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With a moment to breathe after Exegol, the blessings of a grateful Resistance behind her and the expanse of an entire galaxy before her, Rey finally had a moment to herself.
Her future was hers, and hers alone.
Rey’s new knowledge of the truth of her past had set her free. She didn’t have to wait for anybody, try to find anyone, or search for anything.
It took a while to figure out what she wanted.
But when she did, she remembered Kef Bir. Despite everything else occupying her thoughts there, Rey found that she’d enjoyed the water. She’d smiled as she piloted the small seacraft toward the wreckage of the Death Star.
Her memories of skimming the sea excited her. Bouncing over that tumultuous ocean had been exhilarating, not frightening. Water fascinated her.
She’d learned the physics of sand over a lifetime. Rey could predict a desert storm with uncanny accuracy. She could traverse the dunes with the ease of an expert. Sliding down, climbing up. . .
It was the similarity of water to sand that had drawn her, but it was the difference that had intrigued her.
She’d be a liar if she claimed that she hadn’t been transfixed by the flow of water any time she’d encountered it after leaving Jakku.
On Takodana, slow-moving streams meandered through green forests. The babble of a distant brook was the last thing she remembered hearing before she was carried away by Kylo Ren.
Sometimes, the Force sent a barrage of sensations her way. Sometimes, she found herself lost in the memories of those trickling sounds, of the heady scents of forest flowers, of the breeze’s soft whisper. Sometimes, she found herself dreaming of following one of those brooks wherever it went. It was easier to lose herself in daydreams now that she knew she was alone in them, but it was an ease she rejected. All she wanted was to go back. Soon, though, it occurred to her that she could, just a few light-years away.
Rey let her new-found love of water lead her in new directions, based on bits of research from Resistance holostations.
It was surprisingly easy to find what she sought. There were so many more worlds than she’d ever even imagined. Rey was nearly embarrassed when she saw all the possible destinations arrayed before her.
So many coordinates to key into her nav, especially now that money was no object. Galactic war had thrown financial markets into disarray, but it seemed that certain currencies had weathered the storm.
Evidently, Rey was eligible for some sort of military pay, retroactive to the battle at Starkiller Base, so she was now flush with credits she didn’t quite understand, in a number nearly beyond her comprehension.
Before, on Jakku, she’d only ever understood commerce in terms of parts in exchange for sustenance. Actual money had never entered into her calculations.
No, she’d taught herself an entirely different algebra. How much could she scavenge and carry back? What would be the best things for her to throw onto her back and drag to the outpost for exchange? What was the best weight-to-value ratio? High aurodium content would get her the most portions.
This was why she’d been so eager to find the manuals . Each ship had physical guides to consult as a last resort when all systems had failed. None of the other beings who scavenged the wreckage of the Battle of Jakku cared about the manuals. But Rey had, and that was the story of her success. She’d taught herself everything about how all of those massive ships had worked, which benefited her in two ways.
One, she’d learned the intricacies of the engineering and architecture of Imperial materiel. Two, she had gained a very good knowledge of astrophysics. She knew what made things run and how they traveled through hyperspace and atmosphere. Without ever having left Jakku under her own power, she had figured out exactly how she could .
It had been a treat to find that her theoretical knowledge had worked nearly as well as practical knowledge, even with a ship as old and finicky as the Falcon .
Without that theoretical knowledge, her chance encounter with a friendly little droid, and her fateful meeting of a former stormtrooper, she’d still be scrounging the wreckage of the Battle of Jakku.
Sometimes, Rey’s mind was dominated by the minutes and meters that had made the difference to her fate. A little later, a little further away, and she never would have found BB-8 or Finn.
Despite her well-earned pragmatism, her belief in chance told her to follow her heart, though small steps would be advisable. The planet G3-Aga was a popular tourist destination for its aquatic attractions. However, all those attractions were sentient-made and rigorously monitored for safety.
She’d never gone anywhere solely to enjoy it. The idea of travel just for fun was something she understood as a concept, but it wasn’t anything she’d ever thought of in terms of herself . That was before, though. Before was different from now .
She booked her stay on G3-Aga and finalized the reservation before she could give herself time to worry about the credits. Logically, she knew that this would hardly make a dent in the number, but it was hard for her not to be cautious.
It was easier for her after she confided in her friends. Rose and Kaydel were so happy for her and wanted to help, piling outfits and advice on her. It wasn’t hard to get swept up in their excitement, and while it was overwhelming at times, she appreciated it so much. They were able to let her know what she might expect on her trip, patiently explaining things in a way that wasn’t intimidating.
Finally, Rey managed to pack a bag for her vacation; all that was left was to leave. Her departure was a little grander than she thought it should have been--smiles, crying, hugs, signs, confetti, streamers--but she was thankful and reassured nonetheless. She hadn’t wanted a fuss, but it was the fuss that gave her the confidence to turn and step onto the ship that would fly her to her getaway.
*******
Ben landed on his back, gasping awake in the same instant. He wasn’t sure where he was or how he’d gotten here, but somehow, he had the unpleasant inkling that he had, in fact, been thrown .
Once he’d assessed his condition and satisfied himself that he was uninjured--aside from the mighty ache in his backside, the incipient crick in his neck, and a very sore leg--he scanned his surroundings. His eyes were still trying to adjust to the darkness, but he could hear waves near him. The air was mild, and the warm wind carried the scent of saltwater and the cries of a few different creatures. When he sat up, using his hands to brace himself, his fingers sank into the ground. Sand, then.
Finally, he reached out with the Force. There were no threats in the immediate vicinity, but with his small inquiry, it seemed that he’d unwittingly cracked open a door through which all manner of things decided they could rush.
He was not prepared when the figurative door was suddenly thrown open, leaving him assailed by images and sensations.
Rey’s smile as she used the power of their bond to slip him his grandfather’s saber, sure and solid in his hand where nothing had been before . . . Rey, harnessing the power of all that had come before her to defeat her own grandfather . . . Rey, fallen, lifeless, her body cooling even as he managed to reach her . . . his own wordless will . . . Rey warming, smiling, kissing him . . . feeling himself fading . . . nearly blinded by bright light. . . his mother’s scent and smile, a kiss on his forehead . . . and then he was here .
Had Leia thrown him? He really couldn’t blame her if she had. Or was it the Force? Ah, well. He probably deserved it either way.
From the aches and pains he felt, as well as the sensation of the damnable sand underneath him, he seemed to be fully alive. Curiously, he had on the same clothes he’d last remembered wearing, with one small difference--his tunic lacked the tear over his abdomen where Rey had run him through. He wasn’t dust, he wasn’t some shimmering spirit, he was here .
Ben Solo laughed at the sky.
Once his mirth passed, he figured he might as well make the best of his lot. Based on his pocket comm’s spotty signal, he knew he was near the north pole of this planet whose eccentric orbit meant he was in darkness most of the time.
It wasn’t hard for him to adapt. Indeed, he allowed himself a chuckle as he realized that he could stay here as long as he needed to, rest his sore body from the aches and pains that followed him through the Force and out the other side, back to life. Here, he had time to listen to his surroundings, to hear the sounds of his environment, to learn from them.
During most of his first hours here, all he could do was sleep. It was just so easy to curl up and fall into the night, lulled to slumber by the calls of the birds.
His name meant nothing here. And that was fine--preferable, even. The thing that had brought him here was his own mistake, wasn’t it? His survival, though, was something else entirely. Ben built himself a shelter, gathered food, found a water source, all the while grudgingly acknowledging that his uncle’s lessons may have been a bit useful.
*******
Immediately upon her arrival at the spaceport, Rey found herself whisked into a luxury speeder, engaged in a small tug-of-war over her single light bag, then led to the nicest room she’d ever seen in person. When encouraged to nap before dinner, she didn’t hesitate.
Her alarm sounded, and Rey dragged herself out of the softest bed she’d ever slept in. Her regret was only momentary, because she soon found herself surrounded by water jets in the shower.
It wasn’t her first time in a water shower--the Resistance nearly always located their secret bases on planets with plenty of resources--but this was easily the best one of her limited experience. She could adjust the temperature of the water till she was perfectly comfortable, turn the nozzles till they went exactly where she wanted, and clean her hair and body with the delicately-scented toiletries in fancy little bottles.
Finally, her hunger for food won out over her desire to luxuriate in the ‘fresher. It would still be there when she got back, wouldn’t it? She made sense of the drying systems, brushed her teeth and washed her face, then dressed herself in one of the outfits Rose and Kaydel told her were absolutely necessary for this trip.
The garment was, without a doubt, the most useless thing Rey had ever worn in her life. There were no pockets, no straps, no bands--just a stupid little bag in a matching fabric. The bag was nowhere near large enough to accommodate a small blaster, let alone her lightsaber. There was just enough space for a mini datapad and a hairbrush. Rey’s head filled with wild imaginings of having to conduct a defense of the dining room with just the brush and whatever dinner utensils she could muster.
That was enough to make her laugh and use the brush to get her hair into order. She slipped it into her bag, then exited her room, following the signs to the dining room.
To her relief, the formally-clad host led her to a table with a single place setting, then quickly left her alone after making sure she had a glass of water.
Rey looked over the menu. When the waiter arrived, she was able to order an appetizer, entree, and dessert that she could pronounce. However, pronunciation was one thing; knowledge was another. She wasn’t actually quite sure what she’d ordered, but knew it would probably be more than fine. Every new thing she’d tasted since leaving Jakku had tasted like a delicacy. And really, they had been delicacies to her. When you’d never had food prepared by beings who cared about flavors, everything was delicious. Satisfied that she hadn’t embarrassed herself, she sat back and pulled the datapad out of her clutch to peruse tomorrow’s schedule.
“Morning Adult Beginner Swim” sounded like a must, so she tapped that into her schedule. Rey was excited to learn how to swim. She hoped the lesson would get her up to speed quickly. She’d always been impatient to learn, and this was no exception.
“Lazy River Tube Tour” also piqued her interest. According to the description, she would float down a scenic route, viewing wildlife and historical sites. This would all happen in a leisurely fashion and would apparently be very calming. Rey added that to her schedule as well. Rose and Kay were always telling her she needed to relax, and this seemed like a good way to do that.
Just as she’d selected it, her appetizer arrived, so she set down her datapad and dug in.
Her pronunciation hadn’t steered her wrong. The small plate was delicious, but didn’t fill her up and ruin her dinner. Each following course was similarly tasty, and by the time she’d finished, Rey had figured out her itinerary for the next day.
*******
Despite knowing the planet’s designation--DJG-67--Ben had no idea where the kriff he was, in an existential sense. But he felt like he could be forgiven for his disorientation--he’d thought he was dead . So, wherever the Force had seen fit to deposit him, his right of complaint was extremely limited.
When he’d found himself here, he’d had no idea what was going on. Right now, all he knew was that it was dark. And right now, really, that was all he needed to know. Maybe the darkness was what he deserved.
Even as he went about the tasks necessary for survival, his fatigue was on a level he’d never experienced. Every one of his limbs weighed tons; his head was foggy; his vision was blurry. When he glimpsed his reflection rippling in the water, all he could do was laugh and wish for something different.
Ben knew what he wanted, even now, somehow on the other side of death. All he could think of was Rey.
He mocked himself for moping. His regrets would get him nowhere. Not when he knew there was something happening elsewhere for her, to her.
He felt arrogant to think he might be a part of it, but also somehow knew that he must be a part of it. The Force wasn’t done with them--he could feel it.
*******
Rey’s swimming lesson was amazing. She picked up on the necessary movements almost immediately. By the time the instructor granted freedom of the pool, she was confidently swimming laps using the front crawl she’d just learned. Slicing through the clear, cool water was just about the best thing she’d ever felt. Rey could’ve stayed for hours, but her limbs were beginning to tire and she was getting hungry. She’d skipped breakfast out of an abundance of caution after hearing vague rumors that bad things would happen if one ate before swimming.
Rey dried off at the outdoor sonic, tied a skirt around her waist, then went into the buffet for a snack before her next activity.
*******
The “Lazy River Tube Tour” was a short voyage on a scenic river. In order to traverse it, one could rent a tiny one-person watercraft. Rey booked a time, rented a floater. It was a little odd to flop into the circular tube, limbs spread over the sides with her bottom in the center hole.
The awkwardness of her position was soon forgotten as she drifted down the river, propelled along by gentle jets under the surface. She passed through deep green forests full of the cries of brightly-colored avians and the sounds of clever little mammals that swung between branches and vines. Searching the trees to find the source of the movements quickly caught her up.
Once, the river’s meanders took her through a cave where ancient rock formations were on view. Some of the shapes in the stone were natural, but many others had been made by beings who’d lived here thousands of years before.
Dutifully, she turned her head this way and that, looking where the swimming tour guide directed her attention. She tried to listen; the story of this planet was compelling, and the anecdotes of the ancient civilization were interesting.
However, the Force took hold, drew her notice to microorganisms in the water, to cells in individual leaves, to the molecules in the atmosphere that rode the soft breeze that stirred her hair.
Life carried on, and the Force was here to remind her. She felt it in every bit of her surroundings, but mostly in the water that carried her. She laughed bitterly for a second--of course the Force moved her around when she had no control.
*******
It took some time for Ben to get used to his routine on DJG-67. There was never full daylight here--the best the sky could do was what looked like dusk on other worlds. Even that was fleeting, only lasting a few hours. Once he’d found his rhythm, he noticed that he was concluding each day at the same spot near the river. He sat on a half-rotten tree stump, sometimes munching on a few of the crisp, tart fruits that had become a staple of his diet.
At these times, he found himself digging deep within, attempting to reckon with himself and his past. This was never easy, and more often than not, he wound up crying. So much damage had been done because of Ben’s belief in Snoke’s lies. Finding out that Snoke himself had been a puppet of Palpatine’s didn’t make anything easier. It only broke his heart further. Ben had allowed himself to be used, had believed the voices, had allowed dark wings to obscure his vision, to distort his view of everything and everyone he loved. He’d rejected that which he should have held dear, embraced that which destroyed those things.
Even though he heard the explanations at the showdown on Exegol, Ben found it hard to forgive himself. He spent countless hours sitting, nearly motionless, tears dripping into the river, half-eaten fruit forgotten in his slack hand.
These thoughts were his penance; he flagellated himself with his memories. He crawled through ruins, leaving his spirit bruised and bloodied. It was necessary, he told himself, to ignore any mitigating factors, any light that might creep into his darkness.
And he did so.
Until he couldn’t. One night, deep into his reminiscence of the scene at the Sith Temple, he saw Rey again, surrounded by the same darkness he had been. Only she fought it. She faced doom with her last ounce of strength, and she did it courageously.
Rey had been fed the same lies he had, but had opposed them at every turn. She’d waited for a family that would never come, only to be faced suddenly with the hideous reality of her heritage. She’d kept faith and hope for the unknown, while Ben had known, but thrown it all away.
An unusually cool breeze swept through the trees, making Ben shiver. It was then that he knew he owed the Force far more than self-loathing and regret. Rey still lived, and it seemed he’d been given a second chance at life. For whatever reason, he’d been brought back, and while he didn’t know quite why, it was worth it to stop wallowing and try to find out.
*******
Rey’s day had been quite full--she’d ventured out to the wave pool, where a machine sent out a swell of water at timed intervals. It had been quite thrilling to practice her swimming in a current. She’d figured out how to control her body and ride the wave to keep from getting swept under, to test her strength by swimming against the flow.
Then she’d had another delicious meal and soothed her muscles with a long, hot shower in her room. She’d settled into bed, falling almost immediately into a deep sleep.
Hours later, she jerked awake for no reason she could see or discern with the Force. Rendered suddenly restless, she slipped downstairs and out the door.
Whatever was happening, in the middle of the night, on the beach, dark skies and shimmering waves, something drew Rey outside. She walked out onto the sand, relishing the sensation between her toes. Somehow, the sand here was a treat and not an annoyance as it had been on Jakku. Why was she out here?
The beach looked like a graveyard, all unoccupied chairs and collapsed umbrellas. Still, something tugged at her mind. The stars were bright tonight, and Rey threw her head back to stare at the sky, turning a slow circle, her arms outstretched.
Each shining pinprick in the deep blue fabric of the night sent a jolt straight to her heart.
Then, suddenly, she was knocked nearly sideways by an entirely different sensation. Where the sight of the stars had sent sizzling little sparks through her, this felt like a laser bolt.
It was a stroke of sheer emotion--sadness, shame, regret, loss. The feelings were so intense that she nearly missed the tiny bit of hope riding on their tail. It was that bit that gave the rush a name, sure as a signature. Ben .
Strangely, she wasn’t surprised to feel his essence in the Force. Even though her own eyes had watched his body disappear on Exegol, she had seen enough in the very recent past to know that no one was ever really gone.
So she stood tall and firm, closing her eyes, planting her bare feet in the damp sand, absorbing the wordless torrent of hurt, reaching within herself to surround it with soothing, with acceptance, turning that small scrap of hope back and amplifying it. Rey wasn’t entirely sure how this sort of thing worked, and she hoped she was doing it right.
Slowly, the deluge calmed, the feelings subdued and less intense, now interspersed with wonder, with awe, and surprisingly, with care and concern for Rey , along with a small apology for the unexpected surge.
When she opened her eyes and came back to herself, she found that she was on her knees at the edge of the water, her face wet with tears.
*******
One night, Ben thought he’d felt Rey as he sat by the river. The sense of her was familiar and soothing, and he’d slept the most comfortably he had since arriving here. But he was impossibly far from Rey, both dimensionally and spatially. And he was still so tired. He sat idly near the river’s brackish mouth, where it gave up its waters to the ocean.
The near-constant darkness had become a companion. This world’s orbit was anomalous in a way that meant he would rarely see or feel the sun. He had little to do in the dark but think. Right now, he bent to dip his hand in the water, right at the place he could see its colors change. Lifting his hand, he tasted a drop from his finger. There was the taste of the fresh drinking water he’d been gathering from upstream, but also a sharp tang of salt and mystery from the sea.
This was the story of the estuary. Mountain streams descended to brooks, combining into creeks which fed the river. Bound by gravity, they flowed in one direction, always toward the sea, where the mingled output of the waterways came to mix with the vast, salty expanse. Everything came here--the crystal-clear springs high in the mountains and the murky, slow-moving, twig-choked runoff from the forest.
Two leaves caught Ben’s eye as they floated down the river and entered the sea, pushed close and joined by the current. He waited for them to separate, but they stayed together as they passed out of his line of sight.
He let out a breath, then put his cupped hands into the water again, this time bringing them to his mouth and sipping--once, twice, three times. Could he dissolve into the water? Could it absolve him? No, he’d need to submerge himself entirely for that, and maybe not even then. He laughed at himself as he came up for air.
*******
Rey continued to begin her days with the “Morning Adult Beginner Swim” session. It was fun and therapeutic. One of the instructors had noticed her eagerness and skill and taken her aside to learn new strokes. She practiced them diligently in the wave pool, then finally in the ocean when she felt confident enough.
One day, after sidestroking up the shore, then butterflying back down, she decided to relax on the beach. The term “sunbathing” had never really landed right with Rey--she’d had enough sun to last a lifetime, but she knew she’d never get enough bathing.
Whatever one called it, though, it was nice to lie on the beach under an umbrella, on a lounge chair with questionable balance. There was just enough of a breeze to ease the heat of the relentless sun. Sometimes, she played simple games on her datapad; it was easy to calm her mind by breaking all the blocks, finding the numbers that fit into the grid, crushing all the luridly-colored sweets, or slotting puzzle pieces together.
The first time her peripheral vision rippled, causing her to look up, she figured it was just a weird trick of the light and heat, then went back to zapping bricks. The second time, she dropped her datapad onto her bare thigh. Those broad shoulders, slightly hunched, that carriage, both proud and awkward, that walk . . . she’d know them anywhere.
Her mouth hanging open, Rey let out an involuntary sigh as she watched him walk past her, down the beach and into the water, where he waded in, then dove gracefully into the depths and began swimming with powerful strokes.
Rey’s datapad made a rude noise in her lap, telling her she’d lost the level.
*******
Since he’d realized he was able to feel Rey, Ben had so many positive sensations he’d missed for so long. Vicariously, he felt joy, wonder, happiness, contentment, as she’d experienced new things wherever she was. He wanted to keep enjoying them, and on some level, he didn’t feel like she would mind, but he also felt like a creepy intruder on her fun. Maybe he didn’t belong there with her; he hadn’t ever belonged anywhere, so this wasn’t new. The last thing he wanted was to ruin her good time.
He’d always been trouble, trouble for himself and others. He’d been way too young when he’d figured out that he was trouble for his parents. They’d never treated him as a burden, but their worry was a cloud around him as soon as he’d perceived their extra care and concern.
As he’d gotten older, the feeling had only intensified. Something about him caused others to keep their distance from him. He’d assumed it was something about him, anyway. He’d never bothered to speak to anyone to gather more information.
It was much easier to project his awkwardness and unease onto the others in the playgroups, in primary school, at his uncle’s academy.
It wasn’t difficult to let his shyness be mistaken for superiority--of course Ben Skywalker Organa Solo--bearer of three famous names--would think himself above everyone.
The assumptions of others gave him cover, especially when he was among people who’d accidentally glimpsed his power and been frightened by it.
Those who thought him conceited, aloof, dangerous, had their suspicions confirmed by the quiet boy, the silent young man who always dressed in dark clothes and stood apart from others.
Sidelong glances and whispers only served to spread the rumors of the arrogant heir who could annihilate with a thought. Still, he’d made no attempt to dispel the gossip. It was no problem to allow the idle talk to serve as armor from the interactions he feared. That armor didn’t protect from the loneliness he’d always felt. When nobody made an attempt to pierce it, he felt vindicated.
Of course nobody wanted to know him. And of course he wasn’t worth knowing.
That was all the reason he needed to retreat further. His heart had never been broken, because he’d never let anyone close enough for it to be.
Until her.
She’d seen through all of the screens he put up--the subtlety that really wasn’t, the mystery that was only too solvable.
He smiled as he thought of her, grinned as he lay down on the dark beach, staring straight up at the midnight sky that never brightened. The water lapped gently at his side now, but he knew that it could overcome him in a matter of time, cover him, overwhelm him.
*******
After a fitful sleep filled with dreams of frantically dragging Ben out of the water, Rey rose and ate breakfast, determined to shake off the disturbing thoughts. She decided that if something was really wrong, she’d know about it. So she sought to distract herself. Today, Rey had decided to try kayaking. This would occupy most of her morning and afternoon, as she had to take a lesson first. Half of the lesson was a tutorial, where she learned all about the equipment. To pass that portion, she had to gear up correctly while an instructor watched. Then, she was finally allowed into the water in her little boat.
The course was an enclosed artificial waterway, so the current was turned down for the beginners as they practiced paddling and steering through eddies. Toward the end of the session, the speed of the water was increased and Rey got to ride through the slalom course a few times. Figuring out how to paddle so that she entered the gates the right way was a challenge she enjoyed, and it took much more finesse than was immediately apparent.
After her lesson, Rey took the long way back for lunch, walking along one of the trails through the forest. The path ran adjacent to one of the planet’s natural rivers, which descended in a series of pretty waterfalls on its way to the sea.
She stopped for a moment by the falls, watching the water churn and foam. Surprisingly, times like now made Rey think of Ben the most. As the river sped past her feet, all she could think of was the way the Force had flowed between them, swift, fierce, charged.
The water moved inexorably toward its goal, cascading over rocks, surging through narrows, submerging debris.
Sometimes, she could empathize with the river’s relentless current--she was impatient with her thoughts, fired up by fantasies, physically alone but never truly by herself. In those times, her thoughts ran free, allowing the Force to show her what she most wanted to see.
It was then that Ben appeared, broad and strong and proud, her equal in every way. He was always silent in those visions--she wasn’t particularly interested in what he had to say just then. The Force handled all necessary conversation between them, just as it had on Starkiller the first time she’d truly tapped her abilities. In that moment, it was like they’d both been hit by the same blaster bolt--Rey had realized her potential and Ben could only stare in awe. There was power in her veins and there were tears in his eyes. Though he’d stood still, Rey could feel the turmoil within him.
It wasn’t until she’d seen whitewater rapids that she knew what she wanted. She wanted every one of Ben’s restraints to break, to unleash upon her like the frothing waters of the river. She wanted to rise to meet him there, with the frenzy and furor that his eyes upon hers had once promised. Before, she’d thought that promise rode the edge of love and hate. Now, she knew where it fell.
*******
After hauling in and emptying the fishnet he’d woven from reeds, Ben waded out a short distance from the shore to reset the net. This had been a successful spot for him, but he still planned to move the net the next day--wouldn’t do to overfish one place. Once he’d reset it to his satisfaction, he walked back toward land, pausing to mop his brow. When he looked back up, he nearly tripped over his own feet.
Rey was moving in his direction, her long, lithe limbs tan and freckled, her slender figure clothed in some sort of form-fitting swimming outfit. Even though he knew she wasn’t actually there, he blushed and lowered his head when he caught himself staring. When he raised his eyes again, she was passing right by him, then slipping smoothly into the water.
He sighed. It hadn’t even been her body that transfixed him so, though that was certainly quite a bit more of her skin than he’d ever seen. No, it had been her posture. She still walked like she was determined to get quickly to wherever she was going, but there was a new leisure to her stride that he found endearing. Clearly, Rey was enjoying herself wherever she was, and it made Ben happy.
Many hours later, fast asleep in the hammock he’d woven and strung up between two trees, Ben found himself dreaming of Rey calling out to him, surrounded by rushing water. His dream-self’s immediate reaction was panic, and without a thought, he jumped into the water after her and swam hard. But when he finally reached her, he found that her shouts had been yells of joy and not cries of distress. She laughed at him, her nose wrinkling adorably as she told him she was having fun and he should, too. He joined in her gentle laughter, finally loosening up, shaking off his nervousness and playing with her in the water of what he realized was a large pool with artificially-generated waves.
Once he’d relaxed a bit, Dream-Ben was easy in his interactions with Rey, playfully chasing her, letting her ride on his shoulders, using him as a kickboard to crest the waves. He giggled when she played sea monster, diving under the water to grab his legs and startle him.
He woke up smiling. Since he’d been here, he hadn’t really gotten into the water for fun. The first thing he did the next day was strip down and jump into the water, swimming laps up and down the shore, just because he could .
*******
Room service! Why had nobody told her about room service? Rey used the room comm to order everything on the menu that struck her fancy. She’d dreamed of swimming laps and woken up hungry, after all. So, she resolutely ignored the service droid’s untranslatable sounds of judgement and rolled the serving cart out to her balcony. The lounge chair there was padded and much more comfortable than the rickety things out on the beach.
While she enjoyed every bit of her breakfast, Rey lost herself to her thoughts. The things she’d been pushing down in her mind bobbed immediately to the surface. As much as she cherished her independence, sometimes it was nice to know someone was there. If she were honest with herself, the idea of “there’s another” had been in her head since she’d first encountered Kylo Ren.
When she’d left Exegol, despite the triumph of the Fleet of Just . . . People, she’d felt an emptiness and an anger, a sense that she’d been cheated. What happens to a dyad when one half is missing? When they’d never even gotten a chance?
Since she’d fled Jakku, she felt that time had passed twice as fast as all the years before. She smiled wryly, remembering all the tally marks she’d scratched inside her fallen AT-AT home in the desert. Truly, she’d gained a lifetime of experience in a very short period. Logically, though, she understood how young she still was. And now that she knew Ben still existed somewhere out there in the galaxy, she was full of a feeling she couldn’t rightly name.
If she had to describe it, it would be the breath before a sandstorm began, when she could smell it in the air, but the atmosphere hadn’t yet started to rage. Anticipation . Something would happen, even if she had to call down the winds herself.
Just then, a sudden gust came up off the previously calm sea, startling Rey and nearly toppling her empty tray. She rolled the cart back inside, then closed the door and sat back down on her lounge chair, enjoying the sensation of the coming storm, smiling as the first droplets peppered her skin.
*******
Ben woke suddenly in the middle of the night, nearly tumbling from his hammock. He didn’t know why, but he walked down to the beach. As soon as he reached the edge of the water, rain began to fall from the sky. The faint light from one of the moons gave it a red tinge.
It hadn’t really rained since Ben had found himself here. Sometimes, it would drizzle or mist, but this was a true rainfall. The droplets shimmered a little in the half-light, and the dimly-lit seascape was actually quite beautiful, if a little bleak-looking.
Rey should see this.
Before he had a chance to think better of it, Ben closed his eyes and sent an impression of the scene, along with his sincere wish for her. He trusted the Force far more than he did the comm signal that had only worked once, when the satellite had been positioned above him just right. He dropped every shield and laid his soul bare, sending up a beacon into the sky and out into space.