He was hesitating. Uncertain. Rey could feel it. They had just landed back on the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss which was now crowded with people joining together in celebration of their victory. He was looking out over them with a look of both longing and insecurity. He wanted to be part of them, but wasn't sure if he was welcome. Rey took his hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze and he redirected his gaze towards her – his solid rock which he knew he could always lean upon. "It's going to be all right," she said and he had no choice but to trust her. He gave her a nod, signaling it was okay to go. Rey held on to his hand as they walked into the crowd.

She scanned the area and soon found who she was looking for. Finn stopped short and his eyes widened in disbelief. Even if he was too shocked to smile back at her, Rey grinned from ear to ear. Letting go of Ben's hand, she broke into a run and threw her arms around her dearest friend. Finn was paralyzed at first, overwhelmed at seeing his friend whom he thought was dead. He was tentative as he put his arms around her, but the more he felt her, the more he was convinced that this was the real Rey. "I don't believe it," he breathed. "I thought you were dead. I… I felt it." Rey pulled back to look into his face.

"You felt it?" Finn nodded.

"That's what I wanted to tell you. Rey… I'm Force-sensitive." It took a moment to let the words sink in, but once they did, all Rey could do was smile and give him another hug.

"That's wonderful, Finn." She was truly happy for him. Somehow, she'd had a feeling he might be Force-sensitive. But he still needed an explanation.

"But how did you survive?"

Rey smiled shyly and then looked back over her shoulder. Finn followed her gaze and his eyes landed on the one person he hated the most. In that moment, Poe came up to join them, having caught sight of Rey in the crowd. "Rey! You're alive! We thought we'd lost you."

"What is he doing here?" Finn asked, ignoring Poe's comment and the pilot acknowledged the unwanted company as well.

"I might ask the same thing." A split second. That was all it took for their joy to transform into raw, cold antipathy.

Ben stood still, afraid if he came any closer, they would think he was going to attack them. Rey knew she had to be the one to explain. She only hoped they would believe her. "It's all right, he's not going to harm you. Or me. Or anyone." Poe snorted in disbelief, like it was a joke.

"Yeah, I'll believe that as much as I want." Finn dared to take a step forward, pointing a finger at Ben.

"You stay away from her. You hear me? Or you'll have to go through me." Feeling offended by being pointed at, Ben let go of his insecurity for a moment to make a retort, but made sure to remain poised like the prince he was.

"Gladly. As I recall, it wasn't very hard last time." Finn seemed to falter for a moment. He had not expected to receive an answer like that. Rey merely rolled her eyes at all three of them and decided to cut in before things escalated any further. Taking Finn's hands into her own, she looked into his eyes and said, "Finn, he saved my life." Her voice was low, directed only at him, but Poe heard as well and from the corner of her eye she caught him casting an incredulous look Ben's way.

Finn was searching for a sign – anything – to tell him she was lying. But this was the most serious he had ever seen her. She was telling the truth. His face softened and he looked up at Ben again, as if seeing him for the first time. And in a way, he was. The tall, dark man who stood before him was not Kylo Ren, but Ben Solo. Not the Supreme Leader of the terrifying First Order, but the lost son of Han and Leia. "You really did save her?" he asked and Ben managed a nod. "Then I owe you my thanks." His words were as surprising to himself as they were to anyone within earshot. Rey, especially, was moved by them. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered and Finn smiled; not quite understanding, but knowing it meant a lot to her.

Rey gestured for Ben to come forward and he did, standing himself next to her. Finn and Poe still didn't quite know what to say, but at least the silence was better than mean threats. Then a voice broke the silence and their heads turned to its source. "Ben?" It was Lando, closely followed by Chewie. It seemed they had a hard time believing their own eyes. Lando in particular looked like he was seeing the ghost of a friend long dead. Ben could hear the beating of his own heart as Lando slowly approached him.

"Uncle Lando," he heard himself say. It slipped out of him like a reflex. Then something happened which he had not expected. Lando smirked. It was his signature smirk, no less. The one only Lando could pull off.

"So you do remember your 'unca Wanwo' after all." Ben cringed upon hearing those words. That's what he had called him as a little boy, before he could pronounce it correctly. Beside him, he sensed Rey smiling. At least one of them was amused.

Lando was looking him over. It seemed like a whole life-time was passing them by. "You remind me of them," he finally said and Ben knew he meant his parents. "You look so much like your father. But you've got your mother's eyes," he noted, pointing up at them. Ben had been told so before. When he was a young boy, everyone used to say how much he resembled his mother, as well as his father. He had a little bit of both.

"Lando… I…" he started, but Lando put up a hand to stop him.

"I know, Ben. You don't have to say anything. I think the fact that you're here says enough. And I'm glad you are." Chewie concurred and the sound of the Wookie made Ben smile. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed him. The last time they had seen each other, they hadn't exactly parted on good terms. As the memory came flooding back, Ben's face fell and, despite what Lando said, he still felt like he needed to apologize. Even if he had freed himself of the past, the memory of what he had done to his father would always come back to haunt him. He wished they could have had more time together.

"I don't expect you to forgive me for what I did," he said, addressing Lando and Chewie first and foremost, before turning to the rest of the people surrounding him. "For any of it. Just know that I'm sorry. And that I'm not that person anymore." He felt Rey grab his hand again, giving him her constant support. He dreaded the day she might no longer be there to give it to him. But he would make sure to keep her by his side. He was not about to lose her. Never again.

Pride shone off of Lando's face and he urged Ben to come into his embrace. "Welcome home, kid." Home. Ben had not felt at home in so many years. Not at Luke's academy. Definitely not with the First Order. But here, being with the people he loved and cared about… This was home.

An animalistic roar alerted him that Chewie was going in for a hug as well and Ben laughed as he tousled his hair. It was an affectionate gesture, followed by an apology for shooting him in the side with the bowcaster. "It's okay," Ben said. "I deserved it." Chewie held him closer, resting his furry head on top of Ben's. He was so warm and fuzzy. Oh yes, Ben had definitely missed him.

Rey looked on with fondness at the heartfelt reunion. Ben had been away from home for so long. The loving look on her face did not go unnoticed and Lando smirked to himself. He had picked up on it the moment he saw them standing together hand in hand. He should have known there was a woman involved in turning Ben back on the right path.

"Oh, and Ben?" he said and the boy hearkened. "You take care of that little lady now, okay? Don't let her out of your sight." Lando winked and Ben felt his cheeks flush at the statement, but took comfort in seeing Rey trying to hide her own blush. He smiled at his uncle all the same, albeit awkwardly.

"I won't." Finn and Poe were understandably confused.

"Have I missed something?" Poe asked his comrade, who shrugged in response. No one said another word about it, but let the mystery hang in the air. That was a matter for another time.

In the evening, there was a big party to celebrate the end of the war and the beginning of a new peaceful and prosperous era. Way into the night, people ate, drank, sang and danced to their hearts' content. A great bonfire was lit under the stars and Rey and Ben sat together, watching their friends and allies dancing in a circle around it. Rose came up to them, asking if they didn't want to join in as well, but they politely declined, being way too tired to even move. Rey rested her head against Ben's shoulder and found the lids of her eyes growing heavier and heavier. She couldn't think of a moment from her entire life when she had ever felt this content. This happy. Her worries were long gone. All that was left was the promise of a bright future, like Luke had said. Things could only get better from here on out.

Ben laid his head on top of hers and pulled her body close. He could stay like this forever, with her in his arms. There were no shadows looming over him anymore. No more voices haunting him. It was only the two of them and that was more than he ever could have asked for.

Soon, he felt her deep and steady breaths against him and concluded that she had fallen asleep, no doubt exhausted from a long day of trials. He was exhausted, himself. No one was looking on; no one noticed as he carefully picked her sleeping form into his arms and carried her away from the bonfire. The star- and moonlight danced on her features as he walked toward the barracks and he took the opportunity to admire her beautiful face so at peace. Her eyes then began to flutter open and she stared up into his face with a lazy smile. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," she said.

"I know you didn't," he replied. "But there are some things even you don't have the power to stop." A small laugh escaped her.

"And here I thought you didn't have a sense of humor." He merely smiled in return. He hoped to show her every side of him in the near future. To reveal his true self. He wasn't even sure if he knew his true self. All he knew was that when he was with her; that was when he most felt like the person he wanted to be.

Upon reaching the barracks, he carried her inside and laid her down on the closest bed. He helped take off her shoes and then proceeded to tuck her in, but she stopped him short. "Will you stay with me?" It was masked as a question, but she wasn't asking. Either way, her every wish was his command. He just hadn't expected her to say it. When he didn't say anything, she added, "Please. I don't want to be alone."

"Neither do I," he confessed. He had been alone for far too long. They both had.

He took off his own shoes and then slipped under the covers next to Rey. The bed might not have been made for two to sleep in, but it didn't matter. It only brought them closer. Rey snuggled in close, relishing in the warmth of his body next to hers. She felt safe here. Safe and loved. She wanted to tell him. Wanted to let him know just how much her heart ached for him to be there. But sleep was taking over her and she could see it was slowly taking over him as well. They had all the time in the world to share their feelings with each other. But for now, she would let him know the most important thing of all.

"I love you, Ben," she said and raised her hand to caress his face. His brown eyes, dark in the night, pierced through her soul. Their soul.

"I love you, too, Rey," he responded and planted a soft kiss on her head. Then he wrapped his arms around her and they closed their eyes, welcoming the dreams that now had become real.

A/N: Hi everyone, how are you? Wow, I am overwhelmed by the response the first chapter of this story got! Thank you all so much! I don't know how many chapters there will be, but at least not more than ten. That much I know. I just wanted to tell the story of Rey and Ben the way I picture it would go had Ben lived at the end of TROS. My personal belief is that he's in the World Between Worlds and that there may be a future story in a comic or an animated movie/series where Rey goes to get him back. Since they are a dyad in the Force and they share one soul, I don't think Ben is entirely dead and he cannot become one with the Force until Rey dies.

Just to clarify the last chapter: the Jedi knight with the beard and long hair is Qui-Gon Jinn, but since neither Rey nor Ben knows him and this story is from their perspective, I decided not to name him. And unless you couldn't tell, I was heavily inspired by the ending/transformation scene in Disney's Beauty and the Beast ;) See you guys next chapter!