Thank you to everyone who has followed, faved, and reviewed the story! Comments really help me to keep going, and it's been rough these last couple of months. We are getting closer to the end of the story, and I am sooooo stressed with how you all will take the finale. So stressed, that I've been procrastinating writing. But I will keep going! This story needs to end, because everything comes to an end eventually.

MBellicose: Welcome to the world of fanfiction, and I am honored that this story was one of the firsts you started reading! Hope the wait for this chapter wasn't too long for you! sweetes forbiden candy apple: You know me. I just love bringing in the feels! The Perlustrator: I am not a professional writer by any means. I'm not even an amateur; I'm below an amateur. lol. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to writing. I've been pursuing a degree in Forensic Science, and there hasn't been a lot of opportunities for creative writing. So I do apologize for the many mistakes throughout the chapters. I've recently got a beta to help me with this, so hopefully the writing improves. As for Anna and Jacen, them popping in was short and probably jarring for some. But while they didn't help further the plot, them showing up helps Rey mentally. Like, do you remember in the third Harry Potter movie when Harry successfully makes the patronus to fight off the dementors? He told Hermione he knew he could do it because he's already done it. It's kind of the same thing for Rey here. She knows she will win because she's already done it, because Jacen exists. How she'll win is still a mystery. But this knowledge aids her to keep fighting. Going up against Snoke, who is possessing the body of the man she loves, is a huge mental barrier to get over. So I wanted to give her something to help with that. If you find it a waste of time and did nothing for the story, you have the right to your opinion. I'm sure other people feel the same way. But I respectfully disagree. Not really sure how to respond to your comment about Rey being a twit. I mean, she has her own weaknesses to get over and she is young, but I hope you're satisfied with what she does in this chapter and the ones to come. She does develop a bit more from here to the end, but not to the point where she's a completely different person. Writing her character is a bit tricky since compared to Ren, she is the good person of the two. Thanks for liking Snoke's persuasion abilities! When I was researching Force powers, I came across that and thought it would be fitting for his character. Thanks for sticking with the story and for the comment! Aleta Wolff: I packed a lot into the last chapter. But it's what I do! lol. SheLitAFire: My new beta! Thank you so much. You've been helping me immensely and I appreciate it so much. To the reviews, I would like to think that Ben would actually make a good Emperor. And if they do that in the movies, it would be amazing because everyone is expecting him to suck at it. And I'm only knowledgeable about Star Wars because I have done so much research! Seriously, if I weren't writing this story, I wouldn't know as much. I'm not killing everyone off! I swear! Rogue One ruined me emotionally, so I wouldn't do that to you guys. I promise. Thanks so much for your comments! Sam Cl1: Hello! Thanks for reading the story and loving the arcs and development. Slow burn is my favorite, and I'm glad you find the smut to be just enough. I've only had two smut scenes, and I was like is that too much or too little? I know a lot of popular stories have huge followings because there's a lot of smut in the story, but I'm with you. Sometimes too much sex ruins a story for me. Hope you like where this story goes!

Well, we've made it to the conclusion of the action. I hope it's a satisfying conclusion for you all. If not, well, I tried!

Chapter Forty-nine

The Sith temple of Moraband was proving to be more of a maze than an actual sanctuary, its long halls and endless corridors confusing even the most experienced Lords who once walked through them.

So it was easy to surmise that Caliiya and Finn had no idea where they were going.

Blaster shots pinged past them, dislodging small chunks of stone from the crudely constructed walls. They turned right, only to enter into a massive underground chamber, sending a violent chill up Finn's spine. Light reached neither wall nor ceiling, confining their vision to the middle of the room where a single torch had been propped up.

They couldn't turn around; the troopers were almost upon them.

Finn grabbed Caliiya's hand and went deeper into the shadows. Phasma and her team entered the cavern, stopping as their eyes searched for them, but were only met with darkness. Trying to keep their breathing quiet, Finn and Caliiya stuck to the perimeter, trying to find another exit. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Finn quickly realized that the only way out was the way they came in.

The cavern shook, and a huge section of the high ceiling came crashing down. Caliiya and Finn flattened against the wall, the impact of the large rocks booming throughout the room and deep within their bones. Finn coughed from the thick dust.

While the cave-in had taken out most of the soldiers, the few left alive were staring right at him, the light from outside beaming down upon them like an inconvenient spotlight.

Caliiya and Finn went in two different directions as they dodged the barrage of fire. He aimed back with his own blaster pistol, trying to make his own suppressive fire as he dove from one pile of rocks to another. Then the shots stopped in his direction. He peered around the rock face to see Caliiya picking them off, two shimmering blades in hand. She was quick and efficient with the daggers, obviously more skilled with the knives than with a blaster.

He never even knew she had them on her, let alone that she was proficient with such blade play.

Finn rose to join her just as something came in fast from his periphery. He ducked and rolled before jumping back to his feet. Phasma aimed her rifle at him and pulled the trigger… but nothing happened. She looked down at the weapon and growled. Flipping a switch at the side, an electro-baton slid out from beneath the barrel. Finn fired, but every shot bounced off her armor, the specialized chromium proving to be impervious to the lowly charged bolts of a standard pistol.

Each swing was precise and strong, causing Finn to dodge and duck and jump. The fight had pushed them all the way into the hall, the confining space working in Phasma's favor as she swiped at Finn's leg and caused it to seize. He went down on one knee, catching Phasma's wrist as she brought the weapon down. Standing mostly on his other leg, he twisted her arm to her back and the rifle fell to the floor. She landed her boot square in his gut and sent him back a few feet.

Another quake came, stone slabs falling to the floor, crushing the rifle. They scrambled to opposite ends of the corridor, waiting till the shaking ceased. Once still, they stared at one another, each breathing hard.

"You could've been someone," Phasma said, rolling her shoulder to relieve the pain.

Finn tightened his jaw. "I am."

"A traitor."

"Better than a blind dog who never questions its master."

Phasma tightened her fists, arms shaking. A scream ripped from her lungs as she sprinted for him, a gleaming battering ram hell-bent on his demise. Finn inhaled, frozen, calculating when to move at just the right moment.

He squeezed the rock he kept concealed behind his body.

Finn sidestepped Phasma's wide reach, her fingers caressing the lapel of his jacket. He swung his arm around and hit her square in the back of her helmet. It dazed her for a moment, causing her swings to be sloppy.

Finn grabbed for her helmet and wrenched it off her head. She pushed at him as she staggered back. Finally, after years and years of speculation, Finn was able to finally see the face of Captain Phasma. The woman under the mask had a masculine beauty about her that Finn wasn't expecting. Short blonde hair, a round facial structure, and creamy pale skin made up the entirety of her look. But her steel blue eyes were what pulled at Finn's attention – they peered at him with a murderous intent that would put a hostile wolf to shame.

They grunted as Finn grabbed her armor and Phasma took in handfuls of his shirt, both attempting to wrestle the other to the ground. Phasma released a partial hold on him, jabbing Finn in the ribs, making his breath hitch. Then Finn released both hands and palmed the back of her head, bringing her face down sharply onto his knee. Blood flowed from her broken nose and she staggered backwards.

The ground quaked and the walls shook before pieces of broken off stone rained down upon them. Finn floundered back and fell, covering his eyes with his arm, trying to guard himself from falling debris. When all became still, he glanced at the damage, waving his hand through the cloud of desert dust. A mound of stone and rock filled the passageway, cutting him off from Phasma. He could hear the woman screaming in rage, no doubt trying to dig her way out. The side she was on had no exit; she was trapped. And if no one freed her, she would die there.

The corridor rumbled again, dislodging more of the ceiling. Finn got to his feet, but stumbled, cutting his palm on a loose rock before finding his footing. He watched from down the passageway as more debris was added to the barrier. Once it was over, Phasma was quiet. Had she been crushed on the other side? Was she dead? Part of him hoped she was, because dying of dehydration was a horrible way to go. But he couldn't deny that he believed that she deserved it. So whether she died right now or in a few days, she'd meet her end regardless.

And just like that, the woman was finally out of his life, their scuffle at an end. Bloody, violent, and short.

"Finn!"

He whirled around. Caliiya was already running to him when he met her in the middle, throwing his arms around her as his lips crashed onto hers. There was nothing gentle about the contact – teeth clashed, tongues fought for dominance, and hands gripped each other closer. Their pent up feelings for one another came to a head, a frenzy of sparks exploding in Finn's mind as Caliiya reciprocated her desires for him.

When they came back up for air, it was as if the veil of attraction lifted, both of them looking around at the unstable corridor. "We can finish this later," Caliiya said as she grabbed Finn's hand and ran.

"Do you know where you're going?" he asked her, both of them skidding as they rounded a corner.

"One of the cavern walls collapsed and I was able to get into one of the hallways. There's an opening to the outside just up here."

And by opening, she meant a whole section of the temple had ceased to exist, offering a wide enough space for a standard ship to go through. They climbed the rubble and made it outside, the landscape now fully lit by the morning haze of the sun.

Finn pulled out his comm to contact Harter, but found it to be broken. And where was everyone else? Did they make it out of the temple? Did they get Rey? Is Snoke dead? Finn watched the landscape roll like hazardous crimson waves, and he knew he didn't have time to find anyone else.

All he could do was hope that everyone was still alive.

Caliiya followed him as they traversed the sandy terrain, having to stop every minute or two as the ground shook and threatened to topple them over. He chose to give the spires a wide berth since most of them were starting to topple over and crumble. Wanting very much to keep his brains inside his skull, Finn took a different path back to the Falcon. The journey would take longer, but it was a small price to pay if the route allowed them to live.

Caliiya tugged at his sleeve as she slowed them to a stop, pointing at the sky to their left. "Do you see that?" Finn was about to tell her they didn't have time to be distracted, but the words dried up on his parched tongue as he saw two bodies falling from the clouds.

()()()()()

In the Force, Snoke was an echo of lightning, a shout of fire. Rey contradicted him with the light of a star, the coolness of an ocean.

Both sets of power made them formidable opponents.

But power aside, Rey was losing physical steam faster than Snoke. She had lasted a considerable amount of time without sustaining any injuries, using the Force to augment her endurance and strength. But as with all organisms that use their energy stores too quickly, she was starting to feel the early onset of fatigue.

And it allowed her to make her first mistake.

Snoke snapped his wrist and caught his lightsaber across Rey's hip. She cried out and backpedaled away, but Snoke stayed close. Fighting through the burning sting, she parried a short concession of his swings before he took her off guard again. His balled fist collided with her left cheekbone, flaying her neck backward like a reed caught in the wind. She stumbled, nearly falling over. But she regained her footing quick enough to slash her plasma blade through the air. He dodged her, but she anticipated his movement.

The back and forth went on longer than Rey thought possible, her remaining stamina giving her enough strength to keep going. Each time she went for his ring she failed, her attempts at trying to hide her intentions working against her. Striving to be subtle and fight at the same time was not a winning combination.

Eventually, Rey pivoted around and elbowed him square in the nose as she defected his swing. A part of her became reinvigorated from finally landing a blow.

Both staggering away from the other, their chests heaved as their lungs labored for air. Rey held the right side of her face that throbbed, too scared to inspect the damage done to her hip. Snoke wiped at his bloodied nose. They looked at each other, readying for another round after the short-lived interlude.

Then came a sound.

It was indistinct at first, hiding beneath the hum of the breeze. But as it drew closer to where Snoke and Rey stood, it became louder. It reminded Rey of when she'd been at Riosa's prison, listening to one of those beasts scrape it claws against the duracrete floor. Except, this was amplified.

The two opponents froze in the middle of the meadow, unsure of what was happening. Rey listened, willing the noise to fade and die away. But it didn't. The grating was soon accompanied by a gnashing and a snarl.

And then something rumbled from above them.

They looked up to the highest piece of hovering earth, catching sight of a shadow oozing and forming out of thin air. Watching the spectacle, Rey could sense the dark side and the light, but never as she had before. This pervasive evil and crackling radiance felt ancient and crazed, something to either be worshipped or locked away.

A being that could decimate the entire universe.

Rey's already pallid complexion went gaunt. Deep within the knowledge Ben had bestowed upon her, she knew who was behind the pervasive power. Once a woman driven to stay with the immortal, she had drank from the Font of Power and bathed in the Pool of Knowledge. Her actions corrupted her, transforming her into a twisted immortal entity. Her corruption led to her imprisonment by the hands of those she'd believed to be her family:

The Ones– the Father, the Son and Daughter.

This… this is bad, Rey thought.

Snoke launched himself in the air, landing on the nearest pad of soil. As much as Rey's body protested, she followed, jumping from one patch of earth to the next. Landing on the highest tier, she grabbed at her aching hip, watching as Snoke neared the dimensional rip.

He held out his hands. Darkness met darkness. Being so close, Rey couldn't fight the creeping sensation of a cold and slimy ooze that slithered up the veins of her legs and culminated in the pit of her gut. All this time she believed Snoke to be the dark side reincarnate.

She was wrong.

The dark side this being possessed was otherworldly and foul, malevolent in its goal.

Rey stood, horrified as she caught onto Snoke's intentions. "You can't control her!" she shouted over the booming roar. "She'll destroy everything, including you!" But Snoke paid her no heed.

So she ran right at him, saber ignited.

His attention shifted back to her as they exchanged blows. Punches were parried, ankle sweeps dodged, but Rey could tell Snoke was purposefully pushing Rey to the ledge. On reflex, she glanced back, wondering how much ground was left between her and nothing. Snoke pounced on her being momentarily distracted. He locked his saber with hers, twisted and thrusted up, disarming her.

The blade flew in the air and then fell, disappearing.

Rey ducked and sidestepped the incoming blows, but couldn't stop from being forced to the edge. Her endurance was close to depleted, and Snoke took advantage of her slowing movements. As Rey ducked another swing, his boot came into contact with her midsection, his strength augmented enough by the Force to send her flying back.

She fell.

The world rushed by her in a blur, going fast, too fast for her to slow down. Then, impact. Her bones moved in a way they shouldn't, jangled. She didn't stir, barely even breathed. Without looking, she knew her body was broken. To what extent, she wasn't sure. There was usually a certain amount of pain involved in such a collision, but her nerves were mercifully numb and deadened.

Probably from shock.

Dipping into that ever shrinking well of her will, Rey forced herself to stand. Her left leg couldn't bare any of her weight, so she balanced on her right. She couldn't straighten her body completely, a dull ache forming in her hip and ribs. Her vision spun, eyes blinking as she tried to focus.

With frightful velocity, the shadow that had surrounded Snoke approached her from the tier above, a tangible darkness advancing almost like a wall, swift as thought, silent as doom. It became startlingly cold, dew forming on her skin, the chill perhaps physical as well as mental. Rey's nerves quivered as the black shadow enveloped her, a vast, palpable presence overwhelming her senses.

She fell to her knees. Flattened to the ground, a death-like trance making her seize.

Then out upon the darkness, sublime and radiant, was a small orb, floating down to her from above. It hovered beside her head, the light pulsating with familiarity. It came close, caressing her cheek. She recognized this energy, from one soul to another: it was her mother.

Other silvery orbs joined and cascaded through the shadows.

Her father.

Poe.

Jess.

Han.

These orbs were not the entirety of who they'd once been, but a mere echo of their consciousness. It was the Force's way of comforting her, by letting her feel just a sliver of the people she'd cared so much about.

The essence of her father landed softly atop her hand, and she could feel the warmth of his love for her slow her heart and even out her breathing. Looking past the small sphere, she saw the glimmering ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi. When she met his stare, he gave her a nod and a small, reassuring grin.

There had been moments in Rey's life where circumstances or luck had realigned her motivations so she could keep going. Keep going for what? She was never really sure. A scavenger's existence was never meant to lead anywhere significant.

But she had learned.

Fifteen years of fighting, but holding onto her compassion; of feeling despair, but believing in more, was resolved into this single moment. The sole purpose of her existence had been to prepare her to cross the threshold into darkness, and for her light to prevail.

And she would prevail, because she knew she'd already done it – Jacen was the proof. If he existed, then she and Ben would live.

During those precious seconds in the meadow, surrounded by those who cared for her, thinking of one day having a son, Rey peered at the power inside of her and knew exactly how to control it.

She closed her eyes, breathed out a lifetime of grief and doubt, and vanished.

At the top tier of the broken up earth, the fabric of existence had been partially torn, spewing out the dark essence of the Bringer of Chaos. Snoke, with arms outstretched, poured his power into opening the threads further. But then light, brilliant in all its facets and colors, exploded between him and the tear, flinging him onto his back amongst the flowers and grass.

The inky tendrils were sucked back through the breach, a howl like that of a dying gundark rippling through the air. The darkness dissipated and the aperture sealed, the Beloved Queen of the Stars pushed back into her prison.

From the ground, Snoke gazed up at Rey, her body devoid of the previous cuts and bruises as she pulled back her shoulders and squared off at him.

Snoke jumped to his feet and rushed at her, his features twisting into a facsimile of his rage. He didn't even bother going for his saber; his searing wrath urging him to twist her neck with his own bare hands till her spine snapped and her head came free. But just as he came upon her, he grasped at air and stumbled right through her form. He skirted to a stop and spun around. Rey pivoted to meet his surprised stare, mocking him with a smile.

The apparition evaporated.

The real flesh and blood Rey had stayed out of sight, laying a trap to get Snoke closer to the edge so she could take him off guard.

Appearing behind him, Rey could feel herself on the cusp of death, the expulsion of so much of her own light through the projection leaving her with clammy skin and quaking muscles. She was barely holding herself upright, every intake of air making her wheeze, her lungs forgetting how to properly hold in the much needed oxygen.

But through the aches, she was able to do two things with simultaneous fluidity: with her left hand, she grabbed for the ring and wrenched it off his thumb; and with her other arm, she wrapped it around his neck and yanked them both off the ledge.

Falling was the easiest part to all this. She only had to let go and gravity did the rest.

Kayani's voiced boomed in her head, the woman's words mostly a jumbled mess as if all the thoughts that had been suppressed were now being played all at once. But Rey got the impression of what she needed to do.

Limbs flailed as Snoke tried to dislodge from her, but she was too persistent. Fighting not just against Snoke, but the twisting of her stomach and the constriction of her throat, she was able to unclip the saber from his belt and throw it away.

The trajectory in which they fell was perfect; not a single piece of earth got in their way. Snoke tried to pull himself to one of the platforms, but Rey would disrupt his focus with her fists aimed at his face. He wasn't physically fighting back, just trying to get away from her. Since he no longer had the safety of the ring, he knew that being this close to her could prove to be fatal.

And fatal it was.

She was able to daze him enough that for a split second, he glanced at her. It would have been a fleeting stare, nothing too inconsequential if the interaction had been under normal circumstances. But it was just enough for Kayani to latch onto him, to lock him and Rey in a gaze that gave her tunnel vision and silenced the roar of the rushing air. For those precious moments, she was suspended in time, mouth agape, and eyes tight.

Rey could feel Kayani dislodging from within her. She began to panic. "Will I die if you leave me?" Rey asked, letting the thought run rampant through her mind.

"No," Kayani answered, voice distant, echoing. "My brother was always a master at lies and manipulation. To die is not your fate. But know that what's to come is the will of the Force. I am but a piece in which to do its bidding. We all are."

Kayani's voice was now a faint whisper. "You've been so brave, Rey. So strong," she commended. "For that, I leave you with a portion of my power, for where I'm headed, I will not need it."

There was a beat of silence, as if Kayani was taking a last breath. "Until we meet again, may the Force be with you. Always."

She felt the last of Kayani and Snoke slip away, the last ounce of their consciousness separating her and Ben with an explosion of power.

Her perception of time distorted, and she had no idea how long she'd been plummeting. Above her, there were no floating pieces of earth, only the white, sunless sky that gave her no sense of time. She didn't have the strength to fight against the rushing of the air to seek out Ben as she fell, nor could she oppose the exhaustion that took her away from the touch-taste-see-hear of reality.

The dissociation should've terrified her. But she was far past being afraid of anything at this point.

The infinite sky above seemed to be growing brighter, almost to the level of it being blinding. The air became warmer, more inviting. Dwindling, dropping, Rey's eyes drifted closed, and then a white flash of light propelled her the rest of the way into oblivion.

()()()()()

Ren opened his eyes in shock, and found he was falling.

Panicked, he reached his hand out, kissing the hazy sky of dawn, grasping at the endless crevasse of crimson. Everything was distorted, a blur that swirled and moved. In those seconds of twirling and jerking, Ren recalled where he'd been.

Or rather, the obscure images of what had happened. How he'd held on when Snoke had tried to push him out, he had no idea. It was a miracle, really. But with what little influence he had over his body, he tried to help those he cared for. In those fleeting moments where he caught what was transpiring, he brought pain upon Snoke.

He hadn't been able to keep doing it, though. He'd been fading, quickly. But now he was awake.

Rey.

He twisted his body, the warm atmosphere hitting his face, blurring his vision as his eyes watered from the pelting dust. Below and off to the side, Ren spotted Rey's curled body. His acceleration quickened, the wind in his face making it almost impossible to breathe, like he would suffocate before he ever reached her. But for once, fortune was on his side. He grabbed Rey's arm and pulled her close, the scarlet desert below quickly becoming larger.

Ren focused on slowing their descent. At the velocity they were falling, he was forced to drain almost every single morsel of his power just to do so. He reduced them down to a more leisurely decline, and after much effort, they were now floating rather than falling. He plopped them down upon the sand, his back hitting the ground as he shielded Rey's body from feeling any of the shock.

Laying there, breathing as if he'd just sprinted, Ren felt a rush of emotions he couldn't begin to describe. It was the feeling you get from almost dying but not; from believing you'd already lived your last moments, but here you were.

The ground quaked. Ren tightened his hold on Rey as he glanced to the side, watching as a piece of desert cracked and disappeared. His time of living through perilous situations was not over, it would seem.

He sat up and looked down at Rey in his arms. He stopped breathing, eyes popping wide open. For a moment, he forgot all about the danger of the uncertain ground, his brain only having room to process what he was seeing.

Rey's left eye was completely swollen shut, her adjacent cheekbone sunken in, and her bottom lip torn open. Her skin, once sun kissed and soft, was now bruised, bloodied, and tattered.

He brought his hand up to gently whisk away the stray hairs in her face. "Rey," he whispered at first. Then he repeated her name, each time his voice becoming louder and louder. She wouldn't wake up, and he had to hold back from shaking her.

Feeling her body through the Force, he attempted to mend her injuries, but failed. He couldn't heal her. If he tried, he would die. But if he didn't, she might not live. So he gave her some of his energy, hoping it would jolt her body into fighting for its own survival.

Something fell to the ground beside them. It was a pair of lightsabers: his grandfather's, and his own.

Someone yelled out his name. He lifted his gaze, seeing Finn and Caliiya sprinting towards him. The closer they got, the more horrified they became, their eyes going straight to Rey. Finn went to his knees, his hands hovering over Rey's body before he pulled back.

"She won't wake up," Ren said, voice cracking and tight. He was crying. He wasn't sure when he had started. "I've tried healing her, but…." he tapered off, finding that he couldn't admit that he was too weak to do much. "Help her."

Finn lifted his gaze to Ren, his jaw going slack as they stared at one another. Ren pleaded with his eyes, completely at Finn's mercy.

The trooper cleared his throat. "We need to get to the Falcon. The temple's collapsing." Ren let Finn take Rey into his arms, then grabbed the lightsaber's and clipped them to his belt. He stood on his own, but fell to his knees when the earth violently shook.

He found that he couldn't get back up.

Caliiya flung his arm over her shoulders and helped him to his feet, successfully baring most of his weight onto her small frame. Ren never knew it was possible to hit a whole new level of exhaustion that made him not give a damn about his pride, but here he was. Not giving a damn.

He wouldn't be able to walk on his own if it weren't for Caliiya; Ren was humble enough to admit it.

They didn't have to venture far; the Falcon had already been in the air, searching for them. It touched down nearby, the ramp lowering as they hurried on board. Caliiya let go of Ren, going to the cockpit to relieve Harter of being the pilot. Now able to somewhat stand on his own, Ren followed Finn to the med alcove, taking Rey's hand in his own.

He siphoned another minuscule amount of energy into her, but she still didn't stir.

Finn was frantically going through the drawers, peeling off bacta patches and strategically placing them on her face and arms. They both simultaneously noticed a deep gash in her hip, recognizing it as a lightsaber wound.

"What the hell happened?" Finn asked, peering closer at the grotesquely charred piece of flesh.

"I think you know," was all Ren could say.

Finn exhaled and shook his head. Harter was suddenly there, taking Finn's place in assessing Rey. Ren refused to let go of Rey's hand, even though Harter insisted that she needed room to work. He couldn't help that his emotions were controlling him.

Harter tried easing him away by letting him know that Leia, Luke, and Chewie had all made it. The news was more than welcome, but it did nothing to make him leave Rey's side.

Rey's eyes started to flutter open. A groan escaped her swollen lips.

"Rey," Harter said gently, stroking the girl's hair. "Rey, you're okay. You're on the Falcon."

Ren squeezed her hand, inching closer to her line of sight. When she saw him, her one good eye widened. Then he was suddenly soaring across the room, hitting the wall and collapsing to the ground.

Rey screamed, the shrill tone tearing through Ren's ears like a sharp shard of glass. He looked up from the vantage point of the floor, and the scream came again as they made eye contact. Her legs pounded against the alcove's padding, her arms thrashing as Harter and Finn tried to contain her.

It wasn't working.

The Falcon creaked and shook, lights fluttering on and off.

Harter was quick on her feet – she grabbed a sedative from her bag and injected it into Rey's arm, causing her movements to slow until she was fully sedated.

Ren wasn't aware that he made the conscious decision to stand until he was already halfway to the alcove. He stopped by Rey's feet, staring at her, his heart thudding like a rock rattling in a box. His vision went out of focus, his face draining of color.

Harter and Finn were unaware of his presence as they stripped Rey of her clothes, leaving her in her chest wrap and underwear. Her left knee was swollen to twice its size, the skin surrounding it turning purple. Her whole midsection and ribcage were splotched with bruises and welts. The slash on her hip oozed and smelled foul.

It was a lot for Ren to take in.

Harter was taking internal scans of Rey's body when she glanced at Ren and yelled out for Finn to catch him. Ren hadn't realized he was going into shock until he felt his legs give and voices muffle.

Finn guided Ren to one of the private rooms, letting him collapse onto the bed. Then, he was left alone.

He curled into a fetal position, skin clammy and shaking. Rey might've been sedated, but he could still hear her screams, could still see her face. The look she'd given him was one of hysteria and disbelief, bordering on terror.

He kept his breathing quiet, for fear that even the smallest noise would bring about panic and fear and light and awareness.

Ren still didn't remember much from the short time Snoke had been in control, and maybe that was a blessing. He didn't need to see how his own fists had beaten her, how his own saber had scorched through her flesh. From Rey's numerous injuries, it was obvious what had happened between them.

How do they come back from that?

It was Snoke who had done those things, but it had been Ren's body that had dealt the blows. Could she ever look at him like she used to? Could she hear his voice without going into a panic? Could he touch her without her cringing?

Snoke was dead, and yet, the bastard was still screwing with his life.

But even as Ren thought that, something felt off. Yes, Snoke was dead. Ren could sense that through the Force. But then why was there just a sliver of his connection left in Ren's mind? It should be completely gone.

Ren's thoughts didn't last long as his body drifted to a dreamless sleep, granting him some rest. He could've been out for a few minute or a few hours, it was hard to tell at the moment he was being woken up with a nudge to the shoulder.

Finn loomed over him and then backed away, allowing Ren to sit up. His joints creaked and his muscles were tight, especially in his neck. He rolled his head from side to side, rubbing the tension away. Finn held out a canteen and some rations, silently watching as Ren guzzled the fuel down.

Ren wiped at his mouth with his sleeve, feeling his stomach cramp from the sudden intrusion of sustenance.

"We're almost back to the fleet," Finn simply said.

Ren drank what remained in the canteen before placing it on the bed. "How long have I been asleep?" Even with rest and water, his throat still felt soar.

Finn calculated the time in his head. "About four hours. I came in here to check on you a few times, make sure you were still alive." Finn slightly grinned as if he were trying to be funny. Ren's face remained impassive. "Harter even came in to see if you had any pressing injuries to tend to, but I guess you didn't. We did put a bacta patch on your nose, though."

Ren's fingers came up to his nose, feeling the normal grooves and bumps, noticing that it was tender to the touch. He hadn't even realized his nose had been injured.

Hands resting on the bed, his eyes went to the floor as he sheepishly asked, "How's Rey?"

"She needs surgery on her knee, and will probably have to get her appendix taken out since it's swelling. But she's stable… and awake." Ren's head snapped up, meeting Finn's gaze. "She's asking for you."

Ren went back to staring at the floor. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better."

Finn laughed with a snort. "Sparing your feelings is the last thing I'd do. Trust me. Rey wants to see you. And if I can't get you to come out there, she said, and I quote, "Then you'll either help me get to his room, or I'll make it so you can't get in my way." So… if you could do me a solid and go to her, that'd be great."

Ren's grip on the edge of the mattress tightened. "She didn't react so well when she last saw me."

Finn shifted his weight to his other leg, remembering how that had all played out. "Apparently, she doesn't remember any of that. And she feels horrible for how she reacted." Ren didn't say anything. Finn sighed, hesitated, and then sat next to him on the bed. The awkward silence went on for a few moments, both men gazing at the wall or door. "Look," Finn said in a more friendly tone, "Snoke is dead, the war is over. There's nothing standing in your way anymore. You two can be together without constantly worrying."

But that wasn't entirely true.

"Snoke is dead…" Ren agreed slowly. "But I can still sense him."

Finn angled his body at Ren, mouth falling open. "What?" he finally asked. "What does that even mean?"

He shook his head, gaze falling to his lap. "I don't know. He's gone, he can't hurt anyone anymore, but… I can still somewhat sense his existence."

"Man, you're freaking me out. Are you saying he can come back–"

"No," Ren quickly said, then his shoulders slumped. "I don't know. Contrary to popular belief, there are many things I still don't understand about the Force."

There was a stroke of silence. Then, Finn asked, "Are you gonna tell Rey?"

"No. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this either."

"Why'd you tell me in the first place?"

Ren shrugged. "I felt like I could." Finn rubbed his hands against his trousers, and it wasn't difficult for Ren to sense his unease. "You think I shouldn't keep this from Rey?"

"For now? I think you should. But permanently? No. When she woke up, she told me what happened, and she seemed so at peace knowing Snoke was gone for good. Don't ruin that for her."

Ren agreed not to.

As silence draped back over them, he thought Finn would leave, but the man appeared to be lost in his own thoughts.

Finn chewed at the inside of his cheek. "Have you thought a lot… about Poe and Jess?"

Ren tensed. "There's rarely a time when I'm not thinking about them," he responded honestly.

Finn looked at the door, his stare distant. "Poe was the first friend to believe in me, you know."

"Me too." Ren inhaled, long and deep. "And Jess was…." He wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. Was she just an acquaintance? Or a friend? He almost considered her as if she'd been a younger sister, which made the loss feel that much more crushingly tragic.

"You didn't fail Jess," Finn told him softly.

"I didn't save her, either." Ren's hands formed into fists. If he hadn't still been wearing his gloves, his fingernails would've drawn blood. "I got her out of those caves on Er'Kit, but she just ended up dying in a different one anyway."

Finn shook his head. "She died a free woman, instead of a slave. Because of you, she was given more time to live her life."

"I guess." Ren's shoulders drooped, his posture slightly bowing. "I wish they could've lived long enough to see how it all turned out."

"Doesn't the Jedi teach that when you die, you become one with the Force?" Finn queried. Ren nodded. "Well, the Force is in everything, so you could say that they're always with us. To a certain degree, anyway."

Ren looked at him, brow raised. "Been reading up on Jedi lore?"

"A little. The Force is a huge aspect of Rey's life. I wanted to understand it better."

"Where's your research coming from?"

"The HoloNet."

"The HoloNet?" Ren scoffed in offense. The HoloNet was a melting pot of data that anyone could add anything to. Getting information from there was hardly reputable. Or advised.

"It's not like I can just dip into the Jedi archives or something," Finn argued, noticing how Ren was judging him.

"The First Order acquired a lot of the Jedi archives from the Empire," Ren explained. "They aren't permanently gone. And you certainly have the clearance to look at them now."

Finn's mouth hung open. "I didn't know that."

Ren shrugged. "Regardless of where you got your information, your eagerness in wanting to learn is amiable. I can almost respect you for that."

Finn raised his palms. "Whoa, don't go getting emotional on me. Quick, say something to offend me before this gets too awkward."

Ren chuckled through his nose, looking down at his lap as if he could hide the hints of a smile.

Strange… Finn's presence actually helped him to feel slightly better.

Moving to the door, Finn stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, and uh… before you come out, you should wash up and find some spare clothes to change into."

"Why?"

"Rey wants you looking your best."

"For what?"

Finn gave him a mischievous grin. "You'll see."

A/N

What could it mean?! Muahahahahaha!

But yup, this chapter resolves all the fighting that's been going on. The chapters that follow will be all about resolution and wrapping up any loose ends. I know I said two more chapters left, but after I post the next one, I'm thinking it will take two more to get to the ending I've always envisioned. But we are so, so close to the grand finale everyone!

I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm not a fan of writing action and it stresses me out. Choreographing it all is hard, but I hope you feel some satisfaction with how things turned out.

Now since the next chapter is 95% done, look for it to be posted tomorrow or Tuesday! It probably has the most fluff I've ever written in a chapter. Or, the nicest Ren I've ever written in a chapter. lol. Would you all like a preview? Okay!

His torso tensed as he pinched his eyes between his forefinger and thumb, visibly distraught and on edge. But his feet remained planted in the doorway, so far away from her.

"Ben," she beckoned, "come over here. Please." If she could, she would've gone to him the moment he appeared, but she was too weak to be doing anything other than giving the med alcove's padding a job.

Ben took a few deep breaths before closing the distance between them. She offered him her hand, and he took it with a nervous reluctance before sitting on a small crate.

Rey gave his hand a squeeze. "Look at me," she tenderly implored.

Thanks for reading everyone!