Bonded

Chapter 46: Reunion

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Rey and Ben arrive at Resistance headquarters after their escape.

Note: Theres a mature version of this chapter available on Archive of Our Own (Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18122999/chapters/48704168)

The Falcon creaks open, ramp descending with a mechanical hum.

Finn and Rose scurry down before it touches ground. They hop off, then bolt across the hanger, pausing briefly to glance back.

The shouting gets louder as Rey treks down the ramp, a towering form stomping after her. The two are a blur of screaming and finger pointing, faces red, arms flailing.

Finn and Rose turn to each other, wide-eyed. They start forward at the same time, racing between rows of transports like animals trying to outrun a storm. They're out of the hanger by the time Rey steps off the ship.

"If you'd just listened to me, we would've—"

"If I'd listened to you, both of us would be strapped to interrogation chairs right now!" Ben charges off the ramp.

"You stirred up the whole damn facility, nearly got us and Finn and Rose killed—"

"I saved all our skins. You're the one who nearly got us killed."

"I had a plan, Ben! A good plan, one that didn't involve blowing up half the building!"

"Your plan had us moving at half speed and getting stuck in a ventilation system. I made a judgement call."

Rey scoffs. "You just went with your instinct, which is to whip out that saber of yours and destroy whatever you set your eyes on!"

"First of all..." Ben towers over her. "If you think I actually wanted to harm First Order personnel, think again. Secondly, the last thing I wanted was to fight with a weapon that isn't even mine anymore!"

"Ben!" She groans. "All I did—"

"Was take it apart, change its nature, then put it back together with a damn tracker in it!"

"I had no choice, Ben," she mimics. "I will not apologize for trying to keep you safe."

"Hypocrite!" He gets in her face. "You are a childish hypocrite, and what you've done is so much worse than what I did."

"WHAT!? That is complete—"

"You took what is mine, and you ruined it!"

"I FIXED IT!"

"IT WASN'T BROKEN!"

"YES, IT WAS!"

He growls, jerking away.

"Just because you refuse to acknowledge an open wound doesn't mean it's not there, Ben."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know exactly what I'm talking about. I understand you, and I understand kyber crystals. You both needed this."

"It's not for you to say what I do and do not need!"

"Ben..." Rey sags. "When are we going to stop having this argument? When will you just admit that you need to heal?"

"Do not tell me—"

Suddenly, they both freeze.

They'd been too consumed in the fight to sense her coming, but they sense her now. A door whirs shut at the back of a hanger, footsteps approaching quickly.