Chapter 63.

The ride to the base was tense.

Chewie and Ben seemed to have said what they needed to back on Naboo, though with their emotions still high, tension was still followed.

Rey and Flora talked for a while, catching up with how things were with the Resistance, and how everyone was doing.

Finn and Rose seemed happy, though it was hard to stay that way with the war still surrounding them, and Poe was as busy as ever while he helped Leia try to keep things calm.

With Hux catching them off guard, they were scrambling to for resources, to regain their own composure the best they could as they rallied their allies for the final battle that seemed imminent now.

The girls sat at the table in the lounge, speaking in hushed tones.

"You're scared." Flora stated.

Rey noticed that she didn't ask her if she was, instead she picked right up on the feeling that flitted through her, causing Rey's brow to quirk.

"You're getting stronger..." Rey mentioned with a small, proud smile.

"I do have you as my teacher after all." Flora returned the smile as her head pressed back against the booth.

They looked at one another, tired and satisfied that they were in each other's presence now. They stayed quiet for a moment before Flora spoke.

"Caleo of Naboo... You're sure he's-"

"Saw it with my own eyes." Rey murmured as she replayed that event over in her head.

"And... Snoke? Who killed-"

"He killed him too."

Flora's eyes quickly flickered to Rey's face and watched for a long moment before she slowly nodded her head.

"Is it true?" She whispered, her gaze falling to the floor.

Rey had no idea what she was referring to, though she felt the heaviness in Flora's heart when she continued. "Kai came to me... Like a dream... It felt so real... She said she was laid to rest. That Kylo gave her a resting place, that he took her from the throne room..." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Is that true?"

A wave of grief washed over Rey as she remembered the sight of a shirtless Ben Solo shoveling into the dirt in a bed of flowers on Arrowmada...

Gulping, hoping that she could hold back from spilling the tears that threatened to appear, Rey sadly nodded her confirmation to Flora, who inhaled sharply and nodded back.

A few moments later, Ben appeared after taking some time for himself, still trying to grasp the reality that he was on this ship, and struggled to tame the memories that floated to him.

Awkwardly, he shifted over to the kitchenette, choosing to sit at the stool with his gaze on the ground, and his jaw set sternly.

Watching him, Rey wondered how she could explain all the goodness that he has within him to the Resistance.

( X )

The moment they arrived, the air immediately thickened with tension. Chewie decided to land the Falcon far off from the base, which itself was small to begin with, but the choice allowed them to make a long, quiet hike to the meeting area with Leia, who was anxiously waiting for them.

Only a few people knew of their arrival, most of them on the Falcon already. However, both Poe and Finn knew Rey was coming back soon, though they did not know of the company she kept.

Rey thought it was for the best.

For the remainder of the flight and hike back to the Resistance base, Rey and Ben stayed quiet, only sparing a few glances and brushes of their minds to remind the other of their presence and find comfort in the other's.

With their emotions at an all-time high, it was difficult to focus on anything else as the crew made their way home.

Eventually, Chewie and Flora led them to the back of the base, an old rusted door opening to reveal an empty hangar where Leia waited. The moment the group entered, the General glanced to Rey's face, looking it over with wide, disbelieving eyes before settling on Ben's, who looked at her with a stern, bored look.

Rey hushed his nerves with a press of her mind, and went straight over to Leia, who now watched the girl with her lips parted and open arms. They women embraced one another in a tight hug, and Rey swore for just the slightest moment that the Force sighed.

From behind her, Ben shifted uncomfortably, his eyes casting down to the ground as his jaw tensed with clenched teeth.

Rey noticed the small shine of jealousy that rolled off of him and released her hold on Leia, who's small, fragile hand found Rey's to give a quick squeeze.

Chewie grumbled and roared his greeting, letting Leia know "We got them!".

Leia smiled at the wookie, and then at Flora, adding a quick nod to the girl as she stood off near the exit.

The Princess couldn't help it when her gaze went back to her son, her eyes growing glossy as she watched Rey return to his side, the young Jedi's shoulder nudging into his arm as they shared a quick, knowing look.

Though he was extremely irritable and uncomfortable, her nearby presence seemed to calm him in some way as his jaw lost a sliver of its tension and his eyes softening on her.

Leia watched in awe, though her heart stuttered when Ben looked up and tensed again under his mother's gaze.

"So, what now?" Flora asked, a small attempt at breaking the thick air.

Everyone shifted from foot to foot.

"Well... The Resistance won't be happy about Be-"

Leia was cut off abruptly as the door flew open when Finn, Poe, Rose, and C-3PO ran in.

"Rey!" They all exclaimed unevenly, excitement and joy rolling off of them.

Poe froze in his place, his hand already on his blaster as he spotted who stood next to the Jedi that stole his heart.

Rose was already running up to Rey as Finn noticed too, his own hand flying to Rose's arm to stop her, which caused her to look back at him with a questioning look before returning her gaze back to Rey, and slowly gasping when her eyes traveled to Ben.

C-3PO wobbled over to Leia's side as he greeted Rey with a single wave.

"Lady Rey! Oh, how good it is to have you back! And- Oh. Oh, my! Master Ben! What a wonderful delight! Princess, look who it is-" C-3PO excitedly wobbled around to his mistress, but stopped what he was saying as Leia turned and raised a brow.

"Leia!" Poe exclaimed, his face reddening with rage as he reached to move her behind him. She swatted his hands away and shook her head at him while Finn and Rose took a step back.

Rey's eyes widened slightly as tried to sooth her friend's frenetic emotions with a look.

In the next moment, Poe pulled his blaster our and pointed it directly at Ben, Finn joining with his own dual blasters. Rose's head whipped to Finn.