***Author's Note***

Okay, so. Hugely angsty chapter. Everybody's dealing with the fallout of D'Qar, so...yeah. Enjoy!

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Ben and Rey did not stir until the shuttle was entering the atmosphere of Tagoria. Rey helped Ben struggle to his feet, and Poe offered Luke an arm to help lead him down the loading ramp. The landing pad was swarming Tagorians. They reminded Rey somewhat of Wookies, except that these creatures were decidedly feline in appearance. Their native tongue was harsh and guttural. With relief, she saw a familiar face running towards them. Leia ran straight for her son, stopping short when she saw that he could barely stand. She turned to ask her twin what had happened, and gasped in horror when she saw his face. She reached up gingerly to cup his face. "Luke, your eyes." Luke patted his sister's hands, smiling gently.

"Leia. I'm alright. Don't worry so much about me." Just then, two massive Tagorians came stalking towards them. It was difficult to call their movements anything else; they prowled everywhere they went. One was husky with all-white fur and piercing blue eyes. The other was slighter with orange-and-white fur, and stunning yellow eyes.

The Orange-and-white furred Targorian spoke first, though it was thickly (and oddly) accented. "I am Tyrnia, and this is Tryga, my brother. Our father is Muuurgh, and our mother is Mrrov." Ben's eyebrows shot up. "I see you have heard of them. Always, we were taught stories of the Jedi, and of Han Solo. It grieved my parents deeply to hear of his death. Anything you need, just ask. We will see to your wounded; we have very great medical facilities here." Tyrnia gestured for them to follow her.

Just then, Ben felt Rey slide to her knees beside him. Ben was on his own knees, catching her, before anyone else knew what was happening. She was deathly pale, and her skin was going cold. Ben shifted his right arm, feeling something soaking into his sleeve. What he saw drained what little blood was left from his face. There was a nasty diagonal slash across her back, but Ben couldn't see how bad it was through the robe. He reached underneath the bulky material, and what he discovered made him nauseous; he could feel her spine as he explored her wound. "She's been holding herself together with the Force. Please, take her somewhere safe." Ben gagged as he turned quickly away and vomited all over the shuttle's loading bay. He made to stand, but the world gave a sickening lurch, and the last thing he remembered was being lifted by something incredibly strong, and carted off after Rey.

He woke to find himself on a cold metal slab, with Tryga staring at him. "Your mate is in a bacta tank." He nodded towards the back of the medbay. Where Ben could sense Rey's presence.

"Please, help me up. I need to speak with my mother. But first, I'd like to see Rey." Tryga nodded and reached over to help Ben to his feet. Tryga gave Ben his massive paw and helped him hobble to Rey's bacta tank. Ben put both hands on the tank and leaned his forehead against it, breathing a sigh of relief at her presence. From there, Tryga led Ben to where Leia was holding a war meeting. She glanced up as her son entered the room, leaning heavily on Tryga.

"Ben! You should be resting." She looked hard and long into her son's face. "So. What's wrong? Everybody knows something, and nobody will tell me anything. Not until I talk to you."

Ben heaved a heavy sigh, and tears came to his eyes. Leia backed up a step, eyes wide. "Mother, I have news. Padme is alive." A gasp echoed around the small room. Leia continued to back away, shaking her head. "You already know what I have to say. In your heart, you have always known, as I have. Padme and Ren are one and the same." Leia shuddered out a sob, and sank to her knees, still shaking her head.

"No," she whispered. "You've made a mistake."

Ben straightened as far as the wound to his abdomen would allow, raising his voice to a bellow. "I know the face of my own twin! I know her voice! It is not something I could ever forget. She was standing right in front of me, Mother! For fifteen years, and I missed it!" His voice cracked as the tears in his eyes spilled over. "Fifteen years, and I never figured it out. I saw her face. There is no mistake, Mother." Ben sank to his knees in front of his mother, and leaned forward to take her hands in his. "How did I miss this? The darkness inside of her, Mother. My own twin. I never noticed a change in her. And yet, we have the evidence right in front of us that we missed something." Ben leaned into his mother's shoulder as he wept. "How did we miss this?" He muttered brokenly into Leia's shoulder.

They knelt there together for what seemed like hours, sharing in the heartbreak of the sudden revelation. Finally, Leia stirred and rose, drying her eyes on her sleeve as Tryga helped Ben to his feet. "We will discuss this further later. Now, I need to speak with my brother." The assembled Resistance leaders seemed to pull themselves from their shock and quietly backed out of the room, leaving the family to their grief. "Go, Ben. Be with your fiance." Leia waited until the doors had slid shut behind her son. Luke. I need you. She waited until she heard in response. Come; I've been waiting for you. Leia found her brother waiting for her in her own chambers. "Ben just told me. How long have you known?"

Luke sighed. "Since Rey had the same vision that plagued both Padme and Ben since they were children. But I knew I had to let you discover it on your own, all of you. I'm sorry that it has caused you so much pain, but it had to be this way. You and I both know what it is Padme has become. She is a full Sith now. It breaks my heart."

Leia nodded. "I think I've known for some time, myself. But still, accepting it is...painful." Leia sighed again. "How are you doing? It can't be easy for you, losing your eyes."

Luke stiffened. "I'm fine."

"You were never a very good liar, Luke. Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself."

Luke's hand came up to cover his face. "The truth? The truth is, I've never been so afraid. I will never see again, Leia! I'll never see your face, or Ben's. I won't be able to see him marry Rey. So many things I'll never enjoy again. I'll never see another sunrise, another tree, another gentle afternoon on a beach, watching the waves lap lazily at the shore." His breath caught in his throat. "I'm just a blind old man now, Leia. I can't sleep at night, because my body doesn't know when nightis anymore! My visions terrify me now when they come. They hurt my head in a way they never used to. Leia, I can't even cry! My wound destroyed my tear ducts. Can you imagine? I'm not just blind now; I literally have no eyes! I'm hideous. I will never be able to train a child again without them regarding me with fear and loathing. I can't..." Luke could say no more as a broken sob rose in his throat.

Leia led him over to the bed so they could sit. "I know. It's just too much. I don't know where to turn, or what to do." Luke laid his head in his sister's lap, taking comfort as she stroked his hair like a child. "I've never felt so helpless in my entire life. My own daughter. What do I do, Luke? How can I..." She broke off, hunching over her brother, sobbing. They held each other that way, until Captain Wedge Antilles keyed in the code and entered Leia's room, finding the twins asleep in each others' arms. Some things never change, Wedge thought. He helped Leia into bed, and helped Luke into an armchair by the fireplace, laying thick blankets over him. Wedge quietly left the room, grateful that Leia wasn't alone tonight.

As Ben slumped his way back to the medbay, he sensed something...off. He mentioned this to Tryga, and together, they investigated. Ben paused in front of a door. He waved a hand, and it opened. Poe looked up in surprise. His sleeve had been pulled back to reveal a new cybernetic hand. There were bloody furrows where it connected to his wrist; it looked like he had been trying to tear it off. Poe's eyes were distant; like he was in shock.

"Poe. Listen to me. You have to stop. You're only hurting yourself."
Poe jerked, "Look at me! I can't get this thing off!"

Ben lunged for Poe, trapping his hands. "I know, Poe. I understand."

"How!? How can you understand?

"Look at me!" Ben roared. "Some mornings, I look in the mirror and want to tear off my arm and leg. You think I'm alright? How can I be!? I'm hideous! Everywhere I go, I get looks of pity and revulsion! Some days when Rey touches my cybernetics, I nearly shudder. I can't stand the sight of myself. You are not the only one who's been through this! It hurts like hell for a long time, and nothing you do helps." Ben rubbed at his left elbow. "I do a good job of pretending I don't care, but some days, I just want to tear the thing off. Do you know the only reason why I've adjusted as well as I have? Rey. That's it. Just Rey. She keeps me together. You need to find something that does the same for you. Get back in the cockpit, Poe. Don't let this thing win." Ben rested his hands on Poe's shoulders.

Poe nodded. "Thanks, Ben."

"Of course. Just don't let me catch you doing something so foolish again." Poe nodded again. Ben helped him get into bed, where he fell quickly into a dreamless sleep. Ben left the room, feeling drained. Tyrga helped him into one of the beds in the medbay, where Ben quickly slept, thoroughly exhausted.

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***Author's Note***

So. Kinda a doozy. Don't worry, there will be more lemony happiness soon! Thanks for reading, as ever!