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Rey fidgeted on the hard wooden chair in the Justice Hall, her legs bouncing impatiently under the table as she waited for Ben to be brought in. Aside from just being anxious to see him, as she always was, Rey was also hoping to see some improvements in his appearance since she'd last seen him, now that the last of his subconscious masks had finally been destroyed. She had sensed that he'd actually been able to get some decent rest the night before when her nausea had roused her from her own sleep, forcing her to choke down more of the dry rice crisps that despite tasting as bland as the Jakku sand, somehow worked very well against the churning in her stomach, which seemed to grow as violent as the ocean crashing against the rocks on Ahch-To on less than a moment's notice.
Already she and Ben's son seemed to know exactly what he wanted, and when he wanted it.
Typical Solo.
Pressing one palm to her belly, Rey looked over the papers scattered across the tabletop, rereading the various notes she'd scribbled down to ensure that she didn't forget anything. A slight smile stretched across her lips as she recalled Finn's confusion at her request for a pen and some paper, repeatedly asking why she couldn't just use a data pad or her computer terminal until he managed to locate the one other person at the base who used actual paper, a ninety-year-old man who had been a friend of General Leia's.
For all of the confidence she had felt that day after Ben had finally removed the last of his mental blocks, once she had finished her work for the day and attempted to sleep, she'd found her dreams tainted with a series of haunting images. Black hooded figures speaking in deep, sinister voices who repeatedly tortured her beloved with jagged bolts of Force lightning kept forcing their way into her subconscious no matter how hard she tried to block them out, frightening her enough for Ben to project himself back into her quarters so he could comfort her. He had stayed with her as long as he could, only fading away when his guards left him no other choice, but continued to check on her until she was finally able to fall asleep again, only to be roused less than an hour later by Finn's insistent knock on her door.
"This just came in earlier today," he'd said with a scowl, ignoring her bleary eyes as he pushed a data chip into her hand as though it had burned him. "One of our scouting parties found an abandoned First Order communications base hidden inside a series of mountain caves that had apparently been used as a backup receiver for Supreme Leader Snoke's flagship before it was destroyed." He jerked his head towards the chip in her hand. "There's everything that pertains to Ren—Ben, Hux, Starkiller Base, etc, so… there you go."
Rey had stared at the chip, her heart already fluttering even as she'd tried to contain her excitement. She had been scrambling all day long for hard facts to back up her presentation, but to find information that had been passed down from Snoke himself? Even the very thought of it was too good to be true.
"Are you—are you certain?" she'd stammered, barely able to find her voice. "These are Supreme Leader Snoke's very own transmissions?"
"Yeah," Finn had answered, rather reluctantly. "I've only glanced over it myself, but Rose… she said it was pretty creepy. She said she even had to stop reading a few times to collect herself."
Nodding, Rey had closed her hand over the chip and thanked Finn, making a beeline for her computer terminal as soon as her door had slid shut. Bracing herself as best as she could, she'd been just about ready to open the first file when she heard Ben's voice in her mind, begging her to wait until daybreak.
Things are always less frightening when viewed in the light of day, sweetheart, he had sent across their bond. Please, you need your rest.
Reluctantly, Rey had acquiesced, mainly for Ben's peace of mind even though she was quite exhausted. But as soon as she'd returned from breakfast the following morning she dove in headfirst, scribbling notes as fast as she could write while trying to keep herself from falling into the bottomless pit of isolation and despair that had kept Ben trapped for so many years.
Because it was all there. Every single thing that Snoke and Palpatine had done to Ben, all the ways they had manipulated and tortured him, trying to mould him into becoming their perfect First Order puppet, was spelled out in Snoke's very own words right in front of her.
And the best part of it was, it had been the Resistance that had discovered it, so no one could even use the excuse that Rey had made it all up in a mad attempt to ensure that her beloved could go free. Rey knew that much of the prosecution's presentation had relied on witness testimony, which could never be considered completely foolproof, but she also knew that the judges would likely not hold her own testimony in as high regard given she and Ben's relationship.
But now, it no longer mattered.
Rey sensed Ben's arrival even before he even stepped into the Justice Hall, as she always did, her heart fluttering in anticipation of seeing him. She was relieved to find that yes, he did in fact look a little bit better. He was still too thin and his hair had grown too long, hanging limply in front of his forehead, but his deep brown eyes were more clear than Rey had seen them in a long time and his back and shoulders were straighter, as if another large weight had finally been lifted from them.
If nothing else, at least Rey had been able to give him that deep, visceral relief that he finally had nothing more to hide.
Finally.
"Good morning, love," she whispered once Ben had taken his seat next to her, flexing his wrists which were rubbed raw from the binders the guards still insisted on using. Rey had spoken to Finn about that again just the previous night, practically begging him to dispense with the binders and imploring that Ben was not at all a danger to anyone at the base but he had told her no yet again, saying that they were doing things "by the book" and had no plans to stop.
He had then tried to add that Leia would've insisted on them as well, but barely was able to get her name out before Rey halted him with a fierce glare. No matter how much had happened between Leia and Ben, Rey knew without a doubt that if she were still alive, things would've been progressing differently.
"Are you okay?" Ben whispered back, which had become his standard answer to her greeting over the course of the trial. Rey gave a nod, trying to smile even as her fingers itched to touch him, to pat his knee or squeeze his hand in reassurance. She and Ben had become so dependent on each other's touch during their time together that it was almost more difficult for her to see him and not be allowed to touch him than it was for her to not see him at all.
"I'm fine," she replied. "We're both fine."
Ben huffed in relief, shooting her a brief wink before assuming the straight-backed position he always held during the presentations, his eyes trained firmly on the row of judges who were taking their seats at the front of the room.
"All right," Poe said once everyone was quiet. "As you probably already know, this is military tribunal case number one-one-three-eight, The People vs. Ben Solo, also known throughout the galaxy as Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order. As the prosecution has now rested its case, today marks the beginning of the defence presentation." He nodded towards Rey, indicating for her to take her place near the front. "Whenever you're ready."
Her heart thudding, Rey slowly pushed back her chair and stepped up to the front, breathing in deeply as she made deliberate eye contact with three different members of the crowd before turning her attention to the five judges. She had attempted to assess their reactions during the ten days of the prosecution's presentation, hoping it would help her prepare a more thorough argument for Ben's defence, and so far she had sensed that the two women on the panel, Lieutenant Connix and Commander D'Acy, both of whom Rey knew had been especially close to Leia for as long as she'd known her, seemed to be at least a bit sympathetic towards Ben, while the three men, Poe Dameron, Finn, and another officer named Beaumont who Rey didn't know well at all, had been more difficult to read. Finn had been especially hard for Rey to assess, as his view of Ben seemed to be heavily influenced by the fact that he still was convinced that Ben had Rey under some sort of mind control.
"Thank you, General Dameron," Rey said, clearing her throat as she glanced briefly at her notes, littered with various smudges of ink and more than a few teardrops. "Over the course of the last two weeks there have been numerous testimonies offered regarding the person identified as Kylo Ren, the supposed figurehead of the First Order, and while I'm not here to dispute most of those testimonies, I am here to present facts that will clearly demonstrate to all of you that Ben Solo was not the monster that so many of you see, but rather an unwilling victim in the grand schemes of not only Supreme Leader Snoke and the First Order, but also Emperor Palpatine and the Sith." She paused, looking directly at Finn before continuing. "I will, during my presentation, demonstrate that Ben Solo's fate was very much on par with those who were ripped from their families as children by the First Order, and trained to become Stormtroopers."
Finn visibly gulped, and a hushed murmur rose from the crowd at Rey's surprising statement. Rey chanced a quick glance at Ben, his eyes radiating such enormous pride and gratitude that she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She had already managed to capture the attention of not only the judges, but the rest of the attendees as well.
Deliberately relaxing her shoulders the way Ben had taught her, Rey began, taking the entirety of the morning session to describe in painful detail how, via the very own words of Armitage Hux, general of the First Order's armies, the First Order in its infancy had deliberately sought out the children of who they considered to be heroes of the Rebellion, taking thousands upon thousands of them to be trained as Stormtroopers in their desire to create an army similar to the former clone army of the Republic.
"But aside from an army, the grandest ever to be created, according to the plans of Supreme Leader Snoke," she said. "They also required a figurehead, someone who by his very being would be enough to strike a blow directly into the hearts of the First Order's enemies."
Rey paused for a moment, making eye contact with Lieutenant Connix before continuing.
"And so, due to his direct role in the presumed death of Emperor Palpatine and the redemption of Palpatine's most trusted apprentice, Darth Vader, shortly before his death, Snoke then chose to target his mortal enemy, Luke Skywalker, through his nephew, the child of his twin sister Leia and her new husband, Republic hero Han Solo." She swallowed hard, deliberately avoiding looking at Ben. "That child was Ben Solo."
Another burst of hushed murmurs erupted from the audience, and Rey pressed her palm to her chest, willing herself to stay calm. She could sense Ben's soothing influence inside her mind, helping her keep her emotions in check even as his own had to be roiling.
"I was told, by none other than Master Luke himself after I sought him out, that Ben Solo had essentially been targeted by Snoke while he was still in his mother's womb. That Ben had been haunted from infancy by whispered voices, manifesting themselves as threads of the Dark Side that the Republic had thought it had vanquished. Threads that prompted his parents to seek out Master Luke's help by the time Ben was ten years old."
Rey paused again, taking a sip of water from her glass resting on the table as the judges exchanged pointed glances, with Poe finally clearing his throat.
"Ah, can you please elaborate some more on that point, Rey?" he asked. "If you don't mind?"
"Okay," Rey said slowly, her belly giving a violent swoop. She knew what she was about to reveal about Ben's parents could potentially backfire since Leia had been so well-loved by the Resistance, but it had to be said. Ben deserved for his truths to be known, no matter how difficult they were to hear.
It's all right, sweetheart, she heard suddenly across the bond. Don't worry about me, just tell the truth.
With a single nod, Rey looked Poe directly in the eye. "General Leia had known that her father was Anakin Skywalker, better known as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, for Ben's entire life, but yet chose to keep that information from Ben out of fear. Being the sister of Luke Skywalker, Leia was also Force-sensitive, and so had sensed the darkness hidden deeply inside her son, darkness nurtured by the constant whispers of Emperor Palpatine. That darkness frightened her enough that she and Han chose to send Ben away to train with his uncle rather than tell him the truth about his lineage. Because of this, until he was twenty-three years old, Ben Solo was unaware that his maternal grandfather was Darth Vader."
Poe's eyes went wide, and he exchanged another loaded glance with Finn before leaning forward.
"Okay, so, while I can admit that sounds rather tragic, I'm still not sure how it can explain all of the crimes committed by Kylo Ren during his time with the First Order."
"Because Snoke and Palpatine were afraid of Luke Skywalker," said Rey. "So afraid, in fact, that they spent considerable time and resources trying to locate and destroy him. Corrupting his nephew for their own nefarious purposes was part of their plan. Tearing Ben Solo away from everything he knew and loved was not only revenge against the man who had turned Anakin Skywalker back to the Light, but also struck a severe blow to the fledgling Resistance. Ben's very name was supposed to represent hope in the galaxy, and to have him then taken and corrupted for Snoke's own use was especially harsh."
"Yes, but that still doesn't really answer the question," Finn spoke up. "How does all of this explain the many crimes against the Resistance committed by Kylo Ren?"
Rey pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"It explains it in the very same way as it does your own crimes against the Resistance, General," she said, low and tight. "Before you were known as Finn, General of the Resistance, you were FN-2187, First Order Stormtrooper, and you had no other choice but to follow the orders passed down from your superiors. And you, General Dameron," she continued, turning her attention to Poe. "You in fact shot and killed the very trooper—Finn's comrade—on Jakku that prompted Finn to remove his helmet and renounce the First Order. You were the catalyst that led to Finn's choice to redeem himself." She stole a quick glance at Ben, her lips quirking into the slightest of smiles. "And for Ben, I was his. Through a series of events, events that showed without a doubt that our two destinies were uniquely linked, Ben was able to finally break free from his First Order conditioning and renounce it."
Silence fell across the Justice Hall as Poe dragged his eyes towards Finn, his eyebrows knitting into a frown.
"Is that true?" Poe asked, not without an edge of disbelief.
Finn gave a nod, his eyes trained on the table in front of him.
"Yes. It is."
Poe let out an exasperated grunt. "And, what, you never told me about this? Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"
"Well, I told Rey—"
"Yeah, I got that much, but I'm still wondering why you never told me? We've worked together for how long now? This seems like something that I would've wanted to know!"
"Um, pardon me, Generals," interrupted Lieutenant Connix, giving a slight cough. "But I believe it is time to break for lunch, so…"
"Ah, yeah," replied Poe, with a final glare in Finn's direction. "We will now pause for a one-hour recess, after which Rey will continue her presentation."
Through misty eyes, Rey watched as Ben was shackled yet again and taken from the Justice Hall, hoping desperately that it would be one of the last times she would be forced to witness such a thing. Objectively she wanted to believe that she'd been able to break through at least some of the prejudices held steadfast in the minds of the judges, especially with her remarks regarding Finn, but as it was literally her beloved's life on the line and the fact that her nausea had ramped up to an almost unbearable level in only the last couple of minutes, she wasn't feeling quite that optimistic.
"All right," she muttered in the general direction of her belly. "Let's go and feed you."
Rey avoided any eye contact as she entered the mess hall, hurriedly taking her food back to her quarters to enjoy in relative peace rather than face the stares from everyone around her, and also to reduce the risk of accidentally vomiting all over someone. She knew that she'd hit a rather sensitive nerve with her remarks about Finn, but couldn't bring herself to feel bad about it. Finn had told her shortly after she and Ben arrived that the Resistance had expended a lot of resources trying to relocate entire legions of First Order Stormtroopers after the battle on Exegol, so Rey figured if they could do that much for the former enemy armies then they could hopefully find it in themselves to set Ben free to return home, where they would never have to see him again.
And along that same vein, Rey highly suspected that Lando and Chewie, currently on one of those very relocation missions, had been warned not to return to the base while Ben's trial was still ongoing, although as to exactly what reason she was unsure.
Regardless, it was probably for the best, since Rey wasn't quite sure how seeing either of them would affect Ben at the moment, even though it still pained her occasionally. Now that Leia was gone, Lando and Chewie were the only family that Ben had left besides her, and she would hate for him to have to go the rest of his life without seeing two of the people who he had loved so dearly as a child.
Rey, it's not worth it to think about things like that, Rey heard suddenly across the bond. You need to conserve your strength.
"I'm fine, Ben," she replied with a sigh. "And I'm afraid it's impossible for me not to think about things like that, so you'll just have to get used to it."
She felt their connection shimmer, like Ben was chuckling.
I'm pretty sure I'm already used to it, Rey, just as you're used to my concerns. How are you feeling now? Any better?
"Yes," she said, because truthfully she was. It was almost funny how quickly her nausea abated once she was able to eat something, almost as if Ben and their son were conspiring together to make sure she stayed as healthy as possible.
Which, she realised, likely wasn't too far from the truth.
You're absolutely right about that, sweetheart.
Rey smiled, pressing her palm to her abdomen. "I know."
But her moment of calm was brief, evaporating almost as soon as she returned to the Justice Hall. If the morning's presentation hadn't been nerve-wracking enough, she now had to delve in deeper into the specific crimes of which Ben was accused. The massive destruction resulting from the use of Starkiller Base, the fierce battle fought in the space above D'Qar that destroyed the Resistance's flagship and almost cost Leia her life, and the battle on Crait.
And, the worst of them all, the death of Ben's father. Finn had specifically made a point to include that.
"All right," she said once everyone was seated. She snuck a quick look at Ben, his eyes trained on her as he sent thought after thought of encouragement and strength, their bond practically glowing between them.
You can do this, sweetheart. I have faith in you.
Shuffling her notes, Rey began addressing Starkiller Base, combining Ben's personal testimony along with several key quotes from General Hux that she'd found in the First Order's database regarding the construction and utilisation of the ice planet, Ilum, known across the galaxy as containing one of the richest deposits of kyber crystals. Believing that converting the planet into a weapon would be less risky than attempting to build yet another Death Star, the First Order had poured an incredible amount of resources into the base, intending to use it to strike what it hoped was the final blow to the Resistance and its supporters.
"However, while Ben was in fact present on the base when the order came from Leader Snoke to target D'Qar, he was not at all involved with the construction of the weapon or with its use," Rey said firmly. "That onus fell exclusively on General Hux and Leader Snoke."
"And are we to assume that you have proof of this?" asked Beaumont, which was the first time he had even opened his mouth during Rey's arguments.
Rey pursed her lips. "Yes, I do," she stated. "The First Order communications recently acquired by the Resistance contain a series of messages sent between General Hux and Supreme Leader Snoke regarding the base, and in not a single one of them is Ben Solo or Kylo Ren mentioned, either by name or reference, nor are there any messages sent by Kylo Ren to Leader Snoke that reference it. From the evidence that's available, Kylo Ren was kept completely separate from everything regarding Starkiller Base, including the orders to fire."
Beaumont raised his eyebrows, glancing over at Finn who gave a reluctant nod.
"Oh. Well, all right then. Please, continue."
Sucking in a deep breath, Rey next addressed the space battle, using Ben's testimony that he'd personally veered off his attack as soon as he'd sensed his mother's presence on board the Resistance flagship, the Raddus, which was then subsequently destroyed by other First Order attack ships. Again, proof in the form of another communique sent by General Hux to Leader Snoke ranting about Ben's lack of conviction gave weight to her words, and Rey's heart leapt when she noticed Lieutenant Connix hastily swiping a tear from her eye.
Maybe, just maybe, Rey was starting to get through to them.
"All right, but I'm afraid that none of that justifies what happened on Crait," Finn said, glaring harshly in Ben's direction. "The Resistance was trapped, completely cornered after suffering nearly devastating losses and with absolutely no backup, and from what we could see, Ren was going full throttle in his attempts to wipe us out."
Tears stung Rey's eyes at the memory, of Ben's nearly overwhelming anger laced with such painful betrayal that it was as though he'd been broadcasting it straight into her mind.
Which, deliberately or not, he likely had been.
"Let me begin first with Han Solo's death," she said, clearing her throat when her voice wavered. Her nausea was already starting to return, and she felt Ben's soothing presence increase as he attempted to stay ahead of it.
"It is fairly common knowledge amongst the Jedi that in order for a Sith apprentice to fully embrace the Dark Side, he or she must first pass a test. Anakin Skywalker, for example, who after embracing his new identity as Darth Vader, was tasked with destroying all of the younglings currently studying in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant." Rey paused, sucking in a deep, shaky breath. "And for Ben, who had already been assigned by Leader Snoke to find and destroy Luke Skywalker, when Han Solo suddenly appeared on Starkiller Base, Snoke then decided that Ben needed to kill him in order to complete his training.
"Now, it is imperative to remember that by this point, Ben had been separated from his parents since he was ten years old. In fact, he had spent more years of his life training with Master Luke than he'd had with his own mother and father, and had not seen either of them since the day he was sent away. It is also imperative to remember that shortly after Ben Solo discovered the truth about his grandfather, he awoke in the night to find his uncle and mentor, Luke Skywalker, standing over him with his ignited lightsaber, poised to strike, an act that resulted in the destruction of his training temple and Ben convinced that his very own uncle had wanted to kill him."
Another hushed murmur rose from the crowd, and Rey took a large gulp of her water, hoping it would help calm the churning in her stomach. The last thing she needed was to vomit right in the middle of the most difficult part of her presentation.
Please, little one, she pleaded. Please settle down for just a bit longer!
"Try to imagine just how Ben had to feel in that moment," she continued, her strong voice belying her own rapidly growing nervousness. "When he realised that in order to please the only Master who seemed to have truly accepted him, something he had been conditioned to believe, he had to kill his own father. Now, take that thought and watch as Ben senses his father's presence on Starkiller Base, but chooses to not pursue him, hoping against hope that he'll simply give up and leave. Watch as Ben attempts to walk away from his father only to have Han call out to him, demanding to see his face, a face he hasn't seen since Ben was ten years old. Listen as Han attempts to talk to Ben, telling him that it's not too late, that he can still come home. That Snoke is only using him as a means to a horrible end. Watch as Ben struggles, admits to Han that he's literally being torn down the middle, just as the last of the light from D'Qar's star gets extinguished by the base's weapon, and there's nothing left behind but darkness."
She paused for a moment for her words to sink in, the Justice Hall absolutely silent.
"Now, try to imagine the repercussions of that horrible act. The immense guilt that Ben carried because of it, guilt that Snoke then used to further his torture, taunting him as weak, undisciplined, and compassionate. Try to imagine Ben getting a chance to attempt to make up for that act of darkness shortly thereafter by saving my life when Snoke ordered him to kill me, and killing Snoke instead.
"And now," she said, glancing over at Ben as she blinked back the tears threatening to fall. "Imagine Ben, who's just killed the very being who had manipulated and tortured him for his entire life, holding out his hand towards the one person he felt understood him, and watching as she misunderstands his intentions and rejects him." Rey hastily swiped at her eyes, turning to face the judges head-on. "If you can imagine it, then that was the Ben whom we all saw on Crait. A tortured, broken, shell of a man who felt as though he had nothing more to lose, and also exactly how Palpatine wanted him."
She paused again, the silence in the massive room nearly deafening.
"Ben Solo never truly fell to the Dark Side of the Force, but was instead imprisoned by it, trapped by the schemes of a man who had spent decades manipulating everything around him to suit his own ultimate evil purposes, the complete extinction of the Jedi and the rebirth of the Sith. But instead of surrendering to Palpatine and his immense power, Ben instead chose to face him, side by side with me on Exegol. He chose to cast aside the chains he had worn for most of his life just when the Resistance needed him most, enabling the two of us to stop Palpatine and allow his massive fleet of planet-killing Star Destroyers to be destroyed. Without Ben Solo, Palpatine would have won and the Resistance would no longer be, and that is a fact which is indisputable."
Her legs shaking beneath her, Rey grabbed onto the edge of the table, her heart lurching painfully as she saw Ben immediately reach for her only to pull himself back when one of the guards grabbed his shoulder. Thankfully Finn seemed to pick up on her distress, quickly clearing his throat.
"Does that conclude your arguments, Rey?" he asked.
"Yes, it does."
"All right. The judges will now retreat to contemplate their votes. We will reconvene once a verdict has been reached. Dismissed!"
"Rey? Sweetheart, go and rest now, okay?" Ben pleaded as the guards took him by the arms, his dark eyes glassy but so full of love that Rey's heart nearly burst. "Promise me?"
"I promise," she whispered. A single tear snaked its way down her cheek as Ben's hands were bound and he was led from the room, for what she desperately hoped would be the very last time.
I love you so much, sweetheart. No matter what happens, always remember that.
"I could never forget it," she murmured, covering her mouth with her hand as more tears began to fall. "Not ever."
Not in a million lifetimes.
The three days spent by the judges in deliberations were quite possibly the longest three days that Rey had ever endured in her entire life. She couldn't sleep, could barely eat enough to stave off her persistent nausea even with Ben's near-constant hovering, and in general grew so impatient and anxious that by the time Finn knocked on her door to tell her that the verdict would be announced the following morning, Rey had bitten all of her fingernails so far down into the quick that a couple of them had started to bleed.
Rey's heart was lodged in her throat as she made her way into the Justice Hall and took her seat, the excited murmurs from the capacity crowd buzzing like sparks from an exposed wire. She'd had to force herself to try and eat that morning even though everything she put past her lips tasted like sand, causing her to gag so many times that she eventually just gave up and chugged some water, hoping it would be enough to keep her stomach settled.
The crowd fell silent as the judges appeared, shuffling over to their table at the front of the room, followed directly by Ben and his guards. Rey bit her lip as she glanced over at him, his chin trembling and his eyes trained on the tabletop.
Rey, she heard across their bond, the quavering word piercing her heart like a dagger. Sweetheart, it's gonna be okay. No matter what, it's gonna be okay.
"Oh, I hope so!" she whispered, flinching when Finn cleared his throat.
"After a total of eleven days of testimony and presentations in the trial of Ben Solo, also known as Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order, we are prepared to submit our votes. Officer Beaumont, you will begin."
"I vote guilty," Beaumont said, without hesitation.
"Very well," said Finn. "Lieutenant Connix?"
"I vote not guilty," said Connix, also without hesitation.
"All right. Commander D'Acy?"
"I vote not guilty," she replied, a slight quiver in her voice. "For Leia."
Finn gave a nod before jerking his head in Poe's direction.
"General Dameron?"
Poe pursed his lips as he stared intently at Rey, his face unreadable.
"I vote guilty," he said, and Rey's stomach dropped. The vote was tied, which meant that Finn's vote would decide if Ben went free or to prison, and with how much animosity she knew Finn held for Ben, it seemed as though that last tiny glimmer of hope was fading into oblivion.
It's gonna be okay, sweetheart, she heard, over and over in her mind as she clenched her fists into the fabric of her tunic. It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay, it's gonna be—
"I vote not guilty," Finn said, and Rey gasped, her head snapping up so fast that she wrenched her neck, turning to Ben to see his own shocked expression an exact mirror of her own. The crowd had erupted, some in cheers and some in disgust, but Rey ignored them all as Ben grabbed her hand, hesitating only for a second before lifting her to her feet and into the biggest, warmest hug she could possibly imagine.
"Rey!" he rasped into her hair. "Rey, we—!"
"We can go home!" Rey finished. "Ben, we can finally go home!"
"Home," Ben repeated. "We can go home."
A tap on her shoulder caused her to raise her head, and she turned to find Finn standing behind her, having dismissed Ben's guards.
"So… ah… I'd offer one of our guest quarters to Ben, but something tells me that—"
"That won't be necessary," Rey said firmly as she gripped Ben's elbow. "We won't be staying long."
"Yeah, I didn't think so." Finn let out a heavy sigh, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Well, just let me know if you need anything before you go, okay?"
"Thank you," Ben said, almost a whisper.
"We really appreciate it," added Rey. "Truly."
"Yeah." Finn stepped back, eyeing Ben warily. "Well, I guess I'll leave you guys to… whatever it is you're wanting to do, so…"
"Rey needs to rest," said Ben, his large hand resting rather possessively on Rey's shoulder. "She hasn't been able to sleep well lately."
"Right," said Finn. "Well, like I said, let me know if you need anything."
Sensing that Ben was just barely holding himself together, Rey gave Finn a nod and took Ben's hand, leading him past the lingering crowd and out of the Justice Hall to her quarters, where Ben wrapped her in his arms as soon as the door had slid closed behind them.
"Rey!" he cried, tucking her head under his chin as he finally released the sobs he'd been struggling to contain ever since Finn had announced his vote. Rey trailed her hands softly up and down his back, murmuring soothing words into his chest as Ben cried like she'd never seen him cry before, his entire broad upper body trembling with the tears of relief and joy that they could now leave this place and go home, but also of sadness and regret for all of the immense sorrow and tragedy that had led to the need for Ben's acquittal.
Regardless, the galactic conflict that had begun in the embers and whispers following the Emperor's so-called demise on the second Death Star and culminated in the oppressive military fascism of the First Order, had finally, finally, come to an end.
The galaxy was free, and now, so was Ben.
Time seemed to suspend as Ben cried himself out, his tears dampening Rey's hair as the entire galaxy condensed down to just the two of them locked in their fierce embrace, the two that were one.
What if—what if I'd never found you? she heard across their bond. What would I have done? Rey? I can't—I can't imagine—
"It doesn't matter anymore, love, because you did," Rey replied, muffled against his chest. "I'm here. I am with you, now and for always."
Ben nodded, inhaling a huge, shuddering breath before burying his face into her neck.
You're here. You stood with me, by me.
"Yes I did, and I always will." Rey reached for his hand, guiding his palm to her abdomen. "We both will."
He pulled back then, still sniffling as he scrubbed the fallen tears from his pale cheeks, his dark eyes swollen and red but still filled with joy as he pressed his forehead to hers.
"You both will."
"We both love you, Ben," she whispered. "More than anything."
"I know," he murmured, his chin quivering as he attempted a smile. "I can feel it."
"And now we can leave," she added. "Just as soon as you're ready."
Ben's smile deepened, his fingertips trailing down her cheek to her jaw, tilting her head up so he could kiss her lips. It was a sweet, chaste kiss, meant to convey gratitude as well as love, but still filled with so much underlying intimacy that it stole Rey's breath. The weeks that she and Ben had been apart during the trial preparation and presentations had been agonising, her body constantly yearning for his touch, and she knew that it had been even worse for him.
"I want to go tomorrow," he said once they broke apart, breathing each other's exhales. "As soon as possible."
"Then we will," answered Rey. The question of exactly how they would leave still nagged at the back of her mind but she chose to ignore it, not wanting to think about it and ruin the moment.
"Which means I better get packing." Rey's nose wrinkled as she curled her fingers into the rough fabric of Ben's shirt. "And I think you would enjoy some time in the fresher so I can burn these awful prison clothes."
"Somehow I don't think that General Finn would appreciate you starting a fire in your quarters, but I get the hint anyway," Ben said with a chuckle. He pecked her on the lips again, stroking her cheek before heading into the fresher, tossing the hateful canvas shirt and too-short pants onto the floor a few seconds later. Rey's breath hitched as she imagined Ben's naked body standing underneath the hot spray of the water, wishing so badly that she could shed her own clothes and join him. But her fresher was barely big enough for one person and definitely not big enough for Ben to use without having to crouch down, so she would just have to wait until he was able to build them their own once they got back to Naboo.
Their home.
Their little home in the forest, built by Ben's own hands and surrounded by trees and rivers and so many living things that there was no way Rey could ever count them all. She had spent most of her life stuck on a planet surrounded by sand, devoid of colour and teeming with suspicion and ugliness, and now she couldn't wait to return to Naboo, the planet that was such a sharp contrast to Jakku that she couldn't help but think that it was yet another Jedi metaphor.
"Hmph," she said at the thought. "I think we've both had enough of the Jedi metaphors."
"It's time to let old things die. Snoke, Skywalker, the Jedi, the Sith… let it all die."
Those had been Ben's words, said to her just after they had defeated the last of Snoke's praetorian guards in his throne room. Rey gasped as she heard them again in her mind, squeezing her eyes closed as the all-too-familiar guilt welled up inside her gut. Heartbroken at what she'd perceived as a horrible mistake, she had taken Ben's words at face value, not fully understanding the immense amount of courage it had taken for him to actually kill Snoke nor the vastness of his knowledge regarding the politics of not only the First Order and the Resistance, but both the Jedi and the Sith as well.
Ben had only ever wanted balance. He knew as a young child that he was Force-sensitive and talented at wielding it, but he'd also wanted to grow up to be a pilot like his father, not a Jedi. Unfortunately, with the Jedi all but extinct save for Master Luke, Ben was never allowed to make that choice for himself, yet another factor in the immense tragedy of his upbringing.
But Rey had been too confused and upset to see what Ben had been truly proposing. A political system that was both fair and orderly, two things that were never meant to be mutually exclusive but had been made to seem so by the opposing sides. Force users who could be trained like the Jedi but still allowed to fall in love, to marry and have children, not doomed to a life of isolation and loneliness just because some ancient book said it had to be so, and no more Rule of Two, of killing the master in order for the apprentice to advance.
"No more," she murmured aloud to herself. From that point on, she and Ben—and their son—would only strive to maintain balance.
Powerful light, powerful darkness.
Balance.
It's all either of them desired, aside from each other.
"Then it will be so," Rey said firmly. "Only balance."
She had managed to get most of her things organised and packed by the time Ben emerged from the fresher, a towel slung low around his waist and his damp hair mussed. It occurred to Rey then that she'd completely forgotten to ask for some clothes to be brought over for Ben, something she would have to remedy before they departed in the morning.
At the moment, though, she was in absolutely no hurry to cover him up. Even though he had obviously lost weight during the trial, Ben was still the most beautiful man that she could possibly imagine, a thought that Ben couldn't help but pick up on when a light pink flush creeped up his cheeks and he shot her one of his crooked Solo smiles.
"Come here," she murmured, holding out her hand. "Let me brush out your hair."
Ben's eyes were misty as he took Rey's hand, allowing her to lead him over to the small table against the opposite wall. As soon as Ben sat down Rey planted her palms on his shoulders and leaned forward, inhaling the delectable scent of his freshly washed hair that not even the standard-issue plain Resistance soap could suppress.
"You smell amazing," she said as she picked up her hairbrush, carefully stroking it through Ben's gloriously thick onyx strands until they shone like one of the stars in the night sky, the very same stars that she and Ben loved to gaze at during the clear nights on Naboo. Ben's eyes fluttered closed, a small noise of pleasure escaping from his throat as she brushed, noting that it would be time for him to get another haircut once they returned home.
"That felt so good, sweetheart, thank you," he murmured once she was done, winding her arms around his neck and kissing the top of his head. His large hands curled around her arms to hold her in place as he locked eyes with her in the mirror in front of them, pressing a kiss to the inside of her elbow.
"I could tell," Rey whispered. "This is the most relaxed you've been in a long time. In fact, I'm fairly certain that you've nearly melted into the chair."
Ben gave a small nod, his expression morphing into one of adoration mixed with mild disbelief, not too unlike how he had looked at her after their very first kiss, on the floor of that awful Sith temple on Exegol.
"What?" she said gently as she pressed her lips to his temple. "Ben, what is it?"
"It's nothing," he choked out, his lower lip shaking as he sucked in a sharp, sudden breath. "I just… I just need to—" He broke off, his throat bobbing as he swallowed and his fingers tightened around Rey's arm. "I just—I just need to ask you—"
"Ben, you're starting to worry me. What's wr—?"
"Marry me?" he suddenly said, his eyes going wide with shock as soon as the words left his mouth. He quickly drew Rey around him to sit on his lap, his entire upper body trembling as he gazed into her eyes. "Rey, I want—I mean, will you? Will you marry me?"
"What?" she asked, which was obviously not the right answer when Ben squeaked, his panic shooting so intensely across their bond that Rey shivered. "No, wait, that's not what I meant! What I meant was it'd never really occurred to me, so I didn't know that—"
Another shiver wracked her body as she watched Ben's cheeks drain of colour, and she let out a frustrated grunt as she grabbed his face and kissed him firmly on the lips, trying to pull her thoughts together before she said anything else wrong.
"What I meant was," she said once they broke apart, before Ben could even open his mouth. "That I guess I believed we already were." She smiled shyly as she traced his cheek with her fingertips. "Once we got to Naboo I guess I just always thought of us that way. Didn't you?"
"Yes, I did," Ben said, low and raspy. He cleared his throat, biting down hard on his bottom lip. "But I still—I mean, as long as you'd be okay with—with it, I'd like—I'd like it to be official if—if that's okay."
"Ben," Rey whispered, brushing her fingers across his beautiful full lips. "Of course it's okay."
"Really?" Ben said, his face suddenly filled with such a childish hope that Rey had to swallow a giggle. "You'll really marry me?"
"Yes!" Rey exclaimed. "Why do you sound so surprised?"
"Well, you didn't exactly give me the answer I was hoping for at first, so I guess—"
She cut him off with another kiss, unable to resist his petulant yet adorable pout, cupping his cheeks in her hands. Ben returned the kiss eagerly, his hand trailing up her spine to stroke the back of her neck as he tilted his head, swiping his tongue along her bottom lip. Rey moaned into his mouth as his tongue swept inside, stroking against hers as his arm pressed her even tighter against him.
"Ben," she said on a gasp as he pulled away from her mouth to trail kisses down her jaw to her neck, sucking gently on her pulse point as she buried her fingers into his thick black waves. "Ben!"
"I'm here," he murmured as he kissed across the column of her throat. "I'll always be here."
"Ben, I need—I need—" she stammered as Ben's lips found hers again and his arm slid underneath her knees, lifting her up and carrying her towards her small bunk. As carefully as if she'd been made of porcelain he laid her down, climbing up to hover over her, his eyes sweeping across her face like he couldn't believe she was real.
"Rey," he whispered, his chest already heaving with each stuttered breath as he settled into the cradle of her legs. "You're—you're—"
You're mine, he said across their bond.
"I am," Rey replied. "I am yours, and you are mine. Two that are one."
Ben smiled, that glorious, happy smile that Rey loved almost as much as she did him as he touched her cheek, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone.
"A true dyad."
"Yes." She squirmed slightly under his magnetic gaze, feeling very overdressed as she reached for the hem of her tunic.
"No, let me," Ben said as he stopped her hand, his fingers soft and gentle as they slid up her sides to draw the tunic over her head, tossing it onto the floor. He removed her boots and the rest of her clothing with the same care, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as his eyes swept hungrily across her now-naked body.
"Stars, Rey, you're just so beautiful!"
"Then come here," Rey said as she grabbed onto his shoulders, pulling him back into a deep kiss as her knees hiked up to bracket his hips, still encased in the towel. The sheer amount of pleasure coursing through her body was dizzying, spiking with every single touch of Ben's fingers against her overheated skin, both her own and Ben's that she could feel across their bond.
"Rey. My beautiful Rey," Ben murmured against her jaw as her hands trailed across his shoulders and down his strong back until she reached the towel tied around his waist. She yanked it loose, grabbing onto his gloriously round backside as she impatiently pulled him even closer, moaning as her breasts rubbed up against Ben's bare chest and his cock finally made contact with her soaked and throbbing centre. It had been almost two months since they'd last made love, two horrible months of being almost completely separated from him, and Rey was not at all in the mood to be patient.
"Need you," she said as she wrapped her fingers around him, guiding him between her thighs. "Right now. Please!"
Ben gave a nod, softly kissing her lips as he carefully pushed inside her, tearing his mouth away with a sharp gasp once he was fully sheathed, his entire upper body shaking.
"Rey, it's been—it's been so long, sweetheart, I can't—"
"Shh," she whispered as she wiggled her hips slightly, trying to adjust to the fullness that threatened to split her in two. "It's okay, love, just—"
"No, no, just give me a second," Ben groaned into her hair, stilling completely as he sucked in a deep breath through his nose. "Kriff, Rey, I have missed you so much!"
"And I you, so no more. No more separations, not ever again." She pressed her heel into Ben's thigh, silently begging him to start moving before she burst into flame right there underneath him. The pleasure flowing back and forth across their bond seemed even stronger than before, as though their separation had forced it to become even more solid, enveloping them both in its warmth. Rey was fully Ben's, physically, emotionally, mentally, just as he was hers, and it was almost too overwhelming.
She loved him, and he loved her.
Finally, after another not-so-subtle nudge to his thigh, Ben pushed himself up onto his elbows and drew his hips back, slowly rediscovering the rhythm they had perfected during their time on Naboo. Rey's fingernails dug into the hard muscles of his shoulders as Ben grazed his right hand down her body, her shoulder, her breast, her side and hip, finally slipping it under the small of her back to press her up against him, searching for that spot inside her that made the stars burst behind her eyes.
"Ben!" Rey cried into his shoulder as she felt the familiar coil start to wind deep inside her gut, her toes curling as her pleasure spiked once again. "Ben, I'm gonna—!"
"That's it, sweetheart," Ben said, his jaw tightly clenched. "I can feel how close you are, let go for me!"
The words were barely out of Ben's mouth when the coil snapped and Rey arched up into him, crying out as wave after wave of pleasure coursed throughout her body, from the top of her head down to the very tips of her toes. Ben groaned as he buried his face into her neck, shuddering and gasping as his own climax overtook him.
They remained still for several heartbeats, trying to catch their breath until Ben lifted his head, kissing the tip of Rey's nose before pulling out of her and rolling onto his back, tucking her close with her hand resting over his heart. Rey breathed in deeply as her palm roamed across Ben's shoulders, arms, chest, and abdomen, trailing across the spot of each of his old scars, left behind from their horrible fight on the collapsing Starkiller Base. The cut on his right bicep, the hit to his left shoulder, Chewie's bowcaster shot to his left side, and the largest one, the deep slash down the right side of his face, past his collarbone and through his pectoral.
They were all gone now, erased from his body when she'd healed him on the second Death Star, but Rey still remembered where they had been, and how they had haunted her during that awful year following the battle on Crait. The year where she had tried so hard to push Ben out of her mind, but found that no matter what she just could not seem to forget him.
Something that even Leia had noticed, and not disapprovingly, either.
"Don't, sweetheart," Ben murmured as he kissed the crown of her head, his palm resting perfectly over the slight swell of her abdomen. "Don't dwell on the past, it doesn't help anything."
"I know it doesn't," she replied, and she did. All those years of waiting for her parents to return to her on Jakku, all that time spent as an orphan in forced solitude, scratching marks into the grey metal of her claimed home, a shell of its former self, just like she had been in danger of becoming.
All that time spent waiting, when she'd really been part of something amazing the whole time. A dyad, something so rare that not even Palpatine himself had been able to foresee it, and even more powerful than the combined strength of all the Sith.
Tears pricked her eyes, and she burrowed even closer to Ben, sliding her leg across his waist. Palpatine hadn't been able to foresee their bond but he had still almost managed to sever it, and the thought—the thought was just—
"Sweetheart please, just don't." Ben shifted slightly, just enough to reach for the blankets balled up at the end of the bunk, pulling them up over them. "Rest now, okay? I've got you."
"Mmm," Rey replied, her eyes already fluttering closed as she realised just how tired she really was. She had hardly slept the night before, too anxious about the pending vote to be able to relax, and that plus the energy their son kept insisting on sapping from her left her feeling as limp as a wet leaf.
"You still don't have any clothes though, and I doubt they'll let us leave tomorrow if you're naked," she mumbled, earning a light chuckle from Ben.
"We can figure that out later, okay?" She felt his soft lips brush across her forehead. "Sleep now."
"All right."
"At night, desperate to sleep, you imagine an ocean. I see it. I see the island."
The words floated through Ben's semi-conscious mind, echoing as if spoken inside a cave, one that was somehow familiar even as he knew he'd never before seen it.
"I see it. I see the island."
The island.
"Search your feelings, Ben, you know what it means," a quiet voice suddenly said, causing him to instinctively draw Rey closer as he blinked open his eyes, scowling as he saw Anakin Skywalker's shimmering form standing near the foot of their small bunk.
"Don't you ever knock?" he grumbled as he carefully disentangled himself from Rey and sat up, who in her deep sleep had latched onto him like an overly-friendly ewok.
"Would you have opened the door if I had?" Anakin asked, his lips curling into a cocky smile that only caused Ben's scowl to deepen.
"No. Can't you see that Rey's trying to sleep?" Ben tucked the blanket up over her shoulder, brushing a loose strand of hair from her forehead as he glanced out the small window, noting that the sun was already starting to dip below the treeline in the distance. He and Rey had apparently slept for most of the day.
"She needs to catch up on her rest. It's not good for her or the baby for her to be so tired all the time."
"No, probably not, but something tells me that both you and her might be sleeping a bit easier from here on out," said Anakin. He crossed his arms over his front, giving a slight bow. "Congratulations, by the way."
"Thank you," Ben said quietly, swallowing against the sudden knot in his throat. He glanced back at Rey's sleeping form, gently caressing her cheek. "Rey, she was… well, she was unbelievable. The way she spoke… she made me sound like someone who—who was worth saving."
"She made you sound like you, Ben," said Anakin. "And you've always been worth saving, you just didn't realise it until Rey showed you."
Ben dropped his chin to his chest, struggling to keep hold of his emotions. It was still difficult for him to see himself as someone worth saving, especially after killing his father.
But then Rey had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and slowly but surely began gathering up all of the remnants of Ben's shattered soul, expertly piecing them back together until Ben was better than he'd ever before been.
She had seen him at his absolute lowest, and yet still chose to save him. To love him. To proudly hold his hand through the hell he'd created for himself as he worked to expel every single last demon from his life.
And now, he was free.
"She's gonna marry me," Ben said, smiling so widely that his cheeks ached. "And she's having my baby."
"Because she loves you," Anakin replied. "And someday, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, that fact will no longer be such a shock for your mind to think."
Ben stubbornly shook his head. "No, I'll never get over it. Not ever."
"Well, suit yourself," Anakin said, rolling his eyes. He mumbled something under his breath, something that Ben couldn't quite catch, aside from the word, "Obi-Wan."
"What?" asked Ben.
"Nothing," Anakin said quickly. "Anyway, it seems as though you and Rey have a stop to make on your way back to Naboo, don't you think?"
Ben's eyes went wide, the image of the cave once again flitting across his mind.
You imagine an ocean.
I see it. I see the island.
"To the island," he said softly. "Is that—is that where—?"
"Only you would know, Ben," Anakin said. "But I'm pretty sure that you already do."
Rey stirred then, her perfect nose scrunching in the way it often did shortly before she awoke.
"Um, you'd better get going," Ben warned Anakin. "Rey, she's, ah, well, she's not dressed, and—"
"And neither are you," Anakin said with a wry grin. "But I understand. We'll speak again soon."
Not three seconds after Anakin had faded away, Rey opened her eyes, sliding her palm up Ben's arm as she sat up next to him.
"Ben? Are you all right?"
"Yes," Ben answered as he drew her into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Yes, I'm fine. More than fine, in fact."
Rey smiled, her beautiful, full smile that never failed to cause Ben's heart to thud.
"Good," she whispered, caressing his cheek. "Then we should probably—"
"I know where we have to go, Rey," Ben cut in. "Before we go back to Naboo. I know where it is."
Confusion flitted across Rey's face, only for a second before understanding replaced it.
"Your crystal?" she asked, her exquisite hazel eyes bright with excitement. "You've heard it?"
"Yes," Ben said. "It's on Ahch-To."
Only one chapter left!
I can't wait to see what you think! Please don't hesitate to leave me a review! :)
And if anyone has any suggestions for baby names, I'd love to hear them!