Steady On.

Chapter 24.

The next day, an eager Rey slowly made her way off the bed, grabbing a nearby robe that was left for her. Her body still ached, and she had to make sure to be careful not to move too fast, risking the chance of tearing her wound beneath the skin.

It would be a long road to recovery, she understood that fully.

Sighing, Rey sat at the edge of the bed, clutching her kyber crystal to her chest. She was not sure what to do with it quite yet, and she was all out of patience to get back to her room and fumble through the books she took from Luke.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Rey tucked the crystal away in her pocket, clasping her hands as she looked towards the door to find Leia entering.

The women smiled at one another, a hint of sadness behind it.

Leia was the only person left to visit Rey, her other friends coming to check in on her throughout the day before getting back to packing their things up to meet up with the rest of the resistance members in a deserted planet named Pyron.

Closing the door behind her, Leia joined Rey on the bed, sitting next to her as she placed a gentle hand on Rey's knee, a sign of comfort Rey took it, and placed her own hand over Leia's.

The gesture made Rey tear up, the events of the previous days hitting her harder than expected, guilt riding the wave.

"Leia, I'm so so-" Rey began, a tear trickling down her pink cheek.

Leia shook her head, hushing the girl. "Don't apologize, we knew Sano had something dark in him. I'm just glad you're okay." She said, turning her hand to hold Rey's and giving it a soft squeeze.

Rey wiped her tears away, clearing her throat. She was worried about Leia and the base possibly having seen Be-

"I'm not upset. But, I need to know, for numerous reasons... How did Ben know to come here? And know how to find you? I don't want to stress you out right now... I know you would never have bad intentions..." Leia's voice drifted off as Rey nodded.

Rey knew they needed to have this conversation. Part of Rey felt that she was betraying some secret truce with Ben, like she was showing all of her cards. But this was General Leia Organa, one person Rey trusted with her entire life, and there was no room for anything else.

With that, Rey told Leia of their bond, starting from the first time when he appeared to her on Ach-To, and how he had offered her a position to rule with him, by his side, and how she in turn refused it.

And yet, after everything, he still agreed to help her with the Jedi texts.

She made sure to explain that he did not obtain any information about the base, until Rey had told him of her location once he swore to come alone, having gained an ounce of her trust, something Rey held on to with her life.

Leia remained silent, watching Rey tell her stories about her relationship with her own son, a relationship that was not quite a friendship, but she was able to feel the pairs strong bond simply by the way Rey spoke of it. She listened to it all, the parts of their force bond, the issues with Sano, the light and dark side that raged within the young girl, the way she taught the twins what she learned from Ben, and the way her son saved her, and now how she formed her own kyber crystal.

Leia knew she was quite busy trying to lead her own rebellion, but she had no idea how much she had missed. Her heart ached as her mind flittered to memories of Ben as a child, and how she once watched him play around with Chewie one day, and the next he was off with Luke to his academy. She was frustrated with herself, riddled with guilt and sadness. And yet this young woman she sat beside, was able to bring her boy home...

Leia sighed, blinking away a few tears as she gripped Rey's hand again, smiling towards her.

"You are bringing light back to his life, young Rey. I saw it for myself when he saved you and brought you back..." She said softly.

Rey frowned, her brows furrowed as she watched Leia. "Brought me back? He said I was alive still, when he found me..." Rey trailed off, and it was now Leia's turn to look at Rey curiously. Leia told her side of things when Ben had arrived to the base, how he was able to chase Sano off, and how she escorted him to the bunkers from the hidden entrance in the forest.

And finally, she tried her best to describe how Ben not only found the light side he has banished so long ago, but how he used that same light to heal her and bring her back to life.

Rey's heart seemed to stop as she listened to Leia's words. The past two days that Rey spent in the med room healing, she came up with different scenarios and stories of how it could have gone down with Ben on the base, but she was not prepared for this, the truth.

Rey stuttered her response. "He...He used the light? Does- Does that mean...Is he...-"

"I'm not sure. I know that he has come too far to simply turn his back on the First Order. The darkness that has consumed him for so long, still has its hold over him. One thing is sure though..." Leia said, standing now.

Rey peered up at her, waiting for her to finish.

"He cares deeply for you. I know you are using your best judgement, and I trust you, with everything and anything Rey, I do. But still, be careful." Leia reached the door, and turned back to Rey before leaving. "Rey, the light side came back to Ben easily, when he was faced with losing something he wanted. The dark side can do the same..." The older woman's eyes flickered down to Rey's pocket, and Rey froze as she realized she was playing around with the kyber crystal in her pocket.

Leia gave a quick and soft smile to Rey, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts.

Rey felt a certain shield of protectiveness flow from other and over the crystal, and guessed that was exactly what Leia was talking about. Her temples throbbed, being prodded by something else that Leia mentioned.

'He cares deeply for you.' her mind echoed, making Rey's cheeks blush, and for the first time, Rey found herself not being able to deny that she felt the same.

( X )

A small chapter, but still something. (: Hope you all enjoyed, more Kylo in the next chapter.