Work Text:
Rey touched the Falcon gently down on the surface of Ahch-To and lowered the exit ramp. BB-8 rolled out of the cockpit excitedly, beeping approvingly of the planet as he rolled around the Falcon, excitement almost threatening to short out his power while the nearby porgs looked on in amazement at the rotund droid.
Rey sat for a moment in the pilot seat, staring up at the island, her mind tumbling with thoughts and feelings, her heart skipping a beat.
She almost couldn’t believe that this could be real. Almost couldn’t believe that Ben was alive. And yet she could. Somehow, she knew.
Ben Solo was alive. And he was here. Not physically here on this planet, but close. Very close. In a spiritual realm created by the Force, as Luke had called it. Luke had told her that Ahch-To was the gateway to reaching Ben, and from here, Rey would be able to bring him home.
When Ben had disappeared on Exegol, their connection had been significantly weakened, going from a blinding white light of love and happiness to a diminishing glow. But to Rey’s surprise, it had not disappeared entirely. It had remained, nagging at her senses, plaguing her with visions and dreams, refusing to leave her alone, if anything getting stronger every day.
Then one day to her absolute amazement, she had heard Ben’s voice calling her name, whispering in her ears, begging her to come find him, their connection alive in the Force as if it had never been gone. Shock sent her into a panic, and she had run through the base, screaming for him, begging the Force to show her what was happening.
Then Luke had appeared to her as she sat crying when Ben’s voice left her. And he had told her the news that made hope tear through her like lightning, shock and bewilderment giving way to ecstatic happiness and resolve.
Now, here she was. At last. Ready to bring him back. Rey exhaled shakily and followed BB-8 down the ramp.
An hour later, she walked up the last stone steps into the temple and stood for a moment to catch her breath, BB-8 trundling slowly up beside her. She turned to look back the way they had come, taking in the gorgeous sunrise behind her. She had forgotten how beautiful Ahch-To was in the early mornings. Entering the temple, she stopped and looked slowly around. The stone walls were the same as when she had last seen them, rising high above her head to the stone roof. Blank and unassuming.
Rey reached into the Force, asking for it to guide her, reveal to her what she was here to find. For a minute there was nothing. Then… there.
The far wall.
Her heart pounded, and she tried to control her breathing as she reached out and placed a hand on the smooth stone. Something shifted in the Force, something... opened. At the same time, invisible patterns outlined in the rock suddenly glowed white in a large ring around her, the circumference of the invisible doorway higher than Rey’s head, and wider than her arms could reach.
Hope soared through her, and a triumphant smile spread over her face. This was it. She could feel it. This was the portal to the World between Worlds. Rey looked up at it in awe, and amazement. How had she never discovered this? This portal had been here this whole time, and Luke had never once mentioned it to her. Until now. BB-8 whistled in amazement, and beeped a question to her. “Yes BB-8, I am going to go in. I will be fine, I promise.”
Suddenly a presence screamed in her awareness.
Rey’s heartbeat thumped in her chest, and tears came to her eyes.
Ben.
He was here. Beyond the stone. Just where Luke and Leia had said he would be. In a realm without time or dimensions. A world within the Force. He could feel her. He knew she was close. And he was waiting for her to show him the way home.
Rey reached out inwardly and locked onto the connection she shared with Ben. Steadied herself. Then began to call to the Force, directing it into the portal. Asking that it would admit her. The patterns on the stone stirred, then began to spin, swirling in a ring around her as the Cosmic Force began to move. Rey squared her shoulders and pushed hard into the Force, determined to get to Ben.
Suddenly her path to him was blocked by something, a barrier in the Force. She gritted her teeth and pushed again, harder this time, trying to get past it. The barrier was too strong, and she couldn’t move it. She tried repeatedly to shift it, but it seemed like the harder she pushed, the stronger the obstacle became. Rey felt tears of frustration and panic coming to her eyes, and terror beat hard in her chest. What if she couldn’t get to Ben? Would this be the first and last chance she would ever get to see him again, much less bring him back? What would happen to him if she failed? Would he be stuck forever in this spiritual realm, where she could never get to him? She couldn’t lose him again, could not go through his death again. Not when she was so close-
REY. STOP.
Rey opened her eyes, shocked. The voice that had addressed her sent shivers down her back, and sorrow ripped through her as she recognized the speaker.
“Leia?” She whispered.
“Rey”
She spun around and gasped. Her master’s glowing blue form stood behind her smiling warmly, her hands folded in front of her, her hair long and loose, her eyes kind and knowing. Rey realized how long it had been since she had seen Leia’s face, and she suddenly missed her so much.
“What are you doing?”
Rey fought back the tears. “I’m trying to get to Ben. He’s in there, and I have to get him out”
Leia tilted her head very slightly to one side and looked at her, a strange expression on her face.
“Why are you so afraid Rey?”
“Because I can’t lose him again!” Rey almost shouted, tears coming down her face. “He gave everything for me, and I can’t fail him! I can’t live without him, Leia”
The last words were almost a whisper. She let her face fall as emotion overtook her, and for a few minutes she couldn’t say anymore. Leia looked at the terrified girl, and she smiled.
“Oh my darling Rey.” She said “You do love him don’t you?”
Rey looked at Leia, and a small smile came back to her face.
“Yes, of course I do” She whispered.
Leia smiled again, then her face became serious.
“The Force wants you to be together. Let go of fear, Rey. Trust the Force”.
The words came to her like a soft breeze. Realization swept over her, and her lips parted in shock. She had been pushing the Force to give her Ben out of panic and fear for his life. And that was the last thing she should be doing. The Force wanted to give her Ben. They were a Dyad in the Force, two souls that were one. The Cosmic Force had a purpose and a will, and it wanted them to be together.
All she had to do was to trust. To accept. To reach out with her feelings.
So, she did.
Rey closed her eyes and tried again, calling to the Force, reaching out towards Ben’s presence in her mind, listening for him, asking the Portal to let her in. She surrendered her fears and drew on all her love for Ben, gently pressing forward with the Force.
A smile crossed her face as her feelings flowed and swirled around her. Emotions which made her feel so alive and made her heart pound so fast. She remembered the way her skin had thrilled at Ben’s touch, like he was made of electricity. His eyes, warm and brown like Leia’s, staring into hers, staring through her, sensing her feelings for him, and his happiness and love flowing back to her in waves.
Rey’s smile widened, her face serene and calm, her heart swelling with emotion and feeling, peace flowing from her like a river. Suddenly the Force seemed to be filled with blinding white light, singing in glorious harmony, moving, twisting, swirling, pulling-
Opening.
At the same time, she was aware of a lifting sensation, and then suddenly Rey was pulled forward with incredible force, falling to her knees as the world went dark.
Her brow furrowed in wonder, and she began to stand, then froze. The floor beneath her was gone. She was kneeling on nothing. But then, she was still upright, not falling through the blackness.
How…?
Suddenly she was aware of the two veins of light stretching endlessly out before her into the darkness, borders for the invisible walkway on which she was standing, curving up ahead to thread through multiple other walkways. Rey stood up and stared around herself in amazement. She was in space, but not quite. There were pattered platforms and light bordered walkways all around her, stretching out as far and as high as the eye could see.
Rey stared and stared all around her as she realized where she was.
The Vergence Scatter. The World between Worlds. Then suddenly voices were calling to her, calling her name, speaking to her, whispering in the dark to fade away. So many voices Rey couldn't count them, and so many all at once she could hardly hear what the individually said, but she knew what the meant and who they were. These were the Jedi who had guided her on Exegol, who had rallied her to make her last stand against the emperor, who had given her the strength to fight. Rey listened to them in awe, smiling up the black night sky.
Suddenly Rey felt something tug powerfully at her awareness. A presence. Shock and hope rose up in her throat almost choking her. Tears came to her eyes, and her heart began to beat wildly. She knew that presence. She would know it anywhere, to the deepest, darkest corners of the galaxy. For he was half of her own soul.
Just as she was half of his.
Could this be real?
Rey braced herself and slowly turned, her heart in her mouth and hammering loud in her chest as she came around-
And beheld Ben Solo standing behind of her, staring at her, his face shocked, his eyes full of wonder and joy. Rey gasped silently and stood still, staring at him, tears spilling over in relief. Could this be real?
Ben gazed at her wide eyed, his face a mix of shock, and happiness.
Rey. She was here. She was here. Now. With him.
She had found him. As he always knew she would. She had saved him. Again. She had heard him calling her and she had come, to bring him home. His feelings for her swept over him like a gigantic wave, making his heartbeat pound in his chest, tightening his throat, and threatening to sweep him away.
For a long moment all they could do was stare at each other. Then Ben started slowly toward her, never taking his eyes from Rey’s and very gently put a hand on her cheek. His touch sent tremors through her, and she could hardly draw breath as he stared into her eyes.
“Rey” He whispered.
A sob escaped Rey, and she covered his hand with hers, leaning into his warm skin, gazing up into his brown eyes, her heart pounding with emotion.
“Ben”
Ben shifted quickly and suddenly he was kissing her, deeply and tenderly, feelings and emotions flowing through the Force like nothing he had ever felt before. Rey’s heart screamed inside her, tears running down her face, her legs feeling like they were going to give out at any second, joy coursing through her. He was real. This wasn't a dream. Her hands went to his face, and his arms went around her waist, pulling her to him as he kissed her again and again, and she kissed him back with all her strength, wishing this moment would never end, the Force singing in a crescendo of glorious harmony.
When they finally parted, Ben’s lips remained on Rey’s forehead, and she leaned into him, emotions flowing deeply through the Force, heavy and sweet like spilling honey. "You found me." He whispered. "Thank you, beautiful Rey. Thank you." "Oh Ben," Rey cried, tears resurfacing. She lent her head into his chest and buried herself in his strong, warm embrace. "I have missed you so much!" "And I have missed you." He answered softly, hugging her tight. They stood still in the silence of the mystical realm, letting the quietness calm them and wash away all worries, soaking in the sweetness of this moment.
“How are you alive?” Rey whispered after a few moments, finally asking the question that had bewildered her for so long.
“Mother.” Ben told her softly. “She came to me when I first got here. She told me she knew that I would die when you finished her Jedi path. She had always known. She had been prepared for a while, ever since she learned of Palpatine’s resurrection. When she died, she used the very last of her life spark to save me from death. She told me she was proud of me, and that she loved me, that she had always loved me, and so had my father. And she told me that you were coming to find me and all I had to do was call out, and you would hear me.”
“I did hear you,” Rey whispered. “In my dreams. I heard you, Ben.”
“I knew you would” Ben whispered. He pressed his lips into her skin again, drinking in her presence.
“I knew you would find me.”
“I will always find you.”
Rey pulled back to look at him, and he looked tenderly into her eyes.
Tears came down her face, and she smiled up at Ben.
“I love you, Ben Solo. I will always love you. You are my soulmate, my Dyad, and I will never love anyone else the way I love you. No matter what happens, no matter where you go or what you do, I will love you forever and ever.”
Ben stared down into Rey’s beautiful face, love for her threatening to overpower him. He drew her into a hug and held her tight, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair, his heart swelling so, he could hardly draw breath.
His eyes were bright with tears as he pulled back, took Rey’s face in his hands and kissed her, love soaring through the Force, burning like all consuming fire, a never-ending crescendo of glorious music and feeling. Ben pulled back gently and stared into Rey’s eyes, smiling.
“I love you, Rey”
They stood together for a very long time, foreheads together, eyes closed, cherishing in the moment, listening to the Force move and sing.
“Listen,” Rey murmured. “Do you feel that?”
“Yes.” Ben answered softly.
Something in the Force felt different. Whole. Pleased. At peace. Thankful that the Dyad were together. As one.
“Well done. Rey.”
Rey and Ben pulled back and looked in the direction of the voice. Behind them stood a man, not young but not old, a glowing blue Force ghost, clothed in black robes with a faded line of a scar through his right eyebrow. His face was smiling, and he stood looking on with a face of serene peace.
Rey looked at him and wondered why he looked oddly familiar.
“You overcame your fear and trusted the Force. You are worthy of the rank of Jedi Knight.”
Ben smiled at the man. “Grandfather.”
Rey looked at Ben, then at the man, realization dawning in her mind.
“Anakin?”
He nodded. “I am very proud of you both. Now go home. Be together. You have earned it, Dyad in the Force. You have earned it.”
He gave them one last smile and faded away into the darkness.
Rey looked up at Ben, smiling, then took his hand.
“Wanna come home with me?” She asked softly.
Ben's heart soared within him as he looked up her. He had imagined this moment in his mind for so, so long. And now, it was finally real. He could finally be with the woman the loved so dearly.
He took her hand and squeezed it gently, staring down into her happy face.
“Yes, Rey”.
Together they faced the portal and exited the World between Worlds.
THE END