Darkness consumed her. Not the thick, dense air she had felt in the throne room moments before. More like the darkness just before the sun rises. Filled with anticipation and peace. The agonizing pain she had felt in her final moments had dissipated and Rey had fallen down into the earth, eager to give her body the release it cried for.
Her surroundings seemed to hum in contentment as she became one with the Force. Peace washed over and she began to feel as though her body was fading away. She could feel a smile tugging on her lips. "So this is what it's truly like to become one with the Force" she thought as she breathed in a final sigh of contentment.
Instead of melting farther into the peaceful feeling, Rey's ears began to pick up on a faint thudding and her limbs tingled to remind her they were still there. She felt fresh air reaching her lungs and felt the entirety of Ben Solo's mind touch hers through the Force bond.
The connection she had already felt through him in their brief encounters amplified and shook her through her core. She felt his intense emotions, rage, panic, intense grief, but also determination and his pull through the Force. She could see them both. He held her close to his chest, his exhaustion was rolling off of him in waves. Rey noted her lifeless body, her eyes open and unblinking.
Before she could take in anything else, she felt a magnetic pull drawing her back into her body and instinctively threw her hand up to her stomach where she knew she would catch his. His touch, softly pressed into her, pulled away as she shot up beside him so they were face to face. She gazed at the two dark pools before her. In one wordless moment everything was understood between them. She couldn't stop the flutter in her chest as she searched his eyes and found she no longer saw any sign of Kylo Ren, he had truly turned from the Dark Side, he was Ben again.
"Ben." she breathed and gently cradled his face in her hand. She felt his reaction to her touch and realised she was able to feel the intense love he had for her was just as strong as the love she mirrored for him. She faltered for a moment before she nervously crashed her lips against his. Their bond exploded at the touch, and for a moment they were lost in each other. Unified in a way they had never imagined. Gently they pulled apart and Rey studied his face as he gave a small laugh.
Rey's heart melted when she heard it, quickly followed by the first genuine smile she had ever seen from Ben Solo. She traced her thumb over the edges in adoration before she began to notice the far off look in his eyes. Her heart dropped when she felt their bond begin to weaken and his body begin to slump back. She desperately reached for him as he dropped and she felt the faint glow of his life force leave him with a gentle exhale .
Rey's eyes began to water as she realised she had been too late. His body rested there for a few moments as she placed her hand on his chest, desperately searching through the Force to hold on to the remaining sliver of their bond. Rey watched as his body slowly faded and his robes slid to the ground. "I will always be with you." she heard him say through their bond as if he was gently whispering in her ear. Then, it was gone. Ben was gone, and Rey was alone.
Everything in Rey's mind was on fire. Their bond, newly discovered to begin with had intensified in an intoxicating way. It encompassed every desire Rey ever had growing up alone. He had shown her who she truly was. No longer the lonely scavenger from Jakku, she and Ben had finally become a true dyad in the Force. Together on the same side they were stronger and more connected than they could have ever imagined. The intimacy of their connection was far beyond any romance Rey could have dreamed of. She knew she had been united with her Force given soul-mate, only to have him ripped from her just as they truly connected.
She was too weak to cry as her fists balled around the dark fabric before her. Her body screamed with rage so she took a slow, deep, meditative breath and let her mind flow into the Force for a small moment of clarity. Her rage departed but was replaced with a sinking weight in her chest. Rey felt as though her mind had been ripped in two, like she had awoken from a dream but the details of it were fuzzy. Thoughts and memories of her's and Ben both flashed before her, but she couldn't make out much of what she was sensing. Feelings foreign to her imprinted in her mind before vanishing.
It was like she could only feel the memory of him. Just like the memories of her parents she had suppressed for so long. The thought made her shudder back into reality. Her focus shifted as she tried to swallow the intense emotions rippling through her as she stared up into the sky and noticed the lack of gunfire.
Lighting crackled around her and she took her surroundings in properly for the first time. The crumbled mess around her seemed to come alive as the flashing intensified. Rey looked back down at the garment in her hands before pushing herself to rise back up. She grabbed the lightsabers and took one last look around. "Wretched hell-hole" She muttered and began to make her way back to her ship.
Rey placed a heavy meditative shield over her mind and dispelled all thoughts beyond getting back to the rebellion. An old habit she had unknowingly taught herself during childhood. She felt her mind fight back and couldn't fully swallow the thought of facing the feelings on the other side of the hold. Her feet kicked at the rocks on the ground before her. The small amount of life that had been given to her was still extremely weak and she knew she didn't have long before she would collapse.
Slowly, excruciatingly, Rey made her way back to her ship. She let out a small cry as her body sank into the seat. She could feel the wall in her mind weakening with the release of her muscles. Quickly, she punched in a flight plan and took off. Her eyes began to pool with tears as she made her way into the atmosphere. Leaving the terrifying Sith world behind Rey pushed ahead and opened her comms.
"Rey! Hey Rey is that really you?" she heard a familiar voice patch through. Of course Poe was the first one to notice her ship. "It's me." she said, surprised at the weakness in her voice and the effort it took to speak.
"We did it, Rey. You did it" he said and she could practically see the smile on his face. She couldn't find the strength in herself to respond. "Hey are you ok? What the hell even happened down there?" Poe questioned and Rey began to feel the tug on her walls she had used to forget the last few hours. "I'm fine, Poe. It's a long story but for now I'd just like to head back to the base and get some rest." she responded gingerly. Poe must have picked up on her voice and stopped probing. "Sure. Of course. We can debrief later. Get some rest Rey. I'm just glad you're okay." She was grateful for the extra time to think as she prepped the ship for hyper drive to get back to the Rebel base.