What She's Worth (Reylo)

Chapter 25

To say the ride home back to the academy was awkward would be a complete understatement. In fact, it was so uncomfortable that even though Ben and Rey rode on the Tandem X-Wing and Luke on his old X-Wing together with R2-D2, they remained as quiet as the reprimanded children they technically were.

As Ben sat back and contemplated in the pilot's seat, he began to wonder exactly how Luke had found them. His uncle had certainly taken great pains to cloak his X-Wing with the Force while he landed on the other side of the island, which meant he had intended on being discreet about the discovery until he saw them out at sea in an embrace.

Ben swallowed hard, not even daring to look at Rey, who continued to sit in silence behind him in the co-pilot's seat. It had been an innocent embrace—one that expressed how happy he had been of Rey accepting his offer to be his apprentice, but he could also understand why it would appear...less than innocent to other people's eyes. But why was he even considering that as a possible reasoning behind his uncle's obvious anger? There were worse things he did, like stealing the Tandem X-Wing and flying out of the planet without permission. Why should he even consider the embrace they shared—the innocent embrace—as a reason behind Luke's rage?

Still, the most pressing question was how in the world Luke found out about the trip to Spira in the first place. Ben hadn't told a soul, and he was sure Rey hadn't either, being that she had no idea where they would be going in the first place. He had also taken the precaution of checking the X-Wing for trackers and had found the starfighter to be clean.

Luke's voice came through the comms, making Ben jump. "Ready to move out of hyperdrive."

"Yes, sir," Ben answered in a voice smaller than he had intended and pushed the lever to pull them out of hyperspace. The academy's home planet materialized before them—all tan with distant blues and specks of white. Nothing at all like the beauty of Spira, but it had been home for the last eight years, though it will cease to be home once he passed the final trial.

Ben's fingers tightened around the controls as he followed his uncle's X-Wing into the planet's atmosphere. He'd never intended to be a Jedi Knight when he first started in the academy, but after today, he could not have wanted anything more. Freedom, adventure, and Rey at his side, with no uncle to suddenly pop out of nowhere with a condescending look on his wrinkled face.

After landing, Ben helped Rey down the Tandem X-Wing before hauling their bags down. They had since changed into dry clothes—him in another shirt and pants, her in the padawan robes he didn't even know she had brought with her. But on hindsight, that was actually clever of her. At least now she could slip into the academy without anyone asking questions, and he wished he'd thought about that instead of wearing casual clothes.

He handed Rey her backpack while he slung his own bag over his shoulder and started following Luke through the gates. On instinct, he reached out for Rey's hand, and she instantly clasped his, her grip tight. He could practically sense her fear of what was to come, and he squeezed back to reassure her. He wasn't going to let her get into trouble, he thought. He was going to take the fall for this. For her.

They stopped when Luke stopped in the middle of the courtyard. Ben watched his uncle turn towards them, blue eyes over his and Rey's intertwined hands before he looked at his nephew with an expression Ben could only describe as cold.

"Rey, go back to your room," Luke said sternly. "I will need to speak to Ben alone."

"Master Luke, I was the one who agreed to—"

"Don't even try to cover for him," Luke snapped at Rey, and Ben clenched his teeth. He had never seen his uncle so angry. Not just disappointed, but really angry. "Now, go."