Reylo TROS short story

Part 1

Rey stared out of the small window of the X-wing cabin while flying back to the base of the resistance. She had some injuries, had gone through hell and been pushed back and yet felt ... nothing. No joy, no triumph, no pain, no sadness, no madness, no power ... just nothing. There was only a great void, a vacuum overlaid with automated movements and actions when Rey started to land.

‘This must be a kind of shock’, she thought, analyzing herself soberly. When the X-wing landed on the floor and the cockpit roof hissed up hydraulically, she saw Finn and Poe in the chaos and her numbness lifted for a moment.

She jumped out of the cockpit and ran towards them. All three enclosed in a tight, breathtaking hug.
Rey pressed against Finn and took Poe's hand in her’s, she closed her eyes and could relax for a moment. She felt the connection to Finn, stronger than ever, and was also deeply connected to Poe's thoughts. All disputes, discussions and disagreements were forgotten. All three could hardly believe that they stood here, living and reunited.

Tears ran down all three cheeks and so they stood there for quite a while. Rey listened to the beating heart of her two best friends. She was glad to feel and hear this loud pounding, but it also reminded her of what she had lost on Exogol. Her own heart cramped at the flash of thought and Finn lifted his head in surprise to look at her intently. "What's wrong with you? Is it your injury? I feel your pain!" He said, his face also painfully twisted.

Rey looked at him in astonishment, but couldn't deal with the fact that he could probe her feelings at this moment. She had to announce something, she had to work, and she had to bring this message to the galaxy once and for all. She slowly let go of the two, put her palms briefly on their cheeks, Finn's ebony smooth cheek, who continued to look at her with a frown, and the stubby scratchy cheek of Poe, who stared at her with so much love that it hurt her not being able to return anything. There was simply nothing left to give, but that had to wait.

She took a step back, sprang onto a nearby supply crate, and shouted in a loud voice: "Resistance, listen to me!" All people ended their hugs, dances, kisses and turned to her. A few isolated cheers were heard and there was a smile on all faces, joy wherever you looked. Rey wanted to feel all of this too. "Maybe one day ..." she said to herself and looked into the crowd. Then she began to speak:

"Generals, commanders, resistance, friends, today we have achieved a historic victory and brought peace and balance to the galaxy!" Loud cheers and applause sounded and Rey raised his hands to calm everyone down. She continued: "It was on a knife-edge, whether we would all survive this day and we only owe it to a single man that it ultimately came out of this ..." They all looked at her attentively and curiously. "And that man was Ben Solo!"

A murmur went through the crowd, incredulous, astonished, doubtful looks were thrown at her. "He renounced the dark side to complete the legacy of his late mother and died to save my and your lives. Without him, no one would stand here now. Without him, the galaxy would be lost."

To make sure that this information would live on forever in every survivor, Rey closed her eyes after her words and sent her complete memories of the events between Palpatine, her and Ben to every consciousness of those present.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw that her shock, her grief, her loss was reflected in every look she was given. At that moment, she felt the full extent of her experiences and with such grief that she simply closed her eyes and lost consciousness. The last thing she could feel was Finn's arms that caught her.

Rey woke up when a bright sunbeam shone on her face. She jumped and narrowed her eyes to see where she was. "You are lying in Leia's bed, it was the most comfortable we could find for you," said a low voice beside her ear. She turned her head and found herself face to face with Finn's searching, worried gaze. "You slept three days." She took a startled breath, but then exhaled slowly. What did it matter? There was nothing she should have done, no one to go to. Tears of loss gathered in her eyes.

"That's not true, Rey! You're not alone again. Me and the others will always be by your side. Don't you know that?" She smiled at him sadly and wispered: "You can read my mind now? There seems to be more hidden under this Stormtrooper uniform than we thought ..." He smiled back slightly: "It looks like this. Maybe I have to call you "Master" soon." He grinned crookedly and bowed his head briefly.

When he looked up again, his eyes were serious again: "I didn't know ... I didn't know you had such a connection, you and Ren ... I mean, you and Ben." She was silent, because she had shown everything to everyone and there was nothing left to explain, because everyone had to go through it. Finn shook his head slightly and then continued: "If I had guessed ... but who could believe that Kylo Ren would be the last hope of the galaxy in the end ... Rey, I am so sorry for your loss. I could feel how big it must be up to a certain point you showed it to us, but then my imagination left me. So I assume that your pain will go far deeper than I can ever imagine."

She took his hand and only squeezed it as tears ran down her face. "I just want to tell you I'm here for you ... we're here for you ... anytime you need us." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. A warm feeling spread from there to her body, but could not drive the cold out of her chest.

She sat up carefully. She was okay physically. Sleep had completely regenerated her body. Her soul, her heart, however, was in ruins. She looked at Finn questioningly: "How did the others take it?" He leaned back in the chair he had set up next to her bed and reported: "I think everyone had to process your memories in their own way. Some have already left the base and I assume that the story of the noble Ben Solo and the most powerful Jedi Rey will be spreading across the galaxy in no time. I assume that they will be a little strange towards you."
She looked at him questioningly and he shrugged: "For many you are the personified force, the last Jedi, the new hope of the galaxy, the legend alongside the legend Skywalker / Solo, part of this powerful family, so to speak, because of youre connection to Ben ..... sorry girl .... you will have to live with that Legend thing now!" He grinned at her and she couldn't help but give him a warm smile.

He looked at her as always …only her Finn, no fear in his eyes, no aloofness. She was happy about it and hoped that this would be the same with everyone else. "What are you going to do now?" he asked.

She drew her knees up and put her arms around, her chin on one knee: "I don't know, I think I have to be alone for a while. Process the experience. Communicate with the force in the hope that it will give me answers and shows the way forward. That she heals me ... "
He just nodded. "Allright. Where are you going to go?"

She thought briefly: "I think I will go back to Ahch-To ... there it was always easy for me to communicate with the Force."

"When are you going to leave?"

"I will still fly today if Luke's x-wing is still operational."
"Chewie will not be thrilled that you want to go alone, I think he will want to accompany you with the falcon ..."

"No! I have to do this alone!" She paused briefly and then continued in a gentler voice: "I will of course say goodbye and explain it to him."

Finn nodded: "All right, I'll leave you alone with your preparations. We'll see you later."

Rey got up and stood in front of Finn: "You are so different, somehow more controlled, more adult ... I really only slept three days?" She smiled at him and mocked an eyebrow.

"Rey," he said with a smile, "I've also gone through a change. It's not just the experience, there is something in me." Rey put her palm on his chest and closed her eyes: "Yes," she whispered, "The force is strong with you now." She opened her eyes again and said, "We'll see where that takes you when I'm back!" He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned forward so that their foreheads touched: "All right, I can wait." Then he broke away from her and left Leia's quarters.

Rey looked around the small room from which her master, Ben's mother, had organized a whole resistance. She felt her present like a soft glow near her but could not quite make contact. She was blocked too much by her pain. She shook her head and began to pack some things: warmer clothes, provisions and finally the two lightsabers, which had now become her responsibility. She held the two elegant weapons in her hands and the grief threatened to overwhelm her again.

‘I have to go, right away!’ Otherwise she would never take another step anywhere. She washed herself, put on clean clothes, and, under her usual clothes, chose a black tunic, Ben's tunic, which she had brought from Exogol in her pocket. His smell instantly caught her and she swayed slightly. Memories of him threatened to overwhelm her. His hug, his kiss, his smile. She clenched her fists and shook her head in despair. No! She couldn't let that happen now! I have to get out of here! "Rey" whispered his deep voice in her soul, but she ignored it and quickly left the quarters.

Outside in the bright daylight, she took a deep breath and headed for the spaceships. On the way she was gazed at admiringly, some of those present even bowed to her. She looked at her in confusion and continued on her way.

And then they stood there: Finn, Poe, Chewie and also Rose, BB-8 beeped happily and came shooting towards them. "Well you little one!" She patted him briefly and got up again only to find herself in Poe's tight and warm embrace. "I thought we had lost you a second time." he murmured against her neck and squeezed her harder. Rey smiled and returned the hug. When she broke away from him, he felt a slight change in his affection, an intensification. 'Well,' she thought, 'then maybe we are now beyond the status of constantly arguing!'

Rose hugged her too, but said nothing. However, Rey could see everything in her eyes that could have been said. She squeezed her hand again and turned to Chewbacca. He made no sound, just stood there staring at her. "Don't you want to say goodbye to me, Chewie?" she asked. Then he jumped forward and she disappeared into a cooing and growling carpet full of warm fluffy hair. "I know," she whispered softly, "I know. You will always be my co-pilot, but this trip has to be done alone." He gently cooed up and hugged her again before letting her go.

"We will meet again soon!" she said to everyone, touched Finn's arm last time, then climbed into the cockpit of the x-wing. When she started the machines and left the planet, she felt that she was doing the right thing. She set the autopilot to the correct coordinates and finally let her tears run free.