Ben's hand reached up over the edge of the pit, gripping the rocky edge. He felt that he couldn't go on, but with all of his strength he pulled himself up over the edge of the pit. He had fallen so far... and he knew that the only thing keeping him alive was the Force. He was weak and exhausted, but he couldn't stop. He had to get to Rey before it was too late.
He could see Rey's still form laying on the stone floor. He couldn't tell if she was unconscious or... dead. He could still feel her presence, but it was distant and faint. It felt as if her spirit had left her body to walk among the stars.
He took one step forward, staggering. Everything hurt from his fall and the climb, his arms, his legs, his ribs. But he pressed on, staggering and limping. He would do anything just to hold her in his arms for one moment.
Finally he reached her and collapsed on the ground next to her. He pulled her into his lap as gently as he could, though he struggled slightly as his strength was failing. He touched her, reaching out through the Force. She wasn't breathing and her heartbeat had ceased... she was gone. Gone to a place he couldn't follow.
He thought about how she had healed him on the Death Star. Perhaps he could do the same... though he knew that he may not have the strength after Palpatine had drained him and he had fallen to the bottom of a deep hole, filled with rocks. And she was dead, would he have the power to bring her back? In his heart he knew that bringing her back would take his life. He only prayed that she would live.
He looked at her, there was so much he wanted to say to her. That she was right about everything, there was still good in him...that he was sorry... and most of all that he loved her with his whole heart. He wanted to hug her, to hold her, to kiss her. But he would never have the chance, would he even live long enough to see life fill her once again?
He pulled her close to him, holding her in a tight hug. He laid his head on her shoulder, tears flowing freely from his onto her. He couldn't live without her. His hand moved to her hair and he gently touched her triple buns. "I love you, Rey," he whispered through the Force, hoping that she would hear it even after he was gone.
He carefully lowered her back into his lap, gently placing his hand over her ribs. Then he closed his eyes, feeling the Force and poured all of his strength, his power and what was left of his life force into her.
After a moment he felt a hand slip over his own. It was a familiar warm touch... Rey's touch. He opened his eyes and looked down to see that life once again filled her hazel eyes.
She sat up and looked at him. He knew that this was his last moment with her, there was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't speak, he could barely breathe. He was relieved beyond expression that she was alive and that he had gotten to look into her eyes, on last time.
"Ben," she whispered.
He looked deeply into her eyes unable to hold back a faint smile. She reached over, timidly touching his face, his heart raced and his smile only grew. She looked at him for a moment, before she leaned closer brushing her upper lip against his. Then her hands moved to his hair and she pulled him closer sharing a slow passionate kiss that lasted for a long moment... a brief lifetime.
When they pulled apart, all he could do was look at her. She gave him a sweet smile and he smiled warmly in return. He smiled as he never had, she had made the last moment of his life the happiest moment of his life.
His smile faded, and Rey watched in horror as he began to fall backwards. She wrapped her arms around him, breaking his fall, and carefully laying him on the ground. She leaned over him, taking his hand in her's. Before she could do anything, she felt his heart stop. And then he slowly faded, his hand disappearing from her's. But her eyes didn't leave his face, until he had completely disappeared.
She sat there in utter shock for a moment, tears spilt freely from her eyes. She finally had Ben... free of the Dark Side, of Kylo Ren, Snoke and Palpatine... and now he was gone.
"No one's ever really gone," she heard master Luke say. But she could feel her heart breaking in her chest... why did he have to die? Why did he give up his own life to save her?
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Did you know?
The part of this chapter: "she had made the last moment of his life the happiest moment of his life," was a reference to Anakin's line in The Revenge Of The Sith just after Padme told him that she was pregnant: "this is a happy moment, the happiest moment of my life."
What do you think?
Like the Star Wars films, the title of this fan fiction is connected to a very important part of this story, and it also has multiple meanings.
