Kylo didn't know how to respond. Part of him wanted to shove her away, part of him wanted to bring her closer. She pulled their lips apart and looked at him again.

'No scar,' she murmured. Running a hand across his cheek.

'Scar?' he asked.

She shook her head.

'It doesn't matter. A lot of things don't matter anymore.'

She was looking at him with an expression that he couldn't comprehend. No, that wasn't accurate. He knew that look; he just didn't know why she was looking that way at him.

'How do you know me?' he asked. Finally letting his hovering hands settle around her waist. She was so small, so fragile. He sensed she was malnourished and in need of rest. Why did that concern him?

'I don't. I mean, we've never met. In this timeline.'

'Timeline?' Was this girl mad?

'Ben,you have to listen to me.'

This time he didn't let the slight go. He shrugged her out of his lap and stood.

'My name is not Ben,' he told her.

Rey narrowed her eyes at him. She poked a finger into his chest.

'Ben Solo, I did not travel through time and space to save you to be disrespected like this.'

He blinked down at her. Who was this girl?

'You came here to save me?'

She reached up a hand and placed it on his cheek once more.

'I did, so please, let me do what I came here to do.'

Sit

The word popped into his mind. Her voice was in his head now? It wasn't an order, it was a request. He did as she had asked.

She was trying to be gentle though he sensed her fire. Something clicked in place between them as she willed the word into his head. A warm feeling spread throughout his entire body. He felt as though all of his nerve endings were reaching out for her now. It almost felt as if he had been missing a limb and had somehow forgotten, but now it had grown back and his body didn't know how he had gone on without it.

'I feel it too, don't be afraid. This is how it is with me and you. We're connected.'

'What is this?' he asked in wonder.

Rey took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She sighed contentedly, a ghost of a smile on her lips. She was breath-taking. Truly breath-taking. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.

She came towards him once more and crouched down before him. She took his hands in hers and placed them on her cheeks, her own hands on top of his, holding him in place.

'This is us; we are one. You are I are a dyad in the Force. A connection so strong that it can bring life, end life and apparently even defy time,' she laughed gently.

She closed her eyes. An overwhelming sense of love and belonging filtered through him.

'Do you feel that?' she whispered to him.

He nodded though her eyes were still closed.

'I've missed you so much,' tears trickled down her face. He moved his fingers across her skin, catching them, owning them.

'I wish you knew me.'

'I wish I knew you too,' he answered honestly.

'Maybe, maybe we can try again? I don't know how long I'm here for but I know I was sent here to save you. I don't know how to do that without showing you what you mean to me.'

Kylo's head swam. What was she suggesting? Was she suggesting that they come together? That they unite... romantically?

Rey looked up at him longingly.

'That's exactly what I'm suggesting…' she murmured.

She stood and took his hand in hers. She tugged gently and he stood. She took a step back towards the bed and he followed her lead. She took another step and another until her back was flush against the side of the bed and Kylo was standing inches in front of her.

'You don't believe me,' she stated sadly.

'I...I want to.'

Her expression lightened at his words.

'You think no one loves you, you think everyone has turned away from you.'

He nodded.

'How can you think that? Look at me, Ben. The Force made me. The Force made me for you. I'm your gift, I'm your counterpart, your soulmate. How can you think that no one cares for you?'

'This can't be real,' he murmured.

Rey took his hands in hers and wrapped them around her body.

'Don't I feel real?' she said, reaching up and placing a soft kiss against his lips. He tightened his arms around her and deepened the kiss. She moaned against his mouth and he hardened at the sound.

'All I ever had, was the memory of one kiss,' she murmured against his lips.

'I want so much more.'

She pulled away from him and started to remove her clothing. He watched her with intense eyes, panting hard.

Take off your clothes…

Her voice was in his head again, but this time it was a command. He did as she asked.

'I saw you without your shirt once,' she said as she pushed off her underwear.

He removed his tunic and started to unbutton his pants. His mouth went dry at the sight of her naked form. She slipped into his bed, dipping under the covers.

He removed his trousers and underwear.

Rey looked at him from head to toe from her propped-up position in the bed.

'You took my breath away then, and it appears that the rest of you is just as impressive.'

He came towards her, she pulled back the sheets and he climbed over her. He needily pressed his lips to hers, he was swiftly becoming addicted to kissing her. She curled her fingers into his hair. He pulled away and looked at her.

'I've never…' he trailed off and looked away. Rey smiled and put a finger on his cheek angling his face back towards her.

'Ben, I know. I've never… done this either. We'll figure it out together.'

'Together,' he repeated. His heart rejoiced as she said the word. This was what he had been searching for. All these years spent wandering through space, thinking he needed the world to fall at his feet to feel complete. It all seemed so simple now, he didn't need the Galaxy. He just needed her. He just needed someone to remind him that he wasn't alone.

'I was alone too,' she said. 'I was so alone without you.'

He was afraid to ask, but he couldn't stop the words tumbling from his lips.

'What happened to me? What happened to me where you come from?'

'You died for me. You died so I could live, but I couldn't live, Ben. Not without you.'

He couldn't ignore her pain, it hit him like a sea of acid, stripping his skin from his bones. He soothed her the only way he could think of, with his body.

He pressed kisses to every inch of her skin, running his hands over her, trying to be gentle. Afraid he would hurt her. She was so small, so thin.

I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep...

He heard the words in his head. This is why she looked so tired and fragile. She had been in mourning. Mourning for him. He didn't deserve it.

Yes you do…

He moved to join their lips once more, she opened her thighs and his length pressed against her wet core. He groaned.

'Please Ben,' she whispered.

He positioned himself at her entrance, using every ounce of patience he could muster to stop himself from thrusting deep within her in one stroke. It was difficult for many reasons, one being patience was an emotion he thought was long lost to him and two the force that connected the two of them seemed to be pushing him forward, urging him on. It was intoxicating. She sensed his apprehension.

'Ben, I can take this. Remember I was made for you.'

At her words, he stopped denying himself and thrust into her roughly. Rey moaned and arched against him. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders and her thighs tensed against his. He started to move within her.

'Don't stop, please…' she begged him.

He couldn't believe she was begging him not to stop. As if he would, as if he could. The stars would sooner fall from the sky.

He wouldn't deny her anything. This perfect being who had dropped out of nowhere right into his lap and wanted him so badly he could taste her desire. His body was on fire and his mind carefully storing every second of their time together. Worried she would disappear at any moment.

He trembled as he came within her, tears formed in his eyes at the blissful feeling that flowed through him. He had never felt anything like it, and she was the one who had bestowed it upon him. He didn't care where she had come from. He didn't care why she was there. He just knew he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything.

'You have me, I'm yours,' she answered his unasked question.

He wanted to thank her. He wanted to make her feel the way she had made him feel, but he didn't know how.

'I can show you,' she said, a blush appearing on her cheeks. He nodded slowly. He heard her voice in his head.

Move to my side…

He did as she asked.

She took his hand in hers and guided it down her body, settling between her legs. He instinctively started to rub the sensitive area with two fingers. Rey hissed in a breath, thinking he had hurt her he began to pull his hand away but she caught his wrist.

Keep going…

He started again, becoming more confident as he drew more and more soft moans and delicate whimpers from her throat.

'Oh Ben,' she breathed. and he cast aside the name Kylo forever. She wanted Ben. So, he would be Ben. He would be Ben for her.

He pilfered her thoughts to guide his fingers, and she quickly began to fall apart, he waited for just the right moment to push his fingers within her. She called out and gripped the pillows by her head. He watched in awe as she peaked and ebbed. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He pulled away from her only for a few brief agonising moments, to inform his men that he was not to be disturbed.

He wanted her to rest and he wanted no interruptions. He held her close until she fell asleep. When she awoke, he would make sure she ate. He would make sure she ate until her stomach was distended. She was his purpose now. She sighed in her sleep and pulled him closer. He loved the feeling of having her in his arms. She belonged there. Nothing could convince him otherwise.

She stirred once and looked up at him with fearful eyes.

'You're not a dream,' she said, looking up at him adoringly.

He kissed her forehead.

'No, I'm real. I'm here,' go back to sleep. You need to rest.'

She did as he instructed. When Ben finally allowed himself to sleep, he dreamed of a future that had not yet come to pass. One where he relentlessly chased down Rey but refused to let go of his quest to rule the Galaxy. He wanted to scream at himself, that he was a fool. That she was right in front of him. That she was worth more than an infinite number of Galaxies. He woke covered in sweat, and instantly fearful that she would be gone, but she was there, safely locked within his arms.

'I'll give it all up, Rey,' he whispered to her.

'I'll give all of it up for you. I love you.'

Rey smiled in her sleep.

Morning came and Rey was giddy as her mind awoke and her thoughts became sharper. She felt as if she had slept better than she had in weeks. Then she realised the ground below her was hard and cold. This wasn't Ben's bed. She sat up quickly, forcing her eyes open. She was back on Exegol and Ben wasn't there. Rey cried out in anguish and banged her fists on the ground. She had failed and she had lost him again. Anger filled her. She stood and turned in a circle.

'Send me back!' she yelled.

There was no response.

'Send me back or I'll rip this Galaxy apart!' she roared.

Silence surrounded her. She crumbled to the floor and sobbed. The ache was back, the bond was gone. She could still feel his fingers on her body, still feel his kisses pressed into her skin.

'This is so cruel,' she whispered.

She pulled herself up off the ground and trudged back to the Falcon. She took off and set a course for Tatooine, at least there, BB and D-O would be waiting to greet her. She landed the Falcon and took a few calming breaths before disembarking.

Just as her feet hit the sand, she heard his voice.

'Rey.'

She looked up in amazement. Ben was right there, running towards her. He collided with her, collecting her into his arms.

'Where did you go? You left without a word. I was so confused.'

New memories started to form in Rey's mind. Ben leaving the First Order for her, the two of them fleeing to Tatooine to hide out, starting a life together, getting married in secret, making a living by smuggling, learning to grow their own food.

Ben let go of her and put his hands on her shoulders. He looked down at her with a worried expression.

'I thought you'd left me. You shut off the bond.'

Rey frowned.

'I… I didn't do it deliberately,' she said softly.

'Where did you go?'

Rey looked at Ben. His hair was shorter, and his face looked younger now, if that was possible. He wore clothes similar to Hans and there was a blaster holstered to his right leg.

Tears came to her eyes. This was Ben as he had always meant to be. A free spirit. His Father's legacy, her soulmate.

She sprung forward wrapping her arms around him.

'It's a long story,' she said between happy sobs.

The bond reopened and Rey was almost floored by the love she felt radiating from Ben. Her Ben.

He started to pull information from her mind. He looked bewildered then his eyes opened wide in realisation.

'This is the day you went back; this is the day you saved me.'

Rey nodded.

'Do you remember anything after?'

'It's starting to filter into place.'

Ben let out a sigh of relief. He leaned down and kissed her. Her body flooded with heat.

'What can I do? Do you need anything?' he asked. The concern in his voice melted her heart.

'Just you,' she said kissing him once more.

He smiled and took her hand, leading her to the small dwelling they shared. He led her to the bed.

'Maybe it will help if we repeat the events of that day,' he murmured as he started to remove her clothes.

Rey grinned back at him.

'It's a logical assumption,' she agreed lifting the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head.

'I can never repay you for what you did for me,' he murmured, his hands on her neck, his lips gently brushing against hers.

'I don't deserve your gratitude I did it for purely selfish reasons. I can't survive without you.'

'I love you, Rey.'

Her breath caught in her throat.

'Say it again,'

'I love you, Rey.'

As her mind began to fill in the gaps of their life together, she knew he had told her he loved her a million times over but it still fed her soul to hear the words from his lips.

'This place was so empty before, it feels full now that you are here,' she said with a smile.

'You, are my home,' he said kissing her again.

'And you're mine,' she sighed as they crashed together.