&& REY.

he watched as the smile formed slowly on her lips, the way her eyes brightened like he’d only truly seen once before. this was all he had ever wanted. for rey to be like this, always. his blissful girl. ben leaned in closer to her touch, letting her feel him to assure her even more that he was physically there, that this wasn’t a vision or a force ghost. his thumbs moved up carefully to wipe the tears that were on her cheeks, though he felt his own eyes brimming with tears simultaneously. it was like exegol all over again, but this time, he had a chance. a real chance.

suddenly rey was moving, and he wasn’t sure what she was doing until she was jumping up and wrapping herself around him. in that moment, ben realized this was the closest they’d ever been to each other. she’d never hugged him before, not like this. but it warmed his entire being. and then she - she kissed him. but there was no slight hesitation or unsureness the way he’d sensed her originally feeling before she’d kissed him on exegol - no, this was different. their first kiss had been sweet, loving, and tender, but this - this was even more passionate.

ben didn’t hesitate at all in kissing her back, knowing that he wouldn’t scare her off anymore now that she knew he was real. his arms wrapped tightly around her lower back as he supported her weight, pulling her tightly into him as his lips attempted to explore her mouth. she tasted slightly sweet, and he sighed lightly into their embrace as he deepened the kiss even further. it was as if neither could get enough - they had fought so long to be here, against others, against themselves - that everything was exploding all at once. but ben knew when she pulled away that she needed to speak, and his eyes searched her own for her emotions, feeling them almost in sync with his own. she loved him. it sounded too good to be true. it was too good to be true. but…since she’d met him? he’d been fixated on her ever since he first laid eyes on her on takodana, maybe even before that, but ben had not once imagined that rey could have any positive feelings towards him back then. it pained him to think back to their earlier interactions, but so much had changed since then. none of it mattered anymore. 

“rey,” ben breathed out, letting out a disbelieving chuckle and shaking his head, rubbing his own eyes to wipe the moisture away. “i gave my life force to you. i would do it again in a heartbeat. you know that…” for some reason, he stopped. he loved her, of course he did. she knew that he did. but why was it so kriffing terrifying to say aloud? he swallowed hoarsely, leveling his gaze with her before leaning in to peck her lips once more. it was the first time he’d initiated it, but what had been meant to be a chaste kiss quickly turned into another passionate one, as they both seemed to wonder why they’d deprived themselves of each other for so long. “…you know. and i’m here, sweetheart,” he whispered the words against her lips as he held her around him, utterly overjoyed just to be with her. “if you let me, i’ll…i’ll spend the rest of my new life trying to do anything i can to be good enough for you…”

after all this time of not having him around, it had truly hit rey intensely that she missed him so, so much. she realized just how much love she had for him in her heart, but only once he was gone. it was a cruel trick the universe had played on them; but this was their second chance. and they wouldn’t waste it. their kiss on exogol was sweet and affectionate, but this one... this one felt different. it was more passionate, more intense. but it felt right. rey never wanted to let go. 

admitting her devotion to him should have been a terrifying thing, but it wasn’t. rey knew how she felt, and just as much how he felt. there was no denying that they were two halves of the same coin. one could not exist without the other. the sound of her name spilling from his full lips made rey’s heart flutter, and they smiled in unison through both of their exasperation. more tears left her eyes at his words, a shiver running down her spine. she never wanted to reimagine that moment again; it was the most painful thing she’d ever had to endure. it didn’t matter any longer anyway. he was here now, and that was all that mattered anymore. he trailed off, but rey just smiled wider, moving her hand to his cheek and stroking his skin with her thumb tenderly. no part of her blamed him for hesitating; after all he’d endured with the relationships in his life, it wasn’t exactly easy for him to say those three words. whereas for her, with the lack of relations in her life, it was all too easy. she smiled reassuringly then echoed his parents’ common usage of words. “...i know.”

again they kissed, and she poured every ounce of understanding she had into it, not allowing him to feel any guilt for not being able to say it just yet. she giggled against his lips at the pet name he gave her, her limbs holding him tighter. never had she been given a nickname like that and she adored it with all her heart. “yes,” she choked out instantly, nodding her head as quickly as she could and pressing her forehead more firmly against his. “ben, you’re everything... i’ve been so... empty...” she swallowed thickly and shook her head, unable to put how truly devastated she’d been feeling into words. “you’re everything to me...” again she pressed her lips to his as she untangled her legs from his waist to stand on her feet again, though she kept their chests pressed against one another. it was as if they physically couldn’t get close enough to one another. but their souls were eternally connected, which would always come to comfort her.

she smiled again and took his hands, entwining their fingers briefly, then moved them behind her to rest them against her lower back. “if you think i’m ever leaving your side again...” she whispered, trailing off as she shook her head then laughed softly. he wouldn’t be able to get rid of her. however, rey suddenly realized just how public their entire reunion had just been, and it struck slight fear in her. it wasn’t enough to diminish her overwhelming joy, but it did bring her to her senses. she turned to glance worriedly over her shoulder, holding his hands just slightly tighter, then met his eyes again. “come on,” she murmured, instantly leading him inside the falcon. once they were both up the ramp, rey shut the hatch immediately, closing them out to any possible intruders. not once did she let go of his hand, and still didn’t as she led him to the bed in the captain’s quarters, sitting with him on the edge of it. she had to brace him for everything that was happening, as she herself had still not come to terms with it all. having him here, though, would complete her once again and finally allow her to get a grip on the situation. 

“...i’ve heard... rumors,” she sighed, staring down at his hands as she played with them in her lap. “others have returned... those from the first order, but... also some from... the past...” her gaze slowly drifted up to his again, pausing in her motions for now. it would be a lot to take in, but she needed him to hear it. so they could figure this out, together. “from the empire... from the rebellion... from the sith, the jedi... everyone...”

Elara watched with a cautious gaze as the other took a step back, confused by the sudden change in demeanour, along with the words that followed. No master. Palpatine wouldn’t like that one bit. There was a flicker of thought that maybe she’d killed him, but then she would know far more. “Then I’d be more careful using the force as you do..” Her gaze fell to the woman’s weapon as she reached for it, remaining unflinching at the noise and slight heat as the saber illuminated both their faces in a…yellow hue? When it came to her daughter’s safety, nothing fazed her. A smarter person might have called it madness, she didn’t see it that way. It was what both her and her husband had done in the end, aggravated with their non-compliance. Usually interrogation went you’d give them small somethings, and they had. There were plenty of planets in the galaxy, plenty of opportunities to send the cultists on wild goose chases. It worked for a time, but Ochi…Somehow he’d know when they were lying, and things would only get worse. She looked the brunette over for any sign of insignia with confusion clear in her features; not that she would even trust rebels with such a secret. “I. told. you, it’s just a–” Elara cut herself off mid-sentence as her gaze fell to the woman’s torso. The stance causing a part previously hidden to be on display; a part that was donned with a scar. Same shape, same position – same scar as that of her daughter’s. Only one thing made a mark like that, it couldn’t be a trick if no one else knew about it. She visibly slumped, all notion of fight leaving her as her eyes looked back to the woman’s features, trying to find her child in it as she connected the dots. Someone with a clear hatred Jakku, with an obvious loathing for Unkar Plutt, powerful force energy and no master to speak of — It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be because that would mean she’d failed. She’d abandoned her daughter in some desolate wasteland and never returned for her. It took Elara far too long to find her voice again, even then her words came out as barely more than a broken whisper. “Rey…?”

as soon as the woman cut her off mid-sentence, rey scowled in apprehension, only raising her saber up further while also keeping herself on high alert for any possible threats that could be coming in around her. just the prior day, hux had two of his stormtroopers pin her to her knees on the ground and she hadn’t caught it. she really did need to get better about anticipating that kind of stuff. however, as she focused in on the woman again, she noticed she was no longer looking at her, but... down further. rey knitted her eyebrows and looked down. oh no. the scar on her abdomen was now on full display as her white shirt had lifted up in all her movements. immediately she shut off her saber and let it fall to the ground as she tugged down her shirt rapidly again. no one knew about that scar, simply because no one else had seen that part of her, but it was a painful reminder of the day her parents had left her behind. she couldn’t remember exactly how she got it, but she knew it was in that incident. just as she was about to threaten the woman to not look at the mark ever again, rey found a different expression on the other’s face, causing her to again stare at her in confusion. no longer was she hesitant, but now... almost in recognition. she didn’t know what she expected her to say, but the word that fell unevenly from her lips sent rey’s whole world into a whirlwind. her ears began ringing immediately as she physically stumbled back, feeling something stirring within her that she hadn’t felt in years. her facial features melted into a look of shock as her face paled. this was no ordinary woman. and this was now clearly no enemy. the force longed for her to identify the woman standing before her, but rey almost didn’t want to admit it to herself. it couldn’t be. tears pricked her eyes immediately and she stumbled again, this time falling to her knees on the ground before her. “...m-mother...?” she choked out, her tears finally falling now. all the signs pointed towards the woman being her, but rey couldn’t bring herself to believe it. the force was reviving people, this she knew, but never had she even considered her parents potentially coming back to her.

FINN KNEW THAT REY LIKED TO BE LEFT TO HERSELF when she was going through something, not that he had ever seen her like this before, but he also knew that he was allowed some exception, as her best friend and because of the force. he wanted her to be okay, to see her happy, to smile, but he felt her pain, and he understood that she needed time to adjust, especially now that the dead were all returning. it meant good, it meant she could likely see ben again, luke and leia could return and han too, but it also meant the worst people in the galaxy could see light again; palpatine, snoke and the sith, but it wouldn’t do them any good to dwell on what could happen.

“ he wants you, but he’s going to get all of us. and if you fight him alone, we’ll be right above you fighting everyone else. like always. ” he reassured. finn was a little taken aback when rey took his arm and followed him off of the falcoln, but glad that she was freeing herself from the confines of the ship, even if only for a while. naboo was beautiful, and he wanted rey to really see it. 

rey shook her head, but gave no further argument than that. she would not allow her friends to get anywhere close to the sith lord. she and ben had almost both lost their lives facing him. it’d cost her first her life then ben’s just to defeat him, since it took that much energy out of her. she wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice herself all over again if it meant retaining the safety of everyone she loved. but she stayed quiet and instead just kept walking along through the fields of naboo, instead taking in this moment with him.

“i haven’t been around here much...” she murmured, glancing at the palace plaza as they entered it. she mainly kept to herself nowadays, as they all knew, and only went to town out of necessity. even the palace was a place she’d never visited, instead opting to sleep on the falcon; she didn’t belong in a place like that and didn’t have the energy to be around all the people who would constantly pay her attention. except, of course, for a select few. including finn. “how is everything going with the new government? have you made anymore decisions lately?” she hadn’t been involved in any of it, but only because she hadn’t wanted to; no part of her was jealous of the politics they were now involved with, but she still wanted to make sure they were doing alright.

Elara’s brows furrowed at the mention of the very junk boss she’d been referring too, hardly expecting her to known of whom she spoke - Least of all react so passionately to it. “You…you know him-” She was cut off slightly as the fruit ripped from her hand without being touched, her eyes going wide momentarily as it hit the nearby wall with such a force it could only be caused by one thing. Sith. She’d said too much, the younger brunette knew too much. “I’m aware, but as I told you I have a deal to get to. It’s some rare parts, nothing more.” She replied, trying to fein indifference despite the gut wrenching notion of having to leave her daughter in a place like that. Elara met the other’s gaze with a fire of her own, all the anger at her current situation seeping into conversation as she scoffed faintly. “If you think your little display of power scares me, it doesn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time the force was used on me, nor the first time someone asked this line of questioning. Why don’t you just run along to your master, tell him whatever sick game he’s playing nothing’s changed…” There was was so much more Elara wanted to say, so incredibly tempted bite back further, but if she got too defensive over a nobody from some distant planet, it would only lead them one step closer to Rey. So instead, she took a breath and deflected the questioning with some of her own. “How do you know of him?”  

the other’s words made rey’s blood run cold. it was enough to cause her to take a physical step back and fall silent for a few moments. display of power. usage of the force in questioning. she was displaying signs of the dark side yet again, which was something she most definitely did not want. she didn’t want to scare people, she didn’t want to be like... like her grandfather. swallowing thickly, rey stared shamefully at the ground for a few moments, forcing herself to relax. “i don’t have a master,” she replied quickly, looking up at the woman again but forcing both her gaze and her voice to soften. though she was still suspicious over the woman’s behavior, she couldn’t allow her to think she was with the sith. never. when the questioning got deflected back at her, though, rey scowled again and removed her lightsaber, already letting her thoughts of staying calm slip away. she turned it on and stepped forward again. “i don’t need to tell you a thing about me. people have always questioned me about my life, about where i came from. i don’t owe you any explanation,” she snapped, quickly raising her saber up in an offensive position, but obviously not acting upon it. if anything, it was more of an intimidation technique. “who do you work for? how do you know jakku and unkar plutt?!”

the mandalorian let out a deep sigh, turning his arm slowly as to not agitate the armed woman further. “do you see this crest?” he drolled, “we are a clan of two. until i reunite him with his kind, i am his father.” he explained slowly. “this is the way.” he watched as her hand grabbed at her saber, his demeanor calm and relaxed. the last thing he wanted to do was start a fight in an unknown pub in a planet he couldn’t escape. “you’re angry.” he observed, her rage was obvious in her face. against his better judgement he opened his mouth once more, “why are you angry?”

her eyes darted to the crest, but it meant nothing to her; unfortunately she knew next to nothing of the mandalorian culture. all she knew was that they were dangerous. “take him back to his family now,” she snapped, sensitive about that subject for reasons that were obvious to anyone who knew her. not this man, but he didn’t have to know. when he dissected her mood, rey furrowed her eyebrows even further, finding his words both obnoxious but also obscure. “why do you care?” she growled. “right now, all i can think about is that child and that he needs to come with me. i don’t trust you with him.”

Elara had perhaps reacted a little rashly when walking up the first person she saw. The woman didn’t seem like she wanted to be bothered, content to give the silent treatment, and if the way others were giving her such a wide birth was anything to go by, perhaps this was a common occurrence. Still, regardless of outwards appearance she was desperate. Who knew how long it would take the Sith cultists to find her kid, or for Unkar to break his promise. The younger brunette was shaping up to be no help, Elara about to make a sarcastic comment before she spun around quickly. “I…No, not originally.” She backtracked a little, unsure what to make of such a reaction and not particularly trusting it. “I simply have business there, a junk boss is – holding an extremely precious package for me.” It wasn’t necessarily a lie, even if she did hate how it made her daughter sound like property. Reaching down to pick up the spilled shuura, she held it out to the woman like a peace offering. “So, do you know how I could get there? Judging by the reaction i’m assuming you know the place?”

not originally? the way the woman appeared so uneasy and less than steady only alerted rey further, and she narrowed her eyes as she took another step towards her. it was all too ironic that she was asking about her home planet while also appearing suspicious. was this one of palpatine’s soldiers, sent to find her? her next words sent a shiver down her spine, and she clenched her jaw at the very thought of the junk boss she was referring to. “unkar plutt,” she seethed. how did she know of him? was she attempting to get under her skin? because, unfortunately, it was working well. as she offered up the shuura, rey used the force to rip it out of her hands and throw it against a nearby wall, uncaring about the purchases she made in that moment. she had to get to the bottom of this situation, first and foremost. “i know the place. i hate that place. no one should ever want to go back,” she declared, but got back to her original need. “how do you know of unkar plutt and what is it you want from him?”

The last thing Elara remembers was dying, the feeling of failure clinging to her bones as her life left her. She had prayed to anything that would listen to keep her daughter safe and out of the clutches of her father-in-law, but even if it had worked, Rey was just a child. She’d be scared, and lonely and feeling abandoned and that – the mere thought of that cut deeper into Elara’s very being than anything. Collecting herself briefly, she rebuilt those walls around her as her husband had taught her to. After all anyone she didn’t know was a potential enemy, and Palpatine had always enjoyed his mind games even before she’d married his son. “Excuse me…” The woman trailed off slightly, cautious of everyone and yet needing some modicum of clarity. “I apologise for the inconvenience, but I don’t – Where are we? I don’t suppose you know any means of getting to Jakku?”

it was no secret that rey avoided most everyone these days, but strangers especially didn’t dare approach her. she didn’t exactly give off a welcoming vibe. very few got more than a couple words from her nowadays and even less got to see her in anything but a hardened state. so when someone approached her from behind as she was purchasing some food items from a local vendor, rey furrowed her eyebrows, keeping her back to them for now. clearly this woman had no idea who she was, or else she wouldn’t have come up to her. so she just sighed as she packed up her items in a basket, prepared to simply turn and walk away... until her final word. jakku. her eyes widened as she whirled around suddenly, dropping her basket to the ground. some shuura fruit spilled out, but she couldn’t find a care to give as she just stared the woman down. “...jakku?” she asked. “you’re from jakku?”

                           THE GATHERING CROWD WHOOPS AND HOLLERS FOR REY,   her  speech  inspiring  them  that  they  will  forever  be  safe  from  the  tyrant  of  what  was  the  First  Order.  But  there  are  outliners  in  the  masses  too.  The  ones  who  think  critically  &&  clings  with  more  intent  on  her  words. ( without the force, you cannot win ) that’s  right  he  couldn’t  win.  The  all  power  General  of  the  First  Order  with  an  abundance  supply  of  resources  was  nothing  compared  to  a  force  user,  let  alone  two.  So  chances  did  they,  common  people  have  if  Rey  or  Ben  or  who  the  fuck  ever  decides  that  they’re  tired  of  playing  hero  or  their  view  sets  do  not  match  of  with  their  own.  Would  they  also  suffer  the  her  fury?

    Armitage’s  fingers  curl  gently  and  knuckles  wipe  away  some  blood  running  from  his  nose.  He  considers  flicking  it  at  her  but  decides  against  it.  People  are  watching  and  he  doessn’t  dare  sway  their  opinion  of  him.  PATIENT.  He  must  be  patient  once  more.  A  virtue  that  that  seems  to  be  lost  to  both  Rey  and  Ben;  along  with  public  image.  Hux  raises  a  brow  at  her  threat.  Did  her  precious  traitor  (the  first  one,  not  second)  not  inform  her  of  the  mechanics  of  the  First  Order  Stroomtrooper  suits?  They  come  quip  with  state  of  the  arc  technology  including  24/7  audio  recordings… a  precaution  in case  there’s  talks  of  a  rebelling  among  the  ranks.  Others  may  have  not  heard  her  admittance  of  a  personal  execution  but  soon  the  galaxy  will  with  the  help  of  the  holonet.

        ❝ You aren’t as in tune with the Force as you believe. ❞  Even  he,  someone  who  put  little  stock  in  the  mystical  arts  knew  the  basics  of  the  Force.  It  supposedly  takes  residence  in  all  living  things;  organic  or  not.  It  does  not  work  in  polar  opposites  as  the  jedi  believed  but  as  a  spectrum  of  emotions.  And  most  importantly,  it  is  not  an  end-all.  Many  Force  users  have  been  killed  in  the  past  by  Non-Force  sensitives.  It’s  only  a  matter  of  proper  planning  and  patience.  

    Stormtroopers  scurry  to  get  up  and  with  a dismissive  wave  Hux  brings  them  to  a  parade  stance.  His  height  works  towards  his  advantage  as  his  pensive  stare  rivals  her  own.  ❝ You said you’re not looking for a role in leadership. Therefore I have no reason to want to defeat you. The only investment worth my time is proving to the galaxy that I am a changed man and deserving of the title “Leader of the New Government.”  ❞ His  feet  pivot  to  turn,  that  ridged  expression  turning  soft  just  long  enough  to  boaster  a  smirk.  ❝ You existence is inconsequential to me. ❞

an ugly, disbelieving laugh escaped rey. he was attempting to coach her about the force? the girl who’d just harnessed the power of all the jedi who have ever lived to defeat the emperor versus a man who’d been killed in a mere political dispute? it was nearly humorous, but also ridiculous, causing the guttural laugh to leave her. “you aren’t as strong as you believe,” she retorted, keeping her glare on him even as the disgruntled stormtroopers returned to their feet at her sides.

though she wasn’t an impossibly short girl, the three of them happened to be taller, by far, causing her to look smaller in multiple ways. which she despised. she knew she could kill them all in that moment, if she wanted, but she didn’t; it wasn’t the jedi way. her teeth clenched so tightly she was sure they would break, but she managed to keep her cool just enough to not lash out again. until his final words. again she stepped forward, though this time the stormtroopers caught her arms and held them behind her back before she could swing at hux once more. but it didn’t matter; her words were all she needed.

“you will NEVER lead the new government. you are weak and miserable and people do not want to be ruled by fear any longer! hope lives in the galaxy, and always will. finn, the one you berated and abused all his life, will now be in charge of you and your fate. you’ve earned another chance at life, by some wonderful grace of the force, but you will be tried and imprisoned under the new government for your crimes. you are no general any longer.”

@allthejcdi

            To say she wasn’t bitter towards who know goes by his real name “ben solo” would be an understatement. Though–now she had to push away that bitterness considering she had to play their little game. Games. That was something she enjoyed very much. Much like cat and mouse. in this case, she was playing the game of deception. Something she knew all too well. She blended in in some ways. Though anyone who knew of the members that were ranked would know very well who she was. And if they didn’t know she was ranked, it was easily told who she was and who she was around the most. Icy hues spotted the Jedi from a distance and slowly, she made her way towards her. ❝ Need a bit of assistance? ❞ Kindness, Amara. Kindness. Ugh, she hated it. But here she was–offering. Though, she preferred to not get her gown dirty.  

it was nearly impossible to keep her relationship with ben a secret. but rey also knew it was mandatory. otherwise they would have enemies everywhere. however, if each of them stuck to their respective sides and attempted to act as enemies once more, they could each focus on uniting everyone together in secret. it would take time, and lots of effort, but it was their only choice to have a happy future. she missed him terribly during the days, but rey kept busy by either working on the falcon or spending time with her friends. however, she’d just happened to be making a stop in town for some new parts for her staff when someone approached her, causing her to halt immediately in her tracks and place a quick hand on her lightsaber hilt, which hung at the ready from her belt. “no,” she replied instantly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. whoever she was, she already didn’t trust her. “who are you?”

Discomfort lingered in Amilyn’s chest, a heavy weighted feeling as she sat to herself considering the probability of having found her way into the afterlife. All she could remember was the Raddus, the noise of engines and the fateful hum of lightspeed…But everything after was black. She’d felt no pain, no difficulty and she almost felt that she had escaped life with ease when so many had suffered slowly. The purple haired woman was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even registered another before her. “Hm?” she wondered, breaking her train of thought and looking up.

@allthejcdi​​

the force had been giving her warnings about certain people. some, like the woman with the chrome armor, set off nothing but warnings inside rey. but others sent off a different sensation, a warmer one. the purple-haired woman who sat in the resistance camp was one of them. but not only did she feel warmth; she felt the same way she had when leia was around. hopeful. safe. loved. rey approached slowly, sure she looked rather odd with her curious expression yet tentative movements. when the woman looked up, rey finally stopped stepping forward and pursed her lips, shaking her head. “...i-i’m sorry... i just... don’t know your name...” she began. “i’m rey.”

Phasma had insisted upon keeping her armor on, even if she was now lost on Naboo with no apparent need for it. The blonde felt at ease in the armor she had earned and she would not let Rebel scum take away that honor. The Captain removed her helmet and set it down in front of her, a rare sight for others to see. The sight of the blonde that was hidden beneath the chrome, a face that was battle scarred with eyes that whilst blue, almost seemed to burn with fire. Eyes that had now locked onto another before her, fury immediately sparking.

@allthejcdi​

ben was back. he was safe and with her. but it was not to be public. to everyone else, they were enemies once again. that was the way it had to be in order to take down the first order yet another time as all of its members returned to life. so rey walked by herself through the palace plaza, attempting to find a part for the falcon that she hadn’t been able to trace. she sighed in frustration as another shop claimed to not have it, but thanked them anyway and turned to head back to the ship... until the sight of a figure caused the force to flicker darkly inside of her. she didn’t recognize the woman, but she knew she was bad. though she knew better, and knew that ben would want her to walk the other way, she didn’t; instead, she removed her lightsaber from her belt and approached slowly, keeping a firm expression on her face. “...who are you?”

𝐇𝐄  𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐒  𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓𝐋𝐘 ,     watching  her  fingers  as  they  made  its  way  towards  him .    truth  be  told ,  he’s  in  much  disbelief  as  she  was .    there  wasn’t  anything  he  learned  in  his  many  years  of  training  about  the  art  of  revival ,  so  he’s  decided  to  spend  his  time  searching  for  an  answer .   he  wasn’t  a  ghost  created  by  the  force  anymore .   this  was  his  real  self ,  younger ,  but  fully  present .    maybe ,  just  maybe ,  she  could  be  a  piece  to  this  never  ending  puzzle .      ❛❛   no ,  no ,  you  haven’t .   though  quite  frankly ,  i  may  have .   ❜❜   he  found  her  presence  rather  comforting .   knowing  that  the  legacy  of  the  jedi  hasn’t  met  its  end  yet   brought  a  sense  of  relief  within  him .    her  will  alone  could  stop  any  form  of  evil  from  ensuing ,  and  he  knew  that .      ❛❛   my  name  is  obi - wan  kenobi ,   ❜❜    the  jedi  master  greets .     ❛❛   and  i  am  in  need  of  your  help .     ❜❜     

something about the way he spoke radiated nothing but warmth to rey. light. hope. this master jedi... who was he? his smile was genuine and comforting, and for some reason rey felt the force attaching her to this man. almost the same way it’d attached her to master luke. “obi-wan kenobi...” she repeated in a whisper to herself. then her eyes widened as everything came to sense. “obi-wan kenobi!” she’d heard stories of his adventures, when she was just a girl on jakku. he was a brave jedi knight, one of the last living. a smile flashed across her features but disappeared quickly ( they never stayed on her face long these days ), and she nodded instantly at his words. she possibly would have jumped off a cliff’s edge if he’d asked in that moment. however, she stopped, eyes slowly drifting to the ground. he wanted rey skywalker, the jedi who’d taken down emperor palpatine in the most significant moment for the light side the force has ever seen. not this girl, who was leftover. “...whatever i can help you with, i can’t do anymore... this is my life now,” she murmured, looking back at the falcon then into his eyes again. she knew she could tell him what she was feeling, since he would be one of the only ones who would understand. “...ever since ben... died... i haven’t felt whole. the force has... has only half been there. and i don’t know why...” she realized he may not know who ben exactly was, or perhaps he did, if he’d truly been there with her in her fight with the emperor. but either way, perhaps he’d see her issue with the force as it currently were.

THEIR RELATIONSHIP HAD ALWAYS BEEN STRONG, and finn now knew that he had been drawn to rey at the beginning of their adventures because of the force. the force was the reason for many things in his life, since he’d left the first order, and he was beginning to understand it a lot more now, because he could feel it. he didn’t understand it completely, and he had yet to be trained in it at all, but he could feel the simple things; like he had felt when rey had died on exogol, and how he could feel her pain right now. “we all miss you, rey.” he told her seriously, with a smile, before the bad news came out once and for all, and the atmosphere changed. 

“i’m sorry.” he sighed, shaking his head as he looked at her, eyes full of concern. he had felt the same when he had learned. the resistance had faced so many losses, and so many people had barely gotten out alive, but they had won. it was supposed to be over, and yet.. it wasn’t. would it ever be? “i just couldn’t not tell you.. incase..” in case someone came for her, and no one had warned her. “i couldn’t lose you.” not like he thought he had the first time. his face fell, jumping back only slightly at the clang of the tool against the ship, before he moved forward to pull his best friend into a hug. tight and hopefully calming. “i know. it’s okay.. if he returns, if, then we’ve got a big jedi army to take him down, a lot more troops than the last time, and we’ll all help you.”

when rey was raging, the absolute last thing she wanted from anyone was to be touched. already, most of the resistance knew to not touch her or even approach her, since she’d grown up so lonely. the only exceptions she could possibly think of were finn and ben. never would their touch do anything but calm her, and she knew exactly why: the force. it brought them together and it kept them with one another now. it was the thing that calmed her now as she visibly relaxed in his arms, her grip on him equally tight. “no...” she whispered in exhaustion, shaking her head slowly with a small sniff, though she didn’t break their embrace. “...n-no one else will fight him but me... it’s too dangerous, he... he wants me...” though she wasn’t so positive she’d make it out a second time around.

finally rey gathered the strength to pull back from their hug, though it had served its purpose: she was calm again, but if anything, drained. all the emotions from the past week had been enough, but now her mind just felt in a daze from all the information she had to take in. she was weakening... and she knew he saw it too. tiredly, rey glanced around at the falcon, at the bright nabooian sun above them. going back to work was not a wise option. there was only one place she truly wanted to be: with her best friend. wordlessly, rey wrapped her arms around one of finn’s and began walking towards the resistance camp with him. he’d know instantly what she wanted. a break. time to spend with him, to do something to ease her mind and her emotions rather than stay by herself and only become more enraged. 

                            FLARING RED MARKS,  that  will  turn  hues  of  purple  &&  black  if  left  untreated,  color  his  pallor  stricken  skin.  His  hair  tussled  out  of  place  no  matter  how  many  fingers  he  cards  through  his  locks.  He  takes  long  breaths  through  his  mouth  as  his  nose  was  busy  repairing  the  cartilage  she  ruptured.

    Hux  visibly  sulks  at  the  mention  of  his  form  leader  and  the  price  paid  for  their  weak  resolve  to  the  cause.  A  strangled  noise  comes  from  the  back  of  his  throat  that  can  easily  be  excused  as  issues  breathing  with  blood filling  his  throat  than  the  active  resistant  Hux  was  exercising  to  keep  his  emotions  in  check. ❝ Is that a threat? I see, so this is how the Resistance conducts themselves, not with the so called compassion and hope that they pedal out for propaganda but with fear mongering and the enforcement of force users.❞  

    Such  tactics  come  as  no  surprise  to  him  as  he  laid  witness  to  them  first  hand  at  the  siege  of  the  Imperial  Academy  on  Arknais.  He  was  only  a  boy,  around  the  age  of  four  when  Rebel  troops  attacked  the  academy  filled  with  students.  Were  it  not  for  the  last  remnants  of  the  Empire  he  would  have  suffered  the  same  fate  as  his  fellow  classmates  and  mother:  dead  &&  forgotten. 

    He  steps  closer  towards  her  with  blizzard  eyes  and  hands  behind  his  back.  ❝ It’s revolting the emphasis place on a name. Ben Solo. Jedi Killer. Kylo Ren. None of it has any barring on what he’s done, the blood on his hands.❞  Hux  was  rarely  in  charge  of  interrogation  or  torture  techniques  due  to  Ren’s  talents  in  the  force.  Nor  was  it  his  decision  to  bring  about  the  destruction  of  neutral  planets  that  happen  to  have  contact  with  the  Resistance,  that  was  Supreme  Leader  Ren’s.  ❝ If Ren is worthy of redemption then so am I. ❞

“i’m not with the resistance anymore! the resistance is over, i act for myself now! i’m not looking to be anyone’s leader!” unfortunately she had sort of just... fallen into the world of politics, now that people didn’t know who to look to in the end. since she was the last of the jedi and had defeated palpatine, people naturally looked to her. but this was finn and poe’s ordeal, not hers. she wanted nothing to do with politics. she wanted to be alone, and unfortunately, this situation right now was about the farthest thing from.

as he stepped closer, rey lowered her glare, still fighting lightly against the hands that kept her down to her knees. having to kneel before anyone infuriated her, but especially before hux. she shook her head, though, a smirk forming on her lips. “you’re wrong. the force has redeemed him. it saw the light in him and it took him back. his life is infinitely more valuable than yours. to the force... you. are. nothing.”

just having the ability to say that to hux made a sick sense of happiness form inside of her. always had she hated this man, since the day she’d heard about him from finn, and now she could finally throw it all back in his face. “don’t hold your breath,” she whispered harshly. “as soon as you’re alone, walking through the palace plaza, i will kill you again. and this time, there will be no revivals. you have no business here. you’re not a general anymore. the men holding me now are nothing but boys wearing old armor with no meaning.” she felt the hands grip her tighter at that, and she winced, sure she would have a few bruises tomorrow, but she didn’t tear her glare from hux. “that is what is truly happening here.”

the pain in her own voice almost frightened him in itself; it was a mixture between deep sorrow and rage that fell from her lips, and even though he couldn’t see her face just yet, he could picture the same scowl she’d given him many times throughout their battles. that fierce, powerful scowl that had been just one of the features that had caused him to fall under her spell instantaneously. but, after seeing it so briefly in the moments before his death, he realized he much preferred her breathtaking smile.

it took everything in his power not to run towards her and envelop her in his arms, but he knew how fragile she was in this moment, and he would let her come to him at her own pace. always at her pace, whenever she was ready. so he held himself steady as she turned to face him, the sight of her tear-streaked cheeks and reddened face sending another dagger through his chest. it reminded him of the feeling he’d had briefly when she’d stabbed him with his own lightsaber - perhaps even more painful. still, ben didn’t move, allowing her to process everything. it had been so much for him to process himself; it was still hard to believe that he was actually standing here, visibly in front of her rather than simply as a spirit. it was almost too good to be true.

she was stumbling towards him now, and out of pure instinct, ben lifted his arms just enough in preparation to catch her if she were to fall. he’d never seen her in such anguish, and it tore him apart inside to watch, though he promised himself he would make her feel okay again. that was why he was here, wasn’t it? what other reason would he be alive for other than to ensure the woman he loved was living a fulfilling life? only the force knew the true answer, so it seemed. as her hand touched his cheek, ben felt a shiver run down his own spine, finally feeling the clarity that yes, this was real. how he’d missed her loving touch. there was nothing like it in the entire galaxy.

“it’s okay…i’m not a memory,” ben murmured to her, allowing her to grasp at his shirt and fall against his chest, instantly leaning into her touch but still not wanting to do anything to scare her off. but then rey was still for a moment, her warmth radiating against him until he felt her slim fingers curling around his cheeks once more. her beautiful hazel eyes gazed up at him in awe just as he was sure his own reflected her emotions, taking a moment to recall each and every one of her soft facial features. “…it’s me, it’s…really me,” he whispered back, nodding gently in her hands before reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “i…i wish i could explain how, or why…i followed you everywhere, but you could never see me or hear me or feel my presence until…” he thought back to when they’d arrived on naboo, not even sure how to pinpoint when exactly he’d returned physically. it had just sort of…happened. “a…doing of the force, i suppose, though i don’t deserve this, but…if this means getting a chance to be with you, then i couldn’t dare ask for anything else.”

the feeling of his fingers flitting delicately across her trembling skin made yet another flash of flight burst inside of her. never had she felt so strongly with the force, not since she’d harnessed all the power of the jedi and defeated palpatine. now she felt as if she could do that all over again, just at the feeling of his touch. she blinked multiple times but listened carefully as he spoke, both of her arms pressed up to his chest. more tears left her eyes at his heartfelt words, unable to even believe what she was hearing. they’d had barely seconds to truly be together, and now fate was giving them another chance. the force worked in mysterious ways, but this was one way rey would never question.

though she’d been an aggravated, empty shell of a girl ever since the day he’d left her, rey felt nothing but whole now. she felt strong. and she felt... happy. overjoyed, even. after another few moments of finally wrapping her head around what was happening, rey felt a grin form on her face. one that mirrored the exact one she’d had before their kiss. “it’s you...” she whispered, still in disbelief, but also almost now in acceptance and relief. tears escaped her eyes as she stroked her fingers through his hair, letting her gaze drift over each and every one of his features. they were drifting closer now, but... it wasn’t enough. she needed more.

rey stepped away, which she was sure would surprise ben, but only so she could jump forward and into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. then, without a second to waste, she kissed him with every inch of love and emotion she had for him in her heart. finally. though it had only been days, it’d felt like lifetimes. she kissed him as if he was going to disappear from her hands again. but no, not this time. he was here to stay. they loved each other and the universe was letting them have each other.

they surely could’ve kissed for hours, but rey broke away after a few minutes, her tears still rapidly falling, though she stayed happily situated on his waist. after simply staring into his eyes and toying with a lock of his hair again, rey shook her head. “...ben, i love you...” she whispered passionately, not able to go another second without letting him know. “i think i’ve loved you since i met you... a-and i know you might not be able to say it back, but i needed you to hear it... i love you.”

                            HE CAN FEEL IT, PARTICULARLY IN HIS TEMPLES, blood  pressure  breaking  loose  with  every  second  he  spent  campaigning.  Annoying  fatigue  and  unusually  irate  demeanor  were  just  some  of  the  many  byproducts  of  the cordial smiles and  half  lies  that  carried  him  through  the  the  charts  (&  hearts)  of  the  election.  The  Resistance  scum  may  be  the  cause  behind  this  new  government  but  he  will see  to  it  that  he  is  the  architecture  that  leads  this  broken  galaxy  to  a  new  age  of  reformation.  But  the  space  equivalent  of  Roman  wasn’t  built  in  a  day  and  the  General  needed  his  rest. 

    What  a  terrible  tragedy  that  as  he  said  adieu  to  crowds  a  tormentor  of  his  comes  bearing  down  with  self righteous  reckoning.  She  draws  first  blood  with  her  fists  as  a  feeble stream  of  red  streaks  along  his  left  cheekbone.  Armitage’s  eyes  close  complete  in  bracing  for  another  impact,  that  comes  swiftly,  and  pain  washes  over  his  body  and  settles  into  his  bones.

   As  a  pair  of  stormtroopers  pull  the  girl  of  their  leader  and  try  to  force  her  to  her  knees,  the  world  swarms  with  light,  whispers,  and  holocams  to  record  the  encounter.  Theatricality  runs  in  his  blood,  including  the  mixture  of  bodily  fluids  he  spits  on  the  ground  and  after  slicking  his  hair  back  into  place  he  addresses  the  crowd. “Look at your so called ‘hero’ and what she stands for. Someone who acts on self indulgent impulses. Disgraceful.”

before she could land anymore punches, two pairs of gloved hands were wrapping tightly around her limbs and tugging her back rather ungracefully to her knees on the ground. at first, rey fought against them, but knew her physical strength would be no match for that of the stormtroopers. of course she could use the force, but... what would be the point? somehow they’d just stop her again, probably by using binders on her, which instantly cut off her force abilities. instead, rey glanced around, noticing all the attention that was currently on them at the moment. and the general’s words were certainly not making matters any better.

“liar!” she yelled, struggling against the stormtroopers but then stopping once more as they just tightened their grip. hux was completely twisting the situation. either way, though, she’d been the one who had been violent first. and that was not going to prove any good point to the people of this town if they were to rely on the resistance for leadership. so rey continued breathing heavily but held back her violent impulses, instead focusing all of her aggression into a deadly stare on hux.