Chapter 15
It took an entire day to reach their destination. Rey and Ben were headed to one of the most far off planets Rey knew of. Somewhere on the outer rim. Someplace quiet. Someplace safe. Even if you were an enemy of the Resistance and a traitor to the First Order, you could hide there and nobody could find you.
The Twenty-four hours it took to reach their destination went on in complete silence. For six hours Rey worked on her fallen ex-enemy in tireless concentration and gentleness. As carefully as possible, she kept him away from the gates of hell. When he was awake, the man who used to be Kylo Ren simply stared at her as he underwent the pain of treatment. Through the Force she knew that his body would heal from its wound. But his spirit was a different story. It was as if his soul had passed through a lake of fire and lava, and only a burnt reminder of him remained.
Ben would go between the conscious world and unconscious world intermittently as the hours passed. However, as he slept, she could feel the silent warmth of the distant star inside him. It was the same sensation she had felt for the past five years whenever he searched for her. She sensed the small and quiet light inside him that held no anger or hate, and only suffering and loneliness. All these years, it had been Ben Solo who had looked to the stars searching for her.
This realization made her heart ache. Deep inside her chest, she felt herself weep silently for the man who had fallen. What would have happened if he had resisted the urge of the Dark Side? Who would he have been? And even a different question remained, scratching at the back of her mind: What could they have been to each other?
Rey sighed, wiping at her forehead with her shaking hands. How long had she been awake? Closing her eyes for a moment, she felt herself sway as she knelt beside her patient. Just five minutes of rest? That wouldn't hurt, would it?
Opening her eyes, she got to her feet. Her legs shook just as hard as the rest of her, and she felt nauseous as the world spun. So tired. Rubbing at her arms, she felt goosebumps. Space was cold. With clumsy hands, she rummaged through the cabinets, searching for blankets. Finally she found some. Of course there were no beds, the ship was a troop carrier. Troop carriers were usually glorified ferries for taking troops from larger ships to ground units. They were not for long term space travel.
Stumbling back to where Ben lay on the floor, Rey carefully placed a blanket over him. She should have done it earlier. Grimacing, she only now noticed how cold he looked.
Slowly she knelt beside him, placing a bundle of blankets carefully under his head. The movement didn't wake him. With her hand still shaking, she carefully brushed away his dark hair from his face. This would probably be the most tender she would ever allow herself to be toward him. He had done things. Hurt people. And Rey doubted she could ever let herself forgive him.
Turning away, Rey grabbed the remaining blankets and dragged them a few feet to the other side of the hall. She collapsed on the cold floor, pulling the blankets over her exhausted body. Turning on her side, she took several deep breaths as her eyes fluttered shut. Sleep. She felt as if she could sleep for a week. And yet? Rey opened her eyes just slightly, glancing at the man who slept less than six feet away. No. He didn't frighten her. She knew he wouldn't hurt her while she slept. He never could hurt her.
(A.N. More to come, I promise! Please review!)
