•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•

EPISODE LXVI - PADMÉ

Three weeks later, back on the Resistance base, Ben wakes up as rose sunlight floods the room. Rey sleeps next to him, dark hair strewn over a pillow, and he has no desire to disturb her. Both of them were up with a fussing Padmé for most of the night.

But he can't sleep. Later that day, Poe and others will be leaving to take on the remnants of the First Order. None of them are naïve enough to think they'll ever eradicate the First Order, or the Empire, or whatever shape it will take next, from the galaxy. But they can buy a few more years of peace, and that's what they'll do.

For so many years, Ben believed in finality, craved it, as Snoke had. Now, he understands. There will always be conflict. No matter how strong the Light grows, there will always be shadows.

And that doesn't mean the galaxy's a terrible place. It's good, too.

Ben takes in the sight of his daughter, finally asleep, drenched in pink light. He and Rey will be vigilant, as will Finn, Poe, Mother, Luke, Chewie... so many. They'll protect her as best they can, be honest with her, teach her to acknowledge the Dark and hope that, when she makes her choices, she chooses the Light.

Ben reaches down and picks Padmé up, cradling her against his chest. He loves her so much. More than ever, he understands his father now.

I'm so sorry, he thinks again.

"It's okay, you know," says his grandfather to his side. Anakin smiles at him, at his great-granddaughter, and fades.

It is okay, Ben tells himself. Because his father's love reached out beyond death. Love like that could never be killed.

And in the end, his father's love helped save him.

The Resistance agreed to let Ben live with Rey for the meantime, albeit with restrictions, based on what happened on Ahch-To, and the appearance of Obi-wan Kenobi's ghost. And Padmé seems to be steadily winning even Admiral Ackbar over. Still, Ben doubts many of them will ever shake off their suspicions, and he can't blame them.

"Treat them well," Obi-Wan had warned after that meeting, looking at Rey and Padmé with hope.

"I will." When Ben considers what the Dark Side holds, he never wants to go back. It offers power, but only a fool would choose power over the love that surrounds him here, with his soon-to-be wife, his daughter, his mother and uncle and cousin and friends.

What if Padmé despises you when she realizes what you were? whispers his old doubt, the darkness that lingers.

"Ben?"

He turns to Rey, who's sitting up in bed, running her hand through her tangled hair. He brings their daughter over, kissing Padmé on top of her hair.

If she did, I'd still love her, Ben admits to himself. "I'm just—I'm sorry, Rey. I keep worrying."

"I know." She kisses him and makes a face at their stirring daughter. "But I'm here. And even if someday I'm not, others will be." She laughs. "Even the dead are always here."

He nods. "And if others come? Others, like Snoke? To corrupt her?" Because he is not naïve. He knows what potential his daughter carries.

Rey bites her lip. "We'll do what we can."

What we can. Ben studies his daughter. She's not him. She's a whole new person, and her upbringing would be different than his. He'd do whatever it took to protect her, and though he can't predict the future, today he can choose to trust, trust in the Light.

"Don't be afraid," Rey says, and he lowers his head to her shoulder, feeling the fear, acknowledging it, and feeling it fade, fade away, as he reaches out, caressing his daughter's cheek.