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As Leia and Luke shimmered out of view in the distance, Rey looked out at the twin suns and tried to imagine a happy future. it didn’t seem possible if that future didn’t include Ben. BB nudged at her leg and made her smile briefly. BB and D-O were her constant companions now. She frowned. But where was D-O?
‘D-O?’ She called out across the sands.
She heard the little droids robotic tones but couldn’t make out the words. She followed the constant chattering noises.
She found D-O turning in circles on the sand. She sighed. The little broken droid must have malfunctioned again. She picked him up and tried to calm him.
‘I found him. I found him,’ he kept saying over and over.
‘Found who?’
‘I found him. I found him.’
Rey shook her head. She was going to have to take another look at the little droid’s connectors, something seemed to be loose.
Rey carried D-O back to the Falcon and BB trailed behind her.
She settled D-O down next to her as she took off and almost lost control of the infamous ship when the little droid opened its mouth once more and said,
‘I found Ben.’
**********
Rey came in for landing once more. She got out of her seat, crouched down and looked at D-O.
‘What did you say?’
‘I found Ben.’
‘How do you know that name?’
‘He told me. I found him. He told me.’
Rey let out a shaky breath. This couldn’t be true could it? But how did D-O know that name? Was it just a coincidence? Had he perhaps heard her talking? She needed to investigate further, if there was even the smallest chance that Ben was alive, she couldn’t ignore it.
‘D-O, can you take me to him? Can you take me to Ben?’
‘No.’
Her shoulders slumped. It was all just a big mistake then. The droid was simply confused.
‘He’s gone,’ stated the droid.
Don’t ask. Don’t ask.
But she had to ask.
‘Gone where?’
‘Blue light. Then gone.’
A blue light? There had been a blue light when Ben had...and hadn't Leia and Luke also been shrouded in that same blue light? Had D-O seen Ben's Force Ghost, or something else? She had to know more.
Rey took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure if it was possible to link to a droids thoughts but she had to try. She placed a hand on D-O.
She saw an image of darkness and then BB. She saw herself reach out for the small droid, and then more of BB as the two droids chased each other. Then she heard a small voice and the image shifted.
‘My name is Ben.’
There was a dark haired boy staring down at her through D-Os thoughts. He looked sad. Rey knew it was Ben. There was a blue tinge around him, force energy. But he wasn’t dead. She could sense his life force. He was alive.
The connection broke and D-O moved quickly out of her reach. She tried to call him back but the skittish droid hid under a table.
How was it possible that D-O had seen Ben? Why hadn’t he made himself known to her?
‘Afraid,’ D-O called from under the table.
Of course! That was why! He was afraid! Ben was trapped in his childhood form, he was too scared to make himself known to Rey, but he was comfortable interacting with the small, abused droid.
Her heart ached when she realised he probably felt a sort of kinship with the little astromech.
D-O can you come here? I won’t hurt you, I promise.’
D-O slowly rolled over to Rey.
‘Is Ben here now?’ she asked gently.
‘Yes.’
Rey pulled in a sharp breath, then let it out slowly. She needed to remain calm.
‘Where is he?’
D-O turned to the left and pointed to the co-pilot's chair.
Rey turned in her crouched position to face the chair. She closed her eyes and reached out with the force.
Ben, if you’re there, you don’t have to be afraid. My name is Rey and I want to help you...
When Rey reopened her eyes, she saw the form of a small boy sitting in the chair. He looked nervous. She smiled reassuringly at him.
‘Ben, please don’t be scared. I’m Rey, you and I are...we are friends.’
The boy eyed her suspiciously. She reached out her hand slowly.
‘Ben, take my hand.’
The boy shook his head and scooted away from her.
Rey thought for a moment, then grabbed for some loose bolts she spotted on the floor. She placed them in the palm of her hand. Ben watched her with interest, craning his neck to see what she would do next.
‘I’m like you, Ben. I can do things.’
Rey made the bolts float into the air and move around in a circle.
Ben’s mouth opened as he watched the bolts spin.
Rey smiled at him and Ben smiled back at her. Rey let the bolts settle back down in the palm of her hand.
‘Do you want to try?’ She said.
Ben nodded.
She held the bolts out towards him.
‘Here you go.’
Ben slowly lowered himself down to the floor. He stepped carefully towards Rey, reaching out for the bolts. As soon as his hand connected with hers, Rey willed her life force to transfer to him. She squeezed her eyes shut and worked as hard as she could to imagine Ben as he had been.
Come back to me…
Rey grew dizzy and felt weak, just as she was about to give up, she felt a large hand on her cheek. She pulled in a breath as she felt his familiar energy flow through her and settle in her heart.
She opened her eyes and saw him crouched before her. His gentle eyes searched hers.
She smiled a brilliant smile as tears poured down her cheeks.
‘Ben.’
Ben looked at his hands in disbelief, then his eyes settled on Rey once more.
‘Rey, you brought me back, how did you do it?’
‘I can scarcely believe it, somehow my energy or maybe your energy, that resides within me, revived you. You were caught between this world and the next, if it hadn’t been for D-O…’
‘The little noisy droid,’ Ben said with a smile looking gratefully at the tiny bot.
They looked at each other. Both brimming with words but not knowing how to express them.
Ben was the first to reach for her, pulling her towards his chest and joining their lips.
When they parted they both laughed with a mixture of relief and joy. Ben picked her up and twirled her around making them both laugh harder.
‘Come back with me to base camp,’ Rey said.
Ben looked at her sadly. He lowered her gently to the floor.
‘I can’t go back there Rey, Kylo Ren may be gone for good, but his enemies are not. I need to go into hiding and quietly atone for my wrong doings.’
He swallowed hard and held out his bare hand towards Rey.
‘I want you to join me. Please.’
Rey looked at him for a moment then turned her back to him.
Ben lowered his hand and looked down at the floor.
‘I understand, you can’t abandon your friends,’ he said quietly.
Rey pressed some buttons and opened a communication channel to her friends at the Rebel Base.
‘This is Rey, I need to tell you that I won’t be returning to base, but don’t worry about me. I’m safe... and I’m loved.’
She closed the communication and smiled at Ben as she reached out her hand towards him. He smiled back at her as he took it.
‘Yes you are,’ Ben murmured as he kissed her forehead.
‘We both are,’ she said before reaching up to kiss him once more.
**********