We Meet Again - Kylo Ren and Rey

Empty

Rey was numb. Not a single thought crossed her mind throughout the entire trip back to the base. Chewbacca was piloting the ship, while Finn acted as co-pilot. Chewie would have asked Rey, but he thought it best not to bother her.

Rey sat at the Dejarik table, her head resting in one of her hands, while the other hand fiddled with the many buttons on it. She had not bothered to clean her hands; Kylo's blood was still caked on her palms and under her fingernails. She looked down at herself. Her white tunic was stained red in many places. She rested her arms on the table in front of her and laid her head down. She stayed this way for the remainder of the trip, eventually falling asleep.

~~~

Chewie shook Rey awake. She raised her head to look at him and Finn. She brushed her hair back with her hand and stood up with difficulty. Her legs were completely worn out from the day's events. She rubbed her eyes, yawning, and followed Chewbacca, who went into a back room. Rey waited in the hall by the blast doors. When he returned, he was carrying Ben, who was draped across his furry arms. She looked at him, his robes gracefully hanging, his dark hair spilling down Chewie's arm. He seemed so peaceful, so serene, like he slept beneath a canopy of stars. It would have been a beautiful scene, if not for the blood soaking those ebony robes. The mighty Kylo Ren humbled to this state.

Finn opened the doors, the walkway lowering with a hissing release of steam. He led them out into the runway, followed by Chewie and then Rey. Rey ignored the people around them, whispering and pointing. Until Leia Organa came running out of the control room.

Leia stopped in her tracks. She put a hand over her mouth and fell to her knees.

She knew.

Leia watched as the group approached her. She stood, shaking, as they got closer. Finn walked up to her, but she ignored him, walking right past him to Chewie, who was carrying her son. She cried out as she saw him, a sound only a grieving mother could make. Tears began to spill down her cheeks as she surveyed his bloodied body, his pale skin. Rey's eyes began to water at the sight. Leia reached out to Ben's head. She held it in her hands as she bent over and touched her forehead to his, now hiccupping. The tears flowed freely, dripping onto Ben's face and washing off some of the blood.

Rey found herself crying. She could feel Leia's despair through the force, an emptiness gnawing away at her mind. She stood and watched for what seemed like hours, frozen. Time felt nonexistent. Her mind was aching, her eyes red and blurry with tears.

Ben Solo.

~~~

Rey was awoken by the sound of knuckles rapping at her door. Rey brushed her hair out of her face and grunted in response.

"Time to get up, you've got a big day," the voice said.

"Huh..?" Rey asked.

"The funeral...remember?"

Rey's heart sank.

Rey rubbed her eyes and looked around. There was no morning sunlight streaming into her room, no birds chirping. It was as if the world had gone silent, as if Rey was living in a different reality. She spotted a dress hanging on the closet door. Its black satin fell down like a waterfall of wet ink, shimmering behind the folds of the dress. It was simple yet elegant, fashioned in the form of the ancient Jedi, with overlapping bands across the chest. A thin silver belt hung next to the dress, its metal links carved into small stars.

She lifted herself out of bed. Her muscles ached, burning every time she used them, and her head was throbbing again. She sat on the edge of the bed. Apart from her physical state, she was completely numb. She was incapable of feeling any emotion. She couldn't think; she could barely breathe. Something inside her seemed...missing. Like part of her was gone. Empty. 

She stood up with a groan and walked over to the dress. She felt the layers of the dress. Smooth. She undressed and slipped it on, the folds of the dress perfectly hugging her curves, the strips of fabric gracefully spilling down her hips. She tied the belt around her waist, the shining silver complimenting the deep black. She brushed her hair, but left it down, unmotivated to take the effort to tie it up. She put on the matching black sandals they had provided her with and exited the room, the door shutting behind her with a whoosh.

~~~

When she reached the dining room, breakfast was spread out over the long table as usual. People were surrounding the table, many of them dressed in black as well. It had begun to rain, and a few people shut the doors to the open-air hangar to prevent the storm from coming inside.

As Rey walked towards the table to sit down, she noticed people staring and whispering to each other. She shook it off and sat in one of the chairs. She looked around. Neither Leia nor Chewbacca had arrived yet. Rey looked at the food laid out on the table. Fragrant fruits and smoky meats stared back at her. She couldn't bring herself to eat. Instead, she rested her head in her hands and stared down at the metal table.

People began to sit all around her, grabbing food and chatting about the day's events. Rey didn't even lift her head. Suddenly, the room came to a hush. Rey lifted her eyes towards the doors. A woman with a shimmering, long black dress stood in the doorway. Her grey hair was woven into intricate braids, and her face was emotionless.
Leia.
Behind her stood the furry Chewbacca.

Everyone stopped and stared; not a single breath echoed through the room. Leia took a few steps forward, followed by Chewie. The people around Rey had begun to talk again. She loosed her breath as the General came towards her. 

It's time. 

Leia held out a hand for Rey and she took it, letting the General pull her out of her chair. Leia led Rey and Chewie out of the dining room and out into the open-air hangar. The raining had ceased and only droplets of water still fell from the buildings, yet dark clouds still loomed overhead. Many of the Resistance members had followed behind them, including Finn, Poe, and BB-8, who had just arrived.

Rey followed Leia past the hangar and onto a path through the forest. The smell of damp leaves filled her nose and she breathed in deeply, still not accustomed to the smell of earth beneath her feet. The walk came to a halt when they reached a large clearing lit by blazing torches. Standing there were many Resistance members, aliens, and other people Rey had never seen before. Luke Skywalker stepped out from the crowd and greeted Leia, hugging her. He too was wearing dark-colored robes, different from his usual tan and grey.

When they finished hugging, Leia grabbed Rey's hand and walked her to the very front of the group. They turned to face the middle of the clearing.

Two humans holding trumpet-like horns stood on either side of a large, stone block surrounded by logs of wood. Rey quickly looked at the ground in front of her, not prepared for the sight she knew she was about to see. She felt Leia's grip on her hand tighten, and she looked up to see her. Silent tears fell down the mourning mother's face. Rey bowed her head down again, then lifted her eyes slowly up.

Her knees almost buckled at the sight, and a sob choked her throat. Ben Solo was dressed in a long grey robe, similar to the Jedi style. His hair was combed and draped gracefully down the stone, the blood and grime washed out. His eyes were peacefully shut, and his hands were draped over his abdomen, holding his lightsaber. He looked like the calm, sleeping boy his mother had never seen.

The two humans on the sides of the grave stepped forward, their horns raised. They blew one loud, strong note. At the sound, Luke Skywalker stepped out of the crowd and walked towards Ben. He grabbed hold of a torch next to the grave and pulled it out of its stand. He hesitated for a moment, bowing his head and whispering something Rey couldn't hear. He lifted his head back up and looked at Ben.

"May the Force be with you, Ben Solo." 

Luke knelt down and placed the torch at the bottom of the stacks of wood around Ben. The wood caught fire, sending the flames higher and higher. Snakes of fire traveled around Ben, encompassing him in a cage of flame. Rey took one last look at the face of the man she loved, before the flames engulfed him.

He is one with the Force now.

~~ end of angsty ending~~