"Doo broke by dose, doo libble BITCH!" Bjorn stuttered out, holding his nose as it dripped blood onto the floor.
"I beg your pardon?" Aubrie said, in a sickly-sweet voice she already knew wasn't fooling anybody.
"I think he said 'you broke my nose, you little bitch', though I could be wrong of course", Ben answered her.
"Oh, you poor boy", Aubrie said, sarcasm dripping off her words. "Here, let me fix that for you."
She reached out, and Bjorn instantly recoiled back.
"It's okay, she can heal you, she brought Ben back after…", Aubrie heard Rain trail off. Aubrie knew what she was referring to. It did not increase her sympathy for Bjorn.
"Bjorn, it's fine, just get it over with", Ben snapped. "Right now the priority is getting out of here as fast as we can. There are Inquisitors combing the ship, and they will find us if we stay where we are."
"Inquisitors?" Kay asked, still shivering from the soaking she had gotten.
"Jedi hunters", Aubrie said, reaching out for Bjorn's nose. This time he let her, and she got her first proper look at it.
The scavenger's nose had deviated almost completely off.
Meh, Aubrie thought, as she took it between her thumbs. I've had worse sparring.
"On three", she said to Bjorn.
"One-"
Click.
"Oooooowwwwww…"
Like I was gonna waste any of my energy on you.
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As Rain heard Bjorn's nose reset, she turned back to Ben.
"What should we do now?"
"We need to find a way off the station before the Inquisitors get to us", he replied. "Once we jump to hyperspace, they won't know where to follow us."
"Follow me, please", Andy said, jamming his finger into the control module behind them and opening the door next to it, revealing what looked somewhat like an elevator.
Rain almost jumped. Andy had not said a word since Ben had thrown him back with the Force, and now she remembered his reluctance to open the door before the Jedi had intervened. What on earth had happened to him? Why was he acting like this? Was it the module he had been given… or had he always been like this? Had he been hiding who he really was, the whole time Rain had known him?
Either way, Rain knew that she would need to take that new module out of Andy's head if she had any chance of getting her brother back.
As they all clambered into the elevator, Ben took her hand, and she squeezed it. The lift set off down a long corridor, and Kay started to speak.
"So… you two…" she began motioning towards Ben and Aubrie. "Are you really Jedi?"
"Yes", Ben replied. He gave Kay the same summary he had given Tyler earlier, including their real names.
"So… where are we going now?", Rain heard Tyler ask.
"We are going to finish the task Science Officer Rook has entrusted upon me", Andy stated.
What? Who the hell is Science Officer Rook? Rain thought, before realising Andy was probably referring to the other synthetic they had met. She had completely forgotten about him.
"When completed, Rook will clear the courtyard and open the docking bay for departure", Andy continued. "You will be free to continue to Alderaan, and I will return to Jackson, and stay there to finish the mission. That is, assuming we will make it out of here alive."
No. We are making in out of here. And you are NOT going back there.
"I think maybe we should take that module out of your head, Andy", Ben suggested.
"I am afraid that is not in our best interest", Andy replied, coldly.
Rain knew she had already cried enough for one day, but she couldn't stop the tears from prickling behind her eyes.
Desperately, she turned to Ben.
We have to get that thing out of him, she silently pleaded with her boyfriend.
Thankfully, Ben gave a subtle nod.
I know. We will.
Rain leaned her head on Ben's shoulder, and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent.
She just wanted a few seconds of peace, but it ended all too soon for her when the elevator came to a halt.
They quickly exited, and walked along a corridor towards a new set of doors.
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"We're here", Ben heard Andy say, as he opened the doors to reveal… a laboratory? Unlike the previous rooms they had seen, this one seemed untouched, in pristine condition.
"Romulus Beta Plan. All personnel required Bay One security clearance", he heard an automated voice speak.
As he walked a little further into the room, Ben saw… many things. Surgical instruments, test tubes… and what looked like little pieces of the aliens they had encountered on the station.
They were playing with fire, the fools.
"What is that?", Rain asked, and Ben turned his head to see something with tentacles submerged in a glass case of bubbling liquid.
"Probably some fucked-up bioweapon, I'm sure", Tyler stated.
"Actually, quite the opposite", Rook's voice suddenly sounded on the monitor, startling Ben.
"Andy, tell them", Rook said. "Tell them what I told you."
"The Imperial mining colonies are dying", Andy explained. "Unbearable temperatures, diseases, the toxic mine fumes… it's all one unforeseen tragedy after another."
"Mankind was never truly suited for the Republic, nor the Imperial colonisation efforts", Rook spat out. "They're simply too fragile, too weak."
Ben watched with Rain as a recording played on a nearby screen, of what looked like a lab rat being crushed.
He winced.
"The work of this station aimed to change that. 'The perfect organism'- THAT'S how we should refer to human beings", Rook said, "So, I took these creature's gifts… for humanity. Inside the parasites we bio-engineered from the Xenomorph's DNA, I discovered a unique non-Newtonian fluid… life. In its most primal, unadulterated form. This micro-organism could be the most destructive pathogen ever observed."
Sounds like a bio-weapon to me, Ben thought.
"After synthesising it in our lab," Rook continued, "I've turned it into… a miracle. A divine gift to humanity."
Then Ben's attention was drawn away from the synthetic to a case rising up from the middle of the lab table… filled with test tubes holding a pitch-black liquid.
"Z-01 contains the genome for the Xenomorph ability to speed up- and slow down- its metabolism", Ben heard Rook explain. He saw that new footage was playing on the screen now. Watching intently, Ben saw the Z-01 liquid injected into the crushed lab rat- and was astonished to see the rat healing, its shattered bones cracking back together as the rat stood back up on its feet, looking completely unharmed.
Kay, who had come over for a better look, let out a gasp, putting her hand to her mouth. Ben, meanwhile was so horrified he could barely speak. If the Empire gets their hands on this… who know what kind of monsters they could create? Ones that will keep healing, no matter what we do to them.
"Can we get out of here now?" Tyler asked.
"My mission is to take this back to the colony for further development", Andy said, picking up the case full of Z-01.
"No it's not", Ben replied, igniting his lightsaber and driving it into the screen Rook was broadcasting from.
"I'll be taking that, thank you", he said to Andy, motioning towards the case the droid was holding. "I'm afraid we cannot allow the Empire to have that."
"That is against my directive", Andy stated.
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"What?" Rain said, shocked at Andy's statement. She shouldn't have been so surprised, given his recent behaviour, but…
"Andy, your directive is to do what is best for Rain", Ben said.
"I'm afraid I have a new directive. To do what is best for the company. To do what is best… for the Empire."
There was a pause. Then-
"Andy, did you call the Inquisitors here?" Rain heard Ben ask Andy.
Rain felt like she was going to be sick. No. NO. Tell me he's wrong. Tell me you did not-
"My directive is to do what is best for the Empire", Andy stated.
"I think it's best if we take that module out of you, Andy", Aubrie spoke up.
Good idea.
"That is against my-"
Then Rain let out a gasp as Andy was suddenly suspended in mid-air, his arms and legs stretching out.
"It's alright", Ben soothed her. "I've got him completely immobilised. You can take the module out now."
Wearily, Rain walked over to her brother, opening the side of his neck and removing the module.
"Rain, this is against my-"
Rain ignored him and plugged her resetter into the side of Andy's neck. Andy instantly froze up as he started to reboot, and Ben lowered him back to the ground, standing him up.
He was still holding the Z-01 compound, and Kay reached out to take it as Andy began to reset.
While they waited, Rain noticed Aubrie walking over to a nearby closet, opening it up to reveal… rifles?
"How did you know those were there?", Bjorn asked the young Jedi.
"The Force is a powerful ally", Aubrie replied. "It occurs to me that if we encounter the inquisitors, or any more of the creatures, things will go better for us if a few more are armed."
Rain agreed, but as her fingers closed around the rifle Aubrie offered, she suddenly froze up.
How could she have been so careless? To her relief, her visions were not triggered, most likely because the rifle looked so fresh and clean, she doubted that it had been properly used by anyone before, but still, she should not have been so reckless.
When we get to the ship, I am putting on my gloves before I do anything else, she decided.
She felt Ben approach as Bjorn and Tyler picked up rifles of their own.
"Have any of you used these before?"
They all shook their heads.
"Right. This is a DC-15A blaster carbine. Same as the clones used during the war." He spent the next minute or so taking them through how to use the rifles.
"What about the aliens? Don't they have acid for blood? What if we shoot them, and it creates a whole new problem? We are still in space", Tyler pointed out.
Shit. Rain had forgotten about that.
Ben hesitated. "Our lightsabers cauterise as they cut, so Aubrie and I will take the lead", he said. "If we fall, or an alien gets past us… try to limit yourselves to one shot per kill. Remember- breathe. Squeeze. Kill. Breathe. Squeeze. Kill. Follow that sequence, and you should be alright."
I hope so. God, I hope so.
Andy suddenly shuddered back to life, looking confused.
"Andy what is your directive?", Ben asked. Rain held her breath.
"To do… what I best… for Rain."
Rain almost fainted with relief, and they turned to leave. But as they did so, Kay called out.
"Shit. On the screen, look", she pointed.
Rain looked, and felt a whole new wave of fear. On the monitor showing the corridor behind them… someone was approaching. Clad in red and black, the Imperial symbol displayed on both shoulders, a man with long flowing white hair was walking slowly towards the door they were just behind. Rain didn't need Ben to tell her who he was.
"Okay", Ben said. "New plan. You guys go through the tunnel and get to the ship. Aubrie and I will stay behind, and fight."
"NO!" Rain shouted out. "Nonono, you are not going to-"
"If we run, he will follow us, and kill us", Aubrie stated. "Ben's right- you guys need to go. We can handle this."
Rain felt the tears appearing. "But- but…"
She felt Ben's hands clasping her face. Rain blinked her tears out of her eyes, and tried to focus on the father of her child.
"We'll be okay, I promise you, but you need to go. Please."
The please caught Rain off-guard, as Ben pressed his lips to hers, and she poured all the love and passion that she could into him as she responded.
"Come back to me", she whispered. As she saw the others heading through the exit, she turned back to Ben.
"Come back to us", she said, moving Ben's hands to rest on her stomach.
"I will. I promise", Ben said, kissing her again.
Then Rain turned, and followed the others down the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks.
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Ben swiped at his eyes as he turned to face the enemy.
"Let's get this done", he heard Aubrie say, and he nodded his determination.
There was silence. Then-
Two red blades punched through the door, moving around to create a hole, which was pulled out, then away.
Ben ignited his own weapon, and Aubrie did the same.
As the Inquisitor stepped through, Ben noticed he had no eyes.
A Miraluka?
Then Ben realised who he was looking at, and felt like he was about to throw up.
"Master Dibs?" He could sense the shock coming off Aubrie matching his own.
"Not anymore. Now, I am the simple… and humble… Tenth Brother", The Inquisitor bowed, twirling his two, single-bladed shoto lightsabers like he was expecting applause.
Ben couldn't speak. Jedi Master Prosset Dibs… he remembered that at the beginning of the war, the Jedi Master had spoken out against the Jedi's involvement, and had even attacked Master Windu in anger.
The Miraluka had been relegated to library duty in humiliation after that. He had been an exemplary Jedi, once, and had trained several padawans to Knighthood. One of whom… had been Tamzin Norcuna, Ben's old Master.
Ben continued to stare at his Master's Master. He couldn't believe this was happening.
"You… how could you?", he finally spoke.
"How could I what? Accept that the Order was corrupt to the bone? Finally embrace myself, and who I am? You should try it, Obrin, it'll do wonders for you", Master Dibs- the Tenth Brother- said to Ben in a sing-song voice.
"I seriously doubt the Sith are any better to work for", Aubrie quipped.
The Tenth Brother's lip curled. "Enough talk."
Moving faster than lightning, he hurled one of his shortened lightsabers at Aubrie, who batted it away with her own.
Ben launched himself at the Inquisitor, and the fight was on.
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"T-Minus twenty minutes to impact event."
As the group exited the tunnel, Rain spoke to Andy.
"Do you remember how to get out of here?"
"Yes. There is a lift at the end of this corridor. It should take us to the ship."
As they began to walk down the path ahead, Rain spied several more opened cases… with very clear imprints of the parasites they had encountered upon them.
"There's more of those things."
"Yeah, that's not good", Tyler rasped.
"Looks like they've been here for a while-"
Then Bjorn, who was in front, suddenly froze.
"What? Kay called out from the back. "What is it?"
Bjorn suddenly reach out next to him, then turned on a switch.
"Fuck. Me", he gasped, as the corridor lit up, revealing a glistening black hive ahead of them.
It didn't take a genius to see that going through there would be suicide.
"We need to go back", Tyler said, "maybe there's another way.".
Back through the tunnel? As she concentrated, Rain could hear the sound of fighting through there, as Ben and Aubrie held off the Inquisitor.
Oh God, Ben. Please be alright. Please.
"Maybe we can get through here", Tyler said, walking towards a door behind the group , which Rain hadn't noticed when they came in.
"Andy, do you think you could-"
Then Tyler jumped back as a red lightsaber blade punched through the metal, missing him by inches.
Oh, shit. OH SHIT. There's another one, Rain thought, fumbling for her comlink as whoever was holding the lightsaber began cutting a hole in the door.
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Though the fallen Jedi had to be pushing fifty, he moved with the speed of a man half his age, blocking every blow Ben and Aubrie sent his way, while twisting like a serpent as he fended both of them off. But he was on the back foot, as master and apprentice drove him back through the hole he had made in the door.
Ben could sense the Inquisitor's uneasiness at his and Aubrie's perfectly synchronised fighting style. If he concentrated on either one of them a fraction of a second too long, the other would deliver the killing blow.
Ben knew the Inquisitor knew this, and he felt his confidence rise. As they drove the former Jedi Master back further down the corridor, he stumbled, and Aubrie's blade cut right through the top of one of the shoto the Tenth Brother was carrying, rendering it useless.
The Inquisitor threw his sparking, destroyed weapon at Aubrie in desperation, which she easily dodged. It wouldn't be long now. All three of them knew it.
But as Ben and Aubrie prepared themselves to go for the kill, Ben's comlink activated.
"Ben! Ben, there's another Inquisitor back here! It's a trap!"
As the sound of Rain's voice, Ben hesitated, and the Tenth Brother threw him back towards the laboratory with the Force.
"I expect that'll be the Third Brother", the Inquisitor spoke up. "Bit of a fool, but a very, very effective killer."
Quickly rising back to his feet, Ben charged straight back into the fight, now duelling the Inquisitor one-on-one.
"Go!" he barked at his Padawan. "I'll finish this!"
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As the red lightsaber finished cutting the hole in the door, Rain, Tyler and Bjorn stood ready, holding their positions with as much confidence as they could muster, while Kay, who was still holding the X-01 serum, stood behind them, with Andy.
"Okay", Tyler began, "When they come through, just open up-"
But he was cut off as the metal door was suddenly flung directly at them with terrifying speed. All three of the would-be gunfighters flattened themselves against the floor.
Kay was not so lucky. Tyler's sister ducked a split second too late as she turned around, and the door caught her of the back of the head with a crack that made Rain nauseous.
As Kay fell motionless to the floor, Bjorn quickly yelled out.
"Andy!" he bellowed. "Take Kay, and the serum, and get the fuck out of here!"
Through the hive? Rain thought. She didn't want it to happen, but as the masked Inquisitor stepped through the hole he had made, she couldn't think of a better idea.
As Andy slung Kay over his shoulders and jogged through the corridor behind them, Rain prayed they would be alright. Andy may not have the module anymore, but it seemed his repaired motor systems were still intact.
He'll need that, where he's going.
"Sorry to barge in like this", the Inquisitor said, as if he was interrupting someone's lunch, "but would any of you mind telling me where I can find-"
Rain, Tyler and Bjorn opened fire simultaneously. But the Inquisitor moved with a speed that defied logic, activating a second blade from the back of his lightsaber as his weapon began spinning in a bright red circle.
The barrage of blaster bolts sent his way bounced off multiple angles, hitting the floor, the walls, even the ceiling.
As the bolts started hitting the ground close to their feet, Rain stopped firing.
"Stop, stop, stop!" She screamed. "We'll all die if we keep-"
Then the Inquisitor stopped spinning his blade, catching each bolt sent his way and sending them back towards the group- directly at Bjorn.
Tyler's cousin was dead before he hit the floor, with half a dozen bolts through his chest.
Tyler let out a roar and charged the Inquisitor, firing all the while.
"No! Tyler, no-"
The Inquisitor deactivated his lightsaber and charged easily dodging the fresh barrage and catching Tyler's face between his hands.
Then Rain heard a sound like a branch breaking, and Tyler fell dead to the floor, his head twisted almost the whole way back around.
Rain let out a sob.
"Where are the Jedi?" The Inquisitor said, igniting one of his lightsaber's blades and pointing it at Rain. He didn't sound quite so casual now.
"If you tell me, I may let you-"
Then the Inquisitor was driven back as Aubrie appeared from the tunnel, launching herself at him as her blue blade ignited.
Red and blue sparks clashed off their weapons, as Aubrie drove the Inquisitor back down the corridor.
Rain flattened herself against the wall, closing her eyes as they passed by her.
Then something clattered by her feet.
Rain looked down, and realised it was Aubrie's lightsaber.
Looking up, she realised the Inquisitor had disarmed Aubrie, and Ben's apprentice was forced to dodge, twisting and moving just to stay alive.
"Rain!" Aubrie called out.
Rain quickly reached down and scooped up the weapon.
"Here, take-"
Then the clouds moved over her vision, and Rain realised she had grabbed the lightsaber with her bare hands.
No. Not now. Not now! NOT NOW!
But it was too late, as Rain felt Aubrie's memories wash over her while she collapsed to the floor.
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"I'll admit you had me going there", the Tenth Brother said to Ben, brandishing his remaining lightsaber as they faced off. "But it all ends now."
Ben attacked, but he was at a disadvantage now. It had been a long, long while since he and Aubrie had not fought together, and without her he felt like he was missing a limb.
The Tenth Brother preyed on this as he drove Ben back towards the laboratory and through the hole in the door.
Ben knew his game. The Inquisitor was trying to get him into a closed-off environment, surrounded by the lab equipment. At close quarters, Ben's longer blade would be at a disadvantage, while the Inquisitor's shoto would be perfect for finishing the job.
With that in mind, Ben stepped back onto the stairs of the laboratory, raining blows down on the Tenth Brother. As his opponent stepped back, Ben stepped forward, quickly cutting the top off the remaining shoto, rendering it as useless as its companion.
But Ben was caught off-guard as the Tenth Brother charged into Ben, tackling him to the floor. Ben used his knees to push the Inquisitor off, but his opponent had grabbed Ben's wrist and squeezed, forcing his hand to open and his lightsaber to fall to the floor.
Within moments, the duel became a brawl, as the two combatants traded punch after punch, rolling around on the floor. Ben kneed his opponent in the stomach as the Miraluka headbutted Ben so violently he saw stars. Dazed and confused, Ben almost didn't feel the Inquisitor grasp his left arm.
But he heard the crack as his arm broke, and he screamed out in pain. Then the Tenth Brother pushed out with the Force, and Ben went flying across the room, shattering several glass test tubes as he collapsed to the floor.
His head swimming with the pain, Ben scrabbled about for his lightsaber, but couldn't find it.
"Looking for this?"
The Inquisitor was holding Ben's weapon. "Well fought, Obrin, but I was a Jedi before you were born. Without your apprentice… you never really stood a chance."
He ignited Ben's lightsaber. "Now… tell me where Yoda and Kenobi are, and I may let you live. Lord Vader is most insistent as to knowing where they are."
Lord Vader?
"Skywalker is… still alive?" Ben babbled out. "I thought Kenobi killed him."
The Inquisitor paused. "Skywalker?"
Ben sensed his surprise, and in that moment, he struck.
As Ben reached out with the Force, he heard everything around him. The bubbling in the test tubes, the fighting down the hall… and the strong, steady beating of his child's heart.
He found the strength. Hearing his baby's heartbeat, Ben felt his strength return, and in the split second the Tenth Brother let his guard down, Ben sent the contents of the laboratory flying directly at the Miraluka's face. Surgical knives, broken glass- everything went straight at the Inquisitor.
As his vision cleared, Ben saw the Inquisitor stumbling back. One of the knives had pierced his throat, and he pulled it out, a red river of blood almost instantly spattering to the floor.
Ben didn't hesitate. As the Tenth Brother collapsed to his knees, holding his throat, he dropped Ben's lightsaber, and the Jedi Knight called it into his uninjured hand.
"You were a great Jedi, once", Ben said, before he struck Prosset Dibs' head off.
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The memories flowed through Rain like water. Battle… pain… rage…
Then she saw Ben, fighting besides her, on a darkened, muddy battlefield. Ben?
At the sight of the man she loved, Rain felt herself coming to her senses. She could hear… was that a song? What was going on?
Then as her vision cleared, Rain found herself rising to her feet. The song was getting louder. It was… in her hand?
Then Rain realised she was still gripping Aubrie's lightsaber. The song emanating from it was calm, gentle… but passionate too, filling Rain with hope.
As she held the Jedi weapon, it was as though a dam broke within Rain's body. Suddenly, for the first time in her life, Rain felt the Force, swirling around her. As she saw ahead, she realised Aubrie was still frantically dodging the Inquisitor's blade.
Rain reached out, and she felt the Force within her. Shoving towards the Inquisitor, she felt the Force cracking like a whip.
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Aubrie was well past fatigue by now, dodging the Inquisitor's blows. She had to try something soon, or she would surely die. The Third Brother was toying with her, only using one of his blades, but Aubrie could see the emitter on the other side where a second blade could emerge.
If I could just…
Then the Inquisitor was launched off his feet down the corridor. Stumbling on the floor, Aubrie did not understand what had happened.
"CATCH!" She suddenly heard.
Looking around, she saw Rain, her hand outstretched.
"Was that you?" Aubrie asked, just before noticing Rain had tossed her lightsaber at her.
Quickly catching it, Aubrie charged at her opponent, who was already back on his feet, igniting one of his blades and pointing it at her.
But Aubrie was ready. Reaching out with the Force, she activated the other blade on the inquisitor's weapon. As the red lightsaber plunged back through the Inquisitor's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain and shock, Aubrie neatly sidestepped the other red blade, ignited her weapon and drove her lightsaber straight through the Third Brother's chest.
As the mortally-wounded Inquisitor stumbled back, Aubrie suddenly realised they were not alone. Camouflaged against the ceiling, a Xenomorph waited, its tail curling.
Uh oh.
The Xenomorph lunged at the Inquisitor, dragging him upwards and out of Aubrie's sight.
Aubrie heard his screaming, and the slash of his lightsaber as he tried to fight off what sounded like more of them, but it was too little, too late.
As she ran back through the corridor towards Rain, she heard the screams stop.
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Rain saw Aubrie walk back up the steps.
"What… what happened to Ben?", she asked, feeling like she was about to cry, yet again.
"I… I don't know", Aubrie said. "We were fighting the Inquisitor when you…"
She trailed off, and Rain saw she was looking past her.
Rain turned around, and felt a sob escape her throat.
But it was a sob of joy. Ben was stumbling through the corridor, towards her. He was bloodied, he was limping, he was covered in sweat, and one of his arms looked broken.
But he was alive, and for the first time that day, Rain was crying tears of happiness.
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As Ben approached Rain, he passed Tyler and Bjorn's bodies. He winced. He had had his differences with them, but they had died bravely, in the end.
He looked straight at Rain as they drew closer together. Rain. Rain Carradine. His girlfriend, the mother of his child. Even-dare he say it- the love of his life. Even with all the dust and sweat covering her face-
"You've never looked more beautiful", he said, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
Rain laughed through her tears, and pressed her lips to his as Ben felt his own tears stream down his cheeks.
Whatever came next… they would face it together.
He could not bear to be parted from his family again.