Though it remained behind their Force shield on the island, there was a powerful presence in the Force. Luke knew they all felt it—it was unmistakable.

But as the days passed by, none of the three talked about it. Perhaps none of them wanted to say the name aloud, Luke thought, as if acknowledging his existence would materialize the Dark master out of thin air. They were secured behind layer upon layer of Force shields that they'd erected on their section of the island, but still, the presence was always there, always probing the edges of their shields, reverberating through the Force itself like a spider crawling ever closer on a taut web.

Luke knew they all understood that they couldn't remain hidden from Snoke forever. At some point, they would be found. All it would take would be one quick connection through the Force, one waver on the web, and he would close in on them.

….

Rey sliced back and forth in front of Ben, backing him toward the cliff's edge.

"Come on, Kylo!" she challenged, laughing.

Ben smiled and braced his saber against hers, keeping her at arm's length. His mouth pressed into a line as he stole a glance over his shoulder, realizing that he was only a few feet from the cliff's edge and the roiling water below. That's a long way down, he thought.

"What, afraid of heights?" Rey teased.

Ben faced her again, planting his feet firmly into the grass. "I didn't say that," he scowled.

Rey laughed. "You don't have to say anything. It's all over your thoughts."

Ben shoved forward with his saber, sending Rey stumbling back a few steps.

"You are afraid of heights," she realized. Ben caught his breath and watched her calmly as she sifted through his mind.

"And you're not?" he asked, gesturing to the cliff behind him.

Rey shrugged. "Well, of course I wouldn't want to fall off, but for years I propelled down from the ceilings of star destroyers back on Jakku. Heights aren't anything new for me." She bent over as she too caught her breath, resting her free hand on her knee.

"Why don't we call it quits for the evening," Ben suggested, disengaging his lightsaber and clipping it to the belt at his hip. He peered back over his shoulder at the remaining line of yellow-orange on the ocean's horizon. "We can go to bed early," he said flatly. Had they been alone on the island, he'd have been more excited to go to bed.

Rey rose and blew the hair from her face. "So we can what? Wake up early and walk circles around the island with Luke, as usual?" she asked, propping a hand on her hip.

Ben stepped toward her to brush the rest of the loose hair from her face. "I guess so," he admitted.

"That's all we've been doing for the past few weeks. That, and lightsabers," Rey said emptily.

Gently, Ben cupped her cheek. "There isn't much else we can do to pass the time, Rey," he said, locking eyes with her. "You know that."

Rey's eyes softened, and Ben leaned down and kissed her. Ben wrapped an arm around her middle, holding her close. Her lips were salty, whether from sweat or the briny sea air he wasn't sure. Rey's hand lifted to the side of his face, and as their lips slowly parted, they held each other's gaze. The rising wind blew strands of Rey's hair back across her forehead, and not for the first time, Ben felt dizzied by her beauty.

Ben's gaze suddenly grew hazy, and he narrowed his eyes at her. For just a moment, it appeared as if Rey were standing at the edge of a balcony, her hand extending out to him.

Ben blinked, stepping back, and the image was gone.

Rey frowned. "What's wrong, Ben?"

Ben stared at her, shaking his head. "Nothing," he said, raising his eyebrows. "I...I think I'm just tired."

Rey narrowed her eyes as she sorted through his mind. "You saw something."

"Well, yes. I saw you. For a second, I thought...it looked like you were...somewhere else," he trailed, shaking his head. He found himself unable to explain the feelings suddenly coursing through him.

"And?" she prompted, moving forward to press her hand to his chest. Her lips parted as she sensed his emotions. "It made you feel…"

"Good," he answered, studying her questioning eyes. "Almost...Hopeful." He cupped her face and kissed her again, allowing his feelings to flood through their bond. I love you.

Rey responded in kind, her yearning bleeding through to him. She gripped onto the front of his coat, her fingers digging through the fabric as her lips moved with greater urgency. "Ben," she whispered as she paused for breath between kissing.

An icy breeze blew between them, and Rey shivered even as Ben wrapped his arms tighter around her. The chill of the night air was becoming intolerable.

"Let's go inside before you catch a cold," Ben decided, steering her towards the line of huts.

"I hate those huts," Rey muttered, shivering as she squeezed his hand. "I hate how old and fragile they are."

"Well...Rey, you know we can't be together out here, we'd freeze." Ben squeezed her hand back. He opened the door to the hut and ushered her inside first.

"I'm willing to try," Rey sighed, even as she lowered to the ground to bury herself in their blankets.

Ben folded his arms, smirking down at her as she wrapped the blankets tighter around herself. "Sure you are."

…

A growing presence gathered itself around Rey. Before her were shooting stars and dark, swirling, stormy clouds. She felt dizzy, overwhelmed. Trapped.

She became aware of movement behind her, and she swirled around in the darkness. Her arms flailed as she struggled to steady herself.

"Rey," a deep, distorted voice called. It echoed down into her bones.

She focused on the voice, searching for it amid the cloudy atmosphere. "Who's there?" she probed. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am," the voice answered, garbled and distant. It lacked the deep tone of before, and there was a distinctness to it. A...familiarity.

"Don't you remember?" the voice prodded.

Rey waited. A darkened figure, a silhouette began to take shape in the bustling clouds before her.

"It's me," the voice called, growing nearer.

Rey sucked in a breath. No, she thought. There's no way…

"I've been trying to find you…"

"Who are you?" she repeated, louder. The clouds around her moved faster.

"I'm here...sweetheart…" the voice trailed, lost to the sounds of the rumbling din.

Rey began to shake, feeling as if she were on the verge of tears. "How?" she began, but she struggled for words. "It can't be…"

"Of course it's me," the voice assured, a note of sweetness in his tone. The clouds around them began to slow. Rey saw a flash of tan fabric around the imaged before her, the edge of a robe billowing out.

Just as she remembered.

"F...father?" Rey squeaked.

"Yes, sunshine, it's me," he answered. "I need your help."

"Father, what...what happened to you?" she choked, her throat burning. She quickly scanned the area around him. "Where's mum?"

He paused. "She's here, too," he said, slowly gesturing to the space beside him.

Rey leaned forward, peering through the darkness, straining to see. A slightly smaller silhouette began to form near her father's, only a light lock of hair becoming visible to her eye.

"Mum?" Rey prompted, a tear sliding down her face.

The silhouette wavered but did not speak.

"She can't speak to you right now—it's too much for her. But she will, once we find you," her father assured. "We need your help, Rey."

"But—you're right here," Rey answered, confused. Slowly, she moved towards them. "Why can't I see you?" she called. No matter how she strained to see, the darkness surrounding her parents obscured them.

Her father's shape moved slowly closer, and with it came a distant chill. Rey stopped where she was.

"You have to tell us where you are, Rey, sunshine," her father said. "You've been lost from us for so long. Tell us where to find you."

Rey stared at the shapes of her parents, her eyes widening. There was an incompleteness to them, but it had been so many years since she'd seen them, perhaps she just couldn't recognize them. Maybe—maybe she just couldn't remember.

Rey?

Her name sounded from somewhere else, somewhere above, but she couldn't bring herself to tear her gaze from the approaching forms of her parents.

"Tell us, sweetheart," her father urged, moving quickly towards her now. He reached out his hand, and his voice grew deeper. "Tell us before it's too late."

Rey!

The dark sphere around her and her parents began to churn and twist once again, but Rey planted her feet, managing to steady herself. "Father!" she called, reaching out to him. Maybe she would recognize him if she stood closer to him. She was almost to him, but—

No, Rey!

Rey slowed and blinked, her face construing. Ben?

Rey! That's it, Rey, focus on me. Follow my voice.

"Tell us, Rey!" her father called. The rumbling of the clouds grew louder as they swirled and crashed like the untamed waves of Ahch-To, obscuring her view of her parents. "Where are you, sweeheart?" her father implored, his voice desperate. Rey's heart pulled in her chest.

"Father!" she yelled back, stumbling forward. "Father, mummy, I'm right here! Can't you see me? I'm right here!"

Rey, listen to me! Focus on me!

"Sunshine, where are you?" her father yelled, his voice barely discernible above the growling clouds.

Please, Rey!

"The island!" she squawked. "The island on Ahch-To!"

Suddenly, Rey's parents' silhouettes fizzled away into thin air, their forms shedding into dark dust. Rey lurched towards the area where they had just been, staring at her hand as the mist of their forms disappearing through her splayed fingers. The sphere around her shook and listed, and she fell to her knees, leaning onto her hands and elbows on the ground for support.

"Kenobi," a deep, unmistakable voice boomed.

Rey opened her eyes and shot up, gasping for breath.

A large, damp hand slid from her forehead, and she looked from the barren stone wall ahead to see Ben sitting at her side, staring at her.

"What happened? Rey, what did you tell him?" he implored, gripping her arm.

Rey looked down to the blankets, trying to process everything that she'd just experienced. In her state of shock, she found herself unable to formulate words.

"Rey, what did you see?" Ben asked, lowering his voice. He gently turned her face back towards his.

"My…" she began, her voice cracking. Her lower lip began to tremble as she met Ben's alarmed gaze. "I saw my…" She erupted into a sob and shut her eyes before she was able to finish. Ben pulled her into his chest, his arms enveloping her in a protective embrace. He stacked his head atop hers.

"Your parents," he answered knowingly, and she nodded into his chest.