Across The Stars // Star Wars (Sequels)

✰Chapter 12✰

"Stop," I whisper, my eyes scrunched shut. A thin layer of sweat covers my forehead and my legs are entangled with the sheets of my bed. I press my nails into my palms until they bleed but I don't feel the pain.

"Join me."

"Stop!" I shout, jolting awake and sitting up with a start. My breathing hitches in my throat as I slowly realise I am not in the place I was in my dream.

"Raven..." a tiny voice whispers and I hold my breath. This is a new voice. I slowly exhale before stepping out of bed. The floor feels cold under my bare feet but I don't care. My window is ajar and the breeze that blows inside chills me. I walk up to it to close it, stopping the cold air that flows inside.

"Raven..." the voice returns and I whip around. I frown before lowering myself to the floor. "Closer," it whispers and I reach under my bed, retrieving the wooden box I hid under there almost a year ago.

With shaking hands, I lift up the lid to reveal my Jedi robes and my Lightsaber. I wrap my cold fingers around the handle and lift it from the box. Unlike I expected, the metal doesn't feel cold. It's almost warm. Like a hand wrapping around my own.

My thumb hovers over the ignition button but I hesitate. I let out a soft breath and push myself up, heaving myself in my dark-brown robes. I take the Lightsaber and wander outside, standing on the porch. I inhale the chilly night air and feel myself calm down.

I glance down at my Saber and sigh. "Why did you call for me, huh?" I whisper at it but of course, I receive no response.

"Raven?" a voice speaks up and I drop the Saber to the ground. I look up and find Poe standing in front of me. "What are you doing out here?" he asks, frowning. He walks onto the porch and stands across from me.

"I-I can ask you the same thing," I say quickly, crossing my arms and hiding my Lightsaber behind my feet.

"Can't sleep," he says, looking over me and I realise I'm wearing my robes. "Interesting outfit."

I clear my throat awkwardly, pushing my Lightsaber back further.

"What's that?" he asks, motioning to my feet.

"Nothing," I say quickly, but he's faster. He snatches the Saber from the ground before I even get the time to reach for it. "Poe, give it back!"

"Is this a Lightsaber?" he asks, inspecting it closely with widened eyes. "Raven, where did you get this?"

I don't answer and I avoid his gaze. His eyes burn holes in my skull and my cheeks turn bright red.

"Luke Skywalker," he mutters. "You left for all those years. You have a Lightsaber, you share some weird Force-bond with your brother. Rave, are you a Jedi?"

I close my eyes.

"You are, aren't you?"

I nod softly. "Yeah, I finished my training before I left Master Skywalker- Luke, behind," I muttered, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Why didn't you tell me? You know you can trust me, right?" he asks, reaching for my hands.

I look into his dark eyes and the courageous facade I have been holding up for so many years finally breaks. I tell him everything. The training, the Lightsaber Ceremony, Jazcar, the Dark Side, the night Ben turned on everyone. The night Kylo Ren was born.

It takes me hours to tell him everything, but he doesn't interrupt me once. He just listens, nods and tightly holds my hand.

I subconsciously trace my finger down the scar on my face. "Some nights, I feel it burn. Like a million tiny needles are pricking my face. I know that's Ben trying to call for me. He wants to know where I am so he can kill me and end the Jedi," I say. "He took the most important person in my life away from me."

"Your best friend?" he asks softly.

I chuckle darkly. "She was more than that. Jaz was family. I loved her," I say.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Rave," he says softly, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Even though I passed my Jedi tests, I've never needed my Master more than I did this last year, so I turned to someone else," I say. "My grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. He's been helping me through all of this."

"Wasn't he-"

"Darth Vader? Yeah, he was. But he was also really misunderstood. All he wanted to do was save his wife," I whisper. "Poe, you have to promise me something."

"Anything," he says.

"You can't tell anyone about this. No one can know I'm a Jedi," I say, pulling my hand out of his. I instantly miss the warmth so I clasp my hands together.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll all be in danger. When the First Order finds out I'm here, Ben will come for me to end all of this and the Resistance will be done for. I can't do that to everyone. To you," I state.

"You don't get it, do you? We're already a target for the First Order. We're in danger every second of the day but does that stop us? Hell no," he says, taking my shoulders and forcing me to look at him. "Do you realise what you are?"

I shake my head softly, too overwhelmed by his words to speak.

"You are a spark of hope. Maybe the spark this whole operation needs to keep going. To fight another day," he says. "I'm telling you, if the others hear we have one of the two remaining Jedi on our side, we'll have a real shot at finding Luke and defeating the First Order for good."

I clench my teeth together. "I promised Luke I'd be careful."

"And you will be. I promise, I will keep you safe no matter what," he says. "But we need this. We really do. The other pilots have been talking about getting out. They think it's useless to keep going. But you and I both know that we can't stop. Not now that we're so close."

I ponder over his words for a second. "You can't keep protecting me forever, Poe," I say softly. "And what if something happens to you and I can't save you? I could never forgive myself."

He chuckles. "If you want to play safe, Shortie, you chose the wrong business."

I can't help but laugh, playfully punching his shoulder.

"No, seriously, Raven. We've got your back," he says. "I've got your back."

I smile. "Thank you."

"Can I ask you something?" he speaks up after a short moment of comfortable silence.

"Of course," I say.

"Can you make something float?"

"Poe!" I let out a laugh.

"What? Come on, I know you can do it!"

I giggle, shaking my head before I look down, finding a small, round pebble lying on the porch. I crouch down and Poe eagerly follows, observing my every move. I place the tips of my fingers on the ground next to the pebble and close my eyes. I focus the energy flowing through me on the pebble and order it to rise up.

"Whoa..." Poe whispers and I smile, opening my eyes to find the pebble hovering in between us. His dark eyes lock with mine and a warm fluttering appears in my chest, a feeling I haven't felt since that night with Jaz.

I sense him leaning in and I pull away. The pebble falls to the ground. "I-I think we should head back to bed. Big day tomorrow." I smile thinly and stand up. "Good night, Poe."

"Hey, Rave?" he calls and I look over my shoulder. "You should wear those robes more often. They look good on you."

I sent him a tiny smile before heading inside.