Author's Note: It has been a long time, but I'm still here! Like the rest of the Reylos, I was upset with the way Rise of Skywalker handled Ben Solo. I was very upset to a point I didn't know how to move forward with Part 2 of Impulse. It took me awhile to figure out where to go from here, and while I did have a rough outline around 2020, I wasn't inspired to write. Of course after feeling that way, things like the pandemic followed right along with it. I didn't plan on abandoning this story. I knew I was going to come back to complete it someday. The format will be a bit different. I used to follow exact movie scenes and dialog in parts of my story, but this time I won't. I will be picking certain scenes and trying to weave them into the story where it makes sense. If you have followed Part 1 and 2, and have been waiting all this time for Part 3, thank you so much! I am very grateful for all the support Impulse has received. Without further ado, here's Part 3!

Chapter 1: Shadow

Ben woke up startled. He could feel it was another night he wasn't going to get any sleep. Although Rey (with the use of the Force), was present and sleeping right beside him, it wasn't enough to help him stay asleep. Ben rolled over on his side and gently held her. He tried taking in deep breaths and ignore the uneasiness that crept over him. Snoke was gone, but this dark heavy feeling lingered for weeks. It was like someone was watching him from the shadows and the more he ignored it, the stronger it became.

Ben couldn't take it anymore, especially while lying in bed, naked and vulnerable. If this thing was part of the dark side of the Force, he could control it right? After all, he accepted both sides of himself, Kylo Ren and Ben Solo. However, Rey didn't, she mostly wanted Ben. Their relationship had its awkward moments. Ben didn't have an answer for Rey, whether he would have the First Order surrender to the Resistance. They carried their lives separately, while maintaining their relationship and it had its difficulties. While Hux demanded Kylo Ren on what to do next, Ren had General Pryde make most of the decision making. Those decisions then went back to Ren for approval. Anytime it was a mission, where he knew Rey could be in danger, he would instantly reject or at least sway Pryde in considering a different plan. No one on the First Order tried to disobey or argue with Ren. They knew he could control or kill them using the Force.

Ren, or in this case Ben, since he was physically around Rey, rose up from bed and walked over to the closet to get changed. After putting on his boots and helmet, he walked back to Rey and watched her sleep for a moment. He reached over and gently caressed her face. He remembered the day, after he allowed her and the Resistance to flee; she quickly reached out to him through the Force. She explained to him the moments they spent time together, both within their dreams and on Takodana. Everything lined up from what he could feel internally. Those memories still hadn't returned to him, but it all felt right. Since their connection in the Force ran fluidly between them, they were able to figure out how to physically cross over to each other, despite the light year distance. If Ben wanted her in his room, she was able to step into it. If Rey wanted Ben to be there while she trained, he gladly watched her nearby. They met in secret with every chance they had. Although they were happy during these moments, it was quickly cut short due to their separate roles in the Resistance and in the First Order.

Rey kept reminding Ben about Luke and Leia, but he didn't know where to begin on making amends. He had killed his father Han Solo, for Snoke and in order to remain strong with the dark side of the Force. But now that Snoke is gone, who was he truly living for? All he can focus on was Rey, but all she could ever accept was Ben. What of Kylo Ren? They nearly got into an argument a few times now. Rey didn't want him to be Kylo Ren anymore, but Ben didn't know how else to convince her, that all of Ren is still a part of him. She refused to acknowledge it. Ben had to split himself every time and every day. It wore his soul to the core. Now on top of all that, he had the shadow to worry about. Despite pouring his fear to Rey about the shadow for some comfort, she would quickly dismiss him and say how he needs to rid of the dark side of himself right away. This convinced him, that she was of no help. He decided he would have to deal with this himself.

"Hux, inform the hanger to prepare my ship," Ren ordered as he passed by Hux in the hallway.

Hux didn't reply, but merely shot him a dirty look as he continued on his way. As Ren made it down to the hanger, he could feel the shadow hovering above him. He did his best to not acknowledge it, until he got to his ship. As he took a seat inside, he meditated for a moment, concentrating on the presence of the shadow.

"Where do I need to go?" Ren asked as he waited for the shadow to respond.

To his surprise, coordinates automatically entered onto the map. A dot blinked at the top right corner. His heart sank, he recognized the location. Below the dot, it read "Mustafar".

It didn't take long to reach the planet of Mustafar. As Ren landed his ship and exited out of it, he was surrounded by a handful of Alazmec colonists, who appeared to be guarding a large stone box up ahead. Without hesitation, they began blasting him with their weapons. Ren with a mix of his lightsaber combat and use of the Force, halted every blaster bullet that came his way and quickly stabbed each of the Alazmec colonists in the chest. He quickly won the battle. As he approached the stone box and opened it, he could see the item sitting in the middle of the box. He picked it up and could see it was some stone triangular object with sides that appeared dark green and crystal like. The green sides had a map etched onto it with a red glowing dot sitting on a particular location. Right as Ren blinked, he found himself somewhere else.

He was no longer on Mustafar. In front of him, he could see an empty set of seats. As he scanned to the left and right, it looked like he appeared to be standing in the middle of a large stadium. The weather was very cloudy with thunder strikes being heard above. Every part of this mysterious area was bathed in a color of blue. Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"Ah, so he came to confront the shadow that has been haunting him"

Ren quickly turned around and couldn't believe it. Floating a few feet away, with what appeared to be a large mechanical arm to support him, was Emperor Palpatine.

~to be continued…