Ben. Letting out a hollow breath, Ben shuddered. That voice. He'd never heard it before but he knew who it was immediately. Ben swallowed the lump in his throat, finding himself unable to move and unable to respond. Why was he so hesitant? This was the moment he'd waited for for so long and yet... he wasn't ready. He hadn't wanted it to come like this. Ben didn't regret his decision. He would have willingly given his life for her a thousand times over if it meant she would live. But he did regret not seeing the error in his ways sooner. If he had turned sooner, perhaps non of this would have happened. Maybe, just maybe, he and Rey could have lived happily ever after together. If she would have had him. Ben? Ben closed his eyes and sighed. There was no way of going back now. He had to face his fate.
Hesitantly, Ben turned to face his grandfather. Anakin Skywalker stood, waiting for Ben to approach him. Ben froze, unsure of whether or not to continue. Was this the final part of his journey into the afterlife? Ben hesitated. Could he carry on and leave Rey behind? Of course not. But if his grandfather had come to meet him upon his death, what could it mean? As Rey's father had greeted her to take her on with him, had his grandfather had come to take Ben home? Home. That word hadn't meant something to him in a long, long time. Ben hadn't felt the safety or the comfort of home for long while. He hadn't felt the love of his mother. It was nobody's fault but his own, but Ben was ready to see his mother again.
Thunder cracked from the sky, whichever way that was, and rain began to pour, though Ben could not rightly feel it. Ben sighed. Would Rey be alright without him? She had her friends to protect her and comfort her. The emperor was gone, the First Order was gone. She would be safe. Rey was surrounded by people who loved her. She would be better off without him anyway. Ben closed his eyes with sighed. He'd given her his all and in the end it had killed him. But he wouldn't change that for the world. He may have died, but Rey had lived, and that was all he ever wanted. She was safe and she would be happy for the remainder of her life. Ben could enter the afterlife with the knowledge that she would live a long, happy life. She didn't need him anymore. Ben looked up to his grandfather. He was ready to come home. Ready to see his mother again, and his father.
Anakin stared at Ben in what seemed to be disappointment. Ben felt the pressure build up in his chest like a pile of bricks. He knew that he wasn't worthy of the love his family had to offer. He shouldn't be welcomed home after everything he had done. Ben looked to the ground, ashamed. Why was he not being punished for all of his sins? Surely he deserved to rot in hell or disappear from existence. Not spend the remainder of whatever this life was with people who loved him. He didn't deserve their love. Ben had betrayed them countless times. How could they still love him after everything he'd done? It was true that Ben had changed, and though that change might make him a better person, it didn't erase all his past mistakes. If you could call murdering hundreds of innocent people a mistake. Were their lives nothing but a mistake. No. No, their lives mattered. And those who suffered because of him, their deaths mattered.
It pained Ben to think that Rey would have never found the love and support of her friends had something happened to her during their battles. Ben sighed. He had killed so many innocent people. How could he ever live with the guilt and remorse? Ben cracked a tortured smile at the irony. He had died. He couldn't live with it, because he wasn't alive. But even if he had lived, could Ben have ever made up for the lives lost? Of course not? He had deserved to die. But he deserved much worse than death. Ben sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mixing with the rain. Ben let out strangled sobs and wept.
Suddenly, Ben felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders. The embrace was strong and comforting. Ben looked up to see that his grandfather had enveloped him in a hug, his arms surrounding Ben's shoulders. Ben sighed and wrapped his arms around Anakin. "Grandfather." He whispered, pain mingled with a sob escaping his lips. Anakin pulled away and gave Ben the widest grin he could manage. "Ben. My grandson. Welcome home, dear boy." Ben stared at Anakin in shock. How could Anakin call him grandson? How could he welcome him home with open arms after everything he had done? Ben shuddered and resisted the urge to turn away. He wanted to run away. But where would he go? He had no where to go. He was dead.
Now, there was nothing else Ben could do but face his family and own up to his mistakes. But he had made so many mistakes. How could he ever make up for them all? He couldn't exactly face every single person he had ever killed and apologize. If they were not Force users, then they would not be in this world. Ben could not ask forgiveness. They would have no reason forgive him anyway. He had ended their lives. It was his fault that they never got to live the rest of their lives. Ben sighed. His biggest mistake was killing his own father. If you could even call it a "mistake". Ben closed his eyes and dropped his head. Tears streamed down his cheeks. How could Ben face the real Han? Ben had made peace with that mistake before his death, but that had only been a vision. He had yet to face the real Han. His father.
Sorrow clutched at his heart as he realized that he never even apologized to Rey for how he treated her. For what he'd done to her. Could she even forgive him? He'd tortured and manipulated her for so long... Did she know how sorry he was... for everything? Did she know that he wished he'd never taken the path towards power? Did she know that he loved her? Ben refrained from letting out a loud sob. He'd never told Rey he loved her. He never even got to ask her forgiveness. Could Ben dare to hope that the kiss they had shared had been an offering of her forgiveness? And could he take even a little hope in the idea that maybe, just maybe, she had returned his affection? She had been the one to kiss him. That little confirmation made his heart swell. The side of his lips curled slightly as he remembered the feel of her lips against his. He remembered the last surge of energy that pulsed through his veins as she brought her lips down to his in the most beautiful kiss he'd ever imagined possible.
"Grandfather. I'm sorry. I failed you." Anakin tilted his head to meet Ben's gaze and frowned. "No, Ben." Anakin sighed and shook his head. "It is I, who have failed you." Ben looked up and his brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to speak but Anakin cut him off. "If it were not for my mistakes, you would not have tried to continue my journey to the dark side. Though there is still darkness within all of us, had you not known of my fall, you would not have taken such passion to follow in my footsteps." Ben swallowed as the guilt pressed down on his chest. "I tried to reach you so many times." Anakin sighed. "You tried to reach Darth Vader. You never tried to reach Anakin Skywalker, which is who I am now."
Ben shuddered upon remembering all the times he'd tried to contact his grandfather. He'd been trying to reach Darth Vader not Anakin Skywalker. Ben hung his head in shame. How could he have been so blind? It was true. He'd only wanted to reach who his grandfather had once been and not who he was. Darth Vader had died, and Anakin Skywalker had returned to the light. Not only had Darth Vader died, but he was no more. That was why Ben couldn't reach him. He didn't even exist. Anakin Skywalker was the one Ben should have been trying to reach those entire time. When Anakin returned to the light, he had helped save the galaxy and brought balance to the Force, just as Ben had. Ben just wished he hadn't been so stubborn and blind. He could have turned sooner and so many lives would have been saved.
Laying a hand on Ben's shoulder, Anakin gave him a comforting squeeze. "I spent so long trying to reach you, grandson. It pained me so to see you idolize all of my mistakes. But my efforts were fruitless as long as you continued down your path. It wasn't until Rey came into your life that there was hope of reaching you. You were conflicted before you met her, that is true, but I could not make any contact with you while you were so deeply immersed in the darkness. You thought that killing your father would be the thing to tilt the scale, but it tilted the wrong way. Or rather, the right way. It was after you killed Han that you began to feel a change. The pull to the light only became stronger after you met Rey." Ben looked up, amazed, and met Anakin's gaze. Anakin nodded. "I was the voice trying to convince you to return to the light. Those times when you felt the pull to the light, those were my attempts to reach you."
With a laugh, Anakin gave Ben a quirky smile. "I suppose it kinda worked." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Awe, who am I kidding. It was your love for Rey that caused you to return to the light. That and your love for your mother." Anakin smiled to himself. "Your dear sweet mother, my beautiful daughter." He said and sadness entered his gaze. "I only wish I had been able to see her grow up, to spend more time with her. She never knew I was her father. Until I was gone. I never even met her face to face. The only time I spoke with her was behind a cowardly mask." Tears began to form in Anakin's eyes. "My dear children. Luke and Leia. I loved them and their mother so much. I never got to see my little girl grow up. Or my beautiful son. I never wanted that for you."
Ben looked up as confusion crossed his brow. "What do you mean, grandfather?" Ben assumed that Anakin merely meant that he hadn't wanted Ben to turn to the dark side. But the way he had worded it was odd to be sure. It sounded as if Ben would miss something. It was partially true. Ben wouldn't get to live a full life with the woman he loved, but he had saved her. That was all that mattered. Anakin's eyes widened only slightly as if he realized he'd slipped up, then he smiled. "It's nothing, Ben. Come. Let us go and greet the rest of the family." There was a certain twinkle in Anakin's eyes that Ben couldn't quite place.
But Anakin grinned so brightly, Ben knew there was something more that he wasn't saying. It seemed to be good news, at least. Ben found some consolation in that. Ben sighed and nodded as his grandfather placed a hand on his shoulder.
Anakin Skywalker guided Ben towards a group of people and Ben squared his shoulders to face them. These were people he'd only ever heard of in stories told to him by his mother and uncle Luke. The great Jedi's of old. Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, Mace Windu, and Ben's own uncle, Luke Skywalker. They all looked younger than they had been when they died. Now, they had all taken on the form of their strongest and brightest points in life. Ben swallowed, nervous to be meeting most of his younger-self's role models and the greatest Jedi's of all time. He looked at each of them as they smiled in greeting. They all seemed to take this meeting as a joyous moment. As if they were happy to be meeting him. Ben would beg to differ but under the circumstances he didn't think it wise.
Qui-Gon Jinn nodded as Ben approached. "You have done well, young Solo." Qui-Gon smiled gently, giving off a fatherly appearance. Ben gave him a nod of thanks and Mace Windu approached. "Well, well, well. The line of incompetence continues through not only the Skywalker name but now the Solo name as well. Such a coincidence that the two should meet. We are indeed lucky that your father fell in love with the only sensible Skywalker. Your mother kept him and your uncle at bay thankfully." Windu looked at Ben with scrutiny. "But you, you are both a Skywalker and a Solo. It is pure luck that you haven't left the entire galaxy in shambles, though it came very close, I must say." Anakin remained silent, guilt crossing his expression as Windu continued. "You've caused a good bit of trouble Ben Solo. Have you got anything to say for yourself?" Ben opened his mouth but was cut off. "Do not pester the boy Master Windu. He has learned his lesson." Ben turned to see Obi-Wan approaching them.
Mace Windu scowled. "Since when do you command me, Kenobi?" Obi-Wan looked undisturbed by Windu's sharp tone and simply raised his eyebrows. "I don't. I'm simply stating that the poor boy has been through enough. His burdens should not follow him through to the afterlife. His sacrifice and death have brought enough suffering." Mace Windu grunted but nodded and walked away. Obi-Wan shook his head with a grin and turned to Ben. "Well, this is a very joyous yet sorrowful occasion. It is good to see you Ben but I must say, I wish it were under better circumstances. But nonetheless, I am glad to have you join us upon your death instead of endure the horrible fate of a Sith. You have brought peace to the galaxy, Ben Solo. We all thank you for your sacrifice."
Obi-Wan had a very gentle voice that was welcoming and kind. The Jedi Master turned to Ben's grandfather. "You must be very proud of your grandson, Anakin." Anakin smiled. "Indeed. He has made me very proud, just like his uncle, and his mother. They have all brought honor to the Skywalker name. And though Ben is a Solo, he is the last Skywalker." Anakin seemed to have tears in his eyes. "Your father would have been very proud too, my boy." He said to Ben and Ben nodded hesitantly. He was still waiting to see his parents. Anakin didn't seem to notice Ben's anxiety though. He continued to talk to Obi-Wan. "He's named after you, you know." Ben's eyes widened as he looked at Obi-Wan. Ben Kenobi. That was who his father had said he'd been named after. Anakin and Obi-Wan laughed.
Ahsoka Tano came to greet them. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "He's definitely your grandson, Anakin. No one else would be so stupid as to remain so stubborn for such a long time." Anakin growled and she continued. "But... he did succeed in saving the galaxy. Something you never could do right." Ahsoka looked over at Ben. "You're lucky you were named after my competent master and not your grandfather. Isn't that right, Skyguy?" She asked quite smugly. Anakin rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Snips." Ahsoka growled slightly. She scowled, obviously trying to keep from having an outburst. Ahsoka nodded to Ben then walked away, muttering incessant rambles about the Skywalker family.
Both Obi-Wan and Anakin laughed continually at Ahsoka's outburst. "When will you two ever learn?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin scowled slightly, his laughter drowning it out. "She started it." He complained. Obi-Wan shook his head in disappointment and turned to Ben with a smile. "Those two had a special relationship. Always bickering and stubborn to a fault, but they loved each other. Isn't that right, Anakin?" Ben's grandfather crossed his arms and scowled. Ahsoka called out from about ten feet away. "It's true!" Ben saw a hint of a smile play on Anakin's lips. "Yeah. I love you too, Snips!" He called out and she grinned. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.
"Always fighting... Sounds familiar." Obi-Wan paused and brought a hand to his chin. He stroked his beard in what seemed to be deep thought but Ben could tell he was messing with him. Obi-Wan Kenobi was trying to play around with Ben and get a good laugh. Ben narrowed his eyes, preparing himself for any attempt at embarrassment that might be thrown his way. "Seems a lot like yours and Rey's relationship, does it not?" Ben lost all stance. Obi-Wan continued. "Except my pupil's battles do not involve lightsabers." Obi-Wan said with a wink. Ben's eyes widened and he hesitated, unsure of what to say. Heat rose to his cheeks as he realized Obi-Wan had succeeded in embarrassing him. "Flustered, he is." Ben turned to see the small green Jedi approaching.
Yoda smiled and let out a shrill laugh. "Overwhelmed young Skywalker?" Ben started. That was the first time anyone had called him a Skywalker instead of Solo. Ben nodded. "As you should be. Quite the journey, you have been on, but peace, you have found at last. Well, have you done, young Solo." Ben smiled. "Thank you, Master Yoda." Yoda nodded with a playful grin. "Good. Manners you have gained." Ben let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't been able to get one word in edgewise this entire time. He'd been to afraid he'd say the wrong thing. Seconds later, the little green alien tapped Ben's leg with his cane. "Come. Much have we to see."
Confusion crossed Ben's brow but he followed Yoda. Anakin accompanied them, not too far behind as they approached someone who had their back turned to Ben. When she turned around, Ben froze in his tracks. There, a woman stood, adorned in dark robes of navy blue with flowers in her hair, carrying a japor snippet. Ben admired her beauty and marveled at the radiance that surrounded her. She altogether glowed. She approached Ben with a smile. Her beauty and the warmth of her smile was welcoming and kind but Ben still faltered. He'd seen this woman before. When or how, he did not know. The only thing he remembered was a woman, with flowers in her hair. The very same woman who stood before him now.
Padmè Amidala smiled gently. "Do not be afraid, my dear grandson. I have come to offer you my love and my comfort." Ben gasped. His grandmother was here. This was Anakin's wife. Ben looked over at his grandfather who grinned brightly, his eyes lovingly captivated by his beautiful wife. Ben turned back to Padmè. "Grandmother?" She nodded. "Yes sweetheart. I have waited so long to meet you. I had not wanted it to be like this, but nevertheless, I am glad you're here." Padmè gently approached Ben and hugged him. In this meeting, no tears were shed, but rather, Ben felt comforted a safe. He hugged his grandmother until she pulled away. "Now. There are others awaiting you dear boy. Are you ready to meet them?" Ben swallowed, closing his eyes and nodded. Padmè smiled and placed a kiss on Ben's forehead then stepped aside.
Behind her, three people stood in a line waiting for Ben. Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker. Luke was the first to approach. "Ben." He said and Ben froze. He didn't know what to say as Luke came over and wrapped his arms around Ben. Ben shuddered. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, unable to find his voice. "It's alright, Ben. I'm sorry too. This is partially my fault. I wasn't the teacher you needed. I wasn't the teacher you deserved. You deserved better." Luke replied. He patted Ben on the back and clamped a hand down on his shoulder, meeting his gaze. "You'll always be with her. Remember that, Ben." Luke backed away and gave Ben a small smile as Han approached.
"Hey son." Han sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "How are ya, kid?" Ben sighed and walked over to meet his father. "How... how are you here?" Han smiled. "I'm connected to the Force through you and your mother. To a certain extent, it runs through my veins. That's how I'm able to be here with you now." Han said with a shrug. Ben didn't understand it. He didn't know how it was possible, but at this point, he didn't really care. "Dad." He said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I know." Han said and placed a hand on Ben's cheek. "I love you too son. Always have, and I always will." Ben succumbed as tears streamed down his face. He hugged his father until Han released him and turned out of the way as Leia approached.
Ben looked up to his mother in complete respect and remorse. "Mother. Please forgive me." He said in a voice clearer than he'd had before. Leia approached Ben and threw her arms around his neck. She brought his face down close and kissed his cheeks and forehead. "My dear boy. I forgave you long ago." Ben let out a ragged sigh and buried his face in his mother's shoulder. "I love you, mother." Leia brushed her hand against Ben's hair in a soothing manor. "Oh Ben. I will always love you. I could never stop loving you. No matter what. You could never do anything that could change that." Tears streamed down both Ben and Leia's cheeks as they held each other. Mother and son, finally reunited. It wasn't long before Han came over and hugged them both, and after Han, Luke approached and wrapped an arm around Leia. Padmè smiled as Anakin took her into his arms and they joined the rest of the family. The Skywalker family had finally been reunited.
Author's Note:
Hello!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was soo much fun to write about all of the old Jedi's and create arguments between Ahsoka and Anakin as well as recreate Mace Windu's almost spunky attitude towards the Skywalkers. I hope that you had as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it. I was sooo happy to finally have Ben and Anakin meet as well as reunite Han and Leia with their son. This is something Ben would have deserved. But don't worry, there's much more in store!