When the Time Comes

Chapter Twelve

They needed sleep before they got to the base so everyone was sent to bed. Ben and Rey were shown to a room where they immediately collapsed into the bed together.

"Are you ready for this?" Rey asked Ben, resting her head on his chest and spreading half her body over his.

"Yes." Ben didn't need to think about it.

"Ben, please don't let your temper get in the way." Rey propped herself up on an elbow. "Don't make any hasty decisions. When this is over, I'd like to know what it's like to have a peaceful relationship with you."

"I just want this to all be over. I hear what you're saying, I won't do anything to put myself in serious danger. As long as you do the same." Ben kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too." Rey would never get tired of hearing him say that. "I just want to live through this and have some peace."

When they arrived, Ben and Rey saw just how the numbers had grown. Here, they managed to remain undetected. There were at least a thousand new recruits, and plenty of ships to assault the finalizer.

"Rey!" A familiar voice sounded.

Poe and Finn were running toward her, and embraced her. Then both of them surprisingly shook Ben's hand.

"Are we all ready to do this?" Poe eagerly asked. He loved the adrenaline of a good fight, he was easily one of the best pilots here.

"How long have you been here?" Rey asked him.

"Not long after you were moved, I was transferred here to train new recruits in flying and fighting from the air. They take to it well, we really can do this." Poe said proudly.

"You really are a hell of a pilot." Ben said. Both men seemed to pause everything at the idea of Kylo Ren complimenting them.

Rey eyed them and they continued on like nothing happened.

"Word is that you've been giving us everything you can about the leaders and the inner workings of the First Order and their finalizer." Finn said to Ben.

"That's correct. Their current Supreme Leader is a man with severe tunnel vision and a need for self gain. If I get to him, I will kill him." Ben said calmly.

Both Finn and Poe looked a little frightened but also seemed to be admiring Ben. They knew Hux was responsible for his near death by shooting him in the back.

They couldn't continue conversing after Leia asked that Rey and Ben follow her to continue building a strategy.

Here in the main building, most of the members of the rebellion's leadership were present. The remainder were off in another part of the galaxy, training even more new recruits.

The plan was to launch an assault on the ship. Their inside source told them that the generals of the First Order were having a monthly meeting, they would all be gathered in one room. First, Ben and Rey would lead an attack from the inside, providing protection while other soldiers would plant bombs that would be remotely set off. Once everyone was clear, they would be detonated and the rebellion pilots would move in to finish it off.

Ben was nervous at going back inside the finalizer, but not as nervous as he was for Rey. She hadn't quite finished her training, but she was strong. Stronger than he could dream of being at this phase of his own training.

They had one more night to rest up and prepare for what would be coming. After dinner and one final talk with the leaders, Rey and Ben sat up in their bed together, cross legged directly in front of each other with their hands intertwined.

"Promise me you'll come back to me." Ben said. "If we get separated, you'll reach out to me through the Force. Find me after it's all over, no matter the outcome." He brought her hands up to kiss them.

"We will win." Rey said. Ben was staring at their hands, afraid for them both. "If we get separated, we meet right here when it's over."

"If it goes wrong, we won't be able to."

"It won't go wrong."

"If it does, find me on Jakku."

Rey looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"I'm serious. Where you first met BB-8. I'll be there. Find me and we can hide."

"I can't leave them. If anyone survives, we have to continue on."

"If we lose this, there won't be anything to continue."

"One day, we can. We're not the last of the Force users, more will appear."

"That will take decades."

"Then that's how long we'll wait. We can't abandon the galaxy to the mercy of the First Order. We'll start a new Jedi Order, we'll train new students. Even if we die before we can see it happen, I want to ensure the future survival of the rebellion."

Ben loved her for her enthusiasm, because he certainly didn't have it. He knew if they lost tomorrow, he would abandon all hope. If he lost Rey, he didn't know what he would do with himself. It would take the most strenuous effort not to give in completely to the dark side again.

He touched her face and she smiled, leaning in to his touch and placing her own hand over his.

"I love you, I will love you no matter what happens tomorrow. Even if I'm not here to tell you anymore." She kissed the inside of his hand.

"You'll be here. If anyone comes out of this alive, it'll be you." Ben assured her.

"Only because of you. Ben, we're unstoppable together. We fought off the entire praetorian guard together. We can do this. Just don't leave me."

"They'll have to kill me first." Ben assured her.

With that, they both laid down to sleep. They would need plenty of it for what was coming their way.

Morning dawned far too early. As scheduled, according to their inside source, the finalizer would be passing by the planet within hours. It was still dark out, the sun hadn't risen, but everyone was awake and bustling. After breakfast, pilots began preparing their ships to leave the moment they were given the signal to attack. Soldiers were briefed on what to do, who would plant the bombs, exactly where so they wouldn't be discovered, who would keep the stormtroopers occupied, and how to split up evenly if Rey and Ben had to separate.

"I wish you could stay here and out of danger." Ben said to Rey as he held her hand, minutes before they would approach the finalizer.

But he knew she wouldn't, no matter what. And besides, he couldn't deny that they made the greatest duo. The last time they fought together, he had her back and she had his. He enjoyed fighting at her side, and this is what they had put in all of their hard work for. This right here, this was what it was all leading up to.

Rey had entered his mind without him knowing it.

"You've taught me well. We can do this, just don't leave me." Rey slipped into her lover's arms, and he gladly accepted. Sometimes he loved when she read his mind, he knew how to keep some thoughts private, but there were things he was happy to share with her.

"Never." Ben whispered into her ear.