Rey approached the Resistance base, all around her were cheering pilots and fighters celebrating the victory. The victory had been hard won and deserved to be celebrated, but she didn't feel much like celebrating. There was a deep pain... an emptiness in her heart. Her whole life she'd felt his presence, now it was gone and the whole galaxy felt empty.
Was this how Luke had felt after the fall of The Empire? The galaxy celebrated, leaving him alone in his grief as she was now left alone in her's. And who would understand, who would grieve over Darth Vader or Kylo Ren? Did anyone know that Anakin had returned to save Luke? Would anyone ever know that Ben returned and gave up his life for her?
Finn and Poe ran to her, both of them smiling excitedly. She gathered all of her strength and smiled back at them. Then the three of them shared a group hug. Rey laid her head on both of their shoulders and allowed the tears to slide down her cheeks. She needed someone's shoulder to cry on, someone to comfort her. She wished that it could have been Leia, she was the only one who would have understood, but she was gone too. At least she had Finn and Poe, even though she knew that they wouldn't understand...especially Poe. Finn might, he already knew that a part of her longed to be with Ren.
Rey forced herself to stop crying as they broke the hug.
"The war is finally over," Finn exclaimed. "Tonight we will have the biggest celebration the galaxy has ever seen."
Poe looked at him. "The war isn't over yet, we still have to find Kylo Ren."
Rey felt her heart sink in her chest. She turned and walked away, it was just as she feared, they would only remember him as Kylo Ren... an enemy, as the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Would anyone even believe her if she told them the truth?
"Ren's gone," Finn replied after Rey had left.
"How do you know?" Poe asked.
Finn watched as Rey walked away from the Resistance base towards the trees. "A feeling."
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Rey stood at the edge of the forest, leaning against the trunk of a tree. How could she move on after everything that had happened? Even if no one else would remember Ben for who he truly was, she could never forget. She could never forget the touch of his hand on hers, the kiss they had shared, or the smile he had given her. Those were memories she would have for the rest of her life... until they could be together again. Memories that she would cherish like the few she had of her parents.
She looked out at the trees where she had once trained with Leia, she missed her... she missed them all.
Suddenly a bright blue light filled the dim shadows beneath the trees. She looked up to see the Force-ghost of Luke appear before her. Next to him stood his sister, Leia. She wore a white hooded dress that was both fit for a princess and a Jedi. Rey admired her as always, she wished that she could become like her.
Rey smiled at them, but they could see the tears glistening in her eyes.
Luke smiled at her, knowing what caused her tears. "No one's ever really gone," he whispered.
As he spoke the words, the glowing form of Ben appeared next to his mother. She turned towards him, wrapping her arms around him, and hugging him. Ben looked down at his mother, smiling warmly as he returned the hug. Rey smiled sadly as she watched them together, Leia finally had her son back. At least they could be together now.
Leia released him from the hug and he looked up to see Rey standing there. He looked at her intently for a moment, before an affectionate smile spread across his face. Rey smiled back, the first genuine and truly happy smile she'd had since his death. She could feel something awaken within her, he'd given his life to her and a part of him lived on within her.
"A thousand generations live in you now," Luke told Rey.
And that was when she felt it... she gasped staggering backwards slightly, before she pulled herself together again. She looked over at Ben, he looked just as surprised as she was... he felt it too. All they could do was stare at each other in disbelief, both of them breathing heavily.
Just then, Poe came over and stood next to her. "Rey?" he asked, but she didn't reply. He noticed that her attention seemed to be drawn by something in forest. He looked out in the direction that she was staring, but saw nothing.
Finn looked at Rey, she seemed out of breath. "Rey are you okay?"
Rey's eyes met Ben's and she gave him a small smile. "Yes, let's go." She turned and walked back towards the celebration.
Poe moved to follow her, but Finn placed his hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Poe looked at him confused.
"I'm worried about Rey."
Poe turned to look at Rey. "Why?"
"I think something is troubling her," Finn answered gravely.
"But...she was smiling."
"Yes, but didn't you see her staring off at nothing?" Finn asked.
"She does that. Sometimes she talks to people who aren't there. It's the Force... we'll never really understand. All of that Jedi mumbo jumbo never made any sense to me."
Finn stared at him for a moment. "You don't know her like I do, I've never seen her this way. Something happened to her when she fought Palpatine... I felt it. And she hasn't been the same since. I have to talk to her."
"Okay...let's go."
Finn looked at him. "Alone," he added. "I need to talk to Rey alone."
Poe stared at him. "Does it have something to do with what you were going to tell Rey?"
"No," Finn answered. He looked at him thoughtfully. "During the battle, when Rey was fighting Palpatine... I felt her die."
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