The Revival of The Force

60 the kiss

60 the kiss

Grant is already waiting for Rey. He's about her size, short haired and moving back and forth all the time. They choose two Airspeeders and start their way towards the house. Rey observers different animals as they fly past them, some so strange that she doesn't quite believe she just saw them. Grant is always in advance while she sometimes slows down to admire the landscapes. As they arrive closer to the house that appears on top of a hill, Rey recognises the sea. It's blue and not as agitated. It makes her want to bathe inside, only she can't swim. They finally stop in front of a large house. It's a little smaller than Yugantar's home, but still massive. She couldn't picture it on the photograph that she saw in the base. The walls are yellow, but it seems to have lost its colour. Many windows with brown borders have shutters that are closed. They are in blue and green, but the rain discoloured them. The roof is black, with a triangle form, though it seems that there is a terrace. In front of the house are widely grown plants that don't care about the fences. Grant goes off the Airspeeder and extends his hand to help Rey get off from hers. They use keys to unlock the door, Grant carries them in his trousers' pocket. He has difficulties to put the right key in the lock because of the shaking of his hands. Rey takes the, out of his hands and opens it herself.
"I'm sorry, I always have too much energy," he explains. When Rey gets through the door, he starts: "So, I can make you visit or do you want to see for yourself?"
"I'm going to look at it alone. If I have any questions, I'll ask you." Rey moves through the rooms. A kitchen, in the next room is a table which could support ten persons or more. Pliable chairs are ranged in a corner under a staircase. She climbs it up. There is a dark hallway with doors on both sides. These are probably the rooms for sleeping. She counts seventeen of them. She opens one of the doors and the room is bigger than on Ajan Kloss. But it's smaller than the ones in the new base. The floor is cracking under her steps and an intense smell of dust flies around and lands into her nose. It has been a long time since someone was her. On the other side of a hallway is another staircase that leads down. She runs it down and a huge living room appears. Different sofas and armchairs are exposed, some tables with books on it, plus a few layers of dust. The entry is next room where Grant is waiting.
"What was this before?" Rey asks him.
"It used to be a youth hostel for young people on vacation, when the parents couldn't take care of them," he answers fast.
"Why was it abandoned?"
"The woman who ran it died. No family to take it over."
"Okay," Rey responds. "Can I see the cellar?"
"Of course."
Grant shows her a door next to the entry. Stairs lead down to a cellar. In the first level is a empty room. There are some windows on the four walls near the ceiling that give light. It's huge, the size of all the rooms above but without any borders to separate.
"Mataly thought the trainings could take place here," Grant transmits.
They go deeper in the cellar without any windows to let luminosity in. Grant turns on the lights. It takes some time until they are on, but even more space is in this cellar. Furnitures are deposed on the borders of the room.
"Ah, yeah, for the hygiene. The people used to do everything outside, there are old showers in the garden. There is wood around them, of course, to hide – well, anyway. Mataly said that there will be some toilets built in the first floor, sinks in every chamber. Maybe also showers, we don't know yet."
"Good to know," Rey jokes, but he doesn't seem to get it. "Anyway, let's go up again," she declares.
He goes first and Rey follows him. When they arrive to the ground floor, Rey says: "I think you can go back, I'll stay here a little longer, if that's okay."
"I can wait," he proposes.
"I'm fine, thanks. I'll find the way back, you don't have to wait."
"Well okay. Here are the keys, close the door after leaving." Grant hands them and goes out. Before leaving, he turns back to Rey and adds: "You can contact me if you need any help. And by the way, you're a very beautiful human."
"Thanks," Rey smiles uncomfortable. Out of the window, she waits until she can't see him anymore. She goes up to the first floor and opens the first door to her right. There is another stair that she uses and arrives at another door. She tries every key until she finds the right one. A big terrace that she saw from the Airspeeder reveals. She walks around and enjoys the view. Again, she sees the sea that moves and the wind transports the sound of the waves to her ears. Silently, but loud enough for her to notice. The wind in the trees also brings her a moment of peace. Turning around, she recognises Ben who is standing on the other side. Her lips widen in a smile while her heart skips a beat. She's always happy to see him.
"What do you think about this house?" Rey asks him and steps closer.
"With restoration, I think it could be good," he responds.
"I missed you," she lets out.
"I miss you all the time, Rey," he answers.
She moves toward him and cuddles herself in his arms.
"How are you?" she questions.
"I'm okay. Better than before." He looks down to her.
"That's good. I'm better since you're here. You were born on this planet, right?"
"Yes, but I don't remember it at all," he says with a small smile.
She lifts her head to him and intensity fixes his eyes.
"You have beautiful eyes," she compliments.
"Have you seen yours?" Ben responds. He moves his hand under her chin.
"I think I could look into your eyes for the rest of my life," she confesses.
"Me too. And I'm eternal."
"Well me too, when I'll become a Force Ghost like you."
"Can we do it already?" Ben asks.
"What?" Rey responds confused.
He doesn't let her speak and drags her into a kiss. Her hands move to his cheeks. This feels so real, she wishes it would be. But it's an illusion of the Force. She still enjoys every second of their touch. It feels like it felt when he was still alive. As they separate each other, she stares into his eyes again.
"They're even prettier now," she notices. She looks down to his body and her mouth opens. "What?"
Instead of answering what happened, he kisses her again. She pushes him back.
"How?"
"The Jedis gave me a second chance. Because they didn't help me as I was Kylo Ren and when we fought Palpatine."
She notices some more shadows on Ben's both sides, all holding hands. Leia and Anakin are near Ben. The Force Ghosts are lighter than usual. They disappear again after giving a smile to Rey. Her eyes fill with tears. "You're alive."
He gently takes her in his arms.
"I can't believe it."
Ben himself is moved by this resurrection and to be there, actually there. He still wears the same clothes from when he died, ripped and torn with the hole from when Rey stabbed him. The bruises and injuries are still all over his body, unrecovered. A little beard has grown over his lips. Even though months have passed, he looks like the fight was a few minutes ago. The only thing that changed is his smell, all the sweat disappeared. It is an intense and fresh smell that radiates out of his body.
During the kiss, he saw the empty Universe that accompanied him for the last months slowly move away. It causes him a stitch in his stomach, it was empty, but it was his friend. Ben also felt an intense energy flowing through his body that the Jedis transmitted him to give him this second chance.
She also feels like new energy flows in her body, her second half is back. Rey takes his hand and drags him away from the terrace. He follows her, as they arrive outside. Rey closes the door with some keys and takes her Airspeeder. Ben sits down behind her.
"Where are we going?" he asks.
"You'll see." And she starts the engine.  

(Lullaby - The Slow Show
Alive - Lontalius)

Sorry, I was on vacation. Next chapter is the last! Aaah I'm excited :)