What She's Worth (Reylo)

Chapter 37

Ben continued to stare at Rey's sleeping form, Papa Doll tucked tight in her arms as early morning sunlight peered through the window of the shuttle. He had not slept again since the incident in the desert, but Rey, clearly weakened from the ordeal, had fallen asleep almost the moment he led her back to bed. He had then cast a protective barrier around her, which seemed to work seeing as he saw nothing in her dreams, good or bad. He knew, however, that it would not hold for long. And that he knew what needed to be done.

"To protect Rey," he repeated to himself, standing up from where he had been sitting across the room to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek. But no matter how many times he told himself that this was for the best, it didn't stop his heart from aching at the thought of it. But what choice did he have?

With a deep sigh, he walked out of the quarters and down the shuttle's ramp, his eyes instantly on the hole that still needed fixing. It wouldn't be long before he had this ship up and running again, and after that he could proceed with his plans.

He took out the ladder and spent the morning fixing the ship. It was almost noon by the time he was done, and yet he could sense that Rey was still fast asleep.

Good, he thought. It was better that way.

Hurrying back inside, he went to the cockpit and flew the shuttle to Niima Outpost, landing it at the outskirts of the village. There was no queue at the concession stand, perhaps because the scavengers were yet to return from their day's work but Ben could see Unkar Plutt out and about, stubby hands on his hips as though he were waiting for something.

After checking on Rey one more time, he hurried out of the ship and walked towards the crolute. "Plutt."

"You again." Plutt harrumphed and eyed him from head to toe." Changed your mind about scavenging for me, eh?"

"No. I have something that may interest you," Ben took a deep breath and presented Plutt with his lightsaber, "in exchange for a monumental task."

**

Rey fluttered her eyes open and stretched on the bed, yawning as she did before staring out at the bright sunlight streaming in from the window. She was surprised she had been able to sleep, let alone a dreamless one. Last night she'd had a terrible nightmare and...

She blinked. No, not a nightmare. It had happened. That monster...Supreme Leader Snoke as it called itself...had been in her head. And Ben...he'd saved her.

"Ben?" Taking Papa Doll and putting it inside her pocket, Rey stood up from bed and raced to the cockpit, only to find it empty. Through the window, she could see that they were at Niima Outpost, though why Ben would fly out here was beyond her.

Fly...did that mean Ben already fixed the ship? Then why go back to Niima Outpost?

Rey peered through the cockpit window, her eyes instantly zeroing in on Ben, conversing with Unkar Plutt in the distance. He seemed to be holding something shiny before the crolute. It looked like...the lightsaber? Why would Ben be showing Plutt the lightsaber? Surely he wasn't going to sell such an important item, Rey thought.

Then, an unexpected feeling of dread fell over her—the same feeling she felt when Ben was being secretive with her, only this time, intensified tenfold.

She turned and ran out of the cockpit and stopped by the ship's ramp, watching in dismay as Plutt now held the lightsaber, examining it. "Ben!"

Ben turned to stare at her. He was still some distance away, and she couldn't make out his face in the harsh sunlight, but somehow, she could tell he was distraught at the sight of her.