BEN SOLO LIVES

He’d fallen far. It was only the will of the Force that allowed his body to bounce against the ground, changing his trajectory so he could latch onto the far wall of the pit. The chasm was deep and with all the fog, it was impossible to see the bottom. So he took the chance the Force had given him and used it to climb. He turned around, one hand still gripped on a jagged rock and threw himself to the other side of the chasm. He initially slipped on the first rock he tried to grip but found another one just below. He winced at the pain in his body but continued to climb. He was halfway up when everything around him started to crumble. Debris of the room above fell into the pit and he tried to avoid any large pieces. Small rocks pelted his already bloody face and the smoke up ahead grew thicker. Using the Force, he foresaw any debris that would cross his path and avoided it before it arrived. He could feel that he was getting closer and thought of the reason he was pushing himself to the brink. 

Rey. 

She believed in him. The least he could do was help protect her from the very evil that destroyed the Skywalker family. 

Luke had never told him about his relationship with Darth Vader. His mother had confessed the truth via a holomessage when he was already 23 years old. It was obvious they had hidden the truth to protect him from the darkness. It only made it worse. However, behind all the lies and the chaos the Skywalkers had caused was Palpatine in the shadows pulling their strings. He knew everything Palpatine had constructed all those years ago. How he manipulated a frightened yet immensely powerful boy to turn his love into fear and use that fear to flesh out the disturbing darkness within. It all sounded too familiar. The Sith Lord had taken everything from the Skywalkers. At least, not yet.

The bond with Rey was strong enough to defeat that darkness and he had to see it through. 

He couldn’t let her pay for his mistakes. His whole family had done that already. He wouldn’t allow it again.

The rumbling of the debris came to a stop and the air around him calmed. He felt cold.
Finally, he could see the top but he could hear absolutely nothing. With one last strong push, the broken man heaved himself up and landed a hand onto the ground level of where he had fallen. By the will of the Force, he survived. Ben Solo had risen again.

No. A lone white figure that contrasted everything else around it lay motionless at the far end of the sith citadel. Ben dragged himself out of the hole and lifted himself to his feet. The pain that was currently coursing through his body was almost too much for him to bear. He stumbled and fell, only to rise once more and continue towards the body. Holding his waist, he limped his way to it. It was Rey. Her clothing had lost its original white and her skin was pale. He fell again, close to her side, and reached an arm around her body to caress her. Her eyes were wide open and she lay lifeless as he tried to use all of his remaining strength to put her in his arms. When he held her body, her head fell back. He looked around for anyone in sight, and found nothing. She had killed Palpatine and it had cost her her life. The evil was defeated but so was the light. He was hopeless and had lost everyone that had ever cared to see through to his true self. He picked her chest up again and held it close to his. He knew what he had to do. What he wanted to do. She had given Ben Solo his life. He needed to give it back. 

He delicately let her go, placed his right hand on her torso, and closed his eyes. 

The seconds felt like hours but when the warmth of her hand touched his, the wait became worth it. She looked up at him in shock followed by a quick realization at what he had done. 

“Ben.” 

The smile she gave him filled his heart with relief and joy. He let out a true smile of his own, the first one in years, as Rey took her hand and gently touched his cheek. He didn’t necessarily expect it, but when she leaned in for the kiss and held him like he was worth something, all he could do was kiss back and caress her tighter. It was the happiest moment of Ben Solo’s life. A kiss that lasted five seconds but felt like only one. When they parted, Ben grinned and let out the biggest smile he had ever conjured. He loved her. And he focused on the last image he would lay eyes on, expecting the end. 

He was wrong.

Something within him was gone but he couldn’t quite place it. Rey looked up to the sky at the falling Star Destroyers. The Resistance had defeated the Sith Fleet and she knew her friends had survived. Ben kept his eyes locked on Rey, unsure of what could possibly happen next. All he knew was that he had some time left and he’d use it. Ben caressed Rey’s chin with his pointer finger and thumb, tilted it down, and brought her in for another kiss. This one lasted longer than the one before. When they let go again, she smiled her contagious smile and said, “Thank you.” Her eyes were serious when she said it but Ben couldn’t find any words. So she spoke again after surveying the area around them. 

“We should get out of here.” She helped him onto his feet and struggled to hold him upright. His body was failing him and was in a worse shape than before. 

When they finally found a position in which he could be stationed on his feet, Rey looked back down at the ground. She locked eyes with Leia’s saber and called it to her free hand. When she hooked it to her belt, she looked at Ben and then he followed her eyes that moved to the other saber. Luke’s and Anakin’s before him. Ben nodded, as if thanking Rey for giving him the chance to claim the saber for his own, and reached out with his own free hand. 

The hilt lay still. Ben reached out again, now closing his eyes. When he opened them, there was nothing. He swore he could sense it move slightly but he wasn’t sure. Rey looked confused and Ben looked down at his open palm. He smiled at it because he understood. The power to manipulate the Force had left his body. That’s what had saved him. It spared his life but took away that power. 

He could live with that. He let his hand drop to his side and looked up at Rey, who was still unsure of what was happening. He shook his head and her eyes widened, immediately catching on. After a momentary pause of realization, he darted his eyes back and forth from the saber to Rey. He smiled again which caused her to return him one. She then called Luke’s saber into her hand and held it out for Ben. He looked at her, like he didn’t need it anymore. 

“Take it,” she demanded. With another pause, Ben held out his hand and let the saber fall into his palm. “It belongs to you. It always has,” Rey said. Then she motioned onwards, helping Ben limp out of the fortress.

On their way out, she noticed that one of the experiment containers had remained intact after the partial collapse of the citadel.

Floating in an unknown liquid inside the container were three Snoke clones.

She raised her arm and closed her free hand into a fist, shattering the glass of the container. The liquid poured onto the ground which was scattered with rubble. The unfinished clone bodies slumped to the ground as well, lifeless.

Catching Ben’s stare, Rey explained. 

“Just in case.” 

Luckily, the platform Rey had used to enter was still intact so they used it to get back to the surface. 

“If I don’t get back to the Resistance, they’ll worry,” Rey said. 

“I know,” Ben responded.

“Can you fly?” she asked.

He looked at his Imperial TIE fighter that he had found in the wreckage of the Death Star and brought to Exegol.

“I can manage,” he said.

“How did you..? I thought Imperial TIE fighters were famously known to not have hyperdrives,” Rey said when she spotted the fighter that Ben had flown here.

“I installed it.” he said.

For a moment she was taken aback but realized it was the wreckage of the Death Star. She remembered finding a few hyperdrive parts from those Star Destroyers on Jakku. And he was Ben Solo. The son of Han Solo, nephew of Luke Skywalker, and the grandson of Anakin Skywalker; three of the most revered pilots the galaxy had seen in recent history. The talent was in his blood. 

She walked Ben to the TIE and used the Force to lift open the hatch. She turned to him and put her free hand on his cheek. She knew the answer but said the words anyway.

“Come back. To the Resistance. They could help you there.”

A momentary pause followed.

“I can’t. It’s better off if they think I’m dead.”

“I can tell them, Ben. I can explain,” she said.

“They won’t understand. It’s not time. I’m not sure if there’ll ever be one.”

“There will,” Rey said.

Another pause.

“Where will you go?” she asked.

Ben smiled and Rey tried to anticipate the answer but couldn’t.

“You’ll know when I’m ready. I’ll show you,” he said.

“Ben,” she started.

“Go, Rey. Go see your friends,” he said.

She pulled him in for another kiss that he didn’t see coming. When she let go, he lifted his head and kissed her forehead. He rubbed her cheek with his hand and then turned around to his TIE. Ben turned to look at her one more time and before he could say anything, he was being lifted into the air.

The cockpit was too high for him to climb into with the little strength he had left so Rey knew what she had to do. Both of her hands were out-stretched and her eyes were closed. Gently hoisting Ben’s body into the hatch and letting him down slowly, she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“May the Force be with you,” she said.

Ben smiled again but couldn’t repeat the phrase. All he could do was nod and watch her walk back to her X-Wing. Everything felt surreal. But at the same time, bittersweet. He regretted not saying back the phrase to her when he saw her ship leave the ground and lift into the sky. Although, he knew he couldn’t. He felt like he’d be lying to her again. He said he’d contact her when he was ready. He was sorry he made that promise but he figured she’d get over it and understand why he lied. She didn’t know it yet, but that was the last time Ben Solo planned on seeing Rey ever again.

---------

Of all the things that had happened in the last sixteen hours, when Ben Solo drifted off while his TIE zoomed through hyperspace, he dreamed of something he didn’t expect: a stim canister. In the dream, he injected himself with it and energy shot across his body, leaving him completely painless. Unfortunately the dream only lasted for a moment and all of his pain resumed when he opened his eyes. He clutched his waist with his right arm and squeezed his leg with his left. There had to be a bacta station where he was going, he’d even settle for a temporary stim canister like the one he wished had been real moments ago. The thought led him to ponder whether where he was going was the right place to go. Well, even if it wasn’t, it was the only place he could go. It was a long shot but Ben Solo’s life had yet to make any sense. Especially now, since he was restarting it.

The TIE shuttered as the elongated stars collapsed into tiny bright dots. The planet looked beautiful from space. He’d never seen it before, only heard stories about it from his mother. They planned on going eventually but when Luke started his training, it never came up. That’s how he knew about it. He thought he knew where to find the people he was looking for but he could only rely on the Force to let them welcome him into their lives. 

If Ben hadn’t been injured, he would’ve landed on the outskirts of the city. However, because there was no way he could walk much farther than he had to, he flew the TIE towards one of the landing pads.

All incoming hails from the planet’s surface would be ignored because of the damaged systems in the TIE itself. It could fly and jump to hyperspace, but that was all it could do. Ben couldn’t fix the comm systems or weapons systems; he needed to get to Exegol quickly as possible. He cursed under his breath for being so careless when he saw seven armed guards pointing their pistols at his fighter as it began to descend on one of the pads. 

An Imperial class TIE fighter probably wasn’t the ideal fighter to show up in after everything that had transpired throughout the galaxy, but Ben Solo had no other option.

The TIE came to a halt and the guards aimed their pistols at the hatch on top.

“Whoever you are, open the hatch slowly with your hands up!” one of the guards shouted.

Ben couldn’t lift his hands into the air. The only strength he could muster was to lift himself out of the cockpit and slide down the front of the TIE. He collapsed to the ground in pain. The guards inched closer and closer, pistols still raised. 

“What’s your business here? What happened to you?”

Ben fought through the agony and rose to his feet, still clutching his waist and leg.

“I come in peace,” Ben said.

“Then why come in this?” one of them said, pointing to the TIE.

“He’s First Order,” one of them whispered.

Ben wanted to deny it but he couldn’t.

“We should take him in for questioning,” another said.

“He could be a danger to the Queen,” another shot back.

“Look at me. I’m no danger to anyone. Not anymore,” Ben said.

None of the guards understood the hidden meaning behind those last two words and simply contributed them to his broken physical appearance.

“Search the ship. Destroy it. I don’t care,” Ben said.

The guards exchanged looks and before they could announce their decision, a loud voice came from behind them.

“Are Yousa all kiddin Meesa?”

Half of the guards turned back to see a wrinkled gungan headed their way, arms flailing up and down.

“Oh, no,” one of them whispered.

“Look at da boyo. Heesa in no shape to harm anybodys.”

“Binks, this isn’t your business,” a guard said.

“If yousa let the boyo into my custody then the queenys won't need to be hearin dis bombad treatment.”

“Binks, get back,” one of the guards raised his pistol.

“Ohhhh, yousa don't wanna be doin dat!” the Gungan responded. He then looked at his own hand and a comm device appeared from behind it. “If Meesa press dis here red button then queeny will be wondering what yousa doin out here harassin injured travelers.”

“He’s First Order, Binks,” the guard with the raised pistol said.

“Meesa don't care who yousa think he is. All dat matters is weesa got a hurtin fellow over here,” the Gungan replied.

The guard looked over to his Captain and the Captain nodded. The guard lowered his blaster and let out an annoyed sigh. 

“Fine. If you want to help this scum, be our guest,” the sighing guard said.

“The Queen will be notified of this Binks. If this...offworlder is in your custody, you are responsible for his actions. Whatever his intentions may be. You step out of line, you’re banished from Theed,” the Captain said.

“Meesa wouldn't wanna have it any other way.” 

The guards began to search the ship before Ben and the Gungan were allowed to leave the landing pad.

The whole encounter confused Ben. He chalked the laziness of the guards up to them simply not caring to deal with an offworlder. Especially since they thought he was part of the First Order who had escaped the war, looking for shelter. The guards were somewhat annoyed but if this elderly gungan, who’d probably been a pest for many years, offered to take him off their hands then so be it.

Ben eyed the smiling gungan and when the guards finished searching the TIE and found nothing, the Gungan motioned Ben to follow.

Ben limped over to the Gungan and before he could say anything the strange creature spoke again.

“Weesa paolos now. Meesa thinking of takin yousa to hospital.” The Gungan put his arm around Ben’s shoulder and gave him a soft pat. It still caused Ben to grimace and grunt.

“Ohh meesa sorry.”

“We aren't going to a hospital.” 

The Gungan locked eyes with Ben, shocked at his response.

“Does yousa have brain damage?”

“Less people see my face, the better,” Ben said. 

He wasn’t entirely sure if anyone would recognize him. In the year of Kylo Ren ruling the galaxy as Supreme Leader, he’d succeeded at keeping his face hidden from the public. But the Force worked in mysterious ways. There could be Resistance members on the planet after all. Ben couldn’t take that chance. He needed to find the people he could trust. At least, hoped he could.

“Yousa reminds me of an old paolo. Wit all dat hair goin on back dare,” Binks said. 

Ben looked up at Binks, they were almost the same height, and gave him a smirk. It was impossible to know who Binks was really referring to but the energetic old gungan sparked Ben’s intrigue.

The silence was broken abruptly. “Where are meesa manners? Meesa Jar Jar Binks. And yousa?” 

“Ben.”

“So nica to meet ya Benny,” Jar Jar lent out a hand for Ben to shake. Despite hating what the Gungan had just called him, he shook it.

“So if yousa dont wantin no hospitals. Where are weesa goin?”

Ben stopped in his tracks, still fighting the pain coursing through his body. He grimaced but then felt it momentarily pass.

“I came to see the Naberries.”

For the first time in quite a while, the Gungan stood there speechless. He looked him up and down trying to piece whatever it was together.

“I assume you have heard of them, right? They were once part of royalty,” Ben spoke.

“Uhhh, meesa knows Naberries alright,” the Gungan began. “Whosa yousa sayin yousa again?”

It took Ben a brief moment to translate the native’s unique dialect.

“Just Ben,” he said. “Do you know where they are?”

“Meesa knows where, paolo.”

After another moment of awkward silence Ben asked, “Can you take me to them?”

“Uh huh.” The Gungan slowly nodded his head as he said the words, acting like he was suddenly unsure of Ben.

“Weese gonna needa speeder. House Naberrie is in a muy small village up in the mountains,” he explained. “Yousa have credits?”

“No,” Ben said. He should’ve known the Naberries weren’t living in the city anymore. Their time of royalty had long been gone. He turned away from the Gungan and tried to figure out something. His body was quickly failing and he was running out of time before he’d collapse. All of this was nearing its end and it was all based on a gamble. The Naberries were his only hope of survival but if they’d known the truth about the identity of Kylo Ren…well, he couldn’t think about that right now.

He turned around to see the Gungan shuffling through his pockets.

“Well Meesa do have some credits, enough for a taxi speeder.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” Ben started.

“Meesa rather yousa on a speeder than on da ground collapsing all dead and rotten.”

Ben nonverbally agreed with a head nod and the Gungan helped him to the nearest station for travel.

The driver was a scruffy looking elderly man who took the two passengers in the back of his speeder without any questions. Considering Ben’s physical condition, the nonchalant nature of the man concerned him. The man felt familiar, and when he took off his cap to reveal his glossy grey hair, the realization hit him hard. Ben pushed the dark memories aside and turned his attention away from the man to the rolling green hills of the mountains of Naboo. He could spot large waterfalls in the very distance. The planet was peaceful and breathtaking to say the least.

Although amused by the scenery, the breeze that hit his face as the speeder zoomed across the trail started to take a heavy toll. Ben could feel his facial pain increase and started to drift off. And finally, Ben Solo slumped to the other side of the speeder backseat and the Gungan cried out in terror.

---------

When his consciousness returned, he opened his eyes to the site of an intricate patterned ceiling. He was lying on a couch in what must’ve been House Naberrie. A somewhat elderly looking woman entered the room from a doorway to his left. She couldn't have been more than seventy but it looked as if those years had taken their toll. 

“Ah, Jar Jar, he’s awake,” said the woman.

“Oh Benny! Meesa so worried. Meesa carried you inside. Meesa thought you were for sure a goner!”

Ben looked around to gather his surroundings and looked down at his clothes. They were not the ones he arrived with but were instead a single white gown. He looked to his far left and eyed his dirty and crumpled outfit on the floor.

The lady caught his gaze and explained.

“I held off washing them for you, just in case you were in a hurry.”

“Thank you,” Ben said, realizing the pain was dulled a thousand fold. He looked at his hands and arms, whose cuts were barely visible.

“The magic of Naboo bacta spray,” the lady said.

Ben tried to gather his thoughts. He turned to Jar Jar, who was still smiling.

“Why didn’t you take me to the hospital?”

“Yousa told me not to!”

Ben let out a smirk and nodded his head at the Gungan. If anything, he was loyal. Ben owed the Gungan his life.

“I’m afraid I’m not sure I know why you’re here, Ben.” 

Jar Jar had to have told her his name. 

“But you’ve definitely surprised me.” 

She said it as if she knew something interesting about him. He couldn’t quite place it until she showed him. There, laying in her open palm was the Skywalker saber. She found it when he was unconscious. He had tucked it behind his back, hidden under his shirt, when he first arrived on Naboo. And now, part of the secret was out. 

“Hold on, yousa didn't show me you found dis,” Jar Jar began. 

“When I found it, I didn’t want you to be frightened. I wanted Ben to awake so he could explain it.”

“Well meesa freakin meesa freak--” the Gungan paused and took a closer look at the hilt. He looked back at Ben, who returned his gaze wondering why the Gungan stopped. Probably against her better judgement, the woman let Jar Jar take the hilt out of her palm and into his own. He inspected the weapon and to the other two’s amazement, he didn’t accidently ignite it.

“Dis...dissa Ani’s.”

Ben’s eyes widened. It was impossible. How could he have known? And yet Ben knew the Force worked in mysterious ways. It led him to Jar Jar who had saved his life. Someone who had known his grandfather.

“Yousa Skywalker?” 

Ben didn’t know how to respond. He expected to reveal his heritage to a Naberrie in private on his own terms. He didn’t plan on running into a strange being who had known Anakin Skywalker.

With a brief moment of silent tension, the woman spoke.

“No, Jar Jar. He’s a Solo.”

Damnit. She knew too.

“Uhh yousa say what now?”

With everything suddenly and very unexpectedly out in the open, Ben found the strength to slowly get off the couch to stand upright.

“She’s right, Jar Jar,” Ben paused, but before Jar Jar could insert a comment Ben continued, “You both are.”

---------

“We know what your grandfather became, Ben. What he cost us,” her own words pierced her heart, as did the memory of attending her aunt’s funeral in the streets of Theed at the young age of nine. She continued.

“We’ve heard rumors that the war is over. Some of our fighter pilots left for Exegol when we got the call from Calrissian.”

The name caused Ben to close his eyes briefly. Uncle Lando was still alive. Or was he? Did he survive the battle? He couldn’t connect with the Force as easily as before. Everything was different. He felt separated from the galaxy once more. He put his mind on hold, he couldn’t draw his attention away from his current situation, and he opened his eyes

“None of them returned,” she finished.

“They’re true. It’s over. The Supreme Leader is gone,” he paused. “Palpatine is gone,” Ben explained.

“Then why are you here, my love. Where is your mother?”

Ben had to catch his breath and turned away from the woman. She could see the water pile in his eyes before he could hide it.

“Oh, forgive me,” she said.

Ben collected himself and started to process everything. He was sure of one thing: the woman didn’t know Kylo Ren’s identity. And he didn’t plan on letting her in on the secret.

“My name is Ryoo by the way. Your grandmother was my aunt.”

Ben slowly turned around, the glisten of his eyes evident he was still recovering.

“Can I see her?” he asked.

“Pardon?” Ryoo said.

“Is there a burial site?”

Ryoo caught on and smiled.

“It was Naboo tradition to cremate the dead. Until her death of course. They erected a mausoleum in her honor located within Theed, closest to and to the left of the Palace.

“Take my speeder. And you might as well drop this one off when you're back in Theed.”

She motioned to Jar Jar, who had been mute for several minutes, still holding the lightsaber of an old friend.

“Thank you, for everything,” Ben said. His body had begun to truly heal and although it was probably wise for him to rest, he couldn’t anymore. Ryoo hadn’t even mentioned it as well.

“I’ll have these washed for you by the time you return,” Ryoo said.

Ben paused and eyed the pile of clothes, once worn by a man he no longer acknowledged.

“I won’t be needing them anymore.”

She smiled and nodded.

“That is if I can borrow something in the meantime,” it was the first chuckle that came out of Ben Solo’s mouth in years.

“Of course, my sweet. My home is yours.”

He nodded his head and she motioned him to the clothing room.

---------

The speeder ride back to Theed occurred at sunset. Jar Jar sat in the passenger seat and kept silent. Ben had allowed him to keep the saber for the time being as it was hard for Jar Jar to keep his eyes off of it. Ben wondered how Jar Jar knew Anakin, what adventures they may have had but hadn’t any intention to bring it up. For all the good that Jar Jar had done for Ben already, he didn’t want to pay him back by asking about his dead friend. Part of Ben didn't want to discuss it either and Jar Jar was smart enough to realize that as well, which is why the subject was ignored.

The speeder came to a stop and Jar Jar got out. 

“Thank you. You saved my life today.”

“Anything for meesa paolo. Meesa hopin to seein yousa again?” Jar Jar posed it as a question.

Ben smirked and nodded his head. Ben didn’t know what the future held for him but at that moment, Naboo seemed like the planet to lie low. He had shelter and a new friend. He hadn’t had one of those in a long time. Other than...Rey. She was more than a friend. She was. Was.

The Skywalker saber was tossed into the air which cut off Ben’s racing thoughts. He caught it and Jar Jar waved and turned around, disappearing into the lit up streets of nighttime Theed.

Ben approached the mausoleum before tucking his saber behind his back and under his fresh black undershirt.

It wasn’t the largest monument or structure but the size didn’t fail to amaze him. What the Naboo were willing to build for one person, a former Queen of Naboo, his grandmother, left him simply overwhelmed. This was his family. The rectangular sarcophagus in the center of the room was decorated with a stylized emblem of the Naboo culture. Additionally, two stone pots filled with fresh red flowers stood on columns on either side of it. The sight that struck Ben the most was a soft-colored stained glass window depicting a young Padmé Amidala. The glass itself was built to illuminate at night, which lit up her resting place. All Ben could do was hold back the tears as everything that had happened to him and everything that he had done rushed to his head. This place reminded him of the light in his family and in himself. But it was too easy for guilt to consume him when he thought of the many actions that he had done to tarnish this very bright legacy in front of him. Ben thought of his mother, who carried on this legacy until the day she died. Never once did she falter. He admired her for that. But he feared what his own, already tarnished, legacy would become. Tears started to roll down his cheeks as he placed both hands on the sarcophagus. 

“I don’t belong here,” Ben whispered.

“Yes you do,” a soft but commanding voice came from the entrance of the tomb. “And you always will.”

Ben wiped the tears from his face with the sleeve of his undershirt and turned around.

Emerging from the darkness of the night, stood a glimmering blue figure. Ben couldn’t believe it.

He was now standing before the spirit of his grandfather.

As the figure stepped closer, Ben Solo reached for the saber behind him and ignited the blade in defense.

“Don’t come any closer,” Ben demanded.

The spirit of Anakin Skywalker stopped in his tracks. Ben Solo was confused and afraid. 

The two beings were very similar. The length of their hair was nearly identical and despite Anakin being decades older, their ages mirrored each other as well.

Ben recognized him immediately from the holograms Luke used to show him. Although, Ben wondered why Anakin’s appearance looked exactly like the ones on the holograms, which were recorded over twenty years prior to his death. But Ben wanted to focus his curiosity elsewhere.

“How is this possible?” Ben muttered. The stance he had formed with the lightsaber gripped with both hands out in front reminded Anakin of his son.

“The Force works in mysterious ways,” Anakin said. Luke used to say that, Ben thought. 

With the lightsaber still ignited, Ben answered.

“You’re just a vision.” 

For a couple of seconds, the only sounds came from the hum of the lightsaber and the distant echoes of merchants selling items to people in the nighttime streets. Then, suddenly, Anakin’s spirit raised his right hand and called the lightsaber out from Ben’s double-fisted grip into his own open palm. 

Initially after losing his grasp of the hilt, Ben tried to reach out with the Force to call it back. It was too late before he realized the effort was pointless.

“Real enough for you?” Anakin said as he turned off the blade.

Ben watched his grandfather’s eyes linger on the hilt. The same hilt that the man had created all those years ago. In turn, Anakin looked up to see a skeptical Ben.

“I believe my son was not ready to teach you all of the mysteries surrounding the Force. But this isn’t a vision, Ben.”

Anakin tossed the saber hilt back to his grandson. Ben had yet to find any words. 

He looked deeper into the eyes of Anakin Skywalker and felt ashamed that Darth Vader was the one Kylo Ren had chosen to idolize. It was now Ben and Anakin. Ben’s quivering lip turned into a curious smile.

“Grandfather?” he said.

“Anakin will do just fine.”

Anakin continued forward, to where Ben was standing, but took a right turn towards the side of the sarcophagus. “Why are you here?” Ben asked.

Turning his eyes from the sarcophagus back to his grandson, Anakin replied.

“I believe you know the answer.”

Ben had also turned around to watch his grandfather, who was now eyeing the red flowers planted in the pillar-raised stone pot.

Anakin continued. 

“Why did you come here, Ben?”

Ben looked down at the coffin of his grandmother.

“Mom always wanted to bring me here. To visit her. We never got the chance,” Ben answered.

“Your mother wouldn’t want you here, Ben.”

The reply immediately took Ben off-guard. He was offended by it and without thinking he wanted to defend his mother’s honor.

“How would you know? You didn’t even know she was your daughter?” The words shot out fast and Ben wished he could pull them back. The darkside had once claimed Anakin Skywalker but it had also claimed Ben Solo. He was being hypocritical. So, Ben anticipated his grandfather to push back.

Anakin answered with the unexpected.

“You’re right,” he began. “It was not until I transformed into the cosmic Force that I realized that truth. The damage I caused. The death.” He looked at the coffin again. “I never had the chance to atone for my sins. Your mother gave you that chance. She wanted you to live, Ben. Not to close yourself off from the galaxy. It will only lead you back into the darkness.”

Ben listened to his grandfather, eyes beginning to water for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Anakin was staring at the stained glass image of Padmé Amidala.

“I’ve done enough already. I don’t want to hurt anyone again,” Ben answered.

“If you choose to stay, you already are,” Anakin said.

Rey. He had hurt her so much. He thought leaving her would be for the best. No one would understand. No one had ever understood before so why would they now? Except for Rey. If she vouched for him they’d lose faith in her. He didn’t want to be selfish. Not anymore. Her friends had stood by her and he knew she loved them. He didn’t want to give her the option to choose between them and a man who had once been a monster. Kylo Ren was dead. Rey and Ben knew that. No one else would believe it.

“No one would understand,” Ben finished his thoughts out loud.

“Forgiveness is a long road but not an impossible one. In time, others will realize what you have become.” Anakin said. “If you love her, it’s worth the wait.” 

“I gave my life for hers. She was dead,” Ben said as he started to wipe the tear dripping down his cheek. “I should’ve died.”

“But you didn’t. You saved the one you loved and the Force recognized your sacrifice. And it stripped you of the power that had done so much harm. You were reborn, Ben. Don’t let it be for nothing.”

“I can’t lose her again,” Ben whispered. 

Anakin sensed the sadness and fear growing inside Ben. Although Anakin struggled to get the next sentence out, he succeeded in hoping that his message would clear his grandson’s wounded heart.

“My love for Padmé, it, “Anakin paused, resting his hand on the coffin of his long lost wife. “It consumed me. Don’t let that fear control you as it did me. Yes, death is a natural part of life. Which is why you must make every living moment count.”

With one final pause Anakin continued, forming a smile. 

“Don’t let the darkness win. You’ve already found the light, Ben. Now run to it.”

The final words faded into the night as did the spirit of Anakin Skywalker.

Although Ben Solo stood alone, he didn’t feel it. With his grandmother’s image shining upon his face in the dimly lit tomb, fear became determination. The message had healed his heart. He rested a hand on the tomb of Padmé Amidala one final time, tucked his saber into his belt, and followed the light.

---------

“Rey, I have to tell you something,” Finn said as he entered Rey’s quarters unannounced. 

Most of the Resistance crew used the inside of the Tantive IV as shelter but it had been destroyed on Exegol. So the small caverns within Ajan Kloss’ cave system became some of the Resistance member’s new quarters. However, Rey had claimed this particular cavern her own weeks ago. She enjoyed its quietness and used that to meditate frequently. She was in a fragile meditative state when Finn had barged in.

He eyed Rey as she slowly opened her eyes while descending to the cavern ground as she had been floating mid-air. Finn noticed Rey’s annoyed expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Rey slowly got up to her feet and shook her head. “No, it’s not you.” She paused and looked up, somehow immediately transitioning her body language and expression into curiosity.

“Is this the same thing you wanted to tell me before?”

“Yes,” Finn energetically said, but got cut off before he could continue to speak.

“Where’s Poe?”

“Helping some of the crew pack up. I’ve been helping him all day. So I took a break to see you,” Finn explained.

Finn stood there waiting for a response from Rey, both friends awkwardly standing in the dimly lit cavern. Rey broke the silence.

“Well, go on.”

“Right,” Finn paused and began to gather himself. Rey looked at him with curious but somewhat worried eyes. 

“Rey, I think I’m sensitive to the Force.”

That caught her off guard.

“What?” she mumbled.

“Rey, I...I felt you die.”

Her open mouth closed shut in an instant. She didn’t tell anyone what happened on Exegol. She wasn’t ready to, not even with her closest friends.

Rey darted her eyes around the room, still in shock, and sat down on her bed which was made of a jutted-out slab of rock. 

“Rey,” Finn began. “What happened down there?”

She turned her gaze toward Finn and back to the ground. 

“I...you wouldn’t understand.”

“Rey, I’m the only one here who’d understand. I now know how it feels. That’s why I came to you and only you. Because you’re the only one who’d understand.”

Finn paused and Rey looked back up at him. He continued.

“Do you not believe me?”

“Of course I do Finn,” Rey answered.

“So it’s true. I was right,” Finn paused again, trying to compose himself. “You died didn’t you?”

After a brief silent moment of Finn staring at a slouched Rey, she looked up and caught his gaze. Her mouth began to quiver and she nodded.

Finn looked concerned for his friend as he sat down next to her, putting his arm around her shoulder to provide comfort. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“The Force brought you back,” he said.

Rey gathered herself and got up from her bed to turn around and look at Finn.

“No.”

Finn tilted his head.

“He brought me back,” she said straight-faced.

“You mean?” His voice almost cracked.

“Kylo’s dead Finn,” she stared at her friend and began to form a tight smile. “But Ben’s alive.”

Finn jolted up from the bed and before he could say anything Rey cut him off.

“Finn, don’t. You weren’t there. I saw the light in his eyes. It was Leia’s son.”

“Rey, you can’t really…”

“What? Believe that he turned? You did.”

“Oh come on, you know that’s not the same. I didn’t kill anyone for them. He killed..”

“I know. And so does he,” Rey interrupted.

Finn started to pace around the room and Rey followed him with her eyes, fearing what he’d say next.

“Where is he?” Finn asked

“I don’t know.”

“So you let him go? He should at least answer for his crimes.”

“He already is. When he brought me back he should’ve died. He gave me his life Force, Finn. It should’ve killed him.”

“But it didn’t.”

“No. And now he has to live with everything he’s done. Isn’t that enough?” she explained.

“I don’t know, Rey. Why don’t you ask Rose?”

That was low. Paige Tico, Rose’s sister, had been killed a year ago fighting the First Order. Although she wasn’t directly killed by Ren, Finn had made his point clear. Ren had taken so many other lives, including his own father’s.

Finn had gotten up before his last comment and had reached the exit of her cavern when she finally answered him.

“Finn, nobody can know. Not yet.”

He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at her again, her eyes pleading for something she desperately cared about. Someone she desperately cared about. Finn realized what had happened between Ben and Rey. What had always been there. Ben had nearly given his life to resurrect her. He knew Ben loved her. And with the way she was acting, she probably loved Ben too.

Rey added one final comment.

“He won’t hurt anyone again. I promise.”

Finn slowly nodded to communicate to Rey that he wouldn’t let any of the Resistance in on the secret she was trying to keep. 

She didn’t have to tell Finn any of this and he knew that. But she trusted him. The two were close friends and had been for some time. He had to trust Rey’s judgement too. So before he left her sight, he met her glare and said, “Then you better go find him.”

---------

Rey awoke to a dark cavern in the middle of the night. Her forehead was sweating and she caught herself hyperventilating. Images of Palpatine’s decrepit face filled her mind when she had finally allowed herself to rest. The lightning, the voices of the Jedi who came before, and her death that followed. It hadn’t yet been a full day since the last time she spoke with Ben, but she missed him to the point where she couldn’t rid her mind of him. He was the only one there. He was the only one who’d understand her visions. But he was gone, and for how long Rey had no idea. If he’d even reach out. The thought motivated her to jump up out of bed and call Leia’s saber to her hand. Everything she experienced in such a short amount of time had finally caught up to her. So she had to focus her mind elsewhere.

Rey exited her cavern into the narrow dim cave system, lit by low-powered lanterns. Her cavern couldn’t’ve been more than fifty yards away from the exit of the entire cave system, and before she knew it she was out in the nighttime forests of Ajan Kloss, running her training course. Her attempt at keeping her mind at bay failed as images of Palpatine, Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, and the destruction of Resistance vessels in the atmosphere of Exegol flashed across it. 

However, the images didn’t distract her from deflecting the particle bolts from the training sphere that she had brought with her. The red color of the bolts bouncing off of the bright blue saber either shot across the starry canvas or crashed into nearby tree trunks. She jumped over cliffs not with her sight, as the darkness blinded her vision, but with the Force. She tumbled and rolled after landing her jumps and kept on sprinting towards the end of the course. The sphere raced passed her, shooting six consecutive bolts at different angles. She deflected the first five into the sky, the ground, and the forest while sending the last bolt into the center of the training sphere. The electricity cackled and the droid fell to its doom over a cliff where it had been floating.

Rey stood in the dark alone, glowing with the blue light of her saber that remained ignited. She began to breathe slowly and focused on the victory the Resistance and the galaxy had claimed for itself. But the eerie sounds of Palpatine’s cackle continued to fill her head. It was still impossible for her to comprehend her bloodline. Emperor Palpatine: a monster so evil that he wanted his own granddaughter wiped from existence. To counteract these painful thoughts, Rey brought the kisses with Ben back into her mind. She closed her eyes, took a breath of the fresh night air, and smiled. The evil was destroyed. There was nothing to worry about anymore.

Suddenly, she felt a presence through the Force, turned around quickly, and pointed her saber at the figure standing behind her.

“Leia,” Rey said softly. 

The glimmering blue figure of Leia Organa, adorned with a white gown, stood in the dark forest, illuminating the bushes and trees around her. She smiled at Rey, who finally turned off her old lightsaber.

“It’s a good thing I had one of those,” she said, pointing to her old saber that she had asked Luke to give to a worthy successor. Leia smiled, her comment referring to Rey defeating Palpatine with two sabers instead of one.

Rey gave Leia a small smile but let it fade. Leia’s expression became serious as well when she approached the still very young Jedi.

“Thank you, Rey. For believing in my son.”

“I couldn’t bring him back. He had to do that on his own.”

“And he did. Because of love.”

Rey’s eyes widened. Leia knew about them. Of course she knew, she was a part of the cosmic Force now. She probably knew everything. That train of thought led to Rey asking a question that had floated about her mind ever since she found out the truth of her heritage.

“When did you know? That I was….”

“From the moment I met you. I could feel it in the Force. But our ancestors don’t define us, Rey. I believe you know that now.”

“I do.”

“I was a daughter of the darkness. But that didn’t stop me from choosing the light. When I saw you, I saw myself.”

“I haven’t told anyone about it. I don’t think I ever will.”

When the conversation held a brief pause, the peculiar noises of the critters filled the air.

“When the galaxy found out I was the daughter of Darth Vader, everything crashed around me. For so many years, I held on to that secret. It haunted me and when my secret was revealed to the galaxy, all of my accomplishments were discredited.”

Rey looked at Leia for guidance, waiting for her master to say something that could help her with the same problem.

“But I’m not going to tell you what to do with that secret, Rey. You know who you are. That is all that matters. If the time ever comes, you will deal with it. As I did.”

“There was no light in him though,” Rey quickly began, referring to Palpatine. “I don’t think there ever was. At least your father was a good man before he got corrupted by the dark side. And then Luke saved him and brought him to the light. Just like Ben.”

“Yes, Palpatine caused so much pain in my family. He manipulated my father and my son. But it’s over now. He’s gone for good.”

“I know. But what if I..”

“You’ve already proven yourself, Rey and I know you believe it too. Your father was his son. Yet he stood for the light. Your parents were stronger than any of us. That strength lives in you.”

Rey nodded her head and smiled. She missed her parents and would give anything to see them again. But she had to carry on their legacy. The Jedi of the past had called on her in a moment of desperation. Rey was the light that saved the galaxy from inevitable destruction. Deep down, Rey did believe her darkness would never reach the surface. She just needed someone to reassure her of that belief.

After another brief moment, Leia closed the space between her and Rey and grabbed one of Rey’s hands with both of her own.

“Rey, you may have the blood of a Palpatine. But, like your parents, you have the heart of a Skywalker.”

Leia smiled and let go of Rey’s hands.

“Wait,” Rey started. “Do you know where Ben is?”

Leia looked down and smiled at the ground. She looked back up at Rey and responded.

“When he’s ready, he will tell you.”

“I know he’s afraid. What if he doesn’t come back?” Rey thought back to her parents leaving her on Jakku. She understood why they had to now but she didn’t want history to repeat itself. What if Ben left her too? “I can’t go through that again.”

“Trust the Force, Rey. Trust your love.”

Leia’s final comment didn’t necessarily give Rey the answer she was looking for but she knew what she meant. She couldn’t lose hope.

Without saying another word, Leia’s spirit disappeared into the night. 

Rey stood there quietly, Leia’s hilt still gripped tightly in her right hand. She looked up to the starry night sky and closed her eyes, slowly breathing in the midnight air once more.

With a drawn out breath, Rey whispered across the stars.

“Ben.”

---------

The eyes of the last Skywalker shot open.

He was speeding through hyperspace on his way to the first of two pit stops before he’d contact Rey. 

Ryoo Naberrie had let him borrow one of her ships, she had quite a few because of her heritage, and he had taken it offworld immediately. 

He must’ve been only asleep for an hour when he heard Rey’s soft voice speak his name.

“Rey,” he said, pushing himself upward to look around, unsure of how he’d heard the voice. Ben assumed since he could no longer connect with the Force as he once always had that it would be nearly impossible to communicate with Rey through their dyad. He also wasn’t sure if their dyad was still intact. He wondered if Palpatine completely drained them of their bond when he resurrected himself. Then he realized quickly the bond couldn’t have been broken. How else could he have heard Rey’s voice from across the galaxy? Unless it was a dream? No. It was real and Ben was sure of it. Although he was currently detached from a part of the Force, the Force still resided in all living things so anything was possible. Rey was calling out to him. He just hoped she could hear him too.

It was impossible to fall back asleep after hearing her voice. He wanted to hear it again. So he straightened himself in his seat and looked out the viewport at the sprawling blue and white mesh of hyperspace. It had been so long that he had actually taken in the beauty and intrigue of hyperspace. So many chaotic things had happened in the last day which is why Ben couldn’t relax or take in the beauty of certain things in life. It was different now. He knew where he was going and he had to confront his past before it haunted him. For Rey was waiting for him at the other end of the galaxy and he too was eagerly awaiting their reunion. But he needed to earn it.

Ben’s borrowed ship rocked back and forth when it came back into realspace. The large tan world filled his viewport and despite the pain it brought him, he continued on. He moved the ship into the atmosphere and noticed a recently downed First Order Star Destroyer with bits of smoke billowing off of its wreckage, flames licking its hull that stuck out of the sand. As he neared the planet's surface, he could make out villages and more wreckage. 

The elevated Tuanul village caught his gaze. The same village Kylo Ren had killed Lor San Tekka and all of its innocent civilians. Lor San Tekka used to go on missions with him and Master Luke. He was a friend and Ren had betrayed him. You cannot deny what is your family, Lor had said moments before being cut down by Kylo’s blade. 

Ben knew he was beginning to atone for a lifetime of sins Kylo had committed. However, that didn’t lessen the excruciating pain and regret. He wondered if the village was populated by refugees but even if there were new inhabitants, there was nothing he could do. He shifted his eyes away from Tuanul and continued to move forward.

He quickly arrived at the infamous outpost that was named after a famous Hutt who lived during the Galactic Civil War. Ben noticed that there weren’t many speeders docked at the outpost when he landed. Since the people of this world were mostly scavengers, he concluded that they were all already at the newly downed star destroyer, eagerly awaiting fresh prizes. This was also why the population of the outpost was slim. Ben grabbed the brown hooded robe that Ryoo Naberrie had given him and put it on. Almost fully healed from his injuries, Ben felt little physical pain when he walked to the middle of the outpost. He met a crolute junk boss at the counter and before Ben could speak the Crolute interjected.

“What’s a ship like that doing on a planet like this? Today might be your lucky day, I happen to be in the market for a new one.”

“It’s not for sale,” Ben said, hood covering most of his face.

“What do you want then, boy?”

Ben inched closer to the Crolute as another bystander got in line behind him.

“The girl who stole your ship. I need to know everything about her.”

The Crolute’s eyes widened and Ben knew he had peaked his interest.

“And how do you know of such a thing?” he asked.

“As you know, she’s a common thief. You’re not the only one she’s stolen from. I’ve tracked her past to this planet. Any clues that could lead me to her would be helpful...for both our sakes.”

“And why should I believe you, boy?”

“It’s the answer to your first question. Look at my ship. What other reason would I need to come to this junkyard?”

The Crolute took a moment to process everything the mysterious boy had said. 

“Information has never been free,” the junk boss exclaimed.

“I don’t have any credits,” Ben said.

The Crolute eyed the robe that Ben was wearing. 

“I’ll take that.”

For a moment, Ben hesitated. He put the hood on so it was easier for him to slip through crowds unrecognized. Fortunately the outpost was nearly empty and he doubted the junk boss had ever seen the former face of Kylo Ren. So he came to a quick conclusion he’d be safe without it. He took off his hood and removed the robe, tilting his head down in the process.

“Ah, Cyrene silk, eh?” the Crolute said as he pawed the robe that Ben had given away. Somehow the junk boss knew the value of Ben’s robe from Naboo. It was made from rare silk only made for the high borns on Naboo. Ryoo was kind enough to let him borrow one. Though it was also possible she had given it to him. Of that he wasn’t sure because he did promise her he’d be back. But Ben would figure out how to pay Ryoo for the robe if she did indeed only intend for him to temporarily borrow it. Then again, it wasn’t a piece of clothing a stranger would give to someone without some thought. She had done so much for him and although he knew it was a selfish act to trade her(and his)family history away, he’d worry about that later. After he found Rey, he’d return to Naboo and pay off his debts. Unfortunately, there was a lot Ben had to make up for but trading away some silk was the least of his concerns. 

He waited for the information that had yet to be given in return.

Clearly annoyed, Ben finally looked up and into the face of the junk boss.

“Tell me,” he demanded.

Satisfied with his new robe, the Crolute answered swiftly. 

“She holed up in an old Imperial walker southwest of that Super Star Destroyer wreckage. Don’t know what you’d find there. It’s been ravaged. She’s been gone a whole year.”

Ben nodded his head and turned around.

“Hey,” the Crolute called out. “Bring me that girl’s head.”

Ben gathered enough strength to not make a suspicious face or speak a revealing comment. Instead, he silently walked back to his ship. The Crolute wanted Rey dead and it pained Ben to hear it. The memory of Rey’s lifeless body in his arms less than a day ago caused him to shut his eyes. He quickly thought of the kisses she had given him and the one he had given her to lessen the pain. He opened his eyes again, knowing she would be back in his arms soon.

After bringing his mind back into the present Ben hopped in his ship and took off, heading in the direction of Rey’s past.

Ben kicked up the dry sands of Jakku in his Naberrie transport, while keeping an eye out for the wrecked Super Star Destroyer. The planet was littered with galactic history. The Battle of Jakku took place over 30 years ago and it had seen, what was thought to be at the time, the official end of the Empire. A year after the Battle of Endor, the Empire gathered at Jakku to attempt to take down the Rebellion once and for all. As many before it, the battle had claimed many lives and most of its victims were buried in the decades of sandstorms of Jakku that followed. It was this day the Rebellion had finally defeated the Empire and the remnants had signed the Galactic Concordance, marking the beginning of an era of peace and balance in the Force. 

That was also the day of Ben Solo’s birth. A battle that had claimed so many lives and marked the end of a war that had gone on for so many years was the day he had been brought into the galaxy. And it wouldn’t be long until that same boy aided in dragging the galaxy into that same darkness once more.

Ben angled his ship just southwest of the downed Super Star Destroyer when he spotted it and continued to glide across the sand. It wasn’t too long before he saw an AT-AT walker toppled over on its left side. He had passed a few downed walkers but this one was it. He knew he could no longer use the Force at his will but it continued to guide him nonetheless. 

He landed his ship at the rear right foot of the walker, got out of the pilot seat, and descended down the ramp. Although he had left Naboo in the middle of its night, unfortunately it was daytime on Jakku. The heat was immense and for a second Ben was relieved he gave away the robe, remembering how hot he had become wearing it. 

The sun beat down on Ben Solo’s face as he walked towards the open gut of the walker. Trash and small spare parts were littered across the sand, most likely due to the scavengers who had probably stolen every important piece of machinery in the year that it had been deserted.

As Ben entered the walker cautiously, hand on his saber in case he wasn’t alone, he eyed one of the walls. There were hundreds of white tally marks scratched into the wall. If Ben had any doubt this wasn’t her walker, they were all gone now. Kylo Ren had seen this wall before. This was her home. 

While in her mind on Starkiller Base, Kylo had seen these same tallies. It already felt like a lifetime ago. Kylo had tortured her, and invaded her mind which is how he knew Rey counted down the days since her parents had left. He tried to push the memory of the interrogation down but failed. The result was a stinging feeling in his heart. But it was why he needed to be here. He wanted to understand what she had gone through. All those years, abandoned and alone. It all sounded similar. Abandoned and alone. At least, that’s what Kylo Ren had believed.

Ben brought his hand to the tally marks on the wall and rubbed his fingers across the tiny indents. He let his hand fall and looked down, attempting to gather himself. He fortunately succeeded and turned around, moving his eyes across the inside of the walker. Everything she had used was stripped and taken from the other scavengers. All that was left were some makeshift shelves and shattered trinkets. Ben’s eyes locked onto a hint of orange that lay behind a shattered lantern at the far end of the room. He carefully removed the lantern and discovered what the orange was coming from. It was a stuffed rebel pilot doll. He wasn’t sure of what she had made it out of but he picked it up, chuckled, and smiled. Ben Solo had made one of these at a young age too.

He gently squeezed the doll that he held in his hand, turned around, and exited the walker. He had come here to understand her more and he had left feeling accomplished. He wouldn’t leave her alone. He couldn’t. He wanted to take her hand and wanted her to take his. As he lifted his ship into the air, he couldn’t hold back the smile that sparked across his face. He rested the doll on the empty co-pilot seat, hoping she’d welcome his gesture. He needed her to know how much he loved her. He had given his life for her but he knew that wasn’t enough. She wanted to be with him. Ben was her future.

Rey was his destiny.

When the ship left Jakku’s atmosphere, Ben punched in the coordinates. With one more stop to go before fulfilling his promise, he pulled the hyperspace lever, and disappeared into the abyss of space.

---------

The harsh bright rays of the twin suns immediately engulfed the cockpit when Ben’s ship shuttered back into realspace. Although it was the home planet of three Skywalkers, Ben had yet to step foot onto the sands of Tatooine. 

After Jabba the Hutt’s death, Tatooine lost its place in the underworld hub of crime in the galaxy. The cantinas that used to be heavily populated were visited now by the occasional bounty hunter or smuggler stopping at Mos Eisley for fuel. Other than these reasons of why Ben, or Kylo, had never been to Tatooine, the planet held dark memories for the Skywalker family. There was no reason to go back. However, it was the only place Ben knew he could reach out to the one person he was looking for. It was the perfect place to finally bury the dark memories of the Skywalker family past. 

Luke had talked about his childhood on Tatooine very little during their teachings. But Ben did know where to find his uncle’s old home. Luke had told him it was known as the Lars homestead and it belonged to the family for many years. It was among a dozen of moisture farms out in the Great Chott salt flat that surrounded the town of Anchorhead.

With the guidance of the Force, Ben had found Rey’s home with ease so finding Luke’s old home would prove a simple task as well.

Just as he did on Jakku, Ben flew the ship only meters above the sands of Tatooine. He had to pull up when he spotted a stopped sandcrawler, surrounded by Jawas. That’s when he eyed the Lars homestead from a distance. It sat in the sand, in front of a backdrop with the colors of Tatooine’s evening consisting of blue skies gradually turning orange, peppered with streaks of looming purple clouds. 

History repeated itself when Ben’s craft from the Naberrie family landed outside the Lars homestead.

Ben Solo descended his ship’s ramp again and touched the sands of Tatooine with his boots for the first time in his life. He slowly trotted over to the sphere shaped home and looked into the small pit. He spotted smaller moisture vaporators in the underground homestead that looked like the ones he had spotted outside around the property. Similar to Jakku, years of sandstorms had filled some of the pit, hiding some of the home’s secrets under its sand.

Ben turned around and sat cross-legged in the sand, ready for what he came here to do.

He unclipped the Skywalker saber from his belt and held it with two open palms out in front of him. Light breezes kicked up dust and sand that tickled Ben’s face, whose eyes had just been closed.  

He took a deep breath and called out to the Force, hoping it could hear him. 

Ben Solo whispered into the winds of sand brushing by his mouth.

“Master.”

Ben could feel the warmth of the suns on his forehead as he waited for an answer. There was none. So he waited, the weight of the saber in his hands growing heavier by the second. 

Before Ben could open his eyes he felt the weight suddenly disappear. A stronger gust of wind followed and Ben finally opened his eyes.

There, in front of the twin suns, stood his old master. The explanation for the disappeared weight of the saber became clear when he saw the saber in the possession of Luke Skywalker.

Luke held out the saber in one hand as he approached his nephew, who was still sitting cross-legged. The image reminded Luke of Ben sitting across from him as a child, as they often used to meditate together. 

After a silent moment staring in the eyes of his uncle, Ben stood upright. 

Luke broke the tension.

“I’m glad you reached out. I didn’t think you would.”

“Neither did I,” Ben responded. A short period of quietness followed.

“I missed you, Ben,” Luke said with sincerity.

Ben succeeded in fighting back the tears, as he had done when he spoke to the memory of his father on Kef Bir.

“Could you ever forgive me?” Ben stumbled on his words. 

Luke inched closer to Ben, still grasping his father’s old lightsaber.

“You’re not the one who needs to be asking that question,” Luke said.

Ben nodded but Luke waited for him to say the words.

“I do,” Ben muttered. 

Ben Solo had forgiven his uncle. It was about time he said it.

Luke let out a smirk and gently handed Ben the lightsaber. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t say it enough,” Luke started, Ben unsure of where he was going with it. “I’ve always loved you, Ben. And I will always be with you, just like your father.”

It pained Ben to think about his dad but he needed to hear it. Even as Kylo Ren, the boy had regretted what he had done every second after he’d done it. Ben doubted the regret would ever fully heal but at least he was on the right path. 

“I know,” Ben responded, echoing the voice of his father.

Luke started to turn around when Ben began to voice a question that he was desperately afraid to ask.

“Is she…”

Luke smiled, and nodded to something over Ben’s shoulder. As Luke vanished back into the Force, Ben could feel the presence too. It wasn’t something. It was someone.

Unlike with his father and uncle, when Ben turned around, he failed to hold back the tears from pouring down his face. Streaks of water flowed down his sunburnt cheeks, as he pushed out the name of the person of whom he’d thought he’d never see again.

“Mom.”

The spirit of Leia Organa was looking into the eyes of her son, who stood between the setting of each sun shining bright in the background. He donned a dark brown vest with a black undershirt and black pants. The Skywalker lightsaber dangled on his belt in the occasional breeze. Her son’s new outfit reminded her of Han. She knew that was the intention.

It felt like it had been three lifetimes since she’d last seen Ben. 

Mother and son were reunited at last. 

The rays of the twin sun’s orange-yellow light shone around the figure of Ben Solo. It mirrored the pale blue light that surrounded Leia’s own body.

She followed the light and stopped inches away from Ben.

Ben’s sobbing grew into audible weeps, his face covered in tears of regret.

She held out her hand for him to take with his own. He followed suit and despite her being only a spirit, the warm feeling of her hand felt as real as it had been when he was a child. 

“I’ve missed you so much, Ben.”

She brought her other hand up to his cheek to wipe the tears away, relieving him of his haunted past.

When speaking to his father’s memory, Ben couldn’t find the strength to say the words he obviously meant. This time was different. This time Ben found that strength, given to him by his parents, and spoke what Kylo Ren refused to.

“I love you, Mom.”

She smiled at him, brought her hand from his cheek to meet his other hand, and squeezed tight.

“I love you, Ben. I always will.”

By the will of the Force, a familiar sound screeched through the distant sky. Ben looked up in surprise as his mother smiled, still focused on the face of her son. He looked back at his mother to ask her if she knew what was happening. She slightly shrugged, a gesture she borrowed from his father, and slowly backed away. 

“Don’t go,” he pleaded.

She put her hand on his heart. It had begun to beat fast when the familiar sound was confirmed by the sight of the ship that had started its landing next to Ben’s transport.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Leia said. He looked down at her hand resting on his chest, gave her face one last look, and nodded. 

“Go get her,” Leia said.

She transformed into the Force with a smirk on her face.

Ben gathered himself and turned his attention towards the descending ramp of the Millennium Falcon.

Merrily beeps were the next sounds Ben heard. The orange and white BB unit known as BB-8 came rolling down the ramp and into the sand. The droid completely avoided Ben and headed for the entrance of the homestead. 

He didn’t expect the next two that followed. C-3P0 and R2-D2 strolled down the ramp, across the sand, and halted before Ben Solo. 

R2 jokingly beeped something at him and Ben couldn’t help himself from chuckling. R2 cackled as well and followed BB-8. C-3PO studied Ben up and down in amusement. At least, that’s what Ben thought his somehow comprehensible facial expression was giving off. 

“Master Ben!” the droid shouted.

Ben nodded, forming a tight smile.

“Threepio.”

The droid then leaned in and heaved his robotic hand onto one of Ben’s shoulders and gave it a pat.

“It’s good to have you back.” C-3PO said, before following in the trails of his droid counterparts.

Ben watched on as the next figure made their way to the bottom of the Millennium Falcon’s ramp. His heart increased the pace of its beating.

Rey.

Her cuts on her face were healing but were still visible. Her eyes were as big and beautiful as ever. So much so that he tended to lose himself in them. Her hair remained the same, tied into three buns at the back, with small curly bangs waving across her face in the light breeze. Her master’s lightsaber, his mother’s, attached to her belt. Her clothes were a touch whiter than the last he’d seen of them, the dust and decay of the battle on Exegol nearly gone. Her smile. The dimples in her cheeks became visible when her grin grew wider. These were the things he paid attention to as he laid his eyes on the young woman he had fallen for.

Ben began to walk to her as she remained standing at the foot of the ramp.

“How did you know wh…”

“When I woke up, the Force led me here. Ben, last night when I called out to you, I could hear you. I can’t explain it and I didn’t expect it but when I heard your voice I..”

“Couldn’t wait,” Ben finished her sentence. She nodded her head in confirmation. “Rey, I..” 

“I wasn’t sure if I’d see you again,” she interrupted, holding back her sobs.

Ben let the words sink in, wondering if he should tell her that, at first, she was right. He looked down and decided to admit it. “Me too.” 

With a serious expression, she gave him a slight nod to show that she understood.

“But with some guidance, I understood running away wasn’t my future. You were. You always have been.”

Rey took a step closer to Ben, eye level with him because she remained elevated on the ramp. 

She looked into his eyes, smiled, and held out her hand.

“Come with me. There’s someone who’d like to see you.”

Ben regarded her statement with curiosity, and when the realization hit him of who it could’ve been, he paused. 

“It’s okay,” she reassured him.

Nearly lost in her caring eyes, without looking down, Ben took her hand and followed her up the ramp. She closed the hatch behind them and Ben Solo followed Rey through the corridors of the Millennium Falcon. 

---------

There, behind the Dejarik table with his head tilted to the floor, sat the wookiee Chewbacca.

“Chewie,” Rey said as she entered the room. Chewie’s eyes shot up and stood upright when Rey had moved to the side. 

Han Solo’s son and Chewbacca stood mere feet apart from one another. 

Rey let go of Ben’s hand and stood there, hiding the fact that she wasn’t too sure of what would happen. When she told Chewie Ben had returned to the light, he couldn’t believe it. So she dragged him along to Tatooine, without telling him why. It was the only way to get them together. To truly believe her, Chewie had to see him with his own eyes.

Ben looked up at the wookiee, a lifelong pal of his father’s, and remained silent.

Before he was sent away to train with Luke, Ben spent countless hours in the cockpit of this very ship with Chewie and his father. Rey could see that sadness in Ben’s eyes. The shame. Ben tried to avoid Chewie’s gaze a couple of times but returned it when the wookiee began to approach him.

Ben took a quick breath, unsure of what was going on in Chewbacca’s head. 

“Chewie,” Rey cautioned. But before she could say another word, her eyes filled with joy when Chewie’s arms wrapped themselves around Ben. Solo let it happen and Chewie squeezed the boy tighter. The wookiee rubbed his furry hands through Ben’s thick head of hair and started to speak in his native tongue. With watery eyes, Ben chuckled at some of Chewie’s comments, and Rey turned her attention to Ben’s rare but addicting open-mouthed smile. 

“It’s fine,” Ben said as Chewie let him go, gesturing to the wound Kylo had been rightfully given.

Chewie growled at Rey for not telling him why they’d come to Tatooine—although he knew what she was trying to do—which got him a dirty look in response. She was just glad it worked. Although annoyed at her because he was unprepared for it, Chewie was happy too.
“Is Lando okay?” Ben asked the wookiee. He braced for the response.
Chewie nodded his head and Ben returned the gesture. If anyone could make it, it’d be Lando, thought Ben. The satisfying answer removed another burden of guilt off of Ben’s shoulders. He hoped to see his uncle again soon.

After a moment of looking at one another, Chewie told Ben to stay put and temporarily left the room.

“You didn’t tell him?” Ben asked Rey.

“He needed to see you to believe it. He had the right to know.” She paused. “And you needed to see him too.”

Ben nodded. She was right. He was overwhelmed Chewie had accepted him again. Another face he thought he’d seen the last of. 

Ben turned back to face Chewie when he re-entered the room and eyed the blaster that Chewie held in his furry hands.

It was a DL-44. One of the few that Han had kept hidden on his ship at all times. Chewie looked at Ben and went to hand him the blaster and thigh holster that came with it. 

“I can’t, Chewie,” Ben said.

Without hesitation, the wookiee insisted. Ben looked at Rey and she nodded. He took the blaster and holster from Chewie and attached them to his waist. Ben’s Skywalker lightsaber dangled over his left thigh while his father’s blaster rested in its holster on his right. Chewie made another comment and Ben chuckled. 

“Chewie, can you check on the droids and see what they’re up to?” Rey asked. Chewie nodded, growled, and headed for the exit.

Ben assumed Rey wanted to get him alone which is why she sent Chewie outside. Ben wanted to hold her and never let go but he was currently standing in the Falcon. It disillusioned him and for a few moments it put him in a daze. 

Without saying another word, Ben looked around and started to walk ahead of Rey. She followed him with a confused expression on her face. When she realized where he was going, she understood and held back.

“I’ll be outside,” she said.

Before Rey turned to leave, Ben caught her glance and nonverbally thanked her for everything she had done for him.

When Rey was out of sight, Ben touched the control panel to the door of the cockpit and it slid open. 

He immediately noticed his father's dice, still hanging from the ceiling. It had been so many years since Ben had been here. A year ago Kylo Ren had stood in this exact spot, after Han Solo landed on Starkiller Base. Ben pushed the disturbing visage of Kylo Ren aside and grabbed the dice. He closed his fist around them and sat down in the pilot seat. His father’s seat. He opened his palm and rubbed the dice with his thumb and forefinger while looking out the viewport at Rey, who was now joining the droids and Chewie outside. He smiled when she turned around to see him watching her. He fell in love again when her face scrunched up, her eyes wincing from the glare of the suns. 

That’s when he was reminded of something he had momentarily forgotten he had. He didn’t expect to see her on Tatooine but she was here now and the suns were beginning to set. He wanted to take advantage of the moment so he placed the dice in their usual spot, took one last glance at the cockpit, and headed out the door.

Rey followed Ben with her eyes as he made his way to his own transport. She wondered where he’d got it from and if he had been scared of being recognized wherever he had been. She smiled again, almost in disbelief of where this crazy journey had taken her.

Ben grabbed the rebel pilot doll he had taken from her old Jakku home and hid it behind his back as he returned to the ground of Tatooine.

“What do you have in your hands?” she teased.

He wiped his smile off his face and met her intrigued gaze. He wanted to say something but he didn’t know what. Instead, he held out his hand with the doll gripped inside.

Rey must have gone through seven different emotions in the span of a second. He focused on her reaction but admittedly wasn’t quite sure if it was closer to disappointment rather than joy.

Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears. Still, Ben Solo didn’t know how to interpret it.

She held out her hand and grasped her old handmade trinket.

“I didn’t ever want to go back there.”

He found her eyes with his.

“Which is why I did.”

The rebel doll brought back Rey’s past. Not that she would ever forget it, but it was a reminder of who she was and where she had come from. Ben Solo had the strength to understand her pain and her story while somehow dealing with his own. She commended him for it and she wanted to show him how much she appreciated the gesture. He was surprised when she let the doll slip through her fingers for it to land in the sand beside her feet. But he understood when she used both of her hands to caress his face and pull him in for a perfect kiss. She embraced her past but knew when to let go of it to replace it with her future: Ben Solo.

The twin suns had become crescents, half of them hidden beyond the horizon. The shadows of Ben and Rey became visible on the Lars homestead. BB-8 and R2 chirped happily as Chewie wrapped his arm around C-3P0.  

When the two had parted from their quite lengthy kiss, Ben put his hand around Rey and held her to watch the finale of both suns setting on the horizon. Their fingers were intertwined, reflective of their destinies.

With the spirit of his father in his heart, Ben Solo peered at the horizon as the spirits of his mother, uncle, and grandfather faded into view. 

With the heart of a Skywalker, Rey held Ben like never before. She smiled at the two spirits that had guided her throughout her journey. She was glad they were here for the end of it. She was glad they were here for the start of their next one.

Love had conquered the evil. Balance had been restored to the galaxy. A new hope had been restored into the people that had lost it.

Rey and Ben held each other long past the suns had disappeared. 

They were two that were one. A dyad in the Force. A bond that would heal the galaxy for generations to come.

Under the three moons of the Tatooine night sky stood its two brightest stars. 

With the entire galaxy to explore, together, Rey and Ben Solo eagerly awaited their next adventure.

May the Force be with you, always.