Guys. This is it. I'm feeling a bit emotional. Maybe because it's 4 am and I need to get up for the kids, maybe because I've been editing this chapter instead of doing the work I had due tomorrow ... or maybe because this is my first completed Reylo fan fiction that I've been writing since 2018.

Either way, you're here with me. You've come on this journey and kindly ignored my crimes against the English language and plot holes. You've cheered and cried and yelled and keyboard smashed.

You've hung on after every painful cliffhanger and kept believing even though I tortured you to no end.

And as Mr Knightly would say "you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it" (or man) 😊

So I present to you the last chapter of Crimson Lane.

CW. Very brief mention of suicidal thoughts. If you don't want to read it, skip the first section of italics.

Crimson Lane - Chapter 29 - The Beginning and the End

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world.

- Desiderata

The old man formed a silhouette against a cloudless blue sky, giving the impression of awed stillness, in commune with a world that was beyond these bamboo floors and screened walls.

He wore a black karategi and stood with his feet bare and hands clasped behind his back.

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste." The man's voice was distant and echoey in the open space.

"And remember what peace there may be in silence," Ben completed, as he entered the dojo with a bow. "Hello, Uncle Luke."

The words were from the poem Desiderata. Luke had taught it to him as a boy, and it had gone on to be a comfort in trying times, even though the long dark night of working for Snoke.

He remembered …

Lying in bed beside a woman who was not Rey, shaking at the realisation of what he had become. It was the first time he'd questioned his existence, and it would not be the last.

Outside, rain wept down the steamy windows of the Brothel as Ben twisted his hands in the angled lamplight.

These hands have broken and killed and hurt, he thought. There were scars on his knuckles and rust beneath his nails.

His eyes trailed down to his wrists, tracking the corded blue veins that twisted like gnarled roots. He studied them, penitent and thoughtful, a macabre thought taking hold.

What was the point of it all?

Then Luke's voice had rung out in the silence, the memory of him with a dog-eared book of poems, reading by campfire.

"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Ben had clung to those verses when all hope was lost, and even now, when life was beginning to have meaning again. It gave him the right to thrive, to pursue happiness and love.

He continued walking towards Luke and visions of the past rushed like fleeting shadows: from the first time he'd come to the dojo, a young, aggressive teenager who had so much rage and no idea how to expel it. And then to the last time, he was here, broken, near desperate, seeking solace but finding coldness.

The bitterness and hate he'd felt for Luke had long passed. The many hours they'd sat across from each other in the visitation room, awkward one-word answers to discussions of deeper things.

Another step. Luke took a meditative breath and Ben mirrored his position, his head bowed reverently and waiting.

The wind chided against the dojo as whirlwinds scooped up leaves and battered the windows with a soft tap, tap, tap.

"The tree has reached maturity and has overcome the darkness." Master Luke turned as he spoke. He'd said these words before, many years ago — another lifetime.

Ben was like the stillness following a storm, eyes fixed to the ground as Luke stood before him.

"I told you that, the night you became a sandan, do you remember?"

"I do." Ben's neck prickled under Luke's goading stare.

"And have you overcome the darkness?"

"I—" Ben's shoulders slumped. The darkness would always be there, hiding, dormant. It was like an old coat he'd worn through life. It was familiar; he understood it. His fiery passions and short temper, dark moods and haunted memories walked with him, they were his shadow.

But he wouldn't tell Master Luke that. Not after all this time — after everything.

Ben blinked, the grains of wooden floorboards blurring into one another.

He tried to say "yes" but almost involuntarily his lips pressed together, and he shook his head.

Luke nodded, continuing his relentless stare. "Good. Honesty is a good place to start."

"I'm still angry. That rage still rises at even little things. I try to hold it in —" he centred with a breath. "Rey's understanding."

For the first time, Ben lifted his gaze from the floor and met his uncle's.

"Being around her helps. She makes me feel light."

"She says the same thing about you."

Ben smiled. Because, while there was darkness, he had also found light. He saw it in the little things, the touch of her warm skin against his own, the way her nose crinkled when she laughed at his snarky jokes and most of all when they were silent and could just be. He began to see that the world was full of colour and laughter, that nature was beautiful, and emotions rose and fell like the tide. He had learnt that there was always joy on the horizon. His internal violence had been tempered with peace and his chaos subsided into harmony.

And Rey was always there, waiting for him with a gentle hand and a quiet heart.

"She's patient with me," Ben continued, because there were never enough words to make people understand how much he loved this woman.

"Patient? That's an interesting word for Rey."

"Not in obvious ways, I guess. She told me once, her upbringing had taught her two things. The first was to salvage broken things."

Luke gave him a half-smile. "And the other?"

"The second was to wait." Ben clenched his jaw, muscles tensing as he tried to quell the wave of emotion that had an embarrassing habit of sneaking up on him when he spoke about her. "I always thought I was cursed, but she makes me feel— worthy"

Whether Luke saw the way his breath quickened or the pure wonder in Ben's eyes at the thought that after everything he would be standing here speaking about something so special to him, he wasn't sure. But Luke placed a hand on his shoulder.

"She's lucky to have you, kid."

Ben balked because that was possibly the most insane thing Luke had ever told him. And Luke had said a lot of shit in his time.

"You're surprised?"

"I think you're insane."

"Before she met you, Rey's happiness had only ever been skin-deep. Yes, she's quick to smile, her enthusiasm is infectious, but it always felt like she wore a mask, you know?"

Ben nodded, not quite sure what to say.

"I mean, the girl's dealt with some serious trauma, but when I see her with you, there's no mask there. There's stillness and deep, heartfelt joy."

Ben caught his bottom lip between his teeth, genuinely surprised at his words.

"She's found her home with you, Ben — and that's very special to someone who never had one before."

His heart fluttered at Luke's words. Solidifying a conviction that had been growing in his mind ever since he'd walked into the dojo.

"Anyway, shall we?" Luke walked across to the far wall of the room, removing a bo staff from a rack and spinning it to his side.

"She tells me you've been looking for a job. Here." He grabbed another staff from the wall and threw it to Ben, who caught it easily.

How did she know that? For the last three months, he'd been waiting until after she'd fallen asleep, sated and exhausted before pulling his laptop on the bed and applying for anything he could find. The soundtrack of her heavy breaths accompanied him deep into the night as he read through rejection letter, after rejection letter.

It turned out having a criminal record was a terrible career move.

Ben must have been pulling a face because Luke chuckled at his bamboozled expression.

"Hasn't Han given you the 'women always figure out the truth' speech?"

"I guess I missed that one."

"So why have you come to see me? You looking for a reference, or something?"

"I'd hate to see what kind of reference you'd give me, Uncle Luke."

"Well, it wouldn't be dull." Luke lifted his bo staff at an angle and with a nod, he leapt forward striking as Ben defended.

Ben returned the blow, angling his staff diagonally as they met with a low clap. "I don't want a reference. I want a job."

"I'm not hiring."

"I'll hire myself," he snapped and cringed a second later. "I mean I won't need your money."

"Okay..."

Ben held the staff by his side. "When you trained Rey to fight, that changed her life. She was able to defend herself — to defend me, even. Imagine if we could do that for more kids, ones who have lost their way, or who are struggling with addiction, school dropouts, or those with mental health issues. What if we could really help the ones who need it most?"

Ben barely paused to take a breath. "If you could make so much difference to one person, imagine the impact we could have with a whole class of kids like that. Not the normal whiny brats you have but teach kids who really need these skills!"

Luke chuckled involuntarily. "Don't call my kids brats. You were the biggest shit out of all of them."

"You know what I mean."

"You'd have to manage it. My hands are tied with normal classes."

"I'd do everything. I've already spoken to Maz about some kids who would be ready to start now."

Luke opened his mouth to speak but Ben continued.

"You wouldn't need to worry about money, I have some funds to get it started. There are government grants that we can access. I've already applied to a few—"

Luke cocked an eyebrow at his nephew and Ben shrugged with a half-smile. "I figured you'd say yes."

Luke sighed, stretching out his decision. He liked these power plays to keep his nephew waiting. It used to infuriate him as a kid, but he understood now, he was teaching him to wait.

It was a lesson he still struggled to put into practice.

"You can use the Dojo with my blessing. But this is your project, you name it, you run it. It will rise or fall with you, Ben."

Ben leaned onto his toes, lips curling with an excitable smile. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Luke chuckled. "You'll do alright, kid. Come on."

They deposited the staff against the wall and Ben followed him through the glass-paned door and into Luke's office.

The room was bright, shelves and glass cabinets polished to perfection. There were the usual trophies and plaques and Ben's reflection flashed back at him, filled with memories of a boy much younger, seeing them for the first time and dreaming that he might be worthy of a place there. He'd been an awkward teenager, limbs too long and skinny, with volcanic acne dotted along his jaw, filled to the brim with nervous energy. He'd barely been there for fifteen minutes before Master Luke had demanded he'd run around the outside of the dojo one hundred times to expel his excess energy.

Ben grinned at the memory and then realised something had changed. The last time he was here, there were gaps where his trophies had been, dustless squares on the wall where newspaper clippings and certificates once were. His heart bloomed at seeing them all back where they were, painstakingly polished or framed.

"I put them back the morning after you came," Luke said beside him. "I never should have taken them down."

"I didn't give you much choice."

"No, Ben." Luke folded his arms, staring straight ahead at his cabinet of achievements. "We had many choices. We could have reached out to you sooner. I could have listened to you that day instead of— "

"It's in the past," Ben said quickly and then glanced at his uncle from the corner of his eye. "Anyway, you were protecting her and I will never begrudge you for that."

They fell into silence, the sound of the outside world creeping into their space; the roar of the ocean and traffic, the main door to the dojo slammed open with a crack and the hallways filled with children's voices. Ben looked at the clock, it was 8.55 am and the next karate class would be ready to start soon.

Luke went to his desk, removing the black jacket in lieu of a white one, carefully folding it into the draw and then wrapping his black belt around his waist.

"You're welcome to stay—"

"No, I've got a boat to catch and I still need to pay the bond on our new place before I go."

He bit his lip, staring at his uncle who was obnoxiously and patiently quiet, eyes twinkling again as Ben made his way to the door. Some of the younger students must have taken the bo staffs in the other room because they could hear the sound of battle amidst a fit of giggles. "I better get going before these kids destroy the dojo—"

"Did you get it?" Ben blurted.

"I may have," Luke answered, unable to hold back the childish gleam of joy from his face. "Did you want to take it with you?"

He nodded, feeling a rush of blood colouring his cheeks.

"It's barely been three months since you were released; you don't think that's too soon?" Luke pulled a black and gold cardboard bag from out of the safe, handing it to Ben. "Patience was never your strong point."

Ben snatched it, searching inside as he pushed white and silver tissue paper to the side, praying the jeweller had gotten it right.

It was perfect. Silver streams swirled like rivers, the words engraved within "never alone" and a single sparkling stone that winked as it caught in the light.

"I'm not going to rush into anything." He closed it back up again. "I'll wait."

"What, till the end of the week? I know you, Ben. A hundred bucks says you won't last the month."

Ben slipped it into his back pocket with a smirk.

"We'll see."

"Rey?"

Ben barrelled into the apartment that afternoon to find it empty. He'd run up from the jetty as soon as the ferry had docked, hair loose and windswept from the sea, and forearms a rosy shade of pink. Rey's laptop was open, fan whirring in the otherwise silent room. Her runners were airing on the lawn next to the bi-fold doors and there was a half-drunk green smoothie on the kitchen bench.

This is what normal life looked like now; from the tousled bedsheets to Rey's cotton panties scrunched up on the floor and the bra he'd given her so many months ago slung across the bed head. Everything in this room exuded her and it never failed to amaze him that their intertwined fates had come to this point.

Ben scooped up her underwear, tossing them both in the laundry hamper. Then he pulled up the bedsheets, smoothing them out and arranging the pillows. At last, he flicked the coverlet over the top, running his hand along the creases. All of it was done with military precision, a calming exercise, each sweep of his hand bringing to mind how it had gotten that way in the first place.

"It's just for the night," he'd told her, nuzzling sweet kisses below her ear.

"Too long," she'd whined, dragging him back into bed. "Can't you go next week when I'm not on deadline? That way we can go together?"

"Luke is expecting me." He kissed her on the nose. "I'll come find you as soon as I'm back."

"You better." She'd pulled his lips to hers then, tasting every inch of them with passionate enthusiasm. In the end, he had to pry her away or he'd have missed the ferry.

Life with Rey was full. Each morning, he'd watch the dawn light gild across her face, the glare making her nose wrinkle as she'd nuzzle into his chest, half asleep. She was his own sunshine and now he ached to see her.

He went to leave, stopping at the coffee table to play his next move of Risk on the way out. They'd been playing this round for the whole week. Rey must have been expecting his next move because she'd left him a little note saying, "Don't you dare!". He took the post-it note in his hand and smiled before sliding three troops onto Kijimi where a lone piece of hers remained. She'd be furious; he'd already conquered the Unknown Regions, Hosnian Prime and Crait, and tonight he would claim the mantle of Supreme Leader and enjoy the bounty that came with it. They often battled their differences on the game board, claiming dominion over the other at every opportunity. The game continued, deep into the night, between the sheets, fighting to bring each other to ruin.

And now, he needed to find her.

Ben Solo had never known such peace, and grace, as in those moments when Rey gave herself to him.

The anticipation of seeing her, of being inside her, made his loins stir and he rushed to find her.

Outside, he could see the resort cafe where his parents played a game of poker with Uncle Lando. As if sensing him, Leia looked up and gave him a warm smile.

"Rey's down by the beach!"

"Thanks!" He looked again at the scene below and noticed an extra couple of cards hidden beneath the table. "He's cheating again."

Lando scoured as Han ripped the hidden cards from the man's grip and a pair of aces flew across the table.

"Good work, Ben," Han called.

The three of them laughed and Ben felt something in his chest tighten, a knot of pride, yearning and happiness tied together. Leia had decided to step back from politics, focussing on three different NGOs that she led with a dogged passion, and Han was Han. He enjoyed the company of friends, driving the Falcon, and playing long games of chess with his son over a whisky on the rocks. It gave them a chance to really talk, about life, failure, even love. Ben came to understand he had more in common with his father than he realised, from his mannerisms to his heart.

Ben continued along the lush green grounds and down a sandy path to the beach.

Rey was there, her long slim shadow layered on the sand, warm light painting her skin in gold. Her bare shoulders were bronze, and she was looking down at her feet, watching the clear waves lap at her toes, burying them further in the sand each time it retreated.

He walked towards Rey and a gentle breeze brushed against his black t-shirt, filling the air with sea salt and summer heat. Rey turned, beaming a huge smile that was always reserved for him.

"Trying to sneak up on me, Solo?"

"I took Kijimi." She gave him a mock glare as he came before her and lowered his voice. "Now you and all your territories belong to me."

"You know, I won't surrender that easily?"

He leaned in with hooded eyes, half-hard and desperate to plunder her right now, but she turned on him, glancing warily in the direction of where Han and Leia sitting.

"Did you want to swim? I went in before and the water's still pretty warm."

He took in the sight of her bright eyes and flushed cheeks, then down to her top, where there were two large wet patches over her breasts. "So I see."

She looked down and frowned, also noticing the way her wet swimmers had left two very dubious marks against her olive-green top. "Damn it, that's embarrassing."

"I don't mind, in fact—" he pulled her in a kiss so urgent she stumbled back, pulling him down to her level as he chased her lips with hungry kisses. She tasted like sea salt, fresh waves and sunlight. "I find it kind of hot."

"So, did you miss me?"

"Every second."

They settled on the sand, Rey between his legs as he wrapped his arms around her as they watched the tide roll in. The sand was warm from the heat of the day and Rey rested her head on his shoulder, as gentle waves frothed and played by their feet.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kylo noticed Rey peeking up at him, her gaze meditating on his smile and then down to his shoulders.

"What?" he asked.

"You just seem —" she looked up, searching for the word she wanted. "Light. You seem so much lighter and relaxed. There's colour in your cheeks and by some miracle you've even gotten a tan."

He held her hands in his, their fingers braided together, his thumb softly stroking her skin. They seemed so small compared to his own, but they were strong hands; skin calloused and stained with oil and yet, so beautiful. They were the hands he wanted to see hold his children.

"I'm happy." He glanced down at once more, lifting her hand and pressing whisper-soft kisses against her knuckles.

"I'm happy too, Ben."

He pressed his lips to hers, soft and chaste. They were like this sometimes, quiet and at peace. Those moments were sacred and Ben lost himself in thoughts of her and their future. They were gentle, fingers tracing each other as softly as the wind, lips searching, a ceremony, a discovery of the other. It lasted until the sun touched the ocean, burning with crimson and bursts of gold.

Rey cleared her throat, reminding him that this place, this woman, was real.

"Luke said you had news."

"That crotchety old miser wasn't supposed to say a thing."

Rey smirked, almost seeming to hold her breath, she did this when she had a secret she didn't want to keep.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing." Rey shook her head, her smile deepening.

"Has he told you the whole thing?" Ben asked crossly.

"If it's that you're starting not-for-profit martial arts classes for at-risk children and have already written at least a dozen application letters to get government grants to make it happen then — maybe?"

He groaned, chewing on his lip, that tell-tale tic flicking under his eye. "Fucking Luke Skywalker can't keep his God-damn fucking mouth shut!"

She pressed a warm hand to his thigh, teasing it with her fingers, a clasp, an entreaty. It was their secret language.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"I know. Just thought I'd stop you before you got started."

"It's not like there's anything I can break on the beach, anyway."

Rey kissed his cheek. "Five things."

Ben rolled his eyes. "The sound of the waves."

She held one finger up, and he gritted his teeth together.

"The warmth of the sun on my face."

Two fingers. "How poetic."

"Sea salt."

"Three," she beamed at him and he felt the anger subsiding like the tide, flowing out to sea.

"Your body against mine," he said quietly, moving to kiss her neck.

"Four," she whispered, raising her eyes to the sky as he traced his lips from her ear to her collar bone.

"Hardness," he growled.

"Five." It was barely a word.

His fingers splayed beneath her breast, searching for the line of her bikini bottoms, touching her—

She started and Ben's lips curled in a sinister smile.

"Your wet little—"

"You're better." She slapped his hand away with a laugh and jumped to her feet, pressing the back of her hands to her brazenly red cheeks.

"I wasn't finished," he followed her.

"Is that all Master Luke told you?"

"You mean, there's something else you're hiding from me?" She peered up at him suspiciously.

He pulled her in tighter, clamping his mouth on her neck and sucking hard, lapping her skin with his tongue. The girl was insatiable when she caught whiff of a lead, and this was one story he wasn't ready to share. Fortunately, he knew the fastest way to distract her.

"I'm going to make love to you right now."

She snorted. "Here?"

"Yes, here."

He consumed her, and as always, her body responded, disappearing in his arms, just like the waves got lost in the sand. His hand followed the curve of her back, down—

"Stop it! Your family is up there!"

She had a point. He gave her one last squeeze and tried to push away the thoughts that were overpowering his willpower. "Stop looking so damn hot then."

Rey pulled herself away, lips red and plump from the way he had taken them between his teeth. "We should change the subject."

"Fine." He thought about it. "The room was a mess up there."

"Really?"

"Did anyone tell you that you're a slob?"

"This is your subject?"

He smirked, lowering his head. "We can go back to the other one if you want?"

"If you would stop ripping my clothes off whenever we get up there then maybe it would stay clean?"

"It's a small price to pay, I suppose."

"Cheaper than it used to be."

"Smart arse." He gave her a light slap on the backside but as she went to return the favour, he stopped her.

"What's in your pocket?"

"Nothing. What's in yours?"

She peered at him suspiciously, but dropped it, nevertheless. He was surprised to see she did have something.

"What's that?"

"Umm, only Finn and Rose's wedding invitation!" she shouted with excitement.

"What!?" he grabbed it, barely able to believe his own eyes. "When did this happen?"

"He just told me today. Wanted it to be a surprise."

"Haven't they only known each other for a year or something?"

"Well, they've been living together the whole time. I guess you know, when you know, right?"

He stopped looking at the invitation and met her gaze, searching for something that he hoped was there.

"Right—"

The waves gently lapped at his feet, the sound of them gurgling and brushing against the sand. She had looked away from him then, cheeks pink and an embarrassed smile.

A hundred bucks says you won't last the month, Luke haunted him.

He pushed down the thought. He could at least talk to her about it. It didn't mean he was going to do anything rash.

"So, what do you think?" Ben asked softly. They had hung out with Finn and Rose a few times now; he enjoyed their company and he envied Finn the way he could be so free with Rose. Ben had always struggled with this, there was always something too intense, or too awkward. There was always too much of him.

"What do I think of what?" Rey tried not to look at him and this made him nervous.

"They're getting married."

"Oh, I'm really happy for them!" she said.

"I mean the fact that they're doing it so soon?"

She shrugged, and this time she stole a glance, measuring his expression as much as he was measuring hers.

He swallowed and felt the way his face was grimacing as he did.

"The whole marriage thing," he was barely managing to keep his voice steady now. "Do you mind it?"

"Mind it? Um, I don't know, do you … mind it?"

"No." He shoved his hands in his pocket, grasping hold of the velvet box in one hand and squeezing it like it was a stress ball.

"As in 'no, you don't believe in it?'"

"No, no, I do believe in it. Do you?" Ben said.

"I think it's a good thing. To come together and be a family—" She studied him for a moment, her expression thoughtful and cautious. He wasn't sure what she saw there but something made her rush the next sentence. "I know it's not for everyone though."

What did that mean? He felt his brow creasing as he glowered into the ground.

This was a terrible idea.

"Would—" she continued, but when Ben snapped his eyes up to look at her, she faltered. His face was pulling in all the wrong directions and he was still glaring.

"What?" He sounded fucking rude now, he could see it in her face.

Rey hesitated, somehow looking young and gangly like all her girlish insecurities had come to haunt her. "Would you want to be married one day?"

"Yes."

Fuck, he'd said it too intensely. There were a million thoughts racing through his brain. What if he asked her now? Was there any chance she could say yes? If he showed her the ring and told her how he'd designed it during quiet times in the jail, that he'd forced Master Luke to stop at the jeweller's after their together when he was on bail, so they could start crafting it, that there was no point in waiting because he wanted this now, not in a month, not in a year…

"Me too," her voice was quiet, fading into the background as he agonised over the decision.

He wanted to make it special, to charter a sailboat, or take her away to Thailand, or some exotic destination. Worst of all, he thought about what would happen if she said no, if it was too soon, too much, or he just wasn't the one.

He wouldn't blame her; she'd be right to run...

Ben could feel the subtle flicker of a tic beneath his eye, and when he met her eye, he realised he must have still been scowling because Rey seemed — crushed.

Wait, had she said something?

"Let's go back." There was a frostiness to her voice that wasn't there before.

He snapped out of it. "I didn't hear you."

"Don't worry, we can talk about it later. Come on, I'll cook dinner."

She turned to walk along the sand but he didn't follow.

It was certifiably crazy, but some desperate urge had overpowered him and he lowered to one knee.

"Rey."

It was barely a voice and she kept walking. He should get up. It was too soon … she wouldn't be ready.

Slowly, he began to stand again when she turned and her eyes went wide.

"I ... ah," Ben stammered.

"What are you doing?"

He kneeled and she gaped.

"I know it's too soon," he said in a rush and blinked quickly because goddammit if he was going to cry. "You have so many reasons to say no."

Rey took a step closer, her brows furrowed like she was about to deliver news of a terminal illness.

Shit.

"It could be a long engagement — as long as you want. We could wait until you've finished your studies, or we've moved, or—"

Closer. There were tears in her eyes now.

Fuck.

It was too late now. He squeezed his eyelids shut, determined to see it through.

"I don't know where our lives are going and I know all of this started off really badly— god knows we can never tell our children how we met—" He cringed at that. "If you want kids, do you want kids?"

She nodded, "Yes, not right now though."

"No, not right now."

"But one day…"

"One day would be nice."

"It would."

They stared at each other and Ben almost forgot what he was doing.

"I wouldn't expect you to take my name or anything."

"I'd want to take it. If you're asking me that is —" She looked away, blushing. "Are you asking?"

"I erm."

"Oh my God!" She covered her mouth in shock. "You're really doing it?"

"Shit, I'm nervous at this shit." He'd forgotten how to speak and his hands were sweating as he wiped them on his knee. "Rey, all I know is I want to spend every day of my life with you."

"Ben..."

"Here." he pulled out the small velvet box, opened it, and held it before her. "I know you think I act first and think later, but this isn't an idea I've just had. I wanted to wait until I knew you were going to say 'yes'. But I can't even bear waiting for that anymore—"

His heart was pounding, his breath was shaking and even his fucking fingers were trembling, but he would finish this.

"Rey, are you crazy enough to say yes?"

She was still.

Still as the wind that had died, and the waves that shallowed out in response. The colour rose to her cheeks and her fingers pressed against her lips and then over her heart.

"Please," he whispered, reaching his hand out to hers.

"Please!"

Rey's world slowed.

The sun had fallen and darkness crept into the sky; the white foam brilliant with phosphorescence as waves pounded in a clamorous roar.

A million reasons fired in her brain as to why they should wait and not run head-first into the great unknown.

But when she saw him there, genuflecting at her feet and trembling …

"Please," he'd said it again, but this time it sounded different, softer, mournful, like he'd lost all hope.

"Ben—" She reached out and skimmed her hand against his in the lightest of touches and he raised his dark and desperate eyes.

A warm wind danced across the sand, caressing her face like an invisible force and Rey shivered — because, suddenly, she saw their future, solid and clear.

They were happy.

They loved each other until the end.

They fought with passion and loved with fervour.

And they were never alone.

She smiled at him, knowing they would face the darkness and the light, the good times and the bad together.

"You're not alone anymore, Ben." A tear fell, trickling down her cheek.

"Is that a yes?"

She lowered to her knees, level with him like the equals they were. She kissed his palm and he watched her with wonder, trembling fingers ghosting across her face.

"Yes!"

As mentioned this is chapter 29 of 30. So while the story is "finished" please stay subscribed for one final chapter which is a beautiful piece of artwork done for the end of this chapter by the amazing Boomdafunk. I'll also write my big thank you's there and share with you some other projects I'm working on.

This was edited very late at night after eating lots of chocolate and drinking of Midori Splice. My errors are my own.

Please tell me what you think of this last chapter, or the story, or just whatever random thought comes to your brain. Sometimes I really have no idea what I'm doing and I had a lot of doubt and my own angst about how I finished this story. I really hope you enjoyed it and that the pain train was somehow how worth it in the end - or at least that it left you with more hope than the movie that shall not be named #BenSoloDeservedBetter