Force connections

Our future

Over the next two weeks I became gradually stronger. Day by day I improved. Rey visited me in the sick bay every morning and evening. Sometimes she would bring me flowers from the meadows.  And every morning and evening she brought me food and drink and smothered me with kisses and love. Although my body ached endlessly my heart had never felt better. I had never felt so adored and little by little my wounds healed and I was able to go outside.

Rey held my hand as I slowly walked around the base, the warm sunshine lifting my spirits. To my surprise resistance fighters no longer looked at me with trepidation, Rey had clearly been saying good things about me. Even my knights seemed happy here, training, running supply errands and mixing with the resistance fighters. Jerrid, the young knight had even found himself a girlfriend. 

Rose bounced up to us, a wide smile lighting up her face, "Wow you're up and about! Rey, Poe was looking for you, something about a faulty switch on the Falcon". Rey nodded and was about to answer Rose when I saw her eyes flit to one side. I followed her gaze and saw Poe stood off to the side of us, his hands on his hips, his face stony. He only wanted to ask Rey some simple questions and yet as he spoke, avoiding my gaze I could feel the hate and jealousy radiating off him. As much as I hated to admit it it unsettled me, a cold feeling creeping through my body and staying with me for the rest of the day.

The next morning Rey came to see me as usual, she said that I should rest but this evening she had a surprise planned for me.  I had never had anyone do something like that for me and a warm feeling fluttered through my stomach as she kissed me, promising to be back later.

That evening she came to collect me.  We walked in silence, my mind still on the pilot. It wasn't, I realised the pilot who scared me, it was what he represented. Hate, destruction of this bliss I had found with Rey. I knew that sooner or later a new threat would rise from the remaining officers and troops of the First Order and that thought scared me half to death because it had the potential to take Rey from me or me from Rey.  "Ben?" Rey said quietly, squeezing my hand and drawing me from my thoughts.  I looked down at her then, suddenly realising that we were stood amongst the flowers in the moonlight.  "Are you ok?" Rey asked, I nodded as we sat down, Rey's arm automatically sliding around my back to guide me to the floor, the effect of my injuries still taking their toll on my mobility. 

I sat still, my arms resting on my knees.  It had been so long since I had been to Chandrilla and yet certain smells and noises seemed so familiar to me. I looked up at the sky, wondering what Rey's surprise was. I didn't have to wait long.  A sudden burst of light lit the sky, almost like it was raining blue jewels.  I gasped, my eyes wide.  Of all the things I had seen in the galaxy, I had never seen something like that. Rey reached over and squeezed my hand as another burst of lights filled the sky, red beads falling like jewels from the stars, "Wha...Rey, what are they?" I asked, for the first time in my life unsure of what was happening.  More bursts of light, these ones gold and green "Fireworks.  The village on the other side of the lake have them at the end of every week, a celebration of the fall of the First Order".  More golden lights flew up with a low wizzing noise and my eyes followed them up into the clear sky, watching them sparkling amongst the stars.  Rey leant in then, our lips touching, our eyes beginning to close, flashing, shimmering lights fluttering past my half closed lids as the fireworks continued.

Finally we broke apart, the weeks of being without Rey's touch making my breath heavy as we sat back, our hands linked.  The sky was empty now, just the hundreds of stars twinkling down on us.  "Do you ever wonder what's coming next?" I asked once my breathing had steadied.  Rey looked at me her brow furrowed,  "I know something is coming Rey.  The generals and troops we left, they'll regroup, they'll come looking for us" I said looking in her eyes.  Rey nodded, leaning back and closing her eyes for a moment before answering, "I think about that a lot Ben, but I think we have a strong army here, we have so many here now with all the extra people Finn has been able to recruit, and your knights" I nodded, my eyes on the stars.  Rey sat up again and pushed me back until I was lying down, her head resting on my chest.  I wrapped an arm around her back and breathed in the scent of her hair, closing my eyes, comforted by our closeness.  "Ben, you always have me whatever happens, I'll stand by you" Rey suddenly whispered in my ear, "I'll stand by you too Rey" I answered, kissing her head and then laying back on the grass. A slow smile crept across my face as I looked up at the stars and realised that this was my vision.

My vision had come true and my heart sang with happiness as I lay with my love under a sky full of stars.

The End