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"Pregnant?" Finn exclaimed, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he regarded Rey. "Rey, that guy—I mean—I thought you told me that Ren would never hurt you!"

"What? He didn't!" Rey shot back. "What makes you think that he—?" She broke off as anger laced with a fierce protectiveness welled up inside her, and she curled her arms around her front, over her abdomen. She could already sense the tiny life growing inside her, a child created from the bond that she and Ben shared and from the love they had for each other.

How could anyone who saw them not understand that?

"Hang on, you don't think that he—that he kidnapped me or something, do you?" she demanded. "That he's just been holding me hostage for all of these months?"

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time, in case you've forgotten!" Finn retorted. "Han, Chewie, and I had to go and get you, remember? After Ren and his troops attacked us? The map to Skywalker? And then he took you to that horrible Starkiller Base and Han didn't end up coming back? Is any of this ringing a bell?"

Rey huffed, biting her lip to keep from snapping back. She still felt quite dizzy on top of everything, and while Ben had gone completely silent inside her head, likely out of shock, she could still sense his elation lanced with almost overwhelming uncertainty, the very same emotions she was currently experiencing.

And fear, both hers and Ben's. So much fear it was almost suffocating, because now the stakes of Ben's trial had just been raised by an almost innumerable amount.

"Your blood sugar is low and you are moderately dehydrated," the medical droid said as she gently took Rey's arm, prepping some kind of external fluids system. "These fluids will correct the problem temporarily, but it will be imperative that you continue to eat and drink at regular intervals to help prevent further nausea and dizziness."

"Yes, all right," Rey said, quickly followed by an, "Ow!" as the droid poked her arm with a needle. Once the fluids were attached and running she patted Rey's shoulder, indicating for her to lie back down.

"You must also be sure to get adequate rest, my dear," the droid added as she covered Rey with a blanket, her soft tone so soothing and motherly in nature that more tears welled in Rey's eyes. "This will ensure that the child will remain healthy."

"I understand," Rey said with a nod. "Thank you."

"Okay, but none of this explains how this happened!" Finn said, frowning as he tapped the comm device in his right ear. "What could Ren possibly want now?"

"Stop calling him that!" Rey insisted. "His name is Ben Solo, and—!"

But Finn cut her off with a raised hand as he listened to whoever was speaking to him, his frown growing deeper with every passing second.

"And you don't feel that it's a security risk?" he asked, his shoulders sagging as a reply came that he obviously didn't appreciate.

"Well, all right, if you think it'll be okay. But only for a few minutes."

"What?" Rey asked as Finn shot her a sharp look. "What's going on?"

Finn pursed his lips, eyeing Rey as if she'd just blasted a hole through the hull of the Millennium Falcon.

"Ren wants to—"

"You mean, Ben," Rey interrupted.

"Yeah, whatever," Finn said dismissively. "He asked if he could come down here to see you and Poe said it was okay, but only for a few minutes, all right? We can't exactly have him roaming around the base while he's on trial."

"I hardly think that being escorted to the Medical Bay constitutes 'roaming around the base', but I do appreciate it," Rey said. She settled back against the thin pillow, unable to keep the giddy smile from her face. The fluids were already working to alleviate her dizziness and nausea, and that combined with the opportunity to see Ben and his reaction to their shocking news was enough to fill her with more joy than she'd felt since they had left Naboo.

"Yeah, well, don't thank me," grumbled Finn. "It was Poe's idea."

Rey let out a sigh as she swiped the lingering tears from her eyes, glancing over at Finn as he paced back and forth near the foot of the examining table. Before the battle on Exegol Rey had considered him to be one of her closest friends, and while she supposed that she could understand why he was still a bit leery of Ben, she couldn't understand why he was so snappy with her about everything regarding him, as if he personally blamed her for Ben turning himself in.

"Finn?" she said softly. "There's something else going on here, isn't there?"

"No," Finn said quickly, a bit too quickly. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, it's actually quite obvious that something's bothering you, so I thought I'd just ask what it was, is all," Rey answered. "We did used to talk on occasion, remember?"

Finn turned away, shaking his head. "Well, that was before. Before you ran off with… him."

Rey frowned in confusion, but before she could think of a possible response Ben suddenly rushed into the Medical Bay, his wrists bound and flanked by two burly security guards, immediately crossing the room to her side and reaching his hands up to cup her face.

"Oh my sweetheart, you scared me! Please don't ever do that again!" he gasped as he rained soft kisses across Rey's forehead, nose, and cheeks, his expression a combination of shock, awe, and pure unadulterated adoration, the very same expression he'd worn when she woke up cradled in his arms on Exegol.

"I'm sorry," Rey whispered as she wound her arms around his neck, wincing when her fluids tube snagged on Ben's hair. She desperately longed to hug him close, to feel his arms wrapped around her and rest her head on his chest, and was just about to ask Finn if they could remove the binders from his wrists when Finn spoke up.

"Go ahead and take the binders off," he ordered the guards. "I don't think he's gonna be any trouble."

"Oh, thank you!" Rey breathed as Ben stepped back, his chin quivering as he nodded in Finn's direction.

"Thank you," he said, thick with the emotion he was struggling to contain as he held out his arms towards one of the guards, wasting no time enveloping Rey in those very arms as soon as they were freed.

"Ben," she said on a gasp as she burrowed into him as much as she possibly could. Her hands splayed across his broad back as his lips caressed her neck, the droid, Finn, and the guards completely forgotten as she soaked up the fierce embrace of her beloved.

"I'm here, sweetheart. I'm right here," he murmured against her skin, his upper body trembling as he carefully squeezed her to him. Rey could tell he was trying to hold himself back, as if he was afraid he would hurt her if he hugged her too hard.

"You're not gonna hurt me, Ben," Rey said softly. "I'm not as breakable as you think."

"I know you're not, you're the strongest person I've ever seen. I just…" Ben drew back, gulping as his long fingers stroked the back of her neck, trepidation emanating from him in waves. "Rey, I need you to promise me that if things don't go the way we hope, that you'll—"

"No, I will not," Rey said firmly, her eyebrows knitting together as she brushed the loose hair from Ben's eyes. "We're not even going to think like that, all right? I forbid it. This baby is never going to know anything but acceptance and love from both of his parents, do you understand? We are both going to be there for him every single step of the way because I refuse to accept any alternative."

The corners of Ben's lips curled into a slight smile, his deep, glassy eyes sweeping across her face, like he was memorising it.

"All right," he whispered.

"That's better," Rey whispered back. She took Ben's cheeks in her hands, brushing her thumbs across his perfectly sculpted cheekbones. She could already picture their son's tiny face, complete with Ben's eyes, cheeks, and lips, and her nose and eyebrows, and she was quite sure there had never been a more precious baby in the whole entire galaxy.

"He's so beautiful, Ben, I can already see him," she murmured as she guided Ben's palm to her belly. "And he's so happy, and he loves you beyond reason."

As you should be loved, she added in her mind. As you deserve to be loved.

"Close your eyes," she continued, smiling when Ben's eyes fluttered closed. "Can you see him?"

"Oh," Ben breathed a moment later as he broke into a wide, toothy smile, the first true smile she'd seen on him since they'd left Naboo. "I can see him, Rey. He's sleeping, cradled in your arms, and you're stroking his tiny cheek as you sing to him." He breathed in a long, shaky breath as a single tear snaked its way down his right cheek, down the path of his old scar. "Oh you're both so beautiful, sweetheart, I can't—I can't imagine not—"

"Stop," Rey whispered, brushing her thumb across Ben's lips. "What you're fearing, Ben, it's not going to happen. I saw it."

Ben gave a stuttered nod as he opened his eyes, softly kissing her forehead.

"I'll just have to take your word for it." He kissed her again, this time on her lips before tucking her head under his chin. "Will you promise me that you'll get some rest now?"

"I will try," Rey said as she curled her arms around Ben's waist, pressing herself against his broad chest and soaking up the sound of his heartbeat, her fingers instinctively fisting into the rough fabric of his shirt when she heard Finn clear his throat behind them. It was just so unfair that they had to be separated, especially now.

"I'm sorry, Rey, but it's time for Ren—Ben to get back to the brig."

"I understand," Ben said sadly as he turned towards the medical droid. "Will Rey stay here overnight? I'd like to make sure that she's as well as possible before she returns to her quarters."

"It would be beneficial to the patient to be sufficiently rehydrated before she is released," replied the droid. "I do not see a problem with keeping her overnight."

"Thank you," Ben said as he pressed his forehead to Rey's, his fingertips tracing the line of her jaw. "Promise me that you'll take good care of yourself while I can't, okay? Please?"

"I promise," Rey forced past the knot in her throat. "It won't be too much longer now. Soon we'll be able to go home."

"I hope so," Ben answered, only a bit wobbly. "I love you, sweetheart. I love you so much."

Rey nodded as she caught his hand, pressing her lips to his palm.

"I love you too."

Through tear-filled eyes, Rey watched as Ben pecked her cheek one final time before stepping back and holding out his hands towards the guards, her heart aching as they bound his wrists and led him from the room.

Please don't worry about me, sweetheart, she heard across the bond. You promised.

"I didn't promise to not worry about you," she muttered as she lay back against the pillow, her hands resting over her belly. "I don't think it's possible for me to not."

Try anyway, okay? You need to conserve your strength.

Rey's eyes fluttered closed as she nodded. "I will try."

That's my Rey.

Sucking in a deep breath, Rey breathed out slowly, attempting one of the Jedi relaxation techniques that Leia had taught her so she could calm her mind enough to sleep. Surprisingly, it actually seemed to be working, as she was just on the very cusp of consciousness when she heard Finn clear his throat again, causing her to startle.

"Um, I'm sorry, Rey, I know you're pretty tired and everything," he said sheepishly. "But I just gotta ask you one more thing before I leave you alone."

Rey pursed her lips. "All right."

"So… you, ah… you really love him, then? Ren—I mean, Ben?" Finn asked. "Like, really love him?"

"Well, yeah, of course I do," Rey said with a frown. "Was it not obvious?"

"Oh, it definitely was," Finn said quietly, awkwardly shifting on his feet. "It's like I could almost feel it." He shrugged, giving her a sort of melancholy smile. "I guess I just needed to see it for myself to be sure."

"I see," said Rey, not without a bit of confusion. "Well, I'm glad that you understand now."

"No, I didn't say that I understand it, just that I could see it," Finn objected. "And I guess… well… I guess as long as you're happy, then that's all I can ask for."

"And I am," Rey said. "Or at least, I will be once all of this is over and we can leave this place."

"Rey, I'm still not sure that's gonna happen," Finn warned. "The trial's not over yet, and—"

"I know that," Rey cut in. "But I also don't believe that the Force would allow us to—" She broke off then, not really wanting to explain to Finn what she was thinking, that there was no way she could believe that the Force would allow her and Ben to conceive a baby unless it meant that they would be able to raise him together. She and Ben had been living on Naboo for months before she even realised that it was possible for her to conceive, her body finally able to regulate itself after years and years of poor nutrition and excessive stress, so to Rey, the timing of her pregnancy simply had to indicate that in the end, everything was going to turn out okay.

"The Force?" said Finn. "And you're sure that's how the Force works?"

Rey bit down hard on her lower lip. It just had to. She simply could not accept any alternative.

"I hope so," she said.

"Well, for your sake I hope you're right," said Finn. He gently squeezed Rey's shoulder as he nodded towards the medical droid. "Take good care of her, all right?"

"Of course I will, sir," the droid answered. "Good evening."

As soon as Finn was gone Rey closed her eyes and breathed in, allowing her body to relax once more. In her mind's eye she imagined the river on Naboo, lying back against Ben's chest as they listened to the water rushing over the rocks, his large hands spanning nearly the whole of her pregnant belly and smiling as their son kicked against them, reminding them both that he was healthy and whole.

And there would be no voices whispering into her son's tiny mind, manipulating and tormenting him until he felt so completely isolated from all that he loved that he had no choice but to run to those voices in devastation and shame.

No, not this time. For the Skywalker curse, that desperate struggle to balance Light and Dark by completely ignoring the Dark until it had grown so large that it smothered them, had finally been completely and thoroughly broken. She and Ben had personally seen to it.

"This Skywalker child will know that Light and Dark exists in all of us," Rey murmured. "And that it's the balance that is most important."

Powerful light, powerful darkness.

Balance.

You promised me that you'd rest, sweetheart, Rey heard in her mind, and she smiled, imagining Ben's lips against her neck as he spoke to their unborn son, telling him stories of Senate meetings and smuggling runs, and how you've never been truly hugged until you've been hugged by a Wookie.

"I know," she said. "Goodnight, my love."

Goodnight, Rey. I love you.

"I know."

Ben sat with his back against the cold stone wall of his cell, his knees tucked against his chest and his head in his hands as he attempted to calm the swirling mass of emotions flitting around in his mind. He still couldn't believe that he'd managed to keep most of them hidden from Rey while he'd been with her, but now that she was finally asleep the defences he had so carefully constructed began to crumble, leaving nothing except fear in their wake.

The fear that was so strong it was nearly paralysing, seizing his limbs and leaving him gasping for breath as though someone had caught him in a Force chokehold, its tendrils slowly crushing the very life out of him.

How am I supposed to be able to do this? he thought desperately. I'm not fit to be a father! I can't—I can't—!

With a muffled gasp, Ben dug his fingers into his hair, yanking on the handfuls of strands so hard that he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. He didn't want to give his guards the satisfaction of seeing him any more unnerved than they had when he'd sensed Rey's collapse, begging them in a panic to please, please find out what was wrong with her.

And then his elation when the guards announced that he could go and see Rey, really see her outside of the Justice Hall where he wasn't allowed to touch her. To be able to hold her in his arms again, to smell her hair and kiss her lips and feel her smiling against his chest… to hear the Force singing again instead of the usual cacophony of noise he had been forced to hear throughout their separation.

And then to see their baby, their tiny little boy cuddled up with Rey, the most beautiful image that he could ever imagine… Ben hadn't known it was possible for his heart to swell that much without simply bursting apart at the seams.

It was a future that Ben had never even dared to dream about, and yet, in only a few short months and whether he was ready or not, it was to become his reality.

Whether he was free or not, Rey was going to have his child.

I can't leave them alone! I can't!

He supposed that his father had had a similar reaction upon hearing the news of his own impending birth. The Han Solo that Ben had known had never planned anything out more than a few days in advance, always preferring to fly by the seat of his pants and make things up as he went. Han had always said that it made him a better smuggler if he was unpredictable, but Ben—and his mother as well—had suspected there was more to it than that. That his fly-by-night philosophy was borne out of the deep, innate restlessness and dissatisfaction with whatever were his current surroundings, and one that he had been unable to shake ever since he'd escaped from Coriellia.

That wasn't to say that Han never truly loved Ben's mother. On the contrary, it had always been Ben's belief that the love his father had for his mother had been one of the few things that managed to keep Han somewhat grounded. The scoundrel who fell in love with the princess; it sounded like something out of an old angel tale, and yet somehow Han and Leia were mostly able to make it work.

At least, they were until Ben finally lost the war with the army of dark whispers screaming at him from inside his mind, shattering not only the hearts of his mother and father, but that of his uncle as well.

"But it wasn't your fault," Ben heard Rey say, his mind recalling a conversation they'd had shortly after arriving on Naboo. He had awoken from a nightmare that had been particularly awful, full of images and scenes that he wished with all of his heart he could forget. Shivering and shaking, he had curled into a tight ball, squeezing his head between his palms as he begged the voices to leave him, to stop tormenting him with their hateful whispers that felt as though he was being poked and prodded with a million lightsabers all the size of a sewing needle.

But then he had felt Rey's tiny hands curl around his shoulders, her arms guiding his head to rest on her chest as she stroked her fingers through his hair and told him over and over again how much she loved him, and that he would be okay because he was no longer alone.

They were a dyad in the Force, two that were one. A power unseen for generations.

Ben had often wondered if the last Force dyad to exist all those generations ago had loved each other as well, given what he'd learned about the Jedi and all of their strict rules against attachment.

"Attachment was forbidden," a voice suddenly said, startling Ben such that he slammed the back of his head so hard against the stone wall that tears pricked his eyes.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, gingerly rubbing his fingers across the sore spot as he blinked in the direction of Anakin Skywalker, who had apparently finally decided to stop by and see how he was doing.

"That really hurt," Ben added, rather petulantly as he unfolded his legs from their tucked up position, grunting as he felt blood begin to flow back into areas that had long gone numb.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Anakin said with a slight wince. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"Uh huh," Ben said warily, his eyes flicking towards the guards. "Um… I don't think they're gonna like it too much if they see you in here, so—"

"Then it's probably good that they can't see me," Anakin replied, grinning when Ben's eyes went wide. "Only people who are Force-sensitive can see me, Ben, surely you know that already."

"Well, pardon me if I've had just a bit on my mind lately!" Ben snapped. "I'm sure you're aware of what happened tonight?"

"I am," said Anakin, way too calmly for Ben's taste at the moment. "And how's Rey doing now?"

"She's fine," Ben said through clenched teeth. "She's asleep, at least for the moment. She hasn't been able to rest very well since—since we got here."

"Mmm. And I'm going to guess that's been the case for you as well?"

Ben glowered in Anakin's direction, rubbing at his prickly tingling legs.

"Well, what do you think?" he said as he jerked his head towards the guards. "They seem to think it's funny to try and keep me awake as much as possible, they won't let me meditate for longer than a few minutes, and I can't even see Rey outside from the tribunal proceedings, so how do you think I'm doing?"

Anakin let out a sigh as he regarded Ben, his lips twitching in a nearly identical way to Master Luke's whenever he was trying extra hard to hold onto his patience.

"You're afraid, Ben," he finally said. "And if I were your Jedi Master, this is the exact moment where I would tell you that you can't give into your fear, because—"

"Yes, yes, I already know," Ben said impatiently. "Fear leads to anger, anger to hatred, and hatred to suffering. You've already told me all of this, but it just doesn't help anything!"

"That's right, I have," said Anakin. "But if you would've allowed me to finish, I would have then said that I am not your Jedi Master, and in fact, I can completely empathise with what you're feeling in this very moment because I have experienced the exact same fear."

Ben's head snapped up at Anakin's words, his eyes narrowing as he watched the aura surrounding him shimmer in the dim light of his cell.

"Then why did you tell me to do this?" Ben asked, hoping against hope that he wasn't pouting. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I was supposed to find my new crystal and then try and clear my name, not—"

"Yes, that is the plan you initially had," said Anakin. "But Ben, something I think you're forgetting is that in order to actually take hold of your crystal and then assemble your lightsaber, you first need to endure a trial."

Ben shot him a sharp look. Of course he remembered the proper procedure since he'd already assembled one lightsaber, and watched as Rey assembled hers. But surely Anakin hadn't meant—?

"And you actually meant a trial-trial?" he asked, incredulous. "That wasn't just another Jedi metaphor?"

"Not this time, no," answered Anakin. "Rey was able to hear her crystal's call in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant because she had already endured her trial on Exegol. And similarly, you enduring your trial now will eventually allow you to hear your own crystal's call."

"Yeah? How eventually?" Ben asked, bracing himself for the answer.

"That I'm afraid I can't tell you," said Anakin. "Because I don't know," he quickly added when Ben's jaw clenched. "Unfortunately, there are still some things that even the Jedi cannot predict."

Ben's shoulders sagged, and he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"I can't—I can't leave them alone," he said quietly. He looked up into the face of the man who had been his grandfather, Jedi Master and patriarch of the Skywalkers. "I can't—no I won't—do that to Rey. I just won't."

"Well, from only my brief observation of Rey, I highly doubt that she would allow herself to be separated from you anyway, so—"

"But what if the Resistance finds me guilty and tries to send me to some prison or something? What am I supposed to do then?" Ben cut in. "Rey's not going anywhere with me that's not safe, and especially not with our baby!"

Anakin was quiet for a moment, rubbing his upper lip between his fingers.

"What is it that you fear the most?" he asked. "Being separated from Rey and your child, or having them with you in a place that could potentially be unsafe?"

Anguish pierced Ben's heart like a blaster shot, and he tipped his head forward, grabbing handfuls of his hair and yanking hard. The thought of never seeing Rey or his son again, of his son growing up without a father, feeling abandoned the way he often had with Han being away for months at a time, it was almost too much for Ben to bear.

As it would be for Rey as well. Ben had no doubt that if he were to be found guilty, Rey would insist on following him to whatever prison the Resistance deposed him rather than run the risk of never being able to see him again, and Ben couldn't blame her. After being forced to grow up completely alone in a hostile environment where every single day was a struggle to survive, Rey would do everything in her power to prevent their family from being torn apart.

But Ben also knew that if Rey did end up accompanying him and something were to happen to either her or the baby, he would never be able to live with himself.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I know that it's selfish of me to want them to be with me, but at the same time, is it selfish of me to want my son to know who I am?"

"No, it is not," Anakin said. "Because that is one of my biggest regrets, that I never had the chance to get to know my own children. I never was able to see them or hold them, to play with them and watch them grow, for them to know me as their father. For even though I was granted the opportunity to reunite with my son shortly before my death, my daughter, your mother, remained completely lost to me, and that is something I won't ever be able to change."

Another silence fell across the cell as Ben contemplated Anakin's words, pointedly ignoring the puzzled looks from his guards who no doubt believed that he was in the middle of a very animated conversation with only himself.

"So, then, what do I do?" Ben asked. "Neither choice is a good one."

"You are correct; neither choice is good," said Anakin. "But you are also assuming that the tribunal will find you guilty, and therefore force you to have to make such a choice."

Ben's heart skipped a beat. While he'd initially had the smallest of hopes that he might actually go free following the tribunal, those had all but disintegrated during the ten days of the prosecution's presentation. Being forced to listen to witness after witness personally blame him for every single death the Resistance endured during the entirety of the galactic war… well… Ben supposed that was the entire point of it, but for how much faith Ben had in Rey and how strong he knew that she was, sometimes there were still battles that couldn't be won no matter how hard they were fought.

"You really think I still have a chance to go free?" he asked, so softly he was surprised that Anakin heard him.

Anakin narrowed his eyes, his lips tightly pursed.

"I think you should not underestimate Rey's determination to ensure that you go free," he replied. "The bond that the two of you share, a dyad, had been unseen for generations. I had only ever heard whispers of such a bond during my studies under Master Obi-Wan, and even then, it was spoken of with such grandeur and reverence so as to imply that it existed only in legends." He paused, crossing his arms over his front as he regarded Ben. "If I hadn't personally witnessed the immense power of your bond, I'm still not sure that I would have believed it."

"It was Rey," Ben murmured, his eyes stinging with tears. "She—she saw through the cracks in my masks, all of them. She saw the man behind the veil of the monster, and now—now I just can't live without her. My eyes long to see her, my arms ache to hold her, and I'm afraid—I'm so afraid if we're kept apart for too much longer that I won't have the strength to—to—"

"Ben, no, that's not what I meant," Anakin interrupted. He let out a heavy sigh as he sat down next to Ben on the hard slab that served as his bunk, tucking his knees up to his chest. "You believe that Rey saved you from the darkness that was Kylo Ren, but she didn't. You turned your back on that darkness on your own."

"But—!"

"That's not to say that Rey didn't help you, both through your unique bond and by the very fact that she loves you, passionately and unconditionally, but she did not redeem you," Anakin continued. "It was your own choice to break free of your bonds, to shed your mask and gloves and toss your unstable lightsaber into that raging ocean. It was your own choice, just as turning yourself in was your own choice."

Ben's throat was so tight from suppressed emotion that he could barely swallow as he met Anakin's eyes. Every single day that he'd had with Rey since she'd woken up in his arms on Exegol had been a gift, one which he still felt unworthy to receive no matter how many times Rey had tried to convince him otherwise. Ben knew that she loved him, as he could sense it across their bond even now, while she slept, but there was still a small part of him that feared that one day Rey would eventually decide to leave him, as everyone else had always left him.

A part of him that he tried very hard to keep hidden away from her, but knew that somehow she still sensed.

"Then, what do I do now?" he asked. "How can I help her to help me?"

The corners of Anakin's lips quirked into the slightest of smiles.

"You need to remove the final mask, Ben, and allow Rey to access the thoughts that you try so hard to keep hidden," he said. "All of the pain and trauma that you've kept locked away from her out of fear, no matter how many times she's tried to reassure you that it's unnecessary. And I mean all of them, every single dark and tumultuous thought, because only then will she have everything that she needs to present your defence to the judges."

"No!" Ben shrieked as he jumped to his feet, shaking his head. "I can't risk exposing her to such intense darkness now, she needs to stay as healthy as possible for our baby!"

"And she will," Anakin said firmly. "You told me yourself that Rey is the strongest person you've ever seen, correct?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Then let her use that strength, Ben! Let her use her incredible strength to show those judges exactly what you endured. Let her demonstrate to them how you were manipulated and tortured for all of those years until Ben Solo was buried so deeply behind all the masks and layers of Kylo Ren that only someone as strong as Rey would be able to uncover him."

Ben growled as he plopped back down onto the bunk, tipping his head back against the wall and gasping in pain as he hit the very same spot that he'd slammed earlier.

"I don't—I don't want her to have to go through all that," he whispered. "It's not fair to her, she doesn't deserve it."

"No, she doesn't," agreed Anakin. "But she didn't deserve to have to face the Emperor either, and yet when she realised that it was inevitable she didn't hesitate to do so. Just as she won't here."

"And if you're worried that she'll see something that could possibly alter her feelings for you, then let me reassure you right now that it would be impossible," Anakin continued. "Rey loves you beyond reason, just as you love her, and there is nothing in the galaxy more powerful than that." Anakin leaned forward, his expression so intent it was almost angry. "Do you remember how Rey discovered her crystal on Coruscant, Ben?"

"Um… she told me that it was cracked," Ben said softly. "Cracked almost in two before she healed it."

"Yes, that's right," Anakin said. "And does that sound like anyone you might know?"

The tears Ben had been struggling to contain finally broke free, streaming down his cheeks as he recalled Rey standing over him, droplets of ocean spray mingling with her tears of horror and shame as she healed the stab wound she'd given him during their final duel, an act of love that then gave Ben the push he needed to finally shed Kylo Ren for good.

"Ben, please listen to me," Anakin pleaded. "I tried so hard to hide the pain and darkness welling up inside me from the woman I loved, and that was the biggest mistake of my life. If I had only chosen to confide in her, to trust in her strength and her love for me, well… I believe things might've gone very differently. I don't want to see you make that same mistake."

"But Rey's already seen me at my worst," Ben murmured. "The battle on Crait, after I thought she had rejected me, I was so confused and angry and bitter, and—"

"And yet Rey loves you," said Anakin. "She loved you even then, as she's told you, but she knew that she couldn't force you to see what you needed to see, that you needed to do that for yourself."

"She still feels guilty for it," whispered Ben. "She's told me."

"But yet she still did it, even as it broke her heart," Anakin said quietly. "You just need to trust in her, Ben. Trust in Rey's strength and the strength of your bond. A true partnership isn't always equal, sometimes one of you needs to help carry the other for a time."

Ben's lower lip trembled as he shook his head. "Rey shouldn't have to carry me."

"But she will," Anakin stated. "She will because right now it's what you need, and she knows it. And if you want to go free, you're going to have to allow it."

Ben inhaled a deep, shaky breath, scrubbing the tears from his cheeks with his palms. "The defence presentation begins in three days, and we just found out that Rey's pregnant. The timing really couldn't be any worse."

"Yeah, I'll admit that it's not ideal," said Anakin. "But unfortunately that doesn't change anything."

"Hmph," Ben muttered, well aware that he was pouting. "Still doesn't mean that I have to like it."

"I'd be concerned if you did," said Anakin, quirking an eyebrow. He got to his feet, giving Ben a slight bow. "I'd like to tell you to try and get some rest, but somehow I don't think that you'll listen."

"No," Ben said quickly. "I need to watch over Rey, make sure she's okay."

"Well, I'm not going to tell you to not do that, but try and remember that your well-being directly affects her, and she's just as concerned for yours as you are for hers." Anakin said as he threw up his hands. "In fact, if you want to know the truth, the two of you are pretty exhausting for everyone at the moment."

"Mmm," Ben grumbled. "Well, if you're expecting an apology, then I'm afraid you're gonna be waiting for a very long time."

"No, I don't expect any apologies," Anakin said, already beginning to fade. "Just as long as you don't forget what we discussed."

Ben sighed, shaking his head as the Force ghost disappeared, leaving him alone in his cell once again.

"I won't."

Rey shivered, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she opened the cover of yet another of Master Luke's texts, absentmindedly reaching for a rice crisp as she began to decipher the ancient language in which it was written. Finn had showed up earlier that morning after her release from the Medical Bay to escort her to the mess hall, insisting on giving her snacks afterwards to take back to her quarters to eat between meals in the hopes that she could avoid another incident like the day before.

Finding nothing of use on the first page, Rey carefully turned to the next, murmuring the words to herself between bites of the crisp, which, while just about one of the blandest things she had ever put in her mouth at least hadn't yet aggravated her nausea, which had been steadily increasing in conjunction with her level of frustration. She had been hoping to find at least something in Master Luke's books that could assist in her defence of Ben but so far had managed to find next to nothing, and time was rapidly running out.

She had just turned to the next page when she felt the familiar and yet still heady sensation of Ben's mind touching hers, the delightfully pleasant hum that never failed to send heat blooming across her chest. She instantly smiled, remembering how glorious it had felt to be able to hold him in her arms the previous evening, however briefly it had been.

"Ben," she said softly.

Good morning, sweetheart, he replied. Did you sleep well?

Rey's smile curled into a smirk as she tilted her head, washing her bite of crisp down with a sip of water.

"Yes, I did, but I'm sure you knew the answer to that already, didn't you?" Rey knew that Ben tried to hide the fact that he kept watch over her during the nights since his guards didn't allow him to get adequate sleep.

Don't fault me for wanting to make sure that you're safe, she heard after a brief pause.

"I don't, Ben," Rey said. "I only wish that you would allow yourself to rest from time to time, I don't believe I'm in any danger here."

Maybe not, but I'm not taking any chances. Especially now.

Instinctively, Rey placed her palm over her stomach, over the very same spot where she found Ben's hand after she awoke on Exegol.

"I suppose I can understand that," she said. "I just worry about you as well."

I know, sweetheart. There was another pause, and she felt a change in the pitch of their connection, sending a cold shiver racing down her spine. Something new was troubling him.

"Ben, what is it?" she asked. "Something's wrong?"

Ben huffed but didn't answer, only causing the pitch to wobble even more. Rey frowned as she sat up straighter on her bunk, picturing Ben's downcast eyes and slightly trembling lower lip.

"Please, Ben. Please tell me what's wrong?"

Finally, he answered. Anakin visited me again last night.

"And?" Rey prompted. "What did he want?"

He had a recommendation for aiding in my defence, but I'm not sure that I agree.

"All right. Do you want to tell me what it was?"

Again there was silence, which stretched out for so long that Rey was about ready to march herself down to the brig and demand to see him when he finally spoke up again.

Anakin wants me to—to expose you to the thoughts I try to keep hidden.

Rey's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Expose me? What does that mean?"

Like what happened that—that one morning down at the river, Ben rushed out. When the Dark almost overwhelmed me again.

"Ben, I've told you so many times that I wish you wouldn't try and hide those thoughts from me," Rey said, barely hiding her frustration. "It cannot be good for you, so I just don't understand why you continue to do it."

Because you don't deserve to have to endure those feelings, sweetheart. It's not fair to you.

"No, what's not fair is you insisting that you need to try and conquer them on your own," Rey stated. "No one who's endured everything that you endured should be expected to overcome it on their own, Ben, so why should you be any different?"

Rey huffed when he didn't reply, swinging her legs over her bunk.

"I'm going to come down to the brig, maybe the guards will let us discuss this in person—"

No! Ben practically shrieked. No, please, don't. Just… give me a moment, I'll come to you.

"Ben—!"

But before Rey could finish her attempted protest Ben appeared at her side, looking so healthy and beautiful that Rey couldn't help but launch herself at him, ducking her head down under his chin as his arms tucked her close.

"My sweetheart," Ben whispered into her hair. "My beautiful Rey."

"How much more of your strength does it take to project yourself like this?" she practically sobbed into his chest. "You don't—you don't need to—!"

"I know, sweetheart, but I'd much rather you see me like this than the mess I am now," Ben said, stroking his long fingers through her hair. "Now, I'm not sure how much time I have, so—"

"Well, I can already tell you that I agree with Anakin," Rey cut in. She pulled back, indicating the book she'd abandoned when Ben appeared. "I've been searching and searching through all of these books for something that could help us, something to verify Anakin's return to the Light before his death, and so far I've found nothing! It's almost as though Master Luke wanted to forget that it even happened, but I don't understand why he would want to do that!"

"I don't know, maybe it was just too personal for Luke to write down?" Ben suggested. "He never wanted the fame and notoriety that he got for his role in the Battle of Endor. As much as he might've hated to admit it, I think he enjoyed his quiet life."

"Okay, that's all well and good, but that still doesn't help us." Rey slid her palms up Ben's shoulders to cup his cheeks, meeting his beautiful dark brown eyes. "Ben, please don't keep hiding things from me, I promise that nothing I see is going to change how I feel. I love you completely; there's no need for you to still wear masks around me."

Ben's lower lip began to tremble, tears welling in his eyes as he turned his head to press a kiss to her palm.

"I don't deserve you."

"Yes, you do," Rey whispered as she brushed her lips across his. "Please, Ben."

Several heartbeats later, Ben finally nodded. "All right, but not now. We'll do it tomorrow, I want to make sure that you're as well-rested as possible first."

"I understand," Rey said as she breathed a sigh of relief. She tucked herself back into Ben's embrace, soaking up the sound of his heartbeat, her heart lurching when she noticed him starting to fade.

"The guards?"

"Yes," Ben said sadly. He quickly dipped his head, kissing her softly on the lips. "Rest now, sweetheart. I love you."

"And I love you," Rey murmured. "All of you, darkness and light, just as you love me."

As Rey suspected, Ben did try to convince Rey to change her mind the following morning, even using their baby as an excuse to not want to upset her. But, Rey persisted, telling Ben that with only two more days before the defence presentation was due to begin there was no more time for excuses.

"I'm ready, Ben," she said once she was situated on her bunk, as relaxed as possible. She could already sense the intensity of Ben's fear, squeezing her heart like a trash compactor as she felt their connection waver, trembling like Ben's full lower lip often did when he was upset.

I'm so sorry, sweetheart, she heard across the bond. I never wanted it to be like this.

"But you'll be better for it," she murmured. "And so will I."

I hope so.

Inhaling a deep breath, Rey closed her eyes as she exhaled, sensing what almost seemed like a door slowly sliding open across their connection just before she was flooded with a deluge of such strong emotions that they literally stole her breath.

Sorrow.

Frustration.

Shame.

Abandonment.

Anger.

Numbness.

Grief.

Fury.

Vengefulness.

And interlaced with all of those was the most prominent of them all.

Fear.

So much fear that it felt as though the Millennium Falcon had parked itself directly on her chest, pressing all the air from her lungs just slowly enough for her to feel every single molecule as it left. It was overwhelming, as black as starless space and thick enough to block even the tiniest glimmer of Light from entering.

Since the very day he had been born, no, even conceived, Ben had lived in constant, unrelenting fear, stoked by the voices constantly whispering inside his mind, Snoke and Palpatine. As a baby and small child it tormented him, leaving him unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. As an adolescent and teenager it shamed him, isolating him and hindering relationships with others, and as a young adult it bullied him, mercilessly teasing and taunting him until he felt that he had no choice but to give into the darkness.

"Oh, Ben," Rey gasped as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Oh my love, I am so, so sorry!"

"You're so lonely, so afraid to leave," Ben had said to her during his interrogation on Starkiller Base. He had been reading her mind, but due to their as-yet-undiscovered bond he had also been reading his own, mirrored in Rey's.

"Your parents threw you away like garbage, but you can't stop needing them." Ben tapping into one of Rey's own worst fears had pulled up the very same fear inside himself, the abandonment he had felt when his parents sent him away.

Even Ben's behaviour during their earliest encounters was presented in a new light. Repeatedly slamming his arm into the wound in his side from Chewie's bowcaster during their duel in a desperate attempt to keep his pain and anger at the forefront of his mind, in order to cover his struggle over the death of his father. His shriek of, "Traitor!" at Finn when Rey rushed to Finn's aid when he was actually envious, both of the fact that Finn had managed to break free from the First Order, and because Rey had shown concern for him.

His awkwardness during their first few Force bond connections, struggling and failing to keep his fragile masks in place.

And his bitterness at what he perceived as Rey's rejection of him on the Supremacy, right after he had finally killed the creature who had manipulated and tortured him his entire life in order to save her.

And it was all so strong, so incredibly strong that Rey was immobilised, its strength second only to the combined power of the Sith that she'd felt on Exegol.

"Oh, Ben!" Rey managed to choke out, her lungs screaming for air. "Ben, I'm so sorry!"

Rey, no, you can't let your guilt overwhelm you, there's nothing that you could've done! Think of our baby! she heard as she forced herself to suck in a staggering breath, her hands clenched so tightly around her blankets that her knuckles felt locked in place.

Rey!

"Our baby deserves a father who's free of this pain!" she cried as she pursed her lips, breathing in another deep breath as she deliberately unclenched her fists, laying her palms flat against the bunk.

Powerful light, powerful darkness.

Not all darkness is bad, just as not all light is good.

There has to be balance.

Slowly, Rey peeled back the first layer of blackness. Then another, and another, and another, on and on until she felt the slightest prickles of sensation returning to her limbs, accompanied by the brush of fingertips across her forehead and the splash of a tear on her cheek.

It was Ben.

"Rey," he murmured. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry! I'm so—"

"No. No apologies," she said firmly as Ben drew her into his arms. She curled her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest and wishing so badly that he was real instead of only a projection.

And suddenly, she knew exactly what she needed to do, exactly how she was going to defend Ben so that the judges would have no choice but to let him—to let them—go free.

She pulled back, her lips pursed in determination as she guided Ben's palm to her belly, over their baby.

"All three of us deserve to be free of this pain," she said. "And once all of this is over, we will be."

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