Halo
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A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. Sorry for going AWOL and leaving you with such a tense cliff-hanger, guys.
Chapter Thirty-Two-Attack
"I would rather be a monster that believes in something, that would sacrifice everything to make the galaxy better, than be someone who sits on the side lines and watches as if it has no consequences to them." Leia said as she desperately tried to defend her position.
"Well, you just got your wish, sweetheart." Han responded bitterly.
The last thing Han heard was a choked sob from Leia before their communication was cut off completely. He swore in anger as he hit the console with clenched fists. All at once sadness mixed with a growing anger overwhelmed him leaving Han breathless. He couldn't believe his wife had sold their son out to the First Order in exchange for safe passage for their depleted fleet. Never in a million years would he have envisaged she would do that, no matter how desperate the circumstances. He remembered during their last fraught conversation when he had accused her of always putting the Resistance above their son and her fierce denial. It tortured Han that he had been proven right. He knew this had shattered the last chance of reconciliation between mother and son. Ben would never forgive her for this ultimate betrayal and Han knew neither would he.
Han slowly rose from the pilot's seat and turned around to find an ashen faced Rey staring at him in disbelief. She had overheard everything. "Kid, we need to split up and go find Ben as quickly as we can so we can get off this godforsaken planet before the First Order fleet gets here." He said gruffly.
Rey just nodded as she fled the Falcon and went in search of Kylo. She knew this was going to devastate him. How could General Organa do this to him? To her own son? Her only child? It wasn't right and it wasn't fair. She was his mother. Mother's were supposed to love and protect their children. To love them so fiercely, that they would sacrifice everything to keep them safe. But instead the Resistance general had done the opposite and sacrificed her son for the so called greater good. Rey didn't care about Kylo's past misdeeds. He was different now. He had come home, had helped the Resistance disable Starkiller base. Shouldn't that mean something to Leia?
Rey knew that if she was ever blessed with a child-boy or girl-that child would hold her soul in their heart, and her heart would forever be theirs. Her child would have her support for always and her guidance should they ever wish to ask. Rey would walk through the gates of hell to keep them safe and feel honoured to be given the chance. She believed every child was a sacred gift, and you nurtured them by loving them with every power you possessed-letting them explore, be adventurous, take risks... yet standing by to catch them if they fall. Leia should have been there to catch Kylo when he fell, instead she had let her obsession with saving the galaxy override her responsibility to save her son.
As the rain continued to conjure a sweet pattern on her fevered skin, Rey reached out telepathically to Kylo, but before the words could form in her mind, her worst nightmare was realised as the first of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers blotted out the remaining light in the sky.
Kylo had taken his time heading back to the Falcon. Before he encountered Rey and the others, he wanted to take time to clear his head a little. His confrontation with Skywalker had drained him. Even though it had been cathartic in some ways, he was still left dealing with a tsunami of emotions. He wandered through the temple ruins, BB-8 following faithfully in his wake. He was grateful for the little astromech's company, something that he wouldn't have welcomed in the distant past. As he continued to reflect on his confrontation with his uncle, he began to ponder on what to do next. He had upheld his part of the bargain with Rey. Now it was up to her if she wanted to uphold hers. He didn't mind if she changed her mind about investigating her past and trying to find her parents. He knew more than anyone how painful that could be. Sometimes it was better to remain ignorant. He didn't want Rey to be hurt, but if she did decide to go ahead and pursue the truth, then he would be right there with her, ready to catch her if she fell.
As he became lost in his musings, the rain continued to fall in steady sheets. The heavy droplets brought a richness to his surroundings, each hue deepening the colours in a way that soothed his heart a little, bringing a steadiness to his soul. The grass became glossy, reflecting the light, a new bright shine to their wands, softly waving in the breeze. Kylo paused briefly, raking his fingers through the inky black strands of his hair as he shook out the water. He glanced down at BB-8; the little droid's dome head was arched at an impossible angle as if something had caught his attention in the skies. Intrigued, Kylo tipped his head back and followed the direction of BB-8's gaze.
As the first of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers appeared in the grey skies the desolation Kylo felt was all-consuming. His mind became an icy wasteland, the wind howled in his soul and wrapped icy tentacles around his heart so tightly it almost stopped beating. There was no way that the First Order could have tracked him here if someone hadn't deliberately given away his location. Even when he heard Rey's desperate cry ring telepathically inside his mind, Kylo knew it was his mother who had betrayed him. He felt emotionally bankrupt. The was nothing left to feel, nothing left to say, nothing left but the void that enveloped his mind in swirling blackness as he watched the steady stream of Tie fighters and First Order transports begin their descent to Ahch-to's surface.
The pitter patter of the rain created a shield around Kylo as he ran toward Rey. He wished he could see her lovely face, but she had the hood of her poncho pulled over her head to cover her saturated form. As his heavy boots splashed through one of the pools of rainwater, he heard the familiar whine of the Tie fighters as they began their bombardment of the island. He managed to lift his head up just a bit to scan the skies. An instant later, there was a blinding flash, like sheet-lightning, the ground exploded around him and he was thrown off his feet. BB-8 emitted a panicked whistle as he was blown backwards as great clods of earth scattered around him.
"REY!" Kylo screamed in his head as he sought to know if she was okay.
"I'm fine. I'm fine." Rey rushed to reassure him.
"Get back to the Falcon." Kylo ordered her when he managed to regain his footing. He shielded himself behind a rocky outcrop as he tried to locate BB-8. He noticed the little astromech lying a few feet away, his orange and white body was covered in grime.
"I'm not going back without you." Rey responded stubbornly.
Even though Kylo felt frustrated by her refusal to leave him, at the same time he couldn't hide his elation that she cared enough to want to wait for him. "Rey, I'm telling you to go."
"No."
Kylo huffed out an annoyed sigh as he ducked down low to the ground and sprinted as fast as he could in BB-8's direction in order to rescue him. He managed to reach the little droid's side before another blast rocked the ground. He gritted his teeth, examining BB-8 quickly for any signs of damage. Apart from a crack running along one side of his dome head, the little astromech was remarkably in good shape. Hoisting BB-8 up in his strong arms, Kylo decided to make another run for it. As he fled through the driving rain, he was alarmed to see flashes of blue in the distance from where he had last spotted Rey. One of the First Order transports had managed to land and a whole platoon of stormtroopers headed toward Rey. She expertly wielded the wicked blue blade of her lightsaber as she easily deflected their blaster bolts away from her.
"Hold on. I'm coming!" Kylo cried as he increased his pace. He heard BB-8 give out a faint whine. He looked down at the little droid, his expression a mixture of guilt and sorrow. BB-8 was telling him to leave him behind and go and help Rey.
"I'm a burden." BB-8 beeped in his binary language. "You'll get to her quicker if you put me down."
As the rain continued to splash on his hot skin, Kylo gently placed the little droid back onto the ground. "I'll come back for you. I promise, little one." He ran his long fingers over BB-8's dome head in a tender gesture of affection before bounding off to join Rey in her fight.
A/N-thank you for reading! I'm sorry this chapter is a little short but I haven't had much time to right. I promise the next one will be longer. Please review.