Chapter 1: They'll Accept Us

Ben Solo cradled Rey Palpatine gently in his arms. He had crawled out of the pit, hand over hand after the Emperor had tossed him down it. But when he got out, he was horrified to find Rey's lifeless body on the plain of Exogol. Willing the Force to come to his aid and obey him, Ben placed a hand over Rey's stomach. The power flowed through him as he desperately worked to heal her, to bring her back - just as Rey had done with such mercy on the Death Star ruins, after she stabbed him with his own lightsaber.

For a moment, nothing happened. All was still quiet. Rey's eyes were unseeing, unmoving, even as Ben's hand gently pressed against her stomach. And then -

Rey's hand moved to cover his.

Feeling her touch, Ben glanced down at her, hardly daring to believe it. Slowly, Rey's body moved, rising up as she slowly sat up and Ben continued to hold her. Her eyes opened, widened, as she stared at him for a moment in confusion, as if she couldn't believe he was really there. And then, she relaxed, and the most beaming, most beautiful smile of pure love graced her face as she spoke his true name aloud.

"Ben..."

Ben simply drank in her beautiful face, even as Rey's soft hand reached up to caress, cup his cheek. Even play a little with his dirty black locks. But at last, even he could not contain his joy, and his lips curled into a slight, relieved smile.

As the couple gazed into each other's eyes, Rey's face suddenly softened. She seemed to hesitate for the briefest instant, almost as if she was feeling a little shy. But then, she made her decision with firm resolve as she leaned in and fiercely pushed her lips against his in a long, passionate, loving kiss. Her eyes closed in blissful contentment.

Ben's arms wrapped around her as he responded to the kiss almost immediately. Upon returning her kiss, kissing her back, the kiss seemed to deepen as Rey and Ben's relief and happiness at being alive and together consumed them. Through it all, Rey continued to tenderly cradle her lover's face.

At last, after what seemed like several, sunlight days, they broke apart. Ben's palm was still buried in Rey's hair buns. Rey's beaming smile dipped a bit, but didn't dim. She appeared almost flustered, eyes searching, silently asking Ben if what she did was OK.

And at that moment, Ben Solo did something he hadn't done in years. He laughed - a real, genuine laugh. A laugh that caused his dimples to curl up adorably and his pearly white teeth to glisten widely.

And for that one moment, everything was perfect... And then that moment ended.

Ben's smile faded. Rey's own radiant one crumbled into a frown of confusion and concern, as she watched the man she loved keel over backwards, dead.

She was still holding his hand.

Horrified, refusing to believe and yet knowing deep in her bones what had happened, further understanding dawned in Rey's eyes. He traded his life for mine... Her eyes filled with tears, and she cradled Ben's body in her lap, just as he had for her. Her tears fell onto his upturned face like sweet rain.

"No….. no, please! Please…. Please, don't leave me….. Please…" And then, choking on her tears, she whispered, "I love you!"

Nothing happened. Collapsing in sobs, Rey bent over her paramour's body, weeping bitterly. Silence blanketed the Exogol plain. And then, suddenly –

A glowing, golden light emanated from Ben's chest. Feeling the glare against her closed lids, Rey opened her eyes, her pupils widening in shock. She shrank back in amazement, watching intently.

The golden glow encompassed Ben for a few moments before fading. Hesitant, Rey reached out to touch him, then shrank back again as she saw Ben's chest rise and fall. Taking his first breath of new life.

Slowly, Ben Solo stood. Rey stood with him and watched as he turned to look at her. "Rey," and there was that brilliant smile again. "It's me."

Both of Rey's hands went to her mouth in astonishment. Her own smile of joy was blinding. "It is you!" Jubilant, she ran into his arms. After a moment, she stepped back, gazing at him. Ben's face was filled with purpose as he took that one final stride toward her. Rey started to say something, but the sound hardly had time to come out. For next moment, Ben's warm hands were tilting her head back as he pulled her close for a long kiss.

It was payment in kind, Rey supposed before her eyes fluttered shut and her brain rapidly switched off, for she had kissed him first. But this kiss….. Ben's kiss stole the breath from her lungs and she gasped. The words died a peaceful death in her throat. Whatever she was going to say, she could hardly remember it now, as throwing her arms about Ben's neck, she kissed him back.

Blue light, golden light, light of every color suddenly swirled around the couple as they held each other ever tighter, the kiss deepening sensuously as the Force sang its approval. Rey's hands were practically fisting Ben's shoulders as she held him close. His hands were touching her wherever he could reach, tugging at her waist so she was flush against him.

At last, there was a piercing shriek, as fireworks pealed and exploded into space, shooting sparks everywhere.

Rey and Ben finally, dreamily, broke the kiss at last, their arms still around each other. Ben laughed – a rumbling, glorious sound. For a moment, there was just peaceful silence as the couple gazed into each other's eyes. At last, Ben spoke:

"Now what?"

Rey giggled, playing with the nape of his neck. "I suppose we should get off Exogol and... go back to the Resistance."

Her heart broke at the terrified expression Ben sent back to her, reminiscent of a scared little boy. "They'll want to kill me..."

"... but I'll protect you," Rey crooned, tenderly stroking his cheek. "Once I explain everything, they'll have to welcome you back."

Rey's ability to think the best of everyone was probably the quality Ben most adored about her... but in this case, it was drifting very close to youthful naivete. Ben was under no delusions: it would take a miracle for him to walk onto the Resistance base without being shot on sight. If he managed to do that without being locked up at all, he would think he had won every single hand of Sabaac from now until doomsday.

Yet, as he lost himself in Rey's hopeful smile, Ben knew that he would do whatever it took to make her happy. The First Order was falling apart in the skies above them; there was nothing there for him now. His family, too, was gone...

Except Rey now was his family. And she had other friends who loved her. Maybe... maybe if they didn't exactly hold their fire out of any chivalry towards him, maybe they would for Rey's sake. Slowly, he grinned down at her.

"All right." So saying, he swept Rey off her feet, scooping her up into his arms. She let out a surprised squeal of delight, and wrapping her arms about his neck, she allowed him to carry her out of the Sith Temple.

"I remember the last time I carried you like this," Ben said quietly, dipping his eyes to Rey's shyly. "I had never felt such hope and peace before. Course, you were unconscious."

Rey threw back her head and laughed, realizing this must have been when they met in the forest. "While I don't remember it... I am sure you were a gentleman."

Ben blushed even more, appearing absolutely bashful. "I had never seen anyone so beautiful... I never wanted to hurt you."

"Hmm," Rey murmured, nuzzling her face into his neck with a smile, content. "I believe you." They touched lips lightly.

Coming upon their ships parked side by side, Rey pointed to the X-Wing, and Ben nodded. They stood a better chance of even touching down on Ajan Kloss if they flew in that. Ben managed to climb up the ladder with Rey still in his arms, and he didn't let her go even after plunking down in the cockpit, insisting that she remain seated in his lap. Rey was only too happy to oblige, and watched with unabashed admiration as he fired up his uncle's old X-Wing.

The couple took to the skies, not looking back at the crumbling Exogol, or the collapsing First Order Star Destroyers that they weaved about. Still nestled in Ben's lap, Rey tapped out a message to her friends that she was alive, to their jubilation.

Rey only hoped that the jubilation would last past touch-down on Ajan Kloss. Shaking her head to clear it, she took a breath and beamed back at Ben. Once they saw how wonderful a man he was, that he had changed, they would have to accept him. They would have to.

Luke's X-Wing touched down on Ajan Kloss to cheers. When Rey made to stand up out of the cockpit after the viewfinder rose, Ben merely tightened his grip.

"Stay with me." His grin was still bashful and lovesick, but his eyes were pleading and nervous. Nodding, Rey looped her arms about his neck and allowed him to stand, carrying her grandly down the ladder and to the jungle floor, where a crowd of fighters were already gathering, Poe and Finn in the lead.

Upon seeing their Jedi hero cocooned in the embrace of the man once known as Kylo Ren, gasps of shock went up.

"It's the Jedi Killer!"

"Rey, get away from Ren! I'll blast him!" Finn whipped out a blaster and took aim. In Ben's arms, Rey squirmed and wriggled, trying to use her body to shield as much of his as possible.

"Finn, no!"

Ben noted how the defecting trooper, FN-2187, blinked in surprise accompanied by a bewildered and frustrated snarl as he worked to get a shot in around Rey, who was still shielding Ben with her arms outstretched. The pilot, Poe Dameron, now stepped forward, expression grave.

"Release her. Now!"

Rey felt Ben's arms tighten around her waist. A stand-off was coming, she could feel it. She turned to her commanding officer.

"Poe," she called quietly. "Ben is not hurting me. This is where I want to be - where I need to be."

The pilot and Finn looked at each other. In the latter, understanding dawned.

"Oh, no... Rey, don't tell me... how can you do this to me?!"

Rey just regarded him sadly. "I cannot help my heart. Nor I can help the will of the Force. Ben and I are a Dyad - two that are one. It is destined that we be together."

Having reached the same conclusion as the traitor, the pilot - Dameron - was quickly becoming equally enraged. Pain and betrayal also swirled around his aura. Cocking his blaster, he snarled, "I don't care what the Force says. He must surrender. Rey, tell him to surrender!"

Rey frowned hard, the hopeful light in her eyes dimming. Fear set in, lacing around her heart, that maybe her friends would not be interested in listening to Ben - to them - after all. Her own arms squeezed around Ben's frame. "No." As long as she was in his arms, and he in hers, what could they do? Poe and Finn would have to pry her from Ben's embrace.

"Rey..." The very sound of Ben's voice made her shiver in delight. He caught her eyes and held them. "Let them take me."

She whimpered, trembling. "No."

"Yes," Ben's voice was loving, but firm. "They haven't shot me. But they'll have to imprison me. We shouldn't push our luck."

Rey's eyes filled with tears. But, slowly she nodded. Leaning in close, the couple shared a soft, loving kiss. Several roars of objection went up. Neither Rey nor Ben cared. Turning back to her friends, Rey resigned herself to the inevitable: at least in this round, they couldn't win. But they could bargain.

"I get to guard him. Every day." At least that way, she would get to see him.

Poe gave a really short, affronted laugh; the very idea seemed to offend him. "No. Way."

Snarling, Rey let out a frustrated growl. Her hand flung out without warning; in the next instant, Poe was being lifted off his feet and slammed into the side of a Y-Wing, crumbling to the jungle earth. Shouts of horror went up, and looking around, Ben saw many faces now eyeing Rey just was warily as they did him.

The pilot got to his feet, rubbing his head and appearing dazed as the traitor FN-2187 rushed to help. And then... Poe's hands went up placatingly.

"OK, OK..." he huffed. "Fine."

Rey just glared back, but the look in her eyes was smug. Ben could clearly see that there was no love lost between her and Dameron. And even though he had now given up that life, he could still muster a tacit appreciation for the dark side in one respect: the dark side was a wonderfully effective tool in getting others to do what you wanted.

Her demands obtained, Rey turned back to gaze into Ben's eyes. "I'm going to let you go now." Neither of them moved, and she smirked. "Um, Ben... you can set me down now..."

"Oh. Right..." He gracefully lowered her to her feet. Turning to face him, winding her arms about his neck, Rey leaned in and kissed her true love.

"See you soon," Ben whispered against her lips with a confident smile, to reassure her.

"See you soon," Rey echoed in a moan, as Resistance troops moved in to cuff her Ben. Feeling him dragged out of her arms, she blinked back tears and beamed a special smile just for him. "I love you, sweetheart."

Ben nodded. "I know."