Beating Heart ♔ Rey

thirteen

Chapter Thirteen;

After Finn left to prepare to travel to the Outer Rim, Hester and Rey separated.

Hester had made her way outside, needing space to clear her head. The tranquility of the outdoors provided Hester the quiet she needed to think and process what had happened.

Hester leaned against one of the walls outside and sighed, folding her arms and staring blankly up at the sky.

She thought, now that she'd left the First Order, things would become easier for her. She'd be surrounded by she could count as allies, even friends. She wouldn't have the burden of keeping up pretences. She could be herself, and fight for what she believed in.

But she now had more to lose than ever. Not just her own life, but people she had grown close to. Poe had already died. Finn was leaving. And Hester knew she'd only continue to lose people as time went by.

And then there was Rey.

Hester had been attracted to the brunette since they first met. She was fierce, and she was so strong with the Force that is was impossible to look away; Hester could feel it, always. 

But there was more to it now. Rey was beautiful inside and out, hardened by her harsh life on Jakku, but her kindness had shone through throughout the journey. She was someone Hester treasured as a friend.

Hester wanted to tell Rey about her power, but with one thing after another, she hadn't been able to. And what would happen if she did tell Rey? She couldn't teach her - her skills weren't enough yet to be able to teach someone else. They needed to find Luke.

Then, without warning, Hester yelled and jumped to her feet. It felt like an electric shock was coursing through her body. She gasped, wide-eyed. She'd never felt a pull of the Force quite like it before.

Rey, she thought: it was the only explanation. Without hesitation she was sprinting back inside, pushing the door open and shoving people to the side. She heard insults thrown her way but she didn't care, she only cared about following the pull of the Force, only cared about reaching Rey -

"I'm never touching that thing again. I don't want any part of this!"

Rey's voice raised up the stairs, high pitched and hysteric. Hester paused at the top of the stares and blinked as Rey sprinted up the stairs, her face panicked and stricken with terror.

"Rey!" Hester yelled as the girl passed. "Rey, wait!"

Rey paid her no attention, or maybe she hadn't heard, but kept running. Hester glanced back down the stairs, then at the exit, and within another second she was sprinting back through the crowds of people after Rey. 

She definitely was not making herself popular among the locals.

Hester burst out of the building to see Rey running toward to forest. "Rey!" Hester screamed, and ran. She was barely aware that BB-8 was following her as she chased Rey, her stomach tight with worry. What had happened to Rey to make her leave like that? Was she okay?

Hester followed Rey through the greenery, pushing her way through foliage and dodging around trees. They were running for a good few minutes before Rey came to stop, panting. Hester was relieved; she wasn't sure she could've continued running for much longer.

"What are you doing?" Hester asked gently, as BB-8 rolled up behind her and beeped.

Rey shook her head. "You have to go back. I'm leaving."