Chapter Text
Kylo Ren - No, he was Ben now - walked through the huge doorway of the new Jedi Temple.
It had been years since Snoke had been destroyed.
Years since the First Order had been defeated.
He had been pardoned by his mother as he had defected and killed his own master. But he had been watched carefully by Luke and Rey. He scoffed at the memory; like he would go back to the way he had been. To come as far as he did, to have changed as much as he had; it would be foolish to go back to being the Master of the Knights of Ren, one of Snoke’s greatest triumphs. He couldn’t go back.
Not after what he had lost to gain his freedom.
Because he could still feel her in his mind, a fluttering ghost of a presence that had once known how to take him apart and put him back together again. She had helped him, helped the Resistance without realizing it, and it had cost her everything.
He was here and she was not.
Looking up, he saw Rey, his uncle and the Force ghosts of his grandfather and Kenobi.
Rey noticed him and gave a smile that warmed his very being. She had picked up where she had once been, being the stable presence he needed to survive. Rey had forgiven him when no one else could, defended her where Ben couldn’t and had stayed with him after his heart broke into tiny pieces; to put them back together and make him whole again. She loved him and he, in return, grew to love her but Rey wasn’t her.
But she was gone.
And Rey - the kriffing scavenger who wasn’t a scavenger anymore - had accepted it and had helped him through it all. The two had started a family together and Ben looked on as she held his son for Luke, Anakin and Kenobi to see. His grandfather smiled and rested a blue hand on the child’s head while Kenobi spoke softly to Rey and Luke.
He swallowed hard and went to join his family.
Rey smiled at him again as he took his son into his arms, his family watching him carefully. Anakin seemed to have a pained look on his face but he still smiled at his grandsons. Luke, Kenobi and Rey started to talk but Ben didn’t pay attention. He was gazing at his son and smiling when the tiny being gripped onto his finger.
“As much as we would love to stay longer, Anakin and I must go.”
Ben looked up at Kenobi and Rey looked confused. “I thought you said you would stay here with us.” Anakin rested a hand on her shoulder. “We are but there is another person who is about to make it through the Force from the other side. We must be there.” Rey nodded, her eyes asking questions, but she kept quiet as the two blue beings vanished. Luke nodded to the couple before excusing himself to go meditate. Rey looked at Ben. “You would think after all these years with us, Luke wouldn’t want to be by himself.” Ben brought his wife close and kissed her forehead as the baby between them cooed. “For almost twenty years, he was alone, Rey. Give him time.” She sighed and nodded, taking in his familiar scent before the familiar presence of Anakin and Kenobi appeared again . The two Force users were confused by their sudden quick return and they turned to see where they were before another presence slowly appeared. Ben swallowed hard when a thrum sounded in the back of his skull.
He knew that presence.
Gently handing the baby to a surprised and confused Rey, he stepped closer to where his grandfather and uncle appeared. A blue mist appeared beside them; shimmering for a few seconds before taking the shape of a young woman; whose back was turned to Ben’s. But he knew.
Oh, he knew.
“Avelyn.”
She turned around; her brown hair slipping off her shoulders as she smiled softly and her eyes softening as she gazed at him.
“Hey, Kylo.”
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Ben stared at the Force ghost of Avelyn as she peered down at the sleeping babe in Rey’s arms.
He finally turned to his grandfather. “How-” Anakin held up a hand. “She’s strong in the Force, Ben; you know that. It took me less time to become a ghost but she wanted you to be alright first. She saw the time was right and came through.” Ben swallowed thickly as Anakin disappeared; leaving him with the one he loved now and the one he loved long ago.
Avelyn was smiling softly as she looked at the tiny being. “He looks like his father.” She looked up at Rey. “You have a beautiful son.” Rey smiled weakly, feeling Ben’s mixed emotions through their bond; a bond that used to be between him and Avelyn. The latter frowned and sent a disapproving look to the male near them. “Tone down your emotions, Kylo, and give your wife a break.” He broke from his trance and cleared his throat; his voice cracking as he spoke. “I go by Ben now.”
A small smile spread across the dead female’s face.
“You’re a Grey Jedi.”
He nodded and her smile grew bigger. She once more peered down as the babe woke up and Rey sent a reassuring smile to her husband.
“He has your big ears, you know.”
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Rey bolted awake when a thrum sounded in her head.
Avelyn had been back for seven years now, helping her, Ben and Luke train new padwans; Anakin and Kenobi giving their input when needed. She had taken upon herself the task of helping the little ones walk the balance between the dark and the light and, so far, it was working. And as Rey thought about the lesson they were going to give the next day, she followed the presence to her son’s room.
She pushed the door open to find Han fast asleep in his bed and Avelyn by his window. The female turned as Rey stepped inside. “He was having a nightmare. I took it apart.” Rey nodded, going to her son and pulling the sheet up around his chin. She reached out toward his mind and found a wall; a huge, impenetrable wall that kept her and everything out. Her head snapped to look at the dead Force user, who was already looking at her. “He’s part Skywalker, Rey. He’s powerful already, like his father and his grandfather were. Snoke was able to get to Ben in his sleep, when he was most vulnerable. The grey bastard might be gone but I don’t know who is left in the galaxy that is like him.”
And Rey was touched by her protectiveness.
Avelyn quietly came over to her and glanced down at her barely swollen belly. “I loved Ben and I still love him but he needs you. His grandfather was right when he said I waited for Ben to heal, to accept my death. I hoped he could find someone to help him; to love him like I did.” Dark, soft brown eyes met equally dark brown ones as Rey turned to look at the blue ghost. “You helped him when no one would and I thank you for that.” Her eyes softened some more and her voice was quiet as she turned to look toward the sleeping child. “I won’t let anyone hurt your children, Rey.”
Rey smiled sadly at the former dark one. “Thank you.”
Avelyn nodded. “Sleep. A new day begins soon.”
The pregnant woman left her son’s room, leaving the Force ghost to watch after him; a silent protector in the night. She climbed into her bed and Ben wrapped his arms around her; pulling her close. Rey buried her face into his chest and felt Avelyn wrapping herself around her presence; a blanket to ease her mind. She sighed contently and fell into a dreamless sleep.
A blue ghost watched over the family; chasing away nightmares of days gone past and days to come.
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Avelyn screamed into the darkness; frightened and alone.
It was dark and the Force was so powerful; pressing itself into every corner of her very core. She was just a spirit, left to wander in the Force and find peace where she needed it. Feeling the tiny, faint presence of Kylo in the Force, she reached out for it; only to have it slip from her grasp.
‘Kylo!’
He was being held back from her and she curled into a tiny presence and let the Force run through her, both the Light and the Dark. Whispers soon reached her but she did nothing to acknowledge them. Once more, the presence of Kylo faintly came and she quickly caught it; wrapping herself around it. He was in pain, in pain over her death and he was heartbroken. Rage and sadness tore into his very being and Avelyn could do nothing.
She couldn’t do what she promised she would.
But a different presence came; a Light user.
Rey.
The Light user wrapped herself around the mind of Kylo; soothing him through the bond that Avelyn had instructed Rey to take back again. She continued to hold on to his presence as two different ones washed over her.
Avelyn, do not be afraid.
‘Who are you?’
It’s me. Obi-Wan.
Another voice spoke out. And Anakin Skywalker.
‘You’re here to help me?’
Anakin sent a a pulse of confirmation toward her and she relaxed her hold on Kylo’s presence. Avelyn. You are strong in the Force. You can become like us.
‘I can’t. He’s not ready.’
Confusion flowed though both presences of the old Jedi Knights but it was Anakin you spoke up. What do you mean?
‘He is in pain and rage. I can’t go back or else he won’t forgive himself; won’t find peace. He must find the peace in my death and let me go; find happiness somewhere else. And when he does, I will go back. But not now.’
Obi-Wan and Anakin both understood what she was saying and stayed wrapped around her. She, in return, kept herself wrapped around Kylo; monitoring his every emotion.
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Both Jedi Knights made it a point to ask her if she was ready to tame the Force in order to become a Force ghost.
And each time she would say: ‘He’s not ready yet.’
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Anakin came to her once again. Are you ready, Avelyn?
‘Not now. But soon. He’s just not ready yet.’
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Days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into months.
Months turned into years.
And still Avelyn deemed Kylo not ready for her to appear again.
Until peace rippled through the Force and Avelyn let go of Kylo’s presence; casting out into the Force toward Anakin and Obi-Wan.
‘I’m ready.’
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The presences of Yoda and Qui-Gon Jin joined Anakin and Obi-Wan as they helped Avelyn along in her process. She prevailed and followed Anakin and Obi-Wan through the Force; appearing in a newly built structure. The Force rippled with strength through the enclosed space and Avelyn felt alive again.
Her presence thrummed in the building.
“Avelyn?”
She turned around and met the eyes of the man she had given her life to save; smiling softly.
“Hey, Kylo.”