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Rey stood in front of the stone slab that marked the place where General Organa was buried. She should have had a grander funeral, but with the First Order after them the most anyone could to for the general was give her a simple burial on a planet in practically the middle of no where.The remaining rebels who had attended the funeral began to slowly trickle away, heading back to the small outpost that they were hiding in. Poe and Finn stood at her side. Poe’s head was resting on Finn’s shoulder. There were tears in Poe’s eyes as he leaned into Finn. Out of the three of them Poe had known Leia the best and was taking her passing pretty hard. The only person who seemed more distraught was Chewbacca who had clutched on to Leia’s body for hours, growling and crying, before finally allowing her to be buried.
Poe pulled away from Finn and began to head back to the base. Occasionally brushing tears from his eyes. Finn touched her shoulder, gently.
“We should head back. Keep an eye on Poe and Chewie. Find out where Rose got to.”
Normally Rey would have agreed but she felt a pressure and presence from the force and knew she needed to stay a little longer.
“You go. I’ll catch up.”
Finn nodded and quickly hugged Rey before following after Poe. Rey was glad her and Finn had been reunited. Two nobodies who shouldn't have any place in this war, but who are now so entwined with it.
She turned back to General Organa’s grave just as the tug in her mind solidified and she could feel Ben’s presence at her side.
“So it’s true then.”
“Yes,” Rey replied, she knew that rumors of the General’s passing must have already been spreading through the galaxy. She turned to look at Ben. He was dressed in his usual black robes and his face was like stone.
“How did it happen? Did someone kill her?” Ben’s voice was calm as he asked the question but she could hear the emotion beneath it. There was grief, and definitely anger, but she wondered if he had any regrets. They were both orphans now, but Ben had orphaned himself long before either of his parents deaths.
“She died in her sleep. The medics said it was probably peaceful. Everyone was shocked though. It was so sudden and unexpected.” Rey teared up as she spoke. She didn’t know Leia very well but she had felt an almost instant connection with the strong and loving woman. “I wish I had more time with her.”
Ben looked at her and held her gaze. “It doesn’t matter what you wish. She’s gone. You need to accept that.”
Rey wished he was physically here so that she could slap him. “Thank you so very much great supreme leader. I’ll take your brusque and unfeeling words of wisdom to heart.”
“Rey, you barely knew the general—“
“Your mother!”
He paused.”Yes, my mother.”
“You should have been here. You should have left with me. I’m sure Leia would have loved to have seen you again.” Rey felt herself getting more emotional as she spoke, but whether that was her feelings for Ben, her grief over Leia’s passing, or her grief over her own unknown parents was uncertain.
“Perhaps, but it doesn’t matter now. I can’t change the past and neither can you, but we can both move on.”
Ben stared and reach out to touch her cheek urging her to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. The wind blew around mussing with her hair and not phasing the spectre of Ben Solo in front of her. He wasn’t really there after all.
“This is a sign, Rey. The old leaders of the Alliance and the First Order are dead. It’s time for a new order. You and me. Together, Rey, together, we could bring order to the galaxy. Come back to me, Rey. We could be so great together.”
Rey blinked back tears and stepped just out of Ben’s reach. His arm stayed aloft for a moment before falling to his side.
“No Ben, I can’t follow you down this path.”
“Rey, no, you don’t—“
“I don’t want to have this argument with you again,” Rey shouted. “You had people who loved you and every time you choose to throw them away when they were no longer of use to you.”
“But not you.”
“Yes, even me.”
“I wasn’t the one who left.“
Rey shook her head. It felt like a pointless argument to be having over the grave of his mother. “You should have been here,” Rey repeated wrapping her arms around tightly around her body, trying to stave off the cold she felt.
“I will find you, Rey. And when I find out where you are I don’t want us to meet as enemies.”
Rey looked back at Ben seeing the determination and even fear on his face. “That really depends on you doesn’t it.”
Ben scoffed. “So be it.”
And with that the connection closed and Rey was left alone once again.
She fell to her knee's at the general's grave and wept for the Leia, for the Resistance, for Master Skywalker, for her parents, and for Ben. She cried for a galaxy that was torn apart and out of balance with the force, but not for long.
Rey dried her eyes, picked herself up off the ground, and headed back to join the rebels.