The Balance Between Us - A Reylo

Chapter 2

Rey

Dantooine! A planet in the outer rim. I'd never heard of it before. Lush forests surrounded the Falcon and the sky was set on fire by a bleeding sunset. It was so warm, the wind so invitingly gentle. Finn and Poe shouted for me to stay close, but I disregarded them and took off running through the fresh air, and breathed it in. It was so clean and pure, much purer than Jakku, Ahch-To, D'Qar or Takodana. I felt at home here like I could belong.

I stopped in a small clearing in the forest trying to catch my breath when I felt something heavy bump my leg.

"It's beautiful here." I looked at BB-8. He beeped at me in response.

"Yes, it's much more than Ahch-To. Not as lonely." BB-8 gave me a lighters high-5 before turning his head back to Poe approaching us. The way he walked with such composure and a look so roguish... The complete opposite of Ben. Ben. I wished we weren't on opposite sides of the fight, hell, the galaxy even.

"Yes, buddy you're right. The view sure is beautiful." Poe knelt down to straighten BB-8's antenna.

"Why'd you take off?" He asked me standing up again. I had to think about the question before answering him.

"I...um...I"

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Poe dashed a smile at me. He made me feel oddly at ease in this paradise. Ben makes me feel conflicted but I feel like myself somewhat. I am able to admit things to him that I would never admit to anyone else including myself.

"I just wanted to run. To really feel the place and reach out. See how the Force moves through it." I answered him honestly leaving out the part about wanting to get away from everyone. The Falcon was too crowded and Ben had been on my mind ever since our moment.

"I get it, not the Force stuff but I get wanting to run. This place really is beautiful." Poe said looking around the place.

"Poe, Rey, the General says we gotta walk to the base now before night falls." I turned to see Finn standing at the edge of the clearing. I nodded at him before starting to walk.

"We'll be right there. Keep up BB-8." Shamefully I'd forgotten BB-8 was even here. It wasn't until just then when Poe mentioned him did I even remember he was here.

We strolled together in silence for awhile, trailing behind at the back of the small remains of the Resistance. I had one hand holding the strap to my bag and staff whilst the other grazed every single blade of long grass and leaves on the bushes and trees. I had been bewitched by this place. I reached out the way Luke taught me and saw the beauty of the place, I felt deeper for the Light and watched it flow through everything. It was so peaceful. And then with powerful light, powerful darkness. Balance!

"Care to share?" Poe's voice ripped through me bringing me out my trance. I turned toward him and gave him a small smile.

"I was reaching out feeling for the Force, the Balance that holds everything together."

Poe chuckled, "I'm not even going to pretend that I understood what you meant." Another awkward minute of silence. "So, you're a Jedi?" Poe enquired me even though it felt more like a statement.

"Yes," I responded quickly, "Well no, not yet." I didn't think I'd classify myself as a fully fledged Jedi yet. But with the eight Jedi texts in my bag, the broken halves of my lightsaber, my staff and Dantooine's perfect peace, I could be.

Poe shook his head and chortled at me. "What's so funny?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you ought to know whether you're a Jedi or not?"