Star Wars One Shots

Leia Knows

Rey paced in front of the door, nervously pulling at her arm wraps. Leia had asked to see her, which wasn't an usual thing, but for whatever reason, Rey couldn't help but feel anxious. Taking a deep breath, she stopped her pacing and raised a hand to knock on the General's door. A voice called for her to come in, so she did, pulling the door closed behind her.

Leia sat at her desk, scrolling through a datapad, but she smiled when she looked up and saw Rey. She laid the datapad aside and gestured for Rey to sit across from her.

As she sat, Rey forced herself to smile. Why was she so nervous? "You asked to see me, General?"

"Please, I've asked you a thousand times to call me Leia. And for a conversation this personal I think first names are warranted."

Rey blinked. They were going to have a personal conversation?

Leia sighed. "It's been some time now since the battle of Crait." She paused and locked eyes with Rey. "Since you went to see Luke."

Rey nodded slowly. "It has been."

"I'll cut to the chase." Leia frowned. "I had hoped by now you would've willing told me, but at this point I need to say something. I know you and Ben are connected."

Rey's heart skipped a beat. "Oh."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Oh is all you can think to say?"

"I'm sorry, Gen - I mean, Leia."

What was she supposed to say to that? Leia, the leader of the Resistance, knew that Rey was bonded uncontrollably with Ben Solo, her son and the leader of the First Order. Was she mad? It wasn't like it was something Rey could control, but at the same time, Leia might see it as a betrayal that Rey had been consorting with the enemy.

"It's not my business who you talk to," Leia said frankly, "or what side they're on. I've known for quite a while without saying anything out of respect of your privacy."

"Then why say something now?"

"I need to know how much Ben knows." Leia gestured all around her. "You must talk to him about something. Does he know what missions we send people on? Does he know how many members we have? Heaven forbid he finds out the location of our base."

The blood drained from Rey's face. "Yes, I, uh... I see how that could be problematic."

Leia's eyes widened. "Does he already know where we are?"

Rey's eyes looked all around the room. Anywhere but at Leia's face. "It might've come up in conversation."

"It might've come... Rey!" Leia shook her head in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me at once when he found out? We'll need to begin evacuation measures."

"No!"

Leia raised her eyebrows. "No?"

"He won't hurt us," Rey insisted with wide eyes. "He's not going to send troops here. I saw him, Leia. He was in a meeting, and he had every opportunity to expose, and he chose not to. Ben Solo knows where our base is. Not Kylo Ren."

Leia sighed. Having gone through so much in her life, she looked far older than she really was. She nodded slowly.

"The last thing Luke ever said to me was that no one was ever really gone." She met Rey's eyes, looking at her in a way that showed completely honesty was expected. "Do you honestly believe there's a chance my son can be saved."

"I know there is." Rey's answer came instantly, and she meant it from the bottom of her heart.

"Then bring him home," Leia whispered, her voice barely audible as tears came to her eyes. "Save him, Rey. Do what Han and Luke couldn't. Please."

Rey nodded. "I'll try. It may take time... but I'll get him back one day."

Leia nodded and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you. Just... Be careful how much you tell him from now on. He's not saved yet."

"Of course. I'm sorry."

Leia smiled. "Don't be sorry. You're saving my son."  She sighed. "I suppose I've kept you long enough. You probably have other things to do."

Rey smiled and stood up with a laugh. "Some days it feels like I don't have enough to do."

As she walked to the door, Leia's voice stopped her, needing to say one last thing. "And, Rey, I still wouldn't tell your friends about this. They wouldn't be as understanding as me."

Rey nodded slowly as she opened the door and made her way back to her room. Nobody understood. And she didn't know if they ever would.

****

Sighing, Rey leaned back against Ben's chest as she stared across her room. Wrapping an arm around her and resting his chin atop her head, he sat there in companionable silence, allowing her as much time as she needed to gather her thoughts.

After some time, she said, "I talked to your mother today."

"Oh?" Rey could feel the vibrations from his chest as he spoke.

"She misses you."

"I'm... sorry to here that."

Rey didn't have to look at him to know he was torn. Not only was his voice tight, but a wave of turmoil and regret hit her through their bond.

"She knows."

"She knows I'm sorry?"

"No." Rey shook her head. "She knows we're connected."

"What?" Ben stiffened. "How?"

Rey turned so that she faced him. "I don't know. She's force sensitive. She just... knew."

"I bet she wasn't happy."

Rey shrugged. "She didn't care too much. She just asked me too bring you home."

Ben looked away and murmured softly, "You know I can't come back."

"Why not?" Rey reached a hand up and brushed the hair from his face, keeping her hand their and forcing his gaze onto her. Her heart skipped a beat as his deep brown eyes bored into her own. "We can't keep doing this forever, Ben."

"I know." He leaned forward so that his forehead rested against hers. "And I'm sorry."

"Please," Rey begged,holding onto him tightly, tears threatening her eyes. "Living like this, being connected but on opposite sides of a war... it kills me. And I know you feel the same."

"It's too late for me. The people in the Resistance would never believe I've changed."

"So you admit you have changed?"

"I was talking hypothetically," he said, raising a hand to wipe a falling tear from Rey's face.

"I can't do this for the rest of my life."

His voice broke. "I can't come back."

"Please." It was all Rey could do to repeat it. "Your mother misses you. I... I miss you. I want you to really be here with me."

"I miss you too." His voice was soft, barely audible. He titled his head up and pressed a light kiss to the top of Rey's head. "We'll just have to make it work, though."

"That's what we've been doing." Silent tears slid down from Rey's eyes.

"And right now, it's all we can do."

No more words were said; none were needed. They were each so finely attuned to the other that they could communicate just with thoughts and feelings. Taking comfort in one another, they sat wordlessly for quite some time, until the Force weakened the connection, leaving each feeling more alone than ever.