The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

2

Ben, Rey breathed evenly, Ben. . . Please--please say something. . .
Two hours of empty, unfulfilled probing began to wear Rey out. Ben, the elusive ghost, who was once a man, who had kissed her--who had once sacrificed his own life for her, was unreachable. Rey searched, dug, foraged, every single essence of the force in those two hours. Not one speck, not one molecule, found Ben's presence. She was fervently strong with the force, but yet reaching her convoluted love was unfeasible. 

Rey was levitating off the sandy ground, sweat burning her eyes, garment drenched, muscles shaking violently. She was reaching her breaking point. Ben Solo, please--I know you're here. . . I know you're a part of the Force. . . Please, be with me. Be with me. . .    
To no avail, nothing returned to Rey. No presence. Suddenly rage sprouted inside of Rey, igniting a spark of vexation. Eating away the patience. "Be with me!"
Before Rey could react, she pummeled down onto the rough sand, coughing as a small cloud of dust particles engulfed her. She felt heat rising inside of her. Exasperation swelling. In an instant, she found her lightsaber, gripped it with a quivering hand, swung her arm back and chucked it off into a sand dune far in the distance. 

Tears streamed down Rey's sweat-dampened face. Screaming, she kicked the sand underneath her feet, the breeze blowing it back at her face. She spat, wiping it off, body heaving feverishly. Recovering from his fear, BB-8 rolled to Rey's side, wearing a downcast expression. "I can't do this. . ." Rey muttered. She stood up, patting the sand off of herself. BB-8 chimed a statement of solemn mechanical beeps.  
"No," Rey shook her head, breathing heavily, "this is different. I've tried. . . everything. You--you just don't understand, BeBe-Eight. I'm sorry."
BB-8 gazed down at the sand underneath his spherical body. Without reply, he took off, leaving Rey's side. 

                                                                                                ***

Bathing Carida's eopies was horrid. The foul stench those animals emitted had to be hazardous. The malodorous stink rubbed off onto Rey and the only plausible idea she could comprehend was the dire need for her own bathing. At least on the positive side aspect, Rey's anguished thoughts were interrupted--even if only temporary. 
"Thanks for the work, Rey. I know it's not easy." Carida said, wiping her battered face with a towel. 
Rey nodded. It was all she could manage. She began to make her way back to Carida's home when the elderly woman called her attention.
"Look," she said, eyes unwavering from Rey's, "I've lived long enough to know what's going on. I know you must have friends out there, and I know you need to see them. Don't become a hermit, like I have. You're sad, I can tell. Burying it in the desert doesn't help. You need real companions."

Rey shook her head, refusing to admit the truth she really was aching to believe. "You're a companion--"
Carida sucked her teeth. A clear look of disbelief hanging over her ancient face. "You're young, you're capable. You"-- she pointed into the vast sky--"go out there. Live a better life. No more slaving over an old woman's chores. Live your life. Not with me."
Rey fought against the threatening tears. Her friends, she missed them. Her love, she missed him too. And she hadn't found him, not on Tatooine, at least. Not in that grim desert. And the more she continued down the endless self-imposed hermitage, the faster things would pummel. 
Rey glanced down at BB-8 who was already glancing at her, waiting for a response. "You'd like to see Poe, wouldn't you?"
BB-8 warbled out a response. She nodded. "I would, too. I'd like to see all of our friends."