Anakin said 'grandkids' and she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh stars, Ben, not by blood," she laughed and Anakin laughed as well. Ben seemed quite a bit relieved at that.
"I've decided to adopt Rey into the family. I may be dead, but I told her she can use my name if she wants it, until she has another one, that is," he winked at Ben, who turned red in the face upon realizing what his grandfather implied. But I do really like that thought. He said in his head, imagining Rey with his name. Rey Solo.
It was her turn to flush as she heard his thought. "Well, I'll leave you kids to it, but I did want to tell you, there's more information on your situation saved on a holocron in the wreckage of the old Jedi temple on Coruscant. Once both of you are healed enough, I'd suggest checking it out. You should probably stay incognito, though, for the time being. As for me, I'll be here if you need me."
Anakin then disappeared and Ben turned to look at Rey, who was still pink in the cheeks as she turned to look back at Ben. She quickly cleared her throat, pushing the thoughts away. "Well, shall I try to heal your leg now?" He nodded, but added in his mind, Don't push too far.
I won't, I promise. I know you'll stop me if you feel I've pushed it. She replied in her mind before carefully placing her hand on his injured leg and willing the force to heal him. This time it didn't take too much of her energy to completely heal his leg and she found herself redirecting the rest to his shoulder as well before she pulled away.
She opened her eyes and looked down at his leg, smiling as she noticed it worked. She then reached up and peeled the bacta-patch off his shoulder and saw that it was healed as well. "How do you feel now?"
He turned, putting the blanket off to the side. He put his feet on the floor and stood up, bending a few times to test it out. Rey stood off to the side as she watched him in fascination.
His skin was pale in contrast to his dark har and dark underclothes. He was tall, but she'd known that already. She'd seen him shirtless once before, but now was different. He was hers. A fierce wave of possession and protectiveness rushed over her before she could even think about it. She felt an echo of it deep inside her mind as she looked up at him, swallowing.
She didn't even have a moment to think as he walked over to her, putting his hands on her cheeks and pulling her into him, crushing her to his chest as he found his lips on hers.
Home
His mouth moved against hers and she did the same. It was just like their dueling, both battling for dominance while knowing neither of them would ultimately win because they were equals in every way.
Rey had never been kissed before the kiss she shared with Ben on Exegol. She couldn't explain the incredible feeling welling up inside her at their continued joining. All she knew is that she wanted more.
Ben had never been kissed before Exegol either, despite his age. He'd never had time, nor been remotely interested enough in anyone before meeting Rey. The Jedi code had forbid attachments, but their bond defied that in every way. It was created by the force, and the force wanted them together. He wanted her more than anything he'd ever known in his life.
Together they danced with their mouths, overwhelmed by the feeling of harmony between them and the force. Ben only pulled away enough to let his lips travel down Rey's neck, enjoying the feeling of the little sounds she was making as he did so. He finally pulled away and placed a final soft kiss on her forehead before squeezing her to himself tightly, not wanting to let go. He was afraid if he let go, she'd disappear.
I told you I'm not going anywhere. You won't ever be alone again.
He didn't have the words to explain what that meant to him, but she knew. She could feel everything he was trying to say as she held onto him. Holding each other, kissing each other, it just felt so right to them both.
He suddenly became utterly aware of the situation he was currently in, standing pressed up against Rey in nothing but his boxers and socks, his manhood at full attention between them. He closed his eyes in embarrassment, hoping she wouldn't notice, but of course she did, and she really liked that she could do that to him. Him having a direct line into her thoughts didn't help his situation and he knew that if he didn't settle things down now, then his more primal instincts would take over.
He pulled away from her, grabbing the blanket and sitting back on the bed, draping it over his lap as he willed his body to calm down.
She was flushed with swollen lips and hunger in her eyes as she looked down at her other half. She fanned herself in slight embarrassment, thinking of what she needed to do next. "I'm just going to go see if the caretakers have any, um, clothes that might fit you."
"Right," he replied, watching as she scurried out of the hut.
She returned a short while later with two bundles of clothes. She handed one to him and closed the door, turning to change her own clothes on the other side of the hut. Ben turned around to give her some privacy as he pulled on the clothes she'd given him.
Surprisingly, they fit. He now sported a pair of gray long pants with a black belt and a cream-colored button-down shirt. He hadn't worn anything other than black in so long, he wasn't sure how well it would suit him anymore.
You can turn around now, Rey thought to him and he did so, surprised at her new clothing choice. She was also wearing grey pants, though they only went down to her calves, and a cream-colored shirt. She still wore her pig-skin leather bracers and her dark leather belt, but now they truly looked like the dyad they were.
I wonder how the caretakers had coordinating outfits in just the right size? Odd, he thought.
"Would you like to go on a tour of the island while we discuss what comes next?" She asked him, holding out her hand in a gesture he'd used several times on her with no success. Without a second thought, he slipped his hand into hers and a sense of belonging snapped into place as he followed her out of the hut.
It was foggy on the island, but the fog dissipated the higher up they climbed. When they were finally at the top, it was clear. He could see nothing but oceans in every direction they looked.
"This is where I first found Luke. I handed him the saber and he looked at it for a moment, then threw it over his shoulder like it meant nothing to him. I was so angry, but more disappointed than anything," she told him, still holding onto his hand. "He refused to teach me at first, he'd cut himself off from the force."
"He was a fool," Ben uttered.
"A fool who helped bring you back to life, Ben, bring you back to me," She whispered to him. "He made mistakes, plenty of them, but we all have. You were right with one thing you said to me back on the Supremacy. We need to let the past die."
Kill it, if you have to, he remembered saying, though with a different meaning at the time, though Rey technically did kill Kylo Ren on the wreckage of the Death Star before healing Ben Solo.
"Kylo Ren is dead, Rey Palpatine is dead. Ben Solo and Rey Skywalker are alive, and together we can do anything," Rey finished with a smile, squeezing his hand.
"Ben Skywalker," he whispered to her. She looked up at him, puzzled. "For now, at least. Until things die down a bit. We can use that name in Coruscant when we go. Most people have forgotten the name Skywalker by now, and it's more common than Solo."
With both of us as Skywalker's, people will think we're siblings, she panicked in her mind.
"I have no intention of letting people think we're related, sweetheart," he told her, pulling her in close again and pressing his lips to hers. Her heart raced with the sound of him giving her a nickname, especially an affectionate one like that. Then she realized what he'd meant by what he'd just said. Oh. She found herself nearly giddy at the prospect.
A/N- I hate posting a story and only leaving it with one chapter for too long. I already had this written, so I figured I'd go ahead and post the second chapter today as well. Enjoy!