Star Wars: Episode IX - The New Order

Don't Be Afraid

Rey's P.O.V.

The base is dark. The only light we have is from the outside shining in through a couple of windows. There's dust in the air that you can see in the light. "They're here." I hear Poe say while looking out a small, dirty glass window. I stand there not doing anything, because I know what's coming. I know what I have to do. I just don't know if I have the strength to do it.

I walk closer to the window, next to Poe. I look at the sky. I can barely see it because it's so high, but there's an orbital strike and I have a feeling it's going to do a lot worse than that canon on Crait.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Poe says with sweat coming down his forehead from stress.

"Have hope."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It's not. But I believe that's why, above all odds, the light will always win. Like Rose said, we won't win by fighting what we hate," I look out the window and see Ben standing in the distance, "but saving what we love."

I see Finn look at me in the corner of my eye and walk over with Rose with a concerned look."Rey, whatever you're thinking of doing, don't do it." Finn says.

I turn around. "You can't tell me wha-" I start to say but Poe interrupts.

"It's him."

"What!" Finn yells as he walks to the window and looks at Ren. He turns toward Poe and I. "Lemme at him."

"No." Poe says strictly, "Do you remembered what happened last time?"

"Yeah, I know. I got stuck in a coma."

I walk towards the door as they argue. I stand in front of it, hesitating.

"Rey?" Finn says, "What are you doing?"

I take a deep breath. "I'm going to confront him."

"Rey, you can't. Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm the only one who can."

He doesn't argue with me after that. I close my eyes and focus my energy ahead. I make the huge door open, which is nothing compared to the one on Crait. When the door is open wide enough where I can go outside, the first thing I see is him. Just seeing him makes me want to cry, scream, hug and hurt him all at same time. I start to walk towards him with my robe still following behind me. I ignite my lightsaber with my own crystal, not the diamond. I will only use the diamond if we're on the same team and we're not. I keep walking, ready for the hardest fight in my life and with also no idea of how far this fight will go.

We stand there, about 20 feet from each other, with both of our lightsabers ignited. We look at each other with different expressions. He's looks at me with an angry, betrayed expression, but me on the other hand, I don't even want to this at all. We stand there as a slight breeze goes through our hair. The sun is hiding behind a hill of sand. The sun is about to come out and give the sky a beautiful sunrise. There's tension in the air between us until Ren breaks it. "You left me."

"You betrayed me."

"You're the one who betrayed me in the first place."

I look down ashamed. He's right. I did leave him. "I never left because of you." I say looking back at him. "I left because I missed my friends but that doesn't mean that I hated you. I was growing to like you. But then you betrayed me with that stupid necklace." I say with tears streaming down my face.

"It paid off, didn't it? I'm here."

I shake my head. "Why? Why are you like this?"

"You."

"What? Why? What did I ever do to you?!"

He takes a couple steps closer and raises his voice. "You made me weak. You're a distraction, but now I need to focus."

I shake my head again. "I don't want to do this, Ben. Especially not to you."

He stays silent, ready for me to attack.

"It just seems you won't come back no matter what!" I yell intensely at him. I point my lightsaber towards him ready to charge. "I guess you have to pay for your actions now... I never wanted this." I say with tears in my eyes. I run towards him and our sabers clash. We break apart and put our sabers up defending ourselves. "You're not using the diamond." I say.

"Neither are you."

"Ben, please."

"That's not my name."

I run towards him. "Yes, it is!"

We fight for a couple minutes until our lightsabers are pushing against each other like the first time we fought. Our faces are only a couple inches apart. I look deep into his eyes. As I do, I realize something. He doesn't want this either. The only reason he's like this is because I left him. He's hurt. He always has been. This probably won't go well. I'm taking a huge risk and he might kill me, but I have to try. I force him back about 10 feet away from me. I disengage my lightsaber and throw it on the grand. I put my arms up. "I give up."

"You what?"

"I give up. I can't fight you. I won't. It won't do anything. So if you really feel like you are the most cruel, horrible human being in the galaxy, then take your lightsaber and cut me down because I don't want to live in a world where I know I killed the only person who truly understands me."

He looks at the lightsaber in his hand. He looks back at me. He lets go of his lightsaber and slowly hits the ground. "And I can't live knowing I killed the only person who never gave up on me. The truth is I only put a tracker in that necklace because I was afraid that you would leave me."

I step closer to him. He steps closer to me. Everybody's watching us but I don't care. I put my hand on the side of his face. My thumb traces the scar that I put there so long ago. My eyes look away from his eyes to his lips and back. My hand moves into his hair, getting tangled in it. I lean in closer. "Don't be afraid." I whisper. Then our lips collide. The sun comes out behind the hill of sand making this moment one to remember.