When Rey awoke she noted she was no longer in her bed, but in the make-shift med bay of the Tantive IV. She surveyed the room briefly as her eyes focused before she noted the sleeping form of Finn in the chair beside her. He roused as soon as he sensed her consciousness return.
"Rey!" he breathed sitting up in his chair and leaning over her. His hands grasped at hers desperately and she felt his intense relief ripple around them. She tried to give a small smile in assurance. "How long have I been out?" she dared to ask, although she feared the answer.
"Almost a week Rey." Finn replied solemnly. "We went to check on you about a day after you'd gone to rest. No one could wake you up. It's almost like you were dead. We brought you into the med bay to start to patch you up. No one knew how bad of shape you were in. How are you feeling now?"
Rey sat for a small moment to take in the information. "A week?" she wondered to herself. How much of that time was spent with Ben? How long had it been since they had talked? Suddenly she remembered their conversation and the list of places she needed to begin searching.
"Rey?" She heard Finn ask worriedly when she hadn't responded to him, lost in her own thoughts. She returned her gaze to him and offered the most sincere smile she could give him. "Sorry Finn. I'm feeling much better now. Thank you. I was extremely weakened mentally and physically so I knew it was going to take some time before I woke again. I'm sorry I should have told you, I didn't think it would be this long." she said and watched his features soften.
"Speaking of that, are you going to tell me about why I felt you die and come back to life?" Finn said with a note of irritation. Shame and empathy rose through Rey as she remembered Finn bringing it up when she had first come back, and realized he had to sit with the unknowns of it for the past week as she had been passed out.
Rey took a moment to gather her thoughts before she spoke. "I did die Finn. Palpatine took all of the life Force out of me. I was able to truly channel the Force. I heard so many of them speaking to me. I fought back. I killed him, but it took everything I had." she trailed off.
Finn's expression ranged from disbelief to anger, confusion and sadness. "Wait. Palpatine?" He breathed quietly. He didn't know much about the Sith Lord, but there were many stories and tales that had been passed around the First Order about the Emperor. Namely, that he had died long before at the hands of Darth Vader.
Rey sensed his confusion at the name. "I know it's a lot to take in Finn, the important part now is that he is finally gone." she consoled and patted his hand that rested on her own. "Ok. I'm not even sure I want to know the details on that, but that doesn't explain you coming back to life?" He pointed out and returned his intense gaze to her face.
Rey couldn't help it, she felt the tears begin to escape as she began to fully recall the final events on Exegol. "It was Ben," she breathed. "He sacrificed himself to save me. He gave all the life he had left." They sat there quietly for a moment before Finn processed this new information. "You're telling me that Kylo Ren followed you there and sacrificed himself to save you? That doesn't make any sense Rey." he shook his head.
"It's true! I'm sorry Finn, but I haven't been fully honest with you about some things." She looked around and lowered her voice as she briefly caught him up on the Force bond that began shortly after she had left Jakku. She watched his face morph in disbelief as she recounted everything that had happened before Exegol. "You have to understand Finn. After he brought me back I could feel it. He had fully turned away from the Dark Side, he wasn't Kylo Ren anymore. He was Ben. He saved me, and now he's dead." she finished and they sat in an uncomfortable silence as Finn came to terms with it.
"I'm not going to pretend that I really understand everything you've just told me, but I don't think it really matters. All I know is that you're alive, and he's gone so everything fell into place. We've got some work to do still but we've won. The First Order is going to crumble into nothing without it's Supreme Leader, and good riddance to that monster."
Rey felt her eyes prick with tears at Finn's words, and his eyes met hers in confusion when he sensed her grief. "No offence Rey but no matter what I'm glad he's dead. We can finally move on now." he said gently. The tears threatened to spill over onto her cheeks as she finished reliving his final moments.
Her thoughts turned to the vision she had seen with him while she was asleep. If she was honest, she was still unsure that it was real to begin with, but real or not, she was going to try to do what she could to bring Ben back. Finn stopped when he felt her mood change. "What aren't you telling me." he questioned with a brief moment of irritation flashing over his features.
"I'm going to bring him back." she said simply. Finn burst out of the chair and threw his hands into the air. "Rey that's crazy!" he shouted and whirled around the small room. Medics and other patients began to turn their eyes to the loud scene coming from her bed. "You have to let me explain." Rey began harshly as she motioned for him to sit down and be quiet.
"There's nothing to explain, Rey. You can't bring the Supr-" he stopped as Rey used the Force to cover his mouth. "Hush Finn, do you want to alert everyone?" she let go and winced when she saw his shocked expression at her use of the Force. He rubbed his jaw and angrily sat back down in the chair. "Fine, but you've gone completely insane, you know that right?"
Rey sighed in frustration. She knew it was going to take some convincing, and even then no one may ever understand. She only hoped that as her friend Finn would be willing to let go of the past and help her. "Finn, I saw him when I was out. He isn't fully dead. The Force hasn't accepted him yet. Luke appeared to him and told him what we needed to do."
She watched his anger turn into more confusion. "Why would you want to bring him back Rey? He got what he paid for. He was an awful tyrant who deserved to die." he said slowly and quietly. Rey could feel the resentment from Finn's memories ripple through the Force. Her heart ached for her friend. "I know Finn. I'm not excusing him for all he did. But you're right, he paid the price for it by turning back to the Light and sacrificing himself. The Force is giving him a second chance, and I'm going to do whatever I can to bring him back to me." she finished and noted the pleading in her voice.
Finn sat for a moment and saw the desperation in Rey's eyes. "What do you mean to bring him back to you?" He said quietly, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear her say it to fully believe it. A sheepish look came over her face. "I love him Finn." her words cut through him in a way he never anticipated. What could that monster have possibly done to warrant her love?
"I know it's hard to understand." she said gently. "Our connection was more than just a coincidence. It wasn't forged by Snoke or Palpatine." she shivered at the names. "Ben told me once, and Palpatine said it again before he died. We're a dyad in the Force. Two halves of a whole. Soulmates. That is why we were connected. That is why I am going to do whatever it takes to save him. With or without help"
Rey sighed and looked at Finn with concern, willing him to understand. His jaw clenched and his hand pulled back from hers for a moment. His eyes met the floor and he sighed. "I believe you Rey. This is a lot to handle. There's still a lot left going on in the Resistance. People are going to want to talk to you and they aren't going to like this one bit. I at least have a little understanding of what you're saying. I've always felt connected to you through the Force. Others won't understand. They won't want him back. They won't trust you." he finished sadly.
Rey's heart leapt with relief that on some level he understood her. She also knew what he was saying was true. She couldn't let anyone else know about her plans to bring Ben Solo back. Least of all the leaders of the Resistance. But what choice did she really have? She wanted her friends to understand and support her.
"I know, Finn." she let out a small sigh in defeat. "Can you keep it a secret?" she begged quietly. His face twitched as he thought about it. "Please, Finn. You are the only one that understands." his hands were balled into fists at his side. He did understand. "What happens when he's back? People are going to find out anyway. What's your plan then?" He challenged.
Rey bit her lip. She hadn't thought that far into the future. Would people recognise Ben Solo as the Supreme Leader? It wasn't common knowledge as far as she knew. They had options. They could change his name, or leave the Resistance, find somewhere they could be alone and live a quiet life. Her heart softened at the thought of being reunited with him. Being with him.
"I'd do whatever I had to do. Even if that meant exile." she said quietly and watched him purse his lips. He wasn't surprised at her answer, but it didn't stop the sinking feeling in his chest. He shot up and headed for the door. "Your secret's safe with me. Please get some rest Rey. I'll be back later I just need.. time." he said and in a flash she was alone again.
Rey sighed and leaned back into the bed, closing her eyes in exhaustion. She felt herself relax and start slipping back into unconsciousness. She knew Finn would come around. Maybe the hardest part was over. She was going to bring Ben back.