Daylight

85. His Entire Universe

THIRD POV

Ben Solo sat alone in a well-lit room filled with plans of fighter ships, machines, droids, and guns fit for any man or woman brave enough to fight against the Final Order. He could see how much work went through each plan with different color splashes of flags and banners. How many people it took, how well prepared everything was set up to be, but with each set, a signature hidden at the right corner under each layout caught his interest. Smiling at Amara's full name written elegantly, he took a step back from the walls and over to the only full floor to ceiling window that showed him how the deep space actually was. As small dots of stars in the distance became blurrier by the second, he knew the shuttle they were on had increased speed. And then, lightspeed kicked in, and the deep vastness of space was gone, returning him to the tunnel of light. He found it ironic. He had turned from the light, fallen into the depths of darkness, only to be pulled back to the only person who could give him meaning to life itself. After leaving him to instruct the people on this ship and the courage to fight, Amara insisted that Ben would read over something.

He could feel her power through the force, radiating off his body, where his wound healed, and even off the walls surrounding him. Walking over from the large window almost as tall as him, he picked up the red leather book from the only table in the room and held it. He figured if this were the only peace he would have for a bit, he'd take full advantage of it. Though, he wished Amara was there. He knew one thing wouldn't change no matter what side he stood on. 

The high levels of anxiety of her not being physically with him drove him insane. She was calm after the worst of storms, even before he fell to the Dark Side. He took a deep breath of air and opened the book to its middle page, something heavy marking it as he found a journal entry written before him. Based on the date, it had been written years ago. Skimming through it because at the moment, he didn't have the patience to read the entire entry, he felt something behind the right page and pulled it out. A yellowed folded up paper sat inside the binding as he set the book down on the table and opened the paper.

Before him were the lyrics of the song Daylight. Recognizing the words, his smile came back as the words "Ben's Song" was written in bold letters on the top part of the paper, right in the middle, with "Daylight" written underneath it. Just standing there, he repeatedly read over the words, each time bringing out a new meaning for different sentences. He could almost feel Amara pouring her heart and soul into this as he smiled more. 

Folding the paper back up as he slid the small object inside the book again, he reached out through the force to feel her, but what he sensed surprised him. Ben could feel her, but also someone else. Hearing the familiar hum in the force, the moment he turned around to see if Amara would reach out to him, he saw her. The girl she kept from him all this time. Her eyes were wide as if she saw a ghost or something more frightening. He knew those eyes she had. Like her at the age she was in, he too was frightened. Looking down at the bench behind his body, Ben slowly sat down as she watched his every move.

"You're different." She spoke and how her voice sounded...it was like a beautiful melody, almost like Amara's. Nodding his head, he understood what she meant, for he knew she felt his change.

"So, what I felt was real? That means Leia's gone, then?" Ben watched as the girl slowly slumped to whatever surface she sat on, her eyes falling with her body. He could sense her sadness. He knew with her connection to Amara. This girl must've known his mother in some way. Maybe she helped Amara keep this girl safe from the First Order...from him.

"You knew my mother?" She nodded just as quickly as the question came from Ben's mouth.

"She helped send people to protect me; people even Amara could trust. They were followers of her parents. Because of Amara, Leia helped me feel less...lonely."

"Are you alone right now?" Ben asked as he leaned on his thighs while clasping his hands together.

"Yes, I'm hiding away from the heat of the sun on the planet I live on. I don't know the name of it yet, at least, no one knows it yet. Even the leader who protects me won't say anything. Everyone seems to be protecting their minds-"

"Do you understand why?" She nodded at his question.

"Palpatine wants all of us dead. You, Amara, the Resistance, even me-"

"Why you? You're just a child being hidden away from monsters." He watched for her reaction, but only silence came as her blue eyes fell from his dark ones. He instantly regretted his words, wanted to apologize, but when she glanced back up at him, her eyes held something.

"It's not my story to tell." The way she spoke made Ben's heart shatter a little inside. He knew something had always gone on between Amara and this girl, something heartbreaking and complicated. He knew in time Amara would explain to him.

"Does she still block you from knowing anything about me?" She asked this time as Ben nodded his head once. But with it came a smile from her, a light shining in her eyes—something he'd never seen before.

"Good, that means she won't know what I want you to know." Hope took a deep breath before exhaling it out, " I want you to know my name."

"Why would you think it's important for me to know that?"

"Because Poe Dameron once told her that every name in history is important, which includes yours and mine." Ben cursed in his mind to hear that Resistance Pilot's name as he turned his head away from the girl for a moment. Tilting her head to the side as she awaited his reply, she caught his annoyance towards Poe as she giggled, catching Ben's attention.

"He likes Amara a lot. But he also understands where her heart is, who it belongs to." Ben caught her eyes, which were filled with a love of a certain kind, as he slightly grinned but didn't allow her to see it. Rubbing his palms together, he leaned forward again, as she did too.

"Will you tell me your name?"

"It's Hope"

"No last name, Hope?" With this question, her eyes softened, holding something back as they stared at the other. She shook her head.

"As I said before, it's not my story to tell. I don't even know when she'll have the chance to tell you but when she does, keep something in mind. Everything she did was to protect me, which we all know how selfish she can sometimes be. What she did, wasn't supposed to hurt anyone but herself at the time, especially since so much has happened to her, and she didn't want to lose anyone else she cared about and loved. You may be angry when she tells you what I understand. I...don't want you to hate her, especially since she'll die to save us." Hope made it sound like what Amara needed to share would be significant. Though, he couldn't understand something behind her words. How could she question that he would hate Amara? She sounded worried, almost as if she was terrified to see Amara and him fall apart again. He could see it in her mind of it happening, the way it did the first time. Abandonment. He wondered who Hope truly was until a force disturbed their connection.

"Don't say anything about me being here, Ben. I don't want her to be angry with me. I know you switched but, even the Gray Jedi can have doubts. You should also know she's scared of losing, not just you and Rey and everything, but herself. Just do me a favor and don't let her die." With her final words floating around Ben's brain, Hope vanished, as did their connection as he sensed Amara walking down the corridor, Exegol's location in mind and the thought of getting there becoming a problem. Hope's last words echoed in the deepest yet darkest parts of his mind. So, she couldn't lose her, either? He thought as he stood the moment the door slid open to reveal Amara and her chaotic mess of a thought process.

"What's their plan?" Ben asked as Amara glanced up at him before attaching her lightsaber to her belt. He thought it was an odd gesture since she always kept the object inside her boots.

"They are helping the Resistance to take down the Star Destroyers. We, however, are going to help Rey."

"You're missing the chance to kill as many Final Order Star Destroyers as you can-" Ben smirked as he looked away from Amara briefly before seeing her expression. It looked like someone was more important now to her and Rey.

"He took away her entire life before it could begin. He took away the family I wanted to have. Don't even get me started on what he's done to you. He needs to be killed, and last I checked, the three of us together is something he wouldn't see coming. So yeah, I'm missing the chances big time, but at least it's worth it." She sounded annoyed, but what he thought as she began to turn to face away from him. Watching her add two beacons to her belt, he asked what they were for.

"You want someone to find us. Red's for the Resistance and yellow's for The Sylas crew. Hopefully, they work in Exegol. That's the last place I want to get left in."

"No one's going to leave you there." She made a gesture of disbelief as he sensed it, causing him to cross the room and engulf her in a hug only he can give. Wrapping his strong and big arms around her body, he constricted her movement. One arm glided across her breasts were and the other over her stomach. Pushing his large body against her back, she couldn't move anywhere now, but oddly enough, she didn't want to. He felt her ease against him, a feeling he could never tire of.

"You know I won't leave you." He spoke against the skin on her neck as he felt it send chills down her spine and arms. Kissing the areas he could reach with his lips, he planted longing and slow kisses as she leaned her weight on his. He held her like he was holding his entire universe.

But what he didn't know would hurt not just her. She finalized her plan with Stefan and Monroe. They knew what she wanted to do only because she sensed Rey's plan all along. She knew Rey would sacrifice everything to protect the galaxy, to stop Palpatine. But, she would lose her life, and to Amara, that wasn't right. Taking on the title of Jedi Master hadn't been easy for her, but thanks to Rey, it brought something new. Amara would sacrifice her life, not Rey. She would siphon the power Palpatine would throw at Rey if she'd turn on him. Within that moment, Amara knew it would kill her, but at least Rey would be alive. Ben would be alive. The Resistance, the galaxy, everyone would be saved. Maybe, they would be able to take care of Hope. It would be one thing Ben couldn't hate her for. Forcing herself out of his grasp for a split second, she turned around and hugged his body tightly, throwing her arms around his neck. If this were the only moment of peace she would get with him before her end, she would take full advantage of it.

"Mara-"

"I'm so scared." She spoke as her voice cracked, tears burning her eyes as she said the words she never wanted to say with him present.

"I know," He spoke softly, not wanting to disrupt their peace.

"I can't lose anyone else I love."

"I know" Even in a whispered tone, Ben's voice cracked too. Hugging her closer to his body though he felt her begin to suffocate, he tried not to push into her mind. He knew what he would see. Her vision from the desert and how her death would occur. He wanted to hear her say it as he nuzzled his face in between the crook of her neck.

"I don't want to die." She said before he felt the tears touch his sweater. It was true, and within that moment, he saw her plan. He hated to see what she would do, but she had too much on the line for it. But he knew something she didn't.

"I'll make sure you don't. Rey and the others won't either. Besides, it seems we have someone to find after this. Don't lose hope." Practically lifting her from the ground to hold her so tightly in his arms, she trusted him with everything she had as he pulled her towards the table and demanded her to jump. As she did, he sat her down on the surface, and the moment she pulled away to see his face, he placed his lips on hers. Not wanting to ruin their quiet moment, both knew what needed to be done as he pecked her lips gently and sweetly. With the burning desire to do so much to her here, he knew he couldn't not yet as he pulled away.

"We need to go, Mar." He said before leaving a light kiss on her forehead as his lips stayed there on her skin. Looking deep into her eyes, he saw a galaxy worth saving and protecting. Theirs, and to think, that's all he ever wanted. Drawing circles with his thumbs on her skin, he saw her skin glow from the touch as she smiled with her whole heart.