Between Two Suns

Chapter 1 (Aftermath.)

The land was quiet, a lot more than usual. The hot wind seemed frozen along the sand, stuck in time as the suns began to set, giving a small break to the flesh it burned.

It was settling in now, how alone she was, how the force seemed to betray her, hiding the only thing she truly wanted.

It had been two weeks now since her arrival on Tatooine, giving her time to recover from the fight against Palpatine – A name she also refused to be branded with. With her recovery, she took the time to honor Luke and Leia by laying their sabers to rest, together, always.

And though she was happy that the war was ended, Rey couldn't help but feel a deep pang of regret, knowing that it wasn't worth her loss...

With a quick, drunken shake of her head, Rey sneered at herself as she took another swig from the bottle of Corellian wine she'd found on the Flacon.

She'd never touched this type of drink all her life, and now, it seemed as if it would be the only company she'd get for a long while.

Deep down, Rey knew she had her friends waiting for her to go home, to always love and support her in every way they could offer. However, she needed time to mourn the loss of Leia, to truly recover from the fight with Palpatine, and to...

She gulped as her eyes glossed over with more tears while she stared into the deep emptiness of the desert planet, the dark of the night beginning to surround her more and more.

Rey silently cursed herself, unable to believe that she couldn't even think of his face, or say his name, without tears being shed and her body trembling with a sob.

When it first happened, when he disappeared into nothing, Rey had seemed so hopeful, so sure that this was not the end, and even now, there was part of her that still believed it to be true.

It had to be... She felt him out there, somewhere.

He hadn't come to her as a force ghost, hadn't spoken to her mind, hadn't offered her guidance, or console her.

She felt, deep down, that he, too, was recovering – Though when she would try to pinpoint his location in her mind and through the force, their connection produced more static and unease, as if the force refused to let her in, to give her answers and ensure her that her bonded was okay.

Again, Rey hissed as she took another sip, closing her eyes to relive it for just a moment, to feel alive again;

His hair was softer than she had thought, and his cheek was warm, so, so warm... His eyes seemed to admire her, and she doesn't think anyone has ever looked at her in such a way, and it gives her hope... It fills her with hope... that maybe a scavenger like her could truly be loved, that maybe this bond did mean more to him than she had guessed.

She believed for a long while that maybe he just wanted her for the power she held... And maybe she was convincing herself of that... But now, there was no denying that he cared for her just as she cared for him, that together, they were no longer single beings in this galaxy, but instead two pieces of their own puzzle that fit together so perfectly...

And the way he held her... Softly, as if he feared he'd hurt her, but tight enough to not let go...

A small sob escaped her lips, and Rey realized her cheeks were soaked with tears...

He'd been so gentle and patient with her... Letting her take the lead, waiting until she moved towards him to taste his lips, to give him her first kiss...

And the smile that followed, the toothy grin he hadn't given to anyone else all his life, was left to Rey to marvel and mourn, all the same for the rest of her days in the lonely, lonely galaxy.