Stargaze [Star Wars Sequel Trilogy] ✔︎

LII. The Rise of Skywalker

A/N: I am so glad of the support this fic has gotten over the past few days. I know why but still. (I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry  I'm sorry) This one is just as angsty as the last 2 but ends a bit happier... don't worry. 

WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS

It was an odd sensation. Darkness and swirling white surrounded me. I wrapped my arms around me to cover my naked self, could the afterlife at least let you have some clothes.

"Young Skywalker, hello." The voice of Yoda said. I jumped and looked over my shoulder to see my father's master, Yoda. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Master stop." Another voice said helping me to my feet. It was Obi-Wan. Finally some form of clothing covered me. It was the clothes I used to wear on Jakku. "So uncivilized." Obi-Wan said. I shot him an offended look.

"You look fine." Lillian." My grandmother said appearing before me. "I can't believe this is what you're concerned about." Anakin said. "It's not." I said. "Where am I?"

"A place between places." My father said appearing at his mother's side. I ran to him. "So I'm dead?" I asked. The uncomfortable silence fell again. "Yes but no." Mace Windu said. I looked at the ghosts confused.

"You're not supposed to be here." My uncle Han Solo said, appearing among them. "You weren't supposed to die." "So who was? Rey? Ben?" The look in his eyes told me it was Ben. "Oh." I realized. "So redemption does equal death?" "Not always." My grandfather said. "I wish it didn't." "Oh and you would have liked to meet your grandchildren in a scary black costume." Obi-Wan sassed. Grandfather rolled his eyes.

"The point is, that it's not your time." A voice said. I knew the voice. "Mother." I said running to hug her. "My dear. I wished I wasn't meeting you again so early." I sighed.

"So why didn't any of you guys stop me from giving my life to Ben?" I asked. There was silence again. "We realized what was happening before it was too late." Grandfather said. "I regret everything. This is all my fault." "Oh, Ani." Grandmother spoke. "I didn't kill Palpatine." He said.

"And I was the one who revived his spirit." Mother said. "I should have told you." "And I should have never sent you away." Dad said. "Nor Ben." Han added.

"Yes, there things we not should do." Yoda said. "Cannot change the past, we must." "So I'm just stuck here?" I said. My father's eyes fell to the ground. 

"She's not here yet." He said. I knew of who he meant. "Leia." Han said. "Leia." I added. "Lillian." Mother said. I turned to face her. "I'm sorry." She held me close as I felt another pair of arms wrap around me. Dad. I cried.

Voices rang out beyond this place. "Lillian." Ben said. "I can't believe she's gone." Poe said. "I never told her anything, she must have hated me." Rey said.

"I never hated you." I said to myself. Then we all felt something. A shift in the force. We separated and looked forward at a blinding light. It faded to see a single beacon of light and a figure standing among it. I would recognize the figure anywhere, the buns on the side of her head was a giveaway. "Leia." Grandfather whispered. "She's here." Han said. "Your chance this is." Yoda said. "Would it work?" Han asked. "It might." Mace said. "I'll take you to her." Grandfather suggested. Grandmother nodded. I looked back to my parents and Han. I hugged Han first. I knew I would never see him again. "I'll miss you too kid." My uncle said. "I thought that was my name." Dad added with a smirk. I smiled and went to hug him and then Mother.

"I'm so sorry." She said. "You have nothing to be sorry for." I said. Tears welled in her eyes as I took my Grandfather's hand. Grandmother was on my right and he on my left. We walked towards Leia as a steady pace. The light that surrounded her was so bright. She was the other, the one Skywalker that would never fall to the dark.

"Do me a favor, stargaze." Grandfather said. I looked to him. "Keep the balance." He said. "The force isn't purely light or dark. It's the force. Help Rey and Ben see that." "I will." I said. "And be a strong leader." Grandmother said. "Be kind but stand firm on what you believe. It may never prevent war from returning, but it may halt it for a while." I nodded as we got to her. Leia was much younger than I ever knew her. She looked to be the same age as what R2 had in his memory. She smiled but said nothing. My aunt reached out her hand, expecting me to take it. I looked back to the others over my shoulder. They nodded. I took it and the world seemed to be enveloped in a blinding light.

...

EXEGOL

The first thing I felt was sadness and a hand wrapped around my wrist. I opened my eyes to see the dark sky of Exegol staring down. My eyes and Ben's met. He gasped. "Lilly." Rey said as she held my hand and pulled me to be sitting upright. "I-" she began. "I know Rey." I said. "I forgive you." She smiled as tears welled.

"Lillian." Poe said. I fell into his arms. I then felt something around my neck. I looked down and saw the chain strewn through his mother's engagement ring.

"Poe." I simply said. We leaned in to where our foreheads pressed together. We kissed, slowly and beautifully. "I love you." He said. "Oh, I know." I added. Poe stood and helped me up. Rey was at my side in second before I almost toppled over. I nodded to let them know I was ok.

"Now what?" Rey asked. "We go back to the resistance, find something to do with him." Poe said pointing to Ben. "Like what?" I asked. "I don't know. We'll figure that out when we come to it." He said. Rey smiled and walked to help Ben stand up. Above us, the cathedral creaked. It was going to collapse. We ran until we found a way out. Seeing our ships parked among the wreckage. Poe went to get in his. I wondered if I should take my father's ship or not.

"Take it." Rey said. "I'll go back with Ben." She kissed his cheek before getting in the tie. I found Poe's eyes, that were wide with shock. I nodded to my cousin as I got in my own x-wing.

"There, look! Red 5 is in the air. Rey's alive." Finn said through the comms. "I see them." Poe said with a smile in his voice. "People are rising up all over the galaxy." Finn said. We did it." "We did it." I said to myself as Poe said the same thing through the comms. We all then jumped into lightspeed as the tie trailed loosely behind us.